Review: Battle Lines - Will Hill

As the clock ticks down to zero hour and the return of dracula, the devastated remnants of Department 19 try to hold back the rising darkness.

Jamie Carpenter is training new recruits, preparing them for a fight that seems increasingly futile. Kate Randall is trying to plug the Department's final leaks, as Matt Browning races against time to find a cure for vampirism. And on the other side of the world, Larissa Kinley makes a shocking discovery.

In the midst of it all, Department 19 faces a new and deadly threat, born out of one of the most shameful moments of its own long and bloody history.

As the darkness gathers, and the pressure builds, one thing becomes clear.

It's only a matter of time until everything goes bang.

Department 19 Series:
Department 19
The Rising
Battle Lines
Zero Hour

Visit the Department 19 website for more information

Review:
It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of the Department 19 series and the previous two books are both firm favourites so I had high expectations for Battle Lines. I'm happy to say that once again Will Hill hits the ball out of the park with an action packed story full of brilliant twists and shocking discoveries for our favourite characters.

We have really seen Jamie and his friends come such a long way since the beginning of the series. Jamie is now an experienced Operator who is in charge of training new recruits and keeping his team safe as they search for Dracula. Matt is desperately searching for a cure for vampirism and Kate has taken on the difficult task of trying to uncover the remaining spies in the Department who have been feeding information to Dracula and his followers. At the same time Larissa is on secondment to the American NS9 department helping them to train new recruits and it is there that she makes a very surprising discovery that could change everything. As well as catching up with old favourites this book also introduces new characters and it also ups the ante with some powerful new enemies for the short handed department to try and handle. Nothing is quite what it seems and in some ways I think this story was even more gory and shocking than the previous ones.

As with the earlier books in the series Battle Lines is quite a doorstop and comes in at just over 700 pages but for such a huge book I found it incredibly easy to whiz through and I finished reading it within a couple of days. This series is a complex one, there are multiple points of view and a lot of different plot threads but they are so masterfully written that I never seem to have any trouble keeping track of people or remembering what is going on even with a year long wait between book releases. That is probably one of the best compliments I can give these books, they are incredibly addictive and each chapter leaves you desperate for more. Thankfully because I ended up leaving it so late to read this book I already have a copy of Zero Hour and I'm excited that I won't have to wait to find out what happens next. The stakes are getting higher and Dracula is close to rising so things are going to get even more interesting from here onwards!

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley 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.

Hardback / Paperback / Kindle:

News Roundup: Publisher Contests, New Book News, Chip Lit Fest & a Book Trailer

It's time for another round up of some of the bookish news I've come across recently. First up HarperCollins have created a game on Facebook to celebrate the launch of The Rising by Will Hill. Test your powers of observation by watching the video below and then heading to the Department 19 Facebook page to answer questions about it and you could win a spy training day for you and your friends!

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Philip Pullman

Did you see the article on The Guardian website confirming that Philip Pullman's next book is going to be an anthology containing his versions of 50 of his favourite Grimm's Fairy Tales? I'm looking forward to seeing his take on the classics like Cinderella, Snow White and Rapunzel - I love a good fairytale retelling - but I'm even more curious to discover new to me stories like Hans-My-Hedgehog and Godfather Death.  The book will be published in September by Penguin Classics and has been timed to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the first publication of the original Grimm's Fairy Tales.

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Have you heard about the Chipping Norton Literary Festival being held from the 20th to the 22nd of April?  It sounds like a great opportunity to meet some fabulous authors! Unfortunately I won't be there but I'd love to hear all about it from anyone that does go. Here is the press release with all the details or you can find out more at the Chip Lit Fest website:

20th – 22nd April 2012

Fifty events throughout Chipping Norton

Hear your favourite author and learn how to become one too.

For aspiring writers, Chipping Norton Literary Festival sets the tone. There are lots of events on getting started, finding your ‘voice’, keeping focused, finding your genre, as well as one-on-one meetings with established authors and other writers.

Come April, Chipping Norton will be in the news again as organisers launch the town’s first literary festival. The event will take place at venues convenient to the centre of Chipping Norton and will include speakers such as Mark Billingham, Joanna Trollope, Colin Dexter, Katie Fforde, and Sir Andrew Motion. In total about fifty literary luminaries will be participating.

For aspiring or developing writers there are a host of useful workshops and panel discussions on topics such as…

• How to break into freelance writing
• Life writing
• Writing historical fiction
• Author, agent & publishers
• Bringing your characters to life
• A rough guide to travel writing
• Writing humour
• Writing short stories
• Crime Writing Workshop
• How to Get Published – panel discussion
• Book Groups and the Novel chaired by Sue MacGregor

Events will be held at The Theatre, Jaffé & Neale Bookshop and Café, and the historic Town Hall. Chipping Norton is easily accessible via car or trains to Kingham, Charlbury, and Oxford.

