Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf by Curtis Jobling

Title: Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf

Author: Curtis Jobling

Genre: Young Adult

Publisher:  Penguin

Publication Date: 4 January 2011

ISBN: 9780141333397

Stand alone or series: Series

Pages: 432 pages

Book Received from: Penguin Aus

First Lines: Drew knew there was a predator out there.

Synopsis:

'You're the last of the werewolves son. Don't fight it...Conquer it'. When the air is clear, sixteen year-old Drew Ferran can pick up the scent of a predator. When the moon breaks through the clouds, a terrifying fever grips him. And when a vicious beast invades his home, his gums begin to tear, his fingers become claws, and Drew transforms ...Forced to flee the family he loves, Drew seeks refuge in the most godforsaken parts of Lyssia. But when he is captured by Lord Bergan's men, Drew must prove he is not the enemy. Can Drew battle the werecreatures determined to destroy him - and master the animal within?
 
My Thoughts:
Let me start by saying I love how books like these include maps of the world the characters live in.  I find it hard with some books that are complete fantasies that don't include them.  Its all well and good telling us about a place but being able to see it on a map really helps the imagination.  So thumbs up there!

I was a bit skeptical at the beginning, since when it comes to werewolves and what not I like the ones that are on four legs not two but my mind was quickly changed the further into the book I got. 

Drew is such an easy character to love.  Right from the beginning when his father is pushing him that bit harder than his brother Trent, I knew right then I was going to have a soft spot for him.  Bergin was also a favourite of mine.  The description easily has me picturing him as a big burly man (like Hiccups father in How to Train Your Dragon) and good hearted!

Curtis has done a fantastic job in creating unique and lovable characters.  He also knows how to create a bad guy well!

This book has definitely got both thumbs up for me and I look forward to reading the next installment in this series! 

Fave Line:

Spellbound Bookshelves (2)

Welcome to my new feature Spellbound Bookshelves! Each week I'll be posting up pictures of Readers Bookshelves. As this is just starting out, I'll need to ask you help in spreading the word and hopefully sending in pictures of your bookshelves. I'll also be including awesome bookshelves to store your books in for a bit of variety.

 

Thanks to Dark Beauty73 for sending in your pics of your bookshelves. 

 

 

The above pic is a closer look at these bookshelves.  Now that's alot of books!  And They are two piles deep!

 

If you'd like your bookshelves featured on here please send me your pics at melissa@spellboundbybooks.com

In My Mailbox (44)

In My Mailbox is a weekly post created by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture.


For Review:

Somewhere Over the Sun by Adi Alsaid

Pandara's Succession by Russell Brooks (For Booklovers Inc)

And for those of you wondering what took me so long to get my IMM up this week.  This is what I've been doing :)

Yes, even someone like myself who lacks basic sewing skills, has managed to pull off not one but three creations!  Adult pillow, baby pillow and a cushion.  Now I think I'm done for the year LOL.. no just kidding :)

So what did you get in your IMM this week??

Sticky Beak (40)

Sticky Beak is all about sharing. Sometimes we can't all get around to every single blog and website available so that's where Sticky Beak comes in. By word of mouth (well you get what I mean) we are more likely to get to those blogs that we wouldn't have normally seen without someone pointing them out to us.

The links could be to your own post, a favourite blog post you would love to share, an authors blog/website, book/writing contests, reviews you really enjoyed, tour info or anything you would love to share with others. Just use the comments below to add your link!


Here's Mine:

Cool Stuff To Check Out:
Teen Bookshelf: Author Interview with Jessica Brody
YA Book Release Guide: The Young Adult Book Guide is a reference website on all young adult books releasing yearly.
Dark Faerie Tales: Taking Cover - 27 Hot new covers.  Check these out.

Contests to Check Out:
The Mind of Mr. X: The Great Book Safari Contest.
To Read or Not To Read: January Giveaways Around the Blogging World

For Writers:
Author, Jody Hedlund: Top Ten List of Advice for Aspiring Writers.
The Fiction Desk: Manuscript Sumission Information.  Currently open for their quarterly anthology for new short fiction
Let The Words Flow: How to write a 1 page Synopsis
Alpha: Submitting Stories for Publication as a Young Adult
Bob and Jack's Writing Blog: How to read like a Writer
365 Days of Novel Writing: Interesting Blog to check out.

Okay that's all from me.  Hope you enjoy these.

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Title: Last Sacrifice

Author: Richelle Mead

Genre: Young Adult/ Fantasy

Publisher:  Penguin Australia (Imprint: Razorbill)

Publication Date: December 2010

ISBN: 9781921518904

Stand alone or series: Last book in Vampire Academy Series!

Pages: 608 pages

Book Received from: The Penguin Group (Aus)

First Lines: I don't like cages. I don't even like going to the zoo.

Possible Spoilers if you haven't read the other five books!

Synopsis:

Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules.
She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir’s Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir Princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardian to come.


Now the law has finally caught up with Rose- for a crime she didn’t even commit. She’s in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She’ll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.
But the clock on Rose’s life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back… and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your life is about saving others, who will save you?

My Thoughts:
I've followed Rose and Lissa's adventure right from the beginning and while the other five books were really good, I have to say Last Sacrifice was the best book by far!  It's just a shame that it is the last book in the Vampire Academy series, but then every good series must end. 

As most of you who have read these books, Spirit Bound left us all there hanging as Rose is arrested for the murder of Queen Tatiana.  Shocking I know, but what was worse was we had to wait so long to find out how it all turned out. 

This book is definitely action packed although Rose is a little more passive in this one than the previous five.  Not that she had much of a choice though.  The tables had actually turned for once, where Rose needed help and the others were there to support her. 

The love triangle continues between Rose, Adrian and Dimitri and to be quite honest I wasn't sure whether I was Team Adrian or Team Dimitri after the end of Spirit Bound.  I also had my nose out of joint at the way Dimitri went after he was transformed back to Dhampir and swearing to serve and help Lissa.  It was a slap in the face to Rose, since she was the one pushing to make it happen.  But Last Sacrifice, I must admit, he redeemed himself somewhat by helping Rose out when she really needed it.

Last Sacrifice was a brilliantly written book, neatly tying up all ends to the questions from the first five books.  Amazing ending too, had me just about crying!  Well worth the read!

While this is the end of Vampire Academy and the adventures of Rose, Richelle Mead has mentioned on her site there will be a spin-off series set in the Vampire Academy World.  No mention yet of who these characters will be apart from the mention of them being secondary characters from the Vampire Academy series but we won't have to wait too long since it's expected some time this year.

Also, while I'm at it, Richelle Mead has sold movie rights to Preger Entertainment but it is still early days yet.  To show your support and hopefully help in getting things moving, sign up to the Official Vampire Academy Movie Fan Page!

Spellbound Noticeboard (1)

Hi all,

Welcome to the very first post of Spellbound Noticeboard.  Here is where Authors, Bloggers and others can send in anything that you'd like promoted.  Competitions, book releases, blog events etc.  This is your spot!  So feel free to send me a line if you have anything book related (Including books made into movies) and I'll be sure to post these up!  Just email me at melissa@spellboundbybooks.com

To celebrate the new book trailer and the release of 'AWAKENED', P.C and Kristin Cast's latest novel in the House of Night series, St. Martin's Press is offering a fantastic once in a lifetime chance for a fan and their guest to fly to Tulsa to tour the sites from the books and have lunch with the authors!

The lucky winner will receive a 3-day, 2-night trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma for two people which includes airfare, hotel accommodations, a tour of Tulsa and lunch on Saturday, April 30th, 2011 at the Chalkboard Restaurant with the authors. In order to enter the promo, they must answer three questions about the series.

More about the contest

Contest rules

Also, St. Martin's is also holding a contest via the House of Night Facebook fan page. Fans can enter for a chance to win 1 of 30 complete sets of House of Night books.

 

 

The New York Times-bestselling mother-daughter writing team of P.C. and Kristin Cast again prove why they have become a major force in teen fiction. With over 3 million copies of their books in print, a well-publicized film option, an updated interactive website and a daily-growing fan base, the Cast duo will command your attention with every page turn.

Waiting on Wednesday (44)

Waiting on Wednesday was brought to you by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!


I come across Sister Mischief by Laura Goode while looking at La Femme Readers blog.  The synopsis sounds really interesting and the cover looks awesome.  Not out until the 12 of July this year.

Synopsis
A gay suburban hip-hopper freaks out her Christian high school - and falls in love - in this righteously funny and totally tender YA debut, for real.
Listen up: You’re about to get rocked by the fiercest, baddest all-girl hip-hop crew in the Twin Cities - or at least in the wealthy, white, Bible-thumping suburb of Holyhill, Minnesota. Our heroine, Esme Rockett (aka MC Ferocious) is a Jewish lesbian lyricist. In her crew, Esme’s got her BFFs Marcy (aka DJ SheStorm, the butchest straight girl in town) and Tess (aka The ConTessa, the pretty, popular powerhouse of a vocalist). But Esme’s feelings for her co-MC, Rowie (MC Rohini), a beautiful, brilliant, beguiling desi chick, are bound to get complicated. And before they know it, the queer hip-hop revolution Esme and her girls have exploded in Holyhill is on the line. Exciting new talent Laura Goode lays down a snappy, provocative, and heartfelt novel about discovering the rhythm of your own truth.