Blog Policies

If you are an author, publicist or publisher and are interested in asking me to review a book, please read my Review Policy.

If you are interested in finding out the general guidelines for competitions hosted at The Bookette, please read my Contests and Giveaways Policy.

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For any further queries not covered in the above policies, please email me.

Reviews

The Bookette's reviews in alphabetical order by title. This page is updated on a weekly basis.

A

B
Bad Faith by Gillian Philip
Beautiful Creatures by Maggie Stohl and Kami Garcia

C
Calling and The Changeling, The by Cate Tiernan
Chosen (House of Night Book 3) by P.C. and Kristin Cast
Crossing The Line by Gillian Philip
Crowfield Curse, The by Pat Walsh

D
Dead Girls' Dance (Morganville Vampires Book 2) by Rachel Caine
Demon's Lexicon, The by Sarah Rees Brennan
Dragonfly Pool, The by Eva Ibbotson
Dresskeeper, The by Mary Naylus

E
Everlost by Neal Shusterman
Eye of the Wolf by Daniel Pennac
Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Manchev

F
Fallen by Lauren Kate
Fang (Maximum Ride Book 6) by James Patterson
Feast of Fools (Morganville Vampires Book 4) by Rachel Caine

G
Glass Houses (Morganville Vampires Book 1) by Rachel Caine
Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris
Graveyard Book, The by Neil Gaiman

H
Halo by Zizou Corder
Hunger Games, The by Suzanne Collins
Hunted (House of Night Book 5) By P.C. and Kristin Cast
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

I

J

K
Knife by R. J Anderson


L

M
Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore
Midnight Alley (Morganville Vampires Book 3) by Rachel Caine
Mission Telemark by Amanda Mitchison

N
Need by Carrie Jones
Nickolai of the North by Lucy Daniel Raby

O
Ondine: The Summer of Shambles by Ebony McKenna

P
Pain Merchants, The (Healing Wars Book 1) by Janice Hardy
Possessing Rayne by Kate Cann
Puzzle Ring, The by Kate Forsyth

Q

R
Random Magic by Sasha Sorenson
Restoring Harmony by Joëlle Anthony

S
Shiver by Maggie Steifvater
Star of the Sea by Joseph O'Connor
Storm Glass by Maria N. Snyder
Suspicion (Private Book 11) by Kate Brian
Swoon by Nina Malkin
Syren (Septimus Heap Book 5) by Angie Sage

T
Tempted (House of Night Book 6) by P.C. and Kristin Cast
Toby Alone by Timothee de Fombelle

U
Unfinished Angel, The by Sharon Creech
Untamed (House of Night Book 4) by P.C. and Kristin Cast

V
Very Thought of You, The by Rosie Alison

W
What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell
When I Was Joe by Keren David
Witch and Wizard by James Patterson
Wolf Cry by Julia Golding
X

Y

Z

Contact Me

Readers, Followers and Fellow Bloggers
I love reading your comments. It is one of my favourite parts of blogging so please feel free to leave any thoughts in the comments section. I read every one and if you leave a question, I will answer it there.

If you have any questions about a possible link exchange, a request for help or any other book or blog related question, then please email me at thebookette@googlemail.com.

Authors, Publishers and Publicists
If you have read my Review Policy and would like to get in touch regarding a review, author interview or other matter relating to The Bookette, please email me at thebookette@googlemail.com.

About The Bookette

Who is The Bookette?

The Bookette is me, Becky! I am a UK school librarian who is passionate about YA fiction.

Since August 2009, I have been reviewing all the YA and MG fiction that I read and the occasional adult title. I also host contests and spotlight my favourite pre-release books on my blog.

From January - December 2010 in addition to my usual reading habits, I am reviewing UK YA debut novels published this year. I am keeping a list of all 2010 YA debut novels by UK authors here. If you are a debut UK author and you would like your novel to be added to the list, please email me.

Does The Bookette accept books to review from publishers, authors or publicists?

Generally yes, please read my review policy for further information.

How many visitors does The Bookette receive?

As of 1st February 2010, I have had 4793 visitors from 54 countries. Of those, 4793 visitors 1678 have been from the UK and 1827 have been from the US.

Readers also subscribe through Googleconnect and other feed readers.

Can I contact you about a blog or book related issue?
Certainly, I am very friendly. Please visit the contact me page.

In My Mailbox #17

This meme is hosted by the awesome Story Siren and she was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.

Three book this week and they were all purchased by moi! All three have been on my wishlist for so long. I thought it was time that I actually bought them.

Rebel by R J Anderson

The faeries of the Oak are dying, and it’s up to a lone faery named Linden to find a way to restore their magic. Linden travels bravely into dangerous new territory, where she enlists the help of an unlikely friend—a human named Timothy. Soon they discover something much worse than the Oakenfolk’s loss of magic: a potent evil that threatens the fate of all faeries. In a fevered, desperate chase across the country, Timothy and Linden risk their lives to seek an ancient power before it’s too late to save everyone they love.

Hunger (A Gone Novel) by Michael Grant

It's been three months since everyone under the age of fourteen became trapped in the bubble known as the FAYZ. Things have only gotten worse. Food is running out, and each day more kids are developing supernatural abilities. Soon tension rises between those with powers and those without, and when an unspeakable tragedy occurs, chaos erupts. It's the normals against the mutants, and the battle promises to turn bloody.

But something more dangerous lurks. A sinister creature known as the Darkness has begun to call to the survivors in the FAYZ. It needs their powers to sustain its own. When the Darkness calls, someone will answer -- with deadly results. 

Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag
So if you know my reading tastes well, you're probably thinking why does The Bookette want to read Beautiful Americans. The answer: I have no idea. The cover just calls to me and there is something about the split point of view that makes me want to read it. Sometimes I am totally illogical about books!

What happens in Paris... 
Secrets--
PJ's deep blue eyes and angelic long blond hair conceal a truth that's anything but. Will her dark past stay where it belongs in the backwoods of Vermont, or haunt her in the city of light?


Passion--
Always the good girl, Olivia plans to twirl her way to the top of the Parisian ballet scene. But that's not supposed to include dancing on a table all night...or stumbling into the arms of the wrong boy.


Lies--
With his emo-trendy bedhead, hilarious comebacks and Southern drawl, Zack could win over anyone. Too bad he's after the only one who's forbidden...
Scandal--
All Alex wants from Paris is to nab that berry-red Dior coat and seduce the perfect penny-loafer-wearing boy - and Alex always gets what she wants. But will her scheming pay off? Or is she risking more than she knows...?


Alex, Olivia, Zack and PJ are spending a year at the prestigious Lycée de Monceau in the sparkling city of Paris. This is their chance to sip cafe au lait in Le Marais, throw secret parties in their host families' Versailles-size apartments, and have the time of their lives. But when the secrets they thought they left behind come out, everything could be ruined...

Who remembers me winning the Voyager Goody Bag? Well, it arrived by FedEx this week. It had four books inside but they were all adult titles which I have no interest in so I think I'm going to give them to the man at work who helped me with my laptop.


So that's me. What about you?

Sea Glass Winner and other Bloggy Things

The winner of the signed copy of Sea Glass by Maria N. Snyder is Josephine Walsh.

Congratulations Josephine, you'll be getting an email from me shortly.

Now, time for some other things bloggy things:

Book Blogger Online Conference
I received an email about an online conference for Book Bloggers and Publishers. It is taking place on 19th March - 20th March. It sounds really interesting and I think I'm going to sign up for it.
More information can be found @ http://www.romanceinthebackseat.com/bbpcon.html
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!

UK Book Bloggers
I stumbled upon this thanks to Google Alerts. A UK book blogger (adult rather than YA I think, hence I haven't heard of them before) is proposing a get-together of all UK book bloggers. It sounds like fun but I wouldn't want to go unless one of you guys is there to hold my hand. Here is a link to Simon's blog post about it. Not much info just a suggested date. Interested?

Contest News
Aik, the winner of my Ondine contest asked ever so nicely if I would spotlight her latest contest so of course the answer is yes. Hop on over to her blog to win a signed copy of Sing Me to Sleep. The contest is open internationally and you have until 23rd February to enter. I'm not entering contests at the mo because of the numbers of books I have but haven't read.

Beautiful Creatures Taster

The UK release date for Beautiful Creatures is fast approaching. For those of you who have yet to read this fabulous book. Here are the links to the first three chapters:
Chapter 1: http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=1693474&da=y
Chapter 2: http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=1693475&da=y
Chapter 3: http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=1693476&da=y

If you are aged 13 - 18, you also have the chance to vote in this cool poll hosted by Spinebreakers which is an awesome website for teens. They want to know who are your favourite literary couple. Bella and Edward? Romeo and Juliet? My personal choice is Lizzy Bennett and Mr Darcy but I am too old to enter!

Before I Fall Trailer

Another email I received this week asked if I would like to review Before I Fall, I said "oooh yes please" because I had heard such great things from Carla @ The Crooked Shelf and Lauren @ I Was A Teenage Book Geek. I figured that it would take ages for me to read it otherwise because it isn't my usual read. Here is the trailer:

So I think that's everything.
I'd really love to hear your thoughts on the Conference and the UK book blogger meet-up.
Happy Saturday everyone!
The Bookette

Review: Suspicion (Private Series Book 11)

Author: Kate Brian
Release date: 2th February 2010 UK
Genre: I'm not too sure. Maybe realism/mystery/chicklit?
Target audience: 12+

Summary from Amazon:
Reed Brennan thought that a winter break in the islands with some of the Billings Girls, old and new, was just what she needed to recover from her traumatic last term at Easton. At first everything is perfect; relaxing, fun and elegant. But then things take a more sinister turn and suddenly Reed finds herself in danger once more. If Reed wants to survive her fateful vacation she must discover who is after her and why, before it's too late.

Review:
Suspicion tells the story of Reed Brennan who is holidaying with her rich friends on a Carribean Island. The story begins with Reed stranded in the middle of the ocean after being pushed off a boat by a mysterious attacker. Although this is the eleventh book in the Private series and I hadn't read any of the previous books, I found it easy to follow and a complete story in itself. Suspicion can definitely be read as a stand alone novel.

This book is certainly outside of my comfort zone. I'm pretty sure I haven't ever read a book like this and thus I couldn't quite work out which genre it fitted in. There is the mystery element of the story. Who is trying to murder Reed? In this way it reminded me a little of watching an episode of Murder She Wrote with a more glamourous cast. I wasn't sure who to trust. Then, there was the romantic element. Upton Giles is a British love interest for the American Reed. There was also the teen conflict and related issues which reminded me of a school story.

The reader within me actually quite enjoyed Suspicion. It was shorter than the usual books I read which made a nice change. The plot moved swiftly and kept my interest to the very end. Although I had worked out who was trying to murder Reed before it was actually revealed. I'm good with guessing murderers!

The adult within me found it harder to relate to the social ideals portrayed in the book. I just cannot relate to girls who value their Jimmy Choos and live a life of luxury and parties. I would rather wear trainers and snuggle up on the sofa with a good book. While I was suspending my disbelief though, it was great. It felt like I was reading an episode of The O.C. or 90210 which I happen to really enjoy.

Overall, Suspicion was a quick and fun read which will have a great appeal to girls who love glamour, fashion and teen conflict. Personally, I enjoy my books to have more depth, the characters to be less superficial and more emotionally developed. Having said all that, I would still read another book in this series because I do like a good mystery. Also, I really liked Sawyer and I'm hoping that Reed might open her eyes to just how great he really is but then he was the most down to earth character in the book.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for sending me the book to review.

If you have any thoughts on which genre this book actually fits in, I'd love to hear them!

Review: Feast of Fools (Morganville Vampires Book 4)

Author: Rachel Caine
Release date: 2008 UK
Genre: Urban fantasy/ Vampire fiction
Target audience: 12+

Morganville Vampires
Book 1: Glass Houses  - Review here
Book 2: Dead Girls' Dance - Review here
Book 3: Midnight Alley - Review here

The Bookette's five reasons to read The Morganville Vampires Series:

1. Great characterisation! Shane and Michael are the hottest guys in Morganville.
2. Easy style of writing that helps you just fall into the story.
3. Scary vampires that get your pulse racing and not in the Edward Cullen kind of way.
4. Secrets - Morganville is full of them and Rachel Caine just keeps you guessing.
5. Cliffhanger endings that always leave you wanting more.

Inspired by Cat Clarke @ This counts as writing, right?

Feast of Fools summary from Amazon:
In the town of Morganville, vampires and humans live in relative peace but Claire Danvers has never been convinced - especially with the arrival of Mr Bishop, an ancient, old-school vampire who cares nothing about harmony. What he wants from the town's living and its dead is unthinkably sinister.

WARNING: This review contains spoilers!

Review:
Just when you think the vampires of Morganville can't get any scarier, Bishop waltzes into town and drives fear into the hearts of humans, vampires and readers alike. A hellishly dark and mysterious figure whose presence unites vampires and their human minions. Feast of Fools sees Claire yet again working to unlock the mysteries that haunt the past of Morganville and its founder Amelie.

Bishop's presence creates divisons within the Glass House too. Ysandre (one of Bishop's satanic sidekicks) takes a fancy to Shane, well who wouldn't? She has a dark power which can violate the mind and make her victims act against their will. Poor Shane! Poor Claire! Michael makes an unpopular decision leaving Eve out in the cold and driving a rift bewteen friends.

This is definitely my favourite Morganville book so far. It is full of conflict: emotional, internal and physical. The ending left me yearning for the next book which just shows that I am hooked on this series. It isn't by any means great writing but it does have great plotting and characterisation. There is also depth to the mythology at the heart of the concept of the Morganville vampires. If like me, you love reading vampire novels on a Sunday afternoon, you should definitely give Morganville a try.

P.S. On the advice of Lauren @ I was a teenage book geek I am giving the whole short review thing a try. Only for series books that I've reviewed earlier books of, hence the five reasons to read the series thing too.

Review: Bad Faith

Author: Gillian Philip
Release date: UK 2008
Genre: Dystopia
Target audience: 13+

Summary from Amazon:
MURDEROUSLY SINISTER DYSTOPIAN SATIRE. Life's easy for Cassandra. The privileged daughter of a cleric, she's been protected from the extremist gangs who enfore the One Church's will. Her boyfriend Ming is a bad influence, fo course, with infidel parents who are constantly in trouble with the religious authorities. But Cass has no intention of letting their different backgrounds drive them apart. Then they stumble across a corpse. Who killed him? How did his body end up in their secret childhood haunt? And is this man's death connected to other, older murders? As the political atmosphere grows feverish, Cass realises she and Ming face extreme danger.

Review:
Bad Faith is an interesting title for a book. Before I had even started reading I was asking myself: "Can faith ever be a bad thing?" We all need to have faith in ourselves to reach our potential. We all need to have faith in the goodness of humanity. We put our faith in people everyday to achieve the smallest of things and the biggest of things. I guess my answer was No. Faith cannot be a bad thing. Now I've read Bad Faith. I guess you want to know if I believe there is such a thing as bad faith. Honestly? I don't know. In the context of this book my interpretation is that it faith is what you make of it. It has the potential for good and bad.

Cass lives in a world not unlike ours. It may even be ours some time in the future. Religious diversity has been eradicated and replaced by the One Church. People of other faiths have been persecuted or fled into exile. In many ways I didn't fully come to understand how this process of rebranding and monopolisation by the One Church took place in Cassandra's world. I think perhaps that is because as the teller of this dark, complex tale Cassandra wasn't sure herself. Atheists and secularists are depised by the general community but below even them in the social hierarcy are the apostates. Those that have lost their faith and face complete and open discrimination by the popular mass. Cassandra's father is a cleric for the One Church and their family appears to be shielded from the dangers of persecution and intimidation. At the beginning of the novel her brother Griffin is more polictically aware and angry about the injustices in their society. Her parents try to encourage him to silence his political voice. Cassandra doesn't understand the mysterious uncurrents running through her home. The novel explores the destruction of her innocence as much as the frightening dystopian landscape in which she lives.

Cassandra's voice immediately pulled me into the story. It was highly engaging and in some ways quite endearing. I connected with her from the very beginning. Throughout the story, she confronts painful truths and seeks to uncover the dark secrets weaving through her family's past. Cass has her own dreadful truth and lies to balance in her mind too. The book is complex both in terms of story and emotion. There were times when I felt physically repelled by the decriptions of corpses but I just had to keep reading. At other times I was on the brink of tears.

The plot like Cassandra's emotions weaves an intricate pattern which does require close attention. But the novel is worth the effort on the part of the reader because I was transported into Cassandra's repulsive world. I felt that I had experienced these events first hand. Philip should be congratulated on her skill at making this story feel so real. At one point in the novel I actually felt like my heart would explode with the twist in the plot. I also loved the fact that the most harrowing parts of the story are followed by tender moments in Cassandra and Ming's relationship. It gave some much needed relief and moments of hope to what could have otherwise been an entirely disturbing novel.

Overall, Bad Faith is one of the most powerful dystopian novels that I have ever read. It challenged me to consider the meaning of faith and all its different forms. I congratulate Philip on a superb ending which completely swept me away. If you love dystopians novels, then this will be a sure-fire hit with you. A complex, compelling and incredibly powerful read.

Thank you to Gillian for sending me this book to review.

Ondine Winners!

Google Docs is the absolute best! I just went through assigning numbers to the entrants to this contest for extra entries with so much ease.

The two winners of Ondine are:

• Aik
• Skyla

You will both be receiving an email from me shortly.
Thanks to everyone for taking part and if you're not a winner this time, you can always enter the Sea Glass contest.

In My Mailbox #16

This meme is hosted by The Story Siren and she was inspired by Alea, Pop Culture Junkie.

Before I start with my mailbox this week, I just want to say a huge THANKS to everyone who contributed to yesterday's discussion. I have lots to think about and I'm going to produce a few blogging objectives to keep me on the cheerful road. My cheerful-o-meter rates me at 100% this morning!

Now to the all important mailbox. I did buy two copies of Sea Glass on Monday but I'm not including those because I think most of you know about the contest and the signing. Otherwise, I have four books which is still quite a lot for one week but not unmanageable.

Bought:
The Girl with the Glass Feet by Ali Shaw
I'm going to be reading this for the staff book group. The cover is so beautiful. I have high hopes that I might actually enjoy this adult book.

Summary from Goodreads.com:
Strange things are happening on the remote and snowbound archipelago of St Hauda's Land. Unusual winged creatures flit around icy bogland; albino animals hide themselves in the snow-glazed woods; jellyfish glow in the ocean's depths… and Ida MacLaird is slowly turning into glass.



A mysterious and frightening metamorphosis has befallen Ida – she is slowly turning into glass, from the feet up. She returns to St Hauda's Land, where she believes the glass first took hold, in search of a cure.


Midas Crook is a young loner, who has lived on the islands his entire life. When he meets Ida, something about her sad, defiant spirit pierces his emotional defences. As Midas helps Ida come to terms with her affliction, she gradually unpicks the knots of his heart, and they begin to fall in love…

For review:

Lex Trent Versus The Gods by Alex Bell (Headline Publishing 4th Feb 2010 UK)

This is a UK YA debut. Alex has written adult novels for Gollancz. When I was contacted about reviewing it, I said "yes but I have a bit of a backlog and it might take me a while to get to it" and the publisher didn't mind at all. (Note to self: this is a very good way to take the pressure off).

Summary from Amazon:
Law student Lex Trent’s world is inhabited by fearsome magicians, ageing crones and a menagerie of Gods and Goddesses. And while Lex is seemingly dedicated to his legal studies he’s always enjoyed a challenge – which is why he leads a double life as the notorious cat burglar ‘The Shadowman’ who has been (luckily) evading capture for years.



But Lex’s luck is about to run out because the Goddess of Fortune has selected him to be her player in the highly dangerous Games. Losing is not an option for Lex (particularly as it so often involves dying) but can he really win each of the perilous rounds? Given that the reward for doing so is money, fame and glory – all things that Lex is quite keen on – he’s going to do whatever it takes to make sure he will... and he’s certainly got good experience of cheating.

Mission Telemark by Miranda Mitchison (Walker Books 4th Jan 2010 UK)
 

Again a British YA debut novel so I'm willing to give this a try. I have a proof but it has the most amazing illustrations inside it. I was not expecting that at all.

 
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson (Walker Books 9th March 2010 UK)
 

Summary from Amazon:
Norway, December 1942.



Following the German occupation of the power plant at Vemork in southern Norway, the British government has become aware that Hitler is trying to find a way to use the heavy water it produces to make a nuclear weapon. One mission to destroy the power plant has already failed and time is running out. Now the Allies' fate rests in the hands of four teenagers - Jakob, Freddie, Ase and Lars - who must survive for weeks in the freezing conditions of the Hardanger Plateau before they launch a sabotage attempt that will decide the course of the war.


Stuck-in paper inserts bring to life the wartime experiences of these special Special Agents, from digging snow holes and butchering reindeer, to combat knives and behaviour under torture.

This is a debut novel as well although it isn't a British author.

Summary from Goodreads.com:
Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey



dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in


town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.

So that's me. Any thoughts on my mailbox?
Oh and I'm going to work out the winners of Ondine today too!
Happy Sunday!
The Bookette

Discussion: Do free books take away our blogging freedom?

Okay, so I am not feeling at all inspired this morning. But I refuse to let my not so enjoyable working week dampen my weekend and spoil my blogging. So I am steaming ahead with this discussion post even though my cheerfulness is probably running at about 60% of its usual efficiency.

When I was at the book signing on Monday, Jenny from Wondrous Reads gave me some good advice as I was feeling stressed about the number of review books I received last week. Here is her advice:

• You don't have to review every book sent to you by a publisher
• You don't have to review the book on its release day
• Remember blogging is not a job and it shouldn't feel like one

All great points that helped me to put last week's level of review books in perspective. But I still think that it is more difficult for new bloggers. Jenny has just had her first Blogoversary and has developed good relationships with her publishing contacts. For a newer blogger like myself, I feel that I need to develop a relationship of trust with the publishers who have decided to send me review books. This is where I feel that I need to write a review for or near to the publication date. Of course, this is impractical if you end out with so many books needing reviews in the same week.

The other issue we discussed is the fact that if we are all reviewing the same books at the same time then blogging can get really boring. The reason I love following so many blogs (UK or otherwise) is to find out about books that I haven't heard of or wouldn't normally read etc. If we are all reviewing the same books, perhaps blogging will lose its joyous spark. I don't feel that way right now but I can see that it could become a possibility. So I guess what I'm asking is: how can we keep variety in our reading if we are all reading for publishers and not for ourselves?

I am trying to alternate review books with books I want to read just for me. I think it is working but I'm interested to find out if any of you feel my blog is becoming publisher driven rather than Bookette driven. I am not ashmaed to say that the Bookette is all about me: my reading, my thoughts, my passion about books. I guess if I'm reviewing for a publisher all this still applies but I want to hear your thoughts on this issue.

I should probably finish by saying that it is great to receive review copies especially when you get a book like Montacute House in the mail. The issue is not review books per se; it is more the need to read them en masse rather than when the mood takes you.

Any advice or thoughts to share?

The Bookette

Review: Storm Glass

Author: Maria Snyder

Release date: UK 2009
Genre: Fantasy
Target audience: Adult/ YA cross over

Summary from Waterstones:
Untrained. Untested. Unleashed. With her unique magical abilities, Opal has always felt unsure of her place at Sitia's magic academy. But when the Stormdancer clan needs help, Opal's knowledge makes her the perfect choice - until the mission goes awry. Pulling her powers in unfamiliar directions, Opal finds herself tapping into a new kind of magic as stunningly potent as it is frightening. Now Opal must deal with plotters out to destroy the Stormdancer clan, as well as a traitor in their midst. With danger and deception rising around her, will Opal's untested abilities destroy her - or save them all?

Review:
Storm Glass is a thoroughly riveting fantasy which takes us into the territory of Ixia. Opal is one of the Cowan Clan and she is studying magic at the Keep. She has been there for four years living on the periphery and fearing that her magic is limited to one ability. She can put magic inside of glass. It is a skill that no other magician has developed but for Opal it isn't enough. She wants to prove her worth to the other students and show she is not a one-trick-pony.
 
Opal is an interesting main character. She is strong although she fails to recognise that much of the time. She is an intelligent female lead and surprisingly reflective which isn't a character trait you see very often. There are other fascinating characters too. Kade - a Storm Dance magician who can call the power of a storm into a glass orb. There is Yelena - who features in the Poison Study Series - a Soul finder. There is Devlen who is a dark force from Opal's past and a person she deeply fears.
 
The plot fell nicely into two parts. The novel begins by Opal being assigned a mission by the Master Magicians and this is the first half of the novel. The second half of the novel is Opal discovering pieces of a larger puzzle that she inadvertently uncovered from the original mission. The book is well-paced and easy to become completely absorbed by. Much of the story revolves around Opal's own questions about her true self. She is burdened by guilt and has to come to terms with the decisions she makes.
 
I really enjoyed the descriptions of the processes of the glass making and the atmosphere inside the factory. This is certainly a strength of the book. Snyder successfully communicates Opal's passion for working with glass and I am even tempted to find out where I can try my hand at glass blowing. Overall, this was a great fantasy read. The territory of Ixia was a magical yet dark world populated by clans competing for power. Although I think this book is aimed at the adult market (I saw it in the adult section of WH Smith), it is certainly accessible to YA readers. I recommend this to people who enjoy epic fantasy and the mystery of magic.
 

Waiting on Wednesday: Immortal Beloved (Update)

In November I spotlighted Immortal Beloved as my Waiting on Wednesday. Back then the book had no cover. Today I bring you, the cover, the blurb and a link to read an excerpt from Chapter 2.
I cannot wait for this book. I'm going to have to order it in from the US. There is no date scheduled at the moment for a UK release. Please publishers! Option the UK rights to this book now!

Author: Cate Tiernan
Released: Autumn 2010, Little Brown US

Immortal Beloved: Summary from Cate's blog:

New name, new town, new life. Nastasya has done it too often to count. And there’s no end in sight. Nothing ever really ends . . . when you’re immortal. But this time is different: Nastasya knows that this new town must hold her salvation—or her death.



Nastasya was born into darkness, and has embraced it her whole life. Four hundred years ago, a tragedy robbed her of her birthright, and she’s been living a lie ever since. Now, four centuries of exploring the depths and limits of dark power has left Nastasya feeling sickened unto death. If she continues down this road, she will end up as a very dark, twisted, evil thing—with unthinkable power. Or she can begin the long, painful road toward light, and reclaim the destiny that others tried to destroy.


They’re rare. You may have never met one, never sat next to one on a plane, never eaten in the same restaurant at the same time. But the Immortals are there. Have always been there. Will always be there. Moving among humans, playing out their own cursed fate. Sometimes subtly, sometimes with huge, sweeping implications for mankind. But no one will ever know. Except you.

Interested? Of course you are!
Visit Cate Tiernan's blog here and you can read the taster from Chapter 2. Go on, you know you want to!
You can follow the lovely author on Twitter here.

This meme is hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Signed Sea Glass giveaway and Event Summary

Last night I dragged hubby into central London for Maria N. Snyder's London signing to celebrate the UK release of her latest novel Sea Glass. The event took place at the Shortwave Cinema in Bermondsey which was a great venue.

The evening began with a relaxed atmosphere. Maria sat signing and chatting with her fans very informally for longer than an hour.

Here is a pic of me getting my book signed:

Once Maria had signed all the books, we went into the cinema which seats about 50 people and listened to her do a short reading from Chapter 2 of the book.

Maria then took questions. I couldn't actually think of any questions to ask even though I had only finished reading Storm Glass on Sunday [review up later this week]. Some much more thoughtful fans did have some questions up their sleeves. Trisha - from Murder One - asked about the pronunciation of some of the character names and places. It was interesting to hear how different readers imagined the names said aloud. A couple of people in the audience were interested in whether Maria felt pressured to write a vampire novel. She said no but that she had written a vampire short story for an anthology and that she'd like to explore those characters further. So vampire fans, you never know! Maria also talked about the fact that she doesn't plot out a whole series before writing. She just has a vague idea of a character and then explores them. This was music to my ears as that is the way I go about writing too and Maria is the first author I have ever heard confess to writing this way. How encouraging!

While I was at the signing, I also got to meet fellow British book blogger Jenny from Wondrous Reads. It was great to meet Jenny and she promised me that I don't sound like Stacey from the XFactor so that is a relief. It was really nice to have the chance to talk about blogging and I think they'll be another discussion post on Saturday as Jenny got the cogs in my brain turning so watch out for that.

Now on to the contest!

I bought an extra copy of Sea Glass and got it signed to giveaway to one of my wonderful followers! Here it is:

Entry form below. Please remember to check the Contest Policy for guidelines.

• Open internationally
• Closing date Friday 29th January 2010

Good luck everyone!

Review: Everlost

Author: Neal Shusterman

Release date: UK 2009

Genre: Fantasy
Target audience: 12+

Summary from Waterstones:

Nick and Allie don't survive the crash, and now they are in limbo, stuck halfway between life and death, in a netherworld known as Everlost. Everlost is home to those who didn't make it to their final destination: A magical yet dangerous place filled with shadows where lost souls run wild. Shocked and frightened, Nick and Allie aren't ready to rest in peace just yet. They want their lives back. Desperate for a way out, their search takes them deep into the uncharted regions of Everlost. But the longer they stay, the more they forget about their past lives. And with all memory of home fading fast and an unknown evil lurking in the shadows, Nick and Allie may never escape this strange, terrible world. In this imaginative, supernatural thriller, Neal Shusterman explores questions of life, death, and what just might lie in between.

Review:
Everlost is a place that exists between life and death. I imagine it as a dimension existing around our own almost like a hologram world but that's just how my vision formed as I read the book. Neal Shusterman's world can only be described as an imaginative masterpiece. Allie and Nick find themselves in Everlost because they bumped into each other on their way to the glowing light after the moment of their death. Once they awaken from their long slumber, they are met by Lief, a boy who has been living in a forest of Everlost for many, many years. Lief introduces us to their new state of being. They are Afterlights existing without needing any food or drink to sustain them. The two new arrivals want to follow their natural instinct to leave the forest and make their way back home. Once they take this journey, the story really begins as the world of Everlost unfolds around them and they meet the characters who have become, for different reasons, leaders of this ghostly world.
 
Shusterman communicates many ideas and concepts to transform Everlost into a fascinating and believable world. Part of the beauty of the story is learning about these along with Nick and Allie. I really don't want to give any spoilers because this book should be experienced in its imaginative entirety. So instead I'll ask some questions that you may find the answers to by reading the book. Why do we believe ghosts to repeat the same pattern day after day? What happens when your soul travels to the centre of the earth? Why do adults never land in Everlost? Who or what is the McGill?
 
One of the things that I really liked about this book is that Shusterman doesn't portray Allie and Nick as grieving children who long for their family. He doesn't focus on the fact that they should be in emotional agony. Instead he focuses on their integration into the world of Everlost. Some people could read this as a weakness but I personally see it as a choice not to sentimentalise the book and I like that quality. The plot moves a steady pace as Allie and Nick move around Everlost facing many challenges and fears. The one point I would pick up on is Nick's relationship with Mary. The love that grows between them seemed cosmetic and without any depth. I understand the reasons for this but it still irritated me during my reading.
 
Reading Everlost was a journey into an unknown world which is populated by the most fascinating characters with ghostly abilities. Although this isn't quite my usual read, I did enjoy it. I am reminded of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book as Everlost has the same extraordinary imaginative power to transport to you to a different ingenious world. I would definitely recommend this to fantasy fans 10+ or anyone who is looking for something just a little bit different.
 

In My Mailbox #15

This week I have a ridiculous amount of books in my mailbox. I know there are probably some readers thinking wow, I'd love that many books in one week but it is actually quite stressful when you have to fit reviewing in around work and try to have a normal life instead of a virtual one. But hey, I can't deny that there is one book among these that is seriosuly happy-dance worthy!


Firstly, from my blogger friend Lauren @ I Was A Teenage Book Geek.


Ice by Sarah Beth Durst
Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden

Lauren reviewed both these books and her reviews were so fabulous that I really wanted to read them, so she sent them to me. Isn't she amazing!

NB: All book summaries are from Waterstones.com unless otherwise stated.

Secondly, books for review:

The Puzzle Ring by Kate Forsyth
Sent to me by Scholastic for the upcoming blog tour. For anyone who is interested my tour date is February 1st!

Hannah Rose Brown is twelve years old when she finds out that her family is cursed. Desperate to find the truth about her father' disappearance, she travels to her ancestral home in Scotland, and discover a chain of dark secrets that plunge her into different worlds, timeframes and dangers. This is another magical historical novel from the author of "The Gypsy Crown".

The following six titles have been sent to me from Bloomsbury. I emailed them before the new year asking very politely if they would allow me to review Montacute House for my UK debut author part of The Story Siren's challenge. I didn't hear anything until this Wednesday when I got a reply in my inbox saying that I am a very lucky girl as the proofs had just come in and yes you may have one. I was over joyed. I cannot wait to review it. Anyway, my lovely emailer said that she'd send me a couple of other books as well. I was all ooohs and ahhhs. I couldn't believe it when Saturday came and my wonderful postie brought me a big parcel and inside, yes six books. Thank you very much indeed Bloomsbury! I think this illustrates two points when asking for review books: be polite and be patient. If the publisher likes your blog, then they will get in touch.

Montacute House by Lucy Jago (The Bookette's happy-dance here)

Cess works caring for the chickens at Montacute House but on her thirteenth birthday everything changes. She finds a precious locket hidden in the chicken coop and is convinced someone has placed it there for her to find. But the day is overshadowed by fear as a boy's body is found by the river, and then when John disappears, Cess is accused by the villagers of bewitching her best friend. Cess is determined to find John and prove the villagers wrong, but is soon embroiled in a plot that threatens her world and forces Cess to draw on powers she never knew she possessed, powers that will place her life in danger if they are discovered by the villagers. Witchcraft, politics and religious ambition combine in this gripping and wonderfully realised novel set in the Somerset of the 1500s.

Drawing with Light by Julia Green

Kat and Emily have grown up without their mother for almost as long as they can remember. And now Dad is with Cassy and they all muddle along together well enough - even though they are living in a cramped caravan while their new house is being renovated. Then Cassy and Dad tell them that Cassy is pregnant, and everything seems to shift. Emily feels a new urge to find her own mother. How could she have left them the way she did? Never writing to them? Not communicating with them? And as Emily begins her search, not knowing what she will find, she is at the same time embarking on a new relationship of her own, that of her romance with Seb. This is an evocative and finely drawn novel about family relationships, in particular that of mother and daughter, and the shifting emotions of a teenager trying to make sense of her family and her world.

Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore

Nimira is a music-hall performer forced to dance for pennies to an audience of leering drunks. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to do a special act - singing accompaniment to an exquisite piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets stir. Unsettling below-stairs rumours abound about ghosts, a mad woman roaming the halls, and of Parry's involvement in a gang of ruthless sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. When Nimira discovers the spirit of a dashing young fairy gentleman is trapped inside the automaton's stiff limbs, waiting for someone to break the curse and set him free, the two fall in love. But it is a love set against a dreadful race against time to save the entire fairy realm, which is in mortal peril.

No and Me by Delphine de Vigan

Lou Bertignac has an IQ of 160 and a good friend in class rebel Lucas. At home her father puts a brave face on things but cries in secret in the bathroom, while her mother rarely speaks and hardly ever leaves the house. To escape this desolate world, Lou goes often to Gare d'Austerlitz to see the big emotions in the smiles and tears of arrival and departure. But there she also sees the homeless, meets a girl called No, only a few years older than herself, and decides to make homelessness the topic of her class presentation. Bit by bit, Lou and No become friends until, the project over, No disappears. Heartbroken, Lou asks her parents the unaskable question and her parents say: Yes, No can come to live with them. So Lou goes down into the underworld of Paris's street people to bring her friend up to the light of a home and family life, she thinks.

 
Need by Carrie Jones

Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect Facebook friends. It's little wonder, since she's had a fairly rough life. Her father left when she was a baby, her stepfather just died and her mother's almost given up - in fact, she's sent her to live with her grandmother in cold and sleepy Maine to 'keep Zara safe'. Zara doesn't think she's in danger; she thinks her mother just can't cope. Zara's wrong. The man she sees everywhere - the tall, creepy guy who points at her from the side of the road - is not a figment of her imagination. He's a pixie. But not the cute, sweet kind with little wings. Maine's got a whole assortment of unbelievable creatures. And they seem to need something - something from Zara...

My Love Lies Bleeding by Alyxandra Harvey

The Blakes are rather different to your usual neighbours. They are vampires and some of the members of the family date back to the twelfth century. One of the children, Solange, is the only born female vampire known and, as such, she poses a direct threat to the vampire queen. Her best friend Lucy is human, and when Solange is kidnapped Lucy and Solange's brother, Nicholas, set out to save her. Lucy soon discovers that she would like to be more than just friends with Nicholas. But how does one go about dating a vampire? Meanwhile, Solange finds an unlikely ally in Kieran, a vampire slayer on the hunt for his father's killer.



 
Macmillan Children's book sent the following book to work for me to review. I haven't read anything by this author before so it should be interesting. This is due for release in the UK in April.
 

Dreaming of Amelia by Jaclyn Moriarty

 

Amelia and Riley have transferred to Ashbury for their final year of school, and everyone is completely obsessed with them. Glamorous, talented and totally devoted to one another, the two of them drift through school in their own world. But there's more to the couple than meets the eye - they have secrets. And some of them are dangerous to share. As Riley starts to lose his grip on Amelia, the repercussions affect everyone around them. It is a spellbinding story about ghosts, secrets, madness, passion, locked doors, femme fatales, and that terrifying moment in the final year of high school when you realise that the future's coming to get you.



The final two books in my mailbox were sent to me by the author. Gillian contacted me through Twitter after reading one of my reviews. I would be lying if I said I wasn't flattered.
 

Crossing the Line by Gillian Philip
 
Nick Geddes's life is a mess. His sister's boyfriend was killed in a school stabbing. His grandmother is decending into a world of her own, his mother has a 'god-slot' on local radio, and his father is drinking way too much. But that is nothing, because he is also crazy in love with Orla, the sister of the boy who has been killed, and she blames Nick! How can Nick make sense of this chaos, and look after his sister, and hopefully get lucky with Orla?
 
 
 

Bad Faith by Gillian Philip

 

MURDEROUSLY SINISTER DYSTOPIAN SATIRE. Life's easy for Cassandra. The privileged daughter of a cleric, she's been protected from the extremist gangs who enfore the One Church's will. Her boyfriend Ming is a bad influence, fo course, with infadel parents who are constantly in trouble with the religious authorities. But Cass has no intention of letting their different backgrounds drive them apart. Then they stumble across a corpse. Who killed him? How did his body end up in their secret childhood haunt? And is this man's death connected to other, older murders? As the political atmosphere grows feverish, Cass realises she and Ming face extreme danger.



 
I know my mailbox was crammed full this week so I'm hoping for a quiet week next week. The only thing that I want to arrive is the promised goody-bag for Voyager.

This meme is hosted by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea, Pop Culture Junkie.