[Review] Becca Fitzpatrick - Hush, Hush

So, as I read Fallen I'm reminded of another fallen angels story I read a few weeks ago, so I got it out, reread parts to refresh my memory, and put together a review of one of my favourite books this winter/autumn.

Facts //

Hardback: 400 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date: October 29, 2009
Genre: Supernatural Romance/YA
Age Rating: 12+

Summary:
For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgement.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and knows more aout her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of a centuries-old battle between the immortal and those that have fallen--and sooner or later, she's going to have to pick a side...

My View //

Date Read: 12/11/09
Enjoyment level: 9/10
Characters: 8/10
Worldbuilding: 7/10
Plot: 8/10

The first thing that attracts you to hush, hush is the cover - go on, don't deny it. hush, hush and Fallen share many similiarites and one is the breathtaking emotion and absolute beauty of their front covers. I own the shiny cover of hush, hush which, whilst being a pain because of fingerprints, also leaves it with a nice metallic finish.

Onto the book itself, the plot within hush, hush is action, action and action. Something is always happening to poor Nora, whether it's meeting the dashingly charming Elliot, being stalked by some masked stranger, or treading out of her comfort zone with Patch. It's this whirlwind of emotion and plot that drives the story but the shining focus within lies solely with the characters.

In particular one character, Patch, whose character feels so real he all but bounds off the page. He is the cocky, cheeky, all-round bad guy who teases Nora in a way that she finds uncomfortable, and yet at the same time, irresistable. Just like the readers will find him irresistable.

I don't fall for the whole Team Patch vs Team Edward/Jacob thing but I do have to admit that within their first debut novels Ms. Fitzpatrick wins with her characterization. Her characters have flaws, they are swayed by peers and often find themselves in situations where only the determination helps them to carry on.

There are some twists within the plot that you'll see coming and some that will take you completely by surprise, especially at the end!

In a word this book is fun. A thrill ride into the unknown and one that I fully intend to rejoin when the new book is finally released next fall! Hurry up with book two Ms. Fitzpatrick!

#Intro post

I don't think I ever did one of these did I? Well, time to make amends now!

My name is Adi, you can follow me on twitter here where I randomly update every now and then on books I'm currently reading. I'm new to both twitter and blogging so feel free to lend advice if you think I need it, I'm always open to free critic. I'm 20, fast approaching the big 2-1 and a University student in England, that is, the UK. So if I tend to moan about books getting here slower than the US, you now know why.

The books I tend to devour belong to the paranormal/fantasy group. And by that I mean I read anything in those categories, YA, adult or even Middle School books. I'll post age-ranges for the books I read on the posts they're included on, although with the majority you can clearly tell by the covers. (Naked guy on front? Definately not for little girls!)

So far I'm playing catch-up on my huge list of back-up books, with a few extra new ones thrown in that catch my eye. Fallen by Lauren Kate is one of these, couldn't resist the beautiful model in that equally beautiful black dress ;)

So, as an English student this is a way for me to grow in the way I read and analyse books - although preferably more in the minds of entertainment than what we do in seminars/lectures! I don't like the idea of stripping down some of my favourite books to the bare minimum, thank you very much!

Hopefully you'll join me on this journey of development and it'll be fun for the both of us! See you on the other side,

Adi
xx

Contest blog post

Decided to just pitch in the pound and make one large blog post to write about all the amazing contests I've joined!

1# Parajunkie's 200300 follower giveaway! Join here, there are some awesome books up for grabs! Ending 12/30/09 !

#2 12 Dayz Of Blogmas at JoJosBooks http://tinyurl.com/ycqoed8, various authors putting up some books for grabs, Gena Showalter is involved so I'm head over heels in love. There are some international/some only-US ones so we'll see...

#3 a signed ARC of In a Heartbeat by Loretta Ellsworth here: http://tinyurl.com/y8mqlxu such an cool contest by @APrkAvePrincess.

#4 You can choose your own prize in A Passion for Books, 200 followers contest, information her,e hopefully I can win so I can finally get Intertwined by Gena Showalter! Wanted it for ages but it sold out of amazon.co.uk so fast! But yea, definately join, it sounds terrific ;)

#5 Julie Kagawa's The Iron King is available in a contest hosted at The Book Resort, to join go here: http://tinyurl.com/ykkadws. The book sounds really great and it's on my wishlist for February but if I could read it before then I'd be over the moon, plus Julie Kagawa sounds so nice in the interview :) Here's hoping!

#6 Copy of Betrayals by Lili St. Crow, at YA Reads. Strange Angels was good so hopefully the story only got better with this second installment.

#7 Wondrous Reads is giving away copies of the The Dresskeeper by Mary Naylus, her review of it made me interested so yea, should be good!

#8 A signed copy Fetch at Laura Whitcomb's site. The book sounds so sweet so I may buy it next payday even if I don't win it, plus the front cover is beautiful (not that should just a book by the cover...)

#9 An autographed copy of Linger by Maggie Stiefvater over at Karen's Book Nook I loved Shiver, and Lament so having her signature is just like added icing on the cake right? Brilliant!

#10 Awesome contest over at Dark Faerie Tales, Happy Holidays Book Blowout, chance to win several prizes and some really good books are up for grabs! Join over at the contest page~

#11 Kelly Meding's Three Days to Dead is being given away at Smexy Books.

#12 First Drop of Blood by Jeaniene Frost over at her livejournal

#13 Kimberly Killion's a books for every month of the year over at her blog, Wowf about reading

#14 Various new Simon&Schuster books (including Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkings!) available over here

#15 The Booksmugglers Nalini Singh giveaway. omgdowantsobad :O One of my favourite authors with a giveaway for two books I have yet to read/buy? Dream come true if I win!

#16 Heart of Darkness contest by another author whose works I highly praise and love, her Lords of the Underworld books have pride of place on my bookshelf because they're so gosh damn hot (especially Lucian's mode...yum)

#16 Two book giveaways, one by Berkley/Jove, one by Ace/Roc over at Dear Author. Staggering amount of awesome books involved in both :D

[contest] 12 Dayz of Blogmas

Haha, some part of me keeps wanting to write 'days'.

Anyway! Awesome contest that even I, living in the bleak UK, can enter :) Awesome stuffs! They are some really good authors involved in this too so, here's hoping I can win something *crosses fingers*

So yea, hurry up and join in the fun at JojosBookCorner! :D

Challenges

A list of challenges I've joined, simply to kick start myself into reading within a time limit!

2010 Debut Authors Challenge

A challenge run by Kristi at the Story Siren which you should definately join, it sounds so much fun! Just click the link, it'll send you to information page, the sign up link is on that post as well.

The new books coming out in 2010 sound fantastic, I can't wait! Anyway, here's my list of (possible) books, the possible accounting for the fact that amazon.co.uk fails continually with actually getting some of them in stock, and the fact that I don't know much about them yet but I'll make a more definite decision closer to the time of their release.

1. The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal (May)

2. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (February - looking forward to this one x)

3. Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White (March)

4. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkings (released in March)

5. Mistwood by Leah Cypress (April)

6. Everlasting by Angie Frazier (June, birthday month ;D)

7. Other by Karen Kincy (July)

8. Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn (March)

9. Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson (May)

10. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer (October) / Whisper by Phoenix Kitanidis (April)

11. Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt (March)

12. Plain Kate by Erin Bow

The dates are there just so I know when to get my orders in, they're not a reading order although, saying that, I can't exactly read a book I don't have can I?

Winter Reading Challenge

Rules;


1. Read a book not set in the USA or England.

2. Read a book with “Ice”, "Frost", "Chill", "Cold" "Winter" in the title.

3. For Valentine's Day, choose an author whose first or last name begins with “L”.

4. Choose a book that is not part of a series.

5. Read a book written in the first-person point-of-view.

6. Read a book with “Mr”, “Mrs”, “Miss” or “Ms” in the title.

Chosen books;

1. Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder (loved her Poison Study books, here's hoping these are just as good!)

2. Born of Ice by Sherrilyn Kenyon (book 3 in her League series)

3. One of the Argeaneau vampire series by Lynsay Sands

4. The Magician's Apprentice by Trudi Canavan

5. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

6. The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn

Quite an eclectrical set, YA, historical romance, paranormal romance, sci-fi and fantasy all in one.
Wish me luck!

[Review] Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling Series #1) - Slave to Sensation

Facts //

Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Date: September 5, 2006
Genre: Supernatural Romance/Sci-Fi
Age Rating: 18+

Summary:

In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of “rehabilitation”- the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was….

Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a Changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy co-existence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several Changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion-and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities-or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation…

My View //

Date Read: 01/12/09
Enjoyment level: 8/10
Characters: 8.5/10
Worldbuilding: 9/10
Plot: 8/10

Review:
The year is 2079 and the Psy rule the world, but the Changelings are beginning to see another way of life. Within this conflict in the Psy woman Sascha, a woman who is ice on the outside, but blazing fire inside, and the Changeling Lucas who will show her it's okay to feel.

What better way to start off my blog than with one of my new favourite authors. I discovered her through a search on various supernatural romance series after having become too used to Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series. I decided I needed something new to read that wasn't Christine Feehan (I can't stomach her first book - maybe I'll try again later). So Nalini Singh, Gena Showalter, J.R. Ward and Lynsay Sands all found their way onto my reading list. But more on them later - now I'm hear to talk about Slave to Sensation.

Slave to Sensation is the first in the Psy-Changeling series about a world ruled by the emotionless Psy who keep a tight rein on everything. The leaders of the Psy are the Council who, in Sascha's own words, are 'above the law.'

Singh's worldbuilding skills and character development are astounding. It didn't take long for me to delve into her playground and her characters are some that will forever stay with me. The prominent characters in this novel, Sascha and Lucas, are both lovable, especially Sascha whose development within the story is a major focus in the plot. Her secondary characters are not left wanting however and I was desperate to read more about Judd and the Laurens, along with the Sentinels and Hawke.

In Slave to Sensation we are given a woman who believes herself broken because she is not a typical Psy, she has feelings. She is a compelling character who wants to rely on reason and reason alone but is constantly pulled to feel differently, both from outside influences and her own emotions which begin to betray her more strongly as the novel continues. Her strength is also astounding and I wanted only the best for this woman who only wanted to live.

The best came in the form of Lucas, a Changeling, but also the Alpha to his pack DarkRiver. The relationship between the two of them is emotionally uplifting and hot hot hot! The merging of beast and man within the Changelings is expertly handled and Singh portrays her characters as the savage animals they are, not tame housecats but animals that are possessive, aggressive and who growl when you look at them the wrong way.

Her excellent vision, worldbuilding and character development make this a delight to read and I highly recommend her if you want to try a new paranormal romance story and are tired of all the vampires out there! Give Changelings a try and put Singh at the top of your pile.