YA Madness

YA Madness has a new home!

2019-01-01T01:00:00.000+08:00

Hello all my faithful followers!

For anyone still on Blogger, or on email alerts for me, I'm so so excited that YA Madness now has a new home!

I've made the scary, but exciting transition to Wordpress - and we now have a new domain name!

Please please, come join me on my new (but old?) adventure at my new blog site!

yamadness.com

See you all there!

Freeks - Amanda Hocking

2017-02-19T19:17:00.004+08:00

Amanda Hocking, author of the Trylle trilogy, gave me a little bit of her time to answer these questions...

Do you have any rituals when you are writing?

My rituals are pretty basic. Make a playlist, go into my office with my dogs, put music on and everything else on silent, and get to work. I also drink copious amounts of
caffeine, but that’s less of a “ritual” and more of a “necessity.”

Are you a late night or an early morning writer?

Late night, for sure. I’ve always been a huge night owl. In my perfect world, days would start at 4 pm and end at dawn.

Would you delve into a different genre? Is there a genre you really want to write in?

I am absolutely willing to dive into anything, but so far, my ideas have mostly been of a similar genre. Some day, I imagine that I’ll write a horror novel or a contemporary YA.

Read on below for more information about this amazing book, my thoughts and a cheeky chance to win a copy!

Released: February, 2017

Publisher: Pan Macmillan AUS

Synopsis: The Carnival is all she's ever known - but an old terror could tear it down.

In the spring of 1982, the carnival comes to small-town Cauldry, Louisiana. Then events take a dangerous turn. For Mara Besnick, the carnival is home. It's also a place of secrets, hidden powers and a buried past - making it hard to connect with outsiders. However, sparks fly when she meets local boy Gabe Alvarado. As they become inseparable, Mara realises Gabe is hiding his own secrets. And his family legacy could destroy Mara's world.

They find the word 'freeks' sprayed on trailers, as carnival employees start disappearing. Then workers wind up dead, killed in disturbing ways by someone or something. Mara is determined to unlock the mystery, with Gabe's help. But can they really halt this campaign of fear?

~ Goodreads ~ Pan Macmillan ~

* * *

What I Thought: I absolutely love anything to do with the circus, so I just knew I had to read this one. I have read only a couple of Amanda Hocking's other books, which I quite enjoyed, so I was happy when I discovered I liked this one just as much. I love that it is set in the past. I love that is has a paranormal feel. I love that it was so easy to read.

The characters were lovable. The storyline was lovable, however it quite cliche. When a story line is cliche, it can take away from the depth of the novel. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed it.

The Good: Circus themes! Eeeeeep

The Bad: Hello cliches.

Rating: 4/5

Mad Claire

A Quiet Kind of Thunder - Sara Barnard

2017-01-11T00:30:00.000+08:00

Sometimes a whisper is as good as a shout... But in this case I just want to shout about this book!

Sara Barnard, author extraordinaire, gave me a little bit of her time to answer these questions...

What is your favourite perspective to write in and why? (First, second, third?)

First – I prefer to be inside my character’s head to properly explore and understand them. I tend to write very introspective characters, and I don’t think that would work so well in third person. I’ve never even attempted second!

Do you believe BSL should be learned by everybody?

If only! I think it should be more widely recognized and used, especially in schools. It would be great if it could be a language option like French or German. If that were the case, I think hearing people would at least be more aware of it than they are. We should be more deaf aware as a culture.

Read on below for more information about this amazing book, my thoughts and a cheeky chance to win a copy!

Released: January, 2017

Publisher: Pan Macmillan AUS

Synopsis: Steffi doesn't talk, but she has so much to say.
Rhys can't hear, but he can listen.
Their love isn't a lightning strike, it's the rumbling roll of thunder.

Steffi has been a selective mute for most of her life - she's been silent for so long that she feels completely invisible. But Rhys, the new boy at school, sees her. He's deaf, and her knowledge of basic sign language means that she's assigned to look after him. To Rhys, it doesn't matter that Steffi doesn't talk, and as they find ways to communicate, Steffi finds that she does have a voice, and that she's falling in love with the one person who makes her feel brave enough to use it.

From the bestselling author of Beautiful Broken Things comes a love story about the times when a whisper is as good as a shout.

~ Goodreads ~ Pan Macmillan ~

* * *

What I Thought: A Quiet Kind of Thunder is a beautiful contemporary novel that, quite honestly, brought a few tears to my eyes. It is the story of Steffi, a teenage girl who has Selective Mutism. Selective Mutism, like I learned, is not just about choosing when to speak. Coupled with several other illnesses, including anxiety, Steffi seems quite generally scared of life. She doesn't want to be though, and starts the year ready to prove to her family and to herself that she is more and can do more than what her illnesses allow. Teamed up with her boisterous best friend Tem, these two make me wish I had friends like these in school.

Back at school, Steffi is introduced to Rhys. Rhys is Deaf and due to her mutism, Steffi can use BSL to communicate with him - sort of. This starts the path to friendship and more, each learning that they are more than what they think they are. Rhys is more than what his Deafness allows, and Steffi has a voice she wishes to use. Rhys is a completely adorable character, and I couldn't help but root for him and Steffi throughout the story.

A Quiet Kind of Thunder is a wonderfully written peek into the world of Selective Mutism, anxiety and the Deaf world. It is easy to be a hearing person, not understanding what it is truly like to be a deaf person. Through several different scenarios, Barnard shows what it can be like for a deaf person in the world and the ignorance of hearing people towards the deaf. She also shows what Selective Mutism is like, coupled with anxiety, and how it threatens to drown and swallow a person. This book will open your eyes, and hopefully, make you become more aware of the world around you - and the other worlds that you may not be involved in.

First thing I'm doing after writing this? Going to buy Barnard's other book - Beautiful Broken Things!

The Good: I love the relationship that Steffi and Rhys had. The explanations of Selective Mutism and the look inside the deaf vs hearing world.

The Bad: The story had a slow build up, and was fairly easy to gather where the story was going.

Rating: 4/5

Want a chance to win this amazing book? Enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mad Claire

100 Days of Summer - Author Spotlight

2016-12-12T17:13:00.000+08:00

(Image found here on We Heart It)

Author Spotlight!

Since my first book for the reading challenge is done and dusted, it is time to move onto the second... So I'm going to do an author spotlight on the author of the next book I'm going to read - Heartless!

Marissa Meyer

Marissa Meyer is the author of the Lunar Chronicles series and novellas. Heartless is her new standalone novel. Cinder, the first novel in the Lunar Chronicles series was written as part of the NaNoWriMo challenge - can you believe it?

(Image taken from Marissa Meyer's website)

The Lunar Chronicles series are different fairytale retellings, brought to life in a futuristic sci-fi setting - seriously, can it get more awesome than that?

“He was the fantasy of every girl in the country. He was so far out of realm, her world, that she should have stopped thinking about him the second the door had closed. Should stop thinking about him immediately. Should never think about him again, except maybe as a client--and her prince.And yet, the memory of his fingers against her skin refused to fade.”

Heartless is her new standalone novel, following similarly as a fairytale retelling. This time the story follows Catherine, the future Queen of Hearts in the Alice and Wonderland story.

To get in the Heartless mood, Meyer has even created a Spotify playlist for everyone to listen to - you can find it here!

PAGE COUNT ON HEARTLESS: 42/449.

Find Marissa Meyer at her website here!

Have you joined us on our 100 Days of Summer Reading Challenge? Until next time...

Mad Claire

100 Days of Summer - Book Spotlight!

2016-11-25T13:46:00.000+08:00

(Image found here on We Heart It)

Book Spotlight!

My first book on my 100 Days of Summer Reading Challenge is Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. So today I'm going to be doing a Book Spotlight on....

Illuminae Series!

The Illuminae series will consist of three books: Illuminae (released 2015), Gemina (released 2016), and the Untitled Final book (released 2017). The Illuminae series is unlike any other I've read before - it's format is unique - the story written in all different styles of dossier files. I'm talking, chat messages, pictures, full written block of texts - it's absolutely stunning and so amazing to read. I fell in love with Illuminae when I read it last year and have been dying to read Gemina since then - so of course it had to be my first challenge book!

Illuminae is full of vivid images, whole new worlds, and beautiful description. I love the world they have created, and can't wait to dive into it further in Gemina. Gemina is a sequel and companion novel, which starts five minutes after Illuminae ends, and has a new set of main stars, if you will.

"She is catalyst. She is chaos. I can see why he loves her."

Amie Kaufman, who co-authored the These Broken Stars series, and Jay Kristoff, who authored the Stormdancer series and Nevernight, are an unbeatable team. The detail in the pages of this novel are phenominal, and from what I've read in Gemina, it only gets better.

I can't even imagine the time and effort it would have taken to come up with all the intricate details of the novel, and they way they've made them look on the page. For me, reading these novels aren't like reading other books. I can't speed read through these ones. They are long, but I have to be able to take my time with them. I like to read every single detail on the page, sometimes re-reading two or three times to fully grasp it all before I move on.

"You have me. Until every last star in the galaxy dies. You have me."

This style of novel, this format, I could not imagine reading it again for a different story. Jay and Amie have captured and put to page something truly unique. It saddens me that we're only going to have three books in the series, but if Gemina (and the Untitled third) are anything even nearly as good as Illuminae, I know that this series will forever hold a special place in my heart. BRING IT ON!!

"You deserve every star in the galaxy laid out at your feet and a thousand diamonds in your hair. You deserve someone who'll run with you as far and as fast as you want to. Holding your hand, not holding you back."

Have you read Illuminae? What did you think of the style/format when you read it? Were you as entranced as I, or did it put you off? I'd love love love to hear all your thoughts and frustrations and anything else to do with the Illuminae series - so make sure to comment below!

PAGE COUNT ON GEMINA: 254/ 659.

Have you joined us on our 100 Days of Summer Reading Challenge? Until next time...

Mad Claire

100 Days of Summer Reading Challenge

2016-11-15T09:59:00.000+08:00

(Image found here on We Heart It)

Summer is here...

And that means that university is over for the next few months, and THAT means I can finally start reading again. So I decided to set another challenge for myself -

100 Days of Summer Reading Challenge!

In which I attempt to read at least 14 books, if not as many as I can, in 100 days! I am going to read between

21st November - 28th February

- just in time for uni classes to start up again!

As well as reading and reviewing fantastic books, I am going to have some fun posts as well - quotes, trivia, author love, book love, playlists, giveaways - basically anything that pops into my head!

Even better, I have my gorgeous friend Hannah at Hannah Plus Books joining me on my challenge, so make sure you go over and say hey and leaving lovely, encouraging words!

* * *

Here are some of the books I'm hoping to read during my 100 days of glorious summer!

Will you be joining us on our 100 Days of Summer Reading Challenge?

Mad Claire

Top Ten Tuesday - Sep 27, 2016

2016-09-27T20:05:00.000+08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week there is a new topic and we all share our thoughts on that topic!

For this week on Top Ten Tuesday, the topic is:

Top Books On My Fall(Spring) TBR

(In no particular order)

* * *

That's all folks! Come back next week for another top ten and make sure you put your own list in the comments!

Mad Claire

Reading has got me like, woah.

2016-09-01T09:54:00.000+08:00

Hi Everyone!

How is everyone going? I know my blog has been dead - I did not read ANYTHING over my winter break so I failed my own challenge and basically, I just suck at the moment.

But what about all the amazing books I'm potentially missing out on reading?

Good question, dear reader! I have about zero minutes for reading now uni is back in business - which is a major suck-fest. However, I decided randomly one day after one of my close friends bought Nevernight and I looked on in envy but man that book is heavy, and I know it's slow going for her too and I suddenly thought "Man, I want to read something".

via GIPHY

So guess what I did? I went home and read a book. Just like that. (*Yes, I totally avoided uni work but oh well*). I went home and tried to pick a book to read - I couldn't pick a fantasy or paranormal, something I might get bogged down in world-building and potentially give up again - so I picked up a YA contemporary romance that I had laying around. I read that one quickly and easily, enjoying the cheesy settings. So then, I picked up another of the same type by the same author, and then a third (and I probably would have read a fourth if I had it!).

Who was this author that got me out of my slump?

Kasie West!

These beautiful books of hers got me reading again, and I can't thank Kasie West enough for her beautiful writing and cheesy romantic plot lines which I couldn't help but just fall into easily! I absolutely loved her first two books - Pivot Point and Split Second - so I was super wary about these ones, but now I know I should never have doubted West's ability to tell a story!

So now I am on a YA contemporary romance reading binge, but reading nonetheless - Huzzah!

And basically, that's me!

Love you all

Mad Claire

Winter Break Reading Challenge!

2016-06-17T00:30:00.000+08:00

Hi all you beautiful people! I hope you are all well.

So I know there are many of you out there that are like me - you love reading, but you find yourself not having any time to even look at a book once the university semester starts... Doesn't it suck? So many beautiful books get released (some which you buy the day of but still don't read) or if somehow you're still in luck with the book gods (aka publishers) you might still get sent some amazing titles, even though your blog is deader than Dracula...

WELL, if that sounds like you, then I think the Winter Break Reading Challenge is just for you. This challenge, which I just made up while trying to write my law assignment, is for the break between your two semesters to try and get back into the reading habit (before you leave it behind again for another 4 months...)

5 weeks of reading!

Since all universities run different semester dates, I'm not going to specify any dates - just in your precious break! Mine personally is five whole weeks! Five weeks of doing whatever I want (while still working unfortunately).

What is the challenge?

Whatever the heck you want it to be! You might want to just pick an amount of books to read, or you might get a bit more complicated and specify types of books such as:

A book with a winter theme
A book released in the last month
A fantasy book

You get my drift - this challenge is completely up to you!

via GIPHY

I challenge myself to read 10 books in my break!

Since I have read almost no books this year, I am going to read at least 10 books in my 5 week break. These books are going to be varied, but will mainly be review-books that I'm seriously behind on so I can actually be a decent human-being and read and review them!
Here are the ten I'm aiming to read:

* Cracks in the Kingdom
* A Tangle of Gold
* Lady Midnight
* The Winner's Crime
* The Winner's Kiss
* Love, Lies and Spies
* The Way We Roll
* The Leaving
* What We Saw
* City of Heavenly Fire

I'd love for everyone to join me in this (pretty pathetic) challenge. I will be posting updates of my progress here on my blog, as well as on my Instagram, so feel free to do the same and link me so I can clap and commend your own progress!

Love you all.

Mad Claire

Truthwitch - Susan Dennard

2016-05-30T00:30:00.000+08:00

Truthwitch -
Susan Dennard

Released: January 5, 2016

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Synopsis: In a continent on the edge of war, two witches hold its fate in their hands.

