MG Monday: Review: Prophecy of Days by Christy Raedeke

Title: Prophecy of Days
Series: The Daykeepers Grimoire
Author: Christy Raedeke
Publisher: Flux
Publication Date: 1 May 2010

Source: Library




Synopsis: Fom GoodReads
Is the story of Caity Mac Fireland, a girl from San Francisco whose parents drag her to an isle off the coast of Scotland to manage some family property. Caity finds that a Mayan relic is concealed there, intentionally left centuries ago by Mayan Daykeepers in an attempt to keep their profound knowledge about the year 2012 alive into the current era.
As she delves into this world of secret knowledge, Caity is helped along by a visiting family friend and Feng Shui master, Uncle Li; a Mayan elder named Bolon; and Mr. Papers, her pet monkey that communicates through origami. A handsome Scottish lad gets pulled into the intrigue, as do several other people with questionable motives and loyalties. Caity must weave together a tapestry of information in order to make her radical discovery, a mystery protected by an elite coterie of power-brokers who influence world events. Caity’s twenty-first century mind is put to the test as she tries to uncover the answer to an ancient riddle while trying to outwit this powerful group that will stop at nothing to control the secret, and her.

Review:
OMG this book was phenomenal prepare for gushing [ ; ) ] What could be more totally awesome than a monkey that does origami. I want one [ : D ]

Written in first person narrative from Caity's perspective. Your typical teenager with wonderful snarkiness. Directly addressing the reader giving it an air of confiding her secrets in you. Her parents are both genius's in their respective fields, being somewhat unconventional: her Mum is a safe-cracker, while her Dad is a computer whizz but full of conspiracy theories (YAY). Caity underestimates herself when comparing her intelligence to her parents. In that respect you can understand why she would want to keep the unravelling of the mystery to herself rather than directly asking for their help, fearing they would take over like previous school projects.

Wonderfully descriptive writing with captivating imagery. Visually dynamic with the use of prose, email and text formats, giving a totally rounded depiction of both modern technology alongside ancient beliefs. Caity's narrative tends to jump about a bit but is totally relatable and keeping in character with a 16 year old girl.

A terrific clue trail is scattered throughout the narrative, I found my mind jumping to conclusions and then assumptions all the way through. Nothing should be taken at face value. Mystery after mystery is piled together, seemingly unrelated until the pieces are fitted together.

All the characters were interesting and colourful, I couldn't say there was anything normal about any of them.

The weaving of myths and legends into the narrative was astounding. It was amazing to see how many different cultures have very similar myths and legends. Provoking the mind to gather the common thread and search for the truth behind them.

Not only does Christy Raedeke weave the ancient history into the plot but sprinkles in a good bit of spirituality. She takes it to another level by adding in quantum physics and conspiracy theories. Be still by beating heart; all the things I totally love because that is what goes on in my head. Meshing it all together, finding the common threads and examining the principles behind it. Totally amazing how science/spirituality and mythology all came together to create such an amazing plot.

*faints* I have raved so much about this book at home that J (who does not read) went back to the library and borrowed it for himself *falls over* *thud* and yes he is actually reading it.

In My Mailbox #25

Thanks to the wonderful Story Siren for hosting this weekly meme.

This would be me if I was a postbox running toward parcels of books, lol

From UK Book Tours

The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy

From the shopping trip with the big girl - Waterstones BOGOF

Bloodline by Kate Cary

Revamped by Lucienne Diver

From one of the nicest people in the world: Caroline at Portrait of a Woman

Finding Sky by Joss Stirling

These are also from Caroline for the boys in the library

Genie Us By Steve Cole and Linda Chapman

Red Centre by Chris Ryan

Tracks of the Tiger by Bear Grylls

Also from Caroline for asastar and asacutie. Asacutie has been taking it to bed with her [ : ) ]

Disney Fairies: Dulcie's Taste of Magic

Won from Scholastic UK

Hunger Games Tattoos

These will be used as bribery in the library [ ; ) ]

I am quickly going to drool over everyone else's mailboxes and  then take the girlies out to blow off some steam. They are quite nuts this morning - must be the weather [ : D ]

Saturday Spotlight: Torment Giveaway

Synopsis: From GoodReads

How many lives do you need to live before you find someone worth dying for? In the aftermath of what happened at Sword & Cross, Luce has been hidden away by her cursed angelic boyfriend, Daniel, in a new school filled with Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans. Daniel promises she will be safe here, protected from those who would kill her. At the school Luce discovers what the Shadows that have followed her all her life mean - and how to manipulate them to see into her other lives. Yet the more Luce learns about herself, the more she realizes that the past is her only key to unlocking her future...and that Daniel hasn't told her everything. What if his version of the past isn't actually the way things happened...what if Luce was really meant to be with someone else?

Review here

Thanks to the awesomeness of Random House Children's Books I have not 1 but 5 copies of Torment to giveaway (you may squeal now). 4 UK winners and 1 international. Winners to be selected by random.org

Ends 30th November.
Winners announced 4th December.

Just fill out the form below. You don't have to be a follower but I would really appreciate it if you were. Please leave a comment after entering with the country you are from so I can verify the winners.

The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Shadow Souls by LJ Smith

Title: The Return: Shadow Souls
Series: The Vampire Diaries
Author: LJ Smith
Publisher: Hodder Childrens Books
Publication Date: 6 May 2010

Source: Bought

Synopsis: From Amazon

Elena Gilbert is once again at the centre of magic and danger beyond her imagining. And once more, Stefan isn't there to help! Elena is forced to trust her life to Damon, the handsome but deadly vampire who wants Elena, body and soul. They must journey to the slums of the Dark Dimension, a world where vampires and demons roam free, but humans must live as slaves of their supernatural masters. Damon's brother, the brooding vampire Stefan whom Elena loves, is imprisoned here, and Elena can only free him by finding the two hidden halves of the key to his cell.
Meanwhile, the tension between Elena and Damon mounts until Elena is faced with a terrible decision: which brother does she really want to be with?

Review:
Firstly I just have to say that I was really put off by the spelling and grammatical errors, these made it a real struggle to get through the story.

I adored the other Vampire Diaries books but was a bit confounded with this one. I just felt underwhelmed by the storyline. The imagery was repetitive and the characterization differed so much from the characters previous interactions that it was dis-jarring. Elena, Stefan and Damon just seemed like completely different people to previous encounters. It was all a bit confusing.

I am a big fan of LJ Smith and have devoured her other novels, I really had high hopes for this one and was left feeling more than a little disappointed. Nothing tied together there were bits of the plot that were mentioned and then never taken any furtehr. Leaving the reader questioning what was happening.

I know that I am going to carry on reading the other Vampire Diaries books that come out I only hope they improve especially the spelling and grammar. I do not want to fall out of love with them.

Thursday Tunes: Book Theme Songs #4 Matched

Synopsis: From GoodReads
In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.

Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one . . . until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion.
Matched is a story for right now and storytelling with the resonance of a classic.

Review here

Review: Absolution by Jennifer Laurens

Title: Absolution
Author: Jennifer Laurens
Series: Heavenly
Publisher: Grove Creek
Publication Date: 11 October 2010

Huge thanks to Jennifer for sending me a copy. I completely adore this series.




Synopsis: From GoodReads
Zoe’s secret is out. And the powers of Hell are ravenous to claim her soul. Her brother, Luke, knows her secret: that she sees both good and evil spirits. Her boyfriend knows. At least Matthias is her guardian angel again. But now Hell’s most ruthless leader will stop at nothing to have her soul.

Albert, Matthias’ father, is relentless in his hunger for Zoe. He wants to destroy Matthias and will use Zoe to do so.
The battle between Heaven and Hell tests everything Zoe has. As she witnesses everyone important in her life suffering, she’s brought to the ultimate choice: will she sacrifice her soul to save the ones she loves?

Review:
I honestly don't know where to start with this one. For some reason I always find it really difficult to write reviews for Jennifer's Heavenly series. It made me think as to why I have such trouble expressing my opinion about these books. If you have read my reviews of Heavenly and Penitence, you will see that this series has touched me on a very personal level and I think that is the reason I stumble when I am writing the reviews. it makes me feel like I am exposing my 'soul' so to speak. I can relate to most of the characters in one way or another:

Mrs Dodd (Zoe's Mother): her internal struggle about putting her autistic daughter first and the effect it has on the other children. If you remember my oldest child is dyspraxic and she tends to be the one that gets the main focus of attention, which does make me worry about the emotional health of the other two girls. It is emotionally and physically draining at times. Adding to the strain on other relationships.

Zoe: following her epiphany in Heavenly, Zoe manages to alter the course of her life for the better. Gain inner strength, faith and contentment most of us strive our whole lives to achieve.  Her ability to find forgiveness and emotional restraint against all negative emotions is enviable.

Luke: (Zoe's Brother) tries to escape from the reality of his life by the use of drugs. Again I can relate, not with the drugs but in our family case alcohol is the poison of choice. I have witnessed the struggle and daily temptation that addiction can bring. Seeing Luke overcome his addiction with the strength that Zoe's belief in him provides.

Mr Dodd (Zoe's father) the strain both emotionally, physically and financially all take its toll. The way in which the family bonds are shown as a united entity is inspiring.

Absolution starts at the exact point that Penitence ended plunging the reader into the action from the start. This is a series that you have to read in order to fully appreciate the storyline. Although there is brilliant recapping of pivotal plot points skilfully interwoven into the current plot.

The darker side of life is shown in terrifying vividness with the ghastly black evil spirits so easy to conjure within the imagination and truly frightening. It is easy to picture them at times of intense negative emotions. Zoe's ability to control her emotions and negate negativity is truly awe inspiring. Something that is not easy to do yet is something that more of us should try to achieve (especially me).

The way in which friendship, family and love are portrayed, and their ability to enhance our lives for the better is beautiful. Daily life is not easy, and it is hard to remember to count the blessings we have no matter how small. This series always makes me do that, stand back and be grateful for the little things. No matter how tough things get, you have to have faith. As I have continually stated I am not overtly religious but the whole ethos of having faith in something and positive thinking while avoiding negativity is something I can appreciate.

The characters development throughout the narrative was wonderful, all of them progressed and developed as separate individuals yet remained as a core unit. Even Abria's development was a pleasure to witness. Most surprisingly for me was the way I felt about Weston through this book. Previously I resented him being with Zoe as I felt he was coming between her and Matthias.  However, through his development within this story I actually found myself appreciating the relationship he has with Zoe, not perfect being human and all, he really does strife to be like Zoe with his positivity and avoiding the negative.

As much as I wanted to make Mathias human or Zoe an angel so that they could be together. I have to say the ending was PERFECT just ab-sol-utely perfect. I cried my eyes out with big gulping sobs, so even J noticed. I couldn't speak for ages after closing the last page for fear of bursting into yet more tears but it was still PERFECT.

To round off I just want to say that for me this is a comfort read. It gives me hope like a ray of sunshine in my life. It came into my life at a crucial point and for that I will be eternally grateful to Jennifer. If you know me then you will realise I tend to say that 'reading is subjective' quite a lot, in fact I am going to make it my catchphrase [: D] That is how I view the Heavenly series for me they are completely personal, I relate to them from my own experiences, they have helped me come to terms with some things and for that I adore them and Jennifer for writing them and sharing them with me.

Trailer Tuesday: Dystopia #2

You have heard me rave about Matched ( review here) but when I attempted to find a trailer there was not one. With what my husband lovingly calls the Davies law, the trailer was released the day after I did my post. 

Synopsis: From Amazon
On her seventeenth birthday, Cassia meets her Match. Society dictates he is her perfect partner for life. Except he’s not. In Cassia’s society, Officials decide who people love. How many children they have. Where they work. When they die. But, as Cassia finds herself falling in love with another boy, she is determined to make some choices of her own. And that’s when her whole world begins to unravel....

 

So without further ado *drum roll please* Matched Trailer

 

Seriously you have to read it.

I also wanted to include the next one because I desperately NEED this book.

Synopsis: From Amazon

There was a time when love was the most important thing in the world. People would go to the end of the earth to find it. They would tell lies for it. Even kill for it.

Then, at last, they found the cure.
Now, everything is different. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Haloway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.
But then, with only ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable

If you remember from my previous Trailer Tuesday: Dystopia post I featured:

Synopsis: From GoodReads

An eighth grade girl was taken today . . . With this first sentence, readers are immediately thrust into a fast-paced thriller that doesn't let up for a moment. In a world not too far removed from our own, kids are being taken away to special workhouses if their families exceed the monthly debt limit imposed by the government. Thirteen-year-old Matt briefly wonders if he might be next, but quickly dismisses the thought. After all, his parents are financially responsible, unlike the parents of those other kids. As long as his parents remain within their limit, the government will be satisfied and leave them alone. But all it takes is one fatal visit to the store to push Matt’s family over their limit—and to change his reality forever.

I would desperately like to review this for one of my MG Monday posts. So if anyone can point me in the direction of a review copy I would be really grateful. I will even share [; )]

Lastly I have found another one I would love to review (needs to stop looking at YouTube NOW)

Synopsis: From GoodReads
In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris, and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together, they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes-fascinating, sometimes-exasperating boy fits into the life she’s chosen.
But Tris also has a secret: one she’s kept hidden from everyone, because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly-perfect society, she also learns that her secret might be what helps her save those she loves . . . or it might be what destroys her.

Now if I could just get on publishers reviewers lists [ ; ) ]