Letterbox Love (3 to 6)

Letterbox Love Is Hosted By The Fabulous Lynsey over at Narratively Speaking.  Its a fun way for us to showcase our weeks new books here in the UK

Book links will take you to Amazon UK

 Not going to lie I've not been around for quite some time.  Life just got in the way for a while and for some reason I couldn't handle the thought of trying to fit in blogging.  I'm now going to make a real effort to sort myself out and get back to some normality.

FOR REVIEW

From Harper Collins

The Selection By Kiera Cass

From Strange Chemistry

Shift By Kim Curran

 Blackwood By Gwenda Bond

From Simon And Schuster

 The Age Of Miracles By Karen Thompson Walker

 Wentworth Hall By Abby Grahame

From Macmillan

Dark Inside By Jeyn  Roberts

From Quercus

Shattered Dreams By Ellie James

Taken By Storm By Jennifer Lynn Barnes

From Atom

Hades By Alexandra Adornetto

From Andersen Press

Grave Mercy By Robin LaFevers

From Indigo / Orion

The Gathering Dark By Leigh Bardugo

The Masque Of The Red Death By Bethany Griffin

From Randomhouse

Seraphina By Rachel Hartman

BOUGHT

Harry Potter - Film Wizardry

.....Phew that's the lot!!  I just need to get some more hours to read them all!!!

What did you get?? x

In My Mailbox (58)

In My Mailbox Is An Awesome Blog Post Idea Hosted By The Story Siren

All links will take you to Amazon

Sadly my friend went home to Canada *sob* BUT it does mean I have more time for my blog - YAY!!!  

   Generally been a good week, went to my very first book club meeting!!  Also got sent some incredible books, so here we go......

BOUGHT

The World Of The Hunger Games

This is a hard back beauty that I think is another fab edition to the series

RECIEVED

The Peculiars By Maureen Doyle McQuerry

I got this from the lovely Amulet / Abrams & Chronicle - I am SO EXCITED to read this one

 Ghost Flower By Michele Jaffe

I got this from ATOM books.  This sounds pretty interesting, really want to give this one a go!

A Face Like Glass By Frances Hardinge

This Is From MacMillan.  I've not read anything by Frances before, so quite intrigued

These are from the fantastic people at MIRA Ink

The Immortal Rules By Julie Kagawa

Eeeeep!  This sounds incredible, and it was signed to ME :D

The Goddess Test & Goddess Interrupted By Aimee Carter

I've heard some great things about this series and would love to give these a read

THANK YOU so much to all the lovely publishers for sending me there books!!!

Hope you had a spiffing week?

Leanne

xoxo

In My Mailbox (54)

In My Mailbox Is An Awesome Blog Post Idea Hosted By The Story Siren

All links will take you to Amazon

This time last week I was having a blast in Stratford Upon Avon with some blogger friends.  Had an amazing time, so keep an eye out for my post on it soon!!!

Not only did I buy a few older books this week, but I also got sent lots of books to review - Kinda wish I had been sent a few more hours for my days too!!

BOUGHT

 Graveminder By Melissa Marr

This was one of my bargain buys, sounds really cool!

Revolution By Jennifer Donnelly

I've heard so many wonderful reports of this - must read it as soon as I can

Keys To The Repository By Melissa de la Cruz

This is a compendium to the Blue Bloods series, handy little book to have

Rosebush By Michele Jaffe

Another bargain buy, that sounds pretty cool

RECEIVED

Macmillan

After The Snow By S.D. Crockett

 This is a great sounding dystopian

Jane Austen Stole My Boyfriend By Cora Harrison

I do love me some Jane Austen, and although different to her work this sounds fab

Mice By Gordon Reece

Awesome sounding read, that may be just a little unsettling for me

TOR

Torn By Amanda Hocking

I'm still to read Switched, but am thrilled to have the next part to leap on to

Headline

Book Of Summers By Emylia Hall

I really like the look of this, hoping to read it very soon

Amulet / Abrams And Chronicle

Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe By Shelley Coriell

I loved the sound of this, so was thrilled to be sent a copy - currently reading and Loving it!

ATOM

Infamous By Sherrilyn Kenyon

I still haven't got the first book of this series, but intend to get it when I can!!

Simon And Schuster

Unrest By Michelle Harrison

I am SOOOOO Excited for this book!  Did a little chair dance when I opened my parcel!!!

When You Were Mine By Rebecca Serle

I've been excited to read this since I heard about it in December, I'm loving the idea of it!!

Many Thanks to all the publishers that sent me books this week, You ROCK!!!!

Hope you all got lots of bookish treats??

