Piatkus Blogger Event

Normally when I go to these London events I am really good at taking pictures. I don't know what happened when I went to Piatkus but I only took three. I think I was too busy drooling at the books!

Before I went to there offices I met up with Sarah from Feeling Fictional for a walk. I didn't come to London during the jubilee celebrations, so I was really quite excited to see this up  on a building along the Thames. 

 You can't visit London with the obligatory picture of the London Eye...

 ...And the OXO Tower!

 On arriving at Piatkus, it was lovely to catch up with the ladies who keep us drooling. Donna  and Lucy, editors for Piatkus ran us through the books they were excited about which were coming out in the next year.

 Also in attendance were Carolyn from Book Chick City and Grete and Tracey from Bookthing_UK. We had a real giggle with these ladies afterwards. Unfortunately the conversation is unrepeatable!

 During the presentation we got to hear all about Piatkus Entice which was launched on Valentine's Day this year. Now folks, if you love a bit of romance, this is definitely the website for you. The books range from paranormal romance ot historical and not forgetting the a genre that has become popular in the last few months - erotica!
Piatkus Entice will publish up to 10 books a month for your Ereader and they will range in price from 99p to £2.99. A real bargain! And no one will be able to work out what you are reading on your Kindle when you start to blush!

So what else do Piatkus have to offer us over the next year then?

The Mark of the Vampire series hit out shores at the beginning of the year and appears to be doing rather well. These are suitable for fans of Charlene Harris and J.R. Ward and the band of warrior brothers appear to be really really hot!

Christine Feehan brings out a standalone in paperback later this year. Lair of the Lion will be released in October 2012, but I believe it is available from Piatkus Entice right now. 

For fans of the Dark-Hunter series, August sees the publication of the new book in this Sherrilyn Kenyon series. 

The first book in this series, Dragon Bound,  was released earlier in the year and was very popular. If you like dragons, wyrs and werewolves then this one is for you.

The second book Serpent's Kiss will be out in July. 

Steamy sex, gripping action and gorgeous heroes. Paranormal romance at its best! The fourth book in the Lords of Deliverance series will be out in November.

Romantic suspense. The author's first novel came out in December last year, entitled Shadow Woman.  I am really intrigued by this author and her second book Prey, which is due out in July  arrived in the post this week! 

I always feel bad when I see a Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb book as I have still to read one. I have heard such good things about  her books.  This woman is definitely a writing machine. In November the final book in her trilogy 'The Inn at Boonsboro' will be published. Next spring sees the publication of Whiskey Beach, a standalone romantic suspense novel set along the coast in Massachusetts. The latest 'In Death' book was published in February. 

For those who love a bit of historical romance. Eloisa James will be publishing the fourth book in her Regency fiction with a  fairytale twist. This one is 'The Ugly Duchess' based on 'The Ugly Duckling'.

Eloisa will also be involved with 'The Lady Most Likely' a novel written in three parts alongside Julia Quinn and Connie Brockway. 

Now I loved Charlotte's first novel 'The Apothecary's Daughter, so I was extremely excited to read that her second novel would be out later this year. This one is set 20 years on from her first novel, during the Glorious Revolution and  features Susannah's daughter, Beth. I can't wait for this book!

Dream Lake leads us into the contemporary fiction books that Piatkus publish. This is the third novel in the Friday Harbour series and I would definitely recommend it. I read the first one 'Christmas Eve at Friday Harbour' when it first came out and it was brilliant. Alongside Rainshadow Road, these books have a touch of magical realism to them. Dream Lake is published in August. 

The Guilty One is the new super lead title for 2012. This book is taking the world by storm and has already sold to 23 territories worldwide. It will be published in August. 

Mariah Stewart  is a name that caught my interest at the blogger event and I went straight home and loaded up the first book from her Chesapeake Diaries series onto my Kindle. Her books were part of the Piatkus Entice launch and will follow as paperbacks in September. Excellent choice for fans of Nora Roberts.

So as you can see Piatkus have some gorgeous books coming out over the next year and we were lucky to be given a goody bag with some of their titles. These are the books we were given. 

Thank you Piatkus for an awesome event. I honestly don't know what to read first!

Burn Mark by Laura Powell

Review by Caroline Hodges

Pages - 416 

Published by Bloomsbury in June 2012

Goodreads Summary

Glory is from a family of witches and lives beyond the law. She is desperate to develop her powers and become a witch herself. Lucas is the son of the Chief Prosecutor for the Inquisition—the witches’ mortal enemy—and his privileged life is very different to the forbidden world that he lives alongside.
And then on the same day, it hits them both. Glory and Lucas develop the Fae—the mark of the witch. In one fell stroke, their lives are inextricably bound together, whether they like it or not . . .

*********

I was really excited about this book. Covens living in modern day council estates? The medieval inquisition still alive and well and operating as a bona fide government agency? The concept was brilliant, in actuality; the book fails to deliver on it.
I think the main problem with Burn Mark is the number of characters in it that actually have very little importance and just make getting into the book extremely difficult – at the start we are introduced to the wasters of Glory’s coven, Lucas’ school mates and people at parties. Names come and go, you worry you’re going to forget who they are if they crop up later and end up being important.
Ironically, the hero and heroine who do get the adequate attention in terms of character build up ultimately don’t have much input or control over the action at the end of the book. It’s like they’re the coach that take us to the theme park then the main attraction kicks in with a whole load of people we’ve barely met.
Having said that, I did like the book. I didn’t feel the need to read it alongside something else – I generally looked forward to picking it back up at lunchtime or in the evening. It didn’t fall in the ‘can’t put it down’ category but that doesn’t often happen to me so I wasn’t expecting this. I think the saving grace of the book is the hero Lucas. Despite the ‘well to do’ upbringing and slightly snotty attitude, he is also embedded with a fantastic moral fibre right from the start. Even as a child, he knows right from wrong and is against any form of cruelty, against witches or anyone else. He’s a true hero in every sense.
I grudgingly liked Glory by the end of the book, but until about two thirds of the way through I mostly wanted to slap her. But it was kind of refreshing to have a ‘bad-girl’ heroine and small scenes, such as those with her father, give her character more depth of feeling. I think the main disappointment for me was that the connection between the dream Glory experiences every night and the disappearance of her mother was never resolved. Perhaps there will be a follow-up, but the ending could equally point at a stand-alone novel.
The other aspect of the book which sets it apart from others in the genre is the way in which witchcraft is portrayed. The clue is in the name (‘craft’) and Burn Mark returns witchery to its roots. There is no waving of wands and instant action here. Spells take time and materials to complete, and as such, the reader knows that the witches are not guaranteed to win just by virtue of their powers.
I’ve seen a few reviews stating the change in point of view is confusing. I’m wondering if this is because so much YA fiction is written in the first person. I didn’t find the change in perspective hindered the story in any way. It is too complex a tale not to be told from the point of view of multiple main characters and I feel a young adult audience is more than capable of handling this method of storytelling. The novel does however, need a high degree of attention to keep up with, so not one for those looking for a light story they can easily dip in and out of.
All in all, a worthwhile read with some innovative themes and likable characters.

My fourth lovely reviewer to join Serendipity Reviews

I hadn't planned to take on any more reviewers but after the first fabulous review Caroline did of The Assassin's Curse earlier this month, I managed to convince her to join the team. So now I have four lovely ladies working with me to bring you a better blog with more reviews. To find out more about the other ladies please check the reviewers pages listed at the top of the blog.  

Caroline is a good friend of Laura over at Sister Spooky so I do feel a bit like I have swiped her, but Laura was happy for her to come on here. 

Here is Caroline to tell you a little about herself and where you can find her.

Howdy, I’m Caroline. I tend to operate on the internet under ‘Musing Dragon’. You can call me whatever you like.
I currently work for Transport for London on some cycling promotion type stuff (that’s cycling ya hear? Take your issues with buses/tubes/trains elsewhere!). I found myself writing for Serendipity Reviews somewhat by mistake after a one-off review for The Assassin’s Curse after winning an ARC. Prior to that, I was a fan of reading reviews by the likes of Sister Spooky (real life friend and chocolate maker).
I’ve always been a fan of books and grew up reading mostly fantasy novels by the likes of long-time favourite authors Robin Hobb, C S Friedman and Anne Bishop. My reading is fairly broad nowadays however, dabbling in Young Adult, historical and popular fiction. Outside of reading, I play World of Warcraft, have two cats named Honey and Bagel (who bring me regular dead animals as presents) and like to travel.
If you want to chat about books, cake or to slate one of my reviews, don’t hesitate to tweet me @musingdragon

Geekhood by Andy Robb

Review by Caroline Hodges

Published by Stripes Publishing in June 2012

Pages - 352

Goodreads Summary

If you haven't worked it out yet, girls don't do this. They don't come to the Hovel. They don't like goblins and dragons. They don't paint miniatures. They don't play role playing games or re-enact fictional battles. And they don't talk to Geeks like me especially if they're pretty. And this girl is pretty. What do you do if you're a fourteen-year-old Geek, and a Beautiful Girl has appeared in the midst of your geeky world? And she seems to like you... For Archie, the natural reaction would be to duck and cover ... run for the hills ... buy a new model elf... Anything but risk stepping into the Real World. But even Geeks have to put their heads above the parapet at some point. With his mum barely able to contain her excitement that her son is about to join the human race, and his step-father, Tony the Tosser, offering crass advice, it's time for Archie to embark on a daring Quest to win the Beautiful Girl's heart and shake off his Geekhood for good...

*********

One Sunday afternoon it was time to choose a new book to read. With some barely disguised glee, I had finished a somewhat confusing book on my kindle – seriously, I’ve never been so close to not finishing a book! – and was on the prowl for a new adventure. I have a lot of unread books around my house. A LOT. Luckily my partner can’t see the other unread books on my kindle though I suspect he knows they’re there. ‘Gollum-like,’ to steal a slice of Geekhood, I prowled my shelves. There were two books in particular that I’d been itching to read. I seized one and settled down. Meh, it just wasn’t grabbing me. Flinging it behind the sofa, I reached for the other (that’s for dramatic effect, I actually replaced it lovingly on the shelves, who could harm a nice new book??!). Again I was disappointed! This isn’t to say that these are bad books, I’m sure they’ll prove awesome, but I think because I’d just finished something kind of mediocre, I just couldn’t bear to be reading anything else that wasn’t immediately seizing my attention.
Enter Geekhood, with its bright orange cover and a slogan nodding to that cult movie all geeks adore. Within a few pages, I was thrown into my younger days, but with a slightly more masculine element. Where it’s RPG gaming for our hero Archie, I had World of Warcraft and competing with model horses. Where Archie and his friends spend their weekends hidden in the Hovel deciding which miniatures to buy and paint up next, I spent mine lodged in book shop aisles figuring which I should choose to buy with my oh so valuable – and limited - funds.
It’s a stunning portrayal of a young male teen geek. It doesn’t take itself seriously – there’s more than the fair share of self-mockery in there that one can’t help thinking is too accurate to possibly not stem from real life author experience. And undoubtedly that’s what makes it both believable and frustrating for an older reader – I wanted to say ‘hey, Archie, relax! When you grow up, people are more forgiving – they’ve got over their own inadequacies and ego’s and moved on to more important things.’ But for a young reader, this book will have them saying ‘wow, it’s not just me.’
The true beauty of this book lies in its supporting cast; Archie’s fellow geeks remind us to thank God for friends who will forgive and forget when we’re acting dumb and ground us when we forget who we really are – where would we be without them? Matt in particular, shows true maturity in the level of peace he has reached with himself and what he is. Stepfather Tony is also a gem – don’t get me wrong, if I were Archie, I’d definitely think he was a “Tosser™” - but as an outsider looking in on Archie’s story, he seems like a good guy, making the best effort he can. Surprisingly, the object of Archie’s affection does nothing for me throughout the book, but then I think ultimately this just goes to show the depths of a geek – or indeed any – mind when it’s in love for the first time.
Three-quarters of the way through the book I got angry with Mr Robb. I was overtaken by righteous betrayal by Archie’s apparent transformation into non-geek! I mean, what’s wrong with being a geek? I took it like a personal insult! I mean I know plenty of geeks who have grown up just fine decent people, and yes married, with kids, all that ‘normal’ stuff. Was the author trying to suggest Geekhood was wrong?! What’s going on here?!
Luckily, and with a huge sigh of relief, normality was resumed and I was very pleased with the way the relationship between Sarah and Archie was left by the end. Not because Archie’s a geek and it was ‘inevitable,’ but because that’s life and very few first loves work out. After all, it takes time for true soul mates to find each other, and I’m really hoping there will be future books when we can see Archie fall in love with the girl he really deserves.

