Ink (Paper Gods #1)

Ink (Paper Gods #1) by Amanda Sun

Paperback, 468 pages

Published 5th July 2013 by Mira Ink

Shelves: arc-or-review, books-i-own, cover-appeal, cultural, magical-realism, read-in-2013, series-or-companions, supernatural, to-read, young-adult

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

A MAGIC MIGHTIER THAN ANY SWORD

A DESTINY THAT CAN’T BE DENIED

Katie Greene is lost in the wake of her mum's death. Sent to Japan, she meets gorgeous but aloof artist Tomohiro, whose tough attitude intrigues and scares her. Then things get really strange. When they're near each other, Tomohiro's drawings start to come to life…

Soon the wrong people begin to ask questions, and Katie and Tomohiro must risk everything to protect the truth.

As soon as I saw Ink, I wanted to pick it up, you can't deny that it has a beautiful cover. When I read the description of the book, I knew it was definitely something that I had to read, I absolutely loved the premise and with lovely artwork spread throughout, reading Ink was a real treat.

This is a book that's set in Japan and as I am quite interested in some aspects of Japanese culture, I thought that this would be a fantastic new reading experience which would possibly also teach me a few things along the way! I have to say that when I first started the book, the actual usage of Japanese language did seem daunting and I was flicking back and forth to the glossary - however, after a couple of times I decided against using the glossary which, for me, was a much better decision. I really felt as though I was with our main character, Katie, as she learnt about the country and grasped the basics of the language. Sun has done a great job of really allowing the reader to connect to the book through the protagonist. As Katie was introduced to new things, so were we, and as she became both nervous and excited, so did I.

The characters that we were introduced to in this book were all clear individuals. I really enjoyed meeting everyone and seeing all of the different aspects to their personalities and learning about their different hobbies. There is quite a mysterious background behind some of the characters, those who are part of the Kami (Paper Gods - those who are able to bring ink drawings to life) and the introduction to this group of people is really intriguing. This book really is only an introduction to these people though and it's definitely left me wanting to know more about the Kami and the history of them. 

Something that came through very strongly in this book was the sheer vividness of the descriptions. The setting, in particular, was so fantastically described - I yearned to be there with the characters, walking through blossom filled streets and soaking up the true atmosphere and culture of this Japanese town. Reading about the ink creations coming to life was also a magical experience - a real sense of power emitted through the pages and I think that these scenes would definitely appeal to those who enjoy action in their books.

Overall, this was a book that I really enjoyed. This is something different from your usual offerings on the young adult market and it is something special. If you're looking for a change and to even learn something about a new culture, this is definitely something to try. I am certainly looking forward to the next books in this series and learning more about the Paper Gods.

Blog Tour Stop: Ink

This month marks the UK release date of the first book in The Paper Gods series, Ink by Amanda Sun. This is a book that is sure to be a hit with a lot of you, it's new, quite different and has a great idea behind it. I always enjoy finding out a little about the author behind the books and as I also like listening to music, I thought it would be fantastic if author Amanda Sun could create an Ink playlist to share with us. I am so happy that she's managed to conjure up this playlist to share with us all. Here is Amanda's playlist and comments about her specially chosen songs:

The Ink Playlist

I’ll admit it—my music tastes are…varied, to put it nicely. Of my top four favourite bands, one is Japanese, one Korean, one Icelandic, and one Irish. So bear with me for the INK playlist—it’s a bit of an adventure. Hopefully you’ll discover something new here in this mix that you like. :)

Monster – Arashi

This was the original “theme song” of INK when I started writing it a few years ago. It fit perfectly with the book—a monster, trying to protect and become real for the girl…but she’s still afraid of him, because at the end of it all, he’s still a monster.

My favourite part of the song is when they sing:

“I am awakened by your tears, and so I drag you away into the dark night.” 

You know he’s trying to be more than he is and save her from her sadness, but he ends up being a monster that kidnaps her. So sinister! I love it. :)

Monster – BIGBANG

This song came out while I was editing INK, and it was just perfect for the story. I love how beautiful the song is with the piano, and yet so angsty and dark. This quickly became my second official “theme song” for INK. :)

My favourite lyric in this one is:

“I’m not a monster. You know me so don’t leave like this. If even you throw me away, I will die. I’m not a monster. I think I’m sick. I think I’m sick.”

Actually, the whole song is perfect. Make sure you read the translation if you don’t speak Korean.

Falling Down – Ben Jelen

Another song where the mood and lyrics are perfect. This one’s in English, so needs less explanation. :) It makes me think of those darker times when Tomohiro just wants to give up.

“The simple truth is I’m falling, falling down, and I don’t want to drag her through the bottom.”

Tick Tock - U KISS

Another angsty song, this time a Korean band singing in Japanese. I like this one because it has the sense of running out of time, that things are going to get darker.

“Yeah this unavoidable destiny, just you alone, stay by my side. Final round going down.”

Sakura Sake – Arashi

(link: http://www.downvids.net/arashi-sakura-sake-pv-334662.html)

Here’s one that’s a little lighter! It’s all about the newness of the cherry blossoms blooming, and how we have the potential to shape the future into what we hope for.

“Don’t look back, because tomorrow isn't behind you. Go forward, go forward!”

You’re Beautiful – Chester See 

(link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVl5s1e0Oo4) 

Confession—I’m a huge Chester See fan. This song makes me think of the courage Tomo and Katie have to build up to tell each other how they feel.

"Cause even when you just walk by, Well I look around to seem occupied, ‘Cause I'm trying so hard to hide, Yeah, all of these feelings inside.”

Aitai – Yuzu

(link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYUycGj4CzE)

This song is both sad and grateful for the time spent with someone. It makes me think of Katie and her mom.

“I won't forget. Even now, you are still inside my heart. Thank you, thank you, I can't express enough my thought. Somehow, I want it to reach you.”

Big Bird in a Small Cage – Patrick Watson 

(link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpuZ-khasgA)

This song really speaks to Katie and Tomo’s situations. Neither of them asked to put into the position they’re in now, but all they can do is move forward with what they’ve been given.

“You put a big bird in a small cage and he'll sing you a song, That we all love to sing along, To the sound of the bird that mourns.”

Canvas – Ken Hirai

How could I not have this one on the list? With all its ink and painting imagery, this song is perfect for INK. This song is about the strong friendships we have with each other, and it makes me think of Katie’s life in Japan with Yuki, Tanaka, Diane, and Tomo.

“Even if things can't remain like this, and we are washed away by the future, it'll never change, it'll never become dirty, the canvas that’s only for us.”

------------------------------------------------------------

Many thanks to both Amanda Sun and Mira Ink for all of their time and for the hard work that's been put into this blog tour - don't forget to check out the other stops!

INK IS AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE NOW! 

Amanda Sun was born in Deep River, a small town where she could escape into the surrounding forest to read. Ink is her first novel and The Paper Gods series is inspired by her time living in Osaka and travelling throughout Japan.

Visit her at www.AmandaSunBooks.com and on Twitter at @Amanda_Sun.

Book available from Amazon: http://amzn.to/12FzSMN

Watch the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h51YUkiyGc

Speechless

Speechless by Hannah Harrington

Paperback

Expected Publication: February 2013 by Mira Ink

My shelves: arc-or-review, books-i-own, contemporary, lgbt-characters, lgbt-maintheme, read, read-in-2013, realistic-fiction, really-good, title-appeal, young-adult

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can’t keep a secret

Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed.

Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she’s ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.

But there’s strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she’s done. If only she can forgive herself.

When I read Hannah Harrington's debut novel, I was left wanting more. When I heard about Speechless, I knew it would be a certain hit with me - the premise is refreshing and it's interesting. The storyline, teamed up with Harrington's clear talent for writing was bound to be a success with me - and I'm very glad to say that it was. 

Our protagonist is Chelsea Knot, a girl who decides to take an oath of silence after making a comment to people at a party, a comment which results in one boy being severely beaten due to his sexuality. Though Chelsea is our main character, we get to learn a lot about the people around her too - something that may not have been so easy if  Chelsea hadn't remained silent. I wasn't too sure how the whole book would work out, what with Chelsea being silent, but it worked out very well - there was no lack of communication with others - simply seeing how others communicated and reading Chelsea's internal monologue was enough - it was a very fascinating and interesting change which certainly made you think about the power of speech. 

I will say that I didn't like Chelsea much to begin with, and I don't think many people would particularly like her on paper, despite her representing so many high schoolers in society today. She was a popular girl who didn't really think before she spoke, mainly interested in the next source of gossip. Throughout the book, we see her develop into a much more mindful and more aware character - aware of herself and of the people around her. I admired Chelsea's vow and it did seem to have a worthwhile impact on the people around her, too. Chelsea, thankfully, realistically develops into a much more considerate character and a much more likeable one too - she is quite a gritty character underneath it all and I liked that side of her. She was much more easy to empathise with and a person that I would want to relate to. I truly enjoyed her transformation.

I loved the secondary characters in this book, as Chelsea befriended Asha and Sam, so did we - we learnt about them at her. Asha and Sam are two pretty average students at the school, but that's not a criticism - they seemed very real.  The friendship that the group formed was remarkable, probably one of the best friendships I have read about, again it was just so authentic. The romance between Chelsea and Sam was just sweet enough, Sam is such a beautiful book boyfriend.

This book brings an important issue to attention and deals with it very well. I love reading about LGBT topics, so this part of the book really interested me, and alongside the rest of the contemporary story, it made for a very fascinating and enjoyable read. Like Saving June, this is a highly recommended book and once again, I can't wait to see what Harrington brings out next!

Blog Tour Stop - Speechless

When Hannah Harrington released her debut novel Saving June last year, I loved it and was eager for her to release her next novel. That time has come  - Speechless is out now and is everything I expected, perhaps even more! The concept of the book is a very interesting one, with the protagonist spending most of the novel silent. Very luckily, I got to ask Hannah Harrington some questions about her new novel and here are her responses:

What provided your inspiration for Speechless?

I had this thought about someone taking an oath of silence. And then I started thinking about why someone would do that, and the type of person who would have the most challenging time dealing with being unable to speak—a teenage gossip queen seemed like the obvious answer! The story really built itself around that one idea.

What was your own high school experience like? Did you face the same pressures that Chelsea does?

Chelsea is very, very different from how I was in high school. I wasn’t very concerned with social status or cliques or anything like that. I had a pretty low drama level in my friendship circles, and I was lucky not to be harassed or anything like that. I generally had bigger concerns outside of school. It was interesting for me to try to put myself in the shoes of a character so different from myself.

A really poignant part of the book is when Chelsea visits Noah in the hospital and he forgives her? Was this hard to write?

It wasn’t difficult, because it felt like the right time to do it in the story and a rather natural conclusion. Figuring out how to write Noah’s perspective was probably the most difficult. I wanted him to be a good person, and a strong person, but I also wanted him to be human rather than just some manifestation of benevolence, so I tried to show the awkwardness of his situation and how the trauma he’d experienced wasn’t something he’d be able to sweep under the rug immediately—like most characters in Speechless, his story remains a work in progress even at the end.

My thanks go to both Hannah Harrington and Mira Ink for their time and for inviting me to participate in this tour.

Speechless is available to purchase now!

To find out more about Speechless, check out the following links:

http://www.facebook.com/miraink

https://twitter.com/MIRAInk

Devil's Bargain (Red Letter Days #1)

Devil's Bargain by Rachel Caine

Paperback, 331 pages

Published 5th October 2012 by Mira Ink

My shelves: adult-fiction, arc-or-review, books-i-own, cover-appeal, crime-thriller-mystery, let-down, read-in-2012, series-or-companions, supernatural, to-read, young-adult

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

What's the price of a deal with the devil?

Playing by the psychic underworld's rules has cost.

Jazz Callender's whole life just got turned upside down. Her friend Ben's been convicted of a crime he didn't commit, and Jazz is determined to clear his name, even if it means enlisting the help of dark forces.

Enter James, a stranger with a mysterious offer. If Jazz pledges to work for The Cross Society, a shadowy secret organisation, he'll help her save Ben.

But as she's thrust into a world of psychic powers and dangerous magic, Jazz isn't just bargain for her friend's freedom. She's bargaining for her soul too.

And how high a price is she willing to pay?

Buy this book:

The Book Depository / Amazon (US/INT) / Amazon UK

My thanks go to Mira for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Though I am a massive fan of the Morganville Vampires series, I have never read anything else by Rachel Caine. When I heard that Devil's Bargain was going to be re-released here in the UK, I thought it was definitely time to try some of her other work and I was very excited to do so.

From the blurb, Devil's Bargain appears to be a book that has a very strong supernatural/paranormal element to it. However, when I began reading the book, it wasn't quite what I expected. The story did flow well as it was, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have - this is probably because I was expecting something else, something more. I am only used to reading paranormal books that are aimed towards young adults, so perhaps this was the main difference for me - the writing in this book is probably more suited to adults. This isn't a bad thing at all - just not something I'm used to for this genre and something that I will have to get used to.

The thing that mostly bothered me about this book was that it felt certainly more like a thriller rather than a supernatural book, despite the description. The story starts when we meet our main character, an ex-cop, Jazz in a bar where she is approached by a man, James Borden, and offered a job of a lifetime. Jazz is naturally suspicious and so contacts Lucia Garza, her potential business partner. They meet up, learn about each other, discuss the business and although still slightly suspicious, decide to accept the offer. There is a lot of mystery about who Jazz and Lucia are actually working for and why, but towards the end we learn that there is a connection with The Cross Society and a psychic convicted murderer. The psychic element of the book only comes in around the last half of the story and I personally would've liked it if we had got to learn more about it. I hope, and expect, that this will be further developed along the series. The story is very eventful and something is always happening. However, despite all of the action, I wasn't completely compelled by the book - it wasn't something that I was eager to keep picking up.

The characters in Devil's Bargain are a positive point of this book. Both female lead characters definitely have kick-ass attitudes. I really liked Jazz's confidence and her determination. Though Lucia definitely had a different personality, she was the perfect business partner for Jazz and they interacted extremely well- the strength in this book, for me, was certainly the character interaction. I thought Manny, Jazz's friend was probably the most intriguing character and I would love to learn more about him. There was romance in this book, but to be honest it was a little too predictable for me and I'm glad that it wasn't the main focus.

Overall, whilst Devil's Bargain was a decently written book, I didn't feel as though it was anything exceptional. I did have high expectations for this book, so perhaps that was why I was a little let down! The thing that disappointed me most about this book was that there wasn't enough supernatural substance for me - however, if I was aware of that before reading, then I'd probably have enjoyed it more. The writing style flowed well, the story was never slow - something was always happening and for me, the characters were certainly the best part of the book. Recommended for thriller and paranormal fans who want an easy, action packed read!

From the Review Pile (23)

From the Review Pile is a meme hosted by Stepping Out of the Page every Thursday.

The aim of this meme is to showcase books that you've received for review (or if you don't receive review books, any book that you own and really want to read/review) but haven't yet got around to reading, in order to give the book some extra publicity.

I know that a lot of you have a huge pile of books that you want to read/review, but it understandably takes a while to get around to reading them all - here you can give a book (or two!) some of the publicity that it deserves, even if you haven't read it yet!

-----------------------------------

This week, I'm going to showcase Alice in Zombieland!

I won a copy of Alice in Zombieland in a competition ages ago, but I'm yet to read it. Seeing as it's Halloween this month, I think I might have to dust this one off my bookshelf and pick it up. It sounds so exciting, so I hope it lives up to my expectations!

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Paperback, 404 pages

Published 5th October 2012 by Mira Ink

She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.
Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.
Her father was right. The monsters are real….
To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….

Saving June

Saving June by Hannah Harrington
Paperback, 336 pages

Expected Publication: 1st June 2012 by Mira Ink

My shelves: arc-or-review, books-i-own, contemporary, mental-health, read-in-2012, realistic-fiction, really-good, road-trip, suicide, title-appeal, to-be-reviewed, young-adult

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Description via Goodreads:

‘If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.’

Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.

When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going, California.

Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.

Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down again.

Click here to purchase the book with

free worldwide shipping!

My thanks go to Mira Ink for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

As soon as I heard about this book, I knew that it was going to be something that I would enjoy. I'm a big fan of contemporary books, especially if they have the ability to make me cry (weird?). I am glad to say that Saving June was everything I wanted it to be - captivating, fun, hopeful and heartbreaking, all at the same time. This will hopefully be one of the top contemporary YA reads of the year.

We are sent on a road trip through America with Harper, her best friend, Laney, a mysterious guy called Jake Tolan and June's ashes. The story is narrated by Harper and focuses on coming to terms with her sister, June's suicide. I am happy to say that I thought that the topic was dealt with in a realistic and tasteful way. Although I do find books based on mental-health issues very interesting, I do sometimes feel wary of them as they can easily be handled in an incorrect manner - thankfully this wasn't the case for this book. I thought that the characters all handled the situation well, yet differently, in their own ways and it was interesting to see how the different parties reacted to the news. I do wish we could've learned a little bit more about June and her decision, but what we did learn with Harper was enjoyable. We definitely learned a lot about Harper herself.

All of the characters that we were introduced to in this novel felt well presented and each had their own unique personality, something that is very important, and although they were different, they were all relatable in some way. Harper is our protagonist, and as aforementioned, grieving over her sister. I thought that Harrington did a phenomenal job of portraying Harper's grief in an atypical manner. Harper was seen by her parents and aunt as 'rebellious', but that didn't really seem true to me - it just looked like she was doing what she thought was right during her life, and had her own opinion on things. Her relationship with Laney, her best friend was fantastic. It was clear that they both supported each other, despite their differences in thoughts. I loved that Laney was very forthright and she did what she want - she oozed confidence whilst still having some fragility, was very fun and I can see a lot of people loving her. 


We met a whole bunch of different people during the road-trip and experienced a lot of different things, mostly due to meeting Jake Tolan, a boy who had a connection with June before she died. I really liked Jake for the most part and I thought that his passion for music was wonderful. I've read a few books that have been music-orientated but didn't like them - Harrington successfully managed to connect me with Jake as I could certainly relate to a lot of the things he said about music. As a love interest, I can understand why Harper was attracted to him - he was respectful yet snarky and there was a good amount of chemistry between them both. Trying not to include spoilers - I did feel a little irked by him towards the end, though I could understand his decision at the same time.


I like listening to music for much of the same reasons as Jake - to quote: 

“It's just nice, I guess. Knowing that someone else can put into words what I feel. That there are people who have been through things worse than I have, and they come out on the other side okay. Not only that, but they made some kind of twisted, fucked-up sense of the completely senseless. They made it mean something. These songs tell me I'm not alone. If you look at it at that way, music... music can see you through anything.”"

I thought it was SO cool that this book had not one, but three playlists included. I absolutely loved being able to listen to the songs that captured the mood of the characters at the time and it certainly added another form of 'connection' to them. Harrington didn't just say that Jake felt these things, but she proved it by creating some amazing soundtracks to back it all up. Reading this book, along with listening to the soundtracks, really made it feel as though we were having an experience with the characters. I felt pure emotion whilst reading and admit to tearing up as the book came to a close.


Overall, this was a very powerful, emotional yet enjoyable story. It didn't just feel like I was reading a book - even if it is an overused phrase, I totally felt as though I was taking a journey with Harper, Laney and Jake. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to any young adults or adults. I think that this is a story that will stay with me for quite a while. 

Listen to one of the songs from Saving June...