Review: Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen

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Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen

Title: Stolen Songbird (Malediction Trilogy #1)
Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Genre: Swords and Sorcery, Young Adult
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Source: Strange Chemistry via NetGalley
Format: e-ARC
Blurb:

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

– Blurb taken from Strange Chemistry website.

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

STOLEN SONGBIRD is the first book in Danielle L. Jensen’s MALEDICTION TRILOGY. It tells the story of Cécile, the daughter of a farmer, who dreams of following in her mother’s footsteps and being an opera singer. On the eve of her achieving her dream she is kidnapped and brought to Trollus, where her whole world changes.

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ICYMI Sunday 6 – Mothering Sunday Edition

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ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) Sunday is a new meme that I am planning to feature on the blog every week. It is based on the Sunday Post  which is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer, which was in turn inspired in part by the In My Mailbox meme. Basically, it allows me to let you know what went on the blog this week and anything interesting that is going on. It will also allow me to showcase any books I receive like the Showcase Sunday which is hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits, and Tea.

HAPPY MOTHERING SUNDAY!

Most of us in the UK have combined Mothering Sunday and Mother’s Day – there’s some interesting history to the day. I got my Mum some flowers and a card, we also had lunch out 🙂

This week has been pretty blah. I haven’t felt like reading (boo!) but there has been some gorgeous sunny days in which to bask. On the whole this week has been a good one – I hope yours has been too.

We were back to just one post on the blog this week:

What else is going on? Not as much as last week (phew!) but hopefully there’s something interesting…

  • Last week YA Interrobang created a list of ‘Ten Male Protagonists’ aimed at those who claim there are no male main characters in YA books. See which books they picked here.
  • BookRiot showed off what comes in their Quarterly Box – and it does look gorgeous, but I cannot tell if it ships internationally or not. If you want to look at the pretty, or subscribe and get your own box you can find more here.
  • E. Kristin Anderson talks about ‘The new face (or lackthereof) of YA book covers’. You can find her thoughts here. It’s a really interesting post, and I can’t say I’ve noticed this trend yet – but give it time!
  • Colleen Houck announces the authors taking part in Spring 2014 YA Scavenger Hunt as well as the date it starts and what to do. More info can be found here.
  • The nominations for Alpha Showdown are OPEN and will be until March 31st 2014. Want to nominate someone or find out more, then just follow the link.
  • If you’re a John Green fan then you probably know this already but… Fox 2000 have made a deal for Green’s novel PAPER TOWNS which reunites the FAULT IN OUR STARS team. You can find out more here.
  • According to The Guardian, the previously unpublished Tennessee Williams short story CRAZY NIGHTS is to make an appearance in the US magazine The Strand. You can find out more here.
  • Gail Carriger talks about Twitter Etiquette here & I must confess I am guilty of breaking some of them – oops!
  • Publisher’s Weekly has a preview of the books (picture, middle grade and young adult) that are slated to be published during autumn in the US. If you want to take a peek at what titles we have to look forward to, you can find them here. Titles are split by publisher, just as a heads-up.
  • Del Rey UK have an extract from DARK VISION by Debbie Johnson available here on their website for anyone interested – the link also shows the blurb and cover if you want more info. You can also see some Debbie Johnson’s Q&As here.

Hopefully there was something interesting for everyone. I found the list of male protagonists interesting, because although I know there are a lot out there I think I would struggle to name ten off the top of my head – but maybe that’s a gender thing?! Gail Carriger’s Twitter ettiquette was a funny and informative read, at least I think so. And I’m contemplating getting my hands on a copy of DARK VISION.

I would love to hear what you’ve been up to this week and what books, if any, you’ve got so please leave me a link in the comments below.

Thanks for stopping by :D

Review: The Hollows Insider by Kim Harrison

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The Hollows Insider by Kim Harrison

Title: The Hollows Insider (The Hollows #9.5)
Author: Kim Harrison
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Harper Voyager (1st September 2013)
Blurb:

ENTER THE WORLD OF THE HOLLOWS LIKE NEVER BEFORE!

In the Hollows, the supernatural Inderlander rule, and humanity must abide by their conventions, or else.

To survive among vampires, witches, Weres, gargoyles, trolls, fairies, and banshees – to say nothing of demons – humanity needs a guide. And now, written by Kim Harrison herself, here is an insider’s look at the supernatural world of the Hollows, from an overarching new story to character profiles, maps, spell guides, charm recipes, secret correspondence from elusive Trent Kalamack, and much more.

One misfired spell that burned off his hair is all it took to send investigative reporter Devin Crossman on a mission to uncover all the secrets of Rachel Morgan and expose them to the world.

Collected here are all his notebook entries and a treasure trove of evidence, including maps, species profiles, magic spells, documents from Inderland Security, Takata’s song lyrics, Betty Bob’s recipes, Ley Line Charms, entries from the Were Registry, articles from The Hollows Gazette, and many more documents that cast light into regions of the Hollows that have never been revealed.

But Crossman’s one-man war has not gone unnoticed . . .

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

THE HOLLOWS INSIDER by Kim Harrison is a guide-book come side story to her superb Urban Fantasy series THE HOLLOWS, which follows the story of Rachel Morgan. THE HOLLOWS INSIDER tells the story of investigative reporter Devin Crossman, who gets caught in a misfired spell. The book documents his research into the witch who cast the spell (Rachel Morgan) and the conclusions he draws. Unfortunately, Crossman’s research does not go unnoticed.

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ICYMI Sunday 5 – The one with a new Harry Potter Cover link!

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ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) Sunday is a new meme that I am planning to feature on the blog every week. It is based on the Sunday Post  which is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer, which was in turn inspired in part by the In My Mailbox meme. Basically, it allows me to let you know what went on the blog this week and anything interesting that is going on. It will also allow me to showcase any books I receive like the Showcase Sunday which is hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits, and Tea.

My moods have been all over the place this week, and Mum and Dad have been awesome about it. It’s partly down to grief and partly down to tiredness/lack of food/no energy. It’s also meant I haven’t really felt like reading this week, which sucked but hopefully next week will be better.

We were back to just one post on the blog this week:

What else is going on? I seem to have found a lot of “news” this week again – it seems to come in swings and roundabouts! I hope there’s something interesting on here for you.

  • Guardian Books had a “fiendishly difficult” St. Paddy’s Irish fiction quotes quiz, which you can find here if you want a go.
  • Cayce at Fighting Dreamer and Laura at Laura Plus Books are hosting a LGBT Month in April. If you want to sign up or just find out more then follow the link here.
  • Angry Robot Books are giving away ten copies of THE BOOK OF THE CROWMAN on Goodreads, you can enter here.
  • The Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader announced the finalists for the seventh annual Children’s and Teen Choice Book Awards, but this was not without controversy, as it has emerged that one of the finalists is Rush Limbaugh – a controversial radio talk show host. You can find out more here about how the CBC and ECAR responded to the criticism.
  • Simon Kids UK shared the cover of ON SUDDEN HILL by Linda Sarah and Benji Davies on their Facebook page. You can find the gorgeous cover here.
  • J. R. R. Tolkien translation of BEOWULF to be published in May after 90-year wait. The Guardian has an article about it, which you can find here.
  • On her blog Julie Kagawa is giving away a signed copy of FOREVER SONG and one of her dragons. The giveaway is international, and you can find out more about it here.
  • According to The Bookseller, Amazon Publishing UK plans to release more than 500 titles this year. You can find out more about that here.
  • BIBLIOdaze have an article titled ‘Things YA Readers Are Sick of Hearing & How To Respond’ which is an interesting read that you can find here.
  • The Electronic Frontier Foundation talk about the U. S. Copyright Office updating the copyright act and what it means for everyone here.
  • Amy Lynn Andrews discusses on her blog how as an Amazon Associate you may be unwittingly breaking the Terms of Service – you can find out more here.
  • Bloomsbury have got some fantastic new jackets for the HARRY POTTER series, which have been created by award-winning artist Jonny Duddle. These new covers will be published on September 1st 2014. You can see the cover and find out more here (there’s also a Q&A with Duddle).
  • The Guardian Books Blog talks about ‘The underrated books whose reputation you want raised’ which has some interesting author picks. You can find the post here.
  • Brain Pickings has an article based on Neil Gaiman’s TED talk in Vancouver in 2014 (along with video) where Gaiman talks about the art of fear in children’s books. You can find out more here.
  • The Guardian Book Blogs discuss spoilers and the impact they can have on books. You can find more here.

Fifteen things I found interesting this week – wow. I’m really excited about the new editions of the HARRY POTTER series – depending on how the rest look, I may have to invest in them. I’m also curious about Tolkien’s adaptation of BEOWULF, as adaptations are always interesting in terms of what is kept in and what is taken out. As far as books and spoilers go….well, I think a spoiler can mean you won’t read a book because you know what will happen – but that’s just my opinion, I’d love to know your thoughts.

I would love to hear what you’ve been up to this week and what books, if any, you’ve got so please leave me a link in the comments below.

Thanks for stopping by :D

Review: This Is What HAPPY Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

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This Is What HAPPY Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: This Is What HAPPY Looks Like
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: Headline (4th April 2013)
Blurb:

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

It’s June – seventeen-year-old Ellie O’Neill’s least favourite time of year. Her tiny hometown is annually invaded by tourists, and this year there’s the added inconvenience of a film crew. Even the arrival of Hollywood heart-throb Graham Larkin can’t lift her mood.

But there is something making Ellie very happy. Ever since an email was accidentally sent to her a few months ago, she’s been corresponding with a mysterious stranger, the two of them sharing their hopes and fears. Their developing relationship is not without its secrets though – there’s the truth about Ellie’s past…and her pen pal’s real identity. When they finally meet in person, things are destined to get much more complicated. Can two people, worlds apart but brought together by chance, make it against all the odds?

Spanning one fateful summer, Jennifer E. Smith’s new novel proves that life – and love – are full of unexpected connections and happy mistakes.

Rating: ** (2 stars)
Review:

THIS IS WHAT HAPPY LOOKS LIKE is the second stand-alone novel from author Jennifer E. Smith. It tells the story of Ellie O’Neill – a seventeen-year-old who lives in a coastal town in Maine. The story takes place between June and July, whilst a film crew (and the typical holiday makers) invade the town. The narrative is split between emails between Ellie and her mysterious pen pal, and chapters following the story of Ellie and her pen pal.

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ICYMI Sunday 4 – I’m holding a Giveaway!

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ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) Sunday is a new meme that I am planning to feature on the blog every week. It is based on the Sunday Post  which is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer, which was in turn inspired in part by the In My Mailbox meme. Basically, it allows me to let you know what went on the blog this week and anything interesting that is going on. It will also allow me to showcase any books I receive like the Showcase Sunday which is hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits, and Tea.

The first week of March has been a good week. The book I pre-ordered has arrived, but more of that later, and I seem to be slowly hauling myself out of my reading slump. Yay! :D  Whoops! Apparently I was more tired than I thought when I wrote this last night. You can definitely tell that spring is arriving in the UK, there’s been plenty of sun and blue sky this week – although the mornings haven’t always been as nice as the afternoons, with mist and such. I seem to have got back into the reading groove, which I’m pleased about. Hopefully I’ll keep it up this week.

There were two posts on the blog this week:

What else is going on? Not a lot of news this week compared with last, but I think there’s still some interesting stuff.

Not as much news this week, but there are some interesting things going on. I’m in two minds about THE VAMPIRE CHRONICLES news, but I guess I’ll have to wait until October to know for sure. And I really enjoyed Melissa de la Cruz’s interview. No new books from me this week – I’m still playing catch-up with my tbr, but the pile is getting smaller so hopefully I’ll be able to get new books soon-ish.

I would love to hear what you’ve been up to this week and what books, if any, you’ve got so please leave me a link in the comments below.

Thanks for stopping by :D

Holly Black GIVEAWAY!

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So, in celebration of THE COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN and my 5 star review of it and the fact that Holly Black recieved a Newbery Honor for DOLL BONES. I am offering you the chance to win a signed copy of THE COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN and a copy of DOLL BONES. To enter all you have to do is fill in the Rafflecopter form (link below) and read the giveaway rules. Simple.

Good luck!

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The giveaway will be open internationally to entrants 13 years or over (if you are under 18 you must have permission from your parents/guardians to let me know your address if you win).

The giveaway will run from today (14th March 2014) to Friday 21st March 2014.

To enter follow the link below to the Rafflecopter form (and don’t forget to read the terms and conditions!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

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The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Title: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown
Author: Holly Black
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: Indigo (3rd September 2013)
Blurb:

TANA LIVES IN A WORLD WHERE WALLED CITIES CALLED COLDTOWNS EXIST.

In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. It’s an eternal party, shown on TV twenty-four hours a day – gorgeous, glamorous, deadly.

The problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave . . .

Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Review:

THE COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN is a stand-alone novel written by the fabulous Holly Black. It tells the story of Tana a seventeen-year-old girl who wakes up the night after a party to a silent house. As she stumbles through the house, she discovers that vampires attacked whilst she slept. In THE COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN Holly Black takes on the vampire myth, and adds her own twist in this compelling tale.

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ICYMI Sunday – 3

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ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) Sunday is a new meme that I am planning to feature on the blog every week. It is based on the Sunday Post  which is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer, which was in turn inspired in part by the In My Mailbox meme. Basically, it allows me to let you know what went on the blog this week and anything interesting that is going on. It will also allow me to showcase any books I receive like the Showcase Sunday which is hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits, and Tea.

The first week of March has been a good week. The book I pre-ordered has arrived, but more of that later, and I seem to be slowly hauling myself out of my reading slump. Yay! 😀

There was just one post on the blog this week:

What else is going on? I’ve collected a lot of “news” this week. I hope some of it is interesting for you.

  • The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books announced the names of authors attending the event on April 12-13 at the USC campus. For more info about the authors and ticket prices follow the linkie
  • Word & Film have 7 pre-movie release books you must read in 2014
  • Scholastic UK have announced when they’ll be holding their next warehouse sale. For more details click here
  • The Guardian Books Blog has an article on the recent report that “children aren’t reading challenging enough books.” It’s an interesting article and you can read it here
  • You can find a list of events for Orbit authors in March here
  • Julie Kagawa announced that THE FOREVER SONG will be up on NetGalley for a limited time from March 10th here
  • Foyles is hosting The Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award Readings on 2nd April at 6.00-8.30pm. For more info and to book a ticket click here
  • Simon and Schuster UK Children’s tweeted about having ONE WISH by Michelle Harrison up on NetGalley for UK requests from bloggers, reviewers, and media professionals. If you’re interested you can find out more info here
  • Find out which books made the Top Ten Reads in a World Book Day Poll here
  • If you’ve not seen them yet, then check out the brilliant penguins in jumpers here – I love the one wearing the Penguin livery!
  • World Book Day has created a list of 50 Books That Will Change Your Life here
  • BookLikes have made it possible for its users to synchronise their Kindle with the site. For more info click here
  • Crooked Cat Books announced that they’d signed Emma Mooney. They will be releasing her book THE BEAUTIFUL GAME later in 2014
  • Find out what the Top Ten Most Read Books in the World are according to  Stylist here
  • Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction announce the 2014 Longlist here
  • If you want to find out more about the Quidditch World Cup on Pottermore J. K. Rowling is asking people to retweet this tweet
  • USA Today revels the cover and has an excerpt from MADE FOR YOU by Melissa Marr here
  • Gollancz have announced a special promotion for their 2014 debuts – the ebook editions will be available for £1.99 during the first week of publication. You can find more details here
  • Gail Z. Martin announced on Twitter that she will be doing a signing at Forbidden Planet in London on July 23rd at 6pm

Now we’re all caught up, sorta. As I mentioned earlier, I do have one new book this week which I am very excited to get started reading.

THE UNDEAD POOL (THE HOLLOWS #12) by Kim Harrison *signed*

I would love to hear what you’ve been up to this week and what books, if any, you’ve got so please leave me a link in the comments below.

Thanks for stopping by :D

Review: Sea Glass by Maria V. Snyder

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Sea Glass by Maria V. Snyder

Title: Sea Glass (Chronicles of Ixia #5/ Glass #2)
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Genre: Sword and Sorcery, Young Adult
Publisher: Mira Ink (2nd August 2013)
Blurb:

A Game of Magic

Student magician Opal Cowan’s newfound ability to steal other people’s powers makes her too powerful.

Trapped under house arrest, Opal dares to defy her imprisonment, searching for Ulrick, the man she thinks she loves. Thinks because she is sure another man – now her prisoner – has switched souls with Ulrick.

In hostile territory, without proof or allies, Opal isn’t sure whom to trust. She doesn’t know the real Ulrick’s whereabouts and can’t forget Kale, the handsome Stormdancer who doesn’t want to let her get too close.

And now everyone is after Opal’s special powers for their own deadly gain . . .

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

SEA GLASS is the second book in Maria V. Snyder’s GLASS series and the fifth book in her CHRONICLES OF IXIA series. SEA GLASS continues the story of Opal Cowan as she deals with the consequences of events in STORM GLASS (review), like the revelation that she can use her glass magic skills to take another magician’s magic, and struggles with who to trust – even herself.

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