Review: The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Forbidden to leave her island, Isabella Riosse dreams of the faraway lands her father once mapped.

When her closest friend disappears into the island’s Forgotten Territories, she volunteers to guide the search. As a cartographer’s daughter, she’s equipped with elaborate ink maps and knowledge of the stars, and is eager to navigate the island’s forgotten heart.

But the world beyond the walls is a monster-filled wasteland – and beneath the dry rivers and smoking mountains, a legendary fire demon is stirring from its sleep. Soon, following her map, her heart and an ancient myth, Isabella discovers the true end of her journey: to save the island itself.

This book is just beautiful, stunning and beautiful. Yes I know I have put beautiful twice but this book needs it because it is beautiful inside and out. Not only is it a beautiful story but its also very beautiful on the outside. Not just the cover, no, every single page is! But I let you see this for yourself when you pick up this book. Its totally worth it.

Isabella has always been interested in the forbidden parts of the island, as a daughter of a cartographer she would love to capture the unknown. But nobody is allowed into the forbidden territory or even leave the island by sea. When a girl goes missing into the woods at first nobody is willing to look for her. When she turns up dead Isabella's best friend, the governors daughter, sets off for the woods to find what has killed her. Together with the governor, his men and her mothers map Isabella sets off to find her.

What awaits them in the woods is magical and dangerous. Its a story about friendship, loss and freedom. It has the feel of an old tale and is stunningly written. Reading this book gave me much joy and I hope there is much more to come. Its one of those books that is instantly a new favourite. With the sort of characters that you want to keep close for many more books to come.

I absolutely adored this book and I cant recommend it enough. Its a quick read and I totally wish it had many more pages.

Thank you to Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Jazz Barlett and Chicken House Publishing for my copy, which has a special spot on my bookshelf, in exchange for my honest review.

The Girl Of Ink & Stars will be published on 5th May!

Review: HEX by Thomas Olde Heuvelt

The incredible, horrifying thriller from Thomas Olde Heuveult, the Hugo award-winning author of 'The Day The World Turned Upside Down', perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman, Adam Nevill and Stephen King.

Whoever is born here, is doomed to stay until death. Whoever comes to stay, never leaves.

Welcome to Black Spring, the seemingly picturesque Hudson Valley town haunted by the Black Rock Witch, a seventeenth-century woman whose eyes and mouth are sewn shut. Blind and silenced, she walks the streets and enters homes at will. She stands next to children's beds for nights on end. So accustomed to her have the townsfolk become that they often forget she's there. Or what a threat she poses. Because if the stitches are ever cut open, the story goes, the whole town will die.

The curse must not be allowed to spread. The elders of Black Spring have used high-tech surveillance to quarantine the town. Frustrated with being kept in lockdown, the town's teenagers decide to break the strict regulations and go viral with the haunting. But, in so doing, they send the town spiraling into a dark nightmare. 

Stories like these are what nightmares are made of!! No seriously! This book has given me nightmares. Wow. Many years back I used to be obsessed with Stephen King books, I would literally binge read those. But I haven't touched scary books for some time. There is one that has always stuck with me and that's Pet Cemetery, I tell you what, Hex is like Pet Cemetery on crack cocaine. And I mean that as an absolute compliment. Scary movies have gone down the hill for many years, for some reason gore and blood seem to be the theme of most, while I don't think this is enough. You need a story line that will get to your head and refuses to let you go. Hex does just that.

Hex is the story of Black Spring, a small town with a big secret. For many centuries a witch is haunting the town and all its people. She can appear anywhere and just stands there for long period of times. Her eyes and mouth have been sewn shut, which is possible the only reason she cant harm anyone. The town has many rules, to keep their secret, but the main one is to never open her eyes and mouth. To keep track of the witch they even have their own app, hex, where sightings are always posted immediately. And they have cameras all over town to never loose her out of sight.

A group of young lads want things to change, they are fed up with being trapped in the town and keeping the witch secret. Together they make a plan to out the witch and the town. However nobody expected for things to suddenly change dramatically. While the witch has her patterns that she always follows, for the first time ever those change and with it so does everything and everyone else.

This book is incredible. Its  scary and chilling and it gets under your skin. I cant believe it even made me dream of this witch. I can already feel it clinging to me and I know I wont be rid of it for some time. It was impossible to put down, it made my skin crawl. What an incredible author, one that has managed to convince me to go back to a genre I haven't read in some time. If there is more books out there as good as this one, I need to find them.

Thank you to Bookbridgr and Hodder & Stoughton for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Hex is out today and I really think you need a copy!

WWW Wednesday (27th April)

 WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. It’s open for anyone to join in and is a great way to share what you’ve been reading! All you have to do is answer three questions and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

The three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

I am currently reading...

Liam Quinn is talented, gorgeous, and one of the biggest movie stars in the world.

He's also the only man Elissa Holt has ever truly loved.

After being out of her life for six years, he and his gorgeous fiancé are set to star in the new Broadway show Elissa is stage managing. The only trouble is, when late night rehearsals bring Elissa and Liam together, the line between what is and what could have been gets blurred, and one moment of weakness will lead to a scandal that echoes around the world.

Elissa knows that falling for Liam again would be a tragedy in the making, but as any good romantic will tell you, love doesn’t always follow the script.

I have recently finished...

The incredible, horrifying thriller from Thomas Olde Heuveult, the Hugo award-winning author of 'The Day The World Turned Upside Down', perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman, Adam Nevill and Stephen King.

Whoever is born here, is doomed to stay until death. Whoever comes to stay, never leaves.

Welcome to Black Spring, the seemingly picturesque Hudson Valley town haunted by the Black Rock Witch, a seventeenth-century woman whose eyes and mouth are sewn shut. Blind and silenced, she walks the streets and enters homes at will. She stands next to children's beds for nights on end. So accustomed to her have the townsfolk become that they often forget she's there. Or what a threat she poses. Because if the stitches are ever cut open, the story goes, the whole town will die.

The curse must not be allowed to spread. The elders of Black Spring have used high-tech surveillance to quarantine the town. Frustrated with being kept in lockdown, the town's teenagers decide to break the strict regulations and go viral with the haunting. But, in so doing, they send the town spiraling into a dark nightmare. 

I plan on reading next...

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Alyson Noël comes the first book in the Beautiful Idols series. With mystery, suspense, and an insiders-only look at Los Angeles that echoes Gossip Girl’s racy and real New York, fans of Pretty Little Liars and readers who crave pulse-pounding romance will love Unrivalled.

EVERYONE wants to be someone.

Layla Harrison wants to be a reporter.
Aster Amirpour wants to be an actress.
Tommy Phillips wants to be a guitar hero.
But Madison Brooks took destiny and made it her own a long time ago.

She’s Hollywood’s hottest starlet, and the things she did to become the name on everyone’s lips are merely a stain on the pavement, ground beneath her Louboutin heel.

That is, until Layla, Aster, and Tommy find themselves with a VIP invite to the world of Los Angeles’s nightlife and are lured into a competition. The prize, or rather the target? Madison Brooks.

Just as their hopes begin to gleam like stars through the California smog, Madison Brooks goes missing. . . . And all of their hopes are blacked out in the haze of their lies.

Review: Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith

On the night before they leave for college, Clare and Aidan have only one thing left to do: figure out whether they should stay together or break up. Over the course of twelve hours, they retrace the steps of their relationship, trying to find something in their past that might help them decide what their future should be. The night leads them to family and friends, familiar landmarks and unexpected places, hard truths and surprising revelations. But as the clock winds down and morning approaches, so does their inevitable goodbye. The question is, will it be goodbye for now or goodbye forever?

Charming, bittersweet, and full of wisdom and heart, this irresistible novel from Jennifer E. Smith, author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, explores the difficult choices that arise when life and love lead in different directions.

This is the story of Clare and Aidan, they have been a couple for some time and they find themselves facing their toughest decision yet. To stay together or not to stay together. They have only one night left before they leave for college. On opposite sides of the states, they couldn't be further apart soon. Now on their one last night they want to relive their firsts and decide once and for all about their future. But how can you make a decision like this? When the heart says one thing and your head another... What will they decide when the night is over?

The night doesn't quite go as planned. And while their heart fights their head they probably have one of their most crazy nights together. Together with their friends they face the past, the present and the future.

This has been an absolutely adorable book. It describes a struggle many young couples face before going off to college. The characters have been really quirky and likeable. Clare and Aidan are a very sweet couple, coming from completely different backgrounds they couldn't be more different. But they just work perfectly. However this is much more then just about Clare and Aidan. Its about friendship, family, growing up and saying goodbye.

I have enjoyed this book from the start to the finish. Forever rooting for them both. It has been a charming and quick read. I can recommend this to anyone who likes contemporary YA. Smith is a fantastic writer and I for one cant wait to read more from her in the future.

Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between is out now.

Thank you Bookbridgr and the publisher for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Weekly Wrap Up and Stacking the Shelves #17

Weekly Wrap Up...

This week I have finished 4 books. While this is really really good for me, they haven't been very long. The first book I have finished is the 2nd book in the Elementals series by Michelle Madow, The Blood of the Hydra. Which I enjoyed much more then the first one. You can read my full review here. The second book of the week was The Passenger by Lisa Lutz, which was a fantastic thriller. Find my review here. Book 3 was the absolutely stunning The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, a book that's beautiful inside and out. The last book of the week was Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith. This book was YA at its finest. Super cute. All in all its been a really good book week. I have enjoyed everything I have read. Wish I could manage 4 books ever single week.

Stacking the Shelves...

Hosted by Tynga’s Reviews

I have added 3 books to my shelf this week. The first one I have received via Bookbridr, thank you very much. The books is called Second Lives and is the second book in the Timebomb series. Silly me didn't see that its the second book because I didn't look at the cover and I didn't notice in the blurb. Will now need the first book too.

The second new book on my shelf is Gifted - The Heyven Series by J.A. George, I have been approached by the author and have downloaded it free on amazon. It looks and sounds amazing.

The third book was a treat from me to me. Been wanting this one for some time and I am so happy its now on my shelf. The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine.

 

The adventure continues: time is in flux, and only Jana, Dora and Kaz can fix it. But can they trust each other?
It began when three people from three different moments in history discovered that they could travel through time when they clasped hands. But the mysteries surrounding them have only deepened.

There are risks to tampering with established events... timelines beco The adventure continues: time is in flux, and only Jana, Dora and Kaz can fix it. But can they trust each other?
It began when three people from three different moments in history discovered that they could travel through time when they clasped hands. But the mysteries surrounding them have only deepened.

There are risks to tampering with established events... timelines become snarled, histories become tangled... and one false move could destroy time itself!

Jana, Kaz and Dora have escaped from their mysterious enemy, Quil, wounded and scared. Taking refuge in a place outside of time, they devise a plan to change the past, altering Quil's life so that she never meets them.
From the streets of Beirut in 2010 to the domed cities of Mars in 2155 and beyond, the three teenagers fight for their future, and that of all humanity, by trying to rewrite the history of the person who has sworn to destroy them.

What could be more complicated - and important - than trying to save the world? As their feelings for each other grow stronger, though, Jana, Kaz and Dora find themselves at the centre of a different kind of battle. And when it comes to matters of the heart, there can be no real victory.

There is no chosen one in this story.

Avery Gray was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and happened to make a decision that altered her future forever. It happens to all of us every day.

Avery is a size twelve university student with a penchant for dry humour, and she’s as normal as they come. Up until now, the biggest choice she’s had to make was glasses or contacts? At the moment, it’s stay and save, or leave and be saved.

Allow me to explain. One rainy afternoon, Avery had to make a choice: go through the alleyway or around it. Two possible options. One would have had her future continue on as planned, the other would ensure that her future never remained the same again. She unknowingly went with the latter.

But change is not always bad. Avery meets Theodore-James Connors, an enigmatic young man who takes her to Hayven, a city separated from the rest of the world, where only gifters – ordinary people with extra-ordinary gifts – can go. She soon finds herself in a close-knit group of friends she’d never have imagined herself in. Friends who are diverse in every possible way, from their ethnic backgrounds, to their personalities, from their gifts, to their life stories. Friends who make her laugh, who make her cry, who make her think and who make her…her.

However, change is not always good. The beautiful, golden city of Hayven has its dark side – Cliders. Gifters turned rogue, aka, Cliders are determined to aid fallen Clider, Madrina, return to rule Hayven. They will stop at nothing to make that happen, including harming those Ava has grown to love.

Again, Ava is faced with a choice: spend her days finding a way to inhibit Madrina’s return, or walk away. After all, she isn’t the chosen one. Yet, there exists a third option – rig the future itself and make it work for her.

Lorelai Diederich, crown princess and fugitive at large, has one mission: kill the wicked queen who took both the Ravenspire throne and the life of her father. To do that, Lorelai needs to use the one weapon she and Queen Irina have in common—magic. She’ll have to be stronger, faster, and more powerful than Irina, the most dangerous sorceress Ravenspire has ever seen.

In the neighboring kingdom of Eldr, when Prince Kol’s father and older brother are killed by an invading army of magic-wielding ogres, the second-born prince is suddenly given the responsibility of saving his kingdom. To do that, Kol needs magic—and the only way to get it is to make a deal with the queen of Ravenspire, promise to become her personal huntsman…and bring her Lorelai’s heart.

But Lorelai is nothing like Kol expected—beautiful, fierce, and unstoppable—and despite dark magic, Lorelai is drawn in by the passionate and troubled king. Fighting to stay one step ahead of the dragon huntsman—who she likes far more than she should—Lorelai does everything in her power to ruin the wicked queen. But Irina isn’t going down without a fight, and her final move may cost the princess the one thing she still has left to lose

Blog Tour: Ascension: The Oasis Series by Jeannie Von Rompaey

ASCENSION: The Oasis Series

By Jeannie van Rompaey

Publication Date: 12^th April 2016

Publisher: Clink Street Publishing

　

Meet the MUTANT HUMANOIDS. They may look a little different from us, but inside they're much the same as you and me. Left on a diseased Earth, they live in windowless compounds, safe from the contaminated wilderness outside. Safe, yes, but their lives are restricted. When the mutant humanoids discover that some complete human beings, COMPLETES, have also survived and are living greatly improved lives on satellites, they determine to rectify this imbalance and claim their share of Earth's heritage. Three-headed RA rules the humanoids with ruthless precision, but others are involved in a power struggle to depose him. Who will succeed in being the next CEO of Planet Earth? Sixteen -year-old MERCURY plans to start a new life on Oasis. Will it prove the Utopia he expects it to be?

ASCENSION, the first novel in Jeannie van Rompaey's Oasis Series, explores with humour and compassion the way humans respond to change. The future worlds of Earth and Oasis mirror our contemporary society. The division between the haves and have-nots widens and the lust for power leads to corruption. But there are idealists determined to build a fairer, more egalitarian society.

Today I have something really special for you. At the end of the blog tour for Ascension: The Oasis Series, Jeannie Von Rompaey answers one very important question.

How Do You Create a Dystopia?

I have no idea how other writers set about this. I can only tell you how I tackled writing Ascension and Evolution the first two books in The Oasis Series.

A utopia is a community or society that possesses highly desirable or perfect qualities, a common literary theme especially in speculative and science fiction. Utopias are rarely completely successful. I suppose because we are flawed human beings who tend to mess up our world.

A dystopia is an unpleasant, typically repressive society. Most speculative fiction is a combination of utopian and dystopian ideas. It’s not all doom and gloom. One thing that always impresses me about this sort of book is that it celebrates the adaptability of human nature to often horrific conditions.

Inspired by other modern authors, in particular Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid’s Tale, her trilogy, Oryx and Crake, The Year of the Flood and MaddAddam) and Kazuo Ishiguru (Never let Me Go) and driven by my interest in the social and political state of the contemporary world, I decided to try my hand at writing in this genre. I do not consider myself a science fiction writer, but then neither, I suspect, do the authors mentioned above. The dystopias they created make gripping, chilling stories that make us think about the world we live in and how human beings deal with its problems – surely the point of fiction. The idea of creating a new world was irresistible to me.

How to start? You might think it would involve a lot of planning to invent a world from scratch. It doesn’t. I begin the way I always start. With a blank page, a couple of characters, a setting and a situation. My work is always character-led. No plotting takes place at the initial stage. I prefer to write freely.

I look up at the wall above my desk where a three-headed portrait I painted some time before is hanging. The original model for the portrait must have come from my dreams. At any rate, he soon becomes the ruthless three-headed Ra in Ascension. As I look at him, it comes to me that I could people my world with human beings born with mutations after some disaster or other. They could have extra limbs or only one eye. I imagine these mutant humanoids living incarcerated in windowless compounds on a contaminated Earth. But who put them there? Human beings with no mutations is the answer, completes, who have escaped to Planet Oasis, a manmade satellite in the sky where they live privileged lives in what they hope will be a better world, a utopia of their own making.

How these two groups - the mutant humanoids and the completes - respond to each other will form the main thrust of my plot.

I concentrate firstly on a group of mutant humanoids living in one particular compound on Earth, Compound 55, and invent a plethora of quirky characters. I decide to call them by names from mythology or legend: Odysseus, Isis, Kali, Sati, Mercury and Heracles. I start with their physical appearances and move on to their personalities. The elderly historian Odysseus with his triangular face and one large central eye prides himself on being clear-sighted, but he’s more intellectual than street-wise; Isis, his assistant, brought up as his daughter, has an extra little arm and a moon face. She’s more interested in beauty products than history. Three-legged, square-faced Heracles, is arrogant and ambitious, the villain of the piece. Kali, the chief administrator, has blue-black skin and dreadlocks and four arms. Poisonous snakes grow out of her neck and wrists. Her ersatz son, Little Mercury, with his big ears and clipped wings, is a computer whiz kid. He becomes the protagonist of the novel when he’s offered the opportunity to go to Planet Oasis. He is the reader’s link between the two invented worlds. He really wrote himself into the role. I didn’t plan to have a sixteen-year-boy as the main character!

Various mutant humanoids share the narrative, giving their individual take on their lives. The multiple viewpoints give insights into their minds and demonstrate that whatever happens to them, they remain determined, not just to survive, but achieve their ambitions.

I hope through dystopian fiction I am presenting not just a warning as to what our world could become in the future if we don’t take care of our planet, but also an optimistic portrayal of the resilience of the human spirit. I decided at an early stage in the writing that I wanted the end of each book to end on an optimistic note. Maybe because I’m essentially an optimist.

I am now writing Book Three in the Oasis Series, Renaissance. I’m thoroughly enjoying continuing with the creation of this alternative, future world. It’s the most imaginative project I’ve undertaken. My hope is that readers will enjoy the books and ask for more.

I would like to share with you a little bit about Jeannie Von Rompaey

Award-winning author, Jeannie van Rompaey, MA in Modern Literature, has enjoyed a varied career as lecturer, theatre-director, actress and performance poet. As Jeannie Russell, she is a senior member of the Guild of Drama Adjudicators and adjudicates at drama festivals in Britain and Europe. Originally from London, she has lived in various countries including America and Spain. She now resides in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria, with her historian husband, Tony. She spends her time writing novels, short stories, plays and poems. When not writing she enjoys painting, and has had several art exhibitions on the island, and runs poetry and theatrical events at The British Club in Las Palmas. She has written eight novels including After (CreateSpace 2014) and Devil Face (Create Space 2013), as well as a number of short stories, two books of poetry -Straight Talk and On the Move- and a series of plays.

Website - http://jeannievanrompaey.com/

You can get your own copy of Ascension here...

Amazon UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Oasis-Ascension-Jeannie-van-Rompaey/dp/191078267X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1459416636&sr=1-1&keywords=Jeannie+van+Rompaey

Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Oasis-Ascension-Jeannie-van-Rompaey/dp/191078267X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1459416637&sr=1-1&keywords=jeannie+van+rompaey

Review: The Passenger by Lisa Lutz

Tanya DuBois doesn’t exist. At least not after an accident leaves her husband dead and thrusts her into the uncomfortably familiar position of Suspect No. 1. She has only one choice: Run.

As “Tanya” watches her life recede in the rearview mirror, we realize she was never real to begin with. And neither is Amelia Keen, Debra Maze, Emma Lark, Sonia Lubovich, or a girl called only Jo. Or almost any of the things she tells us about herself, her past or where she is going next. She is “Amelia” when she meets Blue, another woman with a life she’d rather not discuss, and thinks she’s found a kindred spirit. But their pasts and futures clash as the body count rises around them.

Shedding identities like snakeskins, it becomes impossible for the people in Tanya’s life – and even herself – to know exactly who they’re dealing with. It’s only as she comes closer to facing her past that she can start to piece together the truth about not only who she was but who she can still be. THE PASSENGER inverts the traditional thriller, bypassing whodunit for the larger mysteries of who are you, and what is forgivable, and what is not?

This is my first Lisa Lutz book but I was very eager to read this after the promising blurb. Now I don't read a huge amount of thrillers and suspense but I know a good one when I see it. And this one most certainly is a good one.

Tanya finds her husband Frank dead at the bottom of their stairs. She didn't push him in case you are wondering, however Tanya has no other option but to run away, because Tanya is not really Tanya. Already on the run from one past she is now forced to move on and find a new identity. Calling in a favour by a mysterious Mr Oliver she starts from fresh in a new place. There she starts a friendship with Blue who seems to have just as many secrets as herself. But how long can she stay in one place before she has to move on once again?

Forever on the run she is forced to always look over her  shoulder and live with the fear of discovery. This is a great story about a women on the run from the past. What is amazing is that we not only have no way off guessing where her story ends but also where it began. What has happened back home that has forced her to run away? How much will living on the run change her? Can she ever be herself again?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was exciting from page one till the very end. Completely thrilling and absolutely unpredictable. This book is filled with many surprises. If this was a movie it would have made me jump numerous of times. Brilliantly written with a incredible main character and well thought through plot. Will have to look up some more books by Lisa Lutz now.

Thank you to Titan Books for my copy in exchange for my honest and fair review.

The Passenger is out now!

WWW Wednesday (20th April)

 WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. It’s open for anyone to join in and is a great way to share what you’ve been reading! All you have to do is answer three questions and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

The three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

I am currently reading...

On the night before they leave for college, Clare and Aidan have only one thing left to do: figure out whether they should stay together or break up. Over the course of twelve hours, they retrace the steps of their relationship, trying to find something in their past that might help them decide what their future should be. The night leads them to family and friends, familiar landmarks and unexpected places, hard truths and surprising revelations. But as the clock winds down and morning approaches, so does their inevitable goodbye. The question is, will it be goodbye for now or goodbye forever?

Charming, bittersweet, and full of wisdom and heart, this irresistible novel from Jennifer E. Smith, author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, explores the difficult choices that arise when life and love lead in different directions.

I have recently finished...

Tanya DuBois doesn’t exist. At least not after an accident leaves her husband dead and thrusts her into the uncomfortably familiar position of Suspect No. 1. She has only one choice: Run.

As “Tanya” watches her life recede in the rearview mirror, we realize she was never real to begin with. And neither is Amelia Keen, Debra Maze, Emma Lark, Sonia Lubovich, or a girl called only Jo. Or almost any of the things she tells us about herself, her past or where she is going next. She is “Amelia” when she meets Blue, another woman with a life she’d rather not discuss, and thinks she’s found a kindred spirit. But their pasts and futures clash as the body count rises around them.

Shedding identities like snakeskins, it becomes impossible for the people in Tanya’s life – and even herself – to know exactly who they’re dealing with. It’s only as she comes closer to facing her past that she can start to piece together the truth about not only who she was but who she can still be. THE PASSENGER inverts the traditional thriller, bypassing whodunit for the larger mysteries of who are you, and what is forgivable, and what is not?

I plan on reading next...

The incredible, horrifying thriller from Thomas Olde Heuveult, the Hugo award-winning author of 'The Day The World Turned Upside Down', perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman, Adam Nevill and Stephen King.

Whoever is born here, is doomed to stay until death. Whoever comes to stay, never leaves.

Welcome to Black Spring, the seemingly picturesque Hudson Valley town haunted by the Black Rock Witch, a seventeenth-century woman whose eyes and mouth are sewn shut. Blind and silenced, she walks the streets and enters homes at will. She stands next to children's beds for nights on end. So accustomed to her have the townsfolk become that they often forget she's there. Or what a threat she poses. Because if the stitches are ever cut open, the story goes, the whole town will die.

The curse must not be allowed to spread. The elders of Black Spring have used high-tech surveillance to quarantine the town. Frustrated with being kept in lockdown, the town's teenagers decide to break the strict regulations and go viral with the haunting. But, in so doing, they send the town spiraling into a dark nightmare. 

Review: Cruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard

Two women on either side of the Silver and Red divide tell the stories no one else knows.

Discover the truth of Norta’s bloody past in these two revealing prequels to #1 New York Times bestseller Red Queen.

Queen Song

Queen Coriane, first wife of King Tiberias, keeps a secret diary—how else can she ensure that no one at the palace will use her thoughts against her? Coriane recounts her heady courtship with the crown prince, the birth of a new prince, Cal, and the potentially deadly challenges that lay ahead for her in royal life.

Steel Scars

Diana Farley was raised to be strong, but being tasked with planting the seeds of rebellion in Norta is a tougher job than expected. As she travels the land recruiting black market traders, smugglers, and extremists for her first attempt at an attack on the capital, she stumbles upon a connection that may prove to be the key to the entire operation—Mare Barrow.

I am a huge fan of this series and while I am normally not into novellas I really wanted to read this one. Cruel Crown includes two very different stories. The first one, Queen song, takes us way back, years before the events of Red Queen and tells the story of Cal's mother. This one I found very very interesting and I loved to get to know his mother. It kind of explains a lot about Cal and makes it even easier to understand him. I was rather sad when the story finished.

The second story, Steel Scars, starts just before the events of Red Queen, and tells the story of Farley and also Shade. It gives us inside of how Farley began to help the rebellion and how she has found Shade. Just as I thought it was getting really interesting tho this one finished quickly. Suppose its because it caught up with Red Queen, but I wanted to read on. The one thing I didn't enjoy was the messages between commanders and Farley and others. I didn't always understand them and found they slowed my reading down.

Both stories couldn't have been more different. However as much as they took us back to reveal events before Red Queen I don't think they necessary add anything important to the main story. They both finished to quickly for my liking too, but that's probably because I haven't much experience with novellas.

I don't think you need to add Cruel Crown to your collection, however if you are a big fan and want something that will tie you over till the next book in the series then you should go for it and read this one too.

This was a nice and quick read between two other books.

It also adds a preview of Glass Sword which I haven't read as I have already finished this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Cruel Crown will be published 21st April.

Review: Elementals 2: The Blood Of The Hydra by Michelle Madow

A demigod who can kill with a touch. It's an ability that must be kept secret, even from those trusted most.

Finding out that she was a witch was strange enough, but now Nicole must face the realization that she has the rare power to kill with just a touch. No one can know her secret -- not even Blake, who she's had undeniable chemistry with since first moving to town.

Now Nicole, Blake, and the three others with elemental powers must stop a series of monsters that they previously believed to be dead from rising once again and destroying the mortal world. The creatures they face on this journey will be more dangerous than anything they've encountered yet. Will they all survive the quest? And how long will it be until Nicole is forced to use her ability to kill in front of everyone, revealing the true darkness of her powers?

Find out in The Blood of the Hydra, and join the Elementals on their quest to save the world -- or die trying.

I quite liked the first book in the series, but I must say the second one was much better. Which isn't always easy. While the first one was a little slow in places but still nice, this one had a much faster pace.

Nicole and her 4 friends, all with elementals powers, have become a tight team. Training to use weapons as well as their powers. They don't have to wait long to get the chance to put those to the test. When the monsters they have killed before seem to reappear, they are forced to find a way to kill them for good and close a weakend portal. To build this weapon they have to go on the hunt for 3 things that are basically impossible to find. Fully trusting the gods and their own powers they embark on a very dangerous task.

I  loved how this book had so much more mythology and gods added in. Its hard to find books that get this so right and enjoyable. The story has been fast paced and easy to read. I very much enjoyed the progress in all of their friendship and teamwork. But most of all I enjoy Nicole's and Blake's story.

The story is filled with many magical adventures, that happen in places we cant even begin to imagine. The world building has been fantastic in this story.

This is a really good and solid YA. Magical and utterly unique. I can not wait to read the next book.

Elementals 2 is out TODAY!

Read my review of book 1 here.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Weekly Wrap Up and Stacking the Shelves #16

Weekly Wrap Up...

I have finished 3 books this week, yay!! However I have also DNF one, which I still find kind of hard esp when the publisher is so kind to send you a copy. Here are the books I have finished this week...

Victoria Walters' debut novel is a powerful tale of love, grief and survival, perfect for fans of Cecelia Ahern, Lucy Dillon and Miranda Dickinson. 'Brilliant and superior women's fiction' Heat

In the Cornish town of Talting, everyone is famous for something.

Until recently Rose was known for many things: her infectious positivity; her unique artistic talent; and her devotion to childhood sweetheart Lucas.

But two years ago that changed in one unthinkable moment. Now, Rose is known for being the young woman who became a widow aged just twenty-four.

Though Rose knows that life must go on, the thought of carving out a new future for herself is one she can barely entertain. Until a newcomer, Robert, arrives in Talting for the summer...
Can Rose allow herself the chance to love again?

You love your family. They make you feel safe. You trust them. Or do you…?

When fifteen-year-old Billy Wilkinson goes missing in the middle of the night, his mother, Claire Wilkinson, blames herself. She's not the only one. There isn't a single member of Billy's family that doesn't feel guilty. But the Wilkinson’s are so used to keeping secrets from one another that it isn't until six months later, after an appeal for information goes horribly wrong, that the truth begins to surface.

Claire is sure of two things – that Billy is still alive and that her friends and family had nothing to do with his disappearance.

A mother's instinct is never wrong. Or is it?

Two women on either side of the Silver and Red divide tell the stories no one else knows.

Discover the truth of Norta’s bloody past in these two revealing prequels to #1 New York Times bestseller Red Queen.

Queen Song

Queen Coriane, first wife of King Tiberias, keeps a secret diary—how else can she ensure that no one at the palace will use her thoughts against her? Coriane recounts her heady courtship with the crown prince, the birth of a new prince, Cal, and the potentially deadly challenges that lay ahead for her in royal life.
Steel Scars

Diana Farley was raised to be strong, but being tasked with planting the seeds of rebellion in Norta is a tougher job than expected. As she travels the land recruiting black market traders, smugglers, and extremists for her first attempt at an attack on the capital, she stumbles upon a connection that may prove to be the key to the entire operation—Mare Barrow.

Stacking the Shelves...

Hosted by Tynga’s Reviews

I have added 7 books to my shelf this week, the amazing Hex, which I have received from the publisher through Bookbridgr and the boxset of The Mortal Instruments. The Mortal Instruments is my all time favourite series and I own them all in different sizes. This box set will look stunning on my bookshelf. If I ever find the time, I really want to reread them all. One day...

Whoever is born here, is doomed to stay 'til death. Whoever settles, never leaves.

Welcome to Black Spring, the seemingly picturesque Hudson Valley town haunted by the Black Rock Witch, a 17th century woman whose eyes and mouth are sewn shut. Muzzled, she walks the streets and enters your homes at will. She stands next to your bed for nights on end. Everybody knows that her eyes may never be opened.

The elders of Black Spring have virtually quarantined the town by using high-tech surveillance to prevent their curse from spreading. Frustrated with being kept in lockdown, the town's teenagers decide to break their strict regulations and go viral with the haunting, but in so doing send the town spiraling into the dark, medieval practices of the past.

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

Review: The Missing by C.L. Taylor

You love your family. They make you feel safe. You trust them. Or do you…?

When fifteen-year-old Billy Wilkinson goes missing in the middle of the night, his mother, Claire Wilkinson, blames herself. She's not the only one. There isn't a single member of Billy's family that doesn't feel guilty. But the Wilkinson’s are so used to keeping secrets from one another that it isn't until six months later, after an appeal for information goes horribly wrong, that the truth begins to surface.

Claire is sure of two things – that Billy is still alive and that her friends and family had nothing to do with his disappearance.

A mother's instinct is never wrong. Or is it?

So this book has turned up at my house, I had no idea where from, a nice little surprise. And let me tell you, I like those. I have seen it on twitter and really liked the sound of it. I enjoy a good suspense read, I couldn't wait to start reading.

This book did not disappoint. What I have noticed straight away is what a experienced writer Taylor is. I have read so many debuts lately it was easy to spot. I was gripped from the first page and it kept my full attention all the way trough. The Missing is the story of Claire, the mother of two boys, Billy and Jake, who is going through one of the most horrific experiences a mother can go through. Billy, at only 15. has now been missing for 6 months. Claire does not believe him to be dead and is searching for him in any way she can think off. Although there isn't much to go by. Any clue she can find she follows it up, but when certain clues result in Claire having complete blackouts she is forced to have herself checked by the doctors. Why are these blackouts happening?

Taylor paints a very believable picture of a mother searching for her son and a family on the brink of a breakdown. Slowly cracks start to appear within the family. Is it possible that someone close knows what has happened to Billy? Will Claire finally find her son and discover the truth?

This has been an amazing page turner, I literally couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Not for one single second could I begin to guess the ending. Again I love being surprised and nothing beats an end you didn't see coming. But wow this one I really couldn't have guessed.

Incredibly thrilling and utterly unpredictable! A must read!

The Missing has been released on 7th April. You can get your own copy here.

Thank you to Helen at Avon for my surprise copy in exchange for my honest review.

WWW Wednesday (13th April)

 WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. It’s open for anyone to join in and is a great way to share what you’ve been reading! All you have to do is answer three questions and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

The three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

I am currently reading...

The key to a house, the key to a heart, the key to a secret—Oyeyemi’s keys not only unlock elements of her characters’ lives, they promise further labyrinths on the other side. In “Books and Roses” one special key opens a library, a garden, and clues to at least two lovers’ fates. In “Is Your Blood as Red as This?” an unlikely key opens the heart of a student at a puppeteering school. “‘Sorry’ Doesn’t Sweeten Her Tea” involves a “house of locks,” where doors can be closed only with a key—with surprising, unobservable developments. And in “If a Book Is Locked There’s Probably a Good Reason for That Don't You Think,” a key keeps a mystical diary locked (for good reason).

Oyeyemi’s tales span multiple times and landscapes as they tease boundaries between coexisting realities. Is a key a gate, a gift, or an invitation?

I have recently finished...

You love your family. They make you feel safe. You trust them. Or do you…?

When fifteen-year-old Billy Wilkinson goes missing in the middle of the night, his mother, Claire Wilkinson, blames herself. She's not the only one. There isn't a single member of Billy's family that doesn't feel guilty. But the Wilkinson’s are so used to keeping secrets from one another that it isn't until six months later, after an appeal for information goes horribly wrong, that the truth begins to surface.

Claire is sure of two things – that Billy is still alive and that her friends and family had nothing to do with his disappearance.

A mother's instinct is never wrong. Or is it?
 

Victoria Walters' debut novel is a powerful tale of love, grief and survival, perfect for fans of Cecelia Ahern, Lucy Dillon and Miranda Dickinson. 'Brilliant and superior women's fiction' Heat

In the Cornish town of Talting, everyone is famous for something.

Until recently Rose was known for many things: her infectious positivity; her unique artistic talent; and her devotion to childhood sweetheart Lucas.

But two years ago that changed in one unthinkable moment. Now, Rose is known for being the young woman who became a widow aged just twenty-four.

Though Rose knows that life must go on, the thought of carving out a new future for herself is one she can barely entertain. Until a newcomer, Robert, arrives in Talting for the summer...

Can Rose allow herself the chance to love again?

I plan on reading next...

Two women on either side of the Silver and Red divide tell the stories no one else knows.

Discover the truth of Norta’s bloody past in these two revealing prequels to #1 New York Times bestseller Red Queen.

Queen Song

Queen Coriane, first wife of King Tiberias, keeps a secret diary—how else can she ensure that no one at the palace will use her thoughts against her? Coriane recounts her heady courtship with the crown prince, the birth of a new prince, Cal, and the potentially deadly challenges that lay ahead for her in royal life.

Steel Scars

Diana Farley was raised to be strong, but being tasked with planting the seeds of rebellion in Norta is a tougher job than expected. As she travels the land recruiting black market traders, smugglers, and extremists for her first attempt at an attack on the capital, she stumbles upon a connection that may prove to be the key to the entire operation—Mare Barrow.

A demigod who can kill with a touch. It's an ability that must be kept secret from everyone, even from those trusted most.

Finding out that her new school had her in a special homeroom for witches was strange enough, but now Nicole must face the realization that she has the rare power to kill with just a touch. It’s a secret she needs to keep not only from the Head Elders, but from the super-sexy witch Blake, who she’s had undeniable chemistry with even before he broke up with his long-term girlfriend, the vengeful witch Danielle.

Now Nicole and the four others gifted with powers over the elements, including Blake and Danielle, must stop a series of monsters that they previously believed to be dead from rising once again and destroying the mortal world. Three magical items are needed, including the blood of the slain hydra – ingredients that they must journey to the dangerous, mystical islands in Greece to retrieve.

The monsters they face on this journey will be more threatening than anything they’ve encountered yet. But with the fate of the world on their shoulders, it’s up to the Elementals to return home victorious. Will they find the ingredients they need? Can Nicole and her friends pull off this mission while the tension between her, Blake, and Danielle threatens to ruin everything? And how long will it be until Nicole is forced to use her ability to kill in front of everyone, revealing the true darkness of her powers?

Find out in The Blood of the Hydra, and join the Elementals on their next journey in their quest to save the world – or die trying.

Review: The Second Love Of My Life by Victoria Walters

Victoria Walters' debut novel is a powerful tale of love, grief and survival, perfect for fans of Cecelia Ahern, Lucy Dillon and Miranda Dickinson. 'Brilliant and superior women's fiction' Heat

In the Cornish town of Talting, everyone is famous for something.

Until recently Rose was known for many things: her infectious positivity; her unique artistic talent; and her devotion to childhood sweetheart Lucas.

But two years ago that changed in one unthinkable moment. Now, Rose is known for being the young woman who became a widow aged just twenty-four.

Though Rose knows that life must go on, the thought of carving out a new future for herself is one she can barely entertain. Until a newcomer, Robert, arrives in Talting for the summer...Can Rose allow herself the chance to love again?

Let me tell you again that I am not normally big on chick lit and similar. They are often very predictable and its just about enjoying the ride even tho you know how its going to end. But I still very much wanted to read this one and I am glad I managed to get hold of a copy.

Rose had it all, married to her best friend and love of her life, happy painting and loving life in the idyllic Talting. When her husband Lucas dies in an accident caused by a drunk driver, she not only looses the love of her life but also herself. Unable to paint, she has lost a big part of her life.

When a stranger turns up in Talting to buy her last paintings, painted before Lucas' death, her world is turned upside down. She finds herself very smitten with Robert, but is it to early to fall for someone else? Can she ever love someone other then Lucas?

As they come closer it becomes apparent that Robert wants to tell Rose something, but he cant quite bring himself to spill it out. Why did Robert really come over to buy her painting tho? What is he hiding? Robert awakes things in Rose she hasn't felt in some time. Will she finally be able to find herself?

This was a lovely story that was wonderfully written. While I could guess the end I still enjoyed it very much. We almost get to stories in one. The story of Rose and Lucas and the story of Rose and Robert. I love the sound of Talting, it sounds absolutely beautiful. A place where everyone knows each others business, but one where everyone is helping each other.

Personally I am very smitten by both Lucas and Robert myself and I really like Rose. Her transformation is beautiful to watch and I have been rooting for her to be happy from page one. I adored Rose's friendship with Emma too, two best friends that are always there for each other, no matter what.

This has been a very emotional but uplifting book. With a satisfying end. Victoria Walters has created a stunning debut and I believe there will be many more beautiful books to come.

Thank you to Bookbridgr for my copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Second Love of my Life has been released on 7th April.

Weekly Wrap Up and Stacking the Shelves #15

Weekly Wrap Up...

I really wanted to read 3 books this week, it was my week off work and I thought its certainly possible. But somehow it didn't happen, I found myself constantly putting my book down, getting up and doing something else. So instead I have finished two books again. The first one being The One-In-A-Million Boy (Review is here)  and the second one was Passenger (Review is here).

A one-in-a-million story for anyone who loves to laugh, cry, and think about how extraordinary ordinary life can be. Not to be missed by readers who loved THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY, ELIZABETH IS MISSING or THE SHOCK OF THE FALL.

Miss Ona Vitkus has - aside from three months in the summer of 1914 - lived unobtrusively, her secrets fiercely protected.

The boy, with his passion for world records, changes all that. He is eleven. She is one hundred and four years, one hundred and thirty three days old (they are counting). And he makes her feel like she might be really special after all. Better late than never...

Only it's been two weeks now since he last visited, and she's starting to think he's not so different from all the rest.

Then the boy's father comes, for some reason determined to finish his son's good deed. And Ona must show this new stranger that not only are there odd jobs to be done, but a life's ambition to complete . . .

Passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them—whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are playing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home... forever.

Stacking the Shelves...

Hosted by Tynga’s Reviews

I have added two new books to my Shelf this week.  The first one arrived as a total surprise by Salt Publishing and that's Dead of Winter by Gerri Brightwell. Thank you so much Salt Publishing for my surprise. The second book I have received of NetGalley and I am so so excited about this one. Its Rachel Caine's Paper and Fire. I loved the first book and I cant wait to read this one.

In Ink and Bone, New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine introduced a world where knowledge is power, and power corrupts absolutely. Now, she continues the story of those who dare to defy the Great Library—and rewrite history…

With an iron fist, The Great Library controls the knowledge of the world, ruthlessly stamping out all rebellion, forbidding the personal ownership of books in the name of the greater good.

Jess Brightwell has survived his introduction to the sinister, seductive world of the Library, but serving in its army is nothing like he envisioned. His life and the lives of those he cares for have been altered forever. His best friend is lost, and Morgan, the girl he loves, is locked away in the Iron Tower and doomed to a life apart.

Embarking on a mission to save one of their own, Jess and his band of allies make one wrong move and suddenly find themselves hunted by the Library’s deadly automata and forced to flee Alexandria, all the way to London.

But Jess’s home isn’t safe anymore. The Welsh army is coming, London is burning, and soon, Jess must choose between his friends, his family, or the Library willing to sacrifice anything and anyone in the search for ultimate control…