2011... wow that went quick!

So, it’s the very last day of 2011, where the hell did the last year go?! I wanted to just do a quickie post on my past year and what’s in store for 2012, it won’t take long I promise!

So 2011 was the year that this little blog started out. On 28^th January 2011 I decided that tumblr wasn’t the best place to post reviews and moved everything over here, this was urged on by a couple of lovely bloggers who I had spoken to through tumblr. Little did I know that setting up my blogger blog, and actually using the twitter account Id already had for the best part of a year, I would make so many more lovely friends and talk to some awesome people!

I started out talking to and following some awesome book bloggers who gave me so much confidence in what I was doing, Alex from Alex Eatsbooks, Marcie from To Read or Not To Read and Pam (Bookalicious) were really kind and whilst talking to them I got to know more of you guys, it was a great time.

The more confident I became in blogging really came out in my real life too and as the year progressed I managed to meet some awesome people. I’m generally not a very social person, I have my small group of friends and that’s that, but in June I was invited to go to Manchester and meet up with Vicky from Heaven Hell and Purgatory,  Cait from the Cait Files, Vicki from  Comacalm and the author Keris Stainton. I was so excited to finally meet some of the people Id talked to online and Keris was the first author Id met too so I was even more excited about that! We had fun and chatted books all afternoon and I loved every second. I’ve since met up with Keris a few more times and she’s awesome! I recommend chatting to her on twitter if you don’t already!

The success of that meet up in Manchester urged me to take up an offer of meeting Mary Hooper in the Bloomsbury office in London in September. I’ve only been to London twice before this, once I was 12 and we stayed on a boat or a coach for the majority of the trip and the other in 2010 with my awesome boyfriend. I’d never made the trip before by myself, never got the train there and only been on the underground a few times... so I was pretty nervous! Thankfully the train journey went real smooth and the ever awesome Laura aka Sisterspooky; book fangirl was there to greet me and be my guide! I am indebted to her as she really did take this northern nOOb under her wing and kept me company the entire day. That day was awesome and I managed to meet up with lots of cool people who I'd spoken to online; Viv from Serendipity Reviews, Sarah from Feeling Fictional, Carly from Writing from the Tub, Becky from the Bookette and many others! I had such a good day and I can’t wait to do it all again for the Celia Rees event in February! (Yes I’m crazy; it’s a 6 hour round trip for the day!)

I have to say that being part of the blogging community is usually fantastic anyway but in August when I turned 23 I honestly don’t think I’ve ever had so many people wish me a happy birthday, it felt so special and like I was part of a huge big family! That really made my day.

So 2011 wasn’t a crazy year for me, it was a laid back fun year and not much happened but I loved it all the same. I became part of a fantastic community and met some amazing people. I really hope 2012 has more of the same!

Talking about 2012, there’s a few things I want from the blog and my life in the coming year...

I want to stop being so OCD about my blog; at the moment I feel like I need to post every day, I get worried when there’s a gap and yet I don’t mind gaps in blogs I follow. Therefore my aim is 4 reviews a week and an IMM, sometimes maybe not even one of those! I hope you will all love and still read my blog all the same if there’s not something on it every day.

I also want a bit more to be included. I sometimes have things I want to talk about that I don’t cause this is a book blog. I might include a few bits about bands and TV shows and films in here once in a while. It won’t be much but just a little bit, I hope that’s ok.

Finally I want to meet more people and have more fun. I loved meeting up with people in 2011 and there’s so many of you guys I still haven’t met up with, Emma the wonderful Book Angel, Lyndsey, Vicky’s partner in crime from Heaven, Hell and Purgatory and Michelle from Fluttering Butterflies are at the top of my list, these ladies are truly awesome and twitter wouldn’t be the same without them!

Anyway; I’ve babbled enough. I should probably go and dry my hair and go out, but I’m so lazy! I hope you all have a great new years eve tonight, no matter what you’re doing and if I don’t talk to you on twitter before hand,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

India Dark – Kirsty Murray

“Daisy opened her mouth and lies flew out. Her face so pink and white, her lips so plump and sweet, her lies so vile. I had to cover my ears. I shut my eyes too, wanitng to block out the courtroom, to neither see nor hear the evil. The men in black gowns, the crowd of newspaper reporters, the swirling fans, Eliza weeping, Mr Arthur and his pale face, Daisy and her lies. Everything.”

Its 1910. Poesy Swift has been travelling for nearly a year with the Percival Lilliputian Opera Company. But it hasn’t all been plain sailing. After arriving in India the company was in trouble right from the shore and Mr Arthur Percival hasn’t been the most respectful man. One terrible disataer after another and with money running short tempers get hot and the children are caught up in problems they never thought they would encounter. What can Poesy and the other boys and girls do to protect themselves and who will get hurt along the way?

***

India Dark is based on a real life story that Kirsty came across years ago. She  was offered an essay from an Australian theatre historian and was told that a childrens story hhad to be written about the events. This is quite possibly the reason why I was so enamoured with the story that ran through India Dark and why I just had to keep turning the page even though tea was burning and there was presents to open this Christmas!

