I am so excited to be writing this post! There are now less than 100 views to go until I launch the competition to win a signed 1st edition copy of New Guard!
I know, I know - I've been far too quiet recently. July has been a bit manic with 3 birthday celebrations, starting some new dance classes and relationship chaos all thrown in for good measure... Hopefully now everything is calmer, I can get back to writing my reviews!
I have been writing my review of Lone Wolf in my pocket notebook, and will be looking to get it on here as soon as possible, so look out for it over the next few weeks. Fingers crossed I might even get into a regular writing habit again soon...
So, read this. Re-read the previous posts. Get your friends to read them too. And as soon as we pass 1,500 views, I'll announce the very exciting competition and how to enter...
On your marks... Get set... Go!!!
Yours (in writing),
Laura x
Sunday 17 July 2016
Sunday 5 June 2016
CHERUB: New Guard - An Emotional Goodbye!
Well, what a week! I was supposed to be posting my reviews of Lone Wolf, New Guard and launching my worldwide competition to win a signed copy of New Guard (which will all still happen over the next two weeks, so keep coming back to read more...). Instead, I've attended the official wrap party and gone to the last EVER cherub book signing.
So, Thursday was the official wrap party in London. It was held in what initially looked like a very dark and dingy little bar, but actually turned out to be a great venue and worked quite well, apart from nobody being able to hear each other all night!
It was lovely to catch up with the legend that is Robert Muchamore, and there were beautiful speeches from Rachel (his publisher) and Rob himself. I got a lovely mention in Rachel's speech (as did my tattoos!), and Rob's speech made me very tearful after all the years of effort and love he has put into these incredible books.
It was also fantastic to bump into Sophie McKenzie again, for the first time since 2014! I thanked her for all her writing advice she had previously given me, including trying a local writing course, and it was lovely to share the news with her that from October this year, I'll be starting my degree in English Literature and Creative Writing, following my great results from the writing course. Sophie, your writing wisdom has already gotten me through a two year course, fingers crossed it can last another six!
The books were disappearing like hot cakes on Thursday night and it was lovely to see so many fans, old and new, in attendance. I also managed to keep hold of the board I am holding in the above picture and Rob even signed it for me. As I left the staff gave me a second board, so the lucky winner of my signed book competition (or maybe a runner-up) may find they get that as a little bonus!
Saturday was brilliant! The CHERUB fans (again, old and new) turned out in full force. It was fantastic to see such a long signing queue but poor Rob's hand was pretty tired by the end... We managed to miss the (small!) cake by being last in the queue, but I still managed to walk away with my usual stash of posters, stickers, bookmarks, postcards and other CHERUB goodies. I was also photographed again, just for my attire... From about 3-4 signings into meeting Rob, I started making my own CHERUB t-shirts using fabric paint and this year was no different - except I really pushed the boat out! This year I did the front of the t-shirt as usual, but went to town with the detail of the books on the back. I think what really caught everyone's eye were my amazing shoes, which had taken two weeks to paint!
We wrapped up the day at super-fan Stevie's house in London with games and book chat. It was lovely to catch up with some of the lovely forum-ers who I hadn't seen for ages! After a tiring drive, we got home at 12:30am this morning... Now looking forward to Rock War: Battle Zone (book 3) to do it all again!
Laura xx
p.s. Views are nearly at 1500, so the competition will be launched as soon as we do! Keep reading and get all your friends to come and check out the reviews too :)
It was lovely to catch up with the legend that is Robert Muchamore, and there were beautiful speeches from Rachel (his publisher) and Rob himself. I got a lovely mention in Rachel's speech (as did my tattoos!), and Rob's speech made me very tearful after all the years of effort and love he has put into these incredible books.
It was also fantastic to bump into Sophie McKenzie again, for the first time since 2014! I thanked her for all her writing advice she had previously given me, including trying a local writing course, and it was lovely to share the news with her that from October this year, I'll be starting my degree in English Literature and Creative Writing, following my great results from the writing course. Sophie, your writing wisdom has already gotten me through a two year course, fingers crossed it can last another six!
