#WeLoveYA: Julianna Baggot gives advice to her 16 year old self...

Something special today guys! Direct from the fantastic Sam over at Headline we have a letter written by Julianna Baggott, written to... well... Julianna Baggott... Or her 16 year old self, that is!

Before that though be sure to check out the We Love YA Facebook page and Pinterest!

Now without furter ado, Julianna's letter... Check it out below!

-

Listen, smart ass, you're going to get out of here. I promise. Yes, the hypocrisy of adulthood isn't easy to take, and there is more viciousness than you can imagine. You're glimpsing it here. The kid who drown to death on the carbon monoxide fumes filling the locked garage. The pregnant girls who have their own smock uniforms. But don't harden your heart. There's joy too. You feel caged, of course. You are caged. But what you're learning is the small kindnesses, what you're learning is who to slap down and who to stand up for. You will keep standing up. That won't ever quit you. So, for now, keep at it. The springs of the cage door will give, and there will be more cages to come, but you will keep finding ways out. Your greatest trick of all -- that reel of images in your own head. Guard that. Guard that with all you've got.

Anthony Horowitz' RUSSIAN ROULETTE gets UK cover!

The US artwork for Russian Roulette, the last foray of Anthony's into the world of Alex Rider, this time focusing on the love-to-hate assassin Yassen, was released a few weeks ago, and now it's the UK's turn to see what we're going to be nabbing for our book shelves!

Ooh! I think Walker have done a great job. I like how it matches the covers for the main books in the Alex series but also manages to look like it's something completely different, which in essence I suppose it is. Either way I can't wait to own this one! 

What do you think? Do you like the cover? Are you going to be reading Russian Roulette when it comes out? Which cover do you like best? The UK one or the US one?

Title for Taken 2 is unveiled...

I for one adored Taken the first book in the (well...) Taken trilogy (I think it's a trilogy, it's a trilogy right? Correct me if I'm wrong please...) by Erin Bowman and I have been anticipating news on the second book ever since! If you haven't read Taken yet, you need to right this wrong right away, and why not check out my review (which can be found here) if you need any more persuading...

Well just moments ago, I got my wish. Erin herself has just unveiled the title for book 2! ARGH! Without further ado it is...

Oh man I love it. I cannot wait. She also revealed the official publication date. Mark 15th April 2014 in your diaries, calendars  smartphones or whatever else it is you use to mark important dates!

If you're in America you can get Taken right now at all book shops. If not, and you're from the UK like me, or elsewhere, why not check out The Book Depository? Free delivery world wide folks! That's where I got my hardback from and it was super cheap. I'll pop the link down below!

What do you think of the title? Are you going to read Frozen? Taken first though, yeah?!

Buy Taken from The Book Depository

New Catching Fire poster

I am so so so so SOOO excited for Catching Fire to hit cinemas later this year and Lionsgate are just teasing me and making things so much worse. They're making me anticipate it even more, as if that was possible. They had to go and release this absolutely blinding poster today and make me want to weep tears of joy and longing.

I. Cannot. Wait. 

ALLEGIANT UK cover art unveiled!

So last week the cover art for the US edition of Allegiant, the third and final book in Veronica Roth's incredible Divergent trilogy was unveiled and now we're on my home turf. UK cover, holla at me!

Now... I like it. A lot. It's got blue. It's got Tris. It's got feathers. It's great. I much prefer the blue to the US's orange but that's just because blue if my favourite colour. That said I prefer the US art just because it is so epic and I love the font they use for the titles. The font on this one just looks naff.

(All 3 UK covers...)

Either way, I can't wait! This is the first time we're getting the book in hardback in the UK and you just know this book s going to stand out! It's so much nice than the UK covers for Divergent and that horror that was Insurgent so at least there has been improvement. I'm still importing my Us hardback though. Couldn't not. I need that complete set. Roll on 22nd October! 

ALLEGIANT cover art!!!!

Argh! So the day has finally arrived, and I know my post is about 4 hours late but hey, ho, what can you do when you're stuck at work? Not a lot... That's what! Anyway! I am here now and I have to say wowwwwweeeeee!

I MEAN!!!!!! Come on! Look at it. Gah. It's so beautiful. The colour. The symbol. Oh my days, the symbol... it isn't a faction symbol!!!!?!?!?! Who would of thought it? So much speculation over whether it'd be the Erudite symbol or Amity and it's neither! What! Direct from Veronica's own blog (which can be found here...) we know that it's a new symbol and one which will obviously play a role in Allegiant. All I know is I cannot wait for that package to come in from Amazon US holding what is bound to be a stunning hardback! Cannot wait!

Allegiant is due 22nd October, and the UK cover is yet to be unveiled!

Are you excited for Allegiant? What do you think will happen? Who do you think will survive! The answers are so close and yet so far away!

Angelfall by Susan Ee [Review]

Written by: Susan Ee.

Published by: Hodder and Stoughton.

Format: Paperback.

Released: 23rd May 2013.

Rating: 5/5.

Official synopsis: "It's been six weeks after angels of the apocalypse have destroyed the world as we know it. When enemy angels fly away with 17-year-old Penryn's little sister, Penryn is forced to team up with Raffe, an injured angel who wants his wings back. Together, they will journey to the heart of San Francisco and the angels' stronghold, where an unimaginable horror awaits them."

I wasn't quite sure how I was going to feel about Angelfall when I sat down to start reading it. I'd had a copy on my Kindle for a little while but for some reason or another I just kept putting it off. I wasn't sure if I would like it. Yeah, angels of the apocalypse sounds epic, but would the book be epic itself? Would it live up to the hype that I was seeing on Twitter and across Goodreads, Amazon and the blogosphere?

I'm happy to say that upon finishing the book I can confirm that it more than lives up to the hype. In fact, after reading Angelfall, I don't think the hype is big enough! While it's only a short book, around 280 pages, it packs an almighty punch that will have you glued to its pages and racing to see what happens next.

Penryn is doing her best to keep her family together. Dad left years ago, and Mum has been battling mental illness for as long as Penryn can remember, but now thanks to there being no medication, no doctors, in fact no civilisation as we know it, it's getting worse and it's becoming more of a struggle. All the while, Penryn is caring for her little sister, Paige, who happens to be disabled so needs all the help she can get. The world as we know it is gone - Penryn has no idea what has survived and what has not, but she knows that the streets are not safe. With the loss of civilisation, laws are also gone - dangerous gangs prowl and are never far away, but the biggest danger comes from the sky. The angels.

And when Paige is taken by an angel for reasons unknown she is determined to get her back if it is the last thing she does. It just so happens that an angel has just been attacked by other angels right in front of her and she now possesses his wings. She has a bargaining tool - she knows what she wants and the angel, the sickeningly beautiful Raffe, can help her.

Honestly I am at a loss for words at how amazing this book it. It's so beautifully written and evocative that I couldn't stop reading even when I had to - damn you work! It's rare to read a book that is intoxicating that it is all you can think of. It leeches into everything - it's all you can thing about, awake or sleeping. Angelfall is one of those books. It's so full of danger, blood, anger, despair and lust. It has everything and then some. It's horrifying, shocking, sometimes making you feel sick, that unmistakable nervous feeling in the pit of your stomach makes an appearance every now and again only to recede and spring right back into place with the next chapter. 

I really like the use of mythology both religious and otherwise. I'll be honest when I first read the name Gabriel, and God was mentioned I considered putting the book down. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against religion, I'm just not a big fan so I jumped to the conclusion that the book was going to annoy me if it was too religious - I didn't want it to turn preachy as it so easily could of if the plot was in the wrong hands, but it was handled really well and worked with the story that was being told which rather surprised me and made me breathe a sigh of relief. In the end, it actually was a great addition that made the story that little bit more epic and plausible... As plausible as it is that angels are going to sweep down from the deep blue sky and destroy us all...

Only one thing really bugged me about the book. And that is that we don't find out why the angels did it... Why they attacked. What it was for. But luckily, the angels don't know either! I guess that's a book two thing right? Please say so Susan because I can't wait till book three to see why... My sanity cannot take it!

Susan Ee really has created something of a masterpiece. It truly is a flawless debut worth every bit of hype and then some! I am already dying to read book two. Thankfully it's out later this year! Argh! Thank you publishing gods for having mercy on us and not making us wait until next year!

Buy from Amazon UK

Allegiant tagline unveiled!

So the official Divergent facebook page just officially unveiled the tagline for Allegiant, the third and final book of the trilogy which comes out on 22nd October! This is the tag that will appear on the cover (for the US artwork anyway, but I shall be getting a US hardback anyway so can't wait!!!)... 

