Zuzana Fabianová's Blog, page 9

BESEDA+KRST: Jozef Karika – Trhlina

CREDIT TO: https://www.facebook.com/fotografkama...

Určite je všetkým známe, že rada chodievam na besedy s autormi. Práve preto som si nenechala ujsť stretnutie so slovenským autorom Jozefom Karikom. Uviedol do života svoju najnovšiu knihu s názvom Trhlina. Knihu mám už prečítanú a poviem vám, je to poriadny horor. Ak sa radi bojíte a ste fanúšikmi napätia, tak kniha je určená práve vám. Ale pekne poporiadku. Vo štvrtok (20. októbra) som sa vybrala do bratislavského Martinusu. Už som zažila nejednu autorovu besedu, tak som vedela, že si mám pripraviť bránicu, pretože to bude poriadne vtipné. Samozrejme,  nemýlila som sa. Moderátorom večera bol Juraj Šlesár, ktorý sa svojej úlohy zhostil bravúrne. Ale, aby som vás nezdržiavala, pretože určite ste zvedaví na besedu, tak tu je. Určite sa zasmejete a zistíte, že isté zákutia Slovenska sú skutočne tajomné.

Erin Watt – Twisted palace (The Royals #3)

*IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE PREVIOUS TWO BOOKS IN THE SERIES THE REVIEW CAN CONTAIN MINOR SPOILERS*

First thoughts after the reading: a perfect ending to a perfect series

Erin Watt is a pen name for the authors Jen Frederick and Elle Kennedy. I love both authors so when I found out that they are writing together I got pretty excited. I love their writing style separately , but together they are even better. The Royals series quickly became one of my absolutely favorite series of all times.

Twisted palace picks up right where Broken prince finished. Brooke is dead. Reed is charged with murder and Steve is back. Everything is going to hell. Ella doesn’t know how to help her boyfriend. Her dad is here and it feels so strange. But the main problem is Reed’s arrest. She wants to believe him, but this little voice in her head whispers to her all the inappropriate thoughts. All the what ifs are killing her.

The world’s fucked up when East is the calm one, while my heart is beating so hard it feels like it’ll leap out of my chest. I shove a hand through my hair and glare at the lights, willing the elevator to move faster.

The book is full of tension, anxiety and many more. It makes you feel a lot of emotions. I was scared, I cried, I laughed at times. There were moments where I had this huge smile on my face. The story is so well thought out. There were times when I thought: “Why would Jen and Elle mention this? Is it important?” And then I got the answer. All things in the story are essential to it. When I thought that I have figured things out, everything changes. I felt desperate at times, like I wanted to help Reed, Ella and all the others. I was on the edge most of the reading. It was like that dangerous exciting rollercoaster you don’t want to get off. After the reading I just sat in my room and couldn’t clear my thoughts. My mind was like a hurricane, such a mess. Even now I can’t comprehend some things which happened in the book, because I never expected authors to go that road, but they did and I applaud them for that.

And I see her. Ella Harper is all I’m ever going to see, because she’s my future. She’s my steel and my fire and my salvation.

Reed is not the usual boy next door type of character. He is explosive, aggressive, but in the same time he has this hidden sweet side, which not many know.  I didn’t like him at first. He was a mystery to me and I just couldn’t seem to figure him out. But now that I know him better I absolutely love him. The main reason is that he is in no means perfect. He has ups and downs and sometimes I really don’t get what he is thinking, but all in all he is such a complex character. I really like his protectiveness and the fact that he always – ALWAYS – stands up for his brothers. Sometimes he makes the worst decisions, but on the other hand he is willing to sacrifice himself for others. It´s like there are two people in him and that makes him unique in my eyes.

Reed’s not the destroyer. He’s never destroyed anything in his life; he’s always been the protector, even at this moment when he battles his own lust for control.

I absolutely adore Ella. She had to go through hell and more to be happy and even now it can be taken away from her. She will do everything to prove that Reed is innocent. She feels like she is the only one who completely believes, that he is not a murderer. I just love how badass she is. Her life is not easy and even now she is struggling with some things. On top of all her father comes back from death. She is confused and doesn’t know what to do or think. Steve is a stranger to her. I absolutely understand her attitude. She has developed this strong personality. She doesn’t take anything for granted. She just learned what it means to have a real family, but circumstances are threating to take everything away from her. So she fights and she fights hard.

I can’t remember the last time I cared whether or not my father was disappointed in me. But … I kind of care right now.

There are some huge surprises For me the biggest is Dinah. She is mostly a bitch in the book, but in the end – holy Gods – she does such an unexpected thing that I needed to re-read it. That moment showed me that she can make right decisions. I really hated her during reading, but the thing she did was really brave. Honestly, I kind of started to feel sorry for her. She is not a good person, but she can make some good choices when the situation needs it.

Contrary to what you believe, the world does not revolve around you. I’ve been Ella’s guardian for months. I’ve clothed her and fed her and made sure her every need is met. At the moment, I am the closest thing this girl has to a father.

Since the moment Steve appeared in the story I had a feeling he is bad news. So many questions circle around him. I didn’t like him at all. He tries to be a father, but fails terribly. It makes me so mad how he treats Ella. I try to understand him, but no matter how hard I try I just don’t get him. He knew he has a daughter, but he never tried to contact her or get to know her and now he is playing the great daddy. Sorry, Steve, it didn’t click for me.

There was this one moment when I thought that everything is lost. I felt desperate and sad. Everything appeared like there is no way out. This single moment left me in tears, because up till then I had this slight bit of hope. The tension made me so miserable. And then the ending came and I was left open mouthed. The conclusion hit me so hard I needed to read it several times to really understand what happened. More secrets are revealed, some really big ones. The story ripped my heart open. I was so relieved with the ending it’s not even funny.

credit to: https://thecrazyworldofabooklover.wor...

“I told Val once that you and I are mirrors,” Ella whispers to me. “That we fit in some weird way.”

Twisted palace in a great ending to an amazing series. It has it all, humor, sadness, tension, anxiety, hot scenes, a little bit of romance and incredible characters. The story is about finding a way out of a hopeless situation. It is about friendship, family and how standing up for others is really important in life. How two completely different people come to know each other and fall in love. The series really got under my skin.

The characters are in no means perfect, but that makes them more unique. There is no one who really went on my nerves. Yes, I hated some of them, but nevertheless they added a special spark to the story. I really hope there will be a spin-off series, because I think there is so much more to tell. Keeping my fingers crossed.

ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

COVER REVEAL: Grasping air (Flipped #2) by Carrie Aarons

Today, we have the gorgeous cover for Carrie Aarons Grasping Air. Check it out and add it to your to-read list today!

Title: Grasping Air

Author: Carrie Aarons

Release Date: October 23rd 2016

Genre: Sports Romance

About Grasping Air:

We were the seconds after a grip released the bar, body floating through the air with nervous wonder. Would we successfully grab it again, or would we hit the mat, shattered and defeated?

Peyton Adams learned a long time ago that selfish and detached is the only way to be in life. What most people call shameless or obnoxious behavior, she considers key to getting where she needs to go. Most disapproving of all? USA Gymnastics’ golden boy with an eight-pack, Jared Hargrove. After being cut from the women’s team right before Rio, Peyton is back on the post-Summer Games tour. Not only is she the only one without a gold medal, but her history with Jared won’t stay buried for long.

Control and good manners; the two things drilled into Jared Hargrove’s head from birth. As a four-time gold medalist, he’s always obeyed the rules and reaped the reward. Well, except for the whirlwind week four years ago in London when wild-child Peyton Adams finally got under his skin, and into his bed. She broke his heart, and he hasn’t removed the ice wall around it since. Now she’s back to redeem herself to the world of gymnastics, and it seems, to push his buttons more than ever.

After years of resentment and heartache, can they repair a relationship so badly broken that most people wouldn’t even try? Or will they continue to fall, grasping at any last emotion before they finally collapse?

About Carrie Aarons:

Author of romance novels such as Red Card and the Captive Heart Duet, Carrie Aarons writes sexy, swoony and sarcastic characters who won’t get out of her head until she puts them down on a page.

Carrie has wanted to be an author since the first time she opened a book. She loves spinning tales that include dapper men, women with attitude, and the occasional hunky athlete.

When she isn’t in what her husband calls a “writing coma”, Carrie is freeing up her jam-packed DVR, starting her latest DIY project, or planning her next travel adventure. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, who is more than happy to watch sports while his wife plots love stories.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/carrieaarons
Twitter: www.twitter.com/authorcarriea
Website: www.carrieaarons.com
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1USXnLP
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Enter Carrie’s Giveaway:

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John Grisham – Osamelý strelec

Prvé myšlienky bezprostredne po dočítaní: nebolo to zlé, ale miestami som sa skutočne nudila

Osamelý strelec je prvou knihou, ktorú som od autora Johna Grishama čítala. Anotácia ma zaujala, a tak som po ňom neváhala siahnuť. Aj keď je úvod vlažný, postupne si ma kniha získala. Teda skôr menej ako viac, no určite neľutujem, že som si ju prečítala.

Ako spoločnosť síce veríme, že človek obvinený zo závažného zločinu má právo na spravodlivý proces, ale keď príde na lámanie chleba, je ťažké nájsť schopného právnika, ktorý by zaručil, že proces bude naozaj spravodlivý.

Dej sa sústreďuje okolo právnika Sebastiana Rudda, ktorý opisuje rôznorodosť svojho povolania. Kniha je akýmsi rozprávaním o tom, s akými ľuďmi sa počas vykonávania svojej práce stretol. Spočiatku som sa nevedela z hlavného hrdinu vysomáriť, keďže som sa o ňom veľa nedozvedela. Na základe jeho práce som usúdila, že je neodbytný, tvrdohlavý a ide za svojím cieľom. Je mizerný otec a ešte horší manžel. Pre mňa je takou obyčajnou postavou, ktorá nevytŕča.

Na ceste k spravodlivosti je plno prekážok a nástražných mín, väčšinu vytvorili práve muži a ženy, ktorí vyhlasujú, že im ide len o spravodlivosť.

Veľkým mínusom knihy je absentujúci dej. Je rozdelená na viac častí a každá hovorí o inom Sebastianovom prípade. Veľmi ťažko som sa začítavala. Prvých niekoľko strán bol čistý opis, čo vo mne nezanechalo dobré dojmy. Túžobne som očakávala, kedy sa objaví nejaký dialóg. Chvála bohu, dočkala som sa. A vtedy to už nabralo iné obrátky. Miestami som bola až prekvapená, ako ma to nútilo čítať ďalej. Ale aj toto zlepšenie celkový dojem veľmi nezdvihlo.

Starý skúsený právnik raz povedal, že v deň, keď vojde do súdnej siene a zastane čelom k porote bez strachu, bude najvyšší čas skončiť.

Čo sa autorovi musí nechať, je jeho štýl písania. Keď sa objavili už spomínané dialógy, príbeh nabral na intenzite, pretože strieda prípady, a tak vyvoláva v čitateľovi napätie. Keď chcete vedieť, ako sa jeden skončí musíte sa najprv predrať iným prípadom, aby ste sa dostali k tomu, čo vás reálne zaujíma. Čo ma milo prekvapilo, boli nečakané zvraty. No potom prišlo ďalšie hluché miesto a bola som na tom istom mieste ako predtým. Ešte som nečítala žiadnu knihu z právnického prostredia, takže neviem, či to je práve námetom, alebo spracovaním, no asi sa k takýmto príbehom vracať nebudem.

Právnik ako ja je nútený pracovať v tieni. Mojich oponentov chránia odznaky, uniformy a iné symboly štátnej moci Prisahali, že budú chrániť zákon, je to ich povinnosť, ale keďže švindľujú, ako sa dá, musím švindľovať aj ja.

Aj napriek svojim nedostatkom nie je Osamelý strelec zlá kniha. Je to príbeh na jedno posedenie, na ktorý – síce – rýchlo zabudnete, ale skutočne stojí za prečítanie. Ak máte radi autorove knihy a chcete sa presvedčiť, či príbeh je taký, ako som ho opísala ja, neváhajte a prečítajte si ho.

Za poskytnutie recenznej e-knihy ďakujem vydavateľstvu IKAR.

                                                                Moje hodnotenie:

Elle Kennedy – The Goal (Off-campus #4)

First thoughts after reading: this story just blew me away

I was so excited when I found out that Tucker is getting his book. However, I was surprised that his heroine will be Sabrina. She didn’t leave the best first impression in the second book so I was pretty curious. What I got really shocked me. I wasn’t expecting this.

The Goal is the fourth installment in the Off-campus series by the American author Elle Kennedy. In the previous books, we didn’t get to know Tucker very much. He was just a friend. But deep down, I knew that there is something more to him. And – oh my god – was I right.

Figures I’d have a one-night stand with the last remaining gentleman on this planet.

At first I was a little suspicious of Sabrina. I didn’t know anything about her. She was just a girl who managed to catch Tucker’s eye. I thought that I won’t like her. But she proved me wrong. Yes, she is the type of character you either love or hate – nothing in between. When I first met her in the series I thought she was a total bitch. But that was just because I didn’t know her at all. And now after The Goal I understand her. There were some of her decisions I didn’t relate to, but under those circumstances they are understandable. But I would try to do something else. Sabrina’s life is no piece of cake. Her only goal? Get to Harvard and be the best lawyer. But not all dreams and wishes come true. Something unexpected happens and she is put before the hardest decision of her life. Not to mention that guy called John Tucker is invading her thoughts too often… One passionate night leaves Sabrina pregnant. None of them is ready to raise a child. But the child is here. And a decision has to be made.

It doesn’t matter how thin or thick anyone’s wallet is. We all hurt. We all love. We’re the same. And your past, who you live with, where you came from, it doesn’t have to matter. You’re creating your own future, and I want to see where the road forward takes you.

I loved almost everything about this book. The main couple, the supporting characters, the humor, the emotional side of the story and like a cherry on the top there is Elle’s amazingly captivating writing style. I really couldn’t put it down. Nevertheless, there were some parts during which/when I wanted to jump. I didn’t like Sabrina’s best friends. For some reason they didn’t click with me. There was this one scene where I just rolled my eyes because of their behavior. I was like: “Come on, Sabrina needs your support not your judgement!” I pretty much think that Elle likes to torture her readers. Makes them relive certain passages from her story over and over again. I knew when the book takes place, but I didn’t realize one thing! How heartbroken I would be. In that very moment, I needed to put the book down because I was unable to read through my tears. This scene is so beautifully written it touched me so much. I truly enjoyed the story. I loved the tension between Tuck and Sabrina. The realization that not everything is supposed to stay the same. That people should welcome changes.

And he’s not the distraction I thought he would be. When I need quiet, he gives it to me. When I need fun, he’s there with a ready smile.

Some might think that Sabrina is coldhearted. At first she appeared like that to me too. But then I got to know what is behind her façade. Her life is not a walk through a rose garden. She worked too hard to be where she is. I just knew that under her mask there is a loving and caring person. She is just too scared to show her feelings. Sometimes I just wanted to shake her, so she would come to her senses. It is a really slow process, but she gets there eventually.  I If I have to be honest, I kind of hated her. But she redeemed herself. On the outside, she might look cold and distant, but on the inside she is different. I really understand her fear of commitment and feelings and all that stuff. She didn’t grow up in a very pleasant environment. Such things leave marks on person. Sabrina changed a lot through the story. She learned many things and in the end she managed to accept them.

To Sabrina, tears are a sign of weakness, and she can’t stand being viewed as anything less than Amazonian.

It doesn’t happen a lot that I absolutely hate a character. I try to find some good in everyone, but this one just doesn’t have a nice side. Ray – Sabrina’s stepfather – is such an asshole. And that’s the nicest word I could come up with.  Every time he appeared in the story I just wanted to punch him, for his rudeness, for the way he treated people, for his coldheartedness, for his selfishness. That man is just ugh.

But the one thing I know about Sabrina – pushing her gets you the opposite result of what you’re hoping for. I get it, though. She’s been on her own all her life.

I wish that Garrett and co. would be in the book more. I just love the whole gang. They are so grown up, preparing for the future. I like that I got the chance to see them mature. It’s not just about fun and girls and hockey anymore. It’s about finding their way in life, preparing for the life after college. And to top it all, I got to know Fitzy a little more. Colin Fitzgerald is one of those guys that you fall for immediately. I still want to know more about him.

You’re the only one for me. My sun rises and sets on your smile. My heart beats because yours does.

And the absolutely best part of the book, the highlight, is John Tucker. That guy is just amazing. You know that saying: “It’s always the silent ones.” In the previous books I didn’t get to know Tucker much. I assumed some things, but they were still assumptions. But in his book I got all the answers I needed. From the very beginning to the very end I was literally swooning. Tuck is simply every woman’s dream come true. The thing I love about him the most is his gentlemanliness. He is such a caring sweetheart. He treats Sabrina like a queen, his queen. I envied her so much. He is by her side no matter what. No matter how often she tried to push him away, he stayed and showed her that she can rely on him. This is the type of guy Tucker is. As he says: “That’s how my momma raised me.” He has his own dreams. And when the circumstances get harder, he tries to make everything work. Tuck is my favorite from the guys. I liked him before, but in this book I fell for him completely. He has to work hard to win Sabrina, but he doesn’t give up. It’s not like he is stalking her. He takes his time to convince her that what he feels for her is real.

This isn’t how I planned my life to be, at least not this soon, but I wouldn’t give it up for all the gold in the world.

The Goal is similar to the previous books in so many things but at the same time it’s so different. The guys are off college living their own lives. And despite the fact that they live in different parts of the country they still manage to stay close friends. That is another thing I love about this story, the friendship. No matter how bad the things are, they manage to work it out and stand by each other’s sides.

My goal, once upon a time, was to succeed. I didn’t realize that success wasn’t grades or scholarships or achievements, but the people I was lucky enough to have in my life.

The Goal is about embracing the unexpected and learning to live with it. To learn to trust people and open up to them. It is about realizing, that you can have your goals figured out but the destiny has something else in mind for you. During reading I laughed, I cried, I blushed, because the intimate scenes are so hot. This is that kind of book you don’t want your parents to know about. I so hope this is not the last Off-campus book. There is a little hint in the story, but I can’t be certain. We will see. For now I will just remember the awesomeness that is this book.

ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

BLOG TOUR: Monica Murphy – Just friends (Just friends #1)

Just Friends by Monica Murphy
Release Date: September 13th, 2016

Genre: New Adult Romance

Synopsis:

It’s the end of summer. Just before I start senior year with my two best friends in the whole world. Dustin and Emily are everything to me. We’ve been inseparable since middle school, and when we’re together, nothing can go wrong.

But things aren’t always what they seem. Em’s turned into a drunken mess who parties too much. Dustin and I have hooked up a few times―and now he’s ready to take our relationship to the next level. Yet I’m not sure I want things to change. I’m scared if I take it any further with Dustin, our friendship will be ruined forever. Then there’s Ryan. The new guy. He’s hot. He flirts way too much. And Em has totally set her sights on him.

So when my best friend betrays me in the worst possible way, guess who’s there to help me pick up the pieces of my broken heart? Ryan. But he’s so confusing. Annoying. Sweet. Sexy. I want to trust him, yet he makes it so hard. What I really want is for everything to go back to the way it was before.

Before I found out that best friends make the worst kind of enemies.

Add to Goodreads

 

Buy Links:

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About the Author:

Monica Murphy is the New York Times, USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of the One Week Girlfriend series, the Billionaire Bachelors and The Rules series. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and has sold over one million copies worldwide. She is both self-published and published by Random House/Bantam and Harper Collins/Avon. She writes new adult, young adult and contemporary romance.

She is a wife and a mother of three who lives in central California on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere along with their one dog and too many cats. A self-confessed workaholic, when she’s not writing, she’s reading or hanging out with her husband and kids. She’s a firm believer in happy endings, though she will admit to putting her characters through angst-filled moments before they finally get that hard won HEA.

Connect with Monica:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonicaMurphyauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MsMonicaMurphy

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2c9ViiI

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2bRP5bR

Website: http://monicamurphyauthor.com

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/IW5U0y

 

REVIEW

First thoughts after reading: I loved the reality of the story

Just friends is the new story from American author Monica Murphy. At first I was a little hesitant about it. But it’s Monica, so I grabbed it and was surprised how great it was. The book is full of betrayal, figuring out who you are, moments which confuse you a little. But the story got under my skin. The variety of characters is a great aspect to the storyline. You just don’t know what to expect from them.

The book tells the story of Olivia, who came home from summer at her father’s house. She has the feeling something is different. That something changed while she was away. Her best friend Emily barely talks to her. She didn’t talk to her even  when she was away. Liv discovers that Em is not like she used to be. She parties too hard, gets drunk too often. She is not like the girl Olivia left at home. She wonders what happened. What can possibly be the reason for her behavior? And there is Dustin. Great, handsome, caring, sweet Dustin. Guy with who she is more than friends. Liv doesn’t want to take their relationship further, but he has something else in mind. Apart from everything there is also Ryan. Em’s summer fling or something like that. Olivia doesn’t like him. But there is something interesting about him. Something, that makes her want him. When she discovers how Dustin and Emily betrayed her, she is broken. She can‘t comprehend why would they do that. Exactly at that time Ryan helps her as much as he can. But this is just the beginning, because friends really make the worst enemies.

At first I thought that I wouldn’t like the story. I couldn’t relate to the characters. I said to myself: “Why on Earth would you do that to your long term friend? Are you insane or what?” But the characters are teenagers, so they act improperly. They can be selfish. Ignorant. They don’t care whether they hurt someone or not. I think this is why Dustin and Em did what they did. They didn’t look at the consequences. They probably didn’t think at all.

Olivia is a typical teenage girl, who is scared of changes. She wants things to be as they are. She can’t imagine taking the next step with Dustin, but he is so forceful. He tries to persuade her to do as he wishes. Liv is stubborn and if I was her I would do exactly the same thing. She doesn’t want to lose his friendship. But on the other hand, Dustin is the guy she always wanted. This confuses me a little. Because her other action didn’t make her really smart. She wants to be with him, but still doesn’t want to be with him. This made me crazy. But I was a teenager too, I have made some awkward decisions, some things I regret doing, so I could relate to her at this point. Sometimes I felt sorry for her, because it is hard to watch one of your closest friends turn on you and make hell out of your life. I can’t wait to read more about what actually happened in the next book.

The character I like the most is Dustin. Yes, he can be pushy and moody and jealous, but exactly these features make him so authentic, so real and this is the kind of character I grow to love. I understand his intentions to take things with Liv further. They have known each other for so long. There is this saying from my fav book that says: “Love is friendship set on fire.” I really hoped that this would be the case of these two, because nevertheless how things were between them at some point I wanted them together. But things got complicated and I was slowly losing my hope.

I didn’t like Emily at first. I thought that she is the worst best friend ever. But a small voice in my head kept telling me that there is more about her. So I didn’t give up on her. And now I still don’t understand her actions. Personally I think that she envied Liv at some point. Em’s life isn’t as happy as everyone thinks. She is that type of friend I wouldn’t want in my life. She says that she loves Liv, but her actions speak otherwise. I think her main problem with Olivia is that in Em’s eyes she gets what she wants even without asking. And Em envies her. It now makes sense. She would do everything to be in Olivia’s shoes. So she betrays her in the worst way possible. I so can’t wait to learn more about her.

Ryan is the typical mysterious, cocky boy who you don’t want to mess with. My opinion about him changed during the story a lot, because his character was changing too. At first I didn’t like him. He was arrogant and persistent. But not everything is just black and white. And this is exactly how Ryan is. He is colorful. He can make terrible choices and really great ones. I started to root for him and Liv and then the end happened. I freaking need the second book like right now.

I’m so curious about Amanda and Tuttle. Their interactions are so amazing that I can’t imagine them being apart. Amanda is the type of girl you want to have as your best friend. At first she is secretive and doesn’t give anything up, but later she learns that she can rely on others. Well, Tuttle is a mystery for me. That guy is like a closed and unread book. I can’t wait to learn more about him. I like Amanda’s and Liv’ friendship. It started of slow, but as the story went on they became good friends. At first I thought that Am would be just some kind of replacement for Emily, but I was terribly wrong.

Just friends is like modern Beverly Hills 902 10. It is so well written. I read it on one strike. The story includes a lot of drama, troubles among friends, some fun parts that make you laugh so hard. It is also about betrayal, which you don’t expect, especially from friends. It is about unexpected choices and most unpredictable life moments. I just love the story so much. It is so realistic and the characters act like real people. We all went through some teenage drama in our lives, so most of us can relate to this story really much. And this is one of the many reasons why this book grew on me. But despite all the good things there were parts I had some troubles to get through. Em acting like a total bitch. If I would be in Liv’s shoes I wouldn’t let Emily go that far. Ryan running after Olivia like she is some kind of trophy. Yes, they relationship changed, but the beginning makes me mad. I just wanted to shake Ryan to stop acting like an idiot. These are the little things that bugged me. As much as I wanted to understand certain actions they went beyond me.

Monica also wrote a prequel to Just friends called One night. It is free on wattpad. In One night she introduces the characters to the readers, so they get a more complex view on them. I will definitely read this while I wait for the sequel.

ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

RELEASE BLITZ: Monica Murphy – Just friends (Just friends #1)

Just Friends by Monica Murphy
Release Date: September 13th, 2016

Genre: New Adult Romance

Synopsis:

It’s the end of summer. Just before I start senior year with my two best friends in the whole world. Dustin and Emily are everything to me. We’ve been inseparable since middle school, and when we’re together, nothing can go wrong.

But things aren’t always what they seem. Em’s turned into a drunken mess who parties too much. Dustin and I have hooked up a few times―and now he’s ready to take our relationship to the next level. Yet I’m not sure I want things to change. I’m scared if I take it any further with Dustin, our friendship will be ruined forever. Then there’s Ryan. The new guy. He’s hot. He flirts way too much. And Em has totally set her sights on him.

So when my best friend betrays me in the worst possible way, guess who’s there to help me pick up the pieces of my broken heart? Ryan. But he’s so confusing. Annoying. Sweet. Sexy. I want to trust him, yet he makes it so hard. What I really want is for everything to go back to the way it was before.

Before I found out that best friends make the worst kind of enemies.

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Buy Links:

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About the Author:

Monica Murphy is the New York Times, USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of the One Week Girlfriend series, the Billionaire Bachelors and The Rules series. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and has sold over one million copies worldwide. She is both self-published and published by Random House/Bantam and Harper Collins/Avon. She writes new adult, young adult and contemporary romance.

She is a wife and a mother of three who lives in central California on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere along with their one dog and too many cats. A self-confessed workaholic, when she’s not writing, she’s reading or hanging out with her husband and kids. She’s a firm believer in happy endings, though she will admit to putting her characters through angst-filled moments before they finally get that hard won HEA.

Connect with Monica:

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/MsMonicaMurphy

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Website: http://monicamurphyauthor.com

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Joy Fieldingová – Nie je tam

Prvá myšlienka bezprostredne po dočítaní: život vie byť niekedy neskutočne krutý

O Joy Fieldingovej som počula iba dobré veci, no aj napriek tomu som doposiaľ od nej nič nečítala. Do rúk sa mi dostala jej najnovšia kniha – Nie je tam -, od ktorej som nechcela mať veľké očakávania. Často sa mi stáva, že keď čakám od príbehu veľa, zostávam sklamaná. Ale toto nie je prípad tejto knihy. Hoci som spočiatku bola skeptická, autorka si ma svojím písaním a dejom získala, a tak knihe môžem dať obrovský palec hore.

Nie je tam rozpráva príbeh Caroline Shipleyovej, ktorej pred pätnástimi rokmi z hotela v Mexiku unesú dvojročnú dcéru Samanthu. Polícia ju aj jej manžela podozrieva, že s tým majú niečo spoločné. Caroline stále dúfa, že sa jej milované dievčatko vráti tam, kam patrí. Osud jej pod nohy hádže nejedno poleno, a tak sa Caroline musí vyrovnať nielen so stratou dcéry, ale aj s opovrhnutím celej spoločnosti.

„Čo myslíš, ako je tam? Teda, v nebi…?“ Michelle sa hlasno nadýchla, plecia sa jej nadvihli od námahy. Prehovorila až o pár sekúnd. „Podľa ma má v nebi každý čistý štít a všetky dávne omyly sú zabudnuté,“ začala a hovorila čoraz silnejšie. „Myslím, že v nebi sa stane človek takým, akým vždy túžil byť.“ Znova sa nadýchla. „Nebo je podľa mňa miesto, kde sa človeku splnia sny.“

Kniha sa číta prakticky sama. Keď som sa raz začítala, mala som obrovský problém ju odložiť. Príbeh nedáva priestor na nejaké obrovské zvraty, už od začiatku viete, ako sa všetko skončí. No aj napriek tomu je Nie je tam skutočne výborným čítaním, ktoré vo vás vyvolá obrovskú škálu emócií. V úvode ma postavy doslova rozčuľovali. Hovorila som si: „Keby tak použili viac rozumu.“ Avšak práve spôsob, akým sa zachovali, ich robí realistickejší. Každý robí omyly a ten ich ich stál dcéru. Trochu som mala problém s tým, ako sa s tou stratou vyrovnali. Čakala som čosi trošku iné, že k tomu pristúpia so zdvihnutou hlavou a zomkne ich to a s nádejou budú pátrať po Samanthe, no všetko sa vyvinulo inak a mne to trhalo srdce. Nie je ťažké vcítiť sa do postáv. Obaja majú na tom, čo sa stalo, svoj podiel viny, ale to neustále obviňovanie skutočne k ničomu neviedlo.

V príbehu sú rôznorodé postavy, no najviac si ma získala Carolinina staršia dcéra – Michelle. Jej sarkazmus a trefné poznámky mi neraz vyčarili úsmev na perách. Na začiatku mi prišla ako rozmaznané decko, ktoré si vyžaduje matkinu pozornosť, no ako príbeh napredoval, menila sa a s tým aj môj názor na ňu. Chcela, aby sa všetko dalo do poriadku. Bála sa o Caroline. Nechcela, aby ju zas ďalšia osoba využila. Možno to dávala najavo naozaj zvláštnym spôsobom, ale aj napriek tomu chcela matke len dobre.

Pravda je krásna, krása pravdivá – je všetko, čo vieš a čo vedieť treba.

Najväčším prekvapením bol pre mňa záver. Keďže som ani v najmenšom nepredpokladala, že Samanthin únosca je ten, kto to nakoniec bol, príjemne ma tento zvrat ohúril. Hoci som túto postavu v istom okamihu podozrievala, nakoniec som sama seba presvedčila, že to bude určite niekto iný. Avšak nebol a ja tlieskam autorke, že ma dokázala aj v takomto dejovo jednoduchom príbehu prekvapiť.  Nie je tam je príbeh o obrovskej strate, ktorá môže človeka položiť, a má pocit, že už nedokáže ďalej žiť. O tom, že ak v niečo silno veríte, môže sa to stať skutočnosťou. O obavách, ktoré vo vás vyvolajú prehnane ochranárske sklony. Čo tu vôbec nebolo na škodu. Taktiež je to aj o tom, ako jedna udalosť dokáže nenapraviteľne rozvrátiť rodinu.

Som rada, že som túto autorku objavila, a istotne to nie je posledná kniha, ktorú si od nej prečítam.

Za poskytnutie recenzného ebooku ďakujem vydavateľstvu IKAR.

Moje hodnotnenie:

M. S. Forceová – Cnosť (Quantum #1)

Prvá myšlienka bezprostredne po dočítaní: dosť som sa nudila

Cnosť je prvou knihou z trilógie Quantum z pera autorky M. S. Forceovej Anotácia ma celkom zaujala, tak som sa na tento príbeh vrhla. Neočakávala som nijaký dych berúci dej ani nič podobné, ale aj to, čo som dostala, ma sklamalo. Klišé je prepletené s ďalšími klišé a toto sa tiahlo každou stránkou.

Stretávame Natalie. Obyčajnú mladú ženu so zásadou – žiaden sex pred svadbou. Na tom by nebolo nič zlé, keby jej dôvod nebol taký nelogický. To, prečo sex odmieta, je niečo úplne iné, čo, podľa mňa, neprekoná ani svadba. Ale autorka to takto vymyslela a ja sa s tým musím zmieriť. Jej prvé stretnutie s Flynnom bolo zvláštne, vtipno-trápne. Väčšinu knihy som len túžobne očakávala, kedy sa dostanem k poslednej strane. Občas sa objavili aj príjemné scény, ale v nich spolu hlavní hrdinovia neboli.

Flynn, pre lásku božiu a všetko sväté, čo si, doriti, myslíš?

Láska medzi Flynnom a Natalie mi príde prvoplánová, neuveriteľná a jednoducho neexistujúca. Ani jednému som ich city neverila. Ledva sa poznali, už ju Flynn pozýval k sebe domov. Sníval o nej ako o žene svojho srdca. Všetko mi prišlo uponáhľané – ich vzťah sa nevyvíjal, iba sa tam objavil.

Svetlým bodom boli vedľajšie postavy, ktoré dej zachraňovali. Vnášali do príbehu iskru, ktorá mu chýbala, ak na scéne boli hlavné postavy. Pre mňa je kniha uponáhľaná, nudná, nezáživná. Sú knihy, v ktorých sa v podstate nič nedeje, ale autor alebo autorka príbeh napíšu tak skvelo, že si ho čitateľ užije a nenudí sa. To nebol tento prípad.

Bol som s mnohými ženami. Možno až s primnohými. Bozkával som ich a preťahoval ich a robil s nimi veci, ktoré by si považovala prinajlepšom za nechutné, prinajhoršom za odporné. Ale nikdy, naozaj nikdy som nestretol ženu, ktorá by na mňa reagoval atak ako ty. A ja som ešte na nijakú nereagoval tak ako na teba. Ak mi povieš, že nasledujúci rok ťa môžem iba bozkávať a nič viac, beriem to. Beriem to radšej než to, že mi oznámiš koniec a naposledy vyjdeš z tých dvier.

Záver sa mi páčil, pretože sa tam konečne niečo začalo diať, no skôr, ako som sa z toho mohla tešiť, bol koniec. Celý dej ubiehal tak mimo mňa. Čakala som, kedy sa Flynnovo tajomstvo prevalí, avšak nestalo sa tak. Dúfala som, že autorka vzťah medzi nimi zamotá, vloží tam nejakú drámu, no ona nie. Bolo to príliš perfektné, aj napriek tomu, čo sa Natalie stalo. Možno som bola príliš zaslepená očakávaniami, a práve preto som si knihu neužila tak, ako by som mala.

Cnosť je kniha o nachádzaní samej seba, o tajomstvách, o tom, ako dokáže jedna udalosť zmeniť človeku celý život. Miestami som sa aj dobre zasmiala, no väčšinu času som len hromžila nad dejom.

Ďakujem vydavateľstvu IKAR za poskytnutie recenzného ebooku.

Moje hodnotenie:

Carrie Aarons – Blind landing (Flipped #1)

First thoughts after reading: absolutely loooooove the dynamics of the story

Blind landing is the first book in the new adult series Flipped. Gymnastics is one of my favorite sports so it was a must-read for me. I didn’t expect much, because I didn’t want to be disappointed. I surely wasn’t.

The story focuses on the Filipek’s gym, where the main characters train to get to the Olympics in Rio. Natalia “Nat” Grekov has been training her whole life to fulfill her dreams. She is so close to reaching the gold medal she has always dreamed of. But a sudden accident leaves her in fear. Her confidence is slightly shattered. She needs to let go of the fear and be the best of the best, while she fights the attraction to a fellow gymnast.

One day, my boy, you are going to be completely blindsided by a woman so spectacular, she’ll knock you on your ass and give you a run for your money. You’re going to meet a woman who is everything you are and more, someone who meets you stride for stride. I can’t wait for that day, Spencer.

Spencer “Spence” Russell had his life planned. He would fight to get a place in the Olympic team of the USA. But you don‘t get everything you want. Spence’s future wobbles when an injury cuts his dreams short, leaving him miserable and hollow. Coaching is just a little plaster. Nevertheless, he loves his job – watching the other gymnasts taking a shot at the Olympics, fulfilling their dreams, their once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and helping them get to their goals.

The story is really complex. Carrie created such amazing characters – you will love, hate and even want to be some of them. There are no major twists or turns, but the book is just to fall for. From chapter one I fell for the story, for the characters, for the sport in it and for the easy flow of the storyline. It gave me all the feels. I was mad, happy, blushing, smiling, and anxious and my heart was melting whenever Spence and Nat had an interaction.

It’s so peaceful like this in the morning. Sometimes I can actually feel that place in my heart that first fell in love with gymnastics.

You see, Natalia is not your typical girl next door. She knows what she wants and would do anything to accomplish it. I can’t say anything bad about her. Sometimes I didn’t agree with her decisions, but she believed that it was for the best. She is not shy. Nat is the type of character you either love or hate. I liked her from the beginning. I admired her strong will. She never wanted to fall for Spence, but the best things happen at the most unexpected times. Flirting is ok, but relationship? Not so much. You know what they say though: “You want something, but God has other things prepared for you.” This is how I felt about Nat and Spence. They never wanted a relationship, but as time flew, they got to know each other and fell for each other. I liked how bold Natalia is. She doesn’t give a damn about what others think about her. She focuses on her goal. That is her main priority. I so hope to read more about her in the future.

And then there is Spence. A hero I absolutely adored. He has his own issues, but still stays true to himself. He is cocky, sexy, funny and lovable. Sometimes he acts before he thinks which leads to some nerve wracking situations. He is a really great character. There were moments when I melted. He treated Nat, her friends and his friends with so much respect, it touched my heart. He is such a complex character. He has his ups and downs, but this just proves how realistic he is. I would like to have someone like Spencer in my life.

Women are beautiful things. I appreciate their femininity and their enticing, sweet ways. I appreciate their sauciness and their authority; I appreciate how they always seem to smell like vanilla or flowers. I’ve appreciated my fair share of women up close and personally. But I’ve never appreciated a woman more than I’ve appreciated Natalia Grekov.

The only character I absolutely hated is Novak, the owner and head coach at the Filipek’s. His methods are just sadistic. I didn’t believe that he is doing it for the good of the gymnasts. He likes to torture them, push them to their limits. He even pushes them to the point of no return. He is selfish and coldhearted. He has just one goal in view and that is the Olympics. He would go over corpses to accomplish it and it doesn’t matter to him if he hurts the gymnasts in the process.

In Blind landing Carrie introduces us to a world of gymnastics, hard work, friendship, love and following your dreams. She also shows us that the gymnasts have to sweat blood to reach their goals. I loved the story from the very beginning to the last page. It’s full of humor, scenes that make you swoon, and on top of everything, the supporting characters are incredible. I wouldn’t mind if there were books about them. I enjoyed this read a lot. It’s so beautifully written, that I was often smiling like a maniac. The thing I also liked about this story is that Carrie used her own experience from the time when she did gymnastics, so this makes the book more authentic.

I just can’t wait to read more from this series. I fell in love with it, with its simplicity, its characters and the story as a whole.

ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

My rating: