Thursday, 29 September 2011

The Time Will Come #4

Jodie over at Books for Company is hosting a Thursday meme. It's really easy to join in. Here's what you have to do:

  • Pick a book you have been meaning to read
  • Do a post telling us about the book
  • Link the post up in the linky
  • Visit the other blogs!

This is the twelfth book in the Cherub series. I bought this one a while ago and I've been meaning to read it ever since. I love this series and I can't wait to find out what happens in this one. It's just a case of getting round to it like all the other books!

If you haven't read the first book in the series, The Recruit you really should pick it up. It's a brilliant read by a brilliant author.

Happy reading everyone!


Wednesday, 28 September 2011

Review: Ashes

Title: Ashes

Author: Ilsa Bick

Publisher: Quercus

Publication date: 29th September 2011

Paperback: 465 pages

Source: Received from publisher

Young adult: Horror

My rating: 10/10!!!

Extract

Summary:

No, she thought. No, please, God, I'm not seeing this.

Seventeen - year - old Alex is hiking through the wilderness when it happens: an earth-shattering electromagnetic pulse that destroys almost everything.

Survivors are divided between those who have developed a superhuman sense and those who have acquired a taste for human flesh. These flesh-hunters stalk the land: hungry, ruthless and increasingly clever...

Alex meets Tom, a young army veteran, and Ellie, a lost girl. They will fight together and be torn apart, but Alex must face the most difficult question of all: in such a vastly changed world, who can you trust?

A story of high-wire tension, gut-wrenching twists, and burgeoning love, Ashes will leave you breathless.

My thoughts:

I can't even begin to describe how much I loved reading this book. I never wanted it to end!

It literally had everything I personally love in books. It had loads of twists and turns, great characters, horror that isn't for the fainthearted and such strong emotions that a reader can actually feel as the characters experience them because of the desperate situation they are in.

Alex was by far my favourite character. Not because she's the main protagonist, but because she's the no-nonsense, tell it like it is sort. She was smart and she wasn't afraid to act when the time came down to it. There was no 'acting the hero' sort of thing with her, it was just doing what needed to be done and to keep other people safe before herself.

Tom and Alex were great companions along with Ellie. They both fit well together and worked well as a team which made them both likeable. I felt that I couldn't really get to know Tom as a character properly though before the end of the novel for reasons obvious when you read the book. There were little tidbits of Tom's past that were revealed but not enough! I want to know more!

That's another thing, about halfway through the book, the plot takes a dramatic turn which I'm sure not everyone will appreciate. It did work for me though so I can't complain. It was one of those moments where you keep reading, sort of get a little confused for a second at the way the story is developing, and then just accept it as the way the author wanted it to go. I thought it was a brilliant turn of events and it made me read just that little bit faster!

The plot itself was amazing! An electromagnetic pulse? That could have gone either way, I'm sure, but in Ashes it worked so well. Plus, it was a read that made me cringe quite a bit which doesn't happen very often anymore with the amount of horror I read! I seriously loved every shiver that went down my spine and every revolted gasp I made!

One thing I can't believe though, was the ending. For obvious reasons I won't say how it ended but it took me so completely by surprise that I was kind of in shock for a while and couldn't read anything else! I really can't wait for more from Ilsa Bick because Ashes was a truly glorious read that gave me goosebumps! One of my top favourites of the year so far!

Ilsa Bick:
Goodreads|Website|Facebook|Twitter


Tuesday, 27 September 2011

Teaser Tuesday #30

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can take part! All you have to do is:

  • Grab your current read.
  • Let the book fall open to a random page.
  • Share with us (2) teaser sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12 (but don't give any spoilers!)
  • Share the title of the book that the teaser is from...that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!
You can find out more here!


My current read:Night Road by Kristin Hannah

Random Page: #89

Teaser:

The remark was unsettling. ' I saw a master gardener class that looked interesting,' she said, hearing - and hating - the anemic tone in her voice. Lately, she'd begun to wonder the exact same thing. What would she do when her children were gone?

Happy reading everyone!


Sunday, 25 September 2011

In My Mailbox #27

In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren, all links take you to goodreads.

Hiya guys! Welcome to another In My Mailbox!

This week both of the book I received came from UK Book Tours.

Lexi and Mia are inseparable from the moment they start high school. Different in so many ways - Lexi is an orphan and lives with her aunt on a trailer park, while Mia is a golden girl blessed with a loving family and a beautiful home. Yet they recognise something in each other which sets them apart from the crowd, ad Mia comes to rely heavily on Lexi's steadfast friendship. Something which, at first, worries Mia's mother, Jude.

Mia's beloved and incredibly good-looking twin brother Zach finds life much less complicated than his sister. Jude thought she's never have to worry about her son, that he's always sail through life achieving whatever he, and his family, wanted and expected - but then he fell in love.

The summer they graduated is a time they will always remember, the one they could never forget. It is a summer of love, best friends, shared confidences and promises. Then one moment one night changes them all forever. As hearts are broken, loyalties challenged and hopes dashed, the time has come to leave childhood behind and learn to face the future.

Money can't buy you love. But it can buy many other very nice things. Lia's mum is a nag, her sister's a pain and she's getting nowhere in pursuit of the potentially paranormal Raf. Then she wins GBP8 million in the lottery, and suddenly everything is different. But will Lia's fortune create more problems than it solves? Everyone dreams of winning the lottery - but what's it really like?

Happy reading everyone!





Saturday, 24 September 2011

On My Wishlist #34

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.


Living among us are the "Others," an ancient race of humans with supernatural powers who swear allegiance to either the Dark or the Light. A thousand-year treaty has maintained the balance of power, and the two sides coexist in an uneasy truce. But an ancient prophecy decrees that one supreme "Other" will rise up and tip the balance, plunging the world into a catastrophic war between the Dark and the Light. When a young boy with extraordinary powers emerges, fulfilling the first half of the prophecy, will the forces of the Light be able to keep the Dark from corrupting the boy and destroying the world?



Olive Corbett is definitely NOT crazy.

Not anymore. These days she takes her meds like a good girl, hangs out with her best friend Ami, and stays the hell away from the toxic girls she used to be friends with.

She doesn’t need a boyfriend. Especially not a lifesaver-type with a nice smile. And she doesn’t need the drama of that creepy new girl Miranda, who has somehow latched on to Olive's ex-best friend.

Yet from a distance, Olive can see there's something sinister about the new friendship. Something almost... parasitic. Maybe the wild rumours ARE true. Maybe Miranda is a killer.

But who would believe Olive? She does have a habit of letting her imagination run away with her…



Jane Yellowrock is the last of her kind-a skinwalker of Cherokee descent who can turn into any creature she desires and hunts vampires for a living. But now she's been hired by Katherine Fontaneau, one of the oldest vampires in New Orleans and the madam of Katie's Ladies, to hunt a powerful rogue vampire who's killing other vamps...



The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des RĂªves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Happy reading everyone!


Thursday, 22 September 2011

The Time Will Come #3

Jodie over at Books for Company is hosting a Thursday meme. It's really easy to join in. Here's what you have to do:

  • Pick a book you have been meaning to read
  • Do a post telling us about the book
  • Link the post up in the linky
  • Visit the other blogs!

After years of frequent moves following her mother’s death, Chloe Saunders’s life is finally settling down. She is attending art school, pursuing her dreams of becoming a director, making friends, meeting boys. Her biggest concern is that she’s not developing as fast as her friends are. But when puberty does hit, it brings more than hormone surges. Chloe starts seeing ghosts–everywhere, demanding her attention. After she suffers a breakdown, her devoted aunt Lauren gets her into a highly recommended group home.

At first, Lyle House seems a pretty okay place, except for Chloe’s small problem of fearing she might be facing a lifetime of mental illness. But as she gradually gets to know the other kids at the home–charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a “thing” for fire–Chloe begins to realize that there is something that binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual “problem kid” behaviour. And together they discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home either

I've actually read this trilogy before but it was quite a while ago now. I did love it though so I've been meaning to start it again with 'The Summoning' to review it on the blog. Hopefully one day soon!

Happy reading


Tuesday, 20 September 2011

Teaser Tuesday #29

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can take part! All you have to do is:

  • Grab your current read.
  • Let the book fall open to a random page.
  • Share with us (2) teaser sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12 (but don't give any spoilers!)
  • Share the title of the book that the teaser is from...that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!

You can find out more here!


My current read: Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

Random Pages: #34 and #382

Teasers:

Alex pulled in a quick gasp. Air rushed into her mouth and over her tongue, and then she registered sour...and sharp char and...and sweet.

Well that wasn't good. She couldn't think of a decent excuse that would get her into the basement so she could steal some ammo - or past a locked door, for that matter. So that meant she would have to steal a weapon from someone's house.

Happy reading everyone!


Monday, 19 September 2011

Review: Beautiful Creatures

Publisher: Puffin
Publication date: 04 Feb 2010
Paperback: 563 pages
Source: Swapped
Fantasy
My Rating: 7/10
Summary:
IN ETHAN WATE'S HOMETOWN THERE LIES THE DARKEST OF SECRETS...
There is a girl.
Slowly, she pulled the hood from her head...green eyes, black hair.
LENA DUCHANNES
There is a curse.
On the sixteenth moon, of the sixteenth year, the book will take what it's been promised.
AND NO ONE CAN STOP IT.
In the end, there is a grave.
Lena and Ethan become bound together by a deep, powerful love. But Lena is cursed and , on her sixteenth birthday, her fate will be decided.
ETHAN NEVER EVEN SAW IT COMING.
My thoughts:
A lot of people have recommended this read to me so I just had to pick it up.
For the most part it was a good read for me. A boy growing up in a town that he wants to get away from and a new, completely unusual girl comes into the picture that interests him because she's so different to what he's used to. It's the basis of a story that can go anywhere.
It had a lot of exciting and shocking events within the story that made me feel for the main characters but the problem was it went on too long. It's fine for a book to be over 500 pages, but when it gets repetitive it's hard to finish for the storyline and not for the sake of finishing it because I had already read 400 pages.
The characters themselves were great. Lena was a strong character that didn't take no for an answer and Ethan was sweet. The supporting characters were good too. Link (Ethan's best friend) was funny and seemed to be the opposite to Ethan which was probably why they fit so well. The characters that are there to sort of test the protagonists - which they did in bucket loads - were written really well.
Beautiful Creatures is all about this curse that Lena has. It's all about counting down to Lena's sixteenth birthday when something disastrous is going to happen. The build up to the birthday is full of suspense which is definitely what kept me reading. Which brings me to another problem I had. The timing of this book was brilliant until it got closer to the birthday. It just seemed like as it got closer to the date in the book the time gap between events got shorter and shorter which put me off a little. It wasn't evenly distributed if that makes sense. Something would happen and then readers are reminded the date is three months away, but then something else would happen and then reader's are reminded that the birth day is the next week. It was a little frustrating.
The setting of the story - a small town called Gatlin - was brilliantly written. It was a place that was meant to be suffocating and stuffy. It was meant to put people off, at least people who had any sense according to Ethan. I think it was the perfect place for a story like Beautiful Creatures to take place. Gatlin was probably my most favourite aspect of the novel.
Overall, I did enjoy this read because it has a little of everything. I do recommend it for those who like novels filled with suspense, nasty schoolgirls and sweet romance that develops in its own time.
Great quotes:
Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead
I'm just the librarian. I can only give you the books. I can't give you the answers.
Kami Garcia:
Margaret Stohl:

Sunday, 18 September 2011

In My Mailbox #26

In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren, all links take you to goodreads.

Hiya guys! Welcome to another In My Mailbox!

This week I got one book which was received for review with big thanks to Quercus Books!

Alex has run away and is hiking through the wilderness with her dead parents' ashes, about to say goodbye to the life she no longer wants to live. But then the world suddenly changes. An electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the sky zapping every electronic device and killing the vast majority of adults. For those spared, it's a question of who can be trusted and who has changed... Everyone still alive has turned - some for the better (those who acquired a superhuman sense) while others for the worse (those who acquired a taste for human flesh). Desperate to find out what happened and to avoid the zombies that are on the hunt, Alex meets up with Tom - an Army veteran who escaped one war only to find something worse at home - and Ellie, a young girl whose grandfather was killed by the electromagnetic pulse. This improvised family will have to use every ounce of courage they have just to find food, shelter, while fighting off the 'Changed' and those desperate to stay alive.

Happy reading guys!


Saturday, 17 September 2011

On My Wishlist #33

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.



For every woman trying to strike that impossible balance between work and home-and pretending that she has-and for every woman who has wanted to hurl the acquaintance who coos admiringly, "Honestly, I just don't know how you do it," out a window, here's a novel to make you cringe with recognition and laugh out loud. With fierce, unsentimental irony, Allison Pearson's novel brilliantly dramatizes the dilemma of working motherhood at the start of the twenty-first century.

Meet Kate Reddy, hedge-fund manager and mother of two. She can juggle nine different currencies in five different time zones and get herself and two children washed and dressed and out of the house in half an hour. In Kate's life, Everything Goes Perfectly as long as Everything Goes Perfectly. She lies to her own mother about how much time she spends with her kids; practices pelvic floor squeezes in the boardroom; applies tips from Toddler Taming to soothe her irascible boss; uses her cell phone in the office bathroom to procure a hamster for her daughter's birthday ("Any working mother who says she doesn't bribe her kids can add Liar to her résumé"); and cries into the laundry hamper when she misses her children's bedtime.


Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.


Carly has dropped out of uni to spend her days surfing and her nights working as a cook in a Manly café. Surfing is the one thing she loves doing ... and the only thing that helps her stop thinking about what happened two years ago. Then she meets Ryan and Carly has to decide ... Will she let the past bury her? Or can she let go of her anger and shame, and find the courage to be happy?


Frey is the captain of the Ketty Jay, leader of a small and highly dysfunctional band of layabouts. An inveterate womaniser and rogue, he and his gang make a living on the wrong side of the law, avoiding the heavily armed flying frigates of the Coalition Navy. With their trio of ragged fighter craft, they run contraband, rob airships and generally make a nuisance of themselves. So a hot tip on a cargo freighter loaded with valuables seems like a great prospect for an easy heist and a fast buck. Until the heist goes wrong, and the freighter explodes. Suddenly Frey isn't just a nuisance anymore - he's public enemy number one, with the Coalition Navy on his tail and contractors hired to take him down. But Frey knows something they don't. That freighter was rigged to blow, and Frey has been framed to take the fall. If he wants to prove it, he's going to have to catch the real culprit. He must face liars and lovers, dogfights and gunfights, Dukes and daemons. It's going to take all his criminal talents to prove he's not the criminal they think he is ...

Happy reading everyone!


Friday, 16 September 2011

Review: Eight Keys

Title: Eight Keys

Author: Suzanne LaFleur

Publisher:Puffin Books

Publication date: 11 August 2011

Uncorrected book proof: 216 pages

Source: UK Book Tours

My Rating: 6/10

Summary:

Before I used it, the key had infinite possibilities.

Eleven-year-old Elise feels stuck. Her school locker-buddy squashes her lunch and laughs at her, every day. She doesn't want to go to school - and her best friend Franklin just makes things worse.

Now I was ready for something to be different. Anything, really.

One day Elise discovers an incredible secret. A secret that might just help her unlock her past, and take a chance on the future.

I decided that tomorrow I would see what that key opened up. It had my name on it after all...

My thoughts:

This is going to be one of those awkward reviews where I'm struggling to get my thoughts down on paper...or the internet in this case.

I loved how cute this read was. An eleven, turning twelve, year old who discovers a key meant just for her is going to be a cute character no matter what happens.

The secret behind the key is so sweet and heartbreaking that it makes the book worth reading anyway but apart from that the book wasn't that great. It was a quick and easy read but it just didn't sit well. It was actually quite depressing but not in that I could still read if I was in the mood for a sad story - it was just, depressing, which was quite disappointing.

I also thought that Franklin wasn't a realistic character, he seemed way too young for eleven or twelve so his character didn't really make sense to me sometimes which was frustrating.

Apart from that it was a quick read that can be finished in an afternoon and it did have its good parts that tugged at my heartstrings.

Suzanne LaFleur:
Goodreads|Website


Thursday, 15 September 2011

The Time Will Come #2

Jodie over at Books for Company is hosting a Thursday meme. It's really easy to join in. Here's what you have to do:

  • Pick a book you have been meaning to read
  • Do a post telling us about the book
  • Link the post up in the linky
  • Visit the other blogs!

An electric combination of angels, mystery and romance, EXILE is the breathtaking sequel to MERCY in a major new paranormal romance series.

Mercy’s search continues ...

Mercy is an angel with a shattered memory, exiled from heaven for a crime she can’t remember committing.

So when she ‘wakes’ inside the body and life of eighteen-year-old Lela Neill, Mercy has only limited recall of her past life. Her strongest memories are of Ryan, the mortal boy who’d begun to fall for her – and she for him.

Mercy soon discovers that circumstances have forced Lela into waitressing at the Green Lantern, a busy city café frequented by suits, cab drivers, strippers, backpackers and the homeless, while caring for her terminally ill mother.

Just as Mercy is adjusting to Lela’s life, her beloved, Luc, reappears in her dreams, and she begins to glimpse her true nature and true feelings for Ryan. What she does not know is that her attempts to contact Ryan may have explosive consequences for everyone around her.

Meanwhile, ‘the Eight’ — the angelic beings responsible for her banishment — remain determined to keep Mercy and Luc apart, forever .

Happy reading everyone!


Wednesday, 14 September 2011

Review: Kill All Enemies

Title: Kill All Enemies

Author: Melvin Burgess

Publisher:Puffin Books

Publication date: 01 September 2011

Paperback: 320 pages

Young Adult

Source: UK Book Tours

My Rating: 7/10

Summary:

Everyone says fourteen-year-old Billie is nothing but trouble. A fighter. A danger to her family and friends. But her care worker sees someone different.

Her classmate Rob is big, strong. He can take care of himself and his brother. But his violent Stepdad sees someone to humiliate.

And Chris is struggling at school. He just doesn't want to be there. But his Dad sees a useless no-hoper.

Billie, Rob and Chris each have a story to tell. But there are two sides to every story, and the question is...who do you believe?

My thoughts:

I really liked this read because of the realistic characters. They are probably the most realistic characters I have come across in a book so far which is always a good thing. They weren't likeable all the time but they each had their own story that came together in the end in a way that makes you question the way society works sometimes.

It's a good author that can make you like and dislike a character at the same time. The characters did stupid things sometimes and yet I felt for them when they continued to be misunderstood.

It makes you realise that a person's actions are for a reason whether it be good or bad. I won't bore you with a rant about society from me because I'll get carried away, but, it really makes you think twice about judging someone based on their actions and your immediate response.

Having said that the book didn't sit well with me at times. I can't place it exactly but the jump between characters and events sort of frustrated me somehow. Maybe there could have been more details and such but sometimes the book was uncomfortable to read. For me anyways.

I do recommend this one though. It's the book that makes you think whilst reading it in order to understand what's going on fully. It's a good read.

Melvin Burgess:
Goodreads|Website|Blog|Twitter


Tuesday, 13 September 2011

Teaser Tuesday #28

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can take part! All you have to do is:

  • Grab your current read.
  • Let the book fall open to a random page.
  • Share with us (2) teaser sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12 (but don't give any spoilers!)
  • Share the title of the book that the teaser is from...that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!

You can find out more here!

My current read: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

Random Page: #277

Teaser:

These days, such a strong current flowed between us that it was hard to sort out what was me and what was her.
All I knew was, I wanted to kiss her.

Happy reading everyone! And make sure to check out the giveaways going on the blog in the sidebar.


Monday, 12 September 2011

Giveaway!

That's right, it's another giveaway!!!
As part of the BLB tour for 'The Door at the Top of the Stairs', the author, Alison Holt, has kindly offered to give away an ecopy of her novel.
To enter read the rules at the bottom of the rafflecopter widget and fill it in!
Good luck!

Sunday, 11 September 2011

In My Mailbox #25

In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren, all links take you to goodreads.

Hiya guys! Welcome to another In My Mailbox!

This week I only got one book which was another swap.

I swapped a book for:

Matt has always known he has unusual powers. Raised in foster care, he is sent to Yorkshire on a rehabilitation programme, only to find himself in the midst of sinister goings-on. Matt investigates and uncovers a terrible secret - eight guardians are protecting the world from the evil ones, beings banished long ago by five children. But devil worshippers want to let the evil ones back in. As the story reaches its climax, it looks like Matt has succeeded in stopping them...or has he?

I've always loved this series and I've read all of the books so far but I've never owned Raven's Gate for some reason. Hopefully I'll be able to read the books again and share my thoughts!

Happy reading everyone!


Saturday, 10 September 2011

On My Wishlist #32

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.


An intergalactic cold war-and some heated passion- from an inventive new voice in futuristic romance.

After a stint in an alien prison, Captain Ari Rose wonders why she even bothered to survive. Stripped of her command and banished to her father's scientific expedition to finish a Ph.D. she doesn't want, Ari never planned to languish quietly behind a desk. She wasn't built for it, either. But when pirates commandeer her father's ship, Ari once again becomes a prisoner.

As far as pirate leader Cullin is concerned, Ari's past imprisonment puts her dead center in Cullin's sights. If she hasn't been brainwashed and returned as a spy, then he's convinced she must be part of a traitorous alliance endangering billions of lives. Cullin can't afford the desire she fires within him and he'll stop at nothing, including destroying her, to uncover the truth.

That's all on my wishlist this week. Make sure to check out the giveaway on the blog and have a nice weekend!

Happy reading!


Friday, 9 September 2011

Review: Seared by Desire

Title: Seared by Desire

Author: Jennifer T. Alli

Publication date: December 12th 2010

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Source: Received from author.

My Rating: 8/10

Summary:

A cold heart…
For centuries Lucian has battled on two fronts. Defeating the Malachites, all that stand between him and becoming King of the vampires and the demon within himself, battling desperately for release. His attention stretched thin he has no time for women but Sara, his fiery bride won’t be denied.

A burning touch…
With a deadly curse hanging over her head, Sara knows her time is short. Placing her life in Lucian's hands is a risk she knows she must take and one her innocent heart gladly makes for Lucian makes her body burn and her soul fly.

Never had hot and cold reacted so combustively.
Sara’s presence pushes Lucian to the brink of madness, her nearness making him crazed with the need for her blood. Though his fangs ache with longing, to bite her could condemn them both but the attraction between them is too strong to be denied. As they race headlong towards a fiery conclusion will they emerge unscathed to will the flames of desire consume them both?

My thoughts:

This a great read about a fire elemental, Sara, who is shunned from both her family and community for being powerless. However, things soon change when Sara discovers she is cursed and that only one certain vampire can keep her alive.

I think the best thing about this novel is the characters. Lucian, the Lord of the vampires, is a strong character from the start - completely unselfish with only his people in mind, a strong warrior and to top it all off he's completely irresistible.

The plot was full of desperation, anxiety and a few battle scenes so it had a little bit of everything. It had a perfect ending which definitely leaves you wanting more from the author. Definitely a recommended read!

Jennifer T. Alli
Goodreads|Blog|Twitter|


Thursday, 8 September 2011

Giveaway!

It's time for another giveaway!
As part of the Book Lovin' Bitches tour forImperium, the author, Nicholas Olivo, has kindly offered to giveaway an ecopy of Imperium on the blog! You can check out my review of the book here.
To enter check out the rules at the bottom of the Rafflecopter widget and fill it in!

Wednesday, 7 September 2011

Review: Angel's Fury

Title: Angel's Fury

Author: Bryony Pearce

Publisher: Egmont

Publication date: 4th July 2011

Paperback: 304 pages

Genre: Fantasy

Young Adult

Source: UK Book Tours

My Rating: 9/10

Summary:

I've started to have dreams while I'm awake. I remember music I've never heard ... I've got all this extra stuff in my head, but I'm forgetting things from my own life. I feel like I'm being taken over.

Cassie Farrier has always suffered from terrifying nightmares. On a trip to Germany she recognises scenes from her dreams and finds evidence of a sixty year-old massacre. Fearing for her sanity, her family sends Cassie to a retreat where she meets others with symptoms like her own and finds out that she has lived a number of past lives.

However, the Doctor at the retreat is not what she seems. Cassie and the boy she comes to love must escape the Doctor’s influence but can they also escape the misery of their shared past?

My thoughts:

I really, really enjoyed this read. It was so original I couldn't not.

It had everything I like in a book. Great characters - every single one of them had their own story and own distinct personality as a result of an interesting backstory.

Angel's Fury immediately starts with one of the dreams the protagonist, Cassie, frequently has which prevents her from sleeping.

The dreams are described throughout the book and they get more and more detailed and descriptive and sometimes, downright creepy. However, the focus of the story was the Doctor who is supposed to help with these dreams at a retreat. I felt that too much focus was on Cassie's home life at the start - it lasted for quite a bit of the book so when Cassie did eventually go to the retreat and meet the characters the were important to the story, it seemed irrelevant because I had already read so much about Cassie's home life.

The rest of the novel more than made up for it though. It was a brilliantly intense and original read that always had me on the edge of my seat. I loved it and it's definitely a must read!


Great quotes:

"I've started to have dreams while I'm awake. I remember music I've never heard... I've got all this extra stuff in my head, but I'm forgetting things from my own life. I feel like I'm being taken over."

Bryony Pearce:
Goodreads|Website|Blog|Twitter|


Tuesday, 6 September 2011

Teaser Tuesday #27

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can take part! All you have to do is:

  • Grab your current read.
  • Let the book fall open to a random page.
  • Share with us (2) teaser sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12 (but don't give any spoilers!)
  • Share the title of the book that the teaser is from...that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!

You can find out more here!

My current read: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

Random Page: #389

Teaser:

'You guys know I'm probably going to get kicked out right? I'll bet it's already been decided. This meeting is just for show.'

Happy reading everyone!


Sunday, 4 September 2011

Book Excerpt: The Door at the Top of the Stairs

In the Psychological Thriller, The Door at the Top of the Stairs, undercover narcotics officer, Jesse Shaunessy, is kidnapped and tortured, then thrown away by her department as damaged goods. The mind is a powerful ally, and 26-year-old Jesse has no memory of the abduction or the subsequent torture. Inevitably, as Jesse drifts from one itinerant job to another, the protective walls carefully constructed by her subconscious are beginning to crumble.
Fate lands her on a farm owned by Dr. Ryland Caldwell, a retired psychologist and her partner, Morgan Davis, the master of the Myrena Fox Hunt club. Ryland suspects there is more to Jesse’s foul temper than meets the eye. When Morgan and Ryland accidentally discover vicious scars on Jesse’s back, Ryland knows that without their help, Jesse’s descent into insanity will rapidly overwhelm them all.

In the following excerpt, Ryland and Morgan have accidentally discovered that Jesse’s back is riddled with scars and burn marks. Jesse, who is not present during the following dialogue and had been unconscious during the discovery, knows nothing about what they’ve uncovered.


