Book Review: Ultraviolet by R.J Anderson

Ultraviolet

R.J Anderson

Source: Courtesy of publisher via NetGalley

Once upon a time there was a girl who was special.

This is not her story.

Unless you count the part where I killed her.

Sixteen-year-old Alison has been sectioned in a mental institute for teens, having murdered the most perfect and popular girl at school. But the case is a mystery: no body has been found, and Alison's condition is proving difficult to diagnose. Alison herself can't explain what happened: one minute she was fighting with Tori -- the next she disintegrated. Into nothing. But that's impossible. Right?

My Thoughts  (contains spoilers)

To be honest, I'm not really sure how I feel about this book.

Dont get me wrong I really liked the first two thirds a lot. 

But then it went in a direction totally out of left field that I really did NOT see coming.

I really liked Alison. 

I enjoyed reading her struggle to regain her sanity, what really did happen to Tori?

Her strained relationship with her mother, her growing attraction to Faraday, and her desperation to remember the events surrounding her breakdown.

It was all very well written and interesting and I found myself jealous of an often debilitating condition, the writing was THAT good. 

But then from about page 225 I was 'What the...?!. Hang on, really?!?!' and that's when all the great writing (up to that point) lost it for me.

It became a totally different playing field, almost a different book. 
Instead of trying to figure out how to help Alison and the strange events in her life, it became  how to help Faraday get back to his home planet. 
Yes, I said home planet.
Oh did I forget to mention that? Yeah, Faraday is an alien!
Oh, and guess what? 
So is Tori!!!!!

Sadly, I didn't enjoy the last portion of the book. 
I felt the explanations of time and space, wormholes and experiments were all a bit weak and their (Alison and Tori's) way to get home boring and predictable.

Started out great ended badly, overall a 3 star read.

First Monday Of The Month Giveaway: June

Its June already people!
We are half way through the year, which means we are even closer to Christmas and well on our way to 2012. Eeekk!!

I LOVE ANGELS.

Angel ornaments, angel art, angel movies, angel jewellery, books about angels..........

And they don't have to be your traditional Heavenly Angels either, in fact if I'm reading about angels they can be any stretch of the imagination.
Blood sucking angels, avenging angels, fallen angels, guardian angels, sex crazed angels, 20 foot tall lizard faced angels, I really do just have a thing for them.


So when I recently went to a small farmers market and stumbled upon a lady selling crystal angel jewelry I had to buy some!
I think they are super cute and since I love to spread the joy I bought a pair for you too!

Well for one of you at least!!

Crystal Angel Earrings

They are Rose Quartz and Strawberry Agate Angels and super cute.

AND THEY COULD BE YOURS!!!

Thats right this months giveaway is this pair of ANGEL earrings complete with little gift bag.

Just tell me in your comment what you 'have a thing for' and you're in to win.
Giveaway will run until the last Monday of the month (June 27th) and the winner will be announced shortly thereafter, so remember to leave your email address.

   

Book Review: Fanfare by Renee Ahdieh

Fanfare

Renee Ahdieh

Source: Received from Revolution Publishing for honest review

Released: May 31 2011

Cris Pereira hates starring in a cautionary tale. Alas, her recent heartbreak relegates her to this unbecoming fate. The only good thing about being dumped a foot from the altar is the newest layer to her punchy sarcasm. All she wants is a do-over, but this is not your average fairy tale, and wishes don't come true in the real world.

One Sunday afternoon, she meets a movie star. Tom Abramson is intelligent, charming, and impetuous. In other words, he plays the role a bit too well. She isn't falling for it. She knows better. All British men are not descendants of Fitzwilliam Darcy, and movie stars are genetic mutations gone awry: X-Men with statistical disadvantages and emotional handicaps. Keep your knight in shining armor. A modern girl can rescue herself, thank you very much. After all, dreams are for the foolhardy, nightmares are just a part of life, and . . . this is not your average fairy tale.

My Thoughts

So ordinary girl meets up and coming Hollywood actor and is not impressed to find that he's a bit scruffy and hasn't bothered to wash his hair. And he is intrigued by the seemingly ordinary girl that doesn't buy into his star status like all the other screaming fans.

Initially I didn't really like Cris, she came across as a little whiney and annoying. It didn't however, take too long for me to understand the reasons behind her attitude and warm up to her.

In contrast I loved Tom straight away. He was sweet and funny, shy and a little awkward but very endearing. 

Tom really goes out of his way to show Cris that he isn't the trounced up big shot she initially thinks he is. He text messages and emails in an effort to find out as much as he can about her, and Cris is as equally interested in the man behind the glamor, although she continually questions his motives.

I really enjoyed their conversations, and often found myself smiling like an idiot as their romance blossomed. Their interactions felt very realistic and I enjoyed their attempts at dodging the paps. 

This is a very heartwarming story that reminds us all that fairy tales, really can come true. And I have to say that this is a long held fantasy of mine. Seriously, who wouldn't want a cute movie star to fall for them? Even better when that star is actually just a misunderstood, shy guy trying to find his place in the world like the rest of us.

Renee Ahdieh has delivered a well thought out, what if?, present day take on the classic Cinderella tale and I for one loved it. 
All in all a 5 star read.

Note: I'd just like to thank Revolution Publishing for inviting me to be a part of the Review Only Blog Tour for Fanfare. It has been a great experience and has introduced me to a new author that I will definitely be watching out for in the future:)

And The Winners Are...........

Thanks everyone that entered, and an especially big THANK YOU to those of you that wished me a Happy Birthday:)

(We are doing this old school and all names are in the hat,............)

First Prize

So, first prize is a 'My Book Chatter' tote bag, a lovely dragon and amethyst faerie metal bookmark, and the book Finding Sky by Joss Stirling.

And the winner is...Jennifer

Runners up prizes

Three runners up will receive some totally cute New Zealand inspired swaggy stuff that includes a magnetic bookmark, an I♥NZ pencil and character eraser.


Pukeko winner is...Maurielle

Kiwi winner is...scarletkira

Sheep winner is...Anonymous(lovetoread26)

A HUGE congratulations to all the winners, I will email you shortly so be sure to reply with your details.

Check back soon everyone for my June-First Monday Of The Month Giveaway for a chance to win another great prize (It wont be a surprise this time!)

Book Review: The Restorer by Amanda Stevens

*I hate spoilers in a review and therefore will only include the blurb for this book and refrain from giving away anything else for the benefit of those who may still have this on their TBR piles.*

The Restorer
Amanda Stevens
Source: NetGalley

My name is Amelia Gray. I'm a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. In order to protect myself from the parasitic nature of the dead, I've always held fast to the rules passed down from my father. But now a haunted police detective has entered my world and everything is changing, including the rules that have always kept me safe.

It started with the discovery of a young woman's brutalized body in an old Charleston graveyard I've been hired to restore. The clues to the killer—and to his other victims—lie in the headstone symbolism that only I can interpret. Devlin needs my help, but his ghosts shadow his every move, feeding off his warmth, sustaining their presence with his energy. To warn him would be to invite them into my life. I've vowed to keep my distance, but the pull of his magnetism grows ever stronger even as the symbols lead me closer to the killer and to the gossamer veil that separates this world from the next.

My Thoughts

While this is a great story with some really interesting characters it all felt a little unfinished, and not because its book 1 in a three book series. 

Just about every person mentioned has secrets that were alluded to but not revealed, or only semi revealed and so I was left feeling a bit confused and unsatisfied.
The main character Amelia is a likeable enough person but her family is a bit of a mystery and the very obvious attraction between Amelia and Devlin is never really fully explored either and so I was again left unsatisfied. 

By the end of the book, the killer is found and the reasons behind the killings explained.....however, it ended up feeling a little rushed in comparison to the flow the rest of the book had.

Even though I didn't truly connect with Amelia or this story, it is a good paranormal mystery/thriller and gets 3 stars from me :]

WINNERS

I have emailed all the winners of my WILD competition and they are

1st..................Meghan @ Books and a Cup of Tea (winner of Spells and Wild swag)

2nd.................Lady Reader (Wild swag)

3rd..................Denise (Wild swag)

CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE and thanks heaps for playing ♥xox♥

Book Review: Slow Burn by E.B Walters

*I hate spoilers in a review and therefore will only include the blurb for this book and refrain from giving away anything else for the benefit of those who may still have this on their TBR piles.*

 

Slow Burn

E.B Walters (aka Ednah Walters)

Source: Received from the author

 

She doesn’t want to deal with the past….

Ten years ago, Ashley Fitzgerald witnessed the death of her parents in a tragic fire and her mind blocked the memory. She pretends to have moved on, is a successful artist and photographer, until she opens her door to a stranger, assumes he’s a model and asks him to strip to his briefs.

He plans to expose the truth…

Wealthy businessman Ron Noble has the body, the jet, the fast cars and the women, but he hides a deadly secret. His father started the fire that killed Ashley’s parents. Now someone is leaving him clues that could exonerate his father and they lead to Ashley’s door. Blindsided by the blazing attraction between them and a merciless killer silencing anyone who was there the night of the fire, Ron can’t dare tell Ashley the truth. Yet the answer he seeks may very well tear them apart.

While a demented arsonist plots his ultimate revenge..

My Thoughts

I have to start off by clarifying how I received my copy of this book for the benefit of those people who will undoubtedly get the wrong idea and may even pooh-pooh the author or myself.

I entered a facebook competition to win a signed bookmark. 
The author was overly generous and sent me her book as well as the bookmark! 
Again, a very generous unsolicited gift from the author with NO strings attached. 

On with my thoughts...........

LOVED IT!!
Totally, absolutely, without doubt, LOVED IT!!!

The back story is great. The characters are strong, well fleshed out and real. 
There is just the right amount of mystery and intrigue, and of course romance.
I really felt Ron and Ashley's attraction. I understood them, and the reasons for why they were who they were because the author took the time to make them into real people that I easily cared about without drowning them in unnecessary and overly complicated explanations. 
This book had great flow, and at no point was I bored or disappointed.

For me, Slow Burn was like that first piece of chocolate cake. It wasn't enough. I want more. More Fitzgerald's that is!!!!
I read the teaser chapters for the next book in The Fitzgerald Series and I for one will be pre ordering it!!!


A well deserved 5 star read.