Leanne

xoxo

Title AND Cover Reveal: The Demon Trappers Series By Jana Oliver

I'm still relatively new to The Demon Trappers series, having currently just read the first in the series.  From that book alone I am a fan trust me.  These are just the wittiest punchiest books out there and so worth checking out.  I'm starting the second book Forbidden very soon, followed soon after by Forgiven.

Jana made a brilliant announcement yesterday that the next book will be called

FORETOLD

Then shortly after the lovely Elizabeth May, who does the photography on the book revealed the cover.....

Eeeeeee!  How awesome does that look???  Another fabulous edition to the series and we only have to wait till August for its release!!!

Amazon LINK

In My Mailbox (51)

In My Mailbox Is An Awesome Blog Post Idea Hosted By The Story Siren

All links will take you to Amazon

Uneventful week, but got some great books - makes everything right in the world!!

BOUGHT

The Statistical Probability Of Love At First Sight By Jennifer E. Smith

I got this in a Charity shop can you believe it???  It was in the shop window and I did a dramatic double take, run in to the shop and took this from the window.  Have heard great stuff about it and can't wait to get round to it!!

GIFTED

Signed Dark Parties Bookmark & Freaks By Kieran Larwood

These were given to me by the wonderful Laura from SisterSpooky: Bookfangirl - not often to you go to see a friend and walk away with goodies!!  THANK YOU HUN!!

Fever By Lauren DeStefano

I have been DYING to read this for so long & kind of messaged Lauren a lot on twitter.  She mentioned my longing to read the next instalment to a lovely American blogger called Lynn at Bringing The Epic who had an ARC and she very kindly passed her copy on to me.  I had the biggest smile you have EVER seen when I received it - Thanks Lynn!!

REVIEW

Dead Rules By R.S.Russell

I got this very cool sounding book from the great people at Quercus.  Very interested in this one

Unravelling By Elizabeth Norris

Another very exciting read - shall start this as soon as I can.  Huge Thanks to Harper Collins for this one

Forgiven By Jana Oliver

The latest in the Demon Trappers series.  I really enjoyed the first in this series and have the second on my shelf waiting to be read.  Going to enjoy jumping into both of these.  Many Thanks to Macmillan for this one

SENT

The Fantastic Megan Crewe was offering bookmarks and signed book plates to anyone that had bought a copy of her book.  I was thrilled to get my copy and now have an awesome bookplate to join it!  Thanks Megan!!

Hoping you had an interesting book week??

Leanne 

xoxo

I also have TWO giveaways this week - 

Valentines Giveaway

Signed Switched Giveaway

Dinner With Amanda Hocking AND Signed SWITCHED Giveaway

In January pretty much wherever you looked you saw posts, articles, talk of Amanda Hocking.  Unbelievably I hadn't heard of her until all this news erupted, which is seriously lame as Amanda has done something truly amazing in the literary world.
She wrote an incredible story that was proving hard to get published.  She took the amazing initiative and decided to publish her work herself.  The book world fell in love with her work and very soon after the publishers realised maybe they had been hasty in declining her writing.

Fast forward to January 2012 and Macmillan (Amanda's publishers) decided to bring her over to do lots of promo for the release of Switched and the rest of this series that will be out over the next few months.

Very unexpectedly I got a wonderful email asking if I would be interested in going along to the Macmillan offices, for a spot of dinner and the chance to meet Amanda.  I didn't have to even think about it, I was ALL IN!!!

I arrived at the offices with my good friends and fellow bloggers Laura & Casey from SisterSpooky: Bookfangirl & Dark Readers.
We of course were some what early so had to sit in the foyer for a while.  This just gave us time to get even more excited and geek out over Macmillan's books.

Amanda & Me

It didn't take long and we were whisked off to the offices.  Now these offices are pretty darn cool, the walls are literally lined with all their awesome books.  Its like being a kid in a sweet shop HEAVEN!!!

All of us bloggers got acquainted or had catch ups as lots of us have met before.  We were served yummy refreshments too - the environment just got better and better.  Soon we were introduced to the lovely Amanda and her partner Eric.  Now started the chatting time.  We all sat round a huge table with our poison of choice (diet coke for me) and fancy pizza.
We all just fired questions and had general discussions about all things bookish.  I did take some notes, so here are a few points Amanda told us.

• Amanda had been writing for years, but couldn't secure an agent and so decided to go the self publishing route
• She was greatly helped by bloggers who read her work, reviewed and spread the word of the books awesomeness
• It was a very slow process, but then just all went crazy really quickly
• The books in their self published form got optioned for a movie, which is all looking very promising.  Through the movie excitement, the publishers then became involved.  Amanda loved their involvement as it meant her work got to be tidied up and errors were corrected - her work was polished up basically
• Amanda writes fast and constantly takes notes
• She did feel some pressure from the fans that were eager to read more of her work.  She felt she needed to write more, but with having the publishers there now its made things a bit slower and so is somewhat easier.
• She knew where all her stories were going so the writing process was just filling in the points in between, but occasionally a character would change or something unexpected would develop.
• Prior to writing this series, Amanda had never really had a big idea for a paranormal story and so never really expected to write something in that genre.  She then read some things about Swedish folklore and so the Switched story stemmed from there.
• Amanda love watching The Tudors and incorporated some of the more realistic parts of that into her work
• Amanda does read YA fiction too, but not when she is in the process of writing.  Then she reads biographies.
• She particularly enjoyed the editing process, when the books were signed to publishers.  It meant she got to play around with the work
• Prior to writing the Switched series she had be concentrating on writing older set darker books.  Her family and friends told her this didn't really suit her and she should try out YA.  This is much more her!!!

After our random chats and gossip we all got to get our books signed and had photos with Amanda.

Group Photo

I managed to get a gorgeous Orange copy of the book signed ready to give away to one of you lucky lot!!!  All you need to do is fill out the form at the bottom of the page EASY!!!!

Lastly I'd like to say a HUGE Thank you to Amanda for taking the time to meet us and to Chloe at Tor Macmillan for inviting me along to a wonderful event.

In My Mailbox (48)

In My Mailbox Is An Awesome Blog Post Idea Hosted By The Story Siren

Book links will take you to Amazon

I wasn't expecting a particularly exciting week to be honest.  Didn't have any books ordered that were due & no plans.  But how things can change at short notice.  Got some great buys, got sent a book & got an invite to a fantastic event.  So yeah I think my week worked out!!  

Bought

 The Future Of Us By Jay Asher And Carolyn Mackler

I have wanted this since I heard about it last year.  I'm so intrigued by the idea of it!!

A Witch In Winter By Ruth Warburton

I have heard such great stuff about this and so had to treat myself to it!!

Received

 Legend By Marie Lu

I've wanted this one since last July - it just sounds incredible!  Thanks to Puffin for sending it to me!!

 So the special event I got to go to was a dinner with Amanda Hocking hosted by the fantastic people at Macmillan.  I'll write up a full report on the event soon, but in the mean time these are the goodies I got

Switched By Amanda Hocking

This sounds awesome!!  And of course is signed!!!

All These Things I've Done By Gabrielle Zevin

This I am really excited by!!!

The Reapers Are The Angels By Alden Bell

I'd not heard of this one before, but have been told its fantastic.  Shall get to this as soon as I can!!

Tell The Wolves I'm Home By Carol Rifka Brunt

This is a bit different to what I'm used to.  Hoping it will be interesting though!

That was my week of bookish goodness!!!  Till next week

Leanne

xoxo

Review - Tempest By Julie Cross

"Jackson Meyer is hiding a secret. He can time-travel. But he doesn't know how he does it, how to control it or what it means. When Jackson, and his girlfriend Holly, find themselves in fatal danger, Jackson panics and catapults himself two years into his past, further than he's ever managed before, and this time he can't find a way back to the future. All the rules of time-travel he's experienced so far have been broken and Jackson has no choice but to pretend to be his younger self whilst he figures out a solution. Jackson is tearing himself apart with guilt and frustration, wondering if Holly survived. He's also become the target of an unknown enemy force and it seems even his dad is lying to him. Jackson is racing against time to save the girl he loves, but to do that he must first discover the truth about his family and himself. And stay alive." 

I'd not heard of this book this book till last October.  I was at a Becca Fitzpatrick talk and someone asked why she decided to change the name of her book from Tempest to Silence.  She was very happy to tell us that a new author was releasing a book of the same name & was asked if there was the chance her title could be changed.  Becca being the sweetest person ever seemed to be happy to do that, awww!!
My interest was caught already and so my hunt began for the book.

The cover is just gorgeous.  Strangely it is kind of similar looking to Becca Fitzpatrick's first book Hush Hush, which is also a stunner.  I do love the addition of a girl to this.  And just the way they are reaching for each other.  Its beautiful and so fitting with the story.

I was so quickly drawn into this story, although it did take quite some getting used to reading from a boys point of view.  Not that anything too smutty or inappropriate was said at all, but it just felt strange for me to put myself in Jackson's place and read his feelings for Holly.  I very quickly got used to this and my head adapted to the role change.  Its definitely made me more understanding of how it could be difficult for a guy to read from a girls point of view.  But its great too, as it makes you look at things from another perspective - something we should all do from time to time.

One huge thing I noticed with this book is that it needs your full attention.  The speech and the story can be quite jumpy and you can feel a little confused sometimes.  It just made me want to immerse myself in the story more and forget my surroundings.  It certainly keeps you on your toes.

There were some scenes in the book that were very poignant and touching for me & I would imagine many readers out there.  It absolutely had me wondering what would I do if I got the chance to go back and speak to people that are no longer here.  I also realised how heartbreaking it would be too.  It is so thought provoking.

Without a doubt this had a young adult 'Time Travellers Wife' feel to it, with a secret agent twist to it.   Its a winning formula I have to say.  I'm so excited for the next part to this amazing debut!!!

Rating 4 1/2 Out Of 5

Published In The UK By Macmillan

This Can Be Purchased HERE and from good book retailers

In My Mailbox (46)

In My Mailbox Is An Awesome Blog Post Idea Hosted By The Story Siren

Book links will take you to Amazon

So Christmas and New Year are over and means getting back to normal.  Meh' I guess it has to be done, but I'd much rather have the Christmas excuse for stuffing my face!!!

New Year means new books though, that definitely eases the January blues!!  Here's what I got this week!

Bought

Variant By Robison Wells

I saw this a while ago and was instantly attracted to its shininess!!  The story sounds absolutely gripping too!!!

Received

The Storyteller By Antonia Michaelis

I got this from the lovely Tina At Abrams & Chronicle.  I'm going to be taking part in the blog tour for this next month too, so please come back and have a look!!!

Tempest By Julie Cross

I got this from UK Book Tours.  I've actually started reading this one already, heard such wonderful things about it!!

Hoping that your first week of 2012 has gone well?!

Leanne

xoxo

Books That Make Me Go Oooooh (24) Tempest By Julie Cross

Waiting On Wednesday is a brilliant book blog feature hosted by Breaking The Spine  

Tempest By Julie Cross
Published In The UK By Macmillan Children's Books
Due For Release 5th January 2012
Amazon LINK

"Jackson Meyer is hiding a secret. He can time-travel. But he doesn't know how he does it, how to control it or what it means. When Jackson, and his girlfriend Holly, find themselves in fatal danger, Jackson panics and catapaults himself two years into his past, further than he's ever managed before, and this time he can't find a way back to the future. All the rules of time-travel he's experienced so far have been broken and Jackson has no choice but to pretend to be his younger self whilst he figures out a solution. Jackson is tearing himself apart with guilt and frustration, wondering if Holly survived. He's also become the target of an unknown enemy force and it seems even his dad is lying to him. Jackson is racing against time to save the girl he loves, but to do that he must first discover the truth about his family and himself.

And stay alive"

I actually heard about this from Becca Fitzpatrick, who was going to have a book of the same name but in the end changed her title.  

This made me check the book out and I have to say it sounds amazing!!  Have already heard some other people talking about it too and that has me even more excited.  Bring on January!!!

Review - Forsaken: The Demon Trappers By Jana Oliver

"Riley has always wanted to be a Demon Trapper like her father, and she's already following in his footsteps as one of the best. But it's tough being the only girl in an all-guy world, especially when three of those guys start making her life more complicated: Simon, the angelic apprentice who has heaven on his side; Beck, the tough trapper who thinks he's God's gift, and Ori, the strikingly sexy stranger who keeps turning up to save her ass.

One thing’s for sure – if she doesn’t keep her wits about her there’ll be hell to pay . . ."

 When I first saw the UK edition of the book, I wasn't particularly drawn to it I must admit.  I read a bit about it and thought it sounded my kind of thing so got a copy.  I've since seen the US edition & its kind of made me really appreciate the UK one.  I don't know what it is, it just seems warmer and better to look at.  But of course its what on the pages that matter......

I bought this a good few months ago and with my ever increasing To Be Read Pile, this just kept getting over looked.  But my good friends recommended it as a great read & they really rarely steer me wrong, so I picked this up.  I'm thrilled I finally got round to it!!

On starting this I felt it had quite a ghostbusters feel to it, but with demons instead of the ghosts.  This actually changed rather quickly and took a Supernatural (TV Show) turn.  I can't say I preferred it either way, both were very entertaining and absorbing!

The lead character Riley shows amazing strength throughout the book, despite facing huge turmoil and heart ache.  I found her to be such an inspiring character & someone to be admired - even being a fictional character she is AMAZING!!!

Riley has 3 love interests in this book, which I felt some major jealousy over.  All 3 guys are pretty much awesome and seem to adore her which is understandable as she is awesome.  Still I would love a bit of interest from just 1 guy out there.....


This results with a rather surprise ending paving the way for the sequels, the 2nd one I'm buying on Sunday - CANNOT WAIT TO START IT!!!!!

Rating 4 Out 5

This Is Published In The UK By Macmillan

This Can Be Purchased HERE & From Good Book Retailers