Literary Enchantment

Blog Relaunch!

2011-10-18T17:42:00.002+01:00

I've relaunched my book blog under a new name and URL, please visit it at http://inthecitywithbooks.blogspot.com/

Thanks :)

blog hiatus

2011-03-07T14:52:00.000Z

So you might have noticed that I haven't blogged in absolutely ages, I've had so much going on in real life lately that I just had the time or the inclination to blog, and I've hardly been reading much anyway.

I haven't been keeping up with emails either, so if you've emailed me in the last month or so and I haven't replied it's not that I'm being rude, I just don't want to do this stuff right now.

I might return to the blog in a couple of weeks, but for now I'm taking a break while I deal with some huge real life changes.

Thanks to all my followers for sticking with me :)

In My Mailbox 30

2011-02-06T13:16:00.000Z

From Bookmooch:
Double Dealer (CSI) by Max Allan Collins
Death at Wentwater Court by Carola Dunn
Knocked Out by my Nunga-Nungas by Louise Rennison

For review:
Snapped by Pamela Klaffke

Won
A Royal Likeness by Christine Trent. Christine had signed the book for me and had written me a little note too.

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

Johnny Swanson by Eleanor Updale

2011-02-02T10:23:00.004Z

This is the answer to smelly feet - wear a clothes peg on your nose. 11-year-old Johnny Swanson is in business. He's raking in the money with his advertising scams and his agony aunt persona, Ada Ardour, who offers advice on absolutely anything in return for a shilling. But his money-making schemes are getting him in too deep. Everything is spiralling out of control, and now his own mother is in mortal danger. There's only one thing for it: Johnny must assume another role - as undercover detective.

My thoughts: The title character, Johnny, hates being short so when he sees an advert in the newspaper that promises the secret to tallness he steals some money off his mum to send away for the secret. Unfortunately this is a con, but it gives Johnny an idea for his own money-making scheme to help pay back the money he stole and to help his mum pay the rent. He places his own adverts in the paper to trick people into sending him money. Some of his adverts were really clever and funny, and even though he was technically breaking the law I really wanted his plans to work.
Later on the focus of the book shifts as a murder is committed and Johnny's mum is the prime suspect. Johnny knows he must clear his mum's name, even if it means risking getting into trouble himself.

The book is set in 1929 and a lot of the story is centred around Tuberculosis and the treatment of the disease. This historical aspect made for interesting reading and I certainly learned some facts about TB that I didn't know before. But the book is so much more than just a historical story, it's a fun mystery story with a fantastic character who I couldn't help but love.

ISBN: 9780385616423
Publish date: April 2010
Publisher: David Fickling Books
Author website: http://www.eleanorupdale.co.uk/
Book source: Personal collection

Monthly Round-up January 2011

2011-02-01T09:09:00.000Z

January News
In case you hadn't noticed, I switched to a custom domain. This is something I'd been meaning to do for ages, I was just a bit scared that it wouldn't work but thankfully it did. You can now find the site at www.literaryenchantment.net, but don't worry, any old links will still work just fine. I also have a new layout, which I'm still tweaking to my liking.
Highlight of the month: I did an interview with Maria V. Snyder. She's one of my favourite authors, so this was kind of a big deal for me!
Also in January I launched a new weekly feature/meme called Monday Memories where every Monday I talk about one of my favourite childhood books. I've really enjoyed doing this feature, it's fun to look back at some of the books that kicked off my reading addiction.

Books finished in January
Friends of Choice by Linda Nelson
Puzzle For the Secret Seven by Enid Blyton
Die A Little by Megan Abbott
The Ring O' Bells Mystery by Enid Blyton
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
Dead in the Water by Carola Dunn
Tomorrow's Guardian by Richard Denning
Fire Season by V.H. Folland
The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean. M. Auel
Hector & The Secrets of Love by François Lelord

My favourite book this month was The Clan of the Cave Bear. It was nothing like any other book I've read and it was just amazing.

My reviews for all these books will be up in the next couple of weeks, I'm still trying to catch up with reviews from last year!

Reviews posted in January
Anne of Green Gables/Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent
Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder
A Step Too Far by Meg Hutchinson
Summer, Sun & Stuff According to Alex by Kathryn Lamb
The Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton

Monday Memories in January
The Famous Five series by Enid Blyton
Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian

Books received this month: 16
Added to wishlist: 21

What's coming in February?
On Feb 16th I'll be taking part in the blog tour for Tomorrow's Guardian by Richard Denning. I'll be posting a review of the book and Richard will be answering a couple of questions.
I've also got plenty of reviews lined up and I'll be continuing with Monday Memories.

Monday Memories 2

2011-01-31T17:39:00.000Z

"Monday Memories" is my weekly blog feature. Every Monday I'll be taking a look back at one of my favourite books or series from when I was younger. I hope you enjoy this feature, and feel free to join in with your own Monday Memories post too if you want to!

This week I'm going to discuss Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian. I first read this book when I was 10 or 11 and I've read it several times since then. I still have my original copy that my parents bought new for me back then. I was really pleased when I first got this book because it was one of the first 'grown up' books I read.

The story itself is very emotional and there are parts where it makes you smile and parts where you can't help but cry. Willie is evacuated to the countryside from London during the war and he is sent to live with Mr Tom. It soon transpires that Willie has been abused by his mother before he was evacuated, and understandably he's very nervous of Mr Tom who comes across as a grumpy old man. Gradually Willie comes out of shell and starts to lead a happy life in the countryside with Mr Tom as his guardian, but then Willie's mother asks for him to be sent back to London. After that the story takes a dark turn and when Will doesn't keep his promise to write, Tom heads off to London to find Will knowing something is very wrong.

When I first read this book they'd just brought out a TV adaptation of it, which really brings the story to life. If you've never read this book I strongly recommend it, and I recommend watching the TV adaptation too, but make sure you have the tissues ready because it will make you cry!

In My Mailbox 29

2011-01-30T09:07:00.000Z

For review:
My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent - I've been really looking forward to this one. Thanks MiraInk.
Hector & The Secrets of Love by François Lelord - I just finished reading this yesterday, it's a really fun story. Thanks to Gallic.

From BookMooch
Damsel in Distress and Requiem for a Mezzo by Carola Dunn
The Rilloby Fair Mystery by Enid Blyton
Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery
The Gravedigger's Daughter by Joyce Carol Oates
Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James

It's been a pretty good week for me! What did you get?

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

The Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton

2011-01-29T13:44:00.000Z

A rural idyll: that's what Catherine is seeking when she sells her house in England and moves to a tiny hamlet in the Cévennes mountains. With her divorce in the past and her children grown, she is free to make a new start, and her dream is to set up in business as a seamstress. But this is a harsh and lonely place when you're no longer just here on holiday. There is French bureaucracy to contend with, not to mention the mountain weather, and the reserve of her neighbors, including the intriguing Patrick Castagnol. And that's before the arrival of Catherine's sister, Bryony.

My thoughts: Set in rural France, the pace of the story is relaxed just like the setting. Because of the slow pace of the story I didn't notice just how much had happened in the book until I finished it.
It was obvious from the moment Patrick appeared that he was going to be Catherine's love interest, but I liked the way that she didn't notice how her feelings for him crept up on her.
I liked some of the characters, my favourite was Catherine's daughter, Lexie, with her jobs at niche magazines. To be honest I think I'd have preferred to read a book about her.

I did like this book, I just think it moved a bit slowly and although I enjoyed reading about the French countryside it did get a bit boring after a while.

I received this book from the author in exchange for a review.

Summer, Sun & Stuff According to Alex by Kathryn Lamb

2011-01-26T10:49:00.000Z

"Long, long, loooooooong and BORING weekend... Mark should be back from Spain by now, but he hasn't contacted me. I am NOT going to contact him - he didn't even send me a postcard! I try not to worry. I trust Mark! Don't I?"

Alex and Mark are back together, but now Mark is suddenly being elusive, and Alex is beginning to worry. Then she finds out he is going to Italy with Fabulosa's family! Alex's friends come up with a plan to win Mark back. But as usual, things don't quite work out as expected. Her new goth look scares everyone, her sunburn peels, her sister, Daisy, has a row with her new husband and moves into Alex's room...

My thoughts: Written in diary format, this is the story of Alex's summer. She thinks her boyfriend is losing interest in her and that he's more interested in her friend. She tries everything to get him back, apart from actually talking to him! Because of this the summer is full of misunderstandings and there were some quite funny consequences.
This is a cute story and there are some fun illustrations throughout the book. Although Alex is supposed to be 15/16 she seems quite immature, so I think the book is more suitable for younger readers than for readers of Alex's age.

A Step Too Far by Meg Hutchinson

2011-01-25T13:57:00.000Z

"You be a cheat and a liar Katy Hawley, no wonder your folks d'aint want you! Well we don't want you neither, do we girls?"

It was only a playground spat but the cruel words burned like acid into Katrin Hawley's brain. For they hinted at a truth her parents had long tried to bury.

Revenge is a dish best eaten cold, and Katrin waited until she could hit her persecutors where it hurt. One by one, those three girls suffered the consequences of her hate, but in ways so cunning that they didn't even suspect Katrin was the architect of their woes.

But there was another object of her vengeance, one whose sin could never be forgiven. And in her pursuit of vengeance against him, Katrin takes a fatal step too far.

My thoughts: This book originally caught my attention because it's set in wartime Britain, which is one of my favourite periods to read about. The author has done a good job of describing the atmosphere and the way people were feeling during the war. I enjoyed that aspect of the book.
Unfortunately the main character Katy is very unlikeable. She has some major issues! She is seeking revenge on her 'friends' for something they once said to her years ago at school. I found it very unlikely that someone would take such drastic actions over something that seemed so petty.
Luckily the book redeemed itself by not focusing solely on Katy. There is a glimpse into the lives of the other characters, which made some interesting side-stories.

Overall the book was quite good, and I think if you don't take it too seriously it's actually pretty funny.

Monday Memories 1

2011-01-24T11:18:00.000Z

I'd like to introduce you to my new weekly blog feature, "Monday Memories". Every Monday I'll be taking a look back at one of my favourite books or series from when I was younger. I hope you enjoy this feature, and feel free to join in with your own Monday Memories post too if you want to!

I thought it would be fitting to kick off with my all time favourite book series, The Famous Five by Enid Blyton. I absolutely loved these books, I had the whole series and I used to read them constantly. My brother and I even used to make up our own adventures and pretend to be two of the Famous Five (I was always George because she was my favourite).

I don't really remember how or when I first got into these books, I assume my parents thought they were the sort of books they wanted me to read and decided to buy me some. I remember having about half of the series that were old second hand copies, then I would save up my pocket money to buy new hardback copies of the books I was missing. I remember they were about £2-3 and because I only used to get £5 a month pocket money I could only buy one a month so it took me a while to get the full set.

I loved all of Enid Blyton's books, but the Famous Five were always a firm favourite. I loved the relationship between the characters, I loved that George was a tomboy and she had her own island, and I loved Timmy the dog. They used to have the coolest adventures, and I think that reading these stories probably made me more adventurous too.

In My Mailbox 28

2011-01-23T11:48:00.000Z

These are the books I've got in the last 2 weeks.

From BookMooch:
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene - I really wanted to read this one after seeing this review on The Children's War (which is an awesome blog by the way)
Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella - This has been on my wishlist for ages, I love Sophie Kinsella's books.

Bought:
Carnival of the Dead by Laurence Staig - This was 49p in a sale, how could I resist?

For review:
The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel - Received from Hodder & Stoughton
Tomorrow's Guardian by Richard Denning - Received from Richard Denning for a blog tour stop on Feb 16th.

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

Author Interview - Maria V. Snyder

2011-01-15T19:24:00.003Z

Today I'm joined by Maria V. Snyder author of the Study and Glass trilogies and the Inside Out series.

Can you describe Inside Out in 3 words?
Fast-paced, action-packed, world-changing. That's three.....right? :)

Do you have any habits while writing?
A few – I need music on in the background or else it's too quiet. I put on pop music because I heard those songs so much, I don't have to listen to them any more. I usually have a cup of tea on hand, and I write down how many words I'd written each day.

A lot of your characters have unusual names, how do you come up with these?
I have about three baby name books that are very useful. When I start a novel, I go through my books and pick out one name for each letter of the alphabet for each gender. Then when I'm writing and need a name, I go to my list. I pick names that mean something special and, I would tell you what Trella means, but that would give away one of the twists ;). I have an article about my characters' names on my website. Here's a link if anyone is interested: http://www.mariavsnyder.com/advice/naming.php and I did a guest blog that gives more details here: http://www.readingrocks4me.com/2010_08_01_archive.html

In Inside Out Trella uses technology to help her on her quest. What technology do you think would make your life easier?
Somedays I think technology makes my life harder! I think having a smart house would be ideal. The house would keep track of food and when we run low on milk, it would automatically order another gallon from the store (which would deliver for free). The house would sense the laundry baskets filling up and would collect them and do laundry. Same with cleaning and cooking :)

If you lived Inside would you be like Trella and try to find out the truth?
I don't think I'd be that brave, but I would help her if I could :)

Thanks so much for inviting me onto your blog! If your readers would like more info about me and my books, I have the first chapter of all my books on my website as well as a number of free short stories they can read. I also have a page full of writing advice for any aspiring writers out there :) Here’s the link: http://www.mariavsnyder.com/ And my blog is: http://officialmariavsnyder.blogspot.com/

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

2011-01-14T19:06:00.002Z

Keep your head down. Don't get noticed. Or else.
I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of the thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I just do my job and try to avoid the Population Control Police, who dream of recycling scrubs into fertiliser. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? It's not like it's dangerous...
Well, turns out it is. Because I know every corridor, pipe and shortcut I've become the go-to girl to lead a revolution. I know if we find a gateway to Outside it'll be suicide plain and simple. But guess who likes a challenge?

I should have just said no...

My thoughts: I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I'm a big fan of Maria's Study and Glass series but because this is a dystopian novel I worried that I might not like it. That was totally not the case however, I absolutely loved this book!
The novel is set Inside, which is like a big metal box with all sorts of corridors, rooms and pipework. Trella is a scrub and she works cleaning the pipework. As rumours grow that there is more than just Inside, Trella is roped in to helping discover the truth.
I really liked Trella and her friends and I was rooting for them all the way through the book.

The setting of this book is obviously a major part of the story. I found that the setting was described really well and you can quite easily picture in your mind what it's like.

Although the setting is very different to Maria's other books, the writing is still just as great, and there's another awesome female MC. So if you loved Maria's other books, I highly recommend this!

Be sure to stop by my blog again tomorrow when I'll have an interview with Maria!

