Sticky Beak (52)

Sticky Beak is all about sharing. Sometimes we can't all get around to every single blog and website available so that's where Sticky Beak comes in. By word of mouth (well you get what I mean) we are more likely to get to those blogs that we wouldn't have normally seen without someone pointing them out to us.
The links could be to your own post, a favourite blog post you would love to share, an authors blog/website, book/writing contests, reviews you really enjoyed, tour info or anything you would love to share with others. Just use the comments below to add your link!

Here's Mine:

Cool Stuff to Check Out:
Figment: Go read Lynsey Newton's (Narratively Speaking) story and vote if you like.  I really enjoyed it and am itching to find out where this is going!!
Notify Me: Keep track of stuff on the web.
Between Fact and Fiction: Cool post about writing tools.
Illona Andrews: On Ebooks, Realistic Expectations

For Writers:
The Other Side of The Story
 - One, Two, Three, Notice me: The Rule of Three.
- Description 101: Is your description helping your story or holding?
- Noteworthy Links: The principles of line editing.
- It's a start: What not to worry about in the first draft.

That's all from me for now!

Enjoy!

A Girl Named Willow Krimble by Giuseppe Bianco

Title: A Girl Named Willow Krimble

Author: Giuseppe Bianco

Genre: Middle Grade/Young Adult

Stand alone or series: (Web Novel) book 1

Pages: 119 pages

Book Received from: Author

First Lines: Willow Krimble could not remember the last time she was so nervous

Synopsis:
Forced to maneuver through obstacles most teenagers would not need to tackle, Willow is suddenly blessed (or cursed?) with the unusual power to heal others through touch. Ever selfless, Willow’s desire to help the injured and sick thrusts her into a world where she is given immense responsibility, putting the needs of others before her own, all the while trying to maintain her secret.

Willow’s adolescent journey takes her through an emotional cyclone where she finds joy and purpose in helping an array of patients from an old man with Alzheimer’s to a mauled animal in a pet store. But Willow soon finds out there are limitations to her ability and, no matter how hard she might try, she cannot save everyone.

Through the intermingling of joy and pain, Willow is repeatedly tested to discover just how strong she can be, how strong she has been her entire life, and how everyone possesses the ability to effect another person’s world, with or without a secret power.

My Thoughts:

I'll be honest.  Before Giuseppe had contacted me, I'd never even heard of a web novel.  I really liked the idea that there was a whole book posted WITH illustrations on the Willow Krimble website for everyone to read.  He was kind enough to send me a review copy and I must say I absolutely loved the story.

A Girl Named Willow Krimble is the story about a girl called Willow (you guess it lol) who is given the gift of healing.  Not only does she have to tackle school, adolescence, and living with a prosthetic leg, she's also got to deal with the unusual ability to heal just by touch.  Who do you tell without sounding like you've lost your marbles?  When you're not even sure yet if it is even possible!

Within the first page I fell in love with Willow.  Chapter one she has to face almost getting into a fight with two popular girls, her sworn enemies, right in the middle of the school cafeteria. Thankfully for her feisty best friend Razzel, she steps up to the challenge but it is quickly squashed when a teacher finally intercepts.  Within that first chapter,  I see a girl who doesn't want any trouble, tries to stay out of the spotlight and is the type that, if someone barges past her she is the one to say sorry.  How could you not love a character like that.  As the story progresses, you can see the subtle changes in Willow and watching her finally stand up and be heard. 

Razzel, her best friend was another character I just loved reading about.  She is Willow's opposite.  Razzel's not afraid to make a commotion and be heard, and she sure stands up for herself and Willow when it's needed.  Sometimes even when it's not.  She's the kind of girl you'd want to back you up in potentially bad situations.  Razzel is loyal and would do anything, including sitting through Willow's choice of movies just to keep her friends mind off things. 

A Girl Named Willow Krimble is recommended reading.  A story about true friendship, helping others, and being proud of the person you are and the things you can achieve!

Waiting on Wednesday (56)

Waiting on Wednesday was brought to you by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!


I can't wait until The Blackhope Enigma by Teresa Flavin comes out.  The cover by itself is enough to want to buy this book.  This one will be released in 9th August 2011 so keep an eye out!
 

Synopsis
When Sunni Forrest’s stepbrother accidentally transports himself into a Renaissance painting, she and her friend Blaise set out to bring him back. They find themselves in a strange world of labyrinths, monsters and pirates.
Can they evade their greedy pursuers? And will they ever find their way home?

 


 
 
 
 
Of course, I can't just leave this week at one book.  The Predicteds by Christine Seifert is another one I can't wait to get my hands on.  And yes, the cover is absolutely gorgeous.  Due out 1st September 2011.
 

Synopsis
Daphne is the new girl in town and is having trouble fitting in. At least she has Jesse... sort of. He wants to be more than "just friends," but there's something he's not telling her about his past. Something dangerous.
When a female student is brutally attacked, police turn to PROFILE, a new program that can predict a student's capacity for drug use, pregnancy, and violent behavior, to solve the case. As the witch hunt ensues,
Daphne is forced to question her feelings for Jesse–and what she will do if her first love turns out to be a killer.

Unsavory Delicacies by Russell Brooks

Title: Unsavory Delicacies

Author: Russell Brooks

Publication Date:  22 April 2011

Stand alone or series: Stand Alone - Short story Trilogy

Pages: 30 pages

Book Received from: Author

Synopsis:
For fans of Barry Eisler and Robert Ludlum. A three-course story collection with a side-order of revenge.

Crème BrûléeRogue operative, Monique Beauvais, cons a software genius into selling her a coveted technology that would allow its user to control CIA drones while they’re in flight. And she will go as far as killing him in public in order to have it.

To the Last BiteA renowned food critic—whose scathing reviews have closed down restaurants—gets a savoury surprise.

Shashlyk and MorezhenoeCIA operative, Ridley Fox, leads a team against one of Russia’s most powerful crime families. He discovers secrets, but not one that he was expecting to find.Three stories with three consequences. All containing three Unsavory Delicacies.

***Caution*** Readers are strongly advised NOT to eat while reading To The Last Bite.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed reading Pandora's Succession so when I started reading this one I was happy to see one favourite character pop up in two of the three stories.  While these stories are very short, Russell somehow manages to jampack a fair bit of suspense into each and it left me wanting more.

I also have to admit that To The Last Bite definitely had me gagging a bit at the ending, but I enjoyed it none the less.

If you've never read anything by Russell Brooks I recommend reading this one first... It's a great appetizer :)

You can get a hold of Unsavory Delicacies by using the links below

Amazon

Amazon UK

Smashwords

B&N

XinXii

In My Mailbox (58) AND News

In My Mailbox is a weekly post created by The Story Siren.

Bought:

Bomber by Tony 'Bomber' Bower-Miles and Mark Whittaker

I must admit that I'm not usually one for war stories at all but considering this is about soldiers in the Vietnam war and my dad served there, I was curious about it.

Onto some Awesome News....
 

So.. I've been lucky enough to be asked to attend a breakfast in Brisbane with other Queensland bloggers to meet and have a chat with...

*Drum Roll* (lol)

Rachel Caine!!!

So far  I know of 2 book bloggers that are attending -  Lisa from Badass Bookie and Brittany from Nice Girls Read Books so you can imagine how stoked I am to finally meet some local book bloggers!!  Let me know if you are attending as well

So my big question is this (Since I'm kind of awestruck at meeting a famous Author)  What question would you ask Rachel Caine if you had the chance to meet her?

Hope you all have a good night!

Letters To Juliet

I just finished watching Letters To Juliet tonight and I must say, brilliant film!!  Thanks to Debra for mentioning this film to me, otherwise I don't think I would have seen it.  While I know this isn't bookish, the film does include Juliet's house and the wall where lovers and the heartbroken leave their letters/questions for Juliet.  The best thing is, they get a reply (from the Secretaries of Juliet) and from what I read on the net afterwards, they actually have volunteers who reply to the letters in real life too!!  Before Letters to Juliet I hadn't even heard of Juliet's wall, now I want to go to Verona (City of Love) to see it!

If you're after a Happily Ever After movie, you will enjoy this! (Just want to point out that Charlie is an Aussie!!)

Spellbound Noticeboard (8)

Welcome to Spellbound Noticeboard. Here is where Authors, Bloggers and others can send in anything that you'd like promoted. Competitions, book releases, blog events etc. This is your spot! So feel free to send me a line if you have anything book related (Including books made into movies) and I'll be sure to post these up! I'll also be including features etc that I come across to help spread the word for other Authors and bloggers! Just email me at melissa@spellboundbybooks.com 

****************************

Ann Aguirre, author of the Corine Solomon Series & the Sirantha Jax Series, releases her first -ever Young Adult dystopian novel, 'Enclave':

Synopsis

New York City has been decimated by war and plague, and most of civilization has migrated to underground enclaves, where life expectancy is no more than the early 20's. When Deuce turns 15, she takes on her role as a Huntress, and is paired with Fade, a teenage Hunter who lived Topside as a young boy. When she and Fade discover that the neighboring enclave has been decimated by the tunnel monsters—or Freaks—who seem to be growing more organized, the elders refuse to listen to warnings. And when Deuce and Fade are exiled from the enclave, the girl born in darkness must survive in daylight, in the ruins of a city whose population has dwindled to a few dangerous gangs. As the two are guided by Fade’s long-ago memories, they face dangers, and feelings, unlike any they’ve ever known.

Find out more about 'Enclave' here, including the first two chapters, the book cover and an interview with the author!

 ****************************

Hope you all have a good night!

Waiting on Wednesday (55)

Waiting on Wednesday was brought to you by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

This week I came across Death Watch by Ari Berk.  It's the first book in the Undertaken series and will be out on the 15th November 2011.

Synopsis
They say the dead should rest in peace. Not all the dead agree.
One night, Silas Umber's father Amos doesn’t come home from work. Devastated, Silas learns that his father was no mere mortician but an Undertaker, charged with bringing The Peace to the dead trapped in the Shadowlands, the states of limbo binding spirits to earth. With Amos gone, Silas and his mother have no choice but to return to Lichport, the crumbling seaside town where Silas was born, and move in with Amos’s brother, Charles.

Even as Silas eagerly explores his father’s town and its many abandoned streets and overgrown cemeteries, he grows increasingly wary of his uncle. There is something not quite right going on in Charles Umber’s ornate, museum-like house—something, Silas is sure, that is connected to his father’s disappearance. When Silas’s search leads him to his father’s old office, he comes across a powerful artifact: the Death Watch, a four hundred year old Hadean clock that allows the owner to see the dead.
Death Watch in hand, Silas begins to unearth Lichport’s secret history—and discovers that he has taken on his father’s mantle as Lichport’s Undertaker. Now, Silas must embark on a dangerous path into the Shadowlands to embrace his destiny and discover the truth about his father—no matter the cost.

The second book I've picked for this week is Bite Club by Rachel Caine, the 10th book in the awesome Morgansville Vampires Series.  If you haven't read this series you need to go out and start with Glass Houses.  Rachel Caine is an awesome writer!  This will be out 2nd of May 2011!!

Synopsis
After discovering that vampires populate her town, college student Claire Danvers knows that the undead just want to live their lives. But someone else wants them to get ready to rumble.

There's a new extreme sport getting picked up on the Internet: bare- knuckle fights pitting captured vampires against each other-or humans. Tracking the remote signal leads Claire- accompanied by her friends and frenemies-to discover that what started as an online brawl will soon threaten everyone in Morganville...

Liquid Fear by Scott Nicholson

Title: Liquid Fear

Author: Scott Nicholson

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Publisher: Haunted Computer Books

Publication Date: 1st April 2011

ISBN: 9781452494715

Stand alone or series: Stand Alone

Pages: 268 pages

Book Received from: Author

First Lines: The rain fell like dead bullets.  David Dunn blinked against the drops.

Synopsis:
When Roland Doyle wakes up with a dead woman in his motel room, the only clue is a mysterious vial of pills bearing the label "Take one every 4 hrs or else."
 
Ten years before, six people were involved in a secret pharmaceutical trial that left one of them murdered and five unable to remember what happened. Now the experiment is continuing, as Dr. Sebastian Briggs wants to finish his research into fear response and post-traumatic stress disorder. He's backed by a major drug company and an ambitious U.S. Senator, but he also has a personal stake in the outcome.

Only by taking the mysterious pills can the survivors stave off the creeping phobias and inflicted madness that threaten to consume them. But the pills have an unexpected side effect-the survivors start remembering the terrible acts they perpetrated a decade ago. They are lured back to the Monkey House, the remote facility where the original trials took place, and Briggs has prepared it for their return.

Now they are trapped, they each have only one pill left, and cracks are forming in their civilized veneer.
After the pills are gone, there's only one option. "Or else."

My Thoughts:

After a rocky start of picking up my e-reader and putting it down, it took a little while for me to get into this story.  I'm not sure whether it was just my inability to grasp what was going on or what but after about twenty pages in it clicked.  But then, I could have been having an off day.. it happens

I enjoyed the storyline, it's one I haven't come across in anything I've read so far so it was nice to have something fresh to read.  The idea of someone having control of you like that really did give me the creeps though.  It made me think of how easy someone could do that in real life and that was what drew me into the story further. 

Scott Nicholson has a way with coming up with unique storylines, and as this is the second book I've read from him, I'm looking forward to reading more of his work.

In My Mailbox (57)

In My Mailbox is a weekly post created by The Story Siren.

For Review:

Beyond the Darkness (Darkness #2) by Leonard D Hilley II

The Game of Pawns (Darkness #3) by Leonard D Hilley II

Thank you Leonard for sending these and Predators of Darkness to me.

Bought:

Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Chronicles of Nick #1)

The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens (The Books of Beginning #1)

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder (Inside Out #1)

 

My awesome week of books.  What did you get in your IMM this week?

Sticky Beak (51)

Sticky Beak is all about sharing. Sometimes we can't all get around to every single blog and website available so that's where Sticky Beak comes in. By word of mouth (well you get what I mean) we are more likely to get to those blogs that we wouldn't have normally seen without someone pointing them out to us.

The links could be to your own post, a favourite blog post you would love to share, an authors blog/website, book/writing contests, reviews you really enjoyed, tour info or anything you would love to share with others. Just use the comments below to add your link!
Here's Mine:

Cool Stuff to Check Out:'
Best Australian Blogs 2011 - People's Choice Awards: Vote for your favourite Australian Blogger.  There is a huge list of awesome sites on there so support the blogs you like. 
Writers and Kitties: Lol interesting website.  I swear some of these cats look just like their owners

For Bloggers:
Lala's Designs: Free Anti-Piracy badges for your blog.  These are awesome!
Kd Creates:  If you need business cards, blog headers, blog button etc.  Go check her site out!

For Writers:

Pen.io: Simple Online Publishing. Check it out!
Storybird: Collaborative Storytelling. Another very cool website to check out!
Spilling Ink: A Young Writer's Handbook. - Go check this out.  Create a Book Trailer for Spilling Ink and you could win a Skype Author visit.  How awesome!

Thats my lot for this week.  What are yours?

Guest post by Rye James and Giveaway

Thank you to Spellbound By Books for hosting me today and letting me talk about my latest book, called A Soul Worth Taking, which is the first book in a four book series called The Evil Series. It’s a paranormal book with some horror tones in it. I’ll try to give the cliff notes version without giving away too much. The main character is a man named Mike Moore, who goes through a horrible tragedy. He’s in a vulnerable state of mind, which creates a pull over his soul between Heaven and Hell. The devil sees an opportunity to acquire another soul while he’s in a weakened state, before he pulls out of it, trying different tactics to entice him to seek revenge and further pull him into Hell. At the same time, Heaven sends an angel to guide him through these dark times to prevent him from succumbing to evil.

The idea for the series actually came to me when I saw an article about shadow creatures. I read a little more about them and thought of how I could use that in a book. Then I read about Dante’s Inferno. If anyone’s familiar with it, it basically describes nine levels of Hell. I thought it’d be a pretty cool idea to have a series of books about how evil tries to seduce someone into the dark side, and in each book taking a different form to accomplish that task. So I kind of blended both those ideas into this series and I outlined the first three books of the series and came up with A Soul Worth Taking, The Woods (book 2-tentative title), and Shadow Man (book 3). I came up with my own levels of Hell, though I only used five and included that in A Soul Worth Taking. It’s not a major part of the book, and to put it in car racing terms, is more like a pit stop. But it’s something I wanted to put in and think I introduced it in a pretty cool way.

This is the darkest book I’ve written. I’ve got five other books out, four are Westerns, and the other a Suspense/Thriller. I’m more known for Westerns and a couple have hit the top 100 in the Western category on Amazon, but I want to be a diverse writer and not be known for just one genre. Hopefully any readers and fans I have will crossover with me to whatever genre I write in.

I’m really excited about this book and series and think it has great potential. Each book is going to be a stand alone title and have a start and finish. There aren’t any cliffhangers that you have to wait until the next book to get resolved, though each book will offer somewhat of a lead-in to the next story. I‘m hopeful that readers share my excitement and enjoy the book and series.

Anyone interested in finding out more about me and my work can visit me at http://www.ryejames.blogspot.com/

Thanks for having me!

 ***

Rye has been kind enough to hold a giveaway of two copies of A Soul Worth Taking through Smashwords.

   Giveaway Closes 30th April 2011

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED!!

Best Australian Blogs Competition

I've just entered the Best Australian Blogs 2011!! You have until tomorrow to enter so don't miss out!!!

Good Luck Everyone!!

Waiting on Wednesday (54)

Waiting on Wednesday was brought to you by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!


I read an article by Patrick Ness and it was at the bottom of this that I found he had a new book coming out soon.  A Monster Calls will be out on 2nd May 2011 and I can't wait to read it!

Synopsis
The monster showed up just after midnight. As they do. But it isn’t the monster Conor's been expecting. He's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming... The monster in his back garden, though, this monster is something different. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth.
Costa Award winner Patrick Ness spins a tale from the final idea of much-loved Carnegie Medal winner Siobhan Dowd, whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself. Darkly mischievous and painfully funny, A Monster Calls is an extraordinarily moving novel of coming to terms with loss from two of our finest writers for young adults.

Rotters by Daniel Kraus Book Trailer

In My Mailbox (56)

In My Mailbox is a weekly post created by The Story Siren.

For Review:

Predators of Darkness: Aftermath by Leonard D. Hilley II

 

Just a small one from me this week

 

What did you get in your IMM??

Sticky Beak (50)

Sticky Beak is all about sharing. Sometimes we can't all get around to every single blog and website available so that's where Sticky Beak comes in. By word of mouth (well you get what I mean) we are more likely to get to those blogs that we wouldn't have normally seen without someone pointing them out to us.

The links could be to your own post, a favourite blog post you would love to share, an authors blog/website, book/writing contests, reviews you really enjoyed, tour info or anything you would love to share with others. Just use the comments below to add your link!

Here's Mine:

Cool Stuff to Check Out:
Book Blogger Directory:  Great place to come across new book blogs!
Good Choice Reading: Hunger Games Movie News
Chiseled in Rock: Very useful list of #Tags for Twitter Writer Chats!!
Atypical Type A: Very cool Bookplates
Guardian: Patrick Ness' Top 10 Unsuitable reads for Teens

For Writers:
The Australian Literature Review: AusLit Writing Teams
Bookpal: FAQ.  Interesting
Gotham Writers Workshop: Rejection- 3 Methods of Coping
Adventures in Children's Publishing: Best Articles this week for Writers.  I have only just come across this one but I think there will some very useful and interesting information in previous posts.  Brilliant website

New Blogs I've Come Across:
The Write to Make a Living: Found this on the Book Blogger Directory.  Looks cool!

Hope you find something you will enjoy.  Have a good night!

Forgotten by Cat Patrick AND Giveaway

Title: Forgotten

Author: Cat Patrick

Genre: Young Adult

Publisher:  Hardie Grant Egmont

Publication Date: 1st June 2011

ISBN: 9781921690624
Stand alone or series: Stand Alone

Pages: 280 pages

Book Received from: Hardie Grant Egmont (Proof Copy)

First Lines: Aren't Fridays supposed to be good?  This one started badly.

Synopsis:
Each night when 16 year-old London Lane goes to sleep, her whole world disappears. In the morning, all that's left is a note telling her about a day she can't remember. The whole scenario doesn't exactly make high school or dating that hot guy whose name she can't seem to recall any easier. But when London starts experiencing disturbing visions she can't make sense of, she realizes it's time to learn a little more about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.

My Thoughts:

I was thrilled to be given the chance to read a proof copy of this.  Just the synopsis alone had me thinking, 'Wow!  How is the Author going to pull this off?'.  Well, after reading this, I've got to say Cat Patrick has done a brilliant job. Even before I'd started reading this I got a giggle out of the dedication.  "This is for my girls.  Later, when books are for reading, not eating."  I can definitely relate to that as my little one is at the eating stage with his books! 

London Lane was a character I fell in love instantly with.  She's a character I couldn't help but sympathise with.  Imagine having to write notes for yourself every night before bed because as soon as the next day is there she forgets everything she has seen that will happen that day.  Luke was another fantastic character.  He's nice looking and kind,and one that London doesn't forsee in her future.  I'm definitely adding him to my list of literary crushes! 

I really enjoyed reading Cat Patrick's writing.  The story is written in first person, present tense and it worked really well with the story.  I couldn't help but be pulled in.  I had to know what happened next, whether London would remember Luke and whether she would help change the future to stop her best friend from making a huge mistake.

Forgotten is one of those novels that has definitely stuck with me long after finishing.  An utterly original and unique storyline, lovable characters and a mystery unravel,  I recommend this to all YA readers!!

Note: The film rights for 'Forgotten' have been sold already!!

GIVE AWAY TIME

Thanks to the lovely Jen at Hardie Grant Egmont she has given me a PROOF COPY of Forgotten to giveaway!

Open to AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND only

Head on over to the Forgotten Facebook page and like it! 

Closes 30th April 2011 at 11:59pm AEST

Extra Points:

+2 for blog post or sidebar mention of Forgotten and post link in the comments with your entry

+1 for Tweet

(Please use Meeka_21 in Tweet so I can keep track!)

UPDATE


We've had a hiccup with the form!  Please use the comments below to enter!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

Finished Book is Here: Without Title

Hi all!  I just wanted to share this with you.  Here is the first lot of 'finished' copies of Without Title.  I will start sending books out this week.  I'm not sure which order to go.  Whether to start from the First Giveaway and go that way, or to send to winners first.  You decide!!  Either way Winners and Runners Up will have their book soon!!

Here are a few sneak peaks inside :)

I'm super excited and can't wait to get these out to you ASAP!! 



The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong Book Trailer

Book Jacket Giveaway Closed!

Okay everyone just a quick note to let you know that the Book Jacket Giveaway is closed !! (books in pic above are NOT included)

Will let you know when Chas at LovLivLife Reviews picks a winner!

In My Mailbox (55)

In My Mailbox is a weekly post created by The Story Siren.

For Review:

The Screaming Season by Nancy Holder (Book 3 in Possessions)
Thanks to Erin and Nancy for sending this to me.

Defiance by Lili St. Crow (Book 4 in Strange Angels Series)
Thank you Tina from Penguin Australia

As I Die Lying by Scott Nicholson

Liquid Fear by Scott Nicholson

Thank you Scott for sending these to me.

Amaretto Flame by Sammie Spencer

Thank you Sammie for sending this to me.

Unsavory Delicacies: Three Short Stories of Suspense by Russell Brooks

Thank you Russell for sending this to me

Bought:

The World Made Flesh: Literary Tattoos from Bookworms Worldwide by Eva Talmadge and Justin Taylor

How To Write The Perfect Novel by Chancery Stone

Bird By Bird by Anne Lamont

 

So that's my super awesome book week this week.  What did you get in your IMM?

Feel free to leave a link to your IMM in the comments below so I can have a look at your stash :)

Sticky Beak (49)

Sticky Beak is all about sharing. Sometimes we can't all get around to every single blog and website available so that's where Sticky Beak comes in. By word of mouth (well you get what I mean) we are more likely to get to those blogs that we wouldn't have normally seen without someone pointing them out to us.
The links could be to your own post, a favourite blog post you would love to share, an authors blog/website, book/writing contests, reviews you really enjoyed, tour info or anything you would love to share with others. Just use the comments below to add your link!

This week the links are mainly for Writer or anyone interested in reading this sort of thing.  I've been reading a lot into the process of creating good stories and characters so this is why :)

The Other Side of the Story:

Do You Believe In Magic? Building a Magic System for Your World!

Going Once, Going Twice... Writing Sequels

So You Wanna Be A Writer?

The End is Near: What Makes a Good Ending?

Guest Blogger Aliette de Bodar on Plotting Your Short Stories.

Guest Blogger Juliette Wade on World Building in Short Stories

Lunchtime Link: Creating Engaging Characters

The Whole Story: Plotting Multibook Goals

Prologues: Not As Evil As You Think

No Pain No Gain: Killing Your Darlings

Grammar: What You Need To Know To Write

Babbling Flow: #VAbook - First Page Critiques

Writer Musings: Which Is Better: Plot-driven or Character-Driven?

Sisters in Scribe: Building a Fantasy World

Deadline Dames: Does Something Have to Change?

Hope you enjoy reading these posts and find something you can use!

Burn Bright by Marianne de Pierres

Title: Burn Bright

Author: Marianne de Pierres

Genre: Young Adult

Publisher:  Random House Australia

Publication Date: 1st March 2011

ISBN: 9781864719888

Stand alone or series: First in the Night Creatures Series

Pages: 316 pages

Book Received from: Random House Australia (Thanks Marianne)

First Lines: Retra pressed her fingers to her thigh.  The intense pain from her obedience strip had receded to a steady throb and nausea

Synopsis:
Into a world of wild secrets and deadly pleasures comes a girl whose innocence may be her greatest strength.
In Ixion music and party are our only beliefs. Darkness is our comfort. We have few rules but they are absolute . . .
Retra doesn’t want to go to Ixion, the island of ever-night, ever-youth and never-sleep. Retra is a Seal – sealed minds, sealed community. She doesn’t crave parties and pleasure, experience and freedom.
But her brother Joel left for Ixion two years ago, and Retra is determined to find him. Braving the intense pain of her obedience strip to escape the only home she’s ever known, Retra stows away on the barge that will take her to her brother.
When she can’t find Joel, Retra finds herself drawn deeper into the intoxicating world of Ixion. Come to me, whispers a voice in her head. Who are the Ripers, the mysterious guardians of Ixion? What are the Night Creatures Retra can see in the shadows? And what happens to those who grow too old for Ixion?
Retra will find that Ixion has its pleasures, but its secrets are deadly. Will friendship, and the creation of an eternal bond with a Riper, be enough to save her from the darkness?
Listen well, baby bats. Burn bright, but do not stray from the paths. Remember, when you live in a place of darkness you also live with creatures of the dark.

My Thoughts:

I'd read one of Marianne de Pierres other books called Sharp Shooter and really enjoyed it so when I heard that she was publishing a Young Adult novel called Burn Bright, I was over the moon!  The cover is spectacular and I thought it was fantastic she was Aussie too.

Retra/Naif the main character, is a teenage girl living in a sealed community where affection is a sin, rules and punishments are harsh and the knowledge they are given is limited. When her brother Joel escapes to Ixion, island of evernight, music, laughter and freedom, Retra and her parents are left to suffer the consequences of Joel's actions. Two years later she follows in his footsteps, not for the partying but to find Joel.

Retra/Naif is quite a naive character and it is obvious to those who travel to Ixion as well as those inhabiting, which is dangerous.  Luckily for her she has a few on the inside to help her blend in.  I really warmed to Retra.  She's completely out of her comfort zone, and breaking every rule she has ever known and introduced to the life of drugs, sex and partying.  She has to grow up real quick.

I found the world building in Burn Bright brilliant. The world of Ixion is a mysterious, dark and beautiful place to be.  The mix of parties, well lit paths and colourful characters;  add in the dangers of straying from paths, the mysterious Ripers and the few but absolute rules is what breathes life into this story. 

Burn Bright is original, engaging and well written story.  If your looking for a YA story with a very different kind of world that is both exciting and disturbing this ones for you.

Burn bright, baby bats!