Same difference (30)

Fallen by Lauren Kate - Fallen book one

and

Leopard moon by Jeanette Battista - Moon book one

I've always loved the cover of Fallen so I'm not surprised that the girl from the cover is out there somewhere else! Though similar, I prefer the Fallen cover, I like the skirt of her dress better and I'm not sure what someone has done to her shoulder blade on Leopard moon but it looks weird. The backgrouds in both are gorgeous and I love both fonts.

Which do you prefer?

UK vs. THE WORLD! (24)

UK vs. The world is a weekly meme I made up lol.

It's simlair to UK vs. US except the UK covers are battling it out with their foreign counterparts from all over the world, because who doesn't love judging books by their covers!

UK                        vs.                Australia

Hades by Alexandra Adonetto

Halo book two.

 

Mist: Both of these covers are gorgeous, I adore the colours! They're so simiar it's hard to pick a favourite but I think I have to vote UK because of the lightning on the title, I love pictures of lightning.

Ninfa: Although the covers are very similar, I think the UK one is just gorgeous! I love the wings on the girl, the darkness and the evening light effects against each other. The Aussie cover is very similar in concept but the models look a little awkward with each other, as if they're not quite sure why they're there...I don't know, but I don't believe it. So it's a UK win for me.

UK                         vs.                Norway

Until I die by Amy Pum
The revenants book two.
('Til jeg dØr' translates to 'Until I die.' - According to Google translate.)

Mist: Another UK win here, I don't like the way the pattern looks like it's pulling on her dress but it is a gorgeous dress! I love the colours and the dark street. The Norweigian cover is just bland in comparison and the girl just looks stuck onto the picture, the river at the top is pretty though.

Ninfa: UK win ALL THE WAY! It's such a lovely cover, with those swirly wing-like designs. I love the winding street in front of the girl, kinda makes me want to know where she is going and what is waiting for her around the corner. And I love her midnight blue dress. There's a "smokey" quality to the whole cover, as if the girl and the street are sort of an extension of each other, as if it's a dream vision. I really love this cover :)
The Norwegian cover is kinda boring in my opinion, the model looks like a cartoon, but the city in the backdrop is more like a photograph, it feels like a rough put together photo-shop job :( I like the title font, but that's the only saving grace for me.

Which do you prefer?

Try it Tuesday (11)

'Try it Tuesday' is a weekly meme hosted here at Bookaholics where each week me and Ninfa take turns to recommend a book we think you should try and why.

This week’s pick is

Confessions of an ugly stepsister by Gregory Maguire
We have all heard the story of Cinderella, the beautiful child cast out to slave among the ashes. But what of her stepsisters, the homely pair exiled into ignominy by the fame of their lovely sibling? What fate befell those untouched by beauty ... and what curses accompanied Cinderella's looks?

Set against the backdrop of seventeenth-century Holland, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister tells the story of Iris, an unlikely heroine who finds herself swept from the lowly streets of Haarlem to a strange world of wealth, artifice, and ambition. Iris's path quickly becomes intertwined with that of Clara, the mysterious and unnaturally beautiful girl destined to become her sister. While Clara retreats to the cinders of the family hearth, Iris seeks out the shadowy secrets of her new household -- and the treacherous truth of her former life.

Why I’m choosing this book

Fairy Tales re-tellings are quite popular at the moment. This is a version of the Cinderella story, but from the point of view of one of her stepsisters and it's beautifully told and very melancholic. I really enjoyed it.

Five reasons I love this book

1. Iris is a wonderful character, sweet, deep and with a lovely story to tell.
2. The story is set in Seventeenth Century Holland, and it has some very interesting historical references.
3. Clara (Cinderella) is not the usual innocent, darling girl, she has a different depth and it was a nice change to see her in this more adult form.
4. A very good historical take on the fairy tale, with characters you will either love or hate.
5. It's nice to see the story from a different point of view, you really feel for Clara's acquired family and although the story has moslty sad undertones, in the end it is actually a very uplifting tale.

