Emotionally Compromised by A. Rosa

And… we have something different today. If you’re looking for a fun and adorable read that doesn’t skimp on the steam and the plot, you might want to check A. Rosa’s Emotionally Compromised. I don’t really read much romantic suspense or first person POV books so it was a very nice surprise when I found myself greatly enjoying Emotionally Compromised. 

Note: I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: 

I thought Emotionally Compromised  was a great book with fun, interesting and realistic characters who were kick-ass and were well-thought out.

Alex was a great heroine! It took me a while to get into her character (mainly because I have problems with first person POV books, more on that in a bit) but once I got a good glimpse at her, I was in instant admiration. Let me tell you, if I am ever given the chance to be as awesome as her, I’d take it. I think my favourite part of her character was that no matter how tough and indestructible she seemed, Miss. A. Rosa didn’t seem to have any problems displaying her vulnerable side. And that’s great. Women characters, especially characters in law enforcement, don’t need to be strong all the time.

I also thought that Jeremy was a great match for her. Sure, their initial meeting was a bit weird, but hey Alex was undercover. I liked his determination to get to know her…. but I also liked how he wasn’t too pushy. He knew when to back off and give Alex her space. Also, before I forget to mention this, Jeremy was adorable and hot all at the same time. I have a soft spot for heroes/male characters who are unapologetic about how much they like someone. I find it refreshing and Jeremy is certainly that. I like that he likes how much Alex loves her job despite how terrifying it is and I like that he isn’t afraid to tell her how he feels. I got a lot of fuzzy vibes whenever these two were in a room together. They just made me so happy haha.

Marcus wasn’t a bad villain. I mean, the reasons as to why he became one was clearly mentioned and I can understand why he snapped but I found myself not wanting to pay attention to him at all? It’s probably because I really liked Alex and Jeremy and found that whole conflict thing with Alex’s partner to be enough for me. But hey, romantic suspense isn’t something that I read regularly, so feel free to take this part with a grain of salt. ;D Although, I was kind of confused because I thought Marcus was going to be redeemed but I guess some people just don’t want to be redeemed?

My one problem about the whole book is that I wish the beginning part of the novel was as strong as the last 2/3 of the book? I had a hard time getting into Alex’s head because I thought that occasionally, her voice would sound a little bit too robotic. I very rarely like first person POV books so that might have coloured my initial impression about Emotionally Compromised but A.Rosa’s writing is great and honestly, I had so much fun once I got over this. I didn’t even notice that I was at the end of the book until I saw “Epilogue.”

Overall, I thought Emotionally Compromised was a fun read about a female Fed who doesn’t need love in her life at the moment, but hey what are you going to do right? It had great characters, an interesting plot and it was really enjoyable. There were lots of romantic and steamy moments that were balanced with great action and tense moments. I really thought I was going to hate this book, but man was I so wrong. I ended up loving almost everything about Emotionally Compromised.

:)

Congratulations, A. Rosa on this wonderfully delightful and strong debut! 

Oh but don’t stop reading here, there’s a giveaway at the end of this review!

Author Info

A. Rosa lives in San Diego, California. When she isn’t scouring city parks or cafe’s to write she is more than likely trying to convince her friends to join her on her next adventure. A sufferer of wanderlust, she is always looking for a new mountain to climb, a canyon to hike, or a plane to board. Her resume consists of coroner, to working at a zoo, and most recently as an executive assistant, but finds her home amongst words, whether it be in books, or in film. Her obsessions are on the brink of bizarre, but that’s just the way she likes it.

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The Broken by Shelley Coriell, a review

Title: The Broken 
Series: The Apostles 
Author: Shelley Coriell 
Genre: Romantic Suspense 
Publisher: Forever 
Release Date: April 29th, 2014 
Source: NetGalley 

He took her life, but left her alive.

Three years ago, reporter Kate Johnson was the first victim—and only survivor—of the Broadcast Butcher. Scarred both physically and psychologically by the brutal serial killer, Kate lives life on the run, knowing that one day, he will find her and finish what he started.

In the pursuit of justice, you sometimes have to step outside the law.

Agent Hayden Reed spends his life chasing monsters. The only way to stay sane is to detach, but the second the Broadcast Butcher case crosses his desk, Hayden knows this is the case that might just cost him his soul. To catch this vicious murderer before he strikes again, Hayden must find Kate and earn her trust. For it’s her darkest secrets that hold the key to stopping this madman once and for all . . .

It’s always nice to encounter a first read that you know you’ll enjoy a couple of pages in. This isn’t my typical fare for romantic suspense but I damn well enjoyed it. Let’s also not forget the fact that it’s almost 3 AM and I probably will have to play soothing music to calm myself down because books give me more visuals than most crime scene shows. Anyway.

