Sunday 22 April 2012

Blue Moon (The Immortals #2)

by Alyson Noel

Publication: 7th July 2009

Publisher: St Martin's Press

Pages: 289

Genre: Fantasy

Age Appropriate: Young Adult

**Warning Contains Spoilers From The First Book**

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

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

My Thoughts.

After absolutely loving the first book in this series I was more than eager to start this second book to see where the story leads and I liked it, not as much as the first book but the storyline was different and we're introduced to some new characters, some good and some not so good.

What I loved most about the first book was the relationship between Ever and Damen and since he was under a spell that left him with pretty much no memory of Ever he thought she was stalking him instead, so I didn't love it like I did the first, take away that relationship and you have Ever sulking around because not only is her boyfriend not having anything to do with her but thanks to the new kid in school Roman even her best friends Miles and Haven are hanging out with the cool kids after Roman put a spell on them too.

And then Roman spends his time trying to come onto Ever, now that Damen is no longer around.

We get a look into Damen's and Ever's pasts and how they met in each one and while Ever is in Summerland (the in-between) she meets thirteen year old twin girls Romy and Rayne who befriended Riley (Ever's dead sister) before she crossed over and Ever is unsure whether to trust them or not which culminates at the end when to save Damen she has to decide whether to trust either Roman or Rayne and the decision she makes affects the following books in the series.

Ever is also betrayed by somebody she thought was a friend and because of her betrayal Damen nearly dies.

I also missed Riley in this book I realise that she's now passed over but I liked the interaction between her and Ever.

But the end was a bit of a shock I can't wait to see how the storyline develops to solve the problem and I want more Ever and Damen time.

Now I'm off to see how the next book goes.

I give this 4/5.

Saturday 21 April 2012

In My Mailbox (24).

In My Mailbox Is Hosted By Kristi The Story Siren

Review.

(Arc) Team Human - Justine Larbalestier & Sarah Rees Brennan (Allen & Unwin Australia)

(Arc) Temptation (Temptation #1) - Karen Ann Hopkins (Harlequin Teen Australia)

(Arc) Fated (The Soul Seekers #1) - Alyson Noel (Pan Macmillan Australia)

The Immortal Rules (Blood Of Eden #1) - Julie Kagawa (Harlequin Teen Australia)

Allegiance (Legacy #2) - Cayla Kluver (Harlequin Teen Australia)

Green Heart (Green Angel #1-2) - Alice Hoffman (Scholastic Australia)

Brought.

The Calling (Darkness Rising #2) - Kelley Armstrong

Taken At Dusk (Shadow Falls #3) - C.C Hunter

Kill Me Softly - Sarah Cross

Illuminate (Gilded Wings #1) - Aimee Agresti

Abandon (Abandon Trilogy #1) - Meg Cabot

Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1) - Jessica Spotswood

Wicked As They Come (Blud #1) - Delilah S. Dawson

Bewitching (Kendra Chronicles #1) - Alex Flinn

Under The Never Sky (Under The Never Sky #1) - Veronica Rossi

Faery Tales & Nightmares - Melissa Marr

Forbidden - Syrie James

Every Other Day - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Poison Heart - S.B Hayes

The Brides Of Rollrock Island - Margo Lanagan

Scarlet - A.C Gaughen

Daek Storm - Sarah Singleton

The Rest Falls Away (Gardella Vampire Chronicles #1) - Colleen Gleason

Rises The Night (Gardella Vampire Chronicles #2) - Colleen Gleason

Thursday 19 April 2012

Feature And Follow Friday (24).

Q: Fight! Fight! If you could have two fictional characters battle it out (preferably from books), who would they be and who do you think would win?

O.k not to show my obsessiveness with Twilight but I would pick Edward Cullen and Jacob Black I'd just be interested to see who would win.

Book Review (76).

Evermore (The Immortals #1)

by Alyson Noel

Publication: 3rd February 2009

Publisher: St Martin's Press

Pages: 306

Genre: Fantasy

Age Appropriate: Young Adult

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste . . .

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is. Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.

My Thoughts.

I have owned this book since it first came out in 2009, it's been sitting on my bookshelf gathering dust, you know one of those books you always mean to get around too but never do and in my procrastination I ended up buying the whole series including the spin-off.

I don't know why I suddenly decided to finally pick it up but I did and I have to say I loved it!

This was a different concept in the paranormal genre than what I'm used to reading and that's why I loved it, it was a great idea to use.

So we start the story with Ever (I really don't like the name) who is at a new school and has found some new friends in Miles and Haven, what she hasn't told them is that after being in a car accident that killed her parents and younger sister she has developed pyschic abilities she can read people's minds, know their life stories by touch, see their aura's and can see spirits including that of her dead sister Riley.

To cope with the incessant voices in her head she spends her days in class listening to music with sunglasses on to block everyone out, then one day a new student arrives Damen a gorgeous guy who as soon as Ever sees him she has a feeling that she knows him or has seen him before.

When I found out how they had met before I was pretty shocked I certainly hadn't expected it and it was a nice little surprise.

I know this book has been compared to Twilight and maybe there are some similarities a hot, rich and mysterious guy with a secret falls in love with a girl in high school, she eventually learns his secret and there's a fight at the end where someone is out to kill Ever but I feel like although I loved this book I wasn't as intrigued in the characters as I was with Twilight.

Still a great read, I've heard some not so great things about the rest of the books in the series so fingers crossed that I'll still like them.

I give this 5/5.

Tuesday 17 April 2012

Waiting On Wednesday.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine where you can spotlight an upcoming release that you're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on....

Dust

by Devon Ashley

1st January 2013

4. The number of times my delicate wings have been broken and clamped behind my back.
68. The number inked upon my skin marking me the sixty-eighth pixie to be stolen.
87. The number of days I’ve been trapped within this cave, a slave to my enemy the fae.
88. The first day the fae will regret stealing me.

Healthy. Cheery. Vivacious. All traits Rosetta had before becoming enslaved by the fae to make an endless supply of pixie dust. Now this hardened pixie is anything but. When this rebellious teenager riles up the slaves and stands up against their enemy, she’s isolated in cramped quarters until she learns her place. Just as she begins to let go of all that hope, she finds an unlikely friend in Jack, the fae assigned to guard her. Trusting Jack may get her out of prison, but his motive for helping her may also get her killed

What Lies Beneath (Beneath #1)

by Richard Denney

December 2012 By Createspace

When Blair Lewis is left for dead in a freezing lake, she can't get over the fact that her boyfriend tried to kill her. When Blair begins to see her supposed dead boyfriend around town, she attempts to piece it all together and figure out if he is alive after all. But someone or something is also stalking Blair and leaving sinister text messages and old fashioned letters behind for her. Is Blair simply losing her mind? Or is something vicious and dark after her sanity and soul?

Never Let You Go

by Emma Carlson Berne

4th December 2012 By Simon Pulse
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. . .

You always want what you can’t have.

Megan never meant to hurt her best friend Anna. She made a mistake, and she’s spent all year trying to regain Anna’s trust. So when Anna invites her to spend the summer on her uncle’s farm, Megan is excited…and relieved. The past is finally behind them.

On the farm, Anna quickly falls for Jordan, a rugged summer-hand. Megan and Jordan have their own spark, but Megan’s betrayed Anna once before and she’s not about to do it again.

Still, the more time that Megan and Jordan spend together, the harder it is to deny their chemistry. But Anna doesn’t like to be ignored—and she doesn’t forgive and forget. What started out as the perfect summer is about to take a very dark turn…

Linked

by Imogen Howson

2013 By Simon And Schuster Children's Publishing

Elissa discovers her nightmarish visions and inexplicable bruises are caused by a telepathic link to a twin she didn’t know existed. When she helps the girl evade government capture, a Bourne Identity style chase ensues.

Anything But Ordinary

by Lara Avery

11th September 2012 By Hyperion Book CH
An inspiring, bittersweet love story about making every day count.
Bryce remembers it like it was yesterday. The scent of chlorine. The blinding crack and flash of pain. Blood in the water.

When she wakes up in the hospital, all Bryce can think of is her disastrous Olympic diving trial. But everything is different now. Bryce still feels seventeen, so how can her little sister be seventeen, too? Life went on without her while Bryce lay in a coma for five years. Her best friend and boyfriend have just graduated from college. Her parents barely speak. And everything she once dreamed of doing—winning a gold medal, traveling the world, falling in love—seems beyond her reach.

But Bryce has changed too, in seemingly impossible ways. She knows things she shouldn’t. Things that happened while she was asleep. Things that haven’t even happened yet. During one luminous summer, as she comes to understand that her dreams have changed forever, Bryce learns to see life for what it truly is: extraordinary.

Sunday 15 April 2012

Book Review (75).

Titanic Unclassified: Secrets Of The Titanic Revealed

by Alex Stewart

Publication: 15th April 2012

Publisher: Bloomsbury Australia

Pages: 64

Genre: History

Age Appropriate: Middle-Grade +

Discover the secrets of the RMS Titanic!

Packed with original artefacts and fascinating facts, meet the passengers and crew, explore the ship, and find out what really caused one of the most famous sea disasters in history.

My Thoughts.

Although this book was extremely short (only 64 pages) I enjoyed it immensely.

Each page had a different topic to do with the Titanic like: passengers, facilities and the building of the ship, each page included artifacts relating to the page for instance menu's and accident reports.

There's nothing new here no new information or facts you didn't know about before but just a nice book especially for people who aren't too familiar with the story of the Titanic.

It was very well put together and thought out and the pictures that were chosen to be put in this book went really well together.

I would highly recommend this book for people just discovering the history behind the tragedy or if you're like me and just like collecting any books you can find on the ship a great addition to my book collection.

I give this 5/5.

A Big Thanks To Sonia @ Bloomsbury Australia.

Book Review (74).

Titanic: Death On The Water

by Tom & Tony Bradman

Publication: 15th April 2012

Publisher: Bloomsbury Australia

Pages: 127

Genre: History

Age Appropriate: Middle-Grade +

Fascinating fictional retelling of the events
that led to the tragedy of the Titanic, based on documents from the National Archives.

A boy works in the dockyard where the Titanic
is being built, then gets a job on the ship. As he witnesses a series
of mistakes, short-cuts and bad decisions, he becomes more and more
worried about what could happen. But he’s preoccupied by his rivalry
with a fellow ship’s boy and doesn’t realise the full scale of what’s happening until it’s too late..

My Thoughts.

As I've said before and to anyone who knows me I love anything to do with the Titanic, I don't know why it fascinates me so much but it does, and so whenever I see a new book or receive one for review, well let's just say I get a little excited.

I can honestly say that in all the books I've read I have never read a fictional account of the tragedy and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it.

Billy is fourteen and through the encouragement of his father becomes an apprentice in ship building working alongside his father in the construction of the biggest ship the world has ever known the Titanic.

Tragically Billy father is killed while building the ship and he is now the man of the house supporting his mother and sisters, but Billy is scared and he doesn't want to help build the ship anymore instead he hears that they are hiring people to work on the ship when she sets sail so Billy goes for an interview and gets a job as a bellboy.

Straight away he gets off on the wrong foot with a fellow bellboy George and it doesn't help that he's favoured by the Mr McElroy the Purser who's job it is to keep them in line or that he becomes Bruce Ismay's personal help.

He becomes friends with a Polish woman and her three children especially the youngest Anya who has a habit of running away and hiding in the ship and Billy is the one that always finds her, then after the ship has hit the iceberg he finds out that Anya is missing again and the ship has started flooding, can he find her in time? and if so will he survive?.

Of course we all know how this ends and I love the way that the facts that are known of that fateful night are woven through this fictional story that seems like Billy actually was there relating the story of that night.

A haunting and adventurous tale that's based in fact of the biggest and most famous shipwreck in history, a tragedy that fascinates people to this day.

I give this 4/5.

A Big Thanks To Sonia @ Bloomsbury Australia.

Saturday 14 April 2012

100 Year Anniversary Of The Sinking Of The Titanic.

Ever since I saw the 1997 movie Titanic I've been obsessed with anything and everything to do with the real thing, including collecting and reading endless books that all have the same information but still interests me and makes me extremely sad for all of the 1,503 passengers and crew who lost their lives.

I can only imagine what they went through and how scared they all were, so on the 100 year anniversary of the sinking I'll be thinking of all of those poor unfortunate souls who mostly just wanted to make better lives for themselves and their families.

And so to the Titanic and it's passengers who made history for all the wrong reasons.