Blog Makeover & Update

Hi Everyone,

You may have noticed my blog has had a bit of a makeover, and I love it.
I want to say a huge THANK YOU to Jen over at 'Jaebirddesign'

She did an amazing job and i love my header. It's beautiful, she did everything quickly and without hassle. If you want a blog design head over to her page, her prices are really good too!

What do you think?


I'm also excited because today i got an e-mail from Jannette at '-The Story Realm-' who told me i had won her first Giveaway. This is the first Giveaway/Contest i have won and i am super excited. I get a YA book and a homemade scarf.
Can't wait until they arrive, So Thank you too.


I have really got into a reading rhythm at the moment and are plughing through books so there will be quite a few reviews coming.

What are you all reading at the moment?

Book Review - Changeling: Dark Moon

Synopsis
Fourteen-year-old werewolf Trey is getting more powerful by the day. But can he control his powers - or will they bite back? Trey is sent on a dangerous mission to Iceland, where he must infiltrate the evil empire of the vampire Caliban. Trey's abilities are tested to the max, challenged by a rage he cannot regulate and a dark angel with looks that kill. Lucien Charon, Trey's mentor, lies in a coma in London, Trey is his only hope for survival. But the Netherworld is intent on destruction and Trey's about to face his nemesis . . . 


My Review
After finishing book one i could not wait to start on this one and went straight into it. It picks off shortly after the first one ended, Lucien is in a coma and Tom, Trey and alexa must journey to Iceland to retrieve the one object that can restore Lucien to life. You are also introduced to some new characters, Charles a young man who is a very talented sorceror and Martin Tipsbury, an employee of the company.
Things are not as they seem, there is a spy in the office, but who or what is it.
I still really enjoyed this book, and quite liked the new points of view, but i missed Lucien, i think he played a big part of holding the story together and making it exciting, without him it just felt like something was missing.
However, there was still a lot of excitement and twists to keep you gripped to your seat. 
Trey really develops as a character and you learn a bit more about his past. The characters became more alive in this book and i look forward to reading more from them. This book starts off a little weak but emerges into an epic finish. Definitely worth a read, bring on book three.


My Rating
i would give this book 7.5/10, good read but not as good as the first.

Book Review - Changeling

Synopsis
Trey thought he was an ordinary teenager. Then he meets a mysterious stranger, Lucien Charron – luminously pale, oddly powerful, with eyes that seem flecked with fire and skin that blisters in sunlight. Somehow Trey finds himself in a luxury London penthouse, like a Bond villain’s lair. It’s the heart of a sinister empire, built on the powers of the netherworld – werewolves, vampires, sorcerers, djinns. And Trey himself has a power that’s roaring to break free. Is he a boy or is he a beast? 


My Review
To be honest this book never really appealed to me. The cover looked a bit threatening and the blurb didn't particularly grab me. So why did i read it? Well every year at work we have a special 'YA Book Day' where we read six books and vote for our favourite. At the voting day we usually have a guest speaker. Yes you guessed right, this year we should be having Steve Feasey coming to do a talk. I always like meeting authors, but have to know what they have written so i can ask questions and get an insight into there work. So this week i picked up Changeling, and i was totally surprised by it. I really enjoyed reading it and have since got hold of the whole series. 
Changeling is about a young boy named Trey who is taken into the care of a very rich man named Lucien, whilst there he learns all sorts of secrets. Who he really is, and more importantly what he really is, and how he fits in to the world around him. Packed with adventure and excitement this book will keep you on the edge of your seat.
I found the writing style really easy to read, and the locations easy to picture in my head. The characters really come to life and all have distinctive personalities. Trey was very endearing, i found him easy to get along with and loved that he wasn't the 'typical' teenager, yes he had his moments of whining and laziness, but he was also caring, sensitive, strong, courageous and thoughtful. You always knew why he was the way he was and i felt myself hoping things would turn out OK for him.
I can't say much about the plot without giving things away, so i will just say it's an exciting story with plenty of twists and turns and some startling action sequences. There were times when i physically could not put the book down, i was glued to the page. 
It ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, but luckily i have the rest of the series on hand so can get straight back to it.
Overall i really enjoyed this book, and am kicking myself for putting it off before. They say you shouldn't judge books by their covers and this is proof of that.
I am now really looking forward to meeting Steve Feasey and have loads of questions to ask him. 
Bring on the rest of the series.

