Becky's Barmy Book Blog

Book Review - The Hound of The Baskervilles

2012-01-29T22:30:00.000Z

Title: The Hound of the Baskervilles
Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Series: Sherlock Holmes
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Release Date: 6 Mar 2008 (this versions) Originally Published in 1902
ISBN-13: 978-0141034324

Synopsis
Some blame the sudden death of Sir Charles Baskerville on the legend of a fearsome and ghostly hound that is said to have haunted his Devonshire family for generations.
So when the services of famed detective Sherlock Holmes are engaged to ensure the safety of Baskerville heir Sir Henry – recently arrived from America – Dr Watson is surprised to find his friend dismissive of the matter. In fact, Watson is dispatched alone to accompany Sir Henry to Baskerville Hall in Devon while Holmes deals with another case.
Yet Watson finds the wild moors are a far cry from the orderly streets of London, and in the cold night a savage and bestial howl may be heard...

My Review
I am a fan of the Sherlock Holmes books and I am slowly making my way through them in order. This has recently been on TV but I missed it, however a lot of requests started coming in for the book and I will admit this has been in my locker at work since October (approx 3/4 months) oops! So I thought I had better read it so I could send it out to fill the requests. At only 214 pages I managed to complete it in one day and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The legend of the Hound of the Baskervilles is a haunting tale, it is said a Demon Dog runs the moors in Devon-shire and lurks round the grounds of the Baskervilles manor waiting for it's next attack. Genereations of fmaily members have been plagued by the story, but no-one knows if it is really true, but then Sir Charles is found dead in the grounds, terrified to death. The cause of death is blamed on the dreaded Hound, but why was he wandering the grounds by himself in the first place?
Holmes is called in to handle the case, Sir Henry has inherited the estate and is being warned off by a mysterious stranger. Watson accompanies Sir Henry back to the house and tries to solve the crime.
As always this book is just plain Brilliant! Sir Arthur really thinks things through and knows how to tell a gripping tale. Throughout I was guessing who was guilty, whether there really was a hound and when Holmes would appear.
Every time I had thought I had figured out who was behind it, a twist would happen and I would have to re-think. I like Watson's clear narrative and his explanations, I love to see how he thinks things thorugh and comes to a conclusion. It's sweet when he beams at the praise Sherlock gives him, liek a child waiting for the parent to say 'well done.' I will agree that Sherlock doesn't give him half the credit he deserves.
Full of suspense and mystery these books will capture your heart and mind. Sir Arthur really did have a talent. Holmes is such a legend and so real, with such a brilliant mind. It's just genius.

My Rating

Guest Post: Derek Taylor Kent

2012-01-29T00:09:00.000Z

I have a guest post for you today by Derek Taylor Kent author of 'Scary School'

The Scary Path to a Book Deal

By Derek Taylor Kent (AKA Derek the Ghost)

My name is Derek Taylor Kent (AKA Derek the Ghost). I recently received a three-book deal for my YA horror-comedy series Scary School, which came out June 21, 2011 (scaryschool.com). How this came to be is a bit of a horror-comedy itself.

March 1994. At the age of 15, I undertake writing an epic illustrated fantasy series. It’s an ill-conceived cross between Dr. Seuss and Lord of the Rings, but I spend six long years trying to get it published. Nothing ever comes of it.

April 2005. Painfully abandoning the illustrated book series and inspired by Harry Potter, I spend a year writing my first novel: Scary School, Book 1: My Homework Ate my Dog. After completing the first draft, I submit it to a few agents and publishers. All rejections.

Confused, I gave the manuscript to readers. I receive notes that suggest a heavy rewrite. Reluctantly, I spend months doing exhaustive rewrites, but I had to admit the book was greatly improved.

Early 2007. I feel the book is ready to submit once again. But I had a relentless day job and my spare time was filled with other projects. My Homework Ate My Dog goes on the backburner.

Another year passes.

July 2008. There’s a brief window of time off from my day job. I decide that it’s time to go full-out toward finding an agent or a publisher. If it doesn’t happen, it will probably be the end of my YA writing aspirations.

The task before me is daunting. I have the Guide to Literary Agents and the Children’s Marketplace books. It would take me a year to reach out to every agent and publisher, and I only have a window of a couple weeks. So, I hire an assistant. His job is to send out packages to every single YA lit agent in America. I spend my time focusing on online querying.

Responses start coming in. I’m getting bites. About one in every ten I sent out is asking to read my manuscript or sample chapters. Most are rejections, but if you have a 10% positive response rate to your query, you know that you probably have something good.

August 2008. Eric Myers from the Joe Spieler Agency requests sample chapters. A week later he requests the complete manuscript. On September 20, 2008, Eric Myers is my agent. He is very enthusiastic and has a great track record.

December 2008. Every publisher my agent has submitted to has passed.

The only glimmer of hope is from a junior editor at HarperCollins who says that she “really likes my writing and the humor of the book, but what I was expecting from a book called Scary School: My Homework Ate My Dog was not what I got. I was hoping for a light, funny book about a Scary School for a young audience.”

She was exactly right. My title was screaming: silly/funny book for 8-year-olds, but I had given her a darker Harry Potter fit for 12-year-olds.

The editor concluded with: “I do feel there is a market for a Scary School book series for a younger audience should he feel inclined to write it.”

There it was. A bite from a publisher. The only problem was my “bite” felt like an orca whale. I’d have to write a whole new book for her, and I’d have to write it fast so she didn’t forget about me or buy another book in the same genre.

I sequester myself and complete the first draft of a new book series, just called Scary School.

The first draft is done by January 2009. I send it to my agent. He’s a little shocked that it’s not a linear story like My Homework Ate my Dog, but we agree to send it to HarperCollins as is.

March 2009. The junior editor writes back: “This is exactly what I was hoping for. I love it! I think we really have something here!”

A few weeks later HarperCollins offers me a three-book deal for Scary School.

I dance around my apartment and weep with joy.

The advance is not enough to quit my day job, but it’s enough to create a website, hire a publicist, and print thousands of Scary School T-shirts.

As I write this, I am exactly one week away from the Scary School release date on June 21, 2011. I had to wait another two years before it was scheduled for release.

It was agony.

Over that time I have self-published what is now called Rudy and the Beast: My Homework Ate My Dog! There’s still an issue with the title, but I won’t surrender it. I also self-published an illustrated book called Simon and the Solar System.

This year, I finished a new YA novel called Principal Mikey about a kid who becomes principal of his school. I think it’s my most well-written novel and is absolutely hilarious.

No bites so far.

Thanks for featuring on my blog Derek. The books sound like great fun. :D

Book Review - Monkey Business

2012-01-28T21:36:00.000Z

Title: Monkey Business
Author: Anna Wilson
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Release Date: 21 Jan 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0330509282

Synopsis
For Felix and Flo, animals are the NUMBER ONE TOP PRIORITY in life. And although Felix loves his pets (a lazy dog, an angry cat and a noisy hamster), what he really wants is the chance to look after an animal which is EXOTIC and DIFFERENT like an elephant, or a monkey, for instance. So when he finds out from Flo that you can actually adopt your own animal via the MIRACLE OF THE INTERNET, he is beside himself with excitement until he realises that this plan isn't as FOOLPROOF as it seems.

My Review
This is another book that I had to read for this year's book day at work, I;m about half way through the list now.
Felix is obsessed with animals and so is his best friend Flo. He is always being told off for taking in all sorts of insects and small animals in to the house, but he now wants to think bigger and the pair come up with a crazy idea to get an exotic pet.
As the Synopsis shows, there are a lot of words in capitals. This happens all through the book and I found it really irritating. Now, I know this book is aimed at young children, the main characters are 8/9 years old, but I'm not really sure who would read this, it seems a bit long and there is a lot of information on conservation in there that young children would struggle with, but then it seems too young for the next level of reader. Maybe it's one parents could read to their children.
Felix was a good character, standard excitable little boy with a passion for muck, mess and creepy crawlies. He has a passion for learning about animals and the environment and you can tell he has a good heart, but he does makes some very silly decisions.
Flo, his best friend however was not a nice character. I really didn't like her. She was moody, stroppy, bossy, rude and just plain irritating. She spends all her time telling Felix what to do, or shouting at him, or coming up with stupid ideas then blaming him for it when it goes wrong. When they get in trouble she has no problem throwing him in the deep end. She was spoilt. I didn't like their relationship at all, it was very bossy woman, taking over.
Felix's uncle known as 'Zed' was a bit of comic relief, he is a bit of a hippy, but even this annoyed me after a while, nearly every sentence he spoke included the words, 'dude', 'chill', 'man' etc,
I think this story could be really good for younger children if it was shortened, it just seemed to be repeating bits. The idea of the book was good, but it didn't live up to expectations, maybe I'm just too old for it, and kids will love it, but it just didn't strike a chord with me. Mayeb good for reading a chapter at bedtime with children. Lots of doodles on pages, and only 237 pages which isn't too long.

My Rating

Book Review - Something Witchy This Way Comes

2012-01-28T20:42:00.000Z

Title: Something Witchy This Way Comes
Author: Veronica Blade
Publisher: Crush Publishing
Release Date: 3 Sep 2011
ASIN: B005L9B0MM

Synopsis
Brainiac Tessa McClean’s newly discovered magical powers give her an escape from her self-absorbed parents. But the thrill of being a witch fades when she learns of a rival coven and begins to suspect her own coven’s motives. Evidence tells Tessa to trust one side, but instinct drives her toward the other. When the school’s scrumptious delinquent, Hayden Anders, offers Tessa self-defense lessons in exchange for tutoring, his timing couldn’t be better. Although hanging out with him is a necessary evil in Tessa’s fight to stay alive, resisting a bad-boy she secretly yearns for might be more than she can manage. Together, Tessa and Hayden work to unravel the mysteries behind the two covens to discover why they’ll stop at nothing to lure Tessa to their side. She must form an alliance with one of the covens before it’s too late. But the wrong decision could cost Tessa the lives of all who she holds dear — including Hayden.

My Review
I received a copy of this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Tessa discovers she is a witch, but this means she is in danger, two rival covens are vying for her attention and she isn't sure who to trust. Bad boy Hayden is assigned to guard her whilst at school, Tessa can't believe she has to be stuck with him, but soon they form a team and try to work out just which side they should choose. With lots of unexpected twists and mysterious appearances the choice isn't easy.
I liked the sound of this book, it sounded like a great twist on what I call High School Paranormal. Was definitely a nice break from vampires and werewolves, this is all about the magic.
Tessa is not instantly likeable, she comes across as a bit full of herself and thinking that she is above Hayden. She gets really good grades and has practically raised herself and her little sister, so she knows she is a fighter. But she soon opens up to Hayden and when she lets her guard down she becomes a whole new person and I started to connect to her more. I felt sorry for her, she has basically been ignored by her mother all her life and has been badly hurt by an ex boyfriend, but what I really like about her is the fact that she doesn't give up. She is a survivor, a fighter and she isn't afraid to go for things.
Hayden is like the guys I avoided at school, a player and a bit of an ass to be honest. So full of himself and convinced that girls are just there to please him. He has had a rough few years with an abusive step dad, and has given up on life. There were many times I wanted to slap him, but again as he started to open up and become more of a human I connected more. It was almost like, once he found a reason to live, I found a reason to like him.
He has great sarcastic come backs and a witty sense of humour. He does get quite possessive of Tessa and that's a bit weird but I can see why he does it, sort of. it's not complete stalker weird so he can get away with it.
When Hayden and Tessa are together it makes for good reading, they either get along or blow up at each other, they make me laugh.
Rena is also great, really couldn't tell what side she was on but I didn't like her. In fact there were so many great characters.
The plot moves at just the right pace, with enough description to let you know where you are but not too much. Once I started this book I read it quite quickly and I wanted to know what would happen.

My Rating

FF (54) & TGIF (37)

2012-01-27T12:05:00.000Z

Follow Friday is an opportunity to discover and follow other book related blogs! Want to join? Check it out at Parajunkee.

This week's question feature is from Book’d Out

Q: Which book genre do you avoid at all costs and why?

My Answer: I avoid 'Horror' at all costs as I am a total wimp. I like Paranormal, Fantasy etc but when it crosses the line to Horror I can't take it. My imagination is far too active and I start to see monsters, muderers etc everywhere I turn, just can't handle it.

TGIF!

This meme is hosted by GReads!

This Friday's Question:

Buy or Borrow: Where do your books that you read come from? The bookstore? The library? Do you prefer to own a book, or have it on loan?

My Answer: I used to buy all of my books, but when I started working in a library 5 years ago I realised it was silly. I tend to borrow most of my books now from the library, but if I find one I really love I will then buy it. On the other hand if it is an author I know I love or have the rest of the series like Rachel Caine or Derek Landy etc then I will buy the book straight away.

Happy Hopping, have a great weekend everyone!!!

Don't forget to enter my YA Giveaway Hop for your chance to win 1 of three books. International Open 27th-31st Jan

Guest Post: Lauren Bailey

2012-01-27T11:18:00.000Z

Today I have a Guest Post from Lauren Bailey, who regularly writes for accredited online colleges. She contacted me asking to do a post and I had to agree. :D
Here it is:

The Importance of Libraries: Updating Libraries for the Digital Age

For years, libraries have been an emblem of academic and intellectual life. With shelves upon shelves of books and the perfect quiet study environment, it no wonder why many college students and academics call the library their second home. However, as our society becomes more and more immersed in the digital age, libraries are beginning to struggle with what seem like outdated methods of research and learning. Students today are completely tech dependant, relying on the internet for most of their social, academic, and leisure lives. While the internet, eReaders, and personal computers have no doubt had an effect on library use, these digital phenomena have not injured libraries as much as many of us think. While some aspects of library use and library science need updating, there are still many relevant and useful things that libraries have to offer.

There are several ways in which libraries can update their curriculum and technologies to become even more relevant in today's society. As eReaders gain in popularity, libraries will need to respond to this trend. Traditional libraries can begin allowing eBook checkout, mobile applications concerning book availability, have library professionals trained for online resource retrieval, and more. All of these mostly minor updates can make a huge difference in bringing in new patrons. There's no question that libraries have seen slower days with the huge impact that the internet has had on academic research and accessibility to resources. However, this has by no means made library research irrelevant.

Many people fail to realize just how useful library research and use can be in today's society. Librarians properly trained in library science are taught to find information and resources in the fastest and most useful fashion. This can be extremely useful in today's academic world. While internet research allows you to do all of your source finding at home from your personal computer, this can cause several difficulties. For one, online research can actually take more time to conduct because of the mere vastness of internet. Moreover, many online resources offer falsified information that can be difficult to detect. By actually going to a library and utilizing the expertise of a trained librarian, we can reduce our work time and find more accurate and useful sources.

