Up on this hill, in this uncanny house, the wind makes this place creak, the lights they are flickering.

The Haunting
Author: Alex Bell
Publication Date: February 11th 2016
Publisher: Stripes Publishing
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~

Some curses grow stronger with time…
People say that all Cornish inns are haunted, but the Waterwitch’s history is particularly chilling. Built from the salvaged timber of a cursed ship, the guest house’s dark secrets go further back than anyone can remember.
Emma is permanently confined to a wheelchair after an accident at the Waterwitch which took place when she was ten. Seven years later, she decides to return to the place where the awful event occurred. But the ancient inn still has its ghosts, and one particular spirit is more vengeful than ever…
A chilling new title in the Red Eye horror series from the author of Frozen Charlotte.

I loved Frozen Charlotte last year, creepy dolls + sociopathic tendencies = my kind of book, so I was wondering how Alex Bell was going to top it. Some things in Frozen Charlotte, (the writing, the pace) stayed the same in The Haunting, whilst other components (the characters, the creepy) were different.

So, did The Haunting top Frozen Charlotte? 

Short answer: Yes.

You want the long answer anyway? Yay. 

The Haunting, is creepy as hell, I described Frozen Charlotte as psychologically disturbing, well, I take it back, because this was so much more disturbing and scary and I had to turn the light on at one point. 

The characters are quirky and I felt more of a connection with them. Emma, in a wheelchair and with help from her assistance dog, lives a relatively normal life, she has her days, but she doesn't let it stop her from doing what she wants. She's also feisty and points out the way people react to people in a wheelchair, stereotyping. Jem and Shell are still reeling from leaving their abusive father behind, have barely any money, Jem’s protective of Shell, and Shell, is a little eccentric.

The Haunting, as I said is more disturbing and it messes with your head because you're not quite sure what's real or not or if it's mass hysteria. Since we have three perspectives, Emma's, Jem's and Shell's and a haunted place, two nonbelievers and a believer (guess who that is?) it'll have you believing one minute, and then the more you discover of their pasts, second guessing yourself. 

If you've read Frozen Charlotte, you'll remember the lack of romance, which was refreshing, and it's the same in The Haunting, even though I was hoping to have some romance in there, but it's still refreshing to have the story be focused on the plot and the emphasis on friendship and family. If you liked Frozen Charlotte, Alex Bell doesn't disappoint with The Haunting.

Rating: 4/5

                                

 

Better late than never...

The Sword of Summer
Author: Rick Riordan
Publication Date: October 6th 2015 
Publisher: Puffin
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~

Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother's mysterious death, he's lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.

One day, he's tracked down by an uncle he's never met—a man his mother claimed was dangerous. His uncle tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god.

The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.

When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision.

Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die . . .

If you’ve read a Rick Riordan book before and loved it, you’re 99% guaranteed to feel the same about The Sword of Summer. Its trademark Rick Riordan, so here’s a check list we’ve come to know about anything Rick Riordan.

• Easy, likeable characters.

While I couldn’t really connect to Magnus, or any other character, you can relate to them, they’re easy to like and easy to root for. Magnus is sarcastic and even though doing the right thing gets him in trouble, and uh, killed, he does it anyway. Sam’s strong, and logical, and one hell of a multitasker. Heath and Blitz are, well, they’re Heath and Blitz, unique and loyal. Basically, they make one hell of an awesome team. And even Annabeth has a cameo!

• Mythology

This time around it’s Norse! Which, I was psyched about, because apart from the obvious, I don’t know much about Norse Mythology or Valkyries, and what I love about Rick Riordan’s are, you don’t know how much you’ve learned about the chosen mythology until you’ve finished it. And that’s the way you do it, because it doesn’t feel like learning, or reading a book on mythology, it’s done in a way that isn’t overwhelming, which any mythology can be, so you gradually learn who the God’s are, their children, their connection and relationships, and then of course, there’s Valhalla.

• Humour

You should know by now if you’ve read any Rick Riordan’s books, there’s always humour. Lots of it. In lots of places. Even by objects. Yes, objects. And while that makes the book seem light and fun, there are a lot of serious moments, too.

•   Quests

Of course there’s a quest. Duh. It even says so in the synopsis. I won’t tell you much about the quest, because I don’t want to give anything away, but I will say, it’s sneaky, and challenging, and honestly, you need to keep your eyes peeled for hints that start right from start.

• Brings God’s to life in a completely different way.

