Top 5 Sundays #156 - Books That Made You Cry!

This list is a spoiler disaster waiting to happen, so I will comment in the most general way possible... promise!

This week’s results:

Top 5 Sundays Theme? {August 25th}

Books That Made You Cry!

 

69%

TSTL {Too Stupid To Live} Heroines!

 

31%

Total Votes: 13 

The theme for today is:

Books That Made You Cry!

But first, a little bit about this feature and the rules to join in…

Every Sunday I will post a TOP 5 list on the blog. It can be about anything and every week I'll have a new theme {You can vote on next week’s theme on my RIGHT sidebar!} and I will ad the Mr.Linky bellow the post so you can do a list with the theme and add you link to it.

Rules:

1. Write a post listing your TOP 5 choices within the theme I chose (or was chosen on a poll) for the week.
2. Mention this Blog on the post and link back to it.
3. Fell free to use the Feature's image (there is a smaller size version of it bellow)
4. After you've finished your post, add you link (of the post, not your blog's main page) to the Mr.Linky at the end of that week's post.
5. If you don’t have a blog to post, just leave your list in the comments =)

*in no particular order

Beyond Reach

Grant County Series Book #6 by Karin Slaughter 

A new favorite author for me and she already has shown that she is fearless when it comes to her writing and ripping our hearts out!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter Series Book #7 by J.K. Rowling

For the few people left that have yet to read the series... Lets just say that I could have added books 5 and 6 to this list, but the amount of heart break that J.K. thrust upon us in Deathly Hallows was insane!

For a Few Demons More

Hollows / Rachel Morgan Book #5 by Kim Harrison

No spoilers... let me just say that for the next few books, just the memory of this one was enough to get me crying all over again!

Mockingjay

Hunger Games Book #3 by Suzanne Collins

Suzanne Collins did not hold back in any of these books, but the double shots we get in Mockingjay are enough to make a grown may weep... real or not real?

Lover At Last

Black Dagger Brotherhood Book #11 by J.R. Ward 

The angst of waiting, the obstacles and the love Qhay has given us... so many feels!

Attention 

Please HELP, Guys! 

If you have any theme ideas for the next Top 5 Sundays Posts, please leave them in the comments! NEED NEW IDEAS! Your input would be much appreciated!

Now I can’t wait to see who is in YOUR List of 

Books That Made You Cry!

 Write you post and leave your link so i can check it out!

Hope you guys have fun with it!

Don’t Forget to Vote for the Theme for

My TOP 5 Sundays Post on the Poll at the RIGHT sidebar!

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Top 5 Sundays #140 - Best Evil Villains!

Time to list our most hated/feared villains!

What are yours??

This week’s results:

Best Evil Villains! 84.62%  (11 votes) 

 

Best TV/Movie Sidekicks! 15.38%  (2 votes) 

 

 

Total Votes: 13

The theme for today is:

Best Evil Villains!

But first, a little bit about this feature and the rules to join in…

Every Sunday I will post a TOP 5 list on the blog. It can be about anything and every week I'll have a new theme {You can vote on next week’s theme on my RIGHT sidebar!} and I will ad the Mr.Linky bellow the post so you can do a list with the theme and add you link to it.

Rules:

1. Write a post listing your TOP 5 choices within the theme I chose (or was chosen on a poll) for the week.
2. Mention this Blog on the post and link back to it.
3. Fell free to use the Feature's image (there is a smaller size version of it bellow)
4. After you've finished your post, add you link (of the post, not your blog's main page) to the Mr.Linky at the end of that week's post.
5. If you don’t have a blog to post, just leave your list in the comments =)

*in no particular order

The Omega / Lash

This creepy duo is chill worthy and gives plenty of trouble to our beloved BDB guys.

Lord Voldermort

Do I need to explain this one? LOL 

Roland

Not only is he feared even when he has still to make an appearance but he is also the heroine's father! 