Lastly, but certainly not least importantly, libraries offer a study environment like few others. There is something purely academic and peaceful about reading or studying in a library setting. With all of these tech centric updates that libraries will be making in the near future, it is essential that they don't lose their traditional charm. I don't think that these updates will cause them to lose their studious feel, but it is a valid concern. Imagining entering a library for your Sunday reading session and feeling like you've just entered an Apple store is pretty disheartening. These small but important updates to the technology and running of traditional libraries can be enacted without changing the overall feel of the establishment.

By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Lauren Bailey, who regularly writes for accredited online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: blauren99 @gmail.com.

I love how Lauren has captured the tradition and feel of a library. As I work in a library I really know how precious they are and how much they can do for people, and they are becoming more modern day by day, but I don't want them to lose heart. Make your library a special place to visit. Enjoy going there, if you don't use them, you'll lose them.
Thank you Lauren for your insightful post. :D

Young Adult Giveaway Hop

2012-01-26T22:21:00.001Z

The Young Adult Giveaway Hop is being run by 'I Am A Reader, Not A Writer' and 'Down The Rabbit Hole' and is being run from 27th Jan - 31st Jan

As my blog mainly focuses on YA books I thought this was perfect to take part in.

My Giveaway

One (1) winner will get a choice of one (1) book from the following books, shipped from 'The Book Depository'. Open International as long as the BD ship to you.

Click on the titles below the pictures to go to the Book Depository Website for more info on each book.

Glass Houses by Rachel Caine
Book 1 Morganiville Vampires
(Can change for one later in the series as long as under £7)

Inside Out by Maria V Snyder
Book 1 in series

Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Book 1 in Inheritance Cycle
(Can change for one later in the series as long as under £7)

These are 3 of my favourite YA books and I highly recommend them all.

UPDATE** You MUST fill in the Linky form to be in with a chance to enter. Do NOT put your details in the comments section.
I don't have time to go through all the comments or add you on the list myself. All you need to do is put your name/blog name in the box that says 'Contest Entry', a link to your blog/facebook in the box that says 'Link' and then your email address in the box that says 'Email'
I've had a lot of entries in comments and these will not be counted. I know it sounds harsh but I have to have order to be able to make it fair and minimise my work.

Here are the rules:

1) Competition opens Friday 27th January
2) Competition closes on Tuesday 31st January Midnight GMT
3) Enter your Name, E-mail and Blog Link in the Linky List Below (email will be hidden, if you don't have a blog just enter your Facebook or Twitter page)
4) You Must be a Follower to enter!
5) One Name will be selected at random from the list.
6) Contest open INTERNATIONALLY!!! :D
7) Winners will be contacted by e-mail
8) Winners will have 3 days to reply or another winner will be selected.

Spread the word and have fun.

The Hop list of all the other blogs taking part if below and my entry list is below that. :D

Good Luck to everyone.

Book Review - Memory Cage

2012-01-25T22:58:00.000Z

Title: The Memory Cage
Author: Ruth Eastham
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: 3 Jan 2011
ISBN-13: 978-1407120522

Synopsis

Alex's grandfather keeps forgetting things, and Alex has overheard his adoptive parents say that they're going to put granddad in a home. His grandfather begs Alex to save him from that, and it's a promise Alex is desperate to keep. But Alex once promised his little brother that he would save him, and in the terror of the Bosnian war, he failed. As Alex struggles to protect his grandfather, he uncovers secrets that his family and the village have kept for two generations. Unravelling them will cause grief, but will they save grandfather, and perhaps help Alex come to terms with his own private war.

My Review

This is another book that I had to read for 'Book Day' at work that's happening in March. Two of my colleagues had read it before me and they both seemed to really love it.

This is definitely not my type of book. Alex is adopted, he was rescued from the war in Bosnia. His adopted Grandad is losing his memory and keeps having accidents or incidents. Alex takes it upon himself to try and help his grandad his 'brother/sister' don't seem interested and his 'parents' just want to put him in a home. Alex finds out there are a lot of secrets in the past keeping everyone at a distance.

I started reading this and thought, 'oh no. this is quite slow, and i'm really not that interested.' but I couldn't just give up as I had to read it for the work event, plus at only 230 pages it really wasn't that long. However after about 40 pages I was really getting into it. I started to really care and feel for Alex and I wanted him and his family to be happy.

Soon I was flipping through the pages, determined to find out what the big secrets were.

The whole plot unfolds nicely. there is just the right mixture of action, discovery and talking. I surprised myself by just how much I enjoyed.

It's a great book for getting kids to talk about things like Alzheimer's and wars/fighting without having it shoved down their throats. This book will move them and hopefully make them interested and open to talk.

Overall I was very impressed with this book

My Rating

Book Review - Happy Birthday To You

2012-01-25T01:02:00.000Z

Title: Happy Birthday To You
Author: Brian Rowe
Series: Birthday Trilogy (book 3)
Publisher: Createspace
Release Date: 2nd December 2011
ASIN: B006HKI6NU

Synopsis
Newlyweds Cameron and Liesel Martin aren't able to celebrate their wedding bliss for long. Not only is Liesel unexpectedly pregnant... they're also facing the end of humanity!
Liesel's evil witch sister Hannah has cast a spell to make all humans on Earth age a whole year with every day. It's up to Cameron and Liesel to stop her... and save the world! Who will survive? And who will perish?
Here it is... the third and final epic chapter of the Birthday trilogy... Happy Birthday to You!

My Review
Ok, I was hesitant about the first book but found myself enjoying it. I liked book two even more and actually found myself looking forward to book three. I wondered where Rowe would go with this one after having the main character experience the effects of agin both ways, i thought what next?
Well this time Cameron and his new wife Liesel are the only ones not aging, instead everyone in the world is affected, babies, teens, oap's, rich, poor - Everyone! the pair have just three weeks until the youngest person will be too old and will die. In those three weeks they must track down Hannah - Liesel's evil witch sister who is causing the curse to happen.
After reading the blurb, I must admit i was intrigued, I wasn't expecting that and thought it sounded like it had great promise.
It has been a couple of weeks since I finished book two as I haven't had much time to sit with my laptop and read it, but I started tonight and found the start very promising. I was immediately back into the world and fully involved with the story. Straight into the catastrophe and faced with the struggle ahead. Cameron and Liesel have no second thoughts, they rush straight in to fight Hannah and stop this dreadful curse. I thought, awesome, this is going to be good!
The scenes with Cam and Lies were great, the urgency, despair, love and trust they have in each was great to read, thier journey really swept me up.
However every other chapter was from a different characters point of view, someone we had met in the previous books - like Cameron's Basketball Coach, Liesel's Grandad, Cameron's Ex, etc. This was our chance to see how the curse was affecting the rest of the world, but really it was a chance for the author to just wipe out any character you had ever met. Liesel's Grandad's death was fairly realistic and I was sad, the coach was slightly further out their but still realistic, but after that they just got more ridiculous - stepping in front of a fed-ex van and being thrown in the air, being stabbed in the head with a stiletto, angry cosmetic patients clawing hair, eyes, tongues and then intestines out of a character - not only was that gruesome to read but it was totally unrealistic. I know it was supposed to convey the panic taking over the world, but seriously? The more I read, the more I was stopping and actually saying out loud - "you have got to be kidding me?" or "really? like that?" It just seemed really ridiculous. The book became more of a joke - guess the silly death, instead of a serious situation. I don't know. Some people may think it was very dramatic and really works in, but for me it just missed the bar.
If I could read this book with just Cameron, Liesel, Hannah and maybe Kimber's point of view I would be happy. The other chapters spoilt it for me.

However I must say, that the last 2 chapters really brought it back for me. They were moving and by the end I was fully crying. The ending is bittersweet but did touch my heart. I had a feeling something would happen like it did but not exactly that way and it moved me. The ending for me redeemed the whole book, it made me care about the characters again, if only for a while.

If you have read and enjoyed the rest of the series then I would recommend finishing it, it does have great moments in. Glad I read it, and it is a quick read, I did it in 3 hours, but I will admit I was disappointed.

My Rating

Guest Post: Elle Casey

2012-01-24T17:13:00.000Z

Today I have a guest post from new author Elle Casey talking about how her novel 'Wrecked' came about.

My Writing Process – How WRECKED Went from Idea to Novel

Hello, my name is Elle Casey and I am a guest blogger. Thank you, Becky’s Barmy Book Blog for inviting me over. Today I’m going to tell Becky’s readers about my writing process and specifically how my first novel WRECKED went from a simple idea to the finished novel.

I actually started writing WRECKED a couple of years ago – just a very basic outline. This idea of kids being shipwrecked on an island had been floating around in my head for years. I could never get it totally out of my head. I was a fan of The Swiss Family Robinson, but I always wondered what it would have been like if there had been no adults around. Sometimes I’d find myself daydreaming about it, wondering what I would do if it happened to me. Finally, I guess you could say I got tired of the idea bothering me all the time, so I sat down and wrote a brief outline for a story. I had never written a fiction novel before – just plenty of work-related non-fiction. Once I had the outline done, the idea settled down in my head and didn’t seem as urgent. I left it alone for a year.

After some time had gone by, the thoughts of the shipwrecked idea and also thoughts of the characters started to haunt me again. I would imagine what the characters’ personalities were like, how they would speak, what their motivations were. The more I did that, the more they began to feel like real people to me. And then it was like real people were bothering me to tell the story.

Finally, in September of 2011, I got serious and started writing the book. It was really a matter of just getting the book out of my head and on paper so I could sleep at night! I didn’t focus on it too much though. When I had time, I’d write a few thousand words, maybe every couple of weeks or so.

But then I read an article about an author who published her book for the Kindle, and it really inspired me and caused me to write faster and with purpose. You see, part of the reason I didn’t bother to write sooner or take writing seriously, is because I saw getting a book published as kind of like winning the lottery. I’m not that lucky, so I never put much effort into finishing any of my stories (I have a folder full of outlines and ideas). But now that I knew I could publish my book and find readers on my own, I was totally inspired. I started seriously writing in November.

My fingers flew across the keyboard. It was as if the story was already totally written; I just had to listen to the voices telling it to me. Those were the voices of Sarah, Kevin, Jonathan, and Candi – the main characters of WRECKED.

I have since finished and published WRECKED, which is available for the Kindle or Nook on www.Amazon.com or www.BarnesandNoble.com. You can also buy a printable version on www.Smashwords.com.

And now I’m working on my next project, WAR OF THE FAE. It’s a Young Adult Fantasy novel, a series of four books, and I’m super excited about it. The first book is done and in editing now (to be published the first two weeks of February), and I’ve begun the second book in the series (scheduled for publishing in March). For these books, like WRECKED, I started with an outline, which serves to get the ideas out and noodled through, then I write from there. I’ve heard of other authors working completely from an outline that is nearly the entire book without dialogue, but my outlines are more just general directions for the story. Often the finished product only vaguely resembles the outline. My books are out there in the ether somewhere; I merely just take the dictation of them from the characters. I know it sounds crazy, but that’s how it works for me!

Thanks again to Becky for inviting me to post today. If you want to know more about my books or about me, you can visit my website www.ElleCasey.com. I’d love to have you as a reader! :)

Thanks for taking the time to write the Guest Post Elle, I admire your hard work and courage. I wish you the best of luck with your novels.

Book Review - Dangerous Days of Daniel X

2012-01-23T22:27:00.000Z

Title: Dangerous Days of Daniel X
Author: James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge
Series: Daniel X (book 1)
Publisher: Century
Release Date: 3 July 2008
ISBN-13: 978-1846052774

Synopsis
Daniel X was born with the world's most extraordinary power: the power to create. With his secret ability, he can conjure anything and everything, from inanimate objects to living, breathing people. This talent has helped him survive--but couldn't save his parents from being brutally murdered. Discovering a strange list of names, Daniel vows to complete his father's mysterious mission and hunt down his family's assassin. Now, on his own, he must uncover the dark truth behind an apocalyptic struggle that will determine the fate of all mankind. But hot on his trail is a cunning killer--one who knows exactly what Daniel X can do.

My Review
I read and adored the 'Maximum Ride' series by Patterson, it was better than I ever expected. I added him to my list of authors I like. Back in September I gave this book to my Teen Book Group as their read of the month, half of them loved it, the rest hated it. I intended to read it but didn't get round to it. I've had it on my pile ever since. I kept putting it off because I figured once I'd read the first one I would want to read the whole series. But someone requested the book and I thought I had better read it before I return it.
The chapters are 2-3 pages long each, they are really short and easy to read. At 227 pages it is quite short anyway but the pages have a lot of spacing on and each chapter starts half way down the page so it really is short.
I was intrigued by the start and thought I would enjoy this book but it soon went downhill. If this book had been longer I may have given up but as it was so short and fast paced I decided to finish it.
Daniel's parents are killed when he is three by an Alien. He isn't an ordinary 3 year old though, he is very advanced and quite possibly an alien himself. He decides to carry on his parents 'List' a file of Aliens that are causing havoc in the world. The closer to the top of the list, the tougher they are.
The premise of this book sounds good, I'm not really into Aliens that much but this sounded different. But I just didn't feel a connection to the main character. He was a bit big headed, a bit wimpy at times and completely delusional. He 'conjures' images of his parents or best friends. at first I thought these were like imaginary friends, then I found out that others could see them, and that they could move/touch/interact with things, I wasn't quite sure what they were meant to be. And no one ever seemed to notice that these 'people' would just randomly pop up. What's with that?
He also gets shot in teh stomach with some super powerful gun but apart from the initial shock and pain he then carries on pretty much as normal, jump down a chute into a swimming pool - fine, never mind that his spleen was hanging out of his stomach two seconds ago! Just didn't click with me. Maybe I'm just too critical but I really didn't get it.
I did like the character 'Phoebe Cook', there is a twist about her in the story that I sort of guessed at, but not in the exact way it turned out, but she was like a grounding, real force in the book, something to hold Daniel down.
I really did think this book had a lot of promise but I felt let down by it. It was an easy read though, I think I finished it in about an hour and a half. Not at all what I expected.

My Rating

Book Review - Touch Of Power

2012-01-22T21:39:00.003Z

Title: Touch Of Power
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Series: Avry of Kazan (book 1)
Publisher: Harlequin (UK) Ltd (MIRA INK division)
Release Date: 20 Dec 2011
ISBN-13: 978-1848450653

Synopsis
Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.
Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life....

My Review
I have been waiting to get hold of this book ever since I first heard it was coming out. I saw a competition on 'MIRA Ink's' Facebook page to get a free copy of the book and I leaped at the chance. I was one of the luck winners and recieved my copy on Friday morning. It was the most excited I have been in weeks, I was squealing and jumping around hugging it. I was in the middle of another book and I pushed to finish it as quickly as I could just so I could start this one.
I picked it up to start at 10 this morning (Sunday) and I finished it in about 4 hours. I had to leave it for a while in the afternoon and I could feel it calling to me. I'm talking serious withdrawal symptoms here. hehe.
Avry is being hunted, people are blaming her and the other Healers for the spread of the plague. Instead of being respected and treated like a hero for her gift she is on the run and in danger, when she gets caught in a town and about to be killed for being a healer she gets rescued.
She ends up travelling with an odd band, Kerrick who is grumpy, defensive and controlling, Belen who is strong and tough like a bear but also has the soft cuddly side to him. Flea who is 16 years old and an ex street rat, Loren and Quain who are known as the 'monkeys' as they are always mischievous. It's a strange group but full of charm and Avry starts to question everything she has come to believe. But life is never that simple and when matters of life and death are involved, sometimes getting too attached can be the most dangerous.
I have loved Maria V Snyder since I first read her 'Study' series, I have since read everything by her and this novel reminded me just why I love her so much, her writing style is fantastic, it really sweeps you up and takes you on a journey, her use of description is never boring, instead it captures you and makes you feel like you are right there with the characters, seeing, experiencing, tasting, smelling. It really is that good.
The plot is great, and the pacing runs smoothly, a mixture of magic, mystery, fighting, discovery, love and adventure. The whole package.
I can totally say I am in love with this book.
I laughed at the groups sarcastic humour, gasped at the fights and battles, cried at some deaths and gripped the edge of my seat in anticipation. I couldn't turn the pages quick enough.
I was slightly disappointed that a certain romance didn't work out, they would have made a great couple, but the end pairing was satisfying and I can see why Snyder decided on that route.
My only real complaint is that book 2 isn't out until next year. How can I possibly wait that long?!??!?!?!?!
MIRA Ink are also teaming up with Mizz for a competition, if you do a video review and submit it before the end of Feb you can win an iPad. I can't pass up this opportunity so look out for my video review coming in the next couple of days. :D

UPDATE: Video Review now done, it had to be under 2 minutes to enter, was hard to fit it all in, but here we are:

My Rating

In My Mailbox (4)

2012-01-22T00:05:00.000Z

In My Mailbox is a weekly event over at The Story Siren, which showcases the books we've purchased, borrowed and received in the mail this week.

Very slow couple of weeks, but had a couple of things to show, so here it is:

Short but sweet. :P,
Sorry if my voice sounds quiet/scratchy, think i've got a mild cold coming and it's literally midnight as I'm filming this. Only time these days when I can get the house quiet enough to film. :P

Hope you had a good book week, what did you get???

Book Review - Framed

2012-01-21T21:55:00.001Z

Title: Framed
Author: Frank Cottrell Boyce
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Release Date: 7 July 2006
ISBN-13: 978-0330434256

Synopsis
Dylan is the only boy living in the tiny Welsh town of Manod. His parents run the Snowdonia Oasis Auto Marvel garage - and when he's not trying to persuade his sisters to play football, Dylan is in charge of the petrol log. And that means he gets to keep track of everyone coming in and out of Manod - what car they drive, what they're called, even their favourite flavour of crisps. But when a mysterious convoy of lorries trundles up the misty mountainside towards an old, disused mine, even Dylan is confounded. Who are these people - and what have they got to hide? A story inspired by a press cutting describing how, during WWII, the treasured contents of London's National Gallery were stored in Welsh slate mines. Once a month, a morale-boosting masterpiece would be unveiled in the village and then returned to London for viewing. This is a funny and touching exploration of how Art - its beauty and its value - touches the life of one little boy and his big family in a very small town.

My Review
I was talking to my colleagues in my lunch break the other day and we started discussing our 'favourite books', my manager told me about 'Framed' and said how much she loved it. I had read 'Cosmic' by the same author and loved it so I agreed to give this one a go. I requested it from another library as we didn't have it and it arrived quite quickly. I have a lot of books to read, but I figured this would be a quick read so I slotted it in. It was fairly quick, I started it this morning and finished it this afternoon, but it didn't feel quick.
Dylan is the only boy left in Manod, it's a tiny town in Wales with a few shops and not much else, but a host of characters. Dylan helps in his dad's garage, he notes down all the comings and goings of all the people. When a mysterious convoy of vans turn up he investigates who they belong to, and this kicks of a whole adventure.
I think the idea behind this story was good, it had potential and there were bits that I giggled at, but to me the book felt very slow. At only 350 pages I thought speed read, but by the time I reached page 60 I was thinking 'is that all I've done? blimey I should have finished by now.' It just felt very slow. Dylan makes friends with Nice Tom (once known as Daft Tom), who is obsessed with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Now I grew up with the TMNT and rather enjoyed them, my brother had some of the toys and I would sit with him and play, but I found the constant reference to them throughout the book more than annoying. episodes, plots and characters would be analyzed to the nth degree. It really started to annoy me.
I liked the two old ladies that lived in the mountains, they were good comic relief and Dylan's younger sister Minnie was great. I loved that his older sister Marie was so independent and practical, but then she has a sort of break down and locks herself in her room. Not sure why it was necessary.
The references to famous painting are great and I had heard of a lot of them, and those I hadn't I looked up, kids could certainly learn a bit about art from reading this. but for me the whole thing fell a little bit flat. I'm glad that I read it and it did have it's moments but I felt a bit disappointed, after i loved Cosmic so much I expected more. But it hasn't put me off, I will still try to read some of his other books.

My Rating

Book Review - For The Record

2012-01-20T22:37:00.000Z

Title: For The Record
Author: Ellie Irving
Publisher: Bodley Head
Release Date: 2 Jun 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0370331980

Synopsis
Luke is a gifted but awkward ten-year-old who is obsessed with The Guinness Book of Records, and is nervous about starting senior school a year early as 'the swot with the dead Dad'. When Luke's tiny, unique Jersey village is in danger of being bulldozed to the ground to make way for a waste incinerator plant, the only way to stop it is by putting the village on the map: by breaking 50 world records in a week. With the help of geeky adjudicator Simon and a colourful cast of oddball village characters, this is Luke's chance to shine, to solve his mum's relationship problems, and to face his biggest fears - with bizarre, extraordinary consequences.

My Review
Every year at the library we do a 'Book of the Year' event where we have to read 6 books then vote for the best, this year this book is on the list. They are all Children's/Middle Grade books. This is one of the books from the list.
I had been putting off reading it as I didn't like the sound of it. For one thing on the back it has things like 'Loudest burp' and 'Most Doughnuts eaten in a minute' and I thought 'Oh, no, not another crude book for boys all about burps and farts. But I had a day off today and I decided to get it over with. I started it at about two o'clock and had finished it by five. At only 250 ish pages it really is quite short.
Luke is a gifted ten year old, but he finds life hard, bullied at school for being brainy, his dad died a year ago and no-one will talk to him, his mum has a new boyfriend and now someone is threatening to build a Waste plant on his island meaning his home, his friends and the local graveyard will all be moved to make space for it. Something needs to be done. Luke is obsessed with World Records and is convinced that if he can break enough of them the island will get 'known' and will be saved.
I was surprised how easy it was to get into this book, Luke is a likeable character and I could connect in some places. He made me laugh and had an easy-going demeanor. At first I thought 'this is ridiculous', but it was one of those that was so ridiculous it was actually quite good. I found it predictable in places, but I think kids would really enjoy it. Some of the record attempts are silly, some clever, some hard and some funny. There is plenty to keep you amused. There is a bit of a love story involved with Luke's mum, her new boyfriend, and the World Record Adjudicator. I knew who she would end up with but enjoyed seeing how they got there.
I wouldn't say this book was fantastic, but it kept me amused and was an easy read and I think it's target audience would really enjoy it. I was definitely surprised.

