Behind the Pages

Thanks to Harlequin Australia for sending me this copy for review

I expected more from this book. It was poorly executed in every way. 

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.

WARNING. LONG ASS REVIEW AHEAD. (mostly filled with quotes from the book. Quotes are taken from my copy of the book)

DNF.

Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing Australia for sending me a copy for review

Definitely a novel that will either pull you apart or lift you up, this is a classic either love or hate novel.

This book has left me..... I feel...... I am lost for words. Not in a terribly bad way, but not in the best way either.

I honestly don’t know what to think of After Eden now that I have finished it. I really liked the book, but... this is really hard to put into words... I don’t even know what I am feeling right now.

Ok, let’s move on. When we read the prologue at the start, we don’t know what is happening. But it isn’t until the middle of the book, where we realize what it means and what it could be. This doesn’t leave us as shocked as what we would have liked. This realization should have made me gasp and my eyes should have gone wider! But it didn’t happen.

Aha! I know what I am feeling about this book now... disappointment.

I feel disappointed because this book could have really been great. It had so much potential with the overall storyline etc, but for some reason, it didn’t work out for me like I was hoping. Sure I enjoyed the book, but it was predictable and it didn’t pull any kind of reaction from me while reading it. It was just a kind of plod-along novel, where you just read and read and read until you run out of pages and haven’t felt a thing. I didn’t hate this book, but I didn’t love it either.

Just think of this book as a short middle kind of read, as something quick to pass the time...

I like how in this book, that it’s hard to stop reading. I don’t mean the whole ‘I’ll just finish one more chapter’ then half a book goes by, but in the way that you really don’t notice page after page go by. It’s not addictive, but it was hooking. Hooking enough to get me to read the entire book in 2 sittings (ok, I read while I waited for coffee, so technically 3, but still). You can easily put down the book after one chapter, that’s not an issue. But when you read and you know that you don’t have to worry about anything else, that’s when you get hooked.

I predicted who Travis was. That was straight from the start, so no drama there. When we read the blurb and hear how Eden loves puzzles, I was a bit thrilled and wondered how creative this book would be because of this. We only heard of Eden doing puzzles, playing scrabble for a second, and doing half a jigsaw for even less time. I like that she figured out Ryan’s secret all on her own, and I nearly even went “no way” at what he is, but this part was even fell plague to the plod-along-no-feely-thing.

What felt really weird to me, was that other than the weather, you really couldn’t tell that the story is set in England. Even then, that kind of weather could happen anywhere. We get told, but there is nothing that brings it to life. Ok, so they called their year, Year eleven, that was the only thing remotely English about it. There was no English slang or anything!

I can’t really say much more on this book than I already have. Connor was annoying because he was being a jealous arse throughout the whole book, and the rest of Eden’s friends just like getting drunk. There isn’t anything I can say about Ryan, he was a kind of swoon worthy character, but it was the whole plod-along thing again that ruined any chance of him being another book boyfriend...

I will read the second book, especially to see how the story moves along, and if anything actually surprising happens.

Thanks to Harlequin Australia for sending me a copy for review

Captivating; the one word that perfectly describes this book from start to finish.

4.5....

I absolutely fell in love with this book. Everything picks up straight away and we get thrown into life in Marin. Garden creates a stunning underwater world.

We first learn about Miranda and her life in Aus. I can instantly imagine her grandparents shack as well as the surrounds. Miranda is such an easy to like character, and we instantly connect with her. We get thrown into a whirlwind of emotion when she gets taken, we are as angry and confused as she is when she wakes up. Our feelings already in-sync with hers, even though we are just a few chapters into the novel! And no matter how much we want Miranda to get home, we too, are falling in love with Marin and everything in it! When we see Marin for the first time, I was awe-struck. This was nothing that I was expecting. I was thinking that the people of Marin were some paranormal kind of creature, but nope, think again, and prepare to be amazed at what the reality is!

This isn’t like other books where we only agree with some of what the main character is doing or saying. Even with her jealousy of her sister, Lauren, I instantly relate to Miranda about not being noticed compared to her sister. It is so easy to relate to this feeling, because it could be towards anyone, friend or sibling, so we know exactly how Miranda feels.

I honestly didn’t predict anything in this book, EXCEPT THAT SILVIA IS EVIL!! (ok, this isn’t even confirmed yet. *anxiously waiting for next book*), it kept me on my toes and the middle-ending of the book kept me on the edge of my seat!

Even though there is no actual love triangle in this book, I am horrified to say that I kind of made it one. I LOVE ROBBIE!! There, I said it. From the start, I was cheering for him. But! Just as Miranda starts to fall for Marko, I do too!! I can’t believe this is happening, because I want Miranda & Robbie! I got so frustrated because of my conflicting emotions, even though nothing was happening between Miranda & Robbie, I wish it did. At the end, I start questioning my feelings. Marko is amazing too! I don’t know what is happening to me, you all know how much I hate love triangles! Somebody virtually slap me.

There are some secrets that Miranda hides from her sister, and this keeps us on edge, because we get so close to finding out through the book, but then, when we find it all out in the end and it’s a little of a disappointment. All the build up to this and it’s not even a dramatic thing. I don’t go ‘oh!!’, or even become shocked from it. But the ending is all about sisterhood, and it makes us feel like we want a connection like that to our own siblings. This is the only reason why I haven’t rated this book a 5!

When I said before that this book is captivating, I was not joking around. Once you finish this book, you sit back, sigh, and go WOW! Not really ‘wow’, as in explosive, but in an ‘I can’t believe all that just happened’ kind of way. It is only when you finish this book that, I think this really sinks in. You don’t realize the potential of the next book until that last chapter. It completely sets the next book in the series, and I can’t wait!!

See the original review and print the bookmarks on my blog!

Thanks to Allen & Unwin Australia for sending me a copy for review

Magnificent. The perfect ending to such a wonderful trilogy.

Seeing as this is the last book in the trilogy, you may expect a vague review on what actually happens in the book, and more focus on characters and wishes.

I absolutely loved this book. From start to finish it was amazing. Juliette is such a strong character now, and it seems that she has finally found herself, finally opened up to her true feelings and understand what she has to do. 

You know that the author is an amazing writer, when you know how much I hate love triangles, and don't even realize that you're changing teams until the very last book!! It feels like everything I know and read about love triangles have been blasted out the window!

From the beginning, I was team Adam. But now, now I have changed, I have fallen for Warner. Adam and Juliette are two different people now, and even though I liked their ship in the first book, it just doesn't compare to Warner in this last book. We see him for who he truly is, and I can't believe that I even doubted that they would be together in the first and second books. Everything makes sense now, and these two are perfect for each other. They are strong, they understand one another on a deeper level than just personality, and they constantly surprise us and blow our minds away.

If you read this trilogy all together, I think that you will enjoy it all even more. Reading the first book, even though it's a bit overboard with the strikeouts, you will be able to clearly see how Juliette develops getting back into the real world throughout the trilogy. Not only with her sanity, but with her powers too, and all the other characters we have fallen in love with along the way. I loved seeing everyone again in this book. I loved how Juliette takes the stand and finally takes charge of herself.

There are so many things that happen in this book, and it's one of those circumstances where you think of how much of the story still needs to happen, and you look at how many pages you have left and wonder how it will all fit. Then start to worry that it might be rushed etc! It was kind of in the middle. It didn't feel rushed, but it kind of seemed too easy in the end, and I wish there was something more with Amderson and what he was saying. There were a few things that I wished I could see more of, like Adam and Warner in one scene of the book towards the end (not telling!!) . OK, I admit that I got a little annoyed at Juliette being confused about her feelings, and how it took one little thing to make her realize the truth and come to terms with everything.

Other than that, this book was amazing, and a brilliant conclusion to the trilogy! I kind of wish there was a epilogue for a glimpse to the future, but that's just me and the book doesn't really need it, it's beautiful the way it is! This is a definite read if you haven't already!!

See the original review and print the bookmarks on my blog!

Thanks to Allen & Unwin Australia for sending me a copy for review

Dramatic, addictive. There is nothing that this second book lacks, it's got it all

After the events of Shatter Me, we are left craving for more. Even though, this book (and Shatter Me) were not left on any major sort of cliffhanger, we still have this invisible pull to read the next book.

This book was a little slow at the start, but that didn't really stop me from tearing this book apart (speed wise lol). We still get the whole X-Men vibe from this book, as we were starting to see in the end of Shatter Me, but it this hasn't made the book worse or anything, it's made it better and I felt like this was some awesome kind of retelling!

I love how much we can see Juliette grow, especially just coming out of Shatter Me. We see a whole lot less of the strike throughs are more of her adapting to life outside of prison, and rebuilding her self esteem and her sanity. I love Adam and Juliette in this book, YAY TEAM ADAM!

Oh Kenji. How you have brightened this series up! And to think it couldn't get any better. If he wasn't in this book, I'm pretty sure the book would be kind of dull. In the bits where nothing really is happening, Kenji completely takes over and continually pulls us through when usually, we would feel like the book is going slow and it's just fluff. 

Even though I am on Team Adam, I'm happy that Juliette kind-of-yeah-maybe broke up with Adam. I'm happy because she needs to find herself without someone else (even someone as awesome as Adam) there to help her along. After nearly a year kept in isolation, even though she doesn't really need any me-time, she definitely needs to sort out her issues, and start being independent and fully fitting back into her shoes (metaphorically speaking).

When you hit the end of the book, you honestly don't know what to do. It's not left in a cliffhanger, but like I said before, it leaves you craving for the last book! The end is full of surprises that leave you shocked and you don't know what to do with yourself after one particular scene! This scene will tear you apart yet full of action!

See the original review on my blog!

Thanks to Bloomsbury Australia for sending me a copy for review

A brilliantly crafted witchy world, set against a picture perfect backdrop. This book will suck you in and leave you wanting more.

When I started this book, I didn't have enough time to read more than one chapter for a whole day. So when I started to have time, I started getting confused. There are so many characters that are thrust on you straight away, it's hard to keep track of who is who etc. The book is set with following a different character, but you follow that one character in 3rd person, then it switches on each new chapter. I couldn't follow some of what they were talking about, as well as some of the scenes at the start because I didn't understand what was going on. I think it's just me though, because I didn't read it all together and get a real taste of what the book is about in the first few chapters.

Once I started getting into the book, it's a completely different story, it was captivating and I absolutely fell in love with Emma and Cormack. I wanted to keep on reading about their relationship and their secret kisses, that every time we came to a chapter on either Emma or Cormack, I would be hoping for the two to meet again and steal a few kisses and just be plain out cute. Don't get me wrong, I love the other characters too, but these two are my favorite in this book.

The thing that I found really strange was that there was so much kissing, especially beacuse it's supposed to be Regency London. I kept feeling like the amount of kissing in the book as strange. Even though I loved the Emma and Cormack kissing scenes, it still seemed out of place for the time period. I wish there was more descriptions on the spells, like we are told that Emma finally learns how to use the glamour spell, but we first learn that she is having difficulty with it. It suddenly changes to her using the glamour, and we don't even get to see her overcome her first spell!

I loved the bits about her mother, it included something different to the story that wasn't something we were expecting, and it prepared us for the end of the book! I was kind of a bit shocked at some points, but we could get the gist of why some things happened, even if they didn't get explained to us.

If I had enough time, I would have read this book in one (maybe two) sittings. It was addictive, and even though a tiny bit of it is predictable (for me only the spell Cormack's sister told him at the start of the book), it will still keep you turning pages to figure out the mystery. It was only at the end that I had a feeling of who it would be, but even though it was confirmed, there were still a whole heap of surprises that came out at us to leave us stunned.

Even though I said earlier that I got confused at the start of the novel, once I got into the book, I could vividly start picturing everything as it was happening. It's like we are viewing a memory (read the book to understand the reference! haha). But I suggest that you read this book when you have time to just sit and read for a while, so you can get a feel of the world.

It was a brilliant ending to the book, and I can't wait to read the next in the series! It's not a cliffhanger at the end, but after reading something like this, you will be anxious for the second!!

See the original review and my interview with Michael Adams on my blog!

Thanks to Allen & Unwin Australia for sending me a copy for review

Completely action packed and leaves you wanting more. This series just keeps getting better.

I really liked this book. The ending literally made this book for me, and I didn't see that coming at all. This whole book was very unexpected for me, I couldn't predict what was going to happen, or what I wanted to happen. Things just changed so quickly that it was hard to keep up. It was a little slow for me and not really gripping me through the beginning and middle. It was only towards the middle of the second part of the book that I really started getting into it, because I kept on thinking that they are going to make it! They're going to really do it! that kept me going.

Danby has really grown up in this book. When we first see her in book one, she was new to this kind of thing, and didn't really know what she was doing. In this second book, the realization from the ending of The Last Girl, has her on a new path and a new goal. She goes from hating Jack, with a passion, then back to loving him again and falling for his tricks, then back to hating him again! She is a bit all over the place for me in this book (especially at the end with Nathan), and it's kinda frustrating. She goes from not knowing how to use a gun properly and shaking and convincing herself that she has to kill Jack, then she turns into some psycho that thinks about the kill first then think later. Yes, she is getting weird. And it was kind of selfish with her about what Alex said about her brother. He's right and I felt frustrated because why is it all about her (other than she is the main character), but she is only thinking about her brother and no one else! Then at the end, when she tells everyone that she is staying behind, she doesn't fight for anyone else safety and just agrees when they said that they are staying. She doesn't even say anything to try to change their minds, it's like she is looking for the attention and wants everyone to love her. I mean, I love how she has gotten stronger and has grown to suit the circumstances that she is in, but it felt really rushed and made her character seem psychotic (just like Jack wants..... <-- see! he's even convincing us with his mind control mojo)

