New Releases for my Birthday

Yay it's my birthday today - yes I know that makes me an April Fool but I actually think that's quite appropriate for me LOL!!!  So today I'm turning 31 (sshhhhh that's a secret!) & I'm going to be marking the day by getting a new tattoo - pics will come when we're back from our holiday :o)

I'm planning on having a giveaway to celebrate my birthday & the fact that I'm nearly at 100 followers (I was at 91 when I left on Saturday morning).  Unfortunately I just didn't have time to sort out the details before I left but I will get it posted as soon as I can when we get home so keep an eye out next week :o)

There are some fab new releases coming out in the UK today that I wanted to spotlight:

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Brittany Ellis seems to have it all; wealthy parents, the perfect boyfriend and the "right" group of friends.  But when Brittany is forced to become lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the wrong side of town, her perfect life starts to unravel.  Alex is a bad boy, and he knows it, so when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it.

But as Alex and Brittany grow closer, sparks begin to fly and they both realise that sometimes appearances can be deceptive.  Will their emerging feelings be enough to keep them together when the world is determined to keep them apart?

I absolutely loved Perfect Chemisty - you can check out my review here.  If you haven't already got this one then you should go and buy it today!!

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

When sixteen-year-old Sophie Mercer discovers she's a witch, she imagines life will be full of magic, fun and ... well ... broomsticks!  But her first attempt at a love spell goes disastrously wrong and, as punishment, Sophie is shipped off to Hectacte "Hex" Hall, a reform school for witches, shapeshifters and faeries.

By the end of her first day among her fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tag-along ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person on campus and the only vampire.

Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students and her only friend is the number-one suspect...

A fantastic debut from Rachel Hawkins - I can't wait to read more from this series!  Check out my review here

His Darkest Hunger by Juliana Stone

Jaxon Castille: jaguar shifter, warrior, assassin. He has long hungered for the chance to make his former lover, Libby Jamieson, pay for her deadly betrayal. After three long years he’s finally found her. The hunt is over…

But the Libby that he finds is not what he expected. She has no memory of their tumultuous affair; of her treachery; of anything beyond her own name. A shadowy and deadly clan has marked them both for death, and in an instant the game changes: the hunter has become the hunted.

On the run, with the ghosts of their past between them and a dark, desperate hunger quickly reclaiming their bodies and souls, Libby and Jaxon must discover the truth behind the dark forces working against them. Together, they must grab hold of a destiny that has the power to either heal them or destroy them.

But the truth is far more shattering than anyone could imagine…

I've not read His Darkest Hunger yet but this is a book I've been looking forward to for ages!  I have requested it as a birthday present but if I don't get it then it will be the first thing I'm buying with any birthday money I get :o)

Hope you all have a fantastic April Fool's day!

ARC Review: Hex Hall - Rachel Hawkins

When sixteen-year-old Sophie Mercer discovers she's a witch, she imagines life will be full of magic, fun and ... well ... broomsticks!  But her first attempt at a love spell goes disastrously wrong and, as punishment, Sophie is shipped off to Hectacte "Hex" Hall, a reform school for witches, shapeshifters and faeries.

By the end of her first day among her fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tag-along ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person on campus and the only vampire.

Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students and her only friend is the number-one suspect...

Hex Hall is being released in the UK on 1st April 2010
Rachel Hawkins is currently writing a sequel

For more information visit Rachel Hawkins' website

Review:
Sophie is a witch but being raised by a human mother means she's had no training and she doesn't know how to control her talents.  After an unfortunate incident at her school prom she is sent to Hex Hall to learn how to keep her powers secret from normal humans.  The last thing she wants is to be sent to boarding school but she doesn't have a choice in the matter so she's going to have to make the most of it.

Having struggled to fit in at any of her other schools (and she's been to a LOT of schools) Sophie secretly hopes that at Hex Hall she will finally find a place where she belongs.  However, by the end of her first day she has managed to make enemies of a coven of 3 dark witches, deveolped a crush on a cute warlock who just happens to be dating a member of the coven and found herself a ghostly stalker.  Not only that but she's also stuck with the most hated girl in the school (who also happens to be the school's only vampire) as her new roommate.  It isn't the greatest start and leaves Sophie wondering how she is going to survive the next 2 years.

I was really impressed with Rachel Hawkins' debut novel and can't wait to read future books in the series.  I really loved Sophie and her best friend Jenna - Rachel really brought their characters to life and their friendship comes across as very real.  There was plenty of action and there were some fantastic twists that I really didn't see coming.  The dialogue had me laughing out loud in places and I'm really looking forward to getting to know some of the other students better in the future.

Source: Recieved for review from publisher Simon & Schuster

Other Reviews:
Book Crazy
Unbound
Katie's Book Blog
Wondrous Reads
La femme Readers
The Story Siren
Nayu's Reading Corner
Girls Without a Bookshelf
He Followed Me Home...Can I Keep Him?
Lily's Bookshelf
The Bookshelf Sophisticate
Story Wings
What Book Is That?
Chrissie's Corner
Darlyn & Books
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.

Teaser Tuesdays - Hex Hall

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!  Just do the following:

* 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!

My Teasers:

Taken from Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

[Pg 19] Of course the only words I actually managed to yell at the werewolf as he ran at me were, "BAD DOG!"

[Pg 103] "Hey, no problem," I said, even though all I could think was, Slobber!  Werewolf Slobber!  On my skin!