The books were disappearing like hot cakes on Thursday night and it was lovely to see so many fans, old and new, in attendance. I also managed to keep hold of the board I am holding in the above picture and Rob even signed it for me. As I left the staff gave me a second board, so the lucky winner of my signed book competition (or maybe a runner-up) may find they get that as a little bonus!
We wrapped up the day at super-fan Stevie's house in London with games and book chat. It was lovely to catch up with some of the lovely forum-ers who I hadn't seen for ages! After a tiring drive, we got home at 12:30am this morning... Now looking forward to Rock War: Battle Zone (book 3) to do it all again!
Laura xx
p.s. Views are nearly at 1500, so the competition will be launched as soon as we do! Keep reading and get all your friends to come and check out the reviews too :)
Monday 30 May 2016
It's nearly competition time!...
Wow. I am blown away by the views and support I have received over the past month for re-launching this little blog! As of last Thursday, we officially passed 1000 views and today we are nearly at 1200 :)
Thank you! I couldn't have achieved this without my amazing readers and the brilliant cherub fanbase :)
As soon as we pass 1500 views, I will announce how one lucky reader can win themselves a signed copy of Robert Muchamore's new book New Guard (spoilers: I'm on page 270 and it's amazing!)... So keep getting your friends to have a read and keep your eyes peeled this week for full competition details...
Yours (in writing),
Laura x
Thank you! I couldn't have achieved this without my amazing readers and the brilliant cherub fanbase :)
As soon as we pass 1500 views, I will announce how one lucky reader can win themselves a signed copy of Robert Muchamore's new book New Guard (spoilers: I'm on page 270 and it's amazing!)... So keep getting your friends to have a read and keep your eyes peeled this week for full competition details...
Yours (in writing),
Laura x
Sunday 29 May 2016
CHERUB: Black Friday (Series 2, Book 3 of 5) by Robert Muchamore
"The instructor was six feet tall, in his early twenties with a solid physique. He had blue-green eyes, and blond hair... '...I'm Mr Adams, but I'd prefer it if you call me James'." (page 13)
So, here we are. Review number three this month, with less than a week to go until the official release of New Guard. Black Friday was published in 2013 and I was lucky to get enough birthday money to have a trip to Edinburgh, for their Book Festival, to get my copy signed.
And the money was well spent on this book too! I would've been more than happy with Black Friday being the last ever CHERUB book, due to it's sheer brilliance, and not just because it has the return of James Adams, Campus legend and man of my dreams... ;)
Black Friday is everything Guardian Angel wasn't. It's pacey, with action on every page, full of funny moments but tinged with sadness and serious moments too. All of it is covered, as usual, in Rob's style of let's write something outrageous and see if my editors will let me keep it in. We see the return of James Adams, Bruce Norris, Amy Collins, Lauren, Rat, Kyle, Gabrielle, Kevin Sumner, Jake Parker (and mentions of Bethany Parker) plus so many more. It's interesting to see the reveal of Kerry Chang too and her relationship with James since leaving CHERUB. The best throwback however, has to go to Jane Oxford (Series 1, Book 3: Maximum Security) but I won't spoil that for you - read it for yourself to see why she gets a mention/whole damn chapter!
Black Friday itself flicks between the USA, Kyrgyzstan, CHERUB campus and a top-secret location that I'm not going to spoil for you... (buy the book and read it already!) :P It's one of those books you just can't put down and you want to keep page turning until you realise you've run out of pages and the story is over.
The character references probably won't mean much to newer readers but for any diehard fans since Series 1, all the names mentioned above all have their own little scenarios to bring a smile or a memory to you. It's the perfect tie-it-all-up book. I was surprised but pleased when more CHERUB books were announced though, as I really did want to know more about the characters that left CHERUB from Series 1.
I've talked a lot (rambled probably...) about James and the gang through this review but actually, just as much happens with our newest recruits Ryan and Ning. We also get to know Ryan's brothers and his friends Alfie, Max and Grace more by following their training and life on campus.
A perfect end to the initial trilogy!
Laura's rating: 9.5/10
"On my first ever mission it was Joanna... ...I was only twelve, but I used to hang out with her after school and it felt so perfect. Then there was April. I didn't exactly fall in love with her but she was hot. My fourth mission I spent a summer night sleeping on a rooftop with a chick called Hannah. We watched the sun come up and it was beautiful. And then there's Kerry Chang, who I've kind of loved since I did basic training with her." (page 375)
So, here we are. Review number three this month, with less than a week to go until the official release of New Guard. Black Friday was published in 2013 and I was lucky to get enough birthday money to have a trip to Edinburgh, for their Book Festival, to get my copy signed.
And the money was well spent on this book too! I would've been more than happy with Black Friday being the last ever CHERUB book, due to it's sheer brilliance, and not just because it has the return of James Adams, Campus legend and man of my dreams... ;)
Black Friday is everything Guardian Angel wasn't. It's pacey, with action on every page, full of funny moments but tinged with sadness and serious moments too. All of it is covered, as usual, in Rob's style of let's write something outrageous and see if my editors will let me keep it in. We see the return of James Adams, Bruce Norris, Amy Collins, Lauren, Rat, Kyle, Gabrielle, Kevin Sumner, Jake Parker (and mentions of Bethany Parker) plus so many more. It's interesting to see the reveal of Kerry Chang too and her relationship with James since leaving CHERUB. The best throwback however, has to go to Jane Oxford (Series 1, Book 3: Maximum Security) but I won't spoil that for you - read it for yourself to see why she gets a mention/whole damn chapter!
Black Friday itself flicks between the USA, Kyrgyzstan, CHERUB campus and a top-secret location that I'm not going to spoil for you... (buy the book and read it already!) :P It's one of those books you just can't put down and you want to keep page turning until you realise you've run out of pages and the story is over.
The character references probably won't mean much to newer readers but for any diehard fans since Series 1, all the names mentioned above all have their own little scenarios to bring a smile or a memory to you. It's the perfect tie-it-all-up book. I was surprised but pleased when more CHERUB books were announced though, as I really did want to know more about the characters that left CHERUB from Series 1.
I've talked a lot (rambled probably...) about James and the gang through this review but actually, just as much happens with our newest recruits Ryan and Ning. We also get to know Ryan's brothers and his friends Alfie, Max and Grace more by following their training and life on campus.
A perfect end to the initial trilogy!
Laura's rating: 9.5/10
"On my first ever mission it was Joanna... ...I was only twelve, but I used to hang out with her after school and it felt so perfect. Then there was April. I didn't exactly fall in love with her but she was hot. My fourth mission I spent a summer night sleeping on a rooftop with a chick called Hannah. We watched the sun come up and it was beautiful. And then there's Kerry Chang, who I've kind of loved since I did basic training with her." (page 375)
Sunday 22 May 2016
CHERUB: Guardian Angel (Series 2, Book 2 of 5) by Robert Muchamore
"Twelve kids had started basic training back in December, but four quitters, two cracked bones, a badly sprained ankle, a chest infection and an asthma attack meant only three were left as the sun came up on the course's hundredth and final day." (page 1)
As you'll be aware from my last post, I'm reviewing Series 2 of CHERUB in the run-up to the release of the last CHERUB book (EVER), at the beginning of June 2016. The countdown to the release of New Guard seems to be going so fast! Guardian Angel was first released in 2012. I was very lucky to get hold of a first edition, having been out of the UK at the point of public release. My flight landed back in London on the day of a signing at Forbidden Planet and I decided to race across London to go, having not eaten, slept or showered for over 12 hours. I looked dreadful but it was great to get my copy of Guardian Angel and the graphic novel of The Recruit signed (shown below).
Right, now to the review then. I hate to say this, but from the new series, this is my least favourite book. It's not very often that I sit on the fence for so long about whether or not I like a book, but this really made me wonder until the last few chapters. It's very unfortunate as I am obviously a super-fan of Robert Muchamore and his writing exploits, but this felt like a bit of a placement book for the first part of it.
On the plus side, there's a lot of character development throughout this book. We get a much clearer picture of the personalities, motivations and challenges for Ryan, Ning and Ethan. Ryan turns a full 180 from his disgrace on his first mission, through girl trouble on campus, to being a 'James'-style hero. We see Ning gain confidence from basic training to her first big mission. Ethan goes through a crazy transformation from Californian kid to Kyrgyzstan misfit to *SPOILERS* kidnapped to Africa, to rescued by his Guardian Angels.
The action finally starts kicking in from about half way through and it doesn't disappoint! There's fights in London, fights in Kyrgyzstan, fights in Africa and chaos in America when the TFU/CIA computer servers crash at the time they're most needed. And boy, what an ending! This book truly is a slow-burner. The ending is gripping and gets you excited for part 3: Black Friday. This is still a vital book to read in the series to understand everybody's relationships to each other and how the Aramov clan will implode.
Laura's rating: 6.8/10
"If you're not my guardian angel then I don't know what the hell you are." (page 306)
As you'll be aware from my last post, I'm reviewing Series 2 of CHERUB in the run-up to the release of the last CHERUB book (EVER), at the beginning of June 2016. The countdown to the release of New Guard seems to be going so fast! Guardian Angel was first released in 2012. I was very lucky to get hold of a first edition, having been out of the UK at the point of public release. My flight landed back in London on the day of a signing at Forbidden Planet and I decided to race across London to go, having not eaten, slept or showered for over 12 hours. I looked dreadful but it was great to get my copy of Guardian Angel and the graphic novel of The Recruit signed (shown below).
Right, now to the review then. I hate to say this, but from the new series, this is my least favourite book. It's not very often that I sit on the fence for so long about whether or not I like a book, but this really made me wonder until the last few chapters. It's very unfortunate as I am obviously a super-fan of Robert Muchamore and his writing exploits, but this felt like a bit of a placement book for the first part of it.
On the plus side, there's a lot of character development throughout this book. We get a much clearer picture of the personalities, motivations and challenges for Ryan, Ning and Ethan. Ryan turns a full 180 from his disgrace on his first mission, through girl trouble on campus, to being a 'James'-style hero. We see Ning gain confidence from basic training to her first big mission. Ethan goes through a crazy transformation from Californian kid to Kyrgyzstan misfit to *SPOILERS* kidnapped to Africa, to rescued by his Guardian Angels.
The action finally starts kicking in from about half way through and it doesn't disappoint! There's fights in London, fights in Kyrgyzstan, fights in Africa and chaos in America when the TFU/CIA computer servers crash at the time they're most needed. And boy, what an ending! This book truly is a slow-burner. The ending is gripping and gets you excited for part 3: Black Friday. This is still a vital book to read in the series to understand everybody's relationships to each other and how the Aramov clan will implode.
Laura's rating: 6.8/10
"If you're not my guardian angel then I don't know what the hell you are." (page 306)
Monday 9 May 2016
CHERUB: People's Republic (Series 2, Book 1 of 5) by Robert Muchamore
"His grandparents were a Syrian, a German, an Irishman and a Pakistani...
...Sounds like the first line of a bad joke." (page 4)
I'm reviewing Series 2 of CHERUB in the run-up to the release of the last CHERUB book (EVER), at the beginning of June 2016. People's Republic was first released in 2011 and I managed to get my hands on a first edition and get it signed in the same year, in the launch tour at Bluewater Shopping Centre.
I have to be honest, I'd not read this book for over a year, due to the release dates of the books being so far apart (1 year between each). The first time, I didn't really take to the new characters because I was still in love with James Adams from Series 1, but re-reading this book last week, as the series comes to an end, has made me so happy. I had forgotten how quickly you are drawn into the action with the fast-paced writing and intriguing and varied storylines. Although nobody could ever replace James Adams in the hearts of diehard CHERUB fans (i.e. me!), Ryan is an instantly likeable protagonist.
Robert Muchamore's use of humour, as shown by the quote at the start of this review, introduces Ryan's ethnicity in a fun and unusual manner, which makes a refreshing change from blonde-haired, blue-eyed James. It also means that the missions in Series 2 will potentially take place in countries where James couldn't work without standing out.
