Sunday 30 October 2011

In My Mailbox 30/10/11




In My Mailbox is a weekly event exploring the books received this week and is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. What books did you get this week?



For Review (from publisher unless stated)

Fracture - Megan Miranda (Bloomsbury)

Bought

I've been meaning to start the Young Bond series (Charlie Higson) so when I saw SilverFin in one of the charity shops I had to get it. Plus I found The Iron Witch (Karen Mahoney) and I got a US version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone to add to my HP book stash (I have UK kids and adult versions as well as special editions so now I'm working on a US collection lol)

Other Stuff

I also got a bunch of promotional poster like things from Chicken House publishers for some of the books they have coming out in 2012 which was exciting!




Friday 28 October 2011

Follow Friday 28/10/11

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee. Just click on the banner below to see the rules and to join in.

This week's question is:
If you could have dinner with your favorite book character, who would you eat with and what would you serve?

Ok, my favourite book character is Sirius Black so I guess we'd eat things like pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs lol, Maybe some chicken drumsticks (Goblet of Fire cave scene reference)

Read My Review is a chance for book bloggers to share new and old reviews, related to a theme. It is hosted here at A Trillian Books. Make sure you leave your FANTASY reviews on the current linky and also visit some of the awesome reviews already there.

Tuesday 25 October 2011

Teaser Tuesday 25/10/11



Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others.
* Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!



Touch of Power - Maria V. Snyder

I bit my lip, losing his child seemed extra cruel. This listing of the dead was inevitable whenever survivors become comfortable with each other.

Monday 17 October 2011

It's Monday 17/10/11




So, in my last It's Monday post, I stated my intentions to get back to more regular blogging. This plan was scuppered by a complete lack of Internet while I was away on holiday. I was fully prepared with laptop and mobile internet dongle thing but, alas, we didn't even have a phone signal! I did however get some reading done so I made the best of my time.

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly event to celebrate what we are reading for the week hosted at Book Journey, Post the books completed last week, the books you're currently reading, and the books to be read this week. Please comment or leave a link to let me know what you're reading this week!

Completed last week



Ashfall - Mike Mullins
Bleeding Hearts - Alyxandra Harvey
Naked - Kevin Brooks

Currently Reading



Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian - Rick Riordan
Touch of Power - Maria V Snyder

Up soon



Glow - Amy Kathleen Ryan
The Iron Knight - Julie Kagawa

Reviews

Naked - Kevin Brooks
Deception - Lee Nichols
The Breakfast Club - Kate Costelloe

Sunday 16 October 2011

In My Mailbox - 16/10/11




In My Mailbox is a weekly event exploring the books received this week and is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. What books did you get this week?

For Review (from publisher unless stated)



Footloose - Rudy Josephs (Bloomsbury)

Bought

I was away from home last week and visited Hay-on-Wye, "Town of Books". With over 30 bookshops, obviously I had to buy some lots There's a mix of new and second hand, the pictures show some of them.


Friday 7 October 2011

Review: Naked - Kevin Brooks

Title: Naked
Author: Kevin Brooks
Format: Paperback
Pages: 320
Genre: YA
Published: 7th July 2011 (Puffin)

London, 1976: a summer of chaos, punk, love ...and the boy they called Billy the Kid. It was the summer of so many things. Heat and violence, love and hate, heaven and hell. It was the time I met William Bonney - the boy from Belfast known as Billy the Kid. I've kept William's secrets for a long time, but now things have changed and I have to tell the truth. But I can't begin until I've told you about Curtis Ray. Hip, cool, rebellious Curtis Ray. Without Curtis, there wouldn't be a story to tell. It's the story of our band, of life and death ...and everything in between. This characteristically gripping novel from award-winning author Kevin Brooks will rock you to the core.

