Highly Anticipated Books | 2015 Edition

So here we have it, my list of highly anticipated books that release throughout the year...

1. Queen Of Shadows (Throne Of Glass Series Book #4) by Sarah J. Maas

The book cover has yet to be revealed...

UK - September 10th
US - September 1st

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past . . . 

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

2. A Court Of Thorns And Roses by Sarah J. Maas

UK - May 5th

US - May 5th

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world. 

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

3. End Of Days ( Penryn And The End Of Days Book #3) by Susan Ee

UK - May 12th

US - May 12th

After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all. 

When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?

4. 99 Days by Katie Cotugno

UK - April 21st

US - April 21st

Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that’s how I know everyone still remembers everything—how I destroyed my relationship with Patrick the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done. 

Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really glad you’re back.” 

Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me.

5. Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices Book #1) by Cassandra Clare

The book cover has yet to be revealed...

UK - May 1st
US - May 1st

Los Angeles. It’s been five years since the events of the Mortal Instruments when Nephilim stood poised on the brink of oblivion and Shadowhunter Emma Carstairs lost her parents. After the blood and violence she witnessed as a child, Emma has dedicated her life to to discovering exactly what it was that killed her parents and getting her revenge. 

Raised in the Los Angeles Institute with the Blackthorn family, Emma is paired as a parabatai with her best friend, Julian Blackthorn. A series of murders in the city catch her attention — they seem to have the same characteristics as the deaths of her parents. Could the murderer be the same person? And her attention isn’t the only one caught: someone has been murdering Downworlders as well. The Fair Folk make a deal with the Institute: if the Blackthorns and Emma will investigate the killings, they’ll return Mark Blackthorn to his home. The catch: they have only two weeks to find the killers. Otherwise it’s open war between faeries and Nephilim. 

The Shadowhunters of the Institute must race against time to catch the killers, even as they begin to suspect the involvement of those closest to them. At the same time, Emma is falling in love with the one person in the world she’s absolutely forbidden by Shadowhunter Law to love. Set against the glittering backdrop of present-day Los Angeles, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches from the warlock-run nightclubs of the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica.

6. Winter (The Lunar Chronicles Book #4) by Marissa Meyer

The book cover has yet to be revealed...

UK - November 10th
US - November 10th

When Princess Winter was thirteen, the rumor around the Lunar court was that her glamour would soon be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana. In a fit of jealousy, Levana disfigured Winter. Four years later, Winter has sworn off the use of her glamour altogether. Despite her scars, Winter’s natural beauty, her grace, and her gentleness are winning admiration from the Lunar people that no amount of mind-control could achieve. 

Winter despises her stepmother, but has never dreamed of standing up to her. That is, until she realizes that she may be the only one with the power to confront the queen.

7. Charmed (The Witch Hunter Book #2) by Michelle Krys

UK - May 26th

US - May 26th

Indie has spent the last few weeks frantically searching for Paige. She's tried every spell imaginable, but witchcraft has gotten her nowhere, and she's going crazy with guilt. Despite what her warlock boyfriend, Bishop, tells her, Indie knows it's her fault her best friend was kidnapped by the Priory. And with the Priory destroyed, finding Paige feels more hopeless than ever-especially when Indie discovers that Paige isn't even on Earth. She's trapped in Los Demonios, an alternate dimension of Los Angeles filled with evil paranormals. No one who has gone there has ever come out. 

Fueled by terror and loyalty, Indie is desperate to find a way into the underworld prison. She'll worry about getting out later. But facing the dark world's most dangerous witches and warlocks on her own means keeping her plan hush-hush-and forging alliances with some sketchy people, including a seriously sexy sorcerer.

That's the list so far, if anymore crop up I will be sure to add them! What are your most anticipated books of 2015?

Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout | Release Week Blitz

It's that time again, the writing queen, known as the one and only Jennifer L. Armentrout has written a new adult paranormal titled Wicked, which you'll be glad to know is the first book out of a trilogy! I'm definitely looking forward to read this as Jennifer L. Armentrout's books are highly addictive, so much so that two of her books have made it to my favourites of the year, which are Wait For You and Don't Look Back. Now back onto the main event... below I have all the information about Wicked and a sneaky little excerpt, so make sure to check it!

WICKED Synopsis:

Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans.

Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart.

Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her.

But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul.

WICKED Excerpt:

It was him. Green Eyes. Ren. That was his name. Now I remembered. I started to step forward, but he beat me to it. Moving as quickly as a damn snake striking, he caught my wrists. He didn’t yank my arms to my sides. All he did was hold my fists away from his face.

A lopsided grin appeared on those full lips. “Can’t say I’m entirely surprised you took a swing at me.”

“Then I guess this won’t surprise you either.” Leaning back, I shifted my weight onto my left leg, but again, Ren outmaneuvered me with a quickness that was sort of embarrassing.

He stepped into what would’ve been a fantastic kick and forced me back against the wall. Then there was nowhere to go, no space whatsoever. My back was against the building, and the entire length of his hard body was pressed against mine.

Son of a bitch.

As if he could read my mind, that grin spread and the dimples played peekaboo. “Now I think we can have a conversation without me ending up bloody.”

I blew out an aggravated breath. “I wouldn’t bet on that not happening.”

 He chuckled, and the sound rumbled through me. I couldn’t even remember being this close to a guy since . . . since Shaun. “Look, I’m sorry for snatching you off the street like a kidnapper, but you were about to make yet another huge mistake.”

His apology was lost on me. “Make another mistake?”

“Yeah, like the one last night that ended with you getting shot.” He dipped his chin, and the yellow glow of the light attached to the wall above us glanced off his broad cheekbones. “I know what you were about to do.”

 “I didn’t make a mistake last night. I was doing my job,” I spat. “And I doubt your job includes grabbing chicks off the street.”

 “That would be a hell of a lot more entertaining, but the moment you thought you could engage that fae last night, you made a mistake. And you were about to do it again, you little ass.”

“Little ass?” I sputtered. “You grabbed me off the street like a serial killer!”

“And I’ve apologized for that even though you should be thanking me. I just saved your life, sweetness.”

Floored, all I could do was stare at him for a moment. “You’re insane.”

“I’m a lot of things, but today I’m your fucking saving grace.”

About Jennifer L. Armentrout:

#1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

WICKED Pre-Order:

Amazon

iBooks

Additional Links:

Official Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Hexed by Michelle Krys

I first heard about Hexed from Sasha over at abookuptopia on Youtube, the plot really intrigued me as I don't normally read much about witches, and also because the hardcover edition looks gorgeous naked, but unfortunately I have the paperback, so that will do for now!

Indigo Blackwood is your typical teenager living amongst the LA scene, one thing she didn't plan on being was a witch. That was her mothers dream, it was never her intention to live out her mother's wildest fantasies but somehow fate has a funny way of showing itself. Other than finding out about the witch business Indie also has the trouble of the Priary members, sorcerers Frederick and Leo, who are after the Bible, something that has been kept in her family for generations, something that she must protect at all costs. But when the inevitable happens Indie along with her friend Paige, and some other witches she's met along the way, Indie plans to regain ownership of her family heirloom before the Priary uses it for deadly intent against the witch community.

Indie is a pretty likeable and very much relatable character to many teenage girls, I really liked her sassy thoughts and comebacks about her best friend, Bianca, who believe it or not is miss queen bee at their high school. The fact that its set in LA is a location that hasn't been featured or written about in many young adult books, although there is the upcoming The Dark Artifices by Cassandra Clare, so it was interesting learning about the scenery. Indie's mom and next door neighbour, Paige, were very quirky characters in their own right, who both influenced Indie's final decisions in various scenarios. Of course there always has to be that one male character who is sarcastic, broody, and mysterious, which sums up stranger Bishop. However I did not like the insta-love, I really wish it would of developed gradually within a few months, not a week or two!

I found myself flying through the pages because this certainly was a fast paced book and I definitely would of liked a few more scenes here and there just to lengthen out the story. Hexed is pretty predictable however there was only one thing I didn't see coming but I won't mention that because that is pretty much a giant spoiler!

I definitely recommend Hexed to the readers of The Mortal Instruments and Angelfall.

****

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You can get Hexed online or at your nearest available bookstore.
I brought my copy from Amazon.

Love, Rosie (Where Rainbows End) by Cecelia Ahern | Spoilers

With the film release of Love, Rosie this month I decided to finally read the book, which has been on my tbr pile for a while, before I watch the film!

Rosie Dunne has always spent her whole life with best friend Alex Stewart ever since they met at school when they were five years old, but all that changes when Alex's dad accepts a job offer in Boston. When Rosie finally accepts that her best and only friend is leaving she does her best to pass the time left at school studying hard enough to get accepted to Boston college, so she can be closer to Alex. But one drunken mistake at the school prom leaves Rosie in a situation that she can't very well undo because it turns out Rosie will never get to live her dreams as a hotel manager but instead a mother, a single one at that when the father of her child runs when he learns of the news. Devastated, Rosie tries her best to raise her daughter, Katie, and wonder what her life would of been like if she had moved to Boston to be with Alex.

Rosie and Alex keep in touch through letters, emails, instant messaging, and texts spanning through fifty years, which is quite incredible if you think about it, not that many people from school keep in touch these days.

At times I wished Rosie would speak her mind and not let others opinions bring her down, which also applies to Alex. I just wanted them both to express their feelings, but thats where character development comes in, so there'd be no point of the book of they said what they felt sooner, and of course they grow as people finding their own path making their own mistakes which they truly learned from. Though I really wish Rosie and Alex got together sooner as I did want them to have a family but the age they were when they eventually got together they were far too old, so that was kind of sad but also a heartfelt moment when they finally came to their senses!

There were times when I really didn't like Ruby as I found her annoying and I just wanted her to vanish but other times I found myself laughing at her snide comments. I certainly did not like Greg one bit his character seemed very off and I did wonder why he was ever with Rosie if he kept going to these 'business meetings'. Throughout the whole book I really wanted to know what Kevin was up to when we didn't hear from him as he was quite a hidden and mysterious character and only really showed up when he wanted something. I was quite surprised at the turn of events when Brian showed up the minute Rosie made her mind up to flee the country, I really did want her to leave even if that meant Katie not knowing who her father really was.

This format of writing is very unique and of course very fast paced, I managed to read Love, Rosie in two days! Overall I really liked this book, though I felt as if there was something missing, which is why I've rated it a total for four stars.

****

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You can get Love, Rosie online or at your nearest available bookstore.
I brought my copy from Amazon.

October Book Haul #1

More books I brought this month...

Amazon

Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern

As you might already know I did buy a used copy of Where Rainbows End and I wasn't entirely happy with the condition so I brought the film tie in edition, which I'm now currently reading!

The Mile Long Bookshelf

Amber from the mile long bookshelf began a free book giveaway at the beginning of the year and due to the success and popularity Amber continues to collect any unwanted/unread books and host giveaways on a first come first serve basis which you only pay for delivery, however only UK residents are eligible as international shipping can be quite pricey! Anyway here are the books from a giveaway earlier this week...

Winger by Andrew Smith

This is probably one of the most talked about and hauled book on the booktube sphere that I've never actually heard any feedback or reviews about it, so I hope its as good as people claim it to be! Winger is about a fourteen year old Ryan Dean West experience through boarding school, though guessing from the cover design he gets into a few fights!

If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

I've heard a lot of buzz about this book through booktube, so I'm pleased to finally own a copy and uncover the events that led sisters, Carey and Jenessa, living in the woods with their mentally ill mother.

Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

I'm slowly building up my Vampire Academy collection, I previously marathoned the series this summer but I've yet to read the Bloodlines series, so now I own book one and five.

My Top Favourite Books From 2014 (so far!)

With the year drawing to a close I have selected my favourite books of the year, including standalones and series, though the amount of my favourites are probably subject to change as it's not quite the end of year! What are you favourites so far?

Standalones

How To Love by Katie Cotugno

This is a love story. But it’s not what you think. This is not a first kiss, or a first date. This is not love at first sight. This is a boy and a girl falling in messy, unpredictable, thrilling love. This is the complicated route to happiness that follows.

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

After a traumatic experience Valerie has spent the summer secluded away attending therapy sessions to relive her mind of the awful day when everything changed in her small suburban town. Now Valerie must return to complete her last year of school, but she must face the guilt of the infamous Hate List she created with her boyfriend Nick which so happened to leave a wake of tragedy behind them. Will her classmates be so forgiving and will she forever forgive herself.

Series

Wait For You by J. Lynn

Avery Morganstern wants to begin her life again and by that she wants a fresh new start, she choses a college on the other side of the country, so very far away from home where nobody knows her or what happened to her on that fateful halloween night, though with hints along the way we get an understanding of how Avery became the person she is today. But when Avery is late for her first day of class she accidentally bumps into socialite Cameron Hamilton, a guy who knows pretty much everyone on campus, except that he doesn't know her but as sure as hell wants to. Who would of thought that the first guy Avery stumbles into would be the one to bring the spark back into her life, but will her secrets hold her back from an undeniable attraction.

Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry

No one knows what really happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms.

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Its been weeks since the angels have fallen and taken over the world. Seventeen year old Penryn Young finds herself battling through a post apocalyptic world, though something she didn't plan on was stumbling into an angel dispute. The angels are angry with Penryn and take her sister, Paige, it's Penryn's mission to find her with the help of an wingless angel.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Throne Of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

In Throne Of Glass we meet Celaena Sardothien, one of Adarlan's greatest assassins, who has spent an entire year at one of the harshest prisons in the land, Endovier. It is known that most prisoners can survive up to a month, however due to Celaena's excessive training she had the mental and physical abilities to survive the conditions of Endovier. But now Celaena is given the choice, enter a competition to serve as the King's Champion, if she wins Celaena will fulfil her contract with the King and will finally be given her freedom. Though if she does not succeed Celaena will be sent back to Endovier, knowing that she won't be able to survive for another year she accepts her sponsors terms, who just so happens to be the King's son Prince Dorian.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

There has been a lot of hype surrounding Stephanie Perkins, I must admit I wasn't very interested about Anna and The French Kiss, but once it came up on iBooks for a ridiculously cheap price I made the purchase. Though it was only last week that I finally decided to read it on my trains journeys to uni.

Anna is forced to to study abroad in France for her final year of schooling, although unhappy with the decision Anna find that she's not entirely alone as the school she's placed at is solely for American citizens. Which is where she makes a new group of friends, however one of those friendships goes too far, causing a rift between friendships that cannot be salvaged or can it?

Anna in my opinion was so annoying the first hundred pages, if not more, she kept whining about how the move to France had ruined her life. Anna should of been more grateful that she got to spend an entire year living in France, something that most people can't afford. Its these experiences in life that we can look back on, which is something that I can relate to as I also spent a year living in Spain when I was younger, something that I greatly miss. Another annoyance was that Anna kept making a big deal about that she was the new kid and couldn't speak the language, sometimes in life you've just got to get through with it and do not care what people think about you, don't waste your life on these things. But when the pace started to lift Anna's annoyance slowly deflated, which finally allowed her to mature and actually speak to the locals for once without getting embarrassed.

When introduced to St Clair, he was presented as the most charismatic, charming, social boy of the year and probably the whole school, so there wasn't a great deal of what not to like about him. Though St Clair seemed very mysterious throughout as we didn't get to see his actual self through all those layers he's been building up, probably due to an abusive childhood.

I guess the only disappointment I had with this book was the predictions, because I guessed most of them way early on, but who can expect contemporaries to be completely predictably free because they aren't.

I'm not sure if I'll continue with the trilogy as I read a sample of Lola and the Boy Next Door and I just could not get into it, but I do like the premise of Isla and the Happily Ever After, so I may come back to those later, but who really knows, maybe I won't. However one thing I do like about the trilogy are the covers, which are stunning, so kudos to whoever designed them. Anna and the French Kiss is a toss up between three or four stars, but for now its three.

***

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You can get Anna and the French Kiss online or at your nearest available bookstore.
I brought my copy from iBooks.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Ever since I saw the trailer for the film adaptation of The Giver, I knew I wanted to see it, but the one thing I didn't know was that it would be based on a best selling book. So I eventually went to get myself a copy of the book.

Jonas has spent every year of his life going through the different stages of the Ceremony, an event that takes place every December. Jonas will be joining the Twelves, which is the most nerve wrecking stage as the Elders assign you to your career. However Jonas gets assigned to the rarest career of all, the Receiver of Memory, the Elders selected Jonas for the most honourable assignment, one that has deadly secrets no one wants to admit.

I must say it took me about half of the book, which was probably 100 pages in, to actually feel somewhat connected to the storyline. Butt it wasn't until after the Ceremony that intrigued me and of course by then I was starting to fly through the pages.

The setup of the Community was so sterile and controlling, the fact that the Community choses everything for you, that you don't get a say in the matter really irritated me. For instance the 'family unit' setup is so stiff, Jonas' Mother and Father were both assigned to each other as partners to raise a family which includes Jonas and his sister Lily. However all the children in the Community are adopted and again are assigned to their family unit, all these assignments must be applied for and accepted by the hierarchy of the Community. I'm quite surprised that the children of the Community weren't interested about finding their birth parents, though I guess any information about them would be classified or they'd have some sort of full on rebellion on hand.

I'm glad Jonas figured out that there was something sinister going on behind the scenes while he was doing his training, the fact that the Receiver can ask for anything he or she wants is a good way to source out information. Though I think the ending could of been considerably better as it was suddenly thrown upon us and then just stopped with a very flatlined ending, so I have mixed feelings about the whole point of the story.

The only likeable characters were the Giver and Lily, both were humorous and spoke their mind, unlike Jonas who only ever wanted to please his parents and obey every rule he was given, I guess he only ever wanted acceptance. I felt that Asher and Fiona were only ever background characters who were essentially forgotten towards the end as both had made their own paths who couldn't fathom the changes that Jonas was going through.

I really didn't like Jonas' Mother, she felt cold and unloving towards him and Lily and was more like an overseer in their household. Though Jonas' Father didn't have some great qualities especially around the children meant he was more likeable, though he did hide a dark secret that eventually made Jonas question everything he was made to believe. So in the end both his parents were deceiving him from the truth about their Community, a factor that forced Jonas to make a very difficult but certain decision that would change everything they had ever known.

One thing I did not realise is that The Giver is part of a quartet, a four book series, so I'm not sure I'll be reading the rest of the series as the sequels continue with new characters. Overall I think this is a good book for younger readers which is the current target audience, I think its due to the characters being twelve and under that maybe I couldn't relate as well as I should have. I would definitely recommend to readers of Divergent as both have their similarities.

***

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You can get The Giver online or at your nearest available bookstore.
I brought my copy from Asda.

Crown Of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

So continuing weeks after Throne Of Glass Celaena has been obliging to the Kings requests, we start off where she is in the middle of her third mission. While Celaena's out and about on those missions she still has to come to terms with the fact that she has been tasked and chosen by Queen Elena to diminish this evil that is plaguing the glass castle before it further seeps into the world.

I must say Crown Of Midnight was well written compared to Throne Of Glass Sarah J. Maas definitely toned down the exclamation point department! There were so many twists and turns and yet again more betrayals and hurt for Celaena to deal with, I suppose there comes to a point in her life that she says enough is enough. Celaena awakens the animal within that has suppressed all her rage and seizes to gain control of the situation, only to push and hurt people closest to her.

Again we get to see the point of views from Celaena, Nehemia, Chaol, Dorian, and the King, which is something I love about this series we constantly get to see through the other characters eyes and see how they react to some situations. Whenever it switches between P.O.V I never once mistake who's perspective I'm reading from, which is something that is quite hard to do considering having to write about multiple characters, linking each scene together hoping that it will make sense to the reader.

SHIPS!

Well I think the ultimate Celaena ship was her and Sam but now thats never going to happen, but I'm crazy enough to have a theory that magic could potentially bring him back but I reckon that will be a no go, though you'll never know so I'm just putting it out there for the meantime. The next best ship is Celaena and Chaol, though I'm not sure what the ship name for that is, actually I don't know any ship names but bare with me. The reason I ship Celaena with Chaol is because he reminds me so much of Sam, though I have nothing else to say on that topic. I do have a feeling that Celaena will end up being with Prince Dorian at the end of the series, its just another sneaking suspicion I have.

SPOILERS below...

I know some people were shocked with the end revelation but I happened to see it from a mile off when reading The Assassain's Blade, so Crown Of Midnight confirmed my suspicions. I knew Celaena had a dark mysterious past that she kept hidden within herself which explained why so wanted to experience freedom of a 'normal girl' but what I did not see coming was that she was Fae, I mean I guessed she had some sort of special blood ties within her but reading about her transform that was the ultimate revelation for me. I. Did. Not. See. That. Coming. Which is why I gave it such a high rating over the previous two books.

*****

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You can get Crown Of Midnight online or at your nearest available bookstore.
I brought my copy from The Book People.

September Book Haul #1

I was looking through Amazon last week and found some really good bargains, so these were the books I got!

The Queen Of The Tearling by Erika Johansen

I've heard about this book ever since it was announced Emma Watson would be starring in the film adaptation with the same crew from the Harry Potter franchise. I'm not sure how many books are in this series, so I'm guessing it will be three to six books, like most series out there.

Solitaire by Alice Oseman

I heard about this book earlier this year on the UKYA Twitter chat, I believe the author wrote the book when she was seventeen or eighteen and has been compared to John Green. Oseman has a two book deal, however both books are stand-alones, so I can't wait to read an English set book for once, considering most are set in America or some magical land!

Hexed by Michelle Krys

This book in particular intrigued me as it is not what it seems, I've heard from a lot of book talks that this is quite a funny book, more along the lines of Mean Girls meets Hocus Pocus. So I'll see whether its as good as it claims to be!

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

I can't believe I managed to finish the entire Vampire Academy series this summer, I wish the series could just keep going but fortunately there is a spin off series (Bloodlines) that will keep my Vampire Academy fix in check. Although I can relive the journey again by reading the graphic novels, I believe the first three in the series are out at the moment, so I will most certainly be getting those soon!

Rose Hathaway antics have got her framed for the death of Queen Tatiana and now she along with her friends have to push the limits to free her from this never ending nightmare. While free Rose must go on a journey along with Dimitri & Sydney, while evading their capture from the most elite guardians, to trace someone who will bring her trial to a stall while gathering evidence that will clear her name.

I really enjoyed Rose's the last outgoing, the pace of the whole book was unbelievably fast considering it's the largest one out of the series! There were so many surprises on Rose's journey however there was only one twist that I knew about, something that I was spoiled upon awhile ago but I can totally see it coming a mile off if I didn't know because it was so strategically placed a few books ago. We also got to see more of other characters, two in particular, Sydney Sage and Sonya Karp, however I won't go into detail on the latter because of spoilers! But yet again we got to witness Sydney in action and also deal with the fact that she has to forcibly spend time with dhampirs.

Even throughout this whole series I was never quite sure who I shipped Rose with, I liked how Rose had a calming affect on Adrian but I think she knew she was never truly with Adrian. Dimitri on the other hand was different because he had an off limits appeal and we know with Rose she always gets what she wants.

The only character I was annoyed with was, believe it or not, Lissa, but thats only when she finds out about a certain someone, and the way she treats them is totally unLissa-like at all.

Again, I still can't believe the series has come to an end and I still wish there was more but our journey through this series has most indefinitely come to an end, however for the characters its only just beginning.

I highly recommend this series to any young adult readers whether you read fantasy or romance this definitely has the best of both worlds.

*****

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You can buy Last Sacrifice online or at your nearest available bookstore.
I borrowed my copy from my sister!

Selling my books on eBay | UK Only #2

Again here is another post about eBay! I'm currently selling these ones pictured above, click here to check them out!

ZOE SUGG ANNOUNCES BOOK DEAL

Zoe Sugg announced today on her official Twitter that she has signed a book deal with Penguin UK, which she also talks about in further detail on her most recent daily vlog. The book that she is currently writing is titled Girl Online, which is aimed for a November 25th release date.

I’VE SIGNED A BOOK DEAL WITH @PenguinUKBooks and I am releasing a novel! ASADKHGKLFD So happy and excited :)

Selling my books on eBay | UK Only

As I mentioned in a previous post I said I would later include a post of my eBay link, so I have finally listed some of the books I will be selling on eBay. The only downside is that you can only list ten items a month, but in the picture above I have a wide selection of books that will take your fancy. Of course I will only be selling my books to the UK only as international shipping is quite pricey, so sorry about that if your from across the sea!

My link... ebay.co.uk/usr/dauntlessshadowhunter 

Once I have sold these I will list the rest up at a later date along with some clothing I no longer wear, so again keep an eye out for a new eBay post or follow me on eBay. 

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

With the hype surrounding this book I wanted to be in on the secret everyone was in on, the description is very vague about what this book is actually about other that there's a big twist and the less you know the more shocking it will be.

Be prepared for a ton of spoilers...

Cadence Sinclair is among the elitist Sinclair's, three generations and Cady is the eldest of her generation. Cady's grandparents own an island that her aunts and cousins visit every summer, having the most marvellous time catching up and having debates. Cady is part of the Liars, consisting of her two cousins, Johnny and Mirren, along with their best friend Gat a non Sinclair who has been visiting the island along with Johnny's family for years. But on the fifteenth summer Cady ends up in an accident which causes her to become amnesiac. No one is allowed to tell her what happened that fateful day of the accident, only the Liars know and they aren't forthcoming.

Even though this book is very short it took me quite awhile to get through it, only after when we were introduced to Cady's amnesiac state that I started to lose interest, I just wanted to put it down and read something else. But I managed to read it all in the end and I'm still disappointed at how the events turned out, I was expecting something a little darker, stranger, more twisted, definitely not something like this.

To me the middle of the book was a waste of time, the beginning and end had structure, but the middle had none, it was very missed matched, I just got bored very easily with all these characters and their conservations. I had many theories from the beginning of the book of what could happen as we reach the end but none of them even came close.

I was intrigued with the writing style it is very metaphoric, so its something that you have to get used to or you may literary believe word for word its true, only really its just a metaphor!

The only characters I liked in the book were Johnny and Mirren, they were so close at the beginning of the book that I thought the dark twist is that their friendship would evolve into a romantic relationship, but no I was wrong, it wasn't even that sinister.

Gat became a very annoying character, I just didn't find him very likeable though he did make some good points about certain subject areas. At times I found myself asking did he cause the accident because of his shady movements, but no I was wrong again. Cady on the other hand is a very unreliable protagonist considering she's has amnesia, which is why we got fragmented memories. But I'm glad finally had the idea to write them all down to create a mind map. I questioned why Cady gave away her belongings and I guess it makes sense after reading that she gave away all her possessions because of her subconscious guilt, only she found out about that too late after she had literary given everything she once loved away.

However I liked for a fact it includes a copy of a map of the island and a family tree of the family, that way you can get to know the family before you begin to read and also use it as a reference.

I'm definitely not going to be reading this one again, this will be added to my unhaul pile, maybe its because I haven't read anything else like this before that it took me a long time to get into or that I just didn't like it in general. I just don't get the point of what this story was trying to tell, other than Cady unknowingly killed her best friends on their fifteenth summer all because they wanted to burn down the symbolic Sinclair house down. As their grandfather was so power driven that it was tearing their family apart and there was nothing they could do about it other than burn down their grandfather's pride to hurt him. Only it hurt him a lot more since it killed them, his grandchildren, and the power he hungers for still continues to this day. Maybe the message of the story is that people don't change, even after a huge catastrophe...

**

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You can buy We Were Liars online or at your nearest available bookstore.
I brought my copy for £3.99 at The Book People.

Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

It has been a year since I read the previous books in the Vampire Academy series, and I have been hoping to complete the series this summer starting with Shadow Kiss. As the case with books in a series each one prompts your memory through the course of the book reminding you of what had happened in the previous books, so I was glad that Shadow Kiss gave prompts otherwise I would of have to reread Vampire Academy and Frostbite again!

Its been weeks since Mason's death and Rose carries on with her daily routine, though she also bears the wait of her guilt for causing Mason's death. Leading Rose to have visions of him, surely these are hallucinations? Without pressing this new found issue further she also has to deal with her latest assignment where all the novice guardians have to pass the field experience and of course Rose without a doubt knows that she will be positioned with guarding Lissa. But that is not the case, she is actually paired with Lissa's boyfriend, Christian, not the best of choices but she goes along with it. As the course of her field experience goes on Rose also becomes more aggressive and has sporadic episodes of rage towards people, could Rose be losing her mind, is the guilt consuming her, only time will tell.

Shadow Kiss was kind of slow paced to begin with, so it was difficult to grab my attention, but once I kept pushing through I was back into the swing of things, i.e. the Vampire Academy world! Along with Rose I kept thinking of what could possibly be wrong with her, due to the ghost sightings and that it maybe connected to her bond with Lissa. At times I began to get frustrated with Rose because she didn't tell anyone about these sightings she was visualising, but of course nothing can secret for to long in the Academy!

The pace started to take a turn at almost halfway through the book which keep me gripped, I could not put the book down! Especially the scene with with Dimitri and Rose, which I must say was pretty steamy, as I was not expecting that in any of the books to be honest, I always thought Dmitri would stick to his words, but no I was wrong.

The epic battle with Rose and Christian was pretty bad ass, I loved their team up, which I guess is the beginning of a new revolution where Moroi and guardian team ups can be just as effective. Even though there's a very mixed opinion about it being a taboo subject but I can only guess it will most definitely come into play in the next books.

When Rose decided it was time to put herself first instead of the Moroi I was glad for her, even though it was sad to say goodbye to Lissa she must carry on her own mission, a promise that she made to Dimitri a long time ago.

I do agree that with book after book in the Vampire Academy series they become more and more enthralling, its going to be such a shame when I eventually finish this series. Of course if your reading this you've already read the previous two books, so what are you waiting for? Pick up this book or if you've already read it pick up the next one (which I'm currently reading as I type this review up) because you won't want to miss out on all the action and witty comebacks this series has to offer!

*****

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You can buy Shadow Kiss online or at your nearest available bookstore.
I borrowed my copy from my sister!

Books I Want To See As TV Shows

The reason why I've chosen TV and not films is that a lot can go wrong with films, changes always occur, fans get angry, and it becomes a flop. However with a TV series you can build up your following and also start off with a smaller budget, though I do realise that TV shows also curve away from the source material, I do prefer this opted platform.

So here I begin with all the books, well mostly series, that I would like to see as TV shows...

The Airhead Trilogy by Meg Cabot
I had initially thought this series would make a great film franchise, but then again the films would most likely leave out all the vital information to condense it down into a two hour movie. Once I did some rethinking I'd definitely prefer this as a TV series because it would be awesome to watch, each book could fit into one or two seasons. I'd just love this story to be brought to life because it is one of my favourite trilogies of all time, though it has been awhile since I've last read it so I don't have any fan cast's, but definitely go check it out.

EM WATTS IS GONE. 

Emerson Watts didn’t even want to go to the new SoHo Stark Megastore grand opening. But someone needed to look out for her sister, Frida, whose crush, British heartthrob Gabriel Luna, would be singing and signing autographs there—along with the newly appointed Face of Stark, teen supermodel sensation Nikki Howard. 

How was Em to know that disaster would strike, changing her—and life as she’d known it—forever? One bizarre accident later, and Em Watts, always the tomboy, never the party princess, is no longer herself. Literally.

The Spy Girl Series by Carol Hedges
There are currently four books in this series and I'm still wishing for more, but its been years since the last one was published so its very unlikely. I'd love to see this brought to TV screens, there's so many action packed sequences and many mysteries within this series, I'd definitely say it has some similarities as Veronica Mars, however the setting is the UK instead of the sunny US.

Alex Rider meets Nancy Drew in a futuristic spy thriller full of adventure and suspense. Jazmin Dawson's alter ego, Jaz, is a gorgeous super-spy, and she doesn't have a serious snack habit, unlike Jazmin herself. In real life, the closest Jazmin gets to dangerous missions is waving goodbye to her mum, who works for secret intelligence.

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
This is one of those life altering books where you put everything about life into perspective, this is also one of my first reads of the after life and I absolutely loved it, definitely a tearjerking book and it does take a lot for a book to break me. Gabrielle Zevin already has one of her books made into a movie, which is Memoirs Of A Teenage Amnesiac, but I think Elsewhere would make a great series though it would have to be quite small, so maybe two or three seasons. But I would reconsider if it were optioned into a movie, it would just have to be handled right or people wouldn't understand the concept behind Elsewhere.

Welcome to Elsewhere. It is warm, with a breeze, and the beaches are marvelous. It’s quiet and peaceful. You can’t get sick or any older. Curious to see new paintings by Picasso? Swing by one of Elsewhere’s museums. Need to talk to someone about your problems? Stop by Marilyn Monroe’s psychiatric practice.

Elsewhere is where fifteen-year-old Liz Hall ends up, after she has died. It is a place so like Earth, yet completely different. Here Liz will age backward from the day of her death until she becomes a baby again and returns to Earth. But Liz wants to turn sixteen, not fourteen again. She wants to get her driver’s license. She wants to graduate from high school and go to college. And now that she’s dead, Liz is being forced to live a life she doesn’t want with a grandmother she has only just met. And it is not going well. How can Liz let go of the only life she has ever known and embrace a new one? Is it possible that a life lived in reverse is no different from a life lived forward?

 Penryn & The End Of Days Series by Susan Ee
I love love love this angel series, it definitely falls behind the shadowhunter world in that department, I believe this series has five books though there could be more. I have heard this series has been optioned for film, but as of yet no one is attached to the project, so it could be many months or years before we hear of any developments. The reason why this would work out better as a TV show is that a lot of key information would be cut in order to produce a two hour film, and that key information connects to the later books in this series. It would be entirely lost on the audience, losing the shock factor of all the twists and turns we find along the way of this amazing series. Again, there isn't an existing series out there like this one, which will make it a unique TV show.

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back. 

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel. 

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl. 

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

What do you think of my list? Should these books be adapted to TV or film? Are there any other books you want to see adapted for screen?

May Book Haul #2

I really thought I wouldn't be purchasing any more books this month but when The Book People kept sending emails to me about their amazing deals I had to check out what was on offer. So from the picture above you'll be able to see what caught my eye!

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

A beautiful and distinguished family.A private island.  

A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy. 

A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive. 

A revolution. 

An accident. 

A secret. 

Lies upon lies. 

True love. 

The truth.

I initially heard about this book towards the end of 2013 or even they beginning of this year, either way I had wanted to get my hands on this one for such a long time because of the rave reviews. So I'm glad I own a physical copy and I can't wait to see what everyone is talking!

Blood Red Road & Rebel Heart by Moira Young

In a lawless land, where life is cheap and survival is hard, Saba has been brought up in isolated Silverlake. She never sees the dangers of the destructive society outside. When her twin brother is snatched by mysterious black-robed riders, she sets out on an epic quest to rescue him.

I heard a lot of talk about this trilogy on social networking sites this past month, mainly coming from booktuber Raeleen absolutely praising this book. With the release of the third and final book I will wait for it to come down in price so that I can marathon the series without trying to remember what happened in the previous books.

The Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness

Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee -- whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not -- stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden -- a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives.

I was first introduced to Patrick Ness by one of April Brooks booktube videos where she highly recommended this trilogy, so I made a mental note to keep this trilogy on my wish list. I can't believe I got the whole set for such a bargain from The Book People with it being £5 in total, so I could not pass this offer up!

Book Unhaul #1

I was originally going to send these to Amazon Trade In but I thought it would be easier if I put these up on Ebay instead, as sometimes Trade In don't always accept your books. The books below are all the ones that will be listed on my Ebay later this week, so check out this post for an update where I'll link my Ebay. 

Size Doesn't Matter by Meg Cabot

666 Park Avenue by Gabriella Pierce

Fairy Treasure by Gwyneth Rees

Fairy Dust by Gwyneth Rees

Mermaid Magic by Gwyneth Rees

The Girl's Book by Juliana Foster

The Bad Girl's Club by Rhian Tracey

Out Of My Depth by Helen Bailey

Just Jealous by Anne Cassidy

Villain.net Council Of Evil by Andy Briggs

Hero.com Rise Of The Heroes by Andy Briggs

Crossed by Ally Condle

Matched by Ally Condle

Betrayed by P.C & Kristin Cast

Marked by P.C & Kristin Cast

KENDALL & KYLIE JENNER YA BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT & RELEASE

MTV announced Kendall & Kylie Jenner have written a young adult dystopian book along with the help of fellow writer Maya Sloan, titled Rebels: City Of Indra: The Story Of Lex And Livia, which is one hell of a title and probably the longest too!

“In a world of the far future, the great city of Indra has two faces: a beautiful paradise floating high in the sky, and a nightmare world of poverty carved into tunnels beneath the surface of the earth,” the description continues. “Kendall and Kylie Jenner, the youngest sisters in the Kardashian dynasty, have written a gripping tale of air, fire, and a bond of blood.”

Rebels: City Of Indra: The Story Of Lex And Livia is due to be released June 3rd.