Review of Cinders & Sapphires by Leila Rasheed

Title/Author: Cinders & Sapphires (At Somerton #1) by Leila Rasheed
Publisher/Date published: Disney Hyperion, January 22nd 2013
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: One house, two worlds...

Rose Cliffe has never met a young lady like her new mistress. Clever, rich, and beautiful, Ada Averley treats Rose as an equal. And Rose could use a friend. Especially now that she, at barely sixteen, has risen to the position of ladies’ maid. Rose knows she should be grateful to have a place at a house like Somerton. Still, she can’t help but wonder what her life might have been had she been born a lady, like Ada.

For the first time in a decade, the Averleys have returned to Somerton, their majestic ancestral estate. But terrible scandal has followed Ada’s beloved father all the way from India. Now Ada finds herself torn between her own happiness and her family’s honor. Only she has the power to restore the Averley name — but it would mean giving up her one true love... someone she could never persuade her father to accept.

Sumptuous and enticing, the first novel in the At Somerton series introduces two worlds, utterly different yet entangled, where ruthless ambition, forbidden attraction, and unspoken dreams are hidden behind dutiful smiles and glittering jewels. All those secrets are waiting... at Somerton.

Guys, you know how much I love adult historical romance. And I haven't yet found that excitement I get from the romance and the dresses and everything in a YA historical romance before, but Cinders & Sapphires was everything I could have wanted! It was what I wanted the Luxe series to be, but what it wasn't for me!

I love that Cinders & Sapphires is set in a time when things are a-changing, there's the movement for women's right to vote and to an education and can I just say how happy I am that things worked out, cause you know I wouldn't be where I am now if it hadn't been for those groundbreakers. I loved experiencing the limitations with the hope of MORE through Ada.

The POV switches between several characters, of which I loved Ada and Rose best, though I must say that I have a soft spot for Sebastian as well. Ada is an intelligent young woman who wants to be educated and I love her for that! I loved seeing the bond developing between her and Rose.

Of course there is a starcrossed romance and I love every minute of it! There are furtive glances, meetings behind luggage (though I must say my favourite is still the meeting behind the potted plant), LOVE LETTERS! *sigh* You just can't compare a love letter to an e-mail/text... I did think Ada and Ravi fell in love pretty quickly, but they just had that connection, you know? And gah, there better be some working out of things in the next book!

I loved the drama and the intrigue and the dresses and the romance... And I loved that Leila Rasheed touches upon more than one controversy and there's a homosexual relationship which is something that was NOT DONE in those times.
I did however think that three female characters seemed to be evil without a very good reason for it, there's the classic stepmonster, but I'm willing to overlook this in light of my absolute LOVE of the story!

I read this 400 page novel in no time at all, it was such smooth reading! I've heard Cinders & Sapphires be compared to Downton Abbey and all I can is: if it is anything like this book, I need to watch it! This is absolutely my kind of book and I think any historical fiction/romance loving reader will enjoy it!

My rating: 5 stars

Review of The Dead Girls Detective Agency by Suzy Cox

Title/Author: The Dead Girls Detective Agency by Suzy Cox
Publisher/Date published: HarperTeen, September 18th 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley

Goodreads summary: Pop quiz: What would you do if you had to solve your own murder to get anywhere in death?

Maybe if I hadn't slept through my alarm, slammed into Kristin - my high school's reigning mean girl - or stepped in a puddle, destroying my mom's new suede DVF boots (which I borrowed without asking), I wouldn't have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, and I wouldn't have been pushed in front of that arriving train. But I did, and I was.

When I came to, I was informed by a group of girls that I'm dead. And that because I died under mysterious circumstances, I can't pass straight over to the Other Side. But at least I'm not alone. Meet the Dead Girls Detective Agency: Nancy, Lorna, and Tess - not to mention Edison, the really cute if slightly hostile dead boy. Apparently, the only way out of this limbo is to figure out who killed me, or I'll have to spend eternity playing Nancy Drew. Considering I was fairly invisible in life, who could hate me enough to want me dead? And what if my murderer is someone I never would have suspected?

