The Cait Files

Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

2012-02-27T19:00:00.000Z

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Released: 10th January 2012
Publisher: Dutton
Challenge: Contemporary challenge
Rating: 3/5

**I considered not posting my review of this book but ultimately, I don't believe in censure so here it is**

Goodreads description:

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

My thoughts:

It's hard for me to separate out my feelings about this book. Honestly, I'm still not sure how I feel about it. Yes, it's sad and moving but...I just couldn't shake the feeling I was being manipulated. I mean, kids dying of cancer? Strong, intelligent kids dying of cancer? How can that NOT be sad? How can you not find that upsetting. It's upsetting. I felt like my emotions were a ball of string that John Green was shaping into whatever he fancied and, whilst I did feel those emotions, I didn't like it. It's effective storytelling, but it's not the sort of thing I'd want to subject myself to again.

I liked Hazel. I liked the way she spoke and her love of endless TV marathons (I'm a TV marathoner myself...Grey's Anatomy for 12 episodes straight? Yes please.) Augustus I felt the same way about. Again, the way he spoke appealed to me. I know a lot of people say that teenagers just don't speak like that....these people have never met my boyfriend. Or my ex boyfriend. I like the quirky writing style that John Green uses, the way he forms sentences and the feeling that every word has been carefully selected for maximum impact. I also really liked Isaac. He had the worst deal of all of them in my opinion and I liked that he wasn't afraid to be angry or upset. I've heard a lot of people say that John Green recycles his characters in every book but, having never read him before, I'm not really in a position to comment on that.

What I really didn't like was all the profoundness in this book. Why? Because it didn't feel all that profound to me. You wrap something up in big words and have a dying kid say it and suddenly it's this massively deep philosophy? No, I don't think so. Maybe the part of me that actually remembers my philosophy degree is the part speaking here, but I was totally fed up with all these big speeches with 'life lessons' in them and the bandying about of words like 'existential' and 'nihilistic'. It did my head in in a massive way.

So yeah, I had a lot of ups and downs with this book...a lot of negatives and positives so my thoughts are all swirly. Ultimately, you'll probably enjoy it. Pretty much everyone else did, so you should read it. I wish I could've enjoyed it more, I hoped I would and I wanted to, I just...didn't.

In My Mailbox [30]

2012-02-26T11:00:00.001Z

In My Maibox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren

This week I got all eBooks! Yay!

Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine

Not what I'd usually read--the protag is 11 but it's still classified as YA. BUT she's called CAITLIN (best name ever) and has Asperger's syndrome (which my brother has) so I just had to get it

Young Sherlock Holmes: Death Cloud by Andrew Lane

Again, not something I'd usually choose but it was 99p and I'm having Sherlock withdrawal...

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Already read it and holy FREAKING God if it isn't amazing. Seriously, the sexual tension between Katy and Daemon... *fans self* If you haven't already got this one....what is wrong with you? It's SO cheap on kindle too!

So there we have it! Not bad really.

I've also been having my week of bookish indulgence this week to celebrate my blogoversary. The books I've read are:

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Speaking of my blogoversary, don't forget to enter my giveaways:

UK only giveaway

International giveaway (still open to UK residents)

Blogoversary week: How blogging has changed my reading habits

2012-02-24T19:03:00.004Z

When I first started blogging, I did hope it would have a positive effect on my reading. I'd gotten myself into a bit of a rut in the sense that I was reading very similar books (paranormal YA) and had been doing for the past 3 years. I never really read anything new, just continued with the authors I knew I liked, or books I knew I would like. I'd become complacent really, and I wanted blogging to shake that up a bit. Fortunately for me, it did.

1. Less re-reading

Before I started blogging I would re-read endlessly. I read the Sookie Stackhouse novels, the Vampire Academy novels, the Morganville series and a couple of others about once a year, with the addition of the newest book in that particular series. Now I barely re-read and when I do, it's nearly always for comfort. (I re-read the Sweep series and the Nightworld series whilst writing my dissertation). The few books I have re-read since I started blogging have been because they are SO epic they basically DEMAND re-reads (Divergent, THG, Clockwork Prince). This is a double-edged sword. I'm glad I've cut down my over-reliance on re-reading, but I do wish I had the time to indulge in it a little more.

2. Becoming more adventurous

I've definitely become more adventurous in terms of what I'll read. Before I started blogging the only dystopians I'd read were the Noughts and Crosses series and The Declaration by Gemma Malley. Now I'll willingly pick up any dystopian. I've re-discovered my love of contemporary fiction and I've become less suspicious of authors I didn't already know. This is the thing I'm most happy about in regards to blogging. Before I started, I would read anything by Richelle Mead, Rachel Caine, Rachel Vincent, Lili St.Crow, Melissa Marr or Maggie Stiefvater....but that was about it. I was SO wary of anyone I'd not tried before. I was SO sick of Twilight rip-offs that I wouldn't read anything that sounded vaguely similar. Now I'm a lot less particular. I'll give it a go and if I don't like it, I wont finish it.

3. Reading more thoughtfully.

I'm an incredibly fast reader. I think I average about 100pages an hour. BUT that's because I don't often have to THINK much about what I'm reading, because the plots are familiar to me. Now I read much more thoughtfully. I think about the characters, about their actions, about plot devices. Because I HAVE to think about these things to write a decent review. And whilst it has slowed me down, I'm definitely glad I read with more care.

Negative ways blogging has affected my reading:

Reading more slowly.
I definitely read slower now that I blog as well. This isn't strictly a bad thing...I just find it very frustrating, especially when I have a HUGE pile of books to get through...speaking of which...

My TBR pile.
I NEVER had a TBR pile before I started blogging...unless I'd just been to the library (which tbh, doesn't happen all that often) This means that my TBR which, whilst smaller than most blogger's at around 80 books FREAKS ME THE HELL OUT. There's a mini bookshop in my bedroom y'all...I still don't know how to handle it.

Unfinished Books
Before I started blogging, I very rarely didn't finish a book. In fact, the last book I remember not finishing was Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber back in 2008 because it was truly, truly awful. Now, I have unfinished books all over the place. There's a trail of sad, unwanted books wherever I go. Why? Because I'm definitely less selective now. Before I blogged, I'd probably only read a book if I was really sure I was going to like it, and yes, I could tell.Even if I didn't like it fully, I'd still persevere. Now, I do give up. Why? Well, partly because I'm not as invested. When I bought a book before blogging, I'd CHOSEN it, after a lot of thought so giving up on it felt like a betrayal. Now, I'll buy books on a whim, or based off one good review, or I'll read them because I've been sent them for review, and so it's easier for me, emotionally, to cast them aside. There's also the fact that I have many, many more books to read now so I don't see much point wasting time on a book I'm not enjoying, when I could be reading one that I WILL enjoy.

Ultimately though, blogging has positively affected my reading and I will gladly take the minor drawbacks in exchange for all the good things.

How has blogging affected your reading habits, positive or otherwise? And just how do you handle the dreaded TBR pile?

Don't forget to enter my Blogoversary giveaways
UK giveaway
International giveaway

Blogoversary week: The Highlights: Specific

2012-02-23T19:00:00.003Z

Hi guys! So yesterday I did my general blogging highlights as part of my Blogoversary week. I realised I had loads of little moments that really stood out for me, so I thought I'd do a more specific post today.

1.Reaching 100 followers

This was particularly special because it coincided with my one month blogoversary AND with my first ever author interview (with Aimee Carter) AND my first ever giveaway so it was lots of good things all at once!!

2. Amy Plum's comment about my Die For Me review.

I linked Amy to the review and she tweeted back this AMAZING comment:

"I can't tell you how touched I am by your review, Caitlin. Truly touched. As in teary. You totally got what I was trying for. ♥♥"

which seriously just made me feel incredible. The fact that an AUTHOR would be so happy about my review was just...mental.

3. Rachel at Fiktshun listing me as one of her favourite bloggers during Armchair BEA 2011.

At the time I'd only been blogging for 3 months so the fact that a blogger, and one as awesome as Rachel, had picked me out to be highlighted was...wow. I was SO happy about that comment (and I hope it's still true Rachel!)

4. Reaching 500 followers.

Again, a truly awesome milestone and one never expected to reach!!

5. Getting my publishing internship

Not strictly blog-related but I really don't think this would've happened without my blog. For one, I wouldn't have had the confidence to attempt to gain a career in publishing without my blog (it's notoriously difficult, especially for someone so far out of London) and two I think my blog really made me stand out in the application process. This was one of the best things I've ever done and I hope one day I WILL get my publishing job!

6. Meeting Ruth Warburton

This happened at my internship but there's no doubt that we probably wouldn't have even been introduced without my blog existing, let alone got on as well as we did. Ruth is such an inspiring person and she writes amazingly! She let me read a ridiculously early copy of A Witch in Winter and I'm just so glad I got to meet her.

7. Getting quoted on the back cover of A Witch in Winter

Point 6 leads nicely into point 7...being quoted on A Witch in Winter. This was such an amazing feeling, I'm pretty sure I went round showing everybody.

8. Meeting Cassie Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan

I met them both at a Cassie Clare event in London. It's the first author event I've ever been to...and what a one to be my first! They were both so funny and answered loads of questions! I got all my books signed by Cassie Clare but I hadn't known SRB was gonna be there so I didn't take my copies of her books! Hopefully she will do a tour here for Unspoken ;)

9. Getting an advance copy of The Clockwork Prince

Seriously, this is a mega highlight. I got it a month before it came out and I was so frickin excited. I actually screamed. I had to go to work but I took it with me and everything ;) It was my most-anticipated 2011 read so getting to read it early was immense.

10. The Top Ten of 2011 event.

I really loved taking part in this event which was hosted by a whole group of amazing bloggers. I loved doing my rundown lists and reading other people's. It was a really fun event and I enjoyed it!

So there we have it, my list of 10 blogging highlights. I'm sure there's more but...I could be here all day then. I hope my second blogging year brings as many highlights as the first!

Be sure to enter my blogoversary giveaways:
UK giveaway
International giveaway

Blogoversary week: The Highlights: General

2012-02-22T19:00:00.003Z

So today I thought I'd focus on the highlights of my blogging life so far. Today's post is gonna be the general highlights, then tomorrow I'm going to write about the specific things that stand out for me.

1. Actually starting my blog.

It might sound stupid, but starting my blog in the first place was such an amazing thing for me. I've really enjoyed shaping it and interacting with other bloggers and getting involved in the whole book-blogging thing. It's given me confidence in my ability to actually write something that people want to read, in my ability to keep something like this going and make it a success and even in going for my dream career (to work in publishing). I seriously can't imagine what I'd do with my time if I stopped blogging!

2. Meeting some awesome people.

I'm not going to list everyone, because that would take up atleast a blog post in itself. But I've met some amazing bloggers this year and they've all inspired me in some way. You can see some of my favourites in both of the sidebars <---->

But there are a few I want to mention by name.

First up, Fiktshun. Rachel at Fiktshun is a HUGE inspiration to me. Her blog is the sort of blog my blog dreams of becoming. She's a thoughtful, organised and imaginative blogger. I love all her features and everything is always so carefully written and formatted. She's so passionate, whether it's about a recent release or an old favourite (I think we ALL know how she feels about the Soul Screamers series). She's one of those bloggers that has really found her 'voice'.

Next up is Liz from Planet Print. We are eerily similar. We acknowledged this the other night when we created our scale: The complex and highly scientific scale by which we measure the immorality and therefore hotness of male fictional characters. Otherwise known as the Nick-o-meter. We both have the same obsession with amoral characters, the same tastes in TV shows, similar tastes in books and very similar attitudes. Neither of us sleeps, both of us are addicted to junkfood and we're both fairly lazy. There might be 4 years and some miles (I don't know how many exactly) and a North/South divide separating us, but we talk pretty much everyday and I'm very glad I found her!

Finally we have Brodie at Eleusinian Mysteries. I love Brodie because her personality just jumps off the webpage and hits you in the face. She's so enthusiastic and excitable and this comes across in all her posts and comments. She also runs amazing events and I can't believe how much planning must go into them!

There are a tonne of other people I could mention, but I think it's safe to say that if you're reading this, you're probably one of them ;) Thanks to all of you for your conversations, your tips, your book recommendations and your totally awesome blog posts.

3. The books.

I've discovered SO many new authors/books since starting blogging. I'm going to do a post later in the week about how my reading habits have changed, but lets just say I wouldn't have read nearly as many awesome books this past year without blogging. (The Hunger Games, Divergent, Anna and the French Kiss, Delirium, Saving June, the list can go on.) I love how reading everyone's recommendations and reviews, seeing their enthusiasm for certain books really drives me to want to read them too. I love being caught up in the frenzy of love for a particular book--it's all so fun!

So there we have it, my general blogging highlights! Tomorrow's post will be on all the specific things I've loved about blogging and so will probably end up being much, much longer.

Don't forget to enter my blogoversary giveaways!
UK giveaway
International giveaway

Blogoversary week: Giveaway Two

2012-02-21T13:00:00.006Z

If you saw my post yesterday you'll know that this week is my blogoversary! In fact, today is my ACTUAL blogoversary as in it's the day I posted my first ever review (which was City of Bones by Cassandra Clare) so I'm celebrating with an international giveaway for all my amazing followers--thank you all for visiting me at some point during the past year! I really appreciate the fact that even one person read and commented on what I have to say, but the fact that so many of you have stopped by and that I've met some amazing people is the best part of this whole blogging experience for me.

Anyway, onto the giveaway! I ran a poll last week asking what sort of giveaway you'd want and the winner was a 'book of your choice' giveaway, so that's what you're getting!

One winner will get a book of their choice up to £8 (that's 8 British pounds or 12 USD) sent to them from The Book Depository.

Just fill in the Rafflecopter form below to be in with a chance! Only one mandatory entry, I would like you to be a follower but everything else is optional!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blogoversary week: Giveaway One

2012-02-20T13:00:00.001Z

Yes that's right, this week The Cait Files turns one!! I cannot believe I've been blogging for a year...it feels so unreal. Anyway I'm going to have a couple of giveaways to celebrate and this is the first one. It's UK ONLY, sorry international followers, but come back tomorrow for your giveaway ;)

The prizes are:

A finished copy of Pandemonium, the sequel to Delirium by Lauren Oliver which comes out on 1st March 2012

And second prize is:

A PROOF copy of Tempest by Julie Cross

Once again, this giveaway is for UK participants only. NO requirements, you don't have to be a blogger or a follower of my blog, though I would appreciate you spreading the word any way you can ;). Just fill out the form below. The giveaway will end on Sunday 26th February.

In My Mailbox [29]

2012-02-18T21:00:00.001Z

IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

I only got one book this week, but it was a GOOD one:

For review:
Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Huge thanks to the team at Hodder&Stoughton for this one! I love their continued enthusiasm and innovative marketing strategies for all their releases.

That is the UK cover...what do we think? I LOVE it, except for that horrible quote on the front. I've already had, read and passed on a proof copy of this and I was planning to buy the finished copy anyway so THIS one will be GIVEN AWAY as part of my Blogoversary celebrations next week.

Yep, that's right, Tuesday is my Blogoversary!! I can't believe I've been blogging for nearly a year. I'm going to have a giveaway (UK and an international one, of course) but I'm also going to have a WEEK OF INDULGENCE. What's a week of indulgence I hear you ask? Well, I'm going to read WHATEVER I want. No review books, no 'I should be reading this' books. Just whatever I fancy.

I've already decided I should read Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta...so maybe that will be up first?

Any of you guys fancy joining me in my week of indulgence? It'll be deliciously naughty.

What did you all get in your mailboxes this week? Don't forget to leave me a link and let me know what you think of the UK cover for Pandemonium!

Blog Tour Stop: Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale

2012-02-17T11:11:00.000Z

Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale
Released: 2nd February 2012
Publisher: Simon&Schuster Children's Books
Challenge: 2012 Contemporary Challenge
Rating: 4/5

Goodreads description:
When seventeen-year-old Rosie’s mother, Trudie, dies from Huntington’s Disease, her pain is intensified by the knowledge that she has a fifty-per-cent chance of inheriting the crippling disease herself. Only when she tells her mum’s best friend, ‘Aunt Sarah’ that she is going to test for the disease does Sarah, a midwife, reveal that Trudie was not her biological mother after all... Devastated, Rosie decides to trace her real mother, hitching along on her ex-boyfriend’s GAP year to follow her to Los Angeles. But all does not go to plan, and as Rosie discovers yet more of her family's deeply-buried secrets and lies, she is left with an agonising decision of her own - one which will be the most heart-breaking and far-reaching of all...

My thoughts:

The main thing I felt when reading this book was pity. Masses and masses of pity. I just felt so sorry for everyone involved because the whole situation was such a MESS and whilst it felt extreme, the thing that caused it, 2 babies being switched at birth, was so minor, done so thoughtlessly, that it felt utterly real.

Poor Rosie. As if she didn't have enough to deal with after her mum's death but then to have the added shock of finding out she wasn't actually her mother...her reaction to the news was totally realistic. She went out, she got pissed and she made a few poor choices as a result. I'm pretty sure I'd've done the same thing in her situation. That's what I liked about Rosie--the things she did were what you'd imagine yourself doing in her situation. At times her decisions were frustrating and yet, when you stepped back, you knew you'd probably be doing the same thing. Holly's reactions were a bit more extreme and yet again, utterly realistic. You could see how she totally felt screwed over by everyone in her life, how it seemed as though Rosie had waltzed in and taken everything good out of her life, leaving her with awful revelations that Holly struggled to deal with. I liked all the other characters too, even the ones with more minor roles. They all felt really fleshed out and had distinct roles to play.

I loved the switched POVs and how they linked up...I didn't actually expect the second POV to be who it was, I totally thought it was someone else but that was a really clever aspect and I liked seeing the other side of it. The writing was engaging, emotive and really got to you. The pacing was fantastic, I found myself racing through this to get to the conclusion.

I did actually know about Huntington's before reading this (Thirteen is my favourite House character) but the thing about this book was it made you think. Would YOU want to know if you had a chance of developing an illness like this? Or would you choose to live your life in ignorance? Would you have kids, knowing there's a 50% chance they'd get ill too, and you'd die before you could see them grow up fully?

The only criticism I have is that some elements were a little bit dramatic for me. I read most of this in one sitting and found myself getting slightly...overwhelmed by it. It's the sort of book you WANT to read in one sitting because you need to know what happens but at the same time I wish parts of it had been toned down slightly. Especially all the stuff with planes at the end. I also disliked the fact no one seemed to have an issue with hopping on a plane to the other side of the Atlantic at the last minute...are they all made of money?

A fantastic example of contemporary literature, Someone Else's Life is fast-paced, gripping, thought-provoking and emotive.

Caitlin Considers: What I want to see more of in YA

2012-02-16T00:46:00.002Z

Hello lovely followers, and welcome to the very first edition of Caitlin Considers!

I realised that I LOVE discussion posts on other blogs, and yet I've never done one myself! So I thought I'd start up a feature doing just that. Will there be a button...maybe, maybe. We'll see how it goes ;)

This time I'm going to discuss what I want to see more of in YA fiction.

1. Crime/thrillers

I LOVE adult crime fiction (mostly female American crime writers...recommendations in the comments please!) and yet when I read YA counterparts I'm usually left feeling...disappointed. Why? I just feel they don't get the same amount of richness in the plots. Maybe it is because I'm used to reading the adult ones, but really good crime/thriller novels is something I really want.I felt pretty underwhelmed by Fracture by Megan Miranda and The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting but if you know of any good ones please do post recommendations in the comments!

2. Bad boys
I bet you're all thinking..."WHAT? THERE'S A BAD BOY IN *EVERY* YA NOVEL?!?" But they're all so...cookie-cutter! *stamps feet* I want diverse bad boys! I want genuine, snarky, realistic bad boys. I want Damon Salvatore reincarnated again and again. I want Adrian Ivashkov popping up all over the show. I want Cole St.Clair making guest appearances...okay, I think you get the picture. But I love me a bad boy, I always have and I always will. I'm blaming Spike. Do you agree with me? Or are you sat there screaming at your screen right now? Am I just reading the wrong books?

3. Diversity

I love books with diverse characters. I recently read Hollow Pike by James Dawson which has a whole host of colourful characters in it. And I loved the Mexican elements of Perfect Chemistry. I definitely want to see more diversity in books. Cassie Clare is an excellent one for this and she makes it feel so natural! I also hate feeling like I'm reading about the token black person, or the token gay character--that's almost worse! I feel like this is an area that's improving...but I'd still like to see more.

4. UK authors/settings.
This is a BIG one for me. Being a UK resident myself I love reading books set here. I seem to find the writing style a bit more grounded too...whether that's just familiarity or that well-renowned British charm *coughs* I don't know, but I just love them and I wish we had more! Recent favourites have been A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton and Hollow Pike by James Dawson...both British writers with British settings and both astoundingly good reads! I also absolutely adored Sarah Rees Brennan's The Demon's Lexicon trilogy which is one of the funniest series I've ever read. I'm especially interested to hear from non-UK residents on this one...would you like to read more YA written by UK authors and based here?

Other things I'd like to see more of:
Urban Fantasy/I-hated-you-but-now-I-love-you only done really, really well (think Angel by LA Weatherly or The Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost)/First person present tense POV/Standalones/Alternative settings/Animals that can talk (okay, that last one is maybe not entirely serious...)

So there we have it! How was my first ever discussion post? What do you want to see more of? Let me know what you agree and disagree with--this is a discussion afterall--in the comments and definitely leave me some recommendations!

Review: Chime by Franny Billingsley

2012-02-14T21:00:00.001Z

Chime by Franny Billingsley
Released: April 2011
Publisher: Bloomsbury PLC
Rating: 5/5 *First of 2012!*

Goodreads description:

Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment.

Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know.

My thoughts:

Chime is one of those books where the synopsis can never prepare you for the wonder contained within the pages. Upon reading the first chapter (which should've been a prologue really) I knew I was going to really enjoy this book.

I loved Briony as much as I have ever loved any protagonist in any book. This is set in 1910's England and yet Briony is the snarkiest most antisocial character I've ever come across. She pretty much hates everyone, especially her father and she has no qualms about saying so. Yet it was so easy to like her. She felt so real. I really liked her sister, Rose. In another time period I am almost 100% sure she would be diagnosed with high-functioning autism. She exhibited a lot of the signs of it yet it was never said what was actually up with her. She displayed a lot of the characteristic behaviours of an autistic child that can often be quite annoying but actually in Rose were really endearing.

The storyline was slightly confusing only because I found it hard to grasp the chronology of it all. Briony referenced many events that happened years and years ago and it took me a while to get a grasp on what happened when. I think a lot of the obscurity was purposeful though, so you couldn't figure out how it was going to end. The actual story of the swamp cough and Briony's bargain with the swampking to save her sister was so, so clever. I really enjoyed how it all came together in the end and how all the little, seemingly insignificant details added together to create the overall picture. The love story aspect was so perfect, there was no insta-love and you were never sure how it would play out until it actually did play out.

The writing however, was the best part of the book for me. It's some of the best writing I've ever experienced. Beautiful, whimsical, a tiny bit historic and brimming with humour and a unique particularity to it that I really enjoyed. I found myself reading excerpts of it to my boyfriend over skype, even though he really didn't care. It was one of those books that made me want to highlight my favourite quotations, write them all over my walls, get them tattooed onto my very skin I loved it that much. My only criticism is that the writing really should've been anglicised considering it is based in England with English characters. The Americanisms got to me.

Overall Chime was a really surprising and utterly enjoyable read. A little bit historical, a little bit folklore-y with some mystery and intrigue all woven together with complex relationships and emotions and a mildly disturbing but ultimately loveable protagonist. If Chime has been sat on your shelf waiting for you, pick it up NOW. If Chime has been winking at you from your Amazon wishlist, buy it NOW. Genuinely the best book I have read so far this year.

New blog layout!

2012-02-13T19:35:00.001Z

Hey everyone! As you can see I've had a bit of a revamp of my blog design! Nothing overly fancy or technical but I'd had the same design for nearly a year and felt it was time for a change. Please let me know what you think in the comments =]

It's also my blogoversary in a couple of weeks and I'd like to have a really cool giveaway for it, so I've set up a poll on the side there ---> and I'd love it if you could vote and let me know what sort of giveaway you'd like best! Afterall, it is to say thank you to you all for following me for a year!

Love Cait

In My Mailbox [28]

2012-02-12T20:14:00.001Z

Hello! And welcome to another edition of In My Mailbox, hosted by The Story Siren.

I totally broke my book ban this week, but for books I read, reviewed and loved. So you know, buying them is supporting the author, and the editor and all the hard work the publicity and marketing and sales teams do....I also got one review book but it sounds SO frikkin awesome I couldn't NOT get it..../justification.

I also forgot to take a picture so hello stock cover pics.

Bought:

Hollow Pike by James Dawson

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

For Review:

Unravelling by Elizabeth Norris

Both Hollow Pike and Everneath were highly rated in January and you can see my reviews here and here and Unravelling was highlighted in my recent Waiting on Wednesday post.

I'd like to say a big thank you to Rosi at HarperCollins both for Unravelling and also for her endlessly entertaining blogger emails.

What did you guys get in your mailboxes this week? Leave me links!

Blog Tour Stop: Interview with Emma Mills

2012-02-10T09:30:00.004Z

Emma is the author of newly-released UK-based paranormal YA Witchblood and she's kindly stopped by for an interview to tell us all about Witchblood, her publishing journey and what's in store for her next.

In the spirit of Twitter, can you tell us about your book in 140 characters or less?

Girl dies, gets saved by a vampire, turned into a vampire & fights to keep her soul, as she attempts to control her desire & newfound power

What tempted you to write YA, and why paranormal YA in particular?

It had to be YA, because that is what I love reading at the moment. I am in a book club and read other prize winning type adult books each month, but YA gives me the most enjoyment. I went for paranormal because I’ve always had an interest in Wicca, witches and had a secret love of vampires!

The setting of Witchblood is really unique, both in the sense it is set in Britain and that it is then set outside of London. What was your reasoning for this?

It was after loving the Twilight Saga, then the Evernight, Wings, Morganville, & House of Night series, amongst others that I came up with my own idea for a book series and I thought it would be great to add a British voice. There seem to be plenty of UK YA writers, but not many seem to do paranormal…or maybe I haven’t found them! It was an obvious choice to then set it in Manchester, rather than London, because I’ve grown up here and know it well, where as I’ve only been to London a couple of times. Plus in my opinion Manchester is a great city, which has everything, and is currently very ‘in’.

I've been following your blog posts about your journey through self-publishing, has it been easier or harder than you imagined?

Both! On the one hand it is far more time consuming, and has had many more facets to it than I initially thought – for example Blog tours & Book trailers were something I didn’t know about, and it all seems rather daunting. Yet once you get into it and learn about each thing you realise that, yes it is extremely time consuming, but it is also very ‘do-able’, so things I initially thought would be impossible, become possible.

If you could choose to become a paranormal creature, which would you choose?

Hmm I’d probably choose to be a witch! I love the idea of spell casting and potion making, and if I could fly a broomstick and have a go at Quidditch I’d be in heaven! Although, after loving Aprilynne Pike’s, ‘Wings’ series I would also quite fancy being a faery!

Can you tell us a bit about what you're working on right now?

Currently I am writing ‘Witchcraft’, which is the sequel to ‘Witchblood’. I was doing really well and writing 1000-1500 words a day a couple of weeks ago, but unfortunately it has been neglected the last couple of weeks, due to me arranging this tour, designing the poster and other promotional issues. My last word count was 13,661 and I’m at chapter 5. You can keep an eye on where I’m up to with Witchcraft and read sneak excerpts on my blog.

________

When Jess steals a glance at a gorgeous guy in a Manchester nightclub, little does she realise how he is going to change her life…or should that be death? Yet, the vampire clan could never have predicted what they were taking on.

With Luke pronounced ‘off-limits’ and the blood of a vampire simmering in Jess’s body, can she forget the love of her life and move on? If not, she will risk exposing the entire Northern vampire clan to untold dangers, in order to live her life the way she wants.

Can Jess be sure that Luke is all he appears to be? Will she succumb to the attraction she desperately tries not to feel for Daniel? And why does she still crave a packet of crisps more than a tasty teenage boy’s blood

________

Emma is very generously offering up an eBook version of her fantastic new book to one lucky winner!
Giveaway is completely international and will end 17/02/12

To enter, simply leave a comment with your email address!

Blog Tour Stop: Celia Rees--A Day in the Life.

2012-02-08T09:30:00.003Z

Today I am joined by a wonderful author, who has written my absolute favourite Historical YA book ever (Witch Child, followed by the sequel Sorceress) to tell us about a typical day in the life of Celia Rees.

Celia Rees studied history at university before going on to teach English in comprehensive schools. She has used her passion for the past and her love of literature to create much-loved novels such as the highly acclaimed Witch Child and its sequel Sorceress, as well as Pirates!, Sovay and The Fool’s Girl. Her new book, This is Not Forgiveness, is published in February 2012 and is available in paperback and eBook.

7:30 – Tea in bed – brought to me by lovely husband Terry.

8:00 – 8:30 – shower, dress, breakfast – not much of a breakfast person, so just muesli or toast.

9:00 – At desk – check e mails and reply to any urgent/interesting ones. I’m not on Twitter and don’t check Facebook all that often. I’ll update my Facebook Fanpage if I’m doing anything interesting.

9:30-ish – working day begins… This depends on what I’m doing. It could be:

· Actually writing, as in a new book. If it is, I will read over what I wrote the day before, note page no. in my writing log and crack on, or not, depending on how it is going.

· Editing – I’ll look through what I did the day before, find where I’m at and start going through the text with my notes and my editor’s notes.

· Blogging, or writing material for other people’s blogs, like today. I have my own blog which I’m bad at keeping up, but I also contribute once a month to two other blogs - An Awfully Big Blog Adventure http://www.awfullybigblogadventure.blogspot.com/ and The History Girls http://the-history-girls.blogspot.com/ so I have to think of something to write about and post it on time. Blogging is a time consuming activity.

· I also have to keep an eye on my website and anything else happening online – writing is not all about sitting at a desk and writing any more – I wish!

· If I’m doing a school visit that week, or appearing somewhere, I might look out material, think about what I’m going to do and update the PowerPoint presentation I’m going to use.

11:00 – 11:30 - Break for coffee. A couple of a days a week, I’ll go into Leamington (the town where I live) and meet friends for coffee. Either Tuesday or Wednesday, I go to a Pilates class at the gym and have coffee afterwards.

1:00 – lunch – soup, or something.

2:00 – 5:00 – Check e mails again then back to work. If I’m writing, I’ll write. If I’m not writing, I’ll spend the afternoon doing research, reading at home, looking things up on the internet, or sometimes I go to Warwick University Library.

I also like to go for a walk at some point in the day, across the fields, or through the parks, or down the canal. Its good exercise and it helps if I’m stuck, or planning, or thinking ahead. I also sometimes go for a swim at the gym (swimming is good for thinking) but not often enough – that’s one of my New Year’s Resolutions.

I generally finish around five, then have an evening meal with my husband about 6ish. I like cooking, so I’ll cook something.

After that, I chill out, read, watch films or TV, or go out with friends for a meal, or to the theatre, or the cinema.

I go to bed at around 11/11:30.

It should go that way, but no day is a typical day because there are so many things a writer is required to do these days besides writing and writers are just like anybody else, with a life that involves shopping and cooking, seeing friends, entertaining, going away on holiday, visiting friends and family, doing research, etc. etc. The trick is to keep some sort of balance, so that there is time for life and time for writing.

-------

And there we have it!! Thanks so much Celia, for popping by and sharing details of your day with us. To celebrate the release of Celia's novel, This Is Not Forgiveness, Bloomsbury is offering a SIGNED copy to one lucky person in the UK. Simply leave a comment with your email address to enter.
The giveaway will open today (8/2/12) and close on the 29/02/12. Again, it is for UK residents only.

Everyone says that Caro is bad ...but Jamie can't help himself. He thinks of her night and day and can't believe that she wants to be his girlfriend. Gorgeous, impulsive and unconventional, she is totally different to all the other girls he knows. His sister, Martha, hates her. Jamie doesn't know why, but there's no way he's going to take any notice of her warnings to stay away from Caro. But as Jamie falls deeper and deeper under her spell, he realises there is more to Caro - much more. There are the times when she disappears and doesn't get in touch, the small scars on her wrists, her talk about revolutions and taking action, not to mention the rumours he hears about the other men in her life. And then always in the background there is Rob, Jamie's older brother, back from Afghanistan and traumatised after having his leg smashed to bits there. Jamie wants to help him, but Rob seems to be living in a world of his own and is increasingly difficult to reach. With Caro, the summer should have been perfect ...but that isn't how things work out in real life, and Jamie is going to find out the hard way. This taut psychological drama is the brilliant new novel from acclaimed Celia Rees.

You can find out more about Celia Rees and This Is Not Forgiveness by visiting these links:

WEBSITE: www.celiarees.com

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/theofficialceliareesfanpage

EXTRACT: http://www.bloomsbury.com/Celia-Rees/authors/709/article/9730

TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTD1w7nKYD0

Review: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

2012-02-06T17:30:00.001Z

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Ekeles

Released: April 2010

Publisher: Simon&Schuster Children's Books (UK)

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads description:

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect.

Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

My thoughts:

For Brittany, getting partnered with Alex Fuentes is the end of the world. For Alex, it's an opportunity. An opportunity to win a bet with his mates and fellow gang members, to get one over on his rival, and to bring perfect Brittany Ellis down a peg or two. What neither of them expect is the true impact their partnership will have on their lives and the lives of those around them.

The story of Alex and Brittany is told in short, alternating chapters, perfect for getting inside the character's heads. It also makes the book virtually unputdownable as "one more chapter" turns into "two more chapters" "three more chapters" when the short insights leave you wanting more and more. The writing is gripping and undeniably teenage, very easy to read and get lost in.

Brittany is your typical all-American teenager on the outside, but on the inside lies a desperately insecure, desperately unhappy girl who wants nothing more than for her disabled sister Shelley to be happy. Brittany was really easy to like a result of this; you didn't get the 'poor little rich girl' vibe at all: it was really easy to sympathise with her and her situation. Alex was the perfect bad boy, with the gang bandanna and tattoos to prove it, yet surprisingly intelligent and caring. His character was totally realistic and I found myself saying his lines in a Spanish accent in my head because they were written exactly how I imagine he'd speak. I really liked the supporting cast of characters too--especially Isa, Brittany's unexpected ally.

The basic story is a fairly simple one: bad boy + good girl + parental/peer disapproval = sneaking around + intense relationship. But mixed up with this was the social issues of the differences between the people all living in the same town, going to the same school and yet completely divided, plus the strains that Alex being in a gang placed on everyone involved. Then there was the undercurrent of tension from Brittany's family wanting to send her sister away to a hospice, all of which added more dimensions and a bit more originality to the plot.

I read this in two sittings and, whilst I found the plot predictable, it was in more of a formulaic-for-this-type-of-book + a 'OMG I can tell what's going to happen and I'm just sat here waiting for it' way than in a negative cliche way. I really enjoyed reading it and I enjoyed the tension and the dread of knowing what was going to happen. The only things I will say, is that I would've liked the back-and-forth foreplay element of their relationship to have lasted a bit longer, the sort of covert flirting dressed up as snarky insults with undercurrents of sexual tension bit. That was over a bit too soon for my taste, but that's merely a personal preference. The only other thing I didn't particular like was the epilogue, which was a bit too sweet and slightly vomit-inducing in its perfectness. Remember the HP7 epilogue? Yeah.

Overall a thoroughly enjoyable contemporary romance read with a bit of a twist to it, the niggles I had with it are minor and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre.

January wrap-up post

2012-02-04T17:00:00.003Z

I know it's technically February now, but I decided to do these posts on the nearest weekend to the end of the month...and here it is. * books were review books, and any reviews are linked to in the titles.

I'm participating in 2 challenges this year, the Contemporary challenge hosted by Katie and Angela and the TBR challenge hosted by Evie and tonnes of other cool people.

For this challenge, this month I read: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I haven't reviewed it, because I haven't decided how I feel about it. I know I only read one, but I only picked five contemporary books (as it's a genre I don't read much) so it's not that bad.

For this challenge I read: Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

Again, not great. Worse because I picked a higher amount of books for this challenge.

Overall, this month I read: 9 books, which were:

You Can't Hide by Karen Rose

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

Fracture by Megan Miranda*

Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey*

Hollow Pike by James Dawson*

Everneath by Brodi Ashton*

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Whilst I'm disappointed with the number of books I read in January, I'm not disappointed with the variety. I read 2 adult crime novels which is a genre I used to LOVE and have been desperate to get back into and TGWTDT is a book I've wanted to read for a long time. I also read 2 contemporaries, which is really unusual for me, and nearly half of the books I read were review books.

I'm definitely aiming to read a lot more books in February, but I absolutely want to keep up the level of variety if possible. I definitely need to stop watching so much TV (which now I've watched all of Merlin shouldn't be too hard) as that severely restricts my reading time! I also stuck faiirrrlly strictly to my book-acquiring ban, which I'm happy with.

How did you all do? Let me know in the comments or link me to your own wrap-up post!

Review: Hollow Pike by James Dawson

2012-02-02T09:30:00.003Z

Hollow Pike by James Dawson

Released: 2nd February 2012

Publisher: Indigo

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads description:

Something wicked this way comes... She thought she'd be safe in the country, but you can't escape your own nightmares, and Lis London dreams repeatedly that someone is trying to kill her. Lis thinks she's being paranoid - after all who would want to murder her? She doesn't believe in the local legends of witchcraft. She doesn't believe that anything bad will really happen to her. You never do, do you? Not until you're alone in the woods, after dark - and a twig snaps... Hollow Pike - where witchcraft never sleeps

My thoughts:

It's clear that James used to be a teacher. The teenage voices are the authentic creations of someone who has clearly spent a lot of time around them and I really appreciated that about Hollow Pike. It added a level of realism that can sometimes be lacking. The characters all had fully-formed personalities and unique voices in their own rights--though I especially liked Delilah and Jack. I loved how NORMAL the love interest was. He was just a guy. A cute, intelligent guy, but still. A guy. There was no overly detailed, riddled with adjectives passages about how he was the most mysterious, most attractive most amazing boy in the world and how could she ever live without him. It was a perfectly normal teenage romance and I loved it.

It was wonderful to read a book set in England (and in the North, wahay!) and written by an English (and Norther, wahay!) author. It feels somehow more down-to-earth for me than all the American books I read. The setting of Hollow Pike in rural Yorkshire was suitably creepy, and whilst I've never visited Yorkshire (apart from York) I could definitely imagine myself there.

The plot was SO clever. I loved all the witchcraft references, how Lis didn't believe them, and what was actually going on in the atmospheric little town I love how Lis' dreams fitted in to the eventual explanation and once everything was revealed I couldn't help but wonder how I'd never figured it out, it was wonderfully misleading. I think I suspected EVERYONE at one point or another. The book was fast-paced and tight, I never found my mind wandering or wanting to flick through the pages to get to the action.

One thing that did bug me was Lis herself. Having suffered bullying at her old school, before her move to her sister's, she was naturally going to be a little fragile. And yet, whilst she stood upto Laura, a bully who represented everything that had forced her to leave her home in the first place, she wanted to run away from what was happening in Hollow Pike. I just didn't understand that. How she could be so strong in the face of one thing that scared her, and yet so weak in another. Plus she was actually going to ABANDON her friends in favour of saving her own life. That just really didn't wash with me. I definitely found Lis to be a bit of a sap, and much preferred the secondary characters.

This is a fantastic debut, well written and teeming with clever references, witty lines and colourful characters that I fully appreciated. Bang on trend with its witchcraft-y elements and sporting a stunning, eye-catching cover, it's perfect for anyone who loves paranormal YA, but is looking for something just a little bit different.

Waiting on Wednesday

2012-02-01T11:11:00.003Z

Unravelling by Elizabeth Norris

Release date: 7 June 2012 (UK) 24th April 2012 (US)

Publisher: HarperCollins (UK) Balzer + Bray (US)

Goodreads description:

Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she’s opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn’t possible, Janelle knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.

But her reincarnation, and Ben’s possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI-agent father’s files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what’s right in front of her: Everything that’s happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben’s sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she’s going to need to uncover Ben’s secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

From debut author Elizabeth Norris comes this shattering novel of one girl’s fight to save herself, her world, and the one boy she never saw coming

Okay, so I know I don't do Waiting on Wednesday much but holy-frickin-god when I got the email about THIS one I just had to share it. Um, hello paranormal element, probable conspiracy theories and unlikely love interest, I'm Caitlin, let's go on a date. It comes out in JUNE in the UK, but April in the US (though I much prefer the UK cover) You can add it on Goodreads here

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

2012-01-30T15:00:00.001Z

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Released: 24th Jan (US) 2nd Feb (UK)

Publisher: HarperCollins (US) Simon&Schuster Children's Books (UK)

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads description:

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's..

My thoughts:

I was dragged into this book from the very first chapter--it draws you in, making you wonder what's going on,desperate to find out more. It was a really clever beginning. It's rare that I'm drawn into a story so early on, and this was definitely one of those times. I love the back and forth narration--allowing you to see the present and the past at once. It was less confusing, removed the need for endless exposition and kept the story interesting. It wasn't hard to follow because each section was clearly labelled. I loved how it counted down the time left in her Return--it added a frantic feel to the story that I appreciated.

I really liked Nikki. Her struggle to regain the emotions she thought she'd lost forever was really touching, as was her desire to make amends for leaving. I connected with her pretty much immediately. she was a really sympathetic character. She had resigned herself to her fate, but not in a negative "I've given up" way. She was strong, she resisted Cole despite the attractiveness of what he offered her, and I really respected her. The only thing that bugged me about Nikki was the reason she went to the Everneath at all. It felt more like a plot device than a genuine reason. Plus, whilst I loved the absence of emotion in the present scenes, I felt this sometimes spilled over to the flashbacks, removing some of their impact. Having said that, this technique worked really well in the present. Funnily enough, they were still really emotive. I ached for Nikki, for the emotions she did feel and struggled with, for her emptiness. For her pain at interacting with Jack.

Jack and Cole may seem like the traditional 'good' and 'bad' boy characters, but both are so much more. Jack is sweet, considerate, understanding and yet at the same time he's pretty tough. He's not all goody-goody and he's not a doormat. I was almost swayed over to the goodside (I said ALMOST) as a result of him. Cole was...confusing. and confused. He has trouble understanding and expressing the fact he had feelings (what kind of feelings I don't think anyone knows) for Nikki and so fell back on traditional badboy behaviour (snark, smirks, jealousy-inducing actions). I liked that the boys were a bit more layered and a bit less stereotypical. They were recognisable as typical YA love interests, yet different enough that I didn't find myself sighing in annoyance at yet another interchangeable boy.

In fact, that's the main thing I liked about Everneath. It followed the formula, but it diverged from it in ways that made it interesting and unique and yet didn't feel like it was being different for the sake of it. The solution to Nikki's problem wasn't easy to find. There was no convenient internet page will all the answers (seriously, I HATE that. The internet has ruined research in stories). The answers had to be pieced together gradually, from different sources and with increasing urgency.

My absolute favourite part was the second-to-last chapter. So brave. So much happened in that short space of time, and I was left thinking "wow, I can't believe she had the balls to end it like that!" But then I read the last chapter and realised it was going to be a series and felt...a little disappointed. Like the author had backed out of the ending she really wanted. I mean, it's good there's going to be MORE but...I really liked what I thought was the ending. That's mainly what lost a point for me...

Overall, Everneath is a fascinating read. The characters are well developed, the story is the paranormal, mythology-based fiction we all love with careful twists and a delightful lack of cliches. It's beautifully and cleverly written, a must-read for anyone.

Everneath has already been released in the US and is released in the UK on the 2/2/12 by Simon & Schuster UK.

In My Mailbox [27]

2012-01-28T23:31:00.001Z

IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, designed to showcase books we have received.

I know, I know. No books, get the TBR pile down, etc etc. BUT I won a giveaway...soooooo not my fault.

I won a totally awesome giveaway from Christina at Christina Reads YA for an Amazon giftcard! So ofc I had to spend it.....

Won:

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I've heard nothing but positive things about both of these, so I just *had* to buy them!

For review (not pictured):

Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale

Katie emailed and asked if I'd review this for her for a blog tour, so of course I said YES (as I was going to buy it anyway) it sounds really good.

So what did you all get? Leave me your links!

Review: Surrender by Lee Nichols

2012-01-26T21:21:00.002Z

Surrender (Haunting Emma #3) by Lee Nichols

Release date: 6th December 2011

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Rating: 3/5

Goodreads description:

After a devastating battle at headquarters in New York, the ghostkeeping world is in shambles. When Emma and Bennett return home, they are determined to defeat the wraithmaster, Neos, forever. But it's not going to be easy. Bennett's parents kick him out when they realize he is still using drugs to enhance his powers. Emma is convinced her aunt has come back from the dead to warn her of a new threat. And worst of all, Neos is using wraiths to possess the students at Thatcher Academy. If the ghosts manage to take over the entire school, even Emma won't be strong enough to stop them. But if either she or Bennett sacrifice his or her powers, they might be able to save the ghostkeeping world once and for all-and break the "ghostkeepers lose their powers when they fall in love" curse. The question is: who will be the one to surrender all power?

Fast-paced and romantic, this conclusion to the Haunting Emma trilogy will thrill readers as it brings the ghostly mystery to a close.

My thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoyed the first 2 instalments of the Haunting Emma trilogy and so had high hopes for the final book, Surrender. Unfortunately, I was left feeling underwhelmed and a little dissatisfied.

The characters that I loved so much seemed to be missing their spark slightly, Emma wasn't as easy to relate to, her friends were less funny than I remember and the friendly ghosts weren't as present as I would've liked.I can't help but feel the introduction of so many parents muted the appeal of the book slightly. It's weird, because in a lot of YA books the absence of adults is unrealistic, but with this book the presence of them felt the same way.

I also grew tired of Bennett and Emma's relationship. It was so creepy and unfounded. It was definitely my least favourite part of the book and I found myself hoping something awful might happen to one of them, just to stop it. There was a lot of personal drama in this book, from all sides, which detracted from the main plot.

The ending was pretty inevitable, it couldn't have ended any other way which definitely added to my disappointment. Despite my moanings though, I did still enjoy this, just not as much as I enjoyed the previous two books in the series which I think lead to me looking upon it so unfavourably.

This is definitely a series worth reading, you connect so easily to the characters who are a diverse and well rounded bunch. The principle is really intriguing and well explored. It's just slightly let down by the final novel.

To read my glowing reviews of Deception and Betrayal, go here and here

Review: Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey

2012-01-23T23:27:00.001Z

Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey

Release date: January 5th 2012

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads description:

For seventeen years, Eloise Hart had no idea the world of Faery even existed. Now she has been abducted and trapped in the Rath of Lord Strahan, King of Faery. Strahan was only meant to rule for seven years, as Faery tradition dictates, and then give up his crown to another. But he won't comply, and now chaos threatens both worlds.

The only one who can break his stranglehold on the Faery court is his wife. . . Eloise's aunt Antonia. Using Eloise to lure Antonia, Strahan captures his wife, desperate to end the only threat to his reign. Now Eloise must become the rescuer. Together with her best friends Jo and Devin, she must forge alliances with other Fae, including a gorgeous protector named Lucas, and Strahan's mysterious son, Eldric—who may or may not betray them.

My thoughts:

When Alyxandra Harvey mentioned Ian Somerhalder twice in her prologue I thought "this is going to be good" and to a certain extent, it was. Stolen Away is written in the style I've come to expect from Ms Harvey, snappy and precise with not an excess word in sight. Her main characters Jo and Eloise have instant personalities, traits and mannerisms--something I think Harvey is very good at. I also really liked Devin, he played his part as the long suffering male friend well. The rest of the characters I could kinda take or leave. There wasn't much development there and they were pretty cookie cutter. I was pretty disappointed by this as usually Harvey's characters are very three-dimensional. The two love interests in particular were fairly bland; stereotypes rather than characters in their own right. Isadora was one of the best characters and it's not surprising that she was the one with a fully developed and interesting backstory.

The plot was interesting and didn't dwell too long on describing ALL the different types of fairies and all their different kingdoms and allegiances etc, the details of which I always feel bog a story down. However, at the same time, the plot felt a bit sparse. As though some over-zealous editor had cut out too much of it. This meant the whole story felt a bit rushed, and of course added to the under-developed character dilemma.

It's a shame really because I feel this story had a lot of potential and can't help feeling like, at just 227 pages, there was some room left for embellishment. If you're a fan of fae stories, or of Alyxandra Harvey in general, this is a quick and enjoyable read--perfect for an afternoon.

Review: Fracture by Megan Miranda

2012-01-17T20:03:00.001Z

Fracture by Megan Miranda
Release Date: 5th January 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Rating: 3/5

Goodreads description:

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

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

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

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

My thoughts:

Fracture started with a bang but sadly for me, it ended on a whimper. The story fizzled out to the point I wasn't really sure why I was still reading it. There was no real resolutions; it's almost as though Delaney shrugged off everything that made her and the book so interesting.

Delaney is a fantastic YA heroine. She's real, she wasn't the 'perfect' girl we see a lot; mildly anti-social, overweight, riddled with quirks and habits she felt like someone I knew rather than someone I was reading about. Her crisis throughout the whole book was really interesting to be a part of and yet at the same time I felt it wasn't explored as fully as it could've been. It's almost as though the author wasn't sure which direction to take the book in--should it be contemporary, a thriller or paranormal and instead tried to work all three elements in with limited success, leaving none of the strands fully explored or explained. Delaney's mother was another character I liked, as fleshed out as her daughter--her reactions were as I would expect if the characters were real.

It was the male characters that let the book down for me. They were awful cliches, almost as if the author didn't know how to write them. We had Decker, the boy next door, the best friend and love interest. Typical 'good guy' character. And Troy; damaged, emotionally scarred, unpredictable--the typical 'bad boy' and Delaney's father was so nothing-y I barely noticed he was there.

As I mentioned, the plot started out well, with Delaney dealing with the extensive ramifications of her time under the ice and subsequent coma. Everything that happened after the mid-way point in the book was dead weight in my opinion. Her crisis seemed to right itself at the last minute, all her conflicts resolved and yet didn't and I was left feeling mildly dissatisfied.

Despite that, it was an interesting read. The writing was fantastic and the main reason I actually finished the book. I enjoyed Delaney's thought processes laid out on the page, they were authentic and not too over-dramatic. The moral and emotional dilemmas added depth to the narration even though they were unsatisfactorily dealt with in the end.

If you're looking for something that bit different, this book's for you. It's unlike nothing I've ever read before and Delaney is a refreshing main character. As long as you don't mind a love story that feels like an afterthought, you'll enjoy this book.

In My Mailbox [27]

2012-01-14T17:01:00.000Z

IMM is a meme allowing us to showcase books we've received recently and is hosted by The Story Siren

So after my heartfelt pledge to get no new book and decimate my TBR piles....well. In my defence, I only bought one of them....

Won:

The Restorer by Amanda Stevens

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

For review:
Hollow Pike by James Dawson

Advent by James Treadwell

Gifted:

Clarity by Kim Harrington

From NetGalley:

The Kingdom by Amanda Stevens

Bought:

Witchblood by Emma Mills

So freaking excited about this one!!! For one, it's set in the NORTH of ENGLAND (some of it in my home city Manchester) AND it's got a really oldschool vampire feel to it! It's SO cheap on Amazon too, check it out: US/UK

Huge thanks to Jess at Gone with the Words who sent me my prize books, Vicki at Heaven Hell and Purgatory who sent me Clarity, and to Hodder & Stoughton, Harlequin and Indigo for the review books!

This week I plan to read:

Hollow Pike by James Dawson

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Witchblood by Emma Mills

And there we have it! Leave me your links so I can check out what you got!

Review: Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready

2012-01-09T13:13:00.000Z

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
Released: 2nd September 2010
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Challenge: TBR 2012
Rating: 3.5/5

Goodreads Description:

Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart...and clues to the secret of the Shift.

My thoughts:

The concept was really intriguing, I liked how everyone under a certain age could see ghosts, and how they were now violet instead of normal coloured. The world-building was really effectively mixed in with the dialogue, ensuring there was no irritating info-dumps. I loved how ghosts could be called as witnesses, and were still bound by the law. All very clever.

Another thing I really liked was the feeling that this series will have a massive, conspiracy-theory-type twist in there somewhere, what with all the secret acronym'd governmental departments and mysteries. I love that sort of thing. I especially loved how it was sort of hinted at, leaving you wanting to read the rest of the series to find out what happens. One of my pet hates is when a book feels all wrapped up and then the author goes and writes a sequel anyway. So I was really glad Shade didn't fall into that trap.

I also loved how realistic the book felt. The dialogue never felt forced or un-adolescent to me, and the teenagers did actual things like have sex (or not have sex), drink, take drugs. I feel like too many YA books shy away from these things that ACTUAL TEENAGERS ACTUALLY DO. And pretending they don't in fiction isn't going to stop them, it's just gonna make your book less real.

Onto what I didn't especially like; the characters. Logan was just an absolute idiot--I felt nothing for him beyond sheer annoyance, which I guess is how you're supposed to feel, but still, that annoyed me. Aura I could pretty much take or leave really, there was nothing exceptional about her. I really didn't like Zach either; I felt a bit like the author relied on him being Scottish to carry the hotness factor and didn't actually bother to create him a personality. Being British, I was unimpressed by the Scottish accent and therefore completely underwhelmed by Zach. I also didn't like how he treated Aura, I thought their whole situation was really unfair seeing as her boyfriend just DIED. What did he expect from her?

So the book kinda cancelled itself out for me, hence the middle score of 3. The extra .5 came from the realism of the whole underage drinking/sex thing. I really liked that that was included.

In My Mailbox [26]

2012-01-07T21:21:00.006Z

IMM is a meme hosted by The Story Siren with the aim of allowing book bloggers to showcase the books they receive.

This week, I re-ordered my book piles (I don't have any shelves) so they now look like this:

See those 2 piles on the right? They're my TBR piles, one of hardbacks and one of paperbacks. I realised I cannot keep adding to these so I've put myself on a bit of a bookban. I am allowed to buy (a few) new books, but I have to really think about them AND they have to be kindle books only.

With that in mind, this week I got:

For kindle:

Ruling Passion by Alyxandra Harvey

A bind-up of the first 3 Drake Chronicles books, at just £4.15. I've already read them, but I couldn't turn this down. That's less than £1.50 a book!

The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

I've developed a bit of an obsession with these after reading the first one at New Year. I've also watched the swedish movies, so I know what happens, but still enjoying the books! I know they're not YA, but Lisbeth Salander is an amazing main character.

All in all, I think I've been quite good this week!! What did everyone else get? Leave me your links!

This week I plan to read:
The Girl Who Played with Fire
Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
Fracture by Megan Miranda

Don't forget to enter my contest to win a copy of A Witch in Winter which will run until the 10th! It's open internationally, and you can enter here

Author Interview and Giveaway: Ruth Warburton!

2012-01-05T10:10:00.000Z

Ruth Warburton's debut young adult novel A Witch in Winterreleases today! Ruth very kindly took the time to stop by my blog and answer some questions about her book...and stay tuned for an awesome giveaway at the end!

When love is tangled up in magic, how can you be sure what's real?

Buy A Witch in Winter: Amazon UK/TBD

---

1. I'm a huuuuge fan of twitter so, can you sum up A Witch in Winter in 140 characters for us?

Ooh hard! Ok...

It's your average girl meets boy, girl enchants boy, girl tries to take enchantment off & they both get into a whole heap of trouble, story.

How's that? 140 EXACTLY.

[I checked, it is--C]

2. What inspired you to write YA and did you do a lot of research into the genre before writing your own?

I don't think I ever really sat down to write YA. It was a sort of mix of chance and circumstance.

The seed for the story came from an interview I listened to on radio four where the interviewer was talking about romance, and how the challenge in modern romance is keeping the main characters from jumping into bed with each other - because in this day and age, if you like each other, why wouldn't you? And I started thinking that for me, the main reason I wouldn't jump into bed with someone I was in love with, would be if I wasn't sure howthey felt about me. And somehow the idea of the spell just popped into my head - a girl gets the boy she loves, but can never be completely sure how he feels about her.

It just came out as YA in my head - I knew from the outset that the characters would be teens, and I'm not sure why, except that maybe I was spending a lot of time in the children's section of the library with my toddler, and I'd started browsing the YA section - basically out of boredom! I never really got to sit down and read a full book - but I'd look at the titles and the jackets and maybe read a page here and there - and it reminded me of a whole section of books that I hadn't thought about for a long time. I work in adult publishing so although I read a lot, it's almost always "work" books - which means adult literary fiction and non-fiction, pretty much.

Which kind of answers your other question - did I do a lot of research? No - not really, in the sense that I didn't read a great deal that was specifically YA. But I guess I had a pretty good idea of the tone and themes out there, just from browsing.

3. I know that you work in publishing, do you think this has helped (or hindered) your journey as an author?

Hmm... good question. I'd say a bit of both.

It helped for sure in that I knew how high the bar was, and how good a manuscript has to be to get published, so I made damn sure my book was as perfect as I could make it. I also had a pretty good idea of how to craft a pitch (it's kind of what I do in my day-job, only for other people's books, which, let me tell you, is a whole lot easier than pitching your own!)

I also knew the basics - like the kind of thing that makes a submission an automatic "no", and how to research agents and go about subbing to them. But I didn't have any contacts in the children's side of the business so for me the actual process of subbing was the same as for any other aspiring author - I looked up sites on the internet like www.authoradvance.com and checked who was interested in YA, and who was accepting subs, and then I drew up a hit list and subbed via the agents' slush piles like anyone else.

But it also hindered for the same reasons. I'd been writing for years but always adult novels and all my manuscripts had always gone under the bed. I just wrote for my own fun, really. As I said above, it's incredibly hard to get published - fantastic manuscripts get rejected every day. I knew the odds and it really put me off even trying - which is kind of pathetic, but I'm not the kind of person who's spurred on by setbacks. I have a very low failure threshold and tend to just give up! Also I really, really didn't want to sub to agents and editors I worked with. I thought it would be horrendously awkward all round.

But then this book just somehow came out as YA. I wrote it without even really thinking about publication - just for pleasure like all the others - and then when I'd finished it I suddenly realised it was a totally different set of agents and editors - ones I'd never met and would likely never run across in the course of work. So I decided to go for it. And 2 years on - here we are!

4. I love the setting of Winter, the small English coastal town that the book takes place in, why did you decide on this?

I don't exactly know where the setting came from - the first scene that came into my head was a girl in the car with her dad, driving along the M25 towards a new life. He was whistling Jumping Jack Flash through his teeth and looking forward to a fresh start after he'd been sacked - she was depressed and trying not to show it. That was the first scene I wrote - though in the event it got cut quite early on! I didn't immediately know where they were headed and then Winter gradually took shape in my imagination. It's quite similar to the town where I grew up, Lewes. Lewes isn't by the sea (it's about five or six miles inland) but it has a lot of the same features as Winter, including a ruined castle which glowers above the town, a bit like Winter Castle. It was also heavily flooded in the year 2000 (including my dad's house) which was the inspiration behind some of the later events in the book.

The seaside setting came from the Sussex coast and also from holidays in Cornwall, Brittany and Devon - I wrote some of the book in Brittany and in Padstow, in a house overlooking the sea.

5. Magic features pretty heavily in AWiW, if you could cast one spell successfully, what would it be?

Crikey, that's a hard one! I think I would be incredibly wary of messing around with spells after what Anna goes through! A bit like genies with wishes in the Arabian Nights, the spells in my books always seem to cause more trouble than they solve.

But I am quite envious of Anna's ability to fly (wait for book two!) which I think would be very fun, and a huge saving in commuting costs!

6. What books are you most looking forward to reading in 2012?

I am really, really excited for the release of my friend CJ Daugherty's first book, Night School which (bizarrely) comes out the exact same day as mine. I also intend to try Cassandra Clare's Clockwork series after you recommended it so strongly! [yes! you will LOVE it--C]

7. A Witch in Love, the second book in your trilogy gets released later this year, can you give us any hints about what's to come?

Hmm... what can I say? Well it starts six months in from where A Witch in Winter ends, just before Christmas. Anna's made her peace with what she did to Seth in book one, but after what happened she's vowed to suppress her powers and become an ordinary girl. Unfortunately it's not as easy as all that. Some things are beyond her control - including her heart. She's also about to find out that there are more terrifying entities out there than the Ealdwitan - not all of them witches. Emmaline, Bran and Seth will all be returning and we're also going to see a lot more of Abe...
---

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions Ruth!
You can learn more about Ruth and A Witch in Winter on her website
Or her Facebook
And you should definitely follow her on Twitter
---

And now for the totally awesome giveaway! Ruth has very kindly offered to send a SIGNED AND DEDICATED copy of A Witch in Winter to one lucky winner!

To enter you must:

Live in the UK

Leave a comment with your email address and an answer to:
If you could cast one spell successfully,what would it be?

I'm also going to give away a copy of AWiW to one INTERNATIONAL winner

To enter you must:
Live outside the UK
Leave a comment with your email address, state you're entering the INTERNATIONAL giveaway and give an answer to:

If you could cast one spell successfully, what would it be?

NO extra entries, but I would appreciate you spreading the word any way you can!

Contest opens today (5th) and will end on the 10th January at 12am GMT

In My Mailbox [25] The Christmas Edition

2012-01-01T20:04:00.000Z

IMM is a meme hosted by The Story Siren

I didn't do an IMM last week what with it being Christmas, so I thought I'd do my Christmas present edition this week instead.

I got some very cool books off my family, mostly American hardbacks I'd never buy for myself! (forgive the terrible picture, taken on my BlackBerry)

Gifts

Intertwined by Gena Showalter

was a Christmas gift from the lovely Liz over at Planet Print--thank you!

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Frost by Marianna Baer
Possession by Elana Johnson
Graveminder by Melissa Marr

So happy about all of these! Cannot wait to start reading them.
Happy New Year guys! I hope you all have a great 2012.

Have you made any resolutions, bookish or otherwise? My bookish resolutions are:
1. Read 150 books this year
2. Complete my challenges
3. Eliminate over half of my TBR pile

I think they're fairly accessible goals..hopefully.
Leave me your links for your IMM posts!

Top 10: Books I'm looking forward to in 2012

2011-12-30T18:03:00.000Z

So it's the final day of our week of top 10's! I hope you've enjoyed reading my lists as much as I enjoyed making them. Today's list is my top 10 books I'm looking forward to in 2012

I decided to do this list in date-order for when the books are released...seemed the fairest way of doing it. The titles link to the Goodreads pages:

A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton: 5th January 2012

I might have read this in 2011, but that doesn't mean I'm not REALLY excited for the release! I'm convinced everyone will love this and I can't wait to see the responses from bloggers.

Pure by Julianna Baggott: 2nd February 2012

This just sounds awesome! I love dystopian fiction a lot and this is one of my most eagerly anticipated 2012 dystopian releases (of which there are quite a few!)

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons: March 2012 (according to amazon UK, January 2012 according to GR)

Another dystopian, I love the idea of the over the top police state that's central to this.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth: 26 April 2012 (again, according to amazon UK, GR claims May 1st 2012)

I'm sure I'm not the only one DYING for this book. What will happen to Tris and Four?? What's the Amity compound like? Will someone finally kill Peter?? April/May is TOO far away.

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare: 8th May 2012

After the ending of CoFA I'm desperate to read CoLS. I've eagerly swallowed all the little teasers Cassie has given us and this will definitely be a book I'll be running out to get on release day!

In Honor by Jess Kirby: 8th May 2012

I'm not usually a huge fan of contemporaries; but I LOVE the sound of this. Huge fan of roadtrip type books and this reminds me a bit of Saving June which I LOVED.

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead: 19th June 2012

I wasn't a HUGE fan of Bloodlines, I felt the plot let it down, but I LOVE the characters (especially Sydney and Adrian) and after the ending I'm hoping this book will have a better storyline.

The Unquiet by Jeannine Garsee: 17th July 2012

Another contemp book from me! Well, this one sounds kinda thriller-y as well but eitherway I really want to read it. I like books that tackle mental illness, especially in young people, and I hope this book does it sensitively and realistically.

