Review: Darcy Burdock - Laura Dockrill

Ten-year-old Darcy Burdock is one of life's noticers. Curious, smart-as-a-whip, funny and fiercely loyal, she sees the extraordinary in the everyday and the wonder in the world around her.

In this first book, we are introduced to her family: Mum, who Darcy loves as much as her favourite fried egg and chips, Dad, who is kind and fair if a bit hopeless, and little siblings Hector and Poppy, who Darcy likes dressing up in ridiculous outfits and having dance-offs with, respectively. Plus there's her non-bleating pet lamb, Lamb-Beth and best friend, Will, to have adventures with.

Darcy learns that turning into an angrosaurus-rex and causing chaos just gets her in trouble, trying to run away from home with a reluctant lamb in tow leads to sore kneebows, it's best not to throw a massive strop just before your surprise birthday party, Hallowe'en is all about spider costumes and having a pumpkin with a wonky eye, and if she's ever in a situation at home or at school where she's not sure what to do, she should write a story around it and the truth will be illuminated by her imagination.

Visit Laura Dockrill's website for more information.

Review:
I'm going to be upfront and admit that this isn't the kind of book I'd usually pick up as it is aimed at a slightly younger audience than my usual reads. However, after meeting Laura Dockrill last year and having the opportunity to listen to her read a sample from this book I just knew I had to read it. Laura is such a talented performer and her quirky personality shines through in Darcy Burdock.

Darcy is a fabulous character with an unusual way of looking at the world. She isn't always perfect but she has a good heart and she tries hard to do the right thing. I think most of us will be able to identify with her in some way and reading this book brought back so many childhood memories which made it a joy to read. I loved watching Darcy's interactions with her friends, her parents and her younger siblings. She is incredibly insightful with her observations and made me laugh out loud numerous times with the way she puts things.

The story almost has a diary feel to it with Darcy relating events that have happened to her as she goes along and she also includes stories that she writes and illustrates the whole thing with fun pictures. Darcy Burdock is such a fun read and it is the kind of book I would have adored when I was at primary school. I believe that this is going to be the first book in a series and if that is the case I can't wait to read about more of Darcy's adventures. I can't recommend this story highly enough.

Source: Received from RHCB 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:

Review: Voodoo on the Bayou - Elle James

“By day a frog, by night a man, ‘til de next full moon...”

At first, lawyer and ladies’ man Craig Thibodeaux thought Madame LeBieu’s chant was a strange bayou joke. But the voodoo worked and Craig is spending his days as...well, a small green frog. Now he has only two weeks to find love, or his new froggy transformation becomes permanent.

When she receives the anonymous toxic water sample from Bayou Miste, research scientist Elaine Smith decides a trip to the bayou is the perfect excuse to escape the lab, and forget about her cheating ex-fiancé. Then she accidentally stumbles upon Craig’s oh-so-fine naked form, and her science-nerd brain is overrun with naughty thoughts about her new gorgeous night-time bayou guide.

But there’s more to Bayou Miste than voodoo curses and sexy late-night trysts. Dark secrets threaten the delicate ecosystem, and there are those who would do anything to keep those secrets hidden. Even murder...

Cajun Magic Series:
Voodoo on the Bayou
Voodoo for Two
Deja Voodoo

Visit Elle James's website for more information

Review:
Ladies man Craig is a confirmed bachelor, happy to love women and leave them before moving on to the next one. His womanising ways get him into trouble when one of his dates gets revenge by asking a voodoo queen to curse him. Now Craig spends his days as a frog and his nights as a man and he only has until the next full moon to find someone to love him or he will be forced to live out the rest of his days as a frog. Elaine is a scientist who was sent an anonymous toxic water sample from someone in the bayou. She normally spends her days in the lab but she has a very good reason to want to get away for a bit so she decides to investigate the source of the pollution herself rather than send someone else to do it. Craig is Elaine's night time guide to the bayou and although they have an intense physical attraction will Craig really be able to win her heart in such a short amount of time?

I absolutely love fairytale retellings so as soon as I read the blurb for Voodoo on the Bayou I knew I had to read the book. I'm glad I did because this turned out to be such a fun story and it was one I thoroughly enjoyed. I was excited to learn that this is the first book in Elle James's Cajun Magic series and I can't wait to get my hands on the next instalment. I loved the setting for this story, as someone who has always wanted to visit New Orleans and the bayou I really enjoy reading books set there, especially ones that make it so easy to picture the scenery and the colourful characters who live there.

The best thing about this book was the characters though, Elaine is a highly intelligent and compassionate woman but she has spent most of her life buried in her studies or lab work which makes her quite innocent when it comes to interacting with people. She isn't a naive little virgin but she has never really explored her sexuality or her passionate side. Craig works as a high powered lawyer and his goals in life revolve around making partner in the family firm while avoiding commitment when it comes to women. He is happy to play the field but he does always make it clear upfront that he isn't interested in a long term relationship. Elaine turns his life upside down, she makes him question his way of life and she makes him want to be a better person. At the same time he brings out a more playful and fun side to Elaine and helps her let her hair down. They are complete opposites but they work really well together and their chemistry was hot enough to blow the roof off!

Alongside the romance you also have the mystery about who is poisoning the bayou which added a nice extra element to the story. It doesn't take long before Elaine and Craig attract the wrong kind of attention during their investigation and they soon find their lives at risk. Voodoo on the Bayou is a fairly light hearted paranormal romance and it was a book I found incredibly easy to devour. This was the first book I've read by Elle James but it definitely won't be the last and I'm already looking forward to Voodoo for Two which is published in April. If you like fairytale retellings and you like the sound of an adult version of The Frog Prince then you're going to love this book.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley 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.

Kindle:

Voodoo on the Bayou Blog Tour: Guest Post from Elle James & International Giveaway

Today I'm excited to be taking part in the blog tour to celebrate the re-release of Elle James's novel Voodoo on the Bayou. This is a fab paranormal romance and fairytale retelling all in one book and it's a story that I really enjoyed (watch out for my review which will be posted later today).

I have a great guest post from Elle James below and she is offering an international giveaway for one of her previous books but before I get to that let me give you some more information about the book:

“By day a frog, by night a man, ‘til de next full moon...”

At first, lawyer and ladies’ man Craig Thibodeaux thought Madame LeBieu’s chant was a strange bayou joke. But the voodoo worked and Craig is spending his days as...well, a small green frog. Now he has only two weeks to find love, or his new froggy transformation becomes permanent.

When she receives the anonymous toxic water sample from Bayou Miste, research scientist Elaine Smith decides a trip to the bayou is the perfect excuse to escape the lab, and forget about her cheating ex-fiancé. Then she accidentally stumbles upon Craig’s oh-so-fine naked form, and her science-nerd brain is overrun with naughty thoughts about her new gorgeous night-time bayou guide.

But there’s more to Bayou Miste than voodoo curses and sexy late-night trysts. Dark secrets threaten the delicate ecosystem, and there are those who would do anything to keep those secrets hidden. Even murder...

Cajun Magic Series:
Voodoo on the Bayou
Voodoo for Two (April 2013)
Deja Voodoo (June 2013)

Visit Elle James' website for more information

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Elle James

Fairytales aren’t just for Kids

by Elle James

No matter how old we are, we can still believe in fairy tales and happily-ever-afters. But we don’t have to settle for the same old tales. Look at the latest fairytale movies retold: Snow White and the Huntsman, Mirror Mirror, and Red. Also, check out the television programs like Grim and Once Upon a Time. Each of these shows are the retelling of old favorites, giving them a twist and a new life.

That’s what I did with VOODOO ON THE BAYOU. I took The Frog Prince, a familiar fairytale and gave it a new twist. The story gave me a chance to build a whole new community in the Louisiana bayous, fill it with interesting, fun characters with stories to tell and flavored it with suspense, Cajun spice and Voodoo. This book started as the retelling of a fairytale and, because of the Voodoo, characters and setting, became a series. Stick around for more fun in the bayou!

What favorite fairytale would you like to see rewritten?

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Thanks so much for stopping by Elle, I'm really excited to learn that Voodoo on the Bayou is going to be the first book in a series - I can't wait to see which fairytale you rewrite next!

Giveaway Details:

Elle is very generously offering a signed paperback copy of her novel The Witch's Initiation to one of my readers. Here is a bit more information about the book:

Chicago's top undercover cop, Cal Black, has faced his share of danger, but he's never tangled with the paranormal…until now. His mission is simple: to investigate the disappearance of a sorority girl from a private college. But there are two complications: the girl's a witch. And her sister is the enchantress who broke his heart.

