Monthly Recommendations - May Is for Contemporary

Hello-Hello! I am here with another post. Recently I joined another books related group on Goodreads called Monthly Recommendations (<--link). You might know the creators, Trina (Between Chapters) and Kayla Rayne. Do not be a troll and check these awesome beings' channels. - (No offense, trolls but you are pretty grumpy imaginary creatures.)

The month of May is dedicated to Contemporary Books.

According to May's discussion board, "Contemporary fiction is generally considered to be a real world setting with no fantasy or paranormal elements that takes place after World War II. It includes a variety of cross/sub-genres, such as: Romance, Coming of Age, Mystery, Horror, Humor, Literary fiction."

Since I prefer my books with a splash of imaginary... stuff, contemporary books are very few in my read pile... Thus, the books of my choosing are more romance oriented and cross the line into the New Adult category. I am not counting the ones from my TBR (to be read) list since I cannot offer an opinion cause I did not read them... DUH! 

The books are in no particular order.

Let's get this recommendation started!

 

 

This is one of my recent reads. It is an easy and quick read. A lot of themes are explored throughout this book. "Don't be quick to judge" and "things are not always what they appear" are just a few of them. Brigid Kemmerer does a great job reflecting real world problems in her book. I also like the mystery-romance aspect. Boy and girl know of each other's existence but they are not acquainted at all. They judge one another based on rumors and gossip. Then, they end up later corresponding anonymously to talk about their life and problems. From my point of view, this story is a bit too focused on the main characters; although, that hasn't stop me from enjoying a good book like this (Review HERE).

Goodreads book page

  

 

Alright, this is a kind of a classic cliché and I so love it. This a contemporary love story which it happens to take place in Paris, France. L'amour! I couldn't help it. I had to say the phrase. Tired of having all - mostly all - your books taking place in the U.S.A or U.K.? Then this book is your answer to that. But don't get overly excited, there still is an American/English aspect in this book. The setting is beautiful. The story had the right amounts of romance, reality, cuteness, sweetness, and culture, and characters... I read this book twice and that says something since I rarely read books a second time. Anyway... Try the book if you are in a mood for cute and fluffy. (*Not really a standalone.)

Goodreads book page

 

 

A book published by Swoon Reads*** (<-- link). Teenage girl with good reputation (high grades and focused on her grades but with a "cold" demeanor) meets the hot surfer womanizer boy. It is set in high school. The two try to figure out who they are despite... high school society? It is a nice contemporary with an important message addressed people. There is a lot of steam potential... but is not explored at all; though, the romance is cute. And despite the title, personally, I did not see the "walk of shame". Nothing was shameful.

Goodreads book page

  

 

Now, we are leaving the YA territory and move towards New Adult / Adult zone. This is another romance that takes place in another place other then USA or U.K. It's happening in Rome, baby! Cute. Full of steam. Love. Romance. Culture. A Prince in disguise. It is a retelling of the film Roman Holyday with Audrey Hepburn in the main role. You can check my review, HERE, if you need more convincing. (*Not really a standalone.)

Goodreads book page

 

 

Well, well, well. The maturity scale in this one gets a little higher (and I am not talking about the sexy time). This is a complex and complicated story. It is about life, love, and redemption. There is a strong connection with Dante's Inferno or shout I say Dante's personal life viewed from his work, The Divine Comedy. It takes place in Toronto, Canada. Yes, it started as fan-fiction but there is so much more to the story. This is a story well written able to touch your soul and feels - oops, feelings.

(Not a standalone.)

Goodreads book page

 

Another new adult book. If you are a Colleen Hoover fan, you already know of this book. Again, the maturity level is pretty high - and here I am talking about sex. This is my favorite Colleen's book so far. (I've only read two and the other one is Confess which you can find my review on it HERE.) Life. Love. Redemption. Tragedy. And the most important, how we cope with tragedy and find a way to relive and bloom again.

Goodreads book page

 

I hope you enjoyed this post and found some new books to add to your on growing TBR pile. And, if you want more contemporary recommendations, check out the group's May discussion board HERE.

See ya in the next post!

 

P.S. Confess was turned into a short TV show. For more details on that click the link HERE.

*The book can be read by itself - ish - but it ties in with other books. A series of standalones...?
 ***Swoon Reads it is a website where you can publish your manuscript and based on feedback from the readers you have a chances to get published.  

 

Random Book Haul with a Splash of Biology and Society

 

Hello-Hello! Recently I got my hands on some awesome books. Some of them were free - somebody was literary throwing them to the garbage - and some of them I got for a cheap price in second-hand stores. I know that in some parts of the world, to buy from second-hand stores is seen with judgmental eyes in the eyes of society... like an embarrassment because you cannot afford to buy unused things, brand new. It is more about moral pride than the quality of the things and some people are even ashamed to admit that they entered and bought something from a second-hand store. I am speaking from my experience and I am not pointing fingers because it is impossible for me to know everything in this universe. :)

American view changed that opinion I had through books mostly. I found brand new books in second-hand stores. Barely opened or scratched books like the ones you are going to see below. It is crazy how many valuable things people are donating for other people to buy for a couple dollars.

Like that saying: One man's trash is another man's treasure.

I mean... It is a saying for a reason, right?

Don't be afraid about germs. Usually the stores disinfect them. Or in extreme cases you can disinfect them yourselves. Plus, a sterile life is impossible - except for fetuses in their mother's wombs and even there I might be wrong. Your are covered in germs yourself. Without your microbiota you will not be able to survive on this Earth. If you cannot believe me, you can listen to this guy from PBS who has a Ph.D. (doctorate) --> It's Okay To Be Smart - You Are Mainly Microbe... Meet Your Microbiome! 

You can see how much of a geek I am when I am turning a Book Haul into an educational post. Nevertheless, this shouldn't stop you to "stay curious" like Dr. Joe Hanson says. 

Now it's time for the BOOKS!!!!

 

 Books I got for free:

The Tale of Despereaux

The Devil Wears Prada

Girl with a Pearl Earring  

Night

The Book of Virtues

The Red Tent

The Alchemist

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland andThrough the Looking Glass

Anne of Avonlea -- which I donated to a Free Library program in my town

 

 Books I got from a second-hand store:

Lady Midnight

Magonia

Metamorphoses

The Outliers

Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes

 

If you are interested in reading any of these books, I included the link for their respective Goodreads page. You just have to click on the name of the book from the lists above to learn more about that said... book. Gosh, that was a mouthful. Yes, I repeat everything I write in my head to make sure it sounds right.

Anyway... Let me know if you read or want to read any of the books I hauled today. I want to read your thought, feelings, and opinions in the comment section - even if you read this post 20 years in the future.

Oh! And did I spark your curiosity about biology and people?

 

 

 

To Tempt a Viscount by Naomi Boom Entangled Nobility One or A Romance in Need of More Romance

 

Book Synopsis

Lady Laura Rosing knows two things: first, she will marry for love, and second, she detests rakes. When she meets Lord Gavin Farris, she understands immediately that he fails both her criteria, and worse yet, he is an absolute cad who refuses to leave her be.
Lord Farris has always appreciated women and cannot understand why Lady Laura is so resistant to his charms. While pretty, she is not his usual type, but something about her intrigues him. Much to his chagrin, he finds himself desperately in love with her, but he may be too late. His adamant refusal to marry just might have planted her firmly in the arms of another. To Tempt a Viscount - Goodreads 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Opinion

3.75/5 stars.
This book was something different than my usual Romance-Regency novel. I like Laura and Lord Gavin. They were the typical protagonists you normally find in these books. The girl is an innocent debutante who separates from the others through her unique beauty and wit. The guy is a rake who does not believe in love until he meets the heroine then he has a change of heart. (Pun intended.)
Since these are my favorite tropes... I am not going to complain. For these things alone, I will give this book a green card.
The beginning was promising. We have cousin Eleanor who pretends to be a dove but she is a viper instead. I did not know how Laura could tolerate her throughout the whole book. I called her act and disliked - since hate is such a strong word - her from the moment she was introduced. Laura and Gavin have a wonderful chemistry. And the setting is the perfect place for romance to bloom.
After the tragic moment which - in general - separates the protagonists in all romance novel, things stared to slow down a little. It was not necessarily bad because we get to know potential great - and probably future - characters like Alexa, Lord Collins, and Lord Farris' mother. The lack of major interaction between the love interests was unexpected and a bit disappointing. Reading about their genuine attraction, I was expecting more steam... way more steam than the author offered. Surprisingly, I still had the drive to know what happens next.
Overall the story was done nicely with a good writing. Well... probably with a few awkward phrases here and there. For a debate novel, this was pretty good. I can see that the author has great potential to grow. That is why I gave such a high star rating, for encouragement. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series.
To Tempt a Viscount was my cup of tea with the tea a little under brewed.

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 review.

Genre: Adult, Romance, Historical Romance, Regency
Language: none to mild
Sexual content: mild to moderate
Violence: none to mild
Drugs/Alcohol: none to mild



 

Truth or Date by Susan Hatler, Book Two in the Better Date than Never Series

Book Synopsis

Gina Hall is done with men who won’t commit. Ten years waiting for her ex to propose wasted her time. Never again. When her friend Kristen starts a game of Truth or Dare, she dares Gina to go on a date with Ethan, who’s amazing and total marriage material.
As Gina plans the going away party for office playboy Chris Bradley, she spontaneously initiates a game of Truth or Dare with him. When his turn comes around, he dares Gina to pose as his girlfriend to help get a flirty colleague off his back. Gina finds playing couple with Chris way too much fun.
Even though Gina and Chris are pretending, their relationship begins to feel painfully real. Fearing she might be falling for another fly-by man, Gina must focus on Ethan so she doesn’t make the same dating mistakes all over again. Truth or Date - Goodreads

My Opinion

3.65/5 stars.
This is another Susan Hatler's romance short story or novella. I got it for free from Amazon and you know I cannot say "No" to free books. Or maybe no? Whatever, now you know. I looove free books.
Beck to the actual review.
In a few words, the story was cute, funny, romancy, and relatable.
The writing was easy to follow and made the events to flow nicely. On the other hand, the narrative was quite rushed due to the short length of the book.
So far, this is my favorite Susan Hatler story.
Are you in a mood for a quick romance with no excessive steam and just the feels? If yes, this might be your cuppa tea.
Oh! Since it is asecond book in a series, spoilers for the previous book might be obvious. Although, I believe it can be read as a standalone too.

This is my sole opinion. ^_^

Feel Free to check out my other reviews on books written by Susan Hatler: Susan Hatler-A Christmas Kiss and Susan Hatler-Shaken.

Genre: Adult, Romance, Short Stories, Contemporary
Language: mild
Sexual content: mild
Violence: none
Drugs/Alcohol: moderate

Beauty and The Beast Manga Movie Adaptation by Mallory Reaves

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Disclaimer: The original photos were created by Tokyopop and Mallory Reaves based on the Disney's musical live-action movie Beauty and the Beast. I just used Paint to manipulate and tweak the photos. I do not own the original pictures or the story. 

 

Synopsis  

In Disney's live-action film Beauty and the Beast, Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman, is taken prisoner by a beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle's enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast's hideous exterior and realize the kind heart and soul of the true Prince inside. This manga explores Belle's innermost thoughts as she learns that true beauty comes from within. Belle's Tale - Goodreads

A tale as old as time ... told in timeless manga style

Disney's much-anticipated live-action adaptation of "Beauty and the Beast" hits theaters in March 2017, and it stars Emma Watson and Dan Stevens. This original two-part manga series is based upon the upcoming movie... but you've never seen this classic love story told quite this way before.
The "Beauty" manga delves into Belle's deepest thoughts as she's taken prisoner by the Beast in his majestic castle. Where the "Beast" manga explores Beast's deepest thoughts as he captures Belle in his castle and finds himself falling in love with her feisty attitude and adventurous spirit. The Beast's Tale - Goodreads

My Opinion

Belle's Tale - 3.75/5.00 stars The Beast's Tale - 4.75/5.00 stars

I am going to start by saying that the graphics of this manga were exquisite. (Oh! Look at me using big words.) The overall story was not very far from the original Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the cartoon. I know. I haven't seen my most anticipated 2017 movie, yet. Notice the "yet."

Since it is based on the movie, there may be lots of spoilers.

