Best Books of the Month: Death Bringer and The Raven Boys

Best Books of the Month is a self-explanatory feature where the contributors of WildFire Writing will highlight their favourite book that they have read for the month and share with you why their particular choice is a favourite of theirs.

Reeshe's Pick

My favourite book for the month of June 2012 is Death Bringer by Derek Landy.

The points that made Death Bringer my favourite book are:

• Death Bringer was brimming with betrayals that I never saw coming.
• Every second of this book was full of excitement, my heart pumped quickly with every word I consumed from this book.
• The friendship in this book was great, I could only hope I have a friend like Skulduggery Pleasant (Now that I think about it Sandy and Kitten are like My Mr. Pleasant minus the Magic)
• I love the way this book expressed Melancholia longing for a friend or someone to love her, for who she is.
• I love the way Valkyrie Cane is growing into herself.
• I love that you get to see more of Darquesse in this book, get to see from her point of view where she stands and want stays between her and Valkyrie.
• I hated to see Tanith go in the previous book, Mortal Coil, but I understand why it chose her. I just hope that maybe one day we will be able to see her again, the Tanith we know and love. I missed her a lot in this book but hopefully this will change and change soon.

I hope to see your own favorite books posted and thank you all for your support here for all 3 of us here at WildFire Writing!

Sandy's Pick

My favourite book for the month of June 2012 is The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater and here are the main reasons why:

• This is Maggie's best writing yet and if you've read her previous books then you know how amazing that is. She always takes care with what to say and what to not say, you have to pay attention and make sure you don't miss anything.
• Every character had secrets and their own agendas and dreams, sometimes they meshed well together and other times they clashed terribly which resulted in great drama.
• The storyline was unique and brimming with interesting detail. I want to find out more.
• Bromance, there was bromance everywhere and I loved it.

I received an ARC of this book at BEA and a full and proper review will be posted in August or September so keep a look out and as Reeshe says share your favourite books with us we can never have too much books on our TBR list.

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New Feature: Best Books of the Month

Wildfire Writing will be introducing a new feature! From now on at the end of each month Reeshe and I will both highlight our favourite book that we have read for that particular month. We both read a lot of books and we don’t review them all while others we don’t review them right away so this way we will still be able to share with you our latest favourite reads but in a quick and concise manor. Some posts will just have bullet points stating why we loved our particular pick while other posts will have a brief review.

This is also a way for you to share your favourite books of the month with us so don't hesitate to state your latest favourite read in the comments or even link to a review for it. We will be sure to check it out ^_^

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Out this Weekend - Brave

The three of us are going to buy our tickets today and watch the movie tomorrow.

Are you excited for Brave?

What do you think of Pixar finally having a movie with a female lead?

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Book Review: By These Ten Bones by Clare B. Dunkle

By These Ten Bones by Clare B. Dunkle

There's hidden places all over this land, old, old places. Places with a chain for them to chain up the wolf when it's time.

A mysterious young man has come to a small Highland town. His talent for wood carving soon wins the admiration of the weaver's daughter, Maddie. Fascinated by the silent carver, she sets out to gain his trust, only to find herself drawn into a terrifying secret that threatens everything she loves.

There is an evil presence in the carver's life that cannot be controlled, and Maddie watches her town fall under a shadow. One by one, people begin to die. Caught in the middle, Maddie must decide what matters most to her, and what price she is willing to pay to keep it.

The time and world of By These Ten Bones is one rift with superstition and folklore and the version of the werewolf told in this story is one that stems from original legend. That every full moon the man inflicted with the werewolf curse becomes a beast and hunts the ones he loves and unfortunately for our main character, Maddie, that’s her. Set in the medieval Scottish Highlands Maddie’s nameless, little village is visited by two travellers; one, a lazy drunk and the other an apparently mute wood carver with a terrible secret. From a very young age he was savaged with the curse of the werewolf and to prevent suspicion and harm from occurring he can never settle in one place for very long and has to chain himself up every night of the full moon.

Despite the lacklustre writing style and my initial inability to relate to the characters of By These Ten Bones I have to say once I hit my stride the book took no problem to get through. I was caught up with the story and anxious to see what was going to happen to the characters and how the story was going to end. And have to say although I completely predicted the climax I was tense while reading it because although for the majority of the book nothing wowed or compelled me about the writing there were various pockets of dark scenes that were written so well and subtlety I could feel myself being fearful and anxious.

I am happy that I read this book because being a fan of werewolf reads I find myself being very picky with what I like and have never come across a werewolf YA I really like until this one. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a good old fashion werewolf story.

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Press Release: First Look at Angelina Jolie as MALEFICENT

Did you guys know that Disney is producing a live action movie about the Evil witch...faery(?) Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty? Because I DID NOT know this.

I’ve already got my horns fitted. My kids are very happy.

Image Credit: Greg Williams

Click HERE to read the rest of the press release for more details at Entertainment Weekly.

It looks like Elle Fanning will be playing Aurora. What do you guys think about this? Are you excited?

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Cover Up #11

There were lots of pretty covers posted in the past few months and if you've missed them elsewhere then check them here.







Asunder is the cover that puts a pretty spin on the typical pretty face cover by adding lovely colours and lovelier effects. Earth Girl looks like it could be a poster to a really great movie. Etiquette and Espionage is probably my least favourite here but it definitely stands out and catches the eye. The Archived is equal parts gorgeous and dark and had me checking what the book was about as soon as I saw it. Dualed could be an action movie poster, if less so, and ties in with the synopsis of the book perfectly.


Click on the covers to be taken to their goodreads pages.

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Movie Review: Snow White and the Huntsman

Production Company
Universal Studios

Director
Rupert Sanders

Writers
Evan Daugherty, John Lee Hancock, and Hossein Amini

Main Stars
Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, and Charlize Theron

In a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen. .

Despite my best efforts I went into Snow White and the Huntsman with high hopes which is probably why I came out a little disappointed. Not to say that is wasn't a good movie, there were some parts that were even great but overall Snow White and the Huntsman was a movie that had the potential to be an amazing fantasy but just didn't quite reach it and I think I know why. However, before I tell you what I didn't like about Snow White and the Huntsman let me tell you what I loved.

In the words of Jim Moriarty from the television show Sherlock "Every fairy tale needs a good old fashion villain" and Ravenna, the Evil Queen (played by Charlize Theron) was a Villain with a capital V. A woman who was both cruel and vain but a woman who could also appear vulnerable and, in times of loneliness, broken. There is a reason that you mostly see this character in the trailers despite the title of the movie because it really is all about her. She gets more back story and development then basically every other character in this whole movie.

My other favourite part about this movie was that it was beautiful..to look at. From the scenery to the close ups this movie was just a feast for the eyes. So much so that I wish I had pictures or clips to show you what I am talking about because it's really hard to put into words how wonderful it was just to watch this movie and not for the story but for the setting, and costumes, and landscapes.

And now for my last and most favourite part of the movie, which might make it sound like the movie was crap because it's the credits. The credits were beautifully done and again it's another thing you have to see but the graphics paired with Florence and the Machine's Breath of Life was just perfect.

Now for what made the movie less than great, there was hardly any character interaction at all. Snow White barely talks, Kristen Stewart probably has about twenty lines in the whole film, is this why she was better here than in Twilight I don't know but her lack of speech left for very little communication between her and everyone else. There was also very little communication between supporting characters which I think stifled character development a lot so I up ended not really caring about mostly everyone. I thought William was really cute (I like archers) but he was just the childhood friend that missed his chance, the huntsman had a bit of development but when a crucial turning point took place in the movie I was in disbelief because I found it hard to believe he would do such a thing. The scenes with the Queen and the Dwarves were where most of the characters actually spoke to each other which is sad because none of them were titular characters.

Snow White and the Huntsman had a lot of promise but in the end all I can really say is that it was a very pretty film.

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Book Blogger Confessions #12

Book Blogger Confessions is a new bi-weekly meme hosted by Tiger @ All Consuming Books and Karen @ For What it's Worth Reviews.

We have created a blogging time machine! Pretend you can start over. Knowing what you know now about blogging – what do you wish you did differently when it comes to creating/running your blog?

I would have planned better most definitely. When I first started blogging I had A LOT of time on my hands so I just posted by the seat of my pants which is fine when you have time but then I got a job and keeping up with posting was a lot harder and so consistency kind of faltered. I also wouldn't have accepted any books for review until I was comfortable with blogging and was able to keep up to date.

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Cover Up #10.5

During one trip to the local book store that likes to change the location of it's books whenever it feels like it the WildFire Writing team noted some lovely covers that stood out from the display and shelves.

Fateful by Claudia Gray

I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett

Railsea
by China Miéville

Did you discover any pretty covers during your last trip to the bookstore?

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Book Review: Infamous by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Infamous by Sherrilyn Kenyon

The world has fallen in love with Nick Gautier and the Dark-Hunters. Now Nick’s saga continues in the next eagerly anticipated volume…

Go to school. Get good grades. Stay out of trouble. That’s the mandate for most kids. But Nick Gautier isn’t the average teenager. He’s a boy with a destiny not even he fully understands. And his first mandate is to stay alive while everyone, even his own father, tries to kill him.

He’s learned to annihilate zombies and raise the dead, divination and clairvoyance, so why is learning to drive such a difficulty? But that isn’t the primary skill he has to master. Survival is.

And in order to survive, his next lesson makes all the others pale in comparison. He is on the brink of becoming either the greatest hero mankind has ever known.

Or he’ll be the one who ends the world. With enemies new and old gathering forces, he will have to call on every part of himself to fight or he’ll lose everyone he cares about.

Even himself.

San-Ree Book Club Book for March 16 – April 15 2012

Rating: 4.5/5

For those who don’t know Infamous is the 3rd book in Sherrilyn Kenyon, Chronicles of Nick series, the book order is:-
1) Infinity
2) Invincible
3) Infamous
4) Inferno (Release Date: March 4th 2013)

I started reading this story because of what happen to Nick in the Dark Hunter series and I wanted to know what was going on. These books were expected to be great, just as the Dark Hunter series and they are, but in a way they are different because you truly don’t find out what going on until book 3.

Nick is a lovable kid. He is the son everyone wants, and never wants, but he is the kind of guy you want on your side. This I do believe in.

I was a bit discouraged in find out there will be another book coming after this book. I really thought that this would be the last book. I read 3 lines (I will not say what they were), but after that all I could wonder was; how dumb could one kid be? Then I remember that he is a kid who needs someone to trust, someone to understand him and stand by him.

I gave the book another chance and was no longer disappointed. It is all coming together and in a way I can’t exactly see where it is going, but I can see that it is going to be worth it. In the end you want to see if he will destroy the world or save it and destroy himself in the process?

They show you a boy who loves his mother and all those he calls family. I hope in the end they will love and see the beauty of his heart, behind the black soul he was born with and still love and stand beside him.

This book was worth the read, I find that it is much better than the 2nd book in a way. There is just something so special about Nick; it is hard to keep away from him. I must say that this book does end in a cliff hanger.


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Book Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bones by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Karou is a young lady who was raised by monsters whom she loves very much and would do anything to protect. She is an art student and in her spare time, she draws but the rest of her time is basically running dangerous errands collecting teeth for her family. She doesn't know what the teeth are for but does it any way.

The only father she knows is called the Wish Monger; who in exchange for the teeth, gives people wishes. One day while out on a run for him, Karou gets into a fight with an angelm who she finds out later is at war with her family.

The sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone

These angels are not kind, they were made to fight and do battle in the name of their father. She manages to get away but the angel follows her begins to fall for her.

I can continue and tell you what happens nextm but  I am not supposed to lol. But I can tell you that by the end of the book, you will love this story. Karou finally finds out the truth about everything, including herself.

I love this book! The story was very exciting and different from other supernatural books I have read; it was nice and unexpected.

Stay tuned for a sneak peak of the first few chapters of the sequel in coming reviews.
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Book Review: Drink Deep by Chloe Neill

Drink Deep by Chloe Neill

Clouds are brewing over Cadogan House, and Merit the vampire can't tell if this is the darkness before the dawn, or the calm before the storm. With the city itself in turmoil over paranormals and the state threatening to pass a paranormal registration act, times have never been more precarious for the vampires. If only they could lay low for a bit...

Then magic rears its ugly head when Lake Michigan turns black. The mayor insists it's nothing to worry about, but Merit knows a panic is coming. She'll have to turn to friends old and new to find out who's behind this, and stop them before it's too late for both the vampires and humans.

In the very short time that I have been reading this series, it has now been placed in my top 20 series list. The books pull you in, and keeps you there. Always have you wanting more, wanting to know what is going to happen next.

Sometimes the main charactor does get on my nerves,  but after a while you come to understand that not everything is what it seems and at some point the betrayal in this book can be too much. I cried in the last book because we lost one of the main charachtors, but the betrayal in this book was overwhelming. I don't know why all of these things have been happening, but I can promise you that at the end of the book, things will be clear. I was a bit sad because there was a lot of drama and things I feel are still left to be said.

This book was prefect and unbelievable, I had the villain in mind but I didn't want to accept it. In the end I was corrected but it was still unbelievable. It goes to show that know matter how much you know a person they can change and not all the time for the better.
Love centred Merit, but it blinded her away from the truth that was in front of her. 

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Book Blogger Confession #11

Book Blogger Confessions is a new bi-weekly meme hosted by Tiger @ All Consuming Books and Karen @ For What it's Worth Reviews.

Choosing your next book. How do you decide which book to read next? How do you balance “review” reading with “fun” reading?

This is an easy one I choose whatever I am in the mood for, if what I do pick up isn't holding my interest I put it down and pick up something else :). Currently and for a while I haven't been reading much review books so it's mostly been just books read for my own pleasure, which is the way I prefer it and I don't plan on accepting any more then one book at a time to officially review through requests.

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