Blood Magic

Review Time! Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton is a 2011 YA Debut, I’ve kept an eye on this one since December last year when I went Debutante hunting for my event. Witchcraft isn’t something I usually read (unless it’s Harry Potter) but Blood Magic sounded so intriguing! Thanks to Random House for the ARC!

(Goodreads) For Nick Pardee and Silla Kennicot, the cemetery is the center of everything.

Nick is a city boy angry at being forced to move back to the nowhere town of Yaleylah, Missouri where he grew up. He can’t help remembering his mom and the blood magic she practiced – memories he’s tried for five years to escape. Silla, though, doesn’t want to forget; her parents’ apparent murder-suicide left her numb and needing answers. When a book of magic spells in her dad’s handwriting appears on her doorstep, she sees her chance to unravel the mystery of their deaths.

Together they plunge into the world of dark magic, but when a hundred-year-old blood witch comes hunting for the bones of Silla’s parents and the spell book, Nick and Silla will have to let go of everything they believe about who they are, the nature of life and death, and the deadly secrets that hide in blood
 
 The Short Story? – A fresh take on witchcraft! Original and captivating, fans of all things paranormal will love this debut! A dark and enticing plot, a protagonist with a haunted past and a romance that’s like no other. A thrilling novel with a brilliant narrative voice, a fantastic debut!

The Long Story? – To be honest, my final thought about the book is still a jumble. You should definitely read it because it’s a really great book but for me I felt as if it didn’t meet my expectations. There was all this hype about the book and so when I read it, it’s was brilliant but I was kind of expecting more. I think I’m just over thinking it because this was a fantastic debut!

My main problem was the plot. I felt all the suspense and mystery was excellent but the action was all bunched into the last 50 pages of the book and for a book with 400 pages, I felt that there should have been a little more evenly spread. Perhaps two big heart-pounding moments instead of one. It was well-written and a fantastic flow though and the final showdown was amazing, grip-the-edge-of-the-seat-amazing. I also like how Gratton has worked all this mystery, suspense and secrets into the novel, they acted has little hooks that didn’t let you go! I stayed up past my bedtime (not that I “really” have one) to finish this novel, the ending is really is brilliant! If not for anything else, you should definitely read this book because it’s got an ending that will rock your world! :P Also the romance is to die for, Silla and Nick are probably one of the cutest couples I’ve met this year. Small town, girl who took a turn for the worse, new guy in town, loves her for who she is and not who she used to be. Filled with sizzling kisses, romance junkies will approve!

The characterization is great. Gratton has written the novel so that the story alternates between being told from Silla’s perspective to Nick’s perspective, therefore by the end of the novel we know both of them pretty well. I especially liked Silla’s character, she was a great protagonist – her and Nick both were – but there was depth to her. She wasn’t what readers wanted her to be, she was flawed and she wasn’t afraid to admit that she’s torn by the grief of her parent’s death. She was strong and kind and I really loved her character. Nick was hilarious, he was such a boy! Sarcastic, proud and lots of attitude but you just got to love the boy, he really was just so funny! He also had this sweet and kind nature that came out when he was with Silla and I liked that, he was someone who didn’t have to put on a show for his girlfriend because he wanted to be himself with her. Reese, Silla’s brother was also a fantastic character, the novel probably wouldn’t have been the same without him and I’m sad he didn’t’ get a happy ending!

In a nutshell – Blood Magic is really something. It’s interesting, it’s engrossing and it’s got a fantastic romance. The characters are great, I loved both Silla and Nick. Gratton has a very unique YA voice and she writes brilliantly in a male’s perspective (so good that I think she should write more books from a guy’s perspective). Again, the action was great, I just wished that it wasn’t all bunched together at the end, although if it was spread out over the course of the book, it probably wouldn’t have had the same effect. For lovers of the supernatural, Blood Magic is one that you would want to check out!

Rating – 4/5

Badass Bookie xx

Secrets and Shadows

Review time! Secrets and Shadows is the sequel to 13 to Life by Shannon Delany which was one of my favourite 2010 YA debuts! It's a werewolf tale and one of the best ones ( in my opinion!) I'm totally excited to read and review the sequel, thanks to Pan Macmillan for the review copy!

(Goodreads) Nothing’s simple when you run with werewolves. Jess Gillmansen thinks she’s seen it all but her eyes are about to be opened to even more danger and a reality far more paranormal than she’s suspected. With Jess’s realization that the Rusakovas’ mother is still alive and imprisoned, the group’s choices become harder and trust more important. Lines are drawn and relationships change as the broken Rusakova family struggles to reunite long enough to free their mother and people who Jess always just took to be normal people show themselves to be much, much more.

The Short Story? - What a killer ending! I can't wait to read the next book! Secrets revealed, new threats and dangers and another chapter of an epic romance! Great tension, lots of drama and a fantastic plot! Plenty of character development and well written! I loved Secrets and Shadows! This is a sequel you must read!

The Long Story? - Secrets and Shadows was great but I still think that 13 to Life was better, it just seemed that after all the hype of waiting for the sequel it somewhat fell short. Don't get me wrong, it was a total page-turner and I loved it, great detail and fantastic romance BUT it was more or less the same stuff.

The plot was interesting and while there was many developments, the storyline is going around in circles, CIA, mafia, curse, CIA, mafia, curse I was hoping to see some new context, another twist to the story perhaps. I liked the drama though, Delany bought in the Romeo and Juliet affect, Pietr wanted to keep Jessie safe but staying away from her, Jessie was heart broken and turned to Darren for comfort so two people in love but can't be together, lot's of romantic tension and sizzling moments! Nevertheless lots of development among the same old things, we're getting a whole lot closer to what I think is "the end" :)

Lots of character development in this installment! The characters have definitely matured even if they do make some stupid mistakes like keeping away from each other when they're clearly in love. I always thought that I was more of a Team Pietr but I think I'm switching teams to Team Max, I just can't get enough of this cool kid! He's such a player but he's got this contagious personality that you just can't resist, I've fallen prey to this big bad wolf :P ( pun intended). Jessie is growing a little wiser with every chapter and I like her persistent nature, the fact that she's hurt but she hasn't given up all together on Pietr. Catherine is as cute as ever, I wish she was my BFFL ;P Pietr...what can I say, he's a sweetie and I can't wait to see what happens between him and Jessie in Bargains and Betrayals!

Lastly Delany writes beautifully, I would think this is one of the reasons I love her novels. She's got a great "teen" voice and reading her novels are an adventure in itself! I was hanging onto each word, captivated by the strong narrative voice and the fantastic flow of her words! Delany is definitely one of the few others who really get right "into" her characters. Jessie is clearly portrayed and that's what makes this a great series, the writing really brings out the best of the novel!

Well, famous last words? You won't be disappointed! 13 to Life was great, Secrets and Shadows was great and I'm sure Bargains and Betrayals will be great ( see a trend)! Fantastic tension, lots of drama for the drama junkies. An epic romance that's filled with passionate kisses and sizzling chemistry and a cliff-hanger ending that's completely captivated me! Love the paranormal? You won't regret this series!

Rating - 4/5

Badass Bookie xx

Hunting Lila

Review Time! Hunting Lila written by Sarah Alderson is a 2011 YA Debut. I hadn’t heard anything about this one before it arrived unexpected on my doorstep, I’ve seen the cover floating around here and there but I never took the initiative to Google the blurb ;) Thanks to Simon and Schuster for the review copy!

(Goodreads) 17-year-old Lila has two secrets she's prepared to take to the grave. The first is that she can move things just by looking at them. The second is that she's been in love with her brother's best friend, Alex, since forever. Or thereabouts.After a mugging on the streets of South London goes horribly wrong and exposes her unique ability, Lila decides to run to the only people she can trust - her brother and Alex. They live in Southern California where they work for a secret organisation called The Unit, and Lila discovers that the two of them are hunting down the men who murdered her mother five years before. And that they've found them. Trying to uncover the truth of why her mother was killed, and the real remit of The Unit, Lila becomes a pawn in a dangerous game. Struggling to keep her secrets in a world where nothing and no one is quite as they seem, Lila quickly realises that she is not alone - there are others out there just like her - people with special powers -and her mother's killer is one of them...

The Short Story? – Absolutely amazing! Hunting Lila is not only one of my favourite debuts of the year but one of my favourite books all time! I love it! Exciting, engrossing and action-packed, Hunting Lila is supernatural thriller that’s mind-blowing! Fantastic characters, edgy and original plot and a refreshing YA voice! This one’s a must read!

The Long Story? – I honestly had no idea about the novel before it turned up on my doorstep, I had no knowledge about the book besides the fact that the cover is rather striking. It’s wasn’t until I read the Media Release did the first seeds of interest plant themselves in my head. ‘With X-men-style talents, hot action and even hotter boys’ …see how good it sounds!

The plot was amazing! It’s original, fast-paced, action-packed and intriguing! It’s starts of a little slowly but it soon picks up before turning into a grip-the-edge-of-chair non-stop action filled storyline! There’s even a high speed chase (every good book needs a high speed chase right?) Add in some awesome fight scenes, some dirty secrets, supernatural powers and hot, sexy boys and you have… Hunting Lila! For fans of I Am Number Four, Superheroes and action-packed novels with a great romance Hunting Lila is a must-read!

I think this is one of the few novels I have read where the ratio of male leads outnumber the female leads. So the main protagonist is a girl, her name is Lila and she’s got special powers. I always get these confused but she’s either Telekinetic (I think it’s this one) or Telepathic. The whole novel is based around this superhuman ability of hers and how it leads her to escape to California where she find her brother and the love her life (and my life) Alex. Alex is everything, he’s hot, sexy, kind, considerate, smart, protective and ticks all the other requirements for perfect boyfriend material. I’m only highlighting two of the many great characters in the novel. It’s really a fabulous cast!

Sarah Alderson writes brilliant books for teens – fact. Sarah Alderson needs to finish the sequel to Hunting Lila ASAP – opinion. Alderson is a talented writer with a unique style and a strong YA voice. Her words are powerful and her writing is comfortable to read. The novel is a good length and what more can I say? I just want to gush on about how good it is!!!

Hunting Lila is a refreshingly original debut filled with superpowers, hot boys, non-stop action and a high speed car chase (sorta)! Well written, exciting, captivating and absolutely fantastic! I can’t wait to read the sequel to this astonishing debut! It’s a keeper :)

Rating – 5/5


Badass Bookie xx

Shift by Em Bailey

Review Time! Shift by Em Bailey is an Aussie ( *squeal*) YA 2011 Debut! I'm so excited to review this because I don't think many of you know about this book right? Well, just a heads up - it's amazing! Shift is released next month and thanks so much to Hardi Grant for the review copy!

(Goodreads) Olive Corbett is definitely NOT crazy.

Not anymore. These days she takes her meds like a good girl, hangs out with her best friend Ami, and stays the hell away from the toxic girls she used to be friends with.

She doesn’t need a boyfriend. Especially not a lifesaver-type with a nice smile. And she doesn’t need the drama of that creepy new girl Miranda, who has somehow latched on to Olive's ex-best friend.

Yet from a distance, Olive can see there's something sinister about the new friendship. Something almost... parasitic. Maybe the wild rumours ARE true. Maybe Miranda is a killer...

But who would believe Olive? She does have a habit of letting her imagination run away with her...

The Short Story? - A mind-blowing debut! Seriously, my own level of enjoyment took me by surprise but this is seriously one heck of a good book! A psychological thriller that will haunt you long after the last page! For lovers of all things mystery and suspense! Excellent plot, fantastic characters and well-written. Edgy and original, Shift by Em Bailey is one of my favourite debuts of the year!

The Long Story? - This took me completely by surprise. It's one of those hidden treasures that I left on the shelf for too long, should have read this ages ago! I was surprised to find that I actually really, really, enjoyed this novel! Would definitely recommend everyone to check it out! Mind-blowing!

I loved the plot, loved it so so so much. It was exciting, edgy, original and had this dark appeal to it. I'm not a huge fan of psychological thrillers although I have read a few good ones but Shift was amazing. A novel filled with mystery, suspense and a touch of paranormal. A novel that will haunt your thoughts long after the last page, mind-bending story line! I don't know how Bailey comes up with all this stuff but it's pure genius! I was hooked onto every word and couldn't get enough. A captivating novel about friendship, betrayal, deception, loss and grief.

The characters were great! Fantastic characterisation! Olive is a nut case, she's mentally troubled but she's kind, witty and quirky. Miranda, is slightly disturbing, a real mystery. No one really knows who she is but she's popular, beautiful and just not quite normal. Bailey's developed her characters perfectly and portrayed them so that they all have captivating personalities! While the plot was brilliant without these characters to keep it going, I would have lost interest. The character's were essential, they're all well developed yet they hold this air of secrecy and mystery. They all have their dirty secrets that don't want to be found. Very intriguing cast!

Bailey's writing was another highlight of the novel. I look forward to reading more of Bailey's work as she sure can write! Her words flow nicely together, it's a comfortable pace and the language is easy to understand. Her narrative voice is strong and enticing, I was hanging onto every word! Very, very well-written, this is one of those rare novel where the plot, the characters and the writing are all excellent! Definitely one not to be missed!

Shift is a psychological thriller that's both engrossing and chilling. A novel where the line between reality and fantasy is blurred and readers are kept guessing. Mind-bending plot that's highly original and intriguing characters that give 'air of mystery' a whole new definition. Wonderfully written, exciting, edgy, dark and filled with mystery and suspense. Shift is a remarkable debut!

Rating - 5/5

Badass Bookie xx

Jessie Loves NYC

Review Time! I spent the last 10 minutes wondering what's the best way to write "Loves" because on the cover it's like "<3" but I can't do it like that in the title so I changed it! Jessie Loves NYC is the second novel of YA author, Keris Stainton! Thanks so much to Hachette for the review copy!

(Goodreads) Jessie's just arrived in New York, hoping to forget about her awful ex.


New Yorker Finn is in love with his best friend's girlfriend.


They might be perfect together, but in a city of eight million people, will they ever find each other?






The Short Story? - Very cute, sweet and fluffy! This is just one of those books that's meant to be read for entertainment! The plot is simple, cute and funny. The characters are adorable and the writing is comfortable! A very quick read that's meant to be a OSR ( One Sitting Read), perfect for a quiet night in, well written, great flow and it's one to be enjoyed by all!

The Long Story? - You know those books that are so cliched and predictable, you roll your eyes yet you read it and secretly ( or not so secretly) find yourself enjoying it anyway? Well, Jessie Loves NYC was one of those books! It's an accidental great read! The cover is really, really catchy as well!

The plot was ...predictable but cute. From the moment I read the blurb I knew what the ending would be, in fact read the description provided in this review and you can work it out too. However this was one of those books where the ending wasn't the most important thing. It was the journey to the end that was significant. It was the coincidences that keep bringing Finn and Jessie together, it was the personal demons each character had, it was the cute yet bittersweet relationships throughout the book. What's not to love right? Not to mention that it's set in....NEW YORK CITY!!!

The characters were absolutely adorable! Jessie was going through heartbreak, spending the summer in a foreign city, battling it out with her mum yet she's one of those character's who is kind-hearted and hard not to love! Finn was adorable, he's cute...I'm not so sure about hot appeal but definitely swoon-worthy and A+ in the boyfriend category! Supporting characters were great although Jessie's parents are borderline weird ( one's gay and one's a cougar...I love the diversity!) Great characterisation!

Stainton's got a very comfortable writing style! It's suits the novel, both are cute, fluffy and light. Very entertaining and very teen! The language is easy to comprehend and it's a pretty short novel only around 250 pages and the font is pretty big, it can easily be read by book lovers of all ages! Written in third person yet emotions can still be bought out in the novel! Well-written indeed!

So how should I sum it up? Read Jessie Loves NYC! One for readers of all ages to enjoy, it's the novel to read for a girl's night in! Funny, sweet and cute, Jessie Loves NYC is a novel about hardship, finding yourself ...and fate. Well written, great characters and a plot that's super cute! Entertaining, exciting and set in New York City, cancel your Friday night plans because this one is worth a night in!

Rating - 4/5

Badass Bookie xx

Debut of Month - All About The Near Witch + Giveaway ( Int'l)

Okay this was meant to be posted yesterday but Blogger backfired on me....so so so so sorry!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Book Profile

Debut - The Near Witch

Author - Victoria Schwab

Genre - Fairytale

Release Date - August 2nd 2011

Available - The Book Depository

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company. And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.


But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.


The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.


As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

The Insider's Scoop

The origin of The Near Witch...

This book was born out of two sentences dreamed up six months apart.


I was a college student, taking a variety of poetry and short fiction classes in addition to my required ones, and because I was a bit over-scheduled, I would try to do my creative writing work walking to and from class.


One day I was power-walking to school, and thought up the line, "There are no strangers in the town of Near." I liked it, its oddness, but I was in poetry and couldn't really use it, so I put it aside.


Six months later, I was sitting at the desk in my senior apartment, and a different line popped into my head: "The wind on the moors is a tricky thing." I immediately remembered that first line, and knew that the two went together. When I paired them up, I was left with questions. What was Near? Where was it? Why kind of place would have such a name? And no strangers? And what did that mean, about the wind?


The questions got tangled, weedlike, and just like weeds, they spread until the story, and answering those questions, became all I could think about.

My first book, a lovely, but bad thing, had been on submission for seven months, and hadn't sold, so I sat down in the coffee shop at the corner of campus every night from 9pm to 11pm, and wrote. I had to check out of senior studio (I was a Communication Design major) to do it, and go straight back after, but over the course of that spring, The Near Witch took shape. By graduation it was done. By late summer, it was sold.

~Giveaway~

Okay Lovlies! Victoria ( our super awesome debutante) has kindly offered ONE (1) Finished Copy of The Near Witch to one lucky reader! It's open to anyone who lives anywhere that Book Depository ships. Please leave a comment on this post or Victoria's first post as it's compulsory. Please read the rules of entry below -

Rules of Entry -

- Must Leave a Comment on this post or HERE

- Open to Everyone who lives where Book Depository Ships

- Must be 13

- Must fill out this FORM

- Ends 9/9 2011

Badass Bookie xx

Debut of the Month - All About Victoria Schwab

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Debutante Profile

Name - Victoria Schwab

Debut - The Near Witch

Genre - Fairytale

Website - HERE

Blog - HERE

Twitter - HERE

I am the product of a British mother, a Beverly Hills father, and a southern upbringing. Because of this, I have been known to say "tom-ah-toes", "like", and "y'all".


I love fairy tales, and folklore, and books that make me wonder if the world is really as it seems. I love writing about doors, and places between, and the cracks where reality slips into something darker, stranger, and invariably more interesting.


I grew up on the west coast, but went to high school in the south, an all girls' prep school complete with plaid skirts I used to doodle on during math. I went to Washington University in St. Louis, where I changed course SIX times (and would have done it a seventh time, but my family and advisors said you couldn't switch majors in your last semester).


Job-wise, I have been a clerk in a department store, where I met a very nice Erotica writer while re-hanging bras. I have been an assistant caterer and a personal chef. Because of this, I bake some mean chocolate chip cookies, can plate hors d'oeuvres, and know how to make twirling napkin towers. I was a dog daycare attendant for a few summers, and have the scars to prove it. In college, I worked in a bookstore, where I never made ANY money because I spent every check feeding my book-buying habit.


And now, I am an author. That's still really fun to say, and I feel like I need to fact-check myself just to make sure it's true.

Dream Debutante Dress-

Notes from a YA Debutante

I am inspired by art in every form, by movies and paintings and poetry and fiction, and by the mundane world, and the moments when the line between them goes a bit blurry. But here are a few of my favorite sources of inspiration.

Neil Gaiman, whose oddness is wonderful and whose worlds are always a little tipped.


Andy Goldsworthy, an incredible environmentalist artist.


Laini Taylor, who does such lovely things with words.

     

Mirah and Florence and the Machine, who bring such beautiful strangeness to their music, and seem so often to be writing for my stories.

Duy Huynh, a magical realist painter who never fails to open my imagination.


Film trailers. love the taste, the tease. I more often envision my work as a trailer than as a film, picking out key moment to string together in quick, curiosity-inducing fashion.


Narwhals, because they are proof that this world still has a little magic in it

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, not going to lie, that's one of the prettiest debutante dresses I have seen! I love the fairytale element :) I'm a sucker for fairytales myself.... :P I'm obsessed with film trailers as well! I spent so much time on Youtube it's not funny! Neil Gaiman is absolutely brilliant as well! Lovelies, don't you love Victoria already? If you do stay turned for tomorrow when the second half of her feature is posted!!!
Badass Bookie xx