30 Sept 2012

UPDATE: Ely - September 30th

Hello all,

I'd like to apologise for Chami and I's lack of posts lately, we are hoping to make up for them in October. Anyway, today I will be posting a little update for you guys and I should posting the 'New Series and Sequels of October 2012' post tomorrow followed by the 'Standalone Novels of October 2012' so look out for those.

Recently purchased books
  • The Casual Vacancy by J.K Rowling
  • Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer
  • Matched by Ally Condie
  • The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
  • David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
  • I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
  • The Time of my Life by Cecelia Ahern
  • Poirot Three Pack including; The Mysterious Affair at Styles, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and After the Funeral by Agatha Christie

Currently reading
  • The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
  • Rebel Angels by Libba Bray

  That's it for today's update, I will see you all soon!

x Ely

28 Sept 2012

COVER REVEAL: BOUNDLESS (UNEARTHLY #3)

BOUNDLESS (UNEARTHLY #3) - CYNTHIA HAND




BLURB: The past few years held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner ever could have anticipated. Yet through the dizzying high of first love to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she could no longer deny was that she was never meant to have a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seemed like the best option, so she’s headed back to California—and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfill her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must choose her fate once and for all

24 Sept 2012

REVIEW: Nevermore by James Patterson

Title: Nevermore (Maximum Rise #8)
Author: James Patterson
Publication Date: August 6th, 2012
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 368
Rating: 3/5
Blurb: One last chance…
For Max, Fang, Angel, Iggy, Nudge, and Gazzy.
Before it all ends.

Are you ready for the final chapter? Are you ready for the ultimate flight? Because THIS IS IT. One last incredible, explosive adventure with an astonishing ending that no one could have seen coming.

Review: As it seems to have become a bit of a usual part of my reviews, I decided I’d give you a little backstory on how I got into Maximum Ride in the first place before I tell you my thoughts on the last book. In Middle School, one of my best friends (the very same who suggested I read Halo, and Cecilia Ahern whom has become one of my favourite authors ever) suggested that I started this series way back when the fifth book- ‘Max’ was just coming out. As usual, I doubted this friend’s opinion, a fault which I completely apologise for now. However, once I got into the series I quickly finished all five books within the week and became connected to all the characters and their stories. Hence, if I were to give advice to those of you who have never read the series I would beg you to pick it up because I’d be sure that you’d enjoy it. And that concludes the little backstory, so onto the review.

From here on, I cannot be assured that there will no lie any spoilers from any of the books including Nevermore so be warned. 

From here, I’m going to break it down like Chami’s review which you can find here. If you have yet to read it, (this also contains spoilers).

Characters:
Maximum Ride has been in my life since I was about thirteen so of course throughout that time I’ve grown closer to the characters and started to believe that I really knew them and could almost predict their reactions to certain situations. However, in this book I felt like these were entirely new characters being presented to me and I felt like I could no longer connect with them - almost like this was a fanfiction (certainly not an insult to any fellow fanfiction writers) where the characters were a little bit too out of character. Honestly, I love Max, Fang, Iggy, Gazzy, Nudge, Angel and even Dylan at some times but it felt like James Patterson had completely lost touch with his characters. 

Plot:
To be honest, the previous book - Angel, was when the plot became to loose my interest. Things started to become too…weird, for lack of a better word. For one, Maya infuriated me and while I know some people quite liked her, personally I thought the idea of a Max clone that Fang went off with to be just terrible. I was really hoping that James Patterson was really going to pick the whole thing up with the book and finish the series on such a high note that I would feel content with the ending but sadly, it just didn’t happen for me.

Overall:
I know this review might sound a little like I’m calling James Patterson a terrible writer or something, which is not true- I am a massive fan of James Patterson but I feel like he didn’t put enough into the writing of this book, it really felt like he wasn’t committed to this book or that he’d lost his passion for the series and the characters. 



BEWARE OF SPOILERS FILLED REVIEW/RANT BELOW.

**
 
As I said up above, I wasn’t really a fan of Maya so I have to admit, while it seems cruel, that I didn’t mind that much when she died, however the whole Fang’s new flock betraying him sort of thing just drove me crazy. We’ve seen a fair amount of betrayal through this series from flock members and those outside the flock and so I almost felt like it had begun to repeat itself. On the topic of repeating, I was very disappointed that Ari made another appearance in this book not because I don’t like Ari as a character but because I felt like James Patterson could not just leave him alone. I felt the same way about Jeb and Dr Martinez, I believe those three characters are only ever bought up when James Patterson had completely run out of ideas. 

Finally, I’ve got to ask- what was that ending? I just can’t even fathom the right words to describe how I feel about it and honestly I would have been much happier with the first ending rather than that bit added on.
Anyway, thank you if you actually made it through this insanely long review I promise reviews won’t be like this in the future- of course, if you prefer reviews of this length then please let us know.

x Ely

7 Sept 2012

REVIEW: Just A Girl by Jane Caro

Title: Just A Girl 
Author: Jane Caro
Publication Date: May 2nd, 2011
Publisher: UQP
Format: Paperback
Pages: 271
Rating: 3.5/5
Blurb: I do not remember when I discovered how my mother died, it seems to be something I always knew, a horror I absorbed through my skin.
Determined, passionate and headstrong, Elizabeth I shaped the destiny of a kingdom.

Her mother; Anne Boleyn, was executed by her father Henry VIII. From that moment on, Elizabeth competed with her two half-siblings for love and for Britain’s throne. In the gilded corridors of the royal palace, enemies she couldn’t see – as well as those bound to her by blood – plotted to destroy her.

Using her courage to survive and her wits to confound those who despised her, this young woman became one of the greatest monarchs the world has ever seen.

Even though she was just a girl, she had already lived a lifetime.

Review: I think one of the most important thing you should know before picking up this book is that you need to be really interested in History to enjoy it. I don’t mean in the ‘you should enjoy historical fiction’ way, I mean you should seriously be interested in proper History because pretty much this entire book is actual historical facts. That being said, it is by no means boring.

The novel is in first person, told by Elizabeth I as she waits to become Queen of England. However, this is not the story of Elizabeth’s reign- this is the story of Elizabeth before she was Queen, everything from her childhood right up until her coronation. It explores some seriously amazing events but also gives a heart and personality to the story through Elizabeth rather than just cold hard facts. This is what made it interesting for me personally. 

That being said, sometimes it seemed like Jane Caro was getting a little bit too wrapped up in the history of it all and didn’t really present too much of a story. However, I would still recommend this book to history lovers especially those obsessed with the Tudors.

5 Sept 2012

Camp Nano Fever

So Campnanowrimo is finished for another year. No more camping out in the cold wilderness or snuggling up in a fire lit cabin. It's the end for 2012 and our fresh novels are probably baking out in the sun as we try to procastinate our way away. But don't do it just yet. You have a lot of things to talk about before you step away.

Example:

Is this novel really finished, and if it's not, should i finish it?

Is this a worthy story to go out into the public or is it just a personal love bug ready to stay at home?

Was this the story that you initially set out to write? If not, do you like it?

Xx Chami