How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe - Charles Yu

Title: How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe
Author: Charles Yu
Publication information: Pantheon (2010)

I was hooked in by the line in the blurb on the inside cover; "In one minute Charles Yu is going to murder himself. Again". This novel is about Charles Yu, the protagonist in this book, and the events that take place in his life.

I found the plot of this novel very slow. Although it was enjoyable overall, I found that the main story didn't really start until at least half way through. I enjoyed the references to other science fiction narratives such as Star Wars and the amount of background information that was provided by the protagonist.

The main character was very likeable and at points I almost felt sympathetic towards him. I loved his interactions with his computer, TAMMY, and also Phil. I think that these characters really helped to develop Charles' personality, and make the reader find him more approachable.

The writing was really interesting and I found it complicated at points, but understandable despite the technical language used.

Overall, I would give this novel 4 out of 5 stars as I really grew to like the characters and on the whole I enjoyed the plot.

Toy Store Escape - Marcus Emerson & Ellie Alexandre

Title: Toy Store Escape

Authors: Marcus Emerson & Ellie Alexandre

Publication information: Amazon Media

This is definitely a story for younger readers but I still enjoyed it. This is only 18 pages long so was extremely quick, and reading it, I could see it making a really good comic book. It has everything that a children's story needs; humour, action and most importantly, a moral to the story.

Reading it, I couldn't help but think of Toy Story with Officer Onslaught really reminding me of Emporer Zurg just with his actions and the way he speaks.

Overall I only gave this 3 out of 5 stars on goodreads but I think younger readers would love this story and I really like the front cover of this ebook.

Behind the Mirror (Return of the Ancients 0.5) - Madison Adler

Title: Behind the Mirror

Author: Madison Adler

Publication information: Kindle Edition

"Rafael is a Fate Tracker, protecting his world and Earth from disaster, but what should he do when disaster appears in the form of love?"

This is an extremely short prequel story to the Return of the Ancients series by Madison Adler and it was a really quick read. Due to the readable writing style, this only took me about 15 minutes to get through but despite it being so short, I think that this definitely served its purpose in the way that it made me want to read this series. Sometimes prequel stories can either put you off a series or give you too much information, preventing you from wanting to read on but I think that this one was perfect. So far, from Behind the Mirror, I really like the characters and the premise of the future books, and also I like the way that the reader doesn't know exactly how this world works but has enough information to imagine it so far. I hope to get the other Return of the Ancient books at some point, but for now I would give this 5 out of 5 stars as there is nothing I could really say against this; good premise, interesting characters and brilliant writing!

A Tiny Bit Marvellous - Dawn French

Title: A Tiny Bit Marvellous

Author: Dawn French

Publication information: Penguin Group

"This first novel by Dawn French is told through the eyes of a mother and her two teenage children. There's seventeen-year-old Dora, a stroppy teenager who's just come out of her first relationship (it lasted a whole six weeks) and who's longing to escape to university; her long-suffering mother, Mo, a child psychiatrist who's baffled by the antagonist behaviour of her children; and sixteen-year-old Peter, who prefers to be known as Oscar due to his obsession with Oscar Wilde. Written in diary format, with each chapter narrated by a different voice, this is a hilarious, sharp and utterly compelling novel about the ups and down of family, sibling rivalry and growing up. With each chapter told from the point of view of one character, Dawn French's witty and engaging novel offers us an honest and insightful account into the relationships between children and parents."

The plot of this book was quite confusing at first as the story is told from the point of view of three different members of the Battle family who are all going through different things. Although it took a while to get into, I began to really like certain characters and look forward to their chapters over others. The plot itself was quite simple throughout, until the end, where I was genuinely surprised. Some reviews I have read have said that they found the ending predictable but I personally found it a perfect finish to this type of book. I don't usually get drawn to books like this, and other than John Green, I haven't really read any contemporary fiction, but knowing Dawn French from her comedy and television career, I was immediately intrigued by the idea of her as an author.

The characters were all very compelling and I think that telling a story from all these different perspectives would attract different types of reader. All of the characters were very caricatured but I think that this was necessary for this kind of novel.

Mo did not interest me at all at first. I found her to be quite boring and dull and just the run-of-the-mill mother in this book, but then I realised that this is why her storyline became so interesting. I began to gradually look forward to her chapters and was genuinely interested in her story.

Dora was hilarious but slightly annoying. I found the swearing and the ridiculous insults that she came out with really funny but overall, I think she acted and sounded a lot younger than seventeen throughout this book. However, I did really like Dora and I like that she was the typical angsty teenager. 

Oscar/Peter was an interesting character, mostly because I didn't really understand his character until about half way through the book, where he became much more rounded as a person rather than just a flamboyant accessory to the rest of the story.

Husband, to me was a really interesting character. This is mostly because you don't even know his name until literally the last word of the book and he is a mystery even though you know certain things about him from the other characters. I think that overall he was the most well rounded character even though he is only ever addressed as Husband, and even in the one chapter written from his point of view, he is called Dad, which I thought was really appropriate for the content and events that take place in that particular chapter. 

Pamela was also interesting, if not unusual for a grandmother. She was very down to earth and liked baking cakes, and her nursing background was evident throughout the novel.

The writing in this book was really interesting. Each of the main characters, Mo, Dora and Oscar, spoke in a completely different fashion; Dora was erratic with her language, speaking with a lot of swearing and slang, with some sections being scripts of instant messaging, Mo was more correct but still a believable character, and Oscar, through his obsession with Oscar Wilde and his flamboyancy, spoke in a more poetic way. I think that this helped differentiate between the characters and helped you, as the reader, to not confuse them at all.

Overall, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars as I think it was a very interesting read but it took me a while to get into. I really loved the ending and the way that it was written, paired with the bright characters.

Selling My Soul: A Paranormal Short Story - Rae Northlight

Title: Selling My Soul (A Paranormal Short Story)

Author: Rae Northlight

Publishing information: Amazon Media

"Ginny Petersen is in love with vampires. She writes about them, she lives and breathes them, she wants to be one. So, when the opportunity arises for her to become a blood-surrogate for vampires, she jumps right in, in the hopes that one of the vamps will want to change her. What she doesn’t expect is the power it will give the vampires over her."

This is the synopsis provided on Amazon Kindle Store and I feel like it is completely misleading. 

This short story is only 7 pages long and has a lot of spacing so there isn't really any character development and also very little plot. Ginny is the protagonist and despite the way that the synopsis describes her as an avid writer obsessed by vampires, I didn't get anything about her really from the story itself. This story felt like one chapter of a very cliched vampire novel. I found the writing style very standard and easy to read so this was extremely quick to read and despite the interesting synopsis, I was thoroughly disappointed with this so gave it 1 out of 5 stars.

Paper Towns - John Green

Title: Paper Towns

Author: John Green

Publication information: Bloomsbury Publishing (2010)

When childhood crush, Margo Roth Spiegelman, turns up at Quentin's window late at night summoning to be part of her revenge plan, he follows. Soon when Margo disappears, he must solve the mystery and follow the clues left by her.

From the beginning, I found the plot very engaging despite it being quite slow to begin with. I think that although the premise is quite simple, I found myself hooked into the lives of these characters and I was just wanting to know how the whole mystery would be resolved. I really liked that some of the major revelations come from works of literature, which in some ways, even though I haven't read the works mentioned, give the novel more depth and make you want to read these connected texts too. 

The characters were amazing in this. I have read reviews of Paper Towns saying that John Green made Margo too perfect and I think that at first this is correct but I think that this is one of the major lessons of this book; Margo isn't perfect, that's just the way Quentin sees her to begin with. I think that this adds to Margo's character and all of the aspects of her personality really make her a rounded character. In some ways she reminds me of Alaska from Looking for Alaska because of her rebellious nature and the way she is idolised, but I think that the difference with Margo is that there were definite answers by the end of the book. Personally, I found Quentin to be a very endearing protagonist. As this is from first person perspective, I found it easy to empathise with him and I liked the way that he would do anything for his friends yet he was still an intelligent individual. The side characters also helped me to enjoy this novel. I really like Ben and his wittiness and arrogance. I also liked Radar and his back story as I found the black Santa collection quite funny.

The writing, as ever with John Green, was witty, intelligent and humourous, with a dash of seriousness, which kept me hooked. The pacing was really good and I felt that Part 3 with the road trip was especially fast paced but this fit the plot perfectly.

Overall, I would give Paper Towns by John Green 5 out of 5 stars as I really can't fault any of it. I loved the characters and the writing style and the plot was really captivating. 

The Fault In Our Stars - John Green

Title: The Fault In Our Stars

Author: John Green

Publication information: Penguin (2012)

John Green once said in one of his Youtube vlogs that to be a great author was to make a reader "feel all of the things" and this novel definitely does this.

The story follows the main protagonist, Hazel, who has been struggling through cancer for three years, and a boy called Augustus Waters. The story basically follows the development of their relationship and their journey to find out the real ending to Hazel's favourite book, An Imperial Affliction, from fictional author Peter van Houten.

The characters in this novel were phenomenol. Hazel, although I obviously do not know how she is feeling throughout the book, is strangely relateable and Augustus is the best male love interest that I have ever read about. The personalities of all the characters really shine through the writing and their own personal stories evokes a myriad of emotions in the reader as you read about their struggles. Isaac is often said to be people's favourite character in this book but to be honest, I could not get over how perfectly unperfect Hazel and Augustus were as a couple and individually.

The plot was, as always with John Green novels, enchanting, keeping you gripped from the start and wanting more, even through the tears. I think that this novel is by far the best of his works that I have read so far and this is the most emotionally involved I have ever been with a book before. The plot was interesting and kept you reading whole-heartedly through the good and the bad.

The writing, as ever, was amazing. The pacing was perfect, the writing style matched Hazel's bright personality and the tone never contrasted with the story, everything just matched perfectly. This book has a brilliant balance of humour, happiness, romance, despair and grief to keep you hooked, even after the final words.

Overall, I would definitely give The Fault In Our Stars by John Green 5 out of 5 stars. I have never been this affected by a fictional novel before and I am sure that, although most reviews say something similar, I have never been more emotional by the end of a book than I am now with this one. Truly a work of artistic genius by John Green and I just wish more young adult books were written to this standard.

I just thought I'd show as well my copy of this book; the signing more specifically. I found this book in a local Waterstones store and I never expected it to be signed but I got a JScribble and a Hanklerfish so I just had to give it a home! There was also this note in it so I was so happy! 

Overall this is definitely my favourite book of 2012 so far, if not of all time, and I highly recommend it to any reader of any age... this is just a must read.

Chosen - Ted Dekker

Title: Chosen

Author:  Ted Dekker

Publication information: Thomas Nelson (2007)

This was another book that I picked up at the library the other day just because the cover was so intriguing and also the tagline, "think with your heart and prepare to die for you have been chosen" really drew me in. Chosen is the first in the Lost Book series, so the first of four.

"The chosen four are sent on a quest to prove their character, but their mission takes a drawmatic turn when they are intercepted, sworn to secrecy, and redirected to a different endgame. Now they must find the seven lost Books of History. Books that have power over the past, present and future. Books whose words are alive. Books sought by the Dark One that control not only the destiny of their world.....but that of ours as well". 

This just sounded great from the get-go so I was really excited to read it.

The characters in this book were amongst some of the best that I have read about recently. The main protagonist, Johnis, was an interesting character which is always good since he is the main focus of the novel. Without giving too much away about the story, I found Johnis a likeable character that grew on me as the other characters seemed to warm to him. The other three main characters were also very relatable in some ways and even when they were being horrible to Johnis, you as the reader could understand why this was happening. My favourite character ended up being Gabil who was one of the Roush. I just thought that he was a very funny character that lightened up the novel and added a bit of humour.

The plot was also really good! It drew me in from the start and developed at a good pace, not too quickly and not to slow either. However, this was obviously going to be the beginning of a series because of the way it ended, but on reflection, I think that even if you weren't interested or able to read the rest of the series, this would still be a great read with a really interesting and multifaceted plot with great characters.

The writing made this novel really easy and quick to read. With only 260 words in the hardback addition that I read, this isn't a long novel, but the way it reads made it very quick and it flowed well. I read it only in one day! I think that this book has the right amount of description that shows you enough about this world to make it believable and easy to imagine, without taking over from the narrative.

Overall I would definitely give this book 5 out of 5 stars as I think that it would be a great read for people of any age, female or male. I really do love all of the characters and the world that Ted Dekker has created and having not heard about this book before, I was surprised how much I actually enjoyed this. Chosen has the right balance of humour, suspense, action and romance to keep you hooked from the beginning and ends leaving you wanting more.

Gone at Zero Hundred 00:00 by C.R.Hiatt (Excerpt)

Here I have an excerpt from C.R.Hiatt's brilliant novel, Gone at Zero Hundred 00:00.

"I was busy typing in the terms: private clubs, underground clubs and secret societies on my
Blackberry, and reading through the links when something else caught my attention. A black
Hummer with three men inside, drove past me and turned into the alley behind the club, and
parked. A Hummer was a popular vehicle in Sutter Beach because of the military and naval
bases, so it wasn't the car that got my attention. It was the suspicious way the occupants
surveyed the surroundings.
The driver was the first to exit the vehicle. He stood with his back to the car and did a cursory
glance of the area. He was over six-­feet-­tall with a wide-­barreled chest and a thick neck. Once he
made sure the area was cleared, he sent a signal to the front seat passenger. Then, the front-­seat
passenger exited in the same fashion. He searched the area for anything suspicious. At the same
time, his right hand reached inside his jacket and rested on his hip. He was packing heat -­ a gun.
Both men were dressed in black jeans, black leather jackets and black jump boots. When he, too,
concluded the area was clear, he opened the back-seat door. I couldn't help but laugh.
On instinct, I looked around for cameras. This had to be a movie scene. The guy that stepped
out was early twenties, and looked like Angel in a scene from Buffy and the Vampire Slayer. He
was wearing a black leather trench coat -­ it was eighty-­something degrees outside. He had thick-­
black hair, slicked back, not a strand out of place and his skin was perfectly bronzed. It looked
like it was spray-­painted on.
I zoomed in with the camera to get a close up. All three of them walked into the back door of The Devil's Door, looking like they were ready for a shakedown. I pegged the two muscle men as bodyguards. But, who were they protecting? And why did he need protecting? I took a look at
the license plate, and was somewhat surprised to see they were from Mexico. It was about a two-­
hour drive to San Diego, where you could cross the border into Mexico. I wrote down the plate
number, and added the other sports cars to the list. I may not have much information on David Klein, yet, but the guests at the Devil's Door were sure drawing my attention. What the heck kind of club was this place?

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Ash - Malinda Lo

Title: Ash

Author: Malinda Lo

Publication information: Little Brown & Company, 2009

This is a modern fairytale retelling of Cinderella. "With her parents both gone, Ash finds herself a servant in the house of her ruthless stepmother and there seems no hope of finding happiness again. But Ash is unaware of her mother's legacy, and that it will lead her to a magical place. A place where love, identity and belonging are all waiting....". After reading this synopsis on the back of the book in the library I thought that this would be an interesting take on the original story, and since I have never really read a book about fairies I thought that this might be a nice change, however, after reading it, I was very disappointed.

The plot was very slow and boring. I don't like being too negative about books through respect for the author but I found that the plot in Ash dragged a lot and I found it really hard to get through and finish. I found that despite it being just under 300 pages, not a lot happened and everything ended really abruptly, even though all of the plot points were tied up at the end. I quite like the twist of Ash falling in love with a female, but I found that this was predictable from quite early on in the book.

I found the characters quite dull too. Sidhean, the fairy boy, seemed a lot like an Edward Cullen type character, dangerous yet somehow irresistable, which irritated me a lot. I couldn't really connect to Ash very much because I found that I hit a point where I just started getting annoyed with her for making silly mistakes and decisions all the way through this narrative. On the other hand, I did like some of the side characters including Ana and Clara, the two stepsisters. Although these were negative characters, I found that these had the best dialogue throughout. 

One thing that was good about this book was the writing. I think that it suits the teen age range that it is aimed at and tells the story in a readable way but in my opinion the plot let it down.

Overall I would give Ash by Malinda Lo 2 out of 5 stars as I found it difficult to get through and despite the promising premise, it was disappointing. I think this is an example where I am drawn in by a pretty cover and vaguely appealling blurb and the words inside just don't stand up to the plate. This may be more suitable for younger readers though.

A Giveaway!!! [NOW CLOSED]

"Jen takes refuge in a rundown mansion when her life falls apart. To escape reality she finds herself choosing between the world of the living and the dead. She begins having vivid experiences with a beautiful male entity who longs to be her soulmate.
Her childhood friend, 19 year old Ivy, has come from a rough past and has always been different. She learns she has the ability to communicate with the dead and as time passes other supernatural gifts emerge. Ivy will stand against the evil that would separate a love that transcends time and her true destiny emerges.
Jen & Ivy are drawn into the compelling world of the dark side and propelled on the most important journeys of their lives.
“Let’s go Jen. It won’t do him any good if we are all caught”. With one final glance behind her, Jen urged her horse forward, and toward the safety of the mountains. Her heart was heavy and she immediately thought of the other realm. Her hope was that they were aware of what had happened and would help. Chaos was already breaking out; and the world was in danger of slipping back to a time of great darkness, reminiscent of the Middle Ages.
In the quiet of early dawn she hears his distant voice "you are beautiful. I love you always"...."

