I live in the UK and am an avid reader of YA, New Adult and occasionally adult fiction. I set up this website to give honest reviews about books I read and I also post reviews at Wastepaperprose. If you are an author, publisher or publicist and would like me to review a book, please e mail me here.
This blog post is more for the UK crowd but I want to introduce you all to UNDERCOVER which is the new YA imprint at Walker Books. For the US crowd, Walker Books has a sister company in America called Candlewick Press.
Undercover have some fantastic YA releases for 2011, I know because I attended a blogger event late last year at Walker Books where we were treated to a presentation of 2011 releases. Every month, Undercover will be highlighting a new YA title on the blog and giving you access to exclusive content such as extracts, music playlists, author interviews and more. Most of the books will have a book trailer and you can see them on the Undercover blog or the Walker youtube channel.
Sound interesting? Check it out by visiting the Undercover website here. Just as an FYI, I'll be reading and reviewing some of the Undercover titles throughout the year.
For Christmas 2010, I took part in the Book Blogger Holiday Swap along with a lot of other international bloggers. We came together to swap gifts as part of a secret santa exchange. I got my parcel before Christmas and I was so excited! Initially I wanted to keep it a surprise so I would have more to open on Christmas Day but alas I couldn't help myself. I justified it by telling myself that I wouldn't want to order a book that was unknowingly sitting before me. So I admit, I peeked. Then I wrapped the corner back up and put it under the tree! LOL
Look how beautiful the package looked:
My secret santa was very good to me and bought me a book from my wish list and it was this:
So I want to say a big thank you to the organisers of the Book Blogger Holiday Swap and also to my Secret Santa. I had a lot of fun with the giving part of this and so I'm looking forward to participating in it again next year :) If you're interested in taking part yourself, bookmark the following site for this coming Christmas http://holidayswap.wordpress.com/.
The first cause of discord is difference The second cause of discord is lack of a strong central leader The third cause of discord is...
When I first heard about Across the Universe by Beth Revis, I was definitely interested to read it; after all it’s YA IN SPACE!!! This had me excited enough already but it wasn’t until I saw the gorgeous cover and read the first chapter that I really began lusting after it. I was HOOKED from the very first chapter which is in my humble opinion *THE* best first chapter I’ve ever read in my life. The way Beth describes the freezing process is both horrific and fascinating at the same time. And to my surprise it didn’t stop there the book just got better and better. To the point that I was sat on the train to London and some noisy children got on and sat opposite me (I am a magnet for children, I have no idea why). Anyway, usually I can’t read with that much noise and distraction but I was literally SUCKED into the world inside the book and just zoned out. Here’s the gist of the story:
The world of Across the Universe is mostly centred around Amy, a 17 year old girl who has to make a decision early on whether or not to follow her parents (who are essential to terraforming new planets) onto Godspeed, a shape ship that will take 350 years to reach its destination. When Amy wakes, things are a little different to what she expected. For one, not only was she reanimated 50 years too early but it was no accident and she must face the realisation that someone tried to kill her. The question is why? As more “frozens” are being left out to thaw, the hunt is on for the killer. Amy teams up with Elder, the future leader of the people aboard Godspeed and together they discover that the ship holds many secrets which will make them question everything they’ve ever known.
Amy is one of our main protagonists and Godspeed (a world in itself) is built on monoethnicity, an idea put into practice to prevent one of the main reasons for discord: differences. And of course, Amy stands out like a sore thumb with her pale skin and flaming red hair. But it is her differences that first capture the attention of Elder, our other main protagonist and by far my favourite character. Elder is second in command of the people (rather than the ship, the ship runs itself) and a future leader in training. I liked his inquisitiveness and the way he wasn’t afraid to question things. And for a 16 year old boy, I really admire his courage and integrity. He certainly has the traits I would like to see in a leader. But he’s frustrated because Eldest (the current leader) appears to be neglecting his duties in preparing Elder for the time when he must lead and that frustration is felt throughout the book. I thought that Beth captured the plight of a teenage girl who realises that she won’t ever see her parents again and is alone in a strange, new world really well. I loved Amy's “spunkiness”, her defiant attitude that kept her going.
Eldest was a very interesting character for many reasons (most of which I can’t mention for fear of spoiling the book) and his steadfast belief that he is right and does what he does for the good of the people even if ethically or morally, it is wrong.
I also had a soft spot for Harley and for a secondary character, I thought he was fantastic. He reminded me a bit of Finnick from The Hunger Games. I loved his artistic sensibilities and the way he took to protecting Amy like a big brother.
Across the Universe is definitely a plot driven novel but I’m happy to report that the characters are also fleshed out well. I’ve realised recently that I need both to be truly satisfied with a story. Having said all that, I think one of the biggest selling points of Across the Universe is the world building. I’m astounded with just how believable everything is. I love the fact that accents have changed and new words have formed which is totally representative of a future society. Everyone looks the same to try and retain a sense of harmony and balance onboard the ship but everyone has a role to fulfil. One of the things I found most disturbing was “the season” which is very animalistic in nature and more about reproduction than loving relationships. I suppose in a way it’s less complicated and an assurance that there will be a new generation but ewww. Again, horrifically fascinating.
There were a lot of themes running through the book and I particularly liked the idea of nature versus nurture. Unfortunately I can’t say much about it as I don’t want to give any spoilers away. The idea of what makes a good leader is brought into the mix and we get to see the differences between a tyrannical leader and the young idealist. I watch A LOT of movies as well as read books and I can usually guess the twists and turns but I did NOT see a lot of the revelations in this book.
I think one of the main messages in the book, or at least one that I got out of it was the idea that you are who you decide to be, regardless of upbringing, environment and any other outside factors. Yes, they can have an influence on you but at the end of the day, YOU CHOOSE to be who you are and I like that.
In conclusion, Across the Universe is an outstanding debut novel that will satisfy your need for a sci-fi adventure and romance that spans across space and time. Across the Universe was everything I thought it was going to be...and then some. I absolutely loved it and am adding it to my top reads of 2011. By the time this has been posted, I will have pre-ordered and hopefully received a finished copy of the book so I can read it and fall in love with it all over again. Please God someone buy the movie rights as that would ROCK MY WORLD!
Thank you to Penguin for sending me an ARC. Across the Universe is out of this frexing* world and I would urge you to give it a read. The US hardback is released on 11th January, 2011 however us Brits have to wait a little longer for the paperback release on 3rd March. The as of yet untitled sequel is due out next year and I can’t wait! My only request is for more kissing please!
You can visit Beth at her beautifully designed website here. She is also part of The League of Extraordinary Writers (debut YA Dystopian writers) and you can access the website here. Beth is active on Twitter and Across the Universe has its own fan page. To read the exciting first chapter, click here. And finally, if you are a UK book blogger and would like to read Across the Universe, sign up at UK Book Tours.
* When you read the book, you’ll understand the reference ;)
I just HAD to write this blog post so I could share the covers for the UK copy of Forever by the magnificent Maggie Stiefvater and Passion by Lauren Kate.
Do you remember what the US hardback cover for Forever looks like? It looks like this....
Did I mention that red is my favourite colour? *grin*. The UK cover has JUST been released and I have to say that I absolutely love it and will be adding both of these to my Maggie collection when they're released. Not seen it yet? Have a gander...
I think that both covers are absolutely beautiful but the UK cover scares me the most as it looks kind of sad. This may be my own personal association of rain with sadness but to me the raindrops look look like teardros and the rose appears to be wilting. I hope this is not an omen, as I'm a big fan of happy endings! I'm really, really excited to see what Maggie is going to come up with for the book trailer and I know she's thinking about it now.
So, not only has Maggie revealed her cover this week but now Lauren Kate has revealed the cover for Passion (the sequel to Fallen and Torment). You remember how beautiful the Fallen and Torment Covers are, right?
Well here's the cover for Passion... So what do you guys think? Whilst I really like the cover for passion, it looks very CGI if that makes sense whereas the first two book covers looked like they featured a real live model. Also, the dress is different and I'm not sure how I feel about this.
I'm very pleased to be part of the Hexbound Blog Tour and today I talk to Chloe Neill and try to get as much information as possible out of her about the book *evil laugh*. Unfortunately I only got the interview answers at 4am UK time and I've been at work all day so this is being posted a little late. Anyway, here's a bit about Hexbound, courtesy of Goodreads:
"Lily Parker is new to St. Sophia’s School for Girls, but she’s already learned that magic can be your best friend…or your worst enemy.
They say absolute power corrupts absolutely. Turns out, even a little magic can turn you to the dark side. That’s why Lily has to learn how to control her newly discovered paranormal abilities, on top of avoiding the snobs who think they run her school, nursing a crush on a cute sophomore with a big, werewolf-y secret, and fighting the good fight with her best friend Scout as they take on Chicago’s nastiest nightlife—including the tainted magic users known as Reapers.
Then Lily’s invited to a private meeting with Sebastian. He’s hot, powerful, and offering to help her harness the magic flowing in her veins in a way no one else can. He’s also a Reaper. Lily can’t hide her suspicions. But she’ll soon find out that the line between good and evil isn’t always clear…"
Hexbound is of course the second book in the Dark Elite series, the first of which being Firespell which I reviewed here. I really enjoyed Firespell and I can't wait to read Hexbound which is out now in paperback. If you know me at all, you'll know that I'm waiting for the hardback release which is also this month ;) In the meantime though, please welcome Chloe Neill to the blog. Here is the interview:
1. What can we expect from Hexbound?
A lot more from Lily, Scout and Adept action. In addition to the usual Adept adventure and Reaper shenanigans, there's a lot of interesting magic. I'm really proud of this one :)
2. There was a lot of relationship building in Firespell, can we expect any romance in Hexbound? (hoping you say yes!)
Of course! The relationship between Lily and Jason continues to blossom, but along the way Lily also discovers that Jason isn't the only one interested in her...and boy number two is a Reaper. She's not entirely sure who to trust!
3. How many books are planned in this series?
There are currently three under contract. Additional books will depend on sales!
4. How long does it take to write each one?
The Dark Elite books take about three months to write, as they are typically shorter than my Chicagoland Vampires novels.
5. Do you know the big picture from beginning to end for all the books in the series or are you making it up as you go along? LOL
I generally have an idea of where I want the story to go, but the individual mystery plots are a book-by-book determination. I also prepare an outline for my editor before I draft each book.
6. Who is your favourite character or funnest character to write?
Probably Scout. She is so brave and creative!
7. Which character is most like you?
Probably Merit, from my Chicagoland Vampires series. We share a love of chocolate and sarcasm.
8. Why did you decide to set the book in Chicago and are the places real or based on real places?
Most of the places are either real or they're based on real places in Chicago (but, for example, they're placed in a different neighborhood). I like that at least American readers can have some sense of the books' context.
9. Can you give us one snippet of information about what's going to happen? Some clues perhaps to tantalise us?
Maybe. :) I guess the most important message is--when you're walking around beneath Chicago, watch out for vampires.
10. What's next for you?
I'm currently writing DRINK DEEP, the fifth book in the Chicagoland Vampires series.
Thanks for having me today!
Many thanks to Chloe Neill who survived my grilling! Don't forget that the paperback is out now in both the US and the UK. The hardback is being released at the end of the month. If you want to read the first chapter of Hexbound, click here and to find out more about Chloe Neill and her books, visit her website here. Chloe is also active on facebook and Twitter.
"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, originally started by Jill at Breaking the Spine , that highlights upcoming book releases everyone is waiting on...hence the title. This week's pick is Wildefire by Karsten Knight. Here is the Goodreads description:
"Ashline Wilde never received an instruction manual on how to be a 16-year-old Polynesian volcano goddess. If she had, it might have contained helpful warnings such as:
• Dreaming about your (thankfully) mortal boyfriend may cause your bed to spontaneously combust • Oven mitts should be worn at all times during heavy make-out sessions
Instead, Ash has to learn these life lessons the hard way as her dormant powers erupt at the most awkward times. In the wake of a hometown tragedy, Ash transfers to Blackwood Academy, a boarding school nestled in California’s redwoods, where a group of fellow gods-on-earth have mysteriously convened. As if sophomore year couldn’t get any worse, her storm goddess older sister, the wild and unpredictable Eve, resurfaces to haunt Ashline. With a war between the gods looming over Blackwood, Ash must master the fire smoldering within her before she clashes with her sister one final time, which leads us to life-lesson #3:
• When warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm".
I think it's pretty obvious why I've chosen this book as my WOW post this week and why I've added it to my wishlist. How the hell do you write a book about a girl who is a Polynesian volcano?!?! I'm DEFINITELY interested to know and I think it sounds like a fresh and original story. I'm also loving the cover by the way! There is no definite release date for this other than Summer 2011 but I'll be on the look out for more information. I've also just found out that Karsten is a GUY and not only that, but he's actually pretty cute* too ;)
* Not a reason to buy the book and I was not bribed or paid for saying this.
I have a confession to make. I’ve had an ARC of Entangled by Cat Clarke for quite a while now and for the longest time, I couldn’t read it. Can you imagine? A beautiful PINK book screaming at me to read it but I couldn’t do it. What was my problem? The story starts on “Day 3” and I had some issues with this. I wanted to know what happened on days 1 and 2, what happened to them? For the longest time I couldn’t get past this and then one day I just got over it. And I’m glad I did otherwise I would never have become “entangled” up in the story. Excuse the pun.
Imagine being abducted and put in a room with only a chair, a table, a pen and a seemingly never ending ream of paper. What would you write about? This is the dilemma facing Grace, our teenage protagonist. With a history of self harm, depression and underage drinking Grace has led a chequered life so far. Then she meets Ethan and everything changes. This is where the story truly begins.
What I liked about the book was the sudden barrage of questions forming in my mind from reading the very first page. Why has Grace been abducted? What does her abductor want? Why is she being treated so well? Why is she being coerced into writing? What will she write about? Why is this happening? I just want to give MAJOR KUDOS to Cat for building a story out of this idea whilst managing to retain the reader’s interest. I’m not sure I could do the same.
What I also liked about the book is that the answers were not all presented simultaneously. You had to carry on reading right until the end to earn access to the keys that unlock “the big reveal”. Speaking of which, me being me, I tried to guess what this would be. I think I came up with some interesting and fairly plausible ideas but I’m happy to say that I didn’t guess it, well not at first. I think I got it when Cat intended me to get it. When she’d dropped enough hints and revealed a few clues. I cannot say any more than this (although I really want to analyse and discuss it) but I also don’t want to ruin the story for you.
In terms of characters, Grace is an interesting protagonist in that whilst I liked her voice, which had its own unique sense of snark, at first I wasn’t sure I liked her very much and I’m still not entirely sure I like her now to be honest. But, as I grew to know her, I grew to understand her. In discovering her past, I uncovered secrets about Grace and a sort of explanation for why she is the way she is. For me, liking her wasn’t as important as accepting her.
As you may have noticed, Entangled has a striking cover but what lurks beneath is anything but beautiful. It’s gritty, edgy and REAL. Entangled is a thought provoking book which deals with some pretty sensitive themes and you may love it or not, you may not even know how you feel about it but one thing’s for sure; it WILL stay with you for a long time after reading. Thank you to Quercus for sending me a review copy.
Entangled is the debut novel from Cat Clarke and is published 5th January, 2011. I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to meet Cat and I can tell you that she is an extremely lovely lady and definitely an author to watch. To find out more about Cat, visit her enviously beautiful new website here. She is also active on facebook and Twitter.
Happy New Year to all of you! I'm working night shifts at the moment so I won't get to see the new year in party style but that's OK. I want to say a huge thank you to every one of my followers for taking the time to read my reviews and posts and also comment on them. Each and every comment means a lot to me so thank you :)
I know a lot of people are doing "wrap up" posts or "Top books of 2010". Initially I decided not to do this but I've changed my mind so here's some books I loved in 2010!
Matched by Ally Condie
An AWESOME dystopian novel from Ally Condie which I lusted after from the moment I heard about it (thank you Melissa Marr). Thankfully, it was everything I wanted and more. I absolutely fell in love with this book and had to buy a copy for my sister for Christmas. This book comes highly recommended by me. Check out my review here.
Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers
Another book I lusted after was Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers. I LOVE THIS BOOK. I never thought I would fall for a sexy demon but Lisa bowled me over with her sexy, funny characters. I loved the story and I CANNOT WAIT to read the sequel. I've been a bit late with this review but it's coming!
Absolution by Jennifer Laurens
I love Jennifer Lauren's writing, the Heavenly series in particular. Absolution is the final book in the series and again, beautifully written. Read my review of here.
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Lauren Oliver is fast becoming one of my favourite writer's. Before I Fall was a fantastic, thought-provoking debut and I love reading her blog which features lots of writing advice! I've recently read the first chapter of Delirium and I cannot get it out of my head! I'm sure this will be on the Top Books for 2011 list ;) Read my review of Before I Fall here.
Forget You by Jennifer Echols
Forget You is the first book by Jennifer Echols that I've read and I absolutely loved it!! I've since bought all her books and am going to work my way through them (who am I kidding, it's not exactly work, it's a PLEASURE). An Awesome book that isn't afraid to show teenagers in a realistic light. Read my review here.
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
This is cheating slightly since this book comes out in January 2011 but Across the Universe by Beth Revis is one of my most favourite debut reads EVER. I'm struggling to express just how much this book rocked my socks off. I LOVED IT and I can't wait to share my review with you (coming soon).
As I'm a huge fan of making lists, I want to share some personal highlights from 2010 with you...
1. Starting this blog - I've made so many friends and learnt so much about books and the publishing industry. I love hearing about upcoming movies and being able to say "I've read that, it's a GREAT book". I get so much joy from reading, writing and blogging. Obviously I also appreciate the fact that I get to read books before they are released but I still buy finished copies of the books I love :)
2. Starting and FINISHING Nanowrimo. I always thought I would quit but I didn't and actually completed a 50,000 word first draft of my novel. I've never written that much for one story so I even shocked myself!
3. Starting UK Book Tours and being in touch with publishers so that I can tour ARC's. I love the fact that the UK crowd gets to read books that they may have not had access to otherwise.
4. Meeting publishers and going to blogger events in London. I really appreciate how nice they are to us and thank us for our hard work.
5. Meeting (well sort of) my BFF Jordan Deen, author of The Crescent and upcoming sequel Half Moon. I won a copy of The Crescent and absolutely loved it! I struck up a friendship with Jordan and we've been besties ever since. I <3 her.
Well, I hope you all had a good year and I wish you an even BETTER year in 2011. Here's to GREAT books, GREAT reviews, GREAT friends and GREAT experiences.
"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, originally started by Jill at Breaking the Spine , that highlights upcoming book releases everyone is waiting on...hence the title. This week's pick is Chime by Franny Billingsley. Here is the Goodreads description:
"Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment.
Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know".
Witches are definitely one of my favourite paranormal creatures and so I'm really looking forward to this one. I recently read a glowing review of this book from a fellow author and immediately added it to my wish list. I love the idea of the "Old Ones" and how Briony is hiding lots of secrets because if the villagers find out she's a witch, she'll be killed. And of course, I'm also pleased to see that there is a potential love interest in there.
Chime is released on 17th March, 2011 in the US by Harper Collins and 4th April, 2011 in the UK by Bloomsbury. If you're interested in finding out more about the author, visit her website here.
I'm honoured to be part of the White Flame Tour to promote Half Moon, the sequel to The Crescent by Jordan Deen and today is my turn! The tour started on 10th December and ends on 13th January which is the official release day for Half Moon. There are 11 bloggers taking part, each posting interviews and/or reviews AND you have a chance to win a prize pack. For more details, please visit Jordan's blog here. Anyway, on to my review...
Back in March of this year, I had the pleasure of reading an amazing book called The Crescent by Jordan Deen which I reviewed here. I devoured it in one sitting and absolutely fell in love with the story. I couldn’t wait to hear what happened next and I’m extremely privileged to have gotten my hands on a copy of Half Moon, the sequel to The Crescent.
I have to admit that I read Half Moon a little while ago now and loved it but I’ve just read it for the second time to remind myself of the story so I can write a half decent review. It certainly wasn’t a chore to read it again and one of the things I love about Jordan’s writing is her ability to suck you into the story. It’s like you can’t physically stop reading, you have to carry on and find out what happens next.
In Half Moon, Lacey, Brandon and the rest of the Amana pack are holed up in a secluded mountain camp. Lacey has disguised her appearance so as not to be recognised and they’re all lying low. Lacey has neither transformed nor fully bonded with her soul mate Brandon yet and if this doesn’t happen soon, then both of them will die. Stuck in the middle of an ancient prophecy and still fighting with her feelings for both Alex and Brandon, Lacey learns that the entire future of the werewolf race rests on her shoulders. So no pressure then.
Phew, you can definitely feel the tension building in this book and I actually feel quite sorry for Lacey. She has a lot riding on her and she’s still not really sure of herself never mind living up to other’s expectations. I also feel incredibly sorry for Brandon who is so in love with Lacey and desperately needs for her to return his affections. I think if there was a theme song for Lacey it would be “Hot ‘n Cold” by Katy Perry that goes “You’re hot then you’re cold, you’re yes then you’re no, you’re in then you’re out, you’re up then you’re down”. Anyone else thinking that? However, there may be reasons for her fickleness and you’ll just have to read the book to find out what I’m talking about.
One of the things I really liked about Half Moon is that Lacey learns more about the pack’s history and her heritage which throws up a startling revelation and one that I hadn’t expected but was pleasantly surprised by. We also learn that the normal rules don’t apply to Lacey and so anything goes.
I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading Half Moon and now I’m clambouring after the next instalment “Full Moon” which I believe Jordan is currently working on. Half Moon is released on 13th January, 2011 and I URGE you to pre-order your copy NOW. If you haven’t read The Crescent, do it as you won’t be sorry.
To find out more about Jordan and her books, visit her website here. She is also on Facebook and Twitter. The next stop on the White Flame Tour is The Bookshelfsophisticate on 30th December so be sure to check it out!
"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, originally started by Jill at Breaking the Spine , that highlights upcoming book releases everyone is waiting on...hence the title. This week's pick is Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann. Here is the Goodreads description:
"The community of Cryer’s Cross, Montana (population 212) is distraught when high school freshman Tiffany disappears without a trace. Already off-balance due to her OCD, 16-year-old Kendall is freaked out seeing Tiffany’s empty desk in the one-room school house, but somehow life goes on... until Kendall's boyfriend Nico also disappears, and also without a trace. Now the town is in a panic. Alone in her depression and with her OCD at an all-time high, Kendall notices something that connects Nico and Tiffany: they both sat at the same desk. She knows it's crazy, but Kendall finds herself drawn to the desk, dreaming of Nico and wondering if maybe she, too, will disappear...and whether that would be so bad. Then she begins receiving graffiti messages on the desk from someone who can only be Nico. Can he possibly be alive somewhere? Where is he? And how can Kendall help him? The only person who believes her is Jacian, the new guy she finds irritating...and attractive. As Kendall and Jacian grow closer, Kendall digs deeper into Nico's mysterious disappearance only to stumble upon some ugly—and deadly—local history. Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried".
Oooooh, does that sound creepy or what?! I love the supernatural aspect to it although everytime I look at the cover, I find myself thinking of "Knowing", the film with Nick Cage in it where his child finds a document covered in numbers and Nick's character cracks the code to predict catastrophic events. In the beginning of the movie there is a little girl sat an old fashioned desk like the one on the cover of the book and I'm sure at one point, she is writing on it or dragging her fingernails down it.
Anyway, I digress. I really enjoyed Wake and Fade by Lisa McMann (I admit I have yet to read Gone but it's on the list) and so I know I'll be getting a good story. It's also nice to know that there's not that much longer to wait now as it's released in February 2011. What are you waiting on?
On the first day of Christmas, My true love sent to me A corpse hanging from a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Two werewolves howling And a corpse hanging from a pear tree.
On the third day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Three zombies snarling Two Werewolves howling And a corpse hanging from a pear tree.
On the fourth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Four Wheezers wheezing Three zombies snarling Two Werewolves howling And a corpse hanging from a pear tree
On the fifth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Five buzzing saws Four Wheezers wheezing Three zombies snarling Two Werewolves howling And a corpse hanging from a pear tree
On the sixth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Six yetis freezing Five buzzing saws Four Wheezers wheezing Three zombies snarling Two Werewolves howling And a corpse hanging from a pear tree
On the seventh day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Seven Templars fighting Six yetis freezing Five buzzing saws Four Wheezers wheezing Three zombies snarling Two Werewolves howling And a corpse hanging from a pear tree
On the eighth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Eight crawlers creeping Seven Templars fighting Six yetis freezing Five buzzing saws Four Wheezers wheezing Three zombies snarling Two Werewolves howling And a corpse hanging from a pear tree
On the ninth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Nine Knights of Nowhere Eight crawlers creeping Seven Templars fighting Six yetis freezing Five buzzing saws Four Wheezers wheezing Three zombies snarling Two Werewolves howling And a corpse hanging from a pear tree
On the tenth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Ten Gods a-quarelling Nine Knights of Nowhere Eight crawlers creeping Seven Templars fighting Six yetis freezing Five buzzing saws Four Wheezers wheezing Three zombies snarling Two Werewolves howling And a corpse hanging from a pear tree
Welcome again! I was the third stop and I'm also the tenth stop on The Twelve Deaths of Christmas Blog Tour, courtesy of The Chainsaw Gang which is made up of Alex Bell, Alexander Gordon Smith, Alex Milway, David Gatward, Sam Enthoven, Sarwat Chadda, Steve Feasey, Jon Mayhew, Stephen Deas, William Hussey and Sarah Silverwood. They are a group of UK horror authors who write about vampires, werewolves, zombies, dragons and a whole host of other things that make you want to hide beneath the bed covers!
As part of the blog tour, I had the opportunity to ask them all questions and I've chosen one that elicited a lot of answers:
What is your favourite horror story?
Jon Mayhew (Author of "Mortlock")
The Monkey's Paw by WW Jacobs. A fantastic piece of writing that sums up the great English Ghost Story, understated but leaves enough to your imagination to keep you awake at night.
William Hussey (Author of "The Witchfinder")
Jekyll and Hyde. No competition. The best horror tale ever written because, unlike those other horror staples, Frankenstein and Dracula, the monster in Jekyll and Hyde comes from within. You can't hide from or defend yourself against the evil of your own heart. Plus, it's got one of the most chilling revelations in horror history - Jekyll's realization that it was the first batch of ingredients that was tainted, and that he cannot now trace his way back to the ingredient that activated the potion. Even God cannot help him now...
I love that story so much I wrote a stage adaptation of it that was put on around Lincolnshire. It was my reaction against the mistake that most adaptations make - giving Jekyll a love interest! If he had a girlfriend and a well-balanced love life he wouldn't become Hyde!
Sarwat Chadda (Author of "The Devil's Kiss" and Dark Goddess")
The Woman in Black stageplay. It has only two actors in it and minimal props but the slow build up of tension is excruciating. The reveal of the woman in black is the only time in my entire life the hairs on the back of my neck really did stand up.mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
Steven Feasey (Author of "Changeling" AKA "Wereling")
Salem's Lot by Stephen King. Still the best vampire story out there, and a great example of the horrow supremo at his chilling best. Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin runs a close second.
David Gatward (Author of "The Dead")
What, just one? Are you mental? The Woman in Black, by Susan Hill, The Hellbound Heart, by Clive Barker, Mr Hands, by Gary Braunbeck, 20th Century Ghost, by Joe Hill, pretty much everything by HP Lovecraft, The Lost, by Jack Ketchum, Skinner, by Neal Asher. The list could go on...
Stephen Deas (Author of "The Thief Taker's Apprentice")
Tough call between Stephen King's "The Fog" or else Clive Barker's "Weaveworld". Adam Nevill's "Apartment 16" was a pretty good more recent read.
Sam Enthoven (Author of "Crawlers" AKA the book with the most disgusting cover ever)
Do you know Gabriel-Ernest, by Saki? If anyone reading this hasn't come across Saki's stories before, you should definitely check them out: he's like an unholy mixture of P.G. Wodehouse and David Lynch. Gabriel-Ernest is a drawing-room werewolf story, and it's terrific. But as with any time I'm asked what my favourite something is, I reserve the right to change my mind, possibly within the next two minutes... Hmmm, now my favourite horror story is "The Loves of Lady Purple", by Angela Carter. Hang on, now it's "Let's Go to Golgotha!", by Garry Kilworth. Whoops, no, now it's "The Dark Land", by Michael Marshall Smith. Or...ARGH! ;D
Alex Bell (Author of "Lex Trent Versus The Gods")
"The Whistle". I can't remember who wrote it but it was read to me when I was a child, and seriously creeped me out. Also, "Blood Crazy", by Simon Clark: the original parents-are-zombies novel. And by far the best.
Sarah Silverwood (Author of "The Double Edged Sword")
"Salem's Lot", by Stephen King, or "The Birds", by Daphne Du Maurier.
Alexander Gordon Smith (Author of "The Furness" series)
It has to be the M.R. James classic "Oh, Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad" (and the BBC adaptation which was even scarier). It's about a man who finds a whistle on the beach, inscribed in latin with the words 'Whistle and I'll Come to You'. Of course, the man blows it... It's absolutely terrifying. I love Japanese ghost stories too, especially the ones told by Koizumi Yakumo. I dare you to read Mujina without getting goosebumps (check it out here on my friend Cristy Burne’s site!) One of my favourite contemporary horror writers is Ramsey Campbell – nobody on earth conjures the same gut-wrenching atmosphere of pure horror as he does.
Thank you to all the authors that answered my question and for Sarwat for being chief organiser of the blog tour. NEXT STOP is at Mr Ripleys Enchanted Books. Be sure to check it out tomorrow!
For more information on the Chainsaw Gang and about The Twelve Deaths of Christmas Blog Tour click here. There are prizes to be had!!
"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, originally started by Jill at Breaking the Spine , that highlights upcoming book releases everyone is waiting on...hence the title. This week's pick is Shadows on the Moon by UK author Zoe Marriott. Here is the Goodreads description:
"On my fourteenth birthday when the sakura was in full bloom, the men came to kill us. We saw them come, Aimi and me. We were excited, because we did not know how to be frightened. We had never seen soldiers before."
Suzume is a shadow-weaver. She can create mantles of darkness and light, walk unseen in the middle of the day, change her face. She can be anyone she wants to be. Except herself.
Suzume died officially the day the Prince's men accused her father of treason. Now even she is no longer sure of her true identity. Is she the girl of noble birth living under the tyranny of her mother’s new husband, Lord Terayama? A lowly drudge scraping a living in the ashes of Terayama’s kitchens? Or Yue, the most beautiful courtesan in the Moonlit Lands?
Everyone knows Yue is destined to capture the heart of a prince. Only she knows that she is determined to use his power to destroy Terayama.
And nothing will stop her. Not even love."
I recently met Zoe as part of her surprise author visit to Walker Books in London where she was greeted by a small barrage of UK book bloggers, including myself. She managed to infect me with her enthusiasm for all things Japanese and suddenly I found myself lusting after her new book, Shadows on the Moon. I love the idea of "shadow-weavers" and assuming new identities. Throw in a love story and I'm hooked! Shadows on the Moon will be published in July, 2011 and I've been very, very lucky to have received an ARC of it only I won't be reading/reviewing until closer to the release date so look out for that in the future.
If you can't wait, Zoe has written other books such as The Swan Kingdom which you can find out about here.
And Daughter of the Flames which you can find out about here.
How awesome are those book covers?! Find out more about Zoe and her books by visiting her website http://www.zoemarriott.com
The British Books Challenge is something that Becky over at The Bookette is hosting and this challenge is about supporting British writers by reading their books throughout 2011. I should stress that you don't have to *BE* British in order to participate in this challenge and the books can be old or new and any genre. They don't even have to be YA. As an added incentive, there will be prize packs up for grabs exclusively for challenge entrants. If you're interested in taking part, click here for more information.
I have to say that I wasn't going to sign up for this challenge as I tend to read a lot of US books but I've had a sudden change of heart. I've read quite a few books by UK authors recently (Finding Sky by Joss Stirling and Before I Die by Jenny Downham for example) and loved them. Let's also not forget that I am a UK blogger after all and I love the idea of supporting British writers so I'm in. I've got a few books lined up and I'll make sure I mention in the review if it is a British book. I'm actually looking forward to the challenge and I hope you'll join me in supporting British writing talent :)
So remember how I read and loved The Crescent by Jordan Deen which I reviewed here? Well the sequel Half Moon will be released on 13th January, 2011 and I'm really pleased to announce that I will be part of the White Flame Tour in order to publicise Half Moon. There are 11 stops on the way and each blogger will be conducting a brief interview with Jordan and posting a review of Half Moon. Also, there will be prizes up for grabs including a signed ARC of Half Moon!! To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is comment on all of the stops on the tour including the White Flame Tour post on Jordan's blog. As more people comment, MORE prizes will be added :) The calendar looks something like this:
You can see the original White Flame Tour post on Jordan's blog here and don't forget that my stop will be on 27th December so please make sure you come back and check out my review. Good luck to all who enter :)
You have no idea HOW many times I picked up Before I Die by Jenny Downham in the book store before I bought it. Given the title, I wasn’t sure whether it would be too depressing but I still really wanted to read it. In the end I’m glad I bought it though as I’ve just finished reading it and I loved it. I found myself asking the question: how can a book about death be so full of life?
Before I Die is the debut novel from UK author Jenny Downham. I’ve mentioned before that I don’t tend to read a lot of UK books but I’m beginning to come around to this idea now, especially after reading this book. Before I Die tells the story of Tessa, a 16 year old girl who has terminal leukaemia and is therefore faced with her own mortality. She makes a sort of bucket list of things she wants to do before she dies and lets us know that the normal rules don’t apply to her. Her list consists of outrageous goals such as sex, drugs, and even breaking the law but she also adds falling in love. Tessa takes the reader on a journey that will stay with you, long after the end of the book.
Tessa is portrayed brilliantly and I really liked the fact that she was dying in such an unconventional way. It definitely made me ponder/question the idea of “a good death” and what this means. I loved the list Tessa made and the fact that she didn’t narrow her chances of achieving her goals by making them too specific. Tessa describes the world in such a way that makes you think she is drinking in her surroundings and soaking up her experiences so she can take them with her.
Tessa’s best friend Zoey is an interesting secondary character. She’s the opposite of Tessa and basically approaches life with a kind of reckless abandon but she truly is full of life. She doesn’t care about Tessa’s illness and doesn’t treat her any differently. I really liked that about her.
For the romantic in you, there’s also a love interest in the form of Adam who likes Tessa for WHO she is and not WHAT she is. Some of the scenes involving just the two of them are very touching and may make you reach for the Kleenex. Speaking of which, the tears started for me on page 284 and were pretty much continuous until the book finished. Whilst you could consider the ending to be inevitable, I found myself thinking that it’s more about the journey than the destination, which of course applies to real life.
I can see how some readers might find parts of Before I Die an uncomfortable read but isn’t that the point? Talking about death can be uncomfortable but it doesn’t mean you should avoid the topic. I really enjoyed the story and I would describe Before I Die as Poignant, emotional and a thought provoking read. I liked it so much that I've just sourced a rare hardback copy to go on my shelves and sent my paperback copy to a friend in the US.
Jenny Downham does not have an official website but you can visit the website for the book here. Jenny’s next book “You Against Me” has just been released (2nd December, 2010).
On the first day of Christmas, My true love sent to me A corpse hanging from a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Two werewolves howling And a corpse hanging from a pear tree.
On the third day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Three zombies snarling Two Werewolves howling And a corpse hanging from a pear tree.
Welcome to the third stop on The Twelve Deaths of Christmas Blog Tour, courtesy of The Chainsaw Gang which is made up of Alex Bell, Alexander Gordon Smith, Alex Milway, David Gatward, Sam Enthoven, Sarwat Chadda, Steve Feasey, Jon Mayhew, Stephen Deas, William Hussey and Sarah Silverwood. They are a group of UK horror authors who write about vampires, werewolves, zombies, dragons and a whole host of other things that make you want to hide beneath the bed covers!
As part of the blog tour, I had the opportunity to ask them all a question and this is the one that got the most answers:
Where's the spookiest place you've ever visited?
Jon Mayhew (Author of "Mortlock")
Bodmin Jail last year, it’s a Victorian Jail that has largely been converted to a hotel but much of the old prison still moulders beneath it. It’s ace, the place has a real atmosphere and its bloomin freezing down there in the cells.
Sarwat Chadda (Author of "The Devil's Kiss" and Dark Goddess")
The maharajah’s palace in Varanasi. It was rundown, dusty, all the decorations were covered in cobwebs and the catacombs were filled with bats. I don’t know how long it had been left abandoned but I remember walking through the main hall and backing on the mirrors had turned black so everyone’s reflection had a ghostly transparency. The only thing missing was Indiana Jones.
Steven Feasey (Author of "Changeling" AKA "Wereling")
When I was in Portugal a few years ago I visited an ossuary made entirely of the bones of the dead. There were thousands of yellow skulls staring down at you from the walls, and it was all rather eerie.
David Gatward (Author of "The Dead")
Hermitage Castle. An imposing, dark and monstrous place just begging to suck you in to its hidden history of unspeakable terrors…
Stephen Deas (Author of "The Thief Taker's Apprentice")
The Stone Forest in China. We managed to get in at night under a full moon and had the place to ourselves; I've never had such a strong sense of being in a different world. Not spooky as in creepy or scary, more like having crossed the boundary between the real world and the realm of the fey folk.
I'll second Jon on Bodmin Jail, and the old jail in Lincoln Castle is worth a look too.
Sam Enthoven (Author of "Crawlers" AKA the book with the most disgusting cover ever)
When I was small my parents used to take me to see a lot of castles. A dungeon in one left a particularly strong impression on me. It was a large, lightless underground room with a black iron cage in the centre, hanging suspended above the ground by chains. The cage wasn't big enough to stand up in. Even though I was very young I had no difficulty at all imagining what it might be like to be imprisoned in that cage for any length of time, and I didn't like the idea one bit. A formative horror experience!
Alex Bell (Author of "Lex Trent Versus The Gods")
This old hacienda in Mexico. It was the creepiest building ever, and the fact that there was a model of a weird monk holding a puppet monk in a glass case in the living room didn’t help. I didn’t sleep a wink all night. Plus the bed had insect exoskeletons on it.
