Top Ten Tuesday: Books that Feature Travel

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week has a different theme & you can find all the details about how to join in HERE.

Today's theme is Books that Feature Travel and I have to admit that I initially thought I was going to struggle to come up with 10 books to include. I haven't actually read many road trip books but when I sat down to think of it I managed to come up with plenty of stories that involve travel in some form or another.

Anyway, lets have a look at a few of my favourites (links will take you to my reviews):

The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien

You don't get many journeys more epic than the one that Bilbo Baggins takes with Gandalf and the dwarves when they travel across the mountains to take back their home! Full of adventure, magical creatures, dragons and treasure this is a book I've read many times over the years and I really enjoyed the recent film adaptation too. I'm looking forward to watching the next two movies.

The Clan of the Cave Bear - Jean M. Auel

Jean M. Auel's Earth's Children series has been one of my favourites since I was a teenager (the less said about the 6th and final book the better though!) and I've lost count of the number of times I've read them. The series is set around the time of the last ice age (35,000 years ago) and follows a young girl Ayla as she travels across whole continents in search of a place to call home. I love this series for the rich historical data but more for the emotional journey that Ayla goes on as she grows up and finds her place in the world.

From What I Remember - Stacy Kramer & Valerie Thomas

From What I Remember is a more traditional road trip story that shows how one of the school's hottest guys Max ends up in Mexico with geek girl Kylie. The book is absolutely hilarious and I loved every minute of it!

Tiger's Curse - Colleen Houck

Colleen Houck's Tiger series follows Kelsey on a journey across India as she tries to help brothers Ren and Kishan break a 300 year old curse. You get to visit various temples and the jungle, learn about some of the Indian gods and goddesses and fall in love with not one but two gorgeous Indian princes who have been cursed to spend the majority of their time living as tigers.

Between Shades of Gray - Ruta Sepetys

Between Shades of Gray is the heartbreaking story of a young Lithuanian girl called Lina and her family as they are captured by Soviet guards and forced to travel across Europe to a Siberian work camp in the Arctic circle. Set during WWII and based on true stories this book highlights the atrocities committed by Stalin and is an incredibly emotional read but it is a book that I can't recommend highly enough. If you haven't come across this book before take a few minutes to watch this video of the author Ruta Sepetys as she talks about the inspiration behind the story but make sure you have tissues to hand because you're sure to need them!


Ruta Sepetys discusses her upcoming novel, Between Shades of Gray from Penguin Young Readers Group on Vimeo.

A Conspiracy of Alchemists - Liesel Schwarz

Liesel Schwarz's steampunk adventure takes you across Europe stopping off at London, Paris, Venice and Constantinople. Main character Elle is a dirigible pilot so you'll get to fly in an airship but you also enjoy a luxury ride on the Orient Express!

Demons of the Ocean - Justin Somper

If you enjoy books aimed at a slightly younger audience or are looking for a fun family read then I'd definitely recommend Justin Somper's Vampirates series. Sail the seven seas with twins Grace and Connor in this futuristic world where the seas have risen and the waters are controlled by both pirates and vampirates (yes, you did read that right vampirates - vampires who are also pirates!)

Poison Princess - Kresley Cole

I love Kresley Cole's adult books so I was excited to get my hands on her first YA novel Poison Princess last year. Set in the future after an apocalyptic event that Evie had been having visions of before it happened this is a fab story and something that's really unique. Main characters are based on the Major Arcana cards found in a Tarot deck and each have different powers and abilities. Evie teams up with sexy Cajun Jack to try and search for answers and they travel across the country looking for the other main players.

Fire and Thorns - Rae Carson

Fire and Thorns is a fabulous fantasy adventure that follows princess Elisa when she is sent far from home to marry a man she has never met. Follow her epic journey across the desert as she fights to find a place for herself in a new country when she doesn't know who her enemies are.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

My last pick is a little bit of a cheat because although The Night Circus travels the world the focus of the story is much more on what is happening inside the circus than outside of it. It is such a beautiful novel that I couldn't resist including it anyway though and I can't recommend it highly enough!

So what books did you include on your list? Did we have any of the same picks? Leave me a link to your post in the comments and I'll stop by and check it out!

Quick Review: Dead Deep - Justin Somper

"Do you wanna go deep?  Or do you wanna go dead deep?"