My Rating

Book Review - Devoted

2012-01-20T22:21:00.000Z

Title: Devoted
Author: Hilary Duff
Series: Elixir (book 2)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Childrens Books
Release Date: 29 Sep 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0857071514

Synopsis

Since Sage was kidnapped, Clea has no way of knowing if he is alive or dead. And even though she has only just discovered they were soulmates, she feels like a part of her is lost forever. What’s worse, she can’t even turn to her best friend Ben—because every time she looks at him, all she sees is his betrayal.
But waiting for something to happen is not an option, so Clea is ready for action. Suffering through dreams of seeing Sage with another woman, she makes an uneasy alliance with Sage’s enemies and sets out to be reunited with Sage...in this life or the next.

My Review
I finished book one pleasantly surprised and eager to know more, I had to wait until I could get back to the library to get this one and I couldn't wait. Thinking of book 1 and looking at this one I thought I would be finished by the next night, could easily read it in a day, but for some reason it's taken me 5 days. I just wasn't that interested, I wouldn't be desperate to grab it. Something about it just didn't feel right.
I still liked Clea as a character but she is more obsessive and needy in this book and at points it got annoying, she would moan that Sage was gone and was clearly in danger but she wouldn't do much about it other than moan that she didn't know how to find him.
Ben has become distant and instead of the cheeky, funny, loyal friend, he becomes a bit of an arrogant a**. I missed the pairs easy banter and friendship.
Sage doesn't really feature much in this book, he is mentioned a lot but hardly ever 'seen' and when he is it's only a couple of pages. I wanted more from him, I liked his easy-going, self-assured behavior in the first book and the easy way he interacted with Clea.
We are also introduced to another family of Immortals, but after so many years they aren't much more than spirits. I was really confused by what exactly they were and how it all worked. I just couldn't fathom it until at least half way through.
I'm making it sound like I hated it, I didn't it was still an okay story, the plot idea was good and i liked the involvement of 'Cursed Vengeance' and the introduction to Nico, woah Nico! there were moments when the book really picked up and I would be engrossed then the chapter would end and the scene would shift and I would be out again.
The book doesn't have a proper ending, it is clearly set for another part and I am curious enough to want to read it. I want to know what happens, but fear I will have to wait to know which is extra frustrating.
There is potential in this book but I just felt like something was missing. If you enjoyed the first book or am a Duff fan, I would recommend reading it, but I'm hoping the next book picks up again.

My Rating

FF (53) & TGIF (36)

2012-01-20T21:41:00.002Z

Follow Friday is an opportunity to discover and follow other book related blogs! Want to join? Check it out at Parajunkee.

This week's question feature is from Pretty in Fiction

Q: What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done to get your hands on any particular book?

My Answer: I haven't really done anything particularly crazy for a book. YET. I'm sure I will one day, if I have to choose something it's probably queuing up for over two hours to meet the author, get the book and have it signed. Not particularly wild I know. :D

TGIF!

This meme is hosted by GReads!

This Friday's Question:

Recommend It: Which book from the last 10 you've read

would you recommend to a friend?

My Answer: I've already read 13 books this year, one of the first I read has been my favourite but is just outside of the 10, so I will pick my second favourite, which was:

I enjoyed this more than i thought I would and think it's a definite must read. It has stayed with me since finishing, parts keep coming back to mind, I have actually put the library copy to one side for one of our YA customers that comes in, will tell her she has to read it. :D

Happy Hopping, have a great weekend everyone!!!

Book Review - Amy & Roger's EPIC Detour

2012-01-15T21:17:00.000Z

Title: Amy & Roger's EPIC Detour
Author: Morgan Matson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Childrens Books
Release Date: 7 July 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0857072689

Synopsis
Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she's coming to terms with her father's death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road--diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards--this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.

My Review
I saw a lot about this on the blog world when it first came out but I didn't pay too much attention, I hadn't noticed it in the bookshops and as I was only mildly curious I ignored it. But yesterday at work we had a box of YA books arrive, they were being transferred from another branch. As I am in charge of the YA section I got to process them which also meant I got to look through them, I pulled out three books I wanted to read and this was one of them, when I saw it in the box I had to pull it out. I'd heard so many good things about it and I love the cover design. The blurb is written on a postcard - it's a nice touch to the design.
I finished my other book last night so decided I might as well read this one straight away today. I started it at about 10.00 this morning and i'd finished it by early evening.
Amy has been left on her own at her house in California, her brother is in rehab (but no one is to know), her mum has moved to Connecticut adn expects Amy to join her at some point, and her dad, well he's not around and Amy thinks it's all her fault. Plagued with guilt and lonliness she begins to withdraw within herself. Then her mum says she needs Amy to bring the car to Connecticut, but Amy doesn't want to drive anymore, she cant. So she ends up going on a road trip with Roger, a guy she knew as a child. Four days in a car with a stranger, what could be worse. But as the pair begin to drive they discover there is more to life than following the straight roads, sometimes a detour is just what you need.
I liked Amy as a character, i could see some of myself in her and she was very well written, I could empathize with her and liked the spark of life that she has, it may be hidden at first but I could feel it. The mystery of what really happened to her dad pulled at me and I was desperate to know exactly what happened.
Roger was great, a genuine nice guy, willing to talk and laugh, also sweet and caring, with a cheeky side. What I really liked about this book was that there was no 'insta-love' Over the course of the journey the pair have to face up to who and what they are, past, present and future. Their connection starts slowly and gradually builds, from travel buddies, to friends, to more. It was more realistic, it didn't happen overnight, it started with a seed and slowly grew.
For each state they cross through Amy rights some facts and statements and photos, I really liked these pages, I learn t a bit about where they were and her comments were often funny. There are also travel playlists throughout and I've got some great song recommendations from it, I love book playlists.
The story is sweet and takes you on the journey with the characters, I've never been to America but I feel i know it a bit better, and I really want to go there even more, I want to see some of the things described in this book.
I laughed and even cried at a couple of parts, I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. I can't believe I waited this long to read it. So good. ;D

My Rating

Book Review - Elixir

2012-01-14T20:24:00.001Z

Title: Elixir
Author: Hilary Duff
Series: Elixir (book 1)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: 7 Jun 2011
ISBN-13: 978-1442408548

Synopsis
As the daughter of a renowned surgeon and a prominent Washington D.C. politician, Clea Raymond has felt the glare of the spotlight her entire life. And though she dreads the paparazzi who track her every move, she herself is a talented photojournalist who takes refuge in a career that allows her to travel to the most exotic parts of the world.
But after Clea’s father disappears while on a humanitarian mission, eerie, shadowy images of a strange and beautiful young man begin to appear in Clea’s photos—a man she has never seen in her life.
When Clea suddenly encounters this man in person she is stunned—and feels an immediate and powerful connection. As they grow closer, they are drawn deep into the mystery behind her father’s disappearance and discover the centuries-old truth behind their intense bond.
Torn by a dangerous love triangle and haunted by a powerful secret that holds their fate, together they race against time to unravel their past in order to save their future—and their lives.

My Review
I have been a massive fan of Hilary Duff since I was a child, I adored 'Lizzie McGuire' on TV, and i watched any film she was in so when I saw a book in the library by her I decided I would have to try it. One of my colleagues also liked her and since I had a large TBR pile we agreed she would try it and let me know. She gave it to me saying 'it's ok, not fantastic but worth a read'. So i put it in my tray not very hopeful.
However it seemed to call to me, I thought I would leave it a while before reading it, but when I finished my last book I picked this one up.
The book wasn't what I expected but i did enjoy it. There is an air of mystery throughout, I spent the whole book trying to find out where her dad was, who the mysterious guy was, what was really going on with Ben. It was great, the book is quite fast paced, there is some spooky bits in it that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, there are some great love story moments, and a sense of adventure.
There were a few moments when I found myself skimming the page a bit and I would start to get bored, but then something would happen and i would be absorbed. This book had me both ways. Some of the mysteries are resolved, but a lot of them are left open clearly ready for the next book. And the ending leaves you wanting more.
I didn't realize the next book in the series is actually on the shelf in the library that I work in, if i'd remembered to check before I came home today I would have grabbed it, but i didn't. I looked it up online and am kicking myself. It's not open tomorrow being Sunday so I've got to wait til Monday for the next part and I actually really want it. Annoying!

I think this was an enjoyable read, and I'm glad I read it, I would recommend it to some of the girls in my teen book group. I was surprised by how much I got into it.

My Rating

FF (52) & TGIF (35)

2012-01-13T10:28:00.000Z

Follow Friday is an opportunity to discover and follow other book related blogs! Want to join? Check it out at Parajunkee.

This week's question feature is from Book Den

Q: Many readers/bloggers are also big music fans. Tell us about a few of your favorite bands/singers that we should listen to in 2012.

My Answer: I have quite a wide taste in music, but i don't tend to follow new releases much, if I hear it on the radio and like it, then i'll look it up. Some of my favourite singers/bands are:

- Taylor Swift

- Dolly Parton

- Pink

- Lady Antebellum

- Superchick

- Olly Murs

- Glee

that's just some of them, probably not particularly 'cool' but it's what I enjoy!

TGIF!

This meme is hosted by GReads!

This Friday's Question:

2012 Must Reads: Which books are at the top of your list

to be read this year (new or old releases)?

My Answer:

- Insurgent by Veronica Roth

- A Million Suns by Beth Revis

- Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

- Cassandra Clare books

Lots and Lots of other lovely books!!!!!

Happy Hopping, have a great weekend everyone!!! Happy New Year. :D

Young Adult Faeries & Fantasy Giveaway Hop Winner!

2012-01-13T10:08:00.000Z

So the Young Adult Faeries & Fantasy Giveaway Hop has come to an end and I would like to thank all of you who entered.

I had 138 entries, so thank you to everyone who entered!

So let's get on with it and announce the winner.

The winners were picked using Random.Org number generator.

The lucky number picked was:84

This means the winner is:

Coreena from 'Books & Other Creative Adventures'

Coreena gets to choose 1 book from these choices:

-Knife by R.J Anderson

- Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

- Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

- Bridge To Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

- Wings by Aprilynne Pike

Coreena has been emailed and has 3 days to respond. Big Congrats and Thanks go to everyone who entered.

For those of you who didn't win or missed it entirely don't worry there will be another Giveaway soon.

Happy Blogging. :D

Book Review - A Year Without Autumn

2012-01-11T23:17:00.000Z

Title: A Year Without Autumn
Author: Liz Kessler
Publisher: Orion Childrens
Release Date: 7 April 2011
ISBN-13: 978-1842555866

Synopsis
If you could see into the future - would you look? Jenni Green doesn't have a choice. On her way to visit her best friend, Autumn, Jenni suddenly finds she's been transported exactly one year forward in time. Now she discovers that in the year that's gone by, tragedy has struck and her friendship with Autumn will never be the same again. But what caused the tragedy? How did Jenni skip a year? And can she find her way back to the past to try to change what lies ahead? With humour - and her customary light touch - the author of the EMILY WINDSNAP books plays a fascinating game with time, and explores the changes that take place in friendships and families in the aftermath of a disaster.

My Review
I won a copy of this on 'Girls <3 Books' blog ages ago but put it to one side as I had a mountain of other books to read. Every year at the library we do a 'Book of the Year' event where we have to read 6 books then vote for the best, this year this book is on the list. They are all Children's/Middle Grade books.
I thought I had better start reading the nominated books and as I had my own copy of this I thought it would be a good place to start.
Jenni and her family always go to the same place on holiday, organized little condo's where activities are planned and there is nice places to go walking, and best of all she gets to see her best friend Autumn. In the main building complex there are two lifts, one that everyone uses and one that has been broken for years, but one day Jenni is waiting for the lift and the old one whirs into life, so she takes it, but when she steps out 1 floor up she discovers she has gone 1 year into the future and life has changed drastically. She needs to figure out how to get back and change everything that's gone wrong.
I thought this book sounded quite exciting, different and intriguing and I was looking forward to reading it. I started it this morning and finished it at about four this afternoon, it's only 245 pages and easy to read font.
I liked Jenni as a character and the air of mystery in the book was good, I liked how the girls relationship changes as the events influence them, but there were also moments where I was disappointed something happened, or one of them said something that caused more problems.
There were bits of this book I found myself really getting into and rather enjoying but there were also bits where I started to skim read a little bit, waiting for something to happen again. I liked the conclusion of the book and was glad with the outcome, but there was also a continuation question that arised which i can't say here because it would ruin the storyline and conclusion - major spoiler, but it just didn't make total sense to me.
I'm not trying to be negative and it was a sweet little book, as I say there were quite a few parts that I really did enjoy and I liked the narrative style, it just didn't wow me.

My Rating

Book Review - The Catastrophic History of You & Me

2012-01-10T18:15:00.000Z

Title: The Catastrophic History of You & Me
Author: Jess Rothenberg
Publisher: Puffin
Release Date: 2 Feb 2012
ISBN-13: 978-0141334479

Synopsis
I was fifteen years old when I died of a broken heart. I'm talking100 percent Death by Heartbreak.
No I didn't kill myself. No I didn't go on a hunger strike.
I didn't catch pneumonia wandering around in the rain in tears, Sense and Sensibility-style. Nope I did it the old fashioned way.
My heart literally BROKE IN HALF...

My Review
I recieved a proof/ARC copy of this book about a month ago and after seeing some positive reviews about it I decided to give it a try.
This isn't the sort of book I would normally pick up, but the blurb sounded funny and I wondered what it would be like.
Brie is the protagonist, she has just died from heartbreak and is getting ready to move on, but first she has to work out how. She takes you with her on her journey, from watching her own funeral, to meeting other spirits, to wanting revenge for her death etc.
I quite liked Brie as a character to start with, she has a quick wit and easy personality and I felt sorry for her, but there were points in the book where she was acting like a spoilt brat and I really didn't like her. These moments are explained later and they do have a purpose but I wasn't sure I agreed with what she was doing. I really liked Patrick - he was a bit of a mystery throughout but he has a cheeky, confident demeanor and I found myself wanting to know more about him, I nearly cried when he disappeared for a while.
I'm not sure what I expected from this book, but in places I really enjoyed it and in others I wasn't sure. I did read it quite quickly (i had a day off today, I was on page 70 when I went to bed last night so had 310 pages to read today)
It is different from anything else I have read and I liked the narrative style. There were also some good twists and turns and overall I did enjoy it. It certainly makes you think.

My Rating

Book Review - Happy Birthday To Me Again

2012-01-09T21:50:00.000Z

Title: Happy Birthday To Me Again
Author: Brian Rowe
Series: Birthday Trilogy (book 2)
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release Date: 22 Sep 2011
ASIN: B005OUUTBG

Synopsis
Cameron Martin has a huge problem: he’s aging a whole year of his life with each passing day… again. And this time... he's going backward!
When Cameron proposes to his beloved witch of a girlfriend Liesel, he thinks life can’t get any better. But when he reluctantly breaks off the engagement just days before the wedding, Liesel angrily unleashes another curse on the unlucky guy, this time making him age backward, from eighteen, all the way to zero.
Making matters worse, Liesel mysteriously disappears, leaving Cameron with no options, except watching himself rapidly shrink into a helpless child. Will Liesel be able to save his life again? Or will Cameron ultimately fall prey to his girlfriend's wicked spell?

My Review
I was sent this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
I read book 1 and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it, I then had to put this book by as I concentrated on NaNoWriMo and then Christmas took over and well, I got distracted, only just getting back to it.
Even though it had been a couple of months since reading the first one, I could remember who everyone was and a lot of what had happened. You could read this book on it's own, but it makes much more sense and is much more enjoyable if you've read the other one first.
Cameron is happy to be alive and fit, after the disastrous events of the last year he couldn't be more sure that living his life to the fullest is the right thing to do, so at Christmas he proposes to Liesel, he may only be 18 but he's lived to be much older and knows you have to cherish all you have.
However when he goes out with Liesel just days before the wedding his nerves get the better of him and he ends up calling it off. In a fit of rage she yells at him to stop being a 'baby', little does she know she has just set off another curse, this time Cameron is going backwards, losing one year of his life every day.
He thought last year was bad enough but at least he had months ahead of him, now he has less than 3 short weeks to reverse it. And even worse Liesel disappears so she can't fix it.
I was surprised by how exciting, sensitive and emotional the first book was, but when I heard about this I wasn't sure how the author would get it to work, especially when the book starts from Cameron's point of view inside the body of a 1 year old. I thought 'come on! Really?' but I decided to go with it, and to be honest I found myself enjoying the story again.
This book has quite a few laugh out loud moments, I laughed when his voice changed in the other direction so he sounded high and squeaky and had to borrow his little sisters clothes.
I like Cameron a lot better in this book, he has learnt his lesson and I could relate to him more. He had the odd moment when I wanted to slap him and tell him he was being stupid but mostly he was someone I liked.
Liesel is more of a mystery in this book, Cameron is trying to discover more about her past, but she won't tell, It got me trying to figure out what she was hiding or was afraid of. I never expected what it turned out to be.
There were a couple of 'eugh, gross' moments that could scare younger children and certainly had me turning my nose up and grimacing.
I was once again pulled into the story and found myself enjoying it, I ended up reading the whole book in one evening, took me about 3 and a bit hours.
Intrigued to see where the final part takes us.

My Rating

Book Review - Twelfth Grade Kills

2012-01-08T20:02:00.002Z

Title: Twelfth Grade Kills
Author: Heather Brewer
Series: The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod
Publisher: Speak
Release Date: 19 April 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0142417522

Synopsis
Vlad’s running out of time. The Elysian Council has given him weeks to live, and that’s if the Slayer Society doesn’t kill him – along with all the citizens of Bathory – first. Then there’s the issue of Vlad’s father, who may or may not still be alive after all these years, and oh yeah, that tiny little detail in the Pravus prophecy about Vlad enslaving Vampirekind and the human race. So much for college applications.
In this epic finale to Heather Brewer’s heart-stopping Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, dark secrets will be revealed, old friends will become enemies, and warm blood will run cold. Just be careful it isn’t yours.

My Review
Firstly, I didn't realize this was the last one in the series, I thought there would be more, this changes my opinion on it a bit concerning the ending, but I'll come back to that in a bit.
I started this series curious, and I enjoyed it but wasn't wowed, I kept coming back to it though, I couldn't seem to stay away and as each new book came out I found myself bringing it home from the library, it was the same with this one. I did think to myself 'do I really want to read it, I have so much else to read." but I couldn't get myself to take it back. And I'm glad I didn't take it back. it has been a while since I read book four, so I had to try and remember who everyone was but I was soon back into the story, it looks like it continues from where the last book finished.
Vlad is in his final year of school, but he's not sure he;ll see the end of it. Both the Elyssian council and the Slayers want him dead, if one doesn't do it the other will.
The storyline with his father was great, I wasn't sure how Brewer would bring him back, but she handled the plot very well and made it so everything made sense. I didn't think she could answer all the questions it would raise but she did.
I love that 'Snow' is back in this book, she's one of my favourite characters. I still think Nelly is fantastic too. There is a lot of mistrust and trickery in this book and I found it all very exciting, I read this in less than a day, and really enjoyed it.
There were a couple of points where I didn't think the author was making complete sense, things would happen and I would be like 'no that's not right, how does he/she do that?' then something else would happen and it would all make sense. It keeps you guessing throughtout.
This book does tie up a lot of lose ends and comes to a good conclusion, but then the very ending, the last chapter opens up a whole other can of worms, at the time of reading I was sure there would be another book in the series, but now I've found out that it's supposed to be the last one, I'm not as satisfied, i want to know what happens next, you can't finish with a sentence like that and not expect to come back to it, unless she is going to do another spin off series. I haven't read 'The Slayer' book yet, but it's on my list. Also the whole thing with Eddie wasn't completely solved, what happens to him?
So overall I'm in two minds about this, I did really enjoy the storyline but am now disappointed with the ending. I am still going to give it the rating I was originally, as I don't think it quite deserves an 'average', plus as one last thought it had a redeeming feature, on Page 99 it says this:

"Vlad wiped her lip gloss from his lips with the back of his hand. Vampires, after all, didn't sparkle."

LOL - FANTASTIC. Love it. This is what saves the rating, go Heather Brewer!!!

My Rating

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FF (54) & TGIF (37)

Q: Which book genre do you avoid at all costs and why?

My Answer: I avoid 'Horror' at all costs as I am a total wimp. I like Paranormal, Fantasy etc but when it crosses the line to Horror I can't take it. My imagination is far too active and I start to see monsters, muderers etc everywhere I turn, just can't handle it.

TGIF!

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Happy Hopping, have a great weekend everyone!!!

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Q: What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done to get your hands on any particular book?

My Answer: I haven't really done anything particularly crazy for a book. YET. I'm sure I will one day, if I have to choose something it's probably queuing up for over two hours to meet the author, get the book and have it signed. Not particularly wild I know. :D

TGIF!

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My Answer: I've already read 13 books this year, one of the first I read has been my favourite but is just outside of the 10, so I will pick my second favourite, which was:

I enjoyed this more than i thought I would and think it's a definite must read. It has stayed with me since finishing, parts keep coming back to mind, I have actually put the library copy to one side for one of our YA customers that comes in, will tell her she has to read it. :D

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Q: Many readers/bloggers are also big music fans. Tell us about a few of your favorite bands/singers that we should listen to in 2012.

My Answer: I have quite a wide taste in music, but i don't tend to follow new releases much, if I hear it on the radio and like it, then i'll look it up. Some of my favourite singers/bands are:

- Taylor Swift

- Dolly Parton

- Pink

- Lady Antebellum

- Superchick

- Olly Murs

- Glee

that's just some of them, probably not particularly 'cool' but it's what I enjoy!

TGIF!

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My Answer:

- Insurgent by Veronica Roth

- A Million Suns by Beth Revis

- Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

- Cassandra Clare books

Lots and Lots of other lovely books!!!!!

Happy Hopping, have a great weekend everyone!!! Happy New Year. :D

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Book Review - Twelfth Grade Kills

"Vlad wiped her lip gloss from his lips with the back of his hand. Vampires, after all, didn't sparkle." LOL - FANTASTIC. Love it. This is what saves the rating, go Heather Brewer!!!

"Vlad wiped her lip gloss from his lips with the back of his hand. Vampires, after all, didn't sparkle."

LOL - FANTASTIC. Love it. This is what saves the rating, go Heather Brewer!!!