*Grabby Hands* Review - Someone Else's Ocean by Kate Stewart

Image and blurb from Goodreads

Title: Someone Else's Ocean

Author: Kate Stewart

Publication Date: July 31st, 2018

Adult Contemporary Romance

The first time I met Ian Kemp in the sparkling blue waters of St. Thomas, I was six years old and we shared a summer beneath the stars.

The second time I met Ian Kemp, he was a shell of the boy I once knew. Turbulent and infuriating, he refused my friendship at every turn. Like me, he was a casualty of life’s cruelty, but we were planets apart. 

We’d both sought refuge on the island, hoping to find our anchor. Instead, we found each other and managed to reclaim our stars...until we both got swept away.

Goodreads

Amazon

4.5 "Put your coffee down" Stars

This book made me feel way too much and I can only express my thoughts using gifs.

Reading the blurb

After checking the rating on Goodreads

Koti's development

Ian and his daughter

Koti and Ian

Me after the epilogue

Me finding out this author has other books

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*Grabby Hands* Review - A Reaper At the Gates (An Ember in the Ashes #3) by Sabaa Tahir

Image and blurb from Goodreads

Title: A Reaper At the Gates
(An Ember in the Ashes #3)

Author: Sabaa Tahir

Publication Date: June 12th, 2018

Category/Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

The highly anticipated third book in Sabaa Tahir's New York Times bestselling EMBER QUARTET.

Beyond the Empire and within it, the threat of war looms ever larger.

The Blood Shrike, Helene Aquilla, is assailed on all sides. Emperor Marcus, haunted by his past, grows increasingly unstable, while the Commandant capitalizes on his madness to bolster her own power. As Helene searches for a way to hold back the approaching darkness, her sister's life and the lives of all those in the Empire hang in the balance.

Far to the east, Laia of Serra knows the fate of the world lies not in the machinations of the Martial court, but in stopping the Nightbringer. But while hunting for a way to bring him down, Laia faces unexpected threats from those she hoped would aid her, and is drawn into a battle she never thought she'd have to fight.

And in the land between the living and the dead, Elias Veturius has given up his freedom to serve as Soul Catcher. But in doing so, he has vowed himself to an ancient power that will stop at nothing to ensure Elias's devotion--even at the cost of his humanity.

Goodreads

Buy Links:  Amazon

4 “Spetacular last half” Stars

Unlike what happened with book #2, I went into this certain I would love it as much as A Torch Against the Light. Then, I almost stopped reading because (a) I had a hard time remembering important facts since it'd been 2 FREAKING YEARS since the last book came out, and (b) the first half was way too slow for me.

Look, I'm not saying the first half was bad. Sabaa Tahir is a talented writer and I doubt she can write bad books, but it was nowhere as good as the first book, let alone the second, which in my opinion is the best one in the series so far. 

I'd expected A Torch to suffer from the second-book-is-a-filler syndrome, but it was A Repear that did for almost the entire first half. I didn't feel the same connection to Elias and Helene I used to. Laia was seriously getting on my nerves, something that I remember happened A LOT throughout most of An Ember, but had hoped wouldn't happen again since she made progress in the end of  A Torch.

Having said that, I'm glad I kept going, because DNF'ing this would've been a HUGE mistake.

The second half of the book was A-MAZING!

Things finally started moving. Intrigue. Twists. Magic. Deaths. Darkness. Lots of blood and sacrifices and women being badasses. Lots of things going to shit.

Helene, my glorious Blood Shrike, finally found her strenght and her story. Elias' inner struggle highlighted all the traits that made me love him so much. Even Laia's stuborness and impulsiveness bothered me less at the face of her humanity and love for her people.

My pattern with Laia didn't change. She annoyed me a lot throughout most of the book and made me tear up and feel for her by the end. But it was Helene once again who stole my heart. Her relationship with her sister, her attempts to best the Commander, her hatred for Marcus, her will-we-won't-we relationship with Harper (a character I liked in A Torch and now LOVE)...everything came into place after the half-point. 

All chapters after that seemed to end with a BANG and left me eager to read the next one. The surprises kept coming. The battle scenes were awesome. The magic didn't overtake the story, but added nice twists. Almost everything worked perfectly for the last half of the book.

I say almost, because one thing that bothered me in book #2 came back to bother me again. That thing is Cook, a character that worked well in An Ember…, but became inconsistent in A Torch. Even after the major revelation--one I didn't see coming--I still don’t understand how she was this super-skilled warrior/killer who simply couldn’t find a way to kill the Commander in all the years she lived in her house. I don't even understand how she came to be the woman's slave after everything that happened. Why would the Commander let her live? So much about that revelation and who she is still doesn't make sense to me. *sighs* That doesn't mean she didn't bring out major feels near the end. I feel for her and everyone involved.

Something that also didn't change was the small "problem" of how Helene and Elias are still super shippable with everyone. I still love the idea of Helene and Elias, even though Elias only has eyes for Laia, and that scene between Elias and Laia was WOW and had me seriously shipping them again. Then I also love Helene and Harper, and I want a repeat of that other scene near the end.

Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is: If you start reading this book and feel like I did, DO NOT give up. The second half will blow your mind, so keep reading!

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*Grabby Hands* Review - Smoke in the Sun (Flame in the Mist#2) by Renée Ahdieh

Image and blurb from Goodreads

Title: Smoke in the Sun

(Flame in the Mist#2)

Author: Renée Ahdieh

Publication date: June 5th, 2018

Category/Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Publisher: G.P. Putman's Son Books for Young Readers

 

For weeks, seventeen-year-old Mariko pretended to be a boy to infiltrate the notorious Black Clan and bring her would-be murderer to justice. She didn't expect to find a place for herself among the group of fighters—a life of usefulness—and she certainly didn't expect to fall in love. Now she heads to the imperial castle to resume a life she never wanted to save the boy she loves.

Ōkami has been captured, and his execution is a certainty. Mariko will do what she must to ensure his survival—even marry the sovereign's brother, saying goodbye to a life with Ōkami forever.

As Mariko settles into her days at court—making both friends and enemies—and attempting Ōkami's rescue at night, the secrets of the royal court begin to unravel as competing agendas collide. One arrow sets into motion a series of deadly events even the most powerful magic cannot contain. Mariko and Ōkami risk everything to right past wrongs and restore the honor of a kingdom thrown into chaos by a sudden war, hoping against hope that when the dust settles, they will find a way to be together.

Set against the backdrop of feudal Japan, Smoke in the Sun is the breathless, romantic, not-to-be-missed fiery conclusion to a spell-binding adventure.

Goodreads

Buy Links: Amazon

4 “Feminist Mulan in Japan - Part 2” Stars

Another win for super talented writer Renée Ahdieh.

This book...no, this series left me feeling super proud of being a girl.

Even though we had a lot less Mariko this time around--she shared the spotlight with many others, including badasss Kanako, the former Emperor's consort (more on her later)--whenever Mariko made an appearance my love, respect and admiration for her grew. She was not a lovesick fool and, even when she was risking much for the person she loved, she did it in a clever way. I loved all her experiments, all the times she sacrificed what she truly wanted for the greater good and put herself out there to defend those who couldn't.

I loved, loved, LOVED her conversations and the growing friendship between Mariko and Yumi. There's nothing like reading about smart girls having smart conversation and making smart choices.

There was less Okami in this book than I wanted, because I love him. LOVE him. But when he came into scene, he was as clever and perfect as I remembered him. His support of Mariko, even when he worried about her safety, was just BEAUTIFUL to watch.

The Black Clan guys that I grew to love in the previous books were also quite absent, since most of this book took place in court and around it. But there were some special scenes involving them. I thought I'd feel one of those scenes a little more than I did, but I blame it on the fact that we didn't spend too much time with them this time around.

As you can see, the main characters from the first book had to share "book time" with the others, but that wasn't exactly a bad thing since Renée Ahdieh introduced us (or reintroduced us, should I say) to some awesome royal characters: Raiden, Mariko's soon-to-be husband; his mother, Kanako, a woman who possessed great magic and was obsessed with the idea of making her son Emperor; and Roku, the new Emperor.

I didn't expect to like Raiden's journey as much as I did, but the author managed to make me care for a character I was convinced I would hate by the end of the book. Same goes for Kanako. The woman does unspeakable things to achieve her goal, but I found it extremely hard to hate her. Sorry.

So, while I miss the special romantic vibe and most of the lovable characters from book One, as well as though the ending was a little rushed (because I wanted to know what happened to some of the other characters), I was enchanted by Renée Ahdieh's beautiful writing, the complex new main characters and the feminist and powerful narrative. It also didn't hurt that the epilogue was AMAZING!!!

*If you liked this review (or not), if you read the book (or not), come say hello and leave your comments bellow.