Friday, November 17, 2017

SAVIORS

“Don’t be stupid. Don’t do it.” Bash warned him again.
The blue circle was fainting.   He had wasted enough time already.  Time, he didn’t have. Oliver chuckled at the irony of his thoughts.
He gave a step forward ignoring the words of his second commander and best friend. Two hands grabbed his left arm, faster that Oliver expected, the numbness reached to his fingers. Good! Bash was getting stronger. The moment for him to take the lead was almost there. Almost, but not yet. So far, Oliver was still the one who made the decisions and he had decided.
“It’s wrong. You know it’s forbidden.”   
Oliver’s glares traveled from Bash’s grip to his eyes. Bash didn’t flinch. Oliver’s heart swelled with pride.  
“This is not going to bring your wings back.”
“I don’t care about my wings, I only care about to end this war.” Oliver had accepted his punishment and learned to live with that. But failing again, it was something that it wasn’t going to happen in this life, nor in the next one. “Let it go, Bash.” Oliver was losing his energy. “It’s an order.”
“I swore to protect you.”
Using his free hand, Oliver pushed Bash making him land on the ground. He closed his eyes letting the energy returning little by little to his body.
“I’ll see you again. I promise.” Oliver smiled at his friend and jumped to the past.


 Note: Image is taken from google.com

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

PLAY ON

Title: Play On
By: Michelle Smith
Year: 2015
Genre: Y/A.  Contemporary Romance
4 STARS
I’ll try to explain how much I loved this book without using the traditional words like awesome, amazing, heartbreaking, funny and, lovely. Nope, I can’t, because Play On is all these words and much more.
Let’s start with the narrative and the POV. This book was written from Austin POV, and I just loved reading a Y/A book from a guy perspective. It was unique and brilliant to tell this story with a complex plot and excellent narrative from a male character POV.
For me, this book worked as a revelation, showing the truth of what is inside of guy’s heart and mind. Austin is an incredibly strong character, so real and emotional that, he popped out of the page in every scene.
The author did a marvelous job pushing different feelings from the reader. I laughed hard when the scene was funny. I sighed when the scene was about loyalty and friendship. I felt the love and heartbroken when the scene was about romance.
Besides all the beauty in the narrative, the author also knew how to tell a story full of sensitive issues for a teenager, like mental problems, depression, homosexuality…It was a wonderful job.
The secondary and minor characters were very effective, a perfect complement, although Austin didn’t need them. He really was the kind of the Mound in this book.
One more thing, my hometown as well is all about baseball and when I’m not a fan, I have some acknowledge about this sport (Not choices here) and reading about it, well I kind of felt homesick.
100% recommended. It worth every minute of your time.
Best Phrases:
"The thing is, we always think we have plenty of time. Then, before you know it, time's ripped out from under your feet, and there's nothing but you and the huim of a truck engine."
"She's worth every tear, every meltdown, every smile, every laugh. Tha she's worth everything."
"I stare a good people, bad people, okay people. People who lived their lives to the fullest and people who screwed their way through life without thinking."
Note: Image was taken from www.google.com


Thursday, July 27, 2017

PLAYING HE PLAYER


By: Lisa Brown Robert.
Genre: Y/A Contemporary Romance

Year:  2015
Rate: 4 Stars

Synopsis:
The Good Girl Vs. The Player
Round one begins...
“Trina Clemons needed the money. Why else would she - the most organized, prepared student in school - spend the summer as a nanny and partner with the biggest slacker ever? Now she's ready to tackle nannyhood with her big binder of research and schedules. Just don't ask her about the secret job of "fixing" the bad habits of a certain high school player...
Slade Edmunds prefers easy hook-ups, and Trina is definitely not his type. She's all structure and rules, while Slade wants to just have fun. Fortunately, Trina has no idea about the bet Slade made with his best friend that he can totally get her to unwind by the end of summer...
Then the weirdest thing happens. There's chemistry. A lot of it. 
But nothing gets between a boy and a girl like a big, fat secret...”

