Cem's Book Hideout

Better Late Than Never...Maybe

2011-07-14T18:35:00.000+01:00

So I've been meaning to post this message for weeks now, and it is (for the first time in many months) Cem not the fabulous Nayu (to whom I am very, very greatful!). Here's the deal, this blog is, for now at least and maybe for good, going inactive. I shall not be posting, nor will anyone else. I won't be deleting it as deleting all that work of mine would be majorly depressing! But right now I'm not really reading. I've read...hmm, maybe 3 books in the past 5 or 6 months? Not enough to run a book blog by any stretch!!

Things are good though. I hit rock bottom, I burnt out completely and utterly where books and blogging (and internet for that matter) are concerned. But now I'm doing great. I'm still barely reading, though my love of books and reading is slowly creeping back in and for that reason, I've decided I'm okay with 'closing' the blog now. I may return to blogging at some point in the future, because I did really, really enjoy it, but right now, this is goodbye. Massive thank you to everyone who's followed me, commented on my reviews and enjoyed the content I've posted (and Nayu's content as well) you guys are awesome. I've made a lot of new friends as a result of this blog and I'm very glad of that too.

Much love,
Claire
xxx

Red's Wolf by PJ Schynder

2011-06-20T00:15:00.000+01:00

August 2010, Decadent Publishing
? pages, eBook
Review copy

Paranormal Romance

Shapeshifters (cats), jealousy, lone wolf (literal & figurative), rivalry, overprotective family, getting hurt, some humour, a few occasions of intense romance,

Summary from Decadent

Book Two of the Terra's Guardians Series

Carri has definitely caught the eye of the big bad wolf.

Visiting the Glacier Valley pack to get a little breathing room from life in the city, Carri uses her skills to help install a high tech airspace sensor array for her adoptive grandmother’s pack. Jason is a lone wolf, good at doing his job and good at being alone. Sparks fly between them, igniting desire hotter than Carri's red hood. But the Glacier Valley pack has made it clear Carri is under their protection and off limits. Yet, the heat between them is undeniable, and when Carri makes her choice clear, Jason is ready to claim her as his. He'll go against the pack and any rivals, even take down an alien hunter to have her and protect her

Nayuleska's reasons for loving Carri...although Carri was nice, it took a while for me to be totally at ease with her She's very determined, and will not take being dictated to by her well meaning but over cautious family. Just because she isn't a shape shifter doesn't mean she isn't aware of how pack society works - a fact that makes her remind the pack that they are neglecting their duty a little towards Jason.

How evil/nasty is the enemy? I haven't read this for a few days, but the mere title 'Hunters' has me looking around very cautiously. They are inhuman - I'm not talkig not human - the pack are part human, but hunters are evil, goal driven and determined to hunt the pack down. So what if Carri gets in the way - she's still in pack territory.

Are there plenty of plot twists and surprises? Not heaps, it was pretty clear where the story headed (it felt shorter than book 1...which I did mind a lot).

One of my favourite parts was...when she puts the needs of others first above her own safety (remember that she isn't a shapeshifter...so doesn't have extra strength/weapons in combat)

This gets 8/10 - it felt a little too short (perhaps I was spoiled with the length of Heart's Sentinel), and Carri's story wasn't as exciting as MacKenzie's.

Be sure to check out more about PJ Schnyder on her website.

Suggested reading

You absolutely have to read Heart's Sentinel, the first book in the series (much longer than RW). It's awesome and one of my top favourite shapeshifter novels.

Alpha, by Rachel Vincent, Follow Faythe as she lives with her pride, struggling with all the rivalries and politics (remember, this is the last book in the series, but it is seriously awesome) Cem has actually read the entire series, which starts with Stray (reviewed by Cem). (Yes I'm aware it might look odd putting the last book first, and the first book last - its just the way I've done it :)

Coming Home by Graylin Fox

2011-06-17T00:15:00.000+01:00

December 2010, Decadent Publishing
? pages, ebook
Review copy

Urban fantasy

Unseelie court,, magic mixing with the modern world, fighting, intrigue, some humour, tragedy, secrets revealed,

Summary from Decadent

After losing her husband and son in a car wreck, Lyn is left alone. Even though overwhelmed with grief, financial responsibilities bring her back to reality. With the decision to sell her ancestral home, Lyn is greeted by memories of childhood as she meets up with the water dryad and brownie couple, who had helped her grandmother raise her. The old plantation on the coastal marsh along the bayou of Louisiana reunites her with the joys she’d long forgotten—until she finds herself in the middle of a mysterious war.

Doors open and secrets are revealed, but will she be able to survive the nightmares she’d left behind as a child or walk away with more than she’d expected?

Nayuleska's reason for loving Lyn...tragedy may have struck her life, but there is comfort to be found in friends and family. Although initially unaware of her true status, she fights with every part of her to save others from heartache.

Is there another character who deserves a mention? Isla is extremely cool - she's one awesome fighter, having a good range of weapons when others coming looking for a fight. Her determination rivals Lyn's.

How evil/nasty is the enemy? Any creature who wants to destroy a person's life and use the person to better themself is high on my Do-Not-Like list. Add magic in the mix and, well, it takes a lot to subdue the enemy. An awful lot.

Are there plenty of plot twists and surprises? A fair amount took me by surprise, which was nice as this is a short story. Packed with action and intrigue.

One of my favourite parts was...when Isla and Elden (her husband) arm themselves up. They prepare for every contingency, which shows how much they care about Lyn.

I give this 9/10 - it would have been extra niece if the story was longer, giving me a further insight into Lyn's life after the end of the story.

Suggested reads

If you want a story where a girl fights for her family's life, try The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Knife by R J Anderson, This involves fairies living in their own world with a cross over with the human world (I'm shortly going to reread it as I have the 3rd book in the series for review) & includes a lot of humour, emotions and transformations.

Tiger's Quest by Colleen Houck

2011-06-15T00:15:00.043+01:00

9th June 2011, Hodder
496 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Young Adult

Quest, loved one in danger, special powers, trials in a quest, danger, emotional tragedy, gorgeous outfits, fairies! (including a fairy laundry service), strange bats, sirens (wear earmuffs), combat moves (& combat gear)

Summary from Hodder
Back in Oregon, Kelsey tries to pick up the pieces of her life and push aside her feelings for Ren. But danger lurks around the corner, forcing her to return to India where she embarks on a second quest-this time with Ren`s dark, bad-boy brother Kishan, who has also fallen prey to the Tiger`s Curse.

Fraught with danger, spellbinding dreams, and choices of the heart, TIGER`S QUEST brings the trio one step closer to breaking the spell that binds them.

Nayuleska's reasons for loving Kelsey...she moved past the acting in a weird way from book 1, I simply adore her new power (zap! kazap! zaaaaaaaaaap! (bad impression of what her power is without giving it away), she suffers a lot on the quest with Kishan, which is sort of balanced with the incredibly useful gifts and weapons she receives.

Is there another character who deserves a mention?...the fairies! They are quite minor characters but I think how they live and work is really cool. I'd love some as night lights in my room.

How evil/nasty is the enemy? Incredibly cruel, as it involves torture. There are lots of sub enemies on the quest, who have to stand strong as Kelsey and Kishan risk their lives to get to the next stage.

Are there plenty of plot twists and surprises? Once again it took a very long time for the action to occur, and there was much less conflict in the first part of the book. I hasten to note that now I'm more used to Colleen's style of writing, the lack of conflict didn't bother me so much. When the twists happened near the end, they were clever ones.

My favourite part was...when Kelsey is helped by the fairies! It's very magical.

I give this 7/10, and I'm eagerly awaiting the third book.

Find out more about the Colleen and the series on the dedicated website.

Suggested reads

Definitely check out book one, The Tiger's Curse (even though I gave it a low rating, it is quite necessary to understand the background information in Tiger's Quest)

For paranormal romance involving cat shapeshifters, check out Heart's Sentinel by PJ Schnyder

Passion by Lauren Kate

2011-06-13T00:15:00.059+01:00

23rd June 2011, Doubleday Children's,
432 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Young Adult, paranormal

Angels, time travel, teen romance, some violence,

Summary from Random House Children's Books

Before Luce and Daniel met at Sword & Cross, before they fought the Immortals, they had already lived many lives. And so Luce, desperate to unlock the curse that condemns their love, must revisit her past incarnations in order to understand her fate. Each century, each life, holds a different clue.

But Daniel is chasing her throughout the centuries before she has a chance to rewrite history.

How many deaths can one true love endure?

And can Luce and Daniel unlock their past in order to change their future?

Nayuleska's thoughts on Passion
Regular readers will know that mostly my reviews are in a different style. I'm choosing to change it just for Passion, because I need to discuss my decision for giving the the book 8/10 and 2/10. Like Cem, I write honest reviews, explaining what I love and what I didn't like about books.

Disclaimer: All of these views are my own opinion. I will be reading the fourth book when it comes out. I may read Passion again - I'll just skip the bits I'm not keen on. Spoiler alert: there is a middling spoiler about what gets examined in the last part of the book in the 2/10 explanation.

The 8/10: I think I enjoyed this one a lot more (until near the end) because Luce isn't as moany as the other books. I really love how she learns about travelling back in time to meeting her former selves. I really like the extra way she can get to know that - that was pretty cool. It was fun seeing how Daniel and the other angels were doing, it gave me a fuller understanding of the story. The small plot twists that built up slowly over the story were well executed.

The 2/10: Whenever I read books on angels, there is always a thin line between where I'll keep reading, and where I'll stop reading. I find it interesting to authors interpretation on fictional angels and demons, having my own faith include angels. Where books delve into going into heaven and hell, and use what God might say and do, that's where the line is crossed for me. That happens at the end of Passion.

Religion always is a controversial subject, because everyone has different views on it. I'm not saying that Passion is awful and it shouldn't be read. I enjoyed most of it. All I'm saying is, that for me personally with my beliefs, the end part was uncomfortable to read. For me, it worked when there wasn't a direct show of where Daniel and Cam came from, or who they answered to. Adding that in doesn't feel right for me. For me, heaven, hell, what happens when we die (this part isn't necessarily in the book) and God are unknown and can never be accurately described by anyone. It's something we have to look forward to after death.

So this is probably the first time I've given a book two grades: 8/10 and 2/10. I guess if I met half way it would be 5/10 (I think...my maths is isn't very good! If anyone could figure out what the grade would be please let me know).

Be sure to check out more about the series on Lauren's website.

Suggested reading

Make sure you've read book one, Fallen

and book 2, Torment

Secrets at St Judes: Sunshine Girl by Carmen Reid

2011-06-10T00:15:00.013+01:00

March 2011, Corgi Children's
288 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Young Adult,

Boarding school, ups and downs of friendships, tricks (some funny, some stupid), sneaking around, lying, cheating, teen romance (gets pretty racey in a few sections)

Summary from Random House Children's Books
The St Jude’s girls are taking a super-fun trip to visit Gina’s amazing LA home, but there are upsets and excitement for Gina, Niffy, Amy and Min this term. Will Amy finally find out who her mother is? And will Gina decide between her two love interests? And what about Min – is she just getting too wrapped up in her crazy science discoveries?

Nayuleska's reasons for loving Niffy...she gets as hyper as I do on coffee, she loves cakes & sweets as much as I do. She is a mastermind for tricks, which are really clever and funny in this & previous books.

Is there another character who deserves a special mention? Min - it's sweet how much she loves science - she love her microscope more than snacks (funny scene with Gina).

How evil/nasty is the enemy? Girls can be right little madams (that's putting politely) - Niffy & co's enemies really aren't friendly, but I didn't like or agree with how Amy took her revenge (Gina felt the same as me).

Are there plenty of plot twists and surprises? There are several sprinkled throughout the story, with a lot of laughs.

One of my favourite parts was...when Niffy played the final trick, and was actually praised for it by a familiar character. It was a big 'whoohoo' moment.

Although I'm not always keen on how the girls behave, their friendship is firm, they have good hearts, they can be very funny so I give this 8/10.

Suggested reads
Share more of the girls' adventures in the previous books including: Jealous Girl

and Drama Queen (link to follow)

Secrets at St Judes: Drama Girl by Carmen Reid

2011-06-08T00:15:00.000+01:00

(I'm loving the new style of covers!)

January 2010, Corgi Children's

304 pages, Paperback

Review copy

Young Adult

Boarding school life, moderate level of teen romance, lying, sneaking out, parties, friends falling out, putting on a play (writing & acting), culture clash, some humour

Summary from Random House Children's Books

You'd think that being stuck in a stuffy girls bording school would mean life was dull and dreary, but this term the St Jude's girls are in for some serious drama!

Gina can't wait for her mum and friends to make the trip over to visit her from sunny California, but things don't exactly go to plan and she finds herself stuck in the middle of them and her new friends and hunky boyfriend. And things don't get better as the rest of her dorm-mates have their own dramas to deal with . . .

Niffy is not happy about her best friend and her brother becoming a couple - yuck! Min wishes she had the confidence to finally kiss her new boyfriend, and poor Amy is starting to do anything to look thin for the school play.

Will all the drama be resolved . . .?

Nayuleska's reason for loving Amy: I think she's my favourite character in this book because when she's low and gets one comment about her weight, she takes it the wrong way and starts on the twisty spiral of anorexia (there is a happy ending, but the pace of time passing seemed almost too quick to be realistic)

Is there another character who deserves a mention? All the girls are fun, but I enjoyed Gina's story line because her friends were diabolical in how they behaved to everything - life isn't all about luxury!

How evil/nasty is the enemy? Distorted body image is evil and dangerous. Misunderstanding and friction between friends hurts everyone involved.

Are there plenty of plot twists and surprises? With all four girls having their own storyline, there's plenty of unexpected events.

One of my favourite parts was....right when Amy's eating problem was discovered, I felt so sorry for her, but was so happy that she would get some help.

I think this deserves 8/10

Make sure you check out more about St Judes and Carmen's other books on her website.

Suggested reads

Try other St Jude's books for more adventures with the four girls which include Jealous Girl

For more school stories, check out the Silver Spires series: School Friends: Party at Silver Spires.

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

2011-06-06T00:15:00.023+01:00

April 2011, Walker
432 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Young Adult

Demons, training, weapons galore, heartache, tragedy, families and friendship, misunderstandings, possession, abuse, nightmares, snakes, teen romance (moderate, with a few strong sections & alternate relationships), a lot of violence and gore

Summary from Walker
The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and – most importantly of all – she can finally call Jace her boyfriend. But nothing comes without a price. Someone is murdering the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine's Circle, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second, bloody war. And when Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: she herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace

Nayuleska's reasons for loving Clary...I still adore her! This is as good as the 3rd book, maybe even a little bit better because she actually starts shadowhunter training. I'm so with her on the terrified of heights but the training pays off later in the book.

Is there another character who deserves a mention? Again I return to Maia, because more is learnt about her past, which makes her both more vulnerable, and also stronger.

How evil/nasty is the enemy? Very evil because no one knew it was there, no one could tell when it was laying the foundation for its demonic plans, then adding all the layers like icing on a cake.

Are there plenty of story twists and surprises? There are a fair amount, a bit less than previous books but a lot of character development and the relationships between different characters happens.

One of my favourite parts was...when Clary was training, and when she successfully performed a flip where no one else could see her. (I saw her - whoohoo!)

I give it 8/10.

Suggested reads
Be sure to check out the other books in the series

These two are pretty obvious - book 1, City of Bones

Book 2, City of Ashes (link to follow)

Book 3, City of Glass (link to follow)

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

2011-06-03T00:15:00.046+01:00

June 2009, Walker
496 pages, Paperback
Personal Copy

Young Adult, Urban Fantasy

Werewolves, vampires, fairies, governing body, rebellion, great dress sense, awesome array of weapons, fire (pretty!), glass (duh - why else would the title have glass in?), fear, escape, torture, acceptance, huge secrets uncovered, family ties and friendships formed and lost, 100% wow factor, quite a lot of violence - most of it gruesome, the odd use of bad language and a few adult situations, tissues will be needed, a fair amount of humour.

Summary from Walker.
Amid the chaos of war, the Shadowhunters must decide to fight with the vampires, werewolves and other Downworlders - or against them. Meanwhile, Jace and Clary have their own decision to make: should they pursue the love they know is forbidden?

Nayuleska's reason for loving Clary...I feel so happy to say I love Clary 100% now. This book was it. Clary wasn't a nitwit in this one. The whole incest thing - I can't spoil it, but yeah, totally understand why it happened and very happy with the outcome. She really comes into her own here, she has quite a strength of character.

Is there another character who deserves a special mention? Maia! She gets cooler with each book. But I'd like to bring the focus on Isabelle, who I positively adore in this book, because she gets hurt terribly, but manages to stay focused at the crucial moments.

How evil/nasty is the enemy? Valentine didn't get any evil-er, he's a prime psycho, definitely bent on destroying the world. He deserves everything that happened to him.

Are there plenty of plot twists and surprises? Understatement of the year. I didn't like book 1 & 2 that much. The incest thing really bugged me. But finding out the truth about that here, suddenly everything made sense. Clary came into her own, the revelations kept thumping down from the sky. I now want to reread the previous books, which I didn't necessarily want to do by the end of book 2. There are some tissue moments which are pretty heart breaking.

One of my favourite parts was...a Maia thing. 1) I love the slogans on her clothes. 2) - this made me laugh on page 232: 'She [Maia] put her hand against her stomach. "And gross, by the way. I can't believe I munched all that demon. I hope I'm not allergic.'

Seeing as I 101% loved this, it gets 10/10! You can see what Cem thought of it here. We have quite different takes on the book, which goes to show we all have different tastes (I did not have a clue about the truth between Jace & Clary at the end of book 2).

Definitely head over to Cassandra's website to check out more about her and her books.

Suggested reads
These two are pretty obvious - book 1, City of Bones

Book 2, City of Ashes (link to follow)

(And book 4, City of Fallen Angels which I've just started reading)

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

2011-06-01T00:15:00.048+01:00

July 2008, Walker
416 pages, Paperback
Personal Copy

Young Adult, Urban Fantasy

Demons, lots of danger, moderate amount of gore, lots of fighting, cool weapons, friendships and family relationships, magic, new abilities, werewolves, vampires, a few adult themes, possibly a few swear words (can't quite remember)

Summary from Walker

The second book in the bestselling urban fantasy trilogy, The Mortal Instruments.

Haunted by her past, Clary is dragged deeper into New York City's terrifying underworld of demons and Shadowhunters - but can she control her feelings for a boy who can never be hers?

Nayuleska's reasons for loving Clary...she's not totally clueless now she's got a better idea of what's going on. The incest issue with Jace was something I wasn't so keen on.

Is there another character who deserves a special mention? Maia the werewolf - I'm quite fond of her for some reason! What happens between her and Simon made me laugh when I don't think I should have been laughing.

How evil/nasty is the enemy? Valentine is still evil, and continues to command super evil demons to help with his world domination plans.

Are there plenty of plot twists/surprises? There are some startling changes and revelations, especially at the end. Thank goodness I had book 3 beside me.

One of my favourite parts was...when Clary discovers a new power (I'm so hoping that was in book two - currently reading book three and I'm worried I might have muddled them up!)

I'm a bit mixed about this book, and I'm giving it 7/10. (I can happily report I like Clary way better in book 3!)

Make sure you read Cem's review on this (I didn't read it before writing mine)

Suggested reading
Definitely read book one in the series, City of Bones.

Also try the Chloe Neill's pretty awesome Some Girls Bite where Merit's personality captured me from start to finish.

The Collaborator by Margaret Leroy

2011-05-30T00:15:00.044+01:00

2nd June 2011, Mira Books
480 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Historical,

1940's, Channel Islands, rationing, evacuation, occupation by the enemy, momentous decisions, single mother, affair (closed doors policy on adult relations), teen romance, being a teen in war time,

Summary from the press release

1940: As France falls to the Germans and the enemy looms to Guernsey’s shores, Vivienne de la Mere has the ultimate decision to make - to leave Guernsey, along with most of the islanders and take the treacherous trip to mainland England, or stay, and risk the inevitable occupation with her two daughters and mother-in-law. Vivienne’s decision to stay is set to change the course of hers and her daughters’ lives forever.

Nayuleska's reasons for loving Vivienne...she uses her head (some of the time) and does what it takes to keep her children safe, and happy during such difficult times. She also takes risks that didn't need taking, as well as those which did.

Is there another character who deserves a mention? Millie - she is positively adorable! She's a young girl, and her view on life is a pleasure to read.

How evil/nasty is the enemy? To be honest, it wasn't the Germans who were evil - it was the people in charge of them, back in their homeland. Some were cruel, but most didn't have a choice.

Are there plenty of plot twists and surprises? Ever so many - although the press sheet actually had a big spoiler, so I was aware of one surprise.

One of my favourite parts was...It's a point where Millie gets asked if she can swallow pills, and her reply is 'Of course I can. I'm four and a half." She's the 2nd heroine of the novel.

I give this book 9/10 for being extremely detailed and engaging all my emotions.

Make sure you take a peek at Margaret's other books on her website.

Suggested reads
A fictional diary which could have been written by Peter, who shared the annex with Anne Frank in Annexed by Sharon Dogar

Or the life of a Polish boy, orphaned during Nazi occupation in Auslander by Paul Dowswell

Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

2011-05-27T00:15:00.062+01:00

26th May 2011, Hodder
512 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Young Adult

Myths, Indian forests, isolation, tigers, mystery, adventure, some moderate teen romance, mixed emotions, luxury, deities brought to life, snakes,

Summary from the book's website
Passion. Fate. Loyalty.

Would you risk it all to change your destiny?

The last thing Kelsey Hayes thought she’d be doing this summer was trying to break a 300-year-old Indian curse. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren. Halfway around the world. But that’s exactly what happened. Face-to-face with dark forces, spellbinding magic, and mystical worlds where nothing is what it seems, Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy that could break the curse forever.

Nayuleska's reasons for loving Kelsey...she hates snakes and camping as much as I do. She seems to have a personality change halfway through the book, and I couldn't understand her motives for her actions and feelings towards Ren.

Any other character who deserves a special mention? Ren - come on, tigers are really cute! Especially white ones.

How evil/nasty is the enemy? Until the last part of the book, there wasn't an enemy or much real conflict before page 300. I'm not entirely sure where the conflict kicked in, I stopped checking page numbers. However, the kappas and monkeys were rather scary.

Are there plenty of plot twists and surprises? Only a few scattered around the book, certainly not as much as I'd hoped there to be for a series like this.

One of my favourites parts was...when Kelsey got to try lots of different food! I could almost smell all the spices and herbs.

I'd like to make a note that where it says in page 74 'In Islam, it is believed that Allah will send a tiger to defend and protect those who follow him faithfully , but he will also send a tiger to punish those he considers traitors', as far as I know from personal experience, this isn't entirely accurate. A beast will be sent, who has some elements like a tiger, but certainly isn't an entire tiger - most of it will be constructed of different animal parts. I haven't ever comes across a passage in the Quran or elsewhere that says it's a tiger, so that might be a regional interpretation of what the beast will look like.

Because of the lack of action/twists, and Kelsey's dramatic and incomprehensible (to me) change in character, I give this a 5/10.

Find out more about the Colleen and the series on the dedicated website.

Suggested reads
For paranormal romance involving cat shapeshifters, check out Heart's Sentinel by PJ Schnyder

Or check out Rachel Vincent's series which ends with Alpha

Threads by Sophia Bennett

2011-05-25T00:15:00.024+01:00

August 2009, Chicken House
272 pages, Paperback (*)
Review copy

(* I adore this cover! I was given a special edition one, designed by Giles Deacon (I'd never heard of him, but he's a top fashion designer (I know next to zilch about the fashion industry), which really does fit in with the design element of the book, but I like the original best. It's bright and snazzy and more my style.)

Young Adult,

Fashion, school life (GSCE year), celebrities, the realities of being an actress, moving up (and making moves in) the fashion world, the cruel realities of life in other parts of the world, photography, beautiful creations, lots of humour, tissues most definitely needed

Summary from Chicken House
Nonie’s passion is fashion. Humanitarian Edie wants to save the world. And budding actress Jenny has just landed a small part in a Hollywood blockbuster. But when these three friends meet a young African refugee girl called Crow, sketching a dress at the Victoria and Albert Museum, they get the chance to pool their talents and do something truly wonderful, proving that fashion fairy tales really can happen.

Nayuleska's reasons for loving Nonnie....she has such a big heart. Crow works her way into Nonnie's heart, and Nonnie makes things happen for everyone.

Is there another character who deserves a mention? Sweet little Crow, who is one talented young girl. But my favourite character is Edie - such a nerd, and puts her foot in it, but like Nnnie she has a big heart and does all she can for Crow, which Jenny can't always do as she's away so much.

How evil/nasty is the enemy? There isn't really one - apart from the evil sickos who start the horrendous wars and conflicts in the world.

Are there plenty of plot twists and surprises? Several very good surprises which I thought would end up as bad ones.

One of my favourite parts was...I can't say because its the end event which made me need a tissue. I'll opt for the one when Crow takes her sewing machine on holiday, and Nonie remarks it is Crow's version of a teddy bear.

There's only one rating for this - 10/10, hands down.

Find out more about Threads and the other books on Sophia's website.

Suggested reads
In some ways Nonie's fashion sense reminded me of Viola in Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani(For some reason I haven't reviewed the sequel, which is really odd because I enjoyed it, but I think I read it when life was being very life-y. At some point I'll try to review online, rather than just in my head).

Cross My Heart by Sasha Gould

2011-05-23T12:08:00.001+01:00

April 2011, Razorbill

272 pages, Paperback

Review copy

Young Adult (12+) Historical

Mysteries of Venetian society, lots of danger, half-truths, rumours, the hidden power of women, secrets, tragedy, mild romance

Summary from Puffin

Laura della Scala knows nothing beyond the convent walls which have trapped and bound her since she was twelve years old.

A single night will change her life.

She will soon learn the difference between an arranged marriage and true, reckless love.

Venice is a dangerous city. Intrigue, romance and power lie at its heart and secrets run through the blood of its rulers.

They call Laura 'La Muta'. The Silent One. She is about to break her silence . . .but at what cost?

Nayuleska's reason for loving Laura...even when she's afraid, she keeps following her heart and persuing what she believes is right. She isn't totally naive about life, but inevitably time inside the convent will make some social customs unknown to her.

Is there another character who deserves a special mention? Faustina, Laura's maid. She cares for her mistress greatly, but looks the other way and tries to put her best interests first.

How evil/nasty is the enemy? Until the end there are several enemies, and they all seem terrifying to Laura.

Are there plenty of plot twists and surprises? The novel really turned itself on its head in several places.

One of my favourite parts was...when the Segreta (a secret society) gave Laura protection when she most needed it (and I'm not saying whereabouts in the story that is!)

I give it 8/10

For another Venetian tale try Daughter of Venice by Donna Jo Napoli

For mystery wherever you turn, try The Lady in the Tower by Marie-Louise Jensen

The Bad Karma Diaries by Bridget Hourican

2011-05-20T00:15:00.034+01:00

March 2011, O'Brien Press
240 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Young Adult,

School life, bullying, revenge, teens with a mission, blinkered view of life, anorexia, racism, teen hormones,

Summary from Frances Lincoln
Best friends Anna and Denise need some cash, so they go into business running birthday parties for younger kids. They earn a bit of money AND have lots of funny stories to add to their blog...

But then the girls come up with an even madder money-making scheme and the Instruments of Karma are born, taking revenge on bullies - for a fee! They even blog about it (anonymously, of course).

But Karma is a funny old thing, and the girls learn the hard way that revenge isn't always sweet...

Nayuleska's reason for loving Denise....I don't. Her attitude and behaviour are mostly wrong throughout the entire book, although the attitude at home was something I had when I was a teen.

How evil/nasty is the enemy? Anna and Denise think the enemy is really evil, but they don't know all the facts.

Are there plenty of plot twists and surprises? There were a few big ones, which added a twist to the story.

One of my favourite parts was...when Denise's mother tells her exactly what she's like. The truth hurts, but it can change lives.

Although I didn't like Anna and Denise did or how they thought, I give it 8/10 because it was a really good read.

Suggested reads
For a really good way of how bullies and trouble makers are taken care of at a college, check out The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

For younger readers, check out what Princess Poppy does (imaginary princess) when she gets in with the wrong crowd at school, in Princess Poppy: Playground Princess by Janey Louise Jones

Quarry by Ally Kennen

2011-05-18T00:15:00.054+01:00

February 2011, Scholastic
240 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Young Adult, thriller

School life, living in a run down area, mental health, dementia, divorce, dares, mobile phones, pranks which aren't funny, secrets, pushing the boundaries, training to be a thug, exams, mild teen romance

Summary from Scholastic
Someone knows all the secrets of Scrappy's troubled family – and, by text message, is luring him into a deadly trap ...

Nayuleska's reason for loving Scrappy: he's the total opposite of me, I respect the bravery he shows, and his compassion to his grandfather, and his more deeply buried sibling love for his sister.

Is there another character who deserves a special mention? Sheeley, Scrappy's sister. I wish there had been more appearances from her.

How evil/nasty is the enemy? All I'll say is it starts with a dead cockroach...and gets much worse. Scrappy's on target for being a criminal...if he carries on.

Are there plenty of plot twists and surprises? Although the main one I'd had my suspicions and was proven correct, there were all the minor plot twists which were very well written.

One of my favourite parts was...whenever he realises how much he cares for his sister.

I give it....9/10

Check out Ally's blog here.

Suggested reads
Jason has a similar level of hardship to deal as Scrappy does in Crazy by Han Nolan

For an equally funny and mysterious read, check out Scat by Carl Hiassen

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

2011-05-16T00:15:00.048+01:00

July 2007, Walker Books
448 pages, Paperback
Personal copy

Young Adult, Fantasy

Lots of thrills and mystery, runes, magic, betrayal, family secrets, family ties, friendships, misunderstanding, werewolves who are good, vampires who aren't fabulous hosts, lots of confusion, some teen romance, some gore, 100% fun!

Summery from Walker
Clary Fray is seeing things: vampires in Brooklyn and werewolves in Manhattan. Irresistibly drawn towards a group of sexy demon hunters, Clary encounters the dark side of New York City - and the dangers of forbidden love.

Nayuleska's reasons for loving Clary: everyone knows what's going on apart from her, I like her spirit in finding out the truth, plus her admirable skill of being prepared and making sure a weapon is to hand just in case....

How evil/nasty is the enemy? Very - some are physically scary, others are psychological scary. All are evil. Or are they...?

Are there plenty of plot twists and surprises? So many I gave up counting them on my fingers. There isn't a single element of Clary's past, current or future life that is predictable (apart from death, but she's very much alive at the end of the book).

One of my favourite parts was...I have to pick on? Try the whole book! Ok, I'll be good and pick....when Clary gets rescued by Luke midway and she learns his secret. Well one of them.

I give it 10/10 hands down!

Make sure you read Cem's review (I didn't read it before I read the book).

Suggested reads:
Chloe Neill has created quite a powerful force in Some Girls Bite where Merit's personality captured me from start to finish.

For a darker read with a character who isn't at school, try Black Swan Rising by Lee Carroll

Jessica's Trap by H K Hillman

2011-05-13T17:50:00.000+01:00

April 2011, Eternal Press

175 pages, e-book

Review copy

Horror, Thriller (Although personally this feels more like a Young Adult Paranormal book and fits in with a lot of what I read in those two genres)

Some quite strong gore (demons), witch trials, betrayals, well hidden secrets, magic, superstition, some humour, lots of action

Summary from Fiction Express

In a corner of the Civil War, a demonic battle is stirring.

An inexperienced young witch calls on demonic help to capture an ancient creature, an evil as old as Time and which inhabits the one known as ‘Witchfinder-General’.

Inexperience is no match for the wiles of demons and Jessica soon loses control. The demons will build the trap she wants but…

She is to be the bait.

Reasons for loving Jessica - aside from sharing a name with her, I admire her persistence in never giving up, and thinking the best of people.

Is there another character who deserves a special mention? Yes - Brifons who does so much good for Jessica.

How evil/nasty is the enemy? Super evil - come on, it's a demon! If other demons fear it, it has to be extremely evil.

Are there plenty of plot twists and surprises? Yes! Especially at the end.

One of my favourite parts was...the incident involving Jessica at the mill pond.

I happily give this 10/10.

Suggested reads

The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent (more witch trials)

The Soul Slayer by Paul Doherty - history and evil combine

Virals by Kathy Reichs

2011-05-11T00:15:00.000+01:00

12th May 2011, Young Arrow
Paperback, Review copy
Young Adult, fantasy/paranormal

Summary from Random House
Tory Brennan is as fascinated by bones and dead bodies as her famous aunt, acclaimed forensic anthropologist, Tempe Brennan. However living on a secluded island off Charleston in South Carolina there is not much opportunity to put her knowledge to the test. Until she and her group of technophile friends stumble across a shallow grave containing the remains of a girl who has been missing for over thirty years.

With the cold-case murder suddenly hot, Tory realises that they are involved in something fatally dangerous. And when they rescue a sick dog from a laboratory on the same island, it becomes evident that somehow the two events are linked.

On the run from forces they don’t understand, they have only each other to fall back on. Until they succumb to a mysterious infection that heightens their senses and hones their instincts to impossible levels. Their illness seems to have changed their very biology – and suddenly it’s clear that the island is home to something well beyond their comprehension. It’s a secret that has driven men to kill once. And will drive them to kill again

Bones! Bones are in this book, but I meant Bones, the TV series. Thanks to a very close friend I love Bones. I got curious and read the first book in Kathy's series which Bones is based on. I'm glad I read it in French. As soon as I translated the word maggots in a sentence I skipped the entire paragraph. Turns out it's a bit too gory for me. Maggots & dead bodies go hand in hand, so I haven't tried the other books. However, I loved her writing, all the twists and turns so jumped at the chance to read Virals.

Virals is awesome. There is that paranormal/fantasy element, which is strong but not necessarily the whole of the story. There is a lot of investigating of details, Tory is involved in a lot of breaking and entering with her friends, which includes a lot of trauma when they get caught/nearly caught. Tory is a strong, vibrant personality who is really funny at times. She cares about finding the truth everything, to help people. It's this characteristic which gets her into trouble. But I think at the end of the book she would agree the trouble is worth it.

It is a little bit odd that Tory's group consists of herself and three guys. You'd think there'd be another girl. There were a few in the story, who were secondary characters. Tory isn't a girl's girl. She gets bullied into being a debutante, something I didn't think even happened any more (not that I have a clue what happens in that social circle). It was quite a funny prospect, and had wide reaching consequences.

Much of Tory's life happens outside school, but there was a glimpse into American school life which I always enjoy (and feel familiar with, even though it's a totally different continent to me). I liked how the adventure spilled out into every aspect of Tory's life, school and family. Like her aunt she will keep going until the mystery is solved. Which means her life will be full of adventures now she and her friends are infected. Although it doesn't get openly stated, Tory acts a bit like an alpha wolf, which I understand thanks to having read other similar books.

There wasn't anything I didn't like in this book, it was a real thrill-fest and I'm glad I read it mostly in one go. This gets awarded 10/10! Go check it out!

Suggested reads: Rachel Vincent's Alpha series, (Alpha = last one), Meteorite Strike by A G Taylor, Dark Visions trilogy by L J Smith

Bloodline by Kate Cary

2011-05-09T00:15:00.008+01:00

October 2010, Egmont
336 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Young Adult, Paranormal

Summary from Egmont

Blood from last nights raid has hardly dried on my uniform, still the familiar craving builds in my belly, I long to wield my sword. I can feel the blade slicing through the air then skin then flesh then bone. - Captain Quincy Harker.

When nineteen-year-old John Shaw returns from World War I, he is haunted by nightmares – not only of the horrors of battle, but of the brutal midnight exploits of his superior, Captain Quincey Harker.

When Harker appears unexpectedly in England and lures John's sister, Lily, to Transylvania. John must confront the truth. Only the love of pure Mary can save him from Count Dracula's poisonous bloodline. But the line goes further than John and Mary can possibly imagine.

A new seductive evil walks among the living..

(Note: I have neither read books nor seen films on Dracula - this is a sequel to Dracula)

Reasons for loving Mary: She keeps a firm head even when reading and living in terrifying conditions.

Is there another character who deserves a special mention? Lily - she's naive and drove me potty with her love-sick ways, but I feared and felt sorry for her too.

How evil/nasty is the enemy? People, we are talking relatives of Dracula - of course they are evil! I'm genuinely freaked out enough that I'm not looking forward to it going dark tonight (and yet I know I'm going to read the sequel)

Are they plenty of plot twists and surprises? Yes, big ones I didn't see coming.

One of my favourite parts was....when it ended. Not because the horrors were over (which warrants a 'yay'), but because something truly wonderful happens with Mary which pushes aside the horrors.

Content: a lot of gore (quite graphic, of the vampire kind) moderate romance,

Despite being freaked out over it (more than when I came to a certain point involving Mogget in Sabriel (by Garth Nix) (which I will re-read sometime)), I give this an 9/10.

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

2011-05-04T00:15:00.045+01:00

April 2011, Mira Ink
430 pages, Paperback,
Review copy, Young Adult, Fantasy

Summary from Mira Ink
Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

To find out the reason why I read this book, check out my review of the first book, The Iron King. Meghan is still a brilliant character. Ok, so personally it was a bit annoying at how gooey eyed she went over Ash, even when he was colder than ice to her, but I admit she makes good decisions. That isn't to say everything ends up smelling like roses. It doesn't. Some of the modes of transport must make the air smell distinctly unpleasant. Parts of the story might look like a rose, in so far as there is a fair amount of deep, red blood, caused by weapons much bigger and deadlier than tiny annoying thorns.

Time to quit the rose analogy :) Meghan was really living among the enemy when she was at the winter court. Her dire circumstances plummeted even more when An Event happens with the court, making her a fugitive (again - this happens quite a bit in this book). I thought the situation couldn't get much worse, but it really does. Thankfully when life is pelting her with rocks and 'stuff', she doesn't have to face it alone. Allies - not necessarily friends but they do help her occasionally - as well as friends fight beside her as they race to secure the source of the war. I wished she could use her magic more - the little she did she wasn't sure what had happened (I think I figured it out). She had to think. She managed to get rescued a few times, usually acquiring a bruise or cut along the way.

Her brother barely features in this book - and when he does I had an awww moment when I found out something relating to him. It was sweet and touching that even when things were turned upsidedown, Meghan didn't have to worry about him. She did have to worry about making sure a disguise stayed in place, as well as surviving a school dance (of all the things to happen!), the humour of the lovely cat Grimalkin, and the power of her fairy father, Oberon. Yes, he's quite the authority figure in this book. Especially at the end. Which is good. Very, very good. And that's all I'm saying on the matter.

As it turns out, I've written this up without realising Cem has already reviewed the trilogy. Her review is here. I'm glad to see that we both liked Puck & Ash more in this book than the first.

This book certainly lived up to expectation, and I happily give it 9/10.

Make sure you check out more information about The Iron Fey series on Julie's website,

The Taming of Lilah May by Vanessa Curtis

2011-05-02T00:15:00.053+01:00

12th May 2011, Frances Lincoln
192 pages, Paperback
Review copy
Children's/Young Adult

Summary from Frances Lincoln.
Lilah's Anger Diary, March 26th
Anger levels: 11/10

I'm Lilah May and I'm ANGRY.
So angry that I'm about to be excluded from school, my parents can't control me, and only one person in the world understands me. And that's my best friend, Bindi.
I haven't always been this way. It all started with my brother Jay. And what no one realises is that it's all my fault.

I totally queue-jumped with this book. I adored her previous two books, Zelah Green: Queen of Clean/Who Says I'm a Freak? and the sequel Zelah Green:One More Little Problem. As soon as I saw this, I sensed it would involve all aspects of emotion, exploring sides of society that aren't scented with roses. It's not even published yet. But it's one you definitely need to pre-order.

I haven't ever had anger issues. At least I didn't think so, not to the extent which Lilah gets mad. There's a deep rooted reason for that, linked to when her brother disappeared. Initially I didn't have a clue what happened to her brother, but slowly as Lilah revealed more information drip by drip, I had ideas floating around my head which eventually became concrete. I really enjoyed how I didn't find out the full reason as to why Lilah blames herself as the end. I wanted to capture in her a tight squishy hug and not let go until all the held in emotions were let out.

I think it was after half way through the book that I connected with Lilah on a deeper level than I had in the beginning. Anger isn't just kicking things and being violent. It has a unique mindset, one which it turns out I really related to in my teen years (like Lilah it was rooted in situations out of my control). I think it was more the not knowing of how Jay was which hit her hardest. She'd become like a little tank, strong on the outside, locking away everything inside herself. Or more accurately a rusty tank which held something very explosive inside, that made people handle her with care. It was beautiful to read how her father figured out a way to tame her - you could see the tenuous father-daughter bond start to grow (there were 2 methods used, both very sweet). I enjoyed watching her anger levels go up, then slowly go down again. Equally fun were the doodles on the pages - it makes it feel like her diary. Oh and watching how her family almost disintegrated, then slowly started to help themselves was also a pleasure to read.

Just as with the Zelah Green books, I enjoyed how there are other big issues explored - Lilah's closest friends (well, the only friends really) end up having their own problems too. Although their problems were preventable, and Lilah's wasn't (not directly), it is through the problems that Lilah realises she can interact with the world, that other people have problems too, even if their lives seem perfect on the surface. Her friends cause her heartache, but they are there when she needs them the most.

I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel, due out January 2012!

Check out Vanessa's other books on her website.

Author Interview with Julie Patricka!

2011-04-30T09:33:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I reviewed Pretty Souls by Julie, which was a great read. Julie was more than happy to answer some questions, so here's the interview with her, which includes links to more material!

1) A werewolf and a vampire, working together while pretending to be normal teens makes for a pretty funny read. Do you know why you opted for the two different species (three if you include the later addition) work together to solve paranormal crime?

My initial plan had been for one of them to be human, but every time I tried to write it that way, something felt off. So I started thinking about these girls and how they were kind of thrown together and looked at what would be the most naturally antagonistic races. Most mythology that deals with both has werewolves and vampires hating each other. So, the idea of them not only working together but having such a tight bond really appealed to me. Plus, it allows for some fun dynamics when their natural instincts try to take over.

2) Cass and Elle are closer than foster sisters, even if they don't always like each other. In future books, will there be more dwelling into their past which was briefly touched upon in Pretty Souls?

Yes, book two is Cass's book, and she has a very, very messed up past (as sad as it sounds, hers is worse than Elle's). I'm not sure how much of it will come out in the actual book (definitely some, but there's a lot of it since her powers came at birth). However, I have a couple pieces of flash fiction written for her backstory that I will probably publish on my website right around release time. As for their friendship, I have a story that I published a couple years ago with an online magazine that deals with how they first met (http://gothhuntress.com/crimson/volumeone/0609welcometotheclub.html), and there are periodic little flash pieces that will make it onto the website (here's a funny little one that's up now: http://www.julieparticka.com/Julie_Particka/Free_Reads/Entries/2011/3/13_Theres_No_Such_Thing.html), but for the most part, there will just be little tastes of the year they spent together prior to Pretty Souls interwoven into the novels as they fit.

3) Is there any particular reason why you chose to tell the story from Elle's point of view, rather than Cass's?

For this particular book, I knew it was at it's heart about Elle finding herself. As Elle says in one section, she's the heart, Cass is the brains. As such, it was "easier" for something to push Elle toward understanding. For Cass, the push is going to be much bigger because she'll try to reason her way through everything rather than react to it. So ultimately, Elle had to go first. Plus, from a romantic angle, this one was completely Elle's story. Like I said though, book two is from Cass's point of view, so you'll get to see a lot more of her there.

4) How much research about wolves, and stalking animals, and all the heightened senses which wolves have did you have to do? Did you need much research on the other dark denizens in PrettySouls?

I've been fascinated by wolves since I was a little girl, so most of the research into actual wolves was done ages ago. There were some things that received creative license. (For example, hunting is naturally a pack activity and lone wolves have a difficult time bringing down game unless it is sick or domesticated. I didn't feel wrong tweaking that for the simple reason that she was hunting in a suburban area and the prey species in the Portage/Kalamazoo area are truly as "brave" as I made them out to be. Very very easy prey.) Also, one great thing about writing the supernatural is that you get to create the natural laws of the creatures in your stories. So Elle's heightened senses got to be a combination of animal senses with both human and wolf interpretation. Best of both worlds. To go with that, most of my other characters/creatures have bits and pieces of information garnered from research melded with what I wanted as far as limitations for the world. And, yes, I may at some point in the series return to that dreaded Punnett Square and see what other sorts of mischief I can concoct.

5) A few easy ones: when is your preferred time of day for writing? What's your favourite snack and drink while writing?

I do my most productive writing at night after the rest of the house is in bed. I sit in the (mostly) dark, and it helps make the rest of my responsibilities disappear. Music helps for that too. Ugh. I'm supposed to be watching what I eat, but I've been really bad the last couple days. Two favorites are pretzels (the saltier the better) and chocolate (I love Ghiardelli's dark chocolate squares). As for drinks, we'll pretend I never imbibe in alcohol and go with either Diet Mt. Dew or Cherry Coke Zero to help keep me awake (if you wanted the other...it changes a lot LOL).

Thanks for the interview Jessica! And I will be posting on Facebook and Twitter as soon as I have details about book 2 :)

Thank you Julie! Lots of interesting things here - it's nice to find more people who like wolves (I liked them before learning about shape-shifters) I'm definitely looking forward to book 2.

Pretty Souls by Julie Patricka

2011-04-29T00:15:00.054+01:00

Feb/March 2011, Paperback & ebook
Decadent Publishing, Review copy

Young Adult, Paranormal

Summary from Decadent

My life followed a simple pattern.
Run to keep my inner wolf asleep. Make sure my blood-sucking foster sister, Cass, feeds. Hunt for supernatural trouble when we should be sleeping. Keep my grades up and my head down.
It was mostly a game.
Until people started wandering around like living zombies. Until people I care about started getting hurt. Until the menace came knocking on my front door.
Game’s over.
Time for the soul-stealer to realize just because he’s hunting something doesn’t make it prey.
Cass and I bite back.

~The Paranormal Response Team~
Saving the World Before Breakfast

I'm currently having an 'I love shape shifters' phase, so the moment I read the blurb I put in my request. That was after being intrigued with Julie chatting about Cass & Elle over on Enduring Romance (another blog I review on). Perfect cheerleaders are annoying. Cass annoys Elle a lot. But know what lies behind the necessary persona, I actually really like Cass. She stabilises Elle. Yes I know she can lose it a bit/a lot when she's around blood. It's cool how her eyes change when she vamps in/out. She may be the youngest of the two foster sisters, but she acts like the oldest. She's the one who makes sure Elle has enough food to keep her wolf at bay. She's the one who covers for Elle when she returns from a late night run, with virtually no clothes due to the change.

I really enjoyed having a vampire and shapeshifting wolf work together like a detective team. There's a lot of friendly banter between the two of them. Personally I loved it when Cass pelted Elle with stuffed toys. They are a pair, and they do fall out. It gets awkward when that happens, especially when they have to work together. But they do forgive each other and get on with their mission. It's quite something to try and figure out who is creating zombies, why, and how to get rid of them. I really don't like zombies. I'm glad that neither Elle nor Cass was a zombie, or that a zombie played a protagonist, because they freak me out a lot.

Both the title and the front cover really suit the story. Content wise there is a little bit of swearing, some teen romance but nothing too heavy, a little bit of violence (Elle is a wolf and Cass is a vampire. Neither are vegetarians) I think it'll be hard for readers not to be annoyed with Julie for leaving us on such a cliff hanger ending. It's not 100% cliffhanger, but enough that I really want to read that second book right now. Although the original mystery of the zombie creator has been solved, there are so many other questions surrounding Cass & Elle's lives, and the lives of those precious to them. I give this book 9/10.

Check out more about the series including two free short stories on Julie's website. If you click here you can find Julie chatting about Cass and Elle on Enduring Romance, which got me into the book.

This will suit anyone who loves shapeshifter stories like Rachel Vincent's series which starts with Stray, Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, and Nightshade by Andrea Cremer to name a few.

The Devil's Triangle by Mark Robson

2011-04-27T00:15:00.042+01:00

March 2011, Simon and Schuster
400 pages, Paperback (also available as an ebook)
Review copy Children's, thriller, 10+

Note: There is a minor spoiler in this review which gives away something that isn't reference in the book blurb. I'm putting it in smaller print so if you want to, you can skip reading it.

Summary from Simon & Schuster UK
The Bermuda Triangle has cast a shadow over Sam and Niamh Cutlers' lives since their mother vanished nine years ago. Her whereabouts remains a mystery and every year they return to the Florida Keys with their father, Matt, who is obsessed with solving the haunting puzzle.

But Sam is bored with lazing around by the pool while his father hunts for the truth. Craving excitement, he and his friend, Callum, "borrow" Matt's boat. At first it's great fun, but when they find themselves marooned in a terrifying land, the boys realise they too have fallen victim to the Triangle's mysterious effects. Can they find a way home, or will they be lost forever?

*waves book in the air* This is amazing! I know I say that about a lot of books - I feel privileged that I read so many good ones - but it really has a wow factor. I admit the cover is ok. It does give an indication of what the book is about, but it's not one I adore. But a book is rarely all about the cover. It's the delights which are inside it that I'm keen on.

Things I love in a book (and does the Devil's Triangle have them?) (I hasten to add most of the criteria here are for thrillers. I like a wide range of books which have different criteria.)

Strong female lead

Yes. Two points of vieew of Niamh and Sam. Both are equally important and play a crucial role.

Lots of action

Yes!!! Chock full of it, with danger around most turns, some obvious, some subtle. Sometimes the characters know about it, sometimes they don't (and honestly speaking, I'm not sure which is more tense for me)

Lots of plot twists

Yes. Come on - intelligent raptors who are into nuclear power? That's a neat concept.

Lots of emotional moments

Yes. I wanted to cry at quite a bit. My heart got tangled both for Niamh and Sam, who both go through so much. I was so proud of them at some moments too. There's a lot relating to the close ties of twins, to lost/missing relatives, to looking after loved ones and also losing them.

Evil enemies

Definitely yes. Hello - raptors? Thanks to a famous dinosaur film, I'm really scared of them. The idea that they are sentient, well, they are worse than evil humans!!!

Plenty of on the edge of the seat moments

Yes. So much is going on that every other sentence something new happens. In some ways I was more worried for Niamh than Sam, because although Sam's life is in danger more, at least he's not on earth (the same one) where Niamh and her father are getting in trouble with the authorities

Imaginative

Yes (see previous raptors' comments),

I've always been intrigued by the Bermuda triangle (especially when my uncle used to go there on holiday, and come back safely). I love the concepts of what is causing the strange occurrence, although I'm pretty sure there are more twists in the next book (out in the autumn!).

This one without question gets 10/10.

Lex Trent: Fighting with Fire by Alex Bell

2011-04-25T00:15:00.050+01:00

February 2011, Harper Collins
Paperback, Review copy

Summary from Harper Collins
Lex Trent is reigning champion of The Games contested between fickle Gods using human playing pieces.

He has it all: Fame. Glory. Wealth. An enormous ego.

But The Games are about to begin again and the Goddess of Luck wants Lex to defend their title. A challenge he can't resist, despite the risk of death, because the final round will take place in the Wild West, giving Lex the chance to claim the legendary Sword of Life (who wouldn't want that?). With Lex's mix of skill, quick wittedness and no small amount of outright cheating, he can't lose! Can he?

Luck may usually be a lady to Lex...but in the Wild West they play by their own rules...and Lex has never been that good with rules.

This is the second book in the series: the first is Lex Trent Versus the Gods. The whole concept behind his character is highly entertaining - he is a crook, and is highly indignant when other people diddle him. He has to be a little careful of what he says because the gods are prone to taking offence, but he doesn't think so hard on how he deals with people. He always tries to get the best deal, he acts mostly to save his own skin and to better his plans. He's definitely not someone you'd set as a role model. Or anyone I'd associate with. For such a con artist he does have some morals - he doesn't want to kill people, which is a nice trait to have.

There are virtually no females in the book, which makes it an odd one for me to like. But I adore it. There's so much humour in it. It's quite refreshing to have a scoundrel as a main character. He can't get away with bluffing because cowboys are very astute. As Lex soon learns with his new partner. As much as it pains him to ask for help, Lex sets out to become a cowboy, so he can pretend to be one long enough to find the legendary sword. Naturally it's not all plain sailing. The cowboy double crosses him (which is funny because usually it is Lex doing the double-crossing) and yet Lex still respects him. The other players in the game are quite a character. I loved the little Sprite and the girl - the former because my mental image was entertaining, and the latter because considering who her brother is, she's very sweet.

I'm pretty sure there is going to be another Lex book, because of the way the book ends. It uses a story plot which quite easily could (and did) become material for another adventure. There are quite a few questions at the end which I wish to know the answer to, and only by following Lex will I gain them. One of them is: are there ice-breathing bunnies as well as the fire-breathing bunnies? Those little bunnies get mad very quickly, and I was smiling heaps when I read about them, even though Lex was in danger I thought they were cute!

I give this book a 10/10.

Be sure to check out book one, Lex Trent versus the Gods

No! by David McPhail

2011-04-22T00:15:00.023+01:00

7th April 2011, Frances Lincoln
Hard back, review copy
Children's

Summary from Frances Lincoln
No. No? No!
A little boy sets out to deliver a letter, witnessing acts of war on the way. But when he encounters a bully by the post-box, he decides that enough is enough.
Almost wordless, but speaking volumes, No! dramatises conflict and its alternatives in a language that is accessible to everyone, young or old: beautiful paintings, executed with profound feeling and an artist's vision and wisdom.
No! is the author's expression of hope that the playgrounds of the world, big and small, will soon become safer and friendlier for all.

Having read a few other books about stubborn children, I wrongly presumed that's what this book would be about. I confess to picking it up and reading without looking at the press release sheet or the back cover (a habit I frequently have now - I like to dive straight in!). So initially as I read through the book I thought 'huh'. As in 'this is an odd book'. At the moment I prefer vibrant colours, none of which are in the subdued pages. I don't mind some misery, but there is a lot as the boy faces horrific hardships for a child (suitable for a war-torn country). When I reached the end, my first conclusion was that I wasn't keen on the book.

But then I realised that was unfair. I'd had an incorrect view of what the book was about, which made me view the book in a distorted light. Understanding what the book is about meant that it made sense. There's a reason why there aren't vibrant colours. It isn't that type of book. It is portraying the reality faced by so many children in the world, who are caught up in wars and battles that have nothing to do with them. I think that this is a good way to show children how life can be for other people their own age, to help explain what happens in the wars and battles. Children hear those terms all the time on the news, and wonder what it's all about. Although what happens to the boy isn't very nice, at the end there is some happiness and evidence of compassion. Good things begin to happen. It's endorsed by Amnesty International, which isn't a surprise given the book's content.

I give this book 8/10.

World of Happy by Giles Andreae book reviews Part 4 (final part)

2011-04-20T00:15:00.068+01:00

The reviews I'm doing for Claire here, until the end of April will be about the World of Happy books. These books will be published in April. Egmont very kindly set me the whole set (that was a huge surprise!). They are such wonderful books, full of messages that readers of all ages can relate to. It's aimed at children 3 years and older, but I think deceptively simple messages are ones that everyone should know about. I've decided to review these in parts because the messages in all of them are really important and valuable. I love the simple and uplifting illustrations with their funky colours. I didn't realise that these books were short animations on CBBC channel! How cool is that! For Part one which looks at The Little Penguin, Two Monkeys and The Elephant and the Spider click here, for part two which looks at Planet of the Bears, Cow Party & The Knitting Gorillia click here, and for part three which looks at The Ministry of Niceness, The Dog Machine and The Dance of Wallowy Bigness click here.

This is the final part, concluding the last four books in the series. I hope you've enjoyed learning about the books as much as I've had reading them and passing the messages along.

The Pink Cricket

4th April 2011, Egmont
32 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Children's

Summary from Egmont

Two things are true about crickets: they are GREEN and they play the VIOLIN.

So when one cricket said he was a DRUMMER, all the other crickets LAUGHED. (He was also PINK.)

"Crickets can no more play the drums than FISH can play football... PINKY!" they jeered.

And so begins a story about FOLLOWING your DREAMS - a joyous little treasure for the whole family to share.

World of Happy... because life is FUN!

People are friends for all different reasons. Often friends share a common ground, whether it's a hobby or something they enjoy doing. All of us have dreams. Some of us don't know what the dreams are yet, they are hiding away waiting to be discovered. Some of us know our dreams, and they require a lot of hard work. People might not think that it's worth while chasing a dream. Personally this is very true for writing. Writers work so hard on their books, with no guarantee that they will get published. But it's worth all the hard effort, and it's important not to give up even if most people think you're wasting your time. Find at least one person who will help support you as you chase your dream, and in time you'll get there.

A story about Following Your Dreams. My name is ........ and my favourite things to do are........................

Tortoise Football

4th April 2011, Egmont
32 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Children's

Summary from Egmont

The tortoises were playing FOOTBALL yet again.

But then one tortoise kicked the ball the wrong side of the river.

"It's over," wailed one. "For WITHOUT football, what reason have we left to LIVE? Oh, MISERY! Oh, ME!"

And so begins a story about TEAMWORK and FUN - a joyous little treasure for the whole family to share.

World of Happy... because life is FUN!

I'm not a fan of football, but I still enjoyed this book. Most of the tortoises felt the world ended when the ball was out of reach. That is an exaggeration: even if we can't have something for a while, there are other things to do and a solution to the problem. One of the tortoises had the inspiration for the solution. Getting the ball back was great fun, and as a result the tortoises have a stronger friendship.

A story about Playing Together. My name is ............ and my favourite games to play are ................

The Thanking You Sharks

4th April 2011, Egmont
32 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Children's

Summary from Egmont

The GREEDY sharks swam swiftly through the water, consuming every little fish that came their way.

And after each sweet morsel, these sharks would BELCH as loudly as could be.

But then one shark declared, "I don't mean to cause TROUBLE but what if, after every meal, we all said THANKING YOU instead."

And so begins a story about GOOD MANNERS - a joyous little treasure for the whole family to share.

World of Happy... because life is FUN!

Manners cost nothing, and mean a lot to people. Sometimes it feels that the time when manners mattered has passed, because often people forget them and don't see that being a problem. Being rude isn't the way to get on with people. Saying those little words, which aren't complex, gives others an idea of what type of person you are. Someone who remembers manners is more likely to be thought of kindly than someone who doesn't use them. Thank you has so many implied meanings. It's a short way of thanking someone for all they've done, for taking the time to lend a hand to someone else. This book encourages using manners and sharing them with the world.

A story about Good Manners. My name is .............. and polite words I am good at using are...................

The Lovely Whales

4th April 2011, Egmont
32 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Children's

Summary from Egmont

There was once a time when whales were rather small. But, long ago, there were two whales who CHANGED their kind for good.

"I LOVE you," said the gentleman, "I do."

"I love you MORE," the lady said right back.

Now, something ODD began to happen. At every declaration of desire, each whale became a little BIGGER than before.

And so begins a story about LOVE and HAPPINESS - a joyous little treasure for the whole family to share.

World of Happy... because life is FUN!

I've said in an early part of this series that love makes the world go round. It really does. There are lots of different types of love. Love of friends, families and strangers. It's a cute story about how the whales grew bigger by saying they loved each other. We don't grow taller that way, but we do flourish when those we care about show that they love us. They don't have to say it out loud. It can be said by a hug or a smile. We can tell we are loved by the food the make us, the way they listen to how our day went, or the gifts they may give us occasionally. Be sure to show your love for everyone as often as you can!

A story about Love and Happiness. My name is ................ and some of the people I love are......................

West of the Moon by Katherine Langrish

2011-04-18T00:15:00.043+01:00

March 2011 (UK) 1st May 2011 (Australia), Harper Collins Children's
Paperback, Review copy

Summary from Harper Collins
An epic and action-packed fantasy adventure that weaves together Norse legends, shadowy creatures and an unforgettable hero.

When Peer is orphaned he is taken by his wicked uncles to live at their foreboding mill in the shadow of Troll Fell. Here he meets beautiful and spirited Hilde and after a terrifying encounter with the sinister creatures who live below the fell the pair form an inseparable bond. They are thirsty for adventure, so when a Viking longship docks at their village, they decide to set sail for Vinland – a mysterious place across the perilous sea. But are the ship's captain and his sword wielding son really honest sailors? What creatures lurk in the shadows and forests of the new land? And will Peer and Hilde ever return? Spanning years and continents and filled with brilliantly imagined characters and creatures, this is gripping, atmospheric fantasy at its best.

I've seen Katherine on twitter a few times, said hello, and I think we've both said something on each other's blog (I think it's Katherine who likes Elizabeth Goudge's The Little White Horse book as much as I do, a novel written in the early 20th century, which has since been turned into the film The Secret of Moonacre - or something similar. The movie takes a huge creative license on the book, but it's good if you forget the book. Some parts are a perfect interpretation). I promise I have a point with this. My theory is if nice people like at least one of my favourite books, it's quite probable that I will enjoy their work.

Initially it took me a little while to get into West of The Moon. I confess it's because it took a little time for the female protagonist, Hilde, to play a role. I know that I'm not as prejudiced as male protagonists as I used to be (I used to refuse to read books with them in!), but I still relate more to the females. As soon as Hilde arrived, I was hooked. Peer is very unfortunate in who his family is, but thankfully the horrible uncle will get his comeuppance. Unfortunately, the uncle will bring great misfortune and worry down on Peer. This isn't a happy, fluffy bunny books. Trust me - trolls are not in any way cute. They are freaky. I confess that when I got to the part of the troll baby who sang/spoke in verse, I nearly shut the book forever. I had a major freak out at that part, the part which shows how troll babies are very different to human babies. I knew it was building up to something, I hadn't figured on getting quite so engrossed in the book. So it's a good thing that I was terrified. It was because I sort of 'know' Kath a little online which made me face my fears, reason that it must be the worst point of the book (for me), and carry on reading. Plus there was that not so small point of wanting to know what happens next!

The imagination in the book is phenomenal. It's not just the trolls, where they live, how they trick people, and how much of a menace of society they are. It isn't the joy Peer gets when relieved from his family hardship, only to face more problems and trials. It isn't solely the strength within Hilde, how she cares passionately for her family - even the adopted members - or even how she eventually cares for Peer. It isn't Hilde's mother who is quite a force in her own right. It isn't the super scary villains who have me very glad I didn't read this after dark. It's all of those things, and many more that made this such a great read. All of my emotions were engaged - some at scarily high levels, I cried a bit, I smiled a lot. I sat with a cushion nearby not quite believing what I read.

It is a hefty book (over 600 pages) but don't let that put you off. It is divided into three parts, with an overall story arc as well as individual ones for each part. I learnt a lot about Vikings. I loved all the detail about how they gathered food, how the men went off on adventures (idiots), how easy it was to lie about what happened when men went adventuring, how hard life was, the small joys. The real vikings didn't have the aid (most of the time) of the Nis, who is a real help in the home when he isn't sulking. They didn't have trolls to deal with, although some of the different races they met may have looked like trolls. The book covers the topics of families, friendships, exploration, differences between people, greed and love. There is something for everyone. If, like me, you get frightened easily, only read this book in daylight.

Find out more about Katherine & her books on her website.

I give this book 9/10.

For a read about vikings, check out Daughter of Fire and Ice by Marie-Louise Jensen

Review schedule

2011-04-16T12:23:00.000+01:00

I've sorted out my virtual diary, and I'll be posting a review on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Friday's here on Cem's Book Hideout! Looking forward to sharing my opinions on books with you on these days.

Nayuleska

Angel's Story and Cosmo's Story by Amy Watson

2011-04-15T00:15:00.001+01:00

28th April 2011, Red Fox

112 pages (both), Paperback

Review copies,

Children's Paperback

Book Blurb for Angel's Story

She may be a tiny, pure-white, fluffy kitten but Angel does NOT live up to her name! After Kelly and her family adopt Angel from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, they discover this mischievous moggy is total trouble...

Angel loves tripping people up, leaping out at Dad from the airing cupboard and generally being a naughty nuisance! When Mum cooks a roast dinner for all the family, will Angel be able to resist tucking in first?

I like how these stories show the darker side to pets (no I don't mean the dark side of the force in Star Wars...) Pets are cute, adorable and funny, but they can be a little naughty too. All cats are good at tripping up owners, especially when it's time for food. Mine does it all the time! What was interesting was that Kelly's brother, who deals the most with the family dog gets quite upset because as a consequence of Angel being in the house, initially Joey the dog is unsettled. Additionally Kelly learns that she needs to check with her parents if something can be used as a toy - it didn't harm Angel, but her mother wasn't best pleased when a ball of yarn was used during their play.

Book blurb for Cosmo's Story

Cosmo may look like a tiny tiger with his tabby stripes and bright green eyes - but he definitely doesn't act like one! Shy and timid when Megan meets him at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, he loves to lick clean, nuzzle and look after his new owners.

When a baby bird tumbles from a tree in the garden, can this most gentle and caring of cats help return the bird to the nest?

Cosmo has a much more even temperament than Angel does. Meghan and her family have to give him extra gentle treatment so that they don't startle him. He's quite an intuitive cat to have looked out for the baby bird - my cat would have had it for dinner. I nearly had tears in my eyes through laughter the moment that I read Cosmo's head went round in circles as he watched the washing machine work - that's exactly what my cat did the other night with something else going round and round, and it's the funniest thing ever! Highly cute too.

For both books

I was delighted to see that there were finally cat books in this series. I'm not really a dog lover. I understand the antics of cats better, which makes the books funny when I read them. I sit there thinking 'Belle does that'. I felt it was good that although Meghan wanted a kitten from a friend, her parents explained they were getting a rescue cat. Please do get rescue cats when you can. Our cat is a rescue cat, and no one really wanted her because she'd had a hard start to life. Just as with the dog books (which I didn't explain in this week's review) both the books have tips on looking after dogs and cats, as well as puzzles at the back of the book.

I give these books 8/10.

Take Me Home by Melissa Wareham

2011-04-13T00:15:00.002+01:00

January 2011, Red Fox

160 pages, Paperback

Review copy

Children's

Summary from Random House Children's Books

Melissa Wareham always wanted to work with dogs - and got her first job at the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, cleaning out the kennels! Over the years she met thousands of lost pets, including mongrel Tulip, who liked to ride solo on the 159 bus, stinky Pepe le Pew who was in dire need of a bath, and Benjamin the lurcher, chosen to greet the Queen when she visited the Home.

It's a joy to read when people work hard and end up in their dream job. Melissa's enthusiasm and joy is clear. Even though her first job is hard work, full of muck and not pleasant for the nose, she doesn't care. She's so happy to be looking after her favourite animals. I needed lots of tissues for when she reunited lost dogs with owners, when she cared for dogs then had to hand them over, when she got her very first dog. This is a positive book showing hard work and the right attitude will get you everywhere, as well as a great insight into life at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.

I give this book 9/10.

Check out reviews from Monday 11th April 2011, and Friday 15th April 2011 which will have tales based on dogs and cats from Battersea (links to follow)

Huey's Story and Stella's Story by Amy Watson

2011-04-11T00:15:00.024+01:00

28th April 2011, Red Fox
112 pages (both), Paperback
Review copies,

Children's Paperback

Back of book blurb for Huey's Story
When Hannah starts at a new school, all the other girls are in firm friendship groups and she feels left out and lonely. Mum and Dad know that a puppy would make a perfect pal for Hannah, so they take her to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home where she meets Huey the husky.

With his ice-blue eyes and cheerful character, Huey makes Hannah forget about her tough time at school. Can Huey charm her classmates so that everyone can be friends together?

I love husky dogs. They are good at their job when they are used to pull sleds. They look cute, sort of like wolves (who I think are beautiful creatures). Huey is perfect for Hannah, they have so much fun together and he really helps her smile when she's feeling down. He does help her make friends in the end, but I was a little disappointed that the reason for Hannah being ignored by a girl wasn't explained. They just made up and nothing else was said. The enthusiasm of Hannah for Huey gives the story a great feel good factor.

Back of book blurb for Stella's Story
Cara is sad when she breaks her leg and can't join her best friends on their summer holiday. To cheer her up, Mum takes her to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, where they meet Stella, the gorgeous and gentle Staffordshire bull terrier puppy.

Stella goes everywhere with Cara - including to a birthday party in a park! But one day she bounds onto a bus and is carried away before Cara can join her. Will Cara ever be reunited with her runaway puppy?

This does have a fair amount of humour, but I was laughing at the cover, because in The Winx which I'm currently watching, Stella is a fairy with long blond hair who likes yellow and orange clothes! I really felt for Hannah because I once broke my ankle, and being stuck at home tends to a person rather grumpy. Stella goes a long way in cheering her up - until she vanishes. My stomach turned over at that scene, because I once lost a zebra finch out of it's cage in my room. Losing a pet is horrible. Cara didn't realise it, but I guessed that her mother would know which steps to take to try and get Stella back. Even though I knew what the ending would be, I still had tears in my eyes. You can't beat a good reunion!

I give both of these books 8/10

The Amazing Mrs Pepperpot by Alf Proysen and Hilda Offen

2011-04-09T16:45:00.001+01:00

February 2011, Red Fox Picture Books,
56 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Children's, Paperback

Summary from Random House Children's Books
Mrs Pepperpot has a problem - a huge problem - she shrinks! And when she shrinks she finds herself in all sorts of trouble...

Poor Mrs Pepperpot has shrunk again and she's set her heart on going to the bazaar. But with a clever disguise and a cunning plan, she's soon dancing rings around the ladies at the fair!

Puss can't wait for Mrs Pepperpot to shrink so she can whisk her away on an adventure. It's a hair-raising journey, but brave Mrs P is soon rewarded with some very special treasure indeed.

I remember reading Mrs Pepperpot stories when I was little, although I had forgotten how she became little. These two new stories were a delight to read. I enjoyed how good she was at baking, and how determine she became. It was interesting how when she was little in the first story, how people and animals behaved when they couldn't see her. There's a big feel good factor at the end of the first adventure. As for the second, although I don't encourage revenge or wrecking people's property, it was nice that ladies got what they deserved. It isn't fair when some people who aren't so nice boss other people around. You don't want to mess with Mrs Pepperpot! I love this style of illustrations, they are cheery and add an extra element to the story.

This childhood favourite hasn't changed over the years, and I give it 10/10.

A quick note

2011-04-09T16:33:00.000+01:00

Just a quick note to say I'll be writing more reviews for a little while on this blog. There will be more Young Adult reviews soon, but since last week I read children's books, that's what's being reviewed. Most over the next week are to do with animals and rescue centres. I know it's a little different from what is normally reviewed here, but I hope the animal lovers among you enjoy them. I did!

World of Happy by Giles Andreae book reviews Part 3

2011-04-06T00:15:00.053+01:00

The reviews I'm doing for Claire here, until the end of April will be about the World of Happy books. These books will be published in April. Egmont very kindly set me the whole set (that was a huge surprise!). They are such wonderful books, full of messages that readers of all ages can relate to. It's aimed at children 3 years and older, but I think deceptively simple messages are ones that everyone should know about. I've decided to review these in parts because the messages in all of them are really important and valuable. I love the simple and uplifting illustrations with their funky colours. I didn't realise that these books were short animations on CBBC channel! How cool is that! For Part one which looks at The Little Penguin, Two Monkeys and The Elephant and the Spider click here, and for part two which looks at Planet of the Bears, Cow Party & The Knitting Gorilla click here.

The Ministry of Niceness

4th April 2011, Egmont

32 pages, Paperback

Review copy

Children's

Summary from Egmont

In the Land of Cats, it was the COOLEST cats who ran the town. And the Ministry of Coolness made the laws.

However, there was one cat who was just... NICE.

The Nice Cat went about his business with a SMILE upon his face.

And his niceness began to spread.

And so begins a story about SPREADING HAPPINESS - a joyous little treasure for the whole family to share.

World of Happy... because life is FUN!

As a cat lover, this book automatically gets my vote! It teaches that you don't have to be at the top of society or have the best things to have fun. Being in tune with yourself, smiling and being polite to others leads to a harmonious society. Often kindness is in the little things, which can make a tremendous difference if people are having a bad day.

A story about Spreading Happiness. My name is............. and I made someone happy when.......................

The Dog Machine

4th April 2011, Egmont

32 pages, Paperback

Review copy

Children's

Summary from Egmont

The World of Dogs was run with great EFFICIENCY. There were MACHINES for every kind of task.

And the most brilliant was the one that dealt with all the BUSINESS that a dog might leave behind.

But there are many different KINDS of dog and one machine could not ACCOMMODATE them all.

And so begins a story about CELEBRATING OUR DIFFERENCES - a joyous little treasure for the whole family to share.

World of Happy... because life is FUN!

Although we're all people, we are all unique. Sometimes you wouldn't think that with the way people can try so hard to fit in and be like others. Sometimes the differences are small, sometimes they are quite big. Being noticably different isn't always easy to deal with. This book shows that it doesn't matter what the differences are, being different is actually very normal! This one is going to a great friend, who lives half a world away from me, who loves dogs and currently has very cute puppies!

A story about Celebrating Our Differences. My name is ................. and special things that make me different are...................

Dance of Wallowy Bigness

4th April 2011, Egmont

32 pages, Paperback

Review copy

Children's

Summary from Egmont

There was once a hippopotamus who dreamed of being able to dance with GRACE and BEAUTY.

However, when she tried, she could barely lift her BOTTOM off the ground and her stomach WOBBLED most uncomfortably indeed.

"Come now," said a passing crocodile. "Perhaps you are simply trying the WRONG dance. What kind of dance would be YOUR dance... and YOUR dance ONLY?"

And so begins a story about being BEAUTIFUL INSIDE - a joyous little treasure for the whole family to share.

World of Happy... because life is FUN!

In a world where image appears to be everything, it is extremely important for everyone to know it isn't what they look like, but who they really are. You can look amazing but be miserable and not be yourself. If you have confidence in who you are, and are happy with yourself, you'll actually glow very brightly in the world, and people will notice you for who you are. It can take a while to find that confidence, but once it is found, it is relatively easy to hang on to.

A story about Being Beautiful Inside. My name is ..................... and things that make me happy are...............

Come back in two weeks time, when on 20th April I'll be reviewing the final four books in this awesome series: The Pink Cricket, Tortoise Football, The Thanking You Sharks and The Lovely Whales.

Red Glove by Holly Black

2011-03-30T07:48:00.000+01:00

Goodreads
Holly Black's site
Series: Curse Worker's #2
Copy obtained: e-ARC S&S Galley Grab
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release date: April 19th
Rating: 4/5
SPOILER WARNING Big spoilers for book 1 ahead, no spoilers for Red Glove.

Curses and cons. Magic and the mod. In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth - that he's the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything - or anyone - into something else.

That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she's human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila's been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion worker mom. And if Lila's love is as phony as Cassel's made-up memories, then he can't believe anything she says or does.

When Cassel's oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue - crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too - they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can't trust anyone - least of all, himself?

Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose.

I adored White Cat, found it a very refreshing read with a male protagonist, conmen and magic, and thoroughly enjoyable as well. I was left craving book 2, so I was very excited to find myself lucky enough to have an e-ARC copy of it. But while I do love Red Glove, I didn't love it as much as White Cat. I suspect this is in part to me having to read it over 5 days thanks to exhaustion rather than the usual 1 or 2, which is very unfortunate.

It's been a few months since Cassel's life fell apart when he realised his rare ability as a transformation worker, and how he'd been betrayed and used by his brothers. Now he's starting his new year at school and while he's certainly not walking away from his life of minor crime, or his family's much deeper one, he's looking forward to things being more normal. But then one of his older brothers turns up dead, and the Feds start asking questions. Plus, he's still having to deal with the fall out of his mother cursing the girl he loves to love him back. And while Cassel would love to take advantage, he knows Lila will hate him when the curse wears off. Nothing is simple for Cassel, and it only gets worse as more secrets are revealed.

There is a lot going on in Red Glove, many different little plots all get twisted together and keep making life very complicated for Cassel because he can't straighten one thing out, without it interfering with another. While it probably reads smoother and less disjointed when read in bigger chunks than I managed, I found it a little bit off putting. I love Cassel, he's such a refreshing character for not really being a good guy, but certainly not being a bad one. He has to make some really hard decisions and he opens up a lot of big secrets, putting himself in big danger repeatedly throughout Red Glove. But I sometimes wondered how he came to the conclusions he did. There is plenty of secrecy layered in to the book for sure, and most of it works very well, but sometimes I found it frustrating instead.

That said, I did love some of the directions the book took. Cassel grew a lot through the book dealing with some of the issues and learning to trust others, something that does not come easy to him. And ultimately, it is a really great story and it left me craving more. There is plenty of magic and deception, some great humor and some moments where I just ached for Cassel as well as some really big surprises! Some of those twists really came out of nowhere and work very well! While I'd say I love White Cat more, I did still end up really enjoying White Cat and I'm very excited for the third book, Black Heart. I'd highly recommend this series!

Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz

2011-03-25T21:11:00.000Z

Goodreads
Hannah Moskowitz site
Series: n/a
Copy obtained: e-ARC S&S Galley Grab for review
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release date: April 19th
Rating: 5/5

"Noah's happier than I've seen him in months. So I'd be an awful brother to get in the way of that. It's not like I have some relationship with Melinda. It was just a kiss. Am I going to ruin Noah's happiness because of a kiss?"

Across four sun-kissed, drama-drenched summers at his family's beach house, Chase is falling in love, falling in lust, and trying to keep his life from falling apart. But some girls are addictive...

First off, that blurb (taken from Goodreads) is misleading because it implies a heavy romantic focus. That is not the case at all, it's very much a focus on family. I hadn't read Hannah's previous book, Break, when I read the ARC for Invincible Summer, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from it. But whatever my vague expectations were, they were not what I got. What I got, was an emotional, heart breaking, kind of strange, and ultimately fantastic read!

Chase is almost 15 at the start of the book, and we join him as he and his siblings are arriving at their beach house as they do each summer. We're introduced to the family, and the next door neighbours who they've been friends with their whole lives. They always spend their summers messing around together. But as Chase is growing up and dealing with more issues, he sees things changing.

Invincible Summer only tells their story over the summers. Once the summer is over and they leave the beach house, it skips forward a year to them arriving the next one, covering 4 summers. It's an interesting choice for telling the story, but it works perfectly. You get told little snippets of Chase's life, and his family, away from the beach house but it's clear how much the place means to him and that he only really seems to feel alive at the beach, his real home as it were. I completely love the strange, screwed up, family dynamics here. Chase has an older brother who's always running away; a younger sister who acts like she's about 30; a younger brother who is deaf which creates it's own issues; and there's the baby sister who their mom is pregnant with at the start of the book. And there are issues with the parents as well. Throw in the friends next door who feature very heavily in Chase's thoughts and world as well, and you get even more interesting events.

No matter what's going on, it's all utterly engrossing and very, very intense. There is the odd laugh out loud moment, and some sweet moments that really made me smile. But a lot of the time I was aching for Chase. So young and so old at the same time. Very lost in many ways, trying to figure out what growing up means and where he fits in his family, how they all fit together. It's heart breaking in it's realness, even with the sometimes strange moments and connections. There are some almost surprisingly deep moments from Chase as well through a philosophy book he discovers and becomes somewhat obsessed with.

I could barely stop reading Invincible Summer once I started. It's intense, beautiful, powerful, gritty and raw. Ultimately heart breaking. I was in floods of tears through the last quarter of the book. It was a refreshing read in many ways, with the focus on family, not romance and with the way it's told as well. The blend of Chase's thoughts, screwed up family and philosophy. I was completely captivated by the narrative and characters. How this one family connected and fell apart through good times and bad. If you like gritty YA's, then this is a must read. It is easily one of my favourite reads of the year so far and one I'd highly recommend. Just amazing!!

World of Happy by Giles Andreae book reviews Part 2

2011-03-23T00:15:00.042Z

Planet of the Bears

4th April 2011, Egmont

32 pages, Paperback

Review copy

Children's

Summary from Egmont

The Bears had all the STUFF they needed. Yet they still wanted MORE.

But then one Clever Bear said, "Look! Our planet's DYING! I think the STUFF is killing it, my friends."

"But Bears NEED STUFF," the Bear's all cried.

"Then why are you not HAPPY?" the Clever Bear replied.

And so begins a story about KINDNESS and JOY - an uplifting little treasure for the whole family to share.

World of Happy... because life is FUN!

Materialism can be a huge downfall in our time. There's always a newer, better version to buy. I'm not saying that we shouldn't buy anything. That's not the aim of this book either. The point is to be aware of the world around us. Using electricity, buying things has an impact on the environment. As long as we give something back to the planet, there's no harm in buying whatever we want. Our planet is precious, and it deserves to be pampered. I loved the concept of the heart of the planet in this book.

A story about Looking After Our World. My name is............ and I think the world would be happier if..........

Cow Party

4th April 2011, Egmont

32 pages, Paperback

Review copy

Children's

Summary from Egmont

A party was announced to find the King of Cows a QUEEN.

The lady cows all said, 'We MUST look GORGEOUS! Let's paint ourselves as BRIGHT as we can be!"

But there was ONE cow who remained... just BROWN. "I want the king," she said, "to KNOW me as I AM".

And so begins a story about LOVE (and DANCING!) – a joyous little treasure for the whole family to share.

World of Happy... because life is FUN!

Cows have a special meaning to me. Besides from seeing them most days on my way to work, a dear friend of mine is cow mad. She's going to get this book! The message of this book is to be yourself. If you try to be like other people, you aren't being yourself and you usually don't feel comfortable. Finding out who you really are takes time, and a lot of courage, especially if what makes you you makes you stand out from the crowd. But that's why true friends will like you, and your future partner/husband/wife. Try not to be a sheep, following what everyone does without thinking whether you want to be that way.

A story about Love (And Dancing). My name is.......... and my favourite dancing songs are.....................

The Knitting Gorilla

4th April 2011, Egmont

32 pages, Paperback

Review copy

Children's

Summary from Egmont

After six beautiful daughters, the Big Gorilla finally had a SON.

"You will grow up to be BIG and FIERCE, just like your daddy!" he said proudly.

But the Little Gorilla grew up to be... small... and gentle... and not like his daddy at all.

And what he liked doing most... was KNITTING.

And so begins a story about BEING YOURSELF - a joyous little treasure for the whole family to share.

World of Happy... because life is FUN!

I love this book for many reasons. It has a purple colour theme. It is about knitting, which is a hobby I enjoy. Unusually it is about a boy who knits. Males do knit, but it's not as common as females knitting. I think this is really important because it shows that not everyone matches up to people's expectations. That doesn't mean they aren't any good - they excel in the skills that they develop over time. Sometimes parents have an idea of what their children will be like, but the outcome can be quite different.

A story about Being True To Yourself. My name is.......... and things that make me who I am are.................

Come back in two weeks, when on 6th April I'll review The Ministry of Niceness, The Dog Machine, and The Dance of Wallowy Bigness!

Iron Crowned by Richelle Mead

2011-03-18T07:58:00.000Z

Goodreads
Richelle Mead's site
Series: Dark Swan #3
Publisher: Zebra (US) Bantam (UK)
Release date: 22nd Feb (US) / 31st March (UK)
Rating: 2.5/5
Spoiler Warning! Spoilers for previous books ahead!! (And spoilers for IC, but they're whited out below with another warning before them).

Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham is the best at banishing entities trespassing in the mortal realm. But as the Thorn Land's queen, she's fast running out of ways to end the brutal war devastating her kingdom. Her only hope: the Iron Crown, a legendary object even the most powerful gentry fear...

Who Eugenie can trust is the hardest part. Fairy king Dorian has his own agenda for aiding her search. And Kiyo, her shape-shifter ex-boyfriend, has every reason to betray her along the way. To control the Crown's ever-consuming powers, Eugenie will have to confront an unimaginable temptation - one that will put her soul and the fate of two worlds in mortal peril...

I've been a big fan of all of Richelle's series, and I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in the Dark Swan series and I was really excited for Iron Crowned. Sadly, it did not live up to expectation for me. Before I read a couple of my friends who'd gotten their hands on it faster told me it was awesome, one of Richelle's best books, but it just didn't work for me. I can't say too much without giving away spoilers, so for once I will split this review in two, spoiler free, and then a spoiler section underneath which you'll need to highlight if you want to read it. I'd advise you don't unless you really don't care about major spoilers, or you've already read the book!

Eugenie is spending more and more time in the Otherworld, having to take care of her kingdom in the war but she's still a very reluctant monarch and is hoping to end the war without further bloodshed. There are so many twists and turns through Iron Crowned as Eugenie tries to find an end for the war and figure out her personal life, it should have felt fast and intense. Instead, I repeatedly found myself getting irritated with Eugenie, Dorian and Kiyo. Several of the side characters came as a breath of fresh air when they appeared, including Jasmine who's always seriously irritated me in the past. I actually felt for her more than any other character in Iron Crowned.

There were a couple big surprises to me in Iron Crowned, and they worked fairly well. The ending certainly leaves a lot of questions for what will come next, and I am curious to see where it all goes. It did have some good moments as well, it wasn't all bad, and I think Iron Crowned will work very well for a lot of people. Certainly one to make your own mind up about, if you've enjoyed the previous two books. Some of the character development is good, but a lot of it felt like a backwards step, or just a role reversal repeat of events that have already happened. Previously I'd enjoyed the Dorian/Eugenie/Kiyo love triangle (a rarity for me), but here it did nothing but irritate me. Mostly, I've just no idea what Eugenie was thinking a lot of the time. Her decisions about everything (be it about her kingdom, her divided loyalties, her men) so often being a case of act first, regret and ask questions later, got tired fast. I also felt there was a lot more sex in the book than either of the two previous ones, and I think virtually all of it was completely unneeded to advance the plot, which is something that tends to annoy me in UF. In PNR it's fine, but not something I expect (or want) from the Dark Swan series.

Overall Iron Crowned isn't a bad book, it has it's moments and it held my attention reasonably well. But it wasn't a book I enjoyed. Too much just irritated me rather then being an enjoyment. I'm pretty sad about that really because normally I love Richelle's work, she's one of my favourite authors. Can't always work for everyone though and I'm sure plenty will love Iron Crowned for the reasons that didn't work for me!

Now, MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!! Highlight them to read them, read at your own risk. Specifics on why IC really didn't work for me:

Enough with the freaking back and forth between Kiyo and Dorian already!! Kiyo betrayed her, so she dates Dorian. Dorian betrays her, so she dates Kiyo again, his past betrayal forgotten. Kiyo betrays her again so she's begging Dorian for help and likely will take it in the next book, despite knowing he's got ulterior motives still.

Dorian. His betrayal wasn't actually that bad. Don't get me know, I understand why Eugenie was furious and all, and felt seriously betrayed. But he has always, always had ulterior motives and was going to show his true colors sooner rather than later. So what he did came as no surprise at all to me. I don't like him too much right now, but as a character he is fascinating.

Kiyo. Well I've thought he was a jerk and haven't liked him since about mid way through Storm Born. He did nothing to warrant Eugenie going back to him, and then he just got worse showing his true loyalties towards the end. How he reacted to Eugenie's news and decision was shocking and I still find it really hard to believe that he reacted so badly, to be willing to kill her. I may have never liked him, but I did think he loved her. Apparently not the case.

Eugenie. The back/forth with her was irritating enough, how she switched between guys based on who'd pissed her off that day. But I also found her continued apathy towards really stepping in to her role as queen really irritating. Her unwillingness to learn more about things was something I thought had been done with in Thorn Queen. I understood her indecision about what to do about her pregnancy, and I'm glad she's going the way she is. It's about the one thing about her that didn't annoy me at one point or another. Her taking over another land is something I'm not happy about either. So much for her not wanting power. And she's barely interested in the Thorn Land, so having another? Her divided loyalty between the human world and the otherworld is really starting to annoy me. I understand it, but I think she kind of needs to suck it up. If she won't give her kingdoms up (which she won't) then she needs to stop moaning about them, and how she wishes things could be simpler again and such, and deal with what she has. I thought she was doing that in Thorn Queen, but no, it continues.

Finally, I thought the hunt for the Iron Crown would be a big deal, but honestly, it wasn't really. Lots of action involved, but it was over and found quickly, then it was just Eugenie refusing to use it. Until she did. Which I wish she hadn't. The ideas behind the crown though, and how the fey fear it was actually an idea I really liked. It just fell flat for me.

...okay, that little rant makes me feel a little better. Would love to hear your comments, agree or disagree etc, be warned for those who don't want to read spoilers, that they may end up in the comments!!

New Pretties!!

2011-03-15T08:54:00.002Z

Lots of awesome cover reveals lately. Here's just a few of them, and what I think of them!

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer - paperback edition out in June - Goodreads
Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer - to match the new pb of Nightshade, the Wolfsbane hardback cover got a redesign, out 26th July - Goodreads

I really like both of these. I thought the original Nightshade cover was pretty, but after reading it, didn't think it looked remotely like Calla and it didn't suit the book. And unlike most, I wasn't impressed with the Wolfsbane cover either. But I really love these. More simple, but dark and beautiful. I particularly love the Nightshade cover with the purple and how both Calla's human and wolf side are shown, and the eye is awesome. The Wolfsbane cover doesn't have the same drama to it, but I still think it's pretty.

Crossed by Ally Condie - sequel to Matched out Nov 2011 - Goodreads

I completely love this cover!! I love the Matched cover, simple and striking. This is more so with Cassia breaking out of the bubble. Still simple, matches Matched, still eye grabbing and beautiful. Plus, blue is my favourite color. Seriously awesome.

Living With The Dead by Kelley Armstrong - new UK pb edition The Otherworld #9 out 3rd Nov 2011 - Goodreads

I love the new UK covers for this, one of my favourite series, even though it happens to be the only Otherworld book I didn't enjoy. I'm not really sure what the tornado has to do with anything, but it's a striking cover and I still love it far more than the original version. For comparison, here's all the old UK Otherworld covers and the new ones below (click to see them bigger). Which do you prefer? I'd love to know!

In My Mailbox [21]

2011-03-12T09:13:00.000Z

IMM is weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

This is for the past two weeks because I didn't do an IMM last week.

Won:

ARC of Chosen by Blood by Virna Depaul - Goodreads

From Virna, thank you!

Swapped by a Kiss by Luisa Plaja - Goodreads

From Clover at Fluttering Butterflies, thank you!

Bought:

Clarity by Kim Harrington - Goodreads

Also bought season one of The Vampire Diaries, which I hadn't watched before, now totally in love with it!

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

World of Happy by Giles Andreae book reviews Part 1

2011-03-09T09:27:00.002Z

The Little Penguin

4th April 2011, Egmont

32 pages, Paperback

Review copy

Children's

Summary from Egmont

There was once a little penguin who was FRIGHTENED of the water.

"This is no way for PENGUINS to behave,' said his father.

"Be gentle," said his mother, "for ALL of us have fears that others may find hard to understand... Come, Little Penguin. Come into the WATER with me".

And so begins a story about BRAVERY and TRUST - a joyous little treasure for the whole family to share.

World of Happy... because life is FUN!

Life isn't easy. There are so many things which are frightening, which other people do without thinking twice. I could understand the Little Penguin's fears - they are ones I'd have if I was him. His mother points out the happier side of the water, focusing on the positive which always outweigh the negative. It's hard to be brave on our own, but with someone supporting us, just as the Little Penguin had his mother, we can take those scary first steps and be successful.

What I like about all the books is that at the front it says what the book is about, and then gives space for the reader to write about the theme of the book. I'll give the example for each book

'A story about being brave. My name is ............... and I did something really brave when..........'

Two Monkeys

4th April 2011, Egmont

32 pages, Paperback

Review copy

Children's

Summary from Egmont

There were two monkeys who grew up TOGETHER. One was a prince, and one his servant boy.

But, as the Prince grew older, the Queen decided that he should keep more PRINCELY company.

"I love you MORE," the lady said right back.

And soon the Prince FORGOT his first and TRUEST friend.

And so begins a story about TRUE FRIENDSHIP - a joyous little treasure for the whole family to share.

World of Happy... because life is FUN!

They say love makes the world go round - so does friendship! Without friends, well, life is a very dark place, as the Prince finds out when the Queen gives a command which makes his so called friends disappear. True friends will always be there for each other, even if they get ignored for a while or treated badly.

A story about True Friendship. My name is............ and my best friends are called .........................

The Elephant and The Spider

4th April 2011, Egmont

32 pages, Paperback

Review copy

Children's

Summary from Egmont

There was once an elephant who was most TERRIFIED of spiders.

If she even came NEAR a spider, she would shriek and HOP in a most UNBECOMING manner.

"This will not DO," said the ELEPHANT one day. So she took a JOURNEY into HERSELF.

And so begins a story about COURAGE and HOPE – a joyous little treasure for the whole family to share.

World of Happy... because life is FUN!

Fears. All of us fear something. Some of us fear more things than others (my list is rather long!). It can be a fear of a creature, an object, or an event/circumstance. To others the fear may seem irrational, but to the person it is a huge deal. Fears can't always be conquered, but when they are faced there's a wonderful sense of achievement.

A story about Overcoming Your Fears. My name is .............and hard things I am proud of doing are...........

Come back in two weeks time, when on 23rd March I'll be reviewing Planet of the Bears, Cow Party & The Knitting Gorilla!

Winners!

2011-03-08T09:52:00.000Z

I know I was meant to do this yesterday, but I was busy fighting off panic attacks all day and didn't get around to it. Oh well. So, without more waiting, here are the two winners of the YA Contemps Giveaway, picked with the use of Random.org:

Mrs DeRaps

and

Liliebook

Congrats! Both winners have been emailed and have until Friday 11th March to get back to me with their choice and mailing info so I can get their books on the way, or I'll pick new winners.

Huge thanks to everyone who entered!! I will have a new giveaway soon for a preorder of one of my favourite reads of the year so far, Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz, in a week or so, if you didn't win this time, maybe you'll be lucky then!

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

2011-03-08T08:05:00.000Z

Goodreads
Brenna Yovanoff's site
Series: n/a
Copy obtained: UK Book Tours
Publisher: Razorbill (US), Simon Pulse (UK)
Released: Sept 2010 (US), Jan 2011 (UK)
Rating: 4/5

Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice his bass or spend time with an oddly intriguing girl called Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag heaps and find his rightful place - in our world, or theirs.

I wasn't sure that The Replacement would really be my kind of book, but I actually ended up really enjoying it. Mackie is not human, but he's been raised to be. He is dying now and discovering just how strange his town really is. Mackie always knew he wasn't normal, but he didn't know what he really was. Just that he had to hide in plain sight for fear of what would happen to him otherwise. No standing out, getting noticed. Being invisible is something Mackie has been very good at. But now he has the attention of Tate. A girl who's little sister has gone missing and Tate is determined to figure it out and get her back, and she's starting by asking the one person she believes could know more than he'll say. And the attention of the other beings who live below Gentry, things no one will talk about or believe in, but constantly ward against.

I found Mackie easy to get on with and I really like him. He's not a hero, he actually backs away from certain things pretty easily. But he does want to do the right thing and agonizes over it. Mackie may not be normal, but he's plenty real enough. I think his feelings of displacement are something any teen could relate to. Tate is a really awesome character as well. Strong willed and stubborn, willing to do whatever it takes to get her sister back. I love how she pushes and challenges Mackie. Both of them, but Mackie in particular, really grow throughout the book as they deal with new obstacles and issues. There is a little romance between the two, but it's very much a sub plot and much to my joy, there are no undying declarations of love. Plenty of lust, but no love. Something very refreshing. I love the slightly awkward, but realistic drawing of their whole relationship, well before romance becomes an issue and afterwards as well. I also really loved Emma, Mackie's older 'sister,' and his best friend, Roswell.

Gentry itself is pretty creepy. At first you get the impression it's an average town, but quickly it takes on its own eerie sense of otherness. And that's before you even meet the dancing dead girls underground! They are very creepy, and very well drawn. I got somewhat sucked in to their world and had that sense of morbid fascination, I wanted to know more and go exploring.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. It's not particularly fast paced, but it's not slow either and it was a very enjoyable read. Eerie, creepy, and beautiful. I thoroughly enjoyed it! Good characters and great worldbuilding. The intense ending really kept me reading and wishing there was more! Very good read and one I'd recommend.

River Marked by Patricia Briggs

2011-03-03T08:53:00.003Z

Goodreads
Patricia Briggs' site
Series: Mercy Thompson #6
Copy obtained: bought, hb
Publisher: Ace (US), Orbit (UK)
Released: March 1st (US), March 3rd (UK)
Rating: 4.5/5

Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shape shifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She's never known any other of her kind. Until now.

An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River - one that her father's people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help...

I love the Mercy Thompson series, it is easily one of my all time favourites. It's got very well developed characters, engaging storylines and each book brings something new to her world. And Mercy herself is one of my top favourite characters. So it goes without saying I was very excited to get my hands on River Marked, and it did not disappoint at all!

River Marked sees us, and Mercy, learning a lot about her Native American background and what her being a coyote shifter means. It also sees Adam and Mercy mostly on their own, away from the pack, dealing with a river monster, a creature huge and deadly, that some how connects with what Mercy is learning about her heritage. While in some ways I missed seeing more of the rest of the pack and the other excellent side characters, I really enjoyed seeing Adam and Mercy more on their own for once and getting to meet some very interesting new characters. I thought before hand that I'd like getting in to Mercy's heritage and learning it alongside her, but I actually loved it! I really enjoyed the direction the book took and how the plots twisted together.

Mercy has changed a lot over the course of the series, and it really shows in River Marked. I love how she's changed, through her relationships with Adam, the pack and her other friends like Stefan, and also by the events she's been through. River Marked shows us a more emotional side of her than we've really seen before, and also shows the strength of her relationship with Adam. And while we don't see too much of the rest of the beloved side characters, they still have some little developments going on in the back ground. I'd be very surprised if Stefan doesn't end up playing a more central role in the next book with some of the snippets we have here.

Overall, River Marked has to be my joint favourite of the series alongside Iron Kissed. It's much softer than IK in some ways, but it's still got a lot going on, plenty of tension and an ending I thoroughly loved! I found River Marked very difficult to put down and easily read it in a day. I'm now just very sad it's going to be roughly a 2 year wait for the next one! Though I'm certain it'll be worth it, I shall have to cope with it by lots of rereading. Slipping back in to Mercy's world is like putting on that favourite comfy hoodie, or pair of jeans, or whatever, and catching up with old friends and learning their latest adventures. Fantastic, gripping storytelling and a wonderful new edition to Mercy's series!

Afterlife by Claudia Gray

2011-03-01T08:01:00.000Z

Goodreads
Claudia Gray's site
Series: Evernight #4
Copy obtained: e-ARC from Net Galley
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release date: March 8th
Rating: 4.5/5
SPOILER WARNING!! Big spoilers for the previous book ahead!

Having become what they feared most, Bianca and Lucas face a terrifying new reality. They must return to Evernight Academy, Lucas as a vampire and Bianca as a wraith. But Lucas is haunted by demons, both personal and supernatural. Bianca must help him fight the evil inside him, combat the forces determined to drive them apart - and find the power to claim her destiny at last.

Afterlife, the final book in the Evernight series, picks up exactly where book three, Hourglass, left off. I loved the previous books in the series and Hourglass had a heartbreaking, shocking ending. I was really looking forward to seeing how things worked out for Bianca and Lucas. But as with any final book, I was a little anxious as well, wondering how things would wrap up, if the series would go out on the high it deserved. I shouldn't have worried though.

The book is well paced, lots of twists and turns as you'd expect. There was a lot of loose ends to tie up from the previous books to tie up, and I think they all get tied up well. The odd one is tied up a little quickly before moving on to the next thing, but for the most part they're all given enough time and explanation. Fitting both with what's come before and what's revealed in Afterlife.

There was one moment, very close to the end, that should have had a big emotional impact, but for me fell a little flat. I've really no idea why, but it just didn't quite work for me. But aside from that, it was the heart wrenching, beautiful, fantastic book I wanted it to be. There was a lot of character growth and change, and I really felt for Bianca so many times as she faught to figure out what to do. It was an emotional roller coaster but one I wouldn't have changed for anything. It was a really satisfying ending for a fantastic YA vampire series, that I highly recommend!

In My Mailbox [20]

2011-02-26T23:48:00.002Z

While you're here, don't forget to check out my YA Contemps Giveaway!! Ends next Sunday!!

IMM is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

Another super stressful, horrible week, but with an awesome haul of books. What's with that?

For review
Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton
Thank you Random House!

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Thank you Lynsey, UK Book Tours!

Gifted
Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson
Wintercraft by Jenna Burtenshaw
Long Reach by Peter Cocks
Need by Carrie Jones
Massive thanks to Clover from Fluttering Butterflies for these!! She is super sweet and her blog is awesome, so you should all go follow her :)

Bought
River Marked by Patricia Briggs
Break by Hannah Moskowitz
A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford
Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton
Iron Crowned by Richelle Mead
Pretty bad Things by C. J. Skuse
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Rhamin by Bryce Thomas (this was random, hadn't heard of the book before, but author was signing in WHSmiths when I was there the other day, it involves wolves and he said a slight paranormal edge, so I happily bought it.)

Seeing how I'm barely managing to read a book a week right now, I think it's well past time I went on a book buying ban. Cause seriously, anything not for review will just be sitting there for months. Although I want to read them, I just can't right now.

What did you get in your mailbox?

All You Get Is Me by Yvonne Prinz

2011-02-25T08:01:00.000Z

Goodreads
All You Get Is Me site
Series: n/a
Copy obtained: bought hb
Publisher: Harper Teen
Released: Dec 2010
Rating: 2.5/5

A summer of love, loss and justice.

Things were complicated enough for Roar, even before her father decided to yank her out of the city and go organic. Suddenly, she's a farm girl, albeit a reluctant one, selling figs at the farmers' market and developing her photographs in a ramshackle shed. Caught between a troublemaking sidekick named Storm, a brooding, easy-on-the-eyes L.A. boy, and a father on a human rights crusade that challenges the fabric of the farm community, Roar is going to have to tackle it all - even with dirt under her fingernails and her hair pulled back with a rubber band meant for asparagus.

I really liked the sound of this book, and I was very taken by the cover as well, so I was looking forward to reading it. It started out pretty well, Roar (short for Aurora, but no one calls her that) is pretty easy to like and her narrative is soft and inviting. The set up, city girl now living on a farm in the middle of nowhere and what that entails, is well drawn and I found myself wishing I was actually there several times.

But, a lot of the story didn't work for me quite as it should have. There are a few chapters, particularly early on, where they are Roar's retelling of what went wrong in the city, why she and her dad left. Which were okay in themselves, even if I did feel they slowed the forward movement of the story down, but it turned out there was little relavance to them. Yes, they explain where Roar is coming from, what she's like, and how much she's changing. But honestly, there was just too much. It didn't all need to be in there and most of what I needed to know I learned from just a few short paragraphs within those chapters. It just slowed things down without giving any real extra insight.

I also feel that overall, the book didn't seem to have a real focus. In theory, the focus is on Roar and how she's growing up and adapting to her new life, what it means, and falling in love for the first time. But there is a big sub plot as well, involving her father and what he's working on. Instead of creating an added intensity and something for Roar to be dealing with or involved in though, it seems to just kind of happen. Things flick between that and her romance and the other little things going on leaving just the surface scratched on most accounts and not really getting anywhere deeper.

I liked Roar, I liked some of the side characters as well, but the romantic storyline fell somewhat flat as well, and I didn't much like Roar's best friend Storm either. It's not a bad book by any means. It certainly has some good descriptions of farm life, and as I said, I kept wishing I was there. But while the story was strong enough that I wanted to finish it, I was left feeling kind of disappointed and unsatisfied. I think had the big secondary plot had more depth given to it, or had it been left out and the focus been left purely on Roar and her romance, I'd have preferred it. It's still a reasonable book though and I'm sure there are those who would enjoy the lighter read more than I did.

A Little Quieter

2011-02-24T22:26:00.000Z

Hey all, this is just a quick explanation post. I have been struggling a lot of late, with a lot of things, and now it's affecting the blog. I had hoped I could just carry on reviewing and posting and that maybe it could be one stable in my life right now, but to be honest, it's become another stress and not a help. I've been struggling to read much lately and finding it more stressful because I keep thinking 'I need to read so I have content' and such. And that isn't healthy, certainly not for me, not right now.

I'd been doing well with posting usually 6, sometimes 7, times a week and having posts prepped and such. But I can't keep that pace up, it's just too much for me. Which kinda sucks really! So things are going to get a little quieter again, probably for a couple months, with 3 or 4 posts a week. But as usual, most of those will be reviews. ...providing I've managed to read enough to review. If I haven't, then, well, it'll probably just mean fewer posts. I'm sad about that, but I've gotta take care of me first, certainly right now. I hope that sooner rather than later I can return to more frequent posting, but right now this is what I need to do and I hope you all understand that and stick with me anyways.

I love my blog and reading and I want to get back to it being a fun escape, not a stressful one!

...although, if anyone would be interested in guest posting anything to help me out for a little while, I'd really appreciate it!! If it's related to YA or paranormal books, it should be suitable. Can be something new, or something you've posted yourself before, I'm pretty easy about these things. Email me at cemsbooks(at)gmail(dot)com if you're maybe interested in helping. Thanks!

Gladiator: Fight For Freedom by Simon Scarrow

2011-02-23T14:58:00.001Z

This is the first book in a brand new series! I'm rather eager for the next one.

3rd February 2011, Puffin
Hardback, Review copy
Children's (12+)

Summary from Penguin

Rome, 61 BC

RECRUITED as a gladiator, young Marcus Cornelius Primus faces a new life of brutal training, governed by strict rules, as he learns the skills of an elite warrior.

But Marcus cannot simply forget his past. His father lies murdered by soldiers and his mother has been kidnapped and forced into slavery. Marcus is determined to find his father's old commander, Pompeius the Great, to seek justice for his family and set his mother free.

Yet, unbeknown to him, Marcus is hiding a life-threatening secret. And if the Romans discover it, there will be no escape . . .

I've read and enjoyed a Roman historical from Simon before (The Legion). I was eager to read a series set in a similar era for younger readers. In some ways I preferred Gladiator. I think there's a little less emphasis on description of weapons/politics/who's who. That's not to say there isn't any description - there is, but just enough to keep the reader informed and intrigued, not so much that I started to skim read.

One great thing about the book is that it takes a while for Marcus to be in a position where he becomes a gladiator. I kept thinking 'this is it' only to turn the page and find it was it. And when the moment came it was hard hitting, especially when he got separated from his mother. His desire for revenge lands him in a little bit of trouble, but actually much less than I'd expected. He has great courage within him to keep pursuing his goal, even when the future gets bleaker and bleaker. He isn't stupid, he knows not to rush into some fights, although he still does have the impatience of youth. I adore how the book ends, and the kind of life that waits Marcus. If anything he will be in more danger than he was while training to be a gladiator. It was pretty tough with the risk of death he flouted the rules. He nearly did die when someone set him up with a crime. Plus he makes an enemy within his class without even doing anything.

Possibly the one thing which I both love and hate equally, is the secret that Marcus is hiding. Little is spoken of it until near the end. Even then, nothing gets revealed (either that or I really missed something!). I really hope there is further revelation in the next book, although I'll be reading it for more than that reason alone. From the summary I would have thought that I'd find out at least part of the mystery in this book. Overall I really enjoyed the book. There's plenty of action (not all of it pleasant, definitely a good book for blood-thirsty readers), and a great deal of character development. The level of detail in the historical environment is high, and clearly shows Simon knows this area of history. Bearing in mind that not a lot is revealed about his secret, I give it a 9/10.

Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting

2011-02-22T08:09:00.001Z

Goodreads
Kimberly Derting's site
Series: The Body Finder #2
Copy obtained: bought, hb
Publisher: Harper (US)/Headline (UK)
Release date: Feb 15th (US)/March 17th (UK)
Rating: 4/5

The missing dead call to Violet. They want to be found.

Violet can sense the echoes of those who've been murdered - and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life.

As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally she'd turn to her best friend, Jay, except now that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationships seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging in to Mike's tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth that could put everyone in danger.

The Body Finder was one I wasn't sure I'd like, but I got sucked in straight away and loved it! So I was really excited to get my hands on book 2 and because I'm an impatient person, I couldn't wait for the UK release and bought the US one which released a month earlier. I am glad I did, but Desires was not quite what I expected.

Desires of the Dead takes place a few months after The Body Finder and for Violet things are more in the realm of normal again. But not for long. There are basically three plots to Desires, all twisted together. One involves Violet and Jay's relationship (and all the issues with Jay's new best friend), one involves a body Violet finds and the FBI who get involved afterwards, and the third involves someone stalking Violet. The third one, I had figured out very easily, early on, so it lacked a lot of the intended tension, especially considering the where it went and the place it held in the story.

I really enjoyed the developments with Jay and Violet's relationship. They've been best friends forever, now they're a couple and I'm glad things aren't all plain sailing. That Violet struggles to deal with their new dynamic, despite being completely sure she loves him, is something I found real and the whole of that particular plot was something I found very engaging. If a little heart wrenching at times! I also thought the FBI side of things played out well. I liked the ideas it brings and the possibilities as well. Plus, the two agents involved are both really well drawn characters. There's still a fair few secrets there to be unveiled I'm certain!

The three plots tangle together, one affecting the next and does make for a really good, reasonably fast paced read. I did finish it in a day. But something I loved about The Body Finder was how unpredictable it was. The ending of that one was pretty shocking because I didn't see it coming. I found it very easy to guess what was coming throughout Desires and that was a little disappointing. However, I do love Violet, and Jay. Reading the continuation of their story was very enjoyable and I certainly felt Violet's anguish as she tried to figure out the right things to do, both with Jay and with everything else. I was impressed with how she handled certain things, but other times I half wanted to smack her and tell her to wake up. While her parents do play a small role in Desires, it's not as strong nor are they are as obviously present as they were in TBF, something else I found a little disappointing. I preferred The Body Finder, but overall, I still love Desires of the Dead. It's a different ride than TBF, still emotional, but not quite as dark or creepy. I'm very excited that there will be two more Body Finder books because I'm really curious to see where things go after the events of Desires!

Monday Wrap Up [7]

2011-02-21T08:39:00.005Z

Welcome to my weekly wrap up!

Before I go anywhere, for those who just catch the top part of this message: Check out my YA contemps giveaway!! It's open internationally, 2 winners, and a choice from 12 books! Go, go, go! ;)

Okay, now to last week. Last week sucked. A lot. For lots of reasons, but mostly because on Friday one of my babies, Sunny (one of my rabbits) got dangerously sick and spent a night at the vets. Very nearly lost him so spent all weekend very stressed out and worried. He's improving lots now, but still not completely better. Check up at the vets today, fingers crossed all goes well. Topped off a spectacularly bad weekend with a twisted knee, will make life interesting for a few days, anyways...

What I Read
The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff - took me Monday - Friday to finish it because for various reasons I was too sick/busy/worried to read, but it's good!
Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting - preferred book 1, The Body Finder, but still a very good read.

I knew 5 books this week would be pushing it, but that was kinda pathetic. Stress and exhaustion = no reading.

What I Posted
Tuesday - Review - Outside In by Maria V. Snyder [Inside Out #2] rating 3.5/5
Wednesday - Waiting on Wednesday - Love Story by Jennifer Echols
- What does it take for you to drop a book? - Some interesting comments, love to hear more!
Thursday - Review - Flash Burnout by L. K. Madigan, rating 4.5/5
Friday - Review - Half Moon by Jordan Deen [The Crescent #2] rating 4.5/5
Saturday - YA Contemps Giveaway! - 2 winners, 12 books to choose from.
Sunday - In My Mailbox - last week sucked, apart from the books!

What I'm Posting This Week
Good question. Reviews for Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting and All You Get Is Me by Yvonne Prinz, and...I've no idea what else. I'll come up with something. Maybe. I'm exhausted from the super stressful weekend and I plan on this being a quiet recovery week. I don't plan on being around the blogosphere or twitter much this week, but I'll try and catch up some next week.

What I'm Reading This Week
River Marked by Patricia Briggs (should arrive today, so it's up next!)
Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon
Hoping this week is a little better for reading than last week was, but given my current state, I'm sticking with low goals.

Actually, just hoping this week is all around better than last week!! I'll be more confident of that if the vet doesn't find cause for Sunny's problems. *fingers crossed* Hope you all have a great week.

In My Mailbox [19]

2011-02-20T12:09:00.000Z

IMM is a weekly meme hosted by the awesome Kristi over at The Story Siren.

This week has sucked in every respect pretty much, apart from where books are concerned. It was unexpectedly awesome for books!

Won:

The Iron King by Julie Kagwa - Goodreads

From MiraInk, it's an exculsive edition hardback and it's all glittery. So pretty!!

Mark of the Demon by Diana Rowland - Goodreads

Blood of the Demon by Diana Rowland - Goodreads

Secrets of the Demon by Diana Rowland - Goodreads

Won from Wicked Lil Pixie, they're all signed and what Diana wrote made me laugh on a very bad day:

Click to see bigger

So massive thanks to Nat and to Diana! So very happy to have signed copies of these because I adore the series!

For Review:

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter - Goodreads

Stay by Deb Caletti - Goodreads

Wither by Lauren DeStefano - Goodreads

Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott - Goodreads

Thanks to NetGalley and S&S Galley Grab for these titles!

Bought:

Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer [Kindle version] - Goodreads

Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting - Goodreads

Secrets and Shadows by Shannon Delany - Goodreads

Shameless plug: while you're here, why not check out my YA contemps giveaway! Open internationally, 2 winners, choice of 12 awesome books!!

What did you get in your mailbox?

YA Contemps Giveaway!!

2011-02-18T22:35:00.003Z

Giveaway is now closed!! Winners will be announced soon.

I've always been a girl more interested in paranormal, but lately paranormal and I have been on a break. It's not permanent, nor should you worry ;)

I have though, read some seriously awesome YA contemps on this break, and so I'm going to giveaway some of them! I like some element of choice with giveaways as great giveaways where you already have the book, is kind of a shame I think! And from my little poll that was running this week, more people agree than disagree, which makes me feel better about holding the giveaway like this! I'm offering a choice from the books listed below. They are all books I've got, read and love. Some new, some old. Some are focused on romance, others on tough subjects. All are awesome!!

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols
Entangled by Cat Clarke
Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan
The Nature Of Jade by Deb Caletti
Wild Roses by Deb Caletti
Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles
Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles
The Earth My Butt And Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler
Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal
Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Yep, 12 titles to choose from! I tried to narrow it down more, but I failed. I shall leave that to the winners ;) Hopefully though, there is something for everyone there!!

There will be TWO winners who will each get their pick of ONE title from the above list!

Entry
You MUST fill in the FORM below to enter! Only required details are a name (or alias) and email address to contact you if you win.
Extra entries ~ Follower + 1 (old or new)
Tweeting about the giveaway + 1 - can use this phrase: YA Contemps Giveaway from @CemsBooks 2 winners! Choice of 12 books! http://bit.ly/dVYSAg Open int'n closes Mar 6th
So you can have a maximum of 3 entries. I'm keeping it very simple for all our sakes ;)
While you're free to spread the word as much as you like (and it's appreciated!!) only one tweet will count.

Other Details
~ Must be 13 years+ to enter
~ Open internationally as long at Book Depository ships to you!! PLEASE check this list first if you're not sure.
~ To enter you MUST fill in the form below, comments do not count as entry, but are appreciated! I'd love to know what you think you might choose if you win!
~ You don't need to be a follower to enter.
~ Giveaway closes 6th March at midnight UK time. I will pick the winners via Random.org and contact them on the 7th, and announce it here on the blog as well.
~ For more details please read my contest policy.

