Last Summer by Rebecca A Rogers.

Title: Last Summer
Author: Rebecca A Rogers:
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: July 18th 2012
Goodreads Summary: All Chloe Sullivan wants to do is get through the summer. Her life has been in disarray for more than six months, and she knows the only reason her parents made one final trip to Sandy Shores is because of her. They are, after all, two seconds away from filing for divorce. When Chloe stumbles upon a boy in one of her childhood hangouts, she’s in for more than just a relaxing summer vacation.

Logan Andrews is exhausted, famished and, quite frankly, kaput. His parents kicked him out when he refused to attend a rehabilitation program for his drug addiction. Now, he wishes he would’ve listened; he’d be receiving appropriate medical care rather than living in a dingy, godforsaken shack, holing up from money-hungry drug dealers.

Logan’s godsend arrives in the form of Chloe, who can’t hold her tongue when it comes to matters of the heart. They’re both in for a rude awakening when Logan’s past catches up to them, though. Can they escape the drug dealers showing up at every twist and turn, or will things end much worse than they ever imagined?

WARNING: contains strong language, drug use, and sexual situations, including an explicit sex scene and a near-rape scene. Mature audiences only. 17+

{ Review }

So they say never judge a book by it's cover, but if I'm perfectly honest the only reason I signed up for this book tour is because I was won over by the cover and the fact that this was deemed to be only suitable for '17+' (that kinda makes me sound like I'm into really kinky s*** but I'm not I swear!). This novel really surprised me and I'd even go so far as to say that this is one of the best YA books I've read in a while. The story is really shocking and thought-provoking and yet at the same time there's a real romance going on between the two main characters which makes for a brilliant combination.

This book is such an easy read and I zipped through it all in one sitting. The story is compelling and addictive and I just had to keep reading to find out more. Whilst the cover may lead you to believe that this is your typical, sappy, teen romance novel - it's not. In fact, it addresses some pretty serious issues such as divorce, domestic violence, drug use and gang violence to name a few. This isn't the sort of romance that turns you into a crazy fan-girl because it's far too serious for that; however, it still gave me intense butterflies in my stomach whilst reading it. There are quite a lot of twists and turns towards the end which made this book an even more exciting read and the action builds up over the course of the novel with an explosive finish.

I thought that some parts of the novel weren't as well developed as they could've been, but this didn't bother me too much. Some might question the fast paced relationship between Logan and Chloe, but both characters were in pretty desperate situations at at the beginning so it's not that unrealistic to be honest. As both the main characters are very isolated during that summer, there aren't that many other characters so the story is really focussed on Chloe and Logan. Both characters are quite mature and you really admire their courage as they face things that most normal teenagers wouldn't be able to cope with. I loved the character development from beginning to end as it made me feel like the story had actually progressed unlike many other teen romances I've read. I didn't exactly feel 'connected' to the characters as, of course, I have absolutely no idea what it would be like to go through the things that they have and yet I still felt really drawn into the novel and captivated by Logan and Chloe.

This book was not at all was I was expecting. I had read the blurb beforehand so I knew that this wasn't your average young adult romance but i still wasn't prepared for such an deep and interesting read. I would highly recommend this to all fans of contemporary romance though, as it says in the summary, I would keep this away from younger teenagers because some scenes really aren't appropriate for them.

Many thanks to the author for providing me with a signed review copy! ^^

I lost count of the number of times that I cried during this series, but I know that it was an embarrassingly high number. I know that if I cry during a drama or feel butterflies in my stomach that it's a damn good drama so on that basis, You're Beautiful is out-of-this-world amazing! I watched the entire series in three days, rather slow for me considering there are only 16 episodes, but during those three days the only thing that I could think about was You're Beautiful. On the second day of watching this I went to my friends house for dinner and then she invited me for an impromtu sleepover and my first though was 'Nooo, that means no more You're Beautiful until tomorrow!' - Yes, I am incredibly sad like that, but it also shows how addictive it is. This drama is both laugh-out-loud funny and sobbing-into-your-pillow sad. In just one episode I found myself weeing with laughter, then bawling my eyes out, then doing a happy dance on my bed - seriously, you'll go on such an emotional roller coaster whilst watching this drama.


I loved all of the characters, especially Hwang Tae Kyung! I just don't know how it's possible for someone to be so mean, caring, sexy, emotionless, beautiful, cute, hard working and self-centered all at once. Jang Geun Suk is a phenomenal actor and I really commend him for pulling off each and every one of those emotions convincingly. Usually I become quite attached to one character during a drama but I liked all four of the main characters in You're Beautiful. I was mainly obsessed with Hwang Tae Kyung, but I was also really interested in the other two guys and near the beginning I even questioned which one I wanted to end up with the girl, which was a definite first for me. I saw Park Shin Hye and Jung Yong Hwa in Heartstrings and whilst I really liked them both in it, I didn't think that either of them gave particularly outstanding performances so I was happy that their performances in You're Beautiful were a lot better. The quality of acting usually slips up a few times during each drama that I watch, but amazingly, there were none in You're Beautiful. Each actor played his or her role brilliantly and even when they were doing silly things, it wasn't ridiculously silly, it was funny-silly and there is a very fine line between the two.

I'm always amazed at how Korean guys seem to be able to wear really fashionable items that would be considered the gayest things ever in the West but still make it look acceptable. Watching K dramas has completely changed my perspective on what does and doesn't look good on a guy. Heck, I've even become accustomed to guyliner. The three main guys in this drama are all incredibly hot and if you don't fall for all three of them then there's probably something wrong with you. As they all play celebrities in this drama they're all cool and suave but they've also got really individual personalities to them and they all bring something different to the drama.


The plot line isn't very realistic at all but because the acting was so convincing and the general atmosphere of the drama was so good, somehow it all made sense to me. This is similar to the film 'She's the Man', where a girl takes her twin brother's place at boarding school to cover up for him so if you're a fan of that then I'd definitely recommend this. It's also quite similar to the drama Hana Kimi which also has a girl pretending to be a boy in it, except this is so much better. This drama wasn't rushed at all, it really took it's time for the plot to unfold and that made me absolutely desperate to reach the finish. A lot of dramas pace the story all wrong and there's either too much at the beginning or at the end, but this was just right. The romance develops really slowly, at least from the guys POV, which made it so much more interesting because it meant that with every episode you got just a little bit closer and you had to keep watching to find out more. All romantic oriental dramas are predictable because the outcome is always a happy ending, but I couldn't predict the events leading up to the finale which was great. Another pet peeve of mine about oriental dramas is that they lay everything out in the beginning so that you can see exactly where each and every character is headed leaving no room for speculation so I was really happy that this didn't do that. I knew what the end of this drama was going to be, but I had no idea how it was going to happen and it was all done in a really interesting way that drew you in to every second of drama.

The soundtrack for this is great. The songs perfectly match the mood of this drama and they're really addictive. As this drama centres around a band it means that the songs are actually sung by the characters in the drama which makes it all sound more heartfelt. It also gives lots of opportunities for songs and serenading throughout the series which is brilliant!

Author Interview: Michael Diack, author of The Super Spud Trilogy. 

The lovely Michael Diack, author of The Super Spud Trilogy (see review here), has spared a few minutes to answer some of What's Hot?'s questions with this author interview - enjoy! :)


1. What inspired you to be a writer?

I can’t say I decided to become a writer, the Super Spuds was just something I had in my head and I knew I needed to write the story. Writing makes me happy and I’m always writing, whether its short stories, Super Spud adventures or just plans for other novels, ideas are constantly flowing.  I’d need to sell a few more copies first before I’d consider myself a writer properly, for now I’m just a debut author trying to stand out from the crowd with his quirky novel about crisp packets.

2. If you couldn't be a writer, what would you be?

I studied geology at university and I’ve always been interested in the Earth.  My childhood hero was Pierce Brosnan in Dante’s Peak, where he tries to warn a town of an imminent volcanic eruption and goes on to save a woman and her family.  I wanted to be that hero (and get the
girl) and I always liked volcanos, but alas, my career didn’t turn out that way and now I find myself working in the Arabian desert writing stories about magical potatoes…

3. You've written three whole stories about spuds, exactly how did
this idea come to you?

I wrote the book at university when I was 19.  I guess the target audience at the time of writing it were fellow students with the same kind of humour as me.  Initially, there were lots more sexual
innuendos and some mild swearing, in time I took these out and tried to make the book much more approachable for all age groups.   Now there are no swear words, the Super Spud equivalent version of sex is holding hands, and the graphic violence is comic in its depiction.  My
gut tells me the core target audience it will appeal to is still the student generation (18-22), and the best reviews have been from reviewers of this age range, but I honestly hope adults will find it
enjoyable and younger readers, too.  It came about after I remembered a short story I had written at primary school: Colin and Lucy are crisp packets who come to life after their use-by date and try to find the rubbish tip.  At university, bored during a lecture on rocks, I remembered the story and the whole novel I finished in about a month.  The book references many films and it is ultimately a tale of friendship, good versus evil and heroic acts of bravery.

4. Do you think lemon&vanilla and strawberries&cream should be made
into real crisp flavours?

I’d prefer strawberries and cream to be made into a real flavour than Brussels sprouts or garlic!  I think out of all the unconventional flavours in the books, these two would be the most palatable if they were made into real flavours.  It would probably be a very sweet taste though, and perhaps quite sickly.  It would be awesome if someone from Walkers crisps read my book and helped promote it through a new limited time flavour like they’ve done in the past.

5. What tips can you give to any budding young writers?

If you truly believe in your work then never give up.  It takes a lot of hard work and patience but as long as you love writing then no one can stop you pursuing your dream.   I’d advise you to browse the forums like Book Blogs or Goodreads, as there is a load of help and discussions for writers on there.  The most important thing when writing your book is to know your audience.  Investigate writers’ websites and blogs, as well as looking on Amazon at the kinds of reviews similar books receive. What seems to appeal the most? What kinds of things provoke strong negative criticism etc? Look at the Writers and Artists’ Yearbook website too  (http://www.writersandartists.co.uk)  The best research of all is to look at other published authors – the successful ones who most closely match your own style/approach and type of book – and work out what it is that makes their books winners. Look at the how they have structured their work, how they’ve used plot devices, how they have thought through their characterisation.

6. What's your all time favourite book and why?

The Hobbit.  I love everything by Tolkien and I always re-read The Hobbit every year.  For me, it’s the perfect adventure story and it’s a credit to Tolkien’s skill that the book isn’t even that long.
Everything is described so well without the need for a 1,000 pages and every page is exciting to read.  I also love The Silmarillion and I cannot wait for the The Hobbit films to come out!

7. What are you working on next?

I’m currently writing another set of Super Spud adventures.  The first book was a trilogy in the sense it revolved around three adventures: Colin, Cougar and King Martin, but I never intended for the story to end as it did.  I was told by my editor to shorten the story, so I took out the last three chapters - the ending was still the same, though, with G-Boa on the run - and the story set up to be concluded. Truthfully, when it came to publishing the book, I didn’t know what to call it: The Super Spuds, The Super Spud Adventures, The Chronicles of the Super Spuds…The Super Spud Trilogy was a neat title and flowed off the tongue better – I didn’t mean to deceive anybody.

So yes, there will be another adventure (book four) that I’m writing now, bringing back characters who didn’t die (and some you thought did) and introducing some new flavour personalities.  I’m learning from the feedback from the first novel, what people liked and what they didn’t.  The book will still have the same wacky humour, but will revolve around the same core four characters and their adventures i.e. there isn’t going to be too many characters this time and a multitude
of separate plots, so the reader should feel more connection with the story and main characters.  This story is more conventional and is one big adventure where everything leads up to a final confrontation between good and evil.  It sees the Super Spuds travel to China, America, sailing the Atlantic and fighting pirates and zombies. After that, I have some short stories and a few more ideas for novels.


8. Which writer, if any, would you compare yourself to?

I honestly couldn’t say, I don’t think I’m worthy to be compared to any successful writers at the moment.  I read a lot of Bret Easton Ellis and I’m inspired by his style of writing and unconventionality.

9. What's your favourite book to film adaption?

My favourite book to film adaptation is American Psycho.  The book is a very long and can be a difficult read, but I thought the film did it great justice and it’s a very funny film in places.  Christian Bale is one of my favourite actors and I think his performance in the film is
fantastic.  I know the content of the book/film is grizzly and serious in some parts, but it is a dark comedy and one of the few films I could watch over and over again and not get bored.

10. Lastly, and most importantly, what is your favourite flavour of crisps?

In the book, my favourite flavour is steak and spinach.  They are just heroes and willing to save anyone’s life for a medal.  In real life, I like salt and vinegar flavour Discos (boring, I know) and I really like the Walker’s Sensations roast chicken and thyme.

Thanks Laura for reviewing my book and doing this interview!

The Super Spud Trilogy by Michael Diack.



{ Review } 

This has to be one of the strangest books I've ever read. I'm not really a big fan of comedy in books. I love it when books I'm reading have funny elements, but for some reason, books that are only categorised under 'comedy' do not appeal to me. However, I decided to read The Super Spud Trilogy anyway because I was so intrigued by the book description and I thought my love of potatoes would carry me through it.

I experienced many laugh-out-loud moments whilst reading this. The spuds go off and have so many adventures in the strangest places and the story is just continuous action and humour. I must commend the author for his brilliant imagination because he has created such a strange and unique world that no one else could've possibly thought of.

This book is completely bizarre and you never know what's coming next which keeps you turning pages like crazy. This is a really well written book that's easy to read. It's the sort of book that you could easily flip through in one sitting, but it's also the type of book that you can put down for a while and then pick up again right where you left off.

There's not much point in getting attached to characters in this book because most of them aren't around for very long. It can be a little tiring trying to keep up with who's who and what they're doing because there are just so many different flavours of crisps and characters to keep track of, but I suppose that's all part of the fun.

Whilst this book may seem like a bundle of laughs, not all of the plot strands are happy and frivolous. They are some pretty shocking and heartbreaking ends to some of the spuds and underlying the story of potatoes galavanting across the globe there is also the tale of love and friendship which is a nice touch.

This book is, without a doubt, one of a kind. I've never seen or heard of a book like this before so if you're looking for a funny and refreshing read then this is the book for you. The story may sound like the strangest thing ever, but that's because it is - in a good way. I'd recommend this to anyone who's up for a good, hard laugh.

Many thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy!

Waiting on Wednesday #13. 

The Black Sheep by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout. 

Title: The Black Sheep
Author: Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Allison and Busby
Publication Date: 27th August 2012
Goodreads Summary: Fed up with her parents and all their ridiculous rules (they keep a binder full of them), fifteen-year-old Kendra Bishop writes away to The Black Sheep, a reality TV show that offers the chance to swap families with another teen. But when the camera crew shows up at her Manhattan apartment, Kendra starts to have second thoughts. Too late. Kendra's whisked away to Monterey, California, to live with the Mulligans. The carefree household that couldn't be more different that her own--complete with hippy parents, their five kids, and a pet ferret. And falling for Mitch, the Mulligan's seventeen-year-old son, only complicates things further, especially since Mitch despises the TV show and everything it stands for. But given the chance, Kendra might just be able to juggle first love, her new stardom, and a pushy TV producer who will stop at nothing for higher ratings.
In this hilarious and touching YA novel, Kendra learns to live under a new roof, but finds true refuge in the unlikeliest of places--her own family.

{ Review } 

Firstly, apologies for going MIA for the past week. I've been on a Duke of Edinburgh expedition to Snowdonia which was less than pleasant to say the least. Now that I'm back I've got lots of film, television and book reviews coming up so stay tuned! :)
                                                                                                  ~~~
I was immediately interested in The Black Sheep because it sounded like a funny version of Wife Swap for teenagers. Reality TV is becoming huge all over the globe and whilst I've scorned these programmes for years, I can no longer deny the fact that they are incredibly entertaining. What I loved about The Black Sheep was the fact that the protagonist, Kendra Bishop, was unwittingly thrust into the world of reality TV and wasn't an annoying, fame hungry teenager. The main character is really likeable and you can't help but feel sympathy for her as you follow her adventures in California

The Black Sheep portrays reality TV in the worst possible light with probing cameras everywhere and staged plot lines to increase ratings. Instead of showing the 'glamorous' side to reality TV, this book shows the intimidating and intrusion side to it that will hopefully dissuade teenagers who read this from believing everything that they see on their television screens. This book shows the reality of reality TV, if that makes any sense at all. It's definitely not a wishy-washy teen read that makes celebrity status look flashy and the characters are actually people worth reading about. You can really relate to Kendra as she struggles to come to terms with this huge change in life and I love that she's really down to earth. Despite the fact that everything she wrote in her application letter for 'The Black Sheep' was technically true, she is still fully aware that her family situation is no way near as bad as it is for some other children and she isn't changed by the fame or the cameras. Actually, scrap that, she is changed by the cameras - but in a good way. Kendra's character really develops as the novel progresses and she is a really admirable protagonist. The book is written from Kendra's point of view so you read her every thought which makes it all the more interesting.

I do wish that the relationship between Mitch and Kendra had been a bit more developed as I was really looking forward to that part of the story but it didn't really deliver in my opinion. Thankfully, there was lots of other interesting things going on so I didn't particularly mind, but don't expect this to be a full on teen romance or anything.

This book is a great read for any teenage girl, though I think that 'younger' teenagers would find this book more enjoyable. The plot line is interesting and funny; as you can imagine a New Yorker adapting to a hippie lifestyle is a big adjustment to say the least. I wouldn't say that this book is predictable because there were some pretty surprising turns of events along the way that prevent you from seeing too far ahead. Most teenagers will be able to relate to Kendra's parental issues as just about every child goes through the phase of hating all the decisions that their parents make for them. This book is a really quick and enjoyable read that I highly recommend for teenagers to end their summer reading with.


Many thanks to Allison and Busby for providing me with a review copy!

Waiting on Wednesday #12. 

Showcase Sunday #12.

Initiation (Bonfire Academy #1) by Imogen Rose.

Title: Initiation (Bonfire Academy #1)
Author: Imogen Rose
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Goodreads Summary: Welcome to Bonfire Academy. Set in the foothills of the alpine mountains in St.Moritz, this exclusive private school caters to a special kind of student. Enter at your own risk... but if you are human, you may not want to enter at all.

{ Review }

Firstly, I absolutely love the cover. The piercing red eye is just so gorgeous and I can't seem to draw my eyes away from it!

I was completely hooked from the moment I read the very first page of Initiation. This is such a compelling and interesting read that it was simply impossible to put down once I'd started.

I loved how this was a really easy book to read. The words simply flowed off the page and it required very little effort to read this book. It's the sort of book that you fly through in a few hours without even realising that any time has passed at all. Some parts of the story weren't properly developed and I thought they were a little rushed but for the most part, this was a well structured and well written book with a really interesting plot line.

I was quite surprised by the story line for some reason. For starters, there are many more paranormal creatures than I imagined with faeries, shifters, demons, vampires, wanderers and witches. Some things that the characters do are completely unpredictable and surprising which I both like and dislike. I suppose this was because we don't really know the characters all that well yet and the academy's second golden rule: 'Trust no one', doesn't help when you're trying to figure out what everyone's up to. The action started pretty much from the beginning and continued all the way through. Some pretty gruesome things happened along the way which I was not expecting at all, but I like it when a book surprises me.

The chemistry between the characters is great and that really helped to cement this story. The majority of the characters are new to each other so they all had a certain air of mystery about them as we don't have any prior knowledge of any of them. My favourite character was Jagger because he just sounds so sexy. He has a really commanding presence and I love the way he is written in the novel. I find the character of Faustine a little annoying because I found Cordelia's love life far more interesting than Faustine's initiation, but that's probably just me.

One problem for me was that I liked too many of the characters. There was a sort of love square going on between Cordelia, Jagger, Quinn and Jewel and because I liked all of these characters I couldn't decide which team I was on. Another thing that bothered me was that because I liked all of these characters, it didn't really seem wrong to me that two of the characters were cheating on their girlfriend/boyfriend, when of course it was. 

All in all, Initiation is a great paranormal book with lots of excitement and drama and I'd highly recommend it for fans of young adult paranormal romances! :)


{ Author Bio }

Imogen Rose is the author of the bestselling series, Portal Chronicles, which has attained cult status within indie literature and become a favorite among teens and adults alike. An immunologist by profession, Dr. Rose published her first work of fiction in 2010. She now writes full time and is currently working on her second teen series, the Bonfire Chronicles. Imogen was born in Sweden and has lived in several places, counting London among her favorites. She moved to New Jersey in 2001. A self-confessed Hermès addict, Imogen freely admits to being obsessed with Kurt Cobain. She enjoys shopping, traveling, watching movies, and hanging out with her family, friends, and Chihuahua.

{ Author Interview: Imogen Rose }

A quick interview with Imogen Rose, the author of the Bonfire Academy books Initiation and Integration as part of her book tour!

1. When did you decide that you wanted to become a writer?
I never aspired to be a writer; in fact, writing was not my favorite subject in school. However, I’ve always loved making up stories for my kids, and my first novel, Portal, was a result of my younger daughter asking me to write down a story I began telling her. Once I finished writing that first book, I strongly felt the need to find out what happened next, and that’s when I decided to “become a writer.”

2. Which writer, if any, would you compare yourself to?
I feel every author has his or her own individual style. I’ve tried to cultivate my own.

3. If you couldn't be a writer, what would you be?
I am an immunologist by profession, so if this doesn’t work out, I can always don my white lab coat again. Research (without the unfortunate politics of the medical world) was a wonderful way to apply creativity to solving problems while enabling me to help people.

4. What's your all-time favourite book and why?
1984, by George Orwell, is a book that took me to place I could not have conjured up my own imagination and kept me there, spellbound, for the entire time I read it.

5. Do you have any advice for budding young writers?
Let your imagination flow, unhindered by external influences.

6. What inspired you to write Integration?
Integration is the prequel (the second) inspired by my book Faustine. After Fasutine’s publication, questions about her early life and her sudden closeness to Ryker spurred me on to investigate her days at the Bonfire Academy, and I began to write the Bonfire Academy series which follows Faustine’s days at the Academy through the eyes of an older student, Cordelia.

7. What's your favourite film adaption of a book?
I loved Catherine Hardwick’s adaptation of Twilight.

8. Which character from a book, if any, would you most like to trade lives with?
Olivia (from the Portal Chronicles) 

9. What are you working on next?
I am working on the fifth book of the Portal Chronicles—Fusion.

10. And lastly, if you could be any sort of paranormal creature, which would you choose?
A Wanderer!

Waiting on Wednesday #11. 

Blood of Anteros by Georgia Cates.

Title: Blood of Anteros (The Vampire Agápe #1)
Author: Georgia Cates
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publication Date: 21st September 2011
Description: Cruel circumstances turned Curry Brennan into the wretched monster he hates and refuses to accept, but when an expected turn of events releases him from the bond of his obsessive maker, he returns to the home he knew 161 years earlier and finds the return of happiness and joy in something he didn’t know existed. Puzzled by his growing attraction to Chansey Leclaire, a human, he is unable to resist the captivating relationship that threatens to reveal his existence as a vampire. He eventually discovers the reason he was destined to find what he didn’t know he searched for and is faced with the cruel realization that the living and the immortal undead will always be separated by one thing. Eternity.

Be sure to check out the book trailer for Blood of Anteros on my Goodreads profile page or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LbJpi...

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Showcase Sunday #11.

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong.


Title: The Gathering (Darkness Rising #1)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Publication Date: 12th April 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Goodreads Summary: Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island.

Until now.

Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet.

In The Gathering , New York Times best-selling author Kelley Armstrong brings all the supernatural thrills from her wildly successful Darkest Powers series to Darkness Rising, her scorching hot new trilogy.

{ Review }

I noticed this book on display in the library and I picked it up seeing that it was a new book published earlier this year. (I started this review in 2011! It's taken me this long to get back round to it)

This book was really slow to get started but once it was got going I was sucked into the story. This is the first in a trilogy so I guess it can be excused from this slow start as there was a lot of story setting and character introducing to be done. To be honest, not a lot actually happens in this novel, at least, not until the closing passages and this was really frustrating. I'd say that the slow start coupled with the really exciting ending combined to make this an average book that wasn't that brilliant. However, as the story has now been set up and it's clear from the ending of the novel that the author is capable of some really good writing, I'm hoping that the next to instalments in this trilogy will be jam-packed full of pure awesomeness.

When I read young adult books, it is rare that I like both the best friend and the boyfriend, but surprisingly I loved them both in this novel. Daniel, Maya's best friend, is such a kind and caring character and maybe the reason I like him so much is because he does what he's supposed to do. He's the best friend. He doesn't want to be anything more than the best friend and I'm glad that the author didn't fall in line with many other young adult romances. Rafe on the other hand, is dark and mysterious. He's clearly hiding something and you're just desperate to find out what it is. Even Rafe doesn't conform to the young adult stereotypes as he's actually got a whole new persona that's  just waiting to be unveiled as soon as he learns to trust someone. Rafe's character is hot. Like super hot. You can't help but falling in love with him and rooting for him and Maya.

I felt that some parts of the plot were very unoriginal, especially the whole mysterious new guy in town - what's he hiding? sort of thing. However, the supernatural beings were different from any other kind I've ever come across, in some ways at least. Actually they have beings very similar to these in the TV series True Blood, but seeing as this was being written at the same time True Blood was being filmed it's highly improbable that either one of the plots was copied. The book description really doesn't give much away so I don't want to spoil the plot for anyone by telling you what sort of paranormal creatures are featured, but I will tell you that they're not vampire and they're not werewolves (was that a hurrah I heard?). You don't really find out what secrets are hiding right until the very end so I really would be giving away the whole story if I told you anything.
This story ended on a brilliant cliff hanger and I absolutely cannot wait to read the next instalment, which, incidently has already been released since it took me so long to write this review! This story was good, but far too much time was spent on the build up and not enough on the action. The series itself; however, has the potential to be really great so I'm hoping that now all the boring set-up is over the story can really get going!

(I feel an essay coming on)

I'll be honest, I only went to see The Dark Knight rises because my friend dragged me along and I just wanted to hang out. I knew that The Dark Knight rises was seen to be one of the most anticipated films of the year and everyone who had seen it before me was ranting and raving about it and comparing it to The Avengers (which I, shamefully, have not seen yet), but for some reason, I just couldn't get excited about this film. I watched The Dark Knight when it first came out and everyone said that it was absolutely phenomenal and I'm not doubting that Heath Ledger's performance was exemplary, but I just really didn't like the film itself. I watched about two hours of it and then I got too bored to carry on so I never finished it. Not too long later, I re-attempted to watch the film, but again, I never made it to the credits and after that, I just gave up on Batman altogether. I can't explain why I felt this way, perhaps it was my underlying loyalty to Spiderman that stopped me from liking Batman at all, I don't know, but the point is, I hated Batman. 

So as you can see, I went into the cinema with a less than favourable attitude towards Batman, and having almost zero knowledge about the rest of the trilogy because I'd watched them so long ago and hadn't really paid very much attention at all, but I came out speechless, I had been completely won over and I just didn't know what to do with myself.


Now, I have never, ever give a film a five star rating, in fact, I don't give ratings period because I can't possibly translate everything that I want to say into a few stars. Anyways, back to my point, I've never given a film a five star rating, but here I am, giving one now. The Dark Knight Rises is an absolutely phenomenal film and I really don't think I'll do it any justice with this review. The reason I'm giving The Dark Knight Rises five out of five stars is because prior to watching the film I hated Batman. I hated the Dark Knight Trilogy, I hated Christian Bale, I hated everything to do with Batman, but when I came out of the cinema, I was completely smittten. I knew right then, that a new obsession had been born and that I would be all BatmanBatmanBatman for a long time yet. I don't think my views on a film or series have ever undergone that rapid a transformation from hate to obsession within the space of two and a half hours, and that is why I am awarding The Dark Knight Rises with my first five star rating.