The story was fascinating. It starts with Poesy running out of the courtroom in 1910 and then goes back nearly a year to Poesy meeting tilly and getting her place within the Company. I love it when you get a snippet of the future story like that in books and with India Dark it made me want to read as fast as I could so I knew how thechildren ended up in the courtroom in the first place! The story was deeply sad and moving in places, it was a story of loss of innocence, of being an Australian child in the early 1900’s, of friendship and of loneliness. It was a moving story about a group of children thrust into an adults lifestyle and what can happen in that sort of environment. I don’t want to say too much because I really don’t want to give much of the story away but it was brilliant!

The front of mycopy of the book, an ARC, had a “cast” list, with the names of characters, their ages and in what I believe to be, order of importance to the story. This really helped because there were many characters mentioned and with similar names, for the first 100 pages or so I was flipping back and forth trying to remember who was who but I soon worked it out thanks to that list! I loved the way it was designed the way a theatre programme would be too, that was a great touch. The main characters were Poesy and Till, the story was told from their alternating points of view, but not chapter by chapter like many books are told... sometimes it was two chapters from tilly then one from Poesy and back to Tilly... but other times it was a few from one of the girls then a few from the other. I really didnt find this confusing at all because the chapters had their headings then the name of which girls perspective it was. However after a while I stopped reading them because the voices were that much different I could tell which girl it was meant to be!

They were both brilliant characters but for very different reasons. It was fascinating to get both their perspectives as Poesy was still so innocence whereas Tilly was obviously quite in touch with the world around her and thought herself very grown up. I did find Tilly a bit bossy and a bit in love with herself but I understand completely why she did the things she did... more so than why Poesy did the things she did!

The other characters were brilliant written too and had such a presence on the page that I could picture them perfectly. Mr Arthur was the right amount of evil yet charm, and Eliza was the perfect hot headed 18 year old who believe everything she thought was right. Charlie was by far my favourite character and his magic tricks never failed to put a smile on my face.

India Dark really gives a mixed sense of emotions... its sad, with some characters dying and horrible things happening to others, yet with beautiful, happy events too. It was so well written that you can be nearly crying on one page and trying not to laugh out loud on the next. I really love the theatre background to this book and even thought I’m a relative newcomer to historical fiction, Kirsty Murray is another author who makes me want to go and read up on this passage in time and geek up on the events! I really recommend India Dark to any historical fiction or theatre nut you know!

India Dark is the most recent in a list of historical YA from Kirsty Murray and will be released on January 1^st from Templar. My copy was received in exchange for an honest review... please come back on January 13^th for my stop on the India Dark blog tour.

Goodreads | Amazon

My best books of 2011 part 2: June - Dec

Ok so, I did a post back in June highlighting my favourite books of 2011 so far... and I thought it was only fair to do another top ten for June - December for you guys, naturally, so even thought this is REALLY hard here goes....

Jessie <3's NYC - Keris Stainton

Jessie was an amazing story of love and realisation about the world. I loved the aspect of growing up and seeing your parents as their own beings and this book had to be included in my top ten of June - December just for Chapter 20... Keris knows I think that chapter is one of the best ever written! I am also lucky enough to have met Keris a few times this year and those meetings have been a brilliant highlight of the year too, I love that I have an author who I can quite happily call a friend!  (my review is here)

Shadows on the Moon - Zoe Marriott

This was my second Zoe Marriott book and I've since read my third and I cant wait for my fourth next year. I am in love Zoe's writing and there's an obviously reason for her being in both top tens for 2011... She's a fantastic writer and has a way with words that just makes you melt into the world she's created. I recommend Zoe's books to EVERYONE and even bought my sister a copy of The Swan Kingdom for Christmas! (review here)

Divergent - Veronica Roth

Does this need an explanation really? EVERYONE that I know has read this book has loved it and with good reason. Its one of the best Dystopians there is and I kicked myself for not reading it sooner! In the recent poll that Goodreads carried out this book was ranked as best book of 2011, not just in teen fiction, in all books! That made me so happy! (Review here)

Pink - Lili Wilkinson

If you remember earlier in the year I wrote a very ranty post about the UK/Aus cover of this book, the pink one to the left. Well I ended up buying that cover even though I wanted the US Hardback cover and it really didn't matter in the end because the cover doesn't make the book... the book was FANTASTIC and answered a lot of questions that a lot of teens can encounter in those hideous years and every second I read this book I wished it had been out when I was a teen! You may also remember that Scatterheart by this author was on my first top ten of the year... that's because she's INCREDIBLE and I cant believe these two books which were so different were written so amazingly well by the same person! she did good!  (review)

Revolution - Jennifer Donnelly

This was a amazingly written, brilliant story that mixed contemporary and historical fiction so, so well. I couldnt put this book down and it also threw in awesome bits about music that just made it blow my mind. I was lucky enough to meet Jennifer and she's a lovely, lovely person and I was in total awe of her! I really recommend Revolution to everyone! (review here)

Forbidden - Tabitha Suzuma

This is one of those books which you really need an open mind about... its main theme is incest and I know it has put SO many people off... it put me off a little bit but I knew I just had to read it to see how it was done! I'm so glad I did because it was a brilliant book and the way it was written really made me question the world we live in and the lives that the characters had. I wont lie and say this book is for everyone but I honestly think that most people should give it a chance. (review)

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour - Morgan Matson

As you my well know if you read my blog a lot, I love stories with lots about music in them. I loved this one for its education in music and the story itself about travelling across the US with a guy you hardly know after your father has gone and your mother is expecting you to be ok was just brilliant. I loved Amy and Roger both and the writing was brilliant. I have Morgan Matson's next book on my wishlist just waiting for it to be snapped up over here and to preorder it! (review)

Struts and Frets - Jon Skovron

Yet another one which is all about music, well I say all... theres other aspects to this book and I think they all combined to make a fantastic story. I loved that this is a story focussed around a guy and that doesnt happen so much in YA so it made an already great story bloody awesome! (review here) 

Wonder - RJ Palacio

This shouldn't technically be here... it doesn't come out until March 2012 and I was kindly sent a copy by Emma from Book Angels Booktopia... it wasn't her kind of book and she knew I wanted to read it so wahey! This is a beautifully moving story about a young boy who has a facial deformity and his first year at school, he is ten by the time he starts school and has a lot to deal with but it takes points of view from him, his friends and his sister which made the story even more special! I urge everyone to read this book and my review for it will be up in the next month or so! 

Naked - Kevin Brooks

another music one.. you starting to see a theme? This book made me want to go back to 1979 and live my life there and then! It was amazing and mind blowing and just wow! I couldn't not love it! all about the punk movement and what that brought about for people it really opens your eyes to what life was like - and in my case what my mother in law got up to - in the late 70s!! (review)

Dark Parties - Sara Grant

and finally... I only read this the week before Christmas, just before it came out... so its a very late 2011 addition to my own and many others' bookshelves! If you have ever read 1984 and loved it, along with any other dystopians this is the book for you. It is set in a world which is covered by a protectosphere and the inhabitants are adults at 16. they are given jobs and told to work them, get married and have children, as early as possible! Its a frightening concept and one I could see happening... which made for an excellent book!! (review)

Oops, thats eleven isn't it, Sorry! I tried, I really tried to narrow it down to 10 but you have to remember that since June Ive read like 100 books so I think I did well... thought theres a few others that should be in this list like Tom Clempson's One Seriously Messed-up Week, Swin the Fly by Don Calame, Cornelia Funke Inkheart, The Swan Kingdon by Zoe Marriott, Daughter of Smoke and Bone... I really could go on! Ive read some AMAZING books in the past 6 months!

The Court Painters Apprentice – Richard Knight

“Take a look in the mirror.

What do you see? A nose that’s not too large, or skin marked with freckles like paint splashes from a brush? Perhaps eyes that seem sunken and dark, an expression of gloom baked hard on the mouth? Whatever you see, staring at your reflection for too long is rarely a comfortable experience for all but the fairest of us.”

Johann is just a young boy of 11 when Hugo, a master court painter, spots his talent. A small innkeeper’s son sketching and painting are his only pleasures in life and Huge believe he can go far through them. Taking Johann on as an apprentice, Hugo gives him the knowledge and skills he needs to take his place at the guild as a master painter when he is a man. But what neither of them realise is that there’s something more to Johann’s work… his abilities stretch further than just being able to paint a person, he can possibly change their lives.

***

When I saw the summary of this book I thought it sounded really interesting. I like book that feature art as a major subject even though I’m not in any way artistic myself! The Court Painters Apprentice seemed like a fun, historic, artsy book that I could just pick up quickly one day, and it was… but it was also so much more than that too.

I loved the storyline, the young apprentice grows into a man in front of your eyes and learns so much about himself, life and his abilities. He has the abilities to alter people’s lives through his work, which is a huge part of the story and is given away in the summary but it doesn’t actually matter cos this book is about the outcomes of that, where that gets him and the writing is brilliant due to what the book reveals itself to be.

I don’t want to give too much away but I will say that reading this reminded me a lot of Chris Priestley’s work, the description and the feel of the story was brilliant. My only downside was that it was a bit difficult to get into, the first around 60 pages were slow for me, which isn’t brilliant as my copy only actually had 172 pages! But I could tell that this one was going somewhere, somewhere good so I wanted to carry on!

The characters are lovely and wonderful and exactly what youd expect from a middle grade book. You had the shy girl, the parental figures and the extremely likeable main character but you also get some baddies and some points which make you question characters motives and things like that.

I really would recommend this to any 10+ kid, especially one who appreciates art and painting. The only reason I wouldn’t go younger with my recommendation is because later in the book Johann is around 17, as far as I could work out, and goes drinking in taverns… not that he gets drunk or anything but still!

The Court Painters Apprentice is Richard Knight’s second MG novel. It will be released on January 1^st by Catnip Publishing. Thank you to the publisher for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review! 

