The Overflowing Library

Thank you as always to Kristi www.thestoryiren.com for hosting IMM I had an awesome book week this week The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (UK paperback) I found this in The Works in Cambridge . I love that shop. Soul Beach by Kate Harrison (UK signed proof) Abandon by Meg Cabot (UK proof) Dark parties by Sara Grant (UK signed proof) White Cat by Holly Black (UK paperback) Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick (Bound manuscript) the selection below came from Nina at Orion. They are all new releases for the new YA imprint Indigo which is launching in September. All the books they have lined up look awesome. Fury by Elizabeth Miles (UK paperback)  Passed onto me by Sarah as she didn't get on with it. Evermore by Alyson Noel books 1 - 6 (Signed UK paperbacks) A fab late birthday surprise from Macmillan along with a tote bag and a TShirt. Lottie biggs is (not) tragic by Hayley Long (UK paperback) I've not read this series - any bloggers that are UK based and will

Today I have Lyndesy from Heaven, Hell and Purgatory Book reviews Quite a lot of people know how particular I am about most things, especially books so I thought doing a Bookcase Showcase was the perfect opportunity to show everyone what my books look like! After moving home from university for the summer, I had a lot of books to sort out into their rightful places and even though I thought it might take me a while, it ended up taking a lot longer. Three whole hours were spent organising books into piles and moving things around so that they would all fit somewhere. Running along one whole wall of my bedroom are two rows of shelves. Not many people know that I do read a lot that isn’t YA because I don’t review it and now, I don’t have so much for it anymore but on these shelves are mostly any books that aren’t YA. This is the top shelf which mainly consists of historical romance. As you can see, I have quite a collection from certain authors and near enough everything that have p

A Blue so Dark by Holly Schindler Published by Flux books Fifteen-year-old Aura Ambrose has been hiding a secret. Her mother, a talented artist and art teacher, is slowly being consumed by schizophrenia, and Aura has been her sole caretaker ever since Aura's dad left them. Convinced that "creative" equals crazy, Aura shuns her own artistic talent. But as her mother sinks deeper into the darkness of mental illness, the hunger for a creative outlet draws Aura toward the depths of her imagination. Just as desperation threatens to swallow her whole, Aura discovers that art, love, and family are profoundly linked—and together may offer an escape from her fears. *** A blue so dark is a beautifully written novel which highlights the issue of living with and looking after a parent with a mental illness. It tells in an almost poetic way of the trials and tribulations of a teenager coping in such a situation in a realistic way. I found myself totally absorbe

Then I met my Sister by Christine Hurley Deriso Published by Flux Books Shannon has been the backdrop of my life since the moment I was born. Summer Stetson lives inside a shrine to her dead sister. Eclipsed by Shannon's greatness, Summer feels like she's a constant disappointment to her controlling, Type A momzilla and her all-too-quiet dad. Her best friend Gibson believes Summer's C average has more to do with rebelliousness than smarts, but she knows she can never measure up—academically or otherwise. On her birthday, Summer receives a secret gift from her aunt: Shannon's diary. Suddenly, the one-dimensional vision of her sister becomes all too solid. Is this love-struck, mom-bashing badass the same Shannon everyone raves about? Determined to understand her troubled sister, Summer dives headfirst down a dark rabbit hole and unearths painful family secrets. Each revelation brings Summer closer to the mysterious and liberating truth about her family—a

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater Published by Scholastic The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy from Maggie Stiefvater. In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver , Grace and Sam found each other. In Linger , they fought to be together. Now, in Forever , the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in. *** Forever is the final and eagerly awaiting instalment in the wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy. I don't think I am able to write a review that would do this book and series justice. It is one of those stories that you fall into and become totally engrossed with the story and characters from the first page and don't want to put down. What I love about this series is how different chapters are told from the different view points of the main characters. For me the main thing reason why I continue to read this series is because

White Crow by Marcus Sedgwick Published by Orion Challenge: BBC A modern gothic thriller about what awaits us after death - angels or the devil It's summer. Rebecca is an unwilling visitor to Winterfold - taken from the buzz of London and her friends and what she thinks is the start of a promising romance. Ferelith already lives in Winterfold - it's a place that doesn't like to let you go, and she knows it inside out - the beach, the crumbling cliff paths, the village streets, the woods, the deserted churches and ruined graveyards, year by year being swallowed by the sea. Against her better judgement, Rebecca and Ferelith become friends, and during that long, hot, claustrophobic summer they discover more about each other and about Winterfold than either of them really want to, uncovering frightening secrets that would be best left long forgotten. Interwoven with Rebecca and Ferelith's stories is that of the seventeenth century Rector and Dr Barrieux,

The Traitor's Kiss by Pauline Francis Published by Usbourn Challenge: BBC Source: review copy This is the captivating true story of the young Elizabeth I, as she struggles to survive the treacherous world of Tudor England. After the death of her father, Henry VIII, a young Elizabeth journeys to London to live with her father's widow, Katherine Parr, and her new husband, Thomas Seymour, brother-in-law to King Edward. Surrounded by malicious whisperings of her late mother's witchcraft, Elizabeth is desperate to escape suspicion and discover the truth about her mother. A young stranger asserting Anne's Boleyn's innocence sends her on search a that takes her on a dangerous midnight journey to Bedlam, the hospital for the insane, to meet her mother's former lady-in-waiting. This encounter changes the way she views her mother - and herself. Meanwhile, at home, Elizabeth's reputation is increasingly under threat, as her stepfather, Thomas Seymo

A huge thank you as always to Kristi for hosting IMM each week. Check out her blog at www.thestorysiren.com I have been away since last Sunday in Cornwall on a school trip. I got home late friday night to a fantastic pile of parcels which contained the majority of what is below.   This picture is of the books I treated myself to for the summer holidays. They are all one I have had my eye on for a while and because I have been putting in so many hours marking exam scripts I decided to just order them. Most of them I have been recommended by other bloggers to read so I am looking forward to them all. Haven by Kristi Cook (US hardback) Hourglass by Myra McEntire (US hardback) Nevermore by Kelly Creagh (US hardback) Possession by Elena Johnson (US hardback) Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky (US hardback)   Strings Attached by Judy Blundell (UK paperback) I bought this because it was the only book in the bookshop in Bude that I didn't already have. I took 5 books with me and then found t

Today I have something different from Karen from the blog The Slowest Bookworm. She has done a showcase post featuring her Kindle Books

The Devil Walks by Anne Fine Published by Doubleday Challenge: BBC Source: review copy "The devil walks... But the devil can make no headway if he has no help. We must invite him in..." Raised in secrecy by a mother everyone thinks has gone mad, Daniel's only link to his past is the intricately built model of the family home -- High Gates. The dolls' house is perfect in every detail. As Daniel is reunited with the last remaining member of his family -- his 'uncle' Severin, who bears an uncanny resemblance to a sinister wooden doll he has found hidden in the house, he begins to suspect that this vicious, haunted puppet of a figure has a chilling influence, bringing cruelty and spite in its wake. Now Daniel's very life is at risk as his uncle is determined to get his hands on the figure. The menace builds throughout in this deliciously creepy Gothic tale *** The Devil walks is the first Anne Fi

Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs Published by Bloomsbury Challenge: DAC Source: review copy Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her—and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance. *** Tempest rising is the first mermaid book I've read and despite having reservations about the genre I really enjoyed it. what I liked about it I a

I can't wait for this - it looks awesome Wither by Lauren Destefano What if you knew exactly when you would die? Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb — males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out. When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape — to find her twin brother and go home. But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a

Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison Published by Mira Ink Challenge: DAC Source: review copy Bridget Duke is the uncontested ruler of her school. The meanest girl with the biggest secret insecurities. And when new girl Anna Judge arrives, things start to fall apart for Bridget: friends don't worship as attentively, teachers don't fall for her wide-eyed "who me?" look, expulsion looms ahead and the one boy she's always loved—Liam Ward—can barely even look at her anymore. When a desperate Bridget drives too fast and crashes her car, she ends up in limbo, facing everyone she's wronged and walking a few uncomfortable miles in their shoes. Now she has only one chance to make a last impression. Though she might end up dead, she has one last shot at redemption and the chance to right the wrongs she's inflicted on the people who mean the most to her. And Bridget's about to learn that, sometimes, saying you're sorry just isn't enoug

I was going to do a huge in depth post about the Bloggers brunch I went to recently but as I am so pushed for time of late I am going to just leave you with three things firstly a totally dopey picture of me (I had been up since 5:30am) with Lindsay Barraclough  (who might I add is lovely and actually knew my blog!) she signed my book and was really lovely. Two the promise that all of the stuff coming from random house soon sounds amazing! Finally a lovely picture of all the bloggers from the day. I had a fab time with them all as always with all the book chat and lunch and cocktails and book shopping. They truly are a fab bunch of people.

This week's IMM is epic ... Firstly review books from last week which I didn't get time to add to last week's IMM. Panic by Jeff Abbott (UK paperback) Dragon's Oath (House of Night Novella) by PC and Kristin Cast (UK paperback) Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer (UK paperback) I literally can't wait to get started on this one as I loved the first. Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi (UK paperback) Second is my haul from the Random House Bloggers Brunch (minus a couple which have been sent out to my blogging friends) This dark endeavour by Kenneth Opel (UK proof) This looks amazing - Frankenstein prequel! Blood magic by Tessa Gratton (UK finished copy) I love this cover and it meant I could take my proof into school for one of my lovely girls who was very excited to get it. The adventures of the New Cut Gang by Philip Pullman (UK proof) I love Philip Pullman - Can't wait for this. Trash by Andy Mulligan (UK signed paperback) I really enjoyed this s

Today I have a bokcase showcase from one of my favourite bloggers Jesse from Books 4 Teens Hiya everyone, here is my bookcase (alas I only have one) and this means that unfortunately some books are covered up as they are double stacked. Anyhoo – apologies in advance for the quality of photo taking and any mess which might have crept in without my knowledge! At the top is what I have room for of my ornament and candle collection (my Gran used to collect ornate candles and it rubbed off on me) – the rabbit in the middle slightly to the back is my favourite!).  Moving on, the top shelf is where some of my YA books that I've read live – in here I try to keep all the series that I have together (my multi cover Twilight series is on the this shelf all be it hidden). To the right is a few writing reference books. On the middle shelf is a bit of a mish mash, it contains a mixture of chick lit (approximately half the shelf – you just can't see most of it), the Wicked Yea

Girl parts by John Cusick Published by Walker Books Source: review copy What happens when a robot designed to be a boy’s ideal “companion” develops a will of her own? A compulsively readable novel from a new talent. David and Charlie are opposites. David has a million friends, online and off. Charlie is a soulful outsider, off the grid completely. But neither feels close to anybody. When David’s parents present him with a hot Companion bot designed to encourage healthy bonds and treat his “dissociative disorder,” he can’t get enough of luscious redheaded Rose — and he can’t get it soon. Companions come with strict intimacy protocols, and whenever he tries anything, David gets an electric shock. Parted from the boy she was built to love, Rose turns to Charlie, who finds he can open up, knowing Rose isn’t real. With Charlie’s help, the ideal “companion” is about to become her own best friend. In a stunning and hilarious debut, John Cusick takes rollicking aim at inte

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey Published by Bloomsbury Source: Review copy Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose. Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining

I loved the first book in this series and can't wait to get my hands on this one The Marked by Inara Scott Published August 2011 Dancia's back at Delcroix, but this year, everything's different. Dancia's Talented, and her powers have earned her an invitation to join Delcroix's real raison d'etre --the Program.  Dancia's wanted to use her powers to help people all her life -- and now Delcroix is going to give her the training she needs to use her Talent for good.  At least...that’s what the school says she’ll learn to do with her powers. Her cuter-than-cute boyfriend Cam insists that it's true, and so do all the other students. But there's still a little voice inside her head that wonders -- if the Program's so great, why did her almost-only-a-friend- Jack run away rather than join? And why would the school be getting attacked by angry ex-students?  Dancia's a loyal student...and a loyal girlfriend.  But if finding out what&

In the Sea there are Crocodiles by Fabio Geda Published  by Random House Children's Books Source: Review copy One night before putting him to bed, Enaiatollah's mother tells him three things: don't use drugs, don't use weapons, don't steal. The next day he wakes up to find she isn't there. They have fled their village in Ghazni to seek safety outside Afghanistan but his mother has decided to return home to her younger children. Ten-year-old Enaiatollah is left alone in Pakistan to fend for himself. In a book that takes a true story and shapes it into a beautiful piece of fiction, Italian novelist Fabio Geda describes Enaiatollah's remarkable five-year journey from Afghanistan to Italy where he finally managed to claim political asylum aged fifteen. His ordeal took him through Iran, Turkey and Greece, working on building sites in order to pay people-traffickers, and enduring the physical misery of dangerous border crossings squeezed into the

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton Published by DoubleDay Children's Books Series: The Blood Journals #1 Challenge: DAC Source: Review Copy For Nick Pardee and Silla Kennicot, the cemetery is the center of everything. Nick is a city boy angry at being forced to move back to the nowhere town of Yaleylah, Missouri where he grew up. He can’t help remembering his mom and the blood magic she practiced – memories he’s tried for five years to escape. Silla, though, doesn’t want to forget; her parents’ apparent murder-suicide left her numb and needing answers. When a book of magic spells in her dad’s handwriting appears on her doorstep, she sees her chance to unravel the mystery of their deaths. Together they plunge into the world of dark magic, but when a hundred-year-old blood witch comes hunting for the bones of Silla’s parents and the spell book, Nick and Silla will have to let go of everything they believe about who they are, the nature of life and death, and the deadly

Appolgies for the super quick IMM this week - last few days of my marking period which means I am working like a crazy thing. Life: An Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet (signed paperback) Read this one a while back - I love that it is set aroud where I live. The author signed some copies and one of the people who works at my local waterstones got me a personalised one. Plague by Michael Grant (UK Hardback) I bought this to match my set - read ages ago and loved it. Peter pan by JM Barrie and Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (Puffin Classics Hardback) I loved the covers of these and thought I'd get them to add to my children's books collection. The daughter of smoke and bone by Laini Taylor (UK proof) I am so excited about this one because it looks awesome The Traitor's kiss by Pauline Francis (Uk paperback) Another one that looks awesome

 Today I am joined by Mary from our book review ... Downstairs on display are tidy bookshelves with nicely bound classics and not so tidy ones full of gardening and cookery books. Upstairs is where they really start to take over - a complete wall of the spare room/study is shelved  - looking left and right.  Being in the spare room they tend to get a lot of things that aren't books dumped on and around them. There is 'supposed' to be some order in here - Top left is crime/spy fiction, below it non-fiction history, diy. On the right, 3 shelves of  fantasy/sci fi, a 'only read of one of us' shelf, dropping down to paperback classics from Pamela  The centre shelf has modern fiction above and my hoard of knitting and needlecraft books below There's also a bookcase given over to teen fiction though the Teen has taken some of her favourites to her room.   On top of it is the main To Be Read pile though there's also lots of unread crime/thr