My review of Masque of the Red Death

Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
Release Date: August 2, 2012
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon | The Book Depository

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

Masque of the Red Death is a unique and engrossing story that will introduce readers to a new world that hasn't been explored in YA. Get ready for a set of diverse characters, an impossible love triangle, and a plague that will destroy everyone in its wake. 

Araby Worth is fortunate enough to be born into a rich family that can provide her with the masks she needs to keep the plague at bay. To get away from the nightmare and horror of the suffering people around them, Araby and her close friend venture into the Debauchery Club to lose themselves in the music and comfort. But Araby finds much more; two boys who contrast with each other dramatically, yet she can't help but be drawn into each of the boys' worlds and the secrets that they seem to hide.

Araby is the usual quiet girl with a mass amount courage hidden within her. At times I found her character boring and dull; she didn't seem to react or say much about anything. I thought that the story would spice up a bit after the two boys were introduced: Will; a handsome and caring boy with an edge that you can't ignore, and Elliot; a witty and slightly dark character with a plan for everything. But the story didn't get too exciting, I found myself getting frustrated with Araby for acting completely plain! 

As for the boys, my heart was cheering the gorgeous Will on throughout the book because Elliot's character just didn't appeal to me. But, the author does manage to balance the love and hate out by the end of the book when all secrets are revealed. Of course it made me want to rip my hair out but I guess it will just make the sequel more interesting to read. 

Masque of the Red Death was an engaging and enthralling read that has a lot of potential. I'm looking forward to the sequel, Dance of the Red Death, because I would love to see what happens with the love triangle. Who cares about the plague when there is an epic love triangle to solve?

Rating

Book Haul (#25)

Hey,

It's so close to Christmas! (And the end of the school term.) Are you guys excited? I just want it to snow, to be completely honest. *Cries* It's freezing over here in the UK.

Anyhow, here are the books that I have received/borrowed this week:

Mist (Mist #1) by Kathryn James - Received -
Thank you Hachette Children Books! The cover is so cool! Looking forward to seeing what this one's about.

Frost (Mist #2) by Kathryn James - Received -
Thank you Hachette Children Books! This is the sequel to Mist.

Monument 14 (Monument 14 #1) by Emmy Laybourne - Received -
Thank you Hachette Children Books! WOOOOOOOO! I'm ecstatic that this book is being released in the UK because bloggers in the US have been raving about it.

Fated (Soul Seekers #1) by Alyson Noel - Received -
Thank you St. Martin's Griffin! I am confused to why they have sent me this book since I've already reviewed the sequel... Thank you for the gorgeous paperback copy anyway!

Finale (Hush, Hush #4) by Becca Fitzpatrick - Borrowed -

NOOOOO! WHY IS THIS THE LAST BOOK?!?!?!??!?!? *Sniffles*

Beastly (Kendra Chronicles #1) by Alex Flinn - Borrowed -

I watched the movie with Alex Pettyfer (He is gorgeous) and I thought I should read the books.

Fateful by Claudia Gray - Borrowed -

I loved Claudia Gray's Vampire series and I simply couldn't resist this one. Come on, werewolves + Titanic = should be extremely interesting.

Yep, that's my haul for this week! Leave a link to your book haul in the comments below and I'll check it out!

Enjoy ya books,

Sam :D

Recent Posts:

Dance of Shadows Review

First Frost Interview + Giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday - Hurt by Tabitha Suzuma

Blogoversary

One Year Blogoversary Ramble and Giveaway

Hello there, my fellow book lovers!

Guess what?

IT'S MY FIRST BLOGOVERSARY! (If you haven't guessed by reading the title of this post.)

I can not even put into words how surprised I am at the fact that it has been an exact year since I made this blog! The year has gone very fast but not without meeting a load of awesome bloggers and new books that I would have never had the chance to read without the blogging world. I am utterly grateful to all those who read, comment and support my blog because the one year journey wouldn't have been the same without you all. 

At first, I didn't really know what I was doing; I kind of just posted a load of rubbish for fun. The reviews I posted were absolutely dreadful because I was a thirteen-year-old with not much experience in writing reviews. But gradually, I think my writing has gotten better and my opinion is now valued (to a certain extent (; ). 

I hope to carry on with the book blogging because it has been a lot of fun. But, I do have my serious exams coming up soon and I need to study and do homework and all that so I may have to post reviews less... Yes, even less than I already am! (I post reviews... like once a week, twice at most). I try to make my reviews entertaining while getting my point across, which I hope you guys have enjoyed reading as much as I've enjoyed writing them.

Here is what I have achieved this year:

Reviews posted: 147
Posts published: 364
Blog followers: 1450+

I want to thank these bloggers for being awesome, supporting me and helping to answer my questions!

- Sam at Realm of Fiction
Sam is simply epic. I adore her blog and her reviews. She is a really awesome blogger and the perfect rolemodel.
- Trayche at I Love Teen books
Trayche is really cool guy. If you've got a book buying problem then you need to talk to him!
- Kayleigh at K-Books
Kayleigh is one of the nicest bloggers out there! Make sure you check out her blog if you are a crazy Jennifer L. Armentrout fan.

There are plenty of other bloggers I would like to thank: Jen at The YA Sisterhood, Haley at Passing Pages and Kristin at Blood, Sweat and Books for always commenting and simply being great bloggers.

Okay, that was quite a lot of thank yous! Oh wait, ONE last thank you to you all for being absolutely incredible and reading the posts on my blog and keeping me company on Twitter and interacting with me on Goodreads and suggesting me books and OMG YOU GUYS ARE JUST AWESOME AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO THANK YOU!

I really love you guys so here's a giveaway for you. There will be two winners and it's international as long as The Book Depository ships to you. You may choose from one of the books  below.

I just chose some random books that I enjoyed reading this year. I hope there is something that floats your boat on the list! Enter by using the Rafflecopter below.

**Giveaway Ended**
Winners:
Talia O.
Clarissa
Email me back ASAP!

Thank you for reading my long post and supporting my blog,
Sam :D

Waiting on Wednesday (29)

Hello there,

This week I'm waiting for...

Hurt by Tabitha Suzuma

Release Date: 2013

Why? is the burning question on everyone’s lips. Why would a guy like Mathéo Walsh want to die? At seventeen, he is Britain’s most promising diving champion. He is a heartthrob, a straight A student and lives in one of the wealthiest areas of London. He has great mates and is the envy of everyone around him. And most importantly of all, he is deeply in love with his girlfriend, Lola. He has always been a stable, well-adjusted guy...

Until one weekend. A weekend he cannot seem to remember. All he knows is that he has come back a changed person. One who no longer knows how to have fun, no longer wants to spend time with his friends, no longer enjoys diving. Something terrible happened that weekend – something violent and bloody and twisted. He no longer knows who he is. He no longer trusts himself around people: he only wants to hurt, wound and destroy. Slowly, he begins to piece back the buried, fragmented memories, and finds himself staring at the reflection of a monster.

Tormented, Mathéo suddenly finds himself faced with the most devastating choice of his life. Keep his secret, and put those closest to him in terrible danger. Or confess, and lose Lola forever...

The only word I can use to describe this book is: Depressing. I mean, Tabitha's last book "Forbidden" left me in a state of depression and sadness for about a week...

Nonetheless, I did enjoy her previous book and I'm looking forward to the surprises that I'm sure will spring up in this book. Oh, and how could I forget to describe the cover? That is one good looking boy... *Sigh* I hope he appears on many more book covers because I could get used to seeing his face more... *Dreamy look*

That's my pick for this week! Make sure you leave a link in the comments to your WoW post so I can check it out.

Have a great week,

Sam :D

First Frost Interview + Giveaway

Hey,

Today I am here to show you guys First Frost by Liz DeJesus, a YA fairy tale novel that will sweep you away into a magical land!

First Frost by Liz DeJesus

Release Date: June 22, 2012

Fairytales aren’t real…yeah…that’s exactly what Bianca thought. She was wrong.

For generations, the Frost family has run the Museum of Magical and Rare Artifacts, handing down guardianship from mother to daughter, always keeping their secrets to “family only.”

