Review: Doll Bones by Holly Black

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Doll Bones by Holly Black (UK edition)

Title: Doll Bones
Author: Holly Black
Genre: Middle Grade, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Doubleday (9th May 2013)
Blurb:

Twelve-year-old Zach is too old to play with toys. Or at least, that’s what his father thinks.

But even though he stops hanging out with Poppy and Alice, stops playing with his action figures, it’s no good. There’s one toy that still wants to play with him. A doll that’s made from the bones of a dead girl.

The only way to end the game is to lay the doll to rest for ever. It’s time for a journey to Spring Grove cemetery. It’s time to grow up.

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

DOLL BONES is the latest story from the brilliant Holly Black. Twelve-year-old Zach enjoys playing in the imaginary world he created with Poppy and Alice, but his dad thinks he’s too old to play with dolls. However, Zach can’t just walk away because one of the dolls is made from the bones of a dead girl, and she wants to be put to rest.

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Sunday Post (12)

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The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.  It was inspired in part by the In My Mailbox meme. It’s a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

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This week has been a pretty good week on the whole. I managed to get some reading in – although not as much as I would like – and I was more active on the blog. In real life, I got to spend a brilliant Wednesday with my parents 🙂 I also got my renewal form for my driving licence, which was kind of scary because it was almost 8 years ago that I passed the test. Eek.

This Week on The Flutterby Room

Next Week on The Flutterby Room

  • 29th July – Doll Bones by Holly Black
  • 2nd August – Angel Dust by Sarah Mussi

Well, that’s it from me for this week. Thank you for stopping by. Please leave a comment below and let me know what you’ve been up to this week, and I’ll comment back.

Review: Mercy Burns by Keri Arthur

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Mercy Burns by Keri Arthur

Title: Mercy Burns(A Myth & Magic Novel, #2)
Author: Keri Arthur
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Piatkus (5th May 2011)
Blurb:

HALF DRAGON, HALF WOMAN, CAN SHE SAVE HER FRIEND’S SOUL – WITHOUT LOSING HER HEART?

Mercy Wilson is a reporter in the San Francisco Bay Area, but she’s also more – and less – than human. Half woman, half dragon, she’s a draman – unable to shape shift but still able to unleash fiery energy. Soon her powers will be put to the test.

Mercy’s friend Rainey has enlisted her help to solve her sister’s murder. Then a horrible accident claims Rainey’s life, leaving Mercy only five days to find her killer. If Mercy fails, according to dragon law, Rainey’s soul will be doomed to roam the earth for eternity. But how can Mercy help when she herself is a target? With nowhere else to turn, she must join forces with a sexy stranger – the mysterious man they call muerte, or death itself, who’s as irresistible as he is treacherous. But can even Death keep Mercy alive for long enough to find her answers?

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

MERCY BURNS is the second book in Keri Arthur’s  MYTH & MAGIC series. It tells the story of Mercy Wilson, the sister of Trae Wilson from DESTINY KILLS, a reporter who is trying to track down the people who are destroying draman towns with her friend Rainey whose sister was killed in one. Unfortunately, Mercy and Rainey get too close and the people involved create an accident which leaves Rainey dead and Mercy injured with just five days to find Rainey’s killer so that Rainey can rest in peace.

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Top Ten Tuesday (27)

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Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists at The Broke and the Bookish. They’d love to share their lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

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This weeks Top Ten topic is …

Top Ten Words/Topics That Will Make You NOT pick up a book

I’m afraid this week will just be a list from me as I’m not good at searching for quirky/funny pictures. Sorry.

  1. For fans of X. Or some variation thereof. Invariably the book with the sticker that contains this wonderful statement is NOTHING LIKE the book they are comparing it to. NOTHING. Or, the ‘X’ is a book I don’t like so I’m left wondering if the sticker is accurate or not. Either way, that book is probably NOT going home with me.
  2. Period drama. This isn’t always true, but period genre is generally something that is more miss than hit for me. I’m okay with alternate histories where more modern attitudes are shown by the characters, as these seem to be pulled off better.
  3. Science Fiction/Fantasy. This may seem a little strange seeing as I LOVE THE HITCHHICKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY and quite a few of Isaac Asimov’s books but – and this is a big but – modern books in this genre seem to be pretty much miss for me. I think because they quite often blur the line between fiction and fantasy with their science, and that just kills my interest.
  4. Horror/gore. It’s just not my thing. I did quite enjoy the HANNIBAL LECTER SERIES, but that was more psychological than anything. I don’t like the out-and-out horror, with lots of violence, torture, and gore.
  5. Retelling of book X. If I liked the original, why would I want to read a re-telling when I could read the original? If I didn’t like the original, why would this sell the book to me? Just saying.
  6. Second person narration. I know that this is technically cheating, as second person narration is not a word or topic BUT it is the thing most certain on this list to guarentee I will not read a book. Ever.
  7. Religion. I’m happy to read books with angels/demons/gods just as long as the author is not too heavy with their religious ideology. I don’t like feeling like the Bible/any other religious text is being rammed down my throat or the author is trying to convert me. To be on the safe side, generally I try to avoid.
  8. Time travel. I’ve never seen this done well.
  9. Travel in general. I’m including not just round the world trips, but also road trips. For me (generally) books that are very travel based seem a bit…well, forced. Sometimes it seems to be the only way that character A will meet character B, and they’ll fall in love whilst having adventure on the way… Although, to be fair, I do love some books which involve travel like the REVENANTS TRILOGY by Amy Plum, INK by Amanda Sun, and ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkins.
  10. Classics/Modern Classics. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule but I can quite honestly say that I have read all the books in this category that I’m interested in – and some I soooo wasn’t. My dislike of classics is probably due to the fact that you cannot study English Literature without being forced to read some god-awful books, most of which are usually classics of some sort.

What are the top ten words/topics that make you NOT pick up a book? Let me know in the comments below, or link back to your Top Ten post so I can see what makes your list.

Review: Destiny Kills by Keri Arthur

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Destiny Kills by Keri Arthur

Title: Destiny Kills (A Myth & Magic Novel, #1)
Author: Keri Arthur
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Piatkus (5th May 2011)
Blurb:

SHE’S GOT A DANGEROUS SECRET – AND POWERS FAR BEYOND HUMAN . . .

When Destiny McCree wakes up beside a dead man on an Oregon beach, she knows only this: she was to keep moving, keep searching and keep one step ahead of the forces that have been pursuing her from the heart of Scotland to this isolated spot. Why? The death of her lover has left her alone, with little memory of her past. A glimmering serpent-shaped ring is the one clue she has – and a bargaining chip in a most dangerous game.

Enter Trae Wilson, a master thief with a sexy, knowing grin and a secret agenda of his own. Destiny and Trae both have powers far beyond human – and both are running for their lives. Together they’re rising a tide of danger, magic and lust . . . but with killers stalking their every move, they must use any means necessary, even each other, to survive – until the shocking secret of one woman’s destiny finally unravels.

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

DESTINY KILLS is the first book in Keri Arthur’s MYTH & MAGIC series. It tells the story of Destiny who wakes up naked on a beach with no memory of who she is or why she woke next to the body of a dead man. She does remember some bits and pieces, although she can’t explain why, and they are disjointed. Whilst fleeing from the police after she steals some clothes, Destiny comes across Trae Wilson.

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Sunday Post (11)

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The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.  It was inspired in part by the In My Mailbox meme. It’s a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

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Sorry this post is late, and if any links aren’t working. I wrote this post today, and late on at that. This week has not been the best one for me, but things are looking up. You may have noticed something a little different about the blog, and that is because I’ve changed the font and the background. This is all thanks to my Mum who decided to be awesome 🙂

This Week on The Flutterby Room

Next Week on The Flutterby Room

  • 22nd July – Destiny Kills by Keri Arthur
  • 26th July – Mercy Burns by Keri Arthur

Well, that’s it from me for this week. Thank you for stopping by. Please leave a comment below and let me know what you’ve been up to this week, and I’ll comment back.

Review: The Bell Between Worlds by Ian Johnstone

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The Bell Between Worlds by Ian Johnstone

Title: The Bell Between Worlds (The Mirror Chronicles #1)
Author: Ian Johnstone
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books (6th June 2013)
Source: HarperCollins Children’s Books twitter account
Format: ARC
Blurb:

A glorious epic fantasy in the grand tradition of C.S. Lewis and Philip Pullman, and a major publishing event, The Mirror Chronicles will take you into another world, and on the adventure of your lifetime…

Half of your soul is missing. The lost part is in the mirror. And unless Sylas Tate can unite the two worlds, you will never be whole again.

Sylas Tate leads a lonely existence since his mother died. But then the tolling of a giant bell draws him into another world known as the Other, where he discovers not only that he has an inborn talent for magic, but also that his mother might just have come from this strange parallel place. Meanwhile, evil forces are stirring, and an astounding revelation awaits Sylas: that the Other is a mirror of our world, and every person here has their counterpart there, known as a Glimmer. As violence looms and the stakes get higher, Sylas must seek out his Glimmer, and unite the two halves of his soul – otherwise the entire universe may fall… [blurb taken from Goodreads.com]

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

The Bell Between Worlds is the first book in Ian Johnstone’s debut series The Mirror Chronicles. It tells the story of Sylas Tate who lives in a world similar to our own, with his uncle Tobias Tate in a place called Gabblety Row. Sylas seems like an ordinary boy who spends most of his time with his head in the clouds. Through a series of strange events Sylas finds himself in another world, one very different from his own but strangely similar where magic exists.

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Review: Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

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Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris (UK cover)

Title: Dead Ever After (Sookie Stackhouse #13)
Author: Charlaine Harris
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Gollancz (7th May 2013)
Blurb:

Sookie Stackhouse has one last adventure in store.

Life has taken her from waitress in Merlotte’s Bar, Bon Temps, to part owner, from social outcast to the heart of her community; from a vampire’s girlfriend to the wife of one of the most powerful vampires in the state. She has survived explosions, revolutions and attempts on her life.

Sookie has endured betrayal, heartbreak and grief … and she has emerged a little stronger, and little wiser, every time.

But with life comes new trials…

The question is, in the end: who will love, who will live, and who will be dead ever after?

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

Dead Ever After is the final book in Charlaine Harris’s Southern Vampire Mystery/Sookie Stackhouse series. After thirteen books, and lots of adventures we are finally saying goodbye to Sookie. I started reading this series pre-True Blood and I’m somewhat sad that things have been drawn to a conclusion, but also glad that Harris didn’t decide to continue the series perpetually.

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Sunday Post (10) & Sunday Showcase (4)

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The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.  It was inspired in part by the In My Mailbox meme. It’s a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

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Sorry this post is late, and if any links aren’t working. I wrote this post today, and late on at that. I really needed to do stuff like book the dog in to get groomed before he cooks in the heat (as it is, he’ll have to hang on until August) and I lost the stupid card with the telephone number on so I had to convince the parentals to drive me out there.

This Week on The Flutterby Room

Next Week on The Flutterby Room

  • 15th July – Dead Ever After (Southern Vampire Mysteries #13) by Charlaine Harris
  • 19th July – The Bell Between Worlds (The Mirror Chronicles #1) by Ian Johnstone

Any New Books?

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits, and Tea. Its aim is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders each week.

The final book of my Amazon.co.uk order arrived this week, and I got approval for another book on NetGalley 🙂

  • Oath Bound (Unbound #3) by Rachel Vincent [Goodreads]
  • The Woken Gods by Gwenda Bond [Goodreads]

I’d just like to say thank you to Angry Robot/Strange Chemistry for letting me read The Woken Gods.

Well, that’s it from me for this week. Thank you for stopping by. Please leave a comment below and let me know what you’ve been up to this week, and I’ll comment back.

Review: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

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The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle #1)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: Scholastic (19th September 2012)
Blurb:

Even if Blue hadn’t been told her true love would die if she kissed him, she would stay away from boys. Especially the ones from the local private school. Known as Raven Boys, they only mean trouble.

But this is the year everything will change for Blue.

This is the year she will be drawn into the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys. And the year Blue will discover that magic does exist.

This is the year she will fall in love.

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

The Raven Boys is the first book in Maggie Stiefvater’s new series The Raven Cycle. It tells the story of Blue Sargent who has been told again and again that if she kissed her true love, he would die. This is unusual as her family’s predictions are normal vague, but is a prediction that has shaped Blue.

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