Goodreads | Amazon

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas everyone! 

I hope you like my tree and don't mind that T has found his way onto my blog! I wont be around for the next couple of days. I probably wont even be on twitter tomorrow because I always believe that Christmas is the time for families... growing up it was the one day of the year that my mum and dad didn't work so it was very special, and I want it to continue being special by doing absolutely nothing but opening presents, watching TV and eating tomorrow!

So I hope everyone has a lovely Christmas and Santa brings you what you want. I will be back next week sometime, possibly Tuesday or Wednesday.

Dear Santa... On My Wishlist (#28)

On My Wishlist is a weekly meme brought to you by Book Chick City, its a chance for you to drool over all those books from the past, present or future which you cant wait to get your hands on! 

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The Sea Swallow - Gareth Thompson 

Foxtail (July 2011)

Amazon summary: 

When Mary's father the fisherman is killed in a storm, Mary uncovers a terrible war between land and sea. To save her town from being swallowed by the waves, Mary must face the wild water that took her father and go on a journey like no other.

***

Blankets - Craig Thompson

Top Shelf Productions (Aug 2003)

Goodreads Summary: 

Wrapped in the landscape of a blustery Wisconsin winter, Blankets explores the sibling rivalry of two brothers growing up in the isolated country, and the budding romance of two coming-of-age lovers. A tale of security and discovery, of playfulness and tragedy, of a fall from grace and the origins of faith.

***

Lost at Sea - Brian Lee O'Malley

Oni Press (May 2005) 

Goodreads Summary:

Raleigh doesn't have a soul. A cat stole it - or at least that's what she tells people - or at least that's what she would tell people if she told people anything. But that would mean talking to people, and the mere thought of social interaction is terrifying. How did such a shy teenage girl end up in a car with three of her hooligan classmates on a cross-country road trip? Being forced to interact with kids her own age is a new and alarming proposition for Raleigh, but maybe it's just what she needs - or maybe it can help her find what she needs - or maybe it can help her to realize that what she needs has been with her all along.

***

So Santa, I've been a very good girl this year and my family and friends all say I have too many books so they aren't getting me any... I hope you find this list and send me something from it. I love graphic novels and haven't read even of them so the two on this list would be awesome. 

Also the Sea Swallow sounds like an amazing book, full of wonder and amazement, there's a development going on up the road from me and they are integrating images and the storyline form this book into the seafront there, that's how I came across the book!! 

I hope everyone else gets everything they want and need from Santa this year but just remember to have a good time and spend the holiday season with those you love and Im sure it'll be awesome even if you don't!! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Dark Parties – Sara Grant

“I’m standing in the dark, not the gentle grey of dusk or the soft black of a moonlit night but pitch black. My heart batters my ribs like a bird beating its wings against a glass cage. I wave my hand in front of my hand in front of my face. I can’t see it. I never knew it could be so dark. My edges are merging with the inky blackness around me. My dad would finally be proud of me. I’ve blended in.”

In a world were most people are the same or very similar and the sky is a giant electrocuting sphere Neva feels restrained. She has been brought up knowing that the world inside the protectosphere is everything, there’s is nothing outside, not since The Terror. The government try and make everyone believe that within the Protectosphere is the best place to be, but the population is dwindling and they need youngsters to get married and have babies… But Neva has noticed something, she’s keeping a list of everyone she knows who have gone missing; people like her grandma, people who others don’t even acknowledge existed.  When Neva digs deeper she starts learning about more about the world around her, the people in her life and the world that she never knew existed.

***

When I picked up Dark Parties I fell straight into the story and found it so difficult to put down, I kept wanting to read just one more page, which you know turns into two or three more at least! I was so engaged in the story that I just couldn’t stop thinking about it.

We get thrown into the story straight away, meeting our protagonist in a pitch black room in her own home throwing a “dark party” with her friends. Neva and Sanna, Neva’s best friend, decided to throw the party to raise their rebellion to the government further, to discuss things neither of them wanted to discuss in the light of day. We soon discover that there are things wrong with this ‘wonderful world’ within the protectosphere and that Neva and her friends want to do something about it. The story follows Neva on her mission to find out more about the world she lives in and the government which runs it.

I found the idea of the story fascinating; a world trapped in a sphere which is meant to make things better, keep the toxins and diseases out and the people in, but with nothing as idyllic as they seem. It totally sounded like my kind of book! I don’t really want to discuss much about the story because I want people to experience it for themselves; I don’t want to give too much away because it’s really incredible.

The characters were so intriguing, I understood Neva but wanted to learn more about Braydon, Sanna, Ethan and the other characters, and I warmed to the characters straight away, unless they were to be warmed to, I kept my distance from those I was meant to and Sara Grants writing really made the characters become friends and enemies.

Neva was a wonderful character; she had a wonderful link to her grandmother of which is rarely seen but totally believable. I think this was because of how young Neva was when her grandmother went missing, her grandmother was still an angel in her mind and the stories she was told were magical. I thought she was so strong and brave for what she does and she’s definitely the type of friend you need.

The boys in this story are interesting, both of them, Ethan and Braydon, I didn’t know what to think of either of them and what I did think turned out to be wrong. I didn’t trust either of them from the very beginning but I couldn’t place what it was. I know now at the end that I was right not to trust them but not for the reasons I thought. The story is full of twists and turns and they go right into the fabric of the characters.

I will say that parts of this story were predictable… I worked out exactly what Neva’s mum was like from the very start and had my theories about one of the major plot parts from early one... however with that major plot part… lets just say that the horror of it really didn’t match how it was already formed in my head, it was worse and crazier and I was probably gawping like a fish the entire time I was reading it. The action of the government in this book is just jaw-dropping and really honestly scary because I can actually see things like this happening in our future!

I would really recommend this book to anyone, I’ve already recommended it to quite a few people and I honestly don’t think you’ll be disappointed. It is yet another dystopian but the writing, the characters and the experiences within the story all make it stand alone from the others and I thought it was beautiful, amazing and heart-poundingly incredible from the start. 

Dark Parties is Sara Grants debut novel, it is released in the UK today by Indigo. My copy was sent to me in exchange of an honest review, thank you Indigo! 

Goodreads | Amazon

Letters from Father Christmas - JRR Tolkien

“To the Children of JRR Tolkien the interest and importance of Father Christmas extended beyond his filling of their stockings on Christmas Eve; for he wrote a letter to them every year, in which he described in words and pictures his house, his friends and the events, hilarious or alarming, at the North Pole. The first of the letters came in 190, when John, the eldest, was three years old; and for over twenty years, through the childhoods of the three other children, Michael, Christopher and Priscilla, they continued to arrive each Christmas.”

This collection of letters to the Tolkien Children shows the beautiful imagination and classical storytelling of JRR Tolkien. At first there was just Father Christmas and North Polar Bear, then over time the Christmas household grew to allow elves, gnomes and polar bear cubs. The letters from Father Christmas cover North Polar Bears amusing accidents, wars between Father Christmas and the horrible goblins in the North Pole and even go as far to talk about World War Two and poor children who don’t expect much for Christmas.

***

Letters to Father Christmas was both very cute and yet also very serious. I loved the passion that Tolkien obviously put into these letters to make his children happy but you can also see the sadness in the writing every time one of the children got too old to believe in the jolly old man writing the letters.

The tales that come from Father Christmas are brilliant, especially those involving North Polar Bears accidents… Polar bears little interruptions in the letters really amused me too. The tales of polar bear setting his fur alight and flooding the cellar were the best! Of course I don’t mean harm to come to polar bear but they had me in giggles. The pictures that accompanied the letters were brilliant and some of them were so full of detail, I could just stare at them for ages. Some of them weren’t great but Tolkien covered that in his letters, explaining the mishaps – blotting caused by Polar Bear spoiling the paper – and also some of the images of the letters themselves were great, I would never have been able to read that writing though so I’m surprised the Tolkien Children could!

The letters were so sweet, but I think some of the information in them was lost because of the lack of the letters the children sent to “Father Christmas” themselves. Father Christmas replied to the lists of presents wanted and the questions that the children sent to him so sometimes things didn’t quite make sense and I think the book could have really done with including some of the letters sent to Father Christmas. But I guess they might have been harder to get hold of!

I read this on the run up to Christmas to get me in the mood for the festive season and it really did, it filled my heart up with joy to know that the children obviously read these and believed that Father Christmas was sending the letters himself and the tales had me smiling so much. I probably looked like a fool sat around grinning to myself. The book isn’t very long but still really good and I was impressed that you don’t find much of Tolkien’s tendency for going overboard with description in this book – perhaps because the letters were aimed at the children…

I would recommend this to everyone because it is so cute, I thought before I read it that it might be good to read to children but I think it would have to be read and edited as some of the bits don’t really make sense without knowing what has been said in the children’s letters… Other than that though it really is a great festive tale!

Letters from Father Christmas was first published in 1976; my copy was published in 2009 by Harper Collins. The collection was edited by Baillie Tolkien, JRR Tolkiens daughter-in-law and was previously his secretary. My copy was a gift from my other half for Christmas in 2010.

Goodreads | Amazon UK

In My Mailbox (#36)

Ok, not sure how well this is going to work because I'm using my phone. I still don't have Internet but thankfully I get 3G on my phone! This weeks books are below, I'm sorry I haven't been looking at blogs but I'll catch up next week I promise!

For review:
BZRK - Michael Grant
Earthlings - Mark Fearing
Thank you to Edgemont and Abrams for these titles! Looking forward to them both!

Bought:
The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness
The Ask and The Answer - Patrick Ness
Monsters of Men - Patrick Ness
These were £6.99 for the set, I couldn't resist!

Gifted:
Inkspell - Cornelia Funke
Gimble
Me and my friends do secret Santa and my awesome friend Laura knew I wanted a hardback Inkspell to match my hardback Inkheart! She also knew I wanted a Gimble so thankfully she got me these awesome gifts!!! :D

On My Wishlist (#27)

On My Wishlist is a weekly meme brought to you by Book Chick City, its a chance for you to drool over all those books from the past, present or future which you cant wait to get your hands on! 

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Another quick one this week as Im doing this on my break at work on Thursday. We still havent got the internet at home so I really dont know what the blog will be like next week, it may be quiet! Anyway, here are my wishlist picks!! 

Harry Potter Hardback Signature Edition Boxset- JK Rowling

Bloomsbury (Nov 2011) 

Goodreads Sunnary: 

"HARRY POTTER BOXED SET 1-7 includes the seven phenomenal Harry Potter hardcover books by best selling author J. K. Rowling. These books are housed in a collectible trunk-like box with sturdy handles and privacy lock. Bonus decorative stickers are included in each boxed set."

***

Fairest of All: A Taleof the Wicked Queen - Serena Valentino

Disney Press (Aug 2009)

Goodreads Summary: 

"For anyone who’s seen Walt Disney’s Snow White, you’ll know that the Wicked Queen is one evil woman! After all, it’s not everyone who wants to cut out their teenage step-daughter’s heart and have it delivered back in a locked keepsake box. (And even if this sort of thing is a common urge, we don’t know many people who have acted upon it.)

Now, for the first time, we’ll examine the life of the Wicked Queen and find out just what it is that makes her so nasty. Here’s a hint: the creepy-looking man in the magic mirror is not just some random spooky visage—and he just might have something to do with the Queen’s wicked ways"

***

Love at First Click - Elizabeth Chandler

HarperTeen (May 2009)

Goodreads Summary: 

"I could no longer deny what the heat in my cheeks meant when I was around Flynn. I was falling for my sister's boyfriend.

There's just something about Flynn. Yes, he's a tall, unbelievably gorgeous, dark-haired football player, but . . . he's also sweet and nice and super easy to talk to. It's lucky I'm the photographer for the school paper, because my camera likes Flynn almost as much as I do. Unfortunately for me, so does my sister, and there's no way I can nab Flynn with her in the picture.

But could this be the real thing"

***

Thats my wishlist! Whats on yours? 

Non-Review Wonder - RJ Palacio

This is not a review, my review of this book will be coming in January because its not even out until March. However I had to give this book a shout out after I read it last week and fell in love. This book is so sweet, so beautiful and so heart-warming that I think everyone should read it; men, women, girls, boys, even monkeys! It is my mission to get everyone to read this book because I think it is one that needs to be read! I couldnt put it down and I felt so close to the characters that they were like my own family for the 300 odd pages I was with them! I'm going to put the goodreads summary below and hopefully you'll all go add it to your wishlists and pre-order it on Amazon!!

Goodreads: I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse. 

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances? 

R. J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels

Challenges for 2012

For 2012 I am partaking in a few challenges. The British Books challenge is always a great one, I took part in it in 2011 but kept forgetting to post links to my reviews but I am going to try my hardest to keep linking them up for 2012. I am also taking part in the Just Contemporary Challenge and the 2012 Debut Author Challenge. There are more about each of them below.

2012 British Author Challenge

This is a challenge to read 12 books by British Authors in the year. Last year I lost count at 20 and I only started the challenge late so I really think this wont be difficult, however the lovely Kirsty who is hosting the challenge has mentioned extra prizes for people who get over 50 British Author books! I'm not sure what I'll be reading at the minute but I'll update the page at the top of my blog as and when I've read them. For now here are a few books by awesome British authors that I will be reading!

1. Frostfire - Zoe Marriott
2. Emma Hearts LA - Keris Staintion
3. Kiss, Date, Love, Hate - Luisa Plaja 

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Just Contemporary Challenge 

This is hosted by the awesome Ashley at Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing and the challenge is to read more, more contemporary of any kind. There are two options, one is to sign up to read more contemp in general and the second is signing up to read more sub-genres of contemp. Im just going to go for option one and I will be aiming for 24 contemporary books.

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2012 Debut Author Challenge

This is hosted yearly by The Story Siren and I love the sound of it last year but I didn't sign up. I've decided to sign up this year and I cant wait to be a part of this. The aim is to read a minimum of 12 YA or MG books by debut authors between January 1st 2012 and January 31st 2013. Again I'll be updating the page above with debut authors read as I read them but I have no idea yet!

Thirteen Reasons Why – Jay Asher

“’Sir?’ she repeats ‘How soon do you want it to get there?’

I run two fingers, hard, over my left eyebrow. The throbbing has become intense. ‘It doesn’t matter’ I say.

The clerk takes the package. The same shoebox that sat on my porch less than twenty-four hours ago; rewrapped in a brown paper bag, sealed with clear packaging tape, exactly as I had received it. But now addressed with a new name. The next name on Hannah Baker’s list.”

When Clay Jensen picks up a package that’s been left on his porch, he doesn’t know what it contains, he doesn’t know its going to change his life, he doesn’t know he’s not the first to receive this same package and that he will be sending it on after hes listened to whats inside. Inside there are seven tapes, six with two sides to them and one with just side A. 13 sides with Hannah Baker’s voice recorded on them, for Clay to listen to, two weeks after she committed suicide. The tapes record Hannah’s 13 reasons why she killed herself, and Clay’s name is on one of the sides, but why?

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I knew this was going to be a powerful book, I’d seen a lot of mixed reviews for it, its one of those which works or doesn’t work depending on what you want from your book and I wanted this, exactly how it was and in all its twisted glory.

Hannah and Clay are the two main characters, in a way they are the only real characters. You only meet Tony and Clay’s mum in the book other than the people mentioned in Hannahs tapes or Clays memories and I loved the way it was told like this. The whole thing is split between Hannah’s tapes and Clays thoughts, with a tiny bit of dialogue between. I loved this and where other people have found this confusing, I thought the two narrative voices were so clear that I never found myself second guessing who’s point I was getting. I found the stop, pause and play buttons a really great addition to the book as well, especially to break away fully from Hannah’s story.

Although the story followed Clay and his reaction to finding the tapes and finding himself in the reasons why Hannah, this girl he felt very strongly for, killed herself, I did feel that Clay’s character was a little shallow. I would have liked to know more about him as a person, not just his crush on Hannah or his valedictorian hope, or his summer job, I wanted to know more and I didn’t get that but I guess with the depth of Hannah as a character that you get more than makes up for it. I was amazed at some of the things on the tape and because of the tapes I could picture Hannah, I knew her as a friend, I knew her thoughts and feelings and her true character… that’s what made this story so special. I wanted it to get to the end and Hannah be magically alive but it didn’t happen and I felt like I had lost a friend, even though she was lost from the start!

I literally couldn’t put this book down. I loved the way it was written and the way it flowed, I read it in three sittings and only then because I had to sleep and go to work! I needed to know Clays part in the story, I needed to know the other reasons why and I think I found most two of the stories mostly shocking and they are the final one, for obvious reasons and Zach Demspey’s story… I hated that story, I couldn’t believe that someone could do something so vindictive even though it seemed so trivial and small.. He made Hannah feel even more alone than she already felt for no reason and I very nearly cried when I was reading that story!

I think Thirteen Reasons Why brings up a lot of very valid points about teenagers and their struggles, about how the smallest, simplest things can have a snowball effect to change the way a person views themselves and how that change of feeling can change their actions. I really think this is a book that needs to be shouted about; it’s a book that teenagers need to read, so they know how their actions can change other people’s lives. I thought the whole book was shocking, and sad, and terrible but it was valid the whole way through and I would recommend it to anyone.

Thirteen Reasons Why was published in 2009 by Penguin in the UK. My copy was loaned to me by Steffi, thank you!

Goodreads | Amazon

Dream Bookish Destinations (#9) The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Welcome to Dream Bookish Destinations. This is a feature in which I lust over (semi) Bookish Destinations across the world.

What is it?  The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Where is it? Universal Studios, Florida

History: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is one of seven themed sections of the Universal Studios Islands of Adventure Theme Park in Orlando Florida. It was opened in June 2010 after a two and a half year construction period. Rides and attractions featured include Harry Potter and the Forbidden Jounrey (housed in the replica Hogwarts Castle), Dragon Challenge and Flight of the Hippogriff. 

Why I want to go there: Do you REALLY have to ask that? honestly? I'm a huge Harry Potter geek, I love those books so much that I want their babies... I'm getting the DVD box set for Christmas on Blu-ray just so I can watch the movies again and again, but never as much as Ive read the books! To think that I could go and drink butterbeer and walk through a replica of Hogwarts is awesome. I've heard amazing things about this theme park and I would give anything to go... alas it is too far away and I'll probably never have enough money to get there but nevermind, it can still be a Dream Bookish Destination! 

What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know - Sonya Sones

"A Piece of Advice from Me to Me

Better brace yourself,

loser.

Because you 

are about to be Dumped.

Big time."

Robin has got the girl of his dreams, but now they are back at school after an amazing two weeks together is he just going to become Murphy again? No she chooses him in that cafeteria on that first day, they are going to be OK, but her friends all think its a huge joke; here's Sophie, the most popular girl, with Murphy, the least popular guy. but what's it going to do to the pair of them? When the school starts rejecting Sophie for hanging out with Robin and he starts looking at naked women (not like that...) what will it do to their relationship? 

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Some of you may remember my review, not so long ago of What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones, here. I really didn't warm to that book very well and I kinda thought it would put me off reading the rest of the series, but then I was offered a copy of What my Girlfriend Doesn't Know and I thought I may aswell give it a try, just to see if it was different. Thankfully it was!

I think the main reason for me not liking "mother" was because it was all from Sophie's point of view which I found childish and boy-obsessed, I kind of thought it would be more serious, but then again I guess it showed what fourteen year old girls are like. "Girlfriend" though was different, I really warmed to Robin as a character and I thought he was very mature for his age. I loved that he found a place of belonging after being shunned so much at school.

The story was really good, it was more about growing as a person than getting the next boy/girlfriend which is what "mother" was mainly about. I liked the perspective better and I understoon more about Robin than ever before. I was still shocked and horrified at how terrible High School Kids can be, shunning Sopihe because she's going out with the most unpopular boy in the school, it was awful but I was quite happy with the eventual outcome, even if not everything did get better. The was a lot of learning to do with relationships and the way they worked and I loved the ending of this book a lot.

The style was brilliant, I do love verse novels and I want to read everyone that exists. They quite often flow well and although sometimes things aren't linear I still love them. "Girlfriend" was even better due to the occasional twist put one the pages. There were a couple of the "poems" that were placed differently on the page - like "I Do Not Have a One-track Mind" which was in the shape of a pair of boobs, that was a great touch.

As I said, I really didnt think I'd like this book after reading "mother" and you can read them independently to one another so I would recommend that if you're going to pick up one to read first read "girlfriend" there were things that annoyed me, like the high school kids and Sophie a little and Sophie's mum, I also at times forgot that Robin was meant to be fourteen as he acted more like eighteen or nineteen but other than these niggles it was a good book.


What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know was released in the US in June 2007 by Simon & Schuster. My copy was loaned to me by Keris, thank you! 


Goodreads | Amazon

No IMM but a quick note

I'm afraid there is no IMM this week as I haven't received any books, I thought it would be a great opportunity to just quickly let you all know though that I am moving this weekend and I wont have internet until Wednesday 21st, I thought living with no fridge til this Wednesday coming was bad enough but no internet! *cries!*

Anyway, don't fear I am going to TRY to keep posting. I have scheduled until Friday this week (hopefully longer as I'm actually writing this on Thursday just gone, how very confusing!) so you will have posts until then at least. I don't know what will happen after Thursday as all this moving around in the past month has made reading gone out of the window so I haven't even read the books to review them! Anyway, if I'm not about on Twitter as much and if something isn't posted one or two days while Im waiting for the internet to be installed at my new place! I will be back before Christmas and stuff and I am hoping that not long goes without a post so this isn't a blog break, just a "I may be missing a couple of days post!" I hope you all have had a good weekend! :D

On My Wishlist (#26)

On My Wishlist is a weekly meme brought to you by Book Chick City, its a chance for you to drool over all those books from the past, present or future which you cant wait to get your hands on! 

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I feel a lot better this week thankfully! However this is still going to be a quick post as I have loads to do! Im moving again this weekend and wont have the internet for two weeks. Im gunna try and carry on posting as much as possible but I may be quiet! 

First up is one Ive been after for ages, I really cant wait to read this one but Im having to wait til February!

Someone Else's Life - Katie Dale

Feb 2012 (Simon & Schuster Children's Books)

Goodreads summary: 

"When seventeen-year-old Rosie’s mother, Trudie, dies from Huntington’s Disease, her pain is intensified by the knowledge that she has a fifty-per-cent chance of inheriting the crippling disease herself. Only when she tells her mum’s best friend, ‘Aunt Sarah’ that she is going to test for the disease does Sarah, a midwife, reveal that Trudie was not her biological mother after all... Devastated, Rosie decides to trace her real mother, hitching along on her ex-boyfriend’s GAP year to follow her to Los Angeles. But all does not go to plan, and as Rosie discovers yet more of her family's deeply-buried secrets and lies, she is left with an agonising decision of her own - one which will be the most heart-breaking and far-reaching of all.."

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Next is one I saw the cover and title of and fell for... Im not even sure Ive read the summary! Its a sefl published book which I dont read a lot of but I think this one should be read! 

Adventures in Funeral Crashing - Milda Harris

July 2011 (Self)

Goodreads Summary:

"Sixteen year old Kait Lenox has a reputation as the weird girl in her high school, mostly because of her ex-best friend turned mean popular girl, Ariel, but maybe it has a little to do with the fact that Kait has a hobby crashing funerals. At one of these, Kait is outted by the most popular guy in school, Ethan Ripley. Yet, instead of humiliating her for all the world to see, he asks for her help, and Kait finds herself entangled in a murder mystery. Not only is the thrill of the mystery exciting, but more importantly Ethan knows her name! A little sleuthing is well worth that!"

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Finally one I saw on a blog recently, I think it was Jo's blog Wear The Old Coat, and I really liked the sound of it, its a webcomic which is coming out as a full book next year 

Friends With Boys - Faith Erin Hicks

Feb 2012 (Pan Macmillan)

Goodreads Summary:

"A coming-of-age tale with a spooky twist!

Maggie McKay hardly knows what to do with herself. After an idyllic childhood of homeschooling with her mother and rough-housing with her older brothers, it’s time for Maggie to face the outside world, all on her own. But that means facing high school first. And it also means solving the mystery of the melancholy ghost who has silently followed Maggie throughout her entire life. Maybe it even means making a new friend—one who isn’t one of her brothers." 


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So thats my wishlist this week, whats on yours?!