Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare



Oh, cover, why do you have to be so
gorgeous??! <33

Synopsis:

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still. When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos. Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own. Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.
(whoa, that's a long synopsis..! o_O ~Taken from Goodreads.com)

Review:

I have been meaning to read a book written by Cassandra Clare for ages, and I absolutely adore the sound of this one. And, I am happy to announce: I loved it!

Set in Victorian England, Tessa lands herself there when she receives a letter from her "brother" telling her that she has to stay with the Dark Sisters. She finds out a very surreal fact about herself: she has the ability to shapeshift into someone and read their thoughts and feel their emotions. Nobody has seen anybody like her before, and so the dangerous magic begins.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I much prefer first person to third person - however, I didn't once ever feel distant from the story. From experience, I have much enjoyed books more when they are in first person. You can become the character and feel their emotions more and be drawn into the story. However, this is one of few books where I have loved it in third person. I still felt connected to the characters, and felt sympathy for their problems and formed opinions for each one. From the first sentence, I was engrossed in this new, unique and exciting world.

Speaking of characters - man, there are some good ones in this book! Tessa is a strong, kick-butt heroine who also is kind and good-hearted. The Dark Sisters made my skin crawl with hate, and the scene with her brother?! Oh wow, I haven't changed my opinion so quickly and so often of a character in my life. And, of course, a love triangle! :D I love Will and Jem - but I am Team Will! ;) Jem is so kind and loyal, but Will is mysterious and has a lot of secrets and I think that Tessa will discover something about him that will make them closer.

I am desperate to get the next book, but the third book doesn't come out until 2013 - there better not be a cliffhanger on Clockwork Prince...

RATE: 5/5

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Publication date: 31st August 2010

Pages: 479

Edition: Paperback

Source: Gift

To buy this book click HERE.

Waiting on Wednesday #4

Waiting on Wednesday is an event hosted by Breaking The Spine that gives us a chance each week to share what book release we are eagerly anticipating.

This week I am "waiting" on . . .

Another Life by Keren David

Kicked out of yet another boarding school, Archie couldn't be happier to find himself back in London with old friends and an exciting social life. But he's worried about his cousin Ty, who is facing a sentence in a Young Offender Institution and doesn't seem to be coping. And he's finding that his old friends have moved on and it's a struggle to keep up with their new lives.

When he begins to learn surprising things about Ty, Archie goes on a mission to discover the truth about his cousin's past. But who is the real Ty? The thrilling follow-up to When I Was Joe and Almost True takes readers on a terrifying adventure through London's gangland.

After reading When I Was Joe and Almost True, I am dying to read the third book in the series! I recommend this to everyone; it is the best YA thriller series I have read. I can't wait to read this - October seems so far away! :D

Publication Date: 16th October 2012

What about you?

Revived by Cat Patrick

Synopsis:

As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life.

A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency's true goals, she realizes she's at the center of something much larger — and more sinister — than she ever imagined.

Review:

Omg, I LOVE Revived! I had to force it out my hands to give back to the library, it was such a sad moment! I beg you, if you haven't read this already, BUY THIS NOW!! I adored Forgotten, but it didn't quite make my favourites. Revived is definitely in my top few though, I love it (have I mentioned that already?).

With a unique storyline, Revived tells the tale of Daisy Appleby - or whatever last name she has currently. When she was five, a secret government agency brought her back to life by a classified drug called Revived. Daisy has died five times, and with each death and Revive, comes a new life. She changes her name, city and friends. At the beginning of the book, she dies and is 'revived' and so lands her place in a new city. She meets Audrey and her brother, of whom she falls in love with. She soon begins to question whether the ethics of Revive are good, and starts to rebel against it.

This book is filled with thrill and edge-of-your-seat moments, I couldn't put it down. There are so many unpredictable cliff-hangers throughout the book, I would have read it in one if I could. There is a bit of everything in this book - thrill, action, romance, life problems and coping with family issues, and magic (magic seems such a childlike word compared to this book... what's the right word for something that wouldn't happen in real life? Like paranormal, for example... o_o). It is the perfect YA book for people who are just dipping into the genre, or for people who have been endeavouring it for years.

From the first appearance of Matt, I knew I was going to like him. As Daisy described his 'casual floppy hair and alerting eyes' I couldn't help but develop feelings for him too. He is the perfect boy in these kind of books - not one where we are unsure of his loyalty first, and not one where some of us don't like him - I think most teenage girls would swoon! ;) <3

I am definitely going to get this out the library again and re-read it, or buy it, because it is such a powerful and amazing story. I can't wait to see what Cat Patrick offers us next - her books just keep getting better and better!

RATE: 5/5

Publisher: Little Brown Books

Publication date: 8th May 2012

Pages: 336

Edition: Paperback

Source: Borrowed from the library

To buy this book click HERE.

Winners of 200 Follower Giveaway

It is the time to officially announce the winners of my 200 Follower Giveaway! Yay!
*cue applause*
Unfortunately, I had to delete the first winner because they just clicked the 'enter' button and didn't actually put the information in as proof. This could have been a mistake, but I won't know. Sad times. :(
Anyway, the following two people both win a copy of Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson, and have both been sent an e-mail. :)

"Who?!" I hear you cry. Well, if you would be patient I'll get there.


The first winner is . . . .

KAREN SENOO!

The second winner is . . . .

LYNN KHO!

Congratulations, both of you! *starts to sing out of tune*
:D

Sorry to those who didn't win, but I appreciate ALL of your comments, tweets and shares - especially those who did it everyday - I wuv you! ;)

Thank you again to those who entered!

Showcase Sunday #6 - The 'Zoe Went Crazy' edition

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicky from Books, Biscuits and Tea.

This week is a BIG one. Well, the biggest one Bookhi has had, anyway! I had a massive library visit and discovered tons of amazing books. Unfortunately, my bag split on the way home... >.<

I also received a few review books, but none of my Net Galley ones have been accepted. :(
Due to the amount of books, I am just going to list them and write a word or two next to them, instead of the paragraphs I do each week.

So, without further ado, (I think we all a bit fed up of ados)... *drum roll*

sorry that you can't make out some of the
names... they have the shiny library covers
so they catch the light, hehe XD

Library:

Dads, Geeks and Blue Haired Freaks by Ellie Philips {ever since seeing the review by Jessica @ Booked Up! I have been dying to read this!}

The Abduction by John Grisham {my Dad loves his books, so I'm excited to see what his teen novel will be like}

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green {I have been meaning to try a John Green book for so long, and this isn't my first choice, but it looks good}

Just In Case by Meg Rosoff {this author looks fantastic}

There Is No Dog by Meg Rosoff {the same author, this looks great}

Blue Moon by Julia Green {another author I have been meaning to try, yay!}

Noah Barleywater Runs Away by John Boyne {The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas is a beautiful story, despite it making me cry, so I can't wait to read another Boyne book}

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey {I have a tote bag of this, so it would be good to read the book too, lol!}

Overnight Sensation swag -
three bookmarks and
three guitar picks :)

Knife by B J Anderson {this series looks awesome}



e-book cover

For Review:

Throne of Glass by Sarah Maas {yay x100! I am currently reading this and loving it}

Overnight Sensation by Hal Eisenberg {this looks like a fun read.. and check out the cool swag the author sent with it?}

Wicked Sense by Fabio Bueno {this is a book I am taking part in for a blog tour, it looks awesome}

Borrowed:

Stolen by Lucy Christopher {I have been wanting to read this for ages and my friend found this in her local library and lent this to me - wait, so I kind of borrowed a borrowing book... o_O}



What about you?



Just to let you all know that my 200 Follower Giveaway is now OVER. I have e-mailed the two winners which have 3-4 days to reply otherwise I will pass it onto a different winner. Once both winners have been established, I will announce them on here! :)

Also, I have done a guest discussion post at Beth's blog, Page-turner about book trailers. Come along and join in with the debate! :)

Spinebreakers - a Penguin online teen community

A few days ago, I received an e-mail requesting if I could promote the website, Spinebreakers, on my blog. I had seen adverts for this at the back of books, but had never actually checked it out. So, today, I signed up, and browsed the site for a while. Afterwards, I didn't hesitate to write a post telling you guys all about it!

Spinebreakers is an online community for teens where they can post reviews, recommend books, share their own creative content and discover new reads. There are also competitions, a news blog and you can learn all the latest events.

The current competitions are:

• Create a Legacy and win a book for every week of the year, with Spinebreakers and Movellas
• Finish Alex Scarrow's story (author of the TimeRiders series) to celebrate the 6th book release!

• Win Penguin books for a year for you and your 3 BBF’s (Best Book Friends) !

If you think that it doesn't get any better - you are wrong, my friend! ;P There is also a chance to become and editor to request books for a review! By applying to be an editor for Spinebreakers, you get sent free books, have the chance to meet and interview authors, and attend Editorial events. I am so going to apply! :D

If you want to see my profile, click here. Yes, Will is my profile picture... ;o)

You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter. Enjoy! =)

Discussion: what turns you off a book?

In other words: what are your book pet peeves? I'd be very, very, very surprised if all the books you have ever read have satisfied you completely, full marks. We all have things that we'd rather have in a book. I am not that fussy, and have quite a wide reading range, but I still prefer certain things better than others. So, here are mine:

• First Person: If I could choose, I would much rather a book be in first person. I think it allows you to get absorbed into the book more, and become the character. You can relate to them more, and feel their emotions. However, I have recently read a book in third person - Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare - and it was AMAZING! :') But, I think that is because of the storyline and all the brilliant ideas. Or maybe I have just read third person in bad books?
• Grammar and Spelling Mistakes: This is a big one for me. Sure, my grammar isn't perfect, but I can still spot the basic ones! This mainly focuses on self-published books. I'm not insulting the self-publishing industry, I'm just stating this because they have less editing provided for them. I recently read a book (I recently reviewed it.. try and guess which one it is :P) and it had mistakes in every paragraph. EVERY PARAGRAPH. Ahh, I couldn't stand it! The tenses were different each time, some common grammatical words were being mixed up. I have definitely read amazing self-published books where there have been no mistakes, and they were better than some bestsellers! But, it is very irritating when there are many mistakes in a book. You lose concentration and some parts don't make sense. And, to be honest, I think that is a big pet peeve for fellow bookworms! ;)
• Shallow Characters: I.E, characters with no personalities, hypocritical, or just very annoying. Usually, a story is nothing without characters. Therefore, if there is no people to empathise with or even like, then what's the point?
• Predictable Endings: It says it all in the title really. If you can predict the ending, then the book is ruined. Sometimes you can predict the ending, but the book does a BIG twist and you are totally wrong - I like those kind of books! ;)
• Too Much Detail: Don't get me wrong, sometimes description in books can be beautiful. But if there is too much detail, then it becomes sooooooo boooorrriinnnggg.....zzzzz. I'm like; "Just get on with the story!!!" Sometimes I end up skipping big paragraphs because of this, which shouldn't happen in books. (if you can't tell already, I'm a bit impatient).

• Books That Cost a Zillion Pounds: This isn't really the author's fault, but it is very annoying! I appreciate a book that has beautiful quality paper with detailed illustrations, a hardback with a lovely dust cover, and maybe some swag included. But a simple book for twenty something pounds?? Gaa, we are not rich -_- (unless you are, then yay for you ... awkward)
• My Preferred Genre: This one is purely my opinion, and the book may be FANTABULISTICOZO but just not for me. I love YA books - mystery, romance, action, thrillers, dystopian, chick lit and contemporary. But I'm not really a fan of historical fiction, or the vampire trend (Team Jacob ;D). (those of you who are, don't kill me! *ducks*)

So, what are some of yours? :) These are the ones I can think of, but can you remind me of any others? These are my personal opinion, of course, so I'm not demonising or insulting anyone who does like them, lol! :D
So, what about you? Unscary monsters that are meant to be scary, stereotypes, a certain trend that you wish would go, cliches? Let me know!

Waiting on Wednesday #3

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine, where we choose one title each week which hasn't been released yet that we really want to read. It takes a LOT of decision making every week (and trust me, I am the WORST at making decisions) but I have chosen:

Reached by Ally Condie

"After leaving Society and desperately searching for the Rising—and each other—Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again: Cassia has been assigned to work for the Rising from within Society, while Ky has been stationed outside its borders. But nothing is as predicted, and all too soon the veil lifts and things shift once again."

After gobbling up both Matched and Crossed, I can't wait to see the final instalment of this trilogy. Curse cliffhangers! >.< And isn't the cover oh so gorgeous?! I am a sucker for red covers... ;)


Publication Date: 13th November 2012

What about you?

