Major update and a Tag

Okay it's Been a while I know, bad blogger.

Anyway First and foremost I hope everyone has had a Merry Christmas and will have a Happy New Year to come! I got entirely swamped by Uni this year which is why I had to stop reviewing but I didn't stop reading (apart from a small reading slump that we won't get into.)

Anyway I was tagged awhile ago by http://threadsfans.blogspot.co.uk/ and I am so sorry that I couldn't get this done. But thank you for thinking of nominating me for this award as well :-)



The rules that go along with this award are:
1.) Each person must post 10 facts about themselves.
2.) Answer 10 questions the tagger has given you and give 10 questions for the people you tagged.
3.) Choose 10 people and link them in your post.
4.) Tell them you’ve tagged them.
5.) Remember, no tags back.

Anyway let's go into the facts.

1) I live in New Zealand
2) I'm Left Handed
3) I've only travelled outside of the country once when I was 18 months old though I do want to travel soon
4) I've nearly completed a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Media Studies
5) I have no idea quite what to do with it although I'm thinking about doing a years work and taking a course in Interior Design.
6) I love Dolphins
7) I used to love reading as a kid but grew out of it and have now grown back into it.
8) I love to write as well
9) my favorite television shows are: The Big Bang Theory, Gossip Girl, Glee
10) I hardly ever wear makeup 

1.) What is your favourite type of music and who is your favourite artist in that genre? Honestly a bit of everything I like pop rock and my favorite bands (can I cheat and have two?) are Simple Plan and McFly
2.) Where is your favourite place to go on holiday? Auckland, New Zealand
3.) What place would you like to visit if you could go anywhere? Hong Kong
4.) What is your favourite sandwich filling? Egg and Ham
5.) Who would you like to meet if you could meet anyone? um... David Tennent.
6.) What is your favourite television show? The Big Bang Theory
7.) What's your favourite website? Youtube and Fanfiction.net
8.) Do you have any siblings? One older half brother who is 12 years older than me and an Actor
9.) What's one of your favourite movies? The Wizard of Oz
10.) What's your biggest fear? Heights


As for Reviews I have a bunch coming up. The ones that I am planning to put up over the next couple of days are as follows:

1) The Red Pyramid by Rick Rodrain
2) Everneath by Brodi Ashton
3) Across the Universe by Beth Revis
4) A Million Suns by Beth Revis (these two will probably be in the same post)
5) Jane by April Linder

Cover Reveal Frozen Heart

I am pleased to announce that I am apart of the cover reveal tour for Frozen Heart. 

Title: Frozen Heart

Author: Annabelle Blume

Genre: SciFi Romance

A decade surviving on her own. Three days with the enemy. Can love conquer all?

Cressenda knows how to survive. With her sled dogs as her only companions, she’s spent the past ten years hiding in the snow covered wilderness from the oppressive regime of the Affinity. When a routine trip to civilization takes a turn for the worst, Cressenda is forced to take refuge with the enemy or lose her life to the frozen countryside.

But Beckett, a Guard of the Affinity, is more than a man in uniform. His desperate need to help Cressenda escape both- the blizzard and the Affinity- makes her feelings for him all the more troubling. Will Beckett be true to his word and set Cressenda free? Will her heart let her leave after all they’ve shared?

Author Bio:

Annabelle is a Science Fiction and Urban Fantasy Romance author. That is, when she's not checking homework or begrudgingly cooking dinner. Her dogs bark too much and her husband thinks there are too many dogs shoved into their tiny house out in California, but she believes their life is awesome if only because they live so close to Disneyland – which she loves with the tenacity of a nine-tentacled octopus.

She's also the author/personality of The Bombshell Mommy at Vitacost.com, where she expounds her knowledge of being a vixen clad in sweatpants.

Read about her adventures in writing at www.AnnabelleBlume.com.

Follow her on Twitter @AnnabelleBlume and like her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AnnabelleBlumeAuthor

Doesn't it look amazing???? I am thrilled to be a part of this amazing tour :-) 

Book Haul /In my mail box #2

A bit late in the week but here is the last couple of books that I've gone out and brought.

This is just so I can have a full copy of the series as I got it out from the library the only problem is that my copy of Need is Hardback and my copy of Captivate is paper back and that is going to irritate me immensely. 

I've got the hard cover of this book and quite honestly? The cover in this picture does not do it justice. It is amazing in person. A book review will be going up shortly on this as I've already read it and LOVED it.

I have this in hardback. I haven't read it yet but I'm going to at some point. It sounds amazing. 

I've just started reading the above one and I've got to state here I have not read the Percy Jackson series. I decided this month was going to be "Egypt Month" as I spotted this when buying Cleopatra's Moon I went out and brought these two the following week. 

Stand Alone Novel Challenge

1) This is Not A Test (Courtney Summers)

2) Katana (Cole Gibsen)

3) Immortal City (Scott Speer)

4)Glimmer (Phoebe Kitanidis)

5)Code Name Verity (Elizabeth Wein)

6)Guy Langman, Crime Scene Procrastinator (Josh Berk)

7) Forbidden (Syrie James)

8)Tiger Lily (Jodi Lynn Anderson)

9) Tokyo Heist(Diana Renn)

10)The Demon Catchers of Milan (Kat Beyer)

11) Lost Girls (Ann Kelley)

12) Scarlet (A.C. Gaughen)

13)The Darkest Minds (Alexandra Bracken )

14) Graffiti Moon
(Cath Crowley)

15) Faery Tales & Nightmares(Melissa Marr)

Book Review: Need Series.

Title: Need

Author: Carrie Jones

Publisher: Bloomsberry

Pages: 306

Synopsis:Zara collects phobias the way other girls collect Facebook friends. Little wonder, since life’s been pretty rough so far. Her father left, her stepfather just died, and her mother’s pretty much checked out. Now Zara’s living with her grandmother in sleepy, cold Maine so that she stays “safe.” Zara doesn’t think she’s in danger; she thinks her mother can’t deal.

Wrong. Turns out that guy she sees everywhere, the one leaving trails of gold glitter, isn’t a figment of her imagination. He’s a pixie—and not the cute, lovable kind with wings. He’s the kind who has dreadful, uncontrollable needs. And he’s trailing Zara.
With suspense, romance, and paranormal themes, this exciting breakout novel has readers rapidly turning the pages.

Review: Characters: I liked Zara. I loved the little tiblets of phobia's that she manges to give through out the novel I also loved Issie. The males in this beginning of the novel... I didn't really connect with. It very much introduced us to the start of the characters and they do manage to grow through out the three novels. (Also presuming the fourth novel which is going to be out sometime soon. I may buy all four books once the novel is out)

Plot: It was very much the starting steps to the world. Zara becoming involved in a completely new world. Starting to become a leader. She's almost Buffy of the pixy world if that's possible. It gives us the background without over flowing us with information which is always good in a beginning novel. I managed to follow the story without getting lost which is another plus.

Couples: I'm not sure why but Nick and Zara.... they just don't quite bode with me. I prefer the other staring couple but as that's a spoiler I won't post that until I get to Captivate.

Overall thoughts: I enjoyed this novel. Not my favourite beginning novel, but an interesting start non the less.

Title: Captivate

Author: Carrie Jones

Publisher: Bloomsberry

Pages:273

Synopsis:Zara and her friends knew they hadn't solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king's needs grow deeper every day he's stuck in captivity, while his control over his people gets weaker. It's made him vulnerable. And now there's a new king in town.

A turf war is imminent, since the new pixie king, Astley, is moving in quickly. Nick nearly killed him in the woods on day one, but Zara came to his rescue. Astley swears that he and Zara are destined to be together, that he's one of the good guys. Nick isn't buying it, though Zara isn't as sure -- despite herself, she wants to trust the new king. But it's a lot more than her relationship with Nick that is at stake. It's her life -- and his.

Review: Characters: Zara grows a lot in this book. The only down side is that she's so focused on Nick she does tend to leave out everyone else which isn't always a good thing. While I liked the information on phobia's on the first book the second books pixie tips seemed a little flat to me.

Plot: The bridge book. The book that lays the start paving works to the end of the series. (if it is a three/four book novel) It very much felt like that. This focused on introducing the second love interest Astley who I do like I find I would enjoy him even more if he'd been introduced in the first book I think.

Couples: I prefer Astley and Zara together as opposed to Nick and Zara. I just think if you're willing to change someone to save their boyfriend.... that's a big strength while I think that Nick and Zara may end up end game.

Overall thoughts: I didn't enjoy this novel as much as I did Need. I did like it however

Title: Entice

Author: Carrie Jones

Publisher: Bloomsberry

Pages:264

Synopsis:Zara and Nick are soul mates, meant to be together forever.
But that's not quite how things have worked out.

For starters, well, Nick is dead.
Supposedly, he's been taken to a mythic place for warriors known as Valhalla, so Zara and her friends might be able to get him back. But it's taking time, and meanwhile a group of evil pixies is devastating Bedford, with more teens going missing every day. An all-out war seems imminent, and the good guys need all the warriors they can find. But how to get to Valhalla?

And even if Zara and her friends discover the way, there's that other small problem: Zara's been pixie kissed. When she finds Nick, will he even want to go with her? Especially since she hasn't just turned...she's Astley's queen.

Review: Characters: This book is very much another stepping stone to the final book. The books are laying a map in place and the characters are getting more and more loved. I think the reason why everyone seems to prefer Astley is because he seems to be in it a lot more than Nick even though the plot lines are very much there for Nick.

Plot: Again another bridge book. However this one felt that it had more purpose to Captivate. It focused on Zara rescuing Nick. Zara becoming the leader that everyone knows she is apart from her. Also having her start to believe it herself. I was slightly disappointed with what happened with Betty as I love her character. As well as Mrs Nix.

Couples: Keeping this the same as Captivate I'm very much Team Astley in this novel.

Overall thoughts: I'm still not one hundred percent sure what to say without giving endings away. But I am glad that there's another book coming out and I'll be interested to see what happens next.

Empty my wallet (In My Mail Box #1)

I didn't get any books in my mail box this week but I have brought some new ones so here goes.

1) Ever- Gail Carson Levine

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 244

Published Date: May 1st 2008

Falling in love is easy . . .

. . . for Kezi, a beautiful mortal, dancer, and rug weaver, and for Olus, Akkan god of the winds. Their love brings Kezi the strength to fight her fate, and it gives Olus the strength to confront his fears. Together—and apart—they encounter spiders with webs of iron, the cruel lord of the land of the dead, the mysterious god of destiny, and the tests of the Akkan gods. If they succeed, they will be together; but if they fail, Olus will have to endure the ultimate loss, and Kezi will have to make the supreme sacrifice.

Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine has created a stunning world of flawed gods, unbreak

able vows, and ancient omens.

Her story of love, fate, and belief is spellbinding.

2) Subject Seven- James A. Moore

Publisher: Razorbill

Published Date: 25 Janaurary 2011
Pages: 228

Years ago, scientists began developing the ultimate military weapon: deadly sleeper assassins housed within the bodies of teenagers. Now, Subject Seven, the dangerous alter-ego living inside a 16-year-old boy, has escaped the lab and is on a mission. His objective? To seek out others like him and build an army capable of destroying their creators.
Hunter, Cody, Gene, Tina, and Kylie: five teenagers leading typical lives, until the day they each receive a call from a mysterious stranger - and learn that their destinies are intertwined. Subject Seven holds the key that connects them all. And a vicious, bloody battle for their lives is just beginning

3) Feed- M.T Anderson

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Published Date: 23 February 2004

Identity crises, consumerism, and star-crossed teenage love in a futuristic society where people connect to the Internet via feeds implanted in their brains. For Titus and his friends, it started out like any ordinary trip to the moon - a chance to party during spring break and play with
some stupid low-grav at the Ricochet Lounge. But that was before the crazy hacker caused all their feeds to malfunction, sending them to the hospital to lie around with nothing inside their heads for days. And it was before Titus met Violet, a beautiful, brainy teenage girl who has decided to fight the feed and its omnipresent ability to categorize human thoughts and desires. Following in the footsteps of George Orwell, Anthony Burgess, and Kurt Vonnegut Jr., M. T. Anderson has created a not-so-brave new world — and a smart, savage satire that has captivated readers with its view of an imagined future that veers unnervingly close to the here and now

4) Crossing Over- Anna Kendall
Publisher: Viking Juvenille
Published Date: October 14 2010
Pages: 368
Roger Kilbourne has the ability to "cross over" into the land of the dead and speak with its residents. It is a startling gift, and not a pleasant one. Roger manages to escape his brutal uncle, who has exploited his talents for years; after he gets a job in the palace laundry, he thinks he will be safe. Instead, there are worse dangers.

First, he falls hopelessly in love with the bewitching, willful Lady Cecilia; next, he is pulled into the midst of life-threatening court intigue.

Soon Roger is using his gift as a way to get the life he dreams of-even if it means bringing the dead back to the land of the living

Interview: Susan Hira

Today I had the wonderful opportunity to interview Susan Hira, she has written an story called The Werewolf on Eagles Nest Mountain a story about some young boys who go on holiday to do some Snowboarding and find themselves in the middle of World War Two!

It is available at Amazon.com in Kindle and Paperback here and available at Paperback here at The Valley Bookstore. Feel free to read (and follow) her blog here

Anyway here is the interview.

Thank you Susan for taking the time out to do this interview firstly could you tell us what is your book about?

All Nick, Jack, and Mike wanted to do was have an epic snow session at a large resort. But due

to budget constraints, their new history teacher insisted that the ninth grade winter class trip be held at the Eagle's Nest Mountain Ski and Snowboard Resort, a dilapidated dump with only three lame lifts. When the kids attempt to shred the prime fresh powder in the Arctic Bowl at the top of the mountain, a sniper attacks and forces them to jump from a lift in mid-air.

Before the assassin can strike again, the boys decide to investigate and discover a secret lair inside the mountain used to warehouse and redistribute stolen goods. They realize that all clues lead to an elite guerrilla movement started near the end of World War II known as the "Werwolf" organization and the long-lost gold and art plundered by the Nazis during the war. The ringleader of the newly formed gang, a direct descendant of a Hitler Youth Werwolf, is raising money to fund the new regime. Like an assault rifle firing at close range, the boys' beliefs of good versus evil are shattered as they navigate the emotional fallout from those trying to live down the infamy of their ancestors, some with pride, while others with shame.

As Nick, Jack, and Mike battle for their lives armed only with skis and snowboards, they must figure out whom to trust--or their electrifying ride down the mountain will be their last.

What inspired you to write about World War Two and snowboarding?

I wrote this book when I injured my knee snowboarding and had to take a season off to heal. Without snowboarding, I had quite a bit of free time! Also, my father and I always hit the slopes together, so we missed talking and goofing off when I was sidelined. Since we couldn't snowboard together, I thought working on a book would be a good way to still have fun.

My father has been studying World War II his entire life, so he served as the historical editor on the book. He gave me plenty of ideas including using Werwolf members as the bad guys. I think we both impressed each other with our contributions to this book and continued to challenge each other through the writing process.

Writing the snowboarding/skiing scenes was a blast! I felt like I was on the slopes again; it made missing the snowiest winter in years bearable.

Which character did you have the most fun writing?

Certainly J.D. Dawson the journalist. He’s inappropriate, rude, greedy, and handsome but has a weakness when it comes to love. I really enjoyed writing his newspaper articles.

Why did you choose to self publish your book instead of going through a publisher?

I didn’t feel I’d have any success getting a publisher since I am a first time author with only minor magazine and technical writing experience. Plus, I didn’t think that they would be receptive to the topic of World War II for the young adult / middle grade age.

What do you find most challenging about being a self published author?

Selling the book!

Are there any authors that have influenced your writing style?

My favorite writers / poets are Edgar Allan Poe and Emily Dickinson. However, I’m certainly influenced by the Indiana Jones movie series, Carol Burnett, the cast of In Living Color & I’m Gonna Get You Sucka, The Little Rascals, Casablanca, and the vintage Nancy Drew / Hardy Boys book series. I also find books like Shadow Divers and Deluxe: How Luxury Lost its Luster fascinating. A bit of an odd mixture, but if you read the book, you’ll find seriousness mixed with absurdity.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Tell everyone you meet that you’re writing a book. They may have great promotional ideas!

What are your current projects?

This month the manuscript for the sequel to The Werwolf on Eagle’s Nest Mountain goes to an editor for review. This will start the publishing process on that book. I hope it will be in paperback and Kindle e-Book by mid summer.

I am also thinking of my next YouTube video topic for my World War II Collecting Channel for Beginners: http://www.youtube.com/user/WriterSusan

On March 24^th, I’ll be talking about self publishing at the Bloomington Book Fair. At least one Sunday a month, I set up at a military show in the area to sign books and meet people. Finally, I am starting to outline the third book in the Werwolf series. Now that year end is over (my day job is accounting), I can focus on writing J

Thanks for the interview!

Thank you again Susan for the interview and look into self publishing.

Cover Reveal: Taste

Title: Taste

Author: Kate Evanelista

Publisher: Crescent Moon Press

Expected Published Date: Unknown but this year?

Synopsis: At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud

Other News: I have a new layout so check it out if you so wish to be inclined. (It's pretty)

Book Review: Bumped

Title: Bumped

Author: Megan McCafferty

Publisher: Blazer + Bray (Harpercollins Publishing)

Pages: 323

Synopsis:When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Up to now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

Quote: "Prayers are answered in one of four ways, she said. "Yes. No. I have something else in mind. And..." She paused long enough for my impatience to show.

"And what's the fourth answer?"

"Wait"

Review: I found this an easy read. It had an interesting premise and I think it was defiantly a 'starter' book. I think it was mainly laying the steps for the next book, it felt like it had a beginning, middle and that's it.. No ending. At least not in my perspective. I was more along the lines of 'Wait that's it?' It's just.... feels like a first unfinished draft.

This book could have had a lot of potential but for me? It fell flat.

Book Review: Shatter Me

Title: Shatter Me

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Pages: 338

Publisher: Harper Collins

Sypnopsis:Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now. Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

Review: Anxiously awaiting it's sequel? That's me. This story is amazing. I love Adam. I love everything about him. Mafi has created a world that's so captivating. I really wish that the next book was out now so I could pick it up and read it. This has gone on my favourites shelves it's amazing and I just... want more.

Mafi has taken time to let this character grow and she's all ready becoming an incredible strong woman. I really can't wait to see how Juliette grows to her next character also James.... who doesn't adore James? He's a ten year old (sorry nearly Eleven) kid brother and he's every much what a kid brother should be. With him also tasting Chocolate for the first time? so so much love.

I really enjoyed this book in case you couldn't tell and this is another book that I can't wait for the sequel for.

Cover Reveal

Title: Open Heart
Author: Emlyn Chand
Publisher: Blue Cover Press
Expected Published Date: 25 May 2012
Synopsis: Falling for the guy who's trying to kill you? Bad idea. Simmi Shergill's, life is a mess. Her powers of a psychic feelings are on the fritz, and Grandon Township's sudden population boom has brought quite a few unsavoury characters to town She also looks like a over-blown balloon in her size 14 pants, but not even starving herself seems to be working as a diet plan. Well, at least her boyfriend, Alex loves her so much he'd do anything for her. Last summer he even risked his life to protect her from the mysterious boy who was convinced he wanted to kill her.The problem is, she's not so sure she feels the same way. Is Alex really the man of her dreams? And why can't she stop fixating on her would-be killer, Dax? Whenever he's around, part of her wants to run screaming in the other direction while the other part of her wants to run into his embrace, no matter who she'd hurt or what she'd risk. Simmi's loyalty is on the line. Who would she choose- the blind seer who loves her or the charming telekinetic with "bad idea" written all over him? Emotions run high as the tension mounts in book two of the Farsighted series.

Book Review: Beautiful Creatures

Title: Beautiful Creatures
Authors: Kami Garcia and Margret Stohl
Publisher: Brown Books
Pages: 563 -No I'm not kidding and yes it was that long.
Synopsis: There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere. At least, that's what I thought. Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong. There was a curse. There was a girl. And in the end, there was a grave.
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever. Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them. In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything


Review: The first thing you should know is this book is LONG.
The second thing you should know is that it is also a slow read until you get to about page 200.

I'm not sure what to say about this book. It is admittedly refreshing to read from the male perspective for once but the problem? I'm not sure any teenage boy would act that... for lack of a better word girly if he wasn't gay or bi. Yet Ethan Wate seems to. I feel if the authors fine tuned the book a little more to make it in the three hundred pages mark I would have enjoyed it a lot more. I enjoyed the middle and the end but you have to invest so much time to get there. Kami Garcia and Margret Stohl are good writers. I will admit that but this book isn't my cup of tea .

2012 Author Debut Challenge

Challenge by: The Story Siren

CHALLENGE OBJECTIVE:

To read & review a minimum of twelve young adult or middle grade debut novels between the dates of January 1, 2012 – January 31, 2013.*
*The 2013 extension is so that December Debuts can be read and count toward the challenge.

Any advance reader copies you read from 2012 BEFORE the January 1st start date DO NOT count toward the challenge!
You can read twelve books in one month, or one book a month. It doesn’t matter as long as you have 12 read by the end of the year!
RULES & GUIDELINES:

You must have a Blog to post your reviews or be a member of Goodreads. Youtube Book Reviewers count too!
Your blog/video must be written in English.
Deadline to join is May 31, 2012.
BOOK GUIDELINES:

Must be a young adult or middle grade title.
Must be the author’s YA or MG debut, released in 2012.
If an author has a previous novel published for adults or children, they can still qualify for the challenge.
If an author has a previous YA or MG title, they do not qualify for the challenge.CHALLENGE OBJECTIVE:

To read & review a minimum of twelve young adult or middle grade debut novels between the dates of January 1, 2012 – January 31, 2013.*
*The 2013 extension is so that December Debuts can be read and count toward the challenge.

Any advance reader copies you read from 2012 BEFORE the January 1st start date DO NOT count toward the challenge!
You can read twelve books in one month, or one book a month. It doesn’t matter as long as you have 12 read by the end of the year!
RULES & GUIDELINES:

You must have a Blog to post your reviews or be a member of Goodreads. Youtube Book Reviewers count too!
Your blog/video must be written in English.
Deadline to join is May 31, 2012.
BOOK GUIDELINES:

Must be a young adult or middle grade title.
Must be the author’s YA or MG debut, released in 2012.
If an author has a previous novel published for adults or children, they can still qualify for the challenge.
If an author has a previous YA or MG title, they do not qualify for the challenge.

1) Born Wicked by Jessica Sportswood

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Katana by Cole Gibson Giveaway

This book looks/sounds amazing and Pages From My Thoughts is doing an amazing giveaway including a signed copy from the author. It's also international! Check it out Here
Her blog:

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Book Review: Born Wicked

Title: Born Wicked
Author: Jessica Spotswood
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Pages: 330
Stars: 4/5
Sypnopis: Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship--or an early grave. Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with six months to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate stars scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra. If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood -- not even from each other.

Review: I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction, I'll admit that freely. However- I absolutely loved Born Wicked. The Premise amazed me. It had a very Salem feel to it and you could imagine things so clearly.

Everything about this book seemed almost fairytaleish but that isn't a bad thing. I loved Finn he was amazing right through. I also loved Paul for a short time and I felt slightly bad for him however Cate was amazing. I'm not so sure about Maura but I loved Tess as well. Those two I loved Maura had a little bit of Middle Child Syndrome I think in a way. But they still found ways into my heart (and do I really have to wait until next year to read what happens after that cliff hanger? Seriously?)

The only thing I felt that let go this plot was that it was a bit too slow in places. But I still loved this book and can't wait for the second one in the series.





Also Bookfever is hosting an awesome contest- check it out if you get the chance :-)

Cover Reveal

Title: Black City (Black City Chronicles #1)
Author: Elizabeth Richards
Publisher: Penguin Books
Expected Published Date: November 13, 2012
Synopsis: In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection, that causes Ash’s long dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong. When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths

About the Author: (Taken from her website): Hiya! I’m Elizabeth Richards, YA author of the BLACK CITY CHRONICLES.
The Red Pen of Doom is just a place for me to let out all the crazy, so I don’t keep harassing my poor suffering friends and family with non-stop shop talk about books, books and more books (seriously, they’ve stopped calling me).

When I’m not making the Internet a more awesome place, I’m in my study working on my latest YA fantasy novel. My agent is the amazing and brilliant Ayesha Pande of Ayesha Pande Literary, and my editor is the wonderful Stacey Barney at Putnam, Penguin.

My debut novel, BLACK CITY, book one of the BLACK CITY CHRONICLES will be out in North America in August 2012.

Some fun facts about me

· I’m an identical twin. (No, we don’t have psychic powers, and yes I am the evil one.)

· I’m a little bit in love with Daniel Radcliffe.

· My favourite book of all time is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

· My second favourite book is Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

· My third favourite is Harry…oh, you get the idea. ;-p

· I like stories about supernatural boys, kissing and blood.

· I used to review videogames for a living.

· I was a travel editor, despite suffering from terrible sea-sickness, air-sickness, coach-sickness, car-sickness…

· It’s my dream to see 10 volcanoes before I die. I’ve already seen Stromboli, Vesuvius and Mt Etna. Just 7 more to go!

BTW, all the editing tips on The Red Pen of Doom are just stuff I’ve picked up from my own editing experience, books, writer chums and from those in the industry. Take what you want on board, ignore the rest. The Red Pen of Doom is just here to help.

Thoughts: isn't the cover amazing? I love the story/premise behind it as well so I can't wait to pick up a copy from where ever I might find one. It looks seriously amazing and a really good read (and would be such a pretty cover to put on my shelves.)

Book Review

Title: Ruby Red
Author: Kerstin Gier
Publisher: Chicken House Publishing
Pages: 312
Genre: Young Adult
Synopsis:Every family has secrets. But what do you do if you find out that you are the family secret That's what happens to Gwen when she finds herself unbelievably transported from out on the town to turn of the century London. It's enough to make any girl dizzy.


Review: I absolutely adored the concept of this book. There's not that many books out about time travel in Young Adult Fiction, especially books that are done well and this is one of them. I enjoyed this book a lot they take time to make sure the time travelling characters are dressed in the right place. I admit the plot is a bit predictable but that was something that I enjoyed. Gwen's character did sound a bit young/naive at times but I guess if you're thrown into something that you have no idea about you are going to sound a bit naive about the whole thing. I can't wait for the second book to come out in New Zealand.

Cover Reveal

Title: Gravity (Book 1: The Taking)

Author: Melissa West

Type: Paperback

Pages: 400

Expected Release Date: October 2012

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

In the future, only one rule will matter: Don’t. Ever. Peek.

Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed--arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.

Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She’s a military legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know--especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.

This book looks, simply amazing. I honestly can't wait to read this one (I have to wait until October.... why?????? Probably later because NZ never gets things when they come out.) This looks like such an interesting premise that I really can't wait to sink my claws into it, also look at the cover, it's pretty amazing isn't it?

Reading List March 2012

Currently Reading:

1) Ruby Red by Kerstin Geir.

A review will be up as soon as I finish this but at the moment? I'm absolutely LOVING this story. The Characters, the plot and every thing. It's completely unique premise

To Read:

1) Born Wicked

I love the cover of this book. I can't wait to start reading it I'm not normally a fan of historical fiction but this seems to be winning me over by the back cover.

2) The Dog Walker

What can I say I love dogs. I think that's just what won me over so I can't wait to start reading this one.