Faery tales and nightmares - Review

Faery tales and nightmares by Melissa Marr
Available now.
www.harpercollins.co.uk

What's it about?
An enthralling collection of short stories featuring favourite characters from Melissa Marr’s bestselling WICKED LOVELY series.

Dangerous promises and beguiling threats swirl together in a dozen stories of enchantments, dark and light, by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr. Uncanny and unexpected creatures appear from behind bushes, rise from under the seas, or manifest from seasonal storms to pursue the objects of their attention – with amorous or sinister intent – relentlessly. From the gentle tones of a storyteller’s cadences to the terror of a blood sacrifice, tales of favourite characters from Marr’s Wicked Lovely novels mix with accounts of new characters for readers to fall in love with . . . or to fear. Lush, seductive, and chilling, Melissa Marr’s stories revel in the unseen magic that infuses the world as we know it.

My review

You already know I'm not one for anthologies and short stories but I wanted to give this one a go because all the stories are written by one author who also just happens to be on my favourite list of authors so I could hardly say no could I?
Not only did I enjoy it but it's actually the first anthology I've made it to the end of! I love Marr's beautiful writing and ate up the Wicked Lovely series as each book came out and this is a must for fans of that series.
 If you haven't read Marr's previous works I'd recommend it before reading this book as half the stories are told from the world and characters of the Wicked lovely series and whilst they could be enjoyed without reading it you might feel like you're missing something and some are set after or quite late into the series which means massive spoilers if you're planning to read the series after.
Though I'd peviously bought Love struck, Stopping time and Old habits on my Kindle for some reason I hadn't got to reading them yet, even though two out of three include my ultimate book crush ever, Niall *sigh* So it's nice now to have the three together in one paperback.
There are a total of eleven stories ranging from three pages to ninety four in length and whilst I would admit I've read more exciting short stories I did enjoy them all, the amazing writing I loved from her previous series is present throughout and paints a wonderful picture with each story, short and long.
I don't have a clear favourite, though stopping time is certainly a front runner as it involves Niall a lot!
The shorter stories, however, feel more like ideas for something bigger or simple daydreams but even so they are uniquely imaginative and leave me with curiosity for more.
And there are so many themes packed into this lovely bundle, I loved the darkness of Transistion, the whimsical feel of Flesh for comfort and of course revisting characters I already know in Old habits, stopping time, Cotton candy skies, unexpected family and Merely mortal.

My thoughts on the cover
I really like this cover and think it portrays the book wonderfully, the puffy white skirt give you the feel of Faery tales but the darkness surrounding it and the stark trees give the idea of the dark tone that comes with most stories.

Favourite quotes

'She imagined that his breath was warm because he'd drained the life out of someone, because he'd just come from taking the final drops of life out of some horrible person.' - From Transistion.

'And Irial smiled at her, as beautiful and deadly as he'd always been. King or not, he was still a force to fear.' - From Old habits

Find the author
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Discussion - Erotica

Do you remember that episode of Friends, when Joey finds Rachel's erotic novel and when she embarrassingly try's to explain he declares, 'You've got porn!'
Do you think if that episode was made today it would be different? Because I can't help noticing lately how open we've become about what we're reading, especially with 'Fifty shades of grey' by E.L. James hitting the shelves recently, not to mention topping best seller lists all over the place.
Is it becoming more socially acceptable to discuss the books you'd normally read behind closed doors?
I admit that until recently my solitary 'dirty book,' which was bought hidden amongst packs of gum and magazines, was tucked out of sight behind my bookshelf. But now my copy of 'fifty' sits proudly on the shelf and I'm happy to share the erotic novels and stories I'm buying or grabbing for free from amazon in 'On my Kindle' posts and on goodreads.
So when did my attitude change? Honestly, I'm not sure, but as other people have become more open I've found I'm happy to be just as honest as they are.
And with new blogs and websites solely dedicated to discussing erotica popping up and more adult authors joining social networks to promote their work it's getting much easier to find outlets to talk about these books and no one is embarrassed to state their preferences. In fact, Entangled publishing, even have blog tours for their new adult releases and more ya authors are turning their hand to writing more adult themed books and short stories. And they have much prettier covers than the semi-nudey covers that are usually associated with Erotica.
These books aren't just 'Dirty books' either - well ok, some are! - they have stories to them, they have just as much character development and world building as other books and there's such a wealth of choice that it's easy for anyone interested in trying the genre to find something to their preference.
Sure, there are full on 'Hardcore' books that are full of sex and little story but there are also softer books more focused on the story that just happen to have sex in them and ones that are set at a happy medium, and there are books written for every sexual preference/fantasy there is.
My personal tastes extend to BDSM (Bondage&Dominance, Dominance&Submission, Sadism&Masochism) and girl on girl. (Thats right, I said it!)
But all this leads me to ask why do we read erotic literature?
Is it just something to giggle over a glass of wine with the girls? Does it help make the story? Do we feel closer to our characters when we see them get down and dirty? Or is it a way to explore fantasies we wouldn't think to act on in the real world? A way to get something different and exciting without actually doing it?
Yeah, I enjoy reading girl on girl but I don't plan to pursue an encounter with another female, or to let a man have his wicked way with me whilst I'm blindfolded (well, maybe!) it's purely the realm of fantasy for me when I read these books, why would I want to read something with plain old boring straight missionary sex when I can get that whenever I like? Sure, in a romance novel I don't mind because it's part of the story but when I'm looking for something racier I want it to be unexpected, heated and down right dirty!
And if you're wondering about the book I kept hidden behind the bookshelf, it was Dark surrender by Kim Knight.

What's your take on the genre? Do you read erotic novels? What are your preferences?

If you're shy, you can comment as anonymous :)

Whilst all opinions are welcome, hateful, non-constructive comments will simply be deleted.

Sunday treats (1)

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

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

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

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

And here's this weeks guy.

If you don't know already, this is Channing Tatum he played John in the movie version of Dear John by Nicholas Sparks and was more recently in the film adaptation of The vow by Kim Carpenter and Krickitt Carpenter.

Showcase Saturday (1)

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

As you can see I've renamed it since I always post on Saturdays :)

30th Apr - 6th May

I decided to do pictures this week instead of a video so I could get it done this afternoon and relax tonight :)

Here's the group shot :p

For review

Black dawn by Rachel Caine - I love this series so excited to get to the latest instalment and I'm even more excited because I'm going to a signing next weekend!

Winging it by Deborah Cooke - Am currently halfway through book one so I have this for right after :)

New girl by Paige Harbison - I enjoyed her first book so I'm excited for this, my tour stop is the 15th.

The glimpse by Claire Merle - Sounds good!

Temptation island by Victoria Fox - Hadn't realised this was 600+ pages or else I'd have said no! lol sounds like a fun summer read though.

Swapped

Girl parts by John M. Cusick - This one sounds good to :)

Bought

Pretties, Specials and Extras by Scott Westerfeld - So I was out shopping this week for my Daughters birthday and ended up in the works where I of course picked up 3 for £5! I already have Uglies but with a different cover nooooooooo!

One or two things I learned about love by Dyan Sheldon

How to keep a boy as a pet by Diane Messidoro - And today I visted WH Smith where it's buy one, get one half price so I picked up these two, the second one sounds really fun :)

What books did you get this week?

Same difference (27)

You have seven messages by Stewart Lewis and

The miracle girls by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt

A miracle girls novel, book one.

As you can see, there's little difference between these to except Seven messages has a phone on the windowsill so I couldn't pick a favourite, I do like the text of The miracle girls though but I think I prefer the darker colours of Seven messages, the other looks a bit washed out.

What do you think?

On my Kindle (1)

'On my Kindle' is a meme hosted by Siobhan at Totally Bookalicious, it's similar to book hauls but it's for sharing the ebooks we've gotten.

 25th Apr - 2nd May

Its been a while since I've gotten any ebooks but I got a few over the last few days so I thought I would join in :)

Here's what I got:

Amazon freebies

Chameleon by Cidney Swanson

Stolen by Jinx Jamison

Bought

Seducing Sarah by Jinx Jamison

Netgalley

Crimson rising by Nick James

What did you get this week?

UK vs THE WORLD! (22)

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

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

UK                         vs.                       US

The hunt Andrew Fukuda

The hunt book one.

Mist: I really like they style of the US cover but the UK cover has that hot guy, making it hard to choose a favourite! lol The contrasting pictures on the US cover are really cool, it gives a sense of a secure 'inside' and a scary 'outside', I also like how the (I think) Zombies are in the background in the UK cover and the guy on the cover has a fierce confidence that they don't bother him, ahh they're both great but I think forced to choose I'd go US!

Ninfa: Oh I really like the US cover. The ripped paper feel, the scene playing at the bottom, it's all very intriguing and atmospheric. I love the couple on the cliff.
The guy on the UK cover is kinda hot, with the intense gaze going on, and I like the tagline, but I seem to prefer the US cover this time :)

UK                         vs.                     Spain

Poison heart by S.B. Hayes
('Detrás de ti' translates to 'Behind you.' - According to Google translate.)

Mist: UK, no contest! I do like the Spanish cover, the colours are really nice and the bit of fire on the bottom is cool but the UK cover, I love the blue, the vines, the text, it's great!

Ninfa: Oh I really like both covers, but I think my favourite has to be the UK one :)
I love the creepy feeling of the Spanish cover, it kinda makes me feel like I'm looking at Snow White's evil Stepmother, but the UK cover is really haunting, with the vines creeping up on the girl's body. The tagline is short but effective and it gives me straight away an idea of what the book is going to be about.
UK win.

Which do you prefer?

Fever - Review

Fever by Lauren DeStefano

The chemical garden trilogy book two.

Available now.

www.harpercollins.co.uk

What's it about? Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion. But danger is never far behind. Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago―surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous―and in a world where young woman only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion… by any means necessary. In this sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price―now that she has more to lose than ever.

My review

I really enjoyed book one, Wither, so I was glad I had book two on hand to start right away and am happy to say I also enjoyed Fever just as much. I really liked the darker tone of the book as Rhine and Gabriel travel back to New York, and some of the things that happen to them had me wanting to peek through my fingers to read the book.

