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 Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken. Here's the synopsis:

"When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something frightening enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have been cursed with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby has spent nearly half her life desperately trying to hide the fact that she’s outwitted the camp’s sorting system—that she isn’t powerless, or safe. She’s one of the dangerous ones… and everyone knows what happens to them.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of teens who escaped their own camp, pursued along the way by terrifying bounty hunters. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close to him. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Before the end, Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living."

First things first, I love the cover and I'm intrigued by the synopsis (although the premise reminds me of Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi). I've never read a book by Alexandra Bracken before but I do know that a lot of other book bloggers rate her writing highly. Even advance reviews for this book are extremely positive with a lot of five stars on Goodreads. I definitely want to read this and am thinking of pre-ordering.

The Darkest Minds is published on 18th December, 2012 with no news as of yet about a UK release.

Starters Review

“In a world ravaged by war and genocide, becoming someone else is now possible. Sixteen-year-old Callie discovers the Body Bank where teens rent their bodies to seniors who want to be young again. When her neurochip malfunctions, she wakes up in the mansion of her rich renter and finds she is going out with a senator’s grandson. It’s a fairy-tale new life, until she discovers her renter’s deadly plan.”

I want to start this review by saying that the book cover Gods really smiled on Lissa Price as Starters has to be one of the most startling covers I’ve seen this year. It’s quite simplistic but also incredibly effective. Marketed as “Matched meets The Hunger Games” (incidentally, two of my favourite books), Starters definitely whets my appetite! Starters is a plot driven novel and this is the strongest aspect of the book. Our main protagonist, Callie lives in a terrifying world where most adults are dead apart from the Enders (the old and the very old) and the Starters (the young). In order to survive, Starters can rent their bodies to Enders so they can ‘re-live their youth’ but what they do with your body is up to them, even if there are supposed to be rules.

I want to start with the positive. The plot was fantastic, the world building was really good and I enjoyed the futuristic slang like 'Zing' for text message. I wanted to love this book, I truly did but I felt like something was missing. It’s difficult to explain but the standard of YA fiction is so high these days, that even though a novel is good and you enjoy it, you can sense that it falls short in some way even if you can’t quite put your finger on why. I’ve been thinking hard about it and I think the answer lies with the characters. I felt detached from them, like I never really got to know them. I realise something like this is difficult in a setting where survival trumps everything else but I felt cheated. By the end of the book, I knew nothing about Blake, nothing about Michael, very little about Tyler and nothing really about Callie. Callie’s description is only ever referred to after her “enhancements” at the Body Bank and even then, I don’t know what colour her hair or her eyes are or how tall she is (please, correct me if I’m wrong). In that respect, the only thing I've got to go on is that she's really beautiful. I realise that authors sometimes deliberately withhold a description to help the reader picture themselves in that role but it didn’t work for me. Another very interesting observation is the fact that the cover of the book features a girl (presumable Callie) with Heterochromia Iridium i.e. eyes that are different colours. I presumed that this would be an important fact in the book (and it still might be) but it was never even referred to once which I find somewhat odd considering that was what stood out on the book cover.

One of the other things I didn’t love about the book was Callie’s relationship with Michael. I get that they never really had the chance to explore their relationship what with desperately trying to survive on a daily basis but they had a connection and there’s this big question mark hanging over them for the entire book and what Callie does at the end? Well you make up your own mind about that.

So basically, I’m kinda gutted that I didn’t outright LOVE the novel but I do like it and I will be carrying on with the story as there is a massive did-not-see-coming twist at the end that I just have to know more about! Thankfully, the sequel Enders is released in December of this year. Also, in case you didn’t realise, there is a short story available in digital format entitled “Portrait of a Starter” which is available now. It’s a prequel and told from Michael’s point of view and so maybe reading that will help me get to know him a little better! As always though, read the book and make up your own mind :)

Starters is published on 13th March, 2012 in the US and 29th March in the UK. To find out more about Lissa and her books, please click here to visit her website.

A Touch Mortal Review

“Eden didn't expect Az.

Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings.

Yeah.

So long happily-ever-after.

Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven.

She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else's game. Her heart is her own.

And that's only the beginning of the end.”

I remember devouring A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford when HarperTeen posted multiple preview chapters online many eons ago now. Based on what I read, I bought the book as I was desperate to know what happened next but the publication date was so far away that when the book did eventually arrive on my doorstep, it ended up getting lost in the TBR pile. And dude, when I say pile, what I really mean is a couple of huge bookcases. Anyway, I’ve been craving an angel book recently and so I picked up A Touch Mortal and read from the beginning. Thankfully, it did not disappoint. A Touch Mortal smacks you over the head with its originality and edgy subject matter which I took pleasure in devouring all over again.

