Samantha Young´s new book!!!

This week Samantha revealed her next On Dublin St book title, description and cover! 

 

This one is about Cole Walker, for those who read Fall From India Place know that Cole is all grown up and hot!! We can´t wait to read his book!! Here It goes: 

Echoes of Scotland Street (On Dublin Street #5)

She is done with bad boys...

but he´s just so good...

Shannon MacLeod has always gone for the wrong type of man. After she drifted from one toxic relationship to the next, her last boyfriend gave her a wakeup call in the worst possible way. With her world shattered, she’s sworn off men—especially those of the bad-boy variety.

Cole Walker is exactly the sort that Shannon wants to avoid—gorgeous, tattooed, charming, and cocky. But his rough exterior hides a good man who’s ready to find “the one.” He’s determined to pull Shannon from her self-imposed solitude and win her heart.

As Shannon opens up in the face of Cole’s steady devotion, the passion between them ignites to blazing levels. But when Shannon’s past comes back to haunt her, her fears may destroy the trust Cole has built between them—and tear them apart for good…

Samantha also said: 

"The story will be told, as all the previous books in the ODS series have been told, from the heroine's POV."

Unfortunately, we will have to wait till February 2015 to read it, but, as all Samantha´s books, it will be worth the wait!

Chasing Life

I wanted to make a review about Chasing life´s first episode, but I've been kind of busy with college, so I will make a combo review: Chasing Life, first and second episodes.

So, the story revolves around April Carver (Italia Ricci),  a journalist who is working in a major newspaper in Boston as an intern. She just started and she is determined to get a promotion.  She lives with her family: her mother, her younger sister and her grandmother. After her father passed away she became the emotional support of her family. Basically, she became the rock they all depend on.
 

Everything is starting to get great for her. She is promoted, her mother starts dating again and April herself  starts dating her co-worker, Dominic (Richard Brancatisano), the Arts and Entertainment reporter. But you know how life is, when you least expect it, it hits you with something unexpected. April learns she has cancer, leukemia.

Things get complicated because her uncle George, a pediatric oncologist, comes back into her life bearing bad news. Apparently when April´s dad died, her uncle didn´t even went to the funeral and he wasn’t present to help the family at all.  But he wants to help her fight the cancer, and to make things right. Moreover, he was the one that was driving the car that killed her father.

In the final scene of the pilot, April visits her father´s grave. She tells him about the cancer, and that she is not ready to go. And there she has another blow! When she is leaving , another girl is putting flowers on April´s father grave! And we learn she is his daughter! Has this anything to do with her uncle distance?? We will have to wait…

I really liked the first episode and in the second things just got better.  April has problems at work when she has to work with another journalist, who sabotages her interview with a politician. She also continues dating Dominic, and she finaly tells her best friend, Beth Kingston (Aisha Dee) about her disease. I love the Beth character, she starts researching about leukemia kind of freaking out, but finally she makes things easier for April with her sense of humor.

In the second episode, we met Leo Hendrie (Scott Michael Foster), the son of wealthy

gubernatorial candidate, Bruce Hendrie (the one April was supposed to interview). He just appeared a minute, but I think we will see more of him in the coming episodes.

I have mixed fillings about this series. I really think it is great, but it makes me sad, maybe because I´m April´s age, I don´t know. But despite that, I want to keep watching it. This series has great potencial, a lot of topics and issues to keep us entertained. And it´s not just about a girl who is dying, it´s like the title says, a young woman who is trying to deal with the fact that she is sick, who is fighting cancer while trying to live her life like the rest of us.

I really recommend it!!

And we have Roni Loren's next novella!!!!

Yey!!! We have to wait only a little bit, but I'm sure it'll be so worth it. Can you guys guess who it's about??? I'll give you a hint: Melt into You... Yes! It´s about our steamy threesome Jace, Evan and Andre.

September can't come too soon!!! We'll have a follow-up novella and I'm sure we are going to need a couple of fans pointing our way, because things are going to get HOT!!!!

Roni has no better idea than to find another way to temp us: "I love this cover because the book takes place in a snowy mountain cabin, and I know these three are going to steam up quite a few Windows". So here is what she posted on her blog:

FOREVER STARTS TONIGHT Cover Reveal!

