Review: Under the Never Sky - Veronica Rossi

New UK Cover

Worlds kept them apart. Destiny brought them together.

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive . . .

Under the Never Sky series:
Roar and Liv (Novella)
Under the Never Sky
Through the Ever Night
Brooke (Novella)
Into the Still Blue

Visit Veronica Rossi's website for more information.

Review:
Aria has grown up inside one of the Pods built to protect humans from the aether storms that have ravaged the earth. She spends most of her time in virtual reality realms that allow her to go anywhere and do anything but nothing she experiences is real. She has always believed that leaving the safety of the Pod will kill her because of the poisoned atmosphere but when circumstances force her outside she soon realises how wrong that was. Outside is a harsh and dangerous environment though and she will need help to survive, especially if she wants to search for her missing mother.

Perry is the complete opposite of Aria. He has grown up in a village away from the Pods with his family struggling to make ends meet. His tribe have to hunt and gather their own food and barter for other things they need so luxuries are few and far between. Perry is independent, has good friends and enjoys his life though and has an extra special bond with his nephew Talon that was lovely to watch. He hates Aria and everything she stands for, especially when he realises her people are responsible for the disappearance of someone he cares for. He doesn't want to have to watch out for her but she is the only one who might be able to help him find the one he is searching for.

Aria has led a sheltered life so when she finds herself outside of the Pod for the first time I was worried that she would be a weak character who needed looking after. In some ways her inexperience really shows but she is willing to learn and doesn't sit back expecting help, she wants to be able to look after herself and does her best to make that happen. I loved the fact that there isn't an instant romance between her and Perry - it is more like hate at first sight between them! As they work together they gradually learn to trust each other and start to build a friendship that slowly turns into so much more. Because we get to see things from both of their points of view you really get to see how their relationship develops and I loved watching the two of them together. Even before they are friends I loved the banter between them and the way they slowly come to respect each other. Perry is a great main character, he is strong and protective but deep down he is sensitive and sweet with those he cares about. It takes a lot for him to let you into his heart but he will do anything to protect the ones he loves. He is definitely a character you can swoon over!

Under the Never Sky is a great debut from Veronica Rossi and I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel. The story had me hooked from the minute I picked it up and I loved the way the plot unfolded. There are plenty of twists and turns, some great side characters and I obviously loved the romance. I haven't even mentioned the extra sensory abilities that some of the tribe have - I was fascinated by them and can't wait to find out more. I was really pleased that the story doesn't end on a major cliffhanger, yes we are left with questions and I'm eager to get my hands on the sequel but I felt like I'd read a complete story. Too often recently I've been getting to the last page of a book feeling like I've been cheated out of an ending! If you're a fan of YA dystopian stories then this is one of the better ones and I'd definitely recommend giving it a try.

Source: Received from Atom in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
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.

Original UK Cover

Paoerback / Kindle:

New UK Covers for the Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld

At the end of March Simon & Schuster will be re-releasing Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series with brand new covers.  This is a series that I've heard fantastic things about from other bloggers but haven't got around to reading yet.  The lovely Carly (from Writing from the Tub) actually gave me a set of the books at the end of last year though so I really am going to have to try and get to them soon!

Anyway, I wanted to share the brand new covers with you & see what you think of them compared to the previous UK covers.  I actually love the new ones, as much as I like the old covers I think the new ones are much more striking and yet again I'm being tempted to re-buy books just to get the new covers!

Uglies:

New UK Cover

Old UK Cover

Pretties:

New UK Cover

Old UK Cover

Specials:

New UK Cover

Old UK Cover

So what do you think of the new covers?  Do you prefer the old or new versions?  If you've already read the series I'd love to know what you think of it!

Review: Fury of Fire - Coreene Callahan

A clandestine race of half-dragon, half-humans known as dragon-shifters lives among us. Bastian, leader of the Nightfury dragon clan, is sworn to protect humankind at all costs. For him, honor and duty always come first. When the clan dictates he take a human mate to sire a son, he falters, aware that for a human to birth a dragon-shifter she must die. Myst, the woman given into his care, is the most extraordinary he’s ever met, and though he can’t bear the thought of harming her he is bound by duty.

Myst loves her life in the human world, but Bastian has captured her heart in an instant of electric connection. But Bastian and his warriors are in the middle of a deadly battle with the Razorback dragon-shifters, intent on killing every Nightfury clan member—and the humans they protect—the fate of their world and ours hangs in the balance.

An extraordinary blend of action, fantasy, and steamy romance, Fury of Fire brings to life a dangerous new world intertwined with the survival of humanity, all while exploring the meaning of honor and the nature of true love.

Dragonfury Series:
Fury of Fire
Fury of Ice
Fury of Seduction
Fury of Desire (Spring 2013)
Fury of Obsession (release date to be confirmed)
Fury of Surrender (release date to be confirmed)


Visit Coreene Callahan's website for more information

Review:
As soon as I spotted Fury of Fire on Amazon Vine and realised it was a paranormal romance about dragon shifters I was sold.  I have a bit of a soft spot for dragons and it looked like this would be just my kind of read.  This had the potential to be a favourite new series for me but unfortunately I had a few problems with it and it failed to live up to my expectations.  In order for me to explain what I didn't like about this book my review will contain slight spoilers but I will try to keep them to a minimum.

I was really looking forward to finding out about Dragonkind but I have to admit that I found the author's mythology was confusing at times.  Dragonkind are a race of all male dragon shifters, they must feed from the energy of human females and do this by skin to skin contact (usually during intercourse but not always).  They can only breed with human women who always give birth to Dragonkind sons and for some reason NEVER survive childbirth.  Bastian is the leader of the Nightfury dragon clan who are a group of warriors who protect humans from the rogue dragon shifters known as Razorbacks.  The Razorbacks often drain the women they feed from to the point of death and their whole goal is to wipe humans off the face of the planet.  No, these bad guys aren't particularly intelligent - I have no idea how they expect to be able to feed or breed if there are no humans left?  Even if they only kept women alive they'd be in trouble after 1 generation when no more females had been born for them to feed off of!  Another thing that really bugged me was the fact that they have all the same weaknesses as a vampire - why create a race of dragon shapeshifters and make them have trouble with UV light?  You might as well just call them vampires and give them the ability to fly.

Then we have the romance which happened far too quickly to be believable and was frankly quite creepy at times.  Dragonkind are only fertile twice a year and it is Bastian's duty to start the next generation warriors by getting someone pregnant.  He is reluctant to do it because he knows it will be a death sentence for the woman involved but he only has a week to find this poor doomed mother of his child so he can impregnate her at the next fertile period.  Myst starts off OK and I thought I was going to like her, she is a nurse and when one of her patients dies in childbirth she will do anything to protect her newborn child.  She is naturally shocked when she discovers that Dragonkind exist and she shows sense by being terrified by the discovery.  When she is kidnapped by Bastian (for her own protection) she is determined to find a way to escape and I thought she was going to make him work at earning her trust.  Sadly that isn't the case, and within hours of meeting him she finds herself irresistibly drawn to him - I really couldn't tell you why!

We are treated to a lot of inner monologue from both main characters and the story could have been so much better if it had been streamlined down and not so repetitive.  I found it hard to fall for a hero who knows that getting his girl pregnant will kill her but goes ahead and does it anyway even though no solution has been found.  I also found it hard to respect a heroine who lets her kidnapper talk her into bed within hours despite the fact that in her own words he is a monster!

Despite the numerous problems I had with the story there was something about it that kept me reading.  There were far too many similarities with J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood and Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed series (these just happen to be 2 of my favourite series!) but if the author tidies up her mythology and makes the series her own then it does have potential.  Will I read the next book when it releases?  I probably will pick it up in the hope that the series gets stronger but I don't think it will be a book I rush out and get on the release date.  As Fury of Fire is a debut I'm hoping that Coreene Callahan Fury of Ice will be a stronger instalment.