Guys, I was counting on this being a fun read, if maybe slightly macabre, and it totally was!

Charlotte is a pretty average girl who happens to be murdered on her way home from school. Yeah, I would be kinda pissed if that had happened to me. So I was kinda surprised that she wasn't! At least not at first. She took it better than I would have.
I liked that Charlotte really wanted to learn more about the business of being a ghost in limbo. There seemed to be a lot of limitations to being dead (aside from the obvious ones) and though I get that, I was wondering at some things, like ghosts not being able to cross water and I would have liked to have at least somewhat of an explanation about why that was. And who had made The Rules and enforced them. I could have done with a little more background there.

This book went into something you hear people say sometimes: how they wish they could see who would come to their funeral. While I haven't really thought about it myself, everything that Charlotte witnesses after she dies makes me wonder how well anyone knows their significant other or their friends, or their classmates. She'd been together with her boyfriend for 17 months and he still did things that surprised her.

But without going delving further into deep and dark things, the whole ghost thing and Charlotte getting to know the Dead Girl Detectives was pretty fun! And then there's the boy-ghost Edison, who Charlotte finds herself being frustrated with and attracted to, so he brings all kinds of conflict. I must say that I kinda loved Edison, he was snarky and had weird ways of showing it, but I believe he really liked Charlotte.

The ending felt a bit rushed and I was wondering at how few pages were left before the end and wondering how Suzy Cox would wrap it up nicely. She did, but I was left feeling a bit like the last chapter had been fast-forwarded and I would have liked it better if it had lasted a little longer.

This was such a quick read for me and had some laugh out loud funny moments. I could easily see this turned into a movie that 13 year-old me would have LOVED (also, I'd totally watch it now as well cause I'm still 13 inside).

My rating: 3,5 stars

Daisy Update (31)

Hi guys!

It's been a kinda busy week, but the good kind of busy :)

Last Sunday I had dinner with some of my friends from high school and it was really nice! I hadn't seen one of them in months, so it was nice to catch up and hear what everyone's been doing. Unfortunately it was snowing again so I couldn't stay all that long after dinner cause I needed to drive back, which took over an hour.

Wednesday I had my day off and because the boyfriend was preparing for the defense of his thesis on Thursday, I kept myself busy by baking a New York Cheesecake, which is SO GOOD! Even though it takes HOURS, it was totally worth it, I'd never had it before and I'm really happy with how it turned out!

Thursday the boyfriend defended his thesis and he got a really good grade on it and now he's DONE! YAY! I'm so proud of him for graduating for the second time! He's officially graduating in March :) That night we had dinner with his parents to celebrate and we went to a tapas restaurant. I LOVE tapas! YUM!

Friday is always a slightly crazy day at work cause it seems there are a lot more people coming into the ER than on other days and I had a really sick patient to take care of. So I worked late and was just exhausted when I got home. We had dinner and then I fell asleep on the couch. I felt like a horrible girlfriend...

Yesterday was pretty relaxing cause I didn't have to do much of anything during the day. It was kinda annoying that I woke up at 7.15AM, but I got a lot of relaxing time in that way ;) I read, caught up on blogging and watched a Grey's Anatomy episode, I can't believe I'm 7 episodes behind!! Seriously! With all the hospital drama I see when I'm working, I've sort of been avoiding watching it during my time off I guess.

Then yesterday night we went to see a band play and it was awesome! The boyfriend has known one of the guys in the band since elementary school and has always remained friends with him, we've been to see them a couple of times before and it's amazing to see how far they've come since the first time I've seen them perform!

Today I'll probably be doing some more relaxing, blogging, reading, being excited that it's FINALLY not freezing anymore and that the rain is washing away all the icky snow, hooray!
I hope you all have a great week!!

Review of Splintered by A.G. Howard

Title/Author: Splintered by A.G. Howard
Publisher/Date published: Amulet Books, January 1st 2013
How I got this book: bought it

Goodreads summary: This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers — precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.
When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

I always have mixed feelings before diving into a retelling, I'm both excited and worried the author has screwed up one of the stories I know by heart. I'd heard people rave about Splintered before I started it (namely Rachel @ Fiktshun whose taste in books I completely trust) and guys, IT WAS SO GOOD!!!

I absolutely love the tale of Alice in Wonderland and this darker, twistier version of what exactly happened is just my kind of story! A.G. Howard has managed to completely alter my perception of Lewis Carroll's tale, making me even more intrigued and gah, now I want to re-read his original tale! And this one! I loved the tale but couldn't get into the writing style as a kid, so I might just have to give it another try.

Alyssa is a little off-beat and I like that. I thought using bugs she traps and kills for her art was a little gruesome, but it fit into the story really well. I felt so bad for Alyssa, being afraid she would go mad like her mother and trying desperately not to resemble her in any way. I loved seeing her grow throughout the novel and embrace her identity, it was wonderful! I would have liked to have seen a little more of how things were the 'real world' before diving into Wonderland, but I can easily overlook this, cause the story really took off once we went down the rabbit hole.

Of course there are the boys: Jeb and Morpheus. And for once, while I'm usually all about the good guy, and I do love Jeb, I could actually imagine choosing Morpheus. That is one sexy winged guy! And he could relate to Alyssa's darker side far better and got her connection to Wonderland. I kinda loved his dual nature.
But Jeb stole my heart as well with his protectiveness and his genuine caring for Alyssa and just being selfless.

I really got lost in A.G. Howard's writing and her version of Wonderland! I kinda saw some of the twists coming, but was shocked by the ones I didn't! And it felt wonderful! I was so rooting for Alyssa, Jeb AND Morpheus (I can't help it, I love him) to figure everything out and I wasn't sure whether to wish for Alyssa to stay in Wonderland or to return to her home, but I was just so there in the moment with these characters! I love it when that happens!

I was kinda sad about one thing though:
***SPOILER! LIGHT UP TO READ***
Jeb forgot EVERYTHING that happened in Wonderland!! I mean, seriously? All the moments in which I adored him and he just doesn't remember any of it?? Also: how is Alyssa ever going to tell him about it? Is she going to tell him at all? I just don't want to let these characters go and want ALL THE ANSWERS!
***END OF SPOILER***

A.G. Howard's writing is vivid and amazing and completely lives up to the gorgeousness that is the cover of Splintered! With this as her debut, I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. I completely fell in love with this dark and twisty version of Alice in Wonderland and am already itching to reread it!

My rating: 5 stars

Review of The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell

Title/Author: The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell
Publisher/Date published: Dial, January 10 2013
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: There is a new king on the throne of Tildor. Currents of political unrest sweep the country as two warring crime families seek power, angling to exploit the young Crown's inexperience. At the Academy of Tildor, the training ground for elite soldiers, Cadet Renee de Winter struggles to keep up with her male peers. But when her mentor, a notorious commander recalled from active duty to teach at the Academy, is kidnapped to fight in illegal gladiator games, Renee and her best friend Alec find themselves thrust into a world rife with crime, sorting through a maze of political intrigue, and struggling to resolve what they want, what is legal, and what is right.

With a tagline that said 'Tamora Pierce meets George R.R. Martin' this book had A LOT to live up to. Fortunately, it was completely awesome, so this wasn't a problem whatsoever!

It took me about two or three chapters to get sucked into the story, but from that moment all I really wanted to do was READ ON. So while I was really busy, I still managed to read it in 3 days time, I just flew through it! The writing was engaging and kept me turning page after page wanting to find out what would happen next and OMG! how were they going to get out of this mess???

I kinda loved Renee. Maybe I was slightly biased because she and my mom share a name, but still, she was just plain awesome. I loved that she wanted to prove her worth rather than sit idly and rely on her father's connections and the place she could claim in society because of it. I love that she learns to see things differently and can admit she's wrong. I could easily see a girl of 16 making the choices she made sometimes and it was amazing to see her grow as a person through all that happens.

So there are some amazing other characters as well, mostly Savoy and his little brother. Savoy is one of those heroes who needs to learn it's ok to have a softer side while being a warrior. He's tough and he's hard on others, but has a firm sense of justice he lives by. I respect that. I may not always agree with him, but I can respect that. Also, his younger brother is all kinds of adorable and I just wanted to reach out and ruffle his hair!
I really liked Alec at first, but towards the end I felt betrayed by him and well, I still can't believe he'd turn his back on his friends, no matter the circumstances.

I really liked the magic system and the worldbuilding and GAH I JUST NEED MORE! Please let there be more! I need more Renee and Savoy and Tildor and the Academy and just ALL OF IT! I'm not done living in this world through the pages!

I really hope this will be an epic SERIES cause I absolutely loved this debut novel! Alex Lidell made me live in the moment with Renee and actually brought tears to my eyes a couple of times and while I'm a huge sap when it comes to romance, other types of novels rarely make me cry, so major kudos to Alex Lidell!
The Cadet of Tildor is everything that makes my fantasy-loving heart happy, highly recommended!

My rating: 5 stars

Daisy Update (30) and Book Haul (8)

Hi guys!

So work was actually kinda good this week except for Friday when it was beyond awful because I had to give someone news that is unfair and horrible and just wrong.

Last Sunday we had dinner with one of my best friends, we went to a Mexican restaurant and I just love the food there! The boys ended up eating my leftovers cause they give you SO MUCH food and I was completely full! After that we went to see the Hobbit and guys, I really enjoyed it! I still think it's a stunt for money that they're making a 351 page book into a three-part movie, but it was really well done and I actually felt that the 3D added something this time.

It started snowing on Monday night, but with my new car I can actually use the brake and not have to be scared of sliding across the road so that's definitely an improvement. It looks like it'll snow again tonight, I wish it'd just stop. Also, it's been SO COLD! I'm wishing for sun and warmth... I hate winter.

Wednesday night we had one of the boyfriend's friends and his girlfriend over for dinner which was really nice! We hadn't seen them in a couple of months because he's been abroad for his work, which has the added bonus that we can go visit him there in April :)

Yesterday I made the smoke alarm go off because I accidentally turned on the microwave in our combined microwave-oven when I wanted to bake a bun... And the stupid thing wouldn't stop making that annoying beeping noise! I was about to throw it out the window when I though of putting it in one of my boots in the other room and thankfully it stopped after that! The boyfriend totally made laughed at me for that...
We had dinner at the boyfriend's parents' and after hung out and watched a movie together, it was nice to have it just be the two of us for a change :)

I'm going over to my parents' in a little while and after I'm having dinner with friends from high school who I haven't seen in a while, I love hanging out with them but with all our busy schedules (3 doctors and 1 medical researcher) it's difficult to find the time for it.

