Wednesday 29 August 2012

Waiting On Wednesday #8 - Lovely, Dark & Deep





Waiting On Wednesday, where we put the spotlight on upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating, is hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine

This week it's the turn of Lovely, Deep and Dark by Amy McNamara. Isn't this cover amazing?


 Since the night of the crash, Wren Wells has been running away. Though she lived through the accident that killed her boyfriend Patrick, the girl she used to be didn’t survive. Instead of heading off to college as planned, Wren retreats to her father’s studio in the far-north woods of Maine. Somehwere she can be alone.

Then she meets Cal Owen. Dealing with his own troubles, Cal’s hiding out too. When the chemistry between them threatens to pull Wren from her hard-won isolation, Wren has to choose: risk opening her broken heart to the world again, or join the ghosts who haunt her
. - Goodreads


Lovely, Dark and Deep
Amy McNamara
Simon & Schuster Children's
ISBN - 978-1442434256
Expected pub. date - October 23 2012

What are you waiting for this week?


Tuesday 28 August 2012

Teaser Tuesday #7


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• 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!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Today's teaser is from Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton, published in 2011 by Random House Childrens.



"My blood rushed and throbbed in my fingers and toes, and the grass prickled at my skin. Squeezing my eyes closed, I breathed in and out, concentrating on the motion of my diaphragm." - Pg. 136

Share your teasers! 
 

Monday 27 August 2012

Reading RoundUp #8





It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

Finished



Started




Up next



Reviews coming

666 Park Avenue

Girl Of Nightmares

Bad Faith

The Grimm Legacy

The Devouring

What did you read this week?


Sunday 26 August 2012

In My Mailbox #8


IMM is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and gives everyone an opportunity to showcase new books received during the week, whether they're bought or borrowed.

A good week for me in terms of books! I only bought three but it was library week so a bumper pile got picked up!

Bought


Fire and Thorns - Rae Carson (read this a while ago but wanted my own copy)

The Folding Knife - K. J. Parker (this one and the Spirit Thief were both bargains, I figured if I don't like them it hasn't cost me a fortune!)

The Spirit Thief - Rachel Aaron

From the library

Fated - Alyson Noel

Juliet Immortal - Stacey Jay

Abused Werewolf Rescue Group - Catherine Jinks

Our Tragic Universe - Scarlett Thomas

Blood Magic - Tessa Gratton

Uninvited - Liz Jensen

Butterfly Summer - Anne-Marie Conway

Immortal - Gillian Shields

Cloaked - Alex Flinn

Fly By Night - Frances Hardinge

The Devouring - Simon Holt

Unwind - Neal Shusterman

Not a bad haul and I didn't break the bank! What did you get this week?

Don't forget to enter the August New Release giveaway which finishes in a few days and look out for reviews this week of Girl Of Nightmares, The Grimm Legacy, Bad Faith and 666 Park Avenue!


Wednesday 22 August 2012

Waiting On Wednesday #7 - Dodger

Waiting On Wednesday, where we put the spotlight on upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating, is hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine

This week it's the turn of possibly one of the best fantasy authors of the last three decades (in my opinion anyway), Sir Terry Pratchett!

Dodger comes out September 13 in both the UK - published by Transworld, and the US - published by HarperCollins.

 Dodger - UK cover
















Dodger - US cover

















"A storm. Rain-lashed city streets. A flash of lightning. A scruffy lad sees a girl leap desperately from a horse-drawn carriage, in a vain attempt to escape her captors. Can the lad stand by and let her be caught again? Of course not, because he's... Dodger!" - Goodreads

I'm desperately waiting on this one, inspired by the Artful Dodger and Charles Dickens, because quite frankly I'm making the most of any new books that Sir Terry publishes. As we all know he has Alzheimers and he's not going to be able to write forever but until that point I will still buy his books. I've heard good things and bad things about it but as usual I'm ignoring everyone's opinion except my own! 

What are you waiting for this week?

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Teaser Tuesday #6


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• 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!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's teaser is from The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman which was first published in paperback last year. I bought a copy as you all are probably getting to know the fact that I love fairy tales, retellings and anything with a pretty cover! Then I discovered that it was going to be released again on September 6 with yet another gorgeous cover, I gave my original copy to a friend who has similar reading tastes and promptly ordered this one which arrived on Friday -


"There was something almost gothic about this place, with the mysterious collection Anjali and Marc wouldn't tell me about and now a disappearing page. I was less scared than intrigued." 

- Pg. 28, The Grimm Legacy - Polly Shulman, published by Oxford University Press, UK - 978-0192793102



 

Monday 20 August 2012

Reading RoundUp #7







It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

Finished





Started


Up next



Still reading

Shadow Of Night - Deborah Harkness

Seraphina - Rachel Hartman

I really, really don't want to give up on Shadow Of Night because I loved A Discovery Of Witches so much. I've hit a brick wall with SoN though that I just can't get past so maybe I should put it aside for a few weeks. I'm loving Seraphina but I stupidly left it in my sister's car so can't finish it until I collect it!

How was your reading week?


Sunday 19 August 2012

In My Mailbox #7


IMM is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and gives everyone an opportunity to showcase new books received during the week, whether they're bought or borrowed.

 A light week for me again, my restraint knows no bounds! Actually it does, I had no extra money to spend on books this week as I had to pay out for a new television after my old one blew up - literally, there was a bang, a flash and a small puff of smoke...



Bought 

The Grimm Legacy - Polly Shulman

Ruby Red - Kerstin Gier

Sweetly - Jackson Pearce

What did you get this week?

Thursday 16 August 2012

We have a winner...



The winner has been emailed and chosen a book! A big thank you to everyone who entered!

Don't forget you have a chance to win any paperback new release by entering Book Twirp's August New Release giveaway here, open internationally as long as you live somewhere the Book Depository delivers!

Wednesday 15 August 2012

Waiting On Wednesday #6 - Incarnation

Waiting On Wednesday, where we put the spotlight on upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating, is hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine




This week I'm patiently waiting on





Incarnation by Emma Cornwall, published by Gallery Books on September 18 2012.  I first heard about this one back in May and as soon as I read the synopsis I was sold! I love the cover and I'm hoping the story will be just as good if not better.

"In the steampunk world of Victorian London, a beautiful vampire seeks out the author of Dracula – to set the record straight . . .  If one is to believe Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire tale, Lucy Weston is Dracula’s most wanton creation, a sexual creature of the night who preys on innocent boys. But the real-life Lucy is nothing like her fictional counterpart — and she demands to know why the Victorian author deliberately lied. With Stoker’s reluctant help, she’s determined to track down the very fiend who transformed her — from the sensual underworld where humans vie to become vampires, to a hidden cell beneath a temple to madness, and finally into the glittering Crystal Palace where death reigns supreme.

Haunted by fragmentary memories of her lost life and love, Lucy must battle her thirst for blood as she struggles to stop a catastrophic war that will doom vampires and humans alike. Ultimately, she must make a choice that illuminates for her — and for us — what it means to be human."
- Goodreads


What's top of your wishlist this week?


August New Release Giveaway Hop



Welcome to the August New Release Giveaway Hop hosted by the delightful Book Twirps! The hop runs from August 15 through to August 31 2012. Up for grabs is any new paperback release this month from the Book Depository as long as they deliver to your country - find the list of countries here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the list for more chances to win!

Tuesday 14 August 2012

Teaser Tuesday #5


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• 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!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Today's teaser comes from 666 Park Avenue by Gabriella Pierce, published in the UK by Canvas and in the US by William Morrow. I picked this up the other day because I liked the cover and the fact it was half price didn't hurt! I was unaware at the time that this has actually been commisioned as a tv show by ABC.
I assume the pilot, starring Dave Anable and Vanessa Williams, will air some time later this year so keep an eye out for it as I'd love to know if it's any good.





 "In spite of his earlier concern for her hunger, he evidently couldn't resist suggesting that they take the long way to the kitchen so that she could see more of the magnificent house. That included a closer view of the gallery, with paintings dating back to medieval times; the sitting room; the library, with its floor-to-ceiling shelves and handy rolling ladders; but not of the study, since the door was closed." - Pg. 58 

Monday 13 August 2012

Reading RoundUp #6






It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

Finished




Nearly finished


Still reading



Definitely starting



What did you finish? What are you starting? Leave me a link and I'll come visit! Don't forget, tomorrow is the last day of my YA Giveaway so enter now!

Sunday 12 August 2012

In My Mailbox #6


IMM is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and gives everyone an opportunity to showcase new books received during the week, whether they're bought or borrowed.

A light week for me! Three books bought and one book requested from Netgalley






Bought

Debutantes - Cora Harrison

666 Park Avenue - Gabriella Pierce

The Land Of Stories: The Wishing Spell - Chris Colfer





Netgalley

Ironskin - Tina Connolly

What did you get?


Saturday 11 August 2012

Page To Picture #2 - The Wizard Of Oz


This week we're going back to one of the earlier page-to-picture adaptations, the classic Wonderful Wizard Of Oz!

First published in 1900 by L. Frank Baum The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz is the first in a series of fourteen books about Oz. The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz or The Wizard Of Oz as most people refer to it is the story of Dorothy and her little dog Toto, from the drought stricken Kansas to the lush surroundings of Oz - a land of Munchkins, witches & wizards, flying monkeys and talking animals. Dorothy lands in Oz after being swept up in a tornado and lands on top of the Wicked Witch of the East. An appearance by Glinda, the Good Witch of the South, means Dorothy is wearing the silver slippers previously owned by the Wicked Witch and off an adventure. Along the way she meets the characters we're all so familiar with - the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion. In the book however her adventures don't stop after she meets the Wizard, they continue but that's for you to read about. I'm ashamed to say I haven't read all fourteen books in the series but hopefully one day I'll complete my Oz journey.

Now to the movie...


Everyone knows this movie! From the now ruby slippers - thanks to MGM for this change to showcase their new advances in color film making - to the bright and, at times, garish colours it was an amazing movie for its time, especially as it was the first ever movie to feature said color technology and therefore the movie wasn't just a movie but also a showcase of sorts for MGM. Of course, like every other book-to-movie adaptation there are liberties taken, large chunks missing and maybe the worst transgression, things added! This didn't detract from what is a glorious romp through some of the most weird and wonderful storyscapes you can find and to this day remains one of my favorite movies.

Carrying on the Oz tradition we had Return To Oz in 1985 which should have been box office gold but sadly was not. It was dark, disturbing and so unlike its predecessor but more faithful to Baum's books. If you haven't seen this, please buy/rent/stream it - you won't regret it. Some of it is cheesy, some of it is genuinely scary but this combination works.

Of course you can't talk about Oz without mentioning Wicked, Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel (and its three sequels) now more well known as the famous Broadway musical of the same name which has its fans and its detractors. An honourable mention must go to Muppets' Wizard Of Oz from 2005 starring Miss Piggy as the witches - all of them, good and bad...

Last but not least, we have Oz: The Great And Powerful to look forward to next year on March 8 in both the UK and the US (March 7 in Australia) starring James Franco and Michelle Williams. Oz is a prequel about the Wizard and his arrival in the magical land and I will definitely be going to see it. Just because I love it, here's the promo poster for Oz -


I have a strange fascination with hot air balloons so this poster equals just about perfect for me.


 
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