One choice will define you. GAH!

What do you think? Do you like it? Comment below! I like it. I just can't wait to read it. Be sure to look out for the cover which is being unveiled this week... 9th May I think! :D

Instagram

Just a quick little post today to say I now have an account on Instagram! It's where I will post pics of covers, random things related to books, signed books and last week it's where I did my Letterbox Love as I don't know if I want to post it on the blog any more, but might just post it on there occasionally! 

I'd love you to take a look and probably follow me if you feel like it. You can find me under @empireofbooks (or if you want the link it's... www.instagram.com/empireofbooks)

Darren's Demons get a new cover!

Darren Shan's Demonata is the last real big series Darren Shan completed before he did the Saga of Larten Crepsley books and now Zom-B and it's UK publisher, HarperCollins are giving it a fresh new, 2013 look and boy are they pulling out all the stops here!

I really like them. But damn they're scary! You can get them in bookshops in the UK from July, and the remaining 8 books will be released over the next few months!

I was a latecomer to The Demonata party, only reading 3 books, Blood Beast, Demon Apocolypse and Death's Shadow, so I really am looking forward to collecting these and reading all 10 instalments! What do you guys think? Like the new look?!

The Hit by Melvin Burgess [Review]

Written by: Melvin Burgess.

Published by: Chicken House.

Format: Paperback.

Released: 4th April 2013.

Rating: 4.5/5.

Official synopsis: "A new drug is out. Everyone is talking about it. Death. Take it, and you have one amazing week to live. It's the ultimate high. At the ultimate price Adam is tempted. Life is rubbish; his girlfriend's over him, his brother's gone. So what's he got to lose? Everything as it turns out. It's up to his girlfriend, Lizzie to show him."

The Hit is a thought provoking read that makes you question yourself indiscriminately whilst reading it. What would you do if you knew the little tablet you were holding in your hand would kill you in just a week if you swallowed it - but that one week would be the best, most exciting, most fun, most alive-feeling week of your life ever. Would it be worth it? One week on a high that is unlike anything else in the world?

Personally, I wouldn't think it was worth it. I'd rather plod along in life as I am thank you very much. But Adam, he doesn't see it that way. His life is dull - boring, monotonous and unchanging. He wants to be a footballer, but things aren't going well, and it looks like he's going to have to take up a job that he doesn't like in order to survive. He's got a great new girlfriend but it doesn't feel like enough. Then his brother dies. And his life is turned upside down. Things will never be the same - he'll never be able to chase his dreams as he'll have to help the family financially now that his brother is gone and his dad is unable to work through disability.

And then he takes it. Death. That little pill that both sorts all your problems out and yet gives birth to so many other problems.

I'll be honest, I'd never read any of Melvin's work before. I'd heard so many good things about it but I'd just never gotten around to it - and then when I heard The Hit was coming out, I thought that now would be the best time to do it. It sounded amazing - such a daring concept, a merciless drug that takes you no matter what - and I just knew that I would like it. But I was not prepared for the epic reality that would hit me once I started the book. It's gritty and so well written - I was sucked right in to the heart of the story and didn't want it to finish. It hurtles along at such a pace I was left breathless whilst reading some parts of it. I can't say any more because I simply don't want to spoil it but you just need to read the book! It's perfect.

It's proven to me that I need to read more of Melvin's work and that this was the perfect book to start on! I cannot recommend it enough.

My thanks to Chicken House for the review copy! You guys are awesome! 

Buy from Amazon UK

Marie Lu unveils CHAMPION cover art and announces new release date!!!

ARGH! FANGIRL OVERLOAD! I loved Legend and am hoping to get around to Prodigy in the next few weeks and now I have even more reason to do it and do it soon! Marie Lu today unveiled the cover art for the third and (sob) final book in the trilogy. And then she also confirmed that it isn't going to be coming out in 2014 anymore... because it comes out on 5th November this year! ARGH! Cue a lot of excitement. I cannot wait. Check out this beaut of a cover...

I just... Gah. I do not know where to begin. The rose. The grit! GASP! The bullet hole. All I can say is November needs to get here and get here soon! The cover alone makes me want to cry with all it's epicness and beauty, I can't begin to think what the book itself will do to me!

What do you think about the cover? Do you like it? Have you read the first two books? Are you excited for Champion?! Comment below!