Tuesday 31 August 2010

Book to Film - Beastly by Alex Flinn

SPOILER ALERT - There will be spoilers in all Book to Film posts

Beastly - The Movie Trailer

My Book Review - HERE

My thoughts after viewing the trailer

OK so I love this trailer and it was one of the reasons why I bought the book Beastly to begin with...I find it important to read any book that will be later released into a film before I watch the movie.

There are a few points I noticed from the trailer straight away that are very different from the book

  1. Kyle (main mail character aka Beastly) is meant to grow hair and claws like a Wolf not vain type marks. I was looking forward to that fact...

  2. Kyle did not build the green house for Lindy (The Beauty- female main character) he built it because he enjoyed the roses and wanted them to last longer.

  3. Isn't Kendra meant to be UGLY - maybe I'm mistaken but I was hoping she would be a little to the description in the book - I was hoping for at least the purple hair :o(

  4. Where is Will's guide dog?

  5. Beastly does not mask up he reveals himself via sitting watching TV when Lindy Leaves her room.

  6. Doesn't Lindy's father brings her to Kyles house?
So so far there are many points I have noticed that are different, I still have high hopes for the film, I think it will be awesome but I hate that so much is different all ready....I love a good book and I love that they get made into movies but I hate it when they are very different...don't you agree?

Sunday 29 August 2010

In my Mailbox (9)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by the wonderful Kristi at The Story Siren

I got some amazing news this week and some of you may already know but those that don't
I'm Expecting
Baby
No.3

Its early days yet but its taken a lot out of me so please please forgive me for the lack of posting and commenting, normality will commence soon.

So now with this weeks IMM

I didn't receive the books I bought this week but I did receive some great yummie's

For Review:
Finding Sky by Joss Stirling
A Novel of Intrigue and Romance by Michaela MacColl
My Life in Pink and Green by Lisa Greenwald

Troy High by Shana Norris
The Pharaoh's Secret by Melissa Moss

Gift:

The Lovely Matt Haig author of The Radleys sent me a signed copy of

 So thank you to the lovely Mr Haig xxx

So that's it for this week, What did you all get in your mailbox?

Saturday 28 August 2010

Book Review - Beastly by Alex Flinn

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Synopsis
I am a beast. A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog, but a horrible new creature who walks upright – a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.
You think I’m talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It’s no deformity, no disease. And I’ll stay this way forever – ruined – unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and a perfect life. And then, I’ll tell you how I became perfectly beastly
 
My Review
Hmmmm, I'm in two minds about this book and can not get my feelings clear, I love Beauty and the Beast its a classic and I don't feel nothing can compare with those few Disney classics from my childhood but Alex Flinn did good with his modernisation of Beauty and the Beast in Beastly.

Alex Flinn writes with a simplicity that makes it an easy read and I think its length and pace was perfect anything longer and I am sure it would have got a little dull. Alex Finn sticks to the original a little too much during the book even though locations differ and a few characters are except i.e Mrs Pots etc I wish he would have changed things a bit more, I mean it would have been great for the story to take unexpected turns that would throw you off course a little, with me being a fan of the original I found it a little too predictable

The characters in Beastly where great I mean Mr Obnoxious surely got taught a lesson that there is so much more then beauty and behind all that hair is someone who is deeply beautiful in many other ways and our Beauty was not so perfect but she was inside and that's what brings the story together.

Overall Beastly is a good read one I would recommend all to read it before the release of the movie...although I do have a feeling that it will be very different from Book to Film but only time will tell.

Thursday 26 August 2010

Book Review - The Prophecy by John Kilgallon


The Prophecy by John Kilgallon

Synopsis
A stolen manuscript. New York Author Sam Tynnan is violently assaulted and his new thriller wiped from his computer. Then world events begin to mirror those in his unpublished book - "An Ancient Prediction". Provence Nostradamus devotee Jean-Pierre comes across an undiscovered prophecy which he suspects holds the key to catastrophic global events. A Terrifying Race Against Time - London MI5 spook, Adel Al-Shaffir, faces a new terrorist threat - one with a secret blueprint for their course of destruction. Could Sam's book hold the key to the terrorism that has seized the world? Is the prophecy coming true? Adel needs to get Sam to trust him - but time is running out for them all.


My Review
So when I received this novel and began to read it I found it was nothing like I expected, I was thrown into a fast paced thrilling read and couldn't put it down until it was complete. Maybe because this is not my normal genre or maybe it was because I needed a change but whatever it was I loved it. It was so nice to see things from another point of view when it comes to terrorism and it was from an Islamic point rather then a western point of view...a view that had me intrigued thoroughly throughout.
 
John Kilgallon writes with an exceptional skill, he has been compared to many writers who I would say have outstanding talent and I can do nothing but agree with all those that said he was alike Sam Bourne ,Frederick Forsyth and Harlan Coben. Truly Outstanding and not only is his writing perfect but his characters and research where outstanding beyond belief too. John certainly has entered my reading life with a bang with this thrilling novel. One I would certainly recommend.

Book to Film

Hey All,
Its a new thing I'm doing here and its called book to film....so this week on book to film we have
Synopsis
It’s 3 a.m. and Elizabeth Gilbert is sobbing on the bathroom floor. She’s in her thirties, she has a husband, a house, they’re trying for a baby – and she doesn’t want any of it. A bitter divorce and a turbulent love affair later, she emerges battered and bewildered and realises it is time to pursue her own journey in search of three things she has been missing: pleasure, devotion and balance. So she travels to Rome, where she learns Italian from handsome, brown-eyed identical twins and gains twenty-five pounds, an ashram in India, where she finds that enlightenment entails getting up in the middle of the night to scrub the temple floor, and Bali where a toothless medicine man of indeterminate age offers her a new path to peace: simply sit still and smile. And slowly happiness begins to creep up on her.

Film Trailer


I have just ordered the book and can not wait to read it but don't you think the trailer is fantastic?

Book Review - The Wolf Next Door by Lydia Dare

The Wolf Next Door by Lydia Dare

Synopsis
Rogue, Rake…Werewolf. Years ago on a full moon, Lord William Westfield gave way to his inner beast and nearly ruined young Prisca Hawthorne. Knowing he can never trust himself in the arms of the woman he loves, he throws himself into a debauched lifestyle. When Westfield discovers he has a rival for Prisca's love, he decides if she's going to marry a Lycan it damn well better be him. But time is running out as Prisca's other suitor takes an instant and potentially fatal dislike to Westfield

My Review
The Wolf Next Door is the third part in The Westerfield Brother Trilogy but you don't have to read the previous two, to thoroughly enjoy this novel as you don't miss out much it would do great as a stand alone. Lydia writes with a natural skill her work flows and I found my self lost within the pages of The Wolf Next Door completely devouring it in a matter of hours and when I was finished I wanted more. It had all the things I needed right now in a novel....a historical setting, a set of hunky lycans, a bad guy, love, romance and humour, a much needed and speedy read. 

The Wolf Next Door is about Prisca and William Westerfield a couple who are in denial about there love for each other. Will is a hunk of a man who is also a Lycan, a man who has done wrong but is trying to put it right, I loved his charm, his wit, his confidence and his manner yup you got it, I fell head over heals for him and then there is his love Prisca....a girl I was at ends with she frustrated me with her innocence and yet her maturity made me love her....I never knew it was possible to have both characteristics but she held them both....she was a girl who knew what she wanted when she wanted it and wouldn't let nothing or no one get in her way until it was Will of course, her humour had me laughing out loud, her stubbornness had me sympathising with her and if that wasn't enough she was down right crazy and all a girl can do is love her.

The Wolf Next Door is a fabtastic read...one I'm eager to continue...Lydia writes with great flow that allows you to breeze with minimal creases to the spine ;o) I'm eager to get my hands on the previous 2 novels,
  • Bk1 - A Certain Wolfish Charm,
  • Bk2 - Tall Dark and Wolfish
and then there is the need to continue with
  • Bk4 - The Taming of the Wolf
So yeah I'm a little addicted to Lydia right now, I have never read a single page of her writing before but after reading The Wolf Next Door I'm hooked like a fish after bait I mean WOW! A definite recommendation to all my Adult readers.

Buy Me - UK - US
Read more about Lydia and her books HERE

  

Tuesday 24 August 2010

Book Review - Season of Storms by Susanna Kearsley

Season of Storms by Susanna Kearsley

Synopsis
In the early 1900s, in the elegant, isolated villa Il Piacere, the playwright Galeazzo D'Ascanio lived for Celia Sands. She was his muse and his mistress and the inspiration for his most stunning and original play. But the night before she was to take the stage in the leading role, Celia disappeared. Now, decades later, in a theatre on the grounds of Il Piacere, Alessandro D'Ascanio is preparing to stage the first performance of his grandfather's masterpiece. A promising young actress - who shares Celia Sands' name, but not her blood - has agreed to star. She is instantly drawn to the mysteries surrounding the play - and to her compelling, compassionate employer. And even though she knows she should let the past go, in the dark - in her dreams - it comes back

My Review
I have never read a Susanna Kearsley novel before, so after hearing so many great things about Susanna's writing and novels my expectations where very high. Season of Storms is an excellently written novel with outstanding characters, the developing relationship between Celia and Alex was perfect with their innocence of stolen kisses but there was just something about this novel that did not do it for me....

The mystery unravels in a slow-paced discovery of clues that will fall into place like pieces of a puzzle. Rich with evocatively descriptive language. Season of Storms will take you on a journey with twists and turns that are great for ones reading appetite but the plot lacked it for me....it did not spoil it entirely as I'm glad I read it,, Season of Storms has introduced a new author for me as the booked ooozed with potential with tidits that gripped my attention entirely.

Overall Season of Storms is a great read and I think for someone entirely new to her novels it would be a great one to start with.

Monday 23 August 2010

Where We Read - Megan Crewe (Author)

Today on Where We Read we have been joined by the wonderful Megan Crewe author of Give up the Ghost.....

