Pyramids by Terry Pratchett - Terry Pratchett Blog Tour

First off I want to say what an honour and privilege it has been to be a part of this whole thing. The Terry Pratchett blog tour started off as a spark of an idea had by the lovely Viv of Serendipity Reviews and it has grown incredibly into this well planned and immaculately thought out series of posts! Terry himself was an incredibly talented individual and to see so many people, bloggers, book tubers and so on, coming together to celebrate his worlds, his characters and his writing in general. It is refreshing and gratifying to see, and I could not be happier to be a part of this!

I have long planned to read all of the Discworld series, somewhere on the right there is a link to a challenge I set myself, back in 2013 I believe, to read the series, and I have failed spectacularly. However, now more than ever, I am determined to read them and so this has also been an honour to be a part of AND an excuse (not that any are needed of course) to read a brand new Pratchett adventure, and for this blog tour, I was escorted to the kingdon of Djelibeybi... No, really... it's one of the oldest kingdoms on the Disc, and Teppic has just become king. Tasked with building his fathers pyramid to help ease him into the Netherworld and with trying to rescue a crumbling kingdom, all sorts is going on!

I won't lie, Pyramids, which was originally published in 1989, isn't my favourite instalment of the Discworld series I have read yet. That award is still held by my first ever venture into Terry Pratchett's world, Hogfather. However, this book still trumps some authors at their very best, and that is no mean feat. The book is fun all over. I loved getting to see Teppic training to be an assassin with the Assassin's Guild in Ankh-Morpork, a world so different in a million and one ways to the one he is used to. I loved how he looked at his home afterwards in a new light, that there were improvements that needed making.

And as with any Pratchett novel there are a myriad of characters to love, hate and love to hate. From the late King Teppicymon XXVII, to his son, Teppic, Dios the high priest and Ptaclusp and his sons, there are a range of characters for you to fall in love with, and laugh at. And laugh I did! That is the thing about Terry and his work. It doesn't matter what the subject matter is, no matter how tender he is around said subject, he has this knack of making things funny. And sometimes his humour is so subtle! There are some parts that upon first reading them you just breeze over it, but then a half second later it hits you and makes you laugh big time.

Death, the character, also made an appearance and so far every time he has popped up in one of the books has been a highlight. It's just so insightful and funny!

I really enjoyed his take on Ancient Egypt and how it fits in with the more modern world that surrounds it. The idea of the pyramids lighting up at night, full of power was very cool and something I liked. I also loved, as I always do in Terry's work his use of things in our world, twisting them to fit the world of the Disc and making them more of a commentary. Whilst his books are a lot of fun to read, they are also very thought-provoking, questioning things of varying seriousness. 

I for one am so happy that I have another 30 or so Discworld books to read as it means I have a lot more fun adventures to experience on the Disc and I cannot wait to get started. I've read the first 2 books and Hogfather and next I'm thinking it'll be time to re-visit my favourite charter of Pratchett's I have read yet, Death, with Mort. Terry may be gone, but with the legacy he has left behind there is no way at all that he will ever be forgotten. His stories, his characters and his settings, are timeless and will go down well for generations to come and that makes me feel kind of warm inside. There is a quote from Death that people shared a lot when he first passed that really speaks to me and made me well up a little if I'm totally honest...

“No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away...”

And you know what, it is totally true! The ripples that Terry has caused will never fade, and so he will live on, in a way, for years and years to come! May he rest well!

Be sure to follow the Terry Pratchett Blog Tour over on twitter. It's running until 5th May and there are a lot of great posts coming! The quality so far has been amazing so far, only testament to how loved Terry and his work is!

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli [Review]

Written by: Becky Albertalli.

Published by: Penguin UK.

Format: Paperback.

Released: 7th April 2015.

Rating: without a doubt, 5/5.

Official synopsis: "Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. And worse still, so will the privacy of ‘Blue’, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing.  With messy dynamics emerging in in Simon’s once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s life suddenly becomes just a little complicated. Now Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out – without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or a fumbling shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s ever met."

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This book guys. This book! Gah. Just... Man, I do not know where to start. 

I'm going to say it right off the bat, I fell in love with this book so quickly and so unquestionably that whilst I wanted to finish it to see how things would wrap up, I never ever EVER wanted it to end. I wanted it to envelop me as deep into the world of Simon and his friends as I could go. Seriously guys, this is my FAVOURITE book of the year so far, hands down! I first heard about it from George (aka George Lester, and George Lester Writes - this man has AMAZING taste) on Twitter and Instagram. Having already had an e-arc for a few weeks this only made me excited - the things I was hearing and his obvious love for the book made me want to read it even more.

The book itself is written so well and Becky has totally managed to capture the goings on in a teenage boys head, let alone a teenage boy like Simon. Simon is gay - he's not out but he's talking to a boy... Well... he's kind of talking to a boy. Emailing a boy, actually. Only Simon has no idea who Blue really is. He know's he is someone who goes to the same school at him, and that Blue obviously isn't his real name, and that Blue, just like Simon, is also gay and not out either. I loved the emails between the two characters. I liked that they took up whole chapters on their own and while this sort of thing can detract from the book itself, taking you out of the main action of the story and distracting you slightly, here it works so well and actually adds to the book. Their emails are so cute, so thoughtful and so real and relatable.

The characters all feel real and relatable to, so much so that a few of the characters reminded me of some of my own friends when I was in school, sharing some traits that a few of my friends had and this made me like the book even more, made me get into it even more, because I related to Simon and his situation so well. Whilst I didn't go back and forth emailing some mystery boy, I did struggle with my own coming out and what I love about this book is that it isn't an average coming out book. It's more than that. The whole way the book flows, the way the events take place, it made me feel all warm in side and I felt so happy for Simon. I know the feeling of everything being okay afterwards, but it's the niggling thoughts you get before that really destroy you and my dad and Simon's dad are SOOOOO similar it is unreal. Seriously! My dad makes everything into a joke, just like Simon's, and he used to make a lot of gay jokes too, but like Simon's dad it died down a long time ago, and was just his way of dealing with things - so that was another thing I liked about the book. The fact that it was so relatable, for myself at least, was incredible and I know there will be countless others out there who identify with Simon and with aspects of the book itself. 

The book is so quotable, and I love this one in particular, it really spoke to me and it rings true! Why should it just be gay people that have to come out? Why should it just be accepted that everyone is straight?

And Blue! Oh man I did not see that coming. All the way through the book I was trying to work it out, it's almost like a gay whodunit, or more rather, I guess, a whoisit? I would decide with one chapter that it would be one person, and then the next I would guess that it was someone else, but never once did I actually get it right! Damn! Becky your red herrings were very well placed! The reveal and the aftermath though had me smiling from ear to ear right through the last pages of the book!

And oreos... That's all I am going to say! Man I love oreos and this book does not help what is already an obsession! Again, thanks Becky!

Overall, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is a stunning, beautifully written tale of secret love, coming out and growing up that will make you fall in love with the character and beam from ear to ear when you turn the last page, more than satisfied!

I love this book so much and would gladly read it again, and again, and again, and again. Because it is such an important book! We need more books like this! We need more books that normalise being gay - when I was in my teens there was nothing around like this at all. Nothing. And that makes me sad. If books like Simon vs had been around when I was a teenager I dare say my outlook at the time would of been completely different to the one I had in reality. I cannot thank Becky enough for such a wonderful book and for George's ranting on Twitter and Instagram that this book was amazing and needed to be read by everyone. He wasn't wrong, and I cannot wait to see an even bigger outpouring of love for this book as time goes on!

My thanks to Penguin for my e-review copy via Netgalley!

Phoenix Rising cover revealed!

"An outlawed pirate crew fight for survival on their ship, the Phoenix, kept afloat by whatever they can salvage or scavenge from the debris-filled seas. Toby’s father is a wanted man. For as long as Toby can remember, they’ve been on the run. The Phoenix has become their home, their backyard the junk-filled seas surrounding it. The crew of the Banshee lives for hunting down the Phoenix and now they’re closing in. Ayla has spent her whole life fighting – preparing for the moment when the Banshee will face its ultimate enemy. But Toby doesn’t want to run any more and Ayla is his only hope. Can he turn an old feud into a new alliance? The future is in their hands."

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First off... WOW! That is a beautiful cover! And secondly, doesn't this sound exciting? Heck yeah it does!

I've been lucky enough to get an ARC of this and I for one cannot wait to get stuck in, so look out for a review nearer to publication!

It's out in June!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Rose Society

The Rose Society by Marie Lu

publishes 6th October 2015.

"Once upon a time, a girl had a father, a prince, a society of friends. Then they betrayed her, and she destroyed them all. Adelina Amouteru’s heart has suffered at the hands of both family and friends, turning her down the bitter path of revenge. Now known and feared as the White Wolf, she and her sister flee Kenettra to find other Young Elites in the hopes of building her own army of allies. Her goal: to strike down the Inquisition Axis, the white-cloaked soldiers that murdered her love, the Crown Prince Enzo Valenciano. But Adelina is no heroine. Her powers, fed only by fear and hate, have started to grow beyond her control. She does not trust her newfound Elite friends. Teren Santoro, leader of the Inquisition, wants her dead. And her former friends, Raffaele and the Dagger Society, want to stop her thirst for vengeance. Adelina struggles to cling to the good within her. But how can someone be good, when her very existence depends on darkness?"

I adored The Young Elites, the first book in the series and I cannot wait to see how things progress in The Rose Society! I love the cover - I mean the colouring, the wolf, the typography... ARGH! It's so perdy! I am very excited to continue this trilogy, October cannot come quick enough!

Zom-B Bride by Darren Shan [Review]

BEWARE!!!! SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS!!! Zom-B Bride is the tenth book in a series so there are bound to be spoilers for the previous books in the series. If you have any intention of reading the Zom-B series then please DO NOT read on because I do not want to be responsible for ruining a major plot point or twist! You have been warned! Read on at your own peril!!

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Written by: Darren Shan.

Published by: Simon and Schuster.

Format: Hardback.

Released: 12th February 2015.

Rating: 5/5.

Official synopsis: "B Smith has been reunited with the murderous maniac clown, Mr. Dowling. To her shock and consternation, he's desperate to make B his partner in crime. Mr. Dowling disgusts her, but B thinks she can see a way to control him and maybe even save the world. But it will involve a sacrifice far greater and more surreal than any she has contemplated before..."

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All good things come to an end and it is always a shame to see them start to wind down, and you would think by now, ten books in to a twelve book saga, most threads would of been tied together by now, but not with the Zom-B series, oh no! There is still life in the old gal and for now she is on full steam ahead, rattling towards what is sure to be a cataclysmic finale, and until that point there is still a lot of shocking to be done, and Zom-B Bride is most definitely full of shocks. Physically and metaphorically speaking too!

Things kick off pretty much where they left off with the last instalment, Zom-B Family. B has seemingly made a pact with the devil as it were to save the lives of the humans left in the power station and has somewhat willingly handed herself over to her enemies, and if anything she's glad of it.

We finally get to see the inner workings for Mr Dowling's operation. His plans, or sometimes lack thereof and of the life he led before the zombie apocalypse that has left the world so ravaged and broken. I particularly liked the scenes were Mr. Dowling let B into his head and the things that went on there, how he seemed like a normal man before the bloodlust and insanity took over. We also learn more about his origins and that I found particularly interesting. 

And of course as the title suggests, it wouldn't be a wedding without a blushing (well, can zombie's actually blush?) bride would it? I loved the scene where Mr. Dowling "fixed" B. Almost like DanDan's torture scene but in reverse. It provided the signature Darren Shan gore whilst still keeping things fun and keeping readers on their toes.

The writing, as ever, is impeccable and unquestionable. Mr. Shan is a master at what he does and with two final instalments to come, and a shattering conclusion at the end of Zom-B Bride leaving B in more danger than she has ever been in, I just do not know if my heart can take it. But I'll sure as hell enjoy finding out!

The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury [Review]

Written by: Melinda Salisbury.

Published by: Scholastic.

Format: Paperback.

Released: 5th February 2015.

Rating: 5/5.

Official synopsis: "Seventeen-year-old Twylla lives in the castle. But although she’s engaged to the prince, Twylla isn’t exactly a member of the court. She’s the executioner. As the Goddess embodied, Twylla instantly kills anyone she touches. Each month she’s taken to the prison and forced to lay her hands on those accused of treason. No one will ever love a girl with murder in her veins. Even the prince, whose royal blood supposedly makes him immune to Twylla’s fatal touch, avoids her company. But then a new guard arrives, a boy whose easy smile belies his deadly swordsmanship. And unlike the others, he’s able to look past Twylla’s executioner robes and see the girl, not the Goddess. Yet Twylla’s been promised to the prince, and knows what happens to people who cross the queen. However, a treasonous secret is the least of Twylla’s problems. The queen has a plan to destroy her enemies, a plan that requires a stomach-churning, unthinkable sacrifice. Will Twylla do what it takes to protect her kingdom? Or will she abandon her duty in favor of a doomed love?"

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First off I have to say that as soon as I saw the cover for The Sin Eater's Daughter I totally and unquestionably fell in love. I didn't know what the book was about and when I first saw the cover I had never heard of it but as soon as the striking image of a girl in a bottle with blood swirling around her popped up on my twitter feed I just had to know what the book was about and from the moment I found out I CRAVED this book. Literally, I craved it! I needed it. I had palpitations, I had cold sweats at night when I woke up with a start realising I didn't have the book, I just needed it. And then when I got it and finally read it something clicked and it all just fell in to place.

This book is a masterpiece. It is beautifully written. Lyrical and smooth, it flows from and before you know it you've read a sizeable chunk when you only promised yourself one chapter before bed. One turned into two and two into three. 

I have to say I had high expectations going in because it sounded so good and I had hoped it would be. I loved it from the start to the finish - and boy that ending, it has me begging for book 2 just to find out what happens next let alone how the story itself continues! I need to know what happened in those next few seconds after this book closes!!! ARGH!

The characters themselves are fantastic. I grew to love Twylla, despite her self-importance that at times drove me mad, and I absolutely despised the queen. God, what an awful woman she is! Violent, quite clearly insane and deathly dangerous, she is not a lady to be messed with.

The fantasy elements were so perfectly done and I love the back story, to Twylla, and the whole reason for a Sin Eater in the first place and what they do and why. It was great fun getting to learn about a new world that feels fun and fresh but yet at the same time has its dark undercurrents that make you think twice!

I for one cannot wait for book 2 and if it is as good as it's predecessor, both in plot and in execution (pardon the pun, considering the content of the story...) then it is sure as hell going to be worth the awfully long wait we are now being subjected too!