Bookbabbler Pamela has reviewed If I Die by Rachel Vincent for us as part of the Soul Screamers Blog Tour…

If I Die was another epic instalment of the Soul Screamers series.

As a teenage bean sidhe, Kaylee Cavanaugh is no stranger to death. She’s saved her best friend countless times, gone to hell and back for a rising pop star’s soul and even stopped a swarm of demons from descending on her high school dance. But this time, the person Kaylee may have to save, is herself.

When she learns her name is on death’s list and she has mere days to live, Kaylee would do anything to change it. But death doesn’t allow for third chances, and it seems her death is unavoidable. So if she’s going to die, she damn well is going to make sure everyone she cares about is safe before she goes. And for now, that means rounding up her friends to get rid of the incubus who has taken up residence in her school.

But those around her aren’t as accepting of her demise. Kaylee’s father and reaper friend, Tod, fight tooth and nail to change her expiry date. With the reaper assigned to claim her life stalking her, Kaylee knows that anyone who tries to intervene will suffer the consequences. Kaylee must re-examine her life if she’s to put it in order before she checks out. And she may just find a few interesting facts she has overlooked. Which only begs the question – what would be her dying wish? Or wishes. Come on, a girl has to get something out of death, right?

I absolutely loved If I Die. Kaylee is a spunky character with plenty of heart and spirit, and definitely not one to run away from a fight. Many people in her situation would have curled up or gone in total denial mode. Not our gal. Even when faced with her own death, Kaylee can’t help but try to save someone else first.

The action steadily mounted throughout the book and had me sitting on the edge of my seat by the last page. Kaylee and Emma’s banter lighten the scenes to let you get a breather, but I have to admit they brought a tear to my eye a couple of times.

There are plenty of surprises in If I Die that took my breath away and even though they caught me by surprise, they felt so right. This book will not disappoint fans of Rachel Vincent or the Soul Screamers series. And they will be dying to get their hands on the next instalment.

Thanks Pamela and thanks to Harlequin for sending us a copy to review.

Dragonskin Slippers is out today. Bookbabbler Bethan reviews it here for us…

This book is the first in the dragon series by Jessica Day George. It is about an orphaned teenage girl called Creel who is left outside a dragon’s cave by her mean aunt, so that the son of a lord will have to come and rescue her and then marry her and her family can avoid paying a dowry. But the dragon doesn’t want a fight, and Creel ends up promising to stop the knight in return for a pair of shoes from the dragon’s huge collection! However, she doesn’t realise the significance of the shoes she chooses until it’s too late… Will Creel be able to fix the problem and overcome the plans of the evil Princess Amalia? And what will happen to all the dragons in the land, not to mention the people, if she can’t?

The main characters in this book are Creel and the dragon Shardas, as well as some other dragons and Prince Luka and Princess Amalia. I especially liked Shardas because he is Creel’s main ally and it’s down to his good memory that she knows how to fight back. The story is set in a sort of old-fashioned atmosphere but more like a fairy-tale than a historical story. As I was reading it, it really caught me up and I didn’t want to stop reading because I was so excited and desperate to know what happened next. This was because there were lots of questions in my mind which were not answered straightaway and lots of things that Creel needs to find out! When I reached the end, I was glad that I had 2 more of the dragon books to read as I just didn’t want to stop!

I have seen that this book is aimed at age 12+ but I really enjoyed it even though I am 9. I think that both girls and boys from 8 upwards would enjoy it, perhaps it would be a good story for someone to read aloud if you didn’t want to read it yourself. The chapters are quite short so I think it would be a good bedtime story but you might not want to stop at one chapter because it’s so exciting! It would be interesting for anyone who enjoys fantasy adventure stories.

I give this book 10 out of 10! I think it’s one of the best books I’ve read and I would definitely read more by Jessica Day George.

Thanks Bethan and thank you to Bloomsbury for sending us a copy to review.

Hallowed is the sequel to the Cynthia Hand’s bestselling novel Unearthly.

Hallowed follows part Angel Clara who is recovering from a devastating fire that she was caught up in as part of her angel ‘purpose’. In this instalment of the Unearthly trilogy Clara finally starts to get some answers to her questions, although she can’t work out why her brother Jeffrey is acting so strangely .

Furthermore, Clara knows that she wants to be with Tucker, but her visions tell her that this is not her destiny. If coming to terms with this is not hard enough, she then realises that someone she loves will die soon. Who will that person be and what will it mean for Clara?

This is a fantastic story with a well paced plot that will keep you wanting more. It is beautifully written in the first person from Clara’s point of view. The love triangle between Clara, Tucker and Christian was riveting and gives this book a big injection of romance. Have your tissues ready as well though, as there are some heart wrenching moments too.

