31.1.13

The Time Will Come #90

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The Time Will Come - 
Every Thursday l am going to list a book which l really want to read/keep meaning to get to. These are mostly books which have been on my shelf for awhile now but don't have to be, maybe you got it two weeks ago and really want to read it! 
~
Want to join in?
- Pick a book you have been meaning to read
- Do a post telling us about the book 
- Link the post up in the linky
- Visit the other blogs!
I feel terrible that I haven't read this book yet! The author emailed me directly himself and I loved the sound of this book. 
I haven't read many zombies books but the ones I have I have really enjoyed and have been unique so I was looking forward to reading this one.
This is why I love this meme as it reminds me of books I had otherwise forgotten about, I have read the blurb again and now I really want to read it! I hope including this in a TTWC post will make me read it soon so I can write a review for you guys and let you all know my thoughts of it! 


The Blurb
What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?
Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...
Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

30.1.13

Guest Post : Behind The Scenes at the Academy by C.J. Harper

Thank you so much to C.J. for a great guest post. 
I love guest posts like this which give an insight into the book. I read and loved The Disappeared, if you haven't read it I definitely recommend it! 

The Disappeared
Behind the Scenes at the Academy
In The Disappeared, Jackson starts out as a geeky genius who has a bright future in the Leadership. He studies at a Learning Community where pupils are well-fed and well-cared for. When a violent incident turns Jackson’s life upside-down, suddenly the teachers at the Learning Community claim never to have seen him before and Jackson is dumped in an Academy school. I wanted the Academy to be a place of fear and brutality (pretty much like my old school). The mistreatment of the students (known as Specials) stems not only from the teachers, but also from the building itself. The physical structures of the Academy show just how carefully the oppression of these students had been planned.

The Grid
When I was a teacher I used to think that getting all my pupils to sit down at the same time was a bit like a game of whack-a-mole. As soon as I got one in his chair another one would pop up on the other side of the room. I used to fantasize about the kind of straps that you use to pin a toddler into his car-seat. Classrooms at the Academy are called Grids because of the way the room is divided up by metal partitions into tiny compartments. Each Special sits in one of these sections and the teacher controls the doors to the compartments with her computer. Also, Specials have to wear EMD bracelets, which the teacher can activate to give an electric shock if anyone is committing a terrible crime. Like whispering or slouching.

Teacher’s Cages

I used to teach a boy who sometimes got very cross. He didn’t like reading, he didn’t like writing, and he especially didn’t like it when I said ‘Get down from there!’ or ‘Take that out of your trousers!’ When he was cross he used to stamp across the classroom towards me. I used to think it would be nice to work in a bank because even though sometimes people try to rob you, at least you get that bulletproof glass for protection. In the Academy the teachers rule their classes from the safety of a cage. But, as Jackson discovers, the thing about a cage is that if you are inventive enough you can make a weapon that will fit through the bars.

The Making Rooms
Jackson assumes that some sort of craft activity takes place in these special rooms. He couldn’t be more wrong.

The Dormitories
I’ve got a friend who was excluded when she was found in the boys’ dormitory of her boarding school after lights out. Obviously, she had only popped in there to borrow Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, but there were very strict rules about that sort of thing so she was out. At the Academy the teachers are entirely unconcerned with the emotional welfare of the Specials, so not only are the dormitories extremely basic, they’re also mixed-sex. Poor, girl-shy Jackson has grown up in a puritanical society and he is appalled that he’s got to share a room with the opposite sex. How is he ever going to take his trousers off?

The Exits

There’s only one. You need an ID card and a password to open the door. If you can manage that what you see once the door opens might make you realise that you’re not so keen to get out after all.

The Dining Hall
At primary school I was once presented with a chunk of liver for my dinner. I refused to eat it, so a dinner-lady held my nose, till I opened my mouth, and shoved a forkful in (this was in the olden days when dinner ladies could do things like that without getting sued.) I didn’t want to go back to school for weeks. There’s nothing scarier than school dinners. At the Academy, Specials eat in a huge warehouse-like hall. Narrow rows of tall metal boxes, similar to a school locker, stretch as far as you can see. These are the Feeding pods. Jackson is so disgusted by what happens in these that he decides he’d rather starve.

