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Wednesday 29 February 2012

Wishlist Wednesday #23

Every Wednesday, Dani at Pen To Paper features Wishlist Wednesday, a meme in which you can list a book that you really want to read or keep meaning to get. These are books that you want to add to your wishlist, and believe me there are plenty!  I've decided to use Dani's feature every Wednesday :)

So what do you need to do to join in?
  • Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
  • Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
  • Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
  • Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of her post.
  • Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com/) somewhere in your post.
  • Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

So here is my book for this weeks Wishlist Wednesday:
Goodreads Synopsis:
 Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning.... Welcome to forever.

BRIE'S LIFE ENDS AT SIXTEEN: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart—literally.

But now that she's D&G (dead and gone), Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend has been keeping a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost—and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul . . . who just might hold the key to her forever after.

With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on. But how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?
 I came across this book the other day as one of my giveaway winners requested it as a prize.  I had never heard of it before then.  After reading the blurb, I thought to myself, you know what......  This sounds a great book.  So on the wishlist it has gone.  The title and cover are pretty eye catching too.  I hope I get a copy of this soon as I would love to read it :D

Tuesday 28 February 2012

Leap Into Books Giveaway Hop

This giveaway is open to International followers, so if the Book Depository ships to you, yes you can enter!!  Click HERE to see if the Book Depository ships to your country.

This Giveaway Hop is co-hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer & Jinky is Reading

To find details of the hop and the links click Here
So what is up for grabs??  Well the winner will get to choose one book from the Book Depository up to the value of £10 or $15(USD)

 So here are the details:
  • There will be 1 winner - The winner will choose one book of their choice from the Book Depository
·         Open to International Followers·      
  • You must fill out the rafflecopter form below to enter
  • Giveaway will end 5th March 2012
  • Please don't leave your email address in the comments box

Sunday 26 February 2012

Mail Box Sunday (IMM) - Weekly Round Up #17

Hi Guys!  It's Sunday again and that means another Mail Box Sunday. I'm going to share what goodies I've had this week.  Mostly they are e-books so thankfully my bookcase isn't groaning too much.

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren - what a great way to see what everyone else has had in their mailboxes :D






Paperbacks in this week:


The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness - I bought this from Amazon.  Last week's IMM featured book 2 & 3 of this series.  I now have book 1 yay :D

A Conspiracy of Violence by Susanna Gregory - This books was passed on to me by my Sister-in-Law.


E-books I had this week:


Sliding Beneath The Surface by Doug Dillon - This was kindly sent to me by the author for review.


From Netgalley:



What books did you get in your mailbox this week?  Leave a comment and a link and I will have a peek :D

Saturday 25 February 2012

***Review*** Love Virtually by Daniel Glattauer


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Released: February 1st 2011
Publisher: Maclehose
Series:  Yes #1 in the series
Format: Hardcover
Source:  Bought
Goodreads Synopsis:
"Write to me, Emmi. Writing is like kissing, but without lips. Writing is kissing with the mind."

It begins by chance: Leo receives emails in error from an unknown woman called Emmi. Being polite he replies, and Emmi writes back. A few brief exchanges are all it takes to spark a mutual interest in each other, and soon Emmi and Leo are sharing their innermost secrets and longings. The erotic tension simmers, and it seems only a matter of time before they will meet in person. But they keep putting off the moment - the prospect both excites and unsettles them. And after all, Emmi is happily married.

Will their feelings for each other survive the test of a real-life encounter? And if so, what then?

Love Virtually is a funny, fast-paced and utterly absorbing novel, with plenty of twists and turns, about a love affair conducted entirely by email.

My Review:

This book was recommended to me by a good friend, who said I had to read it as she gave it top marks. She even bought me a copy so that I could see what she was raving about. Thank you!!

This book is written as a series of email exchanges between the two main characters of Emmi and Leo. The story starts with an email mistakenly being sent to Leo from Emmi. After numerous and sometimes witty exchanges the pair strike up a close and unique friendship. Over time you can see this friendship start to develop into something more. Throughout the book you can really feel both characters needs, uncertainties, and a whole host of other emotions just from the way they write the emails and also from the words they use. They vulnerabilities and fears really do come through. You only ever get to know about the two characters from what they write about themselves to each other.

This book really takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions, at times I felt quite emotionally drained. But this just shows the writers ability to be able to manipulate the reader’s emotions. I think it is a very clever but simple concept; the author has really managed to capture a lot of feeling just from simple email exchanges between the two main characters.

This book was really easy to pick up and put down. There are no long chapters and sometimes the email exchanges are very short. I managed to fly through this book and I think it could even be devoured in one sitting.

I felt that the ending was brilliant; I actually sat there for a few minutes afterwards digesting it. There is another book following on from this story, it’s not yet been released (I have checked) and I can’t wait to get my hands on it so I can carry on with the story of Emmi & Leo.

Story Rating: 4/5 – A clever concept for a story that will leave you emotionally exhausted :D

Cover Rating: 3/5 – I can’t say it is one that jumps out at me, but there is a relevance to cupid and the name of the book is certainly fitting to the story.

Friday 24 February 2012

Friday Recommends #10

Friday Recommends is a weekly meme hosted by Dani at Pen To Paper.  This is where we list a book we would highly recommend. 

I'm quite excited about this new feature as one of the things I love is being able to share the news about a great book.  We've all been there!  After reading a fab book you want to shout out to the world how great it is.


The rules for Friday Recommends are:
  • Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
  • Please consider adding the blog hop button to your blog somewhere, so others can find it easily and join in too! Help spread the word! The code will be at the bottom of the post under the linky.
  • Pick a book that you've read, and have enjoyed enough to recommend to other readers. It can be a book you've read recently, or a book you read years ago - it's up to you - but make sure you tell us why you love the book (like a mini review). You make the post as long or as short as you like.
  • Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of this post after posting your blog post.
  • Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com) somewhere in your post.
  • Visit the other blogs and enjoy!
My choice this week is:
 

Goodreads Synopsis:
 
Blind since birth, widowed in her twenties, now lonely in her forties, Marianne Fraser lives in Edinburgh in elegant, angry anonymity with her sister, Louisa, a successful novelist. Marianne's passionate nature finds solace and expression in music, a love she finds she shares with Keir, a man she encounters on her doorstep one winter's night. While Marianne has had her share of men attracted to her because they want to rescue her, Keir makes no concession to her condition. He is abrupt to the point of rudeness, and yet oddly kind. But can Marianne trust her feelings for this reclusive stranger who wants to take a blind woman to his island home on Skye, to "show" her the stars?
 
 
 I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Linda Gillard. Star Gazing is the second book I have read by this author and I have enjoyed both books immensley, this one just pipped to be my favourite one though.  I loved the characters, such a wonderful rich contrast.   Part of the story is set on the island of Skye, which sounds a wonderful place. In the book you'll find lots of drama, emotions and romance.  Keir sounds like a dreamy wonderful man, shame he is a fictional character.  For a bit of pure escapism I would recommend you read this book.

Thursday 23 February 2012

Young Adult Paranormal Activity Giveaway Hop


This has to be one of my favourite genres, so it is really exciting to be able to be part of this giveaway hop.
This giveaway is open to International followers, so if the Book Depository ships to you, yes you can enter!!  Click HERE to see if the Book Depository ships to your country.

This Giveaway Hop is co-hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer & Vvb32 Reads

To find details of the hop and the links click Here

So here are the details:
  • There will be 1 winner - The winner will choose one book of their choice from those listed
·         Open to International Followers     
  • You must fill out the rafflecopter form below to enter
  • Giveaway will end 28th February 2012 


Winner of the Random Acts of Kindness Giveaway.


Thank you so much to everyone who entered, be it new or existing followers :D I have the greatest pleasure in announcing the winner for the Chocolate Chunky Munkie Random Acts of Kindness Giveaway. The prize was the book of your choice from the Book Depository! Drumroll please.............


The winner is:
Reading Mind (reviewer for Sognandoleggendo, an Italian book blog)
Congratulations on winning, I hope you enjoy your copy of The Catastrophic History of You & Me by Jess Rothemberg

Wednesday 22 February 2012

Wishlist Wednesday #22

Every Wednesday, Dani at Pen To Paper features Wishlist Wednesday, a meme in which you can list a book that you really want to read or keep meaning to get. These are books that you want to add to your wishlist, and believe me there are plenty!  I've decided to use Dani's feature every Wednesday :)

So what do you need to do to join in?
  • Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
  • Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
  • Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
  • Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of her post.
  • Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com/) somewhere in your post.
  • Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

So here is my book for this weeks Wishlist Wednesday:
 
 
 
Goodreads Synopsis:
 
 Now best known for her New York Times-bestselling Sookie Stackhouse novels, Charlaine Harris garnered an unusual degree of acclaim with her first novel -- the story of a murder that embroils a small-town reporter in a mystery that hits close to home.

Catherine Linton came home to Lowfield, Mississippi convinced that the untimely deaths of her parents in a car accident was no accident -- but nobody believed her. So she stayed, taking a job at the local paper, to try to both convince the sheriff that she was right-and maybe convince herself she was wrong. After all, her father had been the town doctor, loved (she always thought) by all. To think he was killed was to think that one of her friends or neighbors has harbored some deep resentment toward him. Then she finds the dead body of the women who had been her father's nurse for many years. Obviously murdered. Now Catherine knows that she was not wrong about her parent's death. Someone in Lowfield has a terrible secret, a secret worth killing for. Not once, not twice, but -- when another body is found -- three times. And the killer won't hesitate to add more victims to the list, as Catherine gets closer and closer to the truth.

 
 I love Charlaine Harris, her books have always rated highly with me. My favourite series would be the Southern Vampire series (Sookie Stackhouse). I have most of her books on my bookcase or kindle but I'm missing this one.  I thought this book sounded good with a mix of mystery and murder.  I hope I manage to get a copy soon so I can add to my Charlaine Harris collection :)
 

Sunday 19 February 2012

***Review*** Across The Universe by Beth Revis


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Released: January 11th 2011
Publisher: Razorbill
Series:  Yes #1 in the Across The Universe Series
Format: Kindle
Source:  Bought
Author Site: Beth Revis

Goodreads Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone - one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship - tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.
 
My Review:

“I never thought about how important the sky was until I didn't have one. ~ Amy”

Amy is seventeen years old, up to this point she has lead a normal teenage life. This is all to change........ Amy’s parents are part of group of people that are to set up a new civilisation on a newly discovered planet that is 300 light years away. To reach this planet they have to be cryogenically frozen and placed as frozen cargo in a spaceships helm. Amy is given a choice to come with her parents or stay with other family on Earth. She chooses to follow her parents and is placed as non-essential frozen cargo. Fifty years before she is to come out of her frozen sleep, she is unplugged....... why, who and more importantly what the heck is going on?? Amy must adjust to life on board Godspeed and find out the truth.

I have to say that this book was amazing! The beginning really sucked me in. All the way through it was a fast paced and exciting read. I’ve seen so many positive reviews for this book that I just had to get a copy for myself and see what all the fuss was about. Well I’m pleased I did, as it was awesome.

This book is a YA, Sci-Fi and romance story all rolled into one. I’m not into heavy Sci-Fi books but this was great for me. I found it a real good easy read and was not baffled with techie scientific stuff. This book is suitable for teens upwards as there are no graphic scenes or bad language.

There are a few twists and turns in the story and at times you start wondering who to trust. It seems lies fuel the ship and keep it orderly. It certainly makes you feel paranoid. I like the twists and turns they certainly keep you on your toes and stops the story from feeling flat.

I really liked the dual narrative of Amy and Elder, it managed to capture two different sides. One of someone who had spent their lifetime on Godspeed (the spaceship) and one who was new to Godspeed. Seeing the ship through both of their eyes was very clever and helped enrich each character.

My favourite character was Elder, I fell in love with him from the start. He really is sweet and it was interesting to see how his character developed throughout the story. There are so many layers to him.

I really thoroughly enjoyed this book. I think this has to be one of the best books I have read this year and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book in the series. So if you haven’t already got a copy of this book then get one!!

Story Rating: 5/5 -  This was such an amazing story, I could read this again anytime.
Cover Rating:  5/5 -  The colours, the picture, amazing!

About The Author:


Beth Revis is the author of the NY Times Bestselling Across the Universe series, published by Razorbill/Penguin in the US and available in 17 countries. The first book in the trilogy, Across the Universe, is a “cunningly executed thriller” according to Booklist, and the second book, A Million Suns, was hailed by the LA Times as “a fast-paced, action-packed follow-up.” The final book of the trilogy, Shades of Earth, will be released in early 2013.
A former teacher, Beth lives in rural North Carolina with her husband and dog. Her goals include travelling around the world in 80 days, exploring the moon, and finding Narnia.
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | GoodReads
Beth is represented by Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House.


 





Mail Box Sunday (IMM) - Weekly Round Up #16

Hi Guys!  It's Sunday again and that means another Mail Box Sunday. It's been a couple of weeks since I last did an IMM post, so I have lots of books to tell you about.

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren - what a great way to see what everyone else has had in their mailboxes :D






From Amazon UK for the kindle:



Paperbacks I bought this week:




I met a friend who visited and we had a little book shopping spree.  I bought the two Patrick Ness books.  Love Virtually was bought as a gift from my friend Julie, she sang its praises.  Thank you xx

What books did you get in your mailbox this week?  Leave a comment and a link and I will have a peek :D

Saturday 18 February 2012

New Blog Design - Yay!!

I am so pleased to announce that Chocolate Chunky Munkie has had a new facelift.  Check out this new design, isn't it lovely :D  I am so grateful for all the hardwork that Vicky at Sweet Dreams Design has put into it to make it so wonderful.  I am so proud to have a lovely looking blog.  let me know what you think.  If you need a new blog design at a reasonable cost, then I would highly recommend Vicky and suggest you check out her blog design page.

Sweet Dreams Design

Thursday 16 February 2012

Random Acts Of Kindness Giveaway Hop - International


This giveaway is open to International followers, so if the Book Depository ships to you, yes you can enter!!  Click HERE to see if the Book Depository ships to your country.

This Giveaway Hop is co-hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer & Read For Your Future

To find details of the hop and the links click Here
So what is up for grabs??  Well the winner will get to choose one book from the Book Depository up to the value of £10 or $15(USD)

So here are the details:
  • There will be 1 winner - The winner will choose one book of their choice from the Book Depository
·         Open to International Followers·      
  • You must fill out the rafflecopter form below to enter
  • Giveaway will end February 21st 2012
  • Please don't leave your email address in the comments box

Winner of the Follower Love Giveaway.



 

Thank you so much to everyone who entered, be it new or existing followers :D I have the greatest pleasure in announcing the winner for the Chocolate Chunky Munkie Follower Love Giveaway. The prize was the book of your choice from the Book Depository! Drumroll please.............


The winner is:
Pavan
Congratulations on winning Pavan, I hope you enjoy your copy of Everneath by Brodi Ashton


 Don't forget there's still the February monthly book giveaway happening right now.  To enter click HERE

Wednesday 15 February 2012

Wishlist Wednesday #21

Every Wednesday, Dani at Pen To Paper features Wishlist Wednesday, a meme in which you can list a book that you really want to read or keep meaning to get. These are books that you want to add to your wishlist, and believe me there are plenty!  I've decided to use Dani's feature every Wednesday :)

So what do you need to do to join in?
  • Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.
  • Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.
  • Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.
  • Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of her post.
  • Put a link back to pen to paper (http://www.pentopaperblog.com/) somewhere in your post.
  • Visit the other blogs and enjoy!

So here is my book for this weeks Wishlist Wednesday:
 
 
 
Goodreads Synopsis:
 
The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.



One of my blog giveaway winners chose this book as a prize.  I thought it sounded fab.  I also spotted a review of this at Vicky's blog Books, Biscuits & Tea.  Vicky really liked it and said it was worth reading, so that was good enough for me.  So on the wishlist it has gone.  I think the cover is awesome, I could sit and look at it for ages. I hope I manage to get a copy soon!!!

 

 
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