Deme Chattox isn't looking for a man. Especially a bad boy like Cal, even though every inch of her body remembers the magic of his touch. What she is looking for is her little sister …and Deme is determined to find her without Cal's expertise. The other Chattox sisters - and their mystical powers - are all the help she needs. That is, until they unearth a terrifying secret buried deep underground - and Deme finds herself possessed by a desire that threatens to destroy her.

• One winner will win a signed paperback copy of The Witch's Initiation by Elle James.
• The winner's prize will be sent out directly by the publisher Elle James so the winner must give me permission to pass their address on.
• To enter please use the rafflecopter below, there are optional extra entries for following or tweeting about the giveaway but these are not required to enter.
• Duplicate and invalid entries will be deleted and the winners will be chosen at random from all remaining entries.
• The giveaway will close at Midnight GMT on the 2nd of April 2013 and the winner will be contacted soon afterwards. You will have 48 hours to reply to me with your address or a new winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

UK Giveaway: The Trouble with Fate - Leigh Evans

Thanks to Tor UK and Think Jam I have a fabulous giveaway for you today to win a copy of The Trouble with Fate by Leigh Evans. I haven't read the book yet but it sounds fabulous and I'm looking forward to diving into the story as soon as my copy arrives!

She’s half fae and all trouble...

Hedi looks normal. Yet that’s taken effort. Her fellow Starbucks baristas don't see her pointed ears, fae amulet or her dark past, and normal is hard for a half-fae, half-werewolf on the run. Hedi’s life changed ten years ago, when her parents were murdered by unknown assassins. She’s been in hiding with her loopy aunt Lou. Whatever they wanted she’s determined they won’t get it.

Things change when wolves capture Lou, forcing Hedi to steal to free her – for if she can offer up a fae amulet like her own they may trade. But it belongs to a rogue werewolf who betrayed Hedi on the night of her greatest need. Over forty-eight hours, Hedi will face the weres of Creemore, discover the extent of her fae powers and possibly break her own heart in the process.

The Mystwalker Series:
The Trouble with Fate
The Thing about Weres

Visit Leigh Evans's website for more information.

Before we get to the giveaway I have a couple of fab videos of Leigh talking about The Trouble with Fate to share with you.

In this first video Leigh introduces us to the main characters in the book:



and in this one she talks about why she chose Toronto for the setting:



What do you think? Is this a book you'll be adding to your wish list? I love urban fantasy and I love werewolves so I know it's one I'm excited about :o)

Giveaway Details:

Now I know you've all been waiting for me to get to the giveaway details so here they are!

• Two lucky winners will each win a paperback copy of The Trouble with Fate by Leigh Evans.
• The winner's prize will be sent out directly by my contact at Think Jam so the winners must give me permission to pass their address on.
• To enter please use the rafflecopter below to confirm that you are a UK resident, there are optional extra entries for following or tweeting about the giveaway but these are not required to enter.
• Duplicate and invalid entries will be deleted and the winners will be chosen at random from all remaining entries.
• The giveaway will close at Midnight GMT on the 1st of April 2013 and the winner will be contacted soon afterwards. You will have 48 hours to reply to me with your address or a new winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

News: Book Deals, UK Cover Reveals, Contests & the CILIP Carnegie Medal Shortlist

I've not done a news update for a while and if I tried to include all the news from the last month this would probably be the longest blog post in history so I'm mainly going to mention things that have caught my attention in the last week or so.

I can't pass up the opportunity to mention my lovely friend Liz's book deal though. I'm sure everyone has already heard the news but I'm so incredibly excited for her that she has signed a 3 book deal with Tor!! I've known Liz for several years after meeting her at a blogger event and was sad when she closed her blog (My Favourite Books) at the end of last year. I always enjoyed reading her blog and know we can expect huge things from Liz along with Mark and Sarah (her co-bloggers from MFB) in the future. You can read the full press release on the Tor website but here is the main info:

Pan Macmillan’s Tor imprint is delighted to announce the acquisition at auction of an exciting young adult trilogy – by blogger-turned-author Liz de Jager. Senior Commissioning Editor Bella Pagan bought World Rights, excluding USA/Canada, via Juliet Mushens of the Agency group and the series starts with The Blackhart Legacy. The books are contemporary YA urban fantasies set in our world, but here fairytale legends exist. And only one family – the Blackharts – are able to see fae interlopers, never mind fight them. Part Artemis Fowl, part Brothers Grimm, this is a rollicking and original read from a fresh new voice in YA fiction. This will be perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan and Melissa Marr.

Congratulations again Liz, I'm thrilled for you & I can't wait to start reading The Blackheart Legacy! Make sure you drop by Liz's blog here to keep up to date with her latest news.

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While we're on the subject of book deals I received an email from Hodder & Stoughton confirming that they are going to be bringing some of Jennifer L. Armentrout's books to the UK. I love Jennifer's Lux series (click the links to read my reviews of Shadows and Obsidian) so am very excited that she's found a UK publisher and hope that means we'll find her books . Check out the press release below for more information:

Hodder & Stoughton to publish American YA phenomenon Jennifer L. Armentrout

Hodder & Stoughton Assistant Editor Harriet Bourton has snapped up UK rights to ten titles by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout. There are seven titles in the young adult paranormal Covenant series, a contemporary paranormal standalone, Cursed, plus two mystery thrillers written by the author. The Covenant novels and Cursed will be published first in eBook on 25th April, and the first mystery thriller, Don’t Look Back, will publish in April 2014 in print and digital formats.

The Covenant series is published by Spencer Hill Press in the US and Jennifer is currently their number one bestselling author across the board, writing across multiple genres including paranormal contemporary romance, and makes frequent appearances in the Kindle top 100 chart.

Assistant Editor Harriet Bourton bought UK rights from Kate McLennan at Abner Stein Agency on behalf of Taryn Fagerness for the Covenant series and standalone novel Cursed, and UK rights for Don’t Look Back and one untitled mystery thriller from Molly Kong at Hyperion US.

Bourton said, ‘Jennifer’s writing is so immediately engaging and interesting in whatever form her storytelling takes, be it a mysterious plot about a girl who wakes up on the roadside with no memory of who she is, or paranormal worlds – with brilliantly gutsy, spirited heroines – that are excitingly and convincingly imagined from the first page. I’m so thrilled to be Jennifer’s UK publisher, and she already has a cast of fans here at Hodder. I know there will be many more out there yet!’

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Have you seen the new UK Covers for Abbi Glines' Sea Breeze series? The ebooks are already available but the paperbacks will be available from the 25th of April with these snazzy new covers from Simon & Schuster. What do you think? I love them & can't wait to have them lined up on my bookshelves!

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Now if you have any skills at all when it comes to making videos you won't want to miss the contest that Laini Taylor is hosting to celebrate the release of Days of Blood and Starlight. All you have to do is create a book trailer for Days of Blood and Starlight and you could be in with the chance of winning $1,000! Check out the information below to see how to enter:

Want to bring the DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE trilogy to life? You can in Laini Taylor's trailer competition! There's even a $1000 prize...

To enter, simply:
1) Create a trailer - of any kind - for DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT
2) Upload it to YouTube
3) Paste the link into the comments section at http://www.youtube.com/smokeandbonebook

We'll be collating the videos in a playlist on this channel, so check back here to see all the entries, and of course the winners.

Deadline: 1st May 2013

More details available at http://www.lainitaylor.com/2012/11/two-days-contest-alert.html although please note the change to the deadline.

Good luck!

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Last but by no means least I wanted to leave you with the Carnegie 2013 shortlist, there are some absolutely fabulous books on the list and it's going to be very hard to call the winner. Links will take you to my reviews.

The CILIP Carnegie Medal 2013 shortlist in full:

The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan, Bloomsbury

A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle, Marion Lloyd Books

Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner, Hot Key Books

In Darkness by Nick Lake, Bloomsbury

Wonder by R.J. Palacio, Bodley Head

Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick, Indigo

A Boy and a Bear in a Boat by Dave Shelton, David Fickling Books

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Electric Monkey

I have both Maggot Moon and In Darkness on my to read pile so I'm going to have to try and read those before the winner is announced. I obviously need to check out A Greyhound of a Girl and A Boy and a Bear in a Boat too. I enjoyed all of the books that I've read but I think if I had to pick a favourite out of those four then it would be Wonder so I'm secretly hoping that one will win.

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Anyway, I think that is plenty of news for today, I hope there was something there that caught your attention!

Review: The Memory Coder - Jessica Brody

When a security breach is detected, the Memory Restoration Department is called upon to do what they do best: make you forget. But with every memory that’s taken out, a new one must be installed in its place. It’s a job that requires skill, artistry, discretion, and flawless proficiency in the language of memories. That’s why only the best programmers in the world are recruited to work for the department. But diving too far into another person’s memories is a dangerous endeavour. And for some, the temptation is just too strong.