Thanks to Mira Ink for sending me this book for review.

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

2011-01-13T18:51:00.001Z

Something is wrong with Kaylee Cavanaugh...
She can sense when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.
Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest boy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about the dark forces behind Kaylee's power than she does.
And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason and only Kaylee knows who'll be next, she realises that finding a boyfriend is the least of her worries!

My thoughts: Kaylee is a bean sidhe but doesn't know it. All she knows is that she sees when someone is about to die and uncontrollably screams until they do die.
This was a really great story and I really liked the characters, especially Kaylee and Nash.
I hadn't heard of bean sidhes before so I was pleased to see that the mythology behind them was explained in the story.
This was a fantastic start to the series and I can't wait to read the next book!

Thanks to Mira Ink for sending me this book for review.

In My Mailbox 27

2011-01-09T11:24:00.000Z

I haven't done IMM for ages, so these are all the books I've got since the middle of December.

For review:

The Iron King - Julie Kagawa (Thanks Mira Ink)

Fire Season - VH Folland (Thanks to VH Folland)

Friends of Choice - Linda Nelson (Thanks to Linda via Goodreads)

From ReadItSwapIt.co.uk:

As Time Goes By - Harry Bowling

The Camomile Lawn - Mary Wesley

Gift:

Life on the Home Front - Reader's Digest

So that's what I got, now all I need is some time to read them! lol

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

Anne of Green Gables/Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery

2011-01-05T13:19:00.000Z

Synopsis: When Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert apply to an orphanage for a boy to help on their farm, Green Gables, they are astonished when a loquacious little girl steps off the train instead. Anne, red-headed, pugnacious and incurably romantic, causes chaos at Green Gables and in the village, but her wit and good nature delight the fictional community of Prince Edward Island, Canada, and ensure that Anne of Green Gables continues to be a firm favourite with readers worldwide.
Anne of Avonlea continues Anne's story. Now half-past sixteen but as strong-headed and romantic as ever, Anne becomes a teacher at her old school and dreams of its improvement. But her responsible position and mature ambitions do not prevent her entanglement in the scrapes that still seem to beset her in spite of her best intentions.

My thoughts: I read these two stories one after the other in an omnibus book. I wish I'd have read this book sooner because I really enjoyed both stories. Anne was such a great character, and I wish I lived in Avonlea because it's sounds delightful.

The writing was beautiful and so descriptive that I felt like I was actually there.

Each character is very well-written and even the background characters are very fleshed out, which I really liked because there are so many authors who don't tell you much about the background characters.

I'm really looking forward to discovering the rest of L.M. Montgomery's books, she's an amazing author!

Looking back at 2010

2011-01-02T13:32:00.000Z

Happy New Year everyone! I'm really sorry I haven't posted very much lately, I've had the flu and haven't been online much.
I can't believe this blog has been running for over a year now, the time seems to have gone really quickly. So, here's a quick look back over what I've read in 2010.

I read 125 books in 2010, you can see the full list on my 'read in 2010' page.
I've reviewed 53 books since the blog was launched.

My top 12 books that I've read this year, based on which books I picked as my favourite read each month, are (in no particular order):
1. 85A by Kyle Thomas Smith* | goodreads
2. My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent* | goodreads
3. Spy Glass by Maria V. Snyder | goodreads
4. Endal by Allen & Sandra Parton | goodreads
5. Moonshine by Christina Jones | goodreads
6. House At The Corner by Enid Blyton* | goodreads
7. The White Empress by Lyn Andrews* | goodreads
8. Angus, Thongs & Perfect Snogging by Louise Rennison | goodreads
9. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters | goodreads
10. Double Stitch by John Rolfe Gardiner | goodreads
11. Diary of a Hapless Househusband by Sam Holden | goodreads
12. Gorilla Adventure by Willard Price | goodreads
* review to come

Author appearances:
Interview with Rachel Vincent, author of Shifters series and Soul Screamers series
Guest post by Richard Galbraith, author of Concrete Operational
Interview with Luisa Plaja, author of Split By A Kiss

Thanks to all of my lovely blog readers for sticking with me through my first year of book blogging. Here's to 2011, and let's hope it's even better than 2010!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T11:28:00.000Z

Image courtsey of vintageholidaycrafts.com

Merry Christmas to all my readers. I'll be back after Christmas with a blogoversary giveaway and some more fun stuff. See you soon x

Driftwood by Cathy Cassidy

2010-12-19T11:30:00.000Z

Hannah and Joey have been best friends forever - just the two of them. But when Joey's new foster brother, Paul, turns up, everything changes. First Joey falls for Hannah's brother, Kit. Then Paul complicates things - with some kittens, a chocolate bar and a stripy pink bicycle.
Hannah's world is turning upside down. Can you rescue a friendship when it's drowning? Can you save a friend in trouble - if they don't want to be saved?

My thoughts: Joey and Hannah are best friends at the start of the book, but when Joey starts going out with Hannah's brother, the two girls start to drift apart. In the meantime, Joey's foster brother Paul is struggling to fit in at school. He gets bullied because he's different and because he won't join in with football or swimming or anything like that.
The bullying part of this book really broke my heart. It was horrible reading about how Paul was treated when all he'd done was be himself. I'm glad that there was a friendship between him and Hannah.

This book tackles the difficult subject of bullying, and although it is quite light-hearted in places it was very sad in others, I was almost in tears at one stage.
I also think it was interesting that it was a boy who was being bullied because you sometimes forget that boys get bullied too.

In My Mailbox 26

2010-12-12T14:42:00.000Z

I've been a bit absent this week, it's been my last full week at work and there's been all sorts of Christmas events and stuff to organise. But I'm back now, and as of December 16th I'll be blogging full time again.

My mailbox post looks a little sad this week, just one book arrived, and because I'm feeling lazy I've just used a cover pic rather than taken a photo of just one book lol.

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien. After reading and loving The Hobbit I decided to give the Lord of the Rings trilogy a try, so I got this book off bookmooch. I hope I can get into it, the movie of it sent me to sleep!

Well, that's all I got, what did you get?

In My Mailbox is hosted by thestorysiren.com

In My Mailbox 25

2010-12-05T10:50:00.000Z

Hello everyone, hope you're all well :) What a week it's been here in England, we've had snow all week, which is nice to look at, but really cold and wet when you have to go to work in it. It's just about all gone now though.
I went to a Victorian Christmas Fayre on Friday, it was really lovely and there were some great looking stalls there, and the food smelled delicious. I would have taken some photos, but it was so cold that my camera didn't want to work properly!

Anyway, on to books... I received one book for review this week. 85A by Kyle Thomas Smith, I'm really looking forward to reading this.

The folder next to it is the press kit that came with the book.

It's a subzero Chicago morning on January 23, 1989, and Seamus is at his fighting best. Braving the bitter cold at the 85A bus stop, Seamus rails against his repressive environment in anticipation of his ''the-minute-I-turn-18'' move to London. Liberated by failure when kicked out of school for yet another late appearance, Seamus makes a break for London via an Amtrak to the mean streets of Late Eighties Manhattan. 85A tracks a watershed day in the life of an adolescent antihero. Foulmouthed with a capital F-word, Seamus embodies Johnny Rotten as a way of fending off the bullies at home, at school and in his whites-only neighborhood. Luckily, his mixed-raced friend Tressa opens him up to experiences that turn his worldview on its head. Through it all, Seamus basks in BBC dramas, dreaming of what life would be if only he could stow away to London. By the time Seamus reaches his last L stop, he will come to see that his 85A ride that morning was just the kickoff to an intrepid urban odyssey.

Goodreads
Author's Website

Monthly Round-up November 2010

2010-12-01T20:59:00.004Z

Another month is over, and winter is officially here. We've even had snow this month, not enough to cause any major disruption, but enough to make you feel like emigrating to Australia! lol

November News
The Greetings Card Exchange was open for sign ups all month, and not many people signed up, so I've decided it's best to just cancel it. Only three people signed up, and two of them wouldn't send cards out of their own country, so basically there was no-one to exchange with :(
I did an interview with Rachel Vincent, author of the Shifters and Soul Screamers series.

Books finished in November
My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent
The Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton
My Soul to Lose by Rachel Vincent
Beaver Towers by Nigel Hinton
Alpha by Rachel Vincent

My favourite book this month was My Soul To Take.

Books reviewed in November
A Catch of Consequence by Diana Norman
Whisper of a Witch by Suza Kates
Alpha by Rachel Vincent
Beaver Towers by Nigel Hinton
My Soul to Lose by Rachel Vincent
Johnny Be Good by Paige Toon

Books received in November: 9
Added to wishlist: 12

What's coming in December?
At the moment it looks like after Christmas I'll be out of a job again, which sucks, but does mean I'll have more time to spend on my blog. And with both Christmas and my blogoversary in December there's plenty to celebrate so I'll be having a couple of giveaways. Also I might share some christmassy photos with you as there's some exciting christmas events going on locally.
I might also have a couple of author interviews to share. And as always there'll be book reviews :)

Johnny Be Good by Paige Toon

2010-11-29T09:28:00.000Z

If your boss was the hottest rock star on the planet, would you mix business with pleasure?

I'm Meg Stiles. This is my leaving party. And that song we're making a mockery of? That'swritten by one of the biggest rock stars in the world. And I'm moving in with him tomorrow.
Seriously! I am not even joking. Well, maybe I'm misleading you a little bit. You see, I haven't actually met him yet...

No, I'm not a stalker. I'm his new PA. His Personal Assistant. And I am off to La-La Land. Los Angeles. The City of Angels - whatever you want to call it - and I can't bloody believe it!

Celebrity PA to wild boy of rock Johnny Jefferson, Meg's glam new life in sun-drenched LA is a whirlwind of showbiz parties and backstage passes. Cool, calm Christian, in town to write his famous friend's biography, helps keep Meg's feet firmly on the ground. But with Johnny's piercing green eyes and a body Brad Pitt would kill for, how long will it be before she's swept right off them again?

My thoughts: This started off as a really fun read. It reminds of band fanfics that I used to read, because it's got a wish-fulfillment "Oh my god this is awesome and would never happen in real life" thing going on. I was really enjoying it and I loved the characters who were all fun and interesting. There were some nice friendships and relationships happening throughout the story which I really loved.

The book did get a bit repetitive and boring in the middle, a lot of it seemed like unecessary filler.

The ending was quite ambiguous and I'm not sure I liked it. The book was quite long and I felt really involved in the story so for the ending to happen the way it did was so frustrating. It was the sort of cliffhanger that you'd expect at the end of a book in a series, but I have no idea if there's another book after this one.

So yeah, basically I adored this book except for the ending which was a real let down.

In My Mailbox 24

2010-11-28T09:59:00.001Z

I hope all my American readers had a lovely Thanksgiving. No such fun for me I'm afraid, here in the UK it was just another day at the office. Not long until Christmas now though.
Anyway, to cheer myself up after hearing about everyone's Thanksgiving dinners, etc. I bought myself some new books.

Bought
Glass Houses by Rachel Caine
Dead in the Water by Carola Dunn
The Counterfeit Guest by Rose Melikan

Mooched
Regeneration by Pat Barker

For Review
Inside Out by Maria V Snyder

That's probably the last bunch of books I'm going to buy myself now until after Christmas. I need to start buying presents for people soon!

Talking of Christmas, there's only a few more days to sign up to my Greetings Card Exchange, please join in, it's going to be fun.

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren

My Soul to Lose by Rachel Vincent

2010-11-27T14:52:00.002Z

It was supposed to be a fun day, shopping at the mall with her best friend. Then the panic attack started and Kaylee Cavanaugh finds herself screaming, unable to stop. Her secret fears are exposed and it's the worst day of her life.

Until she wakes up in the psychiatric unit.

She tries to convince everyone she's fine--despite the shadows she sees forming around another patient and the urge to scream which comes burbling up again and again. Everyone thinks she's crazy. Everyone except Lydia, that is. Another patient with some special abilities....

My thoughts: This is the prequel to the Soul Screamers series and is available for free at Rachel Vincent's website.
The story begins with Kaylee and her friend shopping at the mall. Kaylee soon begins to have what appears to be some kind of panic attack in the middle of a shop. The next thing she knows, she's waking up in a psychiatric unit where the rest of the story takes place.

To be honest not much really happens in this story, and anything important will be covered in the main books of the series anyway. But this was a good introduction to the series and has made me more excited about reading My Soul to Take, the first full book in the series.

Kaylee seems like an interesting character and I'm looking forward to reading about how she copes with her affliction.

Beaver Towers by Nigel Hinton

2010-11-25T12:19:00.000Z

"Curse you. Curse you!" screamed the witch.
Only Philip can rescue the animals of Beaver Towers, but the forces of evil are strong. He must break into the castle and face terrible danger. Can an ordinary boy fight magic powers?

My thoughts: At around 100 pages this is only a short story. It is aimed at ages 7 and up.
It's the story of a boy, Philip, who gets carried off by his kite and ends up on a magical island inhabited by woodland animals.
The island has been taken over by an evil witch and her magical army of Growlers. In order to banish the witch and save the island Philip must sneak into the castle and find the magic spell book.

Because it's aimed at younger readers the story moved very fast and it seemed like everything was over before it had even began!

It was a cute little story that I'm sure young kids would enjoy, but I think older children might find the story too childish for their liking.

Alpha by Rachel Vincent

2010-11-23T10:16:00.002Z

Everything is about to change for werecat Faythe when her father is ousted from the council that controls their secret world. And a shocking tragedy jeopardises her future as Alpha of the pride.
Now a rebel on the run, Faythe's biggest fight lies ahead. Old allies from the supernatural world are ready to stand by her side. And weretoms Marc and Jace would give their very souls in the duel for Faythe's heart...
Yet as their enemies draw near Faythe knows that she - and she alone - can lead the pride into what may be their final battle.

My thoughts: This is the final book in the Shifters series and, having not read the previous books, I was a bit worried that I'd be missing information that was important for this book, but it didn't feel like that at all.

Obviously I might have enjoyed the book more if I had followed the series, but it seemed to work just as well on its own as there were enough explanations given for me to get the general gist of what had happened before.

The book did seem to start quite slowly for me as most of the time the characters were planning and thinking about what they should be doing rather than actually doing anything. However, as the book goes on there is a lot more action and it gets quite exciting.

A big part of the story is the love triangle between Faythe and the two toms, Marc and Jace. Having not followed the series I was a bit confused about why and how she could treat them the way she did.

Overall it was an exciting book that was full of action. For someone who usually steers clear of 'urban fantasy' I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it.

