The Time of Our Lives by Jane Costello

Original Title: The Time of Our Lives

Year publushed: 2014

Published by: Simon and Schuster UK Ltd

Number of pages: 471

First sentence: "There is a universal rule of travel that applies to any holiday destination on the planet: the sunnier the resort you've visted, the more ferociously it will piss down when you land back in the UK."

Goodreads rating: 4/5

Plot:

Imogen and her friends Meredith and Nicola have had their fill of budget holidays, cattle-class flights and 6 a.m. offensives for a place by the pool. 

So when Meredith wins a VIP holiday at the Barcelona's hippest new hotel, they plan to sip champagne with the jet set, party with the glitterati and switch off in unapologetic luxury.

But between a robbery, a run-in with hotel security staff and an encounter on a nudist beach that they'd all rather foget, the friends stumble from one disaster to the next.

At least Imogen has a distraction in the form of the gorgeous guy who's always in the right place at the very worst time. Until,that is, his motives start to arouse a few suspicions...

My thoughts:

I picked this book up at Stansted during the summer when our flight back home turned out to be ridiculously delayed. I figured it would be an easy read without much depth. Turns out I was wrong. This is actually a good book, even though it is a chick flick in book form.

Imogen is the main character, and she is absolutely lovely. A walking disaster, who is great at her job, permanently single and with a phone obsession. The trip, although it’s a friendship vacation, is also another opportunity for her friends to get her back on the dating market. Imogen’s last relationship did not end well and she is still healing from the wounds it inflicted. The snippets of her background story are amazing and you will alternately laugh and cry when reading them.

Meredith is the fancy and fortunate best friend who has a complicated relationship with her fiancé. She is quirky and fun, and although she comes up as self-absorbed she is very loving and cares deeply for both Imogen and Nicola.

Nicola is the more stable woman of the three. Her relationship with her long-term girlfriend is not so stable however, since Nicola still hasn’t told her parents she’s gay.  I love the fact that Costello do not make a big deal of her gay character, she’s just there and normal, just like it should be.

Harry is the gorgeous yet mysterious guy. He’s another amazing character. He is the boy next-door, gorgeous but funny, intelligent but not obnoxious. The kind of guy any girl would be lucky to have. 

The situations that arise between him and Imogen are both hilarious and saccharine sweet.

It’s a fun book to read. It’s absolutely perfect for lazy days when you don’t want to think too hard but still want to be entertained. The friendship between the three women is hilarious and dysfunctional in the best way and the characters are flawed but complement each other perfectly. 

Do I recommend this book:

Yes I do. Like I said, it's a good book for lazy days or during summer when you yourself are lying at the beach. 

Blog tip!

Hi readers!

A quick little blog tip for you:

1. http://eelascorner.blogspot.se/: which is another blog in English. It's administrated by a good friend of mine, Kayla. (shamelessly returning the favour of her little promo)
2. http://bellasbok.blogg.se/ This is a blog in Swedish (which most of you are), and it's owned by another good friend of mine, Bella.

Go check them out!

Love

//Erika

Look what just arrived!!

Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins (Book 2 of 3)

Original title: Sweet Peril
Year published: 2013
Published by: HarperTeen
Number of pages: 371
First sentence: "Unbeknownst to the Roman community, 666 earthbound demons were making use of the infamous Colosseum."
Goodreads rating: 4/5

Plot:
Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things. 

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

My thoughts:
Love this one almost as much as the first one. This time however, there are some parts that can get a litte boring but it is still a great book. Some of the drama feels a little over the top as well, but its easy to look past. 

Emma is just as amazing here as in the first book. She develops so much as a character and I really wanted to find a portal into the book to help her from time to time just because I didn't want her to be sad.

We get to know the other nephilim a lot more in this book and all of them are such little gems. You cannot but help love them all, even though you want to give some of them a rough shake because they are slightly douchy. 

And I must say, I absolutely adore Emma's dad. Am I the only one?

Do I recommend this book?
I recommend this book just as much as the first one

Quick update

About to start this book :) Thought that it was appropriate considering it's the month of Halloween

What's next?

Hi you guys!

I'm currently trying to write up several reviews, including the whole Sweet Trilogy and some Terry Pratchett books. 

Personally I'm reading Good Omens by Terry Pratchett at the moment and will get a review of that up as soon as possible. I've got Divergent waiting for me and just ordered The Maze runner and The Throne of Glass. I'm just waiting for those two to arrive.

If you have any tips on books that you want me to read and review, don't hesitate to write that down in the comment section. 

Have a good day/evening!

Erika

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins (Book 1 of 3)

Original Title: Sweet Evil
Year Published: 2012
Published by: HarperTeen
Number of pages: 447
First sentence: "The newborn wailed as the midwife wrapped her in a receiving blanket and quickly handed her to Sister Ruth."
Goodreads rating: 5/5

Plot:
What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.
Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

My thoughts:
I absolutely adored this book. I finished it in less than a day, which is not indicative of how easy it is to read. It is a well written book with a good plot that sucks you in from the get go.

Anna is a great heroine and a fun character. We get to follow along on her journey as she struggles to come to grips with her heritage and powers. Not only does she have to struggle with her powers, she also has to struggle with being a teenager which is difficult on its own. 

Kaiden... What can I say? The hashtag IsighforKai is completely accurate. He is a proper bad boy, especially since he is a nephilim as well. He is the one who introduces Anna to the nephilim life, and there are sparks there from the beginning. You can't help but wishing they get their act together and... well, get together. 

The book handles some dark elements, and several difficult aspects of being a teenager, but manages to be funny at the same time. I thought that the nephilim world would be hard to understand but Higgins introduced it cleverly to the readers at the same time as she introduced it to Anna. 

Do I recommend this book?
Oh god yes! If you want a book that is easy to read but still exciting with plenty of romance then this is the book for you. 

Of Triton by Anna Banks (Book 2 of 3)

Original title: Of Triton
Year Published: 2013
Published by: Fiewel and Friends
Number of pages: 246 (my copy also had bonus material)
First sentence: "My eyes won't open."
Goodreads rating: 5/5

Plot:
Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she's a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm. Syrena law states all Half-Breeds should be put to death. As if that's not bad enough, her mother's reappearence in the Syrena world turns the two kingdoms - Poseidon and Triton - against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen's request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself - and her Gift - to save a people she's never known?

My thoughts:
This is the second book in the Syrena Legacy. It picks up immediatly after the first book, Of Poseidon. It's just as brilliant as the first and will leave you with the same emotions as the first book. This time around we get to spend more time under water and Emma comes to realise just how her gift works. However, where the first book left you destroyed early, this one will get you at the end. Be prepared.

All characters from the first book that play main roles reappear in this one. Some characters, like Galen and Raynas brother Grom and Emmas mom, get to play bigger roles from the first book. There  is more intrigue in this book, which will have you biting your nails. You fall more in love with both Emma and Galen, both as indviduals and as a couple. In fact, you fall in love with all of the characters just that little bit more. In comparison to the first book, this one actually has an antagonist, who fills the role perfectly. Jagen, that's his name, was introduced in Of Poseidon, but you only got a feeling that he was not a good guy. It is confirmed in this book.

Do I recommend this book?
Yes, just as much as I recommended the first book.

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks (Book 1 of 2)

Original title: Of Poseidon
Year Published: 2012
Published by: Fiewel and Friends
Number of pages: 326 (my copy also has some bonus material)
First sentence: "I smack into him as if shoved from behind."
Goodreads rating: 5/5

Plot:
The day Emma meets Galen on the beach is the day her life changes forever. Galen is the prince of the Syrena sent to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. When Emma runs into him - literally, ouch! - their connection is immediate and powerful. Could this be the girl? After several encounters, Galen is convinced Emma is the one. But how can he convinve her of her gift? And how can he make his feelings for her disappear? She's the key to his kingdom, she can't be the key to his heart.

My thoughts:
Yes, the summary on the back of the book does make it sound like you've already read and finished the book. Think again. This is a really good book which will make you laugh, want to tear your hair out and if you are a weepy person you will most definitely cry. The book is fast paced and never leaves you bored. It breaks you into little heartbroken pieces so early it is shocking. I wanted to find Anna Banks and shake her about just a little. But by the end of the book the pieces has mended together leaving a warm feeling in your chest. And then the cliffhanger of all cliffhanger hits you like truck.

Emma is a brilliant protagonist. She is everything that Bella from Twilight could have been. She is a klutz, she is quirky, but with a depth that makes her a great character. Half the book is written from her perspecive, always in "I" form and you will find yourself with a small smile on your lips for the most part. Galen is mysterious and according to Emma extremely good looking. But he is socially akward concidering the fact that he isn't just to life on land, which creates some hilarious situations. I want a Galen in my life. Then you have supporting characters that aren't really supporting characters. Rayna, Toraf and Rachel becomes your family just like they are Emma and Galens.

Do I recommend this book?
Yes. God yes, I do. If you love paranormal romance, don't even hesitate just read. I recommend you buy all books at once, because the cliffanger I mentioned will ruin you if you do not have book nr two (Of Triton) close at hand.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Original titel: Fangirl

Year published: 2013

Published by: Macmillan Children's Books

Pages: 459 + an interview with the author

First sentence: "There was a boy in her room."

Goodreads-rating: 5/5

Plot:

Cath and Wren are identical twins and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they're off to university and Wren's decided she doesn't want to be one half of a pair any more -  she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It's not easy for Cath. She would rather bury herself in the fanfiction she writes where there's romance far more intense than anything she's experienced in real life.

Now Cath has to decide whether she's ready to open her heart to new people and new experiences, and she's realizing that there's more to learn about love than she's ever thought possible...

My thoughts:

I knew I was going to love this book after I finished the first chapter. And love it I did. It's a brilliant book, with a great combination of humour and a little bit of drama in a fantastic way. 

Cath is an amazing heroine that I could easily relate to, although I'm not as socially anxious as Cath. She is the definition of a fangirl for sure. She prefers to stay in her room and write fanfiction about here favourite book series, Simon Snow and owns pretty much all merchandise created for the fandom. Cath is not good with people and prefer solitude. All this changes when she meet her new roomate; Reagan and subsequently Levi. Reagan is a butter social butterfly that you can't help but love, and Levi is that guy that everybody likes. You will too.

The snippets of Simon Snow are fun to read, and do not distract one bit from the rest of the story although they might be a bit confusing if you aren't familiar with the Harry Potter universe, as the books obviously are a tribute to the HP world. 

I recommend this book to everyone.

A brand new start

Hiya!

The name is Erika and I am almost 23 years old. I figured that I might give a book blog a go since I absolutely love reading books. You will have to be patient with me though, because I have never done anything like this before and might not be the best when it comes to give a good review of the book I am reading.

I will try to do my first review by tomorrow, I already have a book in mind.

Have a good day!