Wednesday 30 November 2011

Eye Contact (Book 1 of The Conditioned Series) by Rebecca Royce (Paranormal romance)


September 2011, Decadent Publishing
Ebook & Paperback
Review copy 

Themes: special powers, prejudice, misunderstanding, social ranking, cruelty, friendships forged amidst adversity, family ties, a few instances of violence, adult romance (inferences and the occasional odd scene), a little swearing, some humour 

Summary from Decadent
Thirty years ago, after the breakdown of an oil negotiation, the President of the United States decided that all people born with unusual abilities, which he would now refer to as "the condition", would be locked away from the general public where they couldn't harm others. Parents and loved ones of these people, most of whom were children, were forced to turn them in upon penalty of death. Formed to keep the institutions secure, the Committee for the Protection of a Free Society now rules these institutions with an iron fist. 

The granddaughter of one of the Committee members, Addison Wade has lived her life wary of the institutions and all they represent. A woman of secrets, she is forced to turn to Safe Dawn, one of the facilities designed to hold conditioned people, when her nephew is kidnapped and, despite her best efforts, cannot be recovered. She knows the last thing anyone in 'Safe Dawn' will want to do is to help a Wade with any problems, but she is desperate and out of options. 

Spencer Lewis is famous for being the premier conditioned 'locator'. There's no one he can't find and he has a soft spot for missing children. But, Spencer has been through a trauma and locating Jeremy Wade may be dangerous both to himself and to those around him. In addition, he takes one look at ice cold Addison Wade and wants nothing more than to knock her down a peg. Never having turned down an opportunity to help a child, he reluctantly agrees to help recover Jeremy. 

In a world where nothing is as it seems and every person they encounter has his own agenda, Addison and Spencer will find that the only people they can trust are each other. But how can anyone fall in love living in a world that wants you dead just for being born? 

Nayuleska's thoughts
I love the magic, the funky special powers and found everything I like in a character in Addison. What her talent develops into is one most readers would enjoy having. She fights hard for those she loves, even though it costs her greatly. I originally was going to say that the only negative thing was having to wait for book two. However, it's out! I'll hopefully be reviewing it soon. This is definitely a 10/10 read. 

You can find out more about Rebecca and her books on her website

Suggested read
For thrilling adventures with people having special powers, which are both used and abused by others, try L J Smith's Dark Visions omnibus. 

Tuesday 29 November 2011

Fright Flight (Dream Seekers book 1) by Lisa Ard (Children's, 7 years +),



October 2011, Puddletown Publishing 
ebook (and paperback)
Review copy 

Themes: dreams, imagination, friendships, family life, being a hero, a lot of humour 

Book blurb
Being twelve years old can be challenging, but add to that the unusual ability to experience dreams as reality and you begin to understand Patrick's need for a little self-control. A "sweet" dream devouring the world's largest ice cream sundae can end with an enormous stomach ache. A fall from a bike means Patrick wakes up with a broken arm. Try explaining that to the emergency room doctor! Oh wait - that would be Patrick's mom. She's a dream seeker, too, as are Patrick's sister and brother. If Patrick follows the family's dream-seeking rules he can have cool night time adventures. But if he forgets...

Nayuleska's thoughts
I loved the chapter heading of the start illustration, and also the other illustrations which fit in well with the story. I found myself smiling a lot, especially when phrases melded perfectly with the story. There were a few areas which drew me out of the story's spell: some awkward phrasing, words not always seeming suitable for the story, plot flow not always smooth or logical, characters sometimes acting out of character. Overall this gets 7/10, as I did really enjoy most of itt. 

Suggested reading
For another very peculiar story with lots of humour and twists, try Boom! by Mark Haddon


Monday 28 November 2011

What are you reading? #91

What are you reading on Monday? is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel at Home Girl's Book Blog where you post books completed last week and plans for upcoming books. Jump over to her blog and see who else is participating.


Books I've read this week

Frightfully Friendly Ghosties: School of Meanies by Daren King
Children's, 5 years
(Even ghosts has to go to school, much to Humphrey's disgust. His tale is hilarious.  My review...)
9/10










Driven by Rebecca Royce
Young Adult, Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
(Rachel's adventures continue with this thrilling sequel in the world where vampires are evil, and humans are fighting for survivial. Or are they?  My review....)
10/10










A School for Villains by Ardyth DeBruyn
Children's, 9 years +
(Danny's exploits as a student at the Dark Lord Academy land him in a lot of trouble and initially set his mind on getting excluding. However, his viewpoint does change over time.  My review...)
10/10

Sunday 27 November 2011

Lolly Luck by Ellie Daines (Children's, 9 years +)


January 2012, Anderson Press 
ARC 180 pages, Paperback
Review copy 

Themes: school life, family ups and downs, parental separation, unemployment, depression, mean girls, life changing secrets, bonds of sisterhood, a few tissues are needed, there's also a lot of humour. 

Book blurb (not quite yet up on the publisher's website) 
Lolly Luck is lucky by name, lucky by nature. But suddenly her luck begins to change. 

Lolly always wins magazine competitions, on scratch cards and any game you can think of. But when Lolly's dad loses his job and then the family home, Lolly's luck starts to change. And when she overhears her parents arguing, she learns a secret that will change her life forever. 

Nayuleska's thoughts
Lolly is a real sweetheart, who understandably doesn't find it easy to deal with the challenges life throws at her. The bond she has with her sister helps her, even though they bicker a lot and have normal sibling rivalry. I wanted to cry wheb Zola comforted Lolly in the major revelation chapter. The issues dealt in this book make it a true to life story, with lots of tricky situations hitting Lolly all at once. Emotion rises up off the pages, so much so I can't list all of my favourite parts. Definitely 10/10 material! 

You can find out more about Ellie on her website.

Suggested read
For another girl whose life challenges occur when she's in a school play, check out Star Makers Club: Polly Plays Her Part by Anne-Marie Conway (only now do I realise how similar Polly & Lolly's names are!) 


Saturday 26 November 2011

Winter = germ fest


This weekend is now a dvd fest, thanks to a germ fest. Winter is lousy - you get rid of one virus, and pick up another. I'm a tiny bit grouchy because virus = no reading, no writing.  I'm getting some crochet done though, which is good fun. Solid rest involving comfy chair & dvds is making me feel much better than attempting to read/write for a little while. I want to do both badly. Maybe Monday :) Trying to be better for work, so must be good.

Thursday 24 November 2011

A School for Villains by Ardyth Debruyn (Children's, 9 years + )


October 2011, Kindle,
Review copy 

Themes: darker side of magical life, fierce yet loyal creatures, magic school, interesting forms of detention, good vs evil debate, heaps of humour

Book Blurb
Thirteen-year-old Danny is astounded when his father decides to send him to Dark Lord Academy to learn to be a villain. Pa claims it will make him stand out and fulfil his own lost childhood dreams. Being evil doesn't appeal to Danny, but he's always been a good and obedient son, so he goes. 

Dark Lord Academy's not just unappealing, it's downright terrible. His advisor dyes Danny's blond hair black and changes his name to the unpronounceable Zxygrth. He can't get the hang of maniacal laughter, his second-in-command servant is a puke-coloured monkey, and the cafeteria lady enjoys serving stewed cockroaches or friend bat wings. A run in with a hero results in hate mail and he gets caught up in a rivalry with the school bully. The only way for Danny to stay alive is to find his inner villain. 

Nayuleska's thoughts
Danny was pretty unfortunate in what happened to him, even more so because right until the end he wonders what is good and evil. It's very easy to cross the lines of both. I adored his friends, in particular Daisy who is outgoing and appears good (but isn't). She is superenthusiastic about everything which reminds me of myself when I'm hyper. What made this witty read more entertaining were some of the amusing takes from a certain HP series, making this a 10/10 read. 

Be sure to check out Ardyth's website to learn more about her and her books. 

