Month: January 2013

Blog Tour – The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle

Posted January 30, 2013 by Emma in Blog / 14 Comments

Title – The Hallowed Ones (The Hallowed Ones #1)
Author – Laura Bickle
Genre – Paranormal YA
Pages – 311
Publisher – Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Source – Blog Tour Copy


Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers can get a taste of the real world. But the real world comes to her in this dystopian tale with a philosophical bent. Rumors of massive unrest on the “Outside” abound. Something murderous is out there. Amish elders make a rule: No one goes outside, and no outsiders come in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man, she can’t leave him to die. She smuggles him into her family’s barn—at what cost to her community? The suspense of this vividly told, truly horrific thriller will keep the pages turning.

This novel was one that didn’t grab me straight away when it first come out… it never screamed and me to buy it but when there was a blog tour, I just couldn’t help myself and I’m glad I did. It is one story that has a very different take on the vampire YA novels out there and one you shouldn’t miss.

In Katie’s part of the society she is part of the Amish culture where she is focusing on her time of Rumspringa, a part of life that the all teenage folk look forward to and make a choice of their own life. Its a time to visit and be a part of the Plain, the outside world. But something apocalyptic had occurred  strandng Katie in her home village, little does she know that unspeakable monsters roam the Earth. Alex a fallen citizen is near death on the skirts of the village and is in danger and even though its against all customs, Katie helps him. Little does she know the the growing danger is living and is on the verge of their very household. 

Little did I know about the Amish culture and ways, which made this a very hard storyline to connect with. Rather than pronouncing it Ar-mish, I kept on saying A-mish, resulting in my total lack of non-existent knowledge of the culture. But as the book went on, I found it rather educational that there is various settlements across Northern America of such a culture and it really did fascinate me. However, some religious and historical elements of the plot-line were a little out of my depth leaving me with some unresolved questions. What I loved the most about this book, was the originality of the paranormal. The blood-sucking carnivorous animals that will always roam in the dark and are petrified of the holy symbols in life will the most effective persona of vampires aside from the more modern aspect of “sparkly”.  

Katie as the main protag, is a sazzy, strong and confident young adult turning into a very wise and cautious young lady. She may have her dangerous side when she get over her head but she also conceive a vulnerable side to her closer feelings. What I really liked about her character was her strength and ability to uphold her own law and to be her own person. Nobody stops her or confronts her, she does what she pleases whether its right for the society. Constantly she is told on to hold her tongue or her opinions from the Bishop, which infuriates me when he is blind of the situations unravelling in his village.

“Just a little levity. Though . . . not every guy gets to go play firebug with a wizard and Bonnet the Vampire Slayer.”

The secondary characters were equally interesting and compelling as the story unfolded. Alex the love interest, that Laura integrates within Katie’s life making it  not the only focus of the novel but equally explored throughout. Ginger is another character that I particular liked, an Plain lady accustoming with the Amish culture brings a sense of humour and reality to Katie’s life as well as your own. Then there is Elijah, the best friend and young romance that dwindles becomes one of the most infuriating characters you will come across.. I won’t tell you because that would be spoiling it! 

His fingers meshed in mine. I nodded wordlessly and moved away, pulling against his grip. But he didn’t let go. He reeled me back in as if I were a fish. With a startled gasp, I stumbled and landed against his chest. A flicker of amusement glittered in his eyes. He kissed me on my forehead, whispered against my skin. “Be careful Bonnet.”

Overall, I thought Laura devised a very equally compelling, suspending novel that will set you on the edge of your seat. Each turning page you uncover something new and unique from other novels you have read before. I was reluctant at first to read this but I’m glad and took the chance. I’m eagerly awaiting the second novel in the series… The Outsider coming September 2013. 

Rating: 4
Thank you to Laura Bickle for providing me a copy of her book through The Book Depositary. 



An Interview with Laura Bickle

Thank you for joining me on my blog today, Laura.

1. What influenced you to create a novel based on the Amish Culture?
I live not too far from a large Amish settlement. When I was a child, my parents would take me to visit, and I was fascinated by a world very different than the one I lived in. I’d see Amish girls my age over the fence and wonder what their lives were like.

