Waiting On Wednesday: Sea by Heidi R Kling

Idea hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine

Author: Heidi R Kling

Author Website: www.heidirkling.com

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile, June 10 2010

Pre-Order the book on Amazon right here: Sea

Haunted by recurring nightmares since her mother's accidental disappearance over the Indian ocean three years before, fifteen year old California girl Sienna "Sea" Jones reluctantly travels with her father's volunteer team to six months post-tsunami Indonesia. During her stay at the orphanage, she meets scarred and soulful Deni who is more like Sea than anyone she has ever met.

She knows they can't be together, so why can't she stay away from him? And what about her old-best-friend-turned-suddenly-hot Spider who may or may not be waiting for her back home? And why is her psychiatrist father so secretive about her mother's plane crash? The farther she gets from home, the closer she comes to the truth. And Sea's real adventure begins.
 
 
I am really looking forward to this book being released.  I know it's a long way off yet but I can't wait to have a shiny hardcover on my bookshelf.  I read the back story on what inspired Heidi to write this novel and I was touched by what I read, the lengths her husband went to, to help those affected by the devastating Tsunami in 2004, was amazing.  Also, this looks like no other book I have read before.  And look at that yummy cover, it makes me want to stroke it and it would be crazy cool if the cover was textued.  I put this book in my book diary a while back.  Yep, I have a book diary.  What of it? you know you want one! Plus, Heidi is lovely, i've spoken to her a few times on Twitter and I am looking forward to seeing how well the book does when it's released and also on the look out for future books by her.  So, this week, I am pining for Sea, and even though I have 253 days to wait, I am certain it will be worth it.

Devils Kiss by Sarwat Chadda UK vs US covers plus GIVEAWAY

Fifteen-year-old Billi SanGreal never meant to make history. Dragged at the age of ten into the modern-day Knights Templar by her father, the Grandmaster, Billi's the first girl ever to be a Templar warrior. Her life is a rigorous and brutal round of weapons' practice, demon killing and occult lore - and a lot of bruises.

But then temptation is placed in Billi's path - an alternative to her isolated life. But temptation brings consequences. In this case - the tenth plague - the death of all first borns and so Billi must choose her destiny. And as she soon discovers, death isn't even the worst . . .SWORN ENEMIES, TORTURED SOULS and the DARKEST of SECRETS.

I absolutely love both of these covers, I mean, how could I not. Check out that bad-ass girl on the US cover, and the size of that sword, wow. Plus, with the US cover, they have used an Asian model, which totally fits with the description of Billi in the book. This sometimes doesn't happen, take the whole Liar by Justin Larbalestier, the uproar it caused when a white model was used on the cover. I totally agree with this and love it when the models represent the books characters. I love the mystery of the US cover, with the male in the periphery, makes the book seem very intriguing. I love the UK cover too, the way the red X is splashed across the front, like a lopsided flag for our country. The images of a city in the background really grab your attention, I have got to say the cover made me pick up the book, then the description made me by it. If I had to choose a cover, I wouldn't mind having either, I do honestly like them both. However, there is a purpose to this post, so if I was forced to choose, say by a vampire forcing to bite me (exceptions are Edward and Jasper, oh and Eric Northman), I would choose the US cover, I just love everything about it, especially that really cool sword.

"So where is the giveaway" you may be saying. Well here it is. You have two chances of winning a copy of Devils Kiss (btw, it's the one with the UK cover), and you can do that by the following:


+ 1 Follow my blog
+ 1 Comment below and answer the following question: Who is your favourite fictional character?

 So, if you do both, you get two entries, and if you do one or the other, you get one entries. I think this is fair as some of you may think my blog is craptastic, but others may think it is awesomeness incarnated < (I would be in this group). So YAY to me for kicking off my very first contest. The rules are as follows:

*Contest ends on Monday 5th October at midnight
*Winner will be announced on Tuesday 6th October
*Book will be sent as soon as an address is provided, so please leave your email address
*Open to the U.S, the UK and Ireland

 Good luck everyone and thank you for entering, you are all fabulous

Review - Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater

In this mesmerizing sequel to "Lament", music prodigy James Morgan has joined his best friend, Deirdre, at a private conservatory for musicians. James' almost unearthly gift for music has attracted the dangerous attentions of Nuala, a soul-snatching faerie muse who fosters and feeds on the creative energies of exceptional humans until they die. Composing beautiful music together leads James and Nuala down an unexpected road of mutual admiration ...and love. Haunted by a vision of raging fire and death, James realizes that Deirdre and Nuala are being hunted by the Fey and plunges into a soulscorching battle with the Queen of the Fey to save their lives.

After reading the mesmerising Lament, I was eagerly awaiting this book with so much anticipation, that I wondered on more than one occasion, whether the story would live up to my expectations. For those of you who know me, I am a serious Maggie fan girl, heck; I even started a fan forum for her. This does not mean I am biased, it just means that I respect wonderful pieces of literature and give them the praise they are due.

Ballad starts right where Lament left off; James and Dee have enrolled at the prestigious Thornking Ash Music School, and are struggling to deal with the aftermath of the events of the previous summer. However, the story this time is told from James’s perspective, rather than Dee’s. Now, this is what I had been looking forward to, more of James, as I do feel that we didn’t get to see enough of him in Lament.


James's decision to enrol in music school was made with Dee in mind, even though he is a piper and they have no programme in place which will suit his level of expertise. But once he gets there, Dee barely talks to him. Their short conversations are punctuated with awkward silences and forced jokes, fake smiles. Uncomfortable, not the way it was before, before Them. James doesn’t realise things are about to get worse, as They are far from finished destroying James’s life.


Enter Nuala, a faery muse, who feeds on human souls until they die. She chooses humans for their musical abilities, and gifts them with exceptional music. This forms the plot line that danger can be attached to something so brilliant, that excellence can also be a curse rather than a gift. She fills their dreams with agonisingly beautiful images, full of longing and suffering, enough to drive them crazy with wanting. But she has been without a human for too long and the desire she feels for James is too strong, he shines to bright, she has to have him. She is intent on making James hers and all she needs is an invitation. One that James does not want to give, but will he change his mind??


James fans will love this book, as boy is he back with a bang. His snarky, quick on the mark comments had me in fits of laughter. James shines in the book, his personality reaches out and grabs you, keeping you enticed until the very last page. His vulnerability in this book tugged on my heartstrings, longing for a girl who would never love him back, all alone in a sea of people. I felt his pain whenever he was with Dee and to be honest, I didn’t like her as much in this instalment, but I think that was the whole point.


The perspective jumps from James to Nuala throughout the book, punctuated with small snippets of text messages from Dee meant for James. The voices for both of these characters were so distinctive, that I didn’t need to read the top page of the chapters, to see whose story I would be following this time. As Nuala got to know James, I liked her more and more, even though she was a threat to James in one way or another.


Ballad is a more powerful novel than Lament; I got drew into the pages a lot deeper and faster than when I was reading Lament. The characters were more fully formed in this novel and spoke to me in a way that those in Lament did not. My love affair with this book started on the first page, like it was written just for me and me alone. That is how Maggie’s writing makes you feel, like she has selected everything you love about books and shaped them into a novel, wrote just for you. Stunning does not do this book justice.

In My Mailbox #1

In My Mailbox is sponsored by Kristi from The Story Siren, all descriptons are from Amazon or Book Depository.

This is my first ever IMM and I am quite exicted!!  I had a really good week for books, especially since all us Brits were affected by the postal strike.  All of the below books were bought from the Book Depository.

Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E Pearson

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Liar by Justine Larbalestier

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

---------

Ballad

In this mesmerizing sequel to "Lament", music prodigy James Morgan has joined his best friend, Deirdre, at a private conservatory for musicians. James' almost unearthly gift for music has attracted the dangerous attentions of Nuala, a soul-snatching faerie muse who fosters and feeds on the creative energies of exceptional humans until they die. Composing beautiful music together leads James and Nuala down an unexpected road of mutual admiration ...and love. Haunted by a vision of raging fire and death, James realizes that Deirdre and Nuala are being hunted by the Fey and plunges into a soulscorching battle with the Queen of the Fey to save their lives.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

Seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox has just awoken from a year-long coma--so she's been told--and she is still recovering from the terrible accident that caused it. But what happened before that? She's been given home movies chronicling her entire life, which spark memories to surface. But are the memories really hers? And why won't anyone in her family talk about the accident? Jenna is becoming more curious. But she is also afraid of what she might find out if she ever gets up the courage to ask her questions. What happened to Jenna Fox? And who is she really?

Hate List

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend opened fire on their school cafeteria, killing five students and one teacher before turning the gun on himself. Valerie, who was shot trying to stop him, is initially implicated in the shootings because of the hate list she helped create. The hate list her boyfriend used to pick his targets. As Valerie integrates back into school, more of an outsider than she ever thought she was before, she is forced to confront her feelings of guilt and loneliness. Exploring the gray area between hero and villain, she navigates the rocky relationships with her family, her former friends, with the memory of the boyfriend she still loves, and with the girl whose life she saved five months ago. As she moves toward graduation and the year anniversary of the shooting, Valerie must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it all in order to make amends and move on with her life.

Liar

Micah will freely admit that she's a compulsive liar, but that may be the one honest thing she'll ever tell you. Over the years she's duped her classmates, her teachers, and even her parents, and she's always managed to stay one step ahead of her lies. That is, until her boyfriend dies under brutal circumstances and her dishonesty begins to catch up with her. But is it possible to tell the truth when lying comes as naturally as breathing? Taking readers deep into the psyche of a young woman who will say just about anything to convince them--and herself--that she's finally come clean, "Liar "is a bone-chilling thriller that will have readers see-sawing between truths and lies right up to the end. Honestly.

13 Reasons Why

Clay Jensen returns home from school one day to find a mysterious box, with his name on it, lying on the porch. Inside he discovers 13 cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker - his classmate - who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she did what she did - and Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list - and it'll change Clay's life forever.

I am so excited to read all of these books, especially Ballad, I have been waiting for this one for too long.  Happy reading everyone.

Review - Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.
But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.



I can remember the first time I saw Hush Hush and the cover just called to me. Like a bar of chocolate to someone on a diet, I just had to get my grubby hands on this book. I scowered the internet lurking on peoples blog's trying to see if any competitions were going and entered everyone I found. Did I win a copy?.....Nope, maybe just maybe, I've been bad just like Patch so I was out of luck. Anyways, I eventually got hold of a copy from a friend, hey if your reading this, thanks sooo much, but Hush Hush is mine mwahahahaha.

It's almost the end of the school year and Nora Grey's biology teacher decides it would be fun to mix things up a bit in the lab; everyone has to change lab partners. Yes, this doesn't seem so bad, but when your lab partner is your best friend, this doesn't seem like such a fun idea. To make things worse, Nora gets paired up with the mysterious transfer student, who seems to know a lot about Nora, too much.

Things start to go wrong for Nora after meeting Patch - She feels someone watching her, following her every move. Is it Patch? Or should she trust him, maybe he is the only person who can keep her safe? Whatever Patch wants from her, he's not telling. He shrouds himself in mystery, never revealing too much, his true character always at the periphery.

The plotline and story of this book was remarkable. Having been a fan of Young Adult fiction for as long as I can remember, I can't remember a book that kept me guessing right until the last page. Each page is soaked in suspense, I admit I even bit my nails, which is one bad habit I never resort to. The setting of the book changed often enough to keep the pace of the book steady and moved the story along with a purpose. Whether it was in the amusment park, with it's dark and alluring atmosphere. Or Bo's Arcade, which seemed so real, I could almost smell the faint smoke of cigars and feel the smooth surface of a pool table.


Patch..........this is a tricky one, because firstly, this boy is so hot it's a wonder he's not spontaneously combusted. His character reaches out of the pages and grabs you, keeping you hooked until the last page. He is magnetic and the whole story rides along with his next move. Sexy beyond belief, he is your ultimate anti? hero. Cocky and a complete ass with it, his dialogue had me giggling like a fan girl and jealous both at the same time. He is now one of my favourite fictional characters.

I must say, I was a little suprised with my feelings towards Nora, because I loved her, which is quite uncommon for me. Especially when you add a smoldering sexy bad boy to the mix. But, I could imagine being friends with someone like Nora, and actually enjoying sending time with her. She was such a cool and original character, kudos to Becca for writing such a likeable character. Not that I wasn't a bit jealous of her, because I so was, but still, I really liked her.

Full of twists and turns, Hush Hush had me glued to my seat and even sneaking glances under my desk at work. I would recommend this book to any book lover, heck, I even think this book could convince people to read who normally look at books like their going to turn into the devil. One of the most amazing young adult books I have read all year, scratch that, EVER!

When Ballad enters the building

So..........I have a copy of Ballad next to me, right now. The cover is amazing and so far (page 46), it is absolutly amazing!!!! not like this will come as much of a suprise.

And guess what!!! I have a real first edition, a friggin first edition!!!!! *jumps up and down, squeeing like the true fan girl she is* I literally ran down my street after getting a call to say a book had been delivered to my house.

Crazy Lady: A book came today, I opened it
Me: Good, what book is it, please tell me its Ballad
Crazy Lady: Its got a black cover and some kind of fire on it in orange
Me: *huffs impatiently* I didn't ask what the cover looked like, but thanks for telling me fire is orange, that has always been a big stumper for me. (btw, by this time I knew it was Ballad, even with that crappy description of the awesome cover). And, yeah it's Ballad, thanks, just don't get dirty fingerprints on it please, or I will go ninja on your ass.
Crazy Lady: Yeah thats it Bollard (I think she meant Ballad, but it came out wrong, she also thinks Lasagna is Lanzarote, see what I have to put up with)
Me: Blergh *hangs up*

So this is the story of how Ballad entered the building that is known as my house, where a comic book crazy man lives also.  Seriously, he has them in boxes in plastic wrappers. He doesn't even read them, apparantely, there collectables.

Why do people love to read

I was on the train to London this morning and the lovely gentleman sat next to me, kept glancing at the book I was reading.  I could tell he was confused because his eyebrows were knitted together.  I think I may have scowled at him because eventually he gave up and finally asked me the question which I think had been bugging him since we left the platform.



"What are you reading?"



I seriously thought that god was looking down on me saying "I present you a human being who you can talk to in the flesh about reading", I got so excited that this strange man wanted me to talk about my book, that I think for around half an hour, I explained in expilict detail, everything that had happened i the book so far.  By the time I'd finished, I was ready to start squeeing like a fan girl...........then I looked at his face.  He looked bored beyond belief and if looks could kill, when then I wouldn't be writing this now.  And then he said



"I didn't say what are you reading, I said WHY are you reading?"



Right................hmmmm.................ok then, maybe I got a little overexcited and thought I heard what I have always wanted to hear.  But no, the man doesn't read and now think's i've espcaped from the local insitute.  Needless to say, I completely ignored him for the duration of the train ride.  I would like to add that



1, The book I was reading was Catching Fire, which is amazing by anyones standards

2, I do not like the man from the train

3, I need to listen when people talk to me



BUT, this got me to thinking.  Why do I like to read? heck, why does anyone like to read?, so this is the point of this post, and I will get to the point eventually.  So the procrastinating from me is done.  Here goes........



Reading can broaden your knowledge immensely, you could be visiting another country or a different time period, or even in an alternative universe.  The possiblities found in books are endless.  Every word wrote on paper, every conversation between characters is an adventure to discover that you have never experienced. 



Books; page after page of letters put together to form words, which in turn form part of a wonderful story you can experience like you have stepped out of your life into the very pages of the book.  Books take you anywhere in the world, on adventures most people can't imagine.  The words and stories they wove form one of your best friends, something to get you through the hardtimes, or through happy times.



How often have you read a book and fell in love with one of the characters? Or discovered that one of the characters is just like you? 



You can let your imagination run wild, picture the settings and what the characters look like in your head.  You become attached, and especially when re-reading a book, it's like finding your best friend who has been absent in a while. 



Books are mini worlds magically created by brilliant authors, who drag you along for the ride.  And that I why I love to read!

My First Meme

I saw this meme on the Book Chick City blog, if your not following her, please do, her site is awesome.  I never even heard of a meme, so if do this wrong, well, what can you do?

Hardback, trade paperback or mass market paperback?
I've never even heard of trade paperback, I'm behind the times, what of it? I prefer hardbacks, they last longer and can withstand being thrown at all wall.  Never done it? well if you say no, your lying, it's how I get my kicks.


Waterstones or Borders?
I don't really care to be honest, but Waterstones seem to have more hot male booksellers, so maybe that's why i seem to have set up a permanent residence there.

Bookmark or dog-ear?
Dog-ear, if this is defacing books, which I am pretty sure this is, isn't this like a criminal offense? or maybe even one of the ten commandments.  Yep, I swear it is "Thou Shalt not Deface works of Literature" Seriously, check it out, it's on page 2678

Amazon or brick-and-mortar?
Brick and mortar, the reason being displayed in why I maybe prefer Waterstones over Borders.  Girls, you can't drool over amazon, you would break your computer.

Alphabetize by author, or alphabetize by title, or random?
Where ever they fit, I do tend to keep books by the same author together, like a little book family.  I'm sad, this is true.

Keep, throw away, or sell?
To those of you who throw books away, shame on you, and p.s call me *wink wink*.  I keep them all, or if it's really bad, i'll give it away, free of charge and tell whoevers the taker that is was a really good book.  Yeah, I'm a bad book friend, so what?

Keep dust jacket or toss it?
Keep the Dust Jacket, especially if there is a hot male model on the cover.  If I sound superficial, it probably because its true.

Read with dust jacket or remove it?
Remove it, then you can keep it next to you if the is an aformentioned hot boy is on the cover.  If you imagine the boy in the book looks like the guy on the cover, your in for a good time.

Short story or novel?
Novel.Without.A.Doubt

Harry Potter or Lemony Snickett?
Harry Potter.  By the way, this is the dumbest question ever.  Who would pick Lemony Snicket over the chosen one.  Harry has a wand,people, a wand, that can do magic.  Seriosusly, no competition.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
At chapter breaks, spoilsports stop reading when tired. 

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?
It was a dark and stormy night....because all things cool seem to happen on stormy nights.

Buy or borrow?
Buy, I have slight OCD and dread to think of the amount of germs on a library book.  I know, I'm a freak, I never said I wasn't

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendations, or browse?
All of the above, I am a bookaholic, so I tend to read anything I can get my grubby hands on

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?
Cliffhanger, keeps things interesting.

Morning reading, afternoon reading, or nighttime reading?
Whenever I get the time, though I do like reading at night, when noisy people are asleep and I get left alone.  Can't read in the morning, can't really do anything in the morning apart from try and drink my body wieght in coffee

Stand-alone or series?
To be truthful as long as the book is good, I couldn't care less.

Favorite series?
The Mortal Instruments, Cassandra Clare. Hot Demon Hunters, who are sarcastic and arrogant, and are as sexy as hell.  Even if the plot wasn't brilliant, which it so is, I would still love these books just because of the characters.  What's not to love?

Do you ever smell books?
Yes, all the time, I even licked a book once, for real.  Don't judge, you know you've also done this.  And no, I'm not telling which book it was.