Halloween Kiss, Anyone?

Quick thanks to Beth Revis aka Jealous of Jetpack

My Soul To Steal: Animated Cover!

Mira Ink have revealed an EXCLUSIVE animated cover for the fourth book in the Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent, MY SOUL TO STEAL. This make Mira Ink "first YA publishers to create an animated book jacket for one of their titles", and that makes this kinda cool!



And it is! I love it! It's a really cool idea!

Now, also, there is a small competition running on Mira Ink for ten lucky people to win a copy of My Soul To Steal. Now, if you want to win a copy, you have to go to Mira Ink's Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/miraink - and comment on the picture of the My Soul To Steal cover. YOU HAVE TO COMMENT, no liking the picture! After that, Mira Ink will select the winners! Good luck!

The Hunger Games Character Posters!

Yesterday, Liongate revealed, from several different online locations, character posters for The Hunger Games. It was simple, yet effective posters. And, the lovely people at Hypable, got them all together and here they are...









And here is the only poster, where the character is looking to the right. Well, with the lead being Katniss, THEY HAD TO!!!



I really like them, much to my surprise. I'm still not 100% certain on Lenny Kravitz being Cinna (he's my fave character hence my resistance to him), but I love Rue's poster (it's perfect and heartbreaking) and whenever I look at Effie's poster, I feel the urge to laugh. It's tacky and it's perfect for her! Still not sure about Cato's poster (as I can't remember his character) but I thought we would see President Snow or Foxface. Now, that would be interesting to see...

Also, reported from Hypable, the real name of Foxface will be revealed in the movie! The actress playing Foxface, Jackie Emerson, revealed that the film will reveal her character's name as Suzanne Collins was heavily involved in the script writing process. She even, to my knowledge, wrote the first draft of the movie.

But what are you guys think of the posters and the news of Foxface's real name being revealed?

GoodRead - Sarah Millican: Keep Your Chins Up (Audiobook)

This was a random purchase as I kept listening to the 30 seconds teaser on iTunes for this and Sarah Millican’s Support Group (which came from this “pilot”, and I use that term loosely) and I found both the teasers funny. Also, I saw her on TV shows and I found myself laughing my head off so I felt I had to purchase this (and after listening to the first hour of Vampire Academy, which has a HORRIBLE READER and I can’t face listening to her, I needed something light!).

Originally aired on BBC Radio 4, Sarah Millican chats about her divorce and, how when this happened, her finding a councillor. Well, two. The first was shocking and the second who Sarah just clicked with. And with, she created a character called Jean, a relationship “...who is so good that most people don't come back after one appointment with her.” During her annual appraisal, Jean discusses her clients, her husband and the importance of pictures from Google of animals wearing clothes...

It’s a short, but quite funny half an hour, though there are moments where you do go “ah. This does feel like a pilot episode” as there are times you do feel out of sync with it. I have listened to the first series of Sarah Millican’s Support Group (am writing the review) and I feel that this is for the die-hard fans. If you’re a casual fan or curious, just go for the series.

Now, to get you through this lack of review (and seeing as this was mention on several occasions), I hope these pics help you smile...

UNTIL I DIE Cover Reveal

As you guys know, I loved Die For Me. It made me realise how much I REALLY WANT TO GO TO PARIS! I still want to go, and am planning to in the next few years!

Reason for post, Amy Plum, author the Revenants trilogy, has revealed the cover for the second book, Until I Die. And here it is:



Do you guys like it? I really like it. I might like it a tad more than the Die For Me cover, but that had the Eiffel Tower so it has more brownie points. And I am a sucker for red, blue and purple so it's a draw.

Now, this is the UK cover so no news on the US cover as of the moment, but remember, the US publisher changed the cover at the last minute so they had the UK cover. But I am excited to see the cover and I will be waiting (impatiently) for this book (but I have to wait till MAY 2012! So far away!!!)

And we didn't wait long for information. Yesterday, Mundie Moms revealed the Until I Die synopsis. And it makes for intriguing reading...

