Wednesday 4 June 2014

Sad News


Hi everyone,
Well as you may have noticed, I haven't blogged in months and not reviewed in over a year. So it is with a heavy heart that I decided that I can't keep up blogging on the scale that's needed for a full time site.

Basically I'm shutting down V's Book Life.

Thank you all so much for your support over the 3 years I've been up and running but I just don't have the time to dedicate any more and it breaks my heart.

Love to you all and thank you once again for everything.

Tuesday 5 November 2013

Ok, I need help...

I freely admit it, I'm in a blogging slump.

Completely and utterly stuck.

I haven't posted for months. I've read some great books, I mean MAGIC RISES, LOVER AT LAST, ARCHANGEL'S LEGION, TEMPT THE STARS, have all been released since I fell arse over tit into this...this...THING!
None of these books have been able to pull me out of the slump I'm in. I just can't seem to find my words any more :(


Have a cute cat to illustrate my point...I may have spent about an hour looking at pictures of cats after I found this, it may explain my lack of blogging.

Does anyone know of a good way to overcome a blogging slump? I miss interacting with the world but get so frustrated with myself when I can't write a decent review that I slam my laptop lid down, grab some ice cream and put myself in a sugar and Disney coma for my own good.

I WANT MY LIFE BACK!

Please... *whimpers*

Tuesday 2 July 2013

Giveaway Winner!

Thank you so much to all who entered my 2 year Blogoversary giveaway!! I had tonnes of fun hosting it. But now we've reached the end and a winner has been selected...

So congratulations to:

Almendra Quispe

Yep, you've won! Congrats! If you see this post, go and check your e-mail and let me know what book from the choices given you would like.
And don't forget, you only have 7 days to respond otherwise I will draw a new winner!

Congratulations once again!

Over and out!

Friday 21 June 2013

Feature and Follow {17}

Hello everyone,
As we all know it's FRIDAY and here that means it's Feature and Follow time. Feature and follow for those who don't know (have you been living under a rock?) is a weekly meme hosted by the lovely folk at Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. It is a great way for all us bloggers and readers to get connected by answering one simple question every week. It allows you to see a little more inside my head...though why you'd want to is beyond me, it's a little weird and kinda noisy in there...some places are also a little dusty too...but that's normal...right? Anyway, let's get on with the show!

Today, we're being asked to:

Share your favourite literary quote!

Ok, yep I know this. Actually I'm going to cheat a little and do one profound quote and one funny quote. See if you can guess who they're from and I'll let you know in the comments if you're right :)

First off we have our more serious quote:
“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”
And now for the funny one. This does not some me up in any way what so ever...nope...not one bit. It's from one of my favourite characters...gold star to anyone who can guess who :)
“Paranoid? Probably. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face.”
Ok then folks, that's me done for this round. Don't forget to enter my 2 year Blogoversary giveaway. There's a link over there ----> somewhere, only a day or so left to enter. Do it. Do it now ;)

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Over and out!


Friday 24 May 2013

2 YEAR BLOGOVERSARY CELEBRATION + GIVEAWAY

Hello again everyone,

Long time, no post. As of Monday the 20th May, all my university work is officially FINISHED! Meaning...I can come off hiatus!

And what better way to throw myself back into the blogging world than with a celebration because...



Yes, you read that right folks, V's Book Life has officially been up and blogging for the past 2 years and what an amazing 2 years it has been!
I'd like to say a big thank you to all you folks who read my ramblings, I couldn't do this without you.
A big thank you as well to the lovely authors who have participated in my interrogations ..erm...interviews...over the past year, as well as those authors and publishers who have allowed me to read and review their hard work. It's been amazing to get to know you all.
And finally, to every author on the planet, I wouldn't be able to do this if you guys didn't write such amazing material for us readers to get stuck into.

