A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for sixty-two years when she is woken by a kiss. Locked away in the chemically-induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten sub-basement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now, her parents and her first love are long dead, and Rose — hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire — is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat. Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existence, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes — or be left without any future at all.

It should have been a short suspended-animation sleep. But this time Rose wakes up to find her past is long gone - and her future full of peril.

Release Date 9th August 2011

I absolutely loved the concept behind this story, like a futuristic and dark retelling of Sleeping Beauty with a twist. I don't think an exact year is ever given, although at one point I believe there is mention of 2087 and it seems like that was in the past.

I liked Rose, she was troubled and misunderstood by her parents who basically wanted a plaything and not a child. They had no qualms about putting her in stasis just because they were going on holiday or working away. Stasis is like a hyper sleep kind of deal, you go in and get chemically induced to sleep but while you're in there, you don't age or anything. So with Rose being put into stasis so often, she watched others around her grow up while she remained a child.

She awakes in the future and everyone she knew is dead. People believed she had died years ago and now that she's back, she has a lot to learn and a lot to do to try and assimilate into this new time.

I really hope there's more to follow and, judging by certain events in the book, there might just be. If the author hasn't started on a sequel yet, I think she should. I believe A Long, Long Sleep will be a hit with the YA crowd and could definitely do with becoming a series.


Book Depository: A Long, Long Sleep
Amazon UK: A Long, Long Sleep

South of Salem by Janni Nell

My mother thinks my job is crazy. I'm a paranormal investigator; she's Nancy Reagan crossed with Martha Stewart. She's always preferred my sister, Lily, who is following in her perfect footsteps.

But this time Mom needs my special skills. She believes my stepfather is possessed. I admit he's not his usual dapper, charming self, but sleepwalking doesn't sound that weird. Until the sleepwalking spreads through the family and cousin Donna walks right out of her apartment window to her death. Then my sister goes missing and I have to find her and solve the mystery before Lily and her unborn child are harmed.

Normally I would have assistance, but my right hand, a hunky angel I've nicknamed Casper, has business of his own to take care of-business that might take him out of my life forever. The stakes are too high for me to lose, but I'm not sure I can do it alone...

Release Date 30th May 2011

So when I asked to read this, I didn't realise it was a second book. But I now find myself wondering if there was as much of the little things that niggled at me in this one, in the first one too. There seemed to be an awful lot of repetitive phrases in here, there was a lot of "as my dad would say" or something along the same lines. It got to the point that I sighed in aggravation whenever I read that line but when I looked back over it, it was actually only used about 9 times but it was still enough to bug me. I get it, her dad was Australian but really, having to explain every little non-American idiom used (I can only guess that's the reason, although they all made perfect sense to me) makes me ask, why use that many?

Besides that annoyance, it was a good story. Short but sweet with some interesting bits in it. I'm not too sure if I'd continue reading this series to be honest, as I said, it was an interesting story but there was just something that put me off. The story didn't seem to flow all that well and there was a lot of familial tension between Allegra, her sister and their mother. Too much, in my opinion.


Amazon UK: South of Salem

Before the Witches by Karina Cooper

In America, they didn't care about witches. But all that was about to change.

Katya Zhuvova fled a country that feared her gifts, but her escape to Seattle left her at the mercy of a ruthless man. With no one left to turn to, Katya hatches a desperate escape plan. Undercover Detective Nigel Ferris is determined to bring down a prostitution ring, whatever the cost. In order to the get answers he needs, he attempts to win the trust of one of the prostitutes involved — but one look at the deceptively sultry Katya and the cool, objective cop disappears. Before either can put their plans into place, Mother Nature shrugs: a cataclysm rocks Seattle, and life is turned upside down.

Brought together by chance, Nigel and Katya are in the fight for their lives. Surrounded by death and fear, shattered by immeasurable loss, they have only a bond forged in fire to cling to as they struggle to survive in a world gone straight to hell.

Release Date 17th May 2011

This is a prequel novella to Blood of the Wicked which is due to be released on 31st May 2011. Blood of the Wicked is the first in Karina Cooper's Dark Mission series and it's her actual first novel, I believe.

I hadn't heard of this series until I got this novella from Netgalley and all I can say is ... WOW! What an absolutely fantastic start to this series. Very short but it packs a punch and a half in there. Karina rips the world as we know it apart and sets up the storyline for her series in this.

I liked Katya, she's strong and determined to help others escape the desperate life she found herself in. Nigel is the handsome cop, they're always handsome though aren't they? ;) He has to help Katya, no matter the cost.

Loved the storyline and the disaster scenes were really well written, very descriptive and downright scary as all hell! I can't wait to read the 1st book and, if this novella is anything to go by, Karina is most definitely an author to watch out for in the future.


Book Depository: Before The Witches
Amazon UK: Before the Witches

Bite Club by Rachel Caine

Morganville is a quiet college town where humans and vampires live in relative peace. But lately a great deal of blood is being spilt ...

Having survived a number of adventures with her new night-dwelling friends, college student Claire Danvers has come to realise that for the most part, the undead just want to get on with their lives.

But someone else wants then to get ready to rumble.

There's a new extreme sport being broadcast over the Internet: bare-knuckle fights pitting vampires against one another - or, worse, against humans. Claire soon discovers that what started as an online brawl will soon threaten everyone in Morganville. And if they want to survive, they'll have to do a lot more than fight ...

This is book ten in the Morganville series and Rachel Caine's storylines are still as strong and well written as ever. Usually by the 10th book in a series, I've came across at least one book in there that I didn't like. Mostly because the story was poor, and I fear this with some of my favourite series because it may put me off them. Thankfully, this hasn't happened here.

I absolutely love the characters in the Morganville books. Claire has grown so much since we first met her in Glass Houses and I really like who she's turning into. Shane is hot as ever and we get some Shane POV in this book which is great, I've read a couple of shorts from Shane's POV and I like his voice. Eve is .... well, she's Eve, she's awesome! And Michael has some stuff to deal with but he's still fun. And of course, my favourite character is, and always will be, Myrnin. I think it would be hard to knock Myrnin from my top spot, he's crazy and loveable.

If you haven't read the Morganville series, I suggest you do it but you really have to start from the beginning which is Glass Houses. And if you have read the rest then I'm sure, like me, you'll be delighted with this installment and eagerly awaiting Last Breath which, I think, is out in November.

So it's not too long ...... *taps fingers and chews nails* ........ not long at all!


Book Depository: Bite Club
Amazon UK: Bite Club

Frost Moon by Anthony Francis

Her Magic Will Get Under Your Skin

Her Story Will Fill Your Imagination

Dakota Frost's Enthralling Saga Begins . . .

In an alternate Atlanta where magic is practiced openly, where shapeshifters party at the urban clubs and vampires rule the southern nights like gangsters, where demure witches sip coffees at the local cafes and mysterious creatures command the dark caverns beneath the city, Dakota Frost's talents are coveted by all: She's the best magical tattoo artist in the southeast: a SkinDancer, able to bring her amazing tats to life. When a serial killer begins stalking Atlanta's tattooed elite, the police and Feds seek Dakota's help. Can she find the killer in the dark fringe of the city's magical Edgeworld? What kind of enemies and allies will she attract among the powerful outcasts and tormented loners, who see her as a threat, a seduction, an unexpected champion . . . or as delicious prey.

I loved this book so much! It has a sexy lead lady, with the most awesome hair plus she's a tattoo artist .... a magical tattoo artist at that! Obviously with my love of tattoos, the blurb jumped out at me as soon as I read about it.

I really enjoyed Dakota. She's a great character with an edge that, even she admits, is mostly an act. When I started reading this I instantly pictured a tattoo artist who's work I love. Her name is Rachael Huntington, and not only does she look like Dakota (well, how I pictured her anyway)but she's also an amazing artist who I one day hope to get a tattoo from.

Anthony Francis creates a fantastic world with really well written characters. I love the thought of magical tattoos and would love for them to be real. Definitely a must read and I can't wait to read the next book in the series. The author also has plans for a YA series featuring Cinnamon, Dakota's (reluctantly acquired) sidekick.


Book Depository: Frost Moon
Amazon UK: Frost Moon

Summer's almost here

Yes, it's not a book review but I decided I'd write this to try and remind people that their pets can suffer in the warm weather, just the same as us.

If you're taking your dog on a walk to the beach or the park because the weather's lovely. Remember to carry fresh water for your pooch to drink so they don't become overheated. Just because they're running around having fun doesn't mean they're not burning up, hyperthermia (heatstroke) is a big worry and can be fatal. These things are great, they have the drinking trough attached so you don't need to carry a seperate bowl and you don't have to worry about the water leaking.

If you decide you need to pop into the shop and leave the dog in the car, even if you park in the shade and think "I'll only be 2 minutes", leave the windows open. And more than just a crack! I hate walking by cars and there's a dog inside with the windows either closed or open the tiniest little bit. Another great thing to get a hold of if you have a dog is this. Pop them in the gap of your window, stops your dog from escaping and also gives a bit of security.
Or, even better, don't leave your dog in the car at all. Think ahead, if you need to go into a shop or somewhere then leave your dog at home.

If you have a white or light coloured pet or a pet with white/light ears or nose, then apply sun cream before leaving the house. They can get sun burn just the same as we can. You can use any non-toxic waterproof sun block or get a specific Pet Sunscreen.

Make sure rabbits and guinea pigs have somewhere shady to go if they're running about. Also make sure they always have access to fresh water.
A big problem with rabbits in the summer is something called Fly Strike. This occurs if the hutch and rabbit aren't kept clean. Rabbits generally look after themselves but in the summer get into the habit of checking their rear ends for dirt and make sure to keep them clean.

Have fun with your pets in the summer but remember to be safe!

The black and white pets photo and the photo of the dog in the car came from 123rf, royalty free stock photos.
The rest of the photos are my personal pictures of my own pets.

Sweet Valley Confidential by Francine Pascal

It's been ten years since the Wakefield twins graduated from Sweet Valley High, and a lot has happened.

For a start, Elizabeth and Jessica have had a falling out of epic proportions, after Jessica committed the ultimate betrayal, and this time it looks like Elizabeth will never be able to forgive her.

Suddenly Sweet Valley isn't big enough for the two of them, so Elizabeth has fled to New York to immerse herself in her lifelong dream of becoming a serious reporter, leaving a guilt-stricken Jessica contemplating the unthinkable; life without her sister.

Despite the distance between them, the sisters are never far from each other's thoughts. Jessica longs for forgiveness, but Elizabeth can't forgive her twin's duplicity. Uncharacteristically, she decides the only way to heal her broken heart is to get revenge. Always the 'good' twin, the one getting her headstrong sister out of trouble, Elizabeth is now about to turn the tables ...

OK, first things first ...... eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! *deep breath* It's off my chest now.
I was such a HUGE Sweet Valley fan when I was a kid. I read Sweet Valley Kids, Sweet Valley Twins, Sweet Valley High and Sweet Valley University, I owned most of them but gave them away many years ago .... this makes me sad, as I now wish to own them all again!

I almost wet myself with happiness when I first read that Francine Pascal, now aged 72, was releasing a new Sweet Valley book. I read that she used ghost writers for the actual writing but that the story was 100% hers (not confirmed, just read it somewhere on the internet).

The book was typical Sweet Valley, very light and fluffy. Jessica's betrayal was very easy to guess, even just from reading the blurb. The story of the actual betrayal happening was told through little flashback scenes that were, almost haphazardly, placed in every chapter. One thing that really bugged me was the first person Jessica parts, she still comes across as a 90s valley girl (e.g. Clueless) even though she's 27 and really should be a wee bit more mature.

From a fan's POV, it was major fun just reading this series again, getting to catch up with all the old favourites (who are obviously all succeeding in whatever they're doing). I would love if this was the start of a new series but, judging by the recap of everyone's lives at the end, it doesn't look like it will be.


Book Depository: Sweet Valley Confidential
Amazon UK: Sweet Valley Confidential

Sophia by D.B Reynolds

The Pacific Northwest . . . home to lush forests and constant rain, to lumberjacks and computer geeks, especially those of the vampire kind.

Sophia, beautiful and deadly, has spent the last hundred years dancing her way through the balmy nights and hot-blooded men of South America. But when her Sire sends an urgent summons, Sophia rushes home to Vancouver only to find he has disappeared, leaving nothing behind but three dead vampires and a letter with Sophia’s name on it.

Colin Murphy, a former Navy SEAL, came to the Northwest seeking a quiet place to heal the scars earned in more than a decade at war. But when someone starts killing local vampires and torturing their mates, Colin takes on the mantle of a warrior once again as he sets out to find the killers and do whatever it takes to stop them, even if that means hunting with vampires.

Following her Sire’s trail of death to a small town in northern Washington, Sophia unexpectedly discovers the heat of a South American night in Colin’s arms. But too soon Sophia and Colin find themselves in a race to uncover the killers before the next dead vampire becomes Sophia herself.

I've been waiting for this book for a long time! And happily, Reynolds didn't disappoint. Book Four in the Vampires in America series, following Raphael, Jabril and Rajmund.

I have to admit as much as I love this series ...... I'm still not a Cyn fan! She really bugged me in this book for some reason, I can't work out why exactly. I think it's the whole stubborn mule thing she has going? I mean, she chose to be with a Vampire Lord but she can't stand the protectiveness of him and how he tried to keep her from danger. I know she was all strong and independent before him but still ...... there's just a little thing always niggling at the back of my head when I read scenes with her.

I liked Sophia though (is it Soph-eye-a or Soph-ee-a? I constantly jumped between the two, neither one sitting comfortably in my mind) and Colin as well. And of course, more of the delectable Duncan =D

OK, so this next part should hopefully be blank (I've not done this before so this'll be my first try) since it contains spoilers. If you've read the book and want to know what it says them you should only have to highlight it to read it (I will be testing this theory before the actual post goes live though, lol).

I was actually quite sad that Cyn didn't die ...... let me explain myself before you get all angry.  Yes, I don't like her and know that her death would mean Raphael's death but I also thought that would be the perfect tie in to Duncan's book (which is next) since all the books up to now have been about Vampire Lords (and Lady).




So yeah, that's my thoughts.  If you've read the first 3 then you're undoubtedly going to read this and if you haven't read the first 3?  What the hell are you doing still reading this?  Go buy them all now!!!


Book Depository: Sophia
Amazon UK: Sophia

Phoenix Rising by Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris

These are dark days indeed in Victoria's England. Londoners are vanishing, then reappearing, washing up as corpses on the banks of the Thames, drained of blood and bone. Yet the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences - the Crown's clandestine organization whose bailiwick is the strange and unsettling - will not allow its agents to investigate. Fearless and exceedingly lovely Eliza D. Braun, however, with her bulletproof corset and a disturbing fondness for dynamite, refuses to let the matter rest. . .and she's prepared to drag her timorous new partner, Wellington Books, along with her into the perilous fray.

For a malevolent brotherhood is operating in the deepening London shadows, intent upon the enslavement of all Britons. And Brooks and Braun - he with his encyclopedic brain and she with her remarkable devices - must get to the twisted roots of a most nefarious plot . . .or see England fall to the Phoenix!

Release Date 1st May 2011

OK, it took me a while to get into this book. It's not that it starts off slow, the 1st scene has explosions and deaths and people getting saved ...... so why did it take me so long to get into? I really don't know. I just didn't find it all that exciting.

I finished the book and all, but I wasn't hooked into it in the slightest. I liked Eliza but I wasn't a huge fan of Wellington. I think the setting may have put me off as well, it feels like I've been reading too many books set in the oldey-days and it's just not a seller to me anymore.

The storyline itself was well written, but the characters seem like they could have been thickened out a bit. There was numerous hints to backgrounds, in several characters, that we never find out about and it seemed too much for me. Yes, hint at backgrounds but don't keep us guessing on every character. I know if a series is planned the author would want to keep storylines open, that's what all good series books have going for them, but there was too many. That's just my opinion, however.

Not too sure if I'd read the next book in the series. I might pick it up just to see if any of my unanswered questions finally get answered.


Book Depository: Phoenix Rising
Amazon UK: Phoenix Rising

My first video post

So this is the reason why I was having a wee shoofty through my books. I'm thinking of starting up video book reviews but just trying to see if they'd be liked or not. Please have a wee peek at my video and like it if you'd like to see more reviews done this way.