Midnight Readers: September 2011

Title: The Iron Knight

Author: Julie Kagawa

Published: 27th October 2011

By: Harlequin Teen

Source: netgalley

First line: “Oi, ice-boy! You sure you know where you’re going?”

Last line: Then, with a flick of it’s tail, it bounded into the undergrowth, a streak of grey fur in the sun, and the light swallowed it completely.

Fave Line: I couldn’t pick one if I tried.

It’s difficult to write this without it sounding like a complete gush-fest because there isn’t anything negative I can say about this book! I was addicted to the Iron Fey series after I finished The Iron King and have been captivated ever since. I loved watching Meghan develop into the strong, confident woman that is the Iron Queen and been utterly enthralled by the bond between Ash and Puck whose loyalty to each other when it mattered was completely endearing no matter how much they might have denied it!

So on to book four - The Iron Knight. At the beginning we are reminded of Ash’s promise to Meghan at the end of The Iron Queen that he will find a way to be with her and it is this promise which takes him on a quest to the end of the world. Knowing that he cannot remain fey and be with Meghan he decides that there is only way that he can fulfil his pledge and that is to become human.

His decision triggers an epic journey which brings in all your favourite characters as well as new ones, one of which, well, talk about your ‘I did NOT see that coming' moment! I love the physical challenges he faces during this story, particularly those in the gauntlet which force him to acknowledge all that he stands to lose should he become human. To add to this he is forced to question himself, old friendships and his commitment to those he loves as the trials continue.

The Iron Knight is Ash’s story told from his perspective and it works. It fills in all the gaps and by the time you finish the book you feel as though you have come full circle. You see his weaknesses, his darker side, his past misdemeanours and overriding all of this his unfailing loyalty. Meghan’s character is woven into the story beautifully, appearing in his dreams and challenging him further and the love/hate relationship between Ash and Puck is wonderfully written. You see a new side to Puck which brings fresh vitality to this tale. The action begins on the first page of this book and continues until the end and Puck is always there, as fiercely determined as he ever was to stick by Ash’s side no matter how much Ash protests! The wonderful Grim is as wise and witty as ever but then what did you expect, after all, he is a cat...

So how to sum up...The Iron Knight wraps things up perfectly. This book is so beautifully written you feel every emotion. It is heart-warming and gut-wrenching at times but it gives you more than you could ever expect. There are loads of twists and turns and the ending is superb. This is undoubtedly my favourite book of the series. As an aside, I would recommend that you have also read the accompanying Novella Summer’s Crossing before hand as the escapades in there are mentioned in The Iron Prince.

Rating: 5 out of 5. Just wow. That’s all. #TeamAsh

Title: Quest of the Demon

Author: M.L Sawyer

Published: March 2011

By: Equilibrium Books

Source: netgalley

First line: The mighty dragon heaved a great sigh as he used his mind’s eye to observe the world.

Last Line: Others had been summoned to battle; their fates changed forever, their actions crucial but their destinies unknown.

The quest of the demon is an action packed story which I think will particularly appeal to the younger section of the YA market. It tells the tale of Darci who unwittingly finds herself being summoned into the land of Nahaba by an apprentice wizard called Taslessian who doesn’t know how he transported her into his land or for that matter how to get her home again. After meeting Taslessian’s master, Belderon, the action starts beginning with a battle between Belderon and the evil Domati which leads to the death of Belderon.

It soon becomes apparent that Domati is aware of the presence of Darci in Nahaba and is determined to capture her and acquire her knowledge of her own world in the hope that doing so will make him more powerful. As the plot develops we find that Darci, Taslessian and the friends they make on the course of their journey have been chosen to prevent a catastrophic battle taking place between north and south Nahaba which requires Darci to take on challenges she would never have dreamt possible. I shan’t give away any further details here as I don’t want to spoil the ending!

I like the way that this book reads. The characters are well defined and quite easy to envisage within the plot. There is also quite an easy flow to the story and the reason I say that I think the book is more suitable for younger reader is because of the simplicity of the storyline. There are occasions when I think Darci is blindly accepting of this new world and the creatures in it and as a result I think this would particularly appeal to a younger reader’s imagination.That said the world that Sawyer creates is rich in detail. Every scene, creature and battle was easy to envisage and I loved the interaction between Darci and Taslessian, especially his naivety when it came to their budding relationship. His confusion at his growing jealousy towards Darci and their friend Lief was very sweet! There was a range of characters in this book that I enjoyed reading about and I think that they add another dimension to this story.