We learn more about the characters' backgrounds. Belle's part was confusing-ish and felt cut short, in a way, while The Beast's was intriguing. Probably because we knew so little about the beast in the previous Disney's adaptation. Or the manga story makes more sense the second time and it happens to be The Beast's point of view. The overall dialogue combined with the images made the tale to flow rather nicely. Since the manga focused on Belle and The Beast, we do not see too much of Gaston and LeFou. Some plot holes are here and there because of the shift from third person - seen in the movies - to first person in the manga (e.g. the crowd from the castle).

This was a great quick read. And if you are a Beauty and the Beast, you might want to ask Mrs. Potts for some tea because this might be your cup of tea. ;)

Also, are you caving for more Beauty and the Beast? Feel free to check out my review on the French adaptation, La Belle et la Bête, here. 

 

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 review.

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Fairy Tale, Manga, Graphic Novel, Sequential Art
Language: none
Sexual content: none to mild
Violence: moderate to heavy
Drugs/Alcohol: none

 

Melody Obsession of the Week Brought to You by Me Presents Katy Perry Rise

Hello-Hello! I am back with another song pick.

 

 

Before I post the song, I want to say "Happy Mother's Day" to all the mothers. Today, May 14th, was mother's day in the USA.

Remember your mother, give her a call or a hug, and be thankful. Even if it's just for the fact that she carried you in her womb for nine months and brought you on this world.

 

 

And... In life... If you have any doubt, RISE like the song by Katy Perry says.

 

Katy Perry - Rise

 

 

Do not be shy and feel free to check out the last Melody Obsession.

 



My Book Clubs' Book Pick of the Month for April and May

Hello-Hello! Today is another day to watch BONES. Although... Before that, let's talk about BOOKS.

Last month, I was negligent and I did not post the books picked by my book clubs. Now I am going to do two posts in one. Consider this as... I do not want to call it a recommendation... It's more of an introduction to the books. As in, I present these books to you and then it is up to you!

 

April

Booksplosion

 

This book is about a sci-fi fan-girl, Elle Wittimer, who is excited because she finally has a chance to go to her TV show / movie (no specifics in the synopsis) Starfield ExcelsiCon (something similar to ComicCon, I assume) convention. Darien Freeman, a geek himself, is the actor who is going to play the main character in the Starfield reboot. Bad news... the fandom does not like him. Elle and Darien meet at the convention and... Well, the rest of the book happens. :D Geekerella - Goodreads

 

Perustopia

 

For this one, think about the Kardashians' TV show but with expensive car brand names. The name of the main character is Bentley. She wants a normal life but her family (most of it) does not and the potential cancellation of their show is not a good thing. Her sister plans a fake wedding to save the show; however, a very serious car accident makes things very serious. Also, the story is told in a "tongue-in-cheek voice that takes a swipe at all things Hollywood, Royce Rolls is a laugh-out-loud funny romp with an LA noir twist about what it means to grow up with the cameras rolling and what really happens behind the scenes." Royce Rolls - Goodreads 

 

May

Booksplosion

 

Alice and Teddy are no strangers to misfortune, especially when it comes to people from their lives. Alice does not believe in luck but she believe in love and she has her eyes set on Teddy. On his birthday, Alice buys Teddy a lottery ticket and, surprisingly, it's a winner one. At first the money seem like a blessing but then, little by little, they become a curse reaping Teddy and Alice apart. As they try to reconnect with each other, Alice rediscover herself in way she did not expect. Windfall - Goodreads 

 

Perustopia

 

This is the second book in the series so... SPOILERS Ahead. (I will try not to spoiler too much.)

The God Apollo is turned into a human by Zeus as a punishment for the things which happed in the Heroes of Olympus series. His only solution to become god again is to find out what happened with the Oracles. Now he has to leave the safety of Camp Half-Blood and travel across North America for answers with "heroes who will be very familiar to fans of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Heroes of Olympus series." The Dark Prophecy - Goodreads  

 

And if you want to know more about my book clubs' creators, feel free to check them up on YouTube.

Booksplosion:

Christine from polandbananasBooks
Jesse from jessethereader
Kat from Katytastic

Perustopia:

Sasha from  abookutopia 

 Regan from PeruseProject 

Also if you are interested to find more books, you can check out the March book picks here.