Notes of Life

Author: James Treadwell
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN: 978-1-444-72846-0

In 1537 the last and greatest magician in the world loses his life and a priceless ring in a shipwreck. The ring is bound in magic, magic that in present day has long been lived without.

Now, Gavin sits on a train to Cornwall escaping his life back in London, escaping his parents. Nobody understands him, maybe except for the mysterious Miss Grey. Though talking about her only upsets everyone else… they don’t think she exists. His aunt Gwen in Cornwall might just be his last chance. She’s different and maybe she’ll understand.

But when he reaches the train station Gwen is not here to meet him. She’s nowhere to be found. Gavin finds himself among strangers, though he finds they’re not unlike himself.

The old magic is coming back and Gavin finds himself in the middle of an ancient conflict, one that will show him his gift and the truth he never knew.

The story starts on a December night in 1537 the magus, before we’re taken to the present day and Gavin’s story. The chapters bat back and forth between the two times, all the while the two threads weave with each other to give us the whole story of this, the first book of the Advent trilogy. Despite jumping back and forth between the stories of the magus and of Gavin, the story flowed well and I had no problem in following it.

Aimed at adults, though suitable for the later teens, I found the story imaginative and captivating. Through James Treadwell’s words I found I could imagine the scenes with ease. Treadwell is skilled storyteller, I have no doubt. With the atmosphere and tension, it felt like I was there. In fact, the story even crept into my dreams one night. It’s that good!

My one and only problem with the book was the final chapter. it seemed somewhat disjointed from the rest of the story. This book’s story was really wrapped up midway through the last chapter and it seemed to me that the second half of the chapter possibly only serves as a jump to the next book.

Tense, dark, full of mystery, magical, even terrifying at times… Advent is all of these things. It holds the reader’s attention with the need to read on to find out just what might happen next. Treadwell even makes the unbelievable seem believable!

Despite that slight issue with the final chapter (I certainly wouldn’t let it put you off the book), I thoroughly enjoyed Advent and look forward to what the next installment of the trilogy brings.

Advent is published by Hodder on 2nd February 2012. Buy your copy now!

This is the 4th book I’ve read for the British Books Challenge 2012.

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Please note: I received this book free from Hodder & Stoughton in return for a review. However, this has in no way influenced my opinion of the book.

Author: Lauren Kate
Publisher: Doubleday
ISBN: 978-0-857-53164-3

Are you a Lauren Kate fan awaiting the final book in the Fallen series? If so, you’re in for a treat!

On 2nd February Doubleday release Fallen In Love in the UK, a book featuring four new love stories featuring the Fallen characters. Just perfect for this upcoming Valentine’s Day.

Everyone has their own love story and Fallen In Love gives us The Valentine of Shelby and Miles, The Valentine of Roland, The Valentine of Arriane and, finally, The Valentine of Daniel and Lucinda. The four love stories intertwine during a romantic Valentine’s Day in Medieval England to make, essentially, one story.

Fallen In Love is basically book 3.5 of the Fallen series. It happens during the same time-frame  as Passion (book 3), starting when Shelby and Miles land in Medieval England having arrived via an Announcer. Each of the stories is told from a different perspective and so we get to know some of the characters a bit better than we did in the novels of the series.

While Fallen In Love gives us more understanding and insight into the Fallen characters, I wouldn’t say it’s a necessary addition to the series, but it is a welcome one. I think it’s more of a bonus book and one I’m very grateful for! In fact, when I met Lauren Kate at the Passion book launch last year I’d asked her if she’d ever considered writing a book of short stories to go along side the series. Lauren had said that it was a good idea. It turned out that she was being cagey, for the very next day the publishers announced that Fallen In Love would be released this February!

At the end of Fallen In Love, fans are also treated to an exclusive first look at Rapture, the final Fallen book, due for release this summer. I was lucky enough to hear the lovely Lauren Kate read from this at the Passion book launch last year.

Fallen In Love is a must for any Lauren Kate fan!

P.S. – There is also a FALLEN BOOKS app to bring the cover to life, but I can’t yet find it on the Android Marketplace, only on the App Store for iPhones and iPads.

You can read my reviews of the books from the Fallen series via the links below:
1. Fallen
2. Torment
3. Passion

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Please note: I received this book free from Random House in return for a review. However, this has in no way influenced my opinion of the book.

Author: Matt Haig
Publisher: The Bodley Head
ISBN: 978-0-370-33206-2

When To Be A Cat arrived from the publishers I knew it would be one I’d enjoy. I love cats and always thought they had pretty easy lives… You know, sleeping all day, curling up in front of roasting fire, being waited on by their human slaves and plenty of loving. But how wrong was I?!

How wrong was Barney?

Twelve year old Barney Willow has had enough. His parents have divorced and his Dad has gone missing. He’s weedy and has ears that stick out. He’s being bullied by the horrible Gavin Needle and has the headteacher from hell. Mrs Whipmire seems to be determined to make Barney’s life a complete misery.

To be a cat would be so much easier, wouldn’t it? Only when Barney wakes up and discovers he’s turned into a cat, life is about to get a whole lot worse!

I thoroughly enjoyed To Be A Cat. It’s exciting and imaginative read for kids around ages 10-13 years old.. To Be A Cat has a nice blend of thrill and humour, and it certainly makes you think of cats in a whole new light! (I shall be keeping a closer eye on my two from now on!).

I love the way the author, Matt Haig, talks the reader through the book. A real storyteller! Despite some of the serious issues in the book, Matt Haig still manages to make it a fun and light-hearted read. This book is magical… Children’s minds are far more imaginative than those of adults, yet there are a few wonderful authors, such as Matt, who can still tap into their magical child-like imagination.

I loved the different characters of the animals, especially of Guster, Barney’s King Charles Spaniel. Guster has quite a personality, thinking of himself as quite regal, talking of his noble breed and of his ancestors who lived in the royal court of King Charles the Second. Guster seems to have clean forgotten that he came from the rescue centre!

Most children will be able to relate to Barney Willow, especially those who have been picked on or bullied at some point or other and I’m sure all of us, at some point during our lives, can say we’ve wished to be someone  or somewhere else. To Be A Cat is a lesson telling us that it isn’t always greener on the other side.

I’d definitely recommend To Be A Cat to young readers and even cat-loving older readers!

P.S. – Be careful what you wish for!

To Be A Cat is due for release in the UK on 2nd February 2011. Pre-order your copy now!

This is the 2nd book I’ve read for the British Books Challenge 2012.

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Please note: I received this book free from Random House in return for a review. However, this has in no way influenced my opinion of the book.

Author: Charlie Price
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 978-0-552-56336-9

In the scorching heat of the open desert, Angel is on her own and on the run. On the run from her mother’s latest boyfriend, the abusive, violent and ruthless Scotty. He’s killed her mother, leaving her body in a shallow desert grave. Now he’s after Angel and he’s not going to stop until he finds her.

There’s barely anywhere to hide in the desert, but Angel must hide if she has any chance of getting away from Scotty. He’s waiting… Watching… And he will hunt her down.

Desert Angel takes the reader straight to the action and onto a gripping cat and mouse journey through the desert, not knowing what will happen next. With it’s twists and turns, Desert Angel certainly has the reader sat on the edge of the seat.

Angel is a teenage girl at her wits end. She’s been through what no girl should ever go through and she has nothing to lose except her life. She’s fragile, both physically and mentally, but she’s not going down without a fight.

It’s not just about Angel’s fight to get away from the murderous Scotty. This is also a powerful story about humanity, about people and compassion and courage.

Considering Desert Angel is a young adult thriller, it’s pretty tense and scary. Even with the main character Angel as a teenager, I’d certainly recommend giving this a read no matter how old you are. It might be a short read at less than 250 pages, but it certainly packs a punch. It’s a quick read that just doesn’t let up, with it’s fast and thrilling pace.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Desert Angel and would recommend it to anyone who is after an exciting but tense read!

Desert Angel is released in the UK on 2nd February 2012. Pre-order your copy now!

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Please note: I received this book free from Random House in return for a review. However, this has in no way influenced my opinion of the book.

Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 978-0857072276

Before I get started, Silence is the 3rd book in a series by Becca Fitzpatrick, and it pretty much picks up where the previous book left off. The first two books of the series are Hush, Hush and Crescendo.

Nora awakes in a graveyard. It’s cold and dark, and she hasn’t a clue what she’s doing there or how she got there. In fact, it turns out she can’t remember the last 5 months. Summer has been and gone, just like her memory.

This sets Nora on a mission to find out exactly what happened to her while she was missing and who kidnapped her, then she can plot revenge!

Of course, fallen angel Patch never seems to be far away…….

As it had been quite some time since I read the previous book in the series, I found myself with my own memory lapse… I couldn’t quite remember what had happened in Crescendo! Thankfully though, just like Nora’s memory, mine started to come back as I read on and it didn’t have an impact on my enjoyment of the book.

Sometimes a series can start lacking by the third book, but this isn’t the case with Silence and the Hush, Hush series. I thoroughly enjoyed it and there’s another book to come yet. I’ve now begun to feel like I really know the characters. Nora is certainly starting to grow up. Of course, we’re also treated to the appearance of past characters such as Vee, The Black Hand and Scott.

Silence is full of twists and turns, along with tension, action, romance and a little humour. The ending leads us nicely to the fourth book of the series, which I believe will be the final book. (I think this was originally only going to be a trilogy) and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

If you’ve not yet read Hush, Hush or Crescendo, then I would definitely recommend you read this series in order. I don’t think Silence is a book you can jump into without having already read the previous two books.

A must for YA, fallen angel fans.

Buy Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick.