SisterSpooky: October 2011

Monday, 31 October 2011

Vampire Fiction timeline thanks to Waterstones

With the rise of Vampire fiction in the teen market it's no shocker that after reading one book teens are craving for more and more. It's nothing new, this fascination with the immortal and undead superbaturals and with this in mind Waterstones has put together this fab timeline of vampire fiction to get your pulses racing and see where books like Twilght and Vampre Diaries owe a huge thanks too:

Follow this link for the full Timeline and much more blood sucking fiendish Fiction

And the Winner Is...

So it's Monday and the winner that has been randomly selected by the random number generator on Random.org (so no input by me at all which is good cause I hate tough decisions!)

And the Winner of the signed copy of Ashes by Ilsa J.Bick is

Leanne from District YA

*throws confetti*

CONGRATS

Why I love fictional Monsters and why you should too

This time of year brings out all the ghosts and ghouls; classic and new alike. It's on the telly, at the cinema's, on the streets and in the books we read. I love horror and things that go bump in the night (well not at my flats in case it's a drunken neighbour trying to find their keys). Horror and the scare factor is one of the most basic ways to reach an audience and hold them in the palm of your hands and part of the reason I loved studying it at university in my Film classes.

If you want to get complex and deep about it, one of my favourite books on the subject is The Uncanny by Freud. It's not exactly an easy read or something for everyone but it basically says that it's the fear of the thing you can't see that is often more terrifying than the thing you can. So it's like when you hear the creepy noise or the shadow in the dark being WAY more scary than having a giant with a huge gross zit standing in front of you roaring.

Any way I wanted to post here a few of my favourite Monsters in fiction and monstrous beings and tell you why you should show them your love too

Frankenstein's Monster/Frankenstein: These are a combo monster because the Monster is physically terrifying to people but I think Dr. Frankenstein is the real monster because he creates this creature, deserts him and then wants nothing to do with him. He messes with science and man's placement in it and then doesn't want to deal with the fall out.

Dracula: Blood drinker: Check. Torturer: Check. Seducer of men's souls: Check. Evil Genius: Most definitely.

Ghosts: This is a shady area because ghosts can be good and bad really but if you dip into the evil range you find all sorts of delights from Poltergeists, Evil Spirits, Dead people that were evil and many more. Ghosts are excellent monsters because they have a huge range of skills from invisibility, being non-coporeal, instant travel and access to ghostly powers of force. The downside is the usual lack of physical touch and already being dead so exorcism is usually a one stop shop end of the line.

Evil Geniuses: From Dr. No in Bond to Voldermort the evil genius comes in all shapes and sizes but really they seem like the perfect monster but they ALWAYS have a flaw or weakness that is their downfall. So they are good but usually their egotistic nature and lack of heart means they get blasted/caught/killed etc. Bummer.

Zombies and the Undead: MMMMM FLESH. NOM NOM NOM FLESH GRRR AGGHH

Aliens: A modern monster and these are either friend or foe but one of my favourite monsters because there were the first one I fell for. I'm a big time X-Files fan and aliens and UFOs are a main feature in the show and so I was a bit obsessed with that kind of thing. Plus Close Encounters of the 3rd kind is my favourite movie,

The "normal" kid at school: That phrase 'It's always the quiet one' tends to be true because usually it's the quiet one in the back row or the one in the back back background that turns into a psycho killer or the evil genius (see above) so maybe try keeping your eye on the "quiet one" just in case.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

MWAHAHAHA

Sunday, 30 October 2011

IMM: In My Mailbox [41]

In My Mailbox is an epic feature run by The Story Siren and my links go to Amazon UK but other book sellers are out there too!

Received

Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts

Thanks to MyKindaBook for this ace contest this week that I won for a copy of this book, some halloween chocs and a keychain. I've already read this and my review is HERE but I didn't have a pretty final finished copy like this. Strangely the Halloween chocs have *disappeared* when it came time to take this photo. How odd.

