In My Mailbox...(13)

In My Mailbox is a meme that is hosted by The Story Siren every Sunday.

Borrowed from Library

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

The Killing Dance by Laurell K Hamilton

Won

Dark Goddess by Sarwart Chadda (Won from Wondrous Reads)

What did you guys get? Leave me a link below and I will check you out =)

Review: The Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

My Rating: E, P, B

Published: 2010
Publisher: Walker Books

Author's Website: cassandraclare.com

Purchase @ Amazon.co.uk Amazon.com

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray arrives in England during the reign of Queen Victoria, something terrifying is waiting for her in London’s Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Friendless and hunted, Tessa seeks refuge with the Shadowhunters, a band of warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons. Drawing ever deeper into their world, she finds herself fascinated by – and torn between – two best friends and quickly realizes that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

The Clockwork Angel is the first instalment in the Infernal Devices series, which is a prequel to the Mortal Instrument series, written by Cassandra Clare. This book has it all; a love triangle, betrayal, action, death and much more.

What can I say about this book that won’t make me sound like a raving fanatic? I absolutely adored this book. It works well as a standalone but I think it would be better if you read the Mortal Instrument series first and then read The Clockwork Angel. The attention to detail from the time era is absolutely amazing and a lot of research must have been put in before writing this book. I don’t know much about the Victorian ages but I really felt I was there with the characters.

I thought all the characters were absolutely amazing in their own unique way. Will reminded me a bit of Jace from the Mortal Instrument series what with their affliction for mundanes (humans) and their rude and abrupt behaviour. Jem was just adorable, I just love his name, everything else about his character is a bonus. Jessamine is the one that is probably most well off of the characters but she cares for nothing to do with being a Shadowhunter. Charlotte and Henry, I think, are a match made in heaven and balance on another out quite well. Tessa, now I think she is an amazing and head strong girl. She can handle the majority of situations as a confident young lady, anything she does say she says truthfully, even if it hurts. Tessa also doesn’t let anyone tell her what to do. I would list my favourite parts of the book but there are too many so it’s safe to say I enjoyed everything about it.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has read the Mortal Instrument series and for those who haven’t I would say it’s well worth it. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the characters in the next book.

Disclaimer: I bought this book with my own money. I have not been paid to review this book and everything I have said is of my own honest opinion.

Blog Hop...(11)

Blog Hop is a meme that is hosted by Crazy For Books each Friday until Monday.

This is my eleventh hop and I am still finding great blogs out there!! Blog on =)

Question: When you write reviews, do you write them as you are reading or wait until you have read the entire book?


My Answer:  I wait until I have read a book in it's entirety before reviewing the book. If I wrote a review whilst I was reading a book then I think the review would be all over the place. I wouldn't be able to give it an honest review with only knowing some of the facts half way through the book.

I try to review a book right after reading it but sometimes I don't have the time or access to a computer to write one up so sometimes it can be a few days to a week before I write a review. I normally sneak a peek at some pages before I write a review if I have left it a while. Just to take the brain on a wee jog down memory lane.

Have a great weekend =)

Review: Pictures of Lily by Paige Toon

My Rating: E, R, B

Published: 2010
Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Author's Website: paigetoon.com

Purchase @ Amazon.co.uk Amazon.com

Will you marry me?’

I think of you, then. I think of you every day. But usually in the quietest part of the morning, or the darkest part of the night. Not when my boyfriend of two years has just proposed. I look up at Richard with his hopeful eyes.
‘Lily?’ he prompts.
It’s been ten years, but it feels like only yesterday that you left. How can I say yes to Richard with all my heart when most of it has always belonged to you? I take a deep breath and will myself to speak...

Ten years ago when Lily was just sixteen, she fell in love with someone she really shouldn’t have fallen in love with. Now, living in Sydney and engaged to another man, she can’t forget the one that go away. Then her past comes back to haunt her, and she has to make a decision that will break her heart – and the heart of at least one of the men who love her.

Pictures of Lily is an exceptional summer read by Paige Toon. This story reminds you that you can never forget your first true love, they are always with you.

Lily is uprooted from England by her mother so that she can go live with her new lover in Australia. Lily isn’t happy about it at all and can’t wait to move back to England, well that is until she meets Ben. Ben works at the local national park with Lily’s mother’s new beau. Lily gets a summer job at the park where she helps Ben out with the koala bears. Over time they grow closer together but Ben moves away before anything serious happens. Lily is heartbroken but remains in Australia. Ten years later, just when Lily’s life is on the up and her boyfriend Richard has proposed to her she finds Ben again.

I absolutely loved reading this book. It was a nice balance of love and heart break. I felt as if I felt everything that Lily felt and to me this is the sign of an brilliant read. Lily practically shunts everything that reminds her of Ben in her new life as she doesn’t want to be reminded of the one that got away. I was over the moon when Ben made a re-appearance.

My favourite part of the book was when Ben and Lily were taken care of the orphaned koala bear. It was so touching as I am a big animal lover and it was a great way for Lily and Ben to bond over something. Ben always pushed Lily to be all that she can be and follow her passion but in the end Lily turns her back on it as it hurts too much. The old Lily slowly begins to emerge once Ben is back on the scene.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a nice summer read and I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys a good love story.

Disclaimer: I do not own this book, my sister loaned it to me. I have not been paid to review this book and everything I have said is of my own honest opinion.

Review: The Dead Girl's Dance by Rachel Caine

My Rating: VG, P, B

Published: 2007
Publisher: Penguin Group

Author's Website: rachelcaine.com

Purchase @ Amazon.co.uk Amazon.com

Claire Danvers has had her share of challenges – like being a genius in a school that favours beauty over brains, dealing with the homicidal girls in her dorm and, above all, finding out that her college town is overrun with bloodsucking fiends. On the plus side, so far Claire and her friends have managed to survive getting on the wrong side of some Morganville VIPS – Vampire Important Persons. But their temporary peace is in danger of collapsing, thanks to the arrival of her new boyfriend’s scary father and his vampire-fighting supporters.

The Dead Girls’ Dance is the second book in the Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine.

This book basically starts where the last book ends, Shane’s father and some of his road hog friends have barged into Glass House and are taking over the show. Shane’s dad isn’t going to leave Morganville without taking a whole bunch of vampires down with him at the same time. Luckily the members of Glass House are able to get rid of the intruders and try to get on with their lives. Until Shane is accused of murder by the Vampires that is, and is hauled away and sentenced to death which leaves it up to his friends to try and prove his innocence but at what cost?

So much happens in this book that you don’t know when the action is going to stop. Everything is happening over a short period of a few days and I wonder how on earth the characters are able to deal with it all. The action is non-stop and so are the near death experiences. Shane and Claire begin to get a lot closer in this book which is nice to see as they were just teetering on the edge of being together in the first book.

My favourite character from this book is Sam. Even though he has been out-casted by the vampires and none of them talk to him, he has still retained his humanity. He helps Claire and Eve out at a party when Monica convinces some boys to mess with Claire. My favourite part of the book involved all intimate moments between Shane and Claire. They were sweet and Shane was being the perfect gentleman.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I am going to carry on reading the series as I am curious to find out what happens to Claire and Shane’s relationship and what happens with the vampires as it seems a war could be brewing.

Disclaimer: I do not own this book, I borrowed it from my local library. I have not been paid to review this book and everything I have said is of my own honest opinion.