Sarah Silverwood (Author of "The Double Edged Sword")
I was a Letting Agent for a while, and once I went to show this old victorian terrace house to a group of students. I let myself in first (the house was empty) and just had a look around to make sure it was presentable. The house was perfectly fine until I went into the spare bedroom upstairs, and then I was filled with an awful sense of fear and dread as if something really really bad had happened in there, and the badness was somehow still there. I ran out of the house and waited for the girls outside. When I showed them round, I had the same awful feeling, but they didn't seem to notice it! That was about 14 years ago now, but I still get shivers when I think about that room.
Alexander Gordon Smith (Author of "The Furness" series)
Some of my book signings have been pretty ghostly places…
When I was researching Furnace my brother, Jamie, locked me inside an underground medieval dungeon in Norwich. It was pitch black in there and I was convinced that there were ghosts in the cell with me – to the point where I swore I could hear them whispering in my ear and pawing me with cold fingers. Luckily he unlocked the door after a few (well, fifteen!) minutes and I managed to escape. Once I’d calmed down I realised how useful the experience would be when it came to writing about the first night that Alex – my main character – gets locked away inside Furnace Penitentiary. Spooky!
Thank you to all the authors that answered my question and for Sarwat for being chief organiser of the blog tour. NEXT STOP is at Wondrous Reads. Be sure to check it out tomorrow!
For more information on the Chainsaw Gang and about The Twelve Deaths of Christmas Blog Tour click here.
"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, originally started by Jill at Breaking the Spine , that highlights upcoming book releases everyone is waiting on...hence the title. This week's pick is XVI by Julia Karr. Here is the Goodreads description:
"Nina Oberon's life is pretty normal: she hangs out with her best friend, Sandy, and their crew, goes to school, plays with her little sister, Dee. But Nina is 15. And like all girls she'll receive a Governing Council-ordered tattoo on her 16th birthday. XVI. Those three letters will be branded on her wrist, announcing to all the world -- even the most predatory of men -- that she is ready for sex. Considered easy prey by some, portrayed by the Media as sluts who ask for attacks, becoming a "sex-teen" is Nina's worst fear. That is, until right before her birthday, when Nina's mom is brutally attacked. With her dying breaths, she reveals to Nina a shocking truth about her past -- one that destroys everything Nina thought she knew. Now, alone but for her sister, Nina must try to discover who she really is, all the while staying one step ahead of her mother's killer."
I'm really loving all the dystopian novels that are coming out and I think this one sounds really interesting. I'm curious/horrified about the idea of a government that would brand 16 year old girls to advertise to the world that they are ready for sex. I've definitely added this to my wish list and the good news is, there isn't much longer to wait as it's published on 6th January, 2011. AND do you realise you can actually read chapter one here. YAY. What are you waiting on?
OK, so I'm a little late with the announcements but things have been all kinds of crazy here lately with Nanowrimo,my laptop dying, delays in getting swag packs and being ill. Anyway, without further a do I have TWO winners to announce...
Firstly, I recently held a contest to win a full set of Harry Potter UK Signature Collection Bookmarks...
And thanks to Random.org I can now announce that the winner is...
MISHA1989
And secondly, I was part of The Crossroads Blog Tour back in October (boy that sounds like such a long time ago now) and I promised to pick a random commenter who would win a specially put together swag pack from the authors involved in the blog tour. That winner is:
BURIED BY BOOKS
Congratulations to both winners who have been contacted. Sadly, Misha has not yet replied and if she does not reply in the next 24 hours then I will be forced to pick another winner.
Thank you again to everyone who commented and/or entered the contests. I've got lots more coming up in the near future including a big one year blogoversary blowout so stay tuned!
Not long now until one of my very favourite books, Across the Universe by debut author Beth Revis is released (January 11th , 2011 to be exact). I was very lucky to have snagged an ARC of this and I have to say I LOVE THIS BOOK VERY MUCH. I can't wait to share my review with you guys which I'll be posting closer to release date. In the mean time, check out the fabulous book trailer and hit the pre-order button now. You won't be sorry. You can even read the first chapter AKA the best first chapter I've ever read here.
I "WON" NANOWRIMO!!!!!!!! That's right, I foolishly attempted to write 50,000 words during the month of November and I've only gone and done it! I may have finished on deadline day but I only had 2,000 words to write so it's not like I was up all night drinking copious amounts of caffeine. I never thought I could do this, I just wanted to try and I'm so proud that on my first attempt, I did it! I remember the very lovely Cat Clarke telling me that I could have a first draft of my book my Christmas and I didn't believe her. I've since told her she was right! Apparently she likes being right, so she tells me ;)
Was it difficult? Hell yes it was. It's not easy holding down a full time job working crazy shifts as a nurse, keeping the house in order which means cooking, cleaning, laundry etc, running a book tour website and keeping the blog going. As a result, the book reviews have definitely slowed down but now Nanowrimo is over, I hope to speed things up a little.
So, is my book any good? The easy answer is - not in its current state but it has potential! I cried three times whilst writing sad scenes and at the moment it's full of plot holes and inconsistencies but I know what they are and where they are. The plan now is to work on the craft of writing, read a lot of books, continue book blogging and resume some sort of social life in time for Christmas. THEN, in the New Year, I plan to work my butt off in revisions. I've got a lot of work to do and I don't profess to know how long it will take me. I mean some people spend years getting it right don't they?! This frightens me somewhat so I'm hoping it won't take THAT long. I do know something though, it does not leave my clutches until it is the BEST IT CAN BE.
Congratulations to all the other members of the 50K club! I've ordered my winner's t shirt as an early christmas present for myself. Now Nanowrimo is over, the cold virus has hit me and I'm just glad it waited until I was done writing! Now back to the reviews...
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This blog post is more for the UK crowd but I want to introduce you all to UNDERCOVER which is the new YA imprint at Walker Books. For the US crowd, Walker Books has a sister company in America called Candlewick Press.
