First Come Second Served Month Begins!!!

This is a special Month run by Amber over at 'Down The Rabbit Hole'

It is about reading those sequels that we have sitting on our shelves but never get round to reading.



For my First week of the Month I will be Reading

"Fragile Eternity" by Melissa Marr

After the terrible events of Ink Exchange, the Dark Court has a new ruler. But will Niall's kindness survive his new responsibility to the most violent of Faerie courts? Meanwhile, Seth and Aislinn attempt to mend their relationship. But Aislinn is the Summer Queen and Keenan is her king -- and as summer approaches, their chemistry sparks. Will Seth's mortality lose him the one thing he loves above all others? As Niall seeks to control his new Court, Aislinn attempts to resist the seduction of summer, and Seth searches desperately for the gift of immortality, a delicate balance is threatened, and a terrible plot is revealed!



Head over to Amber's site to check it all out, and look back here everyday for updates and more!

Happy reading. :D

Book Blogger Hop: December 3rd - 6th

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Crazy-for-Books and is an awesome way to for book bloggers to interact and find each other. Such a wonderful idea! There's a new question every week that all the participating blogs have to answer. 


This week's question comes from Marce who blogs at Tea Time With Marce:

 

 "What very popular and hyped book in the blogosphere did you NOT enjoy and how did you feel about posting your review?"

 

 Ooh this is quite a hard question, but the one that springs to mind is 'Fallen' by Lauren Kate, although it was an ok read, i didn't enjoy it as  much as the hype around it led me to believe i would. I struggled through it in places and found it a bit slow, whereas Torment (book 2) i really enjoyed and sped through. It was a disappointment, if it had just been a book i had plucked off the shelf that i hadn't really heard of, i wouldn't have had such high expectations and i might have enjoyed it more, but as it was so hyped i felt let down.

 

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, go back later and join the fun!  This is a weekly event!  And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added

If you've stopped by my blog from the hop, welcome, it's great to have you here, please feel free to look around, and follow. I will then visit you in turn. :D     

Book Review - Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Synopsis
Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries. Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world, and would blind her if they knew of her Sight. Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries. Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer. Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention. But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King and has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost! Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working any more, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything. 

My Review
I had read this book before, but it was a very long time ago. I really enjoyed this book and read it quite quickly. The story is well written and it feels magical. Aislinn has always been able to see Faeries, she has grown up trying to ignore their presence, if they knew of her Sight, they would blind her or worse if they knew she could see them. Faeries are always there and she has to try not to panic when she sees them around her or tricking humans, but then she notices two faeries are following her, why are they interested in her? will they ever go away. As Aislinn begins to fall in the faery world she clings onto everything she has. Her boyfriend Seth will do anything to keep her with him, but the Faeries are powerful, especially Keenan the Summer King, who is following Aislinn, hoping she will be his new Queen.
I loved how this was written, the faeries unseen by everyone but Aislinn and yet still there. I could really feel her pain in decisions and the fear of her change. Seth is a great character and so supportive of Aislinn, Keenan got on my nerves a bit, one minute he is self assured and a bit cocky, they next he's whiny and needy. For a King he's a bit of a drip, but i didn't dislike him, and in fact i was hoping things would work out for him.
This was a good read and I want to know more and will read the next one in the series, it's definitely worth a look at. Good for a cold afternoon cuddled up in the warm.

My Rating
I would give this book 7.5/10 - good but not great.

50 Followers Giveaway & Update

I planned to do a Giveaway when I reached 50 members and I am now really close. :D
However next month I am taking part in 'First Come, Second Served Month' run by Amber at Down The Rabbit Hole.
It is about reading those sequels that we have sitting on our shelves but never get round to reading. Amber is still looking for participants so if you want to know more click here

As part of this special month I will be hosting a Giveaway on the 8th December, so I will combine the two events. Check back then for the chance to win some awesome prizes!


Also I apologize for not updating as much as usual but I was participating in National Novel Writing Month and so all my evenings were going to writing, not reading, but I am proud to say I completed my 50,000 words last night! So I have officially written a novel. woo!!! Now i will spend some time editing it etc, but should be able to get back to reading more.

Thanks for reading and following, happy blogging. :D

Book Review - Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows (Re-Read)

Synopsis
Harry has been burdened with a dark, dangerous and seemingly impossible task: that of locating and destroying Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes. Never has Harry felt so alone, or faced a future so full of shadows. But Harry must somehow find within himself the strength to complete the task he has been given. He must leave the warmth, safety and companionship of The Burrow and follow without fear or hesitation the inexorable path laid out for him.
 
If you haven't read it yet, where have you been? but this review may contain some spoilers, i'll try hard not to, but it may be inevitable. 
 
My Review
As a major Harry Potter fan i have of course read this book numerous times, but as the release of the film was coming out, i wanted to refresh my memory. Unfortunately I only got about a third of the way through it before i saw the film, but decided to finish reading it because, well it's an excellent story and i can't stop once i've started. Anyway, i'm here to talk about the book not the film.
Harry knows he must find the remaining Horcruxes and destroy them before he can defeat He who must not be Named once and for all. Hermione and ron go with him journeying around England trying to find the missing objects. This book is very gripping and  i love the excitement, even though i have read it before, it still captures my imagination and i feel like i am journeying with them. I still cried at the deaths in the book and i laughed at the jokes. I really like how the characters grow in this book, Ron seems to mature more than the others and his blossoming relationship with Hermione is great and very often funny.  Neville has quickly become one of my favourite characters and really becomes a true hero, it was inside him all along and i'm glad Rowling gives him such a part to play. I salute you Neville!
The battle of Hogwarts is incredible, but I wish she hadn't killed three of my favourite characters, but i can see why it's necessary, and anyway so many of the others survive i suppose we should count ourselves lucky.
In many ways i wish there was more to the end of the book, i like the epilogue 'Nineteen Years later' but I want more, it tells you who the main characters end up with, and you know what Neville does for a job, but she doesn't tell you what Harry, Ron, Hermione or Ginny do, only that they have kids. I love the names of Harry's kids and think he would be a great dad, but I want to know more about his life and how he got to where he is in those nineteen years. But I suppose a lot of people felt that way, lets hope Rowling decides to do more from the Wizarding world. 
Overall, this is one of the most exciting books in the series, it's not my favourite, that will always be Prisoner of Azkaban, but it comes close.


My Rating
I would give this book 9.5/10, truly fantastic and I know I will come back to it again, will never get tired of it!

Fantastic Contest. Giving Thanks

I just checked out a totally awesome contest at Ramblings of a Teenage Bookworm

YOu have to check it out. The prize is the choice of 3 new YA novels from a list.

including:

and many more!

This is one opportunity i certainly won't miss.

Check it out NOW!!!!

Book Blogger Hop: November 26th - 29th

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Crazy-for-Books and is an awesome way to for book bloggers to interact and find each other. Such a wonderful idea! There's a new question every week that all the participating blogs have to answer. 

This week's question comes from Sarah who blogs at Writer, Reader, Dreamer:

 

 "What is your favorite book cover?"

 

 I love this book cover, although very simple in design it has a certain magic about it. I love how the flower seems to be glittering and the contrast of the green and purple together. The cover was originally what made me pick this book up, and when I started reading it, I discovered it is a fantastic book both inside and out!

 

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, go back later and join the fun!  This is a weekly event!  And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added

If you've stopped by my blog from the hop, welcome, it's great to have you here, please feel free to look around, and follow. I will then visit you in turn. :D   

Off The Shelf Challenge

Off the Shelf Challenge is hosted by BA Reading Challenges.
Are your books multiplying like rabbits before you even get a chance to read them? Trying to keep up with them, but can't stop buying new ones?
Maybe this challenge is for you. I know what it's like. There's so many titles and so many beautiful books out there sometimes it's hard to keep that TBR shelf under control, but if you really want to try why not challenge yourself?
The challenge begins on the 1st of January and ends on the 31st of December 2011

Note: This challenge is to read those books you own copies of, but have never got around to reading. If you don't have many that you own, but have a massive TBR shelf you're welcome to read those ones as long as you don't add new ones. You don't need to actually get rid of your books after you've read them, this is just to read them.

There are five levels to this challenge, i'm going to aim for 'On A Roll' which is to read 50 books! Which is probably what i have waiting for me.

I will update with a reading list soon when i have organised my piles of books. To keep updated with my progress look under my 'Cool Contests/Challenges' Page.

Why not give it a go too? :D

Book Blogger Hop: November 19th - 22nd

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Crazy-for-Books and is an awesome way to for book bloggers to interact and find each other. Such a wonderful idea! There's a new question every week that all the participating blogs have to answer. 


"Since Thanksgiving is coming up next week, let's use this week's Hop to share what we are most thankful for and what our holiday traditions are!"

As I am in England, we don't celebrate Thanksgiving, but I am still going to answer this, as i think everyone has something to be thankful for. I am thankful for having a wonderful family around me, looking after me and making me laugh. I am thankful for wonderful friends who i can rely on and have fun with, they are here for me and i am here for them. I have a fantastic job, that i love and the people there are like an extended family. I am thankful for my faith and the people i can share my life with. My life is in no way perfect, but for everything i do have i am more than grateful.

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, go back later and join the fun!  This is a weekly event!  And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added

If you've stopped by my blog from the hop, welcome, it's great to have you here, please feel free to look around, and follow. I will then visit you in turn. :D  

Book Review - Matched

Synopsis
On her seventeenth birthday, Cassia meets her Match. Society dictates he is her perfect partner for life. Except he’s not. In Cassia’s society, Officials decide who people love. How many children they have. Where they work. When they die. But, as Cassia finds herself falling in love with another boy, she is determined to make some choices of her own. And that’s when her whole world begins to unravel . . . 


My Review
I was so excited to read this, i had seen some reviews about it and they had all been really positive, so i was desperate to get my hands on it. I was so disappointed when i found out it wasn't released until 2nd December, but at work in the library, i received a package of book proofs and this was one of them, i couldn't believe my luck! 
This book is set in the future, society has been 'sorted out' there are no illnesses, food is given for nutrition only, people work at what they are good at, and when you turn 17 you are matched. Society picks out the person you will most likely have a happy marriage with and healthy children. People do what they are told, when they are told to do it. Life seems perfect for many, but when Cassia turns seventeen everything changes for her. She is matched with someone she thinks is perfect, but soon begins to notice another boy, this is strictly forbidden, but she can't control her feelings. Soon everything she knows is unraveling and danger lurks everywhere.
This was a very good read, i could imagine the so called 'perfect' society and those in it. The different mix of characters gives a wide view of how the society affects different people and how they come together.
I read this book very quickly and i really got into it. Cassia is a free spirit at heart and i couldn't help but feel for her. Normally in books where a girl can't choose between two so called perfect boys i tend to get annoyed, but in this book it wasn't too whiny, and i found myself thinking about them just like Cassia, she really does have a tough choice. 
I don't want to say too much, as i don't want to give the plot away, but this is a truly amazing book. I think it will do very well when it is properly released.

My Rating
I would give this book 9.5/10, it is fantastic and I would recommend it to anyone. I knocked half a point off, as it didn't quite have a full conclusion and i want more, but will probably have to wait a long time to get it. :P