Rachel Vincent's Shift Mini Review

Title:  Shift  
Author:  Vincent, Rachel
Publisher:  Harlequin  
Imprint:  Mira  
Pub Date:  03/01/2010  
ISBN:  9780778327608

author's web site : click here
                        imprint web site : click here

Looking for something to get your girlfriends pulse racing?
Well look no further.
Rachel Vincent's Shifter series is an emotional roller-coaster ride and Shift definitely does not disappoint.
With Faythe, our heroine torn between the two men she loves the tension and emotion in this novel are at an all time high. One things for certain these two definitely make you want to have your cake and eat it! Move over Vamps and Wolves I for one am definitely Team Werecat!

2010 Favourites

Before moving on to the start of this year, a quick look at what I enjoyed in the past year.

But remember all that glitters is not gold! Everyone has their own personal likes and dislikes and just because you don't necessarily agree with me, doesn't mean I'm wrong (Or you for that matter).

Games


Ok, I will happily admit that gaming is one of those things I can take or leave, I just like to dip my toes into the pool occasionally and in all likelihood everything I enjoyed playing in the last year probably isn't current, but it is still a representation of what I enjoy so here goes.

1. Bioshock How had I managed never to play this game until this year? Visually this game is stunning, it is atmospheric (creepy) and completely immersive.  If you haven't played this game and I'm going to assume that I'm probably not the only one, then beg, borrow or steal (well don't steal cause that's just wrong) a copy as soon as you can.

2. Heavy Rain I played the demo of this and absolutely loved it and had to buy the full game. Again this game is fully immersive, every choice you make, every action determines what happens throughout the game. If you're after mindless violence and action then this game probably isn't for you, but if you want something a bit different that is completely engrossing, then go for it.

3. Final Fantasy XIII Now I am completely aware that are lots of you out there that really dislike this game and feel it is not up to the usual Final Fantasy standard but, I actually quite like it. Yes it has faults, it's a bit linear, free roaming seems to be a thing of the past and the fight scenes seem to be made up of pressing the x button repeatedly but the movie sequences are just beautiful and that makes up for all the faults in my eyes. Visually the game is stunning, the storyline is understandable and interesting and all in all definitely worth trying out.

Movies

1. Alice in Wonderland All I really have to say about this is, Tim Burton & Johnny Depp.....Really people what could possibly be wrong with it.  I love it and if you don't tough!

2. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Based on the graphic novels, this movie is basically a geeky love story, Scott Pilgrim must defeat his new girlfriend's seven evil exes in order to win her heart. It is definitely not some kind of cinematic masterpiece nevertheless it is a fantastic film. Visually stunning, packed full of pop culture references and a great soundtrack.


3 Micmacs A man and his friends come up with an intricate and original plan to destroy two big weapons manufacturers. This quirky French film from Jean-Pierre Jeunet who gave us Amelie, Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children all of which are favourites of mine, is almost perfect in every way.  If you haven't seen it why not?


TV Shows

1. Dr Who It took a few episodes to get used to Matt Smith as the new Dr  but it's amazing how quickly  you forget the previous incarnation. My darling daughter on the other hand has decided that she is no longer going to watch the show, in her head David Tenant is and should be, the only Dr Who (who say's we get more inflexible as we get older!). Anyway, Doctor Who has been shortlisted in two categories for this year's National Television Awards. The winners will be announced at a ceremony later this month with Matt Smith nominated for Best Performance for his role as the Time Lord and Doctor Who up for Best Drama.


2. Sherlock The BBC did it again with another stunning drama adaptation. Co-created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, Benedict Cumberbatch starred as the new Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as his loyal friend, Doctor John Watson. Brought bang up to date this was fast paced and amusing. It too has been nominated for two National Television Awards, in fact the same two as Dr Who. It's a close call and we'll just have to wait and see.


3. Big Bang Theory The series follow four geeks named Sheldon, Raj, Howard and Leonard, plus Penny a pretty blonde across the hallway. This is just incredibly funny, brilliantly scripted and well delivered by all the cast. 


I  was going to take a look at my favourite reads of the year as well but, I think that will have to be another post.

Launch of YA Imprint Mira Ink

On the 1st January Harlequin Mills & Boon imprint Mira launched a teen imprint  - Mira Ink. 

The launch titles were the first book in the Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent and Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder.
 Mira Ink will publish all books in its list simultaneously with the e-book versions, which form part of an online campaign to promote the list with a Mira Ink  Facebook fan page and YouTube channel.
The You Tube channel has  trailers for Inside Out, Inntertwined and The Iron Fey (this is the one I'm desperate to get my greasy little mitts on) and they are worth a wee watch.
Anyway, here is what Editor Maddie West has to say about what we have to look forward to:

My name is Maddie West and I am obsessed with YA books. Luckily for me, I’m the editor at MIRA INK, a new imprint devoted to all things YA.

We’re launching MIRA INK at the start of 2011 with some amazingly exciting books! We’ve got completely thrilling stories of forbidden love and dark secrets. Banshees, faeries, vampires, werewolves and zombies have battled for my attention and I’m still struggling to pick a favourite.

I hope I’ve whetted your appetite for some of the great things coming from MIRA Ink this year. I know I’ve had the best time ever reading them! 

Maddie

Sounds great and it looks like its not too long a wait until,

The Iron King

Julie Kagawa

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined… Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home. When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change. But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Dr Who New season Trailer

I hadn't realised that this was available, so obviously I'm living in a little bubble all of my own.
Anyway, here it is, something to make me smile today as I countdown my last few day's before I head back to work.
I personally love the Stetson but hey!

Here we go Again!

Just over a year ago I did a post about it being a New Year and a new decade and how I was going to be good about posting, however, it turns out that was complete nonsense as this blog hasn't been updated since the 18th of January 2010.
Now I could reiterate those sentiments again however I have decided just to take things as they come and give the blog a chance to grow at it's own speed.

Haikasoru - Viz Media

 Yesterday whilst browsing the shelves at work I noticed that we had a copy of  Battle Royale: The Novel on the shelves with a shiny new cover.
Now I am a bit of a magpie when it comes to book covers, shiny and catches my eye and I'm there with my wallet. Now sometimes this allows me to find spectacular authors whom I haven't tried before and other times well let's just say not everything that glitters is gold.
I already own this book so for once didn't part with my cash, however when I got home I jumped on the computer and headed over to the site to see what other delights were on offer.

What is Haikasoru?

Space Opera. Dark Fantasy. Hard Science.

With a small, elite list of award-winners, classics, and new work by the hottest young writers, Haikasoru is the first imprint dedicated to bringing Japanese science fiction to America and beyond. Featuring the action of anime and the thoughtfulness of the best speculative fiction, Haikasoru aims to truly be the “high castle” of science fiction and fantasy.

Now it turns out I've already read another book from this imprint, Zoo by Otsuichi which I thoroughly enjoyed. It is a collection of short stories that are like dark, horiffic fairytales. The stories themselves range from speculative fiction to the horror genre and are all completly engrossing. Each one is emotional and haunting and rather than spoil any of them my advice to you is buy this book you won't be disappointed.

That being said what do we have to look forward to from this imprint. Well, coming soon are three that I know I will definitely be buying and they are:

Yukikaze

by Chōhei Kambayashi

More than thirty years ago a hyper-dimensional passageway suddenly appeared... the first stage of an attempted invasion by an enigmatic alien host. Humanity managed to push the invaders back through the passageway to the strange planet nicknamed "Faery." Now, Second Lieutenant Rei Fukai carries out his missions in the skies over Faery. His only constant companion in this lonely task is his fighter plane, the sentient FFR-31 Super Sylph, call sign: YUKIKAZE.

Available January 19, 2010

The Book of Heroes

by Miyuki Miyabe

When her brother Hiroki disappears after a violent altercation with school bullies, Yuriko finds a magical book in his room. The book leads her to another world where she learns that Hiroki has been possessed by a spirit from The Book of Heroes, and that every story ever told has some truth to it and some horrible lie. With the help of the monk Sky, the dictionary-turned-mouse Aju, and the mysterious Man of Ash, Yuriko has to piece together the mystery of her vanished brother and save the world from the evil King in Yellow.

Available January 19, 2010


 

Brave Story

by Miyuki Miyabe

Alone after his father his hospitalized and his mother attempts suicide, Wataru Mitani ventures from the real world to the land of Vision, where he seeks five magical gemstones representing the qualities of charity, bravery, faith, grace, and the power of light and darkness. With these, perhaps Watari can change his fate and bring his family together again.

Available Now
Winner of the 2008 Batchelder Award

Of these the one that I am most looking forward to is The Book of Heroes and yes it probably is because it is the cover I like most!

Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2010 shortlist announced

Firstly I'm a little bit late putting this post up as the list was announced last week, but as this is fairly important in the UK children's market I decided better late than never.

The shortlist for the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2010 has been announced, with stories about dead hamsters, medieval monks and sorcerers in the running for one of the most valuable and prestigious children's book awards in the country.
"Horror and the supernatural often dominate children's fiction but this year we're seeing that balanced with serious, believable stories proving that sometimes real-life drama hits closest to home," said Sarah Clarke, Children's Buying Manager at Waterstone's.

Final judging is underway, and the winner will be announced on Wednesday 10th February.

The full shortlist:
1. Flyaway by Lucy Christopher (Chicken House)

2. The Great Hamster Massacre by Katie Davies (Simon & Schuster)

3. The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester (Macmillan)

4. Seven Sorcerers by Caro King (Quercus)

5. Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur (Puffin)

6. The Toymaker by Jeremy de Quidt (David Fickling Books)

7. Desperate Measures by Laura Summers (Piccadilly Press)

8. Superhuman: Meteorite Strike by A.G Taylor (Usborne)

9. The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh (Chicken House)

All the links will take you directly to the product page on Waterstones.

There is a really good mix of titles in this list with quite varied subject matter which can only be a good thing.
I'm halfway through The Crowfield Curse at the moment and should have a review up by the weekend.

Apologies and Bree Despain

I have completely failed at keeping on top of my life this week and as a result have managed to do nothing that I intended to on the blog.
However the reviews for The Left Hand of God and The City & The City should be ready to be put up late on tomorrow evening... Fingers crossed.
However quick bit of news, Bree Despain author of The Dark Divine which has just been published in the US and is on my YA Debut list to be read and reviewed when I get my grubby little fingers on it, has celebrated her birthday this week and is running a competition on her site, you'll need to be quick though as it finishes on Saturday, January 16th at 11:59pm. To enter click here.

Author Chat - Richelle Mead

Join author Richelle Mead, author of the Vampire Academy books, for a chat at the Watercooler on Thursday, January 7th at 8 PM EST.
Now, unfortunately for those of us in the UK that means 1am (Thurs night/Fri morning) which means that it is highly unlikely that my darling daughter is getting to stay up and chat to one of her favourite authors!
If you don't have an evil mum or are a "big person" who sets their own bedtime sign up here.

Forthcoming Reviews

Okay, let's get started I am currently reading the following, which I hope to have reviews done for by the end of the week, completely ignoring the planned blog schedule. Ahh the best laid plans of mice and men.

The Left Hand of God by Paul Hoffman

Format : Hardback
ISBN: 9780718155186
Size : 153 x 234mm
Pages : 448
Published : 07 Jan 2010
Publisher : Michael Joseph

» Read the opening of The Left Hand of God by downloading the Penguin Taster here


Also being read is The City & The City by China Mieville

Format : Paperback
ISBN: 9780330493109
Size : 197 x 130mm
Pages : 384
Published : 01 Jan 2010
Publisher : Pan

Which for some unknown reason kept getting shuffled about in the to be read pile of doom! However this has to be rectified and as the book has just been released in paperback this is the ideal time.

Temple Library Reviews Comic Book Appreciation month!

On my travels around the internet yesterday I discovered that Harry Markov over a Temple Library Reviews is having a comic book month.
Now anyone who says they don't like comics is, in my humble opinion a philistine! Only kidding, each to their own.
So if like me, you have at least a passing interest in the subject then head on over it looks like it is going to be a fun month, with a very busy schedule.
Along with that Doug over at SciFiGuy.ca has his usual fantastically useful and there goes all the cash in my bank account list up. Urban Fantasy, Paranormal and SFF Book Releases for January 2010 go look you'll see what I mean.
Continuing that theme Natasha at Writings Of A Wicked Book Addict also has her list up which can be found here.
Orbit US also have their Spring/Summer 2010 list up here, but still nothing about Orbit UK so I just have to sit and wait like a good girl.

New Year, New Decade, New Goals

Okay so last year I fully intended on getting this blog up and running but somehow always managed to get sidetracked by other things.
So this year I have decided I need to be far more structured in my approach.
Now obviously working in a bookshop I read a lot and I do mean a lot! So reviewing my reading habits was supposed to help me keep track of what I'd read and enjoyed. Plainly this just didn't happen.
Now for work I am very good about doing in-store reviews and theme of the month choices and obviously what would make sense is to put these up on the blog, I've done the work already and life should be much easier that way.

So going forward the plan is this;

• Monday - Roundup of the previous weeks bestsellers in the shop.

• Tuesday - New releases this week.

• Wednesday - In depth review.

• Thursday- News and views from around the net.

• Friday - Review of one of the themed books.

• Saturday - mini review.

• Sunday - tbc (possibly a day off)

On top of that I will try and give a quick rundown of what is due to be published over the next month on the last weekend of each month.

Pheww......

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Now this is a book that you must read before you see the film, however here are snippets of both of them for you to make up your mind. The browse inside from Harper Collins lets you read the whole book, but remember support your bookshop it's one you'll want on your shelves.






Visit http://www.coraline.com
From the director of The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Based on the award-winning childrens book by Neil Gaiman.
A fairytale nightmare handmade in 3D.

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Hitch-Hiker's Guide

Hitch-Hiker's Guide

Hitch-Hiker News

30th Anniversary of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and global publication of the sixth book in the series.

As previously announced, Penguin is to publish And Another Thing, the 6th novel in the ever-more increasingly inaccurately named Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy trilogy, by international bestselling children’s writer, Eoin Colfer.

Publication has been set for Monday 12th October 09, which is also the 30th anniversary of publication of the first book in the late Douglas Adams’ phenomenally successful series.

Well, what kind of reader am I?

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Dedicated Reader You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more.
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Literate Good Citizen
Book Snob
Fad Reader
Non-Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz