"I am back, readers!" - A Random Post

So... I am Back!

A lot had happened and a lot had changed even the seasons. Fall is here and winter is about to come. New books are being published nearly every day like the falling red autumn leaves. TV shows come and go wounding our hearts  - and by hearts I mean brains - with sorrow, joy, and awe. Amazing music popping up everywhere. People meet and people part via internet or real life. We connect, reconnect, and sometimes disconnect with the humans around us in need for all different forms of love. The most basic and common type is... Friendship. Present, old, new or forgotten we all seek one for the good words and feelings it provides just like a book.

I CAN FINALLY READ BOOKS AGAIN!!!

Watch TV Shows

And Movies

Make future plans

Write the blog posts I planned for 

Write my stories

Take photographs

Learn new languages

Offer and spread love all around me

Especially my Love for Books

And most importantly, take care of myself

Be the hero of my life and move forward   

You know, the usual. ^_^

Anyway, I missed blogging and all the things it brought into my life. It feels so good to be back on my "private" piece of the world wide web. In the future, I might have some news regarding my blog but until then... Shhh! You did not read anything.

Summer is almost gone in the Northern hemisphere and the nature took its time to remind us how much we depend on things. Humans. Earth. Nature. Sun. And Universe. After a beautiful solar eclipse, we had chaotic floods. Thus, I am sending to all the affected people my warm and positive thoughts. When things get harder, you fight because there is only one path to follow, forward.

And for those of you who got the chance to get cozy with books lately, let me know what adventures you've been through. Music, movies, and TV shows included or life events even ;).

I. AM. BACK.

PS

 Until next time, feel free to check out my other posts: Mini Book Review --> HerE <-- and Summer Book Tag --> HerE <--.

Mini Book Review - Tarnished Crown by Erin Watt

Royals 3.5

Picture Source: Goodreads 

Book Synopsis

Standard Disclaimer: For those who you have not read the Royals books 1 to 3 be aware of spoilers ahead. 

This story happens after Twisted Palace following Savannah and Gideon's relationship. It tries to shine some light over what happened between the two of them in the past and how they are going to proceed foreword. Love. Tension. Drama. And all that shenanigan. Of course, things are not so simple and the past keeps saying "Hello" to the lover birds.

My Opinion

 2.00/5.00

I stay by GoodReads ratings. It was ok. I might be in the minority when I am saying this... I was disappointed. Within the first three books, we get this strong and independent image of Savannah to now be ruined by this installment. I get the feeling that this was done to serve the fandom, which is not automatically a bad thing, but it was not served right. It takes time and patience to rebuild a relationship which had been broken to such a degree. Gideon did not even learn from his past mistakes and he still has the tendency to repeat those mistakes. Savannah should learn to love herself more and keep her standards no matter what. To be sincere, I do not know what made these two fall in love in the first place.
And last, this book? novella? - it has 21 chapters which makes this work to pass as a book - needs more substance. It was a good cup of tea turned bad. 

This is my sole opinion. >_^

Original review on Goodreads.

PS

See you in my next post!! And in the mean time feel free to check out my latest Summer Book Tag and Miraculous Ladybug comic review, -->HERE<-- and -->HERE<--.

The Summer Book Tag

Introduction

Hello-Hello! Right now my life requires a hero so, of course, I had to take out my superhero costume from the dusty attic. The moment real life decides to diminish its flirting with me I will return on the world wide web with more posts. ^_^

Scout's honor! (Although, I was never a scout... Oops! ^^')

Also, thank you Abi (What Makes A Good Book) for tagging me eons ago! 

Now, let's return to the actual post 'cause "Winter is coming!" (Yes, I just binge watched GoT.)

Summer

1. Lemonade: Pick a book that started bitter but got better.

Hmmm... I actually love Lemonade. The less sugar the better!
I will bend the rules a bit for this category and I am going to choose the Cormoran Strike (<- link) by Robert Galbraith - aka J.K. Rowling. The first book was so slow I was so close to not finish it and give up on the series. Blame the author for keeping me hooked. What can I say? I was biased when I took that decision and I am so glad I did. The series only gets better with each book.

image source: my Instagram.

2. Golden sun: Pick a book that made you smile beyond compare.

Why LA? Pourquoi Paris? by Diane Ratican is a book I am currently reading. It is an entire laughing session every single time I am opening it for a read. Why? Half of it is written in French while the other half is written in English. And both are not my mother tongue. Despite my fluency in English, it is an amazing challenge to relearn and read French while my brain is set to operate in English mode.
The graphics, the story and the way it is written offer an unique experience especially for bilinguals and multilingual. You get to experience translation barriers and differences first hand.
(Yes, I speak French at a very basic level. ^_^ )

image source: Goodreads (link above, book title mention)

3. Tropical flowers: Pick a book set in a foreign country.

Does another planet count? Kidding! (But just in case, check out Return Once More by Trisha Leigh. Shhh!)