I’ll be interested to see where Sawyer takes Darci and Taslessian given the ending of this book and I think there are many more adventures lying ahead for the two main characters. I look forward to reading all about them.

Rating: 3 out of 5. I thought that this was a really sweet story which will particularly appeal to younger readers of the YA genre.

Sunday, 18 September 2011

In My Mailbox #26

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted every Sunday over at The Story Siren. A great meme which allows bloggers to share what they receive/buy/borrow each week.

Sally's mailbox

I've been really good this week...technically I actually bought six books, but in my defence three of those were pre-orders so that doesn't count and the other three haven't actually arrived yet so the money hasn't been taken out of my purse.

However, I did get two chapter samplers from netgally which I'm looking forward to reading they are:

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Daughter of Smoke & Bone: Laini Taylor

Reckless: Cornelia Funke

Bungle's mailbox

For review:

Ash Mistry & the Savage Fortress: Sarwat Chadda

Vixen: Jillian Larkin

Author request for review:

The Hero Always Wins: Robert Eaton

Silver and Stone: J.D. Thompson

From Netgalley:

Life Eternal: Yvonne Woon

The Poison Diaries, Nightshade: Maryrose Wood

I also got some beautiful picturebooks proofs this week at the shop which I just had to share with you guys:

So that's what we got this week, we're looking forward to seeing what you got!

Review ~ Tankborn ~ Karen Sandler

Title: Tankborn

Author: Karen Sandler

Published: 15th September 2011

By: Lee and Low Books

Source: netgalley

First line: Kayla hunched on the bank of the Chadi river while below her, Jal, her slender black skinned nurture brother, skipped from one deep pool of the river to another, searching for river toads.

Last Line: Sorry, I think this would be a bit of a spoiler!

Favourite Line: What is it about you, and me, that makes you human and me not?

There seems to be a wide range of books that have a dystopian theme emerging on the YA market at the moment and I have to say I’m enjoying the fresh material that the genre bring to the table. This was why I was particularly keen to read Tankborn by Karen Sandler and I have to say this book absolutely delivers!

The story primarily revolves around two characters, namely, Kayla and Mishalla who come from the same sectors and are best friends. Kayla and Mishalla are Gen, genetically modified humans who are created by the upper class trueborns to serve their needs. Injected with the DNA of animals they are born from tanks, designed to suit specific purposes and are considered to be the lowest of the low within a three tier caste system, ranking below the Trueborns and their relative inferiors the Lowborns. At the age of 15 all GEN are given an assignment which will take them away from their nurture families to fulfil whatever role they have been designated.

Whilst Mishalla becomes a carer for GEN children Kayla is sent away to look after Zul Manel, the eldest member of the highly influential, and Trueborn Manel family. There she gets to know Davek, the great-grandson of Zul whose seemingly blessed existence is worlds away from the childhood that Kayla has known. As the two girls settle into their new lives it begins to become clear that things are not quite as they seem on the surface. GEN Children are going missing and Kayla and Mishalla and their friends suddenly find themselves involved in a conspiracy which threatens everyone they know.

There are many reasons why I enjoyed reading this book. I loved the unique language that Sandler creates. There is a completely new lexicon which gives this book an ‘other worldly’ feel and reminded me of reading the old Star Wars books as a child. I also love the detail she provides when she describes the planet of Loki, where the characters reside having fled earth. Every location she detailed was so easy to picture. More than anything however, I like the way that concepts such as race and tolerance, or lack of it, are approached in this story. It’s fascinating to see how each character’s preconceptions of the others are challenged, particularly so with Kayla and Devak, their two worlds being so incongruent. It was also wonderful to see the barriers between them come crashing down. It took me a while to get into Mishalla and Eoghan’s story but by the end of the book I was totally hooked and I adored Eoghan’s clear devotion to Mishalla, it was so sweet! The ending for me was bitter sweet, but as with all good endings there is plenty of scope for the reader to take the characters where they want to which I really liked.

There’s a lot in this story to get readers thinking which I think places this above other books in this genre. With that and the wonderfully complex characters and gripping plotline I was completely enthralled by it. I look forward to reading more of Karen Sandler’s creations.

Rating: 4 out of 5. I really enjoyed reading this book. For anyone who enjoys the dystopian genre I would say that this is a must!

Saturday, 17 September 2011

On My Wishlist #15

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It is a list of the books I want but don't yet have. The books can be old, new or forthcoming.

The Night Circus

Erin Morgenstern

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Mist

Kathryn James

Midnight: a mist-haunted wood with a bad reputation. A sweet sixteen party, and 13 year old Nell is trying to keep her sister, spoilt birthday-girl Gwen, out of trouble. No chance. Trouble finds Gwen and drags her through the mist. Only Nell guesses who’s behind the kidnap - the boy she hoped was her friend, the cute but mysterious Evan River.

All those fairy stories Nell’s grandmother told her about girls being stolen by fairy folk are true. The Elven are beautiful as starlight, fierce as wolves, and cold as ice. And they want their world back. The fight has been raging for centuries. Nell’s grandmother should know, she’s a Watcher, the ones responsible for imprisoning the Elven in isolated iron-bound camps in Siberia. Only Evan, his fanatical older brother Fen, and a handful of Elven children are still free.

Fen, hellbent on revenge, keeps Gwen in their wolf-guarded stronghold deep in the mist. The price for her safe return? The release of all the Elven – but the Watchers will never agree. Only Nell can save Gwen.

Time is twisted through the mist: if Nell stops longer than a night and day, a hundred years will hit her as soon as she returns and she’ll be old and withered before she’s even lived. The clock is ticking.

What are you wishing for?

Tuesday, 13 September 2011

Review~Darkness Falls~Cate Tiernan

4 stars

Title: Darkness Falls
Author: Cate Tiernan
Published: Jan 2012
By: Hodder & Stoughton

Opening line: I want you.

Closing line: My legacy would be different.

As we know, Nastasya has lived for 400 hundred years, yet her life never seems to get any easier. In Immortal Beloved we see her leave everything behind to find meaning at River's Edge, a safe haven for wayward immortals. While at River's Edge she learned to embrace new things and began to respect life despite some drama involving Reyn, and another immortal who wanted her dead. And once a few things have been dealt with it seems like she is getting back on track with her life. However, just as Nastasya is getting comfortable, with somethings, she is forced to leave River's Edge because of her family's ties to dark magic, which she thinks will be her own downfall. Scared she will succumb to the dark Nastasya, believe it or not, soon falls back into her old ways when she is reacquainted with old friends and we learn not everyone is as friendly as they are making out.

I really enjoyed this book, more than Immortal Beloved. We see Nastasya grow as a character and the flashbacks help us to understand her and her life all the better. We also get introduced to River's past which is intriguing and not as good as one may think. I often find in difficult in books when we are transported back in time via flashbacks but not with Tiernan's writing, she makes the past as real and believable as the present. The flashbacks only add to this story giving it real depth.

I love the tangled web that is Nastasya and Reyn's relationship. They have all ready been through so much and I often find myself sat on the fence as to what I want from their relationship. But as Nastasya starts to see her past through different eyes so do we and half way through this story I was routing for them to be together.

Tiernan's writing is captivating and her characters endearing. She knows how to create a world a reader can get lost in, without your knowing, and I can't wait to get lost in books three!

Sunday, 11 September 2011

In My Mailbox #25

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted every Sunday over at The Story Siren. A great meme which allows bloggers to share what they receive/buy/borrow each week.

Bumper mailboxes for Bungle and I this week, although I think Bungle was a lot more behaved than I was when it comes to keeping a firm grip on the purse strings! She received this bumper package from Harper Collins childrens books which is very cool!

She also received the two books below which look pretty cool!

My purse on the other hand did not fare so well! I ended up buying the four books below:

I also received a copy of Quest of the Demon from author M.L Sawyer which I am looking forward to reviewing soon. I also got a copy of Crave from Netgalley. So much to read, so little time!

So, that's what turned up in our mailboxes this week - what did you get? :)

Saturday, 10 September 2011

Review ~ Wolf Mark ~ Joseph Bruchac

Title: Wolf Mark

Author: Joseph Bruchac

Published: 15th September 2011

By: Lee and Low Books

Source: netgalley

First line: The mark is on the back of my left wrist.

Last Line: This is as close to a happy ending as I’m going to get.

Favourite Line: I feel like a guppy who’s been dropped into a shark tank.

Wolf Mark is a clever mix of the sci-fi, action adventure and genres. It tells the story of Luke who like any teenager is desperate to blend in with the rest of society but is clearly destined not to. Aside from the fact that he carries a strange wolf mark on his skin and often displays wolf-like tendencies he is highly skilled in survival techniques having been trained by his father who is a member of the black ops. While his family are still recovering from the loss of Luke’s mother, Luke seems to find himself being plagued by a group of Russian teenagers that have moved into the area. He also finds himself trying to pluck up the courage to ask out Meena, a young Pakistani girl who attends school with him and like a lot of teenage boys, struggling to do so!

The story really starts to take off when Luke’s father is kidnapped. After following a series of pre-planned clues Luke finds himself at Drake House, a deserted mansion where he discovers his ‘second skin’, that is the final element that will complete his transformation from human to skinwalker, a creature which possesses all the strengths of the wolf but also retains the abilities of a human to some degree.

It is also after his father is kidnapped that Luke discovers that he has more in common with the Russian kids at school than he first thought and that they actually have a common enemy in the multinational organisation, Maxico, who have taken up residence in their local community and who appear to be linked to the disappearance of Luke’s father. From this point on Bruchac creates an intricate web of corporate conspiracy, greed, and the desire for world domination which he ties to ancient folklore regarding the world of the skinwalker.

I like the intricate details that Bruchac includes in this story. Two things that particularly stand out are the way that he describes Luke’s transformation into the skinwalker which is nicely described and the information that he provides with regards to the folklore that surrounds the skinwalkers. I also liked the cultural discrepancies that he highlighted between Luke and Meena as they tried to forge a relationship. One thing I wasn’t really sure of at first was whether Luke knew he was a skinwalker and was just waiting for the right time to transform or whether he was just ignorant and experiencing wolf-like symptoms and I did find that a bit frustrating. I may have missed something in reading but I felt that further clarification might have helped. I also found the way that Luke spoke as a wolf irritating sometimes. Having said that the language that Bruchac uses is very descriptive and whilst there is some mushy stuff in this book it’s fairly minimal so I think that this may also appeal to the male YA reading faction more than other books might.

Rating: 3 out of 5. I would recommend this book for younger readers of the YA fiction genre or indeed those who enjoy the younger end of the range.

Friday, 9 September 2011

Stealing Phoenix~Blog Tour~Extract

Monday marks the start of the Stealing Phoenix UK Blog Tour and to start things off we have been sent an extract from the book.

We hope you enjoy it and be sure to get your hands on the book, it's brilliant, we loved it and you can read our review here.

Joss Stirling is a strong voice within the YA genre and we can't wait to read more!

Please take the time to visit all the blogs taking part in the tour for interviews, giveaways and more!

Extract:

Sit down, Phee.’

‘No, I have to go. You’ve got to let me go!’ I scrambled

round him to the door.

‘Xav!’ shouted Yves.

‘I’m there.’ His bloody brother was in the hallway blocking

the door.

Yves guarded the way through to the kitchen. ‘You’re not

going anywhere. I thought you understood that.’

I hung between them like a person stuck halfway down a

zip wire, dangling with no way of getting the motion to go on.

‘No, no, it’s you who doesn’t understand. He’ll hurt me.’

Yves held out a hand to me. ‘Phee, I won’t let anyone hurt

you.’

I stood poised for fl ight by the coffee table, my reflection in

the wall mirror telling me l looked like a demented pixie, hair

sticking out every which way. No wonder they weren’t taking

me seriously. ‘You don’t know the Seer. It’s not that simple. If

I hadn’t stolen the water from you today I’d be pretty much

dead—he’d made it so I couldn’t eat or drink until I did the

job. He . . . he does stuff to your mind, makes you obey. If he

catches me, he could tell me to murder you . . . or . . . or jump

off a bridge . . . and I’d do it, too.’

Yves fl inched, not so confident now that he had the answer

to everything. He looked to his brother, seeking reassurance.

‘I’ve told Vick to get back as soon as possible,’ Xav confirmed.

They were using telepathy, keeping me out of the loop.

‘Just stop it—how do you think I feel knowing you’re talking

behind my back!’ I grabbed a stack of magazines and chucked

them at Yves, fl ipping them like Frisbees.

‘Calm down. You’re free of him, Phee, this Seer person.

You’re staying with me.’ Batting away the missiles, Yves used a

soothing tone that right now only wound me up. This was not

the moment for being cool and reasonable!

‘Shove that: what about Tony?’ I threw a cushion at him.

Yves caught it. ‘Tony?’

‘My friend! You can’t keep him safe too, can you? If I’m not

back by nine then he’ll get so hurt and I promised—I promised

him I’d keep my side of the deal. Oh God, oh God.’ Strength

giving out, I folded in on myself and hunched in the doorway.

‘Xav?’ Yves rushed to me.

‘I’m on it.’ Xav placed a warm hand on my back and flooded

me with his sedative touch. ‘She’s exhausted and run down,

Yves. We’ve got to be very careful with her; she won’t be able

to take much more. She’s so strung out, more pressure could

make her snap.’

‘I’ve got to go back,’ I whispered.

We know it's a little mean to leave things there but we can't let you know everything just yet ;)

You can lean more about Joss Stirling and her books by visiting

http://jossstirling.com/

of following on twitter

@jossstirling

Monday, 5 September 2011

In My Mailbox #24

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted every Sunday over at The Story Siren. A great meme which allows bloggers to share what they receive/buy/borrow each week.

Sorry I am a day late! Things are very busy at the moment for me with work and Sally is helping her son get ready for uni. I got a few books this week so thought I would post and then Sally will share her books with us on Sunday.

Bought:

Bloodlines~Richelle Mead~goodreads

Storm Glass~Maria V. Snyder~goodreads

For review:

This is not forgiveness~Celia Rees~goodreads

From netgalley:

Life Eternal~Yvonne Woon~goodreads

The Poison Diaries: Nightshade~Maryrose Wood~goodreads

Bite Me, Try Me and Fang Me~Parker Blue~goodreads

So thats what I got this week, now I'm off to see what you got :)

Saturday, 3 September 2011

On My Wishlist #14

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It is a list of the books I want but don't yet have. The books can be old, new or forthcoming.

Title: Hades

Author: Alexandra Adornetto

Published: August 2011

By: Atom

Bethany and Xavier are even closer since battling Jake Thorn and his evil influence (in Halo) and Beth and her angel siblings must still protect Venus Cove from the Dark Forces.

When a party game – a séance – inadvertently releases Jake from the Underworld, he disguises himself and tricks Beth into taking a ride on his motorcycle. When the highway opens up and swallows them, Beth learns too late that she’s now a prisoner in hell. What happens to angels there? As her archangel brother, Gabriel, her sister Ivy, Xavier, and her best friend, Molly search for her, Beth must weigh Jake’s bargaining for her freedom: one night with him, and she will be released back to Earth.
Can Jake be trusted in this wager? And is he also using Beth to engineer the fall of the archangel Gabriel? Xavier has already lost one love – when Jake tricks him into thinking that Bethany is dead, his grief and anger result in a betrayal that will leave Bethany – and readers – wondering if he is so good after all.

It will be up to Beth to use everything she’s learned about her powers as an angel – and about love – to free herself and those she loves from the clutches of Hades.

Title: Starstruck

Author: Cyn Balog

Published: July 2011

By: Random House

Gwendolyn "Dough" X doesn't think she has much going for her—she carries a few extra pounds, her family struggles with their small bakery in a town full of millionaires, and the other kids at her New Jersey high school don't seem to know that she exists. Thank the stars for her longtime boyfriend, Philip P. Wishman—or "Wish." He moved away to California three years ago, when they were 13, but then professed his love for her via e-mail, and he's been her long-distance BF ever since.
At the beginning of her junior year, though, Wish e-mails that he's moving back to Jersey. Great, right? Well, except that Dough has gained about 70 pounds since the last time Wish saw her, while Wish—according to his Facebook photos—has morphed into a blonde god. Convinced that she'll be headed for Dumpsville the minute Wish lays eyes on her, Dough delays their meeting as long as she possibly can.
But when she sees Wish at school, something amazing happens. He looks at Dough like she's just as gorgeous as he is. But Wish is acting a little weird, obsessed with the sun and freaked out by rain. And the creepy new guy working at the bakery, Christian, is convinced that there's more to Wish's good looks than just healthy eating and lots of sun. He tells Dough that a mark on Wish's neck marks him as a member of the Luminati—an ancient cult of astrologers who can manipulate the stars to improve their lives. Is Wish and Dough's love meant to be—or are they star-crossed?

What are you wishing for?

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Thursday, 29 September 2011

Review ~ The Iron Knight ~ Julie Kagawa

Review ~ The Juliet Spell ~ Douglas Rees

Giveaway ~ Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Sunday, 25 September 2011

In My Mailbox #27

Saturday, 24 September 2011

Review ~ Quest of the Demon ~ M.L Sawyer