Ultramarine

It's been less then a year since I started monitoring what I read and organizing my books and writing reviews. Can't believe how I enjoy doing that for myself, and how fun it is to re-read a review I wrote about a book reminding myself how I felt about it. Too bad the first couple of reviews I did aren't as good as the ones I'm writing now. I guess it takes time to build a format that "works" thinking about what to write what, what not to write and how to express what I felt about the book - good and bad. 

As 2013 was ending and I was thinking about organizing my "to read" list I saw that I have about 140 books which to me was a HUGE number. I never used to think "that far" at what I wanted to read, when I finished something I would look for something else but with these sites you get recommendations for so many books it's hard to follow! and it's fun this way! I have so many things I look forward to! 

So I started by organizing the books I have to read by month and genre. trying to put a variety of genres but not mixing too many confusing things together (like few PNR series in one month). Also don't want to have an "over dose" of anything so variety is good, yeah :) (unless I'm consuming a whole series.. in that case I'll handle the "over dose" :)).

Last month have been the first trial, I wrote "January 2014 Goal" post and added there my goal and as I read them I added for each it's individual review. 

Revisiting this post I though it would be nice to do a recap of January and what my favorite book and author, discovery but also my least favorite book..  here goes!

Author of the Month: (Celtic Moon) Jan DeLima

This is Jan's debut novel and I must say I'm impressed!!! WOW! amazing PNR book. Has everything I enjoy reading in a PNR - a well written world, not too confusing with too many details and characters as it sometimes happens, a well explained world and rules, great heroes, I loved that both of them aren't kids or teenagers but grown-ups. They actually know each other, they both fucked-up their relationship and now they are building it together again. It was original - never read a PNR with a son involved, and a teenager - the son of the main characters. I loved how the story concluded, left me with a taste for more but without a cliff hanger (I hate when they do that! brrrrr). Great writing. All in all a highly recommended book and a surely interesting world and series to get sucked into :) 

Favorite Book of the Month: Don't Make Me Beautiful by Elle Casey

This is the first I read by Elle Casey, I got a great recommendation for her books and this one specifically. The subject of this book isn't easy to read - a woman who has been locked up and tortured mind and body for 3 years until, by chance, her neighbor rescued her). What I loved about this book that it wasn't focused on all the wrongs - all the terrible things that happened to Nicole but about the healing process and how with the help of Brian, his family and friends Nicole learned to put the past behind her and built herself a future she can live in, really live in, see that she deserves to have a happy life. I recommend this book to right about anyone, in my eyes it shows that with the right help we can overcome so much, it remind us how important is to listen to our hearts and what we desire and not to forget to whoever we are, we deserve to be happy. 

Disappointment of the Month: Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

I feel SO bad listing a book in this section but I really feel like I should.. if you've read a few of my reviews I guess you know I don't appreciate Young Adult novels and the reason for it is I can't stand the immaturity of the characters.. This book and well, the whole Slammed series has been HIGHLY recommended and I since I thought it's a New Adult series I had high hopes. This first book was good, I really enjoyed it, but this one and the one after was a disappointment due to the characters' behavior. There was nothing "wrong" with the book, it's just exactly what I'm NOT into. So though for me it has been a disappointment I see how someone liking YA novels will love it! - The writing is good and fluent, you want to follow the characters and can really feel them and what they are dealing with. 

Discovery of the Month: Hell or High Water by SE Jakes

I've been looking for good MM Romance books, this is a new genre for me, and I'm really liking it, it's different in ways I really enjoy while having the elements I enjoy in "regular" romance novels. It's funny that actually before 2013 I rarely read Romance novels unless they were part of a paranormal world so actually the contemporary romance genre is also quite new hehe. This series reminds me of Cut & Run THE series that introduced me to the MM Romance genre. I LOVE Ty and Zane so meeting Tom and Prophet was exactly what I was missing lately. I love the writing, the action, the characters and how they struggle with who they are and how to lower their guard for each other. I love that it's slow burn until we get to the HEA (though it did annoy me in some parts) for me it feels much more realistic. Looking forward to the next ones in the series! (and the ones outside it..).

So that's my January Recap. 

Hope you enjoyed :)

I'll be adding my February challenge soon!