***Review*** Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith

On the Back of the Book

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains."

So begins Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, an expanded edition of the beloved Jane Austen novel featuring all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie mayhem. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton --- and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she's soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilised sparring between two young lovers - and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield. Can Elizabeth vanquish the spawn of Satan? And overcome the social prejudices of the class-conscious landed gentry? Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism and thousands of rotting corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies transforms a masterpiece of world literature into something you'd actually want to read.

Pre Read Thoughts

Put simply this is a title book. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw it sitting there on a shelf in WHSmith. I picked it up and read the synopsis, I was instantly intrigued as to how the two worlds would mix. I wanted to see what had been done to Pride and Prejudice (which is sitting on my TBR pile). According to my copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies I paid $12.95 unfortunately I live on an island known as the UK and over here we use the pound not the dollar so I have no idea how much that is. So after some research on Amazon I have discovered that the UK RRP is £8.99 so I'm going to assume I paid something like that for it. Saying that, if I did pay £8.99 for it then it's £1 more than the average adult paperback. I'm not impressed. If I'm honest the cover freaks me out more than a little, I really don't like it. I'm going to try to avoid looking at it as I read the book.

Post Read Thoughts

I had high hopes for this book and in a way maybe that was this book's downfall, I just wanted too much from it. I felt that the author was trying to hard to make the zombie parts amusing when in fact the joke got old... fast. The story really dragged and it was a struggle to stay awake, never mind actually focusing on the actual story. I'm not sure how much of this is Jane Austen and how much is Seth Grahame-Smith so I can't comment on the quality of the writing.

The characters felt dull and lifeless, like they were forced into being something they weren't. Though I suppose this is exactly what's happened. The zombies were a complete and utter farce, I didn't like the way that they were portrayed and they just felt like an unnecessary sidenote to the story instead of the integral part they could have been.

Overall this book has so much unrealised potential, unless it's the author's intention to make me grab my copy of the original book and find out what it's all about. What I want to know is if the failings of the book are the fault of Austen or some fool who thought they'd cash in on the undead phase that as readers we seem to be lapping up right now. I found no enjoyment on the majority of these pages although there were some moments of genius, the end in particular was pretty good. It captured my attention nicely. Another thing I enjoyed were the illustrations. I love a good picture in a book.

My Rating

2 stars - This book is average at best. The premise is really good as I've mentioned previously and my only regret is that it wasn't carried out as I would have liked it. Maybe moving away from the original plot could have given Mr Grahame-Smith some artistic freedom. I don't recommend this.

A Final Note

There's a bit of bad language but it isn't used in the way that we use it today. Also there's a bit of gruesomeness so not one for people of a sensitive disposition.

Follow Friday number 5

Follow Friday is an awesome way to meet and befriend fellow book bloggers. It's hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read

Q. Let's step away from books for a second and get personal. What T-Shirt slogan best describes you?

A. I'm actually not sure. I do have a T-Shirt that says "No I'm not on f*****g Facebook" which is very true because I hate FB. I shall go to Google and see what they have.

A lot of people who know me say this T shirt works perfectly

But I refuse to believe that's true. Then I again I might be being biased.

Anyway... That's all from me, I'll be doing my FF rounds later. However if you leave your link in the comments new followers, I'll come follow you back later.

Hope you have a lovely weekend. Thanks for visiting my blog.

***Review*** Material Girl by Imogen Edwards-Jones & Anonymous

On the Back of the Book

What is fashion? Who decides what's in and what's out? Is the catwalk really catty? And what's so super about  supermodels?

Based entirely on true but anonymous stories, Material Girl covers six months in a designers life and gives you exclusive access to a world were women get paid thousands for getting dressed in the morning and where the wrong shirt can cost you your career. Tracking the development of a collection from concept to catwalk, onto the front pages of Vogue and then to the high street, it reveals the shocking maek-ups, the fabulous extremes and shoddy shortcuts which the fashion industry would rather you didn't know about...

Pre Read Thoughts

Normally I grab a book because of the title or the cover (what can I say? I like pretty things.) and then read the synopsis but I saw this after I'd seen the BBC TV show that was based on this book. I want to say now that I loved the TV show and had every intention of reading this and then promptly forgot. I paid £7.99 for it which is about right for an adult paperback in Wales so the price is reasonable. The cover isn't very striking, it just has some of the characters from the show on it. If I hadn't been a fan of the TV show I would've seen it, gone "Oooh it's Annie from Being Human!" and walked past it.

Post Read Thoughts

I found this book to be strangely addictive. No matter how much I wanted to I just couldn't put the book down, I was afraid that my mum was going to have to prise it from my cold, sleeping self. I'm not sure I believe the stories even though it says that they are based on truth but it was interesting to see what a designer has to do in the run up to showing off their collection. I felt that the overall standard of the writing was good but a few of the author's habits started to annoy me a bit towards the end of the book.

As far as characters go I'm not entirely sure that they matter because this book is more about the process of creating a runway collection and not the people that it involves. Saying that though I feel as though I should point out that I found the characters to be very forgettable. I finished the book mere hours ago and I can't tell you anything about them.  That's probably the least complimentary thing I can say but unfortunately it's true.

Overall this is probably a great reader for women (and men) who have dreams of breaking into the fashion industry or even if they're just curious as to what goes on behind closed doors. I personally didn't like the chapter lengths, I felt that they were too long and my attention would dwindle in the middle of them.  I still enjoyed the book even though it's completely different to what I normally read.

My Rating

3 stars - While I liked this book I didn't connect with it. I think it's worth a read if you're looking for something different or if you're short of books. I wouldn't rush out and buy this though.

A Final Note

A couple of things: This is an adult book and it contains swearing and drug use. This isn't for impressionable teens.

Also this book was originally published as Fashion Babylon.

***Review*** Solace of the Road by Siobhan Dowd

On the Back of the Book

I put the wig on and I thought myself into Solace. I was Solace the Unstoppable, the smooth-walking, sharp-talking glamour girl, and I was heading into a red sky, thumb out and fag in hand.

Holly is sick  of being told what to do. She's ditching her old life and she's heading off. She puts on her blonde wig, blows herself a kiss and flutters her eyelashes. And, now she's ready. She's Solace, Solace of the road.

Pre Read Thoughts

I bought this book ages ago but I remember being drawn to it because of its title. I admit that it intrigued me enough to pick it up and read the synopsis. The synopsis also did its job and I found myself walking to the checkout with the book in my hand. At £6.99 it's the price I expect to pay for a YA paperback so it's competitively priced. I quite like the cover, the girl's polka dot skirt is pretty awesome. I also love the line on the front. "If life could take you anywhere, where would you choose to go?" It's another way to draw the reader in.

Post Read Thoughts

I'm not sure what I want to say about Solace of the road so I'm going to apologise in advance just in case this comes out as a jumbled mess. I found it to be an intense book filled with strong emotions and the words just carried this book along beautifully. I loved the way the story was set out, it felt like you were in a room with Holly and she was telling you her story in an intimate fashion. I really want to point out that this has a lot more depth than the blurb suggests, it deals with some serious issues that I can't tell you about in fear of spoiling the story.

I found that I could really relate to Holly and that is what gave this story such an edge. You come across other people in the story but the only one that matters is Holly. She comes across as a really tough girl but deep down you know that she's scared and all she wants in life is to belong. Sometimes you come across a character in a book and they stay with you and refuse to leave you alone. For me Holly is one of those characters. She's left a massive impression on me.

The writing is wonderful, it's written in the style Holly speaks which makes her voice so much more realistic. I think it's one of the reasons I adore the whole style of the book. The only down side is that at points I had trouble focussing and had to step away from the story in order to take it all in, that's my fault and not the author's. Recently I've read quite a few books that have lacked emotional depth and this one was so filled with it that I wasn't prepared and nearly drowned in it. I'm not being over dramatic, I was so close to tears for so much of this book. I really enjoyed the story and it played like a film in my head and that doesn't happen as much as I want it to.

My Rating

4 stars - I can't give this 5 because something stopped me from devoting every single particle of my attention to this book. I think it's because I've been tired over the past couple f days but I can't be entirely sure. Saying that, this is a fantastis read and I don't feel that my review has done it any sort of justice. I'd thoroughly recommend this to fans of YA fiction.

A Final Note

There are a couple of things that I'd like to touch upon before I end this review. I'm going to number them to make it easier (for me).

1. There is a tiny bit of bad language. There's use of the F-word. It's not as bad as it is in some YA novels but parents of younger teenagers need to be aware that it's there.

2. The author of this book, Siiobhan Dowd, tragically died in 2007 but in the final months of her life she created the Siobhan Dowd Trust which enables disadvantaged children access to books. This means that all royalties from her books go toward this great cause because the joy of reading is amazing. I personally think it's a great idea and I just wanted to make you all aware of its existence.

Follow Friday number 4

Follow Friday is an awesome way to make new friends and gain followers for your blog. Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read

Q. Name 3 authors that you would love to sit down and spend an hour or a meal with just talking about either their books or get advice on writing from?

A. Well my first answer is going to be pretty boring because it's J.K. Rowling, can you imagine the advice she could give you? Second I think it would have to be Lili St. Crow (author of the Strange Angels series) because that's pretty much one of the few YA UF/PNR series that I enjoy.  Lastly it would be the author of my favourite book of the year Ruta Sepetys. I loved Between Shades of Gray so much and I'd really love to talk to her about the whole story. If one of those lovely ladies turned me down I'd love to talk to Michelle Zink because she is just so sweet.

So what about you? Who would you have sitting around your table? Let me know and if you follow me please add your link so I can return the favour.

***Review*** Passion by Lauren Kate

On the Back of the Book

"Every single lifetime, I'll choose you. Just as you have always chosen me. Forever."

Before Luce and Daniel met at Sword & Cross, before they fought the Immortals, they had already lived many lives. And so Luce, desperate to unlock the curse that condemns their love, must revisit her past incarnations in order to understand her fate. Each century, each life, holds a different clue.

But Daniel is chasing her throughout the centuries before she has a chance to rewrite history.

How many deaths can one true love endure? And can Luce and Daniel unlock their past in order to change their future.

Pre Read Thoughts

I've not been overly impressed with this series, it didn't grab me as some series have but it didn't instantly have me backing away from it hissing. I'll tell you how I've come of this opinion book one was pretty forgettable, if you ask me what happens in Fallen I wouldn't be able to tell you. As for Torment in my opinion it was 400 pages of absolutely nothing happening and then in the final 52 pages there was a surge of plot development that had me scratching my head in complete and utter confusion. I reread the final chapter three, yeah that's right THREE times, before I had a clue of what was happening. Since my experiences haven't been the best that's left me feeling a bit apprehensive about Passion. I feel the need to point out that I was loathe to buy this at £9.99, that's £3 more expensive than your average paperback but my brother was buying a book in our local WHSmith and they were buy one get one for £1 and so I grabbed it. What can I say? I love a bargain. So I shall take this opportunity to thank my wonderful big brother, Dave. Cheers mate. I will admit I'm a sucker for a pretty cover and this one has me in bits. It's gorgeous. I'm really looking forward to seeing what this has to offer.

Post Read Thoughts

The first thing I want to say is that for me this book felt really disjointed and because of that I'm really having trouble trying to form an opinion of the story but for you, I'll try. This book for me was a bunch of mini-stories shoved together in an attempt to cash in on the angel trend currently sweeping through the YA genre. I spent much of the book feeling confused and wondering if I was missing something. Another downside of the constant changes is that I had trouble really getting to grips with the story and this made the book drag a bit as I was always trying to figure out what was happening.

One of my favourite characters to bash is Luce. Now I'm not blaming Lauren Kate I just find her to be, whiny, clingy, stupid, insecure and slightly slutty. I also think that she's quite bland when she's not annoying me she's fading into the background. This has to be another case of *insert self here*. There's one other character that I don't like: Daniel. Unfortunately he has quite a large part in this book which is a shame because he's in desperate need of a personality transplant. I'd like to point out that there are characters that I do like. My personal favourite is Cam, he's everything Daniel should have been and more.

Despite appearances I actually liked the premise of going back into Luce and Daniel's past I just think there was a better way to go about it. An idea I had was to have the series as a trilogy and released the mini stories as free online things that led up to the release of Rapture. Essentially I think what I'm trying to say is that even though the writing was good, the story didn't really add to the series. I have to say the end was fantastic. I loved it. Another positive (I'm on a roll!) is that the book played like a movie in my head, unfortunately the signal was a bit dodgy though because it kept cutting out.

My Rating
3 stars - I liked the idea of the story, I liked the writing and in parts this was amazing but it was hit and miss for me, there was too much happening in the book. This also felt like more of a set up for Rapture and I refuse to give it more than 3.

Goddess of Partholon: An Overall Review

I personally think that overall reviews are a great way to summarise a series without having to spend an age reading loads of reviews. I like to do it as it may come in handy for someone someday. Let's get down to business.

Pros

• I really liked the premise of the original book (Divine By Mistake).
• The Fomorians are great bad guys (and gals).
• The covers really draw you into the series.
• I like the 'not suitable for younger readers' warnings on the back of the book.
• I've just run out of pros.

Cons

• The characters aren't very likable.
• The plots are slow moving and that makes it difficult to focus on the book.
• They contain some quite graphic scenes of a sexual nature.
• There are quite a few spelling and grammar issues.
• They were really predictable in places.

Best Book: Brighid's Quest

Worst Book: Divine By Choice

My Overall Rating

2 stars - I'm not going to lie, I didn't enjoy the series. I know my overall rating is low but my highest single rating was 3 stars so to be fair it's not as harsh as it seems. These books aren't for younger readers as they contain sex and some swearing (in the first three books). Needless to say I don't recommend the series.

Brighid's Quest by P.C. Cast

On the Back of the Book

When she searched out prey for her Clan, Brighid scented more than the air. She breathed in the spiritual essence, the dark trail left by evil and lies...

When she leaves her ultra-strict family, Brighid also strays from her pre-ordained life. Born to be the Chief Shaman and ruler of a herd of centaurs would be tough for any girl - and Brighid wants out.
Joining Clan Macallan as a Huntress and helping out broken-hearted Cuchulainn on his mission seems mich simpler - if befriending bat-winged creatures and helping them gain acceptance in society can ever be described as simple.

As Brighid uncovers more about her heritage (and her feelings for a certain someone), she realises her powers cannot lie dormant forever...

My Thoughts

***This is an adult book and not YA as is suggested on P.C. Cast's website.***

I have a confession, I approached this book with dread, the previous efforts had left me frustrated and annoyed but I really liked this one. The plot had a nice pace and I didn't find myself getting bored after a few minutes. In fact I was comfortably reading this for hours at a time (something my attention span doesn't always allow). Don't get me wrong this book is far from perfect but the strength of the actual story made them less noticeable. That doesn't mean they aren't there though,  I saw some spelling and grammar issues.

I didn't like Brighid in the previous book, Elphame's Choice, but somewhere in this book she grew on the. I liked the way she matured and stopped being selfish and thinking she knew everything. I think the turning point for me was definitely the way events unfolded with Niam. By the end of this book I still didn't like Cuchulainn, he never managed to convince me of his integrity, he reminds me of a footballer. I did like Liam though. He was super adorable, actually, now that I come to think of it so is Kyna.

This book is a vast improvement on those that came before this. I found myself wanting to read the book and not just picking it up because I like to read a minimum of 100 pages a day. I wasn't happy with the epilogue but you can't have everything. Although I will appeal to P.C. Cast not to do it. I'm happy with the end of this book and any more would kind of make it feel like she was just using the series to cash in.

My Rating

3 stars - I genuinely liked this book and I know I keep saying it but I've surprised myself with that fact. In a way I'm glad that I'm so stubborn and feel the need to finish every series I read.  Saying that though I can't recommend this book because in order for you to read it you have to read three extremely bad books and one that had a bit of a crisis. This is a hidden gem but it's a case of too little too late.

A Final Note

There is sex in this book and other sexual acts. This isn't for younger readers and it does state that on the back cover of this book.

Elphame's Choice by P.C. Cast

On the Back of the Book

Please. Let's not start this old argument again. You know no one will marry me. There's no one like me and no one wants to get that close to a goddess."

Part-human, part centaur, Elphame has always been different. The hundreds of shimmering butterflies sent by the goddess Etain to mark her birth were only the beginning.


When Elphame is asked to breathe new life into the remote Macallan Castle, she goes along with it (well stranger things have happened...) and finally she's found her true calling.


But Elphame hadn't banked on her life being threatened when the bizarre Fomorian descendants (bat-like humans - it's a long story) return to Macallan with their own devastating agenda. Nor the fact she may have finally found her lifemate... at THE most inconvenient time!

My Thoughts

*** I feel the need to point out straight away that this is an adult book NOT a YA book as is suggested on P.C. Cast's website.***

I found this book to be very hard going and once again some of the content was sickening, vulgar is the word that sprung to my mind. In order for me to tell you the full occurrence would lead to spoilers and I try not to do that too often. Needless to say if you're a parent checking on whether your teenager should have this book, the answer's no.

The plot was extremely slow and for the majority of the 400+ page count, absolutely nothing happened. As the reader I found this extremely frustrating. Spelling and grammar are still issues for me. Some words are misspelled and should have been picked up instantly by a good edit. I also noticed that we seem to have gone a bit Scottish. Actually whilst I'm complaining (what can I say? I'm on a roll.) continuity is a bit of an issue. Some things have been added that should have been explained in the past three books.

For me Elphame had a lot of the same issues as Shannon. Neither of them were likeable characters and I had no sympathy whatsoever for Elphame. I also didn't like Lochlan, Cuchulainn or Etain. Now on a positive note I did like one character. (I know, it's only taken me 4 books.) Brenna was awesome. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing her grow into a strong woman. I do have to say this though: why P.C. Cast why? (If you've read the book you'll know what I mean.)

In my opinion this is another lacklustre effort from Ms. Cast. This book gave me numerous headaches and I also suffered from severe boredom while attempting to complete this. I persevered with the book but the whole time I was thinking about what I could have bought instead.

My Rating

1.5 stars - I originally gave this 2.5 stars but then I remembered something about Elphame and Lochlan that you discover during this book. I was so disgusted that I promptly took a star off my final rating. Another book rhat I don't recommend.

A Final Note

There's sex, lots of sex. It's quite graphic as well so I'm going to reiterate that this isn't a YA book and I personally don't want to hear of teens reading it. Some of the content is pretty sick.

Follow Friday number 3

Follow Friday is a super awesome way to make friends and meet fellow bloggers in the blogosphere. It's hosted byParajunkee .

This week's feature is Angela from Angela's Anxious Life

So anyway it's time for this week's question:

Q. What do I do when I are not reading?

A. I blog... a lot. I also look after my mum and brother. I also have a passion for  motorsport. (No I don't know why I like watching people go around a track for a couple of hours but it's better than football.) I also spend a lot of time on Goodreads because it's a way to discover books without actually going to the shops. I love to write, it's an excellent way for me to write down how I feel. In fact I'll share one of my poems with you.

Why Won’t You Go?

I still hurt,

I’m still breaking,

You’re the reason,

I fell down today.

Why won’t you go?

Why can’t I leave?

There’s nothing here but ashes,

Soaking up the tears from my heart.

To die alone. It’s my greatest fear,

But how can I,  when you won’t go?

I’m trapped in a moment. For now and all time.

Go my love, just go.

Why can’t I leave?

You and I alone.

The memories resurface,

Choking me.

The pain owns me,

How did you guess?

I know.

You knew, you knew. You always did.

Why won’t you go?

What reason is there to stay?

You’re just a ghost. Of reality,

My dreams, they never stir.

When my world ends,

You’ll still be there,

Taunting, taunting, taunting,

Just to have a laugh.

You and I alone,

We own all the secrets,

But how do you tell what you don’t remember?

Say you remember me.

There’s a reason for this.

The madness is calling me back.

Tortured, tortured, tortured,

That’s all I’ll ever be.

Sense left me, forever ago,

The words drag. On and on and on,

It’s something. It’s nothing.

Why can’t you let me go?

So anyway if you leave your link I'll follow you back since my hand is nearly healed I'll be doing my fair share of hopping this week.

Divine By Blood by P.C Cast

On the Back of the Book

"You are divine by blood and have power beyond your wildest imaginings."

Morrigan bit her lip. Power beyond her wildest imaginings... Wow! That must be some power, because she definitely had an excellent imagination.

Conceived in a lie to a goddess plagued by evil and a father who sacrificed himself to stop her, Morrigan is raised as a normal girl in Oklahoma.

Now eighteen, Morrigan is finally learning the truth about her past and discovering an ability to harness magic. Finding her way to Partholon, she hopes to be respected as the daughter of the goddess - she's ready to be worshipped!

But Morrigan is plagued by doubt - are the voices she hears a connection with the goddess of Epona, or the evil that controlled her mother?

My Thoughts

This book isn't as bad as the previous effort in the series, although I'm not sure it's actually possible for a book to be that bad. Saying that though this book was screaming "edit me!" the whole time I was reading it. There are some pretty simple spelling and grammar issues (I think you mean 'very pleased' not 'well pleased'.) unless of course P.C. Cast wanted to come across as a chav (I'm not sure if there are chavs anywhere but Britain though.) I think this 'trilogy' (why would you add more books to a trilogy?) should have stayed locked away.

I still didn't find a character I could relate to and as this was the final part of a trilogy I find that diabolical. Morrigan was incredibly stupid throughout the novel. I found her entire storyline to be obvious so either I am exceptionally clever and need to be monitored by fellow geniuses or this story was badly written. I think it might be the latter (unfortunately.) None of the other characters stood out for me, they were dull fading into the back of my mind the second I closed the book. Also just because this amused me, I was reading the front of the book where the copyright info is and it mentioned that none of the characters are based on real people. I thought fair enough but then on the next page P.C. Cast says that the characters are based on friends and family. I wish they'd make up their bloomin' minds, they're giving me a headache.

Overall I'm wondering why I wasted my money on these. The only thing going for this book is the fact that Morrigan isn't as annoying as Shannon, who thankfully doesn't appear in this one much. The story was predictable, the ending was rushed, the characters unbelievable, I could go on all night but I won't, I have better things to do with my time.

My Rating

2 stars - I was actually going to give this 3 stars but then I started writing my review. That's when I realised that it didn't deserve any more than what it's received. I wouldn't recommend this to my worst enemy, even my partner in crime (my pet cat Mischief) refuses to give this book the time of day and normally he's not very fussy.

A Final Note

Sex, swearing, crimes against writing. This book has it all. This is an adult book so not one for young teens. Actually I'd just avoid this altogether unless you're a glutton for punishment.

Divine By Choice P.C. Cast

On The Back of the Book

"Oh man! It's like I'm friggin' Wonder Woman or something." Suddenly Clint stopped and turned to face me. "Not like a superhero, like a goddess."

After being mistaken for a goddess in the mythic world of Partholon (easily done) Shannon Parker now adores her new life.  Everything - particularly all the goddess worshipping - is going great... until she's wrenched back to Oklahoma.

Desperate to return to the husband and world she loves, she's got to draw on dormant power from our world to take her back. But Shannon soon realises she's being followed by an ancient evil...

Sometimes being divine by mistake is a lot easier than being divine by blood.

My Thoughts

Now for the first time in my blog's history I must star with an apology. My opinion on this books is very low and in order to get my main point across there will be a spoiler.

So I'm going to start with my main point and I have to say I feel very strongly about this. Rhiannon's downfall is sickening, I mean this I felt physically sick as I read about Rhiannon as a teenage girl being raped by a man wearing a dead horse's head. I'm sorry but it was taken way too far and then for that stupid goddess woman to condone it by saying that she should've drank a potion makes it worse. Essentially that's saying rape is okay if the person is drugged up to the eyeballs and couldn't care less. On top of that, this one event is then portrayed as the event that made Rhiannon the way she is in the book. No I'm sorry it explains nothing. It may have made her the way she is sexually but emotionally the damage was done by the goddess by giving her to people who pandered to her every whim. I was horrified that the goddess showed the scene to Shannon and then told Shannon to pity Rhiannon. Nobody who has been raped wants pity. How dare the author suggest that. Author's need to do their research on stuff like this.

Another thing that made me deeply unhappy and feel really awkward as I read the book were the sex scenes, now I'm 20 years old and I can handle a sex scene but Shannon is pregnant with another man's baby. I'm sorry but I happen to think that's a bit skanky especially as Shannon is constantly calling Rhiannon a 'slut'. Pot calling kettle black? I think so.

Now I'm going to move on to more general things. I think I'm actually going to declare P.C. Cast the queen of show not tell. I was realy to physically hurt something by the end of this book. To top it all off she's still reiterating the stuff she was going on about in book 1. I just wanted to hunt her down and scream that I'm not an imbecile and that I'd got the message. Unlike in the first book, there was never any sense of danger and that made the end very anticlimactic.

The characters aren't worth mentioning and overall the book is a pile of poop (as P.C. Cast would say since she seems unable to write the word poo.) Now I know this is jst my individual opnion and that many others will disagree with me but this is my honest opnion and I've always written my blog with the intention of being honest and telling you how I feel.

My Rating

1 star - This is harsh and I know it is but I was truly offended by some of the content and I won't be giving it 1.5 or 2 stars just to make anyone (namely the author who should be ashamed) feel better. I had to sleep on the book in order to make my review somewhat coherent and I'm not entirely sure that I've succeeded. I've read kids books that are more adult than this.

A Final Note

There is some pretty sick stuff in here and I'm an adult. Two things 1. I really wish I'd had a massive bottle of vodka next to me when I was reading this so I could've dulled the torture and 2. I personally wouldn't touch this book with a bargepole if I were you. I definitely don't recommend it.

Follow Friday number 2

Follow Friday is for book bloggers like you and me to find each other in the blogosphere. (Is there any way I can make this sound more dramatic? I think it would really add to the mystique and awesomeness of FF.) It's hosted by Parajunkee and I think if you aren't already a part of it then you should check it out!

This week's feature is Lisa over at Read. Breathe. Relax.

This week's question is a good one I have to say.

Q. . Let's step away from besties...What is the worst book that you've ever read and actually finished?

A. Now this is easy because I've literally just finished it this morning. Now because I've only just finished it I don't have a review but I do have a picture!

It's Divine By Choice and it's by P.C. Cast.  My review.

Also, I'm sporting a hand injury (stupid lawn strimmer, even stupider cat.) so I won't be able to hop much but if you link me to your blogs I will follow you back.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

On the Back of the Book

The wolves circled round me, tongues and teeth and growls.

When a local boy is killed by wolves, Grace's small town becomes a place of fear and suspicion. But Grace can't help being fascinated by the pack and by one yellow-eyed wolf in particular. There's something about him - something almost human.

Then she meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away...

My Thoughts

I'm not exactly sure about what I want to say about Shiver, so I thought I'd start with a little story. Once upon a time there was a girl who loved to read YA PNR and UF. She immersed herself in tales of true love that spanned from mere days to never ending centuries. All she wanted was to find her perfect man and that he would love her as much as the boys in the books did. Days turned to years and still the girl's prince never showed. Slowly she turned jaded and stopped believing. She finally saw the stories for what they truly are and stopped trying to make fact of fiction. The end. It's a [now not] so little known fact about me that I'd love to fall in love just like they do in the books and movies and in a way this book preys on that hope. It preys on the fantasies of young women everywhere because every woman (whether she admits it or not) wants to fall in love.

The characters are really obvious. Grace (great name, one of my personal favourites.) is your average heroine. She's never had a boyfriend  because she's in love with a wolf. (Creepy, I know.) As a character nothing about her stands out, however with books like this it does tend to be a matter of *insert own personality here*. Sam isn't much better, I preferred the couple of chapters where he was a wolf, at least then he had a bit of individuality. There was one character that I did like and I wanted to see more of: Rachel. For me she shone on the page, all caffeine and sunshine. I loved her.

I thought the end was far-fetched and poorly explained, I didn't like the characters (except Rachel), the whole thing was cliched, the spelling of forever as 'for ever' annoyed me, so tell me this: why did I enjoy this book? I finally plucked up the courage and picked up the book, I went in with my eyes open. I took the book for what it was and not what I wanted it to be and that was enough.

My Rating

3.5 stars - I believe that this is what they call a guilty pleasure, but even with that status I can't quite bring myself to give it a 4. I do recommend it though, it's much better than other books of this genre. I'm definitely going to read the rest of the trilogy and what's more, I might just buy it myself.

A Final Note

There's a bit of swearing and some sex references. Not for under 14s. Also sorry for any typos, I had a fight with my cat... and lost.

• Book summary from  the back of the book
• Image from Google

Numbers Trilogy: An Overall Review

I like to keep things tidy on here by adding an overall review if I read a series in order all at the same time. It's kind of like a quick guide pointing out the pros and cons. Which book I liked the best. Which book I liked the least and then finally I give the series an overall mark.

I'm going to just do it in bullet points last time because then it was short, sweet and to the point. Why blither on when you don't need to?

Pros

• Well written

• Excellent characterization

• I loved how each story had a completely different story but at the heart they were about the same thing.

• Not too much romance.

• The books all played like movies in my head.

Cons

• Language - there's a lot of swearing.

• Synopsis-itis - two of the trilogy had misleading blurbs.

• Can be mentally draining to read

• Can get a bit violent

• Some people may not like the writing style because it fits the characters.

Best Book:  Numbers 2: The Chaos

Worst Book: Numbers

My Overall Rating

4 stars - This is a gripping series that blew me away with each installment. I'd recommend this to anyone who likes a gritty thriller with many twists. It may not be everyone's cup of tea but it sure is mine. All I can say is it's amazing what you can find in WHSmith!

• Images from Google
• Collage created by me. Don't use unless you have my permission.

Numbers 3: Infinity by Rachel Ward

On the Back of the Book

Post Chaos 2029:

Adam, Sarah and little Mia are living together, struggling with the fame of seeing numbers - the dates when people die.

But something is about to tear them apart. During the Chaos, Mia swapped her number for another.

Suddenly her powerful new ability makes her a terrifying target.

Everyone wants to live forever...

My Thoughts

As I sit here wondering how to describe the way I feel about this book, I have to warn you that this book suffers from a rare condition that seems to be getting more and more common. That's right folks, this book has what I like to call Synopsis-itis. Essentially what this means is the back of the book doesn't tell you anything about the story. Now I have good news Synopsis-itis seems to only be affecting books that are published by Chicken House. Unfortunately Chicken House is one of my favourite publishers. On the plus side although the synopsis is pretty rubbish this is still a cracking read.

The main characters in this one are the same as Numbers 2: The Chaos. Adam and Sarah are just as real in this book as the one before. I still adored them, even though they are flawed as people. In fact I think that's part of why I loved them, it's nice to see characters that aren't perfect. At the end of the day they're just two people that are trying to do the best by Marty, Luke and Mia. Now speaking of I absolutely adored Mia, her beauty and intelligence shone throughout the book. The last character who I am going to mention is a new addition, he's called Saul and is probably one of the strongest characters in the trilogy. The emotions I felt whenever he was in a scene were so intense that I actually can't put them into words.

The plot to this book has a really strong meaning even though it covers many human emotions and reactions. The only other series I can think of that handles something similar is The Declaration Trilogy by Gemma Malley. I'm not assuming you've read that I just wanted to portray my opinion that this seems to have a basis that hasn't really been covered much.

If I'm honest at first I wasn't sure that this book matched the quality of its predecessors but in the end, as far as I'm concerned, it did. Rachel Ward, the author, left some things unanswered and I like the mystery of it, the fact that we'll never know everything because that's how it is in life. Another thing I like is the intricacies the author added, if you're a sucker for intricacies as I am you would have noticed a couple of things and squealed in sheer delight.

My Rating

4 stars - This is a solid ending to an absolutely mind blowing trilogy. I think this whole thing will stay with me for a while, it stands out amongst the crowd of YA books. I personally cannot wait to see what Rachel Ward does next.

A Final Note

There is some swearing. Not as much as in the previous two but there's also some graphic violence (I'm not sure that's the right word but I can't describe it without spoilers.) Definitely not recommended for under 14s but if you're older than that you should totally go for it.

Tara over at Basically Books =) has also reviewed this book. You can find her review here.

• Book summary from the back of the book
• Image from Google

Numbers 2: The Chaos by Rachel Ward

On the Back of the Book

Like his mum before him, Adam sees numbers - death dates in people's eye. It's hard enough living with this terrible gift but life is about to get tougher.

Adam sees that everyone around him has the same date: 1st January 2027.

Something huge is going to happen.

Something bad. But what is it? And what can he do about it?

My Thoughts

Numbers 2: The Chaos is one of those books where you reach the end and your brain is so exhausted by the awesomeness of the book that it's just a jellied mess in your head and it can't even remember how to spell your name let alone write a coherent review. (Just for the record my name's spelt like this: Charmaine. =P) I am blown away by the book, it has everything that I want from a book: strong leads, a hint of romance, a proper plot and the ability to leave me craving more. The plot had a great pace which sweeps you along with it.

The two main characters are different in this book. First up we have Adam, who is the son of Spider and Jem from book one. Like his parents he's got a lot of anger inside him and a hatred of the world and everything in it. As it tells you on in the blurb he inherited the ability to see numbers off his mum, but as far as I'm concerned he also inherited hr big heart. He refuses to give up on those he loves, even when they want him to. The other main character is Sarah. She's a pregnant teen with more than one dark secret. I can't tell you those because you should know how I am about spoilers. Anyway I personally related with Sarah more than Adam, we have things in common. Well technically it's one thing but it's not something you get much in YA. Both of the lead characters are painstakingly realistic with their mannerisms and attitudes. Characterization is definitely one of the many areas where Rachel Ward excels.

In a nutshell I adored this book. The characters, the plot, the writing, it's all sublime. I kept finding myself being dragged back in even though I'd already read the book, it just wouldn't leave me be. That for me is the sign of a good book. Another thing, I also had this book play like a movie in my head, I have to admit that it's nice to read a book where you're shown things and not told them.

My Rating

4.5 stars - I can't quite bring myself to give this five stars. I think it might be because it took a while for the plot to kick in. To be fair though,  a 4.5 is nothing to be ashamed of, well not on this blog anyway. Unfortunately this high quality has a down side, I'm now nervous when it comes to reading book 3, I don't want to be disappointed.

A Final Note

There is quite a lot of the F-word in this book and if you're new to my blog you won't know this, but it means I don't recommend it to under 14s. I don't like the idea of young teens picking up bad language from books.

Also Tara over at Basically Books =) has reviewed Numbers 2: The Chaos. You can find it here.

• Book summary from the back of the book
• Image from Google

Follow Friday number 1

 Follow Friday is for book bloggers like me and you to find each other in the blogosphere It's hosted by Parajunkee  Parajunkee and you should totally check it out.

This week's question is from Erika @ Let's Talk About Books and it is:

Q. ACK! Your favourite book/movie character (example Hermione Granger played by the Emma chick) just walked into the room! Who is it and what would be your first reaction? You get extra points if you include visual stimulation.

My Answer would be Ron Weasley as played by Rupert Grint. I'll be honest I have a soft spot for him, he's adorable. My first reaction would probably be to trip over thin air as I walked over to be all fangirly. It would be typical of me.