DNFing Guarding Mr Fine

As you guys are aware, I don't DNF that often. But am become far more ruthless with deciding to DNF something or putting it back on TBR pile (physical or kindle) and returning to it at a later date. Like I say to you guys, life is too short to read crap books (well, crap in your opinion. Everyone's opinion is different and, now more than ever, we need to be respectful and kind to one another). This, sadly, is a DNF for me.

Now, like always, I am not saying this is a bad book. This just isn't for me. I have seen reviews on Goodreads of this book and people loving the very Not-Safe-For-Work of it (for those curious, we have swearing with the first paragraph of chapter one and we have gay sex in chapter two. It's like the first episode of Torchwood when it was first launched on BBC Two and BBC Three. It did this so viewers knew that this Doctor Who spinoff is not for children). This is one of the reasons I requested this on NetGalley. It's adult LGBT romance with a thriller edge to it - what more could I ask for when trying to branch out and try new things?!

Now, while I am all up for adult reading, I have two reasons for DNFing this (and one is more important than the other).

The first is this book is the third in a series and I believed that this could be read as a standalone. While you probably could read this as a standalone, within chapters three and four (I gave it four chapters so around 20% of the story), you had a lot of important thrown at the reader which might be linked to the previous stories. Maybe I'm wrong and I'm jumping the gun on this, but feeling overwhelmed, information-wise, isn't the greatest start.

The second and (probably) my main reason why I DNF is the I kept getting confused/muddled over the main characters. One is Seth and the other is Rick. You think I would keep them separate and know which one is a CIA agent and which one is the US consul general. Nope. I kept getting them confused. I kept having to stop and go "Which one is Seth again? Is he Rick? Do I need to go back and reread?". I don't mind getting confused over plot (this is a thriller after all), but characters...? Nope - not going to do that. I want to enjoy the thriller/romance and this was going to be ruined with me, double checking who's who! This isn't an episode of The Blacklist or Line of Duty, where I mistrust every suspect bought to me!

So, am putting this on my DNF list and moving on with my day. And, hopefully, I will be reading something gripping by the time you read this... Hopefully...

#re3 - Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them

I have been in two minds over whether I should get this on audiobook or not when it was announced. On the one hand, IT'S AN AUDIOBOOK! With Eddie Redmayne (aka Newt Scamander in the Fantastic Beasts movie) narrating it! But on the other, it's not really adding anything new to this. And I have other reasons, which I will go into later.

But, when Midas PR (people who I chat with for Audible credits - they are very kind and lovely people) gave me an extra two credits a month or so bad by mistake, they said I could keep them and use them for any audiobooks that catch my eye. So, I used one of the credits on this (even though I have a ton of audiobooks I really should be listening to instead). And after the drama of trying to get this onto my iPod (don't ask! It was a nightmare and only with the help of Audible.co.uk's Twitter did I figure it out as this has never happened with any of my other audiobooks!)

In this updated version of the Harry Potter textbook, we discover the magical beasts that live in the Wizarding world that was referenced or we have seen in both Harry Potter books/movies and the Fantastic Beasts movie. Because this is updated, we have a new foreword from Newt himself (with information/hints linking to the Fantastic Beasts movie) and addition of six new beasts (why these have been added have been explained in the foreword).

Now, as a Harry Potter fan and as someone who has read and reread this over the years, what i found so enjoyable is how in-depth this "textbook" goes. Plus, it was cool to go back and go "oh! That was in the movie!" and compare to my old edition of Fantastic Beasts.

There was a bit of drama before Christmas when the movie was released and no bookseller could get a copy as publishers in UK/US were publishing the new, updated version in time for DVD release and Comic Relief (which donates a percentage of money towards this charity as well as the Lumos Foundation). So, while it's a bit of the pricy side for a under two hour audiobook, knowing that some of that money is going to good causes makes me feel warm, fuzzy inside and glad the world isn't such a dark place (have you not seen the news the past week?!)

And as for the new six beasts... I only spotted three to my knowledge. Might have to go back when I have an afternoon free and listen to this with my now "out of date" copy in hand and compare...

Book Mini-Reviews - The Fox Wish & The Giant Jumperee

I decided (No idea why! Maybe I thought I would be easy to do this. We shall see...) to put these two books together in one review! Both are picture books (which is rare for me to talk about on my blog, I know!) and both are perfect to be read by parents to children and together.