PS. I HAVE 300 FOLLOWERS!!! *happy dance* Thank you so much, everyone! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it all, seriously. When I first set up this blog, I prayed to even have one ... and now look! But, you guys aren't just getting my praise (because I could praise you all day, trust me), you are also getting a second winner to the Tiger Lily giveaway! If you haven't entered yet... now's your chance! :D

xxx

Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry

Synopsis

They say be a good girl, get good grades, be popular. They know nothing about me. I can't remember the night that changed my life. The night I went from popular to loner freak. And my family are determined to keep it that way. They said therapy was supposed to help. They didn't expect Noah. Noah is the dangerous boy my parents warned me about. But the only one who'll listen. The only one who'll help me find the truth. I know every kiss, every promise, every touch is forbidden. But what if finding your destiny means breaking all the rules? A brave and powerful novel about loss, change and growing up, but most of all love.

Review:

I have had to re-write and re-write this review a lot due to the amount of gushing - however, there is still a fair amount, so please stay with me! ;) Although I'm not hyped up as most people are, I really enjoyed it. It was full of intense romance and amazing twists that fit perfectly on the page.

Echo and Noah may seem totally different people, but they have a lot in common. They both have troubled lives and that is why they are so well suited together. Echo's Mum tried to kill her in the past and she is being kept away from her - yet Echo wants to still see her, and nobody understands; her Dad is a control freak with a new wife and another baby on the way. Noah is the 'bad boy'. He is misunderstood too, and not even the school councilor can see his thoughts. Noah is an orphan and has travelled through lots of different care homes. Due to his bad reputation, he is forbidden to see his brothers, until he realises that Echo may be his ticket into seeing them. Until... he begins to fall for her.

Ok, confession time. At first, I hated Noah. Sure, aren't we all like that with bad boys at first? However, at first I didn't see him as the sensitive kind who treats girls with respect; I saw him as a player and just using Echo. I was really annoyed. But, with all these great reviews that loved Noah, I gave him a chance and carried on reading. And... YAY! <3 I could really see his compassion for Echo and I could feel their emotions too. Ahh.. *goes off into a daydream*

I adore this book and all the great ideas, but - for some reason - I didn't really feel that it made that much of an impact on me. Pushing The Limits hasn't made my favourite list and there weren't any moments where I pause and go 'wow', like I do with most of my favourites. Maybe it is because there was too much romance and not enough of other subjects, but I didn't really feel ... there. (hmm... I feel like I should apologise for that, lol!). However, that has only lost 0.25 of my rating (I am SO awkward...!!) and I think it is due to having too much expectation. I hate it when that happens... :(

I really recommend this to anyone of a fan of intense romance stories. It has no magical occurrences, it has some action and thrilling parts but it is mostly romance. The hype is no lie, but if you are planning to read this for the first time, go in with low expectations! Haha! ;)
Sorry for the awful review - some parts may not make sense, but I just wanted to persuade those who haven't read it yet to do so! Now. Like, right now. Go. Skedaddle. Bye bye. What are you still doing here? Buy it now!!!

RATE: 4.75/5

Publisher: Mira Ink

Publication date: 3rd August 2012

Pages: 416

Edition: Paperback

Source: Bought

To buy this book click HERE.

PS. I usually put the cover image of the book in my reviews down the side of the synopsis, but Blogger is playing up again. GaancnoabwfeiwOBEGGhabgnihff!!! When I put it at the side, all the text goes to the side of one page and just leaves blank at the other side... o_O Has this happended to anyone else? How do I 'cure' it?! Sorry, I'll try and fix it soon... :)

Snake Beach by Lisa Glass



Taken from Amazon. Sorry for the bad picture,
it was the only one I could find! :-/

 Synopsis:

"It was before the birds fell out of the sky. Before them girls went missing . . . "

Life is good for Jenny Grand, living in a beachside chalet on the Cornish coast, chilling out and body-boarding, until one day her ex-boyfriend Han returns to her home town of Hayle. Shortly afterwards, the town is invaded by TV modelling talent show Britain's Next Catwalk Queen, and everything begins to go wrong.

Part romance, part mystery, and part coming-of-age story, Snake Beach is a gripping novel for young adults

Review:

Snake Beach is one of the most unique and original stories I have read. The author has an original style which has you intrigued at where the words will take you next. This isn't the type of book I would read, but I enjoyed it. I was blown away by the unique plot line and was hooked to find out the unpredictable ending. Although it didn't make my favourites list, and it did have a few faults, I am looking forward to what more Glass has to offer.

Set in Cornwell, we see the story through the eyes of Jenny Grand. She is a typical teenager with normal issues, until her ex-boyfriend comes back to her town. Their first confrontation is very awkward, and soon they realise that they feelings towards each other are complicated. I loved how Glass portrayed Jenny's emotions - she used body language and actions to show her feelings towards her love for Han, instead of moping about in her room saying that she loves him. His return sparks off the whole story, as soon a tragedy occurs and TV models flood the whole town. They go missing, and it is up to Jenny to save them.

As I mentioned before, I love Glass' unique ideas for the novel. She hasn't taken any kind of trend or copied another author's style - she has clearly done research and produced ideas for the novel that are her own. I mean, the 'chewing gum' part? Genius! I could never have thought of that.

I love the contrast of character personalities too. However, Han annoyed me. Despite the MC being in love with him and the adorable ending, I couldn't help but get irritated by his actions. He chased after the models and didn't really care about Jenny's feelings. I am not sure if the author did this intentionally, or if he is meant to be shallow. Due to my reaction,  I couldn't really engage with the romance. It didn't captivate me.

Even though Snake Beach is a young adult novel, I think everyone of all ages would enjoy it - pre-teens and adults. There isn't any instalove or unsuitable features, but it isn't childlike. Jenny doesn't really show any character traits of her age, and I couldn't really empathise with her, but I think lots of people would be able to get along with this neutral character. I'd recommend it, but not rant on about it's greatness for hours. The unpredictable ending, the different character clashes, and the unique prose all intertwine and create a brilliant book.

Thank you to the author for sending me this for review, and to Luisa Plaja for recommending my blog to her! :)

RATE: 4/5

Publisher: Self

Publication date: 8th April 2012

Pages: 185

Edition: E-copy

Source: For Review

To buy this book click HERE.

Showcase Sunday #5

I'm baackkk!! *cue trumpets and waving flags* ;) I had a great time and despite us CAMPING in ENGLAND it was 36 degrees... what the heck? o_O Anyway, I read tons of books - 7 to be precise! I read: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry (amazing), Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner (adored), Revived by Cat Patrick (Omg, fantasticfiuabiboo!!), Matched by Ally Condie (loved, but slow beginning), Crossed by Ally Condie (loved), Between Shades of Grey by Ruta Septys (beautiful), and Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (brilliant). Surprisingly, I actually read nothing on my Kindle, so I ended up needing an extra bag for just books... -_-

Anyway, Showcase Sunday is hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea. It is a weekly meme where book bloggers take part to show off what books they have bought, borrowed, received for review etc. This week I got . . .

This isn't the real cover of Maggot Moon,
due to it being an ARC. Also, Switched
and Pretty Twisted aren't in the photo
because they are e-books :)

For Review:

- Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner
This is a remarkable read, everyone should read it! Although some parts were a little strange and scary, I quite enjoyed it. You can read my review here.

Gift:

- Crossed by Ally Condie
- The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel
So, whilst I was on holiday, there was a lovely bookshop and I managed to con persuade my Dad to buy me some books (thank you!). I read Matched and loved it and Crossed was even better. I can't wait to read Reached now! And Cassandra Clare.... oh, why didn't I pick up a book of hers sooner?! I just finished the last chapter of this about 10 minutes ago and I am still gushing about it. The Mortal Instruments here I come. Expect a review soon :D

Bought:
- Switched #1 by Amanda Hocking
- Pretty Twisted by Gina Blaxill
Since Switched is only 20p and Pretty Twisted is only 90p, I bought these for my Kindle. This is an amazing summer deal by Amazon.co.uk... for more deals you can see my post here. :)

What books have you received this week?

Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner

Synopsis
When his best friend Hector is suddenly taken away, Standish Treadwell realises that it is up to him, his grandfather and a small band of rebels to confront and defeat the ever present oppressive forces of The Motherland.
Friendship and trust inspire Standish to rise up against an oppressive regime and expose the truth about a planned moon landing in this original and spellbinding book.

