Daisy Chain Book Reviews Big Summer Bash - Giveaway #2; Win My Love Lies Bleeding and Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey.

Today I'm giving away the first two book in The Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey.  These are my review copies, so please note that they have been lightly read.  If you're OK with that, go ahead and enter! They are fun reads for fans of vampire fiction!

 My Love Lies Bleeding

Everyone’s after Solange Drake, the soon-to-be undead sixteen-year-old who is prophesized to rule the vampire world. Not that she wants to rule. She’d rather be doing ceramics or talking to Kieran Black, the mysterious vampire hunter that keeps showing up.

Blood Feud

Between playing nice with the vampire court and keeping his sister safe from wannabe vampire kings, Logan Drake has his hands full. He has no time for complications from the most unlikely of vampires—a girl from a distant clan with scars on her arms and a haunted look in her eye.

Isabeau St. Croix is a warrior with a purpose: to kill the man who turned her into a vampire and left her buried for 200 years. To her, Logan is a distraction. A charming, caring, very good-looking distraction…

My Review of My Love Lies Bleeding  |  My Review of Blood Feud

Just Fill Out the Form Below to Enter!
Good Luck!

COMPETITION CLOSED! WINNER ANNOUNCED SOON!

Waiting on Wednesday #18 - Intrinsical by Lani Woodland.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Breaking the Spine that spotlights eagerly awaited upcoming releases.

Intrinsical by Lani Woodland

Pendrell Publishing

Hardcover, 292 pages.

Release date: August 20th 2010

Target Age Group: Young Adult.

Product description from Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Yara Silva has always known that ghosts walk alongside the living. Her grandma, like the other females in her family, is a Waker, someone who can see and communicate with ghosts. Yara grew up watching her grandmother taunted and scorned for this unusual ability and doesn't want that to be her future. She has been dreading the day when she too would see ghosts, and is relieved that the usually dominant Waker gene seems to have skipped her, letting her live a normal teenage life. However, all that changes for Yara on her first day at her elite boarding school when she discovers the gene was only lying dormant. She witnesses a dark mist attack Brent, a handsome fellow student, and rushes to his rescue. Her act of heroism draws the mist's attention, and the dark spirit begins stalking her. Yara finds herself entrenched in a sixty-year-old curse that haunts the school, threatening not only her life, but the lives of her closest friends as well. Yara soon realizes that the past she was trying to put behind her isn't going to go quietly.

I've been reading quite a lot of books that are set in boarding schools lately, and I've been loving them too! This one, with ghosts and a sixty-year old curse at an elite boarding school definitely sounds like one for me to check out!

Let me know what you think, and share your picks in comments!

Daisy Chain Book Reviews Big Summer Bash - Giveaway #1: Win a signed copy of Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James.

Since I started blogging, I've been buying a lot of books and also receiving some for review. I have extra copies, signed copies and some ARC's, and while they're all wonderful, they're also taking up a lot of space, so I'm wondering if you guys can help me out and take some of them off my hands?

Over the next few weeks, I'll be giving away some great books - some will be new (finished copies), some will be ARC's and some may be lightly read review copies. You can enter as many of the competitions as you like and all competitions will be INTERNATIONAL! 

First up I have a signed copy of Beautiful Malice, one of my favourite books of 2010 up for grabs!  Keep reading to find out more!

Friendship can be deadly.

Who is Katherine Patterson? It is a question she hopes no one can answer. To erase her past, Katherine has moved to a new city, enrolled in a new school, and even changed her name. She’s done the next best thing to disappearing altogether. Now, wary and alone, she seeks nothing more than anonymity. What she finds instead is the last thing she expected: a friend.

Even more unlikely, Katherine’s new friend is the most popular and magnetic girl in school. Extroverted, gorgeous, flirtatious, and unpredictable, she is everything that Katherine is not and doesn’t want to be: the center of attention. Yet Alice’s enthusiasm is infectious, her candor sometimes unsettling, and Katherine, in spite of her guarded caution, finds herself drawn into Alice’s private circle.

But Alice has secrets, too—darker than anyone can begin to imagine. And when she lets her guard down at last, Katherine discovers the darkest of them all. For there will be no escaping the past for Katherine Patterson—only a descent into a trap far more sinister . . . and infinitely more seductive.

My Review of Beautiful Malice  |  My Interview with Rebecca James   

Faber & Faber Reading Guide for Beautiful Malice

Just fill out the form below to enter!

• One lucky person will win a signed paperback copy of Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James.
• The contest is international and will end on Friday, August 6th.
• Winner will be chosen by me with a little help from my friend random.org.
• Keep checking back over the coming weeks for more great competitions & tell all your friends too!

COMPETITION CLOSED! WINNER ANNOUNCED SOON!

Book News: Immortals author Alyson Noel signs four-book deal for new Young Adult series!

I am super excited by this news!

Even though there are two books to go in the Immortals series, I already know that I'm going to miss Ever, Damen and Co. a LOT, so I was very excited to hear of Alyson Noel's new four book deal that she's just signed with St. Martin's Press.

The Immortals series was actually the first YA series I started reading after finishing the Twilight saga, and I can tell you it saw me through some dark days without Edward Cullen! ;) I was swooning over Damen Auguste in no time at all.

This new 'Soul Seeker' series is planned for release in 2012, and  here's a description in Alyson's own words:

Can you tell us about the series you’ve just signed a new deal for? Is it set in the Immortals world?

It’s a young adult supernatural novel and it’s a completely new world. The Immortals is set in Laguna Beach, California, and this book is going to be set in the Southwest, most likely New Mexico. So it’s going to have a very different atmosphere, landscape and feel, and it’ll explore themes of Shamanism and the ability to walk through the Upperworld and the Underworld and to walk amongst the dead. It’s about a 16-year-old girl who is quite different from Ever, the protagonist in the Immortals series, who starts suffering the symptoms of what appears to be a psychotic break. But her grandmother recognizes it for what it is: her heredity ability—her father had it as well—to walk between the Upperworld and the Underworld.