The Kitchen

The teachers don’t eat in feeding pods. They have their own dining room and although their food isn’t fancy, it’s a feast compared to what the Specials get. Jackson is desperate for a chance to grab some of their food, but first he’s got to crack the door access code and pick the lock on the fridge. He finds more than he bargained for in the kitchen at midnight.

The Drum-Shaped Room

At one of the schools I worked at there was a cylindrical room with tiered seating going all the way round, a bit like an amphitheatre. We called it ‘the drum’. It was mostly used for talking to big groups of students, but I always thought it would be a great place to stage a fight. In the Academy there is a very similar room and all of the Specials’ fights take place there, so that the audience can get a really good view of the blood spilled. Obviously, I never actually made my classes fight to the death in that room. And anyone who says I did has forgotten that secrecy contract I made them sign.

Find C.J.
Amazon (UK/USA)

Buy The Disappeared
Amazon (UK/USA)

Waiting on Wednesday #84

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Killing WoodsThe Killing Woods - Lucy Christopher
Published : 5th March 2013
Publisher : Chicken House
One of my favourite books EVER is Stolen by Lucy Christopher so as you can guess I am SO excited to read this one! 
She is an amazing author and you won't regret trying one of her books if you do! 
Anyhow this sounds amazing. I love mystery thriller books and I definitely don't read enough of them. I am pretty much certain that I will love this one. As long as it's not too scary as I am a bit of a wimp when it comes to tense scenses! 
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The Blurb :
Plenty of teenagers feel invisible. Fiona McClean actually is.
An invisible girl is a priceless weapon. Fiona’s own father has been forcing her to do his dirty work for years—everything from spying on people to stealing cars to breaking into bank vaults.
After sixteen years, Fiona’s had enough. She and her mother flee to a small town, and for the first time in her life, Fiona feels like a normal life is within reach. But Fiona’s father isn’t giving up that easily.
Of course, he should know better than anyone: never underestimate an invisible girl.

29.1.13

INT Giveaway - Isolation by Courtney L. Odor


Blurb :
Lennon is what you would think to be your typical teenage girl. But looks can be deceiving. Ever since her parents passed away, and living in multiple foster homes she slowly is starting to discover her own secrets. She struggles with the fact that she isn't as typical a teenager as she thought, she's blooming into something that she doesn't quite understand. And now she's open to a whole new world, forced to believe that everything she ever had nightmares about are discovered to be real. Little does she know that someone already knows her secrets, and has been trying to destroy her ever since she was a child. She has to learn how to grow and adapt to her changes, which will take effort to survive. And who exactly wants to kill her and why? Nothing is as typical as it seems.

Rules 
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Ends 15th February 
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Find Courtney 

Buy Isolation 
Amazon PB (UK/USA)
Amazon Kindle (UK/USA)

28.1.13

Cover Crazy #84

Skin DeepSkin Deep - Laura Jarratt
This is a new and from my point of view, improved cover.
I love this cover because :
- As I always say, i love covers with the sun and butterflies in. This has both so it's a win win most definitely! 
- The font is really cool and goes well with the cover.  
- I like her dress, really summery and pretty! 
- I tend not to like covers with people's faces in as I like to imagine their faces myself so I like how you can't see her face in this cover. 
- The simple background works well and brings most of the attention to the pretty butterflies. . 
- I like where positioning of everything and how it fits on the cover nicely. 

Send Me a SignSend Me a Sign - Tiffany Schmidt
This book was released in October last year but some how I have never actually seen this cover! 
I love this cover because :
- The font is so awesome! I love all the little twirls coming off the letter, so pretty! 
- I love dandelions and think they are so pretty,  I don't think I have ever seen them used in covers like this before and I love it! 
- Love the bits of the dandelion blowing away, so pretty
- The blue sky for a background really finishes the cover off nicely and made me pick this cover for cover crazy! 
- I like how the title has become part of the cover. 
Dislike :
- Just not sure about the pink used for the authors name! 

26.1.13

*Review* Fallen Angel By Logan Belle

Fallen Angel (The Blue Angel Series, #2)Fallen Angel - Logan Belle
Released : 15th November 2012
Publisher: Canvas Books
Format : Paperback
Source : Publisher (Thank you!)
Buy : Amazon Paperback (UK/USA)/Book Depository
Overall rating
Photobucket

 .................................... The Blurb  ....................................
Fallen Angel is the second in an erotic romance trilogy inspired by the burlesque clubs of New York and Los Angeles. The novels are about an ordinary woman who discovers herself - and her sexuality - through the world of burlesque. Mallory Dale works as a paralegal in a top Manhattan law firm, by day. But at night, she's a bombshell burlesque performer on the rise. Her dream is to become a top dancer but she becomes distracted when her boyfriend, Alec, starts pushing her erotic boundaries. Can she handle a three-way with a wildly uninhibited dominatrix? Or should she hang up her feathers and focus on her day job?At the firm her sexy boss unexpectedly ignites her deepest fantasies and tempts her to find satisfaction away from her tempestuous relationship with Alec. But is she ready to play it safe and give up the man she's always loved for the thrill of life on the edge?

 .................................... My Thoughts   ....................................
In Short
- Fallen Angel follows on nicely from Blue Angel. 
- Sadly I still struggled to bond with Mallory in this book. 
- There was some twists throughout the book but nothing massive. 
- I felt Fallen Angel suffered a little from middle nook syndrome. 

In Long
Fallen Angel is the second in The Blue Angel Series. I read this straight after Blue Angel which was nice as I was able to completely understand what was going on. Although I do feel you could just read this one without having read the first. Logan kind of did some recaps throughout the book which would have helped anyone who hadn't read the first or had read it a few months before.

Fallen Angel follows on nicely from Blue Angel and I was able to get straight back into the story. I was really hoping to gain a bond with Mallory in this book and that she would do something to make me like her. Sadly she didn't  She didn't necessarily do anything wrong, although she does do some silly things, I just couldn't get myself to really like her.

I liked the addition of a few characters and it really added to the story. I enjoyed getting to know the new characters. However I did feel with these new characters lots of twists were going to be added but I felt a bit disappointed. There were a few little things but I didn't feel anything massive happened. I wasn't ever gripped like I would have liked to have been.


Final Thoughts
Fallen Angel is a good middle book but I did feel it suffered from middle book syndrome, I am hoping Naked Angel will have ‘added spice’ to it!

24.1.13

The Time Will Come #89

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The Time Will Come - 
Every Thursday l am going to list a book which l really want to read/keep meaning to get to. These are mostly books which have been on my shelf for awhile now but don't have to be, maybe you got it two weeks ago and really want to read it! 
~
Want to join in?
- Pick a book you have been meaning to read
- Do a post telling us about the book 
- Link the post up in the linky
- Visit the other blogs!
I got this book for review before it came out and when I read the blurb I thought it sounded really promising. However I wanted to wait a few weeks to see what other people thought of it first and read some reviews before I started it myself.
Then, as the story always goes, it made it's way to the back of my bookshelf and I kind of forgot about it! 
Gutted as it sounds really good from the blurb. Some reviews are mixed which kinda of puts me off but I want to try it for myself at some point to see if I enjoy it myself. 


The Blurb
What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?
Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...
Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

23.1.13

Guest Post : Eighteen or Eighty By Catherynne M. Valente

The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There
Eighteen or Eighty
By Catherynne M. Valente
One of the most upsetting scenes in literature (or at least upsetting to me) comes at the end of Peter Pan. Wendy, after waiting an entire lifetime for Peter to return for spring cleaning and take her back to Neverland, has grown old. She has children and a house of her own. Peter comes blithely to her window to spirit her off as he promised—and when he sees her age he sees not wisdom or kindness or a life well lived, but is horrified by her, even terrified at her proximity to death, which he will never have to face. Peter throws a small tantrum over the unfairness of it—the unfairness to him that she grew up, as though it was a kind of betrayal, and a far worse one than his broken promise to return right quick. All is made “well” when Peter spies Wendy’s small granddaughter, whom he takes away instead. From the moment the granddaughter enters the scene, Peter does not even look at Wendy. At the girl he made into a mother for all his friends, who he asked to stay home and sew and cook for them while the rest fought pirates. He tells her to stay at home once more, and with finality. He rejects her implicitly, explicitly, and entirely, in favor of a younger, newer version of herself. As though all girls are interchangeable, which of course, for Peter, they are.

All that is quite bad enough. The unfairness of the whole business to Wendy always stung me, even as a child. It made me afraid of growing up. It gave me a horror of the passage of time. It made me think there was nothing worse than being old and undesirable. The small version of me actually cried with rage. There was a small end to my innocence in that ending—it came down like a hammer to say: no matter how many adventures you have, you are going to Get Old and Getting Old is an awful, lonely, bleak country. When you are old nothing will ever be good or magical again.

The sentiment is repeated through a great deal of classic literature for children. Childhood is the only country with any joy or sweetness or magic in it. The instant—the very instant—you become an adult, there is nothing left to love or want or do. Nothing that matters, that is. Growing up is the beginning of the end. There is nothing to look forward to. What a nihilistic message to give to a poor kid! Not to mention, one that assumes all children have idyllic childhoods and all adults are dead in the heart. So few classics of fantastical books for children offer any kind of road map to adulthood—a very important issue for adolescent readers! The story ends when the protagonist comes of age. When Peter, and therefore all of Neverland or Fairyland or Wonderland, doesn’t want you anymore.

It should be clear by now that I hate this message. I think it ill-prepares kids to look on the future as a place worth getting to. The peculiar Victorian fetishization of childhood leads both to a loathing of its opposite and a conviction that children are some sort of quasi-fairy Other, entirely another species. In the Fairyland novels, I have, and will continue, to try to argue another way. Childhood is a lovely place, or at least it can be, but to me, there is no age limit on magic. September began her adventures at the age of twelve. She will be sixteen or seventeen by the end of the series. That’s not really an adult yet, but past puberty, past the age of Wendy’s granddaughter, not a child anymore by any means. And at seventeen she will still go to Fairyland. Like many things—even the Fairyland novels!—she will experience the same things one way as an adolescent and another as an adult, understanding on new levels and with new knowledge. But at no point will I ever turn to her and act the part of Pan.

September’s newest adventure, The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There, brings her back to Fairyland a year older, affected deeply by her time there, a little wiser, but also a little angrier and more independent. She has begun to grow a heart, a new, untried, teenage heart, which does not know its own strength. She will travel to the underworld of Fairyland, where eventually all heroes must go. She will meet her shadow there, a selfish, covetous, wild and gleefully rule-breaking version of herself, pursuing all the desires September could never confess to in her underground kingdom. It is a book about growing up—if only a little bit. It is a book that brings up for the first time the enormous issue of work and vocation. There are first kisses and the capacity for forgiveness down there in the dark.

Throughout all the novels, the idea of a heart as a thing that must be tended and grown slowly, not a thing one is born with, has been a strong thematic note. That is the process of growing up, to my mind. A metaphor that shows the state of maturity not as a thing to be feared, but a country with its own magic and pleasures and adventures, merely different than childhood, rather than a dried up unmagical consolation prize.

