2011 Challenges - The Results

 2010 was such a good year for me challenge wise that for 2011 I decided to aim a little higher.
For most of the year I seemed to be doing quite well, unfortunately towards the end life seemed to get in the way some and as a result I managed to fail every challenge I set myself in 2011, as you can see below.
At least there is always next year...

100+ Challenge

98/100 books read. 98%done!

Aussie Author Challenge

16/24 books read. 67%done!

Short Story Challenge

2/6 books read. 33%done!

Nemesis - Book 2

NEMESIS:
Nemesis and the Troll King

by Ashley Du Toit

Seeking Redemption To Save A Life!

Yarg, the Troll King, was shocked one day to discover that be had a brother, a brother who was human, and that he too was human. As a proud Troll, Yarg had trouble believing that he could be human, but deep down he thought it must be so. So he set of to find Nemesis, the one dragon who could tell him once and for all if it could be true, that he could be human.

With one thoughtless act of cruelty, Yarg was responsible for a fairy becoming lost, frozen in time, and as punishment was stripped of his memories and turned into a troll. Now with only seven day remaining, Yarg must remember all the harm he has caused and find redemption for himself if he is to save a fairies life, and return to his human form.

Nemesis and the Troll King returns to the magical realms where amazing beings call home. A dangerous and fun filled adventure that is full of werewolves, witches, centaurs and nuffins. This charming story will delight and entertain all children, and although it is not necessary to have read Nemesis and the Fairy of Pure Heart to understand this book, children will find it just as enchanting as this exciting tale.

Ashley Du Toit Webpage

On sale: 01 June 2009
Price (AU): $19.95
ISBN: 9780980611236
Recommended age: 5-11
In a word: Rescue Mission
Re-read it: possibly
Recommend: to children
Star rating: three out of five
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Shift

Shift by Em Bailey

A Friendship You'll Die To Have!
 

Ever since the incident, and since her father left, Olive has looked at the world differently and has not liked what she saw, especially about herself. Cutting herself off from her former friends, from Alison, and throwing out everything about her old self, her old life, she has replaced it all. From new friends to a new wardrobe and a bedroom makeover, she has finally found a new version of herself that she is happy with. Unfortunately so has someone else.

When she first discovered the shapeshifter she feared no one would believe her until it was too late. But when her life was shattered and her perceptions changed she realised that believing in shapshifters was something only a crazy girl would do, and she was not crazy, at least not anymore. So when the so called 'shapeshifter' befriends her she no longer holds the crazy fear of losing her identity or her life. However she may be crazy not to fear.

Shift mingles together all aspects of friendship from loyalty, acceptance and encouragement to misunderstandings, manipulation and malaise. Not all friendships are healthy, and while some are only fleeting and created out of need, others can be down right dangerous. However it is a true friend who will stand by you when you need them most. A genuinely engaging story that surprises and leaves you wondering.

Em Bailey Webpage

Em Bailey @ Hardie Grant Egmont

On sale: 01 September 2011
Price (AU): $22.95
ISBN: 9781921564390
Recommended age: 14+
In a word: Shifters
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: four out of five
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The Night Creatures - book two

THE NIGHT CREATURES:
Angel Arias by Marianne de Pierres

A Song Of Freedom, A Call To Danger!
 

Naif has spent her whole life following the rules, restricted in her thoughts and actions. All that changed however during her stay on Ixion, she changed, but she was not the only one. Not only had she discovered freedom on Ixion, she had discovered a horrifying secret. But to uncover its meaning she first has to discover the link that exists between Ixion and Grave. Only then will she find the truth behind the Night Creatures.

Torn between a her greatest fear and a desire to save those she loves, Naif finds herself back in the place where she grew up and, like herself, nothing is the same. With only two days to find a way to stop a war, save her friends and discover a pirates traitor, Naif goes deep undercover and underground as she uncovers more then she ever bargained for. But discovering the truth is just the start, what she does with that truth with change her world.

Angel Arias sing out through the air waves calling to all who are lost, restless or looking for escape. With an ever present threat of danger, non stop action and endless excitement is found new horrors and tragic revelations. Grave robbing, secret meetings, alliances, betrayals and constant threats from wardens are just the beginning in a tale that continues to impress and capture those who are drawn to the dark.

Marianne de Pierres Webpage

Marianne de Pierres @ Random House

burn bright

On sale: 03 October 2011
Price (AU): $18.95
ISBN: 9781742751016
Recommended age: 16+
In a word: Grave
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: four out of five
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Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Journal

Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Journal by Brian Froud

A Place Where Dreams Are Stored And Fairies Are Squashed!

When Angelica Cottington shocked the world with her fairy squashing ways, not to mention her proving once and for all that fairies exist, she did it through a dairy not too dissimilar from this journal. As one of the greatest fairy related finds in history, Lady Cottington's story has entertained, enchanted and engaged all who have been lucky enough to read it. Now with this journal is an opportunity to create some magic of your own.

Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Journal is beautifully bound with a ribbon page marker and antiqued pages. Pre-lined and littered with squashed fairies throughout, this is the perfect home to store your dreams, wishes, stories, random thoughts, or anything you care to jot down. Filled with the promise of endless possibilities this exquisite book would make a perfect gift for that someone special, or a charming treat for yourself.

Brian Froud - World Of Froud

Brian Froud @ Thames & Hudson

Brian Froud @ Abrams Books

On sale: 01 July 2003
Price (AU): $20.86
ISBN: 9780810985438
Recommended age: 16+
In a word: Fairies
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: five out of five
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Far From The War #1

FAR FROM THE WAR:
Far From The War by Jeffrey David Payne

All's Fair In Love And War!

As a seventeen year old she has always been confident in what she wants from life and where her future will take her. What she wasn't ready for was the harsh reality of politics, where truth is sacrificed for loyalty, power is all important and money is the only thing that matters. Wars have been started over less; however the start of this war was still a surprise to a country suddenly thrown into civil turmoil.

It began with a military presence. It seemed peaceful enough at first, taking up position in Washington D.C.. By the time shots were fired she was ready to leave her position in the capital and head home to the safety of Orcas Island. But by then the war was well underway and at every turn she was met with the dangers of the front line. However no matter where she went, how far she travelled, she was never far from the war.

Far From The War is a griping and intelligent read that takes you on a journey across country and into the heart of a war that, depending on who you talk to, is being won and lost with each passing day. Although our heroine maybe young and somewhat naive, she shows great strength and determination as she experiences firsthand the horrors, heartbreak and hope that is felt by those touched by war. An accomplished story about one girl who never gives up, or gives in, until she finds her way back home.

Jeffrey David Payne @ Roche Harbor Books

On sale: 17 September 2011
Price (US): $16.99
ISBN: 9780983732204
Recommended age: 16+
In a word: War
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: four out of five
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After Obsession

After Obsession by Carrie Jones & Steven E. Wedel

After Obsession Comes Possession!

Aimee's greatest fear is that her mother was crazy and like her mother she is crazy too. At night her dreams are filled with warnings, visions of things to come. Her touch has the power to heal others wounds. But is it all real or all in her head? Is she really being haunted by her dead mother, is her best friend really being possessed, does The River Man really exist?

Alan's worst nightmare was moving to a town where football was all but none existent. But thing just went from bad to worst when the girl he liked already had a boyfriend, his cousin acted increasingly out of character and his athletic abilities were causing more problems then they were solving. But he soon realizes that there are more important things to worry about, like the man in the river.

After Obsession comes possession and with that the end of all. A dark presence has always existed in the river, it was The River Man that took Aimee's mother all those years ago, The River Man who now threatens the life of Alan's cousin. But with an evil so ancient, what chance do a couple of teens have to save a loved one when no one else in town is willing to believe The River Man exists?

Carrie Jones Webpage
Steven E. Wedel Webpage

Carrie Jones & Steven E. Wedel @ Bloomsbury Australia

On sale: 01 October 2011
Price (AU): $15.99
ISBN: 9781408818275
Recommended age: 12+
In a word: Possession
Re-read it: probably
Recommend: probably
Star rating: three out of five
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How To See Faeries

How To See Faeries by Brian Froud and John Matthews

I Can See A Faerie!

It's not hard to see faeries, not really if you try. Though you may only see them if your looking, it may not be with your eyes. There are many ways and means to Faerie, through games and rhyme and art. But the best way to spot a faerie is to use your own true heart. So keep your mind open and taken time to listen, for if you're very lucky you may see a faerie too.

But a warning to all who venture here, for time is not the same. And with each page a lifetimes lived, treasured moments to be relived again. Watch for the symbols and follow the clues, be ready to step through the gate. Just remember, though they are tricksters, meeting faeries is up to fate. When strolling through Faerie, slow down and take your time, after all you're just a visitor and you're only passing through.

How To See Faeries is more then just a beautiful guide book to the fey, this is a portal to another world not all that far away. Here you are guided by the hand, into a strange and wondrous Faerie Land. A place of hidden messages and magical devices, staying close to your heart it more then suffices. But just remember, although you may seek to see a faerie, it may just be a faerie that is seeking to see you.

John Matthews Webpage

Brian Froud - World Of Froud

Brian Froud @ Thames & Hudson

Brian Froud @ Abrams Books

On sale: 01 April 2011
Price (AU): $44.95
ISBN: 9780810997509
Recommended age: 16+
In a word: Faeries
Re-read it: yes, many times
Recommend: yes
Star rating: five out of five
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The Dutchess Of Whimsy

The Duchess Of Whimsy by Randall & Peter de Seve

Never Judge An Earl By His Sandwich!

The Duchess of Whimsy has always been whimsical in her love of all things, well, whimsical. She surrounds herself with strange pets and intriguing people, she wears the most extravagant of dresses and talks of all things peculiar. But the one thing she can not stand is boring normal. Or so everyone thought...

The Earl of Norm has always been quite sensible in his liking of everything normal. He has the most ordinary of pets and dresses in typical clothing. He talks only to the most level-headed of people on the most drab of topics. But the one thing he can not be is extraordinarily whimsical. Or so everyone thought...

The Duchess Of Whimsy and the Earl Of Norm are two people who know very little about each other except for what they see on the outside, but once they get to really know each other they discover that they have more in common then either could have imagined. A perfectly charming story illustrated in dreamy watercolour.

Peter de Seve Webpage

On sale: 29 October 2009
Price (AU): $25.95
ISBN: 9780399250958
Recommended age: 4+
In a word: Whimsy
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: five out of five
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Taken Away

Taken Away by Celine Kiernan

 

'Into The Grey'
  

It all started after the fire had consumed their home, their possessions, everything in the world they had but each other. At least they all still had each other. That is they did have each other, until the goblin boy showed up. He was there waiting for them, he had always been there, had always been waiting and now he had thought he had found what he was waiting for. Only he was wrong, and his mistake was going to cost a life.

The nightmares were vivid and all consuming. Upon waking the horrid dreams would become nothing more then a phantom memory, a vague recollection of something unpleasant leaving only an all mighty hunger in its wake. After food and the bright light of day those bad dreams could almost be forgotten, almost be dismissed, that is until the nightmare became a reality.

Taken Away is a contemporary story of the bonds of brotherly love, it is a haunting ghost story that will send shivers down your spine, it is compelling mystery of the past affecting those in the present. Whatever way you approach this story you will find a well written, entertaining and intelligent read that will stay with you long after you have finished this book. A story that all ages will enjoy.

Celine Kierman Webpage

Celine Kiernan @ Allen & Unwin

On sale: 01 October 2011
Price (AU): $16.99
ISBN: 9781742377520
Recommended age: 13+
In a word: Brothers
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: four out of five
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Goddess Test #1

GODDESS TEST:
The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

A Life For A Life!

Kate is not your average eighteen year old, she doesn't shop, gossip, hangout with friends or date. Her life for the past three years has been on hold while she has cared for her sick mother, all the time waiting for her to die. Even after three years it is not something she is ready to accept, she is not yet ready to say goodbye and she will not let her mother go without a fight.

It is her mother's wish to die in the small town where she was born, a town so small it doesn't even exist on any maps. But upon entering Eden, Kate is soon face with some hard choices, however if there is any way to save her mother from death, if only for a short while, then there is no choice, she will do whatever it takes, even if it means risking her own life.

The Goddess Test is more then a test for immortality, it is a test of honour, sacrifice and love. With everything to lose Kate repeatedly risks her life for those around her, but it is more then her life at risk when she starts to fall for a guy who has all but given up on life and love. A heart warming romance that turns myth into reality and brings the gods of ancient Greece to life.

Aimee Carter Webpage

Aimee Carter @ Harlequin Teen

On sale: 01 August 2011
Price (AU): $19.99
ISBN: 9781742901343
Recommended age: 14+
In a word: Love
Re-read it: probably
Recommend: yes
Star rating: three out of five
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Fury Trilogy #1

FURY TRILOGY:

Fury by Elizabeth Miles

An Eye For An Eye!

She never meant for it to happen. It's not like you can choose who you fall in love with, right? And this was true love, they both felt the same. It was just too bad he already had a girlfriend, a girlfriend who also happens to be her best friend. She should have known it could never have ended well, for anybody. She should have fought against her desire to be with him. She should have known there would be a price to pay.

He learnt early on how to fit in, how to play the social game that was so crucial to being popular. He had learnt this lesson the hard way and in turn had given as bad as he got. But there is such a thing as going too far. In the heat of the moment he will make a rash decision that will bring one life to end. He might not have meant for things to go so far, but sometimes there is just no saving others, or yourself.

Fury brings its own brand of twisted justice wielded through three ancient and powerful beings hell bent on punishing those who have done wrong. Everyone knows every choice has a consequence but sometimes those consequences can be deadly. And while not every situation is a matter of life and death, some are a matter of the heart, and others just require your soul. So let this story be a warning, if karma doesn't get you, the furies will.

Elizabeth Miles Webpage
Elizabeth Miles @ Simon & Schuster

On sale: 01 August 2011
Price (AU): $24.99
ISBN: 9780857074867
Recommended age: 16+
In a word: Justice
Re-read it: probably
Recommend: yes
Star rating: three out of five
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Secrets of Carrick Book 2

SECRETS OF CARRICK:
Tantony by Ananda Braxton-Smith

This Is What I Am For!

Fermion and Bolson were twins, but despite there sameness they were very different. Though they shared the same face and the same heart, it was Fermion who was older, always in a rush, never believing what she couldn't see and always working for others. Bolson on the other hand always took his time with things, he saw whole worlds were others saw only a drop of water; he believed the birds spoke to him and he worked only towards fulfilling their wishes.

But when Fermion found her brother, the life drained from his cold body, her life was suddenly changed as was that of her whole family. Losing Bolson meant losing a piece of herself, but it was also a loss to everyone at home. Everyone in her family was changed by his absence and for Fermion nothing could make sense again until she could discover the reason why he had died and accept that he was never coming back.

Tantony is a journey through grief and loss, a journey across land and sea, a journey to find your own path in life and what you believe. As one girl struggles with her life, her loss and what she believes she learns to accept others for who they are and herself for who she needs to be. Written with a raw and edgy language that reflects the uniqueness of this country and the quirkiness of its people, this down to earth story is one that settles deep within you and refuses leave.

Ananda Braxton-Smith @ Walker Books

On sale: 01 May 2011
Price (AU): $18.99
ISBN: 9781742031668
Recommended age: 13+
In a word: Monsters
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: four out of five
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In The Arms Of Stone Angels

In The Arms Of Stone Angels by Jordan Dane

'Darkness Is My Blanket'

Two years ago when a girl died, she betrayed the boy she loved and she lost everything. Although cleared of any involvement in the murder by the police, that didn't stop her small town of assigning her the guilt. After all it was well known that she was close with the Indian boy who had committed the crime. A white girl should have known better then to get involved with an outcast half-breed Indian, so any trouble she got she brought on herself.

Having spent the past two years in Carolina she had done her best to run from her past, from what had happened to her and what she had done. Now with her grandmother's death she is forced to return to the small town that was once home, that was once hell. Returning she has found many ghosts from the past waiting for her and without facing her fears, without her willingness to sacrifice for those she loves, she will never escape her past and nor will the boy she loves.

In The Arms Of Stone Angels Brenna has always found a peace, a second home where she can lay her head and find comfort amongst the dead. A girl who has always felt like an outsider, shunned and scorned will find strength in her uniqueness and an ability see what others can not. A dark mystery of murder, betrayal and jealously that is emotionally charged and completely absorbing. A must read for all ages.

Jordan Dane Webpage

Jordan Dane @ Harlequin Teen

On sale: 01 May 2011
Price (AU): $19.99
ISBN: 9781921793110
Recommended age: 14+
In a word: Acceptance
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: five out of five
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Birthright Book 1

BIRTHRIGHT:
All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

It's Was Not Her Choice, But Her Birthright!

She may have been the daughter of a police woman but it was her father who people remembered most, who she remembered most. It was his name she carried after all, and with it his reputation. It didn't matter that he had been dead for years, it didn't matter that he was a good man, it only matter that he was in a business that was illegal. A business that produced and sold an illegal substance; chocolate.

There was nothing more important in her life then her family, her brother and sister were her responsibility and she took that very seriously. There was nothing she wouldn't do for them, nothing she wouldn't do to keep them safe; however she never guessed at the lengths she would go to do just that. But when her heart interferes with her responsibilities she finds more trouble them she can handle and her only way out is to give up the boy she loves.

All These Things I've Done were done to keep her family safe and to keep her family together. However with a family like hers that was harder then expected. With criminal activity, mob wars, family politics, a vindictive ex, poisoning, attempted murder, betrayal, love and chocolate, this story literally has a bit of something for everyone. An engrossing and engaging story that is as bitter as it is sweet. A brilliant introduction to an exciting new series.

Gabrielle Zevin Webpage

Gabrielle Zevin @ Pan Macmillan

On sale: 06 September 2011
Price (AU): $16.99
ISBN: 9780330537896
Recommended age: 16+
In a word: Chocolate
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: four out of five
xx

Coffee at Little Angels

Coffee at Little Angels by Nadine Rose Larter

There Is More Then One Side To Each Story!

In high school they were the best of friends; growing up in a remote country town they had little other choice. Now, years later, they had all grown up and gone their separate ways, at least most had. There were some who were still clinging to the past, unable to change or move on from events long ago, others however tried outrunning the memories of the past that still haunted them. None of them had expected to meet up so soon, there were some who would have rather not at all, but death has a way of bringing people together, weather they want to or not.

Coffee at Little Angels brings together seven people who were once close high school friends but now have nothing more in common then the death of a mutual friend. While for most of them it had been years since they last meet up, for others there had barely been a day between visits. All had been affected by the friendships they once had, all were hurting from the secrets, betrayals and broken hearts of the past. Now however over one weekend and numerous cups of coffee these strangers will reconnect, and rediscover what brought them together in the first place.

Nadine Rose Larter Webpage
eBook @ Amazon

On sale: 26 May 2011
Price eBook (US): $9.99
ASIN: B005HFK7UG
Recommended age: 18+
In a word: Reunions
Re-read it: probably
Recommend: yes
Star rating: three out of five
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Haunting Violet

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

I Don't Believe In Ghosts!

Violet always knew there was no such thing as ghosts, a fact that she could never admit with her mother being a medium. Mediums were another thing she never believed in, after all the years she spent assisting her mother in seances and readings she had just assumed that all mediums were frauds like her mother. But then one day Violet saw a ghost and everything she believed changed.

This was to be the most important reading of her mothers career with only the most important people in attendance. Who knew that a real ghost would show up to spoil everything. However it's not just the dead who are causing mischief and keeping secrets. There is a murder afoot and the one person who knows their identity is a girl made mute by her brutal murder.

Haunting Violet are a number of spirits, some more friendly then others, a guilty conscious, an unknown future and a new love. With a few well chosen words and a handful of parlour tricks, Violet and her mother have made a living at comforting and consoling the wealthy of London, and all at a price. A trip back in time to when propriety and social standing were all important and catching a murder could be scandalous. A great romantic ghost story.

Alyxandra Harvey Webpage
Alyxandra Harvey @ Bloomsbury Australia

On sale: 01 August 2011

Price (AU): $15.99
ISBN: 9781408811313
Recommended age: 12+
In a word: Spirits
Re-read it: probably
Recommend: yes
Star rating: three out of five
xx

Ultraviolet

Ultraviolet by R J Anderson

I Can Taste A Rainbow!

When she woke it was to a bare room, alone with no memory of how she came to be there. Soon however she realised she was in a hospital. However her stay was a short one, or so it seamed, for upon waking she was soon escorted by police to a new destination. A place where she is told she will be with patients her own age, a place where she will be able to get the treatment she needs. And the handcuffs, she is told, is just a formality.

Being abandoned by her mother to a place like Pine Hills should not have come as such a shock to her. Her mother had always been a little wary of her, a little to quick too judge her insane. Now however she had to try to prove to others that not only was she not insane, even though she could taste words and see sounds, but that she was innocent, even though she had no other explanation for a girls disappearance other then the fact that she disintegrated.

Ultraviolet is more then just a story of a girl coming to accept herself for who she is, forgiving her family for what they have done and gaining new understanding of others. It is a story of a girl falling in love, a girl discovering she is stronger then she thought she was, a girl who although different is no longer alone. A compelling and engaging contemporary read with a delightful sci-fi twist.

R J Anderson Webpage

R J Anderson @ Hachette Children's

Ultraviolet

On sale: 01 June 2011
Price (AU): $16.99
ISBN: 9781408312759
Recommended age: 14+
In a word: Synesthesia
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: five out of five
xx

Tova Gallagher #1

TOVA GALLAGHER:

Ecstatic Evil by Amanda McNeil

It's Good To Be A Little Bad!

Tova would be your average country girl moved to the city to own and run a book store with her best friend if it wasn't for a few small but crucial details. Her father was a demon making her a half-demon, or halvesies as they are known, and for her whole life she has been visited by two guides, one her cousin Bartleby who also happens to be a demon and the other a fairie named Fay.

It has been Bartleby and Fays' job to convince Tova to choose a side and the time has come for Tova to make a decision. Either join the side of 'good' and let the fairies help her suppress the demon within or join the 'evil' demons and embrace her dark side, denying her humanity but still getting to keep her demonic powers. With not just her own soul at stake but the future of all humanities, Tova had better make the right decision.

Ecstatic Evil is the first in a new series of serial books that is to have new entries published ever few months. An exciting, sexy, short story that easily fits into your day. Full of demons, fairies, werewolves, magic and a hot, steamy romance, this little tale will leave you wondering just what is in store next for this devilish new heroine.

eBook @ Amazon

On sale: 07 July 2011
Price eBook (US): $0.99
ASIN: B005C1AMK0
Recommended age: 18+
In a word: Tova
Re-read it: probably
Recommend: probably
Star rating: three out of five
xx

Siren's Storm #1

SIREN'S STORM:

Siren's Storm by Lisa Papademetriou

The Tempest And The Fury!
    

Last summer was the worst of Will's life. A year later he is now beginning to deal with the events of last summer that took his brother from him. With no memories of the night his brother disappeared, Will has been haunted by what could have happened. But it's not until the arrival of a mysterious new girl does he beguine to understand just what did happen to his brother, and what may yet still happen to those he cares for.

Gretchen has always been prone to sleep walking, however recently it has been becoming more and more prevalent and each time she wakes it is to find herself closer and closer to the perilous sea. Closer to the place where one year ago Will was found unconscious and his brother not found at all. The secrets kept inside her can not remain secret for long, not from those she loves most, not now with the arrival of a mysterious new girl.

Siren's Storm is a blend of history, myth, mystery and the supernatural all rolled into one. A tale of fear, guilt, confusion and loss that begins in a storm and slowly builds into a furious tempest that is full of sea maids and fire and an unbreakable friendship. For Will and Gretchen, they must first live through their present danger if they are to heal from their stormy past.

Lisa Papademetriou Webpage

Lisa Papademetriou @ Random House

Siren's Storm

On sale: 01 August 2011

Price (AU): $18.95
ISBN: 9781742751276
Recommended age: 16+
In a word: Siren's
Re-read it: possibly
Recommend: probably
Star rating: three out of five
xx

Haunted Heart

Haunted Heart by Tania Donald

What I Did For Love!

Eloise was a simple village girl whose life was consumed by her rose garden, her dear friends Georgiana and Miriam, and the possibility Mr Jones, a very amiable man whom she could grow to care for over the years they might spend together as man and wife. Although this was the future she could expect, somehow Eloise couldn't help wanting more, more then her little village, more then an agreeable marriage. What she dreamt of was a deep romance, but the price for such love does not come cheap.

With the newly arrived Mr White comes new possibilities for Eloise. With his alluring presence in her life, Eloise is awakening to a passionate love filled with the joy of possibilities and the pain of neglect. However if Eloise is to survive this new love and her lovers demands she is going to have to survive a transformation that will lead her through dark and beguiling ways. But even if she survives this transformation she may still yet fall pray to a darker end.

Haunted Heart tells the tale of love, passion, danger and a life lived through any means with only one goal; survival. As one young girl crosses the threshold into womanhood, she steps between the boundaries of her moralistic society and into a world of dark seduction, a world that brings life with death, a world of loneliness and of great love. In this mixture of a Jane Austen character let loose in the world of Dracula, what follows is a provocative tale of romance, where in the end one woman will sacrifice all for her love.

Tania Donald @ Penguin

On sale: 27 June 2010
Price (AU): $29.95
ISBN: 9781921518706
Recommended age: 18+
In a word: Hearts
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: four out of five
xx

The Narrow Escapes of Ves Asirin #1

THE NARROW ESCAPES OF VES ASIRIN:

Tower Of Parlen Min by Matt Xell

Can He Escape 'The Shadow'?

Ves is a boy with no past and no memory. Before the orphanage there is no record of his life or where he came from. He himself has no memories of his life before the orphanage, nor has he any memories of the previous years, months, weeks or days. Ves suffers from a rare condition that wipes his mind clean every 10 to 15 hours. Without his scrapbook to remind him of who he is, where he is, he would not remember anything at all.

With the opportunity of a life time to visit the Tower of Parlen Min, Ves finds himself thrown into a world of new friends, extreme challenges, werewolves, witches, ghosts, murderers and a chance to win twelve million dollars in the Sword Challenge. However surviving the Sword Challenge will be nothing compared to surviving the serial killer stalking the inhabitant's surrounding the Tower.

The Tower Of Parlen Min is an epic children's story with violence, death and a lot of history lessons. For a story of a boy with a faulty memory who happens to be somewhat of a daredevil, he has no trouble remembering when he needs too. Through all the danger Ves faces and puts himself through he comes through little scathed but in a curious position. A very long and jam-packed story that's not too bad for a self published story.

eBook @ Smashwords
Ves Asirin

On sale: 23 July 2010
Price eBook (US): $2.99
ASIN: B0058EALC0
Recommended age: 14-18
In a word: Ves
Re-read it: possibly
Recommend: possibly
Star rating: two out of five
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The Tower Of Parlen Min GIVEAWAY

Before I post my review for The Tower Of Parlen Min by Matt Xell, an epic 1096 page children's eBook that I am still working my way through, I thought I'd give you all the chance to read a copy of this story for yourself.
So, for a chance to win a copy of this eBook simply fill in the form below.
All winners will be notified by email on September 24th.
Good Luck.
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The Story Of Solomon Bear

The Story Of Solomon Bear by Phillip Laird

All You Need Is Love!

On the edge of a magical forest sits a lonely house that is under a spell. A spell of forgetting. All who dwell within this house have fallen under its spell, all that is but one girl and her teddy bear, Solomon. While the others living in the house have forgotten kindness, happiness and most importantly the power of love, one girl and her bear have promised to keep love alive.

The others living in the house pay little attention the girl and Solomon. Although left alone the girl is never lonely, not like the others, for the girl and Solomon are bound by an unbreakable bond of unconditional love. But when the worse happens and the girl leaves the house, something that no one must ever do for it is far too dangerous, Solomon is left alone to find a way to bring home the girl he loves.

The Story Of Solomon Bear is a short romantic fable of the courage of one special bear and his ability to love. The greater complexities of love, belonging and friendship are explored through the tender and heartfelt relationship of a girl and her bear. Although the in-depth look at these themes may be a little over the heads of smaller children, they and adults alike will enjoy reading this tale over and over, each time taking away something more and something precious.

eBook @ Smashwords
Beloved Teddy Bear

On sale: 14 June 2011
Price eBook (US): $3.95
ASIN: B0053ZMPJ6
Recommended age: 6+
In a word: Love
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: five out of five
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The Mall

The Mall by S. L. Grey

 

Shop Till You Drop, Literally!
  

