Review: A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

It’s 2002, a year after 9/11. It’s an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for someone like Shirin, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who’s tired of being stereotyped.

Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. She’s tired of the rude stares, the degrading comments—even the physical violence—she endures as a result of her race, her religion, and the hijab she wears every day. So she’s built up protective walls and refuses to let anyone close enough to hurt her. Instead, she drowns her frustrations in music and spends her afternoons break-dancing with her brother.

But then she meets Ocean James. He’s the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know Shirin. It terrifies her—they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds—and Shirin has had her guard up for so long that she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to let it down.

Review: What If It’s Us by Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli

Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it.

Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things.

But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them?

Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated.

Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited.

But what if they can’t quite nail a first date . . . or a second first date . . . or a third?

What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work . . . and Ben doesn’t try hard enough?

What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play?

But what if it is?

IVAN by Kit Rocha

As the sheltered princess of Sector One, Maricela’s life is defined by duty: to her people and to her family. Her wealth and influence have allowed her to build a better world, but they come with a price—the responsibility to secure political stability with a practical marriage. Maricela cherishes the idea of marrying for love, but there’s not much romance in the endless line of suitors interested only in prestige and power.

And her handsome, brooding new bodyguard isn’t helping the situation.

Ivan is the perfect, deadly warrior, a man trained from childhood to be the ultimate protector to the Rios family. His focus on keeping her safe is intense–and a little intoxicating. When the threat of danger cracks his icy control, Maricela realizes she’s not the only one fighting against temptation.

Ivan knows that the blood on his hands makes him unworthy of the pure-hearted princess. But from the first kiss, their forbidden affair feels inevitable. He can give her a glimpse of life outside her gilded cage and a lover who wants the woman instead of the crown. The only thing he can never do is promise her forever.

Because spurning her noble suitors to marry her bodyguard wouldn’t just be a scandal. It could set off a political firestorm that would tear Sector One apart.

Get the Ebook:

Direct (DRM Free), Amazon (Global Link), Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple, Google

Beyond Forever by Kit Rocha

I hope you had a great Halloween. I celebrated by moving out of my rental because I bought a house! My very first! I am thrilled though as you can imagine that means my last few weeks have been chaotic hence why this review is so late. My deepest apologizes.

Let’s talk about Beyond Forever! 

Deacon by Kit Rocha

Book two of Gideon’s Riders is here and boy is it good!

I’m a long time Kit Rocha fan and I love how she has expanded from Sector Four and the O’Kane’s to Gideon and Sector One. It feels like a fresh series with some of my favourite characters popping in for a visit every once and a while.

COVER REVEAL! Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce

It’s finally here! A new book by Tamora Pierce!

I’ve been reading her books since I was in grade school and now in my mid twenties I had long given up that we would get any new books from her. I have never been so glad to be wrong.

This is the cover for Tempests and Slaughter book one of three in the new trilogy focused around young Numair. Release date is Feb 2018. Get hyped people!

Check out the description of the novel below.

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

“What did you do this weekend?”
“I read”
“All weekend?”

That’s right! All fucking weekend!

I spent all day Saturday reading Illuminae and than ran to the bookstore Sunday to read the sequel. This hasn’t happened to me in a long time, I have gotten much better at balancing my reading life and the rest of my life but Illuminae just drew me in and wouldn’t let me go. This was also the first book I had ever read from both Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, that will soon be rectified because of this series.

I read a lot of genres including science fiction but I easily admit that I don’t fall in love with a lot of science fiction. It’s just hard for me to get pulled in, in comparison to other genres. Illuminae has me craving more science fiction and I fear it’ll never be enough.

The Flame in the Mist

I barely have the words to describe how much I loved this book. Even before I cracked open the cover and started reading I knew this book would be too short, that I would want so much more than what was written in those pages. Renee Ahdieh first book ‘The Wrath and the Dawn’ showed what an amazing storyteller she was. She crafts a story with such beautiful skill it could make me weep and this book was even better than her first series.

Ashwin by Kit Rocha

It’s here!

The first book in Kit Rocha’s Gideon Riders series.

Now if you have read Kit Rocha’s Beyond series which follows Sector Four you probably already know what your in for.

But I am going to give a little warning just in case you stumbled along this review by accident. This is an erotic dystopian series and its filthy.

That not your thing? No hard feelings.

If that is your thing than let me introduce you to Ashwin.

Lieutenant Ashwin Malhotra is a Makhai soldier—genetically engineered to be cold, ruthless. Unfeeling. His commanding officers consider him the perfect operative, and they’re right. Now, he has a simple mission: to infiltrate Gideon’s Riders, the infamous sect of holy warriors that protects the people of Sector One.

He’s never failed to execute an objective, but there’s one thing he didn’t anticipate—running into Dr. Kora Bellamy, the only woman to ever break through his icy exterior.

When Kora fled her life as a military doctor for the Makhai Project, all she wanted was peace—a quiet life where she could heal the sick and injured. The royal Rios family welcomed her like a sister, but she could never forget Ashwin. His sudden reappearance is a second chance—if she can manage to touch his heart.

When the simmering tension between them finally ignites, Kora doesn’t realize she’s playing with fire. Because she’s not just falling in love with a man who may not be able to love her back. Ashwin has too many secrets—and one of them could destroy her.

Vendor Links

Amazon US, Amazon UK, B&N, Google, iBooks, Kobo

If I have spiked your interest than please stop reading this review, come back to it after reading the book. I can’t guarantee no spoilers.

Now let’s get down to business!

The End is Here! Review for Beyond Surrender!

 

It’s here! It’s finally here!

This day comes with mixed emotions warring with each other for ultimate domination. I am sure that you fellow readers can relate to this. The feeling of LOVING THIS SERIES SO MUCH and never wanting it to end warring with the DESPERATE DESIRE TO KNOW HOW IT ENDS.

I shall start off by telling you that I read it in one setting curled up in bed until like 2 in the morning because I couldn’t not know the ending before going to bed.

AND IT WAS AMAZING!

So for non spoilers stop now, leave knowing this book is exactly what you are hoping for and go forth back into the world to read it.

A short and sweet review: It’s the action packed filthy erotica you know and love concluding in one hell of a book!

Purchase Links

Kobo
Apple
ARe
B&N
Amazon
Google

First the blurb (provided by Kit Rocha)

She’s the heart of O’Kane liquor.

For years, Nessa has been focused on work. She keeps the whiskey—and the money—flowing, and life is sweet. Sure, she’s tired of being everyone’s baby sister, and she longs for a man who can stand up to her overprotective O’Kane brothers. But she never thought she’d meet him in the middle of a war.

He’s the brains of the revolution.

War is all Ryder knows. He was raised with one goal: to ensure the sectors’ successful rebellion against Eden. His father and his mentor both died for freedom, and nothing will stop him from securing their legacies with victory. He doesn’t have time for distractions—especially beautiful, impulsive ones like Nessa.

Opposites don’t just attract, they combust. Together, Nessa and Ryder have a chance for something more than the lives they’ve always known. But this is war—deadly, bloody war—and the only way to happily-ever-after is straight through Eden.

For spoilers keep reading!