Saturday 31 August 2013

Blog Tour: Addicted to You by Colina Brennan (Review + Giveaway)


About The Author
I’m a new adult author with a love for the fantastical and the romantic. My new adult contemporary novel ADDICTED TO YOU will be available June 25.

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Review
Title: Addicted to You
Author: Colina Brennan
Publisher: Self
Released: June 22nd 2013
Pages: 183 (eBook)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
Add on Goodreads

When twenty-one-year-old Leah Carter's latest one night stand burglarizes her apartment, her roommate forces her to attend therapy for sex addicts. Leah insists she isn't a sex addict; she just doesn't do relationships. After all, sooner or later, everyone lets you down.

At first, the group sessions are little more than an education on how to be promiscuous. Until she meets the newest addict—blue eyes, killer body, and a smile that tempts relapse.

Psychology student Will McLean is posing as a fellow addict while researching a case study on unusual addictions. But the more he learns about Leah, the more certain he is that his desire to break through her walls and unearth her secrets has nothing to do with his assignment.

As the uncertainties spike alongside the sexual tension, the only thing Leah knows for sure is that falling in love would be disastrous. Too bad love might be one addiction she can't kick.

Okay, so my track record with New Adult books isn't that great. However, Addicted to You caught my eye. The idea of sex addiction was intriguing - I mean, where is the line drawn between enjoying sex and being addicted to it? I couldn't wait to start reading it.

Friday 30 August 2013

DOUBLE Cover Reveal (#12)

So my combined suck and busy schedule have meant that I didn't have a chance to post this on Wednesday, but hey - better late than never? Today I have two cover reveals for you, both from upcoming books by the amazing Liesel Hill.

Five months after traveling to a post-apocalyptic future where collectives reign supreme and individuals have been hunted to the verge of extinction, Maggie Harper was returned to her own time until the threat to her life could be neutralized. She thought Marcus and the others would return for her within a few weeks, and now she’s beginning to worry. 
Quantum Entanglement (Interchron #2)
When travelers from the future finally show up to collect her, it’s not who she expected. With the return of her memories, she wants more than ever to see Marcus again, but a snake-like woman whose abilities are a perfect match for Maggie’s, an injured Traveler, and decades of civil unrest to wade through all stand in the way of their reunion.

Meanwhile, Marcus and Karl traipse through the countryside, trying to neutralize Colin, who’s promised to brutalize and murder Maggie if he can get his hands on her. When a collective woman is left for dead, Marcus heals her, hoping she’ll be the key to killing Colin and bringing Maggie back. But she may prove as much a hindrance as a help.

The team struggles to get their bearings, but things happen faster than they know. The collectives are coalescing, power is shifting, and the one called B is putting sinister plans into action. If the team can’t reunite and get a handle on the situation, their freedom and individuality—perhaps their very identity—will be ripped away before they can catch their breath.

I read Persistence of Vision back in February, and I fell absolutely head-over-heels in love with it! Unlike most New Adult novels, the Interchron series isn't the typical bad-boy-gets-the-girl scenario. The novels switch place between modern-day and the post-apocalyptic future, and the characters each have these weird but totally amazing powers (that I am incredibly jealous of!) I love it when books in a series look similar, and Quantum Entanglement is no exception - I may even like it more than the prequel? The gorgeous cover combined with the synopsis promises an amazing read, which I honestly cannot wait for.

Follow Friday (#31)

Alison Can Read Feature & Follow
Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read where you meet and follow different bloggers.

Question of the Week: If you could only have ONE – one book – for the rest of your life. Don’t cheat…what would it be?

Part of me wants to reply Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, purely because as a HP nerd, I feel like I should pick one of them. However, if I had to have just one book...it's got to be The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I have never enjoyed a book as much as that, and I can reread it endlessly without growing bored (but not without breaking down in tears)

So what book would you choose, if you could only have one? Leave a comment below, and don't forget to enter the giveaway as it ends tomorrow night!


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Thursday 29 August 2013

Blog Tour: The Forgotten Ones by Laura Howard (Review + Giveaway)


About The Author
Laura Howard lives in New Hampshire with her husband and four children. Her obsession with books began at the age of 6 when she got her first library card. Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High and other girly novels were routinely devoured in single sittings. Books took a backseat to diapers when she had her first child. It wasn’t until the release of a little novel called Twilight, 8 years later, that she rediscovered her love of fiction. Soon after, her own characters began to make themselves known. The Forgotten Ones is her first published novel.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Review
The Forgotten Ones (The Danaan Trilogy, #1)Title: The Forgotten Ones
Author: Laura Howard
Publisher: Amazon
Released: April 28th 2013
Pages: 197 (Kindle)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
Add on Goodreads

Allison O'Malley's plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she's been in love with for as long as she can remember.

What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison's mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn't trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother's sanity.

I'd had my eye on The Forgotten Ones for a while, so when I was given the opportunity to join in on the blog tour, I jumped right in. The folklore genre is constantly growing on me - there is something I love about the beauty and majestic energy surrounding it. The Forgotten Ones was no exception to this, and from beginning to end, Howard swept me up into the world of the Tuatha de Danaan.

Tuesday 27 August 2013

If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan

Title: If You Could Be Mine
Author: Sara Farizan
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Released: July 1st 2013
Pages: 256 (eBook)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
Add on Goodreads

Seventeen-year-old Sahar has been in love with her best friend, Nasrin, since they were six. They’ve shared stolen kisses and romantic promises. But Iran is a dangerous place for two girls in love— Sahar and Nasrin could be beaten, imprisoned, even executed if their relationship came to light.

So they carry on in secret—until Nasrin’s parents announce that they’ve arranged for her marriage. Nasrin tries to persuade Sahar that they can go on as they have been, only now with new comforts provided by the decent, well-to-do doctor Nasrin will marry. But Sahar dreams of loving Nasrin exclusively—and openly.

Then Sahar discovers what seems like the perfect solution. In Iran, homosexuality may be a crime, but to be a man trapped in a woman’s body is seen as nature’s mistake, and sex reassignment is legal and accessible. As a man, Sahar could be the one to marry Nasrin. Sahar will never be able to love the one she wants, in the body she wants to be loved in, without risking her life. Is saving her love worth sacrificing her true self?

I love me some books dealing with potentially difficult subjects. If You Could Be Mine strikes two of these - not only LGBT acceptance, but also what it feels like to be a girl living under the Iranian government. This book, whilst a good story, also gave me a huge insight into something that I otherwise would be pretty oblivious about.

Top Ten Tuesday (#7)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish, where bloggers get together and list the top ten things related to that week's topic.

Top Ten...Most Memorable Secondary Characters

Sunday 25 August 2013

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

Title: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock
Author: Matthew Quick
Publisher: Little Brown Books
Released: August 1st 2013
Pages: 208 (eBook)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
Add on Goodreads

In addition to the P-38, there are four gifts, one for each of my friends. I want to say good-bye to them properly. I want to give them each something to remember me by. To let them know I really cared about them and I'm sorry I couldn't be more than I was--that I couldn't stick around--and that what's going to happen today isn't their fault.

Today is Leonard Peacock's birthday. It is also the day he hides a gun in his backpack. Because today is the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather's P-38 pistol.

But first he must say good-bye to the four people who matter most to him: his Humphrey Bogart--obsessed next-door neighbor, Walt; his classmate Baback, a violin virtuoso; Lauren, the Christian homeschooler he has a crush on; and Herr Silverman, who teaches the high school's class on the Holocaust. Speaking to each in turn, Leonard slowly reveals his secrets as the hours tick by and the moment of truth approaches.
In this riveting book, acclaimed author Matthew Quick unflinchingly examines the impossible choices that must be made--and the light in us all that never goes out.

I read this book in four hours. Four. Hours. And those four hours were an emotional rollercoaster. Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock is one of my favourite ever reads, full stop. I liked Quick's other novel, The Silver Linings Playbook, but this is on a whole other level. I feel like I've been searching all my life for a book like this.

Saturday 24 August 2013

Touching Melody by RaShelle Workman

Title: Touching Melody
Author: RaShelle Workman
Publisher: All Night Reads
Released: May 14th 2013
Pages: 286 (eBook)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
Add on Goodreads

Sometimes life isn't pretty, but you have to close your eyes and let go...

Maddie Martin's first weekend at college is nothing like she's used to. It's wild, like the wilderness on which the University of Bellam Springs sits. Roped into going to a fraternity party, she literally runs into Kyle Hadley. The boy she's loved since she was nine. The boy she promised all of her firsts to. But that was before his father killed her parents. 

Determined to stay away from him, she throws herself into her music. Practicing piano eases her heavy heart, calms the sadness, and pushes away images of Kyle's face. 

Until it doesn't. 

Her music professor asks her to play a duet for their annual Winter Gala. Doing so means she'll be assured another full ride scholarship. It's an opportunity she can't pass up. 

But Kyle is the other half of the duet. And that means hours and hours of practicing. 

Weeks of seclusion - just the two of them. And it's more than just music. It's passion like Maddie never believed was possible. 

The inevitable happens. She falls in love with him all over again. 

But, will loving him be enough to erase all the hate in her heart for his father? Can she look at him, and not see the evil in his family tree?

And maybe it's all a set up. Maybe Kyle is only pretending to care so he can finish what his father started, and kill her too.

To write this review, I wrote a list of things I liked and things I disliked. Let me tell you that there is absolutely nothing on the like list. I tried to find something, I did, but I couldn't. In the least horrible way possible, I think this is the worst New Adult novel I have ever read - and I finished The Edge of Never the other week, so that is certainly saying something.

Friday 23 August 2013

Follow Friday (#30)

Alison Can Read Feature & Follow
Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read where you meet and follow different bloggers.

Question of the Week: Book Selfie! Take a pic with your current read.

I know I look kind of crazy, and I guess this book is making me crazy. Boo for school reading! But the book is actually pretty good (comparing this to Wuthering Heights where we go around in circles for a while). With this in mind, I should probably say that I'll be posting less reviews since this will take me a while...sigh.

So what books are you guys reading? Leave a comment below, and don't forget to check out the giveaway!


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Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

Title: Shadow Kiss
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Released: November 13th 2008
Pages: 443 (Paperback)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
Add on Goodreads

It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since making her first Strigoi kills, Rose hasn't been feeling quite right. She's having dark thoughts, behaving erratically, and worst of all... might be seeing ghosts.

As Rose questions her sanity, new complications arise. Lissa has begun experimenting with her magic once more, their enemy Victor Dashkov might be set free, and Rose's forbidden relationship with Dimitri is starting to heat up again. But when a deadly threat no one saw coming changes their entire world, Rose must put her own life on the line - and choose between the two people she loves most.

So I originally was going to write this review straight away, BUT I WAS SO UPSET. I picked up Shadow Kiss because lately, my books have been good, but not great - throughout this entire month, I have rated no book five stars. I'd describe the Vampire Academy series as my safe zone - I know that they will be amazing, and I know that they will get me out of any book fix I'm in. And it worked - but also managed to break my heart at exactly the same time.

Thursday 22 August 2013

Blog Tour: Student Bodies by Sean Cummings (Review + Giveaway)


About The Author
Sean Cummings is a fantasy author with a penchant for writing quirky, humorous and dark novels featuring characters that are larger than life. His debut was the gritty urban fantasy SHADE FRIGHT published in 2010. He followed up later in the year with the sequel FUNERAL PALLOR. His urban fantasy/superhero thriller UNSEEN WORLD was published in 2011.

2012 saw the publication of Sean’s first urban fantasy for young adults. POLTERGEEKS is a rollicking story about teen witch Julie Richards, her dorky boyfriend and race against time to save her mother’s life. The first sequel, STUDENT BODIES is due for publication in September 2013.

Sean Cummings lives in Saskatoon Canada.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter

Review
Title: Student Bodies
Author: Sean Cummings
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Release: September 3rd 2013
Pages: 340 (ARC)
Pre-Order: Amazon UK / Amazon US / TBD / Barnes & Noble
Add on Goodreads

Whoever said being a teenage witch would be easy? For fifteen-year-old Julie Richardson and the city’s resident protector from supernatural evil, the Left Hand Path doesn't give a damn if you've found true love for the first time in your life. There’s someone lurking the halls of Crescent Ridge High School with enough malice to unleash an epidemic of Soul Worms – supernatural larvae that feed on the very fabric of a victim’s humanity. 

After witnessing the death of one of the most popular kids at school, Julie and über genius boyfriend Marcus are in a race against time to find out who is behind the attacks. All the evidence points to a horrifying plot at the City Weir during the Winter Solstice; the place where icy waters of the Bow River and a thunderous spillway will mean the deaths of more than a hundred of Julie’s classmates. 

If she has any hope of saving their lives, she’ll need a little help from a coven of white witches and an Aboriginal mage whose snarky attitude is matched only by her magical prowess.

YESSSSSSSSSS. I don't know what else you want me to say apart from that. I finished Poltergeeks and immediately wanted more from Julie and her wacky crew - which I luckily got, since I had this book on hand. Student Bodies was even better than its prequel; everything was kicked up a notch, and I was left in a whirlwind of even better fight scenes and a much improved plot!

Poltergeeks by Sean Cummings

Title: Poltergeeks
Author: Sean Cummings
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Released: October 2nd 2012
Pages: 320 (eBook)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
Add on Goodreads

15-year-old Julie Richardson is about to learn that being the daughter of a witch isn't all it's cracked up to be. When she and her best friend, Marcus, witness an elderly lady jettisoned out the front door of her home, it's pretty obvious to Julie there's a supernatural connection. 

In fact, there's a whisper of menace behind increasing levels of poltergeist activity all over town. After a large-scale paranormal assault on Julie's high school, her mother falls victim to the spell Endless Night. Now it's a race against time to find out who is responsible or Julie won't just lose her mother's soul, she'll lose her mother's life.

I'd seen Poltergeeks around for a while, but only pushed myself into reading it as I got involved with the blog tour for Student Bodies. At first I was so excited to start it, as it promised a unique, magic-y twist on the common paranormal. Poltergeeks is full of action, adventure, and badass fight sequences that leave you reeling as if you've just watched it unfold right in front of you. The book is over before you know it.

Wednesday 21 August 2013

Two-Year Blogaversary!

I'm resisting from ending the blog title with a gazillion exclamation marks (!!!!!!!!!) Challenge failed.


Anyway, this is just a quick post to say thank you for sticking with the blog for so long (aka, sticking with me and my nonesense reviews). Your support is what keeps me updating Project Read and Review, so basically:



You guys are great and I want to have your imaginary book babies.

If you haven't already, go and enter into the two-year blogaversary giveaway for your chance to win one of twenty five 2013 releases or their prequels.


Here's to another two years!

Indelible by Dawn Metcalf

Title: Indelible
Author: Dawn Metcalf
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Released: July 30th 2013
Pages: 384 (eBook)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
Add on Goodreads

Some things are permanent.
Indelible.
And they cannot be changed back.

Joy Malone learns this the night she sees a stranger with all-black eyes across a crowded room—right before the mystery boy tries to cut out her eye. Instead, the wound accidentally marks her as property of Indelible Ink, and this dangerous mistake thrusts Joy into an incomprehensible world—a world of monsters at the window, glowing girls on the doorstep, and a life that will never be the same.

Now, Joy must pretend to be Ink’s chosen one—his helper, his love, his something for the foreseeable future...and failure to be convincing means a painful death for them both. Swept into a world of monsters, illusion, immortal honor and revenge, Joy discovers that sometimes, there are no mistakes.

Somewhere between reality and myth lies…

THE TWIXT.

You know that moment where you reach a certain point of not being accepted for an eGalley and you resign yourself to thinking Nope, not going to get it? Well, I got that feeling with Indelible, much to my disappointment, as I couldn't wait to read it! However, Harlequin gave me a little surprise: I was accepted for it, and dear god, was I excited when I found out.

Tuesday 20 August 2013

Release Day Blitz: Steel Lily by Megan Curd


Title: Steel Lily
Author: Megan Curd
Genre: Dystopian / Steampunk
Publisher: Self
Pages: 293 (eBook)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / Kobo / Barnes & Noble
Add on Goodreads

AVERY PIKE is a commodity. No, more than a commodity. Her existence is guarded at all costs.

She’s a water Elementalist, the strongest of her dwindling kind. She creates steam to provide energy to fuel Dome Four: the only thing standing between humanity and an earth ravaged by World War III. No steam, no Dome. No Dome, no life.


Or so she thinks.


That is, until a mysterious man offers her a way out of having to donate steam. A way to escape the corrupt government of Dome Four. While the offer seems too good to be true, Avery is intrigued. But when she arrives to her new home, she realizes the grass isn’t any less dead on this side of the fence. Instead, the lies are just hidden better.


…Which means digging deeper.


When Avery enlists the help of her friends to uncover the truth, she learns that while some secrets are better left concealed, humankind was never meant to live in a cage. And when you can control the most sought after resource, you can learn to control anything…including the fate of your world.

Camp Boyfriend by J. K. Rock

Title: Camp Boyfriend
Author: J. K. Rock
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Released: July 2nd 2013
Pages: 324 (Paperback)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
Add on Goodreads

The summer of her dreams is about to get a reality check.

They said it couldn't be done, but geeky sophomore Lauren Carlson transformed herself into a popular girl after moving to a new school halfway across the country. Amazing what losing her braces and going out for cheerleading will do. Only trouble is, the popular crowd is wearing on Lauren's nerves and she can't wait to return to summer camp where she's valued for her brain instead of her handsprings. She misses her old friends and most of all, her long time camp-only boyfriend, Seth. This year she intends to upgrade their relationship to year-round status once she's broken up with her new, jock boyfriend, Matt. He doesn't even begin to know the real her, a girl fascinated by the night sky who dreams of discovering new planets and galaxies.

But Matt isn't giving her up without a fight. As he makes his case to stay together, Lauren begins to realize his feelings run deeper than she ever would have guessed. What if the guy she thought she was meant to be with forever isn't really The One? Returning to Camp Juniper Point was supposed to ground her uprooted life, but she's more adrift than ever. Everything feels different and soon Lauren's friends are turning on her and both guys question what she really wants. As summer tensions escalate, Lauren wonders if she's changed more than she thought. Will her first big discovery be herself?

I don't usually like novels that revolve around romance, but the concept of this book captured my attention. Geek-turned-jock fighting off two hot guys? It's a nerd's fantasy, and I couldn't start reading it fast enough - Camp Boyfriend is a girl's ultimate summer read.

Top Ten Tuesday (#6)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish, where bloggers get together and list the top ten things related to that week's topic.

Top Ten...Things That Make Your Life As A Reader/Book Blogger Easier (maybe it's Goodreads or your library or different resources etc. etc.)

Monday 19 August 2013

Blog Tour and Author Interview: Megan Curd


Hey Megan, and welcome to the blog! 

Hey there! Thanks so much for having me. It’s an honor to be here!

So how did the idea of Steel Lily come to you? 

Steel Lily first started cropping up in my mind over Christmas of 2011. For some reason, the thought of what our world may be like if we didn’t take care of it. If we continued to abuse our resources, and then a massive war broke out. How would we deal? Could we survive? What would that look like? All of those ideas were swimming around, and Avery’s world is what came out of it.

What character do you relate to the most? 

I think it’s a mix between Avery and Sari. I love Sari’s spunk and moral compass, but I love Avery’s attitude. She says the things I wouldn’t have the guts to say, so maybe that’s why I like her so much.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Steel Lily by Megan Curd (Excerpt)


About The Author
Megan Curd is a graduate of Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota. While having always enjoyed reading any books she could get her hands on, Megan didn’t begin writing until a friend encouraged her to do so while in college.

When not writing, Megan enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She loves to snowboard and travel to new places, and doesn’t turn down the opportunity to play xBox with her brother and friends when it presents itself.

Megan currently resides in Stanton, Kentucky with her husband, son, and Great Dane named Dozer.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Amazon

Book Info + Synopsis
Title: Steel Lily
Author: Megan Curd
Publisher: Self
Release: August 20th 2013 (TOMORROW!!!)
Pages: 293 (eBook)
Add on Goodreads
My review

AVERY PIKE is a commodity. No, more than a commodity. Her existence is guarded at all costs.

She’s a water Elementalist, the strongest of her dwindling kind. She creates steam to provide energy to fuel Dome Four: the only thing standing between humanity and an earth ravaged by World War III. No steam, no Dome. No Dome, no life.

Or so she thinks.

That is, until a mysterious man offers her a way out of having to donate steam. A way to escape the corrupt government of Dome Four. While the offer seems too good to be true, Avery is intrigued. But when she arrives to her new home, she realizes the grass isn’t any less dead on this side of the fence. Instead, the lies are just hidden better.

…Which means digging deeper.

When Avery enlists the help of her friends to uncover the truth, she learns that while some secrets are better left concealed, humankind was never meant to live in a cage. And when you can control the most sought after resource, you can learn to control anything…including the fate of your world.

The Road to Her by K. E. Payne

Title: The Road to Her
Author: K. E. Payne
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Released: July 16th 2013
Pages: 247 (eBook)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
Add on Goodreads

Sparks fly when twenty-year-old Holly Croft, star of the UK soap Portobello Road, meets Elise Manford, the actress who’s going to play her on-screen love interest in the soap’s first ever lesbian storyline.

Enigmatic Elise’s super-confident attitude and unwelcome advice drives Holly to distraction at first, but as fans go wild over the storyline, and the pair start to spend more and more time together, Holly begins to see another side to her costar. Liking what she sees, Holly slowly finds herself falling in love, but can she ignore her growing attraction to Elise when the lines between fact and fiction begin to blur?

I've seen a few other novels by Payne about, but I've always been hesitant to pick them up. Why? Not because of the genre, that's for sure - I love books that tackle difficult and quite controversial topics, which all of hers do do. However, the reviews I have skimmed over have never been too good. Despite this, The Road to Her caught my eye, and I couldn't help but try it. It actually left me pleasantly surprised.

Sunday 18 August 2013

Stacking the Shelves (#11)

STSmall_thumb[2]
Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews where bloggers get together and show off what new reads are stacking up on their shelves.

For Review
Briar Rose by Jana Oliver (from Pan Macmillan)
Rolling Dice by Beth Reekles (from Random House via Netgalley)
The F- It List by Julie Halpern (from Macmillan via Netgalley)
The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa (from Mira Ink via Netgalley)
Hidden Wings by Cameo Renae (from Indie Inked via Netgalley)
Reign of Blood by Alexia Purdy (from Indie Inked via Netgalley)
Fields of Elysium by A. B. Whelan (from inMotion Capitol via Netgalley)

Bought
Geektastic by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci
Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
John Winchester's Journal by Alex Irvine
Sirius Black's wand (yes, yes, I know it's a book showcase - BUT IT'S SO PRETTY)

So what have you got this week? Leave a comment below!

The Edge of Never by J. A. Redmerski

Title: The Edge of Never
Author: J. A. Redmerski
Publisher: Harper
Released: November 13th 2012
Pages: 480 (eBook)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
Add on Goodreads

Twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett thought she knew exactly where her life was going. But after a wild night at the hottest club in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, she shocks everyone-including herself-when she decides to leave the only life she's ever known and set out on her own. Grabbing her purse and her cell phone, Camryn boards a Greyhound bus ready to find herself. Instead, she finds Andrew Parrish.

Sexy and exciting, Andrew lives life like there is no tomorrow. He persuades Camryn to do things she never thought she would and shows her how to give in to her deepest, most forbidden desires. Soon he becomes the center of her daring new life, pulling love and lust and emotion out of her in ways she never imagined possible. But there is more to Andrew than Camryn realizes. Will his secret push them inseparably together-or destroy them forever?

NOTE: This review does contain a few swear words, all words directly used from the novel.

I first attempted The Edge of Never about a month ago, and eight percent in, I knew I had to DNF it. However, after reading raving review after raving review, I put my instant dislike down to my current reading mood. So I decided to pick it up again and, ugh, why did I bother?!

Friday 16 August 2013

Follow Friday (#29)

Alison Can Read Feature & Follow
Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read where you meet and follow different bloggers.

Question of the Week: Share something you’ve learned about book blogging or just blogging in general in the last month

A few things, I guess. I've learnt to appreciate scheduling posts - this is a life saver! (Well, when it works, at least.) I've recently become part of an ARC Share group in the UK, so I'm learning a lot about that, too - and leading on from that, I'm learning how important it is to actually connect with your followers and other book bloggers. I mean, what's the point of reading and loving a book if you can't share that excitement with others?

Thinking about it, I think the best thing I've learnt about book blogging in the last few months is how important it is to add a Goodreads button to any reviews or book showcases. It's a complete hassle reading a good synopsis for a book and then spending ages trying to find it on Goodreads - if someone adds a link on their blog, you can quickly add it to your TBR list.

Okay, I admit it: my answers this week suck. Do you have any better blogging tips? Leave a comment below, and don't forget to check out the giveaway!


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Thursday 15 August 2013

How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

How to Be a WomanTitle: How to Be a Woman
Author: Caitlin Moran
Publisher: Ebury Press
Released: June 16th 2011
Pages: 312 (Paperback)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
Add on Goodreads 

It's a good time to be a woman: we have the vote and the Pill, and we haven't been burnt as witches since 1727. However, a few nagging questions do remain...

Why are we supposed to get Brazilians? Should we use Botox? Do men secretly hate us? And why does everyone ask you when you're going to have a baby?

Part memoir, part rant, Caitlin answers the questions that every modern woman is asking. 

So a lot of my fellow feminists have told me to read this - something "every woman should read" so I thought hey, why not? How to Be a Woman is pure genius. It's hysterically funny and cringe-worthy, but at the same time, Moran addresses some issues that every woman is thinking. This book is basically a woman's guide to life.

Wednesday 14 August 2013

Waiting on Wednesday (#34)

Waiting on Wednesday' is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Tuesday 13 August 2013

Top Ten Tuesday (#5)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish, where bloggers get together and list the top ten things related to that week's topic.

Top Ten...Favourite Books With X Setting

Monday 12 August 2013

4 to 16 Characters by Kelly Hourihan

Title: 4 to 16 Characters
Author: Kelly Hourihan
Publisher: Lemon Sherbet Press
Release: November 7th 2013
Pages: 314 (eBook)
Add on Goodreads 

Fifteen-year-old Jane Shilling’s best friends don’t know her real name. In fact, they don’t know anything about her at all. Jane’s life has collapsed in the last few years; following the death of her mother, her father turned to drinking, and Jane is reeling from the double blow. To escape, Jane devises a number of online personas, each with a distinct personality, life history, and set of friends. But things become trickier when she finds herself drawing close to some of her online friends, and winds up struggling with the question of how to maintain a real friendship while masquerading as a fake person. With the help of Gary, a socially awkward classmate and competitive Skeeball player who is Jane’s only offline friend, and Nora, her therapist, Jane begins to sift through her issues. The only catch is that that involves taking a long, hard look at what her life’s like when the computer is shut off, and that’s a reality she’s been fighting for years.

As soon as I found out that this book surrounded the idea of fangirling and fanfiction and all that jazz, I knew I needed to read it. As a self-confessed fangirl, I know what it's like to feel as if nothing but the fandom exists, and I was curious to see an author's portrayal of it. I was actually pleasantly surprised, as Hourihan nailed fangirling on the head - it was just something else that was slightly off.

Saturday 10 August 2013

Death Note (Vol. 1) by Tsugumi Ohba

Death Note, Vol. 1: Boredom (Death Note, #1)Title: Death Note
Author: Tsugumi Ohba
Illustrator: Takeshi Obata
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Released: April 2nd 2004
Pages: 195 (Paperback)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
Add on Goodreads

Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects - and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal...or his life?

So I've watched the entire anime series of Death Note (sob!) and thought it was about time I actually read the manga. So I went out and borrowed a copy from the library, despite the fact that graphic novels give me headaches (I don't know why, but it sucks). I originally thought that mangas and animes would follow the same rules as books turned into films; the books are always better. But actually, these two were on par with one another.

Friday 9 August 2013

Follow Friday (#28)

Alison Can Read Feature & Follow
Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read where you meet and follow different bloggers.

Question of the Week: Back to School time! Create a reading list for the imaginary English Lit class you'll be teaching this semester. 

BEST. QUESTION. EVER. Okay, so how many books would I make the class read in a term? Can they be over-acheiving, fast readers?

  • To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee (everyone should read this, okay?)
  • Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy (because I have to read it next term and this imaginary class can struggle through it with me!)
  • The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (why isn't this on the curriculum? SHAME ON YOU, SCHOOLS!)
  • The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (a nice, light read for the end of term...joking, this book will rip your heart out :) )

So what books would you make an English class read? Leave a comment below, and don't forget to check out the giveaway (where you can't actually win any of the books on the above list - sad face)


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Thursday 8 August 2013

A Taylor-Made Life by Kary Rader

Title: A Taylor-Made Life
Author: Kary Rader
Publisher: Self
Released: July 8th 2013
Pages: 216 (Kindle)
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US
Add on Goodreads

They lived the life they were given; they loved the life they made.

Cheerleader Taylor Smith doesn’t want to die a virgin. Unfortunately, if the terminally-ill leukemia patient doesn't find a lover or a stem-cell match within months, her fear will become reality. When her cancer mentor is revealed to be a hottie entrepreneur from California, it seems fate might finally be on her side.

Tech-geek Gavin Taylor has everything he ever wanted, except someone to grieve for him when he's gone. With his melanoma cancer beyond the help of his riches, he agrees to participate in a cancer patient mentoring program where he's matched with a dying teen from Texas. Despite his immediate attraction, the Silicon Valley whiz intends only to provide friendship and happy memories to the beautiful, young woman who is determined to win his love.

When it's discovered that his frozen sperm and her harvested eggs could lead to a cure, Taylor's mother offers to be a surrogate. And Gavin must decide if he can risk the heart he has never given and a child he'll never know to a girl he just met.

How would I describe this book in three words? Cheesy, unrealistic, and adorable - not necessarily in that order. At first, I was expecting A Taylor-Made Life to be like My Sister's Keeper or The Fault in Our Stars - that it would look at the cold, hard facts of cancer and would tell a story about finding love at the end of your world. And it did, most definitely. However, the book was laced to the very brim with cheese...in the best way possible.

Wednesday 7 August 2013

Waiting on Wednesday (#33)

Waiting on Wednesday' is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.