Kate has chosen to leave the comfort and safety of her human world in order to join Vincent in the dangerous supernatural universe he inhabits. For his part, he has sworn to go against his very nature and resist the repeated deaths that are his fate as a revenant—even though it will bring him immeasurable suffering.

Heady with romance and rife with danger, the second book of the DIE FOR ME trilogy follows Vincent and Kate as they search—separately—for a solution to their plight, pursuing their quest from the glamorous streets of Paris to the city’s squalid underbelly. Although the experiment that Vincent attempts is progressively destroying him, he insists on seeing it through to the end. This prompts Kate to strike out on her own into the dangerous world of the revenants to find another way. But she unwittingly puts everyone she loves at risk when she discovers a family of ancient healers who hold the key to a secret that could help the bardia—the good revenants—overthrow their murderous enemies, the numa, forever.

And while the lovers search for something they have little chance of finding, a new threat arises among the numa. Kate finds herself in the midst of an ancient and deadly war, not as a bystander...but as a target.

GoodRead - Hourglass

I discovered Myra McEntire via Twitter (again!) and after getting excited over hearing it tackles time-travel (or time-slip), I ordered it from the states (the wonders of Book Depository, as this book hasn't got a UK publisher) and waited till I found time to read it. And before long, I thought "Am reading this now!"

Emerson is seeing people who aren't there. Swooning Southern belles. Soldiers long forgotten. A jazz trio playing on a piano. Unsure what they are, she tries to cope the best she can. All she wants is to be normal. To forget that she was sectioned due to depression (caused by her parents' death) and just cope with life the best she can. So when her brother tries one last time with a consultant, Emerson decides to give it one more try.

She didn't expect her consultant to be Michael from the mysterious Hourglass. He's a year or two older than her, and seems to believe every word she says. And when they touch, sparks seem to fly. Literally.

So, why is this happen? And why does Michael believe her?

Now, this is a very different read for me. I'm not to describe this as a thriller/mystery or a time-slip novel as this fit in both. A thriller/mystery as the story adds questions and twists so you never know where you were going and when you did think you got what was going on, the rug gets pulled from under you. But then, as you have a time-slip, when the twists came, you were thrown as you never saw them coming. Hell, you never knew that the ideas could exist and then, Myra would explain it in such a way, you go "Oh. Okay. That makes sense." and you continue without questioning it.

Now, I would like to chat about the relationship between Emerson and Michael. But I won't. Nor will I touch on Caleb (says nothing), but I do want to write quickly about Emerson. She is kick-ass. Her humour took some getting use to, but she is one kick-ass female lead. In one of my fave scene, she threw Michael over her shoulder - and it was a proper karate move. And she didn't just do that move for the first time. She has been taught (and is a brown belt, if I remember correctly). What I'm trying to say is, even though things are happening to Emerson that are out of her control, she isn't waiting for someone to save her. She's saving herself and others around her.

I found Hourglass an interesting and a quite original debut novel and I'm sure there will be a sequel (there BETTER be! [EDIT: There will be. And it's called TIMEPIECE]), so hopefully, by then, Myra McEntire will have a UK publisher...

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And now, for book trailer and my song choices. ENJOY!

HarperCollins Book Bloggers Event

(aka How I Got Tongue-Tied InFront of Maureen Johnson... as you do!)

Am a bit late writing this up so BEAR WITH ME if my notes/memory are wrong!

So, on Saturday, I was invited to the first EVER Harper Collins Book Bloggers Event. It was very touch-and-go with me but, somehow, I made it! I had to leave the Person I'm With (aka the PIW) at Westfield Stratford (yes, I know! He is very understanding and yes, I know I'm a terrible boyfriend!) and rushed to Les Deux Salons around the Convent Garden/Leicester Square area for Afternoon Tea.

Oh yes, it sounded like a posh affair. And when I turned up, I felt very undressed. But it was lovely! There was a dangerous amount of food and tea. Now, as you guys know, I love my food and cups (the PIW coughed "Giant mugs of tea" then) so I was one happy blogger already. So, when you have three authors at this little event - Maureen Johnson, Will Hill and Robin Jarvis - you kinda forget why your there.

After quick introductions (where I got nervous and introduced myself as "I'm Andrew and I'm a book addict. No, wait! Wrong meeting!"), the three authors quickly chatted about their books.

Robin Jarvis chatted about his new trilogy Dancing Jax, which is about a dangerous book written by Austerly Fellows, a mysterious turn-of-the-century occultist, which has recently been discovered in a basement of an empty house. This book is dangerous and soon, children and teenagers are slowly getting caught up in this danger. Robin compared the dangers of Dancing Jax like "pushing drugs onto kids. But it's a book." and describe the dangerous world as "Narnia on crack". Now, this trilogy is a big deal as this is Robin's first novel in a DECADE!!!

Then, we had Will Hill, author of Department 19 and its sequel The Rising. He chatted about how the two books can be read together or separately (which is good as I haven't read Department 19 but The Rising sounds like awesomely scary!). He described both books as "violent and unpleasant", and yet his mum just finished reading The Rising and said "I liked it, though I'm not sure about page 300...". Will continued to talk about how Department 19 can be seen as a "rescue mission" whereas The Rising is "very much a fight for survival."

And then, Maureen Johnson talked about Name of the Star. She introduced herself as "The one with the accent". She explained how the idea of the Shade of London series came about. It came from when she was in London, researching The Last Blue Envelope. She was on a ghost tour and thought "Why aren't I putting dead bodies in my books?" then "Why do people think there's a ghost that opens a door or makes a cold spot? Why not have a ghost with attitude?". With that, she researched London, Jack the Ripper and the sewer system (Still not sure why, Maureen?). With that, she revealed that she kept up the death in the series as within the first chapter of book two, she "killed a character with a hammer". Then, suddenly, she said, "I have the title of book 2 but I haven't told my editor" [who was sitting a seat away from me]. So, quickly whispered in the editor's ear and the editor went "Love it!", Maureen revealed the title to us. The second book in the Shades of London series is...

... THE MADNESS BENEATH!

So, after that, we were offered books, more cake and a chat to quickly to the authors. I was late to the books so I only got some (but I grab a copy of Carrier of the Mark which I have my eye on for quick some time...) and then chatted to the authors briefly. I told Robin Jarvis that after starting one of his books (it was either The Alchymist's Cat, The Raven's Knot or Deathscent), I left it unfinished as it scared me beyond words! He seemed a tiny bit pleased about that.

Then, I tried to talk to Maureen and ask her to sign my copy of Name of the Star. Now, here's the thing. I get nervous easily, so I fake my confidence quite a bit. And seeing as I almost whacked my head on a lamp, it didn't go that well. But Maureen was lovely and must have been shattered seeing as she literally came from a book-signing (I bet the line was full of Nerdfighters! DFTBA!!!!). And I'm not sure why I was nervous around her when I was chatting with her one-to-one as a group of us chatted to her while drinking tea and eating scones about Misfits, John Green, Alex Day & Charlie MacDonald (Nerimon & CharlieIsSoCoolLike for those of you who use YouTube).

After the event, when having a quick drink, chatted quickly to Will Hill over his iPad (I know. How rock and roll) and going "He's random and cool. And where the hell did he get that T-Shirt from? WANT!") and with that, I left to return to the PIW at Westfield and hope he didn't spend too much money.

Now, to HarperCollins, I want to give a quick thank you for inviting me. It was a lovely afternoon!

PS - HarperCollins gave us a mysterious USB stick, which is rumoured to have extra content (video, extracts, etc). Haven't plugged it into my computer yet but will soon...!

You Were Fired?

Thanks Cats That Talk tumblr for making me smile!

GoodRead - The Near Witch

I'm not 100% sure how I came across this author. I suspect Twitter. So, because of that, I preordered this (this is rare for me. Recently, I seem to be getting books from the publishers and friends to review. I have been very lucky, me thinks!). So, after a few books that were a bit dark, I fancied something different. So, my hands found this in my Books To Read pile by the side of my bed (let's say nothing about the piles by the foot of my bed, shall we...?)

In the town of Near, some facts hold true. The wind is lonely and if it calls you at night, don't listen to it. The Near Witch is a fairy tale is told to scare children. And no strangers ever come to Near. But one night, Lexi sees a stranger of the moors, and he seems to vanish like smoke. And then, the next night, children start to vanish. The village beginning to think the stranger is to blame, starting a witch hunt.

But Lexi doesn't believe that he's guilty. So, if he isn't, who is taking the children? Is the Near Witch more than a scary fairy tale? Is that even possible?

Now, I read this book quite fast (especially near the end! Oh, that chapter!) for two reasons: first, I discovered that I got a job and I wanted to finish Near Witch before I started (I now don't have it so, that worked out!). The second was I just flew through this story. It is very fairy tale-like but had an edge to it. You sense that not all was well and, due to the time where the story was set, you wanted Lexi to figure it out as the book was set in a early time (not medieval, but I had that in my head) and with nearly every male character going "You can't do that", it was more to prove a point.

Which is why I like Lexi. She knew her own mind and wasn't afraid to go "This isn't right. This is what I must do." She has a strong sense of doing the right thing, even if other people disagree.

There were times I was reminded of another book in which a village is gripped by paranoia and that was Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakely-Cartwright (click here for that review - oh, I watched the film. I prefer the book more. Just saying!) but there were times that it seems better and you sensed that the people of Near wanted an Scape goat and weren't afraid of framing an innocent person. I found that moment quite shocking...

Now, as I read the book so fast, I felt the last few chapters could have been a bit thicker. But that's me. Maybe I should reread those chapters to get my head round it. And yes, this included one really creepy moment when you discover what happen to the missing children...

At the present moment, I believe this book doesn't have a UK publisher (WHY NOT?!), so if you want to read this book, you have to get it imported from the states from Amazon or Book Depository but if you fancy reading a fairy tale-like story with a slight dark edge, this might right up your street.

That Becca Fitzpatrick Event...

So, yesterday, I went meant to go to a signing up London for Becca Fitzpatrick, author of the Hush, Hush saga. AND GUESS WHAT? The trains were out to "overhead wire damage at Bethnal Green" (thanks for saying that online the times I check, National Rail!)

So, as a sorry, I hope you enjoy this video... :)

GoodRead - Silence

As you guys know, I like Becca Fitzpatrick. She seems to get the whole Fallen Angel genre. And she seems to write fallen angels better than any other writer out there. So, fans have been excited over the third book in the saga, Silence and the secrets in this...

Following the climax of Crescendo, Nora finds herself on her father's grave. Expect she has been missing for three months and her memory is missing for the past five (aka since the start of Hush, Hush). So, what happened to her? What happened in those three months she was mssing? And if so, where's Patch?

Now, I finished the book Sunday night so am, at the moment, trying to get me head round it and understand it all. So, bear with me.

Silence is still as dark and as twisted as Hush, Hush and Crescendo and that's always a good thing. I wouldn't have liked it if it lose its edge in the dark side. And with this mystery over Nora's memory and why Patch is no longer around is interesting. Plus, the fact we're ahead of Nora on the whole Fallen Angels and Nephilim so seeing Nora figuring it out ALL OVER AGAIN was very interesting.

Now, there's a few things that might bother you guys. On one or two occasions that I did go "Wait! What?". There are so many things that go on that you do have to keep ahead of yourself. Also, there was a few moments where you want to grab Nora and shake her as she does something that you go "NO, YOU STUPID GIRL! DON'T DO IT!!!". One occasion I can think of when Nora returns home from hospital after being found at the graveyard and, within a matter of hours, she goes back to the graveyard without telling anyone where she was going and IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT! NONONONO!!!!

And the ending... let's briefly talk about that. With dates before Silence was released, Becca revealed via Twitter that there will be a fourth book in the Hush, Hush saga and this fourth book will be the final book in the series. Now, that I have read the ending of Silence, I can completely understand why there has to be a fourth book. It was left so open-ended and, at the same time, on a cliffhanger that there was no way fans of the series would have accepted the ending of Silence as it is to be the end of the saga.

Though Silence might not be my fave in the series, it still punches about its waist and give fans of the series more Nora and Patch. Plus, Becca Fitzpatrick is wonderful at writing, so I will be waiting for, what I hope will be, a stunning conclusion...







PS - when I bought both the Waterstones' (with exclusive chapter from Patch's Point of View) and the red WHSmiths at the PIW's (the Person I'm With) dad, and this is what happened...


GUARDKITTY!

Books Make You Become Someone Else

Love this pic. Want to thank Sasha aka FzngWizbee and her tumblr for showing me this.

WHITE CROW by Marcus Sedgwich MOVIE NEWS! (& quick City Of Bones Movie News)

Let's chat about Marcus Sedgwick. As you know, I recently reviewed Marcus' latest novel MIDWINTERBLOOD and from that, I discovered that Marcus is adapting his novel, My Swordhand is Singing, into a stage play (was quite excited about that - make it come to London or Essex!). But, randomly, I discovered that the film rights to another novel of his, White Crow, has been snapped up and will begin filming as early as NEXT YEAR!

Hypable exclusively revealed the press release and it makes VERY interesting reading! Here is it in full:

Independent financier and production company Kerry, Kimmel and Pollack (KK&P) has secured the rights and will co-finance and co-produce the novel WHITE CROW, written by Marcus Sedgwick. The film will be produced and/or executive produced by Kami Garcia, NYT bestselling co-author of The Beautiful Creatures Series, Mark Morgan (The Twilight Saga), Michael Pollack (Quattrocento) & Brett Hudson (Cloud 9).

WHITE CROW is a psychological thriller that centers on a 16 year-old girl who moves to a sleepy seaside town with a deadly past, and discovers what’s on the other side of death.

KK&P plans to shoot the film in the fall of 2012 on Isle of Man, located within the British Isles.

The author, Marcus Sedgwick, has been nominated for the Carnegie Medal, the Edgar Allan Poe, and the Guardian Children’s Book Prize.

WHITE CROW marks Kami Garcia’s entrance into the world of film and television production. While some Young Adult and Adult authors are currently producing their own novels, Garcia is not only producing her upcoming solo novel Unbreakable: Book 1 in The Legion Series from Little, Brown (also with Mark Morgan and KK&P), but other film and television properties as well.

Now, as I've only recently read my first Marcus Sedgwick, am very intrigued over this. I am very intrigued that one half of the Beautiful Creatures series, Kami Garcia is either produce and/or executive produce this film. As some of you LOVE the Beautiful Creatures series (I haven't read it!), it will be interesting to see what she does to it...

But I love this news! Can't wait to get my teeth into this...!

Also, random add-on and not connected with Marcus Sedgwick, is the movie vision of Cassnadra Clare's City of Bones. It has been revealed by Hypable & Mundie Moms that Marlene King is writing the screenplay. For those of you who are wondering, she is the showrunner for the Pretty Little Liars TV series! So, hopefully, the film will start getting filmed soon!

Hunger Games ADULT covers!

I've been away (at Alton Towers with the Person I'm With aka the PIW). And, of course this happens, book news hits Twitter. Scholastic UK revealed that they will be publishing The Hunger Games trilogy with adult covers. Now, I'm not 100% certain why we need adult covers, but Scholastic revealed them on Friday and they do look lovely!





For those eagle-eyed amount you, the birds are the Mockingjays taken from the US covers (and I do like the US covers of Mockingjay. I love the blue) so I might consider getting the adult Mockingjay. But what do you guys think?

The adult covers of the Hunger Games will be out in the UK on 1st December, just in time for Christmas and a good several months before the first movie.

GoodRead - Flesh Which Is Not Flesh

I'm sure some of you know about Jessica Verday and this story. For those who don't, a quick recap. Jessica wrote this story for a collection of short story, but the story didn't make it. The editor was in two minds over it as the main characters were both young gay men. It's more-complex than that but, after long thought, Jessica pulled the story from the collection. Later, the editor said "These teen anthologies I do are light on the sex and light on the language. I assumed they'd be light on alternative sexuality, as well. Turns out I was wrong! Just after I had the kerfuffle with jessica, I was told that the publishers would have loved the story to appear in the book! Oh dear. My rashness will be the death of me. It's a great story. Hope jessica publishes it online."

And that's what Jessica did, with some of the proceeds going to Living Beyond Tolerance scholarship.

So, the story. Cameron goes to a carnival and, to his shock, meets Wesley, the boy who once broke his heart and left town without so much as a goodbye, performing as a sword swallower’s assistant. But something's wrong. Why did Wesley leave without saying goodbye? Why did he break Cameron's heart the way he did? And who is the strange woman who seems to hold Wesley her prisoner?

Now, I like Jessica Verday's writing style within her "The Hollow" trilogy and this carried through within this short story and the idea of the story was interesting. She also didn't make a big deal about the two characters - Cam and Wesley - being gay. It was just handled the same way she wrote the love story between her main characters, Abbey and Caspian, in her "The Hollow" trilogy. She even stated on her blog that "You don't choose who you fall in love with and you don't choose to be gay" which, to me, makes perfectly true.

And while I sped through the novella (it's 13,000 word novella) within an hour, it is a short story and with that, details weren't really explained. It seemed to skim every now and then, but whether that was how I read the story or how the story was written, I'm not sure.

Another thing that a review on Goodreads is that the book suffers from "Disappearing Parent Syndrome". You see neither of Cam's parents and I get why they were seen nor heard, but surely there was one or two things you would have seen then. Also, the story is very "dated". But that, I mean they are modern reference that, in a few years time, might be out of date. There is mention of Lady Gaga, Kellan Lutz and Google that might get on some people's nerves.

But it was a fast read. And I like it. Not love it, but I like it. It warms me up for the third and final book in "The Hollow" trilogy, The Hidden.

GoodRead - Midwinterblood

As you guys know, I went to the Indigo Launch Party a few months ago (if you haven't read it, click here). And after trying to find time to read them (I now sense I am going to do a huge Indigo read this November...) and failing as I read The Near Witch & Hourglass (both reviews will come in the next few weeks, FYI), I decide to grab one and read it. So, onto Twitter, I asked which book to read (I gave four or five choices) and MIDWINTERBLOOD came out the winner. I think the reason for that was I had a copy of that as a ringer-binder.

Midwinterblood. Where to start on explain this strange book...? Do you ever get the feeling you've lived a life once before? Or the feeling you've met someone before but never have? With Eric, he has that feeling. It's 2073 and Eric has arrived at Blessed Island where he meets, and falls in love with, Melee. But he has the feeling that they have meet before in a previous life... Through seven parts from seven different times, we see that it might be possible. But why is the past so important? Why is the past effecting Eric and Melee's future?

Now, I have to tell you something. Something that most book bloggers out there will be shocked over. I have never read a Marcus Sedgwick book. I know of him and I've always been intrigued but I always thought of him as Horror. And seeing as I'm not a horror person, I usually stay away...

So, when I got this for Indigo, I got quite excited but held this at a distance. And now I can say am a bit miffed with myself for not reading him sooner. It was dark, creepy, unafraid to be "grown-up" at times and, at several points, a completely mindf***. It was almost like a crime novel. You got the beginning but, as you go through the book (and through time), you began to figure things out. You saw the layers and that was interesting to suddenly go "No way!" and figure out the clues.

This novel was inspired by the painting "Midvinterblod" by Carl Larsson and after finishing the story and then going online to see it, I can see why. I like how Marcus got from this painting to the story and all it's parts (I very much like parts 2, 5 and 6. Not going to tell you what they are called - don't want to spoil it for you!).

But this is a dark, creepy novel with layers. I wish I discovered Marcus Sedgwick sooner...

SPIDER-KITTY!

Quick thanks to Smash Attack's tumblr!

Meet The Blogger - Girls In The Stack

Welcome, welcome, welcome! Welcome to the Maybe-FINAL blog post for the Meet The Blogger! That's right, it's done! There is no more... for now...

Now, seeing as this is the last Meet The Blogger (maybe), a quick note to say thank you to EVERYONE who took part in this. This came from a random idea on a Bank Holiday Monday in May. So, to have so many people took part and helped out is wonderful! THANK YOU ALL!!!

This week's final Meet The Bloggers are the lovely ladies from Girls In The Stack! Check out their website at http://girlsinthestacks.com/ or subscrible to their podcast.

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When did you start blogging?
We started about two years ago (2009). And it’s been a FUN two years!

What made you start blogging?
The same reason as other bloggers, to share our love of the written word!! Seriously, we read a couple of books that really blew us away and we felt compelled to talk about them, as well we wanted to find other books to feed our new obsession.

What was the first book you reviewed for your blog and what was your reaction to it?
Graceling by Kristin Cashore. Looking back at that review is pretty scary, but our reaction was pretty clear. One of us loved it while the other thought, meh.

When was the first time you realised you were a Book Blogger?
Our first comment!! We love comments.

When did you start podcasting? And what was the first book you did?
We started podcasting as soon as the site went live, and our first podcast was Graceling by Kristin Cashore. We’re too scared to go back and listen to it, lol.

How much of your time a week do you spend blogging & podcasting?
We spend a lot of time blogging, maybe 15 hours a week or more. As for podcasting, about 1-2 hours per week.

Has your taste in book genres changed since starting the blog and the podcast?
Oh, heavens yes. When we first started it was all about the vampires. Thankfully, we are more diversified now.

What book has got you very excited or made you cry?
We all loved, loved The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen. As for a book that made us cry, If I Stay and Where She Went by Gayle Foreman.

Have you read any book that you disliked so much, you threw it across the room?
In the physical sense, no.

What advice would you give to anyone who wants to take part or what to set up a book blog?
Have fun, be nice and read what you want to!!

Now, to ask five fun quick-fire questions. What song are you listening to right now?
We’re really down with The Cave by Mumford & Sons and mostly anything on Radio Disney.

MySpace, Facebook or Twitter?
TWITTER!!!

Hardback, paperbacks or eBooks?
All three!!!

Letters, phone, texting or emailing?
Not gonna lie, letters are fun to get in the mail, but in reality emailing is our thing.

Zombies or unicorns?
No vampires or werewolves here. But seeing as this is you guys...haha, can we plea the Fifth?

Daughter of Smoke and Bone LAUNCH PARTY!

Last night, in a small bar in the city of London, Hodder did a launch party for THE DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor. It was filled with the author (and her amazing pink hair!), people from Hodder and the PR company Hot Cherry, booksellers, bloggers...

... and myself.

Yep. I was there! And it was one interesting and slightly random evening.

As you know, I don't see myself as a blogger (still waiting for the day when someone goes "Hey! You're faking it! GET OUT!" but still... no one notice!) so getting invited to these events and ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO GO is kind of a big (and surreal) thing for me.

So, after turning up at the location (getting lost while trying to find the place), I bumped into bloggers I have met before (HELLO!!!) and bloggers I haven't met before and only know through Twitter and spying on their blogs (HELLO! Have you survived meeting me?). And after we got our hands on a special cocktail made for the event (it was PINK! And a video of it being made is at the bottom of the blogpost), everyone went and chatted to everyone else. And there was a lot of people at this event that loved the book - basically, people who love books and get excited over books!

And then, we all met the author. Laini Taylor. She's lovely! Really nice and smiley! She was on Woman's Hour that morning (here it is - start around the 25 minutes mark!) and looked like she was enjoying herself at the event to celebrate her book's success so far in the UK! She chatted and signed copies of our books and, while she signed mine, I asked if her hair grew out pink (if you have no idea why I ask that, I suggest you read the book...) and the answer was yes (though don't look too closely to the roots)...

And with that, everyone chatted. We chatted about the book and other books (that was cool. Expect when I said I didn't get and didn't finished Delirium by Lauren Oliver, and one of the people I chatted to was from Hodder and the look of shock on her face... yeah...) and onto random stuff (One chat random went from Harry Potter to Twilight to Hobbits to big feet to... yes, it was THAT random).

And we had food. I have decide that to please book bloggers, you need three things. One: books. Two: drink. Three: food. And the food was something else. It was smoking! Seriously! As you can see from the pic, it was eeire yet cool! With this and mini delights like Chocolate Air, it was a fun evening for food. My random fave was the little meringues that, when popped into your mouth, made you look like a fire-breathing dragon as smoke came out of your nose and mouth!

The most random part of the night was discovering that, in the main room where this launch party was placed, there was a side-room which had (for no reason), a iron bathtub. Don't believe me? See below!



Told you! Anyway, it was a fun night so I have to thank Hodder and Hot Cherry for inviting me and everyone who turned up and made the event a right laugh!


And now, as promised, the video of the Special cocktail made for the event last night...


Oh, By the way! I'm hosting a competition to win a copy of Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Well, last night, I got it signed. So, it's now a chance to win a SIGNED COPY OF DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE! You have till 7pm Friday to enter! Go! GO!

(Also, there are pics of me meeting the author, Laini Taylor. But I don't have them - other bloggers do. Once I see them, I will retweet on Twitter and share on Facebook).

GoodRead - The Woman In Black (Unabridged Audiobook)

I keep seeing this on the iTunes audiobook chart for quite some time. I know it's a West End show (which is quite scary from what I've been told), and there's going to be a movie out next year starting Daniel Radcliffe. But, apart from that and knowing it's a ghost story, I knew nothing about it. So, on a random, late night impulse (always seems to be the case with me and audiobooks), I downloaded it and listened.

Arthur Kipp is a young solicator, asked to go to the funeral of Alice Drablow and then go to her house, Eel Marsh House, a house that stands next to the windswept marshes beyond Nine Lives Causeways, for legal paperwork. While at the funeral, Arthur sees a woman in black, watching the funeral from a distance. An unnatural feeling of unease comes to Arthur. And then, he decides to stay at Eel Marsh House to deal with the large amount of papers. It is here, when terrible things happen…

I listened to this audiobook in two sittings and I can stay that this is quite chilling. It's very much an old-fashion ghost story but there is something completely unnerving about it! It's probably how the story is told - through Arthur writing to feel himself from the demons of his past and because of that, you get caught up within his fear, panic and possible paranoia.

Not sure if I want to relisten to this on Halloween (although I would like to, just to scare myself), and I think this reading would be perfect to be played on BBC Radio 4 or BBC Radio 4 Extra on a dark stormy night near or on Halloween.

I know Susan Hill has written two more ghost stories - The Man In The Picture and The Little Hand - but from all the reviews I've seen, this is the best and scary story of them all. And if you want an old-fashioned scare, this is for you.

And because of this, I might try and see either the film or the West End show (which, I heard, is terrifying!)...

This Made Me Smile

Would like to thank Andrew (or @antothedrew as I know him) tumblr.

The "Daughter Of Smoke And Bone" Competition

I have a competition for you!

Do you want to get your hands on a hardback copy of THE DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor? If you do, then you might be in a chance to win!

If you live in the UK (sorry, International readers! I am planning something soon! Hopefully, I will have the funds by then...), and you fill in the form below, you can win a copy of THE DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE, thanks to the lovely Hodder Books!

If you haven't read anything about this book, here is my review. If not, just Google it and ALL WILL BECOME CLEAR!

You have till Friday 7th October (7pm) to enter. GOOD LUCK (and remember: "Once upon a time, an angel and demon fell in love. It didn't end well...")

EDIT! The competition has closed! The winner was Rosie! CONGRATULATIONS!!! Your signed copy of DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE is in the post and it's on its way to you as I type!