The Glimpse by Claire Merle

Pages - 411
Published by Faber and Faber in June 2012
Book kindly sent for review by publisher

Mrs Beale checked the temperature of the water in Ana's plastic baby bath. Behind them, Tamsin hunched over her own tub and mimicked their teacher, peering cross-eyed at the thermometer. 
'Thirty-seven degrees Celsius,' Mrs Beale muttered. 'Very good.'
Tamsin's lips moved in sync with the teacher's words. Her eyelids fluttered, gazing high over Ana's head, just like Mrs Beale. Ana bit the insides of her cheeks, holding back laughter.


Goodreads Summary
In a near future, society is segregated according to whether people are genetically disposed to mental illness. 17-year-old Ana has been living the privileged life of a Pure due to an error in her DNA test. When the authorities find out, she faces banishment from her safe Community, a fate only thwarted by the fact that she has already been promised to Pure-boy Jasper Taurell.
Jasper is from a rich and influential family and despite Ana’s condition, wants to be with her. The authorities grant Ana a tentative reprieve. If she is joined to Jasper before her 18th birthday, she may stay in the Community until her illness manifests. But if Jasper changes his mind, she will be cast out among the Crazies. As Ana’s joining ceremony and her birthday loom closer, she dares to hope she will be saved from the horror of the City and live a ‘normal’ life. But then Jasper disappears.
Led to believe Jasper has been taken by a strange sect the authorities will not intefere with, Ana sneaks out of her well-guarded Community to find him herself. Her search takes her through the underbelly of society, and as she delves deeper into the mystery of Jasper’s abduction she uncovers some devastating truths that destroy everything she has grown up to believe.

*********

If the world ever gets like this, shoot me! 

This is a dystopian view of the world in the not too distant future where basically you are not allowed to show emotions. If you show any emotion, you are likely to be thrown out of the Pure community and locked up in some psychiatric establishment. This is a really dark dystopian and one that affected me more than others. It scared me a little, because you could see the thought process that led them to creating the Pure test and changing society in the way they did.  I think what really made me sit up and think was the details of where children were prescribed drugs from birth to deal with mental illnesses that may occur. Such a difficult and controversial subject to write about.

I have to take my hat off to the author. Not only has she thoroughly done her research but she isn't afraid to taken on subjects that will cause questions to be raised. It felt like a two finger salute to the government who need to rethink the future. 
Ana is a very strong female protagonist who will appeal to lovers of Katniss  from The Hunger Games. She has a strong sense of what is right and wrong and what she needs to achieve. She will not be held back by anyone. Her growing relationship with Cole was really lovely and had me swooning, as I have a strong belief in fate! I didn't warm to Ana's father, Ashby, but then I don't think I was supposed to. He was really cold and controlling, almost suffocating Ana with his unhealthy attention, almost analysing her every move.

There is a lot of talk about the collapse of situations that are occurring right now in society which really added to the creepy chill factor. The petrol crisis causing  disastrous effects in this book.

One of the things I truly loved about this book was that it was set in the UK. I haven't read any other dystopian fiction that has that Great British feel to it. This book is set around London with a lot of it set in Camden Lock, one of my favourite places to visit while in London, although the picture painted by the author shows a darker version of the Camden I know. The scenes in the institutions were archaic and horrifying as the science of psychiatry goes full circle back to almost torture tactics of the past. 

There is a touch of information overload in this book and for the first few chapters I had to get my head around all the information provided. However with any new world being built for fiction, you need to get the facts straight, so I can see how necessary it was. 
The ending surprised me - it was quite different to how I had envisioned it. Yet it was a good ending and made sense. Ana was very calculated about her decision so I really shouldn't have been surprised.
There is a sequel to this book and I can't wait to see how the story turns out. Definitely an author to watch out for. Probably coming to a screen near you very soon!

Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Pages - 322
Published by Mira Ink in June 2012
Book kindly sent by publisher for review.

According to the puppy-of-the-month calendar hanging next to the phone in the kitchen, my sister June died on a Thursday, exactly nine days before her high school graduation. May's breed is the golden retriever - pictured is a whole litter of them, nestled side by side in a red wagon amid a blooming spring garden. The word Graduatio!! is written in red inside the white square, complete with an extra exclamation point. If she'd waited less than two weeks, she would be June who died in June, but I guess she never took that into account.


Goodreads Summary
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.

*********

Why didn't anyone tell me this was set in California?? I would have included it in my California Week had I known! LOL 

This is a contemporary read that will take you on an emotional journey as the main character comes to terms with the death and life of her sister. While we accompany Harper and her travelling buddies on their journey, we get a strong sense of how they felt and how they learnt to deal with the past in order to prepare for their own future lives. Suicide isn't an easy subject to read about and when it is someone so young, it really does pull a chord in your heart.  This book really pulls some punches, so be prepared to get a little emotional. 

Through out the book, there is a strong sense of music and the author has provided a few lists at the back of song titles used within the book. The foundations of the story lay on top of the music chosen, allowing you  a clearer picture of how the characters felt. If you love your music, and having mixes for every mood you might be in then this book is definitely for you.

This book reminded me of Thelma and Louise. It had that urgency to it, the essential need for the road trip to happen, to make life better. 

This is quite a hard review for me to write. Although I enjoyed the plot and thought it was extremely well written and found the characters to be very realistic, I really struggled to connect to the main character, Harper. None of the other characters bothered me at all, as they all seemed to be reacting in the way they should after an unexpected death in the family, but Harper appeared to calm about the whole thing.  She appeared to have this unbreakable shell that didn't crack until near the end of the book and by that point I really didn't feel anything for her.  This is just a personal opinion and I know that a lot of other reviewers really warmed to her, but it didn't happen for me. She acted very much like a typical teenager who can often only see how crap their own life will become rather than how the situation effects others. Now I know I am generalising here, because not all teenagers are like this, unfortunately it just seems to be the ones I come across. So with that in mind, I found it very difficult to feel any emotion for Harper, in the same way I didn't for Holden in The Catcher and the Rye.  They were too similar for my liking. 

Having said that I absolutely loved Jake and Laney. I thought they were both such wonderful characters and very unique. Laney goes through her own roller coaster of emotions as she deals with issues that specifically concern her. Her sense of style really caught my attention too. 

In some ways I loved this book I just didn't connect with the main character but I know that many of my blogging friends did. So please check out their reviews too.

Having said that, for a debut book, I am really looking forward to reading more from Hannah Harrington in the future. 

Are you Harry Potter's biggest fan???

I feel like we should all be saying Happy Birthday to Harry Potter. Fifteen years ago Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was published. Everything began slowly, but Harry Potter and JK Rowling became worldwide phenomenons. Now to celebrate such a momentous day, Bloomsbury have an amazing competition for you to enter. You could win a family holiday to Orlando staying in one of the Universal Studio resorts. What are you waiting for?

Check out the video to celebrate 15 years of Harry Potter.


Here is the information concerning to the competition. 

Celebrating 15 years of Harry Potter magic

The search for UK and Ireland’s biggest HARRY POTTER fan

From an idea born on a train journey, to its creation in a small cafe in Edinburgh Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is the book that started a global phenomenon.  Rejected by many publishers and with an initial hardback print run of 500 copies, it has now sold over 90 million copies worldwide. It is the book that put Harry’s destiny in motion and created a whole new generation of readers. It is hard to think now that before 1997 none of us knew about Hogwarts, Quidditch or Voldemort (who was voted as the favourite literary villain in a recent Bloomsbury poll).

To celebrate the 15^th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Bloomsbury is launching a nationwide competition to find the UK’s biggest HARRY POTTER fan.

Bloomsbury is inviting fans to write a letter of no more than 50 words explaining why they love HARRY POTTER. We are looking for the most creative, clever and entertaining reasons and, while the word limit is set to a strict 50 words, entrants are encouraged to draw, doodle and make their letters as elaborate as possible.

