Monday, 8 October 2012

Mailbox Tuesday.

Tuesday's Mailbox.
I've decided that I will stop participating in In My Mailbox, the reason being I seem to get a lot of books every week and it takes me forever to put them all together in one post and link them up.
So I will be doing Mailbox Mon-Fri every week.

Nothing In The Mailbox Today, Which Is Definitely A Good Thing, I'm Struggling To Even Make A Dent In My Review And Personal Tbr Piles A Fight Which I'm Rapidly Losing!

Sunday, 7 October 2012

Mailbox Monday.

Monday's Mailbox.
I've decided that I will stop participating in In My Mailbox, the reason being I seem to get a lot of books every week and it takes me forever to put them all together in one post and link them up.
So I will be doing Mailbox Mon-Fri every week.

Review...

Hidden (House Of Night #10) - P.C Cast & Kristin Cast (Hachette Australia)

Book Review (149): Spark - Brigid Kemmerer

Spark (Elemental #2)

by Brigid Kemmerer

Publication: 26th September 2012

Publisher: Allen & Unwin Australian

Pages: 350

Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal

Age Appropriate:Young Adult

Gabriel Merrick plays with fire. Literally.

Sometimes he can even control it. And sometimes he can’t. Like the fire that killed his parents.

Gabriel has always had his brothers to rely on, especially his twin, Nick. But when an arsonist starts wreaking havoc on their town, all the signs point to Gabriel. Only he’s not doing it.

More than Gabriel’s pride is at stake -- this could cost him his family, maybe his life. And no one seems to hear him. Except a shy sophomore named Layne, a brainiac who dresses in turtlenecks and jeans and keeps him totally off balance. Layne understands family problems, and she understands secrets. She has a few of her own.

Gabriel can’t let her guess about his brothers, about his abilities, about the danger that’s right at his heels. But there are some risks he can’t help taking.

The fuse is lit…

My Thoughts...

Can Brigid Kemmerer do no wrong?

After reading this latest instalment in the Elemental series I'm seriously thinking she can't, anyone who can imagine and bring to life the Merrick brothers deserves a medal and people worshipping at her feet!

After having read all the books including the novellas I'm no closer to figuring out which brother I like more, maybe I can just have them all?

What I loved about this book is the fact that we get to see what's behind the snark, sarcasm and anger and I love that, and I love Gabriel even more now to know what's going on in his head.

Gabriel is having a tough time, he still blames himself for the injury that Nick received in the previous book, he can't control his Element of fire, and it seems Nick is spending more time with his new girlfriend instead of him.

What makes it worse is his new maths teacher has figured out that whenever there's a test Gabriel has Nick take his place, she gives him an ultimatum if he can't improve and pass a re-test then he is off the basketball team, and while he's studying he's not allowed to play at all either.

Enter Layne, she's the brain in the maths class and has liked Gabriel for quite a while, she offers to help him with his maths and he slowly sees her as more than a nerd and even comes to befriend her deaf brother who is a victim of constant bullying.

But through all this there is an arsonist setting fires to houses nearly every night, all his brothers think that Gabriel is responsible but he's not, however he shows up at the fires and rescues the people left inside that the firemen can't get out.

I love how Hunter was helping him with this, but after the revelation towards the end I'm a little shattered, they made a good team and seemed great friends.

There's nothing I can really say that can give this series or this author the credit she deservedly owes, I hope she'll be writing for a very long time, and I pray that there will be books for both Michael and Nick, and that we won't be left with just the novellas for their characters as good as they are.

I give this an outstanding 5/5.

Saturday, 6 October 2012

Blog Tour And Giveaway: The Star Child - Stephanie Keyes

The Star Child

by Stephanie Keyes

The world is about to be cloaked in darkness. Only one can stop the night.

Kellen St. James has spent his entire life being overlooked as an unwanted, ordinary, slightly geeky kid. That is until a beautiful girl, one who has haunted his dreams for the past eleven years of his life, shows up spinning tales of a prophecy. Not just any old prophecy either, but one in which Kellen plays a key role.

Suddenly, Kellen finds himself on the run through a Celtic underworld of faeries and demons, angels and gods, not to mention a really ticked off pack of hellhounds, all in order to save the world from darkness. But will they make it in time?

Guest Post...

Be Yourself… Everyone Else Is Taken

Hi everyone! A special thanks to Sarah, my host for having me as a guest today!

Yesterday in the car, I passed a furniture store. At least, I think they sell furniture. Admittedly, I’m not sure what they’re known for!

Product confusion aside, what everyone in the area knows them for is their quirky sign. Every week some new saying, joke, or quote is posted on the board. Since I’m frequently in the area, I usually get to see it. The one from last month was “Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.”

At first pass, it doesn’t really seem like much of anything. Put that baby up to a magnifying glass and you’ll see layers upon layers within that one statement. If you believe in fate, that we’re all pre-destined for something on this Earth, think about that for a moment.

As a people, many of us strive to conform to the standards of others, the way others look, our cultural mores, etc. from the moment that we begin to notice those around us. As infants, we watch how others talk and act. We watch and learn.

It gets more intense as we get older and move into our teens. Many of us just want to be “like everybody else”. But what if what we’re supposed to be is the opposite of “everybody else”, whoever “everybody else” is. You aren’t supposed to be anyone but yourself. Pretty deep, huh?

I didn’t intend to go down a philosophical path today, but I can’t help but think about Kellen St. James in The Star Child when I consider that line. Here’s a character with no special skills other than his mind and his courage. He saves the world just by being himself.

Come to think of it, I didn’t see the quote on that building sign at all. It was on a middle school sign. That goes to show that it’s not the source of the message that matters, it’s that you get the message in the first place.

Thanks very much for having me as a guest blogger today! Check out The Star Child below for some information on my debut novel!

Giveaway...a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Book

The world is about to be cloaked in darkness.
Only one can stop the night.

Kellen St. James has spent his entire life being overlooked as an unwanted, ordinary, slightly geeky kid. That is until a beautiful girl, one who has haunted his dreams for the past eleven years of his life, shows up spinning
tales of a prophecy. Not just any old prophecy either, but one in which Kellen plays a key role.

Suddenly, Kellen finds himself on the run through a Celtic underworld of faeries and demons, angels and gods, not to mention a really ticked off pack of hellhounds, all in order to save the world from darkness. But will they make it in time?

Paperback

E-Book

About the Author

Stephanie Keyes holds an undergraduate degree in Management Information Systems as well as a Master's in Education. A seasoned, facilitator, Mrs. Keyes worked in Training and Development for an international telecommunications corporation for twelve years; spending the first eight years of her career as a Software Trainer and Technical Writer and the last four working in Human Resources and Employee Development.

In May of 2012, Mrs. Keyes left the corporate world to focus on her family and her writing full-time. She also operates a freelance graphic and instructional design business, Sycamore Road Design.

Inkspell Publishing will release her first novel, The Star Child, on September 21, 2012. She is now currently at work on the second book in The Star Child Trilogy, The Fallen Stars.

Keyes lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, two children, and Riley the dog.

Contact Stephanie
Website: www.stephaniekeyes.com
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephanie-Keyes/150860604966160
Twitter: www.twitter.com/StephanieKeyes

Friday, 5 October 2012

Mailbox Friday.

Friday's Mailbox.
I've decided that I will stop participating in In My Mailbox, the reason being I seem to get a lot of books every week and it takes me forever to put them all together in one post and link them up.
So I will be doing Mailbox Mon-Fri every week.

Review...