Young witches Safiya and Iseult have a habit of finding trouble. After clashing with a powerful Guildmaster and his ruthless Bloodwitch bodyguard, the friends are forced to flee their home.

Safi must avoid capture at all costs as she's a rare Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lies. Many would kill for her magic, so Safi must keep it hidden - lest she be used in the struggle between empires. And Iseult's true powers are hidden even from herself.

In a chance encounter at Court, Safi meets Prince Merik and makes him a reluctant ally. However, his help may not slow down the Bloodwitch now hot on the girls' heels. All Safi and Iseult want is their freedom, but danger lies ahead. With war coming, treaties breaking and a magical contagion sweeping the land, the friends will have to fight emperors and mercenaries alike. For some will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.

~ Goodreads ~ Pan Macmillan ~

* * *

What I Thought: I have been dying to read this for awhile, desperate for a new book from Dennard since the end of her SSAD series - which I absolutely adored. I had extremely high hopes for this book, and I was pleasantly surprised.

Safi is a Truthwitch, which isn't super excited compared to some of the other witches powers, however it is extremely rare and makes her wanted by all the different empires for her power. She's pretty and feisty, and a little bit selfish. Iesult is her Threadsister, a Theadwitch who is unsure of herself and her powers, but is brave and strong. Together, they end up on the run, meeting new and exciting people along the way.

Dennard has created a beautifully vivid fantasy world with many different styles of witches. Her characters are layered with differing personalities and traits, each one continuing to surprise. However, book one felt like a very long introduction to the world and the characters, and seemed like a setup for the rest of the series. While there was plenty of action, and surprises, not much really happened over the course of the book. That being said, I'm super excited to see where the series is going to lead!

The Good: I loved the fantasy world and the strong characters.

The Bad: It was quite a slow first book - building up for the series.

Rating: 4/5

Mad Claire

A Court of Mist and Fury - Sarah J. Maas

2016-05-24T11:43:00.000+08:00

A Court of Mist and Fury -
Sarah J. Maas

Released: May 3, 2016

Publisher: Bloomsbury AUS

Synopsis: Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

~ Goodreads ~ Bloomsbury ~

* * *

What I Thought: Well well well. Let me start by saying, I absolutely LOVED A Court of Thorns and Roses. You can read my tiny spoiler-free review here. I have been dying, like many others, for this sequel. So you can imagine my surprise at how hard I found to get into it. Let me be frank - I didn't enjoy ACOMAF, for several reasons, most of which I've already seen floating around the bloggersphere. Since I've also seen a lot of attacks and hate on these people who dislike ACOMAF, I'm not going to go into detail, lest I get attacked too.

Basically, I disliked Feyre for being annoying and selfish. I hate that all the characters did a 360 and good turned bad and vice versa. I did love the backstories and new characters we got, but no - you can't just explain away Rhysand's past that easily AND make them seem like they were destined for each other for that long in the space of one conversation. Of course, I fell in love with Rhys, but how could I not when Maas made him the pinnacle of all men?

However, there was one thing that really irked me, and that was the sex scenes. I understand that YA is read by people of all different ages, but primarily it is marketed at teenagers. Meaning, a 13 year-old girl might pick this up - and think those scenes were highly inappropriate. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for adult themes in YA, but the explicitness of these was unnecessary.

Maas has such a beautiful writing style, and I have enjoyed all her other novels. She creates vivid worlds, and deep characters. And, she really knows how to write a cliffhanger. I will pick up the next book of course, to see where the story leads. I hope you all like the book much more than I did - and feel free to link your own review or leave your thoughts in the comments.

The Good: The killer ending.

The Bad: Hahahahaha. See above.

Rating: 3/5

Mad Claire

A-Z {Favourite Books edition}

2016-03-25T15:00:00.000+08:00

A-Z {Favourite Books Edition}

Hi Everyone!

Today I thought I'd do something different - I'm going to share my A-Z of Favourite Books. I guarantee it's going to be a challenge, but I'm keen to see how many spaces I can fill!

[PS: If anyone knows of a bookish challenge similar to this that I can link to, let me know. I don't want to take credit for someone else's idea]

A - An Endless Summer - C.J. Duggan

B - The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

C - Clockwork Princess - Cassandra Clare

D - Dorothy Must Die - Danielle Paige

E - Elemental - Brigid Kemmerer

F - Feeling Sorry for Celia - Jaclyn Moriarty

G - The Golden Lily - Richelle Mead

H - The Host - Stephanie Meyer

I - Illuminae - Amie Kaufman + Jay Kristoff

J - Just One Day - Gayle Forman

K - Kiss in Time - Alex Flinn

L - Lola and the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins

M - Magic Study - Maria V. Snyder

N - The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

O - On The Jellicoe Road - Melina Marchetta

P - Poison Princess - Kresley Cole

Q - Quintana of Charyn - Melina Marchetta

R - Red Queen - Victoria Aveyard

S - Something Strange and Deadly - Susan Dennard

T - Throne of Glass - Sarah J. Maas

U - Uninvited - Sophie Jordan

V - Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead

W - The Winner's Curse - Marie Rutkoski

X - XVI - Julia Karr

Y - You Against Me - Jenny Downham

Z - Alice in Zombieland - Gena Showalter (Yes, I totes cheated on this one, because I haven't read any books starting with Z!)

***

What do you guys think? This was quite hard as I had to try choose only one for certain letters!
I think next time I'll try this challenge for favourite authors. If you decide to try this challenge, or have suggestions for my next A-Z, comment and let me know!

Mad Claire

Blogs Blogs Blogs

2016-03-23T16:28:00.000+08:00

Randomly Random Blog Post About Blogs

Hi Everyone!

Claire here, just popping in to say hi and leave this awesome gif just here...

via GIPHY

WOOO. Now I have your attention (or did I lose it there?) I just wanted to share two blogs with you, which I'm hoping you'll go follow and fall in love with.

Hannah Plus B0oks

Hannah Plus Books is run by Hannah (NO DUH Claire), a good friend of mine. She was known previously as The Girl in A Cafe but now she's found a new name and a new home. I waited for aaaaages (months people) for her new blog to open up, and it finally has and it is BEAUTIFUL, so I just had to share with you. Go and see for yourself.

Find Hannah Plus Books here: http://www.hannahplusbooks.com/

Also here on Instagram: @Hannahplusbooks

Young Adult At Heart

Young at Heart is the new blog, co-authored by another good friend of mine. Taneika used to blog at Flipping Through the Pages - but has now teamed up with another blogger to create a brand new blog. Make sure you check it out to see their eye-catching blog and wonderful posts!

Find Young Adult At Heart here: http://youngadultatheart.com/

Also here on Instagram: @FlippingThroughPages

Checkity check them out for me, and send them some loving.

Love you all

Mad Claire

PSA

2016-01-29T15:30:00.001+08:00

Randomly Random Life Update Post

Hi Everyone!
Claire here, just popping in to say hi and to tell you how beautiful you look today... Yes you there. I see you!

Apart from that, I thought I should apologise about my complete and utter lack of posting anything apart from the occasional TTT when I remember to organise them. I promise I won't make this long and boring, but I just wanted to give you a sneak peek into my life so you can understand my reasons for being such an airhead lately.

I got myself a job...

I KNOW RIGHT, HOW MUNDANE IS THAT. A bloody job to earn silly money for stupid adult things. Life blows sometimes.

So what started as 10-14 hours a week has now turned into ~23 hours a week.

My daughter starts school in 3 days...

Which is exciting and scary because she is going to be gone 5 whole days a week and I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with myself.
But I've been running around after her things trying to get everything ready.

I start uni again in March...

This is going to be the killer for me. See the thing is, I want to course swap, and you need really good grades to switch into the course I want to. Which means all last semester and now this coming semester I am going to be studying my ass off to make sure I can get in - and of course this will take up LOTS of time.

But most importantly...

I get married in 3 and a half weeks...

Yes, on the 22nd February I am going to pledge myself legally to another person for the rest of my life. Yes, it is exciting, and there is so much to look forward to. I am freaking the hell out about the day, but that's a story for another day. So basically this is what has taken up my life. I have been wedding planning amongst other things, and over the next three and a half weeks it is going to get HECTIC as hell.

So that is what I have/will be up to. Excuses, I know. But I literally have not picked up a book in almost a month. I am going to try my best, and try is all I can do for now.

Love you all.

Mad Claire

Top Ten Tuesday - Jan 19, 2016

2016-01-19T12:00:00.000+08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week there is a new topic and we all share our thoughts on that topic!

For this week on Top Ten Tuesday, the topic is:

Top Ten Books I've Recently Added to my TBR

(In no particular order)

Wink Poppy Midnight - April Genevieve Tucholke

The intrigue of The Virgin Suicides and the "supernatural or not" question of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer coalesce in this young adult mystery, where nothing is quite as it seems, no one is quite who you think, and everything can change on a dime.

Every story needs a hero.
Every story needs a villain.
Every story needs a secret.

Wink is the odd, mysterious neighbor girl, wild red hair and freckles. Poppy is the blond bully and the beautiful, manipulative high school queen bee. Midnight is the sweet, uncertain boy caught between them. Wink. Poppy. Midnight. Two girls. One boy. Three voices that burst onto the page in short, sharp, bewitching chapters, and spiral swiftly and inexorably toward something terrible or tricky or tremendous.

What really happened?
Someone knows.
Someone is lying.

For fans of Holly Black, We Were Liars, and The Raven Boys, this mysterious tale full of intrigue, dread, beauty, and a whiff of something strange will leave you utterly entranced.

Salt to the Sea - Ruta Sepetys

The author of Between Shades of Gray returns to WWII in this epic novel that shines a light on one of the war's most devastating—yet unknown—tragedies.

In 1945, World War II is drawing to a close in East Prussia, and thousands of refugees are on a desperate trek toward freedom, almost all of them with something to hide. Among them are Joana, Emilia, and Florian, whose paths converge en route to the ship that promises salvation, the Wilhelm Gustloff. Forced by circumstance to unite, the three find their strength, courage, and trust in each other tested with each step closer toward safety.

Just when it seems freedom is within their grasp, tragedy strikes. Not country, nor culture, nor status matter as all ten thousand people aboard must fight for the same thing: survival.

When We Collided - Emery Lord

Meet Vivi and Jonah: A girl and a boy whose love has the power save or destroy them.

Vivi and Jonah couldn't be more different. Vivi craves anything joyful or beautiful that life can offer. Jonah has been burdened by responsibility for his family ever since his father died. As summer begins, Jonah resigns himself to another season of getting by. Then Vivi arrives, and suddenly life seems brighter and better. Jonah is the perfect project for Vivi, and things finally feel right for Jonah. Their love is the answer to everything. But soon Vivi's zest for life falters, as her adventurousness becomes true danger-seeking. Jonah tries to keep her safe, but there's something important Vivi hasn't told him.

Perfect for fans of E. Lockhart and Jandy Nelson, When We Collided is a powerful story of two teens whose love is put to the test by forces beyond their control.

These Vicious Masks - Tarun Shanker & Kelly Zekas

Jane Austen meets X-Men in this gripping and adventure-filled paranormal romance set in Victorian London.

England, 1882. Evelyn is bored with society and its expectations. So when her beloved sister, Rose, mysteriously vanishes, she ignores her parents and travels to London to find her, accompanied by the dashing Mr. Kent. But they’re not the only ones looking for Rose. The reclusive, young gentleman Sebastian Braddock is also searching for her, claiming that both sisters have special healing powers. Evelyn is convinced that Sebastian must be mad, until she discovers that his strange tales of extraordinary people are true—and that her sister is in graver danger than she feared.

Nevernight - Jay Kristoff

The first in an epic new fantasy series from the New York Times bestselling author.

In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.

Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.

Now, a sixteen year old Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic — the Red Church. Treachery and trials await her with the Church’s halls, and to fail is to die. But if she survives to initiation, Mia will be inducted among the chosen of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the only thing she desires.

Revenge.

This Is Where It Ends - Marieke Nijkamp

10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03
The auditorium doors won't open.

10:05
Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

Blackhearts - Nicole Castroman

Blackbeard the pirate was known for striking fear in the hearts of the bravest of sailors. But once he was just a young man who dreamed of leaving his rigid life behind to chase adventure in faraway lands. Nothing could stop him—until he met the one girl who would change everything.

Edward "Teach" Drummond, son of one of Bristol's richest merchants, has just returned from a year-long journey on the high seas to find his life in shambles. Betrothed to a girl he doesn’t love and sick of the high society he was born into, Teach dreams only of returning to the vast ocean he’d begun to call home. There's just one problem: convincing his father to let him leave and never come back.

Following her parents' deaths, Anne Barrett is left penniless and soon to be homeless. Though she’s barely worked a day in her life, Anne is forced to take a job as a maid in the home of Master Drummond. Lonely days stretch into weeks, and Anne longs for escape. How will she ever realize her dream of sailing to Curaçao—where her mother was born—when she's stuck in England?

From the moment Teach and Anne meet, they set the world ablaze. Drawn to each other, they’re trapped by society and their own circumstances. Faced with an impossible choice, they must decide to chase their dreams and go, or follow their hearts and stay.

The Glittering Court - Richelle Mead

A dazzling new fantasy series set in a mix of Elizabethan and frontier worlds that’s dripping with romance from Richelle Mead, #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy.

Big and sweeping, spanning the refined palaces of Osfrid to the gold dust and untamed forests of Adoria, The Glittering Court tells the story of Adelaide, an Osfridian countess who poses as her servant to escape an arranged marriage and start a new life in Adoria, the New World. But to do that, she must join the Glittering Court.

Both a school and a business venture, the Glittering Court is designed to transform impoverished girls into upper-class ladies capable of arranging powerful and wealthy marriages in the New World. Adelaide naturally excels in her training and even makes a few friends: the fiery former laundress Tamsin and the beautiful Sirminican refugee Mira. She manages to keep her true identity hidden from all but one: the intriguing Cedric Thorn, son of the wealthy proprietor of the Glittering Court.

When Adelaide discovers that Cedric is hiding a dangerous secret of his own, together, they hatch a scheme to make the best of Adelaide’s deception. Complications soon arise—first, as they cross the treacherous seas from Osfrid to Adoria, and later, when Adelaide catches the attention of a powerful governor.

But no complication will prove quite as daunting as the potent attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. An attraction that, if acted on, would scandalize the Glittering Court and make them both outcasts in wild, vastly uncharted lands. . . .

Riders - Veronica Rossi

For eighteen-year-old Gideon Blake, nothing but death can keep him from achieving his goal of becoming a U.S. Army Ranger. As it turns out, it does.

Recovering from the accident that most definitely killed him, Gideon finds himself with strange new powers and a bizarre cuff he can't remove. His death has brought to life his real destiny. He has become War, one of the legendary four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Over the coming weeks, he and the other horsemen--Conquest, Famine, and Death--are brought together by a beautiful but frustratingly secretive girl to help save humanity from an ancient evil on the emergence.

They fail.

Now--bound, bloodied, and drugged--Gideon is interrogated by the authorities about his role in a battle that has become an international incident. If he stands any chance of saving his friends and the girl he's fallen for--not to mention all of humankind--he needs to convince the skeptical government officials the world is in imminent danger.

But will anyone believe him?

Ever The Hunted - Erin Summerill

Seventeen year-old Britta Flannery is at ease only in the woods with her dagger and bow. She spends her days tracking criminals alongside her father, the legendary bounty hunter for the King of Malam—that is, until her father is murdered. Now outcast and alone and having no rights to her father’s land or inheritance, she seeks refuge where she feels most safe: the Ever Woods. When Britta is caught poaching by the royal guard, instead of facing the noose she is offered a deal: her freedom in exchange for her father’s killer.

However, it’s not so simple.

The alleged killer is none other than Cohen McKay, her father’s former apprentice. The only friend she’s ever known. The boy she once loved who broke her heart. She must go on a dangerous quest in a world of warring kingdoms, mad kings, and dark magic to find the real killer. But Britta wields more power than she knows. And soon she will learn what has always made her different will make her a daunting and dangerous force.

* * *

That's all folks! Come back next week for another top ten and make sure you put your own list in the comments!

Mad Claire

Top Ten Tuesday - Jan 12, 2016

2016-01-12T16:17:00.000+08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week there is a new topic and we all share our thoughts on that topic!

For this week on Top Ten Tuesday, the topic is:

Top Ten 2015 Releases I Meant To Get But Didn't

(In no particular order)

An Ember in the Ashes - Sabaa Tahir

I WILL TELL YOU THE SAME THING I TELL EVERY SLAVE.

THE RESISTANCE HAS TRIED TO PENETRATE THIS SCHOOL COUNTLESS TIMES. I HAVE DISCOVERED IT EVERY TIME.

IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH THE RESISTANCE, IF YOU CONTACT THEM, IF YOU THINK OF CONTACTING THEM, I WILL KNOW

AND I WILL DESTROY YOU.

Laia is a slave.
Elias is a soldier.
Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

Every Last Word - Tamara Ireland Stone

If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling.

Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off.

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist.

Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.

All We Have Is Now - Lisa Schroeder

What do you do with your last day on earth?

Just over twenty-four hours are left until an asteroid strikes North America, and for Emerson and everyone else who didn’t leave, the world will end. But Emerson’s world already ended when she ran away from home. Since then, she has lived on the streets, relying on her wits and on her friend Vince to help her find places to sleep and food to eat.

The city’s quieter now that most people are gone, and no one seems to know what to do as the end approaches. But then Emerson and Vince meet Carl, who tells them he has been granting people’s wishes—and gives them his wallet full of money.

Suddenly, this last day seems full of possibility. Emerson and Vince can grant a lot of wishes in one last day—maybe even their own.

The Rest Of Us Just Live Here - Patrick Ness

What if you aren’t the Chosen One?

The one who’s supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death?

What if you’re like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again.

Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week’s end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life.

Even if your best friend is worshipped by mountain lions.

Award-winning writer Patrick Ness’s bold and irreverent novel powerfully reminds us that there are many different types of remarkable.

Vengeance Road - Erin Bowman

Revenge is worth its weight in gold.

When her father is murdered for a journal revealing the location of a hidden gold mine, eighteen-year-old Kate Thompson disguises herself as a boy and takes to the gritty plains looking for answers—and justice. What she finds are untrustworthy strangers, endless dust and heat, and a surprising band of allies, among them a young Apache girl and a pair of stubborn brothers who refuse to quit riding in her shadow. But as Kate gets closer to the secrets about her family, a startling truth becomes clear: some men will stop at nothing to get their hands on gold, and Kate’s quest for revenge may prove fatal.

A Mad Zombie Party - Gena Showalter

The enemy has risen from the grave. Together we slayers must stand, or one by one we will fall.

Ali Bell's crew of zombie slayers thought they'd won the war against Anima Industries, the evil company responsible for capturing and experimenting on zombies in an effort to discover the secret to immortality. In the last epic clash, the slayers lost many of their crew and closest friends. But Frosty, the ice man himself, has not recovered from one casualty in particular — the love of his life, Kat Parker.

On the path to self-annihilation, Frosty receives a message from beyond — Kat's spirit returns, insisting he partner with rogue slayer Camilla Marks. Frosty will do anything for Kat. Except that. Camilla's betrayal caused Kat's death.

But when Anima rises from the grave stronger than ever, Frosty, Camilla and all the slayers will have to work together to survive. And one broken slayer will learn that sometimes the line between hate and attraction is blurred... and the road to redemption may mean letting go of the past and grabbing hold of the future.

Winter - Marissa Meyer

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

Forever Summer - C.J. Duggan

You see there’s this boy.

He makes me smile, forces me to listen, serenades me out of tune and keeps me sane, all the while driving me insane. He's really talented like that. But for the first time in since, well, forever, things are about to change. The question is, how much am I willing to lose in order to potentially have it all?

Enter a world of sweltering Aussie summers, fabulously addictive characters and sweet intoxicating romance in C.J Duggan’s
FOREVER SUMMER
Adam and Ellie’s Story

The Notorious Pagan Jones - Nina Berry

Pagan Jones went from America's sweetheart to fallen angel in one fateful night in 1960: the night a car accident killed her whole family. Pagan was behind the wheel and driving drunk. Nine months later, she's stuck in the Lighthouse Reformatory for Wayward Girls and tortured by her guilt—not to mention the sadistic Miss Edwards, who takes special delight in humiliating the once-great Pagan Jones.

But all of that is about to change. Pagan's old agent shows up with a mysterious studio executive, Devin Black, and an offer. Pagan will be released from juvenile detention if she accepts a juicy role in a comedy directed by award-winning director Bennie Wexler. The shoot starts in West Berlin in just three days. If Pagan's going to do it, she has to decide fast—and she has to agree to a court-appointed "guardian," the handsome yet infuriating Devin, who's too young, too smooth, too sophisticated to be some studio flack.

The offer's too good to be true, Berlin's in turmoil and Devin Black knows way too much about her—there's definitely something fishy going on. But if anyone can take on a divided city, a scheming guardian and the criticism of a world that once adored her, it's the notorious Pagan Jones. What could go wrong?

* * *

That's all folks! Come back next week for another top ten and make sure you put your own list in the comments!

Mad Claire

Their Fractured Light - Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

2016-01-08T00:30:00.000+08:00

Their Fractured Light -
Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Released: November 18, 2015

Publisher: Allen & Unwin AUS

Synopsis: A year ago, Flynn Cormac and Jubilee Chase made the now infamous Avon Broadcast, calling on the galaxy to witness for their planet, and protect them from destruction. Some say Flynn’s a madman, others whisper about conspiracies. Nobody knows the truth. A year before that, Tarver Merendsen and Lilac LaRoux were rescued from a terrible shipwreck—now, they live a public life in front of the cameras, and a secret life away from the world’s gaze.

