GoodRead - Frozen

As you guys might be aware, I was on the Mystical Lit Lounge podcast, chatting about the World Premiere of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (my episode is here if you fancy a listen or you're curious on what I sound like). So, because I love this podcast and both Kim and Shannon, I wanted to do one of the podcast's Book of the Month. And this month, the podcast was doing two books I really want to read: Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston and These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. So, bought both audiobooks and I have finished Frozen, hence this review.

So, hopefully, the lovely ladies at MLL will have a spoiler-filled episode on this out by the time this review pops online (if so, the link will go here!). If not, oh well... Here's my (hopefully) spoiler-free review.

In a futurist world covered in ice, there is New Vegas. Its neon lights still shining bright. The gambling still 24/7. Nat is a young blackjack dealer in one of the casinos, but she is Marked and in hiding. For if you're Marked, you are treated with fear. Nat can hear a voice inside her head, ordering her to travel to the Blue. A place where the skies are blue, the water is drinkable and the sun shines. But the Blue doesn't exist... right?

But when she's finds a map that could take her there, she enlisted the help of Wes, a "runner" and a former Marine. Can he get her safety there? And what would the pair face as they cross the ice and the dangerous black waters?

Now, I'm in two minds over this. I like the audiobook and I like the idea of the story. But I have problems. Quite a few problems that can really be summed up into three points.

But let's start with the positives. I enjoyed listening to the story, and I think the main reasons for this was he two readers of the audiobooks: Phoebe Stroll and Dan Bittner. I liked how they read the characters of Wes and Nat. Even though one or two characters's voices grated on me a little bit, I enjoyed how they told the story.

And (all English teachers around the world would be furious that I started a sentence with that word) I liked the general idea of Frozen. I like the idea of there being a second ice age and the idea that there is a utopia somewhere on the planet. Plus, the story between Nat and Wes that slowly turned from client and hired help to friends to possible lovers was nice and slow. Not instant love. HURRAY!!!

But I have faults. Three real faults.

The first is age. By that, I mean both of the main characters and the target readership. Both Nat and Wes are sixteen. Yet, this feels unbelievable. As I stated before, Nat is a blackjack dealer so it kinda fits. If you don't think too much about the gambling laws at the present moment (which, by the looks of it, don't exist in this new icy world). But Wes is the problem. Wes is an ex-Marine sergeant, a mercenary and a "runner". Yet, we are told that Wes is sixteen years old. It doesn't feel plausible, and because of this, you begin to wonder if the authors change the characters's age by a few years to fit the YA age group. The reason I feel this is because, at times, I honestly felt that the characters should have been eighteen, nineteen, maybe even twenty and the story could have been more interesting but this would be classed as New Adult or fantasy.

My second problem is world building. I am using this as a very broad umbrella so please bear with me. The world building in this story was, to me, either vague or non-existent. If you want me to believe in this world, you have to give me something to believe in. For example, the world is in the grip of a second ice age but, to my knowledge, the authors didn't tell us what caused this ice age. Was it global warming? Was it a meteor, crashing into earth? Did the sun die? This was never explain so I always doubted it. Then we were introduced to fantastical creatures - sylphs, draus, drakons (aka dragons to you and I), thrillers (aka zombies), wailers and the Blue being a utopia that might have been Atlantis - and it's too much. We get confused and ask questions that don't get answered. You can't create a good world building by throwing magical creatures at the readers. It doesn't work.

My third and final point is predictability. Apart from one hour, maybe two hours at a push, I knew where the story was going. I could guess (and usually got right) what was going to happen in each chapter and saw how each chapter was going to end. And (that word again) because it was so predictable, I saw things and went "Oh, how convenient. Maybe... a little too convenient". Like I said, there was a nearly two hours of the story where I didn't know where it was going and there was one point I went "NO! Don't you dare do a Jace/Clary in City of Bones on me!" but, most of the time, I saw where it was going.

There is potential in this series. I'm hope that this potential could be hit upon in the second book. But the question is: will I go back to this series? Truthfully, I'm not certain. Maybe I will, just for the narrators. But the story... I'm not certain that I will rush out and buy it. Maybe I'll wait other reviewers reactions....

"Misguided Angel" & "Mrs Fry's Diary" Book Trailers

I'm a book addict. I admit that! But I also like the random book trailers that publishing houses make.

The two I have here are "Misguided Angel", fifth book in the Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz (I REALLY need to read the fourth book in the series, "The Van Alen Legacy") which is coming out in both the UK and the US later this month.

Now, anyone, what do you think this means...?

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

The second trailer (much more a fun trailer!) is for "Mrs Fry's Diary", from Twitter phenomenon that is Mrs Stephen Fry (follow here by clicking here. But one question is on everyone's lips: who is Mrs Stephen Fry?

GoodRead - UK Cover Vs US Cover

It's been a while, but I have just found a UK cover for a book series that I have recently got into (not reading book 4 yet! And awaiting the collection of short stories then am overdosing myself on this series!) The series is Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz and the book cover is for the fifth book in the series, "Misguided Angel".

So, here is the UK cover...


And here is the US cover...


US cover for me on this one. I like the UK cover, but there's something about the US cover that I quite like.

But what do you think? US cover or UK cover?

NOTE - Misguided Angel won't be out in the UK till 7th October 2010 and will be published by Atom Books.

GoodRead – Revelations (A "Blue Bloods" Novel)

takes a lungful of air

I have just LITERALLY finished the third book in the Blue Blood series (Revelations) by Melissa de la Cruz, a book series I have started since JFK airport in New York City so, of course, this series has a small place in my heart connected to the Big Apple.

Now, let's get down to the plot. In New York City, not everything is as it seems. And our heroine Schuyler Van Alen is beginning to figure that out. She is a Blue Blood, one of the City's glamorous vampire elite. Or is she? While she's accused of being a sinister Silver Blood, Schuyler's love life gets complicated. She is in love with Jack Force, another Blue Blood, but he is soon-to-be-bonded (and twin) with Schuyler's arch enemy, Mimi. Plus, her best friend, Oliver, is falling in love with her.

And all the while, Bliss (friend to both Schuyler and Mimi) is suffering from blackouts and bizarre visions of a man in a white suite. Is she going mad, or is there something more sinister going on?

And now, the risk of the Silver Bloods is rising. The stakes are high, loyalties will be tested and the battle will in end in bloodshed. But the question is, who will survive?

Keeping this short, but like I've always said, the Blue Blood series is a guilty pleasure. Like Gossip Girl, a TV show I always compare this series to. This will keep you on your toes as, FINALLY, we discover who the Silver Blood is! And I doubt you guys will see it coming!

GoodRead - Masquerade‏ (A "Blue Blood" Novel)

After reading the first in Blue Bloods series, I instantly jumped into the second “Masquerade” (which is rare for me. I find it difficult to read the same author two/three books in a row). And yes, due to what I said in the brackets, it did take me a while to read this. But that’s no fault of the story, nor the author. When I actually sat down and made time to read it, I flew through it (Sunday just gone, from chapter twenty-something to the end. Am quite pleased with myself.)

Before I go any further, I want to talk about the cover (the UK cover on show!). I love it. I think it’s one of my fave covers within the series so far (though this is having a small fight with the cover for book 3). But I have a small question over it. Who is on the cover? Is it meant to be Schuyler, Mimi or Bliss? Just a bit confused. Sorry. Had to ask.

Now, the story. It follows straight on after Blue Bloods within a matter of weeks and Schuyler Van Alen is in Venice, looking for her grandfather, a man she didn’t know existed till just mere moments before her grandmother’s death.

Meanwhile, back in New York City, “the cunning Mimi Force” (that what it says on the back cover of the book. And I TOTALLY agree with that!) is throwing a masquerade ball – which is exclusively for young Blue Bloods (aka the Young, Beautiful and Fanged).

Bliss is struggling to come to terms with the loss of Dylan and her blackouts and nightmares, which are slowly getting worse. So much so, that when she wakes up, she finds herself in places of extreme danger, like drowning in a lake in Central Park.

And the threat of the Silver Blood is rising. What will Schuyler have to do to make people believe that an old and deadly enemy is alive and preying of young Blue Bloods? And is she getting any closer to the truth to who the Silver Blood is…?

I do like the Blue Blood series and this book confirmed why I like it. It’s very much a guilty pleasure and it is very Gossip Girl. And yes, I still expect Kristen Bell’s voice to pop up, but to a lesser degree than when I read Blue Bloods.

Also, (I forgot to mention this in my Blue Bloods blog entry – whoops!) I like how, ever now and then, at the end of a chapter, something pops up which, at first, has no importance to the plot but then someone mentions it near the end and you go “Oh!”. In Blue Bloods, it was entries from a diary from a young woman onboard the Mayflower. In Masquerade, it’s mostly newspaper clippings about a young heiress going missing.

A guilty pleasure of a fast read, I do like this series! If you like Twilight and/or Gossip Girl, this is your book fix you need!

Now, onto book three in the series, Revelations, I go (and the audiobook version of the Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink – but which one will I be reviewing next…?)

*

LAST MINUTE ADD ON! I mentioned on Twitter about the Blue Blood series is turning into my guilty pleasure of the year and I got two replies that got me very happy. One was from the UK Publisher, Atom Books (who rocks!). The other - from Melissa De La Cruz - that's right! THE AUTHOR HERSELF!!! (why yes, I am a little in shock!)

@AtomBooks @PewterWolf13 Don't feel guilty about your love of @MelissadelaCruz. It's good to indulge, especially when the treat comes from Atom towers!

@MelissadelaCruz I'm ALL about guilty pleasures. But why the guilt? I just believe in pleasure. RT @atombooks @pewterwolf13 MDLC is guilty pleasure of year

And because of that, I'm going to put two videos up. One that I kept hearing in my head while reading Blue Bloods and the other that I played all the time while I was in New York...


(is it me, or do the Darlings from "Dirty Sexy Money" remind anyone of the Forces? Anyone? Or is it just me?)

GoodRead - Book Cover Excitement (Blue Bloods) & UK Cover Vs US Cover

The British Publisher of the Blue Blood series - Atom Books - have revealed that cover to KEYS TO THE REPOSITORY (a collection of "revealing short stories, journal entries, and never-before-seen letters about the vampire elite dating back through time." [Well, that's what Amazon.co.uk says].) And here it is, with the back cover and the spine!



I quite like this. I'm not 100% sure about showing us Schuyler (I imagined her differently) but I do like that fact they showed us New York's nightlife!

Now, before I go too ahead of myself, let me remind you of the US cover for KEYS TO THE REPOSITORY. Just to refresh your memories...



Dang it. I like the US cover too! It's more mysterious that the UK, but I have to say that I like the UK cover more!

It seems to me that Atom, when they publish books, they seem to go a little further with them... Let's hope they don't let me down with a few books that I want to read that are coming out over the course of the year.

GoodRead - Blue Bloods

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before – they’re young, fabulous, good-looking and they rule over Manhattan. No, I’m not talking about Gossip Girl, I am talking about the new vampire series that has been bought to the UK by the same publisher that bought the Twilight Saga and the House of Night series to UK shore.

Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz (the first book in the series of the same name) starts with us introducing to our characters and sets everything up for the next few books. We meet our main character, Schuyler Van Alen, and her friend, Oliver, as they try to get into a club (under fake IDs) where Schuyler swears she sees a man get run over by a taxi, only to rush over and find that he hadn’t. And to find that he’s Jack Force, one of the hottest guys in school. And not ever in the same sphere as her. Yet he knows her name!

But things begin to happen. Because soon, Schuyler discovers that she's a Blue Blood, a member of the city's glamorous and secret vampire elite. They're young, beautiful and powerful (not mentioned fanged - yes, they have fangs). But now they're being murdered - which is impossible but Blue Bloods can't die. Or so they thought. Now, Schuyler must find out who or what is behind it before she's next.

The start of a series and it sets everything up nicely (yes, this is a long game book series, like Harry Potter and House of Night) and stupidly easy to fall into. Maybe it's because I was actually in New York when I started this book (must thank the lovely Atom Book Twitter-Person for sending me a copy of this book! I owe you one!) so I could say I walked down that Avenue or was at Time Square.

But I fell into this book and enjoy myself while reading it. Sure, there was one or two things that some people might find annoying (the list of fashion labels might put some boys off) but I love Blue Bloods and I can't wait to start on the second book in the series, Masquerade!

GoodRead - Book Cover Excitement (Blue Bloods)

This is a blog to show off a book cover that might get people hot under the collar!

Now, the book series I have just started to get into (just started to read the first book in the series) is the series "Blue Bloods" by Melissa De La Cruz.

The fifth book in the series is called "Keys to the Repository" and the US cover has been released!



Now, the series is just made it to the UK, I have to wonder if the UK publisher (Atom Books) will use this cover or make a brand new cover as they might want to continue the use of pearls.

We'll have to wait and see...

GoodRead - UK Cover Vs US Cover

It’s been a while since I’ve done this. Sorry about that! No real book covers have catch my eye and I didn’t want to do another LORD SUNDAY related blog so, I was a bit stuck. So, thank you Twitter (aka @atombooks) for promoting its new book “Blue Blood”! Cos, that’s what I’m going to do! So, here is the UK and US covers…

Here is the UK cover of Blue Bloods:


And this is the US cover of Blue Bloods:


Ok, am going to be honest. When I first saw the UK cover (via the internet) it didn’t grip me. But I saw it in a book shop and I fell instantly in love with it. It held my attention and I actually picked up the book and read the back.

The US cover, though it looks different, looks quite cold (yes, this is a vampire novel so I get the “dead” look) but the UK cover grabs me more!

But you know what I like about both cover. They both look similar. You have the bare neck, the fangs marks (though they are different. The UK’s seem more how I imagine a vampire bit mark to be) and the pearls (sorry US cover, but the UK pearls PWN!)

But, the US cover reminds me a bit of the covers for the Mortal Instruments series, written by Cassandra Clare.

(Oh, I've just seen the sequel's - Masquerade - and, again, the UK wins it with me!)

So, the UK covers wins for me. But what about you? Do you like the UK cover or do you prefer the US? Leave a comment and let me know!!!