[Review] Teardrop

English Cover

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‚Teardrop‘
by
Lauren Kate

Teardrop # 1
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Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Eureka won’t let anyone close enough to feel her pain. After her mother was killed in a freak accident, the things she used to love hold no meaning. She wants to escape, but one thing holds her back: Ander, the boy who is everywhere she goes, whose turquoise eyes are like the ocean.
And then Eureka uncovers an ancient tale of romance and heartbreak, about a girl who cried an entire continent into the sea. Suddenly her mother’s death and Ander’s appearance seem connected, and her life takes on dark undercurrents that don’t make sense. Can everything you love be washed away? (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
I really wanted to love the book, at least so far that I may be able to recommend it – I mean, have a look at this wonderful cover and also the synopsis sounded very promising – particularly, because it sounded like a fresh and new story. And also the beginning was really good, has carried me away immediately and I found the writing style nice, even if it was sometimes a little bit too poetic and then at the next moment it was too uncouth again.

At first I could still sympathize with the central character Eureka, understand her thoughts and actions. We accompanied her through the first chapters as she handles the death of her mother and the funereal processing afterwards, with her class-mates, whom now look differently at her or when Eureka visits her psychiatrist. All along her best and cheeky friend Cat is on her side or also her best and the joke-making friend Brooks.
Soon I liked Brooks very much and also up to the end he’s my explained favorite of the story. But unfortunately the author has another love hero in her mind for Eureka and therefore, the mysterious Ander has appeared over and over again. With Ander, only the readers know who he really is, what he wants or why he appears at Eurekas side over and over again. And therefore Eureka asks herself all the time whether he wants to harm her or if he wants to help and besides, she constantly feels drawn to him in a romantic way. Furthermore it also happened, that she kissed Brooks – her best friend – but, actually she thought of Ander at the same time. But no problem in the love-triangle, because Brooks will be turned to the bad person of the story, so then Eureka can snug with Ander without feeling guilty. *jipie*-> YES, this was sarcastic, if you ask yourselves.

Everything was so ridiculously, also the contained love story and how it has developed, or as well the story of the book, which went in a direction I liked less and less. At first old legends were dug out, myths were indicated of the city Atlantis – which I really liked, but then the power of Eureka were for me too much fantasy and also a little absurd. No, maybe that is the wrong saying. It wasn’t due to the fact that there was too much fantasy, but rather how it was described and how Eureka has handled the whole exposures around her person. It was really gross, what she has found out, but she has just swallowed it and has simply used her strength without freaking out. Thereby for me it was, combined with the plot, simply too much and an overkill. So at the end I only could incredulous shake my head. Hence I was disappointed by the initial good book and I will also not continue this series and I’ll also stop my experiment with Lauren Kate. Unfortunately, the book wasn’t meant for me.

Cover:
A wonderful cover, which shows also perfectly the plot of the book and it’s simply charming. *great*

All in all:
Unfortunately, the magnificent cover, which has animated me to read the story, is already the only wonderful thing about the book. The plot, as well as the characters, weren’t understandable for me and everything was too detached for my taste and this, although I usually have no problems with a good fantasy story – but here, everything was too much and too unbelievable.

Rating:
2,5 of 5 points – (it was okay)

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Quotes: (© Kate)

„Love was a dance floor where everyone you loved left a mark behind.“
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„Wisdom holds a candle to experience, but you’ve got to take the candle and walk alone.“.

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Succession:
# 1:  Lauren Kate – Teardrop »»
# 2:  Lauren Kate – Untitled
# 3:  Lauren Kate – Untitled
…

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(© goodreads)

About the author – Lauren Kate:
Lauren Kate grew up in Dallas, went to school in Atlanta, and started writing in New York.
She is the author of Fallen and The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove. She lives in Laurel Canyon with her husband and hopes to work in a restaurant kitchen, get a dog, and learn how to surf.
She is currently at work on the sequel to Fallen.
(Source: goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »»

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A huge Thanks for the reviewer’s copty to:

© Random House UK

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[Review] The Iron Traitor

Unbekanntes Deutsches Cover

English Cover

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‚The Iron Traitor‘ by Julie Kagawa

The Call of the Forgotten # 2
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Synopsis:
After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as „normal“ as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he’s forbidden to see her again.
But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, „normal“ simply isn’t to be. For Ethan’s nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan’s and Keirran’s fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan’s next choice may decide the fate of them all. (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
It was a long Odyssey and I thought it would never end – it felt like I’ve needed an eternity to finish the book and this usually never happen with books from Kagawa. But with part here the important spark has been absent for me, and I‘ve to try hard to read on and find my motivation.

The story begins after the events of the first book and almost immediately we come back again to the Nevernever, but before they still have to find a way to hold Annywl longer in this world, before she disappears forever. For this we hurry at first to New Orleans to find Keirran, who has disappeared. Then everybody hurries together back to a guru to make them an amulet, only to hurry further to the summer court and so on and on – you see what I want to say with that. It was an endless loop and during the whole plot they only have hurried from a place to the next to find weird creatures, which they had to fight or kill. Hence, this was the next negative point, which I must criticize, because for me there were too much and too long fight scenes in the book, so that I after some time they didn’t entertain me any longer.

But therefore I really love the other descriptions, the surroundings and the whole world-building, which Kagawa has created here and like always I really like her characters. First of all I’m a fan of Kenzie with her headstrong, self-confident character – for me she’s a female figure, from whom you only want to read more about and liked throughout the book. But also Ethan is in my heart, although sometimes he could be a little softer, but he’s the tough guy in the books – so what should we do? 😉 Kerrain on the other hand hasn’t convinced me till now and his changing in the second book, didn’t make it better.

In any case for me it was a highlight that we briefly have bumped into Ash! Even if this reunion was only for a short duration – nevertheless, I have been glad to meet the dark prince or king again.

Even if the general plot course was a little tougher to read in the second book, and long-winded – but the end could again persuade me and leave me behind in amazement. Although this end-scene was already indicated from the beginning, I didn’t think that it happened like this. Hence, we really got a nasty cliffhanger, which let us wait magnetized for the third and also last part of this series.

Englisches Cover:
I like the cover very much and you can also recognize Keirran on it perfectly, with his hair and eyes. Even if he doesn’t count to my favorites – the cover looks amazing!

All in all:
I’m so sorry to say that, but for me the book was the worst book, which I’ve read from Kagawa up till now. Now I know, that sounds dreadful – but if you consider how much Kagawa’s books usually always inspire me, it is clear that a 3-point-book is simply the worst one of them, what is in general still a good-average-book.

Rating:
3 of 5 points – (I liked it)
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Quotes: (© Kagawa)

 Ethan: ‚I won’t lie. Annwyl was beautiful. Bbig green eyes, shining brown hair, her body soft and graceful beneath her dress. I was a guy, after all, and I wasn’t blind. But seeing her didn’t make my stomach twist with nerves or the corners of my mouth want to turn up in a smile like they did with Kenzie.‘

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„Humans.“ Grimalkin’s furry head poked out of the grass, tail twiching in annoyance. „Are you coming? Or are you going to stand there and talk until the guardians return and crush your bones to powder? And as the expense of repeating myself – do not touch any of the apples as we are making our way through the orchard. Do not even look at them. Please attempt to have some semblance of self-control, as small as ist might be.“ ^^. 

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Succession:
# 1: Julie Kagawa – The Lost Prince »»
# 2: Julie Kagawa – The Iron Traitor »»
# 3: Julie Kagawa – Untitled
…

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(© goodreads.com)

About the author – Julie Kagawa:
She was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel. (Source: goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »»

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Vielen Dank für die Bereitstellung des Rezensionsexemplares an:

© netgalley

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[Review] Losing Hope

English Cover

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‚Losing Hope‘

by

Colleen Hoover

Hopeless # 2

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Synopsis:
In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.
Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…
Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs. (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
I admit that I didn’t wanted to read this book at first and only the spoiler scene of the ‘best non-kiss’ from Holder’s POV (here on Hoover’s website) has convinced me to try it nevertheless. Also at the beginning I was still sceptical because I thought it would become boring, because I already knew the plot and the secrets – but I lost this feeling more and more with every page I read. It was great how Hoover has begun this book and could present it really independent, even if much was already clear for the reader of ‘Hopeless’. Nevertheless it was entertaining, very rousing again so that I simply couldn’t put it aside anymore.

First I wasn’t convinced because the plot begins some time before the meeting with Sky, but later I recognised, how important this ‚prehistory’ is to understand a lot in the later action and to fully understand Holder’s behavior and his torn feelings. He has broken my heart during reading this book (just as Sky did in the first book) – even several times and I’ve suffered every page with him, like I hoped, cried and smiled alongside Holder. Together, I think, we’ve endured almost all emotions, which a book can offer and I was grateful for every single one of them. A very touching and emotional book!

I’ve fallen for Holder/Dean in the second book even more than in the first and also had to cry again at the end several times, but also for other reasons. It was great, beautiful and sad at the same time. Moreover I’ve liked that there were scenes, which weren’t written in Skys book, like the meetings with Brekin or the letters to Les. I don’t really know for whom I felt sorrier for or with whom I’ve suffered more – Sky or Holder … but yes, I suffered more with/ for Holder. *sigh*

Also the end was also really great and it was very nice that I could read on a little longer and get to know what happened afterward – like the thing with his mother and Sky, or the college … just a little forecast on their future lives together. I like such a thing very much and here I got it! *sigh*double sigh* 😀

With this book Colleen Hoover has written herself even further in my heart by her soulful, emotional kind of telling stories and now I will read every book of her that I get in my hands. I highly recommend it to all fans of part one and to the others –> please, please – get your copy of ‘Hopeless’!

Cover:
The Cover is perfectly suitable to the story and the first book, although I see Holder a little bit different. Nevertheless it is really nice made.

All in all:
Although I already know the plot, it has gripped me nevertheless and I couldn’t get enough of it. Holders POV is nearly even better than Sky’s and I’ve fell for Holder here even more than in the first book. I’ve no idea how Hoover made and she is my new idol – but it was stunning, beautiful and incredible. I’ve no more words for it! But just please, please, READ it!

Rating:
5 of 5 points – (I LOVED it – BUY it!)

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Quotes (© Colleen Hoover):

Holder: I casually lean against the mailbox and pretend to ignore the fact that she totally just checked me out. I’ll ignore it to save her embarrassment, but I’m definitely not going to forget it. In fact, I’ll probably be thinking about the way her eyes scrolled down my body for the rest of the damn day.
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Holder: It’s only been a few days, but since the moment I met her, no matter where I am, I’m constantly wondering about her. My attention is constantly homed in on her like I’m a compass and she’s my North.
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Holder: I can’t even explain to you how perfect this girl is. And when I say perfect, I mean imperfect, because there’s just so much wrong with her. But everything wrong with her is everything that draws me in and makes her perfect.     She’s flat-out rude to me and I love it. She’s stubborn and I love it. She’s a smartass and she’s sarcastic and every witty thing that comes out of her mouth is like music to my ears because that’s exactly what I want. She’s what I need and I don’t want her to change at all. There’s not a single thing about her I would change.
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Holder: A huge internal part of me was lost when I lost Hope, and I was convinced Les took the very last contents of my chest with her when she died last year. After being with Sky these last two days, I’m not so sure about that, anymore. I don’t think my chest has been empty this whole time like I thought. Whatever is left inside me has just been asleep, and she’s somehow slowly waking it up.    With every word she speaks and every glance she sends my way, she’s unknowingly pulling me out of this thirteen-year-long nightmare I’ve been trapped in, and I want to continue to allow her to pull me.
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I lift away from her cheek and look down at her.
Holder: „Thank you.“
She smiles. „For what?“ For being alive, I think to myself.
„For being you,“ I say out loud. Her smile fades and I swear she looks right through my eyes and straight into my soul. „I’m good at being me,“ she says. „Especially when I’m with you.“

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Thanks to netgalley.com for the reviewer’s copy!

© netgalley.com

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Succession:

#1: Colleen Hoover – Hopeless »»
#2: Colleen Hoover – Losing Hope (Holder’s POV) »»
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(© goodreads)

About the author – Colleen Hoover:
She is addicted to diet pepsi and could tell you in a taste-test which restaurant it came from.
She gets stoked whenever she gets a message from goodreads saying I have a new friend request.
If you want to know when she have new books out or just want to be inundated by random, pointless blog posts, follow her at www.colleenhoover.com.
(Source: Goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »».

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[Review] Hopeless

English Cover

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‚Hopeless‘

by

Colleen Hoover

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Synopsis:
Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies… That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.
Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever….. (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
I’ve read the book in buddy read, although I actually had no time for it. Do I regret now that I’ve inter-pushed the book? Oh God – no – no way! The book was just so great and I‘ve no words for how thrilled I’m about it. *sigh*

However, I would like to start at first with the things, which have disturbed me and which are the reason, why it ‘only’ got 4.5 points, instead of the full five points. It is due to the fact that on the one hand some things in it were very foreseeable and most of my forebodings has turned out almost exactly like I’ve imagined it (the thing with Dean Holder, Karen, her father, … ). But nevertheless I’ve read it with great pleasure and have loved every chapter.
Moreover the book has dealt with a subject that I never really like to read and I also didn’t like it to read here about that, but now I won’t say too much about it, because I don’t want to spoil something. But it was tough stuff and not easy to swallow. But therefore I thing, Hoover made a good job and have treated the subject sensitively and in a way, that it was still okay for me.

In general Hoover has a great way to describe feelings and emotions and to express them, so you can really understand how you feel, when everything is just and on the other side, when everything falls apart and shatters you, as if you would life through it by yourself. All that was really awesome and I like her writing style and dialogues – now she is my new idol! 🙂
Particularly her dialogues were just perfect and well suited – maybe sometimes too perfect and beautiful, but I can ignore that fact. *lol*

And now to the characters, who I BOTH LOVE, which is very rarely the case, because I often fall for the boys, but then I’ve problems with the girl. But here I’ve also loved Sky and I found it so refreshing and exciting, that she simply always has babbled off about what she really thinks – without whining along and thinking everything till to the end… she was authentic and after some little difficulties at the beginning, she was through the whole book very likeable.

Now to Dean/ Holder – I just love HOLDER *sigh*
Again a guy, who goes straight on my Book-Boyfriend-List … slowly, it gets really crowded there, but I’ve to put him there as well. Holder hast just everything: From the appearance, sportiness, character, charm, humor, assertiveness, directness, strength, sensitivity … I could still babble on about what he has and how great he is, but I don’t want to take away everything from you, but I advise you to read the book and discover him for yourselves. I love Holder, although sometimes he is just too perfect and also always does the perfect things or says the perfect words, but that’s okay for me – sigh, if there were really guys like him. *sigh²* 😉

Moreover, I found great that the drama was not really between the two main characters, but because of other things and that they have always held together and got through it as a couple, as a unit. They have each other mutual strength and could hold on each other! I found this great and their chemistry together was simply unbeatable!
I also found even the sex scenes suitable, although I didn’t have thought about them in these exact moments in which they sometimes happened, but then, it was just right and I could understand it. *great*

Though the end was a little slower and unspectacular to the rest of the book, I still liked the last chapter because it was sweet and for me – this was the PERFECT last sentence. *beautiful*

Cover:
Wonderful cover and for me, this is the perfect Sky.

All in all:
An amazing book which I’ll definitely read again sometime and I can recommend it to everybody, who likes Contemporary Romances. It’s not a YA book, but New Adult and therefore also a little more steamy – which I liked very much. A Must-Read for all fans of this genre and this was certainty not the last book of Colleen Hoover – I want more books by her! 🙂

Rating:
4,5 of 5 points – (soo awesome!)
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Thanks to netgalley.com for the reviewer’s copy!

© netgalley.com

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Quotes (© Colleen Hoover):

Karen: „Dammit,” she says, “I could have sworn I heard boys in here.”
Sky: “And you seem disappointed because…”
Karen: “You turn eighteen in a month. I’m running out of time to ground you for the first time ever. You need to start screwing up a little more, kid.“
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Breckin: “I’m new here. And if you haven’t deducted from my impeccable fashion sense, I think it’s safe to say that I’m…  Mormon.”
Six: “And here I was thinking you were about to say gay.”
Breckin: “That too.  In all seriousness, Sky. I noticed you in class today and it’s obvious you’re new here, too. And after seeing the stripper money fall out of your locker before fourth period, then witnessing your non-reaction to it, I knew we were meant to be. Also, I figured if we teamed up, we might prevent at least two unnecessary teenage suicides this year. So, what do you say? Want to be my very bestest friend ever in the whole wide world?
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Holder: „Let me inform you of something. The moment my lips touch yours, it will be your first kiss. Because if you’ve never felt anything when someone’s kissed you, then no one’s ever really kissed you. Not the way I plan on kissing you.“
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Holder: “I told myself to just stay away from you and let you be mad at me, because I do have so many issues that I’m not ready to share with you yet. And I tried so hard to stay away, but I can’t. I’m not strong enough to keep denying whatever this is we could have. And yesterday in the lunchroom when you were hugging Breckin and laughing with him? It felt so good to see you happy, Sky. But I wanted so bad to be the one who was making you laugh like that. It was tearing me up inside that you were thinking that I didn’t care about us, or that spending that weekend with you wasn’t the best weekend I’ve ever had in my life. Because I do care and it was the best. It was the best fucking weekend in the history of all weekends.”
My heart is beating wildly, almost as fast as the words are pouring out of him. He releases his firm hold on my face and strokes his hands over my hair, dropping them to the nape of my neck.
He keeps them there and calms himself with a deep breath, then continues. “It’s killing me, baby,” he says, his voice much more calm and quiet. “It’s killing me because I don’t want you to go another day without knowing how I feel about you. And I’m not ready to tell you I’m in love with you, because I’m not. Not yet. But whatever this is I’m feeling—it’s so much more than just like. It’s so much more. And for the past few weeks I’ve been trying to figure it out. I’ve been trying to figure out why there isn’t some other word to describe it. I want to tell you exactly how I feel but there isn’t a single goddamned word in the entire dictionary that can describe this point between liking you and loving you, but I need that word. I need it because I need you to hear me say it.”
He pulls my face to his and he kisses me. They’re short kisses, mostly pecks, but he kisses me over and over, pulling back between each kiss, waiting for me to respond.

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Succession:

#1: Colleen Hoover – Hopeless »»
#2: Colleen Hoover – Losing Hope (Holder’s POV) »»
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(© goodreads)

About the author – Colleen Hoover:
She is addicted to diet pepsi and could tell you in a taste-test which restaurant it came from.
She gets stoked whenever she gets a message from goodreads saying I have a new friend request.
If you want to know when she have new books out or just want to be inundated by random, pointless blog posts, follow her at www.colleenhoover.com.
(Source: Goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »».