The first is The Fox Wish by Kimiko Aman and illustrated by Komako Sakai, and the second is The Giant Jumperee by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury.

In The Fox Wish, we follow a sister and brother who go back to the park to find their jump rope. Only to find a group of fox cubs playing with it and believing it to be the answer to their wish. And in The Giant Jumperee, Rabbit comes home to find a loud voice in his burrow. When his friends (Cat, Bear and Elephant) come to help, they each get scared by the loud voice. But who is the Giant Jumperee?

Both, in my opinion, are wonderful stories to read to little ones, each with a gentle charm to them.

While both do have a charm, there is something on each you need to be aware. While picture books are often glossy in their illustrations, The Fox Wish doesn't have that. It's more ink-stamped and watery in tone compared to other picture books and, with The Giant Jumperee, there were moments when reading it felt a little too close to The Gruffalo in tone (yes, I know both are written by the same author but if your child knows The Gruffalo, they might spot how similar they are. Plus, nothing Julia writes really beats the Gruffalo. Although, What the Ladybird Heard does come close...)

But barring this, both are lovely reads to read to your little ones at bedtime...

Stanly's Ghost Tour - Stop 2!

Hello and welcome to my stop on the Stanley's Ghost blog tour! Hope you're all good this Tuesday (or whatever day you are reading this!) and I would love to welcome Stefan Mohamed to the Pewter Wolf! Stefan is the author of the Bitter Sixteen trilogy, starting with Bitter Sixteen, Ace of Spiders and the final book in the trilogy, Stanly's Ghost, which came out a few weeks ago!

As Stanly's Ghost is the last book in a trilogy, I don't want to give too much away. So, going to give tiny info from the first book, Bitter Sixteen. Stanly is a typical teenager - expect the fact that his best friend is Daryl, a talking beagle. And expect for the fact that, when he turned sixteen, he gained the power of flight and telekinesis. And seeing as his rural Welsh town doesn't need a superhero, Stanly goes to London. Only to discover a good deal more weird and terrifying. Maybe he should have stayed in Wales...

Now, before I throw you into Stefan's guest post, a few thank yous and some links. I would like the thank Stefan for finding time to write this post. I know he must be super busy at the moment but thank you. Also, would like to thank Emma for asking if I wanted to be involved in this tour.

And now, for links. If you want to check Stefan out, you can check him out either via his website - stefmo.co.uk - or via his Twitter at @stefmowords.

Now we got that out of the way, over to you, Stefan!

Book Review - The Scarecrow Queen

I DID IT!!! I READ THE ENTIRE TRILOGY IN A SPACE OF THREE MONTHS!!! Bit late to the party but I DONE IT!!! (and to that fan who tweeted Melinda that she read the whole trilogy is less than 16 days, shame of you. Melinda kept giving me tweets to say "er... LOOK!")

In this, the third and final book in the trilogy, the Sleeping Prince has taken control of Lormere and with Twylla in hiding and Errin in his clutches, time is running out to them and their band of rebels to stop him taking full control.

But Aurek will stop at nothing to keep the throne and to keep it forever.

Anymore than that and I might spoil a lot of details within the previous two books in the trilogy, The Sin Eater's Daughter and The Sleeping Prince. But it's gonna hit the fan, so brace yourselves...

This is the strongest and my favourite book in the trilogy. Things are put into place and the pay-off worked excellently, characters have grown from when we first met them and we have a climax which left me breathless.

This is how a final book in a trilogy in a dark fantasy trilogy should be: dramatic, badass, tender, creepy as heck (I couldn't stop thinking about the prologue for days after I read it, and those interlude chapters were just ), breath-taking as you want to sped through to the end yet want to savour the writing at the same time. It's been so long since I read a faultless finale, and this ticked every box!

Shame it's taken me so long to discover this trilogy (blame the hype fear and the wrath of nearly EVERY BLOGGER/VLOGGER WHO SCREAMED AT ME TO READ THIS TRILOGY [and Melinda who threatened to send a Dementor at me - I swear she's Voldermort's secret daughter!]) but Mel has a new fan and I await her next book, Floored (which she is co-writing with Sara Barnard, Holy Bourne, Tanya Byrne, Non Pratt, Lisa Williamson and Eleanor Wood) and her just-announced trilogy with baited breath!

EDIT: Just when you thought I can't mess up the author's name further (have you guys not see me say Mel's surname wrong. I called her a supermarket chain!!!), I then type up her first name wrong! AND IT'S THE AUTHOR WHO TELLS ME ABOUT IT!

@PewterWolf13 @scholasticuk MELANIE?! pic.twitter.com/BYnOni7vEX

— Melinda Salisbury (@MESalisbury) March 21, 2017

MEL, I AM SO SORRY!!! Thanks for pointing it out to me and being very kind and laughing at it (better than my reaction which involved swear words and me blaming auto-correct and a podcast I have recently discovered called My Dad Wrote A Porno [don't ask. Will blog about this in future once all catch up - not sure if that's a good thing or not]). SORRY! 

The Scarecrow Queen Launch Party

Last Wednesday (because I have been weirdly busy - thanks work, reading and Breath of the Wild!), I was very kindly invited to the launch party of Melinda Salisbury's third and final book in the Sin Eater's Daughter trilogy, The Scarecrow Queen.

Now, as you know, I have been trying to blitz this trilogy and, since been invited, I have been trying to finish Scarecrow Queen before I got to the party. And I failed. I got a good chuck in but, alas, not completed it.

So, after doing a half day at work, rushed home, changed and on the train to London I went, speed reading (or trying to. You can't rush this book, I found!) Scarecrow Queen. After getting there a bit early (for reasons am going to explain), I popped to Kings Cross to see Platform 9 and 3/4 and the shop (it was MAD!). And bought myself some pens - because that's what this Hufflepuff likes.

Then, off to where the launch party was being held - in a crypt. That's right, dear readers, a crypt. It wasn't Melinda's natural writing habitat (I checked) and we weren't going to get locked in and have to offer a blood sacrifice to get out and go home (though, I would have loved to see how work would have reacted if I phoned up and went "I'm going to be in today. Why, you ask? Well...". Plus, I could have finished Scarecrow Queen in peace!).

But, I had to get there a little bit early because Lorraine from Scholastic asked if I fancied asking Melinda some questions on their Facebook Live feed. I said yes, then panicked because I have no filter. So I had to be professional and control and not panic over the fact that, before I left for the event, I spend ages trying to figure out what to wear! I HAVE TO LOOK ME BUT PROFESSIONAL  BOOK BLOGGER/LOVER!

I haven't watched the video. I just can't. Not only because I'm not a fan of watching myself on film, but a little bit because I got Melinda's surname wrong. Of all the things that could go wrong, I didn't think me GETTING THEIR NAME WRONG TO THEIR FACE would be one. And after me panicking over getting the characters's names wrong (how many times I asked how to pronounce Twylla before the interview?). But Melinda has a great sense of humour (as you can see) so, hopefully, she didn't get that annoyed with me. Plus, if we play our cards right, we might be able to annoy Sainsbury's supermarket chain for some freebies (unlikely but you never know!). 

Oh, if you want to enter the contest I mention, go to Scholastic UK's Facebook page and like the video. And that's it! 

Anyway, after that whirlwind panic, the launch party started! The crypt was creepy and filled with people - family, friends, publishing people (some who needed wine after London Book Fair - apparently, it was manic!) and bloggers! There was (hang on, let me check my Twitter as have a bad memory and I did have two glasses of wine on an empty stomach!): George from @TheGeorgeLester, Kate from @Magic_Kitten, Darren from @ShinraAlpha, Bex from @MyShelfMyself, Jess from @bookendsending, @littlehux (Am positive we chatted very briefly, or am I misremembering), Grace from @_gracelatter & Stephen from @MyBookishLife. I spoke to David Owen (whose upcoming novel, The Fallen Children, is coming out soon) who is very cool and will be helping me out with Zelda if/when I get stuck/find time to play it. I saw (but was too scared to talk to) CJ Daughter (Night School series and Secret Fire duology) and Chris Russell (Songs About A Girl) and I discovered that Katharine Corr (co-author of the Witch's Kiss series), Lindsay Galvin (whose novel, The Breathing Sea, will be out next year) and L.D. Lapinski (not sure if I spoke to you. If I did, yeah! If not, sorry! NEXT TIME, HUNT ME DOWN AND SAY HI!!!). 

After small, very sweet speeches, we had tiny cup cakes and got copies signed. And this is what Melinda wrote in mine... 

This fits perfectly with what Melinda wrote in my copies of Sin Eater's Daughter and The Sleeping Prince. But, HA-HA! I FINISHED SCARECROW QUEEN YESTERDAY (my reactions to this will be coming soon!) 

And then, due to it being a work night and the train journey back, we left. And the crypt looked SUPER CREEPY at night! 

Anyway, I would like to thank Melinda Salisbury, Lorraine from Scholastic and everyone at Scholastic for inviting me. It was such a fun evening and can't wait to see what Melinda writes next! 

Book Review - 100 Hugs

Even since I first saw this on Twitter, I knew - KNEW - I had to buy it and read it. It's a small book with a simple idea from the current Children's Laureate: a book filled with illustrations of hugs. 100 hugs in total, hence the title. Nothing else. Just hugs, ranging from people, animals, fairy tales, magic, real, heartfelt and one or two slightly sinister hugs (it's the eyes, people! And you know the illustrations I mean if you've read this).

This isn't going to much of a review. More of a gush. I found this simply enchanting and utterly heartwarming.

There's not much else I can say about it. But this book - perfect for small hands - proves one of the many reasons he is a well-loved and respected illustrator.

If not, check these out. Aren't they wonderful?

DNFing Red Queen

As you guys know, I'm not a big lover of DNFing stuff. But, I am becoming more ruthless when I decide that am going to cut my loses with something I'm not clicking or loving.

And sadly, Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard is the latest.

Now, before most of you who love this series grab your flaming torches and pitchforks and come after me, let me just say I am not saying this is a bad book. It isn't. I know most of you guys really like this series and I get why from what I listened to. But I just didn't click with it. Or I did, but I would lose interest with it.

And it my main reason why I stopped. I just lost interest.

Red Queen had moments I really liked and would go "This is going to be good/interesting/how unique" but then something else would happen and I would go "That's very cliche/urgh". I would keep jumping back and forth between these two feelings.

And then, something exciting happened. At first, I was "Now, we're cooking" but within a chapter, I lost interest. I just lost it... and I'm not sure why.

I think it's a mix of things: I kept flip-flopping over how I felt over the story, finding time to listen to the audiobook, private life went a bit loopy as did work. But after a while, I listened to it and thought "I've lost it. I've lost that spark to keep going with this. So... why am I pushing myself with this when I have a ton of other audiobooks (which are for review and I bought myself) to listen to?"

So, that's why, if you have been following me on Goodreads/Pinterest, it's move from "Currently Reading" to "DNF". I might return to it one day. Maybe. But not yet.

Front Lines - What If...?

To celebrate the second book in the Front Lines series by Michael Grant, Silver Stars, Electric Monkey/Egmont asked if I wanted to be involved in this tour and I said yes. I haven't read the series, but in a world that is in the terrifying climate we're in, reading books like this are vital, in my opinion.

In this series, Michael goes "What If...?" on us. What if, during the Second World War, women were allowed to join the US army and fight alongside their male counterparts. What would have happened to the war in the USA? What would have happened to the Second World War in general?

So, where can I go with a post about "What If" during the second World War? Well, you can thank a random [contains swear words] youTube video about that... (and please forgive me if I make a mistake. I am not well-versed in US history so had to use the Internet to get information).

For a long time, the United States didn't realise how terrible the Holocaust was in Europe. Americans, at the time, knew the Nazi were encouraging vandalism and hate crimes towards Jews. But the US government didn't feel strongly enough to give refugees a safe place. At one point, the US turned a ship, filled with approx 900 Jews, back to Europe - most are feared to be have died in gas chambers. After this, the US Government reject a proposal to allow 20,000 Jews children to claim sanctuary. Anne Frank and her family were refused asylum. Albert Einsten wrote letters, begging Franklin D. Roosevelt to let Jews in.

The reason? Taken from a speech made by then-President, he said "Today's threat to our security is not a matter of military weapons alone. We know of other methods, new methods of attack. The Trojan Horse... Spies, saboteurs and traitors." (Fireside Chat 15: On National Defence - May 26th, 1940).

But what if... what if the US did allow Jewish refugees in during the Second World War? What if that bill to allow 20,000 Jewish children to stay in the US went through? Or the US didn't order the boat with 900 Jews to turn back to Europe? What would have happened if the American Government was brave enough to help those in need of help? Countless Jewish lives would have been saved, right? The death toll of those who died due to Nazism could have been lower than it is today.

But could this have changed when America joined the war? Japan bombed Pearl Harbour on 7th December 1941 and Germany decaded war on the US four days later. The vote on the bill to allow 20,000 Jewish Children to come and stay in the US was on January 20th 1939, less than 2 years earlier. So, if this bill went through, would have the US joined the war against Nazi Germany and its allies sooner? If so, would the war have ended sooner?

And after the war, what would have happened to the US then? Would the US be more kind toward refugees? Show empathy and compassion? Or would there be more cruelty and a possible rise of white supremacy, all in the name of "America First"?

And far would the effects be felt, both good and bad? Would it be a short period of time (a few years?) or would be we be feeling them today? Would be living in a kinder world for showing kindness and empathy? Or would be living in a crueller world, because people feel that their kindness was abused in some form?

This is the problem with "What If". You ask a simple question and the answer is far more complex than we expected. It's a butterfly effect - a small change could create huge consequences, both good and bad.

So, until we can treat time travel, we can play what if in our heads, in books, in Tv and radio and films. And we can look back into history and make sure we don't repeat the mistakes of our past and, because of this, create a hopeful, better future...

Book Review - The Sleeping Prince

I am powering through this series, aren't I? By the time you'll be reading this, I should be a good chuck of the way into the third and final book in the trilogy, The Scarecrow Queen.

But that's not the book we're talking about today.

The Sleeping Prince is the second book in the series and we follow, Errin, sister to a character we met in Sin Eater's Daughter. Errin lives with her mother who is suffering a misery illness. When the village has to be evacuated due to an fairy tale comes to life and begins war in the neighbouring country. But when events take a dark turn, Errin has to fled. But with her father dead, the mother ill and her brother missing, the only person she can turn to is Silas, who's face she has never seen...

But can she trust him?

This is an interestingly odd book. Not in a bad way, but this is a mix of being a first book in a series and the second. Bear with me while I explain why.

This is the second book in the trilogy. There is information and details from Sin Eater's Daughter is reference so reading the first book is important. This is the same with characters. This is a second book in the series and should be read as the second (I did try last year to read this without reading Sin Eater's Daughter and I struggled).

BUT... reading The Sleeping Prince does have elements of first book in a series. We have new characters, new situations and elements that feel very book one of a series. Plus, with this book timeline that overlap ever-so-slightly with Sin Eater's Daughter, you could read them side-by-side and you would be alright, in theory.

Although, I would say that if you are going to read this trilogy, read Sin Eater's Daughter first then Sleeping Prince.

This book I would say is split into two. Part one and part two. Part one is setting everything up. Character development, information dropping, setting things up. While the writing is dark and seductive, this is very slow. It is a bit of a struggle at times to push forward and I think, because of this, it took me longer to read. I don't mind reading slower pace - because this is a new character and we have to get to know them and their situation - and once I got to know Errin, I liked her and her attitude, but there were moments in part one I wished the book would pick up pace.

Part two is when the pace picked up and I whizzed through. This is the strongest part of the story because you go "This is why Melinda did this. This makes sense now. There's a plan!". Plus, like I said, I like pacer chapters. I like it when characters feel like they are doing something - and with Errin, it felt like she was more proactive in part two than in part one (but once you read part one, you understand why).

And because of part two and how it ended, I am excited/worried over Scarecrow Queen. Melinda has put her characters and story in position and now we're going to have to wait and see how she's going to wrap this up...

While I like Sin Eater's Daughter more, once it found it's footing, The Sleeping Prince is a worth sequel. Now, am excited/terrified over how Scarecrow Queen is going to end...

Scarecrow Queen Contest

Ok, this is a lazy post today as I'm not reading as much as I should be reading and have rediscovered gaming (weird, I know). But the lovely people at Scholastic wanted me to let you guys know that they are hosting a contest in a similar vine of the Vision Boards you've been seeing throughout the tour (if you want know what I mean by Vision Board, check out my stop in the tour that went up yesterday!) 

Now, before I show you what Scholastic sent me in the email, let me remind you this is Scholastic contest, not mine. But as I had a blast doing a vision board for Helewys, I thought you might wanna try and enter. I believe this is UK only but if you want to be sure, pop them an email and double check. 

Now, handing you over to Lorraine at Scholastic! 

The Scarecrow Queen vision board competition

Hello fellow bloggers and readers! It is time to get creative and win some prizes courtesy of Melinda Salisbury! Melinda would love for bloggers and readers to take part in creating a vision board of any character in The Sin Eater’s Daughter trilogy, as you have seen us do during the blog tour. Feel free to check out what we have created over the course of the week to inspire you!  

The competition will run for 2 weeks from today and closing date is Friday 24th March, at midnight.

A main prize will go to the most creative vision board (images, lettering, drawings all welcome!). The main winner will win a prize pack of all three novels in the trilogy  and *signed* The Sin Eater’s Daughter, The Sleeping Prince and The Scarecrow Queen, a pair of The Scarecrow Queen socks, the King of Rats short story, a set of badges and postcards, a golem, a necklace and a golem/alchemical text bookmark which Melinda picked up on a recent trip to Prague.

Two runners up will win a copy of The Scarecrow Queen, The Scarecrow Queen socks, and a set of postcards and badges.

You can send your entries to publicity@scholastic.co.uk

Good luck everyone!

Scarecrow Queen - Helewys's Stop

Today is my stop on the Scarecrow Queen tour! And as you know, each of us bloggers are doing vision boards to reflect a character. So does the lovely author Melinda Salisbury and we compare. This can go either really well or very badly wrong! 

And I have the terrifying stop to make a vision board for the Queen of Lormere, Helewys, who appears in the first book in the Sin Eater's Daughter trilogy, The Sin Eater's Daughter. 

Now, we were meant to pick six images each. But I am a total rule breaker and, without me even realising it, I chose 10! WHOOPSIE! 

Whereas Melinda, though a Slytherin, actually stuck to the rules. I didn't realise Slytherins could do that...!

Sue Wallman's Zoella Experience

I am SUPER THRILLED to welcome Sue Wallman to the The Pewter Wolf! Sue's second novel, See How They Lie, has just come out and promises to just as addictive reading as her debut, Lying About Last Summer. Which, as some of you are aware, was one of the chosen book for Zoella's Autumn Book Club last year and, a few weeks ago, was announced winner of the Zoella Autumn 2016 Book Club!

If you're not heard of either books, let me give you the briefest of outlines on them both. Lying About Last Summer follows Skye who is sent to a camp for grieving teens after the shock death of her sister. But when Skye receives a text message from her dead sister, Skye has to confront the past and figure out the truth of the texts, even though the danger might be closer than she thinks...

In See How They Lie, we follow Mae, who lives at a luxurious psychiatric and well-being facility. There are rules for everyone who lives and work there. When Mae breaks the rules, she is punished and everything Mae believes is throw upside down. She's there because her psychiatrist father works there... right?

To celebrate this, Sue has kindly (and at a super fast speed! Do you authors ever sleep?!) written this lovely guest post about her Zoella Book Club experience!

Now, before I hand you to Sue, I just want to thank her for writing this post. I know this week is a bit of a whirlwind with See How They Lie coming out but thank you! I, also, want to thank Olivia at Scholastic for asking if I wanted to be involved in some way. Thank you both!

One more thing! If you want to check Sue out online, she has her own website - suewallman.co.uk - and you can check her out on Twitter at @swallman. All set? Ok, over to you, Sue!

Winds of Change

HAPPY WORLD BOOK DAY EVERYONE!!!

To celebrate this, I would like to welcome Fiona Kennedy to the Pewter Wolf. You might not know of Fiona but she is the publisher of the new Children/YA imprint coming from Head of Zeus, Zephyr.

When this news was announced, I emailed Head of Zeus, curious on Zephyr's first publication, The White Hare by Michael Fishwick. What I got back was a lovely email from Fiona. We chatted and she agreed to write a small guest post for the blog, chatting about Zephyr's creation and what they hope to achieve.

So, before I hand you over to Fiona, I just want to thank her for finding the time to write this. I know she must busy at the moment so thank you. Now, dear readers, am handing it over to Fiona!