Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Books,Biscuits and Tea and its aim is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to
see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries,
bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week.
So since the post office was closed this week due to Eid holiday,I did not get any new stuff this week.But my brother finally let me borrow a few of his books.
I've been wanting to read these for a long time and my brother took forever to finish them.But the important thing's that I finally got my hands on them.Can't wait to start reading!
What's your haul this week?Leave the link in comments so that I can check it out.Happy Sunday!
Publication date: 26 April 2012 by Corgi (First published
May 24th 2011
by Random House Books for Young Readers)
Blurb:My whole body shivered. I was about to find out if magic was real.
The electric thrill of terror was sharp on my tongue. I cut deep.
The
murder of her parents has left Silla damaged and lost, and her
insistence that her father is not to blame alienates her from her
friends and family. When a mysterious spell book arrives, Silla hopes it
will lead to some answers about her parents' killer. In her first
attempt at magic, in an old graveyard near her home, she is overseen by
Nick, the new boy in town who has a chilling past of his own. Together,
they must contend with a deadly immortal woman who will stop at nothing
to possess the book of spells.
My Review:
**Thank you Random House India for providing a review copy of this book.**
I really didn't know what to make of Blood Magic.It had a lot of highs and lows.While I was quite impressed by the fact that the author was able to come up with something unique in the paranormal area other than vampires and werewolves,I felt that the entire story could have been a whole lot better.The ins ta-love wasn't very realistic and the story wasn't that well plotted.But each and every scene was well written,even though the plot itself didn't reach up to my expectations.Tessa Gratton's writing has that hair raising quality.And I absolutely loved the entire concept of the story.I haven't really read any YA novels about this type of sorcery or alchemy(call it whatever you like) before,so I was really impressed.The best parts of the story was probably Josephine's journal entries.Especially the opening entry of the story.The entire story focuses on that entry,and as you dig deeper,you find how much significance that opening entry holds,even though it just consists of one sentence.
“I am Josephine Darly, and I intend to live forever.”
Just a simple sentence,but it speaks of so much ambition,has so much inner meanings,and that itself is what draws you into the book.So you can see what I meant when I said that the book had so many highs and lows.It either catches the limelight or shrivels to dust.But this book is absolutely worth reading,as it's not everyday you find such a well-written book.I'd recommend it as a borrow-from-friend/library material,just to be on the safe side.Definitely reading the sequel,The Blood Keeper,which is already out.My contact from Random House U.K is sending me a copy.Eeep!!!!I have really high hopes for it because it sounds more interesting.Fingers crossed!
(first published October 9th 2012 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers)
Blurb:
Manhattan lies underwater.
The corrupt rulers of this new city live high above the flood and survive by channelling the energy of the mystics- a magic-welding underclass who are forced to live amongst the poor in the squalor of the Depths.
High in Aeries,Aria Rose's fiance has promised that their marriage will unite two of the city's ruling dynasties.But the gaps in Aria's memory tell her that this romance isn't all it seems-the appearance of Hunter,a gorgeous rebel mystic and passionate revolutionary,is about to change the course of her life for ever.
My Review:
**I received a finished paperback copy of this book from Random House U.K in exchange for an honest review.**
So long story short,Mystic City is sort of like a dystopian spin-off of Romeo & Juliet,excepting the fact that Juliet got waay too many bumps on her head so now she can't remember anything about her precious Romeo.Boo-hoo! :(
No but seriously,the romance in Mystic City is kind of cheesy but in a good way,one which made me smile.I finished Mystic City in one sitting and enjoyed every minute of it,from the cheesy romance on the first page till the cheesy romance on the very last page.I actually found myself reacting strongly to every scene of the story.To be honest,I even found myself CRYING at one point for poor Aria and her tragic life and repetitive amnesia. If it weren't for everything else,I would've just considered Mystic City as plain cheesy but it has a perfect combination of everything.The entire story was wonderfully plotted,the characters were perfectly put in their roles and most of all,the author swept me off my feet with his magical play upon words.(My very own prince charming!**giggles**)And I'm sure that it's really difficult for a male to write a story from a female's point of view since both genders have different psychologies,or in other words,different ways of thinking.But Theo Lawrence mastered it all and Aria's voice throughout the story turned out to be vibrant, colourful and convincing.It was Aria's voice that helped me imagine her version of New York clearly.And to me,reading a story is not fun until I manage to get myself dragged into the story-world.In the case of Mystic City,that was not a problem.And to let everyone in on a secret,the cover contributed to my imagination as well.I am so glad that I was not tricked by the cover this time!Hehe!
But there's more to Mystic City than just dystopia and romance.It also comprises of fantasy,sci-fi and a bit of para normalcy as well.The mystics are a beautiful race and I hated the way how they were treated with injustice.The best way to describe them is magical,like the characters in the bed-time stories we cherished when we were younger,except that in this case, the mystics are here to replace those characters which we have outgrown.
Recommended to fans of Dystopia,Romance,Fantasy and Paranormal novels,Mystic City is an emotional thrill ride and a battle for love which you do not want to miss!!
Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Books,Biscuits and Tea and its aim is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to
see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries,
bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week.
Here's my haul for this week:
An ARC of Touch Of Death by Kelly Hashway for review along with lots of swag thanks to Spencer Hill Press.
A review copy of Blood Magic by Tessa Graton along with a Rapture postcard thanks to Random House India.
An ARC of Splintered along with a bookmark and a Splintered inspired key "necklace" thanks to A.G. Howard.
Publication date: September 27th 2012
by Corgi Childrens
Blurb: You can’t choose your family... living or dead.
Trapped
between two very different worlds, newly made vampire Moth is
struggling to find her place in either. Not only does she have to answer
to her strict Irish-Catholic Dad, but her over-protective maker, Theo,
is intent on making her the star attraction in his powerful Boston
vampire clan. Moth will have to pull off the double-act of the century
to please both of them...
Adding to her problems is the
dangerously attractive Jason Murdoch, a trainee vampire hunter who loves
to play cat and mouse in his spare time (Jace = cat; Moth = mouse). But
when the teenagers of Boston’s wealthiest families start to disappear,
it forces Moth and Jace into an uneasy truce. Will they be able to solve
the mystery behind the disappearances—before someone winds up undead?
My Review:
Thank you Random House U.K for the review copy.
While Falling To
Ash did not have that one-of-the-best-books-I-have-ever-read effect on
me,it wasn't half bad.The story had a relatively good character
buildup,and the narration was pretty good as well.The book also has a
drop-dead-gorgeous cover which everyone can already see but it's just
that the book did not actually reach my expectations.Don't get me
wrong.The book is quite well written.It's just that it had so much more
potential.If only the book had a better plot,I would have given it a
five-star rating on the spot.
What I liked most about the book
was probably the character building.I loved the voice of the main
character,Moth.She was the one character who made my day with her good
sense of humor.And there is this other character who reminded me of some
good old times.That would be Jace.Even though he's really different
from Cassandra Clare's Jace in The Mortal Instruments series,he still
reminded me of him.Reading about the new Jace A.K.A wannabe vampire
hunter according to Moth was an absolute delight.
So here's the
thing.While I may not have liked this much I'd still ask people to give
it a shot,specially fans of vampire books and paranormal romance since I
have a feeling that they might like it better than I did.Trust me,while
it might not be one of the best books you've ever read,it's still worth
a shot.Borrow from a friend or a library if you're still unsure.
Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Books,Biscuits and Tea and its aim is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to
see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries,
bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week.
So this week I got myself tons of stuff.Here are the review copies I got thanks to Random House U.K.
The Paladin Prophecy by Mark Frost
Mystic City by Theo Lawrence
Falling to Ash by Karen Mahoney
I've already finished reading Mystic City and am almost done with reading Falling To Ash.Keep an eye out for my Mystic City review sometime soon!I also got an ARC of Amber House along with a gorgeous card thanks to Tucker Reed,Larkin Reed and Kelly Moore.Here's the pic:
Amber House by Tucker Reed,Larkin Reed and Kelly Moore
I will start reading this as soon as I'm done with the Random House Books.In the meantime guys,Happy Sunday!And I can't promise you that I'll be able to check out your posts today since I've got to study for a test but if you leave your links I'll check them out tomorrow. :)
Book Description:
The only thing worse than dying, is running away…
Since becoming employed by a supernatural protection agency, Natalie Johnson’s life has been more interesting than ever. While most teens are working on their summer tans, Natalie works on slaughtering the undead lurking just outside her town’s borders.
The workload takes more than just a toll on her love life, it dampens her spirit and her health, as the town is plagued by a mysterious murderer intent on stealing the residents’ souls. Natalie’s investigation is hampered by her declining health and the sicker she gets, the more inadequate she feels.
Guilt over her inability to act, weighs heavily on Natalie’s shoulders during a time when her strength is needed more than ever. As some of those closest to her begin to lose faith, she must make the hardest stand yet to save the soul of the one person she can always count on:
The Slayer.
Writing Demon Royale (Or how I panicked about getting it wrong) (GUEST POST BY JILL COOPER) In Dream Slayer Natalie Johnson is a day dreamer who creates a world of fantastical adventures. Her dreams create chaos in the real world as everyone’s nightmares, deepest fears, manifest around them. When it’s over she discovers her real power, strength, but people suffer along the way. And some die. I had setup a platform for a series about two kick butt heroines. I know where they will end up in Book three and ultimately where the series will end. But how do I get them there? Initial I had a kick butt plot setup where Natalie springs into action, kills a lot of demons, saves her friends from sacrifice, and eats a lot of pancakes. It was great, it was exciting. My husband loved it, but I wasn’t sure. It was missing something. I wasn’t sure what it was missing at first. It seemed like a logical step in Natalie’s progression. She’s learning to fight and figuring out who she is; her relationship with her boyfriend, and along the way she saves the world. Again. But there was no compassion for the fallen. No remorse for the damage and death she had caused in the first book. I realized I had focused all her attention on learning to fight, to become an effective undead killer, and I needed to put that focus on her emotions. So I kept some aspects of the plot I loved (like the pancakes, demonic squirrels) and I started over. In Dream Slayer, Natalie had never questioned her destiny because there wasn’t time. The city was at stake! There was evil all around. Now in this highly personal novel for Natalie it gives her the opportunity to mourn the lost and gives her the chance to decide, ‘is this what I really want’? Is she comfortable being a hero, a leader? While there is still a lot of danger, evil, and the world is again at risk, it is a smaller journey for Natalie as she comes to grips with her life and the past choices she’s made. As she gets sicker and she begins to lose strength, she always loses resolve. When you’re the hero with no one else to reside on what should she do? What would you do?
Hi guys!Today I'm taking part in the Annabelle's Story Blog Tour.My tour stop comprises of an awesome guest post and giveaway.Before that,here's a bit about Leigh Michael and her Annabelle's Story series.
Series Summary:
Annabelle Walsh thought she had it all.
She was the star of her swim team, had a loving family, a great boyfriend, and
to top it off, she’d be starting at UCLA in the fall. One day, she’d be
referred to as Dr. Annabelle Walsh.
She was living every girl’s dream – until her life was turned upside down. All
starting with finding out that she's not just a human, but also a water spirit.
Half-human, half-sprite to be exact. Although not just any sprite, Annabelle is
prophesied to be the only one who can save both the sprites and mankind.
With a mix of current events, anecdotes from Greek mythology, tidbits of
folklore, and Leigh’s own imagination, we join Annabelle in her journey to
restore order beneath the sea. Each step of the way her mind, body, and soul
are pushed to the limit begging the question, how much can one half-human,
half-sprite take?
Leigh Michael is an author of YA fiction.
She's worked within the advertising world for nearly a decade before writing
her debut series, Annabelle's Story. Leigh lives in Washington, DC with her
husband and goldendoodle. Please learn more about Leigh and her works at
www.LeighMichaelBooks.com.
Not many books see the light of day as feature films. In fact, I once read that the percentage of novels that do is less than 1.7%. This is a quote from over two years ago. Plus, it’s just someone’s best educated guess. Still... it goes without saying that Annabelle’s Story probably won't be coming to a theater near you. I can still dream up who’d be cast in each role though, right?Take a look below to see who’d play Annabelle, Adrian, and Blake in Sprite (Annabelle's Story Part One) and in Kin (Annabelle's Story Part Two).
