Friday 26 July 2013

Review: Vixen by Jillian Larkin

Bookish Details:
Series: Flappers #1
Pages: 386 (Paperback)
Publisher: Random House
Release Date: 10th December 2010 (UK) 1st March 2012 (UK)
Source: Sent for review from publisher
Buy it From: Amazon US - Amazon UK

Synopsis:
Jazz . . . Booze . . . Boys . . . It’s a dangerous combination.

 Every girl wants what she can’t have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle—and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she’s engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago’s most powerful families, Gloria’s party days are over before they’ve even begun . . . or are they?

 Clara Knowles, Gloria’s goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch—but Clara isn’t as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she’ll do anything to keep hidden. . . .

 Lorraine Dyer, Gloria’s social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria’s shadow. When Lorraine’s envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone’s going to be very sorry. . . .

 From debut author Jillian Larkin, VIXEN is the first novel in the sexy, dangerous, and ridiculously romantic new series set in the Roaring Twenties . . . when anything goes.

My Review:
You have no idea how much this book made me want to build a time machine, go back to the 1920s, and be a flapper girl.

I’ll start by saying what a refreshing change this book made. I’m so used to being surrounded by fantasy and paranormal books; it was great to read something completely different! I’m a great lover of historical fiction and I hope that this series encourages more historical YA authors to get their stories out there!

Vixen is set during the time of the roaring 20s in Chicago and follows the stories of three young girls’ right at the centre of the Flapper era. Gloria and her best friend, Lorraine, are high society rich girls who aspire to be part of the flapper world rather than the worlds of dinner parties and gossip columns that they’re already a part of. Gloria’s cousin Clara is a girl with a hidden past who comes to Chicago faking innocence and pretending to know nothing of the world of flappers and speakeasies.

Gloria is engaged to be married to one of the most wanted men in Chicago, Sebastian Grey, but she wants her chance to experience some final freedom before she starts her new life as a bride. So Gloria and her friend Marcus end up making their way inside the Green Mill, the biggest speakeasy in Chicago.

That is when she first claps eyes on musician, Jerome Johnson. Desperate to catch his attention and fit in with the flappers around her, Gloria starts to transform herself, much to the annoyance of her fiancé and her mother, and also to the surprise of Lorraine.

The story follows each girl in third person, which makes getting to know the characters a lot easier. You are able to empathise more with each of the girls, even when one of them makes mistakes, because you know and understand their reasoning behind it. Each character is realistic and relatable.

I have to say, out of all of the fabulous characters in this book, I loved Clara the most. I was rooting for her from the start and I adored her relationship with Marcus (who is another amazing character.) I think that all good stories need a character like Marcus, the loyal and funny guy friend.

I love Jillian’s style of writing. Her descriptions of the settings are perfect, I felt as if I was sitting at the bar in the Green Mill. The story really draws you in to the flapper lifestyle.

There were some pretty amazing plot twists at the end! There are some real tense moments were you have no idea which direction the story will go in those last few chapters. The epilogue made for a brilliant cliff-hanger. I’m really excited to start reading the next book in the series!


*I’ll be reviewing the other books in this series soon.*

Royal Rating:


Wednesday 24 July 2013

Waiting on Wednesday: United We Spy!

This is a weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine. "Waiting on Wednesday" spotlights upcoming releases that i'm eagerly anticipating.

United We Spy by Ally Carter (Gallagher Girls #6)
Release Date: September 5th 2013



Cammie Morgan has lost her father and her memory, but in the heart-pounding conclusion to the best-selling Gallagher Girls series, she finds her greatest mission yet. Cammie and her friends finally know why the terrorist organization called the Circle of Cavan has been hunting her. Now the spy girls and Zach must track down the Circle’s elite members to stop them before they implement a master plan that will change Cammie—and her country—forever.

The last Gallagher Girl book! Oh how I will probably cry when I have to say goodbye to Cammie, Zach and the girls! Eagerly awaiting the release of this book.

Friday 12 July 2013

Summer Is Here!

Hey everyone!

So, summer is here, even though the weather isn’t really showing it that much in the UK. I hope you all have some fantastic plans for the summer months! I also hope you have a summer reading list, because no day on the beach is complete without an awesome book.

Here is my summer pick to settle down with on the beach.

Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun. He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.

Enter Theo, a super-ambitious outsider, a New Yorker assisting on a documentary film about a reclusive local artist. Theo's sophisticated, exciting, and, best of all, he thinks Emaline is much too smart for Colby.

Emaline's mostly-absentee father, too, thinks Emaline should have a bigger life, and he's convinced that an Ivy League education is the only route to realizing her potential. Emaline is attracted to the bright future that Theo and her father promise. But she also clings to the deep roots of her loving mother, stepfather, and sisters. Can she ignore the pull of the happily familiar world of Colby?
Emaline wants the moon and more, but how can she balance where she comes from with where she's going?

Sarah Dessen's devoted fans will welcome this story of romance, yearning, and, finally, empowerment. It could only happen in the summer.
What are your summer reads? Are you reading something new or having a reread? Let me know!



Sunday 7 July 2013

An Evening With Cassandra Clare!

Hey guys!

So this week I was lucky enough to attend an evening with Cassandra Clare in London with special guests Sarah Rees Brennan and Jamie Campbell Bower! (Who is, of course, Jace in the City of Bones movie.)

Since I live miles away from London, it took me a good three hours to get there. When I arrived at about 3pm, the queue was already huge! There were shadowhunters with runes all over their arms lining up outside St James's Church.

This was the other side of the church, where the line was already spreading to by the time I got there!




When we were finally allowed inside, we had to buy the movie edition of City of Bones to be signed. I love the cover!


Inside the church was beautiful! It was a perfect place to hold the Q&A because it all looked very Institute like.


I ended up on the second to last row in the church, but I had a good view of Cassie. Unfortunately, there was a cameraman blocking my view of Jamie! I did, however, mange lift my camera up to get this adorable picture!



The Q&A was awesome. Jamie and Cassie are so funny! We were shown the trailer for the film, and even though I've seen it a million times before, it was so much more exciting to watch it in a church full of fans.

Jamie revealed that he had decided on a tattoo for TMI. He told us that he was going to get the quote, "I am, after all, what you made me" on his back! He said he loved the "To love is to destroy" quote, but it was a bit dark, so he decided against it.

At the end of the session, Jamie said he had a surprise for us. He said he wanted to sing a couple of songs to thank us for being there! I was so happy because I used to adore Jamie's band from back before he was cast as Jace!

A couple of girls got near the front of the church when he sat down with his guitar so I joined them to get a better view. I managed to film some of his signing and got a couple of great pics!




I also filmed a short video clip as well!


The we were taken row by row to meet Cassie and Jamie and get our books signed. Jamie was so lovely and I noticed he was wearing that famous Morgenstern ring! I chatted to Cassie about London and she said how nice everyone always was to her whenever she came here. I also got my beloved copy of Clockwork Princess signed!



                       
It was a fantastic day and I certainly won't be forgetting it in a hurry! 100% worth all of the travelling and rushing to find a hotel for the night!







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