Teaser Tuesday (31st January)

Hello everyone, yet another meme. Teaser Tuesday is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading!
To take part:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's mine:

“It’s shocking to me that boys are where your thoughts are focused at this time in the morning, so unlike you.”
Ami laughed off my sarcasm. “No need to be so grumpy, just get some make-up on those bags and you’ll be fine.”
(page 58)





What are you reading? Share your teasers with me! Are they any better than mine?
Email me at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK

Hello everyone, time for my third interview. If you have actually been listening to me rambling on you will know I am currently reading Melanie Cusick-Jones' relatively new book Hope's Daughter, as you can see I also interviewed her and this is what she had to say:

Q1: What inspired you to write such a unique book? 

Before I started writing Hope’s Daughter I’d been working on another project for a long time – literally five years – and was feeling a little uninspired. There was a new author competition I saw advertised with a UK publisher and I thought I’d put something new together for that to get me out of the rut I was stuck in. The competition deadline gave me five months to write something new. Around that time I’d been reading a lot of sci-fi: Philip K Dick, H G Wells and as I’d not seen a huge amount of sci-fi YA I thought I’d try it. The story grew too big for the 80,000 word count limit of the competition, but I loved the characters and the world I was building so I just carried on and finished it. In terms of the specific inspiration for the story, it’s very difficult to discuss in detail without spoilers.

Q2: How old were you when you began writing?

At school I’d done little creative pieces like most people did – plays, poetry – and enjoyed that. At uni I studied English Literature and wrote an ‘epic poem’ for one class and then a morality play for another and it reminded me how much I enjoyed the creative side of things, rather than just reading and writing about other people’s work. When I finished uni in 2003 I decided that I’d try writing a book and have spent the time since then learning how to do it! 

Q3: Who is your most inspirational person?

At one time I’d probably have answered with some worthy famous writer or thinker. Now I’d say my son. When you spend lots of time with children – which I’d never done before – you really look at life and the world in a different way. They will focus on the tiniest, most insignificant things like dust in the sunshine or how water ripples in a puddle and find real magic in it. For fortunate children who have comfortable lives, the freedom of simple happiness and ‘just doing’ is lovely to see and to be honest, it reminds you of what is really important, which gets lost sometimes when you’re older.

Q4: What is your favourite quote?

Ooh, that’s a good question. Some people are very quotable – I’m not I waffle far too much when I talk – I like practical, honesty and so I’ve always liked this:

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” —Oscar Wilde

Q5: What is your favourite book?

This is a tough question, there are just too many great books! Ones that immediately spring to mind are: Human Is? Short stories by Philip K Dick; great YA would be The Hunger Games and A Thousands Splendid Suns is an amazing story, perfectly written.

Q6: Have you got another job alongside/before you started writing?

Yes, my ‘day job’ is in property management, which can be quite demanding mentally and that’s why it takes me so long to get a book written! 

Q7:  Are you in the process of writing a book or planning to start and have you got any other books out already?

I’m currently working on Outlanders and Islanders, which follow on from Hope’s Daughter – as I started working on the ideas in 2010, I’d hope to complete them and release in 2012. The Rainbow Maker’s Tale, which tells the story of Hope’s Daughter from Balik’s perspective is half completed as well and so I’ve got that to finish too.

Q8: Why did you choose my blog in particular to have a review of your book on? 

As a fellow Brit and bookaholic – we already have some things in common J and then looking at your reviews and favourite books we like similar things. As I think I probably write the kind of book I’d like to read myself – hopefully it’ll be your ‘cup of tea’ too! (Very English and proper lol)

9) who is your favourite character you have created?

It has to be Cassie I think – as much as I love Balik and another character I’m working on forOutlanders – Cassie is my favourite. She’s a smart girl, who thinks for herself and because I don’t do high maintenance at all I struggle with girls who whine and need rescuing all the time (whether it’s a personal crisis or one of epic, dystopian proportions). We all have bad days, but suck it up and sort yourself out! However, I don’t expect Cassie to be a robot - at the same time she knows when she needs a bit of help and of course she has excellent taste in men.

Q10: who is your favourite author? 

I think the one writer I’ve never found a fault with is Khaled Hosseini – his stories, characters and beautifully detailed writing construct the perfect novels for me. Perhaps that’s why there’s only two: quality over quantity?