Suggested read
Read Ardyth's Chosen Sister (this is the new version of the cover, being printed in paperback. Contrary to the original cover, the book isn't Young Adult, it's 9 years +) 


Wednesday 23 November 2011

Driven by Rebecca Royce (Young Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy)


(I love the covers in this series, nice and mysterious by not showing her face) 

May 2011 (ebook), Decadent
195 pages, Ebook (ARC)
Review copy 

Themes: apocalyptic world, dystopian, vampires, werewolves, survival, learning truths which turn your world aroundd, the chaos of normal human emotions, pain, tragedy, teen romance, familial love, quite a bit of gore, tissues needed although there are a few laughs to be had. 

Summary from Decadent
My name is Rachel Clancy. Forty-six years ago, life as humanity understood it ended. Armageddon. Well, that's what we call it, anyway. What other term works as well to describe the day the Vampires and the Werewolves slaughtered nearly all of humanity? 

When Rachel Clancy turned sixteen, she inadvertently changed the lives of everytone around her. Now, xis months later she has to figure out how to live with what has happened. 

Sent back into the wilderness - this time with a new love - she will find herself face-to-face with two people she never thought to see again: the boy she though she loved and the man who wanted to destory her since birth. If Rachel can learn what drives her forward, there may be a chance for everyone to start again. If she fails, all is lost.

Nayuleska's thoughts
I think when I read the first book, Rebecca had mentioned either through Tweets or email that she wondered what I'd make of this book. Surprisingly I like it. I like it an awful lot. It is grim. Rachel gets her heart pulled out again. The difference this time, there's no 6 months in a comatose state. She sucks it up and deals with it. I love Rachel's inventiveness. I love her voice, especially the at the end of the book. There is a small hope, a hope which she and the other characters will nurture until book three. For now, this 10/10 is a must read for dystopian and paranormal book lovers.

You can find out more about Rebecca and her books on her website

Suggested read
Definitely check out how it all began in book one, Initiation. Personally I prefer our modern, coming of age celebration with cake and no blood. 


Tuesday 22 November 2011

Frightfully Friendly Ghosties: School of Meanies by Daren King (Children's, 5 years +)


September 2011, Quercus
120 pages, Paperback
Review copy 

Themes: school life, bullies, life as a ghost, mean teachers, lots of humour and a little sadness

Summary from Quercus
'Ghost School is stupid and rubbish, and, um, I'm  not going to Ghost School ever again!' 

Bumping is Humphrey Bump's best thing - even better than cakes and lollipops! But the nasty headmaster at ghost school doesn't agree. He expels Humphrey for - you've got it! - bumping. 

So the other ghosties - Agatha, Tabitha and Wither - find Humphrey a place a still-alive school. They are also on hand to help him make friends. Wither invisibly writes a spooky poem on the board, Agatha sends children whirling into the clouds, and they all whisp out of Humphrey's satchel during lessons. 

The still-alive children are so mean they only run away. But they are nothing compared to the still-alive headmaster who is the biggest bully ever. Can Humphrey gather all the ghosties together to fight the bully, save the school and make lots of new friends? 

Nayuleska's thoughts
I like Humphrey because when he doesn't want something to happen, he pulls out all the stops to prevent it. His family have distinct personalities which are hilarious, especially at the end when had me laughing to myself. The illustrations fit in with the feel of the story, and are well positioned throughout the book. 

I give this 9/10 

Suggested read
Try the adventures of Penny, the pony mad girl who happens to be a Unicorn Princess at Fetlocks Hall, which starts with The Unicorn Princess by Babette Cole

Monday 21 November 2011

What Am I Watching? #2

Every so often life can get complicated, leaving my reading time at a premium...but that doesn't mean something interesting and fun didn't pass before my eyes. This meme was created for just those times to discuss the movies and programmes that I've recently watched. I'd love to hear your views on them if you've seen them too.



So, here's what I've been watching.....
 
