tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29351267138426033402024-03-08T11:34:05.049+00:00Bookaholics book clubFor all Bookaholics to share their obssessionTipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.comBlogger908125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-52924760072088154462016-04-29T11:05:00.000+01:002016-04-29T11:05:41.878+01:00Vanishing girls - Review<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24918750-vanishing-girls"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMTIOlNJtrKgpDg4fXC_CKjd_3qykaWjc0n9MlDFF0k1yyzHRClzdHV93rSwdLtyrPf84R3RqiEr7C_JSN_7Q_O8hark7RGuiUvnAx8f3WQgysJ05lwzrNAganZaMpdWFKxIXqPz3Rfg/s1600/24918750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMTIOlNJtrKgpDg4fXC_CKjd_3qykaWjc0n9MlDFF0k1yyzHRClzdHV93rSwdLtyrPf84R3RqiEr7C_JSN_7Q_O8hark7RGuiUvnAx8f3WQgysJ05lwzrNAganZaMpdWFKxIXqPz3Rfg/s320/24918750.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24918750-vanishing-girls">Vanishing girls by Lauren Oliver</a> </div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>What's it about?</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span id="freeText767136581079546709">Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred and the two sisters totally estranged. When Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl, nine-year-old Madeline Snow, has vanished, too, and Nick becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances are linked. Now Nick has to find her sister, before it's too late.</span></div>
</blockquote>
<b>My review</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3VC_fcZ9cBxcnr0LU6APezDt4xisAgh8B56GvQxFg3nj37HSUd7SFpQ1vt4B1YVRdit5i5ncaVwMWjeM0bQYCiJBJARYVM1QohyFM3x9quwsgyjAfg8QdhGnFCIGcNVjpcKR98EbK1Jc/s1600/5s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3VC_fcZ9cBxcnr0LU6APezDt4xisAgh8B56GvQxFg3nj37HSUd7SFpQ1vt4B1YVRdit5i5ncaVwMWjeM0bQYCiJBJARYVM1QohyFM3x9quwsgyjAfg8QdhGnFCIGcNVjpcKR98EbK1Jc/s1600/5s.jpg" /></a></div>
<div>
<i>Vanishing girls </i>is a compelling and gripping thriller that you won't be able to put down.</div>
<div>
I'm not sure at what point I got hooked into <i>Vanishing girls </i>while I was reading it, I just remember not being able to stop. I knew I was reading a good book, that I had to find out what was going on, and by the end, my mind was blown.</div>
<div>
The pacing throughout the book is so subtle that you don't even notice it picking up until you realise you're on the edge of your seat, white knuckling the book. The story and the characters both keep you wrapped up tight until you reach the last page in the early hours of the morning, at least, that's what happened to me.</div>
<div>
I really can't fault this book, Nick and Dara were both complex and completely different characters with enough personality to make you care about them and want to learn more about their lives, thoughts and feelings.</div>
<div>
As far as YA thrillers go, this is easily one of the best I've read and I would wholly recommend it to fans of the genre or anyone looking to get into it.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Igg7OU2R1CCw_M2q2H6eTNwl23kcq2JBJIZQmHlMRujmuzLjnF9DVQmN6pjAKuBCz1PkHbEPX_scKowT0EIivBEVfRLBRUERgjHuaNi2QHZqternkVhJ_MFKMoYR-Cy5ReSWehtFyNw/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Igg7OU2R1CCw_M2q2H6eTNwl23kcq2JBJIZQmHlMRujmuzLjnF9DVQmN6pjAKuBCz1PkHbEPX_scKowT0EIivBEVfRLBRUERgjHuaNi2QHZqternkVhJ_MFKMoYR-Cy5ReSWehtFyNw/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-63981484598379561132016-02-29T14:27:00.000+00:002016-02-29T14:27:52.725+00:00Faceless - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSljNwdtjUvF_ZSB6x3Hrk-G2kuwiCSV6dQJJPnxrlkvt8sHpK6x2iCtBm2QrP4vBkUrfgn1AbUWfLJ6MCd_s56EwFw_gSd2cA7ZXi3vb6udaQ6F-EYf0wg0-ocaYd431h4_mB5rThfys/s1600/28105868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSljNwdtjUvF_ZSB6x3Hrk-G2kuwiCSV6dQJJPnxrlkvt8sHpK6x2iCtBm2QrP4vBkUrfgn1AbUWfLJ6MCd_s56EwFw_gSd2cA7ZXi3vb6udaQ6F-EYf0wg0-ocaYd431h4_mB5rThfys/s320/28105868.jpg" width="208" /></a></blockquote>
<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28105868-faceless">Faceless by Alyssa Sheinmel</a><br /><div>
Available now</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
When Maisie is struck by lightning, her face is partially destroyed. She's lucky enough to get a face transplant, but how do you live your life when you can't even recognize yourself anymore? She was a runner, a girlfriend, a good student ...a normal girl. Now, after a single freak accident, all that has changed. As Maisie discovers how much her looks did and didn't shape her relationship to the world, she has to redefine her own identity, and figure out what 'lucky' really means.</blockquote>
<b>My review</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Faceless is the emotional journey of a young girl after a freak accident that leaves her disfigured. While lucky to have survived she literally has a new face and is left questioning how much she cares about her appearance , paranoid about how others will see her and is trying hard to figure out who she is now, something that is already hard enough for a teenage girl in normal circumstances.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I really felt that Sheinmal didn't hold back on the details, everything was described well, the physical as well as the emotional, so I could get a real understanding of what of Maisie was going through. It' s also clear she did her homework in regards to the procedures Maisie goes through and everything her recovery involves as it wasn't all just glossed over, her surgeries and medicines were explained in a way that wasn't completely simplistic but so the reader could understand without feeling stupid.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This is not the first novel I've read by this author and if you're familiar with her work then you'll already know how well she paints a scene, her writing is beautiful and precise and will get you straight into the head of the protagonist.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Faceless is certainly a book I would recommend, its a touching story of a girls journey after an almost fatal accident changes her life dramatically and will leave you with a better understanding of what its like for people like her.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-22162052999065649612015-08-12T07:00:00.000+01:002015-08-12T07:00:03.289+01:00Night owls blog tour; Author post<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Igb8PKbiE3AhKRNyYCSmB1EsGtGHOuaIJb7kM3Zo0lyNc4Z4EDOlvRae1QQHc-Gkl7ZeuoTMQqt1p5oZtZWReF4nFMnHN8WIPca16ugQG46NEOExYr6zaWi66rkZTy54ThSK40if7vQ/s1600/jennbennett-1024x685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Igb8PKbiE3AhKRNyYCSmB1EsGtGHOuaIJb7kM3Zo0lyNc4Z4EDOlvRae1QQHc-Gkl7ZeuoTMQqt1p5oZtZWReF4nFMnHN8WIPca16ugQG46NEOExYr6zaWi66rkZTy54ThSK40if7vQ/s320/jennbennett-1024x685.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>My Best Journey Ever<o:p></o:p></u></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>By Jenn Bennett.</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I wasn’t always a
writer. In one past career, I used to travel to the Far East a lot, dealing
with factories. It was my job to come up with new products, and I’d take my
crazy new ideas to China, where they’d translate them into working prototypes.
On one trip, I was paired with a soft-spoken Chinese man named Larry from our Shenzhen
office, whose job was to be my guide and take me deeper into the mainland, far
away from the big cities, where the factories were smaller and specialized in
carving wood.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At that point in my
career, I’d spent most of my time in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Taipei—all big
cities, all fairly easy for English speakers to navigate. (Hong Kong
especially. To this day it remains one of my favorite places, and the people
there, some of the kindest I’ve ever met.) But Larry hired a driver who would
steer us away from my familiar anchors. When I asked him how long it would take
to get there, he said, “Not long.” I had no idea what to expect.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The first day’s
drive was fair. We spent the night in a decent-sized city that still held
traces of the West. Good: There was a McDonald’s outside our hotel. Bad: The
hotel’s mini-bar food was all expired and there were bugs in the bed. I didn’t
sleep. Day two, I spent in a restless state in the back of the car, staring at
the changing scenery as rain fell over lush green mountains. We stopped to eat
at a crumbling traditional house with a courtyard straight out of a historical
Kung Fu movie. They butchered a chicken in front in me with a large cleaver and
washed greens in a forest stream. There was no modern plumbing, so I was forced
to pee in a hole in the ground around the back of the house. I had a small mental
breakdown and cried, pulled myself together, and went back inside and ate that
chicken; it turned out to be one of the best meals of my life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Day three: In the
middle of a rural town, both the sidewalks and the road just…ended. Like, <i>actually</i> abruptly ended. We were driving
along, and it was as if the workers ran out of material, packed up their
things, and stopped constructing the street. It was at this point that I turned
to Larry and started laughing. He laughed, too. It didn’t really matter anymore
where we were going. The whole thing was so absurd. “Is this the end of the world?”
I asked him. He thought that was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. “Yes.
We’ve travelled to the end of the world. What do you think of it?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In <i>Night Owls</i>, my character, Beatrix, takes
a journey on a midnight bus in San Francisco, where she runs into my hero,
Jack, an anonymous graffiti artist who’s been spray-painting giant gold words
across the city. She didn’t plan on taking that bus, and she certainly didn’t
plan to meet Jack. But sometimes unexpected journeys can have strange and wondrous
outcomes if you open yourself up to them.</span></span></div>
<form>
<br /></form>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(188,238,104); border: 3px dotted #000000; padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3SOjOmUstoMdn_b5T-62HF-aH41Na2dvSQNBgpMUbVQ5OMHwqWPv6J3Qz2-G9_vvX4PDbn_yBwdF8AVzagSLl4xm0L7O8ONjGmiXk7UYTZDJzHEwoQ4BpRKG__9QgOeXzurhXcZOwAA/s1600/25327818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3SOjOmUstoMdn_b5T-62HF-aH41Na2dvSQNBgpMUbVQ5OMHwqWPv6J3Qz2-G9_vvX4PDbn_yBwdF8AVzagSLl4xm0L7O8ONjGmiXk7UYTZDJzHEwoQ4BpRKG__9QgOeXzurhXcZOwAA/s320/25327818.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Night owls</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Feeling alive is always worth the risk.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Meeting Jack on the Owl—San Francisco's night bus—turns Beatrix's world upside down. Jack is charming, wildly attractive...and possibly one of San Francisco's most notorious graffiti artists.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
But Jack is hiding a piece of himself. On midnight rides and city rooftops, Beatrix begins to see who this enigmatic boy really is.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7jd9jBqfbup-Svp8iK_Enidbr9xB6GrVhIq6GlO8u8tAzb_MaGIXcQjpccMioFuZvws9oExS4DKS57tL2q0lfK8LBdNTd34ryiyEfWxJ8iUabl0XYIhhXiYVKAaN3HIVYkAsz1LrhXM/s1600/Night+Owls+Blog+Tour+Banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7jd9jBqfbup-Svp8iK_Enidbr9xB6GrVhIq6GlO8u8tAzb_MaGIXcQjpccMioFuZvws9oExS4DKS57tL2q0lfK8LBdNTd34ryiyEfWxJ8iUabl0XYIhhXiYVKAaN3HIVYkAsz1LrhXM/s320/Night+Owls+Blog+Tour+Banner.jpg" width="134" /></a><b>Find the author</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.jennbennett.net/"></a><a href="http://www.jennbennett.net/">Website</a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/JennBennettauthor">Facebook</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://twitter.com/Jenn_Benn">Twitter</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://jennbennett.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://instagram.com/j3nn_benn">Instagram</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/arcadiabell/">Pinterest</a></div>
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-35145799393877458592015-05-15T14:15:00.002+01:002015-05-15T14:15:41.489+01:00An ember in the ashes - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKR9dfLHljmLAV_Din0nW5KONLLRzJOpuSqOjj3VVxX1i1TtXvRb29bSkafCViJS57UF_g1-72F5OxvD8zvcj0aOb1MqyQ0RWH_G9V4BDlBHLdm7ZXsurTTp4reK6v1wrkhm6mLJItxLs/s1600/23569524.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKR9dfLHljmLAV_Din0nW5KONLLRzJOpuSqOjj3VVxX1i1TtXvRb29bSkafCViJS57UF_g1-72F5OxvD8zvcj0aOb1MqyQ0RWH_G9V4BDlBHLdm7ZXsurTTp4reK6v1wrkhm6mLJItxLs/s320/23569524.jpg" width="220" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23569524-an-ember-in-the-ashes">An ember in the ashes by Sabaa Tahir</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Available 4th June 2015</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
harpercollins.co.uk<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><b>What's it about?</b></b></div>
<b>
</b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
What if you were the spark that could ignite a revolution?</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
For years Laia has lived in fear. Fear of the Empire, fear of the Martials, fear of truly living at all. Born as a Scholar, she’s never had much of a choice.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
For Elias it’s the opposite. He has seen too much on his path to becoming a Mask, one of the Empire’s elite soldiers. With the Masks’ help the Empire has conquered a continent and enslaved thousands, all in the name of power.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
When Laia’s brother is taken she must force herself to help the Resistance, the only people who have a chance of saving him. She must spy on the Commandant, ruthless overseer of Blackcliff Academy. Blackcliff is the training ground for Masks and the very place that Elias is planning to escape. If he succeeds, he will be named deserter. If found, the punishment will be death.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
But once Laia and Elias meet, they will find that their destinies are intertwined and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
In the ashes of a broken world one person can make a difference. One voice in the dark can be heard. The price of freedom is always high and this time that price might demand everything, even life itself.</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>My review</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>An ember in the ashes</i>, for me was one of those books that had been so hyped up that I went in with my expectations way too high and came out the other end underwhelmed. While it is a good book, I found it had a slow start and just wasn't as exciting as I'd been expecting.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The description and title give the impression that something small one of the characters does sparks a revolution and while this is kind of true, its not until the end, the rest of the book feels like more of a build up, except its a standalone novel which has left me confused. With the steady build up of tension and an ending left pretty open, it seems perfect for a second book, a second book I would definitely read.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Because while I didn't enjoy this book as much as I'd hoped, it's clear the author is very talented, she's done an amazing job of building an intricate and believable world. There's a class system that can be identified with, complex characters, just a hint of magic to give it a fantasy side and some scary bad guys. <i>An ember in the ashes </i>ticks all the boxes for an epic fantasy and sets the scene for so many further adventures.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Told from both the point of views of Laia, a scholar girl and Elias, an elite soldier in training we get to see how the world works from both ends of the spectrum, and then see how they end up coming together. It worked well and I felt both characters had completely different voices and were likeable. I liked how they both go through personal growth which is what brings them to the conclusion of the book. Laia is determined despite everything she goes through, her strength is really tested. Elias on the other hand has his morals tested and has to decide if he wants to stand up for and maybe even die for what he believes is right.<br />
It's well written and I certainly won't be saying no to more books by this author in the future, because next time I'll know exactly what to expect.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBptLzsu2Z2buW9ORjFm3O_pSCXqv9WeJqKMz-U73RQc67VuhbOJSoG1fHZdn5RUyerYbTBUWvl-tLdkWHaLC2-OT_jbApzrf5kdaTLAB24o4jI8kAACMbJgAbh1bc5ZHE5ypNpehj5xg/s1600/7770873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBptLzsu2Z2buW9ORjFm3O_pSCXqv9WeJqKMz-U73RQc67VuhbOJSoG1fHZdn5RUyerYbTBUWvl-tLdkWHaLC2-OT_jbApzrf5kdaTLAB24o4jI8kAACMbJgAbh1bc5ZHE5ypNpehj5xg/s200/7770873.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<b>Find the author</b><br />
<a href="http://sabaatahir.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/sabaatahir">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/sabaatahir">Tumblr</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7770873.Sabaa_Tahir">Goodreads</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVZqcCXLAkWXmd-hbUTKQcGhNNi09RgIHeuQt8aDz467b6mZTq64U6kUw7KD2_HrzJroks6Wrtbxf_aCj61VseTD-sMWugjAZg-HAPnuJEQU4PR3khEhCvnFKbsxM_Gqg-hk2n4ZQexE/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVZqcCXLAkWXmd-hbUTKQcGhNNi09RgIHeuQt8aDz467b6mZTq64U6kUw7KD2_HrzJroks6Wrtbxf_aCj61VseTD-sMWugjAZg-HAPnuJEQU4PR3khEhCvnFKbsxM_Gqg-hk2n4ZQexE/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-73006730365429637232015-05-12T20:22:00.000+01:002015-05-12T20:22:57.330+01:00The territory - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMsyRq5ZVoH68vZcpK5R9lF_oXHSKWz_Dx_9kcl0fLMBHSBdwUzvE0gMgZ_3GYtBOK9lDsvRZQyfMZPK5KBKIh4zStH-fqRUb_7H4bQfXcffyn0Nb_knQAv0Pe4tft9ZaAP_iT4O8j3Q/s1600/24644285.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMsyRq5ZVoH68vZcpK5R9lF_oXHSKWz_Dx_9kcl0fLMBHSBdwUzvE0gMgZ_3GYtBOK9lDsvRZQyfMZPK5KBKIh4zStH-fqRUb_7H4bQfXcffyn0Nb_knQAv0Pe4tft9ZaAP_iT4O8j3Q/s320/24644285.jpg" width="208" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24644285-the-territory">The territory by Sarah Govett</a>Available now<br />
fireflypress.co.uk </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b>What's it about?</b>Limited Space requires Limited Numbers<br />
The year is 2059. Noa Blake is just another normal 15 year old. Except in the Territory normal isn’t normal. The richest children can download information and bypass the need to study. In a flooded world of dwindling resources, Noa and the other ‘Norms’ have their work cut out to compete. And competing is everything – anybody who fails the TAA exam at 15 will be shipped off to the disease-ridden Wetlands, to a life of misery, if not certain death.<br />
But how to focus when your heart is being torn in two directions at once?</blockquote>
<b>My review</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkjRl-YCYLDm3ISmkM0DBOGls-pBB0hxuPHBmzzsm8GuWVkTy7RTKOdgg2jFFtHEp6hQpc9Pq-ivHh6g48_0znl-uyMqgf_QLnZZlKMPH3l1eDuAObve7hTp8YEEFIK7P1cgFpFLUNNE/s1600/3s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkjRl-YCYLDm3ISmkM0DBOGls-pBB0hxuPHBmzzsm8GuWVkTy7RTKOdgg2jFFtHEp6hQpc9Pq-ivHh6g48_0znl-uyMqgf_QLnZZlKMPH3l1eDuAObve7hTp8YEEFIK7P1cgFpFLUNNE/s1600/3s.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>The Territory </i>was an interesting read which really explores a lot of thought provoking subjects. Like how far can a government go before anyone will truly oppose it? When there just isn't enough to go around, what's really the fairest way to decide who deserves it? In The territory where Noa lives all children are tested at the age of fifteen and only the ones who pass are considered smart enough to be a credit to society and can stay. The kids that fail are sent out into the wetlands, which everyone knows is pretty much a death sentence.<br />
First of all, just imagine the stress of that for a fifteen year old, one test will literally determine your future, It really plays on the reality of the pressure that is put on kids to do well in school.<br />
While <i>The territory</i> had an interesting subject and an obviously well thought out setting, I think I would've enjoyed it more if Noa had been slightly more grown up.<br />
I did like Noa for the most part, but sometimes she can be a typical immature fifteen year old, however she's not stupid, she sees and understands more than the adults in her life realise. I liked that she asked a lot of questions about how things are run and had her ideas of what would be better, she's actually very clever.<br />
As the story goes on, it becomes more intense and there's some shocks in there too, by the end, I wasn't sure what was going to happen.<br />
I'd certainly recommend it to fans of the genre and will be looking forward to book two.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvnbSAGlKZkxLpbGCmLf_qa65XwmKsFvjY9e9Y6dk_JuedxrdyOZHweX9kbKbOMf1gYF4Ud_W7wPjnkQPecFapmWjFz61n3w2USKKg-IOLSIJYxqnsuRtD4MQR5zJsgSQePvxdJdfVEI/s1600/10620425_1494646744148807_9132673932553591488_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvnbSAGlKZkxLpbGCmLf_qa65XwmKsFvjY9e9Y6dk_JuedxrdyOZHweX9kbKbOMf1gYF4Ud_W7wPjnkQPecFapmWjFz61n3w2USKKg-IOLSIJYxqnsuRtD4MQR5zJsgSQePvxdJdfVEI/s200/10620425_1494646744148807_9132673932553591488_o.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<b>Find the author</b><br />
<a href="http://sarahgovett.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarah-Govett/1494640930816055?sk=info&tab=page_info">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/sarahgovett">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13126345.Sarah_Govett">Goodreads</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-38359093944870932252015-04-27T07:00:00.000+01:002015-04-27T07:00:10.780+01:00Hook's daughter - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgXJ-FDl-HlrV4EA_orN1kU1EPmlNBVUhYOQmX7zMca9xvUTu6qmd4qJYGwkhlDpwA7DXM7gR8MTnZmWI7yNaJrSdodNLY7S86JTeSUbMAy5N80awwQuy1yBolmTb7hTt5UfsvmUGtsg/s1600/23255173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgXJ-FDl-HlrV4EA_orN1kU1EPmlNBVUhYOQmX7zMca9xvUTu6qmd4qJYGwkhlDpwA7DXM7gR8MTnZmWI7yNaJrSdodNLY7S86JTeSUbMAy5N80awwQuy1yBolmTb7hTt5UfsvmUGtsg/s1600/23255173.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23255173-hook-s-daughter">Hook's daughter by Heidi Schulz</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Available now</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
doublecluck.co.uk<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><b>What's it about?</b></b></div>
<b>
</b>
<div style="text-align: left;">
It's not easy being the daughter of Captain Hook. Twelve-year-old Jocelyn dreams of following in his footsteps - but her grandfather sends her to finishing school instead. When her father meets his unfortunate end, Jocelyn sails to Neverland to avenge his death. But she hadn't bargained on ticking crocodiles, lazy pirates and a troublemaking boy called Peter Pan.</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>My review</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I'll be honest, the first chapters of Hook's daughter, well, they kind of bored me. I knew from the synopsis that she would be going to Neverland, so I was just waiting for her to get there and for her adventure to begin. Don't get me wrong, its good that the author took the time to set up the story and let us 'meet' Jocelyn properly but I really just wanted to get to the fun part and also see the authors take on Neverland and what new, if anything, she could add to this world that's been retold and reimagined so many times already.<br />
That being said, once jocelyn's journey did begin, the book became harder to put dowm, its not just filled with magic but written magically too, it makes you feel like anything is possible and that the strange place of Neverland could be a real place, you just have to be in on the secret of how to get there.<br />
In such a short book we still manage to meet the pirates, of course!, the Indians, the mermaids, the crocodile, the lost boys and Tinkerbell and of course the boy himself, Peter Pan. However it didn't feel like it had all been tightly packed in a smashed together, the story has a real flow to it and each encounter feels natural to the story.<br />
Jocelyn herself was an interesting character, though she may not be completely grown up by the end, she certainly learns some lessons about friendship, love and loyalty and that being completely rebellious will only get you so far in life.<br />
Overall, it was a fun book with a new perspective on Peter Pan and I would recommend it to all.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9cqSkhsT7hhrYs8uR5ae69To3PIQtQffcUKZHcT0zgZyPKY3rGkUfFRs1o-JkkZgfdxe3tLNrBNawUMNZQ-MA-4mVWrVlaO_rXbE_qcw5FADCSfuGthL95wrdjOOifXCe0Sz1hUV2Cg/s1600/Screenshot-2014-08-03-20.12.28-e1407570808226.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9cqSkhsT7hhrYs8uR5ae69To3PIQtQffcUKZHcT0zgZyPKY3rGkUfFRs1o-JkkZgfdxe3tLNrBNawUMNZQ-MA-4mVWrVlaO_rXbE_qcw5FADCSfuGthL95wrdjOOifXCe0Sz1hUV2Cg/s1600/Screenshot-2014-08-03-20.12.28-e1407570808226.png" /></a></div>
<b>Find the author</b><br />
<a href="http://heidischulzbooks.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="http://blog.heidischulzbooks.com/">Blog</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeidiSchulzBooks">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/HeidiSchulz">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="http://heidischulz.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a><br />
<a href="http://instagram.com/heidischulzbooks/">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7245339.Heidi_Schulz">Goodreads</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-55748527532011006642015-04-23T13:23:00.003+01:002015-04-23T13:23:39.423+01:00The blood of Olympus - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4hMY5JxeLyYFjSCPCx0MNL0Pw7ScpzTOu9-LFUf3MQQ2IsKHjizDXjMkzliLba0OmoOoJVGmAyieF0oqOxm5WW75VPv3zSs-9YF0JiDGBXeGetrquy4OJrr25q4JdnUDbTlgkkWcCOI/s1600/21082129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4hMY5JxeLyYFjSCPCx0MNL0Pw7ScpzTOu9-LFUf3MQQ2IsKHjizDXjMkzliLba0OmoOoJVGmAyieF0oqOxm5WW75VPv3zSs-9YF0JiDGBXeGetrquy4OJrr25q4JdnUDbTlgkkWcCOI/s1600/21082129.jpg" height="320" width="209" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21082129-the-blood-of-olympus">The blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Heroes of Oylmpus book five.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Available now</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
penguin.co.uk<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><b>What's it about?</b></b></div>
<b>
</b>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Though the Greek and Roman crewmembers of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaia. Her giants have risen—all of them, and they're stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaia plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. She needs their blood—the blood of Olympus—in order to wake. The demigods are having more frequent visions of a terrible battle at Camp Half-Blood. The Roman legion from Camp Jupiter, led by Octavian, is almost within striking distance. Though it is tempting to take the Athena Parthenos to Athens to use as a secret weapon, the friends know that the huge statue belongs back on Long Island, where it might be able to stop a war between the two camps. The Athena Parthenos will go west; the Argo II will go east. The gods, still suffering from multiple personality disorder, are useless. How can a handful of young demigods hope to persevere against Gaia's army of powerful giants? As dangerous as it is to head to Athens, they have no other option. They have sacrificed too much already. And if Gaea wakes, it is game over.</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>My review</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINz8UMWoLra80eZfo4HnZAt2dRgRMnmdCft3raX4HCFVyO4lU8KWsRNHEwrCiNNeWRWseAKE9Q8SUn6jx-t0vFDI6-qgHP4CO6otNTFhvi99xtyMGKbjw2HWn9GrJ8yXxRGQEPoaCsTw/s1600/5s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINz8UMWoLra80eZfo4HnZAt2dRgRMnmdCft3raX4HCFVyO4lU8KWsRNHEwrCiNNeWRWseAKE9Q8SUn6jx-t0vFDI6-qgHP4CO6otNTFhvi99xtyMGKbjw2HWn9GrJ8yXxRGQEPoaCsTw/s1600/5s.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
What I loved most about the Heroes of Olympus series was the closer connection we got with the characters during the series and really seeing them grow up, it was something I never realised was missing from the original Percy Jackson series until I read this. Each book is told from multiple narratives from all seven characters in turn, all of whom are very different but come together to make a perfect band of misfits discovering themselves and forging forever friendships.<br />
As well as a great story, these books also teach the importance of friendship, relationships and being yourself which are always great lessons for younger children, and sometimes even adults!<br />
Although The blood of Olympus wasn't quite the explosive ending I was expecting, I still really enjoyed it. Everything was wrapped up nicely and I was genuinely happy with everyone's endings, the ones that were expected and the ones that weren't. And perhaps I'm the only one that may think this but I would love to see Nico get his own series as I feel like we've still only scratched the surface with who he is.<br />
I'm so sad to say goodbye to the gang but I can't wait for Riordan's new series based around Norse mythology to start later in the year and in the meantime, there's the new Percy Jackson/Carter Kane crossover to look forward to!<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cw8Bgdaps7k/T2JSl3bZGpI/AAAAAAAABV8/74eX7_13dJA/s1600/rick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cw8Bgdaps7k/T2JSl3bZGpI/AAAAAAAABV8/74eX7_13dJA/s200/rick.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a><strong>Find the author</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.rickriordan.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/">Blog</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/#!/camphalfblood">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15872.Rick_Riordan">Goodreads</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb343/Misty_Price/Mist-1-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img aea="true" border="0" src="http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb343/Misty_Price/Mist-1-1.jpg" /></a></div>
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-29470244264132016482015-04-17T11:21:00.001+01:002015-04-17T11:21:44.197+01:00Monsters love underpants - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL0lTO_l_W4TYNH37QKOAVoVYLNfjOhZjG_QR5UbjHMg866KyWApwSzb1Kl9_LDMkiKpUIhFtuMnUghVx6ZIR_LWUYQ0T_CBg-lab-eicPE6G-EwQiwUlCza_k7nsN1ycJ6hTofl2lTv4/s1600/23102725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL0lTO_l_W4TYNH37QKOAVoVYLNfjOhZjG_QR5UbjHMg866KyWApwSzb1Kl9_LDMkiKpUIhFtuMnUghVx6ZIR_LWUYQ0T_CBg-lab-eicPE6G-EwQiwUlCza_k7nsN1ycJ6hTofl2lTv4/s1600/23102725.jpg" height="320" width="279" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23102725-monsters-love-underpants?ac=1">Monsters love underpants by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Available now</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><b>What's it about?</b></b></div>
<b>
</b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Underpants are monstrously funny in this playful picture book from the team that brought you Dinosaurs Love Underpants and Pirates Love Underpants.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Monsters around the world have different ways to scare, but they all share a love for zany underpants! Every Saturday night, you will find them in a secret cave, showing off their pants as they dance the Monster Bop, but they have to make it home before the sun comes up. After all, who would be scared of monsters in pants that were stripped and dotted?</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Our review</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As with the rest of the books in this series, the kids really enjoyed it. It's bright and colourful and funny. I always prefer a book I can enjoy too when I'm reading to my children at bedtime because then we all have a good time and this fits into that category, I was giggling right alongside them as we turned the pages.<br />
The illustrations are fun and stand out in such vivid colours that there's plenty to look at for all ages.<br />
If you haven't guessed or aren't familiar with this series, then the book is about the love monsters have for underpants and when they like to wear them but that its a secret as they don't think we'd find them particularly scary if we saw them parading about in their pants and knickers.<br />
It's short and rhymes making in very enjoyable and one that can be read over and over again as I'm sure it will be in my household, just like the rest of our collection.<br />
<br />
<b>Find the author</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sciNtRHdDJFRs_7jkmMOiQBnGsdS_qo49V66dit2tza62BGzpSjBIB0aFAs5g5EpLvSwrP3CJEWwGg1Fs1yJNYI8wBJ_U8Ch6aGeMVpXaF0tVxrIlj5bjLn2mjSLQP_3fpuQxBx6UHE/s1600/biothumb.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sciNtRHdDJFRs_7jkmMOiQBnGsdS_qo49V66dit2tza62BGzpSjBIB0aFAs5g5EpLvSwrP3CJEWwGg1Fs1yJNYI8wBJ_U8Ch6aGeMVpXaF0tVxrIlj5bjLn2mjSLQP_3fpuQxBx6UHE/s1600/biothumb.png" height="200" width="192" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.clairefreedman.co.uk/">Website</a><br />
<a href="http://www.clairefreedman.co.uk/myblog/">Blog</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/clairefreedman">Twitter</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-65688803516030905572015-03-06T08:00:00.000+00:002015-03-06T08:00:12.100+00:00Blog tour; Hook's daughter: Ten little known facts<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: inherit;">Ten Little Known Facts About <i>Hook’s Daughter</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<ol>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUj0o42FK79C-D61KTlDSUxZdFWIoIzNrH0FDMZKcUVDQmVlCczdA0hZ8EN3KLabq6NOmGGR7Qzb0XQRpMMcUZxocTXvl2LgCSoFXnVaUWepthl80oZbD_NWqEqKK1sN1AIojnLfLX4as/s1600/Hook's%2BDaughter%2Bblog%2Btour%2Bbanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUj0o42FK79C-D61KTlDSUxZdFWIoIzNrH0FDMZKcUVDQmVlCczdA0hZ8EN3KLabq6NOmGGR7Qzb0XQRpMMcUZxocTXvl2LgCSoFXnVaUWepthl80oZbD_NWqEqKK1sN1AIojnLfLX4as/s1600/Hook's%2BDaughter%2Bblog%2Btour%2Bbanner.jpg" height="320" width="66" /></a>
<li><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: inherit;">Jocelyn is named, in a way, after Peter Pan’s mother. Peter was inspired by the friendship J.M. Barrie had with the Llewelyn Davies family, or more particular, the Llewelyn Davies children. The boys’ mother was named Sylvia, but Barrie preferred to call her by her middle name: Jocelyn. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: inherit;">I listened to the soundtrack to the 2003 live action Peter Pan film dozens of times as I wrote and revised, sometimes putting a single song on repeat for a chapter or two to help set the right mood.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: inherit;">Eight years passed from the time I first began thinking about Captain Hook’s daughter to the time I held a finished copy of her story. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: inherit;">When my daughter was small, she was fascinated by the American television program, Dirty Jobs. In each episode, the host, Mike Rowe, spent a day working difficult, dirty jobs such as Garbage Pit Technician or Worm Dung Farmer. For some reason, my daughter got the impression that Rowe’s name was Dirty Bob. I thought that would make an excellent name for a pirate.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: inherit;">Blind Bart was inspired by a character—a pirate with eye patches over both eyes—in the picture book, That’s How I Became a Pirate, by Melinda Long and illustrated by David Shannon. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: inherit;">After offering to represent me, the man who would become my literary agent sent me a link to a song by the Decemberists: The Mariner’s Revenge Song. From that point on, I never started a revision session without listening to it to put me in a piratical mood. (You can listen here.) </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: inherit;">Nubbins was originally named Stumpy. It was very late in the process—after the manuscript had been through copyedits—that I changed it. I was sitting in church when the new name occurred to me. Divine inspiration?</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: inherit;">Years before the character of Nanette Arbuckle came into existence, I caught a glimpse of a man as he drove past me. In the split second I saw him, he was just about to sneeze. I thought, What if he always looks like that? I wrote in my notebook: “He had the pinch-faced look of a man perpetually on the verge of a sneeze that never would come.” When I conceived of Nanette, that description seemed perfect for her.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: inherit;">I don’t know exactly how many drafts I wrote before this story was finished, but I believe it was at least twenty. In the first drafts, Roger was a minor character and only mentioned in a few paragraphs.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: inherit;">The letter Captain Hook writes to Jocelyn, sending her on her great adventure, has only changed by a few words from the version I wrote way back in 2006.</span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(188,238,104); border: 3px dotted #000000; padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkJxUYTgfnIZNcX3bTNWdPxsT5_NMu7ezlFJdB3x9G5NjqYx4w1XoPeZE0jDtVVt1xVDhRPBSaNVZOPEFnV8vnwl49PBMRyKjNVOZIlXoQW0gx_b4uepI4ZxKHuMGEJyou3GKHcYoiTE/s1600/23255173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkJxUYTgfnIZNcX3bTNWdPxsT5_NMu7ezlFJdB3x9G5NjqYx4w1XoPeZE0jDtVVt1xVDhRPBSaNVZOPEFnV8vnwl49PBMRyKjNVOZIlXoQW0gx_b4uepI4ZxKHuMGEJyou3GKHcYoiTE/s1600/23255173.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23255173-hook-s-daughter">Hook's daughter by Heidi Schulz</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
It’s not easy being the daughter of Captain Hook. Twelve-year-old Jocelyn dreams of following in his footsteps – but her grandfather sends her to finishing school instead.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
When her father meets his unfortunate end, Jocelyn sails to Neverland to avenge his death. But she hadn’t bargained on ticking crocodiles, lazy pirates and a trouble-making boy called Peter Pan.</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9cqSkhsT7hhrYs8uR5ae69To3PIQtQffcUKZHcT0zgZyPKY3rGkUfFRs1o-JkkZgfdxe3tLNrBNawUMNZQ-MA-4mVWrVlaO_rXbE_qcw5FADCSfuGthL95wrdjOOifXCe0Sz1hUV2Cg/s1600/Screenshot-2014-08-03-20.12.28-e1407570808226.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9cqSkhsT7hhrYs8uR5ae69To3PIQtQffcUKZHcT0zgZyPKY3rGkUfFRs1o-JkkZgfdxe3tLNrBNawUMNZQ-MA-4mVWrVlaO_rXbE_qcw5FADCSfuGthL95wrdjOOifXCe0Sz1hUV2Cg/s1600/Screenshot-2014-08-03-20.12.28-e1407570808226.png" /></a></div>
<b>Find the author</b><br />
<a href="http://heidischulzbooks.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="http://blog.heidischulzbooks.com/">Blog</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeidiSchulzBooks">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/HeidiSchulz">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="http://heidischulz.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a><br />
<a href="http://instagram.com/heidischulzbooks/">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7245339.Heidi_Schulz">Goodreads</a>Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-43421040122225680942015-03-02T08:00:00.000+00:002015-03-02T08:00:22.131+00:00Looking for Alaska - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRApExYsOKiGpdV4LkHL3iWBmZ6rpnIrA84ZyhCqcHI9cJbHxGoCGMrCoBVQBbIgNrE6Qrga0hKrNIWvCCL4CT2JD4yLfXQkIxf2oRcjGy-h745UbP4oSkjZxLZ77Zwa6rxLTG3fUbcXg/s1600/24850671.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRApExYsOKiGpdV4LkHL3iWBmZ6rpnIrA84ZyhCqcHI9cJbHxGoCGMrCoBVQBbIgNrE6Qrga0hKrNIWvCCL4CT2JD4yLfXQkIxf2oRcjGy-h745UbP4oSkjZxLZ77Zwa6rxLTG3fUbcXg/s1600/24850671.jpg" height="320" width="193" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24850671-looking-for-alaska">Looking for Alaska by John Green</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Available now</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
harpercollins.co.uk<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b><div style="text-align: left;">
<b>What's it about?</b></div>
</b><div style="text-align: left;">
Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps. Looking for Alaska brilliantly chronicles the indelible impact one life can have on another. It is poignant, funny, heartbreaking and compelling.</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>My review</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINz8UMWoLra80eZfo4HnZAt2dRgRMnmdCft3raX4HCFVyO4lU8KWsRNHEwrCiNNeWRWseAKE9Q8SUn6jx-t0vFDI6-qgHP4CO6otNTFhvi99xtyMGKbjw2HWn9GrJ8yXxRGQEPoaCsTw/s1600/5s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINz8UMWoLra80eZfo4HnZAt2dRgRMnmdCft3raX4HCFVyO4lU8KWsRNHEwrCiNNeWRWseAKE9Q8SUn6jx-t0vFDI6-qgHP4CO6otNTFhvi99xtyMGKbjw2HWn9GrJ8yXxRGQEPoaCsTw/s1600/5s.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Considering <i>Looking for Alaska </i>was first published ten years ago, it seems a bit late in the day to posting a review right? lol. However, it just so happens that I read it at the start of the year, when it was Alaska day and then a few days later a beautiful surprise 10th anniversary edition arrived through my letterbox and so how could I not express my feelings for a book I thoroughly enjoyed? The answer is that I couldn't of course.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Looking for Alaska </i>actually started off kind of slow to me, I liked Miles but I wasn't a big fan of Alaska herself, and I still wasn't by the end, but it's a compelling story and Miles gives good narrative.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This is (at least partly) a story of unrequited love, something I think most of us have felt at some time and can relate to. Miles is such a nice, sweet guy and he falls hard for Alaska. Alaska on the other hand is very flaky and self centred, I'm not entirely sure what he saw in her beyond her looks, I think perhaps that he just wanted to 'fix' her and look after her.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Romantically, Miles and Alaska never would've worked but I think she, unintentionally, gives him something more than that, there's definitely a life lesson in this story for Miles as he tries to uncover the mystery that is Alaska he actually learns a lot about himself and the world, he grows up, he feels and he faces some hard times. It was these points that really made the book brilliant for me.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Looking for Alaska </i>was a thought provoking and beautiful read, it'll make you stop and think and feel and then feel some more.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7CuUtQ3HtvFmg_ueSea6Hx2fMW64hemVZ5fEpMPtCgJc5HjF2iRN66iiggH4DH9ld6hBfDO_ebUDvYlBShdpXxN6RNy56_l-kvVprwagzDXa3PEw8JNMPKMJm5Y4y9BZ2VROkRUon94/s1600/1406384.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7CuUtQ3HtvFmg_ueSea6Hx2fMW64hemVZ5fEpMPtCgJc5HjF2iRN66iiggH4DH9ld6hBfDO_ebUDvYlBShdpXxN6RNy56_l-kvVprwagzDXa3PEw8JNMPKMJm5Y4y9BZ2VROkRUon94/s1600/1406384.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Find the author</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://johngreenbooks.com/">Website</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/JohnGreenfans?fref=ts">Facebook</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://twitter.com/johngreen">Twitter</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://fishingboatproceeds.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1406384.John_Green">Goodreads</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVZqcCXLAkWXmd-hbUTKQcGhNNi09RgIHeuQt8aDz467b6mZTq64U6kUw7KD2_HrzJroks6Wrtbxf_aCj61VseTD-sMWugjAZg-HAPnuJEQU4PR3khEhCvnFKbsxM_Gqg-hk2n4ZQexE/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVZqcCXLAkWXmd-hbUTKQcGhNNi09RgIHeuQt8aDz467b6mZTq64U6kUw7KD2_HrzJroks6Wrtbxf_aCj61VseTD-sMWugjAZg-HAPnuJEQU4PR3khEhCvnFKbsxM_Gqg-hk2n4ZQexE/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-2819336949045930962015-02-27T09:59:00.000+00:002015-02-27T10:01:24.093+00:00Captive - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ10E9E5Q9s4f6INaBsTORJUZkcaidCcNyOEo3v8mFNUia7jlRodMiwLvmcaaRWj60qQbVVAtabAKUyQNSg9lCFSv9Chfv_unXsmFqPswLKiHZLRactOB2yg2C-SSV5E9se1d8ZG0lJ4A/s1600/23121745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ10E9E5Q9s4f6INaBsTORJUZkcaidCcNyOEo3v8mFNUia7jlRodMiwLvmcaaRWj60qQbVVAtabAKUyQNSg9lCFSv9Chfv_unXsmFqPswLKiHZLRactOB2yg2C-SSV5E9se1d8ZG0lJ4A/s1600/23121745.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23121745-captive">Captive by A.J. Grainger</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Available 29th january 2015</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
simonandschuster.com<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><b>What's it about?</b></b></div>
<b>
</b>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I open my eyes. The cell is flooded with sunlight; the window is a slice of pale blue. Dust particles dance in the sparkling light, pirouetting in a golden line from the window to the opposite wall of the cell, where they seem to converge into shapes. It is like looking into a kaleidoscope. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Dad isn't here. No one is, but me.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Robyn Knollys-Green is an A-list celebrity, famous for being the daughter of one of the world's most powerful men. But not even the paparazzi can find her now.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Robyn begins to realise that she is trapped in a complicated web of global corruption and deceit - and that the strange, melancholy boy who has been tasked with guarding her might not be an enemy after all...</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>My review</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I read <i>Captive </i>two months ago and then totally forgot to write my review! Luckily it was a good enough book to stick with me so that I can still remember enough to put some thoughts together about it for you.<br />
For starters it felt very realistic and I flew through the pages, reading it in just a couple of days. It could've been a lot more in depth and complicated but I liked that it wasn't, <i>Captive</i> is more about Robyn's isolation than it is about politics, it's about her feelings as she discovers secrets she's not sure she wants to know and meets a boy in a highly unlikely situation.<br />
As the story is told from Robyn's point of view, when she is held captive we feel held captive with her because we know as much as she does about what is going on in the outside world, which is nothing. We're locked in a room right alongside Robyn and only know what our kidnappers are telling us with no idea if it's the truth or not.<br />
As a reader, I felt you really get to feel the solitude and confusion Robyn feels as the book progresses, which was explored well within the writing.<br />
Robyn was a strong willed character and very likable, okay it wasn't the best love story in the world but that's not why I picked up this book anyway, I read it for the psychological and thriller aspects of the books, and on those points, it delivers, And considering the love story was developed under intense circumstances, I still think it was handled very well, I'd like to have seen more of what happened after.<br />
After reading <i>Captive </i>I'd be interested in reading more by this author for sure, its a great debut set at a satisfying pace, and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next from her.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjN5sXQOGVbyfDzmnkbrv_p_jOj1sB7cJXudcGi4DJas5Vp0Kxgc8qrJ-C_hhD0mAJoZlN7kDin6I25lD-MshXpAYehZc-Lr3iTjsdpwBSUNNj23A1hq9rhM01bNHfaxez3ufd8ZPq57o/s1600/AJ-Grainger-book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjN5sXQOGVbyfDzmnkbrv_p_jOj1sB7cJXudcGi4DJas5Vp0Kxgc8qrJ-C_hhD0mAJoZlN7kDin6I25lD-MshXpAYehZc-Lr3iTjsdpwBSUNNj23A1hq9rhM01bNHfaxez3ufd8ZPq57o/s1600/AJ-Grainger-book.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
<b>Find the author</b><br />
<a href="http://ajgrainger.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/AJ-Grainger/317669518419703?fref=ts">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/_AJGrainger">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="http://ajgrainger.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a></div>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8508270.A_J_Grainger">Goodreads</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVZqcCXLAkWXmd-hbUTKQcGhNNi09RgIHeuQt8aDz467b6mZTq64U6kUw7KD2_HrzJroks6Wrtbxf_aCj61VseTD-sMWugjAZg-HAPnuJEQU4PR3khEhCvnFKbsxM_Gqg-hk2n4ZQexE/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVZqcCXLAkWXmd-hbUTKQcGhNNi09RgIHeuQt8aDz467b6mZTq64U6kUw7KD2_HrzJroks6Wrtbxf_aCj61VseTD-sMWugjAZg-HAPnuJEQU4PR3khEhCvnFKbsxM_Gqg-hk2n4ZQexE/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-5085529500203818872015-01-12T09:38:00.000+00:002015-01-12T09:38:16.868+00:00Liquorice book cover - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguls5MiPgzYj_wjp11g3CQh704urgz_PtZbE1f5r53YHTQjX30fXD6C-1QvKjfK5Cz50nNLiBAP9jg4lKF-XSDSoIgAwK84QbQOxoMbech5Z4Hqo2wFXD3O6wvoUYd3vRb46N1_ImRawY/s1600/IMG_5137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguls5MiPgzYj_wjp11g3CQh704urgz_PtZbE1f5r53YHTQjX30fXD6C-1QvKjfK5Cz50nNLiBAP9jg4lKF-XSDSoIgAwK84QbQOxoMbech5Z4Hqo2wFXD3O6wvoUYd3vRb46N1_ImRawY/s1600/IMG_5137.JPG" height="320" width="271" /></a><a href="http://www.bagabook.com/executive/discreet-back-pocket/bagabook-executive-liquorice.html"></a><a href="http://www.bagabook.com/executive/discreet-back-pocket/bagabook-executive-liquorice.html">Executive book cover</a><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<b>But, what is it?</b>The stylish Bagabook book cover comes in a variety of patterns and colours and also comes with a range of matching products than can be purchased separately.<br />
It comes with a Unique Inner Support to fit a variety of book sizes of paperback and hardback, also diaries and note pads and a magnetic clasp. Other features include a hand strap, integrated bookmark, pen holder, travelcard and ticket slot and a concealed zipped pocket ideal for mobile phones and valuables.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Measures: 17.5 cm (6.9") L x 22 cm (8.7") W x upto 6 cm (2.4") depth depending on thickness of book.</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>My review</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vuxFMemNbAc7XOmu_FnslVkQGIBxupbdeYwfI8ie6FLy084bwN4Dyo4bpMLnIwfbRrGFyYtbPVN8mrTDqyMpldBokynNsnmt0FGjb687J8bFLunFvgCY4mgePINIlBEB3FuHXIOzqzQ/s1600/IMG_5131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vuxFMemNbAc7XOmu_FnslVkQGIBxupbdeYwfI8ie6FLy084bwN4Dyo4bpMLnIwfbRrGFyYtbPVN8mrTDqyMpldBokynNsnmt0FGjb687J8bFLunFvgCY4mgePINIlBEB3FuHXIOzqzQ/s1600/IMG_5131.JPG" height="144" width="200" /></a>This book cover is a handy little accessory to have around. I pretty much always have a book with me when I go out but, as many book lovers will know, having them in my shoulder bag along with my purse, keys, lipstick and other bits of rubbish that are in the depths of my bag, some of my books have gotten bent and battered and even ripped in, sad times right! So why its taken until now for someone to create this, I have no idea! Unfortunately its a bit too small to fit a tall hardback into it, so a range of sizes would be awesome, but its great for a paperback or smaller hardback. I was worried about having to bend and stretch my book to get it into the case initially but actually the case is pretty flexible so I didn't have any trouble and I was able to read my book just fine with the cover on.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUexkFmjU2bNrObLWAzkh3RY7L9SnJRbKh0e8NYl63EIIz6OKic3A3hH1BSMVbk_oBfMsajwniiPN1FBdXh2Lsfj4X3LaewAnVqORKbuX2pclmUKXavLc7Ikdxu3nh5kmda_HRCjshOok/s1600/IMG_5135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUexkFmjU2bNrObLWAzkh3RY7L9SnJRbKh0e8NYl63EIIz6OKic3A3hH1BSMVbk_oBfMsajwniiPN1FBdXh2Lsfj4X3LaewAnVqORKbuX2pclmUKXavLc7Ikdxu3nh5kmda_HRCjshOok/s1600/IMG_5135.JPG" height="181" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I also like the built in bookmark that can be tucked under at the bottom so there's never any fear of it falling out and it doesn't dangle out the bottom either.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
And if you enjoy taking notes when reading, there's a penholder and a pocket in the back where you could easily fit some notecards or a small notebook so you'll always have them to hand.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
In my opinion is a must for any book lover, its perfect for protecting those precious paperbacks and keeping your little book tools in one place.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQrZRzulWyepvSvAWuOu40Wm3ldfV2fk7puBBE7gz3EgTkjyZ3WD95zsSqYq5Qojl0qG5mu-sjkrifZtuSM4yPo2OxYlKWub1AfAEp_FJYiVV2N9lRC1ZpwaI7uaqPLNW1Ozx74QkzPr8/s1600/IMG_5133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQrZRzulWyepvSvAWuOu40Wm3ldfV2fk7puBBE7gz3EgTkjyZ3WD95zsSqYq5Qojl0qG5mu-sjkrifZtuSM4yPo2OxYlKWub1AfAEp_FJYiVV2N9lRC1ZpwaI7uaqPLNW1Ozx74QkzPr8/s1600/IMG_5133.JPG" height="200" width="175" /></a>Still not convinced? Here's a <a href="http://www.bagabook.com/book-covers">LINK</a> to the whole collection and enter the code BH020 for 20% off and be sure to check out the matching scarves, tote bags and iPad cases.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMP6N_cxZ2jFYKOxKl6BO_K4jVhyQIqKnjZ6c-c2Yz_zz6Hqcx6wel1kb5J8njPN-R3hGqOFkKSJgFc3Tn2zogmo2XvOv5vM2BFZv4WxyDA-4OO5xMTDyKIes2vxfcTHlHm7T-bkT3jY/s1600/1622652_706691756042234_1654687423_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMP6N_cxZ2jFYKOxKl6BO_K4jVhyQIqKnjZ6c-c2Yz_zz6Hqcx6wel1kb5J8njPN-R3hGqOFkKSJgFc3Tn2zogmo2XvOv5vM2BFZv4WxyDA-4OO5xMTDyKIes2vxfcTHlHm7T-bkT3jY/s1600/1622652_706691756042234_1654687423_n.jpg" height="196" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Find Bagabook</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://bagabook.com/">website</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.bagabook.com/newsletter/register">Newsletter</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Bagabookltd">Facebook</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/Bagabook">Twitter</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/bagabook/">Pinterest</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://instagram.com/bagabook">Instagram</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/117533808765107893028/posts">Google+</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-14170338804009443972015-01-02T11:50:00.002+00:002015-01-02T11:50:35.920+00:00Briar rose - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqOgxBup52JP_wpyJAhli_WOXfIwdw_TUXT6TL50b9WeDUkNcWLG6RKIdLq16AyAW1DnRAvV8BS7y4tJjdQor_5-NKAl3tZd4hQr4UBLkjTlyFRqNqP7BCPROwSDLzTk5m0foklU55p0E/s1600/17256087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqOgxBup52JP_wpyJAhli_WOXfIwdw_TUXT6TL50b9WeDUkNcWLG6RKIdLq16AyAW1DnRAvV8BS7y4tJjdQor_5-NKAl3tZd4hQr4UBLkjTlyFRqNqP7BCPROwSDLzTk5m0foklU55p0E/s1600/17256087.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17256087-briar-rose">Briar rose by Jana Oliver</a>Available now<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote style="text-align: left;">
