The Overflowing Library

The Kissing Game by Aidan Chambers Published by Bodley Head Challenge: None Source: Review Copy (thank you RHCB) In this brand-new collection of short stories, Aidan Chambers explores moments of truth, when a character or an event suddenly reveals an often-surprising meaning: A girl loses her humanity when she takes a summer job as a theme-park character; a boy tries to save a girl from a fiery death, only to discover the same event happened one hundred years before. And the titular story, in which an innocent game takes a fatal turn, will haunt the reader for a long time. These provocative stories beautifully lend themselves to discussion, and once again Chambers treats us to his fiercely intelligent, finely crafted prose and his incisive understanding of the wonderings of young people on the verge of adulthood. *** I thought this was a fab little quick read. The Kissing Game is a collection of short stories all based on the different experiences of teenagers. ...

This book sounds amazing. Does anyone know if it is being published in the UK?? To be fair I just love the cover! Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker published in summer 2011 The story of Lacey Anne Byers, a small town girl who is excited to star in Hell House, her church's annual haunted house of sin, until a childhood friend reappears and makes her question her faith.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles Published by Simon and Schuster Challenges: None Source: swapped on readitswapit.co.uk (UK paperback) A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers. When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath ...

Today I am pleased to host a stop on the UK blog book tour for Across the Universe by Beth Revis I have loads of goodies to share with you Firstly - I have the official book trailer for you to view to give you a taste of what the book is about Secondly -   I have my review of the book Across the Universe by Beth Revis Published by Razorbill Challenge: DAC Source: Review copy (thank you Razorbill) Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules. Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be n...

A huge thak you as always to Kristi the awesome story siren. Go visit her at www.thestorysiren.com to find out more about In my Mailbox This week has been a pretty awesome week bookwise. I received some truly amazing books in the post which lead to lots of happy dances! This week I received I received a wonderful package from my lovely blogging friend Clover - she is wonderful and always sends me fantastic books visit her at http://www.flutteringbutterflies.com In that lovely parcel was Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson  This is one book I am really looking forward to reading. I have been meaning to buy a copy for ages but never got round to picking up By Midnight by Mia James (UK hardback) I read this ages ago and enjoyed it. Another one I always meant to get a copy of but never go round to it! I also received some lovely review books - a huge thank you to both Egmont and PanMacmillan for sending them to me. Plague by Michael Grant (UK paperback) This series is ama...

In response to a few things I have seen coming up on various blogs and twitter I have decided to post this today. It is not a personal attack on any one blogger in particular but I hope it makes people think The Overflowing Library's blogging ettiquette tips Tip #1 Do not use memes to spam other people's blogs. It is rude. If you want to leave a link to your post at least make a comment about the post you are commenting on. If you do that you are more likely to get a visit and comment in return Tip #2 Keep personal comments and attacks off your blog. If you have a problem with another blogger contact them privately and talk it out or rise above it. Tip #3 In order to help upkeep the excellent reputation of the blogging community when you review, review like a professional. We may not be paid, or do this full time but we need to have standards if we want to be taken seriously and continue to be valued by publishers. Tip #4 Do not to be critical of how others chose ...

Genesis by Bernard Beckett Published by Quercus Challenge: None Source: Own copy (UK Hardback) “What does it mean to be human?” The answer lies within the mystery of Genesis . Set in a postapocalyptic future, the novel takes the form of an examination undergone by young Anaximander as she prepares to enter an enigmatic institution known simply as The Academy. For her subject she has chosen the life of the philosopher-soldier Adam Forde, her long-dead hero. It is through Anax’s presentation and her answers to persistent questioning by her examiners that we learn the history of her island Republic, along with the rules and beliefs of their society. At the completion of the examination, when everything has been laid bare, Anax must confront the Republic’s last great secret, her own surprising link to Adam Forde, and the horrifying truth about her world. Like the great writers Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick, Bernard Beckett explores the relationship between humans and t...