Review: Hidden

Review of Hidden

by Megg Jensen:

My Thoughts:

I don't know what to say about this book. Honestly, I am stuck for words. There was so many aspects of this that I really enjoyed but it just wasn't that good. Well, it was just... ugh! It was good but there was a lot that didn't work at the same time. I can see why many people didn't enjoy this yet at the same time I cannot honestly say I didn't enjoy it... Lets set this out then. The bad? The pacing was a little sketchy. The beginning was a little tedious, and while I understand that there was a lot of information and word-building required to introduce us into the fantasy would, a little action would have been nice. Towards the end though the pacing was way too fast. The battles were a tad too rush and too much drama conspired within a couple of chapters. It needed more time to develop. One thing that particularly bugged me was the fact that we literally got to know nothing about the dragon lore of this fantasy world, yet it is one of the most important aspects of the story. Why haven't we been told more about them? Where do they come from? What can they do? How does the "shifting" work? Is it a hereditary ability or what? My brain is spinning with the possibilities... Also the romance wasn't that great. While I loved Bastian and Tressa as a couple I didn't appreciate the way the love triangle was handled. It made me feel conflicted and I didn't like that. Vinya didn't deserve loyalty but she didn't deserve betrayal either. I just hate cheating! The good? I think the best part of this book was how unique the storyline was. Originality is something highly sought in the young adult genre as it seems to becoming a rather rare quality. The concept of having a village entirely cloaked in a impenetrable wall of fog is bloody genius! There was so much potential with the idea and I felt Megg Jensen definitely used it all. Tressa and the other characters were all developed out nicely. I admired Tressa's bravery and determination and Leo's loyalty. Really there wasn't anything to fault character-wise. In the end, I quite enjoyed this book. It wasn't literary genius but it had a lot of good parts and I eagerly await the sequel. Note: a copy was provided courtesy of Megg Jensen and All Night Books, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. No compensation was given or taken during this process.

Details:

First Line: Sophia woke to the sharp piercing cry of an infant.

Series: Dragonlands #1

Publication: December 20th 2013 by 80 Pages

Source: Netgalley

3.5 stars

Top Ten Tuesday #9

This week topic is:-

Top Ten Books To Read  To Get In The Halloween Spirit

This is a weekly event created by The Broke and the Bookish where bloggers post a new "Top Ten" list for the particular week's topic. This week topic is in no particular order.

Slight Change to Top Ten Horror/Thriller Books on my TBR List

Australians don't actually celebrate Halloween. Its quite a weird festival anyway and I cannot say I like it - no offence to Americans! Its just an American thing that I don't feel like we should copy.

   1. A Monster Calls (Patrick Ness)

Nightmares coming to life? This sounds intriguing! I have heard so much buzz about it and nothing but compliments.

2. Devil Let Me Go (Nathan Robinson) 

I really loved Nathan Robinson's Starers so I really want to give this one a go too.

3. Ten (Gretchen McNeil)

The cover and description reminds me of the television program show Alcatraz. The premise sounds so creepy and amazing. Definitely high on my TBR and wishlist lists!

4. The Name of the Star (Maureen Johnson) 

A Jack the Ripper retelling? Colour me intrigued already.

5. Dark Places (Gillian Flynn)

I read but didn't enjoy Gone Girl so I am hoping that this will be better. It is supposedly gritty, raw and quite "filthy". A perfect thriller for this time of year.

6. In the Shadows of Blackbirds (Cat Winters)

One of the highest rated book among my GR friends. Everyone loves this one. Definitely need to pick it up. Plus look at the cover! *shivers* I love it though.

 7. Mice (Gordon Reece)

This book has been on my radar for ever and ever. I cannot believe I still haven't read it...

 8. Miss Peregine's Home for Peculiar Children (Ransom Riggs)

A weird one, I know, but it looks interesting. I love the cover.

9. Doll Bones (Holly Black)

This book sounds right u my alley. I am not a huge fan of horror at the best of times but middle grade horror is always so well done.

 10. Thirteen (Tom Hoyle)

Love the sound of this but I am going to be honest and say that this only got my attention because it is one of the coolest looking books I have ever seen. The spine is yellow and has all this black text on it. I adore it!

Review: Lost & Found

Review of Lost & Found

by Brooke Davis:

 

 

My Thoughts:

 

DNF 40%

I am always the girl in the minority. Why? I just don't seem to like any of the well-loved books that everyone else does - or I love the book that everyone despises like The Brokenhearted. One day I'll get it right... but today isn't that day.

Lost & Found was recommended to me by Connie at Dillons - the supervisor of the book shop where I did my work experience a couple of months ago. It was one of the most best-selling books of the week and I was the one that designed the window display for it. Connie couldn't stop talking about this book, recommending it over and over again. I just don't understand why...

This book is weird. I don't mean its like a Roald Dahl book, I mean more like a David Almond weird. There writing style was practically verse but not quite. The sentences were short. The metaphors weird and abstract. The writing was just like Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

- another book that was so "weird" that I couldn't get into it.

I really regret that I wasn't able to adore this book like so many other people have but it just wasn't for me. I don't cope with this style of writing and I was struggling far too much to be able to enjoy it.

Note: a copy was provided courtesy of Brooke Davis and Dutton/Penguin Group, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review. No compensation was given or taken during this process.

 

Details:

 

 Series: none

Publication: January 27th 2015 by Dutton Adult

Source: Edelweiss

 

 

One dandelion

Sunday Overview #4

This is a weekly (well, I try to make it weekly...) post that I put on to let you know what's been happening recently and what I have planned out for the following week.

 

This week has been a rather eventful one - again! I have so much homework to do it is driving me crazy. The end of the year is always bad but this year it the worst so far! I have assignments and due dates spinning win my head. Plus some annoying personal dramas. Add that to my recent holiday - that left me two weeks without wifi - I have to say that I feel a little out of it.

Hopefully I will redeem this quickly though and sink back into routine.

   

 

What's been happening the last two weeks?

Cover Reveals: A Different Kind of Fine and Uncross the Stars

Top Ten Tuesday #1: Top Places Books Have Made Me Want to Visit

Tags/Challenges:  The Book Blogger Memory Tag
My apology post


 

 

Reviews:

 

Project Firebird

 

 

Read (including reviewed book/s above):

 

What Books Did I Pick Up?:

Normally this is where I would talk about this week's book haul but seeing as I haven't done one in ages and I will be posting my October wrap-up post on Friday, I am going to leave this for now. 


What's coming up next week?

Monday: Lost & Found review (27th)
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday #2 (28th)
Wednesday: Waiting on Wednesday #5 (29th)
Thursday: Tag Thursday (30th)
Friday: October Wrap-Up (31st)
Saturday: Undetermined review or surprise post

Reviews:
Lost & Found
Hidden (hopefully) 

What I Plan on Reading:
Hidden by Megg Jensen (finishing)
Runination by Amanda Thorne

 

Cover Reveal: Uncross the Stars

Cover Reveal of Uncross the Stars:

 

Title: Uncross the Stars

Series: none
 

Author: Janell Rhiannon 
Cover Design: Mae I Design

 

Date of Release: To be advised

 

Genres: young adult, romance

 

Links:   Goodreads

 

 

 

 

Description:

 

Fiona Lavender is the new girl at school. She has a chip on her shoulder and a pension for poetry. Dario Martinez is the star quarterback, and the most unattainable guy on campus. Their stars cross when they are paired to study Romeo and Juliet for a senior English project. Their connection is fragile and undeniable. But, Dario is afraid of what love will do; and Fiona is waiting for love to claim her.
Will they uncross the stars and find the love they both need to heal their pasts?
 

About The Author:
  

 Janell has been writing since she was in primary school. In high school, her year 9 English teacher suggested she consider a career in writing. After a decade in college and a Master's degree in history, she settled into teaching.

Writing never stopped. Stories never stopped. Reading fiction never stopped. Now, she writes and publishes online. Invisible Wings is her first YA novel, a compilation of short stories centred on teenage life triumphs and tragedies. She believes being a teenager is difficult and wrote Invisible Wings to let teens know they aren't alone. That they matter. That even though life is rough, they can still find beauty and love.

Beside the YA stories close to her heart, she adores mythology and fairytales. Anything magical and mystical. And dragons. And gargoyles.

She currently lives in CA.
 

Author Links:
 

Twitter  | Website  | Goodreads  | Facebook 

Apologies!

 

Apologies!!!

 

This post if practically an apology to all my followers. I have been inactive for this last two weeks for a number of reasons - school and some personal stuff mainly. Everything has been sorted out now though so there is no reason to worry.

 

Unfortunately all the post I had scheduled for the time I was away for didn't  actually post...

 

I know, I know. I am so sorry! I feel awful that I didn't even have the time to check for comments, let alone check to make sure everything was actually working! I cannot believe I left everything so empty for that time.

 

Again, I apologise and want to say that I am extra sorry to everyone that had organised book blitzes, cover reveals or review spotlights with me for that time frame. I honest to God thought I had it all worked out.

 

I will be attempting to catch everything I missed out. That means lots of extra post this week, including double Top Ten Tuesdays, Waiting on Wednesdays and cover reveals!

 

All I can say is I am extremely sorry and I hope we can all get back into routine. I hope your holiday break went well (all my Aussie friends), its time to get back into the schooling routine. Dammit! :)

The Book Blogger Memory Challenge

 

The Book Blogger Memory Challenge

 

A fun and easy challenge. Simply answer the questions below to the best of your knowledge. The only rule is you have to do this off the top of your head - no searching on the internet or checking your shelves etc. Lets see how many I can do...

 

Here I go!

 

 

 

One - Machine Wars (Michael Pryor)

 

Two - Hidden (Megg Jensen)

 

Three - There is a character called George in the Laws of Magic series, but he isn't the narrator so I don't know if it counts...

 

Four - This is What Happy Looks Like (Jennifer E. Smith)

 

Five - All I Ever Wanted (Vikki Wakefield)

 

Six - January (Gabrielle Lord)

 

Seven - Heir of Fire? I think there is a girl holding a knife on the cover - if I remember right!

 

Eight - One Moment (Kristina McBride)

 

Nine - Shoot, I don't know what "eponymous" is... *blushes*

Okay, okay, I looked it up and it means "being the person after whom a literary work, film, etc, is named". Does Harry Potter count then? I am going with that.

 

Ten - Pft! What kind of "challenge" is that? We could all sit here and rattle off about 100 book-movie adaptions, couldn't we? I think a better question would have been: "Which YA books are not being turned into movies at the moment?!" I'll just go with my favourite one: Catching Fire (Suzanne Collins).

 

*******

 

I didn't do too bad, did I? How did you go? Link me below to your own challenges or comment what you would have picked.

Top Ten Tuesday #8

This week topic is:-

Top Places Books Have Made Me Want to Visit

 

This is a weekly event created by The Broke and the Bookish where bloggers post a new "Top Ten" list for the particular week's topic. This week's list is in no particular order and I have decided to change it  all little. I am only going to be listing "real" places - as in countries or cities etc. that exist in our world today - instead of being either fictional or real.

 

1. The Infernal Devices series (Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Princes and Clockwork Princess)

 

These books are set in London in 1878 during the Victorian times. It is one of my all-time favourite settings and - even though the times were rather sexist and a wearing a corset would be horrid - I would give anything to have grown and lived there.

 

 2- 3. Anna and the French Kiss & Isla and the Happily Ever After (Stephanie Perkins)
Point Blanc (Anthony Horowitz)
and many more for France...

 

Stephanie Perkin's two books are set in Paris and it has made me anxious to visit France. I love their language and have always wanted to learn but these books reminded me of how much I adore their culture. Definitely made me want to visit Paris and the rest of France.

Point Blanc is also set in France (for part of it) and the mountain scenes in that sounded beautiful. I would love to travel there!

 

4- 5. Skulduggery Pleasant series and the Holder series

 

Both of these series are set in Ireland and I loved reading about somewhere new. There aren't a lot of books set there and its such a pretty country with a rich history - I think its a bit underrated but definitely a country I plan on visiting.

 

 

 6. Venom (Fiona Paul)

 

This is set in olden time Venice in Italy and the setting is simply gorgeous. The canals and rivers and bridges and old buildings and everything sounds beautiful. I have a friend who is actually vacationing in Italy at the moment too and she agreed. Again, definitely only be travel bucket list.

 

7. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)

I talk about this book in practically every post don't I? It sure feels like it anyway. Regardless, the setting in this is once again very inspiring. I don't know if Japan is still similar to this as it is actually historical fiction but I would still love to visit.

 

  

8. Unearthly (Cynthia Hand)

 

I know this may seem like a weird one but I clearly remember Clara (the protagonist) and how she learnt to ski in this. I am a huge winter lover and have wanted nothing more than to travel to the snow - we don't get snow where I live as it never gets cold enough. This book always reminds me of snow...

 

9. The Fault in our Stars (John Green)

 

I don't want to spoil this for future readers but Hazel and Augustus travel to a city I would really love to visit.

 

 

10. This place isn't thanks to a particular book because about 80% of books are set there:- America! How can I not travel to the United States!?

Review: Project Firebird

Project Firebird (Firebird #1) by Nick Green

 

 
Title: Project Firebird

Series: Firebird, #1

Author: Nick Green

 

Published: Pashki; 2014

230 pages, kindle edition

 

Source: Author (through Goodreads)

 
Rating: 4 stars
 
First Line:- Everyone was here for a reason, weren't they?

 

Description:

How do you save the world when it’s already too late?

Don’t ask Leo Lloyd-Jones. Ask him how to steal a car, or why he got excluded from every school in Salford, but don’t come to him for help. This whole thing must be a daft mistake – and if anyone finds out, he’s done for.

Earth is on a deadly collision course that nothing can prevent. The only real hope is Project Firebird, deep inside a blast-proof bunker that shelters the brightest and bravest young people. Leo has got mixed up with the likes of Rhys Carnarvon, the celebrated teenage polar explorer, and other child prodigies chosen to kick-start a new civilisation.

There’s also the streetwise Paige Harris, a girl Leo likes a lot (but not in that way). Paige is desperate to rescue her little sister from London before the catastrophe strikes. But no-one is crazy enough to try that. Almost no-one.

Leo is about to find out why he’s here.

My Thoughts:

How many times have we read a dystopian book set in a post-apocalyptic word? The characters are forced into survival mode and struggle against the problems of this "new world". We only hear about what happen to cause all this through them. What about getting to experience the world ending in front of us? How many times have we got to read about apocalypse happening right now? For me that answer is never, which is one of the biggest reason I loved this book so much. I have never read anything like it before and originality is something the genre of dystopian tends to lack. The characters were also a highlight. I really liked our protagonist, Leo. He was funny, smart and very realistic. Paige and Skye's sisterly bond was so cute and Skye was hilarious. Summer and Rhys were also great characters - as was everyone really. Their were no faults character-wise. As I have mentioned above, the plot is what made it though. It wasn't as action-packed as I would have thought it would be but there were some great moments. Action wasn't really necessary in the end anyway. What really worked for me is how realistic I found it. The character's reactions were spot on. The right amount of panicking, cool collectedness and confusion. Overall, I really enjoyed this. It was definitely one of the best dystopians I have read this year and I am eager for the sequel now to see what is going to happen to Joe and his friends. Note: a copy was provided courtesy of Nick Green through the YA Buddy Readers' Corner group in exchange for an honest review. No compensation was given or taken during this process.

Cover Reveal: A Different Kind of Fine

Cover Reveal of A Different Kind of Fine:

 

Title: A Different Kind of Fine

Series: Twelve Beats In A Bar #1.5
 

Author: K.K. Hendin
Cover Design: Icey Designs

 

Date of Release: November, 2014

 

Genres: new adult, contemporary

 

Links:   Goodreads

 

 

Note: The official blurb/description of A Different Kind of Fine has not yet been finalised. A later edit will be made to include this when it is completed. Watch back here for the update.

 

^^24/10/14: Description has been released and added.

 

Description:

Hayley’s finally come back to Texas, and seeing her is everything Nate dreamed it would be. But four years apart means that everything has changed between them, and all the things that broke them up in high school have come back to haunt them.

Nate’s barely recovered from the explosion that lost his leg, part of his eyesight, and his entire squad. Being able to spend a week back in Leland was supposed to help him recover, yet all it has done is make everything worse. Everything still seems like a threat, nothing is safe, and Nate’s nightmares are only getting worse. His survivor’s guilt is crippling him, and ruining his relationship with Hayley. He loves her more than anything, but she deserves more than a broken man slowly losing his mind.

Being with Nate again is all Hayley’s wanted for the past four years. But reality isn't exactly like her dreams. Nate’s fighting demons he brought home with him from Afghanistan, and Hayley’s scared that she’s not enough to help him fight them. When an unexpected ice storm and road trip stumble into their Christmas plans, Hayley and Nate are both forced to face their pasts and the unknown future.

It’s a love story that has spanned five years, over seven thousand miles, and countless YouTube videos, and it all boils down to a seven hour road trip. 

About The Author:
 

KK Hendin's real life ambition is to become a pink fluffy unicorn who dances with rainbows. But the schooling for that is all sorts of complicated, so until that gets sorted out, she'll just write. Preferably things with angst and love. And things that require chocolate.

She spends way too much time on Twitter and rambles on occasion over at www.kkhendinwrites.blogspot.com.

 

Author Links:
 

Twitter  | Website  | Goodreads  | Facebook