In portal fantasies, the magical world often stands as an uneasy parallel to adulthood. Full of incomprehensible rules, people doing whatever they please with the snap of their fingers or the flick of a wand, vague intimations of wealth and power and sexuality barely graspable. So often those worlds are rejected by heroes, especially female heroes. Dorothy and Alice want to go home. They look at the fearful wonder of the other world and say no chance. September, to me, has always been The Girl Who Said Yes. To every adventure. And as I guide her along the weird paths of the heart, I hope to be able to give younger readers that roadmap in all its complexity, beauty, hurt, peculiarity, physical change and hardcore emotional honesty Feelings are hard. But they make us human. And being human is the work of a whole lifetime.

All any writer can do is share what they know. In September and her friends, I am trying, just as hard as I can, to say with honesty and fairy dust, the few things I know about being human on this planet. And one of the things I know is that spring cleaning can come whenever you want.

Find Catherynne M. Valente
Amazon (UK/USA)

Buy The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There

Waiting on Wednesday #83

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

TransparentTransparent - Natile Whipple
Published : 21st May 2013
Publisher : HarperTeen
This sounds so awesome. When asked what superpower you would love to have so many people answer they would like to be invisible. Obviously from the sounds of this blurb Fiona would like not to be invisible. 
Such a different concept that her father is basically chasing her to use her skill for his use even though she doesn't want to any more. 
Look forward to reading this, I am intrigued by the different relationships in this book. 
-
The Blurb :
Plenty of teenagers feel invisible. Fiona McClean actually is.
An invisible girl is a priceless weapon. Fiona’s own father has been forcing her to do his dirty work for years—everything from spying on people to stealing cars to breaking into bank vaults.
After sixteen years, Fiona’s had enough. She and her mother flee to a small town, and for the first time in her life, Fiona feels like a normal life is within reach. But Fiona’s father isn’t giving up that easily.
Of course, he should know better than anyone: never underestimate an invisible girl.

22.1.13

UK Giveaway - Dance of Shadows

Read chapters 1-3 for free!


Dance of Shadows (Dance of Shadows, #1)
UK Giveaway
(Publisher request)

Rules
UK Only
Ends 2nd February 
Fill in Rafflecopter Below

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Buy Dance of Shadows
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Find Yelena Black 

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Top Ten Tuesday (#3)


Top Ten is run by The Broke and the Bookish 


Top Ten Settings I'd Like To See More Of (Or At All)
In No Order!  Can only think of 8, sorry! 

Where I live! England, Northamptonshire - Haha I can't resist putting this one. Although where I live is a bit plain and boring I would be interested to see how an author would interpret Northamptonshire into a book. 

Beaches - I am sure this will be common in this post but I have to include it. I love having the main setting as a beach in books. I am in the UK so as I am sure your aware, are weather is terrible and we have a few, limited, nice beaches. I love books based in places like Australia which make the beaches sound magical. 

Computer World - I have read a few books where the characters are part of some computer game or such. They are such a great fun read which makes your  mind go wild. 

Heaven - I am sure I have read a book with a character in heaven but I can't really remember. However I think this is a great setting for a book. There is so many different ways the author can make the read view heaven. 

Future - I love books in the future. I love reading about how different authors see the future. The authors get so creative I often found myself wrapped up in this new world the author has made. 

Space - I know of books where the characters are based in space. I actually have a few I just haven't read any of them yet. I hope I do enjoy it when I get to them though.

Alps - I actually don't think I have ever read a book based in the alps. Anyone have any recommendations?

Paris - To this day I still think Die For Me is my favourite setting of a book, ever. Amy made Paris feel so magical. I would love to read another book based in Paris. 

21.1.13

Cover Crazy #83

The Language InsideThe Language Inside - Holly Thompson
When I first saw this cover I thought, that is pretty awesome! I love it! Everything about it! 
I love this cover because :
- I know I say it a lot but this cover is really unique. I love the romantic but bubbly feeling it gives off. 
- Definitely wins me over, the book gives off this fun vibe. 
- The font of the title is awesome. 
- I love that the only colour of yellow. 
- It's a really sweet and romantic picture, how they are leaning in together and on the boat. 
- I think although yellow is the only colour, this cover would stand out on the shelves. 
- The shadows are awesome! 

Fault LineFault Line - C. Desir 
I'm really unsure about this cover, it is pretty awesome but at the same time it definitely doesn't give any hints as to what genre this book is. In fact it looks nothing like YA (Which is what genre it is)
I love this cover because :
- I love the little flickers of light and sparks, it's really pretty.
- I like how the background is black to make the flame stand out. 
- The tagline at the bottom 'Who Do You Blame?' really grabs your attention and makes you question what the book is about. 
Dislike :
- Like I said above, it doesn't give any hints as to what genre it is.   

19.1.13

*Review* Blue Angel by Logan Belle

Blue Angel (The Blue Angel series, #1)Blue Angel - Logan Belle 
Released : 15th November 2012
Publisher: Canvas Books
Format : Paperback
Source : Publisher (Thank you!)
Buy : Amazon Paperback (UK/USA)/Book Depository
Overall rating
Photobucket

 .................................... The Blurb  ....................................
Blue Angel is the first in an erotic romance trilogy inspired by the burlesque clubs of New York and Los Angeles. The novels are about an ordinary woman who discovers herself - and her sexuality - through the world of burlesque. Mallory Dale doesn't like surprises. At least, that was the case. When her boyfriend takes her to a burlesque club for her twenty-fifth birthday, all she wants to do is go home and get under her bedcovers. So when she is pulled up on stage by one of the dancers and stripped down to her bra, in front of a roaring crowd - surprisingly, she loves every second of it.
Over time, Mallory begins to devote herself to the world of burlesque. It awakens new-found sensual pleasures and reveals her true sexual nature. But she risks losing Alec in the process - or can she really have it all?

 .................................... My Thoughts   ....................................
In Short
- Blue Angel is different from any other erotic book I have read. 
- I struggled to bond with Mallory but I liked Alec, her boyfriend. 
- Belle got the right balance between not enough detail and too much detail. 

In Long
Blue Angel sounded very different from any other book I have read and I was excited to explore the world of burlesque. It was an unknown part of the world for me and that’s what I love about books, that they are able to help you experience something you otherwise never would.

Mallory is the main character, along with her boyfriend Alec. I struggled to get a bond with Mallory and this held me back from enjoying the book as much as I would have if I bonded with Mallory. I felt this was a mixture between her character not actually being that interesting and also that she just isn’t my sort of person. I found Alec a more interesting character and I enjoyed seeing how he would react to different things in the book.

When it came to the actual burlesque shows, I loved how Belle got the right balance between enough detail and too much detail. I was able to feel like I was there but didn’t get bored from the amount of detail and for me this is an important part of feeling the experience.

As far as the erotic side of things go, it does get steamy at certain parts but I wouldn't stay its strong erotic. There is some female on female action and this was the first book I had experienced this in. It wasn't a part of the book I neither disliked nor loved. However I felt it stayed within certain boundaries which would have possibly made me put it down.

Final Thoughts
Blue Angel is different from any other erotic book I have read and I liked that Logan exposed me to the burlesque world as I haven't ever heard of it before. 

18.1.13

Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop - INT


Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop 

Rules
International (TBD must ship to you)
Ends 24th January
Must be Follower
Fill in Rafflecopter Below
Winner chooses one book from below

Below are 6 books which the winner can choose from. 
They are all January releases. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

17.1.13

Guest Post : Before I Become An Author by Sangu Mandanna

Please welcome Sangu to Books for Company! 
Sangu is a debut author of The Lost Girl, a YA Dystopia read.

The Lost Girl
Thanks so much for such a light hearted and funny guest post.
I really enjoyed reading it and find it adorable that you wanted to be a Psychiatrist!

Before I Became An Author
By Sangu Mandanna

Before I Became an Author, I Wanted to Be…

‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’
As a child, you’re asked that question more than any other. At least, I was. It was The Question of my childhood. I got it from friends (whom I would then ask it in turn), I got it from teachers, from distant relatives, occasionally even from my parents who wanted to see whether my answer had changed since the last time (it probably had).

The thing is, no matter what I said, I think my parents knew what I’d eventually be. I wrote my first short story at the age of four. It was about how we went out into the forest and an ‘elefit’ chased us and I got ‘sked’. I wrote things all the time. I made up the most outrageously elaborate and unlikely stories and tried to convince people that they were true. I made my best friend cry one time because I told her I took an overnight trip to Africa on my purple flying motorcycle and didn't take her with me. So I think my parents knew what I’d grow up to be. I, however, didn't  To me, writing was what I did because I had to. I wanted to tell stories, I loved telling stories, so I was going to do it and it was an essential part of me. I didn't think about growing up and becoming a writer because I believed I already was. I was as much a writer as I was human. It wasn't something I could do with my life.
It wasn't until I was about fourteen or fifteen, and actively decided I wanted to be published, that I began to think (and chirp) ‘Author!’ when someone asked me The Question.
And before that, I wanted to be a lot of thrilling, exciting and entirely unlikely things. Here are some of the most absurd.

Psychiatrist
When I count this among my funniest aspirations, I’m in no way mocking psychiatrists! I just mean that I must have been about eight. At eight most of my friends wanted to be fairy princesses. So the fact that I latched onto psychiatrist just seems hilarious and random to me.

Tinkerbell
Okay, you know, who didn’t? But still. Funny.

Cinderella
Ditto Tinkerbell.

Actress
It’s probably not surprising this came up, because my father is an actor and I spent inordinate amounts of my childhood lurking backstage at theatres. And then I played Lady Macbeth in our class production of Macbeth once and thought I was the bee’s knees, so that probably didn’t help. But I am terribly shy and am likely to throw up at the very thought of public speaking, so WHAT WAS I THINKING?

Ballerina
Oh, ha, ha, ha. This, from the skinny child who a) was so inflexible she couldn’t even bend down and touch her own toes, and b) was considered such a poor dancer that she was only one of four kids in her class not to be chosen for the ‘Joseph’s Coat’ dance in our massive school production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat…?

Eponine
As in, Eponine from Les Miserables (the musical).
As in the girl whose parents abuse her, who is in unrequitedly in love with a boy who doesn’t notice her, and who in her attempt to stay by that boy’s side ends up dying tragically by gunfire.
Yep. I wanted to be her.

Stunt Motorcyclist
That’s not a typo. I did actually want to be a stunt motorcyclist. I watched this thing on telly once about someone jumping the Grand Canyon on their bike and, for no rational or sensible reason whatsoever, thought ‘oh, THAT seems like a good idea…’

And I’m going to stop there before I embarrass myself anymore. What weird, funny and wacky things did you dream of becoming?

Find Sangu
Amazon (UK/USA)

Buy The Lost Girl
Amazon (UK/USA)

The Time Will Come #88

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The Time Will Come - 
Every Thursday l am going to list a book which l really want to read/keep meaning to get to. These are mostly books which have been on my shelf for awhile now but don't have to be, maybe you got it two weeks ago and really want to read it! 
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Want to join in?
- Pick a book you have been meaning to read
- Do a post telling us about the book 
- Link the post up in the linky
- Visit the other blogs!
I remember reading so many raving reviews on this one when it first came out (In October 2010). I really wanted to read it and see if I loved it as much as everyone else! 
I didn't get a copy of this until the beginning of 2011 when I did a swap for it. Anyway I thought i was going to read it straight away but sadly I didn't get a chance to read it straight away and since then it's made it's way to the back of my bookshelf and is now hidden behind lots of other books! The Time Will Come has reminded me about this book however and I hope that I can read it soon! 


The Blurb
I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”
So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Timesbestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

A book blog featuring Romance, Dark Romance and New Adult