Kate's Book Life: Ellie James

Showing posts with label Ellie James. Show all posts

3 February 2013

Showcase Sunday #29

Showcase Sunday is a new weekly Meme that I am taking part of. This weekly meme is hosted by Vicky over at Book, Biscuits and Tea and for more info click on the SS image which will take you straight to the blog. Click on the titles of the books to take you to Goodreads.

19 September 2012

1 Year Old Blog!

Hey everyone,

As you may have realized from all the giveaways going on my blog has turned one today (19th September) which I for one can't believe how quickly that time has gone.

I want to thank my wonderful (344) Followers I love you all you have made my year by all of you following or even commenting. It's great to hear what everyone has to say about our shared love of books.

http://katesbooklife.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/books-received.html - Here is a link to my very first post. It was a Book Recieved post which you may realize that I no longer do this and now I do a Showcase Sunday here's the latest SS post - http://katesbooklife.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/showcase-sunday-16.html

http://katesbooklife.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/ballad-gathering-faerie-books-of-faerie.html - This is a link to my first ever review which I don't think it says as much as my latest review post - http://katesbooklife.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/book-review-stone-girl.html. Whats so weird about both of these is that they are both one star rating books!

Looking back I haven't rated many books 1/5 (there are only 4!) but out of those here is a link to my least favourite book that I have read over the year - http://katesbooklife.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/pride-and-prejudice-and-zombies.html. Throughout the year I have ben blogging I have rated 20 books 5/5 but here's the link to my favourite http://katesbooklife.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/vanishing-game.html. It was a lot harder to chose my favourite as on different days it could have easily have been another book but this is the one I love today.

I have added loads of things throughout the year and I have also added other social networking sites to go with this blog (Click on the sites title to send you to my pages).

Google+ Kate BookLife

Birthday Celebration Giveaways

Shattered Dreams by Ellie James (UK ONLY)

Lex by James Mylet (UK ONLY)

Secrets, Lies, and Locker 62 by Lil Chase (UK ONLY)

Vampire Shift, Doorways, Black Hill Farm, Cowgirls & Vampires all by Tim O'Rourke (INT)

2 Winners of Swag from Mia Castile and 1 winner of Becoming a Butterfly by Mia Castile as well as some swag (US ONLY)

Click on the titles to send you to the giveaways.

Over this past year I have learnt new things and changed the way I blog but I still have a lot to learn as you can tell by this post!

Thank You everyone can't wait for more years to come :)

14 September 2012

Birthday Celebrations Giveaway #3 (UK ONLY)

Hi everyone and welcome to my Birthday Celebrations as I have said in the first giveaway I am celebrating my birthday (8th September) as well as my blog turning one!
So this time around I am giving away a copy of the brilliant Shattered Dreams by Ellie James.
This is a book donated by the fabulous Quercus Publishers so a big thank you to them! With these being books that I am sending out myself the giveaway will be UK only! Sorry to all my international followers but I do have a giveaway up and running and another big giveaway on the 19th.

Upon the death of her grandmother, Trinity arrives on her aunt's doorstep in New Orleans with virtually no knowledge of her mysterious heritage. Dropped into high school, she is trying her best to fit in, but there is something about her, connected to the mysterious city and her parents death, that makes her different.

When a game of truth or dare in a deserted New Orleans house gets out of control, Trinity starts to see things; twisted visions of the future that she tries to suppress. But all too quickly the dreams accelerate – terrifying images of a girl locked in a dark room. And when the head cheerleader goes missing, Trinity has to decide whether to step forward with what she's seen: a tough choice when the police are desperate for a suspect and she's falling in love with the missing girl's boyfriend.

Nothing prepares her for the dark odyssey that ensues, the surprising romance she finds along the way, or the shocking truths she learns. Not just about the girl who has gone missing, but the past that has been hidden from her, and the future that awaits.

Fancy winning Shattered Dreams? Just enter by the Rafflecopter below! Good Luck everyone!!a Rafflecopter giveaway

2 August 2012

BOTM #10

Last month I did a vlog version but I don't think it translated well but I will maybe do more of a wrap up vlog for just my YouTube channel.
Here's the books that I read in July:

Blood Moon by Alyxandra Harvey ****
Shattered Dreams by Ellie James ****
Spark by Amy Kathleen Ryan ***
Otherkin by Nina Berry ***
Taken By Storm by Jennifer Lynn Barnes *****
Burn by Heath Gibson **
Revived by Cat Patrick ****
Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry *****

I didn't read as many as I did last month but what I did read for the most I enjoyed and found it very hard to pick as you can tell I read two five stars books but in the end there was only one winner for me and the Book Of The Month in July goes too...

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

I have not long since finished it and only reviewed it yesterday it's as if I saved the best until last as this book just shone it was brilliant and I highly recommend this book to anyone who hasn't read it. Click on the image to take you to Goodreads and click HERE for my review.

9 July 2012

It's Monday What Are You Reading? #37

It's Monday What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey in which we plan our reading week!
(Click on images to send you to Goodreads)

Finished Reading

(Click on title for review)

Blood Moon by Alyxandra Harvey

Shattered Dreams by Ellie James

Currently Reading

Spark by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Only read the first few chapters but it has started off well although I am still not liking Waverly but maybe that will change once I have read a bit more.

Otherkin by Nina Berry

As you may have realised I have been reading this book for well over a week now and this isn't because it's a bad book, as I do kind of like it now, I just prefer reading my hard copies rather than the ones on my laptop.

Reading Next

Taken By Storm by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Burn by Heath Gibson

I am hoping to read this book as soon as I finish Otherkin which I do hope will be this week.

So that's what I'm planning to read this week, what's everyone else reading?

8 July 2012

Book Review: Shattered Dreams (Midnight Dragonfly #1)

Shattered Dreams (Midnight Dragonfly #1)

Format: Paperback (arc)
Publisher: Quercus
Published: 5th July 2012
Pages: 341
Main Characters: Trinity, Chase
Date Started: 4th July 2012
Date Finished: 7th July 2012
Rating Given: ****

Blurb from Goodreads:

Upon the death of her grandmother, Trinity arrives on her aunt's doorstep in New Orleans with virtually no knowledge of her mysterious heritage. Dropped into high school, she is trying her best to fit in, but there is something about her, connected to the mysterious city and her parents death, that makes her different.

When a game of truth or dare in a deserted New Orleans house gets out of control, Trinity starts to see things; twisted visions of the future that she tries to suppress. But all too quickly the dreams accelerate – terrifying images of a girl locked in a dark room. And when the head cheerleader goes missing, Trinity has to decide whether to step forward with what she's seen: a tough choice when the police are desperate for a suspect and she's falling in love with the missing girl's boyfriend.

Nothing prepares her for the dark odyssey that ensues, the surprising romance she finds along the way, or the shocking truths she learns. Not just about the girl who has gone missing, but the past that has been hidden from her, and the future that awaits.

I had seen this book on a couple of blogs which got me interested in the book and then when I found out what it was about on Goodreads I just knew I had to try and get a review copy of this book. A big thank you goes out to Quercus publishers for agreeing to send a review copy to me as I found it a thoroughly entertaining book that I just couldn't put down.

The cover isn't that eye catching I would say with the title right in the middle in huge font as well as being embossed is what catches my eye the most. Also the tagline below the title was what got me intrigued about this book. I do live the little patterns that are around the cover as it make the cover look a little less creepy. As for the rest it does have a creepy feel to it in the expression on the girls face as well as the creepy looking houses which all have a part to play in the actual book.

This is Ellie James debut novel and it was kicked of by the start of a new series called the Midnight Dragonfly. This was a great start to what I think will end up being one of my favourite series especially if it carries on in the same manner. James has created a brilliant new world where not everyone is who they seem. I did get a bit confused at the writing style of James as at one point one thing would be happening but the next minute something completely different would be happening without explaining what went on in the middle.

Even though it was jumpy at times I still fell hard for this book and was very close to rating it 5 stars as I was very addicted I just couldn't and didn't want to put it down. There was always something going on in this book and I never knew who I could trust and at times that even went for the main character Trinity. I also loved that I never knew what was going to happen as it kept me guessing throughout the book. Shattered Dreams is definitely an on the edge of your seat book and I loved it!

With Trinity I found was a nice enough character but I found she was lacking a bit of grit that I have come to like in my female characters I would have preferred her with more fire in her belly but I guess that is because she doesn't really understand who she is, so I am hoping that within the next books she will grow into a more feisty character. As for Chase I loved him to start with and to be honest with you I am not entirely sure why but love him I did. Well that was until nearer the end I felt a bit let down by him. I wish we saw more of Dylan as he was only in it for the last part of the book but I do think he will have a bigger part to play in the coming books as I think there could be a bit of a love triangle between Trinity-Chase-Dylan. By the end of the book it was Dylan I liked the most as he was the most intriguing character that I can't wait to find out more from.

Overall a brilliant start to this series as it was like a roller coaster ride, one that I didn't want to stop.

2 July 2012

It's Monday What Are You Reading? #36

It's Monday What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey in which we plan our reading week!
(Click on images to send you to Goodreads)

Finished Reading

(Click on title for review)

Vampire Shift by Tim O'Rourke

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

Currently Reading

Blood Moon by Alyxandra Harvey

I do love this series but for some reason it has took me a little while to get into it. Now that I am into it I love it just as much as the previous books in this series.

Otherkin by Nina Berry

I am not liking this book in fact there is too much going on that I just don't get what is going on. I am hoping it will settle down soon.

Reading Next

Shattered Dreams by Ellie James

Burn by Heath Gibson

Not heard too much about these books so I don't know what to expect from them.

So that's what I am planning on reading this week, what's on your reading plan?

3 June 2012

Showcase Sunday #5

Showcase Sunday is a new weekly Meme that I am taking part of. This weekly meme is hosted by Vicky over at Book, Biscuits and Tea and for more info click on the SS image which will take you straight to the blog. Click on the images of the books to take you to Goodreads.

Another big week of books so here goes:

Gifted Books

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

This was what I ordered with some of the Christmas money that I mentioned last week but this one only arrived this week! I am very much looking forward to reading this book as I have been after it for what feels like a long time now, hope it was worth the wait.

Swap Books

Catastrophic History of You & Me by Jess Rothenberg

This book was was a swap from Kayleigh from K-Books which has been on my wishlist for a while now again looking forward to reading it.

Review Books

Wake by Amanda Hocking

I loved the Trylle series so when I was accepted for a review copy of another Amanda Hocking book I was so excited. Thanks to St. Martin's Press

Blood Moon by Alyxandra Harvey

This series is one of my favourite series even even if I have only read the first two books. I do have books three and four on my shelf waiting for me to read before I start this one but I will be reading them very soon. Thanks to Emma from Bloomsbury

Shattered Dreams by Ellie James

I saw this book on Pen to Paper last week and it sounded so good I asked for a review copy myself. Thanks to Alice from Quercus Children's Books

Trial By Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

When I asked about Shattered Dreams they saw that I was reading Raised by Wolves and asked if I wanted to review the next two books which I of course said yes. Thanks again to Alice from Quercus

Taken By Storm by Jennifer Lynn Barnes