Saturday 22 March 2014

Stacking the Shelves #88

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tyngs's Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your  shelves, may they be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical stores or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

We love sharing our books with you each week but more importantly we loving see what you add to your shelves.

Clicking on a book will take you to goodreads.


 Rebellion on goodreads

Rebellion by Karen Sandler - Eidelweiss


So just the one book this week!  Sally got a copy of rebellion by Karen Sandler.  This is the last instalment in the Tankborn trilogy, a series that Sally has been shipping since #1, Tankborn was released. If you haven't read this series and love dystopian tales then Kayla's story is well worth a look.  Here's the blurb for the grand finale:

In this final installment of the Tankborn series, Kayla has been kidnapped by the group that has been bombing GEN warehouses, and she must pretend to sympathize with them in order to escape.

In the wake of a devastating bomb blast, severely injured Kayla has been brought to the headquarters of the organization that planted the bomb-and many others like it in GEN food warehouses and homes. Her biological mother tells her that Devak is dead and that Kayla must join her in the terrorist group, which is ramping up for something big. Now Kayla must pretend that she embraces this new role in an underground compound full of paranoia as she plots a way to escape and save her friends. Meanwhile, Devak has emerged from his healing in a gen-tank, only to be told that Kayla is dead and his family has fallen from grace. Can he overcome his grief at the loss of his power to see the clues that point to Kayla being alive? As Kayla and Devak overcome the multiple obstacles put between them while trying to free GENs without further bloodshed, the Tankborn trilogy rushes to a thrilling conclusion!

So that's it from us this week.  What have you been spending your pennies on?




Tuesday 18 March 2014

Blog Tour: Just Like Fate by Cat Partick & Suzanne Young






Just Like Fate
Title: Just Like Fate
Authors: Cat Patrick & Suzanne Young
Published by: Electric Monkey/Egmont
Release date: March 2014

I'm really excited to involved with the blog tour for Just Like Fate & it's a blog tour with a difference. Today I'm starting the blog tour along with Michelle from Much Loved Books. The publishers had a brilliant idea for bloggers to buddy up and then come up with an idea for a post which we would post on the other bloggers page. If you have already ready Just Like Fate you will see why this is such a good idea. If not well, the story tells the life of Caroline as she takes two different paths by making one decision, think 'Sliding Doors'. So Michelle and I decided to review the book on each others blogs. Here you will get to read what Michelle thought of Just Like Fate and to see what I thought you can pop over to Much Loved Books. We also got to ask Cat & Suzanne some questions which you can read after Michelle's review.


'Just Like Fate' tells Caroline's story as we follow two different paths she may take by making one decision, to Go or Stay. Before we learn more about 'Just Like Fate' let's take a look into Caroline's history, and that will hopefully explain why her Grandmother's sickness affects her so much. Caroline's parents are divorced, to escape the bickering and tension leading up to and during this divorce and Caroline goes to live with her Grandmother. When she gets the news that her Grandmother is taken ill and rushed to hospital you can understand how this affects her so much. Her Grandmother, the person who was always there for her, is not going to be around forever. Caroline has two sisters, Natalie and Judith, who is absolutely adorable, and a brother Teddy. In choosing to live with her Grandmother, Caroline leaves them behind, and her sister Natalie resents her for moving out and brings it up constantly. This is one of the main things that forces Caroline to make the decision, to go to a party with her friend Simone, or stay at her Grandmother's bedside. In the 'Go' story, the argument with her sister is basically the final straw, and Caroline uses the party to escape from her sister, and her Mum. In the 'Stay' story, Caroline stays at her Grandmother's bedside.


By choosing to stay Caroline's relationship with her sister and Mother is effected in a positive way. She finally hooks up with her crush, Joel, and while it all seems full of sunshine and rainbows when they are together and alone, things are a whole different story in public. In short, Joel is a big headed egotistical ass and there is no way on this earth he deserves to be with Caroline.
By choosing to go Caroline ends up meeting Christopher, who is persistent in wanting to get her number, and while her relationship with her Father improves slowly, as does her relationship with her sister and Mother, her relationship with Simone is the one to break apart. By going, Caroline ends up staying with her Father, and has to attend a new school, make new friends, and try to figure out what she wants while still faced with the guilt of not being by her Grandmother's bedside. Christopher I instantly loved, and although there were rumours about his past with girls I felt like I could trust his intentions with Caroline.


I loved the near misses that Caroline has with people from her 'Go' story, and how things she wished would happen in her life actually happen but come at the completely wrong time. For example her crush Joel finally admits to having feeling for Caroline in her 'Go' story. I loved getting to see how little bits of the other story made connection to the story you are reading at the time, how you see little glimpses into what could have been, knowing we know the other side of the story.
 
'Because when your name is Caroline, every one thinks you wants to be serenaded with it. All the time'
[Page 107 UK proof]
 
I totally get this point and I laughed so loud and so long when I read it. Having a name that can be linked to a song isn't the best thing in the world, and I have two names that can be linked. My middle name is Alice, so I will let you guess which song I got serenade with, it involves swear words in the title. My real name is Michelle, and for a long while I had a very strong hate-hate relationship with The Beatles, and their & theirs songs

The telling of 'Just Like Fate' literally draws you in, and I had every intention of only reading a few pages and going back to my current read, and the next thing I knew I had finished the book. 'Just Like Fate' was easy to follow the different stories as along the bottom of the page was GO or STAY, and not once did I get confused over what was going on. The ending of 'Just Like Fate' was perfect, and I liked seeing how it all came together, how all the dots connected like putting the pieces of a puzzle back into place.


1. How did the collaboration come about?

S- Cat and I bonded over a lunchbox full of stickers. We met at a book signing for our other books and clicked right away. When Cat contacted me about a collaboration, I knew we were going to have a blast.
C- I like how Suzanne says that the lunchbox was filled with stickers. It was totally candy.
S- I didn’t want to make us seem like candy junkies.
C- Whoops.
2.Is it easier or harder to co-write a book and in what ways, and how does the process differ from writing your own book?
C- When we co-wrote the book, one of us would write a chapter, then we’d pass it to the other. That process went on and on until the draft was finished. It made it really fun because it was like reading and writing a book at the same time: I couldn’t wait to see what she’d send back!
S- I agree: I loved co-writing! I’m not sure that it was easier, it was just so much more fun. Plus, working with an author I admire really pushed me to write my best, and to be more entertaining.
C- You’re always entertaining.
S- Aw, you’re so sweet.
C- Author love fest!
3. If you were given the choice to co-write with any author, living or dead, who would be your dream author and why?
S-Uh, can I say Cat again? If not, then I select Mary Shelley because I have a great idea for a version of Frankenstein.
C- You’re Frankenstein obsessed. I love it! My choice would be Ray Bradbury. He’s the one who got me the most excited about reading when I was younger.
4. Have you ever wanted a 'what if moment' yourself?
 
S- As an author, I feel like ALL I think about are What if moments. I get to create entire universes, and if I mess something up, I can pull it apart and start over. Real life isn’t so easy, but my writer brain is always thinking about the possible outcomes before I decide.
 
C- Well said, girl. I will just add that while I think all of us crave “what if,” it’s important to not let fear of mistakes paralyze us and hold us back from pursuing our dreams. One of the things Suz and I really wanted to emphasize in Just Like Fate is that our mistakes contribute to who we are just as much as our wins do: They’re equally important as they teach us about right/wrong, forgiveness, and empathy. Like, for example, I’m going to make the mistake of eating candy right now. Later I will have to learn to forgive myself for that choice.
 
S- Pass the lunchbox.
 
I would just like to say a very big thank you to Michelle and Maggie from Egmont for allowing me to be part of this tour. Also a big thank you to the authors, how awesome were the answers to the questions! Being involved in this tour has been a lot of fun!
 
Suzanne's Twitter | Blog | Facebook
 
 
 
 
 

Saturday 15 March 2014

Stacking The Shelves #87

Stacking the Shelves
Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tyngs's Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your  shelves, may they be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical stores or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

We love sharing our books with you each week but more importantly we loving see what you add to your shelves.

Clicking on a book will take you to goodreads.
 
 
Before we get to the books Sally had an amazing time on Wednesday when she got to take part in a radio interview with Malorie Blackman.  Malorie was taking part in an interview for the BBC World Service Book Club where she was talking about Noughts and Crosses a particular favourite of Sally's. Sally got to listen in to the entire interview over the phone and got to put her own question to Malorie.  The recording should air on the World Service at the beginning of April and it really is worth a listen.  Malorie talks about her own life, how it helped to develop the main characters in the series and there's even a little bit of Tiny Tempah thrown in for good measure! 
 
Now on to the books:
 
Antigoddess (Goddess War, #1) The Year of the Rat The Dark Inside
Running Girl Wide Awake (Academy of the Fallen, #1) Defiance (The Courier's Daughter Trilogy, #1)
Deception (The Courier's Daughter Trilogy, #2) All Our Yesterdays 
 
Antigoddess by Kendare Blake ~ unsolicited from publisher
The Year Of The Rat by Clare Furniss ~ unsolicited from publisher
The Dark Inside by Rupert Wallis ~ unsolicited from publisher
Running Girl by Simon Mason ~ unsolicited from publisher
Wide Awake ~ Daniele Lanzarotta ~ free from ibooks
Defiance by C.J. Redwine ~ bought
Deception by C.J. Redwine ~ bought
All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill ~ bought
 
 
Another fab book week for us here at Midnight Reads! Now we're off to see what you got. Happy reading :)
 
 
 

Monday 3 March 2014

Review ~ Panic ~ Lauren Oliver




Title: Panic

Author: Lauren Oliver

Published:  4th March 2014

By: Harper Collins

Source: netgalley






Synopsis: Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

I loved the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver and so I was over the moon to get my hands on a galley of this for review.   I was not disappointed! 

There are a few reviewers who have compared this to The Hunger Games and I can kind of see why.  There's a battle set to take place with the teen residents of a small town, the stakes are dangerously high and the winner takes all, in this case thousands of dollars.  But this story is more than that.  Where THG is a dystopian series, Panic is contemporary. Whilst the THG is forced upon those who take part in Panic contestants choose to take part, for a variety of reasons.  Some take part so they can escape the suffocation of living such a small community, some do it for vanity, some for revenge and some, one person in particular in this story happens to take part as they try to figure  out their place in the world, both as a person and as a girl who just lost a boy. 

I loved the depth of writing in this story.  The world Oliver creates is complete in every way. Each characters' identity has an element of truth to it and the story shows how even the strongest of friendships can fall apart where personal goals are involved.  It also shows how some people are able to use their best assets and the weakness of others in the nastiest of ways if it means getting what they want. 

It was great to see the main characters develop throughout the course of the book. At the beginning Heather is a seemingly weak individual who I felt chose to put her life on the line for no other reason than to get the attention of her now ex-boyfriend.  A tad desperate given the number of kids that haven't made it through the games in one piece.  By the end however we see a totally different character and it was great to see how things worked out.  Same goes for Dodge who chooses to seek revenge through the games after his sister is injured in a previous years 'festivities'. Dodge goes to some pretty dark places through the book but there is thankfully light at the end of the tunnel.  There are some amazing twists and turns in this read which I love and in the middle of all this, among the dodgy parents and exes and the bullies and the supposed friendships there are those characters who stand by the sidelines and keep those in play grounded. Or at least they try to. I should also mention my fave character Bishop who provides more than enough excitement along the way for a variety of reasons.  Not telling you any more than that however.  I'll let you find that out for yourselves.

The plotline is intricate and follows the teenagers taking part in the challenge as they are slowly dwindled down to the final few. The challenges they go through  on the way are pretty hairy at times and I did wonder at some points how so many kept going for as long as they did! But, there is a finale and it is as grand as any finale should be.  This book is a rollercoaster ride of rather wonderful proportions that leaves you with a lot to think about as well as a few warm fuzzies.  My fave mix!

4/5 Loved this book.  Would seriously recommend!


Saturday 1 March 2014

Stacking the Shelves #86

Stacking the Shelves
Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tyngs's Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your  shelves, may they be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical stores or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

We love sharing our books with you each week but more importantly we loving see what you add to your shelves.

Clicking on a book will take you to goodreads.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17522283-storm-and-stone?from_search=true https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17997896-tangled-souls?from_search=true  Fire & Flood
 The Look Forevermore Book cover 
Theodore Boone: The Activist Dinner With a Vampire (The Dark Heroine, #1) The Way of the Warrior (Young Samurai, #1)

Storm and Stone by Joss Stirling ~ Bought
Tangled Souls by Jana Oliver ~ Bought
Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott ~ for review from Chicken House
The Look by Sophia Bennett ~ for review from Chicken House
Forever More by Cindy Miles ~ for review from Chicken House
Dream on Amber by Emma Shevah ~ unsolicited from work
*Dream on Amber not yet on goodreads*
Theodore Boone: The Activist by John Grisham ~ unsolicited from publisher
The Dark Heroine by Abigail Gibbs ~ free from iBooks
The Way of the Warrior by Chris Bradford ~ free from iBooks
 
 
This week Sally got her hands on two new books by a couple of her favourite authors. She loved the Benedicts series by Joss Stirling so Storm and Stone was an obvious purchase.  She was also a huge fan of the Demon Trappers series so she had to get her hands on Tangled Souls which looks equally amazing! Bungle did well this week with freebies and review books. We want to say a big thank you to Chicken House for the three beautiful books they sent to Bungle this week. Bungle is really excited by all her new reads but Fire & Flood is going to the top of her list.
 
That's it for our books this week, we're off to see what you got :)





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