Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Books I Picked Up On A Whim

This is a list of 7 books I've picked up which have either been recommendations, books I've not know a lot about.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke And The Bookish

The Sign Of One - Eugene Lambert

Synopsis:

ONE FOR SORROW, TWO FOR DEATH.

In the Barrenlands of Wrath, no one dies of old age. Kyle is used to its harsh laws, but the cold-blooded separation of identical twins and execution of the 'evil twists' at the Annual Peace Fair shocks him.

When Kyle himself is betrayed, he flees for his life with the reluctant help of Sky, a rebel pilot with a hidden agenda. As the hunt intensifies, Kyle soon realises that he is no ordinary runaway, although he has no idea why. Fighting to learn the hideous truth, their reluctant, conflicted partnership will either save them - or kill them.

Review:

I won my copy of The Sign Of One by Eugene Lambert from Maximum Pop Books Via twitter. I can not explain the expectations I had for this books because well, I had none. I was interested and drawn to the book but went in to reading it with a completely blank mind and just let it all unfold.

With that said I must state that anything past the first chapter or two I was no expecting having read the first chapters. I was caught by surprise quite a lot throughout this book which was pleasant.

The book revolves around Kyle who attends his first Annual Peace Fair and from that moment on his life just gets flipped and nothing will ever be the same Once Kyle is betrayed he's forced to run with Sky, a rebel who balances on the fine line of fierce.

I found myself really involved with the book, fully emerged and emotionally attached to the characters. The best I can say to you is it expect the unexpected. Kyle is a really loveable protagonist and for Sky, her spirit and fight make her an incredible female character. The other characters written in the story are very well written and woven into the story, they are all someone who plays either a vital or very minimal part in the story and progression of Kyles story. The books itself is very face paced, each page turned brings a new thing into the story. The balance between the progression of the story and the characters was beautiful and perfect.

I adored the concept of an evil and a good twin, it just made the story unique and intriguing. I feel slightly unfortunate to not have a twin after reading this book, whether that's a good or bad thing I will never know but hey ho my kind of look alike older sister will have to do.

Lastly, as part of a trilogy I really do look forward to what Into The No Go Zone which is released in 2017 brings. I really can not wait, its that gripping. I loved the ending and really do hope that the next book hits the spot. I dread to think of the things that can happen in the second instalment.

In a whole its a 5/5 from me, I thoroughly enjoyed it and even though I have to wait for 2017 to see the guys again, I definitely will. A gripping story, and a recommendation for anyone who wants to read a new kind od dystopian.

A Dream Catcher

The crowd was alive and roaring. Their hands clapping as they wrecked their throat screaming support.

The team had only just walked into the field and we're now lining up for the national anthem. Somehow I had found myself in the tunnel instead of at my seat and no one else had noticed either. I had taken a chance and crept up through the crowded tunnel avoiding anyone who looked official and could have me banned. 

I was sweaty by the time I reached the opening, my back moist with panic sweat. I look out seeing three players I had always wanted to meet and now was the time. In a final push I sprint, heading directly for them. I stop in time to hear people now shouting at me and my heart thumped and my mouth ran dry. The players however were not alarmed and when I reach Owen he notices I'm the one being shouted at but smiles.

"Good luck." I smile to him and offer to shake his hand which he accepts. I run to both of the other players and wish the same before rough hands take a hold of me. Owen takes a step forward to stop the mam handling but he has an anthem to start loving soon and so he takes a step back into line.

"Let her of" he shouts instead and Im no being dragged anymore, Owen ends up talking to a few people who steal glances at me leaving me flustered before I'm escorted surprisingly to my seat just in time for the anthems. 

Top Ten Tuesday - 10 Websites/Apps I Visit Daily

1. Most often it's Instagram app.
2. As I deleted the Facebook app I now visit it through the Internet browser on my phone as frequently as I do Instagram.
3. Blogger, I have to keep checking my stats for some reason and then I add more posts. I tend to visit them even more frequently on days posts are scheduled.
4. Aldiko is a frequently visited app as that's how I read all of my Ebooks including those that I have been asked to read and review.
5. Natwest, something about me just always leads me to check the balance in my bank frequently even if I know how much is in there. I'm weird I know.
6. Email/Gmail I love to check if I have any word from my penpals and such.
7. Snapchat, I have to keep up that Snapchat streak plus who doesn't like to send photos to people ?
8. Spotify I mean a day without music is hell 
9. Duolingo because having studied German for two years, I've spent the last two years forgetting it all so I now do up to 15 minutes of German each night before bed to re learn the language.
10. Messenger is a frequent one too mostly because I like to talk to my class mates before I leave for college or just talk to anyone who wants to reply 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke And The Bookish

Tales Of Blood And Sulphur Apocalypse Minor - J.G.Clay

Synopsis:

Eleven Tales steeped in Blood and reeking of Sulphur

J.G Clay takes you on a journey through the voids of Reality and into dark places where demons, mutants and inter-dimensional creatures taunt, taint and corrupt Humanity. Survival is not guaranteed, sanity is not assured and death lurks in every corner. These are the Tales of Blood and Sulphur: Apocalypse Minor; eleven twisted tales of terror and mayhem.....

There are cracks in the skin of Reality. Some are microscopic, others are as wide as a four-lane motorway. As the fault lines increase and widen, the door to our world shines like a beacon in the darkness, a warm and inviting sight to others beyond our understanding. When They cross over into our realm, The Tales begin......


Review:

Full of twists and turns you're definitely gong to have a mind blowing experience reading these tales. I must say that Tales is a gory, dark and horrific read for a mature reader. The tales had me so hooked I am pretty sure I was lost in every tail that followed the last. There are moments that do feel ever so real but the tales are written with the creativity of sci-fi fantasy which when combined creates a marvellous dark horror.

With a suspect, Null, being interrogated in the epilogue it soon becomes clear that there is a rare, strange wisdom about the man that gives you the heebie-jeebies. The tales he tells will haunt whoever listens.

'Have you ever sneaked out for a fag, looked at a patch on the lawn, and found it to have grown with no explanation? Or, maybe you have walked home one evening after a few drinks, cutting across the  desolate park and heard noises – a voice ‘help me’? Then again, maybe you’d prefer to have a pint with the devil, listening to The Clash on the jukebox, and being encouraged to join his dark side whilst in an almost trance-like state? Perhaps you’re trapped in an apartment, with little or no food, caged in by zombies, and you need to leave for a few minutes to get some supplies? Or find yourself in a Dr Who-like scenario with creepily smiling cyborgs, with automated voices set, out to control and intimidate those who go against the new regime. If you don’t conform you won’t want to wait to see what will become of you!'

Tales is for sure a disgustingly gory read, with scenes full of more bodily fluids than you can count that have an important role in the horrific scenes. Brains are splattered, bones are cracked and blood runs ever so freely. Heads are taken off, skin is burned by flame and acid-like saliva, organs are shredded. I could go on and on, if you want to read this I'd invest in a little light when it comes to the night.

I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the tales, they were ever so nicely woven together and the creativity within them blew me away. I also have to admit that hearing Birmingham, (which I live 30 minutes away from) so many times within a set of tales couldn't have made me any happier than it did here.
I have to give the tales an overall rating of 5 out of 5 I couldn't fault them at all, captivating, immersive, truly tales of horror.

Cat Got Your Tongue?

It begun the same as it always did.

I roll out of bed at 6am, knocking over the buzzing alarm clock on my way and by the time I've gathered my things for my morning shower, it has stopped buzzing. I wash quickly and leave my hair slightly wet as it would dry as I made my breakfast. 2 pieces of toast as per usual and they're well buttered, as usual. They're consumed within 7 minutes and I clean up after myself, the house begun to wake up then, around 6:45 when the sun was beginning to rise, heating the house slightly causing it to creak and crackle.

I brush my teeth, scrubbing my tongue as hard as I could before using minty mouth wash for effect and then I left the house, climbed into my car and made the quiet journey to my workplace 34 minutes away. I pull up and wave to a colleague who has pulled up just before me and was collecting his things. he waved back, a gracious smile on his lips.

I carefully work across the car park after locking my car and then walk through the large doors which I barely manage. Michelle, our receptionist looks up to greet me as I walk forth ready to sign the sheet on the desk like we always would.

"Morning." I smile, except for the work never left my lips, it stayed sealed behind my lips, stitched to my throat. I try again this time wiping the look of mild concern off of my face.
"Morning." I smile again, and like the last time nothing came out. Michelle looks to me, her eyes glazed with concern and guilt.

she quickly looks around before looking back to me, then she pulled out a piece of paper from the near by printer and with a fake smile wrote something down. She smiled and slid it towards me.

"Smile, they're watching, none of us can talk, we need to act like normal." she smiles and as she had written I smile back at her and mouth a thank you for the note and made it out like the note passing would happen each day.

As I walk from the desk I turn around and wave at her tucking the note into my pocket, goose bumps rising on my skin.

Top Ten Tuesday - 10 Characters I wouldnt mind revisiting in 10 years time.

 

1. Harriet Manners from Geek Girl, I mean she develops a lot over the breaks in books and I think revisiting her in 10 years would be both a delight and heartbreak.
2. Katniss Everdeen from the epic The Hunger Games, I think it would be interesting to see how 10 years would play our for her after everything she has been through.
3. Charlie from The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, because 10 years in the future of a boy who had grown up without friends and suddenly had ones that would die for him would have a tremendous effect on him and I would want to see how it panned out.
4. Madeline Whittier from the brilliant Everything Everything, its pretty much down to the fact she had no life because she wasn't allowed one and to now know the truth I think witnessing what 10 years of change and freedom can do to her would be amazing.
5. Charlie from Blackspoon, okay so this guy has been through a lot and where we left him wasn't exactly beautiful so 10 years down the line the situation might be a lot different to how it was and I think it would be rather enjoyable to have a catch up.
6. Will Grayson from Will Grayson Will Grayson (so many Will Grayson's here) because how he left him was purely brilliant and I guess the effect would have been marvellous and to see how it had effected him over 10 years would be beautiful.
7. Will Grayson from Will Grayson Will Grayson, ( another one I know, I'm sorry.) He too was left in a perfect situation which was just as beautiful as other Will Grayson's situation. I just want to see how both of their lives play out.
8. Matilda I mean come on? who doesn't want to see her in ten years time? she's pure greatness.
9. Liesel Meminger because she's such a great child and i want to know what comes of her from a further 10 years of life.
10. I'd like to visit London 10 years after The Humans to see if anything at all has been changed my.