Now, in the center of the universe on the planet of Corinth, all four are about to collide with two new players, who will bring the fight against LaRoux Industries to a head. Gideon Marchant is an eighteen-year-old computer hacker—a whiz kid and an urban warrior. He’ll climb, abseil and worm his way past the best security measures to pull off onsite hacks that others don’t dare touch.

Sofia Quinn has a killer smile, and by the time you’re done noticing it, she’s got you offering up your wallet, your car, and anything else she desires. She holds LaRoux Industries responsible for the mysterious death of her father and is out for revenge at any cost.

When a LaRoux Industries security breach interrupts Gideon and Sofia’s separate attempts to infiltrate their headquarters, they’re forced to work together to escape. Each of them has their own reason for wanting to take down LaRoux Industries, and neither trusts the other. But working together might be the best chance they have to expose the secrets LRI is so desperate to hide.

~ Goodreads ~ Allen & Unwin ~

* * *

What I Thought: This is it guys. This is the final book in the trilogy, and man does it finish off the series spectacularly. I absolutely adored the first two books in the series, and while it took me awhile to get through this one (because life just gets in the way), it made me remember how much I love Kaufman and Spooner - their writing, their characters, their world.

Their Fractured Light introduces two more characters to be weaved into the story - Gideon and Sofia. Like our previous characters, they are opposites who really shouldn't attract. He is a hacker, she is a con-woman, and neither can trust each other (and for good reason!). A chance encounter forces them together and into the pot with La Roux, the whispers and our other characters that we've all come to love. This story was really well blurbed (is that a word?) because it gives away PRETTY MUCH NOTHING of what this last book is really about.

There is adventure, violence, friendship, betrayal, and most importantly (to me) a hot romance. We come to the end of our story, now having to leave our characters behind, but you really won't want to. So if you have read the previous books, then make sure you get your hands on the final book to see how it all ends.

The Good: This one is as fast-paced, action packed and exciting as the previous books so it won't let you down!

The Bad: There is no more! What do I do now...

Rating: 5/5

Mad Claire

Top Ten Tuesday - Jan 5, 2016

2016-01-05T16:27:00.001+08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week there is a new topic and we all share our thoughts on that topic!

For this week on Top Ten Tuesday, the topic is:

Top Ten Resolutions for 2016

(In no particular order)

Read more books in 2016 than I did last year

This one should be really easy because in 2015 I only read 17 books. Which is a terrible terrible effort and makes me ashamed to even call myself a reader/blogger/person.

This year, my aim is for 30 - which really is still a bad effort, but let's not aim too high.

Try to blog more

At the start of 2015 (and come to think of it, 2014 too) I promised the new year would be better in terms of reading and blogging, and alas, something always comes in the way.

In previous years before 2014, when I could actually read 150 books in a year, I had only to look after a baby (and sometimes clean a house) so I had lots of spare time when bub slept. The last two years have been different because I started studying and bub grew up and life became hectic.

So here is to 2016 being the year that I actually make good on my promise!

Finish the Harry Potter series

This resolution is a little more specific, but you can see why. Yes, I haven't read the entire HARRY POTTER series. I have made it through book one and two, and that took me YEARS. So this year I have to knock off the rest of the books even if it kills me, which it may.

Try to read more books on my shelves instead of buying new ones

This one should be a bit easier because in 2016 I'm going to be poor trying to save for a house, and paying off a wedding - so I won't have money to buy new books but I need the resolution all the same.

I have over a hundred and fifty books in my shelf that are unread. Yes, you read that right. I am a book hoarder.

I used to have more time (see resolutions 1 and 2) and thought I would fly through them easily, but now it seems it isn't going to work through that way so this year I want to knock a few off my shelf!

Interact with the bookish community more

In previous years, I have made some amazing friends in my town, and many more online - unfortunately I only see a few of them and barely speak to any online ones anymore. I used to be on Twitter a lot more, and be more interactive so this year I want to get back into that.

Do well in University

This is a personal one for me, and it means a lot to me. In semester one of 2015 I started Uni in an Arts course, and basically sucked at it. I decided to switch courses to something in Business for semester two and I FREAKING ACED IT. Even when I though I'd bombed an exam, I still came out with extremely good marks, so I want 2016 to be just as successful for me.

Eat whatever the hell I want

Because trying to start dieting is soooo 2010/2011/2012/2013/2014/2015.

Exercise.... Like at all

So if I'm going to eat whatever I like, I might as well try counter some of the side effects by adding some sort of exercise into my diet.

Cherish all my friends

At the start of 2015 I lost one of my closest friends in the world. That made the rest of the year long and hard, but I've come to realise that sometimes things happen for the best. Now I want to make sure the friends I still have know how much they mean to me.

Marry the man of my dreams

This one is not so much a resolution as more a tremendous part of how my 2016 is going to play out, so that's why it is here. I better bloody make it down that aisle.

* * *

That's all folks! Come back next week for another top ten and make sure you put your own list in the comments!

Mad Claire

Top Ten Tuesday - Nov 10, 2015

2015-11-10T00:30:00.000+08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week there is a new topic and we all share our thoughts on that topic!

For this week on Top Ten Tuesday, the topic is:

Top Ten Book to Movie Adaptions Adaptations I Still Need To Watch

I'M SURE THERE ARE A BUCKETLOAD MORE, BUT I TRIED TO FOCUS ON YA/MG TITLES
(In no particular order)

Paper Towns - John Green

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn

Enders Game - Orson Scott Card

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist - Rachel Cohen & David Levithan

Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List - Rachel Cohen & David Levithan

The Spooks Apprentice - Joseph Delaney

The Dark is Rising - Susan Cooper

Before I Die - Jenny Downham

The Spiderwick Chronicles - Holly Black & Tony DiTerlizzi

Inkheart - Cornelia Funke

* * *

That's all folks! Come back next week for another top ten and make sure you put your own list in the comments!

Mad Claire

Top Ten Tuesday - Nov 3, 2015

2015-11-03T00:30:00.000+08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week there is a new topic and we all share our thoughts on that topic!

For this week on Top Ten Tuesday, the topic is:

Top Ten Debut Authors Who Have Me Looking Forward to Their Sophomore Novel

Does this include sequels? Going to assume so...
(In no particular order)

Victoria Aveyard

So I absolutely LOVED Red Queen, and I can not wait to see: a) how amazing Glass Sword is going to be, and b) what other novels she puts out on the shelves. Will be watching this carefully!

Becky Albertalli

Okay, so I loved loved loved Simon. It was raved about to me and now I in turn rave about it to everyone else. Seriously guys, read this novel!

I've seen on Goodreads she has an untitled book for 2016, so we'll just have to keep fingers crossed until their is more details!

For now, I'll just re-read this one!

All The Bright Places - Jennifer Niven

Okay, you caught me. Technically speaking, Niven isn't a debut author with this novel, BUT this was her debut to YA so that's why I'm putting her in the list. I really enjoyed this depressing book, and can't wait to see what YA she brings out next!

Danielle Paige

Dorothy Must Die was her debut, and I am so excited to read The Wicked Will Rise, and whatever else she decides to put out there. I really hope I love her second as much as her first!

Sharon Biggs Waller

A Mad, Wicked Folly was her debut and I loved it, obviously. Now I've found she has her second novel coming out in 2016 and I'M SO EXCITED! Bring on 2016!!

JJ Howard

That Time I Joined The Circus was one of my favourite reads of 2014 (yes, I'm way behind), and she released Tracers in 2015, and has a new novel in 2016! Can't wait to see if they are as good as her first!

Huntley Fitzpatrick

Yes, I know I've picked another author who I read ages ago, but I still haven't gotten around to reading her other books so it still counts.

Especially now The Boy Most Likely To is out!!

Cristin Terrill

All Our Yesterdays was a kick-ass book, and while there was talk of a sequel, I think this is going to remain a stand-alone book.

And sadly, I haven't head any whispers of another book to come, so I'll just keep waiting...

Zoe Sugg

Yes, I know all the controversy surrounding this Youtuber and her book and the ghost-writer, and while I have my opinion on all that, it doesn't change the fact that I did enjoy the book. Yes, we can also discuss why and all that, but I am looking forward to the next one.

Julie Murphy

So this one is a bit of a cheat. I didn't mind Murphy's debut - Side Effects May Vary - but it didn't completely pull me in. However, after reading about her second novel - Dumplin' - I really want to give it a try so that's why she's on this list.

* * *

That's all folks! Come back next week for another top ten and make sure you put your own list in the comments!

Mad Claire

Top Ten Tuesday - Oct 27, 2015

2015-10-27T00:30:00.000+08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week there is a new topic and we all share our thoughts on that topic!

For this week on Top Ten Tuesday, the topic is:

HALLOWEEN FREEBIE!

Since it's my birthday today, I'm not going to do a Halloween themed one, but a Birthday themed one!

Top Ten Books I Want For My Birthday Today

(In no particular order)

The Rest Of Us Just Live Here - Patrick Ness

What if you aren’t the Chosen One?
The one who’s supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death?

What if you’re like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again.

Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week’s end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life.

Even if your best friend is worshipped by mountain lions.

Award-winning writer Patrick Ness’s bold and irreverent novel powerfully reminds us that there are many different types of remarkable.

Illuminae - Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

Forever Summer - CJ Duggan

You see there’s this boy.
He makes me smile, forces me to listen, serenades me out of tune and keeps me sane, all the while driving me insane. He's really talented like that. But for the first time in since, well, forever, things are about to change. The question is, how much am I willing to lose in order to potentially have it all?

Enter a world of sweltering Aussie summers, fabulously addictive characters and sweet intoxicating romance in C.J Duggan’s
FOREVER SUMMER
Adam and Ellie’s Story

Ten Thousand Skies Above You - Claudia Gray

Ever since she used the Firebird, her parents' invention, to cross into alternate dimensions, Marguerite has caught the attention of enemies who will do anything to force her into helping them dominate the multiverse—even hurting the people she loves. She resists until her boyfriend, Paul, is attacked and his consciousness scattered across multiple dimensions.

Marguerite has no choice but to search for each splinter of Paul’s soul. The hunt sends her racing through a war-torn San Francisco, the criminal underworld of New York City, and a glittering Paris where another Marguerite hides a shocking secret. Each world brings Marguerite one step closer to rescuing Paul. But with each trial she faces, she begins to question the destiny she thought they shared.

The second book in the Firebird trilogy, Ten Thousand Skies Above Youfeatures Claudia Gray’s lush, romantic language and smart, exciting action, and will have readers clamoring for the next book.

Their Fractured Light - Emily Lloyd-Jones

A year ago, Flynn Cormac and Jubilee Chase made the now infamous Avon Broadcast, calling on the galaxy to witness for their planet, and protect them from destruction. Some say Flynn’s a madman, others whisper about conspiracies. Nobody knows the truth. A year before that, Tarver Merendsen and Lilac LaRoux were rescued from a terrible shipwreck—now, they live a public life in front of the cameras, and a secret life away from the world’s gaze.

Now, in the center of the universe on the planet of Corinth, all four are about to collide with two new players, who will bring the fight against LaRoux Industries to a head. Gideon Marchant is an eighteen-year-old computer hacker—a whiz kid and an urban warrior. He’ll climb, abseil and worm his way past the best security measures to pull off onsite hacks that others don’t dare touch.

Sofia Quinn has a killer smile, and by the time you’re done noticing it, she’s got you offering up your wallet, your car, and anything else she desires. She holds LaRoux Industries responsible for the mysterious death of her father and is out for revenge at any cost.

When a LaRoux Industries security breach interrupts Gideon and Sofia’s separate attempts to infiltrate their headquarters, they’re forced to work together to escape. Each of them has their own reason for wanting to take down LaRoux Industries, and neither trusts the other. But working together might be the best chance they have to expose the secrets LRI is so desperate to hide.

Truthwitch - Susan Dennard

On a continent ruled by three empires, some are born with a “witchery”, a magical skill that sets them apart from others.

In the Witchlands, there are almost as many types of magic as there are ways to get in trouble—as two desperate young women know all too well.

Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lie. It’s a powerful magic that many would kill to have on their side, especially amongst the nobility to which Safi was born. So Safi must keep her gift hidden, lest she be used as a pawn in the struggle between empires.

Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the invisible ties that bind and entangle the lives around her—but she cannot see the bonds that touch her own heart. Her unlikely friendship with Safi has taken her from life as an outcast into one of reckless adventure, where she is a cool, wary balance to Safi’s hotheaded impulsiveness.

Safi and Iseult just want to be free to live their own lives, but war is coming to the Witchlands. With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and ship’s captain) and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must fight emperors, princes, and mercenaries alike, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.

Heartless - Marissa Meyer

Long before she was the terror of Wonderland — the infamous Queen of Hearts — she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.

Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the yet-unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend and supply the Kingdom of Hearts with delectable pastries and confections. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next Queen.

At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the king's marriage proposal, she meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the King and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship.

Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

Untitled Book #4 in Arcana Chronicles - Kresley Cole

Untitled Book #5 in Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J Maas

Untitled Book #3 in Bone Season Series - Samantha Shannon

On the eve of a new decade, after two hundred years of Scion rule, a revolution is beginning. Its unlikely cradle is the clairvoyant underworld in London, and even an old ally’s betrayal cannot stop it.

But an enemy from Paige Mahoney’s past is about to return – an enemy that could quench the flame of hope for good . . .

YES, MOST OF THESE AREN'T RELEASED BUT I STILL WANT THEM TODAY! :D (That's what Pre-Ordering is for!)

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That's all folks! Come back next week for another top ten and make sure you put your own list in the comments!

Mad Claire

The Pause - John Larkin

2015-10-23T13:28:00.002+08:00

The Pause - John Larkin

Released: April 1, 2015

Publisher: Penguin Random House AUS

Synopsis: Declan seems to have it all: a family that loves him, friends he’s known for years, a beautiful girlfriend he would go to the ends of the earth for.

But there’s something in Declan’s past that just won’t go away, that pokes and scratches at his thoughts when he’s at his most vulnerable. Declan feels as if nothing will take away that pain that he has buried deep inside for so long. So he makes the only decision he thinks he has left: the decision to end it all.

Or does he? As the train approaches and Declan teeters at the edge of the platform, two versions of his life are revealed. In one, Declan watches as his body is destroyed and the lives of those who loved him unravel. In the other, Declan pauses before he jumps. And this makes all the difference.

One moment. One pause. One whole new life.

From author of The Shadow Girl, winner of the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards 2012 Prize for Writing for Young Adults, comes a breathtaking new novel that will make you reconsider the road you’re travelling and the tracks you’re leaving behind.

~ Goodreads ~ Random House ~

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What I Thought: I have to start by saying that synopsis is quite misleading. That's what drew me into this story, the synopsis. Two versions of his life are revealed - in one, Declan watches his body destroyed and the lives of those who loved him unravel. This is the part that misled me because we do not see the lives of those who loved him unravel. I assumed this book would be very 'Sliding Doors'-esque, with two simultaneous realities of after he jumped and after he paused. It isn't like that. It is how his life would have gone had he paused. Perhaps if I'd gone in knowing that, I might have enjoyed it much more.

Now I've got my rant out of the way with, I can say this book was quite enjoyable. It gives a deep and meaningful look into anxiety and depression, and the way it can fester and creep up on a person without them even realising it. Declan had a good life, despite something that had happened in his past that was locked away and festered, and one seemingly little thing that blew everything up and causes Declan to decide to throw himself in front of a train.

We see how Declan deals with his future after he pauses, the help he gets after he admits he needs it. How he realises it all could have been avoided if he had thought to ask for help. This book is perfect to give to young people who may be hiding their own problems, for people who don't know the extent of what some people with depression go through, and just generally anyone else who likes a good read. John Larkin is a wonderful writer and I can't wait to see what else he puts on the shelves.

The Good: The raw eye-opening look into a teenage boys' journey with depression and attempted suicide.

The Bad: As mentioned, this was NOT at all what I expected it to be, and so when I came towards the end of the book and started to realise that we wouldn't see how his family dealt with his death, the appeal of the story was lost to me. Sorry, but it's true.

Rating: 3/5

Mad Claire

Top Ten Tuesday - Oct 20, 2015

2015-10-20T14:58:00.000+08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week there is a new topic and we all share our thoughts on that topic!

For this week on Top Ten Tuesday, the topic is:

Ten Wishes I'd Ask the Book Genie to Grant Me!

The Ultimate Library...

Yes, like most other book lovers out there, my first wish would be to have the ultimate home library, like in Beauty and the Beast. Filled with all the books I could ever want, all in beautiful hardback covers - and with a wicked rolling ladder too!

Wouldn't say no to a Prince either...

Bring the Magical World of Harry Potter to Life

If I could bring a world to life, it would most definitely be Harry Potter, and magic. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of other book worlds I'd love to delve into, but this one takes the cake. Even if I haven't read the books... The movies show enough for me.

Let Me Go Back to School in the world of Jellicoe Road

So anyone who knows me, knows this is my all time favourite book! And as much as I hated school, I'd go back (for a bit) to be a part of this world. So rather than bringing an entire world to life, I'd just want it to be included in the main cast of this story.

Let Jack and Death Fight Over Me

Please please please Book Genie, bring these two boys to life and let me be Evie for awhile.

Anyone who has read these, will understand my wish.

And following that...

Let Me Be the Bad-ass Empress in A War Game of Arcana Cards

Because Evie is bad-ass, and while I don't want to killing people brutally, I still think this would be a whole lot of fun.

You know, even with the killing... *ahem*

Bring Sarah J. Maas and Susan Dennard together to Perth... (because we're lonely here)

These two are some of my favourite authors, and aren't they just the best adorable friends ever!

Please please please come.

Also, Alexandra Bracken should come too, just because.

Go Into The World of Throne Of Glass, and make sure everything goes right...

Because I know I'm not the only one with a broken heart by most of what's happened, in like, every single book.

So I'm going to save Sam, and live with him happily ever after.

Whoops, only came up with seven! Forgive me this week guys.

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That's all folks! Come back next week for another top ten and make sure you put your own list in the comments!

Mad Claire

Queen of Shadows - Sarah J Maas

2015-10-06T00:30:00.000+08:00

Queen of Shadows - Sarah J Maas

Released: September 1, 2015

Publisher: Bloomsbury AUS

Synopsis: Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past . . .

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

Celaena’s epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena’s story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.

~ Goodreads ~ Bloomsbury ~

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What I Thought: Queen of Shadows. A monster of a book, with so much that goes on. There is not a moment when this book isn't action packed. We start off with Celaena or Aelin, whichever you prefer to call her, heading back to Rifthold, where Chaol is now working solidly with the rebels, Aedion is still imprisoned and Dorian is... well let's not go there lest I tear up again.

There is a lot of changes that happen in Queen of Shadows, and some characters become a lot more important. We still follow multiple points of view, even some are just mere snippets of the character, but each one equally important. Some of these characters show different sides, and some end up being entirely new people.

Can I tell you that we finally get some happy endings? Possibly. In some aspects, abso-freaking-lutely. Some come mid-story, some come at the end. But just know, obviously with two books still to come, that this is not the end. There isn't a killer cliffhanger ending (thank goodness!) but there is clearly so much more to come. Does Aedion get free or does the King execute him? Do they figure out a way to save Dorian from the monster inside? Will Celaena be able to pull of her plan to free magic? Will Chaol and Celaena tie up their lose ends? (YES, that is the most important question of all, obviously). Of course, I'd love to tell you, but you'll just have to pick up the book yourself (and we can talk later ;) )

Queen of Shadows closes some doors and opens about a million more. If you love this series, are in love with it's characters then you will definitely love Queen of Shadows. Buy it, devour it, and lets all mourn the year long wait we again have to suffer through.

Long Live Queen Aelin of Terrasen!

The Good: This book picked up much more that Heir of Fire did, and it was really hard to put down, especially towards the end. Seriously guys, just bust this baby out in one sitting, or the not knowing may actually kill you.

The Bad: Having to wait another year for the next book, and not knowing exactly what to expect. Also, I am SO NOT on board with Celaena (Aelin) and Rowan. No no no no no. Just, no.

Rating: 4/5

Mad Claire

Heir of Fire - Sarah J Maas

2015-10-03T11:17:00.000+08:00

Heir of Fire - Sarah J Maas

Released: September 11, 2014

Publisher: Bloomsbury AUS

Synopsis: Consumed by guilt and rage, Celaena can't bring herself to spill blood for the King of Adarlan. She must fight back...

The Immortal Queen will help her destroy the king - for a price. But as Celaena battles with her darkest memories and her heart breaks for a love that could never last, can she fulfil the bargain and head the almighty court of Terrasen? And who will stand with her?

~ Goodreads ~ Bloomsbury ~

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What I Thought: Heir of Fire. Third book in the Throne of Glass series. I actually didn't end up reading this when it was released, and instead have only just recently read it with the release of Queen of Shadows. Heir of Fire... seriously, I'm not even sure where to start. There is a lot of different points of view in this novel, and it got confusing at times. Celaena is in Wendlyn, training with the Fae. Chaol is running around with Aedion (AKA Celaena's long-lost cousin). Aedion is running around with the Terrasen rebels. Dorian is trying to hide his magic and falling for someone new. Then there is Sorscha and Manon... That's HoF in a nutshell. It was great, revisiting old characters and meeting a bunch of new ones (some more likable than others) but this was a filler book for me and it really slowed the entire series down.

Genuinely, I found this book to be, while enjoyable, way too slow for me. I didn't care enough about what was happening, especially when the POV kept shifting. But of course, in the way that she does, Maas leaves us with a KILLER cliffhanger ending that (almost) makes up for the slowness of the novel.

Bring on Queen of Shadows!

The Good: Killer cliffhanger. Wait, is that a good thing or a bad thing? :P

The Bad: This book was SLOW. Like, maddeningly slow. So many times I put it down because I just didn't really care about what was happening. Plus, the several different points of view randomly changing was confusing.

Rating: 4/5

Mad Claire