Outlawed teenagers Charlie and Nat are on the run, falsely accused of terrorism and kidnapping. With few people they can trust, they are desperate to bring down their accusers and return to their former lives, but time is running out.
Charlie has a plan that might just save them - but it will only work if she goes alone.
Could being together be even more dangerous than being apart?
Split Second Series: Split Second
Every Second Counts
Review:
It is impossible to review Every Second Counts without including major spoilers for the previous book so please don't read this review unless you've already read Split Second (you can always find my review of that HERE if you haven't - it's a fantastic start to the series that I would highly recommend). So, if you're still reading I'm going to assume you've already read the first book & if you haven't it's entirely your own fault if you end up ruining the series for yourself!
As we saw at the end of the previous book Charlie and Nat have both been framed by Roman Riley and they're now wanted by the police for terrorism. Proving their innocence isn't going to be easy when Roman is such a powerful political force but that doesn't mean Charlie and Nat aren't going to try. They don't have long before the general elections though and unless they work fast Roman could end up becoming even more powerful than he already is.
Both Charlie and Nat have been through so much since we first met them, they thought they were working to stop the terrorists who killed Charlie's mum and put Nat's brother in a coma only to find out that they had been working for the very people that they hate. How can they show the world what Roman is really up to though? Is there anyone they can trust with the truth and to hopefully fight alongside them? It looks like the only way to get proof of Roman's plans is for Charlie to go undercover, she has a good excuse for going back to him but it won't be easy to pull off the deception. At the same time Nat will try to find backup from the resistance so they are ready to move as soon as Charlie gets hold of the information they need.
Every Second Counts is just as fast paced as it's predecessor and I couldn't put it down. I have to admit that this story felt a little less realistic than the first one, Charlie and Nat seem to get out of so many impossible situations without a scratch on them and it did start to get a little on the ridiculous side. I also felt that Charlie in particular was far too trusting and willing to take things at face value. Nat seemed to have more sense in that regard but even he was led into quite a few traps by not thinking things through properly. As much as I found it hard to believe some of the situations they got themselves into I did find myself really enjoying the ride, if you're willing to suspend belief a little then this really is a very action packed story. It also raises some interesting questions about the balance of political power and the potential for things to go very, very wrong if a leader has bad intentions. Overall I've really enjoyed this duology and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a fast and thrilling read.
Source: Received from Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review.
Other reviews of this book:
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.
Charlie's life is torn apart by a terrorist bomb in a London market. Months later she meets Nat, whose family has been left devastated by the same explosion. But as Charlie gets closer to Nat she starts to wonder if he knows more about the attack than he is letting on . . .
Life can change in the blink of an eye - whether you're ready or not.
Review: Split Second is non-stop action from the very first page. Any book that opens with one of the main characters running through a busy London market trying to stop a terrorist attack is bound to capture my attention and I was immediately hooked into the story. The subsequent bomb blast changes both Nat and Charlie's lives forever and links them together in a desperate need for answers and revenge.
This is a really hard book to review because I want to shout from the rooftops about how amazing it is but I'm incredibly wary of giving anything away because there are just so many twists and turns that you'll never spot coming. I'm keeping this deliberately vague but I can tell you that this is set in a not too distant future, one that it is very easy to picture happening, although I really hope it doesn't! Rather than some kind of global disaster or epic war the world has been changed by a continuing downturn in the market, the recession has continued getting worse leading to extreme poverty amongst the masses. There is overcrowding and food shortages and unless you're one of the wealthy minority life isn't great. With a large number of unhappy people rioting isn't uncommon and terrorism is on the rise.
The story is told from the dual perspectives of Charlie and Nat, both of whom witnessed the bomb that destroyed half of the Canal Street market and we see that event through both of their eyes. They are unable to put their memories of that day behind them because it continues to have such a huge impact on their lives in the present. They are both desperate for answers but searching for them may just lead them down a crazy rabbit hole that they'll never escape from. I loved both of these characters, they are each flawed in their own ways but at the same time they're incredibly strong and brave enough to stand up for what they believe in.
I really can't say much more about Split Second so I'm going to finish this review by saying that it is my favourite Sophie McKenzie book to date and I'm so glad that the sequel, Every Second Counts, is already available because I can't wait to find out what happens next!
Source: Received from Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review.
Other reviews of this book:
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.
Four months have passed and River and Flynn are still going strong. River thinks Flynn has his anger under control, but when she discovers he has been getting into fights and is facing a terrible accusation at school, she starts to question both Flynn's honesty - and the intensity of their passion. Things come to a head at a family get-together when River sees Flynn fly into one unprovoked rage too many. The consequences for both of them are devastating and threaten to tear them apart forever.
Flynn Series: Acting Friends (Free Short Story) Falling Fast
Burning Bright
Casting Shadows
Defy the Stars
Review: Burning Bright picks up River and Flynn's story several months on from the end of Falling Fast, they are still head over heels in love with each other but that doesn't mean their problems have gone away. Flynn is still having issues with his temper and as much as he tries not to take it out on River he can be very snappish with her and he's also getting into trouble at school for fighting. River's friends are wary of him because of the rumours about his behaviour and even her mother is against them seeing each other but River is determined not to let anyone get in their way.
Sophie McKenzie has done a fantastic job of capturing the emotions teenagers feel, this series takes me straight back to the days of my first boyfriend and reminds me how obsessed I was with him and how convinced I was that he was "the one". River can be a little naive at times but it doesn't annoy me because I can so clearly remember being exactly like her when I was her age. What I really like about her is that even though she is crazy about Flynn that doesn't make her blind to his behaviour and she is prepared to call him on it when he doesn't treat her right. So many YA and NA books seem to glorify the bad boys and romanticise behaviour that is basically little more than stalking so it is refreshing to see a series that shows this behaviour as wrong and encourages teenage girls not to put up with it.
Just as I did in the first book I still have mixed feelings about Flynn. I feel terrible for the things he went through as a child, nobody should have to witness the way his father treated his mother or take the brunt of his father's anger just to protect his sisters so of course I hate that Flynn had those experiences. I can understand where his anger issues come from and it's easy to see how he ended up with that huge chip on his shoulder but that doesn't justify his behaviour. His anger out and out terrifies me and if he doesn't do something about it then he's going to end up killing someone. Thankfully I'm not the only one who sees that and River is encouraging him to get help with his issues. He can be such a sweet boy and I'm sure that if he takes the initiative and gets the counselling he needs he will be able to turn things around.
I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next in Casting Shadows. I feel invested in the outcome of the story, I want to see River continuing to stand strong and I want to see Flynn prove that he deal with his issues.
Source: Received from Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review.
Other reviews of this book:
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:
River is a born romantic and she wants nothing more than to fall in love with a boy and have him love her back. She meets Flynn when she auditions for a school play but with him playing Romeo to her best friend's Juliet things aren't going to be easy for them.
Falling Fast is the first book I've read by Sophie McKenzie and it won't be the last, it was an enjoyable read and one that is perfect for when you have a couple of hours to spare and want to fill it with a sweet romance with realistic teenage characters. River and Flynn could have been people I was friends with at school and I enjoyed watching them cope with the perils of falling in love for the first time.
River was a really sweet character, she believes in love and is looking for that perfect fairytale romance that probably a lot of young girls dream of (I know I did at that age!). She is very innocent and has a very positive way of looking at the world which is something I really liked about her. Flynn was a character I had mixed feelings about. He could be very caring and he was incredibly protective towards River and his sisters but he had a darker side that left me feeling uncomfortable. He has had a very difficult upbringing so I could understand where he was coming from but he has a huge chip on his shoulder and I hated it when he took his frustrations out on River. She had never been anything but sweet and loving towards him so I was annoyed with his attitude at times. I think I understand where the author is going with this though and I liked the fact that River called him on his bad behaviour rather than just sat back and took it but it did make it hard for me to love his character.
I think both River and Flynn have a lot of growing up to do, Flynn definitely needs to start working on his resentment and anger issues and I'm hoping that River will build on her own confidence and continue to stand up to him. I'm intrigued to see how things progress with both of them as the series continues. I think that this will be a good series to show teenagers that love isn't all hearts and flowers in the real world. People have issues and problems that can effect their relationships and it takes work to make a success of things. I think it could also show teenage girls that they shouldn't put up with guys who don't treat them right and that they should never, ever feel pressured into doing anything that they are uncomfortable with. Flynn straddles a thin line at the moment and I think he can easily tip either way - into a mature young man with his whole life ahead of him or towards becoming an abusive jerk just like his father was. I know which way I want to see him turn and I'm hoping we see him get there.
Source: Received from Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review.
Other reviews of this book:
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.
Acting Friends is a prequel to the Flynn series, written specially for World Book Day 2012. We're now offering everyone the chance to read the story with a free download of the complete book!
Life at her new school is not going smoothly for River. After accidentally making an enemy of the troubled Shaz, she hopes at least to have found friendship with classmates Emmi and Grace. However, when it comes to the boy of her dreams, can River count on any of her friends?
A great introduction some of the characters in the new Flynn series, Acting Friends sets the scene for Falling Fast.
Review: Acting Friends is a short story that was originally published for World Book Day in 2012 and is now available to read for free on the Simon & Schuster website HERE. It is a prequel to Sophie McKenzie's Flynn series and is set a couple of years before the first book Falling Fast.
It's a cute story that follows River through her first couple of weeks at secondary school. I'm sure most of us remember the nerves of starting a new school, one that seems so much bigger than your last one did and where instead of being one of the biggest kids you suddenly find yourself one of the smallest. I thought Sophie McKenzie did a fabulous job of capturing how lost and alone River felt before she gradually started to make friends. We don't get to see Flynn in this story since it's set several years before he and River meet but you do get to see how she met her friends Grace and Emmi which was really nice.
I'm sure fans of the series will enjoy this story and since it's a free read it might be a good way for people to try the series and see if they want to go on to read the main books. Bear in mind that the characters are only about 11 in this story though so it has a younger feel to it than Falling Fast where they are 15/16. The ebook does also include the first chapter of Falling Fast though so that should be enough of a taster for you to decide.
It's time for another news roundup post but first I want to say happy World Book Day! I hope you have something bookish planned to celebrate and help spread the love of reading.
You can find out more about World Book Day and the fabulous books that are available for just £1 on the World Book Day website. You should also make sure you check out the FREE World Book Day App that works on the iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. It includes short stories by Malorie Backman, Neil Gaiman, Charlie Higson, Anthony Horowitz, Sophie McKenzie and Rachel Vincent so there should be something there to appeal to everyone and it also includes extracts from some fabulous 2012 releases.
While we're on the subject of World Book Day you might want to head over to your nearest Waterstones store and see if you can grab a bargain. They are selling copies of both Department 19 by Will Hill and The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson for just £1 each!! These are both fantastic books (read my Department 19 review here and my The Name of the Star review here) so if you haven't already read them make sure you grab a copy.
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Now today is the UK release date for Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver. It's no secret that I'm a massive fan of Delirium (read my review here) so I can't wait to read this sequel! Unfortunately Lauren isn't coming to the UK for the launch but she has recorded a special message for her UK fans which you can watch below:
Do you want to know if you're ruled by your heart or your head? Find out by taking the interactive quiz on the Delirium facebook page here and you could even win copies of both Delirium and Pandemonium! I'm going to be reading Pandemonium this week so keep an eye out for my review which will be coming soon.
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Now if you're between 10 and 16 years old and want to have a go at writing your own very short story have a look at Bloomsbury's new competition:
Bloomsbury’s VERY short story competition for young writers is back LOVING FICTION TWENTY-FOUR-SEVEN. CREATING STORIES IN 247 WORDS.
247tales.com is the online writing competition from Bloomsbury that challenges young writers to create stories using only 247 words or less. Now in its fourth year the competition is set to challenge even more young writers.
In 2012, the competition returns with a blog-style website, a dedicated Facebook page www.facebook.com/247tales and nine more inspiring themes. Each month a different Bloomsbury author will pen a 247tale on a given topic. It is then over to the UK’s budding young writers aged between 10 and 16 to create their own miniature masterpiece.
One winner will be chosen each month and they will have their 247tale featured on the website as well as winning a selection of books and a framed copy of their story. Ten runners-up will get a signed copy of the latest book from that month's featured author, and their story will appear in the 247Library section of the website.
The competition launches at 2:47pm on Thursday 1st March 2012 (World Book Day) with a 247tale from bestselling author Tony Bradman on the theme of The Ship. Details on how to enter can be found at www.247tales.com. Authors taking part include Anne Cassidy, Jim Eldridge, Sarah Crossan, A.F. Harrold, Laura Powell and Sue Limb.