You can read the full article: here.

Additional information and photo: source.

Book Review: Second Hand Heart by Catherine Ryan Hyde.

Product details:
Publisher: Black Swan.
Paperback, 464 pages.
Release date: September 16th 2010.
Ages: Adult Fiction.
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Source: Received from publisher for review.

Vida is 19 and has never had much of a life. Struggling along with a life-threatening heart condition, her whole life has been one long preparation for death. But suddenly she is presented with a donor heart, and just in time. Now she gets to do something she never imagined she'd have to do: live.

Richard is a 36-year-old man who’s just lost his beloved wife, Lorrie, in a car accident. Still in shock and not even having begun the process of grieving, he is invited to the hospital to meet the young woman who received his wife’s donor heart.

Vida takes one look at Richard and feels she’s loved him all her life. And tells him so. Richard assumes she’s just a foolish young girl. And maybe she is. Or maybe there’s truth behind the theory of cellular memory, and maybe it really is possible for a heart to remember, at least for a time, on its own.

This is the first book I’ve read by Catherine Ryan Hyde, so I was drawn to it, not out of any knowledge of her previous books, but due to the fact it seemed to me that it would appeal to me as a fan of Jodi Picoult.  While this is similar in theme to Picoult’s books and will undoubtedly appeal to those who like her books, it lacks the emotional punch that Picoult packs.  Her books have often left me in tears, and I was expecting this one to do the same.  Instead, I consider this one to be a light summer read, despite the  serious subject matter, and it didn’t really leave a lasting impression on me. The plot is pretty straightforward, and there are no major surprises here.  It’s definitely a book for the garden or the beach, when you don’t want to read anything too taxing.  It’s not one that’s going to stay on your mind long after you’ve read it, nor is it a book that’s going to keep you reading late into the night.

The story here revolves around the cellular memory of a heart transplant recipient, Vida, and thirty-something  Richard, who has lost his wife in a car crash.  Vida is the recipient of Richard’s wife’s heart, and from the moment she sees Richard, Vida loves him, insisting that she retains some of his wife’s memories, the ones she held dearest in her heart.  Cellular memory is not a topic that I’m all that familiar with, and although it was interesting and well-researched, the subject matter didn’t totally engage me.

The story here is told in journal format, which I liked at the start, as it enabled me to get to know Vida pretty well very soon on.  After a while though, the style seemed overly simplified for this book. Vida’s diary entries often bordered on the repetitive and she had a tendency to lose her train of thought right in the middle of an entry, which got distracting after a while.  Also, while Vida is ultimately a likeable character, I did question her motivations towards the middle of the book, and she began to annoy me quite a lot.  She is very childlike in her persistence towards Richard - frequently turning up at his house when he tells her not to.  I realised by the end of the book that she was doing everything she could to help him come to terms with his loss, but in parts, she is portrayed as being quite childlike and aggressive.  She wasn’t a character I could really connect with, nor was the grieving Richard.

For the most part, the story is about love and loss - coming to terms with loss and learning to live again.  For Vida, the book is a voyage of self-discovery. At age nineteen she hasn’t been able to live any sort of life. She has been ill from birth, has an over-protective mother and her only friend is a ninety year old concentration camp survivor. With her new heart she is finally able to live, not just survive.  She can finally go out into the world and find herself.  Vida’s road trip and coming of age was actually my favourite part of the book, and it was during these chapters that I started to like her again, and realise that her intentions were ultimately good.  With Vida’s help, Richard is able to begin to move on with his life, and for all it’s themes of death, loss and grief, the book actually ends on a positive note of restoration, rebirth and rejuvenation.

In My Mailbox #9 - New books this week!

In my Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren in which bloggers share the books they have received each week. 

I got some great books this week, including a competition prize. Yay! No sign of my copy of Linger yet, though. It should be here soon, I hope!

Click on links for Goodreads descriptions.

The Poisoned House by Michael Ford.
I received this one for review, and I have to say I love the both the book cover and it's description. All spooky and gothic! Looking forward to reading this one.

Stolen by Lesley Pearse.
I bought this one having read a number of positive reviews.  I haven't read any of Lesley Pearse's other books, but this one sounds like a good mystery & something I should enjoy.

By Midnight by Mia James.
This was my competition win. I've been really excited about this book for a while now and as it contains vampires, a boarding school and a creepy cemetery, I'm sure I'll enjoy it!

I also received  Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel this week courtesy of Bookmooch. Lucky me! I've been excited about this book for a while now.

Lenah Beaudonte is, in many ways, your average teen: the new girl at Wickham Boarding School, she struggles to fit in enough to survive and stand out ...more Lenah Beaudonte is, in many ways, your average teen: the new girl at Wickham Boarding School, she struggles to fit in enough to survive and stand out enough to catch the eye of the golden-boy lacrosse captain. But Lenah also just happens to be a recovering five-hundred-year-old vampire queen. After centuries of terrorizing Europe, Lenah is able to realize the dream all vampires have -- to be human again. After performing a dangerous ritual to restore her humanity, Lenah entered a century-long hibernation, leaving behind the wicked coven she ruled over and the eternal love who has helped grant her deep-seated wish.

Until, that is, Lenah draws her first natural breath in centuries at Wickham and rediscovers a human life that bears little resemblance to the one she had known. As if suddenly becoming a teenager weren’t stressful enough, each passing hour brings Lenah closer to the moment when her abandoned coven will open the crypt where she should be sleeping and find her gone. As her borrowed days slip by, Lenah resolves to live her newfound life as fully as she can. But, to do so, she must answer ominous questions: Can an ex-vampire survive in an alien time and place? What can Lenah do to protect her new friends from the bloodthirsty menace about to descend upon them? And how is she ever going to pass her biology midterm?