<b>What's it about?</b>For Briar Rose, life is anything but a fairy tale. She's stuck in a small town in deepest Georgia with parents who won't let her out of their sight, a bunch of small-minded, gossiping neighbours and an evil ex who's spreading nasty rumours about what she may or may not have done in the back of his car. She's tired of it all, so when, on her sixteenth birthday, her parents tell her that she is cursed and will go to sleep for a hundred years when the clock strikes midnight, she's actually kind of glad to leave it all behind. She says her goodbyes, lies down, and closes her eyes . . . And then she wakes up. Cold, alone and in the middle of the darkest, most twisted fairy tale she could ever have dreamed of. Now Briar must fight her way out of the story that has been created for her, but she can't do it alone. She never believed in handsome princes, but now she's met one her only chance is to put her life in his hands, or there will be no happy ever after and no waking up.</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>My review</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINz8UMWoLra80eZfo4HnZAt2dRgRMnmdCft3raX4HCFVyO4lU8KWsRNHEwrCiNNeWRWseAKE9Q8SUn6jx-t0vFDI6-qgHP4CO6otNTFhvi99xtyMGKbjw2HWn9GrJ8yXxRGQEPoaCsTw/s1600/5s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINz8UMWoLra80eZfo4HnZAt2dRgRMnmdCft3raX4HCFVyO4lU8KWsRNHEwrCiNNeWRWseAKE9Q8SUn6jx-t0vFDI6-qgHP4CO6otNTFhvi99xtyMGKbjw2HWn9GrJ8yXxRGQEPoaCsTw/s1600/5s.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Picking up Briar rose, I wasn't sure what to expect from this modern day retelling of Sleeping beauty, I questioned how the fairy tale would fit into our world, but I needn't have worried because Oliver did a great job of making it seem believable.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Only a small portion is set in the present in Georgia, while the rest is set in Briar's dream, when, instead of dying she awakens in a literal fairy tale and must find a way to fight her way out if she wants to live.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I really loved this mix of reality and fairy tale, it gave the story a ring of truth and gave it all a magical feeling, while also being a completely new take on a classic story.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This is my first book by Jana Oliver and I found her writing to be on point throughout, the world building was great and imaginative, while still leaving room for me to daydream about how it looked as well.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I liked the characters and the back story and was pleasantly surprised at some twists that I hadn't been expecting and at Oliver's own little add ons to the story.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So, if you like your fairy tales dark and scary then I would recommend picking up Briar rose right away, its a great book set in a richly imagined world with some wonderful characters.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDU7TpOVbSUnnf10ITROzUFiwyAoq6kP21dwWzzTgvfqLkZDt-NKdm4vi7ctmRUg6ta_VEtColDq3GxOE3S7Dwkdq2uQrSgQJyyS99hxrpiXk9A8fOJKr6RXwFHw9xs0BbreVi8kE3VM/s1600/4105961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDU7TpOVbSUnnf10ITROzUFiwyAoq6kP21dwWzzTgvfqLkZDt-NKdm4vi7ctmRUg6ta_VEtColDq3GxOE3S7Dwkdq2uQrSgQJyyS99hxrpiXk9A8fOJKr6RXwFHw9xs0BbreVi8kE3VM/s1600/4105961.jpg" height="200" width="157" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Find the author</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.janaoliver.com/">Website</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/JanaOliver">Facebook</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/crazyauthorgirl">Twitter</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4105961.Jana_Oliver">Goodreads</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-5976593847014402752014-12-08T09:55:00.000+00:002014-12-08T09:55:03.745+00:00Blog tour: SeaRISE; Character book review of The time machine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_-j6SyjDyd_jD7xcfYhWBuE-iMgvuL-rDJYLMq78tf8s9wzxz0Cl_Q9y9o0U45L6JvrNv_L0j_5m0zxOKf2HE9xLQi6wF7nsBn3StP024GqLRSNvWBabS-g-YJsw2HriFMJzlg9B1ac/s1600/SeaRISE+blog+tour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_-j6SyjDyd_jD7xcfYhWBuE-iMgvuL-rDJYLMq78tf8s9wzxz0Cl_Q9y9o0U45L6JvrNv_L0j_5m0zxOKf2HE9xLQi6wF7nsBn3StP024GqLRSNvWBabS-g-YJsw2HriFMJzlg9B1ac/s1600/SeaRISE+blog+tour.jpg" height="108" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE2yIfzahyphenhyphenFQ-h9VC9rV1l-36dKRI3Gv4l6405t60vvuJFdgPD0EJsZU56jbxB80EDetLpTjlZlsMcv0MwKtTefSt0Uvq9i4gg-DZi8xiOwnptqfIAAsByV6GVvQB7Sjc5dhSwj3Rv1q8/s1600/22527789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE2yIfzahyphenhyphenFQ-h9VC9rV1l-36dKRI3Gv4l6405t60vvuJFdgPD0EJsZU56jbxB80EDetLpTjlZlsMcv0MwKtTefSt0Uvq9i4gg-DZi8xiOwnptqfIAAsByV6GVvQB7Sjc5dhSwj3Rv1q8/s1600/22527789.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22527789-the-time-machine">The Time Machine by H G Wells</a><br />
<br />
Review by Donald Ferguson, St Kilda, Scotland, 8th December 1918<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It was H G Wells and not Jules Vernes who wrote The Time Machine in 1895, just over a decade before I was born. For some reason I get those two authors mixed up. It’s a story about a man who builds a machine that can take him to the future. I was in the middle of reading it when something very strange happened, so strange in fact, that it’s taken me quite a while to get round to finishing the book.<br />
The Time Traveller in Wells’ story goes to a distant time in the future when there are two kinds of odd-looking humans on the Earth – the Eloi and the Morlocks. He rescues an Eloi girl called Weena, but as they are escaping they get caught up in a forest fire. Later when he gets back to his house in Richmond in Surrey in his own time, he proves to his friends he has been gone for ages in the future (even though he was only missing for 3 hours) by showing them two flowers that Weena had put in his pocket. But if you think that’s strange, then my story is even stranger.<br />
<br />
One day in May this year, when the war was still raging, I spotted two girls down on the beach. They seemed to emerge from a large black cube that I’d never seen before. It turned out the younger girl was called Alice, who said she was also from St Kilda, but 100 years into the future, and the older girl was actually a lady called Karla Ingermann, who is the Seabean’s (that’s the name of the black cube) inventor from Germany. They had a blue parrot with them too. My mum, Dora Ferguson, who is our teacher, was worried about it all, but I was very excited to meet some people from the future. Alice wore very strange clothes – Wellington boots with flowers on them, and a sweater that was made of a strange material patterned with rainbow-coloured stripes. She showed us inside the Seabean, and told us that she could command it to go anywhere. It was just bright white inside until Alice started singing an old Scottish sea shanty and then the Seabean started to display moving pictures of a sea voyage and you could hear the seagulls crying and everything. It was incredible! I persuaded my mother to let us go back in time like Alice had done, and in just a few moments we found ourselves at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851! There were elm trees growing inside a vast glass building, and the parrot who was called Spix flew up into the branches and then Alice picked up a seed that had dropped from one of the trees. We accidentally left the parrot behind, which was a shame, but Alice still had the seed in her pocket, just like the Time Traveller in Wells’ story.<br />
<br />
When we arrived back on St Kilda, at first it was the right place but the wrong time – instead of 1918 it was still 1851, and Alice realized she had made a mistake. However, when we finally arrived in 1918, our island was being attacked by a German U-boat. It was all very frightening. Alice and Karla were taken prisoner because the islanders thought they were spies. It’s a long story, but eventually I helped Alice to escape back to her time in the Seabean and she gave me the elm seed as a goodbye present. Now Karla has disappeared too. I still don’t know if she managed to find another Seabean, but now I wish that instead of going to the past I had gone with Alice to the future, like the time traveller in The Time Machine. I’d like to know what the future is like in 2018<br />
where she came from, and be able to tell her I planted the elm tree seed and that it’s started to grow.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Donald Ferguson features in SeaWAR, the prequel to SeaRISE by Sarah Holding.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihx90Lx0xHzKvjpV5oMDFdJxKo92OramibFRWnhLdkpSo1KE4FQeqGkt0f7P0ueiGsgVRIalJhIP0q79d6QCA-Nu49coGcnIJtZ-XecAHzG7r9dAPCk74sGaJ0xpzWmMp5X0BKszaI3mQ/s1600/SeaRISE+bookcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihx90Lx0xHzKvjpV5oMDFdJxKo92OramibFRWnhLdkpSo1KE4FQeqGkt0f7P0ueiGsgVRIalJhIP0q79d6QCA-Nu49coGcnIJtZ-XecAHzG7r9dAPCk74sGaJ0xpzWmMp5X0BKszaI3mQ/s1600/SeaRISE+bookcover.jpg" height="320" width="238" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23528346-searise?ac=1">SeaRISE by Sarah Holding</a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">
SeaBEAN Book three</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the thrilling final part of The SeaBEAN Trilogy, Alice and her five classmates are - for reasons they have yet to discover - abducted to 2118 in the C-Bean, their time-travel device, only to find the world is a difficult and alienating place. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: none; color: #181818; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><br style="background-color: none; color: #181818; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><span style="background-color: none; color: #181818; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">How will they survive their terrifying ordeal? Who can help them figure out a way to get back to their own time? Will they escape before their captor Commander Hadron catches up with them? Who is he anyway and what's his connection to the mysterious Dr Foster? </span><br style="background-color: none; color: #181818; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><br style="background-color: none; color: #181818; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><span style="background-color: none; color: #181818; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Unsettled by the devastation they find everywhere in the future and armed with new knowledge about the C-Bean's ultimate purpose, Alice and Co scour the planet, confronting many challenges in pursuit of answers to their questions. But can they figure out a way to restore the Earth's delicate ecological balance for good?</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: none; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRxtArLgA39wcbxYoDGKH3QZHc6ADEE4-NsGD4XCczjfhzDP-UYSVDf63ktcfuPu_h_lbeyuJBlTs0QpsXaLdqE9bcu2OXBbkK50dsFoyEqNm_t1ZXx_5hmb-yhnSrJ_tdCzdaU3b8FA/s1600/Sarah+Holding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRxtArLgA39wcbxYoDGKH3QZHc6ADEE4-NsGD4XCczjfhzDP-UYSVDf63ktcfuPu_h_lbeyuJBlTs0QpsXaLdqE9bcu2OXBbkK50dsFoyEqNm_t1ZXx_5hmb-yhnSrJ_tdCzdaU3b8FA/s1600/Sarah+Holding.jpg" height="200" width="185" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Find the author</span></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><a href="https://seabeantrilogy.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Website/Blog</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sarahholdingauthor">Facebook</a></span><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/SeaHolding"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Twitter</span></a>Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-2607977612551841582014-11-08T10:14:00.001+00:002014-11-08T10:14:37.575+00:00I was here - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wBmb6lzBcxmCJNpJbdLLWQQKeQqGpu5axIryhNrR74kVfTe0kS1JuJVOHth_IU2hBBpRpxXUs374B6_jg2QDeP4qF7K2SNvCAEz0oRJqHOy8aAOTO-5v7EAsT2spjv7_XQHDiIHgteo/s1600/I+Was+Here+High+Res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wBmb6lzBcxmCJNpJbdLLWQQKeQqGpu5axIryhNrR74kVfTe0kS1JuJVOHth_IU2hBBpRpxXUs374B6_jg2QDeP4qF7K2SNvCAEz0oRJqHOy8aAOTO-5v7EAsT2spjv7_XQHDiIHgteo/s1600/I+Was+Here+High+Res.jpg" height="320" width="205" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23362125-i-was-here">I was here by Gayle Forman</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Available 29th Jan 2014</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
simonandschuster.co.uk<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b><div style="text-align: left;">
<b>What's it about?</b></div>
</b><div style="text-align: left;">
When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything - so how was there no warning?</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open - until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>My review</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>I was here </i>is a sometimes sad but overall heartening story. While it explores the delicate subject of suicide, its just as much about Cody's journey in discovering just who she is and finding love in a very unexpected place.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As Cody follows the trail to find out just what was going on with her best friend in the time leading up to her suicide she feels a range of emotions which are bought forth really well in Forman's wonderful writing.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
She's understandably shocked to find out just how Meg was feeling and the things she never told her that she ends up forced to question her own feelings towards life and even thinks about suicide in ways she never imagined she would have before her best friend did it.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Cody also feels a lot of confusion as she tries to match up her memories of Meg to the person she is hearing about from people she's never met before and even from people she's known a long time. It's definitely a hard time for Cody as she blames herself, blames others for what happened until coming to an eventual acceptance and some kind of closure.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Not only is this a wonderful story, it feels truthful and would be thought provoking to anyone who knows little about suicide not to mention creating a little awareness to the dark side of the internet.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Just like previous novels from Gayle Forman, <i>I was here</i> did not disappoint me and I don't think it will disappoint other fans of her books.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jXRQK5ix0f2TT3tuQIIybmoUulVGhef85GEpylbnbFbsfKzg9VcJqlValki3oZKIF4rXdByUn4AytMbXhdhHD-HmcEmAN6IRznNaHRBjYbQJl5VYR85FUektcK9LoJ7k4LoQmcKYZJU/s1600/295178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jXRQK5ix0f2TT3tuQIIybmoUulVGhef85GEpylbnbFbsfKzg9VcJqlValki3oZKIF4rXdByUn4AytMbXhdhHD-HmcEmAN6IRznNaHRBjYbQJl5VYR85FUektcK9LoJ7k4LoQmcKYZJU/s1600/295178.jpg" height="200" width="148" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Find the author</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://gayleforman.com/">Website</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://gayleforman.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/GayleFormanAuthor">Facebook</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/gayleforman">Twitter</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/295178.Gayle_Forman">Goodreads</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-43686796990286150762014-10-20T14:24:00.000+01:002014-10-20T14:24:24.085+01:00Antigoddess - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlB8aO2lV3oWpEw4Nuka90RXEg0dhOLr934rbls4Z2a82B8yQYlP-8uN3HL7JIubPCdZ4oAplqSmU3Km91QQC2vwMbWSqTfk1mOZSUHQsEkk2M31kzTw4_FQ80FE-cXLUyprzd75LDjXA/s1600/18163294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlB8aO2lV3oWpEw4Nuka90RXEg0dhOLr934rbls4Z2a82B8yQYlP-8uN3HL7JIubPCdZ4oAplqSmU3Km91QQC2vwMbWSqTfk1mOZSUHQsEkk2M31kzTw4_FQ80FE-cXLUyprzd75LDjXA/s1600/18163294.jpg" height="320" width="209" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18163294-antigoddess">Anitgoddess by Kendare Blake</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Goddess war book one</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Available now</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
bookswithbite.co.uk<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b><div style="text-align: left;">
<b>What's it about?</b></div>
</b><div style="text-align: left;">
He was Apollo, the sun, and he'd burn down anything that tried to hurt her... Cassandra and Aidan are just your average high-school couple. Or so Cassandra believes. Blissfully unaware that she was once a powerful prophetess, Cassandra doesn't even know thats god exist... Until now.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Because the gods are dying - and Cassandra could hold the answer to their survival. But Aidan has a secret of his own. He is really Apollo, god of the sun, and he will do anything to protect the girl he loves from the danger that's coming for her. Even if it means war against his immortal family...</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; relentless action and suspense - ANTIGODDESS is the YA novel you've been waiting for.</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>My review</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
While my review for <i>Antigoddess </i>is positive it does come with a but. The book is well written, exciting, with interesting characters (Athena kicked butt.) BUT I was so disappointed by the end when nothing about the main plot gets explained.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The Gods are dying but they don't know why, they''re all fighting each other to stay alive but how do they know that will work when they don't know what's happening and how do they know if they're on the 'right' side. No effort is put in to finding a reason why, which I found incredibly frustrating.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Other than this though, the rest of the book was really good, there's a lot of action and plenty of references to Greek mythology stories, though it mainly focuses on the battle of Troy there are subtle references to other tales and each characters origin. As a lover of Greek mythology I was happy to see how well researched that side of the book had been and it was woven in well to the main story.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The book follows two perspectives in alternate chapters, firstly Athena and Hermes in a quest to find Cassandra and then Cassandra herself and her friends. I much preferred the chapters with Athena and Hermes over Cassandra, they had more action to them and I just preferred the characters, they were more complex and interesting. Cassandra and co just didn't have the same spark for me and I found myself rooting for Athena even though she does some questionable things.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The writing was pretty spot on too, I immediately felt engaged in the story and characters and was wrapped up in the world fairly quickly and despite feeling disappointed by the end that I had raced to get to, I know I'll be reading book two looking for more of the same and hoping for some answers.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLRiI4x-cnER4bqa1SxlhE8Ay9f5JsFpN5NfbxN1MP9efeXeTihNDeZdEdlxw9LwE0YANG3l3DGlUKnugFF-H6GrtpuGmHmEnhAaRlTI9Hs3jh1w8hoKA8FbxDK793szGtEJkmzsNxKc/s1600/4086715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLRiI4x-cnER4bqa1SxlhE8Ay9f5JsFpN5NfbxN1MP9efeXeTihNDeZdEdlxw9LwE0YANG3l3DGlUKnugFF-H6GrtpuGmHmEnhAaRlTI9Hs3jh1w8hoKA8FbxDK793szGtEJkmzsNxKc/s1600/4086715.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Find the author</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://kendareblake.com/">Blog</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/KendareBlake">Twitter</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4086715.Kendare_Blake">Goodreads</a></div>
<br />
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-19692071331739918662014-10-08T10:33:00.000+01:002014-10-08T10:33:12.491+01:00The 100 society - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkCbSTAI0snRyFtSW7PZF8SZ9p516lpfk7lZEb4SyWV8NwhS8PusymBZxRBxRruG50PUbkOzGO52r3bwQ3OfM2REAlSDYEBPZKT4Rg6jJFm8J2Ki8_t6g2fyf_yj7r_m1GKGn7Fa7z5U/s1600/21348317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkCbSTAI0snRyFtSW7PZF8SZ9p516lpfk7lZEb4SyWV8NwhS8PusymBZxRBxRruG50PUbkOzGO52r3bwQ3OfM2REAlSDYEBPZKT4Rg6jJFm8J2Ki8_t6g2fyf_yj7r_m1GKGn7Fa7z5U/s1600/21348317.jpg" height="320" width="208" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21348317-the-100-society">The 100 society by Carla Spradbery</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Available now</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
www.bookswithbite.co.uk<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><b>What's it about?</b></b></div>
<b>
</b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
For sixth-form student Grace Becker, The 100 Society is more than just a game; it's an obsession.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Having convinced her five friends at Clifton Academy to see it through to the end, Grace will stop at nothing to carry out the rules of the game: tagging 100 locations around the city. With each step closer to the 100-mark they get, the higher the stakes become. But when the group catches the attention of a menacing stalker - the Reaper - he seems intent on exposing their illegal game, tormenting Grace with anonymous threats and branding their dormitory doors with his ominous tag. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As the once tight-knit group slowly unravels, torn apart by doubt and the death of a student, they no longer know who to trust. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
With time running out, Grace must unmask the Reaper before he destroys everything she cares about for ever...</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>My review</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkjRl-YCYLDm3ISmkM0DBOGls-pBB0hxuPHBmzzsm8GuWVkTy7RTKOdgg2jFFtHEp6hQpc9Pq-ivHh6g48_0znl-uyMqgf_QLnZZlKMPH3l1eDuAObve7hTp8YEEFIK7P1cgFpFLUNNE/s1600/3s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkjRl-YCYLDm3ISmkM0DBOGls-pBB0hxuPHBmzzsm8GuWVkTy7RTKOdgg2jFFtHEp6hQpc9Pq-ivHh6g48_0znl-uyMqgf_QLnZZlKMPH3l1eDuAObve7hTp8YEEFIK7P1cgFpFLUNNE/s1600/3s.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>The 100 society </i>was is a difficult one to review for me because I both liked it and didn't. There's a good bit of mystery and some exciting twists but there also parts that didn't make any sense. Like the whole fact of the 100 society for instance, I mean I know its a secret society so there should be some mystery to it but we aren't given any clues as to who they are, how they work or what it means to join.<br />
And it doesn't make sense how you join, okay tagging 100 locations is simple enough but since Grace and her friends keep it secret and try to keep it out of the media, how are the society supposed to know its her and how come she's never approached by anyone? And I can't see why she's so determined to join anyway, her only reason is that they can get her into a good college, no promise of riches, future job security or even a prominent place in society, just something she could do herself by working hard in school instead of risking her life on graffiti.<br />
To me it just didn't make enough sense but I enjoyed the rest. Trying to figure out who the bad guy was and wondering what they might do next helped save this book but some of the timing was off, without giving too much away, at the end Grace leaves someone behind locked in a room, yet when she races off somewhere, they're there before her and there were other times when people managed to get somewhere or do something quicker than the time that seems to pass, it took away part of the believability of the story as a whole.<br />
However I did make it to the final page so that says something about the book too because if it had been terrible I wouldn't have made if far through before giving up and reading something else.</div>
So I'd say read it if your looking for a quick mystery where you don't have to think too much or if the finer details are not something that bother you.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZtVSxoFk2qgaJ1d9u5FILXwiq0-ZNBiyTL4Hx9bCQmVBkBnAyd5fdc7YgmnX1F4dQOemEfVZowWDVxB54DljCcAkWAwXD3bq2XlW9UCA_ybnSL7qVfcChcltyLuOCSgnxAW0bOMoRes/s1600/7257105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZtVSxoFk2qgaJ1d9u5FILXwiq0-ZNBiyTL4Hx9bCQmVBkBnAyd5fdc7YgmnX1F4dQOemEfVZowWDVxB54DljCcAkWAwXD3bq2XlW9UCA_ybnSL7qVfcChcltyLuOCSgnxAW0bOMoRes/s1600/7257105.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<b>Find the author</b><br />
<a href="http://www.carlaspradbery.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/carlaspradbery?fref=ts">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/carlaspradbery">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7257105.Carla_Spradbery">Goodreads</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-76247373007586991452014-10-03T09:19:00.000+01:002014-10-03T09:19:16.388+01:00Black ice - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIxaiNsUxKNaYVNaqkEPxXOLgQVqu4P78FkAp937Ck7GeZRcVGh5nmOtbLP5m1RasgSBDpMjJe2SiPErBi5b1ZKV8O_q0mGuqFcbGtq0P4t49qGVp8qKqLADxR3CHUdNzR-A-FxhvQJRg/s1600/22911276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIxaiNsUxKNaYVNaqkEPxXOLgQVqu4P78FkAp937Ck7GeZRcVGh5nmOtbLP5m1RasgSBDpMjJe2SiPErBi5b1ZKV8O_q0mGuqFcbGtq0P4t49qGVp8qKqLADxR3CHUdNzR-A-FxhvQJRg/s1600/22911276.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22911276-black-ice">Black ice by Becca Fitzpatrick</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Available October 7th 2014</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
kids.simonandschuster.co.uk<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><b>What's it about?</b></b></div>
<b>
</b>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Britt Pfeiffer has never been that adventurous, but that's about to change. Wanting to impress her ex-boyfriend, Britt convinces best friend, Korbie, to take a trekking trip with her. But when a freak storm leaves the girls stranded they seek shelter in a cabin, where they find two knights in shining armour. Or so they think.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Britt quickly realises that the girls need to get off the mountain, fast. In exchange for her life, she is forced to guide the boys down, and as they set out on a harrowing journey through the cold and snow, Britt realises the only way to escape with her life is to pretend she is on their side. But is gorgeous, sexy Mason an enemy or an ally? Tension mounts, and it's only a matter of time before things turn deadly . . .</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<centre><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="160" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/gczWEjrEttA" width="280"></iframe></centre>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>My review</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINz8UMWoLra80eZfo4HnZAt2dRgRMnmdCft3raX4HCFVyO4lU8KWsRNHEwrCiNNeWRWseAKE9Q8SUn6jx-t0vFDI6-qgHP4CO6otNTFhvi99xtyMGKbjw2HWn9GrJ8yXxRGQEPoaCsTw/s1600/5s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINz8UMWoLra80eZfo4HnZAt2dRgRMnmdCft3raX4HCFVyO4lU8KWsRNHEwrCiNNeWRWseAKE9Q8SUn6jx-t0vFDI6-qgHP4CO6otNTFhvi99xtyMGKbjw2HWn9GrJ8yXxRGQEPoaCsTw/s1600/5s.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I have to admit I was a little apprehensive about reading <i>Black ice</i>, the little I'd heard about it was particularly positive and while I have read Becca's <i>Hush, hush </i>series, its not one of my favourites. That being said, I am SO glad I picked up <i>Black ice </i>because I absolutely loved it! I was hooked pretty early on, even though Korbie got on my nerves pretty badly I was still intrigued and when she was gone I couldn't stop reading, I had to know how it ended.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
