Books by their covers...

Sorry for the lack of actual reviews recently, but I've been suffering from a horrible cold. Good result - more time to read, bad result - can't actually gather my thoughts together to review what I've read. They will be written eventually though.

A post about Aurelia at Em’s Bookshelf got me thinking about book covers and how influenced I am by them. (Aurelia was one of those books where the cover influenced me a lot) Usually if I’m buying over the internet they don’t have so much influence over me, but if I’m in a bookstore the cover is the reason that I’ll pick a book up. Then I flick to a random page and read a bit to see if I like the style. Sometimes though, I see a cover I can’t resist.
Be warned! The book covers featured below are utterly irresistible and may well make you unable to withstand their beauty! But you must! For sometimes, books are simply not as beautiful as their covers! (Although sometimes they are and this will make you very happy) For some of these books I know practically nothing about them – I’m not endorsing the books, just the beautiful, mesmerising covers.

Books I have bought solely (yes, I’m not proud of it) for the cover:

Aurelia by Anne Osterlund. The cover promises so much; intrigue, masks, disguises, court, take your pick. There is something about masks that I just can’t resist! If I’m honest, I was disappointed by this one. It didn’t live up to the cover for me (which is a bizarre way of measuring a book as other people will like the cover more or less, but there you go)

The Secret Countess (aka The Countess Below Stairs) by Eva Ibbotson. I loved this, but then I was in the right mood to love it. Now that I’m more initiated to Ibbotson, I know her formula much better. But this was my first Ibbotson book and I enjoyed it a lot.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. The pic here doesn’t do it too much credit – trust me, it’s sparkly and beautiful. You can read my thoughts on Ella Enchanted in my Fairest review – once again I was slightly disappointed.

Books that the cover made me pick up, but I knew a bit about before I bought them:

The Lady in the Tower by Marie-Louise Jensen. I like that the head isn’t cut off. And you can see the Tudor French Hood. And it’s got a shiny red title (although it looks pink here) and shiny letter writing down one side. And the girl looks like she has a secret.
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr. The contrast of colours is so pretty. It pretty much sums up the whole book – urban, faeries, mystery.
Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin. I love the title and the cover, especially the drawn-in headphones, which just fits the book so well. (Strange but true fact – I don’t like the photo of the girl if you turn it upside down. I can foresee a lot of people twisting their heads in an effort to see the picture on the screen upside down right now! It surprised me a lot how different the cover looked the other way around. But there you go!)

Books I want to buy solely for the cover (I hardly know anything about these books, but they are so pretty!):

Faerie Rebels by R J Anderson. I don’t really like the UK cover at all (or the UK title, which is Knife) but this US cover makes me want to read the book so much. I think it’s the white hair on a young person – eye-catching and intriguing. Plus the beautiful illustrative style.
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George. Look at the dress. Look at it! The motion of the dress as she moves is so gorgeous. That is the sort of princess dress that’s probably very uncomfortable, but most girls would like to march through a castle in, swishing dramatically, at least once. Ok, maybe not for real, but the idea is appealing...
Taken by storm –byAngela Morrison. I know nothing about this one at all, but I just love the cover so much! The colours, the watercolour paint effect, the clouds, I love it!
Undercover by Beth Kephart. The colour contrast between the leaf and background is so striking. And is that ice I see? Ice with a skate mark? I love ice-skating!

What about you? Are there any books that you have bought or want to buy just because of the cover? Any that you haven't bought because of the cover?

Series spotlight - Study series by Maria V. Snyder

There are so many good books that have been out in the market for ages. Series Spotlight will be featured every week and is to introduce readers to series they may not have heard of before. Today’s spotlight is the Study series by Maria V. Snyder.

This series follows Yelena Zaltana and her friends as they negotiate their way through their home court and further abroad, becoming involved in national problems. Yelena has to fight hard to help maintain peace in her rigorously militarian state, using every ounce of cunning, intelligence and perseverance she can muster. The series is not for younger readers, some scenes may be very disturbing to them.

Poison study
Choose:
A quick death
Or slow poison
Yelena has a choice – be executed for murder, or become food taster to the commander of Ixia. She leaps at the chance for survival, but her relief may be short-lived. Life in the palace is full of hazards and secrets. Wily and smart, Yelena must learn to identify poisons before they kill her, recognise whom she can trust and how to spy on those she can’t. And who is the mysterious Southern sorceress who can reach into her head?
When Yelena realises she had extraordinary magical powers of her own, she faces a whole new problem, for using magic in Ixia is punishable by death...

I love this book. Until the Hunger Games came along, it was my favourite, hands down. Ixia is a military state run by a fair, but technically dictatorial Commander. This makes for a fascinating setting; the laws are harsh and distrust between Ixia and the Southern country of Sitia is brewing. Yelena is the strongest, and at the same time most vulnerable, main character I’ve ever read. Poison study weaves a narrative between the present and Yelena’s past; how did she come to be found guilty of murder? I can’t really explain just how good this book is. It has wonderful characters, (especially Yelena’s soldier friends Ari and Janco) adventure, intrigue, a great setting, magic, a gripping blend of back-story and action and is beautifully written. For the first part in a trilogy, the ending is surprisingly satisfying. In fact, I recommend people read this as a stand-alone novel.

*Not recommended for younger readers as some of Yelena’s troubling past is described realistically and honestly.

Magic Study
You know your life is bad when you miss your days as a poison taster.
Completing her apprenticeship could prove deadly...With an execution order on her head, Yelena has no choice but to escape to Sitia, the land of her birth. With only a year to master her magic - or face death - Yelena must begin her apprenticeship and travels to the Four Towers of the Magician's Keep. But nothing in Sitia is familiar. Not the family to whom she is a stranger. Not the unsettling new facets of her magic. Nor the brother who resents her return. As she struggles to understand where she belongs and how to control her rare powers, a rogue magician emerges - and Yelena catches his eye. Suddenly she is embroiled in battle of good against evil. And once again it will be her magical abilities that will either save her life...or be her downfall.

This is a good book. It has an interesting plot and good characters. If it was a stand-alone book, I’d probably have enjoyed it alot. But it’s not, it’s a sequel to Poison Study. And while I found Poison Study amazing, I only found Magic Study ok. I have to admit, it was a disappointment to me, but then I’ve heard from others who really enjoyed this one, so it may be worth a try. I think it’s because I felt that Yelena’s personal journey reached a satisfying conclusion at the end of Poison Study, but to be honest, it was probably my own high expectations that ruined this book for me. I don’t know, but I suspect that this is the classic case of a publisher not giving the author enough time to write the second in a series.

Fire Study
Yelena's new role as Soulfinder has made the Sitian Council uneasy. Worried that her new powers will corrupt her, the Council debates her fate. Yelena, though is trying to keep Sitia and Ixia from going to war. In the middle of political wrangling, Yelena receives a disturbing message: a plot is rising against her homeland, led by Ferde, the Soulstealer who murdered eleven girls and has escaped from prison with Cahil Ixia’s help. Cahil believes if he joins with the new Daviian Clan, he will have enough support to regain the Ixian throne. Testing the limit of her skills, Yelena becomes embroiled in the desperate fight to stop Ferde and the Daviian Clan from siphoning enough power to unleash a Fire Warper on the world. That would be worst than war between the northern and southern lands. Especially since, of all the powers Yelena possesses, she couldn't set fire to a candle wick if her life depended on it. And there is more at stake than just her life.

I haven’t read the last book in this series and I don’t plan to. However, just because I didn’t love the continuation of the Study series doesn’t mean you won’t. And it especially doesn’t mean that you should avoid the series altogether. Poison Study is one of the best books I’ve ever read and I recommend it.

What’s next?
A companion series, called the Glass series. This follows Opal, a character from Magic Study. (and possibly Fire Study too, I don’t know) The first in the series, Storm Glass, is out 28th April and I am definitely going to look into this new series.
As a glassmaker and a magician-in-training, Opal Cowen understands trial by fire. Now it’s time to test her mettle. Someone has sabotaged the Stormdancer clan’s glass orbs, killing their most powerful magicians. The Stormdancers—particularly the mysterious and mercurial Kade—require Opal’s unique talents to prevent it happening again. But when the mission goes awry, Opal must tap into a new kind of magic as stunningly potent as it is frightening. And the further she delves into the intrigue behind the glass and magic, the more distorted things appear. With lives hanging in the balance—including her own—Opal must control powers she never knew she possessed...powers that might lead to disaster beyond anything she’s ever known.

You can visit the author's website here, where you can read extracts from all of the books. You can buy the books here (UK) and here (US)

Random stuff

I’m a FOOB! (ok, technically I’m only mentioned in a post that’s called the FOOBS, but I prefer to call myself a FOOB) It makes me happy to be a foob because it is so very cool a word. Also because the lovely people over at chicklish called my blog excellent. Thanks Luisa!

I’ve been reading books like a crazy person. This is because I went to the library and they had loads of books I wanted/sounded interesting. I'm reading them faster than I am able to write reviews though.

If you are in the UK you should check out the giveaway over at dragonfly reviews, where Sara is giving away a free copy of Shrapnel. Email her by Friday for a chance to win.

What I should be doing:
1.Researching a history essay
2.Writing a history essay
3.Writing that review about The Goldsmith's Daughter that I keep putting off

What I am doing instead:
1.Eating an orange
2.Writing this
3.Surfing the web for still more ways of wasting time in an educated and literary way.

As said in the About Me section at the top of the page, I put off work. I am a natural last-minute kind of person. I have perfected it into an art form. At least, this is what I tell myself.

Mini reviews - I see a theme here ...

On my most recent trip to the library, I got several books that I’ve realised are all similar in a way. Usually I lean towards historical fiction or fantasy, but I’ve just read several that focus on modern teenage girls tackling some kind of big problem. I didn’t really realise it until I’d read them all, they all focus on very different issues. I thought I’d share.

Spiked! – Sandra Glover
As might be guessed from the title, this is a book about a girl’s drink being spiked. Don’t worry though, it’s not a story with a MORAL. Spiked! was really interesting because it was a bit like a game of Cluedo. Of course, most of the characters have secrets and these gradually come out as the audience try to work out who the bad guy is. This is made the more intriguing because you get sections of the book written in the ‘spiker’s’ point of view without revealing their identity. The plot isn’t too gripping, but this didn’t matter because I was too busy trying to analyse each characters’ motives and possibility of being the psycho. It also addresses the often avoided issue of the problems that a victim faces after a traumatic event, how everything doesn’t automatically become right again. Enough twists and turns to keep me guessing until the last minute, this book was more a puzzle or game than an example of wonderfully written prose, but it was fun and very interesting.

Looking for jj – Anne Cassidy
A disturbing and yet gripping take on how a child could become capable of murder. This was fully believable, especially the sections written from the point of ten-year-old jj. Several years on, and the story also addresses the difficulty for a teenager to recover from something so haunting in her past, as well as how constant media interference can threaten the world she’s built up for herself. As other critics have pointed out, it’s completely gripping, completely believable and well worth reading. It’s a disturbingly realistic look into the psychological impacts of abandonment, guilt, fear, and how a single mistake can haunt the rest of your life. It’s not easy reading. But it is well-written and thought-provoking and I highly recommend it.

Speak – Laurie Halse Anderson
This book was at a disadvantage because it is very similar to Sarah Dessen’s Just Listen, which I’ve already read. Similar, and in my opinion, not as good. Traumatic event, mistaken result of traumatic event means everyone hates her, she doesn’t know how to deal with it. All about recovering, being able to speak up for yourself and generally becoming comfortable with yourself. I’d say targeted at a 13-15 year old audience, it’s an interesting character study, but I felt that the plot-line was a bit bare. If you haven’t read Just Listen, you’ll probably really enjoy this one, it’s sympathetic and detailed enough. If I’d read them the other way around, I’d have enjoyed Speak a lot more.

Let’s get Lost – Sarra Manning
I do love the idea that people who seem to have it all are secretly crumbling apart underneath. I also love the fact that this main character becomes an obsessive tidier when she’s upset. I didn’t like the idea that a twenty-year-old would go out with a sixteen-year old and not notice the age difference. The older a person gets, the less an age gap matters, I think, but in your teens you do so much growing that such a difference should be obvious. I do like a story about a mean girl, especially one who is fighting so hard to keep it together because of something really bad that’s happened recently. I cared about the main character and her family, I just didn’t care enough about any of the other characters to really enjoy this story. Small parts of this book really interested me, but I had to wade through a whole lot of words to reach them. I confess – I skipped bits. I hardly ever do this, it’s my version of dumping a book and not reading any more. Other people may enjoy Let’s get Lost and relate to it, but I just didn’t.

Of the four, Spiked! and Looking for jj were my favourites and I'll be looking out for more titles by both of these authors. Any suggestions from people? I think I'll be giving this genre a rest for a while, but are there any similar books I should try?

Book review - Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Aislinn has always been able to see faeries. Her grandmother taught her three rules – don’t stare at invisible faeries, don’t speak to invisible faeries and don’t ever attract their attention. She has spent her life following these rules, pretending to be oblivious to the faeries as everyone else is, but somehow she has broken rule number three – two faeries are following her and she doesn’t know why. She does know that they are extremely powerful court fey and she also knows that she doesn’t like faeries. At all. But as she notices more and more faeries watching her and one in particular, Keenan, won’t leave her alone, she realises that she has to break all of her rules to save herself.
I really enjoyed this one. Aislinn is fighting to create her own destiny, not blindly following her Gram’s rules, but also fighting not to fall for Keenan’s faerie charms. The idea that her relationship with Seth is developing alongside her unwanted relationship with Keenan is especially gripping. Keenan is determined to snatch her away from her old life regardless of her own wishes and the cost of this for Aislinn is increasing throughout the book. The idea that Aislinn’s life up until this point has been almost entirely revolved around faeries and avoiding their attention added an intriguingly self-controlled aspect to her character. The romance was wonderfully developed, although the ease with which Seth accepted that faeries were real was more than a little bit unrealistic. The romances were tangled up and many went against the characters ‘destinies,’ the classic forbidden love that makes the audience support the matches far more.
When I first saw this book in shops months ago, I loved the cover. Really, really loved it. The colours are so gorgeous, and somehow evocative of faeries and magic. But for some reason, I kept not buying it. Until recently. I’m glad I did because I loved it and I recommend it. Please be aware though that some references may not be appropriate to younger readers. It’s not too bad, but it’s worth pointing out.

Series spotlight - Cat Royal

There are so many good books that have been out in the market for ages. Series Spotlight will be featured every week and is to introduce readers to series they may not have heard of before. Usually, these series will be ongoing, like today’s spotlight – Julia Golding’s Cat Royal series.

This series follow Catherine Royal, an orphan and ward of Drury Lane theatre, and her adventures in late eighteenth century London and further afield. The books are written in prose, but a cast list at the beginning of each book, and the dividing of ‘chapters’ into Acts and Scenes adds a fun theatrical touch. Maps and a list of vocab at the end of the book ensure that readers aren’t confused by the eighteenth century setting. In theory the books could be read as stand alone, but I strongly advise you to start at the beginning of this series as Cat’s relationships with her friends, acquaintances and enemies are complicated to say the least.

The Diamond of Drury Lane
Cat was found by Mr Sheridan, the owner of Drury Lane, when she was about two. She has spent her life behind stage in the theatre, rubbing shoulders with members of the highest of London society, while also being friends with some of the lowest. It is here that she meets Pedro, an African boy with a talent for the violin, Lord Francis, a duke’s son who seems to want nothing so much as adventure, and Jonny the new prompt, who takes over as Cat’s new tutor. It is also here that she first hears about the diamond hidden somewhere in the theatre. It’s not long before Pedro runs into Cat’s biggest enemy, Billy Boil and his gang, Lord Francis sneaks out to attend a boxing match with Cat, and news of the diamond spreads.
The first of the Cat Royal series is the only one exclusively set in the streets of London, among the gang fights and markets of Covent Garden, where Cat is completely at home. The theatre of Drury Lane is evocatively described and while I predicted the plot quite early on it was still entertaining and light-hearted, making me eager for more.

Cat among the Pigeons
Pedro’s old master has turned up and seems determined to recapture him. Cat, Frank and Lizzie do what they can to stop this but soon Cat is on the run herself. She has managed to cause an uproar in a gentleman’s club and the Bow Street Runners are searching her down. She is forced to ‘don a breeches role’ and go into hiding. However she soon comes face to face with her old enemy Billy Boil. Cat runs into many problems in this second book, including saving Pedro from being shipped off to the plantations, finding herself needing to behave in a ladylike manner among three Puritans, and the confusing necessity of acting as a boy acting a girl.
Again, a wonderful frolic through Cat’s home town, but the stakes are higher and the meanings are deeper. The author addresses the need for the abolishment of slavery and discourse on freedom and society are present. This is possibly my favourite of the Cat Royal books so far – the scenes with Cat dressed as a boy were the highlight.

Den of Thieves (US release date – April 09)
Cat heads for Paris as a dancing spy after Mr Sheridan’s shocking announcement that Drury Lane will close for building work. Once In Paris, Cat quickly becomes acquainted with Parisian street gangs of varying morals. Set at the time of the French Revolution, it’s inevitable that Cat would become involved in such an event. Caught between the rival gangs of the Thief King Jean-Francois and the Bishop of the Notre-Dame thieves, Cat has to cling to her cover as a dancer and come to the rescue of friends who are in serious danger.
Using the French Revolution as a vivid backdrop, Den of Thieves weaves a tale of intrigue and adventure, more streetwise savviness on the part of Cat and sees most of her friends reunited. With a light romantic element and a fast-paced plot this next instalment of Cat Royal’s adventures doesn’t disappoint.

Cat O’Nine Tails
‘His Majesty's Ship Courageous this present day calls all able bodied volunteers who desire great honour by serving the Royal Navy. Loyalty, courage and gallantry will be met with the warmest encouragement from Commander of the King's ship, Captain Barton. Early applications for the voyage are welcomed as Courageous will sail with immediate despatch. God Save the King.
Presenting the fourth volume from our famous feisty heroine Cat Royal... In which Cat becomes an unlikely recruit for the British Navy, takes passage to America and navigates her way through a fiendish plot to do away with Lord Francis, heir to a dukedom. From the grand Assembly Rooms of Bath to the wilds of a new frontier, Cat finds she is for once quite out of her depth. All aboard, Cat's going abroad.’
This book really addresses the issue of family – Cat as an abandoned orphan has always wondered about her family and in Nine Tails she finds a surrogate family in the most unlikely place. However most of all it is about finding yourself through new experiences. This is probably my least favourite of all the books so far. I can’t quite put my finger on why, only that by placing Cat so far out of her comfort zone the book has lost the chance to develop my favourite part of Cat’s character – her street-wise experience.

Black heart of Jamaica
‘Due to the threat of a rebellion by the slaves of this island, be it therefore enacted that from this day, 1st July 1792, all persons report any suspicions of revolutionary plots immediately!

By Order of the Governor

Presenting the fifth adventure from the spirited Cat Royal in which she joins a travelling theatre, turns pirate, undertakes a Caribbean Cruise and gets mixed up in a slave revolt.With a guest appearance from

Mr Billy Shepherd (Formerly of Covent Garden.)
Prepare to swash your buckle in Cat's most outrageous adventure yet!’
Pedro’s old master, Kingston Hawkins, is back and thirsting for revenge. This time, it is Cat on his home ground and he is well aware of his advantage. Cat seems to grow immensely in this book, and the issues of slavery, friendship, racism, independence and growing up are all sensitively and thoughtfully addressed. There is once again a large amount of plot packed into this book and with the fast paced action and a cast of wonderful characters it was a great addition to the series.

What’s next?
Cat’s Cradle, the sixth book. This features Cat going to Scotland and it appears has something to do with her birth family. Unfortunately it has been put back to 2010 for the development of a new jacket. I’m in two minds about this. While I’m disappointed about the set-back, I’m also glad about the new cover, which will apparently look considerably different. I put off buying this series for ages because I didn’t like the covers. Eventually, I only bought them when I read on one of the blurbs that Cat was a ‘dancing spy.’ I like the covers now, but they must put a lot of potential readers off. This also gives US readers a chance to catch up. Den of Thieves will be released April 09 in the US and I have to say I much prefer the US covers. Look how beautiful!

You can visit the author's website here, or buy the books here (for the UK) or here (for the US)

Five reasons why I am very happy today

1. The world outside is full of white snowy goodness. There will be snowball fights, there will be snow angels, and there will be much crazy snow-related running around. It hasn’t stopped snowing yet today and the sky is grey so maybe we will actually get the promised amount of snow for once.
2. New information on the Hunger Games sequel has been posted over at The Book Reader. I’m not sure that it can be as good as the first book, but I’m excited for this one all the same.
3. Cracked up to be is finally out here in the UK. I’ve heard good things about this one and can’t wait to get my hands on a copy.
4. I got ahead with lots of work last night. Don’t you love the feeling after you’ve been really productive? Plus this means that I am free this evening to run around like a crazy person in the snow.
5. This is a February post which means I am technically into my second month on my blog archive. A small achievement, but fun anyway. Everyone has been so lovely and supportive to me, especially Em, so thankyou everyone!