GoodRead - Days of Blood and Starlight

Last year, Hodder went gaga over the first book in a trilogy that people were raving about. That was Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I read it (review here, though my feelings have changed a little bit since when I wrote it) and went to the UK launch party (was so much fun!). And it wasn't just Hodder that got excited. The US publisher, Little Brown, were excited. Universal Pictures won the movie rights to the whole trilogy after a huge bidding war (how on EARTH are they going to make these movies is ANYONE'S guess!). And readers went nuts over the world of Karou...

And now, with some hype (but nothing compared to Daughter of Smoke and Bone's), the sequel will be released in a week's time! So, Days of Blood and Starlight. Shall I review it for you?

After the events of Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Karou is missing. Zuzana, Karou best friend in our world, is frantic with worry. Is she with Akiva? Is she ok? Why hasn't she responded to her emails? And will that scumbag known as Karou's ex go away before Zuzana drops a water balloon that might be filled with bladder tea?

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love. Once upon a time, they held a wishbone between them. Once upon a time, the wishbone's snap split the world in two...

Now, I had to be be careful what I wrote there because I know there is a fair few of you that would be screaming "NONONO! TELL ME NOTHING!!!" while at the same, hunger for more details. So, it's hard to get the balance right.

Now, I have read other people's reviews of this book and they're split. Some people say this book suffers a little from Second Book Syndrome. Other people disagree and rave about this book. I think it depends on how you view this book. If you put a lot of hype and pressure on a second book in a series like this, it can go one of two ways: it meets your every expectation or it will disappoint you completely.

But I LOVED this book. I think this is because, while I like Daughter of Smoke of Bone, I didn't love it. I think the hype put me off as did the back story as it slowed the whole book down (but, like I said above, my views on Daughter of Smoke and Bone have changed since I wrote and published my review. It's one of those book you have to finish and take time to think about). But with Days of Blood and Starlight... wow. It was addictive reading. I kept trying to read it when I could find time - and I started a new temp job last week so I had to sneak quick reads in my lunch break, on the Park and Ride bus, in bed at a stupid o'clock...

With Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Laini laid the world of Karou and Akiva out. A real fantasy that we had to make sense of as it felt like the book had taken drugs. But with Days of Blood and Starlight, we got to the meat of the story. What was hinted at in Daughter was there in full force in Days. This is a book about war where no side is the right side. And we see this from several points of views...

And the last 100 or so pages... oh, Laini, you ripped out my heart and left me gasping for air. I can not WAIT to see what you do in the third and final book in this trilogy! I don't know how you are going to top yourself. It's a good thing Hodder is going to publish Lips Touch next year as I need something to get me ready...!



PS - sorry about the Ellie Goulding video. This was the only one I could find that did the sound right and the video wasn't trying to sell you something...

DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT UK COVER REVEAL!

Earlier today, Laini Taylor and her UK publisher, Hodder, revealed the UK cover for Daughter of Smoke and Bone sequel, Days of Blood and Starlight. And they are very excited at it. They created an animated cover, just to prove how awesome it is...

For those of you want to see it minus the animating glow, here is the cover:

Oh, how I LOVE this cover! I just love it! It's simple yet gorgeous! And I am very excited for this book. I don't know whether to buy this or wait and see if I get sent a copy (which I think is HIGHLY unlikely), but who cares?! I can't till November 8th! 

Daughter of Smoke and Bone News!

As you are probably aware from other booky blogs, today is the release date of Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor in paperback. And, to celebrate this, Hodder is going all out!

Today at 5:30 pm UK time, Laini will be taking over the official UK Twitter feed of Daughter of Smoke and Bone - @SmokeandBone - so if you have ANY questions for her, tweet them to her and she might answer yours!

Also, Hodder is doing 2 competitions! The first (and my fave) is to win an early proof of Days of Blood and Starlight, the sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone, which isn't out in the UK till November (SO FAR AWAY!). All you have to do is tweet a 140 character review of the book & send it to @SmokeandBone and use the hashtag #SmokeAndBone. This contest is open to Sunday 8th July and some of the tweets might be used in online adverts, so you might see your reviews on websites such as Glamour.com.

One of my fave tweet review I've seen so far is from @MattLibrarian who has now given Hodder a idea for the cover for book two... Can you go one better?

Also, if you go to their website - www.daughterofsmokeandbone.co.uk - you can enter a chance to win a trip to Prague, where the book was set! I think it's UK entrance only, but not... check Terms and Conditions!

And, because the five teaser trailers for the hardback edition release wasn't enough (no, seriously! They did! I watched and loved each of them!), Hodder has revealed a new trailer... Enjoy!

Daughter of Smoke and Bone Book 2 Title Reveal!

After the excitement of Daughter of Smoke and Bone (with it receiving a stupid amount of love from bloggers and readers worldwide [and it going to be turned into a movie]), Laini Taylor has FINALLY revealed the title of the second book within this trilogy on her site.

Also on her site is a tiny teaser (which might not be in the book as "... this book is unedited and unfinished. It is not a book at all. It is a manuscript, a work in progress. Bear all that in mind."). If you want to read it, go to Laini's website.

Now, to reveal the title... Ready? Oh, before I go any further, Laini has asked that, if we use the image below, we must thank the US publisher, Little Brown. So, now that's out of the way, the reveal...!



So, guys, what do you think? I really like it. Another mouth-full, but there's something so cool about it. A beautiful horror of a title (blood is horror, starlight is beautiful [this is my logic talking so bear with...]).

We have to wait till autumn to get our hands on this book and, for now, we will wait with excitement (or till the cover has been reveal...)