Book Review: War of the Sea by Dana Claire

 Hiii, time for another indie author spotlight! 

I love these hidden gems, I wish they got more praise and recognition. This book was so well done overall, it deserves to be in top reads on Amazon for this genre! 

War of the Sea

Goodreads / Amazon / My Instagram

4++ stars

I was mostly impressed by the world building, plot and overall badassery!

You know that with YA books, half the time I complain about the YA angst and dramatics or immature impulsive heroines. And while we had a bit of that here, there were so many good things about the story overall, that I could easily overlook it. I read it in two sittings, which says a lot about the flow and engagement of the storyline. Pirates, deadly sirens, kickass heroine, enemies to lovers and snark, forced proximity, sword fights, sea adventures, hidden identities, warring kingdoms, Greek mythology - all recipe for a good read and I totally recommend it! 

Also, I loved the side characters! They brought dimension and unity to the story. They banter in key moments and loyalty when it was most needed really sold them for me. The Greek mythology aspect, the gods and goddesses were a surprisingly fun addition too. 

So, in short, here is what you can expect from this story: 

-YA Fantasy
- Enemies to lovers
- Deadly mermaids
- Ships & pirates
- Action & intense plot
- Greek mythology
- Dual POV
- Unlikely allies
! It stars with a blade to the throat

Recommended for fans of: Fable, To Kill a Kingdom, On These Black Sands

Review copy provided by the author/publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest opinion. Thank you! :)

Contemp Favorites - Part II - The Not for the Faint of Heart Edition (1. The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay)

Hey everyone!

First off, let me warn you that this is not a review post, but mostly a long, fangirly, rambling post. The last time when I got so off the script and rambled on and on about a book was when I reviewed Flat-Out Love - and that should tell you something (and in my recommendations post before that).

Anyway....

You know those books that get to you on a very deep level? That make you connect emotionally with the stories and feel everything the characters feel - and then some? That make you fall in love with them so hard, you wish they were real? That make you want to jump into the book to be there for them, or into the author's brain and yell "what the hell were you thinking by torturing these poor souls like that?" Books that make you loose any sense of reality, that make you cry, frustrate you, squeeze your heart, make you pace around the room or stare off into space with a crazy dreamy look on your face, but you still want to read more? Because there's something so spellbinding, addictive and heart-melting about them that you can't. Stop. Reading? Those stories that are so incredibly beautiful, that you can't find the exact words to describe them? Those stories that pull at all your heart strings, no matter how sad and depressing, or sweet, passionate and hopeful they might be? Those books that are life-changing - and when you finish them, you feel like you just lived another life and you'll never be the same again?... Well, I've been lucky enough to read a few such books in the past few months and they really set a new standard for what I like in my books. And if you want to read just one book I've recommended this year, pick one of these (or, you know, one from my recommendations, part I). 

I'm talking about The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay and The Dark Duet by CJ Roberts. 

I ranted about them on Goodreads when I read them (I'm a little more active there than on the blog, as I update my status about the books I'm currently reading constantly), but I suck at multitasking, so thinking in English (which is obviously not my first language), trying to be coherent, to keep my excitement in check, to explain myself very well and to be at least a bit objective and not just yell "OMFGDASHFAZ  this book was amazing go read it now now now!!!" is not that easy.

So this is me just trying to bring these books to your attention. And ok, yes, fangirling a bit. Even if I wanted to write a review, there's not much to say, really. Not if you want to make them justice and capture all the awesomeness. You just have to read them and see for yourself. And, like I said on Goodreads a few days ago, now I can classify some of the books I've read lately in two categories: the mind-blowing, breathtaking, heart-stopping, life-changing books... and the rest (not saying they were bad, on the contrary, I read a lot of 4, 4.5 or even 5 stars books lately, but... these are more special and have their very own category and place in my bookworm heart).

Let's start with The Sea of Tranquility. This is YA, so it's safe to read for everyone. Well, maybe not for very young YAs, since there's mention of abuse, drug and alcohol use, profanity etc.

The Sea of Tranquility 
by Katja Millay

Published September 5th 2012
by Antisocialite Press LLC
Format: Kindle Edition, 380 pages

Goodreads:

I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk.

Full of rage and without a purpose, former pianist Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone discovering her past and to make the boy who took everything from her pay.

All 17 year-old Josh Bennett wants is to build furniture and be left alone, and everyone allows it because it’s easier to pretend he doesn’t exist. When your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, a hot mess of a girl who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. The more he gets to know her, the more of a mystery she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he may ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding or if he even wants to.

The Sea of Tranquility is a slow-building, character-driven romance about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.

Please Note: This book contains mature content including profanity, drug/alcohol use, and sexual situations/language.

My thoughts (sort of):

In a nutshell, this is the story of a seriously broken girl and the boy who helps her put the pieces of her life back together and heals himself as well in the process. 

Something terrible happened to Nastya a few years ago and it changed her forever. She's just a shell of the person she used to be. No one can understand her, no one can help her. And she doesn't really want anyone's help anyway. She's angry, closed off  and mysterious. She just wants to be left alone and to finish high school - and secretly to make the boy who destroyed her life pay for it. Josh has his own troubled past and lives under his own "don't f*ck with me" bubble. That's the only reason they can stand being around each other. They have their own baggage and don't need to open up or to make too big of an effort to spend time together. But slowly, Nastya's impenetrable, protective cell begins to crack. But instead of helping them get closer, it only makes things more mysterious and complicated. Their entire life is wrapped up in secrets and questions they can't ask because they're not ready to find out the answers - or they're not ready to give any answers in return. But as times goes by, Nastya's story begins to unravel. And it's heartbreaking. It's moving. It's incredible. Josh becomes a very important part of her life - her relationship with him is the only thing that helps her feel sane. But will the revealing of her past and darkest secrets finally manage to push him away? How long can he wait for her to trust him, to be honest with him and to open her heart to him? And when everything goes completely out of control and things get messy, is it too late to work out something together, or are they too shocked, hurt and afraid to try to have a normal relationship? Will love be enough to fix things between them? Is there any chance for happiness for them? 

There are so many questions! And every answer just rises even more questions. This story was such an emotional rollercoaster and had such an impact, that by the end, I didn't even know what to think or how to feel anymore. But I loved every second of it, nonetheless.  And I wish I could read it for the first time again, to feel that powerful connection with the characters and their story. Lucky for you, you can still do that.:) Oh, and this book couldn't get any better, there's the occasional sarcasm, dry humor or banter that's always a WIN with me. Oh, yes. And two alternative POVs. Double win!

My only regret right now is that I don't have a paperback copy. It would look nice on my all time favorites shelf. *sigh*

Favorite quotes: 

“People who go around advertising their birthday are douchebags. It’s a fact. You can look it up on Wikipedia.”

“When you look at her what do you feel?"
“Are you f*cking serious? Forget it.” He can kiss my ass if he wants to start talking feelings with me."
[...] "Joy, fear, frustration, longing, friendship, anger, need, despair, love, lust?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
“All of it,” I reply, because I’m all in now whether I like it or not.

We have an unspoken agreement. I let him watch me. He lets me watch him. We never call each other on it. It’s a gift we give one another. No strings, no expectations, no reading between the lines. We’re like mysteries to one another. Maybe if I can solve him and he can solve me, we can explain each other. 

“You are distractingly, even-if-that-is-not-a-real-word, pretty. You are so pretty that I bullied Clay Whitaker into drawing me a picture of you so I could look at you when you aren’t around. You are so pretty that one of these days I’m going to lose a finger in my garage because I can’t concentrate with you so close to me. You are so pretty that I wish you weren’t so I wouldn’t want to hit every guy at school who looks at you, especially my best friend.”

And why I say this is not for the faint of heart? Well, my first reaction after I finished it was something along the lines: With this story, Ms Millay broke my heart in a million pieces, allowed me some time to heal and then did it all over again and stomped on the pieces for good measure, before putting it back together. BUT because she had the power to do so with her wonderful words, because the story was just as incredibly beautiful as it was heartbreaking and for a gazillion other reasons, I can't give this book any less than 5 stars.

Get the book (It's only $2.99!) Amazon / B & N

Stalk Kaja: Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Ok, I'll stop gushing now and be back later with my thoughts on The Dark Duet by CJ Roberts. That one is a little disturbing, dark, intense, extremely hot and definitely not for young readers, so stay tuned. :D

Contemp Favorites - Part II - The Not for the Faint of Heart Edition (1. The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay)

Hey everyone!

First off, let me warn you that this is not a review post, but mostly a long, fangirly, rambling post. The last time when I got so off the script and rambled on and on about a book was when I reviewed Flat-Out Love - and that should tell you something (and in my recommendations post before that).

Anyway....

You know those books that get to you on a very deep level? That make you connect emotionally with the stories and feel everything the characters feel - and then some? That make you fall in love with them so hard, you wish they were real? That make you want to jump into the book to be there for them, or into the author's brain and yell "what the hell were you thinking by torturing these poor souls like that?" Books that make you loose any sense of reality, that make you cry, frustrate you, squeeze your heart, make you pace around the room or stare off into space with a crazy dreamy look on your face, but you still want to read more? Because there's something so spellbinding, addictive and heart-melting about them that you can't. Stop. Reading? Those stories that are so incredibly beautiful, that you can't find the exact words to describe them? Those stories that pull at all your heart strings, no matter how sad and depressing, or sweet, passionate and hopeful they might be? Those books that are life-changing - and when you finish them, you feel like you just lived another life and you'll never be the same again?... Well, I've been lucky enough to read a few such books in the past few months and they really set a new standard for what I like in my books. And if you want to read just one book I've recommended this year, pick one of these (or, you know, one from my recommendations, part I). 

I'm talking about The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay and The Dark Duet by CJ Roberts. 

I ranted about them on Goodreads when I read them (I'm a little more active there than on the blog, as I update my status about the books I'm currently reading constantly), but I suck at multitasking, so thinking in English (which is obviously not my first language), trying to be coherent, to keep my excitement in check, to explain myself very well and to be at least a bit objective and not just yell "OMFGDASHFAZ  this book was amazing go read it now now now!!!" is not that easy.

So this is me just trying to bring these books to your attention. And ok, yes, fangirling a bit. Even if I wanted to write a review, there's not much to say, really. Not if you want to make them justice and capture all the awesomeness. You just have to read them and see for yourself. And, like I said on Goodreads a few days ago, now I can classify some of the books I've read lately in two categories: the mind-blowing, breathtaking, heart-stopping, life-changing books... and the rest (not saying they were bad, on the contrary, I read a lot of 4, 4.5 or even 5 stars books lately, but... these are more special and have their very own category and place in my bookworm heart).

Let's start with The Sea of Tranquility. This is YA, so it's safe to read for everyone. Well, maybe not for very young YAs, since there's mention of abuse, drug and alcohol use, profanity etc.

The Sea of Tranquility 
by Katja Millay

Published September 5th 2012
by Antisocialite Press LLC
Format: Kindle Edition, 380 pages

Goodreads:

I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk.

Full of rage and without a purpose, former pianist Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone discovering her past and to make the boy who took everything from her pay.

All 17 year-old Josh Bennett wants is to build furniture and be left alone, and everyone allows it because it’s easier to pretend he doesn’t exist. When your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, a hot mess of a girl who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. The more he gets to know her, the more of a mystery she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he may ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding or if he even wants to.

The Sea of Tranquility is a slow-building, character-driven romance about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.

Please Note: This book contains mature content including profanity, drug/alcohol use, and sexual situations/language.

My thoughts (sort of):

In a nutshell, this is the story of a seriously broken girl and the boy who helps her put the pieces of her life back together and heals himself as well in the process. 

Something terrible happened to Nastya a few years ago and it changed her forever. She's just a shell of the person she used to be. No one can understand her, no one can help her. And she doesn't really want anyone's help anyway. She's angry, closed off  and mysterious. She just wants to be left alone and to finish high school - and secretly to make the boy who destroyed her life pay for it. Josh has his own troubled past and lives under his own "don't f*ck with me" bubble. That's the only reason they can stand being around each other. They have their own baggage and don't need to open up or to make too big of an effort to spend time together. But slowly, Nastya's impenetrable, protective cell begins to crack. But instead of helping them get closer, it only makes things more mysterious and complicated. Their entire life is wrapped up in secrets and questions they can't ask because they're not ready to find out the answers - or they're not ready to give any answers in return. But as times goes by, Nastya's story begins to unravel. And it's heartbreaking. It's moving. It's incredible. Josh becomes a very important part of her life - her relationship with him is the only thing that helps her feel sane. But will the revealing of her past and darkest secrets finally manage to push him away? How long can he wait for her to trust him, to be honest with him and to open her heart to him? And when everything goes completely out of control and things get messy, is it too late to work out something together, or are they too shocked, hurt and afraid to try to have a normal relationship? Will love be enough to fix things between them? Is there any chance for happiness for them? 

There are so many questions! And every answer just rises even more questions. This story was such an emotional rollercoaster and had such an impact, that by the end, I didn't even know what to think or how to feel anymore. But I loved every second of it, nonetheless.  And I wish I could read it for the first time again, to feel that powerful connection with the characters and their story. Lucky for you, you can still do that.:) Oh, and this book couldn't get any better, there's the occasional sarcasm, dry humor or banter that's always a WIN with me. Oh, yes. And two alternative POVs. Double win!

My only regret right now is that I don't have a paperback copy. It would look nice on my all time favorites shelf. *sigh*

Favorite quotes: 

“People who go around advertising their birthday are douchebags. It’s a fact. You can look it up on Wikipedia.”

“When you look at her what do you feel?"
“Are you f*cking serious? Forget it.” He can kiss my ass if he wants to start talking feelings with me."
[...] "Joy, fear, frustration, longing, friendship, anger, need, despair, love, lust?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
“All of it,” I reply, because I’m all in now whether I like it or not.

We have an unspoken agreement. I let him watch me. He lets me watch him. We never call each other on it. It’s a gift we give one another. No strings, no expectations, no reading between the lines. We’re like mysteries to one another. Maybe if I can solve him and he can solve me, we can explain each other. 

“You are distractingly, even-if-that-is-not-a-real-word, pretty. You are so pretty that I bullied Clay Whitaker into drawing me a picture of you so I could look at you when you aren’t around. You are so pretty that one of these days I’m going to lose a finger in my garage because I can’t concentrate with you so close to me. You are so pretty that I wish you weren’t so I wouldn’t want to hit every guy at school who looks at you, especially my best friend.”

And why I say this is not for the faint of heart? Well, my first reaction after I finished it was something along the lines: With this story, Ms Millay broke my heart in a million pieces, allowed me some time to heal and then did it all over again and stomped on the pieces for good measure, before putting it back together. BUT because she had the power to do so with her wonderful words, because the story was just as incredibly beautiful as it was heartbreaking and for a gazillion other reasons, I can't give this book any less than 5 stars.

Get the book (It's only $2.99!) Amazon / B & N

Stalk Kaja: Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Ok, I'll stop gushing now and be back later with my thoughts on The Dark Duet by CJ Roberts. That one is a little disturbing, dark, intense, extremely hot and definitely not for young readers, so stay tuned. :D

New Adult Mondays #1

Hi guys!

I'm super excited to introduce you to a new feature today, New Adult Mondays! Credit goes to Danny from Bewitched Bookworms who not only come up with the brilliant idea of this feature, but she also designed a super cool button! We both share the love and enthusiasm for this genre and we're happy to talk about it, introduce you to new, very talented authors and to recommend you great reads. Fun stuff all around!:D

***

I mentioned this genre on the blog before, but today I want to tell you a bit more about it. Basically, New Adult fills the gap between Young Adult and Adult books. In Rhemalda Publishing and JJ from St. Martin's words, it's "Coming of Age (18 to 25) fiction about young adulthood, when you are an adult but have not established your life as one (career and family)", it's about "the transition from teen to adult". You can read a detailed, very interesting article on this particular subject HERE. 

I love Young Adult lit, most of the books I read are YA, but I really like that this new genre brings something more to it. More romance, pain, angst, loss, hope, courage, intensity, passion. It's about college life,  love, challenges, insecurities, making mistakes and learning from them, making hard decisions, choosing paths, moving on;  it's about the moment when you realize something important is going to change. And, of course, it's sexy, hot and steamy. :D 

We don't have an official category for this genre yet (I still hope that one day soon, I'll be able to enter a bookstore, go to the NA section and buy a dozen books) - but it's growing. The traditional publishing houses have been skeptical about NA books (their stories and characters apparently are too old to fit with the YA books, but not old enough to fit with the Adult books), and that's why many authors took the self-publishing route. (I could hug each and everyone of them for making that decision. Those stories need to be told, no matter how!) 

But. Things are changing. We see NA authors on the bestseller lists, big publishers picking up their stories, we discover new talents and more and more readers enjoy reading stories about characters in their late teens and twenties. WIN!;)

And speaking of awesome NA authors, a group of them created the NA Alley, a blog where they talk about the genre and have all sorts of advice, information, inspiration, resources, chats, contests, recommendations and other fun stuff. You should follow them right now!;) 

I know I'm not alone in my love-fest; you can read what fellow bloggers Danya at A Tapestry of Words, Kelly at Radiant Shadows, Danny at Bewitched Bookworms and author Jessica Roberts recently said about all this. ;)

***

Ok. That's enough talk for now.:) Because I'm only touching the basics today, I'll give you some lists with a few NA books I already read and loved (and recommended to EVERYONE) and books that I added to my TBR list (highly recommended by trusted fellow readers and bloggers). 

The NA Genre on Goodreads

Popular NA Books on Goodreads

My only regret at the moment is that I live in the middle of nowhere *includes dramatic sigh here* *Ok, just kidding* and most of these books are self published in e-book format, so it's really hard do get paperback copies for my favorites shelf (me and Amazon's international shipping are not on the best of terms right now, but I'm working on it.:P)

Anyway, feel free to leave your thoughts about this growing genre, to tell me if you read any NA books lately and what you thought about them or to recommend me new ones. I'm always open to recommendations!;) Oh, and do let me know if I missed something, I'm a little distracted today.:)) 

Have a great week!

xoxo

New Adult Mondays #1

Hi guys!

I'm super excited to introduce you to a new feature today, New Adult Mondays! Credit goes to Danny from Bewitched Bookworms who not only come up with the brilliant idea of this feature, but she also designed a super cool button! We both share the love and enthusiasm for this genre and we're happy to talk about it, introduce you to new, very talented authors and to recommend you great reads. Fun stuff all around!:D

***

I mentioned this genre on the blog before, but today I want to tell you a bit more about it. Basically, New Adult fills the gap between Young Adult and Adult books. In Rhemalda Publishing and JJ from St. Martin's words, it's "Coming of Age (18 to 25) fiction about young adulthood, when you are an adult but have not established your life as one (career and family)", it's about "the transition from teen to adult". You can read a detailed, very interesting article on this particular subject HERE. 

I love Young Adult lit, most of the books I read are YA, but I really like that this new genre brings something more to it. More romance, pain, angst, loss, hope, courage, intensity, passion. It's about college life,  love, challenges, insecurities, making mistakes and learning from them, making hard decisions, choosing paths, moving on;  it's about the moment when you realize something important is going to change. And, of course, it's sexy, hot and steamy. :D 

We don't have an official category for this genre yet (I still hope that one day soon, I'll be able to enter a bookstore, go to the NA section and buy a dozen books) - but it's growing. The traditional publishing houses have been skeptical about NA books (their stories and characters apparently are too old to fit with the YA books, but not old enough to fit with the Adult books), and that's why many authors took the self-publishing route. (I could hug each and everyone of them for making that decision. Those stories need to be told, no matter how!) 

But. Things are changing. We see NA authors on the bestseller lists, big publishers picking up their stories, we discover new talents and more and more readers enjoy reading stories about characters in their late teens and twenties. WIN!;)

And speaking of awesome NA authors, a group of them created the NA Alley, a blog where they talk about the genre and have all sorts of advice, information, inspiration, resources, chats, contests, recommendations and other fun stuff. You should follow them right now!;) 

I know I'm not alone in my love-fest; you can read what fellow bloggers Danya at A Tapestry of Words, Kelly at Radiant Shadows, Danny at Bewitched Bookworms and author Jessica Roberts recently said about all this. ;)

***

Ok. That's enough talk for now.:) Because I'm only touching the basics today, I'll give you some lists with a few NA books I already read and loved (and recommended to EVERYONE) and books that I added to my TBR list (highly recommended by trusted fellow readers and bloggers). 

The NA Genre on Goodreads

Popular NA Books on Goodreads

My only regret at the moment is that I live in the middle of nowhere *includes dramatic sigh here* *Ok, just kidding* and most of these books are self published in e-book format, so it's really hard do get paperback copies for my favorites shelf (me and Amazon's international shipping are not on the best of terms right now, but I'm working on it.:P)

Anyway, feel free to leave your thoughts about this growing genre, to tell me if you read any NA books lately and what you thought about them or to recommend me new ones. I'm always open to recommendations!;) Oh, and do let me know if I missed something, I'm a little distracted today.:)) 

Have a great week!

xoxo

Review: Brightest Kind of Darkness by P.T. Michelle

Happy Friday everyone! ♥ 

Brightest Kind of Darkness (Brightest Kind of Darkness #1)
by P.T. Michelle

Published June 27th 2011 by Patrice Michelle

Goodreads:

Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate…until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.

After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.

Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past.

My thoughts:

(No spoilers)

I think I’ve tried to write this first paragraph at least four times, but it just wouldn’t come out right. So I might as well just say it: Brightest Kind of Darkness blew my mind away! Seriously, it was so good and so full of all kinds of surprises, twists, turns and well, awesomeness, that I don’t even know where to start!

Sometimes I take notes when I read review books, because there are some ideas that just pop into my head and if I don’t write them down right then and there, by the time I sit down to write my review, I forget what I wanted to say at a specific moment or about a specific scene. Well, when I read Brightest Kind of Darkness… I got nothing. I was too immersed in the story, too busy reading or gripping the edges of my seat, too anxious about all the twisty events or too excited about finally figuring something out to just stop from my reading for even a minute or so to take a note. Not that I could have focused on anything else, anyway. All I got are some scattered bookmarks for favorite quotes like“31% Ethan = SWOON” or “59%-WTH just happened?!?!” or “78% - scene 2DIE4. *sigh*

All this may seem irrelevant, but my point is: this book was brilliant and it exceed all my expectations (which were already pretty high). Everything about it is different, surprising, engrossing, and well… pretty amazing! P.T. Michelle is such a talented author! She has this way with words that just pulls you into the story and makes you feel like you’re walking the school halls alongside her characters, seeing what they see and feeling what they feel. Everything is so realistic and all the elements in the story are very well balanced. Whoa!  

Ok, I’ll try to make some sense here. LOL

Since she was seven, Nara’s been dreaming her whole the next day, so her life has always been predictable, a routine. When she was little, she tried to make some changes in the course of events and things didn’t end well, so she tried to avoid making any major changes ever since. She just learned to avoid unpleasant situations and to make adaptations to situations that affected strictly her. Until one day, when something had to be changed – and her whole world turned upside down. Ever since she prevented a bomb attack at school because too many people would have been hurt, things have gone from bad to worse. Who knew that one whispered “Can I just have one surprising day?” would give the saying “Be careful what you wish for” a whole new meaning!...

After that experience, any “adaptations” I’d made had been strictly stuff that affected me. And even those weren’t often. I’d learned the hard way that altering an event could affect how the rest of my day was supposed to unfold. Knowing what was coming—even if I didn’t like it—was better than not knowing what would happen if I changed something. Avoidance worked for me. But last night was the first time a dream had left me with only one choice. (Kindle Locations 158-162)

Weird, scary things happen around her. Her dreams start to fade until they disappear completely. Random kids at school get hurt frequently. There are too many accidents around her to be a coincidence. She has serious problems with her soccer teammates and even with her best friend. Her missing father sends her short, cryptic messages after years and years of silence. And then there’s Ethan, the lonely, quiet boy who avoids everyone and keeps to himself, yet who seems to pop up everywhere she is and to know too much about her. There’s something dark and mysterious about him – something that keeps everyone else away from him but draws her closer. The question is, are all these things related? If so, how are they related? What can she do to get her normal life back, dreams and predictability and all?

Many parts of my life—from losing my dreams and Lainey’s friendship, to being attacked in the woods and now my dad texting me—were being tossed and jerked around, just like my dirty clothes in the washer last night. And just like my freshly laundered clothes I’d pulled out of the dryer, I wanted my life to go back to being neat and squeaky clean. Instead, it seemed to be headed in the “wrinkled with set-in stains” direction.(Kindle Locations 1373-1376).

Eventually, she gets to hang out with Ethan more and to understand him. Also, there’s definitely some kind of otherworldly, strong connection between them, but finding out more about it doesn’t make things any easier for them – all on the contrary. They do get to spend more time together and to have feelings for each other, but they still can’t explain what’s going on and don’t know how to stop it. Because a dark, dangerous force seems to be looming over them all and avoiding the disasters it causes only makes things worse. The only way to make it stop is to confront it – but that could be the end for Nara - and everyone else as well. 

It’s not easy to tell you what’s the story actually about without giving too much away. You just have to read it and see for yourself, you will be surprised, I promise!:D As I mentioned, there are a lot of WTH moments, twists and turns to make you mad with curiosity about what’s going to happen next. Just when you think you’ve finally figured it out, BAM! Something happens and you’re back to square one. And the ending was killer! There’s no way I could have seen that coming! It wasn’t exactly a cliffhanger, but it did leave me staring wide eyed at the screen and with lots of questions I really, really hope I’ll find the answers to in the next book. 

Nara was such a great, tough character! She’s likeable and relatable; it was very easy to connect with her. Given that she always knew what to expect from her life, when she finally faces the unknown, she doesn’t freak out (not much, anyway) and doesn’t hide in a corner waiting for things to get back to normal. She’s scared, but also determined and ready to face everything - life - or whatever forces are in control now - might throw at her. Her inner strength is incredible! And when she finally feels like she can’t take it anymore and she’s ready to collapse, there’s always Ethan to catch her and to try to make things better for her. 

“He was there for me, Lainey. You’ve been so busy with your new boyfriend, you didn’t even notice your best friend was going through some stuff. But Ethan did, and that’s enough for me.” (Kindle Locations 805-807).

And even though his actions were somehow questionable and unpredictable, his reasons were always good and sincere. 

Ethan had this knack for leaving me breathless and teetering. Like a chair tilted on two legs, I was never sure if I was going to topple over or land on solid ground. (Kindle Locations 562-563). 

Speaking of Ethan… Oh my! *sigh* He is a strong, swoon-worthy character (not to mention a blue-eyed hottie *drool*), but in a very realistic kind of way. He has a dark past, but he’s doing his best to get over it and to find a way to cope with all the craziness surrounding him.

Ethan was always so controlled, the brief display of raw emotion threw me. Sometimes he seemed much older, like he’d been through a lot. (Kindle Locations 833-834)  

His relationship with Nara is the best thing that happened to him lately; he really cares about her and he would do anything to protect her. (It may or may not be because everyone else only sees his troubled past and dark side, but she doesn’t care about any of that and seems to see the kindness in his heart and to actually get him.)

The world in general is kind of gritty and scary, but the relationship between Nara and Ethan is very sweet and intense. The cuddling, heart-melting, knees-buckling kind of sweet. :D

“Thank you for being there,” I said in an unsteady voice. Ethan clasped my wrist and pulled me into his arms, holding me close. “I’ll always be here for you.” (Kindle Locations 1139-1140) *faints*

That’s why I said P.T. Michelle did an amazing job at balancing all the elements in this book. The high school drama, supernatural, unexpected, mystery, suspense, romance, everything is very well put together and make of Brightest Kind of Darkness a believable, yet very interesting and unputdawnable story that will definitely let readers breathless and eager for more!;)

And now I'll leave you with one of my favorites: (Ethan to Nara)

"…you are my peace, a bright light in all that darkness.” ♥ 

*Review copy provided by author in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you!
**I read Brightest Kind of Darkness last year (whoa! I can't believe I refer to sometime three weeks ago as last year) and it was one of my honorable mentions in my Top 10 YA Books of 2011. ;)

Read an excerpt

Get the book from: Amazon / B&N

(it's only $0.99!)

Stalk the author: Facebook / Twitter / Blog

I've heard it will come out in paperback soon and I'll definitely pick up one! The cover is gorgeous! Readers who enjoyed books like Falling Under by Gwen Hayes or Crave by Melissa Darnell will definitely love this one - maybe even more!;)

Have a great weekend!
xoxo

Review: Brightest Kind of Darkness by P.T. Michelle

Happy Friday everyone! ♥ 

Brightest Kind of Darkness (Brightest Kind of Darkness #1)
by P.T. Michelle

Published June 27th 2011 by Patrice Michelle

Goodreads:

Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate…until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.

After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.

Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past.

My thoughts:

(No spoilers)

I think I’ve tried to write this first paragraph at least four times, but it just wouldn’t come out right. So I might as well just say it: Brightest Kind of Darkness blew my mind away! Seriously, it was so good and so full of all kinds of surprises, twists, turns and well, awesomeness, that I don’t even know where to start!

Sometimes I take notes when I read review books, because there are some ideas that just pop into my head and if I don’t write them down right then and there, by the time I sit down to write my review, I forget what I wanted to say at a specific moment or about a specific scene. Well, when I read Brightest Kind of Darkness… I got nothing. I was too immersed in the story, too busy reading or gripping the edges of my seat, too anxious about all the twisty events or too excited about finally figuring something out to just stop from my reading for even a minute or so to take a note. Not that I could have focused on anything else, anyway. All I got are some scattered bookmarks for favorite quotes like“31% Ethan = SWOON” or “59%-WTH just happened?!?!” or “78% - scene 2DIE4. *sigh*

All this may seem irrelevant, but my point is: this book was brilliant and it exceed all my expectations (which were already pretty high). Everything about it is different, surprising, engrossing, and well… pretty amazing! P.T. Michelle is such a talented author! She has this way with words that just pulls you into the story and makes you feel like you’re walking the school halls alongside her characters, seeing what they see and feeling what they feel. Everything is so realistic and all the elements in the story are very well balanced. Whoa!  

Ok, I’ll try to make some sense here. LOL

Since she was seven, Nara’s been dreaming her whole the next day, so her life has always been predictable, a routine. When she was little, she tried to make some changes in the course of events and things didn’t end well, so she tried to avoid making any major changes ever since. She just learned to avoid unpleasant situations and to make adaptations to situations that affected strictly her. Until one day, when something had to be changed – and her whole world turned upside down. Ever since she prevented a bomb attack at school because too many people would have been hurt, things have gone from bad to worse. Who knew that one whispered “Can I just have one surprising day?” would give the saying “Be careful what you wish for” a whole new meaning!...

After that experience, any “adaptations” I’d made had been strictly stuff that affected me. And even those weren’t often. I’d learned the hard way that altering an event could affect how the rest of my day was supposed to unfold. Knowing what was coming—even if I didn’t like it—was better than not knowing what would happen if I changed something. Avoidance worked for me. But last night was the first time a dream had left me with only one choice. (Kindle Locations 158-162)

Weird, scary things happen around her. Her dreams start to fade until they disappear completely. Random kids at school get hurt frequently. There are too many accidents around her to be a coincidence. She has serious problems with her soccer teammates and even with her best friend. Her missing father sends her short, cryptic messages after years and years of silence. And then there’s Ethan, the lonely, quiet boy who avoids everyone and keeps to himself, yet who seems to pop up everywhere she is and to know too much about her. There’s something dark and mysterious about him – something that keeps everyone else away from him but draws her closer. The question is, are all these things related? If so, how are they related? What can she do to get her normal life back, dreams and predictability and all?

Many parts of my life—from losing my dreams and Lainey’s friendship, to being attacked in the woods and now my dad texting me—were being tossed and jerked around, just like my dirty clothes in the washer last night. And just like my freshly laundered clothes I’d pulled out of the dryer, I wanted my life to go back to being neat and squeaky clean. Instead, it seemed to be headed in the “wrinkled with set-in stains” direction.(Kindle Locations 1373-1376).

Eventually, she gets to hang out with Ethan more and to understand him. Also, there’s definitely some kind of otherworldly, strong connection between them, but finding out more about it doesn’t make things any easier for them – all on the contrary. They do get to spend more time together and to have feelings for each other, but they still can’t explain what’s going on and don’t know how to stop it. Because a dark, dangerous force seems to be looming over them all and avoiding the disasters it causes only makes things worse. The only way to make it stop is to confront it – but that could be the end for Nara - and everyone else as well. 

It’s not easy to tell you what’s the story actually about without giving too much away. You just have to read it and see for yourself, you will be surprised, I promise!:D As I mentioned, there are a lot of WTH moments, twists and turns to make you mad with curiosity about what’s going to happen next. Just when you think you’ve finally figured it out, BAM! Something happens and you’re back to square one. And the ending was killer! There’s no way I could have seen that coming! It wasn’t exactly a cliffhanger, but it did leave me staring wide eyed at the screen and with lots of questions I really, really hope I’ll find the answers to in the next book. 

Nara was such a great, tough character! She’s likeable and relatable; it was very easy to connect with her. Given that she always knew what to expect from her life, when she finally faces the unknown, she doesn’t freak out (not much, anyway) and doesn’t hide in a corner waiting for things to get back to normal. She’s scared, but also determined and ready to face everything - life - or whatever forces are in control now - might throw at her. Her inner strength is incredible! And when she finally feels like she can’t take it anymore and she’s ready to collapse, there’s always Ethan to catch her and to try to make things better for her. 

“He was there for me, Lainey. You’ve been so busy with your new boyfriend, you didn’t even notice your best friend was going through some stuff. But Ethan did, and that’s enough for me.” (Kindle Locations 805-807).

And even though his actions were somehow questionable and unpredictable, his reasons were always good and sincere. 

Ethan had this knack for leaving me breathless and teetering. Like a chair tilted on two legs, I was never sure if I was going to topple over or land on solid ground. (Kindle Locations 562-563). 

Speaking of Ethan… Oh my! *sigh* He is a strong, swoon-worthy character (not to mention a blue-eyed hottie *drool*), but in a very realistic kind of way. He has a dark past, but he’s doing his best to get over it and to find a way to cope with all the craziness surrounding him.

Ethan was always so controlled, the brief display of raw emotion threw me. Sometimes he seemed much older, like he’d been through a lot. (Kindle Locations 833-834)  

His relationship with Nara is the best thing that happened to him lately; he really cares about her and he would do anything to protect her. (It may or may not be because everyone else only sees his troubled past and dark side, but she doesn’t care about any of that and seems to see the kindness in his heart and to actually get him.)

The world in general is kind of gritty and scary, but the relationship between Nara and Ethan is very sweet and intense. The cuddling, heart-melting, knees-buckling kind of sweet. :D

“Thank you for being there,” I said in an unsteady voice. Ethan clasped my wrist and pulled me into his arms, holding me close. “I’ll always be here for you.” (Kindle Locations 1139-1140) *faints*

That’s why I said P.T. Michelle did an amazing job at balancing all the elements in this book. The high school drama, supernatural, unexpected, mystery, suspense, romance, everything is very well put together and make of Brightest Kind of Darkness a believable, yet very interesting and unputdawnable story that will definitely let readers breathless and eager for more!;)

And now I'll leave you with one of my favorites: (Ethan to Nara)

"…you are my peace, a bright light in all that darkness.” ♥ 

*Review copy provided by author in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you!
**I read Brightest Kind of Darkness last year (whoa! I can't believe I refer to sometime three weeks ago as last year) and it was one of my honorable mentions in my Top 10 YA Books of 2011. ;)

Read an excerpt

Get the book from: Amazon / B&N

(it's only $0.99!)

Stalk the author: Facebook / Twitter / Blog

I've heard it will come out in paperback soon and I'll definitely pick up one! The cover is gorgeous! Readers who enjoyed books like Falling Under by Gwen Hayes or Crave by Melissa Darnell will definitely love this one - maybe even more!;)

Have a great weekend!
xoxo

In My Mailbox #11: The 'There's No Such Thing As Too Many Books' Edition

Hey!

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren and inspired by Alea @ Pop Culture Junkie, where we share the books we got in the mail the previous week(s).

I got all these books last week, so I'm on a book buying ban now (well, at least until Christmas).

Sorry about the quality of the pics, my phone is not that fancy dandy :P

From the Gaudeamus Book Fair I got: 

✓ Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1) by Cassandra Clare
(that would be the Romanian edition; I read the book last year and I loved it, so I needed a new hardcover copy for my collection)
✓ Matched by Ally Condie (Legaminte)
✓ Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (O zi din sapte)

From The Book Depository:

✓ The Hollows Insider by Kim Harrison

✓ Shatter Me (Shatter Me, #1) by Tahereh Mafi 

They are GORGEOUS! And some of the best books I got this year!♥ There was a lot of squealing, jumping up and down around the room and book petting involved when they arrived :D

From the used bookstore:

✓ Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (I already read this series, it's one of my favorites, but I needed the Romanian hardcovers for my collection... I only found 4 books though. Thanks Cristina @ Bibliophile Mystery for book #6!)
✓ The Darkest Powers Trilogy by Kelley Armstrong
(Again, just for my Romanian books collection)
✓ Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse #1) by Charlaine Harris
I got this one because I'm probably the only paranormal / supernatural books/TV shows lover who's not a fan of True Blood and hasn't read any of the books in the series. So I want to see what's all the fuss about. :D

From authors for review: 

✓ Untraceable by S.R. Johannes
✓ Brightest Kind of Darkness (Brightest Kind of Darkness #1) by P.T. Michelle
✓ Sleepers (The Swarm #1) by Megg Jensen
(this is not the final cover, but until the new one is revealed, this will do :P)
✓ Hellsbane (Hellsbane #1) by Paige Cuccaro

Thank you all!

What did you get in your mailbox?

Happy reading!
xoxo

In My Mailbox #11: The 'There's No Such Thing As Too Many Books' Edition

Hey!

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren and inspired by Alea @ Pop Culture Junkie, where we share the books we got in the mail the previous week(s).

I got all these books last week, so I'm on a book buying ban now (well, at least until Christmas).

Sorry about the quality of the pics, my phone is not that fancy dandy :P

From the Gaudeamus Book Fair I got: 

✓ Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1) by Cassandra Clare
(that would be the Romanian edition; I read the book last year and I loved it, so I needed a new hardcover copy for my collection)
✓ Matched by Ally Condie (Legaminte)
✓ Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (O zi din sapte)

From The Book Depository:

✓ The Hollows Insider by Kim Harrison

✓ Shatter Me (Shatter Me, #1) by Tahereh Mafi 

They are GORGEOUS! And some of the best books I got this year!♥ There was a lot of squealing, jumping up and down around the room and book petting involved when they arrived :D

From the used bookstore:

✓ Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (I already read this series, it's one of my favorites, but I needed the Romanian hardcovers for my collection... I only found 4 books though. Thanks Cristina @ Bibliophile Mystery for book #6!)
✓ The Darkest Powers Trilogy by Kelley Armstrong
(Again, just for my Romanian books collection)
✓ Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse #1) by Charlaine Harris
I got this one because I'm probably the only paranormal / supernatural books/TV shows lover who's not a fan of True Blood and hasn't read any of the books in the series. So I want to see what's all the fuss about. :D

From authors for review: 

✓ Untraceable by S.R. Johannes
✓ Brightest Kind of Darkness (Brightest Kind of Darkness #1) by P.T. Michelle
✓ Sleepers (The Swarm #1) by Megg Jensen
(this is not the final cover, but until the new one is revealed, this will do :P)
✓ Hellsbane (Hellsbane #1) by Paige Cuccaro

Thank you all!

What did you get in your mailbox?

Happy reading!
xoxo