"Two dominant men, one beautiful woman. Jace Austin knows he doesn’t have what you’d call a conventional relationship with Evan and Andre, but it works. Boy, does it work—until Evan starts acting strangely and Andre’s ex-fiancée pops back into his life, unbalancing a perfectly happy threesome. Jace is forced to face the unthinkable: that the two people he cares most about in this world are in danger of slipping away from him.

So Jace plans a surprise getaway to a secluded mountain cabin for the three of them. And he knows exactly what he needs to do: give both his lovers a fantasy week they’ll never forget. And the possibilities for pleasure are endless. But when they get snowed in and the heat between them reaches a fever pitch, secrets come out. And Evan has one that could change all their lives forever."

Are you as excited as me?? If you are, then join us. I'm sure Roni will never disappoint us!!!

The Immortal Crown (Age of X #2) by Richelle Mead

What can I say about this book??? I absolutely love it!! I still can't understand how Richelle can come up with these amazing stories and characters. She is without a doubt one of my favourite writers. But you aren't here to read about me rambling about how out-of-this world she is, so let's get to the book.

As in the first book (Gameboard of the Gods), we have three points of view.

Mae is struggling with her feelings for Justin, while at the same time she worries about her lost niece and Justin's safety and the goddess that seeks her attention. So you can see that our poor super-soldier has a lot on her plate.

Meanwhile, Justin is dealing with Odin (the god that has him under oath) and Geraki (an annoying individual that happens to be Odin's prophet), plus his work at the IS. And, at the same time, he has to worry about his family's and Mae's safety. The former because of zealots and what-nots that want to harm him through his family, and the latter because he is the one putting her in danger and because of the current war among gods. Last but not least, he is also warring with his feelings towards someone. Can you guess who?? Yes, you are right!! It's Mae. Our poor servitor really has a lot of problems.

Then we have Tessa. Tessa has finally found a school she actually fits in and that gives her freedom to pursue any project she wants. Encouraged by a member of the school she fills a form to apply for an internship. But she might get more than she bargained for.

Before I tell you more about the story, I have to tell you a little secret ;) .... I was ecstatic when I saw Argentina in the book. This is the third time Richelle has mentioned Argentina in one of her books. First she did it in Spirit Bound (book #5 in the Vampire Academy series):

"It moves throughout the year. Right now it's in Alaska. Later, it'll be in Argentina." He gave me a sly smile, apparently wondering how astute I was. "Can you guess why?"

That one wasn't exactly accurate, but it can be forgiven. Then she goes and mention it again in Gameboard of the Gods:

“All I’ve got are Argentinian reds,” he told her. “They drink that stuff like water here, but it’s pretty good.”

There Justin was referring to Argentinian red wine. And then here we find the connection again with our delicious wine:

“Please, help yourself. It’s imported from Argentina. You’re probably pretty familiar with their wines after your stay in Panama.”

So, well, you can see why I was so happy!!

Okay, now that I've taken that out of my chest... let's go on.

Justin and Mae are asked to go on an expedition to Arcadia with Lucian Darling (Justin's old college roommate who's running for consul). Justin refuses to go until Mae asks him to accept it. She doesn't tell him, of course, the reason why. The truth is that, after a weird vision she had, Mae is more certain than ever that her niece is in Arcadia and that she needs to rescue her before it's too late.

Arcadia is a twisted country, to say the least. Women are considered property and are treated more like slaves than actual human beings. While Mae is trying to find a way to get to her niece, Justin is dealing with this country's weird religious leader and the reasons behind his behaviour.

Tessa, on the other hand, is back in the RUNA. There she is dealing with a reporter that wants her to help uncover the truth behind Lucian's campaign. To do that, she has to infiltrate a youth group that works for the campaign. She unveils some information in the process that can end up hurtin Justin in the end, so she has to decide what to do with what she finds.

Back in Arcadia Mae ends up striking on her own with a group of girls she is determined to save. Justin is faced with difficult decisions and with Mae's dissapearance.

When they finally reunite the confess their mutual feelings, but they are met with the cruel reality of their situation and that leads to a horrible attack on Mae and the subsequent fallout.

I have to tell you first that I hate Porfirio with all my heart (you'll understand after you read it), and secondly, I don't have it in me to wait for the third book of the series. I need it NOW!!!!! I don't have enough words to congratulate Richelle on another espectacular book. She is a GENIUS!!!!

 

Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X #1) by Richelle Mead

Gameboard of the Gods

 

 

Up until I read this book I've loved each and every book Richelle has written. I thought this time it would be a bit more twisted tan usual and that I may not like it as much. Boy, was I wrong!!! This dystopian book is marvellous. It is told in three different points of view (POV): Mae's, Justin's and Tessa's.

I should start with Justin's story...

Justin was a servitor for his country, the RUNA (Republic of United North America), but after some discoveries on his part and subsequent report he was exhiled and ended up in Panama (miles away from the technological and cultural superiority of the RUNA). He was miserable and longed to go back home to Vancouver. One night four years later, he sees this gorgeous woman that he can't stop staring at and after a series of events, they end up in his place and things turn hot ;) But there's a catch, he can't have sex with her again or he'll have to do something he really doesn't want to. Imagine his shock when he is asked to come back to the RUNA and have Mae be his bodygard/protector... talk about temptation!!! He is contacted because a series of murders have everybody on edge and there's a video that shows it might be involved with religion (Justin's expertise). He manages to get a student visa for a Panamenian girl named Tessa, the daughter of one of his friends in Panama. He sees some of himself in her and wants to help her.

Once back in the RUNA, after reuniting with her sister and nephew, he and Mae start investigating the case. To do that they have to go back to some of Justin's old contacts and they meet a lot of obstacles. Meanwhile he is dealing with a "gift" that a god left for him: two ravens that talk inside his head.

Mae is another case altogether. She is a soldier for the republic and has an implant that enhances her strengh and abilities, also becuase of the implant she can't sleep. She in incredibly beautiful and an oddity. She has recently lost someone she cared about and is in a weird place. She is assigned to Justin as a kinf of punishment. As she keeps spending time with him she begins to understand him better and see the reason behind his substance abuse and amazing intelligence. But there is a dark force both helping her and clouding her mind that she doesn't understand. And the case they are working on start unravelling things and secrets from her past that are a hard pill to swallow, but that explain what she's going through.

Tessa is a 16 year-old girl that doesn't behave the way the society she lives in requiers from her. She is smart and talks when she shouldn't, and likes reading a lot. She can't see why Justin would pick her to take to the RUNA, even if it is as a favor to her father, but she agrees to go anyway. Once there she struggles to fit in in a society that is completely different from where she grew up. And she can't really shake the way she is treated because she is "provincial".


The whole investigation unearthes a lot of skeletons, but worst of all it brings to life many religious issues that are a threat to the RUNA's ideals. However, there is no way of stopping what they've uncovered and that opens the door for the next book in the series.


Mae's and Justin's relationship is bumpy and hot and you can completely see why they belong together, but Justin needs to keep her away and mad at him in order to avoid temptation as much as possible. I can't wait to see how their story continues in The Immortal Crown, book #2 in the series.


I know it sounds convoluted and hard to keep up, but you won't regret it. Once you get a hold on the story you won't be able to stop reading. And while I'm at it, I highly recommend all of Richelle's other series (Vampire Academy, Bloodlines, Georgina Kincaid and Dark Swan). Richelle is an amazing writer and I hope I get to read more of her stories.



Fall From India Place (On Dublin St #4) by Samantha Young

Last night I was supposed to go to sleep early because today I had to wake up really early, so when I started reading Fall From India Place, I only intended to read the first couple of chapters, but I just couldn´t put it down!!! And I finished it!! Let me tell you, today I am a totally zombie but this book was worth it!!!

This is the fourth book of On Dublin St series and it´s set six or seven years after the previous one. It´s the story about Hanna Nichols and Marco D´Alessandro. We met Hanna on the first book, as a teenager, and we found out about her story with Marco in the second and third. 

In this book we find a twenty-two year-old Hanna, she's finished college and has started working as a teacher, but even when it seems like she moved on she never forgot Marco, her first love. Like other books of Samantha Young, this book is developed in the present but we get flashbacks where we find out more about what really happened between them. However, we dont' know the whole story until the end. This is one of the reasons you can´t stop reading it!!! 