Q11: What is your favourite genre?

I like most things, but probably historical fiction because there’s so much variety. It can be any time period, any country – there’s always something to learn in a fictional world based on real events and places. Some of my favourite books: The Russian Concubine, Snowflower and the Secret Fan,Memoirs of a Geisha, all transport you to another world and let you see it through the eyes of fantastic characters.

Q12: What tips would you give aspiring writers out there?

Just do it – would be the first thing. Open the laptop or pick up your pen and start doing it. You’ll write some real garbage probably, but you’ll also start to develop your skills and a style that you like. Once you’ve started, just keep at it and practise. Over time the words will come easier and flow faster; your first drafts will be better and you’ll learn how to manage the complexities of putting together a novel.

A couple of my favourite ‘writing games’ to help you practise: watch the news or pick up the paper – take the first headline, photograph or story you see and build a very short back-story to it. Writing on something you had no idea about forces you to be extra creative. Another tool is to take random words (adverts will do) pop them onto a list and then write some mini-scenes which each have to include that word – this works really well if you have your own characters you want to develop (I’ve used it inOutlanders to get myself into the ‘world’ of that book). Alternatively you could pick one of your favourite book characters and write it for them fan-fic style. All good practise and you know what they say: practise makes perfect! 

  

Find the author:

Blog – cusick-jones.com

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hopes-Daughter/120936811342768

Buy the book:

You Tube Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/kLuf6DKg8I8

Amazon.com - http://www.amazon.com/Hopes-Daughter-Ambrosia-Sequence-ebook/dp/B006KLYIAG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325852637&sr=8-1

Amazon.co.uk - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hopes-Daughter-Ambrosia-Sequence-ebook/dp/B006KLYIAG/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1323777164&sr=1-5

Apple iBooks -http://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/hopes-daughter/id487926380?mt=11

Barnes and Noble -http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hopes-daughter-melanie-cusick-jones/1107928425?ean=9781618426710&itm=1&usri=hope%27s+daughter

I hope you enjoyed the interview and please look out for my review of Hope's Daughter coming soon. Also there may just be a giveaway, see I can be cryptic. Okay that was a really bad attempt of cryptic-ness but oh well. So you have a giveaway and a  review to look out for. I'm spoiling you! If your an author and you want me to interview you and/or review your book, contact me. Also I haven't had any applicants to do guest reviews except Beka (check out her review on the guest review page) So I would appreciate it if someone could give it a go.

Email me at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK

Musing Monday (30th January)

Hello everyone, wow this is my first meme that I'm participating in. It took me long enough. Anyway... happy Musing Monday.
Musing Mondays is hosted by the awesome blog  Should Be Reading.

This weeks question:How far along are you in  your current read before you start thinking about what you'll read next?
My answer:
I'm usually thinking about what I'm going to read next before I even start my book. At the moment I am reading Hope's Daughter by Melanie Cusick-Jones but I know for a fact that after I have finished it I'm starting Wolfsbane, then Clockwork Prince and so on. My whole year is litrally planned out bookwise. What about you? Leave me your answers to this question.

Email me at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK

 Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.

Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag.She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.

She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.

Buy her another cup of coffee.

Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to sound intelligent.  Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.

It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas and for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by god, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.

She has to give it a shot somehow.

Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.

Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that all things will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.

Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the Twilightseries.

If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.

You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.

You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.

Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.

Or better yet, date a girl who writes.

I saw this poem on another blog and just HAD to share it with you. Hope you enjoyed it, I certainly did!
Email me at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK

The Hunger Games By Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games, where to start. Well at first I was a little apprehensive about reading this book, I'm not really one for reading a book everyone's obsessing over but I thought I would give it a shot. I finished this book last night at 2 O'clock in the morning, it was that addictive that I kept reading it even knowing I had to get up in a couple of hours. All I was thinking when reading this book was 'Why did I leave it so long to read this'.  There was not one part I didn't like.

The Hunger Games follows Katniss Everdeen, she lives with her mother and her sister Prim. Since her fathers death Katniss has been the sole provider for her family but she has to leave them to fend for themselves when her sister Prim is selected to compete in The Hunger Games and Katniss takes her place. The Hunger Games is a fight to the death where two kids from each district are selected as participants, one girl and one boy aged between twelve and eighteen. And this is all aired on live TV.
Here is the synopsis:

"In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.  Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister Primrose, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before — and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love."

