January Round-Off

Egads! Tis basically February and I can already foresee that March will be steamrollering its way over us faster than we can blink. In both bloggy and reading terms this month has been pretty darn good, I've managed to post at least once a day and by the time I've caught up on reviews for this month I will have reviewed three-quarters of the books I've read which is more than my aspirational half.

What now follows is the list of books I've read this January, those I have reviewed will have links and those that don't will have them once I've written the reviews.
January
1. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
2. Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen
3. Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison
4. The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
5. The Radleys by Matt Haig
6. Stolen by Lucy Christopher
7. The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
8. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
9. Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
10. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
11. Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill
12. Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
13. The Will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce
14. Never Suck a Dead Man's Hand by Dana Kollman
15. Firespell by Chloe Neill
16. Soulless by Gail Carriger
17. Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal
18. Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
19. Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neill
20. Street Magic by Tamora Pierce
21. Shatterglass by Tamora Pierce


Favourite Books of the Month
I only have two 5 star reads that are new (three are re-reads) so I'll just show them both. I'm sure that almost everyone will agree that these highly-anticipated books were *well* worth their hype and I'll be damned if they weren't two of the best debut novels I've read... well ever. So cheers to Steph Perkins and Beth Revis for writing such freaking awesome books!


Leftover 2010 Reviews
Since I was incredibly bad at posting during December last year I posted two reviews from the last week of 2010 at the very start of this month so I would actually have something to post while I was getting into my reading stride. These two books were Entangled by Cat Clarke and Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder. Both were also fecking awesome and I seriously recommend that you check them out!


Other Shenanigans
Due to the re-occurrence of computer troubles for my dear friend Jess there were only 2 editions of our joint cover-loving feature Covers So Lovely We'd Lick Them. Hopefully once everything is all straightened out we'll do the sensible thing and plan out a month or two of posts and get them all scheduled so we don't have to worry if this happens again :P (but we are a daft pair so don't hold your breath)

Also since it was my 1st Blogaversary on the 16th of January I launched a month long contest to win a copy of Last Sacrifice or Crescendo with the promise of a third winner if I reached 300 blog followers before the closing date on February 16th SO GO ENTER HERE!! Please it would mean a lot to me if you did *bats eyelashes*

What To Expect in February
Well due to lack of employment currently I will be going on a Book Buying Ban for the whole month and I might be doing some posts about budgeting and working through the crazy-massive TBR pile instead of continually adding to it.
Of course there'll be the standard Monday and Sunday memes plus hopefully Covers So Lovely returning on Thursdays. I may occasionally pitch in with Top Ten Tuesdays and the Book Blogger Hop but it probably won't be a weekly thing.
And lastly expect reviews of books on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays - I will try my best to keep to that schedule but if I happen to miss a review day then I'll try to make it up as soon as I can.


So that was January... Let's see how February fares
LadyV

Read more...

It's Monday What are you Reading (28)

Well dang.. it's already the end of January and I'm still awfully confused as to where the month has gone. Currently I have no idea how February is gonna turn out so here's to surprises (hopefully more good than bad)

It's Monday What are you Reading? Is a weekly bookish meme where we get together to share what books we've read in the past week, what books we're currently reading and what new books we're planning on reading in the coming week along with any reviews or interesting posts. It's hosted by Sheila @Book Journey

Books I read Last Week

Firespell by Chloe Neill (Review Here)

Soulless by Gail Carriger (Review Coming Soon)

Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal (Review Coming Soon)

Going too Far by Jennifer Echols (Review Coming Soon)

Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neill (Fab kick-ass sequel 4 Stars)

Street Magic by Tamora Pierce (Review Coming Soon)

Books I reviewed Last Week

Behemoth by Scott Leviathan - Review

The Will of the Empress - Review

Books I'm Currently Reading

Shatterglass (Circle Opens #4) by Tamora Pierce - I'm in a random re-read mood and this is one of Tammy's books that I've not read in a while.

Books I'm Planning to Read this Week

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney - Jess lent me this so methinks I get to it this week :)

Past those two I have no clue what I might read although if events go the way I'm foreseeing there may be several more comfort re-reads this week.

So what are you guys reading this week?

LadyV

Read more...

In My Mailbox #38

This may come as a surprise but when I went to Coventry on Wednesday to see my wonderful bestie Jess we only actually bought 3 books between us. I know you're a tad shocked but it's true! We spent most of the day in the cinema dashing from the mind-fuckery that was Black Swan to it's polar opposite Morning Glory - both were cracking films but Black Swan really does blow you away. So yea basically this is going to be a very small haul this week.

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @The Story Siren and inspired by Alea @Pop Culture Junkie

No Vlog this week I'm afraid but I has pretty pictures instead!

Books Bought
Ghost Town by Rachel Caine (This is gonna be the third prize for my current giveaway *if* I get to 300 followers so if you've not entered already then swing on over to here)


Jinx by Meg Cabot - it was going super-cheap in the Works so I just couldn't pass it up!

Books Borrowed
The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney - Ze lovely Jessica of Jess Hearts Books let me borrow her ARC of this highly talked-about book. I'm hoping to get to this later this week. P.S. the link goes to Jess's Review of said ARC.


So that's all I've got for this week! And from the 1st of February I'm planning to go on a book buying ban so I may forego doing IMM posts for a while (unless of course I crack like the weak-willed egg I am and splurge).


What did y'all get in your Mailboxes this week?
LadyV

Read more...

Book Review - Firespell

Ack my delay in posting my Wednesday review has now resulted in a bit of pile-up in reviews so I really oughta not finish any books for a couple of days but I think we all know that it's not likely to happen as planned.

Title: Firespell
Author: Chloe Neill
Date: 24/1/2011 PM
Source: Borrowed from library
Description: As the new girl at the elite St. Sophia’s boarding school, Lily Parker thinks her classmates are the most monstrous things she’ll have to face… When Lily’s parents decided to send her away to a fancy boarding school in Chicago, she was shocked. So was St. Sophia’s. Lily’s ultra-rich brat pack classmates think Lily should be the punchline to every joke, and on top of that, she’s hearing strange noises and seeing bizarre things in the shadows of the creepy building. The only thing keeping her sane is her roommate, Scout, but even Scout’s a little weird—she keeps disappearing late at night and won’t tell Lily where she’s been. But when a prank leaves Lily trapped in the catacombs beneath the school, Lily finds Scout running from a real monster. (Description taken from Goodreads)


My Review
In recent months I have found myself getting a bit tired of the whole "paranormal shenanigans in a boarding school" plot idea and with having read Hex Hall only the other week I was wary that I'd just be getting the same story set in Chicago instead of a creepy gloomy island. However I found myself pleasantly surprised by Firespell.


The main thing that stood out for me was the interesting philosophy that Scout and her friends have with regards to their magic. They believe that magic eventually corrupts the user and pledge to only use their gifts until they're 25 before irreparable damage to their soul occurs. Add in the vair interesting firespell and the various different gifts that the other folks have and you have a pretty original magic system. 


Lily was a pretty cool heroine; snarky enough to not be a complete goody-two-shoes but not overdone on the attitude however it's Scout who was my favourite character. She's kinda wacky with a love of words and down-to-earth despite her rather wealthy roots. She's not one of the "brat pack" and quick to befriend Lily.


I can't forget the two lovely lads Michael and Jason; it's hilarious seeing the banter between Michael and Scout since you just know that they're gonna end up together despite how much Scout wants to deny it :P The flirting between Lily and Jason was teasingly delicious and I can't wait to see how that relationship develops in Hexbound.


There was also a great setup for the next book with the unknown past of Lily's parents and the strange boy Sebastian who throws the Firespell at Lily. There are some subtle hints but not enough to give it all away so I'm still really intrigued to know where things are going.


Overall a quick fun adventure through the underground tunnels of Chicago and a solid start to this paranormal series. I do rather like Chloe Neil's style although I haven't quite decided whether I like this more than her adult series but reading both around the same time has given me a craving to visit Chicago although I doubt that's gonna happen any time soon.


My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars


This is a somewhat shorter review than I usually write but I hope it's informative enough :)


Toodles
LadyV  

Read more...

Book Review - The Will of the Empress

This is the first re-read of the year and it was desperately needed, I had a really crappy end to what started out as a good day and by the end of it I'd lost someone I thought was a friend. It's almost reflex to turn to a book you already know when what you need most is comfort and boy did I need some Tamora Pierce last Wednesday night.

Title: The Will of the Empress
Author: Tamora Pierce
Date: 20/1/2011 PM
Source: Bought
Description: Daja, Briar, Tris, and Sandry have grown up and grown apart since their days together at Winding Circle, and Sandry's especially disappointed with the change. When Sandry's uncle requests that her three old friends accompany her on a visit to Sandry's vast lands within the Empire of Namorn, the young mages discover that they've landed in a trap. Namorn's iron-willed Empress has plans for Sandry and her companions, and she has wily and powerful mages to help her. But so, of course, does Sandry--if only she can get them to work together . . . . (Description taken from Amazon)


My Review
I should point out at the start of this review that this book is technically the 9th chronologically that is set in Tamora Pierce's Emelan world. There are two quartets that follow the tangled lives of Sandry, Tris, Briar and Daja from the discovery of their strange powers through the years of them learning to control them up to the start of this book. I'm not gonna recap all the backstory that lead up to this book so apologies if things get a little confusing.


While the earlier books in the Emelan world were rather more geared to the younger end of the YA spectrum; Will of the Empress is definitely for the other end. The four mages are all grown up now and have seen more of the world than they'd perhaps like to. Despite how close they once were as children Sandry feels frustrated  that she and her foster family have drifted so far apart.


Out of the four main characters I am most attached to Tris and Briar - Tris being the most powerful of the four with her weather magic she's also the most private and is generally pretty crotchety with people. I love her loyalty to those she does care about and her tendency to read whilst riding makes me crack up cos I'm sure it's exactly what I'd do (were I to live in a world where travelling by horse was the norm). Briar is the kind of charming guy you could introduce to your grandmother without fear even if he was a thief as a child. I love his carefree attitude that can switch to high alert at a moment's notice if he or his friends are in danger.


Not that I have anything against Sandry and Daja though - Sandry can be so bad-ass when she's seriously vexed and darn if she doesn't wield the stitch-witch powers with some clout in this book! But she does get a bit het up when someone offends her noble sensibilities and I can understand Tris, Briar & Daja's dislike of being bossed about as though they were the hired help by someone they consider as family. Daja is the one character who I related to the least - I don't quite know why but she just wasn't my favourite although it was really good to see a whole unexplored and rather unexpected side of her in this book.


The main reason why I chose this book to re-read when I did was because of the overall message that no matter what horrors you may go through in life, true friends will be there for you even if you've been apart for some time. The loyalty between the four mages in the face of adversity and danger helped remind me that not all people are fair-weather friends and those who truly love you will stick by you no matter how many lightning bolts you may throw at them in a moment of anger.


If you have already read some of Tamora Pierce's books but none of the Circle of Magic/Circle Opens/Circle Reforged books then I do really recommend them. The first two quartets are comparatively smaller than Will of the Empress and perhaps more simplistic but I find that Tammy's characters are always ones you get attached to and want to know more about so even if you start off reading this book I reckon you'll find yourself wanting to go back and meet these wonderful characters at the beginning of their journey. 


I am probably a bit biased when it comes to rating Tammy's books because I think that most of them are fantastic but out of the Emelan books the Will of the Empress is probably my favourite with Shatterglass and Street Magic not far behind (They are the books that focus on Tris and Briar respectively in the Circle Opens quartet). I now anxiously await the third book in the Circle Reforged Quartet so we can learn about what happened Briar while he was travelling since all the ominous hinting throughout WotE makes it sound like it'll be a fascinating yet dark read. *crosses fingers that the wait won't be too long*


My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars


Eek terribly sorry that this is two days later than planned in going up - I've had a couple of busy days where I've been far from the computer and not getting these reviews done ahead of time means it's buggered up my pseudo-schedule of posting reviews for Firespell and Soulless supposedly today and tomorrow. I'm gonna do my best to clear the backlog this weekend.


Anyways must fly, dinner awaits!
LadyV

Read more...

Book Review - Behemoth

Reviews! Reviews! Never ending stream of reviews! It's all I seem to do anymore :P

Title: Behemoth
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Date: 19/1/2011 PM
Source: Bought
Description: The behemoth is the fiercest creature in the British navy. It can swallow enemy battleships with one bite. The Darwinists will need it, now that they are at war with the Clanker powers.

Deryn is a girl posing as a boy in the British Air Service, and Alek is the heir to an empire posing as a commoner. Finally together aboard the airship Leviathan, they hope to bring the war to a halt. But when disaster strikes the Leviathan's peacekeeping mission, they find themselves alone and hunted in enemy territory.

Alek and Deryn will need great skill, new allies, and brave hearts to face what's ahead. (Description taken from Goodreads)

My Review

I read Leviathan last year and pretty much fell in love with the Steampunk genre so I was counting down until I could get my mitts on the second book - Behemoth. This series is the best mix of historical fiction, fantastical invention and outlandish creatures along with the most *gorgeous* illustrations I have ever seen. Seriously why can't Keith Thompson illustrate everything I read?

This book carries on from where Leviathan ended, Deryn (or Dylan as she's known to everyone else) and Alek are travelling to Turkey aboard the massive creature Leviathan in order to deliver Dr Barlow's mysterious eggs to the Sultan in Istanbul. Only they run into a bit of trouble once they arrive and Alek has to escape from the ship to keep his identity hidden from the many German soldiers present in the city.

Despite the fact that this story is obviously *very* altered from true history I really liked how Scott Westerfeld incorporated some real people and events into the plot and got everything to work extremely well around the brilliant concepts of the Darwinists and the Clankers. It really makes you wonder what might of happened at the beginning of the 20th Century if Charles Darwin *had* discovered DNA along with evolution and been able to manipulate it to create strange new creatures. What if the Germans *had* got mechanical walkers and Tesla Cannons? It's slightly scary to consider the possibilities when you see the destructive capabilities of such inventions in Behemoth. 


Out of the characters I love Deryn the most, she's sparky and her dry sense of humour is fab plus she's from Glasgow and has a barking way with the exclamations. She really had to step up in this book to not only help her country but also to help her friend Alek and although sometimes those didn't exactly coincide she did an admirable job of not getting hung for treason :P Her interactions with Alek and later Lilit were pretty darn amusing at times and you gotta wonder how much longer it'll take for Alek to twig she's actually a girl :P


Also I absolutely adored the little creature Bovril, not least because he was actually given the name Bovril which made me chuckle immensely but because he really was the cutest little mimic you've ever seen. I'm sure it'd get kinda irritating having him repeat what you say all the time but I thought he was absolutely delightful and I will be most put out if he's not in the third book. 


Overall Behemoth was a marvellous romp of an adventure and despite the fact that the creature which gives the book its title doesn't physically appear until page 446 (of 480) I still thoroughly enjoyed every minute of reading this book and can't wait for Goliath which will be coming out on the 29th September 2011 *sniffs* it's a far way off but I'm sure the time will fly by.


My Rating: 4.5 Stars out of 5


I really ought to try and read some other Steampunk books as it is *such* a fantastic genre, perhaps I shall pick up Soulless soon since by all accounts that is fairly steampunky in addition to its paranormal skew.


Have a barking good day chaps
LadyV 

Read more...

It's Monday What are you Reading (27)

Morning all, I hope everyone is having an alright Monday so far. Mine is potentially gonna be tedious as hell but hopefully it won't take all day. But anyway on to business...

It's Monday What are you Reading? Is a weekly bookish meme where we get together to share what books we've read in the past week, what books we're currently reading and what new books we're planning on reading in the coming week along with any reviews or interesting posts. It's hosted by Sheila @Book Journey

Books I read Last Week

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins - Quick Paranormal read 3.5 Stars

Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill - Fun, Feisty Urban fantasy 4 Stars

Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld - Review up later today

The Will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce - Review Coming Wednesday

Never Suck a Dead Man's Hand by Dana Kollman - Morbidly funny non-fiction read 4.5 Stars

Books I Reviewed Last Week

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner - Review

Across the Universe by Beth Revis - Review

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready - Review

Books I'm Currently Reading

Soulless by Gail Carriger - Tis a bit slow-going at the moment but quirky

Firespell by Chloe Neill - I've got a little way into this but I need to pick it up again

Books I'm Planning to read this week

Other Words for Love by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal - I'm under strict orders to read this before Wednesday :P

Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neill - I really liked the first book in this series so I wanna get to this soon

So What are You reading this Week?

LadyV

Read more...