Ryland was at the house when Morgan finished with the hunt. She sat on the couch, surrounded by books on post-traumatic stress disorder and dissociative amnesia. Morgan walked through the door, pulled off her grey hunting jacket and reached into the hall closet to hang it up. “I saw Jesse after the hunt. She acts as though nothing happened."
Ryland put down the book and took off her glasses. She rubbed the bridge of her nose where the glasses had left an indentation. “As far as she knows, nothing did happen. The last thing she remembers is leaning up against the barn. And she doesn't remember why she was behind the barn, either."
Morgan sat next to Ryland who took a sip of wine then offered her the glass. Morgan took it, turned sideways and rested her arm on the back of the couch. She reached down to pick up the book from Ryland's lap. “Obviously, whatever happened to her back has caused some major emotional issues, right?"
"Morgan, she's not even aware she has scars on her back."
Morgan studied her friend's face, took a sip of wine, and leaned back into the couch. “Wow."
Amusement tinged Ryland's voice. “Wow is right."
"If only we could find someone who knows something about post-traumatic stress disorder."
Ryland playfully hit Morgan on the head with a pillow. Morgan chuckled, then turned serious again. “So what are you going to do?"
"I've been thinking about that while you've been gone, and unfortunately, it's a little more complicated than 'what am I going to do.' I'm afraid because of some complicated bonding issues that have been happening between you two the last several weeks, it has to be more like 'what are we going to do' if we decide to be the ones who help her."
Morgan sat forward to set her glass on the table. “Oh no...I am not getting involved in that. I do animals, not people. You're on your own on this one."
Ryland reached over and rubbed Morgan's back. “Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Do you remember our discussion several weeks ago about how Jesse needed your strength somehow? That she was pushing you to reassure herself that you were still in control? It's obvious to me now what's been going on. If I had understood it earlier, I might have been able to transfer that process to another object, maybe even to me, but I doubt it. It's your strength her subconscious is grabbing, Morg, because I think she's probably pretty close to a psychotic break. Her fainting and memory loss point that way. She needs the control you provide her."
"Ryland, I'm not a psychologist; I'm a farmer."
"I know that. I'll do the psychology. You'll be more of a tool for me to use, a way to ground her when her subconscious begins to lose control." She leaned forward and took Morgan's hands in hers. “Let me explain it to you this way: if we decide to help her, and if she accepts our help, she and I are going to be walking along the edge of a cliff blindfolded, and sometimes we'll be running flat-out. You're going to be the one who keeps her from falling off the edge."
"Why can't you keep her from falling off the edge?"
Ryland sat back. “Because I'll be the one pushing her over."

Alison Holt:

Meet Lt. Alison Holt, a cop for more than twenty years. She has arrested everything from homicide suspects to emus, the latter earning her a spot on America's Funniest Home Videos. She taught police procedures to officers, and now teaches writers how to write realistic police scenes and characters.

Check out the rest of the tour here:

9/6 author guest post @ Keeping Up With the Rheinlanders
9/6 review @ Immortality and Beyond
9/7 author guest post @ Jagged Edge Reviews
9/7 review @ Midnight Book Girl
9/8 author guest post @ Getting Naughty Between The Stacks
9/9 excerpt @ Reader Girls
9/12 giveaway @ Books Glorious Books
9/12 giveaway @ Immortality and Beyond
9/13 giveaway @ Midnight Book Girl
9/14 giveaway @ Jagged Edge Reviews
9/15 review @ Keeping Up With the Rheinlanders
9/17 review & giveaway @ Reviews by Molly

Part of BLB Book Tours


In My Mailbox #24

In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren, all links take you to goodreads.

Hiya guys! Welcome to another In My Mailbox!

This week I:

Swapped a book for:

Received:

Won:

Happy reading everyone!


Saturday, 3 September 2011

On My Wishlist #31

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.



When Elder learns harrowing news about the space ship Godspeed, he and Amy must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, all the while dealing with the romance that’s growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart. It all boils down to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

There can only be one alpha.

Bryn is finally settling into her position as alpha of the Cedar Ridge Pack—or at least, her own version of what it means to be alpha when you’re a human leading a band of werewolves. Then she finds a teenage boy bleeding on her front porch. Before collapsing, he tells her his name is Lucas, he’s a Were, and Bryn’s protection is his only hope.

But Lucas isn’t part of Bryn’s pack, and she has no right to claim another alpha’s Were. With threats—old and new—looming, and danger closing in from all sides, Bryn will have to accept what her guardian Callum knew all along. To be alpha, she will have to give in to her own animal instincts and become less human. And, she’s going to have to do it alone.

Bryn faces both the costs, and the rewards, of love and loyalty, in this thrilling sequel to Raised by Wolves.


The Zombie Apocalypse has been good to Sarah and David. Their marriage is better than ever. They communicate well, share responsibilities, and now, they're starting a business. ZombieBusters-for all your zombie extermination needs.

There are lots of zombies and that means lots of customers...Except one of them doesn't want the zombies dead, he wants them alive and ready for experimentation. Mad scientists make for difficult clients and this time, Sarah and David might have bitten off more than they can chew.

Happy reading everyone!