Some of that curiosity lingered, and I always wanted to revisit it in a story. It popped back into my head when I was writing about a catastrophic contagion. Considering all the incredible self-sufficiency they apply in their everyday lives, it seemed to me that the Amish would be uniquely well-equipped to survive a large-scale disaster.

2. How did you build such a historical and religiously creative plot line? Did you find it challenging?
Thank you! There was a good deal of research involved. In addition to visiting the Amish settlement near where I live, I also did a good deal of reading…there are a lot of great books out there that look at the Plain way of life from a sociological perspective. National Geographic has also done a number of very good documentaries about the Amish.

I’m acutely conscious that I can’t know or understand everything about the Amish, never having lived in an Amish community. But I learned enough to develop an immense respect for the Amish way of life.

3. Is any your personal qualities integrated into Katie’s character? 
I think that there’s always a little bit of me in every heroine I write. Katie is a quiet observer of people, like I am. But she’s much stronger and more centered than I am. More grounded.

4. I love how you used the originality of vampires, and ‘Bonnet the Vampire Slayer’, are you a Buffy and Angel fan?
Thank you! I watched the last few seasons of Buffy. I loved the idea of a strong female heroine who is also very human. 


5. What was your favourite scene to write and Why?
The easiest and most fun comes for me at the end of a book. There’s more at stake at the end of the story, more action, more emotion. All the plot threads are beginning to weave together, and I feel like I’m running downhill. I forget that I’m writing and get the pleasure of watching the story unfold on its own.

6. Who’s character was your favourite to write Elijah or Alex?
Definitely Alex. Both Elijah and Alex serve to challenge Katie, but in different ways. Elijah is the boy Katie has grown up with, who she expects to marry someday. Elijah is something of a straight arrow. He represents what she treasures about her simple life.

Alex is an injured man Katie finds outside the boundaries of her community. Katie brings him inside her barn to recover, but can’t be sure what kind of evil he’s bringing in with him.

I think Alex works because he challenges Katie. He’s an anthropology student in the outside world, and he both infuriates her and makes her consider ideas that she might not otherwise have encountered. His presence forces her to take risks, and she learns a great deal about herself and her own ethics in attempting to protect him.

Quick-Fire

1. Fantasy or Contemporary?
Fantasy.
2. Traditional or Sparkly Vampires (Twilight) 
Traditional.
3. Angel or Spike? 
Spike. I think he really challenged Buffy more, and it was interesting to see her grow as a result of that.
4. Favourite Childhood Author?
Robin McKinley. THE HERO AND THE CROWN is still my all-time favourite.
5. Name one thing you love about being an author?
Dragging the cat off the keyboard every time I want to get to work!

Thanks again to Bewitching Blog Tour for organising this tour and the interview. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading and interviewing Laura.
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Review, Interview and Giveaway – Blink Once by Cylin Busby

Posted January 25, 2013 by Emma in Blog / 12 Comments
Review, Interview and Giveaway – Blink Once by Cylin Busby

Title – Blink OnceAuthor – Cylin BusbyGenre – YAPages – 304Publisher – BloomsburySource – For Review West is a high school senior who has everything going for him – until an accident leaves him paralysed. Strapped down in his hospital bed, moving in and out of consciousness, West is isolated and alone. Until he meets Olivia.Olivia is the girl next door – though not the typical girl next door. She is in the hospital room next to his, and before long, she’s sneaking into his room to talk with him. Only Olivia seems to know what he’s thinking, and even […]

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Review and Interview – Stolen Night by Rebecca Maizel

Posted January 22, 2013 by Emma in Blog / 11 Comments
Review and Interview – Stolen Night by Rebecca Maizel

Title – Stolen Night (Vampire Queen #2)Author – Rebecca MaizelGenre – Paranormal YAPages – 400Publisher – Macmillan’s Children’s BooksSource – NetGalleyLenah Beaudonte should be dead. But having sacrificed herself to save another, she finds herself awakening with strange powers that are neither vampire nor human—and a new enemy on her trail. In her vampire life, Lenah had thought that being human was all she ever wanted; but the human heart suffers pain, heartbreak and loss. With her new powers growing and the dark force of the Nex after her soul, Lenah faces a choice: between the mortal love of gorgeous […]

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Showcase Sunday (#17) – 2013 1st Edition

Posted January 20, 2013 by Emma in Blog / 21 Comments
Showcase Sunday (#17) – 2013 1st Edition

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits & Tea. Its an opportunity to highlight our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders each week. This is my first Showcase edition since before the Christmas. I did take my Christmas holidays for-granted hence not posting a Showcase for quite some time. I have received  a fair few books since then… For Review I received: Tempest by Julie Cross Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass Unremembered by Jessica […]

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Review – Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Posted January 18, 2013 by Emma in Blog / 6 Comments
Review – Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Title – Angelfire (Angelfire #1)Author – Courtney Allison MoultonGenre – Paranormal YAPages – 496Publisher – HarperCollinsSource – LibraryFirst there are nightmares. Then come the memories. Now she must hunt. Ellie can’t shake the terrifying dreams about monstrous creatures that are hunting her, killing her. Then she meets Will and feels on the verge of remembering something just beyond her grasp. His attention is intense and romantic, and Ellie feels like her soul has known him for centuries. When they meet on a dark street at midnight, Will awakens Ellie’s power, and she knows that she can fight the creatures that […]

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Review – Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

Posted January 14, 2013 by Emma in Blog / 15 Comments
Review – Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

Title – Infinite Days (Vampire Queen #1)Author – Rebecca MaizelGenre – Paranormal, YA.Pages – 400Publisher – Macmillan Children’s BooksSource – BoughtFor 500 years Lenah Beaudonte has been a vampire. 500 years of seduction, blood and destruction. But she is sickened by her dark powers and longs to feel the sun on her skin, grass under her bare feet, and share the breath of a human kiss. She wants to be mortal again. But is she really capable of being human, after her long years of darkness? Waking up as a sixteen-year-old girl brings Lenah many things the life she has missed, […]

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Review and Interview – The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna

Posted January 10, 2013 by Emma in Blog / 12 Comments
Review and Interview – The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna

Title – The Lost GirlAuthor – Sangu MandannaGenre – YAPages – 400Publisher – DefinitionsSource – ARC for Review Eva’s life is not her own. She is a creation, an abomination – an echo. Made by the Weavers as a copy of someone else, she is expected to replace a girl named Amarra, her ‘other’, if she ever died. Eva studies what Amarra does, what she eats, what it’s like to kiss her boyfriend, Ray. So when Amarra is killed in a car crash, Eva should be ready. But fifteen years of studying never prepared her for this. Now she must abandon […]

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Mini-Reviews: Working Stiff and Two Weeks Notice

Posted January 7, 2013 by Emma in Blog / 5 Comments
Mini-Reviews: Working Stiff and Two Weeks Notice

Title – Working Stiff (The Revivalist #1)Author – Rachel CaineGenre – Fantasy, YA.Pages – 473Publisher – Allison & BusbySource – Review Copy Bryn Davis knows working at Fairview Mortuary isn’t the most glamorous career choice, but at least it offers stable employment–until she discovers her bosses using a drug that resurrects the clientele as part of an extortion racket. Now, Bryn faces being terminated–literally, and with extreme prejudice. Wit the help of corporate double-agent Patrick McCallister, Bryn has a chance to take down the bigger problem–pharmaceutical company Pharmadene, which treats death as the ultimate corporate loyalty program. She’d better do […]

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New Year, New Me and NEW BOOKS!

Posted January 1, 2013 by Emma in Blog / 9 Comments
New Year, New Me and NEW BOOKS!

I HOPE YOU ALL HAD A BRILLIANT CHRISTMAS / HOLIDAYS AND WONDERFUL NEW YEAR!  HAPPY 2013 TO ALL!  Wow 2012 has really gone quickly! It has been one epic year for me, both personally and with Never Judge a Book by Cover! Its sad to see 2012 to go now, but I’m looking forward to 2013 with equal measures.  I have started my last year of college and I can’t wait for it to end! I will no longer be in the middle of teenager and adult. I will be the person I have always wanted to be! I have […]

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