There is just one book which I am looking forward to this week but it is the most anticipated one for me at the moment. It is Out of Breath, the third and final book in the Breathing series by Rebecca Donovan. Celebrating this release I posted a brief note last week with some interesting info shared by the author (not spoilers, I promise) about the finale of this series and her other upcoming books. Ms Donovan posted the last sentence of Out of Breath on her Facebook page, as promised to her fans, but I am trying to show self-restraint and not to read it. I can make it two more days :)

DATE	COVER	TITLE	AUTHOR	GENRE
Jul 2		Out of Breath  (Breathing 3)	Rebecca Donovan	Young Adult

After skipping the Blog Recap last month, I am back in full swing to sum up this month of June on the blog. And I am even doing it early!

I reviewed 6 books on the blog:

I continued with my regular features - Teaser Tuesday (10, 11, 12 and 13) which is always great fun to write and New Releases.

I also started a new feature. I still don't have the proper name for it - Free Books Reviewed? It involves me reading and reviewing every month at least one book that I got for free. In my first post I reviewed Falling Stars and its accompanying novella, Stellar Evolution by Sadie Grubor. 

I also published an updated information on the Breathing series by Rebecca Donovan on the occasion of the release of the final book in the series, Out of Breath, on 2 July. 

I took part in a Release Day Event for Killing Sarai by J. A. Redmerski (and hosted my first rafflecopter giveaway) and in a promotional event for Keeping Her, a novella by Cora Carmack which completes the story of Garrick and Bliss.

This review is my first one in a new feature of the blog that I am starting. I download many free books from Amazon and because my TBR list far too long they end up pretty much forgotten. So I decided to challenge myself and to read and review at least one book that I got for free every month. I am not very good with challenges but will do my best to keep this one up. This is my way of saying thank you to the authors who give us the chance to try their books for free.

This review covers Falling Stars (Falling Stars 1), a novel and the accompanying novella, Stellar Evolution (Falling Stars 1.5)

Goodreads Blurb

'A falling, or shooting, star, is the common name for the visible path of a meteoroid if it survives impact with the Earth's surface.'

Christopher Mason, the infamous lead singer of The Forgotten, has a reputation for being 'difficult'. Harboring dark memories and the burden of a painful secret, he struggles with a past he desperately wants to destroy. Amidst this star's battle with the pull of his demons, he risks losing everything he’s built as a musician. 

Enter Mia Ryder, the head strong yet laid back, lead singer of Hushed Mentality. As the opening act for The Forgotten, Mia and her all girl rock band are sure to gain the publicity needed to sky rocket to the next level in their dream career. 

Mia's laidback personality is challenged by Chris’s plotting for their demise and removal of the 'girlie band' from 'his' tour. But even Chris's best laid plans aren't prepared for Mia. 

As the demons pull this shining star down, is the one person he wants to eliminate the only person who can save him from the collision course he is on?

My Review

As a fan rock star romance just reading the blurb and I was immediately drawn to this book. I was very happy at the beginning to discover that we have not one but two rock bands - girls vs boys. Naturally, this situation quickly progressed into girls and boys being together :) 

The story started well for me. Christopher was all dark and moody and troubled, yet I liked him as a character. I also liked Mia with her determination and feisty attitude. What I did not like very much was the weird relationship which developed between them. Their attraction to one another felt almost supernatural which I did not get at all. I understand Chris's insecurities and darkness, but I was disappointed in Mia. She just accepted his almost bipolar attitude towards her without questions or objections. I was annoyed with her passiveness, she didn't even try to rationalise things.

The middle section was the weakest for me. It felt repetitive and unnecessary extended. The same situations with slight variations were described again and again. It seems that all they characters did was sleep or rest after their performances. The relationships between all the characters didn't really move forward. Some editing and cutting back of repetitive descriptions would benefit greatly the both the plot and the character development.

I rather enjoyed the final section of the book. There was more dynamics and plot development. The conclusion was not as satisfactory as I would have liked but still I think it was a good one.

Title: Stellar Evolution (Falling Stars 1.5)
Author: Sadie Grubor
Date of publication: 20 October 2012
Genre: Contemporary Romance

My rating: 3 Stars

My Review

The accompanying novella to Falling Stars, Stellar Evolution, provided a much needed epilogue for Mia and Chris's story. It also set the stage for Jackson's story which I am looking forward too. 

I liked it better than the full novel. I liked the new, happier Chris we met here. Mia also is different, more mature and confident, which I quite liked. Their interaction is more realistic and seems authentic. 

I liked the tone of the novella and the writing style was better. There were no repetitions and the dual POVs worked better than in Falling Stars where whole scenes were just replayed from Chris't and Mia's POV. 

Stellar Evolution made up for the the almost lack of sex scenes in Falling Stars. In fact, there is over-abundance of steamy scenes some of which, despite being hot, are redundant in my opinion.

I felt really bad for the heart-broken Jackson (I liked what we saw of him in Falling Stars). I hope he gets his happy ending in his own book soon.

This post is just a brief not on the upcoming release of the final book, Out of Breath, of the Breathing series by Rebecca Donovan next week. 

It has been a long and torturous wait that is nearly over. I cannot describe how excited and a little scared I am to read the finale of this series. I really loved Reason to Breathe and Barely Breathing. I read both books last year before I started my blog, so I haven't reviewed them here. I do plan to write a review of the complete series after I finish Out of Breath.

If you haven't heard about this series, or haven't read it yet, I strongly encourage you to do it. These are YA/NA (in the third book the characters will be in college, so I guess it is NA) novels that deal with a very heavy subject - domestic violence and child abuse. They are not all dark and gloomy, though. I think they are realistic and carry a glimmer of hope for salvation through real friendship and true love. 

Not to go into too much details about book 1 and 2, I will focus more on the upcoming conclusion of the story. Ms Donovan has answered some questions about Out of Breath (no spoilers, I guarantee) on her website. What I was most excited to learn is that Jonathan will be getting his story told in a separate set of  three books and I really hope for a happy end for him. He is a rather controversial character - I feel deeply for him, yet I felt uncomfortable with the way he was introduced into Emma's life. 

I also recommend to check the soundtrack for Out of Breath suggested by Ms Donovan. All the soundtracks suggested by Ms Donovan complement wonderfully her stories. 

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
• Share the title & author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

I have modified them slightly for my Teasers. It will not be two sentences from a random page but two, usually more, sentences from the pages I have read so far that have struck me as most interesting, original or that I just happen to like a lot.

The new release I am looking forward this week is the romantic suspense novel Search Me by Katie Ashley. I have read two of her previous books - Music of the Heart (my review) and Don't Hate the Player ... Hate the Game (which I plan to review shortly). I am not a big fan of romantic suspense, so far either the romance, or the suspense did not work for me in the books I have read. I hope this one will change my opinion. 

Here is the preview package for Cora Carmack's next book, the novella Keeping Her, which completes the story of Garrick and Bliss.

If you have questions you want to ask Cora Carmack, check these two events: 

Ms Carmack together with Jay Crownover (author of Rule and Jet (Marked Men series) will be participating in a Goodreads chat on June 26. 

There will also be a FAKING IT book club on Cora’s facebook page on June 27 from 3-4 p.m. EDT

Preview Package: Cora Carmack's KEEPING HER by AvonBooks

My rating: 4 stars

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

I have modified them slightly for my Teasers. It will not be two sentences from a random page but two, usually more, sentences from the pages I have read so far that have struck me as most interesting, original or that I just happen to like a lot.

My teaser this wee comes from Shadowfever, book 5 in the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning. I have already done a teaser from Bloodfever (book 2), it was actually my first teaser :) Now I am reading the final instalment in the series, at least from Mac' POV. It is the longest one (more than 500 pages) and I have been rather slow in reading it, so I am still at 15%. All the books from this urban fantasy series are so full of memorable lines, that it is a challenge to pick just a few lines for a teaser. Here is my choice:

"I can't do this. I just went through this with my sister. Regret upon regret. Missed opportunities. Bad decisions. Grief.
How many more people will have to die before I learn how to live? He was right. I'm a walking catastrophe."


