In My Mailbox (#7)

IMM is a weekly event hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren.
This features books that we have either bought, borrowed, recieved or traded over the last week :)






Just me this week again :D (Gina)

I hope you all had a very lovely week, especially those of you who celebrate Thanks Giving (I don't but it sounds awesome, wish England did something like that). Anyway, this week I only got one book so here it is (Didn't take a pic this week because there was only one book :( ).

Daimon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I have read Half-blood and thought, why don't i try to get Daimon. So i went onto the Book Depository, typed it in and found that it was there in paperback :) so i was extremely happy!! But it is absolutely tiny haha :D you would miss it if you scanned my shelves too quickly :) But i can't wait to review it!!

Here is my review for Half-Blood!

What did you get in your mailbox??

Happy Reading Everyone!!

Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

Reviewed by Katie

To see the details of the book and Gina's review go Here!

Review: Giving this book four stars is too mean, but when I try to give it five, it seems too much so I'm going to settle for 4.5 stars although it's pushing more to five than four. I have simply given 4.5 stars because I'm struggling to work out the Carrier of Mark and royal bloods. It was too confusing for me. Although, the book was great and I really enjoyed reading this! To prove that, I stayed up til about 2am to finish it! :D
I enjoyed reading through Carrier of the Mark for a number of reasons; Leigh Fallon's style of writing and the characters.
The characters were amazing although I was a little unsure of Rían, but I began to like him and I'm hoping that there will be a love traingle between Megan, Adam and Rían! :)
Fallon's writing was great, and I'm glad that Carrier of the Mark is a series because I'm anxious to see what'll happen between Megan and Adam as you can see that their love is strong and to tear that apart would be devastating.
I love Aine so much, she's so sweet and what she did for Megan and Adam that night in Dublin was so thoughtful of her!
I'm looking forward to reading Dawn of the Knights and seeing how Megan and Adam will sort everything out and lets hope that their love won't be destructed! :)

Destined by P. C. & Kristin Cast

Reviewed by Gina

Date Published: 25th October, 2011

Date Read: 23rd November, 2011

Blurb: In Destined, the forces of Light and Dark collide as their epic struggle focuses on Tulsa's House of Night. Zoey is home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side and preparing to face off against Neferet. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx's gift of a human form, he and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together if Rephaim can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father's shadow.

But is Zoey really safe? Does she truly know those who are closest to her? And will love win when it is tested by the very soul of Darkness? Find out what s destined in the next thrilling chapter of the House of Night series.

Review: I haven’t read this series in a really long time. I’ve always loved the story as it is addictive and you can’t help but want to know how it will all end. But I have do have a few problems that I wish the authors would sort out for me:

-There are quite a lot of mistakes that the editors missed (I always feel awesome when I spot one!)
-Heath. That boy just annoys me so much. But I won’t say why, I’ll let you find out for yourself.
-Zoey wasn't in this book a lot of the time. I felt as if the main characters were Rephaim, Stevie Rae and Shaunee for some reason. But i do like the different perspectives, i just wish there was a bit more of the main character shown.

Anyway, those are my only real problems that I have with this book.

Destined picks up from where Awakened finished and to be honest with you, I had to remind myself what had happened by reading some peoples’ reviews (not good) but I read them and got the gist and eventually my memory came back. But I’ve always loved these books and the characters make me laugh.

Damien and the twins are back in this book and in my opinion they aren’t really needed. Now, I know they are apart of the circle but they are a lil bit immature and I think sometimes it’s a bit too much for me. But even with that these books are still addictive even though they have been going on a veryyyyyy long time. But I’m still hanging in there waiting to find out what happens once and for all. But it seems as though I will have at least another three books to go until that happens.

I loved the ending of this one, even though they left it on a major cliff hanger once again but it’ll make me buy the next one. I actually felt a little bit sad when something happened to one of the characters. And then there was something that annoyed me very much so which I hope doesn’t happen in the next book. But I just want to get one thing straight....I will forever be TEAM STARK!! (ahem, sorry about that guys).

But overall I enjoyed this book. It is my guilty pleasure and I think that in the future, when my reading list isn’t so long, I will read the whole of this series in one go to get the full affect of it. 4 stars!!

In My Mailbox (#6)

IMM is a weekly event hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren.
This features books that we have either bought, borrowed, recieved or traded over the last week :)





Just Gina this week!

Hi guys, i hope you've all had a great week because i know i have! In school and books too :) Here they are and i am so escited to read them!!

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
The Pledge by Kimberly Derting (YAYYYYY)
Blood Bound by Racehl Vincent

All of these books excited me so much when they arrived and i cannot wait to review them all! And they all have such beautiful covers!! I will enjoy these beauties very much indeed!!
Happy Reading everyone and let me know what you got in your IMMs :D

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Reviewed by Gina

Date Published: 15th February, 2011 (US)

Date Read: 15th November, 2011

Blurb: When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

Review: This book is amazing! It has left me wanting more, even though I know there is a long wait and that fact is killing me right now. I loved the story Moulton has created and the characters that I have grown to love. Angelfire is full of action (heaps of it), humour, thrills, suspense and romance. What more can you ask for? I have a feeling that this may be my favourite Angel book of the year. It was epic and intense. A great read for any YA lover!

Ellie is normal, she hangs out with her friends and she lives with her mum and dad. But she a problem when she sleeps. Gruesome images cover her thoughts of creatures called reapers, who take human souls and sent them to hell. But on the night of her seventeenth birthday she meets the handsome Will, who is dark and mysterious. But then Ellie gets some info that shocks her. She is an ancient warrior called the Preliator, the only one who can wield angelfire, and who has been reincarnated for thousands of years, destined to fight evil. Then she finds out that a Reaper, one who has killed her before, has been sent after her. But as Ellie tries to keep her social life going, Will finds out some shocking information. Bastian, the one who has sent the reaper after he, if searching for something so evil that it could destroy Ellie once and for all.

When I first heard about Angelfire I wondered, what’s it going to be like? I looked at some peoples’ reviews and mostly they were very positive which made me feel much better about buying this and I’m so glad I did. I love the cover so much which is meant to be of Ellie, the main character.
Things started off slow but soon picked up again when Will entered.....Will :) He made my hart flutter a few times. He was annoying at times (something all guys are) and I was rooting for him to get with Ellie and I can’t say I was disappointed ;) The description of the action scenes was great and it was different to read a novel that had a lot of fighting scenes in it. But I enjoyed it.

Ellie as a character was quite strong and I really liked her. She’s not my favourite female heroine but it was great to read about her. I think that the background and story info that we got was unique and different. Although the reincarnation stuff did remind me a little of the Fallen series by Lauren Kate but never mind. I preferred this book wayyy more!!

Overall I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to find out what happens in Wings of the Wicked. Sounds amazing and the cover is pretty too!! :) 5 stars!!

Born at Midnight by C. C. Hunter

Reviewed by Katie

Date Published: 29th March, 2011

Date Read: 12th November, 2011

Blurb: One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever.  Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.”  Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world. 

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either.  Or does she?  They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason.  As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas.  Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past.  Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart. 

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…




Review: I've been wanting Born at Midnight for such a long time, so when I finally got my hands on a copy I was so thrilled! Once I got the book, I read it as soon as I finished the previous book I was reading, and I can tell you, I wasn't diappointed at all.


Derek was a great character and I was drawn to him instantly because of his funniness (is that a word?) and his charms. I just love him!

Lucas was also another love interest for Kylie and I can see why, he's hot and gives off that bad boy edge. The ending has me intrigued about him and wanting know what the note says. Was quite peed when the novel ended, not knowing what it said! :(

Anyway, such a great ending, I can't wait to see what's installed for us in Awake at Dawn, I can't wait to get my hands on that one too, - dang, I can't wait to get my hands on Taken at Dusk and it's not even published yet!!!

But the question for me is, am I Team Derek or Team Lucas? I can't decide!As I've said, I enjoyed reading this novel and one of the reasons was because of the charcaters. I'm glad that the main character was vulnerable but also strong. She was uncertain about herself, trying to prove she wasn't a supernatural and keeping in mind, her Nana had recently died, her parents divorcing, her boyfriend; Trey breaking up with her and seeing a ghost whom she has named Solider Dude. Tough life for Kylie, but I like how C.C Hunter managed to balance all of her problems out, so one part wasn't focused more than the other. It was all equal! :)

Cover Battles (#8)

This week I (Gina) have chosen The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, a book that i fell in love with and thoroughly enjoyed!!

