Tuesday 23 December 2014

Merry Christmas and Holiday TBR!



Hello everyone! This is just a quick post to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and to let you know that this will be the last blog post from me in 2014. I like to take a blogging break over the holidays to read, relax and spend lots of time with my family. I'll be back posting on January 5th and already have lots of fun things lined up like sharing my favourite books of 2014! Until then I'll still be around on Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads. Thank you for all of your support in 2014 it's been a brilliant year for me and I'm hoping that 2015 will be just as good to me.

Before I go I wanted to share my TBR for the books I want to read over my break...


I've got some festive reads mixed in with some books that I just really want to get around to before the end of the year. Any books that I get for Christmas will also go on my TBR. I'm never sure if I'll read more or less over the holidays - it all depends on what I'm up to really - but I like to have a pile of exciting books to choose from! What are you hoping to read over Christmas? Are there any books I should make a priority?

Keep warm, read lots and eat all of the food! I'll see you in 2015. Merry Christmas!

Friday 19 December 2014

My Most Anticipated Books of 2015 Part 3: UKYA

It's time for the third and final part of my Most Anticipated Books of 2015 series! So far I've discussed debuts, standalones and first books in a new series in Part One here and sequels and companion novels in Part Two which can be found here.

Today in this final installment I'm going to be sharing with you the top ten UKYA 2015 releases that I'm the most looking forward to. Being a UK based book blogger I really like to support authors from the UK - we have some very talented writers over here and we come second to none when it comes to diversity. These are just a handful of the gems that I'm looking forward to reading. In no particular order here are the books!


The Sin Eater’s Daughter by Melinda Salisbury 
Series: First book in a new series 
Coming February 24th 2015 
Add to Goodreads 
Synopsis 
Seventeen-year-old Twylla lives in the castle. But although she’s engaged to the prince, Twylla isn’t exactly a member of the court.

She’s the executioner.

As the Goddess embodied, Twylla instantly kills anyone she touches. Each month she’s taken to the prison and forced to lay her hands on those accused of treason. No one will ever love a girl with murder in her veins. Even the prince, whose royal blood supposedly makes him immune to Twylla’s fatal touch, avoids her company.

But then a new guard arrives, a boy whose easy smile belies his deadly swordsmanship. And unlike the others, he’s able to look past Twylla’s executioner robes and see the girl, not the Goddess. Yet Twylla’s been promised to the prince, and knows what happens to people who cross the queen.

However, a treasonous secret is the least of Twylla’s problems. The queen has a plan to destroy her enemies, a plan that requires a stomach-churning, unthinkable sacrifice. Will Twylla do what it takes to protect her kingdom? Or will she abandon her duty in favor of a doomed love?

Why I Want to Read it – I only had to read the first three sentences of this synopsis before it went on my must read list! As my best friend put it this sounds like Shatter Me set in a Fantasy world. I'm so lucky to own a proof copy of this and I can't wait to get to it next month!

The Death House by Sarah Pinborough 
Series: None 
Coming February 26th 2015 
Add to Goodreads 
Synopsis
Toby's life was perfectly normal... until it was unravelled by something as simple as a blood test.

Taken from his family, Toby now lives in the Death House: an out-of-time existence far from the modern world, where he, and the others who live there, are studied by Matron and her team of nurses. They're looking for any sign of sickness. Any sign of their wards changing. Any sign that it's time to take them to the sanatorium.

No one returns from the sanatorium. 

Withdrawn from his house-mates and living in his memories of the past, Toby spends his days fighting his fear. But then a new arrival in the house shatters the fragile peace, and everything changes.

Because everybody dies. It's how you choose to live that counts.

Why I Want to Read it – This book sounds so unusual. I think it has real crossover appeal for both adults and teens. I read so much that I love discovering something a little bit different to read every now and again as a palate cleanser between books.

Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne 
Series: None 
Coming unknown time in 2015 
Add to Goodreads 
Synopsis 
Am I Normal Yet? is about a girl called Evie who is recovering from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). After losing three years of her life to the disorder, she has come off her anti-depressants and is about to start at a new college. Along the way she goes on a bad date and makes two new friends, Amber and Lottie.

Why I Want to Read it – Not only am I a massive fan of Holly's previous two books - I genuinely think that she's one of the biggest UKYA talents at the minute - but this is about OCD an illness very close to my heart. I've followed Holly's progress writing this for some time and I got to talk to her a little bit about it at YALC. I feel like I've had this book on my radar for ages and I'm so excited that it's getting closer to publication! I can't wait for a full synopsis and cover.
 
The Last Leaves Falling by Sarah Benwell 
Series: None 
Coming January 29th 2015 
Add to Goodreads 
Synopsis
Japanese teenager, Sora, is diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). Lonely and isolated, Sora turns to the ancient wisdom of the samurai for guidance and comfort. But he also finds hope in the present; through the internet he finds friends that see him, not just his illness. This is a story of friendship and acceptance, and testing strength in an uncertain future.

Why I Want to Read it – Everybody who has read this already on my Goodreads has given it a 5 star rating which is very exciting to see! I'm always on the look out for diverse YA and I've never read anything about ALS before. I think I'm really going to enjoy this one although I'm not sure if enjoy is quite the right word!

Half Wild by Sally Green 
Series: Book two in the Half Bad Trilogy 
Coming March 25th 2015 
Add to Goodreads 

Why I Want to Read it – I haven't included the synopsis for this one because I don't want to spoil anybody who hasn't read Half Bad yet - if you haven't you really must! It's one of my favourite books of 2014! I'm so excited for this next installment in Nathan's story and I'm obsessed with this cover. I can't wait to see the finished look when it's released!

The Fire Sermon by Francesca Haig 
Series: Book one in The Fire Sermon series 
Coming February 23rd 2015 
Add to Goodreads 
Synopsis
When Zach and I were born our parents must have counted and recounted: limbs, fingers, toes. We were perfect. They would have been disbelieving: nobody dodged the split between Alpha and Omega.

Nobody.

They were born together and they will die together.

One strong Alpha twin and one mutated Omega; the only thing they share is the moment of their death.

The Omegas live in segregation, cast out by their families as soon as their mutation becomes clear. Forced to live apart, they are ruthlessly oppressed by their Alpha counterparts.

The Alphas are the elite. Once their weaker twin has been cast aside, they're free to live in privilege and safety, their Omega twin far from their thoughts.

Cass and Zach are both perfect on the outside: no missing limbs, no visible Omega mutation. But Cass has a secret: one that Zach will stop at nothing to expose.

The potential to change the world lies in both their hands. One will have to defeat the other to see their vision of the future come to pass, but if they're not careful both will die in the struggle for power.

Why I Want to Read it – I think that this is the first 2015 proof that dropped through my letterbox and I'm so excited to read it! The publishers had such an exciting publicity campaign for this book for us book reviews and it's one that is creating a lot of hype already. I think this is going to be one of the big releases of 2015 and is a book that you definitely want on your radar.

The Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke 
Series: None 
Coming May 7th 2015 
Add to Goodreads 
Synopsis 
The Lost and the Found, publishing in spring 2015, is a taut psychological thriller, and marks a new direction for Clarke. It is about a girl whose young sister was abducted and returns to the family as a teenager.

Why I Want to Read it – Cat Clarke is one of my favourite authors so despite the very brief synopsis that's been released at this time I know that I want to read it. Her books are always fused with tension and emotion and by the sounds of it we can expect the same from The Lost and the Found. The idea of an abducted child returning as a teenager sounds like such a powerful topic and I can't wait to see how Cat Clarke tackles it.

Read Me Like a Book by Liz Kessler 
Series: None 
Coming May 14th 2015 
Add to Goodreads 
Synopsis
Ashleigh Walker is in love. You know the feeling - that intense, heart-racing, all-consuming emotion that can only come with first love. It's enough to stop her worrying about bad grades at college. Enough to distract her from her parents' marriage troubles. There's just one thing bothering her . . .

Shouldn't it be her boyfriend, Dylan, who makes her feel this way - not Miss Murray, her English teacher?

Why I Want to Read it – This is another book where I read the synopsis and immediately knew it was a book that I had to read. This sounds like a really intense and diverse book dealing with a lot of subjects. I've read a lot of books about coming out and a lot of books about student/teacher relationships but never a book that deals with both at once and I'm very much looking forward to reading this fresh take on both subjects.

The Storm by Virginia Bergin 
Series: Sequel to The Rain 
Coming 26th February 2015 
Add to Goodreads 

Why I Want to Read it – Again, this is a sequel so I haven't included a synopsis here. I absolutely loved The Rain it's definitely one of my favourite UKYA releases of 2014. It's so different to any other Dystopian book that I've read and I can't wait for more of Ruby's hilarious and terrifying adventures.
The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson 
Series: None 
Coming January 1st 2015 
Add to Goodreads 
Synopsis
Two boys. Two secrets.

David Piper has always been an outsider. His parents think he’s gay. The school bully thinks he’s a freak. Only his two best friends know the real truth – David wants to be a girl.

On the first day at his new school Leo Denton has one goal – to be invisible. Attracting the attention of the most beautiful girl in year eleven is definitely not part of that plan.

When Leo stands up for David in a fight, an unlikely friendship forms. But things are about to get messy. Because at Eden Park School secrets have a funny habit of not staying secret for long…

Why I Want to Read it – I found out about this one a few months ago when I was asked to help reveal the cover on Twitter and I've been itching to read it ever since. As you can probably tell from this list I'm a fan of diverse books and so of course The Art of Being Normal was going to be on my list. This is another book that I love the cover for and I'm so excited to finally read it in the new year.

 I hope you have enjoyed this little mini series of mine and that I've managed to add some books to your wishlist for next year! 

Which UKYA book are you most anticipating reading in 2015?

Tuesday 16 December 2014

Review for A Proper Family Christmas by Chrissie Manby

A Proper Family Christmas by Chrissie Manby
Publisher: Hodder
Release: 6th November 2014
Genre: Christmas, Chick-lit
Source: Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review





Synopsis 
"Annabel Buchanan has it all. A privileged life. Pots of cash. Looks and manners born of generations of fabulous breeding. At least, that's what she likes people to think. But Annabel's carefully created image is about to come crashing down.

With her beloved daughter Izzy in need of a kidney transplant, Annabel is desperate to find a suitable donor. That's how she comes to admit that before Annabel Buchanan there was Daisy Benson, given up for adoption by her teenage mum and dad.

Hoping her biological family will be able to help, Annabel traces the Bensons and is horrified by the embarrassing, chavvy bunch she discovers. They're definitely not her kind of people. And she is equally baffling to them.

But as Christmas approaches and Izzy's situation brings the Benson and the Buchanan families closer, will Annabel discover at last that blood is thicker than water?"

Review 
Having read and loved the first book in this series A Proper Family Holiday whilst I was on holiday earlier this year I was so excited to discover that there would be more to the Bensons story in A Proper Family Christmas. I love Christmas books and Christmas with the hilarious Benson family sounded perfect!

I was surprised when I started this book to find that it begins in May. The title and cover are pretty misleading to those looking for a Christmassy read as the book takes place from May to Valentine’s Day with only a small part of the book happening over Christmas. I have to admit that I was disappointed by this but soon got over it as I got into the story and found that despite the lack of festivity the book focuses on what’s at the heart of Christmas: family, love and generosity with the important message that no amount of money can buy health and happiness.

A Proper Family Christmas takes place before, during and after A Proper Family Holiday so you don’t necessarily have to read that first to enjoy this book. The two stories also have a completely different tone. A Proper Family Holiday was hilarious and perfect for relaxing on the beach with whereas A Proper Family Christmas was sadder and had me quite teary in places.