Annabelle
Name: Elizabeth Olsen
Known for:Martha Marcy May Marlene and Liberal Arts
Height: 5'7"
Age: 23
Why Annabelle?: Her light hair, blue eyes, and fair skin make her the perfect Annabelle look-alike. Elizabeth's innocence is a quality I find endearing, allowing the viewer to grow with Annabelle each step of the way. Not to mention, Elizabeth is a statuesque beauty who could launch bodysuits into the next big thing in high fashion.
Adrianus (Adrian)
Name: Christian Alexander
Known for:General Hospital
Height: Hmm, not sure
Age: 22
Why Adrian?: Born in Greece, Christian is made for the role of Prince of Tritonis. Grow out his hair, throw some water on him, and slap on some fins and Christian is transformed into the jovial merman who Annabelle quickly claims as her partner in crime.
Blake
Name: Jeremy Sumpter
Known for: Soul Surfer and Friday Night Lights
Height: 6'2"
Age: 23
Why Blake?: In Sprite, Blake is described as having "sandy blonde hair, chiseled abs, and a killer smile." From the looks of things, he's already got 2 of the 3. And if I were a betting lady, I'd say those chiseled abs aren't a stretch. He's the perfect "boy next door" with a "bad boy" twist.
Giveaway!!!!!!
Enter for a chance to win digital copies of Sprite and Kin here.Giveaway lasts till the 2nd of November and is international.Cheating disqualifies all entries.If winner does not reply within forty-eight hours,another winner will be chosen.Please enter via the rafflecopter widget below.Good luck! :)
Publication Date: September 25th 2012
by HarlequinTeen
Blurb: Dangerous to be together. Painful to be apart.Savannah
Colbert knows she broke up with Tristan Coleman for the right reasons.
Most of all, to keep from killing him with her new vampire abilities.
But try telling her heart. Now, lost in a sea of hostile Clann faces,
Sav tries to come to terms with what she's becoming and what that means
for her future. And that someone is doing their best to bully her into
making a terrible mistake.
Tristan can't believe Sav won't even
talk to him. If being apart is her decision, fine. Just don't expect him
to honor it. But even as he prepares to fight for the girl he loves,
forces beyond their control take them both in directions neither could
have foreseen or prepared for.
A reckoning is coming…and not everyone will survive.
My Review:
Thank you Netgalley and HarlequinTeen for the ARC.
Okay people,I know that you're really freaked out by the cover but I'll ask you to give this one a chance.In fact,as much as I am ashamed to admit it,the reason that I actually agreed to read/review this book even though I gave the first one a two star rating was solely because of the cover(and because I can't go on leaving a series unfinished -_-). The cover had a sort of repelling attraction on me,if that even makes sense.I guess I always like chasing after the unique ;). Well, HarlequinTeen's done a pretty good job with being unique with this cover,so a round of applause to them!
(Disclaimer: I do not own the image)
Okay,are we done with the applause?So let's get on to the main part.I won't even try to deny the fact that this book's extremely cheesy and that the characters in it are extremely immature.Seriously,forbidden love,with both the guy and the girl and going all Romeo and Juliet?Puh-leassseee!!!!I've read this so much and of course not to mention the fact that this book contains vampire romance,which makes me scrunch up my nose nowadays as if it's like some sort of garbage dump.(The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa is an exception.)
I know that you're wondering that even after complaining so much,why did I give this book a four-star rating?It's all in the writing style.The author has a way with words,which draws you inside and gives you a clear concept of what she wants you to see.It's like you know that the story's not that promising,but you just can't seem to put it down!Your traitorous mind bugs at you,and you stay up all night to finish the book in one sitting.I'm talking about my own experiences.So all you authors out there,you should really follow Melissa Darnell's example.Though it may not seem like much,but the way you write has a lot to do with what readers think of your books.Look at Covet for example.In Crave,I didn't like anything about the story.The writing wasn't that exceptional either.I honestly didn't see a four star rating coming for this one,at least not from me.But look at that!Sometimes the impossible does seem to be possible!So I'm absolutely thrilled for Melissa Darnell and have set high expectations for her.Definitely reading Consume!Who knows?Maybe she might have even more surprises in store for me.
P.S To Melissa Darnell if you're reading this review or ever come across it,I really am sorry that I couldn't enjoy Crave as much as I enjoyed Covet.But then again,people have different tastes right? :)
