Review: First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost

First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost - The night is not safe for mortals. Denise MacGregor knows all too well what lurks in the shadows—her best friend is half-vampire Cat Crawfield—and she has already lost more than the average human could bear. But her family's past is wrapped in secrets and shrouded in darkness—and a demon shapeshifter has marked Denise as prey. Now her survival depends on an immortal who lusts for a taste of her.

He is Spade, a powerful, mysterious vampire who has walked the earth for centuries and is now duty-bound to protect this endangered, alluring human—even if it means destroying his own kind. Denise may arouse his deepest hungers, but Spade knows he must fight his urge to have her as they face the nightmare together...

Because once the first crimson drop falls, they will both be lost. From Amazon US

Continue reading Review: First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost

In My Mailbox (22)

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

I got a few this week.

For Review:

The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner (Sorry about image size)

The story of a remarkable boy called Yann Margoza; Tetu the dwarf, his friend and mentor; Sido, unloved daughter of a foolish Marquis; and Count Kalliovski, Grand Master of a secret society, who has half the aristocracy in thrall to him, and wants Yann dead. Yann is spirited away to London but three years later, when Paris is gripped by the bloody horrors of the Revolution, he returns, charged with two missions: to find out Kalliovski's darkest deeds and to save Sido from the guillotine. With a tangle of secrets, a thread of magic and a touch of humour, the follies of the aristocracy and the sufferings of ordinary people are unfolded as their lives move relentlessly towards the tragic and horrific days of the Terror. THE RED NECKLACE is not only a tremendous adventure story but a vibrant and passionate picture of Paris in turmoil and of a large cast of memorable characters. From Amazon UK

The Silver Blade by Sally Gardner (Sorry about image size)

With Sido safely in England and the Terror at its height, Yann returns to France to smuggle out aristocratic refugees who will otherwise face the guillotine. But when Sido is kidnapped, he must use all his strength and courage to outwit the evil Count Kalliovski, and rescue her for a second time. Set against a vivid historical background, prize winning author Sally Gardner brings to life the horrors of the French Revolution in this breath-taking adventure, complete with intrepid heroism and a touching love story. From Amazon UK

Savannah Grey by Cliff McNish

It's a difficult time for fifteen-year-old Savannah Grey - she's settled into her latest foster placement, but her body is acting strangely. Then other strange things begin to happen: nature, it seems, is exerting an overpowering force on the world. Birds behave erratically; gusts of wind blow leaves so fiercely they seem to lure people away. And Savannah discovers she has supernatural powers. Meanwhile, she feels drawn to the new boy Reece whose life is even stranger than hers. Quickly Savannah and Reece realise that nature has a purpose for them both. For they are on course to meet the vile and evil Ocrassa, who wants to destroy the world by corrupting nature. And it wants Savannah Grey to help realise its savage intent. From Amazon UK

City of Ghosts by Bali Rai (Cover is for hardback, not paperback - but similar)

It's 1919 and Amritsar is a city on the brink of rebellion. Riots, violence and tension spill onto the streets ...Bissen Singh fought bravely for the British Empire during World War One. Now he waits patiently for news from England. Gurdial, a young orphan, is desperate to marry Sohni, the daughter of a rich and evil man. And Jeevan, Gurdial's oldest friend, is swept up in the revolution and changing beyond all recognition. Bissen, Gurdial and Jeevan are looking to the future whilst trying to escape ghosts from the past. But as the fight for Amritsar reaches a terrifying climax, their lives will be changed forever. This is an epic story of love and life, war and death from multi-award-winning author Bali Rai. From Amazon UK

Solace of the Road by Siobhan Dowd (Sorry about image size)

Memories of Mum are the only thing that make Holly Hogan happy. She hates her foster family with their too-nice ways and their false sympathy. And she hates her life, her stupid school and the way everyone is always on at her. Then she finds the wig, and everything changes. Wearing the long, flowing blonde locks she feels transformed. She's not Holly any more, she's Solace: the girl with the slinkster walk and the super-sharp talk. She's older, more confident - the kind of girl who can walk right out of her humdrum life, hitch to Ireland and find her mum. The kind of girl who can face the world head on. So begins a bittersweet, and sometimes hilarious journey as Solace swaggers and Holly tiptoes across England and through memory, discovering her true self, and unlocking the secrets of her past. Holly's story will leave a lasting impression on all who travel with her. From Amazon UK

The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (No image available yet)

Max Carver's father - a watchmaker and inventor - decides to move his family to a small town on the coast, to an old house that once belonged to a prestigious surgeon, Dr Richard Fleischmann. But the house holds many secrets and stories of its own. Behind it is an overgrown garden full of statues surrounded by a metal fence topped with a six-pointed star. When he goes to investigate, Max finds that the statues seem to consist of a kind of circus troop with the large statue of a clown at its centre. Max has the curious sensation that the statue is beckoning to him. As the family settles in they grow increasingly uneasy: they discover a box of old films belonging to the Fleischmanns; his sister has disturbing dreams and his other sister hears voices whispering to her from an old wardrobe. They also discover the wreck of a boat that sank many years ago in a terrible storm. Everyone on board perished except for one man - an engineer who built the lighthouse at the end of the beach. During the dive, Max sees something that leaves him cold - on the old mast floats a tattered flag with the symbol of the six-pointed star. As they learn more about the wreck, the chilling story of the Prince of the Mists begins to emerge. From Amazon UK

Bought:

Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver - on recommendation from Ryan from Empire of Books

Thousands of years ago the land is one dark forest. Its people are hunter-gatherers. They know every tree and herb and they know how to survive in a time of enchantment and powerful magic. Until an ambitious and malevolent force conjures a demon: a demon so evil that it can be contained only in the body of a ferocious bear that will slay everything it sees, a demon determined to destroy the world. Only one boy can stop it - 12 year old Torak, who has seen his father murdered by the bear. With his dying breath, Torak's father tells his son of the burden that is his. He must lead the bear to the mountain of the World Spirit and beg that spirit's help to overcome it. Torak is an unwilling hero. He is scared and trusts no one. His only companion is a wolf cub only three moons old, whom he seems to understand better than any human. Theirs is a terrifying quest in a world of wolves, tree spirits and Hidden People, a world in which trusting a friend means risking your life. From Amazon UK

Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Sixteen-year-old Amal makes the decision to start wearing the hijab full-time and everyone has a reaction. Her parents, her teachers, her friends, people on the street. But she stands by her decision to embrace her faith and all that it is, even if it does make her a little different from everyone else.
Can she handle the taunts of "towel head," the prejudice of her classmates, and still attract the cutest boy in school? Brilliantly funny and poignant, Randa Abdel-Fattah's debut novel will strike a chord in all teenage readers, no matter what their beliefs. From Amazon US

Pretty good week!

Continue reading In My Mailbox (22)

Review: My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent

My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent (review copy) - WARNING! This is the second book in a series. I cannot review this book without spoiling the first. Don’t read any further if you plan on reading this series and don’t want to be spoiled.

When Kaylee Cavanaugh screams, someone dies.
So when teen pop star Eden croaks onstage and Kaylee doesn't wail, she knows something is dead wrong. She can't cry for someone who has no soul.

The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad's ironclad curfew and putting her too-hot-to-be-real boyfriend's loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls: a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld—a consequence they can't possibly understand.

Kaylee can't let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk... From Amazon US

Continue reading Review: My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent

YA Book Bloggers (In and Around) London Meet Up

I loved the idea of the UK Book Bloggers Meet Up, and was looking forward to going, until I found out a few things - not many people I know seem to be going, like Becky of The Bookette, and it's 18+. Being mostly interested in meeting other YA bloggers - and some bloggers who review adult books too - from the UK that I already know online, I brought the idea of a YA book blogger meet up for those who live in London, or not too far from London, and she thought it was a good idea!

So, is anyone intested? A meet up in London for YA book bloggers of all ages - though if you're under 18, you'll have to come with an adult for your safety, even if you live in London. I know it's a pain, but your safety is important. The location or date hasn't been decided yet, this is just to find out if anyone would actually like to take part.

Just because I've said in or around London doesn't mean people farther away can't come if they want to. The more the merrier. You just have to be willing to travel, I suppose.

As well as saying if you're interested or not, any suggestions would be welcome. I don't think this should be too formal, but whatever your ideas are, comment with them, please. So yeah, let us know! :)

ETA: There's been a development that could be really good, but I'm not going to go into detail about it in case it falls through. However, to keep a closer eye on how many people are interested, and so I can contact you all when and if necessary, I'm now going to ask those who are interested to email me at joannestapley[at]googlemail[dot]com. Also, it would be a great help if you could post about this on your own blog, point people in the direction of this post, to generate more interest. Thanks.

Also, for some strange, stupid reason, Googlemail is playing up on me, and I'm unable to reply to emails at the moment. I am NOT ignoring you, or intending to be rude. I don't know what's wrong with it, but hopefully it will sort itself out soon, and I will then reply to you all. Thanks for understanding.

Continue reading YA Book Bloggers (In and Around) London Meet Up

On My Wishlist (7)

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: Wasted
Author: Nicola Morgan
Publisher: Walker
Publication Date: 3rd May 2010

Summary:
Jack worships luck and decides his actions by the flip of a coin. No risk is too great if the coin demands it. Luck brings him Jess, a beautiful singer who will change his life. But Jack’s luck is running out, and soon the stakes are high. As chance and choice unravel, the risks of Jack’s game become terrifyingly clear. An evening of heady recklessness, and suddenly a life hangs in the balance, decided by the toss of a coin. In the end, it is the reader who must choose whether to spin that coin and determine: life or death. From Amazon UK

Title: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side
Author: Beth Fantaskey
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication Date: Feb 2009

Summary:
The undead can really screw up your senior year . . .

Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction. From Amazon US

Title: Jekel Loves Hyde
Author: Beth Fantaskey
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Publication Date: 3rd May 2010

Summary:
Jill Jekel has always obeyed her parents’ rules – especially the one about never opening the mysterious, old box in her father’s office. But when her dad is murdered, and her college savings disappear, she's tempted to peek inside, as the contents might be key to a lucrative chemistry scholarship.

To better her odds, Jill enlists the help of gorgeous, brooding Tristen Hyde, who has his own dark secrets locked away. As the team of Jekel and Hyde, they recreate experiments based on the classic novel, hoping not only to win a prize, but to save Tristen’s sanity. Maybe his life. But Jill’s accidental taste of a formula unleashes her darkest nature and compels her to risk everything – even Tristen’s love – just for the thrill of being… bad. From Amazon US

Title: Spirit Bound
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Puffin
Publication Date: 18th May 2010

Summary:
Dimitri gave Rose the ultimate choice. And she made the wrong one… After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri’s birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir’s Academy — and to her best friend, Lissa. But Rose’s heart still aches for Dimitri, and she knows he’s out there, somewhere. She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true— Dimitri has tasted her blood, and now he is hunting her. Only this time, he won’t rest until Rose joins him… forever. From Amazon UK

Books in Series:
Vampire Academy
Frostbite
Shadow Kiss
Blood Promise

Title: Boys that Bite
Author: Mari Mancussi
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Publication Date: 4th April 2006

Summary:
This is not your typical boy-bites-girl love story.

Technically Sunshine can't get killed-because she's immortal. Well, not quite yet. Due to the worst case of mistaken identity with her dark-side-loving twin sister at a Goth club called Club Fang, Magnus, a vampire hottie, went for Sunshine's innocent neck. Now if she doesn't reverse it in time, Magnus will be her blood mate forever and she's doomed to be a blood-gulping, pasty, daylight-hating vampire. That would seriously bite.

And now, after the unfortunate slaying of the vampire leader, Sunshine, her sister Rayne, and Magnus must find the one thing that can solve her problem: the Holy Grail. They wish it were a joke but it's not. It's absolutely necessary that Sunshine gets out of this in time, because somehow she scored the hottest prom date in her school, the mouth-watering Jake Wilder. So she just can't be a vampire for the prom-let alone the rest of eternity. From Amazon US

Continue reading On My Wishlist (7)

Review: Shift by Rachel Vincent

Shift by Rachel Vincent - WARNING! Shift is the fifth book in a series. I cannot review Shift without spoiling the other books in the series – especially big plot points in Prey, the fourth book. Do not read any further if you plan on reading this series and don’t want to be spoiled.

Being the first female werecat enforcer isn't easy. Scars accumulate, but I'm stronger in so many ways.

As for my personal life? It's complicated. Choices worth making always are. Ever since my brother's death and my father's impeachment, it's all I can do to prevent more blood from spilling. Now our Pride is under attack by a flight of vicious thunderbirds. And making peace with our new enemies may be the only way to get the best of our old foe.

With the body count rising and treachery everywhere, my instincts tell me to look before I leap. But sometimes a leap of faith is the only real option... From Goodreads.

Continue reading Review: Shift by Rachel Vincent

In My Mailbox (21)

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

Things just get better and better for me with books each week!

For Review:

Tagged by Mara Purnhagen

Can Kate Morgan stand up for herself—without being labeled a snitch?

Kate is just as confused as her best friend, Lan, when she arrives at Cleary High to find the building's been "tagged" with a life-size graffiti mural. Could the culprit be one of their friends or classmates? And is the kind-of-amazing creation really vandalism, or a work of art? She's tempted to stay out of it—mostly because, as the police chief's daughter, she's worried about being labeled a snitch. But when the same mysterious graffiti starts appearing throughout the state, putting more pressure on the authorities to catch the vandal, her investigative instincts kick in.

Now Eli, Kate's favorite coworker at the local coffee shop, is MIA. With Lan preoccupied with her own boy troubles, Kate needs to figure out some things on her own. Like why she can't stop thinking about Eli. And what she will do when all the clues about the graffiti point to someone she's close to… From Amazon UK

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

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 Amazon US

My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent

When Kaylee Cavanaugh screams, someone dies.

So when teen pop star Eden croaks onstage and Kaylee doesn't wail, she knows something is dead wrong. She can't cry for someone who has no soul.

The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad's ironclad curfew and putting her too-hot-to-be-real boyfriend's loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls: a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld—a consequence they can't possibly understand.

Kaylee can't let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk… From Amazon US

Lex Trent Versus the Gods by Alex Bell

A quirky and original comic fantasy from talented Gollancz author Alex Bell

Law student Lex Trent’s world is inhabited by fearsome magicians, ageing crones and a menagerie of Gods and Goddesses. And while Lex is seemingly dedicated to his legal studies he’s always enjoyed a challenge – which is why he leads a double life as the notorious cat burglar ‘The Shadowman’ who has been (luckily) evading capture for years.

But Lex’s luck is about to run out because the Goddess of Fortune has selected him to be her player in the highly dangerous Games. Losing is not an option for Lex (particularly as it so often involves dying) but can he really win each of the perilous rounds? Given that the reward for doing so is money, fame and glory – all things that Lex is quite keen on – he’s going to do whatever it takes to make sure he will... and he’s certainly got good experience of cheating. From Amazon UK

Love is Hell Anthology

Sure, love is hell. But it’s totally worth it.

In these supernatural stories by five of today's hottest writers—Melissa Marr (Wicked Lovely), Scott Westerfeld (Specials), Justine Larbalestier (Magic or Madness), Gabrielle Zevin (Elsewhere), and Laurie Faria Stolarz (Blue is for Nightmares)—love may be twisted and turned around, but it's more potent than ever on its quest to conquer all.

From two students who let the power of attraction guide them to break the hard-and-fast rules of their world to the girl who falls hard for a good-looking ghost with a score to settle, the clever, quirky characters in this exciting collection will break your heart, then leave you believing in love more than ever. From Amazon US

Finding Violet Park by Jenny Valentine - New cover image to be released!

Narrated by the most compelling voice since Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, this is a quirky and original voyage of self-discovery triggered by a lost urn of ashes.

The mini cab office was up a cobbled mews with little flat houses either side. That's where I first met Violet Park, what was left of her. There was a healing centre next door, a pretty smart name for a place with a battered brown door and no proper door handle and stuck-on wooden numbers in the shape of clowns. The 3 of number 13 was a w stuck on sideways and I thought it was kind of sad and I liked it at the same time.

Sixteen-year-old Lucas Swain becomes intrigued by the urn of ashes left in a cab office. Convinced that its occupant -- Violet Park -- is communicating with him, he contrives to gain possession of the urn, little realising that his quest will take him on a voyage of self-discovery and identity, forcing him to finally confront what happened to his absent (and possibly dead) father! From Amazon UK

Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt - Signed copy (see below!)

Wanted: teenage girl to serve as substitute princess. Must be willing to travel. Please call Meredith. Ever wanted to be a princess? To float away from your ordinary life and swan about in a tiara, with everyone telling you how fabulous you are? Desi desperately wants to escape her boring, unfulfilling life in Hicksville, Idaho. And now she has the chance - she's got a job substituting for various real princesses when they need a holiday. But not all princesses live in a palace, and not all princes are gorgeous...plus the whole fairy godmother thing is seriously misleading. Thrown into the job with little training, Desi finds that she'll need an awful lot of luck - and a bit of magic - to get by. Maybe having your wishes granted isn't always as straight forward as it seems. From Amazon UK

It says "Jo - Good to meet you in the blogsphere.
IMPACT! Lindsey Leavitt", with a little crown just above "Lindsey".

Witchfinder: Dawn of the Demontide by William Hussey

The first in a terrifying trilogy, read on if you dare: Jake could now see the demon fully. Its body was a mass of steely sinew, its arms roped with muscle. Six fingers sprouted from its hands, each ending in lethal talons. The thing did not possess a nose; instead a large hole, bubbling with green mucus, occupied the middle of its face. Mr Pinch's tongue flickered between his teeth and slurped across his fat lips. He was hungry. When a violent storm rages around the little village of Hobarron's Hollow, a young boy is sacrificed 'for the greater good'. His blood is used to seal a mystical doorway and prevent an apocalyptic disaster known only as the Demontide. Twenty-five years later, another boy, Jake Harker, is about to be drawn into the nightmare of the Demontide. Witches and their demon familiars stalk his every move, and his dreams are plagued by visions of a 17th Century figure known only as the Witchfinder. When his father is abducted, Jake must face the terrible secrets kept by those closest to him and a shocking truth that will change his life forever... From Amazon UK

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

A beautifully wrought modern fairy tale from master storyteller and award-winning author Nancy Werlin.
Inspired by the classic folk ballad “Scarborough Fair,” this is a wonderfully riveting and haunting novel of suspense, romance, and fantasy. Lucy is seventeen when she discovers that she is the latest recipient of a generations-old family curse that requires her to complete three seemingly impossible tasks or risk falling into madness and passing the curse on to the next generation. Unlike her ancestors, though, Lucy has family, friends, and other modern resources to help her out. But will it be enough to conquer this age-old evil? From Amazon US

Mr. Monster by Dan Wells

John Wayne Cleaver has always known he has a dark side but he’s fought hard to oppress it and live a normal life – separating John from Mr Monster to survive. But after confronting and destroying the vicious killer that was terrorizing his town, his inner monster is getting stronger and harder to contain.

And now more bodies are being discovered...

With the police failing to catch Clayton County’s second serial killer John is going to have to use his secret knowledge of the first demon-killer to trap the second...but will he be able to avoid suspicion falling on him, and, in the face of extreme horrors, will he be able to restrain Mr Monster From Amazon UK

Won from Nayu’s Reading Corner:

That Summer by Sarah Dessen

For fifteen-year-old Haven this is the summer where everything changes. Dad is remarrying. Her sister Ashley is planning a wedding of her own. They’re both moving on, but Haven is lost in memories of a time when life was happy and her family was whole. And then Ashley’s ex, the charming and funny Sumner Lee, arrives in town. He reminds Haven of carefree days gone by, and she can’t help but wonder – has fate brought this person from her past back to change her future? From Amazon UK

Spirit Gate by Kate Elliot - this will be reviewed on Ink and Paper

For hundreds of years the Guardians ruled the Hundred, but these unearthly beings have faded from human sight and no longer exert their will on the world. Only the reeves, patrolling from the skies, still represent the Guardians' power. But there is a corruption in the land that not even they can control, and fanatics are devastating villages, towns, and cities, slaughtering all who oppose them. Outlanders Anji and Mai are fleeing their homeland with a company of dedicated warriors. On reaching the Hundred, they form an alliance with Reeve Joss, and determine to stand against the devouring horde. But, as region after region slips into chaos, a young woman sworn to the Goddess may be all that keeps them from annihilation ...A haunting tale of individuals swept up by the chaos of war, this is fantasy adventure at its best - rich in texture, filled with colour and excitement. From Amazon US

And a bar of Galaxy!!! Thanks Jess!

Bought:

First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost - this will be reviewed on Ink and Paper

The night is not safe for mortals. Denise MacGregor knows all too well what lurks in the shadows—her best friend is half-vampire Cat Crawfield—and she has already lost more than the average human could bear. But her family's past is wrapped in secrets and shrouded in darkness—and a demon shapeshifter has marked Denise as prey. Now her survival depends on an immortal who lusts for a taste of her.

He is Spade, a powerful, mysterious vampire who has walked the earth for centuries and is now duty-bound to protect this endangered, alluring human—even if it means destroying his own kind. Denise may arouse his deepest hungers, but Spade knows he must fight his urge to have her as they face the nightmare together . . .

Because once the first crimson drop falls, they will both be lost.

Continue reading In My Mailbox (21)

Review: My So-Called Afterlife by Tamsyn Murray

My So-Called Afterlife by Tamsyn Murray (review copy) - "I knew it was time to move on when a tramp peed on my Uggs..." Meet Lucy Shaw. She's not your average fifteen year old - for a start, she's dead. And as if being a ghost wasn't bad enough, she's also trapped haunting the men's toilets on Carnaby Street. So when a lighting engineer called Jeremy walks in and she realises he can see and hear her, she isn't about to let him walk out of her afterlife. Not least until he's updated her on what's happening in her beloved soaps. With Jeremy's help, Lucy escapes the toilet and is soon meeting up with other ghosts, including the perpetually enraged Hep and the snogtastic Ryan. But when Jeremy suggests Lucy track down the man who murdered her, things go down hill. Can Lucy face up to the events of that terrible night? And what will it cost her if she does?
A wonderful debut novel which, as well as being laugh-out-loud funny, is full of insights, compassion, and love. From Amazon UK

When this book arrived, I was really looking forward to reading. A paranormal with a protagonist who had a sense of humour; what could be better? When I read a few reviews that sang My So-Called Afterlife’s praises, I decided it would be the next book I would read, and was excited to get to it. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out to be what I had expected.

The positives first. My So-Called Afterlife is a really sweet story, where issues of death, murder, and, on a small scale, bullying are dealt with. It has its light moments, with Lucy’s sarcastic sense of humour and her continual digs at Jeremy, and the romance between Lucy and Ryan, but it also has darker moments with Jeremy trying to find out who murdered Lucy. I did like the world building for the ghosts; how they could leave the places they haunted, how they were able to move things, how you could still text in the afterlife, and how a ghost could pass on. It was pretty neat!

Ryan is such a sweet guy, and my favourite scene in the book is when he sings Unintended by Muse at a party. It’s just the cutest scene ever, and even made me look the song up and give it a listen – not bad! Jeremy is a little bit of a weed, not the most charismatic or interesting guy going, but his heart is in the right place, and really wants to help Lucy. Lucy herself, as I said, is pretty funny, and does come out with some brilliant one-liners at times. I felt really sorry for Hep, but I wasn’t a big fan.

However, I did think there could be more. It had so much potential, but there were parts I found a little disappointing. I think this book is aimed more for the younger YA audience than the older, and that’s why there wasn’t more. The story just didn’t seem all that believable to me. For any type of fantasy, you have to just go with it, and accept any of the fantasy elements, and that I don’t have trouble with. It’s the actual realistic elements I had trouble with. I would have liked there to have been more tension between Ryan and Lucy before they got together, or more moments of them alone together. Jeremy, who is 27, didn’t question his sanity enough for me, and I didn’t understand why he spent most of his free time trying to help Lucy and hanging out with ghosts; what happened to his own life? I think there could have been more to Hep’s storyline too, I understood the reason for everything to do with her, but the situation she was in is such a big deal, and I felt it seemed a little underplayed. I would say the same of Lucy’s murder. It seems to me that some of this is to make it less scary, or so it’s not too much, for those younger readers it’s aimed for.

None of this makes it a bad story, it wasn’t. I’m sure there are a lot of people who would really enjoy My So-Called Afterlife, and that’s shown through the number of positive reviews out there. It just seems that I’m not a fan of the younger end of the YA spectrum. However, My So-Called Afterlife is a sweet story, and does ask some interesting questions on what happens after death, and it’s a great book for younger readers! Be sure to check out other reviews before making a decision on this book. It wasn't my cup of tea, but it might be yours. My So-Called Haunting, a companion novel, following new characters, will be Tamsyn Murray’s second novel, so look out for it.

Thank you to Piccadilly Press for the review copy.

Published: 1st February 2010 in the UK, 26th February 2010 in the US
Publisher: Piccadilly Press
Buy on Amazon UK
Pre-order on Amazon US
Tamsyn Murray’s Website

Other Reviews:
Chicklish
Book Zone

Continue reading Review: My So-Called Afterlife by Tamsyn Murray

UK Book Bloggers Meet Up Update

Several weeks ago, I mentioned that Simon of Stuck in a Book proposed a meet up for UK book bloggers. Well I now have an update for you all!

The event will be held on Saturday 8th May 2010, from 5.30pm til late, in London. For security reasons we've been asked not to give details of the venue, and the meeting will also be for ages 18+, so for more details on that, please send an email to simon at simondavidthomas[at]yahoo.co.uk.

From the horse's mouth:
The plan is to do some mingling and introducing, and then have food after an hour and a half, or thereabouts. The venue does fairly traditional pub food, main course under £10, with the option of sandwiches instead if that suits your appetite/budget!

And we'll be doing a book-swap! Bring along a book (new or old, secondhand is fine) that you think someone else would like, and we'll distribute them - so you'll come away with something good for the train journey home.

Also, the venue can only hold 35 people max, so get emailing with your RSVP to make sure in with a place. If you would like to go, but can't say for definite that you can just yet because it's too early, you can still tell Simon this, and he'll put you down for a yes for now, so you have a place that you can cancel if necessary - which is what I've done.

Hope to see some of you there, maybe.

Continue reading UK Book Bloggers Meet Up Update

Review: Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

Blood Promise by Richelle Mead (review copy) - WARNING! This is the fourth book in a series. I cannot review this book without spoiling the first three, especially Shadow Kiss. Don’t read any further if you plan on reading this series and don’t want to be spoiled.

How far will Rose go to keep a promise? The recent Strigoi attack at St. Vladimir’s Academy was the deadliest ever in the school’s history, claiming the lives of many. Even worse, the Strigoi took some of their victims with them - including Dimitri. He’d rather die than be one of them, and now Rose must abandon her best friend, Lissa—the one she has sworn to protect no matter what—and keep the promise Dimitri begged her to make long ago. But with everything at stake, how can she possibly destroy the person she loves most? From Amazon UK

I cannot even begin to tell you just how brilliant this book was! There are so many reasons, and it was so different from what we’ve read so far in the series, and I could just gush forever, but this is a review so it needs some semblance of coherency.

I’ll start with the differences. In all the other books, Rose and Lissa have been together, and if not at school – as is the case in Frostbite – they have always been with the students and the school authority figures. Not this time. Rose spends pretty much all of the book in Russia, away from school, away from anyone to reprimand her for breaking any rules – and there are no rules. She’s out in the world on her own, with only her training and her own idea of what’s sensible to guide her, and it’s great to see Rose going about things as she wants and she sees fit. It’s refreshing, but also worrying.

This doesn’t mean we leave Lissa, Christian and Adrian behind. Rose does look in on Lissa through their bond several times throughout the book, and through it we follow the sub-plot at St. Vladimir’s; there is a new head teacher, and with him comes two of his own children, Reed and Avery. And Lissa’s erratic behaviour becomes increasingly more worrisome for her friends, for Rose, and for herself. It may seem convenient that we’re able to get to this sub-plot through Rose and Lissa’s bond, but there is always a reason for Rose to check up on Lissa, rather than just “oh, let’s go see what Lissa’s up to.” It’s very well done, and it’s great to be able to keep up with both girls.

We meet a fair number of new characters in this book, and it’s just awesome! We meet Sydney, and Alchemist, with Alchemists being a group of humans who know all about Moroi, Strigoi and Dhampirs, and has a unique way of “cleaning up” when guardians leave around dead Strigoi bodies. She’s very off-ish at first, but I really liked her! She’s very resourceful, and also opinionated about all the Vampire Academy races. I like how she’s wary of Rose, and doesn’t trust her. It’s great to have a human’s view and opinion. We also meet Dimitri’s family in Siberia; Olena, Dimitri’s mother; Karolina, Sonya, and Viktoria, Dimitri’s sisters; Yeva, Dimitri’s grandmother, and Paul, Dimitri’s niece. They are everything you would have thought them to be, considering they’re related to Dimitri; they’re kind, they’re caring, and they soon start thinking of Rose as one of their own. I love them! We meet the mysterious and slippery Abe, a non-royal Moroi with a lot of money, who just oozes untrustworthiness. We also meet Oksana, a Moroi, and Mark an ex-guardian, who are a bonded married couple. Oh, how we learn such wonderful things from them about Spirit, things that not even Adrian knows about. It’s exciting and wonderful, and I look forward to how things will span out Spirit wise in the next book.

Finally we meet Dimitri-as-Strigoi – as I’m going to refer to him in this review. When I reviewed Shadow Kiss, someone commented on how they didn’t like Dimitri based on what they see of him in Blood Promise. I still love Dimitri. Why? Because Dimitri-as-Strigoi is not the Dimitri we all love. He’s gone, and as awful as it is, this person left is cold, uncaring and violent, and couldn’t be any further from the Dimitri we know. It’s not him, and so I can’t hate Dimitri. What’s also great about this book is that we get flashbacks of times with Dimitri we haven’t yet seen. That may have taken place in the books with read, conversations that weren’t important at the time, or in between books, and it’s great to see these lovely, swet, soft moments between Rose and Dimitri, and see the love between them. It was beautiful.

Blood Promise is a very emotional book, and the time spent with Dimitri – the length of which I will not allude to, long or short – is just heart breaking. Not only do we see Dimitri-as-Strigoi and really dislike him and what’s happened to the guy we knew, we also get to see Rose’s reaction to him, and it’s just so sad. There is also a fair amount of action too; most of the time, Rose is on her own and has no back-up, and she just goes to show her immense skill. It’s just fantastic, and her strength to fight when she’s so emotionally messed up is incredible.

The book ends on such a cliff-hanger, it’s fantastic. It’s the kind of cliff-hanger where it gives you an idea of what will happen in the next book, and I can’t tell you how excited I am for Spirit Bound! It’s going to be just brilliant! It will be even more action and more emotional, by the looks of it. I can’t wait for it to be released on 18th May in the UK. Seriously, you need to read this series if you haven’t yet started. You have no idea what you’re missing out on.

Thanks to Puffin for sending me a review copy.

Published: 4th February 2010
Publisher: Puffin
Buy on Amazon UK
Buy on Amazon US
Richelle Mead’s Website

My Other Reviews of the Vampire Academy series:
Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy Book 1)
Frostbite (Vampire Academy Book 2)
Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy Book 3)

Other reviews of Blood Promise:
Sarah's Book Reviews

Continue reading Review: Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

New UK Book Blog: Empire of Books

I am delighted to be of some help to a new UK book blogger!

Ryan has just recently started book blogging, and it would be just fantastic if you could go check out his blog, welcome him to the blogosphere, and give him some moral support!

He doesn't have a huge amount of content right now, but there will be more content soon! Please check out his blog, Empire of Books, and, if you feel like being particularly lovely, follow him!

Cheers people!

Continue reading New UK Book Blog: Empire of Books

News: Captivate by Carrie Jones & Emma Thompson Signing

Some news today from Bloomsbury today! Firstly, Captivate by Carrie Jones, the sequel to Need, will be released in the UK on 5th April.

Carrie Jones has taken the US by storm with her novel Need and its sequel Captivate. Both spent two weeks in the New York Times Bestseller List top ten. Need received rave reviews from readers when it was published in the UK in February 2010 and has already won over an army of fans. Get ready for the next thrilling instalment of Zara’s adventures in Captivate!

Just because the pixies are locked away doesn’t mean they aren’t a threat. By imprisoning the pixie king Zara and Nick have merely left his territory vulnerable to attack. It’s only a matter of time before a new king comes along and lays claim to the town . . . and Zara.

When the pixies escape from the house, nowhere is safe and Zara’s friendship with Astley is put to the test. Astley is unlike any of the pixies Zara has met before. He seems trustworthy, but can you ever really rely on a pixie?

In this second book more secrets are revealed and the situation grows increasingly darker. Zara faces her biggest challenge yet, but can she go through with it?

Be prepared to be shocked at the turn of events in Captivate. Carrie Jones is a brave writer and none of her characters are safe. Readers will be gripped and left hungry for the next book, coming in 2011. From the Press Release

Bloomsbury have also made the first chapter of Captivate available online. Check it out!

Secondly, meet Emma Thompson! The award winning actress, screenwriter and author will be signing copies of her new book Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, the funny and captivating new novel based on the new Nanny McPhee film.

What?
Meet Emma Thompson
When?
Saturday 6th March 12pm.
Where?
Waterstone’s,
203/206 Piccadilly,
London, S
W1 6WW
020 7851 2400
http://www.waterstones.com/

Continue reading News: Captivate by Carrie Jones & Emma Thompson Signing

Review: Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead (review copy) - WARNING! I cannot review this book without spoiling the others in the series. Do not read any further if you plan on reading the first two in the Vampire Academy series and don’t want to be spoiled.

It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy and Rose is close to graduation, but since making her first Strigoi kills, things haven't felt quite right. She's having dark thoughts, behaving erratically, and worst of all . . . might be seeing ghosts. Consumed by her forbidden love with her tutor Dimitri and protecting her best friend, the Moroi princess Lissa, Rose is in no state to see the deadly threat that will change her entire world - and make her choose between the two people she loves most. From Amazon UK

From the day I first opened the pages of Vampire Academy, I fell in love with the world, the mythology, the characters, the romance, the whole story. The lives of Rose and Lissa live are just brilliant, and Rose’s narration is always so real, I feel like I know her. Loving this series like I do, I knew I would love reading Shadow Kiss, but I was not prepared for what was to come. It’s beautiful, it’s heart breaking, it’s one incredible emotional rollercoaster, and I closed the book feeling drained, but in the best way possible.

The magical element of this book is just brilliant. When everything is all worked out, you see how it flows right from the last book, Frostbite, but as the story goes on, you’re never exactly sure what’s going on with Rose, and are genuinely worried for her sanity. She’s behaving erratically, and gets very, very angry at relatively small things. And then she starts seeing ghosts. And the first is not just any ghost, it’s Mason. Rose is seriously freaked out by the things that are happening to her, and has no clue what to think. Richelle’s ability to plot is incredible, though, and all these little things are pulled together right at the end, and it’s just brilliant.

The characters are just as great as always; Lissa is the same compassionate, soft and sweet Lissa we’ve come to love. Christian, Lissa’s boyfriend, we get to know even better when Rose is assigned as his guardian for her field experience, and he is just the coolest despite his snarky nature, though he is very insecure. Adrian, the rich Moroi royal they all met on the ski trip in Frostbite who can also use Spirit like Lissa, is still very flirty with Rose, but, though I grudgingly admit it, lovely undearneath it all. Eddie, Mason’s best friend, is assigned to Lissa for the field experience, and he is just adorable; he’s strong, he’s dedicated, and he’s been seriously affected by Mason’s death and what happened to him in Frostbite.

Then there’s Dimitri; he’s just as amazing, as gorgeous, as lovely, as completely swoon worthy as ever, and, my god, I came so close to tears at some points when he and Rose were having some serious chats. He is just amazing, and as messed up as Rose is right now, he is the only thing that calms her. Their relationship, or non-relationship so far, progresses in this novel, and it’s unbearably sweet. How any girl could fail to have one of those heart-lifting moments, where you have one of those exaggerated sighs, but feel jealous that fictitious characters get all the good guys. The emotions run high throughout.

Then the action kicks in, and it’s serious. It’s a battle unlike anything we’ve seen previously in the Vampire Academy series, and it’s huge, and like in any battle, things don’t end all rainbows and butterflies. There are consequences, serious consequences, and you won’t see them coming. I had some inklings as to what would happen, but in the end, I was taken by surprise at the actual outcome. I was absolutely devastated, and there were tears. A whole lot of them. I actually had to leave the room as there was a danger that I would disrupt everyone else from watching the TV with my sobs. It’s so, so sad, but absolutely brilliant, and the ending has me itching to pick up the next book.

This is probably the best in the series so far, it was just phenomenal! I can’t even begin to tell you how much you need to read this book, or this whole series if you’ve yet to read. Just fantastic! And I’m so glad I already have a copy of Blood Promise to start as soon as I’ve finished typing. Brilliant book, I can’t recommend it enough!

Thank you to Puffin for sending me a review copy.

Published: 4th February 2010 in the UK
Publisher: Puffin
Buy on Amazon UK
Buy on Amazon US
Richelle Mead’s Website

My reviews of:
Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy Book 1)
Frostbite (Vampire Academy Book 2)

Other reviews of this book:
Sarah's Book Reviews

Continue reading Review: Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

News: Results of Spinebreakers Literary Lovers Survey

Some news from Penguin for Valentine's Day!

In a special poll for Valentine’s Day
Teens vote Twilight’s
Bella & Edward as their favourite
literary lovers ever!

To celebrate Valentine’s Day and the publication of paranormal romance Beautiful Creatures, Spinebreakers.co.uk, the only online teen books community run by teens, asked teens to vote for their favourite literary couple.

The results now in, show a staggering 80% voted for Bella & Edward from Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series. Slightly heartening for the longevity of the classics, Pride & Prejudice’s Darcy & Elizabeth got a nod by coming in second place but only with a meagre 6% of the votes. Much more tragically for Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet came in joint 7th place with Adrian Mole and Pandora from The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole!

Beautiful Creatures, published by Penguin in the UK this month, is set to follow in the footsteps of Meyer’s phenomenal series with film rights already snapped up by Warner Bros. and Richard LaGravenese set to write and direct the movie.

This epic saga set in America's Deep South, with echoes of To Kill a Mocking Bird and Gone with the Wind, is a darkly magical love story which grips to the end. And the romance between its central characters, Lena and Ethan, are bound to capture the hearts of Twilight fans and true romantics everywhere.

Beautiful Creatures is written by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. Kami Garcia is a teacher and reading specialist with an MA in education. Margaret Stohl has an MA in English and studied creative writing under poet George MacBeth at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. They both live in Los Angeles, California, with their families. Beautiful Creatures is their debut novel.

http://www.beautifulcreaturesthebook.com/

Continue reading News: Results of Spinebreakers Literary Lovers Survey

In My Mailbox (20)

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

So many books this week, I'm amazed!

For Review:

Desperate Measures by Laura Summers (sorry for small image)

Vicky and Rhianna are twins but they couldn’t be more different.
For their fourteenth birthday, Vicky wants a card from the hottest boy in school. Rhianna, brain-damaged at birth, wants a Furby. Instead, they get a nasty shock – their foster parents can’t cope and it looks as if Vicky and Rhianna and their younger brother Jamie will have to be split up.

How can they stay together? Desperate times call for desperate measures . . . From Piccadilly Press

The Worst of Me by Kate Le Vann

Cassidy has been feeling unsettled and adrift, but things look up when she meets an older boy called Jonah. She loves spending time with him and his friends, flattered to be included in their discussions. Jonah is sweet and sensitive and she’s never felt so happy.

But then Cassidy hears disturbing news about Jonah which shakes her trust in him and makes her question her own judgement. If you love someone, how far should you go to overlook their faults?

My So-Called Afterlife by Tamsyn Murray

"I knew it was time to move on when a tramp peed on my Uggs..." Meet Lucy Shaw. She's not your average fifteen year old - for a start, she's dead. And as if being a ghost wasn't bad enough, she's also trapped haunting the men's toilets on Carnaby Street. So when a lighting engineer called Jeremy walks in and she realises he can see and hear her, she isn't about to let him walk out of her afterlife. Not least until he's updated her on what's happening in her beloved soaps. With Jeremy's help, Lucy escapes the toilet and is soon meeting up with other ghosts, including the perpetually enraged Hep and the snogtastic Ryan. But when Jeremy suggests Lucy track down the man who murdered her, things go down hill. Can Lucy face up to the events of that terrible night? And what will it cost her if she does?
A wonderful debut novel which, as well as being laugh-out-loud funny, is full of insights, compassion, and love. From Amazon UK

Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy and Rose is close to graduation, but since making her first Strigoi kills, things haven't felt quite right. She's having dark thoughts, behaving erratically, and worst of all . . . might be seeing ghosts. Consumed by her forbidden love with her tutor Dimitri and protecting her best friend, the Moroi princess Lissa, Rose is in no state to see the deadly threat that will change her entire world - and make her choose between the two people she loves most. From Amazon UK

Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

WARNING! This blurb will spoil Shadow Kiss! Don’t read it (like I did) if you don’t want to be spoiled!
How far will Rose go to keep a promise? The recent Strigoi attack at St. Vladimir’s Academy was the deadliest ever in the school’s history, claiming the lives of many. Even worse, the Strigoi took some of their victims with them - including Dimitri. He’d rather die than be one of them, and now Rose must abandon her best friend, Lissa—the one she has sworn to protect no matter what—and keep the promise Dimitri begged her to make long ago. But with everything at stake, how can she possibly destroy the person she loves most? From Amazon UK (You have NO IDEA how annoyed I am that I actually read this blurb. Stupid, stupid Jo!)

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Theif by Rick Riordan

Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood. I never asked to be the son of a Greek God. I was just a normal kid, going to school, playing basketball, skateboarding. The usual. Until I accidentally vaporized my maths teacher. That's when things started really going wrong. Now I spend my time fighting with swords, battling monsters with my friends, and generally trying to stay alive. This is the one where Zeus, God of the Sky, thinks I've stolen his lightning bolt - and making Zeus angry is a very bad idea. Can Percy find the lightning bolt before a fully-fledged war of the Gods erupts? From Amazon UK

Striker Boy by Jonny Zucker

Nat has grown up travelling around the world with his Dad. He's played football everywhere they've lived and honed his skills on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. Now they are settling back at home in England. Then at a community day at his favourite football team, Hatton Rovers, currently struggling at the bottom of the Premiership, Nat's talent is spotted by the club's scout. To his and his father's amazement, he finds himself talking to the manager about a place on the first team squad. There is just the little detail of his age - he's big for 13 but surely they can't get away with him posing as a 16-year-old, the minimum age for a professional player? But the club's veteran striker takes an immediate dislike to Nat and warns him off trying to get a place on the team. Nat's suspicions are aroused and soon he begins to think there is something more to Hatton Rovers' poor performance, and a local reporter begins to have suspicions about Nat. What seems like every boy's dream is quickly confronted by the tough reality of the world of professional football in this superbly exciting thriller. From Amazon UK

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Tally lives in a world where your sixteenth birthday brings aesthetic perfection: an operation which erases all your flaws, transforming you from an 'Ugly' into a 'Pretty'. She is on the eve of this important event, and cannot wait for her life to change. As well as guaranteeing supermodel looks, life as a Pretty seems to revolve around having a good time. But then she meets Shay, who is also fifteen - but with a very different outlook on life. Shay isn't sure she wants to be Pretty and plans to escape to a community in the forest - the Rusty Ruins - where Uglies go to escape ' turning'. Tally won't be persuaded to join her, as this would involve sacrificing everything she's ever wanted for a lot of uncertainty. When she is taken in for questioning on her birthday, however, Tally gets sent to the Ruins anyway - against her will. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she could ever imagine: find her friend Shay and turn her in, or never turn Pretty at all. What she discovers in the Ruins reveals that there is nothing 'pretty' about the transformations...And the choice Tally makes will change her world forever. From Amazon UK

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld

Tally has finally become 'pretty'. Her looks are beyond perfect, her clothes are cool, her boyfriend is totally gorgeous, and she's completely popular. It's everything she's ever wanted. But beneath all the fun - the non-stop parties, the high-tech luxury, the total freedom - is a nagging feeling that something is very wrong. Something important. And sure enough, when a message from Tally's 'ugly' past arrives, the fun stops cold. Now Tally has to choose between fighting to forget what she knows and fighting for her life... From Amazon UK

Specials by Scott Westerfeld

"Special Circumstances" - These words have sent chills down Tally's spine since her days as a rebellious Ugly. Back then Specials were a sinister rumour - frighteningly beautiful, dangerously strong, breathtakingly fast. Ordinary pretties might live their whole lives without meeting a Special. But Tally's never been ordinary...Now she's been turned into one of them: a superamped fighting machine, engineered to keep the Uglies down and the Pretties stupid. The strength, the speed, and the clarity and focus of her thinking feel better than anything Tally can remember...most of the time. One tiny corner of her heart still remembers something more. Still, it's easy to tune that out - until Tally's offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently. It all comes down to one last choice: carry out the mission she's programmed to complete, or listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat telling her that something's wrong...Either way, Tally's world will never be the same. From Amazon UK

Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz - I've already got a proof of this to review, but now a full copy too!

