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Friday 30 September 2011

Variant by Robison Wells

Title:- Variant
Author:- Robison Wells
Publisher:- Harper Collins
Publishing date:- October 4, 2011
Source:- Netgalley

Available from BookDepository now or via pre-order through Amazon.

Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.

He was wrong.

Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.

Where breaking the rules equals death.

But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible. - Goodreads
Benson Fisher has been moved from foster home to foster home, so when he finally got accepted for a scholarship at Maxfield Academy, he thought that this was the beginning to his future. He is now able to begin his new life, no one will know him as the "poor orphaned child", he will have a story and he won't be excluded, he may even play a sport, he may even get a girlfriend...

Monday 26 September 2011

IMM #5


In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly event hosted by The Story Siren. It's main purpose is to showcase the books you've purchased/obtained/borrowed in the last week. You can add your own IMM link here.

*Linked to Goodreads

Burn Bright by Marianne Pierres
Captivate by Carrie Jones
Out for Blood by Alyxandra Harvey
Forgotten by Cat Patrick
My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent
My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent
Entwined by Heather Dixon

Thursday 22 September 2011

Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Title:- Saving June
Author:- Hannah Harrington
Publisher:- Harlequin Teen
First Published:- May 1, 2011
Source:- Netgalley
Genre:- Contemporary Young Adult Fiction

‘If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.’ 

Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why. 


When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going California. 

Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs. 


Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down again.




Tuesday 20 September 2011

Top Ten Tuesday #2 ~ Books I Feel As Though Everyone Has Read But Me


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a question/topic is posted and you list your top ten answers. You can link to your own Top Ten Tuesday post here. This week's topic/question is:-


Top Ten Books I Feel As Though
Everyone Has Read But Me

In My Mailbox #4



In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly event hosted by The Story Siren. It's main purpose is to showcase the books you've purchased/obtained/borrowed in the last week, in my case, the last fortnight. You can add your own IMM link here.

Friday 16 September 2011

Friday Weekly Features




 Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read to expand your blog following amongst bloggers. There are rules to enter so please click on either of the hosts' links to join. This week's question:- 
It's that pesky magic book fairy again! She has another wish: What imaginary book world would you like to make a reality?    

Thursday 15 September 2011

Eve by Anna Carey


Title:- Eve
Author:- Anna Carey
Series:- The Eve Trilogy #1
Publisher:- Harper Collins
Expected Publication Date:- October 1, 2011
ISBN:- 978-0-06-204850-9
Source:- Netgalley
Genre:- Dystopia/Young Adult Fiction



Eve a nearly graduated 18 year old, her whole life ahead of her, planned out! She would cross the bridge to the other building where she will learn a trade for 4 years with her fellow classmates after which they will head to The City of Suns and work for the King with all the luxury a city holds. She would share an apartment with her best friends Ruby and Pip and they would be working on their chosen trades and live happily ever after... 




Unfortunately for Eve the reality of her life soon takes a sudden turn when she finds Arden, a very unlikeable girl at her school escaping! Curious as to why anyone would choose to escape and go into the wild where there were wild dogs, beasts, gangs and worse...MEN! Arden as she gets ready to escape hastily tells Eve that there will not be a trade, that Eve, along with all the other girls graduating will be used as mere incubators to give birth for population growth. 


Years before a virus killed most of the country, including Eve's Mother. She was then sent to the school where she has been since she was 5 years old. Not knowing anything else but what the Teacher taught her, Eve found Arden's story to be unbelievable but in search of knowledge, like she was known for, she finds a way to cross the bridge to view the truth for herself. Eve was shocked when she finds that Arden's story was in fact true... 

Whilst she sneaks back into the school a kind Teacher catches her but instead of turning her in the Teacher helps her escape. Mere days after she leaves the only home she knows she meets with Arden. This is where the treacherous journey for safety and freedom begins for the two girls. 

Tuesday 13 September 2011

2011 Aussie YA Reading Challenge



Challenge Purpose:-
Australian Participants - Read at least 12 YA books by Australian authors.
International Participants - Read at least 6 YA books by Australian authors.


Sunday 11 September 2011

Bright, Young & Luxe Giveaway Hop

hop

For those that are Anna Godbersen fans, in honour of the release of "Beautiful Days", book 2 to "Bright Young ThingsLC's Adventures in Libraryland and several other blogs are participating in a Giveaway Blog Hop. Please check out the link for further details and other blogs participating in the hop...Good Luck!

Saturday 10 September 2011

You Give = We Give








Hosted by:-
Jess (Tasmania) from She Known As Jess
Brodie (Victoria) from Eleusinian Mysteries 
Rachel (NSW) from The Rest Is Still Unwritten


We know how great it is to receive books for Christmas, but even greater is the feeling you get when you give the gift of reading to another. In the lead up to Christmas, Jess from She Known As Jess, Rachel from The-Rest-Is-Still-Unwritten and Brodie from Eleusinian Mysteries are hosting You Give, We Give. What does that mean? It's simple. You donate books this Christmas to help those in need and in return, you'll be entered to win some seriously amazing prizes!

Friday 9 September 2011

Feature & Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop










Feature & Follow Friday #FF is a weekly blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read to expand your blog following amongst bloggers. There are rules to enter so please click on either of the hosts' links to join. This week's question:-                                              


Have you ever wanted a villain to win at the end of the story? If so, which one?

Thursday 8 September 2011

Top Ten Tuesday #1 ~ Sequels I'm Dying To Read


Firstly I know it's no longer Tuesday but I just found this fabulous meme and I just had to participate despite being a few days late. For those that know me, they know how much I love lists, so this meme is made for people like myself. 

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a question/topic is posted and you list your top ten answers. You can link to your own Top Ten Tuesday post here. This week's topic/question is:-

Tuesday 6 September 2011

Divergent by Veronica Roth



Title:- Divergent
Author:- Veronica Roth
Series:- Divergent #1
Publisher:- Harper Collins
First Published:- May 1, 2011
ISBN:- 978-0-00-742041-4
Genre:- Young Adult Fiction/Dystopian

For sixteen-year-old Tris, the world changes in a heartbeat when she is forced to make a terrible choice.

Turning her back on her family, Tris ventures out, alone, determined to find out where she truly belongs. Shocked by the brutality of her new life, Tris can trust no one. And yet she is drawn to a boy who seems to both threaten and protect her. The hardest choices may yet lie ahead…. A debut novel that will leave you breathless.                                                             






Divergent is captivating, thought provoking and an edge-of-your-seat dystopian thriller.

The world is divided into five different factions, each representing a virtue. Abnegatiion, selfless, Erudite, intelligent, Candor, honesty, Amity, peaceful and Dauntless, brave. At 16 years old they must choose a faction. They can choose to stay in the faction they were born into or choose a new faction, one that they must live within for the rest of their lives.

Beatrice (Tris) and Caleb Prior was born into Abnegation. At the eve of the Choosing Ceremony each 16-year-old must sit for an aptitude test. Depending on the actions performed within the test the result comes in a way of a 'recommendation' as to the best faction they are suited to. Tris' result = inconclusive!

The Beginner's Guide to Living by Lia Hills


 
Title:- The Beginner's Guide to Living
Author:- Lia Hills
Publisher:- Text Publishing
First Published:- January 1, 2009
ISBN:- 978-192152007-5
Genre:- Young Adult Fiction


Seventeen-year-old Will is in turmoil after the sudden death of his mother. His father drifts and his older brother, Adam, stays away from home. Isolated and angry, Will begins a search for the answers he craves. He uses his mum’s old camera to document the experience and scrambles to find an idea for which he can live and die. And as if things weren’t complicated enough, he falls for sixteen-year-old Taryn. His final exams are looming, but how will he get through the tangle of grief and philosophy, sex and love?

As some of my readers may have noticed, I normally create my own synopsis for my reviews. However, I'm struggling to keep up with reviewing the books I've read as it takes me forever to write my own synopsis. I've seen many reviewers using the Publisher's synopsis so I'm going to take this route and see how it goes. Let me know which you all think is better. I wanted to make special mention once again to Lisa from Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me for being my Blogger Fairy Godmother...Thanks Lisa!

The Beginner's Guide to Living" is a powerful and plot driven book, that must become a permanent in my book collection. There are few single books (not part of a series) that I feel worth buying.

Monday 5 September 2011

"Passion" Giveaway WINNER!!!


I just wanted to thank EVERYONE that entered in my "Passion" by Lauren Kate giveaway...THANK YOU!!! 

I also want to make special mention of Lisa from Read Me, Bookmark Me, Love Me for helping me with my first giveaway, Thanks Lisa!

And without further ado, the WINNER chosen via Random is...

Nathiel 

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Please stay tuned as I've got another giveaway coming up shortly.



The Queen's Lady by Eve Edwards


Author:- Eve Edwards
Series:- The Lacey Chronicles Book 
Publisher:- Puffin Books
Date Published:- February 3, 2011
ISBN:- 978-014132733-4
Genre:- Young Adult/Historical Fiction

                                                       

In 1585 England, Lady Jane Rievaulx (previously known as Percival) arrives at the Queen's court as she takes up position as one of the Queen's Ladies. Her late Husband has ensured this position to keep his young widow safe from his older children.

Unfortunately the late Lord did not anticipate that Lady Jane's position would have her running into her family, the Percivals. No longer having the security and defence of the late Lord they do all that they can to use Jane as their pawn to secure the family's riches.

Then there's James Lacey, he has been troubled as of late and plans to sail to the Americas in hope to find new land and hopefully to find his old self. James Lacey doesn't know the full story as to why Lady Jane departed his land and broke the engagement to his older brother but alas he did not think highly of her, despite his previous growing attraction.

"The Queen's Lady" is the second book to "The Lacey Chronicles" and I must say it was as enjoyable as it's predecessor. Lady Jane has grown so much in character that she is very likeable in this book, unlike the first. James Lacey was a bit less likeable in this book as he was extremely stubborn and just would not allow himself to be happy, despite happiness being pretty much forced upon him. However, once he realised what he wanted he was once again a hero and a likeable one at that.

I felt sorry for Lady Jane in this book. She's grieving for her late Husband whilst his grown children threatens her and does all to ensure she doesn't get to keep any of the riches their late Father had given her and if that's not the worse of her fate she has her own flesh and blood, Father and Brother plotting for a marriage she simply doesn't want, to benefit them and their pockets. I can't imagine how that must all have felt, and she only had one friend she could turn to.

Eve Edwards writing technique remains the same and whilst many may say that it was similar to "The Other Countess" I found the characters and the circumstances surrounding their love affair is different enough that it doesn't feel like your reading the same story with different characters.

Edwards is very descriptive and you are fully emerged into the world and time that her characters are in. You find yourself truly rooting for the best outcome.

There's also other characters that play quite a large part in this story; Diego, introduced in the first book, James Lacey's servant. Milly, Diego's previous employer and Lady Jane's good friend and then there's Christopher Turner, Milly's good friend and aspiring actor. Together, with the main characters, this book is filled with lots of love, laughter and frustration. Despite these characters being secondary to that of Lady Jane and James Lacey, they still fill the book and I don't think that the story would be the same without them. Milly and Diego's love affair, to me, was just as intriguing as Jane and James'. It was great to see two couples, despite the many odds against their relationship fight for their love.

Whilst "The Queen's Lady" does refer to parts in "The Other Countess" these books do not necessarily have to be read in order, but I would still advice you to, as you feel more invested in the characters if you already had previous knowledge of them. Looking forward to "The Rogue Princess". 

In My Mailbox #3





In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly event hosted by The Story Siren. It's main purpose is to show off the books that you have purchased/borrowed/obtained in the last week. Further information can be found in the IMM link above and you can add your own IMM post link here.

*Books are linked to Goodreads
Library


Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Bought 

Witches of the East by Melissa de la Cruz
Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris


Indigo Bookstore in Canada hosted Charlaine Harris not long ago and I am grateful for Indigo Events for letting me order a signed copy, which I received earlier this week. 



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