Another difference was that my favourite character from A Proper Family Holiday Chelsea had a much smaller role in this book and Ronnie who I loved in book one really annoyed me at times here, not because of her decisions which I could understand but because of her behavior.

A Proper Family Christmas was very different to what I was expecting but I still thoroughly enjoyed it although admittedly not quite as much as the first book. The Bensons have come to feel like old family friends and I’d love more books featuring this mad but loveable family in the future.

Friday 12 December 2014

My Most Anticipated Books of 2015 Part 2: Sequels and Companions

Welcome to the second part of my Most Anticipated Books of 2015 series! On Monday I talked about debuts, standalones and first books in a new series here. Today I'll be sharing the ten sequels and companion novels that are being released in 2015 that I'm the most excited about. I won't be including the synopsis for the books this time because I don't want to accidentally spoil anybody who isn't up to date with any of these series or hasn't had the chance to check them out yet. In no particular order, here are my top ten most anticipated sequels and companions!



The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead 
Series: Final book in Bloodlines 
Coming February 10th 2015 
I can't believe that it's almost over! I was devastated when Vampire Academy finished and this series helped ease the pain but now I really do have to let go of these characters and this world and I'm so sad. I can't wait to see how everybody's stories wrap up but at the same time it's going to be very bittersweet to read this final book. 

 Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare 
Series: Book one in The Dark Artifices, companion to The Infernal Devices and The Mortal Instruments 
Coming September 2015 
I'm so excited for this new series from Cassandra Clare! I loved meeting Emma in City of Heavenly Fire and I can't wait to follow her story. At the same time I'm so excited to get back to this world and (hopefully!) see some familiar faces from Clare's other series. 

 End of Days by Susan Ee 
Series: Final book in Penryn and the End of Days 
Coming May 12th 2015 
I absolutely adore this series and will be sad to see it end! Not much has been revealed about it yet other than the author announcing that it'll be the last in the series but I loved the other two books so much that I have every faith that End of Days will be fantastic.


Shadow Study by Maria V. Snyder 
 Series: Book one in the Soulfinders series, continuation of The Chronicles of Ixia 
Coming February 24th 2015 
The Chronicles of Ixia was a Fantasy series that I loved way before books like Throne of Glass and Shadow and Bone came on to the scene and is a series that I recommend to fans of those books. It's been six years since I've last been with Yelena and Valek and I can't wait to be back with them again in this new series! 

 P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han 
Series: Sequel to To All The Boys I've Loved Before 
Coming June 2nd 2015 
I absolutely love Jenny Han's books and To All the Boys I've Loved Before was one of the cutest books I read this year. I believe this series is a duology and I can't wait to see how everything ends up for Lara Jean and the boys she loves. 

 Winter by Marissa Meyer 
 Series: Book Four of The Lunar Chronicles 
Coming November 24th 2015 
This is another book that we don't have much information on yet but I love this series and this book is said to take place on the moon so there's that. There's still almost a year to wait for this one but I have no doubt that it'll be worth it. 

 Rhiannon by David Levithan 
 Series: Companion to Every Day 
Coming unknown time in 2015 
So I first found out about this book when I met David Levithan earlier this year. When he announced the news I think I let out a tiny squeal of joy. Every Day is one of my favourite books. Ever. I believe this is Every Day told in Rhiannon's perspective and I can not wait! I've already started preparing myself for the feels.


The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski 
Series: Book two in The Winner's Trilogy 
Coming March 12th 2015 
I think that this is a sequel that would make most peoples lists! I really enjoyed the first book in this series and I think it'll be another beloved fantasy series of mine. I feel very lucky to have this on my Kindle to read and will be picking it up early next year! 

 Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo 
Series: Book one in The Dreggs set in the Grishaverse 
Coming October 8th 2015 
Okay, so I might be cheating a little adding this book to this list but because it's set in the Grisha world I figured I could pass it off as a companion series. This hasn't got a proper synopsis yet but it's pitched as Ocean’s 11 meets Game of Thrones which sounds awesome. I got to hear Leigh talk about this book a little when I met her this year and I think it's going to be fantastic. 

 Carry On by Rainbow Rowell 
Series: Companion to Fangirl 
Coming October 2015 
So when Rainbow announced this the other day I think I fangirled so hard that I died because surely this book can only exist in some kind of bookish heaven right? Wrong. It's true, Rainbow Rowell is releasing *that* Carry On. I've been wondering for a while if we'd get a new book from her in 2015 but never in my wildest dreams did I expect this. It's her first fantasy novel and as a massive fan of Fangirl I have no doubt that it'll be brilliant. 

 So there you have it! What sequels and companions are you looking forward to being released next year? 

Make sure you drop by again next Friday for the final top ten books I'm pining for in 2015. Next time I'll be focusing on UKYA releases.

Monday 8 December 2014

My Most Anticipated Books of 2015 Part 1: Debut, Stand Alone and First in a Series

The 2015 proof copies have started to come through my letterbox and so my mind is once again turning to the amazing releases I'm looking forward to reading next year. Like last year I've decided to share some of the books I'm most excited about with you. This is going to be a three part series which will all together showcase the top 30 books that I'm excited to read in 2015. For today's post we'll be looking at books that are either the first in a new series, a debut or a stand alone. Here are my top ten books in no particular order...




None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio 
Coming April 28th 2015 
Add to Goodreads 
Synopsis: Middlesex meets Mean Girls in this one-of-a-kind YA debut.

What if everything you knew about yourself changed in an instant?

When Kristin Lattimer is voted homecoming queen, it seems like another piece of her ideal life has fallen into place. She’s a champion hurdler with a full scholarship to college and she’s madly in love with her boyfriend. In fact, she’s decided that she’s ready to take things to the next level with him.

But Kristin’s first time isn’t the perfect moment she’s planned—something is very wrong. A visit to the doctor reveals the truth: Kristin is intersex, which means that though she outwardly looks like a girl, she has male chromosomes, not to mention boy “parts.”

Dealing with her body is difficult enough, but when her diagnosis is leaked to the whole school, Kristin’s world completely unravels. With everything she thought she knew thrown into question, can she come to terms with her new self?

Incredibly compelling and sensitively told, None of the Above is a thought-provoking novel that explores what it means to be a boy, a girl, or something in between.

Why I Want to Read it – Diverse YA anyone? I believe this is a debut novel and I was lucky enough to receive an ARC for my Kindle from Edelweiss but since it's not out until April I can't justify reading it just yet and the wait is killing me! This sounds like something really different and I hope this is the powerful and moving story I want it to be.

Things We Know by Heart by Jessi Kirby 
Coming April 21st 2015
Add to Goodreads
Synopsis: When Quinn Sullivan meets the recipient of her boyfriend’s donated heart, the two form an unexpected connection.

After Quinn loses her boyfriend, Trent, in an accident their junior year, she reaches out to the recipients of his donated organs in hopes of picking up the pieces of her now-unrecognizable life. She hears back from some of them, but the person who received Trent’s heart has remained silent. The essence of a person, she has always believed, is in the heart. If she finds Trent’s, then maybe she can have peace once and for all.

Risking everything in order to finally lay her memories to rest, Quinn goes outside the system to track down nineteen-year-old Colton Thomas—a guy whose life has been forever changed by this priceless gift. But what starts as an accidental run-in quickly develops into more, sparking an undeniable attraction. She doesn't want to give in to it—especially since he has no idea how they're connected—but their time together has made Quinn feel alive again. No matter how hard she’s falling for Colton, each beat of his heart reminds her of all she’s lost…and all that remains at stake.

Why I Want to Read it – This is another April release that I'm lucky enough to already have on my Kindle but really should wait a bit longer to read. My self control is strong guys! I've never read Jessi Kirby's books before but have heard wonderful things about them. I think the idea behind this one is so clever. When you get all emotional reading the synopsis you know it's going to be a good read!

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Coming May 7th 2015
Add to Goodreads 
Synopsis: Feyre’s survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price.

Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre’s presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.

Why I Want to Read it – This is a new Fantasy series from Sarah J. Maas inspired by my favourite fairytale Beauty and the Beast, need I say more really? I want this more than I want Christmas. In fact if I could wish for one book to read early from this list it would be this book. NEED!!!

Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan
Coming June 2nd 2015 
Add to Goodreads
Synopsis: In the wake of the deadly devastation of luxury yacht Persephone, just three souls remain to tell its story—and two of them are lying. Only Frances Mace, rescued from the ocean after torturous days adrift with her dying friend Libby, knows that the Persephone wasn’t sunk by a rogue wave as survivors Senator Wells and his son are claiming—it was attacked.

To ensure her safety from the obviously dangerous and very powerful Wells family, Libby’s father helps newly orphaned Frances assume Libby’s identity. Frances has spent years in hiding, transforming herself into Libby, and she can no longer allow the people who murdered her entire family and Libby to get away with it. After years of careful plotting, she’s ready to set her revenge plans into motion—even if it means taking down the boy she’d once been in love with: the senator’s son.

The game has just begun, and Frances is not only playing dirty, she's playing to win.

Why I Want to Read it – YES PLEASE!!! Thrillers about revenge are my favourite and I just know I'm going to have so much fun reading this. Now that the Burn for Burn series is finished I need a similar book on my TBR and this sounds like it will hit the spot nicely.

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone
Coming June 16th 2015 
Add to Goodreads 
Synopsis: If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling. 

Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off. 

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist.

Caroline introduces Sam to the Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.

Why I Want to Read it – This is a book that I want to read for purely personal reasons. If you're a regular reader of this blog you'll know that I have OCD. I haven't come across that many books about this mental illness but when I have it tends to be about the type most people have heard of which is to do with obsessive cleanliness and hygiene. I have the same type of OCD as the main character in this book and I'm really looking forward to reading about somebody like me.

All the Rage by Courtney Summers
Coming April 14th 2015
Add to Goodreads
Synopsis: The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything—friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous.But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time—and they certainly won’t now — but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear. 

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive?

Why I Want to Read it – I adore Courtney Summers she writes the best angry girls and I just know that I'm going to be supporting Romy right from the start. Sadly I feel like I've heard this story countless times before both in real life and in the media and I'm really curious to see how Courtney Summers tackles this topic in her book. I feel like I'm going to have all the rage AND all the empathy when reading this.

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Coming February 10th 2015 
Add to Goodreads
Synopsis: The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?

Why I Want to Read it – I love YA Fantasy and am always on the look out for a new series to get excited about! I know a few people who've read early copies of this already and have absolutely loved it. I think this will be one of the big lead titles for next year.

The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma 
Coming March 24th 2015 
Add to Goodreads
Synopsis: The Walls Around Us is a ghostly story of suspense told in two voices—one still living and one long dead. On the outside, there’s Violet, an eighteen-year-old dancer days away from the life of her dreams when something threatens to expose the shocking truth of her achievement. On the inside, within the walls of a girls’ juvenile detention center, there’s Amber, locked up for so long she can’t imagine freedom. Tying these two worlds together is Orianna, who holds the key to unlocking all the girls’ darkest mysteries.

We hear Amber’s story and Violet’s, and through them Orianna’s, first from one angle, then from another, until gradually we begin to get the whole picture—which is not necessarily the one that either Amber or Violet wants us to see.

Nova Ren Suma tells a supernatural tale of guilt and innocence, and what happens when one is mistaken for the other.

Why I Want to Read it – I haven't read anything by this author before but when I stumbled across this one on Goodreads the synopsis really drew me in. This sounds like a really mysterious and lyrical read and basically like something I'd love.

My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga 
Coming February 19th 2015
Add to Goodreads 
Synopsis: Aysel and Roman are practically strangers, but they've been drawn into an unthinkable partnership. In a month's time, they plan to commit suicide - together.

Aysel knows why she wants to die: being the daughter of a murderer doesn't equal normal, well-adjusted teenager. But she can't figure out why handsome, popular Roman wants to end it all....and why he's even more determined than she is.

With the deadline getting closer, something starts to grow between Aysel and Roman - a feeling she never thought she would experience. It seems there might be something to live for, after all - but is Aysel in so deep she can't turn back?

Why I Want to Read it – like 'Things We Know by Heart' this book sounds like a really emotional read that will make me cry. I love books that pull on my heartstrings and make me think about life.


The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey 
Coming April 28th 2015 
Add to Goodreads 
Synopsis: Beneath the streets of New York City live the Avicen, an ancient race of people with feathers for hair and magic running through their veins. Age-old enchantments keep them hidden from humans. All but one. Echo is a runaway pickpocket who survives by selling stolen treasures on the black market, and the Avicen are the only family she's ever known.

Echo is clever and daring, and at times she can be brash, but above all else she's fiercely loyal. So when a centuries-old war crests on the borders of her home, she decides it's time to act.

 Legend has it that there is a way to end the conflict once and for all: find the Firebird, a mythical entity believed to possess power the likes of which the world has never seen. It will be no easy task, but if life as a thief has taught Echo anything, it's how to hunt down what she wants . . . and how to take it.

But some jobs aren't as straightforward as they seem. And this one might just set the world on fire. 

Why I Want to Read it – This one is being pitched as perfect for fans of Daughter of Smoke and Bone which is one of my favourite series. I received a proof copy of this last week and I can't wait for next year to arrive so I can get stuck in!

 I hope that some of my picks have caught your interest and that you'll be adding them to your own TBR and wishlists! 

 Make sure you stop by the blog again on Friday for Part 2 of My Most Anticipated Books of 2015 series - next time I'll be talking sequels!

Monday 1 December 2014

November Round Up and Book of the Month


November's Book of the Month is Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch



Snow Like Ashes is *the* YA Fantasy Debut of 2014. A big claim, but I stand by it. I read lots of good reviews before picking this one up but I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. I was totally swept away to this world which, if I had to describe it, would be a Frozen/Divergent/Graceling hybrid but also something completely new and different. I've already been pushing this book on to people and may have even bought somebody a copy for Christmas *coughs* because I just want people to read it so I can talk to them about it and because a book this good can't be missed! If you'd like to read more of my thoughts check out my review here.


*** Just read it *** 

 Read in November 
92.) Dark Places by Gillian Flynn (4*)
93.) Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch (5*)
94.) Christmas With Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher (4*)
95.) A Proper Family Christmas by Chrissie Manby (4*)
96.) Falling into Place by Amy Zhang (4*)
97.) The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (4.5*)
98.) The Great Christmas Knit Off by Alexandra Brown (4*)
99.) Solitaire by Alice Oseman (3*)
100.) The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black (5*)

 *** In November I completed my Goodreads challenge of reading 100 books in 2014!!! ***


Monthly Book Awards
Best Plot: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch
Best Writing: The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
Best Cover: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch
Best Characters: The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Best Ending: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch
Best Romance: The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Most un-put-down-able: The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Most Memorable: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch
Best Moral: A Proper Family Christmas by Chrissie Manby

Top 3 Most Recommended Books: Snow Like Ashes, The Darkest Part of the Forest and The Retribution of Mara Dyer

Books I’m Looking Forward to Being Released in December
Suspicion by Alexandra Monir
Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay

That's about it! Not many December releases.

 Let me know what you read and loved in November 
and what books you plan on reading to finish off the year!
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
 
Blog design by Imagination Designs using images from the Valentine Owls and Valentine's Day clip art kits by Pink Pueblo