And sometimes, in a hopeless, unhelpful way that leaves the kids to do the work. Okay, let’s be honest, not sometimes. 

If you’ve read and liked the Percy Jackson series, but thought it was a little too young for you, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard is the one for you.

 

 Rating: 4/5

                                 

Let's play...Q&A with Alison Goodman

London, April 1812. Eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall is on the eve of her debut presentation to the Queen. Her life should be about gowns and dancing, and securing a suitable marriage. Instead, when one of her family's housemaids goes missing, Lady Helen is drawn to the shadows of Regency London.

There, she finds William, the Earl of Carlston. He has noticed the disappearance, too, and is one of the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of powerful demons that has infiltrated every level of society. But Lady Helen’s curiosity is the last thing Carlston wants—especially when he sees the searching intelligence behind her fluttering fan. Should Helen trust a man whose reputation is almost as black as his lingering eyes? And will her headstrong sense of justice lead them both into a death trap?

In The Dark Days Club, internationally best-selling author Alison Goodman introduces readers to a heroine who is just as remarkable as Eona—and yet again reinvents an establlished literary genre, making it her own.

I was lucky enough to ask Alison Goodman a few questions about The Dark Days Club (out now!), you can read my review for it here, if you like to read reviews and whatnot.

Blog Tour: Dumplin Review

Dumplin'
Author: Julie Murphy
Publication Date: January 28th 2016
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

Where do I even start with Dumplin’? WHERE DO I START, HUH BOOK? HUH?! So I guess firstly I’ll start with, OH DEAR LORD, I WANT A BO. Please? I’m not above begging. At all. Nope. Secondly, I have a confession to make, I love Dolly Parton, okay? Thirdly, you can probably tell I loved Dumplin by the crazy, yes? Because I did, and it is so much more than what you might think it is.

Cover Reveal: The Map of Bones by Francesca Haig #mapofbones

You've all seen the UK cover of The Fire Sermon, right? The hardcover looks a little something like this...

 And the paperback a little something like this...

Today I'm helping reveal the cover for the second in The Fire Sermon series, which looks a little something like....

THIS...

What do you think?

Leave all your love and your longing behind, you can't carry it with you if you want to survive.

 


 See How They Run
Author: Ally Carter
Publication Date: January 14th 2016
Publisher: Orchard Books
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~

Inside every secret, there's a world of trouble. Get ready for the second book in this new series of global proportions--from master of intrigue, New York Times bestselling author Ally Carter.

Grace's past has come back to hunt her . . . and if she doesn't stop it, Grace isn't the only one who will get hurt. Because on Embassy Row, the countries of the world stand like dominoes, and one wrong move can make them all fall down.

The twists get twistier and the turns get even more shocking in the second thrilling installment of Embassy Row.

OHMYGOD. THAT WAS THE MEANEST CLIFFHANGER ENDING. Continuing on from All Fall Down, See How They Run builds up the history of Adria, and the history of the founders. Believe it or not, See How They Run is a lot darker than its predecessor, there are so many more secrets about Grace and Adria and more things out of Graces control than she likes (and we know how she acts when it comes to secrets).

Grace is...I hate to say broken, but she is completely broken. And it's what you'd expect from what she found out about the mystery surrounding her mother’s death and the scarred man. At least when she didn't know she had this thing to hold onto, to know she wasn't crazy, when everybody acted like she was. But I love her, she isn't entirely likeable, but I connect more with her than any previous Ally Carter MC's (Cammie post Only the Good Spy Young and Kat, Uncommon Criminals). Alexei. Oh, bloody hell, Alexei. We get more of him (yay!) but we also get more depth from him, and get to see his darker side.

What I love about Ally Carter, is the emphasis she puts on family. Never are they standard or perfect, they're broken and dysfunctional but they're strong. They're family, and it doesn't stop at blood. And in See How They Run we get to meet Grace's older brother, Jamie. And she tries her damn hardest to push him away, but he's always there pushing her back. They really feel like siblings.

WE HAVE SOME ROMANCE, if you were disappointed by the lack of romance in All Fall Down, you still might be, because honestly, there's no outwardly romance between Grace and Alexei. But what I seriously adore about the way Ally Carter writes romance is how she builds their foundation first. How she can write intimate and sexy moments without the characters even kissing, is beyond me.

See How They Run is fast paced, packed with shocking twists that you won't see coming until just before it hits you, family ties, and uh, more Alexei.

Rating: 5/5