When Connor Tempest and his swashbuckling pirate buddies get a rare break in their duties, they're in the mood for fun, sun and adventure.  A chance meeting with the crew of The Lorelei seems to offer all that and more.  Soon, Connor and co are learning to free dive into the amazing world far beneath the ocean's surface.

But the pirates are further out of their depth than they realise.  Under the water, danger is lurking - and it's going to take everything they've got to get out alive . . .

Vampirates Series:

Demons of the Ocean

Dead Deep (short story published in 2007 - doesn't have to be read to follow the series)

Tide of Terror

Blood Captain

Black Heart

Empire of Night
Immortal War

For more information visit the Vampirates website

Review:

Dead Deep is a short story that is set between Demons of the Ocean and Tide of Terror (the first 2 books in the series), it was published for World Book Day and you can easily read the rest of the series without picking up this book.  However, if you're a fan of the series like me then it is definitely worth trying to get hold of a copy.  In later books in the series several mentions are made about the "lost weekend" that occurred when Connor, Bart & Jez went on shore leave and I've been wanting to find out what happened for a while now.  As I've finished reading the rest of the series this was a perfect way to dip back into the world of the Vampirates.

I don't want to go into details of the story as it would be too easy to give spoilers but Dead Deep is an exciting adventure with the three buccaneers and was a great addition to the series.  If you've read the other books like I have then you'll recognise a few of the characters who crop up from later books and it answered a few questions I had about their previously unknown history.  This is a fun, fast read and definitely recommended to Vampirates fans.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:

If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Winner: Vampirates Series by Justin Somper

With the help of random.org I am very happy to announce that the winner (who gets to pick a book of their choice from the Vampirates series by Justin Somper) is:

Vivienne

Congratulations Vivienne!  You mentioned in your comment that you would like to win the first book in the series Demons of the Ocean.  If you can email me at sarahsreviews at ymail dot com with your address details I will order your book for you.  If I don't hear from you within 1 week then a different winner will be chosen.

Review: Immortal War - Justin Somper

The Final Battle . . .

A bloody war is raging across the oceans, with the Pirate Federation and the Nocturnals allied against the renegade Vampirates let by Sidorio and a heavily pregnant Lady Lola.

Meanwhile, Connor and Grace Tempest each have their own important roles to play - he as a pirate warrior at the heart of the battle, she as a powerful healer working with the war-wounded.  As the twins face their greatest challenges yet, old allies and formeer foes return for the ultimate battle . . .






Vampirates Series:

Demons of the Ocean

Dead Deep (short story published in 2007 - doesn't have to be read to follow the series)

Tide of Terror

Blood Captain

Black Heart

Empire of Night
Immortal War

For more information visit the Vampirates website

Review:

There is nothing more satisfying (or scary!) as picking up the final book in a series you've come to love.  You've invested so much time reading the earlier books and the characters are like friends, you need to know what happens to them but you're worried that the book won't live up to your expectations and you're not ready to reach the end of your journey.  I'll admit I was nervous picking up Immortal War, how was Justin Somper going to top Empire of Night?  I shouldn't have been worried though, each book in the series has been consistantly better than it's predesessor and Immortal War was no exception to that - it was a fitting end to a fantastic series and I'm sure it will satisfy the fans.

I don't really want to go into much detail on the plot because I want other fans to be able to savour the experience of reading this for themselves.  As the title suggests the war to end all wars is on and the characters we know and love are all in the thick of things.  Grace has grown into a powerful healer and is kept busy as the war casualties begin to mount up.  Connor on the other hand is right in the middle of the action working alongside Cheng Li, the pirates and Nocturnals to put a stop to the threat by Sidorio and the Vampirates.  The battle will be hard and as fans will already know Justin Somper isn't afraid of putting major characters in harms way - all I'm going to say is keep tissues to hand when you're reading!

I was on the edge of my seat from the prologue and the action just doesn't stop until the very last page - you're in for another rollercoaster ride with Immortal War so prepare to be left breathless!  Connor and Grace both develop new and interesting abilities that are a major asset to the Alliance, Connor is still struggling to come to terms with what he is and even Moonshine does some growing up.  The alliance between the Pirate Federation and the Nocturnals has made great progress but there is still a very real risk that the Vampirates could win the war.  Allies both old and new are set to make an appearance and I'm sure some will come as quite a surprise. 

I loved the way we get to see so many loose ends tied up but there are still a couple of new developments that are left open and I really hope we get to see more of this series at some point in the future.  Although you could probably pick up Immortal War and read it as a stand alone story I would highly recommend reading the series in order.  Whatever your preference just make sure you don't miss out, start your Vampirates journey today!

Source: Received from Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review.

Other Reviews:

If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Author's Animal Antics - Justin Somper + International Giveaway

* UPDATE - THIS GIVEAWAY HAS NOW ENDED - Winners announced here *

Author's Animal Antics is a regular blog feature here at Feeling Fictional where I'm very excited to have some fantastic authors come and chat to us about their pets or share animal related stories.  I haven't had as much time to organise this feature recently so it's been a while since the last post but I'm thrilled to introduce Justin Somper as my guest today...

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Justin with Bella & Bailey

Bailey & Bella

When I was asked how influential my two dogs, Bailey and Bella, have been on the VAMPIRATES books, my first reaction was to say… not much, really! I’ve never been tempted to write Vampirate dogs into the books. I’ve done Vampirate cowboys and I’ve done Vampirate highwaywomen but I think Vampirate dogs really would be a step too far! Nor have I drawn on either dog’s personality to develop a character based on them – though I inherited Bella from previous owners and one of her former names was Lola! How spooky is that? I’m glad that when I got her, she was already responding to Bella. It would have been too weird for me crying out “Lola!” as I walked around the woods in the morning.

Bailey

If anything, I’m tempted to say, my dogs – much as I love them - are a positive hindrance to the creative process. Not least when I have my huge chapter-grids laid out on my office floor and they come in and sit on them or make off with one of my vital post-it notes!

Bailey "helping" with the writing process!

Is that a reward for Bailey's writing skills?

But actually thinking about it, they are a part of the writing process. Pretty much every morning, I take them for a walk first thing – around the woods or across the heath near where I live in North London. This walk is quality time with them. You only have to spend time with dogs to see that a walk isn’t just about physical exercise – it’s complete mental and sensory overload for them! But for me, the morning walk, serves another purpose. It can be a meditative start to the day and it’s certainly a great opportunity to ponder where I’m at in the book and any niggling problems regarding the plot or characters. It’s amazing how beneficial repetitive exercise is for resolving such conundrums. I’m often asked how to prevent or combat “writer’s block” and my two answers are 1) to plan out the story in advance (hence my chapter grids) and 2) if you get stuck to go for a walk or a swim etc.

Bella with Justin

Justin with Bailey

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Thank you so much for visiting today Justin, I love all the pictures of Bailey & Bella - I have to admit the ones with the reinder antlers are my favourites!  Justin is currently taking part in a blog tour to celebrate the release of the final book in the Vampirates series, Immortal War.  If you haven't yet discovered this series it really is one you should check out!  Don't forget to check out the other tour stops too (you can find a list on my sidebar).  I'll be posting my review of Immortal War later today but I'll tell you now that I thought it was my favourite book in the series and rounded things off really well.

The Vampirates Series:

The Final Battle . . .

A bloody war is raging across the oceans, with the Pirate Federation and the Nocturnals allied against the renegade Vampirates let by Sidorio and a heavily pregnant Lady Lola.

Meanwhile, Connor and Grace Tempest each have their own important roles to play - he as a pirate warrior at the heart of the battle, she as a powerful healer working with the war-wounded. As the twins face their greatest challenges yet, old allies and formeer foes return for the ultimate battle . . .

Find out more about Justin and his work here - The Vampirates Website / Twitter / The Vampirates Facebook Page

For more information about the Author's Animal Antics feature click here

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Giveaway Details:

This is such a fab series that I've decided to include an international giveaway.  The winner can choose any book they like from the Vampirates series (either Demons of the Ocean, Tide of Terror, Blood Captain, Black Heart, Empire of Night or Immortal War) so whether you're new to the series or you're desperately waiting for the final installment you can still enter.

• I will be ordering the winner one of the Vampirates books from the Book Depository so the giveaway is international as long as Book Depository delivers to you (check here to make sure you can enter)
• I'm keeping this giveaway really simple so all you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post for Justin.
• You have until the 17th of June to enter and the winner will be announced on my blog soon afterwards.
• The winner will have 1 week to contact me with their address and their book choice so I can order their prize or a new winner will be chosen.
• If you're under 16 you are welcome to enter but you will need to make sure you have a parent or guardian's permission and if you are the winner you must get them to contact me with an address to send your prize to.
• There are no extra entries for spreading the word or for following my blog but if you choose to do either I'd really appreciate it :o)

Review: Empire of Night - Justin Somper

The stakes rise . . .

Sidorio, fuelled by grief and revenge, is intent on becoming King of the Vampirates and building a new empire to bring terror to the oceans.  But he faces growing opposition from both the Pirate Federation and from the more benign vampire realm, led my Mosh Zu and Lorcan Furey.

Twins Grace and Connor Tempest, still reeling from the recent discovery of their true parentage and it's explosive implications, are thrust deep into the heart of the conflict.  As old friends and foes are thrown together unexpectedly, the twins find their allegiances shifting in ways no-one could ever have imagined . . .

Vampirates Series:

Demons of the Ocean

Dead Deep (short story published in 2007 - doesn't have to be read to follow the series)

Tide of Terror

Blood Captain

Black Heart

Empire of Night
Immortal War

For more information visit the Vampirates website

Review:

Empire of Night is the 5th book in the vampirates series so I'm going to assume that if you're reading this review you've already read the first 4 books, therefore although this review will be spoiler free for Empire of Night it will mention events from the earlier books.  You have been warned!  If you haven't started this series yet then I'd highly recommend getting hold of a copy of Demons of the Ocean asap.

I've mentioned in previous reviews how much I love this series but trust me the stakes have been raised in this installment and in my opinion it was the best book so far.  After the revelations in Black Heart that Sidorio is the twins real father they are both dealing with this news in very different ways.  Grace is more open to the idea, she has spent a lot more time with the Vampirates and is more accepting of them but Connor is horrified - this really is his worse nightmare.  As both of them are given the task of spying on Sidorio (Connor for the Pirate Federation and Grace for the Nocturnals) they are forced to spend more time with him than either of them would have chosen to do.  As they are drawn deeper into Sidorio's world you will probably find yourself shocked at some of their reactions but wow does it make for an interesting read.

What I love most about this series is the character development that not just Connor and Grace but also the other characters go through.  Having the story told from so many different points of view allows Justin Somper to show events from multiple angles and he really is a master at weaving the various story lines together into an addictive read.  The books are full of mini cliffhangers as the story switches to another plot line every chapter and this makes them practically impossible to put down.  In Empire of Night I was shocked and horrified after reading the prologue but also completely hooked - I just HAD to know what was going to happen.

This story is somewhat darker than the earlier books but all the better for it.  Good and evil can't be seen in black and white - each of the characters are an interesting shade of grey and even Sidorio has a nicer side which is something I never expected to say.  I was on an emotional roller coaster for this one and I loved every minute of it (even if it did make me shed a tear or two!).  I can't wait to read Immortal War, although I'll be sad to see the series end I have a feeling it's going to go out with a bang.

Source: This book was given to me by Becky (from The Bookette).  Thanks Becky!

Other Reviews:

If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Review: Black Heart - Justin Somper

A new danger dawns . . .

There's a new ship of vampirates roaming the seas, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.  When a high-profile pirate is slain, the Pirate Federation launches a ship of dedicated vampire hunters, led by newly-appointed Captain, Cheng Li.  Amongst her dynamic crew is young pirate prodigy, Connor Tempest.

Meanwhile, Connor's twin sister Grace enjoys a bittersweet reunion with their mother, Sally, who has some important and shocking news for her daughter.  As Grace uncovers the truth about her family's past, she realises that she and Connor face a daunting and uncertain future . . .

Vampirates Series:

Demons of the Ocean

Dead Deep (short story published in 2007 - doesn't have to be read to follow the series)

Tide of Terror

Blood Captain

Black Heart

Empire of Night
Immortal War

For more information visit the Vampirates website

Review:

Having been released from his articles by Molucco Wrathe Connor keen to start a new life with Cheng Li as his Captain.  After the murder of an important pirate by the vampirates they are given a vital mission by the Pirate Federation to track down and destroy the killer.  Meanwhile Grace is keen to spend time with their mother but she is about to learn some shocking news about her family that will change everything for both herself and her brother.

Black Heart is the fourth book in the Vampirates series and was probably my favourite book so far.  This really is a great adventure series and although you could probably pick it up here and be able to follow the story I'd still recommend reading the books in order or you'll be missing out on some great reads.  A lot has changed for both Connor and Grace since the series began and although they are only 14 they have done a lot of growing up.  I'm enjoying watching their characters grow and am looking forward to seeing what effect the revelations made by their mother will have on them in the future.

I love the way the story is told from so many different perspectives and most of the chapters end on cliffhangers that make you want to skip ahead to continue that particular storyline - although of course moving to the next chapter allows you to go back to another plot that you had been left desperate to read more of previously!  Justin Somper certainly knows how to build the tension and juggle multiple plot threads without making the story confusing.

This is a series with a fantastic range of characters that you want to spend more time with, Lady Lola Lockwood may have been a new introduction but she definitely leaves her mark in the series.  I love both Grace and Connor but I'm also curious to see what happens with Stukeley & Johnny, I wonder if they can redeem themselves or if they are truly going to turn out to be evil at heart.  If you're a fan of either vampires or pirates then this is a series you don't want to miss but I'd definitely recommend starting with Demons of the Ocean, you won't regret it!

Source: Received for review from publisher Simon & Schuster

Other Reviews:

If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

News: Vampirates Blog Tour with Justin Somper

I'm really excited to be taking part in Justin Somper's blog tour to celebrate the release of Immortal War, the 6th and final book in the Vampirates series.  There will be lots going on so make sure you check out all of the tour posts in June.  Have a look at this video of Justin talking about the tour for more information:

 

 

Here is a full list of all the tour stops & don't forget to stop back here on the 9th of June when Justin will be taking part in my Author's Animal Antics feature!

• Monday 6th June -- Chicklish - Extract #1
• Tuesday 7th June -- My Favourite Books - An interview with Justin Somper
• Wednesday 8th June -- The Crooked Shelf - Guest Post: on Lady Lola Lockwood & The Women of Vampirates
• Thursday 9th June -- Feeling Fictional - Animal Antics
• Friday 10th June -- The Bookette --Extract #2
• Saturday 11th June - Girls Without A Bookshelf - Playlists & The Music of Vampirates
• Sunday 12th June - Wondrous Reads - 10 Ways to Know You're Obsessed with Vampirates
• Monday 13th June -- Daisy Chain Books - Guest Post: Ending An Era -- Killing Off Vampirates
• Tuesday 14th June -- Empire of Books -- Top ten Vampirates characters ever
• Wednesday 15th June -- Book Zone For Boys -- Q&A with Justin
• Thursday 16th June - I Want To Read That - WIN! Vampirates swag

If you'd like to find out more about the Vampirates series before the tour starts you can always check out the Vampirates website or follow Justin on Twitter!

Review: Blood Captain - Justin Somper

The terror is within . . .

For Connor, these are testing times aboard notorious pirate ship, The Diablo - not least when Captain Wrathe's obnoxious nephew Moonshine joins the crew.  And, as things reach breaking point, Connor finds himself crossing a line from which there is no return . . .

Meanwhile his twin sister, Grace, journeys with Lorcan to Sanctuary, a mountain retreat presided over by by Vampirate guru, Mosh Zu Kamal.  If anyone can heal Lorcan's blindness, he can - but he seems more interested in Grace.  Combating danger on all sides, Grace realises her fate is inextricably bound up with the Vampirates . . .

Vampirates Series:

Demons of the Ocean

Dead Deep (short story published in 2007 - doesn't have to be read to follow the series)

Tide of Terror

Blood Captain

Black Heart

Empire of Night
Immortal War

For more information visit the Vampirates website

Review:

Connor took to life aboard the Diablo like a duck to water and loves being a pirate, well he did before Captain Wrathe's nephew Moonshine joined the crew.  Now he's not so sure, especially when Moonshine's actions cause problems for him and his friends, perhaps the pirate life isn't the best thing for him after all.  Meanwhile Grace travels to Sanctuary with Lorcan where they hope that the Vampirate guru Mosh Zu Kamal will be able to cure Lorcan's blindness.  But why is Mosh Zu so interested in Grace and what are the secrets that Lorcan is hiding?

The books in the Vampirates series are great action adventure stories about two of my favorite things - vampires and pirates.  How could I resist?  Even though the stories are aimed at a younger age range than I would usually read I've been thoroughly enjoying the series and I think Blood Captain was my favorite book so far.  Through alternating chapters we get to see what is happening with both Grace and her twin brother Connor, they have both chosen very different lives since being rescued by different ships back in the first book.  I really like the way the story is told from two different perspectives and it is interesting to see the differences between life on a normal pirate ship with Connor and Grace's life with the Vampirates.

In the first two books Connor was certain that the pirate life was perfect for him.  He enjoyed the sword training and the Captain was like a surrogate father to him but everything is different now that Moonshine is part of the crew.  As they set out on a raiding mission Connor is full of excitement but after he is forced to make a very difficult decision he suddenly realises that it isn't all fun being a pirate.  I can't say much more without giving spoilers so I'll just say I thought Justin Somper handled the outcome of this event very well.

Grace also has her own challenges to face, she feels incredibly guilty about Lorcan's injury as she believes it is all her fault.  She is determined to do whatever she can to help him recover and travels with him to Sanctuary where she meets Mosh Zu Kamal.  While at Sanctuary she learns more about the Vampirates but more importantly she has a discovery to make about her own abilities and I'm very interested to see how this develops throughout the series.  Lorcan's recovery isn't going to be easy, it isn't just about the physical injury and there is something blocking him from healing and Grace needs to try help him to work through whatever it is that is holding him back.  It soon becomes clear Lorcan has been keeping secrets from her but can Grace get him to open up so he can start to heal?

This is a great series that I think will appeal to boys and girls who are looking for a swashbuckling adventure story.  I would definitely recommend it to teens and young adults but I think it is the kind of story adults can read too, after all I'm not really in the target age range myself and that hasn't stopped me enjoying them!

Source: Received for review from publisher Simon & Schuster

Other Reviews:

If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Simon & Schuster Blogger Event - 3rd February 2011

Last month I was extremely lucky to be invited to attend Simon & Schuster's 2nd blogger event and get to meet some of their authors.  I went up to London early to meet up with Sammee, Lyndsey and Vicky (you should know by now that I can never resist a trip to the massive Waterstone's in Piccadilly for a little book shopping!) and then we joined up with Carly, Becky & Dwayne for coffee and a catch up before the event.  Luckily Jenny was able to meet us and direct us to the S&S offices as I don't think I'd ever have found it otherwise.

The event was split into 2 parts the first being a Q&A panel with authors Helen Warner (RSVP), Craig Robertson (Random), Michelle Harrison (The 13 Treasures series), Justin Somper (Vampirates series), Sophie McKenzie (Girl, Missing), Milly Johnson (A Summer Fling) and Kevin J Anderson (Hellhole).  All of the bloggers had been given the opportunity to send in questions and it was really interesting listening to the authors chat about how and when they find the time to write, how they come up with their ideas and what they're going to be working on next.  I wish I'd thought to take notes about what was said but I was too busy taking pictures and just enjoying listening to the panel.

After the panel we were taken through to what I'm guessing was the conference room where S&S had laid on a fab spread of drinks and nibbles for us to munch on while we mingled.  There may also have been a large selection of books that we were allowed to raid and I may possibly have got a little carried away and ended up practically pulling my arms out of their sockets trying to drag my haul back to the train station but I'm not going to either confirm or deny those rumors!  It was lovely to get to spend time chatting with the bloggers I knew, unfortunately there were so many people there that I didn't get to meet so I'm sorry if I missed you.

The nicest thing was how approachable all of the authors were, I was able to spend a few minutes chatting to each of them and got all of my books signed.  I've already started reading the 13 Treasures series by Michelle Harrison and the Vampirates series by Justin Somper but I'm looking forward to reading books by each of the other authors who were there.  I'm sure I'll end up adding a few more favorites to my list!  As you can probably tell by the slide shows I got a little carried away with my camera, if you'd like to look at all the pictures I took you can find them online here

I'd like to say a massive thank you to Kat, Ally, Catherine and everyone else from Simon & Schuster who worked so hard to set up a wonderful event.  Thanks also to all of the authors too for taking the time to chat to us crazy bloggers (we aren't really crazy fan girl stalkers honest!).

Who Was There:

Kat, Ally & Catherine - Simon & Schuster
Craig Robertson - Author Page on S&S Website
Helen Warner - Author Page on S&S Website
Justin Somper - Vampirates Website
Kevin J Anderson - Blog
Michelle Harrison - Website
Milly Johnson - Website
Sophie McKenzie - Website

Amanda - Floor to Ceiling Books - Event Report
Becky - The Bookette

Carly - Writing From The Tub

Dwayne - Girls Without a Bookshelf

Jenny - Wondrous Reads

Liz & Mark - My Favorite Books
Lyndsey & Vicky - Heaven, Hell and Purgatory Book Reviews
Lynsey - Narratively Speaking
Matt - Teen Librarian
Sammee - I Want To Read That
(There were a lot of other bloggers there & I didn't catch all of your names so if I've missed you off let me know & I'll add your link)

Review: VAMPIRATES: Tide of Terror - Justin Somper

The Vampirates are back!

Connor Tempest may only be fourteen but he's taken to the life of a pirate like a duck to water.  But his loyalties are divided between his shipmates and his sister.  Grace isn't finding the pirate life so appealing.  She cannot shake the feeling that all is not well on the Vampirate ship she left behind.  Dare she try to return to it?

Meanwhile Sidorio may have been expelled from the Vampirate ship but his dark deeds are just beginning... The seas are rougher than ever for Connor, Grace, their allies and their foes.

Vampirates Series:

Demons of the Ocean

Dead Deep (short story published in 2007 - doesn't have to be read to follow the series)

Tide of Terror

Blood Captain

Black Heart

Empire of Night
Immortal War

For more information visit the Vampirates website

Review:

Connor is really enjoying life onboard The Diablo and is fast learning how to become a better pirate.  Grace however, isn't so happy - she keeps getting strange visions and is positive that something is wrong on the Vampirate ship.  She is torn between wanting to return to help the Vampirates and not wanting to leave Connor.

When a pirate raid goes badly wrong it brings home to Grace how unsafe life is for Connor on The Diablo.  When she has the opportunity to get him away from the ship to the Pirate Academy she jumps at the chance.  But has she taken Connor out of the frying pan and into the fire?  It soon becomes clear that all is not what it seems and it is impossible to decide who they can trust.

I really enjoyed this second installment of the Vampirates series although the main plot arcs for this book are resolved it has left me itching to read more and curious about future twists to the series.  I'm looking forward to reading about further adventures for both Grace & Connor.  I'd recommend this series to all fans of young adult adventure stories.

Source: Recieved for review from publisher Simon & Schuster

Other Reviews:

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Review: VAMPIRATES: Demons of the Ocean - Justin Somper

Uncharted Waters...

The year is 2505.  The oceans have risen.  A new era of piracy is dawning.  A vicious storm separates twins Connor and Grace Tempest, destroying their boat and leaving them fighting for their lives in the cruel, cold water.

Picked up by one of the more notorious pirate ships, Connor soon finds himself wielding a cutlass.  But does he have the stomach to be a pirate?  Grace finds herself aboard a more mysterious ship.  Kept under lock and key, she's assured no harm will come to her, just as long as she follows the enigmatic captain's rules...

Can the twins survive life on-board - and find their way back to each other?  The voyage of the VAMPIRATES is about to begin...

Vampirates Series:
Demons of the Ocean
Dead Deep (short story published in 2007 - doesn't have to be read to follow the series)
Tide of Terror
Blood Captain
Black Heart
Empire of Night
Immortal War

For more information visit the Vampirates website

Review:
In this first installment of the Vampirates series Grace and Connor find themselves orphaned after the death of their father.  They have always been outsiders in their village and when their only choices seem to be either living with the local bank manager & his nosey wife or moving into the local orphanage they decide they'd be better off on their own.  However, things end up going from bad to worse when, after taking their Dad's boat, they end up shipwrecked in a storm.

Connor is unable to find Grace but is rescued by Cheng Li, the deputy captain of The Diablo.  The captain Molucco Wrathe lets Connor join the crew and so his training as a pirate begins.  Meanwhile Grace was rescued by a completely different ship - The Nocturne.  She was rescued by Lorcan and is now being kept locked in a cabin.  But why is she there?  Can she trust Lorcan who tells her she is there for her own protection or is she actually a prisoner?

I really enjoyed this story & I liked the way it switched between Grace & Connor's stories with every chapter - often leaving you on a cliffhanger.  There are some great characters - captain Wrathe really reminded me of Johnny Depp's captain Jack Sparrow & the Vampirate captain is a mysterious character who I'm looking forward to finding out more about.  I also can't wait to see what happens between Lorcan and Grace in future stories.

If there was anything about the book I was unsure of it was the fact that the book is supposed to be set in 2505 but I didn't get any feel of what the future holds.  All we know is that there was a flood and it is easier to get around using boats but other than that it could almost have been a historical novel, there is no futuristic technology & the pirates weapon of choice is the sword.  That didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book though & I'm hoping there will be more explanation in future installments.  Overall I really enjoyed the book & am looking forward to continuing the series.

Source: Recieved for review from publisher Simon & Schuster

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.