Steampunk Challenge!

Hey,

Just to let you know you can now participate in the Steampunk Reading Challenge! Don't know what I'm talking about?
 
Go to: http://darkfaerietales.com/steampunk-reading-challenge-2012-sign-up-post.html

There's everything you need to know there! But I can sum it up for you.
You read books that are on the list:
1. Soulless by Gail Carriger
2. Changeless by Gail Carriger
3. Blameless by Gail Carriger
4. Heartless by Gail Carriger
5. Timeless by Gail Carriger
6. Doomsday Vault by Steven Harper
7. The Mammoth Book of Steampunk Anthology – Sean Wallace (Editor)
8. Dead Iron by Devon Monk
9. Tin Swift by Devon Monk
10. The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook
11. Heart of Steel by Meljean Brook
12. Viridis by Calista Taylor
13. Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear
14. Wicked as They Come by Delilah Dawson
15. The Iron Wyrm Affair by Lilith Saintcrow
16. The Map of Time by Felix J. Palma
17. Corsets & Clockwork: 13 Steampunk Romances Anthology
18. Steampunk!: An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories
19. All Men of Genius by Lev AC Rosen
20. Ironskin by Tina Connolly
21. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
22. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
23. The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
24. The Girl in the Clockwork Collar
25. The Greyfrair by Clay & Susan Griffith
26. The Rift Walker by Clay & Susan Griffith
27. Phoenix Rising by Philippa Ballantine
28. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
29. Clementine by Cherie Priest
30. Dreadnought by Cherie Priest
31. Ganymede by Cherie Priest
32. New Blood by Gail Dayton
33. Heart’s Blood by Gail Dayton
34. Heart’s Magic by Gail Dayton
35. The Falling Machine by Andrew P. Mayer
36. Hearts of Smoke & Steam by Andrew P. Mayer
37. The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack  by Mark Hodder
38. The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man by Mark Hodder
39. Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon by Mark Hodder
40. The Buntline Special by Mike Resnick
41. The Doctor and the Kid by Mike Resnick
42. Ghosts by Gaslight: Stories of Steampunk and Supernatural Suspense

43. Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded Anthology

44. Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
45. Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
46. Goliath by Scott Westerfeld

And you progress through the reading levels: 
1. Gaslight – Choose 6 books to read
2. Gears – Choose 12 books to read
3. Gadgets – Choose 18 books to read
4. Greased – Choose 24 books to read
5. Steamed – Choose 30+ books to read

Check back soon,
Sam :D

My review of Hallowed

28/12/11 - Hallowed by Cynthia Hand - Released 3rd January 2012

Phenomenal.

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

I found this book extremely addictive and couldn't put it down for more that 5 minutes before giving into temptation. The plot was well thought through and carefully planned. I enjoy Cynthia's writing style, it's very dramatic and extremely captivating.

The characters were well developed and fun to read about. In this book, I felt a Tucker withdraw and that slightly pushed me to Christian. In every YA series we have a love triangle and they don't normally work/interest people. But, in this series it does work. With our gorgeous main character, Clara, torn between two amazing guys, who will she pick?

The plot for Hallowed was, once again, breath taking and full of angel action. There is some really emotional and heart touching scenes that are now permanently etched into my brain. We meet some new characters, but also lose some as well....

I advise you to buy this book and proudly put it on your bookshelf. Angel lovers can not afford to miss this! Cynthia writes about INTERESTING angels with INTERESTING lives with INTERESTING problems. So, you get where I'm going right?

Overall, Hallowed is a phenomenal sequel that will leave you craving for more.

I rate this book:

Guess what I'm reading?!

Hey,

Guess what?! I found Hallowed by Cynthia Hand in my bookshop! :O And it's not supposed to be out until January! So happy!!!! :D

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning. Review will come sooooooon! :D

 

Don't forget to follow me by GFC and Twitter!
Sam :D

My review of If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's my Prince?

26/12/11 - If I have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's my Prince? by Melissa Kantor - Released 1st September 2005

Humorous and touching. This book gives a realistic twist on the fairytale, Cinderella.

Wicked stepmother? Check. Evil stepsisters? Check. Miserable life? Check.

Lucy Norton’s life has all the makings of a Cinderella story. Her dad’s always away on business, leaving Lucy with her cruel stepmother and bratty stepsisters. She’s burdened with chores, and has a hard time fitting in at her new school. So when she sees Connor Pearson, the star player on the varsity basketball team, Lucy hopes her destiny has finally changed. With everything else going on in her life, doesn’t she at least deserve to get the handsome prince?

Melissa Kantor’s enchanting novel proves that sometimes the happy ending isn’t quite the one you’d expect. Lucy’s about to discover the truth about finding her real Prince Charming… and finding herself.


A beautiful story packed full of sweet romance and laughable scenes. It's a really easy story to get into and you will love reading through the realistic problems that occur.

Our main character, Lucy, was a fun and lovely young girl. She made me laugh (a lot) and I had no problems relating to her actions and emotions. You will either hate or love Connor, Lucy's first boyfriend, because he can be a bit of a jerk at times but also very nice. Lucy's family, just like Cinderella! I was happy to see that was one of the features Kantor pulled out from the fairytale.

Sam? I loved him. Such a nice and interesting character to read about. He was a unique character and made a great twist to the story. I didn't expect his personality to change through out the book but, surprisingly, he did change, which just made me like him even more.

The plot was well thought out and it was hard to put the book down. It was easy to get into the writing style of Melissa Kantor because it was descriptive and funny. The ending was satisfying and just what I wanted! The book met my high expectations and shocked me in many ways. Melissa Kantor has done an amazing job picking out key points in the fairytale, Cinderella, and using them to make her story original.

I rate this book:

Merry Christmas!

Hey,

I hope your all having a great christmas! Got everything you want?

You don't know how long it took me just to get this post right! But finally I am able to wish you all a very merry christmas and HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2012 the amazing year for books! WOOOOOOP! I'm updating the 'Coming Soon' books so check back soooooon!

I wish you all a nice christmas with your family,

Sam :D

My review of Across the Universe

25/12/11 - Across the Universe by Beth Revis - Released 11th January 2011

It will have your heart racing and turning pages rapidly.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone - one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship - tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

This book definitely surprised me. I did was not at all predictable. I guessed everything wrong!

Amy, our main character, was a nice young girl with a bubbly personality. I enjoyed the slow blossoming romance that was growing between Amy and Elder. It was so sweet and innocent, I just want to know MORE! WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, BETH?! What is to become of Godspeed? What is to become of my darling Elder?

This book had me crying.....Harley....You will love Harley, he is an adorable character. He brings life to the book and you will wish that there was a book just for him.

Beth Revis has done an amazing job. I can't wait to find out what happens next!

I rate this book:

My review of The Vincent Boys

25/12/11 - The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines - Released 12th October 2011.

Emotional and packed full of humour. I loved it. 

Being the good girl isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Ashton Gray has grown weary of playing the part to please her parents, and to be worthy of the town’s prince charming, Sawyer Vincent. Maybe That’s why she’s found herself spending time with Sawyer’s cousin, Beau, while he’s away for the summer camping with his family. Beau is nothing like her perfect boyfriend. He’s the sexiest guy she’s ever seen, dangerous in ways she’s only day dreamed about, and the one guy she should stay away from.

Beau never envied Sawyer his loving parents, his big nice home, or his position as quarterback. He loves him like a brother. Which is why he's tried everything in his power to keep his distance from Sawyer’s girlfriend. Even if he has loved her since the age of five, Ashton is Sawyer’s girl, so therefore she’s off limits. But when Sawyer leaves for the summer, Ashton, the one girl Beau would move Heaven and Earth for, decides she wants to get into trouble. Stabbing the one person who’s always accepted him and stood by him in the back, is the cost of finally holding Ashton Gray in his arms. Is she worth losing his cousin over?.... Hell Yeah.

Ashton, such a nice and considerate girl. I really liked her, her kindness and feminity made it hard not to. I enjoyed her relationship with Beau, my lovely Beau, he sounds so amazing! He was my favourite character! He was like no other boy, he could be sweet, he could be tough, he could be mean, he could be cruel, he could be kind.......he could be EVERYTHING. But you will just love him for who he is!

Sawyer, I felt so sorry for him. He seemed like such a nice guy. He gave a nice twist to the book and really got you thinking about how it would end.

This book had me crying at least 100 pages in and I just couldn't stop. So when the book was finished.....well.....I had no tissues left. I can't wait to read Abbi Glines' other books!

I rate this book:

My review of Smokeless Fire

25/12/11 - Smokeless Fire by Samantha Young - Released 21st October 2011

An interesting addition to the paranormal genre!

 For the last two years Ari’s life has been anything but normal and on her 18th birthday, when her friends surprise her with a gimmick genie claiming to grant wishes, Ari discovers the truth. The tragic and strange occurrences surrounding her 16th birthday were not coincidental and her life is never going to be the same again.

Ari’s real parents are not normal. They are not loving. They are not human.

They are myth. They are Smokeless Fire. They are Jinn.

The whole plot of the story was Ari discovering her father and who she really is. Ari was a slightly annoying character to read about at times but I didn't mind her. 


I enjoyed her relationship with Charlie, you grew to like him over a period of time. I admire her relationship with him and I am shocked that she could still love him after seeing what he does in his free time....

Jai, lovely, lovely Jai. He was a humorous character to read about and I definitely like him. Set as Ari's guardian, the amazing and sexy boy starts to feel things for Ari but he pushes those feelings away, worried that they could get her hurt.

The book was....interesting. Satisfying and very entertaining. After reading this I hope to read Samantha Young's other books and sequel to Smokeless Fire, which is to be released in the Summer (2012).

I rate this book:

My review of Incarnate

Incarnate (Incarnate #1) by Jodi Meadows 
Release Date: January 31, 2012

NEWSOUL: Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnatedover and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why. 

NOSOUL: Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and

HEART: Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? 

Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

The plot took over my brain and had me thinking about it day and night. Who wouldn't want to read about a not-so-perfect girl trying to find her place in an all-too-complicated world, with an all-too-perfect guy?

Ana, the main character, was a strong and passionate young woman, who took matters into her own hands. I found myself admiring her courage and creativity. She was a fun and interesting person to read about, and it was hard not to like her. Eventhough people were treating her like she wasn't human, it didn't keep her from trying to live a normal life. I'm sure anyone who reads this book will hate Li, Ana's mother, for how she treats Ana. She made a nice touch to the tension of the book.

Sam was a charming and lovely character. He is everything a girl could ever want in a boy: caring, gentle and considerate. The extent he would go to for Ana is endless. I could have not wished for a better person for Ana to befriend. All the scenes between him and Ana had my heart racing and a grin on my face! I found myself laughing through their encounter!

I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys fantasy, sweet romance with a side of action! I can't wait to see what  Jodi has got instore for us in the sequel.

Rating

My review of First Date

First Date by Krista McGee
Release Date: January 10, 2012 

Addy Davidson discovers God's unexpected plans for her life when a reality TV show turns her quiet existence on its head.

The orphaned daughter of missionaries, Addy is quite content to stay in the shadows and never draw attention to herself. But when she's selected for a reality TV show to try to become the President son's prom date-a show she didn't audition for-she's suddenly in America's spotlight.


The lights, the make-up, the competitions, and the blogs discussing every move she makes all make Addy incredibly uncomfortable. But through her time at The Mansion, Addy comes to realise that first impressions aren't always right, that hiding out may not be what God had planned for her life, and that her faith should affect everything she does. It may just be that her selection wasn't random at all and that she's on this show "for such a time as this."


This book was much better than I expected. It was emotional but also very entertaining. The plot was amazing, the characters were interesting to read about, and the humour in this book.

I found Addy a very enjoyable  character to read about. I believed what she believed, I felt what she felt. The story was so beautifully written I couldn't help thinking I was actually Addy. Her belief and faith in God made me want to run to the library and get a bible. She's just such a passionate young girl with a lovely personality. I found her an inspiring heroin. Her friend, Kara, was also a great character. She was a great friend to Addy and never treated her badly like the other girls. She reminded me that there are good people in the world, she brought the story to life.

Jonathan, now what can I say about this adorable character? I loved him, such a delightful character. He will surprise you, he definitely surprised me. I thought he would be a rude, arrogant young man, who dated five girls a week. But, boy was I wrong! He was sweet and truly charming!

I loved the whole plot of the story! For a few moments, I believed that 'The Book Of Love' was actually a real TV programme. It was extremely realistic and the level of description made the book easy to follow. The book was paced just right, not too fast and not too slow. I found myself wishing that the scenes were longer because they were so cute. McGee surprisingly exceeded my expectations with her skills to shock and keep readers hooked to her book!

I recommend this to all teens who don't like long and boring books. This will easily capture you and drag you in. A nice short read that everyone will love.

Rating