The Mountains of Instead

Championing fiction as an escape from pandemics, politics and bad TV.

Baby, It's Cold Outside (Review of Frostbite; Richelle Mead)

Frostbite Richelle Mead Razorbill 2010 (this edition)
Frostbite is the second book in the Vampire Academy series and this review therefore contains spoilers for book one. You can read my review of the first title here. Go away and do that, read the book and then come back.
Frostbite starts with an…

Rarely Pure And Never Simple (Review: Entangled; C. Clarke)

Entangled Cat Clarke Quercus 2010
At first glance, the plot of Entangled appears at first to be one kind of story before quietly changing into something completely different. When we meet protagonist Grace, she has been saved from killing herself by an attractively aloof stranger, Ethan. The thing i…

Wild Rose (review: Vampire Academy; R. Mead)

Vampire Academy
Richelle Mead
Razorbill 2010 (this edition)

I have so much spare time, dontcha know? I have no essays to write, manuscripts to read or small child to look after. Oh, and my TBR pile is minimal. HA! Ha ha ha ha ha! If only this were true. It was therefore with some surprise that …

2011 Debut Author Challenge

One of the things that I've enjoyed most since starting blogging  has been taking part in the 2010 Debut Author Challenge, hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren so I was delighted when Kristi announced the 2011 Debut Author Challenge this week. I will certainly be taking part and have listed…

The Con Is On (Review: White Cat; Holly Black)

White Cat Holly Black Gollancz 2010
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 mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn&#…

IMM (#26)

In My Mailbox is a meme created and hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren with inspiration from Alea at Pop Culture JunkieAll book titles link to further info at Goodreads. All books in this IMM post have been received for review/bought/gifted/loaned/UK Book Toured/acquired through nefarious m…

All About Evie (review: Paranormalcy; K. White)

Parnormalcy
Kiersten White
Harper Teen 2010
Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie's always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can…

IMM (#25)

In My Mailbox is a meme created and hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren with inspiration from Alea at Pop Culture JunkieAll book titles link to further info at Goodreads. All books in this IMM post have been received for review/bought/gifted/loaned/UK Book Toured/acquired through nefarious m…

A Winner Has Won, Again!

We have a winner for the signed copy of Raised By Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes:
Precious from over at Fragments of Life
Well done, Precious!  An email will be winging it's way to you shortly.
Thanks again to Quercus for facilitating this give away.

Truly, Madly, Deeply...Quickly (or Friday, I'm In Love)

This post contains some spoilers for This World We Live In (Susan Beth Peffer), Sea (Heidi Kling), Hush, Hush (Becca Fitzpatrick), Twilight (Stephenie Meyer), and Perfect Chemistry (Simone Elkeles).
Firstly, let me state that I am not anti-love. I enjoy a good romance. The really swoony ones creep …

Christmas Time is (nearly) Here, By Golly

While trawling through my neglected Google reader today, I was delighted to come across a post concerning the Book Blogger Holiday Swap. I instantly assumed that it would be US only, but NO! It's international, so we can all take part.

The idea is basically that of a huge, international Secret S…

The Opiate Of The People (Review: Angel; LA Weatherly)

Angel LA Weatherly Usborne 2010
In a world where angels are beyond redemption, Alex thinks he's found one that might deserve mercy. Alex is a ruthless assassin - of angels. Forget everything you've heard about them before. Angels are not benign celestial creatures, but fierce stalkers whose ir…

150 Follower Give Away (international)

I am super happy and super surprised to now have 150+ followers - it makes me feel all warm and squishy. To celebrate all you lovelies (and the many others who subscribe via feedreaders and email), I am giving away a copy of the phenomenal Matched. You can find my review of Matchedhere. It is safe …

I Sang In My Chains Like The Sea (Review: Matched; Ally Condie)

Matched
Ally Condie
Razorbill 2010


In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die. Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows …