The Overflowing Library

The hunting ground by Cliff McNish Published by Orion books Challenge: BBC Source: review copy When Elliott and his brother move into the old and crumbling Glebe House they don't expect to find themselves sharing it with ghosts. But soon sinister events are unfolding. An old diary reveals glimpses of the mansion's past - and of a terrible tragedy. An old woman talks to ghosts - but is she in fact being controlled by them? And what of the sinister East Wing - a hideous labyrinth devised by a truly twisted mind? Can Elliott and his family escape the clutches of Glebe House? Or will they end up trapped in the endless maze of corridors, forever hunted by the dead? *** The Hunting ground is a really creepy thriller which will play on your mind long after you finish reading it. It is well written and keeps you engrossed all the way through, with every word precisely selected and masterfully deployed to scare the pants off you. The story centres around a family...

Ninth Grade Slays by Heather Brewer Published by Razorbill Series: Vlad Tod #2 Source: Charity Shop find If middle school stunk for Vladimir Tod, high school is a real drain. Besides being a punching bag for bullies, he’s still stalled with dream girl Meredith, and he’s being tailed by a photographer from the school newspaper. Needless to say, practicing his vampire skills hasn’t exactly been a priority for Vlad — until now. A monumental trip to Siberia with Uncle Otis is Vlad’s crash course in Vampire 101. Training alongside the most gifted vampires is exactly what Vlad needs to sharpen those mind-control skills he’s been avoiding. And he’d better get it right, because the battle brewing back home with the slayer who’s been stalking him could be Vlad’s last *** Ninth Grade Slays is the second offering of the Vlad Tod Chronicles and was as enjoyable and engaging as its predecessor. It's a new year for Vlad at a new school although not that much has changed wi...

I love Kim's Body finder series so am looking forward to this one a lot. The Pledge by Kimberly Derting Published November 2011 In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she’s spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed. Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can’t be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to r...

Pretty Twisted by Gail Blaxill Published by Macmillan Children's Books Challenge: BBC, DAC Source: Review copy Ros has a secret crush on Jonathan. Jonathan is massively hung up on Freya (even after she dumps him). And Freya? Well, Freya is a beautiful enigma. Even more so when she goes missing without a trace..."Pretty Twisted" is narrated in alternating chapters by Jonathan (16) and Ros (14) who meet online at a time when things are going sour for Jonathan. His stunning girlfriend, Freya, is away at college and they are growing apart - consequently, he is struggling with his own sense of identity. Ros is also experiencing some problems - one of her friends is dating an older man whose strange behaviour gives Ros cause for concern. Meanwhile, the local news has been reporting some kidnappings of teenage girls. So when Freya dumps Jonathan, then seems to disappear off the face of the earth, he enlists Ros' (somewhat reluctant) help in tracking down th...

Review: The Truth about Celia Frost by Paula Rawsthorne Published by Usborne Challenge: BBC, DAC Source: Signed proof copy picked up at the Truth about Celia Frost book launch at the London Book fair Celia Frost is a freak. At least that's what everyone thinks. Her life is ruled by a rare disorder that means she could bleed to death from the slightest cut, confining her to a gloomy bubble of safety". No friends. No fun. No life. But when a knife attack on Celia has unexpected consequences, her mum reacts strangely. Suddenly they're on the run. Why is her mum so scared? Someone out there knows - and when they find Celia, she's going to wish the truth was a lie - A buried secret; a gripping manhunt; a dangerous deceit: what is the truth about Celia Frost? A page-turning thriller that's impossible to put down. *** Paula's debut novel is absolutely amazing. I read this book in a matter of hours and loved every page. It is a cleverly sophistica...

 This week ws a quiet week for me bookwise but the ones I did get look fab Dangerous to know by Katy Moran (UK paperback) I haven't heard anything about this one but I am excited to give it a go. Trial by fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (UK paperback) I loved the first book and can't wait to get stuck into it soon. Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors (UK paperback) I saw this ages ago and was looking forward to it then. Sounds like a fab summery read. Keeping the moon by Sarah Dessen (US paperback) This was sent to me by my lovely blogging friend Clover. It'll be one of those ones I read over the summer holidays.

Ahhh Bookcases, the bain of my life right now. I'm in desperate need of another, only my house is so tiny I don't know where I would put it. I have seriously considered getting rid of essential pieces of furniture but I'm not sure how well that would go down with the rest of the household.  This is my 'big' bookcase which I squeezed into the corner of the living room, shoving the couch along as far as I could to get it in. This one contains mainly YA books, though there are a few adult ones tucked in there too. The pile to the side is my review book pile, which was under control not so long ago (eek) Here's a closer look. I don't have a set system really for books, other than keeping series/authors together and keeping Hardbacks and paperbacks separate. There's a mix of read and to be reads here, I don't keep them separate otherwise I'd have parts of series here and different authors there and that would bug me. One thing I do...