New Year's Eve's Message

When I decided that I was going to write this blogpost (over a week or so ago), I mentally planned how I was going to write it and what I was going to say. While I still have the essance of it still in my head, I've suddenly have no idea where to start.

Let's start with the most important (and the main reason why I'm writing this). I want to say thank you.

Thank you to you, dear readers, for reading my blog.
Thank you to all the cool bloggers I have met and who have welcomed me into the world of book-blogging with open arms, big smiles and a dirty sense of humour.
Thank you to publishing houses (too many to name but all wonderful) for sending me copies of books that made me go hyper.
Thank you to my friends who had to handle me going randomly insane once in a while.
Thanks to my family (especially my mum and sister - two of the strongest women I have ever known) for being there. I love you all so much!
And thanks to the PIW - I love you. Even though I have forced books upon you (The Hunger Games, The Body Finder and, soon, The Pledge), ruined songs by either YouTube, pulling faces or changing words in songs to food (my fave is "trifle", even though I hate the stuff!) and still get confused when you say "Cod" whether you mean "Call of Duty" or the fish...

Now I have got all my thank yous out of the way, I suppose I'm meant to tell you all what is happening to The Pewter Wolf blog in the coming year. And, truth be told, I have no real idea. I have starts of ideas on what I want the blog to go in 2012 (read more scary novels, read more male authors, read more male leads, read more diversity, read more crime novels, read more on my kindle, read the books I've actually got/bought, the list is endless!), but all seem to come back to one point: be braver in reading. I'm not 100% certain what this means, but I'm going to try and figure it out, and I hope you guys will figure it out with me.

Now, before I go, I wanted to end this blog (my last of 2011) with something inspirational. I was going to use a quote from someone - Aung San Suu Kyi, The Dalai Lama, JK Rowling, even the wisest of people (aka my Mum) - but nothing seems to feel right for this moment. So, am going to write two things and then am going to ruin it. So, here we go:

1. You are extraordinary. Let no one else take that away from you. Because you are.
2. Follow your dreams and your heart will always be happy.

And now, am going to ruin it. LET'S KICK 2012 ASS!!!

GoodRead - Mistress of the Storm

This is my last review of 2011. Which a weird thing to type. I fear now that I will have to write my New Year's Eve message (might need tissues while I write it, I fear...)

Anyway, Mistress of the Storm. I came across this book via Just Imagine. Randomly, in July, I walked in and got myself a copy of The Knife of Never Letting Go (and I still haven't read that! 2012! I will try!!!) and I discovered that Melanie Welsh was doing a writing group that Monday. I decided to go and, kindly, was given a copy for free. On the Monday, Melanie chatted about how she wrote Mistress of the Storm and she's lovely. I grabbed a second copy and gave it away in a contest! And I said I would read this on my holiday in Portugal with the Person I'm With (the PIW). But yet... I didn't. Fastforward several months and, after reading Fated by Sarah Alderson (next week, children. Next week...), I finally went "If I don't read this now, I never will!".

When Verity Gallant walks into Wellow's library and discover a man reading a red leather book, crying, she had no idea about the events that would unfold. That the man would give the red leather book and a strange wooden ball. That The Storm would come to dock in the little harbour town. That Verity's Grandmother (who she didn't even know existed!) come to stay. That Verity will slowly discover her family history that her father has been desperate to hide. That Verity will discover the tale of the Mistress of the Storm...

This is a little outside of my "YA" comfort-zone (this is, to me, an book within the "8 to 12 years old" bracket) and there's something nice to read something that isn't so teen-driven.

It was a wonderful read. There was something old-fashioned about it and it's nice to read about a soon-to-be-teenager, Verity, who feels out of place with the world. I think everyone feels like that when you're going through those wonderful "Teen Years".

Am trying to write this review without going into "gushy" zone, which is VERY HARD (been trying to write this on and off for the past few hours!)! I just loved this book. I found it enchanting with tales of witches, smuggling, how children see parents and vica-versa. The only fault I can think of is the term "muttered/mumbled quietly" was used quite a bit, but it's a small detail so I will forgive the author.

