Review of Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd

Title/Author: Her Dark Curiosity (The Madman's Daughter #2) by Megan Shepherd
Publisher/Date published: Balzer + Bray, January 28th 2014
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley
Buy this book at: The Book Depository

Goodreads summary: To defeat the darkness, she must first embrace it.

Months have passed since Juliet Moreau returned to civilization after escaping her father's island — and the secrets she left behind. Now, back in London once more, she is rebuilding the life she once knew and trying to forget Dr. Moreau’s horrific legacy — though someone, or something, hasn’t forgotten her.

As people close to Juliet fall victim one by one to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes, Juliet fears one of her father’s creations may have also escaped the island. She is determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard does, though it means awakening sides of herself she had thought long banished, and facing loves from her past she never expected to see again.

As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in the midst of a world of scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer — Juliet will be lucky to escape alive.

With inspiration from Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this is a tantalizing mystery about the hidden natures of those we love and how far we’ll go to save them from themselves.

***WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR FIRST BOOK IN THE SERIES***

So, I remember really liking The Madman's Daughter, it was creepy and unique and I loved how there was something off with all the characters. So I was expecting a similar experience with Her Dark Curiosity. I'm sad to say that I didn't really get that.

So Juliet is back in London and obviously both boys turn up at some point, because hello love triangle, you are back too. I felt that Juliet was a little too woe-is-me in Her Dark Curiosity and not really the strong girl I'd gotten to know in A Madman's Daughter. And she really wasn't appreciating the things she had in her life that were really good. I mean, the professor who took her in seemed wonderful and I know she's not like other girls and she doesn't really fit in with society, but just, I don't know, I was just unhappy with her attitude.

The creep-factor was definitely back, as Edward is back as well and his dual personality, the Beast and the boy, is WAY eerie. Also, the whole setting is gloomy, and it's probably also due to my need for fluff and fun reads lately, but it was kinda depressing. I had to push myself to read on and it's really not bad writing, but it just didn't get me excited like The Madman's Daughter did. It could also be that I wasn't a fan of Juliet's choices regarding her love life. I mean, I was going NO WTF ARE YOU DOING??? at one point, which is never a good thing.

But that I even cared enough to yell at her in my head, does mean that I cared. I did care. I do. These characters have wormed their way into my heart and the ending left me like WHOA. Towards the end, I started recognizing Juliet as the girl I'd met in The Madman's Daughter and that's when things picked up and got REALLY CREEPY and also HORRIBLE, but it was way more interesting.

I guess I'm just a little bit disappointed that I didn't like it more, but the ending saved it in a very disturbing way. It was sort of a weird point to end a book though. But I'll pick up A Cold Legacy soon, cause I do need closure.

My rating: 3 stars

Review of Twisted Fate by Norah Olson

Title/Author: Twisted Fate by Norah Olson
Publisher/Date published: Katherine Tegen, January 20th 2015
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley
Buy this book at: The Book Depository

Goodreads summary: When Allyson meets Graham Copeland, the new boy next door, she instantly feels like he’s a kindred spirit — shy and awkward like her, someone who has trouble making friends. It’s impossible to resist having a crush on him.

As usual, her sister, Sydney, sees things differently. In Sydney's mind, Graham's odd personality and secretive past scream psychopath, not sweetheart. Her gut is telling her to stay away from him, and to protect a love-struck Allyson from her own naïveté. But despite her instincts, Sydney is surprised to realize that a part of her is drawn to Graham, too.

And the more Sydney gets to know him, the more she realizes just how right — and wrong — she is about everything.

I was kinda expecting to either have my mind blown or to really dislike this book, but to me, it was neither.

Sydney and Allyson both have a distinct voice, they were similar in some ways, but mostly, they were two very different characters and it was interesting to get to know them. Though I think I might have a slight preference for Sydney, cause she seemed to have a little more common sense and while I kinda like that Allyson wanted to believe the best about people, when it's slamming you in the face that they're not good people some kind of alarm should go off. And Allyson's alarm was malfunctioning or she was ignoring it or whatever but I just wanted to shake her and go like OMG JUST SEE WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU!! She had a bit of too stupid to live going on and I very much dislike that quality in a character.

I didn't really like Graham, there was something off about him from the start. I did appreciate that we got a lot of different POVs and this way we also got a glimpse into his head and that was interesting. And a bit like watching a train wreck happen. Or maybe a whole lot like that. There were POVs from pretty much everyone who makes an appearance in the novel and seeing things from different sides was enlightening and it made me clue into the big twist pretty early on. But that was ok, because it added an extra something to the rest of the interactions between the characters.

But aside from that it was an interesting concept, it wasn't all that exciting. Or creepy. I had thought it might be creepy. I was also kinda wondering HOW exactly that twist that I was talking about came to be and WHY, but I never really got any answers and now I'm just left like this and it feels unfinished. I mean, I was sticking around for the unraveling of the big twist and then it never came and I feel a bit cheated out of that.
Also, this book suffers from absent-parent syndrome. Seriously, where are Mr and Mrs Tate? It's mentioned in the book that they are away a lot, but they should be home SOMETIME right? How do they fit into all this?

I think I'd just expected a bit more. It wasn't all that bad, but it wasn't all that good either, so basically I just had a 'meh' feeling throughout most of the book and I kept hoping the end would make it awesome, only it didn't. If you want to read a good YA novel with psychological elements, I'd suggest reading We Were Liars or Pretty Girl-13 instead.

My rating: 2,5 stars

Daisy Update (56)

Wow, last time I did one of these was August 10... That's just a looooong time ago.

Anywho.

So I've been back to blogging these past two weeks and it's been GREAT! I love how I now have a blogging calendar and I'm actually scheduling posts in advance and not just typing everything up at the last minute. It feels really good!
I have been having some bad luck with books, I've DNF-ed 4 books in January so far and just UGH! But on the other hand, I did really enjoy most of the books that I did finish, so there's that. And I've been doing pretty well with my e-ARCs so far, sometimes I move towards that request button and then actually don't click it. Self-control, I has a little bit of it.

In other news, I'm now working in an ER and there's a LOT Of crazy going on there! I mean, it's not really like the action you see on TV shows, but it is a whole lot crazier than working in a general practice, and I'm actually really enjoying it! It's very interesting and we have a couple of interns, I love having interns, they always ask critical questions and just keep you on your toes and it's nice that I can also teach them something. That I feel confident enough that I can actually teach them something, it's a good feeling guys.
All these weird shifts in the ER leave me with a lot of free time at the moment (though there's a hellish week coming up, which will leave me like a zombie quite possibly) and I'm just enjoying spending time at home with the kitty and the boyfriend and all my pretty books! I'm pretty much in a happy place right now.

Last Monday, the boyfriend and I had dinner with the GP who I was training with last year and it was wonderful. I hadn't seen her since September and it felt really weird cause we'd worked closely together for a year and then that part of my residency ended and you just don't see each other anymore and it was lovely to catch up and see her home. And the food was really good! :)

I've been watching a LOT of TV lately, I'm very much addicted to 24 Kitchen, it's just so relaxing to see people cook and I've already tried one recipee from a show and it was SO GOOD! OMG, I'm totally making that again soon! It was a dip for chicken and nacho chips and whatever else you can think of to dip in it, with creme fraiche, spinach, sambal and cheese and just YUM!
I've also started watching Jane, the Virgin and I'm really enjoying it! It's just funny and quirky and at times a little ridiculous and just no-brain-necessary fun. Also, it sorta reminds me of Ugly Betty with all the drama and I have so much love for that show! I should start re-watching it...
And OMG, a friend of mine said Emily Owens MD was WAY better than Hart of Dixie, so I started watching that and then I found out it was cancelled after 13 episodes and I was like WTF??? That show was AWESOME (though not better than Hart of Dixie, TBH, WAAAAADDDDDEEEE) and Micah was SO cute and what the heck was going on with the ending of that last episode?? That was seriously not ok and now I will never know if Emily and Micah would have ended up together and I just have a sad over that series being cancelled, cause I loved it...

One of the guys in the same residency program as I am got married 2 months ago and yesterday night they threw a party to celebrate, so the boyfriend and I went and it was so much fun! We just had drinks and talked with my friends from residency and dancing, and the boyfriend basically doesn't dance normally, so I take advantage of it on the rare occasions that I CAN get him to dance with me :) So today we're both a little tired and lazy and aside from tidying up a bit because the lady who cleans our house is coming tomorrow (OMG someone else cleans my house, it is AWESOME), it's going to be a quiet day. We'll go over to the boyfriend's parents for dinner in a little while, so that means zero effort towards cooking today, yay ;)

I hope you're all having a great weekend as well!

Review of The Duke of Dark Desires by Miranda Neville

Title/Author: The Duke of Dark Desires (The Wild Quartet #4) by Miranda Neville
Publisher/Date published: Avon, December 30th 2014
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley
Buy this book at: The Book Depository

Goodreads summary: Wanted: Governess able to keep all hours...
Rebellious Julian Fortescue never expected to inherit a dukedom, nor to find himself guardian to three young half-sisters. Now in the market for a governess, he lays eyes on Jane Grey and knows immediately she is qualified — to become his mistress. Yet the alluring woman appears impervious to him. Somehow Julian must find a way to make her succumb to temptation... without losing his heart and revealing the haunting mistakes of his past.

Desired: Duke skilled in the seductive art of conversation...
Lady Jeanne de Falleron didn't seek a position as a governess simply to fall into bed with the Duke of Denford. Under the alias of Jane Grey, she must learn which of the duke's relatives is responsible for the death of her family — and take her revenge. She certainly can't afford the distraction of her darkly irresistible employer, or the smoldering desire he ignites within her.

But as Jane discovers more clues about the villain she seeks, she's faced with a possibility more disturbing than her growing feelings for Julian: What will she do if the man she loves is also the man she's sworn to kill?

I actually have absolutely no idea why I finished this book. I didn't enjoy it and I just kept struggling on and it took me FOREVER to read it (8 days, it's only 384 pages, I mean, I was busy, but are you freaking kidding me self?). I'm just going to make a list of the things I didn't like, because I don't know how else to be coherent about it at this point.

-Julian and Jane had zero chemistry. I mean, it just seemed like he wanted to seduce her because she was beautiful and she was there and that's it. And basically I didn't understand this couple. I didn't feel it, I was just not into it.

-Except for the moments with one of Julian's sisters, I didn't really like Jane. She was supposed to be this strong person, her hardships having made her strong and I just couldn't see it. She was looking for revenge and I didn't feel that she was looking for the truth of what happened, but just wanted someone to pay with his life. I mean, what happened was horrible, but how about a little investigation into the matter instead of just plotting to kill a man? Also, she has a bit of a too stupid to live moment towards the end, which was highly annoying.

-I really very much disliked Julian's mother. She was one of the worst mom's in fictional history without actually physically abusing her children. Instead, she just abandons them once she's found a new husband. And nobody does anything about this. WTF?

-Julian kinda grew on me in the end, but then Jane doesn't seem to appreciate it and I was like: OMG YOU CAN DO BETTER OK?

-Basically, I was expecting a little more happiness inducing romance and I didn't get it.

I'm sad to say this book wasn't a me-book and I didn't like it. I think I was too brain-dead from the course I was following at the time to make the decision to DNF it, but looking back, I don't really know why I stuck with it.
If you're interested in trying the historical romance genre, I'd recommend anything by Sarah MacLean, Sophie Jordan or Julia Quinn, you can't go wrong with books by these ladies.

