New spine for Verboten

So, as most of you should know, me and Ellie have been working on re-creating the cover of Verboten and although it's going slowly it is coming along nicely and it most definitely looks fab so far, but, seen as it's going to be quite a while until I release the full cover, I decided to release a little snippet, or teaser or whatever you want to call it and show you the new spine. I absolutely love it and I hope that you guys do too.

So...

Drum role please.........

TA-DA

The Midlife Of Dudley Chalk by Peter James Lamb.

Summary:

Following a near-fatal flying accident, Dudley Chalk is placed in a medically-induced coma. Before being taken to hospital, while still lying broken and tangled in the material of the paraglider he so recently failed to fly, another version of Dudley appears. The new version of Dudley watches dispassionately the scene unfolding before him, then enters a world of his own. As one Dudley is taken to hospital, the other finds himself standing in a place called Arlingberry Forest. And so begins the Midlife of Dudley Chalk. He now exists as two versions of himself—one a man close to death in a hospital bed, and the other a fledgeling Private Investigator, looking for a missing person in the depths of a forest where crimes have been committed over the centuries, where ghosts and UFOs are frequently seen, where other lives come back to haunt him. Arlingberry is a place like no other. Dudley's first attempt to fly nearly killed him. Dudley's first attempt to find a missing person proves to be as life-altering, but in a very different way. Both worlds are linked, aided by the healing hands of an eternal spirit called Kathleen Morrison, and by the ancient paths that track their way through Arlingberry Forest...

  So, the beggining of this book was very confusing for me, I didn't really understand what was going on but, as the book progressed and the plot came together it became clear what was happening and I began to really enjoy it.

  This book isn't a genre I would usually delve in, but lately I've been wanting a bit of a change and I've been checking out different types of genres, from the YA I usually stick to. Of course I have read mystery/crime type books in the past - growing up in a house of lovers of the great Agatha Christie doesn't allow not reading the books! But I found that I did enjoy it - even though it did take me a while to get through.

  This was quite a challenging read, but maybe that's just due to my age; I would definitely say it's more for an older audience or for people who are up for a challenge and who don't mind it being slow paced.

  It was a light read but definitely memorable, I especially enjoyed some of the philosophical ideas that Peter James Lamb touched on, like when he mentioned that time is nothing - 'there is only before 11pm and after 11pm' and such like that, it really made me think as a reader and challenged my thoughts.

  So, overall I did enjoy it even though I wasn't really the audience it was aimed at and I would definitely reccomend it to people interested in this genre - it was written well, the plot was well thought out and it was most definitely interesting.

***3.5/5 stars***

Branded (A Sinners Series #1) by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki.

Summary:

Fifty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best. 
Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home. 

Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain. 

Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.

The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me. 
I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. 
My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.

  So I had the privilege to recieve a copy of Branded to review as part of its blog tour and the best thing I can say to describe this book is simply that it's a definite up and coming best seller.

  I was actually surprised to find out that it wasn't already, this book has all the key elements to be a best seller, plus more! Originality, though, is a major bonus for this book.

  I loved the ideas weilded through this book in a sort of Hitler-ish dictatorship, which, although frightening is a completely plausible turn that the future could take. It was realistic, in the best way, some parts of the book made me uncomfortable; made me cringe, shiver and want to cry, sometimes even all at the same time. But that wasn't a bad thing. I felt involved in the story, even though many of the events featured fortunately hadn't had a personal link to me before; it felt like I was really living in the story.

  The romance was spot on as well - I have a thing against 'soppy' romance, although it usually depends on my mood - it felt like it was the real deal, and you felt as the characters did towards both of them; I fell in love with most of the characters in this book; the rest I despised, but for good reason!

  I've never seen nor read anything like this before even though it's a genre that I am distinctly familiar with, and that itself should deserve this book a number one rank.

  It's written beautifully aswell although, like with all books, there are one or two typos, it's very common and I personally know how easy it is to miss the little things, but the typos didn't at all affect the flow of the writing, so that was another plus.

  If I'm being honest, I really couldn't find a fault to this book, and sometimes I can be really picky but I honestly did love it - through and through.

  It actually made it into my favourite series, just behind Jana Oliver and The Demon Trappers, yet in front of The Hunger games, Divergent, The Mortal instruments and The Infernal Devices. And seen as all of the above are best sellers and all (except The Demon Trappers) have movie adaptions, it's not that hard to predict where Branded is headed.

 I will eagerly be awaiting on the sequel to this book and look forward to buying my very own physical copy because, just look at the cover!

  Truly a brilliant book.

  

  *****5/5 stars*****

The Revealed by Jessica Hickam.

Summary:

Lily Atwood lives in what used to be called Washington, D.C. Her father is one of the most powerful men in the world, having been a vital part of rebuilding and reuniting humanity after the war that killed over five billion people. Now he’s running to be one of its leaders.

But in the rediscovered peace on Earth, a new enemy has risen. They call themselves the Revealed – a powerful underground organization that has been kidnapping 18 year olds across the globe without reservation. No one knows why they are kidnapping these teens, but it’s clear something is different about these people. They can set fires with a snap of their fingers and create a wind strong enough to barrel over a tree with a flick of their wrist. No one has been able to stop them, and they have targeted Lily as their next victim.

But Lily has waited too long to break free from her father’s shadow to let some rebel organization just ruin everything. Not without a fight.

So, I was given a copy of this book to review through netgalley and I've got to say I was mainly attracted by the cover - beautiful covers drive me to them like a moth to a flame. Then, when I read the blurb, I just knew I had to have it.

  So before I go into all the good stuff I've got to comment on the actual writing and structure of the book; I thought that the writing flowed beautifully, holding my very short attention span (trust me I'm honestly like a goldfish when it comes to memory and getting distracted easily) and never once faltered or vered off down a course that I couldn't understand or comprehend, I was able to follow it without the frustration of having to re-read sections over and over again, which is an activity I find myself having to repeat quite frequently in some books. I also loved the plot and thought it was well thought out and took me down some twists and turns that I never could have predicted.

  Unpredictability was another talent that this book weilded with expertise, most books, of course, can be predicted - due to the fact that there isn't really such thing as a completely original story. Not that that's a down side, I still enjoy practically every book I read, even when I see what's coming. But the fact that I couldn't guess what was going to happen next in this particular novel just made it all the more of an adventure for me.

  What else that struck me as magnificent for this was the way it was written - the style. Usually in books I watch over the events, it's like I'm kind of a ghost; I can see all the characters and see them as they play out their parts but I usually know, or have a feel for what they're thinking and feeling - who I can trust although on the odd occasion I would find myself disoriented from a plot twist. With The Revealed this was not the case - I was thrust inside the main character (Lily) and was limited to only being able to think in the way she does, when she felt betrayed, I felt betrayed, when she didn't trust someone, neither did I, I found myself feeling exactly the same as she was throughout the book and that was something that I hadn't come across before, and being as active a reader as me, to come across something for the first time must mean it's extremely rare. And as both a reader, and a writer 

, this is extremely exhilarating and enlightening.

  This book had all you could ever wish for - a secret organisation said to have strange abilities - a parent-daughter conflict, showing a lack of freedom that I,  and I'm sure many other teens across the globe, can relate to - and, of course, what is a YA book without a swoon-worthy man. (Just saying, I ship Kaly so hard).

  I loved this book and I'm 100% positive that in no time YA lovers will be snatching it off the shelves.

  Thoroughly enjoyable read.

  *****5/5 stars*****

(Find out more about the book at www.jessicahickam.com.)

Trial By Fire by Josephine Angelini

Summary:

Love burns. Worlds collide. Magic reigns.

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying many of the experiences that other teenagers take for granted...which is why she is determined to enjoy her first (and perhaps only) high-school party. But Lily's life never goes according to plan, and after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly Lily is in a different Salem - one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruellest of all the Crucibles is Lillian . . . Lily's identical other self in this alternate universe. This new version of her world is terrifyingly sensual, and Lily is soon overwhelmed by new experiences.

Lily realizes that what makes her weak at home is exactly what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. It also puts her life in danger. Thrown into a world she doesn't understand, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone, and a love she never expected.

But how can Lily be the saviour of this world when she is literally her own worst enemy?

I was captivated by this book the second I saw the authors name - I'm a big fan of Josephine Angelini and adored Starcrossed and Dreamless (although I have yet to by the final edition of the trilogy!). So, you can probably imagine my excitement to being given a copy of the ARC to this book to read and review.

So, at the beggining it was literally like my life, although of course I'm not sick and don't have a crazy mother, although it sure feels like it sometimes...(I'm kidding). But yeah, I immediately felt a connection with Lily; the star of this particular book. It was actually quite creepy though because she has red hair; I have red hair; she had a close friend called Tristan; I have a close friend called Tristan...but yeah, you get the picture, it was kind of strange for me.

Immediately I was connected with the characters in the book and grew to love, and even hate some of them (for good reason of course), and that alone, to be able to do that so early on in a book, is quite a hard technique to wield; but of course, our girl Josephine did it with style.

Even uncorrected this book was brilliant; it flowed well, I wasn't confused even though there were a lot of concepts I was new to in this book and it never, ever lost my interest. 

There were times where I wanted to throw my iPad at the wall, and times where, yes, I did cry, and even times where I felt like my jaw was touching the floor - this book had it all.

It's been one great book after another lately and this book didn't fail in bringing it's A-game.

I loved this book from beggining to end and I'm actually so eager to read the next one, even though I know that I'll probably have to wait...and that will make me cry...oh, the first world problems I face...

No doubt about the rate for this book.

*****5/5 stars*****

Sorrowline by Niel Bushnell

Summary:

Twelve-year-old Jack Morrow is used to life being complicated. His mother died five years ago, and his father is now headed for prison. But then Jack discovers he's a Yard Boy - someone with the ability to travel through Sorrowlines, the channels that connect every gravestone with the date of the person's death - and he is quickly pulled into an adventure beyond anything he could have possibly imagined.

Finding himself in 1940s war-torn London, with his then-teenage grandfather, Davey, Jack soon realises that his arrival in the past has not gone unnoticed. The evil forces of a secret world are determined to find him - and to find out all he knows.

As Jack struggles to survive, he comes ever closer to unlocking the dark secret at the heart of his family, and to - just maybe - changing his own destiny . . .

Pure brilliance.

Every word of this book captivated my attention from the very beggining - even if I wasn't the target audience I absolutely loved it and I would most definitely reccommend it for people from 12-15, even though it's a middle grade book I feel it has the potential to hold many a readers attention.

I don't know why I haven't heard about it sooner, it's written beautifully and the plot line is very cleverly put together - I know that I personally would never be able to write about time travel, I find it difficult to wrap my mind around.

I absolutely love this book and would most definitely reccomend it.

Go get your copy now - go go go!

*****5/5 stars*****

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sorrowline-Timesmith-Chronicles-Niel-Bushnell/dp/1849395233

Uglies by Scott Westerfield

Uglies by Scott Westerfield.

Summary:

Tally can't wait to turn sixteen and become pretty. Sixteen is the magic number that brings a transformation from repellent Ugly into a stunningly attractive Pretty, and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks, Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend, Shay, isn't sure she wants to be Pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the Pretty world - and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn Pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

  So, in my opinion, this book had a slow start; little was happening for too long, and just when I was about to give up and call it a day by closing the book for good, it suddenly picked up.

  And when I say picked up I mean PICKED UP.

  Plot twist after plot twist left me thirsty for more, unable to sleep until I managed to get as far as I could through it until I collapsed from exhaustion. I just managed to finish it today and wow. I mean wow. So many 'No way's' and 'oh my gods' were uttered till the very last page of this book.

  So, although I didn't enjoy the first half of the book as much as I would have liked, the last half definitely made up for it, sealing the deal on the fact that I will be running to buy the sequel, Pretties, as soon as possible.

***3.75 stars***