If, like me, you haven't read the series I'd suggest starting with book one, Stray. The good thing with Alpha being the last book in the series is that you won't have to wait impatiently for the next book!

Check out my Q&A with Rachel Vincent.

I received this book from MIRA in exchange for an honest review.

In My Mailbox 23

2010-11-21T08:56:00.001Z

It's Sunday, and you know what that means? Yep, it's time for another In My Mailbox post (In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren). I got two books this week that I'm really excited about.

The first is Johnny Swanson by Eleanor Updale. I read Montmorency by the same author, and I absolutely loved it and have since been trying to get my hands on her other books. This ARC edition popped up on bookmooch so I mooched it, and when it arrived I did a little happy dance when I saw that it's actually signed by the author!

The second book I got was My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent which came from the publisher for review. I wasn't expecting this one so was pleasantly surprised when it turned up on my doorstep. I've just read the prequel to this book, which you can read for free at http://rachelvincent.com/mysoultolose.pdf, so now I'm really excited to start this book.

Well, that's it from me, what did you get this week?

Whisper of a Witch by Suza Kates

2010-11-16T10:49:00.001Z

A Choice
Biologist Shauni Miller, as beautiful as she is compassionate, harbours a secret that could alter her life forever. If she chooses to share it.
A Deception
Dr. Michael Black helps Shauni in her time of need but sees more in the raven-haired temptress than she ever meant to reveal. He knows she's hiding something, but then, so is he.
A Prediction
Both Shauni and Michael have a role to play, and decisions to make as a centuries-old prophecy has yet to be fulfilled. Only the fates know if they are meant to be together. Or if one of them has to die.

My thoughts: I won this book in a goodreads giveaway, and I'm really glad that I did otherwise I wouldn't have known about how fantastic it was!
The book begins with a prologue that introduces a whole bunch of women all seemingly heading to the same place. It was a bit confusing to be bombarded with all this information first thing, but it's only a quick introduction, so it's not that bad really. Anyway, after that the story begins properly. We meet Shauni, who has the ability of communicating with animals. This made for some great scenes with her pet cat, Cuileann, who I thought was great! He had such a no-nonsense attitude, just like you'd imagine a cat to be really.
Shauni's ability to communicate with animals means that she inevitably ends up meeting the town vet, Michael Black. A man who's sweet, sexy and loves animals (he might be my ideal man lol). I liked the relationship between Shauni and Michael, although it did seem to happen a bit quickly.

As for the action part of the story, well there's the coven of witches, including Shauni, who are the good guys, and they're up against some demons. There are, of course, some obligatory fight scenes, and it's all very exciting, if a little predictable. The author builds up this thing about Shauni having to face a test of her powers at the end, but when it came it was a bit of an anti-climax.

Overall I really enjoyed the book and I loved the characters. I'm looking forward to reading more books in the series. My only real complaint is that the author seems to have a habit of describing everyone's hair, which got on my nerves after a while.

Check out the author's website at: http://www.suzakates.com/

In My Mailbox 22

2010-11-14T08:42:00.000Z

Just one book again this week. This one is recommended reading for the course that I'm doing and I must admit it does sound quite interesting.
I received this from bookmooch.com, it came from Germany which is a change because most of my books just come from elsewhere in the UK.

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (I think it's funny that the author's first name is the name of the town where I live)

In this powerful book we enter the world of Jurgis Rudkus, a young Lithuanian immigrant who arrives in America filled with dreams of wealth, freedom, and opportunity. And we discover, with him, the astonishing truth about "Packingtown," the busy, flourishing, filthy Chicago stockyards, where new world visions perish in a jungle of human suffering. Upton Sinclair, master of the "muckraking" novel, here explores the workingman's lot at the turn of the century: the backbreaking labour, the injustices of "wage-slavery," the bewildering chaos of urban life.

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

Also, while you're here I'll just mention again my Book Lovers' Greetings Card Exchange, sign ups are still open and everyone can take part. So check out the sign up page for more details. Thanks!

Author Interview - Rachel Vincent

2010-11-12T17:32:00.000Z

Rachel Vincent is the author of the Shifters series, about a werecat named Faythe Sanders, who is learning to define her own role in her family and fighting to claim a place in her Pride.
Rachel’s young adult urban fantasy series, Soul Screamers, is about a teenage bean sidhe (banshee) trying to balance a normal school experience with the terrifying, hidden world she’s just discovered. My Soul To Take is published in the UK January 2011.

Rachel was kind enough to answer a few questions for me...

1. Are you sad that the Shifters series is at an end?
Yes, and no. I chose to end the series because I wanted it to go out on a high note, at a natural conclusion, rather than to extend indefinitely and suffer series burnout. And I’m happy with that decision, and with how the series ended. But it is a bittersweet moment for me, because I already miss writing Faythe and her dangerous world.

2. What do you enjoy most about writing?
Arguments. Fights. Any intense emotion, like loss or fury.

3. You have pet cats, did their personalities inspire any of your book's characters?
Actually, it was kind of the opposite. My cat Kaci is named after a character from the Shifters series.

4. What would you dress up as for Halloween? A writer on deadline. PJs, slippers, no makeup, dark circles under her eyes, coffee mug in hand. ;)

5. Trick or treat?
Treat, of course!

Check out Rachel Vincent's website at http://rachelvincent.com/

In My Mailbox 21

2010-11-07T08:27:00.000Z

I only got one book this week, which I got from bookmooch.com. I haven't read any graphic novels before so I thought I'd start with one that I'm fairly sure I'll like.

From the back cover: In this gripping graphic novel, Las Vegas is terrorised by a copycat killer who believes he is the legendary Jack the Ripper. His victims are ritualistically murdered then butchered and, like the Victorian archetype, he evades the best efforts of the police to catch him. It's left to Gil Grissom and his CSI team to stop the killer and bring this savage history lesson to an end!

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

A Catch of Consequence by Diana Norman

2010-11-03T11:41:00.002Z

Makepeace Burke serves Patriots at her late father's tavern on the Boston waterfront in 1765 and hates the redcoats with a vengeance. But even she can't watch an angry mob drown an Englishman. She rescues him and nurses him back to health-and falls in love.
In Patriot Boston, hers is an unforgivable sin-made worse by the fact that her Englishman turns out be the aristocratic Sir Philip Dapifer. Philip must smuggle Makepeace aboard a ship bound for London and save her life at the expense of the world she knows.

Rich in period detail, bringing the years of colonial rebellion to vivid life, A Catch of Consequence is a stylish novel of Boston and England, and of a woman who defies convention in both worlds.

My thoughts: The story starts off in 1700's Boston, USA but soon moves to England. I thought the main character, Makepeace was excellent. She came across as a strong and independent woman. When she first arrives in England she has to try and fit into the upper class society of London and also has to deal with Sir Philip's ex-wife. But then tragedy strikes and she must move to Northumberland to start another new life. For me this was the most enjoyable part of the story, with a little bit of drama and some romance thrown in too.

This was a fantastic historical fiction that really made me feel like I was right there. I loved this book and will be looking out for more books from this author.

Monthly Round-Up - October 2010

2010-11-01T10:30:00.001Z

I can't believe it's November already! It seems like only yesterday it was Christmas last year when I had a broken arm.
I didn't get a lot of reading done in October, I seem to have got sucked into a routine of getting up, going to work, coming home, eating my dinner then going to bed. I think the fact that it's always dark and gloomy outside doesn't help much.

October news
I launched the Greetings Card Exchange, other than that not much has happened around here.

Books finished in October: None! But I did start reading Alpha by Rachel Vincent.

Books reviewed in October:
Spy Glass by Maria V. Snyder
Entangled by Cat Clarke

Books received in October: 10
Added to wishlist: 0

What's coming up in November?
I'll be taking part in NaNoWriMo, but hope to still be blogging throughout the month. Sign ups for the Greetings Card Exchange will continue. Hopefully I might get some reading done in between everything else!

In My Mailbox 20

2010-10-31T10:32:00.000Z

It was quite funny this week, I was feeling really proud of myself because I gave away a lot of books on bookmooch so had cleared some space on my shelves. Then what did I do to congratulate myself? Bought more books of course!

From BookMooch.com:

Anne of The Island by L.M. Montgomery

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through The Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

Bought:

Beaver Towers by Nigel Hinton

Driftwood by Cathy Cassidy

Skins: The Novel by Ali Cronin

Well that's what I got, what did you get this week?

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

Book Lovers' Greetings Card Exchange

2010-10-30T22:54:00.000+01:00

A while ago I mentioned that I was thinking up a secret project, well this is it! It's kind of like a secret santa thing, but instead of sending gifts you send a nice card to celebrate the holiday season. Sign ups are open to anyone who is willing to send out at least one card (you can send up to 10). The plan is that everyone who signs up will receive as many cards as they send out, so basically the more you send, the more you receive!

There are a few rules/guidelines:

You must be prepared to cover the postage costs of sending out your cards (you have the option whether or not to send internationally).
You do not have to be a book blogger to participate.
Please do not send cards that others may find offensive (ie. anything with nudity or obscenities)
You can send store-bought cards or you can send homemade ones.
You can include a small gift if you want (e.g. bookmarks and postcards).
You are also allowed to include a business card for your blog if you have one.
You can include a letter if you want to.
Open to everyone, regardless of where you live.

You can sign up anytime before Nov 30th when I will send you a list of where to send your cards.

Please let your friends and followers know about this as the more people who sign up the more fun it will be!

Entangled by Cat Clarke

2010-10-30T13:17:00.000+01:00

The same questions whirl round and round in my head:
What does he want from me?
How could I have let this happen?
AM I GOING TO DIE?

17-year-old Grace wakes up in a white room, with table, pens and paper - and no clue how she got here.

As Grace pours her tangled life onto the page, she is forced to remember everything she's tried to forget. There's falling hopelessly in love with the gorgeous Nat, and the unravelling of her relationship with her best friend Sal. But there's something missing. As hard as she's trying to remember, is there something she just can't see?

Grace must face the most important question of all. Why is she here?

A story of dark secrets, intense friendship and electrifying attraction.

My thoughts: I could not put this book down! The book is told as the journal of Grace, the main character. She self-harms and is suicidal. At the start of the book Grace thinks she's been kidnapped and is being held prisoner. To make sense of the situation she starts writing down everything that she remembers. This includes her relationship with boyfriend Nat and her best friend Sal. Some of the 'twists' in the story were a bit obvious and it made me feel like when you watch a horror movie and you know that something bad is going to happen, but you have to watch anyway.

At first I found it hard to like Grace, but as the story progressed and I learned more about her I really started to feel sorry for her and I just wanted to give her a big hug!

This was a really great book and I recommend it to everyone! But I do warn you it is a bit sad in places.

I received an ARC copy of this book on tour from UK Book Tours.

In My Mailbox 19

2010-10-17T16:30:00.000+01:00

I received two books for review this week. I'm really looking forward to both of these.

Alpha by Rachel Vincent - Everything is about to change for werecat Faythe when her father is ousted from the council that controls their secret world. And a shocking tragedy jeopardises her future as Alpha of the pride.
Now a rebel on the run, Faythe's biggest fight lies ahead. Old allies from the supernatural world are ready to stand by her side. And weretoms Marc and Jace would give their very souls in the duel for Faythe's heart...
Yet as their enemies draw near Faythe knows that she - and she alone - can lead the pride into what may be their final battle.

The Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton - A rural idyll: that's what Catherine is seeking when she sells her house in England and moves to a tiny hamlet in the Cévennes mountains. With her divorce in the past and her children grown, she is free to make a new start, and to set up in business as a seamstress. But this is a harsh and lonely place when you're no longer here on holiday. There is French bureaucracy to contend with, not to mention the mountain weather, and the reserve of her neighbours, including the intriguing Patrick Castagnol. And that's before the arrival of Catherine's sister, Bryony...

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

Spy Glass by Maria V. Snyder

2010-10-17T09:14:00.000+01:00

Warning: This review may contain spoilers for previous books in the series.

An undercover mission leads to danger, adventure and an impossible choice...

After siphoning her own blood magic in the showdown at Hubal, Opal Cowan has lost her powers. She can no longer create glass magic. More, she's immune to the effects of magic. Opal is an outsider looking in, spying through the glass on those with the powers she once had, powers that make a difference in the world.

Suddenly, the beautiful pieces she makes flash in the presence of magic. And then she discovers that someone has stolen some of her blood - and that finding it might let her regain her powers. Or know it could be they are lost forever...

My thoughts: I received this book from the publisher for review, and I was so pleased when they contacted me because I've been dying to find out what would happen next to Opal. This is the third and final book in the Glass trilogy featuring Opal Cowan the glass magician. At the end of the second book (Sea Glass, read my review here) Opal lost her powers, and in Spy Glass she is on a quest to find her blood hoping she can regain some magic.
I was pleased to see that some of my favourite characters from the previous books were also in this one. I was especially pleased to see Ari and Janco again because I really love them.
I mentioned in my review of Sea Glass that there was a confusing appearance of the Bloodrose clan that I hoped would be cleared up in the third book. They did reappear in this book and the mystery surrounding them seems to have been resolved.

One last point to make is that if you've been following the series you'll know that Opal has been torn between Kade and Devlen. By the end of this book she has finally made the choice. I don't want to give anything away, but I think after reading the book I can understand her choice.

I really enjoyed this book, and I think it was a good end to the series. But there were some new characters introduced in this book that I really hope Maria is going to write some more books about!

In My Mailbox 18

2010-10-10T11:26:00.000+01:00

This week's books are The Tin Princess, The Tiger in the Well, and The Shadow in the North all by Philip Pullman. After reading The Ruby in the Smoke I was looking for the next in the series on BookMooch and happened to find someone who had the whole set and was willing to send them all to me.

Also this week I got a 2010/2011 diary for noting down appointments etc. Plus I got some black and gold glittery nail polish from Missguided. It looks really good on because it looks black but the gold glitter makes it kind of shimmery.

Anyway, that's what I got this week, what did you get?

Oh by the way, I've started a writing blog in preparation for NaNoWriMo if you're interested :)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

Monthly Round-up - September 2010, IMM 17

2010-10-05T20:48:00.000+01:00

I'm a bit late with my monthly round-up and last weeks IMM. I spent the whole day on Sunday frantically typing a 1500 word essay that had to be in Monday morning. Anyway, that's out of the way now, so back to business.

