Best of the Bunch September 2014

Best of the Bunch is a book blog hop hosted here on the last day of each month, where we can look back over the books we have read over this past month and give a Best of the Bunch award to our favourite book of that month.

I always put up my post on the last day of the month, but remember, you can add your link in anytime in the following month.

September 2014

Another busy month for me this month! I have read...

• Maze Runner by James Dashner- 4 of 5 stars
• Erased by Jennifer Rush (Altered, book 2)- 5 of 5 stars
• Slayers by C.J Hill- 5 of 5 stars
• Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter- 4 of 5 stars

I didn't read a lot but I did love all the books I did get through.

My pick for the title of Best of the Bunch September is...

...

... Erased by Jennifer Rush!

Erased  by Jennifer Rush
Goodreads

They thought they had escaped. They were wrong.

After fleeing the Branch with Sam, Cas, and Nick, Anna is learning how to survive in hiding, following Sam's rules: Don't draw attention to yourself. Always carry a weapon. Know your surroundings. Watch your back.
When memories from Anna's old life begin to resurface--and a figure from her childhood reappears--Anna's loyalties are tested. Is it a Branch set-up, or could it be the reunion Anna has hoped for? Ultimately, the answers hinge on one question: What was the real reason her memories were erased in the first place?
Jennifer Rush delivers a thrilling sequel to Altered in a novel packed with mysteries, lies, and surprises that are sure to keep readers guessing until the last page is turned.

Wow. I absolutely loved the first book in the series Altered when I read it last year. And the sequels are never as good are they? The middle book is always just a filler in the trilogy right? WRONG!

This book was amazing. Take a book with a bunch of genetically altered guys, add a dollop of romance, throw in a few "Oh My God" moments and a couple of "I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING"s, then break my heart a couple of times, mix in some action, drop in a super villain and BOOM! 

Winner. Well deserved 5 stars. This is so clever, brilliantly plotted, mysterious and genius. 

Honourable mention goes to Slayers for also being brilliant, great fun, and bringing in a new mythology about dragons and dragon slayers that I could get on board with. I enjoyed all the characters and the bonds between them. 

So that was my September, but I want to know what the best book YOU read or reviewed this month was? 

Let me know, link up your posts below, and happy reading!

Best of the Bunch August 2014

Best of the Bunch is a book blog hop hosted here on the last day of each month, where we can look back over the books we have read over this past month and give a Best of the Bunch award to our favourite book of that month.

I always put up my post on the last day of the month, but remember, you can add your link in anytime in the following month.

August 2014

So I'm actually writing this post on August 25th as I'm going to be away on holiday (woo hoo!) and I'm not sure if I'll have any internet access or not. Hello people from the future!

I know I've been terribly lazy this August, and have ended up writing no book reviews, and have actually read very little. 

This month I have read-

• Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead (Bloodlines, book 5) - 5 of 5 stars
• Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly (Waterfire, book 1) - 2.5 of 5 stars

Obviously my pick of Best of the Bunch for August 2014 is 

Silver Shadows!

I love this series and this next installment was just as engrossing. I practically devoured this book to find out what would happen! 

What was the best book you read in August? If you write a monthly wrap-up post feel free to link it up here. Or let me know in the comments which book was YOUR favourite this month. I am not back until September 7th, but link and comment up, and I will read and return all comments as soon as I am able to.

Happy reading!

Wishlist Wednesday #42 - Alienated

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly book blog hop hosted by Dani at Pen to Paper where we will post about a book that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added, that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our bookshelves.

This is another case of major cover lust. But alien exchange students? Talk about a mix of cultures! I'm definitely curious about this one and would like to know more about it- if anyone else has read it and  would recommend it?
I do really like the sound of this book though and it is firmly on my wishlist. 

Alienated  by Melissa Landers
Goodreads

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them. 

Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.

Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.

But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class. 

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

Looks good right? Anybody read this one already? 

Thanks for stopping by!

Wishlist Wednesday #41 - The Girl Who Never Was

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly book blog hop hosted by Dani at Pen to Paper where we will post about a book that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added, that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our bookshelves.

The first thing that attracted me to this book was the gorgeous cover- but actually the more I hear about it, the more intrigued I am. I think it sounds very sweet and quirky. Fairy books are often a bit hit and miss with me, but I would like the chance to give it a try. 

The Girl Who Never Was  by Skylar Dorset
Goodreads

THE GIRL WHO NEVER WAS is the story of Selkie Stewart, who thinks she’s a totally normal teenager growing up in Boston. Sure, her father is in an insane asylum, her mother left her on his doorstep—literally—when she was a baby, and she’s being raised by two ancient aunts who spend their time hunting gnomes in their Beacon Hill townhouse. But other than that her life is totally normal! She’s got an adventurous best friend who’s always got her back and an unrequited crush on an older boy named Ben. Just like any other teenager, right?

When Selkie goes in search of the mother she’s never known, she gets more than she bargained for. It turns out that her mother is faerie royalty, which would make Selkie a faerie princess—except for the part where her father is an ogre, which makes her only half of anything. Even more confusing, there’s a prophecy that Selkie is going to destroy the tyrannical Seelie Court, which is why her mother actually wants to kill her. Selkie has been kept hidden all her life by her adoring aunts, with the help of a Salem wizard named Will. And Ben. Because the boy she thinks she’s in love with turns out to be a faerie whose enchantment has kept her alive, but also kept her in the dark about her own life.

Now, with enchantments dissolved and prophecies swinging into action, Selkie finds herself on a series of mad quests to save the people she’s always loved and a life she’s learning to love. But in a supernatural world of increasingly complex alliances and distressingly complicated deceptions, it’s so hard to know who to trust. Does her mother really wish to kill her? Would Will sacrifice her for the sake of the prophecy? And does Ben really love her or is it all an elaborate ruse? In order to survive, Selkie realizes that the key is learning—and accepting—who she really is.

Looks good right? Anybody read this one already? 

Thanks for stopping by!

Exciting New August Releases

These are some of the books releasing this August that I am most looking forward to reading...

Most hotly anticipated

The Revenge of Seven by Pittacus Lore (Lorien Legacies, book 5) Goodreads

I really enjoy this series and am looking forward to the newest installment in these character's adventures.

Also released this month
UK publication dates

 

The Moment Collector by Jodi Lynn Anderson. The author of the novel Tiger Lily which I loved. This is being published under the title The Vanishing Season in the US and other parts of the world.

• Deliverance by C.J Redwine (Defiance, book 3)
• Water Born by Rachel Ward (The Drowning, book 2).

• Chasing Before by Lenore Appelhans (Level 2, book 2)
• Earth Flight by Janet Edwards (Earth, book 3)
• Fiendish by Brenna Yovanoff. I LOVE the US version of the cover of this book. This one is a bit... meh. 

• Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
• Trial By Fire by Josephine Angelini

Imports

These are books due to be published in America this month that look amazing- but no UK publication date yet. 

• Faces of the Dead by Suzanne Weyn.
• Forget Me by K.A Harrington. Love the sound of this one- a spooky thriller.
• Of Metal and Wishes by Sarah Fine. 

Are there any books that I've missed off this list? Which new releases are you most looking forward to this month? 

Best of the Bunch July

Best of the Bunch is a book blog hop hosted here on the last day of each month, where we can look back over the books we have read over this past month and give a Best of the Bunch award to our favourite book of that month.

I always put up my post on the last day of the month, but remember, you can add your link in anytime in the following month.

July 2014

This month I had challenged myself to read at least 9 books, publish at least two book reviews, and write at least one "fun" post. This is a repeat of the challenge from June... which I failed.  

This month I have read-

• The One by Keira Cass (The Selection, book 3)- 4.5 of 5 stars
• Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo (Grisha, book 3)- 4.5 of 5 stars
• Hollow City by Ransom Riggs (Miss Peregrine's, book 2)- 4 of 5 stars
• The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa (Blood of Eden, book 3)- 5 of 5 stars
• Of Triton by Anna Banks (Syrena, book 2)- 4 of 5 stars
• One Tiny Lie by K.A Tucker (Ten Tiny Breaths, book 2)- 3 of 5 stars
• Hexed by Michelle Krys- 2 of 5 stars
• Adaptation by Malinda Lo- 4 of 5 stars

I reviewed-

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

One Tiny Lie by K.A Tucker

Darn it! 8 and a half books- so close!!  I am pleased with my 3 book reviews though. NEXT month I will DEFINITELY read 9 books or more!

My pick for the winner of the title of Best of the Bunch July is...

...drumroll...

...The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa!

The Forever Song  by Julie Kagawa
Goodreads

Vengeance will be hers.

Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster? With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.

Monster.

Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions - her creator Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost - the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie. 

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, her triumph will be short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

THE FINAL HUNT IS ON.

These books are always dramatic and moving, and I love the main character Allie. 

I read a few really great books this month. What was the best book you read in July? If you write a monthly wrap-up post feel free to link it up here. Or let me know in the comments which book was YOUR favourite this July. 

Wishlist Wednesday #40 - Scorched

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly book blog hop hosted by Dani at Pen to Paper where we will post about a book that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added, that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our bookshelves.

I only recently found out about this book, but it's got dragons and time-travel in it so of course I want to read it! It was published last year in hardback, but is due to be released in paperback next week. I think it sounds pretty cool. 

Scorched  by Mari Mancusi
Goodreads

Save the Dragon. Destroy the World.

Trinity Foxx is used to her grandfather's crazy stories, so she doesn't believe the latest treasure he brought home to their failing West Texas museum is a real dragon's egg. Not until Connor Jacks, a dragon hunter from the future, tells Trinity that the world is about to be wiped out by a fiery dragon war--unless they find a way to stop it.

Save the Dragon. Save the World

But Connor's not the only one after the egg. His twin brother Caleb believes dragons have the power to save mankind and must be protected. Caleb has seen too many dragons destroyed in the war-scorched future--he'll do whatever it takes to save this one.

With a host of enemies hot on her heels, Trinity must decide who to believe. Connor the brave solider? Caleb the cocky rebel? Or the baby dragon that's starting to whisper to her...saying they are destined? The fate of the world may depend on her choice.

Looks good right? Anybody read this one already? 

Thanks for stopping by!

Review: One Tiny Lie by K.A Tucker

One Tiny Lie by K.A Tucker (Ten Tiny Breaths, book 2)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Source: Borrowed from the library

Synopsis from Goodreads:Livie has always been the stable one of the two Cleary sisters, handling her parents' tragic death and Kacey's self-destructive phase with strength and maturity. But underneath that exterior is a little girl hanging onto the last words her father ever spoke to her. “Make me proud,” he had said. She promised she would...and she’s done her best over the past seven years with every choice, with every word, with every action.

Livie walks into Princeton with a solid plan, and she’s dead set on delivering on it: Rock her classes, set herself up for medical school, and meet a good, respectable guy that she’s going to someday marry. What isn’t part of her plan are Jell-O shots, a lovable, party animal roommate she can’t say ‘no’ to, and Ashton, the gorgeous captain of the men’s rowing team. Definitely him. He’s an arrogant ass who makes Livie’s usually non-existent temper flare and everything she doesn’t want in a guy. Worse, he’s best friends and roommates with Connor, who happens to fits Livie’s criteria perfectly. So why does she keep thinking about Ashton?

As Livie finds herself facing mediocre grades, career aspirations she no longer thinks she can handle, and feelings for Ashton that she shouldn’t have, she’s forced to let go of her last promise to her father and, with it, the only identity that she knows.

One Tiny Lie is a contemporary novel and kind of a sequel to Ten Tiny Breaths set a few years after the first book and focusing on Kacey's younger sister Livvie. But it could easily be read as a standalone novel as well. 

I so expected more from this book. I absolutely loved Ten Tiny Breaths and expected more of the same from One Tiny Lie. In the first book Kacey was so damaged and hurt, and seeing her recovery among all these great new characters, made for such a great story- so moving and unique.

In One Tiny Lie, Livvie is not damaged. At least I didn't think so. She is a nice respectable girl who wants to study hard, make the most of university and become a doctor. But APPARENTLY (and this was news to me) unless you are out getting drunk every weekend, getting random tattoos and waking up with strange men in the morning with no memory at all of the night before- then you are not actually really LIVING. At least that is what her big sister, her roommate and her PSYCHIATRIST all think. The attitude of the characters and the way they kept pressuring Livvie didn't resonate with me, and that was a major dampener in my enjoyment of this book.

Livvie meets Ashton at a party when he assaults her. Again, that to me is not the foundation for a true and lasting relationship. I couldn't stand Ashton and just kept thinking "she's not... is she?" But gosh-darn-it he's just so freaking HOT that Livvie can't stop thinking about him.

Bleurgh.

When Livvie starts dating a very nice guy Connor I HOPED that she would do the right thing, but no, gosh-darn-it Ashton is just so freaking HOT, and EVEN THOUGH Ashton has a steady girlfriend and Livvie is seeing nice Connor they still end up cheating on their partners. A lot. 

Bleurgh.

I guess this book just wasn't for me. Look- I even resorted to using caps lock a lot in my review and that never happens! I know that I myself am not 20 anymore but I just didn't connect with the motivations of the characters and their actions. I don't like cheating in relationships,and I thought nice, kind, sensible Livvie would be above it. And there is no come-back or anything from it. People got hurt and to Livvie and Ashton it's like it didn't even matter. I didn't agree with most of what the other characters were saying about Livvie (Her sister and Dr. Stayner). They keep telling her that maybe she doesn't really want to become a doctor, that risks are good... blah blah blah. I just wanted to tell them that she's fine as she is and to leave her alone!

So were there any good points to the book? Well yes. The writing is extremely engaging and I always wanted to keep reading to the end. I actually finished it in only a couple of days because it DID grab my attention. The characters are wonderful and believable- and you can really picture yourself there beside Livvie, and with her on this journey. I really felt it and felt like I knew these people. And talking of the characters I loved Livvie's roommate Reagan, and the young boys on the cancer ward that Livvie volunteers for. 

I would say overall that this is a good book but maybe not completely my cup of tea.

Review: Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs (Miss Peregrine's, book 2)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Source: From publisher

Synopsis from Amazon:Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children was the surprise best seller of 2011--an unprecedented mix of YA fantasy and vintage photography that enthralled readers and critics alike. Publishers Weekly called it "an enjoyable, eccentric read, distinguished by well-developed characters, a believable Welsh setting, and some very creepy monsters." 

This second novel begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended. Having escaped Miss Peregrine's island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises. 
Complete with dozens of newly discovered (and thoroughly mesmerizing) vintage photographs, this new adventure will delight readers of all ages.

Reading this book is like falling down the rabbit hole- that sort of feeling that while you're lost in the world of this book ANYTHING can happen. And with talking dogs, time loops, peculiar children with special powers, and bedtime stories that come true, anything really can happen.

I love these books. Hollow Children is exciting, sweet, thrilling and mystical, and great fun as well.

It's so different from other books because you know that the strange and intriguing photographs scattered throughout the pages not only illustrate a concept in the story, but are also real genuine interesting looking old photographs that the author has collected and is generating a story around. It is a very unique and interesting way to read a book.

In Hollow Children we are off of the island of Cairnholm, and see a wider picture of the different loops and different groups. I love that there is travel involved in this book, making it different from the closed setting of the first book, and it feels like a real old-fashioned adventure. The children are on a quest, but also on the run, and could be found or captured at any time- so there is also a real feeling of menace at times running through the book.

With Miss Peregrine stuck in bird form, Wights and Hollows chasing them at every turn and the children following sparse clues and gut feeling, their adventure really is moment to moment, and feels like a dramatic race against the clock. Whether stranded at sea, captured by gypsies, losing their money, or escaping the bombs falling in wartime London, each new experience is a trial to be got through, while figuring out what to do next.

Because Jacob has gone back into the past to the setting of 1940s England, you get a real feeling of nostalgia, and it helps that Riggs writing is very atmospheric. He really brings the book to life, and at times you can almost imagine it as a screenplay. It feels very vivid and easy to picture (even without the addition of the photographs!).

The group of characters really complement each other nicely. Their personalities and unique powers all come in useful at different points in the story, so that everyone in the whole collective is as important as the other. Different skills are needed in different situations. And their banter and quirkiness makes for a very fun read as well. They really are their own little family and are both very supportive and protective of each other, but also very quick to criticise and tease in the way that all brothers and sisters do. But I really enjoyed the conversation between them.

It's a sweet book and clever and thrilling at the same time. Hollow Children is of course an absolute must-read for fans of Miss Peregrine's, and as a sequel it doesn't disappoint, but is as fun and engaging as the first book.

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You can read my 2012 Q and A with author Ransom Riggs here