Personally I loved this book, I know it sounds slightly gory but it really isn't. Suzanne Collins has put a romantic twist into fighting to the death. Any other author I think would have gone overboard with the gore but The Hunger Games is perfect. It is also going to be turned into a movie soon (YAY!). I really recommend this book to everyone, it really is a work of art. I would give this book a 5/5 stars, I would give it more if I could. So what did you think of the hunger games? If you are an author and want to do an interview or for me to review your book let me know and if anyone is interested in doing a guest review it would be much appreciated.

My favourite quote:
“You don’t forget the face of the person who was your last hope.”

Email me at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK

Review of Generation Dead By Daniel Waters AND Author Interview With Daniel Waters

Hello everyone, yes I'm doing a review AND an author interview together. Buy one get one free, or in this case they are both free. Lucky you. I was so happy to have got to ask Daniel Waters questions as I am a huge fan, plus its always good to get into an authors head. I read this book a few months ago so please forgive me if my review is slightly vague. Anyway I will start with the review.

 Generation Dead follows a normal girl called Phoebe, living a normal life. That is until teenagers begin coming back from the dead, hence the title generation dead. No one knows why this is happening but it is, the teenagers are referred to as 'Living Impared' or 'Differantly Biotic'. No one really wants anything to do with the dead teens, that is except Phoebe. Phoebe feels strangely attracted to the head of the 'living impared' Tommy Williams.  Somehow Daniel Waters manages to make Zombie romance seem well romantic, but can the living and the dead ever be together without prejudice getting in the way? Well you will have to find out.
Here's the Synopsis:

 "Phoebe Kendall is just your typical Goth girl with a crush. He’s strong and silent…and dead.All over the country, a strange phenomenon is occurring. Some teenagers who die aren’t staying dead. But when they come back to life, they are no longer the same. Feared and misunderstood, they are doing their best to blend into a society that doesn’t want them.The administration at Oakvale High attempts to be more welcoming of the “differently biotic.” But the students don’t want to take classes or eat in the cafeteria next to someone who isn’t breathing. And there are no laws that exist to protect the “living impaired” from the people who want them to disappear—for good. When Phoebe falls for Tommy Williams, the leader of the dead kids, no one can believe it; not her best friend, Margi, and especially not her neighbour, Adam, the star of the football team. Adam has feelings for Phoebe that run much deeper than just friendship; he would do anything for her. But what if protecting Tommy is the one thing that would make her happy?"

I really enjoyed this book which was quite unexpected as I don't usually like Zombie themed books, but this one was really good. It explored prejudices that are around now, not towards Zombies of course but towards humans. It shows just how cruel we can be. I was definitely not expecting there to be romance but I was wrong again. It just shows don't judge a book by it's cover or in this case by it's theme. I would rate this book 3.5/5 stars. I would go higher but you know me, I'm a fan of awkward numbers. I would recommend this book to Zombie lovers and those who do not like them so in other words literally everyone.

My favourite quote:
“We make deals with the devil every day, metaphorically.”
 Normally I would end my post here (and I was about to) but there's still the interview. I know your all relived you get to listen to me going on and on for a little longer.  Here's my Question and Answer session with Daniel Waters:

Q1: What inspired you to write your generation dead series?

A news magazine show that on bullying in schools that I watched in a lonely motel room. If you would like to read the full story, it is in the Dear Bully anthology, edited by Carrie Jones and Megan Kelley Hall.

Q2: How old were you when you began writing?

I would say eight or nine. I was serious about it by the time I turned twelve.

Q3: Who is your most inspirational person?

I'm not sure I have a "most" inspirational; so many people inspire me. Lately I'm fascinated by Orson Welles.

Q4: What is your favourite quote?

"We can't ever go back to the old things and try to get the 'old kick' out of something or find things the way we remembered them. We have them as we remember them and they are fine and wonderful and we have to go on and have other things because the old things are nowhere except in our minds now." -Ernest Hemingway

Q5: What is your favourite book?

Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace or The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. I can have two, can't I?

Q6: Have you got another job alongside/before you started writing?

Yes, I've had many different jobs. Since writing Generation Dead, I am occasionally employed elsewhere and occasionally not.

Q7: Are you in the process of writing a book or planning to start?

I am always in the process of writing, and always in the process of planning to start! More concretely, I've just finished the edits on a new book.

Q8: Apart from your generation dead series what other books of yours should my readers look out for?

My next book is a ghost story/thriller called Break My Heart 1000 Times; it is due to be released in the Fall of this year. The book was optioned by Gold Circle Films so with a little luck we may see it as a movie.

Q9: Who is your favourite character you have created?

I don't know that I have an absolute favourite; I tend to really like whoever I am writing about at a given time.

Q10: Who is your favourite author?

I can't pick one, but some of my perpetual favourites are David Foster Wallace, J.D. Salinger, Stephen King, Ernest Hemingway, Kim Newman, Graham Joyce, Shirley Jackson, Douglas Coupland, Ira Levin, Douglas Clegg and F. Paul Wilson. I could keep going.

Q11: What is your favourite genre?

I don't really have one. I read quite a bit of science fiction, horror, noir and literary fiction but will stray out of those categories quite often. I love books of essays on pop culture.

Q12: What tips would you give aspiring writers out there?

Know what your reasons for writing are. Understand that not all writing advice is credible or even well-intentioned. Learn how to take a punch and how to refrain from throwing one. Breathe.

How very interesting! And I loved his tip at the end, NOW I'm going to end the post. Don't worry I will be back soon. If your an author and you want me to promote your book but reviewing it or doing an interview with you please do not hesitate to let me know. Really I love doing it. Thank you for reading. One more thing I now have over 50 followers (YAY!) But lets get it to 100. Yes it's a lot to ask but if you like my blog please tell your friends and if you hate my blog, well still tell your friends. :)

Email me at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK

Author Interview with L.S. Hullinger

Hello everyone, this is my first author interview. How exciting! Anyway L.S. Hullinger is the author of Alibi's Ghosts which I am in the process of reading. I will upload my review and the synposis as soon as I finish it. Alibi's Ghosts is a paranormal novel which Im finding highly intriguing. Anyway enough from me. Enjoy:

Question: What inspired you to write this book?
Answer: A conversation I had with a young man and his mom about the afterlife.

Q: Do you have another job alongside writing or before you started writing?
A: I've worked a variety of jobs in the past, but now I am a full time writer.

Q: One thing I really struggle on is character names. How did you come up with yours?
A: Sometimes while writing the first draft, a name pops into my mind for one of my characters and it fits perfectly. But, most times, I search the internet for baby-name sites, then see what the name means and if it would apply to what I want my character to symbolize in the story. That also works when done in reverse to avoid stereotypical characters. For example, the clichéd Plain Jane. If a character that was anything but plain was named Jane, it would break the stereotyping and give the character depth.

Q: Why did you want a review posted on this blog in particular?
A: I read through the blog and found your reviews to be honest, down-to-earth, and also upbeat in tone and manner.

Q: How old were you when you started writing?
A: I started writing short stories and plays when I was in the fifth grade, some of which my teacher let my friends and I perform for the class. Later I had some of my short stories and essays published in literary and commercial magazines, and also the local newspaper. This is my first self-published children's e-book.

Q: Have you written any other books my readers may want to look out for?
A: I hope to self-publish two more e-books by March that I have already completed: The Pond Haunters, another middle grade paranormal mystery (still working on a cover) and Dear T.E.S.S. (title pending), a crossover genre paranormal novel about walk-ins.

Q: Are you in the process of writing another novel?
A: Yes. I've written half of a coming-of-age novel.

Q: What is your favourite book genre?
A: Paranormal

Q: Who is your favourite author and why?
A: Wow. It's difficult to pick just one. For adult books, Sharyn McCrumb because I like the way she blends her literary style with hints of the paranormal. Also, because I'm from Virginia and enjoy reading about the Appalachian Mountains where many of her books take place.
Prior to writing Alibi's Ghosts, I read over thirty R.L. Stine books, (which were quick reads to get the feel of the middle-grade readership), five Mary Downing Hahn books (because I like the way she details the scenery without it becoming overwhelming, and also how she draws the reader in with subtle hints of the terror to come) and I read seven Sharon Creech books because I enjoy her literary style and quirky likeable characters. I read many more children's books in preparation for writing my own, but those were my favorite authors in the children's genre.

Q: How did you get your book published? I self-published my e-book on Kindle.
A: What tips would you give to young aspiring writers? Write what's important to you, brings you joy, and makes you look forward to completing. In doing so, your true talent will shine through. Also, get it down on paper first before discussing the details with anyone. Too much talk about a project can take the excitement out of it before it's finished and then it becomes very easy to get writer's block when you're facing a blank page.

Q: Just to make it an even number. Why did you decide to write about this subject in particular?
A: I've always been entertained by ghost stories and decided that I'd like to try to entertain others with mine.

So that's what it's like to get in the head of an author. Are you an author? Would you like to do an interview the promote your blog? Please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. Remember I'm still hosting guest reviews if you want to get involved. Thanks for reading.
Email me at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK

The Host By Stephanie Meyer

Hello everyone, I have read this book twice now and each time I forgot to post a review but I have actually remembered today. I read the Host straight after Twilight and it was a refreshing contrast. No sparkly Vampire's in sight. The Host is a dystopia novel in which near enough is human anymore. Their body's are possessed by 'souls', creatures that need to be inserted into host bodies.

The story follows Wanderer (a soul) as she tries to live normally - at least as normally as a soul can live - but she can still hear her host, Melanie's thoughts. Eventually Wanderer begins to listen to Melanie and they both set off to search for the man they both love. Though as with every good story their are complications along the way. In a world where humans are few and souls rule how can Wanderer survive when all humans want to kill her?
Here's the synopsis:

"Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away.

Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed. When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind. Wanderer probes Melanie's thoughts, hoping to discover the whereabouts of the remaining human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer's mind with visions of the man Melanie loves—Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she has been tasked with exposing. When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love."

I really loved this book, it was VERY original. I had never read anything like it, The Host was my first Dystopia novel. The only thing I didn't like was how slow the start of the book was, but by the time I got 1/3 of the way through it sped up drastically. I would definitely recommend this book to people who love Dystopia or have never read a Dystopia novel. It is a great first one. I would rate this book 4/5 stars. How did you like The Host? Did you prefer Jared or Ian? Tell me about it.

My Favourite Quote:
Fine,' Jared snapped. 'But if you try cuddling up to me tonight... so help me, O'Shea."
Ian chuckled. ' Not to sound overly arrogant, but to be perfectly honest, Jared, were I so inclined, I think I could do better.”

Email me at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK

Hello everyone, this was my third book of the year and I loved it. The only downside was how dirty it was. Don't get me wrong I don't mind books that have small bits in but this kinda went over the top. I suppose the cover should have given me an indication of what was to come. Halfway To The Grave follows Cat, normal girl by day, vampire hunter by night. That is until she meets Bones, he kidnaps her and is going to kill her until he realises she's half vampire. So they team up, the ultimate vampire hunter duo.

"If Buffy and Angel had a daughter, she’d be just like Cat Crawfield, a vampire hunter with some vampire blood and an attitude.

Cat’s got a few skeletons in her closet… and some buried in the backyard.  The half-vampire is out to rid the world of these hideous night creatures, and when she’s captured by Bones, she realizes the master vampire has a few things to teach her. Teaming up with one of “them” wasn’t in her plans, but now that the stakes have been raised, she is faced with the most difficult fight of all…."

I really loved most of the characters in this book and that is really uncommon for me. The only character I could NOT stand was Cat's mum but I cannot reveal to you the reasons why without giving away half the story. Cat was quite a good heroine and as her values changed I liked her character more and more. When I reached the end of the book I was very annoyed. My second book this week with a ginormous cliff hanger. But on the bright side I can't wait to get the next book. I would not reccomend this book to anyone under the age of fourteen and even that I feel may be stretching it a little bit. But overall a grat read. I would rate this book 5/5 stars. Happy reading :D

My favorite quote:
“Charles,” Bones said distinctly. “You’d better have a splendid explanation for her being on top of you.”
The black-haired vampire rose to his feet as soon as I jumped off, brushing the dirt off his clothes.
“Believe me, mate, I’ve never enjoyed a woman astride me less. I came out to say hello, and this she-devil blinded me by flinging rocks in my eyes. Then she vigorously attempted to split my skull before threatening to impale me with silver if I so much as even twitched! It’s been a few years since I've been to America, but I daresay the method of greeting a person has changed dramatically!”
Bones rolled his eyes and clapped him on the shoulder. “I’m glad you’re still upright, Charles, and the only reason you are is because she didn’t have any silver. She’d have staked you right and proper otherwise. She has a tendency to shrivel someone first
and then introduce herself afterwards.”

Email me at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK

The Vampire Diaries, The Hunters: Phantom By L.J. Smith

Hello everyone, I had finished this book about four weeks ago but I have been way to busy to write a review. This is the eighth book in the Vampire Diaries series and the first in the hunters sub series. When I first started The Vampire Diaries series I really loved it but after I watched the TV series, the books always seemed boring to me. To tell you the truth I wasn't really looking forward to reading the series but I was curious how they would handle the new sub series, that and I hate giving up on a series. Here is the synopsis:

"Since meeting the irresistible vampire brothers Stefan and Damon Salvatore, Elena Gilbert has been to hell and back. Now that she and her friends have saved their hometown from a demonic spirit, everything can finally go back to normal. But Elena should know better than anyone that Fell’s Church will never be normal. In Phantom, a dangerous new threat sets its sights on Elena. And this time she can only count on one Salvatore brother to protect her."

I didn't have very high expectations for this book. I only read it for the sake of reading it but I was disappointed by this book. At the start I thought it would be OK, it had the basis of a great storyline. It involved names appearing and when the appeared the person would have a something happen to them that could kill them. I know that I'm being a bit vague but I don't want to give too much away. L.J. Smith's style of writing is a bit old fashioned for my liking which is understandable as the first Vampire Diaries book was published in 1991. That's 20 years ago so you can understand why the are a little old fashioned but I think she could have updated them a bit. I would recommend this book to people who don't mind a less modern take on the world of vampires. I would rate this book as 2/5 stars. I hope you enjoyed my review.

My favorite quote:
This was hard to pick as none really stood out to me.

"Damon gave her an almost shy smile—which was funny, because Damon didn't do shy—and shrugged. “Well, princess? You wanted me to be here with you, didn't you?”
As if a rubber band holding her back had snapped, Elena leaped out of bed and hurtled into Damon’s arms."

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More Golden Lily News (Spoiler Alert)

Hello everyone, More Golden Lily news Yaaay! For those of you who love Richelle Mead's books as much as I do here is a few teasers to make the long wait a little more bearable (if that's possible). Here they are:

“You made your own jeans shorts…. with a butter knife?”
Very random one but in context undoubtably hilarious, probably from Adrian.

“Too bad you got so bogged down in books. You’ve got the spirit of a warrior.”
Probably directed at Sydney, probably from Dimitri.

“Adrian, I'm on a date. Why are you here? On my car?”
Noooo Sydney not a date! Luckily it seems Adrian found the need to interrupt.

“I found the candles—atrocious air freshening ones that smelled like fake pine.”
Definately Adrian!

And my personal favorite.
“You need me? You yell. You want me to leave? We go. I’ll get you out of here, no matter what."
So sweet right? I hope Adrian says this, I really do!

So who do you think said what? What do you want to happen in Golden Lily? An Adrian/Sydney romance? An Jill/Eddie romance maybe? Or most unexpected of all an Adrian/Dimitri bromance- that I have to see! I personally just hope Adrian finds love. I'm so excited!!! Tell me your predictions!
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Clockwork Angel By Cassandra Clare

Hello everyone, Yay this is the second book I have read this year. You probably think its strange that I'm reviewing the second book before the first but I loved this book so much I had to share the review with you! I have never read any books by Cassandra Clare before but now I think I'll look into some of her others like The Mortal Instruments series which I have heard is great. Clockwork Angel is a book set in the reign of queen Victoria, so the content and the way they speak is slightly old-fashioned. Usually this would annoy me but it fit beautifully into this book.

Clockwork Angel follows Tessa Grey as she travels to England to see her brother Nate after he sends her a plane ticket out of the blue. When she arrives in England she is greeted by the strange Dark Sisters who claim to have been sent by her brother. Little does Tessa know they actually want to take advantage of the huge power she possesses. After escaping the Dark Sisters she is taken in by the Shadowhunters and meets best friends Jem and Will. Will is your stereotypical bad boy with a witty sense of humour and drastic mood swings. Then there's Jem, kind, forgiving Jem. Terrorised by a secret of his own.
Here is the synopsis:

"Magic is dangerous - but love is more dangerous still...

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray arrives in England during the reign of Queen Victoria, something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Friendless and hunted, Tessa seeks refuge with the Shadowhunters, a band of warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons. Drawn ever deeper into their world, she finds herself fascinated by – and torn between – two best friends, and quickly realizes that love may be the most dangerous magic of all."

So what do you think? Personally I loved this book, It was one of the best I had read in a while. I found that all of the characters had depth to them and that's unusual in books. Strangly enough I didn't hate Tessa, this is one of the few books (and I mean few) in which the main heroine didn't irritate me every time they spoke. I found Will's character a little annoying at first because of his HUGE moodswings but when I came to understand his character better I began to like him. The one character that I loved all through the book was Jem, his character was so well written and consistant. It takes skill to make such a great character, CC should be proud. I would reccomend this book to YA and PNR lovers. I would give 5/5 stars to CA. See it must be good, I gave it a full number after all. Keep Reading :)

My favorite quote:
“’I like ducks,’ Jem observed diplomatically.  ‘Especially the ones in Hyde Park.’ He glanced sideways at Will;…’Remember when you tried to convince me to feed a poultry pie to the mallards in the park to see if you could breed a race of cannibal ducks?’
‘They ate it too,’ Will reminisced.  ‘Bloodthirsty little beasts.  Never trust a duck.’”

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Hello everyone, have you read a really great book lately? Well if it is Young Adult, Paranormal Romance or Dystopia of genre then you can send me a review to be included in my blog. If there are any other genres that you would like to review then if you e-mail me I will make sure  its ok.
Also if you are a devoted reviewer then you could have a regular section. I would really appriciate anyone who would like to do this, as I would like to add a little variety to my blog. So please send me your reviews and inform me whether you want a regular section. It can be once every two months, once a  month, a fortnight or even a week, but it had to be consistant.
Rules for guest reviews are simple:
1) inform me if you want me to use your name or if you want to remain anonymous. If you want me to include your name in the email tell me your preferred name.
2) at the end of your review include your rating out of 5
3) include a synopsis of the book your reviewing so everyone knows what it's about. Use the official one and put it in "speech marks"
4) only review ya, pnr or dystopia. If there is another genre you REALLY want to do I may make an accept ion. But no classics sorry. I might accept horror.
5) you can send me as many reviews as you want and I promise I will upload them all but maybe not all at once
6) I will not be able to publish reviews of books that have been reviewed already.
7) please follow my blog :)
Thank you for reading.

Email me your reviews at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK

Hush Hush By Becca Fitzpatrick

Hello everyone, sorry I havent reviewed anything for a while. I've been very very busy. So now i'm going to review the last book I read in 2011. Hush Hush is the first in the series of books that follow Nora Grey as she tries to have a normal life, this is until she meets the mysterious Patch.

Nora starts to feel strangely attracted to him. But there is also something telling her that there is something differant about him.  He is your typical bad boy but with a secret. He is... Ooo you thought I was going to tell you didn't you? Well sorry you will have to read it and find out yourself :)
Here is the synposis:

"For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She’s never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment. But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora’s not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can’t decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

It sounds awesome right? Well personally I really liked this book, I think most of the characters were very well developed, I found Vee and Patch in paticular great characters. For me the main character Nora Grey had minimal personality and I find that the little personality she did have changed constantly. Although she is not the worst character I've seen in all the books I've read. The worst by far would have to be Elena Gilbert from the Vampire Diaries but that's another story. I would reccomend this book to paranormal romance lovers. I would give this book 4/5 stars. Thankyou for reading.

My favorite quote:
"You smell good, too,” said Patch
“It’s called a shower.” I was staring straight ahead. When he didn’t answer, I turned sideways. “Soap. Shampoo. Hot water.”
“Naked. I know the drill.”
- Patch And Nora

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