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If you're a fan of Michael Grant and are free on Saturday the 17th of March then you might want to head to the Foyles store on Charing Cross Road where he will be signing copies of Bzrk, Fear and the whole Gone series from 2-4pm. This is one of my favourite London book stores - they host some fantastic events and always have a fantastic selection of signed books and US imports so it is well worth paying them a visit and what better chance are you going to get to meet this best selling author?
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Now I have a cover reveal for Luminosity by Stephanie Thomas. This is Stephanie's debut novel and will be published by Entangled Publishing on the 11th of September 2012. I don't know about you but I think it sounds fantastic and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy!
My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings. And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t been the same since.
The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the Dreamcatchers, but I'm finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me.
But the enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I’m falling in love with him. He says they’re coming. He says they’re angry. And I think I’ve already helped them win.
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If you live in the UK and are 18 or over then you might want to have a go at entering the FutureScapes Short Story Competition. Stories must be no more than 3,000 words and the deadline is the 15th of March, here are the details:
Inspired by new stories by best-selling authors Michael Marshall Smith, Marcus Sedgwick, Kate Harrison and Lesley Lokko, readers can submit their own short stories, imagining the world in 2025. It’s part of a project called FutureScapes, which aims to get everyone thinking about what the world might be like in 2025. The competition winner will be published alongside our professional authors and win a Sony Tablet.
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If you're a fan of Paul Hoffman's The Left Hand of God then you might want to have a look at the new interactive game Penguin UK have created on Facebook (click here to play) to celebrate the release of sequel The last Four Things. You could even win yourself an iPad2! Here is a bit more info about the game:
The Facebook minisite features an interactive map of Thomas Cale's world, with embedded videos that take the reader on a tour around places including Tiger Mountain, Transvaaland and The Sanctuary. There is also an embedded game where users must build 3D equipment from the book. As readers progress through each 'level' within the map, they post to their Facebook wall to encourage all of their friends to participate too! Readers must complete all levels to unlock an Augmented Reality printout of the map which will result in a 3D version of character Thomas Cale, swinging his sword and talking to the reader. Thomas then says a word which will then need to enter to be in with a chance of winning an iPad2 preloaded with a copy of the The Last Four Things.
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So I think that's probably more than enough news for one post but hopefully something here will be of interest to you!
I thought it would be fun to start spotlighting new releases that different publishers have coming up over the next few months for us to look forward to. I'm constantly looking for new books to add to my wish list and thought it would be a nice way of spreading the bookish love with other bloggers. So stepping into the spotlight today we have . . .
Simon & Schuster always have a fantastic range of YA titles so I couldn't wait to see what they have coming for us in the new year. I can tell you right now I wasn't disappointed, I thought 2011 was a good year for books but it looks like 2012 is set to be even better! I'll be amazed if you make it to the end of this post without adding something to your wish list. Check out the Simon & Schuster website for more information.
I'm going to be showcasing some of the books S&S are bringing out from January to March and this first book is at the top of my wish list. I absolutely loved Sarah Alderson's debut novel Hunting Lila (read my review here) and as much as I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel Losing Lila I'm equally excited about Sarah's new stand alone novel Fated! Luckily I don't have too long to wait as Fated will be available on the 5th of January. For more information visit Sarah Alderson's website.
What happens when you discover you aren’t who you thought you were? When the person you love is the person who must betray you? If fate is already determined - can you fight it?
Lucas Gray is half Shadow Warrior, half human, and a member of the Brotherhood - a group of assassins tasked with killing the last purebred Hunter on Earth before she can fulfil a dangerous prophecy. The Hunter’s name is Evie Tremain.
Evie Tremain is seventeen-years-old, a waitress, and has just discovered she is the last in a long line of demon slayers - and an unwilling participant in a war between Hunters and unhumans that has raged for the last thousand years.
Sarah Alderson’s knack for fast-paced, edge-of-your seat action and striking main characters combine in this, her second novel. Evie Tremain’s dilemma will have readers clamouring page-after-page for a resolution. But will Evie take up the challenge and step into her role as demon slayer? What’s in store for her in this sinister and unpredictable underworld, and is she strong enough to survive it?
Also released on the 5th of January is The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler. Now I don't read a lot of contemporary stories but I'm quite curious about this one - what would it be like to be able to look 15 years into your future and see how things have turned out? Would you like what you saw or would you want to try and find a way to change things? For more information visit Jay Asher's website or Carolyn Mackler's website.
Please note that this isn't the final version of the UK cover, there will be some minor changes before publication
It's 1996 and very few high school students have ever used the internet. Facebook will not be invented until several years in the future. Emma just got a computer and an America Online CD. She and her best friend Josh power it up and log on - and discover themselves on Facebook in 2011. Everybody wonders what they'll be like fifteen years in the future. Josh and Emma are about to find out.
On the 2nd of February we have a debut novel by Brodi Ashton, Everneath is the first book in a new trilogy and is a paranormal story based around Greek mythology. This sounds like just my kind of read and I think the cover is absolutely stunning. Definitely one I'm looking forward to reading. For more information check out Brodi Ashton's website.
Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld where immortals feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she’s returned- to her old life, her family, her friends - before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.
She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can’t find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.
Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there’s a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he’ll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen. As Nikki’s time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she’s forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole’s forever...
Also released on the 2nd of February is Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale. This is a 2012 debut from a British author and sounds like it will be an emotional read. Again even though I don't read much contemporary this one really appeals to me and I'm looking forward to giving it a try. For more information visit Katie Dale's website.
When Rosie Kenning’s mother, Trudie, dies from Huntingdon’s disease, her whole world falls apart. Not only does Rosie desperately miss her mum, but now she has to face the fact that she could have inherited the fatal illness herself. But then... Rosie discovers that Trudie wasn’t her biological mother at all. Can this be true? Is she grieving for a mother who wasn’t even hers to lose? And if Trudie wasn’t her mother, who is? As Rosie delves into her past to discover who she really is, she is faced with a heart-breaking dilemma - to continue living a lie, or to reveal a truth that will shatter the lives of everyone around her...
A totally gripping, roller-coaster of a story about family secrets, relationships and deceit, Someone Else’s Life will keep readers enthralled from the first page. Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult.
On the 1st of March us UK peeps are finally getting Michelle Hodkin's debut novel The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. I've seen this book all over the US blogs this year so I'm very excited it's finally arriving over here! You can find out more at Michelle Hodkin's website.
Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger. She wakes from a coma in hospital with no memory of how she got there or of the bizarre accident that caused the deaths of her best friends and her boyfriend, yet left her mysteriously unharmed. The doctors suggest that starting over in a new city, a new school, would be good for her and just to let the memories gradually come back on their own. But Mara's new start is anything but comforting. She sees the faces of her dead friends everywhere, and when she suddenly begins to see other people's deaths right before they happen, Mara wonders whether she's going crazy! And if dealing with all this wasn't enough, Noah Shaw, the most beautiful boy she has ever seen can't seem to leave her alone… but as her life unravels around her, Mara can't help but wonder if Noah has another agenda altogether…
Last but not least is Falling Fast by Sophie McKenzie which is also released on the 1st of March. This sounds like a lovely contemporary romance and I love the cover! For more information visit Sophie McKenzie's website.
This is life, not rehearsal...
When River auditions for a part in an inter-school performance of Romeo and Juliet, she finds herself smitten by Flynn, the boy playing Romeo. River believes in romantic love, and she can't wait to experience it. But Flynn comes from a damaged family - is he even capable of giving River what she wants? The path of true love never did run smooth...
So what do you think of the books Simon & Schuster have coming out in early 2012? Which ones are at the top of your wish list?
After announcing the winners of my blogoversary giveaway last week I was surprised that I haven't heard back from everyone to claim their prizes! The winners of Entangled by Cat Clarke, A Summer Fling by Milly Johnson, Shiver and Linger by Maggie Stiefvater and Random by Craig Robertson have all claimed their prizes but I've had to pick new winners for the other signed books.
With the help of random.org I can now announce the NEW winners of my 1st blogoversary giveaways! Congratulations to all of the new winners!
Giveaway 1 - Fallen & Torment by Lauren Kate:
I had left it up to you to decide if there would be 1 winner receiving both books or 2 winners receiving 1 book each. I took the following screen shot of the poll results after the giveaway closed and as you can see the result was 1 winner
So I can confirm that the winner who will receive signed ARC copies of both Fallen and Torment by Lauren Kate is:
Raimy(email address starting raimyrawr@...)
