The Crossroads Blog Tour Day 1

Welcome to day 1 of the Crossroads Blog Tour and I am very pleased to welcome not one, but TWO guests to the blog today. I had the opportunity to ask them some questions which I thought you might like the answer to. The first guest is Lucienne Diver, author of Bad Blood, Vamped and Revamped.
Welcome Lucienne! Please give us a revelation about your newest or upcoming book (something new, something no one else knows)

There’s a music video! Okay, maybe this isn’t something no one else knows, since we unveiled a sort of first draft of the Vamped series video at DragonCon, but it’s new and exciting all the same! I can’t wait to see the final cuts and to do the unveiling! It’s got an all-original song done by the amazing Catriona, who coincidentally looks a lot like my heroine, Gina.

How do you get your inspiration for story ideas?

It’s funny, it’s usually not ideas that occur to me first, it’s characters. Then I have to figure out something for them to do beyond torment me night and day with fashion advice. I had to give Gina a plot and an entourage simply in self-defense.

Are you doing anything special for Halloween this year?

Trick-or-treating with my son before he’s too old to want me tagging along! We generally dress up. Last year I was Hermione to his Harry Potter, but this year, I think I’ll go as Aphrodite, inspired by our trip to Greece back in April and the fabulous dress I bought there. Gina would be so proud.

What are you working on right now?

The fourth book in the series, Fangtabulous. This one is set in Salem, Massachussets. It will, I think, be the best yet! (Of course, I always feel that way about the current book.) You can find out more about the vamped series here.

Thank you Lucienne for answering my questions and my second guest and next in the firing line is Jackie Morse Kessler, author of Hunger, Rage and the upcoming book entitled Loss.


Welcome Jackie! Please give us a revelation about your newest or upcoming book (something new, something no one else knows)

There is major foreshadowing in LOSS about BREATH (the last book in the Riders of the Apocalypse) and the nature of Death. Hugely major. Majorly major, even.

How do you get your inspiration for story ideas?

Inspiration is all around us. Sometimes, that inspiration comes from personal experience. For example, I’m a former bulimic, and I’ve wanted to write a book about a girl with an eating disorder for a long time, and I finally wrote HUNGER. I used to play soccer in high school, so the protagonist of RAGE plays varsity soccer. I’m very uneasy about Alzheimer’s – actually, terrified is more accurate – and that theme comes up quite a bit in LOSS. And sometimes that inspiration comes from what I see or hear or read, or a topic that resonates with me.

And if none of that works, I take out an ad in Craigslist. ;)

Are you doing anything special for Halloween this year?

I’m going to be on trick-or-treat duty, either with our Precious Little Tax Deductions or being on Door Patrol when trick-or-treaters come in search of deliciousness in small packages.

What are you working on after this series ends?

I’m currently working on a super sekrit project, which I’m writing with my sons in mind. And then I want to write an urban fantasy book aimed at adults (read: nookie as well as graphic battle scenes). And I have an idea for a YA par-rom duology. We’ll see what happens!

Thank you for answering my questions Jackie!

Don't forget that each day of The Crossroads Blog Tour, a new research question will be revealed on The Crossroad Blog Tour main page here and each day the answer to that question will be found within one of the different blog posts by Crossroads Tour authors. Your job is to get the question, read the blog posts, and collect all answers by the end of the tour, on Halloween. Answers are to be emailed to bridgesocialmedia@gmail.com by October 31st at MIDNIGHT. Winner of the grand prize will be announced on November 1st, the DAY OF THE DEAD. I will also be holding a contest in the near future and details are coming.

Follow the tour on Twitter: @TheCrossroadsBT

And Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Crossroads-Blog-Tour/218310244897337

BRIDGE Social Media is holding a special promotion for public libraries. Libraries that actively promote the Crossroads tour (post a link on their website, mention it in their newsletters, etc) can email us proof of their promotional activities by midnight on OCTOBER 31st to be entered in a draw to win a FREE SKYPE AUTHOR VISIT FOR THEIR LIBRARIES – WITH BEST-SELLING YA AUTHOR, RACHEL VINCENT.

Waiting on Wednesday

"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 the final book in the Personal Demons trilogy, Last Rite by Lisa Desrochers. Here's the synopsis:

"What happens when you can't outrun Hell—or trust the ones you love?"

I suspect there may be a longer synopsis in the near future...or maybe not but you know what? It doesn't matter because I will STILL be dying to read it. I've made no secret about the fact that this is one of my favourite book series and reading this book will be bittersweet since it's the last one in the trilogy. I need to know what happens though and I'm still hoping for some sort of spin off or prequel. I'm also excited to see what Lisa comes out with next as you can be sure I will be buying it. As soon as this is available for pre order I will be buying it ;) If you haven't started this series yet, do yourself a favour and read them. Also, I LOVE this cover. Definitely the best one yet :)

Last Rite is published in May, 2012.

Lola and the Boy Next Door Review

I feel like this book should come with a warning and it should be in large, neon letters that blink continuously and say:

WARNING! After reading Lola, you will be incoherent (that’s if you can speak at all) and have a far off dreamy look in your eyes whilst the rest of the world is screaming your name but you...alas...cannot hear them. There is no data on how long these side effects will last.

Yes. You WILL look like this...

Let’s get something straight, right off the bat. Stephanie Perkins knows how to write a damn good story. She did it with Anna and the French Kiss and she’s done it again with the companion book Lola and the Boy Next Door. I’m not entirely sure how she manages to do this but I’m hoping one day she will share her secrets with me. And yes, I realise that this is wishful thinking but what can I say? I’m an optimist. Whereas Anna for me was a cosy book, Lola is definitely a cute book that is dripping in gorgeousness. If Lola and the Boy Next Door were a costume, it would be a classy Cinderella gown littered with glitter, sparkly sequins and shiny pearls. The kind of dress that leaves you awestruck (please refer back to the opening statement for more details).

Here’s the synopsis:

“Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighbourhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.”

Lola and the Boy Next Door is a character driven novel and so I’m going to start with one of the main characters – Lola. I have to say that I have a certain amount of admiration for this girl. At her age, I would NEVER have had the gall to dress up in the ensembles she puts together on a daily basis. I love the idea of the wigs though and I can’t decide whether she is brave for putting herself out there to be ridiculed or whether she just doesn’t care. Actually, that’s not true because now I’ve finished the book, I know exactly why she does what she does but I want you to come to that realisation on your own because of course you’re going to read the book after this, right?! I do love her artistic spirit though and if there is one thing I would love to be able to do, it’s make my own clothes – I can only just about sew on a button! Not only is Lola amazing but she has two amazing gay dads and an unfortunate deadbeat mother who turns up when she needs bailing out of whatever mess she’s gotten herself into this time. I loved the fact that the dads were an ever present force in her life and not just family members that meld into the background. I also need to drop in at this point that Lola’s best friend Lindsay has the most fabulous name ever....just so you know ;)

The “boy next door” mentioned in the title is of course Cricket and what I love most about him is that he is the personification of a nice guy and HE PROVES without a shadow of a doubt that nice guys DO get the girl. This might sound like a spoiler to you but let’s be honest here, you’re smart enough to know what’s going to happen but you DONT CARE that you know, you just know that you WANT IT to happen. I mean, I like a bad boy as much as the next girl but nice guys melt my heart into a puddle on the floor. Cricket is endearingly awkward at times but incredibly sincere and he might be a bit geeky but the fact that he invents things is actually really cool and shows that he’s smart. And the late night chats across the facing bedroom windows? ADORABLE.

I think you can gather by now that I absolutely loved this book and Stephanie Perkins is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. I’m planning on pre-ordering Isla and the Happily Ever After (the next companion book) as soon as it’s available and you can guarantee that I will read anything that Stephanie writes from now on. Just one last thing about Lola...if your heart doesn’t melt after reading this book, then there is something seriously wrong with you.

Lola and the Boy Next Door was published on 29th September, 2011. Isla and the Happily Ever After will be published sometime next year. I know you may find this shockingly outrageous (as I do) but there is as of yet NO UK PUBLISHER and there totally should be. If you want to find out more about Stephanie Perkins and her gorgeous books, click here to visit her website. She is also active on Twitter.

City of Glass Review

In Lynsey’s book world, some of my favourite words are “sequel” and even better “trilogy” but do you know what tops even that? The following words....”There will be 3 more books in the series”. CUE FULL ON HAPPY DANCE x A GAZILLION!!! I have to say that after reading it, City of Glass AKA book three in the Mortal Instruments series could have wrapped things up quite nicely but by God am I jumping for joy that there are three, yes THREE more books in the series. It’s like Santa came early.

Anyway, I digress. Obviously it goes without saying that you should have read City of Bones and City of Ashes before even thinking about checking out this review and incidently, previous reviews for both books can be found here and here. For everyone else, let me just say that OMG THIS BOOK TOTALLY BLEW ME AWAY! It is easily my favourite book of the series so far. City of Glass is full of action and adventure only this time we’re in Idris and everything is building up to a climax. Here’s the synopsis:

“To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters -- never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her new found powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost?”

You know what I love about Simon? He never ceases to surprise me and I personally think that he is completely awesome. Not only does he have some of the best one liners that make me laugh out loud but he (like Clary actually) is such an unlikely hero and this makes me love him even more. He may not be the romantic lead but he would make a fabulous boyfriend and I just wanted to get that out there.

Don’t worry though, I’m still totally in love with Jace as he continues to go through the mill (see City of Ashes). It’s quite obvious that it’s becoming harder and harder for him and Clary to fight their feelings for each other and Jace takes it upon himself to make the ultimate sacrifice for her. Well he would, wouldn’t he....HE’S JACE! Clary continues to surprise me with her hidden talents and Valentine is such a wonderful, multi layered bad guy that even when I try to hate him, I can’t. Not fully anyway so I can totally relate to Jace’s feelings about his father. Speaking of bad guys, I haven’t quite made my mind up about The Seelie Court Queen. I don’t think she is bad per say, but I do think she is mischievous and will twist any truth if it serves her purpose. I just know we haven’t seen the last of her. AND....we get to meet a new character called Sebastian. Trust me when I tell you that you’re going to be seeing a lot more of him ;)

There are plenty of revelations and explanations in this book as a lot of things seem to reach a jaw dropping climax as downworlders and shadowhunters come together for the first time in history for the fight of their lives...and not everyone is going to make it. I laughed, I cried, I may have even shouted at one point but I loved every minute of it. City of Glass was perfect and I can’t wait to read the next book!

City of Glass was published on 24th March, 2009. TO find out more about Cassandra Clare and her books, please click here to visit her website. She is also active on Facebook and Twitter. Check out the official trailer:



Or this AWESOME fanmade trailer

City of Ashes Review

City of Ashes is of course the sequel to City of Bones and book two in The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. Let me just say that it you haven’t read City of Bones, then I cannot recommend strongly enough that you read it before you check out this review as there be some spoilers for the first book in amongst it all. You could always check out my review for City of Bones in the meantime, if you like which is here. For everyone else, let’s continue.

If you’ve read my review of City of Bones you will by now of course be under no illusion as to how hard I have fallen for this series. And what do you think I did the minute I finished reading the first book? Yep, I dived straight into the sequel. I have nicknamed City of Ashes the “everyone goes through the mill” book because well...everyone does! Clary and Jace are struggling with their feelings for each other in light of what they now know, Alec is struggling with the fact that he thinks no one knows about his sexuality and is scared about how they will react, Isobel is just Isobel and Simon? OMG Simon has the roughest time out of everyone in this book and if you haven’t read it yet, then you’ll see what I mean when you do. Here’s the synopsis:

“As readers of series starter City of Bones already know, teenager Clary Fray is a Shadowhunter, a demon slayer who has the gift of sight and can spot Downworlder werewolves, vampires, and faeries. She is also an adolescent in an abnormally dysfunctional family: Her mom is in a magically induced coma and her father is probably insane and undoubtedly evil. All of which places Clary in situations that would challenge even the most talented average American girl.”

I have to start by saying that it’s nice to have all the original characters back, including the silent brothers (who I admit, I have a little soft spot for) but I also like being introduced to new characters too such as the inquisitor, for example. I liked that Magnus Bane had a bigger role in this book and I think I have a soft spot for him too. I don’t mean romantically of course, but I like his character. I heard from another blogger recently that they pictured Thomas Dekker in this role and I have to admit that I can totally see that (and I have a MASSIVE crush on Thomas FYI).

There is some major demon butt kicking in City of Ashes and Jace? Well, if he wasn’t fearless already, he certainly is in this book ;) There are some startling revelations about Jace and Clary respectively which can certainly only make them stronger - abilities that have never been tested, fears that have never been confronted, and transformations of the shocking variety. By the angel this book HAS IT ALL!

For those of you that have already read City of Ashes, I’m sure it won’t surprise you to hear that the Seelie Court chapter was one of my favourites ;) And I especially liked the extra content from Cassandra (which you can find online) which is basically the same scene but told from Jace’s point of view *swoon*. I definitely recommend you look that up on her website as soon as you’re done reading the book.

City of Ashes is a worthy sequel and yet another fantastic book from Cassandra Clare. I have to say that this book is just as good as the first one and I am literally lapping up this series. I can’t wait to read what happens next but equally, I don’t want it all to end. Thankfully, there are plenty more books in the series to be carrying on with. PHEW! ONWARDS then, to City of Glass.

City of Ashes was published on 25th March, 2008. TO find out more about Cassandra Clare and her books, please click here to visit her website. She is also active on Facebook and Twitter. Again, there is no official book trailer but I found a fan made one that I quite liked and here it is:

Waiting on Wednesday

"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 The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman. Here's the synopsis:

"It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up. When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true love. When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.

But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead. His girlfriend Adriane, Nora's best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.

Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life."

I think this book sounds like a thriller akin to books like The Da Vinci Code and that has me MAJORLY intrigued. I love the idea of centuries old artefacts that hold incredible power and even though I've never read anything by Robin before, I've just pre ordered this book. Faith? It's a wonderful thing ;)

The Book of Blood and Shadow is published on 10th January, 2012. I do not know of any UK release as of yet. Incidently, in the meantime, Robin's other books have had a make over and check out the pretty!!! I WANT THEM!!

City of Bones Review

So, I figure I am one of the last book bloggers to read Cassandra Clare’s best selling Mortal Instruments series even though I’ve had the books on the shelves for at least 18 months. Yes, you read that right and I know, I feel slightly ashamed and I have to say that HOT DAMN, YOU GUYS WERE RIGHT - THESE BOOKS ARE AWESOME SAUCE WITH SPRINKLES AND A CHERRY ON TOP. So why did I wait so long to read them after everyone else was raving about them? Well, I was afraid that they wouldn’t live up to the hype, I mean what if *gulp* I hated them? This now seems like the most ridiculous notion to me *rolls eyes* and I could kick myself for waiting so long. Pretty much overnight, Cassandra Clare has made a fan girl outta me and has guaranteed that I will automatically buy anything she writes. Seriously. Here’s the synopsis:

“When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.”

Stephenie Meyer was not wrong when she said she wanted to live inside this story world. I DO TOO! Let me tell you about City of Bones. This is the kind of book that you race home from work for, the kind of book you end up TAKING to work so you can read it in your impossibly short lunch break. If I have learnt nothing else, I have learnt to eat jelly (Jell-O for the US crowd) and read at the same time without getting it all over the pages.

I have to say at this point that books help me to retain my sanity and I could not wait to dive back into Clary’s world as often as I could possibly manage. Apologies go out to my poor, neglected boyfriend for the late night dinners, the pile of dirty dishes by the sink and the overflowing laundry basket. There was nothing more important than this book I’m afraid.

One of the things that struck me most about this book was that Cassandra Clare taught me an invaluable writing lesson about characters. I always thought that you had to write characters that people “got” and you had to explain everything so that the audience understood. What I adore about Jace is how on the surface, he seems so fierce, so arrogant and confident, almost aloof but if you look a little deeper, he’s actually quite a conflicted and complex character. NEWSFLASH: PEOPLE ARE COMPLEX and that’s what makes Jace so realistic. His confidence and bravery are definitely sexy and he reminds me A LOT of Richard Gere’s Lancelot in the movie First Knight. Lancelot was portrayed as man who had nothing therefore he cared about nothing and ultimately feared nothing as he had nothing to lose. That’s how I see Jace. Of course, then in walks Clary and suddenly Jace’s world is altered. I love that the more of the book I read, the more I learned about Jace and the more I came to understand him without really having him all figured out. I think that’s a good thing though as there is just enough mystery left to make him alluring ;) You could say that to love him is to understand him. I suspect that like most of the female readership, I’m totally in love with Jace. One of the things about Jace that is the most appealing to his ever growing hoards of female fans *I think* is that we all want to be the one that discovers him, the real him that he keeps hidden away, we want to the be the one that unlocks his heart so that he can love freely and without pain.

Jace and Clary’s relationship develops over time and it’s like you don’t notice that they’re falling for each other until you do (if that makes sense) and I admit that I fell for Jace in the same way, slowly and quietly without realising. He might be snarky, arrogant, brave, sexy, confident, funny, rude, honest, and insensitive but he’s got a good heart, and a fierce sense of loyalty and duty.

Clary is a girl whose life is tied up in secrets. Described as petite and beautiful but she doesn’t realise how beautiful she is. I love the flirtatious banter going on between her and Jace at times and how their relationship blossoms so naturally without being over the top or in your face. The way he protects Clary is so endearing and melts my heart into a puddle on the floor. Clary is the girl who doesn’t realise her own potential, mostly because she’s never been allowed to. Now, Jace is opening her eyes just as she is awakening something deep inside him and things will never be the same again.

Another character I quite simply adore is Simon who is Clary’s best friend, a boy she has grown up with since childhood and I cannot stop picturing a young Colin Hanks in the role (think Alex from Roswell High). Having said that, Colin Hanks is now a little old for that role so I'm going with Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson) who would be perfect! Simon is a sweet, geeky goofball but he has some great lines and I’m interested to see where his character goes in the story, especially as he’s had a lifelong crush on Clary but has thus far neglected to tell her!

Reading about Alec Lightwood (Jace’s step brother of sorts) made me realise that I haven’t read a book with a gay character for a long time. Not on purpose or anything, but it’s not something I’d really thought of until now. I felt sorry for Alec who felt he had to hide his feelings for Jace for fear of ruining their relationship. Again, I'm interested to see how his character will develop.

Isabelle is Alec’s sister and she is sexy and confident and doesn’t she know it. I still like her though and she is the only heroine I know that would turn up to a dog fight in heels LOL.

I also want to mention The Silent Brothers whom I really liked and in fact, one of my favourite scenes in the book was when Clary went to meet them. I do think in part, that my fascination for them is influenced by a silent yet mysterious character in A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan whom I also loved but I saw The Silent Brothers as ancient monks in my head.

I’m so overwhelmed with the awesomeness of the characters that I haven’t actually mentioned the plot yet. I LOVE the fact that this book series is set in the heart of New York City and that mythical creatures don’t just exist in forests. The world of shadowhunters and demons blends into the backdrop of New York quite nicely as not everyone can see them, but Clary can. Why? READ THE BOOK AND FIND OUT!

City of bones is a truly awesome read and part of one of the best book series I have ever read. I still can’t believe that this was Cassandra Clare’s debut novel and you know what? BLOODY WELL DONE GIRL. Nephilim, demons, vampires, werewolves, warlocks and faeries - you name it and this book has got it! Do yourself a favour and don’t wait like I did, if you haven’t read these books yet, pick up this series like NOW.

City of Bones was published on 27th March, 2007. TO find out more about Cassandra Clare and her books, please click here to visit her website. She is also active on Facebook and Twitter. I couldn’t find an official trailer but here is an EXCELLENT fan made one (only she used Alex Pettyfer) but I’m not complaining! I can’t wait for this book to be turned into a movie!!!!!

The Light of Asteria Review

I had wanted to read The Light of Asteria by Elizabeth Isaacs for the longest time after hearing so many positive reviews about it. Sadly though, it was just too darn expensive to send from the US to the UK. But THEN, it was as if the book Gods had heard my plea and not only did it get cheaper by way of kindle format but I won a copy in a contest! HOORAH! *bows to the book Gods*

FULL of romance and spirituality, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the book and I’m already clamouring after the sequel!! Here’s the synopsis:

“If Nora Johnson hadn't been on campus that day she would have never known her true destiny. Helping her friends move into the dorm that she wanted to call home, Nora accidentally collides with mysterious stranger, Gavin Frey. His very first touch sends flames through her heart. The world seems different-something within her has changed.

Nora tries to resume her mundane life, but she is now consumed with the one whose very presence ignited her soul, the one with eyes of emerald. Nora soon learns that an energy buried deep within has been unleashed. She now wields unimaginable power and has become Gavin's source, his strength.

Her newfound joy is shaken when she discovers that Gavin is not who he appears to be and she has been thrust in the middle of a war of mythical proportions. Negativity has allowed all things evil to flourish, the earth is under siege. The fate of creation hinges on the power within her heart. Will she be strong enough to survive?

A gripping tale of unbounded love and ancient power, The Light of Asteria will take you on an epic adventure filled with war, treachery, and demons, as well as unimaginable delights.”

Although I loved the book, I have to be honest and say that I’m not a huge fan of the “insta love” that happened over a couple of pages and arguably Nora and Gavin professed their love for each other way too early without really knowing anything about each other BUT I was willing to look past that and accept that some kind of soul recognition thing was going on. Once I’d quickly come to terms with that, I was hooked and the story took on epic proportions. There were a couple of standout scenes for me, one in particular involving butterflies which created the most beautiful imagery in my head. The tree house scenes towards the end of the book were also powerful but for entirely different reasons.

I thought the relationship between Nora and her school friends was realistic in that when people go off to college, relationships often grow apart but thankfully, Nora makes a lot of new friends. They just happen to be a little bit different from regular humans ;) The relationship between Gavin and Nora is special and I loved the idea of the soul stone amulets which I will say no more about, only that it is incredibly romantic and I’m still waiting for mine *glares at boyfriend*.

I also liked the idea of The Ancient One, a being that has existed throughout the ages and provides knowledge and understanding to others. If he so chooses to share it, that is. Another nod to the secondary characters has to go to Elias (whom I have a little soft spot for) as I like to think of him as a gentle giant with a warrior’s heart. I also thought Reena was sweet and she reminded me of Alice from Twilight. I do sometimes wonder if all sweet girls that play a best friend role will be forever compared to Alice from Twilight though. Something to ponder over.

The Light of Asteria will appeal to die hard romantics and anyone who is spiritual in nature. There were a lot of wonderful messages in the book about the power of forgiveness and how love is the most powerful thing we have. It also made me think about the power of thoughts. I’ve always thought this to be true and I often think about a quote (although I can’t remember who said it) and that is that “if we knew how powerful our thoughts are, we would guard them more closely”. Food for thought. The book also highlights the power of emotions and how they can quickly spiral out of control with potentially disastrous consequences.

The Light of Asteria is a fantasy for young adults that will also appeal to the crossover market and has remnants of childhood fairy stories. I thought it was beautiful and I can’t wait to read the sequel :)

The Light of Asteria was published on 22nd March, 2010. The sequel, entitled The Secret of the Keepers will be published this autumn. To find out more about Elizabeth and her books, click here to visit her website.

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" which 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 Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Here's the synopsis:

"Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don’t kill him first, that is."

I really want to read this book. And I mean REALLY want to read this book. I love the idea of aliens living among us and hot aliens? EVEN BETTER :) Obviously I love a good action/adventure/romance/thriller and this book sounds like it is right up my street. I'm hoping for some serious chemistry and maybe a little bit of snark if I'm honest. Can't wait. Obsidian is released on 6th December, 2011.

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" which 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 Article 5 by Kristen Simmons. Here's the synopsis:

"New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police — instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior — instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested don’t usually come back.

17-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. That life in the United States used to be different.

In the three years since the war ended, Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the Federal Bureau of Reformation. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow. That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And what’s worse, one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved."

Oooooh, I do like the sound of this especially the high stakes involved when Ember's mother is arrested by the only boy she has ever loved. Can anyone say AWKWARD?! I love the dystopian genre which just seems to get stronger and stronger by the day and I'm really looking forward to reading this one. CAN'T WAIT. Article 5 is published in the US on 14th February, 2012 by Tor Teen. No word as of yet on a UK release but a lot of foreign rights have been sold so watch this space! Find out more about Kristen Simmons by clicking here.

Dark Inside Blog Tour

So, you may have noticed that I'm a little late with this blog post due to personal reasons but better late than never, right? I'm so pleased to welcome Jeyn Roberts to the blog to talk about how her book DARK INSIDE came about, specifically about the research she did and what inspired her. Take it away Jeyn...


Hi everyone! I’m Jeyn Roberts and I’m the author of Dark Inside. Inspiration is a funny thing. It often comes when you least expect it and in a variety of different forms. It’s always the writer’s number one question. Where do you get your ideas? For me it can be a number of things. I’m often inspired by things that happened to me in real life. Sometimes I take long walks when I’m stuck and often manage to work things out that way. But with Dark Inside, I was inspired by my dreams.

When I was a teenager, I used to dream about a reoccurring world. I call them my ‘River Dreams’ because they often took place beside a major river. The place I dreamed about wasn’t very friendly. Often I was barricaded in a house or a dilapidated apartment building. I was often with a group of people and we were always hiding from something. Whatever it was, it was evil. Sometimes I went back and forth in time, visiting the world during different events. I was in a hotel when the evil struck and started killing people. I was there years later, hiding in a house while a person walked down the street pushing a shopping cart. Whoever that person was, we were terrified of them. That’s pretty much where the Baggers came into being.

When it came down to writing Dark Inside, things got a little tricky. I was in South Korea, often spending my evenings in the Angel In Us coffee shop. An-nyong ha se yo! Caramel Macchiato, chu se yo. During that time, Google maps became my best friend. The journey Mason takes was easy enough for me; it’s the drive I often take between Saskatoon and Vancouver. But Michael and Clementine were a little trickier. I spent a lot of time looking at maps.

I felt very isolated in South Korea, being that I was so far away from my friends and family. Don’t get me wrong, I loved being there but I did feel alone. So I took that feeling and I went with it. I think in a way it really helped me, considering the world of Dark Inside is very isolated. That’s pretty much how Dark Inside was created. So pay attention to your dreams. You never know where they might end up taking you.

Thank you Jeyn! Are you following the Dark Inside Blog Tour? See below for where to go next and to catch up if you've missed anything!

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" which 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 Life Eternal which is of couse the sequel to Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon. Here's the synopsis:
Renée Winters has changed. When she looks in the mirror, a beautiful girl with an older, sadder face stares back. Her condition has doctors mystified, but Renée can never reveal the truth: she died last May, and was brought back to life by the kiss of her Undead soul mate, Dante Berlin.

Now, her separation from Dante becomes almost unbearable. His second life is close to an end, and each passing day means one less that she will spend with the boy who shares her soul.

Just when Renée has almost given up hope, she learns of the Nine Sisters—brilliant scholars who, according to legend, found a way to cheat death. She can’t shake the feeling that they are somehow connected to her dreams, strange visions that hint at a discovery so powerful, and so dangerous, that some will stop at nothing to protect it.

Renée thought she knew the truth about life and death. But there is a secret woven through history that holds the only hope for Dante and Renée. Unless they find answers soon, their time together is doomed to be cut short."

When I read Dead Beautiful, I wasn't sure what to expect but I absolutely loved it! When I heard there was going to be a sequel, I was very happy about this and reading the synopsis only makes me want to read it more!! If you need any further proof of this, I have it on pre-order :) Life Eternal is published on 24th February, 2012.

Stealing Phoenix Blog Tour

So, by now I'm hoping you will have read my review of Stealing Phoenix by Joss Stirling here and realised just how much I loved this book. I am so happy to be part of this blog tour and so without further ado, it is my great pleasure to introduce Joss Stirling to the blog today who happily agreed to answer a few burning questions I had...


One of my biggest questions is are there going to be future books in the series featuring all the brothers because some of them are older than 18 right? Which would make it more an adult book than a YA book so I’m curious about this

I can’t give a definitive answer to this because I don’t have such a grand master plan. Many readers have asked for a full set but I realize the higher up the family we go, the further we are from YA territory. I know I’m OK as far as Xav (he is still in the under 20s bracket so it is within the zone for teen readers). I have my own ideas how to handle the aging aspect but you’ll find out more in the next book. I can say this though: I have plenty of ideas so I won’t be stuck for a subject that will appeal to my readership in YA if I do go in another direction.



Which brother will be featured next? Can you give us any information about the next book? Title? Have you started writing it yet?

As mentioned above, Xavier is the next up for his story to be told. I know the title but I’m keeping that to myself for the moment. I haven’t started writing but I have begun the note making process and planning for my research. I will probably need to make a trip soon to my chosen location so if you follow my twitter feed this autumn you might get some hints.



Is there always going to be a US/UK connection?

Well, the Benedicts are American and I am English so there’s one connection already. My main concern is to keep telling new and original stories so I won’t be repeating the plots I have already done.



How do you decide on the storyline/what fits for each brother? What inspires you?

I start from the love story. I sketched out the different characters for the brothers in Finding Sky, not knowing that I’d get a chance to tell any stories beyond that of Zed. Now I’ve been given a broader canvas, I expand from that original idea and develop a deeper idea of what that brother is going to be like. The boy in question then needs a contrasting girl. A story about them falling for each other with no hitches would not make much fun to write (or read) so very often they are opposites, on the surface at least.

As to what inspires me, that has such a variety of answers that I can’t really narrow it down to a single list. Travel definitely helps. Reading widely and watching lots of films also gives my mind a push. Some of the best ideas come from watching/reading something I don’t like as I get a chance to correct what I think was wrong about it. Talking to people, watching people, going for walks – all are important to my imagination.



What’s your favourite YA book and why?

I didn’t grow up with YA as it wasn’t a category in the 1980s. I was reading The Lord of the Rings and science fiction/fantasy in my teens, as well as adult books, so if I’m allowed Tolkien, I’d pick that. Why? Because he created an entire world so convincingly your mind can live in it beyond the page. This is what many writers aspire to do now, but they don’t get even close and always feel like cheap imitations. I can find many faults in The Lord of the Rings (lack of good women characters, a certain stiffness in speech) but the rich descriptions and powerful emotional journey to the fire are unmatched.

Thank you Joss!! Don't forget to check out the rest of the stops on the blog tour (see below) and tomorrow it's Dark Readers.

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" which 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 Fracture by Megan Miranda. Here's the synopsis:

"Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine

-despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death."

Oh, how I do love the sound of this book, I just know I'm going to devour this story when I start reading it. AND I think the cover is gorgeous. I'm hitting the pre order button now :)

Fracture is released on 3rd January, 2012 in the US and 5th January, 2012 in the UK.

The Intergalactic Academy

The Intergalactic Academy is now open for admissions. Well, sort of. Have you heard of this new website that launched on 2nd September? Basically, it's an online source for everything YA Sci-Fi and we're talking news, reviews and interviews with giveaways too. If you like a touch of sci-fi with your YA, then this is the site for you so go check it out here.

WINNERS!!!

I have two winners to announce as I've had a couple of contests going at the same time. Firstly, you may remember that I had a contest to win signed copies of Everlasting and The Eternal Sea by Angie Frazier. The randomly chosen winner of that contest is.....

Rhiana Reads

Congratulations Vicki! She has been contacted and should be receiving the prize as soon as it takes to get from the USA to the UK.

Secondly, I had a contest to win a copy of The Poison Diaries: Nightshade and I decided to throw in a little goody bag too. The randomly chosen winner of that contest is.....

Raimy Rawr

Congratulations Raimy! She has been contacted and I have already posted the prize so she should be receiving it soon.

Thank you to everyone who entered and commented. Look out for more contests in the future.

The Pledge Review

My breath is my pledge to worship my queen above all others.

My breath is my pledge to obey the laws of my country.

My breath is my pledge to respect my superiors.

My breath is my pledge to contribute to the progress of my class.

My breath is my pledge to report all who would do harm to my queen and country,

As I breathe, I pledge.

I love it when a book comes along that really excites you and then even better, does not disappoint. I’m talking about the kind of book where you only mean to read the first chapter before going to bed and then find yourself stumbling into bed a couple of hours later, the kind of book you take to work with you in case you get a quiet moment, the kind of book you start reading as soon as you get home, forsaking all chores AND dinner because you simply cannot .put. it. down. And there you have it; I’ve just described The Pledge by Kimberly Derting, a dystopian novel set for release this November. I was extremely lucky to be able to read this early thanks to a very kind fellow book blogger who let me borrow the book. This is my first foray into Derting’s writing and I have to say that I am impressed. The main concept of the novel was genius, GENIUS I tell you and really appealed to my love of languages and words. Here’s the synopsis:

“In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she’s spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can’t be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country’s only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.”

I loved this book. A lot. I would basically describe it as a dystopian fantasy for young adults that will appeal quite nicely to the crossover market. The plot was wonderful and there were a couple of “open mouthed” moments in the book, times when I was caught by surprise by sudden revelations and I still love when a book can do that as with movies for example, there are only a select few that I don’t guess what’s going to happen next.

The characters were brought to life really well and I loved how fiercely protective Charlaina is over her younger sister. Everyone is hiding secrets because the punishment for any wrongdoing it would seem is death, always death. The queen is one of the most evil, unmerciful characters I’ve seen in a long time and she is once scary mofo let me tell you. Thank god for Max who provides the necessary swoon in this book. He’s a mysterious, confident, strong and yet gentle military figure who becomes interested in Charlaina when they meet in an underground club. YOU KNOW he’s already been added to my list of literary boyfriends.

There’s twists and turns in this book that you may not be able to see coming right away and I think the ending concludes the current situation quite nicely whilst still leaving the possibilities open for further books and I for one am hoping for a sequel. I can’t tell you how much I adore this book and as if you needed any other proof, I’ve already hit the pre order button. Do yourself a favour and do the same as you’re not going to want to miss out.

The Pledge is published on 15th November, 2011. To find out more about Kimberly Derting and her books, please click here to visit her website. She is also active on Facebook and Twitter.

Wolfsbane Review

I’m hoping by now that you’ve already read my review of the first book in the series, Nightshade which I reviewed here and that you’ve already read it yourself. You may remember that I only picked up Nightshade 24 hours ago and immediately dived into the sequel, Wolfsbane straight after. I couldn’t WAIT to find out what happened next after such an ending! Thankfully, it didn’t disappoint. Here’s the synopsis:

“When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she’s certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer—one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack—and the man—she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.”

I often say that sequels pick up right where they left off but in this case, it literally does. I’ve heard some bloggers say that they wished they had re-read Nightshade before reading Wolfsbane and I don’t have a lot to say on that I’m afraid as I read them back to back but I can see how that would be helpful. There appeared to be a big history lesson in the first part of Wolfsbane, an info dump if you like that whilst it was somewhat interesting, it did go on for a long time and I just wanted for the book to move on, I wanted some action! There’s no time for a history lesson when you’re in the middle of a war! In Wolfsbane, the battle really commences and we learn that everything Calla has been brought up to believe is essentially built on lies. The wolves have been betrayed by The Keepers and as always, the truth will out in the end. I like to think of Wolfsbane as a rescue mission – Calla tries to rescue what remains of her pack, rescue relationships, and rescue herself. I can’t tell you if she is successful on all counts but it makes for an interesting and entertaining read. There were a lot of revelations in this book, as in Nightshade but I know there is more to come.

Let’s talk characters. I really enjoyed a look into The Searcher’s camp and getting to know the new characters that we thought of as enemies in the past. One of my favourites was Connor who had what us Brits like to call a cheeky sense of humour. Adne was remarkable for her abilities and I thought the description of what she could do was just perfect, I saw it all in my head. It was also nice to see most of the old characters we’ve come to know and love as well but there are definitely some changes and sparks of new relationships being forged. I can’t wait to find out where they go in the next book.

I mentioned in my review of Nightshade that Ren had really captured my heart but what I failed to mention is that I only really realised that at the end of Wolfsbane and reading the first chapter of Bloodrose. THAT’S when I realised that I’d always been team Ren. I’m always rooting for the underdog (no pun intended) and if things go badly then you know what? MOVE OVER CALLA and Ren can come home with me. Of course, Ren is now firmly in my list of literary boyfriends and I think by now you’ve realised that I have a soft spot for him.

I’ve deliberately not mentioned a lot about Shay because there are a lot of revelations surrounding his character that I don’t want to give away. He remains in my eyes as an integral part of the story but also a distraction.

I thought Wolfsbane was a fantastic sequel and whilst I missed the wait between the first and second book, I’m now all caught up and caught in the wait for the third book. ARGH! You know what though? You can read the first chapter of Bloodrose here and OMG you definitely want to although be warned, it will whet your appetite even more for the third book! Bring on Bloodrose!!!

Wolfsbane was published on 26th July, 2011. Bloodrose, the final book in the series will be published on 24th January, 2012. I know what I’m spending my Christmas money on ;)
To find out more about Andrea Cremer, please click here to visit her website. She is also active on Facebook and Twitter.

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" which 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 Of Poseidon by Anna Banks. Here's the synopsis:

"Emma and her friend Chloe are spending vacation in Florida. When Emma (literally) runs into a hot guy named Galen on the beach, little does she know he’s a prince of the Syrena. Galen and Emma both feel something strange – is it attraction? – and Galen suspects that Emma might well be the girl he’s heard of – a human who can communicate with fish.

What follows is a deadly scene with a shark in which Galen witnesses Emma’s gifts. He must know more about her, and follows her back to New Jersey, and high school, to find out for sure if she’s the key to saving his kingdom. Soon, Emma can’t deny her feelings for him, but can’t explain them, either – and both she and Galen must learn more about where she comes from and what her powers are before they can trust one another and their feelings."

Oh. My. Goodness. Not only am I in love with the cover but I am totally in love with the synopsis. I don't know whether you know this but I'm incredibly terrified of sharks, to the point that I WILL NOT venture into any ocean, regardless of where in the world it is. However (and this is where it gets a bit weird) I have to watch every program there is on sharks. It's a strange kind of fascination. Anyway, so I'm not sure I'm looking forward to THAT scene but again, it will be fascinating to see what happens given Emma's gifts. I love the idea of a secret kingdom and that she could be the key to saving it. Definitely pre ordering this one! Of Poseidon is released on 22nd May, 2012. I'm not sure about the UK rights but I sure hope so!

Fateful Review

I want you to know that I love Claudia Gray as an author but when I found out that she was writing a werewolf story SET ON THE TITANIC? I thought she was nuts. My immediate reaction was “this is never going to work” and having now read it, you know what? It totally does. Here’s the synopsis:

“Fateful is about a servant girl named Tess in 1912, who wants to escape from the house where she works, and most particularly the lecherous young lord of the manor. But that's not her biggest problem. While on a voyage to America, where she plans to escape and start a new life, she meets Alec, who's ruggedly handsome, fabulously wealthy, intelligent and yet so clearly troubled that she'd rather not fall for him, but she does. That also is not her biggest problem. Alec, it turns out, is a werewolf ... one cursed to change every night, unless he surrenders his independence and joins the Brotherhood, a pack of violently misogynistic werewolves who have been tracking him for months. You'd think that would be their biggest problem, wouldn't you? But no. Their biggest problem is that they're aboard the RMS Titanic.”

So one of the things that was different about Fateful is that in every other story I’ve read or seen about the Titanic, the sinking of the ship has always been at the centre of the story and taken up most of the screen time. In Fateful, it’s a short section of the book towards the end and I found this really surprising. I have a feeling that because James Cameron’s Titanic had been on TV a few days earlier, perhaps this is the reason I was expecting more. Funnily enough, there were times when I was reading that I completely forgot what ship they were on and what was in inevitably going to happen. I think Claudia set the story up really well and I did feel like I was right there on the ship with Tess. I liked Tess as a protagonist and how although she was a young servant girl who knows her place, she dreams of running away to a better life. She’s also very practical (unfortunately, I lack this skill at times) and is putting a plan in place to make this happen.

Alec on the other hand, is part of the upper class and so of course he has the looks, intelligence and wealth but he too is lacking his freedom but for entirely different reasons. He’s only a bloody werewolf which is most inconvenient when it comes to taking public transport. What’s good about Alec is that although he turns into a wolf every night, apart from that he’s actually a decent guy. He may have money and a good family name but there is no pretentiousness about him or his father and they only have three servants whom they treat very well as opposed to the Lisles family’s 35 servants. Alec had no problem coercing with Tess despite their class differences and at times seemed to prefer third class entertainment and who can blame him for that?!

Irene, the only decent member of the Lisles family stood out for me as one of my favourite characters as she was kind to Tess and treated her more like a human being than a servant.

On the other end of the decency scale is the bad guy AKA Mikhail who is menacing, sadistic and drunk on power. He thinks that women are merely objects put on this earth for his amusement and to be thrown away like trash when they are no longer entertaining or useful. He was quite an intimidating character who toyed with Tess at every opportunity he could get.

Overall, I did enjoy the story and the relationship that built up between Tess and Alec. The ending of the book was definitely left open but I’m not sure if it should have been. I would have liked to have seen it complete as a standalone and of course, it still might be. Fateful was a fresh take on the Titanic story with a dash of the paranormal thrown in for good measure. If you like paranormal YA stories about wolves and have an interest in the Titanic, then this is the book you’ve been waiting for.

Fateful is published on 13th September, 2011. To find out more about Claudia and her books, click here to access her website. She is also active on Facebook and Twitter.

Forever Review

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater is the kind of book that turns your steaming hot cup of coffee into something lukewarm and undrinkable. Seriously. And yes, that has just happened to me as I started reading - I forgot all about my drink. It’s hard to believe that this is the final book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series and I will be sad to see it end. Maggie’s books are like old friends to me and I’m thinking that I might just have to pay them another visit sometime in the future. Can I recommend to those who have not yet had the pleasure of reading Shiver or Linger to please go and get acquainted with them forthwith so you too can make lifelong friends and not encounter any potential spoilers that you might find here for the first two books. For those of you who have already read and enjoyed those books, let’s go on. As you will remember in Shiver, Sam was the wolf and in Linger, Grace was the wolf. Well, in Forever Grace is learning to live in her own skin as a wolf for most of the time and Sam desperate to have the girl he loves back in his arms (it’s a little awkward right now, what with her being a wolf and all). Unfortunately, there has never been a worse time to be a wolf as a devastating plan is put in motion to eradicate the wolves of Mercy Falls as they are thought to be a danger to the public. The trouble is, Grace doesn’t know. Eek. Here’s the very short yet tantalizing synopsis:

“In Maggie Stiefvater's SHIVER, Grace and Sam found each other. In LINGER, they fought to be together. Now, in FOREVER, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.”

What I love about Maggie’s writing is that she lulls you into a fall sense of security. I find her books comforting to read and I inevitably read along at a steady pace when suddenly, out of nowhere there will be a particular scene that shocks me out of my comfort zone and into the moment. There were a few stand out scenes for me and I want to thank you Maggie, for keeping things interesting ;)

I’m not going to go into too much detail about what happens in the book but you can guarantee that as the tension mounts, the stakes are raised and it’s not just Grace whose life hangs in the balance but all of the wolves we’ve come to know and love.

I’ve heard some grumbles in the blogosphere about the ending and I have to say that I thought the ending was perfect. It didn’t give you all the answers you may have been looking for but you know what? We don’t need all the answers. We’re intelligent enough as readers to come to our own conclusions and every character had the right ending FOR THEM even if you wanted things to go a little differently. You may also be pleased to know that there are no wolf babies (although I think secretly I hoped for them LOL). What I will say however is that I advise you to wear waterproof mascara when you’re nearing the end of the book. Shiver made me cry; Linger didn’t but Forever had me bawling like a baby.

I have to say that I’ve loved every minute of reading this trilogy and I’m glad to have the books on my shelves. I’ve also got my sister into these books and I hope I’ve inspired others to read and fall in love with them too. With its rich characters, lush setting and lyrical writing from Maggie, this book series is to be treasured and remembered forever.

Forever was released on 12th July. Thank you to Scholastic for providing me with an ARC. To find out more about Maggie’s books including the upcoming “The Scorpio Races” click here. There is also a site dedicated to the Wolves of Mercy Falls which you can access here. Maggie is also a member of the Merry Sisters of Fates (together with fellow authors and crit partners Tessa Gratton and Brenna Yovanoff) and you can access the site here. Maggie is active on Facebook and Twitter.

The Poison Diaries: Nightshade Review (and win a copy of the book)

I’ve just come back from the amazing experience I had at the Poison Diaries Event up in Alnwick Castle where we were presented with an ARC of Nightshade, the next instalment in the poison diaries series. To see the castle grounds in person and Hulne Abbey where Jessamine lived was awe inspiring, not to mention the real life poison garden. I was so wrapped up in the experience that I read the book on the very long train ride home and let me tell you, if you thought The Poison Diaries was dark, then wait until you read Nightshade which plunges further into the blackness. It goes without question to say that if you haven’t read The Poison Diaries yet (which I reviewed here) then please read that first before going any further. If you’re still with me, then here is the synopsis for Nightshade:

“A dark, gothic tale of romance… and murder.

Our heroine, Jessamine, has lost her faith in the men she loved, and her innocence as well. She turns to the dark side and plots to kill her father, using his own poisons, before becoming an assassin, a poisoner for hire. Can she recover from her heartache and reunite with her true love, Weed? Find out in this thrilling story where poisons, darkness and horror are a part of everyday life, and love is the only cure.”

Jessamine is all grown up and a far cry from the figure she cut in the first book. She’s more confident than ever in her skills and is no longer the vulnerable little girl she once was. Believing that Weed left her in her hour of need was pretty devastating but you can’t keep the truth hidden forever and this causes a series of cataclysmic events resulting in Jessamine leaving town trying to forge a new identity. She tries desperately not to use the skills that she’s learnt but she can’t help it and before she knows it, she’s tangled up in an assassination plot. I’ve really enjoyed watching Jessamine’s character grow albeit into something darker than she once was. I don’t blame her, I mean how could she not be changed by her experiences? She is definitely more of an interesting character now though. And what of poor Weed? Well, Weed is more human than ever and of course, his thoughts are never far away from Jessamine. I did particularly enjoy his journey to Padua, Italy in this book where he learned about how plants were used for medicinal purposes. Of course, there were reasons why he went there but I shall say nothing more of it.

Nightshade introduces us to some new characters, most of which are transitory but one of my favourites was Rye. You’ll see what I mean when you read it ;)

What’s interesting about how the story has developed is the character’s view of themselves. I was reminded of Pinkie from Brighton Rock by Graham Greene who thought that because he committed an unspeakable act, that there was no way back from that. He believed he was damned and if that was the case, he should just continue doing what he wanted and I kind of got that vibe, especially from Jessamine. I do believe that Jessamine has become somewhat of a poison to herself (ironically) and I just hope she realises that the cure is inside her. At least that’s what I think.

I thought this was a great sequel and I love that I have absolutely no idea where the story is heading. I get the feeling that Maryrose Wood is going to continuously surprise me and I’m all for that.

The Poison Diaries: Nightshade is published on 1st September 2011 in the UK and 25th October, 2011 in the US. Thank you to Harper Collins for giving me an ARC. If you’d like to win a copy of the The Poison Diaries: Nightshade then please leave me a comment with your name and e mail address. This contest is UK only and the deadline is 8th September . The Winner will be selected randomly and they will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

To find out more about Maryrose Wood and her books, click here to visit her website. The Poison Diaries also has a website which you can access here. If you’ve ever wondered about Alnwick castle and are in the fortunate position to visit, click here for more information.