My Rating
I would give this book 9/10, grab a copy today. 

Book Blogger Hop: January 7th-10th

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 Ivan who blogs at Ivan Bookworm:

 

 "What book influenced or changed your life? How did it influence/change you?"

 

 My Answer: I can't think  of one book that really influenced me or changed my life in any way. All the books i read have an affect on me in some way, some make me think about life or beliefs etc, but that's as far as i would say. This was a hard question. What's your answer?

 

 

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     

Teaser Tuesday: Changeling by Steve Feasey

TEAser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, just do as following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others!

Make sure to share the title and the author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR piles!

My Teasers:  Changeling by Steve Feasey

"The chronic pain that he had tried to retreat from so utterly was gone as quickly as it had come." 

Page 123

"The two demons moved incredibly quickly. They were squat powerful-looking creatures that looked as if they were made of pure muscle. Their inky-black bodies seemed to shimmer as if a black flam burned across the surface of their skin."

Page 154

What's your teasers?

Book Review - Witch & Wizard:The Gift

Synopsis
Ever since Whit and Wisty Allgood were cruelly torn from their home and family in the middle of the night, the soldiers of a brutal totalitarian government have relentlessly tried to capture and execute them for 'collusion, conspiracy, and experimentation with the dark and foul arts'. But this supremely skilled witch and wizard have instead boldly spearheaded the fight against the wicked regime of the New Order and its systematic destruction of music, art, books, and imagination.
The villainous leader of the New Order is just a breath away from the ability to control the forces of nature and to manipulate his citizens on the most profound level imaginable – through their minds. There is only one more thing he needs to triumph in his evil quest: the Gifts of Whit and Wisty Allgood. And he will stop at nothing to seize them.

My Rating
I really like James Patterson's books and enjoyed his writing style when i read his Maximum Ride series. I read Witch & Wizard book 1 sometime last year and thought it was ok, good enough to try book 2 when it came out. 
This book is told in the first person, alternating between Whit and Wisty Allgood, brother and sister, bith who have 'the Gift' magic powers that they are still learning to use.
This book starts straight into action, with the pair running form the evil 'One', a mysterious being that seems to have unbelievable powers and is trying to reorganise the whole world. Music, books, video games etc are all banned, children are being kidnapped and brainwashed into being 'useful' citizens or turned into horrific monsters. Whit & Wisty are fighting in the resistance to bring him down.
I read this book in one sitting, but to be honest with you i didn't really enjoy it that much, i kept waiting for it to get somewhere but it seemed to go round in circles. 
They would fight and escape, then 'The One' would come up with another scheme to catch them, then they would escape in a slightly different way, then another scheme and on it went. There were points when you would think that one side had finally got the higher ground and that the story was going to get somewhere, but then it would just slide back into the pattern. Right up to the last page.
I finished the book and thought 333 pages and i got no-where, and it ends on a to-be-continued. In fact the two page Epilogue was the most exciting part and then just ends.
I was very disappointed with this book and felt very let down with it. The one person narration also seemed to bug me a bit in this book, narration doesn't normally bother me either way, but it did here, for example the main character would be in a dangerous situation, one where you were supposed to think 'i wonder if she makes it?' but you know she would make it as she would start of by saying something like 'now reader i know this looks bad, but we had been through worse though i wasn't sure i could get out of this one.' and i was sitting there thinking, well your telling me about it so you obviously did make it, so what is the point. 
I know this makes it sound like i absolutely hated the book, i didn't really i was just really disappointed with it. If you love James Patterson and his work then you may enjoy this one, but i wouldn't necessarily recommend it. Good for a cold rainy afternoon when you need something to do.


My Rating
I would give this book 4/10 thoroughly disappointing :(

Book Review - Boys Don't Cry

Synopsis
You’re waiting for the postman--he’s bringing your A level results. University, a career as a journalist--a glittering future lies ahead. But when the doorbell rings it’s your old girlfriend; and she’s carrying a baby. You’re fine to look after it, for an hour or two, while she does some shopping. Then she doesn’t come back and your future suddenly looks very different.


My Review
I love Malorie Blackman, she is one of my favourite authors, her 'Noughts & Crosses' series is amazing and so i couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. Not the sort of thing i normally read but i was willing to give it a go. Dante is seventeen, he's waiting for his A-Level results to arrive, if he gets the right grades he can leave home, go to Uni and follow his dreams, but when the doorbell rings it isn't the postman standing there, but Mel, an old girlfriend he hasn't seen for nearly 18 months. She come bearing a baby, Dante's baby - Emma. Mel then runs away, leaving Dante with the baby and his future crashing down around him. 
This book was really easy to ready, the chapters are short and the writing to the point. I found it quite predictable in places, i often guessed exactly what was going to happen about 2 chapters before it happened. But i still enjoyed the story. There are some twists throughout, and moments that made me gasp in shock, laugh out loud and tear up. 
This book covers a lot of issues that young people have to deal with including Teen Pregnancy, Foster care, sexuality, violence, and depression, but it does it in a way that doesn't shove it in your face, just makes you aware of events. 
I loved the characters and fell in love with little Emma, she brought a light and laughter to those around her and was infectious off the page too. Whilst reading you feel like you really get to know Dante and i came to feel as though i really understood him and i felt sorry for him, he copes really well with everything that's thrown at him, and i felt myself hoping things worked out for him.
I have to admit i really enjoyed the book and read it in a couple of hours, and once i had finished it, i wanted to know more, it does come to an appropriate end, but leaves some questions unanswered, i hope Blackman does a sequel.

My Rating
I would give this book 8/10 a good story, very enjoyable but left me wanting more.  

FCSS - 13 Curses Review

Synopsis
When fairies stole her brother, Red vowed to get him back. Now trapped in the fairy realm, she begs an audience with the fairy court where she strikes a bargain. Her brother will be returned - but only if she can find the thirteen charms of Tanya's bracelet that have been scattered in the human world. Returning to Elvesden Manor, Red is assisted by Tanya and Fabian and a desperate hunt begins. Soon they make a shocking discovery. The charms now have twisted qualities of the thirteen treasures they represent...and the longer they are missing the worse the consequences will be. Can Red, Tanya and Fabian find all the charms? And even if they do, will the fairies keep their promise? 


My Review
I couldn't wait to start reading this book, and I was not disappointed. It begins exactly where book 1 ends. Red is trapped in the fairy world and Tanya and Fabian are home wondering what will happen to her.
This book mainly focuses on Red for at least the first half. You find her in the fairy world and journey with her, not everything goes to plan and she gets caught by an evil witch. When another familiar character turns up they join together and they talk. You learn a lot about Red's past, where she came from, and what really happened to her parents and her brother. I enjoyed this and really felt like i could connect with her.
I found the authors take on the fairy world fascinating and i could really picture the surroundings in my head.
The only thing i would say that from reading the blurb on the book i was slightly confused, as for the first 250 pages, the book has nothing to do with hunting the treasures, last we knew in book 1 was that Tanya has the bracelet at home in one piece, so i puzzled on how she would lose the pieces. When it did get round to revealing this part of the plot in the story, we are closer to 300 pages in, and it's only a 450 page book, therefore the hunt for the charms seems a bit abrupt and rushed. 
In some ways this was a bad thing as i think she could have written so much more about the situations in which they find the charms, but on the other hand, she made it so there was just enough to get you hooked and then pulled you in as it developed. I really enjoyed Red's past and her journey through fairy and it kept the story flowing quickly once they were looking for the charms and so kept the excitement. 
Overall I think Harrison did a very good job with this book and i thoroughly enjoyed reading it, there were a few twists I didn't expect and some i figured out easily, . I can't wait for the next book to come out later this year. 


My Rating
I would give this book 8.5. A definite must read, really good.

Books Read 2010 College

This is run at 'Holiday Break Reading Challenge'

Create a collage using all the book covers from the books you read in 2010.  I know, I know!!!! I'm crazy!!!  You can do this any way you want.  You can print out the book covers and cut and paste them on a poster board and take a picture of it.  Or, you can do it all on the computer. OR, if you have all the books in your home you can just lay them out on the floor in a collage and take a picture of that.  Whatever works for you.  Get crackin' and get creative!



Here is my collage, it took me ages, got all the pictures from Google, then resized them and positioned them, pretty pleased with the result! :D
This is every book i've read since August, as that is when i started my blog. 

 Click on the website link at the top to see collage's by other bloggers. 
Happy New Year

Happy New Year!!!

Hi Everyone,

Wow four months since i started blogging and the year is over already, it flew by quicker than i ever thought it could. Christmas arrived leaving me totally unprepared and left again just as quickly.
2010 wasn't the best year, but did hold some very good moments. I started my blog, held my first competition, completed NaNoWriMo and read some amazing books.

Now here we are 2011.

I am really looking forward to this year. I feel like i have really settled into the blogging community and hope for my blog to continue to grow and to meet even more fantastic bloggers. It is such a great community and i feel honored to be a part of it.

This year I have signed up to 3 challenges:

'Morbid Romantica' is a challenge to read a book from a theme each month, all Paranormal Romance, the months have themes like 'Vampire Hunters', 'Nephilim', 'Zombies', 'Ghosts' etc. This should be great as I love this sort of book and have loads i can fill it with.

The 'Off the Shelf' Challenge' which encourages us to read all those books we have stacked up but never got round to. This is definitely one for me, as i went round my shelves and was astounded by how many i had that i had never read. My list will be uploaded here

'100+ Reading Challenge' Which is just to read more than 100 books in the year. I should be able to do this as I read 73 books since starting my blog in August. I'm hoping to finish it and maybe even double it, but we'll see.


Every blog seems to be doing 'New Year's Resolutions' and hopes for the future, so here are mine:

1) To comment more on blogs, i visit a lot of blogs and read a lot of posts, but i hardly ever comment to let the blogger know i was there and enjoyed reading what they put, so i will try to comment more.

2) To commit myself to at least half an hour of writing/editing every night. I work all day, then go to sports clubs in the evenings, but when i get home i tend to waste my time on things like FarmVille, I have the time to do it, i just waste it. I completed NaNoWriMo in November last year by writing at least 2,000 words a day for a month, this proves i have the time, and I now have a story that i am proud of, but i need to edit it etc before i can send it out to people. I have been putting off doing it for ages and if i don't do it soon, i'll loose enthusiasm. There is also so many more ideas in my head that i want to get down, so that's where this resolution comes in

3) I really want to redesign my blog, i still have one provided by the site that was easy to upload, but would love my own style. I need to decide on a design and either make it myself or pay for someone to do it. Any suggestions for styles or people that can do it for me are welcome. Please comment below. :D

4) i always read the same sort of book, mostly YA, Fantasy or Chic Lit. A lot of the Vampire/Angel/Fairy type. It's always books about mythical creatures or relationships. I am going to try and read at least three books that come under a different genre, maybe a Classic as i'm not really into them but know there are some good ones out there.

5) This is more of a personal one - not blog related, but i want to increase my fitness. I am in no ways fat or anything (I'm a size 10 and do 4 different sports a week) and i don't do diets, but i need to increase my fitness levels. All the sports I do require short burst of energy and so my cardio fitness isn't very good and my flexibility is rubbish, so i will try to get up earlier each day so i can do stretches and maybe even a jog. This will be the real test as i like my bed in the mornings!


Thanks for staying with me. I look forward to a great year and meeting even more Bloggers out there.

Happy New Year may it be filled with Wealth, Health, Joy, Love & Happiness. May it be filled with the Lord's Blessings and be the best Year yet, and of course filled with Books!!!