The Dark Knight Rises is set eight years after the events that took place in The Dark Knight and there is peace in Gotham. The criminals are safely locked up in Gotham prison, all 'thanks' to Harvey Dent, and violence and organised crime have basically been eradicated from Gotham city. Bruce Wayne has shut himself up at Wayne Manor and is now a ghost of his former self. He no longer comes out in public and has become a total recluse. Wayne Enterprise is nearly bankrupt after Bruce's investment in a clean energy project which he promptly shut down once he realised that the  fusion power could be harnessed into a nuclear weapon. Of course, this peace was just too good to be true and it's not long before Bane arrives on the scene, attacking the stock exchange, bankrupting Bruce and forcing him to relinquish control of Wayne Enterprises. That's just the beginning of Wayne's problems.


I was really worried that I wouldn't be able to understand what was going on in The Dark Knight Rises having no knowledge of the previous films. Being the last film in the trilogy, I was fully expecting The Dark Knight Rises to be tying up any lose ends and revisiting past dramas that I wouldn't really understand, but I was surprised to find that I actually grasped and understood everything that was going on. There were, of course, references to past characters and past events but not in such a way that not knowing the details about them dampened your experience of this film in any way at all.

The plot was absolutely fantastic and there was so much drama packed into a mere 165 minutes of film. Ordinarily, I get slightly bored, at least at some point, whilst watching movies of this length (with the exception of Lord of the Rings), but I was completely absorbed for the entirety of this film so hats off to Christopher Nolan and David Goyer. I don't think anyone in that cinema screening could've predicted the events of this film, I know that I certainly couldn't have. At certain points during the film, I thought that I had an inkling about what was going to happen next, but then  something else would happen completely out of the blue to blast away any predictions that I had. Towards the end there were more and more twists and turns and even a moment where the entire audience gasped in unison and then sat in shocked silence for several moments. Some of these twists and turns were references to things that I was completely clueless about and yet, somehow, they still made sense to me, a Batman noob.


The graphics in this film and mind numbing-ly awesome. I fully expected this film to be full of CGI and impressive scenes but these shots were seriously out-of-this-world awesome. Usually the graphics and CGI effects are something that I take particular notice of, but I actually wasn't paying that much attention to them in this film. This is not to say that they were bad, because, as I said, they were incredible and better than most other films I've seen, it's just that there were so many others things to concentrate on, like the brilliant plot and acting, that the graphics were pushed to the back of my mind. I suppose that's a good thing - when the film has so many awesome things about it you're not really sure which bit you should be more absorbed by. The best bit of CGI was undoubtedly Bane's appearance because I honestly had no idea that it was Tom Hardy, even though I already knew that it was Tom Hardy (if that makes any sense at all).

This film was absolutely brilliantly cast with a whole host of very famous and very talented actors. I hadn't done much research into the film beforehand so I was pleasantly surprised to see so many familiar faces. The most prominent actors were: Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Joseph Gordan-Levitt, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Marion Cotillard.

As previously mentioned, I hated Christian Bale prior to watching this movie. I didn't think he was fit, I thought his normal voice was annoying, I thought his Batman voice was annoying and I didn't that he was that great an actor. Now, I am one of his biggest fans. Christian Bale did a phenomenal job in this film playing so many different personalities as both Batman and Bruce Wayne went through so many 'phases' throughout the movie. He proved that he can literally play any role be it kind, caring, romantic, generous, strong or hard, steely, forceful, mean, relentless or pathetic, beaten and subdued. He basically plays two characters in this film so he should be given double the credit that he is due.

One of the only things I was looking forward to in this film was Anne Hathaway's portrayal of Catwoman and she most certainly did not disappoint. She, like Christian Bale, was also playing two characters in this film and she showed that she too could play many different personalities, all of which were convincing. She managed to be innocent, conniving, deceitful, playful, sexy, treacherous and more in a very short space of time. Although she's a very good actress, she hasn't been brilliant in all of her roles, only some, but I'm so glad that she gave such a great performance in this film because it really made it just that much better.

My one, and only, criticism of this film is Bane's voice. If you've read any other reviews of this film then you've probably already heard about this, but seriously, I had no idea what the heck was he saying for the entirety of the film. During all the high speed chases and action packed fight scenes I could hear people intently  munching on their popcorn, absorbed in the drama, but every time Bane came on screen there was silence. Pure silence as everyone strained their ears desperate not to miss a word. His voice was incredibly low, raspy and indistinct and whilst it added to the general tense and frightening atmosphere of the film, I'm sure it would've been even more frightening and tense if I could understand the evil stuff coming out of his masked mouth.

Speaking of Bane, I am still abso-f***ing-lutely mind blown at the fact that Bane was played by Tom Hardy.

I also just thought I'd mention that with Christian Bale as Batman, Andrew Garfield as Spider-man and Henry Cavill as Superman, the British are rocking the Superhero world!

Glitch by Heather Anastasiu.

Title: Glitch
Author: Heather Anastasiu
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Dystopia, Romance
Publication Date: August 7, 2012
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Goodreads Summary: In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.

When Zoe starts to malfunction (or “glitch”), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.

As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse.

In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy.

{ Review }

I was really excited when I got an email inviting me to participate in the Glitch book tour. Ever since I added Glitch to my Waiting on Wednesday list I've been desperate to read it. It sounded like it was going to be something along the lines of The Host by Stephanie Meyer and I hadn't read a book like that in a long while so I thought I'd give Glitch a go.

My favourite character is undoubtedly Adrien. For starters, his description almost exactly matches that of someone I was once saw across the room and I decided to call him 'Adrian' in my mind (hey, maths lectures are boring, staring at hot boys across the room is far more interesting) so I felt like it was fate. Silly, I know. Adrien is amazingly caring and the description of his green/blue eyes makes him sound divine. The one thing that really annoyed me about Adrien is the way that he talks. Some of the language he uses is just weird but I suppose it gives him more personality.

The other male interest, Max, is just incredibly annoying in my opinion. Apart from the fact that he keeps getting in the way of Adrien and Zoe, the thing at the forefront of his mind seems to be sex - and he doesn't even really know what it is! I think his character is a bit obsessed with Zoe, rather than actually caring for her.

I have very mixed feelings about the character Zoe. The book is written from the first person perspective so you see everything through her eyes and sometimes I couldn't help but think - How can you be so dumb? For the most part she is a great protagonist and I like that she stands up for herself. For someone who's suddenly been thrown into the middle of a resistance against a global operation she handles things quite well and remains headstrong. Reading exactly how Zoe feels made everything all the more interesting because I thought it let the reader in on what she was thinking about Adrien and Max which I really liked. She doesn't always express what she's feeling but I still felt a tingle of anticipation when reading her thoughts.

I thought that the relationships between Zoe and Adrien and Zoe and Max were a little rushed because both boys seemed to develop really strong feelings for Zoe very quickly. I loved Zoe and Adrien's relationship in the first half of the book, but I think it could've been even better if it had just slowed down and tad.

The plot is so fast paced and action packed I couldn't stop reading. Between the confusing teen romances, the rise of the resistance and the need for secrecy, there's never a dull moment in Glitch.  I was hooked from the very first time I saw the cover, which is stunning, and I was even more drawn in when I started to read it. I found some parts of the plot really confusing just because I never really understood how you could be 'linked' to the system and still have your own thoughts at the same time. I suppose you could think of them as really advanced human robots, but I was just a bit baffled by the mix of links and glitches.

This is a brilliant young adult novel that had me flipping pages like crazy until the end and I'd highly recommend it for fans of dystopia or sci-fi with a bit of romance thrown into the mix. I like to think of this as The Hunger Games mixed with The Host, though still completely unique of course. Glitch has the power to become a brilliantly popular teen trilogy and I absolutely cannot wait for the next two books!

{ Author Bio }


Heather Anastasiu is the author of the young adult sci-fi novel,GLITCH (St. Martin's Press/Spring 2012). She recently moved to Minneapolis with her family, and when she’s not busy getting lost exploring the new city, she spends most days writing at a café.

Random Facts About Me:
• I played the piccolo in my high school marching band.
• I paint a little, but for some reason, only in winter.
• So, the last name, I know it looks like Anastasia, but it has a U on the end: Anastasiu (rhymes with 'so-nice-to-see-you'). It's Romanian in origin.
• I like body art. Well, I like art of all kinds, but especially body art, i.e. tattoos, because it's the art you get to take with you. I figure, there's so much about the body we're given we don't have control over (hips, nose, forehead, chin, height, foot size, health), so much that we get no choice in, but hair color and ink designs? Hello world, this is me and the kinds of things I find beautiful!
• I was in a wheelchair for a year during college because of health problems. Being wheel-bound and knee-high for a year certainly changed my perspective on life (pun intended).
• Yes, I am a fan of cheesy puns.
• My favorite book is East of Eden because it blew open my world when I first read it at age 20.
• I also unabashedly love Twilight. I even wrote a chapter in a forthcoming book of academic essays about how Twilight, for all its shortcomings, can also have positive implications for readers in that it provides a platform for public participation in a communal female myth. It's compulsively readable and is all about engaging our fantasy lives and letting us participate in vicarious wish fullfillment.
• I like pink and black together, but not apart.


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