Video: December Book Haul

Check out this video to see the books I couldn´t resist buying! Make also sure to subscribe to my channel :)

Freak of Nature (IFICS #1) by Julia Crane

Title: Freak of Nature
Author: Julia Crane
Publisher: Valknut Press
Source: NetGalley
Age Group: New Adult (NA)
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥

Donate Body to Science. Check.

When seventeen-year-old Kaitlyn checked the box, she never suspected she’d have her life–and her body–stolen from her. She awakens one day in a secret laboratory to discover that her body is now half-robot and is forced to hide her own secret: that she still has human emotions and a human mind. If the scientists who made her find out, they’ll erase what remains of who she was.

Kaitlyn finds an unlikely ally in Lucas, a handsome, brilliant scientist who can’t get over the guilt he feels knowing she was once a vibrant, beautiful young woman. He never expected a science project to affect him the way she does. As he tries to help her rediscover her past, he finds himself falling for the brave girl struggling to find her place and acceptance between the human and computer worlds.

I absolutely adore this series! I really can´t wait to hold the next book in my hands as this is a book I devoured in a single sitting. I find it so hard to wrap my thoughts around this story, because it is still so vivid in my mind. I´m going to try though, hoping that I´ll find a few more constructive words then "amazing" and "wonderful".

Kate wakes up and suddenly she is not human anymore. She is a mixture of human and machine, programmed to obey every order and supposed to not feel anything. But what she doesn´t let on is: she can still think, and she still has feelings. She struggles to remember her past life, always dreaming of a beautiful boy. Who is he? And what do these feelings toward Lucas mean, the one who programmed her, the one who created her? As Kate finds out more about herself, she realises that her sole purpose in existing may be to be a deadly weapon. Will she face her feelings and show them to Lucas, even though exposing her secret could result in her ultimate death?

I love Kate. I absolutely adore her! If I´d wake up to being half machine, I think I wouldn´t be able to stay sane, but Kate shows such unbelievable strength at a time like this! She has an iron-like will to stay alive and to stay herself that it humbled me.
Kate has an innocent view on her surroundings due to the loss of her memories and her past life. It´s almost like she was just born. She doesn´t understand certain words and phrases that she is being confronted with, but is utterly intelligent in other areas. She is like a walking dictionary, because the computer in her brain provides her with the knowledge.
I think this story captured me so fast, because I believe that this scenario could actually be possible. I can imagine that somewhere out there a Dr. Frankenstein with too much money is actually trying to do such a project. I found it sickening and utterly fascinating at the same time.

I love how Kate is able to see everything so logical that it sometimes left me breathless. She wants to make the world a better place so badly, almost like a child when it witnesses something really bad happening. It wants to fix it. 
I mourned the loss of her memories and wondered together with her who that mysterious boy in her dreams is.

I also love the relationship of Kate and Lucas. I don´t think I would have accepted him as a partner for sweet and strong Kate, if there hadn´t been the chapters in which the story takes place from his point of view. I am able to love him, because I can see how much his conscience is nagging him. He is regretting this whole project so much, but on the other hand he is also proud and thankful for the opportunity. He still sees the wrongness in taking emotions and memories of a human being and that made me relax. Lucas is a good guy after all! Their relationship is a secret and very sweet one, as Kate has an innocent mind of a child, paired with the logic of a machine. It made her special and unique.

I´m really, really curious to see where this story goes and the next book will be highly anticipated by me! I´m hoping for some more bad-ass fight scenes starring Kate! Can´t wait!

The Yearning Mermaid says: "A brilliant book that left me breathless, because of the realistic plot! A fascinating scenario within the rules of the world we all know so well. Kate has enough strength and character to make every reader adore her! A MUST-READ!"

A strange sensation on her face gave her pause. She reached up and touched her cheek, then drew wet fingertips away. What...was that a tear? Her artificial heart pounded in her ears as she stared at her hand, captivated. After all the time she had spent at the facility, all she had been through, she´d never cried. She didn´t think she could. Across from her, Lucas stared. "Oh my god. Kate."

Kaitlyn scanned her information drive and was appaled to see that in the United States alone over 1.2 million incidents of violent crimes were reported yearly. Over 90.000 of those incidents involved rape. She stewed over the statistics for many miles, and it fueled her desire to make the world a better place. [...] She wondered if anyone on the bus had been a victim of a crime, or if there were criminals on board. More than likely there were both.

Video: Winter Wonderland Book TAG

Another wintery video for you! Check it out to find out what I like reading the most in the festive period!

Follow Friday #2

Bookselling Time: Go to your biggest bookcases. Go to the second shelf from the top and pick out the sixth book from the left. Handsell that book to us - even if you haven’t read it or if you hated it. (if you don’t have bookcases, done have six books on one shelf, etc, pick a book at random)

That would probably be Jeweled by Anya Bast. I haven´t read it yet, but I know it contains a few hot scenes, so it´s not suited for people under the age of 16. But just look at this gorgeous cover! I couldn´t resist, can you?

Kiss of Darkness (Dark Bonds #1) by Loribelle Hunt

Title: Kiss of Darkness
Author: Loribelle Hunt
Publisher: Carina Press
Source: NetGalley
Age Group: Adult
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥

 Winter, a hybrid, has spent her life at war. A group of humans who are part demon, the hybrids, along with the lupines and nightwalkers, have dedicated their lives to defeating demons and protecting humanity. Yet, despite their united cause, the three groups share an uneasy alliance. When hybrid military compounds come under attack from demon insurgents, Winter has no choice but to turn to the lupines and nightwalkers for assistance. It's a partnership based on necessity and she has no intention of letting down her guard with either group. Marcus, the nightwalker Lord, has other plans. The immediate attraction between him and Winter promises a passion he can't ignore. To claim her as his own, he'll not only have to fight the demons who seem hell-bent on destroying her, but her own misconceptions about him and the nightwalker race. It's a battle he refuses to lose.

A wonderful book that I devoured in no time! I fell in love with Marcus, Winter and so many other side characters in this book. I´m glad I have the next book in this series already on my kindle!

Hunt created a world in which nightwalkers (psychic vampires), lupines (werewolves), hybrids (half demon, half human) and demons exist. It is not the most unique idea, but nowadays, what is? 
Winter is the perfect heroine. Beautiful, strong and yet vulnerable. She has had a hard past and joined her soul with a demon in order to avenge her husbands death. Winter climbed up the ladder fast, but 60 years after the Joining she is close to giving in to her demon side. Only a mate can save her from the abyss and there might be a nightwalker who is more than willing to share her burden. 
Marcus, the Nightwalker Lord is strong, gorgeous, charming and I fell for him instantly. 
When he meets Winter he feels that both of them have a special connection and he will do everything to make her his mate. 
Then there is the war with the demons, who are getting stronger and stronger each day. Either the hybrids, lupines and the nightwalker join forces in order to fight the demons, or they will loose the battle that decides who lives and who dies...

Winter and Marcus have great chemistry and it´s so much fun to see their relationship develop. I´ve had enough of those women, who turn down awesome men, even though they want them just as much. If you want them, go get them!
Hunt found the perfect balance and it left me very satisfied, because it neither went too fast, nor took it to long for those two to accept their feelings.
The main plot focuses on the fight with the demons and it was thrilling to see the characters in action. Especially Winter is a strong and intend fighter and I adored her strength and will.
 
The book also follows Winter´s best friends Gia and Dupree. Both of them have their own problems and it´s refreshing to read chapters where the book focuses on them instead of Winter and Marcus. 

The next book will follow Dupree and Kara. Both of them were introduced in Kiss of Darkness and their story promises to be just as thrilling.
I really enjoyed reading about this world, because it was entertaining and had a great mix. Filled with humor, tragedy and suspense it is the perfect series for me. 

The Yearning Mermaid says: "This book is a mixture of Nalini Singh´s Psy/Changeling Series and Jeaniene Frost´s Night Huntress series and thus was made for me! I loved it and really,really recommend it!"

Darkness Watching (Darkworld Book #1) by Emma L. Adams

Title: Darkness Watching
Author: Emma L. Adams
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Source: NetGalley
Age Group: New Adult/ Young Adult
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥

Eighteen-year-old Ashlyn is one interview away from her future when she first sees the demons. She thinks she's losing her mind, but the truth is far more frightening: she can see into the Darkworld, the home of spirits– and the darkness is staring back.

Desperate to escape the demons, Ash accepts a place at a university in the small town of Blackstone, in the middle of nowhere - little knowing that it isn't coincidence that led her there but the pull of the Venantium, the sorcerers who maintain the barrier keeping demons from crossing from the Darkworld into our own world.

All-night parties, new friendships and a life without rules or limits are all part of the package of student life - but demons never give up, and their focus on Ash has attracted the attention of every sorcerer in the area. Ash is soon caught between her new life and a group of other students with a connection to the Darkworld, who could offer the answers she's looking for. The demons want something from her, and someone is determined to kill her before she can find out what it is.

In a world where darkness lurks beneath the surface, not everyone is what they appear to be...

It certainly took me some time to adapt to the story and at first I didn´t really feel like I would love this book. But I´m more than glad that I was wrong! I really ended up enjoying this book so much and I´m already looking forward to the next installment in this series.

Ash is that ordinary girl in school that doesn´t really stand out and doesn´t have much friends except one. She has a huge fear of failing tests and university interviews and recently she´s been able to see demons.
As she moves out from home to the campus of Blackstone, Ash first thinks she is safe from the demons there. But she is wrong. Even more demons appear out of nowhere - targeting her - why, she has no clue. As she discovers her abilities more attacks focus on her. In order to survive, Ash must embrace her abilities and face the truth about her heritage.

I have to admit I didn´t feel it at first. I even disliked Ash a little bit, because she was so unbelievable scared of EVERYTHING. She was scared of tests, she was scared of interviews and she was scared of speaking her mind to her parents. It annoyed me, simply because Ash and I are so much unlike, I guess. 
As she moves to the campus, however, Ash transforms. Suddenly she isn´t this scared little girl anymore, but a young woman curious to find out about life at college. She also finally decides to know more about her abilities, which remain a complete mystery to her and the reader for so long. 
I love reading about protagonists that slowly learn to wield their power and are suddenly faced with so much strength and potential that it scares them! I just love it! It always gives me a sense of "everything is possible".

The story started off quite slow and the first few chapters were a drag for me, but after adapting to the pace of the book I couldn´t put it down. I simply devoured it. Adams manages really well to keep the suspense going, without confusing the reader in the process. Everything makes sense, even though there are more than a few mysteries that have yet to be solved.

It was also really refreshing that the romance part is not as dominant as in so many other books out there. I expected something different, and yet I ended up liking it the way it is.
 I also liked the side characters, especially Claudia was one of my favourites. I´m really curious to find out more about her and the Venantium. The latter is still one hell of a mystery to me.

And guys just look at this stunningly beautiful cover! Seriously?! If it wouldn´t have been for the intriguing synopsis, I would have solely picked the book up because of the cover!

The Yearning Mermaid says: "If you want a well written story about demons and magicians then this might be a book for you! The story is full of mysteries and strong characters that will keep you well occupied!"

Video: Christmas Cracker Book TAG

Here is another video for you to watch! It´s about books I´m going to read over the festive period and books that are so good that I´d gift them to somebody else. Make sure to tell me what you think in the comment section down below!