HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOOK BLOG

Today is the blogs 4th birthday YEY

I can't believe that this blog has been going for 4 years now. I know that the blog hasn't been as active this year as the previous years but I am hoping that this will change over the next coming months.

Unforgotten by Jessica Brody

Title: Unforgotten
Author: Jessica Brody
Series: Unremembered Trilogy
Pages: 400
Release Date: 27th February 2014
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Source: Amazon
Format: Paperback/eBook
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: After a daring escape from the scientists at Diotech who created her, Seraphina believes she is finally safe from the horrors of her past. But new threats await her and her boyfriend, Zen, at every turn as Zen falls prey to a mysterious illness and Sera’s extraordinary abilities make it more and more difficult to stay hidden. Meanwhile, Diotech has developed a dangerous new weapon designed to apprehend her, a weapon that even Sera will be powerless to stop. Her only hope of saving Zen’s life and defeating the company that made her is a secret buried deep within her mind. A secret that Diotech will kill to protect.

Obviously, after the ending to Unremembered I had to read unforgotten and I am glad that I did although at one point the book dropped from 4 starts to 3 stars and then it made me give it 3 stars again.

Unforgotten started off with Sera explaining about how the fire she was in felt. At first I thought it was telling the reader what was happening to Sera after she jumped off the cliff at the end of Unremembered.

After the prologue we find out that Seraphina and Zen finally managed to escape from Diotech and get their happy ever after in 1609 like they had been planning for a while.

Sera and Zen have a nice life at the start of the story living with Mr and Mrs Patterson and their children Thomas, James, Myles and Little Jane.

Zen worked with Mr Patterson with the general upkeep of the farm, the plowing, sowing and reaping of crops while Sera helped Mrs Patterson with the housekeeping and looking after the animals and because Sera is genetically engineered she has to be extra careful while doing her chores this means taking her time to count between steps as she can move extra fast, bringing in firewood and the harvest bit by bit instead of in one go because she can't use her super strength while the whole time Mrs Patterson keeps a very close eye on her, Sera believes that Mrs Patterson senses that She is different.

Zen is loved by the family and they all love the stories that he makes up, while Sera pretends to Zen that everything is fine and that she does not have a problem she is really suffering from gut wrenching nightmares.

Zen tried to teach Sera how to fight instead of letting her flight instinct take over at night when the Patterson family are asleep but instead of attacking Zen, Sera's instinct kicks in and she runs, until one day when Zen changes things around and she does attack.

Not long after this their perfect life starts to go down hill when Zen becomes sick and they don't know what is wrong with him and Mrs Patterson who is already suspicious of Sera notices her 'tattoo' and screams about Sera working with the devil Zen however tells the family a story about how Sera got the 'tattoo' and everyone except Mrs Patterson believes him.

A while later Sera and Zen go into the local town to the market while at the market Sera uses her super speed and strength to save Zen from being crushed and everyone at the market see's Sera using these unnatural abilities and she gets arrested.

Once Sera is arrested she is accused of being a witch and is sentenced to death by being burnt to death. While in her cell before her last day she get s visit from a priest who later manages to save her from the fire and takes her to 2032.

After being rescued she realizes that the guy who came to her cell before her sentence was to be taken place, was the guy who saved her from the fire, he turns out to be a genetically modified person just like her only he is stronger and faster than Sera.

Kalen took Sera to 2032 because he needs her to help him get a cure to save their creator and Zen.

After spending time triggering the clues to get the cure Sera finds ends up bumping into Cody because that's where a clue takes her and he helps Sera look after a sick Zen, one of the clues takes her to Maxxer who planted the time triggered clues into Sera's brain and she manages to gets the cure which she plans to use on Zen.

Once Maxxer puts the cure down for Sera another trigger is triggered and she starts to attack Maxxer and Kalen ends up turning up at Maxxer's hidden home just after the attack and he ends up in a cell and Sera rescues him and they go back to Diotech.

I really enjoyed this book and it would have gotten 5 stars if Sera and Zen got to live happily ever after away from Kalen and Diotech but Sera ended up in the hands of Diotech and from reading the blurb for Unchanged she does not manage to escape and be with Zen who is now stuck in 2032.

Although Seraphina is stuck back at the Diotech Lab and will not be with Zen (as far as we know right now) I cannot wait until Unchanged in released next year.

In My Mailbox August 2014

Same as last month I haven't bought many books due to moving
Book

1. You're the One That I Want - Giovanna Fletcher

Kindle

1. Summer Sanctuary - Laurie Gray
2. The Dark Citadel - Michael Wallace
3. Relentless - Susan Kiernan-Lewis

Challenging Myself

I have decided that for the next 18 weeks left in 2014, I am going to read a book a week now that all my boyfriends wrestling shows have finished.

This idea came from Jessica Brody's self book in a day challenge and it is so I can get as close to my goodreads challenge as possible as I am not going to beat it as I need to read 21, maybe I will be able to read a book in less than a week and be able to sneak another in but we will see.

I will be starting my challenge on Monday September 1st as I am giving myself the weekend to finish reading the last few chapters of Jessica Brody's Unforgotten.

Here is a list of the Mondays in the year and what book I plan on reading that week some weeks it may change depending on what mood I am in and how much Uni work I have to do that week.

All these books have been taken from my 2014 reading list:

1. Sept 1st - Echo by Alyson Noel
2. Sept 8th - Until I Die by Amy Plum
3. Sept 15th - Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
4. Sept 22nd - Mystic by Alyson Noel
5. Sept 29th - If I Should Die by Amy Plum
6. Oct 6th - Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
7. Oct 13th - Horizon by Alyson Noel
8. Oct 20th - Switched by Amanda Hocking
9. Oct 27th - A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton
10. Nov 3rd - Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher
11. Nov 10th - Someday, Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham
12. Nov 17th - Torn by Amanda Hocking 
13. Nov 24th - A Witch in Love by Ruth Warburton
14. Dec 1st - Entwined by Heather Dixon
15. Dec 8th - The Anti-Prom by Abby McDonald
16. Dec 15th - Ascend by Amanda Hocking
17. Dec 22nd - A Witch Alone by Ruth Warburton
18. Dec 29th - Enchanted by Aletha Kontis

As you may have noticed series books have been separated as I cannot read a whole series in one go as I get bored of the characters if I do that and I would not want to finish the series so they are broken up by other series books or by single books.

This also means that the review's will now longer be posted on a Saturday but on a Sunday instead unless I manage to finish the book before then.

Currently Reading: Unforgotten by Jessica Brody
Read in 2014: 8/30

Happy reading all x

Wishlist Wednesday

The book of the week is....
Winterspell by Claire Legrand
The clock chimes midnight, a curse breaks, and a girl meets a prince . . . but what follows is not all sweetness and sugarplums.

New York City, 1899. Clara Stole, the mayor's ever-proper daughter, leads a double life. Since her mother's murder, she has secretly trained in self-defense with the mysterious Drosselmeyer.

Then, on Christmas Eve, disaster strikes.

Her home is destroyed, her father abducted--by beings distinctly not human. To find him, Clara journeys to the war-ravaged land of Cane. 

Her only companion is the dethroned prince Nicholas, bound by a wicked curse. 

If they're to survive, Clara has no choice but to trust him, but his haunted eyes burn with secrets--and a need she can't define. 

With the dangerous, seductive faery queen Anise hunting them, Clara soon realizes she won't leave Cane unscathed--if she leaves at all.

Inspired by The Nutcracker, Winterspell is a dark, timeless fairy tale about love and war, longing and loneliness, and a girl who must learn to live without fear.

This book looks amazing and sounds like a great read. Winterspell will hit stores on September 30th

Top Ten Tuesday

Hosted by Broke and the Bookish

Well I haven't done a Top 10 in a while but here is one now.
This is Top Ten Books I Really Want To Read But Don't Own Yet.

1. Unchanged by Jessica Brody
2. Darkness Before Dawn by J. A. London
3. Raised By Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
4. In Love With The Enemy by Bridget Scott
5. The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
6. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
7. Frey by Melissa Wright
8. Hollow by Richard Denney
9. Earth Bound by Aprilynne Pike
10. Delirium by Lauren Oliver

In My Mailbox July 2014

I haven't bought many books this month as I have moved house.
Kindle

1. Paranormal Public - Maddy Edwards
2. Werewolf Love Story - H. T. Night
3. Katrina, The Beginning - Elizabeth Loraine
4. Second-Hand Jane - Michelle Vemal + Fiona Bretherton
5. Witchblood - Emma Mills
6. Wind Warrior - Jon Messenger
7. Nocturnal Academy - Ethan Somerville + Anthony Pike
8. Secrets - Liz Schulte

Monday's Movie Corner

Evermore by Alyson Noel is being made into a movie:

Ever Bloom - Brooklyn Hyland from Dance Moms
Riley Bloom - Joey King from Romona and Beezus
Damen Auguste Esposito - Kellen Lutz from Twilight
Sabine - Sarah Canning from The Vampire Diaries
Drina Auguste - AnnaSofia Robb from Bridge to Terabithia
Ava - Julia Roberts from Ocean's Eleven
Haven - Selena Gomez from Wizards of Waverly Place
Miles - Chris Brochu from Lemonade Mouth
Stacia Miller - Meaghan Martin from Camp Rock

Monday's Movie Corner

Facing up to Fatherhood by Miranda Lee is being made into a movie: (I loved this book although there are not many characters in the book I decided to do this anyway)

Dominic Hunter - Hugh Grant from Two Weeks Notice
Tina - Jo Joyner from Eastenders
Dominic's Mother - Meryl Streep from Mamma Mia

Monday's Movie Corner

Monday's Movie Corner is something I don't know if I have made it up or if someone else has has started it, it is going to be a weekly meme where I pick a book (it could be a movie already) and I list the book characters and then put who I would cast in that role as that character and what they have been in.

My Sisters Keeper is being made into a movie: (I haven't seen the movie yet as I loved the book to much and I know that the ending is different in the movie so it makes me want to watch it less but I do know that none of these characters are in the movie cast)

Anna (Main character) - Paige Hyland from Dance Moms
Kate (Anna's sister) - Bridget Mendler from Lemonade Mouth
Sarah (Anna's mum) - Melissa Joan Hart from Sabrina The Teenage Witch and Melissa and Joey
Brian (Anna's dad) - James Thornton from Emmerdale
Jesse (Anna's brother) - Ross Lynch from Austen and Ally
Campbell Alexander (Anna's Lawyer) - Andrew Keegan from 10 Things I Hate About You
Julia Romano (Anna's Guardian Ad Litem) - Camilla Arfwedson from Holby City
Zanne (Anna's Aunt) - Marnette Patterson from Charmed
Dr. Chance (Kate's Doctor) - Alfonso Ribeiro from The Fresh Prince
Judge Desalvo (The Judge) - Amanda Donohoe from L.A Law
Taylor Ambrose (Kate's Crush) - Cody Sprouse from The Suite Life of Zac and Cody

Review - Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter

Title: Perfect Scoundrels
Author: Ally Carter
Series: Heist Society #3
Pages: 349
Release Date: February 7th 2013
Publisher: Orchard
Source: Amazon
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Katarina Bishop and W.W. Hale the fifth were born to lead completely different lives: Kat comes from a long, proud line of loveable criminal masterminds, while Hale is the scion of one of the most seemingly perfect dynasties in the world. If their families have one thing in common, it's that they both know how to stay under the radar while getting-or stealing-whatever they want. No matter the risk, the Bishops can always be counted on, but in Hale's family, all bets are off when money is on the line. When Hale unexpectedly inherits his grandmother's billion dollar corporation, he quickly learns that there's no place for Kat and their old heists in his new role. But Kat won't let him go that easily, especially after she gets tipped off that his grandmother's will might have been altered in an elaborate con to steal the company's fortune. So instead of being the heir-this time, Hale might be the mark. Forced to keep a level head as she and her crew fight for one of their own, Kat comes up with an ambitious and far-reaching plan that only the Bishop family would dare attempt. To pull it off, Kat is prepared to do the impossible, but first, she has to decide if she's willing to save her boyfriend's company if it means losing the boy.

I love the Heist Society series but when it comes to reading books in a series I sometimes get bored with the characters after reading the second book so it takes me a while to either start reading the next book or it takes me a while to finish the next book in the series so when I finished reading Perfect Scoundrels I was surprised that it took me around a week to read this book (my normal reading rate per book).

I'm not going to lie and say that this book was totally awesome as I did prefer book 2 over book 3 and I think this was because I love Hale and he wasn't in this one as much even though the book was about him and because they didn't do a heist like they have in the previous books. Yes they talked and planned to rob a bank to get back something that had been stolen from Hale's Company but they didn't do it. Kat decided to cave and decided to let the man get away with it (yes I know the guy got arrested in the end but still no heist).

We got to get to know the Hale family and finally meet them but we get to do this under sad circumstances. I love Hale but I hate the fact that he was sad all the time and horrible to Kat. At first I was sure that Hale was dating another girl as well as Kat which made me mad because you can tell from book 1 that Kat and Hale belong together.

Even though Hale pushed Kat away after the sad news of his grandmothers death she was the perfect girlfriend and was there all the time to support him and to help him along with her "family" which shows that you don't need to be related by blood to be family.

We find out that Hale's life is more messed up than we ever thought, his family are stuck up  and only care about money after the death of Hales grandmother but Hale is genuinely upset about her death. The only person who really cares about Hale is Marcus the butler and it would seem that his grandmother also cared about him leaving him the company.

I love this series and I need another Hale fix so I am hoping that Ally decides to continue with this series.

In My Mailbox June 2014

I bought a lot of books this month a lot more than I normally buy
Book

1. Hexed - Michelle Krys
2. The One Kiera Cass
3. Work! Consume! Die! - Frankie Boyle
4. An Idiot Abroad: The travel Diaries of Karl Pilkington - Karl Pilkington
5. The World of Karl Pilkington - Ricky Gervais
6. Round the Bend - Jeremy Clarkson
7. The Moaning of Life - Karl Pilkington
8. Him and Me - Michael and Jack Whitehall
9. The School of Good and Evil #2 - Soman Chairani
10. If I Stay - Gayle Forman
11. Dangerous Creatures - Kami Garcia

Kindle

1. Cinderella is Evil - Jamie Campbell
2. The Wedding Trap - Adrienne Bell
3. Sacrifice Me: The Demon - Sarra Cannon
4. Forgiven - Rachel Morgan

Review - Doll Bones by Holly Black

Title: Doll Bones
Author: Holly Black
Pages: 256
Release Date: May 7th 2013
Publisher: Corgi Childrens
Source: Asda
Format: Paperback
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis:

My name is Eleanor Kerchner.

You can call me the Queen.

I died in 1895.

Now it's time to play.

Zach, Poppy and Alice have been friends for ever. They love playing with their action figure toys, imagining a magical world of adventure and heroism. But disaster strikes when, without warning, Zach’s father throws out all his toys, declaring he’s too old for them. Zach is furious, confused and embarrassed, deciding that the only way to cope is to stop playing . . . and stop being friends with Poppy and Alice. But one night the girls pay Zach a visit, and tell him about a series of mysterious occurrences. Poppy swears that she is now being haunted by a china doll – who claims that it is made from the ground-up bones of a murdered girl. They must return the doll to where the girl lived, and bury it. Otherwise the three children will be cursed for eternity . . .

This is the first novel by Holly Black that I have read. It reminds me of my childhood (minus the creepy factor). My cousin, sister and friends would always make up stories and play along all day, just like anyone at a young age.

Doll Bones is about friendship and an adventure between the three friends Alice, Poppy and Zach, who have been friends for a long time. They make up adventures with action figures and the Queen of their imaginative land is a doll that is locking in a glass cabinet in Poppy's house, they even keep playing while other children laugh at them and when Zach's dad thinks he is to old to be playing with action figures.

I hate horror movies and when I saw this book I was wondering if it was going to like Doll Bones. Even though it is bordering on the creepy/horror level for me it is more about what it means to grow up from a child to a teenager rather than scaring the living daylights out of you - like I though it would. and the imagination of the three children - the various people along the way - is what brings this book to life and their friendship keeps the story going.

Poppy announces that the doll spoke to her in a dream which is one of the creepiest parts of the book at first I was sure that Poppy made this up because Zach had decided that he didn't want to play their game anymore because of his dad throwing his figures away but while they are off on their adventure Zach notices strange things with the doll.

Did the doll really move and talk to Poppy or did Poppy just read about a story and decide she was going to make it up and get Alice and Zach to go on an adventure with her? we don't actually find out but while on the adventure while there asleep Zach reckons that the doll spoke to him and when he woke the doll had moved, did it really happen or did animals ruin the campsite?

Although the three children have a lot of arguments and lots of things try to stop them on their way to where they need to go on this adventure they still really care and look out for each other.

The main theme of the book is that even though you are growing up your imagination is still a huge part of our lives and we should not forget that even though we are older. We should also never forget the friends we had as children as they helped us to become the people we are today, some people may feel abandoned like Poppy did after Zach decided not to play the game anymore, she doesn't want to be left behind.

The book is very cute and aimed at young children but even someone of my age and older can enjoy it.

Wishlist Wednesday

Wings by Elizabeth Richards
Following the cliffhanger ending of Phoenix, Natalie finds herself separated from Ash and unexpectedly reunited with her parents, including the father she thought was dead. But she can only think of Ash. She hasn't heard a word of him since she and Elijah were brought to the underground headquarters of the Sentry Rebellion. But she vows to find him.

Ash, meanwhile is back in Black City; it's the perfect place to hide from the Sentry government. But not for long. He won't give up on Natalie or bringing an end to the terrible reign of Purian Rose.

A pulse-racing end to an exciting series.

Elizabeth Richards Wings is out June 12th

In My Mailbox May 2014

May's In My Mailbox:
Kindle

1. Flicker - Kaye Thornbrugh
2. Let Me Go - L. L. Akers
3. Blood Calling - Joshua Grover + David Patterson
4. Wicked Hunger - Delsheree Gladden
5. Crimson Fire #10 - W. J. May + Chrissy Peebles
6. The Whispers of the Sprite - Joanna Mazurkiewicz
7. £6.19 Per Witching Hour - Joanna Mazurkiewicz
8. For the Night - Violet Haze
9. Give me Reason - Zoey Derrick
10. Immortal Dreams - Chrissy Peebles + C. M. Owens
11. Broken - C. K. Bryant
12. Fever - Lola Taylor
13. Hidden Moon - K. R. Thompson
14. In the arms of the Dark Elf - Willow Nonea Rae
15. No One's Angel - Kelly Walker
16. Alexa O'Brian huntress Series #1-4 - Trina M. Lee

Wishlist Wednesday

Your The One That I Want by Giovanna Fletcher
Maddy, dressed in white, stands at the back of the church. At the end of the aisle is Rob - the man she's about to marry. Next to Rob is Ben - best man and the best friend any two people ever had.

And that's the problem.

Because if it wasn't Rob waiting for her at the altar, there's a strong chance it would be Ben. Loyal and sensitive Ben has always kept his feelings to himself, but if he turned round and told Maddy she was making a mistake, would she listen? And would he be right?

Best friends since childhood, Maddy, Ben and Rob thought their bond was unbreakable. But love changes everything. Maddy has a choice to make but will she choose wisely? Her heart, and the hearts of the two best men she knows, depend on it...

Your The One That I Want is Giovanna's second novel and is due to hit stores on May 22nd

Wishlist Wednesday

Of Neptune by Anna Banks
Emma and Galen's kingdom and their love is threatened by long-lost Syrena in the brilliant conclusion to Anna Banks bestselling trilogy.

Emma, half human and half Syrena, and her Syrena love, Galen, need time together alone. Away from the kingdoms of Poseidon and Triton. Emma s grandfather, the Poseidon king, suggests the two visit a small town called Neptune.

Neptune is home to both Syrena and Half-Breeds alike. But Emma and Galen didn't sign up to be peacemakers between the ocean and the land-dwelling, freshwater Syrena. 

They didn't bargain for meeting a charming Half-Breed named Reed, who can barely disguise his feelings for Emma. And they especially didn't expect to find themselves in the middle of a power struggle that threatens not only their love but their ocean kingdoms.

In this stunning conclusion to her bestselling Syrena Legacy, Anna Banks thrills fans with more action and romance than ever.

Of Neptune is the latest book in the Syrena Legacy and is due to hit stores tomorrow.

In My Mailbox April 2014

Here are this months books:

Paperbacks

1. Briar Rose - Jana Oliva

Kindle

1. Pixie Dust - Laura Lee
2. Freak of Nature - Julia Crane
3. Dark Realms - Kristen Middleton
4. Summoned - Rainy Kaye
5. The Good Sister #2 - Leanne Davis
6. Set Me Free - Jennifer Collin
7. Aphrodite's Kiss - Julie Kenner
8. Entwined: Jane in the Jungle - Collette Gale
9. Bet in the Dark - Rachel Higginson
10. Angels of the Knight - Valerie Zambito
11. The Frog Prince - Jenni Jones
12. Rocky Mountain Oasis - Lynnette Bonner
13. Evolution - Kelly Carrero
14. Till Death and Beyond - Lyn C. Johanson
15. When Girlfriends Step Up - Savannah Page
16. The Becoming - Jessica Meigs
17. Stolen Breaths - Pamela Sparkman

After Life Lessons by Laila Blake and L.C. Spoering

I received this book as a review book for an honest review

This is the second book I have read about Zombies this year and I decided to read this one as the last zombie book I read was a good book.

After Life Lessons is about Emily who has been hiding out for shelter with her young son because their world has been taken over by zombies who are not like your normal zombies, they are fast and they will attack anything or anyone that gets in their way.

Emily made it out of New York by travelling through storm drains to a gas station, where her son soon becomes sick with a fever, but luckily for them a car pulls into the gas station, in the car is an army medic named Aaron.

Aaron has been living in a van with plenty of supplies from the army base and he stays on the move as not to get caught by the zombies and helping people when he can, he meets Emily while trying to get supplies from the gas station she is hiding in, Emily is armed and is desperately in need of someone to help her sick son and she pleads for him to help and when he see's how sick Emily's son is he agrees to help them.

After Life Lessons is well written and I cannot wait to read book two so I can find out what happens next.

Wishlist Wednesday

This weeks book is...
After the End by Amy Plum
She’s searching for answers to her past. They’re hunting her to save their future.

World War III has left the world ravaged by nuclear radiation. A lucky few escaped to the Alaskan wilderness. They've survived for the last thirty years by living off the land, being one with nature, and hiding from whoever else might still be out there.

At least, this is what Juneau has been told her entire life.

When Juneau returns from a hunting trip to discover that everyone in her clan has vanished, she sets off to find them. Leaving the boundaries of their land for the very first time, she learns something horrifying: There never was a war. Cities were never destroyed. The world is intact. Everything was a lie.

Now Juneau is adrift in a modern-day world she never knew existed. But while she's trying to find a way to rescue her friends and family, someone else is looking for her. Someone who knows the extraordinary truth about the secrets of her past.


This is the first book in Amy's new series and will be in stores on May 6th

Wishlist Wednesday

This weeks book is...
The One by Kiera Cass
The Selection changed the lives of thirty-five girls forever. And now, the time has come for one winner to be chosen.

America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the competition approaches its end and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.

From the very first page of The Selection, this #1 New York Times bestselling series has captured readers' hearts and swept them away on a captivating journey... 

Now, in The One, Kiera Cass delivers a satisfying and unforgettable conclusion that will keep readers sighing over this electrifying fairy-tale long after the final page is turned.

The One is due to be released on May 6th

My Interview With Jessica Brody 2014

I had the pleasure to be able to interview Jessica Brody in 2012 about her novels. Now two years later I am interviewing Jessica again to get the gossip on her Unremembered trilogy, the Fidelity Files movie and what she has coming up this year.

    

1)      First off any news on the Fidelity Files movie last I heard it had been optioned for film?

YES! I’m super excited! Some very talented and savvy producers from Australia optioned it and are currently working on developing the movie. No new updates yet. But I’m very excited to announce that the UNREMEMBERED trilogy was also optioned for film! By the producers of Vampire Academy, Zero Dark Thirty, Life of Pi, and Slumdog Millionaire! WOOT! They’re currently working on finding a writer to write the script.

2)     When you are reading what is your favourite part to read?

I love beginnings and I love endings. Those are also my favorite parts to write! I love seeing how other authors introduce their stories and characters and world and how they wrap everything up.

3)     When writing who are your target audience?

My target audience first and foremost is me. If I’m not bored out of my mind with what I’m writing, then hopefully no one else will be. If I can make myself laugh and cry and gasp in surprise, then I know I’m on the right track. After that, I don’t really have a target audience. I just want people to enjoy the stories I’m telling. Whether you’re a girl, guy, teen, adult, parent, grandparent. I’ve even tried to read the books aloud to my dogs. Although I will say, they are not my target audience.

4)     What do you think people search for in your books?

I hope they search for entertainment first and foremost. I do always have some kind of positive message or theme in each of my books but my first goal is always to entertain and keep you hooked. If I’ve done that, anything else you get out of it is just an awesome bonus!

5)     Do you use your own experiences to write your books?

It’s hard not to! I definitely put my own experiences in my books. Although now that I’m writing my ninth novel, I’m starting to run out. I better get out of my writing cave and start having some new experiences so I have something to write about!

6)     When naming your characters do you look at the meaning of the names first?

Not always. I usually search for the right “sounding” name. I always know immediately whether a name is working or not, just by how it looks on the page. Then I look it up to make sure it doesn’t mean something awful like “One who barfs.”

7)     How and what research did you do for the Unremembered trilogy?

I did a TON of research for this trilogy! Much more than I’m used to doing for my contemporaries. For book 1, Unremembered, I did a lot of research on gene manipulation, memory manipulation, and synthetic biology. For books 2 and 3, I did a lot of research on futuristic technology and what our society will look like in 100 years.

9)    Unremembered is the first series you have written, did you enjoy writing it or do you prefer writing novels?
I love writing standalone novels but the series was a fun challenge since I’d never written one before. Now that I’m done, I can say, I’m very proud of it. But it was really difficult. I’m ready to write another standalone again. Something contemporary. After that, who knows! Maybe I’ll get the itch to write a series again!

8)     What’s next for Sera and Zen now that you have finished writing the Unremembered trilogy

is it really over?

SOB! It’s really over! I just finished writing book 3, UNCHANGED, which will be out in February 2015 in the US and UK. I’m very happy with the way it ended. It was the ending I had planned all along. I am also planning to write another eBook novella that will come out before book 3. So I can look forward to revisiting Sera and Zen once more before I have to say goodbye forever!

But then we can look forward to the film!

10) Other than the release of Undiscovered and Unforgotten what can fans look forward to in

2014?

I don’t have much else planned for 2014. But 2015 will be the year of UNCHANGED! I can’t wait for you all to read the ending to this trilogy! I hope you like it!

I would just like to thank Jessica for taking the time out from her busy schedule to do another interview for my blog much appreciated.

To find out more about Jessica and her novels visit her at any of the following links:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

Pinterest

Tumblr

Instagram

Wishlist Wednesday

This weeks wishlist book is:
The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa
Vengeance will be hers.

Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster? With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.

Monster.

Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions - her creator Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost - the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie. 

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, her triumph will be short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

THE FINAL HUNT IS ON.

The Forever Song is due to hit UK stores on May 2nd

Wishlist Wednesday

In The Shadows by Kiersten White
From the remarkable imagination of acclaimed artist Jim Di Bartolo and the exquisite pen of bestselling author Kiersten White comes a spellbinding story of love, mystery, and dark conspiracy, told in an alternating narrative of words and pictures. 

Cora and Minnie are sisters living in a small, stifling town where strange and mysterious things occur. Their mother runs the local boarding house. Their father is gone. The woman up the hill may or may not be a witch. 

Thomas and Charles are brothers who’ve been exiled to the boarding house so Thomas can tame his ways and Charles can fight an illness that is killing him with increasing speed. Their family history is one of sorrow and guilt. They think they can escape from it . . . but they can’t.


In The Shadows is due to be released on April 29th

In My Mailbox March 2014

I may have gone a bit OTT with buying books this month but hey I got my student bursary this month so what better way to spend it.

Paperback

1. Night Watchers - L. J. Adlington
2. Starcrossed - Josephine Angelini
3. Dreamless - Josephine Angelini
4. Goddess - Josephine Angelini
5. The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
6. Doll Bones - Holly Black
7. The Worst Witch and the Wishing Star - Jill Murphy
8. Fun With the Worst Witch - Jill Murphy
9. Sleepover Girls go Designer - Narinda Dhami
10. Sleepover Club Surf the Net - Fiona Cummings
11. Sleepover Girls on Screen - Fiona Cummings
12. Sleepover Girls and Friends - Narinda Dhami
13. Sleepover Girls on the Catwalk - Sue Mongredien
14. Sleepover Club goes for Goal - Fiona Cummings
15. Naturals - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Kindle

1. The Lady Who Cried Murder - Laura Carr
2. An A to Z of Creepy Hallow Fae - Rachel Morgan
3. Blood Debt - Nancy Straight
4. The Keepers - Donna Augustine
5. Now or Never - A. J. Bennett
6. Nursing A Grudge - Diana Orgain
7. Crimson Night - Marie Hall
8. Bound to Love - Sally Clements
9. The Medium - C. J. Archer
10. Over You - Christine Kersey
11. Shine On - Allison J. Jewell
12. My Mr. Rochester - L. K. Rigel
13. Creatus - Carmen DeSousa

Wishlist Wednesday

This weeks book in the spotlight is
Sea of Shadows by Kelley Armstrong
In the Forest of the Dead, where the empire’s worst criminals are exiled, twin sisters Moria and Ashyn are charged with a dangerous task. For they are the Keeper and the Seeker, and each year they must quiet the enraged souls of the damned.

Only this year, the souls will not be quieted.

Ambushed and separated by an ancient evil, the sisters’ journey to find each other sends them far from the only home they’ve ever known. 

Accompanied by a stubborn imperial guard and a dashing condemned thief, the girls cross a once-empty wasteland, now filled with reawakened monsters of legend, as they travel to warn the emperor. 

But a terrible secret awaits them at court—one that will alter the balance of their world forever.

This is the first book in the Age of Legends series and is set to be released on April 8th.

Wishlist Wednesday

A Kiss in the Dark by Cat Clarke
When Alex meets Kate the attraction is instant.

Alex is funny, good-looking, and a little shy – everything that Kate wants in a boyfriend.

Alex can’t help falling for Kate, who is pretty, charming and maybe just a little naive…

But one of them is hiding a secret, and as their love blossoms, it threatens to ruin not just their relationship, but their lives.


A release date of April 3rd has been given to A Kiss in the Dark.

Top 10 Tuesday

Hosted by Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Books On My Spring 2014 TBR List (to be read list)

1. Unforgotten - Jessica Brody
2. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
3. Billy and Me - Giovanna Fletcher
4. Someday, Someday Maybe - Lauren Graham
5. Perfect Scoundrels - Ally Carter
6. The Anti-Prom - Abby McDonald
7. Enchanted - Alethea Kontis
8. Until I Die - Amy Plum
9. Echo - Alyson Noel
10. Doll Bones - Holly Black

My Interview with Alyson Noel

I had the honour to interview Alyson Noel in 2012 about her novels and the Immortal Series. Now two years later I am interviewing Alyson again to get more gossip on Ever and Damen, the Souls Seeker series and what she has coming up this year.

   

1.  As you know I loved Ever and Damen. Can we look forward to reading more of their adventures in the future?

When I finished writing EVERLASTING, I really felt that Ever and Damen’s journey was over, that I took them to the end of their adventure and it was up to them to find their way from there. While I still feel their story is complete, I’ve definitely toyed with the idea of a spin-off. I left an opening in EVERLASTING, and when I find time, I might just play around with that and see where it leads. I miss my trips to Summerland!

2.  When naming characters do you give much thought to the actual meaning of the names?

Character’s names are a big part of the process. I can’t fully conceive of a character until I’ve given them just the right name, which has turned me into a bit of a name collector. I’m always on the hunt for interesting or unusual names and I keep them in a file that I peruse whenever I begin a new book.

3.  Now that the Soul Seekers series is over are you planning a spin-off series like you did with the Immortal series?

While I definitely left an opening at the end of HORIZON, at the moment I’m busy working on my new, three book series, UNRIVALED, and I’m completely immersed in that world. Still, I’ve learned to never say never…

4.  Are there any recent works that you admire?

Definitely! I just got an ARC of Mary Pearson’s newest, THE KISS OF DECEPTION, I’ve wanted to read this since she first told me about it, and I was only a paragraph in when I found myself hooked. Her writing is so fluid and elegant—I’m a huge fan.

I read really widely, so other recent reads I’ve enjoyed are: WONDER by R.J. Palacio, THE RING & THE CROWN by Melissa de la Cruz, NIGHT FILM by Marisha Pessl, WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE? by Maria Semple, and ME BEFORE YOU by JoJo Moyes.

5.  Is there any news on a movie or T.V series for the Immortal series?

At the moment, there’s no news on an IMMORTALS movie or TV show, but THE SOUL SEEKERS series has been optioned by Cheyenne Enterprises and I’m very hopeful they can make something happen. Also, my adult novel, FLY ME TO THE MOON, is still under option with Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Productions with Sharon Maguire of Bridget Jones’s Diary fame set to write the screenplay and direct.

6.  What do you think people look for in your books?

Oh, I can never be sure what people are looking for, or what they’ll take away for that matter. I just try to provide a fun, romantic, adventurous, entertaining, inspiring, and ultimately optimistic read and hope I succeed in parlaying that to the reader!

7.  What type of research did you do for the Soul Seeker series?

I’m really big on research, and the more hands on the better! Even though THE SOUL SEEKERS involves themes of mysticism, alternate dimensions, magic, and more, I like to ground the story in as much realism as I can. I took a three-day ‘Introduction to Basic Shamanism’ course where I journeyed to the Lowerworld and met my spirit animal much like Daire Santos does in Fated. I travelled to New Mexico where the series takes place and interviewed local teens about their high school experiences, as well as a Native American about life on the reservation. I read loads of books on Shamanism, mysticism, Curanderas, Native American lore, and more. Everything I experienced help to enrich the world of the books.

8.  Did you enjoy doing the research and did you learn a lot of new information?

The research is my favourite part. Not only does it serve the stories, but enriches my life in ways I don’t always expect.

9.  Do you use your own experiences in your books?

Always, I steal from my own life all the time! I figure if an experience didn’t kill me, I may as well write about it.

10.      What can your fans look forward to in 2014

Well, believe it or not, this is the first year since 2005 when I’m not releasing a book! I wrote 21 novels, 3 stories for anthologies, and went on countless international tours over the course of the last 9 years, and so last year, when I finished HORIZON I took a yearlong break from writing to reacquaint myself with the other parts of my life and determine where to go next. I have a middle grade Christmas book coming out sometime in 2015, and I’m currently working on UNRIVALED, a new 3 book series that I’m very excited about. It’s set to debut in early 2016.

Thanks for the interview!

To find out more about Alyson and her novels visit her at any of the following links:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

Pinterest

Instagram