Shadowfever (Fever 5) by Karen Marie Moning

"Evil is a completely different creature, Mac. Evil is bad that believes it's good."

MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina, were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever. 

Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister’s murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals who have lived concealed among us for thousands of years. 

What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh—a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King, containing the power to create and destroy worlds. 

In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves. 

Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman haunting her dreams? More important, who is Mac herself and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card? 

From the luxury of the Lord Master’s penthouse to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac’s journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and to make a choice that will either save the world . . . or destroy it.

Author's links: Website / Facebook / Goodreads
My rating: 3,5 stars

ARC provided by IBPA via NetGalley

I read Ms Henderson's previous novel, The Davina Code (here is my review), and I loved it, so I decided to try Lingerie Wars. I definitely didn't make a mistake picking up that book. It is a funny small town romance, written in the same style as The Davina Code. 

The very opening lines had me laughing out loud - "Lake Benson's midlife crisis lasted exactly twenty-four hours. In that time he quit his career with the army and bought a lingerie shop. All things considered, he was glad the crisis hasn't lasted longer." :))) 

The rest of the book did not disappoint in terms of comic situations from just funny and amusing to downright hilarious. The whole war metaphor going throughout the book - strategies, tactics, reconnaissance, undercover operations, sabotages - provoked a whole set funny (really LOL) situations in the book. 

Generally I like the male leads more (understandably, I guess) but this time it was the opposite. I found Kristy a really attractive character. I could relate to her struggles to keep her business, her anxiety about her body, dealing with her unexpected and quickly developing feelings for Lake. 

I liked Lake as well, though just as Kristy, I found his overconfidence and smugness overwhelming and annoying at times. He is determined and relentless in pursuing Kristy, yet we are never given insight into his mind - why he is so drawn to her. We see how Kristy's feeling for Lake develop gradually, but not vice versa. At the beginning she was just a challenge, courting her was an amusement of sorts, then at some point it became a matter of true, one-in-a-lifetime love. What I missed is how this happened, the realisation on Lake's part of the change of his feelings for Kristy, his awareness of the true nature of their relationship. 

The new release for me this week is Killing Sarai by J. A. Redmerski. I liked, The Edge of Always by the same author, so I am thinking of giving it a try as well. Killing Sarai is a romantic suspense novel, not my favourite genre, but the blurb sounds intriguing. While you wait for the release of Killing Sarai, you can check some exclusive excerpts at Aestas Book Blog and Vilma's Book Blog.

Title: Seal of Honor (HORNET 1)

Author: Tonya Burrows
Date of publication: 28 May 2013
Genre: Romantic suspense
Author's links: Goodreads / Website / Facebook 

My rating: 3 stars

As the death toll rises, Gabe’s team of delinquents must figure out how to work together long enough to save the day. Or, at least, not get themselves killed. Because Gabe’s finally found something worth living for, and God help him if he can’t bring her brother back alive.

I was a bit surprised that this book is romantic suspense rather than true romance like the blurb suggests. I enjoyed some aspects of it not as many as I would have liked. 

The suspense or action/adventure element was interesting and held my attention. I am not a big fan of this type of books, I prefer action movies instead, so I cannot judge how realistic the whole hostage rescue situation was, still I enjoyed it. 

The best thing in this book for me were the interactions in the HORNET team and the whole process of coming together as a team. The character portrayal definitely sets the stage for future novels, as this looks like it is going to be a series. I am particularly curious about Quinn's story. 

While I enjoyed the supporting characters and the little snippets into their lives which we were given, I was rather disappointed with the Hero and the Heroine. I really couldn't connect with either of them. Their love affair seemed completely out of place and unrealistic. Neither Gabe, nor Audrey were presented as players but they met and instantly fell for one another. They were placed under some pretty intense circumstances, yet all they could think about was sex. I can honestly say that the whole romantic aspect of this book didn't work for me. 

I was not particularly impressed with this book and since romantic suspense is not my favourite genre, it is unlikely that I will continue with this series, except maybe to check out Quinn's book.

Title: Piece of My Heart 

Author: Lynn Madelenna Menna
Date of publication: 18 June 2013
Genre: Young Adult

My rating: 2.5 stars

ARC provided by Merit Press via Netgalley

Goodreads Blurb

Still in high school, Marisol Reyes gets the chance of a lifetime to be a real singer, and she leaps at it. After all, this is the dream she held on to, all the days and nights she spent growing up on means streets of East Harlem. Marisol never gave in--no matter what her boyfriend or her best friend had to say. Who cares if only one in a hundred pretty, talented girls make it? She will be the one. In her rush to fame, Marisol tramples on the heart of her loyal best friend, and Julian, the boy she loves. But will it be worth it?

One night at a private gig in the Hamptons, the little Latino girl with the big voice from East Harlem gets a severe reality check. A famous rapper who claims to be interested in her talents turns out to be interested in something else, threatening not only Marisol's dreams but her body and soul. Will the realities of the gritty New York music scene put out the stars in Marisol's eyes forever?

My Review

The story had a lot of potential but I feel it did not lived up fully to it. The whole book has a very high school vibe, despite the characters having just graduated. I was hesitant at first, but gradually I started to like the voice of the heroine, Marisol. She is struggling to start a musical career while maintaining her friendships with the people from her childhood. 

Ms Mena tells a story about growing up, the changes you and your friends undergo while trying to find your place in the world. Like I said, it has a lot of potential to explore these issues, but most of them are just skimmed through, without giving the reader any depth into the life of the characters. The focus seems to be on appearances (I do realize how important is one's style in the music/show business, but still it I find it too much in the book). There was also a lot of attention paid to petty gossiping and quarrels between friends and not enough on the motivations and reasons behind the actions of the characters. 

The characters were underdeveloped and fell flat. I also feel there was a lot of going back and forth in Marisol's relationships.  

The story is deeply rooted in New York but as non-New-Yorker I found it difficult to relate to most of the local references. I suppose, people actually living in New York would appreciate this locale colouring in the novel much more.

Having said that, I still enjoyed the book. It has a positive and uplifting feel to it. I could recommend it for a younger audience, though (teenagers and young adults).

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. I learned about it from my friend Nix at Unraveling Words. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! 

• Share the title & author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

"I smiled, swished my frilly skirt, and glanced at the front entrance as the door swung open. Another cloud of smoke rolled in through the door. Like he was stepping out of the fog, Cade appeared. My twenty-four-hour, pretend-we-met-in-a-library, mom-hugging, golden-boy-boyfriend. "

Mackenzie “Max” Miller has a problem. Her parents have arrived in town for a surprise visit, and if they see her dyed hair, tattoos, and piercings, they just might disown her. Even worse, they’re expecting to meet a nice, wholesome boyfriend, not a guy named Mace who has a neck tattoo and plays in a band. All her lies are about to come crashing down around her, but then she meets Cade.

Cade moved to Philadelphia to act and to leave his problems behind in Texas. So far though, he’s kept the problems and had very little opportunity to take the stage. When Max approaches him in a coffee shop with a crazy request to pretend to be her boyfriend, he agrees to play the part. But when Cade plays the role a little too well, they’re forced to keep the ruse going. And the more they fake the relationship, the more real it begins to feel.

There are two books I am looking forward which are coming out this week. The first one is the final book in the Too Far series by Abbi Glines, completing the story of Blaire and Rush. I really liked the first book and was not happy with the second, so I hope the third one will remedy things and Ms Glines will give Blaire and Rush the beautiful HEA they deserve.

The second book coming out this week, (on the day of my birthday, btw) is Lingerie Wars by Janet Elizabeth Henderson. I loved Ms Henderson's book The Davina Code, and from reading just the first pages of my ARC copy of Lingerie Wars, I expect to love this one as well.