Can you tell is a little about yourself?
I write young adult novels, mostly speculative fiction (paranormal, fantasy, science fiction, that sort of thing). My first book, GIVE UP THE GHOST, came out last fall, and my second, THE WAY WE FALL, will be out in early 2012. I live in Toronto, Canada, with my husband and three cats, and I work as a behavioral therapist for kids with autism. When none of those things are keeping me busy, I can be found practicing kung fu or planning my next overseas vacation (next year: Japan!).



Where is your favorite reading spot?

Honestly, I do most of my reading on the public transit (bus, streetcar, subway), because that's when it's most convenient. And I spent a lot of time on the transit, so I can get in 1-2 hrs a day that way. But I couldn't say that's my ideal place to read. When I'm allowing myself the luxury of curling up with a book at home, my favorite spot is on the living room couch, with leaning against a pillow on the arm by the window.

Why do you like to read there?

It's comfy, I can stretch my legs out, and there's lots of light. And close to the kitchen if I should happen to want to get a drink or a snack to compliment the book. :)

Can you show us your book shelves

These are just the shelves in my office. Three for adult fiction plus poetry and plays, one for kids and YA, and one weirdly shaped one that has most of my research nonfiction (mythology, history, etc.). As you can see, I should really get more--these ones are overflowing. There are also a couple in my husband's office that have a bunch of our other nonfiction, art books, and graphic novels.

Can you tell us your top 5 books so we can enjoy them in our spots.
I find it impossible to narrow my favorites down that far, so here are my faves in a few different categories:
  • Fave book in a series: THE KING OF ATTOLIA by Megan Whalen Turner
  • Fave book narrated by a character whose voice reminds me of myself as a teen: THE BOYFRIEND LIST by E. Lockhart
  • Fave book that I find impossible to put down: REBECCA by Daphne du Maurier
  • Fave book to read when I need a laugh: THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY by Douglas Adams
  • Fave book I've loved since childhood but hardly anyone seems to have heard of: THE CHANGELING by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
Thank you Megan for taking time to join us today, to find out more about Megan visit her Website


Sunday 22 August 2010

Author Interview - Lauren Kate

So today I have been joined by the amazing author of Fallen and soon to be released Torment - Lauren Kate, I sent Lauren an emailing requesting an interview and she responded:

Thanks for your email. I wanted to let you know that I have just started writing my third book, PASSION, and while I'm writing, I don't usually accept interviews or blog requests (because when I’m working on a book it’s usually hard enough for me to remember to eat, let alone take on other productive tasks!). (more after this but i edited)

Well Lauren it was better then OK...I mean book 3 already wohoooo so here's the questions that Lauren answered even though she is super super busy....She is a rock star and sent an email to me and many others answering many questions that get asked...keep reading to find out more




ABOUT LAUREN KATE:
When did you start writing?
When I was younger, I wrote often and across a lot of genres—poetry, songs, stories, lots and lots of diary writing. I started focusing mainly on fiction by the time I was in high school, and longer stories came more naturally to me than short stories. I majored in creative writing in college, and went on to get a masters degree in fiction—but I don’t think those things are necessary to being a good writer. Practice, curiosity, voracious reading, and diligence are more important than any degree. I finished writing my first novel right when I graduated college—but nothing ever happened with it. It look another six years before I had a book accepted for publication.

Did you read a lot growing up? What are your favorite books?
I’ve always been a voracious reader. I can’t go on vacation for a weekend without at least five books. Growing up, my favorite author was Roald Dahl, and I think I read each of his books ten times. My favorite children’s/YA writers are Lois Lowry, Frances Hardinge, Meg Rosoff, Maureen Johnson, Phillip Pullman, and John Green. A few of my favorite adult books are To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.


ABOUT THE BOOKS:

What drew you to the idea of fallen angels?
I’ve been writing love stories for as long as I’ve been writing. To me, the most complicated romances make the most interesting narratives, so I’m always looking for new obstacles to throw in my lovers’ paths. When I was getting my masters degree in fiction, I was studying biblical narratives and came across a line in Genesis (6:1-4), which describes a group of angels who fell in love with mortal women. Putting this reference together with a mention in Isaiah and another in Palsm 82, biblical scholars conclude that these angels were actually cast out of Heaven for their lust. Which means—you could say—that these angels chose love over Heaven. I found this to be an endlessly interesting set up for an incredibly complicated romance. I started thinking about what kind of mortal girl it would take to attract an angel’s attention. And what it would be like for her to find herself in this position. What kind of baggage would an angel have? What would her very over-protective parents think? From there, this whole world unfurled in my head with fallen angels, demons, reincarnation, and the war between good and evil all battling for a piece of the action.

Who is Luce based on? Which character are you most like?
The physical traits of Luce (pronounced Loose) are based on my oldest, closest friend—the dark wavy hair, hazel eyes, tiny teeth, etc. When I first started writing her, I pulled some personality traits from this friend, but as I continued with her story, Luce veered away from my friend into an identity of her own. I share some traits with her—like her stubbornness and tendency to get swept away by romance. But if I had to which one I’m most like (though this is hard to imagine), I might be a crazy combination of Arriane and Penn.

Did you struggle in coming up with any of the characters?
Daniel was the most challenging, mainly because the full truth of his character has to come to light very slowly over the course of the entire series in order for the books to work. The reveal at the end of the first book was probably one that most readers saw coming...it is book about fallen angels after all! But there's a much bigger, game-changing reveal about Daniel to come later in the series. It's challenging for me to know what's coming and only be able to show the reader so much at this point. Daniel's character is difficult enough as it is! But I like to think of him as a work in progress, a developing story, and someone who, above all, knows Luce better than anyone else (including herself), and has her best interest at heart. 0


What happened to Trevor? Who is the good and who is the bad guy? Why did these angels fall? Why did you kill Penn? Why did Daniel give Luce the middle finger? Will there be another love triangle in the next book? Why did you end the book with so many unanswered questions??

That is the blessing and the curse of writing a series! I wish I could give you all the answers now, but please believe me that I have a reason for withholding some of the details! I must torment you until Torment comes out in the fall! In the meantime, check out the Sword and Cross Case Files at www.fallenbooks.com to learn a little bit more about who's who in Fallen!

Why did you choose to write it in third person instead of in first?
I love talking about point of view and love playing with it in my books. In the case of Fallen, I didn’t intentionally choose this point of view. Most of the time when I start a new story, I’ll hear a line in my head before I start writing. In this case, it was the first sentence of Chapter One (more or less). The choice to say “Luce” instead of “I” was implicit, not something I was entirely aware of. I just started writing, but it felt true to the story to tell it from a close, close third, so I kept it. We’re almost in Luce’s head, but there’s that small point of view choice separating us. She remains just a little bit unknowable, which is how I wanted her character to be.

How long did Fallen take you to write?
I blazed through a first draft of Fallen in about two months. I write fast and furious and then take a break and usually go back for another month or two of heavy revision. I write in Microsoft Word on an old ibook with most of the keyboard letters worn off!

Do you have a playlist of songs for Fallen?
Not officially, but a few songs I listened to a lot as I was writing:

Drunken Angel by Lucinda Williams
You Look So Young by the Jayhawks
Not Dark Yet by Bob Dylan

I heart those of you who send me playlist suggestions, so feel free to pass them along.

What about your other book, The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove?
Betrayal is my first novel and was as much of a guilty pleasure to write as I hope it is for people to read. It’s a dark, funny, gothic story about one girl’s twisted path towards Queen Bee-dom. It’s a Cruel Intentions meets Friday Night Lights meets MacBeth (told from Lady MacBeth’s point of view), set in the contemporary south. People read Fallen and they ask me whether I went to a school like Sword and Cross. Not even close! Actually, it’s the school in Betrayal that is a thinly veiled version of my utterly enormous and insanely Texan high school. All the things Natalie cares about in Betrayal are very close to my high school heart.

Like Fallen, Betrayal is richly southern gothic—Fallen is set in Savannah and Betrayal is set in Charleston, South Carolina—so the same sort of wonderfully oppressive southern scenes are important to both books. But where Luce is struggling to find her place in a new, unfamiliar school, Natalie is a girl at the top of her game—and she won’t let anything compromise that. Like every complex character, they both have some pretty remarkable skeletons in their closet. Natalie is a bit naughtier than Luce, but I imagine they would be friends. Actually, Nat’s kind of like a type-A version of Arriane.

No plans (yet) to write a sequel to Betrayal, but you never know!

Can you give us a hint about what will happen in Torment?
I’m having so much fun writing Torment right now. I think I’m more proud of it than any book I’ve written so far. Really, it’s going to be GOOD. It’s hard for me not to spill everything right now so I can say, “Aren’t you excited? Won’t this be great?” But my publisher would probably have my head. So in lieu of that, I’ll reveal just three things:

As Luce learns more about her past, she comes into a host of powers she never knew she had—and they might involve the shadows.

After the second book comes out, a prequel (which will span thousands of years!) will follow before the final book in the series.

I’ve posted a preview on my blog! Check it out!

ABOUT WRITING:
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
I've been writing stories since I was in middle school, so I love talking to people who are interesting in writing. One question I get often has to do with what to do when you get stuck, and the clearest advice I can give about that would be to look at the scene from a different angle and write through it. Say I'm trying to write a scene about two people having an argument at sunset and can't figure out how to make it interesting or fresh. Sometimes, when it takes me a while to get warmed up, I'll imagine how someone else--my husband, my best friend, someone I recently argued with--might see the same sunset. What would they notice about it that I wouldn't, or vice versa? Write a whole paragraph about the sunset instead of just a sentence. Then go back and look at what is strongest image you came up with. Which image reflects something new about your characters? Save that image, cut the rest. Eventually, those strong images will pop out first in your mind.

To those of you who are working on a novel or have finished one and are sending out your work: stick with it! I don’t think you can ever be too young (or too old!) to start sending out your work. In addition to Fallen, I have another novel I have been working on for eight years now and I know that someday I’m going to finish it! I couldn’t even begin to count how many rejection letters I’ve received over the years from agents, publishers, editors, and contest judges. What kept me writing was the support of other friends who are writers—and a dogged determination to someday get my writing published. There were times when I never thought it would happen, but now I’m so glad I kept writing. Find a writing-buddy, share your work, revise it over and over again, read it aloud, stay true to yourself and your voice, and don’t give up. An English or a Writing program are great ways to read widely and meet other writers. You can get a lot of great practice writing and revising in an academic program but I wouldn’t say the degrees you earn are necessary. If you’re looking for an agent, Writers Marketplace (the book) is a great place to start. There are also tons of publishing blogs out there with suggestions for agents. It’s mostly about finding someone whose tastes and sensibilities match yours.

To those of you who have asked, I’m sorry that I can’t agree to take a look at your own writing and offer feedback. I would love to have the time to do that, but I have to start working on my next book!!

Saturday 21 August 2010

Book Review - A Cottage by the Sea by Ciji Ware

A Cottage by the Sea by Ciji Ware

Synopsis
Some might call it running away . . .

But after a scandalous Hollywood divorce, Blythe Stowe considered it damage control for body and soul. The pain, the humiliation, the daily tabloids shouting details as her famous husband dumped her for her own sister demanded a serious getaway: to the wild coast of Cornwall and a cottage by the sea that her Wyoming grandmother claimed had been home to her ancestors.
Some might call it chance . . .

But Blythe encountered more than just a quaint retreat nestled amid vivid skies and gorgeous ocean. And she had the odd sensation that her wickedly handsome neighbor Lucas Teague was more than a British gentleman going broke. He might be her
destiny . . .

My Review
This is the first novel I have ever read by Ciji Ware and I am sure it won't be my last. A Cottage by The Sea is an addictive read that took me through every page with a comforting ease while I got hooked on the life like characters along the way...a novel of true romance with droppings of suspense and humour in all the right places and if that wasn't enough then the hunk Lucas was!!

Ciji wrote her characters with great thoroughness and I admire that..I loved Blythe she was a strong and spunky character while still remanding soft...she certainly wasn't a push over but she wasn't arrogant even though she had qualities that could have made her like that, Blythe became an added person to my heart...I mean ow! stop making me hurt women, and then there was Lucas.....I felt a strong pull to this character with his daily habits and somewhat charming life...they where both oblivious to what was so obvious to me! Sigh* I would call it innocence but that would be pushing my luck ;o)

Overall Ciji writes a beautiful and compelling novel, Living in UK I'm lucky enough to experience Cornwall growing up as it was a place me and my family would visit for the summer. Ciji explains my child hood Holiday destination with great clarity that allowed my heart to miss it, what's the saying absence makes the heart grow fonder and I think my absence is well overdue as my heart aches with longing!

I would recommend this novel to all my adult readers as it is one that no doubt you will love it has everything a girl needs from romance to history and all things in between including a yummy man face;o)....a novel I'm glad I picked up this year and one you may just regret if you don't.

Friday 20 August 2010

The Drake Chronicles.- Out for Blood by Alyxandra Harvey

As many know I'm a big fan of Alyxandra Harvey's series The Drake Chronicles (you can find my review HERE) and if your impatient like me as there is still a 72 day wait... you can find the first juicy chapter for the next installment over at there Bloomsbury book page

You can also join there facebook page HERE

and if you are one of the few that don't know much about The Drake Chronicles let these trailers wet your appetite for more

Book 1 - Hearts at Stake(us) or My Love Lies Bleeding(uk)


Book2 - Blood Feud


Happy Reading xxx

Thursday 19 August 2010

Book Review - Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Synopsis
In "Shiver", Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in "Linger", they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping dangerous secrets. For Sam, it means grappling with his werewolf past ...and figuring out a way to survive the future. But just when they manage to find happiness, Grace finds herself changing in ways she could never have expected...


My Review
When I received this novel I was so excited I mean who wouldn't be right I felt like I had waited for it forever since reading Shiver but it sat on my TBR pile waiting for me while I caught up with a few review titles that when I did finally pick it up I was in a state of relief.....and once I started it I was afraid I was a little disappointed and that it would stay that way.

Linger Starts of very slow and this frustrated me I mean hello wheres all the Shiver in Linger... It was like a get to know the characters and why there so messed up beginning to the book and I felt like this for the first 100 pages although there where spots of hope I was let down but once I passed the first hurdle I understood why the beginning was the way it was......It gave a better understanding to all things that came later on and I quickly forget why I was disliking Linger in the beginning.

Linger is told from 4 points of view we have Sam and Grace who have not changed except they are even more in love and then we have Grace who I came to like in Linger compared to Shiver it feels like she has wised up a little more and although she is still blaming her self for the death of her brother she copes and stays strong. The 4th point of view is Cole one of the newer werewolves, and believe it or not I loved his character more then Sam's as he had so much of it, yeah at times he was a self obsessed jerk always feeling sorry for himself but towards the end he seen the light and that made me love him even more.

