Happy 2 Year Blogoversary

Today is my blogoversary and a celebration of 2 years blogging about books. I've loved every minute of doing it and I still do. I've met some amazing friends and authors, read some pretty awesome books (often before they are released) and got to go to BEA last year which rocked my literary world. I want to say a huge thank you to my followers as without you, there would be no one to read and comment on my reviews. I know I've been slacking a bit lately (due to personal reasons) but I've read a ton of books and am ready to start writing the reviews so they are coming! To celebrate my blogoversary and as a thank you to my followers, I've got some fantastic books to give away. You can win:

UK Hardback of Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate (perfect for Valentine's Day)

UK paperback (SIGNED) of The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

UK paperback boxset (SIGNED) of The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare including City of Fallen Angels

US paperback (SIGNED) of City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

US paperback (SIGNED) of Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

UK paperback of Clockwork Prince (Collector's Edition) by Cassandra Clare

In case you're wondering, I met Cassandra Clare not that long ago and her books are AMAZING so I got lots of extra copies! All you have to do to enter, is click on the Rafflecopter link. Winners will be chosen at random using random.org. Good luck everyone and remember YOU HAVE TO BE A FOLLOWER TO ENTER. This contest is for UK followers (due to cost reasons) but if you are from another country and are willing to pay for shipping, then feel free to enter :)

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 Pandemonium by the very brilliant Lauren Oliver. Here's the synopsis:

"I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite."

I'm cheating a little here, not because the book is out as it isn't yet but because I've already read the ARC and OMG if you were a fan of Delirium, then YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK and that's all I can say on the matter other than look out for my review very soon! I'm not entirely sure about the cover design change as I'm not a big fan of doing this right in the middle of a series. I don't know when industry professionals are going to realise that this is never a good idea as then the books don't match and generally, there is outrage among the book blogging community. Anyway, what you see here is the UK cover and if you're interested, here is the US cover...
Again, the US cover is of a different design to Delirium but I have to say that I prefer the US covers in this instance. Pandemonium is published on 28th February, 2012 in the US and 1st March, 2012 in the UK.

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 Purity by Jackson Pearce. Here's the synopsis:

"Hours before her mother died, Shelby promised her three things-- to listen to her father, to live life without restraint, and to love whenever possible.

Those promises were easy to keep when she was younger, but things get tricky when she turns sixteen. Shelby's still-grieving father joins a committee at their church to host a Princess Ball-- a dance where young women pledge their purity (namely, their virginity) to their father's safekeeping until they marry.

But Shelby has a Life List-- things she wants to do, to live without restraint like she promised her mother-- and getting married young isn't on it. Waiting until she's thirty to have her first time isn't on it either. But how is she supposed to keep her promise to listen to her father if she refuses to pledge? By exploiting a loophole- by losing her virginity before the Ball.

She and her best friend Jonas make a list of potential partners, but somewhere in-between failed attempts at losing her virginity, trying to answer some lingering questions about God, and planning the Ball with her Dad, Shelby starts to understand what her mother really meant, what her father really needs, and who really has the right to her PURITY."

I really enjoyed Sisters Red which as it stands, is the only book I've read of Jackson's although I still have As you Wish and Sweetly to read. I do like the idea behind Purity and am looking forward to the exploration of it through Shelby's eyes. I think it will be both entertaining and thought provoking and did I mention how much I like the cover? Simple yet effective. Purity is published in the US on 24th April, 2012 with no word of a UK release at present. To find out more about Jackson and her books, click here to visit her website.

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 book I heard about from the lady herself, last year when she was in London and that book is Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Here's the synopsis:

"Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human.

And then every day in between . . .She's something else entirely.

Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.

When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive. . .and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process".

I think this book sounds hilarious and a little bit superhero like but with...interesting consequences. One day you have power. The next day you don't. So what happens when you're forced to face down your enemies on a day you have no super powers whatsoever? I for one am dying to find out. I also need to mention that I LOVE the cover. I'm a huge fan of hourglasses, red is my favourite colour and obviously that it supposed to be blood so I'm guessing it fits with the story. I really hope Jennifer injects a dose of her humour into this story as only as she can and you know what? I've already got this one on pre order. Every Other day is published on 2nd February in the UK, 8th March in the US and for some strange reason it is already available on kindle but you'll pay a premium for it.

The Book of Blood and Shadow Blog Tour

I believe I am an unofficial stop for The Book of Blood and Shadow Blog Tour that has been happening lately and so without further ado, I'd like to welcome the author Robin Wasserman to the blog. Have you ever wondered what's involved in writing books? Or what an author's typical day looks like? Well, Robin is here to tell you all about hers...

ROBIN WASSERMAN – A Day in the Life

7:30 AM – Wake up. Check email. Notice the time and feel very proud of starting the day so early. Resolve to jump out of bed and be immediately productive.

7:35 AM – Back to sleep.

8:30 AM – Wake up again, begrudgingly. Skim the headlines, watch Daily Show and Colbert clips on gawker, whine on twitter, Google self, exhaust all potential procrastinatory activities and finally, get up.

9:25 AM – Crank up Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” dance, sing. NOW READY TO FACE THE DAY!

9:30-10:30 AM – Get waylaid on the path to productivity by clogged shower drain. Drano. Drano. Plunge. Plunge. Drano. Despair.

10:45 AM – Settle into coffee shop and either make small talk with fellow easily distracted writers or stare moodily into hot chocolate while mulling the chunk of story that lies ahead.

11 AM – Write.

11:10 AM – Check email. Check Gawker. Check twitter. Google self, again. Turn off internet as preventative/punitive measure.

11:30 AM – Write.

11:45 AM – Check email on phone.

12 PM – Cookie time!

12:10 PM - WRITE. No excuses this time. Internet off. Eyes forward. Type words and try to ignore how crappy they might be. Continue typing until the day’s word count is met.

3:30 PM – Triumph! Slam laptop shut and resist urge to throw it in the trash. Head home for productive afternoon of email triage, website management, book promoting, secret freelance project writing.

3:45 PM – Instead, re-engage with shower battle. More plunging. More Drano. More shouting.

4:30 PM – Email editor with minor question.

4:32 PM – No response from editor. Refresh email approximately every thirty seconds.

4:35 PM – Decide editor must hate me. Career is over. All is darkness and gloom. Start considering law school applications or refrigerator repair school.

4:40 PM – Google self again. Check in on Goodreads to prove to self that some people like my books.

4:42 PM – Remember that some people do and some people…don’t. Try not to weep.

5:00 PM –Busywork: Write more blog posts for blog tour. Answer fan mail. (Feel guilty about answering it so slowly.) Pay taxes. Finally get together copies of books to mail out to bloggers…discover that post office has been closed for hours.

7:00 PM – Dinner with writerly friends. Assure each other our books are not terrible, our careers are not over, our manuscripts will get finished. Feel very confident that’s true for everyone else.

9:00 PM – Wine and ice cream consumed. Feel very confident about pretty much everything.

11:00 PM – TV: Try to decide between catching up on Gossip Girl, rewatching Torchwood, starting Breaking Bad. Take the path of least resistance and watch current episode of Private Practice. Feel deep sense of shame.

12:00 AM – Lights out. Go to sleep vowing that next day will be more productive. Up and working by 7:30 AM, no questions asked.

Hey, it could happen.

Thanks Robin and WOW, that's pretty full on. The Book of Blood and Shadow is published on 19th January, 2012 in the UK and 10th April, 2012 in the US. You should check back soon for my review :) To find out more about Robin, please click here to visit her website. She is also active on Facebook and Twitter.

Waiting on Wednesday

So, yes I've been a little quiet on the blog lately sue to the craziness that was Christmas and new year, but I'm back! "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 Gilt by Katherine Longshore. Here's the synopsis:

"In the Tudor age, ambition, power and charismatic allure are essential and Catherine Howard has plenty of all three. Not to mention her loyal best friend, Kitty Tylney, to help cover her tracks. Kitty, the abandoned youngest daughter of minor aristocracy, owes everything to Cat – where she is, what she is, even who she is. Friend, flirt, and self-proclaimed Queen of Misrule, Cat reigns supreme in a loyal court of girls under the none-too-watchful eye of the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk.

When Cat worms her way into the heart of Henry VIII and becomes Queen of England, Kitty is thrown into the intoxicating Tudor Court. It’s a world of glittering jewels and elegant costumes, of gossip and deception. As the Queen’s right-hand-woman, Kitty goes from the girl nobody noticed to being caught between two men – the object of her affection and the object of her desire.

But the atmosphere of the court turns from dazzling to deadly, and Kitty is forced to learn the difference between trust and loyalty, love and lust, secrets and treason. And to accept the consequences when some lessons are learned too late."

Although this is historical and based around real events, I actually quite like the sound of it. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed movies like Girl with a Pearl Earring, Perfume and The Other Boleyn Girl and so I'm excited to read this. I always like the idea of seeing stories from another perspective and so the best friend aspect is one that works for me. Gilt is published on 15th May, 2012 with no news of a UK release as of yet. To find out more about Katherine, please click here to visit her website.

Waiting on Wednesday

So last week, I did not participate in Waiting on Wednesday. Yes, sometimes I suck. I can't even begin to tell you how busy I am at the moment ESPECIALLY as now I have to add Christmas to the to do list. Anyway, I'm definitely doing it this week! Just to remind you, "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 book I've been excited about since I first heard about it at BEA - False Memory by Dan Krokos. Here's the synopsis:

"Miranda wakes up alone on a park bench with no memory. In her panic, she releases a mysterious energy that incites pure terror in everyone around her. Except Peter, a boy who isn’t at all surprised by Miranda’s shocking ability.

Left with no choice but to trust this stranger, Miranda discovers she was trained to be a weapon and is part of an elite force of genetically-altered teens who possess flawless combat skills and powers strong enough to destroy a city. But adjusting to her old life isn’t easy—especially with Noah, the boyfriend she can't remember loving.

Then Miranda uncovers a dark truth that sets her team on the run. Suddenly her past doesn’t seem to matter...when there may not be a future."

I've been wanting to read this for a long time now as I think it sounds potentially very good and I know Dan is a debut author and I want to support him. I'm certainly not quite done with the dystopian genre and like anything to do with memory as I find the subject fascinating which means this book is well and truly on my radar. The cover was just revealed recently and I think it's stunning. It kind of reminds me of the movie "The Running Man" but that's OKAY. False Memory is published on 14th August, 2012. No news of foreign rights sales as of yet.

WINNERS!

Recently, I've had two giveaways and it's time to announce the winners! Thank you to EVERYONE who entered the contests but there can only be one winner and random.org has chosen the following people.

For the Stacey Kade book of their choice:

Brandi from Brandi's Book Musings.

For the UK hardback of The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor:

Girlinthelens from Girl in the Lens

Congratulations ladies! The winners have now been e mailed and will have 48 hours to respond otherwise a new winner will be chosen. There will be more contests in the near future.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight Review

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith may have a ridiculously long title but somehow it works and it’s highly appropriate considering the content. You know that part of the book when you finally realise why it has a particular title and/or the title gets used within the text? That’s one of my favourite parts of a book and I melted when this title was used in dialogue by one of the main characters. A fitting title perhaps from one of the most romantic books I’ve read in a while. It gave me the same warm and fuzzies I got from reading Anna and The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Not only is it an easy read, it’s hugely entertaining and you WONT WANT to put it down. Here’s the synopsis:

“Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18B. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.”

This book reminded me a little of the movie Before Sunrise where two strangers meet on their travels and spend 24 hours with each other. I have to say that I loved the concept of SPOLAFS from the outset. I mean, have you ever flown solo on a really long flight? If so, I’m sure you wondered about whom you’d be sitting next to, what they would be like. What’s funny about plane journeys is that they’re actually quite intimate. There’s no escape and you have to spend hours with complete strangers, making conversation and possibly getting to know each other. And if you’re lucky enough to meet someone that you’re interested in then it’s always sad to say goodbye when the journey reaches its final destination. But who says you have to say goodbye, right?

SPOLAFS is the ultimate romantic book and one of the strongest things about it? The dialogue. It was so natural and charming; there was nothing false or cheesy about it. Oliver was so lovely; I would quite happily sit next to him on a plane ride :) Speaking of which, there was a particular line in the book that that brought a tear to my eye and although it’s a personal story, I will still tell it. When I was 18, I was an au pair in America and I stayed out there for about 13 months without going home once. I bought endless phone cards and tried to talk to my parents whenever I could. I remember having a particularly rough day, crying down the phone when my mum said to me “Honey, I may be back in England but I love you and at the end of the day, it’s only geography”. There’s a really similar line in the book and it caught me off guard. Good job I already had some tissues at the ready!

I can totally see this book as a movie and I hope to God some hot shot production company buys the film rights as it totally deserves to be up on the big screen. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is dripping in gorgeousness and has stolen my heart. Whenever I have to fly solo in the future, I’m always going to be wondering if an Oliver will be sat next to me.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is published on 2nd January, 2012 in the US and 5th January, 2012 in the UK. I’d definitely recommend you put this one on your Christmas list!

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 Something Like Normal by Trish Doller. Here's the synopsis:

"When Travis Stephenson returns home from Afghanistan, his parents are on the brink of divorce, his brother has stolen his girlfriend and his car, and nightmares of his best friend getting killed keep him completely spooked. But when he runs into Harper Gray, a girl who despises him for trashing her reputation with a middle school lie, life actually starts looking up. As Travis and Harper see more of each other, he starts falling for her and a way through the family meltdown, the post-traumatic stress, and the possibility of an interesting future begins to emerge. His sense of humor, sense of his own strength, and incredible sense of honor make Travis an irresistible and eminently lovable hero in this fantastic and timely debut novel."

So, I read the first chapter of this the other day (which is on Trish's website) and I loved it so much that I pre ordered the book! I'm excited to read about a soldier (YUM) but also to delve into the issues surrounding what it's like to be out there in Afghanistan and what it's like to come away from that. I immediately loved Travis' voice and I'm looking forward to reading the book which will be a birthday present to myself....from myself ;)

Something like Normal is published on 19th June, 2012. There is no news about a UK release as of yet. To find out more about Trish and her books, click "a href="http://www.trishdoller.com">here to visit her website.

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 Starters by Lissa Price. Here's the synopsis:

"The first in a futuristic thriller series featuring a society where youth is coveted at an impossible price, and one girl's ability to bring it all crumbling down."

I realise there is not a great deal of information to go on but I remember hearing about this book at the Random House bloggers meeting. Lissa Price is a screenwriter and if I remember rightly this is something to do with hiring out your body to others but don't quote me on that. Anyway, will you look at that gorgeous cover? I love the dystopian genre and I can't wait to read this!

Starters is published on 13th March, 2012 in the US and 5th April, 2012 in the UK.

Movie Trailers

There are a lot of movies coming out next year that I am EXTREMELY excited about and a lot of the trailers are just starting to appear now. Just in case you've failed to notice them or heaven forbid, have never heard of them in the first place, I wanted to show you...

First up, is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This is one of my favourite trilogies EVER and I can't wait to see it up on the big screen. If you haven't read this yet, DO IT. DO IT NOW.



Then we have Snow White and the Huntsman, starring Kristen Stewart. This is of course a retelling of the classic fairytale but it's what I lovingly call "the dark fantasy version". Snow White is portrayed as some kind of bad ass girl hero and I like that.



Then we have the rival film Mirror Mirror, which seems to be a much lighter retelling with comedic elements and probably aimed at a younger audience. I definitely still want to see it though and it will be interesting to compare the two films.



Finally, we have The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am to see this. There is no official trailer as of yet but I loved this fanmade one.



I have a feeling that 2012 is going to be a pretty good year ;)

Daughter of Smoke and Bone Review (and a giveaway)

I have decided that I’d quite like to live inside Laini Taylor’s head. Her imagination is OFF THE CHARTS and I’m suitably impressed with the amount of originality oozing off the pages of this book. I’d heard about Daughter of Smoke and Bone back in March when I had the opportunity to meet Laini (see here) and then I saw Laini’s post about her visit to her UK publishers (see here) and it was a feast for the eyes! I remember thinking “beautiful but weird” and now I’ve actually read the book, the decorations make sense! Curious? You should be. Here’s the synopsis:

“Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?”

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a high fantasy novel that takes you on an enticing trip around Europe and will have you adding places like Geneva, Prague and Marrakesh to your “places to visit before you die” list. Laini’s writing is effortless and more than worthy of a little envy I think. Her concept is original and highly entertaining and I feel more intelligent after reading this book, like Laini assumes her readers are intelligent and treats us as such.

I’m not sure I have a favourite character as they were all equally well written although I had a soft spot for Kishmish. I thought Karou was a fantastic protagonist - creative, intelligent, sneaky and a certainly not a girl to be messed with! And Akiva? You know what’s coming, don’t you? Yep *adds to list of literary boyfriends*.

I’m not usually such a huge fan of high fantasy but Daughter of Smoke and Bone took me by surprise and has me reconsidering my outlook on this. I’m very pleased to report that this is part of a planned trilogy and I will be watching with interest to see where the story goes next. A superb book that should act as a guide on how to write fantasy, and write it well.

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone was published on 29th September , 2011 both in the US and the UK. To find out more about Laini Taylor and her books, please click here to visit her website. She is also active on Twitter.

If you would like to win a gorgeous UK hardback, then please leave a comment with your name and e mail address. This contest is open to UK readers only however if you are an international reader and are willing to pay for shipping, you can enter. The winner will be chosen at random and once notified, they have 48 hours to claim their prize otherwise another winner will be chosen. The deadline is 30th November and any entries made after that date will be disqualified. Good luck!

Shut Out Review

I have to admit that any book or movie that features sport immediately makes my eyes glaze over. I am not and probably never will be much of a sporty person. FACT. And yet time and time again, when I DO give these sorts of stories a chance, I’m always surprised by how much I enjoyed them. For example, I had no interest whatsoever in watching the movie “The Blind Side” but when I finally sat down to watch it, I loved it. With that in mind, I wanted to give Shut Out by Kody Keplinger a chance aaaaaand....I really enjoyed it! It was nice to read a contemporary book for a change, not a hint of the paranormal in sight and yet it was equally as entertaining. Here’s the synopsis:

“Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part, Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention.

Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: she and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. And Lissa never sees her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling, coming.

Inspired by Aristophanes' play Lysistrata, critically acclaimed author of The Duff (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) Kody Keplinger adds her own trademark humor in this fresh take on modern teenage romance, rivalry and sexuality.”

First off, let’s just get this out of the way early on. YES, the girl on the book cover REALLY looks like Liv Tyler. I’m sure it’s probably not her but it sure does look like her. I love the fact that this book is based on a play by the ancient Greek playwright, Aristophanes and even though it was written centuries ago, it STILL translates really well to modern day. This is a battle of the sexes but does anybody really win in the end?

I read another review of Shut Out a while ago that slammed Keplinger for choosing to write about how the girls only way of halting the rivalry was to use sex and how instead, they should have started some kind of youtube campaign. Had I been drinking coffee at the time, I’m sure I would have snorted it through my nose. Don’t get me wrong, everyone is entitled to their opinion but I thought that was an incredibly unrealistic thing to say. Youtube campaigns and petitions have their place but this is not one them. I commend the girls in this book for hitting the guys where it hurts (so to speak) and it wasn’t just about denying sex. There were plenty of girls who were virgins and so for them; it was more about withholding affection. Also, through doing this, some of the girls found out how their boyfriends REALLY felt about them when they were caught shacking up with someone else.

This book explores the issue of teenage sex and how everyone thinks that everyone else is doing it and no one knows if they’re doing it right because no one talks about it. When they DO start talking about it, it becomes a revelation for all. This is a book to get you thinking, it’s incredibly readable, highly entertaining and should ignite some interesting discussion among teens and adults alike.

Shut Out was published on 5th September, 2011. To find out more about Kody Keplinger and her books, please click here to visit her 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 Larkstorm by Dawn Rae Miller. Here's the synopsis:

"In the years following the destructive Long Winter, when half the world’s population perished, the State remains locked in battle against the Sensitives: humans born with extra abilities.

As one of the last descendants of the State’s Founders, seventeen-year-old Lark Greene knows her place: study hard and be a model citizen so she can follow in her family’s footsteps. Her life’s been set since birth, and she’s looking forward to graduating and settling down with Beck, the boy she’s loved longer than she can remember.

However, after Beck is accused of being Sensitive and organizing an attack against Lark, he disappears. Heartbroken and convinced the State made a mistake, Lark sets out to find him and clear his name.

But what she discovers is more dangerous and frightening than Sensitives: She must kill the boy she loves, unless he kills her first."

It's a dystopian!! You know how much I love dystopian books, right? This book sounds right up my street - full of angst, romance and struggle. Also, the cover is simply beautiful and I'm pre ordering as soon as the link becomes available. The good news is we won't have to wait very long for his as Larkstorm is published on 5th December, 2011. No news about a UK release but apparently it will also be available in e book format. To find out more about Dawn and her books, please click here to visit her website.

Shatter Me Review

“He pulls my swaddled figure close to his chest and I shatter”

I have to admit that I had never heard of Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi before BEA (Books Expo America) but there was a lot of blogger buzz about it and Tahereh was signing ARCs so I queued up to get one as I trust my fellow book bloggers. I was pleased to meet Tahereh and she was so sweet and tiny but that meeting has much more meaning now I’ve read her debut novel and I wish I could have hugged her and told her how fantastic it is. Yep, the girl done good and I can’t wait for you all to read it. Here’s the synopsis:

“Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now, so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.”

It’s no secret that I love dystopian books and I have to say that what I love most about Shatter Me is the writing - it is so beautifully lyrical and I’ve not seen a style quite like this before. I thought the opening chapter was amazing and so unexpected. In the beginning, Tahereh has you questioning so many things and I love that kind of mental stimulation.

Juliette is our protagonist and I just wanted to give her a hug (although it would probably kill me!). I felt her loneliness crawl off the pages and I can’t imagine what it would be like never to touch anyone for fear of hurting them. I tell you what though, it’s certainly a sure fire way to get the lustometer scale to go off the charts and DAMN, it certainly did. Adam is a hot, military man (dear God do I love a man in uniform) who has more secrets than a teenage girl’s diary. Seriously. And he has a connection with Juliette, only where do his true motives really lie? Ooooooh....you’ll have to read and find out ;)

I’m going to pause right here and make a confession which involves a short story so bear with me. I went to a Cassandra Clare event recently in London that was hosted by Sarah Rees Brennan. During the event, Sarah admitted to being the captain of Team Sebastian (for those of you who have not read the books, without going into detail, Sebastian is pure evil) and how he just needed some love and this made me question Sarah’s sanity (I love you really, Sarah). However, I now find myself in a position of complete understanding as I declare myself captain of Team Warner. In Shatter Me, Warner is the guy in charge and some might describe him as a bit of a psycho who wants to use Juliette’s power as a weapon but pffft.....I think he is a tortured soul with a complicated past who just needs the love of a good woman to sort him out! I found myself strangely attracted to Warner and this freaked me out for a short time but now I’ve made peace with it. Either I am extremely tolerant or Tahereh is a clever writer ;) I hear on the grapevine that he plays a critical role in the rest of the series and we will learn more about him in upcoming books. WOOT!

I have to admit that I have some slight reservations about where the series will go and if I’m honest; my biggest concern is that it has the potential to turn into X Men. I’m not entirely sure how Tahereh is going to avoid this or where indeed she will take the story but I sure do look forward to finding out. All in all, Shatter Me is a fantastic debut novel full of action and tension and I can't recommend it highly enough. BRING ON BOOK TWO!

Shatter Me is published on 15th November, 2011. There is no news about a UK release but surely, this can’t be far behind after all, the film rights have been sold and I can’t WAIT for this to be up on the big screen!! To find out more about Tahereh and Shatter Me, please click here to access her website. She is also active on Facebook and Twitter. If you don’t know, Tahereh has the BEST Tumblr account ever and you can find that here.

The Crossroads Blog Tour CONTEST

I hope you all enjoyed reading the author interviews I posted as part of the Crossroads Tour although I have to say that they're lacking in comment love somewhat :( I tell you what, one of the authors I interviewed as part of the tour was Stacey Kade and she has graciously offered to give away one of her books on the blog (a book of your choice - either a paperback of Ghost and the Goth or a hardback of Queen of the Dead). All you have to do is comment on one of the author interviews posted as part of The Crossroads Blog Tour and then leave a comment in this post with your name, e mail address and country. This is an INTERNATIONAL giveaway and the winner will be chosen at random as part of some random winner picker software thingy.

Here are the links you will need and if nothing else, you will find out some juicy secrets from them!:

Day 1 with Lucienne Diver and Jackie Morse Kessler
Day 2 with Rachel Vincent
Day 3 with Shannon Delany and Carrie Harris
Day 4 with Kitty Keswick and Linda Joy Singleton
Day 5 with Joy Preble and Dawn Dalton
Day 6 with Jeri Smith Ready and Amanda Ashby
Day 7 with Stacey Kade and Judith Graves
Day 8 with Angie Frazier and Kiki Hamilton

The deadline for this contest is 26th November and all entries made after that date will be disqualified. The winner will be notified and they have 48 hours to claim their prize otherwise a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

Crossed Review

I’m a huge fan of Matched by Ally Condie which I reviewed here and Crossed, the upcoming sequel is one of my most anticipated reads of the year. You can imagine my elation when I found out that Ally was going to be signing ARCs of Crossed at BEA (Books Expo America) which took place earlier this year and fortunately, I was going to be in attendance for the first time ever! There was NO WAY I was going to miss out on snagging one of those ARCs and I also dragged my precious hardback of Matched across the ocean to get that signed too. I’d heard some whispers in the queue that Ally was only signing ARCs that day but I thought “stuff it! I’ve come all this way, I’m a huge fan and I can only ask”. So I got to the front of the line, pulled out Matched and Ally was more than happy to sign it for me *squee* (thanks Ally!).

Matched did not leave us with a cliffhanger as such but it was an ending that definitely left you wanting more. Ky was taken to the Outer Provinces and Cassia has gone after him and this basically forms the plot of Crossed. Here’s the synopsis:

“In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.”

I couldn’t wait to read Crossed and thankfully, it did not disappoint. I enjoyed it just as much as the first book but be warned, it is quite different in that no longer are we in a sprawling urban jungle as the Outer Provinces are made up of desert and rock. I was rooting for Cassia all the way and as the book went on, I became more and more DESPERATE for her to find Ky. What I didn’t expect was my change of heart for Xander and I definitely felt a pull towards him. In book one, it was all about Ky but Xander is the dark horse here and whilst he is only in the book for a short time, his absence is more like a presence. We find out a lot more about Xander in Crossed together with some startling revelations that I certainly did not see coming and these set the tone for the next book.

Whereas Matched was told from Cassia’s point of view, Crossed gives us a split narrative and we get to see the world through Ky’s eyes which I thought gave us more of an insight into his character. It was nice to see the current situation from both sides but I would have LOVED to have seen it through Xander’s ;)

I’ve heard a lot of people say that Crossed is slow and nothing happens but I couldn’t disagree more. I thought it was extremely suspenseful and carried the story along quite nicely. The writing continues to be lyrical and there were some stand out scenes for me. This is supposed to be Cassia’s journey and it was good to see a different part of the landscape and how The Society is involved in everything that happens, even in the Outer Provinces. I did not expect the ending that we were given and this only makes me hungry for more. I suspect that the next book will probably be the best one yet and I can’t wait to read it!

Crossed was published on 1st November, 2011 in the US and 24th November, 2011 in the UK. To find out more about Ally Condie and her books, please click here to visit her website. She is also active on Facebook and Twitter.

A note about Divergent

I have been raving about Divergent by Veronica Roth since the day I finished reading it. This is easily one of the best YA books I've EVER read and I can't recommend it highly enough. If you don't know anything about it, read my review here or just read the synopsis:

"Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place her in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances."

I remember having a conversation with someone from Harper Collins earlier in the year about Divergent and how it hadn't sold as well as expected in the UK which shocked the hell out of me as this book is AMAZING! It was suggested that the cover might have something to do with it as it comes across as quite masculine like, although I have to say that I liked it just the way it was. Anyhow, I'm pleased to present a very new looking paperback of Divergent that will be released in February, 2012 and I think it's gorgeous! I'm probably going to have to get this now to go with my collection :) Definitely snap up a copy of this book and read it before the movie is made. You won't regret it!

To find out more about Veronica Roth, please click here to visit her website.

Overprotected Review

NO ONE writes forbidden romance like Jennifer Laurens and Overprotected is oh, so good. As you might know, I’m a huge fan of Jennifer Laurens books and I really enjoyed this one. There’s something inherently sexy about someone protecting you, even if it is your childhood enemy and especially if you’re not supposed to be attracted to him ;) Here’s the synopsis:

“Ashlyn: A lonely society princess living in New York City.

Daddy hired you to be my bodyguard.

Colin: Childhood enemy, now her protector.

Daddy thought I’d be safe. He thought I’d never fall in love. He thought he could keep me forever.

Charles: obsessed with keeping her safe, keeping her his, he hires the one person he knows she could never fall in love with: Colin.

Daddy was wrong.”

Imagine being wrapped up in a bubble of protection, unable to live your life properly. Sounds like hell right? Especially for a teenage girl. Now imagine that your bodyguard is someone who used to tease you mercilessly and hell just became a whole lot worse. Ashlyn is sometimes a bit spoilt (as you might have guessed) but thankfully she is not annoying. She is a victim of her upbringing and as she’s been wrapped up in cotton wool for so long, she’s not been allowed to grow up. She’s not allowed to go to parties, to sneak out of class, to go on a road trip or any other rite of passage that normal teenagers go through and it’s all for her own protection. Something happened when she was younger that’s turned her dad into some paranoid mess and now that there’s been threats on her life? Well, that’s justification enough in his eyes.

Ashlyn’s last bodyguard got a little too close to her for his liking and so this time daddy isn’t taking any chances, hence the reason he hired the one guy he knew Ashlyn would never fall for. Enter Colin who is by far my favourite character. I love the way he struggles with his emotions vs. doing his duty and I find that incredibly hot. You can see what’s coming a mile off but that doesn’t affect the entertainment value one bit, in fact, it just adds to it as the lustometer soars out of control!

What with Colin, the death threats and the fact that her parents’ marriage is falling apart at the seams, Ashlyn has a lot to deal with and then the worst happens, she is kidnapped. Can Colin save the day? Does he care enough to save her? You’ll just have to read and find out.

Overprotected is yet another fantastic read from Jennifer Laurens and this book takes has pride of place on my bookshelves. With so many books under her belt now, I’m looking forward to seeing what Jennifer has in store for us next ;)

Overprotected was published on 29th April, 2011. To find out more about Jennifer and her books, click here to visit her website.