Book Sanctuary

Book List '12

2012-01-04T19:42:00.000Z

January
1. Stieg Larsson - The Girl Who Played With Fire 10/10
2. Stieg Larsson - The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest 10/10
3. Stephenie Meyer - The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide 10/10
4. Ally Condie - Matched 8/10
5. Ally Condie - Crossed 8/10
6. Tess Gerritsen - The Silent Girl 8/10
7. Megan McCafferty - Bumped 4/10
8. Rosamund Lupton - Afterwards 10/10

Book Spotlight: Airel by Aaron Patterson & Chris White

2011-12-07T23:16:00.001Z

Due to the insane amount of stuff on my plate in recent months, I haven't been able to finish Airel in time for review today, however, I do honestly think the book sounds amazing, so I'm going to do a mini spotlight on it instead.

All Airel ever wanted was to be normal, to disappear into the crowd. But bloodlines can produce surprises, like an incredible ability to heal. Then there's Michael Alexander, the new guy in school, who is impossibly gorgeous...and captivated by her. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she can hear the sound of pages turning, and another, older story being written. It is the story of an ancient family, of great warriors, of the Sword of Light, and the struggle against an evil so terrible, so far-reaching, that it threatens everything. Airel knew change would be an inevitable part of life. But can she hold on when murder and darkness begin to close in and take away everything she loves? Will she have what it takes when the truth is finally revealed?

Not only is the cover utterly gorgeous, but the synopsis sounds like it'll be a great read!

Guest Post: Emlyn Chand

2011-11-25T17:35:00.001Z

Did you resolveto read more this year? Maybe you've dubbed this year as theyear you finallystart your own book club. To be successful with either of thesegoals, you'll need to keep that all-consuming passion for reading alive. Here are five examples of what NOT to do.

I have been guilty of each and every oneof these bibliophile misdeeds. To avoid making these mistakes, it helps tobe cognizant of what they are and how they may put-off your love ofreading. My list is, of course, not exhaustive. Please feel free to add otherways in which your enthusiasm for the written word has been destroyed orderailed.

1. By taking too long tofinish reading a particular book - many a decent book have beenutterly destroyed for me simply because I took too long to get through them.Sometimes this is because of a busy work or personal life that interferes withmy time that is generally allotted to reading; others it is because I amreading the wrong book.

2. Because of reading thewrong book—what makes a book wrong? Some people say that if abook does not grab you in the first 50 pages that you should giveup reading it. I don’t know if I, however, subscribe to an exact number ofpages that must be read before giving up. Sometimes books get started a bitlate. Jonathan Safran Foer’s “Everything is Illuminated” for example takesa while to get heated up, but once it’s there, this is one of the mostincredible books.

3. Through turning yourleisure activity into a chore—if reading as a hobby is veryimportant to you, it’s best not to subject yourself to reading materials thatcan be deemed more as work than pleasure. A classic example of thisphenomenon is graduate school. I am not suggesting that you forego highereducation to maintain your zeal for the written word; rather i’d like youto understand that you may undergo a 2-, 3- or even 5- year hiatus in thisinstance.

4. In choosing to miss out onother activities to sit at home and read—so you’re a book-wormthat probably means you, like many others who share your passion, are anintrovert. That’s great, but don’t use reading as an excuse to miss out on someof the other things life has to offer, like a social life. Don’t get too caughtup in the fictional realm that you forget that life exists outside of the pagesof a novel!

5. Upon assigning too muchmeaning to fictional characters—Loved ‘Twilight’ and now findyourself pining for a boyfriend just like Edward Cullen? No man even comesclose? Surprise, surprise. Never measure real people up to invented ones,everybody loses. Similarly, if you find a glimmer of someone you know in avillainous character, you may start subconsciously assigning some of thefictional player’s deeds to your real-life loved one. Don’t do it!

BlogTour Notes

THEBOOK: Alex Kosmitoras may be blind, but he can still“see” things others can’t. When his unwanted visions of the futurebegin to suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choicebut to take on destiny and demand it reconsider. Get your copy today byvisiting Amazon.com’s Kindle store or the eBookretailer of your choice. The paperback edition will be available on November 24(for the author’s birthday).

THE CASHPRIZES: Guess what? You could win a $100 Amazon giftcard as part of this special blog tour. That’s right! Just leave a commentbelow saying something about the post you just read, and you’ll be entered intothe raffle. I could win $100 too! Please help by voting for my blog in the traffic-breakerpoll. To cast your vote, visit the official Farsightedblog tour page and scroll all the way to the bottom. Thank you foryour help with that.

THE GIVEAWAYS: Win 1 of 10 autographed copies of Farsighted before itspaperback release by entering the giveaway on GoodReads. Perhaps you’dlike an autographed postcard from the author;you can request one on her site.

THEAUTHOR: Emlyn Chand has always loved to hear and tellstories, having emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in herleft hand (true story). When she’s not writing, she runs a large book club inAnn Arbor and is the president of author PR firm, Novel Publicity. Emlyn lovesto connect with readers and is available throughout the social media interweb.Visit www.emlynchand.com for more info. Don’tforget to say “hi” to her sun conure Ducky!

The Colour Of Death by Michael Cordy

2011-10-11T03:09:00.003+01:00

No. of pages: 381
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: In a residential neighbourhood of Portland, Oregon, an unknown young woman uncovers a shocking crime scene by inexplicably sensing the evil within its walls. To the police, she is a mystery. She can’t even tell them her own name. They christen her Jane Doe. Suffering terrifying hallucinations, Jane is assigned to Nathan Fox, a forensic psychiatrist struggling with his own demons. Together they must piece together the jigsaw that is Jane’s identity. Then a sequence of brutal killings terrorizes the city and Fox learns Jane is the only cryptic link between the unrelated victims. To solve the murders, Fox must discard his black and white preconceptions, look beyond the spectrum of normal human experience and confront the dark truth of her past…and his own.

Review: When a young woman breaks into a house and releases several trapped girls being held as slaves, she is hailed a hero. Only one problem though, not only does she not remember how she knew the girls were there, but she doesn't even remember her own name. Christened Jane Doe, she is taken to hospital where she is terrified by vivid hallucinations. Moved swifly to a mental facility, she comes under the care of Nathan Fox, a man troubled himself by the murder of his family when he was a child. Together, Jane and Nathan start to unravel not only the mystery of her identity, but also the sudden spate of murders that seem to somehow link back to Jane.

Having heard of Michael Cordy before, but never having read any of his work, I was very interested to read The Colour Of Death. Not only because I love new authors, but because the synopsis sounded so intriguing! I can honestly say, I have never read anything like this story before, the content was completely new, to me anyway. I loved how you slowly found out about all of the fascinating details about Jane and Nathan, and the secrets they both held, and then how it all tied back to the murders that seem so random. I did figure out some of the ending pretty early on, but that didn't ruin any of the enjoyment or suspence for me. A throughly enjoyable read, and a must for fans of thrillers with a science-y twist! I'm not only looking forward to reading the sequel, but also more books by Michael Cordy in the future.

In My Mailbox (29)

2011-10-09T15:07:00.001+01:00

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren, and sums up my past week of incoming books!

So this week I bought just one book:

Linda Fairstein - Death Dance

Teaming up with longtime friends and colleagues, Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace, Alex Cooper investigates the disappearance of a world-famous dancer, who has vanished from the Metropolitan Opera House. Drawn behind the scenes of New York's theatrical community, the team is haunted by ghosts of the dramatic old theatres - and from their own pasts. At the same time, Alex and Mercer are trying to collar a doctor who's been using his extensive knowledge of and access to drugs to overpower women before assualting them.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (35)

2011-10-03T21:49:00.004+01:00

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

Alyxandra Harvey - Haunting Violet 4/5
Rebecca Lim - Mercy 4/5

At the moment I'm reading:

J.A. Kerley - Little Girls Lost

In the next week I hope to read:

Jane Eagland - Wildthorn
Gabrielle Zevin - Memoirs Of A Teenage Amnesiac

In My Mailbox (28)

2011-10-02T20:51:00.000+01:00

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren, and sums up my past week of incoming books!

So this week I have received 2 ebooks for review:

Aaron Patterson & Chris White - Airel

All Airel ever wanted was to be normal, to disappear into the crowd. But bloodlines can produce surprises, like an incredible ability to heal. Then there's Michael Alexander, the new guy in school, who is impossibly gorgeous...and captivated by her. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she can hear the sound of pages turning, and another, older story being written. It is the story of an ancient family, of great warriors, of the Sword of Light, and the struggle against an evil so terrible, so far-reaching, that it threatens everything. Airel knew change would be an inevitable part of life. But can she hold on when murder and darkness begin to close in and take away everything she loves? Will she have what it takes when the truth is finally revealed?

~~~~~

Emlyn Chand - Farsighted

Alex Kosmitoras’s life has never been easy. The only other student who will talk to him is the school bully, his parents are dead-broke and insanely overprotective, and to complicate matters even more, he's blind. Just when he thinks he'll never have a shot at a normal life, a new girl from India moves into town. Simmi is smart, nice, and actually wants to be friends with Alex. Plus she smells like an Almond Joy bar. Yes, sophomore year might not be so bad after all.

Unfortunately, Alex is in store for another new arrival—an unexpected and often embarrassing ability to “see” the future. Try as he may, Alex is unable to ignore his visions, especially when they begin to suggest that Simmi is in danger. With the help of the mysterious psychic next door and new friends who come bearing gifts of their own, Alex must embark on a journey to change his future.

The Transworld Book Group Reading Challenge

2011-08-15T22:11:00.002+01:00

Here's a fantastic chance to get some great looking books for review, just go along to the Transworld Book Group website, and leave a comment! It's as easy as that! Looking forward to reading the reviews of these amazing looking books!

Guest Post: Jared Sandman

2011-08-15T00:44:00.002+01:00

SECOND CHANCES

Jared Sandman’s Blogbuster Tour 2011 runs from July 1st through August 31st. His novels include Leviathan, The Wild Hunt and Dreamland, all of which are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords. His latest book, The Shadow Wolves, has just been released. Follow him on Twitter (@JaredSandman) and be entered to win one of several $25 Amazon gift cards. See rules at www.jaredsandman.com for eligibility.

* * *

I recently read a blog post from an established novelist who shall remain nameless. He argued that every book worth publishing gets published. If one writes a good book, it will find a publisher (though he conceded it may take awhile, especially in this economic environment).

I don’t agree with this assessment. Perhaps that was true in the era of Bennett Cerf or Maxwell Perkins, but I believe a lot has changed in the industry over the past generation, not much of it favorable toward writers.

Let me tweak his premise to make it a more accurate reflection of today. Every good book finds a publisher? No, every good book finds an audience.

Publishers are worried about one criterion alone: can they make money off a specific manuscript? If the answer’s no, they have to move on. How well-written it is, how emotionally engaging, how realistic the characters are -- these are moot points. I’m not convinced the writing itself is even a secondary or tertiary factor taken into consideration, more like an ancillary afterthought.

Readers have a separate measure by which to gauge a book’s value: whether or not it’s any good. The only thing that matters to them is the story. Admittedly, it may take some time for that audience to find its way to a good book. Great stories tend to have a gravitational pull of their own, and they draw readers to them through word of mouth. With the advent of social media, bookselling has become more Darwinian. Books that are worth reading will rise to the forefront, and the forgettable dreck will be rightly ignored. Writers who produce work of merit will be able to support themselves; those who don’t, won’t.

Because a book is well-written does not guarantee it will find a publisher. Plenty of solid books have been passed over because they weren’t marketable enough or didn’t have a high-concept enough hook. These overlooked manuscripts invariably became trunk novels, left to collect dust or molder in desk drawers.

The digital revolution will breathe new life into these stories. By bypassing the industry’s self-appointed gatekeepers, writers are able to appeal directly to readers. It’s the readers who will decide which books are remembered and which are forgotten.

Publishers are only interested in producing bestsellers. While the vast majority of these “second chance” books will not bring their authors bestseller money (I wager more than a few will), a lot of them should at least earn enough to allow some writers to make a living wage. More than that, competent writers who may have abandoned their literary passions will get back in the game.

Variety like that ultimately benefits readers and literature as a whole.

The Eighth Scroll by Dr. Laurence B. Brown

2011-05-21T22:55:00.003+01:00

No. of pages: 332
Rating: 9/10

Synopsis: Stirring the flames of age-old controversies, The Eighth Scroll by Laurence B. Brown draws on the three Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam to create an unbelievably dynamic and powerful story. Set in a world that teeters between orthodoxy and heresy, this thriller is packed with intrigue and adventure. When a Roman Catholic scholar involved in the Dead Sea Scrolls Project hides one of the scrolls because of the heretical message it contains, no one is the wiser until decades later, when a prominent archeologist discovers reference to the scroll in an archeological dig. This discovery spurs the world religions into a dangerous game of cat and mouse, in which all who seek the hidden scroll are mysteriously silenced, leaving the salvation of humankind to a father and son, who must either find the hidden scroll . . . or die trying.

Review: When archaeologist Gerald Hansen receives a cryptic phone call from one of his friends, he rushes half way around the world to the dig where his friend is working, dragging along his son Michael. What they find there completely changes their lives forever. It would seem there is another Dead Sea scroll which has never been found, and it will completely change the face of religion as we know it. The trouble is, they aren't the only ones looking for it, and it will be a life or death race to find it first...

When I was asked to review this book, it was compared to The Da Vinci Code, which is a book I really enjoyed. I am always wary though, when a book is said to be 'like' another, because usually they fall a little short. In this case I can definitely see why the comparison is made, but personally I think Brown can stand with his own merit though, this is a fantastic book. I'm not a follower of any religion, but it has always fascinated me, and so mixed with the gripping thriller aspect as well, made for a really great read. It is immediately clear that this was a subject the author knew a lot about or researched very throughly, and it is all written in a very understandable way for people who do not necessarily know a lot about the three religions spoken about. I liked the characters involved, and thought it was a great move to switch narrators part way through the book. For me, I enjoyed savouring this book over the course of a few days, it gave me time to digest each section of information and think about the story, but I can definitely see it being a book that is impossible to put down as well. I would definitely recommend this to fans of religious thrillers, if you liked The Da Vinci Code, I can assure you this is just as good!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (34)

2011-03-14T20:10:00.000Z

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

Beth Revis - Across The Universe 4/5
Cameron Stracher - The Water Wars 3/5

At the moment I'm reading:

Justin Cronin - The Passage

In the next week I hope to read:

Chevy Stevens - Still Missing
Layton Green - The Summoner

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

2011-03-14T17:34:00.003Z

No. of pages: 392
Rating: 6/10
Series: Generation Dead (Book 1)

Synopsis: All over the tri-state area, something strange is happening. Teenagers who die aren't staying dead. They are coming back to life, but they come back different - they stutter and their reactions to everything are slower. Termed 'living impaired' or 'differently biotic', there are lots of conspiracy theories to explain this new phenomenon. But as their numbers keep on growing, so does the discomfort of the living people in the community. When Phoebe falls for Tommy Williams, her best friend and star of the football team, Adam, has conflicting emotions. And when Tommy decides to try out for the football team, it sets off a chain of events that escalates into deadly violence.

Review: Phoebe is a goth, so she's a bit of an outcast, but nothing like the 'living impaired' kids that have started to attend their school. But as Phoebe becomes friends with, and starts to fall for Tommy, one of the 'living impaired', she realises that there are people that will do anything to stop their relationship...

This is a hard book for me to review. I liked it and yet I didn't like it, but I'm finding it hard to say exactly why. I loved the 'zombies' aspect, but found the story and writing to be quite slow going. When I was reading it, I'd find my mind drifting off and thinking about other things, and then I'd abruptly remember that I should be concentrating on this. I did enjoy the storyline, and most of the characters, I just wish the writing had a bit more 'umph' to it. I wasn't that keen on the ending, but I will carry on with the series to see how the plot progresses and hope the next book will be more enjoyable.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

2011-03-14T16:52:00.002Z

No. of pages: 357
Rating: 7/10
Series: Perfect Chemistry (Book 1)

Synopsis: When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

Review: Brittany has worked hard to make sure everyone thinks she's perfect and has a perfect life. Alex on the other hand is a gang member from the bad side of town, and everyone knows it. So when Alex's friends bet him to hook up with Brittany, he decides to put 'perfect' Brittany in her place. But as Alex slowly gets to know Brittany, and the cracks start to appear in her perfect life, and they find a connection neither thought would ever happen...

Perfect Chemistry turned out to be so much more complex than I thought it would be. At first glance Alex is exactly what you'd imagine a gang thug to be, and Brittany is the typical 'rich bitch' who everyone admires but secretly hates too. I wasn't sure where a story like this could go, but the characters became so real as the story went on, when you slowly started to see the cracks in their lives and the reasoning behind their actions. I thought Simone Elkeles did an amazing job with the characters, and it's almost like the story was irrelevant, the only important thing was Alex and Brittany and how their lives were changing because of each other. The story is a common one, the forbidden love, and how they overcome it, but the characters truly make this anything other than common. Definitely recommended for people who like character driven books, or want to read something a little out of the norm.

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

2011-03-14T16:28:00.004Z

No. of pages: 327
Rating: 5/5
Series: The Body Finder (Book 1)

Synopsis: Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies – or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world...and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift, but now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him. Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer – and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling in love, Violet is getting closer to discovering a killer...and becoming his prey herself.

Review: Violet has always been able to sense dead things, they send out a echo to her, which doesn't stop until they're laid to rest. So Violet does her best to help them pass on peacefully. But what has always been dead animal echoes, becomes a lot more when she finds the body of a young girl....and then another young girl. As Violet is the only one who can see the echoes which attach to both the victim and the murderer, she is determined to find out who is killing the young girls in her town, even when the killer sets his sights on Violet too...

I really enjoy the sensing dead bodies kind of storyline, and this one reminds me a lot of the Charlaine Harris Harper Connelly series which I'd definitely recommend to people who enjoy these kinds of books. The Body Finder is actually a pretty creepy book, which I've not really come across before in the YA genre. I was on tenterhooks throughout most of the second half of the book after Derting really ramped up the suspense, I just couldn't put it down until I found out what happened at the end. I loved Violet as a character, she seemed very down to earth, and just an all round lovely kind of girl just trying to deal with a pretty morbid talent. The growing romantic feelings between Violet and Jay were sweet to read, and added some normality to a pretty creepy story. I really enjoyed The Body Finder and I'm excited to see where the story goes in the next book!

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

2011-03-05T16:08:00.004Z

No. of pages: 414
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis: Summer, 1954. U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels has come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Along with his partner, Chuck Aule, he sets out to find an escaped patient. But nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is what it seems. And neither is Teddy Daniels.
Is he there to find a missing patient? Or has he been sent to look into rumors of Ashecliffe's radical approach to psychiatry? An approach that may include drug experimentation, hideous surgical trials, and lethal countermoves in the shadow war against Soviet brainwashing. The closer Teddy and Chuck get to the truth, the more elusive it becomes, and the more they begin to believe that they may never leave Shutter Island.

Review: Teddy and his partner Chuck, are called to Shutter Island to help find an escaped mental patient. But once on the island, Teddy starts to realise things are not what they seem. Over the course of the next 24 hours, while a terrible storm rages, Teddy finds himself questioning everything he ever believed in...

I wasn't sure whether I was going to like this, so I watched the film first which I loved, and then got a hold of the book after that. I was pleased to find that the book and film were very similar, as sometimes they change the film so much from the book it's not even noticable as the same thing! The ending is really good, and it's definitely a bit of a mind bender book, but in a good way. The character of Teddy is lovable, well written and interesting to get to know, I liked the way his past unravels as you read further into the book. Shutter Island is a great setting, and you really get the creepy feel of this desolate island and it's inhabitants. I would most definitely recommend both the book and the film, I think Leo Di Caprio and Mark Ruffalo perfectly capture the characters of Teddy and Chuck.

February Summary

2011-03-05T15:33:00.003Z

Books completed ~ 3
Becca Fitzpatrick - Crescendo 3/5
Emma Donoghue - Room 5/5
Kimberly Derting - Desires Of The Dead 4/5

Books bought ~ 0

Other books incoming ~ 2
Daniel Waters - Passing Strange (bookring)
Layton Green - The Summoner (review)

Overall ~
February was a terrible month, both reading wise and life wise, and I guess that's why barely anything got done around here! My favourite reads were Room and Desires Of The Dead, both were really great reads. My least favourite was Crescendo, and that was hardly unenjoyable, just not as good as I had hoped. Next month I'm just hoping to finish The Passage, and to make some posts around here, it's not good to let it all fall to pieces!

January Summary

2011-01-31T12:28:00.000Z

Books completed ~ 8
Daniel Waters - Kiss Of Life 3/5
Ally Condie - Matched 4/5
Rachel Ward - Numbers 3.5/5
Rachel Ward - Numbers 2: The Chaos 3.5/5
James Dashner - The Scorch Trials 4/5
Teresa Medeiros - Goodnight Tweetheart 5/5
Alyson Noel - Radiance 4/5
Sebastian Fitzek - Splinter 3/5

Books bought ~ 4
Sebastian Fitzek - Splinter (ebook)
S.L. Grey - The Mall (ebook)
Stephen Jones - The Mammoth Book Of Best New Horror 20 (ebook)
Daniel Hahn - The Ultimate Teen Book Guide

Other books incoming ~ 1
Stephen King - Everything's Eventual (swapped)

Other posts ~
# Teaser Tuesdays - Splinter / Radiance

Overall ~
I'm really pleased that I managed to get 8 read this month, I was expecting the number to be far lower, so that's been a nice surprise! My favourite reads were Goodnight Tweetheart and The Scorch Trials, both were really great reads. My least favourite was Kiss Of Life, I'm just sadly not enjoying that series as much as I had hoped too. Next month I'm just hoping to read as much as I have this month, and if possible maybe even read a bit more! It'd be nice to see my reading mojo back that's for sure! :)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (33)

2011-01-31T08:10:00.000Z

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

Alyson Noel - Radiance 4/5
Sebastian Fitzek - Splinter 3/5

At the moment I'm reading:

Becca Fitzpatrick - Crescendo

In the next week I hope to read:

Emma Donoghue - Room
Jennifer Lynn Barnes - Raised By Wolves

In My Mailbox (27)

2011-01-30T07:32:00.000Z

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren, and sums up my past week in book purchases!

So this week I bought 1 book:

Daniel Hahn & Leonie Flynn - The Ultimate Teen Book Guide

Stuck for something to read? Whether you’re searching for a book to blow your mind and change your life, or just a light read for the beach, The Ultimate Teen Book Guide is the perfect place to start.

The book includes recommendations from teen reviewers and your favorite authors—over 700 books total—so prepare to be inspired! Whether you like fantasy, horror, chick lit, graphic novels, sci-fi, crime . . . From true classics to must-read cult fiction, from the top award-winners to up-to-the minute bestsellers, there’s something for everyone.

Book Blogger Hop (11)

2011-01-28T07:18:00.001Z

Welcome hoppers from the book blogger hop! In case you don't know what I'm talking about, this is a weekly event hosted by Crazy for Books where bloggers and readers can find each other and share their love for books!

If you're hopping by here, leave a comment and I'll be sure to visit you in return! :)

What book are you most looking forward to seeing published in 2011? Why are you anticipating that book?

Too many to mention! You can check them all out here.

Teaser Tuesdays (26)

2011-01-25T10:17:00.000Z

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Just do the following:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a random page
3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
4. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
5. Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

All I knew for sure was that the bridge I had crossed over to make the trip Here was strictly a one-way-only kind of thing. And I know this because I happened to look back the second I'd made it to the other side.

~ Radiance by Alyson Noel.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (32)

2011-01-24T03:40:00.000Z

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

Teresa Medeiros - Goodnight Tweetheart 5/5

At the moment I'm reading:

Sebastian Fitzek - Splinter
Alyson Noel - Radiance
Tom Reynolds - Blood, Sweat & Tea

In the next week I hope to read:

Becca Fitzpatrick - Crescendo

In My Mailbox (26)

2011-01-23T11:26:00.000Z

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren, and sums up my past week in book purchases!

So this week I swapped 1 book:

Stephen King - Everything's Eventual

In this eerie, enchanting compilation, King takes readers down a road less travelled (for good reason) in the blockbuster e-book 'Riding the Bullet', terror becomes déjà vu all over again when you get 'That Feeling, You Can Only Say What It is in French' and LT has a theory about pets which will make you stop and think before giving one as a present to a loved one – along with eleven more stories that will keep you awake until dawn.

Nothing is quite as it seems. Expect the unexpected in this veritable treasure trove of enthralling, witty, dark tales that could only come from the imagination of the greatest storyteller of our time.

Book Blogger Hop (10)

2011-01-21T21:08:00.003Z

The Small Hand by Susan Hill

2011-01-20T04:25:00.003Z

No. of pages: 167
Rating: 4/10

Synopsis: Returning home from a visit to a client late one summer’s evening, antiquarian bookseller Adam Snow takes a wrong turning and stumbles across the derelict old White House. Compelled by curiosity, he approaches the door, and, standing before the entrance feels the unmistakable sensation of a small hand creeping into his own, ‘as if a child had taken hold of it’. Intrigued by the encounter, he determines to learn more, and discovers that the owner’s grandson had drowned tragically many years before. At first unperturbed by the odd experience, Snow begins to be plagued by haunting dreams, panic attacks, and more frequent visits from the small hand which become increasingly threatening and sinister…

Review: Having taken a wrong turn on a country road, Adam Snow accidentally comes across a once beautiful, but now run down abandoned house. As he stands admiring it, he feels a little hand slip in to his, but to his horror, there is no one stood beside him. As he tries to forget the experience, he feels the hand slip in to his again, and realises he needs to find out more about the house that led him to the hand...

A pretty disappointing read overall really. I was expecting a scary ghost story and it was nothing of the sort, and I actually found it to be pretty dull. It had so much potential to be great as well which is a shame. I did enjoy the mystery aspect of the plot as so far as I wanted to know the story behind the hand, but didn't really feel that it was explained to much extent. The characters were never explored to any depth, so I never felt like I got to know or like any of them. I think the best bit about this book is the fact it's so short, so it didn't take long to get through. I don't think I'd read anything by this author again.

Blood Vines by Erica Spindler

2011-01-20T03:38:00.003Z

No. of pages: 483
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: Alex Owens knows very little about her childhood or who she really is - her only family an absent, emotionally fragile mother. Alex has always felt something was missing and has spent most of her life searching for what that could be. When an infant's remains are unearthed, Alex realises she has a connection to the case. Suddenly long-lost memories start flooding in, leading her back to a small town in California and to dark and terrifying nightmares that haunt her every waking moment. Greeted with silence and suspicion, Alex is determined to get to the heart of a secret no one wants to see uncovered. As violent deaths and a series of pagan rituals terrify the tightly-knit community, Alex is forced to confront the terrible truth about a single night that changed her family's lives for ever...

Review: Alex has always had strange dreams, and coupled with the secrets her mother quite obviously keeps from her, she feels that something is missing in her life, but she has no idea what. But when she's contacted about the death of a baby she has no clue about, she realises the secrets her mother kept are coming back to haunt them...

It's well known that Erica is one of my favourite thriller writers, and this book is no exception to the rule. It was gripping and full of twists from page one, and maybe a tad more dark that some of her other books because it's about the murder of a little baby. I really felt quite suffocated at times during the story, which goes to show how great the writing is. It was great as always to see all of the puzzle pieces falling into place, and there were plenty of surprises, including the ending which I didn't see coming. It's well worth a read if you're looking for a gripping thriller that you can't put down!

The Fledgling Handbook by P.C. Cast

2011-01-20T03:00:00.005Z

No. of pages: 157
Rating: 6/10
Series: House Of Night (Handbook)

Synopsis: Merry meet, fledgling. I trust this guide will serve you well...Every vampyre fledgling who arrives at the House of Night receives a copy of The Fledgling Handbook 101, and now, fans can have one, too, with this gorgeous must-have edition. Inside you'll find original stories, the complete vampyre history, inside info into rituals, vamp biology, and the Change, and much more.

Review: A companion guide to the House Of Night series. The Fledgling Handbook is given to all new vampyre fledglings upon arriving at the House Of Night, and it describes many aspects of life as a vampyre, including history, ritual information, what will happen during your change and almost everything else!

I was kind of looking forward to this, as it's mentioned so much during the series and I was so curious what would be in it. I felt mostly disappointed though, it's super short, and still it dragged when I was reading the pages, and there isn't even that much text in there either! The pages are lovely though, thick shiny paper, and lots of pretty pictures and such on them. Basically it's just filler, most of the stuff in it, you know from the series itself and it was clearly released just to cash in on the success of the series. Not worth buying in my opinion, but if you're interested, borrow from a friend or the library.

The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

2011-01-20T02:33:00.006Z

No. of pages: 550
Rating: 9/10
Series: Harry Hole (Book 7)

Synopsis: The night the first snow falls a young boy wakes to find his mother gone. He walks through the silent house, but finds only wet footprints on the stairs. In the garden looms a solitary figure: a snowman bathed in cold moonlight, its black eyes glaring up at the bedroom windows. Round its neck is his mother’s pink scarf. Inspector Harry Hole is convinced there is a link between the disappearance and a menacing letter he received some months earlier. As Harry and his team delve into unsolved case files, they discover that an alarming number of wives and mothers have gone missing over the years. When a second woman disappears Harry’s suspicions are confirmed: he is a pawn in a deadly game. For the first time in his career Harry finds himself confronted with a serial killer operating on his turf, a killer who will drive him to the brink of insanity.

Review: A little boy awakes to find his mother has disappeared, upon his search for her around the house, he sees a snowman in the garden with his mother's scarf wrapped around it. A few days later, another mother goes missing, and there's another snowman. So begins Harry Hole's chase after the 'Snowman' serial killer, but considering Harry is a disgraced ex-alcoholic, it's not going to be a smooth ride...

My one and only niggle about this book is the cover, I absolutely hate the massive 'the next Stieg Larsson' sign, and it almost put me off of reading this book completely. It's like comparing an apple to a banana, sure they're both fruits, but that's where the similarities end, and it's the same with these authors. Personally, I prefered this book over the one I've read by Stieg Larsson, so I find the sign a bit frustrating, plus it's rude to try and launch an author in a new country by saying he's 'like' an already established author, especially when they have so much talent and merit of their own. Apart from that I loved this book! It very dark, and truly what a thriller should be in every sense. Harry Hole is one of those characters that's hard to love, but he's great at his job, and I found him to be very funny throughout the book. I loved the mystery of the murders, and it unravelled nicely, with lots of twists and turns. I thought I knew who the killer was a few times, but of course I was completely and utterly wrong! The ending was amazing, one of the best endings I've ever read in a thriller book, and I cannot stress enough how great a thriller this book is! If you're a fan of them, then this is definitely a MUST read. I can't wait to get my hands on more books from this series!

Teaser Tuesdays (25)

2011-01-18T00:51:00.004Z

Looking into those bulging eyes, he smelt the fear in which the dank little room was steeped. He could feel it on his skin and taste it under his tongue, and knew that, in the next few seconds, he himself would be in excruciating pain - as if his own eyeball were being scooped from its socket and the optic nerve severed with a pair of rusty secateurs.

~ Splinter by Sebastian Fitzek.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (31)

2011-01-17T19:47:00.003Z

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

Ally Condie - Matched 4/5
Rachel Ward - Numbers 3.5/5
Rachel Ward - Numbers 2: The Chaos 3.5/5
James Dashner - The Scorch Trials 4/5

At the moment I'm reading:

Sebastian Fitzek - Splinter
Tom Reynolds - Blood, Sweat & Tea

In the next week I hope to read:

Stephen King - Everything's Eventual
Mira Grant - Feed

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (30)

2011-01-10T14:48:00.001Z

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

Daniel Waters - Kiss Of Life 3/5

At the moment I'm reading:

Tom Reynolds - Blood, Sweat & Tea
Ally Condie - Matched

In the next week I hope to read:

Rachel Ward - Numbers
Rachel Ward - Numbers 2: The Chaos

In My Mailbox (25)

2011-01-08T23:56:00.003Z

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren, and sums up my past week in book purchases!

So this week I bought 3 ebooks for my shiny new Kindle:

Sebastian Fitzek - Splinter

Marc Lucas had it all, and lost it all. He is only slowly putting his life back together after the car crash that killed his pregnant wife, when things start to go strangely wrong for him. Nothing too sinister to begin with: his credit cards stop working. But then his key no longer fits his door, and he discovers someone else working in his office. Much worse is to come: he returns home to find himself face to face with his once-dead wife, and she doesn’t have a clue who he is. The next day, there is no trace of her. Could this have anything to do with the clinic? They wanted to test their ability to remove traumatic memories from live subjects. Marc had met them, just once, but declined their experimental technology. He now fears they may have begun their tests illicitly... Can he discover just what is happening to him before the waking nightmare he finds himself living overwhelms his sanity?

~~~~~

S.L. Grey - The Mall

Dan is an angsty emo-kid who works in a deadly dull shopping mall. He hates his job.

Rhoda is a junkie whose babysitting charge ran off while she was scoring cocaine. She hates her life. Rhoda bullies Dan into helping her search, but as they explore the neon-lit corridors behind the mall, disturbing text messages lure them into the bowels of the building, where old mannequins are stored in grave-like piles and raw sewage drips off the ceiling. The only escape is down.

Plummeting into the earth in a disused service lift playing head-splitting Musak, Dan and Rhoda enter a sinister underworld that mirrors their worst fears. They finally escape, but something feels different. Why are the shoppers all pumped full of silicone? Why are the shop assistants chained to their counters? And why is a café called McColon’s selling lumps of bleeding meat?

Just when they think they’ve made it back to the mall, they realize the nightmare has only just begun...

~~~~~

Stephen Jones - The Mammoth Book Of Best New Horror 20

This title includes the year's best, and darkest, tales of terror, showcasing the most outstanding new short stories and novellas by contemporary masters of the macabre, including the likes of Ramsey Campbell, Neil Gaiman, Brian Keene, Tanith Lee, Elizabeth Massie, Kim Newman, Michael Marshall Smith, and Gene Wolfe. "The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror" also includes a comprehensive annual overview of horror around the world in all its incarnations; an impressively researched necrology; and, a list of indispensable contact addresses for the dedicated horror fan and aspiring writer alike. It is required reading for every fan of macabre fiction.

New Look

2011-01-08T01:27:00.002Z

Welcome to the new look at Book Sanctuary! The old layout, while much loved, had been up for 2 years, and I felt like I needed something new. I got a mixed response about changing it when I asked for opinions on Twitter, so in the end I just went with my heart and changed it. I think it looks lovely and I have now also installed IntenseDebate, so I can now reply to comments also. So to those who are still following the blog after the recent lull, thank you! I really appreciate it and I hope to really spruce up the place in the coming weeks :)

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

2011-01-03T18:52:00.003Z

No. of pages: 368
Rating: 8/10
Series: Lorien Legacies (Book 1)

Synopsis: John Smith is not your average teenager. He regularly moves from small town to small town. He changes his name and identity. He does not put down roots. He cannot tell anyone who or what he really is. If he stops moving those who hunt him will find and kill him. But you can’t run forever. So when he stops in Paradise, Ohio, John decides to try and settle down. To fit in. And for the first time he makes some real friends. People he cares about – and who care about him. Never in John’s short life has there been space for friendship, or even love. But it’s just a matter of time before John’s secret is revealed. He was once one of nine. Three of them have been killed. John is Number Four. He knows that he is next...

Review: John is number 4 of the last of 9 of his race. They can only be killed in order, so when 3 is killed, John knows it's just a matter of time before he's hunted down. But John is sick of running, and is determined to stay in one place and put down some roots, but will staying in just one place make it easier for the hunters to find and kill him?

I was looking forward to this for ages before it was even released, and so I was really pleased that I enjoyed it. It was a little different to what I was expecting, but not by much, and not in a way that diminished my thoughts of it at all. I loved the main characters, and thought they all had great personality and relationships with each other. Bernie Kosar was my absolute favourite character, I'd love to have a dog like that! I think my favourite bit of the story was finding out about John's home planet of Lorien, it was beautifully described. The plot was well paced and realistically filled with tension throughout, and I finished it in just one sitting. I'm really looking forward to the released of the next in the series and cannot wait to see where the story goes from here. Would definitely recommend to sci-fi fans, or to be people who enjoy a good fast paced thriller.

High Stakes by Meg Cabot

2011-01-03T18:25:00.004Z

No. of pages: 200
Rating: 8/10
Series: Mediator (Book 2)

Synopsis: Meet Susannah Simon: she's a typical teenage girl, who just happens to be a ghost-hunter ...oh, and she's also dead-over-heels for Jesse - the sexiest spook ever! But can this girl get her ghost? In "High Stakes", Suze's new life is looking up - cool friends, pool parties and getting to know Jesse (swoon), but then a desperate spirit asks for her help. Suddenly she's on the trail of a creepy local businessman, who just might be a vampire. Life just got dead complicated. Again.

Review: When a crying ghost appears in her bedroom, Suze is asked to track down and pass on a message to someone. But as Suze gets close to who she thinks is the recipient, she starts to worry that he's not entirely human...

High Stakes is just as good as the first book in the series, and builds upon the story started there. I really enjoyed the evolving relationships in this book, mainly between Suze and Jesse and Suze and her new little brother Doc, who is so adorable! The story is engaging and kept me gripped right until the end, although I did find the ending was kind of repetitive as a similar thing happened at the end of the first book, and that was a little disappointing. Over all, these books are enjoyable for a light, easy read.

Love You To Death by Meg Cabot

2011-01-03T18:10:00.004Z

No. of pages: 199
Rating: 8/10
Series: Mediator (Book 1)

Synopsis: Meet Susannah Simon: she's a typical teenage girl, who just happens to be a ghost-hunter ...oh, and she's also dead-over-heels for Jesse - the sexiest spook ever! But can this girl get her ghost? In "Love You to Death", Suze arrives in California and has barely unpacked when her mediator skills are put to the test. A vicious spirit in her new school is hell-bent on making her life a complete nightmare, but Suze is more than ready to kick some serious ghost butt if she has to.

Review: Suze has just moved to California, and transferred into a new school there. Her first day is a little different than she imagined though when a nasty spirit decides to try and scare Suze away from the school, but Suze has dealt with ghosts like this before, and isn't afraid to show it who's boss...

This book was mainly about introducing us to the cast of characters, many of which are pretty loveable. I really liked the ghost mediating aspect of it and thought that it was something interesting to read about. I thought Suze's spunky attitude was funny and I liked reading her interaction with Jesse, can't see where that goes in the future! A predictable story, but quite sweet, and an enjoyable quick read.

December Summary

2011-01-02T04:51:00.001Z

Books completed ~ 5
Susan Hill - The Small Hand 2.5/5
Dennis Lehane - Shutter Island 5/5
Kimberly Derting - The Body Finder 5/5
Simone Elkeles - Perfect Chemistry 3.5/5
Daniel Waters - Generation Dead 3.5/5

Books bought ~ 6
Stacia Kane - Unholy Ghosts
Jilliane Hoffman - Pretty Little Things
Suzanne Weir - Distant Waters
Lee Weeks - Kiss & Die
Harlan Coben - Fade Away/Back Spin
Mark Billingham - Buried

Other books incoming ~ 8
Simone Elkeles - Perfect Chemistry (book ring)
Kimberly Derting - The Body Finder (xmas)
Mira Grant - Feed (xmas)
Jennifer Lynn Barnes - Raised By Wolves (xmas)
Rachel Ward - Numbers (xmas)
Rachel Ward - Numbers: The Chaos (xmas)
Cecelia Ahern - The Book of Tomorrow (xmas)
Katie Flynn - A Mistletoe Kiss (xmas)

Overall ~
I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't manage to read much this month, but realistically I didn't think that I would be able to with the hecticness of christmas and such, so I'm kind of happy I manage to get 5 done at least! My favourite reads were Shutter Island and The Body Finder, both were fantastic. My least favourite was The Small Hand, it wasn't really anything like I was expecting and I didn't massively enjoy it, I just felt kind of 'meh' when I was done. I'm hoping I manage to get some of my reading mojo back in January, it's been severely lacking for months! I just need to find some books that are really going to grip me, so fingers crossed!

The Toymaker by Jeremy De Quidt

2011-01-01T23:29:00.003Z

No. of pages: 356
Rating: 4/10

Synopsis: What good is a toy that will wind down? What if you could put a heart in one? A real heart. One that beat and beat and didn't stop. What couldn't you do if you could make a toy like that? From the moment Mathias becomes the owner of a mysterious piece of paper, he is in terrible danger. Entangled in devious plots and pursued by the sinister Doctor Leiter and his devilish toys, Mathias finds himself on a quest to uncover a deadly secret.

Review: When Mathias receives a piece of paper that is quite clearly a clue to something, he finds himself on a dangerous mission to uncover a sinister secret.

I think my main problem with this book was that I was expecting something completely different. From the synopsis on the back of the book, I had imagined something very different to how the story actually was, and that for me was very disappointing. The plot in itself is not bad, but this was just not the book for me. I really struggled to get through it and seriously considered giving up on it numerous times. It was only the fact I hate to give up on books that made me carry on, just in case it turned out to be great. Sadly, in this case, it didn't. I didn't like any of the characters, the ending was pretty rubbish and didn't even fully wrap up the story and I'm surprised that a childrens book has so much violence in it. This should teach me a lesson that cool covers do not equal cool books!

Sister by Rosamund Lupton

2011-01-01T23:14:00.003Z

No. of pages: 358
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis: Nothing can break the bond between sisters...

When Beatrice gets a frantic call in the middle of Sunday lunch to say that her younger sister, Tess, is missing, she boards the first flight home to London. But as she learns about the circumstances surrounding her sister's disappearance, she is stunned to discover how little she actually knows of her sister's life - and unprepared for the terrifying truths she must now face.

The police, Beatrice's fiance and even their mother accept they have lost Tess but Beatrice refuses to give up on her. So she embarks on a dangerous journey to discover the truth, no matter the cost.

Review: Imagine getting a phone call telling you that your sister has gone missing, then imagine that you're half a world away from where your sister lives. This is the nightmare that begins for Beatrice one lunchtime as she receives a phone call from her mother back in London. But after rushing from New York back to London to find Tess, Beatrice realises that she may not have known her sister as well as she thought she did after all...

I was really looking forward to starting this book because I thought it sounded fantastic, and it even exceeded my incredibly high expectations. I don't know what it was, but this for me was that rare 'perfect' book. I loved the way it was written, I loved the storyline, I loved and cared about the characters, I just pure and simple loved it. I sat and read it through in one sitting because I couldn't bear to put it down and then was incredibly sad that it was over. I think the ending is one that will divide readers, I can definitely see how people would dislike it, but I thought it did fit in well with the story that was being told, so it didn't bother me. I would definitely recommend this to fans of mystery books and I for one cannot wait for another book by this author!

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

2011-01-01T22:45:00.004Z

No. of pages: 371
Rating: 8/10
Series: The Maze Runner Trilogy (Book 1)

Synopsis: When the doors of the lift crank open, the only thing Thomas remembers is his first name. But he's not alone. He's surrounded by boys who welcome him to the Glade - a walled encampment at the centre of a bizarre and terrible stone maze. Like Thomas, the Gladers don't know why or how they came to be there - or what's happened to the world outside. All they know is that every morning when the walls slide back, they will risk everything - even the Grievers, half-machine, half-animal horror that patrols its corridors, to find out.

Review: When Thomas wakes up in the lift, all he knows is that his name is Thomas. He knows nothing else about anything, least of all where he is or how on earth he got there. Then the lift opens, and he finds himself in the Glade, surrounded by other boys who had awakened in the lift. But what they don't know is that time is running short, and Thomas is the key to solving the mystery of the Glade and freeing them all...

Similar in style to that of The Hunger Games, in that it's about children put in peril to fight for their freedom. This one I'd say is more aimed towards the male market, but still very enjoyable for females too. I enjoyed the mystery of the Glade and the maze that surrounds it, and I also thought the language the boys had made up was funny and a nice touch. I also thought the monsters, called Grievers, were actually quite creepy sounding, I certainly wouldn't want to bump in to one, that's for sure! I did find that the plot dragged a little in places, but overall I thought the story was an interesting concept, and I enjoyed reading it. Personally, I did prefer The Hunger Games, but this is definitely a read for fans of that series. I've heard the second in the series is even better, and I can't wait to read it and find out for myself how Thomas' story continues.

Book List '11

2011-01-01T00:17:00.029Z

January
1. Daniel Waters - Kiss Of Life 6/10
2. Ally Condie - Matched 8/10
3. Rachel Ward - Numbers 7/10
4. Rachel Ward - Numbers 2: The Chaos 7/10
5. James Dashner - The Scorch Trials 8/10
6. Teresa Medeiros - Goodnight Tweetheart 10/10
7. Alyson Noel - Radiance 8/10
8. Sebastian Fitzek - Splinter 6/10

February
9. Becca Fitzpatrick - Crescendo 6/10
10. Emma Donoghue - Room 10/10
11. Kimberly Derting - Desires Of The Dead 8/10

March
12. Robin Benway - The Extraordinary Secrets Of April, May & June 6/10
13. Beth Revis - Across The Universe 8/10
14. Cameron Stracher - The Water Wars 6/10
15. Chevy Stevens - Still Missing 10/10
16. Megan Crewe - Give Up The Ghost 7/10
17. Nina LaCour - Hold Still 10/10

April
18. Justin Cronin - The Passage 10/10
19. Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games 10/10
20. Suzanne Collins - Catching Fire 10/10
21. Suzanne Collins - Mockingjay 10/10
22. Carrie Ryan - The Dark And Hollow Places 8/10

May
23. Julia Hoban - Scarred 6/10
24. Charlaine Harris - Dead Reckoning 6/10
25. Linwood Barclay - Never Look Away 8/10
26. Dr. Laurence B. Brown - The Eighth Scroll 9/10
27. Adam Chester - S'Mother 8/10
28. Evonne Tsang - I Love Him To Pieces 4/10

June
29. Carole Moore - The Last Place You'd Look 8/10

July
30. Maggie Stiefvater - Shiver (audiobook) 10/10
31. Maggie Stiefvater - Linger 10/10
32. Maggie Stiefvater - Forever 8/10
33. Daniel Waters - Passing Strange 8/10

August
34. Bryan Lee O'Malley - Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life 8/10

September
35. Michael Cordy - The Colour Of Death 8/10
36. Alyxandra Harvey - Haunting Violet 8/10
37. Rebecca Lim - Mercy 8/10

October
38. J.A. Kerley - Little Girls Lost 6/10
39. Gabrielle Zevin - Memoirs Of A Teenage Amnesiac 9/10
40. Lee Carroll - Black Swan Rising 10/10

November
41. Audrey Niffenegger - The Time Traveler's Wife 10/10
42. Stephenie Meyer - Twilight 10/10
43. Maggie Stiefvater - Linger (audiobook) 10/10
44. Emlyn Chand - Farsighted 8/10

December
45. Stephenie Meyer - New Moon 10/10
46. Stephenie Meyer - Eclipse 10/10
47. Stephenie Meyer - Breaking Dawn 8/10
48. Maggie Stiefvater - Forever (audiobook) 8/10
49. Stieg Larsson - The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo 8/10

The Ultimate Teen Book Guide Challenge

2011-01-01T00:11:00.010Z

The aim of this challenge is to read the list from The Ultimate Teen Book Guide. There are 681 entries, some of which are series of books, so I intend for this to be a long term challenge. My start date is Jan 1st 2011 and I begin having already read 18 entries.

1066 And All That - W.C. Sellar and R.J. Yeatman
The 13½ Lives Of Captain Blue Bear - Walter Moers
52 Pick-Up - Elmore Leonard
84 Charing Cross Road - Helene Hanff
87th Precinct Series - Ed McBain
Abarat - Clive Barker
The Abortion - Richard Brautigan
About A Boy - Nick Hornby
Across The Nightingale Floor - Lian Hearn
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain
After The First Death - Robert Cormier
Against The Day - Michael Cronin
Airborne - Kenneth Oppel
Al Copone Does My Shirts - Gennifer Choldenko
Alanna: The First Adventure – Tamora Pierce
The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
The Alchemist's Apprentice - Kate Thompson
Alchemy - Margaret Mahy
The Aldous Lexicon - Michael Lawrence
Alex Rider Series - Anthony Horowitz
Alice Series - Susan Juby
All American Girl - Meg Cabot
All Quiet On The Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque
All The Pretty Horses - Cormac McCarthy
The Amazing Maurice And His Educated Rodents - Terry Pratchett
The Amulet Of Samarkand - Jonathan Stroud
And The Ass Saw An Angel - Nick Cave
Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt
Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging - Louise Rennison
Animal Farm - George Orwell
Anita And Me - Meera Syal
Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
Another Roadside Attraction - Tom Robbins
Anthem For Doomed Youth - Ed. Jon Stallworthy
An Anthropologist On Mars - Oliver Sacks
Apocalypse - Tim Bowler
Arabella - Georgette Heyer
Archer’s Goon - Diana Wynne Jones
Are You Dave Gorman? - Dave Gorman and Danny Wallace
Are You Experienced? - William Sutcliffe
Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer
Arthur: The Seeing Stone - Kevin Crossley-Holland
At Swim-Two-Birds - Flann O'Brien
At The Sign Of The Sugared Plum - Mary Hooper
Atonement - Ian McEwan
Automated Alice - Jeff Noon
Bad Alice - Jean Ure
Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress - Dai Sijie
Barrel Fever - David Sedaris
Be More Chill - Ned Vizzini
The Beach - Alex Garland
Beau Geste - P.C. Wren
* Beauty - Robin McKinley
The Beet Fields - Gary Paulsen
The Belgariad - David Eddings
The Bell - Iris Murdoch
The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
Beloved - Toni Morrison
Beyond The Deepwoods - Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell
The Big Sleep - Raymond Chandler
Bilgewater - Jane Gardam
Bindi Babes - Narinder Dhami
The Birds On The Trees - Nina Bawden
Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
Bitter Fruit - Brian Keaney
The Black Magican Trilogy - Trudi Canavan
Blame My Brain - Nicola Morgan
Blankets - Craig Thompson
Blinded By The Light - Sherry Ashworth
The Blood Stone - Jamila Gavin
Bloodtide - Melvin Burgess
Blue - Sue Mayfield
Blue Moon - Julia Green
The Body In The Library - Agatha Christie
Bonjour Tristesse - Francoise Sagan
Born Confused - Tanuja Desai Hidier
Bows Against The Barons - Geoffrey Trease
Boy2Girl - Terence Blacker
The Boy In The Burning House - Tim Wynne-Jones
* The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne
Boy Kills Man - Matt Whyman
Boy Meets Boy - David Levithan
Boy Soldier - Andy McNab and Robert Rigby
Brat Farrar - Josephine Tey
Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
The Breadwinner - Deborah Ellis
Breakfast At Tiffany's - Truman Capote
Breaktime - Aidan Chambers
Brideshead Revisted - Evelyn Waugh
Bridge To Terabithia - Katherine Paterson
Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding
Brighton Rock - Graham Green
The Bromeliad Trilogy - Terry Pratchett
Brother Of The More Famous Jack - Barbara Trapido
Brothers - Ted Van Lieshout
The Buddha Of Suburbia - Hanif Kureishi
The Burning City - Ariel and Joaquin Dorfman
The Butterfly Tattoo - Philip Pullman
The Call Of The Wild - Jack London
Calling A Dead Man - Gillian Cross
Can You Keep A Secret? - Sandra Glover
Candy - Kevin Brooks
Cannery Row/Sweet Thursday - John Steinbeck
Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
Carwash - Lesley Howarth
Cat Among The Pigeons - Agatha Christie
Catalyst - Laurie Halse Anderson
Catch-22 - Joseph Heller
The Catcher In The Rye - J.D. Salinger
Cat's Cradle - Kurt Vonnegut
Cat's Eye - Margaret Atwood
Caught In The Crossfire - Alan Gibbons
Cause Celeb - Helen Fielding
The Cement Garden - Ian McEwan
The Changeover - Margaret Mahy
* A Child Called ‘IT’ - David Pelzer
Child X - Lee Weatherly
Children Of The Dust - Louise Lawrence
* Chinese Cinderella - Adeline Yen Mah
Chocolat - Joanne Harris
The Chocolate War - Robert Cormier
Christine - Stephen King
A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
The Chrysalids - John Wyndham
Cider With Rosie - Laurie Lee
Claudine At School - Colette
Clay - David Almond
A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess
Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
The Colditz Story - P.R. Reid
The Color Purple - Alice Walker
Come Clean - Terri Paddock
Coming Up For Air - George Orwell
Complete Short Stories - J.G. Ballard
Confessions Of A Teenage Drama Queen - Dyan Sheldon
Consider Phlebas - Iain M. Banks
* Coraline - Neil Gaiman
Coram Boy - Jamila Gavin
Corbenic - Catherine Fisher
Counting Stars - David Almond
Crazy - Benjamin Lebert
Crime And Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
The Cry Of The Icemark - Stuart Hill
The Crystal Cave - Mary Stewart
The Crystal Singer - Anne McCaffrey
Cue for Treason - Geoffrey Trease
The Cup Of The World/The Widow And The King - John Dickinson
* The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time – Mark Haddon
Cut - Patricia McCormick
* The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
Daisy Miller - Henry James
Dance On My Grave - Aidan Chambers
Dandelion Wine - Ray Bradbury
The Dark Beneath - Alan Gibbons
The Dark Ground - Gillian Cross
The Dark Is Rising Series - Susan Cooper
The Dark Lord Of Derkholm - Diana Wynne Jones
Darkhenge - Catherine Fisher
Daughters Of Jerusalem - Charlotte Mendelson
The Day Of The Jackal - Frederick Forsyth
The Day Of The Triffids - John Wyndham
Daz 4 Zoe - Robert Swindells
Dead Famous - Ben Elton
Dead Negative - Nick Manns
Deadkidsongs - Toby Litt
* Dear Nobody - Bertie Doherty
Death And The Penguin - Andrey Kurkov
Deep Secret - Berlie Doherty
The Defender - Alan Gibbons
Desire Lines - Jack Gantos
The Diamond Girls - Jacqueline Wilson
Diary Of A Nobody - George and Weedon Grossman
The Diary Of A Young Girl - Anne Frank
Disconnected - Sherry Ashworth
Discworld : Monstrous Regiment – Terry Pratchett
Divided City - Theresa Breslin
Dizzy - Cathy Cassidy
Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? - Phillip K. Dick
Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
Dr Zhivago - Boris Pasternak
Does My Bum Look Big In This? - Arabella Weir
Doing It - Melvin Burgess
Don't Let's Go To The Dogs Tonight - Alexandra Fuller
Down With Skool! - G. Willans and R. Searle
Dracula - Bram Stoker
The Dragonriders Of Pern Series - Annie McCaffrey
Drama Queen - Chloe Rayban
The Dud Avacado - Elaine Dundy
Dune - Frank Herbert
Dusk - Susan Gates
The Eclipse Of The Century - Jan Mark
Elsewhere - Gabrielle Zevin
Empire Of The Sun - J.G Ballard
Empty World - John Christopher
Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
Eragon - Christopher Paolini