The opening chapters reveal Ryan's thirst for trouble, attitude towards punishments and his ease and comfort at being a CHERUB agent. He seems to have the same appetite for fun, bad decisions and mayhem that caused a whole generation of youngsters to identify with James back in 2004 onwards. There are so many comparisons that could be drawn between James and Ryan, for those who have read Series 1, which helps Ryan's likeability and his viability as the leading man of Series 2. I think what is important to remember if you are reading Series 2 after Series 1, or as a standalone series, is that the differences that Ryan has, is what keeps you gripped throughout the new story, especially with some of the pranks and [*spoilers*] mission hiccups that come to light.
Ning's introduction is explosive. She is everything I wanted to be when I was her age. She's a well built tomboy who is fearless and determined to survive and succeed, with rock star dreams and a rock star personality. She goes through hell and back during the course of the story and you deeply care for her wellbeing by the end.
The storyline is great. We're taken between mission details and life and death situations in the real world. The contrast between Ryan and Ning's situations adds tension and drama to a story that chops and changes and leaves you wanting to finish the whole book in one go. I hate to use such a cliché but it is a real page turner, full of action and excitement. Robert Muchamore has really taken his writing to a new level since The Recruit was released in 2004. He's perfected the art of a fast-paced action novel with fun, childishness, romance and near-death situations all thrown in for good measure. Well done on a great start to Series 2!
Laura's rating: 7.5/10
"...you saved my life twice, so you're my guardian angel..." (page 401)
...Sounds like the first line of a bad joke." (page 4)
I'm reviewing Series 2 of CHERUB in the run-up to the release of the last CHERUB book (EVER), at the beginning of June 2016. People's Republic was first released in 2011 and I managed to get my hands on a first edition and get it signed in the same year, in the launch tour at Bluewater Shopping Centre.
I have to be honest, I'd not read this book for over a year, due to the release dates of the books being so far apart (1 year between each). The first time, I didn't really take to the new characters because I was still in love with James Adams from Series 1, but re-reading this book last week, as the series comes to an end, has made me so happy. I had forgotten how quickly you are drawn into the action with the fast-paced writing and intriguing and varied storylines. Although nobody could ever replace James Adams in the hearts of diehard CHERUB fans (i.e. me!), Ryan is an instantly likeable protagonist.
Robert Muchamore's use of humour, as shown by the quote at the start of this review, introduces Ryan's ethnicity in a fun and unusual manner, which makes a refreshing change from blonde-haired, blue-eyed James. It also means that the missions in Series 2 will potentially take place in countries where James couldn't work without standing out.
The opening chapters reveal Ryan's thirst for trouble, attitude towards punishments and his ease and comfort at being a CHERUB agent. He seems to have the same appetite for fun, bad decisions and mayhem that caused a whole generation of youngsters to identify with James back in 2004 onwards. There are so many comparisons that could be drawn between James and Ryan, for those who have read Series 1, which helps Ryan's likeability and his viability as the leading man of Series 2. I think what is important to remember if you are reading Series 2 after Series 1, or as a standalone series, is that the differences that Ryan has, is what keeps you gripped throughout the new story, especially with some of the pranks and [*spoilers*] mission hiccups that come to light.
Ning's introduction is explosive. She is everything I wanted to be when I was her age. She's a well built tomboy who is fearless and determined to survive and succeed, with rock star dreams and a rock star personality. She goes through hell and back during the course of the story and you deeply care for her wellbeing by the end.
The storyline is great. We're taken between mission details and life and death situations in the real world. The contrast between Ryan and Ning's situations adds tension and drama to a story that chops and changes and leaves you wanting to finish the whole book in one go. I hate to use such a cliché but it is a real page turner, full of action and excitement. Robert Muchamore has really taken his writing to a new level since The Recruit was released in 2004. He's perfected the art of a fast-paced action novel with fun, childishness, romance and near-death situations all thrown in for good measure. Well done on a great start to Series 2!
Laura's rating: 7.5/10
"...you saved my life twice, so you're my guardian angel..." (page 401)
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