Book Haul

Egalleys for review:
-The Marrying Season by Candace Camp: I LOVE historical romances where they believe their marriage to be of convenience and have a passionate love instead!
-My Ex From Hell by Tellulah Darling: YES GREEK MYTHOLOGY!
-Surprising Lord Jack by Sally MacKenzie
-Linked by Imogen Howson: ALL THE EXCITEMENT! Isn't the cover gorgeous?
-The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler: I've been meaning to read one of Sarah Ockler's books, cause I've heard amazing things about them!
-The Earl in my Bed by Sophie Jordan: I LOVE Sophie Jordan's historical romance, so of course I need to read this novella!
-Black Swan Rising by Lee Carroll: sounds creepy!
-A Curse of Kings by Alex Barclay: it sounds like the beginning of an epic new fantasy series, of course I'm IN!
-The Geek Girl and the Scandalous Earl by Gina Lamm: ok, so this has the potential to be either AMAZING or the cheesiest of chees, I'm hoping for the first.
-The Iron King by Maurice Druon: first published in 1955 and full of court intrigue, yay!
-Lord of Wicked Intentions by Lorraine Heath: I really enjoyed the second book in this series and the novella!
-One More Kiss by Mary Blayney
-Roses Have Thorns by Sandra Byrd: I'm slightly obsessed with Tudor England, so this is bound to be my kind of book :)

Bought:
-Vortex by Julie Cross: I really enjoyed Tempest and am really excited to find out what happens next!
-Illuminate by Aimee Agresti
-A Kiss At Midnight by Eloisa James
-Splintered by A.G. Howard: SO EXCITED! The cover is stunning!
-Incarnate by Jodi Meadows: LOVED this when I read it last year and needed my own shiny copy :)


That's all for me! Leave me a link in the comments and I'll be sure to visit your book haul :)
Hope you all have a great week!

Review of How A Lady Weds A Rogue by Katharine Ashe

Title/Author: How A Lady Weds A Rogue (Falcon Club #3) by Katharine Ashe
Publisher/Date published: Avon, September 25th 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley

Goodreads summary: Gentleman’s Rule #1: If a lady is virtuous, he should deny her nothing.

Beautiful Diantha Lucas understands society’s rules: a young lady must find a man to marry. But Diantha has a bigger goal, and she’s not afraid of plunging into adventure to achieve it. When daring, dashing Wyn Yale rescues her, she’s certain he’s just the man she needs.

As an agent for the secret Falcon Club, Wyn knows his duty, but he’s not about to admit he’s a hero of any sort. He has a plan, too: steal a prized horse, murder an evil duke, avenge an innocent girl, and probably get hanged for it — in that order. Wyn can’t afford to be distracted by a pretty face, even one with delectable dimples and kissable lips. But how can a country miss and a hardened spy solve their problems when they can’t keep their hands off each other?

Guys, cold days and busy times at work always make me crave a good romance to just get lost in. And Katharine Ashe hasn't failed me in delivering exactly this!

Diantha was a minor character earlier on in the series and while I wasn't particularly invested in her then, I'm glad she got her own story! I love that Diantha went after what she wanted while stretching the boundaries of what a woman in that time could do. She charms her way around most problems and I kinda liked that. Of course I thought some of her plans were not all that well thought through, but well, you can't have it all.

Wyn definitely adds the whole dark and mysterious thing to the hero, though his drinking problem was a little off-putting to me. Also, his drunkenness didn't really seem to incapacitate him much, which felt a bit weird to me, as I've seen many drunk people and at times they're not even capable of locating their own feet. But I did love him for wanting to sober up for Diantha and his whole hero complex and because at heart he's a good guy.

I really liked their chemistry and that for once it was the woman trying to coax kisses from the hero, instead of the other way around. I like that they're actually together for a longer period of time and really get to know one another instead of just instantly falling in love and that they've seen each other at their best and worst.

There are some obstacles on their path to a happily ever after and I was REALLY annoyed because of one of them: Diantha's brother. He's being a pompous ass and being obstructive for no good reason and a stupid misunderstanding and just GAH!

Towards the end there's one of the often used plot points which I won't explain further for spoilers, but which always manages to bring tears to my eyes. And I just loved it and HAD to finish the book before going to sleep even though it was already way pas my bedtime.

In the past two years I've fallen in love with Katharine Ashe's historical romance novels and this one is no exception. I love being swept away in the rush of falling in love and obstacles and misunderstandings and just ALL THE FEELINGS. While this may not be my favourite of her novels I've read, it's still highly recommended.

My rating: 4,5 stars