Review: Spellcaster

Spellcaster
Release Date: 1st March 2013
Pages: 389
Publisher: HarperCollinsPublishers Australia
Author: Claudia Gray
Source: Purchased at Kmart
Purchase Book: Amazon UK | Amazon US

Goodreads:
When Nadia's family moves to Captive’s Sound, she instantly realizes there’s more to it than meets the eye. Descended from witches, Nadia senses a dark and powerful magic at work in her new town. Mateo has lived in Captive’s Sound his entire life, trying to dodge the local legend that his family is cursed - and that curse will cause him to believe he’s seeing the future … until it drives him mad. When the strange dreams Mateo has been having of rescuing a beautiful girl—Nadia—from a car accident come true, he knows he’s doomed. 

Despite the forces pulling them apart, Nadia and Mateo must work together to break the chains of his family’s terrible curse, and to prevent a disaster that threatens the lives of everyone around them. Shimmering with magic and mystery, New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray’s new novel is sure to draw fans of the Hex Hall and Caster Chronicles series, and fans of the hit CW TV show The Secret Circle.

Trailer:

Review:
Spellcaster is a paranormal YA - the first in a trilogy by Claudia Gray (pseudonym). Like the last book, I chose this book based on the cover and the blurb, which caught me on the promise of a star-crossed romance.
Nadia, her father and brother move to Captive's Sound to start fresh after her mother left them. Nadia is descendant from witches, and as the rule goes, the mother teaches the daughter how to develop her magic and no man born of a woman can ever know the truth about witches. Well with her mum out of the picture, her magic may be strong, but not developed enough to take on something bigger, which is a problem considering something is brewing in the new town.

Something unique about the way Claudia reinvented witches is through spells. Instead of mixing potions, spells are done through memories, thoughts and emotions while touching pendants on jewellery. One example is when she did a spell to part water. She thought "The love of a child. A living thing rising from the earth. Hope through grief" as she touched her pendant. However this didn't work on its own, she then had to think about old memories - her brother taking his first step, spring and their move. It was a bit of a risk for Claudia to do this, but kudos for trying something new. The downside to this is it got a bit annoying for me and I found myself skipping past her memories.

The entire town seems to be ridden with magic, secrets, curses, mysterious deaths and strange behaviour. It is Nadia's mission to find out what is causing everything and to be an end to it, to save her family, new friends, the town and new love interest.
In terms of the characters, they are a bit weak, but I put it down to the curses and I have a feeling they will build up in the next book. There isn't as much drama as I expected, which is refreshing.

Down to the reason I chose this book - the promise of a star-crossed romance between Nadia and Mateo. Sadly I was disappointed in the lack of any romance. It was the equivalent to two children holding hands in a playground - a lack of passion and no connection. I finished the book wondering if the main characters wanted to be together at all. Claudia writes as though they were in love and meant to be, but based on the events in the story, nothing happens beyond a glance or two.

Cover:
Simple and magical cover with a great choice of fonts and colours. The cover doesn't give anything from the story away, except that it's about a girl.

Final Comments:
This book was good, however I found that it dragged on a bit and I was just waiting for things to happen. It has some interesting bits and I think the overall story is strong, but the build up is so slow that it took me several attempts to read it. There is a cliff hanger which is expected, and I liked most of the characters, but it just didn't have a wow factor for me. 
The story continues with Steadfast which will be out in March this year.

Rating:

Review: Beautiful Disaster

Beautiful Disaster
Release Date: 14th August 2012
Pages: 416
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Author: Jamie McGuire
Source: Purchased (Kmart Australia)
Purchase Book: Amazon UK | Amazon US

Goodreads:
INTENSE. DANGEROUS. ADDICTIVE.

Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

Review:
I chose this book on a whim while I was hunting for something new to read. My 18 year old cousin and I were reading the back of every single book to see what sounded interesting. To be honest I did put this book down a few times as the blurb on the back was confusing and didn't give much insight into the plot. It deserved something much better.

Another refreshing change for me, this book had no supernatural storyline. To put it simply, its an intense story about a girl named Abby who heads off to college with her best friend America looking for a new start, away from her family who caused enough trouble for her as it is.

The story wouldn't be complete without Travis, the dangerous tattoo covered hot guy who has girls throwing themselves at him from every angle... Abby obviously finds his arrogance annoying and a turn off. Although, what bad guy can resist a girl that's a challenge?
The difference with Travis is that he is unbelievably passionate and devoted to those close to him. You can feel every ounce of emotion through the pages. Jamie McGuire obviously knows how to write from the heart.

Other major characters in the story are Shep and America. America is Abby's best friend and Shep is Travis's. They are two very supportive characters who I think play a vital part in the story. Jamie goes into so much detail with personalities that you feel you already know and love them all.

It is written from Abby's perspective which I always feel grabs the reader in more as you feel like you are there with her the whole way. The best way I can describe what this story does to you is comparing it to a snow globe. You shake and enjoy watching the snow fall and then have to shake again, watching the same thing happen over and over again. I put it down to the fact that Abby is a bit of a drama queen who can't decide what she want's in a guy. If you have ever been in that situation where you feel a guy isn't right for you but you can't resist him, then honestly this is your book. This book sucks you in and you just can't help but read through the night... at least that's what I did. Abby and Travis's relationship is as complex as it gets but I think that is what makes the story. After all, who wants a simple story about a good girl catching the bad boy - It's done all the time.

The other great thing about this story is that its set in a college and not high school, so you don't get that immature teen romance, these character have a bit more perspective which is what I think makes it more intense. I do have to advise any parents buying a book for their younger child, as this is based in college, you do get the occasional bedroom scene that gets down to detail. It wasn't that bad, but I feel this story needed that oomph just to emphasize both the passion and strains in their relationships.

Cover:
A decent cover, nothing that is too attention seeking and the blurb is useless, but I am extremely glad I gave this book a chance. It's a random butterfly in a jar and I am not entirely sure how that connects with the story.

Final Comments:
I loved this book, despite the annoying stop and go throughout the book. But I have to give it to Jamie, nothing could stop me as I stayed up a whole night trying to finish this book. I am only disappointed that the only follow up to this book is the story told from Travis's perspective. While I definitely will go out and pick it up, I would have love to see this book turned into a series. I have no idea where it would go, but I'm just not ready to abandon Abby and Travis yet.

If you do decide to continue on, check out Travis's story in Walking Disaster which is out now. When I get a hold of it, I will follow up with that review.

Rating:
Once again in my journey to find books I love, I'm giving it 5 acorns as It sucked me in! While I am not usually into bad boy types, I doubt I could avoid Travis.

Review: Back to BlackBrick

Back to BlackBrick
Release Date: 7th February 2013 (Out now!)
Pages: 272
Publisher: Orion Childrens Books
Author: Sarah Moore Fitzgerald
Source: Purchased (Waterstones)
Purchase Book: Amazon UK | Amazon US

Goodreads:
Cosmo's brother Brian died when he was ten years old. His mum hides her grief by working all the hours God sends and Cosmo lives with his grandparents. They've been carefree days as Granddad buys him a horse called John and teaches him all he knows about horses. But the good times have to come to an end and although he doesn't want to admit it, Cosmo knows his Granddad is losing his mind. So on one of the rare occasions when Granddad seems to recognise him, Cosmo is bemused that he gives him a key to Blackbrick Abbey and urges him to go there. Cosmo shrugs it off, but gradually Blackbrick draws him in...

Cosmo arrives there, scared and lonely, and is dropped off at the crumbling gates of a huge house. As he goes in, the gates close, and when he turns to look, they're rusty and padlocked as if they haven't been opened in years. Cosmo finds himself face to face with his grandfather as a young man, and questions begin to form in his mind: can Cosmo change the course of his family's future?

Review:
I was recommended this book by a sales assistant at Waterstones. It is the debut novel by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald, officially out today!
To be honest before I even heard what it was about, I was sold by the cover. Something about those gigantic gates intrigues me. Before I get into the review I have to say that behind the books, Sarah is a really down to earth woman who surprised me by actually chatting with me on twitter.

This book is not my usual type, no obvious romance, teen drama, supernatural beings... It was however very refreshing and extremely moving. It follows the story of Cosmo and his struggle with dealing with his brothers accidental death and Grandfathers Alzheimer's, told in first person by the boy himself. Whether you know someone with Alzheimer's or not, this book will grab you. At first I thought, Sarah has an amazing insight that makes for an interesting read. As it turns out, her father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's which makes this story feel that much more real. When we know someone with an illness, we do everything we can to make their life easier, from "googling" to going to the ends of the earth to find a cure... In this case, traveling back in time to BlackBrick. It is a read that will make any reader know what it's like to have a family member go through the same experience.

There are moments in the book that nearly tore me apart, but that is what pulls you in. The book does start slow but mid way through, it is kicked up a notch and you see a whole other side to the story. We learn that sometimes you wish you could turn back time, change the past to have a better future, but that's all it is.. a wish. We do our best to help those we love, but in the end its just our memories and relationships that count.

Cover:
A fantastic cover that won me in a second. Without reading the blurb, you feel the sense of mystery and loss. The gate obviously leads you to somewhere... it is up to you to bring your own interpretation to what Cosmo's journey really is.

Final Comments:
I adored this book. the writing was brilliant and the story was gripping. For the first time, I felt like I was living in the shoes of a character, following every step he made and wishing I could do the same things If I was him. I would recommend this more to older children all the way to adults as there are parts that may not really be appropriate for a younger child. My only annoyance was the fact that Sarah had Cosmo insult my hometown of Sydney, saying she could of gone to so many better places. Therefore I am going to excuse it as a teenager venting about his mum going to another country, and not mine in particular.
All in all, I wish Sarah the best in her future novels, if they will be anything like this one, I will be ready to add them to my collection.

I'm giving it 5 acorns as I haven't read anything like this and it is absolutely gripping. It got me!

Rating:

Review: The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic

The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic (also known as Confessions of a Shopaholic)

Release Date: 14th September 2000 (Paperback)
Pages: 320
Publisher: Black Swan, Transworld
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Source: Purchased (Waterstones)
Purchase Book: Amazon UK | Amazon US

Goodreads
Meet Becky Bloomwood, an irresistible heroine with a big heart, big dreams --- and just one little weakness... 

Becky Bloomwood has what most twenty-five-year-olds only dream of: a flat in London's trendiest neighborhood, a troupe of glamorous socialite friends, and a closet brimming with the season's must-haves. The only trouble is, she can't actually afford it --- not any of it. Her job writing at Successful Saving magazine not only bores her to tears, it doesn't pay much at all. Still, how can she resist that perfect pair of shoes? Or the divine silk blouse in the window of that ultra-trendy boutique? But lately Becky's been chased by dismal letters from Visa and the Endwich Bank --- letters with large red sums she can't bear to read --- and they're getting ever harder to ignore. She tries cutting back; she even tries making more money. But none of her efforts succeeds. Her only consolation is to buy herself something ... just a little something ...

Finally, a story arises that Becky actually cares about, and her front-page article catalyzes a chain of events that will transform her life --- and the lives of those around her --- forever.

I picked up a copy of this book after seeing the film Confessions of a Shopaholic. At first I thought it would be exactly like the film, however I was pleasantly surprised. For one, the book was completely different and far more enjoyable. I love that the book is based in England as opposed to the US, as I found myself at one with Becky. Living in London, I related to her on a whole other level, due to the fact that her fictional house is just down the road from me, I knew all the stores, streets and understood her need for fun and shopping. Our area is filled with stores with constant sales that entice you to shop even when you know you can't afford it. Sophie Kinsella definitely got this one right.

The book is absolutely wonderful and great for a light summer read. Becky as a protagonist, is full of energy and surprises. She obviously has a problem with shopping and it is up to her best friend Suze to attempt to restrain her. The great thing about this book is that there is always something going on, never a dull moment to make you put down the book. Whether it's trying to hide her spending habits from everyone or making up stories to get money from people to buy something, you honestly don't know what she will do next.

As the first book in the series, it is a great introduction to Becky's world. The entire novel is written from Becky's perspective which allows readers to get to know her really well, especially what is going through her mind when you get annoyed with her. We are introduced to her best friend, her fun loving parents and the ever so handsome Luke. Her relationship with Luke alone plays a large part of the story and gave me a great laugh. All in all the characters are down to earth and care a great deal about Becky, they are very easy to like.

Cover:
While it does have a rather boring pink cover, the publisher has just released a new cover this year if it doesn't do anything for you. You can get the new cover here.

Final Comments:
As one of my first ever chick-lit books, it was extremely enjoyable and I highly recommend it to anyone who has an obsession with shopping or wants a fantastic light read. If you have read the series, you will be excited to know that the seventh book, Shopaholic Takes Hollywood is coming out next!

Rating:

Review: Stefan's Diaries v.5: The Asylum

Stefan's Diaries: The Asylum

Release Date: UK 5th April 2012 (Paperback) | US 17th Jan 2012
Pages: 221
Publisher: Harper Teen
Author: L.J. Smith
Source: Bought (from Amazon US)
Purchase book: Amazon UK | Amazon US

Goodreads
The hunters become the hunted. . . .

Driven from their hometown of Mystic Falls, both Stefan Salvatore and his brother, Damon, arrived in Europe looking for a fresh start. But Samuel, a wealthy and cunning vampire, has other plans for them. First he ruined Stefan’s peaceful existence and now he’s framing Damon for the most gruesome murders London has ever seen.

United against their common enemy, Stefan and Damon are stunned when they realize that the source of Samuel’s rage lies in their past—tied up with the woman who forever changed their lives. Haunted by the memory of Katherine, the brothers find that their uneasy alliance is tested. Can they overcome their rivalry to defeat Samuel before he exacts his final revenge?

Based on the popular CW TV show inspired by the bestselling novels, Stefan’s Diaries reveals the truth about what really happened between Stefan, Damon, and Katherine—and how the Vampire Diaries love triangle began.

The Asylum is the 5th installment in the Stefan's Diaries series. Continuing from The Ripper, Stefan and Damon have now come to an understanding, joining forces as brothers to defeat the enemy Samuel, who is tormenting them all over London, framing Damon as Jack the Ripper and killing off those close to Stefan.
With Violet's sister Cora in tow, the trio are heading back to London to find a way to get Violet back and rid the world of Samuel. Unfortunately for the brothers Samuel seems to be an indestructable vampire that just wont die, leaving Stefan and Damon to come up with a variety of ways to bring him down.