The idea originated via WOW, the West Oxfordshire Writers group. Local to Chipping Norton, they meet twice a month to discuss creative writing, how to get published, and how to go about writing within various genres. Thus the Festival has a host of events which will be of interest to aspiring writers.

And in addition to being known for its array of celebrity residents and now putting itself on the map with the ChipLitFest, as it is known, Chipping Norton itself is a fine example of Georgian market town architecture and a splendid setting for taking in talks as well as the town.

Other Topics and Events include:

Fiction
Emily Barr, Elizabeth Buchan, Julie Cohen, Josceline Dimbleby, Katie Fforde, Louise Harwood, Veronica Henry, Angela Huth, Prue Leith, Jill Mansel, Sir Andrew Motion, Joanna Trollope, Fiona Walker.

Crime/Mystery
Mark Billingham, Helen Black, S.J. Bolton, Colin Dexter, Sophie Hannah, Dan Waddell

History and Biography
Carole Angier, Sally Cline, Mick Conefrey, Robert Hardman, Mark Johnson, Penny Junor, Ian Mathie, Fiona Mountain, John Julius Norwich.

Gardening
Cotswold Gardening – panel discussion with Roddy Llewellyn,
Robin Lane Fox, Andrew Lawson

Humour
Guy Browning, Jasper Fforde, Graeme Garden, John O’Farrell,
Sandra Smith.

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Jonathan Stroud

Random House Children's Books have announced that they have signed a deal to publish a new supernatural thriller by Jonathan Stroud in 2013.  The book is going to be called Lockwood & Co and will star three young operatives who work for a Psychic Detection Agency fighting an epidemic of ghosts in London.  Sounds fab doesn't it, it's just a shame we have to wait so long to get our hands on it!  Check out Jonathan Stroud's blog for more information.

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If you're a fan of I Am Number Four by Pittacus Law then you'll definitely want to head over to the Facebook fan page on Monday (the 2nd of April). To celebrate the paperback release of The Power of Six on the 12th of April Penguin Books have created a game where using your knowledge of the series could win you some fantastic prizes. The Power of Six Quest won't be up on Facebook until Monday but here is a bit more information about how it works and the prizes that will be available. Good luck to everyone who enters!

We have created a Facebook game called The Power of Six Quest - a game show that draws on your knowledge of the books to help the Loriens fight against the Mogadorians and track down one of the characters in the book, Seven.

Points are collected by speed of which contestants answer questions (there's a countdown clock for added urgency and pressure!), accuracy of answers and how many friends a player recommends to play the game. Prizes are awarded to players who collect the most points.

The amazing prizes Prizes include: 

• a holiday to Spain for Seven nights!
• an ipad
• a kindle
• special release hardbacks of The Power of Six
• advance special release hardbacks of Rise of Nine (published in August)
• DVDs of the film I am Number Four

Game play will be open to all from 2nd April 2012 at our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/IAmNumberFourBook

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OK well I think that's everything for now so I'm going to leave you with the book trailer for Gemma Malley's new novel The Killables. The book was released in the UK yesterday and sounds fabulous, I'll be reading my copy soon so keep an eye out for my review.

Review: The Rising - Will Hill

91 days til zero hour:

That's 91 days to run
91 days to hide
Or 91 days to pray for Department 19 to save you...

The policeman looked round at the dimly lit road.  On the factory wall opposite, in black paint that had dripped all the way to the tarmac, someone had sprayed two words:

He Rises...

After the terrifying attack on Lindisfarne at the end of the first book, Jamie, Larissa and Kate are recovering at Department 19 headquarters, waiting for news of Dracula's stolen ashes.

They won't be waiting for long.

Vampire forces are gathering.  Old enemies are getting too close.  And Dracula... is rising.

Department 19 Series:
Department 19
The Rising
Battle Lines
Zero Hour

Visit the Department 19 website for more information

Review:
It's no secret that Department 19 was one of my favourite books of 2011 so I couldn't wait to get my hands on the second book in the series The Rising. Although this was one of my most anticipated novels of the year I couldn't help feeling a little nervous when I picked it up to start reading - what if it didn't live up to my expectations? I'm glad to be able to say that I wasn't disappointed and if Department 19 was a 5 star read (which it was!) then The Rising is a 10 star one! I'm going to assume that anyone reading this review will have already read the first book so please be aware that this will contain spoilers for Department 19 - I will be careful not to give spoilers for The Rising though! If you haven't read the first book yet stop reading this review now and go out and buy it - I can't recommend this series highly enough!

The attack at Lindisfarne at the end of the first book has had huge ongoing consequences for all of the characters we know and love. Jamie may have built quite a reputation for himself amongst his colleagues by killing one of the oldest and strongest vampires in the world but he is devastated by the loss of his friend Frankenstein. He feels guilty that he wasn't able to save him and is also worried about the changes in his mother. Jamie is lucky to have strong bonds with Larissa and Kate though and they have been helping him cope. I love Jamie for how normal he is, despite the fact that he works for a secret organisation hunting down vampires for a living he is just a 17 year old boy and can be quite a moody one at that. His relationship with Larissa is going well but keeping things a secret is adding extra pressure on both of them and Larissa has her own issues to deal with.

I really enjoyed getting to see more of Kate and Matt too. Since Lindisfarne Kate has signed up to be an Operator and is working in a team alongside Jamie and Larissa. The three of them work really well together and it was good to see a friendship between them all that didn't include some kind of love triangle. Matt returned home after recovering from his attack in the first book but found it impossible to settle back into a normal life. He may be Jamie's opposite in a lot of ways but he is a great addition to their team and I can see him having an important role in the future.

All of the characters have some heart wrenching, emotional decisions to make throughout the story and it was good to see how much they have all grown since we first met them. There has been some serious character development but that doesn't mean there is less action though, in fact the plot progresses at breakneck speed and with more twists and turns than a roller coaster! Be prepared for some absolute shockers - I had to pick myself up off the floor a couple of times. The story takes you around the UK and Europe as well as on a road trip across the US as we follow the Department 19 crew and a few new characters. There will be betrayals from people we trust, surprising new allies and a couple of shock appearances as the Department prepares for the rise of Dracula. The countdown has begun but are you prepared for the consequences?

If you loved Department 19 then I guarantee that you'll love The Rising even more. Will Hill has managed to top the first book in every way and the only disappointment is that I don't have book 3 yet! This series is a must for anyone who wants a gruesome, action packed story full of old style terrifying vampires who in most cases will kill you as soon as look at you.

Source: Received from HarperCollins 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.

Launch Party for The Rising by Will Hill - 18th February 2012

Will Hill's debut novel Department 19 was one of my favourite books of 2011 so I was incredibly excited to get my hands on sequel The Rising. It was by far my most anticipated book of 2012 and I can tell you now that it more than lived up to my expectations (I'll be posting my review later today). Anyway, back in February I was lucky enough to be invited to a special fan event at the National Army Museum to celebrate the release of The Rising.

I met up with some other bloggers and managed to have a quick look around part of the museum before the event started. I wish I'd allowed a bit more time to look around though because I've never been there before, I'm going to have to arrange another visit sometime. After a bit of a catch up it was time for the event to start and I have to admit that Caz (from Big Book, Little Book) & I were particularly excited to see the Department 19 Operators complete with their T-Bones! I have to say I really want one of those costumes for the next fancy dress party I go to lol.

Department 19 Operators

The event was hosted by Nick Lake (who is an author himself but also happens to be Will Hill's editor) and there was a Q&A session followed by a reading from The Rising. It was great to see so many younger readers in the audience and they were all obviously excited about their goodie bags with a lovely shiny hardback of The Rising in it - some of them even started reading it at the event!

Nick Lake & Will Hill

I took loads of notes during the Q&A so here are some of the highlights:

• Department 19 was the biggest selling YA debut novel of 2011 (I'm assuming that this was for the UK but can't confirm that)
• The main inspiration for the series was Bram Stoker's Dracula. Will first read it when he was about 12 or 13 and didn't really enjoy it but when he read it again at about 17/18 he thought it was amazing. He wanted to know what happened to the characters after the end of the story - how could they go back to a normal life after everything they'd seen?
• When Will decided to start writing he wanted to write about a very normal young boy who had his life turned upside down through no fault of his own. He decided to combine that with the question about what happened at the end of Dracula and Department 19 was born.
• When asked about his experience over the last year since Department 19 was published Will said he worked in publishing for 6 years so he knew how things worked from that side of the coin. He said it was totally different when it's your own book though! Once the book was published he didn't feel like it belonged to him anymore, it belongs to the readers. He also mentioned how nerve wracking he found it meeting readers and waiting to find out what they thought of the book.
• Will talked about his research trip to America to research locations for The Rising. His road trip took him 5 weeks to complete and he travelled over 7,000 miles through the Californian desert, New Orleans and Area 51. Some of his experiences from Area 51 are included in the story and after visiting there he felt it was completely plausible that something strange is going on there. He wasn't able to use all of his research material in the book though and Nick made him take out a lot of the New Orleans sections.
• When asked about the inspiration for Jamie Will said he wanted to make him as normal as possible. Jamie isn't the most handsome or popular boy and is probably quite similar to Will as a teen. Jamie doesn't realise how much he needs his parents until they aren't there anymore. Will wanted to create a real boy and he feels he has done that with Jamie - even making him a bit of a brat at times!
• Talking about the research he did for the series Will said he wanted everything in Department 19 to be as realistic as possible so although the T-Bone doesn't exist it would be technically possible to create one. He did a lot of research into pneumatic bolt guns, helicopters, weapons and the military before starting to write the series. He also spent an hour learning gun safety from a very scary ex Marine when he was living in LA.
• One of the kids in the audience had a fantastic question about whether Will prefers writing the emotional or gory parts of the story. Will confirmed that there is a lot of gore in The Rising (I can definitely vouch for that!) and said that he loves writing the action scenes. He finds the emotional scenes harder to write but the most satisfying when he gets them right. One of the hardest scenes to write in Department 19 was chapter 3 where Jamie has a big argument with his Mum just before she is kidnapped.

Caz & me with the D19 Operators

After the Q&A had finished it was time to get our books signed. Caz and I may have been among the few adults who queued up with the kids to have our pictures taken with the D19 Operators (we're just big kids really!!). We had a fab time and Caz even got to hold a T-Bone!!

After getting a little too excitable with the D19 Operators it was time to get our books signed & head home. I had a fantastic time at the event and would like to say a massive thanks to everyone at HarperCollins for inviting me!

They had a film crew there on the day so here is a video with some footage from the event:

Who was there:

Rosi & Nick - HarperCollins

Will Hill - Department 19 website

Caz - Big Book, Little Book - Event Report

Darren - Book Zone for Boys - Event Report

Leanne - District YA

Liz & Mark - My Favourite Books

Matt - Teen Librarian

News Roundup: Book Event, Cover Reveals, Web Chats and more

It's time for another news roundup post to share some of the news I've seen over the last week or so.

First I want to let you know about the launch event for the second instalment in Will Hill's Department 19 series - The Rising.  I've been lucky enough to have already read The Rising and can tell you right now it was amazing!  If you're a fan of Department 19 you want to get hold of this one ASAP trust me (watch out for my review which will be up later this week).  If you want the chance to meet Will Hill check out the details below for the launch event that is being held at Waterstone's in Kensington on the 29th of March.  Tickets are £3 each but I'm sure you won't be disappointed - I've been told that the event will be the same as a secret launch I got to go to last month (my write up will also be posted later this week) and if that's the case you may even get to meet a couple of D19 agents and see a T-Bone!

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Bloomsbury have recently launched their new Hooked on Books Facebook page that will feature all the latest information about their YA titles.  Make sure you keep an eye on the Facebook page and their Twitter account for all the latest extracts, news and even some exclusive giveaways!

The first book they are talking about is Burn Mark by Laura Powell which is being published on the 7th of June.  This sounds like it will be a fantastic start to Laura's new series and I can't wait to read it!  You can find out more at Laura Powell's website, her Facebook page or follow her on Twitter.  In the meantime here is the cover and blurb - what do you think?

'I'll win or I'll burn - whatever it takes'

Glory is destined to become a witch. When she does, she is going to make sure her East End coven is one to respect and fear again.

But a dangerous mix of conspiracy and betrayal raises the stakes. And then Lucas Stearne - rich, privileged and a potential Witchfinder - enters her life.

Now Glory and Lucas must put aside their differences to form an uneasy alliance.

And fight for their lives.

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If you want to find out more about R J Palacio's debut novel Wonder then make sure you check out the live Facebook chat on Monday at 6pm.  You can join in the chat on the Wonder Facebook page.  I've heard fantastic things about Wonder and will be reading it very soon so keep an eye out for my review.

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Last year I really enjoyed The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson (you can read my review here) so I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series The Madness Underneath.  According to Amazon UK we have to wait until January 2013 before we'll be able to buy the book but Maureen did post the UK cover on her Tumblr account a couple of days ago so I thought I'd share it here.  What do you think?  I love the fact that it matches The Name of the Star cover so well but I think I like this one even more.

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I think that's all the book related news for this week but I couldn't resist including the latest Simon's Cat video for you. I love these videos :o)



I hope you all have a fabulous week!

News Roundup: World Book Day, A Message from Lauren Oliver, Short Story Competitions & Much More!

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:

FutureScapesGuardian.

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!

