Showing posts with label Anna Banks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anna Banks. Show all posts

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Best Reads of 2012

I am now officially starting my 2012 lists with my BEST READS of the year. I will include all books I've read starting January 2012 even though some are released years ago. I hope you can share yours too so I can check them out :)

*In order*
**CLICK on the title to view my in depth review of the book


10. Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood



READ ON: August 2012

Julie Garwood is always on my auto-buy list since time immemorial. I have loved her since I was in High School and I have re-read all her books countless of times. I especially love her historical romances and even her contemporary ones like Heartbreaker and Shadow Dance. I just don't know what happened to her latest releases starting from Shadow Music. They are still good but I felt, like, her writing style changed or something. I still enjoyed reading them but the depth and captivating story that I loved were kind of short. So, even though I liked reading Sweet Talk, I can't put it on my top 5. BUT This is still a good read. I just miss seeing her old style. Still waiting for her 2013 release :)


9. Of Poseidon by Anna Banks



READ ON: June 2012

"Of Poseidon" is Anna Banks debut book as a writer and I'm glad I was able to read it. This is my first "adult" mermaid book...my last was Disney's Little Mermaid haha. Anyway, this is the only mermaid book I have read  since I became an adult so it's quite entertaining for me. I loved her writing style and her world building. I can't wait for book 2 of this series. Definitely a must-read book for those people who love fairytale-type of book and loves mermaids as much as I do :)


8. Shadow Falls Series by C.C. Hunter






READ ON: July 2012


This is a surprisingly good book for me. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did while reading the series. What I loved about this story is that it has a really good fluidity and it felt like I'm reading a Japanese manga wherein each book means just another chapter and you need to pick it up asap to know what's next. It really is a page turner for me and I can't wait to read the finale of this 5-part series..This series felt like X-men because it consists of all supernatural beings studying in one school and trying to live civilly with each other. I really love the concept and I'm so glad it was well executioned too  :)




READ ON: March 2012

Now, this is a faery book. I really enjoyed Julie Kagawa's writing skills and her character building. She was able to create a beautiful but dangerous land, Nevernever, to serve as the perfect backdrop for her characters. I enjoyed reading about Megan, Ash, Puck and Grim's adventures and character development. I also liked reading the short stories for this series, they are that entertaining. I definitely recommend this series for those people looking for an adventure fantasy book :) 


(aka True Blood Series)


READ ON: April 2012

After reading a lot of Young Adult books about vampires and shapeshifters, I really was quite happy to have found a good adult version through this series by Charlainne Harris. Book 13, the finale, will get released on May 2013 and I am looking forward on how she will end this very long series about Sookie Stackhouse. If you loved watching True Blood on HBO, you should definitely read this coz this is way better! The TV Series sucks big time since it's so R-18 but these books are great and it really was told in a way that it seems realistic even though it's fictional :)




READ ON: April 2012

This is a spin-off from the popular Vampire Academy Series. This is still ongoing and is following Sydney, the alchemist who if a friend of Rose. I just love reading these books coz the way Richelle Mead created another side for the same world as with Vampire Academy is superb. I can also see glimpses of what happened to the characters  I loved like Dimitri and Rose through this as the setting for Bloodlines happened right after the events in VA ended. I can't wait to read Book 3 and 4 next year coz there's a rumor that 2 books will be released consequently. Yay! :)




READ ON: February 2012

As I have said, this is what started my love for Bloodlines. This series made me cry, laugh and feel every emotions that a book could give you while reading. Richelle Mead is a fantastic writer and I love her female characters because they are strong willed and knows what they want. Rose and Dimitri's love story is epic and I really enjoyed the way how her character evolved from being an immature teenager to a mature woman. Love it so much! :)




READ ON: September 2012

This is one of those books that I can't wait for it to arrive. I actually ordered a hard copy instead of an ebook for this one the moment it became available in the US. I really was so happy with Raphael and Andrea's story because it is full of sparks and action. This is also the best cover for all the books in the Kate Daniel's series! I really love having this on hand coz I can re-read it anytime and I didn't regret the long wait because it's worth it :)


2. Guild Hunter Series by Nalini Singh


READ ON: January 2012

This is the best angel book out there in the market because this does not have any religious stuff integrated. It is sort of like a dystopian genre because Nalini Singh created a world wherein Earth is ruled by Archangels with Vampires as workers and humans are just there like "pets". I specifically love  the stories about Raphael and Elena so this being in 2nd place is because of the first 3 books. I just love Elena's character because she is full of spunk and she is a warrior through and through. I can't wait for book 6 because the author said the story will go back to Elena and Raphael instead of one of the Seven (Raphael's elite guard unit). I can't wait!




READ ON: June 2012

I have been contemplating whether my top 1 will be this series or the Guild Hunter one because I love both and I have re-read them over and over again since I got them...I just can't decide but I nitpicked my criteria and Kate Daniel wins! This won because I loved each and every book in this series even the novellas (Jim and Dali, Raphael and Andrea, and even Curran's POVs) and I can't get enough of them even though I have re-read them countless of times already. While I only am in love with Raphael and Elena's books in the Guild Hunter Series. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed reading book 4 and 5 too but they are not on my top 10. 

This is definitely the top book series of 2012 and I can't wait for book 6 to read more about Kate and Curran and also the other member of the pack :)


You can follow me on GOODREADS if you wanted to see a more regular update on my reading. It's more updated than on my blog because I don't review all of the books here in detail especially those that I have read a long time ago before I started Gale Reads


Thank you for dropping by!

Monday, June 4, 2012

Gale Reads: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Hello everyone! I just finished reading a book last night and it took me so long to read again coz I can't use my Ipod touch this last month for some reason. I can't access internet from there and I don't know what's the problem. Anyway, my sister is good enough to let me borrow her Ipad 2 so I can read hehe. I was supposed to read Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews but I didn't feel like it last night and I have decided to go for a fantasy love story that is not too heavy instead and so I ended up reading Of Poseidon by Anna Banks ^_^


Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal
Title: Of Poseidon
Author: Anna Banks
Read in: 6 hours

Summary:
Galen is a Syrena prince who went to land to investigate about a human girl said to have the ability to communicate with fishes. 

Emma  is an 18-year-old girl who went on a summer vacation with her best friend on a beach and had survived a tragic shark attack. After the attack, she began experiencing weird things in her body and she doesn't know what it is.

After Galen and Emma met on that eventful day, a lot of hidden things unfolded and it might be the solution for the Syrena Kingdom to survive.


MY REVIEW:

COVER TALK:  I so love the cover! It is not a straight-on-your-face cover that says what the story is about (i.e. an angel for an angel story, a vampire for a vampire book). It is the perfect image of Emma in my opinion. I'm so glad they didn't placed a mermaid picture on the cover hehe ^_^

STORY:
Okay, this book really blew me away! Honestly, I didn't know what to expect from this because it is the first mermaid story I have read since I became an adult. My last mermaid story was The Little Mermaid haha and I don't think that really counts for a novel anyway. I'm so glad I am not disappointed after reading this and I can't wait for the next installment!

Anna Banks is a new author and I believe this is her first novel ever published (I'm not 100% sure thought). I like her writing style because she was able to describe the scene very beautifully and it made me imagine what it would look like and feel as if I was there in the scene with the characters. I have rarely found any grammatical error which I am happy about because that's  the usual flaw that I find in YA books and some romance novels.

Going to the characters, I actually am a fan of the fact that the love story between the two main character progressed naturally and is not the typical love at first sight kind of thing. It is really a breath of fresh air for me that they did not start liking and loving each other the first moment their eyes met. Attracted, yes, but not the head over heels kind of way. It is so natural that it made you really want to follow how their feelings progressed.

I love the fact that Emma is not some love-crazed teenager only thinking about the love of her life...She's actually mature, strong, smart and not whiny. Love love her. Galen is also an admirable man because he is very loyal to his family and he really did try to do the right thing. And I love seeing him gets jealous. These two are really a match made in heaven in terms of characters especially the temper  ^_^

I'll end my review here coz I don't want to give out spoilers. All I can say is, you should definitely try reading this book because it's worth it. I hope book two arrives soon coz I want to know what happens to Galen and Emma's love story and also the future of the Syrena civilization ^_^


OVER-ALL RATING: 5 out of 5



 This is really a very entertaining read. I can't put the book down and I ended up finishing the story in 6 hours! I slept around 3am this morning because of this and my eyebags are so big and dark for my date with the BF haha ^_^

RECOMMENDED FOR: I think everyone who loves paranormal love stories, fantasy type adventures, and mermaids would definitely enjoy reading this. It is so much fun and engaging to read that I felt so sad that I can't get my hands on the next book to know what happens next. It really has a good cliff hanger and it hooked me.


Have you read Of Poseidon already? What about a good mermaid story? Please comment below so I can check it out too. ^_^