Now that Damon's reputation is on the line and the entire London police force is looking for him, they are left to go into hiding while planning their attack on Samuel. Thankfully, while Cora may be human, it is her emotional strength and spirit that keep the group together. She appears to be the first woman after Katherine that has the respect of both brothers with no need to fear for her own life.

While at first you may think its a simple seek and destroy vampire story, it's really seek and attempt to destroy, try again, someone dies, fail, try again, someone dies, fail, try again..... you get the idea. It goes on and on until you wish you could go and destroy Samuel yourself.
The great thing about this book is that readers get the chance to learn more about Damon and Stefan's relationship and another side of Katherine's secret life that not even the brothers expected.

Cover:
Similar to the previous book, it maintains a cool look. I bought the US edition, but it is exactly the same as the UK edition, just with different fonts and chapter designs. I am not entirely sure if this is Katherine or Elena on the cover. It may not make a difference either way.

Final Comments:
Continuing from the 4th book, it doesn't progress very far. As I mentioned early, the seek and destroy vampire sequence goes on and on, spiraling out of control. If it was shortened and merged with the previous book, I may have enjoyed it more, but to be honest, it does drag on a bit. Nevertheless if you are a TVD fan, there are some things you would love to know in this book, which I won't spoil.
It doesn't come out in the UK until April, but if you are desperate to read it, the US edition is available online. Keep in mind if you are keen on keeping your collection the same, the cover is slightly different and the US don't have a glossy cover like the UK - It may not be a big deal, but I hated the feel of the US edition.

Rating:

Review: Stefan's Diaries v.4: The Ripper

Stefan's Diaries: The Ripper

Release Date: 5th January 2012 (Paperback)
Pages: 272
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Author: L.J. Smith
Source: Bought
Purchase book: Amazon UK

Goodreads:
Haunted by the past . . .

The year is 1888, and the scent of blood lingers heavy in the London air. Stefan Salvatore thought he could escape his violent origins by settling in the peaceful countryside of England, but when a heinous murderer named Jack the Ripper surfaces, Stefan fears darkness will always follow him. Drawn into the investigation, Stefan assumes the worst: This is the work of a vampire. And the more he learns, the more he becomes convinced that the killer is someone close to him--and that he can never outrun his past.

Based on the popular CW TV show inspired by the bestselling novels, Stefan's Diaries reveals the truth about what really happened between Stefan, Damon, and Katherine--and how the Vampire Diaries love triangle began.

The Ripper is the 4th book in the Stefan's Diaries series. The book is written in the form of a diary, following Stefan's early days as a vampire as he tries to discover who he is now and how to deal with his new life, which is made difficult with his brother Damon tormenting him on all ends of the earth.

In this book, we see Stefan leave the US and try to start a life in England as a groundskeeper at Abbott Manor. After all the suffering in The Craving, Stefan finally thinks he is free and able to start a new life, make new friends and separate himself from the Salvatore name and vampires. Unfortunately for Stefan, when news of Count DeSangue (Damon's alias) in the society pages of the paper reaches him, he has no choice but to see what Damon is up to. To make matters worse, there is a "Ripper" running lose on the streets of London, killing women.

With Stefan's arrival in London, the line between human and vampire murderer becomes blurry. We are left to wonder if Jack the Ripper is involved or if a vampire is forgetting to cover his tracks. Stefan decides to investigate the murders and Damon's life and realises there is more to it than expected. There are new vampires with issues, holding a grudge against the Salvatore's, young human girls tangling themselves up in the story and a whole lot of action.

This is no longer a battle between brothers, but a fight to survive against new dark forces to stay alive.

Cover:
Slightly different than the first 3 books in the series. Where the first 3 had a warm tone, the new book has a cold filter, sending off a menacing look, giving readers a heads up that the new books will more action than before!

Final Comments:
After reading the first three books in the series, I wasn't too pleased with where it was going, however, I loved this book. Stefan finally grows up and learns to fight, no longer the whimp we have been following in the past. While we don't see any romance, the action in the book makes up for it. It had me on my toes for most of the book, wanting to know what happens next. The ghost writer has definitely made it up to me with this book. As expected, it ends on a cliffhanger, but that just makes you race to the store to buy the next book! Highly recommend this to TVD fans.

Rating:

Review: Silence (Hush, hush)

Goodreads description:

"The Hush, Hush series has captivated readers with the story of Nora Grey, her friend Vee, and a mysterious fallen archangel named Patch. In the gripping conclusion of the trilogy, Nora finds that as things start to unravel around her, she is more drawn to the enigmatic Patch. She soon discovers that the answers lie closer to home than she realized, and it is time for her to take control of her destiny once and for all."

I am happy to announce that the third book "Silence" in the Hush, hush series has been released. I had been eagerly awaiting this book and managed to read it in a day.

This book was absolutely brilliant. After leaving with a cliffhanger in Crescendo where Patch and Nora were suddenly surprised with a guest attacker, I was unsure where this book would begin. Thankfully the story continues on where it left off, however instead of a boring play by play, author Becca Fitzpatrick spins it around a little bit and lead character Nora is brought back to us with amnesia. This book focuses on Nora's return after her abduction and the lead up to the battle between Fallen Angels and Nephilim, including the development of the key players of the two sides and the motives behind the need for a war.

For those readers who like Patch, he is a bit annoying to begin with in this book, however things turn around when you realise he only does what he needs to in order to protect Nora from further harm. Knowing Nora though, you can expect her amnesia and love for Patch is tested again in this book. As she is a teen, she did annoy me with her constant jelousy and bad calls.
While we did have a few characters leave us in the last book, you will be happy to know some favourites are back in action here, including Vee (although slightly different now) and Scott. We even see a whole collection of new villians!

Without spoiling the book, the ending was fantastic! A cliffhanger ofcourse, but a complete unexpected turn of events that not even I saw coming.
Becca Fitzpatrick shows the world and her readers how she really is an outstanding writer and you can feel the emotion and suspense in this book through her words.

While many of us did think there would only be three books in the series, a fourth book has been announced and will be released next year in the fall.

With a battle ahead, which side do you think Nora and Patch will take?

Cover:

I adore this cover. In the first book we had Patch, in the second we had Nora, now we have them together as they are reunited and Patch stops at nothing to protect Nora, hence the carrying in his arms. It's a very dramatic scene by the water with one single red feather falling from Nora's hands. The lack of colour in this suits it perfectly well as the focus as the wings and feather are the focus of this image. Any additional colour would have taken away from it.

Final Comments:

I loved this book. I highly recommend it to any YA or paranomal romance readers, but be sure to read the previous two books so that the story makes sense. This book is less about the romance between Patch and Nora and more about mystery, history and the upcoming battle. If it was simply about their relationship, I don't think it would have been as good. Thankfully we were spared the lovey dovey teen romance for most of the time, but don't worry, if its the romance you want, the book still has it.

Release Date: October 2011 (Hardback)
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Childrens Books
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick

Review: How Football Explains The World

A bit of an odd book to add to the mix, but I thought it would be fun to add something for the football fans. For those of you in Aus or the US, I am talking about Soccer. I have loved the sport since I could walk and found this book fascinating.

How Football Explains The World is a non-fiction book written by American journalist Franklin Foer. I picked this book up in Singapore several years ago as I was intrigued by the title. The book is exactly as I expected; tales and opinions on how Football explains different cultures, society and behaviour.
Franklin Foer takes us around the world, introducing us to fans and clubs, discussing different aspects of the game and the culture surrounding it. It is interesting to see how fan clubs emerge. Some fans are backed by love for the game where as others support a team for political reasons and associate the club with freedom and patriotism.

What I love about this book is that it is written from an American's perspective, where american football and baseball are the national sport and soccer falls behind. I thought he may be blinded by his background, but he does his research well and is able to give an honest look into the sport without being subjective. One thing that does come up is that Foer wasn't raised breathing and dreaming about the sport, therefore I find his opinion may not always be equally met by readers who have a passionate love for the game. I have heard from some readers that his views are quite arrogant as he is an outsider, but I will leave that to you to judge for yourself.

To football fans, this is not a book about your favourite club or players, this is all about the love of the game and the effect it has on the world. Foer goes deep into the sport, talking about rivalries, hooliganism, migration, corruption and nationalism.

Cover:
There is nothing too spectacular about this cover. It is predominantly text with a small photo of two children playing with a ball. One thing I am glad about is that there is no giant picture of the world made to look like a football, that would have been worse. I do however prefer the US cover - It makes much more sense.

Final Comments:
This was a great read! If you hate football, it would probably be boring for you and I would suggest you dont bother. However, if you love to learn about cultures or love the sport, you will like this. This book does not explain how football explains the entire world, it only explains how football has shaped cultures and behaviours that are associated with it. It is not a boring history lesson on the world.

Release Date: March 2002
Publisher: Arrow (Cornerstone)
Author: Franklin Foer

Review: Stefan's Diaries v.3: The Craving (The Vampire Diaries)

With the return of the Vampire Diaries tonight in the US, I thought I would review the most recent book of the series I have read.

Stefan's Diaires: The Craving, by L.J. Smith is the third book in Stefan's Diaries, part of the Vampire Diaries series. Stefan's Diaries is told in first person by Stefan, following his journey when he meets Katherine, is turned into a vampire and the following months when he tries to cope with his new life and his brother Damon.

In The Craving, Stefan is beginning to handle his life as a vampire, controlling his need for blood. This is the turning point for Stefan where he no longer needs to kill humans to survive. He has left the drama and events behind him and moved on to New York City where he thinks he will be able to live a normal life... that is until Damon returns. With Damon in town, you can expect the quiet life wont last long. Damon is bent on making Stefan's life a living hell and turns it into a game. Unfortunately for Damon, his plans get a little complicated and we are introduced to more evil than Damon and Stefan had imagined.