HARRY POTTER fans can only enter by visiting a local bookshop or library and posting their letter in the specially designed postboxes. Over 1800 bookshops and libraries have already signed up to take part. The competition will run from Tuesday 26^th June to Tuesday 31^st July 2012 after which we will name the UK and Ireland’s biggest HARRY POTTER fan. The winner and runners up will be announced on Saturday 1^st September.*

The competition is an ideal opportunity for fans to show how much they love HARRY POTTER as well as supporting their local bookshop or library. Details of how to enter and a list of participating bookshops and libraries can be found on the website:www.bloomsbury.com/harrypottercompetition

Good luck to everyone who enters!

Fantasy Dinner Party with Hannah Harrington

I have a very special post for you today. Hannah Harrington, debut author of Saving June has written a post about the people she would like to invite to her fantasy dinner party. 

           So I am a tiny bit obsessed with Anthony Bourdain, the host of No Reservations. He’s a total foodie who has been all around the world, so I can only imagine all the stories he’d have to share. Also, I’d totally let him design the menu.

   I’m a really big fan of Kerry Washington, the star of the TV show Scandal—she’s gorgeous, talented, and comes across as really down to earth in her interviews. I’d love to sit down with her and just talk. Plus, she also does some political activism, and I think it’d be easy to find conversation topics!

       Is there anyone who doesn’t love Neil Patrick Harris? He is hilarious and sweet, and definitely mega charming. I know he has a separate Twitter account just for his love of food, so I think he’d appreciate what a dinner party has to offer. He also happens to be a real life magician, and wouldn’t that’d be some great entertainment?

       Fran Lebowitz has to be one of the most interesting conversationalists of all time. She’s a writer of fantastic personal essays and also a public speaker—there’s a wonderful documentary profile of her directed by Martin Scorsese entitled Public Speaking. I could listen to her talk all day. I would love to just sit with her at dinner and let her steer the conversation the entire time.

      Amy Poehler is one of my favourite people on the planet. Like the other women I included, she is witty, intelligent, and strongly opinionated. And as this list makes pretty obvious, I enjoy awesome senses of humour, which Amy has in spades. I like to imagine that if we ever met we’d instantly become best friends.

What a fabulous line up. I would definitely like to meet Neil Patrick Harris. 

To find out more about Hannah Harrington:

Twitter: @hharrington_

Website: http://www.hannahharrington.com/

The Book of Lies by Mary Horlock

Reviewed by KM Lockwood

Published by Walker Canongate July 2011
327 pages

‘My name is Catherine Rozier, please don’t call me Cathy. If you do I’ll jump. Don’t think I’m bluffing. It’s a 3000-foot drop and even though I’m fat, I’m not fat enough to bounce. I’ll dive headfirst into ye ancient Guernsey granite outcrops and then my mashed-up body will be washed out to sea. of course if I get the tides wrong I’ll be stranded on the rocks with seagulls eating my eyes. I know for a fact they’ll eat anything.’

Good Reads Summary
Life on the tiny island of Guernsey has just become a whole lot harder for fifteen-year-old Cat Rozier. She’s gone from model pupil to murderer, but she swears it’s not her fault. Apparently it’s all the fault of history.
A new arrival at Cat’s high school in 1984, the beautiful and instantly popular Nicolette inexplicably takes Cat under her wing. The two become inseparable: going to parties together, checking out boys, and drinking whatever liquor they can shoplift. But a perceived betrayal sends them spinning apart, and Nic responds with cruel, over-the-top retribution.
Cat’s recently deceased father, Emile, dedicated his adult life to uncovering the truth about the Nazi occupation of Guernsey from Churchill’s abandonment of the island to the stories of those who resisted in hopes of repairing the reputation of his older brother,
Charlie. Through Emile’s letters and Charlie’s words recorded on tapes before his own death a confession takes shape, revealing the secrets deeply woven into the fabric of the island . . . and into the Rozier family story.

*********

This first novel from Mary Horlock is a dark and complex tale. There are two time lines: a first person account by a teenage girl in the 1980s and events from the WWII occupation of Guernsey by the Nazis revealed through transcripts and letters from the 1960s.
There is a great deal of emotional to and fro as the central character Catherine attempt to cope with the demands of adolescence and the death of her father. The passionate intensity of friendships and school life at that period are evoked in detail, and with empathy.
Catherine has a strong individual voice and through her eyes we uncover many of the lies, secrets and comforting half-truths that have so poisoned the world she lives in. Similarly we learn about the back story through the voices of Charles and Emile, her uncle and father respectively. There are several revelations which make the reader see how characters acted in a different way.
One reservation I have is the use of Guernsey patois. Much of this enlivens the storytelling by giving a local edge to the voices – but there are few translations and the reader is left wondering if they have missed anything important. On the other hand, the footnotes add credibility and interest.
This is not suitable for younger readers as it features psychological bullying, alcohol abuse and age-appropriate swearing. It could appeal particularly to adult readers interested in the legacy of WWII. This is a book for those who like intricate dramas centred on the consequences of lies and secrets, and who enjoy engaging with recent history.

Letterbox Love (5)

Britain at it's best, bringing you it's own version of IMM! All the books that came through my letterbox thanks to publishers and Royal Mail! Thank you Mr Postman for not squashing my books. 
As I have so many to show this week, I won't be adding the Goodreads summaries as it will just make the post too long!  I did attend two events this week at Piatkus and Random House Children's Books, but I will do a separate post to show you the books I received at both of them. 

Firstly I have to show you the paperback version of Hollow Pike with its gorgeous purple edging! This isn't out until October, so I was jumping with joy to get it early. I feel extremely witchy now!

This was given to me by Kirsty from The Overflowing Bookshelf. I loved the first book in this series, but I was reluctant to read the second without having the third avaialable as it has a bit of a cliffhanger ending. If you like ghosts, you will love this series. 

The paperback version of Shelter is out on the 21st of June. This was really popular when it came out. So quite intrigued by it. 

This is the second book in the Kitty Jay series but I understand it can be read as a standalone. The paperback copy was published on the 7th of June. 

The Glimpse was published on the 7th of June by Faber and Faber. I don't know a lot about it but I am looking forward to reading it. 

I got very excited when this one arrived, especially as it is about the witches of the east! This was published by Sphere on June 12th and is the second book in the series.  Just waiting to get my hands on the first book, Witches of the East. 

Trinity Monsour has a rare gift. Her dreams always seem to come true. Published by Quercus Fiction on the 5th of July. 

I am really getting into my historical books and this one is a thriller! Published by Doubleday in August. 

A fair amount of squeeing in my house over this book! I love the way Sarah Alderson writes and I adored Hunting Lila. This is the second book in the series and I am desperate to read it. This will be published by Simon and Schuster on the 2nd of August. I will be meeting Sarah in July and I can't wait!!!

This is the book of the film which is presently wooing cinema audiences. This was published by Atom on the 1st of June. 

This is the second book in the new series by Janet Evanovich who is well known for her Stephanie Plum novels. This is published in hardback by Headline Review on the 19th of June.

This is the book written by Jodi Picoult and her daughter who is still at junior high. Samantha had the whole idea for this book and pitched it to her mum who helped her write it. Published by Hodder & Stoughton on the 5th July. 

This is the fourth novel in Elizabeth Hoyt's historical Georgian Maiden Lane series. I haven't read any of these yet, but the new covers look good. Published on the 26th June by Piatkus. 

This is Keri Arthurs's spin off series Dark Angel from the Riley Jensen series. This is the third book in the series. I have read the first book but I need to get hold of the second.  This is published on the 26th of June by Piatkus. 

I think I may have already showed this but this copy

 is special. I was supposed to be on the City of Lost Souls blog tour but due to family commitments I couldn't go to meet with Cassandra Clare. The lovely Hannah from Walker Books was an absolutle angel and got me a signed copy from Cassandra Clare! This was published in May! 

Another book that caused a lot of squeeing in my house! I loved Soul Beach, so I am extremely excited about reading Soul Fire. Kate Harrison rocks! Published by Indigo on the 5th of July. 

This is described as Black Hawk Down meets The X - Men! Military fantasy! Published on the 16th August by Headline. 

This was sent to me by Oxford University Press and I have posted an extract from it with a competition earlier in the week. It is published on July 5th.