I have to say at this point that A Touch Mortal is aimed at older readers as it deals with mature themes and there are touches of hardcore swearing scattered throughout the book. Personally, I don’t like the idea of YA books being virginal/Snow White like when characters don’t swear or have sex or drink alcohol as to me it doesn’t necessarily feel real. I’m not saying that all teenagers do this but some do and so I really enjoyed the harsh language (does that sound weird?) because it made it more realistic. I’m sure I’d drop a few F-bombs too if I found out the guy I’d been seeing was an angel, know what I mean? On that note, I have to say that Eden’s reaction to that was SPOT ON. It was so natural and believable. In fact, the dialogue was REALLY strong in this book and that has to be commended as it makes all the difference.

A Touch Mortal was so different from all the other angel books I’ve read (and I’ve read A LOT). I really enjoyed the fact that it was darker, edgier and deals with suicide which is often perceived as a taboo subject. A story involving suicide is never going to be an easy ride but Leah Clifford makes it all sound quite plausible and interesting in her book as the “Siders” don’t really die as such. With that in mind, let’s talk about the characters. Eden is a troubled soul from the start and carries a lot of pain and loneliness inside her. Then she meets Az who seems to bring her back from the brink, if only for a little while before the inevitability train comes hurtling towards her and she commits suicide. Only, she’s not really dead. Now she’s a “Sider” and whilst their purpose is not really clear, it’s the only reality she’s gonna get so she might as well get with the program. Eden is forced to learn how to use her newfound ability as a Sider called “the touch” and embrace her new reality which includes an eccentric, off the wall woman called Kristen who lives in the creepy house of horrors. She’s got a harsh yet witty tongue, obviously an intelligent lady and I think decadent is the right word to describe her. She has a history with Az, the rough and ready angel that falls in love with Eden and I loved Az for his sheer will not to give up on Eden, to protect her always and fight against “the fall”.

However, my favourite character in this book was somewhat surprisingly Az’s best friend Gabe. I say “surprisingly” because I’m not sure I’ve ever read a book where my favourite character isn’t one of the main characters caught up in a romance although he was sort of caught up in a BROmance with Az ;) Gabe reminded me so much of Elijah from The Vampire Diaries and although he might be a little older than the intended character, that’s who I pictured at the time of reading. Gabe carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, figuratively speaking. He’s sensible, responsible, protective, and fiercely loyal. Throw in the fact that Gabe is part of “the bound” and cannot tell a lie, you know this is going to get interesting.

A Touch Mortal is quite mysterious at times and you often find yourself wondering what the hell is going on but that drives you forward and ultimately makes the book unputdownable. Leah Clifford is a hugely imaginative and talented writer that I will be keeping my eye on in the future and I can’t wait to read the sequel A Touch Morbid which is out now. No waiting for me then, YAY.

A Touch Mortal was published in the US on 22nd February, 2011. There is no UK publisher but you can buy the book from all good online sellers. To find out more about Leah and her books, please click here.

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 Crewel by Gennifer Albin. Here's the synopsis:

"Incapable. Awkward. Artless.

That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight.

Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back."

Doesn't this book sounds super interesting? I love books about time but weaving time and matter together? YES PLEASE. I like the cover which is colourful and spinny and did you know that this was a NANOWRIMO book? Oh yes. Pitched as Mad Men meets The Handmaid's Tale and The Hunger Games, Crewel sounds more and more interesting by the minute. With a dash of science fiction, a sprinkle of adventure and a spoonful of romance, it ticks all the right boxes for me and I can't wait to read it!

Crewel is the first book in a planned trilogy and is published on 4th October 2012 in the UK and 16th October, 2012 in the US.

Kindle Sale!

I love real books as much as the next person and I have 6 1/2 bookshelves to prove it but I'm also falling in love with my kindle a little bit. I do enjoy having tons of books on a lightweight, portable device and I have no trouble reading on it. You know what I really love though? Books are generally cheaper on the kindle, especially when they have a SALE like now. The Amazon UK Spring Sale is happening RIGHT NOW but you need to be quick as it ends on 12th April. These are the kind of books that are on sale:

Anew by Chelsea Fine - 77p (OMG BUY THIS NOW AS IT IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!)
Mockingbird by Kathyrn Erskine - 99p
Code name Verity by Elizabeth Wein - 99p
The Declaration by Gemma Malley - 99p
The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan - 99p
Uglies by Scott Westerfield - £1.99
The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter - 99p
Fifteen days without a head by Dave Cousins - 99p
The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos – Free
The sky is everywhere by Jandy Nelson - £1.49
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini - £1
City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare - £2.09
Poison Study by Maria V Snyder - 99p
The Swan Kingdom by Zoe Marriott - £1.09
Corsets and Clockworks Anthology - 99p
The 13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison - £1.99
Stray by Rachel Vincent - 99p
The ask and the answer by Patrick Ness - £1.99
Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison - 99p
Unwind by Neal Shusterman - £1.99
The passage by Justin Cronin - £1.99
Long Reach by Peter Cocks - £1.09
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr - £1.99

Happy buying!

Starcrossed Review

“Helen Hamilton has always tried to hide how different she is—no easy feat on an island as small as Nantucket, and only getting harder as she finds herself haunted by hallucinations and vivid nightmares.

It’s not until she crosses paths with Lucas Delos at school that Helen’s true heritage is finally revealed. Yet even as Lucas helps her awaken to her startling powers, they can never be together—not unless they can break free from the tragic destiny the Three Fates have in store.”

So, the lesson for today is that when your book blogger friends tell you that a book is OMGFANTASTICYOUNEEDTOREADITLIKENOW, you really should listen. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini is full of Greek tragedy and forbidden love and as such, this book had my name written all over it from the start. I knew I’d love it but I’d put off reading it for silly yet totally tangible reasons like “if it really is THAT good, I’ll have to wait FOREVER for the sequel” and that kind of nonsense because y’know, I’m not patient when it comes to books I love. Thankfully, having waited this long and totally fallen in love with the series, I only have until July now to wait for Dreamless and I cannot wait!

I’m going to start by talking about the book cover. I have to say that whilst I really like the UK cover, as a major hardback fan I’ve got to go with the beautiful US cover that reminds me very much of the setting in the book. I loved the coastal vibe and sleepy seaside town images that I got from the book. But aside from the setting, it was the exciting plot and the amazing characters that had me hooked. I’m deliberately trying not to say much about the plot as I feel like anything I could say would be a potential spoiler however, I will say that Helen doesn’t know who she is and neither does anyone else really until the Delos family waltz into town and awakens something inside her. It’s all systems go from there on in.

Helen is essentially at the centre of the story and my favourite thing about her is that she is a really decent person and that comes across in the book. This fact alone endeared her to me although I did like the bond she shares with her best friend Claire AKA Giggles. Speaking of Claire, I did so enjoy the tension between her and Jason and I also have high hopes for Matt and Ariadne. Matchmaking is such fun ;)

Ok, let’s talk about Lucas. HELLO. I’m totally adding him to my list of literary boyfriends as he is just lovely. My favourite scenes in the book were between Lucas and Helen – specifically when they crashed into each other and the bed scene (it’s totally innocent, I swear). I also loved it when Lucas insisted on staying on the roof but then came down when he changed his mind. I have to put this out there and say that I would die to see that scene from Lucas’s point of view, maybe as an extra *sends magical vibes out to Josephine*. One of the things that makes this book different from other YA novels is that rather than love at first sight, it’s definitely hate at first sight for Helen and Lucas and that makes for a very interesting and entertaining dynamic. Now, I can’t talk about guys and not admit to having a soft spot for Hector too and I could not help but picture Kellan Lutz (Emmett from Twilight) in the role. With those muscles? There’s nothing wrong with that folks!

Besides the awesome characters, another favourite thing about the book was the family element which is something I enjoyed in books like Finding Sky by Joss Stirling. I don’t come from a huge family and so when I see strong family bonds, brothers and sisters having each other’s backs, I love it.

Starcrossed was a fantastic read and is an example of how Greek mythology SHOULD be taught in schools. None of this stuffy textbook crap but amazing and highly entertaining YA novels that rock your Grecian socks off. And, even though the book is over 400 pages, I can honestly say that I didn’t even notice and even further, I never wanted it to end. That’s writing skill right there, my friends. I really do feel like Josephine Angelini has cast a spell over me and seriously, I’m not sure what I wouldn’t do to get hold of a copy of the sequel right now.

Starcrossed was published on 31st May, 2011 in the US and 3rd June, 2011 in the UK. The sequel entitled Dreamless is published on 29th May, 2012 in the US and 5th July, 2012 in the UK. To find out more about Josephine and her books, please click here. If you live in the UK, the last I looked on Amazon you could buy the kindle version for ONE POUND. That is a mega bargain my friend for such a good read and you should buy it immediately if you have the ways and means.

Infinite Days Review

"Throughout all my histories, I found no one I loved more than you...no one."

Those were some of Rhode's last words to me. The last time he would pronounce his love.
The last time I would see his face.

It was the first time in 592 years I could take a breath. Lay in the sun. Taste.

Rhode sacrificed himself so I, Lenah Beaudonte, could be human again.
So I could stop the blood lust.

I never expected to fall in love with someone else that wasn't Rhode.

But Justin was...daring. Exciting. More beautiful than I could dream.

I never expected to be sixteen again...then again, I never expected
my past to come back and haunt me...”

For 500 years Lenah Beaudonte has been a vampire. 500 years of seduction, blood and destruction. But she is sickened by her dark powers – and longs to feel the sun on her skin, grass under her bare feet, and share the breath of a human kiss. She wants to be mortal again. But is she really capable of being human, after her long years of darkness? Waking up as a sixteen-year-old girl brings Lenah many things – the life she has missed, taste, touch, love. But a vampire soul is not easily shed. And her coven – the four vampires she led in decadence and thrilling destruction – want their queen back...

Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel is a book that has been sitting on my shelves since its publication in 2010. Obviously, I bought the book because I really wanted to read it but sadly it got lost in the TBR pile as a lot of books invariably do. However, that does not mean that it has not called out to me on occasion and recently, I heard its cry again, only this time I listened and picked it up. Who knew that I had such a good book sitting RIGHT THERE all this time?! Just when you thought every book that could be written about vampires is already out there in the world, along comes Infinite Days with its highly original and fresh take on the whole thing. There are tons of stories about humans turning into vampires but Rebecca cleverly thought to flip this idea on its head and write about a vampire turning into a human again after 500 years of existence and quite frankly, that makes me rub my hands together with glee.

Lenah Beaudonte is our protagonist and she is brutally honest about her less than perfect past. She tells us in no uncertain terms that she was one evil BIATCH who led a strong and undefeatable coven. But, 500 years can change a person and Lenah wants to feel/touch/taste again but such a prize requires an equally huge sacrifice.

I love the fact that Lenah is essentially British (rock on UK!) and she is described in the book as “spellbinding” as one would need to be as a vampire I presume but she retains her beauty as a human as guys just fall at her feet. To be honest, I feel sorry for the guys who can’t see past a beautiful face, especially when she was a vampire. The guy I felt sorry for the most though has to be Vicken and I never really saw him as “the bad guy”. He truly loved Lenah and they were bound for eternity because she was his maker. His love for her became his curse even when their bond was broken as far as she was concerned (when she became human). Justin on the other hand is another kettle of fish. He seemed like an ok guy but the way he fell away from his current girlfriend Tracey so fast and even openly flirted with Lenah in front of her was a tad uncomfortable. I will admit that the beginning of this book shocked me as we’re introduced to a character that is very swiftly pushed out of the exit door. But then, his absence became a presence through memories and flashbacks and I enjoyed that.

Don’t get me wrong, whilst Lenah was an evil, power hungry vampire, she is quite different as a human and it would appear that she’s learned a few things in the past 500 years ;) I believe in forgiveness and second chances and this was definitely her second chance at life. The thing is though, you can’t run rampant for centuries and not expect to pay a price and so ultimately, her destruction will be of her own making.

Most of Infinite Days took place at a very old, regal looking boarding school which I quite enjoyed. There is a scene where Lenah locks herself in a listening room in the library and experiences an operatic aria for the first time since becoming human again. I will admit to youtubing the aria and listening to it myself whilst reading so that I could effectively be in the room with her.

Infinite Days reads like a standalone novel and Rebecca could have left it at that; however you will be pleased to know that there is a sequel in the works and whilst I have my own theories on where the story could go, I am super curious as to what is actually going to happen. Ultimately, Infinite Days is a story of sacrifice, repentance and redemption. It’s fresh, it’s original and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Infinite Days was published in the US on 3rd August, 2010 and in the UK on 3rd September, 2010 followed by the paperback in April, 2011. The sequel Stolen Night (or Stolen Nights in the US) will be published in the UK on 5th July, 2012 with no US release as of yet. Sadly, the UK book will not be hardback to match the first :( To find out more about Rebecca and her books, please click here to visit her website.

Kiss Date Love Hate Review

Want to read my review of Kiss Date Love Hate by Luisa Plaja? YOU CAN by clicking here. Enjoy :)

The Hunger Games Movie Review

For book bloggers and book lovers everywhere, The Hunger Games is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated movies of 2012. The book is part of a trilogy that has been loved and treasured by many since its inception in 2008 and thanks to the movie, it has now been immortalised up on the big screen. At around 142 minutes, it’s not a short film but the time seems to fly by when you’re watching it and before you know it, the movie is over and you’re on your feet screaming “Nooooooooo!!!!” or something to that effect ;)

I’m going to start by saying that I think Jennifer Lawrence was an excellent choice for Katniss and she shows the right amount of emotion for such a complex character. In fact, I’ll go so far as saying that the entire casting was perfect with one little exception. Whilst I think Jennifer Lawrence makes a good Katniss and Josh Hutcherson makes a good Peeta, I’m still not convinced about the chemistry between the two actors BUT I didn’t let this spoil the movie for me. There’s been a lot of rumblings in the press and on twitter with people complaining that they didn’t think the actors playing the roles of Rue, Cinna and Thresh should be black (WTF?) and I want to go on record as saying what difference does it make if they are? It’s not even something that I thought about other than they were PERFECT choices for the roles and that’s what counts. Suzanne Collins even describes Thresh and Rue as having dark skin in the book so you can’t argue that it “wasn’t supposed to be like that”. I also want to say that whoever hired Lenny Kravitz as Cinna is GENIUS and although his screen time is short, he totally stole the show in my eyes.

This leads me nicely on to the costume design which was outrageously vibrant and deliciously over the top. This fitted in really well with the description of the Capitol although it’s not something I had initially visualised when reading the book. My favourite costumes were Katniss’ outfits as “The Girl on Fire”. I don’t know or care how they created the desired effect but I thought her dresses were breathtaking.

I’m always afraid when well loved books are turned into movies but I can safely say that Gary Ross (the director) has done a great job and the movie is very close to the book. It was definitely smart of him to have Suzanne Collins as an advisor and to be honest; I don’t know why more movies don’t use the writer in this way. It seems obvious to me. One thing I didn’t like about the movie though was the shaky camera work at times, however the director has gone on record as saying that it had a lot to do with the urgency of what is going on and to reflect Katniss’s point of view. I’m also a little bit bitter about 7 seconds being cut from the UK release to secure the rating so I might just be buying the US DVD/Bluray when it’s released. Also, a quick note about the music – I LOVED IT and I’m buying the score as soon as I can which I preferred to the official soundtrack.

Overall, I was really happy with the movie and I’d say a lot of people were too as it made $155 million (£97 million) in its opening weekend and that’s just in the US! I wonder how many of us are going to see it twice...only next time; I want to go wearing a T Shirt with “TEAM PEENISS!” on it ;)

The Hunger Games was released worldwide on 23rd March, 2012. The Sequel Catching Fire is reportedly already in the works.

At a glance:

Pro’s

1. The movie closely follows the book
2. Suzanne Collins was an advisor
3. The costumes and casting are excellent
4. There are two more movies in the works!!!

Con’s

1. SOME shaky camera work
2. SEVEN seconds were cut from the UK release
3. Not sure about Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson’s chemistry
4. On top of the 20 minutes of mandatory adverts you have to watch before the movie starts, the lengthy running time means you have to sit in the cinema for a long time and you will be crossing your legs towards the end of the movie. Unfortunately, I had to pee twice and missed some of the movie :(

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 A Shimmer of Angels by Lisa M. Basso. Here's the synopsis:

"A compelling and spirited debut from Lisa M. Basso in which sixteen-year-old Rayna Evans has spent the last three years locked away in a mental institution for seeing angels. Intent on remaining free, she ignores signs that she may be slipping into the world she has tried so hard to climb out of. But when her hallucinations begin showing up at school, can Rayna keep her job, her sanity and keep students from dying at the hand of angels she can't admit to seeing?

Psychiatry, fantasy and real life come together in A Shimmer of Angels, as a young girl struggles with identity, secrets and confronting her greatest fears. A Shimmer of Angels is a wonderful read for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider, or perhaps has felt like giving up entirely. It touches on themes of suicide, ostracism and emotional pain. The author, personally exposed to suicide through the death of her beloved family member will donate a percentage of sales of this novel to a local suicide prevention and outreach program in San Francisco, California."

Ok, so y'all know I'm an angel girl so of course I'm interested in reading this book but with the huge influx of angel books over recent times, I always ask the question - what makes this book different? Well, I'm really interested in the inclusion of possible mental illness whether it's real or not. I like the themes involved and I'm wondering if this book will make me cry. I also love the fact that this is a debut author who won a contest on YALITCHAT to get this book published so it's obviously got something. And the cover? GORGEOUS!

A Shimmer of Angels is published on 20th November, 2012.

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 Ten by Gretchen McNeil. Here's the synopsis:

"And their doom comes swiftly.

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off the from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?"

So, first things first. Awesome cover, right? And does this read like a movie or what?! It may not be an original plot but I'm still excited to read it and find out who the killer is and why. I'm really hoping that Gretchen will shock the hell out of me and surprise me at every twist and turn. No pressure there, Gretchen!

Ten is published on 18th September, 2012 and if you're in the US, you can win an ARC on Goodreads now. Gretchen does not have a UK publisher as of yet but I'm thinking this may need to change ;)

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 Adaptation by Malinda Lo. Here's the synopsis:

"Reese and David don't remember what happened to them after a bird flew into their headlights on the Extraterrestrial Highway--not the resulting car accident and certainly not a bit of the 21 days of care at the military hospital in Nevada. It's a good thing, the doctors and colonels tell them, that they crashed on a military base, but they won't tell Reese and David what the extent of their injuries were, or how they were healed. They do tell them they're not going home, though, until they sign a confidentiality agreement.

When they get home, Reese can't help but find everything a little weird. Worldwide bird strikes resulting in plane crashes have grounded air travel, David won't talk to her, and she could swear she's seen her military doctors around the neighborhood. It's only when she meets Amber Grey that things in her life begin to really fall apart, and the mysteries of the bird strikes, the military, and her own treatment come together. Reese realizes that she must find out what they did to her in that hospital, but her search for the truth threatens to expose a vast global conspiracy that the government has worked for decades to keep secret.

What if we aren't alone in the universe? What if the alien is inside us?"

I can't tell you how much the synopsis really floats my boat - a conspiracy and alien involvement? YES! It reads like a movie and I can't wait to see it play out when I read the book!
Adaptation is published on 18th September, 2012 with no news yet of a UK release.

The One that I Want Review

Want to read my review of The One that I Want by Jennifer Echols? Just click here. Hope you enjoy :)

Fever Review

“Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.”

After the huge success of Wither, Fever has to be one of the most anticipated sequels of this year. I really didn’t know where Lauren was going to take us in this book and I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised. Of course, Fever picks up immediately where Wither left off with Rhine and Gabriel escaping the mansion AKA the house of horrors with the creepy basement and horrific experiments. They continue on their mission to find Rhine’s twin brother Rowan whilst at the same time finding out that being free isn’t as easy as they thought it would be. Along the way, they meet “ze crazy madame” who has to be one of the best characters in this book. I adored the false vibrancy of the carnival setting with its dark and seedy undertones but just as you settle into the story, the setting changes again and again and again as Rhine and Gabriel travel further along their journey.

One of the things I like about sequels is that we get to see character development and Fever is of no exception but I’m deliberately holding out on you here as by expanding on this, I would be giving too much away. What I will say though is that one of the most confusing things for me about Fever is the relationship between Rhine and Gabriel. Yes, they’ve escaped together and I know that they care about each other but sometimes I can’t work out whether there is any romance/love there? Do they even know themselves how they feel about each other? Also, I couldn’t work out why Rhine continues to wear her wedding ring throughout the entire book even though it must have been a slap in the face for Gabriel every time he saw it? This is a past she is running away from, remember. I’m sure this intentional and it is a case of them trying to figure out their feelings, I just hope that we find some resolve in the third and final book. So far, this series has had me questioning whether it is better to be imprisoned in comfortable surroundings and treated like a queen or suffer in poverty with your freedom in hand. I’m not sure if I could answer that question right now to be honest.

I can’t tell you how much I adore Lauren’s writing style that is lyrically beautiful at times but never fails to hold my attention. Fever was a very worthy sequel and with that ending? Dear God, we’re going to need the next book STAT.

Fever was published on 16th February, 2012 in the UK and 21st February, 2012 in the US. To find out more about Lauren Destefano and her books, please click here.

You know you're a book blogger when...

Getting new book shelves is the best. Present. Ever.

Re arranging your book shelves is an epic event

You lose your job and all you can think about is “how am I going to buy more books?”

You have a gazillion books in your TBR pile....but you still need to buy more

A new movie comes out and you say “it’s based on a bestselling book and it’s awesome!

Embrace Review

Embrace by debut novelist Jessica Shirvington is getting a lot of buzz right now in America and so imagine my surprise when I found out that it had already been published in the UK last year. How did I miss this? Honestly, I think it has a lot to do with the cover. I know that we shouldn’t just a book by its cover but the cover is the first thing that attracts you to wanting to know more about the book, just like you have to be attracted to a person to want to know more about them. The UK cover is dark and not eye catching in the slightest. I actually think it blends in too well with all the other dark romance books on the shelves. Now compare that to the vibrant, violet beauty that is the US cover and to be honest, there’s no competition. I’ve ordered the US version based on that alone as I loved the book. Here’s the synopsis:

“It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…”

Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before.

Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her.

A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden…”

It’s no secret that I’m a bit of an angel girl and as such, I do like reading YA fiction about angels. I will admit to becoming a bit fatigued with the subject though especially as there has been an influx of angel books in recent times. So, what makes this book different? It’s darker, grittier, sexier and just VERY, VERY GOOD!

The main protagonist is Violet Eden and she’s just a normal girl trying to get over something awful that happened to her. I very much like her mantra (don’t run and don’t quit) and am thinking of adopting this for myself or at the very least, it’s begging to go on a t-shirt. Violet is a 3 dimensional character with personality and integrity. Ever since she was attacked, she has been learning to defend herself through kick boxing, I mean this is not some chick that is going to lie down and let life walk all over her and that makes me want to high five the crap out of her. She’s been working out with a guy called Lincoln and they’re pretty much best friends now only Violet has been in love with him for some time and he’s still playing the friend card. Funnily enough, Lincoln is a guy who I felt sorry for throughout the entire book. He is bound by his fate, dutiful to the core (apart from that one SENSATIONALLY HOT kiss) and he always seems to be the one coming off worst. I know he lied to Violet about who he is and who she is even and I don’t condone it but she needs to look a little deeper into WHY he withheld the truth from her and then learn the art of forgiveness.

Just when Violet couldn’t be any more vulnerable, here comes Phoenix. As you might know, I am an absolute sucker for the bad boy trying to be good. In fact, I didn’t really see Phoenix as the bad boy in the end. He can’t help who he is and where he comes from. He never lied about who he was although really, I guess he kind of did if you think that withholding something is the same as lying. There are definitely shades of grey when it comes to Phoenix.

I have to say though that the romance was one of my favourite things about the book. On one hand it was heartfelt and on the other it was hot and steamy as hell. I guess it is a bit of a love triangle but I was rooting for Lincoln the whole time! Having said all that, another thing I liked about the book was that it’s not just about the romance, there is actually a decent plot. There’s obviously more to come and I can’t wait to read the sequel later on in the year. I’m actually quite jealous of the Australians as the sequel entitled Entice is already in print over there.

I know what you’re thinking – you probably think *groan* another angel story and *groan* another love triangle but please, please give this a go as you won’t be disappointed. This is a seductive story that’s action packed and full of tension featuring a kick ass heroine who is more real than a lot of other book characters out there. Embrace is an excellent start to a brand new series that I will definitely be following.

Embrace was published in October 2010 in Australia, 6th October, 2011 in the UK and 6th March, 2012 in the US. To find out more about Jessica Shirvington and her books, please click here to visit her website and here to visit the series website. Jessica is also active on Facebook and Twitter.

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 Beta by Rachel Cohn. Here's the synopsis:

"In a world constructed to absolute perfection, imperfection is difficult to understand—and impossible to hide.

Elysia is a clone, created in a laboratory, born as a sixteen year old girl, an empty vessel with no life experience to draw from. She is a Beta, an experimental model of teenaged clone. She was replicated from another teenage girl, who had to die in order for Elysia to be created.

Elysia's purpose is to serve the inhabitants of Demesne, an island paradise for the wealthiest people on earth. Everything about Demesne is bioengineered for perfection. Even the air there induces a strange, euphoric high that only the island's workers—soulless clones like Elysia—are immune to.

At first, Elysia's new life on this island paradise is idyllic and pampered. But she soon sees that Demesne's human residents, the most privileged people in the world who should want for nothing, yearn. And, she comes to realize that beneath its flawless exterior, there is an undercurrent of discontent amongst Demesne's worker clones. She knows she is soulless and cannot feel and should not care—so why are overpowering sensations clouding Elysia's mind?

If anyone discovers that Elysia isn't the unfeeling clone she must pretend to be, she will suffer a fate too terrible to imagine. When Elysia's one chance at happiness is ripped away from her with breathtaking cruelty, emotions she's always had but never understood are unleashed. As rage, terror, and desire threaten to overwhelm her, Elysia must find the will to survive. "

OK, let's start with the cover - isn't it gorgeous? And in case you're wondering why the name Rachel Cohn sounds familiar, she co-wrote the gorgeous Dash and Lily's Book of Dares (which I loved) and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist with David Levithan. I think Beta sounds a lot like a YA version of the movie "The Island" but regardless, I'm definitely interested to read it! I have no idea whether or not it will be published in the UK but it goes on sale in October, 2012.

Cover Reveal - My Super Sweet 16th Century

Along with several other hundred bloggers, I am very pleased to reveal the cover for My Super Sweet 16th Century by Rachel Harris to you today. If you haven't heard of the book, here's the synopsis:

"On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore.

Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?"

I think this book sounds really cute and I have ALWAYS wanted to go to Italy but never quite managed it. I love anything to do with time travel and this book reminds me a little of the movie Kate and Leopold only this time, it's the girl that's the fish out of water (so to speak). Piqued your interest? Here's a little excerpt from the book:

I hear their muffled whispers and understand every Italian word. Every witty comment made at my expense. It’s like my brain is automatically translating. I bunch the soft fabric of the dress in my hand and then reach up to feel the ribbon in my hair. I lightly skim my fingers over my chin and feel my lack of zit. I take in the costumes of the crowd, the stench of the animals, and the Italian I can now speak and understand. And suddenly it hits me. Reyna must have pulled some kind of gypsy mojo. Maybe this is one of those nifty “change your life” magic scenarios like in the movies. I mean, mostly I’m still expecting to blink and be right back in the midst of overpriced, gaudy tourism, but for now, the gypsy-time-warp explanation is infinitely better than thinking I’ve lost my mind. As I decide to go with that option, I feel my frantic tension melt away.

The growing crowd seems to notice my change in demeanor and begins shooting one another amused looks, but I don’t care anymore. A smile stretches across my face. Evidently, I was wrong earlier; Reyna is a psychic mind reader, because if this is her special brand of bibbity-bobbity-boo, then she made my exact daydream from earlier in the courtyard come to life.
The long red gown, the braided hair, the Italian merchant’s daughter, the time period. I am in Renaissance Florence. I stare dumbly at the ground, the words and reality sinking in. I’m in Renaissance Florence!

My Super Sweet 16th Century is published on 11th September, 2012 by Entangled Publishing and the pre-order links are up. To find out more, click here to visit Rachel's website. She is also active on Facebook and Twitter.

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 Reached by Ally Condie.

As of yet, no synopsis has been shared but I just couldn't wait to put this up as my WOW pick. I loved both Matched and Crossed and I'm so looking forward to reading Reached! A word about the cover? GORGEOUS. Of course red is my favourite colour and I think this one is pretty special in terms of symbolism and gives us a pretty big hint about the book. Reached is published in November, 2012.

Born Wicked Review

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood is not a book I had heard of until fairly recently when I saw all the buzz it created across the pond. It was getting rave reviews from fellow book bloggers and this together with the synopsis definitely piqued my interest and so I ordered the hardback. Born Wicked is a historical novel set in New England at the turn of the 20th century. It centres around the Cahill family - a father and his 3 daughters who were born witches at a time when witchcraft is strictly forbidden. I have to say that I don’t tend to read a lot of historical books and I have absolutely no idea why as I loved this book! The story was simple yet effective and the characters were believable, especially given the setting and time period. This book really took me by surprise. Here’s the synopsis:

“Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship--or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with six months to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate stars scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood -- not even from each other.”

Born Wicked is set in a community that is dominated by the Brotherhood, at a time when women were controlled, oppressed and expected to obey men. On top of that, God help you if you displayed any attributes of witchcraft. Anyone suspected of being a witch is sent to the asylum, carted off on a prison ship or sometimes they simply “disappear” altogether. To be honest though, I think sometimes witchcraft was used an excuse to get rid of a woman who had committed what was a sin in the brotherhood’s eyes or indeed done anything that they did not like or approve of. My goodness, how stifling and what a great reminder of how much freedom women have in today’s society for which I am truly thankful!

What’s interesting to me about the setting is that only female witches are mentioned and I am curious to know if there were any male witches around at that time. If the community only ever suspected women, what a fabulous way for men to practice the craft under the radar so to speak. I’d actually quite like a book like that *makes notes*.

The beginning of Born Wicked reminded me somewhat of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and I think this was solely based on the relationship between the three sisters which I found very believable. Cate, who is our main protagonist, is the oldest sister and as such, she is a girl full of responsibilities and duty especially since the passing of her mother. She is a very practical girl and likes to busy herself with gardening which is where she meets Finn, the young boy taken on as the family gardener and he shares the same sense of responsibility and duty to take care of his family. We need to throw the boy next door into the mix at this point – he has grown up with the sisters and it has always been expected that Cate would marry him. It is at this point that I immediately want to start singing “there may be trouble ahead”. What I really enjoyed about the boys in Born Wicked is that they are both nice guys, it’s just that only one of them was right for Cate and you’ll just have to read the book to find out which one that is ;)

There is one particular scene in the book that stands out for me and without telling you exactly what it is, I will tell you that it just might be included in the trailer below and could possibly include feathers (and no, this is not a replica of Edward and Bella’s honeymoon, heaven forbid!)

I really enjoyed Born Wicked which was beautifully written and I thought the dialogue was superb. I would argue that there is no cliffhanger as such, it’s just that things went down a little differently to what was expected and ultimately, this leaves a lot of questions unanswered, ready for a sequel to come along. I know for sure there will be another book and tentative dates for publication are February, 2013. Born Wicked reads like a modern day classic for me and one that is sure to be enjoyed for many years to come.

Born Wicked was published in the US on 7th February, 2012 and is due to be published in the UK in January, 2013. To find out more about Jessica and her book, please click here to visit her website where you can also read the first two chapters FOR FREE.

Switched Review

Want to read my review of Switched by Amanda Hocking? Well, you can... here. Hope you like it :)

Brodi Ashton on the Blog

So, you all know how much I enjoyed Everneath by Brodi Ashton that I reviewed here right? Well, today I'm very pleased to welcome Brodi to the blog to talk about something that's very dear to my heart and that is the romance in Everneath. Take it away Brodi...


Hi everyone! I'm so happy that EVERNEATH is out in the U.K., and I'm even happier to be a part of the blog today, to talk about the romance in EVERNEATH, because hands down it's one of the most common themes in the questions I get from readers.

The Romance:

It shouldn't be a surprise that the romance is front and center in EVERNEATH, but there are a few elements I wanted to incorporate to make Nikki and Jack's romance unique.

1. They are both human.

A lot of times in Paranormal Romance, the romance part refers to a human who falls for a paranormal creature, and the conflict comes from the differences in their species. Vampire falls for a human, and ACK! He wants to drain her! She's growing old! He can't control his animal instincts! She seems very squishy, because she's human!

In EVERNEATH, it was important for me that the romance was between two humans, with no real special abilities. The attraction they feel toward each other is epically strong, and yet has nothing to do with any sort of superpower, or ancient curse, or fate. I love reading about these stories as much as the next person, but in Everneath I wanted the romance to be organic, and something that any one of us could've experienced in high school.

2. They didn't fall in love at first sight.

Even though Jack is pretty sure he fell for Nikki when he was twelve years old and she nearly beheaded him with a baseball, he didn't do anything about it for years. They were the best of friends first, and it was a long time before either of them could admit there were deeper feelings there.

3. Neither of them is perfect.

They both have flaws. Lots and lots of gorgeous human flaws!! The beauty in life comes in the shades of gray, I think. And Nikki and Jack both have shades of gray.

Thank you so much for having me on your blog!


Thank you for being here Brodi. Everneath is out now and it comes highly recommended!

A Message from Lauren Oliver to her UK Fans