It's one of those books where you can't guess the end but once you get there, you realise just how many little clues were laid out for you along the way making it a very clever book.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Black ice </i>is filled with twists and turns that will surprise you and keep you guessing and flying through the pages until you find out exactly what the hell is going on.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I found the story to be believable, including the ending and even the romance was done well. Going into the book all I could think was how can anyone fall for their captor? No matter the circumstances, how can you see someone who has kidnapped you, for what ever reason in a romantic way? But it was all handled really well and at a good pace so we weren't rushed into an unbelievable insta-love which would have ruined it completely.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I'm not usually one for thrillers but <i>Black ice</i> is definitely an exception for me, one that I will be recommending to others looking for a thriller within the YA genre and I hope Becca writes more more books like it as I will be first in the queue for my copy when that happens.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAOmub_LgE6WZoc96XdCR7CFA7q7s-JhibfiF_QJTDEiAQL034rfj0kZ92lXcNiO5dKjtCEfFzXTqiG6nENZ-IjdusOPElcbROcdGrvTG0aL4VFAywY7LzHSWYaWikfgdJIQf26b9w1zM/s1600/2876763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAOmub_LgE6WZoc96XdCR7CFA7q7s-JhibfiF_QJTDEiAQL034rfj0kZ92lXcNiO5dKjtCEfFzXTqiG6nENZ-IjdusOPElcbROcdGrvTG0aL4VFAywY7LzHSWYaWikfgdJIQf26b9w1zM/s1600/2876763.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
<b>Find the author</b><br />
<a href="http://www.beccafitzpatrick.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="http://proudtobeya.blogspot.co.uk/">Blog</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/BeccaFitzpatrickFan">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/becfitzpatrick">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2876763.Becca_Fitzpatrick">Goodreads</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-20871321968979529722014-09-18T11:03:00.000+01:002014-09-18T11:03:51.906+01:00The winner's curse - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYT2cD9VA1tgFJuKFsLFX3-eyUrbt3UTTAgAsdL7P_ZetKna2Cq_TY2kqsxZVQ1NID47mGd7qxd-nhEjfzTOT2ARC-uc2mQSx8L7VhUUwj729cL0cns9Hkat034o6XjDf4f94BAVPvNYg/s1600/20947360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYT2cD9VA1tgFJuKFsLFX3-eyUrbt3UTTAgAsdL7P_ZetKna2Cq_TY2kqsxZVQ1NID47mGd7qxd-nhEjfzTOT2ARC-uc2mQSx8L7VhUUwj729cL0cns9Hkat034o6XjDf4f94BAVPvNYg/s1600/20947360.jpg" height="320" width="208" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20947360-the-winner-s-curse">The winner's curse by Marie Rutkoski</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The winner's trilogy book one</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Available now</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
bloomsbury.co.uk<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><b>What's it about?</b></b></div>
<b>
</b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Winning what you want may cost you everything you love.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>My review</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>The winner's curse </i>was a perfect mix of intrigue, politics and romance in a beautiful setting. It's everything a fantasy book should be and I really enjoyed it. I particularly liked that it was told from both of the main characters so that we really get to see both sides of the story here, as the General's daughter, Kestrel is in the social elite and as a slave, Arin is on the very bottom of the chain. It's your classic Romeo and Juliet forbidden love story but then it's also so much more than that and very well written. Although Kestrel is high in society, she's not the elitist princess you may be imagining, she's strong willed, passionate and independent, I liked her a lot, she's very smart and the kind of person you'd want as an ally, not an enemy. I liked Arin too and getting to understand the kind of hidden rage he has, something I don't think we'd have got to see at all had he been a secondary character in Kestrel's story, he has his own story to tell, something I hope to see more of in future books.<br />
The story itself is woven together extremely well, its not all as simple as it all seems at the start and as we burrow deeper into the world and the learn more about both the past and present, the plot thickens and you'll find yourself torn between two sides. It wasn't rushed and the end will leave you begging for more.<br />
Rutkoski writes a brilliant story with intriguing characters while simultaneously building a believable and complex world complete with a well described backdrop, a social hierarchy and a history.<br />
I really can't wait for book two and I can't guess at all what will happen next but I'm excited to find out.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NV0dXVV7k4HnSF3lz9m49WNnL2qGaDDjfIeqLtr8D0Zksx5IPQfn4q8FT0uYv6R6kgAdWLMiFHKL6TW1PabjmSqT-YLkZDlHJFM0ZVBXtVvXyyB1qaYUJhdgZKoS4tjFiEBsJjOKxis/s1600/1238111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NV0dXVV7k4HnSF3lz9m49WNnL2qGaDDjfIeqLtr8D0Zksx5IPQfn4q8FT0uYv6R6kgAdWLMiFHKL6TW1PabjmSqT-YLkZDlHJFM0ZVBXtVvXyyB1qaYUJhdgZKoS4tjFiEBsJjOKxis/s1600/1238111.jpg" height="200" width="183" /></a></div>
<b>Find the author</b><br />
<a href="http://marierutkoski.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MarieRutkoskiYA">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/marierutkoski">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="http://instagram.com/MarieRutkoski">Instagram</a><br />
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/mariekrutkoski/">Pinterest</a><br />
<a href="http://marierutkoski.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1238111.Marie_Rutkoski">Goodreads</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-1059147007829455302014-08-12T09:54:00.000+01:002014-08-12T09:54:05.518+01:00Dylan's amazing dinosaurs: The Stegosaurus - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyktPG0gG603OOdC3C0bQTiAq_xX3G3N0LQfO7hydLSKrl2a0LcFUfNeD2bojxjzo4B9kous2k6gaxTb2MuXFxBFVEhjufyi6g3bpjMSIn7QLDt3fbnsbbK33nGoHVrTGiVLSPYvzgvE/s1600/18870165.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibyktPG0gG603OOdC3C0bQTiAq_xX3G3N0LQfO7hydLSKrl2a0LcFUfNeD2bojxjzo4B9kous2k6gaxTb2MuXFxBFVEhjufyi6g3bpjMSIn7QLDt3fbnsbbK33nGoHVrTGiVLSPYvzgvE/s1600/18870165.jpg" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18870165-dylan-s-amazing-dinosaurs---the-stegosaurus?ac=1">Dylan's amazing dinosaurs: The Stegosaurus by E.T. Harper</a> </div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Published by <a href="http://simonandschuster.co.uk%20/">Simon and Schuster</a>.</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><b>What's it about?</b></b></div>
<b>
</b>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Join Dylan on his amazing dinosaur mission</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Dylan loves exploring and learning all about dinosaurs. In his amazing treehouse he has a magic journal. Every time he opens it awesome things happen - even his toy pterodactyl comes to life! They fly off on dinosaur discovery missions to the Land of Living Dinosaurs. This time they are he has to discover what secret weapon a stegosaurus has.</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Review</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If your little one is a fan of dinosaurs then they're going to love this book. Its full of facts about the Stegosaurus, lovely illustrations and a nice little story to showcase the facts given about this particular dinosaur, plus it solves one little mystery about the creature at the end. It's a fun book, worth adding to your little ones collection and follows in a similar series, each book focused on a different dinosaur, I haven't seen those ones for myself but judging by this one, I'd guess they're just as good.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's lovely and colourful and comes with a pop up dinosaur for them to play with, creating extra fun, I will definitely be looking out for the other books in this series for my little boy who really enjoyed listening to me read this one to him and pointing out the pictures.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-87874678711490676472014-08-11T12:44:00.000+01:002014-08-11T12:44:19.388+01:00Better than perfect - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1hQxReLQC6ZRODepnM5Ovu0CsQF_b3XPxbLcZr4EYvu80QzhJog15Hw_6o6VHc1LoHp2e2WvYGk1NJz7en_I_Xi1m90S3yt6nSyEmGpB88DsJf0cLWb9032ZvUGgbNgVO0hEQUYhvr0k/s1600/17286787.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1hQxReLQC6ZRODepnM5Ovu0CsQF_b3XPxbLcZr4EYvu80QzhJog15Hw_6o6VHc1LoHp2e2WvYGk1NJz7en_I_Xi1m90S3yt6nSyEmGpB88DsJf0cLWb9032ZvUGgbNgVO0hEQUYhvr0k/s1600/17286787.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17286787-better-than-perfect">Better than perfect by Simone Elkeles</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Wild cards book one</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Available now</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
bloomsbury.co.uk<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><b>What's it about?</b></b></div>
<b>
</b>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Ashtyn's life just got complicated. Her boyfriend is being distant and her sister's back at home after ten years - with a stepson in tow!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Derek has a perfect body, THE sexiest smile and a car - Ashtyn's only way to escape from her crazy life. But Derek likes to play by his own rules and is keen to take Ashtyn on a ride she'll never forget. As they spend more and more time alone together, will Derek's flirty games drive Ashtyn wild?</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>My review</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkjRl-YCYLDm3ISmkM0DBOGls-pBB0hxuPHBmzzsm8GuWVkTy7RTKOdgg2jFFtHEp6hQpc9Pq-ivHh6g48_0znl-uyMqgf_QLnZZlKMPH3l1eDuAObve7hTp8YEEFIK7P1cgFpFLUNNE/s1600/3s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkjRl-YCYLDm3ISmkM0DBOGls-pBB0hxuPHBmzzsm8GuWVkTy7RTKOdgg2jFFtHEp6hQpc9Pq-ivHh6g48_0znl-uyMqgf_QLnZZlKMPH3l1eDuAObve7hTp8YEEFIK7P1cgFpFLUNNE/s1600/3s.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
While <i>Better than perfect </i>was a perfectly good read I didn't find that it held the same kind of tension as the Perfect chemistry series, the only other other series by this author that I've read. I was completely hooked to those books so of course was excited when I had the chance to read her new book and admit the bar was set pretty high for me after reading some of her previous work. But anyway, perhaps I shouldn't be comparing it to her other books and just review it for what it is.<br />
<i>Better than perfect </i>was a fun read with a believable, imperfect love story. I've read many stories where the characters start off hating each other only to realise that they're actually in love and were confusing their emotions. It can get annoying and sometimes it doesn't work but in this case it did, I appreciate that Elkeles was trying to build up a tension with the two characters arguing a lot but sometimes it did feel a little flat and I didn't feel the sexual tension between them. But I enjoyed the story and read through the book quickly and will certainly be reading more in the series as they become available.<br />
I really liked Ashtyn, she wasn't a typical heroine, she plays (American) football and can hold her own which is always something I admire in female characters, I'm not one for damsels in distress and Ashtyn certainly wasn't one of them, she has a strong head and is dedicated to her sport, not to mention how she faces the struggle of being a girl in a boys world, for example, when she goes to football camp, she is literally the only girl there, the boys don't want her and she spends a lot of the book being told football is not for girls, which just isn't true. I'm glad she was strong enough to stand up for herself and continues to keep trying.<br />
Derek was a good protag too but I was definitely more team Ashtyn in this one.<br />
The writing was just the quality that you'd expect from Simone Elkeles, she knows how to get to the heart of a characters emotions and I always felt like I knew what everyone was feeling which sometimes had me near screaming at the book when they were both trying to deny their emotions to themselves when it was clear as day.<br />
I'd recommend this to any fans of the other or anyone just looking for a summer read, its a perfect beach book for your holidays.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHWuRmgYcFEO6mWDRmlRw3RiTATM0iQ3oLl0Dh1c90cJQRPOMwyR_QuH25uStAFcDkBxxCtFMzv_cD6EXbG-tX907GBorBxpSktnNMe7xxwL-eNVSqBU6XRlYJPh_t27zApHdoq8wvLo/s1600/274533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHWuRmgYcFEO6mWDRmlRw3RiTATM0iQ3oLl0Dh1c90cJQRPOMwyR_QuH25uStAFcDkBxxCtFMzv_cD6EXbG-tX907GBorBxpSktnNMe7xxwL-eNVSqBU6XRlYJPh_t27zApHdoq8wvLo/s1600/274533.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
<b>Find the author</b><br />
<a href="http://simoneelkeles.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Simone-Elkeles-Fan-Page/101698336559632">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/simoneelkeles">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/selkeles?feature=results_main">YouTube</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/274533.Simone_Elkeles">Goodreads</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-37446182929071134032014-08-04T07:00:00.000+01:002014-08-04T07:00:02.004+01:00Mr Brown can moo! Can you? - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJRf4uMTVi1M0RIslyh4SYleHBZQJ4jQzxV6JEHB-Uih8_DM9_D9yosuFAVFOaQMdirMisZi6ucUhV0FE0wSU5hrD6yzaTMnxqeUKr-r7f4x593pR64OUIyQIxTjcVR2DZcAm0is0qlI/s1600/21947995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJRf4uMTVi1M0RIslyh4SYleHBZQJ4jQzxV6JEHB-Uih8_DM9_D9yosuFAVFOaQMdirMisZi6ucUhV0FE0wSU5hrD6yzaTMnxqeUKr-r7f4x593pR64OUIyQIxTjcVR2DZcAm0is0qlI/s1600/21947995.jpg" height="320" width="228" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21947995-mr-brown-can-moo-can-you">Mr. Brown can moo! Can you? by Dr Seuss</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Moo moo! Hoo hoo! Cock-a-doodle-doo! Oh, the wonderful sounds Mr. Brown can do. Now see if you can do them too! This fabulous book is ideal for teaching young children all about noises!</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Review</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINz8UMWoLra80eZfo4HnZAt2dRgRMnmdCft3raX4HCFVyO4lU8KWsRNHEwrCiNNeWRWseAKE9Q8SUn6jx-t0vFDI6-qgHP4CO6otNTFhvi99xtyMGKbjw2HWn9GrJ8yXxRGQEPoaCsTw/s1600/5s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiINz8UMWoLra80eZfo4HnZAt2dRgRMnmdCft3raX4HCFVyO4lU8KWsRNHEwrCiNNeWRWseAKE9Q8SUn6jx-t0vFDI6-qgHP4CO6otNTFhvi99xtyMGKbjw2HWn9GrJ8yXxRGQEPoaCsTw/s1600/5s.jpg" /></a></div>
This may be an old one but that doesn't make it any less fun. Me and the kids had fun making all the animal and other noises, doing them in the order they are in the book and trying to do them quickly and with silly voices. You can do so much more with this book than just read it, there's lots of fun to be had and I think its a perfect example of why Dr Suess' books have stood the test of time and are loved by many.<br />
Although this is a new edition, I like that the original artwork has been kept as its a big part of what makes it recognisable as a Dr Seuss book and I couldn't imagine the artwork being any different.<br />
This is one to add to your children's collection, both for them and yourself.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtif6IpJoekzucPKGOiQeL_au9sYXlx4Ru7nB-GjvihT69sBBJxSEc8h9VezVwQ091qtTUkZlTFQYBFXIout8454lCuVXHkfVsgIOu11KedlAX-DtIHB6LLFWA27wQU2l2pGGmyySZBI/s1600/61105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtif6IpJoekzucPKGOiQeL_au9sYXlx4Ru7nB-GjvihT69sBBJxSEc8h9VezVwQ091qtTUkZlTFQYBFXIout8454lCuVXHkfVsgIOu11KedlAX-DtIHB6LLFWA27wQU2l2pGGmyySZBI/s1600/61105.jpg" height="200" width="153" /></a></div>
<b>Find out more about the author</b><br />
<a href="http://www.seussville.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/DrSeussBooks">Facebook</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/seussville">Twitter</a><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/61105.Dr_Seuss">Goodreads</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVZqcCXLAkWXmd-hbUTKQcGhNNi09RgIHeuQt8aDz467b6mZTq64U6kUw7KD2_HrzJroks6Wrtbxf_aCj61VseTD-sMWugjAZg-HAPnuJEQU4PR3khEhCvnFKbsxM_Gqg-hk2n4ZQexE/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVZqcCXLAkWXmd-hbUTKQcGhNNi09RgIHeuQt8aDz467b6mZTq64U6kUw7KD2_HrzJroks6Wrtbxf_aCj61VseTD-sMWugjAZg-HAPnuJEQU4PR3khEhCvnFKbsxM_Gqg-hk2n4ZQexE/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-65494923961416868072014-07-31T10:00:00.001+01:002014-07-31T10:00:16.042+01:00Divergent official illustrated movie companion - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIfOFbOkSLbiQUc-LdcO-dEj1hajVw97pjYhAXJNIEAvUGLfl8SVaZAjht8FArkq49xAeBLagzbpSngCHo_pR-yM0TvlTOmubrhOBloVDQD1k-38_DSBzWk_BsPl-JdGYGsoINWnQZOU/s1600/21276870.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIfOFbOkSLbiQUc-LdcO-dEj1hajVw97pjYhAXJNIEAvUGLfl8SVaZAjht8FArkq49xAeBLagzbpSngCHo_pR-yM0TvlTOmubrhOBloVDQD1k-38_DSBzWk_BsPl-JdGYGsoINWnQZOU/s1600/21276870.jpg" height="320" width="249" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21276870-the-divergent-official-illustrated-movie-companion">Divergent: Official illustrated movie companion by Kate Egan</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Available now</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
harpercollins.co.uk<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><b>What's it about?</b></b></div>
<b>
</b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
With never-before-seen photos; personal interviews with the directors, actors, and writers; and exclusive extras, this lush, oversize volume is a true behind-the-scenes look at the filming of Divergent.</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Review</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" /></a></div>
The illustrated movie companion for the <i>Divergent </i>movie is full of beautiful images from the movie and behind the scenes. It also has some really interesting insight into what went into making the movie, like building the sets and even how much difficulty they had casting Four, I for one can say I'm glad they waited until the found the perfect actor because I couldn't imagine anyone other than Theo James playing him.<br />
I definitely think this book would make the perfect little extra for fans of the movie and/or books who want to know a little more of how making <i>Divergent </i>into a movie became a reality and its amazing to see just how dedicated the whole team were in being true to the book and the lengths they went to, to make sure the sets were perfect. It makes you realise that they didn't just make the movie for themselves but for the fans too whom they also used as extras in some scenes, something I didn't know.<br />
So, if you're looking for something to tide you over while you're waiting for the DVD release so you can watch <i>Divergent </i>again, I 'd recommend picking this up, if for no more reason than there are full page pictures of Four in it!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMDzhl-ODXs36gmehgvlfaY7ObMc6hZny18eBwRkUzz2pR09kh4bCeHSdxXrwoW92aEV52Qj1k11qb-PO2OTMJciYGmaXDvlhfiFVY6wGOj4tnrBWqyT0VJx5iGnQ6Jr1hlM4HYWx9C8/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-15957565609478226202014-07-18T08:57:00.002+01:002014-07-18T08:57:52.451+01:00Inside Divergent; The intiate's world - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLHF4aSTWQ18ae8PmdOSJ0C3sPs-IqIHca-aukkIMfYk5LtfiCankjDHYYQ5r18-L4-kzhB4NXxMaU6mGkltpe2LTBIbad1b1zvOHsXN-H47sQs9d1JxSni_WITsB-jKCFnzx5DihFxA/s1600/18498576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLHF4aSTWQ18ae8PmdOSJ0C3sPs-IqIHca-aukkIMfYk5LtfiCankjDHYYQ5r18-L4-kzhB4NXxMaU6mGkltpe2LTBIbad1b1zvOHsXN-H47sQs9d1JxSni_WITsB-jKCFnzx5DihFxA/s1600/18498576.jpg" height="320" width="208" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18498576-inside-divergent?ac=1">Inside Divergent: The intitate's world by Cecilia Bernard</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Available now</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
www.harpercollins.co.uk </div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><b>What's it about?</b></b></div>
<b>
</b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
This eye-catching volume takes you inside the film version of Divergent. With more than 100 photographs—many never before seen—Inside Divergent will immerse you in the thrilling dystopian world of futuristic Chicago, where you'll meet the initiates and discover the factions.</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Review</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dRwbN2SH3coGiZp-PZEgistgRJ4v1_ZLC_-idVd95Cn0fYuWBP8uwk3dkSG2MNZMZ_gX3mppWKr4Wi1bVkS1XNK9-A8MmlVz7Kj_SXxKBPzjndgm2fA_x9-_woP1fvw24gidkP-j5t0/s1600/4s.jpg" /></a></div>
This is a nice little extra for fans of the movie, although if you've read the books then don't expect to learn anything new as it only covers the basics about the factions and main characters. But it comes with some lovely glossy pictures from the movie and is still worth a look through. I particularly liked the pictures in the last section which is about Dauntless because you get to see up close some of the extra little details that went into the set for the movie and its all as I imagined. I liked the little character profiles and what's not to like about a full page picture of Four?<br />
So I'd certainly say give this a peruse even if you're a huge fan and know all the details, it won't take long to read and will sit pretty next to your collection of the books. Its also a great intro into the world if your not familiar with it or if you need reminding of a few facts if you haven't read the book in a while and want to brush up before watching the movie.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVZqcCXLAkWXmd-hbUTKQcGhNNi09RgIHeuQt8aDz467b6mZTq64U6kUw7KD2_HrzJroks6Wrtbxf_aCj61VseTD-sMWugjAZg-HAPnuJEQU4PR3khEhCvnFKbsxM_Gqg-hk2n4ZQexE/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVZqcCXLAkWXmd-hbUTKQcGhNNi09RgIHeuQt8aDz467b6mZTq64U6kUw7KD2_HrzJroks6Wrtbxf_aCj61VseTD-sMWugjAZg-HAPnuJEQU4PR3khEhCvnFKbsxM_Gqg-hk2n4ZQexE/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2935126713842603340.post-57333956360492686582014-07-17T11:10:00.000+01:002014-07-17T11:10:25.410+01:00Trust games - Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<blockquote style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBh5JVfzvOXPgqVQQu5QZl5njl6jJPYdvo3TmeziaxWCCL3BB72HdR71aTCHa1lBitMivtvxPxO84G_NbWDkT_-I3CHJxz23mgOsnjTY71RWV113nUoU1JFA9-GSa3kWge9hZ3oUubTbU/s1600/image024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBh5JVfzvOXPgqVQQu5QZl5njl6jJPYdvo3TmeziaxWCCL3BB72HdR71aTCHa1lBitMivtvxPxO84G_NbWDkT_-I3CHJxz23mgOsnjTY71RWV113nUoU1JFA9-GSa3kWge9hZ3oUubTbU/s1600/image024.jpg" height="320" width="208" /></a>Trust games by Simon Packham<br />Available now<br />piccadillypress.co.uk<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></blockquote>
<blockquote style="text-align: left;">
<b>What's it about?</b>When kind, charismatic new drama teacher, Mr Moore, arrives at school, Beth s life starts to look up. She s cast as the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, and as she grows close to super-popular Hannah (Juliet), Beth finally has the female friend she s been yearning for. Meanwhile it seems that all the girls including Beth are in love with Mr Moore. And when a scandal breaks, Beth must make a decision that can only have dire consequences for everyone involved.</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>My review</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkjRl-YCYLDm3ISmkM0DBOGls-pBB0hxuPHBmzzsm8GuWVkTy7RTKOdgg2jFFtHEp6hQpc9Pq-ivHh6g48_0znl-uyMqgf_QLnZZlKMPH3l1eDuAObve7hTp8YEEFIK7P1cgFpFLUNNE/s1600/3s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkjRl-YCYLDm3ISmkM0DBOGls-pBB0hxuPHBmzzsm8GuWVkTy7RTKOdgg2jFFtHEp6hQpc9Pq-ivHh6g48_0znl-uyMqgf_QLnZZlKMPH3l1eDuAObve7hTp8YEEFIK7P1cgFpFLUNNE/s1600/3s.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I've got to be honest, when I first started <i>Trust games </i>I wasn't really into it, there's no particular depth to the writing and I didn't like Beth at all. But I continued because I wanted to see how it handled such a sensitive subject and its pretty short so I knew I'd read it quickly.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
After turning the last pages I feel myself conflicted, see, I kept turning the pages, the story felt true to life and I wanted to see what happened but at the same time I wish the book had more to it, that it was written better. I just felt like everything could've been explored more and that the dialogue left something to be desired, but then maybe I'm just too used to reading American books because even when I read British books by British authors, the slang always sounds off to me because I know me and my friends don't talk like that in reality. Either way it makes it hard to figure out if that's just a personal problem for me, who knows.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Anyway, I mentioned before I wasn't a fan of Beth, there was something so pathetic about her and she was so sullen, I'm not sure why Grunt was friends with her at all, even if they'd known each other since they were kids. I also wish we'd got to know Mr Moore better because I couldn't see the attraction to him at all except that he was young and good looking, all Beth knows about him is that he likes poetry and The cure. Becuase of this, the characters and their actions didn't always ring true but the story itself did, it was really something that could happen exactly like that in reality. And Beth's final action at the end of the book did something towards redeeming her character and I liked that she at least went a way to fixing the other relationships in her life that she seemed pretty blind to, and selfish about, at the start of the book.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
What I did like about this book was how it explored the content, obviously its about a teacher and student relationship of the forbidden kind. I was glad it, at least briefly, explored a difference of opinion between the characters outside of the relationship, everyone was trying to find somewhere to place the blame but the ultimate message of the book was that no matter if the young girl said yes and thought she was in love, Mr Moore was completely in the wrong, as the adult, he was taking advantage of a young girl and should have been the one to stop it from happening, something I agree with whole heartedly.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So all in all, I'd recommend this for a quick read but don't expect it to change your life, well unless you're thinking about sleeping with your teacher, then it'll show you why not to!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegwXy8g8ib0yR_GjBkOV5zg_a6ku8BJLSObS_9noMzBlmh0o4JxtOva56nrAwIUQrA613cG4JgtzMM4sTKz3PhREVovZYKt7B87BAzkFFiTxVtvt8JdHaoIJc0Fr3y2O2iKw4DB2T73Q/s1600/Three+sheds(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegwXy8g8ib0yR_GjBkOV5zg_a6ku8BJLSObS_9noMzBlmh0o4JxtOva56nrAwIUQrA613cG4JgtzMM4sTKz3PhREVovZYKt7B87BAzkFFiTxVtvt8JdHaoIJc0Fr3y2O2iKw4DB2T73Q/s1600/Three+sheds(1).JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Find the author</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.simonpackham.com/">Website</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/baldambitions">Twitter</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2522153.Simon_Packham">Goodreads</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVZqcCXLAkWXmd-hbUTKQcGhNNi09RgIHeuQt8aDz467b6mZTq64U6kUw7KD2_HrzJroks6Wrtbxf_aCj61VseTD-sMWugjAZg-HAPnuJEQU4PR3khEhCvnFKbsxM_Gqg-hk2n4ZQexE/s1600/mist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVZqcCXLAkWXmd-hbUTKQcGhNNi09RgIHeuQt8aDz467b6mZTq64U6kUw7KD2_HrzJroks6Wrtbxf_aCj61VseTD-sMWugjAZg-HAPnuJEQU4PR3khEhCvnFKbsxM_Gqg-hk2n4ZQexE/s1600/mist.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Tipsy Mistyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357250634424024592noreply@blogger.com0