Top Ten Tuesday #46

Top Ten at the top of my Summer Reads List

1. Plague - Michael Grant

2. The Girl who Kicked the Hornets Nest - Steig Larsson

3. Out of the Blue - Belinda Jones

4. Before I Fall - Lauren Oliver

5. One Hundred Names - Cecelia Ahern

6. Poison Study - Maria V. Snyder

7. Shakespeare's Trollop - Charlaine Harris

8. Alice in Zombieland - Gena Showalter

9. Ink - Amanda Sun

10. Speechless - Hannah Harrington

Top Ten Tuesday #45

Top Ten Beach Reads

This is a brilliant Top Ten Tuesday for me this week as I actually am in Egypt in the lovely sunshine - but writing this in advance in lovely England in the rain. 

I am using my Top Ten to show the authors that I really must take on holiday, so I always hope that they have a new book out ready for my hols. 

1. Veronica Henry - Her newest one this year is Night on the Orient Express which comes out in July 2013 and The Long Weekend which came out in June 2013

2. Julie Kagawa - Although I have already read Kagawa's newest book The Eternity Cure I have the Iron Fey series to get my teeth into.

3. Lauren Oliver - With Requiem already out this year I'm gutted that I won't have a Lauren Oliver book to read when I go away this year. I do have Before I fall to take away this time :)

4. Danielle Steel - With so many books to read I always like to take one of these away with me. They are nice easy reads which complement the relaxing sunny scenery.

5. Michael Grant - I've never read a Michael Grant book on holiday yet getting into the Gone series has meant that I will HAVE to take the next instalment away.

6-10. Dystopian Fiction - I have to take lots of this genre with me and I have plenty of new things to take with me!! I'm very excited about some new authors that I wish to explore. 

Top Ten Tuesday #44

Top Ten Books that Involve Travel

For this Top Ten Feature I have chosen to use Time Travel and travelling across areas which are dangerous.

1. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

2. Woman on the Edge of Time - Marge Piercy

3. The Iron King - Julie Kagawa

4. The Rise of Nine - Pittacus Lore 

5. Delirium - Lauren Oliver

6. Scent of Magic - Maria V. Snyder

7. Breathe - Sarah Crossan

8. Straight to Hell - Michelle Scott

9. The Killables - Gemma Malley

10. Dark Matter - Michelle Paver

Plague - Michael Grant *Review* (Gone #4)

Goodreads Synopsis

It's been eight months since all the adults disappeared. GONE.

They've survived hunger. They've survived lies. But the stakes keep rising, and the dystopian horror keeps building. Yet despite the simmering unrest left behind by so many battles, power struggles, and angry divides, there is a momentary calm in Perdido Beach.

But enemies in the FAYZ don't just fade away, and in the quiet, deadly things are stirring, mutating, and finding their way free. The Darkness has found its way into the mind of its Nemesis at last and is controlling it through a haze of delirium and confusion. A highly contagious, fatal illness spreads at an alarming rate. Sinister, predatory insects terrorize Perdido Beach. And Sam, Astrid, Diana, and Caine are plagued by a growing doubt that they'll escape - or even survive - life in the FAYZ. With so much turmoil surrounding them, what desperate choices will they make when it comes to saving themselves and those they love?

Plague, Michael Grant's fourth book in the bestselling Gone series, will satisfy dystopian fans of all ages.

Review
Wow, I think this may have been my favourite book so far in the series. Everything just exploded to create even more madness in the world which is the FAYZ. When you thought things couldn't get any worse a plague is about to hit the town of Perdido Beach, and its far worse than anyone could have ever imagined. 

With Drake/Brittany locked up and guarded by Orc it seems that they have calmed the storm for a while but how long can that really last. Brittany begs for death as Drake taunts Orc waiting for him to lose his temper and hopefully make a mistake which would give him back his freedom. The darkness is still closing in and is taking over the minds of some of the inhabitants of Perdido Beach, how long can it stay underground?

Sam and Astrid are going through a difficult time, with Little Pete in a coma he is doing some very strange things. There is a breeze and the weather seems to be changing - something it has never done before. With the town beginning to suspect something more than just an autistic little boy. 

Sanjit was one of my favourite characters in the last book and my likeness for him only increased during the course of this book. He seems to have a soft spot for Lana but she really isn't interested, she has far too much on her mind - and something else accompanying her inside there she is battling far more than people's illnesses. The new illness which she cannot cure...

Hunter has an interesting new friend on his shoulder... and it bites. With a numbness taking over his body what is taking over? With flying snakes squirting this strange substance who knows what this will cause. 

Dekka has never been someone I was particularly interested in before yet in this novel I found myself more captivated by her story and her dedication to protecting the kids of Perdido Beach. Brianna is her usual self and running as fast as she can into fights hoping to be the superhero she desires. 

Caine and Diana are settled on the island and Diana seems to think that Caine may be becoming more softened and they begin to have more than just a teenage relationship. But, are they settled forever? Is Caine becoming more like his brother? And Diana has discovered a new 2 bar - somewhere a lot closer to home. 

With all these storylines going on how can you possibly put this book down and these are only a few which take place throughout the duration of the book. I absolutely loved it and cannot wait to start Fear. Seriously if you haven't picked up this series yet WHY? 

Top Ten Tuesday #43

Top Ten Tuesday Freebie...

Books that I HAD to buy... but they are still sitting on my bookshelves

1. Across the Universe - Beth Revis

2. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer - Michelle Hodkin

3. Poison Study - Maria V. Snyder

4. Alice in Zombieland - Gena Showalter

5. Divergent - Veronica Roth

6. Revenge of the Tide - Elizabeth Haynes

7. Honeycote - Veronica Henry

8. The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

9. Shiver - Maggie Steifvator

10. The Time of my Life - Cecelia Ahern

I seriously can't believe I haven't read any of these yet!!! I really need to get started! 

Souless - Gail Carriger *Review*

Goodreads Synopsis

First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire - and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

Review

Classically witty and memorable, you will really enjoy this first instalment of what I can imagine to be an amazing series.
 
I must admit this book took me a while to get into. I felt the start was quite slow and I had quite a hard time getting used to the tone of the book, which has quite an old fashioned "proper" style to it. Also my pet peeve in the book was the fact that Alexia was referred to as Miss Tarabotti so frequently - I can understand its use when characters are speaking due to the era but I found it annoying that Carriger referred to her in this way as well. But - other than these minor little things which really annoyed me there were a LOT of things which I did like about the novel which would not put me off reading the series in its entirety.

First of all as it is an "Alexia Tarabotti" novel I feel I must discuss her character at some length. Alexia is 'soulless' which puts her as part of the paranormal along with werewolves and vampires. This Victorian Era is full of paranormals in society which is quite normal yet they must be managed. When Alexia accidentally kills a vampire the authorities have no other choice than look to her for the disappearances which have been occurring in London. The sophisticated tone really does suit Alexia's character and although it was a little difficult to start with I found myself loving the novel being told in this voice. Alexia sort of fights between being proper and dignified with being a more modern woman. She certainly has a lot to say for herself which may be why she is still a spinster. 

There are definitely some really amazing characters in this book. I particularly like Lord Maccon, (which I actually kept reading as Macaroon which amused me) Alexia's mother gave me a few chuckles and Lord Lyall. Lord Alkeldama was also particularly amusing with his phrasing and actions throughout the book. Lord Maccon in particular was one of those love/hate characters where at the start of the novel I disliked him and by the end I loved him to bits. And he's a werewolf which by today's trends in fiction is sexy. I'm definitely more of a werewolf girl.

The London world is certainly well created and I found myself immersed by the surroundings where the novel takes place. I really could imagine the Victorian dress in particular which, as a period of historical interest for me I enjoyed. 

Up until about page 150 this book was only three stars for me, but then it does have a really good ending and lead up which left me wanting more. I'm quite interested to find out what happens next in this series. AND there wasn't a love triangle which was quite refreshing in novels of this style. I really am into these Steampunk novels at the moment.

If you like these you should also try The Girl in the Steel Corset - Kady Cross

Lies - Michael Grant *Review*

Goodreads Synopsis

66 Hours, 52 Minutes

Suddenly, it's a world without adults and normal has crashed and burned. When life as you know it ends at 15, everything changes.

Tensions are growing in the FAYZ. The mutants are under attack. Food is scarce. Sam's gone AWOL.

At night, a solitary figure roams the streets-- the ghost of a boy with a whip hand, haunting the dreams of those he has tormented.

Then the town is deliberately set on fire... And through the flames, Sam sees the figure he dreads most--Drake. But that's impossible: Drake is dead.

"A blood-pumping, white-knuckling sci-fi thriller of epic proportions."

Review
Well, the third instalment of this addictive series certainly did not disappoint me! Yet again Grant manages to include some amazing new characters with stories which are new and exciting. When you thought there couldn't be much left to the series you were wrong!! The characters we know and love are back for the third time with some heart stopping action. 

I must admit in terms of characters Sam and Astrid are taking a backseat in my view. Although they are the main characters I'm finding myself much more interested in the minor characters which have some really fascinating stories. Orsay is one of these characters as she believes that she can not only hear the dreams of others around  her but claims she can hear the parents who are waiting past the barrier. This brings "Lies" into action as Astrid believes that she is lying to get attention. With Orsay telling the kids that they must pop out when they reach the age of 18 and Astrid telling them that they will die the kids of the FAYZ are more confused than ever.

The problems are far from over from the book Hunger. Kids are still hungry (although slightly less so) and the human/freak barrier is becoming further and further away. Zil is anxious to take Perdido Beach away from the clutches of Sam and the other 'freaks'. Astrid is becoming more of a reluctant leader and making plenty of mistakes along the way. Proper law is on the cards yet Astrid and the council cannot decide on what the rules should be let alone how the place should be run. On the whole I quite dislike Astrid at the moment, she seems to be losing her calm and falling into the FAYZ trap of panicking. The question remains how far will Zil go to try and take control of Perdido Beach?

And WOAH mind boggler, there's an island of the Beach which is inhabited by a family of children. Their celebrity parents have disappeared and they are living by themselves on the island. The kids are all from multi nationalities and were adopted in. I really loved reading about this element of the story and the moment where both worlds collide is pretty spectacular. I hope Grant doesn't take these distant characters away, we had Lena in Gone, Orsay in Hunger and now Sanjit and the gang in Lies. This element keeps the FAYZ fresh, new and exciting. 

Also, the darkness is dead right? So there's no need to worry about any of that...

Sam is battling some pretty dark demons with flashbacks to Drake's whip. Mother Mary is still battling with Anorexia and Little Pete is as dangerous as ever, but how come he still plays his game long after the batteries are dead?

As you can see I've let you into some sneak peaks about the questions that will be answered in this amazing third book. If you haven't picked up this series WHAT ARE YOU DOING! 

Gripping. 

Top Ten Tuesday #42

Top Ten Book Covers of Books I've Read

1. Gone - Michael Grant

I love the simplicity of this cover I really think it has got the book message perfectly.

2. Scent of Magic - Mara V. Snyder
I love this cover, its so beautiful!

3. Breathe - Sarah Crossan

Love the way the ground captures the essence of the novel. 

4. The Rose Petal Beach - Dorothy Koomson
I love the way the rose petals contrast with the pale colours of the cover.


5. Dearly Departed - Lia Habel 
I prefer the American Cover, it really captures the Victorian nature of the novel.


6. The Book of Tomorrow - Cecelia Ahern
I love the way this cover has the gold leafing, so pretty!


7. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
I love the way this cover shows the story


8. The Girl with the Iron Touch - Kady Cross
I love the contrasting colours on this cover!


9. The Eternity Cure - Julie Kagawa
I really like how they capture the main character of this book


10. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon
I love the simplicity of the drawing mirroring the disability of the main character. 

The Girl with the Iron Touch - Kady Cross (Steampunk Chronicles #3) *Review*

Goodreads Synopsis

In 1897 London, something not quite human is about to awaken

When mechanical genius Emily is kidnapped by rogue automatons, Finley Jayne and her fellow misfits fear the worst. What's left of their archenemy, The Machinist, hungers to be resurrected, and Emily must transplant his consciousness into one of his automatons—or forfeit her friends' lives.

With Griffin being mysteriously tormented by the Aether, the young duke's sanity is close to the breaking point. Seeking help, Finley turns to Jack Dandy, but trusting the master criminal is as dangerous as controlling her dark side. When Jack kisses her, Finley must finally confront her true feelings for him...and for Griffin.

Meanwhile, Sam is searching everywhere for Emily, from Whitechapel's desolate alleyways to Mayfair's elegant mansions. He would walk into hell for her, but the choice she must make will test them more than they could imagine.

To save those she cares about, Emily must confront The Machinist's ultimate creation—an automaton more human than machine. And if she's to have any chance at triumphing, she must summon a strength even she doesn't know she has....

Review
I was so excited when I received this at the Mira Ink Blogger Party. If you haven't tried Steampunk please do. This series of books is amazing and I really encourage you to give it a go, a lot of people stay away from Steampunk and I think that's partly because no one really knows 100% what it is. We're talking history with a modern twist, anything goes so when we have robots and humans, well that's really entertaining!! With a great little kick by being set in Victorian times. 

So this time we're back in England for the next instalment of the Steampunk Chronicles and Finley is as feisty as ever. But, here comes the real reason I was looking forward to this book so much! This focuses much more on my favourite character of the series, Emily. Emily has an uncanny ability which means she can communicate/control robots by touching them. She is kidnapped by The Machinist's creations ready to embark on one of the hardest things she will ever have to do. 

New characters to note are Mila, she is an amazing new character who is robot but created from bits of Finley, Emily, Sam, Griffin and Jackson. But she is more human than the Machinist thinks and begins to question whether she wants to be part of the Machinist's plan. A plan which would affect her future. In some ways Mila is a lot like Emily because she has a connection to the machines, she has been created by them. Cross creates a brilliant storyline where Mila is finding herself and moving away from simply the people she has been made from. 

Griffin is facing many issues of his own after the repercussions of the last book. Maya may not be as dead as we think and where is the Machinist. With a connection to the other world where he can talk to people who have died Griffin's life is more in danger than ever with a connection that even Finley can't help. 

More prominent in this book are the relationships, Griffin and Finley are as usual mixed between at each others throats and wanting to be together. I finally feel we have moved forward in this book with this rocky relationship. We also have Emily and Sam, Sam finally realises how much he needs Emily in his life and will stop at nothing to get her back... even if that means... SPOILER. Just to get you excited. 

This book was amazingly fast paced and I read it in one sitting. I really liked skipping between focusing on Finley and then Emily. I hope I can look forward to another book in this series, I'd love to see more of Mila and how she develops. Although with how the novel ended it looks like we will be looking at another book from the lovely Kady Cross. Cross did a fantastic job keeping the story fresh and exciting. A must read.