Gathered within museum’s walls is a collection dedicated to the Grimm fairy tales and to the rare items the family has acquired: Cinderella’s glass slipper, Snow White’s poisoned apple, the evil queen’s magic mirror, Sleeping Beauty’s enchanted spinning wheel…

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Frost wants none of it, dreaming instead of a career in art or photography or…well, anything except working in the family’s museum. She knows the items in the glass display cases are fakes because, of course, magic doesn’t really exist.

She’s about to find out how wrong she is.

-------------------------------------------------------

The cover is really pretty! I hope that the story is just as magical as the cover is. I absolutely love the idea for this book and I am looking forward to reading at some point. Want to know more about the author and her book? Check out the interview below!

Where did the idea for First Frost come from? 
I got the idea for First Frost a couple of years ago while watching a commercial for a local children’s museum. My first thought was ‘Yay! Someplace close by that I can take my son every once in a while.’. My next thought was ‘I wish they had themed museums, like a pirate museum or a fairy tale museum. Because kids are usually into different things.’ And once the idea of a fairy tale museum hit me, it refused to let me go. I remember I was giving my son his bottle at the time and my notebook was on the other end of the couch. It may as well have been a million miles away. My son was falling asleep in my arms and I didn't want to wake him up so I kept repeating that idea to myself over and over again so I wouldn't forget. I finally managed to get my son to take a nap and I dove straight for my notebook and wrote a few ideas for the story.

I really had to stop and ask myself:
What’s in the museum?
Why is all this stuff there?
Who works there? Why?
Are any of the items real?
After I figured out some of those answers the story pretty much wrote itself.

Will there be a sequel?
Absolutely. The sequel is titled Glass Frost and it picks up right where First Frost ends. I’ve already submitted the book to my publisher and I’m just waiting to sign the contract.

Harry Potter or Twilight?
Harry Potter. I was a huge fan of the books and the movies.

What other projects are you working on?
I’m currently working on the third book of the Bianca Frost series tentatively titled Shattered Frost. I’m also working on a few short stories for upcoming anthologies.

Do you have a weird talent? 
I wouldn't necessarily call this a weird talent but I have the uncanny ability to create little islands all over my house. It’s not really a mess, but not really clean. There are just stacks of books in random corners of my house.  

In 10 words persuade readers to check out your book.
Fairytales aren't real…that’s exactly what Bianca thought. She’s wrong.

About the Author:
Liz DeJesus was born on the tiny island of Puerto Rico. She is a novelist and a poet. She has been writing for as long as she was capable of holding a pen. She is the author of the novel Nina (Blu Phi'er Publishing, October 2007), The Jackets (Arte Publico Press, March 31st 2011) and First Frost (Musa Publishing, June 2012). Liz is currently working on a new novel.

Website | Goodreads

Liz has kindly offered 2 copies of her book First Frost for a giveaway! Fill out the Rafflecopter giveaway below to have a chance of winning.

**********Giveaway Ended*********

Winners are: 

Leocadia

Megan

Add First Frost to your TBR lists!

Sam :D

My review of Dance of Shadows

Dance of Shadows (Dance of Shadows #1) by Yelena Black
Release Date: February 12, 2013
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon | The Book Depository

Dancing with someone is an act of trust. Elegant and intimate; you're close enough to kiss, close enough to feel your partner's heartbeat. But for Vanessa, dance is deadly – and she must be very careful who she trusts . . .

Vanessa Adler attends an elite ballet school – the same one her older sister, Margaret, attended before she disappeared. Vanessa feels she can never live up to her sister's shining reputation. But Vanessa, with her glorious red hair and fair skin, has a kind of power when she dances – she loses herself in the music, breathes different air, and the world around her turns to flames . . . 

Soon she attracts the attention of three men: gorgeous Zep, mysterious Josh, and the great, enigmatic choreographer Josef Zhalkovsky. When Josef asks Vanessa to dance the lead in the Firebird, she has little idea of the danger that lies ahead – and the burning forces about to be unleashed . . .

Dance of Shadows is a dark and creepy story that will whisk readers away into a world where ballet dancers are simply pawns for evil. Get ready to solve a dangerous mystery with a developing romance plot along the way.

Our main character, Vanessa Adler, decides to attend a ballet school where her sister mysteriously disappeared not long before. Dancing is Vanessa's passion but she also wants to find out what happened to her sister and why she ran away right before her solo. There is danger lying ahead, Vanessa and her new friends must find out what's happening before more girls disappear.

I bet the cover has drawn you in, hasn't it? But let's not be fooled by the pretty cover and focus on the story within. I thought that the book would be mind-blowing and absolutely incredible, but instead I was faced with a predictable and forever circling story that I couldn't really care less about. The book did pick up a bit when I was 2/3 through it but I would have liked it faster paced.

Dance of Shadows wasn't one of my favourite reads for many reasons: the characters were vague, the plot took a long time to kick in, and I predicted quite a few things that were going to happen. If you're expecting a head-turning, eye-opening and romantic world then you can go and find that somewhere else. 

On the other hand, if you're looking for a dark and compelling book with plenty of crazy scenarios, lots of kick-ass dancing and creepy moments then I would recommend Dance of Shadows for you.

After the cliffhanger ending, I shall be reading the sequel because I am interested to see what the author has in store for us next. (I also want to see how gorgeous the next cover will be.)

Rating

- Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing!

Book Haul (#24)

Hey,

You may or may have not noticed that I didn't post a book haul post last week, this was because I was soooo busy and it was my birthday and I had homework and I had me piano exam for Grade 4, and everything was incredibly hectic. But never mind because I'm preparing some interesting posts for the next few weeks!

Anyways, here are the books that I have won/received this past two weeks:

All in The Half Vampire Family (Confessions of a Half Vampire #2) by Lisa Shafer - Received -

Thank you, Lisa! I'm looking forward to seeing how our half vampire is coping in the world.

The Goddess Inheritance (Goddess #3) by Aimee Carter - Received -

Ahhhh! Thank you, Harlequin Teen! Thank god for auto-approve on Netgalley. I am so excited, I'm itching to start it.

Survive by Alex Morel - Won -

Thank you, Egmont UK! I won a proof copy from their website and I can't wait to see what happens in it.

That's my haul for this week! What did you get? Leave a link to your book haul in the comments and I'll check it out.

Enjoy your books,

Sam :D

Recent Posts:
My review of Deity
Cover Reveals (3)
Waiting on Wednesday (27) - When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney
My review of Ashes of Twilight
Waiting on Wednesday (28) - With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent
My review of Severed

My review of Severed

Severed (Fated #2) by Sarah Alderson
Release Date: November 30, 2012
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon

Fate brought them together. Now it’s threatening to tear them apart.

As the last in a long line of demon slayers, Evie’s destiny is to end the war that has raged for centuries between humans and demons.

Lucas, the half-Shadow Warrior half-human who was sent to kill her, has betrayed his own Brotherhood and his family to fight alongside her.

With an army of unhumans on their tail, Evie and Lucas are forced into an uneasy alliance with a group of rogue Hunters who offer protection and the promise of answers.

As the past is untangled and the dark history of the Hunters revealed, Evie discovers that severing the realms is going to require a lot more than just fighting. It’s going to require a sacrifice – one that only she can make.

…More than realms will be severed.

Severed is the perfect sequel to Fated, and I'm sure that it will satisfy all fans! Be prepared for the same heart-stopping action, mysteries and the epic romance that we all love so much.

In Severed, Evie and Lucas are on the run from their lives to fight the evil that threatens the world. On their way, they encounter a group of rogue unhumans and have no choice but to join them because they offer some much-needed help. As Evie discovers more about what is happening to the realms, she is forced to make an incredibly difficult decision that no one should be forced to make.

I had a lot of fun reading Severed because of the gripping plot and the awesome new characters that were introduced! I fell head over heels for the charming, yet cheeky, Cyrus the Hunter. He lightened up the book and made me smile multiple times because of his witty replies and adorable smiles. I'm sure that most readers will love him, too. 

While I may have hoped for something between Cyrus and Evie, I knew that Lucas was the only one for her. Overprotective, strong and loving, Lucas was simply a sweet guy to read about (when he's not battling monsters, of course).