Giveaway 4 - Girl Missing by Sophie McKenzie:
Winning a signed copy of A Girl Missing by Sophie McKenzie is:
This giveaway was UK only unless international entrants were prepared to pay postage costs because of the weight of these books. If you are an international winner of one of these books I will let you know how much postage will cost when I know your address, I will pay the postage cost if you are a UK winner. (The winner of Random has already claimed their prize)
Winning a large paperback of Hellhole by Brian Herbert & Kevin J Anderson (signed by Kevin J Anderson) is:
Kulsuma(email address starting k_anon@)
Congratulations to you all! If you can email me at sarahsreviews at ymail dot com with your full address I will get your books posted to you. If I don't hear from you within 48 hours then new winners will be chosen so please don't miss out on your prizes like the original winners did!
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!).
With the help of random.org I can now announce the winners of by 1st blogoversary giveaways! There was such an amazing response to the giveaways so thank you all for entering and helping to spread the word. Congratulations to all of the winners!
Giveaway 1 - Fallen & Torment by Lauren Kate:
I had left it up to you to decide if there would be 1 winner receiving both books or 2 winners receiving 1 book each. I took the following screen shot of the poll results after the giveaway closed and as you can see the result was 1 winner
So I can confirm that the winner who will receive signed ARC copies of both Fallen and Torment by Lauren Kate is:
Laura Soucek(email address starting noevus32@...)
Giveaway 2 - Entangled by Cat Clarke:
Winning a signed ARC of Entangled by Cat Clarke along with a cover flat is:
Winning a signed copy of A Summer Fling by Milly Johnson is:
.Ambur.(email address starting ambiepie_6@)
Giveaway 4 - Girl Missing by Sophie McKenzie:
Winning a signed copy of A Girl Missing by Sophie McKenzie is:
Alice Reed(email address starting ccs_bm@)
Giveaway 5 - Randon & Hellhole:
This giveaway was UK only unless international entrants were prepared to pay postage costs because of the weight of these books. If you are an international winner of one of these books I will let you know how much postage will cost when I know your address, I will pay the postage cost if you are a UK winner.
Winning a signed hardback copy of Randon by Craig Robinson is:
NatD23(email address starting natlovestoread@)
Winning a large paperback of Hellhole by Brian Herbert & Kevin J Anderson (signed by Kevin J Anderson) is:
Melodie(email address starting ashlinn_riddle@)
Giveaway 6 - Shiver & Linger by Maggie Stiefvater:
Again I left it up to you to vote on how many winners there would be and as you can see from the screenshot below you voted for 1 winner
So winning signed UK copies of Shiver & Linger by Maggie Stiefvater we have:
Nina(email address starting nina.happyendings@)
Congratulations to you all! If you can email me at sarahsreviews at ymail dot com with your full address I will get your books posted to you. If I don't hear from you within 48 hours then new winners will be chosen.
* UPDATE - THIS GIVEAWAY HAS NOW ENDED - Winner announced here *
So it's day 4 in my 1st blogoversary giveaway celebration week and today I'm giving away a signed copy of Girl, Missing by Sophie McKenzie. I've heard so many good things about Sophie McKenzie's books and have several on my to read pile that I'll be reading as soon as I have time.
Lauren is adopted and eager to know more about her mysterious past. But when she discovers she may have been snatched from an American family as a baby, her life suddenly feels like a sham.
Why will no one answer her questions? How can she find her biological mum and dad? And aree her adoptive parents really responsible for kidnapping her?
Lauren runs away from her family to find out the truth, but her journey takes her into more and more danger - as she discovers that the people who abducted her are prepared to do anything to keep her silent . . .
Don't forget to enter my other giveaways (see links at the top of the page) and check back every day this week for your chance to win more signed books.
Giveaway Details:
This giveaway is international so anyone can enter no matter where you live.
The winner will be chosen at random from all entries received.
To enter the giveaway all you need to do is fill in your name and email address in the form below (please have permission from your parents if you are under 16). Extra entries are available but they are entirely optional.
Only one entry per person please, any duplicate entries will be deleted
You have until the 28th of February to enter the giveaway and I'll announce the winner soon afterwards on my blog. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me with their postal address or another winner will be chosen.
Winners addresses will only be used by me to send out the prizes and will be deleted afterwards.
