Review: Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost – WARNING! This is the fourth book in the Night Huntress series; I can’t talk about this book without spoiling things from the previous novels. Don’t read any further if you plan on reading the other books.

After their recent war with rogue vampires, Cat thinks a little rest and relaxation are in their future. But she's plagued by dreams of a Master vampire who claims to be from her past. As the dreams intensify and the shadowy figure in them proves to be more than a figment of her subconscious, she realizes there are parts of her past that have been hidden. To unlock these memories and deal with a growing danger to herself and Bones, Cat may have to venture all the way into the grave. But finding out the truth could rock what she knows about herself - and her relationship with Bones. From Amazon UK

Continue reading Review: Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Book Signing: Maria V. Snyder at Murder One Film Night Event

The wonderful Trisha Telep, one of the owner's of Murder One online bookstore and editor of several Mammoth anthologies, emailed me today with news on the next Murder One Film Night in London - with Maria V. Snyder! Here are the details:

Ring in the New Year with Murder One Film Club and the first great fantasy-romance film night of 2010!

Murder One presents an evening with Maria V. Snyder on Monday, January 18th. The bestselling author of the fabulous Study series will be signing the UK edition of her latest book Sea Glass (the second installment in her Glass series)*, followed by a Q&A and screening of her film pick Hero (starring Jet Li)**.

Signing starts at 6:30pm (doors open at 6pm: refreshments and snacks available); film starts at approx. 7:45pm at our new venue (a REAL cinema this time!):

Shortwave Cinema
10 Bermondsey Square
London
SE1 3UN
0207 357 6845
www.shortwavefilms.co.uk
(They are located just over Tower Bridge in South London, not far from London Bridge [Northern line] or Bermondsey [Jubilee line: this is the closest] underground stations.)

Ticket price is the copy of the book (available in the UK on January 8th), or if you already have the previously published US edition of Sea Glass, any book of your choice of equivalent cost. Please email trisha@murderone.co.uk for more information.

Hope to see you there!
Trisha
Murder One

*Sea Glass
Student glass magician Opal Cowan's newfound ability to steal a magician's powers makes her too powerful. Ordered to house arrest by the Council, Opal dares defy them, traveling to the Moon Clan's lands in search of Ulrick, the man she thinks she loves. Thinks because she is sure another man now her prisoner has switched souls with Ulrick.

In hostile territory, without proof or allies, Opal isn't sure whom to trust. She can't forget Kade, the handsome Stormdancer who doesn't want to let her get close. And now everyone is after Opal's special powers for their own deadly gain....

**Hero
A group of assassins: Flying Snow, Broken Sword, and Long Sky, have sworn to kill the King of Qin. Nameless (Jet Li) comes to the royal capital to claim the reward offered for their defeat.

I had a few questions I wanted clarified, so here are some further details for you.

As it says above, the movie is free with the purchase of Sea Glass or another title with the same cost, but to get your place you have to email Trisha so she has a book for you to pick up on the night and to save you a seat at the cinema - there are only 45 seats, so get emailing! Trisha will only have copies of Sea Glass and some of her Mammoth anthologies at the event. Sea Glass costs £6.99.

So here are the details again:

Who?
Maria V. Snyder
What?
Murder One Film Night:
Book signing, Q&A, and watching the movie Hero
When?
Monday 18th January 2010
Doors open 6pm
Event starts at 6.30pm
Film starts approx. 7.45pm
Where?
Shortwave Cinema,
10 Bermondsey Square,
London,
SE1 3UN
0207 357 6845
http://www.shortwavefilms.co.uk/
Book Place:
Email Trisha requesting a place and book.

So who's going? I'm pretty sure I'll be there, sounds like it'll be a great night!

Continue reading Book Signing: Maria V. Snyder at Murder One Film Night Event

Report of Book Event from Random House: The Fallen Are Among Us

I received a fantastic email yesterday from Lauren, a publicist at Random House, detailing the events of when Random House's Fallen Army took their Angel, Daniel, out to meet the people of London to promote Fallen by Lauren Kate.

"Yesterday (Tuesday 22nd Dec) the Fallen Army took to the streets of London with their very own Fallen Angel to spread the word that Angels are the new Vampires!

The army targeted shoppers outside Topshop, Oxford Circus then walked down Regent Street to Piccadilly Circus handing out copies of the books – in total the army gave out 150 copies! Each book contained a specially designed Fallen postcard directing people to the fiercebook site. The Fallen Angel braved the freezing temperatures and attracted quite a crowd!

The army then popped into the Heat offices on Shaftesbury Avenue and gave a copy to one of the girls from Heat plus one to the lovely receptionist who let the photographer take lots of snaps in the office. More magazine are also based there so the army personally delivered them a copy too. After leaving a few copies lying about on tables in reception the army left to a chorus of ‘There’s a naked man in reception!!’ from a group of ladies peering round the office doors.

Finally the army walked through the Christmas Market on Piccadilly to the small courtyard behind and took a few final photos of their brooding Fallen Angel."

Check out the slide show of photos below of the goings on throughout the day:



And a teaser video:



First of all, I have to say kudos to that angel! I didn't know about this event at the time, and I decided to stay at home that day as it was so cold, so for that guy to be walking around undressed as he was is just... wow. He's pretty wow himself, really! I wish I knew about it, I'm so jealous!

More news and photos about the event are being updated on Fiercebook and on Twitter (@GetReading_RHCB). And check out the Twitter "war" between Random House (@GetReading_RHCB) and Simon and Schuster (@simonkids_UK) over who has the better angel!

Continue reading Report of Book Event from Random House: The Fallen Are Among Us

Authors' Christmas - Part 3

Here we have the third and final post in a series of three posts, Authors' Christmas, in which four authors talk about their Christmas celebrations.

What is your typical Christmas Dinner?

Becca Fitzpatrick, author of Hush, Hush:

Ham, orange rolls, mashed potatoes, apple cider and apple pie!

Luisa Plaja, author of Split by a Kiss and Extreme Kissing:

Roast something (not usually turkey!) and lots of sprouts.

Emily Gale, author of Girl, Aloud:

My mum has always liked to shake things up so she’ll do a few delicious twists on a turkey roast, but alas I won’t be there to enjoy it. I’m trying to remain upbeat about that but it’s difficult being so far away from my family. This year will be our second Hot Christmas, in Melbourne (my partner is Australian and we came to live here in 2008). Last year we had arancini, salt cod stuffed peppers, bbq’d red snapper, a baked ham, salad, dauphinoise potatoes, poached pears and raspberry sour cream cake. Not very traditional but very, very yummy.

Ruthanne Reid, author of Guardian:

I can't honestly say I've had a "typical" one. I can say we generally have "nice" food. Steak, turkey, duck, ham, accompanied with some very nice veggies and usually a fantastic dessert. Then too much candy.

What did you leave out for Father Christmas/Santa when you were younger?

Becca Fitzpatrick:

My siblings and I pretty much emptied the fridge for Santa. We put out shortbread cookies, milk, gingerbread boys, rice krispie treats, and of course carrots for the reindeer.

Luisa Plaja:

Oh, er - nothing! Poor Santa.

Emily Gale:

A mince pie, a glass of port, and a carrot for Rudolph. I loved that bit. I was sad once I realised that it was my dad enjoying the spread (putting the carrot back in the fridge) but I had a much younger brother and sister when I was in my early teens so I got to see the joy on their faces. And now my daughter is in charge – she leaves out a carrot for every single reindeer. Bless.

Ruthanne Reid:

I didn't. *furtive look* My Very Sensible parents taught me there was no Santa Claus - which, by the way, caused no small uproar when our neighbor showed up in a Santa suit with a bag of presents. My four-year-old world shattered. I like to think recovery is still possible. ~_^

Thank you to these lovely ladies for answering these Christmas questions! I hope you've all enjoyed these posts! What would your answers be?

Continue reading Authors' Christmas - Part 3

It's Monday! What are You Reading? (9)

It's Monday! What are You Reading? is a meme run by J. Kaye's Book Blog which discusses which books will be read this week, and the ones that were read last week.

I have another two weeks to post about. But there's not much to tell.

Two weeks ago I read:

• The Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves (for OUaB - review goes live in Jan)
• Started Curse the Dawn by Karen Chance (for I&P)

Last week I read:

• Finished Curse the Dawn by Karen Chance (for I&P - review)
• Girl, Aloud by Emily Gale (for OUaB - review)
• Started When I Was Joe by Keren Chance (for OUaB)

This week, I hope to read:

• Finish When I Was Joe by Keren Chance (for OUaB)
• Start Wicked 2: Legacy & Spellbound by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguié (for both)

I very much doubt I'll finish Wicked 2 this week, but I'll take it with me when I visit family for Christmas. I may get to read it Christmas Eve :) But I do hope to get When I was Joe read, and review ready to go live in January. What are you reading this week?

Continue reading It's Monday! What are You Reading? (9)

Guest Post Over on I Heart Monster

Today, you can find a guest post from me over on Shesten's blog, I Heart Monster. Shesten is has asked several of her blogging buddies from across the globe about how Christmas is celebrated in their country. I talk about Christmas in the UK, and the different events/activities that go on around the UK - outside of the home - to get us all in the Christmassy mood! I hope you enjoy it!

While you're there, make sure you read yesterday's post, where Ellie of The Clockwork Monkey talks about Christmas in Argentina, and enter her Holiday Contest, where you have to match up the books given as Christmas pressies to the blogger/author who's giving them!

Continue reading Guest Post Over on I Heart Monster

In My Mailbox (13)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren. Check out her awesome YA reviews.

I got quite a few this week!

For Review:

Girl, Aloud by Emily Gale

Kass Kennedy is in the spotlight, thanks to her Dad. He plans on selling her soul to the Devil - or at any rate to Simon Cowell when she finds herself pushed into an X-Factor audition. Kass could just say no, but her dad's manic-depressive mood swings are a constant worry and he has her in an emotional half-Nelson. Just when things couldn't get worse, Kass falls for a gorgeous older boy, also named Cass. She's amazed when he appears to like her, but it turns out this boy, is her best friend's long-term crush. What's a girl to do? Everything Kass thought she understood starts to fall apart and the only person she can turn to ... grumpy Simon Cowell (literally in her dreams). She might not be able to sing her way out of a paper bag, but Kass discovers that she isn't a choker when it comes to sorting out real life. From Amazon UK. Reviewed already.

Wicked 2: Legacy & Spellbound by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguié
Holly Cathers is not the same person she was almost a year and a half ago. After discovering her connection to an ancient legacy of witches, Holly has accepted her destiny as a descendant of the House of Cahors. She is determined to end an intergenerational feud that has plagued her family for centuries.
Holly will have to overcome unworldly obstacles as she battles to protect her loved ones -- including Jer, a member of the rival House of Deveraux and her one true love. A war of magical proportions is being waged, and Holly is at the center of it all.
Lives will be lost, and sacrifices will have to be made.... From Amazon US

When I Was Joe by Keren David

When Ty witnesses a stabbing, his own life is in danger from the criminals he s named, and he and his mum have to go into police protection. Ty has a new name, a new look and a cool new image life as Joe is good, especially when he gets talent spotted as a potential athletics star, special training from an attractive local celebrity and a lot of female attention. But his mum can t cope with her new life, and the gangsters will stop at nothing to flush them from hiding. Joe s cracking under extreme pressure, and then he meets a girl with dark secrets of her own. This wonderfully gripping and intelligent novel depicts Ty/Joe's confused sense of identity in a moving and funny story that teenage boys and girls will identify with - a remarkable debut from a great new writing talent.

Won from Fiercebook:

Fallen by Lauren Kate - yup, another!

What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours? 17-year-old Lucinda falls in love with a gorgeous, intelligent boy, Daniel, at her new school, the grim, foreboding Sword & Cross ...only to find out that Daniel is a fallen angel, and that they have spent lifetimes finding and losing one another as good & evil forces plot to keep them apart. Some angels are destined to fall... From Amazon UK

The Nostradamus Prophecy by Theresa Breslin

When Nostradamus proclaims to the French court his prophecy of a great massacre, the young King Charles only laughs. His mother, Catherine de' Medici, pays more heed - she believes that Nostradamus can truly see the future. But the great soothsayer's prophecies are not only for those who rule; he also has a message for Melisande, the minstrel's daughter, who he believes is linked with him by Fate. And as the Angel of Death approaches, Nostradamus entrusts to her safekeeping some very special parchments - parchments that the rulers of France would do anything to see... From Amazon UK

Selina Penalina by Jan Page

Selina Penaluna is a merrymaid or so she believes...Ellen and Jack are evacuated from London to Cornwall during the Second World War. Ellen relishes the opportunity to better herself. Jack is different. He finds the attention from his new family stifling and seeks freedom in the arms of Selina, the mysterious local girl he sees at the shore. Selina, Ellen and Jack's lives are intertwined in a series of events that lead to tragedy. From Amazon UK

Gifted from my Oxfam Bookshop:

Wildthorn by Jane Eagland

Seventeen-year-old Louisa Cosgrove longs to break free from her respectable life as a Victorian doctor's daughter. But her dreams become a nightmare when Louisa is sent to Wildthorn Hall: labeled a lunatic, deprived of her liberty and even her real name. As she unravels the betrayals that led to her incarceration, she realizes there are many kinds of prison. She must be honest with herself - and others - in order to be set free. And love may be the key... From Amazon UK

Yup, happy girl again! A few others can be found on Ink and Paper.

Continue reading In My Mailbox (13)

News: Book Trailer for Monster Republic: The Divinity Project by Ben Horton

In January, debut novel from Ben Horton, Monster Republic: The Divinity Project will be released! I have been lucky enough to read it - review and an interview will be posted in January - and it's fantastic! Written with fans of computer games, with Monster Republic, Horton is trying to turn reluctant readers into avid readers. Don't just take my word for it on how amazing this book is, check out this AMAZING book trailer - courtesy of Kids at Random House!



Have you ever seen a book trailer like it?! It's absolutely fantastic! It makes me all excited, and I've read the book!

Continue reading News: Book Trailer for Monster Republic: The Divinity Project by Ben Horton

Review: Girl, Aloud by Emily Gale

Girl, Aloud by Emily Gale (review copy) Kass Kennedy is in the spotlight, thanks to her Dad. He plans on selling her soul to the Devil - or at any rate to Simon Cowell when she finds herself pushed into an X-Factor audition. Kass could just say no, but her dad's manic-depressive mood swings are a constant worry and he has her in an emotional half-Nelson. Just when things couldn't get worse, Kass falls for a gorgeous older boy, also named Cass. She's amazed when he appears to like her, but it turns out this boy, is her best friend's long-term crush. What's a girl to do? Everything Kass thought she understood starts to fall apart and the only person she can turn to ... grumpy Simon Cowell (literally in her dreams). She might not be able to sing her way out of a paper bag, but Kass discovers that she isn't a choker when it comes to sorting out real life. From Amazon UK

This book was nothing like what I expected. After reading the blurb on the back of the book (which is different to above) I was expecting perhaps a bit of a silly Dad playing a joke on his daughter, and seeing Kass embarrass herself hugely as she went through the stages of the X Factor auditions. What I got was much better. This is a hard-hitting emotional novel that deals with mental illness, adultery, friendship, crime, and the right to say no. So good, I read it in a day.

This is not to say that there aren’t light moments in this novel. Kass has such a great voice, and is sarcastic about most things unless it’s inappropriate. Some of the times with her friends are really quite amusing, her brother Raff has his moments, which normally involve him taking the mick out of Kass, and then The Other Cass can be a bit of a good distraction when things get a little too much. There are a great range of characters, and they all provide moments of amusements, but on the whole, this book is quite hard to read.

Kass lives a very different life to what I did at her age, but in some ways she reminded me so much of myself, that I couldn’t help but feel for her. The way she acted and behaved sometimes put me so much in mind of myself that I would smile, but it made it so much easier to imagine myself in the situation she finds herself in, and it was emotionally difficult to read. But amazing!

There isn’t a huge amount I can say about this book without spoiling it, but I can talk about how I reacted to it. I’m quite an empathetic person; if people around me are upset, I get upset for them. Even more so with fictional characters, as you get inside their head and completely understand them, as if they were you. It just so happened that at a particular point in this novel, while I was eating, I got so angry and so upset that I had to put the book down. I was fuming, and almost cried into my stew. I can’t tell you what happened at this point, it’s too much of a spoiler, but I could rant about this one thing for absolutely hours on end. I don’t know what it was exactly that had me reacting as I did, it could be the situation itself, it could be the characters, or perhaps it was because I could identify with Kass so much on some levels, but whatever it was, it came from Emily, and I think it’s a testament to her writing that it evoked such a reaction from me.

This is such an amazing novel, and I can’t recommend it enough! You really need to read this book, it’s just fantastic, and can really make you think. Emily Gale is an awesome author, and I can’t wait to read her future novels!

Thank you to Emily Gale/Chicken House for sending me a review copy!

Published: 7th December 2009
Publisher: Chicken House
Buy on Amazon UK
Buy on Amazon US
Emily Gale’s Website

Continue reading Review: Girl, Aloud by Emily Gale

Review: Curse the Dawn by Karen Chance

Curse the Dawn by Karen Chance - WARNING! I can’t review this book without spoiling the first three in the series. If you plan on reading this series, don’t read any further! Links to reviews of previous books in the series can be found at the very end.

Cassie Palmer, the world's chief clairvoyant, just can't seem to stay away from trouble. After trying to come to an agreement with the Silver Circle – the magical organisation that's been trying to kill her for years – she finds herself kidnapped by one of its members and swept away in the ley line system, a series of magical currents that occupies the space between worlds. Cassie manages to escape but, fearing for her safety, she decides to invest in a magical device for protection. However, all she can afford is a statue that grants wishes . . . But what Cassie doesn’t realize is that the statue doesn’t always grant wishes the way the wisher would like. And when she wishes for the strength to shift herself and companion Pritkin away from a dangerous fight, the statue grants the wish by switching her into Pritkin’s body and him into hers. And that’s when the real trouble starts... From Amazon UK

Continue reading Review: Curse the Dawn by Karen Chance

On My Wishlist (6)

On My Wishlist is a weekly meme that allows us to share the books we haven't bought yet but are waiting to be bought and devoured. This idea is brought to us by Book Chick City.

On my wishlist this week is:

Title: Evernight
Author: Claudia Gray
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: 1st April 2009

Summary:
Bianca wants to escape.
At the eerily Gothic Evernight Academy, the other students are sleek, smart, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.
When she meets handsome, brooding Lucas, he warns her to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him. But the connection between them can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed. From Amazon US

Title: Mistwood
Author: Leah Cypess
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: 27th April 2010

Summary:
Everyone tells Isabel that she is the Shifter – the ancient shape-shifting creature who has protected the kings of Samorna for centuries. They need her to be the Shifter. Prince Rokan risked everything when he rode into the Mistwood to summon her to his side; Ven, the magician's apprentice, has devoted his life to studying her legend; and even Princess Clarisse, who fears and hates her, depends on Isabel's powers to further her own plans.

But Isabel doesn't feel like the Shifter. She feels like a lonely human girl, beset by flashes of memory that do more to confuse than to help her. If she is the Shifter, why can't she change her shape? Why doesn't she remember what made her flee the castle so many years ago? As she is drawn deeper into a web of magic and assassination, Isabel will have no choice but to look for answers. But her search will lead her to the one question the Shifter hasn't faced in a thousand years: where does she come from, and what does she really want From Leahcypess.com

What are you wishing for this week?

Continue reading On My Wishlist (6)

Authors' Christmas - Part 2

Here we have the second in a series of three posts, Authors' Christmas, in which four authors talk about their Christmas celebrations.

What is your favourite childhood memory of Christmas?

Becca Fitzpatrick, author of Hush, Hush:
When I was five years old, the only thing I wanted for Christmas was a ride on Rudolph. My mom kept encouraging me to ask for at least one other present, but I was adamant that if a ride on Rudolph was the only thing I asked for, Santa would have to give it to me. On Christmas Eve, my older sister Heather and I stayed up as late as we could, listening for the sound of reindeer hooves landing on the roof. Every time we nearly drifted off, one of us would bolt upright and whisper, “I think I heard something!” Eventually, we fell fast asleep. The following morning, I woke up, ran down the hall to my parents' bedroom, and started crying. I thought Santa had forgotten me. That's when my mom pulled me into her arms and told me that I had in fact taken a ride on the back of Rudolph! She said she and Santa both kept trying to wake me up, but I was in such a deep sleep, I slept through the whole thing. I couldn't believe it! My one and only ride on Rudolph, and I slept through the whole thing...

Luisa Plaja, author of Split by a Kiss and Extreme Kissing:
Visiting my parents' friends near Rome and spending Christmas in a group of five kids. Or possibly the Befana, a witch who visited our Italian flat on January 6th and brought a black bin liner which always contained the best toys! Befana was often a bigger deal than Christmas, present-wise.

Emily Gale, author of Girl, Aloud:
Making my chocolate-bar-filled Christmas stocking (you know, those mesh ones that have a Topic in them – Topic! Old school) last longer than my brother’s. Used to drive him insane.

Ruthanne Reid, author of Guardian:
Opening presents by the light of the multi-colored strands on the tree while listening to carols my dad put on the stereo and smelling the breakfast he had cooking for when we were through.

What is your favourite part of Christmas now, as an adult?

Becca Fitzpatrick:
Every year, my family makes a gingerbread house. It's our annual tradition. The first couple years, the houses always fell apart – once, the roof caved, and another time the whole house leaned sideways until it finally fell over. We've gone back and forth between using real gingerbread, graham crackers and buying the do-it-yourself kits. Now, nine years later, we're getting pretty good.

Luisa Plaja:
Definitely my children's excitement!

Emily Gale:
With the exception of their desire to listen to the singing mice fifty times a day, it’s the children. They think it’s magical. I’m happy to be able to live vicariously through them on that score.

Ruthanne Reid:
My husband. Seriously. Nothing is like Christmas with him - even when we'd just-moved and had no furniture, he made it wonderful. We celebrated that one on the floor with a poinsettia as our "tree." It was awesome.

I love Becca's Mum, don't you?! So cool! How about you, what would your answers be?

Continue reading Authors' Christmas - Part 2

Author's Chanucah - Guest Post from Keren David

Keren David, author of When I was Joe, due to be published on 7th January 2010, has kindly wrote a guest post to go along with my Authors' Christmas posts. Being Jewish, Keren doesn't celebrate Christmas, but there is another holiday she celebrates this time of year...

Forget mince pies and Christmas pudding, mistletoe, trees and Santa. For our family, December is all about doughnuts, candles and spinning tops.

We’re Jewish and so while our non-Jewish friends are frantically shopping, decorating and cooking we’re celebrating the much more leisurely and low key festival of Chanucah.

Chanucah commemorates the victory of the Jewish rebels led by Judah Maccabee and his brothers over the Syrian Empire led by King Antiochus. At the rededication there was only enough consecrated olive oil to keep alight the eternal flame in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, until new oil could be prepared. This makes a great story for Jewish children to act out every year. My son, born just before Chanucah, was actually named after Judah Maccabee - a big strong superhero name.

Compared with other Jewish festivals Chanucah is easy-peasy - no lengthy synagogue services, no big meals. Instead there’s a candle-lighting ceremony every night, with one more candle added to the nine-branched candelabra. One candle is there as the ‘servant’ to the others which represent the eight days of the miracle. Part of the fun is choosing which colour candle you’re going to light each night. We say some blessings, sings some songs, exchange presents every day for eight days. Because it lasts so long it’s easy to share with family and friends.

Oil being the focus of the miracle, it is traditional to celebrate Chanucah by eating fried foods - it’s not a great time for weight-watchers. Doughnuts of all shapes and flavours are sold in Jewish bakeries and at some point during the week I’ll be making potato latkes – fried pancakes of grated potato, egg and flour.

We give presents at Chanucah, but it’s more traditional to give money. And the game played at Chanucah time is a gambling game - although you can play it with sweets instead of coins. You have a special spinning top, called a dreidel which has four Hebrew letters on its sides. According to which letter you get, you take half, none or all of the pot - or you have to add to it.

When I was a kid I envied my friends their Christmas trees and decorations, I longed for Santa to visit and I felt extremely left out. But the Chanucah candles were always magical. And now I'm grown up I'm just so grateful to avoid the hard work of Christmas!

Keren also told me when I asked about presents, that "it's generally only kids that get presents every night - and we keep it small! By the end of the week they're making do with the kind of stuff other kids get in their stockings."

Click the candles image to see a larger view.

How interesting is Chanucah? Eight days of celebration, and it all sounds so fun! If you're interested in finding out more about When I Was Joe, and Keren herself, please check out her blog, Almost True.

Continue reading Author's Chanucah - Guest Post from Keren David

In My Mailbox (12)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren. Check out her awesome YA reviews.

Not many, but I'm happy!

Bought:

Beastly by Alex Flinn
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 the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly. From Amazon US

Won from Random House via Reading Cause I’m Addicted:

Fallen by Lauren Kate - already reviewed the ARC, but this is a completed copy

What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours? 17-year-old Lucinda falls in love with a gorgeous, intelligent boy, Daniel, at her new school, the grim, foreboding Sword & Cross ...only to find out that Daniel is a fallen angel, and that they have spent lifetimes finding and losing one another as good & evil forces plot to keep them apart. Some angels are destined to fall... From Amazon UK

Happy girl, I am! Check out Ink and Paper for a few other books I got this week.

Continue reading In My Mailbox (12)

News: Swapped by a Kiss by Luisa Plaja Cover Unveiled!

Let me tell you something about me; when I was a teenager, I was a big fan of the colour purple. Every shade of purple. Pretty much every item (bar jeans) in my wardrobe was some shade of purple - mainly lilac. I know, a little over the topped, but I just loved. Now an adult, my fave colours are black, purple, and silver. There's a lot more colour to my wardrobe now though.

Back to the news. Luisa Plaja's Swapped by a Kiss cover:

Blurb:
I wish I wasn't myself anymore.

I wish I was her.

I wish I was Jo.

Rachel hates her life.

When her on/off boyfriend David goes to a music festival in England, she jumps on a plane to surprise him - but she gets a shock of her own. Not only does she find David kissing someone else, but it's their friend Jo! Super-lovely, super-loved, all-round-perfect Jo.

Rachel runs away, wishing she could leave her life behind - and she suddenly finds herself in Jo's body! Can she keep this swap a secret? Can she unravel what's really going on? Can she get to grips with Jo's out-of-control curly hair?

And if she discovers that being in someone else's shoes isn't all it's cracked up to be, can she ever be herself again? From Luisa's website.

You know, I get why Rachel wants to be me, I am pretty awesome! I kid, I kid!

BUT LOOK AT THAT COVER! I believe I see PURPLE... and there's some black and silver (could be grey, but lets not get specific) there too! This make's Jo a happy girl! This Jo, me, not character Jo. And it's so pretty! And, well, it's a novel by Luisa Plaja, which means it's automatically going to be amazing, and it's a sequel to Split by a Kiss, so it's going to be amazing twice! I'm sorry, all this purple is bringing out the little girl in me.

I say that cover should be a t-shirt!

For those who'd like to see the cover the other way round, to see Rachel and Jo swapped round (see what I did there?), here you go:





And you know, I think this cover may catch the eyes of the target audience a little more than the previous two covers - it fits in with the covers of Luisa's other novels (see below), but I think it also looks a little maturer. This is all good! I loves it! I can't wait to read it, and I can't get over how pretty it is!



Click images for a larger view.

I can't wait for this book!

P.S. I've not seen this cover for Extreme Kissing before, but I like it too!



Click for a larger view.

ETA: I've been told that the above cover was actually the original cover for Extreme Kissing, before they changed it to the one we all know.

My reviews:
Split by a Kiss
Extreme Kissing

Luisa Plaja's Website

Continue reading News: Swapped by a Kiss by Luisa Plaja Cover Unveiled!

Santa-baby, Stick a Novel Under the Tree, For Me...

This year I signed up for my first Book Blogger Holiday Swap, run by wonderful Ana of Things Mean a Lot, and several other awesome bloggers. I hope to join up again next year, and any others I come across. Unfortunatley, money is a little tight this year, and so I was only able to sign up for one.

Today I received my gift! And this is what it is:

Curse the Dawn by Karen Chance - Cassie Palmer, the world's chief clairvoyant, just can't seem to stay away from trouble. After trying to come to an agreement with the Silver Circle – the magical organisation that's been trying to kill her for years – she finds herself kidnapped by one of its members and swept away in the ley line system, a series of magical currents that occupies the space between worlds. Cassie manages to escape but, fearing for her safety, she decides to invest in a magical device for protection. However, all she can afford is a statue that grants wishes . . . But what Cassie doesn’t realize is that the statue doesn’t always grant wishes the way the wisher would like. And when she wishes for the strength to shift herself and companion Pritkin away from a dangerous fight, the statue grants the wish by switching her into Pritkin’s body and him into hers. And that’s when the real trouble starts . . . (From Amazon UK)

(I know it's an adult fantasy, but I'm pretty sure I signed up to the BBHS with this blog, which is why I'm posting this here.)

Thank you to Sassy Brit of Alternative-Read for sending me this book! I am SO thrilled! It's the fourth and latest novel in the Cassie Palmer series - one of my favourites! So I am beyond excited to have received this book from her! Thank you again Sassy! I think this week's reading schedule might just be disrupted...

Strangely enough, Sassy was my secret santa too! I've heard back from her and know she's very happy with her gift, so smiles all round!

Continue reading Santa-baby, Stick a Novel Under the Tree, For Me...

On My Wishlist (5)

On My Wishlist is a weekly meme that allows us to share the books we haven't bought yet but are waiting to be bought and devoured. This idea is brought to us by Book Chick City.

On my wishlist this week is:

Title: Kiss of Death (no image available yet)
Author: Rachel Caine
Publisher: Allison & Busby
Publication Date: 3rd May 2010

No summary as of yet

Books in Series:
Glass Houses
The Dead Girls’ Dance
Midnight Alley
Feast of Fools
Lord of Misrule
Carpe Corpus
Fade Out

Title: Guardian of the Gate (no image available yet)
Author: Michelle Zink
Publisher: Atom
Publication Date: 5th August 2010

Summary:
ETA: I did have a summary posted, but if you read the comments, Michelle said that the summary sounds more like a summary of Book 3 rather than Guradian of the Gate, but if you wish to read it anyway, click here (scroll down to product description). Instead, I'm going to quote Michelle herself, saying what can be expected from this book (as she said in the comments):
Lia DOES travel to Altus in Guardian, though, and I can promise you an epic journey, a mysterious new guy, and a betrayal of unimaginable proportions.

Books in Series:
Prophecy of the Sisters

What are you wishing for this week?

Continue reading On My Wishlist (5)

It's Monday! What are You Reading? (8)

It's Monday! What are You Reading? is a meme run by J. Kaye's Book Blog which discusses which books will be read this week, and the ones that were read last week.

Last week, I read:

• Monster Republic by Ben Horton (for OUaB) - the review will be posted in January, but I can tell you right now that I absolutely LOVED it!
• Prophecy of the Sister by Michelle Zink (for both) - brilliant! So, so good! You need to read this book!

This week, I plan to read:

• Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves (for both) - for review.
• Kissed by an Angel by Elizabeth Chandler (for both) - for myself. This book is bloody massive, so I doubt I'll be able to fit another book in after it. I'm not even sure I'll finish it before the week is out, it's so big! IF I do...
• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (for both) - for myself. After seeing New Moon this weekend, I really need to read this series again, and perhaps I can review them this time!

Over the last few weeks I've been hitting reading what I've planned, so I'm quite happy. Though I would like to be able to fit more than two books into a week.

Continue reading It's Monday! What are You Reading? (8)

Authors' Christmas - Part 1

Seeing as Christmas is not so far away, I thought I'd ask a few authors what Christmas is like in their house. As we get closer to Christmas, I'll be posting the authors' answers to two different questions each week. Enjoy!

Do you have any Christmas traditions?

Becca Fitzpatrick, author of Hush, Hush:
We always bake treats for our friends and neighbors. It's a whole day of serious baking. There's flour and sugar everywhere, and usually a few broken eggs. Also, every Christmas, I take my two little boys on a sleigh ride with horses. It's so cool! On the years when we don't have snow, we go in a horse-drawn wagon. Finally, right after Thanksgiving, I gather up all the Christmas picture books and hide them under my bed. Every night in December, I read the boys one of the Christmas books for their bedtime story. It's our way of counting down until Christmas Day.

Luisa Plaja, author of Split by a Kiss and Extreme Kissing:
When I was growing up, we weren't allowed to open our presents until after lunch on Christmas day. My family now do the more traditional thing of rushing downstairs at 5am to see if Santa has been.

Emily Gale, author of Girl, Aloud:
We have two singing mice. Classy, eh? Traditionally these come out in November, because that’s when the children become aware that Christmas is approaching and therefore begin their daily, rigorous Free The Mice! campaign. One mouse sings ‘Let It Snow’ and the other sings ‘We Wish You A Merry Christmas’. They are very high-pitched and dance like Thunderbirds puppets. The batteries never run out. And the moral of this story is: never go shopping for Christmas decorations with a 2 year old when you’re 8 months pregnant. The combination of hormones and pester-power is fatal.

ETA: Emily has posted a video on her blog of one of her singing mice. Check it out!

Ruthanne Reid, author of yet to be published novel, Guardian*:
Yes! A tangerine in the toe of each stocking, which apparently hails back to nuns leaving socks full of fruit and such for the poor.

What is your Favourite Christmas song?

Becca Fitzpatrick:
My favorite upbeat song is Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas is You. My favorite traditional song is Silent Night.

Luisa Plaja:
Hee, I have a pretty unusual one, I think. It's The Power of Love by Frankie Goes to Hollywood. I love the references to The Perils of Penelope Pitstop and The Fantastic Four. ;)

Emily Gale:
Traditional – ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’. It’s rousing! I’m not religious at all any more but it reminds me of my childhood, and being in a big church, all those voices magnified by the amazing acoustics – gives me goosebumps. Non-traditional – Band-Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ Yes, I’m an 80s girl.

Ruthanne Reid:
I Wonder As I Wander. No question. I'm torn between the Robert Shaw version and the Mahalia Jackson version.

Great answers, huh? What are your answers? Don't forget to check back next week for answers to more questions!

*From Ruthanne, about her novel: I write about boys with wings, child-like princes in love, and telepathically enslaved wizards, and yes, I do bite. My YA fantasy novel, Guardian, is currently riding the agent merry-go-round with full and partial requests on the table.

Continue reading Authors' Christmas - Part 1

Review: Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink (review copy) - 'Without the Keys, something terrible will happen. Something that cannot be undone. And with them, I might bring an end to the riddle of the Prophecy and my strange part in it. If Alice and I are on conflicting sides of the Prophecy, the Keys would be dangerous in her hands. Which means I have to find them. And I have to do it before my sister.' This is the story of sixteen-year-old Lia Milthorpe's quest to discover her role and her twin sister's in a powerful prophecy that has affected twin sisters for generations. But nothing can prepare her for what she discovers - about herself, about her family, and about the danger that goes from haunting her dreams to becoming her reality. From Amazon UK

I don’t really know what I expected with this novel, but this book is so much more than anything I could have expected! It sounded awesome, which is why I wanted to read it, but the blurb just scratches the surface. The excitement that surged through me as I read this novel was so, I can’t even begin to explain.

Some of you may be aware that I am a huge David Eddings. I love his novels for a great many reasons, one being that Pawn of Prophecy was THE book that made me an avid reader, and whenever I read it, I get that same feeling of awe that books can be so enchanting as when I first read it . It may sound odd to be mentioning my love for Eddings in this review, but I do have a reason; Eddings’ Belgariad series was about a quest to fulfil a prophecy, it was intricate, it was magical – just like Prophecy of the Sisters. And just like Pawn of Prophecy, I was filled with the same awe, and the same feeling of how lucky we are that books, stories and authors exist for our enjoyment when I read Prophecy of the Sisters!

This is the kind of fantasy that I absolutely adore! You are left guessing with every page you turn, with every clue there are so many possibilities that could be the answer, and the excitement and wonder at Zink’s incredible story telling abilities just grow and grow.

This story is so complicated. When I read the prophecy, I sat there blinking at it, unable to make any sense of it at all, but as the story unfolds, and the clues arrive, and the jigsaw pieces are slowly fitted together, I challenge anyone to read this book and not be amazed at just how intricate this is! J. K. Rowling should watch her back, she has competition in the complicated and clever stakes!

It’s known by a fair few that I am not really a fan of historical fiction, so once I opened the first pages and saw it was historical, I inwardly groaned. I was sure I wouldn’t like it, and didn’t think it would work; a historical urban fantasy? But it does! The historical aspect makes Prophecy of the Sisters feel more like a high fantasy, which I love!

I love the characters! Lia makes a great main character, and despite the time period, she is very relatable. Strong, yet human and deals with her problems as such. Sonia and Luisa are just brilliant secondary characters, with their easy friendship, but their concern and worry that is very normal; I think sometimes, in some novels, people seem to accept the fantastic far too easily, and cope far too well with the issues, but it’s not the case with Sonia and Luisa, and it makes them more likable and believable.

Alice is probably the most impressive character; she is absolutely despicable, and far too disturbing for words, but utterly brilliant in that she evokes such dislike and abhorrence. As weird as it may sound, I am excited to see just how cruel and evil she can become, to what lengths she’ll go to next to try to get what she wants. To see if she can make me loath her even more.
I can’t tell you just how amazing this book is! I absolutely loved it, and I am itching to read the next in the series, Guardian of the Gate. If you haven’t read this book yet, get yourself to a bookshop now, you NEED this book!

Thank you to Atom for sending me a review copy, and thank you to Michelle Zink for requesting that Atom do so!

Published: 6th August 2009
Publisher: Atom
Buy on Amazon UK
Buy on Amazon US
Michelle Zink’s Website

Continue reading Review: Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

In My Mailbox (11)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren. Check out her awesome YA reviews.

Only two for this blog, but I'm a happy girl!

For Review:

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

Love can be a dangerous thing....
Hanna simply wants to be loved. With a head plagued by hallucinations, a medicine cabinet full of pills, and a closet stuffed with frilly, violet dresses, Hanna's tired of being the outcast, the weird girl, the freak. So she runs away to Portero, Texas in search of a new home.
But Portero is a stranger town than Hanna expects. As she tries to make a place for herself, she discovers dark secrets that would terrify any normal soul. Good thing for Hanna, she's far from normal. As this crazy girl meets an even crazier town, only two things are certain: Anything can happen and no one is safe. From Amazon US

Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

They're Young, Fabulous and Fanged...And they rule Manhattan from the trendy uptown clubs to the downtown boutiques. Fifteen-year-old Schuyler Van Alen has never quite fit in at her exclusive prep school - she's more of a vintage than a Versace girl - but all that's about to change...Because Schuyler has just found out she's a Blue Blood. The Blue Bloods are the city's glamorous - and secret - vampire elite. They're young, beautiful and powerful. But now they're being murdered. And Schuyler must find out who - or what - is behind it before she's next. From Amazon UK

I'm so looking forward to reading both of these! Check out Ink and Paper for the other book I got this week.

Continue reading In My Mailbox (11)

On My Wishlist (4)

On My Wishlist is a weekly meme that allows us to share the books we haven't bought yet but are waiting to be bought and devoured. This idea is brought to us by Book Chick City.

On my wishlist this week is:

Title: The Iron King
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin
Publication Date: February 2010

Summary:
MEGHAN CHASE HAS A SECRET DESTINY— ONE SHE COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED…
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan’s life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she’s known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she’ll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart. From Juliekagawa.com

Title: Firepell
Author: Chloe Neill
Publisher: Signet
Publication Date: 5th January 2010

Summary:
As the new girl at the elite St. Sophia’s boarding school, Lily Parker thinks her classmates are the most monstrous things she’ll have to face…

When Lily’s guardians decided to send her away to a fancy boarding school in Chicago, she was shocked. So was St. Sophia’s. Lily’s ultra-rich brat pack classmates think Lily should be the punchline to every joke, and on top of that, she’s hearing strange noises and seeing bizarre things in the shadows of the creepy building.

The only thing keeping her sane is her roommate, Scout, but even Scout’s a little weird—she keeps disappearing late at night and won’t tell Lily where she’s been. But when a prank leaves Lily trapped in the catacombs beneath the school, Lily finds Scout running from a real monster.
Scout’s a member of a splinter group of rebel teens with unique magical talents, who’ve sworn to protect the city against demons, vampires, and Reapers, magic users who’ve been corrupted by their power. And when Lily finds herself in the line of firespell, Scout tells her the truth about her secret life, even though Lily has no powers of her own—at least none that she’s discovered yet… From Chloeneill.com

Title: Blue Moon
Author: Alyson Noёl
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books
Publication Date: 5th March 2010

Summary:
Just as Ever is learning everything she can about her new abilities as an immortal, initiated into the dark, seductive world by her beloved Damen, something terrible is happening to him. As Ever's powers are increasing, Damen's are fading—stricken by a mysterious illness that threatens his memory, his identity, his life.

Desperate to save him, Ever travels to the mystical dimension of Summerland, uncovering not only the secrets of Damen's past—the brutal, tortured history he hoped to keep hidden—but also an ancient text revealing the workings of time. With the approaching blue moon heralding her only window for travel, Ever is forced to decide between turning back the clock and saving her family from the accident that claimed them—or staying in the present and saving Damen, who grows weaker each day... From Alysonnoel.com

Title: The Bermudez Triangle
Author: Maureen Johnson
Publisher: Sleuth Razorbill
Publication Date: 17th May 2007

Summary:
The Bermudez Triangle are... Nina Bermudez... who TiVos every episode of Trading Spaces and What Not to Wear because watching people rip down bad decorations, cast aside bad clothes—these things soothe her.

Avery Dekker... who worships Jack Black but has learned to play Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” by heart just so that she can hate it in detail.

Melanie Forrest... (a.k.a. Mel), who inspires guys to develop instantaneous, epic crushes—the kind that cause them to want to iron their clothes and listen to the lyrics of slow songs. From Maureenjohnsonbooks.com

There won't be any On My Wishlist post for Ink and Paper today, because I can't for the life of me remember any adult fantasy book that I want. I know! My mind is going, I swear.

What are you wishing for this week?

Continue reading On My Wishlist (4)

2009 Virtual Advent Tour - Day Two: Our Christmas Traditions and Our Christmas Dinner

Today is day two of the 2009 Virtual Advent Tour, and my turn to post! I'm going to talk to you a little about the family traditions we have in my family.

Ever since I was young, around the age of two, my parents tried to make Christmas Eve as special as Christmas Day - not just for me, but for them as well. Christmas Eve wasn't the best of days for my Mum when she was a child, so she wanted us to do something as a family to make it a happy day. My Dad used to be a courier, delivering parcels around the UK, but mainly London, so he knew (and still does) the area well, and knew which streets went all out when it came to decorating them with Christmas lights. That was our first tradition; Dad would take me and Mum out to the centre of London, driving around looking at the Christmas lights. I loved it, they were always so amazing! There was this one building my Dad delivered to that really spent some money at Christmas to decorate the outside of it - a different design every year. I remember one year it looked like a Christmas present, with a big bow. Seeing the lights each year was always so magical. When my brother came along, and was old enough, he came with us too.

Then when my brother and I were both old enough to go to the cinema without getting bored or disturbing other people, a new tradition started. As well as seeing the Chrsitmas lights, we would go to the cinema beforehand to watch a Christmas movie. The first one we saw according to Mum was Miracle on 34th Street - still one of my favourites! We don't go to see the Christmas lights anymore, as they have got more commercial and are used to advertise shops, which isn't so great, but we still try to go to the cinema. It's not always possible though, if we go to visit family for Christmas, we're travelling on Christmas Eve, and by the time we arrive, it's too late to get seats. But still, Christmas Eve is always great - especially getting the glass of milk and mince pie for Father Christmas and a carrot for Rudolph ready, and seeing that they're gone the next day ;)

We have two other traditions in my family that we can only really uphold if we stay at home and have people round to us for Christmas. When at home the TV, the computers, the Xbox/Playstation (whatever computery thingy my brother now has in his room), gameboy DS, etc, are banned. Our recorders are set to tape all the great Christmas TV, and we spend the whole day as a family playing games - board or otherwise. My Mum tries to buy a new board game every year for us to play. Some of the games we play are Pictionary (I LOVE IT!), Taboo (also awesome!), Whodunnit? (Cluedo with cards), Uno, Charades, Monopoly (which I can't stand), and other nifty little games like Rummikub and Name That Tune. We are a very close family generally, but this is the one day where it's garunteed we'll all hang out together all day.

The other tradition, which is more of an agreement so everyone is happy, is not to open the Christmas presents until after we've eaten our big Christmas roast. I hated this rule as a child, having to wait hours before I could see what I'd been given, but I understand it now. Mum and Dad will be busy cooking the dinner; they don't have time to sit and relax and enjoy they're pressies, and seeing us open ours, while making sure the dinner is ready. And now, as an adult, I like this rule as well as understand it. I get more time to get ready (I am a girl, after all), and then I can help out with the food, get the table ready, etc. I enjoy it, as mad as I may sound. It's the family Christmassy feel.

While talking about food, I saw a programme the other day that was talking about some spicy food one could make for Christmas, and got all confused. Surely everyone has a roast on Christmas day? It turns out I'm wrong. So for us, we have a big roast - a very big roast. We have the potatoes, the veg, stuffing, yorkshire puddings, and then all the different meat; the turkey, of course, chicken, beef, pork, boiled bacon, pigs in blankets - the works. I'm seriously fussy, so I only have the potatoes and some chicken and beef, but everyone generally eats til they're bursting! Dad normally has a starter too of prawn cocktail, and then there is ice-cream and fruit for dessert for everyone, and Christmas pudding sometimes for Mum - no-one else likes it.

So what do you eat on Christmas day?

Continue reading 2009 Virtual Advent Tour - Day Two: Our Christmas Traditions and Our Christmas Dinner