Review

With an exquisite style to her writing, Gardner has done it again. Maggot Moon is a beautiful tale about two boys who have had difficult lives but are both determined and strong characters that lead not only themselves to an adventure, but the reader too.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and I believe that it will become a future classic. At the first page I was hooked into Standish’s world and I didn’t want to let go until I had read the last word. I endeavoured Maggot Moon in one sitting and although I found some parts quite strange and unrealistic, I enjoyed the book. This is an easy book to plough through, as it was light but heavy at the same time. The chapters are quite short and as they are told through the eyes of a young boy who can’t read or write, the sentences are quite simple too. However, this is no book for the faint of heart. It has suspenseful cliff-hangers, a tension building plot, scenes that will make you gasp, cry and laugh and stimulating characters. Do you think you are strong enough to take on this escapade?

In my opinion, despite Maggot Moon being a terrific thriller, I found that some parts are definitely not suitable to its intended readership: a child. There are some violent scenes that had me cringing – a fourteen year old. There are also some unnecessary swearing parts that I think was overdone.

Furthermore, there are some beautiful literary phrases that are breath-taking – but are they worth putting in for children? I think most of the clever metaphors will not be understood and not appreciated.
Overall, I loved Maggot Moon. If you enjoy unique, original and books that will leave you awe-struck then this is the book for you!

Thank you to Hot Keys Books for review and Love Reading for sending me this for review! :)

RATE: 4.5/5

Publisher: Hot Key Books

Publication date: 6th September 2012

Pages: 288

Edition: ARC Paperback

Source: For Review

To buy this book click HERE.

*This is a scheduled post as I am on holiday until Sunday*

Goodbye... KINDA

This is a post to let you all know that I am going camping for a week! My friend Jessica from the book blog Booked Up! is going away too, which reminded me to do a fond farewell to you guys too. ;)

I have been to the place I am going to before, so I know there is an Internet cafe (yay!). But I won't get much chance to go on there, and last year there was nearly always a queue occupying it. Believe me, it's much less fun going on Facebook with a random person staring at you waiting to move....!

So, I'll be able to do the odd comment on peoples blogs and maybe post (hence the 'Goodbye...KINDA' title) some pre-written stuff (coz I'm organised and cool like that) but I won't be able to come on as much. I'll also be able to get through a lot of books, holidays are perfect for reading. But hopefully I can fit other things in my suitcase. Are clothes and food that important? o_O

Au revoir! Adios! Farewell! Toodles! Bis dann! Spock! (I think I'm losing it... >.<)

PS. Until then, enjoy this picture:

Sounds about right xD



Summer Sales + YA Crush Tourney

I'm back from my three-day-trip in Scotland and it's surprising what you miss in the space of a few days! I've managed to catch up on most of my favourite blogs (and trust me, I have a lot) and answer e-mails (a lot there, too). Anyway, this is just a quick post to tell you two very exciting things:

1. BOOK SUMMER SALES!

One of my favourite book websites where you can get LOTS of amazing bargains is having a summer sale! YAY! At The Book People, you can get books under £1 and sets of books for under £5. Here are a few examples:

Hush, Hush series =  £3.99

I'll definitely be taking advantage of this deal, I need to read this series!

The Morganville Vampire Collection = £3

Ok.. get this: 6 books for £3! 6 BOOKS FOR £3!! If you are fan of paranormal, this looks perfect for you.

Summer's of the Sisterhood Collection = £4.99

I love the sound of this series, it sounds so funny. This trilogy is aimed for teenagers and makes the perfect summer read.

Fashionistas Collection = £1

4 books by the amazing Sara Manning for £1, who wouldn't resist?!

Beautiful Chaos by Margaret Stohl - £2

This is the third instalment of the trilogy Beautiful Creatures, it looks amazing!

Where She Went by Gayle Forman - £3

This book is really popular and I really want to read it, especially since it includes New York;)

Siobhan Dowd Set = £3

I love this author, but I haven't read any of these three books. Perfect opportunity!

Most of the above books' RRP are £20-£30 so you are saving LOTS of money. Summer won't last long, so get buying! Also, TBP have a system where you get points whenever you buy a book, which eventually add up to a free book. Awesome! :)

Amazon are also doing a book summer sale, and here are a few examples:

• Pretty Twisted - £0.20 (kindle)
• Switched #1 - £0.94 (kindle)
• The Hunger Games #1 - £3.86
• Catching Fire #2 - £3.40
• Mockingjay #3 - £4.25
• Losing Lila - £4.61
• The Throne of Glass - £4.89
• Divergent £3.99 (kindle)
• Snow White and the Huntsman - £3.99 (kindle)

If you see any mistakes please let me know! These are all prices according to amazon.co.uk.  Sorry to my international readers, I'll try to do a more wider choice next time.

