Best of the Bunch- November 2011

Best Of The Bunch is a monthly award ceremony hosted at the end of the month by Lyrical over at Lyrical Reviews where we can look back over the books read the past month and award a Best Of The Bunch award to our favourite book of the month.

November
This month I have reviewed on the blog:

• Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers (4 of 5 stars)
• Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (4 of 5 stars)
• Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick (4.5 of 5 stars)
• The Missing by Lisa McMann (4.5 of 5 stars)
• Tiger's Quest by Colleen Houck (4.5 of 5 stars)
• Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien (4.5 of 5 stars)
• Blood by K.J Wignall (3 of 5 stars)
• Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel (5 of 5 stars)
• Wherever You Go by Heather Davis (3.5 of 5 stars)

I read some absolutely fantastic books this month, so it was difficult to make a choice, but my Best of the Bunch award for November is going to go to...

**Drumroll**

... Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel!

This book has it all- action, drama, romance... and zombies! It is funny and sweet and, despite featuring characters who eat brains, still manages to be very cool and sophisticated. Read my full review of the book, and check out the video for Stephanie Mabey's hilarious 'Zombie Song' here.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?
The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.




UK cover



But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.



In Dearly, Departed, romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy that forever redefines the concept of undying love.

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To read any of the other book reviews mentioned above please check out the blog archive on the sidebar on the right -->>

I would love to see what book your award would go to, so check out Lyrical's blog to add your post to the list. Leave me a comment below as well, and thanks for reading!


Review: Wherever You Go by Heather Davis

Wherever You Go by Heather Davis


My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:
A poignant story about making peace with the past and opening your heart to love. Seventeen-year-old Holly Mullen has felt lost and lonely ever since her boyfriend, Rob, died in a tragic accident. But she has no idea that as she goes about her days, Rob’s ghost is watching over her. He isn’t happy when he sees his best friend, Jason, trying to get close to Holly—but as a ghost, he can do nothing to stop it. As their uncertain new relationship progresses, the past comes back to haunt Holly and Jason. Her Alzheimer’s-stricken grandfather claims to be communicating with the ghost of Rob. Could the messages he has for Holly be real? And if so, how can the loved ones Rob left behind help his tortured soul make it to the other side?

From reading the blurb of this I pegged this as a story where the ghost of a dead boyfriend is forced to watch his girlfriend mourn for him, and the pain of seeing her grow closer to his best friend. I absolutely loved the sound of this book and had very high expectations of it. I have read other contemporary YA novels dealing with the aftermath of the death of a loved one such as The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson or If I Stay by Gayle Forman (both absolutely fantastic books, if you haven't read them yet, read them) or books where the dead character gets to watch their loved ones from beyond the grave like Kissed By An Angel by Elizabeth Chandler. But in comparison to those books Wherever You Go feels a little bit cold and detached. The first quarter of the book mostly deals with Holly's hard life stuggling to cope with school, and taking care of her little sister while her mother is working, and then the responsibility and burden of also having to care for her elderly grandfather who is suffering from Alzheimer's. Holly and Rob's past relationship is barely even touched upon at first.


Normally I cry at everything! Any time someone dies in a book out come the tissues and the red-rimmed eyes. When I picked up Wherever you go I expected a tear- fest, and wanted a novel that would play upon my emotions, and rip my heart out, but this book let me down a little. The advice that Holly seems to be getting from her friends is mainly along the lines of "He's dead, just get over it already". And even Rob's parents are told something similar by their therapist- "move on- you have another child to parent". I think another thing that made it feel a little empty, was that there were very few flashbacks into the past, and few fond memories or little anecdotes about Holly and Rob. In another novel I read- Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, the main character gets to relive her last day over again to hopefully right some mistakes and re-evaluate her life, and this book really moved me- because there was so many little details, and little anecdotes and stories, that it made her life feel so real, and just highlighted everything that she was losing (this is another absolutely fantastic book- read it if you haven't already!). I think that this is what is missing from Wherever You Go. We see Holly and her current life, and we also see Rob wandering around as a bitter ghost, but we get very little impression of what they were like before, as a couple.


I don't want to put a downer on this review though, because despite all of this, I DID like the book. It grabbed my attention all the way through, throwing in some twists and turns, and clues about Rob's death that turned out to be red herrings. I liked the second half better than the first half. One of my favourite aspects of this novel was Holly's sweet relationship with her grandfather. She really looks after him, and not only cares for him but she still treats him like a person even when others just talk around him. She always tries to help him to remember, and when he comes up with a list of things he wants to remember she helps him by treating him to days out based on his list. Jason also seizes on the chance to help Holly with looking after her grandfather, and whilst Holly initially questions his motives, gradually the two of them form a bond that is not only connected to their shared memory of Rob, but also based on enjoying each other's company. Despite the fact that they are very different- Jason is wealthy and part of the popukar crowd, and Holly is very shy and lives in an apartment in a rough area of town- they do complement each other very well and make a sweet couple, but not without some complications and misunderstandings getting in the way first.


Wherever you go is not your typical ghost story. I liked the fact that Holly's grandfather was the only one who could see and comunicate with Rob, but being so far gone with Alzheimer's disease, he couldn't properly communicate messages from Rob. The budding relationship between Holly and Jason is very sweet, and their inner struggles to get over their guilt over moving on after Rob's death was moving and emotional. I also really sympathised for Holly, who has an incredible burden on her shoulders, as her mother puts more and more responsibilty onto her, with such high expectations of her, and then critisices the way that Holly deals with things. I liked the journey that this story takes us through, and would recommend this book to fans of a gritty romance.




Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt publishers and Netgalley for the review copy of the book.

In My Mailbox 27th November 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly event hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where book bloggers can talk about the books they've gotten the past week- whether bought, borrowed, swapped or given for review. This feature was started to increase interaction between bloggers and to increase our awareness of all the new books coming out.

Bought:

• Between by Cyndi Tefft (kindle edition). I've seen so many positive reviews on this book, I've finally caved in and bought it!

• Exiled by M.R Merrick (kindle edition). This has been on my wishlist for ages, and I keep entering contests to win a copy and not had any luck. This week the author posted a one day only discount code, so I got it for a bargain! I have seen so many 5 star reviews of this book- can't wait to read it.

From the Library:

• Angel Fire by L.A Weatherly.  Yes! Finally! This is the sequel to Angel which I absolutely loved, and it seems like it's taken forever for this book to come out! Definitely going to be reading this one next.

• Muse by Rebecca Lim. This is book 3 in the Mercy series. I'm starting to like this series about an angel who jumps into random bodies to try to sort out a problem in their life. Part romance, part mystery and I'm intrigued to find out what happens next.

Audiobook:

• Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta. This looks like an emotional read driven by the characters. A contemporary story about a girl whose mother suffers with depression. There are so many recommendations for this book and the sequel The Piper's Son.

For Review:

• Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Ok- a futuristic cyborg Cinderella story? There was no way I was going to take a second glance at this, but I have since seen so many fantastic reviews on blogs that I'm way too intrigued not to read it now! Thanks fellow bloggers!

This is due to be published in January 2012. Thanks to Macmillan publishers and Netgalley for the review copy.

Those were the books I got this week- what did you get in your mailbox?

Happy reading!

The Time Will Come #40

The Time Will Come is a weekly meme hosted by Jodie at Books For Company, where we can spotlight those books that we've had sitting on our shelves for too long. Books that we really want to read but never seem to get around to.

This is a book that I've had sitting on the top of my to-read pile for ages, and I know I won't be able to read it for a while yet. I got an ARC hardcover copy of this about two months before it was published and I was determined that I was going to read it quickly- at least before the publication date. There is something really satisfying about owning a book months before anyone can get their hands on it! Unfortunately, *hanging head in shame* I STILL haven't read this.

The Power of Six is book 2 in the Lorien Legacies series, and the sequel to I Am Number Four.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me . . . he's one of us.

Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?


They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.
I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.
And I'm ready to fight.


I am determined that I am going to read this book... one day soon!

Review: Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?

The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.
But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.
In Dearly, Departed, romance meets walking-dead thriller, spawning a madly imaginative novel of rip-roaring adventure, spine-tingling suspense, and macabre comedy that forever redefines the concept of undying love.

Book 1 in the Gone With The Respiration series

Every time one of my friends or work colleagues had asked me what I was reading lately I had answered with- "well... it's kind of a futuristic steampunk story where people have adopted the dress and manners of Victorian London, but it's still very technological, oh, and there are zombies... " People have gone all bug-eyed and looked at me like I've fallen off the crazy train. So I suck at describing what the book is about, but I have to tell you- it's brilliant!


This book manages to be sophisticated, quirky and DIFFERENT. With female leads who are unique and ballsy. Nora for instance is dressed up in her full gown, gloves and slippers, but when she is taken by a band of zombie soldiers, still manages to make demands and boss everybody around! Her friend Pamela, strictly adheres to all the rules of social ettiquette- but still stabs a zombie in the head with her parasol when she is cornered.


This novel has it all- plenty of action, and twists and turns, betrayals, and romance. And it's funny in places too. I highlighted so many quotes in the book that had either made me giggle or just generally made me think wow. I loved the world of this story as well. There were moments when it felt very Victorian and the character's customs made me forget that it set in the future- but then there would be emails, digital diaries and holograms, and it suddenly felt very futuristic again. It was such a clever mixture of old and modern, both in technology and speech, people have flat screens inside their carriages.


The important thing to remember is that there are good zombies and bad zombies. Some people when they are infected do just want to eat your brain, but others are harmless, and keep hold of their memories and their humanity. Nora Dearly is taken by a group of the good zombies to protect her from the bad zombies who had targeted her. Nora's father, Dr. Dearly has helped the zombies by perfecting serums and treatments to help nourish and preserve them, and tune-up or replace missing limbs. Nora is taken to the zombie military camp, and this is where she meets Captain Bram Griswold of Z Company.


I don't think zombies will ever really take over from vampires and werewolves as romantic heroes in paranormal stories, even if they are as charming and gentlemanly as Bram (something about rotting flesh and limbs dropping off is a bit of a turn off surely?) but it works so well in this book. I loved Bram- who was very sweet and always trying to think of ways to made Nora more comfortable, or taking her on little trips out to make her happy. But my favourite characters were Bram's zombie friends, who were always a laugh a minute but also so loyal, and definitely the good guys. Chastity, the only girl in the group was cute and feisty and definitely someone you'd want on your side in a fight, or as a best friend- as she was always there to loan Nora some clothes or to share some gossip.


This is my favourite quote from Bram's friends, when Nora first meets them:

"I speak the truth! In all of these books the girls are throwing themselves at the romantic heroes- romantic heroes who are dead, who drink human blood. Be of good cheer, my brothers, for I tell you there is hope!"
One of the other guys, a large black chap, rolled his lone eye.
"Okay, you're cut off. Someone get him a cookbook or something?"
"Or, you know, some fair damsel to seduce," the girl said, looking up from her reflection. When she saw us, her mouth split into a grin. "Hey, speak of the devil!"
The one with the book whirled around and held up his hands.
"Before we do this formally- you."
He looked at me, and I took a step back. "Have you ever heard of vampires?"
I nodded. Who hasn't?
"Had you heard of zombies before you came here?" I shook my head.
"See?" He thumped his book for emphasis. "Vampires are just zombies with good PR! That could be us in a few years!"

The story is told from alternating points of view from various characters (five, I think in total), which although sometimes was a little confusing, did give us differing insights into what the characters were thinking and feeling, and also showed us the action us it happened in different parts of the country. For instance we see what is happening with Nora at the zombie camp, and then how that affects Pamela back in New London fighting through a zombie invasion, and also Dr. Dearly's attempts to stop it in another part of the country. But it did also frustratingly leave a critical situation hanging for a chapter, as I had to wait between each chapter to find out what happened next to Nora!


Overall though, I seriously recommend this book if you are a fan of quirky supernatural YA books, or zombies in general. If not- read it anyway because it might surprise you! A sassy and fun futuristic dystopian zombie romance, with fantastic characters that you will wish were real!



Thanks to Random House publishers and Netgalley for the advance copy of this book

This is the UK paperback cover by the way- which I also think is really cool, but looks totally different from the pink US cover above.

Book 2 is titled Dearly, Beloved and is due for release in 2012.








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Not really related to this book (but kind of because it features zombies) here is The Zombie Song by Stephanie Mabey. I love this song, and I've had it in my head all week!

In My Mailbox 20th November 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly event hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where book bloggers can talk about the books they've gotten the past week- whether bought, borrowed, swapped or given for review. This feature was started to increase interaction between bloggers and to increase our awareness of all the new books coming out.

More goodies again this week!

Bought:

• High fantasy series Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta. (I've read the first one before on audiobook). I shelled out for the Australian covers of these books because, well... look how pretty they are!

Kindle freebies:

 

• Katie's Hellion, Katie's Hope and Kiera's Moon by Lizzy Moon.

From the Library:

• Fury by Elizabeth Miles.

REVENGE! Can't wait to read this one.








For Review:

• Envy by Gregg Olsen. Book 1 in the Empty Coffin series. Looks spooky- I doubt I'll be reading this before bed!

Thanks to UK Book Tours

So those were the books I got this week. Some good-uns there! I also bought myself this funky bookmark based on The Wizard of Oz. I love this (it's the little things that make me chuckle!). The text reads "Things just haven't been the same since that HOUSE fell on my SISTER" and it looks like some legs with the ruby slippers sticking out of a book. Well I think it's cool.

What did you get in your mailbox?

Happy reading!

Review: Blood by K.J Wignall

Blood by K.J. Wignall


My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:
"I do not remember being bitten. I wish I did, for then I would know the creature who did this to me and I would have a purpose, to track him down and repay him for the poisoned gift he gave me."

Back in the 13th Century, Will was destined to be Earl of Mercia. He never lived to inherit his title, struck down by a strange illness and buried beneath the city walls. But Will was not dead, and only now, seven lonely centuries later, does he begin to understand that there was a reason for all of this, that he has a destiny. To find it though, he will need help, and as ever, he will need blood.

Blood is set over the span of just a few days, and tells the story of Will Mercia, who is a vampire in the traditional sense of the mythology- closer to Bram Stoker's Dracula than the vampires of Twilight. He emerges from his crypt in an old church (now a tourist attraction) for a span of a few weeks every 20 years or so, needing blood, and he is stronger than humans and has the power to influence them with his mind.


Will emerges from his hibernation for a short period coming out only at night-time, hungry at first, and so starts hunting down someone who wouldn't be missed- like a homeless person. However, the homeless drug addict that Will finds on this latest trip outside leaves a notebook with a cryptic message for Will, a prophecy or a warning, and a picture of a girl with a message. Things are different this time up on the surface, someone seems to know who Will really is and sets traps to attack him.


Through a twist of fate Will finds the girl in the picture- Eloise- who is living rough, and convinces her that they are connected through the prophecy in the homeless man's notebook. Will faces the possibility that the person who bit and transformed him all those years ago has come back, and the mystery surrounding this elusive person drives the story toward a tense climax. This book also has a gothic feel to it, not only with Will's crypt and the church, but the flashbacks into the past and a time of witch burning and feuds between noble families. This is mixed in with a more modern style, and the start of a budding romance between the two lead characters. We have a bubbly and strong 16-year old girl, and the stuffy 12th century earl-turned-vampire.


I liked this book and felt that it had potential- but for me, it lacked a spark, and left me confused as to was the enemy and why, and what had actually happened! There are so few characters in this story but they aren't really developed or memorable and I just couldn't connect with them. I also like a little romance in any story, and this one was very downplayed. The writing just wasn't captivating enough and I didn't feel completely connected to the world or mythology of the story.


Also, this book is obviously intended to be part of a series, and so there is a cryptic epilogue at the final page intended to entice you to want to find out more. However, I felt the book worked fine as it was and that the epilogue was unnecessary and was just confusing because it wasn't explained. I did like this story but there was nothing spectacular about it and I doubt it'll stand out in my mind in a few weeks time. I would maybe recommend it to younger teens?

Thanks to Egmont publishers and Netgalley for the review copy.

The Time Will Come #39

The Time Will Come is a weekly meme hosted by Jodie at Books For Company where we can spotlight those books that we've had sitting on our shelves for too long. Books that we really want to read but never seem to get around to.

Okay- I want to read this book so bad! I was so excited when I finally got hold of it all the way back in May, but there are just not enough hours in the day to read all these great books!

Timeless by Alexandra Monir is a romantic story with a time-travelling main character, mystical powers and a chance meeting with a guy with striking blue eyes.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance.



Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives.


The Time Will Come... very soon I hope!

Review: Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien

Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien


My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Striking out into the wasteland with nothing but her baby sister, a handful of supplies, and a rumor to guide her, sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone survives only to be captured by the people of Sylum, a dystopian society where women rule the men who drastically outnumber them, and a kiss is a crime. In order to see her sister again, Gaia must submit to their strict social code, but how can she deny her sense of justice, her curiosity, and everything in her heart that makes her whole?

Book 2 in the Birthmarked series


This is the US cover.
Pretty nice huh?



It is probably advisable to read Book 1 Birthmarked before starting this book to understand some of the world-building and back story, but not absolutely essential because this new story has a completely different tone to the first one. Gaia has struck out into the wasteland with her baby sister, looking for the village that her grandmother was rumoured to have escaped to. She has left without Leon and without knowing what has happened to him and if he is still alive. Where the world of the Enclave was very high-tech, the new village that Gaia finds herself in is very rustic and basic, so the whole book has the feel of more of a survival story, rather than a fight against a futuristic controlling society.