I already had these books but I got them SIGNED this week at a Foyles event for Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan

THANKS SO MUCH TO WALKER BOOKS! ACE EVENT

Also got a sample of Sarah's next book (which a HUGE thanks goes to Yasmina who I met in line and told Sarah to give me her last copy of because she knew I was desperate for it. THANK U!) and an extra scene from City of Bones called Magnus's Vow by Cassandra Clare (amazing!)

At the event we got a bunch of swag (a lot going into my Big Blog Birthday Bonanza) and some books including these

Fracture by Megan Miranda

The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan

Blood by K J Wignall

(already have the last 2 so may giveaway at some stage)

Bought

Blood Red Snow White by Marcus Sedgwick

ARC copy found in a charity shop for 50p. INCONCEIVABLE!

Gifted

A long time coming from my friend…a birthday present (yes even though my birthday was in June)

The Black Jewel Trilogy by Anne Bishop

HAPPY READING XOXO

Saturday, 29 October 2011

Review: Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

GoodReads

The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever

Review

Spoiler warning for the last 2 books in the series obviously but none for Silence because i like things as Spoiler FREE as I can. ;)

So I was hungry for this 3rd book and then when it came out there were special versions in different stores and this made me delay actually buying it because I couldn't pick which one I wanted. I settled for the one that WHSmith were offering because a) it was on special offer price when I saw it and b) it had this super shiny red version of the cover and even though it's not totally identical to my others in the series; it was just to special and shiny to turn down. What can I say; when I see something glittery of shimmery my girly instinct kick in and I go all gooey eyed.

Onto the story itself. Starting in a haze of where Cresendo left off when not only did we see some big secrets revealed but our hero and heroine were in a spot of trouble to say the least as they were cornered by the bad guy and things were looking tricky. So how did we get from there to here you may ask. Well we don't get told straight off because Nora herself can't remember any of it. It's like all her clear memories of her recent life to date or so have vanished but she has lingering emotional ties that spring up as time goes on. She's been lost and now she's found doesn't mean she's back home safe. Her world has changed while she was "away" and not in all good ways but she can't even explain why to herself without the reference points of the past months.

You get so frustrated with her and at her because WE know things that she doesn't and then things happen that neither Nora or the reader can understand when it happens but it slowly falls into place. Her mother is dating the recently single Hank Millar (yep; father of Marcie the meanie Millar and all round creeper bad guy type but not that Nora realises immediately but she has a vibe that tells her to be wary). Nora feels the ache of the missing pieces in her life and struggles to know if she should follow her gut instincts when she has them or fight to work out things and learn to walk before she runs into possible danger. However who can think of anything but running when Patch aka Jev is the goal.

Silence is about the silence in Nora's mind and the silence Patch is trying to keep to protect her but can a love as strong as their and a bond that seems to reach into their core being stop even the strongest of silences. Well I won't say obviously but let's just say that the hot and heavy moments in the book left me needing a breather break. DAMN. Becca knows how to keep a fangirl on the edge of her seat; and then make her fall of the seat too. As the two waring sides of the Neiphlin and Angels build to their climax and prepare to face off Nora has to find her lost past and decide where the battle lines have fallen and what she's willing to risk to keep those she loves safe and in her life.

Stunning and breathtaking third book in a series that keeps riding higher and higher.

Rating: 8.5/10

Published by Simon and Schuster and is available here and all book sellers now

Friday, 28 October 2011

Review: The Swan Kingdom by Zoe Marriott

GoodReads

When Alexandra’s mother is slain by an unnatural beast, shadows fall on the once-lush kingdom. Too soon the widowed king is entranced by a cunning stranger — and in one chilling moment Alexandra’s beloved brothers disappear, and she is banished to a barren land. Rich in visual detail, sparked by a formidable evil, and sweetened with familial and romantic love, here is the tale of a girl who discovers powerful healing gifts — and the courage to use them to save her ailing kingdom.

Review

This was a recommendation to me by the lovely Viv over on Serendipity Reads and she deserves a big thank you and pat on the back for that. I'm fascinated by these kinds of stories that are from another time but also another world. It's like history meets sci-fi in a wonderfully graceful and sparkly bubble. Alexandra is the only daughter of the royal family and her three older brothers are are all the apple in his father's eye but Alex with her "plain" looks is left to her own devices. She's a caring and natural spirited girl that loves her mother and her ability to touch the Eniad, the magical energy in the kingdom that can range from doing simple tricks like communicating to animals, healing wounds and healing the lands around them.

When Alexandra turns 16 her mother whisks her away in the night to be introduced to the side of her heritage that connects her to the Eniad and Wise Women ancestors of the Kingdom. Her mother is killed by a monstrous creature and leaves the family and the kingdom distraught. Her father, the king, goes off to hunt the creature that stole his love away and returns with a hurt but beautiful and mystery woman.

I was sucked into this story quite quickly and at first because Alexandra thinks so little of herself and her place in the world you are desperate for her to break out of her shell or find her place. You see the potential in her to be something more but because she almost expects so little of herself. She see's herself through her father's eyes as a loved child but not important and when her father's point of view changes she has to learn to be her own person whoever that'll be.

The building of the characters and story was paced well and I loved how you see Alexandra develop from a shy girl with her head in the clouds into a woman, a fighter and a powerful force to contend with. Zoe Marriott is a writer that makes things seem beautiful even in their darkest hour and the evil forces are menacing and you just want to slap and or kick them. Trust me. after a few pages with The Swan Kingdom's "baddie" I was raging at them and wanted to jump in and point several times screaming 'THEY ARE EVIL!!! EEEEEVIL!'

However that would result in a lot of paper cuts so I just kept reading instead. A dazzling read that has made be shove Zoe's other book Shadow on the Moon right up on my TBR pile. If you like books like Graceling and Poison Study then you'll love this for sure!

Rating: 7.5/10

Published by Walker Books UK and is available here and in all book sellers

Thursday, 27 October 2011

Cover Reveal: Until I Die by Amy Plum

LOOK LOOK! UNTIL I DIE BY AMY PLUM BOOK COVER!!!

So pretty: I adore the colouring and the style and how it matches the 1st book too. Plus it makes it seem like dark things are to come in the next book too. oooh I can't wait till it comes out!

*Gives puppy eyes at Atom Books*

Wednesday, 26 October 2011

Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

GoodReads Summary

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

I pretty much knew I was going to love this book before i even got it because the summary was making me drool. So I begged my mum to buy me a shiny pretty hardback copy on her recent holiday to Canada because I adored the international cover. It's a glorious shade of blue and just draws you in straight away. Since seeing the UK edition in the flesh I see that our edition does the same thing (i'm kinda thing of buying a UK copy as well because it's so shiny; seriously, i'm like a Magpie with things shimmer and sparkle).

This book was like a divine chocolate box were everything shimmer and sparkled at you and you know that inside the shiny wrapper is a source of pleasure and a never ending craving for more. I loved how Laini Taylor made even the human world seem like a fountain of wonder because you'd think that up against the magic of ''Elsewhere' that things would have a duller shade in comparison but through Karou's artistic eye everything is full of colour. I can't quite convey the magic the way Karou does but you really get a sense of how Karou see's things too. She looks at the world with a colour and energy that most don't and you fall in love with the cities and worlds like she does. I'm now having to add a whole bunch of places onto my Where i want to visit list. That's the trouble with books because it makes me want to visit a load of places and the list is getting as long as my To Be Read pile! Holidays are NOT as cheap as books, that's for sure!

The creatures of Elsewhere like her father figure Brimstone and Issa even with their strange appearance they still have a personality and heart that you can relate to and appearances don't seem to matter to Karou and that says something about her as a person really and how she takes things as they come. Now getting onto Akiva (whose's name i'm still not 100% sure how you pronounce but never mind) is just…GAH! GOREGEOUS! Loved him. He was like a strong male figure without being overly rough and tough type that came be unapproachable. Aside from the physically hotness; which should NOT be ignored, he has a brokeness that I find so appealing. He is a shell like Karou with a piece missing and it's that kinetic energy and draw between the two that really heats up the pressure and pace in the book. They both have questions but will they all be answered and will the answers be something the other wishes to hear.

This book was utterly wonderful and Book 2 should be MADE to come out faster because the wait just isn't fair at all. For fans of Pan's Labyrinth, Labyrinth, Hush, Hush and just plain good writing. The characters were as beautifully crafted as the story and the parallel story lines, history and mythology made this book the stunner that it is.

Rating: 9/10

Published by Hodder and Stoughton in the UK and is available here and at all book shops now

Tuesday, 25 October 2011

Book News: Trailer and Cover for Night School by C.J. Daugherty

This doesn't even get released until January 2012 but I'm already desperate to read it! Night School by C.J. Daugherty is going to be published in the UK by the awesome Atom Books and here is a trailer to get your book taste buds salivating already!

SO GOOD!!! Love the look of the trailer and the music is excellent too. Always below is the book cover to lust over. Don't you just wish it was January already!!!

Monday, 24 October 2011

Event Report: Ashes Book Launch at Purl Bar, London

So this was the first book launch I've ever been to so I was nerves to say the least. Mainly because I didn't want to make a fool of myself in front of a really cool author. Ilsa J.Bick's new book Ashes has people talking already about how terrifying the book and how it's set to be a trilogy that EVERYONE is going to want to read.

The event was held in the equally creepy Purl Bar in London and it had a creepy Victorian vibe about it like it was new during that era and has just kept going even as things crumbled around them. Bare brick walls and hanging chandeliers are the main features along with candle light that set the scene for the launch of a dystopian zombie survival tale that will stop you dead.

I think I was one of the few bloggers there as many others were from the publishers Quercus and people that work in the publishing industry. I had a lovely chat with some Quercus people that asked about the blogging thing and we talked about their other coming publication Torn by Cat Clarke (which I bouncing around like Tigger about) and it was nice to talk face to face with the people that are on the other side of books I love and getting them out there in the world.

There were drinks to hand, beer and wine and then we had some fancy and rather strong cocktails that were we told were 'zombie cocktails' and I assume they were called so because after one you are bound to feel like the undead the next morning. They were yummy and I'm glad I only had one because I had work the next morning.

Ilsa was introduced to the room by the captivating Steve Jones, a well respected science fiction writer that was clearly so moved by the book and Ilsa's work that he came to the launch just as an introductory host as such. Pretty impressive as was his speech that sung the praises of both the work and Ilsa herself. Ilsa is such an interesting person with her family history based in Europe at the time of Jewish genocide by the Nazi's, her own career as a child psychologist and work with the military that it's no wonder she's able to write such interesting and enchanting books.

Ilsa said a few words of thanks and then invited everyone to come and chat one on one and to get books signed if they wanted them. After a few people went before me and Ilsa moved to sit in one of the booth areas I slipped in line and then met the guest of honour. I'd been exchanging tweets during the week with Ilsa so introduced myself and "me online" to say hi and such and I was embraced and welcomed like I'd been her friend for years. I don't know if this is just her kind nature but I felt like I had her whole attention because she wants to talk to you directly and listen. She signed my book and chatted about the book a bit and I mentioned I was reading some of her next book I'd nabbed on NetGalley and was addicted already and she was so humble and grateful to be for saying and for even reading it.

After 5-10minutes I let the next person get their chance with Ilsa and hung around with a few other fans just to hear Ilsa talk and chat. She was charming and made me feel like an honoured guest myself.

Thank you to Quercus for inviting me to the evening and to Ilsa for being a truly honest and nice person to talk to!

As a special treat I have ONE copy of ASHES by Ilsa J. Bick SIGNED to giveaway! This book is set to be a classic and already has a lot of buzz around it so this is your chance to get a signed copy and all you have to do is follow these instructions. As this is a contest run by myself and not for a special event (birthday, blog celebration etc) I'm going to ask for followers only. I know it can be a drag but all you have to do is click that follow button on the side of my blog and then fill in this form. It's UK ONLY this time but my 1 year Blog Birthday isn't too far away and that WILL be international with some fun goodies planned already.

So FOLLOW AND FILL THE FORM!

Contest ends next Monday (31st October) and winner will be announced here and via email. The winner will get 7 days to reply and confirm. After 7 days an new winner will be announced.

Sunday, 23 October 2011

iMM: In My Mailbox [40]

In My Mailbox is an epic feature run by The Story Siren and my links go to Amazon UK but other book sellers are out there too!

Gifted

The Taker by Alma Katsu

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Gifted from the ever awesome Leanne over at DistrictYA. Very excited for these and The Taker has black edged pages. ooooo!

Received

These were all received sort of this week. I got my copy of Silence signed by the lovely Becca Fitzpatrick at a signing event at Foyles (report to come soon!). She was lovely and remembered me from last time (squee)

Then the signed book plate I actually received last week and can't believe I forgot to take a photo. Amy offered online anyone that posted a review on Amazon etc and sent a link to her to get a signed book plate. It's SOOO pretty! I loved Die For Me by Amy Plum and can not WAIT for the next book. *smiles sweetly at Atom*

Then my copy of Ashes by Ilsa J.Bick was received at the book launch and signed by Ilsa herself. My report for that will be up tomorrow with a GIVEAWAY!

Happy Reading

XOXO

Friday, 21 October 2011

Author Event: Meeting Jana Oliver @ Waterstones London

I feel I should hold back my fangirl-ness when I write but I just can't when I recap the day I met Jana Oliver because she was just too amazing and it was fabulous! I started the day by meeting up with one of my dear friends and fellow bloggers Leanne from DistractYA and we went off to London to enjoy some geeing out together which basically means we talked a lot about books and TV shows and went to our favourite comic book and book shop haunts in Central London as well as having a sneaky look at the new Forever 21 store on Oxford Street (not as exciting as expected but never mind). After buying a few bits and having a pretty awesome moment when I went into Forbidden Planet wearing my Killjoy DIY jacket and then someone putting on My Chemical Romance's 'I'm not Okay' on the overhead music system (i'm taking that as a good sign of customer service and that the staff there have kick ass taste in music) we took a slow walk to the Waterstones that Jana was going to be at and then settled out fangirl hyperness at the Starbucks.

Adding coffee with fangirlness; is that really a wise thing Laura?

No and thus why I had a Peppermint Tea instead. I was still hyper and bouncing (literally) out of Starbucks into Waterstones. Applause to Leanne for not disowning me straight away…I was very perky!

After much lingering in the YA section to try and suss out where Jana was and to calm ourselves *coughMEcough* down we heard a lovely American voice talking about demons to two fellow interested and perky looking ladies so we knew we'd found Jana. HOORAY!

We approached and then much excitement continued. Jana was TERRIBLY nice to us all and after giving away lots of "hints" about book 3 of the Demon's Trapper's Daughter books and much squealing, swooning and fangirling from myself and the others we sort of just started having a rather nice chat. Jana was very open about the publishing and editing process, her involvement at each stage, he hope for the pitch of books 4 and 5 in the series and other projects she might want to do in the future as well as the differences between the US and UK market and publishing houses shaped how the books are. It's was really interesting not just to hear this sort of stuff but to hear it directly from an author that was experiencing how the process worked in practice.

We also talked about the books themselves (in which i shared my love for Beck and his broken but loving bad boy style), having kick ass girls like Riley in books, 'talking' teen and getting kids into books and the dreaded banned books lists seeing as Jana's is a prime target because of the whole Demon stuff. Speaking of which Jana had her very own sippy cup with her to show us (sadly no glitter in the bottom so no catching Magpies for us in Waterstones!) and a cute cuddly Demon which probably had a few raised eye brows at customs on her flight over.

We also talked a little real life stuff like boys and how apparently Jana found that a lot of 'nice' guys were around the City area of Starbucks were all the big banks are and they all probably had more product in their hair than any of us even owned combined! HA.

A real treat was to hear about other books and authors Jana discussed from some debut authors soon to be published (news as and when can be announced) and Jeyn Roberts (author of Dark Inside: review HERE) who toured around with Jana to various schools while in the UK. Plus Jana mentioned that the one thing she was still hoping for was Demon Trappers fanfic saying she'd had a few bits of fan art and even fan casting videos that she LOVES and tries to share on her site and twitter but she's looking forward to her first bit of fanfic which she'd never read but she would be thrilled to know it's out there.

It was a fab time to meet Jana and she had a bunch of goodies for us including a Demon's Trappers t-shirt (which is HUUUUGE because of US sizing but I'm going to sew to fit me asap) and a Demon Trappers sew on patch that I freaked out about because I'd wanted one for AGES! Before going off on out various directions home Jana got a snap of us all and some individual ones and signed books much to our delight. I'm so looking forward to more books by Jana and I was honestly skipping back on the Underground and singing 'I met Jana Oliver' for most of the journey (Leanne can confirm this to be true)

Thanks to Jana for a fab time and her UK publishers Macmillan Children's Books for publishing the books over here and organising the UK tour! Review for Forsaken HERE and Forbidden HERE and you really need to read them because they are SO good!

Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Review: White Crow by Marcus Sedgwick

GoodReads Summary

Some secrets are better left buried; some secrets are so frightening they might make angels weep and the devil crow.

Thought provoking as well as intensely scary, White Crow unfolds in three voices. There's Rebecca, who has come to a small, seaside village to spend the summer, and there's Ferelith, who offers to show Rebecca the secrets of the town...but at a price. Finally, there's a priest whose descent into darkness illuminates the girls' frightening story. White Crow is as beautifully written as it is horrifically gripping.

A modern gothic thriller about what awaits us after death - angels or the devil

This is a real gripping tale about a new girl in a small town for the summer that has clearly had to leave her loved life in London behind to be with her father in a remote place that holds no interest for her. She soon mets a strange girl called Ferelith and to say she's strange is more than an understatement because she makes strange seem positively normal. She has an aura about her and a presence that makes you feel uneasy and reading her thoughts and point of view made me feel on edge; like she was about to do something I wouldn't like. The book is told in 3 parts mainly from the side of Rebecca as she has to adjust to life in the town, Ferelith as she befriends Rebecca and shows her the hidden gems where they both live and a tale from the town's past that holds importance over the lives of both girl's without any of them knowing it. It's a spilt tale that has you asking so many questions that you can't quite get to grips with if you've had any answers before you start asking more questions.

I thought this book was utterly fab and really enjoyed watching the two time threads slowly working together and it was like a building up of a huge tapestry as the past and present slowly came together to make you see what would be in the future. I found Ferelith to be so creepy at first and kept wondering if there was more than meets the eye when it came to her back story and the fact that she seemed to know so much weird stuff about the town. It was freaking me out a bit. I think i'm always waiting for the bad guy to jump out and say boo.

The only thing I wanted to see more of was the relationship between Rebecca and her dad because it's clear that there is a lot of back story there and the reason's why they left London and why their father/daughter bound is so fractured but you only catch glimpses. I think if the story had ended at a later stage in Rebecca's time in the town then we'd have seen more of her dad in her life but it sort of felt right the amount we did see. She was distant from him but craved to be close again so it made sense that he was there but not overly involved in her world because it was how she wanted it in a way.

Another fabulous book to add to the string of classic Marcus Sedgwick tales on my bookshelf.

Rating: 8.5/10

Published by Orion Books and is available from here or all book shops now