“The Memory Coder,” an original story by Jessica Brody, is set in the world of Unremembered, the first book in a sci-fi/suspense trilogy, on sale March 5, 2013.

This short story can be read for free on the Tor website here.

Unremembered Series:
The Memory Coder (Free short story on the Tor website)
Unremembered
Undiscovered (Novella)
Unforgotten
Unleashed (Novella)
Unchanged
The Intelligence Director (Free short story on the Tor website)
The Human Engineer (Free short story on the Tor website)

Visit Jessica Brody's website for more information

Review:
The Memory Coder is a free short story that can be read on the Tor website here. It is set in the same world as Unremembered by Jessica Brody and fits into the time line before the first book. Although it is set before Unremembered I would personally recommend reading this story after the book because it does give an insight into events that you don't find out about until later on in the novel. I think the story will also make more sense if you've already read the book. That slight spoiler is mentioned in the next paragraph of my review so if you don't want to know more and you haven't read Unremembered yet then you may want to stop reading now.

Having already read Unremembered I really enjoyed The Memory Coder, it was nice to find out more about how the Memory Restoration Department go about removing memories. The idea of someone writing code that will create false memories that can be implanted directly into your brain is incredibly creepy and I have to admit that the idea of it really freaks me out. Imagine not being able to trust that your own memories are real! I wouldn't want to live in this world that's for sure!

The story is fairly easy to predict but it's hard to create much intrigue in such a short amount of time and I still enjoyed following it to the end. If you enjoyed Unremembered then I'd definitely recommend giving this one a try.

Source: Read for free at the Tor website here.

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.

Review: Unremembered - Jessica Brody

New UK Cover

A catastrophic plan crash leaves one survivor: a girl with no memory.

Who is she?

Where does she come from?

Nobody knows and no one comes forward to claim her.

Haunted by a looming threat she can't remember and plagued by abilities she doesn't understand, she struggles to recall who she is. But every clue leads to more questions. And she's running out of time to answer them.

Her only hope is a boy who claims they were once in love.

Alone and on the run, who should she trust? And what if she discovers that she is safer with a past that stays unremembered?

Unremembered Series:
The Memory Coder (Free short story on the Tor website)
Unremembered
Undiscovered (Novella)
Unforgotten
Unleashed (Novella)
Unchanged
The Intelligence Director (Free short story on the Tor website)
The Human Engineer (Free short story on the Tor website)

Visit Jessica Brody's website for more information

Review:
When Sera wakes up in the ocean, floating amidst the wreckage of a plane crash and surrounded by bodies, it is obvious she is the only survivor. What she doesn't know is how she survived such a horrific accident and why she has no memory of who she is or why she was on the plane in the first place. She has no physical injuries so why is her memory a blank hole? Who is the mysterious boy who visits her in hospital claiming he loves her and can she really trust him? The more she discovers about her past the greater the danger becomes and the harder it is to know where to turn for help.

Unremembered is a fabulous start to Jessica Brody's new trilogy and it has left me really looking forward to getting my hands on the next two books. Thankfully there is no major cliffhanger at the end though so although I'll be picking up Unforgotten as soon as I can get hold of a copy I'm not going to die of frustration during the year long wait! It is going to be really hard to write much about this book because I'm very conscious of the fact that most of the things I want to talk about are major spoilers so I'm afraid this will probably be a fairly short review. Don't mistake the lack of words for a lack of enthusiasm though because I'm definitely recommending the book.

One thing I can say is that this was a book that surprised me, I made several guesses to what was going on fairly early on as I was reading but none of them turned out to be correct. The actual reveals shocked me and I love it when a book can do that. The story also flows really well, it was one of those books that kept me sucked into the story so much that I was annoyed when life got in the way and I had to put it down.

Sera is a great character, her amnesia leaves her confused and vulnerable but she manages to stay strong and determined to discover what is really going on around her. She is smart enough to figure things out and when she starts to get to the bottom of things she is brave enough to risk her safety to protect those she has come to care about. I loved Zen, he has the whole mysterious thing going for him but it was nice to come across a YA hero who isn't a bad boy. Now I like my bad boys as much as the next girl but they seem to be in every book I pick up at the moment so I enjoyed reading about someone more normal for a change.

If you're a fan of YA sci-fi then you don't want to miss Unremembered, it has great characters and a fast paced plot with plenty of twists that will keep you on your toes. I'm definitely looking forward to more from Jessica Brody in the future.

Source: Received from Macmillan 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

Paperback / Kindle: