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Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter

Saturday 31 March 2012
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Orchard
Released: March 2012
Pages: 323
Source: Bought
Rating: 5/5

The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers months have passed, her memory is a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie’s summer vacation are the bruises on her body and dirt under her nails. All she wants is to go home. But even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers as Cammie and her friends face their most difficult challenge yet. With only their training and a few clues to guide them, the girls go in search of answers on the other side of the world. But the Circle is hot on their trail and will stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.

Out of Sight, Out of Time was one of my most anticipated 2012 releases and so as soon as I spotted it I just had to have it. Luckily, this book met my expectations and added yet another great edition to the Gallagher Girls series.

When I first heard about this book's storyline I started wondering how Carter was going to portray Cammie's memory loss without making it seem too... unbelievable. I'm glad to report back that this infact was not the case. Cammie's amnesia was played out very well. Naturally, of course, we are still kept in the dark about a few things that took place during Cammie's mysterious mission at the end but that's just Carter's way of getting you hooked on the series!

Yet again, my favourite character was Zach. I just love his whole personality. The bad boy side to him being one of the biggest reasons. The only character I didn't really like was Bex. The mistaken relationship twist near the beginning I found to be the origin! But even though after that was sorted out I still found her a little... unlikeable I suppose. I really wish Liz was included in it even more, she's a great character!

I managed to read this book in a day because it was that addictive. The writing style and the way Cammie told the story was just perfect. I really want there to be another sequel like right now! I need to know what happens! It's so unfair how Carter always manages to leave us admist a bundle of questions and... oh yeah, a possible mission!

Overall, Out of Sight, Out of Time was another great book to add on to a fab series! With a great storyline, characters and writing style this book swoops you up into a world of action that will have fans of action, kick-ass heroines and spies glued.


Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo

PS: I'm sorry I haven't really been commenting on blogs this week, I've just been swamped with end of term tests!



Book Spotlight & Giveaway: Win The Lure of Shapinsay Ebook + Swag!

Tuesday 27 March 2012
**Giveaway Now Closed**

Hello all! Today I've got a very special book to spotlight... oh yeah, and did I mention the author is generously going to giveaway a copy of the ebook plus all the swag . . . ?

The Lure of Shapinsay:
Ever since Kait Swanney could remember, the old crones of the village have been warning her to stay away from the selkies. They claim that like sirens of old, the seal men creep from the inky waters, shed their skins, and entice women to their deaths beneath the North Sea. But avoiding an encounter becomes impossible when Kait is spotted at the water’s edge, moments after the murder of a half-selkie infant.

Kait is woken unexpectedly by a beautiful selkie man seeking revenge. After she declares her innocence, the intruder darts into the night, but not before inadvertently bewitching her with an overpowering lure.

She obsesses over a reunion deep beneath the bay and risks her own life to be reunited with her selkie. But when she lands the dangerous lover, the chaos that follows leaves Kait little time to wonder — is it love setting her on fire or has she simply been lured?


This book has been getting great reviews and ratings on goodreads and you have to admit it sounds fab! Also, here is the trailer:


Now on to the GIVEAWAY! Or to be more specific, the INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY! The author is very kindly going to giveaway an ebook copy of The Lure of Shapinsay along with the tee-shirt (in all sizes), the bookmark and bookplate! Amazing or what?! I mean just look...


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Terms and Conditions:
The giveaway closes on the 10th April 2012 at 8pm.
International.
One entry per person.
Random Number Generator picks the winner so it's fair.
You must understand that the author will be taking care of shipping.




Good luck and Happy Reading to you all,
Rachel xoxo

PS: When I say pass forward your address - in the form - I mean only to the author because she is dealing with the shipping and such. I will not pass it on to just anyone! =]


In My Mailbox #10

Sunday 25 March 2012
In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where readers can share what books they received throughout the past week.


I only got the one book this week and that is Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins. Another shout out again to Beth for generously giving me this! I managed to devour it in a few hours and absolutely loved it! My review can be found here.
Link your own IMM in the comments and I'll try to stop by as soon as I can! =]

Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo


Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Friday 23 March 2012
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Released: April 2010
Pages: 323
Source: Trade with Beth, THANK YOU!
Rating: 5/5

In the wake of a love spell gone horribly wrong, Sophie Mercer, a sixteen-year-old witch, is shipped off to Hecate Hall, a boarding school for witches, shapeshifters and faeries. The traumas of mortal high school are nothing compared to the goings on at "Freak High." It's bad enough that she has to deal with a trio of mean girls led by the glamorous Elodie, but it's even worse when she begins to fall for Elodie's gorgeous boyfriend, Archer Cross, and frankly terrifying that the trio are an extremely powerful coven of dark witches. But when Sophie begins to learn the disturbing truth about her father, she is forced to face demons both metaphorical and real, and come to terms with her own growing power as a witch.

First off I really want to thank, Beth for very graciously giving me this book and making me aware of it! I absolutely loved it and it's all thanks to Beth! Hex Hall is just my type of book with magic, romance, head-strong characters, paranormal elements and a boarding school! Need I say more?!

I instantly liked Sophie's character. She was witty and quite funny but I most admired her for her courage and how she never let anyone get the better of her. She stood up for herself. I reckon she'd be a great friend. I also wouldn't mind having her powers! Oh yes, it's safe to say I really enjoyed the fantasy/paranormal part of it all. Faeries, shape shifters, witches, warlocks, werewolves, vampires... woah!

The storyline was also great! We all know I love boarding school stories so I don't have to go into that aspect of it all but the way the plot was planned out and created was just wonderful and very well-developed! Unfortunetly Hawkins did create some cliffhangers and unanswered questions! I really hope the whole Archer thing is going to be answered soon *sob*! I also really enjoyed the mystery of who was behind it all... I didn't even guess!

Overall I loved, loved, loved Hex Hall! I managed to read it in only a few hours because I was glued! The characters, storyline, mystery and fantasy/paranormal aspect just made this book a great read. I am most definetly going to try and get my hands on the next installment as soon as I can!


Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo


Mist by Kathryn James

Thursday 22 March 2012
Author: Kathryn James
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Release Date: 1st September 2011
Pages: 310
Rating: 4/5

Midnight: a mist-haunted wood with a bad reputation. A sweet sixteen party, and thirteen-year-old Nell is trying to keep her sister, spoilt birthday-girl Gwen, out of trouble. No chance. Trouble finds Gwen and drags her through the mist. Only Nell guesses who's behind the kidnap - the boy she hoped was her friend, the gorgeous but mysterious Evan River.

Evan is no ordinary boy - he has a secret which will lead Nell to question everything she has always learned from her grandmother's stories. Evan lives on the fringes of Nell's world, rarely glimpsed, misunderstood and feared, but a long-simmering showdown between the two worlds is looming...

Mist sounded very intriguing when I first read the back of it. I picked this book up with hopeful expectations and, d'ya know what? It exceeded them! I wouldn't say it was an absolutely flawless book but it was just the sort-of story I was in the mood for: adventurous, fun, mysterious and not too long. It reminds me of the books I used to read before I became part of the book blogging world and was opened to a world of genres I never knew anything about, and I'm glad Mist opened those doors once again.

Nell Beecham is used to looking in from the outside. She's not as popular as her big sister, Gwen, and the only two best friends she's ever had dumped her for a life of make-up and boys. She knows she's different, but she never guessed how so...
Nell has talked to Evan Rivers a few times. He's different too. Not one to play by the rules. She never for one minute thought that a disastrous birthday party in the spooky woods would collide both of their very different worlds together, and set Nell a dangerous rescue mission into one of her grandmother's old fairytales.

This book had a great plot. Different and very refreshing. Not to mention pretty cool! You are sucked up into the action quickly and, even though a little build up would have been fine by me, it still worked well. The storyline was probably one of my favourite factors, along with the characters.

Nell, the main character, was brave and fought for those she loved which you can't help but admire. I love a brave heroine and of course she had a kind, gentle side to boost! Evan was my other favourite character though. He gave himself such a hard time when all he done was be kind and sweet and thoughtful and just pretty awesome!

Overall I found Mist quite an enjoyable read. I will definetly be looking out for the next in the series, Frost, which comes out sometime in June this year! This book would be suitable for a rainy day (a sunny one will do just fine too!) and I'm sure you'll like it if you try it! Hint, hint... ;)


Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo


Top Ten Tuesday #1

Tuesday 20 March 2012
Hello all! Since I couldn't think of anything else to post about today and since you all deserve a new post I've decided to try out this meme that everyone seems to be doing! Enjoy!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted over at The Broke and The Bookish where bloggers get to list their top ten books under a certain topic/category. These books can be upcoming releases or already published. This weeks topic is Top Ten Books on My Spring TBR List!

1) Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Divergent was great, so needless to say, this is probably the most anticipated spring release for me!

2) Fever by Lauren DeStefano
Wither was also great so I really want to get my hands on Fever at some point during this wonderful season!

3) The Selection by Kiera Cass
This book looks seriously amazing! Plus, the cover is gorge! This just looks... aghh! I need it right now! I don't want to wait until next month, that's not fair!

4) Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter
I loved all of the four previous GG novels so I definetly need to get my hands on this one soon. I think it just hit shops... I need to start saving up! I really need to know what happens after the cliffhanger left in book four!

5) Fated by Alyson Noel
Yet again, another gorgeous cover! This is book one in a new series and it sounds really good! I can't wait for this spring release!

6) Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
This book actually arrived in the mail today thanks to the lovely Beth at Page-turner! As the amazing bloggers that regularly read this blog will know, I love a boarding school as the main setting! Add in some paranormal and romance? Count me in!

7) Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter
The first book in this series, The Goddess Test, was really good so, naturally, I need to know what happens next! Not to mention that the blurb sort-of poses a big twist!

8) Paper Towns by John Green
One of my closest friends loves John Green, so due to all of her rambles about how great his books are, I have decided to make it a goal to try and get my hands on at least one of his books. And this one was my first choice!

9) Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs
Ahhh, this book has been on my wishlist for ages now! I love the concept of mermaids and would really like to see if it's my type of thing. This book has had great reviews and the synopsis sounds great so I will definetly be trying to get this book as a spring read... hopefully!

10) Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Yet again, another book with great reviews! Dystopia is becoming one of my favourite genres, along with romance, so this seems perfect!

I think I need to start saving money now if I want to buy all of these books... and more! What about you? What are your Top Ten Books on Your Spring TBR List? Leave a link below and I'll pop by!

Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo


Giveaway Winners!

Sunday 18 March 2012
Hello all! Yup, the time has come for me to announce the winners of the 100 Followers Giveaway! There was such a big turn-out for this giveaway I feel bad that I can't give books to all of you... Well, without further-a-do let me annouce the two lucky winners of this giveaway!

The winner of Prize Pack #1 (a book of your choice up to £8 from either The Book Depository or Amazon UK) is...

**Kah_cherub**

The winner of Prize Pack #2 (Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi and The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter) is...

**Berenice**
CONGRATS to both of you! Please reply to my emails within three days or you will have to forfeit the prizes to another participant, thank you! =]

Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo


In My Mailbox #9

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where readers can share what books they received throughout the past week.

Bought:
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
Mist by Kathryn James

I was lucky enough to snag a couple books this week. I really can't wait to read The Sky is Everywhere because of all the great ratings it has got and well, Mist just sounds amazing! In other bookish buys, I managed to get my hands on The Hunger Games poster! I don't know about you but I seriously can't wait for the movie!
Oh yes, and as always, leave a link and I promise to stop by! =]

Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo

PS: Last day of the giveaway! If you're quick you'll still be able to enter, closing time is 8pm! The results will be posted up here and the winners notified soon after, good luck all!


Entangled by Cat Clarke

Thursday 15 March 2012
Author: Cat Clarke
Publisher: Quercus
Release Date: 6th January 2011
Pages: 372
Rating: 5/5

The same questions whirl round and round in my head:
What does he want from me?
How could I have let this happen?
AM I GOING TO DIE?
Seventeen-year-old Grace wakes up in a white room, with a table, pens and paper - and no clue how she got there.
As Grace pours her tangled life onto the page, she is forced to remember everything she's tried to forget. There's falling hopelessly in love with the gorgeous Nat, and the unravelling of her relationship with her best friend Sal. But there's something missing.
Grace must face the most important question of all. Why is she here?


Ooooh, I have so much to say about this book I don't even know where to begin... I am very glad that I finally got around to reading it because I must say, this is a book no avid reader should miss! It has everything from a great writing style to well planned characters and even faces some of the most troubling issues facing teenagers today.

This plot was so... well planned out and developed and relatable. So different. It kept me guessing throughout. Some twists did surprise me and even though one of the biggest twists I sort-of guessed a little about, certain parts in the story kept making me doubt myself.

Clarke's writing style was just perfect for this story. It was so utterly believable that it was a teenager and Grace's character was potrayed absolutely perfectly because it was being told through her eyes. Even though at the start I had mixed feelings about the swearing and the general relationship involvement, as the story progressed I realised that was just who Grace was and that she had come to be that way because of all the tragic situations she'd been through. For most part I was ready to give this book a rating of four but when the story started toward the end and was so skillfully tied up I just knew it was a five star rating for sure!

I would also really like to talk about the issues faced in this book. Clarke has so thoughtfully showed what some troubled teens can experience. Through Grace we realise that most people do what they do (for example: drinking) for a reason. Maybe they have went through something traumatic and find it easier to feel pain than to actually face themselves and their own "messed-up" lives. Like Grace.

Oh, Grace. Poor, poor, Grace (even though she probably wouldn't appreciate my pity)! Despite the swearing and the drinking and such I actually found her quite a great main character. I just felt so sorry for what she has had to suffer through. She is generally a zoomed in version of a rebellious teen with so much more to her than what she gives herself credit for. Sometimes I just wanted to shake her so she would stop or listen but mostly I just really wanted to be there for her!

The other characters I'd like to mention are Sal and Nat. I'll start with Sal. Now that I've finished reading the book I really want to scream at her for blaming and pratically using Grace. When I was more naive at the beginning I actually found her an okay character but now that I know the whole story I really don't like her one eensey little bit. I can't believe what she did to Grace. She was supposed to be her best friend but what she done was despicable - and messed-up! Woah, I've never had that strong a feeling against any character before - and I'm not even on to Nat! But I suppose I should start now.

I thought Nat was going to be one of those more-than-meets-the-eye but still with the normal teenage boy in him character but now that I've finished the book, like I did with Sal, my feelings changed and I hate him! I actually wanted to slap him after I turned the last page, but since I couldn't do that I sort of punched the book instead hehe. Urghhh, I can't even talk about him without sizzling!

The ending. Oh, the ending! I can't believe it left on a cliff hanger. I just need to know what happens! If only a few more chapters, or a sequel! ... I just really hope Grace doesn't forgive Sal and Nat!

Overall I found Entangled a really thought-provoking and enjoyable book. I managed to read it quite quickly because I was always wanting to know what was going to happen. I definetly think you should check out this book if you are looking for one powerful read!

Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo


Fateful by Claudia Gray

Tuesday 13 March 2012
Author: Claudia Gray
Publisher/Source: HarperCollins
Release Date: 29th March 2012
Pages: 325
Rating: 4/5

All I have to do is make it through this one trip, I think, as I step off the gangplank and finally board the RMS Titanic.
Tess has bigger dreams than being a lady's maid and plans to start a new life as soon as the ship reaches America. But once they set sail Tess finds herself in grave danger. Not just from the ice-cold waters of the Atlantic, but from the two strangers with eyes like wolves who are tracking her every move. . .
One wants her dead, the other wants her heart. The ocean wants them all.


This book instantly caught my attention when I read the description and, naturally, I just had to have it! I mean how can you resist a book involving danger, romance and The Titanic?! I am so glad I was sent a copy of this book because it was such a great read - just like I had expected!

The plot was probably the most enjoyable part of the whole book. Right from the first chapter you are absorbed up into a world of action - page five to be exact! I was quite worried about how forward the book was at first but then, surprisingly, I settled into the pace and actually found it quite an enjoyable factor.

The paranormal element involved was quite unusual since the setting was The Titanic (!) but even though, at a certain point, I doubted how it would fit in to that part of the storyline it surprised me! Overall I found it quite refreshing because it deviated from the usual historical and romance category.

Of course, most likely the biggest awaited part throughout the book - which I knew was coming - was the sinking of the magnificent ship. Gray kept me on tip-toe throughout because I was never sure when it would occur. . . and even threw in a tease! I thought that when the time came of the sinking that there could have been some more hysteria involved but at the same time I didn't because it showed Tess's reaction to it all. It would be such a scary and shocking experience to endure, not to mention, devastating! Side note: Try not to get too attached to some of the characters! :(

The characters were also very enjoyable. The main character, Tess, was a great main character. Strong, stubborn, brave, kind, fiery and determined. A great heroine! She was probably my favourite character. I quite liked one of her room-mates, Myriam too. She was quite like Tess now I think about it and their friendship was fun to read.

Overall I found Fateful a very enjoyable read with a great storyline and great characters. I really hope you will buy this book when it hits stores (in a couple weeks time!) because you won't want to miss out on such a great and unique novel!

Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo


In My Mailbox #8

Sunday 11 March 2012
In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where readers can share what books they received throughout the past week.


For Review:
Fateful by Claudia Gray ~ A big thank you to HarperCollins for sending me out an early copy of this book! I mean could you resist a book that involves romance and danger whilst all set on the doomed voyage of The Titanic?!

Won:
Entangled by Cat Clarke ~ I was really happy when Beth from Page-turner contacted me to say that I'd come in first place in her giveaway! There was a few books to choose from but I picked Entangled because it's had so many great reviews. I can't wait to get started on it!

What did you get in your mailbox? As always, if you leave a link to your IMM post then I promise to stop by! =]

Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo


Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon

Friday 9 March 2012
Author: Yvonne Woon
Publisher: Usborne
Release Date: 21st September 2010
Pages: 505
Rating: 5/5

Desire. Danger. Destiny.
Little did I know that this is what I would find at Gottfried Academy.
Coming from sunny California, the mist-shrouded Academy was a shock, with its strange customs, ancient curriculum and study of Latin - the language of the dead. Then I discovered that the school has more than one dark secret...
I also discovered Dante. Intelligent, elusive and devastatingly gorgeous, most people can't decide whether they love, hate or fear him. All I know is that when we're together, I've never felt more alive - or more afraid.
Does finding your soulmate mean losing yourself?


Dark. Thrilling. Romantic. Scary... AMAZING! I can't believe I haven't read this book sooner! I absolutely loved everything about it: the story, the characters, the setting, the mystery, the twists and turns, it has definetly become one of my favourite books of all time!

Let me just start by saying that for some reason I absoutely love books with a boarding school as the main setting. I really don't know why but I do! If anything I enjoyed this book even more because straight from the beginning the school was... unusual. Especially since the author left us guessing what infact was unusual about it for at least half of the book!

I really feel I ought to talk about the "mystery" but don't worry, I won't give anything away! Even though I kind of guessed some of the twists in this novel (which didn't take away any of the enjoyment one bit!) I didn't expect the one at the end! It was also quite fun finding out what part the characters played in it all, and most importantly, who was behind it! The whole lead-up to finding out the real mystery was so full of suspense... I could barely stop reading for a second! Literally. I stayed up quite late on a school night (shocking, I know!) and even got up earlier to read before school, and since I'm not a morning person that was quite spectacular really! I read this in two days because I couldn't put it down! I haven't done anything like that for a book in ages (and if you haven't caught on yet, I only do that with really good books!) so if that doesn't convince you to read this book then I don't know what will!

You are enveloped and engrossed in the story from the word GO! Need evidence? Well here it is, the first line: I didn't know anything about death until I began studying philosophy. Intrigued yet? You ought to be! Straight away you are whipped up into a dangerous and breath taking adventure that will have you fustrated, in awe and wondering how on earth Yvonne Woon managed to create such a masterpiece!

The characters were all perfect. The main character, Renée Winters was very realistic and I'm glad the story was told through her. She's confident, brave, stubborn and fiery, a typical teeange girl with just a little more than meets the eye... At the start of the book I thought she'd possibly turn out to be one of those characters that flaunts of their popularity but after a while I realised that was not the case. Overall I found her a very likeable character! However, she wasn't my favourite character. Dante Berlin was. It wasn't just Renée that reacted to him, I did too (another example of how great the story and characters were portrayed by her being the main character)! He was so mysterious and intriguing when he first came on the scene and when we started getting insights into his life I just warmed up to him even more. He was a great love interest for Renée!

Dead Beautiful is a captivating, enjoyable read with an amazing setting, story line and characters! Just to tempt you some more, here's my favourite quote from this novel: The secrets that aren't found out are buried well. And probably for a reason. I hope I've managed to stress out just how much I love this book! I really hope you'll read it too!

Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo


Giveaway: 100 Followers Prize Packs!

Sunday 4 March 2012
COMPETITION NOW CLOSED!

YAY! Booktastic Reviews has now got 100 followers! This can only mean one thing - giveaway! Now to make this giveaway extra special I've decided that there will be two prize packs, so two winners! Also, the giveaway is INTERNATIONAL but you have to be a follower to enter ;)

Prize Pack #1:
Choose a book of your choice up to £8 from either The Book Depository or Amazon UK :)

Prize Pack #2:
Win The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter and Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi. Both copies have been previously owned by myself so are not in perfect condition but are still relatively new! :D

Terms & Conditions:
- You must be a follower to enter!
- The competition closes at 8pm on the 18th March 2012.
- The winners have three days to reply or they forfeit the prize to another participant.
- Winners will be chosen by the Random Number Generator so it is fair.
- You can only enter once - I've decided to not to over complicate it all. ;)






Good luck to all!

Rachel xoxo


Cover Catch: Reached by Ally Condie

Since I didn't get any books this week, meaning no IMM, I've decided to show you the cover of Ally Condie's third and final book in the Matched triology!


Reached by Ally Condie
November 13th, 2012

What are your thoughts on this cover? I quite like how all of the covers in this trilogy have been quite plain but spotlight the fact that Cassia is breaking free, don't you agree?

Click here to see an interview with Ally Condie herself, including information on this book! Oh yeah... and do you know there is going to be a possible movie adaption?! Condie's going to a screenplay! Just click on the link if you don't believe me. ;)

Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo

PS: One more follower until giveaway! ONE! x)


Interview with Book Blogger, Jessica!

Saturday 3 March 2012
Today I'm pleased to welcome Jessica from Booked Up! I was really glad when she requested that we interview each other because she is a lovely book blogger with a great blog!

**Hi, Jessica!**
** Hey there, Rachel! (Waves!)**

What (or who) got you into book blogging?
Well I remember a while back, I was looking at a load of other book blogs. I sat there and thought "Wow, if only I could make my own. . ." Then I realised - I could! Thus, Booked Up! was born. So I guess it was the many other book bloggers that helped me decide to make my own.

What sort of genres do you enjoy reading more?
I'm always open to new genres, but I mainly stick to Chick Lit, YA adventures and fantasy. One rule for me though: Never. Touch. A. Horror.

If you only could only have the books of three authors, who would they be and why?
Wow, that's one tough question. There are just so many to choose from! First I would have to have Jacqueline Wilson. I don't really read much from her anymore, but her books were my whole childhood. She probably got me so interested in reading in the first place, when I was a lot younger. Everyone should get to experience the Jackie Wilson faze! Secondly, Cathy Cassidy. Her books were and still are perfect for teenage girls. I find myself constantly daydreaming about swapping lives with the girls in her novels. For the third author, I can't choose between Sophia Bennett and Lauren St. John. Sophia because she introduced me to a world I never knew existed (the fashion world!) , and Lauren St. John because of her wonderful books involving wild animals from Africa, which I love reading about.

Which character would you happily be best friends with?
Several years ago, I would have said Tracy Beaker. But now, I think it would be Edie from the Threads Trilogy. Edie is just so caring and supportive, and I've never had a friend quite like her. In the Trilogy, she is forever trying to save the world, and I would happily join her.

Do you have any similar traits to any fictional character yourself?
Hmm, I now realise why I would choose Edie to be my best friend, as I think I'm a tiny bit similar to her. I also love trying to Save The World, and care about making sure my friends are always OK. If they have a problem, like Edie, I try and make it my own to fix. Which can be stressful! I know I'm not, but I would like to be sassy and confident like Sabine from the Soul Screamers Series. However, I know I'm actually very self-conscious like Georgia from the Georgia Nicolson Series.

If you could disappear into any book, which one would it be?
I think it would very fun to be able to visit The Secret Garden. I'm not into many classics, but that one is an exeption. It just all sounds so beautiful, and to hide away in there for a while would be my version of heaven!

Quick Fire Questions:

Printed or Ebook? Paperback, paperback, paperback. I still can't get my head around why anybody likes Ebooks. To me, it's just not the same at all. No new book smell (sorry, but I am that sad!), no feel of the pages between your hands, and you can't display it proudly on a real bookshelf.

Dystopian or Contemporary? I think Contemporary - it appeals to me a lot more.

Faeries or Mermaids? I've never been too keen on either, but can Sirens count as a type of Mermaid? If so, Mermaids!

Cathy Cassidy or Chris Higgins? Sorry Chris, but Cathy all the way. I do love her too, though, and you'll find them both filling my bookshelves.

Harback or Paperback? Paperback again. The reason for this is probably because I can fit more of them on my bookshelves than Hardbacks.

Thanks for answering my questions!
Thanks so, so, so much for having me here, Rachel! It's been amazing!

Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo

PS: You can go see my interview over at Jessica's blog, here! :)


World Book Day

Thursday 1 March 2012
Yup, the day is here! The day where we celebrate the amazing world of the written word - and, of course, the authors behind it all! Oh, where would all we readers be without books? Where would we be if we couldn't disappear into another world to escape reality? Well I know my answer!

I am so close to 100 followers! I am still keeping my promise of a giveaway when I reach the three digit number (only one away people)! All we need is someone to click that follow button just up there to your left and a giveaway will be in our grasp! :D I'm still figuring what books and such to give away...

Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo