Daughter of Smoke and Bone Launch Party - 3rd October 2011

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to the Hodder launch party for Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.  The launch was held in a bar called The Worship Street Whistling Shop in Shoreditch and I have to say it was a fab atmospheric place to visit.  As soon as we arrived we were treated to a special cocktail that had been created in honor of the book and started out a smokey grey and turned pink when they added the magic ingredient.  I didn't actually try one but they looked fantastic.

There was plenty of time to mingle with lots of my blogging friends and staff from Hodder while lots of delicious looking nibbles were being passed around.  They had the most amazing little meringues that turned people into fire breathing dragons when they ate them (with smoke coming out of their mouths and noses!) it was fun to watch I can tell you.

Viv & Sammee

Hayley, Stacey, Casey, Leanne & Alice

Rhys & Matt

Cait & Me

Then it was time to meet the lady we'd all come out to see Laini Taylor.  I absolutely loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone (watch out for my review coming tomorrow) so I can't tell you how much I was looking forward to meeting Laini!  She was just as nice in person as she is on Twitter and it was great to be able to chat with her and we were even able to get our books signed.  Thanks so much to Hodder who gave us all a beautiful hardback of the book (I also managed to get my arc signed for a future giveaway so keep an eye out for that one!).  Can I just tell you that Laini has the coolest hair I've ever seen, just look at the pictures below & you'll see what I mean, I absolutely love the colour!  I've always wanted to dye my hair blue but I'm now seriously tempted to give pink a try :o)

Laini & Viv

Laini & Sammee

Laini & Andy

Laini & me

A quick apology for the poor quality pictures - I forgot to take my camera *GASP* so had to use my phone instead.  I'd like to say a massive thank you to everyone at Hodder for organising such a fun event and an even bigger thank you to Laini for writing such an awesome book and for spending so much time chatting with us all as she signed our massive piles of books!

Who was there?

Leni, Kate, Lucy & Nick - Hodder

Laini Taylor - Website

Alice - The Reader Room

Andy - The Pewter Wolf - Event Report

Bella - Cheezy Feet Books

Cait - The Cait Files

Casey & Hayley - Dark Readers

Jamie - Mithril Wisdom

Leanne - District YA - Event Report

Liz & Essjay - My Favourite Books

Matt - Teen Librarian

Rhys - Thirst for Fiction

Sammee - I Want To Read That

Stacey - The Pretty Books

Viv - Serendipity Reviews

Review: My Love Lies Bleeding - Alyxandra Harvey

"They're close," she murmured. "Watching."
"Run?" I suggested.  "Like right now?"
She shook her head.
"If we act like prey, they'll act like predators."

Solange has always known she is a vampire.  And as the only female vampire ever born, not initiated, she is surrounded by danger on all sides - from other vampire tribes who want to take her blood into their lineage, and from the bounty hunters who are set on destroying her and her family.

When she is kidnapped, it's up to her elder brother, Nicholas, and best friend, Lucy, to save her.  But can Lucy save herself from Nicholas, who tempts her with every look - and what will be her own fate if she surrenders her heart to a vampire?

The Drake Chronicles:
Corsets and Crossbows (Novella)
Lost Girls (Novella included in the UK paperback of Blood Moon)
My Love Lies Bleeding (released in the US with the title Hearts at Stake)
Blood Feud
Out for Blood
A Killer First Date (Novella)
Bleeding Hearts
A Field Guide to Vampires: Annotated by Lucy Hamilton (Novella)
Blood Moon
Sound and Fury (Novella included in the UK paperback of Blood Prophecy)
Blood Prophecy
A Tithe of Blood and Ashes (Novella)
The Longest Night (Novella)

Visit Alyxandra Harvey's website for more information

Review:

Solange is the first female vampire to be born in 900 years and because of an ancient prophecy she is surrounded by enemies.  It is believed that she is the one who can unite the various different vampire clans but the last thing she wants is to become queen and there are plenty of people out there who will do anything to stop that happening.  Her best friend Lucy is human but has known Solange and her family since they were children so is aware of the existence of vampires.  When Solange is kidnapped Lucy is determined to save her friend but she is going to need the help of Solange's brothers to have a chance at succeeding.

I've been wanting to start this series for a long time now but for some reason never quite got around to it, I don't know why it took me so long but I have to say I'm glad I didn't put it off any longer.  My Love Lies Bleeding (called Hearts at Stake in the US) was a great start to the series and I'm really looking forward to reading more about these characters.  Alyxandra Harvey has created a detailed vampire mythology with several different factions all working against each other.  I would have loved the book to have been longer so she could have given us more information about the world but there was enough to keep me interested without overloading me with the world building.  That can be a difficult balancing act at the start of a new series!

Without a doubt my favourite characters were Lucy and Nicholas.  As a human Lucy has less physical strength than her vampire friends but she has an inner strength that shines through, she is smart and witty and I loved her interactions with Solange and her brothers.  Nicholas was great and I loved the romance that develops between the two of them, they have known each other for years and you get a real sense of that in the banter between them.  Scenes with the two of them made me laugh and I couldn't get enough of them.  Although I liked Solange I didn't feel as invested in her relationship with Kieran, things developed a little too quickly between them and I could have done with more page time given to them as a couple.  Hopefully we'll get to see more of both couples as the series continues.

The family dynamics were great, Solange has seven protective older brothers and often felt smothered by them.  As much as she understood they were trying to keep her safe I could relate to her need for more freedom.  The interactions between the brothers were fun and it'll be good to get to know them all better in future books. 

My only complaint with My Love Lies Bleeding was that I wanted it to be longer, Alyxandra Harvey could have doubled the page count and I'd have been perfectly happy spending more time with Solange and Lucy.  Having said that it did mean that it was a light hearted, easy read and it was one that I really enjoyed.  The next 3 books are already available and I can't wait to continue the journey.

Source: Received from Bloomsbury in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:

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Review: One Grave at a Time - Jeaniene Frost

How do you send a killer to the grave when he's already dead?

Having narrowly averted an (under)World War, Cat Crawfield wants nothing more than a little downtime with her vampire husband, Bones. Unfortunately, her gift from New Orleans's voodoo queen just keeps on giving - leading to a personal favour that sends them into battle once again, this time with a villainous spirit.

Centuries ago, Heinrich Kramer was a witch hunter. Now, every All Hallows Eve, he takes physical form to torture innocent women before burning them alive. This year, however, a determined Cat and Bones must risk all to send him back to the other side of eternity - forever. But one wrong step and they'll be digging their own graves.

Night Huntress Series:
Halfway to the Grave
One Foot in the Grave
At Grave's End
Destined for an Early Grave
One for the Money (Short Story in the Magic Graves Anthology)
This Side of the Grave
One Grave at a Time
Home for the Holidays (Novella available as an ebook or as part of The Bite Before Christmas anthology)
Up from the Grave

Night Huntress World Series:
(This is a spin off from the Night Huntress Series that fits into the time line after Destined for an Early Grave)
First Drop Of Crimson
Eternal Kiss of Darkness

Night Prince Series:
(This is a spin off from the Night Huntress series that fits into the time line after One Grave at a Time)
Once Burned
Twice Tempted

For more information visit Jeaniene Frost's website

Review:
Please note that as this review is for book 6 in the Night Huntress series it will contain spoilers for previous books, it is however spoiler free for One Grave at a Time. If you've ever read any of my reviews for the earlier books in this series you'll now what a massive fan I am of Jeaniene Frost so I could not wait to get my hands on this book. In fact as soon as it arrived I put everything else to one side and got stuck straight into reading it. I just can't get enough of Cat, Bones and the world that Jeaniene has created, it's going to be a long wait until I get my hands on the next instalment!

One Grave at a Time was one of my favourite books in the series so far, Cat and Bones have faced many different kinds of enemies before but this time there is a very real chance that they won't be able to win. Heinrich Kramer was a witch hunter who tortured innocent women before having them burnt at the stake (this is a real historical character which makes him even more terrifying). Since his death he has become a powerful ghost, one who can take a physical form for one day a year and who does this with the sole purpose of killing more innocent victims. How can you kill someone who is already dead? This is the question that Cat and Bones are going to have to try and find an answer to but it won't be easy. The story is so fast paced and full of action, Heinrich is the most evil characters they have faced and with his poltergeist abilities he makes for a scary opponent. Even when he has no physical form he is able to attack Cat & Bones and there is little they can do to defend themselves.

I loved the fact that we get appearances from Spade, Denise & Ian, Denise definitely kicks ass in this one and I was cheering her on from the sidelines. We also get more of Ian's trademark snarky humour and I really hope we get to see him as the hero of his own book at some point in the future. Interesting things are afoot with Cat's old unit - since the death of her uncle Don in the last book the unit has been taken over by Madigan who obviously has some kind of prejudice against vampires and Cat in particular. We still haven't found out what his motives are and I have a feeling he'll be causing them all even more problems in the future.