The ending was just... Ahh, it's so complicated to put into words because I felt a rush of emotions slam into me all at once; the pain from losing a loved character, the confusion from why the book had to end, etc. I can't wait to find out what's to happen next in the series because it's just so damn breath-taking.

If you've not read anything by Sarah Alderson then make sure you check out the first book, Fated, and her Hunting Lila books.

Rating

- A review copy was provided by the author.

Waiting on Wednesday (28)

Hey,

This week I'm waiting for...

With All My Soul (Soul Screamers #7) by Rachel Vincent 

Release Date: March 19, 2013

What does it mean when your school is voted the most dangerous in America?

It's time to kick some hellion butt...

After not really surviving her junior year (after all, she did die), Kaylee Cavanaugh has vowed to take back her school from the hellions causing all the trouble. She's going to the find a way to turn the incarnations of Avarice, Envy and Vanity and the rest on each other. And so she–and her gang–make plans to protect her friends and finish this war, once and forever.

But then she meets Wrath. And Kaylee realizes that she's closer to the edge than she's ever been. Especially when one more person she loves is taken...

I can not believe that this is the last book... like... I love this series so much and I have become so attached to the character and I just don't want to think that this is the last book!

I can't wait to see the UK cover because I'm predicting that it's going to be beautiful. *Sigh* The last book...

Leave a link in the comments to your WoW post and I'll check it out!

Have a good week,

Sam :D

My review of Ashes of Twilight

Ashes of Twilight (Ashes Trilogy #1) by Kassy Tayler
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon | The Book Depository

Wren MacAvoy works as a coal miner for a domed city that was constructed in the mid-nineteenth century to protect the royal blood line of England when astronomers spotted a comet on a collision course with Earth. Humanity would be saved by the most groundbreaking technology of the time. But after nearly 200 years of life beneath the dome, society has become complacent and the coal is running out.  Plus there are those who wonder, is there life outside the dome or is the world still consumed by fire? 

When one of Wren's friends escapes the confines of the dome, he is burned alive and put on display as a warning to those seeking to disrupt the dome’s way of life. But Alex’s final words are haunting. “The sky is blue.”  What happens next is a whirlwind of adventure, romance, conspiracy and the struggle to stay alive in a world where nothing is as it seems. Wren unwittingly becomes a catalyst for a revolution that destroys the dome and the only way to survive might be to embrace what the entire society has feared their entire existence.

Ashes of Twilight is a breathtaking steam punk novel that will captivate readers until the end. I enjoyed the action, suspense and the plot twists that I was not expecting at all! I'm very much looking forward to the sequel, Shadows of Glass.

Just imagine living in a dome, believing that you must live under it because everything outside of the glass is burning, but then you find out that someone close to you has tried to escape and they have found out something big. There is no fire. And the sky is not red and black. It is blue. The most beautiful shade of blue. Would you want to stay within the dome? Or escape? Well, that's the choice that Wren MacAvoy had to make. Along side her plotting to escape is the gorgeous Pace, a rebel guard, and some of her friends from the coalmines. Together they will begin a revolution and destroy the dome.

I knew I would love this book as soon as I read the blurb. The premise sounded exciting and I was curious to see the romance side it in. The idea did remind me of Breathe by Sarah Crossan, which I loved, but when I read Ashes of Twilight I was simply amazed. It was unique and the characters were incredibly engaging, and they all had played a significant part in the story.

I loved most things about this book but the one point that let it down was the romance. I mean, I loved the romance between Wren and Pace but I felt that their relationship was a bit too sudden; insta-love. They said 'I love you' after about two weeks after they met... and my reaction was something like, "No! Don't ruin the book with insta-love! PLEASE NNOOOOOOO!" Though, I didn't really mind that much after that brief though because the author did write about their relationship extremely well and it was like the two had known each other for years. Pace also made the book a little more exciting, and I fell in love with his funny and optimistic personality.

Ashes of Twilight is not a book that you should miss if you love the steam punk genre, and if you haven't read a steam punk novel before then you better start with this book! I'm anxiously awaiting the sequel because the book ended with such a cliffhanger. July 2013, come soon!

Rating

-Thank you St. Martins Griffin for providing me with a review copy!