It was supposed to be a quick trip to the mall, make the deal, score a hit and get back before anyone noticed that she, and the kid she was looking after, were missing. But after returning from her dealer to Only Book, the store she left the kid waiting in while she made her transaction, she discovered the kid had disappeared.

A run in with mall security should have been just what she needed, they would find the kid and she could leave, however they are not as helpful as she hoped. Worse still they are threatening to call the cops and with the stash in her pocket there is no way she is going to risk getting taken in. To find the kid she is going to have to take matters into her own hands.

When he left for work that morning he never imagined his day would end being held at knife point by a drugged up girl, forced to search behind the scenes at the mall for a kid that has probably already been found is long home by now. But as the detour through the mall becomes more and more dangerous and surreal, he realises he has more important things to worry about.

The mall became a labyrinth, it shouldn't have been possible, he knew the mall and none of these turns and corridors existed. But here they were being chased by monsters in the dark, stumbling over dismembered mannequins and being confronted by a distorted version of reality. Suddenly getting out is not a question of how by why.

The Mall is a gritty, raw and provocative story that turns society inside out and strips it down to expose its discarded, scared and rotting core. Through drugs, violence, consumerism and days spent in a nightmare world on the run for their lives, Rhoda and Dan discover that the life they once had is no longer the life they wish to lead. A thought provoking and chilling read.

S. L. Grey @ Allen & Unwin

On sale: 01 August 2011
Price (AU): $29.99
ISBN: 9781848878860
Recommended age: 18+
In a word: The Mall
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: four out of five
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Sookie Stackhouse - The Sookie Stackhouse Companion

SOOKIE STACKHOUSE:
The Sookie Stackhouse Companion by Charlaine Harris
  

'A Complete Guide To The Sookie Stackhouse Series'
  

Welcome to Bon Temps, a cosy little town where a freakishly high number of supernatural's call home and where life is anything but easy and laid back. For Sookie, a telepath, life has drastically changed since the vamps came out of the coffin a few years back. More specifically her life changed the night she met her first vampire, Bill, and ever since then she has never looked back.

Several years, and books, later Sookie is still solving, plotting and uncovering murders in her own unique corner of the south. However just because Sookie is a mind reader does not necessarily gain her access to every secret hidden within the minds of those she encounters, such as the private dialogues between Eric and Bill that are now revealed. Nor had she any idea that the Chocolate Cake Caroline Bellefleur is famous for is a scandalously easy recipe to follow.

The Sookie Stackhouse Companion is a comprehensive peak into a small southern town and the people who call it home. While Charlaine Harris sits down to a q&a, Sookie gives up all her knowledge on the supernatural beings that have had a great impact on her once simple life. This is a perfect way to rediscover the books, test your knowledge on the events in Sookie's life and enjoy something new in a bonus short story.

Charlaine Harris Webpage

Charlaine Harris @ Hachette

Sookie Stackhouse

On sale: 01 September 2011
Price (AU): $32.99
ISBN: 9780575097537
Recommended age: 18
In a word: Sookie Stackhouse
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: to those reading the series
Star rating: four out of five
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Mommy, Where Do Baby Unicorns Come From?

Mommy, Where Do Baby Unicorns Come From?

by Renee Adams

 

But Unicorns Don't Exist!

It is the one question that she could ever dread coming from the mouth of her daughter, the one question that she was hoping to avoid, and the one question she never wanted her little girl to discover the answer to. But when her five year old daughter asked this question her heart froze, "Mommy, Where Do Baby Unicorns Come From?"

When she first spotted the horse, the horse that had a horn on it head, she was enchanted. It was beautiful and magical and for some reason no one else seemed to notice it there on the other side of the fence; no one believed it to be real. But here it was, the brightest white with a horn on its forehead, and it made her wonder. If there exists a grown unicorn it must have once been a baby. But just where did it come from?

Mommy, Where Do Baby Unicorns Come From? is a short and bittersweet tale of one mothers anxiety to explain, or avoid explaining, to her innocent daughter the dark and heartbreaking truth of where baby unicorns come from. A story of one girl learning just how it is unicorns can exist and how in a heartbeat life can change forever. Not so much a story for children, this powerful and beautifully haunting short story is one that will stay with you.

Mommy, Where Do Baby Unicorns Come From? - click for FREE ebook

Renee Adams Webpage
eBook @ Smashwords

On sale: 28 March 2011
Price eBook (US): $- Free
ISBN: 2940011254734
Recommended age: 9+
In a word: Innocense
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: five out of five
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The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3

THE WOLVES OF MERCY FALLS:
Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

The Beginning Of The End Of A Love That Will Last Forever! 

For years he had watched her from afar, waiting for her to join him in the woods as a wolf, but she never did. Years later he finally found her as a human and they thought they could finally be together. Now however, it is she that watches from the woods, torn away from him by winter and a wolf's coat.

His greatest fear was losing himself to the wolf inside, but now he fears he has lost the girl he loves to the woods and is being accused of murdering her. Her life now in the woods is filled with the longing for something more and the waiting for the winter to be over, as her future is lost to the uncertainty of the cold.

Meanwhile a former rock star is rediscovering life and love only now after he has given up on both. And a broken princess, whose brother's death has instigated the hunt for the wolves, will rediscover a meaning to life that was lost when she lost her brother.

Forever is a story of werewolves and love, but more then anything it is a story of Sam and Grace. The heart of this story is a couple who will never give-up on each other and never stop loving each other. A tender, heart pounding and unforgettable end to a series that has been so engrossing it will make you Shiver with longing when it's over.

Maggie Stiefvater Webpage

Maggie Stiefvater @ Scholastic

On sale: 01 August 2010
Price (AU): $29.99
ISBN: 9780545259088
Recommended age: 13+
In a word: Goodbyes
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: five out of five
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Imaginary Girls

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

'If You Want Something Badly Enough, It Can Come True'

When Ruby said something I may not have always listened to her, but I always believed her. When Rudy said it was impossible for me to ever drown, I believed her. When Ruby said she would never leave me, I believed her. When Ruby said the impossible, I believed her. I had no reason not too. Everything she said always had a way of coming true. That was the magic of Ruby.

Being Ruby's little sister meant always being seen as Ruby's little sister, but I never really minded. Although everyone loved Ruby, would do anything for Ruby, in the end she only loved me. My sister practically raised me; she was the only one who ever cared for me. But after that night at the reservoir, the attempted swim across, I realised just how far she was willing to go to save me.

Imaginary Girls is a tale of love, sacrifice and the bond shared between two sisters. While the captivating and magical Ruby is the centre of Chloe's world, it is the reserved and awkward Chloe who is the centre of this story. A poignant, raw and fantastic story where girls rise from the dead, people live in underwater towns, balloons bring midnight messages of love and one sister will never stop believing.

Nova Ren Suma Webpage
Nova Ren Suma @ Murdoch Book
Imaginary Girls

On sale: 01 July 2011
Price (AU): $19.99
ISBN: 9781742665221
Recommended age: 16+
In a word: Sisters
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: five out of five
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Forgotten

Forgotten by Cat Patrick

'I Remember Forwards, And Forget Backwards'

She had no warning for the day ahead and she should have, it should have been in her notes. He should have been in her notes. Instead she was blind sighted by a new boy she has no memories of ever meeting, and since she can only remember the future she has to assume he is not a part of her future.

Reading through her notes she realises she had seen this boy before, both yesterday and the day before. It is evident that she will most likely see him again tomorrow, but for some reason he does not appear in her memories. However the presence of a new memory, one dark and foreshadowing death is about to turn her life upside down.

Forgotten is a past scribbled on notes and a future remembered before it is lived. While her mother is not around, her father is not in her life and her best friend is not speaking to her, the one person there for her is the one person she can't remember. A simple yet touching story of a girl who, although having no past, can see the future bright and clear. However despite her uniqueness she is just an ordinary girl falling in love and finding hope for the future.

Cat Patrick Webpage

Cat Patrick @ Hardie Grant Egmont

On sale: 01 June 2011
Price (AU): $22.95
ISBN: 9781921690624
Recommended age: 14+
In a word: Forgotten
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: three out of five
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When We Have Wings

When We Have Wings by Claire Corbett

'Flight Is A Powerful Dream
But Sometimes Dreams Should Stay Dreams'

When private detective Fowler took a kidnapping case from a flier client, already he realised he was in over his head. But not until he was bugged, followed, ransacked, threatened and maimed did he finally realise just how over his head he really was. What started out as a simple kidnapping, a nanny disappearing with her charge, soon turns into a flight for survival and a search for the truth.

From the start Fowler knew there were secrets being kept from him by his new employer, too many things just didn't make sense. How did a poor girl from RaRA-land end up working for a prominent family in the city? How did a nanny afford the impossibly expensive operation to gain her wings? Why would a girl with everything to lose just up and leave with someone else's child?

When We Have Wings is the story of Peri's determination to obtain her lifelong dream of flight. A dream she gave everything to achieve, only to realise too late just what she really gave up for it. With amazingly vivid imagery and a cast of characters you can't help but care for, this absorbing story will have you dreaming of flight while simultaneously questioning the ethics, morals and evolutionary repercussion of such a dream turned reality. Peri is an extraordinary girl, although you won't know just why until you have experienced her story.

Claire Corbett Webpage

Claire Corbett @ Allen & Unwin

On sale: 01 July 2011
Price (AU): $32.99
ISBN: 9781742375564
Recommended age: 18+
In a word: Flight
Re-read it: yes
Recommend: yes
Star rating: five out of five
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