Source: Received from Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
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.

Paperback / Kindle:

Winners: Daylight Saving & Sword of Light

With the help of Rafflecopter I am happy to announce the winner of a copy of Daylight Saving by Edward Hogan is:

Sam Bella (email address starting sambella10@...)

Congratulations Sam!  You should have already received an email from me asking for your address 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.  Your prize will be sent out by my contact at Walker so you'll need to give permission for me to forward your address to them.

With the help of Rafflecopter I am also excited to announce the 10 winners of a copy of Sword of Light by Katherine Roberts are:

Sarah (You didn't leave your email address so I have sent you a message on Twitter)

Chloe Smith (email address starting clobag@...)

Geoff Robinson (email address starting trinny1973@...)

Bobby Boxall (email address starting lasynner@...)

Kulsuma (email address starting k_anon@...)

Beth Kemp (email address starting beth@...)

Karen (email address starting karen.bush@...)

Kirsty (email address starting kirstylouiseconnor@...)

Mel S (email address starting notanotherbookblog@...)

Daisy Leigh-Phippard (email address starting daisy.leigh-phippard@...)

Congratulations to you all!  You should have already received an email from me 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.  Your prize will be sent out by my contact at Templar so you'll need to give permission for me to forward your address to them.

I'd like to say a massive thank you to Walker and Templar for allowing me to host these giveaways for them.

Review: The Snow Child - Eowyn Ivey

November 1920
Jack and Mabel have staked everything on making a fresh start for themselves in a homestead 'at the world's edge' in the raw Alaskan wilderness.  But as the days grow shorter, Jack is losing his battle to clear the land, and Mabel can no longer contain her grief for the baby she lost many years before.

The evening the first snow falls, their mood unaccountably changes.  Mabel surprises herself by throwing a snowball at her husband; then, in a moment of tenderness, the two build a snowman - or rather a snow girl - together.  The next morning, all trace of her has disappeared, and Jack can't quite shake the notion that he glimpsed a small figure - a child? - running through the spruce trees in the dawn light.  And how to explain the little but very human tracks Mabel finds at the edge of their property?

Written with the clarity and vividness of the Russian fairytale from which it takes it's inspiration, The Snow Child is an instant classic - the story of a couple who take a child into their hearts, all the while knowing they can never truly call her their own.

Visit Eowyn Ivey's website for more information

Review:

Before I start my review I want to point out that this isn't the kind of book I usually read so perhaps that would explain why I didn't love it quite as much as so many others have.  I did still like the story but it didn't wow me the same way it did most of my friends who have read it.  The story is based on a Russian fairy tale but it isn't one that I was familiar with so I won't be making comparisons between them.

Set in the 1920s The Snow Child tells the story of Mabel and Jack who move to Alaska hoping for a fresh start.  They married late in life and after suffering a still birth they were never blessed with more children.  It isn't easy to settle into life in the wilderness, the harsh weather makes for difficult living conditions and life is more lonely than they were expecting it to be.  When the first snow arrives the couple build a snow child but the next morning their creation has disappeared.  Strangely there are tiny footprints walking into the woods and Jack is sure he spotted a small child in the forest.  As the couple slowly get to know the almost feral child who appears to live on her own in the mountains they also find themselves settling into their new life.  They are happier than they have been in years and even begin to make friends with their neighbours.

The story is beautifully written and so descriptive that you feel like you've stepped into Jack and Mabel's world.  In fact every time I stopped reading to glance out of the window I was surprised not to see snow!  Eowyn Ivey has really captured the harsh beauty of the Alaskan wilderness, it's not an easy place to survive thanks to the fierce weather conditions but there is a pure beauty about it that makes you long for more simple times and want to be at one with nature.  This is one of those books where the setting is the main character and it was the one I was most connected to.

My problem was that I never really felt I got to know Mabel and Jack well and I didn't feel invested in their story.  Whenever I picked up the book I enjoyed reading it but when I put it down it was easy to be distracted by other things and I never felt compelled to pick it up again.  The fact that it took me 8 days to read the book (even though I read 6 other books during the same period and I'm someone who never usually reads more than one book at a time) shows that.  Like I said this isn't the kind of book I usually read though so don't let me put you off giving it a try.  It was still an enjoyable read and I think anyone who likes this type of story will love it.

Source: Received from Amazon Vine 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.

February 2012 Recap

Books read in January but reviewed in February:

(Links will take you to my reviews)

1. Darkness Falls - Cate Tiernan
2. Banshee Charmer - Tiffany Allee
3. Tomorrow, When the War Began - John Marsden
4. Forbidden - Jana Oliver
5. If I Die - Rachel Vincent
6. Firelight - Kristen Callihan
7. Even Vampires Get the Blues - Katie MacAlister
8. Kamikaze - Moira Rogers (Short Story)
9. Hurricane - Moira Rogers (Short Story)
10. Tequila Sunrise - Moira Rogers (Short Story)
11. Virgin Daiquiri - Moira Rogers (Short Story)

Books read in February:

(Links will take you to my reviews)

1. The Other Life - Susanne Winnacker
2. Code Name Verity - Elizabeth Wein
3. Ruthless Game - Christine Feehan
4. This is Not Forgiveness - Celia Rees
5. The Wood Queen - Karen Mahoney
6. Ember - Kristen Callihan (Novella)
7. Daylight Saving - Edward Hogan
8. Sword of Light - Katherine Roberts
9. The Gauntlet - Karen Chance (Novella) (This review was posted on Goodreads and will not appear on my blog)
10. The Queen's Witch - Karen Chance (Novella) (This review was posted on Goodreads and will not appear on my blog)
11. The Dead of the Night - John Marsden
12. Shadow Bound - Erin Kellison
13. Winning the Wallflower - Eloisa James (Novella)
14. The Rising - Will Hill (Review Coming Soon)
15. Oliver Twisted - J.D. Sharpe (Review Coming Soon)
16. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
17. Under the Never Sky - Veronica Rossi  (Review Coming Soon)
18. Living Dead in Dallas - Charlaine Harris
19. Fury of Fire - Coreene Callahan  (Review Coming Soon)
20. Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists - Gideon Defoe
21. City of Glass - Cassandra Clare  (Review Coming Soon)
22. Merrick's Destiny - Moira Rogers (Short Story)  (Review Coming Soon)
23. Everneath - Brodi Ashton  (Review Coming Soon)
24. Heart of Darkness - Lauren Dane  (Review Coming Soon)
25. The Snow Child - Eowyn Ivey  (Review Coming Soon)
26. Hallowed - Cynthia Hand  (Review Coming Soon)
27. North of Need - Laura Kaye (Review Coming Soon)

February Books of the Month:

(Choices are made from books reviewed this month)

My top YA reads in February:

Yet again it was impossible to pick just one top read this month!

Forbidden by Jana Oliver (read my review here)

If I Die by Rachel Vincent (read my review here)

The Wood Queen by Karen Mahoney (read my review here)

My top adult read in February:

Firelight by Kristen Callihan (read my review here)

Publisher Spotlight:

Publisher Spotlight is a weekly feature here on Feeling Fictional where I'm highlighting upcoming books from different publishers.  Check out the following posts and let me know which books you'll be adding to your wish list!

• Faber: February to April 2012
• Walker: January to August 2012

Challenge Updates:

These are the 2012 challenges I'm taking part in, I'll update my progress every month but so far so good!

2012 Debut Author Challenge - Read 10/50

2012 Read 100 Books in a Year Challenge - Read 44/200

2012 Horror & Urban Fantasy Challenge - Read 17/100

2012 Speculative Romance Challenge - Read 11/100

2012 British Books Challenge - Read 10/50

2012 New Author Challenge - Read 23/100

2012 Morganville Vampires Challenge - Read 1/9

2012 Sookie Stackhouse Read-A-Long - Read 2/12

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!