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I Heart Romance

Registered Nurse by day | Romance Reader by night

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Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Tiger Lily - Jodi Lynn Anderson

Narrated by: Cassandra Morris
Young Adult Classic Retelling
Listening Library
5/14/2013
Audiobook
Los Angeles Public Library

Originally posted on my blog I Heart Romance

 

“A delightful surprise.  Not Disney’s Peter Pan.”

 

I have heard about the book Tiger Lily last year and that it was good.  I didn’t really bother with it since I wasn’t really into reading YA back then.  When I saw the audiobook available at LAPL, I decided to give it a go and listen to it.  I was blown away.  This book was a delightful surprise!

 

This is the first book that I read by Jodi Lynn Anderson and I enjoyed it so much.  It is intelligently written and it is a good retelling of the classic story Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie told by the curious fairy Tinkerbelle!  I love this POV and was surprised when I realized that it was told by Tinkerbelle.  Of course she wrote in that Tink can listen to thoughts and feel feelings of the humans so we still got a good insight (if a little bit colored/biased) of the main characters thoughts and feelings.

 

Neverland is a different place.  I felt it was darker and more realistic than J. M. Barrie’s, and there was no “boy that can fly.”  There were the mermaids, the pirates (although more sinister and broken), the Indians, the Lost Boys, and the fairies, and everyone never grew old.  There was no “second star to the right” and you could only get to Neverland by boat.  I didn’t have any problems with this re-imagining at all.  I liked that it was realistic to a point and tells about a darker Neverland.

 

The story tells about the untold story of Tiger Lily and Peter Pan before he met Wendy.  It is a really sad story, I think, despite everyone getting their own happy endings and despite it being a love story.  Tiger Lily is a very lonely girl, who her tribe believes to be cursed and has the command of crows.  She has been bullied by the other children as a child and only has one friend, Pine Sap.  At 15, the tribespeople steer clear from her until she makes one misstep and as a result was engaged to a brute named Giant.  It is at this point that Tiger Lily meets Peter and unexpectedly falls in love with him.  The falling in love doesn’t happen right away.  And it didn’t even start out as love but as the secret meeting with Peter went on, we see Tiger Lily starting to melt and feel and love and find a kindred spirit in Peter.

 

The iconic villain Captain James Hook is still there but he is also a drunk and a broken man with a grudge to settle with Peter for kidnapping all the boys that he took from England.  It is not really explained what else the Captain has against Peter but I felt it was implied that it was very dark.  Smee, the Captain’s side-kick is sick and evil and a murderer.

 

In the end, Peter goes with Wendy and Tiger Lily is left behind in Neverland.  The reason for Peter deciding to go with Wendy is a very dark one.  I will not share it here as it is a major spoiler but it was heartbreaking to read/listen to.

 

My favorite quote would be Peter’s letter to Tiger Lily years after he arrives in England:

 

“I knew I’d miss you. But the surprising thing is, you never leave me. I never forget a thing. Every kind of love, it seems, is the only one. It doesn’t happen twice. And I never expected that you could have a broken heart and love with it too, so much that it doesn’t seem broken at all. I know young people look at me and think my youth seems so far away, but it’s all around me, and you’re all around me. Tiger Lily, do you think magic exists if it can be explained? I can explain why I loved you, I can explain the theory of evolution that tells me why mermaids live in Neverland and nowhere else. But it still feels magic.”

 

A definite must read but if you are thinking about Disney’s Peter Pan, you will be disappointed.  This isn’t pixie dust and happiness.  This is reality.  4 Hearts!

 

THE AUDIOBOOK

The audiobook is read by Cassandra Morris and it was perfect!  She used (or maybe has) a childlike voice perfect for Tinkerbelle.  The pacing that she used was perfect and I did not have any problems following through the story.  I believe that the voice she used added a different, more personal aspect as compared to reading the book.  She didn’t really use different voices for the characters because it was narrated by Tinkerbelle but I did not have any problems with it and I knew which character was speaking or thinking.

 

If you want audio, this is a very entertaining listen.

"I knew I’d miss you. But the surprising thing is, you never leave me. I never forget a thing. Every kind of love, it seems, is the only one. It doesn’t happen twice. And I never expected that you could have a broken heart and love with it too, so much that it doesn’t seem broken at all. I know young people look at me and think my youth seems so far away, but it’s all around me, and you’re all around me. Tiger Lily, do you think magic exists if it can be explained? I can explain why I loved you, I can explain the theory of evolution that tells me why mermaids live in Neverland and nowhere else. But it still feels magic."
Tiger Lily - Jodi Lynn Anderson

Has any read this book?  Any thoughts?  My review will be up in a few days!

Wed at Leisure by Sabrina Darby

Wed at Leisure - Sabrina Darby

Taming #2
Historical Romance
Avon Impulse
5/27/2014
ebook ARC | free in exchange for an honest review
Night Owl Reviews

 

Wed at Leisure is the second book in the Taming Series by Sabrina Darby and tells the story of Kate Mansfield, the mean sister in Woo'd in Haste.

 

This time, we will find the true reason why Kate was mean to her sister Bianca. We also see glimpses of Kate's past with Peter Colburn, the Duke of Orland, their neighbor. Although this book is way better than Woo'd in Haste, it still did not reach the mark for me. There was nothing really special about this story and nothing that made me like Kate at all. So, her mother was mean to her. That still doesn't make her actions right, in my opinion.

 

Going into this book was a little hard for me because of how my views of Kate were colored in the first book. I really hated her. It would have been better if Kate did something to redeem herself.

 

Kate and Peter's romance was sizzling. I love the interactions between the two. The reunited trope is one of my favorites and this one did not disappoint.

 

All in all this was a good read, perfect for summer.

 

Read the full review on Night Owl Reviews.

Woo'd in Haste by Sabrina Darby

Woo'd in Haste - Sabrina Darby

Taming #1
Historical Romance
Avon
5/13/2014
ebook ARC | free in exchange for an honest review
Night Owl Reviews

 

Woo'd In Haste is the first book of the Taming Series by Sabrina Darby and is a retelling of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew.  This is a longish novella about 150 pages and it read like a novella.  Woo'd In Haste tells the story of Miss Bianca Mansfield and Lucien Dorlingsley, Viscount Asquith and how they "fell" in love.

 

This is the first book that I read by Sabrina Darby.  Unfortunately, I didn't really enjoy it as much.  Maybe owing to the "live at first sight" trope.  Now, don't get me wrong, I do love a good "love at first sight" story but this was not it.  Luc's character just rubbed me the wrong way and I felt that he wasn't a man but a boy acting to get this girl.  He felt too good, too nice to be someone that Bianca would fall in love with.

 

I did like how Bianca changed throughout the story.  Initially, we meet her as meek and accepting in her current situation.  While her older sister, Kate, is out in London on her second season, she is stuck in the country with her former governess, younger half-brother and a father that didn't have any power at all.  This struck me as odd.  I did not like that that father allowed Kate to dictate his decisions, especially when she said that Bianca had to hold off her season until SHE gets married first.

 

All in all it is an okay read but it was not for me.  I have the next book Wed at Leisure which is Kate's story.  I have a feeling that it is going to be better.

 

Read the full review on Night Owl Reviews.

Beautiful Distraction by Jess Michaels

Beautiful Distraction (The Pleasure Wars) - Jess Michaels

The Pleasure Wars #4
Historical Erotic Romance
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
6/24/2014
ebook ARC | free in exchange for an honest review
Author

Originally Reviewed on my blog I Heart Romance

 

The last book in the Pleasure Wars series, Beautiful Distraction tells the story of Olivia Cranfield and Malcolm Graham and happens concurrently as the third book Beauty and the Earl.  I have been waiting to read this book because I was really intrigued by Olivia and Malcolm.

 

Olivia, a courtesan and Violet's friend, decides to go with her to Bath after her previous protector has left her.  Once there, she helps Violet ensnare the Liam, the Earl of Windbury by distracting his best friend and companion Malcolm Graham.  What starts out as a steamy affair turns into love as both Olivia and Malcolm find solace in each other's arms.  When Violet's read motives are revealed, Olivia's lies also come to light which results in a break between her and Malcolm.

 

Although Beautiful Distraction is a novella I felt that it was written well with all the characters fully developed because we read about them in Beauty and the Earl.  I felt the ending was a little bit abrupt and Malcom's forgiveness given a little bit too quick for my taste.  While reading, I also had flashes of the scenes from Beauty and the Earl which filled up for the other parts that were not mentioned in this book.

 

Beautiful Distraction is another steamy and delightful read, 4 Hearts!

 

I recommend reading Beauty and the Earl first to understand more about Olivia's reasons why she did what she did.

Beautiful Distraction by Jess Michaels

Beautiful Distraction - Jess Michaels

The Pleasure Wars #4
Historical Erotic Romance
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
6/24/2014
ebook ARC | free in exchange for an honest review
Author

Originally posted on I Heart Romance

 

The last book in the Pleasure Wars series, Beautiful Distraction tells the story of Olivia Cranfield and Malcolm Graham and happens concurrently as the third book Beauty and the Earl.  I have been waiting to read this book because I was really intrigued by Olivia and Malcolm.

 

Olivia, a courtesan and Violet’s friend, decides to go with her to Bath after her previous protector has left her.  Once there, she helps Violet ensnare the Liam, the Earl of Windbury by distracting his best friend and companion Malcolm Graham.  What starts out as a steamy affair turns into love as both Olivia and Malcolm find solace in each other’s arms.  When Violet’s read motives are revealed, Olivia’s lies also come to light which results in a break between her and Malcolm.

 

Although Beautiful Distraction is a novella I felt that it was written well with all the characters fully developed because we read about them in Beauty and the Earl.  I felt the ending was a little bit abrupt and Malcom’s forgiveness given a little bit too quick for my taste.  While reading, I also had flashes of the scenes from Beauty and the Earl which filled up for the other parts that were not mentioned in this book.

 

Beautiful Distraction is another steamy and delightful read, 4 Hearts!

 

I recommend reading Beauty and the Earl first to understand more about Olivia’s reasons why she did what she did.

SPOILER ALERT!

Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd

Her Dark Curiosity - Megan Shepherd, Lucy Rayner

he Madman's Daughter
Megan Shepherd

Narrator:  Lucy Rayner
Young Adult Historical
Balzer+Bray | Blackstone Audiobooks
1/28/2014
Audiobook
Los Angeles Public Library

Originally Posted on I Heart Romance

 

Her Dark Curiosity is the second book in The Madman's Daughter series.  The first book is titled The Madman's Daughter.  The second book takes place in London and is a retelling of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.  Her Dark Curiosity tells the story of what happens to Juliet Moreau after she leaves her father's island by herself (spoiler alert!).  She is rescued by Professor Von Stein, her father's old friend and he raises her like a daughter.  Unfortunately for Juliet, her father's treatment for her is failing and she is plagued by weakness and seizures.  Running against time, she is struggling to find a cure when she finds out about the Wolf of Whitechapel who has been killing people who have hurt her in one way or another.  Ultimately, she is plagued by lost loves and pain and the struggle to find a cure for her.

 

Before you proceed reading my review, I would like to warn you that there are SPOILERS.  I found it hard to try leaving out the spoilers in writing my review.  I will try to mention as little as possible, though.  Read at your own risk!

 

I love Her Dark Curiosity.  Ms. Shepherd has seamlessly combined two different classic books: The Island of Dr. Moreau and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, to tell a continuous gothic tale.  I love how she tells this story.  Very gothic and creepy and fascinating at the same time.  Naturally, Edward is the one referred to as "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" as he tries to control the monster in him.  Apparently, the monster is also in love with Juliet and he is growing stronger every day.  Juliet and Edward strike a bargain and both of them try to find a cure for Edward and for her.

 

Again, the story is a page turner (if I were reading a book) but in my case, I just couldn't stop listening to it.  Everything that happened in The Madman's Daughter is seamlessly integrated in Her Dark Curiosity and I wasn't lost at all.  I did not think that both were different stories because Ms. Shepherd has added flashbacks of what happened in the island as the book proceeds further.  I was creeped out by Edward's transformation and the descriptions the author used added to the whole imagery of Mr. Hyde.  Montgomery also comes back with Balthazar (one of my favorite characters) who is trying to stop Edward.

 

I was horrified with the book as the story unfolded.  Horrified in a good way, I guess.  The choices that Juliet makes is just scary and I liked that the author added Juliet's creepy thoughts in the book.  She is still haunted by her father's legacy but the decisions that she makes are really shocking.

 

The mystery of Her Dark Curiosity is discovering who Dr. Henri Moreau contacted and shared his secrets with in London.  Apparently, this person (or persons) is trying to duplicate Dr. Moreau's research and creations.  I actually guessed right when the villain was revealed but I liked how the author built up the thrill of discovering who it really is.

 

There was a scene that I did not like, though which was the one that Juliet gave herself to Edward.  I get that this also fueled the monster's desire for her and it drove the plot a little bit but it was just wrong.  The love triangle trope here was just weird and I did not like it.  Despite not liking this scene, I still gave this book 5 hearts because the execution was just amazing.  The story was gripping and thrilling at the same time.

 

The ending was perfect.  It set the tone for the next and last book A Cold Legacy, which would be a retelling of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

 

THE AUDIOBOOK

Narrated by Lucy Rayner, Her Dark Curiosity is more riveting and thrilling.  I could not stop listening to it and I actually had to stay in the car for a few minutes just to finish the scene!  Rayner's narration is flawlessly done, accents are distinctive between characters and most importantly, the female voices are not irritating to the ears.  I love that in a narrator.  Her pacing is just right and her tone gives off an ominous feeling perfect for this Gothic novel.  5 stars!

Source: http://www.eyeheartromance.com/her-dark-curiosity-by-megan-shepherd-audiobook-review

THIS!

Reblogged from Susana "Lost in Fantasy Land":

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http://www.pinterest.com/pin/279293614366335240/

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd | Audiobook Review

The Madman's Daughter - Megan Shepherd, Lucy Rayner

Series:  The Madman's Daughter #1

Genre:Young Adult Historical

Source:  Los Angeles Public Library

Originally posted on my blog I Heart Romance

 

“Gripping and creepy. A perfect combination”

 

The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd is the first book in the Madman’s Daughter series and is a classic retelling of H.G. Wells’ book The Island of Dr. Moreau and tells the story of Juliet Moreau, Dr. Moreau’s daughter. Although I have not read H.G. Wells’ book, I went to Wikipedia and checked out the plot before listening to the audiobook.

 

Gripping and creepy, The Madman’s Daughter is a story about finding the truth in a web of lies. Juliet Moreau, the daughter of the disgraced Dr. Moreau, is working as a cleaning lady at Kings College in London, England. An orphan, she tries to make her way until she finds an old paper with directions for vivisection (operating on live animals without anesthesia) written by her father. She tracks it to an old pub and comes face to face with Montgomery, their old servant, now her father’s assistant. To escape charges of attempted murder, she convinces Montgomery to take her to the island where her father has been hiding for 10 years. It is on that island that she discovers the horror and madness her father has sunk into and she discovers the truth about herself.

 

Although I haven’t read H.G. Wells’ book, I think this is a very good retelling of the story. I love how the author used the same characters of the story but added a twist to each of them. Montgomery becomes a childhood friend to Juliet and Edward, the castaway, becomes someone unexpected. The world building and character building was flawlessly done that I was sucked in by the first chapter. The whole book in itself is very well paced that there was no dull moment. Vivid descriptions where used to describe the horrors that Juliet saw which did not scare me at all and that IS a plus in my book.

 

The book is a little bit disturbing. Disturbing and yet captivating at the same time. I always felt like I wanted to know more. To find out all the secrets of Dr. Moreau’s island. I also liked how the author wrote Juliet’s character. Juliet is written as a mature sixteen year old girl and yet, I still see her as a sixteen year old. She acts and questions things like a teenager does and despite being analytical, she acts in ways that I expect a normal sixteen year old does. Kudos to Ms. Shepherd on this.

 

When the plot twists are revealed, I loved that I could not see it coming. I love that it surprised me and despite being close to guessing the twist, I was glad that it wasn’t that predictable. An amazing book with an amazing ending. A bizarre combination of Science Fiction, love, and horror all rolled into one book. A definite must read for YA Historical fans.

 

THE AUDIOBOOK

The Madman’s Daughter is narrated by Lucy Rayner and I give it a 5/5! It is very well read, with very distinct voices and accents. Her narration left me spellbound by the book. I could not stop listening to it at all. Her voice for Juliet wasn’t annoying at all despite using a girlish sounding voice for her. She is also narrating the next book in the series, Her Dark Curiosity and I like that she is. I like the continuity it gives the listener, unlike The Infernal Devices series where there were different narrators for each book.

A Night with the Bride by Kate McKinley

A Night with the Bride - Kate McKinley

A Night with the Bride is Kate McKinley’s third book in her By Invitation Only series.  I had read Kate McKinley’s How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days and was blown away by the story despite it being a novella.  A Night with the Bride is another story, however.  I was really disappointed by the book, with the overall plot.  I guess this comes from my loving the last book that I read so I expected this to be just as good.

 

This is a novella and it read like a novella.  There was very little character building at all and I breezed through it in about an hour thinking that the story really lacked something…more.

 

The main characters Gabrielle and Nicholas are likeable enough but there really isn’t much to commend them both.  I felt that Gabriella was a bit flighty and didn’t grow to like her at all.  Nicholas, on the other hand is the type of hero that I like: brooding with a lot of baggage but he came off as too mean (for lack of a better word).  Maybe because there wasn’t more romance building between the two?

 

When it is finally revealed what Nicholas has been hiding and why he has a reputation to be unattainable, I didn’t really feel anything at all.  It just felt like fact and not something that I empathized with.

 

Although I did not like the plot, I must commend Ms. McKinley about writing the sex scenes.  They were really tastefully done and it drove the plot of the story.

 

Originally posted at Buried Under Romance.

How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days by Kate McKinley

How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days (What Happens in Scotland) - Kate McKinley

How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days is the first book that I read from Kate McKinley and it won’t be my last!  I really had no expectation when I started reading this book.  In fact, this is the second read this year that I read a book of the same title.  That should be something of a negative, right?  Wrong!  I thoroughly enjoyed this book!  For a novella, it felt like a full length story to me.  In that I mean that the characters are fully developed AND a lot happened in the story.  I mean, I wanted the story to go on and on!

 

Lucas Alexander, the ninth Duke of Arlington is used to getting what he wants and he wants Pippa.  Because Pippa is a daughter of a tradesman, she isn’t accepted in the ton despite her wealth.  Lucas, however, is set on having her and had the gall to invite HER to her own engagement party with HIM.  Independent and spirited, Pippa refused his suit.  Lucas in turn makes a bargain that if he can seduce her in 10 days (on the day of their engagement party), she would be his.

 

I know it is a predictable story but the author’s writing style is superb and it felt really fresh and new!  I love the sparks between Lucas and Pippa.  Every interaction was fun and spicy.  Yes, the sex scenes were really steamy (but not erotic).  I ended up rooting for both of them to get their happy ever after.

 

I also liked the twist in the end.  I knew that there was a hook to Lucas’ suit and I liked that he fought for her love.

 

How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days is such a fun, fun read!  I can’t wait to read more of Kate McKinley’s books!

 

Oh, on a side note, I was intrigued about Pippa’s friend, Charles.  Please Ms. McKinley, write a book about him!

 

Originally posted on my blog I Heart Romance.

Ebook provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.

Source: http://www.eyeheartromance.com/how-to-lose-a-duke-in-ten-days-by-kate-mckinley-book-review

His Forbidden Touch by Shelley Thacker

His Forbidden Touch (Stolen Brides Series) (Volume 2) - Shelly Thacker

Would you believe that I carted this book from the Philippines to Los Angeles?  I actually have my battered copy with me right now.  I know it’s a little worn out but believe me when I tell you that it is so because I have been re-reading this book multiple times?  Well, a couple of weeks ago, I won an audiobook copy of His Forbidden Touch and decided to listen to it.  Immediately.  This took on a whole new experience for me.

 

Chalons and Thuringia were at war for seven years.  Now that the war is over and Chalons has been defeated, peace negotiations are underway and one of the demands is Princess Ciara’s hand in marriage to Prince Daemon the evil king of Thuringia.  Because the rebels refuse to concede to the defeat, they attempt to kidnap Princess Ciara.  Fearing for his daughter’s life, King Aldric requested  the banished Royce St. Michael to be her guardian.  What happens on their journey to Thuringia is filled with adventure, romance, and love.

 

I absolutely love Ciara and Royce, especially their journey to love.  I liked that they hated each other due to prejudices of their station and of course, they were fighting their attraction for each other.  I also fell in love with Royce initially because he acted like the typical bad boy with a devil-may-care attitude and yet deep down, he was hiding major scars.

 

When I read this book years ago, I remember not being able to tell how Royce and Ciara would get their happily ever after because she was bound to marry Daemon.  I was blown away when I read it.  I did not expect that twist in the story.

This is definitely a page turner and despite reading it multiple times, I always feel like it is the first.

 

Another thing that I want to add about this book (that is not part of my review) is the quote: “You and no other, the heart conquers all.”  This is very personal to me because when I read it, it was right about the time where my then boyfriend (now my hubby) and I got into a pretty sticky situation.  So yes, “You and no other” has become really special to me.

 

I recommend this book if you love romance with adventure set in the Medieval period.

 

THE AUDIOBOOK

This book is narrated by Julia Motyka and I did not quite like it.  That is to say that I did not like the way she read Princess Ciara’s voice and I felt it too annoying maybe because she has a manlier voice?  The other voices she used were fine, though.  Despite that, I liked her pacing and the emotion that she put into the whole story.  I felt the adventure and the romance and I had no problem following through with her narration.

 

Originally posted on my blog I Heart Romance.

Audiobook was a contest prize hosted by author.

Source: http://www.eyeheartromance.com/his-forbidden-touch-by-shelley-thacker-audiobook-review

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare

Listening to Clockwork Princess was gripping, emotionally touching, and amazing!  The third and last book in the Infernal Devices Trilogy was not a let down.  Sure, it had the signs of closing and resolving all issues of the series but it didn’t disappoint.  If you followed my review from the Clockwork Angel to the Clockwork Prince, you would know how psyched I am about this book and this series.

 

Clockwork Princess starts off a couple of months after the end of Clockwork Prince where we were introduced to Cecily Herondale, Will’s youngest sister who came into the institute to be trained as a Shadowhunter.  We also see the continuation for Tessa and Sophie’s training by Gabriel and Gideon Lightwood.  I cannot continue giving a short summary without giving out spoilers but I will really try my best.  Please be aware that I may reveal spoilers so if that is not to your liking, just skip on and read my thoughts on the audiobook and the narration.  In this book, we finally find out the real reason why Benjamin (?) Lightwood, Gideon and Gabriel’s father is in league with Mortmain and why he wants Charlotte Bramwell out of the Institute.  Without spoiling much, I will only say that the Lightwood brothers are torn between family and Clave with Gideon choosing to join the Institute and Gabriel staying with his father.  With Benjamin (?) Lightwood was defeated, Gabriel joins forces with the team at the Institute while Charlotte still tries her best to keep her position, Tessa and Jem plan their wedding.  It is at this point where Will confesses his love to Tessa and Will and Jem’s relationship as parabatai are put to the ultimate test.

 

This book is just explosive!  I love the way the pace of the book felt.  I was almost waiting for a fight to pop in at any second – yes, it was that thrilling.  I love how the team joined forces – with Magnus helping Henry with his inventions (we see the origin of the portal that was used in The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones).  The twists in the book where really unexpected.  From Jem to Will and Tessa to the attack on the Clave – I just cannot begin to describe how very well thought out it was.

 

When the final battle came, Ms. Clare did not disappoint!  It was very well written and full of thrills and surprises.  I wasn’t actually expecting the way Mortmain was defeated and how Tessa used her Clockwork Angel and her abilities to help in his defeat.

Overall, the book and the whole series was very well written.  The story was plotted out impeccably from the first book to the last.

 

THE AUDIOBOOK

The audiobook is narrated  by Daniel Sharman – a male.  I had doubts about why they picked him as the narrator.  I was wrong.  Daniel Sharman was the perfect pick to narrate the story.  Before I move forward, I would like to add that this book had a lot of declarations (emotional) by the male characters: Will and Jem.  By picking a male narrator, these declarations were multiplied tenfold in their emotion to move the listener.  To be honest, this was the only book that I cried.  Sharman’s reading was perfect and I would not change anything.  His calm voice, pacing and the different voices (even the female ones) he used where spot on.  It didn’t even bother me that his “female voices” did not sound feminine or female at all and I did not have any questions as the the gender of the character he was reading.  Narration is a definite 5!  If you want to read this book, I recommend picking up the audiobook instead.  You will not regret it!

 

Originally posted on my blog I Heart Romance.

Audiobook purchased at Audible.

Source: http://www.eyeheartromance.com/clockwork-princess-by-cassandra-clare-audiobook-review

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Prince - Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Prince is the second book in the Infernal Devices series and continues right after Clockwork Angel ends.  This book is part of the series and cannot be read as a stand alone.

The story picks up right after the battle at the Institute and Charlotte and the group are picking up the pieces.  At this point, the Enclave is involved  and so is Consul Wayland.  He is now regretting his decision to appoint Charlotte as the head of the London Institute and Benedict Lightwood is pushing the Consul to remove Charlotte and appoint him instead.  Nasty secrets are revealed and a shocking betrayal is exposed (to which I will not share).  A love triangle between Tessa, Will and Jem comes to light and another romance is waiting in the wings.  In this book, Mortmain’s family and his reasons for vengeance are revealed.

There is not much action happening in this book but there are a lot of surprises.  We also meet the two Lightwood boys: Gabriel and Gideon who play important roles in the third book.  Loyalties are also put into question here and I love that Ms. Clare keeps us guessing throughout the whole book.

We also see a closeness between Jem and Tessa, more revelations of Jem’s feelings for Tessa and Tessa’s longing for Will.  Will’s secret will not be revealed in this book but we see glimpses of what he may possibly be hiding.  Will also forms an unusual friendship with Magnus Bane who is shown as an important character (we know he will be because he is in the Mortal Instruments series).

I love the elements that Ms. Clare adds in this book.  Although we won’t see much of Mortmain here, we still see his powers and influence at work.  We also see the strong relationship between Parabatai (Jem and Will) and their unusual bond.  The book quotes and references are amazingly accurate and I love that it adds to the whole story.

The battle in the end is thrilling and heart breaking at the same time.  We meet Tessa’s brother Nate at last and despite him hating her, he still reveals that he still loves her. Although Nate’s real mother is revealed, Tessa’s is still in question.

Overall, I love this book, so much so that I gave it 5 hearts.  It has all the mixture of romance and action that I just could not stop listening to it.  This is a definite must read and MUST listen!

 

THE AUDIOBOOK

Surprisingly, this audiobook is read by two narrators: Heather Lind and Ed Westwick.  Although I haven’t heard any of the books they have narrated, I find no issues whatsoever in the way they delivered the story.  Both narrators read well, with good pacing and expressions, both using distinct voices for different characters.

That being said, I found no reason for this book to be read by two narrators.  Although both narrators are good on their own, together I see no sense in it.  Naturally when I saw that this would be read by a male and female, I expected the female voices to be read by Heather Lind and the male voices read by Ed Westwick.  This was not the case.  It felt like they read randomly throughout the whole book with no order at all.  Although this did not deflect on the whole listening experience, I just felt it odd.

 

Originally posted on my blog I Heart Romance.

Audibook purchased at Audible.

Source: http://www.eyeheartromance.com/clockwork-prince-by-cassandra-clare-audiobook-review

Redemption of the Duke by Gayle Callen

Redemption of the Duke - Gayle Callen

I was extremely disappointed with this story.  I enjoyed previous Gayle Callen books but this was tedious and just plain boring.

 

Although the Adam Chamberlin, the Duke of Rothford was intriguing, he became dull and not likeable early in the story.  I also did not relate to Faith at all and did not warm up to her immediately which is an odd thing for me.

 

I also had bad vibes with this book since I have read unsatisfactory reviews on this so far but I still forced myself to read it and waited until the last possible day to review it.

 

All in all, the story was just uninteresting and boring.  Both main characters where just blah and stereotypical and I did not see any spark between them.   I also really did not think much of Adam despite him trying to right all the wrongs that he did.

 

I am also unable to rate the heat level because I did not even get to that part yet.

 

Originally posted on my blog I Heart Romance

Source: http://www.eyeheartromance.com/redemption-of-the-duke-by-gayle-callen

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green | Audiobook Review

The Fault in Our Stars - John Green, Kate Rudd

I have been dragging my feet literally when it came to reading this book.  See, I thought this book was going to be too overly sentimental.  Plus, I have never read any book by John Green before.  I also thought this was going to be like A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks.  I was right, in a way.  When I was able to purchase the audiobook (via an Amazon Local Promo) last week, I decided to listen.  Initially, I had thought I would be listening to the book over the course of a week while driving from work but it did not pan out that way.  I was able to finish it in less than 24 hours.

The Fault in Our Stars is about two cancer teens.  One with terminal cancer (Hazel) and one in remission (Augustus).  Both of them met at a Cancer support group.  Both of them fell in love.  Naturally, when we are talking about cancer, this story does not end well…for both of them.

 

I cannot stop gushing about this book.  This is just simply a work of absolute brilliance.  John Green really captured the feelings of being a teen and being terminally ill.  Not that I have been terminally ill but in my line of work, I am exposed to these sorts of things – being around the terminally ill, I mean.

 

I love the overall pace and feel of the book.  And for a cancer book, it wasn’t really about cancer.  It was more about the love between two people complicated by cancer.  This is one of the reasons that I love the story.  The voice of the main characters Hazel and Augustus didn’t really sound like normal teenagers.  But then, they weren’t really normal teenagers.  I love their vocabulary.  Granting that not a majority of teens speak like them but I’d like to think that because of their condition, they are more mature than your regular 16 and 17 year old.

 

I love the secondary story about Hazel’s favorite book “An Imperial Affliction” by Peter Van Houten.  I think that including this in the plot really made us see how strong Gus’ feelings towards Hazel is.  When he went out of his way to give up his wish so that they could go to Amsterdam to meet Van Houten.

 

I also love the twists of the story.  I knew someone was going to die.  The question was: who would die first.  Initially, I thought that Hazel would be the one to go but then when Gus said that “he lit up like a Christmas tree” I knew that it wouldn’t be so.  I also loved how the author portrayed a very strong female character in Hazel.  Initially, she didn’t start out that way but as the story progressed you could see that she was.

I love the reality that was injected into the story.  The incontinence, the vomit – everything that you see when there is terminal cancer involved.  Including the medical lingo that Green used.  I am used to hearing those terms and I thought those were incorporated to the story really well.  So it did feel very realistic.

 

The story was written really simply.  I love that.  It was straight forward but it told the whole story really well.  Sort of like using a few words to adequately describe something.  Concise.

 

I cried.  I did.  I could not help myself.  This was emotional but not in an overly dramatic sort of way but real.  I really empathized with them, even with Isaac.

My favorite quote would be the one when Gus said, “Maybe ok can be our always.”

 

THE AUDIOBOOK

The audiobook is narrated by Kate Rudd and I love her narration.  I love the changes in voices that she used, especially between Hazel and Gus.  When her voice breaks and cracks at the appropriate times is just brilliant!  I actually felt like it was Hazel talking to me.

 

I liked the pacing that she used and I was able to follow the story without any problem at all.  I also think that her narration added to the overall effect of the book.  I liked that she sounded like a teenager trying to be an adult.  Since I listened to this book without pause, I did not get bored or get annoyed by her voice.  Overall, this was one amazing listen.  I would definitely find out more about the books read by Kate Rudd.

 

Originally posted on my blog I Heart Romance

Source: http://www.eyeheartromance.com/the-fault-in-our-stars-by-john-green-book-review