When I first received this book I was initially excited because I've really enjoyed Kevin Brooks' books before but for some reason I didn't really take in what the book was about. When I picked it up to read and actually properly read what it was about I was both more excited and also apprehensive. I wouldn't say I was a massive punk fan but I do know my Sex Pistols from The Clash so there was a little part of me that was worried that the book wouldn't be a true representation of the punk movement, if only because of it being aimed at teens so I thought it might be somewhat diluted down - because lets face it, the subject matter isn't exactly the most family friendly. I should have had more faith in Brooks though and I'm glad to say that this book fully embraced the era completely.

The story is told in an almost autobiographical tone and it's easy to believe that the narrator, Lili, was a real part of the punk scene. It's set in 1976, right when punk was just taking off and it is very true to the time period. Lili is a brilliant character to read. Essentially, she's in a punk band but doesn't quite fit into the scene. She's there because she likes the music and she's not so keen on the party side of things. The two boys in her life are Curtis Ray (I love the proper rockstar quality to his name!), the band's front man and bad boy, and William Bonney, guitarist with a secret.

There's some amazing descriptive scenes in this book which land you right there with the characters, whether it's with Lili and William in the cemetry or up on stage with the band as a fight takes place in the crowd. The book also takes you through a rollercoster of emotions, from literally laughing out loud to crying.

Brooks quite clearly knows what he's talking about when it comes to the music and the punk scene in general and while I really liked all the added little details, I did wonder at times if it might be a little too much for readers who aren't so knowledgeable about the subject. I'm also pleased to say that the author didn't hold back on the subject matter and characterisation. The book is very much sex, drugs and rock n' roll and although I feel that it is dealt with appropriately (sex is eluded to but not graphic, the drugs aren't glamourised, there's some swearing where necessary but it's not overdone), this book is probably more suited to older teens.

Thursday 6 October 2011

Review: Deception - Lee Nichols

Title: Deception
Author: Lee Nichols
Format: Paperback
Pages: 336
Genre: YA, Supernatural
Published: 5th September 2011 (Bloomsbury)

When Emma Vaile’s parents go missing while away on a mysterious business trip, she’s left all alone in her creepy old house. But her brother’s very cute best friend, Bennett Stern—Emma’s knight in J. Crew armor—arrives unexpectedly to whisk her away to New England. There, Emma settles into his family’s museum-like mansion and enrolls at an old-fashioned private school. She quickly finds friends in the popular legacy crowd at Thatcher and spends her free time crushing on Bennett.

But the eerie visions she’s been hiding from everyone have gotten worse. Emma has memories of Thatcher that she can’t explain—it’s as if she’s returning home to a place she’s never been. Finally, Emma confides in Bennett and learns she is a ghostkeeper, a person who can communicate with ghosts. Bennett brought Emma to Thatcher to protect her, but now he needs her help tracking an other-worldly murderer.

Deception starts out like a lot of books of this genre, with Emma being without parental guidance, moving to a new town and new school before discovering what she really is. Right at the start I did get that "Here we go again" kind of feeling, just because it was so much like a lot of things I'd already read. However, I soon forgot about that because something about this book captivated me much more than a lot of books have. Ghosts haven't been overdone in YA books, at least not that I've read, and this, along with amazing writing and some great characters, drew me in more and more the further I got through the book.

As a protagonist, Emma was likeable, interesting, funny and believable. She has a bit of a quirky edge as well which made her a refreshing change from the usual types of main characters (which usually fall into either all-action herione or angsty emo-girl). She took just the right amount of time to come to terms with being able to see ghosts. She didn't immediately believe it nor did she take so long to figure it out that it got frustrating for the reader. Bennett was one of those characters you'll fall in love with straight away. At times he's distant and he's always a little bit arrogant but that just made me like him more! Emma's new friends are also well developed for secondary characters and I was pleasantly surprised to find that there wasn't an annoying one as I nearly always hate the 'friend' character in most books.

Overall, Deception is an excellent debut book and a great start to what I hope will be a fantastic series.

Sneak Peak: Crossed - Ally Condie




The Wait is over…
…the hotly anticipated sequel to 
international bestseller,
Matched is finally here!


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

Cassia’s quest leads her into the majestic, but treacherous, canyons. On this wild frontier are glimmers of a different life and the enthralling promise of rebellion against the controlling Society. But even as Cassia sacrifices everything to reunite with Ky, a surprise visit from Xander may change the game once again.