Escape - Kate Cann
Ethan Frome - Edith Warren
Ethel And Ernest - Raymond Briggs
An Evil Cradling - Brian Keenan
Exile And The Kingdom - Albert Camus
Exodus - Julie Bertagna
The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde
Face - Benjamin Zephaniah
Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
Fake - K.K. Beck
Faking It - Pete Johnson
Falling 4 Mandy - Chris d'Lacey
Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
The Farseer Trilogy - Robin Hobb
Fat Boy Swim - Catherine Forde
Fat Kid Rules The World - K.L. Going
Fatherland - Robert Harris
Feather Boy - Nicky Singer
Feed - M.T. Anderson
Festival - David Belbin
Fever Pitch - Nick Hornby
Fire And Hemlock - Diana Wynne Jones
Fire From Heaven - Mary Renault
Firedrake's Eye - Patricia Finney
The Fire-Eaters - David Almond
Fireweed - Jill Paton Walsh
Fleshmarket - Nicola Morgan
Floodland - Marcus Sedgwick
* Flowers In The Attic - Virgina Andrews
The Flowing Queen - Kai Meyer
Follow Me Down - Julie Hearn
For Esme - With Love And Squalor - J.D. Salinger
Forbidden - Judy Waite
Forever - Judy Blume
The Fortune Teller - Alison Prince
The Foundation Trilogy - Isaac Asimov
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
Franny And Zooey - J.D. Salinger
Frenchman's Creek - Daphne Du Maurier
Friendly Fire - Patrick Gale
Frost In May - Antonia White
Frost On My Moustache - Tim Moore
The Garbage King - Elizabeth Laird
A Gathering Light - Jennifer Donnelly
Generation X - Douglas Coupland
Georgie - Malachy Doyle
Getting Rid Of Karenna - Helena Pielichaty
Ghost Stories - M.R. James
Gifts - Ursula Le Guin
Gigi - Colette
Girl, 15 (Charming But Insane) - Sue Limb
The Girl In The Attic - Valerie Mendes
Girl With A Pearl Earring - Tracy Chevalier
Girlfriend In A Coma - Douglas Coupland
Girls In Love - Jacqueline Wilson
Girls Like You: Alex - Kate Petty
Go And Come Back - Joan Abelove
Go Ask Alice - Anonymous
The Go-Between - L.P. Hartley
Going For Stone - Philip Gross
Goldkeeper - Sally Prue
Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
Good Omens - Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
Goodbye To All That - Robert Graves
The Goose Girl - Shannon Hale
The Gormenghast Trilogy - Mervyn Peake
The Great Blue Yonder - Alex Shearer
The Great Divorce - C.S. Lewis
Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Great Railway Bazaar - Paul Theroux
The Greengage Summer - Rumer Godden
Gulf - Robert Westall
Gulliver - Martin Jenkins and Chris Riddell
* Hamlet - William Shakespeare
The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
Hangover Square - Patrick Hamilton
Happy - Keith Gray
Hard Cash - Kate Cann
The Hard Man Of The Swings - Jeanne Willis
* The Harry Potter Series - J.K. Rowling
Hatchet - Gary Paulsen
The Haunting Of Alaizabel Cray - Chris Wooding
The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter - Carson McCullers
Heart Of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
A Heakbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius - Dave Eggers
The Heaven Shop - Deborah Ellis
The Henry Game - Susan Davis
Heroes - Robert Cormier
Hex - Rhiannon Lassiter
High Fidelity - Nick Hornby
His Dark Materials Trilogy - Phillip Pullman
The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy - Douglas Adams
The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkein
Hole In My Life - Jack Gantos
Holes - Louis Sacher
Hombre - Elmore Leonard
Homecoming - Cynthia Voigt
Hoot - Carl Hiaasen
Hope Was Here - Joan Bauer
Horace - Chis d'Lacey
The Hours - Michael Cunningham
The House In Norham Gardens - Penelope Lively
The House Of Sleep - Jonathan Coe
House Of The Scorpion - Nancy Farmer
House Of The Spirits - Isabel Allende
How I Live Now - Meg Rosoff
How To Disappear Completely And Never Be Found - Sara Nickerson
Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones
Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain
Hunter's Heart - Julia Green
I Am David - Anne Holm
I Am The Cheese - Robert Cormier
I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou
I. Robot - Isaac Asimov
I Was A Teenager Worrier - Ros Asquith
The Ice Road - Jaap Ter Haar
If Only They Could Talk - James Herriot
If You Come Softly - Jacqueline Woodson
The Illustrated Mum - Jacqueline Wilson
The Iliad And The Odyssey - Homer
I'm Not Scared - Niccolo Ammaniti
I'm The King Of The Castle - Susan Hill
In The Shadow Of The Ark - Anne Provoost
The Inheritors - William Golding
Innocent Blood - P.D. James
The Innocent's Story - Nicky Singer
Inspector Morse Books - Colin Dexter
Interview with The Vampire - Anne Rice
Inventing Elliot - Graham Gardner
Is Anybody There? - Jean Ure
Ivanhoe - Sir Walter Scott
Jake's Tower - Elizabeth Laird
Jamaica Inn - Daphne Du Maurier
The James Bond Books - Ian Fleming
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
Jeannie of White Peak Farm - Berlie Doherty
The Jeeves Stories - P.G. Wodehouse
Jemima J - Jane Green
Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid on Earth - Chris Ware
Johnnie's Blitz - Bernard Ashley
Jonathan Livingstone Seagull - Richard Bach
Jonathan Strange And Mr Norrell - Susannah Clarke
Journey To The River Sea - Eva Ibbotson
Junk - Melvin Burgess
Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton
Just Sixteen - Jean Ure
The Just William Series - Richmal Crompton
Katherine - Anya Seton
Keeper - Mal Peet
Keeping The Moon - Sarah Dessen
A Kestral For A Knave - Barry Hines
Kidnapped - Robert Louis Stevenson
Kim - Rudyard Kipling
The Kin - Peter Dickinson
The King Must Die - Mary Renault
The Kingdom By The Sea - Robert Westall
Kiss The Dust - Elizabeth Laird
Kissing The Rain - Kevin Brooks
The Kite Rider - Geraldine McCaughrean
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
Kit's Wilderness - David Almond
The L-Shaped Room - Lynne Reid Banks
Lady Chatterley's Lover - D.H. Lawrence
The Land - Mildred D. Taylor
Last Chance To See - Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine
The Last Of The Wine - Mary Renault
Last Seen Wearing Trainers - Rosie Rushton
The Last Siege - Jonathan Stroud
Last Train From Kummersdorf - Leslie Wilson
The Lastling - Philip Gross
LBD: It’s a Girl Thing - Grace Dent
Le Grand Meaulnes - Alain-Fournier
The Left Hand Of Darkness - Ursula Le Guin
Letters From the Inside - John Marsden
The Liar - Stephen Fry
Life Of Pi - Yann Martel
A Little Piece of Ground - Elizabeth Laird
Lola Rose - Jacqueline Wilson
Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry
The Long Walk - Stephen King/Richard Bachman
The Long Walk - Slavomir Rawicz
A Long Walk From Verona - Jane Gardam
Looking For JJ - Anne Cassidy
The Looking Glass Wars - Frank Beddor
Lord Loss - Darren Shan
Lord Of The Flies - William Golding
Lord Of The Rings Trilogy – J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord Peter Wimsey Books - Dorothy L. Sayers
Lost And Found - Valerie Mendes
Love, Fifteen - Ros Asquith
Love In A Cold Climate - Nancy Mitford
Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marques
* The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
Lucas - Kevin Brooks
The Machine-Gunners - Robert Westall
The Magic Toyshop - Angela Carter
The Maigret Books - Georges Simenon
Make Lemonade - Virginia Euwer Wolff
Making Sense - Nadia Marks
Malarkey - Keith Gray
Man And Boy - Tony Parsons
The Man In The High Castle - Phillip K. Dick
Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
Martyn Pig - Kevin Brooks
Massive - Julia Bell
Master And Commander - Patrick O'Brian
The Master Of Ballantrae - Robert Louis Stevenson
Mates, Dates... Series - Cathy Hopkins
Maus - Art Spiegelman
Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment - James Patterson
Megan Trilogy - Mary Hooper
Memoirs Of A Geisha - Arthur Golden
Memoirs Of An Infantry Officer - Siegfried Sassoon
The Merrybegot - Julie Hearn
Midget - Tim Bowler
Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil - John Berendt
Midshipman’s Hope - David Feintuch
Milkweed - Jerry Spinelli
The Mill On The Floss - George Eliot
Millions - Frank Cottrell Boyce
Milo's Wolves - Jenny Nimmo
Mine - Caroline Pilcher
Miss Smilla's Feeling For Snow - Peter Hoeg
* Moab Is My Washpot - Stephen Fry
Mondays Are Red - Nicola Morgan
Montmorency - Eleanor Updale
The Moon Riders - Theresa Tomlinson
The Moonstone - Wilkie Collins
Mortal Engines - Phillip Reeve
The Moth Diaries - Rachel Klien
The Motorcycle Diaries - Ernesto 'Che' Guevara
A Moveable Feast - Ernest Hemingway
Mr Midshipman Easy - Captain Marryat
Murkmere - Patricia Elliot
My Brilliant Career - Miles Franklin
My Darling, My Hamburger - Paul Zindel
My Family And Other Animals - Gerald Durrell
My Side Of The Mountain - Jean George
Naked Without A Hat - Jeanne Willis
Narziss And Goldmund - Hermann Hesse
The Nature Of The Beast - Janni Howker
Never Ever - Helena Pielichaty
The Neverending Story - Michael Ende
New Boy - William Sutcliffe
Nicola And The Viscount - Meg Cabot
The Night Country - Stewart O'Nan
The Night World: Secret Vampire – L.J. Smith
Ninteen Eighty-Four - George Orwell
No Shame, No Fear - Ann Turnbull
Noodlehead - Jonathan Kebbe
Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen
Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less - Jeffrey Archer
Not Dressed Like That You Don't - Yvonne Coppard
Not The End Of The Word - Geraldine McCaughrean
Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
Notes On A Scandal - Zoe Heller
Noughts And Crosses - Malorie Blackman
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - Alexander McCall Smith
Of Mice And Men - John Steinbeck
The Old Man And The Sea - Ernest Hemingway
Olivia Joules And The Overactive Imagination - Helen Fielding
On The Road - Jack Kerouac
The Once And Future King - T.H. White
Once In A House On Fire - Andrea Ashworth
One Day In The life Of Ivan Denisovich - Alexander Solzhenitsyn
One For The Money - Janet Evanovich
One Girl, Two Decks, Three Degrees Of Love - Jonny Zucker
One Hundred Years Of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Only Forward - Michael Marshall Smith
Operation Red Jericho - Joshua Mowll
The Opposite Of Chocolate - Julie Bertagna
The Oracle - Catherine Fisher
Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit - Jeanette Winterson
Orlando - Virginia Wolf
The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory
Other Echoes - Adele Geras
The Other Side Of Truth - Beverley Naidoo
Our Man In Havana - Graham Greene
Out Of Bounds - Beverley Naidoo
Out Of The Blue - Sue Welford
Out Of The Dust - Karen Hesse
The Outsider - Albert Camus
The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton
The Owl Service - Alan Garner
Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha - Roddy Doyle
Pagan's Crusade - Catherine Jinks
Paper Faces - Rachel Anderson
Peace Like A River - Lief Enger
Peace Weavers - Julia Jarman
Pennington’s 17th Summer - K.M. Peyton
Perfume - Patrick Suskind
Persepolis: The Story Of A Childhood - Marjane Satrapi
Phosphorescence - Raffaella Barker
Picnic At Hanging Rock - Joan Lindsay
The Picture Of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
Pied Piper - Nevil Shute
The Pigman - Paul Zindel
Pirates! - Celia Rees
Plague - Malcolm Rose
Pobby And Dingan - Ben Rice
Polo - Jilly Cooper
A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man - James Joyce
Postcards From No Man's Land - Aidan Chambers
Power Of Three - Diana Wynne Jones
A Prayer For Owen Meany - John Irving
Prey - Michael Crichton
Pride And Prejudice - Jane Austen
The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie - Muriel Spark
The Princess Bride - William Goldman
The Princess Diaries - Meg Cabot
The Prisoner Of Zenda - Anthony Hope
Private Peaceful - Michael Morpurgo
A Question Of Courage - Marjorie Darke
The Rachel Papers - Martin Amis
Rachel's Holiday - Marian Keyes
Radio Radio - Graham Marks
The Rag And Bone Shop - Robert Cormier
Rani And Sukh - Bali Rai
Raspberries On The Yangtze - Karen Wallace
Rat-Catcher - Chris Ryan
Raven's Gate - Anthony Horowitz
* The Reader - Bernhard Schlink
Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
Reckless - Sue Mayfield
The Recruit - Robert Muchamore
Red Shift - Alan Garner
Redwall - Brian Jacques
Refugee Boy - Benjamin Zephaniah
Regeneration - Pat Barker
Remembrance - Theresa Breslin
The Riddle Of The Sands - Erskine Childers
River Boy - Tim Bowler
Roll Of Thunder, Here My Cry - Mildred D. Taylor
The Romance Of Tristan and Iseult - Retold by Joseph Bedier
A Room Of One’s Own - Virginia Woolf
A Room With A View - E. M. Forster
Round Behind The Ice-House - Anne Fine
Round Ireland With A Fridge - Tony Hawks
Roxy's Baby - Catherine MacPhail
Ruby Holler - Sharon Creech
Ruby Tanya - Robert Swindells
Rumblefish - S.E. Hinton
The Runaway Jury - John Grisham
Sabriel - Garth Nix
Sabrina Fludde - Pauline Fisk
Saffy's Angel - Hilary McKay
Salem's Lot - Stephen King
The Sally Lockhart Books - Phillip Pullman
Sammy And Juliana In Hollywood - Benjamin Alire Saenz
The Sandman Series - Neil Gaiman
The Scarecrows - Robert Westall
The Scarlet Pimpernel - Baroness Orczy
Scoop - Evelyn Waugh
The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis
Sea Of Trolls - Nancy Farmer
Second From Last In The Sack Race - David Nobbs
Second Star To The Right - Deborah Hautzig
The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ - Sue Townsend
The Secret Dreamworld Of A Shopaholic - Sophie Kinsella
The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret History - Donna Tartt
Secrets In The Fire/Playing With Fire - Henning Mankell
Seeker - William Nicholson
A Separate Peace - John Knowles
A Series Of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket
The Serious Kiss - Mary Hogan
Set In Stone - Linda Newbery
Seventh Heaven - Alice Hoffman
* The Shadow Of The Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Shadowmancer - G.P. Taylor
The Shamer's Daughter - Lene Kaaberbol
Sharp North - Patrick Cave
Sharpe's Company - Bernard Cornwall
She - H. Rider Haggard
The Shell House - Linda Newbery
The Sherlock Holmes Stories - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Short Stories - H.G. Wells
The Short Stories Of Saki - H.H. Munro
Siddhartha - Hermann Hesse
A Sight For Sore Eyes - Ruth Rendell
Silas Marner - George Eliot
Silent Snow, Secret Snow - Adele Geras
Silverfin - Charlie Higson
The Simple Gift - Steven Herrick
The Sirens Of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut
The Sisterhood Of The Travelling Pants - Ann Brashares
Sisterland - Linda Newbery
Skarrs - Catherine Forde
Skellig - David Almond
Skinny B, Skaz and Me - John Singleton
Slake's Limbo - Felice Holeman
Slaughterhouse 5 - Kurt Vonnegut
Sleepwalking - Nicola Morgan
The Slightly True Story Of Cedar B. Hartley - Martine Murray
Snow Falling On Cedars - David Guterson
The Snow Goose - Paul Gallico
Something In The Air - Jan Mark
The Song Of An Innocent Bystander - Ian Bone
Sophie's World - Jostein Gaarder
The Speed Of The Dark - Alex Shearer
Spiggot’s Quest - Garry Kilworth
Spindle's End - Robin McKinley
Spy High Series - A.J. Butcher
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold - John Le Carre
Star Of The Sea - Joseph O'Connor
Stargirl - Jerry Spinelli
Starseeker - Tim Bowler
Starship Troopers - Robert Heinlein
Stealing Stacey - Lynne Reid Banks
The Sterkarm Handshake - Susan Price
Stone Cold - Robert Swindells
The Stones Of Muncaster Cathedral - Robert Westall
Storm - Suzanne Fisher Staples
Stormbreaker - Anthony Horowitz
Strait Is The Gate - Andre Gide
The Strange Affair Of Adelaide Harris - Leon Garfield
Strange Boy - Paul Magrs
Strange Meeting - Susan Hill
Strangers On A Train - Patricia Highsmith
Stripes Of The Sidestep Wolf - Sonya Hartnett
Sugar Rush - Julie Birchill
A Summer Bird-Cage - Margaret Drabble
The Summerhouse - Alison Prince
The Supernaturalist - Eoin Colfer
A Tale Of Two Cites - Charles Dickens
The Talented Mr Ripley - Patricia Highsmith
Tales Of Mystery And Imagination - Edgar Allan Poe
Tales Of The City - Armistead Maupin
Tales Of The Unexpected - Roald Dahl
Talk Of The Town - Ardal O'Hanlon
Tamar - Mal Peet
Taylor Five: The Story Of A Clone Girl - Ann Halam
Tender Is The Night - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Terra Incognita - Sara Wheeler
Tess Of The D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
There's A Boy In The Girls' Bathroom - Louis Sacher
Therese Raquin - Emile Zola
These Old Shades - Georgette Heyer
Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe
The Thirty- Nine Steps - John Buchan
This Boy's Life - Tobias Wolff
Three Men In A Boat - Jerome K. Jerome
Thursday's Child - Sonya Hartnett
Time Bomb - Nigel Hinton
Tin Grin - Catherine Robinson
To Be A Ninja - Benedict Jacka
To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
The Toll Bridge - Aidan Chambers
Tommy Glover's Sketch Of Heaven - Jane Bailey
Touching The Void - Joe Simpson
Tourist Season - Carl Hiaasen
The Tower Room - Adele Geras
A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
Trainspotting - Irvine Welsh
Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn - Betty Smith
The Tricksters - Margaret Mahy
Troll Fell - Katherine Langrish
The Trouble With Donovan Croft - Bernard Ashley
The Trouble With Lichen - John Wyndham
Troy - Adele Geras
True Grit - Charles Portis
Trustee From The Toolroom - Nevil Shute
Truth Or Dare - Celia Rees
The Tulip Touch - Anne Fine
Tulku - Peter Dickinson
Turbulence - Jan Mark
The Turn Of The Screw - Henry James
Turtle Diary - Russell Hoban
The Twelfth Day Of July - Joan Lingard
Ultraviolet - Lesley Howarth
(Un)Arranged Marriage - Bali Rai
Under Pressure/Bad Boys - Tony Bradman
Underworld - Catherine MacPhail
Unique - Alison Allen-Gray
An Unsuitable Job For A Woman - P.D. James
Up On Cloud Nine - Anne Fine
Useful Idiots - Jan Mark
V For Vendetta - Alan Moore
The Vacillations Of Poppy Carew - Mary Wesley
Vanity Fair - William M. Thackeray
Vernon God Little - D.B.C. Pierre
Walk Two Moons - Sharon Creech
Walkabout - James Vance Marshall
Walking Naked - Alyssa Brugman
The Wanderer - Sharon Creech
War And Peace - Leo Tolstoy
The War Of The Worlds - H.G. Wells
Warehouse - Keith Gray
Warrior Girl - Pauline Chandler
The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
The Watch House - Robert Westall
Watchmen - Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Watership Down - Richard Adams
Waving, Not Drowning - Rosie Rushton
Waylander - David Gemmell
Waywalkers - Catherine Webb
We Can Remember It For You Wholesale - Phillip K. Dick
Weaveworld - Clive Barker
Weetzie Bat - Francesca Lia Block
The Weirdstone Of Brisingamen - Alan Garner
Wendy - Karen Wallace
The Wereling - Stephen Cole
What The Birds See - Sonya Hartnett
Wheels - Catherine MacPhail
When Isla Meets Luke Meets Isla - Rhian Tracey
When The Guns Fall Silent - James Riordan
When The Wind Blows - Raymond Briggs
Whip Hand - Dick Francis
The Whispering Road - Livi Michael
White Teeth - Zadie Smith
Who Is Jesse Flood? - Malachy Doyle
Why Weeps The Brogan? - Hugh Scott
* Wicca: Book Of Shadows - Cate Tiernan
The Wide Sargasso Sea - Jean Rhys
A Wild Sheep Chase - Haruki Murakami
Wild Swans - Jung Chang
The Wind On Fire Trilogy - William Nicholson
The Wish House - Celia Rees
* Witch Child - Celia Rees
A Wizard Of Earthsea - Ursula Le Guin
* Wolf Brother - Michelle Paver
The Wolves In The Walls - Neil Gaimen
The Woman In Black - Susan Hill
The Woman In White - Wilkie Collins
The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar - Roald Dahl
The World According To Garp - John Irving
Worm In The Blood - Thomas Bloor
The Worst Journey In The World - Apsley Cherry-Garrard
A Wrinkle In Time - Madeleine L'Engle
The Wrong Boy - Willy Russell
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins Gilman
You Don't Know Me - David Klass
Z For Zachariah - Robert C. O'Brien
The Zigzag Kid - David Grossman
Zoo - Graham Marks
Zorba The Greek - Nikos Kazantzakis

Books read ~ 24

Book Spotlight: The Remains by Vincent Zandri

2010-12-09T07:31:00.007Z

Due to the lovely snow that seems to have brought the whole of the UK to a standstill this past week, The Remains still hasn't arrived in the post so I couldn't review it for today's review spot, so instead I'm going to post a spotlight for this fantastic sounding book!

Thirty years ago, teenager Rebecca Underhill and her twin sister Molly were abducted by a man who lived in a house in the woods behind their upstate New York farm. They were held inside that house for three horrifying hours, until making their daring escape. Vowing to keep their terrifying experience a secret in order to protect their mother and father, the girls tried to put the past behind them. And when their attacker was hunted down by police and sent to prison, they believed he was as good as dead. Now, it's 30 years later, and with Molly having passed away from cancer, Rebecca, a painter and art teacher, is left alone to bear the burden of a secret that has only gotten heavier and more painful with each passing year. But when Rebecca begins receiving some strange anonymous text messages, she begins to realize that the monster who attacked her all those years ago is not dead after all. He's back, and this time, he wants to do more than just haunt her. He wants her dead.

I do love a good thriller and this one sounds like it's going to be great! So be sure to keep your eyes peeled and come back to check out my review which should be up soon! You can read an excerpt, and watch the book trailer at the website.

November Summary

2010-12-04T04:50:00.001Z

Books completed ~ 6
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire 5/5 - review
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix 4/5 - review
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince 5/5 - review
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows 5/5 - review
P.C. Cast - The Fledgling Handbook 3/5
Erica Spindler - Blood Vines 4/5

Books bought ~ 6
P.C. Cast - The Fledgling Handbook
Rachel Caine - Ghost Town
Erica Spindler - Blood Vines
Claudia Gray - Hourglass
Paulo Coelho - The Alchemist
Dean Koontz - Breathless

Other books incoming ~ 4
Daniel Waters - Generation Dead (book ring)
Mitchell James Kaplan - By Fire, By Water (review)
Immaculee Ilibagiza - Left To Tell (swapped)
Susan Hill - The Small Hand (book ring)

Other posts ~
# Teaser Tuesdays - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Overall ~
I got so busy at the end of November trying to finish stitching my christmas decorations, that the great start to the month came to a complete stand still, which is disappointing. My favourite reads were the Harry Potter books, it was lovely to re-read them. My least favourite was The Fledgling Handbook, although it wasn't bad, I just felt a bit ripped off paying so much for a book that had barely anything in it! I'm not sure how much I'm going to manage to read in December, but I'm hoping to atleast read 5 or so, but I guess it depends how the festive season will go!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (29)

2010-11-15T23:11:00.002Z

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows 5/5
P.C. Cast - The Fledgling Handbook 3/5

At the moment I'm reading:

Erica Spindler - Blood Vines

In the next week I hope to read:

Maxim Jakubowski - Following The Detectives: Real Locations In Crime Fiction

In My Mailbox (24)

2010-11-15T23:05:00.000Z

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren, and sums up my past week in book purchases!

So this week I bought 3 books:

P.C. Cast - The Fledgling Handbook

Merry meet, fledgling. I trust this guide will serve you well...Every vampyre fledgling who arrives at the House of Night receives a copy of The Fledgling Handbook 101, and now, fans can have one, too, with this gorgeous must-have edition. Inside you'll find original stories, the complete vampyre history, inside info into rituals, vamp biology, and the Change, and much more.

~~~~~

Rachel Caine - Ghost Town

The fragile peace between humans and vampires in Morganville is in trouble, and when Claire takes drastic action, she's put under serious pressure to re-establish the barriers that keep the town residents inside, and wipe the memories of those who leave. But working with her half-crazy vampire boss Myrnin means that things don't always turn out as planned ... and as the people of Morganville begin acting strangely, Claire and her friends must solve the mystery and try to put things right. But one by one, her allies are turning on her ... even the ones she trusts most.

~~~~~

Erica Spindler - Blood Vines

Alex Owens knows very little about her childhood or who she really is - her only family an absent, emotionally fragile mother. Alex has always felt something was missing and has spent most of her life searching for what that could be. When an infant's remains are unearthed, Alex realises she has a connection to the case. Suddenly long-lost memories start flooding in, leading her back to a small town in California and to dark and terrifying nightmares that haunt her every waking moment. Greeted with silence and suspicion, Alex is determined to get to the heart of a secret no one wants to see uncovered. As violent deaths and a series of pagan rituals terrify the tightly-knit community, Alex is forced to confront the terrible truth about a single night that changed her family's lives for ever...

~~~~~

I also swapped a book, and received:

Immaculee Ilibagiza - Left To Tell

Immaculee Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family she cherished. But in 1994 her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a bloody genocide. Immaculee’s family was brutally murdered during a killing spree that lasted three months and claimed the lives of nearly a million Rwandans.

Incredibly, Immaculee survived the slaughter. For 91 days, she and seven other women huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor while hundreds of machete-wielding killers hunted for them.

~~~~~

And I received a book for review as well:

Mitchell James Kaplan - By Fire, By Water

Luis de Santángel, chancellor to the court and longtime friend of the lusty King Ferdinand, has had enough of the Spanish Inquisition. As the power of Inquisitor GeneralTomás deTorquemada grows, so does the brutality of the Spanish church and the suspicion and paranoia it inspires. When a dear friend’s demise brings the violence close to home, Santángel is enraged and takes retribution into his own hands. But he is from a family of conversos, and his Jewish heritage makes him an easy target. As Santángel witnesses the horrific persecution of his loved ones, he begins slowly to reconnect with the Jewish faith his family left behind. Feeding his curiosity about his past is his growing love for Judith Migdal, a clever and beautiful Jewish woman navigating the mounting tensions in Granada. While he struggles to decide what his reputation is worth and what he can sacrifice, one man offers him a chance he thought he’d lost…the chance to hope for a better world. Christopher Columbus has plans to discover a route to paradise, and only Luis de Santángel can help him.

Teaser Tuesdays (24)

2010-11-09T15:57:00.004Z

The darkness seemed to be rippling, the air itself quivering. Then, one by one, figures began to pop into sight as their Disillusionment Charms lifted. ~ p.43, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (28)

2010-11-08T10:57:00.004Z

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire 5/5 - review
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix 4/5 - review
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince 5/5 - review

At the moment I'm reading:

J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows

In the next week I hope to read:

Erica Spindler - Blood Vines
P.C. Cast - The Fledgling Handbook

October Summary

2010-11-02T23:44:00.003Z

Books completed ~ 10
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone 4/5 - review
Christopher Stookey - Terminal Care 4/5 - review
Rosamund Lupton - Sister 5/5
Jeremy De Quidt - The Toymaker 2.5/5
Meg Cabot - Love You To Death 4/5
Meg Cabot - High Stakes 4/5
Pittacus Lore - I Am Number Four 4/5
Jo Nesbo - The Snowman 4.5/5
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets 4/5 - review
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban 4.5/5 - review

Books bought ~ 3
Rosamund Lupton - Sister
Jo Nesbo - The Snowman
Jill Mansell - Solo

Books won or for review ~ 1
Maxim Jakubowski - Following The Detectives: Real Locations In Crime Fiction

Other posts ~
# Character Inspired Outfits

Overall ~
I feel like my reading has starting to pick up again thanks to the read-a-thon I participated in during October, and I'm now back to reading pretty much every day. I love winter for this very reason, because all I want to do is snuggle up in my blanket with a hot chocolate and read! My favourite read this month was hands down Sister but I have enjoyed re-reading Harry Potter too. My least favourite was The Toymaker, it's not that the story was bad, just so different to what I thought the book was about, that I just didn't enjoy it very much. In the next month I'm hoping to finish my Harry Potter re-read and also to read some thrillers. I found I've really been in that kind of mood lately, so think I will use the opportunity to maybe clear some from my shelf that have been there forever :)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (27)

2010-10-25T02:43:00.004+01:00

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

Jo Nesbo - The Snowman 4.5/5

At the moment I'm reading:

J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets

In the next week I hope to read:

J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban

Terminal Care by Christopher Stookey

2010-10-20T04:01:00.003+01:00

No. of pages: 333
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: Phil Pescoe, the 37-year-old emergency physician at Deaconess Hospital in San Francisco, becomes alarmed by a dramatic increase in the number of deaths on the East Annex (the Alzheimer's Ward). The deaths coincide with the initiation of a new drug study on the annex where a team of neurologists have been administering "NAF"—an experimental and highly promising treatment for Alzheimer's disease—to half of the patients on the ward. Mysteriously, the hospital pushes forward with the study even though six patients have died since the start of the trial. Pescoe teams up with Clara Wong—a brilliant internist with a troubled past—to investigate the situation. Their inquiries lead them unwittingly into the cutthroat world of big-business pharmaceuticals, where they are threatened to be swept up and lost before they have the opportunity to discover the truth behind the elaborate cover-up.With the death count mounting, Pescoe and Wong race against time to save the patients on the ward and to stop the drug manufacturer from unleashing a dangerous new drug on the general populace.

Review: Phil Pescoe, an emergency doctor at Deconess Hospital is called in for a code blue, a patient is dying and it's up to Phil to try and save them. The odd thing is though, that the code blue is for the Alzheimer's unit, where the patients are never resuscitated. Phil finds out that they're doing a drug study on the Alzheimer patients, but he seems to be the only person alarmed by the dramatic increase in deaths. That is until he meets Clara Wong, who is also incredibly suspicious, so together they are determined to find out what is really happening in the East Annex.

I love medical thrillers, especially ones such as this, where you get a bit of romance mixed with a gripping storyline. I really liked the characters of Phil and Clara, and thought they were well developed and interesting. The medical trials storyline was something new to me, and it seemed really well researched, with a lot of detail, but with it all explained so a non-medical person could understand easily. That's what I love so much about medical books, as well as a great story, I also enjoy learning about the medical side of things which has always interested me. I would definitely recommend this to fans of Tess Gerritsen's earlier works, it has a very similar feel to it, and is just as great a read. Very hard to believe this is a debut novel! Will definitely be looking out for more by this author in the future.

I was given this book as part of a book tour by Pump Up Your Books in return for my honest opinion.

Halloween Read-A-Thon Summary

2010-10-18T22:15:00.001+01:00

I had great fun participating in the Halloween Read-A-Thon over the weekend and I'm even happier that I managed to reach my goal of 4 books considering how much I've been struggling to read lately. All in all I finished:

Jeremy De Quidt - The Toymaker
Meg Cabot - Love You To Death
Meg Cabot - High Stakes
Pittacus Lore - I Am Number Four

And I also read a 1/4 of The Snowman by Jo Nesbo, so it was great!

So I have 7 book reviews coming your way in the next few days, so be sure to come back and check them out! :)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (26)

2010-10-18T22:05:00.002+01:00

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

Christopher Stookey - Terminal Care 4/5
Rosamund Lupton - Sister 5/5
Jeremy De Quidt - The Toymaker 2.5/5
Meg Cabot - Love You To Death 4/5
Meg Cabot - High Stakes 4/5
Pittacus Lore - I Am Number Four 4/5

At the moment I'm reading:

Jo Nesbo - The Snowman

In the next week I hope to read:

Dean Koontz - Relentless
Karen Rose - Don't Tell

Halloween Read-A-Thon Day 3

2010-10-17T18:45:00.002+01:00

Managed to finish both Meg Cabot books yesterday, so I'm really pleased with that! I'm now starting my fourth book - I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore - so it's looking very likely that I'll hit my 4 book goal which I'm really pleased about :)

So my goals for today are to finish I Am Number Four, and possibly start something else, but I'm not sure if I will or what that will be yet, I shall see how I feel after book 4!

How is everyone else doing?

In My Mailbox (23)

2010-10-17T03:33:00.002+01:00

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren, and sums up my past week in book purchases!

So this week I bought just 1 book:

Jill Mansell - Solo

When Tessa Duvall, a struggling artist, reluctantly agreed to accompany her best friend Holly to a party at the elegant Charrington Grange Hotel, she had every intention of sneaking off early. For parties full of strangers bored the knickers off Tessa and this one proved to be no exception - until she encountered Ross Monahan, whose wicked reputation was as high profile as the hotel he owned and ran with such panache. But whilst Holly set about ensnaring his reluctant brother Max, Tessa simply accepted Ross for what he was, a sensational one-night stand...until she realised, weeks later, that one-night stands can have far-reaching consequences...

Halloween Read-A-Thon Day 2

2010-10-16T18:15:00.002+01:00

Well yesterday I didn't do quite as well as I had wanted due to the fact The Toymaker wasn't as gripping as I had hoped. However I did move on to a great second book in Meg Cabot's Love You To Death, and I managed to get half of that read before I went to bed.

Today's goals are to finish Love You To Death, and start (and hopefully finish) the second in that series which is High Stakes. If I managed to get through both of them, I think I'm going to start either Shadowland or Percy Jackson And The Lightening Thief.

How is everyone else doing? :)

Halloween Read-A-Thon Begins!

2010-10-15T17:45:00.006+01:00

I've been trying to decide all week which book to start with, and have finally decided to read The Toymaker by Jeremy De Quidt first. Not sure what will be up next, but I'm excited to get going with some good books! :)

If you're interested in participating, you can still sign up here. There are some great prizes to be won for taking part!

Mini Challenge - Spookiest Read
Well I'm not one to generally get creeped out by books, but when I was around 14 I read a book called The Hot Zone by Richard Preston, which is about what would happen if the Ebola virus started to spread throughout the population. Would be scary stuff if it ever happened!

Halloween Read-A-Thon

2010-10-11T18:35:00.005+01:00

Anyone who follows my blog regularly will know that lately I've been in a big reading slump, which has not been fun at all. So I have been looking around for a read-a-thon that hopefully will inspire me to get going again and I'm pretty sure I've found it in the Halloween Read-A-Thon which is happening this coming weekend!

For this readathon: read Halloween themed stuff. Not necessarily with the day of Halloween, or even the month. None of that (unless you want to). What I am thinking is examples like this: vampires, ghosts, witches, werewolves, shifters, immortals, urban legends, zombies, anything horror or paranormal related.

Sounds fun, right? I'm also going to be using it as an excuse to hopefully read some books that have been on my bookshelves for quite a while. Here's a list of books that I think fit in with the theme and from which I'll be picking my reads:

Rachel Vincent - Shifters series
L.J. Smith - Nightworld series
Rick Riordan - The Lightening Thief
Pittacus Lore - I Am Number Four
Jeremy De Quidt - The Toymaker
Darren Shan - The Vampire's Assistant
Derek Landy - Skullduggery Pleasant series
Claudia Gray - Evernight
Meg Cabot - Love You To Death & High Stakes
Alyson Noel - Shadowland
Jessica Verday - The Hollow
Stephenie Meyer - The Host
Various Authors - Buffy The Vampire Omnibus 1 & 2
Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl - Beautiful Creatures
John Connelly - The Book Of Lost Things
John Ajvide Lindqvist - Let The Right One In

I guess I could also include my re-read of the Harry Potter series too, but I'm not sure yet what I'll feel like reading, so I'll be choosing as I go along! I'm really hoping to finish 4 books, so that will be my aim for the weekend.

I'm really looking forward to this beginning, and hope some of you will also join in too :)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (25)

2010-10-11T18:34:00.001+01:00

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone 4/5 - review (re-read)

At the moment I'm reading:

Christopher Stookey - Terminal Care

In the next week I hope to read:

Rosamund Lupton - Sister
Karen Rose - Don't Tell

In My Mailbox (22)

2010-10-10T16:44:00.000+01:00

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren, and sums up my past week in book purchases!

So this week I bought 2 books:

Jo Nesbo - The Snowman

The night the first snow falls a young boy wakes to find his mother gone. He walks through the silent house, but finds only wet footprints on the stairs. In the garden looms a solitary figure: a snowman bathed in cold moonlight, its black eyes glaring up at the bedroom windows. Round its neck is his mother’s pink scarf. Inspector Harry Hole is convinced there is a link between the disappearance and a menacing letter he received some months earlier. As Harry and his team delve into unsolved case files, they discover that an alarming number of wives and mothers have gone missing over the years. When a second woman disappears Harry’s suspicions are confirmed: he is a pawn in a deadly game. For the first time in his career Harry finds himself confronted with a serial killer operating on his turf, a killer who will drive him to the brink of insanity.

~~~~~

Rosamund Lupton - Sister

Nothing can break the bond between sisters...

When Beatrice gets a frantic call in the middle of Sunday lunch to say that her younger sister, Tess, is missing, she boards the first flight home to London. But as she learns about the circumstances surrounding her sister's disappearance, she is stunned to discover how little she actually knows of her sister's life - and unprepared for the terrifying truths she must now face.

The police, Beatrice's fiance and even their mother accept they have lost Tess but Beatrice refuses to give up on her. So she embarks on a dangerous journey to discover the truth, no matter the cost.

Character Inspired Outfits

2010-10-10T01:57:00.001+01:00

I got this idea from Jillian over at Random Ramblings, after she posted her version of some character inspired outfits. I thought it seemed like a fun idea, so headed over to Polyvore to have a go myself and this is what I came up with. This is merely my interpretation to how I imagine certain characters might dress and the accessories they might have.

Hermione Granger (Harry Potter series)

Luna Lovegood (Harry Potter series)

Katniss Everdeen (Hunger Games series)

Sookie Stackhouse (Southern Vampires series)

Bella Swan (Twilight Saga)

Clare Abshire (The Time Traveler's Wife)

Eve Rosser (Morganville Vampires series)

Susie Salmon (The Lovely Bones)

Grace Brisbane (Wolves Of Mercy Falls trilogy)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (24)

2010-10-05T03:47:00.003+01:00

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

James Dashner - The Maze Runner

At the moment I'm reading:

J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone

In the next week I hope to read:

J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter series (re-read)
Christopher Stookey - Terminal Care

September Summary

2010-09-30T03:42:00.020+01:00

Books completed ~ 7
Alex Scarrow - TimeRiders: Day Of The Predator 4/5 - review
Meg Cabot, Stephenie Meyer et al - Prom Nights From Hell 2.5/5 - review
John Vornholt - Coyote Moon 3/5 - review
Cormac McCarthy - The Road 4.5/5 - review
Jay Asher - Thirteen Reasons Why 4.5/5 - review
Tess Gerritsen - Presumed Guilty 4/5 - review
James Dashner - The Maze Runner 4/5

Books bought ~ 11
Rachel Vincent - Rogue
Rachel Vincent - Prey
Rachel Vincent - Shift
Dean Koontz - Relentless
Meg Cabot, Stephenie Meyer et al - Prom Nights From Hell
Claudia Gray - Evernight
John Vornholt/Arthur Byron Cover/Alice Henderson - Buffy The Vampire Slayer omnibus 1
Michael Connelly - Nine Dragons
John Vornholt/Nancy Golden/Diana G. Gallagher - Buffy The Vampire Slayer omnibus 2
Cormac McCarthy - The Road
Helen Kennerley - Overcoming Childhood Trauma

Books won or for review ~ 3
Christopher Stookey - Terminal Care - from Pump Up Your Book
Charlaine Harris - Dead And Gone (signed) - from The Book Club Forum
James Dashner - The Maze Runners - from I Was A Teenage Book Geek

Other posts ~
# Teaser Tuesdays - Prom Nights From Hell / Coyote Moon / Thirteen Reasons Why / The Maze Runner
# Top Ten Picks - Book Covers

Overall ~
I had another terrible month, I'm really just not reading much at all at the moment, which sucks, but I'm really hoping next month is much better. My favourite read was The Road, it was as fantastic as I was expecting. My least favourite was Prom Nights From Hell, it just wasn't what I was expecting at all! In the next month I'm going to enjoy my re-read of the Harry Potter series, and I also have my first book tour coming up next month which I'm very excited about! :)

Teaser Tuesdays (23)

2010-09-28T16:56:00.000+01:00

Images of people flashed across his mind, but there was no recognition, their faces replaced with haunted smears of colour. He couldn't think of one person he knew, or recall a single conversation. ~ p.2, The Maze Runner by James Dashner.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (23)

2010-09-27T18:35:00.003+01:00

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

Jay Asher - Thirteen Reasons Why 4.5/5 - review (re-read)
Tess Gerritsen - Presumed Guilty 4/5 - review
Nikki Logan - Their Newborn Gift 3/5

At the moment I'm reading:

James Dashner - The Maze Runner

In the next week I hope to read:

J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter series (re-read)

In My Mailbox (21)

2010-09-26T22:35:00.000+01:00

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren, and sums up my past week in book purchases!

So this week I didn't buy anything, but I did receive a book I won from I Was A Teenage Book Geek:

James Dashner - The Maze Runner

When the doors of the lift crank open, the only thing Thomas remembers is his first name. But he's not alone. He's surrounded by boys who welcome him to the Glade - a walled encampment at the centre of a bizarre and terrible stone maze. Like Thomas, the Gladers don't know why or how they came to be there - or what's happened to the world outside. All they know is that every morning when the walls slide back, they will risk everything - even the Grievers, half-machine, half-animal horror that patrols its corridors, to find out.

Presumed Guilty by Tess Gerritsen

2010-09-26T22:33:00.003+01:00

No. of pages: 347
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: Miranda's ex-lover is found murdered. She had a motive and the opportunity. After being arrested for the crime, Miranda is shocked to learn she's been released on bail - bail posted by someone determined to remain anonymous. Is someone trying to help Miranda? Or is someone trying to manipulate Miranda and draw her into the dark and secret world of a murdered man, where everybody's presumed guilty?

Review: When Miranda comes home to find her ex-lover dead in her bed, stabbed with her knife, she knows there's no way anyone will believe it wasn't her. But when someone posts her bail and all sorts of things start to happen, she realises she has to find out who the killer really is, no matter what the cost will be...

As I've said many times before, Tess Gerritsen's romantic thrillers aren't as good as her medical thrillers, but they are still very good. This particular story was my favourite of her romantic thrillers that I've read so far, it focused more on the thriller aspect than on the romance, and I enjoyed trying to guess who the killer was. I liked the character of Miranda, although very vulnerable, she still managed to be a strong woman who fought hard to prove her innocence. I definitely could see more of the Tess Gerritsen I know and love coming through in this novel, and I'm really looking forward to something new from her.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

2010-09-26T22:08:00.003+01:00

No. of pages: 307
Rating: 9/10

Synopsis: A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

Review: An apocolyptic event has happened, and the earth has burned. Few humans have managed to survive, but a man and his son have and are walking south in the hopes of out running the bitter cold in which they will not survive another winter. As they scavange their way through towns trying to find food and shelter, they have nothing but a gun with two bullets to protect themselves and their map to lead them south.

I decided to read this after watching and appreciating the film, and I'm so glad I did. The book is just as bleak, if not even more so than the film, and it really makes you think about what would happen if such a thing were to really occur. I found the lack of punctuation slightly strange, and it took a little while to get used to, but that and the lack of chapters lends to the feeling of endlessness, to the lack of hope the man must feel as the story evolves. While normally I wouldn't like such a book, for this particular story, it was absolutely perfect. I found it hard to put down, because it's just so gripping, the story of this man and boy trying to survive against all odds. I found the ending very sad, but in a way, it was hopeful too. I would absolutely recommend this, it's beautifully told, even if it's almost too hard to bear at times.

Coyote Moon by John Vornholt

2010-09-26T21:53:00.005+01:00

No. of pages: 165
Rating: 6/10
Series: Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Book 1, Story 1)

Synopsis: In every generation, there is a Chosen One. A slayer destined to protect the human race. She alone must fight the demons of hell. She alone must risk her life to stop the spread of evil.

Buffy is the Chosen One.

In Coyote Moon, a typical night at the carnival becomes deadly as shape shifters turn the amusement park into their own house of horrors.

Review: Buffy Summers is the 'chosen one' of her generation, meaning that she has to kill vampires, demons and all sorts of other monsters that she comes up against living over the hellmouth. Buffy, Willow and Xander are enjoying the end of their summer at the carnival when Buffy discovers the carnival owners are more than what they first seem, and they have deadly plans for Sunnydale.

I've just recently finished re-watching the seven seasons of the show, and so really enjoyed reading some of the fiction based on it, which I never did as a teen when I originally watched the show. I thought the characters were very recognisable as the original characters, Xander in particularly was hilariously funny during the story. I enjoyed some of the funny comments made throughout, but I found some of the dialogue to be a bit more cheesy than it is in the show. The plot was interesting and original, and I enjoyed reading Coyote Moon, but feel like it would have been better read when I was in my teens.

Prom Nights From Hell by Meg Cabot, Stephenie Meyer, Kim Harrison, Michele Jaffe & Lauren Myracle

2010-09-26T21:42:00.003+01:00

No. of pages: 304
Rating: 4/10

Synopsis: Stephenie Meyer and Meg Cabot head up this collection of 5 thrilling paranormal short stories which take bad prom nights to a whole new level. Imagine discovering you're dancing with the Grim Reaper -- and he isn't there to tell you how hot you look. Worried that your Prom Night is gonna bite? This thrilling collection takes bad prom nights to a whole new level -- a paranormally bad level!

Review: Five short stories, showing the terror of the school prom. The Exterminator's Daughter - Mary is trying to hunt down and kill the vampire that got her mother. The Corsage - Frankie gets a corsage that grants her 3 wishes, although in the end she wishes she had never touched it. Madison Avery And The Dim Reaper - Madison meets the grim reaper at her prom, and finds he has very nasty plans for her. Kiss And Tell - Miranda has 'super powers' and uses them to protect a young girl she encounters during her job. Hell On Earth - A low level chaos demon decides to have a little fun at the prom.

This turned out to be nothing like what I was expecting it to be. I thought all of the stories would be set within proms, instead only one story was, the rest had about 3 pages of prom action, which I found to be disappointing. Of the five, I only thought one of them was particularly good, and that was Michele Jaffe's Kiss And Tell, which was by far my favourite. I don't really know what else I can say other than to say it was generally very dull to read, and it was only the fact the stories were so short that I bothered to finish it.

Teaser Tuesdays (22)

2010-09-21T22:00:00.001+01:00

When you mess with one part of a person's life, you're messing with their entire life. Everything...affects everything. ~ p.201, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (22)

2010-09-20T22:36:00.004+01:00

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

John Vornholt - Coyote Moon 3/5
Cormac McCarthy - The Road 4.5/5

At the moment I'm reading:

Tess Gerritsen - Presumed Guilty
Jay Asher - Thirteen Reasons Why (re-read)

In the next week I hope to read:

Dean Koontz - Relentless

In My Mailbox (20)

2010-09-20T22:29:00.004+01:00

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren, and sums up my past week in book purchases!

So this week I bought 3 books:

John Vornholt/Nancy Golden/Diana G. Gallagher - Buffy The Vampire Slayer omnibus 2

In every generation, there is a Chosen One. A slayer destined to protect the human race. She alone must fight the demons of hell. She alone must risk her life to stop the spread of evil.

Buffy is the Chosen One.

In Halloween Rain, as if Halloween at the Hellmouth isn’t bad enough, a brewing storm threatens to bring new demons to life, just in time for a celebratory massacre.

A curse on the school’s rummage sale causes strange behavior in the halls of Sunnydale High in Bad Bargain.

Buffy and her friends are looking forward to the revival of the old drive-in theater, but when people start slipping into comas in Afterimage, this late show may be their last...

~~~~~

Cormac McCarthy - The Road

A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

~~~~~

Helen Kennerley - Overcoming Childhood Trauma

Childhood abuse, whether emotional, physical, or sexual, can be the source of enduring difficulties in adulthood. Overcoming Childhood Trauma is a self-help manual for those who are struggling with the aftereffects of having suffered from abuse in childhood.

Based on clinically proven techniques of cognitive therapy, this book will help readers to understand the links between past trauma and present difficulties, and will offer methods of gaining control over these problems in order to deal with intrusive memories, manage mood swings, and build better relationships in adulthood.

~~~~~

And I also won a book:

Charlaine Harris - Dead And Gone (signed)

For Sookie Stackhouse, the day to day activities of the vampire and were communities in and around Bon Temps, Louisiana, are of vital interest. But for most of the humans in Bon Temps, the vamps are mysterious seductive creatures-and they don't even know about the weres.

Until now. The weres and shifters have finally decided to follow the lead of the undead and reveal their existence to the ordinary world...

Apologies...

2010-09-19T00:34:00.002+01:00

I must say how sorry I am that I've been MIA for the past few weeks. My life has gotten pretty crazy, and it's become rather difficult to balance life and reading, let alone find time to blog as well. I have a few reviews waiting to be written, and I'm hoping to do them tomorrow, so fingers crossed Book Sanctuary will be back to normal working order this week! So please bear with me while I try to catch up, because I really appreciate that I have the visitors that I do to my blog :)

TimeRiders: Day Of The Predator by Alex Scarrow

2010-09-18T18:25:00.005+01:00

No. of pages: 433
Rating: 8/10
Series: TimeRiders (Book 2)

Synopsis: Liam O'Connor should have died at sea in 1912. Maddy Carter should have died on a plane in 2010. Sal Vikram should have died in a fire in 2029. But all three have been given a second chance - to work for an agency that no-one knows exists. Its purpose - to prevent time travel destroying history.

Review: Liam, Maddy and Sal all should have died, but just minutes before death they were taken into a different destiny, one in which they time travel to save the world. Liam goes on a mission to stop the assassination of someone important to the future, but something happens and they all get thrown back to the dinosaur era. As they race against time to get back to the future, they come up against something they never could have imagined...

This was a review book, so I'd not heard anything of this series before I went into reading Day Of The Predator, which is the second in the TimeRiders series. The synopsis was intriguing though, especially the aspect of dinosaurs which I'd never read a book about before. The action starts up from the first page, and just intensifies as the story goes on. I really enjoyed how well the author had researched the dinosaur era, with both the dinosaurs themselves, but also the surroundings in which they lived. The characters were well written, although as Sal and Maddy played a background role in this book we don't get to know them too well, so I hope that changes in future books. I think Becks turned out to be my favourite, I really enjoyed her evolution from pure robot to having more human reactions. I'm definitely going to back and read the first in the series, which I would recommend to people thinking of reading these books as they do refer back to previous storylines. The next in the series The Doomsday Code is out in February and looks awesome, it's going to be about Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest, can't wait!

Teaser Tuesdays (21)

2010-09-14T19:00:00.005+01:00

It loomed ahead of them - a metal facade with a painted mural depicting lovely scenes of murder, mayhem and decapitation. Scantily clad women ran screaming from gooey, bloody monsters. ~ p.65, Coyote Moon by John Vornholt.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (21)

2010-09-13T18:55:00.002+01:00

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

Meg Cabot, Stephenie Meyer et al - Prom Nights From Hell 2.5/5

At the moment I'm reading:

John Vornholt - Coyote Moon

In the next week I hope to read:

I've been in a major reading funk lately, so I think this week I'm just going to take it as it goes, and read whatever takes my fancy rather than planning what I'll read.

In My Mailbox (19)

2010-09-12T18:54:00.001+01:00

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren, and sums up my past week in book purchases!

So this week I bought 2 books:

John Vornholt/Arthur Byron Cover/Alice Henderson - Buffy The Vampire Slayer omnibus 1

In every generation, there is a Chosen One. A slayer destined to protect the human race. She alone must fight the demons of hell. She alone must risk her life to stop the spread of evil.

Buffy is the Chosen One.

In Coyote Moon, a typical night at the carnival becomes deadly as shape shifters turn the amusement park into their own house of horrors.

Buffy starts having past-life nightmares in Night of the Living Rerun, and must face her historic counterpart before the events of the past repeat in the present.

In Portal through Time, Slayers over the centuries are in danger, and Buffy must protect them in order to save her own life and legacy.

~~~~~

Michael Connelly - Nine Dragons

Harry Bosch is assigned a homicide call in South L.A. that takes him to Fortune Liquors, where the Chinese owner has been shot to death behind the counter in an apparent robbery.

Joined by members of the department's Asian Crime Unit, Bosch relentlessly investigates the killing and soon identifies a suspect, a Los Angeles member of a Hong Kong triad. But before Harry can close in, he gets the word that his young daughter Maddie, who lives in Hong Kong with her mother, is missing.

Bosch drops everything to journey across the Pacific to find his daughter. Could her disappearance and the case be connected? With the stakes of the investigation so high and so personal, Bosch is up against the clock in a new city, where nothing is at it seems.

Teaser Tuesdays (20)

2010-09-07T18:58:00.003+01:00

And the woman who opened the front door? Exactly what you'd expect of someone creepy and cultish, Miranda thought. ~ p.192, Prom Nights From Hell - Kiss And Tell by Michele Jaffe.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (20)

2010-09-06T03:45:00.001+01:00

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games: Mockingjay 5/5 - review
Alex Scarrow - TimeRiders: Day Of The Predator 4/5

At the moment I'm reading:

Meg Cabot, Stephenie Meyer et al - Prom Nights From Hell

In the next week I hope to read:

Pittacus Lore - I Am Number Four
Alyson Noel - Shadowland

In My Mailbox (18)

2010-09-05T00:25:00.002+01:00

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren, and sums up my past week in book purchases!

So this week I bought 6 books:

Rachel Vincent - Rogue / Prey / Shift

Okay, so cats don't always land on their feet. I know that better than most. Since rejoining the Pride, I've made big decisions and even bigger mistakes: the kind paid for with innocent lives. As the first and only female enforcer, I have plenty to prove to my father, the Pride, and myself.

~~~~~

Claudia Gray - Evernight

She's been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.

Then she meets Lucas. He's not the "Evernight type" either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him.

But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed.

~~~~~

Meg Cabot/Stephenie Meyer et al - Prom Nights From Hell

In this exciting collection, bestselling authors Meg Cabot, Kim Harrison, Michele Jaffe, Stephenie Meyer, and Lauren Myracle take bad prom nights to a whole new level—a paranormally bad level. Wardrobe malfunctions and two left feet don't hold a candle to discovering your date is the Grim Reaper—and he isn't here to tell you how hot you look.

From angels fighting demons to a creepy take on getting what you wish for, these five stories will entertain better than any DJ in a bad tux. No corsage or limo rental necessary. Just good, scary fun.

~~~~~

Dean Koontz - Relentless

Hostile reviews may have hastened the deaths of some writers, but Cubby Greenwich is made of sterner stuff. At least this is what he tells himself, meanwhile obsessing about the scathing review of his latest bestseller by Shearman Waxx in a national newspaper. A feared and therefore revered critic, Waxx has an aura of mystery about him that has carried him far as an arbiter of taste, but the mystery itself is about to break cover. In an unexpected encounter with Waxx, Cubby says one innocent word, but it is the wrong word, and it seems to trigger an inhuman fury in the critic, who becomes bent on destroying Cubby and everything he loves. For it soon becomes apparent that Waxx is not merely a ferocious literary enemy, but a ruthless sociopath. When Cubby finally learns the truth, can he save himself and his family from the appalling danger they are in?

~~~~~

And I also received 2 books from a friend as a gift:

Adam L G Nevill - Banquet For The Damned

Few believed Professor Coldwell was in touch with an unseen world and could commune with spirits. But in Scotland’s oldest university town something has passed from darkness into light, and now the students are being haunted by night terrors. And those who are visited mysteriously disappear. This is no place for outsiders, especially at night, so what chance do a rootless musician and burnt-out explorer have of surviving their entanglement with an ageless supernatural evil and the ruthless cult that worships it? This chilling occult thriller is both a homage to the great age of British ghost stories and a fast-paced modern tale of diabolism and witchcraft.

~~~~~

Adam Nevill - Apartment 16

Some doors are better left closed...In Barrington House, an upmarket block in London, there is an empty apartment. No one goes in, no one comes out. And it's been that way for fifty years. Until the night watchman hears a disturbance after midnight and investigates. What he experiences is enough to change his life forever. A young American woman, Apryl, arrives at Barrington House. She's been left an apartment by her mysterious Great Aunt Lillian who died in strange circumstances. Rumours claim Lillian was mad. But her diary suggests she was implicated in a horrific and inexplicable event decades ago. Determined to learn something of this eccentric woman, Apryl begins to unravel the hidden story of Barrington House. She discovers that a transforming, evil force still inhabits the building. And the doorway to Apartment 16 is a gateway to something altogether more terrifying...

~~~~~

And I also received a book from Pump Up Your Book for review as part of a tour:

Christopher Stookey - Terminal Care

Phil Pescoe, the 37-year-old emergency physician at Deaconess Hospital in San Francisco, becomes alarmed by a dramatic increase in the number of deaths on the East Annex (the Alzheimer's Ward). The deaths coincide with the initiation of a new drug study on the annex where a team of neurologists have been administering "NAF"—an experimental and highly promising treatment for Alzheimer's disease—to half of the patients on the ward. Mysteriously, the hospital pushes forward with the study even though six patients have died since the start of the trial. Pescoe teams up with Clara Wong—a brilliant internist with a troubled past—to investigate the situation. Their inquiries lead them unwittingly into the cutthroat world of big-business pharmaceuticals, where they are threatened to be swept up and lost before they have the opportunity to discover the truth behind the elaborate cover-up.With the death count mounting, Pescoe and Wong race against time to save the patients on the ward and to stop the drug manufacturer from unleashing a dangerous new drug on the general populace.

Book Blogger Hop (9)

2010-09-04T03:45:00.001+01:00

Welcome hoppers from the book blogger hop! In case you don't know what I'm talking about, this is a weekly event hosted by Crazy for Books where bloggers and readers can find each other and share their love for books!

If you're hopping by here, leave a comment and I'll be sure to visit you in return! :)

Do you judge a book by its cover? Yeah, I guess I do sometimes, I won't necessarily when it comes to recommendations, but when I'm browing in a store, covers do matter.

Top Ten Picks: Book Covers

2010-09-04T03:39:00.000+01:00

Top Ten Picks is a weekly meme by Jillian about your top 10 picks! Each week, there will be a different theme and this weeks theme is 'book covers'. So here are my top 10 book covers (in no particular order) ~

1. The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

I think these books are just so pretty and eye catching. My favourite is the first book, I love that it has Katniss on the cover. In person the HG monogram is raised, so gives the cover a nice feel.

2. Dark Goddess by Sarwat Chadda

This is one of the prettiest covers I've ever seen, and I love how it completely ties in with the story in every way. It also has pretty shiny gel like swirls all over the cover which is a nice extra.

3. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

A falling half-naked angel, need I say more? I also love the fact the background is metallic silver.

4. Memoirs Of A Geisha by Arthur Golden

I love anything that is Geisha related, so this naturally falls into that catagory. Her face is just so pretty, I find this cover almost mesmerising.

5. The Shadow Of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

I love the colour, and the almost haunting picture of the shadowed man walking alone through the streets.

6. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Again, this cover depicts the story so well, plus I just think it's kind of intriguing. When I first saw this cover I couldn't stop wondering why the little girl was stood by a pile of clothes and shoes, obviously when I read the book it became apparant.

7. The Arena (The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins)

I think I was around 14 when I first saw this cover, and the it drew me in instantly. I have a thing for covers with faces on, and the girl mixed with the sepia tone, the great title font and the title all mixed together make a great cover.

8. Fallen by Lauren Kate

Not only do you have the mysterious girl at the front who's covering her face, but you have the kind of creepy blue and black background, the whole thing just intrigues me.

9. Fairytale Of New York by Miranda Dickinson

I'm not a massive fan of chick-lit, and I don't read it that often, but this book cover is just so pretty that I had to have it! With the pink and purples, and the girl on the bridge with her face to the sky, I just think it's lovely.

10. The Death And Life Of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood

This cover just seems so care free, two brothers playing and having fun and that reflects the aspect of the book about Charlie and Sam being such close brothers and not being able to let go of each other.

So what are your favourite book covers?

August Summary

2010-09-04T01:21:00.002+01:00

Books completed ~ 10
Sarwat Chadda - Dark Goddess 4/5 - review
Kelley Armstrong - Waking The Witch 5/5 - review
Linwood Barclay - Fear The Worst 4/5 - review
Eve Edwards - The Other Countess 3.5/5 - review
Carol Lynch Williams - The Chosen One 4/5 - review
Elizabeth Gilbert - Eat, Pray, Love 4/5 - review
Sebastian Fitzek - Therapy 5/5 - review
Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games 5/5 - review
Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games: Catching Fire 4.5/5 - review
Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games: Mockingjay 5/5 - review

Books bought ~ 12
Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Elizabeth Gilbert - Eat, Pray, Love
Carol Lynch Williams - The Chosen One
Stephenie Meyer - Breaking Dawn
Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games: Mockingjay
Rachel Vincent - Pride
Charlaine Harris, et al - Night's Edge
Tess Gerritsen - Whistleblower
Tess Gerritsen - Presumed Guilty
Meg Cabot - Love You To Death & High Stakes
Rick Riordan - The Lightening Thief

Other posts ~
# Teaser Tuesdays - Dark Goddess / The Other Countess / Eat, Pray, Love / Therapy / TimeRiders: Day Of The Predator
# Top Ten Picks - Favourite Book Quotes / Fictional Places
# Bookish Survey

Overall ~
I'm quite pleased by how many I ended up reading in August, because I had a pretty rough month illness wise, and went quite long periods without reading anything at all, so I'm glad that despite that, I managed to rack up 10 books this month. My favourite reads were undoubtedly The Hunger Games trilogy, I adored them and thought it was a fantastic series of books. But I also really loved Waking The Witch and Therapy and would definitely recommend them both too. My least favourite was The Other Countess, but I still enjoyed that one, so I consider this month to be a success! I'm glad summer is finally coming to an end though, I always read more when it's cooler, purely because there's nothing more I love than snuggling in bed with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book when it's cold outside, so fingers crossed that in the last few months before the end of the year I manage to get my reading close to my goal of 150.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

2010-09-04T01:07:00.005+01:00

No. of pages: 455
Rating: 10/10
Series: The Hunger Games trilogy (Book 3)

Synopsis: Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge...

Review: Still recovering from the events of the second Hunger Games, Katniss doesn't really understand what's going on. That's until they tell her about the uprising in all the districts, and how she, as the Mockingjay, has become the face of the revolution. But war is never easy, and Katniss is about to find that out firsthand...

I wasn't sure what to expect from Mockingjay, and in a way I was a bit apprehensive, after all, what if this one book came to ruin a series I had quickly come to adore. But I need not have worried, as Mockingjay was fantastic, and even exceeded my highest hopes for ending this series. I loved the plot of the uprising, and how Katniss stood up as the Mockingjay to give everyone hope that they could win. Character wise, there were a few things I wasn't expecting, such as what happens to Peeta, and also seeing Prim mature so much and come in to her role as healer. I found quite a few of the deaths devestating, and in a way I hate Collins for killing them off, but the story is about war, and good people die in wars so I guess she had to show that. The ending was exactly what I expected of Katniss, and I was glad she ended up with the person she did. In a way I feel like it was always going to be inevitable from the first page. A fantastic ending to an amazing series, I would definitely recommend this series to everyone!

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

2010-09-03T23:51:00.005+01:00

No. of pages: 472
Rating: 9/10
Series: The Hunger Games trilogy (Book 2)

Synopsis: Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Review: Katniss and Peeta have survived the Hunger Games, but only by defying The Capitol, which has made them very angry. There are rumours of rebellion in the air, with Katniss and Peeta being coined as the leaders of it. That can only mean one thing for Katniss and Peeta, and that is punishment from The Capitol, but they can only wonder what will happen...

Catching Fire felt a lot slower than the first book, especially for the first half, and whilst it wasn't necessarily a bad thing, I didn't feel quite as gripped as I did with The Hunger Games. But I did enjoy seeing how things had changed for Katniss, and the slow build up to the second half of the book, which I really enjoyed. I thought the theme of the arena was great, and I loved the introduction of Finnick, who became a fast favourite. I'm really glad I went into this series not having read much about it though, because they are the kind of books that you need to go into not knowing what's going to happen, that way, when the twists come along, it's a lot more enjoyable. I'm not a huge fan of the Peeta/Katniss/Gale love triangle, and I dislike the way it seems like Kaniss is just playing them both along, so I hope that is addressed early on in the last installment. Although Catching Fire is a great book in it's own right, I can't help but feel most of the events in the book are just filler to lead up to the great final that is due in Mockingjay, but still, I love this series, and think Collins is a great writer.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

2010-09-03T07:59:00.005+01:00

No. of pages: 454
Rating: 10/10
Series: The Hunger Games trilogy (Book 1)

Synopsis: In a dark vision of the near future, a terrifying reality TV show is taking place. Twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear in a live event called the Hunger Games. There is only one rule: kill or be killed.

When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her sister's place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.

Review: Set in the future, Panem is split into 12 districts and the Capitol. Each year, every district has to provide 2 teenagers to take place in the games - one boy and one girl. When 12 year old Prim Everdeen is chosen, her 16 year old sister Katniss steps forward to take her place, alongside Peeta Mellark. As Katniss and Peeta are sent in to the arena, they can only wonder if they will make it out alive...

I'm finding it hard to put into words how much I loved this book. I picked it up expecting to enjoy it, but for it to not be anything special, but I was completely blown away by how gripping the plot was, to the point that I stayed up half of the night to finish reading it because I just couldn't put it down without knowing what happened to Katniss. I loved the plot line of the games, despite how brutal it was and came to care about so many of the characters. Not only did I admire Katniss, but I also came to love Peeta, Gale, Prim and even the smaller characters like Cinna and Effie. I thought the author did a great job giving them all different personalities, yet making sure they all connected somehow. I cannot recommend this book enough, and it has definitely become one of my favourite YA books.

Teaser Tuesdays (19)

2010-08-31T23:21:00.004+01:00

'Anything hazardous in here, son?'
'What? You mean... apart from my big bomb?' sighed Howard with a lazy smile. ~ p.78, TimeRiders: Day Of The Predator by Alex Scarrow.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (19)

2010-08-30T03:14:00.002+01:00

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

Elizabeth Gilbert - Eat, Pray, Love 4/5 - review
Sebastian Fitzek - Therapy 5/5 - review
Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games 5/5 - review
Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games: Catching Fire 4.5/5 - review

At the moment I'm reading:

Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

In the next week I hope to read:

Alex Scarrow - TimeRiders: Day Of The Predator
Pittacus Lore - I Am Number Four
Alyson Noel - Shadowland

In My Mailbox (17)

2010-08-30T02:54:00.001+01:00

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren, and sums up my past week in book purchases!

So this week I bought 5 books:

Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge...

~~~~~

Rick Riordan - The Lightning Thief

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school...again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

~~~~~

Meg Cabot - Love You To Death & High Stakes

Meet Susannah Simon: she's a typical teenage girl, who just happens to be a ghost-hunter ...oh, and she's also dead-over-heels for Jesse - the sexiest spook ever! But can this girl get her ghost? In "Love You to Death", Suze arrives in California and has barely unpacked when her mediator skills are put to the test. A vicious spirit in her new school is hell-bent on making her life a complete nightmare, but Suze is more than ready to kick some serious ghost butt if she has to. In "High Stakes", Suze's new life is looking up - cool friends, pool parties and getting to know Jesse (swoon), but then a desperate spirit asks for her help. Suddenly she's on the trail of a creepy local businessman, who just might be a vampire. Life just got dead complicated. Again.

~~~~~

Tess Gerritsen - Presumed Guilty

Miranda's ex-lover is found murdered. She had a motive and the opportunity. After being arrested for the crime, Miranda is shocked to learn she's been released on bail--bail posted by someone determined to remain anonymous. Is someone trying to help Miranda? Or is someone trying to manipulate Miranda and draw her into the dark and secret world of a murdered man, where everybody's presumed guilty?

~~~~~

Tess Gerritsen - Whistleblower

The man emerged from the mist, right in front of Cathy Weaver's car--running from killers who were closing in on him. Victor Holland's story sounded like the ravings of a man on the brink of madness, but his claim to be a fugitive was confirmed by the haunted look in his eyes--and the bullet hole in his shoulder. As each hour brings pursuers ever closer, Cathy has to wonder, is she giving her trust to a man in danger or trusting her life to a dangerous man?

~~~~~

And I also received this as part of a book ring:

Sebastian Fitzek - Therapy

Dr. Viktor Larenz’ life ended the day his 12-year-old daughter, Josy, vanished without a trace. Now, with his marriage and his career as a TV psychiatrist in tatters, he retreats to a remote island cottage to work on an article marking the fourth anniversary of Josy’s disappearance.

Viktor’s solitude is shattered by the appearance of a mysterious woman named Anna Glass. A schizophrenic author who claims she meets characters from her stories in real life, Anna begs for Viktor’s help. Reluctantly, he agrees—but when he recognizes Josy in one of her delusions, it becomes clear that Anna is not what she seems.

Top Ten Picks: Fictional Places

2010-08-30T00:48:00.001+01:00

Top Ten Picks is a weekly meme by Jillian about your top 10 picks! Each week, there will be a different theme and this weeks theme is 'fictional places'. So here are my top 10 fictional places (in no particular order) ~

Places I'd Love To Visit

1. Hogwarts (Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling)

I would absolutely love to go and learn at Hogwarts, magical lessons during the day, big feasts for tea, and Quidditch for fun, what more could you ask for?!

2. Susie's Heaven (The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold)

Of course I don't want to be dead, after all, who does? But if I died and went to a place like the heaven described in The Lovely Bones, I'd be pretty happy.

3. Forks (Twilight saga by Stephenie Meyer)

I hate summer, so the thought of somewhere where it rains a lot and generally has pretty bad weather is the place for me! There also is that little matter of perhaps bumping into one of the rather lovely Cullens too...!

4. Stonehaven (The Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong)

I loves the wolves in this series, and I really wish I could be one of them so I could live at Stonehaven with Jeremy! I think it would be pretty awesome to just go running free on the land whenever you wanted!

5. House of Night (House of Night series by P.C. & Kristin Cast)

Another school, but this time a vampire one. I love vampires, so learning their histories and how to become one is pretty darn cool in my book.

Places I Wouldn't Want To Visit

6. Bon Temps (The Southern Vampire mysteries by Charlaine Harris)

I love Bon Temps and there are many places there I'd love to visit, such as Merlotte's, and Sookie's house. However, with all the wars, and the random disappearances, I think I'd be better off not visiting!

7. The Arena (The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins)

Not really a place anyone would want to be. After all, it's kill or be killed and I have a feeling I'd die pretty quickly in that place!

8. The Forest (The Forest of Hands & Teeth by Carrie Ryan)

Again, not a place you'd like to be, surrounded by zombies that will bite you in a blink of an eye. You'd either be eaten to death, or you'd become one, neither is a particularly fun fate!

9. Morganville (Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine)

Who would want to live in a town where mean vampires are the bosses and humans are food. Get caught out after dark and you're guaranteed to become dinner, would be rather scary wouldn't it.

10. Europe, 6000 Years Ago (Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series by Michelle Paver)

Just seems like such a harsh and brutal place to be, not to mention incredibly scary. Couldn't imagine having to walk for days, hunt for the simplest of foods and fight with possessed animals.

So where are your favourite fictional places?

Therapy by Sebastian Fitzek

2010-08-30T00:47:00.004+01:00

No. of pages: 348
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis: Dr. Viktor Larenz’ life ended the day his 12-year-old daughter, Josy, vanished without a trace. Now, with his marriage and his career as a TV psychiatrist in tatters, he retreats to a remote island cottage to work on an article marking the fourth anniversary of Josy’s disappearance.

Viktor’s solitude is shattered by the appearance of a mysterious woman named Anna Glass. A schizophrenic author who claims she meets characters from her stories in real life, Anna begs for Viktor’s help. Reluctantly, he agrees—but when he recognizes Josy in one of her delusions, it becomes clear that Anna is not what she seems.

Review: Dr. Viktor Larenz is a renowned Psychotherapist, but his life falls apart the day his 12 year old daughter Josy disappears. Fours year later, Viktor is taking a break on the island of Parkum, when a strange woman called Anna Glass insists she needs him to give her therapy sessions. When she starts talking about a character in her book, a young girl that ran away, Viktor wonders if she could possibly be referring to his daughter, and if he might he find out what happened to her after all?

This book was quite frankly, one of the best I've read in the psychological thriller genre. The whole thing from start to finish was written to play with your mind, and it does it oh so well too. When you think you've guessed what happened, something else is revealed blowing your theories out of the water. The story is well written, as are the characters, and I was so gripped I found it impossible to put down until I was finished. The ending was a complete surprise, which I didn't see coming at all, and I love those kinds of endings. I cannot recommend this higly enough to fans of this genre. When more of his work is translated, I will be first in the queue!

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

2010-08-30T00:28:00.004+01:00

No. of pages: 348
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: Elizabeth Gilbert tells how she made the difficult choice to leave behind all the trappings of modern American success (marriage, house in the country, career) and find, instead, what she truly wanted from life. Setting out for a year to study three different aspects of her nature amid three different cultures, Gilbert explored the art of pleasure in Italy and the art of devotion in India, and then a balance between the two on the Indonesian island of Bali.

Review: Elizabeth Gilbert is in her early 30's, married, and trying for a baby when she decides she doesn't want this life anymore. After a messy divorce and a disasterous rebound relationship, she decides to take a year to travel and try to find herself. During her four months in Italy, she learns the pleasure of eating good food; the four months in India, the art of meditation; and in Indonesia, she mixes the two and finds love again.

I had been thinking about reading this book for a while, but when I saw the advert for the movie about to be released, I really wanted to read it. I'm not sure if it was exactly what I was expecting, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I really enjoyed the first section about Italy, she made me wish I were there with her eating that delicious food and enjoying the fantastic sites. The section about India I didn't enjoy so much. There were long sections about meditation and religion, which I found a bit hard to struggle thorough, and also the bits where she ascended to a 'higher plane' I found a bit...stupid to be honest. I do appreciate that these are her experiences, but they just seemed a bit unbelievable to me, perhaps because I'm not religious, I don't know. When she got to Bali, I found myself enjoying it again, it was a lot like the Italy section which I was glad about. I loved the multitude of colourful personalities throughout the book and overall I did enjoy it, even though there were bits I didn't like too. I think it's a book that opinions will divide because it will appeal or not appeal depending on each reader's life experiences. I'm not sure if or who I would recommend it too, but I'm glad that I read it, and I feel that it's given me a different perspective on a few things.

Teaser Tuesdays (18)

2010-08-24T23:19:00.002+01:00

For a fraction of a second the whole business was laid open: Josy's illness and the pain that had haunted her for the past eleven months. He knew what had happened, knew what had been done to her and, with a lurching stomach, knew they would be after him too. ~ p.10, Therapy by Sebastian Fitzek.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (18)

2010-08-23T22:53:00.001+01:00

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through Books.

In the past week I read:

Due a rather awful week long migraine, which still hasn't gone, I didn't manage to finish anything this week, although I am quite close to finishing Eat, Pray, Love.

At the moment I'm reading:

Elizabeth Gilbert - Eat, Pray, Love

In the next week I hope to read:

Pittacus Lore - I Am Number Four
Alex Scarrow - TimeRiders: Day Of The Predator
Alyson Noel - Shadowland

In My Mailbox (16)

2010-08-22T19:21:00.003+01:00

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren, and sums up my past week in book purchases!

So this week I bought just 1 book (although I did pre-order Mockingjay - so excited to read that series!):

Stephenie Meyer - Breaking Dawn

When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give, how could you not give it? If it was someone you truly loved?

To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife have led her to the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or to pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fates of two tribes hangs.

Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating, and unfathomable, consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life—first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse—seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed... forever?