Currently Reading

Currently reading: Vulture by Bex Hogan.

Thursday 29 March 2012

Cover art for THE SACRIFICE released!

Puffin are knocking out the good covers this year it seems. Hot on the heels of Gods and Warriors, and The Rise of Nine, comes the cover for Charlie Higson's long awaited fourth instalment of The Enemy series. It's called The Sacrifice, and you can get your hands on it from 17th September. Feast your eyes on it's zombie-licious glory below!


Saturday 24 March 2012

The Rise of Nine cover art!

Okay, so last week the US cover art was released for Pittacus Lore's The Rise of Nine, the third book in the awesome Lorien Legacies series. Due to be published 21st August in America, and 30th August over here in England, the US copy looks a little like this...





I like the whole stony, kind of desert-ish feel to it. But the colour of the title just puts me off. It'd be so nice otherwise. And the whole placement of the text. It covers the logo for Number Nine! No!!! 


Anyway, now, the UK covers have been released, and as with the past two books, we're getting two covers. An adult edition and YA edition!


ADULT EDITION || YA EDITION

Now, I like both covers for different reasons. The adult edition is quite simple, and while it doesn't match the previous two covers so much, it's snazzy. I like that the logo for Nine is made of birds, and wonder what this means for the book. But I don't like how RISE and NINE are big and the and of are small. Kind of weird looking. But still. And it matches the review copies I have so that's a bonus.

And then the YA cover. I like that it's colourful and it matches the cover art we got for The Power of Six. Overall, very very good and I cannot wait to read the book when it comes out! 

Thursday 22 March 2012

Cover art for Michelle Paver's Gods and Warriors!

And cue fangirl style sqeals in 3... 2... 1...

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP! :D ARGH! YES! Finally! I'm allowed to share it! :D ARGH! Such a relief! I first saw this a week ago nearly, now. Last Saturday and it was such a burst of excitement and took a lot of effort not to go running straight to Blogger to share it's lovely-ness with everyone!

Anyway, here is the cover art for Michelle Paver's Gods And Warriors.



OOOOOOOHHHH! Isn't is awesome?!?! :D YES!!! 

It's out on 28th August and I've already read it. And loved it. My review is written but obviously not going up for a few months yet. Anyway, let me know what you think of the cover... I for one love it!!!! Cannot wait to own a finished copy! I'm hoping it's shiny!!!

Tuesday 20 March 2012

Arcadia Awakens Blog Tour: Kai Meyer Guest Post!

Today I am thrilled to play host to the Arcadia Awakens blog tour! Written by Kai Meyer, Arcadia Awakens is out next week...


It looks like this:



Oh! I love that cover! And it sounds like this:

When troubled teenager Rosa escapes her life in New York to stay with family in Sicily, she stumbles into a sinister Mafia underworld of murder, corruption and bitter, generations-old rivalries. How is handsome, mysterious stranger Alessandro involved? And why is Rosa so powerfully drawn to him, even though she knows he spells danger for her and her family? Simmering at the heart of the conflict is an ancient myth surrounding the vanished empire of Arcadia and its people, who - in the tales of legend - could shapeshift into animal form. Can Rosa unravel the dark secrets of the past before untamed savagery is unleashed on the present? 


Today, Kai himself talks about the mafia setting in the book:


I love Italian movies from the Sixties and Seventies, especially horror and mafia movies. Although the Italians were at the time quite good at mixing certain genres, for some reason they never tried to combine those two. There are gothic westerns, for example, and they mixed history and fantasy all the time. But mafia and shape shifters? I´m quite sure that´s new – and new“ is what I am after most of the time. 

When I began to research the Cosa Nostra – which is the Sicilian mafia – I was surprised how old their rituals are. They use initiation ceremonies with roots in the middle ages, some even older. So the more I read about it, the more obvious it became that mafia and mythology were a perfect blend. It also helped that in ancient times Sicily was the biggest colony of Greece, so you can discover Greek ruins all over the island. And because my Arcadian Dynasties – clans of shapeshifters dating back to what later became known as Atlantis – originated in Greek myths, it became a wonderful merging of place and story. 



Thursday 1 March 2012

Suzanne Collins talks Hunger Games movie

A little while ago, Suzanne Collins spoke to her fans about her experienced seeing the finished version of the film adaptation of 'The Hunger Games'. Posted in her official Facebook she said...

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Dear Readers,

I’ve just had the opportunity to see the finished film of The Hunger Games. I’m really happy with how it turned out. I feel like the book and the film are individual yet complementary pieces that enhance one another. The film opens up the world beyond Katniss’ point of view, allowing the audience access to the happenings of places like the Hunger Games control room and President Snow’s rose garden, thereby adding a new dimension to the story.

Director Gary Ross has created an adaptation that is faithful in both narrative and theme, but he’s also brought a rich and powerful vision of Panem, its brutality and excesses, to the film as well. His world building’s fantastic, whether it be the Seam or the Capitol. It’s amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.

And, my God, the actors. The cast, led by the extraordinary Jennifer Lawrence, is absolutely wonderful across the board. It’s such a pleasure to see how they’ve embodied the characters and brought them to life.

So I’d like to sincerely thank all the many people who devoted their time and talents to the film, especially producers Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik, and the excellent teams at Color Force, Larger Than Life, and Lionsgate.

I hope you enjoy the film!

Suzanne Collins

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Well that certainly has me even more exited for the film! Roll on 23rd March!!!

News: James Dashner unveils artwork for The Kill Order!

The Death Cure, the third and final book isn't even out in the UK until next month (5th April), yet things are already hotting up for James Dashner's next book (quite literally when you see the cover...). I think I posted about it before, probably haven't... I don't know. But it's called The Kill Order, and it's published in America on 14th August. Of course, thanks to the Book Depository, UK readers, and readers worldwide will also be able to get the book from that date too! YES! Mine is pre-ordered! 



The Kill Order is set to act as a prequel to The Maze Runner trilogy (The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials and of course, The Death Cure). Well, just twenty minutes ago, James himself blogged about the cover art for The Kill Order, unveiling it in all of his glory and boy is it stunning!!! 


It's been done by Philip Straub, who did the artwork for the original three books too. It fits in with the art for the trilogy, but you can tell that it's from an earlier time. I love the great big fireball and the utter destruction! ARGH! I CANNOT WAIT!

The Maze Runner is set in a dystopian future America, where illness has ravaged the population and weird organisations have set up to do lots of testing to see if they can find a cure... Well, James has revealed that The Kill Order will give us an insight into how it all happened and just how horrific it was. I for one cannot wait to read it! What do you think of the cover?


HAPPY WORLD BOOK DAY!

HAPPY WORLD BOOK DAY!

Yes, it's that time of the year again, World Book Day! A day where we celebrate and encourage reading. While primarily aimed and younger members of society, it's just as important to encourage older readers, YA and above to read too! So today, why not share a book with a member of your family, or a friend who isn't a big reader, or probably doesn't read at all. Pick out a book you think they'll like, and let them borrow it/or get them their own copy if yours is too precious to you.

I decided to do this and I've given a book I love to someone very important.

I gave my mum, The Hunger Games. Now, I've been trying to get her to read this since I first read the book a few years ago. Maddeningly, she's always full of excuses. "I've got to do this, got to do that. Got to go here, got to do that, I don't have any time to read", but then even more maddeningly, sits like a zombie in front of the telly watching soaps, night in night out. So finally, I said enough is enough and handed the book over to her physically and demanded that she read it. She's read a few chapters and seems to be really into it - but now she's at work so I'll forgive her for not reading right now...

So why don't you try it? You never know, you could make a new bookworm!

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With it being World Book Day, I wanted to highlight some books that have come out in the last few years, or are due to come out soon that I just feel people NEED to know about... So...

Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver

Raven's Gate by Anthony Horowitz

The Thirteen Treasures by Michelle Harrison


Angel by L.A. Weatherly

When I Was Joe by Keren David

Department 19 by Will Hill

Hollow Pike by James Dawson

The Other Life by Suanne Winnacker

The Killables by Gemma Malley

Unrest by Michelle Harrison

Happy reading!!!!