The author really did write a wonderfully imaginative book with some vivid descriptions and interesting personalities.

We do meet some new characters throughout, although none permanent I think (I hope) some will reappear in book three, Sever. My favourite of them all was young girl Maddie, she reminded me so much of my daughter who's also disabled and doesn't talk (though she makes plenty of noise!) much it made it impossible for me not to feel for her, especially during a certain scene that almost had me crying for her.

One complaint I do have is that there wasn't much development of the relationship between Rhine and Gabriel, sure they're there for each other but I didn't feel any chemistry and didn't think he added a lot to the story.

I enjoyed all of the shocking twists and the bits that had me squirming in my seat and I'm anxious for the last one to find out the conclusion.

My thoughts on the cover

First off, I like the green :p lol This is a really nice cover, I love the little rocking horse and of course the dress! I like that it fits in well with the cover of the first book.

I'm sorry, I got so excited reading the book I forgot to note down some favourite quotes!

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Try it Tuesday (8)

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

This weeks pick is

The wiching pen by Dianna Hardy

The Witching pen novellas book one.

It's hard being the most powerful witch on the planet. It's even harder when you're a twenty-five year old virgin who'll lose all of that power the moment you sleep with someone ... that's why Elena's never slept with her best friend and flatmate, Karl, despite the true feelings they harbour for each other.

Elena's about to discover that there are even more difficult things in life to deal with. One of them comes in the form of a pen she discovers one day, a pen that allows anything she writes to come to pass...

Suddenly, it's not just her powers or her heart that's at stake, but her very soul, as a dream demon with a seductive pull uses the pen to try and turn her away from her reality, and from Karl.

But the pen is just the beginning. Everything Elena has believed in is a lie, and her world is about to fall apart..

Why I’m choosing this book

The Witching Pen is a fabulous mix of Urban Fantasy, Romance and Paranormal. It has all the elements of a great story and a fabulously intricate plot, that is easy to follow but still intriguing and full of surprising twists and turn :)

Five reasons I love this book
1. It's fun, sassy and quirky.
2. Elena is a great narrator and she is so sweet. I loved discovering her secrets and getting to know the people around her, from her best friend Karl, to the fun and misterious Amy, to the reserved Mary.
3. A fabulous Demon mythology, new and refreshing, that had me hooked straight away from page one.
4. Although it is a Paranormal Fantasy story, the relationships and feelings are very real and it's easy to relate to the characters in the story, and their trials and tribulations.
5. Some hot scenes in there, which never disappoint ;)


Who I think will love this book
If you love a light, fun read with a wonderful plot, this is definitely for you. With parts more intense than others, this first book in a series of 3 (with the second one, "The Sands of Time", already out and available for purchase, and the third and final in the series, "The Demon Bride" out in August) will definitely appeal to all adult readers out there looking for a great paranormal story. I loved it, hope you do too.

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

Let me know what you think!

Insurgent - Review

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Divergent book two.
Available now. 

http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/

What's it about?
War looms in sixteen-year-old Tris’s dark dystopian world as disputes between the factions grow. Tris must now fight against all odds to discover the truth that can save her and the people she loves. Sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge – and the choices she makes will have devastating and unexpected consequences.

My review

(Read my review for Divergent, book one.)

If I could get away with my review as just being 'it was friggin amazing, read it right now!' then that's pretty much what this review would say bacuse it's exactly how I feel.

I read book one, Divergent, last year and absolutely loved it so I've been eager for the release of Insurgent and it didn't disappoint. If you haven't picked up Divergent yet I strongly recommend that you do and grab Insurgent whilst you're there because you'll want it for after.

Book two picks up right on the tail of book ones ending, literally and didn't fail to entertain me all the way through, some middle books can feel like a bridge to the end one but that's not the case with this, so much happens I could hardly put it down and we find out plenty of new information with a particulalry amazing ending that's left me pining for the next one.

After the events of book one, Tris is in a bad place emotionally in this addition to the series and her relationship with Tobias suffers because of it, this was all really interesting to read, it gave the book a new dimension that the first didn't have, which made it feel different and I can't tell you how glad I was that there wasn't a love triangle in sight, another thing that often happens in second books. 

I also liked that they spent time in the other factions during their journey, it really gave a great insight into how each Faction lives and what they are about, it was a great bit of world building that gave me the feeling of being immersed in world.

Roth has really broken the boundaries with Insurgent and written an explosive, emotional sequel that turned my knuckles white from clinging to it as I read. This is easily one of my favourite reads of the year and the wait for the next one might just kill me!

My thoughts on the cover

These covers have really grown on me and I quite like them, I love the purple colour of this one and the long road signifying Tris' journey and the Amity tree far off in the background, I like the burning leaves to and the ctachy tag line.

Favourite quotes

'In the moments before I drift off to sleep, I hear him whisper, "I love you Tris."'

'I think we cry to release the animal parts of us without losing our humanity. Because inside me is a beast that snarls, and growls, and strains towards freedom, toward Tobias, and, above all, toward life. And as hard as I try, I cannot kill it.'

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