US                                                 UK

Gina

US: I like the little design of the tent but i think that the hand looks a bit artoonish and i think it looks odd in a way. ut i love the swirls around the title, very pretty and elegant. I think the colours red, black and white look stunning together and i'm glad they kept the colour schemes the same for both covers!

UK: I love this cover!! I look the white silhouettes of the people with the birds and the magic equipment which plays a major part in this book. The red scarf, being the only thing red, stands out and has great signifigence in the story :) I love our title font and the stars surrounding it which gives in a very mystical and magical feel.

Conclusion: The UK wins this one! There is nothing bad about it at all!!

Katie

US: This is an okay cover, but I’m not that keen. I adore the design around the title but it would’ve looked even better if the title font was like the UK one and a lot bigger to make it stand a lot more. I like how this one has the stars in the background, but it’s slightly boring.

UK: I really like this cover, and I think that it’s better when you actually see the book in front in you. The main colours are black and white, yet it attracts your attention which is what I like about this cover. I love the font with the design of stars around which makes it more decorative.

Conclusion: it definitely has to be the UK cover that wins this cover battle. Even though the background for each is both black, the UK one seems more interesting. There is more design too. I suppose that’s what has drawn me to the UK. The design has obviously been thought out and it looks amazing considering there are only two colours!

I (Katie) have chosen Forgotten by Cat Patrick as i read it a while ago and really liked it!

US                                                 UK

Gina

US: I love the font style of this book. It's scartchy and for some reason I've always like that sort of thing. But it also looks like cracks or tree branches, not sure yet. Not crazy about the model (mainly because we can't see her) but overall, this cover is nothing to be fussed over.

UK: I love the image of the model which has been reflected which i guess means her past and it's fading which might symbolise her forgetting it. I like the only main colour being her red hair which stands out. But just like the other it's nothing too special.

Conclusion: I think that the UK one is just that little bit better :)

Katie

US: This is an okay cover; I like how they have made the font fill the whole cover and make it really dramatic which I suppose could relate to the main character’s life in the book. I like how behind the title there is a girl with her shadow to the left which could relate to her past, she can’t see herself in the shadow which could probably be not knowing what happened in her past. I also like how the font is shattered-like as well!

UK: I love this cover! As I have read this novel (amazing, by the way!) I can relate to why they have made the cover like this. The model that’s looking left is looking towards her past but it’s in black and white because she can’t remember anything about it and the coloured model is looking to the right – basically meaning looking forwards, relating to the future – showing that she can see into the future. I loved this novel, and cover, so if you haven’t read it, please do because I thought that it was really good!

Conclusion: the UK cover wins because it appeals to me more.

In My Mailbox (#5)

IMM is a weekly event hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren.
This features books that we have either bought, borrowed, recieved or traded over the last week :)

P.S. I'm going to be working on our own IMM button very soon :) Should be good and will match the website perfectly!!




Hey Guys. it's Gina!!

So this week I got some amazing books :) I am looking forward to reading all of them so much and recently I just ordered some more so they should be in next weeks IMM!!
So here they are......

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Undead by Kirsty McKay

By Midnight by Mia James

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

I can't wait to review all of these, especially The Scorpio Races and Angelfire as I have heard so many good things about them :) And I LOVE the covers for By Midnight and Angelfire (which are both in hardback - my favorite style) they are just so pretty!! Happy Reading Guys!!

Hey Guys it's Katie now!!

Sorry for the picture quality, the light wouldn’t turn out right! Here are my books..... (we seem to be having a problem uploading my picture so here are just the front covers)

 

Born at Midnight by C. C. Hunter

Angel Fire by L. A. Weatherly

So, last week I got Born at Midnight (I FINALLY HAVE A COPY!!!!!!) and Angel Fire. I’m thrilled to have Born at Midnight so I started reading it as soon as I could and I’m in love with it! I’ve been wanting this book for a long while so to finally have a copy is an amazing feeling! I also have Angel Fire as I have just recently read Angel and I’d like to see what happens next! Happy reading everyone!

What did you get in your Mailbox??

To the BIG Screen (#2)

Hi guys, it's just Gina this time round :)

Hello everyone and as you all probably know, next friday Breaking Dawn  Part 1 comes to our screens!
The Twilight Saga was what got me back into reading and technically without those books i wouldn't be doing this blog right now :) So thank you Twilight!!

Anway, back to the film. All the same people are in it and now the saga is finally coming to a conclusion. Most of us have read the books so i don't think i really need to explain what will happen. But if you haven't read the last one, then do so quickly, because in my opinion, it was the best one out of the series!!
Here's the movie poster.....

I like this poster but to be honest...there are a lot out so i just chose this one haha :)
I'm going to go see it with Katie as week after it comes out (like i would go watch it with girls screaming everytime Edward comes on ahah) :) But it should be good and I'm looking forward to it :) Here's the trailer....

Enjoy!!

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

Reviewed by Gina

Date Published: 16th September, 2011

Date Read: 11th November, 2011

Blurb: It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

Review: I adore Greek mythology and it’s my favourite part of history to learn about. I love any mythology really because I love finding out about different cultures beliefs with their Gods and Goddesses by Greek mythology is one of my favourites! So when I found this book, based on Hades – one of my favourite Greek Gods – I knew I had to get it. There are some amazing Greek mythology novels out there, some of my favourites being the Goddess Summoning series by P. C. Cast and now The Goddess Test is apart of that special VIP group!!

Kate and her mother move to Eden, a request made by her mother as her last dying wish. There she enrols at Eden High and once there a prank is pulled which goes horribly wrong. But there is a good point as it leads her to meet a dark, handsome and mysterious stranger named Henry. He offers Kate a deal that she can’t afford to turn down, but is it too good to be true? After her life is thrown into chaos and the choices she makes will decide the fate of everyone around her.

This book had everything and I mean EVERYTHING! It has danger, sacrifice, mystery, heartache, romance, betrayal, suspense and best of all it is based on one of my favourite Greek tales of all time: Hades and Persephone. If everyone had the kind of imagination Aimee Carter had then...I’d be lost for words (I would also fall madly in love with every book). This novel felt real and I could relate to the characters (I even had tears in my eyes).

Kate was a beautiful character and she was so strong with all the obstacles she had to overcome and no matter how hard it got she kept on going. I could appreciate her for who she was and what she did and I connected with her. And Henry...my lovely Henry. I fell in love with him and I loved that he was Hades. He was such an amazing character and was very lovable too. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him as well for all he’s been through with his past and I was so happy when they met!

I think I knew how it would end but the problem was, Aimee kept throwing us all these twists and turns and I found myself thinking ‘Is the ending I want going to happen?’ or ‘NO! That can’t be happening!’ But this book was amazing and nothing disappointed me. I found my heart faltering on certain bits, afraid of what was going to happen, and at one point I actually cried! And crying is a big thing for me because I never do it.

I would recommend this to anyone who loves Greek Mythology and tales of love that’s so strong because this book is amazing. I cannot wait until 2012 when I get to read the next book, Goddess Interrupted. I wonder what will happen next for Henry and Kate :) 5 stars!!

AWESOME giveaway over at LC's Adventure in Libraryland: Check it out now!!

I just found out this morning that LC is having a massive giveaway to celebrate 1000 followers (how cool).

Here are the rules:

You have to be a follower so if you're not then go over and check her blog out because it's amazing!!

You have to fill out the form at the end of this page (which also includes all the ways you can get extra entries :)

There will be two winners:

First place wins all of the books in ONE of these prize packs (see below)

Second place wins ONE book from ONE of the prizepacks (see below)

Here are the prize packs :)

You have TONS of choices when it comes to picking out what you want to win! Choose from one of the TEN prize packs below-- and then let me know in the form which pack you want!

 

Faery Prize Pack:

Wondrous Strange, The Iron King, Wicked Lovely

 

Fantasy Prize Pack:

Graceling, Rampant, The Warrior Hair

Dystopian Prize Pack:

Wither, Delirium, Divergent

 

Contemporary Prize Pack:

Anna and the French Kiss, He's So Not Worth It, 13 Little Blue Envelops

 

Historical Fiction Prize Pack:

The Luxe, Cleopatra's Moon, Ingenue

Werewolf Prize Pack:

Fateful, Nightshade, Shiver

Vampire Prize Pack:

Vampire Academy, Blue Bloods, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side

Mermaid Prize Pack:

Mermaid, Forgive My Fins, Lost Voices

Mythology Prize Pack:

Starcrossd, Sweet Venom, The Goddess Test

Zombie Prize Pack:

The Forest of Hands and Teeth, Zombies Don't Cry, Rot & Ruin

I know which one i want, but what one do YOU want, so go over and check out her blog, trust me....it's amazing!!

Angel by L. A. Weatherly

Reviewed by Katie

Date Published: 1st October, 2010

Date Read: 7th November, 2011

Blurb: Angels are all around us: beautiful, awe-inspiring, irresistible.

Ordinary mortals yearn to catch a glimpse of one of these stunning beings and thousands flock to The Church of Angels to feel their healing touch.
But what if their potent magnetism isn't what it seems?
Willow knows she's different from other girls. And not just because she loves tinkering around with cars.
Willow has a gift. She can look into people's futures, know their dreams, their hopes and their regrets, just by touching them. But she has no idea where she gets this power from.

Until she meets Alex…
Alex is one of the few who know the truth about angels. He knows Willow's secret and is on a mission to stop her.
The dark forces within Willow make her dangerous – and irresistible.
In spite of himself, Alex finds he is falling in love with his sworn enemy.

Review: I thought that Angel was an enjoyable read and I'm glad that I chose to read it. Even though I enjoyed reading Angel, I don't think that it was amazing and I think that this is due to the author's style of writing. For me, it wasn't descriptive enough like when Willow and Alex kissed. L.A Weatherly didn't describe the sparks of when they kissed and how Willow was feeling when she was being kissed. It was just simply; 'I reached up and kissed him', that is what only made me give 4stars to this novel. I also didn't like how Willow came out that she was in love with Alex. The lines were along the lines of; 'I was in love with Alex'.

I quite liked having Willow and Alex's relationship being built on their escape from the Church of Angels because they were either in a car or hotel, so they had no escape of each other which forced to get to know each other.

I liked Willow as a character, she seemed vulnerable at the beginning but as the story progressed she seemed to strengthen and I think that this was due to the fact for her having the company of Alex.

I liked Alex instantly, he seemed masculine but (this next part is going to sound weird) he wasn't and I think that is because I wanted him to be seen as masculine so that's how I presented him in my head, but the only thing that didn't make Alex seem totally masculine to me was L.A Weatherly's writing style because it wasn't very descriptive.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and I look forward to reading AngelFire.

A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

Reviewed by Gina

Date Published: 27th September, 2011 (US only)

Date Read: 9th November, 2011

Blurb: On the night of Skye's seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites;like fire and ice;Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye's life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.
In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can't help falling for, and Devin, who she can't stay away from, the consequences of Skye's choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

Review: This book was magnificent!! I love books about angels and this book is no exception. What drew me to this book was it’s cover, I mean, it’s gorgeous and then when I read the blurb....I knew I needed to have it straight away. This book isn’t out in the UK yet so knew exactly where to get it from, the book depository and I’m glad I did!!

This story starts with Skye’s seventeenth birthday. Skye lost her parents at the age of six and now lives with her mum’s best friends. Skye is as normal as can be, she’s had achievements and heartaches, but when her birthday rolls around, so do two handsome guys who start fighting for her attention. Asher is tall, dark, brooding and dangerous. But Devin is kind, gentle and is the mysterious blonde one. As she gets to know each of them, Skye knows that something isn’t right. Strange things are happening and Skye realises that she must choose a side: Light and Dark. But can you have both?

I am in love with this book. I adored Jocelyn’s style of writing and found myself laughing at a few bits. This book had forbidden love, hot guys, a to-die-for love triangle, a great POV and an amazing plot! Who couldn’t love it? I’ve read quite a few angel stories so far and I must say that this is one of my favourites. I loved the idea and the world that Jocelyn has created for us.

Straight away we meet both boys, there’s no messing around and I couldn’t make my mind up! I felt exactly how Skye was feeling and I’m still not sure (just like Skye). There’s a strong connection between all of these characters and I love that. I am intrigued to find out what happens in the next book, it should be very interesting. We are also introduced to Skye’s best friends Ian, Dan and Cassie who I instantly loved. They were warm, friendly and amazing! I’d love to have more friends like them.

This book was addictive from the first page and I found myself reading huge chunks in short amounts of time (always a good sign) and I was falling hard for this book. I love Jocelyn’s twist on the Angels and Fallen Angels story and I really like it! I need questions answering: Who is bad, who is good, what will happen to Skye and who will she end up with? It was a cruel cliffhanger but it’s left me wanting more! I need the next one soon before I pine to death.

Overall it was an amazing, intriguing and unique novel and I cannot wait for some more angel action!! Fantastic start to a new series. 5 stars!!

Cover Reveals we love: Arise

Once again i (Gina) can't wait to show you the cover of another new book which i am highly anticipating :) It's Arise by Tara Hudson (Hereafter #2) and i cannot wait to show you this beautiful cover :D I am in love with the colours!!

How pretty does that look :D I love the purple and blue mist that is going across her and i like that it's in the gravyeard (and i know why) :D i cannot wait to get my hands on it!!
Here it is with the first one :D

I think they look really good together even though the colours and backgrounds are different :D Both are beautiful covers and i can't wait to read Arise!!

Cover Battles (#7)

This week I (Gina) have chosen The Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater. I just bought this book and apparently it's supposed to be amazing so i am looking forward to it :)

US                                          UK

Gina


US: I love the colour of this cover. It's rick, yet murky and i love that it looks like the sun is setting. I also love the textury look of it, very unusual. I like the silhouette of the rider and the horse, plain yet it stands out. And i like the colour of the font. And also the fact that it's set on a beach, giving away a bit of the story but not too much.

UK: I love how bold this cover is and also the fact that there is a love heart around the title. I like the horse rearing and all the swirls that grace the pages. I like the swirly, scratchy font as it's different. Very prety cover.

Conclusion: This is a tough one....I can't decide (throws hands up in the air in defeat) They both win!! It's a draw for me :)


Katie


US: So much better compared to the UK version. Although, it’s still not great, but despite the dullness of colours, I quite like it. In a way, the dull colours kind of make the cover stand out because a lot of the covers are bright and stand out, and then you have The Scorpio Races that isn’t so that’s a bonus that’d lure you into reading the blurb. I like the font for The Scorpio Races, it’s big and we don’t know what The Scorpio Races is so the title obviously attracts our attention. I like the reflection of the girl and horse but it’s faint that you can’t see it so much so I’m wondering whether it could have something to do with the plot of the book or whether it’s just design of the cover.

UK: I don’t like it. It’s plain. End of! Although I do like the design around the horse with the love heart and the details coming off from around it, but to be honest it’s nothing special. Sorry for the lame review but the cover is that simple that I feel that I can’t analyse it much.

Conclusion: Overall, I suppose it’d have to be the US one, but in my opinion these covers are nothing special.

This week I (Katie) have chosen Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon.

US                                           UK

Gina


US: I'm actually not too fussed about this cover. I don't actually think there's anything amazing about it. I don't really like the model on the cover but i do like the font for the title. I kind of like the scenery in the backgrounf but i hate what she's wearing. Not pretty at all!

UK: I love this cover. I love all the green and i love the fact that she is dressed all in black to make it bold and to stand out. What she's wearing is much nicer and the model seems fierce. I also like the scenery in the background and the butterflies are a nice touch :)

Conclusion: UK wins this one!! Definitely!! :D


Katie


US: I don’t like this cover; the colours seem too bland and blend into one another so it doesn’t stand out, whereas the UK cover has colours that are outstanding with the deepness of the colour. The font is okay and I can kind of see where the cover designers have come from with it; Gottfried Academy. I don’t like the model; she seems really vacant, like she’s just randomly looking anywhere. I’m not a fan of this cover.

UK: I really like this cover; it’s simple yet attracts your attention. I have read this book, and let me tell you, it wasn’t ‘just one kiss’ that stole my breath away, it was the book! (That was a bad joke, sorry!) Anyway, I like the cover, I like the model and she reminds me of Elena Gilbert from the Vampire Diaries TV show, or is that just me? The woods behind the model fit a part of the description in the book, which is great. I love the tagline and it kept me guessing until Dante (HOT!) explained all. I kept guessing wrong every time and if I’m honest, I love books that just keep you guessing until you get to the end, I love it! The font of the title is – again – simple but attracts your attention. I really like this cover!

Conclusion: I choose the UK cover 100% because it’s so much better with the colours, model and font!

Cover Reveals we love: Rapture

I (Gina) was going to wait, but i am a very impatient person, so drum roll please........
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Here is the last book in the Fallen series, Rapture by Lauren Kate, which will be on sale June 13th, 2012!!!
I am so excited by this book and i think the cover is one of the best so far and i love the white dress :) i am going to show the others along with this so we get the full effect :)

Don't they look amazing!! I think my least favorite is Passion, it sticks out like a sore thumb because we can see her face, and my favorite is a tie between Fallen and Torment :)
I cannot wait to get my hands on Rapture and finish off this series to find out all the answers to my questions :) (which better be answered or i might scream ahha)

Tell us what you think of it :)

Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

Reviewed by Gina

Date Published: October 4th, 2011 (US) (UK was later in the month)

Date Read: 5th November, 2011

Blurb: Their love was meant to be.

Review: As soon as I heard about this book I knew I wanted it. I began pining for it and eventually I bought it and got stuck into it. And it was a great decision because this book was amazing. It has mystery, romance, action, twists and turns and it was also set in Ireland which is amazing because my dad lives there and I go there every holiday. It’s my home.

The story starts off when Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland with her father after he gets offered a job there. Due to the fact that she’s been forever moving around since her mom’s death, Megan isn’t good at fitting in and feeling at home in one place. But she soon realises that that will all change and she makes new friends easily and even catches the eye of the brooding Adam DeRÍs. But with her friend warning her that Adam and his family are bad news, she can’t help but want to know more. Soon Megan and Adam’s romance takes over and they realise that their love may be the end of them.

This was a great read and I loved Leigh Fallon’s style of writing. She made me laugh a lot, which is always good in a book (although it makes me seem like a weirdo laughing to myself) and this was a great first novel. This was a very believable world where I could relate to the characters and I found myself really caring for them and there were a few times when scenes with Adam and Megan would catch my breath and I love that in a romance.

The Idea of this novel was amazing and I loved all the twists and turns it had to offer and in general this book was fast paced, exciting and interesting. I loved the idea of the gifts that the characters had and I loved reading about all of them. And it’s also nice to have a change of scenery from America to somewhere else. This book also got extra points as it mentioned a place called Newgrange which is in county Meath where my dad lives so I was happy about that!

The romance was exhilarating and the connection between Adam and Megan was amazing! Took my breath away and I loved the chemistry they had. I could really feel how much they loved each other and the ending was amazing (if you read this then you will most likely agree with me).

Overall Carrier of the Mark was an amazing read and if you haven’t got it, go out and buy it soon because it will be worth every penny! The romance, suspense, chemistry, action and magic will keep you wanting more until you reach the end and still the need is there. I look forward to reading the rest of this series. 5 stars!!

(See Katie's review Here!)

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRÍs.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.

Cover Reveals we love: Endlessly

I'm sorry that this is late again but it kind of works as we have some amazing new covers to show off :D

Kicking this off I (Gina) have chosen Endlessly by Kiersten White (Paranormalcy #3)
And I will show this cover with the other three as this is the last book cover in the trilogy and i think they look amazing together!!

These dresses are beautiful!! And i love the way the wind blows her hair and i love the blurry flowers at the bottom of the covers. They make these covers even prettier. And I adore the way the colour of the clouds match the colour of the dresses!! Genious and they look amazing together!! And i also like that they kept the same model on the front of them :)

I still have yet to read Supernaturally as it isn't even out in the UK yet (bummer) but i will be getting it early from the book depository.
Endlessly concludes the trilogy and will be out 24th July, 2012 in america (not the UK so i will order it online :D). I can't wait to read the rest of this series as it's amazing and i love it!!

Breaking News (#4)

Hey guys, it's Gina,
It seems that last week on the Book Cover News (#2) I made a mistake. I said that the UK cover of Hallowed by Cynthia Hand was this:

When really it is this.....

Which is a heck of a lot better!! I'm sorry for the misunderstanding and i thoroughly apologize.
I really like this cover although I've noticed a lot of book covers having this pose. A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies and Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon has similar poses. Maybe it's a trend now, who knows but i LOVE this cover and it will look amazing on my shelf!