The Broken is a book about a survivor of a grisly almost-murder, an unfailingly optimistic FBI profiler and a man who likes to stab people to death. It definitely is an enjoyable book that will take you on a wild ride of suspects and a compelling group of characters. I thought Kate’s character was excellently written because there was the perfect amount of toughness and vulnerability to her. You get to see that she won’t let anyone stop her from surviving because it’s what she does best. I also like how Ms Coriell handled Kate’s distrust with the system and justice in general because I think it highlights how many feel regarding their local police forces and the procedures they do. This is for a completely different discussion but you know, things could always be done better right?

Enter Agent Reed who is definitely an optimist through and through. Not in the overbearing kind of way, but this guy believes and always has hope. It’s kind of nice to read a male protagonist written like this because well sometimes, someone’s always sees the good in things despite the many crappy things that have happened to him. I like my occasional emotionally tortured hero, but I like Agent Reed more. He’s just genuinely nice and that’s always great to read. I also like that despite the fact that he is a profiler and that he can’t seem to use it around people, he doesn’t let that guide his relationships. You know, no organizing people into boxes and whatever. I brought this up because I enjoyed the way he and Kate interacted. Right from the get go you know there’s chemistry and that in the midst of all this shitshow (because it is), they’re like a fuzzy, warm and safe centre to all of it.

Also can I say that I appreciate how Kate was not handled with kid gloves or how she wasn’t called crazy or delusional by anyone in this book? I was really more worried that some character was going to start something and call in to mind Kate’s experiences. I watch a lot of crime shows and this pops up a lot and I get really mad. So yay none of this.

And if you’re wondering whether this book has that “too many characters” and “too much info” problem most first books in a series do, well, it really doesn’t. I think Ms. Coriell handled the future characters and their introductions well enough. It was a natural introduction and wasn’t simply listing Reed’s coworkers and team members. I don’t know how she pulled this off because there truly was quite a bit of side characters in this one. My favourite is Smokey though. It was heartbreaking, that first opening scene, but I enjoyed his relationship with Kate and Maeve. And man, no one messes with Smokey ever.

I guess my problem with the amount of side characters is that by the time the actual antagonist is revealed, I couldn’t remember him. And I guess the point was that he wasn’t that memorable because he blends in so well but shouldn’t he at least have stuck out? I can’t believe this is bothering me but yeah I guess there were just too much red herrings that it kind of felt bleh? I mean, I certainly didn’t expect that but I didn’t expect it too much that I guess I was a little confused? It really was only at this part where it felt a bit like an info dump and I guess I just wanted to get on with the happy ending.

Another issue was the awkward-ish placement of the confession? I mean, at that point I knew Kate really liked him and that she felt safe with him and that there were real feelings involved but I guess I wasn’t expecting feelings confessions until the end after the shitstorm has ended. But then again, if I was Kate and a serial killer was hunting me *knock on wood never happen please* I would just express my emotions early on to avoid regret. I don’t know, it’s not like I wasn’t expecting that revelation since this is romantic suspense, but I guess I wasn’t expecting it at that moment and was caught off-guard.

Overall though, The Broken is a really great read if you’re looking to immerse yourself elsewhere. I enjoyed Ms Coriell’s vivid storytelling and character building. I was hooked from the second page on (this is on my Calibre so I can’t give exact page numbers 😛 ) and I clung to the story until it ended. If you’re looking for romance heavy romantic suspense, this probably isn’t for you but if you’re like me and enjoy the little subtle romantic details then hey go for it. Kate and Reed seemed to me like the type of people who are all actions speak better than words. If you’re easily spooked, I wouldn’t suggest reading this at 11:45 PM though. Maybe try it when there’s sunlight. Or people around you.

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Heroes Are My Weakness by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Title: Heroes Are My Weakness 
Author: Susan Elizabeth Phillips 
Genre: Contemporary Romance 
Publisher: William Morrow 
Release Date: August 26, 2014 

New York Times bestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips is back with a delightful novel filled with her sassy wit and dazzling charm
The dead of winter.

An isolated island off the coast of Maine.

A man.

A woman.

A sinister house looming over the sea …

He’s a reclusive writer whose macabre imagination creates chilling horror novels. She’s a down-on-her-luck actress reduced to staging kids’ puppet shows. He knows a dozen ways to kill with his bare hands. She knows a dozen ways to kill with laughs.

But she’s not laughing now. When she was a teenager, he terrified her. Now they’re trapped together on a snowy island off the coast of Maine. Is he the villain she remembers or has he changed? Her head says no. Her heart says yes.

It’s going to be a long, hot winter.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips has always been one of those authors whose books I’ve so desperately wanted to like because everyone keeps gushing about them. It didn’t happen, not until Heroes Are My Weakness.

Take an obscure island with a seasonal economy, harsh winters, puppets, small town intrigue, and two people whose history together have been tumultuous and add all of it and you’ll get this gem of a book. Heroes Are My Weakness was so utterly compelling and romantic and just so darn intriguing that the only reason I put it down was work and a trip to go see the Iron Throne of Westeros. Different book, different genre, I needed to sit on that throne.

The book starts a little bit oddly with a very lively internal dialogue and once you get over that part, you’re hooked. As someone who lives mostly in her head, I sympathized greatly with Annie. Her vivid imagination was brought to life through her puppets and it just worked, you know? It could have gone horribly wrong in so many ways, but Annie and her puppets really made the book. I found that they provided an interesting, if not honest, way of looking and understanding Annie and the people around her. She’s in a town she’s always hated, in an estate that gave her some of her worst memories and she just kept trucking on with her courage and her puppets. I think Annie Hewitt going to be one of my favourite heroines this year. Or maybe ever. I enjoyed how honest she was with her feelings and her opinions and she was just really admirable and it’s really nice finding a character like that.

Theo, on the other hand, I found to be similar to some of the other heroes in other SEP books I’ve read. It’s not that he wasn’t developed or anything, in fact I quite liked Theo’s character. I think I just found Annie more memorable? I guess it’s kind of hard to not be memorable if you have 5 puppet characters talking in your head. Anyway. I did enjoy Theo’s character and I really liked the chemistry between Annie and him. Theo has had a horrible life so far, and I completely understood his cynicism and it worked for him. It was nice seeing him starting to be happier when he was around Annie a lot more. It’s a shame I can’t quite articulate my feelings about Theo, because I did like him, and in fact one of my favourite lines in the book is from him:

“You talked about being a romantic. Romance is nothing! It’s a tiny word that doesn’t come close to what I feel for you.”

It’s not one of those lines that immediately melts your heart even without context, but considering what Theo has gone through and what his and Annie’s relationship has survived, this was definitely an “aww” moment.

And let’s not forget the plot. I had absolutely no idea where this book was going. At all. There were so many questions that needed to be answered. Halfway through the book, I had all sorts of crazy predictions and I was so completely wrong. I totally did not see that coming. At all. This being set in a small town, there was a couple of mysteries that surrounded Annie and Theo’s past and some of the other islanders. I’m not going to say anything about the plot, because I don’t want to spoil anyone but here are three tips I’m going to give you:

  1. Give Annie and her puppets a chance. Sure, it might weird you out a bit, but they’re great.
  2. Give Theo a chance. Just take my word on it. I almost gave up on him and was worried, but nope, totally worth all that stress.
  3. Make sure you have enough time to read and savour Heroes Are My Weakness. There’s quite a bit happening. Don’t read it on a bus because you might almost miss your stop. Don’t read it before work because you’re going to call in sick.

With that long rambly review, it’s pretty obvious I really liked Heroes Are My Weakness. In fact, I knew I liked it 1/4 way in to the book when I realized just how compelling, interesting and unique the story really was. So great. Also, if you need an escape from the summer, this book is primarily set in the winter and there’s a lot of snow. And cold winds. Just give this book a chance. Do it. You won’t regret it!

(This is an aside, but I really like the cover for this book. I just think it’s so pretty!)

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Truth or Dare by Mira Lynn Kelly

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

“in a deliciously sexy twist on the classic game, USA Today bestselling author Mira Lyn Kelly proves that when playing truth or dare—always choose dare.

After her one attempt at commitment ends with the discovery that her fiancé already has a wife and kid, Maggie Lawson vows that the only people she’ll love ’til death do they part will be her friends. Unfortunately that means Maggie letting her bestie rope her into a year-long dating dare: score a new date each month or pay a penalty. Seems doable—until Maggie’s date stands her up, leaving only one option: the sexy stud who just moved in upstairs. The problem? He and Maggie can’t stop fighting—and that’s just the beginning.

His name is Tyler Daniels and the last thing he needs is his neighbor distracting him with her girl-next-door smile and sharp tongue. Tyler’s in Chicago for one reason: to woo back his selfish ex in order to reclaim the child he once thought was his—and that means keeping Maggie out of his bed. A tall order, since Maggie has become a bigger temptation than he ever expected to face. But before they can even consider leaving the past behind, Maggie and Tyler must accept a brand-new dare: real, forever love.

Sexual tension? check

Slow burn romance? check

Forced close proximity? check

If you’re a fan of those three things and more, then you’d better check out Truth or Dare by Mira Lynn Kelley? Why? You mean besides having those three things? Well, it includes a group of great friends, a tortured-ish hero, an awesome heroine, shenanigans, and a really steamy romance that will leave you smiling. (It sure did with me!)

One of the things I really enjoyed between Maggie and Tyler was their meet cute. It was a misunderstanding that soon turned into snark and banter to hide that sexual tension that’s slowly unraveling between these two. I also really liked how the pace of the book was set, with each chapter being a month. You see, Maggie is part of a bet where she has to go on a date with one guy each month. All of the people in her circle of close friends, know about this and Tyler learns about it as well. There were some certifiably hilarious moments and totally sweet ones. I really liked it.

I had a bit of a harder time sympathizing with Tyler, mostly because I’ve never had a child or kind of raised one. I didn’t quite understand the struggle he had or why he was so hung up about it. It’s not to say that Truth or Dare provided no way to bridge that gap, they did, but still at the end of it all I was feeling kind of meh about that. It did however paint a very clear picture of how loyal and loving Tyler is. I may not have understood it but I certainly respect how dedicated he was to that cause. And I also liked how the whole conflict was resolved. Also, thanks to Wallbanger, one of my weaknesses are heroes who can’t resist the heroine’s baked goods. And man, those scenes involving cookies? Great. So great. It also made me want to eat cookies, but that was easily resolved 😉

Maggie, for the most part, I felt was a wonderful heroine. She was fun to read and despite how reluctant she was to do this dare, she went ahead and did it anyway. I loved how understanding she was of Tyler and I really just loved how these two interacted with each other. The chemistry was excellent. And before I forget, Maggie is also such a strong character. She just faced her problems the best she could and won through them. I’m just really glad for Maggie and that she now finally has that happiness she deserves in her life. Although, I do kind of want to see some resolution or something between her parents. Maybe a novella of them meeting Tyler? 😀

All in all, I just felt that Truth or Dare set its tone in the beginning, showed us how it was going to accomplish all of it, and delivered on all its promises magnificently, y0u know? This made Truth or Dare a perfect light read (with loads of steamy scenes included) after a long busy day to unwind to.

ABOUT MIRA LYN KELLY

USA Today bestselling author Mira Lyn Kelly grew up in the Chicago area and earned her degree in Fine Arts from Loyola University. She met the love of her life while studying abroad in Rome, Italy, only to discover he’d been living right around the corner from her back home. Having spent her twenties working and playing in the Windy City, she’s now settled with her husband in rural Minnesota, where their four beautiful children provide an excess of action and entertainment. When she isn’t reading, writing, or running to keep up with the kids, she loves watching movies, blabbing with the girls, and cooking with her husband and friends.

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TWISTED BY CYNTHIA EDEN

Disclaimer: I had to read this in the morning, and then reread it while the sun was still up because as much as I love romantic suspense and criminal procedural shows, I am a huge scaredy cat. So there it is.

I’ve been a long-time fan of Cynthia Eden and Twisted did not disappoint. I thought it was thrilling, steamy, fast-paced and just overall a wonderful read.

I tend to stay away from books with protagonists who are psychic because it’s either very fake… or they freak me out completely. Told you, scaredy cat. What I really liked about this though is that it’s stated early on that she reads people. You know, kind of like profiler. And that this skill has had some very life changing effects on her. There’s just something about that aspect that I really liked, maybe because I thought it was a realistic challenge? I also liked how her ability to read people is the thing she had to prove to Dean over and over again. She doesn’t have multiple psychology or whatever degrees like Sarah (who I think is the next protagonist for the next book AM SO EXCITED FOR THAT) and so it’s kind of a b* to prove your worth in something that’s traditionally academic. Girl that struggle is real, and I enjoyed reading Emma kick ass throughout the investigation. Ah I loved Emma a lot!

Dean, on the other hand, I was left feeling a bit meh about. Maybe it’s how their first interaction went down… but I kind of thought he wasn’t as charming as I remember Cynthia Eden male protagonists to be? I had to reread this book because of that and came to the conclusion, that no it’s just Dean. Which is fine, male romantic protagonists don’t have to be charming all the time. But it seemed like Dean was perpetually cranky haha. And strangely enough, that crankiness worked well in terms of couple chemistry. I loved whenever Emma would tease Dean because he kind of gets confused and stops to reevaluate what’s happening? IDK, but it made me smile haha. In before though, Dean wasn’t a d*bag hero, he was more brash and a little bit cranky. Definitely alpha though.

Before I forget to mention this, there is a bit of insta-lust happening here. I think that’s what made me a bit confused (see part above about me rereading) because I don’t think it worked as well for me as I was expecting it to be? I gotta tone down my book expectations, I know. Once the chemistry and the relationship is established though, things do get a bit smoother because Emma and Dean’s chemistry was pretty much off the charts.

Emma didn’t flinch. Didn’t scream. She looked down at the hand on her shoulder. “When a woman runs away from you, that means you need to stay the hell away from her.”

His hold tightened on her. “You and I aren’t done.”

She looked up at his face. Had she really thought the man was handsome? Annoying, that was all Dean Bannon was.

“I need to find that girl, and you’re the only lead I have so far.”

“Then you’re not a very good investigator.”

As for the solving the crime part of this book, I thought it was great! She does tell you who the suspect is, kind of, in the first couple chapters… but it’s not going to be who you expect it to be? I am horrible at talking about this part because I don’t want to spoil anyone, but it’s a good twist! Also, I liked how this book was set in NOLA. I’ve been hooked on NCIS: NOLA so that was just a random plus point for Twisted there haha.

Twisted can be read on its own because she does explain what LOST is and who its members are. Maybe Dean is introduced in Broken just as Sarah is kind of being set up in Twisted? Perhaps, but still,Twisted works on its own.

Also holy batman long review, but to sum it up, I liked Twisted. Maybe not as much as I was hoping it to be, but that may just be I have cray expectations. I enjoyed the interactions between Emma and Dean and thought it was realistic. They’re working towards solving this one mystery but this pesky thing called attraction keeps butting its head and it was really fun to see how they both dealt with it. I loved Emma’s character because she came across as very genuine and sincere and someone who knows what she’s worth and isn’t afraid of letting everyone know she’s good. Which is refreshing and wonderful and we need more of that you know. Dean was okay, I really wished I liked Dean more, but what can you do? The suspense plot was well-written and I really enjoyed watching it unravel and I mean, Cynthia Eden writes great romantic suspense books. I’ll be back for more from this series. And will probably read the first one soon. Maybe when it’s day time.


ABOUT CYNTHIA EDEN

Award-winning author CYNTHIA EDEN writes dark tales of paranormal romance and romantic suspense. She is a New York Times, USA Today, Digital Book World, and IndieReader best-seller. Cynthia is also a two-time finalist for the RITA® award (she was a finalist both in the romantic suspense category and in the paranormal romance category). Since she began writing full-time in 2005, Cynthia has written over thirty novels and novellas. Cynthia lives along the Alabama Gulf Coast. She loves romance novels, horror movies, and chocolate. Her favorite hobbies include hiking in the mountains (searching for waterfalls) and spelunking.

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MY FAVOURITE THINGS: FEBRUARY EDITION

Happy March everyone and welcome back for another round of the My Favourite Things linkup aka the only post I ever write lol.

Sidenote: I chose something with cherry blossoms because on the day I wrote this, the cherry blossoms were blooming here. All of a sudden though it got cold and rainy so oops bye again cherry blossoms. It’s been a ridiculously warm weather and I’m glad for the cold again, but man dat climate change tho.

This past month, I’ve been trying to be more active and tend to my mental health and I’ve found that Yoga with Adrienne’s Yoga Camp to be a great way to help with that. I haven’t been doing it everyday, I’m only on Day 9 lol, but I’m really enjoying this series so far. Her approach to teaching is pretty chill and Adrienne is hilarious. Even though some of her routines are a bit more difficult, and sometimes I even feel annoyed with them, I find that I always end up wanting to do more. I’ve never been to a yoga class so I can’t compare her to other yoga instructors, but I really like the way she teaches. It’s chill and very accepting of whatever level of yoga you’re in.

Also, this 20 minute routine for sleep by her is super useful if you want to de-stress and get ready for bed. I passed out super quick after doing this routine!

DIARY-ING

I was going to call this journaling but I wasn’t sure if it’s what I’m doing? Basically, I’ve just been writing down little summaries of what’s happened in my very mundane life so far. I’m sure it’s not an enthralling read but it does help with unloading whatever negative thoughts I’ve been having. Of course it’s just not for negative thoughts, some days I find that I’ll just want to write something down. I’ve been neglecting it recently because I’ve gotten busier so I really need to keep this habit up because it’s quite helpful.

That’s my actual notebook that I got from Chapters and I love it. <3 It’s pretty big but I find it much more comfortable to write on bigger notebooks haha. Sometimes size does matter *winkwink*

I’m sorry.

URBAN DECAY ALL-NIGHTER SETTING SPRAY

A lot of the beauty YouTubers that I watch really love this and for some reason, I never thought to try this. Well, I finally bit the bullet and bought it and OH MY GOD. Why did it take me so long to buy this? This setting spray is life changing! I used to use the L’Oreal Infallible setting spray to prolong my makeup, but the Urban Decay one just does it so much better? And it seems to help with my oiliness?

I haven’t been wearing makeup lately, but I get really excited when I do decide to wear makeup because of this setting spray haha.

BLUEMAIL

One day, Outlook on my tablet decided to stop working. I’m not sure what went wrong, but I knew that I got frustrated and looked up whatever the top rated email app was on the Google Play Store and discovered Bluemail.

I love this email app because it’s so simple and it was pretty straightforward to set up on my phone and my tablet. Also I enjoy that you can set a dark theme in a specific time period if you’d like. Another feature I like is that you can delete your emails right on the notification drop down thing.

I’m not really sure what else to say because I really haven’t fully explored the app but it has made checking my emails easier? I have my Outlook and my POP3 email accounts on there and Bluemail handles them all like a champ. I’m very pleased with this.

Aaaand that’s it for me this month!



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MY FAVOURITE THINGS: MARCH EDITION

Happy April and welcome back to another edition of the My Favorite Things linkup where we list everything we liked in the past month.

I didn’t really have any new favourites for March so I thought I’d share my favourite playlists from Spotify. And inb4, yes I’m aware that Spotify could be better but adjasdasd so convenient. Throughout the years I’ve realized that I prefer playlists over albums, probably because I’m usually indecisive. They’re just easier, really.

Also before I forget to mention, I do have Spotify Premium so I apologize in advance if some of the playlists are inaccessible or have a lot of tracks that are inaccessible.

1. BEATS TO THINK TO BY SPOTIFY DEUTSCHLAND

I can’t work without music. I get so distracted and often I find myself doing all the other things besides what I was supposed to be doing. Unfortunately, I can’t work with just any music, it has to be unobtrusive and upbeat to keep that work rhythm going.

This playlist is my favourite for coding because it’s very unobtrusive and has enough energy in it to keep me going.

RUNNERS UP:

  • Stay Sharp by Filtr – this is a recent addition to my playlist collection but it pairs well with Beats to Think To
  • Women of EDM by Spotify – Spotify had a bunch of playlists for Women’s History Month 2016 and this is one of those specialized playlists. If it isn’t obvious by now, I like to work to electro/EDM/whatever, so I really appreciated this. 😀

2. FÊTE ÉLECTRO BY SPOTIFY CANADA

Sometimes I like to bust out the Francophone playlists when I’m working  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I think it’s the fact that I can’t understand what they’re singing about and all that matters is the beat haha. This playlist has some English music in it which is cool too. This is my favourite of my Francophone working playlists.

RUNNER UPS:

  • Musique du travaile by Spotify Canada. I believe that means something along the lines of work music? This one’s not electro at all but is nonetheless pretty nice to work to.
  • Bonne hemeur by Spotify Canada. Googlle Translate tells me this means ‘good mood’ and it’s a pretty chill playlist to work to. I think I like doing design work with this

3. READY FOR THE DAY BY SPOTIFY

So I have most of the songs on this playlist saved for offline listening, which I thought probably meant that I really liked this playlist haha. I used to listen to this a lot when I worked at my old job because I had an epic one way 1 hour and 10 minute commute. When I’m not listening to electro/EDM/whatever I tend to listen to music that are on this playlist 🙂

RUNNERS UP:

  • Mood Booster by Spotify – another playlist that I used to listen to on my commute to mix it up
  • The Happy Hipster by Spotify – again, another playlist I listened to on my commute. The title though, makes me question my life haha.

4. DIVE BAR ESSENTIALS BY SPOTIFY

I usually listen to this playlist when I’m gaming. I’ve been into Maplestory again and it gets hella boring grinding for money so good music is pretty essential.

RUNNER UP:

  • Time to Dance by Spotify Canada – Really, I’m not sure why I like dance music so much seeing as I don’t ever party haha. But I like this one to game to as well.

5. SOUTHERN GOTHIC BY SPOTIFY

So when I’m not listening to dance music or hipstery indie music, I listen to well, this. I can’t even explain but I really do enjoy listening to the music in this playlist? What genre is it even? Country? Folk? Americana? IDK but I like it.

RUNNER UP:

  • Women of Folk & Americana by Spotify – Again, another playlist created by Spotify for WHM 2016. I really like Jolene by Dolly Parton and I can’t even tell you why, I just really like the song?

And that’s it for me this month. I just realized that most of the playlists I like were curated by Spotify so if you have any playlists you like feel free to share them with us! Also, have you found your taste in music changing as you get older? Mine’s definitely gotten a bit weirder haha.

Posted in MARCH EDITION | Leave a comment

GOODREADS 2016 CHALLENGE: UPDATE #1

I’ve been meaning to write about my Goodreads 2016 Reading Challenge because I’m actually working towards finishing it. Knowing myself though, I think I’ll just do an update every four months for a reasonable blog posting goal.

So for 2016, I pledged to read 200 books. At the beginning of the year I told myself that this would be easy. Four months in, I’m realizing that this is actually a challenge haha.

For those unaware, I primarily read romance novels and I used to review them so that’s why there’s a big screencap of romance novels. I still do review books on Goodreads, but usually it’s just a sentence or two about the book and whether I liked it or not.

It’s really strange seeing that I’ve only read 40 books this year because I’ve definitely read more. I reread a lot and do those count for the Goodreads Challenge? How do you shelf them? Do you change the date on your review? So many questions but I’m definitely starting to realize how difficult this challenge really is.

FAVOURITES SO FAR:

  • Irresistibly Yours by Lauren Lane — This is my first ever Lauren Lane book and it was so good! I just liked everything about this book to be honest.
  • Passion and Propriety by Elise de Sallier — Again, another first read from an author and another good book! This is a well-written and sweet historical romance (not a clean romance though) and I’ve been wanting to reread this actually.
  • Unlawful Attraction by M.S. Parker — Wonderfully written, very engrossing and really hot. You can read the whole set (it’s a 5-part serial, I think) on Kindle Unlimited if you have a subscription. (I was really surprised at how good this was because it was on KU. I should probably stop reading questionable books on KU haha.)
  • Douglas: Lord of Heartache by Grace Burrowes — While alpha heroes are usually pretty enjoyable to read, sometimes you just want to read a different kind of male protagonist and Douglas is that. As an added bonus, Gwen, the female protagonist, is also pretty darn wonderful. This one has characters from previous series and books, you don’t really need to read them first, it might just get overwhelming.
  • After Hours by Cara McKenna — If you are looking to read a steamy book with an alpha character (but not really an alphahole), this might be a good choice. One of the things I enjoyed was reading about the psychiatric hospital it was set in and how they interacted with the patients. Also, Cara McKenna writes steamy scenes really well so.
  • You Really Got Me by Erika Kelly — Romances with rockstars/musicians usually aren’t my thing, but I really enjoyed the relationship between Emmie and Slater.
  • Sweetest Scoundrel by Elizabeth Hoyt — Oh man, Asa. If you like them brash/crude heroes but are actually nice dudes, give this one a try. This is #9 in the series but you don’t really need to read to the previous books? I mean, I probably should but I managed just fine. Also, this one did a really good job in making me want to read the next book.
  • Fool Me Twice by Meredith Duran — SO GOOD. I enjoyed everything, the plot, the characters, the side characters, their relationship, it’s just so good. Go read it. Do it.

Whew. So many books. But according to Goodreads, not enough haha.

I’m at the point in the challenge where I’m asking myself if I set myself up for failure, but it’s only April. Hopefully I’ll be able to read 200 new books by the end of year.

Have you ever done the Goodreads Reading Challenge? Have you ever finished it?

Posted in GOODREADS | Leave a comment

MY FAVOURITE THINGS: APRIL EDITION

Hello everyone and welcome back for another installment of My Favourite Things! This is a monthly linkup that Raisa and I cohost where we list all the faves from the previous month.

Before we begin though, I’d like to ask anyone who’s able to please donate to the Red Cross to help out the evacuees of the Fort McMurray fires in Alberta. For those who are in Alberta, here’s a list that The Edmonton Journal has on how to help the evacuees. I’m not sure exactly how to send things to evacuees from outside Alberta at the moment, unfortunately.

Edit:

  • The Canadian government has announced that they’ll be matching Red Cross donations
  • Macleans: How big is the Fort McMurray fire?

DAWN OF DISCOVERY: VENICE (AKA ANNO 1404)

Ah Anno, I don’t know why it took me so long to get to know you because wow, I love you so much. Dawn of Discovery or Anno 1404 is a city building game with economic supply elements and some real time strategy and it’s so much fun. I don’t even know why I find supply management enjoyable but this game, man. There’s just something about arranging your farms in the most efficient layout that really gets to me I guess. I’m pretty sure I played for 10 hours straight once I’ve finally figured out how to play it and I didn’t even finish my game because I’m a slow player haha. (The game also likes to remind you every couple of hours to take a break :D)

The one thing I didn’t really enjoy with Anno 1404 was its combat component. One of my other favourite games is Civilizations V and I kept comparing the combat systems between the two games and Anno’s just felt really cumbersome. I guess as an addendum to this, I got annoyed with the ships because you couldn’t stagger their actions. (This is remedied in Anno 2070 though.)

THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM

Ah yes, another game that took me years to play. I think I bought Skyrim and Dawn of Discovery during the same summer sale years ago and I’ve never really played them until now. I’m kind of regretting that decision because these games are major time sucks haha.

I suck at open world games because well, I need structure and guidance and I have horrible sense of direction. At one point I’m pretty sure my Imperial climbed a mountain because I thought that was the most efficient way to get to where I was going (it was on the other side of the mountain, it wasn’t very efficient). Along the way I found a dragon’s nest so that was an interesting trip, at least. There’s just something about Skyrim that makes getting lost really enjoyable so I don’t really even mind it that much. Besides that though, the game is just incredibly beautiful and I just can’t get enough of it.

I’ve put myself on a mini gaming ban though because I need to accomplish things in my life before getting suckered in again haha.

FULL FRONTAL WITH SAMANTHA BEE

Thank you Tumblr and your never ending dedication to posting subtitled screencaps because I don’t think I would have ever found out about this show if not for those gif-ed screencaps. Full Frontal with Samantha Bee is a late night show similar to The Daily Show and Last Week Tonight where they discuss politics with some comedy. Those shows are all pretty much related because Samantha Bee and John Oliver were all correspondents for The Daily Show.

Samantha Bee’s show is so great. So so great. She’s hilarious, smart and has great taste in blazers and jackets — what else do you need? Some of my favourite segments from her show is Elected Paperweight of the Month (as shown above) and Job Fair for Future Women because they’re hilarious but they also discuss important things.

I love this show so much and I really need to figure out when it goes on TV because The Comedy Network (The Comedy Central’s Canadian counterpart) doesn’t seem to stream this only and TBS seems to only stream for Americans with certain cable subscriptions?

LEMONADE BY BEYONCÉ

I signed up for that free month on Tidal because I wanted to see what the world (ie. my Twitter feed and my Tumblr dashboard) was raving about. And man, I wasn’t expecting to like this album so much but omg I find myself humming various songs from this album throughout the day. Also, that visual album movie was beautiful and the narrated lines of Warsan Shire’s poems was a wonderful touch.

My favourites from the album are Hold Up, Sorry and Don’t Hurt Yourself. I guess Daddy Lessons too because that song is hella catchy.

If you want to check out the movie and the rest of the album before buying it, Tidal has a one month free trial thing going on.

And that’s it for me this month! Feel free to head over to Raisa’s post to join the link up 😀

RULES:

Write an entry about your favorite things.
They can be anything — books, movies, gadgets, websites, food, whatever you’re feeling this month. There is no limit either. You can have just one favorite thing or twenty!

Link back to My Favorite Things (Raisa / Eirene)
In your entry, provide a link back to this blog linkup to give other people a chance to participate! Here’s a handy optional banner for your convenience:

Posted in Romance Book Reviews | Leave a comment

MY FAVOURITE THINGS: MAY EDITION

Hello everyone and welcome back to another edition of the My Favourite Things linkup! This is a monthly linkup that I co-host with Raisa where we share all of our favourites from the month that’s just passed. Come join us and share all your favourites with us!

This month, I wasted my life on anime. Seriously. I finally watched Inuyasha and I didn’t know that series had 193 episodes. But I digress.

BUNGOU STRAY DOGS

I was browsing on Crunchryoll aimlessly and saw this series on the front page. I clicked and thought the show was weird enough for my tastes. This series is set in an alternate Japan where people have interesting abilities. The series, both the manga and the anime, is still ongoing so I don’t really know where this is headed, but it’s an enjoyable ride. The characters are great and the story is interesting and I really want to know what’s going to happen next.

I’ve also noticed that the anime is pretty entertaining even if you’ve read the manga.

PRINCE OF STRIDE ALTERNATIVE

After Bungou I wanted to watch an anime that wasn’t based from a manga. My friend suggested watching Prince of Stride Alternative because it was based on an otome game. And man this show is so cute. It’s also kind of a sports anime where the sport is parkour.

Compared to Bungou, Prince of Stride is very light-hearted and silly. If you’re in the mood for that plus some sexy anime boyz you should give this a try.

(Also one of the main dudes looks like Haru from Free! and he likes to fondle calf muscles haha.)

OTOME YOUKAI ZAKURO

This anime is one of my new favourites because it’s the art is adorable, it has cute romantic pairings and the story is very interesting. Otome Youkai Zakuro follows a task force created to help people and demons living in alternate Japan live with the new modernizations happening due to Western influences. It features 4 half-demons and 3 soldier dudes. The anime is cute, but the manga is more in-depth story wise and I definitely recommend reading the manga if you ever fall in love with the anime.

There are three main pairings in this show and they’re all very different but 2 out of that 3 pairings are my catnip/trope babies. (The third pairing is not my thing but they’re interesting characters on their own?) If you’re like me and you enjoy height differences, being from different stations in society, cranky-ish female character as your catnip/trope babies then you might want to check out this show lol.

MUSHI-SHI-NEXT PASSAGE-

Ah this is my other new favourite because this anime is strange and beautiful thgfxla. Set in the Nara period, a Mushi specialist travels around Japan and meets people affected by the Mushi that live around us. Mushi, from what I’ve gathered, are invisible creatures that have some power or strange effect. It’s a very interesting anime because usually it’s the humans who end up being terrifying and not the Mushi.

My favourite episodes are Lingering Crimson and Tree of Eternity because I am an angst bunny and just huhu that pain.

Season 1 is on YouTube and Season 2 is on Netflix and Crunchyroll.

INUYASHA

K so I’m not quite sure if this is a favourite but I watched at least 180 episodes (I skipped the fillers) so I thought I’d put it here because man that was a big commitment. Sure, I could’ve stopped but I wanted to know how it was going to end.

What did I think of it? I probably would’ve liked it better had I not marathoned the whole thing and probably if I was younger? But, I’m happy to report that I now understand the fascination with Sesshomaru. (That glorious, broody, majestic puppy <3)

Whew that’s a lot of anime series. Do you binge watch? What have you binge-watched lately? (Or if you don’t, what have you been liking to watch lately?)

JOIN MY FAVOURITE THINGS LINKUP:

RULES:

Write an entry about your favorite things.
They can be anything — books, movies, gadgets, websites, food, whatever you’re feeling this month. There is no limit either. You can have just one favorite thing or twenty!

Link back to My Favorite Things (Raisa / Eirene)
In your entry, provide a link back to this blog linkup to give other people a chance to participate! Here’s a handy optional banner for your convenience

Posted in Romance Book Reviews | Leave a comment