Trailer: The Forsaken - Lisa M. Stasse

One of the books which I've been eagerly anticipating this year is 'The Forsaken' by Lisa M. Stasse which is published in the UK by Orchard Books on 2nd August 2012.  Not only do I want to read it because I love dystopian fiction but when I saw the publisher describing it as 'Lost meets The Hunger Games' I was even more excited!! 

Alenna Shawcross is a sixteen-year-old orphan growing up in a police state formed from the ashes of Canada, the US and Mexico after a global economic meltdown.

But when she unexpectedly fails ‘the test’ - a government initiative which supposedly identifies teens destined to be criminals - she wakes up alone on a remote island reserved for the criminally insane.

Terrified and confused, she soon encounters a group of other teen survivors battling to stay alive, including Liam, a boy who will become her love... and her lifeline.

Soon Alenna makes the terrifying discovery that there’s more to the island (and her past) than she could ever have guessed... But who can she trust? And can she ever escape?

Here's a look at the official trailer for 'The Forsaken' which is absolutely epic!

Book news: Girl Heart Boy series - Ali Cronin

Ali Cronin's new series Girl Heart Boy is described as 'the hottest, sexiest, teen romance series coming this summer'.  The first in the series 'No Such Thing As Forever' which is due to be published on the 2nd August 2012 by Penguin Razorbill sounds exactly like my kind of book.  If you can't wait that long then you can get your hands on the e-book which is out now. 

Meet four girls, three boys, all turning 18 and get set to follow their eventful final year at school. Cass is known as Ms. Monogamy, Ashley is a player, Donna is a party girl. But what about Sarah? Her friends tease her for being uptight, but she's waiting for The One. Now she's found him, but is he forever - or is Sarah just his summer fling?

You can also keep up-to-date with Sarah's weekly video blogs on Youtube where she explores teen love and sex issues.  Here's the first vlog from Sarah.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GirlHeartBoy

Twitter: @girlheartboy #girlheartboy

Review: Wereworld: Nest of Serpents - Curtis Jobling

Wereworld: Nest of Serpents by Curtis Jobling, published by Puffin on 7th June 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
Young Werewolf Drew Ferran, rightful king of Westland, has rushed to the aid of the besieged Staglords, whose mountain stronghold is surrounded by the forces of the Werelion Prince Lucas.

And deep in the haunted Dyrewood forest, the Wereladies Gretchen and Whitley seek sanctuary within the city of Brackenholme. No opposing force has ever breached the palisade walls, but danger could be closer than they think... As Lyssia's greatest war rumbles towards a thunderous climax, the lines between friend and foe are blurred. What if the enemy is one of their own?

Review:
I was super excited when I realised that there was a new book in the Wereworld series out.  After having been left on a cliffhanger at the end of the fourth book, I was eager to pick this one up and start it straight away.

The first part re-introduces the reader to all the characters and picks up the thread of their stories.  Hector, Drew, Whitley and Gretchen, alolng with Drew's brother Trent are scattered throughout Lyssia.  Drew is helping the Staglords defend themselves against the Werelion Prince Lucas, whilst Gretchen and Whitley are headed for Brackenholme and safety.  As the story progresses, an old foe returns to put everyone's lives in danger.

As I've read each book in this series, I've been continually impressed and amazed at the sheer scale and scope of the story and the Wereworld universe.  There's now a huge cast of interesting characters with new faces appearing all the time.  The only problem is keeping track of all of their names! Sometimes I have to check back to make sure I remember who someone is correctly.

I've always made no secret of my love of Hector, the Boarlord.  He's made quite a transformation from the beginning of the series and at times he seems quite unrecognisable from the person that Drew first met.  Without giving anything away, because my lips are firmly sealed, I'm starting to worry that he may finally be beyond redemption.  I'm not sure if there is any way back for him now.  However, there's always hope and I truly believe that although he's done some terrible things, beneath it all is still a heart of gold. 

I also enjoyed getting to see more of Drew's brother Trent who is now repentant about his actions towards his brother and wishes to put things right.  I think there may be a possible romance on the cards between him and another character but I'll have to wait and see.  Gradually all the characters are being drawn back together and I'm looking forward to finally seeing them all reunited. 

Even though Jobling is now on book five, the writing remains wonderfully vivid and the story gets even more engaging with each new instalment.  There are some amazing battle scenes which are brutal, bloody and no holds barred and there's plenty of action and adventure to satisfy readers.  There's a fast and furious pace to the story and I didn't want to put the book down for a single second.

There's an epic quality about this series which I love and I can only hope that Jobling writes fast because I want more now! 

Just a quick note about the cover of the book.  The cover art for the series has been redesigned and published with a whole new look.  I have to say that I preferred the old one and not only because I like all my books in a set to match.

Review: Wentworth Hall - Abby Grahame

Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame, published by Simon and Schuster on 7th July 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
It’s 1912, and the Darlingtons of Wentworth Hall have more than just the extensive grounds to maintain. As one of Britain’s most elite families, they need to keep up appearances that things are as they have always been… even as their carefully constructed façade rapidly comes undone.

Maggie has a secret. And she’s not the only one… the handsome groom Michael, the beautiful new French nanny Therese, the Darlingtons’ teenage houseguests Teddy and Jessica, and even Maggie’s younger sister Lila are all hiding something. Passion, betrayal, heartache, and whispered declarations of love take place under the Darlingtons’ massive roof. And one of these secrets has the power to ruin the Darlingtons forever.

When scandalous satires start appearing in the newspaper with details that closely mirror the lives of the Darlingtons, everyone is looking over their shoulder, worrying their scandal will be next. Because at Wentworth Hall, nothing stays secret for long.

Review:
Fans of the great British period drama will love 'Wentworth Hall' which has all the same charm and distinction, along with absolutely gorgeous cover art.  I picked this one up to read as soon as it arrived after having been enticed by the description of Downton Abby meets The Luxe.   I also adore books which have a historical setting, as does this one which takes place in 1912.

It features the Darlington family of Wentworth Hall - older daughter Maggie who all the men fall in love with, younger sister Lila who feels forever in her shadow, older brother Wes and Mr and Mrs Darlington.  As well as seeing events through their eyes, the story also encapsulates the experiences and lives of their servants.  It was interesting getting to see what upstairs and downstairs life was like for all the characters and contrasting the privileged life of the rich with that of the poor .

Interspersed throughout the book are articles from The Sussex Courier newspaper.  The mini-stories are a satire on the Darlington family and are both scathing and mocking.  The big mystery surrounding them is who is the author.  I had several guesses but none of them were right.  I did think they seemed a bit unnecessary to the main story, although they were quite amusing and fun and illustrated nicely the destruction that gossip could cause.

Reading 'Wentworth Hall' felt at times like watching a soap opera unfold before my eyes with all the characters having a secret or some kind of scandal to hide.  As we all know skeletons never remain in the cupboard forever and I knew they were all going to come spilling out at some point.

This was definitely the book for me!  There was intrigue and scandal in abundance and secrets set to shock all.  'Wentworth Hall' was a fab read and I finished it in one evening because I was totally hooked.  This book is perfect material for a Sunday night television show!  As much as I loved it, I was also pleased to see that it was a stand-alone novel so everything was nicely resolved at the end.

Trailer: Seraphina - Rachel Hartman

On July 19th, Doubleday is publishing 'Seraphina' by Rachel Hartman.  The story is an epic fantasy involving dragons and features an absolutely gorgeous cover.  After watching the trailer, I now want to read this one even more than I did before!

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

Review: Emma Hearts LA - Keris Stainton

Emma Hearts LA by Keris Stainton, published by Orchard on 7th June 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
Emma's not sure that LA's for her, but when she accompanies her sister Jane to an audition, a chance meeting with a teen TV star starts to change her new sunshine lifestyle for the better... But what about Oscar, so far her only friend in LA, who's turning out NOT to be the idiot she thought he was?

Soon Emma begins to find herself torn between two boys and reconsidering her entire future.

Maybe LA's not that bad after all.

Review:
Leaving behind the bright lights and buzz of New York City, Keris Stainton's latest offering is set in the sunnier climes of Los Angeles, home of the stars.  When Emma's mother gets a fabulous job offer, Emma and her younger sister Bex move with her to start a new life in LA.  Once there, she reconnects with her childhood friend Oscar who has undergone quite a lot of growing up since she saw him last.  However, with handsome movie stars around every corner, Emma has to make a big decision about who and what she wants. 

While I was reading this book I couldn't help but feel envious of Emma getting the opportunity to start fresh with a completely new beginning.  Although she's more dubious about moving to the other side of the world than Bex, who throws herself wholeheartedly into a new lifestyle, she gradually finds herself embracing the new and learns to open herself up to exciting, new experiences.

I loved the idea of being able to reach for your dreams, however impossible they may seem and having the courage to follow your heart.  Yes, you may fail at times but until you try you'll never know.  One of my own dreams is to one day visit New York but after finishing this book I'm adding Los Angeles to the list too!

I thought that Keris Stainton perfectly captured everything about Emma's new home, from the awesome food to the sights and sounds of the city, such as Grauman's Theatre and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  There were so many amazing places and they were all so wonderfully described that I really felt I was living vicariously through Emma.

As well as Emma, there are lots of other fab characters in the story, including the adorable Oscar, who is the perfect mix of cute and nerdy (the latter in a good way!) and Emma's sister Bex who she has a very close relationship with.

'Emma Hearts LA' is an amazing book and the perfect light, summery, fun read.  It's a book with a heart of gold and a wonderful read.