Overall Linger built up to be a great read and the ending hit me with a bang...I knew it was coming and I was left a little confused too I mean what happened after? Did Grace's parent go mad with worry? I neeeeeeeeed to know!!! Maybe Maggie will go over it in Forever, maybe she won't but either way there is a lot left unanswered for me...those little bits may not be important to others but to me it goes with the novel and the way her parents have acted this time round.....I'm truly looking forward to Forever but I'm not looking forward to the wait...

Happy Reading

Trailer Thursday

Since I missed doing this on Tuesday as lately my life has been a little more busier the usual I decided I would post this today...

This weeks trailers are for
The Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Halo by Alyxandra Adornetto

Karma Club by Jessica Brody

So that's it this week.....eek! can you believe The Clockwork Angel trailer ;o) So tell me what trailers are you loving right now?

Wednesday 18 August 2010

Wednesday Wishlist

Novels on this weeks Wednesday Wishlist are

When Rose Wakes by Christopher Golden
Synopsis
An enchanting tale by Christoper Golden about a teenager who wakes from a coma and slowly comes to realize that she is Sleeping Beauty of fairy tales

Tallow (Curse of the Bond Riders 1) by Karen Brooks
Synopsis
On the edge of a mystical border called the Limen, close to a beautiful canal-laced city, a humble candlemaker rescues a child whom he raises as his apprentice.

Years pass and the child’s unusual talents are revealed, the gentle art of candlemaking slowly transforming into something far more sinister.

Lingering in the shadows, enemies watch and wait - a vengeful aristocrat, an exotic queen and the lethal creatures known only as the Morte Whisperers.

They hunger after the child’s ancient magic and will do anything to control it - betray, lie, manipulate. Even murder.
A story of intrigue, deadly magic and a love so deep it transcends life itself

Don't they both look and sound amazing? Whats on your wishlist this Wednesday?

Guest Blog - Jennifer Echols

I have been joined today by the wonderful Jennifer Echols, author of many titles including her latest novel Forget You. Jennifer's post today will no be the usual 'lets talk about your book' post, Jennifer has joined us today to tell us a little more about herself and her life as an author and a mom. So lets give a warm welcome to the wonderful Jennifer:

I love the name of this site because I’m a busy mom myself! Here’s a little run-through of today. Currently it’s 5:32 a.m. I’ve been up since 4:30, working through an e-mail I received in July. When I finish writing this guest post, I’m going to work on a book revision until my 9-year-old gets up at 6:30.


Then I’m cooking bacon and eggs, serving up Cheerios, and packing him a lunch for school. I’ll get him out the door around 7:30 and go for a jog—about 3 miles because I’ve been slacking lately. I need to work my way back up to 5. I have a doctor’s appointment, oh joy, where I will read THE HUNGER GAMES, which I’ve heard so many great things about. When I get home, I have another hour of book revision scheduled.


And then, for the rest of the school day, I’m working at my other job as a freelance copy editor. I’ll pick my son up around 3 and we might go to the pool, and, whoops—I forgot until just now that I am in charge of dinner. Later tonight I will scrub the baseboards in the finished basement because my son is having a sleepover on Friday. I will probably fall asleep reading THE HUNGER GAMES. And there you have it, the glamorous life of a novelist.
A few more random things about me: I have a hard time watching movies and TV because I’m so critical. Books are better. I can’t tell you how many movies I’ve rented from Netflix and turned off after 5 minutes because they were a waste of my time. Most of the TV programs I see are science-oriented documentaries I watch with my son. Lots of MYTHBUSTERS. As for music, I’m a new rock kind of girl: Incubus and the Foo Fighters. I have absolutely no fashion sense, but my husband does. He buys me clothes, thank goodness. My menfolk really take good care of me. My 9-year-old has to explain to me how to work my cell phone.

Thank you very much for joining us today, it is highly appreciated as we know how busy life can be especially as a busy mom......If you have not read Forget Me or any other titles by Jennifer you can find out more HERE and Forget Me below.....

Happy Reading xxx
Forget You
Synopsis
WHY CAN'T YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU FORGET...AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER?


There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four-year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. With her life about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon.
But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people—suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.

Tuesday 17 August 2010

Book Review - The Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

The Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

Synopsis
Carrie Ryan's sensational new novel reveals more of the secrets of the world after the return of the Unconsecrated and introduces a new heroine who must tangle with her mother's secrets. Gabry lives a quiet life, secure in her town next to the sea and behind the Barrier. She's content to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. Home is all she's ever known and, and all she needs for happiness. But life after the Return is never safe and there are threats even the Barrier can't hold back. Gabry's mother thought she left her secrets behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, but, like the dead in their world, secrets don't stay buried. And now, Gabry's world is crumbling. One night beyond the Barrier ...One boy Gabry's known forever and one veiled in mystery ...One reckless moment, and half of Gabry's generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry knows only one thing: if she has any hope of a future, she must face the forest of her mother's past.


My Review
If I had too choose a Fave out of the 2 books The Forest of Hands and Teeth and The Dead Tossed Waves I would have to say The Dead Tossed Waves wins hands down.....Its more of a companion novel then a sequel to TFOHAT, we still have a few characters in it that are in The Forest of Hands and Teeth but the overall point of the characters are to see it from the next generation point of view.

I personally feel that Carrie's writes with passion her characters and the location are well thought out and suited the novel perfectly. I found myself in love with so many of the characters and I was in aww with how much my emotions changed the more I read! TDTW is a gripping and spell binding read that kept me engaged from beginning to end...I can not wait until the next book especially as TDTW ended with the need for me to read more and its a dying rage that I have to wait!!

I seriously recommend this series if you haven't already read it!

Holly Cupala Online Event

Hey all,
So the amazing Holly has a great event that's worth checking out...Holly is releasing 2-3 chapters each week (roughly following the timeline of the book) for FREE. Woohoo! And here's the most exciting part: it's read by my dream reader, award-winning actress Jenna Lamia, who read The Adoration of Jenna Fox, The Chosen One, The Secret Life of Bees, and lots of other cool books. Plus she just won the 2010 Audie Award for Best Female Performance!

Happy Reading

Monday 16 August 2010

Where We Read - Kylie frome kyliesreads

So its that time of the week again where we find the places our fellow readers like to relax with a good book. Today we have been joined by the wonderful Kylie from Kyliereads

Can you tell is a little about yourself?
Newly employed library assistant, mother to an 8 year old boy and a four year old girl. Wife to a mad keen fisherman and kayaker. I also quilt in my spare time! Live on a lovely island called Coochimudlo Island in Morteon Bay, Brisbane, Queensland Australia.

Where is your favorite reading spot?
Bed - sorry no picture! The beach. The deck of our house and the ferry on the ride to and from the mainland. I also spend a lot of time reading at a coffee shop or local library when I need to waste time on the mainland before picking up kids or getting to appointments.
Why do you like to read there?
The deck, especially in winter, is awash with sunshine. A cup of tea, a good book, what more can you want! The ferry ride is quick - between 6-10 minutes but is enough for me to get a few pages in. I've actually trained my kids to leave me alone on the ferry - mummy's reading time, don't disturb. The beach is where we spend a lot of time during summer. As we are in a bay, there are no waves and my kids are old enough that all I need to do is look up occasionally and count heads. It's a small community which means while I always take a book to the beach, it often doesn't get read as we always run into friends and usually end up chatting and frequently having a few drinks!

Can you show us your book shelves?

I'm actually a bit anal about my shelves! Alphabetical order by author. No one else is allowed to put books away,although my husband will go in and take books out and put them in random places just for (his) fun! You'd never guess I have a Graduate Diploma in Library and Information Management would you? Non fiction are on another shelf, organised in subjects. We use to have a lot more books, but when we moved from Canberra to the island, a distance just short of 2000km (about 1200 miles) we did a huge weed. All that means is I now have space to build it up again!

Can you tell us your top 5 books so we can enjoy them in our spots.
Hmmm, this is a hard one! My top five change frequently, but here are my current

Life of Pi by Yann Patel - not sure exactly what it is about this book, but it sang to me. Loved it!

The Number No1 Ladies Detective Agency Series - Alexander McCall Smith - fantastic, easy reads. Uncomplicated, but full of delightful stories that espouse morals and values without being preachy.

Breath - Tim Winton - in fact anything by Tim Winton. He is an excellent Australian writer. His use of language is superb. One of those writers you find yourself re-reading sentences just because they are so beautifully crafted.

Sins of the Brother - Mark Whittaker and Les Kennedy - I love a good true crime book and this is one of the best. Ivan Milat was convicted of what is known in Australia as the Backpacker murders. Milat murdered 7 young backpackers from Australia, Germany and Britain during the 1990's. Despite a mass of evidence he protests his innocence to this day. I started to read this book while I was pregnant with my second child and had to stop because it was giving me graphic and vivid nightmares! I'd say a must read for all true crime aficionados.

The Outsiders - SE Hinton - a book a read during those angst filled teenage years. A friend and I use to spend hours quoting parts of it back and forth to each other - from memory! We even took nicknames from it! *blush*

Thank you Kylie for joining us today!! I have never heard of any of your top 5 books so im off to find out more!!

If you would like take part in Where We Read
email me

Sunday 15 August 2010

Book Review - The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

Synopsis
Haven Moore has always known she's different: there are the talents that can't be explained; the knowledge of places she's never been; and, then there are the visions that overwhelm her - terrifying visions of a life that ended tragically two decades earlier and more than a thousand miles away in New York City. The citizens of Haven's rural, highly religious community, believe that she's been possessed by a demon. But this is no demon: it's reincarnation. Haven journeys all the way to Manhattan in search of clues about her past life and a decades-old murder. One wrong move could lead her into the clutches of the sinister villain at the center of a conspiracy much larger than she could have ever imagined. But if she makes the right choices, Haven will find the answers she's been seeking her entire life. This is an epic and thrilling romance set in the snake-handling churches of Appalachia, the dusty ruins of ancient Rome, and the grand mansions of Manhattan. "The Eternal Ones" tells the story of the first battle in a war between undying love and eternal evil.


