Friday 25 July 2008

Breaking Down about the release of Breaking Dawn?

So, In the UK it is around 9 days and so many hours until the release.
In the US it's around 7 days and so many hours.

Excited? Just a bit!

Loads of people are doing things for the release of Breaking Dawn like parties etc...
I sadly am doing nothing besides rushing to the nearest shop, grabbing a copy and then having an uninterrupted reading session.

So I was wondering are you doing anything for the release and if so what?
And are you on Team Edward or Team Jacob?

Alice. x

Feast Of Fools

Feast of Fools
Rachel Caine.
(The Morganville Vampires Book Four)

Claire Danvers is a college student who now lives and goes to school in Morganville. Feast of Fools begins with a new vampire addition to Morganville, Mr.Bishop, invading the Glass House where Claire lives with her boyfriend Shane, her Goth friend Eve and vampire Michael, Eve’s boyfriend.
With the arrival of Mr.Bishop, a vampire who doesn’t care for the rules put in place by the founder of Morganville and his daughter, Amelie, the answer to a previous question I asked in the last book review of this series ‘Can Morganville get any more interesting?’ is yes. Yes, it can.

Shortly after his arrival invitations to a masked ball are released and it seems to Claire that everyone in the whole town was invited, both vampire and human, everyone except her. Even Shane is going, but to her annoyance he’s going with someone else, a vampire, one that seems interested in Shane and is playing with his mind.
Claire is still an apprentice of the psycho vampire Myrnin who has been locked into a cage due to his worsened condition. She continues to work on the drug research that can help to cure Myrnin and other vampires who are behind bars. Everyone who Claire cares for is going to the ball, everyone except Myrnin, who then seems like the only person she can rely on for help to save her friends. But relying on a crazy psycho vampire isn’t always the best of ideas, especially when he runs away from you…

Another great instalment to The Morganville Vampires series, full of fast-paced action, twists and turns, a hint of romance, friendship and lots of vampires! The book is full of realistic, believable and contrasting characters that are interesting too learn about. A very entertaining read and once again ends on the almost traditional cliff hanger. This book I read all in one go, finding it hard to put down. Rachel Caine has definitely impressed me with this series so far and I can’t wait for the release of the next instalment ‘Lord of Misrule’ which is due early next year and I intend to check out some other books by her.

Recommended for: Twilight Fans

Rating: 9/10

Alice.x

Midnight Alley

Midnight Alley
Rachel Caine.
(The Morganville Vampires Book Three)

In the third book of The Morganville Vampires series, it follows the bright college student Claire Danvers after signing a contract that has bound her to Amelie. But, she hasn’t told her friends that. Nor has she told them that she’s being forced into working with a psycho vampire that is capable of killing her at any moment.
Claire signed the contract to save the ones she cared for, to save her friends, not put them in more danger, so then why does Shane end up being knifed in the stomach? Or maybe that has nothing to do with Vampires. And maybe that person has something to do with the mysterious deaths in Morganville?

Can Morganville get any more interesting?

Another great addition to The Morganville Vampires collection! I loved reading about the psycho vampire Myrnin who was another great contrasting character added to the other bunch of interesting people and vampires who inhabit Morganville.
It was once again fast-paced and action packed, still with a hint of romance and friendship. The book shows how friendship between four very different people can work and in this case works very well.
Although, it once again ends with a cliff hanger which are getting tenser as the story goes on. This time the cliff-hanger ended with another arrival of someone new to add to the inhabitants of Morganville and I couldn’t wait to pick up the next book and start reading.

Recommended For: Twilight Fans

Rating: 9/10

Alice.x

The Dead Girls Dance

The Dead Girls Dance
Rachel Caine.
(The Morganville Vampires Book Two)

The Dead Girls Dance is the sequel to Glass Houses, both following the same tale of the Morganville Vampires. Picking up right where the first left off, it is a dramatic opening involving Shane’s Dad, A Knife and a ghostly friend of theirs.

When Shane’s dad returns to town he is on a mission – Kill Vampires. Starting with Brandon – the vampire who had once stalked Eve and Claire - Shane’s Dad is off to work on wiping out the whole population of Morganville Vampires, but that is easier said than done.
Shane is blamed for his father’s crime and that leaves only Claire and Eve to save Shane from being burnt alive and prove he is innocent.

The Dead Girls Dance is a perfect sequel to Glass Houses expanding on the character relationships and personalities and full of action. It was a very exciting, fast-paced read that I found hard to put down. Yet again it was left on a cliff hanger which had me biting my nails until I got the next book.
I’m just hoping at the end of the series it doesn’t end on a cliff hanger!

Recommended For: Twilight Fans

Rating: 9/10

Alice. x

Glass Houses

Glass Houses
Rachel Caine.
(The Morganville Vampires Book One)

Morganville, a place where Vampires rule the streets and once you live there, there’s no moving out. People of Morganville are protected by the Vampires and they even have bracelets to prove it, but some people aren’t. Some people are outcasts and being an outcast in Morganville can be life threatening.

For Claire Danvers, the worst thing about being at college in Morganville is Monica Morrell, the school-pretty who seeks amusement from tormenting her. After Monica attempts to take Claire’s life, involving laundry and a flight of stairs, Claire flees from the college dorms in search of a place to stay, which is when she discovers The Glass House.
There she meets three strange inhabitants, each with a story to tell. Eve, the Goth girl, is the first to invite Claire in and forms a friendly relationship with Claire. Shane is the lazy, good-looking guy of the house who Claire falls for. And then there’s Michael, the mysterious, guitar playing guy who tends to just vanish before the sun comes up.
The book follows Claire Danvers as she makes friends with these three inhabitants of the Glass House and learns what it means to live in Morganville unprotected. Vampires are out to get her, but can she stay safe when her friends are all she has?

I loved this book – definitely my second favourite series.
When I first purchased it I didn’t know what to expect, from the front cover of the version I bought I thought ‘some strange story about college students and a haunted house’, but what I liked the whole concept of Morganville being ran by vampires.
I loved some of the characters Rachel Caine has created, including my favourite – Eve, who has a very strong character and comes across as a Lion of the house compared to Claire who is more like the Lamb. Another favourite is Michael who just tends to disappear and is very mysterious, I enjoyed reading about him and finding out about what it is exactly he does do in the day.
All in all I think it is a well written first book of the series and I love how things are quite fast-paced. Full of action, a bit of romance and ending on a seriously tense cliff-hanger which leaves you wanting more!

Recommended For: Twilight Fans

Advice: You may want to buy the second book at the same time, because with a cliff-hanger like this one you might be climbing the walls for the next book.

Rating: 9/10

Alice. x

Wednesday 23 July 2008

The Host

The Host
Stephenie Meyer.


The world has been invaded. Human have became Hosts to the invaders, their minds being taken over and their bodies being inhabited by the invading ‘Souls’ that take over the mind and erase personality.Some humans hide away from the invaders, but most are captured.
Wanderer is a soul.
Melanie is a human.
What happens when both their paths cross and become one?

The story begins with Melanie, after being captured, having a Soul implanted that goes by the name ‘Wanderer’. Wanderer is well-known for her success of being implanted in creatures of other planets, but a human is a very different experience for her. Although, she was never expecting the Host body she was being placed into to be so resistant of fading away.
Melanie fills Wanderers mind with memories of the man she loves – Jared, a human that is hiding that Wanderer is supposed to track down. Wanderer begins to fall in love with a man that is only in Melanie’s memories and although they are enemies, they begin to get over their hate for each other to set off on a dangerous search for the man they both love.
But when they find Jared, will he believe Wanderer that Melanie is still there? And what about Ian, who loves Wanderer but not Melanie? Will both soul and human be happy? This tale of two minds in one body is full of adventure, love, power and hope and is bound to capture the interest of many readers.

When I first got this book, I was unsure of what to expect. The blurb was appealing and I loved the front cover, but I hadn’t ever read much from the Science-fiction genre. This book is interesting and full of imagination. I love the whole concept of the book and the way it is written in Wanderers Point of view so you can feel more connected to the character.
The only problem I had was getting into the book at the beginning. It took around two chapters for me to get into the whole concept, but once I understood I found it one of the most interesting and inventive stories I’ve read.
Whilst reading I was torn between both Melanie and Wanderer. I remember at one point I wanted Melanie to disappear and leave Wanderer alone. But then I wanted Melanie to have her body and mind back and for Wanderer to leave her. I was indecisive most of the time, but I loved the way it was two different contrasting characters trapped in one body.
The book kept me intrigued until the final pages where I was satisfied with the story, but I can’t help but want to know more of this strange world of souls. If there ever is a sequel, I’ll definitely read it.

Advice: If you like Science-Fiction then read it. If you don’t like Science-Fiction then read it anyway!

Rated: 9/10

Alice. x

Eclipse

Eclipse
Stephenie Meyer.
(3rd of 4 in the Twilight Saga)

“"BELLA?"

Edward's soft voice came from behind me. I turned to see him spring lightly up the porch steps, his hair windblown from running. He pulled me into his arms at once, just like he had in the parking lot, and kissed me again.

This kiss frightened me. There was too much tension, too strong an edge to the way his lips crushed mine—like he was afraid we had only so much time left to us.”


The third book of the Twilight Saga is a whole 629 pages that are worth reading. Stephenie Meyer’s fantasy world keeps evolving and characters Bella and Edward find themselves faced with more dangers in the way of their complicated and unconditional love for each other.
With graduation fast approaching Bella could do without the complications of the fantasy world she discovered. But mysterious killings and an evil vampire out to get Bella makes things even more complicated, interesting and on edge as the Cullen’s and Werewolves get involved. Bella is faced with the choice of her love for Edward Cullen and her friendship with Jacob Black. But, there is one more question for Bella to answer: Life or death?
Whose side are you on: Team Edward or Team Jacob?

Personally, I’m on TEAM EDWARD, all the way.

Once again, this series did not let me down. This particular book managed to keep me awake until early hours of the morning. Once into this series it’s hard to put down. It is another beautiful book written by Stephenie Meyer.

Now all we have to do is wait for the fourth book.
Bring on Breaking Dawn!

Advice: Buy the first two books in the series first. Twilight & New Moon.

Rating: 10/10

Alice. x

New Moon

New Moon
Stephenie Meyer.
(2nd of 4 in the Twilight Saga)

“"Shoot," I muttered when the paper sliced my finger; I pulled it out to examine the damage. A single drop of blood oozed from the tiny cut.

It all happened very quickly then.

Edward threw himself at me, flinging me back across the table...

I tumbled down to the floor by the piano, with my arms thrown out instinctively to catch my fall, into the jagged shards of glass. I felt the searing, stinging pain that ran from my wrist to the crease inside my elbow.

Dazed and disoriented, I looked up from the bright red blood pulsing out of my arm—into the fevered eyes of the six suddenly ravenous vampires.”


Stephenie Meyer’s next book in the Twilight Saga did not let me down.
Expanding on the foundations that were set out in Twilight, Bella’s and Edward’s unconditional love is put to the test when new conflicts arise and other secrets are uncovered. I found myself wanting to know about another male character that starts to become a larger part in the story – Jacob Black.
This book deals with loss, heart break and friendship. You can’t help but feel for the main character, Bella Swan, as she explains her struggled experiences and drastic measures that she goes to just to be with Edward Cullen, even if it does involve cliffs and motorbikes.

Once again I found it hard to put this book down and was desperate for the next book in the series. I couldn’t help but want to know more of the almost realistic life that the author, Stephenie Meyer, has created and I even shed a few tears.

Advice: Buy the first book, Twilight, first.

Rating: 10/10

Alice. x

Twilight

Twilight
Stephenie Meyer.
(1st of 4 in the Twilight Saga)

“About three things I was absolutely positive.
First, Edward was a Vampire.
Second, there was a part of him – and I didn’t know how dominant that part might be – that thirsted for my blood.
And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.”



This is my FAVOURITE book series EVER.
When I first picked up this book I was unsure as I thought a lot of people were really over-doing the whole ‘I love Edward Cullen’ thing. I bought the book and thought I’d give it a try. Little did I know that I’d go into my room, sit down at my desk to read and then not leave that chair until hours later with the book held to my chest like a life support.
And here I stand (Sitting at the moment actually) today, a little over three months on from reading the Twilight Saga, and I’m an obsessed fan.
Stephenie Meyer’s debut novel Twilight is the story of a seventeen year old girl, Bella Swan, who moves to the rainy town of Forks to live with her father Charlie. There she becomes fascinated in the Cullen family, especially the youngest, Edward.
She soon begins to ask questions and uncovers their secret, although her love of Edward over-sees any flaws in him as she falls in love. Them both being in love, they are aware, is dangerous and although Edward and his family of good-natured vampires have a lot of self control, they aren’t the only dangerous creatures out there.

From the first chapter I was hooked, wanting to know more about Bella and the small town of Forks and whether her truck made it through another day, but most of all I wanted to know more about the lovely Edward Cullen. Stephenie Meyer has created such a realistic, believable fantasy that I was left wanting more and craving the next book of the series. I can't stress how good this book is and I recommend it to all readers, old and young.

Advice: There’s a good chance you will fall in love with this book, so be prepared.

Rating: 10/10

Alice. x