This is my first ever giveaway on this blog so please bear with me!

M.L. Woolley has been kind enough to offer my readers a chance to win one of 20 eBooks or one of 2 paperback copies of her brilliant novel "Dark Passage"!

To enter, here is what you need to do:

1. Follow/subscribe to my blog :)
2. Write a comment on this post telling me your favourite kind of fiction and your favourite book in that genre :)
3. Provide me with your email address via comment so I can contact you if you win! :)

It's that simple!

This is an international giveaway so feel free to enter wherever you are in the world! All winners will be chosen at random and notified by email :)

UPDATE: One of the 20 eBook winners will also receive a $20 gift card so even more reasons to join in!

Competition ends 8th July 2012.


THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Will Grayson Will Grayson - John Green & David Levithan

Title: Will Grayson Will Grayson

Author: John Green & David Levithan

Publication information: Speak (2010)

This was another one of the books I picked up at the library the other day. I was shocked that it was the only John Green book they had, but I'd heard good things so I picked it up. Will Grayson Will Grayson is about two strangers who cross paths on a cold night. They both have the same name but have very different lives which suddenly take new and unexpected directions, culminating in heroic turns-of-heart and the best musical ever to grace the school stage. From the synopsis, I was unsure if I'd enjoy this book. I've never read any of David Levithan's previous work and only read one of John Green's novels; Looking For Alaska.

The plot was unusual in this novel because you have the two Will Grayson's lives, in alternating chapters, running parellel. This means that you learn their personalities and backgrounds before they meet, giving a higher impact afterwards. A big part of this novel is the romance between certain characters, which is something I don't usually like, but in this story I think that the romance was a vital part of the puzzle and helped to give even more depth to the main characters.

The characters themselves were all very interesting. I really liked John Green's Will Grayson from the start, with his dry sense of humour and group of few friends; much like the protagonist in Looking For Alaska. I found this character easy to relate to as he stumbles through life with his unusual friends. David Levithan's Will Grayson, however, took a while to get used to. He is so depressed throughout most of the book that it kind of slows the read down and even though I liked this character by the end, I really struggled to relate to him at all at the beginning. Of all the side characters, Tiny Cooper was my favourite. His personality shone through the writing and you feel like you really get to know him by the end. 

The writing in this was different depending on which chapter you were reading. John Green's writing was easy to read, was full of personality and was quite quick to get through, whereas David Levithan's took some time to get used to just because he didn't use any capitals. This made it a slower read at first but I soon got used to it and realised that it went together nicely with Will Grayson's personality and attitude.

Overall, I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I really liked the whole thing but when I finished I didn't feel as emotionally attached to the characters as I have in other books, however, it's a great story about homosexuality, relationships and friendships, and it was a great, quick read.

A Sky Full of Kindness - Rob Ryan

Title: A Sky Full of Kindness

Author: Rob Ryan

This is the kind of book that is written for the sole purpose of relaying a message in a beautiful way. There isn't really a plot as such, just, like a fairytale, there is a moral to the story. This book is about a female bird who takes a journey around the world and learns about what it means to be a parent. The way it is written is poetic and the beauty of the words is enhanced by the illustrations. 

Rob Ryan's illustrations are simple; being only two colours; and yet they are unbelievably detailed when you think about how they are created. Due to the formatting of the book, this is a very quick read but I found some of the handcut letters quite difficult to read.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars but I think that it would be suitable for all age groups and is definitely one that you could read multiple times.

Masterpiece - Miranda Glover

Title: Masterpiece

Author: Miranda Glover

Puplication information: Bantam Press (2005)

"In an audacious stroke, celebrated British artist Esther Glass puts herself up for sale by auction at Sothebys, as a living masterpiece, to be owned by the highest bidder for a week. For each day of her possession, she will perform as one of seven iconic women, themselves the subjects of great paintings from the past: Christina of Denmark by Holbein; Olympia by Manet; Madonna of the Pinks by Raphael; Madame de Sengonnes by Ingres; Mrs. Leyland by Whistler; Isabella D’Este by Leonardo da Vinci; and, Judith and Holofernes by Klimt. Esther’s extraordinary art adventure takes her to major European galleries and the Frick in New York to research her seven selected masterpieces. Once sold, she goes to Manhattan for her week of ownership. There she is forced to confront financial corruption by her dealers, the instability of her relationships with her lovers and, on her return to London, her own intrinsic values as an artist, daughter and woman."

The premise of this book was what drew me in beyond the cover. Being an illustration student, I am really interested in art and fine art especially so the historical elements of this book were a highlight for me, backing up Esther's decisions throughout the story. Although the plot was good, I think that the book was a bit slow for me. With 377 pages, it is an average sized novel but I think that some of the points were not needed and if they had not have been included, there would have been a more interesting mystery surrounded the protagonists past. Despite this being quite a slow read, I was interested from the start and due to the small chapters, I did just keep reading on.

The characters were slightly under-developed but I think that on the whole they were all very individual and in some ways relatable. Esther, the protagonist, has the same traits as most arty-types, being quite an introverted person when it came to her emotions and passionate about her projects, but on the other hand, she is a very head-strong character and in some ways this helps the reader to relate to her a lot more.

The writing in this novel was wonderful and easy to read. As it is told from first person perspective, you get inside the head of Esther Glass and the way it is written reflects this personal approach to story telling. I like that historical details were included in this novel because this added extra dimension and although some facts were embellished, this made you connect more with the masterpieces as Esther does throughout the story.

Overall, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars because although I enjoyed it, I found it quite slow but interesting all the same. I really like the cover of the book as it reflects the plot perfectly and the inclusion of the paintings on the inside of the particular edition that I bought made it easier for me to visualise the paintings as Esther describes them.

Gone at Zero Hundred 00:00 Cover Reveal!

Sydney Marie McSwain and her pal, Cody Beck, team up to take on a secret club called The Devil’s Door where members are branded with the tattoo of a devil and call themselves The Privileged Ones.

Sydney Marie McSwain – a tomboy who yearned for a father.

Cody Beck – a wannabe filmmaker, wisenheimer and flirt.

Jaden White – the star who led the high school hockey team to two championships, and was now on the A-list for NHL scouts.

Sydney Marie McSwain loves her mom, Anna – a private investigator in the coastal city where they live – but they had a major issue between them. Anna refused to give Sydney the identity of her father. On the day of her high school graduation, they were battling it out, once again. An hour later, Sydney, Cody and Jaden were at the local café, and watched as Anna was gunned down, and it was broadcasted on live TV.

Faced with immediate responsibility, Sydney and Cody agreed to take over the agency, only they changed the name to McSwain & Beck. At the same time, Sydney convinced Sutter Beach Detective, Ace Carter, to help her track down her father.

Out of the blue, a model walked in and hired them to follow her step-brother. While Cody was busy editing a trailer to solicit new clients, Sydney settled into her lemon-yellow pickup to do surveillance, and wound up staking out a secret club called The Devil’s Door whose suspicious members wore the tattoo of a devil.

That same night, Sydney received a call from one of her mom’s former clients, only the client was gunned down at the location where they agreed to meet. The mysterious discovery of a DVD revealed the possibility that teenagers were being abducted, only nobody reported them missing.

On the hunt for the victims, McSwain & Beck were chased by men in ski masks, nearly gunned down by members of a cartel called the outlaws, Sydney’s precious pickup was broken into; then the step-brother they were hired to follow, was found dead and Sydney was the number one suspect.

If things weren’t bad enough already, they had to figure out how to crash a red-carpet Mardi Gras bash being held on a private cruise ship, before it sailed off into the sunset, where they just might meet the devil, himself.

Now, the clock was ticking…

And time was running out…

How was she ever going to find her father, now?

“Their lives were in the hands of two 18 year-olds…”

Title: Gone at Zero Hundred 00:00
Genre: YA action-mystery thriller
Published: March 30, 2012
Author: CR HIATT
Website: http://www.crhiatt.com/
Blog: mcswainandbeck.com
Twitter: @mcswainandbeck
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CRHIATT?bookmark_t=page

Soul of the Band by K.L. Brady

From the Award-Winning Author of The Bum Magnet, Got a Right to Be Wrong, and Worst Impressions, a new novel for young adults of all ages.

After years of living with her mother’s mental illness, Brandy Jackson gets a new start in a new town where she finds love, frenemies, a spot in an all-white high school marching band…and lots of trouble!

Music-loving 16-year-old Brandy Jackson has had it up to here with "they"--the annoying voices inside her mother's head. She isolates herself from the dreaded schizophrenic episodes with Beethoven and her iPod. Her long-suppressed desire to learn music is squelched by the burden of mental illness, at least until she arrives home from school to find her belongings on the DC streets and her mother vanished. Fortunately, Aunt Charlie comes to her rescue and moves her to Mapleton, Ohio, where she begins a new life free of her troubled past—or so she thinks.

Brandy’s plans to fly under the radar at school in order to conceal her family's shame are quashed when Jenny Lee, her new next-door neighbor and a flutist, recognizes Brandy's musical obsession and urges her to join the all-white high school marching band. Brandy obliges and soon realizes she’s traded her old troubles for new ones. Now, she stands out like a chocolate chip floating in a sea of milk; she has less than three months to learn to play her dreaded tuba-—her only ticket to earn a spot on the band; and a near kiss with the Queen B’s boyfriend lands her in triple trouble with the popular chick clique. But when another band member’s failed plot to get rid of his nemesis unexpectedly leaves Brandy in contention for the band’s most coveted position, the ensuing drama will give her the strength rise above her circumstances—or leave her paralyzed in the shame of her past.

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A Scandal in Bohemia - Arthur Conan Doyle

Title: A Scandal in Bohemia

Author: Arthur Conan Doyle

This is an extremely short story but as the first Sherlock Holmes book I have ever read, it did not disappoint.

Being a huge fan of the BBC adaptation, Sherlock, I thought that this may ruin the reading experience but I found that they can be enjoyed completely separately and one does not seem to overshadow the other. Being set in the Victorian age rather than the modern times helps this differentiation, as well as the perspective the stories are told from. In the TV series, we see an overview of all of the characters, whereas the books are from the first-person perspective of Dr. Watson which adds a more personal touch, and also makes his opinions and feelings a lot more real.

This story was completely different to the on-screen version, A Scandal in Belgravia, despite the similar title, yet the main side character, Irene Adler, was described very similarly. I soon came to realise to approach this as a completely new story because the time period and the language used are so different and also the style of writing that Arthur Conan Doyle employs.

Overall, I gave this story 4 out of 5 stars but I am very interested in reading more of the Sherlock Holmes stories because I think that they make a good contrast to the television series and they are enjoyable to  read due to the writing style and character personalities.

The Demdike Legacy - Barry Durham

Title: The Demdike Legacy

Author: Barry Durham

Publication information: Lulu.com (2012)

"When Jennifer Southern is found murdered in her cottage on the outskirts of a Lancashire village, it reopens the book on a legacy of witchcraft that was thought to have ended four hundred years ago when the Lancashire Witches were hanged at Lancaster Castle in 1612. But their descendents have lived on, following the old religion and keeping themselves to themselves until now it seems someone it determined to wipe them out. Jennifer’s murder is just the first, and the fact that she is found with a noose round her neck, points to the fact that that her killer considers her death an execution. While the police puzzle their way through the case, Jennifer’s husband Nicholas (a direct descendent of the original Demdike) decides to deal with things his own way but finds himself pitted against an implacable enemy. As the body count rises, the police reluctantly realise they must join forces with the modern-day witches if the killer is to be brought to book. But will they find him before he carries out his plans?"

I think that the plot was fantastically researched and although graphic in parts, I think that it was all completely relevant to the enormity of the plot. In my opinion, this is a very adult novel but would be suitable for more mature teenage readers. The plot itself is complex and engaging, making you want to turn the page whether that is through interesting romantic relationships or the darker aspects of the mystery. Although, to me, it was obvious who the murderer was from the beginning, I found that this just made me more interested in his plans and how the police were going to find him.

The characters in this novel were what kept me reading through even the darker parts of the story. The mystery surrounding Nicholas was intriguing and the methodical techniques of Stone and Johnson kept me interested throughout. I think that all of the characters were really well developed and even now I have finished reading, I want to read more about them, especially Stone and Johnson. I found that these were especially well developed characters which were quite relatable in some ways. I like that the murderer was given a lot of background history and personality, despite him being the "villain" in this book. I think that this made the darker parts of the story more real and necessary to the plot and gave the reader enough reasons to want to know why these events were taking place.

I found the writing in this novel very easy to follow and the pace was perfect throughout making this a steady read. Sometimes books like this can be slow because too much information is being thrown at the reader but in this case, I found that there was a perfectly balanced mix of fact and fiction which made the reader wonder how much of the plot was based on history. This added a lot to the creepier parts of the plot and kept me hooked as I am fascinated with this kind of subject.

Overall, I would give this 5 out of 5 stars as I loved every aspect of the premise and the way it was written. I think living near the area where this story is based made it all the more enjoyable but creepy, making this an interesting and engaging read for anyone who enjoys supernatural, mystery or history based novels.

Deidre Haverlock Guest Post!

Author Deidre Haverlock has stopped by my blog today with a guest post for her blog tour. Check it out!
What is your favorite genre…and why?

Gothic, of course. My first gothic book was titled, The Bloody Dagger. (I wrote that in grade three, for my mom.) It was a story about a man who hides in the shadows, killing unsuspecting people. A kid finally hunts him down and rats him out. I’m sure my gloomy story impressed my mom. I know it impressed my teacher, Mrs. Whalen, who asked, “Don’t you have any happy thoughts?” I have a lot of happy thoughts…the guy got caught, didn’t he?

Actually, I haven’t met too many people who don’t love a good gothic book. I even heard that The Monk is being released fairly soon as a movie. (I can’t wait. In fact, I wanted to write a screenplay for that book…drat, I’m too late!) It seems gothic has definitely risen to the top of some people’s A-lists. Which is somewhat weird, gothic is after all dark and depressing. But I think the genre has gotten a bad reputation due to a horrendous misunderstanding.

Feminists tend to dislike the female gothic tradition because it portrays women as weak and needy (think The Mysteries of Udolpho). FYI, in the female gothic tradition, a girl struggles to survive under the burden of a patriarchal society (think The Handmaid’s Tale), and most often she waits to be saved, usually by a man (think Saving Mary: The Possession). This pathetic desire to be saved (without lifting a finger to save herself) certainly would put feminists on edge. After all, it’s true—women don’t always need to be saved. But a totally intolerant stance against the female gothic tradition misses the beauty of it.

If anyone is a fan of gothic they should read Art of Darkness by Anne Williams, where the male and female gothic traditions are discussed. Like this author, I don’t see the female gothic tradition (which includes the need to “be saved”) as intrinsically weak and pathetic. I see it as reflecting a talent within all of us…it just shows up best in the weak. It’s the ability to ask for help and accept help. And whether we like it or not, there are instances in life where we are simply incapable of saving ourselves (read my book and you’ll see); and, therefore, faith in the mysterious other (to save us) kicks in.

Both traditions (including the male gothic model—which includes the need for punishment) are core issues inside all of us. FYI, in the male tradition the protagonist usually has to die or at the very least suffer for his/her vile and sinful life (think Anne Rice’s books or The Monk or The Picture of Dorian Gray). Typically, the male gothic model is condemned by Christians (as opposed to feminists) because of the model’s focus on sin and punishment. (In male gothic there is no salvation for the character, only hopelessness.) But again, dislike for this model can be caused by a misunderstanding for the genre. Christians, after all, should understand the concept of eternal damnation more than anyone.

In these contexts, gothic isn’t about horror. It’s about life: oppression and sin, salvation and damnation. Either way you look at gothic, if someone gets saved or someone gets a final punishment—it means the darkness has passed. And that’s why I love it.

We all live in a gothic world, and we have to learn how best to survive it.

Author's Links:
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Website Link - www.deidrehavrelock.com
BOOK TRAILER LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZiA4VhQMPc
Email – havrelock@charter.net
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The Tears of the Salamander - Peter Dickinson

Title: The Tears of the Salamander

Author: Peter Dickinson

Publication information: Macmillan Publishers Limited (2004)

The Tears of a Salamander by Peter Dickinson follows the story of Alfredo, a young choir boy, and his encounters with his mysterious uncle. This is a mysterious story full of magic and depth which is marketed as a children's book but I think that YA readers may also enjoy it.

Overall the plot was quite good. I liked the mystery element and the depth to the history of Alfredo's ancestry and of the powers that his relatives have. I also like the way that the end of the plot is hinted at throughout but is not entirely clear until the very end.

In my opinion, the characters let this book down quite a lot. Although I really liked the amount of development in all of the side characters, I did not feel that I could connect with Alfredo as much as a reader should be able to connect with a protagonist. I found that, maybe due to his age, I always felt distant from him and although most of his thoughts were written, his emotions did not show well enough throughout certain plot points. This distance made this a difficult read for me as parts of it seemed to drag and I found myself getting frustrated with some of the characters.

Also, the writing made me feel distant from the characters. It was not very descriptive in the way it told the reader about the area or how the protagonist was feeling, leaving a lot of questions unanswered. Due to this being a children's book, the vocabulary was quite simple and did not really engage me that much with the plot.

Overall, I would give The Tears of the Salamander 3 out of 5 stars as I did not feel like the book itself lived up to the intriguing premise. I think that younger readers may enjoy this book because of the plot and the simplicity of the writing but unfortunately this was not for me.