BookReviews

Hey guys, as the first post of this blog was about 2018 Resolutions I decided to take a look back and see how much of it I managed to achieve. All in all I had 6 goals for the year. The first one was staying alive. I'm glad to say I did manage to achieve this despite my numerous health problems. The second was to find a flat.This is also checked from my to do list. However, whether I would actually live in it or we would rent it is debatable since the moving (see the post about the Life Update ). The third one was saving as much as possible. For the first 10 months of the year this was quite easy to do as I don't like shopping and I can keep myself under check not to spend money on things I don't really need. But then we had to spend a lot of the savings because of the move and my health problems. So, I'm not sure if this resolutions was achieved or not. The fourth point was finishing one of the books I'm writing - I failed miserably, and it's going to re...

 Hey guys, despite the obvious failure of my reading challenge, I finished another book. I usually don't read self-help books or non-fiction for that matter but The Happiness Project seemed an appropriate title for me, as I've been told I'm someone who is constantly sulking. Of course, I don't agree with this. GoodReads Summary Gretchen Rubin had an epiphany one rainy afternoon in the unlikeliest of places: a city bus. “The days are long, but the years are short,” she realized. “Time is passing, and I’m not focusing enough on the things that really matter.” In that moment, she decided to dedicate a year to her happiness project. In this lively and compelling account, Rubin chronicles her adventures during the twelve months she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. Among other things, she found that novelty and challenge are powerful sources of happiness; that money can he...

Hey guys, I've been missing for quite a while for one simple reason - I hadn't read a book since the summer I didn't have anything to write about. So, the prospects of completed the reading challenge are getting slimmer and slimmer, well they are non-existent, really. Only this year I'm not going to adjust my goal on the GoodReads tracker to make it seem like I didn't actually failed. The number of read books until this moment  is 22 out of 50 (I'm currently reading one which I think I'll finish by the end of the week). Now, regarding the reasons for my lack of time and what's been going on. I.  I got my driving licence  Yep, at the ripe age of 25 I finally decided it was time to join the throngs of drivers. Let me start with saying that I've never wanted to drive, never had an interest, and quite frankly I was afraid. I mean I can't ride a bike: why would I rush out to operate a car? I started my driving lessons in the summer, whi...

Hi guys, if you've read my last review then you already know that this one is about the second book in the series of the Maclean curse. I don't know why I decided to read this one since I didn't really like How to Abduct a Highland Lord. Well, in all honesty it was because it was short and really easy to read, and although I'm very much behind with my reading challenge I still haven't given up. GoodReads Summary: In this saucy battle of the sexes, bestseller Karen Hawkins pits a hard-headed Scottish lord with an unusual family curse against a headstrong heiress who has a solution for every problem...except her own wayward heart. When Lord Gregor MacLean learns his childhood friend, Venetia Oglivie, has been abducted by a fortune hunter, he rides off to Scotland in hot -- and very annoyed -- pursuit. Venetia's soft heart has gotten her in major trouble this time: if he doesn't rescue her swiftly, the scandal will ostracize the provocative wench! T...

Hey guys, it's been awhile since I've posted anything on the blog, let alone a book review. The truth is I didn't really feel like writing it particularly for this book. It's the sixth one in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and it was supposed to be about Phury and Cormia. The reason I was postponing the writing of this post was mainly because I feel like I'm repeating myself. That's why the review is going to be a brief one. GoodReads summary: In this "frighteningly addictive" paranormal romance saga there's a war raging between vampires and their slayers. Here are the stories of a secret band of brothers like no other—six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. And now a dutiful twin must choose between two lives...   Fiercely loyal to the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Phury has sacrificed himself for the good of the race, becoming the male responsible for keeping the Brotherhood's bloodlines alive. As Primale of the Chosen, he is obli...

Hey guys, I think it's time for an update on the Pan That Palette Challenge. It's not going great actually, because most days I don't feel like putting on makeup before work. At first I was motivated and wanted to make progress as fast as possible but when I wake up in the mornings it's not on my priority list. I've hit a pan only on one color as you can see from the photo. And I've made my peace with the fact I'm not going to really use about 5 colors, which are Skylight, Transformer, Midnight Rainbow, Smoothie and Blacqua. I've tried to incorporate them in some looks but they're just too dark. And I suck at makeup so it's extra hard for me to not look like clown and a mess while wearing these colors. However, I did use all of the colors at some point even if just to take it off again in a few minutes, which in a way is a milestone for me, because I would never even think to put on black eye shadow. Now as to what I think about he palett...

Hey guys, last week I read the fifth book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series but I didn't really have the time to write the review. And if I'm to be honest I didn't feel like it either. Because honestly it was a disappointment. From the previous books Vishous was the character that I liked the most and the one I thought would have the best story but no - it was butchered. GoodReads Summary: The ruthless and brilliant brother Vishous possesses a destructive curse and a frightening ability to see the future. As a member of the Brotherhood, he has no interest in love or emotion, only the battle with the Lessening Society. But when a mortal injury puts him in the care of a human surgeon, Dr. Jane Whitcomb compels him to reveal his inner pain and taste true pleasure for the first time-until a destiny he didn't choose takes him into a future that does not include her... My opinion: I'm going to be brief. It sucked. The main problems of the previous books were e...

Hey guys, It's time for the review of next book in the next book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. This is the fourth one and it tells the story about Marissa and Butch, which started in the previous ones. Summary Butch O'Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard-living ex-homicide cop, he's the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world—to engage in the turf war with the lessers. He's got nothing to lose. His heart belongs to a female vampire, an aristocratic beauty who's way out of his league. If he can't have Marissa, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers... Fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, he's found by a miracle, and the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back. But even her love ma...

Hey guys, I've had this blog for about 4 months now and I realized all I've post are book reviews and haven't officially introduced myself. So, let's begin with the basics: my name is Iva (the "i" is pronounced the same way as the word "in") and currently I'm 25 years old. I live in Bulgaria - it's a small country in Europe and almost no one knows anything about it. Since I don't really like to talk about myself I've googled some questions which will help: 1. Zodiac sign Sagittarius - born on the last day of the zodiac sign 2. 3 fears Death, serous illness and losing a limb 3. 3 things I love My boyfriend, family and reading 4. My best friend I don’t really think I have a best friend 5. Last song I listened to Halsey - Castle (I think) 6. How many tattoos/piercings do I have I don't have any. I had my ears pierced as a child but I haven't worn earrings for about 8 years now 7. The reason I star...

Hey guys, It's time for another book review. It's again on the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. The third book - Lover Awakened follows Zsadist and Bella's story, which we saw the beginning of in Lover Eternal.        . GoodReads Summary: A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion—until he rescues a beautiful aristocrat from the evil Lessening Society. Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for one another begins to overtake them both, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now, Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past, and find a future with her… My opinion: I remember the first time I r...

Hey guys, I know I haven't posted in a while, but that's only because I had difficulties choosing what my next book should be. I even asked for recommendations but no one felt like sharing, so I chose to do what was the obvious thing and that was look through my own library. So, I came across Alexandre Dumas'  Ange Pitou. I was a fan of Dumas since perhaps I was 12 or 13 when I first read The Three Musketeers and the following sequels (I still remember how much I cried at the end of the last book when everyone died). After that I read the Count of Monte Cristo, which was equally great. And that's how I started buying whatever of Dumas' books I could find from second-hand shops, however somehow I never got around to read them. Disclaimer: This review will be short and it won't contain any of the plot because otherwise it will be more than 5 pages long. Ange Pitou, or Taking the Bastille, as it's known in English is actually part of a series telling th...

Hey guys, so in January I read a total of 6 books, which I think is pretty good, especially for someone with two jobs. The sixth book I read again wasn't Very Good, Jeeves! because it seems I can't get around to finish it. The book I finished was Max Factor: The Man Who Changed the Faces of the World. The title is quite self-explanatory. It's a biographical book about the life of Max Factor the man who created the makeup brand.  From GoodReads: Nice women never wore makeup. Even the word was taboo in polite society - until Max Factor entered the scene. Born in Poland in 1877, Factor worked as a beautician for the Russian royal family, the Romanovs, then for the stars of early Hollywood,  revolutionizing  the world of beauty as he went. My opinion: I found the book compelling and there was so much information that I didn't know. Which, of course was nothing of the brand. I never knew that first there was even such a man named Max, let alone that he worke...

"If we were all on trial for our thoughts, we would all be hanged" I started reading the book a while ago, and it's the first one of Atwood that I've ever read, but it certainly won't be the last. The story she tells is based on true events. Plot:  It's 1843, and Grace Marks has been convicted for her involvement in the vicious murders of her employer and his housekeeper and mistress. Some believe Grace is innocent; others think her evil or insane. Now serving a life sentence, Grace claims to have no memory of the murders. An up-and-coming expert in the burgeoning field of mental illness is engaged by a group of reformers and spiritualists who seek a pardon for Grace. He listens to her story while bringing her closer and closer to the day she cannot remember. What will he find in attempting to unlock her memories?* Spoilers As I said in my previous post I've already watched the Netflix TV series, and I couldn't escape picturing and most...

"The small details of life often hide a great significance."                                                                - Alias Grace 

Hey gu ys, I've never been a fan of the new year resolutions, because frankly they've always seemed pointless and doomed to failure to me. If something is troubling you, you can change it or at least take the steps to changing it immediately. You don't have to wait for some imaginary perfect time. Progress is progress regardless of the starting point. So, I guess I won't call them resolutions, but goals I hope I can achieve in this new year. 1. Staying alive Needless to say I need to be breathing in order to achieve the next goals, so I think this is a good one to start with.                       2. Finding a flat My boyfriend and I have been saving for our own home for almost 3 years now. We had picked a place, which was in construction for 2 years, but we backed out as we realized that we would hate living it there. So, for the last couple of months we've been searching for a new place. But either they're out o...