If you've already read any of these books, I'd love to know what you though! Share your IMM links in comments. :)

Book Review: The Dark Divine by Bree Despain.

Product details:
Publisher: Egmont Books Ltd.
Paperback, 384 pages.
Release date: July 5th 2010 (first published December 22nd 2009).
Ages: Young Adult.
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Source: Received from publisher for review.

A Prodigal Son, A Dangerous Love, A Deadly Secret...

Grace Divine—daughter of the local pastor—always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared and her brother Jude came home covered in his own blood.

Now that Daniel's returned, Grace must choose between her growing attraction to him and her loyalty to her brother.

As Grace gets closer to Daniel, she learns the truth about that mysterious night and how to save the ones she loves, but it might cost her the one thing she cherishes most: her soul. 

Synopsis from Goodreads.

I was first drawn to The Dark Divine because of it’s captivating cover art, and then having read numerous glowing reviews of the book, I just knew I had to read it. The book sounded like one I would love, but I have to say, that while The Dark Divine does have it’s good points, it didn’t live up to my expectations. Maybe I set those expectations too high. I know this sometimes happens where I’m concerned. It’s a promising debut, but for someone who reads a lot of Young Adult paranormal romance, it didn’t offer anything new or exciting for me.

First off, the book is very character driven, which is something I’m big on, but this doesn’t work when you can’t connect with the main character, and I could not connect with Grace Divine. She’s a pastor’s daughter, and an all round good girl who never breaks the rules. I have to say that I just found Grace a little too boring for my liking. I like female protagonists who are smart and sassy. Grace was a little too naïve. Sometimes I just wanted to shake her and tell her to break curfew, skip doing her homework of sneak out to a party to have a good time! In keeping with Grace and her predicable nature, I also felt that the plot suffered from the same shortcomings. I felt that the story was, for the most part, predictable, and it didn’t contain many great surprises for me.

The themes of the book are steeped in religion, including the story of the prodigal son, and themes of redemption and forgiveness. When  dealing with religious themes, I tend to switch off, so this was something that really didn’t engage my interest. I felt it was all a little overdone at times, especially where Grace’s parents were concerned. Overly controlling and preachy parents are not my thing. Let’s just say that Grace’s mom is not my kind of person! That said, the fact that I got to know Grace’s mom well enough to dislike her, was a plus point in this book. All the characters are well written, and nobody fades into the background.

I also have to point out something that annoyed me about the layout of the book. Each chapter has a title, but then throughout each chapter, there are sub-headings detailing exactly what happens through the day, so you might have headings titled ‘The next day, fourth period’, ‘lunch’, ‘after lunch’, ’later that day’, ’at dinner’ and so on. This was totally unnecessary for the book. It made the writing seem a little lazy and disjointed and interrupted the flow of the story big time. I would have preferred a little descriptive writing to set the scene, rather than just another sub-heading to tell me that Grace was eating dinner, or in bed.

All that said - I have to say that I enjoyed the ending of the book, which contained more than a few enjoyable twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting. I love a good ending, and this book definitely had that! Also, while I didn’t connect with Grace, or feel that we could ever have anything much in common, I’ll admit that she is still a likeable character, although a bit bland. I cared about what happened to her, and I enjoyed her budding romance with Daniel. The book ends on quite a cliffhanger, and sets the story up nicely for book #2 in the series, The Lost Saint, coming December 2010.

Book News! Sweet Valley High grows up - read the first chapter of Sweet Valley Confidential to find out more!

I'm not ashamed to say that I was more than a little excited when I first heard that Francine Pascal was planning a Sweet Valley High sequel which would follow twins Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield into their late twenties and early thirties.  

Like a lot of people, I read the books as a teen, and I also watched the TV series. The books, while not the most well written, were a lot of fun, and I'm excited to find out what is going on in the worlds of  Liz, Jess and their friends. By now, I thought that Elizabeth and Todd would  would  have married for sure, and would be living that perfect Sweet Valley lifestyle, with their perfect blonde kids and matching jobs at the local newspaper. I'm telling you now that this is not how things have turned out.  Not at all....

Since I don't want to give a whole load of spoilers on here, you're going to have to check this out for yourself.  In the first chapter  we find Elizabeth living alone in New York.  She's not speaking to Jessica, and Todd is not on the scene.  I have my own thoughts on what exactly has happened between Elizabeth and Todd, but if you want to find out, sign up for the Sweet Valley Confidential newsletter here and you will receive the first chapter of Sweet Vally confidential to your email inbox.

It's fun! Enjoy!

Waiting on Wednesday #17 - Fallen Angel by Heather Terrell & competition winners announced!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Breaking the Spine that spotlights eagerly awaited upcoming releases.

Fallen Angel by Heather Terrell

HarperTeen

Paperback, 240 pages.

Release date: December 28th 2010.

Target Age Group: Young Adult.

Product description from Goodreads:

The first book in a dark, edgy new angel series about a girl who finds herself forced to choose sides in the battle between fallen angels, even if that means going against the boy she loves.

When Ellie Faneuil first sees Michael Chase she feels an instantaneous connection. But she does not realize how much they have in common, including the ability fly and to see what others are thinking - not to mention a taste for blood. Reveling in their new powers and their growing feelings for each other, Ellie and Michael are determined to uncover what they are, and how they got this way ... together. 

But the truth has repercussions neither could have imagined. Soon they find themselves center stage in an ancient conflict between fallen angels that threatens to destroy everything they love. And it is no longer clear whether Ellie and Michael will choose the same side.

In this electrifying novel Heather Terrell spins a gripping tale of soul-mates, supernatural powers and a truth that will change Ellie and Michael‘s world forever.

I love the current Angel trend that's happening in Young Adult fiction, and when I first read about this one a few weeks back, I had to add it to my list. Sounds good!  Let me know what you think in comments, and share your WoW picks!

I'm also going to announce some competition winners today!