Anyways....... Jack is a really good character. Even though he is the villain, he is a really really good villain. I haven't seen one like him in a long time that can completely sway peoples emotions (in the book and us readers as well) like he does. He's a character that we literally love to hate, and this series wouldn't be the same without him! and OH!! that ending! I kinda imagined it during the book, but I didn't see that ending coming!!!!!!!! HOLY SHIZ!

I love the setting, mainly because it's close to home for me. I can relate to it so easily and can picture everything in my head. The book is so vivid that there is not one single point that I couldn't visualize what was happening. It kept me going, and made me want to continue reading, even though the book was slow.

From the very beginning of this series, I didn't know what to expect. And even now, finishing the second book and waiting for the finale, I don't know what is going to happen to finish this series. It is so unpredictable, and so refreshing that it completely mixes you up and pulls you through the book. My only faults in this second book, was how slow it was in the beginning-middle and Danby's sudden changes in character. Other than this, this second book is just as good as the first novel in the series, and I can't wait for The Last Place to come out. I have no idea what to think of the ending of this book, as well as what it could lead to, to solve everything and give us a happy ending..... or are we going to get a happy ending? hmmmm this book could swing either way and leave us stunned and shocked.

The Secret Diamond Sisters by Michelle Madow has been released!!

Did you miss the 7 Days of Secret Diamonds event?

Never fear! here are all the posts so you can catch up on all the excitement

Day1

SDS giveaway hop mini-interview

Day 2

 SDS review

Day 3

 SDS Makeup favorites

Day 4

 My favorite Diamond

Day 5

 If I Woke Up in Vegas…

Day 6

 7 Reasons I love my family/sisters

Day 7

 Happy release day!!!

Enter to win one of four copies of Secret (Elementals #4) by Brigid Kemmerer

THIS GIVEAWAY IS OPEN TO AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS ONLY

Giveaway ends 19 February 2014

See my review, download the bookmarks and enter the giveaway, as part of the Australian Blog Tour here:

http://behindamillionandonepages.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/aussie-blog-tour-secret-by-brigid.html

The takeover has finished!

Check out all the posts by Kristen Day, that are live on the blog right now

Here is the posts from the takeover:

Day 1

~ Introduction, Forsaken (Daughters of the Sea #1) teaser and giveaway

http://behindamillionandonepages.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/hi-everyone-gina-has-been-gracious.html

~ Maps, Traces and Nereids of the Daughters of the Sea series

http://behindamillionandonepages.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/i-want-to-share-with-you-couple-of.html

Day 2

~ Interview with Finn and Stasia

http://behindamillionandonepages.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/finn-and-stasia-intervew.html

~ Thank you and Kristen's new work in progress

http://behindamillionandonepages.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/work-in-progress-teaser-for-kristen-day.html

The takeover has begun!

Check out the two posts by Kristen Day, that are live on the blog right now

Here is the posts so far:

Day 1

~ Introduction, Forsaken (Daughters of the Sea #1) teaser and giveaway

http://behindamillionandonepages.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/hi-everyone-gina-has-been-gracious.html

~ Maps, Traces and Nereids of the Daughters of the Sea series

http://behindamillionandonepages.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/i-want-to-share-with-you-couple-of.html

Prepare to be touched by darkness...

Author Kristen Day is taking over Behind a Million and One Pages with her Daughters of the Sea series!

The takeover is happening all day during the 3rd and 4th February! 

http://behindamillionandonepages.blogspot.com

See the original review, my interview with Julianna and enter the giveaway (US+CA, ends 3 February 14)

 Thanks to Hachet Group (US) for providing my with a copy for review and the giveaway copies!

My heart is torn in two and I'm shocked. I am in Post-Burn depression. I honestly don't know what to say, it was amazing.

See the original review, my interview with Julianna and enter the giveaway (US+CA, ends 3 February 14)

Thanks to Hachet Group (US) for providing my with a copy for review and the giveaway copies!

Fuse is intriguing and complex, diving straight back into the story again from Pure, taking you on a whirl-wind adventure.

