Saturday 31 August 2013

Snow Bound (The More than Magic series) - Elizabeth Kirke


Type: Fantasy

Release date: January 2013


We join Jen, Thomas and others on another vacation, this time they have met on a snow capped mountain and can’t wait to start skiing and relax in a magic filled environment. Jen has been unable to speak about her new found power to her friends and family as exposure to humans is a huge no, no. She is hoping to be her true self though nervous about what Thomas will do and say. Unsure of where they left their relationship after the summer semester, if one even existed. The holidays start off well, as Jen immerses herself in the magical world with her great friends. Of course it doesn’t stay that way for long and the peace is quickly shattered. There is a human stranger hanging around the cabin and Jen’s human friend, Shannon turns up in a surprise visit which throws everything into turmoil. How can they keep their secret now?

Elizabeth Kirke has a really nice writing style, the dialogue she uses between the main characters flows so well that they seem like old friends to the reader. We are re-introduced to all the characters, such as the lovely TS, Dani and Charlie. It settles down to them enjoying their time together but the pace picks up as the danger increases. We are drawn further into the magical world and the rules that surround it, drawing you in completely. Everything is wrapped up nicely by the end of this ready for the next one, though maybe a little too nicely but that’s just picky old me who likes a cliff hanger or two. As always this is a great read and I really enjoyed.

Wednesday 28 August 2013

Percy Jackson - Sea of Monsters


Release Date: 7th August

Top Billing: Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Jake Abel

This film is the next in the instalment, a few months have passed and Percy is back to training in camp Half Blood. The training isn’t going well, he feels that maybe he is no saviour; maybe they were wrong about him.  When are then introduced to his half brother – who happens to be a Cyclops – and then the adventure begins. The magical force field is destroyed, poisoned and they only way to repair the damage is to find the golden fleece, only Percy is not the only one looking for the fleece. We see the re-emergence of Luke from the last film that has his own plans.

This is fast moving with plenty of action from start to finish. The story actually moves on a little too quickly, giving you no time to think of what and why and because the first film deviated so much from the book, this had to do the same, though nowhere near as bad.

The story is there, just hidden below a lot of fighting and monsters, which is what the kids will love and I have to admit so did I.

Friday 23 August 2013

Armored Hearts - Melissa Turner Lee, Pauline Creeden


Type: Steampunk

Release date: April 2013


Tristan Gareth Smyth, known as Gareth is a young boy with a mighty big chip on his shoulder due to the fact that he has been without the use of his legs from birth. He therefore moves around in a wheelchair but has to put up a lot of help from others, which only makes him more annoyed at the world. His life changes when he rescues a girl falling from a tree. How you may ask, well he finds he can fly.

As he grows up with his secret he now has to deal with his grandfather’s struggling finances. For him it will mean a possible marriage to an American woman he doesn’t even know. Then things start to change, we are introduced to his possible wife to be, Jessamine, who is an extraordinary women. This is where we are introduced to the Steampunk aspect of this book together with fae.

This is the first Steampunk novel I have read and I was a little surprised by its contents. I understood that it revolved around Victorian England but it took me a while to pin down the era, it sounded early 18 century to me and it was only when there was mention of Emily Pankhurst that I realised the timescale. The speech of the servants took a lot of getting use to, so many ‘yer’ and ‘ne’ and it slowed done the pace for me. It was an unusual mix of historical writing and fae, which did work well.

The characters were all well defined and it was great to see them develop through the book. Though I was surprised that Gareth never asked why he could fly, he just accepted it, as a child maybe, but surely curiosity would have won in the end.

Overall I enjoyed my first dip into Steampunk, it was an unusual read and it flowed well, moving the story along and leaving it open for another book.
 

Monday 19 August 2013

The Wolverine


The Wolverine

Release date: 25th July 2013

Top Billing: Hugh Jackman


                       Tao Okamoto

The story is set shortly after the last X-Men film. Unable to come to terms with killing the love of his life, Jean, so much so he is living in a cave in the middle of nowhere and if it was possible, trying to kill himself with booze.

It quickly turns to action, where it is at its best, when he is asked to meet someone he saved a long time ago. Reluctantly he agrees but surprise, surprise things do not go according to plan, well at least not for him and we are set on a roller coaster of action pumping thrills and spills, as he tries to save the latest woman in his life. The dying man offers him mortality, a way out for his tortuous life but when is it ever that simply for Wolverine?

The action sequences are as always the best parts of the film, you don’t expect much of a plot, bad guys want to use Wolverine in some way and he struggles through with his usual grumpy but loveable angry tone. As a woman I know I shouldn’t complain but the film makers were really making sure that the female eye had something to look at and boy did we have something to look at. Hugh Jackman was topless for most of the film and at one point totally naked, was that really necessary?

Wolverine Origins showed us how and why he became the man he was but here nothing was resolved, other than the big showdown at the end. I expected a little better, the acting as always was good but the story needed work.

 

Saturday 17 August 2013

All quiet on the Western Front

I have to start off by saying sorry for leaving a post so long. Summer doesn't just mean holidays but children off school which of me, means getting very little done. How you are supposed to keep them busy, tidy up after them, work, write and keep updated on the blog, I have no idea, in case you were going to ask.

There are so many authors that manage that and so much more, but my organization skills need a lot of work. What have I been doing? Trying to get a few more reviews for Pulse was and still is a priority and I recently came across a site that gives a good comprehensive list of blogs that you can use. http://bookbloggerdirectory.wordpress.com/

It's a good start but there is so much more, there are also some great sites on Facebook that will provide reviews, if you ask nicely, and of course I always do, don't I??

For those of you that are interested, the second in the Sword of Idis series, Awaken, will be released soon and if I do ever get my organizational skills sorted I will be posting cover reveals and the odd excerpt on here in the very near future. What am I saying, if you are interested, of course you are, you are my peeps. :D

In the meantime what would you like to see in respect of my new release? Games, competitions, giveaways, excerpts, maybe short stories relating to characters you love? What do you want to see, please let me know.

Friday 16 August 2013

Review Policy

I love to read, who wouldn't, but with everything else going on I am finding it a little difficult so I just wanted everyone to know that at this moment in time I am not taking submissions. I would love to find that hidden gem out there and I do review from numerous sites, when I have the time.

If you are interested in providing a excerpt and want to do a guest post then I am more than happy to hear from you. I can be contacted on hdaly5558@gmail.com

For anyone that is interested, I give 1/2 a point for each, so up to 5 red ribbons and I rate my books as follows:-

  1. Are there any grammatical errors, is it edited well?
  2. Does it flow well?
  3. Is the story unique?
  4. Does it grip me?
  5. Are the characters well defined?
  6. Would I recommend it?
  7. Did I lock myself in a room to get it finished?
  8. Is the pace right for the story?
  9. Is there a good, strong plot?
  10. Did I enjoy it?