Cover:
The cover art for this series is pretty basic, each book with a face of the main characters, first Stefan, second Damon and third Elena. While I like the simplicity in this design, my only issue is that Elena is not mentioned in Stefan's Diaries, yet she is on the cover for this book.

Final Comments:
The great thing about the Stefan's Diaries series is that we get an insight into Stefan's thoughts and learn more about his past and how he came to be what he is. If however you have not had the chance the read the series, I recommend you read the first two books, which I will post reviews soon. While I love The Vampire Diaries, this book was a bit quick and just made Stefan look like a wimp.

Book 1: Stefan's Diaries v.1: Origins

Book 2: Stefan's Diaries v.2: Bloodlust

Book 3: Stefan's Diaries v.3: The Craving

Release Date: May 2011

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books

Author: L.J.Smith

Review: The friendly guide to Mythology

The friendly guide to Mythology is a book of mythology written by Nancy Hathaway.

I have found throughout the years, people tend to reference mythology in many situations. This can happen in a movie, tv show, in a book or a random discussion with friends. It can get rather annoying when you don't know anything about the tale.

I was originally given this book to read at University in the US for a course in World Mythology. It is not only a fascinating reference book about myths, but it is laid out in a way that encourages reading and feels like a story telling book of myths around the world.

Whether you want to know how the world was created, how someone became a hero, why the gods eat their children, why you shouldnt fly too close to the sun... this book can answer all the questions you may have.
You will see myths of gods, monsters, mortals and creation from Europe, Asia, Australia, America and Africa.
The reason I say it is more like a story book is because the book also contains photos and illustrations, which makes it easier to remember stories.

Cover:
I love the cover art on this book, it is very right and colourful and gives readers the feeling that it is a light read and not a heavy and boring book of myths.
Can you guess who is on the front?

Final Comments:
If you want a enjoyable book of myths to go, then this is it. There is an A to Z list of the popular gods... the only ones you really need to know. If like me, you get confused by a story or aren't sure what it means, there are also interpretations that make life easy. All in all, this is an extremely fascinating book that I like to read from time to time as it inspires my imagination!

Rating: 5/5
Release Date: August 2003
Publisher: Penguin
Author: Nancy Hathaway

Review: Crescendo (Hush, hush)

The second book in the Hush, hush trilogy by Becca Fitzpatrick is Crescendo.
Crescendo continues on from where Hush, hush left off.

Life gets a bit complicated for Nora, with Patch now as her guardian angel; he still has his secrets that Nora can't figure out and it doesnt help that the archangels have forbidden their relationship. Nora is also on the hunt to discovere the truth about her fathers death.
Expect drama, jelousy and more action! With a battle brewing between Nephilim and Fallen Angels, you can expect there to be a little hostility as everyone is in a war to protect their best interest.

First impressions can be deceiving and we are left to figure out who to trust. Nora gives us a bit more teenage drama than usual and her best friend Vee is drawn into the mix. It's times like these, I wish I could step into the book and give Nora a wake up call because when it comes relationships, Nora is a bit clueless. I imagine the author chose to make that a strong part of Nora's personality as that seems to attract the drama and conflict in the story.

I wont spoil the rest of the book but the author leaves us wanting more at the end, and I for one can't wait for Silence to find out what happens next!



Cover:
Once again the cover is brilliant. The image is stunning, the contrast and dark, mysterious feeling of it gives you a sense you are in for drama and anguish from the get go.

Final Comments:
I have to admit, while I loved the first book in the trilogy, I love this book the most. While we still had all the teenage drama, we got to learn more about the main characters and overall it was a more thrilling read.

Rating: 5/5
Release Date: October 2010 (Hardback), April 2011 (Paperback)
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Childrens Books
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick

Review: Hush, hush

Hush, hush is a YA trilogy by Author Becca Fitzpatrick. The first book in the trilogy is titled "Hush, hush."
Hush, hush is a first person story told by Nora Grey who falls for a mysterious and bad boy/fallen angel named Patch. The story follows Nora as she tries to learn more about Patch, particularly since he already knows everything about her. She runs into several hiccups along the way, such as trying to protect herself and her friends from danger.

As she is so determined to get her way and know everything, you can expect this not to be your boring and predictable teen romance; there is action, jelousy, drama and an interesting turn of events. What is even more interesting is that the author introduces something new to the genre; Nephilim, who act as vassals for fallen angels for two weeks during the Hebrew month of Cheshvan.

There is a great collection of characters that support the story, such as Nora's best friend Vee, who is your typical sidekick friend. Elliot and Jules; both of which I will let you figure out and Rixon, an Irish fallen angel who brings some fun to the mix.

I instantly fell in love with this book after reading the Prologue and first chapter. Unlike other books, it doesnt take hours for the reader to get into the book. In the prologue we are given a short introduction to explain the difference between fallen angels. nephilim and humans (read the book if you would like to know what the difference is.)

Cover:
As an art school graduate, I tend to be picky when it comes to book covers. I am in fact a huge fan of the cover art for this series. A combination of the photography, contrast, colour and font are perfectly combined, drawing in anybody walking past. I happened to be one of those suckers. I was walking to the checkout at Waterstones to pay for a book in my hand, when I walked past hush, hush and replaced the one in my hand for it.

Final Comments:
The thing that separates this book from others in the genre firstly is that its not about vampires or witches, its about fallen angels. There is something more pure about the idea of falling in love with a fallen angel as opposed to a monster. It also doesnt leave teenage girls asking boys to bite them, and yes I am referring to Twilight.

Becca Fitzpatrick turns a teen novel into an exciting and modern tale of romance, mystery and drama, with a dash of humour. I highly recommend this series!

Rating: 5/5
Release Date: May 2010 (Paperback)
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Childrens Books
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick

Review: The Watchtower

The Watchtower by Lee Carroll is the second novel in the trilogy by author Carol Goodman and her poet husband Lee Slonimsky. It makes for interesting reading as it's not your typical urban fantasy book but it combines great writing with creative poetry!

The first book in the series, Black Swan Rising was about jewellery design Garet James and her journey to discovering about her life and heritage on her mothers side. We are introduced to a love interest by the name of Will Hughes who is a four hundred year old vampire with a history attached to Garet's ancestors. We follow the story from Garet's perspective as she uncovers the truth about who she is while she is trapped into an never ending fight with multiple forces of evil coming from every angle. I suggest reading this book before you move on to the second.

The Watchtower continues from the first book where the dashing Will Hughes steal's Garet's magical antique box and runs off to Paris, leaving Garet a tip on where to start to find him.
Will is on the quest to reach the Summer Country where in an attempt to reverse the vampire curse and become mortal so that he can be with Garet.

There are new characters introduced and old ones who have come back with a vengeance, obviously not giving up on their goal to control the world.Throughout the book, we learn more about Garet's past and are now introduced to Will's past and how he became a vampire. Garet learns that her ancestors are more powerful than she imagined, they are in fact guardians of the line between the earth and the mythical world.

 

The entire novel alternates chapters between the past featuring Will's story and the present where Garet is speaking. It does get a bit confusing at times, but once you get into a few lines of each chapter, you can figure out which story you are following.
There's alot more poetry, action, drama and interesting turn of events which the first book was lacking. I was very pleased with this book and can't wait for the third.

My only disappointment is that Will as one of the main characters isnt as strong or smart as I initially imagined him to be... he seems to live off his good looks more than anything.
The author duo have done a superb job for a team effort.

Rating: 4.5/5

Release Date: August 2011

Publisher: Bantam

Author: Lee Carroll

Review: Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict

In my last post I reviewed Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict which is a story about a 21st century LA girl named Courtney, who goes back in time to Regency England and experiences life in another body, of a girl named Jane. 

 

Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict is not a continuation of Courtney's story, it is in fact a parrallel to her story and is about Jane and her experience in the 21st century in Courtney's body.

While the first story is one that we dream to be transported into, this story is the opposite, showing us how someone from our favourite books could cope today, in our time, where dating is completely different and public displays of affection do not turn you into an outcast where you have no future chance of marriage or a happy life.

 

In Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict Jane wakes up and discovers she is living life as Courtney. Just like Courtney, Jane believes it to be a dream, until time passes and she realises she isnt going anywhere. Where as Courtney has books, movies and recollections from history to guide her through Jane's life, Jane had no previous knowledge to guide her through technology and modern day life.

Jane is completely thrown into a different scenario she isnt used to; the freedom of choice, living alone, no servants, an ex and a job! While it is something we are accustomed to, Jane on the other hand has a tough time getting a hang of it.

 

In the story, Jane learns more about Courtney, and while she initially sees Courtney as a lower class woman with no respect for herself as she had slept with men before marriage, she eventually discovers with the help of a Fortune Teller (the same from the first book) that you shouldnt judge people without knowing their story. This book in fact had alot more life lessons about respect, choices, relationships and free will.

 

Just like in the first book, Jane is given the task to deal with Courtney's past relationships with the ex that apparently cheated on her. Therefore we get to see how Jane handles the break up and how she uses the memories triggered from Courtneys life and her own to strive for a better life of love through her own choice and not forced by society or her mother.

 

I highly enjoyed reading this book, as I got to see how a woman from a time where society governed your life, coped with freedom and the ability to think and make choices on her own. The author still gives us romance, so dont expect a boring story about a girl trying to fix someone elses life... Jane has her own life too after all.

 

Rating: 4/5

Release Date: February 2011

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Author: Laurie Viera Rigler

Review: Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict

I am a bit delayed in writing a review on this book, seeing as though I didn’t always have this blog when I won it several months ago through a giveaway on Twitter by the wonderful people at Bloomsbury.

Confessions of a Jane Austen addict by Laurie Viera Rigler, is a wonderful and insightful Austen inspired fiction novel that perfectly plays of what every Jane Austen addict dreams of…. living the life of a Jane Austen novel. As an Austen addict myself, I did my best to win the books, which I had never heard of before the competition. My memory is a bit fuzzy but I recall we had to say what makes us an Austen addict. I had absolutely no problem in sharing my addict stories.

This book is the first of the two books, the second being Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict (That review will follow shortly).

The story is about 21^st century LA girl, Courtney Stone. She is a confessed Austen addict that has read far to many Jane Austen’s books. Courtney lives the life of a woman wounded by love, friends and restlessness; that is until she wakes up one morning and is spiraled into the world of Regency England in a foreign body, also known as Jane Mansfield. We follow Courtney and she attempts to live life as Jane Mansfield and unfortunately for Courtney she isn’t brushed up on Regency England etiquette and language. We are introduced to new characters in Jane’s life that Courtney has to become familiar with and discover who is honest and who will make her life as Jane difficult. The theme in the story begins to focus on destiny vs free will and as a reader I became confused whether this was a dream or similar to ITV’s Lost in Austen. Since Courtney is not thrust into an actual Jane Austen novel like Amanda Price, it is not entirely the same. Either way, the story was highly enjoyable, I found myself utterly engaged in Courtney’s new life, thinking about what I would do in her shoes.

The book has its share of drama, scandal, romance, passion, friendship and handsome men, add to that a twist of cross century travelling, fortune tellers and poor hygiene and you will get an amazing read that makes you to go back and brush up on Jane Austen’s novels. Who knows, you could wake up one morning and be in Regency England…. Or just stumble across Charles Edgeworth.

Rating: 4.5/5

Release Date: March 2010

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Author: Laurie Viera Rigler

Review: Midnight in The Garden of Good and Evil

Generally it is a good idea to read up on the town you are about to live in for University as you will be spending the next four years there. As I set off for a long flight to Savannah in the US, my mum gave me a copy of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. It is not your typical city guide, it is by far the most fascinating non-fiction novel that combines great crime with travel.

"John Berendt's enthralling new book is an exotic cocktail: two hearty measures of travel-book whimsy mixed with a slug of real-life murder, a dollop of old world affluence and a sprinkling of off-centre sex... It's not hard to see why this has sent coachloads of tourists heading for the swampy Georgia coast."

- Robert Winder, Independent

"Berendt - and the reader - are in travel-writer heaven... This is a book which leaves you amused, spooked and introduced to a new piece of America."

- Mark Lawson, Independent on Sunday

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is based on real events from the 1980's in Savannah and is one of the most popular non-fiction releases of all time. It is written by John Berendt and became such a hit that it led to a movie being produced by Clint Eastwood starring Kevin Spacey and John Cucask as the main characters Jim Williams and John Kelso.

The book itseld is based on true stories, primarily focusing on the murder of a local male prostitute named Danny Hansford, by millionaire and well respected antiques dealer Jim Williams. It is told from the point of John Kelso, a New York Journalist who is hired to write a story on Jim Williams annual Christmas party in Savannah. It is extremely unpredictable and entertaining.

While the novel focuses on a murder that occurs, it also introduces readers to life in Savannah and notable residents, past and present; from musician Johnny Mercer to the Lady Chablis; a local drag queen and entertainer. Chablis brings life and light hearted humour to the book and if you visit Savannah today, you can still catch a chance to see Chablis perform.

Background to Savannah:

All of the settings still exist today, however the famous bronze bird girl statue featured on the book cover was relocated to the Telfair Museum in 1997. Like the famous bench in Forrest Gump, the sites became crowded with tourists that they were removed for preservation into one of the many historical museums and galleries in Savannah.

Savannah is a quirky, historical and fascinating town on the coast of Georgia, surrounded by a river, marshes and the ocean. It is built on a unique grid pattern where garden squares become the major points of interest, surrounded by beautiful and grand historical houses from before the Civil War. In my four years studying in Savannah, I discovered this book is every bit as real as promised. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in crime and travel books, however I think it could provide a fascinating read for everyone. \

And if you want to get more into the story and experience the town for yourself, Savannah is the friendliest city in the world that makes every visitor feel welcome. It is a hub for students at the Savannah College of Art and Design, locals and tourists from all corners of the world. With year long events and celebrations, St Patricks Day is one of the highlights as the city turns green and the cobbletoned River Street is open to everyone to enjoy the day.

Rating: 5/5

Release Date: June 1995

Publisher: Vintage (Random House)

Author: John Berendt

New review on it's way...

"I've only been here three days and there's a shooting. I know you're my agent, but this place is fantastic. It's like Gone With the Wind on Mescalin. Listen to me, they walk imaginary pets here, Garland. On a ****ing leash. And they're all heavily armed and drunk. New York is boring!"
- John Kelso