Book Launch: Sarwat Chadda and Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress

At the ever awesome Waterstones Oxford Street (The one in The Plaza bit) on the evening of Friday 13th of April a very special little shindig happened.  It wasn't a secret but I felt like I was in some secret ninja type gang going to it because I felt like everyone who was attending I knew or knew of.  We were a very special Sarwat Chadda support group and it was for the release of his latest book Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress.  My review of which is here and also you should check out the Mistry Monday post from a special blog tour where Sarwat stopped by on ye olde blog.  Twas a good day.

Anyways back to Friday 13th

So after work I made my way up to London town to attend this event and was very excited.  The book was awesome and I know Sarwat is one of those writers that is thankful for every reader he has so for those attending the event we were sure to get a fun evening.  Big thanks to Waterstones Oxford Street Plaza who had done up their children's and teen section with some dandy and fine looking props and decorations and the window display outside was pretty cool too.  It was lovely to see effort made and thought put into the event itself from the booksellers.  Huge hi to Ann from that branch who was super lovely and looks cool in her outfit too!

Once I got there it was already buzzing and I could see a few familiar faces.  I zoomed over to Caroline from Big Book Little Book as I hadn't see her in ages and we got to catch up and natter.  A lovely Waterstones person  (the lovely in question turned out to be Ann) offered drinks and asked who we were and she knew me !!! like I have a kind of fan.  *BEAMING SMILE*

Sarwat popped over to saw hi and introductions and such and I had a little treat from work because I had promised and I think Sarwat liked it (he took a photo and was holding it pretty tight. lol).  Again we all started to mingle around and found Bella from CheezyFeetBooks, Cicely and her lovely mum from Cicely loves books and Iffath from Painting With Words (yay never met Iffath before and she is so nice).  We all had a giggle and it seems that whenever I hear a book mentioned I liked I sound like a cast member of TOWIE.  Example:

Blogger: oh yer I've not read that book

Me: *CLUTCHES THE AIR AND GRABS HER CHEST* OH MY GAWD IT'S SOOOOO GOOD!

*shakes head*

As the room got more crowded (and warm) Sarwat took the stage (stepped up on a stool thingy) and made one of the funniest speeches i've heard.  There was talk about making 6 year olds cry, himself crying in front of mass media and publishers, advice on public speaking, random Hunger Games mentions and thanks to those that made the book possible.  There were tears of laughter which is a step up from tears of horror from little girls.  Plus we got explained what it was to be BADASS and to spread this message.

Sarwat was kind enough to sign my book for me cause he's awesome like that and I then ran off to chat with more bloggers and bookish people which involved a gush fest with EwaSR about Big Bang Theory and Game of Thrones and another quick hi and chat to Beverly also known as mouse_mallow who shares my love of Big Bang Theory and books.  She was awesome.

The evening was a great to catch up with all the blogger and bookish types I've gotten to know around the London area and are also fans of Sarwat and his BADASS book and sadly cause I had work the next day I couldn't go for drinks after but it was fun all the same.  

Until next time….

Letterbox Love [1]

Firstly I want to explain what the frack is going on because some may be a bit confused.  Due to the recent dramas surround The Story Siren's blogging issues and plagiarism I have decided to not do the IMM feature as it was anymore.  I'm against plagiarism and pro giving credit where credit is due.  I have nothing against The Story Siren as a person as I've never met her and quite frankly some of the epic hate she's been getting is a bit scary and so I'm just staying out of it if I can.

Chatting with other blogger lovelies on twitter this week came out a group idea to start Letterbox Love.  It's a UK version but if you're else where on the planet you can take part or do your own.  The fine details are being sorted for linking and such but it's a drama free zone and just sharing news on books I got or bought this week and any other book stuff I've done this week.

Sorry for the poor photo

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Thanks to Rosi at Harper Collins for this. nearly finished and it's a stunning read

Adorkable by Sarra Manning

Thanks to Atom Books for this one.  I heard about it at their blogger event and sounds right up my street and i love the outfit on the girl on the cover too

Skin Deep by Laura Jarratt

Thanks to Emma at Book Angel Booktopia for sending this to me.  I heard some excellent reviews for it and Viv from Serendipity Reviews did a fab theme week off the back of it and it inspired me to read it.

Monster High 4 by Lisi Harrison

Goddess Girls 1 and 2 by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

Atom Books sent me these and I've passed them on to my littlest blogger Issey to read and hopefully review.  Issey is really loving the reviewing and I know it makes her feel great to see stuff she writes here too so I love having her here too.

Book Trailers: OH MY!

Had issues with the internet at my flat but they are all sorted and wanted to a quick post of a copy book trailers that I've only just had a chance to watch!

Until I Die by Amy Plum: Very cute and different from the usual trailers.  Plus the music is by a band called Parachute that are really good.  I saw them live a few years back.  Loved 'em

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare: OH MY LORDY!  It's AWESOME. Reminds me of the movie Se7en

Heart Shaped Bruise by Tanya Byrne: CAN NOT WAIT FOR THIS BOOK!

First Kiss from the Heavy Influence trilogy by Ann Frohoff: this is just a teaser but I gotta say i'm interested.  I love my YA music and rock stories

Dreams by Daniela Sacerdoti:  Dani is super nice to chat with on twitter and I love the sound of the story in this new book and was lucky enough to get a copy to review!

The Glimpse by Claire Merle which not only sounds great but the trailer has sucked me in too!

#TeamDauntlessUK Blog Tour: Tattoos and me

I want to start by saying that don't get a tattoo.

Confused?

Well what I mean to say is don't get a tattoo just because you want a tattoo or because so and so has one or you think it'll look cool.  Don't get a boyfriend's or girlfriend's name.  Don't be stupid and don't do it on a whim because you will regret it.  Trust me.

Tattoos are for forever and it will hurt a lot more and cost loads to have it removed or covered up.

Right that was my being sensible bit because if my mum saw me writing this and not saying that she'd kill me.

On to the good stuff where I gush about tattoos and how I ADORE mine.   I had always wanted to get a tattoo done and had been umping and ahhing about what I wanted and where on me since I was old enough to get one done.  It took me years to decide and then once I got the bug I couldn't' stop really.  My first tattoo was relatively small and was lyrics from my favourite band that means a huge amount to me personally.  However that's not the tattooing experience i'm gonna tell you about.  The real one was my biggest tattoo to date.  My two magpies

So I've always had a thing about magpies and HAD to see two for good luck.  If I saw the lone one I had to even pull my car over to look for the second.  Weird, yes.  So I thought 'what a good way to capture the good luck'.  I wanted a reminder that you make your own luck.  So I went with the birds.  I went to a tattoo shop I'd used before in South London and they are so nice there.  I showed them some ideas and where I wanted it and they drew up a design for me and then the day came for tattooing.  

The process starts with the tattoo artist cleaning the area and then using a special stencil to show you the placement of your design on your body.  Every body is different so they judge the turns and shape of your body for your personal design (if they are good at what they do).  Then you check in the mirror if you like it and say if you even want it a teeny bit moved because once the needle gets going it's done.  As soon as I hear the buzzing of the needle I get excited and giddy.  That's how addicted I am.  That noise means the ink is coming and for me that is the buzz. 

The only way I can describe the actual ink on skin part is yes it hurts because you're having a needle putting ink in your flesh but I have a high pain threshold and it's a good kind of pain.  Getting the tattoo isn't adding art to my body but really revealing what I already knew was there.  Sounds corny but that's how I feel about my pieces.  

So the birds you can see cover a lot of my side and took just over 2 hours straight to do.  My tattooist did the outline and shading before adding colour.  Usually he'd do one part and then let it heal for a few weeks before the rest but because he knew i was a "good sitter" he did it all in one go.  The heat coming off my skin was immense.  My tattoo guy was even pretty impressed  by how "hardcore" I was and didn't complain or nothing.  It hurt, I won't lie, but I see it as worth the pain for the end result.  When I first saw them in the mirror I had a little gasp moment because I couldn't believe they were really there.  I'd been dreaming of them for so long and picturing them and there they were.  Like they'd always meant to be.

You get cleaned up and then it's covered with film and you take that off after and hour and clean again.  Then you get 2 weeks of putting on cream and NOT itching even though the need to itch is SO BAD.  It's like when you get sun burn and the skin is peeling; but worse.

I love my pieces.  They are part of me and I'd get more done when I can think of other things I want to become part of me but I'd never get one on the spur of the moment.  I want them to be special.  Like in Dauntless;  tattoos are a symbol of you are what you want to represent and show the world.  It's you but on the outside as well as inside.

Check out this awesome post from Raimy at Readaraptor on her Top Ten Characters she'd think would make a good Dauntless

Blog Tour: Dark Mercy by Zoe Winters: Book Excerpt

Today on the book I have a nice little sneaky peak at a book by Zoe Winters called Dark Mercy.  Here is the book summary to get those eyes engaged and interested.  It's the first story that will lead into a full book so it's a nice way to get you engaged with the characters before jumping head first into a book:


1955, Las Vegas, Nevada 

Angeline has been on the run from her sire, Linus, for centuries. She’s tired, and she’s lonely. High from mescaline-induced blood, she sees a sign—a church that seems to glow in the distance—and she knows. Her future mate is in that building. 


Thanks so much to the Dark Minds Blog Tours for linking me up with this tour and you should check out their site too if you have a few seconds.


Enough ramble from me; here is the Excerpt I promised:



“A-Angeline. I haven’t seen you here in awhile.” Could he not get that schoolboy stutter out of his voice?
“I was fighting temptation,” she replied coyly.


Hadrian cleared his throat. “And did you succeed?”


“No.”


She glided closer—or floated. The length of her dress made it impossible to tell which. She stopped mere inches in front of him. He should have taken a step back, should have excused himself, but her strange eyes locked with his. They drew him in, hypnotizing him.


If he were another type of man, he would have proclaimed she was a witch putting him under a spell, but it was just as much his responsibility as hers for not moving away. It was his fault for not finding a replacement for midnight Mass.  His mind became fuzzy.


What was I just thinking about?


Her eyes pulled him in, making the rest of the room swirl around him in a slow blur. If he’d looked down to find them both floating and spinning in the air, he wouldn’t have been surprised. He was dizzy from the delicious scent emanating from her.


Her voice was a siren’s song when she spoke again. “Forgive me, Father, for I’m about to sin.”


Angeline’s mouth tasted like hot cinnamon candy as her lips descended on his. Her lip gloss left his mouth tingling. She might burn him alive with a single kiss. She chuckled as she continued her exploration of his mouth, as if he’d stated his thought aloud and she found it amusing.


Somewhere deep inside him was the place that was screaming that this must not happen, but it sounded like it was shouting from far away down a long, dark hallway, disappearing into a tinny echo. Quickly overtaking that voice was one penetrating thought that refused to release him.


I want her. I want her. I want her. I want her. The thought happened in rhythm to the beat of his heart.
Her lips left his mouth and made a burning trail over his cheek and up to the lobe of his ear. “Father Hadrian.” It was a breathy pant that held all the promise of a new universe unfolding.


He couldn’t remember what she said after that or even if she said something after that. The pounding of his own blood rushing through his ears—and other blood racing south in response to her nearness—had drowned out his ability to think or hear anything else but the lilting magic of her voice calling his name.


“Father Hadrian… ”


Her tone had gone from that of an angel to a writhing serpent as she rubbed her sinewy body against him. This was wrong. The thinking part of him clawed to get out. Something was all wrong about this, beyond the breaking of a vow. But he couldn’t form a coherent thought.


I want her. I want her. I want her.


“And you shall have me. Forever,” she said.


Had he spoken out loud? He wasn’t sure.


“I don’t know what’s wrong with me right now,” he said, as her fingers slid under the Roman collar.
It startled him. His collar. Where were his vestments? There were more layers of clothing, or there had been a few moments ago. He glanced down to find the vestments somehow on the floor of the sanctuary. He started to pull away.


“No, Father. Eyes right here on mine. Stay with me.”


His gaze shifted back to her eyes and his will merged with her again. He didn’t realize his shirt was off until the air from the chilly room hit his bare chest.


“Oh, what a surprise. You must work out. Don’t be shy, Father Hadrian. It’s a crime you never get to be inside a woman with this body.”

Top Ten All Time Favorite Characters In Books

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND post a comment on our post with a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post to share with us and all those who are participating. If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. If you can't come up with ten, don't worry about it---post as many as you can!

Matilda from Matilda

She was always my hero growing up because she was different and embraced it rather than changing to be like others

Snape from Harry Potter

One of my favourite "bad guys" but that last few books you see how he's really a wounded soul too

Magnus Bane from The Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series

Just a perfectly wonderful character in every way

Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games series

Strong female action hero, nuff said

Charlie in The Perks of being a Wallflower

*hugs Charlie*  I love him.

Valentin in D: 19 The Rising

He's like an evil Magnus Bane really.  He's funny and smart and wonderfully written.  Any scene with him in is worth re-reading

Adrian from The Vampire Academy series

I can't help but laugh at any dialogue his character has on a page.  He's just sublime

Tiny from Will Grayson, Will Grayson

He's like Matilda really because he knows himself so well and won't change for anyone even if it suits them for him to be quieter or less camp.  

Riley from The Demon Trappers Series

Kick Ass Heroine that is worth a read by any girl or boy for that matter

Cole from Linger and Forever

He's just all kinds of hot.  Plus he's a musician with that James Dean bad boy thing going for him.  So naturally I love him

Review: Department 19: The Rising by Will Hill

GoodReads


James Bond meets Dracula in this epic saga of one boy and a ton of weapons versus the world’s oldest evil—vampires as you’ve
never seen them before!

Sixteen-year-old Jamie Carpenter’s life was violently upended when he was brought into Department 19, a classified government agency of vampire hunters that was formed to deal with a little problem . . . known as Dracula.
But being the new recruit at the Department isn’t all weapons training and covert missions. Jamie’s own mother has been turned into a vampire—and now Jamie will stop at nothing to wreak revenge on her captors. Even if that means facing down Dracula himself.
The Rising is a fast, furious, can’t-turn-away thrill ride that will suck readers in just like a video game. This riveting second book in the Department Nineteen series is packed with cutting-edge gadgets, international locales, and daredevil action that tumbles ferociously across the page—perfect for fans of Darren Shan and Anthony Horowitz.


Review



This review is for the second book in the series by Will Hill so will have spoilers for book one Department 19 and therefore THIS IS A SPOILER WARNING.  No spoilers for this book though ;)

So Will Hill holds no punches now does he.  This book rocked my socks and then knocked them straight off.  I'd been hearing lots of super positive reviews and comments about this sequel but if i'm honest when I got it in the post my eye exploded at the size of it.  It's a brick of a book and I thought 'oh gosh that'll take forever!'  Want my advice.  JUST BUY AND READ IT! IT'S BIG BUT OH SO WORTH IT.

The start of The Rising sets up the impending doom on the way with the rising of the first and original vampire, Dracula.  He's been raised from the dead and the horrors that are coming make the last book seem like a picnic in the park.  This book is full of action packed gore and fighting that you'd come to expect after the battles faced in Department 19 but so much more too.  We get a real insight into the key players on both sides of this war and their past lives.  It's like finding the diaries of people and finding out what makes them really tick.  Going back and forth between the life at The Loop with Jamie Carpenter trying to cope with his new life as an Operator, the special situation his mum is now in after Lindsefare and his growing relationship with Larissa, a vampire girl who's now on the side of good.  Their relationship is as complex as they come but the way they lean on each other and have the uncanny ability to read each other was one of my favourite things to read.  They may be one of my favourite couples I've come across in YA so far this year.  

Kate had been a girl that was caught up in the nightmare of an ending to Department 19 and now she's like a stealth ninja kick ass girl warrior.  She's awesome.  She's the sort of girl you can imagine would just deal what was thrown at her and she does but she's not all hardcore warrior gal because she's just broken from what she saw and now is living her life fighting because it's how she can deal with it and fight back.  Though my favourite character had to be one of the "bad guys" as such.  Valentin, one of the first vampires created by Dracula himself.  He's witty, charming and deadly and almost like a Bond villain mixed with a bit of The Joker from The Dark Knight.  You know he's done horrifying things and has no issue with them but you can't help but see his appeal.  

The book itself is about the Departments race against time to find where Dracula is lurking and hiding until he's at full strength to return because once that happens there's no way he can be defeated.  The Department is full of secrets itself which as you'd expect get revealed at just the worst moment, though the secrets you'd never guess.  I had more than a few heart stopping moments reading it.  

The Rising is the kind of perfection of a sequel I wish some books could capture in their first novels.  Action packed and a horror gore fest with a wonderful balance of heart and personal struggles that makes The Rising a book about real things that linger in the dark but not a book just for boys.  Everyone should read this.

Rating: 10/10


Published by Harper Collins and is available here and bookshops now

IMM: In My Mailbox [66]

 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!

Massive amount of books this week and I was actually quite good at not buying stuff.  Just had a big amount of reviewer books and won some books too!

Bought

Calvin and Hobbes: Weirdos from Another Planet

Calvin and Hobbes: One Day the Wind Will Come 

by Bill Watterson

Was basically told to buy these by Cethan Leahy and Andy Robb.  I bow to peer pressure and eBay bargains

To Review

Slated by Teri Terry

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Thanks a million to Orchard/Hodder Children's Books for sending me these.  I picked these up from my sorting office and did a real life out loud squeal when I had a look inside.  I got a funny look from Mr Postman

Until I Die by Amy Plum

Atom Books….be still my fluttering heart! SOOO waiting for this forever it seems and the cover….well..if I didn't want to ruin the book I'd lick it

Shooting Stars by Allison Bushby

Sent from Allison herself who had leftover copies should couldn't take back with her to Oz so was giving them out via her twitter! What a star author.  Thanks

Fire City by Bali Rai

Thank you SO much Random House!  This sounds A-MAZE-ING.  Plus the proof cover has this graphic novel vibe to the artwork.  Kick ass

Shift by Kim Curran

Thanks to Strange Chemistry for this one.  I've been dead keen to read this after it was announced shortly after Strange Chemistry started up and I was so keen that I requested the NetGalley copy before the printed copies were being sent. YAY!

Received/ Won

Daughter of the Flames by Zoe Marriott

Sorceress by Celia Rees

I had these on my request list on Read It; Swap It and the sweetie pie Sarah aka Whispering Words said that she had them but was really just trying to cut down her books and so I could have them without trading!  I did send her some sweet treats to say thanks though ;)

In the Sea there are Crocodiles by Fabio Geda

Trash by Andy Mulligan

The Killables by Gemma Malley

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

Waterslain Angels by Kevin Crossley-Holland

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

Pretty Twisted by Gina Blaxill

PHEW! One mega prize pack from Midnight Reads! THANK YOU! OH MY THANK YOU!

Well clearly I have the odd one or two to read so I'll be off

TTFN

Free Books for Grabs. UK ONLY

Ok so I'm having a clear out at the moment and so I'm listing all the books I'm trying to remove from my over flow pile

I've marked them if they've been read or if they are Proof copies or not.

Basically if you live in the UK and want one or more then just leave me a comment below and they are yours! No paying. All Free

If you do have one's you'd want to trade (because you have a pile to clear too) then that's great but i'm not expecting anything.  Just some of my floor back!

On to the book goodies

If the titles are in RED they've been nabbed already. Sorry!

Proofs only read once

Advent by James Treadwell

Arcadia Awakens by Kai Meyer

The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan

Fake Mustache by Tom Angleberger

Read once books but still in good nick

Ballad by Maggie Stievater (old cover edition with the flame on)

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin (honestly don't know where this came from)

Spares by Michael Marshall Smith

One of Us by Michael Marshall Smith

Flash Forward by Michael Marshall Smith (all 3 are great sci fi novels. very clever kinda of detective meets science fiction)

Finished copies TOTALLY as new. never read

Reckless by Cornelia Funke

Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James

The Kissing Game (short stories) by Aiden Chambers

Blood by K J Wignall

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (film tie in cover)

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer (film tie in cover)

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Bedder

Shadow Runners by Daniel Blythe

Lenobia's Vow by P.C. and Kristin Cast

Numbers 3: Infinity by Rachel Ward

Sherlock Holmes: Death Cloud by Andrew Lane

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty