Witchfinder: Dawn of the Demontide [Review]

Written by: William Hussey.

Publisher: Oxford Unitversity Press.

Format: Paperback.

Released: 4th March 2010.

Rating: 5/5.

Official synopsis: "The first in a terrifying trilogy, read on if you dare: Jake could now see the demon fully. Its body was a mass of steely sinew, its arms roped with muscle. Six fingers sprouted from its hands, each ending in lethal talons. The thing did not possess a nose; instead a large hole, bubbling with green mucus, occupied the middle of its face. Mr Pinch's tongue flickered between his teeth and slurped across his fat lips. He was hungry. When a violent storm rages around the little village of Hobarron's Hollow, a young boy is sacrificed 'for the greater good'. His blood is used to seal a mystical doorway and prevent an apocalyptic disaster known only as the Demontide. Twenty-five years later, another boy, Jake Harker, is about to be drawn into the nightmare of the Demontide. Witches and their demon familiars stalk his every move, and his dreams are plagued by visions of a 17th Century figure known only as the Witchfinder. When his father is abducted, Jake must face the terrible secrets kept by those closest to him and a shocking truth that will change his life forever . . .

I have just finished this book after spending the entire afternoon in a bid to finish it. And I have to say that I could not of spent the time better. Absolutely stunning. This is the single-handed best first book in a series/trilogy that I have read in the past few years.

I was gripped right from the word go! The first chapter (well, the prologue really) was a perfect opener. I mean, a boy has his throat slit in the first four pages. That'd make anyone want to read on right? Right!

I really don't know what I can say about this book, without giving too much away. So much happens - it's so jam-packed. Hussey's description is phenomenal - the horror is described with such detail that some scenes left me physically shuddering, and having to pause to calm down. It's that scary in places! Therefore, I wouldn't recommend this book for anyone under 12, or anyone who has a weak stomach! Read at your own risk!

Dawn of the Demontide is the first book in a planned trilogy. It is the kind of book that you find extremely hard to put down. I've had trouble, I'll be honest. A rick-rollocking read that makes you feel like you're on a rollercoaster.

It is amazingly narrated. The twists and turns are brilliant. Kept me guessing right until the end.

Like I said, I really don't know what to say. I'm just completely blown away. I know this review probably reads messy, but I'm just on such a buzz right now. Mr. Hussey, you are a genius and I cannot wait to read the next 2 books, Gallows at Twilight (Jan 2011) and The Last Nightfall (September 2011). William Hussey is one to definitely watch! Go out and get a copy as soon as you can. Seriously, do not miss out!

Dark Life [Review]

Written by: Kat Falls.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK.

Fortmat: Paperback.

Released: 29th April 2010.

Rating: 4.5/5.

Official synopsis: "Ty has lived under the ocean for his entire life. Following global warming and the rise of the seas, his family joined an underwater community in hopes of living in the new frontier of the ocean floor. But When Ty meets Gemma, a girl from "topside", who is searching the seas for her brother, she quickly makes his life very complicated. Together Ty and Gemma face dangerous sea creatures and venture into the frontier town's rough underworld as they search for her missing brother. But the deeper they dig, the more attention they attract, and soon Ty and Gemma find themselves being hunted by a gang of outlaws who roam the underwater territories causing havoc, and who seem to have eerie abilities. But Ty has a secret of his own, living underwater for his entire life has meant he has also developed a "special" power. Can he keep it a secret from Gemma and his family or is it time for him to finally tell everyone the truth?"

Dark Life is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the seas have risen, forcing human-kind to live on high rises of land, so close together, the only way to describe it would be like sardines in a tin! However, some have chosen a different way of life. They want a better life, and in their quest have become pioneers. They now live under the waves, known as subsea. With houses designed to replicate jellyfish, and technical feats you could only find in fiction (ie a bubble fence!), Dark Life is a book perfect for anyone with a big imagination. Who would ever think of raising livestock and farming on the sea floor?

It captivates you right from the very beginning, and you're not let go until the very last word! I loved this book so much, I cannot describe. Ty is a likeable character, who has lived subsea all of his life. Gemma is a Topsider, who knows nothing but living in just one room! You couldn't want for more opposite characters than one another, yet they mesh together so well.

Kat Falls' writing is top class. The book is beautifully written in first person, from the perspective of Ty. I'm not normally a fan of first person books, but in this case it really works. More than ever when reading, I felt like I was there, fighting against the dreaded Seablite Gang who are terrorising Benthic Territory.

Shade, the head of the outlaws, is terrifying. I won't spoil it for you, because his description when he first appears in the book is quite unique and was one of my favourite parts of the book.

Seriously, if you do not read this one, you are missing out BIG TIME! I hope that there's a sequel because at the end of this, I am begging for more!

And can I just say one more time, thank you so so much to Jo (Ink and Paper) for my copy! You are a saint!

Cover VS Cover - Dark Life

US//UK

Okay, so while I'm waiting to do my review for Dark Life by Kat Falls, I thought I'd do a quick cover vs cover. UK vs US.

This for me is majorly easy. The UK cover is my favourite. It's stunning. It stands out, the colours are brilliant. The sharks. The sub. The divers. The font and the tagline. Everything about this cover is just brilliant. It'll look great in the shops, and as I have already said, it'll stand out.

However, there's something I like about the US cover. It's so simple, elegant and the meaning is there. How Gemma thinks that the houses are jellyfish and how Ty says that they are designed to be like jellies. A very good idea there. I like the blues used but when it's next to the UK cover, it doesn't really have any appeal.

Vampirates Catch-Up

Now, I am a massive massive massive Vampirates fan. I have been ever since the first book, Demons of the Ocean was published in June 2005. The artwork was dark, brooding, and so stunning, it just caught my eye at first glance. I'd also seen Justin talking about the book on Blue Peter and it sounded brilliant, so I knew I had to have a read. And I was not disappointed on iota.

Demons of the Ocean opens with Grace and Connor becoming orphans after their beloved father, and Lighthouse Keeper, dies. They have no other family, and so have nowhere else to go. And rather than be put in the children's home, they make a dash for it and head out to sea. But things all go quite wrong, very fast. There is a storm and the twins are ship-wrecked, separated, each fearing that the other has died.

Connor is saved by Cheng-Li. A brooding Chinese pirate aboard The Diablo. There he meets Captain Muluco Wraith, and many others. While his poor sister is picked up by a altogether more mysterious ship. That of the Vampirates. Here she falls for the dashing Lorcan Furrey. An Irish vamp frozen at 17-years-old. Oh yes, before your Edward Cullens there were Lorcan Furrey's!

I don't want to give too much away, and that's about all I can say without going into major detail on the next three books, 2006's Tide of Terror, my personal favourite Blood Captain released in 2007, and last years offering, Black Heart. For me, the books just get better and better. More and more epic every time.

Black Heart introduced us to the most chilling female character I have come across. Lady Lola Lockwood. She bottles blood for crying out loud! She baths in it. The woman is pure terror. But so amazing. There's just something about her that makes you like her, for me anyway. She's the sort of person that you love to hate. But you can't help forming an attachment to her.

The series even under-went a make over in-between Blood Captain and Black Heart, to give us the glorious covers that we have now!

There are twists and turns a-plenty in these books. You definitely will not be disappointed. I cannot recommend them enough, for boys and girls. And what with the fifth book, Empire of Night, published in just over a weeks times, things look set to get even darker. Expect a review! It's one of my most anticipated books this year!

Eclipse [Review]

Written by: Stephenie Meyer.

Publisher: Atom.

Format: Paperback.

Released: 7th August 2007.

Rating: 4/5.

Official synopsis: "'Bella?' Edward's soft voice came from behind me. I turned to see him spring lightly up the porch steps, his hair windblown from running. He pulled me into his arms at once, and kissed me again. His kiss frightened me. There was too much tension, too strong an edge to the way his lips crushed mine - like he was afraid we had only so much time left to us. As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob - knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which? Following the international bestsellers Twilight and New Moon, Eclipse is the much-anticipated third book in Stephenie Meyer's captivating saga of vampire romance."

I know it's late (very late, 1:12 as I write this!), and I really should be in bed, but I finished this about 20 minutes ago and raced straight through the first chapter of Breaking Dawn, and I wanted to get my thoughts down before I forgot.

Eclipse is by far my favourite of the three books I have read so far. I thought that Twilight was brilliant. A stunning debut that was incredibly captivating. I'm not normally a fan of romance novels, but the book was getting so much attention that I couldn't sit by and miss out. Plus I'm a big fan of all things Vampire. Glad that I didn't. But then there's New Moon which in my opinion is a bit dull. It's my least favourite of the three so far. I just didn't like it, to be honest. I found Bella far too whiny and miserable in the book. Yes, I get that she's a teenager, a girl and besotted with Edward, but I just thought it was a little far fetched. I don't agree with hitting women, but you just wanted to smack her and tell her to pull herself together!

So as you can imagine, I went into Eclipse with a little bit of trepidation, but I can say that any doubt I had was gone right from the beginning. It felt like Twilight all over again. I was captivated and I found it hard to put the book down, rather than finding it hard to pick it up. It's the same, catchy, adrenaline filled genius that first captured me and the millions of readers around the world.

And we finally got to see the big showdown with Victoria. Something that I'd been looking forward to since the ending of Twilight.

The only thing for me that let the book down, thus it not getting a 5/5 rating, is that in places, the dialogue didn't really run smooth. Everyone seemed to change in an instant. One moment there was fighting, then love, then fighting again. There wasn't really a definite line which sometimes meant I had to go back and read again. Otherwise, the book is considerably faultless. I cannot wait to read Breaking Dawn to see how it all ends! Expect a review when I finish it!

Now if you don't mind... SLEEP!

The Inheritance Cycle, Bks 1-3 [Review]

I was tidying and sorting my bookshelves earlier, and I stumbled across these book. I thought to myself, what do I actually think about them, and this prompted my review.

In all honsesty, I don't know what to make of them. Eragon, the first book was published in 2003. I absolutely adored it. The world was so magical, so mysterious. I fell in love with the character of Eragon. Just a simple farm boy but with a destiny so different, so spellbinding. It was perfect, and I read the book multiple times. Then I learnt that the second book, Eldest, was to be published in 2005.

Great! I couldn't wait. Christoper Paolini was a genius to me, and Eldest would be devoured. But sadly, I came back down to earth with a bump. Whereas Eragon had been so amazing, Eldest simply wasn't. It was messy. It didn't feel right. The characters grated on me. The writing was more like a list than a masterpiece. I was so let down. And the plot didn't seem to go anywhere! A whole 700 pages and I felt no further than when I had at the end of Eragon.

Still, I thought to myself, it's a trilogy, and there's only one book to go. You've come this far, you might as well see it through. So, when I found out that the third book was to be published September 2008 I couldn't wait.

And then Paolini dropped a bombshell. There were no longer going to be 3 books. The Inheritance Trilogy had become The Inheritance Cycle, with the addition of a fourth and final book. This in affect, didn't actually mean anything to me. I actually thought it would be a good thing. Wow, if he'd had to add a WHOLE book to get all the answers in, to tie everything together, what on earth must happen in this next book? So I waited patiently. Brought it. And the answer to my question was... Nothing.

Brisingr is possibly the most disappointing book I have ever read. I couldn't believe it. I didn't think it could get any worse after Eldest, but I was completely wrong. 700 pages, yet again, of absolutely nothing. I was bored stiff reading it, and no word of a lie, it took me 6 months to read. I just got so fed up that I had to read something else. Major disappointment.

And he broke the theme for the titles. A 6 letter word, beginning with E, so that was a bit annoying too.

So as it is, we're going in to the finale no further along than we were at the end of Book 1. Great. Good job Mr. Paolini.

I'm going to read Book 4, only because I've come this far, and I want to see how it ends. I really hope Paolini can redeem himself. An amazing book, followed by two dire books. Odds are, he's got to write a good'en sometime soon!

In My Postbox #1

In My Mailbox idea from Kristi @ The Story Siren, and all links take you to Amazon.

Yay. Wow. What a week it's been. An amazing first week in the blogosphere, and I have loved every second! I got some very cool books this week. So without further ado, my first ever In My Mailbox (but being British I've re-jiggled it to postbox).

For review:

Dark Life by Kat Falls

"Ty has lived under the ocean for his entire life. Following global warming and the rise of the seas, his family joined an underwater community in hopes of living in the new frontier of the ocean floor. But When Ty meets Gemma, a girl from "topside", who is searching the seas for her brother, she quickly makes his life very complicated. Together Ty and Gemma face dangerous sea creatures and venture into the frontier town's rough underworld as they search for her missing brother. But the deeper they dig, the more attention they attract, and soon Ty and Gemma find themselves being hunted by a gang of outlaws who roam the underwater territories causing havoc, and who seem to have eerie abilities. But Ty has a secret of his own, living underwater for his entire life has meant he has also developed a "special" power. Can he keep it a secret from Gemma and his family or is it time for him to finally tell everyone the truth?"

UK Proof. Thank you so much to Jo for this one! :D

-

Witchfinder: Dawn of the Demontide by William Hussey

"The first in a terrifying trilogy, read on if you dare: Jake could now see the demon fully. Its body was a mass of steely sinew, its arms roped with muscle. Six fingers sprouted from its hands, each ending in lethal talons. The thing did not possess a nose; instead a large hole, bubbling with green mucus, occupied the middle of its face. Mr Pinch's tongue flickered between his teeth and slurped across his fat lips. He was hungry. When a violent storm rages around the little village of Hobarron's Hollow, a young boy is sacrificed 'for the greater good'. His blood is used to seal a mystical doorway and prevent an apocalyptic disaster known only as the Demontide. Twenty-five years later, another boy, Jake Harker, is about to be drawn into the nightmare of the Demontide. Witches and their demon familiars stalk his every move, and his dreams are plagued by visions of a 17th Century figure known only as the Witchfinder. When his father is abducted, Jake must face the terrible secrets kept by those closest to him and a shocking truth that will change his life forever . . ."

UK proof. Thanks to Michelle Harrison at OUP for this one!

-

Shadow Bringer by David Calcutt

"

It starts when Nathan is out walking in the fields with his dog. Something is watching him - something menacing and dangerous. Something without a shape, that he can't get out of his head. The Creature. Then there's the noises he starts to hear in the attic. Shuffling. Scratching. Even a voice. The Bogeyman. Somehow Nathan knows that the Creature and the Bogeyman are the same thing. And whatever it is, it's after him. As soon as it's strong enough, it will show Nathan what it really wants. And it's growing stronger all the time..."

Again, thanks to Michelle Harrison at OUP for this!

Brought:

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

"

To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, she has endured a tumultuous year of temptation, loss and strife to reach the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fate of two tribes hangs. Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating and unfathomable consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life - first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse - seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed...forever?"

Thanks to my mum for this!