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

Lonely Werewolf Girl by Martin Millar

As teenage werewolf Kalix MacRinnalch is pursued through the streets of London by murderous hunters, her sister, the Werewolf Enchantress, is busy designing clothes for the Fire Queen. Meanwhile, in the Scottish Highlands, the MacRinnalch Clan is plotting and feuding after the head of the clan suddenly dies intestate. As the court intrigue threatens to explode in all-out civil war, the competing factions determine that Kalix is the swing vote necessary to assume leadership of the clan. Unfortunately, Kalix isn't really into clan politics - laudanum's more her thing. But what's even more unfortunate is that Kalix is the reason the head of the clan ended up dead, which is why she's now on the run in London... From Amazon UK

Won from Fiercebook:

The Splendour Falls

Sylvie Davies is a ballerina who can't dance. A broken leg ended her career, but what broke her heart was her father's death, and what's breaking her spirit is her mother's remarriage. Still reeling Sylvie is shipped off to stay with relatives in the back of beyond. Or so she thinks, in fact she ends up in a town rich with her family's history ...and as it turns out her family has a lot more history than Sylvie ever knew. More unnerving, though, are the two guys she can't stop thinking about. Shawn Maddox, the resident golden boy, is the expected choice. But handsome and mysterious Rhys has a hold on her that she doesn't quite understand. Then Sylvie starts seeing things - a girl by the lake and a man with dark unseeing eyes peering in through the window ...Sylvie's lost nearly everything - is she starting to lose her mind as well? From Amazon UK

Bought:

Shift by Rachel Vincent - which will be reviewed on Ink and Paper.

TROUBLE IS IN THE AIR...

Being the first female werecat enforcer isn’t easy. Scars accumulate, but I’m stronger in so many ways.

As for my personal life? It’s complicated. Choices worth making always are. Ever since my brother’s death and my father’s impeachment, it’s all I can do to prevent more blood from spilling. Now our Pride is under attack by a flight of vicious thunderbirds. And making peace with our new enemies may be the only way to get the best of our old foe.

With the body count rising and treachery everywhere, my instincts tell me to look before I leap. But sometimes a leap of faith is the only real option… From RachelVincent.com

ETA: Bought from Oxfam shop today.

Succubus Heat bu Richelle Mead - will also be reviewed on Ink and Paper (once I have the others in the series - I bought it from my Oxfam Shop as I'm going to the signing on Friday)

Georgina Kincaid has been a bad, bad succubus...which should be a good thing. But she's in a foul mood after breaking up with her boyfriend Seth and has been so wicked that uber-demon Jerome decides to 'outsource' Georgina to a rival - and have her spy for him in the process. Then Jerome is kidnapped, and all immortals under his control mysteriously lose their powers. With her life-sucking ability gone, Georgina finds herself caught up in a sinister plot. Is she the only one who can stop all Hell breaking loose? From Amazon UK

Wicked by Gregory Maguire - adult or YA? Anyone know?

An astonishingly rich re-creation of the land of Oz, this book retells the story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, who wasn't so wicked after all. Taking readers past the yellow brick road and into a phantasmagoric world rich with imagination and allegory, Gregory Maguire just might change the reputation of one of the most sinister characters in literature. From Amazon UK

Let's Get Lost by Sarra Manning

Some girls are born to be bad...Isabel is one of them. Her friends are terrified of her, her teachers can't get through to her...her family doesn't understand her. And that's just the way she likes it. See, when no one can get near you, no one will know what keeps you awake at night, what you're afraid of, what has broken your heart...But then Isabel meets the enigmatic Smith, who can see right through her act. Bit by bit he chips away at her armour, and though she fights hard to keep hold of her cool, and her secrets, Isabel's falling for him, and coming apart at the seams when she does...A poignant, sometimes dark, and utterly heart-breaking novel, told with all the author's trademark wit and sharp observation... From Amazon UK

Can you imagine just how happy I am right now?

Continue reading In My Mailbox (20)

News: The Fool's Girl by Celia Rees

I received an email today from Bloomsbury, news that they will be publishing Celia Rees' new novel, The Fool's Girl, on 5th April:

Award-winning and bestselling author Celia Rees has broken her own rules with her new book. She vowed never use Elizabethan England as a setting and never to write about real historical figures. And so The Fool’s Girl opens in London 1601 with two characters just about to make the acquaintance of one William Shakespeare.

Whilst watching an open air performance of Twelfth Night (her favourite Shakespearean comedy), Celia found herself asking what happens next? What if the couples weren’t entirely satisfied with each other? What if the troublesome characters came back? The idea was born and so began the plan to tell the tale of Illyria after Twelfth Night ends.

Celia tells the story of Violetta, daughter of Viola. Violetta’s uncle has all but destroyed Illyria and taken control of what little is left of her beloved country. Meanwhile, the evil Malvolio has stolen Illyria’s sacred relic and sailed to England. Violetta and her aunt’s fool, Feste, have followed Malvolio in order to return the relic to its rightful place and to restore Violetta to her role as Duchess of Illyria. But to do so they need the help of a certain playwright.

Celia’s Shakespeare is yet to become the famous Bard we know him as today. In Celia’s words: ‘He would be a jobbing writer with inky fingers, trying to make a living, juggling his life in London with his life at home in Stratford, trying to survive, to keep his nose clean, in the dangerous, violent, difficult and volatile world at the end of Elizabeth’s reign. Hard at work, trying to keep his Company going, writing and re-writing, always on the lookout for stories to keep up with the need for plays and more plays. When he happens upon two street performers, a Fool and his beautiful young girl assistant, he finds one.’

The Fool’s Girl is full of danger, adventure and romance. With enemies at every turn, every friend possibly a traitor, it makes for a thrilling and suspensful read. From the Bloomsbury Press Release.

How awesome does this book sound? Just fantastic! And Bloomsbury have kindly made The Fool's Girl: Chapter 1 available to read online. For all the latest news on Celia’s books, reviews and event details, make sure you become a fan of Celia on Facebook.

Continue reading News: The Fool's Girl by Celia Rees