Finding Sky Blog Tour

I am so excited to be a part of this tour that's starting in a couple of days time! I loved Finding Sky and can't wait to meet Joss at an event on the 27th October. Here is what's going on for the tour so make sure to check out the posts. It starts on 20th October right here on Heaven, Hell and Purgatory!

Infinite Days - Rebecca Maizel

Infinite Days is the debut novel by Rebecca Maizel and it was released on 3rd September 2010 by Macmillan Children's Books and it is 400 pages long.

Plot
Lenah Beaudonte is a 500 year old vampire. She has no morals, no humanity left in her at all and doesn’t care who she kills to be able to feed. Along with Lenah is a powerful coven of vampires who she handpicked to join her. At least that’s who she was, until her lover Rhode performed an extremely dangerous ritual to turn her back into a human.

Now very much alive in the present day, Lenah is human once again and back to being a teenage girl. The life ahead of her is so very far away from any kind of life that she knew before and she’s going to have a lot to learn. Rhode enrolled Lenah in a prestigious boarding school and even though she isn’t a vampire anymore, she still gets a large amount of attention. While being buried, preparing to become human again, Lenah left behind her powerful coven and she knows the day that they will come looking for her is fast approaching. Will she be able to fit into this very strange life and hide away from the vampires she once called friends before they come to destroy her?

What I thought
The whole idea behind the story was a very interesting one and something I had never heard about before, which is what drew me to this book. In no other book have I heard about vampires being able to become human again so I was really excited to learn how this was done. It was good to see that not every vampire could do this and that it was extremely dangerous to try to perform the ritual. When Lenah becomes human again, she is a teenage girl who has been out of society for a very long time. There are some funny moments when it comes to Lenah figuring out new technology and what else is new in the world. I imagine it would have been very confusing for her, waking up and not having any idea about what is happening in the world. Not only that, but Lenah had never been to a modern day high school before so this was going to take a lot of getting used to.

Another thing that I liked about the vampires in this story was the fact that there was no good and bad side. All vampires are bad in this case and Lenah’s past is proof of that. The reasons behind the evilness were well explained and I thought they were very believable. These vampires lose everything about their human selves once they are turned so there is no humanity or soul to keep them away from being truly bad.

I really liked the fact that I got to learn about Lenah’s time with her coven and how she met Rhode and Vicken. These parts of the story were really interesting and gave me the chance to find out who Lenah really is, or was in this case. I love to know at least a little bit of history behind a character so this really worked for me. Lenah’s coven were made out to be extremely dangerous but when the time came to meet them, it was all over far too quickly and I didn’t believe they were that powerful after all. I would have liked to have seen a bit more action and conflict between Lenah and her coven to make this more believable.

I just didn’t love the relationship between Lenah and Justin. To me, it didn’t feel real at all and I couldn’t really believe what was going on between them. I think my main problem was that they didn’t really have any time at all to get to know each other. As soon as Lenah arrives at school, Justin is extremely quick to drop his current girlfriend who he seem to have been with for a while. This aspect of the book was one seen all too often. I really never believe that a couple can fall madly in love without even knowing the simplest of things about each other. I would have liked to have seen a lot more interaction between the two, rather than to read about the time Lenah spent with Tony. Although their friendship was nice, it didn’t seem all that important to the story at times.

One of my favourite characters was Rhode, even though he isn’t really around that much. The idea of him and his morals, even as a vampire, were really interesting and I would have loved to have seen what he would do in Lenah’s situation. I never thought I would say this about a vampire but Rhode is a true sweetheart and made me melt a little bit.

I hate to say it, because I was really looking forward to this one, but I didn’t love Infinite Days at all. There were quite a lot of good points for me but also quite a few bad points. The story moved along at quite a slow pace for a long time and I never felt like anything great or exciting was going to happen. Unfortunately, this book fell short of my expectations.

Hunted (House of Night #5) - P.C. and Kristin Cast

Hunted is the fifth book in the House of Night series by mother and daughter duo, PC and Kristin Cast. It is published by Atom Books and is 448 pages long.
Books in the series:
1.Marked
2.Betrayed
3.Chosen
4.Untamed
5.Hunted
6.Tempted
7.Burned
8.Awakened
9.Released 2011
10.Released 2011

For more information regarding the House of Night series, you can go to http://www.houseofnightseries.com/

The website has a lot of interesting features like leaning all about your favourite characters and creating your own vampyre tattoo (if you want to make believe a little bit). After reading the first book, I had a good look around the website and I think it's a nice companion to the series.

What has happened so far
Zoey Redbird recently got marked by a Tracker, meaning that she had to move to the House of Night in order to maybe become a vampyre. If she doesn't die first. Zoey is unlike any of the other fledglings though. She has been extremely blessed by the Goddess Nyx who gave her powers that she never expected. Zoey can has an affinity for all five elements: Earth, Air, Water, Fire and Spirit.

Zoey has her faithful friends, Stevie Rae, Shaunee, Erin, Damien and Jack to help her out. Zoey has had an array of guys on the go; human Heath, hot and talented Erik and teacher Loren the poet. The new guy Stark turned up and Zoey couldn't help but feel something for him. Football players from Zoey's old school went missing and were murdered so she had to save Heath before he was killed as well. After best friend Stevie Rae died and came back as something else, Zoey wasn't coping very well and managed to annoy everyone she cares about. Neferet turned evil and reawakened an evil immortal who took over the school with her.

Hunted
Neferet and Kalona have taken over the House of Night, forcing Zoey and her friends to stay elsewhere for the time being. Luckily, Stevie Rae and the red fledglings are still living down in the tunnels which have been made a lot more home like. No one is exactly happy about sharing living space with the red fledglings because not all of them are as nice as Stevie Rae but what other choice do they have?

Being down in the tunnels gives Zoey a chance to make up with Erik after their huge break up but Stark is also on her mind. She felt something huge for him before he died and knowing that he came back un-dead gives her hope....until he turns up as one of Neferet and Kalona's minions. Evil has reared its ugly (well ok, he's pretty hot) head and Zoey is completely messed up. How is she going to fix things this time?

What I thought
After the events in Untamed, I was really excited to see how things were going to pan out and I wasn't disappointed. There is a lot of mystery in Hunted which builds up so much tension ready for book 6, Tempted. Normally I would complain about this but there are quite a few unanswered questions but I'm not going to this time. I felt like everything that I didn't find out or figure out was done just right so that there would be a lot to address in the next book. Also, all of this mystery adds to the suspense of what is going to happen and kept me guessing the whole way through.

As the book is only set over the space of two days, everything that happens seems realistic. Books that are set over the space of months can sometimes feel quite unrealistic and rushed, trying to pack as much in as possible in such a short space of time but that isn't what Hunted is like at all. The fact that the story is only spread over two days gives the chance for a lot to be explored and explained properly so that nothing ever felt unclear at any point.

I'm not too sure how I feel about Kalona. I know he's supposed to be this hugely evil, fallen angel character but he just doesn't seem bad enough to me. Maybe that's because he has so much charm that he wants everyone to follow him and has certain ways of making that happen. He is certainly sleazy and creepy though, making me shudder a little at the thought of him. There are times when he does seem extremely bad but other times where I'm not convinced. He tries to tempt Zoey and make her think that he really isn't the bad guy so I think this is why I feel like this.

I really enjoyed the inclusion of the red fledglings as so far, we have only really heard from Stevie Rae. It was good to see how the others were coping and alike and different they were at the same time. It was good that some of them were included into the main plot which made their appearance more justified. I would have liked for some of them to have been included a bit more but as there are already so many characters to follow, I can understand why this didn't happen. One thing that I did find to be missing here was the relationship between Stevie Rae and Dallas. It is clear that they have something going on but never really expanded upon and I would have liked to have seen more of this part of the story.

Some other relationships that are explored in this book are very interesting though so made up for what was missing. Some I cant mention though otherwise it would be giving away too much. What I can say though is that the relationship between Zoey and Stark develops a lot and not in the way that I had expected. It was nice for the repetitiveness of Zoey's bad choices to stop for a little while, at least when it came to Stark anyway. Aphrodite's relationship with Darius is progressing well even when some major problems are thrown in their way.

If you are just picking up this series then I urge you not to start with this book. House of Night is a series that really does need to be read in order so that you don't get lost and can really follow what is going on. I also think that starting at the beginning gives you the chance to get to know and love the main characters which I don't think you can do by starting anywhere else other than the beginning. Hunted is addictive, interesting, mysterious and funny all at the same time. PC and Kristin Cast are quickly becoming two of my favourite authors.

Waiting on Wednesday (#17)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Fledgling Handbook 101 - PC Cast

UK Release Date: 26th October 2010

Publisher: Atom

Synopsis

Merry meet, fledgling. I trust this guide will serve you well…Every vampyre fledgling who arrives at the House of Night receives a copy of "The Fledgling Handbook 101", and now, fans can have one, too, with this gorgeous must-have edition. Inside you’ll find original stories, the complete vampyre history, inside info into rituals, vamp biology, and the Change, and much more.

I really love the House of Night series so this book seems like it would be a great companion to the series. I'm looking forward to seeing what kinds of things are inside!

Blood Feud - Alyxandra Harvey

Blood Feud is the second book in The Drake Chronicles series by Alyxandra Harvey. It was published on 5th July 2010 by Bloomsbury and it is 272 pages long.

Plot
The action and romance continue as the Drakes face a new vampire with a 200-year-old grudge. It’s been centuries since Isabeau St. Croix barely survived the French Revolution. Now she’s made her way back to the living and she must face the ultimate test by confronting the evil British lord who left her for dead the day she turned into a vampire. That’s if she can control her affection for Logan Drake, a vampire whose bite is as sweet as the revenge she seeks.

The clans are gathering for Helena’s royal coronation as the next vampire queen, and new alliances are beginning to form now that the old rifts of Lady Natasha’s reign have started to heal. But with a new common enemy, Leander Montmartre - a vicious leader who hopes to force Solange to marry him and usurp the power of the throne for himself - the clans must stand together to preserve the peace he threatens to destroy. (Taken from Goodreads)

What I thought
What I loved most about Blood Feud was that the main characters had a lot more depth than in My Love Lies Bleeding. Being able to see who Isabeau was in both the past and present made it possible to feel for her so much because of what she had been through. Because of this, I could completely understand why she is how she is and her actions/ reactions were justified. Unfortunately, I did think that Isabeau was a much better rounded character than Logan because we get to find out so much about her. I was glad to see that he was brought into her own story at different times throughout as it seemed to blend everything together well.

Blood Feud is told from both Logan and Isabeau’s point of view, much like how the story was told in the first book although it is not in alternate chapters. Sometimes one character will have a couple of chapters to themselves. Both characters have different personalities so the way that they tell the story is easily distinguishable from one to the other. Logan brings humour to the story and has quite a few witty one liners whereas Isabeau is more reserved and ‘prim and proper’ at times. I liked how their personalities and decisions bounced off one another and this gave the story a lighter feel.

As a couple, I liked Logan and Isabeau so much more than Lucy and Nicholas. It was nice to see them make a couple of appearances though, along with other Drake family members. The Drake family seems like one I would be afraid to be apart of, considering how much is always going on and the death threats at every turn. Alyxandra Harvey knows how to make a book action packed though, that’s for sure. The excitement of what was happening is mixed really well with the budding romance between Logan and Isabeau and I felt as though neither aspect overpowered the other at any point. I read this in one sitting, partly because it is quite short but mostly because I couldn’t wait to find out what happened.

It doesn’t happen very often but it is nice to see a book in a series that also works extremely well as a stand alone. Ok, there would be a couple of tiny point that may be confusing but nothing that I wouldn’t have been able to get over. I truly loved Blood Feud and can’t wait until the third instalment, Out for Blood, which is due for release in November. I think I’d be happy with any of these Drake brothers.

In My Mailbox (#16)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren to show what everyone has been recieving or buying each week.

For Review

 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling

Bloomsbury sent me a copy of the new edition of this book and while it is very pretty, I haven't actually read any of the other books. Needless to say, this one has gone to the bottom of my review pile for the time being.

 

Bought

These were from The Works and in the 3 for £5 offer. My Mum got the other two book in the offer for herself as there were no more of these sets available. Knowing The Works though, they will probably have them at some point so I'll be going back to check.

Ill Wind (Weather Warden #1) - Rachel Caine

Heat Stroke (Weather Warden #2) - Rachel Caine

Blue Bloods - Melissa de la Cruz

Revelations - Melissa de la Cruz

Dark Flame (Immortals #4) - Alyson Noel

This one came from Amazon as I had pre ordered it a while ago. I read this as soon as it came and couldn't put it down!

Won

Paranormalcy - Kiersten White

I won this one quite a while ago in a pre order contest but there were problems getting the paperback version so I finally decided to go with the hardback. I'm really glad though because it's lovely and I finished this book in one sitting. It's Amazing!

Lovers and Liars - Nina Bell

It's been quite a while since I've read anything like this but I won it in a Twitter giveaway so I'm looking forward to when I eventually get round to it!

Quite a mixed bunch of books this week for me. What do you think??

The Ask and The Answer - Patrick Ness

The Ask and The Answer is the second book in the Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness. It was released in the UK (paperback) on 7th September 2009 by Walker Books and it is 536 pages long.

Plot
When Todd and Viola began their trip to Haven, they thought they were running to safety. Instead, they have run straight into the arms of their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss. Viola got seriously injured and although Todd doesn’t want to, the only way to save her is to hand her over so that she can be healed.

Separated from his only friend, Todd is help captive and forced to learn the ways of the Mayor, who now calls himself President. Todd doesn’t even know if Viola is still alive and the only way to try and find out is to play Mayor Prentiss’ game. No one dare say anything against the new rules of the town but people behind the scenes are plotting against the Mayor. Everything is not as it seems and secrets are hidden all over the place. A war is building but who is the mysterious Answer and what do they want?

What I thought
I was really looking forward to reading the second instalment of this fantastic series due to the massive cliff hanger at the end of book one. From the first couple of pages, I could tell that Patrick Ness was not going to disappoint me.

The Ask and The Answer is told from both Todd and Viola’s points of view which I was very happy to see considering that they were separated for a large chunk of the story. As much as I like Todd, I had grown to love Viola and her presence would have been greatly missed if I hadn’t been able to hear how she was and what she was getting up to.

Todd is such an interesting character due to the fact that the way that he speaks does not match the way that he acts. To hear him talk, you would think he was quite simple but most of his actions throughout this story prove that he is quite intelligent. He may not think things through some of the time but he is definitely brave and it is clear to see that he would go to any length to make sure that Viola is ok. I loved the fact that even though things were extremely difficult for Todd, he never thought for even one second that he would leave Viola and save himself. Their friendship is so wonderful to read about and I enjoy seeing how different things affect their relationship and bring them closer together.

I never thought that I would love a book so much that was centred around the themes of war, terrorism and torture. Although some scenes are quite brutal and made me wince a couple of times, they were extremely well written and fit the scene perfectly. I never thought that there would be more action this time around but there was A LOT more from both Todd and Viola. The pace of the story made it extremely exciting to read and one that I could not put down. As I turned each page, I got more and more anxious to see what was going to happen next and if Todd and Viola would get to see each other again.

Again, Patrick Ness leaves us on an enormous cliff-hanger but I didn’t mind. I don’t think that this is a series that could have been written without such amazing endings. It’s hard to describe how the end made me feel but when I finally closed it after the last page, I sat there looking at it for a little while, thinking about what I had just read. The Ask and The Answer is a fantastic sequel and I’m now dying to read the last book in the trilogy, Monsters Of Men. I cannot recommend this series highly enough.