I love contemporary Romance Y/A, but lately, I haven’t been fortunate with my choice of books. Although it’s true, that they have not been a complete disappointment, they aren’t what I was expecting, nonetheless, what I was looking for. That’s why I’m so glad I found this book.
Overall this story is well done written. Despite the telling, there are excellent descriptions, great dialogues and a great touch of humor, with this I mean I laughed a lot.
The plot is simple but flows well, the development of the romance feels real and the scenes with the protagonists were really cute.
The secondary characters are a good complement, and even when there is not a real antagonist, there is tension, lies, and secrets during the story.
Slade is a great character.  A teenager that pretends he doesn’t care but that behave as the way he is, passionate, good friend, and considerate.
My biggest problem was Trina. She isn’t anything as she is presented. There is a huge contradiction between the way she behaves and the way she is descriptive as a character. Of course, as any story, there should be a development, but Trina as a character feels lost through the pages.
 Also, there is the telling and explanation, that even when it is not much, I think the writer lost a good opportunity for giving us more of her wonderful showing and descriptions.
Besides, I believe there are some threats left lose, some conversations missing, especially between Slade and her mom, and at the end, I would change some words, to give the sense of a “longer intention.” You’ll understand when you’re at this point.

But yes I recommend this book 100% it’s funny, romantic, and perfect for a summer day.

Note: Image was taken from google.com

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

PLAYING DEFENSE

Author: Cate Cameron
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Year: 2016
Rate: 3.75 stars.


“Sixteen-year-old Claudia Waring has never kissed a boy. Never been popular. Never been to a hockey game. All that’s about to change. Assigned to tutor Chris Winslow, a prank-loving, gorgeous hockey player, Claudia’s perfectly planned life immediately veers off course. And she kind of likes it. But as fun, as Chris is, she knows she'll never fit in his world.
After his latest prank lands him in hot water, Chris has to get serious about school or lose hockey. Not an easy thing for someone as carefree as the defenseman. The biggest problem, though, is how much he wants to help his cute, buttoned-up tutor loosen up a little. But while confidence has never been a problem for him, around Claudia, Chris is all nerves. Why would a girl as smart as her ever fall for a jock like him?”


I almost mark this book as DNF.
At the beginning, I didn’t connect with the characters. They didn’t feel real to me. In addition, there are so many repetitions and explanations, and an overuse of adverbs that it ruins the good showing and descriptions in the story.
But, Cate Cameron is Canadian like me, and the story is settled in the province where I live, so I forced myself to keep going and I’m so glad that I did. 
This story is lovely and hilarious, honestly the plot is nothing deep or with a good twist, but if you don’t pay attention to those little issues in the writing, you’ll enjoy the reading, in fact at the end you will hug the book and sigh with a big smile on your face.
I fall in love with Chris, he is a wonderful character.
The dialogues are funny and witty.
Also, I like how the author address sensitive topics for teenagers like difficult family, what is wrong and what is right, and the importance of the express consent in a relationship.
Furthermore, I like the final message about choices and the importance of belief in yourselves. I think it’s never going to be enough stories about this topic.
I recommend this book 100%. You are going to have a good laugh.

  
Note: Images was taken from www.google.com

Sunday, July 2, 2017

COMING UP FOR AIR

By: Miranda Kenneally.
Genre: Y/A.  Contemporary Romance.
Year: 2017.
Rating: 4 stars. 
“Swim. Eat. Shower. School. Snack. Swim. Swim. Swim. Dinner. Homework. Bed. Repeat.
All of Maggie’s focus and free time is spent swimming. She’s not only striving to earn scholarships—she’s training to qualify for the Olympics. It helps that her best friend, Levi, is also on the team and cheers her on. But Levi’s already earned an Olympic try out, so she feels even more pressure to succeed. And it’s not until Maggie’s away on a college visit that she realizes how much of the “typical” high school experience she’s missed by being in the pool.
Not one to shy away from a challenge, Maggie decides to squeeze the most out of her senior year. First up? Making out with a guy. And Levi could be the perfect candidate. After all, they already spend a lot of time together. But as Maggie slowly starts to uncover new feelings for Levi, how much is she willing to lose to win?”

I love Miranda Kenneally’s books, and Coming up for air isn’t an exception, this book is funny, lovely and inspirational.
I loved the characters, all of them are well portrayed, and the friendship and loyalty between them is the best part of this story. I think friendship like this is what people need, not just to go through school but through life. 
I enjoyed the dialogues there are effective and help to move the story at a good speed. Although in some points, the story turns a little repetitive and slow, especially in some telling parts, there are so may step by step that it seemed I was reading a diary. Also, I think Maggie’s thoughts seemed to be all over the place, she was back and forth with the same ideas, but then I realized that is the way a teenager’s mind works, with spontaneity.
The romance feels real, it was beautifully built from a strong friendship.
Besides the romance and the friendship, the author added interesting aspects, like; the importance of the equality between girls and boys, the necessity of finding a balance in order to enjoy the best of life, also that hard work, discipline and passion can help you to make your dreams comes true, and how important is to know yourself and what kind of person you want to be.
In addition, I have to mention how fantastic the epilogue is. It’s the best ending for and amazing series.
Finally, there is something else I always enjoy from Miranda’s books. Her acknowledgments. In all her books, the writer gives us a message, an encouragement to try to be the best of ourselves. She talks to the readers with beautiful emotive words.
I recommend this book 100%. This is a story you aren’t going to be able to put it down.

Note: I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for providing the ARC.  

Note: Image was taken from www.google.com

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

YOU'RE MY PERSON

“You’re my person
You make me brave…”
“Where do you go with your broken heart in tow?
What do you do with the left over you?
And how do you know, when to let go?
Where does the good go, where does the good go?”

Grey’s Anatomy
Where Does the Good Go?
Tegan and Sara Lyrics.


Note: Images was taken from google.com

Monday, June 19, 2017

THE SOUND OF FREEDOM


There is a building construction in progress across the street.
The parking lot in front of me is over flooded.
Plenty of cars are going back and for through the highway.
And then in the midst of the chaos, I’m feeling so much peace.
That peace is a true sign that I’m moving on.
I still don’t know what is going to be the next chapter in my life,

 But, I’m certainly sure I made the right choice. 

Note: Image was taken from www.google.com

Saturday, June 17, 2017

FIVE YEARS ALREADY?


Do you know how much time five years are?
Let me tell you how much it is.
It’s the amount of time I’ve been without hugging my parents and bickering with them. Let’s be honest, it used to happen all the time.
It’s the amount of time I’ve been without giving orders to my brothers. Because when they are handsome men already, I’m the oldest sister that means, I’m always the boss.
It’s the amount of time I’ve been without having coffee with my friends and sharing work’s gossips.  Just so you know they are the best. My friends and work’s gossips.
It has been five years, since the night when we arrived at this land very far at North, we our life fitted in a couple of suitcases and our hope packaged in our hearts.
Five years ago, I was born again.
Five years ago, I fall in love with a country so noble; it allowed me to keep my feelings for my first love.
Venezuela, I miss you so much and I’ll love you forever.
But five years ago I took a chance. I decided to live the adventure.  
Today I know it was worth the effort, because my new home is beautiful and kind, with snow, hockey and maple syrup.

Canada, I just want you to know I’m happy here.    

Monday, April 10, 2017

Saturday, April 8, 2017

G is for....


GELID HEART
I used to know what love means, but not anymore.
I used to care about others, but it was long time ago.
I thought I knew where to find happiness, but I was wrong.
I trusted once and twice, and again, and again;
until one day, my heart said it was enough.
Enough of being disappointed.
Enough of being deceived.
Enough, just enough.
Now, my heart refuses to believe.
Now my heart refuses to beat for somebody else.
It safer, he says to me…
And perhaps, my heart is right.

Perhaps having none feelings is the safest way to live. 



Note: Images were taken from A to Z challenge web site and google.com

Friday, April 7, 2017

ELEANOR AND PARK

ELEANOR AND PARK
By: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Y/A Contemporary Romance
Year: 2013
Actual Rate: 4.5 stars
“…Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try…
Two Misfits, on extraordinary love.” This is absolutely true.
There weren’t two people more different to the world than Eleanor and Park…
There wasn’t a love so unique, that the one it grew up inside of the pages of this book.
My heart is still swollen from such beautiful writing. Rainbow Rowell’s narrative style is effective, powerful, sad and touching.
The dialogues were impeccable, and they helped the story to flow properly, not too fast, not too slow.
The relationships between the two main characters and between them and the other characters, pushed out readers different feelings; Anger, compassion, happiness, and so on.
 Every character was well done portrayed but Eleanor and Park were a master piece.
I connected with Eleanor from the start. My heart shattered for her. In some point, I wanted to hug her. Eleanor’s pain was so real that made me think in those girls around the world that are suffering as much as Eleanor, and nobody is listening at them, because they don’t have voice…I really hope that people realize how important is to care  for other human being.
Now, About Park, well, he was a different kind of hero, but a hero with Capital letters. Park was the personification of how much a boy can love a girl.
I want to believe that for every Eleanor there is a Park out there.
100% recommended.  
Best Phrases:
“He knows I’ll like a song before I’ve hear it. He laughs before I even get to the punch line. There’s a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes me want to let him open doors for me.
There is only one of him.”

“You saved my life she tried to tell him. Not forever, not for good. Probably just temporarily. But you saved my life, and now I’m yours. The me that’s me right now is yours. Always”




   Note: Images taken from A to Z challenge web site and google.com

F is for...


FIRE AND ICE
A poem by one of my favorite and most amazing poets...Robert Frost. 

"Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice."

Images were taken from A to Z challenge web site and google.com

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

CONFESSIONS

After reading Confess by Colleen Hoover, and having recovered from my broken heart thanks to that book, I felt inspired to write my own confessions.
So, here they are:
I confess, I lie to my daughter when I tell her vegetables taste good. I hate vegetables.
I confess, I have a guilty pleasure for t.v shows about drama and suffering. Really, there are a few shows I can’t stop watching them.
I confess my fascination for everything Pink. I do believe I’m a princess and I’m not ashamed of that.
I confess my terrible OCD behavior and how is affecting my life. I can’t stop thinking about those things I can’t control, and that’s killing me.
I confess, I’m terrified of changes. I know I need to leave my comfort zone. I know that somewhere there is greatness for me, still, I don’t know how to make myself go outside and conquer my world.
I confess my fear of failing.
I confess that I scared of realizing one day that I didn’t know how to live.
I don’t want to waste more time.
I don’t want to feel alone anymore.

I don’t want to be afraid of my dreams.

Note: Images taken from A to Z challenge website and google.com

DECEPTION

I wrote this piece when I was seventeen.
A proof of the dramatic teenager I was.


I want to close my eyes forever and don’t be able to see you anymore.
I want to cover my ears; I need not to listen to your beautiful voice again.
I want to stop my heart because every beat is for you.
I want to go back to that time when I wasn’t broken,
I want to go back to that time when I was myself.

I want to go back to that time before you.

Monday, April 3, 2017

BLOOD LOVE



Emma had heard the stories, she’d read about them. They were urban legends until now. 
She opened her eyes and gasped. Emma’s entire body hurt. Her eyes could see everything even beyond the curtains; it was like having magnifying glasses attached to them. The pain in her jaw was killing her, even when she was already dead as all the love she once felt. The gums, God! They were being cut by two sharp knives. But the worst was her throat. Emma was thirsty, she needed water desperately to put out the fire; no, not water, the thought of it repulsed her. Then, when she heard it, she licked her lips in anticipation. The persistent thump of a heart beat on the second floor.


 Note: Images taken from Atozchallenge.com and google.com

Saturday, March 25, 2017

ADVENTURE


It’s the feeling of starting again.
It’s the feeling of being free.
I’m running away from a life I don’t want anymore,
looking for a new life, that I’m not sure if someday, I will deserve it.
But for now, I’m here in between.
Between was is right and what I wish,
between my dreams and the reality on Earth.
I am here, living without regrets an adventure that never has been mine.
But until the moment is come, this will be enough for me.

I need to believe that. 

Note: Images taken from Atozchallenge.com and google.com

A TO Z CHALLENGE 2017

And the Challenge has begun!!!


Note: Image taken from A to Z web site. 

Thursday, March 2, 2017

BY YOUR SIDE


BY: Kasie West.
Year: 2017
Genre: Y/A Contemporary Romance.
Rate: 4.5 Stars.
            “When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her. Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to rescue her.
Only he doesn’t come. No one does.
Instead it becomes clear that Autumn is going to have to spend the next couple of days living off vending-machine food and making conversation with a boy who clearly wants nothing to do with her. Except there is more to Dax than meets the eye. As he and Autumn first grudgingly, and then not so grudgingly, open up to each other, Autumn is struck by their surprising connection. But can their feelings for each other survive once the weekend is over and Autumn’s old life, and old love interest, threaten to pull her from Dax’s side?”

The sweet, -everyone loves– girl and the broken wind boy are the perfect combination in one of the most complex stories written by Kasie West.”
            There is a lot going on here, drama, love, friendship and more. The author wrote about the value of the family in an excellent contrast between having everything and having nothing at all. The romance was fantastically built, piece by piece from scratch, and not the common teen love at first sight. Also there is tragedy, mental illness, commitment issues and jealousy.
            Autumn the protagonist has a strength hidden in the first half of the book. At the beginning she seemed to be easy going, the good girl. For years Autumn was forced to be someone else, to do what others want her to do, being so difficult for her to say no, always scared. As a typical teenager she wanted to belong, to be part of something amazing.
            Dax was the kind of character I personally enjoy to read about it.  A lost soul, a broken heart healed by love.
            The rest of the characters also were well developed. Each one playing an effective role in the story. Especially, I loved the mother, I felt connected with her and I understand her feelings.
            Moreover I loved that there weren’t a real antagonist, because the real villain, the one our protagonists needed to get over, was more simple and terrified at the same time. Fear.  
I believe this is the kind of story people need to read, full of hope and magic with a funny touch.
100% recommended.
            Best Phrases:
“That wasn’t an easy task either, to convince the boy who didn’t do commitment that we could be different.”

“I was the one who hadn’t accepted myself for who I was. I was the one who needed to be comfortable in my own skin. I hope I could do that, moving forward.”
Note: Images taken from www.google.com

Saturday, January 28, 2017

LONG WAY HOME RELEASE DAY

I read my first book by Katie Mcgarry by chance, and a just loved it. I was impressed by her beautiful writing, the honesty in her words and the fantastic characters, so real and effective. Then a read another one, and another, until I couldn’t stop.
Every new story is like to have a new friend with I laugh, cry, get excited and sigh.
Definitely Katie Mcgarry had a power of create the most breathtaking plots.

As every reader fan, of course I have my favorite stories and characters, and Thunder Road Series has a special place in my heart. Today, Long Way Home the last book of this trilogy is out. Finally we are going to know the story of Violet and Chevy and hopefully a little more about Oz, Emily, Razor and Brianna. 

I am sure this is going to be a memorable reading. So, hurry up and get your copy, and have a wonderful time with you new friend. 

Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Violet has always been expected to sit back and let the boys do all the saving.
It’s the code her father, a member of the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, raised her to live by. Yet when her dad is killed carrying out Terror business, Violet knows it’s up to her to do the saving. To protect herself, and her vulnerable younger brother, she needs to cut all ties with the club—including Chevy, the boy she’s known and loved her whole life.
But when a rival club comes after Violet, exposing old secrets and making new threats, she’s forced to question what she thought she knew about her father, the Reign of Terror, and what she thinks she wants.
Which means re-evaluating everything: love, family, friends . . . and forgiveness.
Caught in the crosshairs between loyalty and freedom, Violet must decide whether old friends can be trusted—and if she’s strong enough to be the one person to save them all.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/29kYGo2
Kobo: http://bit.ly/29f7tpS
BAM: http://bit.ly/298Brtj
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/29e4z8v
iBooks: http://apple.co/29e4F06
IndieBound: http://bit.ly/29aLSkP


Excerpt:
CHEVY
          The instructions of the English homework I didn’t do hangs out from the top of my folder: Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both.
Story of my life.
           According to my football coach, I chose wrongly on the two crap paths I had to face last week. I just ran into Coach on the way to English, and he ripped into me for my sorry decision-making skills when it came to me choosing to stand up for the Reign of Terror Motorcycle Club instead of a member of my football team.
            I didn’t just get my ass chewed out, his tirade made me late for English with no tardy note. Which is great since my English teacher hates late students like I hate riding  my motorcycle in forty degree weather while it rains.
            I round the corner, then peek through the small window on the door of my class. Ms. Whitlock stands in front of her desk in her patented white button-down shirt, gray pencil skirt, and dark-rimmed glasses. From the back row, my best friend Razor meets my eyes and shakes his head. Damn. That means she’s in one of her moods where she’s refusing to let anyone in.
            I’m not a tail-tucked-between-my-legs type of guy, but this lady is one of the few who can reduce me to begging. If she doesn’t let me in, then she’ll mark me as absent, the front office will think I skipped, and that means I won’t be able to play at tonight’s football game.
            The window rattles when I knock. The entire class turns their heads in my direction, but Ms. Whitlock doesn’t. The muscles in my neck tighten. She is one of the hardest core people I know and my grandfather is the president of a motorcycle club. That says something.
            She starts for the white board and I knock on the door again. This time, Ms. Whitlock does look my way and she grants me the type of glare reserved for people who kick puppies. I got it. I’m late. I’m the scum of humanity, so let my ass in so I can play football.
            There’s this guy in my club, Pigpen. He’s about the same age as Ms. Whitlock, late twenties, and he’s a walking hard-on for this woman even though she would never give him the time of day. He practically runs into walls when she’s around because he’s too focused on checking her out. I don’t see gorgeous—all I see is seriously pissed off and the person standing between me and playing.
            Ms. Whitlock points at the clock over her desk. She’s telling me I can wait. If I’m lucky, she’ll open the door after the quiz that I’ll receive a zero on. If I’m not so lucky, she won’t open the door at all.
            Two pathetic paths and I could only travel one. Nowhere in that stupid poem did it mention there was good and bad to both paths and that sometimes it’s best not to choose, but to set up camp at the fork and do nothing at all.
            I slam my hand into the nearest locker, almost relishing the sting.
            “Feel better?”
            A glance across the hallway and I freeze. Doesn’t matter how many times I see her in a day, she still manages to take my breath away.
 Note: Images were provided  by  @katiemcgarry or @InkSlingerPR 
                                                                        Katie Mcgarry