I see London, I see France by Sarah Mylnowski is another book I am currently reading. It takes place in multiple countries across Europe (e.g. France and U.K.) and U.S.A. So far, it is... alright. A tad of too much teenage - even though the protagonists are in college - drama for me. I shall see. ^^

 images source: Goodreads (link, books title mention)

4. Tree shade: Pick a book in which a mysterious or shady character was first introduced.

I am bending the rules again and I am going to pick two characters: Raffe from Angelfall (<-link), and Seth from The Red Pyramid (<-link).
Well... Seth is Seth the Egyptian god of... violence, disorder etc. etc. So no more introduction there although there is more to him than it seems.
Raffe, on the other hand, is more mysterious and secretive, and less shady than Seth. At least that is what I think.

5. Beach sand: Pick a book that was grainy and the plot barely developed.

Vernal (<-link) by Randi Cooley Wilson. For a detailed explanation feel free to check my full review by clicking the book link.

image source: Goodreads  

6. Green grass: Pick a character(s) that were full of life, making you smile.

Sadie and Carter from The Red Pyramid.
 Kaia and Levi from Exist Once More.

7. Watermelon: Pick a book that had some juicy secrets.

Exist Once More by Trisha Leigh. Time Travel. History. Secrets? Well, duh! Obviously! Wink-Wink. Warning! This is the second book in a duology. Read the synopsis on your own risk.

image source: Goodreads (link, book title mention)

8. Sun hat: Pick a book that had a vast, big universe/setting.

It looks like this is a Rick Riordan post. The Red Pyramid  by Rick Riordan and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay  by J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter Universe, duh! Pretty Big. Quite H-U-G-E, I will like to say. Wink-wink!)

images source: Goodreads (links, books title mention)

9. BBQ: Pick a book where a character was portrayed as a hunk.

Can I say every single romance - historical romance to be precise - book I ever read?

Oz from the Return Once More.
(Ok, this post is shared between Trisha Leigh AND Rick Riordan. I fell better now.)
Darien from Geekerella.
Hades and Aries (and every single god) from Daughters of Zeus series, Persephone.

10. Tag people!

You just have been tagged! BAM!

I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know in the comments below if you decided to do this tag or if you read any of these books.

PS

I will see you soon!

Until next time you can check out my latest posts about books and music -->HERE and HERE<--

Miraculous: Tales of Lady Bug and Cat Noir: Akumatized Vol. 4 by Zag Entertainment, Cheryl Black, Nicole D'Andria

Ladybug and Cat Noir, the defenders of Paris, continue to face off against Hawk Moth and his akumatized victims. First they must fight Dark Cupid, whose heart gets broken on Valentine’s Day. Then they must survive Horrificator, a slimy monster that grows more powerful as it causes fear. Finally, the duo encounter Le Mime, whose powers may be just too real for them to handle! Collects MIRACULOUS #10-12  Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir: Akumatized - Goodreads

My Opinion

4/5 stars

This was fun a read. It felt like watching the episodes all over again. You get the same amount of fun, adventure, and cuteness only it's in stop-motion this time. You read me right. Copy and paste. The same graphics with the same story lines. (Apparently, it is a popular thing nowadays.) For a fan of the show, like myself, this should not be a turn off. You saw the TV Show thus you know the content already. Sooo... I am a little biased in this review as you can see. 

Oops!  ^_^'

They did a great job with the transition process from motion-picture to paper. The dialogue is on point and the graphics are well arranged. As a reader, it was easy to follow the story through the lines of the characters.
"Aaand why did I take a star off," you ask. Well, I was expecting something different like some other stories added to the universe or the graphics to be more cartoon-ish - comic book style.
All in all, this was my cuppa tea. If you are looking for a fun and easy read, it might be yours too.

This is my sole opinion. ^_^

***I would like to thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this comic book in exchange for an honest review. ***

P.S.

Feel free to leave your thoughts, feelings, and opinions in the comment section. You can also find my last book review -->HERE<-- and my last music post -->HERE<---.

See you in my next post!

Melody Obsession of the Week Brought to You by Me Presents Game of Thrones Opening Theme

Hello-Hello! I am glad to be back again. And this time, I would like to announce that... I caught a contagious fever... the GAME OF THRONES fever. Finally, I let myself be brainwashed by the fandom and strangely...  I don't regret it. 

I had my mind set on this show for a long time. It was like an annoying thought that keeps bothering your subconscious when you try to fall asleep. Aaand, I did it! It took me almost 5 years - since I first heard of the show - to listen to my brain and the on growing hype. 

Do you know how had it is to stay away from spoilers?

