Sunday, 30 September 2012

Going to the bookstore? -25th September

THIS TIME, IT'S WITCHES, VAMPS, WEREWOLVES AND ZOMBIES

Going to the Bookstore is basically showcasing some interesting books to look out for that are being released.

There are some awesome books that came out a couple of days ago, and here they are:


Dearly, Beloved, Lia Habel
Can the living coexist with the living dead? 

That’s the question that has New Victorian society fiercely divided ever since the mysterious plague known as “The Laz” hit the city of New London and turned thousands into walking corpses. But while some of these zombies are mindless monsters, hungry for human flesh, others can still think, speak, reason, and control their ravenous new appetites.

Just ask Nora Dearly, the young lady of means who was nearly kidnapped by a band of sinister zombies but valiantly rescued by a dashing young man . . . of the dead variety.

Nora and her savior, the young zombie soldier Bram Griswold, fell hopelessly in love. But others feel only fear and loathing for the reanimated dead. Now, as tensions grow between pro- and anti-zombie factions, battle lines are being drawn in the streets. And though Bram is no longer in the New Victorian army, he and his ex-commando zombie comrades are determined to help keep the peace. That means taking a dangerous stand between The Changed, a radical group of sentient zombies fighting for survival, and The Murder, a masked squad of urban guerrillas hellbent on destroying the living dead. But zombies aren’t the only ones in danger: Their living allies are also in The Murder’s crosshairs, and for one vengeful zealot, Nora Dearly is the number one target.


Covet, Melissa Darnell
Dangerous to be together. Painful to be apart.Savannah Colbert knows she broke up with Tristan Coleman for the right reasons. Most of all, to keep from killing him with her new vampire abilities. But try telling her heart. Now, lost in a sea of hostile Clann faces, Sav tries to come to terms with what she's becoming and what that means for her future. And that someone is doing their best to bully her into making a terrible mistake.

Tristan can't believe Sav won't even talk to him. If being apart is her decision, fine. Just don't expect him to honor it. But even as he prepares to fight for the girl he loves, forces beyond their control take them both in directions neither could have foreseen or prepared for.

A reckoning is coming…and not everyone will survive.


Alchemy, K.J. Wignall
In the thirteenth century, William, heir to the Earl of Mercia, was attacked and turned into a vampire. For 750 years, Will has spent his life in the shadows. Until he met Eloise.

Together, Will and Eloise must destroy an ancient evil that has led them to Marland Abbey, where Will’s ancestors lived and Eloise attends school. Here they uncover the truth about the four vampire kings, Will's past, and an uncertain future.

But the mysterious sorcerer, Wyndham, is still hunting Will and using Eloise as bait. To protect the girl he loves, Will goes in search of answers—but does that mean walking right into the enemy's trap?



Wolf Pact, Melissa de la Cruz
Lawson and his brothers escaped from the underworld and now lead desperate, dangerous lives. They’re pursued by the Hounds of Hell from one town to the next, never calling any place home. But when the hounds finally catch up with them and capture the girl Lawson loves, the hunters become the hunted. Lawson will stop at nothing to track down the hounds, even if the chances of saving Tala are slim...

The only hope he has lies in Bliss Llewellyn. Bliss, too, has lost someone to the beasts and will do anything to get them back—even if it means joining forces with the insolent, dangerously good-looking boy with a wolf’s soul.

Monday, 24 September 2012

(MM#6) The Raven Boys Optioned for Film

THE BOOK JUST CAME OUT THIS MONTH TOO...

This is Movie Monday, a new feature here that weekly updates you on book related movie news.
Here's Movie Monday take six.

We absolutely love Maggie Stiefvater, and her books, she is a pretty big name in YA books and her book series, The Wolves Of Mercy Falls (-Shiver) has already been optioned for film. 

So when we found out The Raven Boys had been optioned for film too, it'd be a pretty big understatement to say we 'were excited'!


Here is the synopsis for The Raven Boys:

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”
It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.
Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.
His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.
But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.
For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.


Who do you think would make the best Blue?? We can't wait and will post more info as soon as it comes!



Saturday, 22 September 2012

The NEXT Read #1

UGLIES AND EVERMORE, WHAT TO READ NEXT

So here's the deal; You finish a really good book and your sorta sad it's finished, and then afraid your next read won't be as good... Well now welcome our new feature here, "The NEXT Read"!

Every week we'll choose some popular books (or if you want you can request one here) and we'll recommend a read to go after!

The book: Uglies, Scott Westerfeld 

Everybody gets to be supermodel gorgeous. What could be wrong with that?
Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license -- for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world -- and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

The NEXT read: The Angel Experiment, James Patterson

From the bestselling author James Patterson comes the stunning, breathtaking start to the blockbuster series! Six unforgettable kids—with no families, no homes—are running for their lives. Max Ride and her best friends have the ability to fly. And that's just the beginning of their amazing powers. But they don't know where they come from, who's hunting them, why they are different from all other humans... and if they're meant to save mankind—or destroy it.





The book: Evermore, Alyson Noël 

After a horrible accident claims the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever Bloom can see people's auras, hear their thoughts, and know someone's entire life story by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact to suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school — but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste.

Damen is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head - wieling a magis so intense, it's as though he can peer straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. And she has no idea just who he really is - or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is that she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.

