Book Discussion: The girl you left behind - Jojo Moyes

This month Carole and I will be discussing "The Girl You Left Behind" by Mojo Moyes.

Author: Jojo Moyes

Title: The Girl You Left Behind

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 544

First Published: September 2012

Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

France, 1916. Sophie Lefevre must keep her family safe whilst her adored husband Edouard fights at the front. When she is ordered to serve the German officers who descend on her hotel each evening, her home becomes riven by fierce tensions. And from the moment the new Kommandant sets eyes on Sophie's portrait - painted by Edouard - a dangerous obsession is born, which will lead Sophie to make a dark and terrible decision.

Almost a century later, and Sophie's portrait hangs in the home of Liv Halston, a wedding gift from her young husband before he died. A chance encounter reveals the painting's true worth, and its troubled history. A history that is about to resurface and turn Liv's life upside down all over again . . .

B: I had not read the blurb so I admit, this was not what I expected, I wanted stuff in the trenches, my bad ;) I was a bit disappointed, but as long the book is good it is good. How about you? Did you want some trench action?

C:  Happy Near First of February. ;) But yes, I did NOT expect anything that happened. I was thinking there would be more historical fiction with maybe a touch of POV from Sophie’s hubby.

B: I was so disappointed when Liv’s story began, I just love historical fiction! Yes Liv’s story turned out to be good, but damn, I wanted Sophie’s.

 C: Ugh I agree. I wanted to read Sophie’s. I totally skimmed the majority of Liv’s story until about halfway when the court trial began, then my interest was piqued again! But I was looking forward to when Sophie’s POV would come back.

 B: Yes, that was the best part and the one that made me angry. But I did hate that Sophie’s story was told through that.Sophie should have had another chapter.

C:  It bugged me too and I feel like it took away from her story. I wish that Liv’s story was a couple chapters long at the very end or something. 

B: What did you think of Sophie’s story then?

C: I liked it a lot! SUPER, SUPER sad. I get the hatred towards the Germans since they have taken over your town and are aholes because it is war, but I don’t get why they treat people who have to act nice to them so they don’t lose their lives or stuff. Like that Lillien character. I felt so bad for both Sophie and the Lillien character...the town people were jerks to them.

B: Such jerks! When that woman said something about how she would not serve them, sorry now, but Sophie and her sister did NOT have a choice. Sorry we wont do that, oh well we will just die all of us instead. That woman would so need a kick in the butt. So yes townspeople are jerks. Poor Lillien, that was a tough one, and then how they turned later on too. Grrrrrrr. Group mob mentality. And yes Sophie’s story was great. The choices they had to make, the tough one too. My heart! And then then it stopped at the good part!!!

C: Such a tough one. :( And it broke my heart I had to wait SO long to wait and see what happened to Sophie and Edouard (her hubby). I’m glad all the lose ends were tied up at  the end, but I hated how it happened. I liked the end, but I didn’t like delivery of the ending - if that makes sense. haha

B: Truthfully, I did not even get the ending. Happy or not happy? Yes happy, but then? I really wanted a Sophie chapter there. I got no closure. Should we move on to Liv then?

 C: Liv...she was okay….at first I didn’t get why she wanted to keep the portrait SO bad she would go to court….but then it made sense. At first I was in opposition and then I found myself being on Liv’s team and rooted for her to custody of the portrait. 

B: I was totally Liv’s team. I hated how the press and strangers treated her. It was NOT Nazi loot, I hated how people dragged in that and then made her SO much worse than she was. yes yes it was still a painting with a shady past, but, srsl, lots of stuff was taken. And most importantly, those jerks should not have the painting. They only wanted to sell it! If anyone should have had the painting it should be Sophie’s family, and I did feel like Liv felt like that too. Like if she had to give it up she would have done just that. I kept waiting for like that grandson, wait son, whatever he was to Aurelien to show up and be all like, back off!

C: I wanted the family to have it, but then family - the WHOLE family - turned out to be NO better than the townfolk, even generations later. Jerks the lot of them. And it was NOT Nazi loot...I HATE how everything relating WWI or WWII is automatically stemmed to Nazis ugh - so annoying. Ugh...Aureliein smh he upset me.

B: He was such a jerk. Ahole, I liked the son better. Speaking of loot. I was at my grandparents once and was all, weird painting. And grandma was all, yes her dad brought it home from the war. Sorry, but my family have loot on their wall. To be fair, it is from our own people when they left everything behind to flee from the land Russia stole.

C: I think everyone who fought in the war has a piece of loot. Both my grandpas have something small too. That is what happens during war on both sides. Ugh, I am still mad and feel so bad for Sophie….for everything she did for everyone. I also kinda felt bad for the little piggie. xD What did you think of the Kommandant? 

B: Conflicted!!!! I like him cos he saw everything and saw between his fingers. So many things, like the piggie. But at the same time, he did bad things too. But but, oh, it is so hard. But then he was just a man. If the French had occupied a German village they would have done everything the same. War is always written from the winner’s POV. War makes everyone assholes. It’s like with WWII fiction and every German is a nazi...eh no. That is like saying that every American is a racist cos there used to be slavery, or well it’s that with every country.  I have totally lost my train of thought now…

C: I liked him, but then he did bad things. But like you said...it's war...war makes even good men do bad things, but the winner writes history and now the good guy. 

B: Final thoughts? It was good and it made me ANGRY. Made me sad. A good book does bring out emotions so I would say it was a good pick :) Even if I had written it differently, like ditching Liv all together.

C: It was good. I wanted to love it, but I just liked it thanks to Liv’s tale. Best pick in a while though!!! ;D And if I had written it I would have done Sophie’s story and then do a couple chapters at the end of Liv and the battle of the painting just so we can find out what happened to it. 

B: Your turn next then. Just...do not pick a story about a village occupied by Germans, it was my 3rd in 6 months. oooops.

C: I’ll also have to not do a PNR since I’ve read three in the last month and a half. xI We’ll find something ;) The end?

B: The end :)

#FitReaders: Weekly Check-In Jan 29 2016 and Crazy about you

#FitReaders is hosted by Geeky Bloggers Book Blog  and That’s What I’m Talking About.

Join in 

Sat 20 min walk, 1 h cross country skiing

Sun 30 min walk. 3 km cross country skiing

Mon 1 h walk. 4 km bike

Tue 1 h yoga. 8 km bike. 1 h workout class

Wed 4 km bike. 1 h zumba

Thu 8 km bike, 45min  zumba toning

Fri 4 km bike

Sat 1 h walk

Nice week, but it rained so no more skiing. Come on! And no pics either since well we went skiing after 8 PM both days ;)

..........................................

Climate scientist Chase Anderson races from one project to the next, unwilling to slow down in his quest to save the world’s oceans. He has no time for family or relationships until he crashes into an impetuous blonde with a quirky sense of humor. One sizzling kiss makes him seriously reevaluate his priorities. And his sanity. 

Emma Maguire left her small Cape Cod hometown years ago, seeking the fast pace and anonymity of New York City. She’s not sure what she’s searching for, but when a family crisis brings her home to Provincetown she’s caught in a crazy tangle of half-truths and mistaken identity… and falls for the handsome stranger who broke her cell phone. 

Will untangling the web of lies drive them crazy, or lead to something even crazier – like love? 

My thoughts:

Make it short, make it fast...

We have Emma and Chase. Chase likes the sea and science.

Emma is naive who has not noticed that her friend is a mobster.

Emma and Chase flirt, do more.

There is a bit of suspense...There is drama with her friend.

They live happily ever after.

It was cute

Kindle Edition, 332 pages
Published July 24th 2015 by The Wild Rose Press, Inc
Contemporary romance
Freebie

Duke of my Heart - Kelly Bowen

Captain Maximus Harcourt, the unconventional tenth Duke of Alderidge, can deal with tropical storms, raging seas, and the fiercest of pirates. But he's returned home from his latest voyage to find a naked earl - quite inconveniently deceased - tied to his missing sister's bed. And he has only one place to turn. Now he's at the mercy of the captivating Miss Ivory Moore of Chegarre & Associates, known throughout London for smoothing over the most dire of scandals. 

Miss Moore treats the crisis as though it were no more serious than a cup of spilt tea on an expensive rug. As though this sort of thing happened on the job every day. Max has never in all his life met a woman with such nerve. Her dark eyes are too wide, her mouth is too full, her cheekbones too sharp. Yet together, she's somehow...flawless. It's just like his love for her, imperfect, unexpected - yet absolutely true. 

My thoughts:

The heroine in this one was awesome. She was so different and could take care of herself, and she was not ton, aye maybe that was why it was so fun.

Ivory helps people with those kind of things that people do not want other people to know about *wink wink* She knows her way around the underworld in London, and she knows the Ton. Even if they pretend they do not even know about her.

Max loves the sea, but Max. Seriously, you left your sister at home with her aunt. And when it came to the aunt, I would be upset with him still. And get it into your thick skull, stay home! Still, I liked him!

So he needs her help because omg what a scandal! Yes really, what a scandal! The only thing I found hard to believe is where she was found, a certain aspect of it...you will see and might get what I mean.

This is not a ball room book, this is the back streets and gaming halls. Oh oh, I liked that friend of hers...he should get a book btw. 

Conclusion:

It was fun and I would read more. 

Cover

nice

Kindle Edition, 352 pages
Published January 26th 2016 by Forever
Season for Scandal #1
Historical romance
NG

White trash zombie gone wild - Diana Rowland

Angel Crawford has buried her loser past and is cruising along in undead high gear--that is, until a murder-by-decapitation sends her on a hazardous detour. As Angel hunts for the killer, she uncovers a scheme that would expose zombies to the public and destroy the life she's built, and she's determined not to rest until she finds out who's behind it.

Soon she's neck-deep in lies, redneck intrigue, zombie hunters, and rot-sniffing cadaver dogs. It's up to her to unravel the truth and snuff out the conspiracy before the existence of zombies makes headline news and she's outed as a monster.

But Angel hasn't quite escaped the pill-popping ghosts of her past--not with an illicit zombie pharmaceutical at her fingertips. Good thing she's absolutely sure she can handle the drug's unpredictable side effects and still take down the bad guys...or maybe she's only one bad choice away from being dead meat--for real this time.

My thoughts:

I should check the review of book 4, but I remember being disappointed (with book 3 too?) I just remember this feeling of maybe calling it quits. But here Angel is back on top and being awesome!

Zombiefest is coming to town! Time to party. 

She has her hands full as always. With school, with her job at the coroner's office, with her other job at the secret lab for zombies (where she got addicted to a new drug). That last being bad. Oh and there is a murder to solve. And are zombies about to get exposed?

Marcus seems to be out of the picture. Why is she hanging out with her looser ex? I like that her dad is nice again though. 

Conclusion:

Action, a bit of rotting and zombie drama. I enjoyed it.

Cover

Cool

Mass Market Paperback, 325 pages
Published October 6th 2015 by DAW
White Trash Zombie #5
Urban fantasy
Own

Backstage Pass - Olivia Cunning

The first in a new E romance series, Backstage Pass is a sizzling mix of sex, love, and rock n' roll

It's been months since Brian Sinclair, lead guitarist for the famous rock band, Sinners, composed anything. Unable to write the music that once flowed so naturally, Brian is lost without his musical mojo. But when sexy psychology professor Myrna Evans comes on tour to study groupie mentality, Brian may have found the spark he needs to reignite his musical genius. When lust turns to love, will Brian be able to convince Myrna that what they have is more than just a fling, and that now that he's found his heart's muse, he doesn't want to live without her? 

My thoughts:

How was it again, didn't google frown upon certain words...will just change them then...

Over 18 only

I do not read E ica I mean, so much smex! I am a known smex scene skimmer, I just find it rather boring. But, damn, this book was awesome! The smex really fit in, and was hot, and damn dirty. I did not think I would enjoy it, I have had it for years, everyone else loved it so I was all eh, I will read a page and dnf. Instead it was one of the best books read this year (fine I know it has only been less than a month by still).

How did she manage it? I skim scenes in every book...every book. E tica is even worse cos there is so little story. Yup, I am flabbergasted. 

We have Myrna, a professor, and Brian a sexy guitarist. They meet, sparks fly, sort of, after oh you will see. They hook up, they do it some more, there is this funny bathtub scene, the title makes sense in another way, and it's hot and heavy.

Among all that smex I really rooted for these two. They have some issues to overcome, well she has, but it will all be ok. And the road there is sure dirty. These guys do not hide anything from each other.

Conclusion:

I guess I have to give it a 4, since it actually was E, and I liked it...weird.

Kindle Edition, 384 pages
Published October 1st 2010 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Sinners on Tour, #1
E Romance

Dark Ascension - M.L.Brennan

After a lifetime of avoiding his family, Fort has discovered that working for them isn’t half bad—even if his mother, Madeline, is a terrifying, murderous vampire. His newfound career has given him a purpose and a paycheck and has even helped him get his partner, foxy kitsune Suzume, to agree to be his girlfriend. All in all, things are looking up.

Only, just as Fort is getting comfortable managing a supernatural empire that stretches from New Jersey to Ontario, Madeline’s health starts failing, throwing Fort into the middle of an uncomfortable and dangerous battle for succession. His older sister, Prudence, is determined to take over the territory. But Fort isn’t the only one wary of her sociopathic tendencies, and allies, old and new, are turning to him to keep Prudence from gaining power.

Now, as Fort fights against his impending transition into vampire adulthood, he must also battle to keep Prudence from destroying their mother’s kingdom—before she takes him down with it....

My thoughts:
Is this the last book, is it??? *goes to stalk Brennan's page*
Omg, there is no word! Nooooo! The books are there, but *sadness* It's not the first time a publisher has axed a series. I just felt more could be done in this world...

Because, his mum is dying. His sister is a sociopath, his brother is too nice at times. There is that whole empire to deal with. And he still is not a true vampire.

Story, we meet the bears again. There are a few succubi to be dealt with. His romance with Suzume is going well (she is really cool btw).

And dang, srsl? Why is ROC thinking, they should def publish more. Sure it did not live up to the awesome of book 1, but it was still good. And made me want more.

Cover
nice

Mass Market Paperback, 308 pages
Published August 4th 2015 by Roc
Generation V #4
Urban fantasy
Own

The Bands of Mourning - Brandon Sanderson

The Bands of Mourning are the mythical metalminds owned by the Lord Ruler, said to grant anyone who wears them the powers that the Lord Ruler had at his command. Hardly anyone thinks they really exist. A kandra researcher has returned to Elendel with images that seem to depict the Bands, as well as writings in a language that no one can read. Waxillium Ladrian is recruited to travel south to the city of New Seran to investigate. Along the way he discovers hints that point to the true goals of his uncle Edwarn and the shadowy organization known as The Set. 

My thoughts:

I do love all his books (even if I wish he would focus on one series at a time cos right now I want more of this one, more of that one, that one, that one, that one ..you get the idea).

I also can't give this one the awesome review it deserves since all I want is to run around in a fan girl squeeeeeee. Ha, yes it is so hard to to tell you of its awesomeness.

I really do like Wax, he is so cool. He tries to be a Lord, but he has spent too much time in the Rough as a lawman. But then a Lord can be eccentric, but maybe not this much. But hey I love him.

I like his fiancee Seris because she is just so weird you know. She has a list for everything! And , Wayne, can't like or dislike him, he is a strange one. But a good sidekick to Wax. They all fit perfectly with each other. Oh and then there is the Kandra who joins them for this adventure, yeah, those are weird. You will see.

A fantasy western. A society that is moving forwards. A society with magic and we all know Sanderson has the best magic systems. You will not be disappointed.

Here they must find the Bands of Mourning. Wax wants to track down his uncle. And oh, oh there is something at the end, I was all whaaat? All the things we do not know. Love it.

But, do read the two previous books first, or just all of them. Yes, make that read every book he has written.

Another awesome book by Sanderson. He is always good, and he always surprises.  He is a true master of his craft.

Cover

nice

Hardcover, 448 pages
Expected publication: January 26th 2016 by Tor Books
Mistborn #6, Mistborn - Alloy Era #3, The Cosmere
Fantasy
For review

Carole's Sunday Review: Tiny Glitches - Rebecca Chastain

Author: Rebecca Chastain

Title: Tiny Glitches

Genre: Paranormal Romance & Fantasy

Pages: ebook

First Published: Janurary 2016

Where I Got It: My shelf (Given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion) 

Life isn’t exactly normal for Eva Parker: the stronger Eva’s emotions, the faster nearby electrical devices die. Eva can’t have a cell phone, use a computer, or be in a car for more than a few minutes without killing it. Dealing with her electricity-killing curse makes living in modern-day Los Angeles complicated enough for Eva—and that was before she was blackmailed into hiding a stolen baby elephant and partnered with Hudson, a sexy electrical engineer Eva just met. 

Dodging repeated attempts on her life made by ruthless corporations hunting the elephant is easier for Eva than quelling her growing affection for Hudson, and while protecting an elephant is hard, controlling her curse is a lot harder. However, Eva must do both, because if she lets her emotions free and falls in love with Hudson, neither of them will survive. 

This is my third book by the author and I want more! I utterly enjoy the writing style and the voice the author uses in her stories. Even though her stores deal in the paranormal/supernatural world, it feel real and I connect with every character. 

I really liked the Eva, the heroine, even though I wanted to kick her! Duh Hudson really, really likes you you daft girl! Would he be at ALL helping you with the whole elephant fiasco if he didn't? I do feel bad that he IS an electrical engineer and she is an electrician's worst nightmare - someone who drains electricity. Poor girl. Living in the modern world and having this curse makes every day life harder then hell. Girl can't even drive, because she kills cars! 

There was SO much craziness happening at every turn. Sometimes I felt overwhelmed by everything and I would have to step away. There was barely only moments of calm. The only calm before the onslaught of craziness was when they went to Eva's aunt's house at the beginning. From there it felt nonstop. It seemed unreal. It was fun, don't get me wrong, just over-the-top and hard to believe that Hudson stuck around.

Speaking of Hudson...I had mixed feelings about him. Great guy, but I was meh. He seemed to perfect to me. 

Ooooh the ending. It was good and made me happy (I was really upset about what I thought had happened, but the last chapter cleared everything up for me). It seemed like a stretch, but I'm happy with it :D. 

But yes, this was a cute and fun story. I loved the uniqueness of the story, situations, and the characters - especially for Eva and her sad curse. I would be a hot mess if I had to deal with that. I highly recommend it to people who need a lighter story with some laughs, craziness at every turn, and fun characters. In the end, I shall stamp this with....mmmm...3 stars. 

#FitReaders: Weekly Check-In Jan 22 2016

#FitReaders is hosted by Geeky Bloggers Book Blog  and That’s What I’m Talking About.

Join in 

Sat 1 h walk
Sun 7 km bike, 30 min walk
Mon 4 km bike, 30 min bike
Tue 8 km bike, 1 h workout class
Wed 4 km bike, 1 h zumba
Thu 8 km bike, 45 min zumba toning
Fri 30 min walk, 4 km bike

More snow, which was nice.  Meant to go skiing every day this week, but pooh, -20c is good for walking, but cross country skiing, not so much

Luci tasting the xmas three when we threw it out

Wolfsangel - Liza Perrat

1943. German soldiers occupy provincial Lucie-sur-Vionne, and as the villagers pursue treacherous schemes to deceive and swindle the enemy, Céleste embarks on her own perilous mission as her passion for a Reich officer flourishes.

When her loved ones are deported to concentration camps, Céleste is drawn into the vortex of this monumental conflict, and the adventure and danger of French Resistance collaboration.

As she confronts the harrowing truths of the Second World War’s darkest years, Céleste is forced to choose: pursue her love for the German officer, or answer General de Gaulle’s call to fight for France.

Her fate suspended on the fraying thread of her will, Celeste gains strength from the angel talisman bequeathed to her through her lineage of healer kinswomen. But the decision she makes will shadow the remainder of her days.

My thoughts:

This is actually the second book read about Lucie-sur-Vionne in a year. And again it makes me wonder, why did they do it? Why? That whole village, everyone...

Anyway, This is the story of Celeste. Her family has lived in the village for ages, and there are books about well at least 2 ancestors that I can think of. The women in her family are healers, but Celeste does not care for that.

And we get to see daily life, the daily life if an occupied village where Germans threaten and bully. And where the resistance grows strong. And where life can be so dangerous. You do not want to be seen as angry with the Germans, they will punish you. You do not want to fraternize with the Germans, the French will punish you.

There is romance too, the forbidden kind. But this is not a romance novel.

And there is sadness, especially since I do know from that other book what took place in this village, and since the whole book starts 70 years after that which happened.

I kind of wish though, for this one thing that I can't say.... 

Cover

nice

Kindle Edition, 395 pages
Published October 1st 2013 by Perrat Publishing
Historical fiction
Own

Loving her crazy - Kira Archer

Iris Clayton is supposed to be on a tropical island, soaking up the sun and a few dozen mojitos. Instead, she’s snowbound in Chicago overnight, holding out hope the morning flight isn’t cancelled. Good thing there’s a hot cowboy to keep her company. And it doesn’t hurt that Mr. Tall, Calm, and Sun-Streaked can make her tremble with one sultry look from under his well-worn hat.

Montana rancher Nash Wallace sucks at ice skating, has no clue what a selfie is, and may be a tad averse to breaking and entering, but being with Iris makes him want to bend a few rules. Or, hell, throw them out the window altogether. She’s fun, spontaneously crazy, and can rock a Muppet fur coat like no one’s business. He’s falling hard and fast, but wanting to spend his life with someone after one night is insane.

Except, nothing has ever felt so right, and neither of them wants the night to end... 

My thoughts:

Ok so maybe I did not think that they fell in love in a night, but then they did not do it either. They fell in lust, and they felt that this could be explored more. That I liked.

The book takes place during one night. Iris and Nash meet on a plane. They have to stay the night in Chicago. They go sightseeing together. They have a great time, there is lust, of course there is. And then when they have to go separate ways, they are not in love, but there is that connection. What will happen?

Iris was nice and decided to be wild. Nash was a cowboy, and yes I do have this thing for those. They are a good fit, but how can one know it after just one night?

Conclusion:

A crazy night filled with passion and hi jinks. 

Cover

cute

ebook, 150 ish
Expected publication: January 18th 2016 by Entangled: Lovestruck
Crazy Love #3
Contemporary romance
NG

The Pagan Night - Tim Akers

The Celestial Church has all but eliminated the old pagan ways, ruling the people with an iron hand. Demonic gheists terrorize the land, hunted by the warriors of the Inquisition, yet it’s the battling factions within the Church and age-old hatreds between north and south that tear the land apart. 

Malcolm Blakley, hero of the Reaver War, seeks to end the conflict between men, yet it will fall to his son, Ian, and the huntress Gwen Adair to stop the killing before it tears the land apart. The Pagan Night is an epic of mad gods, inquisitor priests, holy knights bound to hunt and kill, and noble houses fighting battles of politics, prejudice, and power. 

My thoughts:

This felt pretty old school and well, I love old school. Give me an epic story and I am all in.

We have a country that is really two countries. The south (those stuck up bastards!) and the north. The south wants a piece of the north.

Then we have the Church (arghhh the church!). See, there used to be peace with the land itself. Sure the old gods did a lot of damage but they also cared for the earth. And without them things are going badly, but the church is stupid and is all kill all pagans!!! So yes you do not want to be a pagan here, you will die. I really liked his take on the gheists, gods, nature. It was very nice, it made me connect with it all.

As for the story. We have a young man, Ian, who is waaaay too headstrong for his own good. His dad is a hero. And someone wants their help.

Then we have Gwen, another Lord's daughter, and one who hunts the bad things in the night. She on the other hand was very level headed for her age.

They have their own stories, doing their own things, and I cannot say more. Let's just say that all hell will break loose. And I do wonder where this story is going, very intriguing.

Conclusion:

Good story.

Cover

looks weird

Paperback, 592 pages
Published January 19th 2016 by Titan Books
The Long Winter #1
Fantasy
For review

The Art of DNF

Discussion Post:

The Art of DNF

I have always wanted to write some kind of discussion post, but omg, I so suck at them! First if you plan for it once a week, once a month, well, there is the pressure that it have to be done. I like to live pressure free. But, yup, here comes one anyway. Mostly because I felt like I wanted to say it, and try this for once too.

I DNF a lot, whaat? You had not noticed? Really? I DNF a lot, I am not ashamed of it. And that is why I wanted to write this post. I always go all 0_o? when people tell me how sorry they are that I DNFed so many books. Don't be! I am not, and now I will tell you why not.

For me there would be nothing worse than reading the same freaking book for 2 weeks. Hating it, lamenting the fact that I have to finish it, suffering, reading 1 page a day, and just feeling all blergh! And then after 2 weeks all you have to show for is 1 book read. 1! When the world is filled with millions of books! When books are written everyday! Too many books, too little time. Life is not meant to be suffered through, it is meant to be enjoyed, and hey, the same goes for books.

I have like 2000 e-freebies, I do not even have them on GR, I do not even know how many there are. I DNF them like there is no tomorrow, because I will download many more and I am no immortal.

When I go to the library I look at pretty covers and take what I want. Do I take books that are my genre? That fit me? No, I take whatever I want because I will never read them all, and these are just the English books! I do not even look at the Swedish books anymore because not enough time in the universe (well I really should read that medieval one I saw the other day, I just have to find book 1.) I DNF them and do not look back. There are many more waiting for me. 

When it comes to my own books I DNF those too, but I do tend to read them a bit longer, I did buy them after all. Still, I am not gonna spend a week reading crap. I think that after all this time I know what crap is.

And the only time I feel bad is if the book is actually really well written, but you know, just because a book is good, does not mean the book is for you. We are all different. So I get over it pretty quickly, I shrug my shoulders and take up another book.

Now, story time. I once read this book that I hated all way through, it was the time when I seldom DNFed books, because I felt that I HAD TO FINISH. Gods! I still hate that book and think of other books I could have read instead. When I finished I threw it at the wall and shouted at my friend that I was so mad at her. Then she came in and said let's throw it in the trash! So we did, we both hated it to bits. But I was young and stupid and read from start to finish. Now I just peak at the end if I am curious and DNF.

Guide to happiness when you DNF:

*You do not have to read books that you do not enjoy. 

*Life is short, take a chance on another book.

*DNFing is hard, I know! I still read those only ok books at times, but, they are few, and sometimes a book start off good and turn into an ok one, better just finish it then. Review books are the hardest and I do end up skimming sometimes just so I can tell them what did not work. When all I really want is to DNF. But luckily I do not get many of those cos I am really picky when it comes to review books.

*I feel such a relief when I DNF, it means I get to read another book instead :D Which makes me happy. 

*Happiness is good, you should be happy when reading.

And that is all for me. I thank you for listening to many crazy ramblings.

City of Blades - Robert Jackson Bennet

The city of Voortyashtan was once the domain of the goddess of death, war, and destruction, but now it’s little more than a ruin. General Turyin Mulaghesh is called out of retirement and sent to this hellish place to try to find a Saypuri secret agent who’s gone missing in the middle of a mission, but the city of war offers countless threats: not only have the ghosts of her own past battles followed her here, but she soon finds herself wondering what happened to all the souls that were trapped in the afterlife when the Divinities vanished. Do the dead sleep soundly in the land of death? Or do they have plans of their own? 

My thoughts:

I was impressed. Maybe I have read too many series, that has had a first good book and then gone down. But here book 2 was even better! YAY! I love when the series gets better and better. 

I meant to write this review earlier, but I had one of those, how to express how cool this book was moments. I just do not know how to express it, but I will try.

This is book 2, our main character was in book 1, had a big part, but was not the main character. I really got to like Turyin here. First, she is smart. Second, she has her issues and third, well she is old. An older heroine. Yes, I liked that.

The book is about her retiring, but then they drag her back in! And she has a mystery to solve. Which I really liked. A mystery fantasy book. And I must stop writing in short sentences!

I am not doing a good job, I have so many things I want to say! Like how I felt like you could read this one without having read book 1, cos he just made it work. Sure you'd be a bit confused but he would just pull you right into the story.

And how I like that there used to be gods and now they are gone, all their miracles gone and the world left in chaos because of it. And the whole god thing was dealt with so well here.

The world is cool and made up from different cultures, and the place without a God is now the one ruling. I remember not liking them in book 1, but here, well they are trying to make things better.

Oh oh! And yes the whole flintlock fantasy thing. They have guns, they have railroads, they are modern, and getting more since magic is gone with the Gods. But the world still feels raw and dark, and so intriguing.

Conclusion:

I was impressed. It pulled me right in and I can't wait to see where the road takes us next, and who will be in charge of that book.

cover

 hmmm

Paperback, 448 pages
Published January 7th 2016 by Jo Fletcher Books
The Divine Cities #2
Fantasy
For review

Carole's Sunday review: Cloaked - T.F.Walsh

Author: TF Walsh

Title: Cloaked - A Wulfkin Legacy Novella

Genre: Short story & Paranormal Romance

Pages: ebook

First Published: Jan 4th 2016

Where I Got It: My shelf (Given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion) 

Raised by an overly protective wulfkin pack, Daciana leaps at the chance to venture into the human world for her one-year independence ritual. But after someone steals the endangered bear cubs she’s been assigned to protect, she must locate them or lose her job and return home in disgrace. The sexy inspector on the case isn’t making this any easier. He knows nothing of her kind, and wulfkin rules forbid relationships with humans.

Newly divorced Inspector Connell Lonescu trusts no one but himself. He’s convinced relationships are a waste of time and thinks burying himself in work will ease the pain. Yet he’s attracted to the gorgeous and mysterious Daciana, even if there’s something slightly odd about her. Can Connell learn to trust the sexy but secretive woman?

This short story takes place before Cloaked in Fur  which I had read last year. I had LOVED that novel and so I of course was eager to give the prequel a read. 

This story is the story of how Daci and Connell meet. Daci has just started her year away from her pack and is loving living with the humans. Spending a year away from the pack is a tradition and its suppose to make make them miss the pack (separation makes the heart stronger or some nonsense like that), but Daci is loving her freedom, her job, and now the sexy inspector Connell. Do you blame the girl?

The little mystery was certainly intriguing and I really wanted them to find those poor bear cubs from the hands of black marketers. :( It wasn't hard to guess WHO was the baddie, but I still enjoyed it. It was a simple mystery that worked well with the fact that this was a short story/novella. 

It was pretty much insta-love between the two, but it took forever for them to actually come to terms that they not only lust, but actually love each other as well. I can totally see why Connell didn't want to be in a relationship...he just had his poor heart broken by his wife and he was in the middle of divorce, so it makes sense. 

Oddly, I'm glad this was short and sweet. Honestly, a couple of pages could have been shaven off the end, but I'm content with the length overall. I do advise reading technically the second book first and then reading this prequel. The second book actually goes into more detail about Daci and her pack. 

In the end, this was a nice read. Quick and sweet...just how I like my short stories. It was nice to see how Daci and Connell met and fell in love. The length could have been a hair shorter, but overall, I'm content with it. The mystery was an easy one, but I was worried about those poor baby bear cubs. I'm glad that Daci and Connell were so dedicated in their rescue from those evil black marketers....selling bear cubs on the black market is truly evil!! Well...I shall stamp this with 4 stars. 

#FitReaders: Weekly Check-in Jan 15 2016

#FitReaders is hosted by Geeky Bloggers Book Blog  and That’s What I’m Talking About.

Join in 

Sat 1 h walk
Sun 6,5 km walk
Mon 12 km bike
Tue 1 h yoga. 8 km bike. 1 h workout class
Wed 4 km bike, 1 h zumba
Thu 8 km bike, 30 min walk, 45 min zumba toning
Fri 4 km bike, 30 min walk
Sat 1 h walk

This was the week I meant to do the 10 k. And it was going well. First we went out on this lake, I was scared to death, cos seriously you do not want to know what is on the bottom of that lake....if it was summer I would not touch the water with a stick.

Then we walked on this small river. Someone had been there before so we judged it safe. Then we went over some smaller lakes and then we went into the woods. How to get back? Oh let's go out on the lakes again but do it by this ditch. Well that was a mistake. Suddenly my entire leg went through, I could not feel the bottom. The ice was cracking, but I got up by a tree. This would not have been that dangerous. But it was -17c, we were more than 1 hour walk from home if we even found the shortest route. Lesson learned. Ditches suck. But no worries! I did not have to walk home in fear of freezing my toes off! We were 10 min away from a road so I called my parents who live in that direction.

Of Flame and Promise - Cecy Robson

Cursed by a spell meant to destroy them, Taran Wird and her sisters instead developed unique magical talents. With the power of fire and lightning literally at her fingertips, Taran doesn’t fear much. Demons, vamps, whatever—bring ’em on! Only one thing terrifies her: commitment.

Taran is crazy about her boyfriend, Gemini, a sexy were with the incredible ability to split into two separate wolves. But after watching her sister go through heartbreak with the pack’s Alpha, Taran knows not to count on happily ever after—despite Gemini’s desire to claim her as his mate. Reluctantly, she agrees to meet his very traditional and conservative parents. Taran’s a badass with a mouth to match, and Gemini loves her for it. She’s just not positive these attributes will please Mom and Dad.

Unsurprisingly, every attempt by Taran to bond with Gemini’s folks proves disastrous. But in the end, Taran finds that winning them over means unleashing her powers . . . and proving that this foul-mouthed fire-starter is a force to be reckoned with. 

My thoughts:

This one takes place during previous books, the timelines goes into each other. As this is now Taran's story.

And Taran is having issues in her relationship with Gemini. I get that, she saw what Aric put Celia through, and now I got angry at Aric again. Love sucks! She is afraid to give her heart and trust to Gemini. And he is such a sweetie and just wants to claim his mate. We have them dealing with that.

But the fun part was that his parents are coming to visit. Omg, Taran can just not keep her mouth shut. I enjoyed this part of the story.

And we can not forget about the action, yes there is that there too. Bad things are always around. Those pesky demons.

Conclusion:

It's a novella, so that is about it. Some laughs, some passion and some action. I can't wait to read more. 

Cover

still not a fan of these covers

ebook, 180 pages
Published January 12th 2016 by Loveswept
Weird Girls #6
Urban fantasy romance
NG

A miracle at Macy's - Lynn Marie Hulsman

One lost dog. Two lonely hearts. A Manhattan Christmas full of magic.

Shy homebody Charlotte is planning her usual quiet Christmas celebration: Turkey for two for her and her beloved pet dog Hudson. Only, this year, little Hudson decides to take matters into his own paws and give his favourite human a holiday adventure she’ll never forget.

When Hudson runs away the week before Christmas, Charlotte is devastated. She’d rescued him from the trash years before and gave him a place in her home – and her heart. But with the help of uptight Englishman Henry, Charlotte ends up on a magical treasure hunt around Manhattan to find her furry, four-legged bestie.

Spotted in Central Park as one of Santa's Little Helpers, or last seen in the arms of a supermodel in Times Square, Hudson leads Charlotte and Henry on a very merry dance around the Big Apple, where love, (or should that be Christmas?!) actually is all around.

My thoughts:

This one was very cute, and it would make a really sweet holiday movie when I think of it.

First we have Charlotte, who loves staying home, cooking and just hanging with her dog Hudson. I can relate to that. I love staying in and reading (duh.) But she is missing out, like having that special someone in her life.

Then we have Henry, who is really sweet. Ok so not always for the best reason, but yes it really is a sweetie in the end. He also needs something more in his life.

And Hudson, the star who we do not see a lot of. Hudson wanted an adventure of his own and finds it on his own. But this is a sweet Xmas story. So maybe Hudson meant to run away so that Charlotte understands that she should live more too. Smart dog!

There is also romance, a slow building, but yes it happens fast, but to be fare, they spend every single moment together looking for Hudson.

A sweet story!

Paperback, 376 pages
Published December 17th 2015 by Harper Impulse
Romantic fiction
For review

Dark Deeds - Michelle Diener

Fiona Russell has been snatched from Earth, imprisoned and used as slave labor, but nothing about her abduction makes sense. When she's rescued by the Grih, she realizes there's a much bigger game in play than she could ever have imagined, and she's right in the middle of it. 

Battleship captain Hal Vakeri is chasing down pirates when he stumbles across a woman abducted from Earth. She's the second one the Grih have found in two months, and her presence is potentially explosive in the Grih's ongoing negotiations with their enemies, the Tecran. The Tecran and the Grih are on the cusp of war, and Fiona might just tip the balance. 

Fiona has had to bide her time while she's been a prisoner, pretending to be less than she is, but when the chance comes for her to forge her own destiny in the new world she's found herself in, she grabs it with both hands. After all, actions speak louder than words. 

My thoughts:

I found myself wanting more romance, what? Come on! Oh me. I am never happy, well except for in romance, then there is enough romance. But when it comes to books walking that line between being romance or not being romance I am always too little! Too much!

I did not have anything to say about that in book 1, hmm, maybe enough romance there then? Or maybe I just did not feel that Fiona and pointy ear alien got enough time together. There could be another book, ohh, nah, a short story, where Fiona and her pointy ear elf, I mean alien, find the romance.

Instead we have Fiona being rescued. Oh these aliens, kidnapping human women *head shake*. She meets pointy eared aliens (and other ones.) She meets her own Class 5 space ship. People are trying to silence her, see it's not good going around kidnapping sentient beings. The others frown upon that. So yes there is action and some snark and laughs thrown in.

But the romance, eh, that was lacking. I could have it cut out entirely, since I did not feel they had enough time to fall in love, or even fall in lust. I need to feel they belong, here, eh, maybe they will have fun and then not see each other anymore. I am fine with that.  But if you want romance, yes, not even any tension in here before way at the end.

Still a good space opera.

Kindle Edition, 1st. Edition, 340 pages
Published January 4th 2016 by Eclipse
Class 5 #2
Sci.fi
NG