Blue Moon (Drake Chronicles #5) by Alyxandra Harvey: Summer 2012

So there's no cover or synopsis for this yet, but after the cliffhanger in book 4 I'm dying to see what's going on! This is one of the most fun series' I read and I'm sad that this is the penultimate book!

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare: December 2012

One of my most anticipated 2012 reads fore sure! Who or WHAT exactly is Tessa Gray? What is that love triangle all about? WILL THEY MANAGE TO DEFEAT THE MAGISTER? I can't believe I have nearly a year to wait for this!!

Honourable mentions

I have managed to not to any honourable mentions so far this week, which has led me to feel justified in shoving a whole load onto this post...

Hollow Pike by James Dawson

Beautiful cover, witchcraft...what more can you want?

Legend by Marie Liu

Another awesome sounding dystopian, already released in the US we'll finally get it this side of the pond.

Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone

Another contemp I'm really looking forward too

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

I adore her Demon's Lexicon trilogy and this just sounds fantastic.

Aaaand I will force myself to stop there!! What do you think of my list? Leave me the links to your own!

Top 10 of 2011: Characters

2011-12-29T17:35:00.001Z

Welcome to day 4 of Top 10 of 2011! This week-long event is hosted by Confessions of a Bookaholic, A Life Bound by Books, Fiktshun and Two Chicks On Books.

Today's post is about our favourite characters from books read in 2011. To avoid repetition, I've left off anyone from my Book Boyfriends list posted yesterday.

These are in no particular order, as I found it too hard to rank them:

1. Mae from The Demon's Lexicon

Mae really got my back up at first, but by the end of the TDL I really took a shine to her, and by the end of the trilogy I can definitely say she's one of my favourite heroines. I love her strength, her resilience, her determination and her love for her brother.

2. Woolsey Scott from Clockwork Prince

We might have only seen a bit of him, but I loved this character! His dandy-ness really appealed to me, as did his quips and relationship with Magnus. I hope we see a lot more of him in Clockwork
Princess

3. Dru from The Strange Angels series

I'm a huge fan of Dru, she takes no shit from no one and she's so strong despite the constant stream of terrible events in her life. She knows her own mind, sticks to her guns and always puts up a fight. I also really admire how she conducts her affairs of the heart! If you haven't read this series yet you really must.

4. Cole St.Clair from Forever

This is a bit of a cheat one really, because Cole would probably make an extended book boyfriends list. He's got that whole tortured genius vibe that I really like and his relationships with the other characters--especially Isabel--are really interesting.

5. Sydney Sage from Bloodlines

I always identified with Sydney much more than Rose in VA, and I really liked that we got to see more of Sydney in the spin-off. I like how intelligent she is, how competitive and yet how fragile and naive and uncertain she can be as well. I can't wait to see how her character develops in this series.

6. Jamie from The Demon's Lexicon Trilogy

Jamie is just so sweet; he reminds me a bit of my own brother. He's also really funny and fairly brave. I love his tentative friendship with Nick--it's ridiculously cute. Another character that annoyed me a bit at first I'm now a firm Jamie fan.

7. Tessa Gray from Clockwork Angel/Prince
I really like Tessa, I love her love of books, her resilience and strength. She thinks so little of herself when she's such a great person. She handles Will magnificently and never lets anything faze her.

8. Death from Rage

I really liked the character of Death, whether it was his uncanny resemblance to a certain dead rockstar, or his wit, he was an enigmatic and likeable character.

9. Isabel Culpepper from Forever

Isabel is another non-leading female that I really like. I admire her strength, especially after everything she's been
through, and her snarky sense of humour. I like how she's a bit of a mean girl, and love her interactions with Cole.

10. Tris Prior from Divergent

Tris is another strong female character. Despite lacking physical strength she's brave and thoughtful and very resilient. She doesn't give up even when faced with overwhelming odds and she isn't afraid to feel.

Top 10 of 2011: My Book Boyfriends

2011-12-28T18:37:00.000Z

Welcome to day 3 of my Top 10 of 2011 lists! You might've noticed I missed yesterday and instead took part in the bloghop giveaway hosted by I am a Reader not a Writer. You can enter my international giveaway here.

So today is the day for book boyfriends, the day we will all swoon, fan ourselves and dream longingly of piercing eyes, chiselled features and washboard abs. Or in my case, of moral-ambiguity, razor sharp wit and emotional deficiencies *fistpump*

So my list, again in reverse order, is:

10. Sean Kendrick from The Scorpio Races

Yep that's right. Sean Kendrick. Why? I honestly don't know. He won me over with his quiet menace and love of animals. You know horses are EXCELLENT judges of character? So yeah, he takes my number 10 spot.

9. Jem Carstairs from The Infernal Devices

Jem is a bit of a departure from tradition for me, what with him being so cheerful and all. But behind that cheerful veneer sits someone fragile and broken in his own way. Plus he's just SO cute. and tragic.

8. Adrian Ivashkov from Bloodlines

Adrian. Sigh. I was team Adrian all the way through VA and then was HEARTBROKEN by Last Sacrifice. But then Richelle redeemed herself with BL. Whilst Adrian is still clearly struggling from the aftermath of LS he was his usual charming and witty self in BL, thus saving his place in my top ten.

7. Christophe from The Strange Angels series

What is it about Christophe that's so appealing? His penchant for uttering endearments in eastern European languages? The smell of baked goods? The fact you're never sure whether he's a good guy or bad? Whatever it is, Christophe is totally swoonworthy. Even if he did have that weird thing with Dru's mother...

6. Magnus Bane from TID/TMI

Ahhh Magnus. He's so..eccentric. I adore his fashion sense, his hilarious one-liners and all that glitter.

5. Will Herondale from TID

Will is just so broken. What you learn about him in CP endears him to you so completely, and at the same time he's such an utter nob. Whether he's singing about Demon Pox, quoting poetry or fighting demons, no one can deny Will's appeal.

4. Four from Divergent

The juvenile part of me really enjoys that Four is at position 4. With his air of quiet intimidation and inscrutable emotions Four is very appealing.

3. Bones from the Night Huntress series

Basically, Spike but much much better. Fit, English, a vampire...what more is there to say? Says bugger a lot.

2. Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries

Damon has been very high on my list since I was about 15. He's dangerous, morally-ambiguous and dead. So basically he's perfect.

1. Nick Ryves from The Demon's Lexicon

Nick is SO complicated. Not to mention totally gorgeous, a fantastic fighter and pretty damn funny. His true nature might be pretty terrifying, but his attempts to humanise himself have to be the sweetest thing I've read this year. Nick tops my book boyfriends list by a mile.

What do you think? Are you shaking your head in horror at my list? Or nodding in fervent agreement? Or sharpening your knives, glaring menacingly in my general direction and muttering "He's mine, biznitch"? Let me know in the comments!

Best of 2011 giveaway hop!

2011-12-27T01:04:00.003Z

I'm taking part in the 'Best of 2011' giveaway hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer! Originally I was going to give away my favourite book of the year which, if you saw my post yesterday, is Divergent by Veronica Roth. However, I feel like EVERYONE has read this, so instead I've decided to give away my 2nd favourite, a book I also feel is SEVERELY underrated!

And that book is....THE DEMON'S LEXICON by Sarah Rees Brennan!!

It's a perfect example of YA urban fantasy AND it's set in England AND it has a smoking hot love interest!! It's also got some of the funniest lines in it I've ever read! I genuinely feel like everyone needs to have read this book! You can see my review of it here.

How to enter:

All you have to do is leave a blog comment telling me your favourite book of 2011, and then fill in the widget below!
I know the rafflecopter widget is slow loading but it IS there, and your entry WONT count unless you use it I'm afraid! There's no way I can speed that up, it's an issue with rafflecopter.

There *are* optional entries, if you want them.

My giveaway is international

And there you have it! Good luck, and be sure to check out the rest of the stops on the hop!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top 10 of 2011: Best books read in 2011

2011-12-26T12:39:00.000Z

Happy Boxing Day to those who celebrate it! Whilst I actually wrote this a while ago, today I will be indulging in our traditional Boxing Day lunch of more cheese than the average human consumes in a month, crackers and excessive pickles. Then I'll be going to my grandma and grandad's to eat my second (!) Christmas dinner in 2 days. mmmmm. Hope you all had a fantastic Christmas day and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's top 10's all week!

Today's top 10 is 'Top 10 books read in 2011'

Now, I've sort of cheated a *bit*, as because I read SO many good series in 2011, the majority of my list is an entire series rather than 10 individual books...but still, I think this is acceptable. ...right?

Anyway, in reverse order, my top ten list is:

10. The Restorer by Amanda Stevens.

I LOVED this book seriously, I WORSHIP IT. It's got such a fantastic atmosphere, it's so spooky and haunting. The ghost concept is a really intriguing one and I loved the murder mystery aspect.All the information about gravestones and cemeteries and graveyard restoration was really interesting and the deep south setting was perfect. Technically an adult novel, it's still suitable for mature YA readers and actually, I didn't really FEEL like I was reading an adult novel. Everyone should be reading this.

9. Ultraviolet by R.J Anderson

Such an interesting concept and beautifully, beautifully written. I loved the sci-fi ending and the 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' feel.

8. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

So imaginative and whimsical. A perfect mix of literary and commercial, Adult and Young Adult, this book will literally appeal to everyone. With wonderful descriptions of magical circuses and non-chronological storytelling it's a perfect read. A book you really want to savour.

7. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Almost literary in it's prose I adored this latest offering from Maggie Stiefvater. The plot is very creative and the characters very real. It embodies desperation, isolation, hope and love in such a heartbreaking yet endearing way.

6. The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

This was the first series I could sit and read non-stop (first 3 were released when I eventually got round to them). So fast-paced, well written funny and imaginative, they HAVE to make my top 10 list. City of Bones was actually my first ever review!

5. Defiance&Reckoning (The Strange Angels books 4& 5) by Lili. St.Crow.

I love how action packed this urban fantasy series is. Massively underrated in my opinion, my heart is consistently in my mouth when I read them and I can't turn pages fast enough! Doesn't hurt that Christophe is one of my favourite male characters! I loved the ending for this series.

4. The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

I know I should've read this series before this year! But I finally have and yeah, wow. I love Katniss as a narrator; she's someone I can really identify with. The concept is fantastic, the writing is poignant and the president downright scary! THG trilogy earns its place in my top 5 for 2011.

3. The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

Both Cassandra Clare series made my top 10, but it is this, the prequel series, that I love the most. The characterisation feels richer, the plot is deeper, more mysterious and the Victorian London setting really appeals to me. I can't believe we have to wait nearly a year for the final book in the trilogy, but you can bet Clockwork Princess will be making my 2012 favourites list ;)

2. The Demon's Lexicon trilogy by Sarah Rees Brennan

Another series I should've read a long time ago! Perfect YA urban fantasy and based in England to boot! The plots are so complex; full of twists and turns and you never know anyone's motivations/leanings/intentions until the very last moment! Full of hilarious, realistic and raw characters and with some of the funniest one liners I've ever read, everyone should be raving about this trilogy. I can't wait to see what SRB has to offer in 2012.

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth.

Yep, Divergent is my top book of 2011. The first dystopian I'd read in a long time, I feverishly finished it in 4 short hours and then proceeded to force the novel on everyone I've ever met, and some strangers to boot. Who didn't fall in love with Tris and her fierce bravery despite her physical shortcomings? Who didn't swoon over Four and his strong, silent presence? Whose heart wasn't in their mouths throughout this entire book? With intriguing and thought-provoking premise, and language beautiful in its simplicity, Divergent is totally deserving of a number 1 spot.

So there's my list! What do you think? Do you agree/disagree with any of the placements? Is there something I missed off and you cannot believe it wasn't included? Let me know in the comments and leave me links to your own round up posts!

Heroine Tourney: Vote Rose!

2011-12-24T01:54:00.002Z

There's just a few short hours left in this match of the Heroine Tournament and it's been a close call!

Rose and Alex are battling it out, both with dedicated advocates and support teams.

Rose has long been one of my absolute favourite YA heroines; she's strong, fiesty, brave and she wont take no for an answer! Yes, Alex is all those things too, but Rose has been with us longer, we've lived through a lot with Rose and she's the original bad-ass heroine!

I really hope you'll take the time to vote for Rose in the next few hours, and help secure her victory! To vote, just go here

If you fancy spreading the word, that would be MORE than awesome! Here's a tweet ready for you!

Rose needs your help! This is such a close match! Vote #TeamRose in the #HeroineTourney http://ya-sisterhood.blogspot.com/2011/12/match-22-alex-seed-23-vs-rose-seed-7.html #VampireAcademy

Delirium (by Lauren Oliver) short story!

2011-12-19T21:36:00.000Z

Like everyone else in the YA world did you go mad for Delirium? Are you sat, counting the days until the Pandemonium release date and screaming "BUT I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS AND I NEED TO KNOW IT NOW!" at friends/family/casual passers-by?

If this is you (or you know, a more psychotic embellished for artistic reasons version of you) then this latest announcement by Hodder is about to send you delirious with happiness (yes, I went there).

Lauren Oliver has written an eBook exclusive short story told from Hana's POV! It's titled, believe it or not, HANA:

In the world of Delirium, love is a disease. And like all eighteen-year-olds, Lena and Hana must take the cure.At the start of their last summer of freedom, they were the closest of friends. Until Hana made a decision that tore them apart . . . In Delirium, we heard from Lena. Now, Hana gets to tell her side of the story. And nothing is what we first thought. Hana is a powerful, moving and beautifully told original eBook short story, with a shocking twist that will leave you with your heart in your mouth.

I know, you want it, and you want it now. BUT Hodder has made a totally sweet request. They'd really like HANA to top kindle charts on Christmas day as a gift to Lauren, so they're asking that we all try to contain ourselves until then!

Can we do it? Of course we can! We all say that books should show, not tell, emotions, so lets SHOW Lauren Oliver how much we frickin LOVE her books by all downloading this on the 24th! We only have to wait till Saturday and it will be a totally awesome Christmas Eve treat for us all!!

I hope you'll join me in saying MERRY CHRISTMAS LAUREN and swooning deliriously (I went there again) over HANA on Twitter on Christmas Eve!

You can get hold of HANA (whether you can wait till Christmas Eve or not) here!

In My Mailbox [24]

2011-12-17T21:11:00.002Z

IMM is hosted by The Story Siren!

I only got one book this week, but it's SO totally awesome...

Gifted:

A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton!
You can read my review here

I read this back in October but Ruth very, very kindly sent me a finished copy! And not only that but...

...she signed it for me! And then, coolest of all...

...a quote by me on the back! Guys, I'm SO happy! My first EVER book quote and what an excellent book it is!!! I seriously can't believe it.

A Witch in Winter comes out on the 5th Jan 2012, so look out for release day giveaways from me!

Leave me links so I can see what you guys all got this week too.

Review: The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

2011-12-14T17:00:00.000Z

The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
Release Date: 27th October 2011
Publisher: HarperCollin's children's books
Rating: DNF (cut off point: page 281/32)

Goodreads description:

Their love was meant to be.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRÍs.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.

My thoughts:

Looking back, I probably should've realised I wasn't going to enjoy this. The whole synopsis screams insta-love. But I was taken in by the irish setting and the beautiful cover and intriguing name and figured I'd give it a go.

This novel basically embodies everything I dislike in YA; it's cliche, it has cookie-cutter characters, insta-love, confusing prophecies/destinies. I might have been able to forgive all that; except I found the writing style to be really, really bland.

I'm trying really hard not to be negative here--this book definitely appeals to the Twilight fans, but that really isn't me I DID give this book a fair shot (as you can see from the rating, I read a great deal of it before I gave up.)

The whole 'female protagonist has magical, mystical powers and is super-uber special even though, inside, she feels plain and ugly' thing is so massively overused it makes me want to cry. The love interest, Adam, held no appeal for me and his behaviour changed so quickly it was totally unrealistic. His sister seemed to embody both Alice and Emmett Cullen, with his older brother playing the role of Rosalie and Jasper. Not to mention their totally cool/understanding/un-related guardian. The whole 'we shouldn't be together, but we're inexplicably drawn to each other' screams of lazy writing, and just didn't inspire me at all.

But what really, really did this for me was the mythology. The whole carrier/royal/marked one thing really confused me. Maybe I didn't pay enough attention in biology when we did genetics, who knows, but I really didn't get it. Not even after several re-reads of the relevant sections. Maybe I'm stupid, or rusty, my last biology class was over 5 years ago afterall. But being unable to understand such a significant point in the story really was the final straw for me, and the point where I lent the book to a friend in the hopes she might enjoy it more.

Like I said, I don't want to be cruel, I did want to love this book. I wanted to be captured by the Irish setting, and swoon over Adam, and gasp over the mysteries contained in the pages, but I didn't. And I swore to myself I wouldn't shy away from negative reviews, because I think they're equally (if not more so) as important as gushingly positive ones.

If you're having severe Twilight withdrawal, and you adored Starcrossed, this is the book for you. If like me, you wish Twilight fever could be killed off easier than sparkly vampires can, I'd advise you step away from the pretty cover and enigmatic title. This is not the book for you.

Review: The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

2011-12-12T18:28:00.003Z

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
Release Date: 2nd June 2009
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Rating: 5/5

Goodreads description:

Nick and his brother Alan are on the run with their mother, who was once the lover of a powerful magician. When she left him, she stole an important charm - and he will stop at nothing to reclaim it. Now Alan has been marked with the sign of death by the magician's demon, and only Nick can save him. But to do so he must face those he has fled from all his life - the magicians - and kill them. So the hunted becomes the hunter...but in saving his brother, Nick discovers something that will unravel his whole past...

My thoughts:

Liz from Planet Print bought me this, and insisted it was amazing. Naturally I believed her, but it ended up on my TBR pile until I picked it up a few weeks ago and discovered the absolute amazing-ness that is Sarah Rees Brennan.

I have to start this review by talking about Nick. He's pretty much my perfect male protagonist. Completely morally-bereft, borderline psychopathic, yet utterly smoking hot and sharp-tongued. I absolutely adored him. I identified with him really easily and loved him just as easily. It's funny, because really, you shouldn't love him, he's EVIL. But you do. YOU DO. You love him and you think to yourself 'I could totally fix this boy.' but if you did, he just wouldn't be the same. I've found my new top book boyfriend and I think it'll take a lot to usurp him. Jace? Who's Jace...?

Onto the other characters. Mae's such a feisty female protagonist, but not in that over the top way that sometimes annoys me with heroines.She's fierce and wildly protective of her brother.Her posturing annoyed me at first, the hair, the outfits etc, but by the end I'd forgotten all about that. Jamie is so cute, his humour is hilarious, and yet it felt really realistic. Alan is the only character I had a problem with. In a way, he's almost as psychopathic as his brother, Nick. I found it very hard to like him, yet I don't actively dislike him either, I'm just...wary. I actually really admire Sarah Rees Brennan for her characterisation in these books.I've read a few reviews where people have claimed the characters aren't 'likeable' and they've given low ratings as a result; but really, why does EVERY character in every book HAVE to be likeable? I didn't like Mae and Jamie at first; I thought their imposition into the lives of Nick and Alan was really unacceptable and at first this blinded me to them. Normally, they would have been totally self-sacrificing but no, they were selfish, their actions their motivations, everything was fairly selfish. But this is how people ARE. No one is inherently noble and self-sacrificing, so whilst they irritated me for a while, I appreciated how real they were. I enjoyed that you had to work to like them, it made reading the book less passive and more of an active process on my part.

The plot is so imaginative, I loved that the setting was England, and the urban fantasy leanings were perfect. The concept of the goblin market was intriguing and I loved all the mythology surrounding the demons and the magicians and the talismans. The world Sarah Rees Brennan has created is so rich in detail and yet utterly realistic. I can almost imagine that the goblin market really does exist. The ending was...wow. You think you know exactly where the plot is going, and then suddenly you're hit with twists and turns you really didn't expect. The plot is so, so complex, tiny details early on, minor things hinted at and missed out end up being pivotal in the end and this is excellent storytelling from Sarah Rees Brennan. You can tell a lot of work went into the conception for this novel and I really appreciated that.

I loved Nick's narration, his struggle to be what his brother wanted him to be and his unrelenting dislike of most people. It's weird to empathise with someone who lacks empathy, but you DO feel for Nick throughout this whole book, and then you realise he'd probably kill you if he knew that. The humour as I mentioned is perfect. Nick and Mae have a very dry sense of humour that I really appreciated, and Jamie's quirky babble, whilst irritating at first, really won me over by the end.

I already had the rest of this trilogy, and I think the mark of a good series is when you want to drop everything else and read the rest of it immediately. I was thinking about this book at work, analysing Nick's behaviour, really thinking about the psychology of it, and a book like that, a book that stays with you when you aren't reading it, is a triumph of literature. This has become my absolute favourite Urban Fantasy series, knocking The Mortal Instruments and The Strange Angels series down my rankings. I think it's severely underrated and EVERYONE should be reading this!

In My Mailbox [23]

2011-12-10T23:31:00.000Z

In My Mailbox is a meme designed to showcase the very cool books we're all receiving and is hosted by The Story Siren!

So I haven't done an IMM in almost TWO months! I know! My camera cable has gone AWOL, completely and utterly...but I've resorted to using my BlackBerry.

I didn't want to feature EVERY book I've received in the past 2 months, so I've picked out some of my faves to showcase:

For Review:

Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Bought:

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (review here)

Saving June by Hannah Harrington (review here)

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

I actually got a copy of CP for review about 3 weeks ago, but I really wanted to pay for a copy so I donated mine to a friend and bought myself one! I also got SJ from NG but then loved it so much I had to own a physical copy! (It's also the first contemporary book I've bought for about 4 years!)

Stolen Away sounds SO good and I love this cover, and ofc I was ridiculously excited to receive Pandemonium.

I want to thank Bloomsbury, Hodder and Walker Books, but also Macmillan who have sent me many cool books recently that I didn't picture. Thank you all! You continually make this girl very happy.

That's all for now guys, please leave me links in the comments so I can see what you all got! I expect to see lots of Clockwork Prince this week ;)

Review: Clockwork Prince

2011-12-06T09:00:00.001Z

Clockwork Prince (Infernal Devices #2) by Cassandra Clare
Release date: 6th December 2011
Publisher: Walker books
Rating 5/5

Goodreads description:

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

My thoughts:

Where to start with this one? It's no secret that I prefer the Clockwork Angel to the Mortal Instruments series (even though I ADORE that) so I was expecting big things from Clockwork Prince and I was not disappointed!

Reading this book, I feel as though I am looking at the back of a piece of embroidery, seeing all the threads woven together, knowing that if I turned it over, it would form a beautiful, complicated and detailed picture. I can almost feel how the picture is going to look, how-if I turned it over- I would let out a sigh and say "of course that's what it's a picture of!" but I can't quite see it, and I'm not allowed to turn the fabric over quite yet. Cassie Clare gives us a few tantalizing glimpses of the 'big picture' in this, the middle instalment of the Infernal Devices trilogy. I feel like I got to know Mortmain's past, plans and motives a little better in this book, even though the man himself never makes an appearance. Cassie gives you just enough to create that sense of satisfaction, yet withholds enough that you're left wondering what the heck is going on and how this whole thing is going to be resolved--which I feel is something of an art-form.

The character development in this book is astounding, I feel as though I know each character so much better as a result of this book, and they were never under-developed to begin with. Tessa is fast becoming one of my fave YA female protagonists. She's smart, brave, honourable and really easy to love. There's nothing I don't like about her, no choice I disagree with. We get some hints into her true nature,but not even this aspect of the plot is tied up yet. Will and Jem are equally fantastic, usually I find it SO easy to pick which male character I prefer, but in this case...I JUST DON'T KNOW. Will is so caustic in his humour, so utterly broken and subtly vulnerable. Jem is so sweet and kind and yet you see a fire in him that you didn't realise existed in Clockwork Prince. The love triangle development was perfect in my opinion; it was one of those moments where you know exactly what's going to happen and you're sat there, clutching the pages, quietly keening, whilst people stare at you on the bus and wonder what the FRICK you're reading. It was so suspenseful, so awful and yet so wonderful. In order to save myself from the inevitable heartbreak that will occur I am ESCHEWING both Jem AND Will and officially declaring myself to be TEAM MAGNUS. Ah Magnus. He's so melancholy here, moping over Camille, and yet he has wonderful moments, his interactions with Will are simultaneously insightful, hilarious and emotional. He's my favourite character out of both of the series. The scene with Woolsey Scott was one of my favourites in the book, and especially funny if you've read CoFA! Henry and Charlotte nearly stole the show with certain scenes. There was the usual bemused Henry and exasperated Charlotte dialogue, but you caught a glimpse into the true nature of their relationship and it was very moving.

The writing style is as perfect as ever; engaging and witty, well paced--promoting a sense of urgency when required and encouraging you to slow down and savour certain scenes. It felt absolutely on the money for a novel set in Victorian England, I didn't read a single word or expression that felt out of place in this period. I always get the impression with Cassie's writing that each sentence is deliberately formed, each word painstakingly chosen to deliver the intended effect and that's something I really appreciate. The banter was as hilarious as ever, something I've come to expect as default in a Cassie Clare novel.

Whilst I found a few minor plot points to be guessable, the majority of it took me completely by surprise, leaving me to feel I was being hit over the head by the book rather than reading it. In what is one of my favourite books of the year, Clockwork Prince absolutely does not suffer from the dreaded second book syndrome and has everything you could want; full of light and dark moments, romance, mystery, revelations and drama in a tale that is ultimately extremely bittersweet. A must-read for any Cassie Clare fan, I defy you to not enjoy this!

Follow Friday [16]

2011-12-02T22:24:00.001Z

I haven't done one of these in a while, but Follow Friday is still hosted by Rachel from Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read

This week's question is:

"What is your biggest pet peeve when it comes to books?"

Now personally, I don't have anything against Love Triangles (which is something I imagine most people will pick) except for the fact I ALWAYS pick the wrong team. I like the dark, broody, mildly evil guy, which, for some reason, the heroine doesn't. Except for that one time she did. Oh...and that other time..anyway.

I DO have a severe disliking for cliches in plots. I tend to do a massive eyeroll at these (insta-love, 'science partners' absent parents, whatever) but if I like the book enough, I can usually ignore these.

What I really REALLY dislike however, is bad writing. What do I classify as bad? Well, I don't really know. I could name some books I think are badly written...but that would be unfair. Essentially, simplistic writing, lots of 'he said she said', boring descriptions, bad metaphors...anything like that. I'm a bit of a stickler for writing and beautifully written books are my favourite. So yeah, I guess that's my biggest pet peeve.

What about you guys? Does the writing matte to you, or are you more about the plot? Lemme know in the comments and remember to leave a link to your own post!

Review (the Girl of) Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

2011-11-28T23:27:00.000Z

Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
Published: 22nd September 2011
Publisher: Gollancz (UK)
Rating: 3/5

Goodreads description:

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

My thoughts:

First of all, I have to comment on the covers. I have to. I try not too, but on this occasion...well. What were you thinking guys?? Seriously, when you all had cover meetings for these books, HOW were these approved? The UK cover (above) makes it look like some bad movie about a desert trek and the US one makes me feel like I'm on an acid trip or something. Seriously...how did you all sign off on these? WHAT was the design brief??? /rant.

So, I was really torn over this book. I didn't really like Elisa, and whilst I did like the fact she was overweight, I'm not entirely sure that aspect was handled in a very good way. Especially her 'transformation' I dunno, I kinda felt it gave the wrong message? Having never been overweight I can't really judge, so I genuinely don't know what to think of this whole part of the book.

The plot of this book was actually my favourite bit. I'm always a bit wary of books with religious elements but this one was completely unoffensive. I loved the journey in it, the mysteries and confusion, the battles, the different tribes, it was all really interesting to read. I liked that nothing came easily, everything was a fight, there were no 'easy' solutions and I really did not expect that ending! I also thought the world building was clever, there were definitely Moroccan and Spanish influences to this fantasy world which I really liked, it made it feel both more realistic and very exotic.

What did let the book down for me was the characters. I didn't really like or care about any of them, so when something bad happened I was just like "meh". I thought some of what happened to the characters were really brave moves by the author, but at the same time I didn't much care about that, either. It wasn't necessarily that they were two-dimensional, I think it was more because the story is told from Elisa's POV, who I didn't like, and therefore struggled to like anyone talked about by her...

I'm feeling very middle of the road about this book, so it's getting a middle of the road rating from me. I think if you're a lover of fantasy it's definitely something to add to the TBR, and I am glad I read it, it wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't a mind-blowing read either.

2012 Challenge: YA Contemp

2011-11-27T14:52:00.000Z

I was saying just the other day that I need to read more YA Contemp. I read alot when I was younger, but then moved into Paranormal and never looked back. However, one of my favourite ever books is a YA Contemp, and I just finished Saving June which I adored, so I think I need to give contemp another go. Plus, one of the reasons I started blogging was to re-expand my reading and what a better way to do it?

The 2012 YA Contemp challenge is hosted by Katie from Katie's Book Blog and Angela from Reading Angel

You can find out more about the challenge and sign up to join me on it here

There are 3 levels to choose from, and I've opted for Level 1 which is 5+ books. I reckon this is achievable for me! The books I've chosen are:

Fracture by Megan Miranda
Dont Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala
The Fault in our Stars by John Green
The Unquiet by Jeannine Garsee
In Honor by Jessi Kirby

I'm really looking forward to this challenge, I hope it will invigorate my past love of contemp and introduce me to some awesome new books/authors!

Are you participating? If so, link me to your post so I can see what books you've chosen!

2011-11-24T21:44:00.000Z

Saving June by Hannah Harrington
Publication: 22nd November 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Rating: 5/5

Goodreads description:

Everyone's sorry. But no one can explain why.

Harper Scott's older sister, June, took her own life a week before high school graduation, leaving Harper devastated. So when her divorcing parents decide to split up June's ashes, Harper steals the urn and takes off cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going—California.

Enter Jake Tolan, a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession…and an unknown connection to June. When he insists on joining them, Harper's just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanor and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what Harper needs. Except…Jake's keeping a secret that has the power to turn her life upside down—again.

My thoughts

I was hesitant going into this, because I haven't read contemporary fiction for many years. However, it's had such good reviews that I just had to give it a go. It reminds me of Saving Francesca, another favourite of mine, in writing style, issues dealt with and in the characters as well.

I find the concept of suicide really interesting; both in the sense of people's motivations for it and the effects it has on those left behind. I'm a big believer that no one, no matter how close they are to you, can truly know exactly what goes on in your head. Saving June looks at all these things in a mature, realistic and meaningful way.

The teenage characters are some of the most realistic I've read in a while. I genuinely felt like they could be real people, living real lives. The situations they were in and their experiences could sometimes be a little cliche for teen books- but everything just felt so organic. I really liked Harper. I got her straight away, her crisis of faith, her inability to express or even truly feel her emotions-I just really got her. Funnily enough, I think I'm most similar to her dead sister--which may be slightly morbid. As far as the other characters go, naturally I loved Jake. Complicated, complete with alternative music taste and a facade of an uncaring, unruffled boy, he was an ideal love interest. I loved his interactions with Harper, how their relationship developed and how he released information. I also really liked Laney, though her whole outlook on life bugged me slightly (I'm totally not a fatalist) but the same time it was so realistically teenage that I forgave it.

I loved all the discussions in this book, the religious musings, the philosophical and political debates. I loved the way they were slipped in, mentioned in true teen lexicon and how they tied in with the overarching theme of the book and were so relevant to the events. Being a total existentialist I naturally loved the Sartre and Neitzsche references. The references to sex, underage drinking and other 'controversial' issues never felt forced to me, or included to get across some view or opinion of the author, they just felt like teenagers doing and talking about what teenagers do. This is a hard thing to pull off a lot of the time.

A lot of people have mentioned the music, and how it all ties in with the plot. Whilst this wasn't a main attraction for me, I could appreciate it as music is such a major factor in a lot of young people's lives, with songs and lyrics taking on almost biblical importance. I did like the inclusion of the playlists at the end of the novel, it'd be cool to reread the book listening to the songs as the characters do.

The language was beautiful in it's simplicity, Harper's feelings were tackled with great sensitivity and skill and I appreciated all the little nuances and the occasional bit of purple prose.

The end quarter really got me, I'll admit I was slightly choked up whilst reading this, but being in a public place I had to keep a check on my emotions. This is a fantastic discovery of teenage emotions, identity and experience. It's a quest for answers, for resolution and for solace. It handles so many issues in a heartwarming and heartfelt way-parts of it really tug at you and other parts are just so sweet. It's achingly good, in that way that makes you want to cry, laugh, kiss all the characters and throw the book across the room simultaneously. It's called Saving June, but really it's Saving June, Harper, Laney, Jake and Readers. It's a beautiful story and one I will be actively encouraging everyone I've ever met to read.

2012 TBR Challenge

2011-11-22T21:20:00.000Z

I've decided to do my first ever book challenge! As I started my blog at the end of Feb, I missed out on this years challenges, but I'm excited to have one for 2012. I picked the TBR challenge b/c my TBR pile is only a year old, and already it's scaring me 0_0. I want to nip it in the bud before it gets truly excessive.

That being said, I AM being realistic, so I've opted for the lowest level of:

1-10: A Firm Handshake

My logic being I can always increase my goal if needs be. The books I've chosen are:

1. The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Midnight by LJ Smith
2. Entangled by Cat Clarke
3. The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge
4. Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
5. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
6. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
7. Chime by Franny Billingsley
8. Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
9. The Missing (Cryers Cross) by Lisa McMann
10. Wake by Lisa McMann

So yeah, that's my list. I figure I can totally justify reading all these awesome sounding books if it's for a CHALLENGE. Plus, I'm super-competitive. I cannot fail. Not even in a self-imposed penalty-free book challenge.

So here's all the challenge info incase you fancy joining me!

Challenge guidelines:

This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2012 - Dec 31, 2012.
As we would like to see quality reviews linked up to our monthly wrap-ups, only bloggers can enter. Sorry about that!
Any genre, length or format of book counts, as long as it is a book that's been sitting on your shelf for some time now. Only books released in 2011 and earlier! NO ARCs and 2012 fresh-off-the-press releases allowed!
You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap-up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.
When you sign up in the linky, put the direct link to your post about joining the 2012 TBR PILE Reading Challenge (You need to include the info + host list + challenge button. You can also grab the button code and add it to your sidebar!)
You can move up levels, but no moving down.
Sign-ups will be open until Dec 15, 2012, so feel free to join at any time throughout the year.
At the end of each month one of the hosts will post a wrap-up. Every wrap-up will have it'sunique theme, a mini-challenge, a giveaway and place for you to link up your reviews from this month. For each review you link up, you will get one entry in a drawing of one book of choice from Book Depository. It's open to INTERNATIONALS. For participating in the mini-challenge you will get +1 entry.
If you miss a wrap-up post + giveaway, you can link up your reviews next month. Do not, however, try to link up one review twice - we will be checking ;)
December is a wrap-up for the whole year. All the book reviews you linked up January-November + the ones you'll link up in December will be entered into a HUGE giveaway - 12 books, 12 winners, INTERNATIONAL.
You don't have to follow all the hosts to join the challenge, but you do have to follow all of us to be entered in giveaways!

Levels:

1-10 - A Firm Handshake
11-20 - A Friendly Hug
21-30 - A Sweet Kiss
31-40 - Love At First Sight
41-50 - Married With Children

Hosts:
Evie from Bookish - http://www.evie-bookish.blogspot.com @SeoEvie
Nicole from All I Ever Read - http://www.nicoleabouttown.com/ @Nicoleabouttown
Bonnie from Hands and Home - http://www.handsandhome.ca/ @HandsHomeBlog
Donna from Book Passion For Life - http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.com/ @BookPforLife
Caitlin from WatchYA Reading - http://whatchyareading.net @caitlingss
Rie from Mission To Read - http://missiontoread.com/ @missiontoread
Vicky from Books, Biscuits & Tea -http://booksbiscuitsandtea.blogspot.com/ @alouetteuette
Christa from Hooked On Books - http://christashookedonbooks.blogspot.com @ChristasBooks
Jenna from Fans Of Fiction - http://fansoffiction.blogspot.com/ @fansoffiction
Angel from Mermaids Vision - http://mermaidvision.wordpress.com @mermaidvisions

Dystopia themed month...

2011-11-18T11:11:00.010Z

So I think it would be pretty awesome to do a themed month! As I LOVE dystopian novels currently, I'm feeling this for my theme!

My intention is to have lots of dystopian book reviews, some author guest posts and interviews, giveaways, discussions, blogger guest posts...you name it, we're having it.

Now personally I think February is a good month, it's kinda bleak and yet it leads into spring, a more light and hopeful and happy time...and I think this lends itself well to dystopia really. February is also my blogoversary month, so it would be something special to do then.

However, what with THE HUNGER GAMES MOVIE *screams with delight* AND the release of Pandemonium in March I'm thinking this would also be a good month!

So I'm looking for your input here. 1. Do you think Feb or March is a better month and 2. Would you like to participate in any way (either as a blogger or as a author with a Dystopian novel!)

Please vote in the poll about the month!! Your input would be most appreciated (feel free to leave a comment too!)

If you're an author and you'd like to take part in my dystopia month please contact me at caitlinhlomasATgmailDOTcom - I'd love to have you participate and will do my best to accommodate whatever you need!

Review: Reckoning by Lili St. Crow

2011-11-16T19:32:00.000Z

Reckoning (Strange Angels #5) by Lili St. Crow
Published: 27th October 2011
Publisher: Quercus (UK)
Rating: 5/5

Goodreads description:

Nobody expected Dru Anderson to survive this long. Not Graves. Not Christophe. Not even Dru. She’s battled killer zombies, jealousdjamphirs, and bloodthirsty suckers straight out of her worst nightmares. But now that Dru has bloomed into a fullfledged svetocha—rare, beautiful, and toxic to all vampires—the worst is yet to come. Because getting out alive is going to cost more than she’s ever imagined. And in the end, is survival really worth the sacrifice?

Dru Anderson’s not afraid of the dark.
But she should be.

My thoughts:

Finishing a series is such a bittersweet moment; finally, finally you get resolution. But at the price of not hearing about some of your favourite characters again, characters you have grown attached to, and care about. However, with this book I didn't have time to mourn the end of what is one of my favourite series'. It was so action packed, full of chases and explosions and 'on the run' scenes--as I've come to expect from this author.

I've said it before but I do love a story where the characters are on the run; it's exciting, faster-paced and I think it makes a story flow well. You never get the impression with this series that anything in it is forced, orchestrated by the author to create drama or angst, it's so realistic that you feel as though she is no more than a narrator, committing to paper a tale that actually occurred.

The mythology of this series is one of my favourites of any series, it's true Urban Fantasy with different types of vampires (not all of which are 'good') and other creatures which come together to create rich and dense storylines. Whilst some of our favourite characters from earlier books had brief appearances, this plot revolves almost completely around Dru, Ash, Graves and of course the ever-present and ridiculously swoon-worthy Christophe.

I felt we got a lot of resolution in this book, one particular issue is dealt with pretty much fully, and Dru has become more accepting of herself, her abilities but also her limitations. However there is a lot of room for reader-interpretation, for you to develop Dru's story past the end of the book, to reach your own conclusions and decide for yourself what happens when Reckoning's final page is turned. One area where this is especially prevalent is the love triangle between Dru, Graves and Christophe. Each character fully expresses their feelings and positions by the end of this novel, and yet, uniquely, it's hard to decide what has actually happened. I know I have my own interpretation of what has happened, and would, in the future occur (based strongly on my own undying love for Christophe) and I know that other people will feel differently from me. This is such a complex relationship, so many factors are in play and neither of Dru's options are completely clear cut. But this is something I like, St. Crow gives you enough to feel satisfied, but leaves enough to interpretation that you can shape the novel to suit your own thoughts.

One thing I love about St. Crow is that she defies traditional YA stereotypes in her novels. Yes, they're aimed at teens, but they're more like her adult series' (only with the sexual content made appropriate for a younger age group) in the sense they're full of ambiguity, hard choices, broken characters and ultimately, they are not intended to end perfectly. People are perfectly entitled to have a problem with this, and if this is you, if you like everything to end nicely, wrapped up with a bow and presented to you in a way that you know exactly what happened and are happy with it, this series is not for you. However, if you're someone that enjoys putting your own spin on a story, and enjoy something that is realistic, is gritty and dark and contains heartbreak, full-on action and unanswered questions then this is a series for you.

And if you're angry about the ending, I recommend you read Lili's post here, or read it anyway, it's interesting and if you think like me it'll confirm what you thought when you finished this series!

Blogging Hiatus

2011-11-06T22:12:00.000Z

Hi loves, I've decided to have a bit of a hiatus from blogging (probably only a week or so!) I feel like I've lost the bloggy-love a bit, my review book-pile has become a bit bogged down and I'm just generally feeling like it's been a bit of a chore this past week or so. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE blogging and I'm sure this is a temporary thing (I also started work this week which probably hasn't helped) but I don't want to force myself into it because then I will start to resent it. So I'm gonna 'take a beat' (in the words of Alaric to Damon) and hopefully come back fully in love with blogging again!

Love Caitlin x

The book I am most thankful for.

2011-11-04T01:00:00.000Z

So Beth Revis has asked readers to make a post about the book they are most thankful for. I thought long and hard about what book I'm most grateful for, before I got my answer. I'm grateful to a lot of books, most of which I'm sure many people have mentioned many times over.

But the book that has had the most personal impact for me is this book:

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta. I think EVERY YA contemp fan has read this book, but in case you haven't, here's the summary for you:

MOST OF MY friends now go to Pius Senior College, but my mother wouldn’t allow it because she says the girls there leave with limited options and she didn’t bring me up to have limitations placed upon me. If you know my mother, you’ll sense there’s an irony there, based on the fact that she is the Queen of the Limitation Placers in my life.

Francesca battles her mother, Mia, constantly over what’s best for her. All Francesca wants is her old friends and her old school, but instead Mia sends her to St. Sebastian’s, an all-boys’ school that has just opened its doors to girls. Now Francesca’s surrounded by hundreds of boys, with only a few other girls for company. All of them weirdos—or worse.

Then one day, Mia is too depressed to get out of bed. One day turns into months, and as her family begins to fall apart, Francesca realizes that without her mother’s high spirits, she hardly knows who she is. But she doesn’t yet realize that she’s more like Mia than she thinks. With a little unlikely help from St. Sebastian’s, she just might be able to save her family, her friends, and—especially—herself.

So why did I pick this book? Well, I first read it back in 2005, at which point I was 15/16 and my mother was struggling with quite severe depression. She'd just recently had a hospital admission which lasted several months following a suicide attempt. This was the latest in a long battle with the illness, and at that point in my life, I really didn't understand depression. I thought my mother was being selfish, cruel, even, for inflicting herself on the rest of my family. I cut myself off emotionally from her, and as a result from everything else in my life. I told myself that I didn't respect a woman who clearly had such little respect for me, my siblings and her own life. And then I found this book. A book in which a teenage girl, of a similar age to me, was dealing with problems similar to mine. HER mother had depression, she didn't understand it, either. She was angry, and confused, and frustrated--just like me. It completely changed my outlook and my attitude towards depression. It dealt with my own fears that I too, would suffer at the hands of the same disease that debilitated my mother. It taught me that there was hope, that I could be happy, and that life could actually be okay. And for that, I will always be eternally grateful both to this book and to Melina for writing such a poignant and appropriate novel.

Gosh, okay, after that...how about something fun? To commemorate the books we all are thankful for, Beth Revis is doing a super cool and ultra-amazing giveaway of NINETEEN fantastic books.

So, you should head over to her blog to find out how you can enter this giveaway, but also how you can share the book you're most thankful for as well.

Review: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

2011-11-02T15:54:00.000Z

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Published: 19th October 2011
Publisher: Scholastic UK
Rating: 5/5

Goodreads description:

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.

Some riders live.
Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn't given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.

My thoughts:

Whilst initially hesitant to pick this up, I think that it's actually my favourite of all Maggie Stiefvater's books. The lyrical prose that haunts the Wolves of Mercy Falls series is present, as are the complicated personal themes, but for me, everything has been taken up a notch in this latest work.

Everything about it is just so desperate; the island, Puck's desire to win, Sean's worries that he'll lose the only thing he cares about, Gabe's need to leave for the mainland. Its's all so desperate, so empathetic and so completely heart-wrenching. Maggie really captured the emotions of every character and put them forward in a believable and utterly convincing way...what do you mean these people aren't real?

I loved the sense of life of the small island--from the feeling of isolation felt by some, to the feelings of freedom felt by others, and the dynamics across the whole island. This book is about more than just a race with killer horses, it's about human interactions and emotions and reactions.

At first, I struggled to like Puck. I thought she was really stupid entering the race with her non-water horse horse, convinced she was being petty and idiotic. But the longer I read, the more I began to think she was doing the right thing, and I actually became convinced, genuinely convinced, that she could win this, even though the other horses were faster and stronger, more bloodthirsty, and most of the riders had it out for her. Sean and Finn will forever battle it out as my favourite character. Finn reminded me slightly of my own brother, I adored his nature, his little quirks and how sweet he was. Sean was my perfect love interest, mysterious and slightly broken, with a self-assured take-no-prisoners attitude. I loved him, I loved his dedication to the animals in his care, I loved his feelings for Puck and his interactions with those around him. George Holly was another character I loved, he was a perfect device for learning more about Sean, whilst being an interesting character in his own right. All the secondary characters had their own personalities and moments, something which added to the richness of the story.

The actual race itself was a minor part of the plot, and the events of it were what I expected to happen. Despite that, my heart was in my mouth for the duration, and I had that fantastic moment where you desperately want to find out what happens, and yet are terrified to turn the page. It takes great storytelling to create that for me. It had to happen that way, really, and I'm glad it did, but it was the events after the race that I loved the most. Puck's stand against Malvern wasn't what I expected, but was a fantastic conclusion to her storyline. I loved how everything ended up for her, it wasn't too unrealistic but it was't too sad either, as I think I would've struggled with that. Sean's conclusion was more bittersweet, but the actual very end of the book was so, so heartwarming. It was the perfect ending in my opinion.

This is a fantastic addition to Maggie's novels, it's haunting and very introspective and I absolutely adored it.

Review Exclusive: A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton

2011-10-31T11:11:00.002Z

As it's Halloween, I thought I'd post something nicely relevant, and also something a bit special. I was saving this review for closer to the release date, but I love the book so much I really want to share it!

A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton
Released: 5th January 2012
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Rating: 5/5

Goodreads description:

Anna Winterson doesn't know she's a witch and would probably mock you for believing in magic, but after moving to the small town of Winter with her father, she learns more than she ever wanted to about power. When Anna meets Seth, she is smitten, but when she enchants him to love her, she unwittingly amplifies a deadly conflict between two witch clans and splits her own heart in two. She wants to love Seth, to let him love her – but if it is her magic that's controlling his passion, then she is as monstrous as the witch clan who are trying to use her amazing powers for their own gain.

Although a perfect fit for the paranormal romance genre, A WITCH IN WINTER avoids fangs, excessive body hair and submissive female leads, and tells the heart-wrenching story of a couple meant to be together, but being forced apart. Seth is utterly irresistible and Anna is an empowered, proactive young woman with unimaginable magic inside her. This is fast-paced, sensuous writing with believable incantations inspired by Warburton's research into witchcraft legend and old English.

My thoughts:

A Witch in Winter tells the story of Anna, a girl who moves away from her beloved London to a town on the South coast, and into a creeptastic old house. I absolutely adored the setting for this book, I love YA books set in the UK (especially ones written by UK authors), and the small town location really added to the atmosphere of the story. I love how relevant the sea became to the plot, and just how scary it could be, how such a beautiful and natural element could be utilised in such a way.

Anna was a great character, she was a real teenage girl. Her reactions to the events were pretty much how I imagine I'd react, which made it easy to love and relate to her. I adored how the whole witchcraft thing came about, her and her friends trying out a spell for the fun of it (and because they were slightly inebriated, what doesn't seem like a good idea when you're in that state?). I was obsessed with magic when I was younger and I can see it being something I would've done, albeit not with the same results. I loved how Ruth didn't shy away from teenage drinking, or things that young people genuinely do, which again added a much more realistic element to her characters. None of the secondary characters fell flat for me, not even the ones introduced at the late stages. They all had their parts to play, and their roles were clearly defined within the plot.

The love story was so fantastically different, I loved the idea of it and it was so well executed. I loved the ambiguity of not knowing exactly what was going on. Despite that, I wasn't a massive fan of Seth, but then he wasn't the sort of love interest I take to, seeing as he was a decent guy, but I can see many other readers adoring him.

The ultimate battle was amazing, the enemy was one that I actually found quite scary, and the solution was neither easy nor lazy. The actions of the characters did have consequences, for everyone involved and for the people caught in the crossfire.I liked being able to see these consequences, rather than the story glossing over them which happens so often. The witchcraft was very clever and well rooted in genuine old English. It's clear a lot of research went into creating this aspect of the plot which is something I always appreciate.

The writing was fantastic, pacy and full of humour and suspense, it wasn't superior to the plot and complemented the tone of the book perfectly. This is an excellent example of paranormal YA. It has everything you'd expect from this type of novel, but it avoids the cliches and predictability that so often mar such a story for me. I think the cover is absolutely spectacular and I cannot wait to see the finished article!

This book is part of a trilogy, and it's a series, and an author, to watch.

Cassandra Clare Foyles Event

2011-10-28T00:54:00.002+01:00

On Wednesday 26th I was lucky enough to attend the Cassie Clare talk and signing at Foyles. Me and Liz from Planet Print made our way there (eventually) and waited eagerly for the event to start. Cassie had a special guest with her, none other than Sarah Rees Brennan, who was 'hosting' Cassie (meaning she asked all the questions). The two were absolutely hilarious, and them bouncing off each other was fantastic. Cassie answered loads of fan questions and I tried to write down some of her answers, which I've written up for you below:

SRB starts off by asking CC about life as a writer, mentioning all the immoral and terrible things she has done in the name of research. CC counters by talking about the time she and SRB came to London to do research for Clockwork Angel, and SRB was pretending to know all about Victorian architecture. She pointed out Victorian drains, Victorian doors etc, as well as a Victorian window, which CC took a picture of. Then they both realised that through the window, there was a naked man, making eggs, staring at them. CC also mentions the time Holly Black wanted to be tied up and put in the boot of a car for research (for the curseworkers series I assume.)

Questions:

Would you ever write adult fiction?

CC: If an idea occured to her, says that idea of having a real job bores her, so when she thinks about writing adult fic the first thing she thinks is "what is their job" and then she falls asleep.

Who is the inspiration for your characters?
SRB: They're all based on her [on SRB]
CC: Yes, they're all based on aspects of SRB's multiple personalities. Seriously a mash up of RL people, people she's read about, fictional characters, but in process of writing their personalities develop to the extent that they are unrecognisable from the people they were originally based on.

Can you tell us more about the Dark Artifices?

DA is possible next project, set in present day but still in shadowhunter world. Will follow a female shadowhunter [characters from CoLS and CoHF will reappear] as well as checking in with the Mortal Instruments characters that are still alive *big audience drawing of breath at this point*. Will be set in LA as CC knows the city well and doesn't feel it has very much urban fantasy treatment.
SRB: So basically you're telling us to look out for 12 year old shadowhunters from MI and wonder if they'll grow up hot? [MI is 'stuck' in 2007, so characters from then will have aged about 5-6 years in DA]

Will Sebastian ever feel remorse?

SRB launches into big speech about how much she <3 Seb. CC mentions that SRB often sneaks in and rewrites scenes to make Seb the hero in them. CC says that Seb has no choice in how he is, bad nature coupled with bad nurture has left him with no freewill, which is unfair. Only emotions he has ever shown were jealously about how Valentine treated Jace and disappointment that Clary isn't more like him.
He also has a stone named Fred, who is his only friend.
That isn't true.
SRB: It's not true....yet.

What scene from the film are you most looking forward to?

CC answers she is most looking forward to Magnus' party and the motorcycles.

Can you recommend some good books?

CC recommends HB's Curseworkers series, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor and the Chaos Walking series by Patrick Ness. Oh....and SRB's books too...

Will Tessa ever go to South Carolina?

CC explains SC joke. Says that she could, but that doing so held serious consequences in that era, life changing consequences.

How hard was it to link the family trees of the Mortal Instruments characters with those of the Infernal Devices characters? [my question, yay!!]

CC: It was complicate but fun. She figured it all out before she wrote the series. They're 5 generations removed, and she didn't want people to figure out who was related to who too soon into the book. The Lightwood family was fun to write as they are the opposite of the Lightwood family in MI

Can I touch your mango?
CC: Mangos are out of season.

How do you plan what will happen to your characters?

CC explains microplotting, where friends get together to talk through events of whole book and figure out how each character gets into their situations and what happens to them.
SRB interjects that atleast one person will try to run away during this process and will have to be dragged back
Anecdote about how, in Mexico, SRB and HB had to act out a romantic scene between Clary and Jace. The respective husbands and boyfriends suddenly became v. interested in this process and wanted to observe to give 'comments'.

Would you pick Jem or Will?

SRB: Why choose?
CC: Love them both equally, for different reasons. Jem is emotionally strong and physically weak, Will is emotionally weak and physically strong.

If you could meet one of your characters who would it be and what would you do?

CC says she will go for 'safe' answer of shopping with Magnus
SRB would (predictably) go on a date with Sebastian, so she can declare the extent of her compassion for him.

Teasers given: (so look away now if you don't want them!)

One of the main characters will die in the next two Mortal Instruments books.
[On Alec and Magnus' relationship] Alec will do things that aren't a good idea in CoLS
[When asked about the Seelie queen and the bell she gave her in CoFA] Seelie queen is playing a long game. There is something she wants from Clary. Jace will be missing at the start of CoLS-will Clary get desperate enough to ring the bell?

And there we have it! They answered a lot more questions than this, but I decided to just pick out a few. I totally did not do the hilarity of their banter justice, but hopefully this'll be interesting to read anyway!

I'm so glad I go to the event, and meet Cassie and Sarah, and thanks to them for making it such an entertaining and worthwhile trip!

Review: Blood Rights by Kristen Painter

2011-10-24T13:13:00.012+01:00

Blood Rights (House of Comarre #1) by Kristen Painter
Published: 1st October 2011
Publisher: Orbit
Rating: 3.5/5

Goodreads description:

The lacy gold mapped her entire body. A finely-wrought filigree of stars, vines, flowers, butterflies, ancient symbols and words ran from her feet, up her legs, over her narrow waist, spanned her chest and finished down her arms to the tips of her fingers.

Born into a life of secrets and service, Chrysabelle’s body bears the telltale marks of a comarré—a special race of humans bred to feed vampire nobility. When her patron is murdered, she becomes the prime suspect, which sends her running into the mortal world…and into the arms of Malkolm, an outcast vampire cursed to kill every being from whom he drinks.

Now Chrysabelle and Malkolm must work together to stop a plot to merge the mortal and supernatural worlds. If they fail, a chaos unlike anything anyone has ever seen will threaten to reign.

My thoughts:

I love the description. I love the cover. I had high hopes for this book. Sadly, it didn't quite live up to my expectations. The worldbuilding was as fascinating as I imagined it would be, but led to alot of exposition that pulled me out of the story a bit. I didn't really see why it needed to be at all futuristic and dystopian as this does not feature at all, and it seemed like more of a set up for the later novels when the humans would eventually feature. I loved the mythology, it was so well developed, so rich and thought out that I do wish I could have enjoyed this book more than I did. Plotwise, it was an interesting mix of mystery and paranormal and whilst I felt the story drag at times, ultimately the plot was a good one.

I really liked the writing style, it was creative and enjoyable but I wasn't at all a fan of the narration. I felt it switched POV's too often, sometimes in the middle of chapters which I found irritating. It's hard to really bond with a character when you're constantly being shoved out of their head and into someone elses. I'm all for mixed POV's, but less is definitely more in this case. Sometimes I feel it's used for lazy writing, to avoid having to find other ways to explain events/emotions and that bugs me.

Characterisation was actually my biggest bugbear with this book. The characters were all well developed, with their own stories and voices, but the problem was none of them were really likeable. I didn't bond with or care much about any of the characters which meant I had no vested interest in their welfare or the outcome of the plot. I really like it when I can associate with a character, or at the very least care about them, and this just didn't happen here. I especially didn't like Tatiana at all, I couldn't even like her as a villain, she just sorta bugged me. Mal bugged me a bit too, I kept wanting to tell him to get over himself, and the hints at his past annoyed me. I hate those constant, mysterious references to traumatic pasts, they absolutely do my head in. Then, when his story was eventually revealed, I was just confused by it. That part of the novel wasn't at all well written for me.

The main thing I did enjoy about this book was the relationship between Mal and Chrysabelle. It was realistic and tension-filled and left plenty of room for development. It wasn't toooo Edward-like, in terms of his reaction to her, and there was absolutely no insta-love which is always a plus.

Looking back, this review seems really negative, but I did enjoy reading this, just not an insane amount. It was an okay read; I don't regret it but I'm not clamouring for book two either.

In My Mailbox [22]

2011-10-22T19:19:00.001+01:00

I haven't done one of these in a whiiiiiile. But IMM is still hosted by The Story Siren!

My camera cable is AWOL, so I guess it's a good thing most of my books are eBooks this week!

In the post:

The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

I'm excited for this as I've wanted it for months, but I am apprehensive about the lovestory side of it.

Advent by James Treadwell

I got this last week, but wanted to include it as it sounds really cool. Unfortunately no cover image yet, but the proof looks SO good.

From Netgalley:

Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

I'm intrigued, but cautious, about this one

Darker Still by Leanna Renne Hieber

The Picture of Dorian Gray crossed with Pride and Prejudice...my two favourite classics ever? Hello, bookish goodness. Have high hopes for this one.

Surrender by Lee Nichols

LOVED the first two haunting emma books, can't wait to read this one!

And that is my mailbox for this week! What did you guys get? Leave me your links!!

BLOG TOUR STOP: Smokeless Fire by Samantha Young

2011-10-20T10:10:00.011+01:00

Today I have with me a wonderful UK author, Samantha Young. To celebrate the release of her book Smokeless Fire which comes out tomorrow (21st October) Samantha has stopped by to share her top ten YA heroines with us!

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Samantha has created an absolutely stunning trailer for Smokeless Fire:

Isn't that just gorgeous? I love it!!

To celebrate the release of Smokeless Fire, Samantha is giving away TWO ebook copies! To enter, simply leave a comment telling me and Samantha:

Who is your top YA heroine and why

along with a way to contact you if you win!

Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL and will end on the last day of Samantha's blog tour, the 28th October.

Be sure to check out the rest of the blog tour stops-you can find the list here

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your list with us Samantha!!

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Find out more about Samantha and her books here
Follow Samantha on Twitter
Watch the full length trailer here

Review: Half-Blood by Jennifer Armentrout

2011-10-17T13:13:00.001+01:00

Half-Blood (Covenant #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Published: 18th October 2011

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Rating: 5/5

Goodreads description:

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

My thoughts:

The first thing that struck me about this novel was its similarity to the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. It’s fairly similar on several counts; the three species, all separated from general humankind and existing within a hierarchy (Pures, Halfs, Daimons); the main character, Alex bore a resemblance to Rose Hathaway; her trainer Aiden, a younger, non-Russian Dimitri Belikov; the school where the pures and halfs were taught side by side being the main ones. Not to say that’s a bad thing, I’d personally rather an author took inspiration from such an amazing series over ones more readily used.

I found the concept really interesting, the idea of the descendents of the demi-gods still existing and still obeying their long-absent gods. In fact, this is definitely my favourite mythology-based book to date. It wasn’t too overly reliant on any particular myth yet it exploited the nature of the mythology perfectly, and built on it to create a believable and realistic world.

I found Alex kind of annoying initially-the first thing she does when she gets back to the Covenant is start a fight despite being threatened with servitude-something she claims to fear yet is constantly on the brink of as a result of her behaviour. Her overconfidence in her abilities was also really irritating- but like all similar characters she quickly became someone you loved and rooted for. Alex’s relationship with Aiden developed nicely, again reminiscent of Rose and Dimitri’s relationship. I’m always a fan of the exploitation of the tension that arises from physical activity between a couple who had an instant attraction-I think it’s a very believable way to develop a romantic plotline, along with the fondness and inevitable closeness that comes from a mentor mentee bond. Aiden and Alex were very much the stars of the show, the other characters felt underdeveloped in comparison, though I would like to see more of Deacon in the later books.

The romantic plotline was clearly central to the book, but I really enjoyed the non-romantic side of it. Aside from some overly-obvious foreshadowing which gave away a key plot point I found the rest to be interesting and attention grabbing and I was desperately reading this to find out what happened. There was a great sense of tension and anticipation that resulted from reading this book, which, despite the flaws mentioned, made it a gripping read. It’s hard to write that level of suspense into a book and Ms. Armentrout did it spectacularly. The plot itself was satisfying, plenty happened, it definitely didn’t suffer from first book syndrome and yet it’s clear to see where the rest of the series will go, without it being too predictable.

If you’re a fan of the Vampire Academy series, you with either love or hate this this book as a result of its obvious similarities-even though I did notice them (which is probably just down to my familiarity with what is one of my favourite series’) it definitely didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book at all.
I definitely give this 5/5 and I cannot wait for the next instalment, Pure.

To celebrate the release of this fantastic book, I have a set of SIGNED bookmarks to give away! The winner will get a Half-Blood, Daimon AND Pure bookmark, as well as a bookmark for Jennifer's 2012 release CURSED.

Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL and will close on 24th October! To enter, simply leave a meaningful comment about this review along will an email address/twitter username to contact you on if you win!

Review: Bleeding Hearts by Alyxandra Harvey

2011-10-13T18:37:00.000+01:00

Bleeding Hearts (Drake Chronicles #4) by Alyxandra Harvey
Published: 3rd October 2011
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Rating: 5/5

Goodreads description:

Lucy's cousin Christabel has come to live in Violet Hill, and adjusting to the difference between life in a small mountain town and her home in the city is difficult enough. The strict curfew that Lucy's parents enforce is the worst part. Something really dangerous couldn't possibly happen in this tiny town. But Christabel has noticed some mysterious happenings, and it seems like Lucy, her boyfriend Nicholas and his brother Connor are all in on a secret that Christabel doesn't understand - one that seems deadly serious. Although she won't admit it, Christabel would love to be in on any secret with Connor Drake. But after Christabel is kidnapped by the ruthless Hel-Blar vampires, Lucy and Connor finally fill her in on all the undead drama. Together, they must find a way to stamp out the Hel-Blar for good.

My thoughts:

I absolutely adore this series, it is totally my guilty pleasure read. I love the world created, it's so detailed and unique. The plot was really amped up in this book, with more action and intrigue than the previous books. I loved the focus on the Hel-Blar and I just could not put this book down. At first, I found Christabel slightly unrealistic, and her constant hints about her mother annoyed me, as in situations like that I prefer characters to just come out with it rather than continually referencing it. However, despite that I did grow to like her, just not quite as much as I like the other female characters. I also think Connor is my least favourite of the Drake brothers, but that didn't stop me loving their romance! I loved their interactions, especially in the huge action scenes. Christabel acted how most people would act; even though we probably all wish we'd act differently in that situation-be a little stronger, better fighter etc but in reality we wouldn't. My heart was in my mouth in all the crucial moments, and for once I actually began to doubt they'd all make it out alive. The ending was the biggest clifffhanger ever, I am desperate for the next book!

Again, I was astonished at Harvey's ability to maintain such a huge cast of characters, all of which have distinct personalities and storyarcs and none of which feel abandoned. I can't wait to see how Lucy's training goes, what happens with Christabel...it reminds me somewhat of Grey's Anatomy; a huge cast of characters, but all with storylines and appearances. The little cameos in each book are always really enjoyable.

The prose was as enjoyable as the previous books, snappy and engrossing. Like I said, I love this series and I pretty much say the same thing in every review. I'm glad I finally started reading it, having passed it over for years. If you haven't yet picked this series up I can't urge you to enough. It's one of the best of its type I've read and the books are all quick reads.