There are so many revelations about the angel-bloods in this novel that, if you read Unearthly, you will understand and find answer lots of your questions.

I will be looking forward to reading the final instalment in this trilogy!

Thank you to Egmont for sending us a copy to review.

Today we hear from Bookbabbler Pamela…
VIII was the unforgettable account of one of our countries greatest monarchs Henry Tudor.

We are introduced to likeable child Hal, second son of the king of England. Hal is woken by his mother to flee his home to seek safety in the Tower. There is threat of an uprising in England with someone leading them who claims to be someone he cannot possibly be. Someone that makes Henry’s mother very nervous. She is sister of the infamous princes in the tower. As a sister she cannot help but hope the rumours are true and they are alive, but as wife to the King, she has to pray it is an imposter.

The bulk of VIII is comprised of Hal’s childhood, as he struggles under his father’s firm hand and seeks the comfort of his mother. He becomes a cocky youngster, his physical attributes and abilities shaping a confident young man. But with a shadow looming over him. Hal is only the spare to his brother’s heir. A replacement. Someone who can easily disappear once there is no need for him and his brother is on the throne. But then the tables turn and it is Hal who is named King.

The ghosts that haunted him as a boy manifest into demons in his older years. Suspicious and greedy, we are taken on a journey that turned loveable Hal into infamous Henry VII.

I’ve read a great deal on Henry VIII, and while there are a few nitpicks I could make about this novel, I have to commend it for doing not only a stand up job, but make the life and times of Henry accessible to everyone. Teens and adults alike will enjoy this novel as they delve into the darkest places within Henry VIII.

Thanks Pamela and thank you to Templar for sending us a copy to review.

Melbourne, Australia, 1909: faced with the prospect of employment in either the match factory or the jam factory, 13-year old Poesy Swift auditions for a children’s theatre company that specialises in popular music-hall songs.

Before she knows it, she’s on a two-year tour through Asia. At first it’s all an adventure, but by the time they reach south India, many of them have been disciplined by the manager and their performances hide enormous turmoil backstage. At the end of their last show, all but two of the children turn on their minders and go on strike, then walk out into the hot Madras night.

India Dark is a story of friendship, jealousy, lies and lost innocence.

I love historical novels and I am fascinated by India in the early twentieth century, so I was really looking forward to reading India Dark.

Based on a true story of a theatre troupe which toured the world from the 1880s, India Dark follows the fictional Percival’s Lilliputian Opera Company on their journey from Australia.

The novel is told from the perspectives of two young members of the Lilliputians; Poesy Swift and Tilly Sweetrick. The Lilliputian’s are child performers who sing and dance on stage, it is Poesy’s first tour and at first she is very excited about traveling to America. However, things get off to a shaky start when the troupe discover that they will not be heading to America straight away after all due to lack of funds. Instead, they will be touring the East and travelling onto India in order to raise money. Soon, however, with money in short supply and illness never far away a new scandal strikes the Lilliputian’s with Poesy and Tilly at the heart of the vicious rumours. Will they be able to escape or will a cloud follow their names forever…

I loved this book, Murray has brought India, with all of its customs, sounds and exotic smells, alive to the reader making them feel that they’re witnessing the events as they unfold. I would really recommend India Dark to anyone who enjoys historical novels and I will be looking forward to reading future works from this author.

Thank you to Templar Publishing for sending us a copy to review.

Tempest is the first in a trilogy by debut author Julie Cross.

The novel begins in 2009, Jackson Meyer is a college student leading a relatively normal life with a girlfriend and a summer job. However, he also has an unexplained ability to travel back in time. These trips back in time seem harmless until one morning when strangers burst into his girlfriend Holly’s room and shoot her. Jackson jumps back in time away from the scene and lands in 2007 where he gets stuck. Will Jackson be able to change events through time travel and what will he learn about his abilities?

Tempest is a fast paced, action packed thriller starting in 2009. I really enjoyed this book and Cross has done an excellent job of creating a YA thriller with a different edge. There are so many surprises and mysteries in this story that I could not put it down.

I loved Jackson’s character, he is clever and always trying to think of doing the right thing even if that wasn’t what he might have done in the past. I also thought the way that Cross makes him deal with his emotions worked really well with the story line.

This is a great novel and I really can’t wait to read the next two instalments. I liked that this is told from a male point of view (Jackson), as this made it feel a bit different to other YA books. I would love to see this made into a film – it would be fab!

We have two copies of Tempest to giveaway. To enter just retweet this post or leave a comment below. UK only. Closes 31st January at 5pm.

Julie Cross is our Author in Residence this month. To find out more about Julie read our interview here http://bookbabblers.co.uk/2012/01/q-a-with-julie-cross/
Julie is on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FansOfJulieCross
and on twitter: JulieCross1980

Sarah Alderson’s debut novel Hunting Lila was one of my favourite books of 2011, so you can imagine how excited I was to receive a review copy of her latest title Fated and it really did not disappoint.

Fated is an explosive paranormal thriller which sees heroine Evie Tremain being attacked by a group of demons as she puts out the trash at the diner where she works. Evie doesn’t understand what is going on and is even more confused when a stranger comes to her rescue. What Evie soon finds out is that her life has changed beyond recognition and she is actually a hunter.

I loved Evie’s character, she is hard working with two jobs in order to save for college in New York and escape her hometown. She also has a real attitude and is very determined and these were probably my favourite things about her.

Lucas is half shadow warrior half human and he is from the Brotherhood (a group of unhumans who are constantly at war with the hunters). Lucas is sent to spy on Evie and ultimately to kill her, but after getting to know Evie can he go through with it?

Alderson is such a fantastic writer she draws the reader right into the story and makes you feel that you are actually there. It is a totally different story to Hunting Lila, but is still written in what I think is Alderson’s trademark gripping and action packed style. If you are looking for a great read then buy Fated, as you won’t be able to put it down.

I have a feeling that Fated is going to be one of my top books for 2012 and I really hope that there will be a sequel!

Fated is published today and you can buy a copy here..

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for sending us a copy to review.

Don’t Call me Ishmael is a fantastic novel from Michael Gerard Bauer. Originally published in Australia in 2006, Don’t Call me Ishmael follows the school life of Ishmael Leseur and his friends; James Scobie, Ignatius Prindabel, Razza Zorzotto and Bill Kingsley as well as those who’re not such good friends, namely Barry Bagsley and co.

The central theme of the novel is bullying. Ishmael starts secondary school and is picked upon by Barry Bagsley, the school bully because of his unusual name.(Those of you who have read Moby Dick will recognize the name Ishmael). Thus begins Ishmael’s journey through the school year trying to keep himself out of Barry’s way.

When new pupil James Scobie arrives, it seems that Barry may have a new victim in his sights. Ishmael and Scobie soon strike up a friendship with a group of other boys in their year and try to learn how to deal with events that are thrown in their path.

This is a hilarious book that I think would be most popular with boys. Bauer’s writing is so easy to read and fun that it will turn the pages for you. I sat down and read this in a day, I just couldn’t put it down.

I loved this novel and can highly recommend it. I think readers will find it deals with issues facing today’s schoolchildren.

Thank you to Templar Publishing for sending us a copy to review.

You can find Michael on Facebook: Michael Gerard Bauer Author
And on his blog: http://michaelgerardbauer.wordpress.com

When Katie, her sister Sorcha, her brother Hamish, her mum and her dad move from their home Holly Cottage into Cloudberry Castle Katie gets two things that she really wants, a big bedroom that she can practice ballet in every day and a ballet school owned by her! But when spoilt brat Leo arrives Katie isn’t sure it’s going to be happily ever after. Also there is a ghostly presence which leads the girls to discover secrets about the castle they never knew before…

This book is one of the Cloudberry Castle series and if I am ever offered one of them again I shall definitely say yes because they are really good books.

My favourite character is Tilda Katie’s friend because she is a daredevil.

This book made me feel excited because it was always twisting and turning and making you concentrate to keep up with it.

I would recommend this book to children aged 8-10, especially if they like the Princess Poppy books by the same author for slightly younger children.

Thank you Bethan for your review and thanks to Floris Books for sending us a copy to review.

Something lives deep in the forest… something that has not been seen on Callum’s farm for over a hundred years.

The pact they make will change lives forever.

Gill Lewis’ debut novel is a captivating story. I sat down to read a couple of chapters and stayed glued to the sofa until I had finished reading the entire novel.

The novel follows the story of Iris the Osprey as she migrates from the Highlands of Scotland to the Gambia in Africa. Callum and Iona become friends when they make a pact on Callum’s farm after finding an osprey. A firm friendship is soon struck up between the two, but it will be their pact that will push the limits of their friendship and lead Callum to a new world.

This is a fast paced novel with lots of unexpected twists and turns. Friendship plays a huge part and we see how new technology means friendships can be struck up all over the world. I also loved learning about Osprey’s – something I knew little about.

Lewis has written a timeless tale and made it into a modern story that today’s readers will be able to relate to. I particularly liked the inclusion of google earth.

This is a fantastic read and I would recommend it for children and adults alike, the characters felt so real, almost as if I actually knew them. It centres on many prominent childhood issues, such as friendship, bullying, loss and hope.

Sky Hawk has been shortlisted for the Red House Children’s Book Award. To vote visit www.redhousechildrensbookaward.co.uk
Nominations are open until 20th January 2012

We have three sets of the books shortlisted for the Red House Children’s Book Award. To enter visit our twitter page: @Bookbabblers