News This Past Week :) - no. 1

-- Hi guys :)  This is my new Monday feature; 'News This Past Week :)' (not a very original name :L).  It's basically just... well, news from the past week :)

Reading:
What I've Read the Past Week:

• 'Magic Under Glass' - Jaclyn Dolamore
• 'Need' - Carrie Jones
• 'Desperate Measures' - Laura Summers
• 'The Amanda Project: Invisible I' - Stella Lennon

What I'm Reading ATM:

• 'The Worst of Me' - Kate le Vann 

What I'm Planning on Reading Next: 

•  'The Returners' - Gemma Malley

IN MY MAILBOX

__________________________________________________________

Book News:

• 'Captivate' by Carrie Jones - You'll probably have seen that I read 'Need' last week (and when you read my review that's up in the next couple of days you'll see I loved it!) and when I got an e-mail from Bloomsbury telling me an extract from the sequel 'Captivate' was available on their website, I had to check it out :) It's awesome.  You can pre-order the book (which is released in April) and download the entire first chapter by clicking here.   
• 'Dark Life' widget -
 

To add this widget for the awesome looking 'Dark Life' by Kat Falls (coming out this May), click here to get the embed code :) 

-- That's it for this week.  I'll think of some new topics and things to add to this feature; I decided to post it today but it was kind of last minute.  I hope you liked it anyway :)  Sorry I didn't link to the relevant pages on amazon.co.uk for the books; it wouldn't load!  Strange :S

Love,

Sara xxxx

In My Mailbox no. 1

Heya :)

This is my first 'In My Mailbox' where I'll be telling you guys what I've got through the mail since last Friday.  A lot of book reviewers do this, and I did this for 'Dragonfly Book Reviews' so I thought I might as well start it again for 'Dragonfly Reviews'!

So, this is what I've received since last Friday, and I'd just like to say thanks to the lovely publishers out there for making me snowed under with books (not a bad thing IMO!):

Books I've Been Sent:   

• Shades of Love (Piccadilly Love Stories) by Hilary Freeman, Vanessa St Clair and Laura Ellen Kennedy - This is actually 3 books in 1, so I'm not sure how I'm going to review this, but it looks so awesome and chick lit xD

• If I Grow Up by Todd Strasser - I wasn't too sure about this when I saw the front cover (link here) but after reading the summary I think it sounds brilliant!  Can't wait :)

• The Diary of a Dr Who Addict by Paul Magrs - Like with 'If I Grow Up' I thought this might be a bit boyish but I was proved wrong after reading the blurb and now I'm loving the sound of it - funny yet YA and cool, haha.

• The Minivers: On the Run by Natalie Jane Prior - The first in a new four books series, this looks so cute!  Although I think from first impressions the age group is 8-12 (and after checking I found out it is) I'm looking forward to reading this as it looks a lot of fun.

• Beswitched by Kate Saunders - Another 8-12 book that I can't wait to read.  Described as paying 'homage to traditional school stories such as Malory Towers and The Chalet School' it sounds great.

• Nearly Departed by Rook Hastings - 'Skins meets the supernatural'; Can.  Not.  Wait.  To.  Read.

• My So-Called Afterlife by Tamsyn Murray - Loving the sound of this!  I'm not sure what else to say because I've loved all the books I've got this week :D

 

• Echoes of Love by Rosie Rushton - I love Jane Austen and this is Rosie Rushton's 5th book based on various Jane Austen novels.  I read Secret Schemes and Daring Dreams, which is based on Emma, and loved it, and this is based on the classic Persuasion.  Looking forward to it!!!

 

• Dark Secrets: Legacy of Lies, Don't Tell by Elizabeth Chandler -  Another combo book, but this time from the teen gothic genre.  I love books like this and woo it's 2 in 1 :)

•  Drawing with Light by Julia Green - I really wanted to read Breathing Underwater but I never got the chance to so I'm really pleased that I got this as I am looking forward to reading one of Julia Green's books.

 

•  Amy Green Teen Agony Queen: Summer Secrets by Sarah Webb - I'm probably the least excited about this one, but I'm still looking forward to it!

I've actually had such a great week this week!  I love the sound of all these books and can't wait to read them, even if it means my TBR pile starts to topple over, lol.

Much love,

Sara x

POC Reading Challenge

I'm kinda going challenge crazy but, like I said before, I think it's fun to read books for something, if you know what I mean :S

Anyway, this second challenge is the POC Reading Challenge - you can find more information by going to 'POC Reading'

The aim of the challenge is to get you reading books about or written by people of colour, which I think is a great thing to do and sounds fun - I think I'll get some cool new authors or reads through this because sadly I'm not sure I know too many off the top of my head...

There are different 'levels' you can take part in, depending on the time you have and how many other books you want to read.  I'm going to be participating in 'Level 3' which means my goal is to read and review 7-9 books about or written by people of colour on Dragonfly Reviews this year.

What I'm planning to read is below.  Once I've reviewed the book, I'll link to it here under the relevant book's name :)  I've only chosen 8 books now in case I hear about another one or you guys give me recommendations (which I hope you do as I love to hear about new books).  I know I chose a lot of Randa Abdel-Fattah but her books sound awesome and I really want to read them :)

Books I'm Reading for the POC Reading Challenge 

1. 'Does My Head Look Big in This?' - Randa Abdel-Fattah
2. 'Ten Things I Hate About Me' - Randa Abdel-Fattah
3. 'Where The Streets Had A Name' - Randa Abdel-Fattah
4. 'Liar' - Justine Larbalestier
5. 'Magic Under Glass' - Jaclyn Dolamore
6. 'Spilled Water' - Sally Grindley
   
7. 'Chinese Cinderella' - Adeline Yen Mah
8. 'Falling Leaves' - Adeline Yen Mah
9. 'del Rio Bay Clique: So Not the Drama' - Paula Chase

UPDATE - Luisa gave me a great recommendation for 'So Not the Drama' but I would love to hear about any other books!  I can always go up to 'Level 4' :)

Much loveeeee,

Sara x

10 in '10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge

I love book challenges.  I just think it's even more fun when you are reading to take part in something.  I haven't done any challenges in a while though so I decided to start doing them again with a Chick Lit challenge :)

"Co-hosted by teen book blogger Jessica (www.chicklitteens.com) and YA author Kay Cassidy (www.kaycassidy.com), the 10 in '10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge is your chance to read some fabulous teen chick lit books with other chick lit fans. The challenge runs from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010..." 

  

What I'm Planning on Reading

• 'Princess for Hire' - Lindsey Leavitt
• 'Diary of a Chav: Trainers vs Tiaras' - Grace Dent 
• 'Secrets at St Jude's: New Girl' - Carmen Reid
• 'Beautiful Dead: Jonas' - Eden Maguire
• 'Sundae Girl' - Cathy Cassidy
• 'It Girl: The It Girl' - Cecily von Ziegesar 
• 'Dial L for Loser' - Lisi Harrison
• 'Jane Airhead' - Kay Woodward
• 'Superstar High: Nobody's Angels' - Isabella Cass
• 'Gossip Girl' - Cecily von Ziegesar
  

To see the rules, etc., click here to visit the main post on Jessica's site.

Can't wait to start reading some awesome chick lit!

The Humane Blogger

Many thanks to Sasha from The Sweet Bonjour for my first award for Dragonfly Reviews; the 'Humane Blogger Award'!

If you are one of the 10 bloggers who I give this award to, then you have to give this award out to 10 bloggers that make you happy by leaving nice comments and by helping you, etc.

So, these are the 10 bloggers I feel deserve this award:

• Margo (Blue Duck Book Reviews) - This girl has been lovely since the day I met her :)  Over blogger, of course, seeing as she lives 'across the pond' :D
• Imogen (Write About What) - One of my friends from school.  Love her - she's so thoughtful and just plain nice :)
• Kate (Rainbow Juice..x) - Lovely with a lovely blog to match :)
• Carly (Writing from the Tub) - Leaves lovely comments :)
• Sasha (The Sweet Bonjour) - Yay, you get it back :)  A genuinely awesome girl with a really nice personality xoxo
• Luisa (Chicklish) - One of the nicest women ever.  And she has an aaaawesome book blog :D
• Meggin (Serendipity Book Reviews) - Like Margo, Meggin has been nothing but really friendly and nice since we found each other's blogs :)
• Jean (beanieOLOGY) - Really nice, awesome, and a fellow Scottish teenager xD
• Anna and Stacey (Cherry Banana Split) - I know you guys have seperate blogs too, but I had a hard time choosing just everyone here anyway and I <3 you both.  Two genuinely cool beans Aussie girls :D
• Sophie (So Many Books, So Little Time) - A really talented and really nice book blogger :)
  

Everyone ^^^^^ there ^^^^^ is awesome, but there are heaps of other great bloggers/people there ;)

Much love,

Sara
xxxx

p.s. Kinda went OTT with the smilies :D  It's fitting to the subject though, unless you really hate smiley faces!  In which case -_- to you!! :)

Cover Love - Sat. 16 January 2010

Hiya, and welcome to my weekly 'Cover Love' feature, where I show you a few covers I've been loving lately :-) The clue's in the name, right?

Flyaway by Lucy Christopher - I just think this is so cuteee!  I was looking for stats about 'Desperate Measures' on Amazon and this was in the little 'You Might Also Like...' thing underneath the price and I had major cover love xD  I'm not too sure about the book itself, it says on Amazon it's for 10+ but it sounds quite sad and actually quite good.

The Children's Book by A. S. Byatt - I saw this in Waterstone's today and I was like 'ooh it has 'Dragonfly Woman' on the cover!'.  I took Art and Design as a Standard Grade so I had to write an essay recently comparing two jewellery designers and their work.  I chose a gorgeous tribal-style bangle from Peter Chang and Rene Lalique's 'Dragonfly Woman' brooch, which I found really exquisite.  It was made in Paris by Lalique for the Paris World Fair (or something) in 1900 and only one woman ever wore it - the wife of a wealthy collector, in whose museum/gallery it now resides.  Sorry guys; I just turned this into a mini essay ^D^ But anyhoo, I love this piece and it really is so clever and beautiful - the wings are hinged at points so they flutter when the wearer moves.  Well, yeah.  That's why I chose this xD  To be honest, though, I don't think the book has anything to do with 'Dragonfly Woman'...  I might try and read it to find out!!  Look out for a review, because I think I will :-)

Delia Says: OMG! by Keris Stainton - Teehee; I actually reaaaaally want to read this book!!!  It sounds amazing :-)  Not to mention I love the cover/title.  -- thanks to Luisa for telling me that the 'WTF?' part of the title has been removed :) x

Woot!  There's your 'Cover Love' for the week xoxo  Hope you like!