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Half Moon by Jordan Deen

2011-02-18T08:10:00.021Z

Goodreads
Jordan Deen's site
Series: The Crescent #2
Copy obtained: bought on Kindle
Publisher: Black Rose
Released: Jan 2011
Rating: 4.5/5
Spoiler Warning!! Contains spoilers for previous book!!

"I'd been a fool for coming here with them, and now...no one would come to save me. The world that hid in the shadows of humanity was full of enemies."

Faced with death, Lacey Quinn ran away from the only family she'd ever known. That...was just the beginning.

As the decision she's made sinks in, Lacey struggles to fit in with the pack and find the key to bonding with her werewolf soul mate, Brandon. But, lies can only be concealed for so long.

Adjusting to a powerful new best friend, a twelve-year-old roommate with a nauseating Barbie fetish, and a lost love that won't stop haunting her dreams, she knows she has no hope of having a normal future - ever again.

After a long talk with the dead mother she never knew, and an almost deal-breaking night out with Brandon, Lacey starts spiraling into the underworld - a place where all things are possible and everyone is out to kill her.

With mysterious legends of witches and sorcery marring her past and clouding her future, she quickly learns - werewolves aren't the only ones lurking in the woods...waiting to claim her powers for their own.

The Mares? Well, they are the least of her worries.

Half Moon is the second book in The Crescent trilogy. I really enjoyed book one, The Crescent and I was very excited to read book 2 and discover how things went from the semi-cliff hanger ending. I did love this book, but it was not an easy or fully enjoyable ride.

I really enjoy the extensive world building in these books. There's a lot discovered and explained in Half Moon and I liked getting to see more of how some things work. I loved getting to meet some new characters as well, and get to know others better. There is the addition of one new character, Brea, who I really loved! She's got a spark and how she is with Lacey is something I just thoroughly loved.

What I didn't enjoy, is the love triangle. This is not fault of writing though, this is my personal, growing, hatred for them. If they're well written I can sometimes get on with them or at least put up with it. If they're not, or I have a particular, serious dislike to one of the guys involved then I struggle to read them because I just don't enjoy reading what I see as the girl being a little of an idiot for liking said guy. This one is odd because it's a combination of both. It's well written and well handled, and I really dislike one of the guys involved. So reading it wasn't enjoyable and a couple times I did put the book down and walk away because I was getting very irritated with Lacey's attitude towards both guys and her actions as a result. But because it's well written and because I was so engrossed in the rest of the story, it usually took me less than 10 minutes to get back to it because I needed to know what was going to happen!

It was clear early on that something was going on. I couldn't figure it out, maybe I should have figured it out sooner, but I didn't. And I loved it! The twists and turns along the way are great. I got so mad at Lacey sometimes, but I just wanted the best for her as well. I really hated some of the Armana's at times. For people who claim to be the good guys and want to help, they're not very good at it! But, again, I ended up kind of loving how it all works out. I really enjoyed all the confliction and how Lacey grew and learned to fight back through this book. I think there is still a lot to come from her, but she did end up really impressing me through Half Moon.

This is a great follow up to The Crescent. No, I didn't love all of it, I didn't enjoy reading parts of the love triangle. But it's very well done and it is a great story! I felt so bad for Lacey at times and wanted to protect her from some of the events she faced. Things got very intense towards the end and left me wanting the final book, Full Moon, right now!! Any earlier misgivings I had with the book were fully made up for with events towards the end. If you like werewolf books, you need to check this trilogy out!

Flash Burnout by L. K. Madigan

2011-02-17T08:13:00.002Z

Goodreads
Series: n/a
Copy obtained: bought, pb
Publisher: Graphia
Released: Oct 2009
Rating: 4.5/5

CLICK.

Saturated self-portrait: Blake, a nice guy, class clown, always trying to get a laugh, not sure where to focus.

CLICK.

Contrast. Shannon, Blake's GF. Total. Babe. Marissa, just a friend and fellow photographer. Shannon loves him; Marissa needs him. How is he supposed to frame them both in one shot?

This is a slightly strange book in some ways, but it's completely fantastic! It took me a little while to get in to it, but once I got used to Blake's voice, I was hooked. Blake is 15, happy to have a very hot girlfriend in Shannon, and then one photo changes things. In his photo class, he and Marissa talk a lot and as normal, he shows her some of his work he's done before the teacher asks for it. In one photo is a woman, that woman, unknown to Blake, is Marissa's mom. From there things start falling apart. Blake realises Marissa needs him, but Shannon wants him. And he's caught between the two, unsure how to manage either one.

I love the reality in this book. Blake's clueless innocence about girls; how he struggles with Marissa's situation not really wanting to be a part of it, but wanting to be a good friend; how he struggles to deal with Shannon and Marissa together. Plus I love his family, that there is a strong parental role and a solid relationship with his older brother as well. I really enjoyed getting to know all the characters in this story, they're all really well drawn. Marissa's story is one that's gritty and real as well, even though we only see it through Blake's eyes.

The whole book is a strange balance of humor and serious. It's very serious in some aspects dealing with some tough subjects, particularly in the second half. But I lost count of how often I laughed out loud as well. And maybe even more surprising was the way I could go from laughing out loud at something that was said or happened one moment, to aching for Blake or Marissa the next. Like a snap of the fingers, I was the opposite emotion. And it's not harsh or jarring, it just works.

Flash Burnout is wonderfully written. Smart, careful, so funny and very, very honest. It's surprisingly brutal in some respects, and surprising in general. It was not what I expected, but I found it very refreshing for that fact. The tension builds and builds right up to the end. There are some surprising twists, a few very unexpected choices. The characters grow through the book, learning from what happens to them and it's fantastically done. And the ending...just wow. Completely unexpected, and yet it fits perfectly! I loved this book so much. It kind of broke my heart. Flash Burnout is excellent read and I highly recommend it!

What Does It Take To Drop a Book?

2011-02-16T16:23:00.000Z

This is something I think about from time to time. I am someone who rarely fails to finish a book because I think if I've started it, I should finish it. If I'm not enjoying it, then my thinking is 'it might get better' so I carry on. I'm trying to make myself give that mentality up a little, in some cases because I know I can waste a week on a book I don't enjoy at all, when I could have read 2 or 3 other really good books instead.

With series, I find it very hard to drop them. I rarely drop a series once I've started it because a part of me wants to know what happens. And if it's a series that has gone down hill, then I keep reading in the hope it improves and because I still want to know what happens. If the first book of a series isn't great, but I like parts of it, 9 times out of 10 I'll carry on with it, and most of the time it pays off because several series suffer from a weaker first book and grow stronger, in my opinion.

Not so great but...

One of the stand out series that always comes to mind when I think of that 'meh' first book issue, is the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. Book one, Magic Bites, is not great. It's got it's moments, particularly towards the end, but it is nothing to really shout about. Book 2, Magic Burns, is better. Much stronger all around and a much more enjoyable read. Book 3, Magic Strikes...freaking hell perfect!! It's a seriously awesome book in every respect. Perfect tension, fantastic, engaging story, excellent character growth and some just awesome individual scenes between Kate and those around her. Book 4, Magic Bleeds, is on the same level, if softer for it's different focus, but it's equally as good as Strikes in my view.

...so worth it!!

Had I stopped with Bites, I'd be missing out on one of my top favourite adult series. Had I not given the good elements of Bites their second chance with Burns, I'd have missed out big time and I am so, so glad I haven't!! I hear of those who didn't think too much of Bites, like me (I think I read it over a month or so between other stuff) and didn't give Burns a try and I wonder why, when so many other people (because I know I'm not alone in this) consider Bites a bit of a weak book and yet the rest of the series very good and well worth the time, I wonder why they won't give it another chance. Maybe let themselves be surprised.

I don't get why people drop a longer series after one weaker book. This is not a criticism, none of this post is, I just simply can't understand it because to me, it makes no sense at all.

I know not every book or series is for everyone. I'm glad of that because it'd be very dull if it were true! But some times I read comments about dropping books because they're only okay and I honestly wonder why. What's made them drop it? What's made them think book 2 would be a waste of time? Or a different book from that author would be a waste of time? If I hadn't picked up Courtney Summers' Some Girls Are after not liking her first book, I'd again have missed out on an exceptional book.

Yes, sometimes carrying on with a series or trying something else by the same author doesn't work, and I don't like it any more than what I already read. But I have found that the majority of the time I find something better, something to like more or love and it becomes something I'm very glad I did. So I will continue to carry on trying stuff after so-so books.

What does it take for you guys to drop a book, or series? Are you someone like me who finds it really hard to DNF or drop them? Or do you do it regularly? What is it that will make you decide if book 2 of a series is worth a try? I'd really love to hear all your thoughts on the subject!!

Waiting on Wednesday

2011-02-16T08:02:00.005Z

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, highlighting the books we're eagerly anticipaiting.

I rarely do these any more, but the cover and description for this one just went live last week and I can't resist sharing it here.

Love Story by Jennifer Echols
Release date: July 19th
Genre: YA contemp romance

WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW.

Erin Blackwell is headed to college in New York City to study creative writing and earn a living as a romance novelist. Her grandmother has other plans: she approves of the college, but she wants Erin to major in business and then come back home to Kentucky to run the family’s famous racehorse farm. There is no way Erin will agree. Studying in New York and writing her way into a career is her escape from the farm and the family tragedy that happened there. So Erin’s grandmother decides Erin really will live life as a starving artist. She takes Erin’s future job running the farm, her inheritance, even her college tuition, and gives them all to Hunter Allen.

Hunter has lived on the farm for years. He’s Erin’s age, he’s the stable boy, and he’s the romantic dream of every girl in her high school. But he was involved in the family tragedy. Erin has always given him a wide berth. And he’s a slick opportunist. She’s furious that he fooled her grandmother into giving him Erin’s birthright and sending him to Erin’s college.

At least she’s free of him in her creative writing class. So she pens a story that has haunted her lately, in which the horse farm heiress at the very first Kentucky Derby starts a forbidden affair with the lowly stable boy. Unfortunately for her, the day she’s sharing this story with her New York classmates, Hunter walks in. He’s switching to her class. And after reading about himself in Erin’s story, he writes his own sexy assignments that lure Erin into dangerous fantasies about what could have been between them, and what might be.

Lets see: a favourite author, horses, dreams of NYC, dreams of being a writer, a kinda bad boy stable hand and a messy love story? Um, can I have this yesterday please?!!

I love all of Jennifer's books, but one of her previous books, Going Too Far, is one of my favourite YA's full stop. So I'm desperate for this new book from her to fall in love with! I also love the cover. So simple and clean. All her 'romantic dramas' have the same feel to them cover wise, and it's something I really love, it's beautiful. Can't wait to get my hands on it!

Outside In by Maria V. Snyder

2011-02-15T08:29:00.004Z

Goodreads
Maria V. Snyder's site
Series: Inside Out #2
Copy obtained: e-ARC from NetGalley
Publisher: Harlequin Teen (US) / Mira Ink (UK)
Release date: Feb 15th (US) March 18th (UK)
Rating: 3/5
Spoiler Warning! Spoilers for book 1, Inside Out ahead.

Me? A Leader? Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion - between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again - while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there's outside and then there is Outside. And something from Outside wants In.

Outside In picks up shortly after where Inside Out left off. Chaos seems to reign as Inside attempts to sort itself out after the discovery of all the extra space and the revolt to take control from the Travas'. But that is the least of the problems as things start to blow up. Someone seems intent on destroying Inside, and something Outside, wants in. Trouble and danger is coming from every direction and Trella is less sure than ever about who can be trusted.

I completely loved Inside Out and so I was very excited to get my hands on Outside In early after that ending. I wish I could say Outside In lived up to expectations, but it just didn't for me. I loved Trella in Inside Out, but here I found her very irritating. She took a very definite step back from the stronger girl she'd become through book one and spent a lot of time running from responsibilities and reality. I can understand some of her fears and why she was like that, but it went on too long and I got very frustrated with her.

I think my irritation with Trella and her personal issues made the plot feel like it was moving a lot slower than it actually was early on. As the action took over from the personal issues, that's when the story picked up for me. I didn't find the pacing as smooth or constant as Inside Out, because as soon as the focus was back on Trella and more personal issues, I didn't really want to know, until she started growing up again and dealing with things. Through the first half of the book it seemed like it was a constant switch, action/Trella physically hurt, then emotional angst and back again. The second half of the book was much stronger, plot wise and character wise. It was faster, smoother and a lot more intense.

The ending though let it down for me again. The last two or three chapters felt rushed, and then very neat as everything got tied up. Too neat for my tastes. Overall it's still a decent read. There is some good action and I do love Riley! He is my favourite character from both books. I love his strength and passion, and he's very smart too. I did really enjoy his interaction with Trella, even when I didn't like her, because it was intense and honest. I just found that it was lacking compared with book one. I found this very easy to walk away from and it actually took me a few days to finish it. It does have some great moments, and a reasonably satisfying conclusion, but I thought a lot more of Inside Out. Still, if you read that, you'll want to read this one, you may well get more out of it than I did if you can look past some of Trella's actions.

Monday Wrap Up [6]

2011-02-14T08:06:00.000Z

Welcome to my weekly wrap up post!

Last week was interesting what with all the kerfuffle of bloggers being ragged on and authors...not being smart. Plus real life stuff made it fun as well. Totally exhausting week, but pretty good too, I did manage to survive my parents being gone okay! Though, I didn't get as much reading done as I'd have liked.

What I Read
All You Get Is Me by Yvonne Prinz - finished this one up last Monday. I liked it, but it fell kinda flat for me.
Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz - my second 5/5 rating for 2011. It broke me, but it's so freaking good!! Releases in April and I'll review it closer to that. But trust me, pre-order this one!!
Red Glove by Holly Black - ah Cassel. I love you! I love the Curse Workers and all the bad decisions and that Cassel isn't really a good guy, but kinda has his heart in the right place. Good read! Another April release to review closer to the time.
Half Moon by Jordan Deen - the second book in The Crescent trilogy and it's fantastic!

...and now that it's all laid out there and I realise I read 4 books the past week (give or take) I realise I actually did manage to read a fair bit. I think I'm just feeling overwhelmed by my giant TBR stack and my desperate desire to half it!!

What I Posted
Tuesday 8th Feb - Review - Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers.
Wednesday 9th Feb - Review by Nayuleska - Lies by Michael Grant.
Thursday 10th Feb - Review - The Eternal Ones by Kristen Miller.
Friday 11th Feb - eARC Review - One Hundred Candles by Mara Purnhagen.
Saturday 12th Feb - In My Mailbox - two weeks worth.
Sunday 13th Feb - Why I Do This - a very long post about why I do this!

What I'm Posting This Week
This week I'm reviewing Outside In by Maria V. Snyder, Flash Burnout by L. K. Madigan and...probably Half Moon by Jordan Deen as well, but this isn't quite for sure yet! I will also, for a change, be participating in Waiting On Wednesday this week. I was bored a few days ago and prepped the post cause I wasn't awake enough to read or write a review, so WoW post it is!

What I'll Be Reading
I will not give the brush off this week! This week, I have a reading plan. It consists of:
The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff (starting today)
Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting
Secrets and Shadows by Shannon Delany
Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley
The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

...an ambitious plan, and I don't even have my hands on Desires or Secrets yet! And they probably won't get read in that order. Still, at least I'm starting to get back in to knowing what I want to read next! Should be a good reading week, if I'm well enough to read lots.

Why I Do This

2011-02-13T13:26:00.000Z

There has of late, been a rash of negativity flying around about book bloggers. None of it is new, but there has been more of it lately and I find it somewhat disheartening to see all book bloggers thrown under one hat. So I thought I'd take this time to tell you guys a little of why I do this and how it's changed my life.

I started this blog as a personal one originally, very sporadically used. Then a giveaway from a favourite author asked people to post about her upcoming release or why we loved the series or something like that, online as our entry for it. So I did and it just clicked that hey, that'd be a great use of the blog, talk about what I'm reading. I never ever thought it'd grant me the huge privilege of ARC's or free swag or any such thing. Hell it never occurred to me that, that could happen! There are two reasons why I kept going and turned this in to what it is now, and while some may argue with my second reason, they are both equally important to me, and sometimes it can depend on the day as to which one is more important than the other as well.

My first reason is my love of books. Simple. I love talking books and the blog gives me somewhere I can do that in depth rather than a 30 second 'oh my gosh I love this!' or 'I didn't like this' etc to people who actually don't give a damn that I'm reading or what I'm reading or if it's any good. I can talk about the books I love away from people who give that look because I read about vampires and werewolves and alike. Instead, I can talk with others who love similar books. And share with them the excitement of a new found book to love, or an upcoming release that I can't wait for. I love sharing in the excitement of books with others simply because I love them.

The second reason is this: it gives me something to do. I am lucky when I can get out of the house for 6 hours a week. I can go a month, quite easily, with barely leaving the house for more than a couple 5 min trips for milk, and not seeing anyone but my family (well, and the postman I suppose!!). But with the blog, I have something I can do, something I can focus on and work on. And without time constraints. I can take it easy when I'm having a bad day and do nothing or I can do more on the better days. I can work on it in the hours I feel best in the day, no matter when they might be.

Working on the blog has been such a blessing for so many reasons. I have met some really wonderful people, some of whom I'd class as real friends. I've found support and help when I've needed it and a place where I can just be me and not the sick girl who can't go out. I don't mean to sound snotty here because this is just a simple fact: you cannot understand how much that one thing alone means without being stuck, physically unable to do things for a long time. But that I have this blog to work on, to share with others, to be able to come and rave about my favourite books and maybe help others become fans of them as well ... it just means everything to me.

I've been so lucky to be granted the huge privilege of ARC's at times, and each one is a gift I'm very grateful for. The majority of books reviewed on here are still ones I've bought myself and I'd be perfectly happy if it had remained that way or if it returned to that state because I know those ARC's are precious things and I have no claim at all to any of them, ever. They are a gift and I treasure them.

I love being a part of the book blogger community. I'm not denying there are those who have earned that darker reputation, but the majority I've come across have been open and friendly and inviting. I used to wander in book stores trying to find titles that looked good and often struggled to know if they were something I'd really like. Now I hunt through favourite blogs, check IMM's, and come across hundreds. I don't think there are many days where I'm not adding something to a wishlist. Virtually every book I buy now is because I found it online somewhere, either recommend through a review on a blog or featured in an IMM (which is such an awesome way to thank publishers/authors/etc for the books given freely, and a great way to share in the excitement of what books are around or coming out, I've found mountains of books thanks to that alone). I have to laugh when people question if book bloggers sell books, because yes they do. I know because I buy books because of other blogs! Not all book blogs sell books, but plenty do. It's not something I set out to do, to sell books, but I certainly hope that people have bought books on my recommendation because I want as many people as possible to fall in love with them just as I have.

This blog has been such a positive for me through a couple very hard years. Recently, as my best friends and family know, I had a crashing low and a minor break down. But through that, I've clung to this blog as my safe zone, because my illness doesn't matter here. It's given me a chance to find others who adore the same books as me and join in that awesome, giddy experience of emotions on finding a new book that you just click with. It's added hundreds of books to my wishlist, had me reading books I wouldn't have touched before, and shown me that there are plenty of like minded readers out there! Some of those I've met through this I'd love to give big hugs to should I ever meet them in person.

But, at it's heart, this blog is simply me sharing my thoughts on what I'm reading. Because I love to talk books. I love books. I love reading them and buying them and I get sad when I can't do those things or if I can't talk about them. I spend hours working on various blog things a week. I love that feeling of accomplishment it can give me that I can't get anywhere else right now. Things are better for me having this blog, because I can talk to my hearts content about books here, and don't have to annoy my family with it! I read more than I ever used to, despite already being a pretty big reader, and I love that as well. I have been able to talk with authors about their books, and I've never not gotten a little giddy that they'd be willing to talk with me. Authors are my rock stars and for them to be willing is just a little crazy to me. But, at the end of the day, this blog, these reviews, they are for me and other readers. Me for my sanity, and my passion for reading. Readers, so that maybe I can bring new fans to my favourite works.

This got far longer than intended, I thank you if you stuck with it. I shall finish with another big Thank You. To everyone who has commented on here, shown me support and friendship, given me positive response (or constructive criticism!) and helped me make this blog better. And to my fellow bloggers, Thank You for showing me hundreds of new books to love!

In My Mailbox [18]

2011-02-12T22:01:00.003Z

IMM is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, as a chance to share the books we've bought or received over the past week.

I swear there was going to be a vlog this week, I filmed it and everything, but effing YouTube wouldn't upload it and I've no idea why. *sigh* Also, this is two weeks worth cause I didn't do an IMM last week.

For review:

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff - Goodreads

Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon - Goodreads

Thanks to UK Book Tours!

Won:

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong - Goodreads

From Lavender Lines, thank you so much!!

I also won a signed Desires of the Dead poster from the lovely Candace too! But I don't have a pic of it.

Bought:

Take Me There by Carolee Dean - Goodreads

Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers - Goodreads

Where I Belong by Gwendolen Heasley - Goodreads

Bought on Kindle so not pictured:

Nightshade by Michelle Rowen - Goodreads

Half Moon by Jordan Deen - Goodreads

I am so excited to read all of these books!! Many, many thanks to those responsible for the Tour books and prizes!! ♥

What was in your mailboxes? (Feel free to leave links in comments)

One Hundred Candles

2011-02-11T08:21:00.003Z

Goodreads
Mara Purnhagen's site
Series: Past Midnight #2
Copy obtained: e-ARC from NetGalley
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release date: Feb 15th 2011
Rating: 4/5

It's taken a long time for me to feel like a normal teenager. But now that I'm settled in a new school, where people know me as more than Charlotte Silver of the infamous Silver family paranormal investigators, it feels like everything is falling into place. And what better way to be normal than to go on a date with a popular football star like Harris Abbott? After all, it's not as if Noah is anything more than a friend….

But my new life takes a disturbing turn when Harris brings me to a party and we play a game called One Hundred Candles. It seems like harmless, ghostly fun. Until spirits unleashed by the game start showing up at school. Now my friends and family are in very real danger, and the door that I've opened into another realm may yield deadly consequences.

One Hundred Candles is the second book in the Past Midnight series, picking up a couple months after the end of it. I really liked Past Midnight, despite a couple issues with the main character. I ended up enjoying One Hundred Candles much more!

Charlotte has grown up a bit I think, and she's gotten stronger, despite still not being particularly confident. She's not burying her head in the sand the way she was in Past Midnight and it made her much more likable for me. I loved seeing a little continuation on the side from various plots from book one, particularly relationship based and I like how the issues Avery and Jared face haven't been ignored, but also aren't over done. The snippets we see of what they're going through now fit in just nicely without excessive description. I actually found myself really enjoying how Charlotte's romantic life developed as well. I love Noah so much, I was a little disappointed at the idea of there being another love interest, but how everything plays out is actually very well done and it's a love triangle I don't hate for a change!

I really enjoyed the main plot in One Hundred Candles as well with the different disturbances and how they linked up with the game early in the book. I found myself getting in to it very quickly and I easily finished it within a few hours. It's not a particularly long book and it made for a good afternoons reading! I liked the twists and some of it I didn't see coming. I also really enjoyed the extension to the world building. I think there is still more to learn about Charlotte's world that she herself doesn't know right now. I really felt for Charlotte with certain events and particularly towards the end, there is a heartbreaking moment and I was tearing up a lot! Overall a really good read, well paced, some beautiful, moving moments and great characters. I'm really excited for book 3, Beyond The Grave (out Sept 2011), to see what happens next! I've never been the biggest fan of ghost stories, but I'm loving this series!

The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

2011-02-10T08:43:00.002Z

Goodreads
Series website
Series: The Eternal Ones #1
Copy obtained: UK Book Tours
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Released: July 2010
Rating: 2/5

Haven Moore can't control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended in fiery tragedy. In our present, she designs beautiful dresses for her classmates with her best friend Beau. Dressmaking keeps her sane, since she lives with her widowed and heartbroken mother in her tyrannical grandmother's house in Snope City, a tiny town in Tennessee. Then an impossible group of coincidences conspire to force her to flee to New York, to discover who she is, and who she was.

In New York, Haven meets Iain Morrow and is swept into an epic love affair that feels both deeply fated and terribly dangerous. Iain is suspected of murdering a rock star and Haven wonders, could he have murdered her in a past life? She visits the Ouroboros Society and discovers a murky world of reincarnation that stretches across millennia. Haven must discover the secrets hidden in her past lives, and loves¸ before all is lost and the cycle begins again.

I really wanted to like this book. I liked the ideas of it, it sounded a bit different to most of what I read and I thought it would make a nice change. It started out alright, although it took me several days to read about 60 pages because I was so sick, but then I started improving and was able to read more. And I realised just how slow it is to actually get anywhere to start with. Haven doesn't even meet Iain until halfway through the book, and then things start happening very quickly, but Haven can't make up her mind if things are good or bad and who the bad guys really are. Not to mention making a couple of very dumb decisions because Iain is hot and says the right things.

I don't mind books confusing me when it's hard to figure out what's going on. I do mind when it's because of a constant back/forth where things are one way, then they're the other but there isn't any real evidence of which way things really are. I got so tired of Haven that I almost didn't finish the book, and probably wouldn't have if not for having had 2 DNF's right before it (unheard of for me!) and not wanting to make it a third.

The thing is, this isn't a badly written book, nor are the ideas bad. I actually really enjoyed the premise and learning all about how reincarnation works in this story. How Haven discovers things and I really enjoyed the set up of her being in a small town and the issues involved there, along with the issues in her home life. Plus, I really loved her best friend Beau, and I also found myself really enjoying the small role Leah, a girl from Haven's school, plays as well. I enjoyed the flashbacks to Haven's previous life and seeing some of that play out and how it mirrored current events. But Haven and her attitude were too much for me. I didn't get on with her at all and once I was out of my flu haze, and paying attention to more than the words on the page, I was kind of annoyed that it took so long for Haven to actually get anywhere.

A lot of promise for sure, and a book I'm sure plenty could get on with very well. But it didn't work for me despite some very good moments, and some very interesting world building. I won't be bothering with the second book.

Lies by Michael Grant

2011-02-09T16:54:00.000Z

This is the third book in the series, the previous two are Gone and Hunger.

September 2010, Egmont
Hardback, review copy
Young Adult (there is a content warning in the earlier two, because there are dark themes, lots of violence and cruelty).

Summary from Egmont

It happens in one night: a girl who died now walks among the living, Zil and the Human Crew set fire to Perdido Beach, and amid the flames and smoke, Sam sees the figure of the boy he fears the most - Drake. But Sam and Caine defeated him along with the Darkness – or so they thought.

As Perdido Beach burns, battles rage: Astrid against the Town Council; the Human Crew versus the mutants; and Sam against Drake. And the prophetess Orsay and her companion, Nerezza, are preaching that death will set them all free. As life in the FAYZ becomes more desperate, no one knows who they can trust.

Something I read this book thinking it would be the end of the series. Having just reached the end, I can say I was wrong. There's a fourth book! Nooo! It felt like it was so close to ending in Lies, and then it didn't.

Lies is actually quite different to the previous two books. The first two I would class a Young Adult Horror. I re-read the first one prior to reading the second. The second is so terrifying for me that I can't face re-reading it. It is that scary. Okay, I probably should mention that I generally prefer not to be petrified by books/films. But the series is so interesting! It's amazing how the children take sides, how they fall apart a little, how they figure out how to store food, to ration food and medicine, to form a system of law that doesn't always work. I'm digressing. Lies doesn't have that much horror in it. It felt like quite a light read, until I came to amazing revelations that will blow your mind away when you read the truth of The FAYZ. There was definitely more introspection by Astrid and Sam. They both reach the same conclusion in the end, its just unfortunate that Astrid takes so long to get there. Due to all the pressure he's under, Sam takes a step back and doesn't help as much in this book.

There are thankfully few mentions of flying sn*kes. There are still some pretty sick and twisted children in the FAYZ, both those who are talented and those who aren't. It's a prime example of how power can go to a person's head. There are quite a few hand to mouth moments. Equally, although I see the need for it to be a slightly tamer book, I think I was a little disappointed it wasn't more like its predecessors. I couldn't read books like this all the time - I always have to have a light read afterwards. But in a way I love it that I get scared so much. The ingenuity behind what happens in the FAYZ is awesome. I read the previous two books, and had a few ideas of what could be going on, but then the truth is revealed. Unfortunately most don't hear about the truth, and don't believe it when they do hear it.

I really liked how the normal children were ganging up against those with powers - rather than it just being those with powers fighting against each other, it demonstrated that people can view something as a blessing when other people view it as a curse. There were plenty of heads I wanted to bang together just so they would quit being stupid and work together to create a good life for them. Unfortunately mob thinking spreads very quickly, which means events spiral out of control. And it can be alarming how quickly the children cling to the hope the Prophetess provides. There's no way of knowing if she speaks truthfully. Or why she's accompanied by a girl who was barely mentioned in the previous books. As for the people coming back from the dead - that proves useful in a few cases, but the reason why they came back chilled me quite a bit. Where's the hope in the FAYZ if the enemies don't stay dead? Where will it all end?

I'm really looking forward to Plague, which will undoubtedly have more impressive plot twists.

Oh, the other cool thing about Lies....a quote was used from one of my reviews for the previous books! I'm in the comments section at the beginning. That was a nice discovery.

I lied (quite fitting with the title!). There is one more cool fact about the book. You see the electric blue on the cover? Every page edge is tinted that blue! I keep finding myself looking at it and smiling.

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

2011-02-08T08:35:00.020Z

Goodreads
Courtney Summer's site
Series: n/a
Copy obtained: bought, pb
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Released: Jan 2010
Rating: 4.5/5

Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard--falling from it is even harder. Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around. Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge. If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day. She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully. Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.

Tensions grow and the abuse worsens as the final days of senior year march toward an explosive conclusion in this dark new tale from the author of Cracked Up To Be.

I am so, so glad that I bought Some Girls Are despite not really enjoying Courtney's first book, Cracked Up To Be. I wasn't going to, but so many people talked about it and recommend it, and Courtney's new book, Fall For Anything, that I thought I'd get it and give it a try because I know that just because I don't like one book/series from an author, doesn't mean I'll dislike all their work. And this is one time where it's really paid off because Some Girls Are is a fantastic book!

Regina was one of the popular ones, one of those dreaded Mean Girls, best friend to the top of the tower, Anna. But now she's frozen out. Everything Regina's done to other students in the past is being done to her. She's caught between fear, a desire to fight back and the knowledge of just what those girls are capable of. What she's capable of.

I was hooked pretty much from page one of Some Girls Are. It just grabbed me and didn't let go, I finished it easily within a few hours. It's heart breaking really, very painful reading, for many reasons. Regina is such an odd character to me, not because she's not drawn realistically, because she is. But because I did feel very bad for her, the things she was going through, how she was suffering. And yet at the same time, I kind of hated her too. Because of some of the things she's done, how she handled certain situations (in the past more than what we actually see). There was this constant internal conflict going on in my head trying to figure out just how I felt about Regina. The winning emotion though was pain. It's such a painful journey for her. It's kind of hard to understand why she was as she was, one of that 'Fearsome Fivesome' and yet, completely simple as well. But if it can be considered as such, it's the only 'simple' thing about this book.

It's so complex, one thing after another, one twist, one action changing everything over and over. Regina attempting to figure out how to survive high school with people who really hate her, surrounding her, how to connect with those who she'd previously 'ruined' in a similar way. It's so real, and so emotional I was in tears repeatedly but I barely put it down because I needed to know what happened next. I needed to see if it could get worse, because surely it couldn't...but it did. Some Girls Are is an intense, thought provoking read. It captures the harsh realities of both sides of that popular/un-popular high school social structure extremely well and how bullying can destroy lives with a few well placed words. There were times when Regina was struggling to breathe through her panic, and I felt almost as bad. It was just that intense! There's a little romance involved, but it's every bit as conflicted and confusing as everything else going on. And I loved it. How Regina's relationships with those around her develops over the course of the book is just excellent. It's such a painful book, but I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this story. Fantastic work and now I'm really excited to get my hands on Fall For Anything and any future titles from Courtney. Just awesome.

Monday Wrap Up [5]

2011-02-07T10:24:00.000Z

Welcome to my weekly wrap up!

The past week has been very up and down for me, but I did at least manage to get a reasonable amount of reading done through it. This is what I read:
Hate List by Jennifer Brown - finished it last Monday. Intense and caused a fair few tears, but very good.
Flash Burnout by L. K. Madigan - loved this! It's hilarious and dark, a little strange but fantastic.
Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers - wow. So painful, but completely brilliant!
All You Get Is Me by Yvonne Prinz - currently reading. I'm a little over halfway, will finish it today. I'm liking it, but not loving it at this point.

And on the blog:
Tuesday 1st Feb - Review - Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton [Angelfire #1]. I loved this book! Lots of action and a little romance, or, the potential for it anyways.
Wednesday 2nd Feb - DNF Review - small notes on why my double DNF books from the week before didn't work for me.
Thursday 3rd Feb - Review - Green-Eyed Demon by Jaye Wells [Sabina Kane #3]. Unexpectedly awesome! Funny, heart wrenching and left me wanting lots more!
Friday 4th Feb - On a more personal note... - I confess a secret love...
Saturday 5th Feb - Review - Hate List by Jennifer Brown. Painful, heartbreaking read, but very, very good.

Coming up this week
I'll be reviewing Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers, One Hundred Candles by Mara Purnhagen, and The Eternal Ones by Kristen Miller. I'll also have an IMM post at the weekend for sure because I didn't post on this weekend, I was just too exhausted. So it'll be two weeks worth of books to share.

Reading wise...
Well, there are a lot of books I'd like to read this week. But I have quite a lot going on, and my parents are going to be away from Tuesday til Sunday, which means I'll be having to do all those daily things that normally I don't have to. Which to most, would be nothing, to me, means a hell of a lot because it pretty much takes all my energy to do all those daily things of feeding the rabbits, loading/emptying the dishwasher, making sure I have 3 meals a day (cereal becomes the staple because I just don't have the energy to cook), etc. So while I'd love to manage another 3 or 4 books from my TBR this week, its not going to happen. So instead of stating what I'd like to read, I'm not going to. I'm just going to see how I'm doing each day and do what I can with it.

Hope you all have a great week!

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

2011-02-05T08:54:00.012Z

Goodreads
Jennifer Brown's site
Series: n/a
Copy obtained: bought pb
Publisher: Little Brown
Released: Sept 2009
Rating: 4.5/5

"The list was my idea. I didn't mean for anyone to die. Will you ever forgive me?"

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Val was as shocked as everyone else - but, despite her own serious injury, she's implicated in the crime because of the list. The list she and Nick made of people they hated. The list Nick used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating the rocky relationships with her family, her former friends, and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place, and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

There is a comment from the author in the back of this book which states that while most would say that this is a book about a school shooting, for her it's about Valerie, it's Val's story. And, having just finished and still in tears, I read that and went 'no kidding!' because that's exactly how I felt about it. Yes, it starts off about the shooting, but within a couple of chapters it wasn't about that for me, it was about a girl who loved, who had something terrible happen to her, and is lost in a sea of confusion and desperately trying to find a way out, feeling unable to turn to anyone. I can relate to that, being lost in confusion. I felt so much for Valerie as she tried to deal with what happened, what it means for her, what is says about her and the role she played in it all.

There is no question this is a powerful, thought provoking, tear-jearker of a book. The descriptions, the power to the flashback scenes of the shooting itself actually made me flinch when the gun went off. I cried for Val as she realised what some people thought of her. I was proud of her as she took steps forward. I ached for her almost the whole way through the book. Val is far from perfect, but that just makes her all the more real. I like how she's so conflicted about events and herself; how she learns and grows through the book from her own views changing; the pressure and hurt from her broken family and the others in the school around her. Not to mention the therapist. I love all the adult involvement in this book! Not all of them are nice characters nor are they all trying to help Val, but they're there and play a very real role and add a presence so often wrongly missing from YA novels.

I found Hate List very hard to put down, and if not for certain issues, I think I'd have easily read it in a single day instead of two. It's paced perfectly, with such well drawn characters and descriptions of the mess of emotions and reactions that really got to me. I got kind of lost in Val's journey and I was sad to get to the end of it. But I do love where this story ends. I won't spoil it for those who've not read it, but I do love it. A heartfelt, powerful book. I'm not sure I can say I enjoyed reading it, because with something dealing with such raw, broken emotions, so much pain, it's hard to enjoy it. But it is excellent reading, and I love it. I'm so glad I read this book, and I think it's one that could maybe help teens who are struggling, or parents of teens who a struggling. With bullying, family issues, life in general as much as anyone who has had to face such a tragedy. And it's certainly a book I'd highly recommend.

On a more personal note...

2011-02-04T08:07:00.037Z

Thought I'd throw out another of these posts where I stop talking about books and tell you a little about something else of my life. This time, a confession: I love jigsaw puzzles.

As a kid I loved jigsaws and then when I got sick at 11 and I was spending all my time at home barely able to do anything, they became a nice distraction. I didn't do them very often because they were too much effort a lot of the time, but I liked working on them when I could. I liked the challenge of hard ones, and I liked the 'break' if gave me from everything else. My brain would stop thinking about everything else and it was just about fitting the right pieces together and it was really kinda soothing in a way, and left me with a sense of satisfaction when I completed one.

I stopped regularly working on jigsaws a few years back. Then my mom bought me this one (apologies for poor pics):

All grey tones, no sharp detail...nightmare puzzle!! But I was so up for the challenge. I didn't get very far though because I had to shift it out of the living room to my bedroom and it ended up under my bed, mostly untouched for a year, looking like this:

That's how far I got with it over about 18 months/2 years. I'm sad about that, cause I always wanted to finish it. I worked on it some yesterday and managed to add about 20 odd pieces and join some sections up before I got too worn out so now it looks like this:

At least looks a little neater now!! For Christmas my mom gave me a new 1000 piece puzzle, this one:

Beautiful, but again, nightmare puzzle, the kind I love. So now I have a new plan, to complete both these puzzles by the end of 2011. I just started on the horse one this week and this is where I stand with it now:

I have it on a roll up mat, so I can shift it around really easily and work on it in the living room, where there is space, and then quickly shift it if needed!! The NYC one is still on a board, but now can be moved out from under my bed very easily so I can work on it at will as well!

Have to say, I've loved working on these frustrating puzzles this week!! I'd forgotten how much I love doing them. And now when I get fed up with the difficulties of one, I can switch to the other, making it more likely for me to get them both done.

Only thing is, working on these tough ones, makes me want to pull out my old favourites. The 300 piece one with lots of animals that I could finish within about 35 mins at one point, and my photographic one of the New York City skyline (pre 9/11) at sunset. Maybe I should work on them at some point too... And now I've stated my personal puzzle challenge on here, I'll have to make sure it's completed won't I? ;)

What about you guys, anything besides books you like to do to relax? Or for a challenge? Anyone else a puzzle fan? I am curious!