September's news:

Birthday giveaway winners were announced
Started a Facebook for the blog

In my mailbox 17
Last week I got one book:

Books read in September:
The One & Only by Sophie McKenzie
Entangled by Cat Clarke
Spy Glass by Maria V. Snyder
Exurbia by Molly McGrann
The Outcast by Sadie Jones
Endal by Allen & Sandra Parton
The Pi**ed Off Parents Club by Mink Elliott
Puppy's Pet Pals by Gerald Durrell
Whisper of a Witch by Suza Kates

Total read: 9
It's so hard to choose a favourite book this month, they were all pretty great! If I absolutely had to pick I'd say Endal was my favourite just because it's completely different to anything I normally read.

Books reviewed in September:
Endal by Allen & Sandra Parton
A Wartime Poetry Journal by Effie M. Roberts
Moonshine by Christina Jones

Total reviewed: 3

Books received in September: 7 (10 if you count my uni books)
Added to wishlist: 6

What's coming in October?
I've signed up for NaNoWriMo in November, so throughout October I'll be preparing for that. Also, because all of the winners of my birthday giveaway were international readers I'm thinking of having a UK only competition.

Birthday Giveaway Winners

2010-10-01T10:59:00.000+01:00

There were three winners of my birthday giveaway, each winning a different book.

Winner of Happy Birthday by Christina Jones: Rebecca
Winner of The Birthday Room by Kevin Henkes: Bee
Winner of Molly Fox's Birthday by Deirdre Madden: Audrey

Thanks everyone for entering, and I'll be having another giveaway soon so stay tuned!

In My Mailbox 16

2010-09-26T14:48:00.000+01:00

I didn't get to do an In My Mailbox post last week, so these are the books I've got in the last fortnight.

'Salem's Lot by Stephen King - I started reading this one at work on a day when the computers were broken, then because I hadn't finished it they said I could keep it, which was nice of them. Although I doubt I'm going to finish the book because I'm finding it really boring!

Entangled by Cat Clarke - On tour through UK Book Tours. I just finished reading this one yesterday, it was really great! Review to come in the next few days.

Innocent Blood by P.D. James - Received from bookmooch.com

Operation Concrete Boxset, including Concrete Operational novel by Richard Galbraith, art book and CD - Received from the author for review. Check out the guest post that Richard Galbraith wrote for my blog here.

P.S. Please excuse my rubbish photos, it's hard to get the lighting right with this crappy British weather!

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

Author Guest Post: Richard Galbraith

2010-09-26T13:11:00.000+01:00

If you're a regular reader of my blog you'll notice that I've been missing in action lately! Anyway, to make up for it I have something a bit different for you today. I have a guest post by Richard Galbraith, author of Concrete Operational.

Concrete Operational - Novel writing, art, music and independent publishing

Concrete Operational is my novel, it’s an independent release funded by the Arts Council England…that statement itself raises two quick questions, why indie, and how did you convince the English Arts Council to give you thousands of pounds to publish it? Well, this is where my journey into independent publishing, collaborative media, design, filmmaking, music production, art manufacturing and a host of other things came to being.

Let’s take a step back to 2009, I had my novel manuscript complete, and I’d had it assessed by the most excellent Oxford Editors. My assessor said that whilst it was a good manuscript, it was difficult in places and would have problems finding an agent or a publisher because of it’s content, being that at the time, the second chapter was a 4,000 word speech amongst other things.

I looked back on my manuscript and remembered that the reason I began writing it, wasn’t to get published, but to explore my theories and beliefs on the human condition and Fatalism, and to an extent, it had done that. I also knew however, I would now like people to read it and that the 80,000 words that I had written were a jumbled mess of vast streams of consciousness, and surrealist writing.

I decided to compromise, I would make the novel, the manuscript that ‘had legs’ legible, I’d do everything I could to make it a compelling, insightful and interesting read and tell a real story, but I also wanted to keep the keen look at humanity. I wanted to make sure the reader came away with something and in this regard, I decided on a collaborative media project, because well, I’m not Kurt Vonnegut.

I pulled my resources and crowd sourced five British bands and five British artists who were prepared to create original music and art around five emotionally driven extracts of my novel. The promise was an art book, music album and novel, all to be released at the same time through the Amazon print on demand service, Createspace. We would have a launch night, a seven-day exhibition and the support of marketing and promotion professionals.

And that is what Operation Concrete came to be. Only we achieved so much more along the road; we produced a 72 page art book, a five track album, a six minute short film, original designs and branding around all assets, 200 bespoke, hand-made boxes for ‘box-sets’ of all the products. The launch night had well over 200 attendees and the seven day art exhibition that was free to the public and ran in London saw over 1000 patrons pass through. The exhibition was an immersive experience that allowed the patron to read the extract to the art and listen to the music all at the same time. It was all a great success.

However, all in all, it’s been a very difficult road, pulling it all together was hard, but trying to get people to find out what we did and understand what it was and is all about is proving the most difficult part.

Hopefully this post has sparked some of your interest though, so head over to Operation Concrete for samples of the art, music and words, to view the short film, and ultimately to purchase any of the items or all of them, in one of the box-sets. I hope you enjoy it and I hope that through it, you can discover something about yourself that you might not have known was there before.

If you would like to know more about the project that you can find online, just email me at ricgalbraith [at] gmail [dot] com

Richard Galbraith

In My Mailbox 15

2010-09-12T09:21:00.000+01:00

I got two books this week, they're both ones that I can't wait to read.

First up, I got a review copy of Spy Glass by Maria V. Snyder. I'm so excited to read this one!

An undercover mission leads to danger, adventure and an impossible choice...

After siphoning her own blood magic in the showdown at Hubal, Opal Cowan has lost her powers. She can no longer create glass magic. More, she's immune to the effects of magic. Opal is an outsider looking in, spying through the glass on those with the powers she once had, powers that make a difference in the world.

Suddenly, the beautiful pieces she makes flash in the presence of magic. And then she discovers that someone has stolen some of her blood - and that finding it might let her regain her powers. Or know it could be they are lost forever...

The second book I got was A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnelly. This has been on my wishlist for ages, so I was really pleased when someone on bookmooch offered it to me as a swap for one of my other books.

When Mattie is given letters by a guest at the hotel where she has a summer job, she thinks the guest is simply upset. But when the woman is found drowned next day, Mattie must decide whether she will read them, or burn them as requested. A touching funny surprising novel set in 1906 and based on a true story.

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

Endal by Allen and Sandra Parton

2010-09-07T10:15:00.001+01:00

Allen Parton suffered a serious head injury while serving in the Gulf War and returned home unable to walk, talk or remember most of his life. He couldn't even remember his wife, Sandra, and their two children. After five years of rehabilitation, he was still severely disabled.
Sandra was a nurse so thought she would be able to help her husband, but the Allen who had returned didn't remember her, and couldn't cope with what life had dealt him. Determined to be strong, Sandra would have to fight to keep her family together.
Endal was a Labrador puppy with problems of his own until he 'adopted' Allen and Sandra. He was to change their world, and give them back their family.

My thoughts: A truly amazing story, this book completely blew me away. Have the tissues ready!

Allen was serving in the Gulf when he was involved in a car accident which left him suffering a serious brain injury. He couldn't remember anything about his life other than his naval career.

The first half of the book explores Allen and Sandra's life before and after the accident. It made for really intense reading. All that Allen wants to do is get better and get back to work, but his short term memory loss is so bad that sometimes he'll stop speaking halfway through a sentence and forget he was even talking. Sandra was incredible in the way she dealt with everything. She has to put up with the navy closing ranks on her when she tries to find out the truth about Allen's accident, then she has to cope with money worries and possible eviction from their home. All this while trying to care for a man who doesn't even recognise her as his wife.
Endal the dog isn't introduced until much later on in the book, which is good because you really do need to know the full story to fully appreciate how much Endal changed Allen and Sandra's lives.

The book is told in alternating chapters between Allen and Sandra. This is slightly repetitive in places, but it's good because you get to see both sides of the story.

Endal is an amazing dog and it was lovely to read about all the things he could do and the way he brought people out of themselves. But I have to say that my hero of the story was Sandra. There's not many people who could (or would) stand by their spouse for so long when he didn't even know who she was. The way she coped with everything was amazing and she's a true inspiration to me.

In My Mailbox 14

2010-09-05T10:36:00.000+01:00

It was quite a quiet week for books this week. I only got one which I mooched from bookmooch.com.

I have read this before when I was 16, but I fancied reading it again.

Also I got my course books for my next course which is starting in October. Please excuse the terrible photo, the camera batteries were about to die so I was hurrying!

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

A Wartime Poetry Journal by Effie M. Roberts

2010-09-03T09:58:00.000+01:00

Effie M. Roberts wrote her journal of poetry in World War 2. Times were very bleak but she rarely lost her sense of humour, or her courage.

My thoughts: This is a really lovely book. It has been edited and published by the author's granddaughter, and this means she has been able to give a really good introduction to the book telling the reader about the background of her grandmother's life. I found this really helpful beacuse it gives you a context for the poems.

The poems themselves are really lovely. Effie wrote them as her journal during the war years, so they are quite personal. She writes about everything from waiting in a queue, to finding out that her husband was killed. The poems made me feel a range of emotions; some made me smile, others had me nearly crying.

My favourite poem in the book was this one:

After so many months of war,
And the ruins around, we see,
We think - must everything be lost?
And what will the end ever be?

War has left thousands homeless,
And robbed us of many a thing;
Though havoc is left near and far,
It can't take away everything.

We must have the cheerless black-out,
We must have the great guns booming,
But the birds still carol gaily,
And the flowers still keep on blooming.

We still have the leafy woodland,
There is joy in the sunlit hill,
In the breezes, softly sighing,
And the river that's never still.

There is joy in the starlit sky,
And the health-giving sun's warm ray,
We find, when we just think awhile,
There's lots the war can't take away.

Moonshine by Christina Jones

2010-09-02T10:05:00.000+01:00

Cleo Moon is starting life over again after a divorce. She lands a job as PA to Lady of the Manor - Mimi - having settled herself in a caravan in the sleepy little village of Lovers' Knot. But the trouble starts when the most beautiful boy in the world - Dylan - turns up on her doorstep drunk one night.

My thoughts: When Cleo finds some old recipes for homemade wine, her and Dylan have a go at making the wine, planning to serve it at the Harvest Home festival. Cleo obviously fancies Dylan, and even though he's a bit of a player, I found myself really wanting her to end up with him.
In a side story Cleo's teenaged friend Elvi is falling in love with Zeb, a rich kid who she knows her father will hate.

The Harvest Home festival is what the whole book leads up to, and it doesn't disappoint. When the wine is served for the first time it turns out to have magical effects on anyone who drinks it. This made for some really funny scenes, but it also revealed the secrets of some of the characters, which brought everything together nicely.

I really loved this book. I felt really involved with the characters and I enjoyed reading about the developing romances. I thought the story was a really original idea and I will definitely be seeking out more books by Christina Jones.

Monthly Round-Up - August 2010

2010-09-01T09:39:00.000+01:00

Hope you've all had a great month. August has been a busy month for me, there was a bunch of family birthdays, my mum came to visit for a weekend, work was crazy, and there's been some big arguments too. All of that has slightly taken me away from blogging, but I am still here! So here's a round-up of reading in August.

Books read in August:
1. My Secret Admirer by Carol Ellis
2. Tall, Dark and Filthy Rich by Jill Monroe
3. The Smoking Gun by Malcolm Rose
4. I Heart New York by Lindsey Kelk
5. The Player by Rhonda Nelson
6. The Hitchhiker by R.L. Stine
7. Milly Molly Mandy Stories by Joyce Lankester Brisley
8. A Wartime Poetry Journal by Effie M. Roberts
9. Moonshine by Christina Jones
10. The Ruby In The Smoke by Philip Pullman
11. Ratcatcher by James McGee
12. How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff
13. Skinny B, Skaz and Me by John Singleton
14. Johnny Be Good by Paige Toon
15. Danger In The Shadows by Dee Henderson

Total read: 15
My favourite book this month was Moonshine by Christina Jones. It's a really fun and cute story with a touch of magic. I'll be posting my full review of it tomorrow.

Books reviewed in August:
1. Touching The Sky by Susan Madison
2. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
3. My Soviet Kitchen by Amy Spurling

Total reviewed: 3

Books received in August: 20
Books added to wishlist: 17

What's coming in September?
My birthday giveaway is ongoing until September 30th, make sure you enter for your chance to win one of three books. Apart from that, you can look forward to more reviews and maybe a few book-related posts.

My Soviet Kitchen by Amy Spurling

2010-08-30T09:59:00.000+01:00

LIST OF INGREDIENTS:

Memory loss, homo sovieticus, and a wandering PhD student. This is Neo-chick lit. with a darker side, a vodka twist and a generous slice of post-Soviet living.

It’s 1994 and English PhD student, Ivy Stone, wakes up in a Moscow flat with a hangover and a vague sense of unease…

Unable to remember what she did last night or why there is a cryptic Post-It note on her fridge, she begins an emotional, alcohol-fuelled journey via an Uzbek wedding, an Estonian sauna, and a Georgian serenade. What dark past haunts her new Russian man? And will she ever find the author of the mystery Post-It note?

My thoughts: The whole idea behind this book really interested me. I don't know much about Russia and the surrounding countries, but I thought the book sounded intriguing.
However, I'm not sure I enjoyed it that much. I found the plot quite confusing. The whole "Mystery post-it note" thing sounds like it should be the main plot line, but in reality it's more of a side plot, and a very predictable one too. The main plot was more about the main character, Ivy, who is supposed to be a PhD student researching for a project, spending her time getting drunk and gallivanting around the former soviet union with an old, married Russian guy. The plot jumped around a lot too. It felt like one minute Ivy was at a party, next thing she's in a completely different country three days later. This is probably supposed to add the "memory-loss" that Ivy is feeling, but I just found it confusing.

Throughout the book there are lots of footnotes and references to the companion guide, which at first was a bit of a novelty and quite fun, but as the book carried on I just found these footnotes annoying and distracting. A lot of the time they didn't even seem that important or relevant.

Overall I can't say I enjoyed the plot that much, nor liked the characters enough. But if you're interested in reading about the former Soviet Union then you might like the facts that are scattered throughout the book. Also the companion guide that comes with the book had some recipes and things in it which were interesting.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

In My Mailbox 13

2010-08-29T09:20:00.001+01:00

I got six books this week.

Bought:

Birds in the Spring/The Silken Thread by Evelyn Hood

The Pi**ed-Off Parents Club by Mink Elliott

Bury Me Standing by Isabel Fonseca

Won from Goodreads:

Whisper of a Witch by Suza Kates

Got free with a magazine:

What The Hell is He Thinking? by Zoe Strimpell

From bookmooch:

Puppy's Pet Pals by Gerald Durrell

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren

Birthday Giveaway

2010-08-27T09:37:00.002+01:00

It was my birthday yesterday (August 26th) and to celebrate I'm going to have a giveaway!