 
 
The Unit
American TV show - Total of 4 seasons
12 years +
(Life in a special forces unit in the USA is never dull or uneventful. I love the Unit because I find life in the forces interesting, the characters work well together, it covers the lives of the wives as well as the Unit members, it covers some tough issues too, but there's quite a bit of pyrotechnics to keep a few of my friends happy...)








Winx
Season 4
Originally aired in Italian....though I'm watching the French version
(Winx - what can I say, it's really cool! Fairies living on earth [in this season], helping humans believe in them, as well as fighting various enemies!  My full review...)






 



Strawberry Marshmallow
Anime
(Super cute about the lives of 5 girls in Japan, I've only watched one episode but it's as fun as the manga [if not more so]. Think Azumanga Daioh, with some of the cuteness and humour of Aria, the Animation.)





So...what have you been watching or reading recently? Feel free to share!
 

Friday 18 November 2011

Winx Season 4 review

Reading has been on an all time low this week as I haven't been well. However, I have been watching dvds, so I figured I can review them too! 

Today I'm having a brief look at Winx, season 4. Oh, it does contain spoilers (sorry), so if you haven't watched it all you might want to not read the review. 

(not entirely sure why it only has 3 of the girls on the front, and Roxy (the last Earth fairy) on the back....but it's still cute!)

I have the French version (I prefer it in French too). I love season 4 because although the world is in serious danger in the later part of the series, it is a lot lighter (apart from Naboo's death). Season 3 is really cool because of Enchantix, but there's a lot of tough challenges for each of the girls and sometimes I find it a bit too heavy. 

Season 4 sees the girls living in Gardinia as they try to find the last Earth Fairy, and free the other trapped Earth Fairies in a magical realm. There are the Fairy Hunters, who are super strong, and only Layla and Bloom's attacks affect them...that is until the girls get the power of Believix! 

(top row from left to right: Musa, Flora, Techna, bottom row from left to right: Stella, Layla, Bloom) 

I love all the transformations. Believix is really cool because watching all the Winx transform, they look so  happy. Considering that Believix is people's faith in them, and that as graduated fairies with immense power within them and being guardians of the world, no wonder they look utterly content! I love the hearts on Bloom's outfit, Flora's outfit screams 'nature girl', I love the colours of Stella's clothes, Techna looks more girly (which I like - wasn't all that fond of her outfit in season 1), Layla is Layla, Musa...I'm not overly fond of her outfit. And there's the plait which just looks a bit weird sometimes. (I realise I haven't gone into the different powers of Believix, or Lovix or Sophix, that will have to be for another time) 

It's fun watching the girls as they try to get people to believe in them, because they learn that although their powers can help people, people need to be dealt with carefully in order to believe in magic. Once they do start to believe in the girls, then chaos descends as the plot heats up. 

Okay, two final things before I go (I've no doubt I'll be back discussing more details another time). One huge, wonderful thing which I simple A.D.O.R.E in season for is the pet shop for the magical pets. It's really cool how the girls all run different parts: Bloom is on reception, Stella is on clothes and hair, Musa teaches the pets music, Flora looks after their health and Layla helps the pets keep fit. The magical pets are super cute, and pretty funny with their own personalities. Their owners also have personalities which make the show funny. The way the girls have to run the store, as well as fight their enemies is more realistic than if they didn't have a job. The store provides many light moments, as well as a few heavy ones. 


(These are the outfits the girls wear at the pet shop, along with their own magical pets) 


The final thing is the musical theme of this season. All the songs in all the seasons are fun. This season is more enjoyable because Musa starts to get her music career on Earth, but...wait for it...all the girls become a band! The songs are funky, and often rooted in meaning with what's going on in the story. Layla's on drums, Musa and Bloom sing, Stella's on guitar, I honestly can't quite remember what Flora's doing, I think she's on guitar too, and I think  Techna's on keyboard (but don't quote me). The music is an important part of the plot, and it's another creative outlet for the girls. 


(CD cover for one of the albums...yes I have the season 4 album, and the Winx in Concert dvd (English versions which are mostly easy listening))

Right, this is it for now. I love Winx each and every time I watch it. (& I've watched it a lot). I just notice more details in each episode, I understand the characters better, I love the girls and it's almost the only show I can say which cheers me up 100% (even when Naboo dies, the strength of friendship between the girls is a positive message to take away). 

Wednesday 16 November 2011

Playground by 50 Cent

3rd November 2011, Quercus
320 Pages,Paperback
Review Copy

Swearing -Frequent use of sh*t, Violence but not graphically portrayed

Summary from Quercus Books

'I wonder what she would've said if I'd told her all the parts the report left out, like how I'd woken up that morning and pulled that sock out of my draw and filled it, one after the other, with the D batteries I'd bought the last time I visited my dad in the city. But there was no way. There was just no way I'd ever tell anyone what really went down that day...'

Thirteen-year-old Butterball doesn't have that much going for him. He's teased about his weight. He hates the suburb his mum moved them to so she could go to nursing school and start her life over. He wishes he still lived with his dad in New York City - where there's always something happening, even if his dad doesn't have much time for him.

Still that's not why he beat up Maurice in the playground.

Now his school is forcing him to talk to some out-of-touch lady therapist, as though she could ever fix him - as though she could ever figure out the truth. No, Butterball's lips are sealed about what happened that day. But some tales can't help being told. And this is one of them.  

The Mole's Thoughts
Something I am not sure about though is the reading age.... Normally a book about a 13/14 year old boy is aimed at 11+ but this book has language (not profanity although 'sh*t' is thrown in liberally through out the book) and concepts that just don't seem right for a young teenager - things that might be learned and understood retrospectively in later life.
Having made those minor comments, it doesn't detract from the fact that this book is 'mostly true' and a heart warming story for it. Clearly the book is not a transcript of the sessions and it is easy to say that as a work of fiction this just would not have happened. It did - and it's important to bear that in mind.

So it's target audience? Well 50 Cent says it's an anti bullying book and this it most certainly is but are bullies likely to read it? Unfortunately I doubt it. But I wonder how many copies will be bought as presents, because of the name on the cover, for fans and go unread?

It is well worth a read and is easily readable.


Tuesday 15 November 2011

The Vampire Stalker by Allison Van Diepen (Young Adult, Paranormal)


3rd November 2011, Scholastic
252 pages, Paperback
Review copy 

Young Adult, Paranormal 

Themes: vampires, different dimensions, teen crush, evil killer, highly supportive friends, a nice lot of action, some violence/romance, and some humour. 

Summary from Scholastic
What if Edward Cullen was real? What if the characters in a vampire novel left their world - and came into yours? Amy is in love with an imaginary boy: Alexander Banks, the dashing hero in a popular series of vampire novels. Then one night, Amy meets a boy who bears an eerie resemblance to Alexander. In fact, he is Alexander, who has escaped from the pages of the book and is in hot pursuit of a wicked vampire named Vigo! Together, Amy and her literary crush set out to track Vigo, hoping also to find out how and why Alexander crossed over. But when she and Alexander begin to fall for each other, how can Amy ever bear to let him return to the world of fiction? 

Nayuleska's thoughts 
Being aware of the depths of some people's obsession with vampires, I opened the book and started reading. (OK, that sounds really obvious, but what I mean to say is that I picked it up to read from my reading pile, at a time when I'm mostly looking for lighter reads (avoiding some paranormal books)). I was nearly late to work because I finished it when I woke up in the morning. I actually prefer Amy's friend Katie as a character. She provides the extra stability Amy needs, she's pretty ferocious when it comes to stopping villains and Katie uses an awesome weapon which made me laugh. This 9/10 isn't too heavy a read. 

You can find out more about Allison Van Diepen and her books on her website

Suggested reading
For a much creepier read, try the paranormal romance Be Mine by Kelly Daniels


Monday 14 November 2011

What are you reading? #90

What are you reading on Monday? is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel at Home Girl's Book Blog where you post books completed last week and plans for upcoming books. Jump over to her blog and see who else is participating.


Books I've read this week




Heart of Stone by Melanie Welsh
Children's
(This has more thrills and excitement than book one, Mistress of the Storm...check out that review, right here.)
10/10










Wonder by R J Palacio
Children's
(A truly touching read about a boy with a disfigured face as he experiences going to school.)
10/10










Don't Call Me Ishmael by Michael Gerard Bauer
Children's
(A fun book about a boy's life at school...)
8/10









Tenth Grade Bleeds by Heather Brewer
Young Adult
(Vlad the vampire is back, with more personal issues to struggle with...my review.)
8/10








Zeus Sorts It Out by John Dougherty
Children's
(A hilarious tale of Zeus taking up temple in the boys toilet and 'helping' punish a bully.  My review...)
10/10









Sword of Light by Katherine Roberts
Children's
(Supremely awesome story about King Arthur having a daughter who Merlin takes back to lead her kingdom...)
10/10






 


The Vampire Stalker by Allison Van Diepen
Young Adult
(Watching a vampire book obsessed teen meet her idol in real life was pretty funny!)
9/10




 
 
 
 

Secrets at St Judes: Party Girl by Carmen Reid
Children's
(This is the first book in the series where I've adored all of it and not thought 'sigh' over the girls' actions - great school fun...)
10/10
 
 

Secrets at St Judes: Party Girl by Carmen Reid (Young Adult)



August 2011, Corgi
272 pages, Paperback & ebook
Review copy 


Young Adult


Themes: boarding school, exams and everything they entail, health concerns, family issues, changes, the power of friendship, hard working students, running, making mistakes, moderate teen romance, heaps of humour. 

The pressure's on this term for the Upper Fifths...There are new boyfriends and new parents on the scene, as well as the dreaded summer exams. But will the girls still find time for fun, and for each other? You can bet on it! 

Nayuleska's thoughts
This is the first book in the series that I have unreservedly adore. This is possibly due to the reduced boy obsession. I love each of the girls' character in Party Girl, I was near tears when life got hard for each of them. With such different personalities I was able to see a bit of myself in all of them which makes it easier to relate to the girls. It also made me thankful for my own amazingly kind and supportive friends. Definitely a 10/10 read! 

You can find out more about Carmen and her books on her website

Suggested read
Check out some of the other books in the series, which include Jealous Girl


Sunday 13 November 2011

Tenth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer (children's, 11 years +)


April 2011, Razorbill, 
298 pages, Paperback
Review copy 

Children's, 11 years + 

Themes: high school life for a unique boy, vampires, blood, teenage angst and challenges, difficult decisions, fear, moderate amount of gore and a little fighting, lying, teen romance, some humour

Summary from Penguin
It's another dark year at Bathory High for Vladimir Tod...

The evil vampre D'Ablo is hunting for the ritual that could steal Vlad's powers. His best friend doesn't want to be his drudge anymore and it's getting harder for Vlad to resist feeding on those around him. But when D'Ablo shows up demanding his father's journal, Vlad realises that having a normal high school year is the least of his concerns. 

Vlad needs to act fast, and even his status as the Pravus won't save him this time...

Nayuleska's thoughts
Vlad sturggles with issues that readers can relate to. He isn't perfect, and does end up regretting his action. Additionally he finally admits he needs help. This vulnerability helps make it easier to relate to him. There isn't so much of Meredith in this book, so it gets 8/10 from me. 

You can find out more about Heather and her books on her website

Suggested reading
Definitely check out the other books in the series, including Ninth Grade Slays



Saturday 12 November 2011

Zeus Sorts it Out by John Dougherty (Children's, 5 years +)


August 2011, Young Corgi
104 pages, Paperback & ebook
Review copy

Children's, 5 years + 

Themes: school life, bullying, boys, friendship, an enthusiastic deity, school loos, Greek myth, lots of humour 

Eric, the school bully, is causing trouble for Alex's best friend Charlie. He's been stealing his crisps and flushing his head down the loo. Alex isn't sure that Zeus, the Greek god, is the best person to ask for help but before he can stop him, Charlie has built a temple (from a piece of crumpled paper) to summon Zeus. 

The problem is, the hot-headed god has now taken over the boys' loos and wants smite Eric with a thunderbolt. But that's against the school rules, so how exactly will Zeus teach the bully a lesson? 

Don't worry....Zeus will sort it out! 

Nayuleska's thoughts
I love ancient history, and feel this interpretation of Zeus's power and might matches up with my conceived idea of him. If only all bullies could get taken down several pegs. The illustrations were the icing on the cake, especially with the speech bubbles for each person. My favourites were on page 39 and 49. 

As a fantastic read, it gets 10/10

You can find out more about John and his books on  his website.

Suggested reading
For more hilarious historical fun, check out history from the point of view of a cat, I am Spartapuss by Robin Price

Friday 11 November 2011

Currently ill



Just the usual, but I'm heading to bed for a doze. No review today, hopefully one tomorrow.

Thursday 10 November 2011

Battersea Dogs and Cats Home: Buddy and Holly's Story (Children's, 5 years +)


September 2011, Red Fox
112 pages, Paperback
Review copy 

Children's, 5 years + 

Themes: having a pet, best friends, fun coincidences, holiday festivities, family life, lots of happiness, 

There's double the fun this Christmas when two of Battersea's cutest residents arrive to live on Bell Lane. Best friends Jo and Helen live next door to each other, and Santa has delivered the perfect surprise - a gorgeous tabby kitten for Jo and a cuddly golden Labrador puppy for Helen! Will Holly and Buddy prove to be best friends too? 

Nayuleska's thoughts 
I love how close Jo and Helen are, and it was fun being able to relate to some of their characteristics. I'm more like Jo because I wear odd socks (although on purpose rather than by accident) & I'm not a neat freak. However, cats are way better than dogs, and Helen's new family member is as mischievous as my own cat. This gets 9/10 from me. 

You can visit Battersea Dogs and Cat's home website here. My current cat is a rescue cat! If you want a dog or cat, do give rescue centres a though (there are several different ones). And do be put off by how the cats behave. Mine had had a really rough time and all she did was sit on her bed. We felt sorry for her. She's a totally different cat now, known as the Tabby Tornado for the way she races around the house. The other day she shot through the cat flap so fast she didn't register a cupboard door was open and banged her head right into it (sorry for going off topic a little, I love my cat!) 

Suggested reading
Check out more of the Battersea Dogs and Cats books, including one about this cute cat Cosmo's Story



Wednesday 9 November 2011

Update on how I'm doing



As I'm starting to poke my head into cyber space again, I'm bumping into friends who naturally ask how I'm doing. I'm thankful to them for caring so much to say hi, especially as I go to zero social events at the moment. 


I'm not going to give all details, but here's a November update for how I'm doing. 


Some of you know I had a treatment in May. It was an infusion of a strong painkiller. The aim was to help bring the pain down a little. (Note: the pain is super high, constant, and never goes away. Nothing makes it better, doing anything (and even doing nothing) can make it worse. I've had it for 2 years now). 

The infusion didn't work. I got an appointment for late October to go back and discuss what to try next (that wasn't even to try another treatment.). Unfortunately due to my supreme ditzyness, and family being on holiday so not able to get me to double check things, I missed the appointment. I wasn't a happy bunny. The pain clinic didn't chuck me off their list (as I thought they would), I'm seeing them at the start of January. So we're probably looking at Spring before I try a new treatment, which has no guarantee of working. 

I'm watching light anime (including Winx French version), ones which make me smile and laugh. Reading children's books is helping too, as I'm picking lighter ones. I'm having to check books when I get them, and put them to one side if they are dark. I love dystopians, but at the moment I'm staying clear of most of them. 

So it's a muddle on with things and hope for the best next year! Personally I'm seeing how many times I can watch the Winx seasons. On the plus side, I'm making good progress with my wips, so I'll be able to query soon - hopefully this month. - whoohoo! Writing helps a lot. I'm putting my energy into that, so we'll see how it goes). Plus the photocopier at work is being it's usual misbehaving self and causing jams at completely inappropriate times of day. The world is normal when I have to give it a bash or too! 

(This friendship hug is how I feel for my friends (left to right: Musa, Flora (my favourite!) Musa, Stella (also my favourite - ok so all of them are but Flora & Stella probably more so). The world survives on love.)

Winner of 300 follower competition

Midnight of 8th November has been and gone, so it's time to announce the winner of the 300 followers competition. 

A massive 158 of you put your names in to win my (read once) ARC of Elizabeth Miles' Fury. 




So after putting the numbers in the random number generator, the person getting this copy is...

Lakshmi!

Many congratulations, I'll be in touch shortly by email to verify the win. 

Thank you to everyone who entered, and spread the word about my blog because now I've got 322 followers! I hope over the next few months I might make it to 400, which I've got a special prize in mind for. Make that prizes as there is more than one! 

I hope you continue to enjoy the reviews here on Nayu's Reading Corner, because I fully enjoy reading the books and sharing my thoughts on them. 

Gargoylz Wild in the Woods by Burchett and Vogler (Children's, 5 years +)


September 2011, Red Fox
128 pages, Paperback
Review copy 

Children's, 5 years + 

Themes: inseparable friends, bullies, school life, camping with school, having to explain strange goings on, parents who are like their children, lots of humour 

Max and Ben are off for an awesome adventure in the woods - going camping with their favourite Gargoyle friends. A scary story about a monster that lives nearby has spooked the Gargoylz, and Max and Ben want to investigate....But will bully Barry the Basher meet the monster first? 

Nayuleska's thoughts
I shouldn't have be surprised about Barry's father, or what the pair do, but I was. I did like how justice was served by the end. It was hard to work who was more excited about the camping, the Gargoylz or Max and Ben. They all have oodles of enthusiasm, which bounces off the pages. This is definitely a 10/10 read. 

Make sure you check out the Gargoylz website which has fun games, facts about the characters and other exciting things! 

Suggested read
Catch up with some of the other Gargoylz books, perhaps my favourite one Gargoylz Summer Fun



Tuesday 8 November 2011

Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk (Fantasy, Urban Fantasy)


October 2011, Penguin,
384 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

Themes: families, true friendship, taking risks, hunted, injustice, personal journeys and discovery, sunshine after rain and vice versa, funky powers, knitting! cute cat, a balance of thrills and fun, 2ish strong adult romance scenes, lots of humour 

Summary from Penguin
"Using magic, meant it used you back. Forget the fairytale hocus pocus, sparkles and pixie dust crap. Magic, like booze, sex and drugs, gave as good as it got"

Everything has a cost. And every act of magic exacts a price from its user, maybe a two-day migraine, or losing the memory of your first kiss. But some people want to use magic without paying and they Offload the cost onto innocents. When that happens, it falls to a Hound to identify the spell's caster - and Allie Beckstrom is the best there is. 

Daughter of a prominent Portland businessmen, Allie would rather moonlight as a Hound than accept the family fortune - and the strings that come with it. But when she discovers a little boy dying from a magic offload that has her father's signature all over it, Allie is thrown into the high stakes world of corporate espionage and black magic...

Nayuleska's thoughts
I've found a book which vies alongside one of my top favourites (which are by Maria V Schnyder). Allie is instantly likeable, probably more so because I share a lot of character traits with her and her friend. (I adore knitting fingerless gloves). I love the concepts of magic, and how it all works. What happens to Allie is terrifyingly awesome, and feels as if it could happen in our world. There is a lot of danger in the story, but it isn't all encompassing - there's almost always a sense of hope soon after dark moments, especially at the end. 


It will be a long wait to January to read the sequel to this 11/10 book. Yes, 11. I'm miscounting on purpose. I want to reread the book already (but I have a stack which need my attention first). 

Check out Devon's website for more about her books 

Suggested read
For an equally fun read (with vampires) try Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill