ARC Review: The Scorpio Races - Maggie Stiefvater

This review was originally written by me as a guest post for Carolyn at Book Chick City and can be found here.

Stay alive, stay astride, stay out of the water...

Every November, the Scorpio Races are run beneath the chalk cliffs of Skarmouth.  Thousands gather to watch the horses and the sea that washes the blood from the sand.  The mounts are savage water horses.  There are no horses more beautiful, more fearless, more deadly.  To race them can be suicide but the danger is irresistible.

Sean and Puck both enter the Races hoping to change their lives.  But first they'll have to survive.

The Scorpio Races is released in the UK on the 19th of October 2011.

Visit Maggie Stiefvater's website for more information

Review:
As a big fan of Maggie Stiefvater's Wolves of Mercy Falls series I was really excited about reading The Scorpio Races.  Although the books couldn't be more different in terms of the worlds Maggie has created they both have her beautifully descriptive style and you are fully pulled into the story.  I did find that The Scorpio Races was a bit slow to get started, I struggled a little to get into the story and found the mythology of the sea horses confusing at first but once it gets going I was completely gripped.

Maggie has created something totally unique and I loved that it was so different to anything else I've ever read - flesh eating sea horses? Yes, that's something I've not come across before!  These aren't seahorses in the traditional sense - no curly tails here - they look like normal land horses but live in the water, only coming out to feed.  Every November the horses start to come ashore in Thisby and the islanders are at risk of death or serious injury if one of the horses find them.  Although they live in fear of the Cappaill Uisce they also celebrate them and hold an annual race across the cliffs and beach.  People come from all around the world to watch the races and the participants face all kinds of dangers, even trying to capture a horse to race on could cost them their lives.  The chances of surviving to the finishing line are low but the rewards for the winner makes it worth the risk. 

I have to admit that I found it frustrating trying to figure out the pronunciation of the Cappaill Uisce (said COPple Ooshka) / Capall Uisce (said CAPple ISHka).  For the first half of the book I was confused every time I came across the words and had to flick back to the pronunciation guide at the front of the book to remind myself how they were said.  I was especially confused every time the word Uisce was used on it's own - was it supposed to be Ooshka or ISHka?  In the end I gave up and just mentally pronounced them they way they are spelt, after that I found reading the book much easier as I wasn't thrown out of the story every time they were used.  That would be my major niggle with the story though and probably wouldn't bother most people as much as it bugged me.

The story follows two of the competitors in the race.  First we have Sean Kendrick who is an expert when it comes to the Cappaill Uisce and four time winner of the races.  His horse Corr is known to be the fastest one on the island and he is easily the favourite to win the race again this time.  Sean has very good reason to enter the race, he is hoping to win his freedom and desperately wants Corr to belong to him.  I loved Sean from the beginning and found it fascinating watching him training the water horses, he was the island's expert and someone that everyone turned to whenever there was a problem with any of the horses.  Sean was the only one who seemed able to calm the horses down and he really had a magical connection with them.

The other competitor we spend time with is Puck (Kate) Connolly, orphaned when her parents were killed by water horses she has every reason to avoid the races but due to circumstances beyond her control she feels like the only way to keep whats left of her family together is to enter.  Puck is such a brave and plucky character that you can't help but warm to her even though you're thinking she must be crazy to even consider racing.  She is the first woman ever to enter the race and this doesn't go down well with the other riders but she stands up for herself and refuses to be pushed aside.  There is a sweet and slow building romance between Puck and Sean but I loved that this didn't take over the whole story, the focus was definitely on the horses and the race.

Anyone who has ever had an interested in horses or riding will love the descriptions in the story.  It really is beautifully written and I felt like I was riding along the cliffs with Puck and Sean as they were training for the race.  It was easy to picture the island and although the idea of flesh eating horses is terrifying they are strangely beautiful animals in my imagination.  If you're a fan of Maggie Stiefvater or have a passion for horses then I would definitely recommend reading The Scorpio Races.  It makes a refreshing change to read a stand alone novel (I seem to be starting so many different series at the moment!) but I would happily re-visit Puck and Sean's world if Maggie did decide to write a sequel.