Narrated from both Cassia's and Ky's points of view, this eagerly awaited sequel to Matched will take them both to the edge of Society, where nothing is as expected and crosses and double crosses make their path more twisted than ever...

Read the opening chapters here!


Released: 24th November 2011 (Razorbill)

Wednesday 5 October 2011

Review: The Breakfast Club - Kate Costelloe

Title: The Breakfast Club
Author: Kate Costelloe
Format: Paperback
Pages: 208
Genre: Middle Grade
Published: 7th July 2011 (Hodder Children's Books)

Billie, Lexie, Ella and Natalie are all 14 years old, living in the fashionable and hip Notting Hill Gate. They're as different to each other as all four of the Sex and City friends, but that's what makes them such good friends. Lexie's the sporty, practical tomboy, Ella's ever-so-slightly ditzy, but creative fashionista, with a heart of gold; Nat's the witty, self-deprecating hopeless romantic and Billie's the resident musician and Lily Allen-in-the- making. Each of them have their own set of issues - whether it's school, parents or boys...and support is there, every week at their weekly breakfast catch up in their favourite cafe. In this first book, Billie' s narrative takes the lead, as she and her mum are at loggerheads over Billie's growing obsession with her music and her curiosity over her dad - who she hasn't seen since she was a baby. On top of that, the girls' favourite cafe has been bought up by property developers and the hunt is on for a new venue!

The Breakfast Club is a fun, cute book that also deals with real issues. It revolves around four fourteen year old girls who, despite they're very different backgrounds, are close friends. Between them they're dealing with various family situations, their favourite cafe - where they meet each Saturday for breakfast - being shut down and more trivial issues such as their collective crush on their drama teacher.

This book is a brilliant start to a new series in which I assume each of the four girls will take turns at narrating, giving a fresh voice to each book as the girls all have their own individual personalities. It would make a great read for younger teens.

Tuesday 4 October 2011

Teaser Tuesday 4/10/11




Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others.
* Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Naked - Kevin Brooks


Even as a trickle of blood began oozing down the side of his face, he kept chopping away at his guitar, hammering out the chords, seemingly oblivious to any pain. Jake, meanwhile, who'd been looking on from thh right-hand side of the stage, was now striding towards the biker, shouting obscenities at him, clearly intent on sorting him out.

Monday 3 October 2011

It's Monday - 3/10/11




It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly event to celebrate what we are reading for the week hosted at Book Journey, Post the books completed last week, the books you're currently reading, and the books to be read this week. Please comment or leave a link to let me know what you're reading this week!

Confession: I am a bad blogger. I've been really busy for the past few weeks so haven't updated as much as I'd like but I really intend to get back to my regular posting as of now.

Completed




Deception (Haunting Emma) - Lee Nichols
The Breakfast Club - Kate Costelloe


Currently Reading

 


Ashfall - Mike Mullin
Naked - Kevin Brooks

Up Soon





Bleeding Hearts (The Drake Chronicles) - Alyxandra Harvey
The Lady of the Rivers - Philippa Gregory

Saturday 1 October 2011

Read My Review: Fantasy

Read My Review is a chance for book bloggers to share new and old reviews, related to a theme. It is hosted here at A Trillian Books.


Read My Review



What to do:
- Find one of your reviews that fits the current theme (you can be as creative as you like when choosing what fits). It can be a new or old review, good or bad.
- Leave the link to your review with Mr. Linky at the bottom of this post."Blog Name (Book Title)"
- Visit some of the other reviews and leave a 'quality' comment (a couple of sentences).
- Let people know about Read My Review. Grab the button, tweet it, Facebook it ... shout about it in the street ... whatever lol.

This new theme is:

FANTASY

The theme stays for a month so you can leave your link any time and don't forget to pop back and check out some more fab reviews. You can also clink the link at the top to see the previous Read My Reviews. Also, if you have any ideas for future themes you'd like to see leave them in a comment.



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