What we know from the start it´s that Hanna loved Marco, and Marco loved her back even though he couldn't admit it because of all his problems at home. They found comfort in each other. But when things started to get serious Marco left Edinburgh and went to America, leaving Hanna behind. 

“when i´m with you it feels like everything´s going to be okay” 

Four years later they meet again in a wedding and now Marco is determined to apologize and see if he still has a chance to get Hanna back. He is no longer the boy who was overwhelmed with his family issues, he is now a man who knows what he wants. 

But can Hanna give him a second chance??? When Marco left, Hanna had to deal with the consequences of their actions all by herself. In order to have a relationship with him, she needs to get past all the bad that happened. But that’s not all of it, Marco has a really important secret and when Hanna finds out it could change everything. 

This book was a great addition to this series!!! I loved every moment of it! The love story is beautiful, and I also love the fact that we find out what happen in the “happily ever after” of the previous couples and met their children. 

And last but not least, we met a grown up Cole, who became a best friend to Hanna. Next book will be about him, and I am really looking forward to read it, why?? In Hanna´s words: 

“A few inches over six feet, Cole was broad-shouldered and athletically built – he had an amazing body, honed in martial arts classes and weekly visits to the gym. He had messy strawberry blond hair that his sister was always nagging at him to cut, gorgeous green eyes, and a handsome face that was usually scruffy and in need of a shave…”

Worn Me Down by Tara Sivec

 

 

Okay, so this is book #3 of the Playing With Fire series by Tara Sivec. I have to say I liked this book, but not as much as the previous ones. But before I give you my whole opinion, here's a synopsis:

 

"Austin Conrad has never taken his personal life seriously. As a Navy SEAL, he spends all of his time in dangerous, life-threatening situations. He’s too much of a playboy to settle down; even if he did find a woman he could stand to be around for more than one night, he would never taint her life with the demons of his past.

When his best friend and SEAL team member, Brady Marshall asks him to keep an eye on his baby sister, Gwen, Austin figures it will be a walk in the park. Austin never expects that the single mom and her little girl will be the ones getting under his skin.

Gwen Stratford knows all too well about living in a nightmare. After taking her daughter and fleeing from her abusive husband in the middle of the night several months ago, she’s worked hard to get her life back on track and forget about the man who tried to break her. Growing up under the iron thumb of her parents and then moving right on with a man who ruled their marriage with his fists, Gwen is finally able to breathe and live her life the way she wants.

When scary, mysterious things begin to happen to Gwen and her daughter, she realizes you can never outrun your past; it always has a way of catching up with you. As she struggles with the desire to keep her newfound independence, she knows she won’t be able to protect herself and her child alone. She’ll need to lean on the one man who drives her crazy."

 

 

The story doesn't disappoint, it's a bit darker tan the others because both Gwen and Austin have difficult pasts, and then there's Emma (Gwen's daughter) in the middle of this ugly situation. More or less like in the other books we have the guy trying to protect the woman, the incontrolable attraction between them, the caving in, the man screwing everything up and the kidnapping. Somebody always ends up in the hospital and that someone is (if you haven't guessed yet...) the woman in question.

 

I don't know if the fact that I didn't like this book as much as the rest is because it's more of the same or if it's because of the way it developed. Still, it doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. It's witty and intense and so sweet you might get cavities if you aren't careful.

 

I'm hoping the fourth (and last) book takes me back to how things where in the beginning. We won't know until August so I'll be continuing down the huge list of books I have in my to-read pile!!!!!

BBC's Pride and Prejudice (1995)

 

"Jane Austen's classic novel about the prejudice that occurred between the 19th century classes and the pride which would keep lovers apart"

This TV mini-series consists of six one-hour-long episodes and is based on Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice". I know it's old, but I really liked it. It portrays the story as faithfully as any book adaptation can.

The only thing I have to complain about is that they describe some of the characters as great beauties and the actors don't fit the bill. We have Colin Firth playing the role of Mr. Darcy and Jennifer Ehle as Miss Elizabeth Bennett and I must admit they are a great couple.

Anyway, if you liked the book or the movie adaptation starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen then you can't miss this wonderful mini-series.