Publisher Spotlight: HarperCollins - Winter 2011 & Spring 2012 Releases

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.  I'm not sure how regular the posts will be yet but I have quite a few lined up already and we'll see how things go over the next few months.  So in the spotlight today we have . . .

HarperCollins have some fantastic new YA releases in the coming months that I'm very excited about reading!  For more information check out the HarperCollins website.

First up we have Muse by Rebecca Lim, this is the 3rd book in the Mercy series.  I have all 3 books on my to read pile and I really must hurry up and get started on this series!  Muse was released on the 27th of October so you can go out and grab your copy now.  Visit Rebecca Lim's Facebook page for more information.

There's something very wrong with me.  When I wake up I could be anyone...

Mercy is thrust into the excessive world of fashion when she awakes in the body of a troubled Russian supermodel, Irina: bitchy, hot-tempered and known to be dabbling in things she shouldn't, Irina is on the verge of a very public breakdown.

Against the glamorous background of opulent Milan, Mercy continues her increasingly desperate search for Ryan to lead her back to her immortal lover, Luc.  But this time Mercy is aware that her memories and powers are growing ever stronger - and she begins to doubt Luc as The Eight reveal more of her mysterious past.  Are Luc's desires as selfless as her own or does he want her for a more terrifying purpose?

Next we have The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon, this is a debut I'm really excited about.  It's nearly at the top of my to read pile so keep an eye out for my review coming soon.  This book was also released on the 27th of October & I'd love to know what you thought of it if it's one you've already had a chance to read it.  Visit Leigh Fallon's website for more information.

Their love was meant to be.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRís.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.





Coming into 2012 we can look forward to Supernaturally by Kiersten White which will be released on the 5th of January.  I really enjoyed the first book Paranormalcy when I read it earlier this year (read my review here) so I'm looking forward to the sequel.  Visit Kiersten White's website for more information.

A lot has changed since Evie escaped from the International Paranormal Containment Agency with her shapeshifter boyfriend, Lend.  She spends her days at school like a normal teenager, eagerly awaiting the weekends when Lend comes home from college and trying not to be killed by overly enthusiastic soccer players in her gym class.

Evie's world, in fact, has become overwhelmingly normal.  And Evie is shocked to realise that normal can be . . . kind of boring.  Then Raquel appears, asking her to help out at IPCA again.  As Evie dips back into her former life, she learns that things are changing in the world of paranormals . . .

Also released on the 5th of January is Stormswept by Helen Dunmore.  I haven't read anything by this author before but I was sold as soon as I saw the cover then after reading the description & finding the story was about a Mer boy I knew it this would have to go on my wish list!  As this is the 5th book in the Ingo series I guess I'm going to have to start at the beginning though so I've got a lot of catching up to do!  Visit Helen Dunmore's website for more information.

Morveren lives with her parents and twin sister Jenna on an island off the coast of Cornwall.

As Morveren and Jenna's relationship shifts and changes, like driftwood on the tide, Morveren finds a beautiful teenage boy in a rock pool after a storm.  Going to his rescue, she is shocked to see that he is not human but a Mer boy.

With Jenna refusing to face the truth, Morveren finds herself alone at the worst possible time.  Because when the worlds of Air and Mer meet, the consequences can be terrible . . .







Dancing Jax by Robin Jarvis is already available in hardback but as of the 2nd of February you'll be able to pick up the paperback version.  Just in time for the release of the second book in the series Freax and Rejex that comes out in hardback on the same day.  For more information you can visit Robin Jarvis' website.

At the end of a track, on the outskirts of an ordinary coastal town, lies a dilapidated house.  Once, a group of amateur ghost hunters spend the night there.  Two of them don't like to speak about the experience.  The third can't speak about it.  He went into the basement, you see, and afterwards he screamed so hard and so long he tore his vocal cords.

Now, a group of teenagers have decided to hang out in the old haunted house.  Dismissing the fears of the others, their leader Jezza goes down into the basement . . . and comes back up with a children's book, full of strange and colourful tales of a playing-card world, a fairytale world, full of Jacks, Queens and Kings, unicorns and wolves.

But the book is no fairytale.  Written by Austerly Fellows, a mysterious turn-of-the-century occultist, it might be the gateway to something terrifying . . . and awfully final.

********************

Five months have passed since the publication of the devilish book discovered in Dancing Jax.  It is on its ninth reprint and tens of millions of copies have been sold in the UK.  The entire country is now under its evil spell.

Yet a tiny percentage of the population have proven to be immune to the words of Austerly Fellows.  With the critical eyes of the rest of the world turned towards Britain, the Ismus decides to send the children for an intensive holiday camp, where they will study the sacred text and learn to embrace it.

But after the holiday is over, the children are told their stay has been extended.  A barbed wire fence is put up around the site.  And it soon becomes apparent that the place is not a camp and the children are not guests.  They are prisoners of war . . .

On the 12th of February you will be able to get your hands on a copy of The Flask by Nicky Singer.  This looks very different to the kind of book I usually read but it sounds like a very emotional story & I'm really curious about it.  You can find out more at Nicky Singer's website.

Twelve-year-old Jess is grieving for her beloved Aunt Edie, and anxiously awaiting the birth of her twin brothers, when she finds a mysterious glass flask hidden in a desk.  The flask is beautiful to Jess, and soon she starts to believe that it contains a magical life-force.  When her half-brothers are born critically ill, Jess becomes convinced that their survival depends on what's happening to the flask . . .

Through Jess's stunning narration, Nicky Singer explores the meaning of life, and the interconnected nature of all things - in a way which is entirely accessible to young readers.

An unforgettable standalone novel from Nicky Singer, author of the sensational, award-winning FEATHER BOY.

I absolutely loved Divergent by Veronica Roth when I read it earlier this year (read my review here) so if you haven't tried it yet then it's a book I would highly recommend.  I have to say I love the new cover for the paperback version that is being released on the 12th of February, the colours are so pretty that I may have to buy a new copy!  Visit Veronica Roth's website for more information.

For sixteen-year-old Tris, the world changes in a heartbeat when she is forced to make a terrible choice.  Turning her back on her family, Tris ventures out, alone, determined to find out where she truly belongs.

Shocked by the brutality of her new life, Tris can trust no one.  And yet she is drawn to a boy who seems to both threaten and protect her.  The hardest choices may yet lie ahead . . . .

She turns to face the future in a world that's falling apart.








Watch out for Slide by Jill Hathaway on the 1st of March, this one sounds really creepy and I'm very curious about it!  Visit Jill Hathaway's website for more information.

Vee Bell hates having narcolepsy.  But collapsing at school is nowhere near as bad as the truth.  When Vee passes out she slides randomly into other people's heads and ends up seeing through their eyes.  So when Vee finds herself in the head of a killer, standing over the body of a cheerleader, she's beyond freaked.

Vee knows that this was no suicide.  And when another cheerleader turns up dead, everyone is a suspect.  Struggling to understand her terrifying and unwanted 'gift', Vee is tangled in a web of secrets, lies and danger . . .

She sees through the eyes of a killer . . .


Now this is one I'm really looking forward to - The 13th Horseman by Barry Hutchison.  Another March the 1st release this has been described as Pratchett meets Python and that just makes it a must read for me.  For more information visit Barry Hutchison's website.

Drake is surprised to find three horsemen of the apocalypse playing snakes and ladders in his garden shed.  He's even more surprised when they insist that he is one of them.  They're missing a Horseman, having gone through several Deaths and they think that Drake is the boy for the job.  At first he's reluctant to usher in Armageddon but does being in charge of Armageddon have to spell the end of the world?

An apocalyptic blend of riotous comedy, heart-stopping action and a richly imagined fantasy adventure.







The 1st of March is a busy day as you'll also be able to pick up a copy of Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress by Sarwat Chadda.  This is aimed at a younger audience than most of the books I read but it looks like a fun story and I like the fact that it is set in India so am looking forward to giving it a try.  You can visit Sarwat Chadda's website for more information.

Ash Mistry hates India.  Which is a problem since his uncle has brought him and his annoying younger sister Lucky there to take up a dream job with the mysterious Lord Savage.  But Ash immediately suspects something is very wrong with the eccentric millionaire.  Soon, Ash finds himself in a desperate battle to stop Savage's master plan - the opening of the Iron Gates that have kept Ravana, the demo king, at bay for four millennia . . .

Breathtaking action adventure for boys of 8-12.  Ash Mistry, reluctant hero, faces ancient demons . . . and comes into an astonishing, magical inheritance.




I love Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series (I read the first 3 books before I started blogging & really need to catch up with the series) and I love well written short stories so I'm really excited about Faery Tales and Nightmares which will be released on the 6th of March.  Visit Melissa Marr's website for more information.

Dangerous promises and beguiling threats swirl together in a dozen stories of enchantments, dark and light, by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr.  Uncanny and unexpected creatures appear from behind bushes, rise from under the seas, or manifest from seasonal storms to sinister intent - relentlessly.  From the gentle tones of a storyteller's cadences to the terror of a blood sacrifice, tales of favourite characters from Marr's Wicked Lovely novels mix with accounts of new characters for readers to fall in love with . . . or to fear.  Lush, seductive, and chilling, Melissa Marr's stories revel in the unseen magic that infuses the world as we know it.

An enthralling collection of short stories featuring favourite characters from Melissa Marr's bestselling WICKED LOVELY series.

On the 29th of March we have the release of my most anticipated book of 2012 - The Rising by Will Hill.  Department 19 is one of my favourite books of 2011 (you can read my review here) so I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel!  It's already been a long wait for this so March can't get here fast enough for me.  Visit Will Hill's website for more information.

DEPARTMENT 6 IS THE ARMY.
DEPARTMENT 13 IS MI5.
DEPARTMENT 19 IS ALL THAT STANDS BETWEEN YOU AND THE END OF THE WORLD.

After the terrifying attack on Lindisfarne at the end of the first book, Jamie, Larissa and Kate are recovering at Department 19 headquarters, waiting for news of Dracula's stolen ashes.

They won't be waiting long.

Vampire forces are gathering.  Old enemies are getting too close.  And Dracula . . . is rising.







I already mentioned that book 3 in Rebecca Lim's Mercy series was published in October, the really good news is that we don't have to wait too long for the final book in the series.  Fury will be available on the 29th of March!  Now I love series but I hate the long wait between books so this is great news for me, I'm going to have to get started on these books soon so I'm caught up in time for the last installment.

Everything that has happened to Mercy over millennia has made her who she is.

Love.  Vengeance.  Truth.

Hell Hath no fury like Mercy . . .

Fury is the culmination of the spellbinding Mercy series.

An angel searching for answers, for her destiny . . .














Like a lot of people I'm fascinated by the story of the Titanic so Fateful by Claudia Gray really appeals to me.  This is another March the 29th release and it's definitely on my wish list.  You can visit Claudia Gray's website for more information.

The Titanic is the most luxurious ship ever built, but for eighteen-year-old Tess Davies it's a prison.  Travelling as a maid for the family she has served for years, Tess is trapped in their employ amid painful memories and family secrets.

When she meets Alec, a handsome passenger, Tess falls helplessly in love.  But Alex has secrets of his own . . . and soon Tess is entangled in a dangerous game.  A sinister brotherhood has followed him onboard.  And Tess is now their most powerful pawn.

Tess and Alec fight the dark forces threatening to tear them apart, never realising that they will have to face an even greater peril before the journey is over . . .

A tragic tale about falling in love on the world's most infamous ill-fated sea voyage as heroine, Tess, discovers darker secrets that lie beneath the doomed crossing . . .

So what do you think of the upcoming HarperCollins titles?  Do you already have some of these on your wish list?  Which books are you most excited about getting your hands on?

HarperCollins Afternoon Tea with Robin Jarvis, Will Hill & Maureen Johnson - 22nd October 2011

Last week I was very excited to go to an afternoon tea organised by HarperCollins to meet some of their authors - Robin Jarvis, Will Hill & Maureen Johnson - and to find out about some of their latest & upcoming books.  We arrived at Les Deux Salons a little early so spent some time at the bar downstairs chatting with Robin & Will while Sarah was getting the room ready for us and then it was time to get started.  I had asked Sarah & Rosi if it would be OK to bring some of my childhood books with me for Robin to sign (I was a massive fan of his Whitby Witches, Deptford Mice & Deptford Histories trilogies when I was younger and still had my original copies) so was very excited when I found out I was sitting next to him for afternoon tea!  Hopefully I didn't come across as too much of a fan girl and embarrass myself lol.

We were well and truly spoiled with a feast of cakes and sandwiches!

Each of the authors had a chance to talk to us about their latest books starting with Robin Jarvis talking about Dancing Jax (that was released in HB earlier this year and will be available in PB in Feb 2012) and the sequel Freax and Rejex (which will be released in HB next February).  Before talking about the books Robin told us that he used to make models & puppets for TV shows and has made them in the past of characters from his books to take on school visits with him.  There was one rather embarrassing incident at a school with a puppet of a sea demon that had rather large claws - he pulled it out of his bag in front of a class of children to find the claws had attached themselves to a pair of underpants (luckily clean ones lol).

Dancing Jax is a story about a mysterious book written in 1936 by occultist Austerly Fellows.  Anyone who reads the story is pulled into the world inside the book.  Although the book was published it was decided that the world wasn't ready for it so the only copies were boxed up and kept in a basement, now in modern times the book has been found again by a group of teenagers and they are quickly sucked into this dangerous world.  Robin described Austerly Fellows' book as Narnia on crack and said it's like pushing drugs on kids but in book form.  Sequel Freax and Rejex is set 5 months after Dancing Jax, Austerly's book has been re-published and nearly everyone in the UK has read a copy and been taken over by the story.  The rest of the world is watching in horror and trying to decide what they should do.  Some children are naturally immune to the book and they are bullied by the people who have been taken over.  As a publicity stunt they are taken to a holiday camp to prove to the rest of the world that they aren't being badly treated but things at the camp aren't what they first seem and not all of the children taken there will survive the experience.  I haven't read either of these books but I have a copy of Dancing Jax and am really looking forward to reading it.  I'll get a review posted as soon as I can for you.

Next up was Will Hill talking about Department 19 (released in HB & PB this year) and the sequel The Rising (releasing in HB in March 2012).  I was lucky enough to meet Will at the launch party for Department 19 earlier this year so it was lovely to see him again.  Department 19 was one of my favourite reads of the year so far (you can read my review here) so I can't tell you how excited I am about The Rising, I am itching to get my hands on a copy and it will be jumping straight to the top of my to read pile as soon as I do lol.  Will told us that The Rising is a really, really long book that picks up the story straight after the ending of Department 19.  Where the first book was a rescue mission the sequel is a fight for survival. 

It took Will over a year to write the second book and where Department 19 was 135,000 words long The Rising is 191,000 (and that's after chopping out a massive 50,000 words!) so this is really going to give us something to get stuck into.  Will would describe the series as epic horror / fantasy and confirmed that there is a little more romance in the sequel.  He did say that The Rising should work as a stand alone story if you haven't read Department 19 but I would highly recommend reading D19 first - it's such a good book you really don't want to miss it!

Last but by no means least was Maureen Johnson talking about her newest book The Name of the Star.  This is the first book in her Shades of London series and is a supernatural story about a copycat killer who is murdering victims in the style of Jack the Ripper.  The Name of the Star is a great book (you can read my review here) and I'm really looking forward to reading more books in the series.  Maureen said she was worried about the reaction from her UK fans because she knows they will spot any mistakes she has made about British culture, she can get away with errors with her US fans because they won't know that it's wrong.  She had spent the morning at a signing though and had a very positive response which I'm not at all surprised about. 

When asked about the inspiration for the story Maureen told us that she was on a historical tour and the guide told them that practically every building they visited was haunted.  She was annoyed because it was supposed to be a historical tour not a ghost tour and she thought that the so called ghosts they kept mentioning were rubbish - just cold spots, doors closing by themselves and spooky feelings.  It got her thinking about what would happen if there were more proactive ghosts.  Maureen also told us that she has come up with the name of the sequel which she is currently working on, after a quick check with her editor Rachel (who hadn't heard the title before either!) she confirmed that it will be called The Madness Underneath and it will be released sometime in 2012.

After lots of book chat and we had all stuffed ourselves full of cake it was time to get our books signed.  I already have signed copies of Department 19 and The Name of the Star but I was very excited to get my books signed by Robin - I'd brought him 10 books to sign for me so that kept him busy for a little while lol.  He even drew a picture in one of them for me!

The copies of the Whitby Witches, Deptford Mice & Deptford Histories trilogies that Robin signed for me

The picture Robin drew inside my copy of The Alchymist's Cat

We were given a fab goodie bag from HarperCollins containing several books (Muse by Rebecca Lim, Slide by Jill Hathaway and Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress by Sarwat Chadda), a presentation of their upcoming Winter 2011 & Spring 2012 titles (watch out for a spotlight of some of these titles coming later this week) and a fab memory stick containing some exclusive sneak previews and snippets.  I've not had a time to look at the memory stick yet but as soon as I do I'll try and get some of the content posted on the blog to share with you all.

After the event had finished several of us bloggers got to hang around in the bar with Will, Robin, Sarah, Rosi & Rachel.  We had a few drinks, got loads of book recommendations and discussed everything from Will's ipad to comic books.  I love being allowed to let my inner geek out at events lol.

I'd like to say a massive thanks to HarperCollins for a fab event and to all the authors who helped make it even more special.  I had an amazing time & can't wait to read all the books we were talking about!

Who was there?

Sarah, Rosi & Rachel - HarperCollins

Maureen Johnson - Website

Robin Jarvis - Website

Will Hill - Website

Alice - The Reader Room

Andy - The Pewter Wolf - Event Report

Casey - Dark Readers

Darren - The Book Zone For Boys

Dwayne & Hannah - Girls Without a Bookshelf

Jesse - Books 4 Teens

Kirsty - The Overflowing Library

Liz & Mark - My Favourite Books

Michelle - Much Loved Books - Event Report

Ronke - The Musings of Ondo Lady

Sammee - I Want To Read That

Stacey - The Pretty Books

Viv - Serendipity Reviews