Source: Received from Carolyn at Book Chick City for a guest review on her blog

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Review: Blood Bound - Rachel Vincent

US Cover

By blood, by word, by magic . . .

Most can't touch the power.  But Liv Warren is special - a paranormal tracker who follows the scent of blood.

Liv makes her own rules, and the most important one is trust no one.

But when her friend's daughter goes missing, Liv has no choice but to find the girl.  Thanks to a childhood oath, Liv can't rest until the child is home safe.  But that means trusting Cam Caballero, the former lover forbidden to her.

Bound by oath and lost in desire for a man she cannot have, Liv is racing to save the child from a dark criminal underworld where secrets, lies, trauma and danger lurk around every corner . . . every touch . . . every kiss.

And more blood will be spilled before it's over . . .

Unbound Trilogy:
Blood Bound
Shadow Bound
Oath Bound

Visit Rachel Vincent's website for more information

Review:
I'm a massive fan of Rachel Vincent's Shifters series so I couldn't wait to get my hands on Blood Bound and as soon as it arrived it jumped immediately to the top of my to read pile.  The world she has created in this new series couldn't be more different from the Shifters books, the story is much darker but it has everything you would expect from this author - strong characters, plenty of action and twists that will knock you sideways.  Blood Bound is a must for any urban fantasy fan and this has the potential to become one of my favourite series, my only disappointment is that I'll have to wait a year before I can get my hands on the next book!

The world may have known about the Skilled for 30 years but governments and the law still refuse to publicly acknowledge they exist which has created a black market for anyone with enough money who wants to use their abilities.  Some of the Skilled have the ability to track anyone by either a name or a tiny sample of their blood, some of them can travel through shadows to any destination and others have the ability to bind you to a magical contract that will cause you physical pain and even death if you try to break it.  As you can imagine these skills are highly sought after and 2 main crime syndicates will do whatever it takes to have control of the most powerful Skilled and earn money by using them. 

Liv is one of the most powerful blood trackers, going on her official range she can track anyone in an 80 mile radius using just a drop of their blood but in reality she can find you even if you are much further away.  Liv has been running from her past for 6 years now but it is about to catch up with her when her ex Cam arrives on the scene bringing with him one of her oldest childhood friends.  Thanks to a blood oath between Liv and her friends she is unable to refuse Anne's request for help even if getting involved is the last thing she wants to do.  Liv resents her friend for forcing her into something but as much as she hates the position she finds herself in she does feel sorry for Anne and deep down she wants to help her.  What she really doesn't want is to accept Cam's help to do it, although Cam is the love of her life she walked out on him 6 years ago without giving him any kind of explanation and Cam is determined to win her back.  That is something that Liv can't risk but it takes a while before the reason for this becomes clear.

The story is told from both Liv and Cam's perspectives and I loved that we get to see both of their sides of the story.  Liv is a strong character but she also has a vulnerability to her that makes you feel protective of her.  She is keeping a lot of secrets but as you learn more about her past her actions become much more understandable.  Cam is someone I loved as soon as I met him, he is so sweet and protective of Liv but he sees her how she truly is and knows she doesn't need to be looked after.  He has never gotten over her leaving him and is still crazy about her, he can tell she has feelings for him too and doesn't understand why she keeps pushing him away.  He uses her bond with Anne as a way to get back in her life and isn't going to let her get away from him this time, he wants an explanation and will do whatever it takes to get it.  The chemistry between Liv and Cam was fantastic and I loved watching these two together.  There is just enough sexual tension and romance for an urban fantasy - it never takes over the main storyline though, just enhances it.

When it comes to the plot I have to admit I found things a little confusing for the first few chapters but this is often the case when you're starting a new series and trying to become familiar with a new world.  Once the story takes off it will have you gripped to the pages and you won't want to put it down.  Liv and Cam find themselves caught between the two main crime syndicates and there isn't going to be an easy way for them to resolve things.  While they care for each other they both have big secrets and if they are revealed it will change everything.  Can they find a way to help Anne and a way to be together again or are they destined to be pulled in different directions?  You'll have to pick up a copy of Blood Bound to find out, in the meantime I'll be sitting here desperately waiting for Shadow Bound!

Source: ARC received from Rachel Vincent in exchange for an honest review

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US Cover

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News: Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor

I think one of my most anticipated autumn releases has to be Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, I really can't wait to read this book!  Hodder started teasing us about this one back in July with a series of mysterious postcards

Ever since then the buzz has been building and I've been looking forward to picking up the book.  So now that the final cover image has been released I thought I'd share it with you here.

There once was a young artist called Karou who drew tales of monsters and demons that delighted and enthralled those around her.

But she has a secret, a secret that ties her to a dusty subterranean chamber, where her beloved guardian brokers dark deals in a place that is not here. A place that is Elsewhere.

Living with one foot in each world, Karou has never really known which one is her true home.

Now the doors to Elsewhere closing . . .

What do you think?  Isn't it beautiful and the blurb sounds fantastic!



I spotted the US trailer on YouTube and thought I'd include that too.



If you'd like more information you can visit the Daughter of Smoke and Bone website, follow the DoSaB Twitter page or visit Laini Taylor's blog here

The book is released in the UK on the 29th of September so watch out for my review coming soon!

ARC Review: Nightshade - Maryrose Wood

Sixteen-year-old Jessamine Luxton is heartbroken.  Her true love, Weed, the strange and intriguing young man who came into her life so suddenly, has disappeared.

Jessamine suspects that her own father, Thomas, may have been involved.  Thomas was obsessed with poisons and discovering Weed's secret understanding of dangerous plants. 

This suspicion and her own growing expertise with poisons have changed her.  She is no longer innocent.  So when Jessamine learns that Weed is alive and in danger, she will do whatever it takes to be reunited with him, including killing whoever gets in her way

Poison Diaries Trilogy:
The Poison Diaries
Nightshade (1st September 2011)
No title is currently available for the third book in the trilogy

The Poison Diaries series is written by Maryrose Wood and based on an idea by the Duchess of Northumberland. Visit Maryrose Wood's website or The Poison Diaries website for more information

Review:
After really enjoying The Poison Diaries I have to admit I was excited to get my hands on an advanced copy of Nightshade and I couldn't wait to start reading it.  Although Nightshade goes in a completely different direction to the one I was expecting and is a lot darker than The Poison Diaries I still really enjoyed it.  In fact I think I liked it even more because it managed to surprise me!  The story is a quick read and one I was able to whizz through in one day, the action is fast paced and you never know quite what will happen next which definitely kept me turning the pages.

Jessamine has done a lot of growing up since the first book, the discoveries she made about her father have changed her dramatically and I was pleased to see her stand up for herself more this time around.  Although there were times I wanted to shake her for listening to Oleander it was easy to see why she turned to him.  With Weed missing and her trust in her father destroyed she has nowhere else to turn and this makes her an easy target for the prince of poisons.  If Jessamine is to have any chance of finding Weed she has to hope that Oleander will help her but he has plans of his own and it isn't going to be easy for her to remain focused on her goal.

Weed is also searching for Jessamine but even the plants don't seem to know where she is.  Weed is having to try and fit into the human world while he tries to find his lost love and I enjoyed seeing things through his eyes, he actually becomes much more comfortable around people which was nice to see.  I still love Weed's character but I was a bit disappointed that we don't really get to see as much of him in this installment.  While this was understandable considering what is happening I missed reading about him and hope he is more prominent in the next book.

Nightshade is a much faster paced read than the first book but it is still a beautifully descriptive story and I loved the setting of the gardens that Weed finds himself in during his quest to find Jessamine.  I can't say too much because I don't want to give spoilers but I liked the contrast between the new garden and Thomas Luxton's poison one.  The story ended on a killer cliffhanger and I can't wait to read the final book in the series and see how things turn out, I wonder if the author will manage to surprise me again with the direction the story takes next? 

If you haven't started this series yet I'd highly recommend picking up your copy of The Poison Diaries now, the series is totally different to anything else I've read and stands out all the more because of that.

Source: Received from Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review

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Guest Post: Top YA Series Recommendations

Today's guest post is from the lovely Sophie from So Many Books, So Little Time.  Sophie is one of the first bloggers I ever met and she has a lovely blog that I'm sure you're already following but just in case you aren't make sure you go over and say hi! 

So I'll hand you over to Sophie so she can tell you about some of her favourite YA series . . .

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There are lots of things that are hugely common in YA: love triangles, gorgeous boys, angsty girls, impossible situations, and supernatural beings. And we fall in love with them all, usually over the course of a series. Now, I’ve been reading YA for a very long time and so I’ve managed to get myself hooked on far too many series. And, especially for Sarah while she’s hoarding books in the US, I’m going to highlight the series’ that never fail to keep me coming back for more.

The Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine

As the title of this series suggests, it’s about vampires. But these vampires are hardcore. They feed only on human blood, burn in the sun, sleep during the day and run the town of Morganville, Texas. Our protagonist Claire is trying to survive studying at Texas Prairie University with the help from her friends and Morganville residents Shane, Eve and Michael. Rachel Caine’s novels pack a serious punch with non-stop action, life-threatening situations and lovable, relatable characters. But I should warn you: this series is seriously addictive and there are a mammoth ten books of this series on the shelves out of a proposed twelve.

(Glass Houses, The Dead Girls’ Dance, Midnight Alley, Feast of Fools, Lord of Misrule, Carpe Corpus, Fade Out, Kiss of Death, Ghost Town, Bite Club, Last Breath (11/2011), Black Dawn (2012))

The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

I fell head over heels for Clary’s story within a few pages of City of Bones. The mythology of the Shadowhunters - humans with angel blood - and their demon killing antics is a unique and beautifully drawn world that captured my imagination. Clary is a completely kick-ass heroine who you’ll be rooting for all the way and Jace is, well, pretty much to die for, really. And then you have awesome action sequences, vivid and energetic writing and cliff-hangers that are truly evil. I was so excited when Cassandra Clare extended the trilogy to include another three books last year as I really can’t get enough of The Mortal Instruments series.

(City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels, City of Lost Souls (5/2012), City of Heavenly Fire (2013))

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Man, I love this series! Richelle Mead has created a fantastically unique and complex mythology that is perhaps the best, and my favourite, of all the vampire lores I’ve come across in YA. It has so many tangents and dimensions that it feels so very real. But a mythology like that has no ground without brilliant characters to carry it and the Vampire Academy series revolves around a favourite of mine: Rose Hathaway. There are very few heroines who are as kick-ass as Rose. The hero, Dimitri, isn’t too shabby either; in other words, he’s a god. Even if you’re not a vampire fan, pick this up for the sizzling chemistry between Rose and Dimitiri. You won’t be disappointed.

(Vampire Academy, Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, Blood Promise, Spirit Bound, Last Sacrifice)

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Uglies was my foray into dystopia. A friend had recommended the series to me many times and each time I told her that ‘it’s not my thing’ and I couldn’t have been more wrong. Scott Westerfeld created a dystopian world so far away from our world and yet so close to it that it blew my mind. In Tally’s world, at age sixteen you undergo an operation to make you ‘pretty’, because no one cares about you when you’re ‘ugly’. Tally struggles to overcome this society will resonate with everyone trying to fit in. And Tally is a heroine who would stand up next to Katniss Everdeen and Rose Hathaway with ease. What’s not to love?!

(Uglies, pretties, Specials, Extras)

Modern Faerie Tales by Holly Black

Tithe was a book I bought on a whim because of the stunning cover. I’d never read about faeries before and I hadn’t even heard of urban fantasy, let alone read any, and I was intrigued. Holly Black’s writing is sparse, yet vividly descriptive and she paints a picture of the dark and dangerous world of Faery beautifully. When Kaye returns to her childhood home, a staggering secret about her identity is revealed and she becomes embroiled in faery politics in a way that will change her forever. Kaye’s life with her mother is grim and gritty and was miles away from what I was used to and I fell hard. This book triggered a love of the fey and their world.

(Tithe, Valiant, Ironside)

Diary of a Crush by Sarra Manning

This was one of the first YA novels I got my hands on when I was around eleven or twelve and just breaking out of Jacqueline Wilson and Karen McCombie. I never really looked back. I devoured this trilogy in days and fell in love with quirky, stylish Edie and the gorgeously toxic Dylan. Diary of a Crush also began a love affair with diary-style books that still holds strong now. This trilogy is so easy to get lost in and it feels so REAL! I’ve read them so many times that there are phrases of Edie’s that are ingrained in my vocabulary and I can’t thank Sarra Manning enough for such a brilliant introduction to the world of contemporary YA.

(French Kiss, Kiss and Make Up, Sealed with a Kiss)

There are still so many more that I love: Harry Potter of course, the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson, The Luxe series, the Wicked Lovely series, The Hunger Games trilogy, Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy and I could go on and go...

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Thanks so much for taking the time to write this post for me Sophie!  The only one of your favourites that I've read is Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series which I absolutely loved (I can't wait for Bloodlines to come out!!).  Quite a few of the others you mentioned are on my to read pile though (The Morganville series, The Mortal Instruments series and The Modern Faerie Tales series) so I really need to find the time to get started on them.  My trouble is I have way too many books that are waiting for me to read them, which I'm sure is a big problem amongst bloggers lol.  I love the sound of the Uglies series too and even though I don't tend to read much contemporary YA I'm very tempted to give the Diary of a Crush series a try too.  Thanks for the great recommendations :o)

Are there any other series tht I need to get started on?  What would your favourites list include?

Book Trailer: Life: An Exploded Diagram - Mal Peet

A few weeks ago I had a guest review from the lovely Kirsty from The Overflowing Library for Life: An Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet.  Her review really made me want to read the book and now I've watched the trailer I'm even more keen to give it a try.  What do you think?

ARC Review: Fury - Elizabeth Miles

Sometimes sorry is not enough . . .

Em loves the winter holidays.  And this year, things are really looking up: the guy she's been into for months has finally noticed her.  But if she starts something with him there's no turning back.  Because he's going out with her best friend.

On the other side of town, Chase's home life is stressful and his social life's unravelling.  But that's nothing compared to what's really haunting him.  For Chase has done something cruel - something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do.  And it's only a matter of time before he's exposed.

Mistakes can be deadly.  And three beautiful, mysterious girls are about to make them pay . . .

Fury Trilogy:
Fury - UK release date 1st September 2011
This is the first book in a trilogy but titles for the next 2 books have not been released yet.

Visit Elizabeth Miles' website for more information

Review:
I have been looking forward to reading Fury for ages, as a massive paranormal fan this one was added to my wish list as soon as I first heard about it.  I don't think I've read anything aimed at the young adult market that is about furies so I was excited about reading something different from all the other paranormal stories currently out there.  Unfortunatley I ended up feeling a bit disappointed with the story and I'm not sure if I would continue reading the series.

Right from the beginning I found it really difficult to like any of the main characters.  I was really annoyed with Em that she was moving in on her best friend's boyfriend, she made excuses to herself that her friend Gabby would forgive her when she realised how much Em loved Zach but that stupid thinking really annoyed me.  Em was acting like a selfish brat and wasn't the kind of friend anyone would want to have in their life.  I suppose I should have felt more sorry for Gabby but she came across as spoilt and self obsessed and I really didn't care about her either.  As for Zach, he was a complete rat and I couldn't see why either of the girls was attracted to him in the first place.

Then you have Zach's best friend Chase who is from the poor side of town but has done everything he can to get in with the popular crowd.  He's the star of the football team and uses his popularity to score with as many girls as he can, happy to string several along at the same time.  Not really an attractive characteristic.  When Chase meets Ty he is immediately drawn to her but I couldn't understand why he didn't find any of her behaviour strange or suspicious.  I got to the point where I thought both Em and Chase deserved whatever they got and was actually looking forward to seeing the furies get their revenge.

Unfortunately I had to wait a long time to find out what they had planned.  As you're reading you know that something will happen but it seems to take forever for the supernatural events to take place.  I wanted to find out more about the furies and the mythology surrounding them but that never really happened, hopefully that is something that will happen in the next book.  As much as I didn't like Em and Chase I felt that their actions didn't merit the revenge that the furies had in mind and I couldn't understand why they had been picked as targets when some other characters in the book seemed to get away with worse actions.

I've said before that I'm not a big fan of the mean popular kids who get away with doing whatever they like so I think that's probably a big part of the reason that I didn't like Fury.  I'm sure this story will be popular with some but unfortunately it wasn't for me and I would struggle to recommend it.

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

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