The NEXT read: Kissed by an Angel, Elizabeth Chandler

When her boyfriend, Tristan, died, Ivy thought she'd lost everything, even her faith in angels. But now she's discovered that he's her guardian angel -- his presence so strong that she can feel the touch of his hand, the beat of his heart. Ivy needs Tristan now more than ever because he knows she's in terrible danger. Only Ivy's guardian angel can save her now that his killer is after her.

But if Tristan rescues Ivy, his mission on earth will be finished, and he must leave her behind forever. Will saving Ivy mean losing her just when he's finally reached her again?

Signed Copy of Black Dawn: WINNER

YEP, IT'S FINALLY TIME TO REVEAL THE WINNER!!!

Hey guys, alright, so for the last like month, we've been holding our first ever giveaway of a signed copy of Black Dawn by the amazing Rachel Caine, book 12 of her Morganville Vampires.


But before you scroll down to see the winner, we just wanted to say thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway and follows our little blog, we love all you bookworms and appreciate every single one of you! So yeh, just saying thank you and love you guys xoxo
It's what you've been waiting for, here's the winner:



A huge congratulations to Cassandra Hicks, the new owner of a signed copy of Black Dawn by Rachel Caine!!!

Again, thank you so so so much to everyone who entered, it really made our first giveaway special! The next one will be announced at the start of October.


Friday, 21 September 2012

(FF#4) Interview; Lianne Simon

AN INTERVIEW WITH LIANNE SIMON, FIND OUT WHY SHE WROTE CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE HERMAPHRODITE! AND OF COURSE HER THOUGHTS ON MARMITE

Feature Friday is something new we have that features books we get sent by authors, but can't review them.
This is Feature Friday four.

Today we have an interview with the author of Confessions of a Teenage Hermaphrodite, Lianne Simon!


What gave you the idea to write Confessions of a Teenage Hermaphrodite? 
A number of years ago I met a family whose daughter was born with one testis, one ovary, and ambiguous genitals. It's a condition called Mixed Gonadal Dysgenesis. Doctors had bullied the parents until they allowed surgeons to remove the child's gonads, remove the phallus, and create a vaginal canal. The doctors assured them that the infant would grow up to be a normal girl. Unfortunately, surgery doesn't guarantee gender. The child seemed okay with being a tomboy, but her options were limited due to the surgeries.
Later I met a couple of adults with MGD who were raised as boys, but who changed their legal status to female. Their stories of growing up between the sexes floored me, especially considering how some people had treated them. Although quite a few intersex activists have related incidents from their lives, I couldn't find any novels that communicated what it was like to grow up outside the normal boundaries of male and female.

Who is your favourite character in Confessions of a Teenage Hermaphrodite? 
I like Sean. He's a bit unusual for a guy, I think. He's secure enough with his own sexuality that he can befriend someone whose sex isn't clear and seems to change over time. He also knows when it's time to just let go and give the protagonist enough space to do what s/he needs to do, even though it's foolish.

Can you explain your book in less than 10 words?
Hermaphrodite--elfin princess or the boy her family expects?

Can you tell us why people should read your book? 
One in every thousand babies is born with a disorder of sex development. Some must eventually choose between being a boy or a girl. You may never have the chance to befriend a hermaphrodite, but you can know what it's like to grow up between the sexes. Confessions presents an authentic portrait of what some intersex teens face growing up. The novel is enthusiastically endorsed by one of the leading researchers of disorders of sex development.

What type of books do you usually read/enjoy reading? 
I read mostly fantasy. I enjoy Brandon Sanderson and Neal Stephenson. My favorites, though, are books like The Secret Garden.

What is your favourite book? 
Other than the Bible, I assume. A Little Princess, perhaps Cryptonomicon.

Which book are you currently reading? 
I just finished re-reading Sex Errors of the Body by Dr. John Money. I'm looking forward to A Memory of Light by Brandon Sanderson/Robert Jordan.

Favourite movie? 
The Illusionist, the one with Jessica Biel.

Thoughts on marmite?? Love it? Or hate it? 
Ewwww! I prefer Hob Nobs or oatmeal or scones instead of toast. And white chocolate, hot, with a shot of Bailey's.

Thank you for answering our questions Lianne, is there anything else you’d like to add? 
One of my reading side trips was to learn about the English Civil Wars. I found reading about the struggles between Charles I, Parliament, the Covenanters, and Oliver Cromwell fascinating. Much of what we in the US take for granted we owe to events that took place in the UK in the 1600s.

Tuesday, 18 September 2012

Interview; Meg Rosoff

WHY IS HOW I LIVE NOW WRITTEN IN THE STYLE IT IS? AND MEG ROSOFF'S THOUGHTS ON THE CAST OF THE UPCOMING FILM. OH AND ALSO SPIDERS.

Meg Rosoff is the amazing author of How I live Now, Just In Case, What I Was, The Bride's Farewell and There Is No Dog and was kind enough to answer some of our questions.


How I Live Now is different to a lot of books out there. One big difference is the punctuation in it, what made you decide to do that? 
I stole it from A. A. Milne -- Winnie the Pooh.  Also didn't want to have too much punctuation because it would slow down the rush of thoughts out of Daisy's head.

How do you feel about the fact that How I Live Now is being turned into a film?
I just hope it turns out to be a good film.  It's a bit nerve-wracking, but very exciting.  The director and cast are all brilliant.

Are you happy with the cast?
Love them.  Saoirse Ronan is a fantastic actor (nominated for an academy award at age 11!), as are George MacKay and the rest of the cast.  Literally thousands of kids auditioned for the film, so it was an incredibly difficult decision.
You can see Saoirse in Atonement or Hanna, and George MacKay was great in The Best of Men.


Is there a chance of Just In Case being turned into a film? 
There's always a chance, but we haven't sold the film rights.  The Bride's Farewell is being made into a film in Canada, though.

How did to feel while writing Fate's parts in Just In Case?
I liked being the voice of....God.  I liked it so much, I went on to write a whole other book about God being a 19-year-old boy called There is No Dog.

Are any of your characters based on real people?  
 Bits of people show up in my books, but no one is ever an actual person that i know or have met.  A lot of my main characters have big chunks of me in them, but that's true of most writers.

Do you have any writing rituals that you do before you start to write? 
Nope.

RANDOM QUESTION
Favourite smell??  
The sea.

Thoughts on spiders?
As long as they eat mosquitos, I'm in favour of them.

http//:www.megrosoff.co.uk


Monday, 17 September 2012

(MM#5) The Selection, Kiera Cass

THE SELECTION BY KIERA CASS IS BEING TURNED INTO A FILM... WHO'S PLAYING PRINCE MAXTON AND ASPEN??
This is Movie Monday, a new feature here that weekly updates you on book related movie news.
Here's Movie Monday take five :)



For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.


So we found out that The Selection by Kiera Cass is being turned into a film, and our first thoughts was pretty much WHEN??! OMYGOD! WE NEED TO SEE.
Later on when we calmed down a bit (which let's not lie, took awhile...), we found out that according to IMDb, it's coming out later this year but we'll post more news when it comes. Meanwhile here is the cast:


Aimee Teegarden as America Singer


William Moseley as Aspen Leger

Leonor Varela as Queen Amberly


Peta Sergeant  as Commander Gaia Woods


Sean Patrick Thomas as Sylvan Santos


Martin Donovan as King Clarkson


Ethan Peck as Prince Maxon

For the complete cast click here.



Saturday, 15 September 2012

Our First ever Blog Award!!

SEVEN RANDOM FACTS, AND OUR NOMINATIONS OF AWESOME BOOK BLOGS

Ahhhhhhh this is so amazing!!!! A big thank you to Suzy Henderson for nominating us for the One Lovely Blog Award!! This is actually our first ever award!


7 Random Facts about me:
-I was born on April Fools Day (not gonna lie, it sucks... every year I get the "You were born a joke hahaha" thing from my friends... lol)
-Cannot stand tomatoes... just no :/
-Love love love Ugly Betty and Top Gear!
-Hate geography, don't know why I am actually currently taking it for GCSE.
-One day would love to live in New York
-Once I accidently opened the door on my maths teachers face... while she was holding a cup of tea... 
-The book that got me properly hooked into reading is Marianne Curley's 'The Guardians of Time' Trilogy

And our 15 nominations are:

What to do when you are nominated:
-Include the pic in the post
-Thank the person who nominated you
-Nominate at least 15 other blogs
-Provide 7 random facts about yourself





Friday, 14 September 2012

Interview; Julia Crane and Talia Jager

AN INTERVIEW, AN EXCERPT AND ALSO AUTHOR INFO, WHAT ELSE COULD YOU NEED? :)



Dark Promise
Julia Crane and Talia Jager
on the back
Rylie has it all - great friends, dream boy, loving family. But on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, her perfect little world shatters. A stranger claiming to be her real mother appears with a secret: Rylie is a faery whose powers will be unleashed on her birthday. Captured and forced into a new life, Rylie struggles to keep everything she loves and discovers a terrifying truth: some promises cannot be broken.







What gave you the idea to write Dark Promise?
Julia: The book was actually Talia's idea. She had been wanting to write a faerie book, and we had recently co-written Mesmerized so she asked if I wanted to write it with her.
Talia: The very beginning of the book just came to me one day. I knew what I wanted to do, and I asked Julia if she was interested in writing it with me.

Which character did you enjoy writing the most in Dark Promise?
Julia: Kallan was definitely my favorite. I always like the bad boys that fall hard for the girl.
Talia: I like writing for Rylie. I really put myself into my main character.

Can you explain your book in less than 10 words?
Julia: A dark stranger turns Rylie's life upside down.

What type of books do you usually read/enjoy reading?
Julia: My taste is all over with books. I really enjoy psychological thrillers, and I love YA books.
Talia: Young adult mostly. Sometimes I read medical thrillers or romance, but not often.

What is your favourite book?
Julia. I would have to say Atlas Shrugged or Fountain Head by Ayn Rand.
Talia: That's hard. The Little Prince is my all time favorite book, but I have so many others that I consider favorites.

Which book are you currently reading?
Julia: I just finished Awry by Chelsea Fine.
Talia: I just had a baby, so I've been really busy. Unfortunately, I haven't had the time to read lately. I have about 20 books downloaded to my Kindle to read. I can't wait to start!

RANDOM QUESTIONS
Favourite movie?
Julia: Braveheart or Memento.
Talia: Titanic

Favourite colour?
Julia: Green
Talia: Purple

Thank you for answering our questions, is there anything else you’d like to add?
Julia: I just want to say thank you for taking the time to offer the book blogging service to authors.
Talia: Yes. Thank you so much for posting this.



Excerpt
My mother led her into the living room. The lady’s piercing green eyes rested on me, sending a chill down my back. My father followed her gaze. “Rylie, do you know this woman?” Dad asked.
“No.” I shook my head slowly. “I’ve never seen her before.”
“Rylie, maybe you should go to your room,” Dad suggested, his gaze demanding I do as he said.
“No. If this has something to do with me, I want to hear it.” I crossed my arms and sank against the back of the couch.
Mom and Dad exchanged a worried glance, but turned back to the lady on the couch. “Please, go on.”
Without taking her eyes from me, the lady calmly stated, “My name is Azura, and I am Rylie’s birth mother.”
My father, who was always a level-headed man, was on his feet in seconds, his face hard. “What are you talking about?”
I felt like I had fallen into some kind of parallel universe. Did this woman just say she was my birth mother? How could she be my birth mother? That would mean I was adopted, but wouldn’t my parents have told me something like that?
My mother shook her head. “Birth mother? Rylie isn’t adopted.” She reached over and took my hand. “Believe me, I’ll never forget the eleven hours of labor.”
The woman sat perfectly still in the blue armchair across from us, with her hands clasped on her lap. “I know it’s hard to accept, but it’s true. Your daughter died shortly after she was born. I switched the infants. Rylie is mine.”
The wind left me as if I had been punched in the stomach. I couldn’t breathe, and the room spun. I gripped the pillow next to me with my other hand as I clung to my mother.
Silence filled the room for a moment, and then my father exploded. “You need to leave now!” He pointed to the door. “Get out of this house and don’t come back without a court order.”
The lady smiled sincerely, her face still as calm as it had been when she walked in the door. “Please, hear me out. I realize this is a lot to take in.”
“No! This is preposterous! Nobody died. Rylie is ours.” Dad’s voice was like thunder.
I studied the lady. She seemed so honest and soft-spoken. Why would she pretend something like this? Why would she ruin our family if it weren’t true? And if was true, why was she coming clean now? Something in me believed her even though I didn’t want to. I swallowed hard and rubbed my sweaty palms on my shirt.
“Let her talk,” I said hoarsely.
“Rylie, you can’t believe her.” Dad looked stricken.
“I’m curious as to why she thinks I’m her daughter. Let’s hear her out.” I crossed my arms and scooted closer to my mother, comforted when she wrapped an arm around me.
Dad turned back to the woman called Azura, and his frown deepened. “Fine.” He sat back down in his seat and glared. “Talk.”
“Thank you. I’m going to tell you something not many humans know, and I have to trust you to keep it secret for Rylie’s sake.” She addressed the statement to my parents.
Humans? Who talks like that?




About the Authors
Julia Crane
Julia Crane is the author of the YA paranormal fiction novels: Keegan's Chronicles, Mesmerized, Eternal Youth, and Dark Promise. She was greatly encouraged by her mother to read and use her imagination, and has believed in magical creatures since the day her grandmother first told her an Irish tale. Julia has traveled far and wide to many of the places her grandmother told her about, gaining inspiration from her journeys to places like Nepal, Cyprus, Sri Lanka, Italy, France and many more. And who knows? Maybe the magical creatures she writes about are people she met along the way.
Keep updated by joining her mailing list.
Website 
Facebook
Twitter 

Talia Jager
 When Talia isn’t hiding in the closet from her six children munching on a chocolate bar, she enjoys hiking the red rocks in Utah or sitting on the beach with a Kindle in her hands and her toes in the ocean
Talia has written a number of books for young adults, including Damaged: Natalie’s Story, Teagan’s Story: Her Battle With Epilepsy, If I Die Young, Secret Bloodline, Lost and Found, and The Gifted Teens Series. Connect with Talia online at http://www.taliajager.com
Facebook 
Twitter 


Tuesday, 11 September 2012

Interview; Marianne Curley

FIND OUT WHY MARIANNE CURLEY DECIDED TO BE AN AUTHOR AND HER BOOK CRUSH!

Alright guys, today we have the amazing author of The Guardians of Time Trilogy, Marianne Curley!! We were so so so excited for this interview, and here it is:

Could you describe Arkarian in five words?
Wise
Adorable
Romantic
Heroic
Responsible
Trustworthy
Strong
Oops, that’s seven! Sorry, I could keep going on and on about Arkarian!

Are any of your characters based on real people?
I didn’t set out to base my characters on real people or people I know in my own life, except for perhaps the shape of a character's eyes or the colour of his or her hair, but the people around me definitely have an influence on my life in general and it is quite possible I might have inadvertently used an aspect of their personality, incorporating it into one of my characters to make the character more charming, or funny, or simply more realistic.

Did you have a clear vision of where you wanted your characters to be at the end of The Guardians of Time trilogy? 
With most of the characters I knew where they would be and what they would end up becoming, but there was a surprise or two in store for me as I wrote the series. When I wrote the Prophecy, at the start of Book 1, I knew it would both guide and restrict me, and that was hard to follow through with, especially concerning Ethan and Rochelle.

Is there any chance of The Guardians of Time turning into a film?
In 2002, the Warner Bros Television production company took out a 12-month option with the idea of making a television series based on the Guardians of Time. A producer, director and a script for the pilot was commissioned. Unfortunately, when the 12 months option was due for renewal, the WB decided not to continue. Since then two other movie companies have shown interest in making the trilogy into feature films, but so far nothing has eventuated. I still have my fingers crossed.


We know you are working hard on book 2 of the Avena Series, and are super excited for the release of Hidden next March 14th!! Could reveal to us a little bit about the series?
My publisher says:
Get ready to be swept away by this spellbinding story of eternal love. Ebony has led a very sheltered life. She isn’t ready for the disturbing things which start happening to her. But these events are just part of a discovery that will rock her whole world.

The following are the ‘blurbs’ being used for my new series. They reveal a little about what the series is about:
When baby Ebony is snatched from the midwife, she is rent not only from her parents but also from her betrothed. In her world, a special bond is formed with one other being - for eternity. But Ebony is no longer in her world; she has been hidden in ours.

Earth was the best place to conceal Ebony, to keep her from her kin, from her betrothed, and to keep her from discovering who she really is. But Ebony is coming of age, and then no one will be able to hide her true origins. She will be 'visible', and the one who stole her away will come back to claim her.

An angel on earth.
Who will reach her first?

What made you decide to be an author?
From a child I loved to read and I was always creating stories in my mind. It seemed a natural progression to take this love of reading and the stories I created in my mind and put them together in a way that I could share with others.

Do you have a character crush? It can be from any book!
This is too hard to narrow down to just one character. I almost always have a crush on whoever the hero is in the series I’m presently reading. From my own books, that would be Ethan. It didn’t matter what tragedy I threw at him, he always remained true and loyal. But to name one character crush I had and still think of occasionally, it would be Damon Wolfblade, who starred in the Jennifer Fallon series called The Hythrun Chronicles.  Damon was unforgettable.


RANDOM QUESTIONS
Favourite film?
I have two: The Shawshank Redemption and Ghosts of Mississippi

Do you keep a diary?
No. I’ve tried, but I just couldn’t find the time.

Thank you for answering our questions Marianne, is there anything else you’d like to add?
After being away from the publishing world for eight years, it’s wonderful to be back. Thank you to all my readers who were worried for me during my illness and those who sent me well-wishes.
And finally, thank you for this opportunity to stay in touch with my readers. Good luck.

Monday, 10 September 2012

(MM#4) Now is Good/Before I die

BEFORE I DIE CHANGES TO NOW IS GOOD FOR THE FILM, STARRING DAKOTA FANNING AND JEREMY IRVINE. DON'T FORGET TO TAKE TISSUES...

Randomly watching TV, when a trailer for THIS came up:


Slightly confused and extremely curious, we searched the oh-so-reliable world wide web, which confirmed our suspicions. 

Now is Good is in fact based on the inspiring book, Before I Die by Jenny Downham.

Not quite sure how we missed this, but yeh, it's pretty exciting!! Now is Good comes out September 19th, so not long now. We're not so crazy on the name change, but it should be good!


Press release (from The Random House Group Press Office):
Now is Good is the intensely moving and uncompromisingly honest story of sixteen year old Tessa, who is dying of leukaemia...

Tessa has just a few months to live. 

Fighting back against hospital visits, endless tests and drugs with excruciating side-effects, Tessa compiles a list. It's her Before I Die list. And number one is sex. Starting tonight.

Released from the constraints of 'normal' life, Tessa tastes new experiences to make her feel alive while her failing body struggles to keep up. Her feelings, her relationships with her father and brother, her estranged mother, her best friend, and the powerful, bittersweet first love she finds with the boy next door - all are painfully yet beautifully crystallized in the precious weeks before Tessa's time finally runs out.


Here's the cast:
Dakota Fanning as Tessa Scott


Jeremy Irvine as Adam


Rose Leslie as Fiona


Kaya Scodelario as Zoey


Olivia William as the Mother


Paddy Considine as the Father


You can find the complete cast here.

Watch the trailer here:




Sunday, 9 September 2012

Results; Summer's Number One Fictional Crush

YOU NOMINATED. YOU VOTED. NOW SEE WHO WON THE TITLE OF SUMMER'S NUMBER ONE FICTIONAL CRUSH

Here are the results!

Callum McGregor - Noughts and Crosses          2%

Shane Collins - Morganville Vampires                 6%

Daemon Black - The Lux Series                         10%

Sam Roth - Wolves of Mercy Falls                      15%

Dimitri Belikov - Vampire Academy                    16%

Jace Lightwood - The Mortal Instruments           20%

Peeta Mellark - Hunger Games                            32%



We present to you, your Number One Fictional Crush, Peeta Mellark from Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games!                          



Saturday, 8 September 2012

Quotes we love... from The Morganville Vampires

WHAT WITH THE GIVEAWAY GOING ON AND ALL ... WE THOUGHT IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD EXCUSE TO FIND SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE QUOTES

We thought it was about time to dig up some of our favourite quotes from the much loved series by Rachel Caine, The Morganville Vampires.

And here they are:

“Welcome to Morganville.You'll never want to leave.And even if you do...well, you can't. Sorry about that.”

“Hell", Shane spit in disgust. "I can't hit a girl. Here, Claire. You hit her" He tossed her the bat.”
- Glass Houses

“Scoot over, man. I don't like you that much."
"Dick. That's not what you said last night."
"Bite me.”
- Glass Houses

"You. O Positive. How many exits?" "What?....Oh shit, did you just call me by my blood type?"
- The Dead Girls' Dance

“If you ask me if I'm okay again, I'm going to smack myself in the face just to punish you.”
- Midnight Alley

“Where's your sense of adventure?"
"Off on a beach somewhere with your sanity?”
- Midnight Alley

“I just—we were talking, and we fell asleep. I swear, we didn’t, um—’’
‘‘Yeah, you’d better not have ummed.”
- Feast of Fools

“No, not you two. Stay here."
"Does he just not get how unfair and sexist that is?" Eve asked. "Men."
"You really want to go first?"
"Of course not. But I'd like the chance to refuse to go first.”
- Lord of Misrule

"Myrnin? Oh yeah. He did a Batman and took off into the night. What is with that guy, Claire? If he was a superhero, he'd be Bipolar Man.”
- Lord of Misrule

“That's it? That's your big goodbye?" Eve asked.
Claire looked at Eve mystified. "I think I need guy CliffNotes."
"Guys aren't deep enough to need CliffNotes."
"What were you waiting for, flowery poetry?" Shane snorted. "I hugged. I'm done.”
- Lord of Misrule

“They came out in a dim, damp basement - a generic sort of place, full of moulding boxes. 'You take me to the nicest places,' Claire said, and sneezed.”
- Carpe Corpus

“I don’t see a way in,” Eve whispered.
"Why are you whispering?” Myrnin whispered back. “Vampires can hear us anyway.”
- Fade Out

“Silver nitrate and water in a super soaker," he told her. "My own invention. Ought to be good at twenty feet, kind of like wasp spray."
"Oh. You get me the nicest things."
"Anybody can get jewelry. Posers”
- Fade Out

“Shane dragged Eve's suitcase into the room and dumped it on the floor beside her bed. “Hey, Dark Princess? Here’s your crap. Also, bite me.”
- Kiss of Death

“Jeez, Claire. If I didn't love you, you'd scare me.”
- Kiss of Death

“She can go with us to the lab and keep Myrnin pinned down while we pull the plug, if he's not... you know, better."
"Define BETTER with that guy."
"Not all fangs and raaaaar.”
- Ghost Town

“Am I not ninja enough? Are you saying that I lack ninja?" (Eve)
-Bite Club

“Now could you please ask these idiots to stop pointing their bullets at me? It's terribly wasteful.”
- Bite Club

“Well,” Naomi said cheerfully, “what’s the worst that can happen?”
They were silent, considering that, because there were just so many possibilities. But in the end, it was a better idea than Facebook.
- Last Breath

"Bro," he said, in an injured tone, "I had to go out with a flamethrower, and you weren't there to see it."
"Pics or it didn't happen."
"Dude, little busy for pics. You know, throwing flame."
- Black Dawn




Friday, 7 September 2012

(FF#3) Guest Post; Helen Scott Taylor

TODAY WE HAVE AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR HELEN SCOTT TAYLOR, TALK ABOUT HER BOOK, WILDWOOD

Inspiration for Wildwood

I've always been fascinated by mythology, especially Celtic mythology. Where I live in South West England there is plenty of reminders of the Celtic people with ancient stone crosses dotted around Dartmoor. In my latest release, for inspiration I've drawn on the ancient Celtic gods that the pagans worshipped in Britain.

One of these gods is Cernunnos, who is often represented in the UK as the Green Man. He is still celebrated by some here in the spring, and is supposedly responsible for the awakening of nature after winter. When the early Christians set about converting inhabitants of Britain from paganism to the Christian faith, one of the ways they attracted people into the new churches was by adopting pagan gods. In many old churches and cathedrals in the UK, one can find carvings of the green man's face both on the outside and inside of the buildings.

In Exeter Cathedral in Devon, there are many well known depictions of the green man. Some are beautiful, but some are also frightening, with vines and branches spewing from the green man's mouth or body.

Cernunnos caught my imagination when I was researching Wildwood, and the mythology and ancient pagan beliefs surrounding the god are at the heart of the story.


Wildwood

A fifteen-year-old boy is sent to stay in a spooky English village with his grandfather for the summer vacation. He always knew he was different from other kids, he just didn't realize how different until he discovers his father was linked to an ancient pagan cult. If he doesn't get out of the village soon, he might be trapped there forever.