The new village is very odd, and run by a group of matriarchs, but there are many political and social problems resulting from the fact that there are very few women in the village. The way they run things is very backwards to what Gaia is used to and she has a lot of trouble adapting and learning a whole new set of rules and what behaviour is socially acceptable. The village itself though I loved. It was so well described and the people and customs felt so real to me, it was like I was there. I really liked the two brothers who vie for Gaia's attention, and they were both really sweet to her, trying to do little things to make her happy like planting flowers in her garden, and then drawing straws to see who would walk her home. Where in her old town Gaia had resigned herself to a life of being the local midwife, and thought she would always single because of her scarred face, in Sylum she finds men are fighting for her attention- so it's not so much a love triangle, as a love square!



Little Gaia is the hero in this story again, as she experiments, questions, and pieces together the snippets of rumours that she hears about varying success rates of leaving the village. Her brain is constantly trying to work out the dual mysteries of the village- why people drop dead when they try to leave, and why the village is mostly populated by men- and is again solving puzzles and riddles to come up with the answers. She manages to put together all the little clues, and with her outsider's perspective and analytical brain comes up with the answers that had eluded the other villagers.



Gaia is such a steadfast and spunky character, and will always do what she thinks is morally right even if she ends up being punished for it. She has the admiration of two local brothers, and through her constant questioning and making a stand against any percieved injustice, she also earns the respect of a large portion of the village.

I love these books and definitely recommend this series to fans of a good dystopian novel. Fantastic world-building, characters that stay with you, and a clever and complex story that is intense and emotional, with a romance story that is sweet and real.



Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the advance e-copy.

Rest of the series:

Book 1 Birthmarked. Read my review of it here. 

Book 3 is titled Promised and is due for release late 2012.







Review: Tiger's Quest by Colleen Houck

Tiger's Quest by Colleen Houck


My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Back in Oregon, Kelsey tries to pick up the pieces of her life and push aside her feelings for Ren. But danger lurks around the corner, forcing her to return to India where she embarks on a second quest-this time with Ren's dark, bad-boy brother Kishan, who has also fallen prey to the Tiger's Curse. Fraught with danger, spellbinding dreams, and choices of the heart, TIGER'S QUEST brings the trio one step closer to breaking the spell that binds them.

 

Book 2 in the Tiger series
The quest to free the two Indian princes from their curse continues in this second book in the series. Kelsey has moved back home to Colorado, but has been given her own house, college is paid for, and she has a generous allowance to live on. She has decided to continue to help the princes by conducting research from afar while she tries to sort out her confused feelings about Ren, and throws herself into her studies and resuming a normal life again. But when Ren shows up in Colorado determined to win her back again, it is only the start of the complicated battle of emotion between them. I just adore Ren, who is beautiful, sweet, generous, patient and understanding and who fusses over Kelsey like a mother hen! He keeps gazing at Kelsey with his lovely blue eyes and quirky smile and finding reasons to hold her or touch her hair, making Kelsey (and me) melt. Not to mention literally fighting off other guys for her.


The course of true love definitely doesn't run easily for Kelsey and Ren, with struggles and separations, and as Kelsey continues on the next stage of their quest with Ren's brother Kishan, the two of them grow close and complicate things even further. Kishan is very much devoted to Kelsey, but torn between whether he is protecting Kelsey for his own sake or looking after his brother's girl. The former bad boy with his rogueish charm is haunted by the decisions he made years ago and plagued by guilt. When the two brothers are together it brings out the worst side of Kishan- he is all cockiness and posturing, but when he is travelling alone with Kelsey we see a completely different side to him- a tenderness and vulnerability, and a sense that all he really wants is some stability.


The love triangle aspect of the story is done so well- we really get a sense of Kishan's personality before he declares his love for her. Even when Ren and Kelsey are separated and she and Kishan are off travelling together, she still has dreams about Ren and their communication through these dreams is so moving and a real affirmation of their relationship. But Kishan also has dreams of a future where he is with Kelsey, and the bliss he feels in these dreams confuses him even further, and gives us a real insight into the depth of his desire for Kelsey, and his wish for the future he glimpsed in his vision to become real. We can see how painful it is for him to step aside, and help Ren- so that he doesn't repeat the mistakes of his past.


One of the things I loved about the first book was all the vivid detailing and description throughout, however, I did start to find this a little bit wearing in book 2. I wanted to scream at Kelsey sometimes- "I don't care what you had for dinner, and what he had for dinner, and all about these different tourist sites you visited while you're trying to blend in- Ren has been kidnapped, you need to rescue him, lets go- just get on with it!". There were some parts in the middle where there was just no urgency! That was my only major complaint about this book. It just seemed like the author wanted to show off how much research she had put into the book, but it damaged the flow of the story. I still do love the descriptions and little details, and did again love the beautiful writing and the way that everything is always so well explained, giving us a real sense of both the Indian jungles and the mystical places that the characters travel to. But in moderation!


I love feisty, intelligent Kelsey, but have to say that her biggest flaws are her stubbornness and her inability to see the truth right in front of her eyes. She is also quite isolated, constantly pushing others away, and has very few friends because of this. When she starts at University she doesn't have any old friends to keep in touch with, she barely lets her foster parents know that she has come back from India, and she spends the first term pretty much on her own, burying herself in studying and research. She regards Ren, Kishan and their guardian Mr. Kadam as her family though, and puts all her trust in them completely. She only really comes into her own while she is India with these friends.


Tiger's Quest is an absolutely wonderful novel, filled with magic and adventure. This really is a fantastically imaginative story with visits into other worlds, magical creatures both good and bad, and stories and legends from other cultures and realms. Kelsey gets to travel the world, meeting all kinds of people, and creatures, enduring trials and challenges, using skill and intelligence to solve puzzles and working together with the brothers to lift an ancient curse. She storms a fortress, fights seriously evil bad guys, and develops a useful power of her own. This really is a quest story with a difference, it is magical and action packed. The thing I love most about it though is the bond between the main characters and the confusing relationships between them. I love the way that the author can pull on your heartstrings so completely, in the way that Ren and Kelsey's story develops with a passionate love and a crushing loss. After a fraught rollercoaster of emotions the book ends on a heartbreaking note. This is one of those books that I can't stop thinking about long after I've finished reading it. I definitely can't wait to continue on with Kelsey's story in book 3, but I'm so confused now, who do I like more- white tiger Ren or black tiger Kishan?


Rest of the series

Book 1 in this series is called Tiger's Quest (Read my 5 star review of it here), and book 3 in the series is called Tiger's Voyage. This has just been published 1st November 2011 and I'm very excited to read it very soon.

 

In My Mailbox 13th November 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly event hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where book bloggers can talk about the books they've gotten the past week- whether bought, borrowed, swapped or given for review. This feature was started to increase interaction between bloggers and increase our awareness of all the new books coming out.

Bought:

• The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. I have already read this fabulous series borrowed from the library but The Works bookshop had an offer on the complete set, and I like to own copies of my my favourite series to re-read them. I may try to skim-read these books again before the film comes out.

• Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon. I'm not too sure what this book is about, but I've seen it on so many blogs recently, with some reviews praising it, and some completely trashing it. It was a complete bargain on FishPond World though, so I got it to make my own mind up!

• Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison. I love the sound of this one about a mean cheerleader who dies in a car crash and is forced to see what people really think of her, and who has to make amends to all those she had bullied or wronged in the past to find redemption. This was my charity shop bargain find for the week.

From the Library:

• Working Stiff. This is Rachel Caine's latest urban fantasy series featuring zombies.

For Review:

• Borrowing Abby Grace and Girl Steals Guy by Kelly Green. These books are described as a supernatural Nancy Drew, and feature a girl who can jump into the bodies of others to fix the problems in their life.

Received direct from the author with thanks.


Those were the books I got this week- what did you get?
Happy reading!

Review: The Missing by Lisa McMann

The Missing by Lisa McMann


My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:
The community of Cryer’s Cross, Montana (population 212) is distraught when high school freshman Tiffany disappears without a trace. Already off-balance due to her OCD, 16-year-old Kendall is freaked out seeing Tiffany’s empty desk in the one-room school house, but somehow life goes on... until Kendall's boyfriend Nico also disappears, and also without a trace. Now the town is in a panic. Alone in her depression and with her OCD at an all-time high, Kendall notices something that connects Nico and Tiffany: they both sat at the same desk. She knows it's crazy, but Kendall finds herself drawn to the desk, dreaming of Nico and wondering if maybe she, too, will disappear...and whether that would be so bad. Then she begins receiving graffiti messages on the desk from someone who can only be Nico. Can he possibly be alive somewhere? Where is he? And how can Kendall help him? The only person who believes her is Jacian, the new guy she finds irritating...and attractive. As Kendall and Jacian grow closer, Kendall digs deeper into Nico's mysterious disappearance only to stumble upon some ugly—and deadly—local history. Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried.

First off- It's a stand alone book and not part of a series *Hooray!*, and also, for being quite a short novel (only 230 pages) it crams a lot in and is compulsively addictive. Part slow-building romance, part haunting mystery story, it quickly becomes spookily eerie and full of tension and suspense. All the way through this I had absolutely no clue what to expect and zero theories and suspicions as to what could have happened to the missing students- which made me even more desperate to find out and keep reading to the nerve-shredding finale!


Like Lisa McMann's other series the writing in this is a very detached style, with very stilted sentences- but again it works because it suits Kendall's personality. Kendall suffers with OCD, which makes her obsessive about order, routine and counting. The ordered, detached style seems to mirror Kendall's sense of isolation as she struggles to cope with everyday situations and her mind can't switch off focusing on the little details- but this also means that she notices things that other people don't.


The characters in this book is one of the best things about it. The story is set in a very small and close-knit town and there are actually very few characters, but despite this they are all relatable and believable. Kendall herself is a fascinating character- sweet and intelligent but also feisty- she is on the school soccer team and easily fits into her school group despite being the only girl in their year at the tiny local school she attends. The little anecdotes really give the sense that her class have all grown up together and know each other so well. The new guy Jacian (pronounced "Hass-ee-an") is understandably moody and miserable after being uprooted away from his friends into this tiny farming town with no prospects for the sports teams, but he develops into a really caring and understanding person as he are Kendall are increasingly thrown together.


I also really felt for Kendall and her despair when her best friend becomes one of the missing. She takes it so hard and I couldn't help but feel really emotional over the hole in her life. It was also that sense of his loss hanging over her- the not knowing what had happened and if he was ever coming back, making her feel unable to move on and make any plans for the future and college. She clings on to his memory and the hope that he is going to come back again. It is when Kendall thinks that Nico is trying to send her a message that things really start to get strange, making Kendall wonder if she is starting to lose her mind.


I really enjoyed this book, which was emotional and eerie, planting a mystery that left me desperate to know the answers to- and had a creepy building tension mixed with a slow-building new romance, which was very sweet and heartfelt.

• This was published under the title Cryer's Cross in the US and other parts of the world.

The Time Will Come #38

The Time Will Come is a weekly meme hosted by Jodie at Books For Company, where we can spotlight those books that we've had sitting on our shelves for too long. Books that we really want to read but never seem to get around to.
To join in write your own TWC post, drop by Jodie's blog to add your post to the linky, and visit the other blogs.

I won Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz from Amber over at Down The Rabbit Hole a few months ago, and I still really want to read it, but I have so many books lined up to read in front of it, I don't know when I'll get the chance. I still think this sounds like a great book though and I'm sure I'll get round to it... one day!

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Connor, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But her new posh Upper East Side prep school? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to — Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks, who is also the richest kid in school.

Even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps shatter whenever she walks by, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams. Visions of herself in past lives — visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else…





Also, I love this cover! It feels very dream-like. You can't see it in the picture but the broken glass shards are all shiny!

Review: Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick


My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Alex has run away and is hiking through the wilderness with her dead parents' ashes, about to say goodbye to the life she no longer wants to live. But then the world suddenly changes. An electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the sky zapping every electronic device and killing the vast majority of adults. For those spared, it's a question of who can be trusted and who has changed... Everyone still alive has turned - some for the better (those who acquired a superhuman sense) while others for the worse (those who acquired a taste for human flesh). Desperate to find out what happened and to avoid the zombies that are on the hunt, Alex meets up with Tom - an Army veteran who escaped one war only to find something worse at home - and Ellie, a young girl whose grandfather was killed by the electromagnetic pulse. This improvised family will have to use every ounce of courage they have just to find food, shelter, while fighting off the 'Changed' and those desperate to stay alive. A tense and involving adventure with shocks and sudden plot twists that will keep teen and adult readers gripped.

I really loved this story- which was at times dark and disturbing, but also a powerful and positive portrayal of humanity banding together to survive against bad odds. What I love about dystopian novels is their ability to throw all societal conventions and laws out the window, to make anything possible, and to show us the real gritty side of the way people behave when the world as we know it is changed beyond recognition. Everything becomes a real struggle just to survive, and we see people behaving at their worst and most selfish, but also those people who will band together and work together to stay alive- sharing limited food and risking their lives for people who had been strangers days before. This book has all of this and more in spades.


The story centres on 17-year-old Alex and the people she meets and loses along the way. At the start of the book she is a desperate teenager dying of a brain tumour and too depressed to be around people. She has decided to hike up her favourite mountain with her parent's ashes, as a final attempt to reclaim the freedom that she has lost in her life and say goodbye to her parents. Out in the wilderness out of nowhere the sky suddenly turns purple, there is an ear-splitting sound and the birds start falling from the sky. The sudden and unexplained Electromagnetic pulse destroys all the technology, kills most of the population outright, and, as Alex soon discovers changes most of the younger members of the population unrecognisably into savage creatures. Those that have survived will do anything to stay alive and keep the new threat in the woods at bay.


The plot is original and well-paced and takes us from an isolated mountain wilderness back to the mean streets of a society battling to survive, and finally to a new guarded village where a few residents have taken complete control and think that they have the answer to the way to survive. Alex herself is tough and resourceful, but also tender and patient when she is saddled with an angry and stubborn 8 year old with issues. She is fiercely loyal to the new friends she makes on her journey back down the mountain. I love the way that despite her stubborn independence she is also very vulnerable, and when she and Ellie find ex-army guy Tom, she is happy to have some of the responsibility off her shoulders. Tom was another of my favourite characters- just someone who is completely kind and selfless. I loved the way this little makeshift family banded together.


This book is very clever and really moving- turning from a story of loss and wilderness survival into a struggle against both zombies and the darker side of human nature. It is at times horrific and gory but still brilliant in it's portrayal of the main characters, who like the focal survivors in a disaster movie you can't help but identify with and root for. Alex was a wonderful lead character who was the right mix of feisty and vulnerable, and has to learn to trust the people she is thrown together with. The second half of the story changes in tone from a desperate escape into trying to accept a new way of life in the village and Alex must use her own resourcefulness to do what she feels is the right thing. The whole book is full of dramatic twists and turns, action and drama. The story left my nerves on edge and the explosive cliff-hanger ending has left me desperate for the next installment of this series.


Thanks to Egmont Publishers and Netgalley.com for the advance e-copy of this book.



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Book 2 in the series Shadows is due to be published late 2012. I already can't wait!

In My Mailbox 6th November 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly event hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where book bloggers can talk about the books they've gotten the past week- whether bought, borrowed, swapped or given for review. This feature was started to increase interaction between bloggers and increase our awareness of all the new books coming out.


It also gives me a chance to be nosy and see what everyone else has got to read, and so gives me plenty of new books to pine after!

Seriously AMAZING book haul this week- check it out!
 
Bought:
 

 
 
 

I told you!
This week I spent the rest of my Amazon vouchers from my birthday, then I made use of the 10% off discount at The Book Depository, then I discovered an incredible site called FishpondWorld, (an Australian booksite with free worldwide shipping) where I found a lot of the American hardbacks that I had been pining for on Amazon (but which were too expensive) were only about half the price on there. I think I did a little happy dance for nearly all of these when they dropped through the door!
Ones that I am most excited to read are Sweet Venom Tera Lynn Childs, and Tiger's Voyage by Colleen Houck, which is book 3 in the fantastic Tiger series. Reckoning is the 5th and FINAL book in the Strange Angels series which I love so much and can't wait to see how it ends (Team Graves!). So Silver Bright Lisa Matchev is book 3 in the Theatre Illuminata series- I loved book 1, which was so original and fun, but I still haven't read book 2 yet. Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu is a retelling of the fairytale The Snow Queen. Steel by Carrie Vaughn sounds like a fantastic read with action, adventure, pirates and time travel, and then Faerie Ring and Watched- I'm not too sure what they're about but look at how pretty the covers are!
Descended By Blood- fantastic review by Ashley at The Bookish Brunette.
Deadly Cool- this looks like such a funny book- check out this review by Lesley at My Keeper Shelf.
Drink, Slay, Love- It was this review and then the book-boyfriend post by Missie at The Unread Reader that sold this book to me. Vampires and unicorns in a unique supernatural romance story.

From the Library:

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson. I'm really looking forward to reading this book- I've heard so many great things about it. It is a historical book set in London about (or featuring) Jack the Ripper (I think).
 
 
 
 
For Review:
 

 

Saving June  by Hannah Harrington. I didn't originally take any notice of this book, but then the reviews started coming in- all 5 stars! The reviews that I read (that I now can't find grrr!) made it sound so much better than the blurb on the actual book. I don't read a lot of contemporary books but this one looks cool, funny, and heartbreaking all in one- so excited to read this now!
Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder. I love Maria Snyder's books, so even though I'm not entirely sure what this book is about (something magical) I still can't wait to read this book.


Thanks to Harlequin publishers and Netgalley for the advance e-copies of these books.




So, those were the books that came into my house this past week... yikes, I had better get reading...!
What did you get in your mailbox?
Happy reading!