My Review
 
The Eternal Ones had me drugged, I got swept into a glorious world of love, lust and yadda yadda ramblings of a grumpy grandma and if that wasn't enough to keep me turning the pages the the hunt was. If there was one thing that strikes me was how easily I flowed through this novel, I moved from page to page with a floating ease and before I knew it The Eternal Ones came to and end and a very good one at that.

The Characters where superbly written and I loved the descriptions for them, yes Haven is a little Naive but I think that goes so well with her character, I didn't expect any less from her. Ian is a intriguing man that left much for Haven to throw judgments on but I still trusted him throughout even through the lies and the accusations my bonds where tied with him from the start and I never doubted him. I don't think there was a character I didn't like, don't ask me how that's not possible as there are good and bad but I loved the bad too the only thing I hated was the past life name of Haven, maybe because I feel that it is slightly overused I don't know but it didn't waver how I felt.

Kirsten Miller's Debut novel The Eternal Ones is a 'butter me up until I'm nice and coated' kind of read. You find that you get so wrapped up into this brilliant and well written love that if you find you have to put the novel down your dying to get back to it......I was so smothered in butter by 1/3 of the way in that the rest of the novel came in a great slippery ease....slipping from one page to the next. The Novel has a great ending and I would have been content if it was a stand alone novel but I know better and I know there will be a sequel to come out nest year, this knowledge has left me tingling to find out what will be in store for Haven and Ian next.

In my Mailbox (8)

Hey All,
So it's that time of the week again for In My Mailbox.
This meme was started by the fabulous Kristi who was inspired by Alea.

(VLOG will be posted later)

For Review

Lies(Gone) by Michael Grant

Bought

 
Thirst (Book 1) by Christopher Pike
Thirst (Book 2) by Christopher Pike
Forbidden Game (Bind-up) by L J Smith

   
Fire by Kristen Cashore
Merlins Harp by Anne Eliot Crompton
Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link

   
Deception by Lee Nichols
White Crow by Marcus Sedgwick
Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

So that's it this week....leave a comment so I can come and see what you got in your mailbox

Happy Reading xx

Friday 13 August 2010

Jealousy (Strange Angels 3) by Lili St Crow

Jealousy by Lili St Crow

Synopsis
Dru has made it to Schola, the leading school where the vampire-fighting Order is based. There she is up against the capricious Anna, the only other female who shares her powers. Dru must unlock the mystery of who betrayed her mother, battle her intensifying feelings for both Graves and Christophe, and try to stay hidden from Sergej's deadly nosferat - bloodthirsty hunters who'll stop at nothing to destroy her

My Review

Wow...no totally wow, wow and more wow!!! If anyone has a bad thing to say about this book that have to go through me! I'm in love so much it hurts.......throughout this series I admired how The Strange Angels got better and better but Jealousy kicked butt BIG TIME I mean hey we love a little vamp beating especially when there mean but we even got a little girl fighting too and Dru kicked there behinds.

There has been a lot of progress in this novel compared to Strange Angels and Betrayals it felt like we where moving forward and I got my wish I really did and it may not be complete but it was something but at the same time I was squealing with worry over Graves....Anna furiated me I mean let me at her.......ill even jump into this novel go super sevotcha on her behind and show her not to mess with the characters I bonded with again!

*Stepping out of the novel* On a serious not I do love this the most out of the series so far, there was so much action packed from page to page allowing your mind to absorb every detail and letting your imagination run wild with possibilities and images and for me Christophe!!! I would recommend this gripping series to anyone and everyone as you wont be disappointed unless like me the only disappointment is waiting for book 4!

Books That Left Me Pining - Part 1

So I was asked to do a roundup of some of my favorite books this year that have left me pining for the sequels!! I mean go steal it from the publishers or catch a plane to the authors state as I can not stand the wait kinda' pining. So lets start with:
Hush Hush Left me drooling for the sequel Crescendo......
I mean who wouldn't want a little more of Patch

Captivate is the second book in the Need Series and I must admit not many have said much about it but it is brilliant and if you haven't read it 'seriosly you need to as it is brilliant...showed me my little hidden love for pixies..
Another series that kicks some Vampire bootay! This was a series that when I picked up book one Glass Houses I brought the remaining books and did not sleep until I had completed the series to date it was that good! Rachel Caine goes for a whole unique world that has me buttered up and screaming for the release date of Ghost Town..which by the way is in November :o\

This Zombie series had me hooked, the first book The Forest of Hands and Teeth was good but The Dead Tossed Waves had me drooling...It takes Zombies to a whole new level with uniqueness and drool worthy content that can make your heart skip a few to many beats!

So here's part one...what books have left you pining? are there any books you have not read from above? If you have read them what do you think? I would love to hear your views