They are so busy dealing with threats that there isn't as much time for Cat and Bones to spend together as a couple but there are still some really sweet (and sexy) moments between them. They have come through so much and had a lot of problems in the past so it is nice to see that their relationship is much more stable now. Bones has also developed a new ability that I'm looking forward to finding out more about in the future - I foresee it having interesting implications for their future bedroom antics. Talking about (not quite) bedroom antics I'm just going to say the words "Mile High Club" and leave it at that - you have to read the book for that alone!

So the long wait for One Grave at a Time was well worth it and has left me incredible excited not only for the next instalment in Cat & Bones' story but also for Vlad's spin off series. If you haven't discovered these books yet what are you waiting for - put a copy of Halfway to the Grave at the top of your buy list - and if you are already a fan of the series you don't want to wait to pick up this instalment.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
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Winner: Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

With the help of random.org I am happy to announce the winner of a UK hardback copy of Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor is:





Congratulations Catherine!  I'm about to send you an email asking for your addresses so please make sure you look out for it.  If I don't hear back from you within 48 hours then a new winner will be chosen.  I'd like to say a massive thank you to Hodder for allowing me to host this giveaway for them.

Review: A Long, Long Sleep - Anna Sheehan

Rosalinda Fitzroy had been asleep for 62 years when she was woken by a kiss.

Locked away in the chemically-induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten sub-basement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew.  Now, her parents and her first love are long dead, and Rose - hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire - is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat.

Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her, hoping that he can help her start again.  But when a deadly danger jeopardises her fragile new existence, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes - or be left without any future at all.

Visit Anna Sheehan's website more information.

Review:
Rose has spent the last 62 years in stasis, completely forgotten about and left in a basement her stasis tube is discovered by accident and she wakes up in a world that she knows nothing about.  Her family and friends are long gone and she finds herself the heir to a powerful company that she doesn't want.  Rose struggles to fit in and find a place for herself in this strange situation but she will be forced to deal with issues from her past if she is to have any hope of moving on with her life.

I love fairytale retellings and I love futuristic dystopian worlds so as soon as I heard about A Long, Long Sleep I knew I had to read it.  I was hooked in from the beginning and it was one of those books that I read in just two sittings (it would have been one but I made the mistake of starting it at midnight and had to stop at 3am because I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer!).  This is an impressive debut from Anna Sheehan that makes it to my top books of 2011 list and has me excited to see what she will come up with next.

It is easy to empathise with Rose when she wakes up, nothing is familiar to her and she finds out that all of her family and friends are long gone, not an easy thing for anyone to deal with.  On top of that she has to cope with the physical effects of so long spent in stasis - her muscles have wasted away so she is weak, her body is unable to process food properly and even her eyes struggle to adjust to daylight again.  Add to that the constant media pressure from being the long lost heir to her parent's empire and it's not surprising that she finds it difficult to cope.  With a mysterious enemy intent on taking her life she doesn't know who she can trust or where to turn to for help.  Even before her 62 years in stasis she didn't have a regular upbringing and as you learn more about the things she has gone through it is impossible not to feel sorry for her.  The story touches on themes of child abuse and isolation that are heartbreaking to read.

Slowly Rose starts to settle in at school and make friends and I have to say how much I loved Otto, I'm fascinated by him and his siblings so although A Long, Long Sleep works as a standalone story I really hope Anna Sheehan is planning on writing a sequel.  There is so much about this world that could be touched on in another book and I would definitely be first in line to buy a copy.  The plot is much more complicated that it first appears and you get to unravel the various threads slowly watching things twist and turn along the way.  I don't want to give anything else away so I'm just going to tell you that if you like fairytales or dystopian novels this is a must read so get hold of a copy as soon as you can.

Source: Received from Gollancz in exchange for an honest review

Other reviews of this book:
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Review: The Search for WondLa - Tony DiTerlizzi

Eva Nine has never seen the actual sun before, or walked outdoors.  In fact, she has never even seen another living person in all twelve years of her life.  That changes when a marauding huntsman destroys her underground home and sends her fleeing for her life.  She is desperate to find someone else who is like her, and a single clue gives her hope: a crumbling picture of a girl, a robot, and a human with the word WondLa still visible on it.

The Search for WondLa begins a trilogy whose imaginative text and breathtaking illustrations are sure to inspire dreams.

The search is just the beginning . . . .

WondLa Series:
The Search to WondLa
Titles for further books in the series TBC

Visit Tony DiTerlizzi's website or the WondLa website for further information

Review:
Eva Nine has spent her life in her underground home being raised by robot Muthr, she has never seen another human and has never even been outside.  Muthr has been training her for life above ground so that she can search for others like her but her training is cut short when they come under attack.  Forced to flee from everything she has ever known Eva soon realises that nothing above ground is what she expected.  Can she survive long enough to find other humans?

The Search for WondLa is a great science fiction adventure story for children, I can see it making great bedtime reading for families or being enjoyed by slightly older children who have discovered the joy of reading for themselves.  The illustrations throughout make this a treat to read, they are beautifully drawn and really help to bring the wonderful array of characters to life.  I would love to have just half the imagination and drawing ability of Tony DiTerlizzi!  You can also find additional information and interactive features on the website that just add to the reading experience.

Eva is a likable character she has led a very sheltered life but is extremely brave and caring.  Although life above ground is nothing like what she was expecting she quickly adapts and soon begins to make friends.  I loved her relationship with robot Muthr who is the only mother figure she has ever known, Muthr can be overprotective like any mother and there is friction between them at times but they care deeply for each other.  Another favourite character was Otto, I'm not going to say too much about him but he is like an adorable puppy and I want one.

The Search for WondLa is a real treat for kids of all ages (even grown up ones!) and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

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

Other Reviews:
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Hardback / Paperback

Review: Bound to Shadows - Keri Arthur

At a local vampire club, someone is beheading the clientele, and the peace the Guardians are meant to maintain is getting shaky. Human and vampire fatalities escalate and Riley Jenson - a rare hybrid of werewolf and vampire - finds herself struggling to make sense of the murders and, in particular, her main suspect: the club's owner Dante Starke and his powerful sexual aura.

And if things weren't bad enough, she's also torn between her love for Quinn and her connection with the unpredictable werewolf Kye - her soulmate. With the city on the verge of all-out war, Riley must not only capture the killer, but choose between the man she loves and the man she's destined to be with.

Riley Jenson Guardian Series:
Full Moon Rising
Kissing Sin
Tempting Evil
Dangerous Games
Embraced by Darkness
The Darkest Kiss
Deadly Desire
Bound to Shadows
Moon Sworn

Dark Angel Series:
(This is a spin off from the Riley Jenson Guardian series)
Darkness Unbound
Darkness Rising
Darkness Devours
Darkness Hunts
Darkness Unmasked
Darkness Splintered
Darkness Falls

For more information visit Keri Arthur's website

Review:
I'm a big fan of Keri Arthur and the Riley Jenson series and Bound to Shadows was probably one of my favourite books in the series so far. Although I'm looking forward to reading the next and final book Moon Sworn I'm actually quite sad that the series is coming to a close, I'll miss Riley and her gang when it's all over. This review won't have spoilers for Bound to Shadows but please be aware that this is book 8 in the series so it will include spoilers for previous books.

Since Riley discovered her wolf soul mate Kye her love life has become even more complicated than ever before. She is madly in love with vampire Quinn but her wolf side pines for Kye even though Riley can't stand him. So far she has been able to avoid spending much time with Kye but now he is back and seems determined to claim Riley whether she wants him to or not. The attraction between them is strong but it is more of a love to hate kind of thing than a genuine love match, Riley is terrified that it will cause problems between her and Quinn but she is powerless to avoid Kye - her wolf just won't let that happen. I've gone through periods of loving and loathing Quinn throughout the series but he has changed a lot over the later books and I really want him and Riley to get a happy ending. It's about time that poor Riley had some kind of luck with men, lets face it she has had some disastrous relationships in the past!

Bound to Shadows managed to surprise me several times, the plot was strong and I enjoyed the mystery of who was behind the deaths of the vampires. I enjoyed watching Riley try to deal with her attraction to Kye and still keep things on track with Quinn. Keri Arthur doesn't hold back and isn't afraid to take her characters to dark places. I actually shed tears while reading this one but I'm not going to tell you why, I'll just say I was gutted by something that happened towards the end of the book. I love reading about Riley's twin Rhoan and his partner Liander so it was good to see more of them both in this instalment, in fact they made a very important announcement and I can't wait to see the results of this in the next book. Bound to Shadows is a great read and I'd highly recommend this series if you haven't already discovered it.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
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