I just fell in love with this book. I want the sequel, Heart of Stone, as soon as possible!

GoodRead - Vampire Academy (Audiobook)

I have been badgered to read/audiobook this for MONTHS! I think nearly for a whole year now! So, to Laura (aka SisterSpooky), Leanne (aka District YA) & Krystal (helper of Twilight Series Theories, Bookshelf Banter & other wonderful sites), IT'S DONE! I audiobooked it and listened to it TILL THE END! IT'S DONE!

... and breathe.

Right, the story. Rose and Lissa are on the run. They've been running for two years. And soon, it's gonna be over as they are taken back to St Vladimir's Academy, which is a boarding school for moroi (aka good vampires that will drink blood but won't kill the person by draining their blood completely, are alive and can use magic) and Dhampir/Guardians. Away from the evils of the world (mainly Strigoi aka bad vampires that are dead, can't use magic and will completely drain you of blood).

But St Vladimir's Academy is not a safe place. It's filled with forbidden romance and ruthless social scene. But there's something else. Something more terrifying. Someone is leaving dead animals for Lissa to find. And Rose is worried for her best friend. And now only is she worried over this and Lissa's strange friendship with outsider Christian, she's slowly getting feelings for Guardian (and her trainer) Dimitri. And both girls should be careful, cause you never know who might be watching...

Ok, before I go any further, I want to chat briefly about readers of audiobooks. In the past, I think I have mentioned that there are three types of audiobook readers. The first being a voice that you instantly go "You're perfect for this!". The second is a reader that, over the course of the book, you grow to like. And the third is a reader you can't stand. And, for a long time, I was in camp three with this audiobook. I found the way the reader - Stephanie Wolf - read Rose was just wrong. I think after an hour of listening to it the first time, I had to stop or I would have attacked my iPod. But, once I got into the flow of the story, I grew to like the way she read Rose, though there were moments I suddenly went "Oh God!" over a few things.

So, the story itself. How did I feel about it, even though vampires are no longer seen as "in"? It was ok. It was a first novel in the series so, basically, it felt like there was information overload. But once all the information was given to you, it seemed to make sense and you could go with it.

Though, I do have some problems with the main character Rose. There were times I thought she was... well, a cow. She acts on impulse (and to hell with the consequences!), is arrogant and did things that I felt were... well, cruel. I didn't really like Rose in these moments. I suppose these moments had to happen to show that she wasn't perfect, but there was one thing she did that I got angry over her for and thought "Why is Lissa even friends with you?! You're horrible!"

However, by the end of the story, I kinda like her. She's loyal, bold and is courageous.

Maybe I'm being too hard on Rose and the whole story. I might read/listen to the sequel, Frostbite, expect that they change reader (for Frostbite, it's Kristine Hvam) and I kinda hate it when they change readers in the audiobook series. Also, I can't understand why Vampire Academy audiobook is £7.95 and yet Frostbite is £10.95. What weird logic is that?!

This is the first in a series so it has to lay down the fountains for this series, hence my unsureness about it. Maybe Frostbite will put me on if I like it or not. But I feel in the middle-ground. It was ok, but there were a few things that bothered me and, if I do go read/audiobook Frostbite, I hope these things are sorted out...

Taylor Swift is on the Hunger Games soundtrack...?

No SMILE blog this week (to give you guys a nice Christmas break), but last week, interesting news reach the world of Twitter.

Taylor Swift revealed on Twitter that she will be release a song entitled "Safe and Sound" with The Civil Wars. And this is the first single from the Hunger Games soundtracks. AND HERE IT IS!



What are your reactions to this piece of news and music? I always a score for The Hunger Games movie but, after listening to it, I quite like it. But am not sure I understand why Liongate is releasing songs for a dystopian movie...

GoodRead - The Night Before Christmas

We all should know the story of Twas The Night Before Christmas. But how many of us actually know it and not only the first few lines?

So when I bought this for my sister (it's a surprise! SSSSHHHH!!! [she's 2 years older than me and is far more awesome than I]), I decide to read through it and stare at the illustrations by Eric Puybaret.

They are beautiful. Yep, I said it. One of my fave illustrations (which I can't show you because Google doesn't like me and I don't want to use my iPhone to take a picture) is of Father Christmas in his sleigh, calling on his reindeer to "Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all!". The reindeer are wearing top hats and bowler hats! I got very excited over this and the PIW (Person I'm With...) had to take the book away from me.

This book comes with a CD, that had three tracks from the Grammy winners Peter, Paul and Mary. Just three tracks, I'm afraid. But they are lovely and Christmasy (is that even a word?).

But this is enchanting. I can't believe I haven't read this till in my mid-twenties (yes, I am VERY behind the times!), but this is simply enchanting.

And now, to leave with a "MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL. AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!"

SMILE - Last Minute Christmas Wrapping!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

GoodRead - Dark Parties

Earlier this year, I went to the launch party of Indigo and four authors were there, chatting about their books. One of which was Sara Grant, whose debut novel, Dark Parties was going to be published in October. And it was a book I wanted to read. It got me very excited. And Indigo had to push it back to late December/early January due to events that were out of their control. Which got me slightly annoyed me. But then I suddenly thought, "Hang on! I can read this before it comes out!" (am writing this the first week of December, FYI!).

So, here we are. With two days before this book comes out and here we go...

Under the Protectosphere, Neva and her friends hold a Dark Party. It's illegal to throw one. In the darkness, they agree to start a small rebellion. Expect, in the dark, someone kisses Neva. Someone who happens to be her best friend's boyfriend. And all the while, Neva has been keeping a list of the Missing - people who vanish and everyone else pretends they never existed. Including Neva's grandmother.

In the quest for truth and freedom, how far will Neva go? And will she ever escape from the dark?

Now, I have to say this from the word go. If you are expecting a dystopian novel like Suzanne Collins's Hunger Games and Vernoica Roth's Divergent, this isn't it. It's more, to me, like Matched by Ally Condie. It's much slower in pace, but there is something completely gripping about this book.

What I loved about this book is Neva and all the other characters know that there's something wrong. They aren't like other characters from dystopian novels where it slowly dawns on them that something's wrong. Neva knows from the word go that's something wrong and something has to be done. She's very pro-active about finding out the truth and trying (not going to say if she got it or not... in the words of River Song, "Spoilers") to get freedom.

Now, I know there will be a few people going "But the dome thing... it's been done before. Under The Dome by Stephen King. The Simpsons' movie." and yes, I saw that too. But this was much more interesting. While in the previous two took place and people had to cope with it, the Protectosphere has be up for years and we saw the effects this had to people as no one could enter or leave. No materials could enter or leave. No new ideas could enter or leave. And because of this, everything is a hand-me-down, history can easily be rewritten and erased (when Neva and her best friend, Sanna discovered the word "globalization", they instantly thought it was a disease) and people are getting sicker and are looking more and more similar. There was one scene that shocked me about this idea of people becoming more and more similar when Neva and Sanna see a statue of one of the founding fathers of the Protectosphere and we were told that he had blue eyes and it was shocking to realise that no one who lives under the Protectosphere has blue or green eyes. That seemed the most shocking thing. And that was in a throw-away comment...!

Now, the whole Neva/Braydon/Sanna love triangle... I don't want to say much but there was one point where I got very angry. So angry, I ranted about it on GoodReads (don't click if you don't want to be spoiled!) then ranted at my other half, the PIW. And it's not the scene you guys are probably thinking... I'm not going to reveal much. Actually, come to think of it, I'm not sure I can say anything at all!

I guess I should say the bad about this. There are times when you might go "Really?" or "That seems a bit two dimensional" and yes, I felt like that, but I fell for this story. I thought it was gripping and I was hooked by it. I want more (even though I tweeted Sara and she said this is a standalone, but the seeds are there so you never know...)!

At the Indigo event, Sara kindly signed my copy. It reads "Make Your Mark". Oh, Sara, this book is your mark! I can't wait to see what you write next...

SMILE - Random Xmas Videos

And now, for something from the South Pole!