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[Abgebrochen] City of Dark Magic

( © goodreads)

( © goodreads)

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 ‚City of Dark Magic‘
by Magnus Flyte.

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My opinion – English Review: (German Review further down)
Unfortunately, I had to break up the book after approximately 20%. In general I always try to finish every book, particularly when I’m reading reviewer’s copies or books, which I got by netgalley, but this here has made it impossible for me to carry out this plan any longer.

On the one hand the English writing manner of Flyte wasn’t very easy to read and I needed some time to find into it, and on the other hand it was also an extremely tough reading. What was due to the fact that there was much, too much written about the musician Beethoven; about his history, his life and also his music. Half of my 20%, which I’ve read, were only about his music and the history of music, what somebody composed and when, where, why and all that stuff. In addition to that I also got a detailed story about the castle in Prague and about many artists, who have made a picture or a statue there.
So yes, if someone hasn’t studied art history or has no extreme interest in it, it soon becomes dull, boring and you can also always skip some pages, without missing something important in the action/ plot.

After 20 % of the book, there hasn’t happened much in it, except that Sarah, the main protagonist and an American student, who has studied history of music and particularly is a Beethoven expert, is called to Prague to help there to index Beethoven’s works.
When she arrives there, she meets also other art connoisseurs, who work in other departments, like to index weapons for this museum or paintings and all possible things, which you can find in museums.

Immediately on the first day at the dinner with all the other colleagues in Prague, it happens, that Sarah, quite horny from the flight (okay?! yeah, very logically ^^), gets touched from one of her colleagues, under the table with his hand … like – how should I say it, … in the ‘right place’ – while the others are chatting, laughing and eating. *yummy* Of course Sarah jumps up when it becomes too much for her and hurries to the small bathroom and what a surprise, she doesn’t turn on the lights, while she waits for ‘Mr. Hand’. Not two seconds later a guy enters the little bathroom, they have a briefly sex adventure. After that the man disappears without that Sarah could see his face. After she leaves the bathroom to go to the fellow colleagues, she almost runs into the man, who touched her earlier under the table.

The question now: With who had Sarah slept just now in the bathroom? This asks Sarah not only herself, but also the reader, with rolling eyes and shaking head. Particularly because two weeks later we still have no answer to that question and Sarah just continues as if nothing had happened, and she also doesn’t really mind.

I’m sorry, but this was the point for me when I didn’t want to read on any further. On the one hand because it was often too dull and boring and on the other hand because I also didn’t like any of the characters in the slightest. None of was interesting to me and also Sarah’s thoughts or her actions weren’t understandable for me most of the time. Unfortunately, the book wasn’t for me and I also wouldn’t recommend it to anybody, except to someone, who is interested in Beethoven or music/ art history. I wish everybody much luck, who still wants to try the book.

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Meine Meinung – Deutsche Rezension:
Leider musste ich dieses Buch nach circa 20% abbrechen. Generell versuche ich immer jedes Buch zu beenden, besonders Leseexemplare oder Bücher, die ich über netgalley bekomme haben, aber dieses hier hat es mir schier unmöglich gemacht meinen Plan auch durchzuführen.

Zu einem war die englische Schreibweise von Flyte nicht sehr einfach zum Lesen und man brauchte einige Zeit, um in diesen Schreibstil hinein zu finden, und auch dann war es ein äußerst zähes Lesen. Was auch daran lag, dass sehr viel über Beethoven geschrieben wurde; über seien Geschichte, sein Leben und auch über seien Musik.
Die Hälfte meiner 20%, die ich gelesen habe, handelten nur von Musik und der Musikgeschichte, wer Was, wann und wo komponiert hat und wie es dazu gekommen ist. Dazu noch eine ausführliche Geschichte über das Schloss in Prag und aller Künstler, die dort ein Bild oder eine Statue gemacht haben.
Also ja, wenn man keine Kunstgeschichte studiert hat und kein extremes Interesse daran hat, wird es bald sehr langweilig und man beginnt einige Seiten weiter zu blättern, ohne etwas Wichtiges in der Handlung zu verpassen.

Nach 20 % hat sich nämlich nicht viel getan, außer dass Sarah, die Hauptfigur und eine Amerikanerin, die Musikgeschichte studiert hat und besonders eine Beethoven – Expertin ist, nach Prag gerufen wird, um dort beim Katalogisieren von Beethovens Werken zu helfen.
Dort angelangt sind auch andere Kunstexperten zugegen, die Waffen für dieses Museum vorbereiten oder Gemälde katalogisieren, wie auch alle anderen möglichen Dinge, die man in einem Museum findet.

Sofort am ersten Tag beim Abendessen mit allen Kollegen in Prag, passiert es, dass Sarah, ganz geil vom Flug (okay?! ja, sehr logisch ^^), von einem ihrer Kollegen, versteckt unter dem Tisch, mit der Hand … wie soll ich sagen, … an der richtigen Stelle berührt wird, während die andere plaudern, lachen und essen. Natürlich springt Sarah auf, als es ihr zu viel wird und eilt in das kleine Badezimmer und welch Überraschung, dreht das Licht nicht auf, während sie auf ‚Herrn Hand‘ wartet. Keine zwei Sekunden später kommt ein Typ herein, sie haben kurz ein sexuelles Abenteuer und Sarah geht wieder zu den anderen, nur um dort fast in den Kollegen zu laufen, der ihr vorhin mit der Hand ‚geholfen hat‘.

Die Frage nun: Mit wem hat Sarah nun im Badezimmer ihren Spaß gehabt? Das fragt sich nicht nur Sarah, sondern auch augenrollend und kopfschüttelnd der Leser. Besonders da zwei Wochen später noch immer keine Antwort zu finden ist und Sarah ganz normal weiter macht, als ob nichts passiert wäre, und es sie auch nicht besonders kümmert.

Tut mir leid, aber das war dann der Punkt für mich, als ich nicht mehr weiterlesen wollte. Zum einen, weil es seitenweise oft totlangweilig wurde und ich alle Charaktere nicht im Mindesten sympathisch fand. Keiner von ihnen hat mich interessiert und auch Sarahs Gedanken oder ihre Handlungen, konnte ich die meiste Zeit sowieso nicht nachvollziehen.
Das Buch war leider nichts für mich und ich würde es auch niemanden weiterempfehlen, außer das Interesse an Beethoven oder Kunstgeschichte ist derart groß, um sich dieses Buch anzutun. Viel Glück an alle, die es dennoch versuchen möchten. .

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Thanks for the reviewer’s copy to:

© netgalley.com

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[Review] Walking Disaster

Simon & Schuster UK Cover

Atria Cover

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‚Walking Disaster‘ by Jamie McGuire

Beautiful # 2

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Synopsis:
How much is too much to love?
Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.
In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. Just when he thought he was invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.
Every story has two sides. In Jamie McGuire’s New York Times bestseller Beautiful Disaster Abby had her say. Now it’s time to see the story through Travis’s eyes. (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
Immediately at the begin I would like to mention that I loved/ adored ‚Beautiful Disaster‘ and the book has got almost the whole rating numbers. The only reason why the first part got only four points, instead of the whole five, was quite easy to say -> Abby.

And this is also the main reason why this book has also gotten only 3 points. Abby was here even worse, now when we see everything out of Travis’ point of view. Not only, that I can’t understand why he falls so hard for Abby, from his POV she also behaves really very mean and bitchy, particularly in the phases in which they have problems or break apart again. And the times/ parts, which would have been actually nice and were the good aspects from book one were supposed to be, they were describe only briefly/ short, or were rather let out completely because they were already to be read in first book.

Hence in there were much less time with both figures together this book, but it was mostly the time described when Travis was alone, what he did between the times when he wasn’t with her or how he has suffered when she dumped him twice or left him alone.
Thereby it was also not a linear, steady story, but it looked fragmentary and bumpy, because the good scenes weren’t described. Thus there were often jumps in the time of an event to the next and it made everything very choppy.

Also I missed the great emotions and the big GOOD feelings while reading. Often I was only sad and have suffered with Travis and could have strangled Abby, instead of drool over Abby and miss her constantly.

The only good thing in the book was that it went on a little further and didn’t ended right after the wedding. Here I found the epilogue good, although I know that this could be too much and too kitschy for some readers. But after the exertion and the constant suffering in the book, the big kitsch at the end, was exactly what I’ve needed to close the book happy.

But nevertheless, for a real fan it’s of course a must to read it, even if it didn’t offered a lot new … – who loves Travis, will read it. 🙂

Cover:
I find the cover with the biceps quite good, but I would like it even better if the proportions would fit. ^^ Therefore the second cover is made well and fits also better to the cover of part one.

All in all:
Although I had big problems with this book, here above especially with the plot which was torn and was built up rugged, I nonetheless give another 3 points, because I completely fell for Travis and he’s my kinky hero, who has hard earned his happy end. But Abby – I couldn’t care less about her, but as long as Travis is happy, I’ll go along with her. 😉

Rating:
3 of 5 points – (I liked it)
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Quotes:

Travis and his mother: She was looking down at me, her lids two slits, just enough to let me know she knew I was there. That’s what I loved about her. When she looked at me, she really saw me. She didn’t look past me to the other dozen things she needed to do with her day, or tune out my stupid stories. She listened, and it made her really happy. Everyone else seemed to nod without listening, but not her. Never her.
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His mother to Travis: „One of these days you’re going to fall in love, son. Don’t settle for just anyone. Choose the gilr that doesn’t come easy; the one you have to fight for, and then never stop fighting.“
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Travis: „There’s a girl, Dad.“
He smiled. „A girl.“
„She kinda hates me, and I kinda…“
„Love her?“
„I don’t know. I don’t think so. I mean .. how do you know?“
His smile grew wider. „When you’re talking about her with your old dad because you don’t know what else to do.“
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Travis: „You know why I want you? I didn’t know I was lost until you found me. I didn’t know what alone was until the first night I spent without you in my bed. You’re the one thing I’ve got right. You’re what I’ve been waiting for, Pigeon.“
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Travis: Even though we’d put each other through hell, we’d found heaven.

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Succession:
#  1:    Jamie McGuire – Beautiful Disaster »»
#  2:   Jamie McGuire – Walking Disaster »»

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(© goodreads)

About the author – Jamie McGuire:
Jamie McGuire was born in Tulsa. She was raised by her mother Brenda. Jamie attended the Northern Oklahoma College, the University of Central Oklahoma, and Autry Technology Center where she graduated with a degree in Radiography.
Jamie now lives in Enid, with her three children and husband Jeff, who is a real, live cowboy. They share their 30 acres with four horses, four dogs, and Rooster the cat.
Books published by Jamie include the Providence trilogy, and The New York Times best seller Beautiful Disaster, a contemporary romance.
(Source: goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »».

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Thanks to netgalley.com for the reviewer’s copy!

© netgalley

[Review] Dare you To

English Hardcover

English Paperback Cover

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‚Dare you To‘ by Katie McGarry

Pushing the Limits # 2

Synopsis:
If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk’s home life, they’d send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom’s freedom and her own happiness. That’s how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn’t want her and going to a school that doesn’t understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn’t get her, but does….
Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can’t tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn’t be less interested in him.
But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won’t let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all…. (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
I was really surprised and sooo hooked by the first book of this series and accordingly of this, my expectations for that book were also really high. Particularly because now it was about Beth, who though seemed to me in the first book a little bit unfriendly, but has already shown in the first part briefly, that her life isn’t anything but perfect and hence, I could understand her behavior and also her defense.

As well as also here in the second part, in which I still got a lot bigger and more exact look at Beth and her life – particularly on her mother and her relation to her, and also on her flubbed childhood, which I even wouldn’t wish my worst enemy. Therefore I can understand as already said, Beth’s reticence and her actions, which would have led to shaking my head with any other character. Beth often runs away and wants to close her eyes before problems, but then her uncle Scott gets custody for her, she has to live with him and his wife and there she gets to know the sportsman and god-boy Ryan. And, yes, here we also have found our romantic, male protagonist of the book.

First I had my problems with Ryan because he apparently has everything what one can wish for and looked rather superficial. But luckily this has changed during the book and a part for it, was probably also due to the fact that he’s a baseball player, a sports with which I have no interest in it at all. Luckily this aspect became less and less. 😉
I find Ryan was quite okay and a nice character, and then also Beth was a better, but they weren’t as awesome as the couple Noah and Echo from the first book. Unfortunately here I’ve missed this ‘wow-effect’, for which I can’t really find a reason.

Other readers often don’t like it, that in a further book you still see how happy the couple from a previous book is, when they whisper sweet nothings and kisses and so on, but I found that nice and I liked it, that Echo and Noah also showed-up it this book briefly – very briefly – and that they are still happy. I find something like that always absolutely sweet and also okay, if it’s not too much as it was here.

What has disturbed me very much was the fact that there were many clichés in the book, especially Beth, who comes from bad house, and Ryan, from a putatively intact, good and rich family. Also the bet, the reason because he has spoken at first to Beth, was not for my taste. It was not original and too similar to ‘Perfect Chemistry#1’ by Simone Elkeles, even if it has turn into a differently course.

I’m really sorry, but for me the big enthusiasm was missing, because there happened much surprising or special things in it, anyhow it was just too poor. Although I found her uncle Scott very great and it was a pity that at the end, there wasn’t more with him, or more together with him and his wife – or also that there weren’t any more occurrences with her friend Lacy, which I found also very interesting and I liked her at first sight.

At next the third book is coming out in autumn/ winter 2013‚ which will be called ‘Crash into You’, which will host the story of Isaiah. At the moment I’m not so glad about it, because right now I don’t really care much about Isaiah, but I will read it nevertheless, because I would like to conclude the whole series.

Cover Hardcover:
I like this cover as much as the first book and again, here are people on it, which fit well to the descriptions in the book (that’s not always the case ^^)

All in all:
It was a good book and all in all, I also had my fun while reading it, but nevertheless, I’m a little disappointed, because this great wow-effect was missing, which I had with the first part.

Rating:
3,5 of 5 points – (I really liked it)
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Thanks to netgalley.com for the reviewer’s copy!

© netgalley.com

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Quotes:

Chris to Ryan: „You need a girlfriend.“
Lacy: „Exactly! I’ve been saying that for months. Not an evil girlfriend. We are not doing evil again. I was tired of wearing crucifixes. I considered carrying holy water, but then I would had to sneak into a church and then-“
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Ryan: „You’re a lot like that bird in the barn. You’re so scared that you’re going to be caged in forever you can’t see the way out. You smack yourself against the wall again and again and again. The door is open, Beth. Stop running in circles and walk out.“
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Beth: ‚That must be love: when everything else in the world could implode and you wouldn’t care as long as you had that one person standing beside you.‘

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Succession:

#1 Katie McGarry – Pushing the Limits »»
#2 Katie McGarry – Dared to You »»
#3 Katie McGarry – Crash into You

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(© goodreads)

About the author – Katie McGarry:
KATIE MCGARRY was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie would love to hear from her readers. Contact her via her website, katielmcgarry.com, follow her on Twitter @KatieMcGarry, or become a fan on Facebook and Goodreads.
(Source: goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »».

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[Review] Onyx

Paperback Version

Audio Version Cover

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‚Onyx‘
by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Lux # 2

Synopsis:
Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…
Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.
Something worse than the Arum has come to town…
The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we’re linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there’s this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that’s possible. Against all common sense, I’m falling for Daemon. Hard. But then everything changes…
I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me? No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…  (Source: Goodreads.com)

My thoughts about the book:
At the moment I’m just dumbfounded and unsure what I should think about the book. I’ve really liked the first part in this sci-fi series – it was incredible – but this book had his up-and-downs.

I had my biggest problem in Onyx with Katy/ Kat/ Kitten because for me she often was very nerve-killing, undecided and mean to Daemon. Particularly at the beginning and in the middle, I could have strangled her when she has pushed him away over and over again, although he has changed himself by 180°, and has done everything for Katy. And what was she doing? – She was hanging around with another boy, only because he is supposedly normal -> very nice, Katy and so grown-up. So, yes, I think, Katy and I didn’t have become friends in this book, there it also didn’t helped, that I found her book- fanaticism and blogger-passion just great. I only hope, that she becomes more grown-up in the next book, more determined and won’t make again such stupid decisions, which concerns everybody and hurt or injure others.

And now to Daemon!! Oh, he’s my new Bookboyfriend and he’s soo adorable. *swoon* In the first part he was still quite an asshole (where we know the reason for it now), which he’s also sometimes in this book, or also narcissistic – but a witty, very charming one, who you can’t be angry with … especially not at all with his charismatic appearance, cheeky statements and with this look and body. *sigh* He’s meant for dreams, especially now when he has become really nice, sweet and caring. ♥

I’ve also liked the plot very much after the first half. At first it was too stretched, but then when the thing with Blake happened and the thing with him, Vaughn or Daemon’s brother, together with Katy, got more interesting, it even became a page-turner, for which I haven’t counted on any more.

Of course I wasn’t happy with everything that has happened in the book, but the most part, particularly the end, has worked out really great for me and also has led to the fact, that I rated the book with four points. The look-out to the next book and the unknowing and what will wait for us there, makes it for me very tingly and I can hardly wait to read on soon, because at the end there was also a little cliffhanger. I’m very curious what will happen next with Daemon and Katy or with Daemon’s brother or all around him and which role this devil underground will play in the further course.

Cover:
Very nice cover and I like it even better than the first one – probably because of the color – with violet you can’t do something wrong! 😉

All in all:
A little stretched beginning, which also made me crazy because of Katy’s behavior, but it could persuade me at the end and won me over with action and much thrilling tension. Now I want more and I wait with longing for book three, which I probably will also read very soon!

Rating:
4 of 5 points – (Great, great, great)

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Quotes:

 Jesus.” Blake rubbed his throat. “You have anger management problems. Its like a disease.”
Daemon: “There’s a cure and it’s called kicking your ass.

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Daemon pressed his forehead against mine. „Oh, I still want to strangle you. But I’m insane. You’re crazy. Maybe that’s why. We just make crazy together.“

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Daemon: „If there is anything, there is us.
You and me. No one else.“

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Succession:
0,5: Jennifer L. Armentrout – Shadows (Short Story)
#1: Jennifer L. Armentrout – Obsidian »»
#2: Jennifer L. Armentrout – Onyx »»
#3: Jennifer L. Armentrout – Opal
#4: Jennifer L. Armentrout – Origin
#5: Jennifer L. Armentrout – Untitled

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(© goodreads.com)

About the author – Jennifer L. Armentrout:
USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout lives in West Virginia. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write.
She is the author of the Covenant Series (Spencer Hill Press), the Lux Series (Entangled Teen), Don’t Look Back (Disney/Hyperion) and a yet untitled novel (Disney/Hyperion)
(Source: Goodreads.com)

Visit her Website »»

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