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Showing posts from May, 2014

May Review

I've had a really slow month this month reading wise reading barely anything which is unlike me. I've had a horrible cold for three weeks which has made it hard to read on top of being really busy. This makes me grumpy. Sadly I don't think next month will be any better. Roll on the summer holidays Books read in May 80) Valentine Joe by Rebecca Stevens (British Books Challenge) 81) Thirteen Weddings by Paige Toon (British Books Challenge) 82) Shadow of the Wolf by Tim Hall (British Books Challenge) 83) The Boy Book by E. Lockhart 84) Lia's guide to winning the lottery (British Books Challenge) 85) There is no dog by Meg Rosoff (British Books Challenge) 86) Murder most unladylike by Robin Stevens (British Books Challenge) 87) Since you've been gone by Morgan Matson 88) Out of control by Sarah Alderson (British Books Challenge) 89) Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld 90) city of heavenly fire by Cassandra Clare 91) blue by Lisa Glass (British Books Challenge)

Review: Thirteen Weddings by Paige Toon

Another scintillating tale from the bestselling author of The Longest Holiday and Lucy in the Sky. Last year, Bronte left Sydney for a wedding in England, where she met newly single Alex. After a night of passion they parted ways, and Bronte returned to Australia. Now working on a picture desk for a magazine in London, Bronte is about to meet her new colleague, who turns out to be all too familiar. Although awkward at first, as Alex is now engaged to the girl he was on a break from when they met, they soon become friends. But as the two get closer, and the wedding day looms, it is clear that Alex and Bronte have unfinished business My Thoughts I am a massive Paige Toon fan have recently discovered her books earlier in the year and then reading her entire backlist in the space of a week. I loved this book as much as her previous for a variety of reasons. Firstly I love the characters that Paige writes. They are easy to relate to and you find yourself really rooting for

Review: Sweet Damage by Rebecca James

I still dream about Anna London's house. In my dreams it's as if the house itself has sinister intentions. But in real life it wasn't the house that was responsible for what happened. It was the people who did the damage ...' When Tim Ellison finds a cheap room to rent in the perfect location in Sydney it looks like a huge stroke of luck. In fact the room comes with a condition, and the owner of the house, the mysterious Anna London, is unfriendly and withdrawn. When strange and terrifying things start happening in the house at night, Tim wonders if taking the room is a mistake. But then his feelings for Anna start to change, and when her past comes back with a vengeance, Tim is caught right in the middle of it. A thrilling rollercoaster of a story - read it with the lights on My thoughts Sweet damage is a really creepy read. I don't want to say too much for fear of spo

Cover Reveal and Extract: Memoirs of a Neurotic Zombie by Jeff Norton

I am delighted to be able to share today an extract from Jeff Norton's newest book Memoirs of a Neurotic Zombie. I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff a while back at an event where he read out an extract from the book and it was hilarious. Below is such an extract Adam explains his unusual collections   I  like to collect thing. I started with stickers and stamps, and then graduated to comic books and travel-size soaps, shampoos and hand sanitizers. But my favourite collection is my range of drug pens. My mom’s a doctor and every week a parade of pharmaceutical sales people come to her clinic to ask her to prescribe their brand-name (expensive) medicines instead of the generic (cheap) pills. They always give her little mementoes like pens with the names of drug on them. And since Dr Mom only needs to many pens, she gives them to me. I’ve collected two hundred and thirty-three drug pens, ranging from Aspirin to Zoloft. I have pens for depression, acne, high blood pre

Books I can't wait to read

As always please find below a rage of books I am dying to read. All are ones I need now, right now and as soon as they arrive I doubt they'll stay unread for very long Solitaire by Alice Oseman In case you’re wondering, this is not a love story. My name is Tori Spring. I like to sleep and I like to blog. Last year – before all that stuff with Charlie and before I had to face the harsh realities of A-Levels and university applications and the fact that one day I really will have to start talking to people – I had friends. Things were very different, I guess, but that’s all over now. Now there’s Solitaire. And Michael Holden. I don’t know what Solitaire are trying to do, and I don’t care about Michael Holden. I really don’t. I must admit I don't know a huge amount about this book and am mostly a sucker for the cover. I want it lots! Witch Hunt by Ruth Warburton London, 1880. Eighteen-year-old Witch Hunter Luke Lexton has failed his initiation into the

Review: Out of control by Sarah Alderson

When 17 year old Liva witnesses a brutal murder she’s taken into police custody for her own protection. But when the police station is attacked and bullets start flying it becomes clear that Liva is not just a witness, she’s a target. Together with a car thief called Jay, Liva manages to escape the massacre but now the two of them are alone in New York, trying to outrun and outwit two killers who will stop at nothing to find them. When you live on the edge, there’s a long way to fall. My thoughts A quick review today  I have quite mixed feelings about this book. It was incredibly f ast paced and engaging throughout. I kept reading because it was exciting and I needed to know what was going to happen next. The boy in this book is hot and the chemistry between the two is steamy which made for a very interesting read indeed. However despite these things I just couldn't help but think with every page how unrealistic and far fetched it was hence why it was only a 3

Review: Now you see me by Emma Haughton

Three years ago, thirteen-year-old Danny Geller vanished without trace. His family and friends are still hanging on to every last shred of hope. Not knowing if he's alive or dead, their world is shrouded in shadows, secrets and suspicions. This is the story of what happens when hope comes back to haunt you. When your desperation is used against you. When you search for the truth – but are too scared to accept the reality staring you in the face... A mesmerizing psychological thriller with the most incredible twist you'll read all year My Thoughts A fast paced thriller which I literally couldn't put down. Perfect for fans of Sophie McKenzie. I really enjoyed this book and found myself not wanting to put it down because I needed to know what was going to happen next. My only complaint is the blurb mentions a huge twist. Why do that? It meant I was looking for it from the first page a

Review: Weirdos vs Bumskulls

Funnier, weirder, ruder - Blossom is back. After performing the brilliant and unlikely feat of getting sexy rock god Josh Raven to perform at the school disco, Blossom Uxley-Michaels has decided that being a Weirdo is actually kind of awesome. Things get more exciting when Blossom's band, Camel Toe, enter the Battle of the Bands. But Camel Toe find they have competition from an unlikely source. Then Blossom meets Vince, sexy mancake and lead singer of rival band Bumskulls. And supposedly loved-up Petrina has been spotted dribbling at the bass player... Amidst a churning whirlpool of love, war and music, can the Weirdos keep their quest for musical domination on track or will it all go norks up? My Thoughts Weirdos and Bumskulls has been on my wishlist since I finished the first book in the series and as soon as I was offered it for review I read it as quickly as possible. This is saying something because I am rubbish at reading past the first book in a series o

Weirdos Vs Bumskulls Extract

I have the utter pleasure of being able to give you today an extract from a book I read recently and loved. Enjoy! Funnier, weirder, ruder - Blossom is back. After performing the brilliant and unlikely feat of getting sexy rock god Josh Raven to perform at the school disco, Blossom Uxley-Michaels has decided that being a Weirdo is actually kind of awesome. Things get more exciting when Blossom's band, Camel Toe, enter the Battle of the Bands. But Camel Toe find they have competition from an unlikely source. Then Blossom meets Vince, sexy mancake and lead singer of rival band Bumskulls. And supposedly loved-up Petrina has been spotted dribbling at the bass player... Amidst a churning whirlpool of love, war and music, can the Weirdos keep their quest for musical domination on track or will it all go norks up? WEIRDOS vs BUMSKULLS by Natasha Desborough  

I have a confession: I need help to defeat The TBR pile of DOOM!

I have a confession .... My TBR pile isn't as small as I always say it is. Until this post I have been hiding a secret problem which I would like to share with you all in the hope of solving my problem. My problem looks like this Anyone who knows me knows books don't stay on my TBR pile for long. Those that hang around too long tend to be rehomed and I am very good at giving up books. This bookcase however is almost full of titles that I can't seem to get rid of or get round to reading and it's bugging me. At least half of them are signed. Most of them are books I bought myself because I wanted to read them. There are several on there which are later books in a series that I was desperate to continue with when I finished book one but I just can't remember book one enough to care now. There's also that whole bottom shelf of adult titles I bought impulsively when I was having one of my "I want to read books for grown ups weeks". Those fads nev

Review: The Bubble Wrap Boy by Phil Earle

Charlie Han's troubles are way bigger than he is. At school, he's branded an outsider, a loser - the tiny kid from the Chinese Chippy. His only ally is Sinus Sedgely, the only lad in school with a worse reputation than Charlie himself. Life at home isn't much better. His dad is better with a wok than he is with words, and his mum is suffocating the life out of Charlie, wrapping him in enough cotton wool to fill a pharmacy. But when a new passion leads Charlie to the mother of all confrontations, he finds his mum's been hiding a massive secret. A secret that whilst shocking, might actually lead Charlie to feeling ten feet tall. The Bubble Wrap Boy is about the terrors of friendship, family and one undersized boy's ability to think BIG... My thoughts Put quite simply I adored this book. I read it in one sitting unable to put it down and went from chuckling away one minute to being close to tears with a lump in my throat the next. Phil Earle has pul

Review: Poppy by Mary Hooper

England, 1914. Poppy is fifteen, beautiful and clever, but society has already carved out her destiny. There's no question of her attending the grammar school - it's too expensive and unsuitable for a girl. Instead, Poppy will become a servant at the big house. And she'll 'keep out of trouble'. But Poppy's life is about to be thrown dramatically off course. The first reason is love - with someone forbidden, who could never, ever marry a girl like her. The second reason is war. Nothing could have prepared her for that. As she experiences what people are capable of - the best of humanity and the very worst - Poppy will find an unexpected freedom and discover how to be truly her own person My Thoughts I have really mixed feelings about this book. The history teacher in me loved it entirely for how it focuses on women in World War One and their role as VADs. For this reason alone I cannot wait for the sequel. It covers the role of the women wo

The Worst Girlfriend in the World by Sarra Manning

My best friend was now my deadliest enemy, the one person I'd hate beyond all measure for the rest of my life . . . Franny Barker's best friend, Alice, is the worst girlfriend in the world according to the many boys of Merrycliffe-on-Sea. She toys with them, then dumps them. But she'll never dump fashion-obsessed Franny. Nothing and no one can come between them. Not even tousle-haired rock god, Louis Allen, who Franny's been crushing on hard. Until Alice, bored with immature boys and jealous of Franny's new college friends, sets her sights on Louis. Suddenly, best friends are bitter rivals. Is winning Louis's heart worth more than their friendship? There's only one way for Franny to find out. My thoughts It is fair to say I have been dying to get my hands on Sarra Manning's latest YA offering for a long time now and in doing so there is always the worry that I