Excerpt

Chapter One
"Freak!"
Todd Hunter stood on his pedals and pumped his legs, weaving his bike through the rush hour traffic. The two Goss brothers and their minion stayed close on his heels, taunting him. A car horn sounded as he cut across the lanes of vehicles and darted down a walkway, and a woman with a baby in a stroller swore at him as he shot past.
He came out on quieter roads, streets lined with houses. The only way to shake the Goss brothers was to go up Dinnaton Hill. The lazy punks weren't fit enough to cycle to the top. But Todd was.
Stay fit, stay sharp. You never see a fox lazing around. His body is lean and strong, his will focused. Dad's words ran through Todd's memory, followed by a familiar pang of sorrow and hopelessness.
He breathed through gritted teeth as he hit the bottom of the hill and powered up. His father would be proud of how strong he was, how hard he worked at school. If he ever came back.
Tears pricked Todd's eyes and he blinked them away, angrily.
"Hey, Hunter," Eric Goss shouted from the bottom of the hill where the brothers had stopped. "Going to Feltsham to dig up your dad's moldy old bones?"
"Shut up," Todd hurled back over his shoulder.
He reached the top with a surge of relief and swung around to stare down at the three boys below, leaning on their handlebars, watching him. "Losers," he shouted, safe in the knowledge they couldn't catch him now. Even if they made it up the hill, there was no way they would follow him into the grounds of Feltsham Manor.
Eric Goss flipped him the bird and Todd turned away. Feltsham Manor's boundary fence was less than sixty feet away. Todd could already feel the pull of the place, the whisper of the wind in the trees, the call of the creatures that lived in the green oasis in the middle of the city.
The ache of effort in his thigh muscles faded quickly and he pedaled the last few feet to the broken fence. He shoved aside two planks of wood that hid the opening and pushed his bike through the gap. The moment he stepped across the boundary, the noise of the city faded. His senses resonated with the hum of the plants and the pulse of tiny beating hearts. A strange excitement zinged along his nerves.
This was his world and Dad's world. When he came here, he could almost imagine his father was just round the corner, cutting the hedge, hoeing the vegetable patch, or watching the foxes. Todd threaded his way between the rambling shrubs along the overgrown path and halted beside the dry fountain. Years ago, water used to trickle out of the hand of the moss-covered dryad. But after Dad had disappeared, the old guy who owned Feltsham hadn't employed another gardener to maintain the place.
The old man was apparently confined to his bed, too sick to go outside, and the garden had been reclaimed by nature. A short distance away, a badger ambled out of the undergrowth and paused to look at Todd. They acknowledged each other silently before the creature went on his way, snuffling between the cracked paving slabs for beetles and grubs.
Todd sat on the edge of the lichen-encrusted fountain and closed his eyes, extended his hunter's radar as his dad had taught him, and let his awareness spread across the garden. Tiny sparks of life force pinged his web of energy as he came across mice, voles, shrews, rats, a stoat, and the vixen and her cubs in their earth beneath the old yew tree.
The essence of his dad seemed to hang in the air as if he had only stepped away for a few minutes and not disappeared five long years ago.
Todd still didn't understand what had happened that day. The two of them had been here together. It was the first time Todd had been allowed to use the electric hedge clippers, and they were cool, skimming away the branches like a giant razor. When he'd finished, he'd searched for his dad. His old pickup was still parked in the drive, his hat was still hung over the handle of a spade, and his gloves were balanced on the wheelbarrow. But Dad had disappeared.
A burst of Doctor Who theme music cut through the peace. Todd snatched his phone out of his jacket pocket and stared at the screen. Mum. He noticed the time and silently cursed. He was going to be in trouble.

Tuesday, 4 September 2012

Interview; Cat Clarke

IT'S CAT CLARKE! TALKING ABOUT SAL, HOW THE TITLE FOR HER BOOK CAME ABOUT, AND ENTANGLED - THE PLAY/TV SERIES

So excited to have interviewed Cat Clarke, the author of Entangled and Torn!

What made you decide to write Entangled? 
I came up with the idea in an English Language A-level exam a looooong time ago. I wrote about a girl who'd been abducted. I knew I wanted to explore the story further, but because I'm the laziest person on the planet it was years before I actually started writing the book. And the finished book bears very little resemblance to what I wrote in that exam - the storyline is completely different (and hopefully better!).

How would you describe Sal?
I like Sal. I know a lot of people don't, but I think she's a good person and a good friend for Grace, She's caring and very good at listening. I think that Grace would maybe have turned out more like Sal if she hadn't been through such tough times (SPOILER ALERT!).

Are there any characters who are based on real people?
I'm not telling you that! Actually, I tend to take bits and pieces from people I know (or people I knew when I was a teenager) and mix them up with a little bit of imagination, That way I (hopefully) avoid getting into trouble! My dad tends to think that any dad character I write is based on him, no matter what I tell him!

How did you come up with the name of the book, 'Entangled'?
The short answer is: I didn't! I had a couple of different working titles when I was writing the book. I knew neither of them were right, and my editor wanted us to come up with something else. I spent a couple of weeks compiling a long list of possible titles (using my iPod playlist for inspiration). Then my editor got back to me suggesting ENTANGLED and it felt right straight away. I wish I'd thought of it though! (I did manage to come up with the titles of the next two books though, so I'm not totally useless.)

Is there any chance of it being turned into a film? 
I have no idea. It would be really very cool to see my characters on the big screen though! I think the story of ENTANGLED might be better suited to a play or a three-part TV series (not that I've thought about it, you understand *cough*). And if Kaya Scodelario was available to play Grace, that would be pretty awesome.

Thank you for answering our questions Cat, is there anything else you'd like to add? 
*ponders* Nope, I think that just about covers it. Thank you so much for having me on your blog today!


Monday, 3 September 2012

Review: The Mosswoods


Astrid Yrigollen
on the back:
Poppy Mosswood like most 17 year olds wants to lead a normal life. But the Mosswood family is anything but normal. Keepers protect the land from humans who would exploit it. For in the forest dwell wondrous creatures and dangerous beings. Beings that would love nothing more but to overthrow all of mankind. Ruthless billionaire Preston Buckthorn moves to town planning to marry Poppy to his son Brad. Brad wastes no time trying to win her heart but his love is warped by the taint that runs in his blood.
As Poppy is taken in by Brad's charms the appearance of a handsome stranger from the forest awakens her heart even though it is forbidden by both their worlds. From his long dark green hair to his piercing eyes, Ashtel is beautiful and powerful. He feels the danger that has emerged to threaten both of their worlds.
Torn between pledging herself as a Keeper, Brad and Ashtel, Poppy is unaware of the true identity of Preston Buckthorn and that his sinister plan includes much more then just owning Mosswood forest.

Poppy is seventeen, soon to be eighteen, who knows her family are Keepers, and that she could also become a  Keeper of the Mosswood forest. Apart from her were-cat that her parents let her keep as a pet because it refused to leave, Poppy hasn't visited the forest since she was little and hasn't seen the creatures within it, what with homework and school getting in the way, she has forgotten about the things her parents told her about the forest and struggles to believe.

To complicate things, she receives the attention of Brad, new to the school and on is way to being popular, he charms her. Happy with the attention at first, but then Poppy starts to wonder why Brad is interested in her, unsure of his attentions, Poppy starts to question it.

One day, she wonders into the forest following her grandfather's voice, scared and frightened, she senses danger, but unsure where to go, a 'presence' appears and it's voice whispers in her ear directing her which way to go and helps her to her feet.

After coming out of the forest, Poppy believes what her parent's had told her of the forest, but now is filled with another burning question, who helped her in the forest and why?

---

I absolutely loved the world Astrid Yrigollen created within the forest, it was magical and imaginative. The creatures in the forest were awesome and described really well so you had a good image in your head.

I think personally, it goes without saying that my favourite character of The Mosswoods is in fact Watty (pronounced Wah-tee), the big 150 pound-and-still-not-finished-growing were-cat. With a sassy personality, Watty is pretty cool! 

There was a great bond between Poppy and Watty. And now moving on to Poppy, I quite liked her character, she seemed relatable and her reactions were believable. She was responsible and mature and I loved how she wasn't instantly like omygod I love Brad I can totally trust him cos he's good-looking! I mean granted, she was happy that she was receiving his attention, but who wouldn't be?? So no negative insta-love points there which is always a good thing.

I wasn't instantly grabbed by the book at the start and found it hard to really get into it, it took me about three chapters to feel comfortable and have a good image in my head about it all, but though at the start it wasn't exactly grabbing, I'm glad I read on, though The Mosswoods needs some correcting and grammar checks, it's worth the read. 

Overall, I loved the world created within the forest and how Yrigollen had interpreted it alongside our modern world. 
FOUR STARS 




Here's a teaser:

“Don’t be frightened. Never of me.” He said.

His tone was soft and gentle and reminded her of a stream of water flowing in the forest. It was familiar to her. Despite her excitement she felt calmed by his voice, by his presence. He took a few steps away from her and hunkered down on the carpet before the fire looking at her intently. It had not been her imagination. His skin was the color of moonlight . His hair was the same color of dark green moss. She reached out to touch it, but he was too far away. Poppy’s hand dropped back down to her lap. Embarrassed, she had hoped he wouldn’t have noticed the gesture. He did. His eyes looked down at her hand then slowly traveled up her arm then to her face. His eyes no longer contained anger but an anxiousness.

“Are you Ashtel?” Poppy asked in a low voice.


About the author:

Astrid Yrigollen  Astrid started her writing career when she begun work for the international video game giant, Sega of America. Working her way up the ranks, she began writing companion guides for games. With a love for writing fiction since childhood, she took her short stories out of storage and had her first story ever written published. It was only after that she found out that first stories are never published!
She has resumed writing full time and has succeeded in putting out the titles, The Doughnut Tree,
Mysterious Pootkins , and The Mosswoods to name a few. Her short stories have appeared in the literary Threshold Press and Shock and Awe Magazine.
She finds writing for young adults both refreshing and challenging. She always wishes to provide
examples of positive role models, conflict resolving methods and communication for young adults with
their parents or guardians.


Her newest book release "The Zombie Playground: A Creature Compilation" is a collection of seven short stories geared towards young adults. In no way gory, but more realistic then her other works, Astrid attempts to magnify the human quality that we give some of our monsters and to let us remember that not all 'monsters' are bad.
Upcoming releases this year include His Black Wings  sequel
to The Mosswoods, The Uprising due out in December 2012.



Author Links:
Website
Library Thing
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
Purchase on Amazon
Purchase on Barnes & Noble


Contact:
Astrid Yrigollen
Email: mikomi6_2000@yahoo.com 
Website: http://www.astridyrigollen.com