Constable and Toop by Gareth P. Jones

Reviewed by K.M.Lockwood @lockwoodwriter

Paperback, 192 pages

Expected publication: October 4th 2012 by Hot Key Books

The Birth of a Ghost

In her last few moments of life, as the blood gushed from the knife wound in her neck, Emily Wilkins found her thoughts drifting to her mother’s death.

Summary from Waterstones

Sam Toop lives in a funeral parlour, blessed (or cursed) with an unusual gift. While his father buries the dead, Sam is haunted by their constant demands for attention. Trouble is afoot on the 'other side' - there is a horrible disease that is mysteriously imprisoning ghosts into empty houses in the world of the living. And Sam is caught in the middle - will he be able to bring himself to help? Blue Peter Award winner Gareth P. Jones has woven a darkly comic story, a wonderfully funny adventure that roams the grimy streets of Victorian London.

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This book, aimed largely at the teenage reader, is an enjoyable blend of humorous, scary and sometimes very moving events in the life of Sam Toop. It is quite complex – there are alternating storylines, several plot strands and reversals, and the events of the prologue are not resolved till a good two-thirds of the way through.

One of its particular strengths is the portrayal of relatively minor characters. It is hard not to feel sympathy for most of the ghosts as they are quite distinct and

likeable. The funny side of the Ghost Bureau is handled well to lighten some really dark threats such as The Black Rot.

Although it deals with death and death, it is not gloomy, and yet there are some moments of real dignity and poignancy. There is also a delicately portrayed romance and a touch of sadness. A reader who engages with this book will get plenty of emotional ups and downs.

There is a good sense of a Victorian setting and a wide range of characters from Lady Aysgarth to Tanner, the cheeky Rogue poltergeist. My only small quibble is with one character who seems too good to be true – and stays that way. It’s not a major defect – and there is a great deal to enjoy.

Don’t read it if you are expecting a schlocky horror gore-fest (despite the beginning): do read it if you like a compassionate story with plenty of supernatural drama. One thing to point out – if you search the term ‘Constable & Toop’ you might find the spooky trailer by Gareth P. Jones – or a genuine undertakers!

In celebration of The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

As the paperback version of The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey heads to all the major book stores, I am delighted to have a little bit of Alaska on my blog to celebrate. These recipes are courtesy of Eowyn and ones that she has used many times and are also exclusive content from the book. I intend to try all of them. 
The Snow Child is a must read; one of my most amazing books that I have read all year and I insist you read it!

Mabel’s Rhubarb Pie

2 unbaked pie crusts

3 ½ cups rhubarb, chopped into ½ inch pieces. Young rhubarb harvested early in the season preferred. Use stems only, not leaves.

1 ½ cups sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon butter

2 eggs, beaten

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Melt butter and mix with sugar, flour, eggs, and nutmeg. Line pie pan with one unbaked shell. Spread chopped, raw rhubarb in pan. Pour mixture over rhubarb. Top with second crust. Seal edges and prick with fork. Lightly wet edges of pie crust. Sprinkle crust with sugar.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Serve warm or cold with a dollop of whipped cream.

Esther Benson’s Beet and Potato Salad

3 cups potatoes, new red potatoes if available

4 medium beets

5 strips bacon chopped

2 tablespoons bacon drippings

Half onion, minced

½ cup vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

Chopped fresh parsley

Peel potatoes and beets. Cube. Boil separately until tender. Toss together.

Mix bacon drippings, vinegar, sugar and salt. Drizzle over potatoes and beets. Toss with bacon pieces and minced onion. Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or cold.

Alaska Sourdough Pancakes with Wild Blueberries

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

3 scant tablespoons cooking oil

2 tablespoons sugar

2 cups sourdough starter

1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in small amount of water

Beat together first four ingredients until smooth in 2-quart pitcher. Add sourdough and mix well. Fold in baking soda in water. Heat cast-iron skillet on medium-low heat. Oil pan. Pour batter from pitcher into hot pan. Dot each pancake with fresh or frozen wild blueberries. Cook until bubbles appear in the pancakes. Flip and brown other side. Serve warm with butter and maple syrup or honey.

Sourdough starters are best acquired from friends or neighbours who have an established starter with a flavor you enjoy. Starters can also be purchased online and in some cooking stores. Klondike or San Francisco starters recommended.

Don't they sound lovely? The photos are making my mouth water. 

Setting The Scene with John Dickinson

Today on Setting The Scene I have John Dickinson, the fabulous author of Muddle and Win which is published tomorrow by David Fickling Books, an imprint of Random House Children's Books. 

Right. There are no pictures, so you’ll have to imagine this.

(Which is, after all, the point.)

Our hero is a little devil down in Hell. His name is Muddlespot. He gets sent up to enter the mind of a girl called Sally Jones. Sally is the sort of person who is top of her class, always does her homework, keeps her room tidy, helps her mother, helps everyone and is liked by everybody. Muddlespot has to persuade her to be different.

But Sally is no sap. Muddlespot finds his job harder than he thought possible. And when – finally – he starts to make some headway with her, a heavyweight hero-angel called Windleberry gets sent down from Heaven to oppose him. The story is about how the three of them get along together. And the places in it are Heaven, Hell and the Human Mind.

You’ll see why I haven’t any holiday snaps to show you.

A lot of people think of Heaven as a city – a Jerusalem in the sky. Down in Hell there seems to be a city too, called Pandemonium. (At least, according to Milton there is, and what’s good enough for Milton is good enough for me.)

As for the human mind – well, we know that inside Sally’s mind there’s going to be Muddlespot and Windleberry and, OK, Sally herself, all arguing with each other about what Sally is going to do - eat that muffin or not, for example. They live in it, as if it were a house. They look out at the world through Sally’s eyes. This sort of idea comes up regularly in slapstick cartoons and comic strips.

Milton with slapstick. That’s where I wanted the story to be. And in this case the common link between Heaven, Hell and the Human Mind was going to be architecture.

Let’s imagine Heaven as a city, then. What would this city be like? Think of all the most wonderful building humans have ever made – the Taj Mahal, Versailles, Windsor Castle, and the latest prestige skyscraper going up in the City with fountains and fruit orchards in the foyer. Now exaggerate everything, in all directions. Think of lightness and air. Imagine walls and towers that look down from impossible heights onto the world below. Vast halls and chambers through which the angels bustle on business they think is very important. There would be music, all the time. How are orders passed from angel to angel? In harmony, of course. Thrones would be made of rose-petals. Tables of polished rainwater…

‘Polished rainwater?’ said one of my editors. ‘I can’t imagine it!’ Try a little harder.

Hell next. It’s got to be pretty heat-proof for one thing, so let’s make it out of brass. Nice and shiny, with ominous stains here and there due to the habitual pastimes of the inhabitants. It’s got to feel threatening too. There should be lots of spikes everywhere, like in Prague or some city out of the Arabian Nights. You’ve got to feel those buildings looming over you, unseen eyes watching you.

There need to be shadows. Doors gape like mouths to swallow you (so decorate them with teeth). Carvings writhe along the buidings, showing the sort of scenes that when you look at them closely you really wish you hadn’t…

‘Down’ should be an important concept here. In a normal city, and probably also in Heaven, the bigger the cheese you are, the higher up the hill you live. In Hell it’s got to be the other way around. The big guys live at the bottom. I’ve been to only one city where the same is true, and that’s La Paz in Bolivia, which is built on a mountainside at high altitude, so that it’s definitely more comfortable to live lower down the slope. My Pandemonium is not consciously based on La Paz, but it’s possible that the memory of that curious, upside-down city lingered with me as I began to describe the place where Muddlespot was born.

(That’s not ‘born’ as we understand it, of course. I don’t think Hell runs to maternity wards.)

As for the human mind. This is harder. But we know that brains are massively complicated things, so we’re going to have to imagine quite a lot of it. If they’re like houses, then there’d be room after room after room, corridor after corridor, stairs, galleries… Where do all the facts live? All that French Grammar that we’re so good at? Where do all the ideas come from? The nightmares? What do we do with thoughts we don’t want to think? There must be a dark dungeon somewhere, with cages where suppressed thoughts howl in frustration, sending their voices echoing distantly down the corridors of our mind.

The inner architecture must express the outer personality. Sally’s mind would be ordered, light, calm, geometric, symmetric and very clear. A lot of it would be made of translucent crystal. Other bits would look like the naves of cathedrals…

Woah! Woah-woah-woah! Light? Crystal? Cathedrals… Isn’t this all sounding a bit like the way we imagined Heaven? Maybe it is. So are we running out of ideas, beginning to repeat ourselves? Tremble, writer.

But maybe it doesn’t matter. Maybe it’s right that her mind should be a bit like our Heaven. It just shows how much ground our poor hero, poor bewildered Muddlespot, has to make up. (When we get into the mind of Sally’s sister, by contrast, it can be a darker, more chaotic place where a solitary guardian angel works desperately in a seedy office by the light of an anglepoise lamp. Contrasts are useful like that. They can make a point better than any superlative.)

And of course, whichever mind you’re in, there has to be a way that leads to Heaven. And one that goes to the other place. As if to say (without of course actually saying it) that Heaven and Hell are both in the mind.

That too is the point.

Maybe.

To find out more about John Dickinson: 

Website: http://www.john-dickinson.net/index.html

Grymm by Keith Austin

Reviewed by Caroline Hodges

Published by Random House Children's Books in July 2012

Pages - 4000

Something stirred in the gravelly yard beneath their window A soft slippery nuzzle, the sort of sounds you'd expect a pig to make with its snout in a trough.

Amazon Summary

The small mining town of Grymm perched on the very edge of the Great Desert is the kind of town you leave - but when Dad gets a three-month contract in the mine there, Mina and Jacob, unwilling stepbrother and sister, are reluctantly arriving From a grotesque letting agent who seems to want to eat their baby brother, a cafe owner whose milkshakes contain actual maggots and the horribly creepy butcher, baker and candlestick-maker, Mina and Jacob soon realize that nothing in Grymm is what is appears to be And then things get seriously weird when their baby brother disappears - and no one seems to even notice! In Grymm, your worst nightmares really do come true

*********

I was really excited to read GRYMM. When I read the description, two of my favourite things jumped to mind; Labyrinth and Tim Burton. In a strange past-its-prime town in the middle of nowhere, a new family are moving in, including step-siblings Mina and Jacob. Within a day, their baby brother has disappeared and no one else seems to remember him ever existing. What follows is an investigation into his disappearance which has the children meeting some characters which are all relatively, creepy, weird and down right disgusting. There’s the blood-thirsty butcher with a bad case of OCD, the baker tempting children with his tasty treats, and the kooky milkshake shop owner who’s re-inventing tequila through milk by adding a maggot or two to the bottom. Grymm is the kind of place that will incite fascination with the sickening and morbid which so often appeals to children and young adults. The setting and characters makes this the perfect book for horror-loving boys and girls alike.

The way the tumultuous relationship between Mina and Jacob develops through the story is lovely and, at times, I really just wanted to give Jacob a big hug. Fighting between siblings is normal, but Mina and Jacob drew the short straw and are also step-siblings, so carrying a lot of baggage over new step mothers/fathers – not to mention a new baby brother. But the shared experience of beating Grymm and its bizarre occupants draws them closer together and gives them a new found respect for one another.

Aside from the Burtonesque characters and Labyrinth theme (the GRYMM version of the ‘Goblin King’ is far from a seductive Bowie however!), there are some fabulous fun references to Lord of the Rings and I found the character of Cleaver Flay distinctly inspired by Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast.

The downside is that I found the novel just too long and in parts, very repetitive and unnecessary. The plot settles into a formulaic pattern – kids go out, meet a weirdo, something creepy happens, kids narrowly escape. This happens so many times, I found myself skim-reading... something I usually only do reading a boring document at work... not good. I get that the author wants to establish how the people within the town are being influenced by the evil ‘Goblin King’ in the mine, but ultimately, most of them add very little to the climax of the novel. Having said that, I did find the characters imaginative and the evil Anhangar with his cockroachy movements is a villain worthy of most young people’s nightmares.

Overall I’m undecided on this book. I really loved the cover and the corresponding drawings at the start of each chapter and the story is quirky and devilish. Random House have really got a winner here in appealing to those that love quirky horror. I liked the twist at the end relating to baby brother Bryan as one I just didn’t see coming. But for me, the tale dragged on too long and I think in the end, I rushed through what was actually a pretty good ending just to get the book over and done with.

The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket by John Boyne

Pages -276

Published by Doubleday, an imprint of Random House Children's Books in August 2012

This is the story of Barnaby Brocket, and to understand Barnaby, first you have to understand his parents; two people who were so afraid of anyone who was different that they did a terrible thing that would have the most appalling consequences for everyone they loved. 

Goodreads Summary

Barnaby Brocket is an ordinary 8-year-old boy in most ways, but he was born different in one important way: he floats. Unlike everyone else, Barnaby does not obey the law of gravity. His parents, who have a horror of being noticed, want desperately for Barnaby to be normal, but he can't help who he is. And when the unthinkable happens, Barnaby finds himself on a journey that takes him all over the world. From Brazil to New York, Canada to Ireland, and even to space, the floating boy meets all sorts of different people--and discovers who he really is along the way. 

This whimsical novel will delight middle graders, and make readers of all ages question the meaning of normal.

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The terrible thing that happened to Barnaby Brocket, wasn't really a terrible thing in my eyes, because it made him see how truly special he was. OK, his mother went against any scrap of maternal instinct she might have had and didn't really lose any sleep over what she did, but to be honest, Barnaby was much better off with out his parents. 

Barnaby was exceptional, clever, mature and thoughtful; the kind of child you would love and adore. The only thing that made him different from other children was that he could float and when he began to float he normally had difficulty stopping. His unique ability made him different and his parents just couldn't cope with it. They were just too nomal, living in Normalville, with every aspect of their life in line with normality. To me normal is boring, so I quickly dismissed his parents and not worth having, reminiscent of Matilda's parents in Roald Dahl's classic. 

The comparisons to Dahl are well founded, as the story brings back to life the horrible adults, Roald Dahl was so famous for creating. The story has the same kind of magic, that Dahl was so good at breathing into his books. There is also that strong sense of good morals and justice being served to those who aren't very nice. I can almost imagineRoald Dahl nodding his head in approval at such a brilliant contrast to his own work.

This book really makes you realise that it is perfectly fine to be different from everyone else. You don't have to follow the crowd, you can be yourself and you won't appear abnormal. Your uniqueness makes you special. 

I loved the way Barnaby would pay it forward for every kind act that came his way. He never took for granted the help he received from others and always went out of his way to return the favour. With each new person he met, he took away valuable lessons which helped him to love who he was. 

I adored the illustrations within the book, with the postcards being some of my favourites. Oliver Jeffers excellent art work reminded me so much of Quentin Blake's illustrations which were often used with Roald Dahl's books. 

This really is a timeless and beautiful tale that will find a home among the best loved chidren's classics. 

Chuck A Book (3) with Beth Kemp

Today I have Beth Kemp from Thoughts from the Heartfire on the blog giving us even more fabulous books to want!

1) The best book you have ever read.

Argh! Seriously? So, so difficult. I'm going to go with American Gods by Neil Gaiman because it is amazing in so many ways: incredibly clever, with a wealth of mythological knowledge behind it, yet accessible, exciting and funny.

2) A book you loved from your childhood.

Again: just one? You are a mean lady Viv! I'm going for A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett, because I read it multiple times - I must have, I still know the plot really well. Close contenders were whole series where I can't actually identify a specific book I loved (the Famous Five, the Hardy Boys, Willard Price's Adventure series).

3) A book that made you laugh.

A recent laugh-out-loud read was Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley. Her characters were just so witty and funny.

4) A book you could not finish.

The Lord of the Rings. Sorry, but life's too short. I found the level of descriptive detail suffocating and couldn't get to a point where I cared. It felt self-indulgent (on Tolkein's part) and unproductive to me. I know, I know...

I'm not a lover of traditional blokey High Fantasy, but I've loved a lot of recent YA fantasy written by women.

5) A book that made you swoon.

Gillian Philip's Firebrand. I have a definite thing for Seth MacGregor - sexy bad boy faery.

6) A book you can’t wait to read.

Wolfsbane, the third in Gillian Philip's series that began with Firebrand. As I write this, it's due out in a fortnight and I have it on pre-order.

7) A series you have read and loved.

Nicole Peeler's Jane True series: sexy, sassy urban fantasy in a world where every kind of magical creature exists among us. I love the character development in the series too - I feel that some series have a sort of sitcom like quality to them, where everything is reset at the end of each book/episode ready for the next. This series isn't like that, and I think that's a really good thing.

8) A book that made you cry.

Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers. It's essentially an epistolary novel, told in the form of brief notes between a busy single mother and her fifteen year old daughter. It's very short, but packs

a real punch, as the mother discovers she has cancer and the notes soon chronicle her treatment (that's not a spoiler, the blurb tells you that much!). I hadn't long lost my own mother to cancer when I read this, but I think it would always have made me cry.

9) Your guilty pleasure book.

Speaking as an adult lover of teen and kids' fiction, I don't think we should feel guilt for anything we read :)

That said, I think what comes closest to this question for me is the Harry Potter series. I've re-read the whole series at least once since the last book was out (I very rarely re-read). I have an odd relationship with Potter, I mean, there are issues with the way they're written, and I would get frustrated with kids at college who've read nothing else and assume there is no better writer in the world simply because of their success and popularity. And yet, the plotting is amazing and it is a world you can get lost in, and I do care about the characters. I can't wait until my youngest (8) can read through the series and we can talk about them.

10) A book that took you out of your comfort zone.

Alice Walker's Possessing the Secret of Joy. An amazing book, but oh my god, so harrowing to read. I was in my late teens when I read it and didn't know anything about female genital mutilation, so it was a real shock, but supremely well done. I read it because I'd enjoyed The Color Purple so much, and although that is also a shocker (so I knew she dealt with difficult topics), it also celebrates women and female community so there is hope and positivity.

Some fabulous books there from Beth. I shall definitely be exploring Life On The Refrigerator. I have also recently downloaded the first book in the Nicole Peeler series. If you would like to take part in Chuck A Book, then please email me at vivienne_dacosta@hotmail.com.

Non Fiction Friday - Magic by Rhonda Byrne

Pages - 254

Published by Simon and Schuster in March 2012

In The Magic a great mystery from a sacred text is revealed, and with this knowledge Rhonda Byrne takes the reader on a life-changing journey for 28 days. Step by step, day-by-day, secret teachings, revelations, and scientific law are brought together to form 28 simple practices that open the reader's eyes to a new world, and lead them to a dream life.

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I really do love the self help books by Rhonda Byrne. I know they don't necessarily tell us anymore than has already been written many times over, but I do find them extremely inspiring. 

The main theme within this book is about being grateful. Being grateful for everything that life gives you (which is something we all often forget to do) will attract more of the good things. How often are you thankful for your health? Or do you just take it for granted until you become ill? I think we tend to forget what is really important in life and this book helps to remind us. Using the exercises provided, which you carry out over a 28 day  period, this book really makes you look at everything you have and aims to turn you moaning to being grateful. It is about learning to be thankful for what you do have, rather than dwelling on what you don't.

Now I am quite well known in my close little circle for my pessimism, but over the years I have learnt that dwelling on things that haven't happened yet really don't get me anyway. Worrying constantly about what might be, often encourages these things to occur. This book helps you to focus on what you do want and be thankful for the good things that come your way. 

Over the 28 day period, on using this book religiously, I discovered that small amounts of money came to me at the strangest of times, my relationship with my children became less stressful and more enjoyable and I got upgraded in my seats for a London show. All I had to do was learn to be thankful in advance of the things that I really wanted and surprising things did change. 

By doing the exercises for nearly a month, I found they stayed with me and I am still trying to use a different one every day. As each day progressed, I found myself becoming calmer and more at peace with the events happening around me, I wasn't continually becoming stressed by the little things. 

If you believe in the law of attraction as I have always done, then you will find this book makes your day more magical. By being grateful for things you are attracting more of what you want. It is as simple as that. I am now getting into the habit of thanking everyone and everything in my life. Even waking up in the morning will find me being thankful for a brand new day. 

If you are looking to change your life and need to improve on how you view the magic that surrounds you, then I would definitely recommend this book. One of the best self help books I have read in a long time. 

Jepp, Who Defied the Stars by Katherine Marsh

Reviewed by Caroline Hodges

Pages - 386

Published by Hot Key Books in November 2012

Being a court dwarf is no easy task. I know because I failed at it. 

Goodreads Summary

Is it written in the stars from the moment we are born?

Or is it a bendable thing that we can shape with our own hands?

Jepp of Astraveld needs to know.

He left his countryside home on the empty promise of a stranger, only to become a captive in a strange and luxurious prison: Coudenberg Palace, the royal court of the Spanish Infanta. Nobody warned Jepp that as a court dwarf, daily injustices would become his seemingly unshakeable fate. If the humiliations were his alone, perhaps he could endure them, but it breaks Jepp’s heart to see his friend Lia suffer.

After Jepp and Lia perform a daring escape from the palace, Jepp is imprisoned again, alone in a cage. Now, spirited across Europe by a kidnapper in a horse-drawn carriage, Jepp is unsure where his unfortunate stars may lead him.

Before Jepp can become the master of his own destiny, he will need to prove himself to a brilliant and eccentric new master—a man devoted to uncovering the secrets of the stars—earn the love of a girl brave and true, and unearth the long-buried secrets of his parentage. And he will find that beneath the breathtaking cruelty of the world is something else: the persistence of human kindness.

**********

In early July, Vivienne offered me a range of new books coming from Hot Key Books from which to choose one to review. I looked up the synopsis of each and was immediately struck by just how unique Jepp, Who Defied the Stars promised to be. A novel where the main protagonist is a court dwarf in the late 1500’s? Whoa! Sign me up!

Jepp’s tale is one of prejudice, fate and mastering destiny and most importantly of all; love. The story is woven with superb detail, from the Infanta’s palace and the fabulous clothes and furnishings, to the Danish castle of the eccentric astronomer Tycho Brahe. Although I’m definitely a fan of the lavishness of court, to an extent I have read about this before, so for me the second part of the novel with its automatons, beer-drinking moose and a master who’s prosthetic nose keeps falling off really had me giggling.

Jepp’s perspective is different to most. Being a dwarf, not only does navigating normal furniture prove a difficulty, but the way in which people interact with him is at best curious interest and at worst total debasement – not only does he experience playing room mate to aforementioned drunk moose, at one point he is even ferried about in a cage! His time at court also proves that even the most decadent palace can be a prison. But from Jepp we learn no matter how different in stature, we all want similar things from life; to better ourselves, to love and be loved in return.

The first person perspective method of storytelling in this novel reminded me of The Farseer Trilogy by one of my favourite author’s; Robin Hobb. Though this isn’t a fantasy novel in the typical sense, Jepp’s thoughts and feelings about how the situations he finds himself in are honest and realistic; his decisions always based on what is morally right, no matter if he would be well entitled to a bit of vengeance. Though a novel aimed at children/young adults, I found Jepp, Who Defied the Stars surprisingly mature in the way in which the characters and story is presented. It is doesn’t patronise the younger reader and makes no qualms about presenting the cruelty human-kind is capable of.

Aside from our hero, other characters to make an impression include Matheus the kind-hearted kidnapper, Lia; Jepp’s first love, lady dwarf and delicate musician and the astronomer Tycho who breaks boundaries not only in science but in convention by marrying the woman he loved. The only flaw I found was that despite the title of the novel, I felt a bit like Jepp, in money matters at least, was in fact reliant on his fate. I would have liked to see him come up with a genius business idea or something to make his own fortune.

I am a big fan of historical fiction, but this particular era I didn’t know too much about. I seriously didn’t realise just how linked the novel was to the history of the time – many of the characters, settings and situations were real and it’s really worth reading the author’s notes at the end to really appreciate the genius of how this novel is put together.

If you are looking for a brilliant little novel with a unique storyline and varied mix of lovable and despicable characters, you couldn’t make a better choice.

The Out of Office Girl by Nicola Doherty

Reviewed by Georgina Tranter

Published by Headline Review on the19th July 2012

I’m lying on my bed, watching Luther undress. I’ve seen this so many times but it never fails to mesmerise me. First the T-shirt slips off, white against his tanned skin, leaving his dark brown hair even more messed up than before. The expression in his brown eyes is hard to read – he looks passionate, intense, vulnerable. His hands drop towards his jeans. Slowly, he starts to undo his belt….

Goodreads Summary

From London

Alice Roberts is having a rubbish summer. She’s terrified of her boss, her career is stalling, and she’s just been dumped – by text message. But things are about to change…

…to Italy

When her boss Olivia is taken ill, Alice is sent on the work trip of a lifetime: to a villa in Sicily, to edit the autobiography of Hollywood bad boy Luther Carson. But it’s not all yachts, nightclubs and Caparis. Luther’s arrogant agent Sam wants him to ditch the book. Luther himself is gorgeous, charming – and impossible to read. There only seems to be one way to get his attention, and it definitely involves mixing business with pleasure.

Alice is out of the office, and into deep trouble…

…with love

*********

Alice Roberts works for a London publishing company. When her boss is taken ill over night, the team has nothing else to do but send Alice to Italy to try to get Hollywood actor Luther Carson to complete his stalling autobiography. Unlucky in love, Alice has adored Luther from afar, watching his movies again and again and again. Now she has the chance to star in her own romantic fantasy.

Arriving in Italy with lost luggage and a hostile reception from Luther’s agent Sam, plus competition from up-and-coming actress Annabel, things aren’t looking up for Alice. It only goes from bad to worse when ghostwriter Brian is sent home and Alice discovers she has missed out an important clause in Luther’s contract. Can she get him to spill the beans in a way that he hasn’t before and save her career, or will Alice have to return home with less than she started with.

Nicola Doherty has been billed as the new Sophie Kinsella, and The Out of Office Girl is based on her time working in publishing. It’s an easy summery read; don’t expect any major surprises or unexpected twists in the story but it moves along at a decent pace and

is certainly worth a read if you have enjoyed Kinsella, or Marian Keyes. A good choice for the remainder of the summer by the pool.

Poltergeeks by Sean Cummings

Published by Strange Chemistry in October 

Pages - 288

Mrs Gilbert literally flew out the front door of her house. I should add that Marcus Guffman and I had absolutely nothing to do with it because frankly, I've had it with the whole irresponsible teenager thing. It's bad enough when people over forty look at you like you're planning on axe murdering their entire family just because you and your best friend since grade school are going door to door raising money for the Crescent Ridge Hig School Read-A-Thon. 

Goodreads Summary

15-year-old Julie Richardson is about to learn that being the daughter of a witch isn't all it's cracked up to be. When she and her best friend, Marcus, witness an elderly lady jettisoned out the front door of her home, it's pretty obvious to Julie there's a supernatural connection. 

In fact, there's a whisper of menace behind increasing levels of poltergeist activity all over town. After a large-scale paranormal assault on Julie's high school, her mother falls victim to the spell Endless Night. Now it's a race against time to find out who is responsible or Julie won't just lose her mother's soul, she'll lose her mother's life.

*********

As soon as I heard about this book I was desperate to read it.  From the first sentence I felt like I was on a thrilling ride which continued at a fast pace all the way through the book.

I adored the humour  in the book. Sean Cummings has one sarcastic mind and I personally love it!

The characters really stand out, they all have a quirkiness about them.  Julie, the main protagonist, is just full of sassiness and sarcasm. Straight away, you are cheering her on, desperate for her to solve the disasters erupting around her.  Poor Julie, just never stops! The action is wham, bam all the way through the book, never giving her a chance to catch her breath, let alone worry about what she was letting herself in for. That is probably the  only thing I would change about the book; the pacing.  At times I would have liked it  to be a bit slower. I really wanted Julie to slow down, but I felt she never got the chance. 

And then there is Marcus! I personally don't relate to the geeks in YA books, but this one is a real sweetie. His heart is definitely in the right place and he is just such a strong character for Julie to lean on. 

The Tutelary was hilarious in his or her many disguises. His later appearance in the book really had me in stitches. 

The plot is very well written and kept me intrigued. I always get a little excited when Matthew Hopkins makes an appearance in a book. What witch book would be complete without him? 

There are lots of red herrings with the story, so I didn't see the ending coming until very near the end. I thought the author had an original  and unique voice, one that I felt stood out from the crowd.  The book was a dramatic page turning rollercoaster that slipped in snippets of humour. 

I really enjoyed it and I can't wait to see what else Sean Cummings writes. 

A Day in London During Olympic Mania

On Saturday 11th of August, my family and I jumped on an Olympic fan packed train and bravely headed to London for the day, to soak up a bit of the Olympic fever. If I am honest, I was a little nervous about going into central London during the Olympics, but I really didn't have any reason to worry. The atmosphere was electric; everyone was friendly and their was a real unity and community spirit lacing its way through the crowds. Everyone was happy and enjoying the greatest show Britain has ever put on for the world.

On arrival in London, we headed towards Buckingham Palace, as my kids had never seen it. We didn't realise that the men's Race Walk would be on and we were really pleased to be able to witness parts of the race.

Everyone in the crowds were cheering every runner on. There was a international spirit to the event.
After walking through St James Park, we headed over to Westminster Bridge to see Big Ben and the London Eye. Everything was gleaming and glorious. It was quite obvious that London had been given a complete makeover and everything look shiny and new despite its age.

We walked across the Golden Jubilee bridge and headed over to the London Eye, which on close up inspection seemed as tall as Big Ben! I can tell you now I have no wish to go on it as it sooo high up and my vertigo would kick in, leaving my legs unable to move. 

We were surprised to find that the London Eye, was the eye opening gateway to the Wonderland Park at South Bank. I have never ever been to South Bank and I was really surprised by how many different things were actually going on there.

It was amazing to visit it by day, but I get the feeling it is rather magical at night, with its night time maze and burlesque cabaret. It reminded me of Church Street Station in Florida, which I believe no longer exists.

 

There are a range of rides there which I thought were quite expensive at £5 a go (£10 with a photo). Luckily my girls are not really into rides and only one of them wanted to go on this. 

While in the Southbank I literally stumbled across the Family Fete held at Foyles for the publication of the Vintage Children's Classics. I had forgotten it was on and it was lovely to catch up with Lisa from Vintage and talk about the books. 

From the Southbank, we then headed over to the Science Museum. The kids love it there and really enjoy all the hands on experiments they can do it. It was lovely to spend a few hours here before heading off to watch The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe in Kensington Gardens, which will be a whole other post later on. 

Teenage Takeover - Itch by Simon Mayo

Lil' Dude joins us today to tell us all about Itch by Simon Mayo. Lil' Dude is probably my youngest reviewer, so give him a big hand for his first review.

What is this book about? 

Itch discovers some very rare elements and all of a sudden everyone is after them.

Who is the main character of the book? Tell me a bit about them and whether you liked them or not. 

Itch is the main character. I like him because he has a very important role in the book and what he does interests me.

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

My favourite part is where Itch threw the rocks down the well, fell unconscious and ended up outside Cornwall hospital. That was very tense and unpredictable. 

Where was the book set? Could you imagine the settings easily from the descriptions provided? 

Mainly in Cornwall as that is where Itch lives but they move around a lot. I found it quite easy to imagine where they were.

Who was your favourite character apart from Itch and why?

Probably Mr. Watkins because he helped out Itch a lot in the book and played an important role.

Did you find it easy to read? How long did it take you?

I found it very easy to read as I enjoyed it and it took me about a week.

Was there anything you didn't like about the book?

There were a few unanswered questions which I would have hoped to have found out and I would very much like it if there was a sequel to this book.

Was the ending satisfactory? 

The ending to me was brilliant because I was definitely not expecting it!

Was there anything in the book you would like to have seen written differently? 

I think perhaps it would've been better if Flowerdew hadn't escaped from jail. 

Would you read a book by this author again?

Certainly.

Would you recommend this to others?

Yes.

How many points would you give the book out of ten? 

9/10. Very good book. 

I think Itch by Simon Mayo is definitely a winner! 

Chuck A Book! (2) - With Lynsey Rushby

 My next guest on Chuck A Book is Lynsey Rushby who used to blog at Heaven, Hell and Purgatory Book Reviews.

1) The best book you have ever read.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde will always be my favourite book. I remember reading it for the first time while I was at work and gasping out loud at times. A good imagination is needed when reading this and I see things differently each time I read it now.

2) A book you loved from your childhood.

Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree. I still have a copy of this book and the last time I read it, I loved it just as much. However, it saddens me that some names etc. have now been changed in these books to make them more current.

3) A book that made you laugh.

Adorkable by Sarra Manning. She has such a fresh and interesting voice and always comes up with the most amazing characters. This book had me giggling away well into the night and I couldn’t put it down – even though I had to be up early the next morning.

4) A book you could not finish.

Stephen King’s IT. I have always loved the film, as bad and cheesy as it is, so last year I bought the book thinking I would love it just as much. Unfortunately, I just cannot get on with King’s writing style and only got through about 5 chapters before putting it down. I have tried again a couple of times but with no success.

5) A book that made you swoon.

Oooh this is an easy one. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles. One mention of Alex Fuentes will do it for me!

6) A book you can’t wait to read.

Foretold by Jana Oliver. I need to read more about Riley and Beck after how Forgiven ended!

7) A series you have read and loved.

Jana Oliver’s Demon Trappers series is probably my favourite at the minute. I can’t wait to read her newest and I’ll be sad when the series has finished.

8) A book that made you cry.

There aren’t that many books that have ever made me cry. The only one I can actually think of is The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon although I know there are a few more that I can’t remember.

9) Your guilty pleasure book.

My guilty pleasure book is more a genre rather than one particular book. I love historical romances from the likes of Stephanie Laurens and Julia Quinn. They’re a bit cheesy and a bit raunchy at times but I can never put them down once I start reading.

10) A book that took you out of your comfort zone.

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma was a tough read for me. Due to the subject matter, I was really unsure about reading it in the first place and then when I did, it was a struggle at times. The characters and relationship were too compelling to give up on.

Thank you Lynsey for taking part in Chuck A Book! 

Revived by Cat Patrick

Pages - 326

Published by Electric Monkey, an imprint of Egmont UK in July 2012

I'm flattened and thrashing on the sun-warmed track next to the football field lying on what looks like asphalt but I realise  now that I'm down here, is actually that fake spongy stuff. It reeks like it was just installed. There's a woman kneeling beside my right shoulder shouting into a cell phone. 

Goodreads Summary

As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life.

A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency's true goals, she realises she's at the centre of something much larger — and more sinister — than she ever imagined.

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OMG! I absolutely loved this book. I really enjoyed Cat Patrick's first book FORGOTTEN, but REVIVED I adored. From the first chapter I was completely ensnared and struggled to put the book down until the end. The drama and tension had me quickly turning the pages to find out what would happen. This has got to be one of the most addictive reads I have read this summer; the type of book that makes you want to read more. 

The story had the feel of the Pittacus Lore books  yet with more girl power - Daisy continually has to move around every time she dies as she needs to have a new identity, just as Six moved around to reduce the chance of discovery.  You cannot help but feel sorry for Daisy as all she wants is a normal life where she can make friends and settle down, yet unlike the rest of the kids who died with her on the bus and were brought back to life, Daisy seems to make a habit of dying. She is allergic to bee stings and needs to carry an Epipen, yet she still struggles to keep alive. 

On reaching Omaha, Daisy is determined that this time her life will be different and she befriends Audrey. I  loved Audrey, she was one of my favourite characters in the book and really touched my heart. She kept going regardless of what happened to her. She was truly inspirational. 

Cat Patrick is fast becoming a favourite author of mine as she easily writes believable romantic situations which have you swooning. Matt is simply hot and the type of boy you dreamt of going out with at college. 

I loved the whole concept of this story - the plot was brilliant and addictive. The characters were very well written and  the story stayed with me long after I had finished reading it. It is one of the books I wish I could have written myself. Cat Patrick officially blew my brains with this mind boggling plot and left me wanting more. I really hope there is a sequel to this book. 

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

Pages - 264

Published by Hodder Children's Books in July 2012

I pedal fast. Down Rose Drive, where houses swim in pools of orange streetlight. Where people sit on verandas, hoping to catch a breeze. Let me make it in time. Please let me make it in time.

Goodreads Summary

It’s the end of Year 12. Lucy’s looking for Shadow, the graffiti artist everyone talks about.

His work is all over the city, but he is nowhere.

Ed, the last guy she wants to see at the moment, says he knows where to find him. He takes Lucy on an all-night search to places where Shadow’s thoughts about heartbreak and escape echo around the city walls.

But the one thing Lucy can’t see is the one thing that’s right before her eyes.

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Every so often you read a book that you never want to leave behind. Well this was one of those books. I fell in love completely with the characters, the gentle but realistic storyline,  and the poetic writing. The words were so beautifully written, I felt like I was watching a rainbow intensify in colour in front of eyes.  The use of imagery was purely magical.  

From the first chapter, the author instantly captures the essence of each character, so that you knew just how you felt for them straight away. As soon as Ed and Lucy met, you were desperate for them to be a couple and cursing as you realised they were keeping secrets from each other, each too frightened to admit the truth. They both came across as fledgling birds, who had fallen badly on their first flight, and you watch anxiously as they take those tentative steps to allow them to fly successfully for the first time. 
This book felt like it had an underlying moral. Don't be afraid of who you are - embrace your inadequacies and problems, in order to move past them and succeed. 

There is a strong feeling  and gushing love for art in this book, as each character expresses their feelings in different artistic forms. Lucy explores how she feels through glass; her portfolio, The Fleet of Memory is something I really want to see as it sounded so beautiful as she expressed her past memories within hand blown glass boats. Ed explored his artistic nature through paintings on the wall, which sounded so much more than graffiti. Leo's artistic flow came via poetry and the poems represented in the book had me reaching for my pen and pad. This book shows that art can be represented in every aspect of life to make it beautiful. 
Cath Crowley has successfully  managed to capture that feeling of being a teenager on the brink of a bright and unknown future. The picture is blank, you future is not set and a world of opportunities lay at your feet. Where you feel that nothing is impossible; you almost believe you can fly. I wish you could bottle that feeling and sell it to the older generations who have  forgotten that life is supposed to be that magical. 
I could see this book as a film, it reminded me of a mixture of the Nora Ephron classics such as  'You've Got Mail' and 'Sleepless in Seattle' and the John Hughes Bratpack films. The growth of the main character's friendship through to romance is jam packed with heartfelt emotion. I can honestly see why this book has captured the world in its hands. Everyone is raving about this book and you should definitely read it to see how wonderful it truly is. 
This book is set in Australia and shows the world that the teen angst issues and problems are universal. It was so refreshing to read an Australian author like Cath Crowley and really hope to read more of her books. 
A truly beautiful modern tale, that makes you wish you could be a teenager all over again.