Right, on with the fun part :)

I'm hosting a giveaway as a big thank you to all my followers and readers out there. All you guys have to do is fill in the form below and cross your fingers ;)

Here are the details;
The prize: your choice of ONE of the lovely new releases of 2013 as seen below! 
There will be one winner UNLESS I reach 400 followers. If that's the case I will add a second winner. I will add an additional winner for every milestone after as well, 500, 600 etc. Sound fair?
The contest closes at Midnight on the 24th June 2013 (EST) 
One last thing, the giveaway is International! Well...so long as the Book Depositary ships to you (click here for a list of countries).
Please read my Giveaway Policy BEFORE entering!





So to recap, that's a choice of one of the following;
Lover At Last by J.R. Ward
If I Should Die by Amy Plum
The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa
Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews
Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead
Dare You To by Katie McGarry
Oath Bound by Rachel Vincent
Hunted by Kevin Hearne
Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

Click on the links to read more from Goodreads. If the winner chooses a book from the list above that has not yet been released, I will pre-order it for you. Also I cannot guarantee the cover of your prize...it depends on where you live.

FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW TO ENTER. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday 11 April 2013

Hiatus

Hi Everyone.

I haven't been around on the blogging scene much over the past few months and I'm about to get even scarcer so I thought I'd put up this little note just to let everyone know that I've not given up blogging, I'm just REALLY busy.

Basically I'm coming to the end of my third and final year of my nursing degree...meaning as of September I will be a qualified nurse...with needles and everything...damn scary thought! However between now and then I have approximately 13,000 words of essay and dissertation to write. Normally, that would be fine, except I'm also working 5 days a week on placement in the hospitals for my degree, meaning I'm utterly exhausted when I come home, and I still have work to do!

So, blogging has fallen to the wayside for a little while. I'm still reading on my break and on the bus but have zip time to review properly, any review I wrote wouldn't have my full attention and I wouldn't be happy to publish that.

Thankfully, all my assignments are due in on the 20th May and from then on it will be full steam ahead with blogging once more! Plus, we'll be turning 2 years old about that time as well so there will be a Blogoversary giveaway to celebrate :)

Hope everyone is well, and please feel free to contact me still or leave comments and I will do my best to get back to you in a reasonably timely manner!

Lots of love,



Tuesday 5 March 2013

Review: Night Blade by J.C. Daniels

Hi everyone. I'm going to get right to the point. I've just finished Night Blade. I'm still in shock. Apologies if the review is not cohesive. Will read over again once in a less emotionally fraught state of mind... *whimpers*.

Title: Night Blade
Author: J.C. Daniels a.k.a. Shiloh Walker
Publisher: Shiloh Walker Inc.
Release Date: 4th March 2013
Series: The Colbana Files, Book 2
Source: My Personal Copy

Blurb from Goodreads:
Kit Colbana is always biting off more than she can chew. She has a knack for finding trouble. This time, though, trouble finds her. Someone from her past drops a case into her lap that she just can’t refuse…literally.
People on the Council are dying left and right and she’s been requested to investigate the deaths. The number one suspect? Her lover, Damon. If she doesn’t clear his name, he gets a death sentence. Even if she succeeds? They still might try to execute him. Oh, and she’s not allowed to tell him about the case, either.
The stakes are high this time around, higher than they’ve ever been. Kit may be forced to pay the ultimate price to save her lover’s life…a price that could destroy her and everything she loves.

Review:
First Line: 'I am aneira. My blade is strong. Strong enough to handle a lot of things but not enough to handle the four shifters who had been trailing me all day.'
Ok, first of all, stop right here if you have not read book 1 in the series BLADE SONG. In fact, stop and go buy it. Like now. Just so you can read NIGHT BLADE, seriously, do it now.
Secondly, I must forewarn all future readers of NIGHT BLADE. Have tissues ready, or at the very least some chocolate to see you through. Jen at Red Hot Books, tried to warn me...I was a fool and didn't listen. I'm begging you, please have some form of comfort ready. I'm still in shock as I write...my heart actually hurts right now.

But before we get to the part that makes me want to hunt down J.C. Daniels and get her to say it wasn't true, we must go back to the beginning.
Kit and Damon are right where we left them, happily annoying the heck out of each other and going strong despite the Cat clan and, well, basically the entire shifter community thinking it's a bit of a joke. Damon's still the Alpha Cat and he's finally reaching the end of cleaning up the mess Kitty-Cat Barbie (the previous Cat Alpha) had left the clan in. Basically he's forcing the pack crazies to change their ways and killing those who won't. As for Kit, well Kit is still running Colbana Investigations, doing the jobs brought her way by other non-humans. Including little things like couriering two severed heads for the local wolf Alpha Alisdair MacDonald. Only that little trip shows us how much things have changed for Kit now that she is dating Damon. Kit is babysat on her courier job by a wolf because MacDonald is afraid of the reprisals should Kit get hurt while working for him. That chafes Kit's ego somewhat. So does Damon's need to check up on her and defend her at the littlest slight. But all in all, everything is going well and their relationship is standing strong....
...Then we meet her ex-boyfriend Justin, and this happens:

Justin leaned forward, elbows braced on his knees. “I can see what you’re thinking,” he mused. “It’s written in your eyes. You never have learned how to control that, Kitty-kitty.”
“If you keep on calling me that, I’m going to punch you,” I said, smiling at him.
He snorted. “Won’t be the first time.”
“Probably won’t be the last. Now, why don’t you finish spouting whatever crap you have to spout, so I can tell you no and kick you out?”
“You can’t,” he said and the gravity of his voice served to ratchet up the tension building in my chest. “And I think you already know something is fucked up. Because I can see that, too. I know you too well.”
“If you know me, Justin, then you know I don’t like games. Tell me what the hell is going on and quit screwing around.”
He nodded, a slow dip of his head. “You don’t want to tell me no, Kit. You can’t. You have to do this job…and you can’t fuck it up, because if you do, it’s very, very possible an extermination squad is going to be sent after your man, Kit. And I don’t think you want that.”
Ah heck.

Justin works for the Banner unit, and they think Damon has killed 5 assembly members without just cause. Now Damon's got a target on his back and the only one who can help him is Kit. Only she can't talk to Damon about it...no seriously...she physically can't talk about it, because the sneaky witch that he is, Justin puts a binding on Kit that causes her agony when she tries to tell anyone...including Damon, what she's investigating. Now Kit has to prove Damon is innocent of what the the Banner unit is accusing him of...oh and did I mention she's got a deadline too...it's a race against the clock, and she can't even tell the man she is falling in love with. What could possibly go wrong...?

Kit is such an amazing character. I have some serious respect for her. She's tough as nails, we've heard of some of the abuse she suffered from her Grandmother and Aunts in BLADE SONG but I don't think we even scratched the surface of her past. This fight, this strength stems from her ordeal there...however, Kit is also a very vulnerable woman. Her nights are plagued by horrific nightmares of the very events that gave her her steel core. No matter what, she will not break. She pushes through the memories and with Damon's help has been able to love again. Had he not shown himself so worthy of her heart, I don't know if Kit would have ever reached out to Damon the way she does, though she still isn't quite strong enough to share the full extent of the horrors that plague her.

These characters blow my mind.

Which is why the last 25% of the book absolutely killed me.

...Kit...oh god...Kit...

I am not going to spoil this for anyone, and I know I wouldn't be able to do it justice anyway. All I can say is that I cried like a baby. Wiped my eyes. Read another page. Cried some more. Started talking to myself like a lunatic, saying 'no no no no'. I'm still reeling even as I write this. There is a hollow feeling in my chest now, but at first there was only pain. I feel like a little bit of my book lover soul died. That bit reserved for those characters I love with all my heart. There really should be a neon sign stating that this book will render you emotionally stunned for at least 3 hours after (that's how long it's been since I finished it).

I genuinely don't know how to sum up this book. It's so good...but it's so heart wrenching it makes you feel like you are drowning in your emotion. J.C. Daniels might as well have just walked up to me and hit me over the head with a baseball bat...that's how stunned I am right now.

...I'm so gonna need counselling...

My Rating: 4.5/5

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