Daisy Chain Book Reviews

Doubleday sent me an extra ARC of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern to give away to one of you! The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves , and it is only open at night. But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. True love or not, the game...

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and features upcoming releases. This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers June 2012 It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, everyone’s motivations to survive begin to change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life–and death–insid...

I'd like to welcome Nick James, author of the Skyship Academy series, to the blog today for an author interview. About Nick James When he was a young boy, Nick James’ collection of battle-scarred action figures became the characters in epic storylines with cliffhangers, double crosses and an unending supply of imaginary explosions. Not much has changed. The toys are gone (most of them), but the love of fast-paced storytelling remains. Working in schools from Washington State to England, Nick has met thousands of diverse students since graduating from Western Washington University and braving the most dangerous job in the world: substitute teaching. Luckily, being dubbed the “rock star teacher” has granted him some immunity. He currently lives and teaches in Bellingham, Washington. Website | Twitter  | Goodreads List five random facts about yourself. I am horrified by most condiments. You could put mustard/mayo/etc. on a stick and chase me around and I would RUN. I’ve lived and tau...

TGIF is hosted by Ginger at GReads! This week's question: Which genre, authors, or particular books do you think people associate with your reading style? I'm not sure what other people associate with my reading style! But I know what my reading style is, so I'll tell you that: Favorite Genres: Fantasy, particularly High Fantasy (MG, YA, and Adult) YA Contemporary Classics, particularly from the Romantic & Victorian periods Favorite Authors: Patrick Rothfuss John Green Stephanie Perkins Neil Gaiman Jane Austen Brontë sisters I like pretty much anything YA, but fantasy and contemps are my favorite. Secondary YA favorites would be science fiction (dystopia, steampunk, horror, space opera, whatever) and historical fiction. My favorite adult genre by far is high fantasy, but I do like some urban fantasies and the occasional mystery/thriller. As far as classics, I also have a soft spot for Mythologies, Shakespeare, and Southern American Lit. I've got a lot of favorite a...

Title: White Cat Author: Holly Black Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Publication Date: May 4, 2010 Series: Curse Workers #1 Links: Amazon | Goodreads Source: Purchased Cassel comes from a family of curse workers - people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all criminals. Many become mobsters and con artists. But not Cassel. He hasn't got magic, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail - he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago. Cassel has certainly built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts to crumble when he finds himself sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secret...

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and features upcoming releases. The Isle of Blood by Rick Yancey September 13, 2011 When Dr. Warthrop goes hunting the "Holy Grail of Monstrumology" with his eager new assistant, Arkwright, he leaves Will Henry in New York. Finally, Will can enjoy something that always seemed out of reach: a normal life with a real family. But part of Will can't let go of Dr. Warthrop, and when Arkwright returns claiming that the doctor is dead, Will is devastated--and not convinced. Determined to discover the truth, Will travels to London, knowing that if he succeeds, he will be plunging into depths of horror worse than anything he has experienced so far. His journey will take him to Socotra, the Isle of Blood, where human beings are used to make nests and blood rains from the sky--and will put Will Henry's loyalty to the ultimate test. Amazon | Goodreads Recently, Simon & Schuster decided to discontinue this series ...