Sad it is Only a CD Cover...(9)

A Twist in the Myth by Blind Guardian.

OOOOOO me like this one. A lot. This just screams magic, dragon riders and war.

Dreaming of Larry by Jean Ure

A tongue-in-cheek article in a school paper about "unfeminine" girls, and 15-year-old Judith's witty response, accusing the boys of being weedy and weak, leads to her meeting Larry, a much-travelled and sophisticated older boy. She is instantly attracted and the two develop a relationship.

I have read Jean Ure books before or *cough* tried to anyway – and in all honesty I really didn’t like them. Shallow heroines and paper thin character don’t really do it for me. And I don’t know why I magically expected this to be any different – it could have something to do with the utterly misleading book cover – just maybe.

Sex seemed to be a common topic in this book. Personally I don’t remember thinking or talking about sex half as much when I was 15 as these kids do. And when it does come up it is almost crude at some points but then since they are kids I suppose that could be expected.

So, an irritating heroine, shallow chauvinistic ‘hero’ who makes a last ditched attempt in the last 50 pages to have some kind of depth - this may be ok for young readers but it left me wanting to chuck the book across the room.

Love Inc by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout

Zahra, Kali, and Syd would never have met if their parents' marriages hadn't fallen apart. But when the three girls collide in group counseling, they discover they have something else in common: they've each been triple-timed by the same nefarious charmer, Eric, aka Rico, aka Rick. Talk about eye-opening therapy.

Cheerful, diplomatic Zahra is devastated. Rico had been her rock and sole confidant. How could she have missed the signs? Folksy, flirtatious Kali feels almost as bad. She and Rick had only been on a few dates, but they'd felt so promising. Hardened vintage-vixen Syd is beyond tears. She and Eric had real history... Or so she'd thought. Now all three girls have one mission: to show that cheater the folly of his ways.

Project Payback is such a success, the girls soon have clients lining up for their consulting services. Is your boyfriend acting shady? Dying to know if your crush is into you? Need match-making expertise? Look no further than Love, Inc.

Your parents have broken up, you’ve started at a new school and you’re being forced into going to therapy. And to top it all off your boyfriend turn out to be a triple timing sneak.

Welcome to Zahra’s world.

I usually avoid anything that even has a whiff of high school chic lit to it as it brings back way to many memories of the Olsen twins and Sweet Valley High *shiver*

But this, I am glad to say was thoroughly enjoyable. I more often than not find teen girl in fiction to be moaning, picky, petulant, ridiculously 2D characters that I want to slap and shake some sense into. Woe strong words there huh.

In Love Inc however each of the main girls are so real and full of life that I did not find it a choir reading their story at all and I could have quite happily read another 400 odd pages filled with them.

They were all a pure joy to read about. Flirty Kali is the kind of girl you would hate if she wasn’t so nice, Syd is just misunderstood and Zahra (our narrator) keeps them all glued together. It was great to see these three girls who under normal circumstances probably wouldn’t be anywhere near each other becoming closer.

And let’s talk about the parents for a second shall we. They are all morons, in the fine tradition of YA novels. They have sent their children to therapy when honest to goodness these are the people that need to have their heads examined - definitely a case of some projection on a psychological level going on there.

A fun read that does deal with the more serious topic of living in a split family. And, through Zahra we also get a story of a young girl trying to live in a multicultural family.

My only complaint is the ending. I like my endings to be a little more concrete and this was just a bit too wishy washy, but hey, maybe that is  sign. Could there be a sequel in the near future?

I’m putting up the drawbridge and filling the moat. This guy isn’t getting near my brain.

I’ve decided that my parents are a bad influence and I don’t need them.

I get away with so much more since taking over my own upbringing. I should have climbed into the driver’s seat a long time ago. 

Giggle Time

Happy Sunday book blogging world! I hope you all achieved your reading goals for the weekend. If not…well…there is always next weekend right guys? And you can also join the club (not really a club…only at heart guys). I always try to get too much read and fail miserably.

But never mind, it is giggle time.

Now, I understand that this may not appeal to everyone’s…humour and some of you may find it pretty nasty – sorry. But I thought it was pretty amusing when I first stumbled across it – even though I haven’t seen any of the Freddy movies. Anyway, take it away YouTube. 

Hehe, that makes me laugh...

Snow White 2012 - there is hope!

I am still pretty hyper about the new Snow White that will be coming out next year! I mean, who isn’t, right? Snow White is wearing armour, that is COOL! Moving on…

I am still hoping against hope that the Snow White in question will be falling in love with the huntsman of the title and not the prince. Fingers crossed everyone.

But! I have a reason to hope even harder. Why? Because there is a Snow White out there where she doesn’t hook up with the ‘prince’ of the story but with a dud who is technically one of the seven dwarves – but only they aren’t dwarves in this version they are just a bunch of random guys mining in the middle of the forest. And the prince isn’t a prince, he is a doctor. And Snow White isn’t Snow White she is Lillie. And she isn’t a princess she is more along the lines of the daughter of the manor.

But there is hope!

This version,  Snow White  - a Tale of Terror, is pretty good. VERY dark though.

Lillie’s father actually has to cut her out of her mother at the beginning when their carriage crashes – YUCK. There isn’t anything shown on the screen but you see blood trickling on the snow and hear a baby cry and you KNOW what he has done. So that is pretty much the tone of the whole film. With some pretty sinister stuff happening.

But, when Lillie runs away when her step-mothers brother (step-uncle??) tries to kill her (long story short – the step-mother blames Lillie for the death of her child and so wants Lillie dead) instead of say running towards her HOME she runs towards the FOREST – as you do – and then hides in an abandon church where there is a mix matched bunch of miners. One tries to rape her, one rescues her, the rest kind of put up with her.

wow girl! Disney's wicked step-mother ain't got nothing on you!

Needless to say the guy that rescued her is the dude she ends up with at the end after loads of weirdness. And I mean LOADS!

So there is hope!!!!

(I tried to find a smaller clip but other than music videos that have been made to the couple this is the only clip I could find)

And ignoring the fact that they just happened to have a glass coffin laying around in the clip, I think it is pretty dang dramatic :) And sad. I mean, him begging her to breath like that is pretty heart-wrenching stuff - Or maybe I am just feeling overly emotional right now... Hmmm.... 

And here I give you one of the many music videos made to this couple.

*sigh*

Sad it is Only a CD Cover...(8)

Next in line we have Nine Destinies and a Downfall by Sirenia.

For this one I am thinking, a robotic horror or something like that. 

What d'ya think?  

Sorry, Sorry, Sorry! I am ALIVE!

Hello everybody.

I’m ALIVE!!!!

I am so sorry that things have been a bit quiet around here for the last few weeks *tumble weed rolls across screen*.

See the thing is my hard disk, or hard drive or whatever it is called decided to give up the ghost. Yes. It died! Of course I was not aware that this was the issue so I phoned the nice people who had me take the battery out, plug it in, turn it on, turn it off, turn it on again. NOTHING. And then I had to reset it to the factory settings. Goodbye all un-backed up files *sob*.Not amusing at all. And just to add insult to injury I went through all of that just to find out it could only go so far in the resetting until it stopped – because of the hard disk/drive/thingie playing silly sods!

So I had to phone the people again – anyone seeing a pattern here. This time I got a guy who really didn’t give a toss and couldn’t have sounded more bored if he tried. So I then had to sit with a dead computer for over a week until it could get picked up – lets not go into the fact that the little pamphlet I got when I insured it says ‘next day pick up’ but who’s being picky. (I am!!!!!).

But this is all water under the bridge now. Now I have my baby back after being poked and prodded by strangers *strokes keyboard…my precious*.

And so there is the end of my tale of woe and that is why the posts have been a bit. Because some posts have been going up that I had scheduled in advance (so proud of that), why the giveaway winner hasn’t been chosen yet (I will be getting right onto that one. I promise) And why I haven’t been able to do any blog reading. I am having post writing and reading withdrawal.

And that is my explanation.

Hopefully thing will be back to normal ASAP.

The Giveaway winner will be contacted by Sunday! Sorry again for the delay!

Or for why the laptop died look here for the warning from OG and the ensuing conversation.

Tune In Tuesday (6)

Tune in Tuesday is a weekly feature that you can find at GReads

I never realised how thoroughly depressing my music choices are until I was looking for a cheery song after last week. Well...here we are :)

FERNGULLY!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!! I was glued to that film when I was younger! 

*skips off on a wee trip down memory lane*

Sad it is Only a CD Cover...(7)

This is  cover I fell head over heals with as soon as I clapped eyes on it. Definitely another one that goes under the magical and mythical heading.

This is the CD Meredead by the group Leaves' Eyes.

Is that gorgeous or is that gorgeous?

I am thinking a mermaid/siren novel or an Arthurian Legend dealing with the lady of the lake...

What do you think?

Bewitched and Betrayed by Lisa Shearin

Raine Benares is a seeker. She finds lost things and missing people- usually alive. But now she's been bonde with the Saghred, a soul- stealing stone of unlimited power, and must hunt down its escapees. Especially since one of them is also hunting her...

And so just like book three, in book four so much goes on I don’t know where to start…

We kick of the story and are thrown straight into the action as Raine is hunting down one of the souls that escaped from the Saghred at the end of book three.

(Taps keyboard – I don’t know what to say without totally blowing everything)

The love triangle is sorted – but I won’t say how or who – I read that in a review before I started reading this and I have never wanted to throw something at my computer so much in my life.

Sorry guys I will leave it here before I talk myself into a hole.

Oh, and remember how I was saying the maturity thing goes up with each book…well the DEED IS DONE in this book.

Leaving it here before I blow something. 

Tune In Tuesday (5)

Tune in Tuesday is a weekly feature that you can find at GReads

I only just recently stumbled across this song - probably about a month ago now - on  YouTube and I fell in love with it. It is so heartbreakingly sad.



THAT has got to be one of the most depressing songs on the planet, but so beautiful.

Next weeks will be happier. Promise :)

The Trouble with Demons by Lisa Shearin

For seeker Raine Benares, a demon infestation on the Isle of Mid couldn't come at a worse time. Already fighting the influence of the Saghred, a soul-stealing stone, Raine discovers she is also magically bonded to a dark mage and a white knight, two dangerous and powerful men on opposing sides.
Turns out, the demons want the key to unlock the Saghred. As a seeker, Raine should be able to find it first. As the axis of light and dark powers, she's a magical cataclysm waiting to happen.

I am a little stuck about what to say about this book, even though it is a great read everything happens so quickly it is hard to focus on anything particular. 

This is the 3^rd book in the Raine Benares series. Nothing much has changed character wise in this book. Mycheal is still the good guy, Tam is still the bad boy (and so sexy with it) and Raine is still the smart mouthed kick butt heroine.

I loved this book just as much as book one and two – though I will say that the content is getting more adult with each book. But one thing that definitely like about the books is that there is no huge time jumps between then. You know how you read some book and you finish book one and then you pick up book two and suddenly you are months ahead of where you finished in book one and it takes you half of the book to find out what has happened in the gap…? Yeah? Well, that happily doesn’t happen here. There is only a few weeks (or at the most a month) in-between any of the books - so far anyway. And this makes it so easy to pick up where you left of. 

So here we have Raine still trying to fix the trouble that started in book one when she found herself linked to a soul slurping, army flattening rock. And, just to add more trouble to the mix the demon queen wants the rock so she can release her husband from inside it. And then there is the whole collection of characters that either want to use Raine – so they can use the rock – or want her head served up on a silver platter. Oh, and don’t forget the reapers who are after her too.

  

Busy, busy, busy.

I don’t want to give too much away but so much goes on in this book that I think it would be impossible for me to give it all away.

A fun, magical, fast paced read filled with goodies, baddies and some that I am just not too sure about.

Why is it the spooky shit is always in the basement

Time honoured Benares solution – of I drink enough my problems would go away. 

Sad it is Only a CD COVER...(6)

And here we have the next in the CD Cover posts.

Just look at this.

Isn't it just gorgeous. First off you would not think that this is only the cover for a CD, you would take a look at this and be asking yourself when it is coming out on DVD wouldn't you?

I could totally see this being the cover of a historical fantasy (with Vikings lol)

Thoughts?

See you next time :)

The Summons - A Goblin King Prequel by Shona Husk

Peel your eyes away from the pretty front cover. I know it's hard but you can do it. 

.

.

.

.

.

See, I told you, you could ;)

Every fairy tale has to have some basis in fact, right? That's what Eliza thought as she made a desperate plea to the legendary Goblin King. If he could grant her wish, she'd finally be safe. He would protect her. But what would he ask in return...?

This is a brilliant teaser for the book that will be coming out at the beginning of October. And I can’t wait.

I love the film Labyrinth – you know with David Bowie? – and it seems like this book will be the nearest I will get to a novel based on the idea.

We have a disillusioned, bitter Goblin King and a girl who wishes from the Goblin King to take her away when she finds herself hiding in the bathroom from a drunken guy at the party that he brother has thrown when their dad is away.

Like I said though this is only a teaser/introduction to the story and won’t even take an hour to read so I won’t say anything else about it.

Right now this is free on Amazon at the kindle store so I would definitely say go and check it out :). 

Lookie Lookie ;)

Hi everyone.

So this is a quick post - sorry no fantasy, future and warp speed wednesday today.

But look what I got through the post today.

TADA!

These two pretty paperbacks are the prize for the giveaway!
Reminder - there is less than a week to enter everyone, so if you havent entered yet head on over to the giveaway post and fill out the pretty form.

Tune In Tuesday (4)

Tune in Tuesday is a weekly feature that you can find at GReads

And this week I am in the mood for a little Meatloaf :)



Brilliant song to belt out in the car when there is no one else around lol.

Maskerade by Terry Pratchett

Terry  Pratchett isone of my all-time favourite authors. It is true that some of his books miss the mark for me where laughs are concerned but I am glad to say that this is not one of those books. This hit all the right places and had me sniggering from beginning to end.  

There are strange goings-on at the Opera House in Ankh-Morpork. A ghost in a white mask is murdering, well, quite a lot of people, and two witches (it really isn't wise to call them "meddling, interfering old baggages"), or perhaps three, take a hand in unraveling the mystery.

I loved this book, but for some reason I can’t think of a lot to say about it…Weird.

It is such a fun read with some of the best rounds ups of opera that I have ever read and some of the most brilliant twists.

We have Christine who, although being gorgeous, just can’t sing and is as dim as a broken torch.

Agnes – who has a lovely personality, nice hair and CAN sing, but unfortunately just doesn’t look the part (I love Agnes).

The rat catcher who is reincarnated as a rat – karma really sucks!

Two witches - hoping to soon be a trio once again – ready to solve the mystery at The Opera House.

A ghost who can be in two places at a time – or can he.

And lots more. 

As I said this is such a fun read and kept me turning the pages. Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax jumped out the page at me with their larger than life approach at things. And their side story had me giggling like crazy – Nanny Ogg’s “The Joye of Snacks” isn’t an ordinary cook book.

Agnes’s practical attitude to life was great to read along with her attempts at being more…flighty with her alter ego Perdita. I would rather have a heroine like Agnes over a Perdita any day.  

Agnes on Christine - Not liking Christine would be like not liking small fluffy animal. And Christine was just like a small fluffy animal. A rabbit, perhaps. It was certainly impossible for her to get a whole idea into her head in one go. She had to nibble it into manageable bits.

Nanny Ogg on Opera - Well, basically there are two sorts of opera,' said Nanny, who also had the true witch's ability to be confidently expert on the basis of no experience whatsoever. 'There's your heavy opera, where basically people sing foreign and it goes like "Oh oh oh, I am dyin', oh, I am dyin', oh, oh, oh, that's what I'm doin'", and there's your light opera, where they sing in foreign and it basically goes "Beer! Beer! Beer! Beer! I like to drink lots of beer!", although sometimes they drink champagne instead. That's basically all of opera, reely

The wooden stairs gave way to stone.
Perdita said: he’ll have a vast cave somewhere under the Opera House. There will be hundreds of candles, casting an exciting yet romantic light over the, yes, the lake, and there will be a dinner-table shining with crystal glass and silverware, and of course he will have, yes, a huge organ-
Agnes blushed hotly in the darkness.
-on which, that is to say, he will play in a virtuoso style many operatic classics.
Agnes said: it’ll be damp. There will be rats.  

Sunday Giggles :)

It's Monday tomorrow guys :( Sad but true - the truth hurts.
So tome for a giggle before Monday morning arrives.



Hehe, got to laugh.

Quick reminder - One more week(ish) to enter for the Theatre Illuminata books!
Go to  the post here to enter :)

See you tomorrow with  review everyone!

Jane Eyre Time - 1

I have been pretty busy the past wee while (and also full of a bug - :() that I haven't been able to sit down and do any more drooling over the Jane Eyre teasers. Until now. Yay. One more week and it will be out in the UK. *happy dance*

So put your feet up and get ready for clip number one.

*lights dim*

please turn all cell phones to silent, thank you.



Freakin' OUT!!!!!!!

This is one of THOSE scenes where, even though I have seen the other versions and read the book, I still lean forward in my seat and hold my breath waiting for him to sweep her up into his arms and kiss the living day lights out of her :) *sigh* (where's MY Mr Rochester, it's not fair!)




And this scene *rolls eyes*
This is the scene that I ALWAYS find laughable.

Rochester - Do you think me handsome?
Jane - No sir!
Me - Ummmmmmm HELL YEAH!

Why do they always do that. It is ridiculous. The guys is attractive and Toby Stephens was attractive in that bad guy 'i have a past' kind of way. I just find this bit funny.

Sad it is Only a CD Cover...(5)

This is another steampunky type cover and I suppose it is a bit of a cheat but it deserves an honorary mention I think.

Surviving the Fall by William R. Potter

James Goodal has spent his entire life avoiding uncomfortable situations. This safe and easy existence has left James lonely and facing divorce. Everything changes when he takes in a young street girl named Ashley. The pair finds comfort in their unorthodox friendship until her violent world returns forcing James to fight for Ashley and for his very survival.
I am not sure what my feelings are on this book. Which is why I have continually put off writing a post on it.

First things first. This is NOT a YA novel. It deal with drug use, teenage prostitution – and by extensions sex – and there is a bit of language in it too.

But the characters are real and flawed and have issues up to their eyeballs which I kind of liked, because the issues weren’t tiny things that the characters had blown out of proportion to make them seem - big they were serious.

I would have liked to have seen the relationship between James and Ashley developed and fleshed out a little bit more than it was. It just seemed to jump forward way too quickly.

I would also have liked it if the book was a bit longer. I felt a little cheated because the book stopped at 70% and the rest for extracts from other books – I was a little bit annoyed there.

It was a quick and differently weird read, definitely with ADULT themes.