Q: What book do you think would make a great Halloween movie? Please explain in graphic detail of goriness…
OH definitely The Devouring by Simon Holt! In fact, I am HOPING they do make a movie out of it. The way in which the book is written plays like a movie in your mind anyways, so it naturally seems like a good fit:
The Vours: Evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the winter solstice.
When Reggie reads about the Vours in a mysterious old journal, she assumes they are just the musings of an anonymous lunatic. But when her little brother, Henry, begins to act strangely, it’s clear that these creatures exist beyond a madwoman’s imagination, and Reggie finds out what happens when fears come to life.
To save the people she loves, Reggie must learn to survive in a world of nightmares. Can she devour her own fears before they devour her?
Link me up with your answers in the comments section below!
POSTED by: Melissa ON October 11th, 2012 | Filed under: Review | 1 Comment »
Release Date: February 28th 2012
Published By: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 468 Goodreads: Add it to your reading list
Rating: 5 out of 5
Synopsis: The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials-engineered organic beings identical to humans-has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.
Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws have pushed what’s left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she’s not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them-connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.
Dan Wells, acclaimed author of “I Am Not a Serial Killer,” takes readers on a pulsepounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question-one where our humanity is both our greatest liability and our only hope for survival.
Review: Thank you so much, Melissa, for introducing me to this book, and the wonderful world of Sci-fi! This may be the age that the Dystopian takes over the Vampire (finally!).
It’s 2076, and human kind as we know it has been all but annihilated by the war between humans and genetically engineered half-humans called Partials, and the virus that was released upon us known as RM. With only 30,000 people left in the entire world, the only people who were immune to RM, have barricaded themselves on Long Island, New York. Their existence has been reduced to survival. They need to rebuild, to repopulate. Their only problem? The babies who are born die within 3 days, as they are immediately contracted with RM. The council have instilled the Hope Act to help realise that repopulation. Under the Hope Act, the council have instigated a mandatory order that every woman over the age of 18 become pregnant. Their logic behind the Hope Act is the more babies, the more tests they can perform, the faster they’ll be able to discover a cure. In theory.
Kira is 16, and has just been interred to the hospital as a medic, gathering data on newborn babies to figure out why they aren’t surviving. Exceptionally smart, charismatic and inquisitive, Kira knows the cure to RM is out there, but up until now, they’ve been looking in the wrong places. When she discovers her best friend is pregnant, she is more determined than ever to find that cure. She doesn’t want Madison’s baby to die like all the others. Convinced that she knows exactly how to find the cure, she enlists her friends Jayden (a special ops officer and Madison’s older brother), Haru (Madison’s husband) and Xochi (adopted sister) to help her capture the one thing that may hold all the answers – and also the one thing that all humans fear the most – a Partial. Her boyfriend, Marcus, who is also an extremely intelligent medic (slash comedian), completely disagrees with Kira’s plan, and thus begins the crack between them, changing the course of their relationship forever.
Partials were genetically designed by the US government to create an army to fight their wars. They were designed in the human image, but stronger, more agile, and more lethal. They do not age, and they do not have any emotion, and no other mission than to destroy. But something went wrong, something the humans now define as “The Break”. The Partials rebelled, and released the deadly virus RM, and have now gone rogue. There are hundreds of thousands of Partials stalking the earth, intent on destroying what is left of the humans.
Kira is convinced she needs the blood of a Partial to cure RM, to allow babies to live and grow into healthy people, thus saving the human race. Now, why didn’t they think of that before?
Thus begins Kira’s mission. The group devises a plan to trick the Council into thinking they’re on a routine “raid” – scavenging for food and medicine for the community – when in fact they’re going to cross the Manhattan bridge in to known Partial territory. Risking her life, and the lives of her friends, somehow they accomplish this task, losing 2 people on the way. They are discovered by the Council who are furious at the deception. To Kira’s immense surprise, rather than being punished, she is entrusted entirely to testing the Partial, and reporting all her findings back to the Council. She has 5 days. When her time is up, so will be the life of the Partial. And who cares? It’s not a real human with feelings, it’s just a machine designed to destroy.
Before I ruin the book entirely (all I want to do is talk about it!), I will end with a final statement – this is going to be a series, and I cannot wait for the next instalment. I finished Partials in two and a half days, and was plagued with fatigue afterwards for the lack of sleep. It was definitely worth it though!
It’s Wednesday which means it’s time to tell you what I have been up to for the past week! W..W..W.. Wednesdays is a weekly meme bought to you by MizB from Should Be Reading.
What are you currently reading?
I am currenrly reading The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa at the moment and it’s amazing!!! I am also reading Life After Death by Damien Echols on the side.
What did you recently finish reading?
I finished reading The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa and the review is on the site.. REALLY good read!
What do you think you’ll read next?
I want to continue the Iron Fey series, so I am probably going to move on to The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa. I also want to read What’s Left Of Me by Kat Zhang and The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey by the end of October!
What is everyone out there reading at the moment? Share your links below!
POSTED by: Melissa ON October 9th, 2012 | Filed under: Review | No Comments »
Release Date: August 1st 2010
Published By: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 359 Goodreads: Add it to your reading list
Rating: 5 out of 5
Synopsis: Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.
Worse, Meghan’s own fey powers have been cut off. She’s stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can’t help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.
Review: I spent 4 hours today having a marathon reading session because I needed to finish this book! After getting a taste for it with The Iron King I knew I had committed then to seeing this whole series through. The iron Daughter was possibly even better than The Iron King, since the characters were set up for us so well in the first book, and we already have a connection with them, I felt everything in this second novel so much more.
The love connection is intense!! Meghan and Ash, Meghan and Puck - my gosh! I, like Meghan felt absolutely torn when it comes to both of these guys. Puck is everything you’d want in a boyfriend. He has always been there for Meghan looking over her and protecting her - putting her life ahead of his. He is loving and gentle and sensitive. Sigh. And then you have Ash who is brooding and gorgeous, but vulnerable and delicate. With each step forward he is always two steps back. I fell in love a little more with them both. I understand the torment that Meghan feels!
Julie Kagawa has an incredible talent for writing such deep and interesting characters. I never felt manipulated into feeling for them - I just did. I care about each of the characters and feel invested in them.
The story line itself is solid and left me hanging with even more - I have now picked up The Iron Queen and gotten straight into it. It’s such a unique story, unlike anything that I have ever read before and possibly unlike anything I’ll read again.
Like The Iron King, I am going to say the same thing - read this series if you’ve not already. Entirely aware I am really late to this party as the books came out a while ago, however I am the first to admit I have been kicking my own ass for not getting to this series before now. It’s awesome!
Hello everyone! Welcome to my Monday Mailbox - two weeks worth since I missed last week’s deadline! I am excited about the books I received this week, I can’t wait to share them with you!
Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
How amazing is this cover?! I bought the ebook version of this off Amazon and I’m itching to start reading this!
Sixteen-year-old Evening Spiker lives an affluent life in San Francisco with her mother who is a geneticist and owner of Spiker Biotech. Eve has never stopped to think how off it is that she’s never been sick until she’s struck by a car and is exposed to extensive injuries. Injuries that seem to be healing faster than physically possible.
While recuperating in Spiker Biotech’s lush facilities, she meets Solo Plissken, a very attractive boy her age who spent his life at Spiker Biotech. Solo drops hints to Evening that something isn’t right, and her mother may be behind it. With the help of Solo, Evening uncovers secrets so big they could change the world completely.
Thank you so much to Harper Collins Australia for this review copy of What’s Left Of Me - I can’t wait to read this.
Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .
This looks amazing! I ordered this from The Book Depository and it’s huge! Almost 600 pages!
Evie O’Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City-and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult-also known as “The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies.” When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer-if he doesn’t catch her first.
Penguin Books Australia recently sent me the second book in this series Two Weeks’ Notice, but I haven’t read the first one yet! I found this at K-Mart cheap!
Wit the help of corporate double-agent Patrick McCallister, Bryn has a chance to take down the bigger problem-pharmaceutical company Pharmadene, which treats death as the ultimate corporate loyalty program. She’d better do it fast, before she becomes a zombie slave-a real working stiff. She’d be better off dead…
Not YA, but I have been following the WM3 case since I was a teenager and am so happy they were released!
In 1993 three teenagers, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Miskelley Jr were arrested and charged with the murders of three eight-year-old boys in West Memphis, Arkansas. The ensuing trial was rife with inconsistencies, false testimony and superstition. Echols was accused of, among other things, practising witchcraft and satanic rituals – a result of the “satanic panic” prevalent in the media at the time. Baldwin and Miskelley were sentenced to life in prison. Echols, deemed the ringleader, was sentenced to death. He was eighteen years old.
In a shocking reversal of events, all three were suddenly released in August 2011. This is Damien Echols’ story in full: from abuses by prison guards and wardens, to descriptions of inmates and deplorable living conditions, to the incredible reserves of patience, spirituality, and perseverance that kept him alive and sane for nearly two decades. Echols also writes about his complicated and painful childhood. Like Dead Man Walking, Life After Death is destined to be a classic.
So that is all from me this week, what did you receive this week? Let me know - leave your links in the comments section below!
Good afternoon!! Welcome to another edition of nail art inspired by fiction. This week is Pride & Prejudice….. and a special from Pride & Prejudice and Zombies too!
POSTED by: Melissa ON October 6th, 2012 | Filed under: Review | 1 Comment »
Release Date: February 1st 2010
Published By: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 363 Goodreads: Add it to your reading list
Rating: 4 out of 5
Synopsis: Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan’s life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she’s known is about to change.
But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she’ll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.
Review: I am the first to say that I am not really one for fantasy stories. I am not into fairies or goblins or elves. But after so much hype and hearing only amazing things about The Iron Fey series, I thought I ought to at least give this a try and go in with an open mind. Perhaps I would surprise myself.
Honestly, I am really glad I did this.
The Iron King was a really engaging book. I read the first half in one sitting just because the story moved so quickly and it seemed like there was one thing after another happening, and honestly from the first 10 pages in, I wanted to know what was happening next. The story was SO good that I didn’t even care that there were fairies in the book, let alone the novel was centred around them. In fact.. and I don’t want to get too ahead of myself, but I didn’t even mind them. I maybe even liked them a little bit. ;)
The protagonist is Meghan Chase who has just turned 16. Her brother goes missing into the world of the fae, and it’s with the help of her long time friend Robbie (aka Puck) that she comes to learn what this world is all about. She is pretty well thrown in the deep end. She didn’t know any of this existed and next thing you know she’s been chased and attacked by all sorts of creatures who want a piece of her, and then more shocking she comes to find she has connections with this world that she never saw coming.
I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of action scenes in this book, because I was pretty judgmental of this book before I read it and wrongly assumed that it would be all whimsical and boring. I apologise publically for making this assumption… let it be a lesson that assuming = making an ass out of you and me. I won’t assume again! The Iron King was fast paced, exciting and really enjoyable to read.
I was also taken back by the romantic interests in this book, and am excited about where this is going to be headed for the rest of the series. On one hand you have Puck, who is the boy next door type of character. Really down to earth, sweet and loyal - he has always looked out for Meghan. He’s a sweetheart. And then you have the sexy Ash, who has the bad boy prince thing going on, but also has a bit of a tender side to him when he’s not being a jerk. Side note, why do we love the bad boys so much?! I wish I could roll both of these guys into one amazing hunk of man meat. But alas, I feel like there will be a hard decision coming up for Meghan at some stage. I don’t feel like it’s over just yet for young Puck!
Overall, this book surprised me in the best possible way. I finished it and have picked up The Iron Daughter immediately after closing The Iron King. Guess you could say I’ve been converted into a fan! Definitely worth the read!
Q: What do you hope to accomplish with your blog? Is it to one day become an author yourself, just for fun, maybe get some online attention, or maybe something very different?
I think my reasons have changed from the time I have started this blog. When I first started, I had no intentions of growing my blog - it was always a way of me keeping an inventory of what I had read, when I read it and what I thought of the books. And as time went by and I learnt more about book blogging and marketing, I’ve really gone for it and tried to grow this blog and have put in a lot of hours doing that. It’s always still remained a hobby for me, and if ever it becomes a chore or something I don’t enjoy anymore, well that will be the end of it. But for 18 months I have enjoyed the directions Book Nerd Reviews has taken and want this to continue!
Link me up with your answers in the comments section below!
It’s Wednesday which means it’s time to tell you what I have been up to for the past week! W..W..W.. Wednesdays is a weekly meme bought to you by MizB from Should Be Reading.
What are you currently reading?
I am about to now start The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa since I’ve just finished with The Iron King.
I am also reading Life After Death by Damien Echols on the side which is not a YA book, but is something I’ve been fascinated with for the longest time, and that is the legal case of the “West Memphis 3″ who were wrongly convicted of killing three young boys in the early 90’s. Two of the accused were sentenced to life in jail and Damian Echols was sentenced to death. He spent 18 years on death row before they realised (after many appeals and support from the public and celebrities) that were not responsible for the crime they were accused of and released. Absolutely fascinating read!!!
What did you recently finish reading?
I finished reading The Iron King by Julia Kagawa today and it was pretty frigging amazing if I do say so. I’m not normally into fantasy style books, but I did enjoy this a whole lot, so I am going to continue with this series. Review to come shortly!
What do you think you’ll read next?
I want to continue the Iron Fey series, so I am probably going to move on to The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa. In my quest to read some good spooky YA books in October I am also going to be reading The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey.
What is everyone out there reading at the moment? Share your links below!
Good morning readers!! Happy 1st of month to you all! I wanted to do something a little fun with October, since I am a fan of all things spooky, and I also love Halloween dispite not really celebrating it here in Australia. Boo-urns. So this month I have some giveaway packs!
How does it work? Simple! This month there is going to be three winners. Each winner will be able to choose a book pack out of the selection below. Book pack 1, 2 or 3. Each book pack has two books in it. So you do the math… but essentially, three winners will win two books each. Still with me? ;)
Here’s what you can choose from!
Book Pack 1: Anna Dressed In Blood (Anna #1) and Girl Of Nightmares (Anna #2) by Kendare Blake
Book Pack 2: The Devouring (Devouring #1) and Soulstice (Devouring #2) by Simon Holt
Book Pack 3: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa and Alice In Zombieland by Gena Showalter
The giveaway is running until the end of October, so you have until the 31st to enter! All you need to do is enter via rafflecopter below and there’s lots of ways you can get extra entries and more daily entries as well!
I’ll email the winners upon closure of the giveaway and at this time will ask you what book pack you would like. Best of luck to you all!!
If you're were thinking about buying some books, why not do it through a link below.
Australian book nerds are recommended to buy locally from Booktopia .
Although we know all our friends are not here in Australia, so we recommend those overseas to visit The Book Depository
Book Nerd Reviews will receive a small commission off any purchase made by using the above links. This money is used solely to help fund giveaways. Thank you for your continued support!
The Vours: Evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the winter solstice.
The Diviners - Libba Bray
Working Stiff - Rachel Caine
Life After Death - Damien Echols