Winner of the Shadow Hills swag pack courtesy of Anastasia Hopcus is: Christina/Book Addict.

Winner of a $40 Gift Certificate courtesy of CSN Stores is: Natasha J.

Hope you guys enjoy your prizes! I'll be sending you both emails soon to get your details. :)

Book Review: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Product details:
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Paperback, 368 pages.
Release date: April 29th 2010 (first published 2008)
Ages: 12+
Rating: 4½ out of 5.
Source: Received from publisher for review.

A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.
When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year,...more A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers. 

 
When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

I read a lot of Young Adult fiction, and if you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ll know that paranormal romance and urban fantasy are my genres of choice, and I tend to stick to them. Not anymore! Perfect Chemistry has changed my mind and broadened my reading horizons.  This book took me out of my reading comfort zone, and left me wanting to read a whole lot more from Simone Elkeles.  I picked this one up because  I wanted a light summer read, but this book is so much more than that. I actually ended up reading this in one sitting, and it’s definitely one of those books that's worth reading late into the night.

Perfect Chemistry is billed as a love story between star-crossed lovers from two very different walks of life. It’s told in a dual narrative between ‘perfect on the surface’ Brittany and rough and ready gang member, Alex. I loved the dual narrative in this book as it really allowed me to see inside the minds of Alex and Brittany. I particularly liked seeing things from Alex’s point of view, as usually the reader only gets to see everything from one perspective, most often the female’s. This was something new, and it enables the reader to really get to know Alex, and to understand that there is a lot more to him than first impressions would suggest.

On the surface, Alex and Brittany are polar opposites. Brittany is rich kid with long blonde hair and perfect looks. She appears to have the perfect life to go with her perfect grades and perfect jock boyfriend. In fact, in the first few chapters, Brittany is presented to us as being quite shallow and aloof. But, there’s a reason for that. She’s trying to present her life as being perfect and untouchable, but scratch the surface and you’ll soon find out that all is not what it seems. Her home life is far from perfect, and her relationship is on the rocks. She tries to maintain a perfect façade because she thinks that’s what her parents and social circle expect from her. Underneath it all, Brittany is not all that different form her new chemistry partner, Alex. He’s the bad boy of the school, from the wrong side of the tracks. He’s a gang member who carries a gun, and most importantly he’s very misunderstood. When his friends dare him to sleep with Brittany as a bet, things really get interesting…

This book is wonderfully written, and the characters and their situations really rang true for me. Also, this book explores a lot of serious themes including class divides, gang warfare, family tensions and living with disability. Each of these themes is handled with grace and sensitivity and this makes for some really interesting reading.  Elkeles has done her research on gangs, and she keeps it real by adding some gritty gang brutality. Of course, being the romantic that I am, my absolute favourite part of the book was the growing romance between Alex and Brittany. I liked the fact that they don’t fall in love after five minutes. While they have a pretty instant attraction to each other, both try to deny it, and instead their romance builds at a realistic and perfect pace. The sexual tension between the two is hot and practically leaps of the page. When they finally kiss, it will take your breath away! This one is a fantastic modern love story, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good read!

- After various twitter conversations, I've had to amend my review to add that Alex is really, really HOT!! ;) Happy now, girls?

In My Mailbox #8 -New books from the past two weeks!

In my Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren in which bloggers share the books they have received each week.  

I got some great books for review recently, and some nice surprises too!

Click on links for Goodreads/Amazon descriptions.  

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain.

I've heard lots of good things about this one. I'm really excited to read it!

Troubadour by Mary Hoffman.

I don't know anything much about this book -  it was a surprise arrival in my mailbox.  I love historical fiction though, so I'm looking forward to reading it. If anyone else has read it, let me know what you thought.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles.

This was another nice surprise in my mailbox.  When I saw the cover, I wasn't sure if it'd be my kind of thing, but I've already finished the book, and I absolutely LOVED it!

I also received The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller.  I'm really excited to read this one.  I generally love themes of rebirth and reincarnation in books, and this one sounds really interesting!

What if love refused to die?

Haven Moore can’t control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended i...more

What if love refused to die?

Haven Moore can’t control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended in fiery tragedy. In our present, she designs beautiful dresses for her classmates with her best friend Beau. Dressmaking keeps her sane, since she lives with her widowed and heartbroken mother in her tyrannical grandmother’s house in Snope City, a tiny town in Tennessee. Then an impossible group of coincidences conspire to force her to flee to New York, to discover who she is, and who she was.

In New York, Haven meets Iain Morrow and is swept into an epic love affair that feels both deeply fated and terribly dangerous. Iain is suspected of murdering a rock star and Haven wonders, could he have murdered her in a past life? She visits the Ouroboros Society and discovers a murky world of reincarnation that stretches across millennia. Haven must discover the secrets hidden in her past lives, and loves¸ before all is lost and the cycle begins again.

Let me know what landed in your mailbox this week!

Thanks to Egmont, Simon & Shuster UK, Penguin & Bloomsbury for these books.

Friday Fun! Two Great New Book Trailers, Blog Hop & Competition Reminders!

This week I came across two great trailers for books that I'm really excited to read.  I think both of these sounds great.  Unfortunately, in this part of the world, we have to wait a little longer for our books.  Our American friends get these two soon, very soon.  But, if you can't wait for the UK releases, there's always The Book Depository!

Trailer for Halo by Alexandra Adornetto.

Published: August 31st 2010 by Feiwel & Friends (US) & December 28th 2010 by ATOM (UK)

I love the US cover for this.  I wonder if they'll change it for the UK release? Hmmmm....

Next up is the trailer for Paranormalcy by Kiersten White. This sounds like a fun read, and a new take on the paranormal genres.
Published:  August 31st 2010 by HarperTeen (US) & January 6th 2011 by HarperCollins Children's Books (UK)

I'm hopping around the blogosphere again this Friday with the Blog Hop hosted at Crazy-for-Books  and Follow my book blog Friday hosted at Parjunkee's View. 

If you start following my blog via either of these memes, please leave a comment and I will follow you back! I love meeting new bloggers and checking out their blogs!

Oh, and the hop question: What book am I dying to get my hands on right now? Well, Halo by Alexandra Adornetto and Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick are definitely top of my list! I can't wait to read those two!

Don't forget I have two great competitions running at the moment!

Enter here to win some Shadow Hills swag! International/ends July 17th.

Enter here to win a $40 gift voucher from CSN Stores. US/Canada/ends July 20th.

Hope everybody has a great weekend!

Book Review: The Moth Diaries by Rachel Klein.

Product details:
Publisher: Faber and Faber.
Paperback, 256 pages.
Release date: May 1st 2010 (first published 2002)
Ages: 14+
Rating: 3½ out of 5.
Source: Received from publisher for review.

Lucy and Ernessa have become inseparable. Ernessa’s taken her over. She’s consuming her. What I saw wasn’t real. And I know it wasn’t a dream.

Ernessa is a vampire.

At an exclusive girls’ boarding school, a sixteen-year-old girl records her most intimate thoughts in a diary. The object of her growing obsession is her roommate, Lucy Blake, and Lucy’s friendship with their new and disturbing classmate. Ernessa is an enigmatic, moody presence with pale skin and hypnotic eyes.

Around her swirl dark rumors, suspicions, and secrets as well as a series of ominous disasters. As fear spreads through the school and Lucy isn’t Lucy anymore, fantasy and reality mingle until what is true and what is dreamed bleed together into a waking nightmare that evokes with gothic menace the anxieties, lusts, and fears of adolescence. And at the center of the diary is the question that haunts all who read it: Is Ernessa really a vampire? Or has the narrator trapped herself in the fevered world of her own imagining?

When I first heard of The Moth Diaries I thought it sounded like my perfect book - It’s billed as a vampire story set in an exclusive boarding school and told through the diary entries of a troubled teenage girl.  It can be all that, if you want it to be, but I perceived the book to be very different from my usual vampire fare.  In the end, I considered that the book may not actually be vampire fiction at all, but instead a study of the psychological torment and mental disintegration of a teenage girl as she tries to come to terms with the suicide of her father.  If you like books where the ending is neatly wrapped up and everything is explained, then this one isn’t for you. If, on the other hand, you like books that will stay on your mind for days after you’ve finished them, let you draw your own conclusions to almost every plot point, and leave you with a lot of unanswered questions, then pick this one up.

We are introduced to our narrator as an adult, and from the first pages we know that she has suffered from borderline personality disorder, depression and psychosis.  From the prologue, we are then taken back thirty years previously, and to her diary entries where we can sense her isolation at her all-girls boarding school.  She seems unhappy and unpopular, but would have the reader think otherwise.   Her diary entries are inconsistent with how she seems to be perceived by the people around her, and so from the start, we mark her as an unreliable narrator.  She is somewhat obsessed with her roommate Lucy, and extremely jealous of the mysterious new girl at school, Ernessa, who becomes close to Lucy.

Our narrator tells us that almost all the girls in her group are suspicious of Ernessa - she is different to them, in both her appearance and  her behaviour.  Strange things start happening at the school, deaths occur, and Lucy falls prey to a serious illness, which seemingly nobody can diagnose, apart from our narrator who decides that Ernessa is a vampire, and is sucking the life out of Lucy.  Indeed, when Lucy is away from Ernessa she appears to recover.  When she is near Ernessa, her symptoms appear again.  But, how much of the story is true?  It’s up to you to draw your own conclusions.  It’s also hinted that Lucy may be anorexic, and an obsession with food is a constant theme throughout the book..  Is there any evidence that Ernessa is really a vampire? The lines between fantasy and reality are often blurred in the book - certain passages take place in nightmares and dreamscapes.  It’s difficult to know whether the narrator is telling you the truth.  At one point, I suspected that Ernessa might be entirely a figment of the narrator’s imagination.  In addition, the narrator’s suspicions are fuelled by drugs and by the fact that she, herself is reading vampire fiction.

While I found that a lot of the passages in the book dragged, and while I didn’t like the narrator, I must say that this one is a very interesting read.  It’s one that requires discussion, and maybe even a second reading.  It’s also spooky.  I don’t often get spooked by books, but this one is very gothic, chilling and haunting. If anyone else has read this book, I’d love to know your thoughts on it.

While reading the book, I found myself thinking that it would make a great movie, and then I discovered that there is actually a movie adaptation in the works, helmed by American Psycho director Mary Harron, and starring Sarah Bolger, Lily Cole and Scott Speedman.  It’s certainly a movie I’m looking forward to seeing!

I submitted this review to Radiant Reviews - a great new meme I'm taking part in every Thursday.

GIVEAWAY! CSN STORES $40 GIFT CERTIFICATE!

Guess what just landed in my email inbox? An opportunity to host a CSN sponsored giveaway! So, here goes!

 One lucky reader will win a $40 CSN gift certificate to spend at any CSN store. CSN Stores is comprised of over 250 specialised online stores that offer a wide variety of home goods including dining room furniture, office furniture, bedding, lighting, and lots more, including some great bookshelves, and we all need more of those! I've been checking out all the different stores, and there's some pretty cool stuff on offer!

Visit http://www.csnstores.com/ to find out all the ways you could spend your gift certificate!

For a chance to win a $40 CSN gift certificate, just fill out the form below!

This giveaway is open to US/Canada residents only.

Giveaway closes July 2010.

There will be one winner chosen random.org.

*Canadian residents: Please note that any purchases you make on CSN stores may be subject to shipping charges or international fees.

PLEASE FILL OUT THIS FORM TO ENTER!

Disclaimer: CSN requires that I write a post linking to their ‘Dining Rooms’ store, to participate in this giveaway. They do not require that I say anything positive about them or their products. 

This competition is now closed! Thanks to everybody who entered!

Waiting on Wednesday #16 - Delcroix Academy: The Candidates by Inara Scott.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Breaking the Spine that spotlights eagerly awaited upcoming releases.

The Candidates (Delcroix Academy #1)

Hyperion Books.

Hardcover, 304 pages.

Release date: August 24th 2010.

Target Age Group: Young Adult.

Product description from Amazon:

Dancia Lewis is far from popular. And that's not just because of her average grades or her less-than-glamorous wardrobe. In fact, Dancia's mediocrity is a welcome cover for her secret: whenever she sees a person threatening someone she cares about, things just...happen. Cars skid. Structures collapse. Usually someone gets hurt.  So Dancia does everything possible to avoid getting close to anyone, believing this way she can suppress her powers and keep them hidden.

But when recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy show up in her living room to offer her a full scholarship, Dancia's days of living under the radar may be over. Only, Delcroix is a school for diplomats' kids and child geniuses--not B students with uncontrollable telekinetic tendencies.  So why are they treating Dancia like she's special? Even the hottest guy on campus seems to be going out of his way to make Dancia feel welcome.

And then there's her mysterious new friend Jack, who can't stay out of trouble. He suspects something dangerous is going on at the Academy and wants Dancia to help him figure out what.  But Dancia isn't convinced. She hopes that maybe the recruiters know more about her "gift" than they're letting on. Maybe they can help her understand how to use it...But not even Dancia could have imagined what awaits her behind the gates of Delcroix Academy.

I've always loved books that are set in boarding schools, and if they have a supernatural element to them, then even better! This totally sounds like my thing, and even better, I won a copy last week, so I can't wait for it to arrive so I can get stuck in!

What are you waiting on this week?

Interview: Debut Author Anastasia Hopcus & Win Shadow Hills Swag!

Today I have an interview with awesome debut author Anastasia Hopcus.  I loved reading Shadow Hills, and it's become one of my favourite debuts of 2010.  The book releases tomorrow in the US, so be sure to rush out and buy it!  You can read my review if you want to find out what I loved about the book.

Shadow Hills is a wonderful debut, and one I really enjoyed reading.  How has your life changed since the book sold, and how did you celebrate when you heard you were going to be published?

My life has changed so much!  I got my own place, so I'm now a homeowner, which I've been wanting to do for a while, and that wouldn't have been possible otherwise. I got exposed to the whole book blogging community, which I think is not only awesome for us authors as a way to get word out, but which I also enjoy because of the friendships I've formed with other people who love YA books.  Getting recommendations is great, too, and many of the bloggers have even been so sweet as to send me ARCs that I'm interested in. I bought a new mini laptop, which is really nice because for years I just used my mom's computer, which I'm sure she's glad to have all to herself again.. ;) 

            When I heard Egmont wanted my book, my boyfriend went out and bought us a bottle of champagne--he's the best.

Shadow Hills is a complex tale with aspects of Greek mythology and science involved, and these elements were really well researched.  What kind of research did you do for this, and how long did the research process take? 

I did a ton, and I actually was doing it throughout the entire writing process.  The more I researched, the more the mythology developed and led to more research.  It was kind of like following a thread that just keeps leading to new places.  I bought about ten books on Hekate and ancient Greek religions.  I also got a PBS video about plagues that tied in with the epidemic in Shadow Hills.  I  did a lot of online research into the scientific aspects.  While it was interesting, it was pretty hard to understand. I also read a lot of blogs about pretty strange New Age theories.  I just kept refining it until it all made sense and worked together. 
 

I read the first chapter of Shadow Hills on your blog months ago, and instantly wanted to read the rest of the book.  I’ve also noticed that Shadow Hills has gained a lot of positive reviews amongst bloggers.  How important a part do you think bloggers play these days regarding book promotion?

I think that they're very important. The collaborations and friendships that I’ve made with bloggers have been invaluable. For instance---one of the bloggers, Vania, is also an extremely talented photographer. After she read Shadow Hills I hired her to do a photo shoot based on my book. It was really important to me that the trailer be indicative of the tone and subject matter of Shadow Hills, and after talking to her about my book, I could just tell she 'got' it. Having someone who loved the story made it better than anything I could have gotten from a big company working with stock photos and a paragraph-long blurb. I never would have known Vania had I not been on Twitter interacting with bloggers and other authors. It was actually Kami Garcia who recommended her. 

The YA book blogging community has been extraordinarily supportive of Shadow Hills. They really make the job of promoting my book a million times easier. In fact, Emilee, from Penultimate Page, one of the first bloggers I met in person back in October of 2009, is working with another blogger, Anna at booknerds.net---who is also a web designer---to set up the street team for Shadow Hills. Anna is even designing a street team site.  They're both awesome; I got to hang out with them quite a bit at BEA.  Not only are they really helpful and responsible; they're just great people to be friends with.

Phe is a huge music fan, and I enjoyed finding out about the bands that soundtracked her life in Shadow Hills.   If there is one song you could pick as your Shadow Hills theme tune - one that reminds you of the book or the characters - what would it be?

I think it would have to be 'Wonderlust King' by Gogol Bordello.  Not only is it the first song that Phe and Zach talk about together, but I think it also fits both characters.  Phe first comes to Shadow Hills because she's running from the problems in her life, and Zach is attracted to Phe partly because she's so different and new and everything in his life is so much the same---little town, planned out---and he would like to escape and be more free like she is. 

Movie cast time! I know from reading your blog that you’re a huge movie fan, and I love to cast characters from books.  In Shadow Hills, it’s implied that Zach is hotter than Chace Crawford, who is pretty damn hot! So, who would you cast as your ideal Zach? Did you have anyone in mind when you were writing him?

There were about five certain features that I really pictured Zach with: 1. high cheekbones that turn pink whenever he gets shy; 2. a sweet but mischievous smile; 3. lots of dark unruly hair plus dark lashes and strong eyebrows; 4. a warm low, slightly rough voice; 5. and, of course, those pale eyes that you can't quite grasp the color of but you can see the kindness in them. (My boyfriend of over four years has light blue eyes with some green and yellow mixed in and I just think that indefinable color is gorgeous.)
 

Outside of all that, I didn't have a particular actor in mind at the time. Of course, as soon as I finished the book, I started seeing possible 'Zachs' in tons of movies. Over time, though, I've really decided my two favorites are Logan Lerman and Aaron Johnson. If you look at these two pictures, I think you can see that quality of Zach-ness. They're hot but not in a conceited male model way; they both look nice and fun and the teensiest bit shy. 

What prompted you to start writing? Are there any particular authors or books you’ve read that inspired you to write? 

  

I've always loved to read, and whenever I read a really good book, it makes me want to write something of my own.  But it was probably my favorite TV shows, like Buffy and Supernatural, that influenced me to write paranormal for teens. 

Can you recommend a great book that you think everybody should read and also let me know what you're reading at the moment? 

It's hard for me to choose because I love so many books, but probably my favorites that I've read recently are Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready, Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell, and Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.  I got the ARC of Beautiful Darkness at BEA, and I can't wait read it.  I've taken a peek at it, but I'm trying not to get into it until after my book comes out on the thirteenth. 

What are you working on next? Can you confirm a Shadow Hills book #2 yet, and give me any scoop on what direction the story might take in the next installment? 

 I'd really like to, but I don't have anything official to announce. However... I think a sequel, if it happens, will go further into exploring Phe's own growing powers, as well as expanding on her connection to Shadow Hills, and I think we'll see all the characters evolve some---though the changes in Adriana will probably be the most noticeable.  There are also some issues that lie ahead for Phe and Zach.  As you can tell, I've definitely been thinking about this and developing some ideas, but all of it is still hypothetical ;)

-----Thanks so much to Anastasia for taking the time to answer my questions.  The interview was a lot of fun, and I particularly liked finding out about movie-cast Zach, and the possibility of Shadow Hills book #2 which I really hope will happen!  Wish you all the best of luck with your book launch tomorrow, Anastasia. :)

If you'd like to find out more about Shadow Hills and it's author, check out these links:

Anastasia Hopcus Website

Anastasia Hopcus blog

Follow Anastasia on Twitter

WIN!WIN!WIN!

Anastasia has kindly donated some Shadow Hills swag which ONE lucky winner will get to enjoy. You can expect to find signed Shadow Hills bookmarks, magnets and buttons in your swag pack! In order to gain entry into this competition, all you have to do is leave a comment on the interview.  If you want to leave a comment, but don't want to be entered to win the swag, just say! :) Competition is international and ends July 17th 2010.

On my wishlist #3 - July 10th 2010.

 On My Wishlist is a great meme that's hosted at Book Chick City!  Here I'll list books that I really want to read, but haven't gotten around to buying yet.  They can be old, new or forthcoming.  Let me know what you think of my choices in comments.  If you've already read any of the books, I'd love to know what you thought!

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 First up this week is a book I've been meaning to read for ages, and still haven't gotten around to.  I'm sure lots of you have read it already and I'd love to know your thoughts.  This series has some of the most beautiful cover art, don't you agree!

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

Published:  October 1st 2009 by Harper Teen.

Paperback, 352 pages.

Ages: 12+

17 year-old Kelley Winslow doesn’t believe in Faeries. Not unless they’re the kind that you find in a theatre, spouting Shakespeare—the kind that Kelley so desperately wishes she could be: onstage, under lights, with a pair of sparkly wings strapped to her shoulders. But as the understudy in a two-bit, hopelessly off-off-Broadway production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, wishing is probably the closest she’s going to get to becoming a Faerie Queen. At least, that’s what she thinks... In this fun, urban fantasy, Kelley's off-stage life suddenly becomes as complicated as one of Shakespeare’s plot twists when a nighttime trip to Central Park holds more than meets the mortal eye.

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Next is up the new book from Laura Lippman. I've only read one of her books, and while the writing style didn't grab me in that book, I always think her stories sounds so interesting, so I'll be checking this one out.

I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman

Published: September 1st 2010 by  Harper Collins.

Hardcover, 377 pages.

Ages: Adult.

Eliza Benedict cherishes her peaceful, ordinary suburban life with her successful husband and children, thirteen-year-old Iso and eight-year-old Albie. But her tranquility is shattered when she receives a letter from the last person she ever expects - or wants - to hear from: Walter Bowman. There was your photo, in a magazine. Of course, you are older now. Still, I'd know you anywhere.

In the summer of 1985 when she was fifteen, Eliza was kidnapped by Walter Bowman and held hostage for almost six weeks. He had killed at least one girl and Eliza always suspected he had other victims as well. Now on death row in Virginia for the rape and murder of his final victim, Walter seems to be making a heartfelt act of contrition as his execution nears. Though Eliza wants nothing to do with him, she's never forgotten that Walter was most unpredictable when ignored. Desperate to shelter her children from this undisclosed trauma in her past, she cautiously makes contact with Walter. She's always wondered why Walter let her live, and perhaps now he'll tell her - and share the truth about his other victims.

Yet as Walter presses her for more and deeper contact, it becomes clear that he is after something greater than forgiveness. He wants Eliza to remember what really happened that long-ago summer. He wants her to save his life. And eliza, who has worked hard for her comfortable, cocooned life, will do anything to protect it - even if it means facing the events of that horrifying summer and the terrible truth she's kept buried inside.

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I spotted this one on a Waiting on Wednesday post this week (sorry, can't remember where!), and thought it sounded interesting.  Haven't seen any reviews around for it yet, though!

7Souls by Barnabas Miller and Jordan Orlando.

Published: July 13th 2010 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers.

Hardcover, 352 pages.

Ages: Young Adult.

Mary expected her seventeenth birthday to be a blowout to remember, courtesy of her best friends, fellow New York City prepsters Amy and Joon, and her doting boyfriend, Trick.

Instead, the day starts badly and gets worse. After waking up in a mortifying place with a massive, unexplainable hangover, Mary soon discovers that nobody at school is even aware that it's her birthday. As evening approaches, paranoia sets in. Mary just can't shake the feeling that someone is out to get her—and, as it turns out, she's right. Before the night is over, she's been killed in cold blood.

But murder is just the beginning of Mary's ordeal. Her soul gets trapped in a strange limbo, and she must relive the day of her death through the eyes of seven people—each of whom, she finds, had plenty of reasons to hate her. As Mary explores the mysteries of her world, discovering secrets that were hidden in plain sight while she was alive, she clings desperately to the hope that she can solve her own murder, change the past, and—just maybe—save her own life.

With its blend of suspense, horror, fantasy, and realism, 7Souls is an adrenaline rush of a thriller.

Let me know what you think and what you've added to your wishlist this week!

Blog Hop, Follow Friday and more Shadow Hills news!

Wow! It's been a while since I participated in the Blog Hop--I just haven't had time, and now I see that a fun now Follow Friday meme has started at Parajunkee's view, so I'm gonna be a busy bee today! Hopefully I will find some great new blogs to check out!

Blog Hop is a fun event hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books  

If you start following through the Hop, leave a comment on the blog to let me know! I will be sure to check out your blog and follow back. Most importantly, the idea of the hop is to HAVE FUN!!

Follow my Book Blog Friday runs along those same lines, and is hosted at Parjunkee's View.  This is my first time taking part in this great new meme.  It looks like a lot of fun!

If you start following my blog via either of these memes, please leave a comment and I will follow you back! I love meeting new bloggers and checking out their blogs!

Hope everyone has a good weekend!

 NEXT WEEK ON THE BLOG:

I have an interview with debut author Anastasia Hopcus.  It's a lot of fun, so make sure to check it out!  I'll also be giving away some great Shadow Hills swag, which has been kindly donated by Anastasia.  I'm planning lots of fun stuff on the blog over the coming months, and lots more giveaways too!

In the meantime, check out the Shadow Hills trailer.  It's not new, but I'm having Shadow Hills withdrawals at the moment, and it's a great trailer, so you should check it out! :)

Book Review: Shadow Hills by Anastasia Hopcus.

Product details:
Publisher: Egmont USA.
Hardcover, 400 pages.
Release date: July 13th 2010.
Ages: 12+
Rating: 4½ out of 5.

Summary from Goodreads:

His love captivated her... his secrets might kill her.

Since her sister’s mysterious death, Persephone “Phe” Archer has been plagued by a series of disturbing dreams. Determined to find out what happened to her sister, Phe enrolls at Devenish Prep in Shadow Hills, Massachusetts—the subject of her sister’s final diary entry.

After stepping on campus, Phe immediately realizes that there’s something different about this place—an unexplained epidemic that decimated the town in the 1700s, an ancient and creepy cemetery, and gorgeous boy Zach—and somehow she’s connected to it all.

But the more questions she asks and the deeper she digs, the more entangled Phe becomes in the haunting past of Shadow Hills. Finding what links her to this town…might cost her her life.

Shadow Hills has been a hotly anticipated 2010 release around the blogosphere, and now I know why! Anastasia Hopcus has delivered a great story combining elements of gothic mystery with Greek mythology, shady town secrets, great characters, and one of the hottest YA romances I’ve read in a while. If you’ve been getting a little tired of the same old paranormal romance, then this book is for you. I can guarantee you won’t have read anything quite like it before! I raced through this book in one sitting, and have been totally left wanting more!

I liked the character of Phe right from the start. She’s come to Shadow Hills to attend Devenish Prep, the subject of her dead sister Athena’s last diary entry, and the place that has been haunting her dreams. Phe is a great protagonist - her character is so well written, and she’s very likeable and easy to relate to. I also loved the fact that Phe is by no means perfect. She’s a complex character,  who is dealing with a lot of grief, she makes mistakes, likes to party, and takes a lot of risks.

One thing I really loved about Shadow Hills is that it has a great cast of characters all round. I really love character driven novels, and I often complain when I finish a book and don’t feel like I know the characters at all. That didn’t happen here. Even the fringe characters are beautifully described. Phe has  some great  friends, each with their own unique personality and quirks. I particularly loved reading about Adriana, who I thought was going to be a stereotypical beautiful ‘mean girl‘, but turned out to be one of the characters who made me laugh the most, and the opposite to what I was expecting. I also loved that the not-so-nice characters in this book were not just one-dimensional, and pure evil. Even the ultimate villain of the piece has understandable motivations, while Zach’s cousin Trent and sister Corinne are just characters you will love to hate!

I have to mention the relationship between Phe and Zach. These two are instantly drawn to each other, and their romance is hot. Phe falls hard for Zach, and he sounds totally dreamy, but I liked the fact that in embarking on this relationship, she didn’t ditch her friends like so many other characters in YA fiction. And why would she ditch these friends? They are awesome!

I loved that the story of Shadow Hills was completely unique. Often when I pick up YA fiction these days, I am just waiting until I encounter a vampire, werewolf, fairy or angel - that’s all well and good, but sometimes you want something a little different, and that’s provided here. This was such a refreshing read, with a really interesting storyline that is meticulously researched. This book kept me guessing right to the end. There are lots of twists and turns along the way, and more than a few surprises!

Overall, Shadow Hills is a great debut and one of my favourites of 2010. If you’re looking for a really great read with lots of mystery, suspense, action and romance, then this one is for you! Highly recommended!

--Stop by on Monday when I will have a great interview with Shadow Hills author Anastasia Hopcus on the blog! 

-- I've submitted this review to a new meme I'm taking part in today.  Stop over at Chrissie's Corner to see what it's all about!