2. YA CRUSH TOURNAMENT!!

At the great The YA Sisterhood book blog is a YA Crush Tournament. Crushes from YA books will battle it out to be the last one standing. Today is the final *cue dramatic music* so get voting! The last round is Will vs Adrian. Click here to vote :)

Let me know you have voted for in the finals, and if you are going to buy any books in the summer sales!

Showcase Sunday #4

Showcase Sunday is a meme hosted by the brilliant book blog Books, Biscuits and Tea where fellow bookworms can show off what books they have received that week.

This week I only got two books (gasp!), but I think they look pretty good! :)

Bought:

Pushing The Limits by Kate McGarry

After all the amazing reviews, I couldn't resist buying this! It looks AMAZING. And the trailer is the best one I have seen. :D

For Review:

Ouroboros by Christopher Turkel

This looks so interesting! I have never read anything like this before and it isn't the kind of book I would usually pick it up, but the story sounds so intriguing. Thanks to Booktrope for sending me this for a review! :)

Don't forget to enter my 200 Follower Giveaway to get the chance to win a copy of Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson, a romance prequel to Peter Pan! International entries, yay! ;)

Leave a comment below of what new books you received this week. :)

I'm also going away for the next three days, so I won't be able to post, comment on other blogs or answer e-mails. I'm not neglecting you all, I promise! ;)

When Destiny Knocks by Heather M White

Synopsis:
16 year old Karlie has had a pretty normal life... But when her Mom dies she is forced to move over 1,000 miles away to live with her Dad. That's when things start getting weird.

She can't explain the earthquakes that nobody else feels, or why she no longer sleeps. But most of all she doesn't know why she trusts Shane so much, even though his Dad wants her dead.

Suddenly, Karlie's normal life is turned upside down and she enters a world she never dreamed could really exist.

Review:
I have to admit, I was looking forward to reading this book, it sounded like it had everything I enjoy in a book. However, I am very disappointed and found many faults which allowed me, sadly, not to enjoy it.

When Destiny Knocks is set in the USA, where a 16 year old Karlie is forced to move in with her Dad after her Mum (or Mom, since this an American book ;p) passes away. After a few days, everything begins to get weird. She is able to control the weather with her emotions, experience visions and she doesn't sleep for weeks. She meets Shane, a boy she can't stop thinking about but everyone tells her to stay away from him. Not knowing why, she is tempted to discover more. She finds out that she in fact 'the chosen one', and that Shane's dad is out to kill her. A normal life is no longer available for Karlie, but can she at least stay alive?

First of all, I definitely need to bring up the lack of editing for this book. I accept that this is a self-published novel, so it is harder to correct mistakes, but it seems that every paragraph there is at least one grammar mistake! Some punctuation is miss used and the tenses are all muddled up. I was able to make sense of what was happening in the book, but I think that if this book was reviewed more before it was published, I think I would have given it another star rating.

Another thing I need to mention is the big clichés. They are everywhere! Some I found quite Disney-Channel like was the blonde cheerleaders and the loner boy which the new girl is attracted too. Personally, this made it less unique. Also, Karlie discovers that demons, ogres, trolls etc exist and Shane's dad, a demon, is out to kill her. I liked the way she was the chosen one, but all of these monsters have been done before. Maybe a new monster, or just one of the typical ones, would have been better because it seems too cliché and not interesting. However, if you like clichés, then maybe you should try it!

The author uses an interesting way of setting out the time. I don't know how else to put it! The book carried out over months and I found it quite annoying! I mean, one chapter it was Christmas and then in the next it was the summer holidays! Also, if there was a demon out to kill her, he wouldn't wait, would he?

Despite this fairly negative review so far, I did find some parts enjoyable. I liked the romance, and found Shane so intriguing! I instantly wanted to know what his story is and why he is 'dangerous'. There is also  a love triangle - cue Alex! I carried on with this book until the end because I wanted to know who she ended up with. The ending is quite predictable - until the last sentence! Wow, what a killer! That is probably the biggest cliff hanger I've read, and it's definitely a way to get the reader to read the sequel.

Overall, I didn't like When Destiny Knocks, but I didn't hate it. It has a basic linear plot which I think could have been more original to make it interesting, but I like the use of characters and how a person related to someone Karlie loves wants to kill her. Don't read this if your pet peeve is bad grammar, it will be your worst enemy! I enjoyed the romance, and the love triangle. Although the cliffhanger is very unexpected and suspenseful, I won't be reading the sequel. I don't recommend it. Consequently, this is purely my opinion and take on the book. Check out more reviews here, on Goodreads. If someone else has read this, do you agree with my review?

RATE: 2/5

Publisher: Self

Publication date: 24th December 2011

Pages: 200

Edition: E-copy

Source: For Review

To buy this book click HERE.

Page-turner Giveaways!

This is a post to let you all know about the fantastic giveaways that are being held at Page-turner, a book blog which has recently turned one year of age! *sings Happy Birthday out of tune, people cover their ears, avalanche falls, animals scatter, awkward*

The amazing Beth is generously hosting two giveaways - awesome, right?!

Giveaway #1

.The first giveaway is choosing one book out of all the books that Beth has ever reviewed on her blog since 25th of July 2011, to 25th of July 2012. 

.Here are the books you can choose from:

Angel by L.A Weatherly

Arcadia Awakens by Kai Meyer

Beauty by Robert Kinley  

Crossed by Ally Condie  

Cold Hands, Warm heart by Jill Wolfson 

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Dear Bully (an anthology told by 70 different authors)

Dark Parties by Sara Grant

Entangled by Cat Clarke

Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Fracture by Megan Miranda 

Fated by Sarah Alderson

Familiar Ties by Naya Nikki

Heist Society by Ally Carter

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

My sister lives on the mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher

Paradise by Joanna Nadin 

Poison Heart by S.B Hayes

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Sister, Missing - By Sophie McKenzie 

Seizure by Kathy Reichs 

Starters by Lissa Price

Slide by Jill Hathaway

Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale

The truth about Celia Frost by Paula Rawsthorne 

Thirteen (13) reasons why by Jay Asher 

Torn by Cat Clarke 

The Look by Sophia Bennett

The Hunger games - By Suzanne Collins 

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

The Declaration - By Gemma Malley

The Resistance - By Gemma Malley

The Legacy by Gemma Malley  

The Cardturner by Louis Sachar   

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E.Smith

The List by Siobhan Vivian

The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Virals by Kathy Reichs 

 

.... and here are the Terms and Conditions....

 

.You must be a follower to enter.

.The giveaway deadline is 5th September 2012 

.To enter, fill in the form below. 

.To enter, The Book Depositary have to ship to your country. To find out if they do,

click here. 

 

Giveaway #2

The second giveaway is FOUR prize packs to choose from - yes, four! :D

 

Prize Pack #1: 

Haunting Violet bag

Stolen Away purse

This Is Not Forgiveness by Celia Rees 

The Fever and the Flame by Mary Hooper

2 bookmarks

**With huge thanks to Bloomsbury publishing for providing this Prize Package**

Prize Pack #2:

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

Dead Rules by R.S Russell

Emma Heart LA by Keris Stainton 

"Abnegation" necklace (from the Dauntless series by Veronica Roth)

A pack of 4 bookmarks

Prize Pack #3:

All 3 books in the Tomorrow series by John Marsden 

Kiss Date Love Hate by Luisa Plaja (Signed Copy)

2 bookmarks

3 Slated postcards

Prize Pack #4:

Poison Heart by S.B Hayes

Shattered Dreams by Ellie James

Before I die bookmark

Reading Light

 

.... and here are the Terms and Conditions....

 

There will be 4 winners

This giveaway is open for UK residents only. 

The deadline is 9th of September 2012. 

You must be a follower to enter.

To enter, fill in the Rafflecopter below. 

 

GOOD LUCK!!!!!! :)

Zoe xxx

Waiting On Wednesday #2

Waiting On Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking The Spine where we share a book each week of an upcoming release we are eagerly anticipating.

My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century

On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore.

Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

I love the sound of this! I have only really read one or two time travel novels (both middle grade books) so I am interested to see what this one will be like.

Publication Date: 11th September 2012

Which upcoming release are you desperate for this week?
Zoe xxx