President Coriolanus Snow

Snow in the books is so awful and in the films he is just as hateful! Can't wait to see him in Catching Fire and Mockingjay!

Lots of Baddies

Difficult to point out one baddie in this great series, so I'm adding them all! LOL 

Attention! 

Please HELP, Guys! 

If you have any theme ideas for the next Top 5 Sundays Posts, please leave them in the comments! NEED NEW IDEAS! Your input would be much appreciated!

Now I can’t wait to see who is in YOUR List of 

Best Evil Villains!

 Write you post and leave your link so i can check it out!

Hope you guys have fun with it!

Don’t Forget to Vote for the Theme for

My TOP 5 Sundays Post on the Poll at the RIGHT sidebar!

Read more...

Lover At Last {Black Dagger Brotherhood #11} by J.R. Ward

  

Qhuinn, son of no one, is used to being on his own. Disavowed from his bloodline, shunned by the aristocracy, he has finally found an identity as one of the most brutal fighters in the war against the Lessening Society. But his life is not complete. Even as the prospect of having a family of his own seems to be within reach, he is empty on the inside, his heart given to another.... 

Blay, after years of unrequited love, has moved on from his feelings for Qhuinn. And it’s about time: The male has found his perfect match in a Chosen female, and they are going to have a young—just as Qhuinn has always wanted for himself. It’s hard to see the new couple together, but building your life around a pipe dream is just a heartbreak waiting to happen. As he’s learned firsthand. 

Fate seems to have taken these vampire soldiers in different directions... but as the battle over the race’s throne intensifies, and new players on the scene in Caldwell create mortal danger for the Brotherhood, Qhuinn finally learns the true definition of courage, and two hearts who are meant to be together... finally become one.

• Publisher: NAL
• Release Date: March 26th, 2013 
• Author's Website
• Buy This Book: 

*Minor spoilers

This latest installment in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series could not have been better named. Ever since Blay and Qhuinn came up on stage as background characters, their importance and appeal have only grown. Book after book in the BDB has developed their story, little by little, in the background.

EXPECTATIONS

A lot of fans, including myself, have been waiting for QHUAY to finally get their HEA and I believe most of us didn’t really expect to get a full-length novels out of it. I, for one, though it would come in a novella or continue to develop in the background of other stories. 

When J.R. Ward announced that Qhuay was getting their own book, I know all those fan started making a list of all the things they wanted to happen in their story. The expectations of the Qhuay fans are astronomical and honestly, I don’t think any book can live up to all of them.

INITIAL REACTION

I finished Lover At Last a few minutes ago and my first coherent thought is “Awwww”. Yes, the book is great, awesome, fantastic! What really helped me enjoy it was that I didn’t really have many specific expectations. All I knew was that I wanted Blay and Qhuinn together, finally!

CRITICAL EYE

I did something while reading Lover At Last that I usually am not able to do while reading a book: I was able to enjoy it thoroughly and at the same time I was very critical about it. It is strange to say that this is something I don’t usually do, since I write a book blog. However, I tend to prefer to immerse myself in book and review them from the perspective of a book lover and not really a critic.

When it came to Lover At Last, I couldn’t help it. J.R. Ward writes such a fantastic series, that the bar it very high and adding to that, it was a Qhuay’s book for crying out loud!

THE SEX FACTOR

I am aware that Ward had an uphill battle to write this book. I mean a M/M (male/male) romance has yet to be done in such a mainstream level,let alone one that includes explicit sex. For that alone I applaud J.R. Ward!

That said, I was a bit disappointed with the sex scenes of Lover At Last. I have read M/M romances before and I felt that Ward constricted herself when it came to making those scenes come to life. The scenes felt very one note, with Blay and Qhuinn always having sex in the same position and the complete absence of lube. I feel that if J.R. Ward was finally going to write Qhauy’s story, she needed to bite the bullet and make their relationship, sex wise, more believable.

THE ROMANCE

Regarding Qhuinn and Blay’s story, that is my only issue and to finally witness these two overcome all the obstacles and giving into their love for each other was nothing less than epic and utterly rewarding! From Blay coming out to his family and how different they are from Qhuinn’s, to the last few scenes that had me bawling my eyes out!

Qhuinn had a lot of "growing up" to do in this book. He had to own up to his mistakes and accept a huge part of himself. It is very hard for him to let go of how his family viewed him, how they considered him less than nothing. He has never belonged anywhere before Blay, a man that has been his real family, and he needs to finally understand that.

He also needs to understand that besides Blay, the BDB is also his family and in Lover At Last, Qhuinn gets proof of that.

Qhuinn's insecurities and stubbornness are huge factors in Qhuay taking so long to happen, but seeing this final stretch into their road to HEA was amazing!

EVERYTHING NOT QHAUY

As for the rest of the book... I had a few other issues as well. Too many story lines! I mean, this is Qhuay’s book, why do we need THREE more potential romances in there? WHY? 

Is a M/M romance so repulsive that some heterosexual romance is needed to dilute it? Because that’s how it felt!

The villain POVs are never the best part of the BDB books, but they are usually harmless. In Lover At Last, however we had NINE points of view other than the two main characters. What was that about?

I actually liked Trez’s POV, but Xcor’s were a bit too much. Layla was less annoying than usual and she actually had a direct connection to the main couple. 

Assail and Sola’s POVs, though, were so freaking annoying and unnecessary! I felt they took a huge chunk of what could have been more page time for Blay and Qhuinn.

All in all, Lover At Last is a great addition to the series for no other reason than the fact that we get to finally see Qhuay get their HEA. The issues I mentioned really bothered me, but Qhauy’s happiness drowned it all out in the end and that’s what matters!

 

Previously in the BDB Series:

Don’t Forget to Vote for the Theme for

My TOP 5 Sundays Post on the Poll at the left sidebar!

Read more...

Top 5 Sundays #129 - Favorite Romance Novels!

Love romance, but I do tend to fall into the Paranormal genre most of the time =D

This week’s results:

Favorite Romance Novels! 75%  (12 votes) 

Favorite Romance Covers! 25%  (4 votes) 

Total Votes: 16

The theme for today is:

Favorite Romance Novels!

But first, a little bit about this feature and the rules to join in…

Every Sunday I will post a TOP 5 list on the blog. It can be about anything and every week I'll have a new theme {You can vote on next week’s theme on my left sidebar!} and I will ad the Mr.Linky bellow the post so you can do a list with the theme and add you link to it.

Rules:

1. Write a post listing your TOP 5 choices within the theme I chose (or was chosen on a poll) for the week.
2. Mention this Blog on the post and link back to it.
3. Fell free to use the Feature's image (there is a smaller size version of it bellow)
4. After you've finished your post, add you link (of the post, not your blog's main page) to the Mr.Linky at the end of that week's post.
5. If you don’t have a blog to post, just leave your list in the comments =)

*in no particular order

Tumble Creek Trilogy

by Victoria Dahl

The only non-paranormal entry LOL I am a Paranormal junkie after all!
I love Victoria Dahl's books!

Oracle Moon

by Thea Harrison

I am in love with The Elder Races series, but Oracle's Moon is my favorite!

Lover Awakened

by J.R. Ward

Z's is still my fave brother! =D

Jane Jameson Series

by Molly Harper

How could I not love crazy Jane's love story!

Soulless

by Gail Garriger

A lot of action, but the Alexia+Maccon romance in this series is THE BEST!

Attention! Please HELP! If you have any theme ideas for the next Top 5 Sundays Posts, please leave them in the comments! NEED NEW IDEAS! Your input would be much appreciated!

Now I can’t wait to see who is in YOUR List of 

Favorite Romance Novels!

 Write you post and leave your link so i can check it out!

Hope you guys have fun with it!

Don’t Forget to Vote for the Theme for

My TOP 5 Sundays Post on the Poll at the left sidebar!

Read more...