GoodRead - Huntress

I'm not sure how I got on to reading this book, but after Atom Books got excited about this book deal on Twitter and after getting some info on it, I got excited. It was such a different read for me that it held my attention. So, when I got a copy from the lovely peeps of Atom Books, I decided I had to read it.

The Kingdom is in crisis. The sun hasn't shone in years, the crops are failing and strange and terrible creatures have begun to appear. Do the mysertious fairy people, the Xi, know something?

To solve to crisis, the King sends a small group to the City of the Fairy Queen. Within this small band is Kaede and Taisin. Taisin is a Sage-in-Training and Kaede is of the Earth, with no magic within her.

As they go on their jounrey, emotions run high and things happen that might not last happen...

Now, for those of you that have read Malindo Lo's debut novel, Ash, this is a loose prequel, set several centries before Ash. So, you can read Huntress if you have or haven't read Ash.

The story was a pure fantasy, which makes a nice change for me as I always read books that are set in the real world. What was more interesting that there were times that I read this that it felt like I was reading a Chinese myth.

Another thing that makes this story different from the others I've read it that there is a same sex relationship. And it was written in such a sweet way, that it felt normal. And, in the world that Huntress, having a same sex relationship is normal and not frowned upon. Within the first three chapters, we realise that same sex marriages happen and are recongized as accepted.

I really like Huntress and I quite happy that I've read it. I seem to have had a good run of books that I've liked recently, haven't I? Here's hoping I find more and I enjoy Malinda Lo's next novel.




(This was always the book's theme song, even before I started reading the book. It's one of those times that the book and music join beautifully together and this makes me happy)

And for those of you who want to see what ASH's trailer...

GoodRead - Dead To The World (Audiobook)

(Aka The Sex Scene That Shouldn't Be Listened To At Work… *blushes*)

I know of the True Blood series (or the Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampires series, as the book series calls itself). I read the first book, Dead Until Dusk and watched the first 2 seasons on FX (I didn't watch the third season because it didn't grab me. Plus, I had my fill of vampires. Sometimes, you just need a break!). And yet, out of all the books within the series, I have always found the fourth book in the series - Dead to the World - the most interesting… No idea why, but it is.

So, after the terrible events of Club Dead, Sookie is heartbroken. Her now-ex, Bill, has been ordered to go to Peru by the Queen of Mississipi and all she wants is not to get involved in any more supernatural business. In fact, all she wants is not to get beaten up, which seem to happen to her a lot since vampires "came out of the coffin". Not going to happen, Sook, as on her way from working New Year's Eve, she comes across of shirtless and scared Eric, Bill's boss. Eric has no memory. And it seems to be a witch's doing…

Sookie has to keep Eric safe till the curse or hex is lifted off him. But that's going to be hard as the witch and her coven are looking for him. Not only that, Sookie's brother, Jason, vanishes without a trace. Have the witches kidnapped him or has something more terrible happened?

And just when she thinks nothing weirder can happen, she finds that she is slowly falling for the memory-lossed Eric. And it will only be a matter of time before his memory returns and Sookie knows the Eric she has fallen for will be gone forever.

So, reactions. I love the reader of this book - Johanna Parker. I know to some people, Anne Paquin is your Sookie. And she is. But the reader made Sookie her character also. It felt interesting to see how these two actors made Sookie their own. It just worked. Plus, I loved the reader's accent. Lame, I know, but when I watched True Blood, I sometimes feel that Anna Paqulin's accent is a tad false.

The story was interesting. Not as gripping as I thought, but it was interesting to listen to. It was basically Sookie without Bill, which makes it interesting as we have, since the beginning of the series, seen Sookie with Bill.

Another thing I like about this is the layers of mythology. From what I know about the first four books of this series, we are slowly been introduced to the "Sups". In the first book, Dead Until Dark, we're introduce to vampires and shifters. In the third book, Club Dead, we meet werewolves. In this book, we meet witches, other were-creatures (note that, peeps!) and we have a breif introduction to faries (which I suspect will play a bigger part in the future...).

Another huge factor that made the book an enjoyable read/listen was the humour. I seem to like books & audiobooks that have humour. It's nice that with vampires and werewolves and goodness knows what-else, that there is a sense of humour that you can smile at.

I really like Dead To The World and I hope I can find time to read or listen to another book in this series (my eye is on A Touch Of Dead, even though this is a collection of short stories so, technially, doesn't count... Maybe Definitely Dead).

Quick word of warning: there is swearing and there was one sex scene. Which is fine if you're an adult (if you're a child, DON'T READ THIS BOOK OR LISTEN TO THE AUDIOBOOK!). And when your listening to the audiobook at work, it's hard to listen to the sex scene without getting uncomfortable. I had to stop listening to it halfway through the chapter because I would have burst into nervous laughter...

Not Going To Run Around And Hurt You...

Is it just me or is the lady that just says "Oooh!" brilliant?!

KATNISS REVEALED!

The first photograph of Jennifer Lawrence being Katniss for Liongate's THE HUNGER GAMES has been revealed!



So, what is your reactions to this picture?

I'm not sure. I like that the first image of her as Katniss is in her Hunger Games getup. And I like the fact that she looks a bit like Katniss in my head, but I always imagined her more dirty looking for some reason. But I suspect that at the start of the film and while she is in the Hunger Games, Katniss will get more the way I imagine her to be.

But I's curious on if Jennifer gets the essence of Katniss. Will have to wait till March 2012 to find out...

GoodRead - Winter's Passage

I downloaded this onto my iPhone Kindle app because it was free, and I had a copy of The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (which I haven't read yet - OOOPS!). And then, my family and the Person I'm With clubbed together and got me a Kindle. I registered it and Winter's Passage transfered onto the Kindle. Dying to try it out, I read it without thinking.... SORRY IRON FAY FANS!

But this isn't a Kindle review/gushing. This is about Winter's Passage review. So, here's the story...

After the events of The Iron King, Meghan Chase has to keep her word and goes, with Prince Ash to dangerous Winter Court (the fay are big on promises). Prince Ash is her forbidden love, as the son of the Winter Court and the daughter of the Summer Court can never be together. But Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck - Meghan's best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon - who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey. But something is following them. Something powerful and something that won't stop until it gets want it wants...

Now, seeing as I haven't read any book within the Iron Fay trilogy, it basically a short story that bridge the first and second books in the trilogy - The Iron King and The Iron Daughter - which contained spoilers from Iron King. So, yeah, if you're going to read this series, start with book 1 then read this, then continue with the series.

However, I read this and it was a fast, fun read. As I don't really read faeries (though I do have a copy of Iron King, Lament by Maggie Stiefvater and two of the Wickedly Lovely series, it was an interesting read. It was fun read. There was a few things that bothered me, but I suspect that if I actually read my copy of the Iron King, all those bits that bothered me won't have.

If you're going to read this, then my advice is this: Read The Iron King first!

(and now, for the book trailer and a random song choice. ENJOY!)

Books and Their Theme Songs (Volume 6)

It's been a while since I've done one of these blogs for a while. So, let's see how long this blog is, shall we?

THE IRON WITCH by Karen Mahoney


JUSTIN THYME by Panama Oxridge


DESIRES OF THE DEAD by Kimberley Derting






DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver (Unfinished)


FORGOTTEN by Cat Patrick






THE GATHERING by Kelley Armstrong


ONE SERIOUSLY MESSED UP WEEK IN THE OTHERWISE MUNDANE & UNEVENT LIFE OF JACK SAMSONITE by Tom Clempson




CRYER'S CROSS/THE MISSING by Lisa McMann


CLASH by Colin Mulhern




DIVERGENT by Vernoica Roth


TOMORROW WHEN THE WAR BEGAN by John Marsden


DIE FOR ME by Amy Plum

GoodRead - Die For Me

I tried to go through notes from the Atom Book Book Bloggers Event last year to see what I wrote about this book. Couldn't find any. Whether it was because it wasn't mentioned to us or I didn't take notes, I have no idea. But I got this book and, because I got excited over this book in the past month or so, I sat down and forced myself not to read-in-one-go (managed to spread it over in over a week.)

After the terrible deaths of her parents, Kate and her sister, Georgia, moves from the USA to Paris to live with their grandparents in the hope it will help them cope. In a city that is beautiful and she comes visit every year with her parents, Kate doesn't seem to cope. But then she meets Vincent, a guy who seems to not care about her one day and then sweeps her off her feet the next. Now, Kate thinks there's something dangerous about him and when she and Georgia sees him dive into the river Siene after a girl trying to commit suicide followed by men swordfighing just under the bridge, Kate knows it. But who exactly is Vincent? Someone she should run away from him or towards him?

Kate's heart is already fragile, and one false move could shatter it back into a million pieces. But how far will she go for the truth? How far will she go for love?

Now, I am going to say something that might upset some of you: this series is the next Twilight Saga. Or, as Mundie Moms tweeted me (and I agree with them), this book is BETTER than Twilight!

*watches the Die-Hard Twilight Fans gasp and faint with shock*

Now, before all you Twifans freak out and hunt me down with flaming torches, just hear me out. I just adore this book, because there is something Twilight about it and, yes, I am a bit of a romantic at heart. So yes, I was going "Kiss him, Kate! KISS HIM!".

But this book is more than a simple love story. It tackles the issue of grief and death and Amy Plum handles these subjects with gentleness. As someone who lose his father a few years ago, I remember and instantly related to Kate's situation.

Also, I found the idea behind Revenants so interesting. Zombies that aren't zombies but guardian angels made this book different to vampires and werwolves that is invading the YA bookshelves.

And, before I go anyway, Paris. I LOVE that Paris was used a backdrop of this story. I've never been to Paris (the closest I've ever been to Paris was Disneyland), but Amy made Paris sound beautiful, sexy, elegant but mysterious and magical. I WANT TO GO TO PARIS!!!

Am saying nothing more about it (for more info, you have to go to Amy's website or read the reviews from Mundie Moms & Book Angel's Booktopia) but am going to say this. Die For Me is the next Twilight and I can not wait to read Until I Die!

*

And now, the music part of the review. There was about 2 that I feel confident in showing and the other three are random last minute choices. Like someone said before, my music tastes are a bit "out of the box". ENJOY! (PS - I'm sorry for the Sophie Ellis-Bextor overload!)

An Evening With Darren Shan!

(AKA How I Held Up The Line [Again] And Got Strangled By The Author... No, Seriously...)

My local independent bookshop, Just Imagine (keep your local independent bookshops alive) set up an event with HarperCollins for "An Evening with Darren Shan" to celebrate the release of Ocean of Blood, the second in The Saga of Larten Crepsley.

After a chilling reading from Lord Loss (one of my faves, FYI!) in where the mircophone choose that moment to turn itself on (and scare everyone witless followed by laughter!), Darren (or should I call him Mr Shan? Not sure.) explained why the Saga of Larten Crepsley was never meant to be a series. He said that in The Saga of Darren Shan, he left Larten Crepsley's history vague and when he was writing the Demonata, he started thinking about his past and wondering what made Larten Crepsley the vampire he was when Darren (and us) first met him in Cirque du Freak. He revealed the title for book three and fourth (& final) titles in the series: Palace of the Damned and Robbers of the Dead (can I say I love his titles?).

After a quick reading from Ocean of Blood (which makes me want to read the book!), Darren answered a few questions from the audience. There ranged from "Why do you kill children off in your books?", "Why is the main character in the Saga of Darren Shan named after you?", "Which is your fave book?", "How long does it take you to write?" (Three to four weeks and about 2 years to edit - INSANE, right? But he does work on several novels at one time. At the present moment, he is on book 8 or 9 in a new series!), "Do you get sick of writing gory scenes?" and "What scares you?" (the answer to that was surprising. He was scared of spiders, hence why he wrote Madame Octa).

After a short reading of his World Book Day novellla Koyasan, everyone lined up to have their books signed. And after having a moment of panicking about me bring a few copies of my books (Three, if I'm honest with you but I only really ), I saw other people with their whole collection of The Saga of Darren Shan, Demonata or his adult novels, I felt less panicky. And what was more brilliant was the group in front of me and the person I went with (aka The Person I'm With) had a photo with Darren Shan. The group had a little boy with a cuddly toy and, in the pic, Darren strangled the cuddly toy. Not idea why, but I found it super cute (see, I have a heart under my cold, blogger skin...)

And then, my turn. As Darren signed the books, he asked if I had a question I wanted to ask him. Now, as I write, I should have asked about how he got his literary agent or his publishing contract, right? Nope. Instead, I asked "Was there any scenes that your editor or publisher thought was too gory and asked for them to be toned down?". He answered with "Yes, in the scene of Lord Loss I read out [end of chapter 1, start of chapter 2]. The parents were switched because the mother was, in the drafts, on the roof. The publisher thought it was too much, so I switched the parents about. So, do what you want to the Dad in writing, but tone down the Mum. Also, the publishers are a tad funny with sex." He explained about ideas he had in Vampire Mountain, one of them being that there was going to be gay vampires (as they are very few female vampires). But, he said "Am choosing my battles carefully..."

Can I say now, if Darren writes a bloody yet sexy sex scene that people will freak out about (like the birth scene in Breaking Dawn or True Blood standards), I would happy buy several copies of that book!

All in all, I had a great night! Darren was brilliant with everyone and that was great! I do hope his hands aren't aching due to all the signing he did!

So, thank you to Darren Shan for coming to Essex. Thank you to Just Imagine to setting up the event! Thank you to Tiffany McCall (Publicity Executive @ HarperCollinsChildren's Books UK with a dangerous sense of humour) who did a tweet that made me burst into fits of laughter (see below)! And thank you to The Person I'm With for coming with me, even though he knew NOTHING about the author. That's twice I did that to you...







SURPRISE! I thought that, as I was going, that I would give you a treat. That's right... I managed to nab myself a signed copy of Ocean of Blood and I have decide to give it away to one lucky winner! Do you want to win the book that left The Book Zone breathless and awaiting his next fix of Darren Shan (review here!)? If you have a UK address that I can send to, then YOU CAN ENTER! All you have to do is fill in the form and GOOD LUCK!



Closing Date will be Sunday 15th May 2011 at 6pm GMT. Again, GOOD LUCK!!!