Spooktacular Giveaway Hop Winner

So the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop has come to an end and I would like to thank all of you who entered.

I had 142 entries, that is the most I have ever had enter on my blog, so thank you everyone!

So let's get on with it and announce the winner.

The winners were picked using Random.Org number generator.

 

          The lucky number picked was: 69

This means the winner is:

Tezza @ SpadesHighReads 

 

Tezza get to choose one of these books from the Book Depository

  Tezza has been emailed and have 3 days to respond. Big Congrats and Thanks go to everyone who entered.

For those of you who didn't win or missed it entirely don't worry there will be another Giveaway soon.

Happy Blogging. :D

Book Review - House Of Vampires

Title: House Of Vampires
Author: Samantha Rendle
Publisher: SilverWood Books
Release Date: 31 Oct 2011
ISBN-13: 978-1906236397


Synopsis
An exciting new twist on a popular teen theme: vampires! Fourteen year-old Pete wakes up in a mansion with no idea who he is and no memories. He discovers he's one of a rebel group called the Hunters - vampires with a conscience. Pete and his friends are soon mixed up in a dangerous battle between good and evil.


My Review

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pete is a bit of a nerd, doesn’t have many friends but gets good grades. When out doing some shopping for his parents he gets attacked by a Vampire. When he wakes up he is in a strange mansion.

Pete learns he is now a Vampire, but not just any vampire, he has amazing strength and speed, can walk on walls and run extra fast.  Whilst at the mansion he meets many other vampires and they teach him all about his new life.

But the Vampires have another motive; they are looking for the key holder, the one that will open up a portal to the realm of vampires. Pete must try to stop them before the vampires come through and destroy the world.

On his travels he meets the Hunters and makes some friends and enemies.

This book is an exciting new twist on a popular genre. A whole new world is created and instantly draws you in. Pete is instantly likeable; you feel sorry for him, and then cheer him on. He is so much like your average teen – unsure of who and what he is but trying to do his best, you can’t help but feel for him. He has a strong sense of right and wrong and has to make some tough choices, but this made me like him all the more.

The atmosphere in the book is great; I could feel the creepy vibes from the mansion and the guarded, nervousness of the Hunters. I really felt like I was in the book, travelling with Pete and experiencing it with him.

The pace of the book is great and flows well. It pulls you in and takes you on a journey, which is full of action, romance, twists, turns and mystery. It also looks at things like friendship, honesty, trust, and making the right decisions, Pete knows what he has to do and is not afraid to face up to his decisions. If only there were more people like Pete around (minus the bloodsucking of course).

The host of characters work well together and really bring life to the book. This book also keeps you guessing; many a time I would think I knew what was coming then Bam! Something else would happen and I’d be like ‘whoa!’

 I read this quite quickly and thoroughly enjoyed it. I would strongly recommend it.

I love this book! I hope there will be more from Samantha Rendle.  

My Rating
I would give this book 10/10. Loved it, exciting twist, captivating.

Beth Revis 19 Book Giveaway

The Awesome Beth Revis - author of 'Across the Universe' and highly awaited 'A Million Suns' is hosting a contest that is International and offers 19 books as prizes.

Here is how to enter the contest. Click for full information.

So what Book am I most Thankful for:

I am most grateful for my 'The Chronicles of Narnia' series book. It has all 7 Narnia books in one binding. I absolutely love it. I read this book so many times growing up, they offered me a whole different world to escape to and I always saw a beautiful honesty in the writing, as well as being filled with magic and wonder. If I ever felt down I would grab my Narnia book and disappear between it's pages.
There are so many books I could be grateful for and would be here all day if I was to list them all. Each book offers something different and wonderful.

So what book are you grateful for? Sign up to the competition for your chance to win this INCREDIBLE prize pack.

Book Review - Mystic Embrace

Title: Mystic Embrace
Author: Charlotte Blackwell
Series: Embrace (book 3)
Publisher: World Castle Publishing
Release Date: 1st November 2011

Synopsis
Ebony Triggs and her sister have accepted their birthright to be the magnificent ones, protectors of the innocent. They have been working on improving their magickal powers with the help of close friends the Pierce family. Ebony and Eliza have been working hard, with one common goal in mind, destroying the demon that killed their parents sixteen years ago. Will they ever find him and succeed at destroying him or will fighting evil become a daily occurrence for the sisters?
Entering her senior year of high school, Ebony already has more than most teens on her plate, but when things continue to change in her life she must rely on her immortal friends, the Pierce’s to help get her through. Ebony and her boyfriend Matt like most teens are looking at the future and what will happen after life in high school. But when plans change will they be faced with even bigger issues?
Ebony soon realizes that the Pierce’s and her close friends will need her as much as she needs them. She thought learning of her mystical powers was the greatest test of her life, but it was only just the beginning.

My Review
Charlotte Blackwell is a legend. Enough said!
No, I will write a proper review, but it's true, she is a legend.
This book carries on after the events in book 2, but is very different as it is told from Ebony's point of view, not Sophia's. It was fresh to have a different point of view in the story and I really enjoyed it.
Ebony is vastly becomming a powerful witch along with her sister Eliza, they spend there time between fighting off evil vampires or other monsters/demons, getting through high school, training their powers and spending time with their boyfriends and the Pierce family, life is full, sometimes complicated but going well, until everything starts to change. I don't want to give anything away, but this book is sooo good. It will give you an emotional roller coaster, make you laugh, make you cry and have you on the edge of your seat. I read it in about 3 hours, I couldn't put it down.
All the favourite characters are still in it, you still see and hear from Sophia and the rest of the family and Caspian makes an appearance - YAY. 
I was surprised by some of the twists in this book but it made it so good. These books just have something about them that make you fall in love with them. The characters are like old friends and I love being swept into their world.
If you haven't read book 1 yet, i suggest you find it and read it, then grab book 2 and so on. *taps foot* well go on - go get the books! No wait, finish reading this first, I'm almost done - promise.

My Rating
I would give this book 10/10. Fantastic, gripping, epic

 

Book Review - Dragon's Oath

Title: Dragon's Oath
Author: P.C & Kristin Cast
Series: House of Night (Novella)
Publisher: Atom
Release Date: 12 July 2011
ISBN-13: 978-1907411182

Synopsis
Before Zoey is Marked and arrives at the House of Night… before she rises in power to confront utter darkness, and the House of Night is divided… there’s Dragon’s Oath, the thrilling story behind the House of Night's formidable fencing instructor and warrior – the love that will transform him, and the mercy that will come back to haunt him…



My Review
I love the House of Night series and am looking forward to 'Destined' which has just come out. To keep me going until I get hold of a copy I found this book. I actually saw it a while ago but couldn't afford to buy it, then Amazon had a sale so I got it for £2.99!
It's quite short at only 145 pages but gives you a great look at 'Dragon's' Life. If you have read the series you know that Bryan 'Dragon' Langford is one of the professors at the school and a Sword Master. This book goes back and shows you where he came from and how he got to be what we all know. It shows his growing relationship with Anastasia, and really just shows us another side to him.
I really enjoyed reading about Dragon and feel I know him a lot better and can see why he does some of the things he does in the books.
If you are a fan of the series I would highly recommend reading this Novella. It also helped to refresh my memory on what had been happening in the series.

My Rating
I would give this Novella 8/10. Very interesting.
  
  

Bk Blgr Hop: Oct 28th-31st & FF (41) & TGIF (24)

 
 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 is: 

“What is your favorite Halloween costume?
Even if you don’t celebrate, what kinds of costumes do you like?”

My Answer: I LOVE to dress up - any opportunity will do. So far I have dressed up as Tinkerbell, a Purple Fairy, Roxy from Chicago, Pirate, Witch, Mrs Santa Claus, Elf, Winnie the Witch, The Gruffallo, Skeleton, Bear, Circus Performer, and I'm sure there are more. These weren't all for Halloween of course, a lot of them were for library events- but I always volunteer to wear the costume. I usually go as a witch most Halloweens.


Follow Friday

Follow Friday is an opportunity to discover and follow other book related blogs! Want to join? Check it out at Parajunkee.

This week's question feature is from In which Ems reviews books…

Q:  If you could have dinner with your favorite book character, who would you eat with and what would you serve?

My Answer: I have so many characters I love, but I think I would have Valkyrie Cain & Skulduggery Pleasant over for dinner and we would have all sorts of delicious treats, it's not often they get to kick back and stop fighting evil - so it would have to be yummy. 

TGIF!

This meme is hosted by GReads!

This Friday's Question:

Spooktacular Reads: Which books do you consider festive Halloween reads? Which stories have chilled you to the bone?

 

My Answer: I'm a wimp so none of the books I read are particularly scary, but at this time of year I love the 'Spooks' series by Joseph Delaney - they are so good and always make my spine tingle.  You also can't beat a bit of Funnybones.

Happy Hopping, have a great weekend everyone!!!  Don't forget to enter my 'Spooktacular Giveaway' International ends 31st October

Please read my post - 'Design Request Help' - I still need suggestions. Thanks