Let me tell you: H-A-R-D to the infinite power. Especially when social media and the internet is booming with spoilers left and right. (Although, I am still shocked to my bones when I hear them... So, that's a plus, right?)

Without further ado, I present to you...

GAME OF THRONES - Opening Theme

Have fun getting it out of your pretty head. >]

Play it on repeat and happy listening!

See you in my next post and don't forget to tell me in the comment section if you are a fan of this epic story (book and/or TV show). ^_^

P.S.

You can check out my last music pick --> HERE <--

And my last book review --> HERE<--

Melody Obsession of the Week Brought to You by Me Presents Meghan Trainor, Selena Gomez & Anne-Marie ft. Naruto

Hello-Hello! Another day, another minute, another second... Time passes by and these week's songs are a bit thematic, I might say. To quote one of my favorites comics of all time, W.i.t.c.h., "The end is a new beginning." I am going through a break up with my... myself.

 (Ha! I've gotcha there, didn't I? ;])

Have you ever had a feeling that something is going to change in your life and that change is going to come from you? Well... That's me right now. Sadly any change in one's life, no matter how good it is, comes with side effects like an atrocious reading slump. 

I am searching and mostly waiting for an epic book to appear out of nowhere or my bookshelf and slay that... slump.

Until then...

Naruto Theme - The Raising Fighting Spirit 

Anne-Marie - Ciao Adios

Selena Gomez - Bad Liar

Meghan Trainor - I Deserve Better

Happy Summer Everyone!

Play it [them] on REPEAT! 

And before I go, I want to make an honorable mention to Marina Kaye - On My Own. You know... It matches the theme of the week. ^_^

If you want to check out:

1. My last book review click --> HERE

2. My last music pick, click --> HERE

3. Honorable song mention --> HERE

P.S.

Due to my busy schedule around this time of the year, I will post irregularly and mostly short posts like this. 

See you in my next post! ^-^

A Lady's Code of Misconduct by Meredith Duran Book Five in the Rules for the Reckless Series

Book Synopsis

A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL...
Trapped in the countryside, facing an unwanted marriage and the theft of her fortune, Jane Mason is done behaving nicely. To win her freedom, she’ll strike a deal with the most dangerous man she knows—a rising star in politics, whose dark good looks mask an even darker heart.
...NEVER GOES TO PLAN.
The bitter past has taught Crispin Burke to trust no one. He’ll gladly help a lovely young heiress, provided she pays a price. Yet when a single mistake shatters his life, it is Jane who holds the key to his salvation. And in a world that no longer makes sense, Crispin slowly realizes that she may be the only thing worth fighting for... A Lady's Code of Misconduct - Goodreads

 

 

 

My Opinion

4.5/5 stars.

Love. Politics. History. Conspiracies. Conflicting morals. Deceit. Redemption. And hot-bad-boy guy with a secretly good heart... and a hot-good-of-heart girl with lots of brains and a rebellious spirit. There are lots of "and's" in my last sentence... I know.

Something I was not expecting in this story was the politics driven plot intertwined with a love story. Although, the surprising part is. That. I. Freaking. Loved. It. I was expecting to get bored and forced myself to finish the book. That was so not the case. It was exactly what I needed: A good romance story which is not too focused on the romance part. Oxymoron right there. 

The beginning is what hooked me up in the first place.  Not too fast and not too slow. Our beloved characters were in positions where they will do anything to get what they desire. This leads to an unlikely alliance to form between the desire of freedom and power which sparks the chances of a new beginning for our protagonists.

Jane and Crispin go through a fantastic character development. They realize that people are not completely good or evil. You just have to choose which side to use more but most importantly how to find a balance between the two. Speaking of character growth. I was not a big fan of acknowledging someone as being two persons in the same time. It was like the author was trying to say Crispin had a split personality... I understood where she was going with it... But it still felt a bit cringe worthy at times.

What I admired the most in this story was the sense of a real partnership between the main characters. And believe it or not is quite rare these days. It was not about sexual lust and how it can lead to a good relationship in the end... It was so much more than that. It was... How do you say it? Complicated. Yes. Complicated.

Of course, most people might get turned off by the plot focused on politics which is understandable if you are not a big politics fan - like myself, I could say. However, you might also surprisingly find yourself enjoying the book just... like myself. :D

All in all, I could proudly say that this was my cuppa tea. One of my all time favorites - romance section - I dare to say.

This is my sole opinion. ^_^

I would like to say thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.    

Genre/Category: Adult, Historical Romance, Fiction, Politics, Mystery

Language: none to mild, maybe none

Sexual Content: well... heavy but within reason

Violence: moderate 

Drugs and Alcohol: mild to moderate 

P.S.

I would like to read your thoughts, feelings, and opinions about this book and if you want to read my last book review you can click --> HERE <-- or you can check my previous song pick post --> HERE <--.

See ya in my next post!