I kind of struggled with this book a little bit. Not in the way that is wasn't entertaining, but in the way that I was too focused on trying to remember what happened in Pure, that I didn't really focus on much else for a little ways into this book. I get why Baggott didn't really give us much of a re-cap into Pure, and you realize why after you finish Fuse. But it's because there really isn't enough room for a good re-cap of the first book, which is why you really need to read this series together! I felt lost in the beginning, and then when I remembered it all, everything started to get a whole lot more interesting! Events beyond what I even thought were possible were made reality in this book, and they take you by the hand an squeeze you until you're frantically turning the pages to find out what is in store next.

This world is so detailed and literally is dripping of pure imagination, that you don't know what will come next, you are hanging on every word, and every little thing that they all do. There was high stakes, and tension between the characters, that made me want to hold on and keep on going. The world that has been build has made way for so many possibilities that anything and everything could happen, and we won't even see it coming.

I never really liked Partridge as much as I would have liked. I like how he loves Pressia and the rest of the gang, even though they have only known each other for such a short period of time. We believe his motives for wanting to go back in the Dome, and we can see that he will be the one to make the world a better place from inside the Dome. But I still believe my original thoughts of him from the first book, he is too innocent (even though he doesn't seem so innocent when he is in the cottage with Lyda ;) ), and it doesn't do him any good in the book where everyone else is such a strong character (the only other annoyingly stupid characters are the Dome worshipers, and I wanted to just smack them in the face, seriously).

I love El Capitan and Helmud so much more in this book! We get to see so much more of them, and we see how they change as well from being OSR soldiers to the people they are today. I don't want to give anything away, but we really start to see El Capitan in a completely different light when they start the major part of their journey. We see him as just another survivor of the detonations, and we also get to see Helmud given the respect and recognition that he deserves! The two start to look out for each other a lot more in this book, and we can see them grow together and start to become more of a team, than how you first see it in Pure as just one man carrying the burden of another on his back.

I mentioned how much I love Bradwell in Pure. Well that certainly doesn't change!! I am definitely sailing on the Bradwell ship and I do not intend to ever leave :) As the book goes on, I can't help but love him even more. Even though things were tough, Bradwell and Pressia got through things together and their relationship became stronger because of it. Even though the end of the book made my eyes wide and my hand came to cover my open mouth in shock and awe at what happens, I still know that things are going to be ok, and that he is still beautiful (if you haven't read Fuse then you probably don't understand what I'm talking about, but you will if you read!!).

I love the little side characters in this book, Wilda and Finigan. Pressia seems to grow a lot more with Wilda there, and she takes care of her and is there for her, like a younger sister. Now add Finigan to the mix, as Bradwell's "best friend", and you really start to love the quirkiness that is Finigan and his flashy lights and infinite knowledge! The only side character that I didn't like was Iralene. SHE WAS SO ANNOYING!!!!!!!! SHE IS EVEN MORE STUPIDLY INNOCENT THAN PARTRIDGE! I really didn't like reading about them. Sometimes, I had hope for her. Like she was just acting that way so she can survive. But most of the time, it's like she wasn't acting like that, and was literally some typical blonde bimbo. Warning. You will get frustrated with her...

Pressia. What can you not love about this girl. She is strong, and her willpower is amazing. She will do whatever it takes to make the world better for all the people, not just for those outside the Dome. Sure, sometimes her thoughts on it all are not thought out, and we can see what is wrong with her plans of the future, and how idealistic parts of it is.

I thought that Baggott did a brilliant job with the different POV's. Even though some of the characters were together, we understood exactly what was happening, as well as getting into the current protagonists' thoughts. We didn't get lost or confused, and I really enjoyed getting to see different points of view from Pressia, Bradwell, El Capitan, Partridge and Lyda. The ending is explosive! I really can't describe it any less than that. Reading this on my eReader, I kept on looking at how many pages were left towards the end, and I was tearing myself apart, because I kept on thinking of how much more needs to happen, and the end of the book is so close! You are left with so many questions, and you wonder how everything will play out from there.

So, I've stayed up quite a bit trying to work with this beautiful cover, for the banners for the Australian Blog Tour, and now I've finished! I love the final design of these banners :) and they look so good on the blog (if I do say so myself!)

Now, just wait until 5 February until my stop on the tour! I will be reviewing all 4 books in the Elementals series, as well as hosting a giveaway (Australian residents only, and will not be on BookLikes sorry!)

Here are the banners! What do you think?

Long Banner (perfect for the side of the blog)

Side Banner (perfect for on the blog post) [there is a line going through this for some reason, so just ignore the line]