Who I think will love this book
Historical Fiction lovers should enjoy this lovely book, but also readers that like a touch of dark, almost Gothic feel to their stories.

I hope this inspires you to pick up the book, and if you do

Let me know what you think!

Flying blind - Review

Flying blind by by Deborah Cooke 

The dragon diaries book one.
Available now.
www.allisonandbusby.co.uk

What's it about?
Zoë Sorensson is perfectly normal, except she's been told she's destined for great things. Zoë's the one female dragon shapeshifter of her kind. But Zoë is at the bottom of the class when it comes to being Pyr and her powers are AWOL, so she's sent to a Pyr boot camp.

Zoë quickly realizes that she has to master her powers yesterday, because the Pyr are in danger and boot camp is a trap. The Mages want to eliminate all shifters and the Pyr are next in line-unless Zoë and her friends can work together and save their own kind.

My review

I didn't dislike this book, but I didn't love it either, I've only read one other dragon book so the concept of Dragon shifters was new and interesting to me and the backgroud and mythology of the dragons was well thought out and executed, the problem I had with this book was the character of Zoë, she was just to immature for me, which made the book hard to read at times, it took me a month to get through this book because I kept having to put it down to read something else. I did find the second half easier to get into when I picked it back up and finished it in a couple of days, so possibly it was partially to do with me as well, but I do still stick with my first impressions of Zoë. She was to dramatic about the boy she liked, she also felt very flaky, and, like I said, immature.

It wasn't until I'd nearly finished when I found out that this book is actually a YA spin-off to a previous adult series set in the same world and there were events mentioned that I think happened in that series but I didn't feel like I was missing anything, more like I stumbled upon some spoilers should I choose to read the adult series which I am planning to do sometime, I think I'd like it more since my complaint about this book is that it's immature, the writing and story itself were well constructed and imaginative.

I liked the other characters, Isabelle in particular, had a 'dreamy' air to her, that's probably a weird description, I guess you'd have to meet her to understand lol

I also really liked the character or Jared, probably because he's a bit of a bad boy, he has a leather jacket and a motorcycle! But I felt the relationship seemed to go a bit fast.

I do have the next book, Winging it, and am planning to read it, but maybe not straight away.

My thoughts on the cover

I do like the colours of this cover and the little picture of the dragon, but I don't get the hair in the face lol

Favourite quotes

'That was why I was determined to kiss him back. I'd show him that this Wyvern was bold. It was time I surprised Jared, maybe shook his tree. I leant closer, saw him start to smile...'

'I loved how he said my name. His fingers were wrapped in my hair, the strength of his hand turning my knees to butter. I stared into his eyes and couldn't imagine anywhere I'd rather be.'

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Sunday treats (4)

Sunday treats is my brand new meme hosted here by me!

Each week I will be treating you to a hunky treat to drool over because after a week of hard work you deserve it!

To keep it loosely book related I'll post pictures of actors that have played roles in films or TV programmes made from books, unless a guys just so damn hot I have to post him anyway!

If you wanna join in then just post your own hot guy and come and link back so I can come and drool look.

I promise no boys were hurt in the making of this post.

And here's this week’s guy.

 

My friends already know I've recently discovered - and gone nuts for - the TV show Fringe, so this weeks choice is no surprise! Joshua Jackson does of course play a lead character in the show, though you might also remember him from Dawsons creek, in which he had that terrible hair style! Oh well, he's certainly scrubbed up now, yum!

Showcase Saturday (4)

'Showcase Sunday' is hosted by Vicky at Books, biscuits and tea.

As I always post on a Saturday I've changed the name to suit me :)

21st May - 27th May

Books mentioned

Bought

Sweet evil by Wendy Higgins

White star by Beth Vaughan

Won

Soul beach by Kate Harrison - from Susan K Mann, Thank you!

For review

Throne of glass by Sarah J. Maas

Hades by Alexandra Adornetto

What did you get this week?

Scarlet - Review

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Available 7th June 2012

www.bloomsbury.com

What's it about?

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire.

Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

My review

 Though I don't know as much about the story of Robin Hood as I'd like I am really interested in it so when I heard of this retelling I knew I had to get my hands on it!

This was a great retelling and I really loved it, I loved the twist of Will Scarlet being a girl in hiding and the secrets that came out were great. I also really enjoyed the way it was written - how they talked then - It made me feel really immersed in the world and story and I found I couldn't stop talking like it after lol

Scarlet was a great character, she's small and tough and can hold her own amongst the lads but she's hiding from her past and seemed angry a lot of the time, but I enjoyed reading her.

The camaraderie between the band was great and the sexual tension between Scarlet with both Robin and John Little was gripping, it's safe to say I was hooked and couldn't wait to see who she'd end up with.

The story itself was also interesting and fitted in well with the time that it's set in, I got a genuine sense of what it was like then and how people lived.

I'd definitely recommend Scarlet and will be looking out for more by the author.

My thoughts on the cover

I really like this cover, you can see she's dressed as a boy but the wisp of hair shows she's a girl, you can also just see her scar on her cheek which is prominent to the storyline and I'm glad they including the knife since she's so good with them! I also like how she's hidden in dark and leaves to show the secrets she has. It's a great cover!

Favourite quotes

'He caught my wrist before I were full out the door. "Scar," he said, rough, like rocks were running over his tongue. "I have done so many unforgivable things in my life. Don't let failing to save you be another."

'His fingers loosed mine, and before I could cry their loss, his trembly hand slid over my cheek. "I'll keep your heart, Scar," He whispered. "If you keep mine."

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Sunday treats (3)

Sunday treats is my brand new meme hosted here by me!

Each week I will be treating you to a hunky treat to drool over because after a week of hard work you deserve it!

To keep it loosely book related I'll post pictures of actors that have played roles in films or TV programmes made from books, unless a guys just so damn hot I have to post him anyway!

If you wanna join in then just post your own hot guy and come and link back so I can come and drool look.

I promise no boys were hurt in the making of this post.

And here's this week’s guy.

Ian Somerhalder

As far as I'm concerned Ian Somerhalder is the hottest thing in the TV show of L.J. Smiths The Vampire diaries, if you don't know, he plays the character of Damon, an evil Vampire who's maybe not s evil after all!

Showcase Saturday (3)

'Showcase Sunday' is hosted by Vicky at Books biscuits and tea, as you can see I've altered the name for myself as I usually post on A Saturday :)

14th May - 20th May

Uh, sorry about the colour and focus changing, next week I'll stay in one place now I know it will do that!

Books mentioned

Bought

Slated by Teri Terry

Darkest mercy by Melissa Marr

The scorpio races by Maggie Stiefvater

Windfall by Rachel Caine

Babe in boyland by Jody Gehrman

Forbidden by Syrie and Ryan M. James

Take me there by Carolee Dean

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Won

The water wars by Cameron Stracher

Gifted

The adventures of Robin Hood by Roger Lancelyn Green

The hunt by Andrew Fukuda

Earthseed by Pamela Sargent

Vamps by Nancy A. Collins

Fire city by Bali Rai

The folk keeper by Franny Billingsley

For review

The selection by Kiera Cass

The serpents shadow by Rick Riordan

And here's a picture of me and Rachel Caine :p

What did you get this week?

Black dawn - Review

Black dawn by Rachel Caine
The Morganville vampires book twelve.
Available now.
www.allisonandbusby.com

What's it about?
In Last Breath, the rain brought a new and dire threat to Morganville and its vampires... their ancient enemies, the draug. Now, the vampires are fighting a losing war, and it will fall to the residents of the Glass House: Michael, Eve, Shane and Claire, to take the fight to an enemy who threatens to destroy the town, forever.

Lovers of Morganville, rejoice: Black Dawn takes the intrigue, romance and nail-biting suspense of the series to its highest level yet!

My review

If you've come to check out this review then chances are you've likely already read at least some of this series - if you haven't, this is a review for book 12 and likely to have spoilers -

So I don’t really need to go in depth in regards to Rachel’s wonderful writing, all the books are well written and the characters have great banter together that’s enjoyable to read. One of the things I like best about the Morganville series is that they are all quick reads... except this one. Racking in at 512 pages this is the longest book in the series and the first one that I found to go on for slightly to long, the last few books have been told from multiple perspectives instead f just Claire’s, which means there is more story to tell. Whilst I don’t mind a book coming from more than one perspective there were a couple I could have done without, and unless what I think has happened to her has happened, I felt Naomi wasn’t needed in this book at all as she bought little to it.

All that being said though, I did actually enjoy the book! These are minor issues; Caine has come up with another great addition to the series and even twelve books in the story is still feeling fresh and unique, a hard feat to pull off in such a long series. I still love all the characters - particularly crazy Myrnin! – And can see them growing and I love watching Claire and Shane’s relationship develop as they become closer and closer, especially after what Shane goes through in this instalment.
It wasn’t my favourite of the series, that would be Last breath I still loved it and say bring on Bitter blood!

My thoughts on the cover
I love all of these covers, some more than others, and so I love this one to! Love the purple and the model used :)

Favourite quotes

'And she had promised, even if it was just their private little secret. She felt that shivery, fragile, butterfly-flutter feeling in her chest again. It was a fierce ball of light, a tangle of joy and terror and excitement and most of all, love.'

'Watch my lips,' she said. 'I love you. And you're not perfect.'

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Same difference (29)

Poison heart by S.B. Hayes and

need l'amore che vorrei ('I need the love.') by Carrie Jones

Need book one.

Mist: The second one is the Italian cover of Need. I have to say, even though these covers have the same girl, they're both different and I much prefer the cover of Poison heart, the colours are better, the fonts are better and I love the pattern around the edges. The Need cover is just to dark but the contrasting colours of the title don't match.

Which do you prefer?

UK vs THE WORLD (23)

UK vs. The world is a weekly meme I made up lol.

It's simlair to UK vs. US except the UK covers are battling it out with their foreign counterparts from all over the world, because who doesn't love judging books by their covers!

UK                          vs.              Germany

Fated by Alyson Noel

Soul seekers book one.

('Vom Schicksal bestimmt' translates to 'Fated.' - According to Google translate.)

Mist: Both of these covers are so gorgeous! I love all the bright colours used and the birds and plat life used in the backgroud of each. I think I like the German cover a little bit more though, I like the pink and the orange, they remind me of a fruit salad sweet lol And I like the flowers and the girl falling is interesting.

Ninfa: Wow, the UK cover is lovely, the model's hair blowing in the wind, the birds flying as if created by the swirling hair, the bright dawn making the dark and pale model figure stand out...I love it. The German cover is nice, but not as good as the UK one by a mile. The soft pastel peach and pink colours are pretty and the body free falling is also a nice portrait, but the UK cover is just really eye catching for me. Definitely a UK win :)

UK                      vs.                  France

Soulless by Gail Carriger
The parasol protectorate book one.
('Sans âme' translates to 'Soulless.' - According to Google translate.)

Mist: Oh, this is a tough one to, both have that great steampunk feel. I love the girls unusual stance in the UK cover and the colours and her hat! But I also love the feel of the French cover and the darkness to it, I would happily pick up either but I think I'm going to choose UK because it's more fun.

Ninfa: Both very pretty, so Victorian Steampunk! It's a tough choice as both portray the feeling of the book really well...but I think the French cover is the winner for me. I love the model's outfit and the old page feel of the cover, with the Big Ben backdrop, very, very beautiful.

Which do you prefer?

Guest post - Sara King and a giveaway

How I Became a Bookaholic

Though nobody ever really documented when I started reading, it must’ve been sometime before I was 4, because that’s when I started writing stories.  (My grandmother still has Sammy the Snake in her filing-cabinet, complete with 4-year-old signature, date, and author illustrations of what look like curly wads of poop.)

I was an avid reader, starting with (of course), Dr. Seuss.  From there, I graduated to Tamora Pierce (omg…Best.  YA.  Author.  EVER!!) and at 8, I was reading Stephen King and Dean Koontz at the blinding pace of one every couple days.  (Probably not the best reading material for an 8-year-old, but hey, my mom had no idea I was sneaking their novels off to my room…)  I supplemented that with Anne McCaffery, Orson Scott Card, Mercedes Lackey, and Robert Jordan.  I had a rather eclectic taste, but the common thread was that they had to be a character author or I’d quietly make the book disappear.

Books were my life until I was 11, at which point, I decided I was ready to try one on my own.  Up until that moment, I’d been satisfying my carnal urge to write with short stories (one of which got published in a print magazine!) and had a small mountain of them in my closet.  Well, I quickly found out that writing novels was about 100x cooler because I had so much extra time to develop the characters.  I finished my first novel at 12 years old (I’ll spare you the suspense…it really, really sucked), weighing in at about 145,000 words, and from that point, there was no going back.  Looking back, it took about 5 books to really start getting the hang of things.  (Read:  Before the books stopped sucking.)

After that, though, I kept finding myself assaulted by random strangers (usually off of the internet) who wanted to read everything I’d ever written.  Talk about an ego boost…fledgling writers really need those moments every once in awhile to keep them going.  Never did I send out those first 5 books, though.  They are buried deep on my oldest laptops, and I’ve made a point not to transfer them to my new computers, that way, when those random strangers come to me demanding to read everything I’ve ever written, I can hand them my latest ten books and say, “Awww, damn, I can’t send you the first five, don’t have them on my comp, sorry!  (The gag reflex is so strong every time I look at them that I have trouble eating afterwards.)

Over the years, my ‘bookaholic’ status has changed slightly from where it was when I was eight.  Nowadays, I spend so much time writing, editing, and proofing my own and my writing buddies’ works that I have much less time to read (though George R. R. Martin is still my hero).  But, on the other hand, instead of painstakingly scrawling out the adventures of snakes that look like diseased cow-patties, I’m now currently working on my 16^th novel and have thousands of readers screaming for my next book.  Makes me grin to think about how far I’ve come…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Sara King was four years old when she wrote her first short story. And, while “Bob the Brontosaurus” and “Sammy the Snake” weren’t exactly enthralling reading material, she thankfully progressed to novels when she was 12. Seventeen years later, she is currently working on her 16th book, the third novel in the Guardians of the First Realm Alaskan Paranormal world. Sara lives in Alaska with her soul mate and greatest fan, David.  If you’re interested in her latest sci-fi, fantasy, romance, or paranormal books, check out her website.

You can also friend her on Facebook or email her at kingnovel@gmail.com.

Three winners will each win one of the following ebooks each.

To the princess bound

Alaskan fire and

Wings of retribution all by Sara King.

Deets

-The giveaway is international.

-The prizes will be in Kindle format gifted from Amazon.

-The first winner will choose which book they would like and so on.

-Giveaway ends 22nd April 2012.

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Try it Tuesday (10)

'Try it Tuesday' is a weekly meme hosted here at Bookaholics where each week me and Ninfa take turns to recommend a book we think you should try and why.

This week’s pick is

Dark time by Dakota Banks
Growing up in a 19th-century funeral home might have set the tone for Dakota Banks's life. In her debut fiction, she proves the point by conjuring up an infernal tale about a burned-at-the-stake witch who refuses to let bygones be bygones. Two hundred years of savage carnage later, the demonically inclined Susannah Layton, now known as Maliha, decides that she wants to retire, but unless she can perform some good deeds quickly, she will be consigned to the very hottest parts of hell.

Why I’m choosing this book

Because it's fantastic! Lots of action, mythology, sexy characters and a lot of fun!

Five reasons I love this book

1. Maliha's back story is heartbreaking and I love it.
2. Jake Stackman...one word for you: YUM!
3. The relationships described in the book are so real, it makes the story incredibly involved for the reader.
4. There's a lot of action and some incredible twists in the plot that keep it fast, furious and delightfully fresh.
5. The mythology of the story is just breathtaking: Demons, Ageless Assassins, Gods...it's such a wonderful new world to explore and it definitely drew me in from page 1!

Who I think will love this book
Urban Fantasy lovers will really enjoy this, and anyone that likes a fast, eventful plot with high tech gadgets, a strong heroine and a group of fantastic characters to get to know, in this first installment of "The Mortal Path series"

I hope this inspires you to pick up the book, and if you do

Let me know what you think!

Quickie interview with Paige Harbison

Quickie interview.

What made you want to write a retelling of Rebecca?

I was going through a Hitchcock phase, actually! I was watching the movies and watching old Twilight Zones during a particularly rainy month with a friend, and I just got so caught up in that creepy, spooky, moody mood. I thought of Rebecca, all about one woman’s desire to be as good as another woman, and I was like…a girl is jealous of a girl and it’s fuelled by her interest in a guy? High school! I’d loved the book when I was younger, and the fact that it’s a classic that has been overlooked in this, the era of remakes, seemed like a crime.

Were you ever the 'new girl' at sometime?

-Oh ho ho! Oh yes. I went to two elementary schools, two middle schools, and three high schools. Oh, and three colleges. Yes, I was the new girl many times. I never minded. I like change, I love reinvention, and I loved standing out. But it is scary. You’re alone completely, and you’re at the mercy of whoever takes you under their wing.

What's one of your favourite retellings, other than New girl of course!?

-Haha, right of course. Hmm, that’s a tough one. I loved Avalon High when I was younger.

I just love the UK cover of the book! What do you think? Do you think it suits the story of New girl?

          -I like that it looks like a simple, light tale, but how it’s really
       much darker than it appears.

Check out my review for New girl.

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Blog tour: New girl - Review

New girl by Paige Harbison
Available now.
www.miraink.co.uk

What's it about?
A contemporary young-adult retelling inspired by the classic 1938 romantic suspense bestseller Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.

They call me 'New Girl'...

Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.

Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.

Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend…but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be.

And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.

My review

I'm not familiar with the story of Rebecca so won't be able to make any comparisons in this review but I did really enjoy New girl. I had already read Paige Harbison's debut novel, Here lies Bridget, last year and really liked it so I was looking forward to this one, whilst I'd say her first book is my favourite that's only because some parts of this one felt a little bit rushed over, otherwise I have no complaints.
The storyline was fun but at the same time it had it's dark moments and some very emotional ones to, I really liked the character of 'New girl' she really stuck it out when things got tough for her and of course I was dying to know her name all the way through!
Harbison has a really easy-to-read writing style that make her books a breeze to get through and has me really anticipating her next releases.
Her characters are well developed and relatable and pull me into the book so that I don't want to put it down at night.
I really can't wait to see what the author comes up with next as she's becoming a favourite author for me.

My thoughts on the cover
I LOVE this cover! Not just because of the colours and those cool socks! But how it relates to the book as in 'New girl' finds herself walking in someone elses shoes as she's constantly compared to Becca.

Favourite quotes

'What was it about this girl Becca? Everything I'd heard about her made it seem like she was some kind of goddess who enchanted people just by being around them. I mean, I understand that it's really awful to have a peer be missing and possibly dead...but it's like she was friends with everyone. It was like she'd been perfect.'

'Before I could talk myself out of it, his lips were on mine. My mind went blank. My body went numb. I faded into him, letting my bag fall to the floor. I didn't care if someone walked in. I didn't care if anyone saw.'

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