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED

The books you can choose from are:

1. Molly Fox's Birthday by Deirdre Madden

Dublin, Midsummer: While absent in New York, the celebrated actor Molly Fox has loaned her house to a playwright friend, who is struggling to write a new work. Over the course of this, the longest day of the year, the playwright reflects upon her own life, Molly's, and that of their mutual friend Andrew, whom she has known since university. Why does Molly never celebrate her own birthday, which falls upon this day? What does it mean to be a playwright or an actor? How have their relationships evolved over the course of many years? Molly Fox's Birthday calls into question the ideas that we hold about who we are; and shows how the past informs the present in ways we might never have imagined

2. Happy Birthday by Christina Jones

On midsummer's day, Phoebe Bowler - star-sign demon - should have returned home an ecstatically happy new bride. Instead, she's been jilted at the altar. In need of sympathy, perhaps she could turn to her neighbour, the dishy Rocky Lancaster? But with problems of his own he's turned into Mr Grumpy and wants to be left alone. That is until Essie Rivers arrives on the scene, and then Phoebe and Rocky's paths seem destined to collide with a very big bump. Essie knows far more about astrology, personolgy, numerology - any 'ology' you care to mention - than Phoebe has ever heard of. But it is the secret magic of 'birthday-ology' that catches Phoebe's eye. Can she really use a birthday to find a perfect match or to set her and Rocky back on the path to happiness? Phoebe thinks so, but that's when things start to go really wrong...

3. The Birthday Room by Kevin Henkes

"Two of the things Benjamin Hunter received for his twelfth birthday took him completely by surprise: a room and a letter. The room was from his parents. The letter was from his uncle." A room and a letter--both so vague in the abstract, and so full of possibility. On Ben's birthday, however, both weigh heavily on his mind.

In My Mailbox 12

2010-08-15T08:51:00.000+01:00

As you can probably see from the photo, I went a bit crazy buying books this week. I visited the same shop I went to last week, and they were still having the sale. So from there I bought:

Standoff by Sandra Brown

Skinny B, Skaz and Me by John Singleton

Johnny Be Good by Paige Toon

Die A Little by Megan Abbott

From BookMooch I received:

A Wartime Poetry Journal by Effie M. Roberts

South Sea Adventure by Willard Price

A Place Called Hope by Audrey Howard

And then yesterday from the charity shop I bought:

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

The Sorrowing Wind by Mary E. Pearce

A grand total of 9 books in a week!

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

2010-08-09T14:06:00.002+01:00

Synopsis: When sixteen-year-old Sophie Mercer discovers she's a witch, she imagines life will be full of magic, fun and... well... broomsticks! But her first attempt at a love spell goes disastrously wrong and, as punishment, Sophie is shipped off to Hecate "Hex" Hall, a reform school for witches, shapeshifters and faeries.
By the end of her first day among her fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tag-along ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person on campus and the only vampire.
Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

My thoughts: I had heard great things about this book, and it did not disappoint. I absolutely adored Hex Hall, and it's now one of my favourite books.
The characters were really interesting to read about, and not just because they were magical either. I loved Sophie, the main character, and I enjoyed seeing her relationship with Archer developing.
The story line was enjoyable and I loved the mystery element of the story. The ending was a huge surprise for me and I absolutely MUST read the sequel.
My only complaint about this book would be that it was over too quickly!
If you haven't read this book yet I would highly recommend it. Even if, like me, you're not that keen on fantasy and magic.

In My Mailbox 11

2010-08-08T11:47:00.000+01:00

I told my boyfriend I wasn't going to buy any books this month, but these were in a sale at 49p each, how could I resist?

The One and Only by Sophie McKenzie

Exurbia by Molly McGrann

The Smoking Gun (Point Crime) by Malcolm Rose

Mooched from bookmooch.com:

Waiting in the Wings by Donna Hay

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

Touching The Sky by Susan Madison

2010-08-07T10:21:00.000+01:00

Synopsis: Melissa Sherman moved to the quiet town of Butterfield, amid the rugged mountains and lakes of Vermont, to escape the pain of a broken heart. Now she has built a life for herself and seems to have everything she could wish for. But she still feels a corrosive sense of loneliness. Something is missing from her life. When she befriends Lisa who has recently moved to the country with her husband Ben, Mel cannot help but be reminded of everything she has lost. But when Lisa’s life is shattered by tragedy, and Ben turns to Mel for reassurance, Mel herself is drawn to him with an all-consuming passion that precludes all else.

My Thoughts: I found this book very depressing. Everyone seems to either die or be desperately broken-hearted. It was a good story with interesting characters and relationships, it was just really sad. There are a few happy parts, but if you're going to read this book make sure you have the tissues ready!

Monthly Round-Up - July 2010

2010-08-06T09:13:00.000+01:00

I'm a bit late with the monthly round-up for July, but not a lot happened anyway. If I was doing blogging for a job I think I'd have been sacked this month!

Books read in July
1. Live Bait by P.J.Tracy
2. My Soviet Kitchen by Amy Spurling
3. Isabel's Daughter by Judi Hendricks
4. Bertie, May and Mrs Fish by Xandra Bingley
5. Skull Session by Daniel Hecht
6. The WAG's Diary by Alison Kervin
7. African Adventure by Willard Price
8. House at the Corner by Enid Blyton

Total read: 8
My favourite book read this month was House at the Corner by Enid Blyton.

Books Reviewed in July

None. Isn't that terrible?

Books received this month: 14
Books added to wishlist this month: 0

What's coming in August?
Well we're already a week into August so really it's what's coming in the rest of August. I'll be scheduling some reviews today to be posted over the next few days. I do not want a repeat of last month! I'm also still working on the 'secret project' that I mentioned a while back.
My birthday is coming up on August 26th so I might have a birthday giveaway.

In My Mailbox 10

2010-08-01T13:24:00.001+01:00

I got a whole heap of books this week!

From Erotic Horizon I won a huge prize pack consisting of:

1. Spirit's Song by Madeline Baker

2. Call of the Highland Moon by Kendra Leigh Castle

3. The Rake's Proposal by Sarah Elliott

4. Night Game by Christine Feehan

5. Marley & Me by John Grogan

6. Party of Three by Joan Kilby

7. Tall, Dark & Filthy Rich by Jill Monroe

8. The Player by Rhonda Nelson

9. Christmas Angels by Nora Roberts

10. Maitland Maternity: Triplets, Quads and Quints

Also included was a mousemat and coasters which I forgot to photograph.

From Book Chick City I won The Other Countess by Eve Edwards.

From a ReadItSwapIt swap I received Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman.

And finally I got I Heart New York by Lindsey Kelk free with Glamour magazine.

I feel so lucky to have won those prizes, I don't normally win anything.

It feels like my birthday has come a month early! (My birthday's August 26th in case you were wondering...).

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

In My Mailbox 9

2010-07-25T12:17:00.000+01:00

I've been terrible at updating this month! Since starting my new job it's like I've had no time to do anything. Well, I have had time, it just seems like I haven't because there's always so much to do.
I haven't bought many new books lately, which is unusual for me. I've only bought 1 book so far this month, usually I buy at least 10 a month! This week I bought this book from a charity shop, it sounded like a fun summer read.

The Wag's Diary by Alison Kervin

Tracie Martin is Luton Town's longest-serving WAG. For 12 years, team captain husband Dean has kept her in acrylic nails, UGG boots and Juicy Couture.
But with the start of the football season looming, there's a new breed of WAGs at LTFC who aren't quite playing by the rules. Standards are slipping and Wagdom is in crisis! To add insult to injury, Tracie's daughter Paskia-Rose is more interested in the offside rule than shopping.
What is a WAG to do?
Tracie decides to end this improper conduct by writing the ultimate guide to life for wannabe WAGs. Overnight, she finds herself propelled into the limelight, achieving the A-list status she has craved for so long. From Old Trafford to Baden-Baden, she's the talk of the town. But will fame and fortune bring Tracie more than she bargains for?

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

Brilliant Book Blogger - Chicklish

2010-07-14T21:22:00.000+01:00

Things have been very quiet around here lately, but don't panic, I do have some fantastic things coming soon, including a super secret project!

For today I have an interview with Luisa Plaja an author and book blogger who blogs at Chicklish.

Can you tell us a little bit about you and your blog? I'm Luisa Plaja, an author and book-lover. I founded Chicklish together with some other writers of teen fiction, including Keris Stainton, back in 2006. I run the site with help from Alexandra Fouracres and a fabulous team of reviewers. The reviewers are people of all ages, from 11 upwards, and the thing we have in common is that we all love reading and sharing our thoughts on books.

How would you describe your blog in 3 words? Fun, bright, bookish.

What's your favourite thing about having a book blog? Hearing from lovely authors and publicists, and getting comments and emails from readers. I think we're the longest-running teen book blog in Britain, and we still get comments on some of our earliest posts. I get the impression that people read a book, love it and look it up online to share the love. I'm so glad they find us! It's really one of the reasons I've kept going with the site - nothing beats hearing from enthusiastic readers.

When you're not blogging what are you doing? I'm mostly writing novels aimed at teenagers. :)

Do you prefer finishing a book or starting a new one? Finishing a book. I love satisfying endings.

What are your favourite books at the moment? My taste in books hasn't really changed over the years, though I've had some different phases. My favourite kinds of books are usually light-hearted and look at family relationships, friendships and romance. In general, I prefer books that make me smile and laugh to books that make me sniff and cry. In the end, though, a good book is a good book, whatever the genre!

If you could live in any book, which would it be and why? That's a lovely question! I don't think I can answer it, because my answer will change every time I finish a fabulous book where I've really connected with the characters.

What advice would you give to a brand new book blogger? You could start by reviewing your favourite books, or books you've borrowed from the library, and build from there. You probably shouldn't expect to receive review books right away. Follow other blogs and comment on them - the book-blogging community is wonderful and very supportive!

If you could recommend one blog to us which would it be? There are so many blogs I love that I can't possibly narrow it down! Though maybe I'd suggest The Bookette, who has a fabulous blog and who also links to so many other brilliant British book blogs that her site is a great springboard to hours of book-blog reading. http://www.thebookette.co.uk/

Anything else you'd like to say? Thank you for interviewing me, and happy book blogging!

Thanks Luisa! If you're interested in being one of Literary Enchantment's Brilliant Book Bloggers please fill out this form.

In My Mailbox 8

2010-07-04T10:17:00.000+01:00

It's been a fairly quiet week for books this week. I only got one, which I received through a swap.

Dissolution by C.J. Sansom

The year is 1537, and the country is divided between those faithful to the Catholic Church and those loyal to the king and the newly established Church of England. When a royal commissioner is brutally murdered in a monastery on the south coast of England, Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII's feared vicar general, summons fellow reformer Matthew Shardlake to lead the inquiry. Shardlake and his young protégé uncover evidence of sexual misconduct, embezzlement, and treason, and when two other murders are revealed, they must move quickly to prevent the killer from striking again.

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

Monthly Round-up June 2010

2010-07-02T09:45:00.000+01:00

For me, this month seemed to go on for ages. I think that's because a lot has happened this month.
Firstly, I completely overhauled the way my blog looked, giving it a brand new name and layout. Then I participated in Bloggiesta for the first time, which was great fun, and I got quite a bit of work done on the blog.
I had a giveaway for My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares, the lucky winner was Kailia Sage.
Finally, I've also introduced a new feature called 'Brilliant Book Bloggers' where I interview other book bloggers.

If you're wondering why the blog has been a bit quiet for the last week or so, it's because I've just started a new job, and I'm still adjusting to my new working hours. It's not just the hours that are affecting my blogging though, yesterday at work I spent the whole day typing, so by the time I got home the last thing I wanted to do was type even more! Anyway, I'm sure once I get used to it all, I'll be back blogging as normal.

Books read in June
Lottery by Patricia Wood
Nothing To Lose by Lee Child
Revelation by C.J. Sansom
Blue Heaven by C.J. Box
Code Name Mr Right by Jacqueline Harvey
Ape and Essence by Aldous Huxley
The Great Indoors by Sabine Durrant
The White Empress by Lyn Andrews
My So-Called Life by Joanna Nadin
Apple Pie by Small Stories
Straight Into Darkness by Faye Kellerman
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Cheerleader by Caroline B. Cooney
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Anne of Green Gables/Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa
The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

Total read: 17

Books reviewed in June
The Cheerleader by Caroline B. Cooney
Quantum Breach by Mark Powell
Maggie: A Girl of the Streets & Other Stories by Stephen Crane
Death in the Stocks by Georgette Heyer
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares

Total reviewed: 6

My favourite book read this month was tough to pick because I read a lot of fantastic books this month. I think I'll have to pick The White Empress by Lyn Andrews. It was a wonderful story that I really loved.

Books received this month: 8
Books added to wishlist this month: 10

What's coming in July?
As I said earlier, having just started a new job, it might take me a few days to get back in to the habit of posting regularly. But once I do get posting again, there will of course be lots of reviews and you can also look forward to a Brilliant Book Blogger interview with Luisa from Chicklish.

In My Mailbox 7

2010-06-27T10:19:00.000+01:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.
I got one book for review this week.

LIST OF INGREDIENTS: Memory loss, homo sovieticus, and a wandering phD student. This is Neo-chick lit. with a darker side, a vodka twist and a generous slice of post-Soviet living.
It’s 1994 and English Ph.D student, Ivy Stone, wakes up in a Moscow flat with a hangover and a vague sense of unease…
Unable to remember what she did last night or why there is a cryptic Post-It note on her fridge, she begins an emotional, alcohol-fuelled journey via an Uzbek wedding, an Estonian sauna, and a Georgian serenade. What dark past haunts her new Russian man? And will she ever find the author of the mystery Post-It note?

The book came in its own little bag:

And then when I opened the bag look what I found:

How cool is that?

Thanks to Roast Books for sending me the book.

By the way, if you like the look of the book you can read an extract at the author's website.

Well, that's all I got this week. What did you get?

Winner of My Name is Memory

2010-06-21T10:35:00.000+01:00

The winner is...

Kailia Sage

Congratulations!

Thanks everyone for entering.

The Cheerleader by Caroline B. Cooney

2010-06-20T11:03:00.000+01:00

The cheerleader... Beautiful, popular, exciting - the girl Althea longs to be. But Althea is a nobody - she gets no phone calls, shares no laughter, has no friends. Then one day she meets him - a vampire who offers to make her the cheerleader, in exchange for a simple bargain. Soon Althea has everything she desires: beauty, friends, success. But Althea wants more - and she'll do anything to get it...

Althea wants to be popular and would do anything to get in the cheerleading squad, so when the resident vampire offers to make her dream come true, she agrees. But the vampire wants something in return, he wants to be fed...
Althea has a choice, save her friends but lose her popularity, or sacrifice her friends to get what she wants.

There is a cute romance sub-plot in this book, thankfully not involving the vampire, who is pale, has nails like foil, and smells like death. He also seems to like flapping his cloak around a lot.

This was a fairly quick read. It was creepy in places, but not overly scary.

Quantum Breach by Mark Powell

2010-06-17T17:51:00.000+01:00

As Mark McCabe observed the financial market meltdown in the Dealing Room, his nerves tight and on edge, he felt too old for the game. At 45, why the hell was he doing this, putting himself under such stress, and for what? It had been eight years since he left the regiment. Forex trading was a world in which he felt he did not belong. The adrenaline that fed his veins was risk of a different kind.

Then he receives a call from Brian Stowe, a former Special Forces buddy, now MI5 spook. A suspected money-laundering plot linked to a drug cartel was going on in the very bank that he works. Stowe enlists McCabe and his Singaporean assistant, the highly intelligent and very attractive Ying Lee, a 26-year-old trader, to uncover the money trails.

The chase leads to a terrorist cell known to McCabe from his own murky past, and a deadly game of cat-and-mouse across Asia and the Middle East ensues. Along the way, questions are raised and loyalties become suspect. How is the British government involved? Who is this shadowy MI6 informer, the Rain Angel? Is she with them - or is she against them?

My thoughts: This was a thrilling adventure story set around the international banking world. The money-laundering scam was interesting, I don't know much about the financial world, but everything was explained in a way that I could understand. The investigation, and ultimately the conclusion, were well set up by the author. Although there were hints along the way, the ending was still a surprise for me.

There were some torture scenes, which were a bit uncomfortable to read in places, but not too gruesome.

The characters were well developed, and the author did a great job of introducing aspects of each characters' past that helped to understand why they act the way they do in the book.

I really enjoyed this book. It was full of action and was never boring. I thought it was a really good first novel, and I was really pleased that Mark decided to send it to me for review. He even signed it for me too:

Brilliant Book Blogger - The Book Scoop

2010-06-16T09:39:00.000+01:00

Today I'm joined by Rowena from The Book Scoop. She was kind enough to answer some questions for me about herself and her brilliant blog.

Can you tell us a little about you and your blog? Sure thing, I'm an avid reader from Torrance, CA. I read about 10-15 books a month and a huge heaping of those books are YA fiction. I co-run the book blog, Book Binge which is a romance novel book blog catered to adults. I needed some place where I could share my love of YA novels and that's where The Book Scoop came into play. Outside of reading, I love to write, blog and bake.

How would I describe my blog in 3 words? Hmm, that's hard. I'll have to say, cute, light and fun.

What's your favorite thing about having a book blog? The community. In my real life, not too many people read the books that I do (or at all for that matter) and I love knowing that outside my real world, there are plenty of people that do and book blogging brings me to those people. I have met some wonderful people through book blogging, people who have enriched my life in so many different ways and that sense of community is what keeps me coming back for more every single day.

When you're not blogging, what are you doing? When I'm not blogging, I'm usually reading or at one of my daughter's basketball games. She plays club basketball (travel ball) so our weekends are usually filled to the brim with basketball tournaments and practices. I'm also big on TV shows and movies. Right now, my sisters and I are knee deep in The Unit which is a military tv show about a special ops team that goes on different missions for our country. Soooo good.

Do you prefer finishing a book or starting a new one? I prefer finishing a book. If I'm almost done with a book that means that I'm in the thick of the story, I'm at the good stuff...sometimes starting a new book, you have to get over that beginning hump so for me? I'm all about that happy ending..=)

What are your favorite books of the moment? Hmm, I just finished My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent not too long ago and I adored that book then I read and loved Taken by Storm by Angela Morrison, Going too Far by Jennifer Echols. Oh and The Oracle of Dating by Allison van Diepen. All great stories.

If you could live in any book, which would it be and why? Oh goodness, this is such a hard question. When I was in high school, I would have loved to live in any of Meg Cabot's books because I would have loved to be one of her heroines...maybe either Jinx or How to be Popular.

What advice would you give a new blogger? Be consistent and have fun. You should blog because you want to not because of what you can get out of blogging. Blogging is a labor of love and you should enjoy it so have fun!

If you could recommend one blog to us which would it be? A new to me blog that I'm enjoying right now is Chachic's Book Nook, everyone should be reading her blog, it's great! You can visit at: http://chachic.wordpress.com/.

Anything else you'd like to say? I'd really just like to thank you for having me over. This is my first official guest blog for another blog since I started my YA blogging adventure and I couldn't thank you enough for that. At The Book Scoop, you'll find two regular women discussing all things YA and having fun while we're at it. Come join us, we're fun, I promise!

Thanks Rowena! If you're interested in being one of Literary Enchantment's Brilliant Book Bloggers please fill out this form.

Maggie: A Girl of the Streets & Other Stories by Stephen Crane

2010-06-15T09:53:00.000+01:00

Maggie is an astonishing novel of social realism, which parallels many of today's ills. Set in the urban squalor of New York in the 1890's,it follows the careers of the innocent Maggie and her brother Jimmie, children of brutal and drunken parents. It is a tour-de-force equal to The Red Badge of Courage.

Also included in this volume are seven of Stephen Crane's short stories. The Monster is a novelette which provides a bitter commentary on man's inhumanity to man; The Blue Hotel, a tale of murder in a small Nebraska town; His New Mittens, which concerns the reflections of a runaway boy, is followed by four stories of sensation and excitement.

My thoughts: These stories were, as with most short story collections, a bit of a mixed bunch. Some I liked (The Monster, His New Mittens), some not so much.
Overall the book was ok, but I felt like I was missing something. Half of the stories just left me feeling confused and like "What the...?".
The title story Maggie started off really well, with Maggie and her brother as children. I thought I was going to enjoy it, but then it jumped ahead to when Maggie was grown up and it just went a bit weird.
I liked The Monster. It was about a black slave who tries to save a boy from a burning building and is badly burnt in the process. His face is scarred for life, and the story tells how instead of being treated as a hero he is treated like a monster.
I also liked His New Mittens which is about a little boy who runs away from home because his mother is angry at him for losing his new mittens. The little boy in the story is sweet and his main reason for running away is to punish his mum for being angry at him!

Bloggiesta Finish Line

2010-06-14T13:55:00.000+01:00

Phew what a weekend! I'm a bit late posting up this final post because I had two job interviews this morning, but that's another story. Let's see what I achieved this weekend shall we?

-Wrote two reviews - less than I'd planned to do, but it's a step in the right direction.

-Write book-related posts - not done, but I did think of some ideas.
-Get some guest posts - I've now got two blogger interviews ready to use, and one more waiting to come back. The first one will be posted later this week.
-Clean up tags - Epic fail!!
-Read list and review list both brought up to date.
-Tidied the sidebars slightly, still need to find out how to add a favicon. I did it once before, but now I've forgotten how to do it!
-Challenge lists brought up to date.
-Stopped blogger from automatically adding line breaks to all my posts.
-Organised google reader, added folders/tags to each blog I subscribe to.

I only managed one of the mini challenges, and that was the embracing community one. I found 10 blogs that were new to me and left a comment on each of them. And, just because they're awesome, here are the 10 blogs I found and commented on:

http://www.ysprincess.blogspot.com/
http://readingthebestofthebest.blogspot.com/
http://amomentwithmystee.blogspot.com/
http://theallureofbooks.blogspot.com/
http://blog.chainreader.com/
http://www.thebookscoop.com/
http://cat-bookmagic.blogspot.com/
http://sarah-myworldofbooks.blogspot.com/
http://candacesreadingblog.blogspot.com/
http://morgansbookblogspot.blogspot.com/

In My Mailbox #6

2010-06-13T16:43:00.000+01:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

I bought three books this week. The first is Moonshine by Christina Jones, this sounds like a fun light read.

Cleo Moon is starting life over again after a divorce. She lands a job as PA to Lady of the Manor - Mimi - having settled herself in a caravan in the sleepy little village of Lovers' Knot. But the trouble starts when the most beautiful boy in the world - Dylan - turns up on her doorstep drunk one night.

The second book is Remember Me by Margaret Thornton.

It is the year 1907. William Moon's heart swells with pride at the achievements of his daughter, Maddy. When, at eleven, she won the talent contest held by the Pierrots on Scarborough beach, William knew it wouldn't be long before she asked to join their touring company. Now that day has come; his talented young daughter has grown into a fine young woman - beautiful, and with a voice so pure it would make angels weep. And William isn't the only man to notice. As Maddy journeys around the north of England with Morgan's Melody Makers, she makes new friends everywhere she goes. Now seventeen, she is eager to take her first steps along the road to love. But, as she is to discover, the course of true love never did run smooth, and her heart is taken on a bumpy ride as she experiences the highs and lows, the rapture and the heartache, of falling in love for the first time. Will her dreams of romance and happy ever after come true?

And finally, Mastered By Love by Stephanie Laurens. I didn't realise until I got home, but this is actually number 8 in a series, which is a bit annoying, but I'm sure it'll still be good on it's own. I absolutely love the cover on this one!

The men of the Bastion Club proved their bravery secretly fighting for their country. Now their leader faces that most dangerous mission of all: finding a bride.

As the mysterious leader of the Bastion Club known as "Dalziel," Royce Varisey, tenth Duke of Wolverstone, served his country for decades, facing dangers untold. But as the holder of one of England's most august noble titles, he must now take on that gravest duty of all: marriage.
Yet the young ladies the grand dames would have him consider are predictably boring. Far more tempting is his castle's willful and determinedly aloof chatelaine, Minerva Chesterton. Beneath her serene facade lies a woman of smoldering sensuality, one who will fill his days with comfort and his nights with sheer pleasure. Determined to claim her, he embarks on a seduction to prove his mastery over every inch of her body . . . and every piece of her heart.

It's funny how they're all romance type stories, that wasn't intentional. I may have to buy some more books tomorrow because the shop where I bought these from had the whole set of the Morganville Vampire series, and they were 3 for £5, so it's the perfect excuse to give the series a go!

Bloggiesta Update

2010-06-12T18:14:00.000+01:00

My Bloggiesta is going ok, I perhaps haven't got as much done as I originally planned, but that's only because I keep getting sidetracked by other things that need doing! Here's what I've got done so far:

Write reviews. - I've only managed to type up two so far, but hey that's more than I had yesterday so I'm happy :)

Write some book-related posts to be scheduled for the future. - Haven't written any yet, but have brainstormed some ideas.

Put out invitations for guest posts/interviews. - I've had one response back and will be posting this up later in the week.

Clean up tags. - Haven't even looked at them yet!

Make sure read list and reviewed list are up to date. - Done and done.

Clean up sidebars, add a favicon, some other random layout adjustments. - Tidied up the sidebar slightly, still need to figure out how to do favicon.

Clean up and update challenge lists. - Done.

Clean out and organize feed reader and blog subscriptions. - Spent ages on this, and completed it last night.

Change post settings to stop it automatically putting in line breaks. - This was something that cropped up as I was working on something else. Was a really easy fix and is done now.

Mini-challenges:

Write Your Blogging To-Do List - Have only had a quick look at this and have got a few ideas to explore.

Embracing Community - Have commented on about 5 new (to me) blogs, aiming to comment on about 5 more.

Write an Opinion Post or a List Post - Have got a few ideas, but nothing concrete yet.

Death in the Stocks by Georgette Heyer

2010-06-12T12:20:00.000+01:00

A moonlit night. A sleeping village. And an unaccountable murder.
An English bobby returning from night patrol finds a corpse in evening dress locked in the stocks on a village green. He identifies the body immediately. Arnold Vereker was not a well-loved man, and narrowing down the suspects is not going to be an easy job. The Vereker family are corrupt and eccentric - and hardly cooperative.
It's another case for the resourceful Superintendent Hannasyde, who sets off on the trail of a killer so cunning that even his powers of detection are tested to their limits.

My thoughts: This was an excellent mystery story. When Arnold Vereker's body is found locked in the village stocks the main suspects are his family. I did find the Vereker family a bit annoying and stupid at times, but on the other hand they were quite realistic with real flaws. The whole book is basically the Vereker's discussing how each of them could have been the murderer and it seemed like they were all trying to protect each other by making false statements and confessions.
As the book drew to a close I was convinced I knew who the killer was, but the real killer was a huge surprise!
This book was a great cozy mystery and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries that are a bit light-hearted.

Bloggiesta

2010-06-11T10:23:00.004+01:00

I'm taking part in my first ever Bloggiesta. I'll be spending the weekend working on some blog tasks that have been piling up in the background. To find out more about Bloggiesta and to sign up yourself visit Maw Books Blog. I'll be posting some updates throughout the weekend to let everyone know how I'm doing.

So what will I be doing this weekend?

Write reviews. - This is probably my main task for the weekend. I have a ton of reviews that need to be typed up.

Write some book-related posts to be scheduled for the future.

Put out invitations for guest posts. - Please see this page to become a guest poster.

Clean up tags.

~~Make sure read list and reviewed list are up to date.~~

~~Clean up sidebars~~, add a favicon, some other random layout adjustments.

~~Clean up and update challenge lists.~~

~~Clean out and organize feed reader and blog subscriptions. (I need to create some folders in there)~~
~~Change post settings to stop it automatically putting in line breaks.~~

Anything else that I think of while I'm working.

Mini-challenges I want to attempt:

Write Your Blogging To-Do List
Embracing Community

Write an Opinion Post or a List Post

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

2010-06-07T15:14:00.000+01:00

'You're not Mia Thermopolis any more, honey,' Dad said. 'You're Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo. Princess of Genovia.' A Princess?? Me??? Yeah. Right. One minute Mia's a totally normal Manhattan 14-year-old. Next minute she's heir to the throne of Genovia, being trailed by a trigger-happy bodyguard, taking princess lessons with her bonkers old grandmere, and having a makeover with someone called Paolo. Well, her dad can lecture her till he's royal-blue in the face, but no way is Mia going to turn herself into a style-queen. And they think she's moving to Genovia? Er, hello?

My thoughts: I was really looking forward to reading this book, I never read it as a kid, but I've seen the movie several times and really liked it. However, this book really disappointed me. I'm not sure what it was, but I just did not enjoy this book. I didn't like Mia at all and that made it really hard for me to get into the story. I found her and her friend Lilly quite annoying.
Maybe this is one book that I'm too old to understand, but to be honest I don't think I'd have enjoyed it when I was younger either.
I thought the movie was way better than the book in this case!

New layout and new blog title

2010-06-07T01:36:00.000+01:00

My layout had been bugging me for ages and I was going to wait until Bloggiesta to make a new one, but then I thought I may as well do it now because next week I probably wouldn't feel like it. There's still a bit of work that needs doing on it, like I need to tidy up the elements in my sidebars and stuff, but right now it's 1:30am and I think it's time I went to bed!

Also I changed the blog title to Literary Enchantment. I know it's kind of flowery, but it's a bit more fun than plain old Kat's Books. Anyway, the URL is still the same, so it's really just a cosmetic change.

Well, I really love my new layout, so I hope everyone likes it as much as I do! Thanks for listening to me ramble on... Goodnight! (Or good morning, depending where you are in the world)

In My Mailbox #5

2010-06-06T09:44:00.001+01:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

I bought Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins. I'm currently reading this and at the moment and I really love it.

I received these two in swaps:

The Magic Cottage by James Herbert. I read this when I was 16 and really enjoyed it, so I want to read it again now.

Beryl Bainbridge omnibus including The Dressmaker, The Bottle Factory Outing and An Awfully Big Adventure. I've never read anything by this author before, but the books sounded interesting.

My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares + Giveaway

2010-06-05T14:16:00.002+01:00

Daniel has spent centuries falling in love with the same girl. Life after life, crossing continents and dynasties, he and Sophia (despite her changing name and form) have been drawn together-and he remembers it all. Daniel has "the memory", the ability to recall past lives and recognize souls of those he's previously known. It is a gift and a curse. For all the times that he and Sophia have been drawn together throughout history, they have also been torn painfully, fatally, apart. A love always too short.

Interwoven through Sophia and Daniel's unfolding present day relationship are glimpses of their expansive history together. From 552 Asia Minor to 1918 England and 1972 Virginia, the two souls share a long and sometimes torturous path of seeking each other time and time again. But just when young Sophia (now "Lucy" in the present) finally begins to awaken to the secret of their shared past, to understand the true reason for the strength of their attraction, the mysterious force that has always torn them apart reappears. Ultimately, they must come to understand what stands in the way of their love if they are ever to spend a lifetime together.

A magical, suspenseful, heartbreaking story of true love, My Name is Memory proves the power and endurance of a union that was meant to be.

My thoughts: The book follows the story of Daniel and Lucy through their many lives. Daniel falls in love with Lucy in his first life and in his following lives he is constantly searching for her and trying to get her to remember him. The book starts off in present day with Daniel and Lucy still at high school, the story continues forward from there, but there are also chapters set in the past. At first I was a bit confused, especially as all of the characters except Daniel have different names in each time period. But as the story went on I got used to the way it jumped around through time and it started to make more sense.
My favourite part of the book was the bit set in England in 1918, this was when Lucy first started to believe Daniel about their past lives, and for me it was where the 'love story' really started.
The book seemed to take a while to get started properly, but towards the end things start to get more exciting, the final part of the book is full of adventure.

The author did a great job of describing how the past life/reincarnation works in this story. At the start of the book some things didn't seem to make sense to me, but they were explained throughout the book. So any questions I had, such as do men always reincarnate as men?, were answered further on in the story.

The ending of the book is a bit open-ended and I can't wait for the sequel because I'm dying to know what happens next!

~~I have an extra ARC of the book to giveaway, so if you'd like to win in it, please fill out this form.~~
~~Open internationally! Closing date June 20th.~~ This giveaway is now closed. Sorry!
Thanks to Hodder UK for providing the book.

Monthly Round-up May 2010

2010-06-01T09:32:00.000+01:00

Well, once again I'm disappointed in myself for not posting more reviews. Maybe one of these days I'll get into the habit of posting every couple of days instead of just once a week or something.

Books read in May
A Necessary Evil by Alex Kava
EyeLeash by Jess C. Scott
Quantum Breach by Mark Powell
Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging by Louise Rennison
Tracking Down Your Ancestors by Harry Alder
Cover Her Face by P.D. James
The Crows by Amy Hayle
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
East End Tales by Gilda O'Neill
Collins Bumper Play Book (Collection of children's short stories)
Summer, Sun and Stuff According to Alex by Kathryn Lamb
My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares

Total read: 12

Books reviewed in May
EyeLeash by Jess C. Scott
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging by Louise Rennison
East End Tales by Gilda O'Neill

Total reviewed: 4

My favourite book read this month was Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging by Louise Rennison. I found it really hilarious.

Challenge updates
50 books in 2010: completed on 6th May. I'm now aiming for 100 in 2010.

Books received this month: 14
Books added to wishlist this month: 16

What's coming in June?
I'm thinking of doing some features/interviews with other book bloggers. If you're interested in being featured, please fill out this form.

In My Mailbox #4

2010-05-29T23:23:00.001+01:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. I only got two books this week. But they both sound really great.

I got My So Called Life by Joanna Nadin. This one came free with a magazine.

Rachel Riley is the offspring of a depressingly unbroken home. Her mum and dad refuse to let her have a mobile phone, and have banned Ribena (too purple) and Eastenders (too common); her seven-year-old brother buys giant Des Lynam cut-outs and Will Young dolls from ebay and talks in Elvish; and the adopted dog eats her Pride and Prejudice boxed collection. It is time to change things. Rachel resolves that this year she will become tragic, literary and interesting - and will win the heart of Justin, the lead guitarist from Certain Death, along the way. Laugh-out-loud funny from beginning to end, this is a fresh new voice which will speak directly to teenagers everywhere. If Bridget Jones had kept a diary when she was a teenager, it is unlikely to have been this funny!

Also I got my first ever ARC, which is pretty cool. It's My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares. I just started reading this today, and so far I really love it!

Daniel has spent centuries falling in love with the same girl. Life after life, crossing continents and dynasties, he and Sophia (despite her changing name and form) have been drawn together-and he remembers it all. Daniel has "the memory", the ability to recall past lives and recognize souls of those he's previously known. It is a gift and a curse. For all the times that he and Sophia have been drawn together throughout history, they have also been torn painfully, fatally, apart. A love always too short.

Interwoven through Sophia and Daniel's unfolding present day relationship are glimpses of their expansive history together. From 552 Asia Minor to 1918 England and 1972 Virginia, the two souls share a long and sometimes torturous path of seeking each other time and time again. But just when young Sophia (now "Lucy" in the present) finally begins to awaken to the secret of their shared past, to understand the true reason for the strength of their attraction, the mysterious force that has always torn them apart reappears. Ultimately, they must come to understand what stands in the way of their love if they are ever to spend a lifetime together.

Well, that's what I got this week, what did you get?

East End Tales by Gilda O'Neill

2010-05-25T20:17:00.001+01:00

Gilda O'Neill was born in London's East End. Her nan had a pie and mash shop and her grandfather was a tug skipper. You might think Gilda's childhood was one of pub knees-ups and legendary criminals - but that is just half the story.
Inside East End Tales, Gilda reveals what the true East End was like - not the place of myth and legend. Stories of hardship and upheaval rub shoulders with those of kindness, pride, courage and humour.

The author has combined her own memories with those of other people who lived in the same area of London in the 1950s. I loved that the memories told in the book are about lives of ordinary people, and it really made me think about how much things have changed, and what we take for granted these days.
The book was really interesting and fun to read, also because the book is less than 100 pages long, I read it in one sitting. Reading this book reminded me of listening to my grandparents telling me stories of their youth. It has that nostalgic feel to it.
The only thing that did grate on me a bit is the way the author would write her own memories and then say something like "here is what a man said about that" followed by a quote. It just seemed a bit odd and I think she could have integrated the other people's stories a bit better.

Suddenly Sunday

2010-05-23T09:14:00.001+01:00

Svea at Confessions and Ramblings of a Muse in the Fog created this weekly event and invites anyone to join in and leave a link at her blog.

I feel like I've been neglecting my blog lately. It's not intentional, it's just there's always something else to do that takes priority I guess. Anyway, let's move on...

I have not had a very good week this week. Yesterday I found out that my bank card had been cloned and someone had stolen all of my money from my bank account!! The bank said that they should be able to reimburse me after they've done a full investigation, which could take weeks! In the mean time my account has been frozen and I can't pay anything in our out of my account. Also I'll have to open a new account which means ringing around every company that I pay bills to and letting them know that my payments might be delayed until this all gets sorted. Major stress that I do not need!

Apart from that, everything else is the same as usual, I have yet another essay to write this week, to be honest I'm beginning to wish I'd never opted to do this course, but it'll be worth it in the end.

On the book front I've read quite a few books lately, but there hasn't been anything special, they've actually all been a bit... meh...

I did find a trailer sort of thing for a book that I like the look of. It's called By Midnight and it's by Mia James. They have this cool little webpage set up where you can read the first chapter, and you can even enter to win a copy of the book (UK only). I'm not usually into vampire books, but this one looks a bit different, and after reading the first chapter I can't wait to read the full book! Check it out at: http://www.orionbooks.co.uk/ravenwood/

Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging by Louise Rennison

2010-05-17T08:10:00.000+01:00

Georgia Nicolson's in turmoil. Her cat, Angus (the size of a small labrador), is terrorizing the neighborhood. She went to a party dressed as a stuffed olive. And she's madly in love with Robbie the Sex God, who (sometimes) thinks she's too young for him. In these first two volumes in the hilarious #1 New York Times best-selling series, Georgia needs to change her life from Ergghhhlack to Fabbity-fab-fab!

Totally loved this book! I wish I had read it when I was a bit younger, but I still enjoyed it now.

The book is written in diary form, which is fun, but it does make everything a bit one-sided.
The story reminded me of my own teenage years. I could really relate to some of the things Georgia went through (I accidently shaved my eyebrows off when I was 14 too...).

Very fun read and I really want to read the rest of the series.

Thanks to Ria for sending me this book!

Completed Challenge: 50 Books in 2010

2010-05-06T12:52:00.000+01:00

Wow, I've surprised myself with this one. I've already read 50 books this year, and we're not even half way through it yet. Granted, some of the books I've counted were really short, but hey, they're still books. I guess my next goal is to aim for 100 books.

Here's what I've read so far:
1. Cold Cases by Charlotte Greig
2. Morgan's Woman by Iris Gower
3. Uncanny Stories by May Sinclair
4. The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
5. Lily by Adele Geras
6. The World's Greatest Unsolved Crimes by Roger Boar and Nigel Blundell
7. Birthday Girl by Diane J. Wright
8. Gorilla Adventure by Willard Price
9. Illusion by Edmond Cheng
10. Tickets, Please by D.H. Lawrence
11. DEAD(ish) by Naomi Kramer
12. Red Riding Hood by Naomi Kramer
13. The Moonlight by Joyce Cary
14. Diary of a Hapless Househusband by Sam Holden
15. Mr. Icky/Porcelain and Pink by F. Scott Fitzgerald
16. Make a Joke and I Will Sigh and You Will Laugh and I Will Cry by Tony Trigilio
17. Some Kind of Hero by Donna Hay
18. Lead Me Home by L.K. Campbell
19. The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs
20. The Story of a Stuffed Elephant by Laura Lee Hope
21. Stranger Things Happen by Kelly Link
22. Going With Gabriel by Bryan Islip
23. Honeycote by Veronica Henry
24. Double Stitch by John Rolfe Gardiner
25. The Wild Knight and Other Poems by G.K. Chesterton
26. Serial Killers by Brian Innes
27. The Lost Kitty by Aunt Hattie
28. Decision Most Deadly by Mark Turnbull
29. The Fox Jumps Over The Parson's Gate by Randolph Caldecott
30. Sea Glass by Maria V. Snyder
31. Mania by Craig Larsen
32. Montmorency by Eleanor Updale
33. The Cradle Snatcher by Tess Stimson
34. By Royal Command by Mary Hooper
35. Divas Don't Knit by Gil McNeil
36. Maggie and Other Stories by Stephen Crane
37. Touching The Sky by Susan Madison
38. I Like It Like That by Claire Calman
39. A Catch of Consequence by Diana Norman
40. Hamlet by William Shakespeare
41. Death in the Stocks by Georgette Heyer
42. A Step Too Far by Meg Hutchinson
43. Crazy In Love by Chrissie Manby
44. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
45. The Nation's Favourite Twentieth Century Poems
46. True Stories About Cats and Dogs by Eliza Lee Follen
47. The Cockatoo's Story by Anne Jane Cupples
48. A Necessary Evil by Alex Kava
49. EyeLeash by Jess C. Scott
50. Quantum Breach by Mark Powell

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

2010-05-04T14:19:00.000+01:00

The Little Stranger follows the strange adventures of Dr. Faraday, the son of a maid who has built a life of quiet respectability as a country doctor. One dusty postwar summer in his home of rural Warwickshire, he is called to a patient at Hundreds Hall. Home to the Ayres family for more than two centuries, the Georgian house, once grand and handsome, is now in decline - its masonry crumbling, its gardens choked with weeds, the clock in its stable yard permanently fixed at twenty to nine. But are the Ayreses haunted by something more ominous than a dying way of life? Little does Dr. Faraday know how closely, and how terrifyingly, their story is about to become entwined with his.

My thoughts: I really loved this book! Told from Dr. Faraday's point of view, the story tells of the Ayres family and their home, Hundreds Hall. Dr. Faraday loves the house and gradually he becomes more and more involved with Hundreds Hall and the Ayres family.
It's hard to tell what exactly is going on in the house, at first it seems like a ghost but as the story went on and madness crept into the house, I wasn't sure whether it was caused by the supernatural or the psychological elements.

The story is a really good historical novel and I loved the descriptions of the house, even if it was a little creepy! Actually, I think this is one of those books that I'd like to live in, because I loved the house as much as Dr. Faraday did.

An extra thing that I liked about this book is that it's set in Warwickshire which is quite close to where I live. In fact at one stage in the story the two women visit Worcester, which is the city where I grew up. It was one of those moments when I was like "Ooh I know that place" lol, it just adds to my enjoyment of a story if I recognise the setting.

EyeLeash by Jess C. Scott

2010-05-03T17:10:00.001+01:00

Jade Ashton is a sassy virgin. In her private blog, she vents about "fitting in" a world where superficiality reigns supreme. Suddenly all logic flies out the window when she meets Novan: the former geek, who's morphed into a delicious songwriter-musician. They decide to be "friends-with-benefits". But it's Novan, with his poems and riddling passages on his own blog--which *isn't private*--that backs out. EyeLeash captures self-discovery in the 2000s, and showcases the colorful, intricate drama in two youths' relentless search for themselves--and what's really in their hearts.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. I haven’t read a blog style book before, so that was interesting.

I could totally relate to Jade and I could really understand her dilemma about Novan, I loved the on-off nature of their almost relationship. Jade blogs a lot of her private thoughts and she also blogs MSN conversations and copies down Novan's blog posts too. In fact, when it comes to Novan I'd say her behaviour is verging on stalkerish.

My one negative comment is that there was a huge amount of sex talk in this book. I mean Jade totally obsessed over it, which I guess is the whole point of the novel. I could just about put up with her blog posts about masturbation (would someone seriously blog about that, even in private?), but the thing that I really didn’t get was the talk of orgies and stuff. Where does this girl live? It sounds like a pretty perverted town lol.

Overall, this was a fun read. Like I said, there is a LOT of sex talk, but no 'actual' sex (unless you count masturbation...), but it is a little bit awkward to read about in places. However, if you can get past that, then it's a fun and cute love story.

I read this book online for free at completelynovel.com which is an awesome website that I just found out about yesterday.

In My Mailbox #3

2010-05-02T12:50:00.000+01:00

I got a huge haul of books this week. I went a bit crazy in the charity shops lol. (Click on a cover to go to the book's Goodreads page).

I also got this one in a swap:

And this one arrived that I won from Ria at The Beaucoup Review. Thanks Ria!

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

Monthly Round-Up April 2010

2010-05-01T09:58:00.000+01:00

I haven't been blogging much in April, firstly I was having a few internet connection problems, secondly I've been catching up on a lot of reading. But I'm back now and have a whole heap of reviews to be posted through May.

I've slightly changed the format for my monthly round-up posts because before I was only listing books that I'd reviewed but from now on I'm also going to list everything I've read in the past month.

Books read in April:
Maggie and Other Stories by Stephen Crane
Touching The Sky by Susan Madison
I Like It Like That by Claire Calman
A Catch of Consequence by Diana Norman
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Death in the Stocks by Georgette Heyer
A Step Too Far by Meg Hutchinson
Crazy In Love by Chrissie Manby
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
The Nation's Favourite Twentieth Century Poems
True Stories About Cats and Dogs by Eliza Lee Follen
The Cockatoo's Story by Anne Jane Cupples

Total books read: 12

Books reviewed in April:
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Divas Don't Knit by Gil McNeil
By Royal Command by Mary Hooper
The Cradle Snatcher by Tess Stimson

Total books reviewed: 4

My favourite book this month was The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. I seriously could not put this book down until I'd finished it.

April Blog News
As I wasn't blogging much this month there isn't really any news. Although I did get some more blog awards.

What's coming in May?
Well, as you'll see if you look at what I've read this year, I have a huge backlog of reviews to catch up on. I have a few that are written and ready to post, but a lot of them are still in note form and need to be written properly.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

2010-04-22T15:11:00.000+01:00

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601. The play, set in Denmark, recounts how Prince Hamlet exacts revenge on his uncle Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet's father, the King, and then taken the throne and married Gertrude, Hamlet's mother. The play vividly charts the course of real and feigned madness—from overwhelming grief to seething rage—and explores themes of treachery, revenge, incest, and moral corruption.

My thoughts: This was the first time that I've read Hamlet, I've heard it quoted so many times and I thought it was about time I read it.

Hamlet's mother is married to her dead husband's brother. And after seeing his father's ghost Hamlet decides to take revenge on his uncle/step-dad who apparently murdered his father. It's a kind of crazy story with lots of death, and there were some places where I didn't really understand what was going on, but I still got the overall jist of the story.

I enjoyed reading this but when reading a play as a book I find it a bit hard to keep track of the characters and the settings, I think I would like to see it performed so that I can really get a feel for the story.

Divas Don't Knit by Gil McNeil

2010-04-11T11:12:00.000+01:00

Jo Mackenzie needs a new start. Newly widowed with two young sons and a perilous bank balance, she has to leave London to take over her grandmother's wool shop. They arrive in the pouring rain and Broadgate Bay is the kind of Kentish seaside town where the tide went out a long time ago and the dusty old shop is full of peach four-ply. Marmalade mohair, an A-list actress moving into the local mansion and a 'Stitch and Bitch' group will help, but it's not going to be easy. Very Large dogs, celebrity, small town intrigues, packed lunches and romance all loom large in Gil McNeil's funny and uplifting novel. "Divas Don't Knit" turns prejudices and assumptions upside down and tells it how it really is in the world of knit-one, purl-one. Knitting has never been so much fun.

This is one of those books that I want to live in. I loved everything about it; the people, the seaside town, the wool shop, it was all wonderful. This book was really enjoyable and funny, I didn't want it to end!

My favourite characters were definitely the two boys, Archie and Jack; they were so funny at times, and just adorable.

I’m definitely going to be reading the next book in the series, Needles and Pearls.

Blog Awards

2010-04-10T11:06:00.000+01:00

Park Benches & Bookends were kind enough to pass these awards on to me.

For the Honest Scrap one I have to post 10 facts about myself, so here we go:

For the whole of my teenage years the only books I read were the ones assigned for school. My mum had thrown away all my books when we moved house, and I didn't get back into reading again until I was 20 and lived in my own place.
I started a college course in English Literature and hated it so much that I quit. I don't like to spend hours and hours analysing, I prefer to just read and enjoy.
My two favourite foods are chocolate and pizza, so I once made a chocolate pizza.
I have the craziest dreams.
I never used to like hot drinks like tea and coffee, now I drink them all the time.
I love homemade lemonade, and I love the way it makes my kitchen smell of lemons when I make it.
I love doing laundry.
I can have 10 pens on the desk and still not find one when I need one.
I love cereal and eat it all times of the day (and sometimes at night...)
I hate tomatoes. I mean really hate them.

I'm supposed to pass these awards on to ten bloggers, but I can't choose who to give them to, so I'd like to give them to everyone. There are so many great blogs out there!

By Royal Command by Mary Hooper

2010-04-07T17:03:00.000+01:00

Lucy has become a firm fixture in the household of Dr Dee, a real-life figure who was court magician to Queen Elizabeth 1. Lucy, in return for saving the queen's life, has been told that she is to work as a spy for Her Grace and that she is to remain with the Dee family and await further instruction ...And then Lucy hears unexplained cries in the Dee house, and finds a young girl imprisoned there. What is Dr Dee doing? Lucy means to find out. This is a thrilling historical story, full of intrigue and royal plots and counter-plots, from the acclaimed Mary Hooper.

The story in this book was not "full of intrigue and royal plots and counter-plots" as it says on the back cover. In fact I found it a bit dull, it just didn't seem to lead anywhere. I think I would have found this book very disappointing if the author hadn't done such a fantastic job of bringing the historical setting to life. The wonderful descriptions of the frost fair on the Thames and of the party at the Royal Court meant that I really enjoyed the book despite what was, in my opinion, a poor plotline.

This is the second book to At the House of the Magician. I haven't read the first book so I didn't get some references in this book to the first book. But it does work as a stand-alone book. I would definitely check out more by Mary Hooper because she's very good at bringing history alive.

The Cradle Snatcher by Tess Stimson

2010-04-05T13:12:00.000+01:00

Clare Elias has always known the risks of being married to a rich, handsome younger man like Marc. But when she gives birth to two gorgeous babies, she discovers motherhood isn't quite the cinch she'd expected, and Marc is better with them than she is. Desperate to regain her independence running a successful chain of boutique flower shops, Clare hires Jenna, a confident, efficient nanny keen to escape a relationship that is going horribly wrong.

Before too long, a deadly rivalry emerges, and as events spiral out of control, Clare finds herself forced to make wrenching decisions about love, loyalty and motherhood.

My thoughts: The Cradle Snatcher is about Clare and how her life changes after she gives birth to twins.

We see the story from several different points of view (Clare, the nanny, Clare’s husband, etc), which would be interesting if it wasn’t so repetitive. I hated seeing the same event from three different points of view.

There are some fun characters in this book, I especially liked Clare’s mum and brother who both made me laugh whenever they were around.

Overall it was a typical chick-lit book, a bit funny but a bit clichéd too. As usual with this sort of book I got really annoyed with the ending. A good relaxing read if you like chick-lit, but really nothing special.

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T12:33:00.000+01:00

Happy Easter everyone!

Monthly Round-Up - March 2010 and Giveaway Winner

2010-04-01T01:11:00.000+01:00

I don't know about anyone else, but March has been super busy for me. I'm really glad that it's Easter this weekend, hopefully it'll give me an opportunity to relax and catch up with some reading and some reviews.

My first blog giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Spav who wins a copy of Lily by Adèle Geras.

Books I reviewed in March
1. Double Stitch by John Rolfe Gardiner
2. Serial Killers by Brian Innes
3. Decision Most Deadly By Mark Turnbull
4. Sea Glass by Maria V. Snyder
5. Mania by Craig Larsen
6. Montmorency by Eleanor Updale

My favourite book this month is a tough choice because I've really enjoyed all of the books I've read. But if I had to pick I'd say Double Stitch by John Rolfe Gardiner.

March blog news

The first blog giveaway was a success (I was worried nobody was going to enter!)
I've changed the layout to this purple one.

What's coming in April?

I must catch up on my reviews, I've read several books that I haven't reviewed yet.

Sunday Stealing

2010-03-28T18:27:00.000+01:00

Here's something for a bit of fun on a Sunday. Leave a link if you steal this too, so I can read your answers.

1. How far away is the last person you kissed? I have no idea, he's on the motorway somewhere on his way back from Weymouth.

2. Has someone ever told you they would be with you forever? Yes

3. Last person you were in a car with? My dad and my boyfriend

4. Any plans for tomorrow? Just a trip to the post office so far.

5. How long does it take for you to take a shower? We don't have a shower in our house, only a bath, and I stay in there for hours sometimes.

6. Best friend or close friends? Best friends

7. Is tomorrow going to be a good day? I hope so

8. Did you kiss anyone friday? Yes

9. Ever thrown up in public? Not since I was a little kid.

10. What's on your mind RIGHT NOW? I'm hungry, but there's no point cooking dinner until my boyfriend gets back.

11. Who was the last person you talked to? My boyfriend

12. What is the WORST subject they teach at school? P.E

13. Have you seen anyone lately that you don't get along with? Not for a couple of weeks.

14. What is your favourite colour top to wear? Red

15. Have you ever been in a car accident? Kind of, but it wasn't serious. My grandad drove us through a barrier!

16. What's the closest thing to you that's green? A pen

17. Where would you like to be right now? Nowhere special, I'm quite happy here for now.

18. Write down some lyrics to the song you're listening to? I'm not listening to a song.

19. How many dogs do you have? None

20. Is anything bugging you right now? Yes, see question 10!

21. Is life going right for you now? Yeah, but there's always room for improvement

22. Is there someone you care about more than yourself? Yes

23. What made you laugh today? The book I'm reading

24. What was the last movie you watched? I watched Happy Gilmore a few nights ago.

25. Whats the last conversation you had about? I sort of had a conversation with myself about how I wish my camera came with a mains cable so I didn't have to keep recharging batteries!

26. What were you doing at 7:00 this morning? Sleeping

27. Do you like your hair long or short? Long, but when it was short I didn't have to wash it as often.

28. Do you want to see somebody right now? Yes

29. Do you like the rain? If I'm indoors yes, if I'm outdoors no.

30. Did you have a valentine this year? No :(

31. The last person you kissed needs you at 3 am, would you go? Yes, he sleeps next to me so I wouldn't have to go far.

32. Would you honestly say you'd risk your life for someone else? Sure

33. Honestly, if you could go back 1 month and change something would you? Definitely, I'd love a time machine.

34. How do you feel about boys smoking? It's kind of gross, but also looks kind of sexy.

35. Could you see yourself with someone forever? Maybe.

Montmorency by Eleanor Updale

2010-03-27T10:28:00.001Z

Who is Montmorency? Some say he's a dangerous villain. To others he's a hero. How do a terrible accident and an ambitious young doctor forge his two identities? And how long can he sustain them without getting caught?

My thoughts: When we first meet Montmorency he is in jail for a burglary that went wrong. He spends his jail time thinking up new money-making schemes, and eventually plans an elaborate double life for himself. As soon as he is released from prison he puts his new plan into action. He uses the sewers of London to make his way to and from burglaries at expensive properties. With the money he raises from the burglaries he funds his second identity as a gentleman who enjoys the finer things in life.

I really loved this story, mainly because I love reading about Victorian London. The author has done a great job of bringing Victorian London to life in this book. I really felt like I was right there in the middle of everything.

Montmorency was a bit of an unusual character, because of his double identity. I wasn't sure whether to love him, hate him, or both!

Really enjoyed this book and I hope to read the rest of the series too.

New layout (again!)

2010-03-25T17:56:00.000Z

I've been playing about with my layout. I got bored of the old one, I thought it was looking a bit cluttered, that's why I've gone back to two columns. Plus, purple is my favourite colour.
I've also added an 'about me' page.

I've been doing loads of reading over the last few days (although I really should be working on an essay!). I have quite a few reviews to write now. I'm still not sure that I've really found my 'voice' with my reviews yet. I also find that I tend to be really negative most of the time. Even when I enjoyed a book I still seem to only focus on the negative things. I would like to try and be more positive, but I don't just want my reviews to be "I loved this, I really enjoyed this, I want to marry this book, etc, etc..." I really need to find the balance in between positive and negative.

Anyway, I don't want to ramble on, besides, I have an essay to work on.

Mania by Craig Larsen

2010-03-25T10:51:00.001Z

Synopsis: On the foggy streets of Seattle, a serial killer known as the Street Butcher is terrorising the city. Newspaper photographer Nick Wilder is accustomed to seeing gruesome homicide scenes. But when the Street Butcher claims Nick's brother his latest casualty, the case suddenly becomes very personal. Determined to find his brother's killer, Nick stumbles into a dizzying labyrinth of deceit and danger. As he digs deeper, Nick discovers his own past holds a key to unmasking a clever, diabolical psychopath. But the real motives behind the murders are as cold and stark as Seattle's winters - and much more blood will spill before Nick learns the horrifying truth.

My thoughts: The book kicks off with a murder, the protagonist, Nick witnesses his brother Sam getting murdered, but his memory is hazy. As the book goes on it jumps backwards and forwards a lot, this is confusing at first but it helps you to understand how Nick is feeling, because he keeps having these blackouts and flashbacks.

The author has done a great job of building up suspense and kept me wondering what was going on, but by about 200 pages in I had a pretty good idea of what the outcome was going to be. Once I got towards the end of the book it was obvious that my suspicions were right, but there was still one big surprise that I hadn’t expected.

I really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it for other fans of mystery/thrillers