My rating: 1 star

Review of The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar

Title/Author: The Art of Wishing (The Art of Wishing #1) by Lindsay Ribar
Publisher/Date published: Dial Books for Young Readers, March 21st 2013
How I got this book: got it from my lovely friend Debby as a Secret Santa gift!
Buy this book at: The Book Depository

Goodreads summary: He can grant her wishes, but only she can save his life.

Margo McKenna has a plan for just about everything, from landing the lead in her high school play to getting into a good college. So when she finds herself in possession of a genie's ring and the chance to make three wishes, she doesn't know what to do. Why should she put her life into someone else's hands?

But Oliver is more than just a genie - he's also a sophomore at Margo's high school, and he's on the run from a murderer. As he and Margo grow closer, she discovers that it will take more than three wishes to save him.

A whole lot more.

Guys, Debby really nailed it with this present for me! Thanks again! I totally adored the cuteness in The Art of Wishing and I just want to hug this book and go awwww cause it was just so sweet and fluffy and JUST A WHOLE LOT OF YES OK?

This is the fourth book I've read in 2015 and 2 of those books I've DNF-ed, so this year is not off to a good start. And then Debby reminded me last week of The Art of Wishing at our book club dinner and I was like YES this needs reading. And it was just what I needed to fall back in love with reading again!

I completely loved Lindsay Ribar's writing style! It's just so engaging and I felt like I was right there in the story along with Margo and Oliver and I just didn't want to stop reading! I LOVE that feeling that you just need to keep going and this was one of those books that just has me smiling while reading it. It was that adorable and funny and just a total feel-good book, even though there is a murderer after Oliver. Which is a pretty dark part, but well, it didn't lessen the adorableness for me.

I really liked Margo, she's talented and smart and the way she struggled with not letting herself be petty in her disappointment over not getting the role she wanted in the musical felt real. Especially with how things develop from there and the performance of the person who actually gets the leading role. She wants to be ok with things and handle them right, but it's not something that comes natural to her and I can empathize with this. I felt for her in her parental situation and I'm not sure how I would have handled it in her stead, I hope there's more about her dealing with this in the sequel.
Also, I kinda loved that Margo's 18 instead of 15 or 16, like most YA heroines and it's actually ok to joke about sex and it seems right for her to start making choices regardless if her parents approve of it or not. I mean, when I was 18 I moved out of my parents' home because I went off to university.

And Oliver. Sweet, lovely Oliver who I just want to hug and watch smile for real and he was just the most adorable boy I've come across in a while ok? I loved how he's genuinely happy when he grants someone a wish and they're happy with the result of it. He's such a giving person and I loved how he loved his waffles and how he and Margo are together. And I totally laughed at how Margo sort of headdesks when she finds out Oliver's age and says she's like 'all those other girls in movies/books'. It was awesome.

Also, genies are just so interesting! I'd tried reading a book about genies/djinni before and every time I'm just disappointed, but this was awesome and I'm wondering what else Lindsay Ribar has in store for us in the next book! Because after that ending I'm not sure where we go from here, but as the next book is already in my possession, I won't have to wait long to find out!

My rating: 5 stars

Top Ten Tuesday: 2014 Releases I Failed To Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at my other blog The Broke and the Bookish

So, like I mentioned in my TTT list at the Broke and the Bookish, this list was way too easy to make. So here's the continuation of that list :)

The (Cute) Contemporaries

The Fine Art of Pretending by Rachel Harris: IT HAS A PRETEND RELATIONSHIP IN IT!!! HOW HAVE I NOT READ THIS YET??

My Faire Lady by Laura Wettersten: this sounds ADORABLE, but I still need to get my hands on a copy.

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson: so basically everybody seems to love this and I still haven't read it or any other book by Morgan Matson... Daisy fail...

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han: this sounds like so much fun! It would be totally mortifying if all my past or actual crushes got letters telling them about my feelings..

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord: this seems to be a hit with everyone and I just haven't gotten around to acquiring a copy. But this will change soon-ish!

The Historical Awesomeness

Manor of Secrets by Katherine Longshore: this sounds like such a me-read and REALLY need to read it!

A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller: my friend Debby keeps RAVING about this book and it sounds really good, so I'll be reading this soon.

The Paranormal Side of Things

Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White: this hasn't gotten a lot of buzz, but it sounds like something I could love and Kiersten White is awesome.

Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel: it's a Peter Pan retelling! I need this story in my life!

Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins: I totally loved the first two books in her Hex Hall series (haven't read the third one yet), so I'm excited about this as it combines Belles and magic!

Let me know if you've read any of these and which I should bump up to the top of my TBR list!

Review of The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion

Title/Author: The Rosie Effect (Don Tillman #2) by Graeme Simsion
Publisher/Date published: Simon & Schuster, December 30th 2014
How I got this book: received it from the publisher as an egalley
Buy this book at: The Book Depository

Goodreads summary: Don Tillman and Rosie Jarman are back. The Wife Project is complete, and Don and Rosie are happily married and living in New York. But they're about to face a new challenge because - surprise! - Rosie is pregnant.
Don sets about learning the protocols of becoming a father, but his unusual research style gets him into trouble with the law. Fortunately his best friend Gene is on hand to offer advice: he's left Claudia and moved in with Don and Rosie.

As Don tries to schedule time for pregnancy research, getting Gene and Claudia to reconcile, servicing the industrial refrigeration unit that occupies half his apartment, helping Dave the Baseball Fan save his business, and staying on the right side of Lydia the social worker, he almost misses the biggest problem of all: he might lose Rosie when she needs him the most.

***WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR FIRST BOOK IN THE SERIES***

I absolutely LOVED The Rosie Project, it's one of the best books I've read in 2014 and one of the most amazing feel-good books that I've read ever. So obviously, I was excited about the sequel, cause while the end of The Rosie Project was perfect, I can't help but want to dive right back in with Don and Rosie! And while I liked it, it wasn't as good as The Rosie Project, but I still really enjoyed this.

So let's talk about the things I liked:
-Don managing to get himself into trouble yet again and getting arrested because of his lack of understanding of the subtleties of communication and people thinking he was a creepy guy staring at kids, while he was just trying to study how parents interact with their children.
-I liked how Don makes new friends in New York and one of those is a rockstar and it's just amazing to see the impact he has on their lives just by being himself.
-Don is still a true friend and is there for both Gene (who is an asshole and unworthy of Don's friendship in my opinion) and Gene's son and is honestly just trying to help their family even though they may not want him to.
-Just Graeme Simsion's writing in general, cause it's intelligent and funny and filled with so much humanity!

But then there were some parts I REALLY didn't like:
-Rosie. I just didn't like her in this book, she was hurtful and irrational and just seemed to give up on Don and their relationship and they were having a baby and I just wanted to shake her and go WTF?? I mean, she KNOWS Don, how can she not give him some time and room to adjust to the idea of becoming a father and just help him along with it instead? I really did not have much sympathy for her.
-Also, she just decided they were going to have a baby? Why is this not addressed in the book? She just stops taking birth control without really talking things through with Don? That's a huge relationship no-no.
-Also the lady from the tuna incident? She was WAY out of line. I really did not like her. Which was probably the point, so yeah, well done.

I felt like Don did all the growing in this relationship and Rosie just stayed the way she was and did her thing and expected him to make all the changes. And then towards the end I got so mad at her because she was just ready to quit basically everything and just WTF?? So that did detract from my enjoyment of The Rosie Effect, cause I felt like Don was giving it his best effort and she wasn't appreciating him.

I still really loved reconnecting with Don and seeing him make his way in New York and deal with his new friends and people on a research project he was part of, it was just wonderful. I just felt like this lacked the spark that was there in The Rosie Project that made it such a perfect read, and I think it's mostly due to me not liking Rosie very much in this one.
Still, if you haven't given these books a try, you really should, they're excellent!

My rating: 3,5 stars