Empire of Books

News: Title and cover art for TimeRiders Book 6

2012-02-11T21:31:00.002Z

Book Five in Alex Scarrow's awesome TimeRiders series was only published last week, and no sooner do we get to the Gates of Rome are we about to enter the shadowy world of Victorian London where one Jack The Ripper roams the blood stained streets! Book Six is, appropriately, called City of Shadows and is out 2nd August!

Hunted by cyborg assassins from the future, the TimeRiders must abandon New York and go on the run. They escape to Victorian London and the streets where Jack the Ripper roams. But, before they can establish their new base, they make their most shattering discovery yet - and it will change everything . . .

Cannot wait!

In My Postbox #49

2012-02-05T12:56:00.001Z

In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren, and all links take you to Amazon UK.

FOR REVIEW:

Wyrmeweald: Bloodhoney by Stewart and Riddell.

Starters by Lissa Price.

Priates! In An Adventure With Scientists by Gideon Defoe.

Dead Rules by R. S. Russell.

Geekhood by Andy Robb.

The Last Four Things by Paul Hoffman,

Oliver Twisted by J. D. Sharpe.

Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

BOUGHT:

Hollow Pike by James Dawson (finished, hardback copy - so beautiful!!).

As usual, thanks to all the awesome publicists/publishers!

Happy reading!

News: Cover revealed for The Killables!

2012-02-04T12:47:00.000Z

Hodder and Stoughton are gearing up to publish what promises to be a spectacular new book from Gemma Malley, next month! It's called The Killables and it sounds a little like this:

"Everyone accepted that people were different physically. But inside? Inside, they were different too. You just had to know how to tell, what to look for. Evil has been eradicated. The City has been established. And citizens may only enter after having the 'evil' part of their brain removed. They are labelled on the System according to how 'good' they are. If they show signs of the evil emerging, they are labelled a K ...But no one knows quite what that means. Only that they disappear, never to be seen again ..."

OOH! The proof currently sits on my to read pile, and I'm actually trying to decide what to read next and now the cover has been revealed, I think it's swaying my decision. How awesome does the cover look?

Trailer: The Hunger Games Second Trailer

2012-02-04T10:46:00.002Z

Every day that goes by I just get more and more excited for this movie. And now a new trailer has been revealed giving us a further glimpse into the world of Panem and The Hunger Games. Damn it looks so good! Must re-read it before I see it. Roll on 23rd March!

Guest Post: Marcus Alexander and the Keeper of the Realms

2012-02-02T09:30:00.000Z

Well yesterday we had an entry from Joshua's diary from Susanne Winnacker's The Other Life, and today something just as exciting. When I received an email just before Christmas about a book called Keeper of the Realms, I did a little double take. Ooh. What an intriguing title. And upon reading further, both about the book and the author, a gentleman named Marcus Alexander, the more I knew I had to read this book! Well, now, here is Marcus to tell us a little about his awesome travelling which helped him to create the world in which his book is set...

I'd like to say I'm a serious guy with a strong sense of discipline but the unfortunate truth is I like mischief and I can't stand staying put in one place for any length of time. The world is simply too big, it's definitely too funky and even though we're living in modern times with an expanse of media coverage there's certainly still a lot of adventure out there.

I started travelling overseas when I was sixteen; I'd sneak over to Paris or go tenting on a shoestring budget to Marseille. Eighteen saw me disappearing over to India and Nepal where I promptly got cheated by cardsharks, harassed by shysters and endured the light fingers of professional pickpockets. But nevertheless times were still sweet! I got to dangle my toes in the Ganges, walk in the shadow of Mount Everest, clamber across rumbling glaciers and run screaming from tarantulas in the jungle.

My early twenties delivered me to the Golden Triangle where I wriggled through constricting subterranean tunnels to emerge in crystal strewn caverns, crept through the tangled ruins of overgrown temples, fought in crowded stadiums and watched endless games of Tekraw.

All of this and more was born from early years of reading. It was science fiction and fantasy books that fired my passion and filled me with the need to travel. Reading about acrobatic heroes and enduring heroines was what filled me with the enthusiasm to jump into the sports of capoeira, parkour, gymnastics and snowboarding and ultimately they're what caused me to return home and put pen to paper to create the Keeper of the Realms series.

Having had my imagination kicked into overdrive through past experiences I've tried to create the kind of fantasy world that I would give an arm and a leg to walk (hobble) through. I'd like to pass on my thanks to the books that I read as a kid in the hopes that Charlie Keeper and her adventures throughout Bellania leave you, in turn, with a glimmer of excitement and a desire for travel.

Kindest of Regards,

Marcus Alexander

Awesome stuff. Seriously need to read this bad boy! It's currently quite high up in the reading pile and cannot wait! Marcus also sent over this awesome pic saying thank you! Cheers dude! :D THANK YOU!

The Keeper of the Realms: Crow's Revenge is out today!

Buy from Amazon UK

Happy Publication Day To Hollow Pike!!

2012-02-02T09:00:00.000Z

It's finally here! Official publication day! HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY TO JAMES DAWSON AND HIS AMAZING NEW BOOK WHICH IS TOTALLY AWESOME, HOLLOW PIKE!!!

You all need to get this book right NOW! I'm not kidding. It's so good. Surprising in so many ways, you'll be drawn right into the heart of the story! Cannot recommend it enough!

Wishing you all the very best James! :)

Day 3 of The Other Life Blog Tour - Joshua's Diary

2012-02-01T09:00:00.000Z

Today folks, something special! Day Three of The Other Life Blog Tour to celebrate the release of... well... The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker! A diary entry from Joshua! ENJOY

1139 days since our other life ended...

Karen sent me out to search for provisions. It seemed a bit unnecessary. We’ve still got the tomatoes and peppers we’re growing, and the potatoes will be ready soon too. And if the worst comes to the worst we could butcher one of our cows or a chicken. But Karen gave me that look when I argued with her, as if she knows me better than I know myself. As if she could tell I was fishing for excuses.

I don’t mind providing for Safe-haven – it’s my duty and I never cop out. But today I wanted to go hunting. And she knew that. We’d argued about it only yesterday. “Why do you want to go on a hunt twice in only a couple of days?” she asked. “Because the cities are still full of them. They’re everywhere,” I told her, but she just smiled that serene smile. “It’s not your job to deal with Weepers. You can’t release them all. It’s running. You’re running away from something – maybe from yourself.” I wanted to shout at her then but she’s always stitching me up and taking care of me like a mother would, so I dropped it.

Of course, she didn’t give up. And this morning, I couldn’t say no in front of the others when she told me we needed food, couldn’t argue when she sent Larry with me. Because when he’s with me, there’s no chance for a little hunting trip between looking for provisions. And she knows that.

Larry is a good companion. He’s nothing like Karen – maybe that’s why she married him. He doesn’t talk too much and doesn’t insist on getting his way. Sometimes he spends hours staring out of the window without as much as a twitch. Only his eyes flicker in those moments, and you can tell that he’s looking at another place, another time.

It took us hours to find stores that hadn’t been raided yet. It’s getting more difficult. We have to drive longer distances. Some day there won’t be any stores left in the area and then we won’t have a choice but to move. Nomads again. But not yet. Today we came home with cans of beans and corn, jars of pickles and apple sauce. And Karen looked happy. I don’t think it was the food. But I don’t care.

Day 1 at Dark Readers

Day 2 at YA Book Reads

Day 4 tomorrow at Book Passion for Life

Gods And Warriors logo unveiled...

2012-01-29T18:33:00.001Z

Things are about to kick into gear people!! Oh yes! August sees the publication of the first book in Michelle Paver's long and eagerly anticipated new series, 'Gods and Warriors'. Well now the logo for the series has been unveiled! Looks good! Cannot wait for what is to come!!

Hollow Pike by James Dawson [Review]

2012-01-29T15:54:00.000Z

Written by: James Dawson.

Published by: Indigo/Orion.

Format: Paperback.

Released: 2nd February 2012.

Rating: 5/5.

Official synopsis: "Something wicked this way comes... She thought she'd be safe in the country, but you can't escape your own nightmares, and Lis London dreams repeatedly that someone is trying to kill her. Lis thinks she's being paranoid - after all who would want to murder her? She doesn't believe in the local legends of witchcraft. She doesn't believe that anything bad will really happen to her. You never do, do you? Not until you're alone in the woods, after dark - and a twig snaps... Hollow Pike - where witchcraft never sleeps."

Early last Summer, word started to spread through Twitter and the Bloggoverse about a new book being published in February 2012 by Orion's new YA imprint, Indigo, intrigue began to build as we were given the first tantalising glimpse of Hollow Pike by one James Dawson. All we knew at the time. Witchcraft.

The cover was released a few weeks later closely followed by the official synopsis and since then the anticipation has been steadily growing with a large selection of my fellow bloggers and readers alike all getting pretty excited about this book right here. And finally last week, I got a copy! I'll admit I did a little squee dance and was so excited. Started to read it pretty much straight away and couldn't of been more surprised than I was.

Hollow Pike was NOTHING like I'd expected it to be. I had images of haggard old women around cauldrons, steaming with potions. I expected there to be spells. But there was none of that. And you know what? It doesn't need it. Hollow Pike is so much more than I expected it to be in more ways than one.

Lis has been suffering debilitating nightmares for weeks. She's scared, and puts it down to what is going on at home and hopes that the move to Hollow Pike will help them to come to an end... How wrong could she be? The dreams are vivid, dark and downright terrifying. They hold you captivated - breathless - until Lis wakes up.

Bullying and social perception plays a large roll in the book. Lis has been forced to move to Hollow Pike to escape her life back in Wales where she is looked down upon by all of her school mates. Bullied, and outcast she chooses to live with her sister in this sleepy little Yorkshire village (it is made up I should add... so don't be too scared by what happens there...). Things start of well at her new school, and her sister Sarah (her partner Max and son - Lis's nephew) love having her there and she actually seems to have been taken under the wing of the in-clique.

But then things start to go wrong as she is more and more intrigued by the outcasts of Hollow Pike. Three young teenagers. Kitty. Delilah. And Jack. Looked down upon by their peers, they show no fear and in fact, it's the people who make fun of them that show fear. For there are rumours that a long gone history of witchcraft is about to resurface.

I don't really think I can say much more without spoiling it... So all I'll say is: there are creepy old ladies, birds and lots of them, twists, turns, and a murder (which again is something I was not expecting...).

Hollow Pike has it all. Blood. Magic. Murder. Friendship. Love. Sacrifice. And a beautiful house which Lis's sister lives in (seriously, I want that house when I am older... blueprints, James?!).

It's a haunting, captivating and moving read, set at a perfect pace with beautiful writing. Watch out people because James Dawson is about to take you on one hell of a ride you will most definitely not forget. I cannot wait to see what he writes next!

My thanks have to go, again, to the ever amazing Nina at Orion for this. I have been pestering that poor woman for ages about this book, so glad it was all worth it! :D

Buy from Amazon UK

The Long Earth Cover Art

2012-01-20T21:15:00.002Z

Discworld creator, and general genius Terry Pratchett is releasing two books this year, neither Discworld releated but that doesn't seem to be a bad this. Later in the year we're getting Happy Families, set in the Victorian era, but before that we get The Long Earth. It's due for publication on 21st June and is a collaboration piece between Terry and a gentleman called Stephen Baxter. It is an adult book (I think...) but it looks and sounds awesome and Terry is just so good that it'll be a crime to miss it, I believe.

It sounds a little like this:

The possibilities are endless (just be careful what you wish for...)1916: the Western Front, France. Private Percy Blakeney wakes up. He is lying on fresh spring grass. He can hear birdsong, and the wind in the leaves in the trees. Where has the mud, blood and blasted landcape of No man's Land gone?

2015: Madison, Wisconsin. Cop MonicaJansson has returned to the burned-out home of one Willis Linsay, a reclusive and some said mad, others dangerous, scientist. It was arson but, as is often the way, the firemen seem to have caused more damage than the fire itself. Stepping through the wreck of a house, there's no sign of any human remains but on the mantelpiece Monica finds a curious gadget - a box, containing some wiring, a three-way switch and a...potato. It is the prototype of an invention that Linsay called a 'stepper'. An invention he put up on the web for all the world to see, and use, an invention that would to change the way mankind viewed his world Earth for ever. And that's an understatement if ever there was one...

...because the stepper allowed the person using it to step sideways into another America, another Earth, and if you kept on stepping, you kept on entering even more Earths...this is the Long Earth. It's our our Earth but one of chain of parallel worlds, lying side by side each differing from its neighbour by really very little (or actually quite a lot). It's an infinite chain, offering 'steppers' an infinite landscape of infinite possibilities. And the further away you travel, the stranger - and sometimes more dangerous - the Earths get. The sun and moon always shine, the basic laws of physics are the same. However, the chance events which have shaped our particular Earth, such as the dinosaur-killer asteroid impact, might not have happened and things may well have turned out rather differently.

But, until Willis Linsay invented his stepper, only our Earth hosted mankind...or so we thought. Because it turns out there are some people who are natural 'steppers', who don't need his invention and now the great migration has begun...

Ooh. Sounds good. And it looks a little like this:

Alex Rider gets new look...

2012-01-20T21:07:00.001Z

Scorpia Rising, the ninth and final Alex Rider book by the incredible Anthony Horowitz was released last March and sported a completely different look for our favourite teen spy. Closing the series with a colossal bang, part of me was a bit annoyed that I would never have a complete set as they'd changed the look a few times over the series, then switch to hardback, then back to paperback... And I did wonder if this new look that we saw with Scorpia Rising would seep into the rest of the series. And finally it has... Below are the covers for the first eight books, ranging from Stormbreaker to Crocodile Tears.

I for one really like this direction. It's clean and uniform. And some of the covers are quite striking. I am in love with the Eagle Strike cover. Bravo Walker. Bravo!

Waiting On Wednesday: Chronicles of Egg Book 1

2012-01-18T09:00:00.000Z

Later this year, Puffin are set to publish the first book in the Chronicles of Egg by Geoff Rodkey. It's called Deadweather and Sunrise and looks a little like this...

Looks awesome huh? And it sounds a little like this...

DEADWEATHER, a sweaty little pirate-infested island, is home to EGG, thirteen years old and prey to a pair of cruel and stupid older siblings. But when Egg’s family disappears in a freak accident, he finds himself living on SUNRISE island with the glamorous Pembroke family and their feisty daughter Millicent. Finally, life seems perfect. Until someone tries to throw him off a cliff. Suddenly, Egg is lost in a world of cutthroat pirates and powerful villains. Only Millicent - and a one-handed, possibly deranged cabin boy – can help him as he hurtles into the deadliest adventure of his life...

Well I for one cannot wait to read it! It's out 7th June and definitely sounds like one to watch!

Advent by James Treadwell [Review]

2012-01-17T09:00:00.000Z

Written by: James Treadwell.

Published by: Hodder UK.

Format: Hardback.

Released: 2nd February 2012.

Rating: 4/5.

Official synopsis: "For centuries it has been locked away

Lost beneath the sea. Warded from earth, air, water, fire, spirits, thought and sight. But now magic is rising to the world once more. And a boy called Gavin, who thinks only that he is a city kid with parents who hate him, and knows only that he sees things no one else will believe, is boarding a train, alone, to Cornwall. No one will be there to meet him."

I'm going to be perfectly honest from the start, I found this a weird book to read, almost difficult in places. And again, being honest, I'm not entirely sure why.

When the proof/arc landed through my letterbox last September, I was intrigued. It was stunning. A white paperback with a black wrap-around cover. And the premise was fantastic. Magic returning to a world that has no clue it exists. Brilliant. Again, like with The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker, I felt it was too early to read it for a Feb 2012 publication, so I put it aside. Last week, I received a finished copy, and thought great, now my proof can stay in perfect condition. I picked it up, started to read and I'll admit I was hooked.

But there's something off about the book and still now, a week after finishing it, I'm not sure what it is. It's brilliantly written, the prose is rich and enticing, and the premise is still there but it isn't entirely what I was expecting at all. The book flips from present day Cornwall to a time when magic was still feared in the 1500's. Sometimes I felt like the flips in time came at the wrong place - when something exciting was about to happen, and it'd be a chapter before you could jump back - kind of breaking up the flow of the story. I suppose it's a good thing because it certainly made me want to read on to see what would happen next, but at times I felt myself sigh. Not again...

Anyway, the premise itself is very strong in the book and with Treadwell's prose it's haunting and terrifying in equal measure.

Gavin as an actual character is great. I think Treadwell gets the teenage voice spot on, before flipping to the speech style of the sixteenth century. Gavin is lost really. His parents have packed him off to Cornwall but when he gets there, his expected welcome from his aunt isn't there... No one is there to greet him.

The book has a certain gothic feel that chilled me to the bone and has left me eager to see how the story continues in the second book of the planned trilogy. Hopefully it can draw me in even deeper than Advent did. Whilst I didn't love it, it is a good book and looks set to be a massive success!

The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker [Review]

2012-01-16T09:00:00.000Z

Written by: Susanne Winnacker.

Published by: Usborne.

Format: Paperback.

Released: 1st February 2012.

Rating: 4.5/5.

Official synopsis: "The Other Life: who we were before the virus. How we'll never be again. It's been 3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days since Sherry has seen daylight. When things went wrong up above, she was sealed off from the world in a bunker with her family. But when they run out of food, Sherry and her dad must venture outside. There they find devastation, desolation...and the Weepers: savage mutant killers. When her dad is snatched, Sherry joins forces with gorgeous but troubled Joshua - an Avenger, determined to destroy the Weepers. But can Sherry keep her family and Joshua safe, when his desire for vengeance threatens them all? The seeds of first love are sown amongst the death and destruction of a nightmare future in this incredible debut novel. Beautifully formed and gut-wrenchingly gripping, it's essential reading."

The Other Life is the first book to come from Susanne Winnacker, and another book added to Usborne's growing YA list. I received this proof sometime last Summer and as soon as I read the synopsis on the back, I thought ooh... this sounds good. I read the first chapter and loved it, but felt that it was too early to be reading it with it not actually due for publication until next month... So I decided to put it away for a rainy day once 2012 had gotten here...

Fast forward to last week and I found myself mulling over a few titles, The Other Life being one of them. I looked at the cover and for the first time noticed that the butterfly isn't a simple butterfly. There's 2 characters, who I not know to be Sherry and Joshua..., and some creepy looking clawed hands. Those of the Weepers. This realisation made me go ooh... I picked it up and re-read the first chapter and once that happened, the rest is history.

I've already tweeted Susanne, so she knows how I feel about the book. It was an explosion of "GOOD LORD THIS IS AMAZING..." and so on... But I should explain further.

The Other Life is set in the not too distant future in LA. We know it to be the sun-kissed home of celebrities and Hollywood, but Sherry knows it as home. But the LA we see in this book is completely different to the LA we all know about today. Sherry and her family have been locked away in a bunker, hiding from a disease which has ravished parts of America. Rabies. People are dying, and a state of emergency is called. The government asks its people to remain calm and tells them that they will be notified when it is safe to emerge... But three years later, nothing is happening and the broadcasts have stopped. Soon, Sherry and her family run out of food and desperation sinks in. Surely after three years it'll be safe?

Wrong.

Now there is something new to contend with. Weepers. Mutilated humans who have been turned by rabies into flesh craving, blood hungry monsters. Their favourite dish? Humans. Now, I know what you're thinking... Ugh... Another zombies-turned-into-zombies-by-disease/famine/war/whatever-else-makes-zombies book? and when I first read about them I thought the same, but these are different. Yes, they have a zombie element about them, but they are original. They're called Weepers because a milky substance falls from their eyes, giving them the appearance of crying; their flesh falls away - this made me think of lepracy and just general decay. It's almost like they're no longer human or living, to me, I felt like they were rotting humans and nothing more... Apart from the fact they don't go around blurting out "Brains... brains...". They actually have some sense of intelligence and their eyes look intelligent too. I can't really explain it very well, I'll leave that to Susanne, but still. Wow!

The book is brilliantly written and I don't really want to say much more about what happens because it really would spoil it. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you going, the writing as I've already said is freaking amazing. Susanne has created something beautiful here that really stands out the current flood of dystopian fiction.

I really cannot wait for the sequel, The Life Beyond due out in 2013!! So far away!

Pre-order from Amazon UK

In My Postbox #48

2012-01-15T11:45:00.000Z

In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren, and all links take you to Amazon UK.

No three month break between In My Postbox updates this week! Haha! Hey guys! This week has been pretty sweet on the book front. Got some cool books, read some awesome ones and here they are...

REVIEW:

Casper Candlewacks in Claws of Crime by Ivan Brett (loved the first one, so cannot wait to get into this one!!).

Poison Heart by S.B. Hayes.

Arcadia Awakens by Kai Meyer.

Enemies by Tim Bowler.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi (this one sounds good and the cover is awesome!)

BOUGHT:

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green (SIGNED!!! I have already read this, and it is amazing. My review is here).

GIFT/WON:

Angel Fire by L. A. Weatherly (this is the US hardback edition and it is beautiful. Won it as part of Lee's 1500th follower Twitter quiz! And its signed with a lovely message. Thanks so much for this, Lee! I freaking love it!)

As always, thanks again to all the amazing publicists, publishers, and authors for such amazing books! You all rock!

So there we are folks. That is all. Have a great week!

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green [Review]

2012-01-15T10:56:00.000Z

Written by: John Green.

Published by: Dutton/Penguin.

Format: Hardback.

Released: 10th January 2012.

Rating: 5/5.

Official synopsis: "Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now. Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means) Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly, to her interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind."

The Fault In Our Stars is the first book by John Green that I have ever read. I've heard fellow bloggers rave and rave and rave about him, but I've just, for one reason or another, picked up one of his books. When it was announced that this book was coming out in 2012, and I heard the premise, I knew that maybe, just maybe, this was the book to kick-start my John Green reading experience. And the fact that he was signing 150,000 copies of the book also made me want a copy even more! Even so, when I got my copy earlier this week, courtesy of the amazing Book Depository, I was a bit apprehensive. This book is all about cancer, there's no denying it. I've lost several family members through cancer, and even had a cancer scare myself when I was 16. If Green was really as good a writer as people said he was, how was I going to react?

Also, I didn't want the book to be a let down... Anyway, I started reading. And instantly I was caught up in Green's writing. It's so fluid, almost lyrical and I couldn't take my eyes away from the page. As already mentioned, yes, it's a book about cancer. But it's so much more than that. It's about the pity you receive when you have cancer and so so many other things beside. It almost has a cynical view of the disease, and how people feel towards those that pity them.

Despite it's dark themes and premise, this book has so many laugh out loud moments that at points, you almost forgot that the main character, a strong willed sixteen year old called Hazel, is here dying. Yes, she's a miracle in the sense that she's still alive, but she cannot get around the fact that she will die - and sooner rather than later. As she finds out through her friends at Support Group who also are dying...

What I really like about the book though is that I never once truly pitied the characters. I felt for them, cared about them, and were sad for them, but I didn't pity them. It showed that not everyone who is ill wants people to fuss around them, to worry and to hover.

I have to say, I'm finding it hard to sum up how I feel about this book, and no doubt this review is a little messy, but I'll be honest with you. I loved it. Every second. Every word. Every page. John Green has crafted something so beautiful, so read, so brutally honest and yet so funny that I fail to see how people can dislike this book in any way shape or form. It spoke to me (although, when you read the book you'll see that not all books speak to people as the authors wish them to - don't worry, I'm not being weird here... it's part of the book...), after reading it, and I'll admit a few tears, I sat back and really evaluated the life I have. It's that sort of book. Infuriatingly thought provoking, but in a good way.

It was a really haunting read and it made me think, do people going through cancer really feel this way? How would I of been if my scare hadn't been just a scare? Would I be the same in Hazel's situation? and I have to say that at times reading it, I had a little knot in my stomach. Haunting... But beautifully and masterfully written. I know I throw this word around a lot, but it was so addictive. Like I just could not let go.

Only one minor criticism that I have, and it is very minor, and I just remembered it because I used the word in the last sentence... Like is said. A LOT! And I mean a lot. Not just by one character, but several. And I have to admit, it started to nag me, but otherwise... amazing. I don't really like it when characters call another by their full, or first and middle, names. It just niggles me, and it is used in this book a lot, but I choose to overlook it as the book is just too damn good!

I cannot thank John Green enough for being such a genius. I cannot wait to get stuck into his back catalogue of work, and look forward to whatever he publishes next. You just have to read this one. Just do it.

Buy from Amazon UK

News: UK Cover art for Lauren Oliver's Pandemonium revealed!

2012-01-14T13:32:00.001Z

At long last, the artwork for Lauren Oliver's Pandemonium has been revealed and it's a beaut! Eye catching, it's the sequel to last years Delirium. It's out on 1st March and sounds like its going to rock!

What do you think of the cover?

News: Becca Fitzpatrick announced title for final Hush, Hush book

2012-01-14T00:12:00.000Z

Earlier this week, on a GoodReads chat with Blood Red Road author, Moira Young, Becca Fitzpatrick announced the title for the fourth and final book in her hugely successful, and awesome, angelic series.

Finale (yes, that's the title!!) is set to close the story that began in Hush, Hush and continued on through Crescendo and last years Silence.

I for one am not quite sure what I think about the title. It does sound quite epic. Finale. FINALE. Finale... I just... it sounds weird to me to have a title like that. I'm hoping it grows on me. It's cool and very original and clever but still. I remember being annoyed when they changed the title for Book Three from Tempest (which I loved!!) to Silence, but I have to say that Silence has grown on me.

I just hope the story can live up to such an epic name. And I cannot wait to see the cover art. Becca always gets such amazing covers. How can they top the cover for Silence though, eh?!

News: Brothers to the Death gets final artwork

2012-01-13T20:56:00.000Z

The fourth and final book in Darren Shan's epic The Saga of Larten Crepsley is due for publication in April. Called Brothers to the Death, the actual artwork for the cover was released a few weeks ago, but now the final cover as it will be available come 26th April has been unleashed with title work and of course Darren's name, and for me, it makes this cover all the more amazing.

I love the colours used and the fact that throughout the cover art for the series, we're not only seeing Larten at different stages of his life, but also the world as it's changing. First it was a dilapidated middle-agey church and now 1930's New York. Brilliant! Cannot wait to get my hands on the book!

What do you guys think?

News: US cover for Rebel Heart unleashed!

2012-01-13T20:50:00.001Z

Rebel Heart is the second book in Moira Young's Dust Lands series. Sequel to Blood Red Road, which is freaking amazing, it's not even out till October (OH MY GOD... WHY SO FAR AWAY?!) but the US publisher have released the cover! I think it's awesome! Love the colouring! And if the new UK cover for Blood Red Road is an indication of the UK look for Rebel Heart, I might import a copy... Plus it'll be hardback! *swoon*...

What do you guys think?

News: Trailer released for Hollow Pike!

2012-01-09T23:05:00.001Z

Hollow Pike is one of my most anticipated books for 2012 and it's written by the lovely Mr. James Dawson! Out on 2nd February, why not check out the trailer below. As if you need any more reason to buy it than the cover art alone, the trailer only makes me want this book all the more!

Trailer: Don Calame's Beat The Band

2012-01-08T16:56:00.001Z

Beat The Band is the sequel to last years hilarious debut offering from Don, Swim The Fly. Coop, Sean and Matt are back for another adventure! Official synopsis below, and check out the trailer that's just been released for it!

"Who gets more girls than a rock god? No one.' In the hotly-awaited sequel to the hysterical Swim the Fly, Coop finds himself partnered with social outcast 'Hot Dog' Helen for a class project on safe sex. Desperate to find a way of saving his rep, Coop decides that winning the school Battle of the Bands contest is the perfect solution. Surely the small fact that neither he nor his best friends, Sean and Matt, can actually play an instrument will stop them achieving rock-and-roll awesomeness."

Can't wait! It's out 1st February

In My Postbox #47

2012-01-08T00:00:00.000Z

In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren, and all links take you to Amazon UK.

I cannot for the life of me believe that it's been nearly three months... yes THREE MONTHS... 3! since I did my last Postbox update. Wow! Things have been crazy what with moving, Christmas, work and other stuff that goes on at that time of year (parties... I'll say no more...) but I have a bumper post today! I am going to apologise in advance for it's size, and also for any books I've missed that I might of been sent in this time. I've tried to find every single one and have been referencing with previous posts here on the blog to see what I have and haven't featured, but what with moving, everything was packed away and with over 400 books (yes, really...) they are all over the place and still, mostly, in boxes. So I've found all the ones I could and here they are...

The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz.

Soul Beach by Kate Harrison.

In Darkness by Nick Lake.

Mortlock by Jon Mayhew.

The Demon Collector by Jon Mayhew.

The Wizard Heir by Cinda Williams Chima.

Keeper of the Realms: Crow's Revenge by Marcus Alexander.

Saving Daisy by Phil Earle.

Wonder by R. J. Palacio.

Playground by 50 Cent (no, really!)

The 13th Horseman by Barry Hutchison.

Black Arts by Andrew Prentice and Jonathan Weil.

Legend by Marie Lu.

Goliath by Scott Westerfeld.

The Killables by Gemma Malley (really cool detatchable badge that you can see there in the place of the K on the title! SO COOL! Hodder always do such amazing proofs!).

Hogfather by Terry Pratchett (SIGNED... as you can see below... Read as part of my Christmas reading... love this book. Meant to get the review up for Christmas eve but just didn't get around to it and it feels wrong to review it now it's not Christmas... maybe next year!).

Department 19: The Rising by Will Hill (also signed but I don't have a pic of that the moment... doh!).

The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini (I started the series with a paperback of Eragon and always wanted a hardback copy... my copy of Eldest was hardback but in tatters so decided to get a complete set... worked out cheaper and it looks amazing!).

Next we've got Advent by James Treadwell. This copy actually came today... kind of a coincidence considering I finally started reading my proof copy last night and am thoroughly enjoying it at the moment. Just as with the black wrap-around on the proof, the cover has some iridescent bits that shine blue, red, and different colours when in different lights. So cool. Hodder always make such beautiful books! :D Some bookmarks/promo things came a few days prior in a little slipcase which is so cool! And it's quite big. Here is the finished copy next to the proof...

I'll admit that I realised I'd forgotten two books... So pics are taken from my twitter account, and from my old house, hence the green carpet and now we have a brown one... Haha. They are as follows...

The Haunting of Charity Delafield by Ian Beck (reviewed this a few weeks ago now... review here!)

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (my first ever embargo'd book I've been sent! :D Official letter and everything! Can you guess how excited I was? Haha! Eek! :D).

Surprisingly, no books for Christmas which was weird... First Christmas in ages that's happened. Did buy a few for Kindle though thanks to the 12 Days of Kindle...

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy.

Lost Christmas by David Logan.

Letters from Father Christmas by J. R. R. Tolkien.

I also got a pretty awesome CD! Rihanna's Talk That Talk album which is bloomin' brilliant! Saw her at the NIA Arena in Birmingham the week after this was released and she was awesome!

Also got this beauty of a calandar... yesterday actually (Sat 7th Jan)... THE HUNGER GAMES! Argh!

Well, this isn't a book but still... finally in this week's IN MY POSTBOX, it's the Collectors Edition collection of Harry Potter. All 8 films on DVD and blu ray. And it's beautiful. I love it!

So there... wow... I don't ever intend to leave it that long again to do a Postbox post! Haha. Hope you all have a great week, happy reading! :)

News: HarperCollins sign Chris Columbus for new series

2012-01-07T20:45:00.001Z

A few days ago now I received a press release from Harper Collins announcing an exciting new series set to his bookshelves in the next few years, courtesy of the man that helped bring Harry Potter to the screen and wrote one of my all time favourite films... GREMLINS!!! Check it out below!

New York, NY/ London (January 5, 2012)—HarperCollins Publishers announced today that it has preempted rights to a three-book middle-grade series, House of Secrets by iconic Hollywood director and producer Chris Columbus, co-authored by acclaimed young adult novelist Ned Vizzini. This is Columbus’s debut series for young readers with the first book slated for global publication in Spring 2013.

The three-book North American deal was negotiated by Alessandra Balzer, Co-Publisher of the Balzer + Bray imprint at HarperCollins Children’s Books, with Dorian Karchmar at William Morris Endeavor. UK & Commonwealth rights were acquired by Rachel Denwood, Publishing Director from Cathryn Summerhayes at William Morris Endeavour. Rights have been sold in twelve foreign territories so far.

“Master storytellers Chris Columbus and Ned Vizzini have created a high-stakes fantasy,” said Balzer. “From the very first page I knew we had to publish this series. It’s an incredibly imaginative adventure with clever plot twists and nonstop action—not to mention a family that readers will immediately fall in love with. House of Secrets has all the hallmarks of a new
classic."

Denwood added, “Combining classic adventure with sublime offbeat humor, and with three brilliant siblings at its heart, this has the potential to be the next big series. It's going to be epic.”

“The opportunity to write this novel is a dream come true," said Columbus. "I have lived with the characters of this novel and their world for many years, and was saving them for something very special. Working on House of Secrets with Ned has been a thrill.”

The Pagett kids had it all: loving parents, a big house in San Francisco, all the latest video games . . . But everything changed when their father lost his job as a result of an inexplicable transgression. Now the family is moving into Kristoff House, a mysterious place built nearly a century earlier by a troubled fantasy writer with a penchant for the occult. Suddenly the siblings find themselves launched on an epic journey into a mash-up world born of Kristoff's dangerous imagination, to retrieve a dark book of untold power, uncover the Pagett family's secret history and save their parents . . . and maybe even the world.

For over twenty-five years, Chris Columbus has written, directed and produced some of the most successful box-office hits, which have established him as a major force in contemporary Hollywood filmmaking. Columbus directed and produced the first two films in the blockbuster Harry Potter series and produced the third. More recently, Columbus has directed features such as the hit film Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, based on the bestselling children’s book series, and will begin producing the sequel Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Sea of Monsters later this year. As a director, Columbus has been at the helm of such films as Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Mrs. Doubtfire, Nine Months, Only the Lonely, and Stepmom. As a producer, Columbus was also behind the highly successful family/adventure/comedy film, Night at the Museum and its sequel Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. And as a writer, he launched his career with the legendary films Gremlins and Goonies. This past summer, Columbus released his latest film, The Help, starring Emma Stone, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Sissy Spacek, Jessica Chastain and Viola Davis though his 1492 Pictures banner.

Ned Vizzini is the author of It’s Kind of a Funny Story (also a major motion picture), Be More Chill, Teen Angst? Naaaah..., and the forthcoming The Other Normals. Ned has spoken at over 200 universities, schools, and libraries around the world about writing and mental health. He has written for The New York Times, The Daily Beast, and season 2 of MTV's Teen Wolf. His work has been translated into seven languages. You can visit Ned online at www.nedvizzini.com.

Ooh! Can't wait!

Trailer: Pure by Julianna Baggott

2012-01-07T15:13:00.001Z

Late to the party, but oh well! I've only just seen it, so I'm going to post it anyway! A trailer has been released for Julianna Baggott's new book, Pure which is out on 2nd February. It only makes me want to read the book even more! I think it's just jumped a few notches on the to read pile!

News: Trailer for John Green's The Fault In Our Stars

2012-01-07T15:08:00.000Z

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green comes out next week and I for one am blooming excited! I've never read one of his books but this one sounds fantastic and I cannot wait to get my grubby mits on it! Pre-ordered so I get a signed copy! Could be a good place to start my John Green collection, no? I hope so as my fellow bloggers rave about his books and I want to join in too!

Anyway, his US publisher have now released a trailer for the book and it's beautiful! Check it out below, and make sure you're in line (or online...) to get your copy on 10th January! That's this Tuesday folks! Be there!

News: The Death Cure given UK release date and artwork!

2012-01-07T14:57:00.000Z

The Death Cure is the third and final book in James Dashner's incredible The Maze Runner trilogy, following on from the first book, The Maze Runner and the second, The Scorch Trials. I already own the US edition as the artwork was just so beautiful and I couldn't wait to read it. As it is, I haven't gotten around to it yet... but now the UK release has been set for the 5th April and it'll look a little like this...

Awesome! I like the UK covers and this is the best of them so far. I like that theres a hidden image and you really have to look hard to depict stuff. However the US covers have this sense of epic about them that I cannot help but love! Which reminds me, really must get the US hardcover for The Maze Runner to complete my set!

Synopsis is as follows: "The Trials are over. WICKED have collected all the information they can. Now it's up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test. But something has happened that no-one at WICKED has foreseen: Thomas has remembered more than they think. And he knows WICKED can't be trusted ...The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than anyone could have imagined. With the Gladers divided, can they all make it"

US readers will also get another book from Dashner this year. It's called The Kill Order and is actually a prequel to the trilogy. It's out on 14th August. No fear though UK readers... you can get the book on Book Depository for under £9 with free delivery! Amazing! Especially when you're as impatient as me! Haha!

News: Saving Daisy trailer

2012-01-07T14:46:00.000Z

Saving Daisy is the second offering from Phil Earle, after last years fantastic Being Billy! It came out on Thursday (5th Jan) is currently on my to read pile. It sounds awesome, and now the folks at Puffin have released a trailer for it! Check it out!

News: Cover art for City of Lost Souls revealed!!

2012-01-04T21:35:00.001Z

Another day, another cover reveal. And today it's the turn of Cassandra Clare's eagerly anticipated City of Lost Souls.

It's out in May and isn't it perdy?! Can't wait!

News: Cover art for UK Insurgent revealed!

2012-01-03T19:50:00.000Z

Today is the day I've been waiting for for a while now. When we found out that we weren't getting the same cover as the US for Veronica Roth's anticipated sequel to Divergent, I for one was a little narked. How could HarperCollins change what was so beautiful? The US cover (which can be found here) is awesomesauce. Well today, the cover for Insurgent, as it will be released in the UK in May is finally here... and surprisingly I like it!

Now, it's not as striking but man does it look cool! I have to say that I think the new look is growing on me! What do you think? Whatever the cover looks like, I'll be rushing to read this when it's out! Check out the official blurb below:

"One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so."

And while you're at it, check out the new cover for Divergent which is being re-released in February in line with the new look!

Domain

2012-01-01T16:17:00.001Z

Hey guys! Hope 2012 is starting well for you all! It's a new year and this year I am going to get deadly serious where my blog is concered. I've been toying with getting a domain name for ages and today I finally did it! So Empire of Books can now be found at

www.empire-of-books.com

!!! :D Yay! So excited!

Happy New Year!!!!!

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000Z

and some fireworks too!!!

And this also happens to be the 300th post! Wow! :D Awesome stuff!

News Years Message

2011-12-31T19:46:00.000Z

So here we are, in the dying hours of 2011. And what a year it has been. This year I think I've learnt so much about myself both as a person and as a reader. The books I love to read, and crave to read. I just wanted to say, thank you so much to all the amazing publicists and indeed publishers for being so generous and sending me so many freaking awesome books this year. I truly appreciate every book I am sent and still find it amazing that people want to send me books to hear what I have to say about them? It's crazy!

I have been thinking lately what I can do to Empire of Books this coming year. I definitely want to review more. Way way more. I think, in total, I only read about 50 books this year, and while that's not terrible, it is for me. In 2010 I read over 100 books so I'm down by half. A resolution for 2012 is to read so much more. And to enjoy what I read as well. At times this year I felt myself not really enjoying what I was reading and it stresses me out. Normally I love pretty much everything. Of course not everything literally, because some stuff is bad, naturally. I went through a readers slump more than once this year where I didn't really feel like reading - for one reason or another, work, family commitments and so on - and this went on for a length of time ranging from a couple of days to a whole month. But previously mentioned reasons have lessened, the pressure is off so I can try and read more.

I have actually set myself a target of 111 books. All the 1's. Don't ask me why. Originally I thought 100. But then I thought, no, I can do better than that... 110... But I like the look of 111 better than 110... so 111 it is. I am going to be keeping a list here, of all the books I've read throughout the year, and I've picked what I think will be a real corker of a book to kickstart my year, Will Hill's Department 19: The Rising. Might as well kick the year off with an almighty (and hopefully bloody...) bang. I did last year with Curtis Jobling's Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf, so why make a change?

Thanks also to everyone that continues to visit EoB, even though posts have been a bit sparse this year! Without you, and without this blog, my life probably wouldn't be the same as it is now. When I started this blog in February 2010, I was in a very bad and dark place, and this blog allowed me to find my place, my niche. I've spoken to so many amazing people, read so many amazing reviews which have led me to read the books which I probably never would of without the blogging community. The book blogging community is the best out there and I am so proud to be a part of it!

Here's to a stunning 2012 and I hope it kicks ass, big time! :D

Empire of Books Top 10 Books of 2011

2011-12-31T15:00:00.000Z

2011 has been a very strong year in the YA fiction world. With some stunning debuts, sequels and conclusions, it's come and gone in a bit of a haze. I haven't read nearly as many books as I'd hoped to this year, and haven't reviewed that many either. But I have read some real corkers, and here are just a few of them, my top 10 favourite reads from this year!

10) Vampirates: Immortal War by Justin Somper.

Published in June, Immortal War was the stunning, and somewhat bloody, finale to Somper's awesome Vampirates series. In the battle for the oceans, no life is safe. I've always been a fan of this series and Justin definitely did not disappoint with this book.

9) One Seriously Messed-Up Week In the Otherwise Mundane and Uneventful Life of Jack Sampsonite by Tom Clempson.

Winning the award for longest title of the year, and the book which made me giggle the most. The thing I love about this book is that it's so true - I know that's how me and my mates used to and I spose at times still do - we never really grow up do we? A hilarious book that I cannot recommend enough!

8) The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore.

The second of the Lorien Legacies, this book had be shouting at Sarah (the character, not it's UK editor at Puffin!) and nearly dancing with anticipation as I read it. A brilliant sequel that kicks ass.

7) Angel Fire by L. A. Weatherly.

I was bowled over last year by L. A's first book, Angel and this, the second book of the trilogy was one of my most anticipated titles of the year. Going into this book, I'll admit to being so nervous. But I needn't of been. Because this book blew me away. Like over the fields and far away away! So damn good! Can't wait for the third and final book, Angel Fever out in October (2012 that is...)!!!

6) Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough.

Seriously one of the creepiest books I have ever read, Long Lankin had my eyes super-glued to that page. When I try to tell people about this book, I just don't know what to say, how to sum it up. It's so good. Almost too good. It takes you away from where you are, I'll tell you that much, and it makes your guts feel all weird while reading it, like they're being tied into knot after knot after knot.

5) Blood Red Road by Moira Young.

Written in such a strange and enticing way, Blood Red Road is such a strong debut. Written purely in a dialect that takes a good few pages to really get reading smooth it was such a pleasure to read. Once you get the voice of the character narrating right, then you're off and away, and you know what? It's like watching a movie. So effortless, seamless. Brilliant. Really cannot wait for the sequel, Rebel Hearts due some time in 2012!

4) Torn by Cat Clarke.

Another stunning book from Cat. 2 in one year! First Entangled (which I wanted on the list but couldn't fit it in!! :() and now this! I cannot wait to read more!!

3) Divergent by Veronica Roth.

This book very nearly came in first place, in fact when I first wrote this it was. I've read it twice this year and both times it did exactly what I wanted. It took me away from everything and dropped me right in the middle of the factions with Tris and Four. This is perhaps one of the strongest debuts ever as far as I am concerned and it has certainly rivaled The Hunger Games. Divergent is essentially a dystopian novel, and since the success of Suzanne Collins and the Hunger Games trilogy, more and more dystopian books are being published. I've read a few but none of them even deserve to be in the same genre as Hunger Games. Divergent, however, does. In fact at some points it transcends the Hunger Games and just goes to that next level. I really cannot wait for book 2 of the trilogy, Insurgent, due in May.

2) Department 19 by Will Hill.

I was in two minds about including this book. I know it was published in March, but I read it last year, in 2010 and it almost didn't feel right. For me it was a 2010 book, but basing it on publication dates, it's 2011, so in it goes. And what a corker it is. I'm not going to harp on here. Everyone knows how I feel about this book, I posted my review a few weeks ago... Will gave me back the monsters I feared as a kid, so he has my eternal thanks! Book Two is at the top of the reading pile as I type. Boy I cannot WAIT! :D

And finally we come to number 1. There have been so many cool books and each one in this Top 10 would be a worthy number 1... but for me this year, one book stands out for the way it made me feel, and the emotions it envied when I read it... and so without further ado...

1) A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness.

Based on an original idea by the late Siobhan Dowd, Patrick Ness carved this stunning tale that tugged at my heart when I read it. It deals with a subject so many of us face - I myself have and I think that's why it took hold of me so much. Cancer is a devastating disease. Not just for the sufferer, but for their loved ones. Having to sit there and watch someone you care about ebb away is one of the most heartbreaking things to ever see and I have done it too many times for someone of my age. This book spoke to me in a way that as far as I'm aware, no other book has. It made me remember the pain as if it were yesterday, and it made me want to sit with the main character and tell him everything will be okay. And stunningly illustrated throughout... I just cannot say how much I adore this book.

So those are my favourite books of 2011. The below are just some of those that narrowly missed out and I just wanted to mention...

I am so looking forward to seeing what 2012 has in store! There are already so many amazing books lined up. Sequels. Finales. New series. And then so much more undiscovered! Bring it on!

Empire of Books Top 10 Covers of 2011

2011-12-31T09:00:00.000Z

As strong as the actual books themselves have been, there have been some cracking cover art this year. Ranging from the simple, elegant and beautiful, to the bold, eye-catching and sometimes, plain weird, there have certainly been some good'ens. And here, are my 10 favourites from 2011!

10) Witchfinder: The Last Nightfall by William Hussey.

9) The Death Cure by James Dashner.

8) Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough.

7) Scorpia Rising by Anthony Howoritz.

6) The Thirteen Secrets by Michelle Harrison.

5) Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick.

4) A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness.

3) Palace of the Damned by Darren Shan.

2) Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys.

1) Divergent by Veronica Roth.

All amazing covers as far as I'm concerned, but there is just something about the artwork for Divergent. Every time I see it I'm drawn in, wanting to see the world that is behind that burning emblem and and lies behind the image. That and it's shiny in real life, which adds another element to the cover. Below, are some notable mentions that just missed out on the Top 10!

Look out for my Top 10 books later today! :D Also, check out my Top 10 Covers of 2010!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T03:00:00.000Z

If you're reading this right now (and it is actually Christmas Day, you're not just late)... get off your computer/laptop/iPod/iPhone/iPad/Blackberry/other (delete as applicable) and get back to the turkey, the telly, your family (~~and your presents~~)!

Haha! Joking! MERRY CHRISTMAS guys! Hope everyone has a great great day! A very merry one! Hope you all get what you want (lots of books, right?!). Eat lots of yummy food, watch loads of crap telly (spose I'll have to sit through Doctor Who or I could break out a new DVD... DVD it is!

Anyway, yeah, Merry Christmas! Enjoy yourself wherever you are! And for those that don't celebrate Christmas, hope today is just as good a day as any other! :)

The Haunting of Charity Delafield by Ian Beck [Review]

2011-12-22T09:00:00.000Z

Written by: Ian Beck.

Published by: RandomHouse UK.

Format: Hardback.

Released: 3rd November 2011.

Rating: 4.5/5.

Official synopsis: "A magical, enchanting tale, with stunning illustrations that will transport you into another world.

Flame-haired Charity Delafield has grown up in a vast, isolated house - most of which she is forbidden to explore - with her fiercely strict father. With only her kindly nurse, Rose, and her cat Mr Tompkins for company, she knows very little of the outside world - or of her own family's shadowy past. What she does know is that she is NEVER to go outside unsupervised. And she is NEVER to over-excite herself, because of the mysterious 'condition' that she has been told she suffers from.

But Charity has a secret. All her life, she has had the same strange dream - a dream of a dark corridor, hidden somewhere in the house. Then, one day, Charity stumbles across the corridor. It leads to a door . . . and suddenly she realises things are not quite what they seem."

Set in the heart of winter in 1903, The Haunting of Charity Delafield is an enchanting little book which takes the reader from their surroundings deep into the hidden world of Stone Green Hall and the dark, forbidding forest that surrounds it, to the unknown. All her life, Charity has wanted to know what happened to her mother, what really happened. Deep down she has never believed the story that her mother died when giving birth to her, and she is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Shunned by her father, a prisoner in her own life, Charity's day to day life is regimented and planned down near enough to the minute. She knows that she'll wake, her keeper, Rose, will set a fire, brush her hair and then it is time for lessons. Day in, day out, Rose's life is dull, and sad. She's told time after time that she has a condition, but never told what exactly that condition is. This for me really captured the time in which the book was set. Although people were no longer persecuted for being a witch, there was still a strong fear of the unexplained, the irational, or what is deemed to be irrational, and did whatever they could to avoid it. And unfortunately for Charity, it seems that her condition may be a little deeper than that of a medical nature...

But Charity knows that she is not mad. And when the riddle begins to unravel she'll stop at no cost. Along the way, she meets Silas, a young sweep-boy, he is the first person she has ever met outside of her own home, she has never left the grounds... and he helps her search around the house for clues. Before Silas, the only real friend that Charity has ever known is her cat, Mr. Tompkins who is a delightful character despite the fact that he can't talk!

While really aimed at a younger audience, I really do feel that older readers will love the story just as much too, it has a charming quality to it that draws you in and keeps you reading, especially when the book picks up in the last 50 pages when the quick-fire conclusion takes place.

This book is beautifully written. It reads so smoothly and naturally. Ian has worked done wonders with this little book alone. The words flow so well together and the illustrations at the start of each chapter have all been exquisitely made. That coupled with the beautiful cover art, with its foil effects and Christmas feel make it a perfect winter read.

My thanks to Lauren over at Random House for my copy of this wonderful little book!

Buy from Amazon UK

Waiting On Wednesday: TimeRiders: Gates of Rome

2011-12-21T09:00:00.000Z

Published by: Puffin UK.

Format: Paperback.

Released: 5th Feb 2012.

Official synopsis: "Project Exodus - a mission to transport 300 Americans from 2070 to 54AD to overthrow the Roman Empire - has gone catastrophically wrong. Half have arrived seventeen years earlier, during the reign of Caligula.

Liam goes to investigate, but when Maddy and Sal attempt to flee a kill-squad sent to hunt down their field office, all of the TimeRiders become trapped in the Roman past.

Armed with knowledge of the future, Caligula is now more powerful than ever. But with the office unmanned - and under threat - how will the TimeRiders make it back to 2001 and put history right?"

The fifth book in Alex Scarrow's incredible TimeRiders series, Gates of Rome looks set to take the series to all new, and outstanding heights as we travel back to Ancient Rome.

The cover work you see before you is perhaps one of the best covers I've seen in a long time. Such strong imagery and colours. I love it! I've read the first three books in the series, with the fourth The Eternal War, currently high up in my "to read" pile. The series look stunning together and with this one added it's only going to look even more impressive.

Each book just gets better and better and I really cannot wait to see what Alex has in store for us... well, after I've read Book 4 that is!!

Pre-order from Amazon UK

Casper Candlewacks In Death By Pigeon by Ivan Brett [Review]

2011-12-20T09:00:00.000Z

Written by: Ivan Brett.

Published by: HarperCollins Children's Books.

Format: Paperback.

Released:

Rating: 4/5.

Official synopsis: "Casper Candlewacks is the only boy with any sense in a village full of idiots… a hilarious debut novel from the funniest new voice in young fiction.

But don’t just take our word for it! Jeremy Strong has hailed it “a funny and engaging debut”.

Most villages have an idiot but Casper's village is full of them. So being bright makes poor Casper something of an outsider. When famous magician the Great Tiramisu curses the village, Casper's father is blamed and sentenced to death by pigeon. It's up to Casper and his best friend to find the magician, reverse the curse and save the day.

A riotous tale that proves all you really need in life is a buggy that runs on washing-up liquid and a couple of boys to crash it."

Set in the fictional village of Corne-On-The-Kobb which is jam-packed full of idiots. Aimed primarily at a younger audience, the book says 9+ on the back (hey, so I'm only 10 years out then not too bad... 11 next week but who's counting?!) but I found it to be an entertaining and hilarious little read, from an exciting new author.

It all begins when the Great Tiramisu pays the village a visit and in a heated moment, Casper does something he later comes to regret. Soon we find Casper the hero as he must save the day, and ultimately his dad, from killer, human-flesh craving pigeons!

It's fast paced so sure to capture the attention of even the most reluctant of readers.

A lot of work has obviously gone into the book, with more laughs than you can shake... well... a corn on the kobb at... and there are even some inuendo's in there if I'm not mistaken (probably am, I've got a brain like a sieve and probably imagined them...) which will give older readers a little chuckle too. The characters are a great little bunch. Lots of one liners, and they have some hilarious names. My favourite has to be Mayor Ratsbulge. Amazing. Ivan has done a great job in setting up Casper's world. And from an author who is just 2 years older than me, it only adds fuel to the fact that you can be published at any age and still not compromise on quality. I really am looking forward to seeing what is next in store for our hero...

Well not much longer to wait. The second book The Claws of Crime is out on 5th January! Excellent! And with a third book, Attack of the Brainiacs! due next April as well, 2012 looks set to be a good year for both Casper and Ivan!

Buy from Amazon UK

2012: Books of Interest (Part 2)

2011-12-19T09:00:00.000Z

When I started to make the last post I hadn't thought I'd find so many books I'm excited for! 2012 is shaping up to be such a good year for YA fiction so I guess we spread into Part 2!

We jump forward to August as at the moment, I can't think of any books in May - July... Annoying but I'm sure there'll be plenty. I just can't think of any at this second. Ha...

Anyway... AUGUST will see the release of the third book in Pittacus Lore's Lorien Legacies. Titled The Rise of Nine it is so far away that no cover art or synopsis has been released! But then that's how the rest of this post is going to pan out... None of them have covers or synopsis' and one doesn't even have an official title yet!!

So... to SEPTEMBER... which see's the launch of a brand new series from (quite possibly my all time favourite author...) Michelle Paver! The series is called Gods and Warriors and is set in the Mediterranean. Still pre-history but a lot nearer to our time than the adventures of Torak, Renn and Wolf in Paver's phenomenal Chronicles of Ancient Darkness which took place in the ancient forests of Europe... At the moment there's no title for Book One. All that's known is this brief summary which Michelle released herself as a teaser:

"The setting will be the Mediterranean, in the Bronze Age, a few thousand years after Torak’s adventures. It is such a rich, spectacular, exciting world to inhabit (and one I’ve loved since I was a child) – a time of chariots, ocean-going ships, slaves, warriors, myths and magic. My main character is Hylas, a goatherd, a thief and an outsider. His story starts in the mountains of Greece where in a single night, his world is overturned, setting him on a journey that will take him far from the mountains and across the seas. Like Torak, Hylas will form lasting bonds with animals... A dolphin, a lion cub and a falcon will all weave in and out of the stories."

Want! Now!

And finally we come to OCTOBER the third and final book in L. A. Weatherly's Angel trilogy will be released. It's called Angel Fever, and that, at the moment, is all we know!

Also in OCTOBER, or quite possibly NOVEMBER (date not yet set in stone...) Walker Books will, at last, be publishing Oblivion. The fifth, and final, book in Anthony Horowitz' epic, thrilling, and damn right addictive Power of Five series, it looks set to be the most explosive book he's written yet. It's already sitting in at over 160,000 words, and he's not even finished yet! Blimey! I remember reading an interview that Anthony did years ago, when Raven's Gate, the first book in the series, came out and he said it'd bee 800 pages long. He wasn't kidding!

And now he's released the first chapter as a Christmas surprise for his readers! How cool (check out my post about that here), but it only has me even more excited wanting to read the next 790 or so pages!

So those are my picks for what is to come in 2012. I can't wait to see what I've missed, and stuff yet to be announced. 2011 has been a real corker, but I think 2012 is about to kick some ass!

News: Cover Image for Darren Shan's final Larten Crepsley revealed!

2011-12-18T12:55:00.000Z

Ok, so I am rediculously, monstrously late on this one. Just never saw it, thanks to the lack of internet when we moved. Anyway, I've seen it now and boy do I love it! This, ladies and gentlemen, is the cover for Brothers to the Death, the fourth and final book in Shan's incredible Saga of Larten Crepsley. The cover for the previous book, Palace of the Damned, has to go down as my favourite Darren Shan cover ever, and now this one is coming just slightly behind! Check it out below, and the book is available in April! :D

(N.B, this is the cover minus the title artwork and of course, Darren's name art too... That is to follow.)

Cover of the Week: In Darkness by Nick Lake

2011-12-18T09:00:00.000Z

Written by Nick Lake, an editor at HarperCollins Children UK (this bloke is responsible for publishing so many books that I love, so he's reached Godly status already...), In Darkness is set around the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake which we all were horrified by last year. I have the book currently sitting on my "To Read" pile, and the cover actually in the flesh is stunning. Bloomsbury have done an amazing job! So eye catching and I love the colours used. I don't think the jpeg does it much justice!

Really cannot wait to read it. Check out the official synopsis below...

"In darkness, I count my blessings like Manman taught me.

One: I am alive.Two: there is no two.In the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake, a boy is trapped beneath the rubble of a ruined hospital, thirsty, terrified and alone. Shorty is a child of the slums, a teenage boy who has seen enough violence to last a lifetime, and who has been inexorably drawn into the world of the gangsters who rule Site Solèy; men who dole out money with one hand and death with the other.

But Shorty has a secret: a flame of revenge that blazes inside him and a burning wish to find the twin sister he lost seven years ago. And he is marked. Marked in a way that links him to Toussaint l’Ouverture, the Haitian rebel who led the slave revolt and faced down Napoleon to force the French out of Haiti two hundred years ago.

As he grows weaker, Shorty relives the journey that took him to the hospital, with a bullet wound in his arm. In his visions and memories he hopes to find the strength to survive – perhaps then Shorty and Toussaint can find a way to be free . . ."

It's out in hardback on 5th January and sounds like a corker!

News: Anthony Horowitz and the Christmas Surprise

2011-12-17T13:03:00.001Z

Christmas has just come 9 days early for me, thanks to Anthony Horowitz who, yesterday (yes I'm late again...) released the first chapter from the long awaited (and eagerly anticipated, I should add), fifth and final book in the incredible The Power of Five series. The book is called Oblivion and is out October/November 2012! So that for me is a big one to look out for too!

Now, the chapter is a gift from Mr. Horowitz, but he's not just going to post it up for you, is he? Oh no! You have to work for it - trust me, it's worth it! Just follow the clue on the following link (Anthony's Christmas Blog And Surprise!) and you should hopefully find it. If not, well it's only another 10 or 11 months until the books actually out! Not that long of a wait?! (Yeah, right!!)

I'm not going to lie, this chapter has me very excited for what is to follow! Bravo Anthony! Can't wait!

2012: Books of Interest (Part 1)

2011-12-17T09:00:00.000Z

So with just over 2 weeks left of the year, the time has come to look forward to what 2012 has in store for us! One thing that spings to mind instantly is The Hunger Games movie which I for one am DYING to see! I'm also looking forward to all the little companion things, including the official guide written by Suzanne Collins herself! But anyway, this is about books... So, here are some books that have me salivating at the mouth, all due to be published throughout 2012!

Kickstarting the year, there are a few titles I'm looking forward to in JANUARY! First up, The Fault In Out Stars by John Green. Much to the dismay of some of my fellow bloggers, I have never read any of John's previous work (I shall prepare for some abuse, most likely from Iffath... I'm watching you!) but this sounds so good and I love the cover. Have a copy on pre-order thanks to The Book Depo and it sounds a little like this...

Official synopsis: "Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now. Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means) Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly, to her interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind."

Having lost family members (Total count so far of 4) to cancer, this sounds like it's going to be a heart-wrencher!

It also sees the publication of the second Casper Candlewacks adventure. It's called The Claw's of Crime and I can't wait. I loved the first book, Death by Pigeon (which I should be reviewing soon) and recently read it again. It's only a little book and it is aimed at younger readers (it says 9+ on the back... I'm only 10 years older... it's okay...) but it is so funny and such a good read!

Official synopsis: "Most villages have an idiot but Casper's village is full of them. So being bright makes poor Casper something of an outsider. An infamous cat burglar has struck in the village of Corne-on-the-Kobb, stealing a precious jewelled sword and kidnapping Casper’s baby sister. To make matters worse a gaggle of amateur detectives are on the case, questioning the villagers and getting in the way. Armed only with his wits, an egg-boiling lie-detecting machine and his best friend Lamp, can Casper rescue his sister and save the day?"

FEBRUARY will see the release of Hollow Pike by James Dawson, courtesy of Orion Children's Books. I've raved about how much I want this book both here and on twitter, and as soon as I actually do get a copy, you will all know... You'll hear me shout with joy, I believe. If not, there'll be a twitpic with lots of !!!!!!!!!! marks... And such a beautiful cover. I hope it's shiny and has foil!!! (You hear me, Orion?!!)

Official synopis: "Lis London moves to Hollow Pike looking for a fresh start. She's intrigued by the town's sinister history of witchcraft, ritual and witchfinders. But when a fellow teen is murdered in the woods in what appears to be a ritual killing, Lis starts to wonder whether the witches are really history after all... Who is the mysterious figure caught on camera in the trees at the time of the murder? Could he be the killer? And do Lis's ominous nightmares of being murdered in the forest mean that she might be the next to die?"

Marvelous!

We also get this little beauty! Advent by James Treadwell. It looks beautiful, and it currently sitting on my "to read" pile. It sounds fantastic and I for one can't wait to get stuck in!

Official synopsis: "For centuries it has been locked away. Lost beneath the sea. Warded from earth, air, water, fire, spirits, thought and sight. But now magic is rising to the world once more. And a boy called Gavin, who thinks only that he is a city kid with parents who hate him, and knows only that he sees things no one else will believe, is boarding a train, alone, to Cornwall. No one will be there to meet him."

Creepy!

Then in MARCH, another very exciting release! The second Department 19 book, by Will Hill! Titled The Rising, the cover is quite literally on fire! HarperCollin's design department have taken what was already a very striking image from the first book, made a few changes and then set it ablaze and made it even more eye-catching! Reviewed the first book in this series earlier today, and this is perhaps one of my most anticipated releases for 2012.

Official synopsis: "The pulse-pounding sequel to DEPARTMENT 19 – “The best action horror story I have ever read” according to Bookzoneforboys… DEPARTMENT 6 IS THE ARMY. DEPARTMENT 13 IS MI5. DEPARTMENT 19 IS ALL THAT STANDS BETWEEN YOU AND THE END OF THE WORLD. After the terrifying attack on Lindisfarne at the end of the first book, Jamie, Larissa and Kate are recovering at Department 19 headquarters, waiting for news of Dracula’s stolen ashes. They won’t be waiting for long. Vampire forces are gathering. Old enemies are getting too close. And Dracula… is rising."

Eep! What is going to happen next?!

In April, Simon and Schuster UK will publish Michelle Harrison's first offering since she finished her Thirteen series/trilogy. It's called Unrest, and it's out right at the end of the month. Not much is known... there's no cover art yet, but we do have a synopsis and it sounds deliciously ghosty!

Official synopsis: "Seventeen-year-old Elliott hasn't slept properly for six months. Not since the accident that nearly killed him. Now he is afraid to go to sleep. Sometimes he wakes to find himself paralysed, unable to move a muscle, while shadowy figures move around him. Other times he is the one moving around, while his body lies asleep on the bed. According to his doctor, sleep paralysis and out of body experiences are harmless - but to Elliot they're terrifying. Convinced that his brush with death has opened up connections with the spirit world, Elliott secures a live-in job at one of England's most haunted locations, determined to find out the truth. There he finds Sebastian, the ghost of a long-dead servant boy hanged for stealing bread. He also meets the living, breathing Ophelia, a girl with secrets of her own. She and Elliott grow closer, but things take a terrifying turn when Elliott discovers Sebastian is occupying his body when he leaves it. And the more time Sebastian spends inhabiting a living body, the more resistant he becomes to giving it back. Worse, he seems to have an unhealthy interest in Ophelia. Unless Elliott can lay Sebastian's spirit to rest, he risks being possessed by him for ever, and losing the girl of his dreams..."

Join me in a chorus of "I WANT... RIGHT NOW!!!"

Department 19 by Will Hill [Review]

2011-12-16T09:00:00.000Z

Written by: Will Hill.

Published by: HarperCollins.

Format: Hardback.

Released: 31st March 2011.

Rating: 4.5/5.

Official synopsis: "In a secret supernatural battle that's been raging for over a century, the stakes have just been raised – and they're not wooden anymore.

When Jamie Carpenter's mother is kidnapped by strange creatures, he finds himself dragged into Department 19, the government's most secret agency.

Fortunately for Jamie, Department 19 can provide the tools he needs to find his mother, and to kill the vampires who want him dead. But unfortunately for everyone, something much older is stirring, something even Department 19 can't stand up against…"

Late last year, some buzz began to grow within the bloggosphere about a book that was top secret and set to blow. Much like a timebomb, Department 19 came into my life. I first heard about it through twitter... saw some top secret (not really because it's twitter) tweets, had an email and then a book popped through my letterbox (I was invited to this really cool event but couldn't go due to just starting my current job...) with the following image.

No writing. Just the image. So simple and so intriguing. Well I decided to read the first chapter just to see what all the fuss was about - I'd heard several folk who had already read the book rave about it - and wish (in a good way...) that I hadn't started... Because what I read in the next 400-odd pages blew my mind.

Will's writing has something about it that's so engaging and yet at the same time you don't have the feeling that you're being told the story, more living it. Department 19 is one of those books where it feels more like watching a movie, or as I said a moment ago, with a little imagination you could be right there, in the thick of it all with Jamie. It's so effortless and second nature. So smooth.

The characters are well rounded. I'm only going to focus on one in the review as I don't want to give anything away within the book and some names would kind of spoil it unless you're reading it... He's a bit of a weird one. The social outcast at school. Everywhere really. And his mum is just as much of an outcast. Why? Because his father was a traitor - or so everyone believes. He obviously has some resentment towards his father and as he learns the truth about everything - the cover up's, oh the COVER UP'S! - things begin to get a lot clearer and we learn about Department 19 itself, a secret section within the UK Government who specialise in protecting the general public from vampires and other monsters.

The concept of a secret sector of the government defending us against the creepy crawlies of the night isn't exactly a new one, but it's the approach to this one that makes it completely original. The book doesn't let up for one second. Violence and rightfully so - these are vampires after all - lots of blood and gore. For a few moments when reading it, I forgot that essentially, this book is aimed at teenagers. It doesn't feel that way at all, when reading it. The book gave me everything that I needed when I read it and I felt like Will had actually written the book just for me. I felt that the book itself got me, and got inside my head. Like the pages were manipulating themselves just for me yet leaving me breathless to see what on earth happened to Jamie next. I know that Will did not write it with me in mind and not just for me... but sometimes when reading a book you just get that feeling, right?

For so long now books have been making promises. The next Harry Potter. The next Twilight. The next this, the next that. And they hardly ever live up to those expectations, although in some cases they do surpass... But with Department 19, there are no frills. You get it as it is. A raw and gritty novel that will shock, make you squirm, and yet make you laugh in equal measure - because there are funny moments too. In all honesty, the book doesn't take itself too seriously. And that's what I love about it so much. It doesn't say "ooh look at me, I'm going to look real cool and actiony and dark and then let you down... my bad." Whenever I look at the cover, which I love for its simplicity and yet being so damn eye catching, it says "take me as it comes... what have you got to lose?" For once we're not given false promises and we get a delivery worth waiting for. Wall to wall action. Sometimes in even the most thrilling of thrillers there can at points be an element or two of boredom, but not here!

And the monsters are actually scary for once! In recent output, in the vampire fiction market in particular, things have become watered down, second rate and romance fueled taking away from the fact that these are beasts, monsters who would rather rip your throat out than kiss it delicately! These are the stuff that real vampires, vampires as we know them and as they should be, are made of! This book reminded me of being small and being terrified of anything bloody, regardless of what it was.

Will has definitely set the bar with this one. Big time. I really don't know what else to say - what else I can say... Just make sure you do not miss out on this one. And with the release of the second book Department 19: The Rising is just under 4 months time, you don't have much time to waste! Trust me, I am gagging for book 2, and so will you be once you've read this!

My thanks to HarperCollins for my proof... and to Will for writing the book itself. You should definitely seek him out on twitter too. He's a very funny guy!

(N.B... And if you hear him speak on YouTube you'll understand when I say that he should narrate the audiobooks! Love his voice. Can you have voice envy? I do... so I'm going to say yes, yes you can!)

Buy from AmazonUK

Torn by Cat Clarke [Review]

2011-12-15T09:00:00.000Z

Written by: Cat Clarke.

Published by: Quercus.

Format: Paperback.

Released: 22nd December 2011.

Rating: 5/5.

Official synopsis: "Four girls. One dead body. A whole lot of guilt. Alice King isn't expecting the holiday of a lifetime when she sets off with her classmates on a trip to the Scottish wilderness, but she's not exactly prepared for an experience beyond her darkest nightmares... Alice and her best friend Cass are stuck in a cabin with Polly, the social outcast, and Rae, the moody emo-girl. Then there's Tara - queen of mean. Powerful, beautiful and cruel, she likes nothing better than putting people down. Cass decides it's time to teach Tara a lesson she'll never forget. And so begins a series of events that will change the lives of these girls forever..."

Last September, I reviewed Cat's first book, Entangled, and the review began with the following sentence: "This book is amazing! There. I've said it. Entangled is amazing." And it's true! And unfortunately, I have to begin the review of Torn in exactly the same way. Because it also is amazing... So...

This book is amazing. There. I've said it. Torn is amazing! (Is this going to become a Cat Clarke tradition?!). I've said before that the pink-ness of the Entangled proof putting me off a bit, and to be honest the use of pink, did again have a little effect on me. Not really a fan of pink, and to be honest, pink doesn't fit the story, but, a cover is a cover, there to get attention, and no doubt, this cover will. But having read Cat's work already, the cover was the least of my worries! I was fretting about what was inside.

Entangled took things to a fantastic new level and I wondered whether Cat could do it again.

Well...

With masterful skill, Cat takes us on yet another earth-shattering ride as Alice King fights with her conscience and her best friend. Does she do the right thing and compromise her relationship with Cass, or does she keep the secret, despite the fact that it's getting harder and harder to keep?

I knew Cat was amazing, but Torn, for me only proves that even more. The writing is so addictive and one-hundred percent teenage. Cat gets right into the mind of her characters - in particular those of a narrative nature - and never once does the voice of Alice faultier. It's constant and oozes along naturally. It doesn't read like "adult writing for a teenager from a teenagers point of view but obviously not written by a teenager..." If you didn't know Cat, you would think this book had been written by a fifteen year old, no doubt about it.

The five main characters, Alice - who we've already spoken about.., Cass the best friend, Rae the girl that doesn't really speak to anyone because she's too into her music, Polly the girl that, sadly, rightly or wrongly, we all know - no real friends, a kind of outcast. And then of course we've got Tara. The popular girl. Queen Bee. This book could be real, because it takes five girls who could go to any school, anywhere in the country, no doubt in the world.

To be honest, saying anymore would really spoil the book. It's so finely woven and beautifully crafted that trying to tweaser out tidbits it so freaking hard and anything I say could give the game away, quite literally. Just know that from start till finish, you'll be hooked - addicted to every word from the North London, main setting, and the field trip in Scotland that kickstarts the terrible events that take place... Characters you can actually believe in, fall for, feel for, and at the same time dispse. Twists and turns. This whole book is an experience that should not be missed.

I just wish I could forget it all to read it again! More please!

My thanks to Quercus for my copy!

Buy from Amazon UK

And We're Back!!!

2011-12-14T20:54:00.000Z

Finally I have WiFi again! Yay. 3 days after we were told it was meant to be going live it has finally, (AOL I curse you!) gone up and we can use our laptops and stuff again. Yay to no longer having to use 3G on my phone (which might I say is slow, annoying and... did I mention slow?).

Anyway! I have a review ready to go live tomorrow. It's of a book called Torn by the lovely Cat Clarke. Look out for that. And ooh! Christmas decs are up! :D Love Christmas!

Moving House - Silence To Follow!

2011-11-30T11:33:00.001Z

Hey guys! So, if you follow my Twitter page, you might know that tomorrow I'm moving! This as some of you know is very exciting for me and my family as we don't really like the area we live in and have found a house pretty much like our old one. On it's own. Peaceful. Quiet. Private - which is a very big deal for myself! So as we are moving, there's a lot to do. I've already packed over 200 books and have around about 100-130 left to go. Wow. Way more than I honestly thought I had! Still! All in good fun! Over 100 CD's and same for DVD's. You don't actually realise how much stuff you have until you move!

Anyway, the reason for this post is that it's going to be a bit quiet around here. I've had this week off work and have done more reading in 2 days than I have in the last 2 months which for me is great! Work takes over lives far too much! And I have 2 weeks off around Christmas - HEAVEN!!! - so more reading to be done and reviews to be written. But yeah, as we're moving and have a lot of things to organise we might not have the internet for around 2 weeks while AOL sort it out and change it over - why it's going to take 2 weeks I do not know... It did last time too. Crazy really. They said it might be less but it's unlikely! Annoying!

So all I'll have to rely on is my phone, and I don't quite fancy racking up a massive bill, so I'll only be on Twitter for a bit. Annoying, but still.

I am so so so excited to be moving and can't believe this is the last post I'll make here! I have been in a bit of a reading slump the last few months. Just can't seem to get the will to read loads and I think it's this place. I've never had it like this before! But it's a peaceful place we're going to and there's going to be a lot less noise - which does distract me from reading, I get so annoyed at noisy neighbors! :D Next time you hear from me, I hope for it to be a review. And it'll be in a new house!

Waiting On Wednesday: Hollow Pike

2011-11-16T08:00:00.000Z

Folk who follow me on Twitter will have heard me rant about how far away February 2012 is and it's only because of this book... Hollow Pike by Mr. James Dawson (is now the right time to announce I have a work colleague with the same name... Creepy...) who is very funny and well worth a Twitter follow! Check him out, but in the meantime, get a ganders at that cover (what a beaut!) and the synopsis...

Lis London moves to Hollow Pike looking for a fresh start. She's intrigued by the town's sinister history of witchcraft, ritual and witchfinders. But when a fellow teen is murdered in the woods in what appears to be a ritual killing, Lis starts to wonder whether the witches are really history after all... Who is the mysterious figure caught on camera in the trees at the time of the murder? Could he be the killer? And do Lis's ominous nightmares of being murdered in the forest mean that she might be the next to die?

It's out in February, published by Orion Childrens Books and you can pre order on Amazon, The Book Depository and Waterstones!

Random House UK Announce A Bright Dystopian Future

2011-11-15T21:08:00.001Z

Earlier today I got an email that almost made me shiver with excitement, from the lovely Lauren at Random House UK, as they revealed some of their latest acquisitions. Some dystopian beauty's set to hit the bookshelves in 2012 and 2013! Check it out!

Starters by Lissa Price, an American screenwriter, publishing in April 2012, is an action-packed thriller set in a world where eternal youthfulness can be had – at a price. One girl has the ability to bring it all tumbling down . . . RHCB acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Heather Shapiro at Baror International and will be launching globally alongside Random Inc for a truly international campaign.

A post- apocalyptic Los Angeles is the setting for Struck by Jenifer Bosworth, publishing in July 2012. After the city is devastated by an earthquake, Mia Price finds herself in the middle of a power struggle between two fanatical cults; one that wants to save the world and another that wants to destroy it. RHCB acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Alex Webb of the Rights People, acting on behalf of FSG.

Sangu Mandanna’s debut The Lost Girl publishes in early 2013 and centres around Eva, a feisty teen girl who technically has no true identity of her own. Eva is forced to abandon everything she's ever known and loved, finding herself torn between two worlds. RHCB acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Sarah Malloy of A.M. Heath acting on behalf of the Elizabeth Kaplan agency.

And finally, children’s librarian Emma Pass, releases ACID in early 2013. This action-packed novel introduces us to Jenna Strong, a truly kick-ass heroine who is serving time in an all-male prison for the murder of her parents. Set one hundred years in the future in a Big Brother style society; Britain is now under the control of ACID – a terrifying all-seeing police force. RHCB acquired world rights from Carolyn Whitaker of London Independent Books.

Ruth Knowles, Commissioning Editor comments, ‘Dystopian fiction is a much-talked about genre, particularly with the release of The Hunger Games movie next spring. We have acquired some fantastic futuristic thrillers that we know will appeal to this audience, and are confident that RHCB will have some of the most exciting novels in the genre. The worlds within them are very different from each other, but all completely hook you in from the first page and do not let go.’

All I can say is that if these books are as good as they sound, bring them on! :D Good old Random House!

The Hunger Games Movie Trailer

2011-11-14T22:03:00.001Z

ARGH! The first official full length trailer of the long awaited adaptation of Suzanne Collin's utterly epic distopian novel, The Hunger Games, has at long last been released. And lawdy lawdy it is AMAZING. It has me so so so freaking excited. Already I cannot wait for Catching Fire and Mockingjay! God! MOCKINGJAY WILL ROCK! Roll on March please!

Angel Fire by L. A . Weatherly

2011-11-08T09:30:00.000Z

Written by: L. A. Weatherly.
Published by: Usborne.
Format: Paperback.
Released: 1st October 2011.
Rating: 5/5.

Official synopsis: "Only Willow has the power to defeat the malevolent Church of Angels, and they will stop at nothing to destroy her. Willow isn't alone, though. She has Alex by her side a trained Angel Killer and her one true love. But nothing can change the fact that Willow's a half-angel, and when Alex joins forces with a group of AKs, she's treated with mistrust and suspicion. She's never felt more alone...until she meets Seb. He's been searching for Willow his whole life because Seb is a half-angel too. This is a heart-pounding, knuckle-whitening, paranormal romance."

First of all, let me start this review by saying that I absolutely love Lee (L. A. Weatherly) and Angel was one of my top reads of 2010. It certainly had my expectations at an all time high. I've never been so excited about a book that has romance in it (normally I HATE those sort of books, but there's something about this series that just captivates me and makes me forgive the fact that it is a love story...) so I was a little bit worried when I finally sat down to read this 700 page, beautiful looking tome. I have just 4 words to say to sum up how I truly feel about this book.

I. Am. In. Awe.

Yep. I am in awe! This book slayed me - and that is a very good thing. It made me feel so many things in such a short space of time that looking back I dunno how I coped and I'd like to know how other readers coped too! Haha. The ups and downs of Alex and Willow's relationship, knowing that essentially, for them to be enemies in the real world, that their love is wrong, and then for the deliciously described and atmospheric Seb to come on in and shake everything up. Wow.

I now, after reading Angel Fire see this trilogy like the building of a house... Angel laid down the foundations, and now Angel Fire has built the skeleton before fleshing it out, albeit one almighty task... and now I can just feel next year's Angel Fever coming along and blowing everything to smithereens.

L. A. writes so beautifully. You can tell that every single word has been agonised over, that it's there because it earned it's right to be there. I want to thank her for yet another stunning reading experience. Because it was stunning. Never before has a book about romance ever hit me like this. I'm not that sort of person. I prefer my fantasy. And while the trilogy has a massive sense of fantasy, it also has a sense of realism that I think at times we all relate to, and it pulls me in.

A serious contender for book of the year. One of my favourites I've read this year and definitely had one of the biggest impacts. And I don't want to EVER hear anyone compare these books to Twilight. These books >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gt;>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> TWILIGHT... End of.... Okay?

Lee, you rock, please don't change. To put it simply, I cannot wait for Angel Fever. The next 12 months waiting for this book are going to be one colossal pain in the ass!

(My thanks also to the lovely people at Usborne for sending out my copy and for quoting my review of Angel yet again! :D)

Buy from Amazon UK

Pre-order the US edition from Book Depository

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY INHERITANCE!

2011-11-08T09:00:00.000Z

8th November. Today. Means only one thing...

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY TO INHERITANCE!!!

Yeah! I am so freaking excited for this book. It feels like it's taken years (it has... but I'm meaning from the publication announcement earlier this year) and to finally know it's here is insane. Only today did I realise I have several copies coming! One in the boxset I ordered, the signed limited Waterstones edition and on my Kindle. Insanity but has to be done for such an awesome looking book and hopefully it doesn't disappoint!

News: Title for Third Lorien Legacies

2011-10-29T00:45:00.001+01:00

Now regular readers will no doubt know that I am in love with Pittacus Lore's alien saga featuring I Am Number Four and one of my favourite books this year, The Power of Six...

Well now the title for the third book has been released! :D It's called...

Drumroll...

THE RISE OF NINE!!!!!!

Argh! Exciting. Sadly for me it's not out till August 2012 but that's great for you as it gives you plenty of times to read the first 2 instalments and check out the film for the first book!

Already 2012 is shaping up to be all shades of amazing book wise!!

In My Postbox #46

2011-10-16T19:23:00.001+01:00

So it's been nearly a month since I last did an In My Postbox! Lots of amazing books received from some amazing publishers. Lots of reading done this month too! Reviews are coming! I just need to sit down and get them written. Things should be a bit better here from now on though as, after 11 months, 5 extensions and a lot of hair pulling I finally passed my probation at work (they're a hard bunch to please) and have been offered a full time contract one which isn't now on a month to month basis! Yay! Means I should, in theory be able to blog more... We'll see... Anyway, some books I received aren't here as I boxed them up to keep them safe and I can't remember which ones I haven't posted yet. Oops! All these ones have been received since the boxing and some of them before but ones I kept out to read!

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater.

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick (I was sent the first shiny beaut from S&S themselves, and the second one, with a sticker on it is the exclusive signed editition exclusive to Waterstones!).

Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick (ARGH! I am so excited for this! Reading it now and it is so good!).

The Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen.

Advent by James Treadwell (This book looks and sounds freaking amazing. Paperback proof with a beautiful slip-jacket with gold writing. I cannot wait to read this one!)

Sea of Tears by Floella Benjamin (I remember Floella from Children's TV when I was younger and this sounds so good! Can't wait to read it!).

Blood Runner by James Riordan.

Torn by Cat Clarke (been waiting for this for a while! So excited! Love Cat and think her first book, Entangled was one of the best books I read last year. Can't wait for this! And I'm mentioned in the acknowledgements! :D Thanks Cat!!).

And I forgot to take a pic of this... Oops!

The Death Cure by James Dashner (ARGH! UBER EXCITED! Loved the first two books in this trilogy and cannot wait to get started on this one. Artwork is stunning in the flesh!).

And finally... something uber amazing. Thanks to the amazing Jenny over at Wondrous Reads, I am now the proud owner of a signed copy of Eragon by Christopher Paolini! :D NO FREAKING WAY!! YES WAY! I was so excited and touched that someone would go through so much effort for me. Thank you so much Jenny! :D Cannot thank you enough!

Well that's your lot... Hope everyone has a great week! :)

News: Marcus Sedgwick's White Crow to be made into a movie!!!

2011-10-16T14:24:00.000+01:00

Whoa whoa whoa! Stop. What?! This amazing book that gave me bare chills in the middle of Summer, made me feel like I was on the windy cliffs, the sea spray hitting my face along with Rebecca and Ferelith is about to be made into a film that I can go and see in an actual cinema, with my own actual eyes?! Well colour me excited!! This is by far my favourite book Marcus has written yet so I cannot wait to see this! He's a fantastic writer and you should all go and check him out. Notably, White Crow, and his new book, Midwinterblood, which I am actually in the middle of reading (and it's ace - if slightly weird!)

Check out the press release below! (And for those interested, my review of White Crow can be found here!)

Independent financier and production company Kerry, Kimmel and Pollack (KK&P) has secured the rights and will co-finance and co-produce the novel WHITE CROW, written by Marcus Sedgwick. The film will be produced and/or executive produced by Kami Garcia, NYT bestselling co-author of The Beautiful Creatures Series, Mark Morgan (The Twilight Saga), Michael Pollack (Quattrocento) & Brett Hudson (Cloud 9).
WHITE CROW is a psychological thriller that centers on a 16 year-old girl who moves to a sleepy seaside town with a deadly past, and discovers what’s on the other side of death.
KK&P plans to shoot the film in the fall of 2012 on Isle of Man, located within the British Isles.
The author, Marcus Sedgwick, has been nominated for the Carnegie Medal, the Edgar Allan Poe, and the Guardian Children’s Book Prize.
WHITE CROW marks Kami Garcia’s entrance into the world of film and television production. While some Young Adult and Adult authors are currently producing their own novels, Garcia is not only producing her upcoming solo novel Unbreakable: Book 1 in The Legion Series from Little, Brown (also with Mark Morgan and KK&P), but other film and television properties as well.

News: Hunger Games to launch for the adult market in UK!!

2011-10-16T14:06:00.003+01:00

Now those who follow me on Twitter will notice that a few weeks ago now, I found some new listings for The Hunger Games trilogy on The Book Depository. Initially I thought they were just going to be the US covers re-launched or something as they had the American look of the previous books (the birds...). Done some snooping (Amazon really...) and found that they were indeed for the UK! And on Friday Scholastic took to Twitter to announce that these are the adult editions set to be released on 1st December. Now I for one love them and shall probably be investing in them... (They'll be my fourth copies as I have the UK ones already out, the US editions in lovely stunning hardback and also have all 3 books on my Kindle... Obsessed much? No!). Check them out in all their stunning glory, below...

Competition: Finished copy of A Daughter of Smoke and Bone!

2011-10-01T12:18:00.000+01:00

Competition time folks! This time you can win a stunning hardback copy of Lani Taylor's new book, A Daughter of Smoke and Bone. It was published earlier this weekend has been the subject of some pretty huge and exciting buzz! I have, sitting on my bookcase at present, the lovely said copy of A Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and it is currently looking for a loving home! If you want to be in with a chance to win, all you have to do is fill out the form below, to make sure this copy is loved forever and ever! Isn't it perdy?

Competition closes Friday 7th October, after which the winner will be announced!!

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Winner of Signed Department 19!!

2011-09-30T20:26:00.001+01:00

Hey folks!

Last week I announced a competition for your chance to win a signed copy of Will Hill's debut book (which is an awesome beaut, by the way...) Department 19! Well now, it's time to announce the winner! I've emailed them too, so I'm hoping they get back to me ASAP... Anyway, congrats to...

CLOVER!!!!

Well done, Clover! If you can get back to me with your address in the next 48 hours then that would be ace! Thanks to everyone else who entered, and be sure to check out the new competition coming tomorrow to win a stunning hardback copy of the long awaited Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Lani Taylor!!

Competition News: London Walk With Maureen Johnson

2011-09-29T21:00:00.002+01:00

To celebrate the release of The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, which is released TODAY by the way folks, the lovely people at HarperCollins are holding a competition like no other! Wanna find out more? Well read on...

JACK THE RIPPER FAN WALK

To celebrate the publication of Maureen Johnsons new YA thriller The Name of the Star, HarperCollins Children’s Books is offering 10 lucky readers the opportunity to accompany Maureen Johnson on a private Jack the Ripper walk in London on Thursday, 13th October 2011. The walk begins at 5:00 PM and will carry-on for two hours into the night! Visit the haunting sites of Jack the Ripper and hear first-hand from Maureen how they inspired her new book The Name of the Star. To enter, simply email nameofthestar@harpercollins.co.uk for a chance to attend the event with a friend.

Disclaimer: Entrants must be 13 or over. Please ensure that you are available to attend the event on Thursday, 13th October from 5.00pm to 7.00pm before entering. Winners will be informed on Friday, 7th October, and will be provided with further instructions then.

Wow! How awesome does that sound? Pretty darn awesome, that's for sure! Be sure to enter for what sounds like a great night!!

Review Round-Up: Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick, Swim The Fly by Don Calame and Blood Red Road by Moira Young

2011-09-24T09:00:00.000+01:00

Okay... so I mentioned that I will be doing some posts like this where I review several books in one post... so here goes:

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Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

The second book in Fitzpatrick's phenomenally successful Hush, Hush saga, this book see's Patch and Nora go through another roller-coaster of emotion, love, hate, heartache and drama.

I enjoyed this book even more than I did Hush, Hush and I have to admit I didn't think I would. From the beginning, this book felt darker and more brooding and reached a stunning climax. One can only begin to wonder what Becca has in store for us all in Silence which is out in a few short weeks... ARGH! I cannot wait. Becca's writing is so beautiful and endearing. It pulls me in every time I happen to catch a glimpse.

5/5.

___

This book made me snigger, snort, laugh and even cry when I read it towards the start of Summer. A gang of teenage mates who are all trying to reach a goal by the end of the Summer holidays... to see a real life girl... actually naked. It made me laugh and reminded me of when I was at school and how I was with my mates. A nostalgic read that will have you in fits of laughter!!

4/5.

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This dystopian beauty is not for the faint hearted and is easily one of my top reads this year. Coming in at nearly 600 pages, the book is quite literally a brick. But do not be put off by its size. Because on the inside it's a real corker.

Written with brilliant skill, and in a weird yet entrancing way (you have to read it to see what I man by that...) you cannot help but be hooked, drawn in the world of Blood Red Road and get caught up in a dangerous and deadly adventure. The design inside is so cool too! With some loveable characters who you come to really care for by the end of the book, and an impending sense of danger and innocence, this book is perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner. A film is in production so it's definitely one to watch out for. Why not read the book first? We all know the books are better!

5/5.

News: Department 19 signed paperback giveaway and an awesome competition!!

2011-09-19T22:05:00.000+01:00

To celebrate the release of Will Hill's brilliant Department 19 on 1st September, HarperCollins are going all out. Not only can you will a signed copy right here on Empire of Books... more of that in a bit, but they are also running a fantastic competition with a prize pack to die for!

How do you fancy winning... iPad2... £100 of iTunes vouchers... and a place for you and 5 friends on the guest list to an awesome, Top Secret invitation-only event with Will Hill himself at a top secret and undisclosed location in the UK?!!! SNAZZY HUH?! I want to win!

All you have to do is make a video that will make people jump... Like this one:

The deadline is 31st October, and for more information you can go here!! Awesome stuff...

And now to the giveaway. Thanks to the lovely folk at Harper, namely Tiffany, I have a signed paperback edition of Department 19 to giveaway to one of you lucky folk! All you have to do is fill out the form below. The deadline is next Friday, 30th September, upon which I'll let Randomizer.org do it's job and randomly pick a winner! Easy right? You'd be nuts to miss this book trust me. One of my Top 5 reads this year (review is coming, I promise Will!!!).

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In My Postbox # 45

2011-09-18T13:38:00.000+01:00

In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren, and all links take you to Amazon UK.

Hello everyone! It's been a few weeks since I've done an In My Postbox so there are A LOT of books to get through today. Some very exciting ones which I have been waiting for for a very VERY LONG TIME!!! Angel Fire!!!! SQUEEEEEE! Haha. And some that I've been meaning to read for years and am now only getting around to, being the slowpoke that I am. Some awesome new books coming out too courtesy of some lovely publicists... so... let's get started...

FOR REVIEW

CRYPT: The Gallows Curse by Andrew Hammond.

Dark Matter by Michelle Paver (paperback edition. Lovely artwork. Orion have outdone themselves this time!!).

Pure by Julianna Baggott (A completely white proof - some bloggers have black... It does have the title on it in a lacquer so you only see it if you get it in a certain light... Very cool!).

The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker.

Between by Jessica Warman.

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick (lovely artwork that has a foil finish - cannot wait to read this, it sounds awesome!).

The Isle of Blood by Rick Yancey.

Lies by Michael Grant.

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan (stunning artwork and it sounds so good!)

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (Signed US proof copy!! Lovely book with lots of illustrations. This one will be reviewed for sure. Sounds amazing... Thanks to Scholastic UK for the proof!!)

The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams China.

Darkness Falls by Mia James.

And finally...

Angel Fire by L. A. Weatherly...

ARGH! YES! AT LAST! Regular readers, or folk who are still checking out EoB after last year will know that the first book in this trilogy, Angel by L. A. Weatherly (review here...) was one of my favourite reads for 2010 and I was also quoted in the finished copy. Well this is the second book and I have been waiting for this since I read Angel last Summer. Yes. Over a year! Argh and it's been painful... But... Something more exciting... I'm quoted...

And mentioned in the acknowledgements!!!

Wow! Thanks Lee! :D What an honour. Cannot wait to get reading this...

And finally we come to the final part of this weeks In My Postbox (I said it was a big'un!!)...

BOUGHT

The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett.

SIGNED!!!! EEEEEEPPPP!!!

Okay, so earlier today I announced my DISCWORLD MISSION... I am going to be reading and reviewing all of the Discworld books by Mr. Pratchett. I've waited far too long to read the entire series, having read a few select books... Well now I'm going to do it. And I got these signed beauts from his official website. Argh. They are so cool. I keep turning to the title page to make sure the signature is still there. Haha. Gladly it is. As if it's going anywhere.

Also as part of my new Discworld madness... I brought these DVD's...

The Colour of Magic and Hogfather.

Both of which I watched when they were on Sky One and Hogfather is very special to me. The first Terry book I ever read and so it was my introduction to the Disc... Will be getting that book just in time to read for Christmas and being so special it'll have to be signed or there'll be some trouble go down...

So that's it guys. Hope you all have a great weekend (well what remains of it) and a great week!

Empire of Book's Discworld Mission

2011-09-18T11:00:00.000+01:00

Today I'm starting a new feature. Well it's not really a feature. It's more of a mission. I've long wanted to read the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. I've always thought he was a clever man since I read Hogfather back in 2006 when the tv adaptation aired on telly around the same time. I then read Nation and was completely blown away. By his imagination. The prose. Everything.

For too long I have put off getting the books but a week ago I decided to bite the bullet and I ordered a signed copy of The Colour of Magic from his official site. I am now, as I am writing this, three quarters through it and I have to say that I am thoroughly enjoying it. A review will follow but anyway... back to the mission...

I am going to read and review every single Discworld book out, even if it kills me. I already own a couple, some I've collected and some I've just purchased and I intend to get them all. I am going to be keeping this page... THE DISCWORLD MISSION up to date and will of course be reviewing them all here in due course.