Friday 30 November 2012

Weekend Blogging Break

Due to a really really hectic week, there will be no posts on the blog this weekend and normality will resume on Monday. So if you are looking for the regular features Chuck A Book and Letterbox Love, I'm afraid you will have to wait until next weekend.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Non Fiction Friday - The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression by Angela Ackerman



Paperback170 pages
Published May 2012 by JADD Publishing
Goodreads Summary
One of the biggest problem areas for writers is conveying a character's emotions to the reader in a unique, compelling way. This book comes to the rescue by highlighting 75 emotions and listing the possible body language cues, thoughts, and visceral responses for each. 

Written in an easy-to-navigate list format, readers can draw inspiration from character cues that range in intensity to match any emotional moment. The Emotion Thesaurus also tackles common emotion-related writing problems and provides methods to overcome them. 
This writing tool encourages authors to show, not tell emotion and is a creative brainstorming resource for any fiction project. 
*********
Recently on reviewing my own writing and talking to others, I realised I had fallen into a typical first time writer's pot hole. I had developed a habit of telling my audience what was going on rather than showing them through my characters. So I went back to the drawing board, to work out what I need to change and I realised my characters needed to reflect what was happening to them through their actions. 
After talking to a few people on Twitter, I was told about this book, which I quickly downloaded onto my Kindle. 
This book is a  fabulous addition to my writing reference list. It gives you an index of emotions, so you can quickly find what you are looking for. Once you find the right page, it not only tells you the physical signs each emotion displays, but it also indicates the internal sensations felt by a character, so ideal for first and third person narrative. It also shows you how each emotion may escalate so you can see how characters would develop during prose.
As you work your way through the book you will find lots of writer's tips too which will help you to develop well rounded three dimensional characters.
The only thing I regret with this book is buying the Kindle version instead of a physical copy and I might invest in one soon. The main reason is that  when you are writing you don't want to spend time searching through your Kindle for the right page - it would be so much easier to have the book by my side to flick to the relevant information that I need.
Since using this book, it has spurred me on to develop my own version of the thesaurus. Using an A4 notebook, I have labelled each page with an emotion and now when I'm reading or watching TV  I can jot my own version down for future reference.
This book was an excellent purchase and I would definitely recommend it to anyone writing as it will help you to develop your characters really well. A must for all first time writers. 

Thursday 29 November 2012

Early Review: Darcy Burdock by Laura Dockrill

Pages 278
Published by Red Fox in March 2013
Have you ever noticed you're noticing? Sometimes I notice that I notice so much that I get trapped in noticing my noticing. 
Goodreads Summary
Ten-year-old Darcy is one of life's noticers. Curious, smart-as-a-whip, funny and fiercely loyal, she sees the extraordinary in the everyday and the wonder in the world around her.
********
I wouldn't normally write a review four months in advance, so this is a rarity for me,  but I feel I want to lay out a red carpet and hire an orchestra to announce the arrival of this book. I may spontaneously combust if I don't talk about it now and get it out of my system.  
I heard about this book back in June at the Random House Children's Books blogger party where I was lucky enough to meet the author, Laura Dockrill and hear her reading the first few pages from the book. (If you ever get the opportunity to hear Laura read, then I strongly suggest you take it - as she is a very talented performer.) So I have waited really really patiently until I could stand it no more and I had to read the book. 
This is Darcy Burdock's story, she is a quirky, hilarious, mischievous, kind and cool all at the same time. She is a really strong character, which many children will easily identify with. 
The book is told in first person and is interspersed with hand written stories by Darcy as well as really cool illustrations by Laura herself. Darcy is the lovable child we all see hidden in ourselves - the one that is still trying to make sense of the world and deal with life. She isn't perfect and she doesn't try to be, she just learns to overcome her issues by trying to occasionally do the right thing.
This book is both heartwarming and funny at the same time, as you follow Darcy's episodic events while  writing everything down in her journal. She reminded me a little of Harriet the Spy but without the nosy, snooping tendencies.
The writing in this book oozes personality and is extremely refreshing to read. Darcy's voice is unique and original keeping you entertained all the way through the book. I really hope that Darcy will be returning to centre stage relatively soon after her debut. Knowing how much she loves attention, I believe she  will be appearing a string of books over the next few years. 
This is Laura Dockrill's first children's book, but she is already fast becoming a household name. Laura not only writes fiction, but she also performs and write poetry too. She was recently voted one of the top ten literary talents by the Times and a hot new face by Elle magazine.
When this book is published, I would definitely recommend buying it as it is one of the best children's books I have read in a while.

Wednesday 28 November 2012

Nutcracker by E.T.A Hoffmann


Review by Georgina Tranter
Published by Random House International
10th December 2012
On the twenty-fourth of December Dr Stahlaum’s children were not allowed to set foot in the small family parlor, much less the adjoining company parlor – not at any time during the day. Fritz and Marie sat huddled together in a corner of the little back room. An eerie feeling came over them when dusk fell and, as usual on Christmas Eve, no light was brought in. In whispers Fritz told his younger sister (she had just turned seven) that since early morning he had heard murmuring and shuffling and muffled hammer blows in the locked rooms. And a short while before, he confided, a small, dark man had crept down the hallway with a big box under his arm, and he, Fritz, felt pretty sure that this could only be Godfather Drosselmeier. At that, Marie clapped her little hands for joy and cried out:
“Oh, what do you think Godfather Drosselmeir has made for us?”
Goodreads Summary
The tale of Nutcracker, written by E.T.A. Hoffmann in 1816, has fascinated and inspired artists, composers, and audiences for almost two hundred years. It has retained its freshness because it appeals to the sense of wonder we all share.
Maurice Sendak designed brilliant sets and costumes for the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Christmas production of Nutcracker and has created even more magnificent pictures especially for this book. He has joined with the eminent translator Ralph Manheim to produce this illustrated edition of Hoffmann’s wonderful tale, destined to become a classic for all ages.
The world of Nutcracker is a world of pleasures. Maurice Sendak’s art illuminates the delights of Hoffmann’s story in this rich and tantalising treasure.
********
I was delighted to receive a copy of Nutcracker to review, because despite its age, and being a ballet fan, I have never read the story. This is a beautifully illustrated edition by the late, great Maurice Sendak, author of Where The Wild Things Are. The illustrations are superbly done and bring this classic tale to life. Whilst the story itself is dated, I think that adding these illustrations adds to the beauty of the book and helps to modernise it somewhat for today’s audience.
The story of Nutcracker begins on Christmas Eve, when siblings Louise, Fritz and Marie are met by Godfather Drosselmeier to receive his gift to them. He is an eminent clockmaker and every year presents the children with a beautiful mechanical gift that they are never allowed to play with. This year he gives the children a castle where the inhabitants can be seen moving forward and backwards inside. Whilst beautiful, the children soon loose interest in his gift and search out their own entertainment. Fritz seeks solace in his toy soldiers but Marie’s attention is gripped by an ugly looking soldier
figure. He is, in fact a nutcracker, and Marie is soon enchanted by him. Unfortunately he isn’t the best at cracking nuts and is soon broken by Fritz, only for Marie to take him into her care to live amongst her dolls in their glass-fronted cabinet home. From here, Nutcracker comes to life amongst the soldiers and hussars of Fritz and what begins is a battle against the army of the one and only Mouse King.
The book is basically in three parts, the first section being Act I of the traditional ballet and the final section being Act II, and interspersed between these is The Story of the Hard Nut which tells the origins of the little nutcracker soldier and how he came into being. This is a long book being some 100 pages in length but with the beauty of the illustrations would make a wonderful tale to be read aloud for children of all ages. A magical Christmas read.

Tuesday 27 November 2012

A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas

Pages 224
Published by Piatkus Entice in November 2013
'It's official,' Lillian, Lady Westcliff, said with satisfaction, setting aside the letter from her brother. 'Rafe will reach London in precisely a fortnight. And the clipper's name is the Whirlwind, which I think is quite apt in light of his impending betrothal.'
Goodreads Summary
It’s Christmastime in London and Rafe Bowman has arrived from America for his arranged meeting with Natalie Blandford, the very proper and beautiful daughter of Lady and Lord Blandford. His chiseled good looks and imposing physique are sure to impress the lady in waiting and, if it weren’t for his shocking American ways and wild reputation, her hand would already be guaranteed. Before the courtship can begin, Rafe realizes he must learn the rules of London society. But when four former Wallflowers try their hand at matchmaking, no one knows what will happen. And winning a bride turns out to be more complicated than Rafe Bowman anticipated, especially for a man accustomed to getting anything he wants. However, Christmas works in the most unexpected ways, changing a cynic to a romantic and inspiring passion in the most timid of hearts. 
*********
Lisa Kleypas is definitely one of my 'must read authors'; her contemporary Friday Harbour series has already found a special place in my heart. However, this was the first historical romance I had read by her. A Wallflower Christmas is the fifth and final book in the Wallflower series set around a group of young ladies searching for true love in a Victorian London. As you can see, I read the fifth book in the series and in no way did I feel I needed to read the other four to enjoy this series. Having said that by the time I had finished this book, it made me want to go back and read the previous four as I truly enjoyed this one, unleashing a new love in historical romance within me. 
I would describe this book as a Victorian Christmas Cinderella, as the poor girl gets her Prince. Hannah is sweet, innocent and walked over by the superior members of her family, she cannot see herself rising very far in society and has resigned herself to a fairly decent marriage without love. Until she meets her cousin's betrothed, hot womanising, American stud Rafe, who needs an English wife to please his father, who will disinherit him if he doesn't marry into aristocracy. Rafe has other ideas of how he would like to live his life and I loved watching him pursue his choice of bride. He is the all American bad boy!
The four main women from the previous books all appear in this one and as you read on you realise they have happily moved on with their lives after finding the loves of their lives. Their husbands may be upper class members of society, but their is nothing cold about them, they are all full of heat and testorone (one of the main reasons I now want to go back and read the rest of the series!) I really liked all the Wallflowers straight away, these were not women to be walked over - head strong and determined, they would definitely have stood out in Victorian society. 
The love is a little bit too instant for most people's liking, but hell I didn't give a damn! 
The book is full of snippets of how the Victorian's celebrated Christmas which I found adorable and really added to the authenticity of this period drama. I would have loved to live during those times when they all came together for a couple of weeks and celebrated Christmas as a huge group, flitting off to balls and midnight sleigh rides. It was just so wonderfully written and absorbing.  *sighs*
This book is rather steamy in parts but it fitted the story so well. Rafe is devilishly gorgeous , you will instantly fall for his boyish charms. Hannah glows with innocence which just adds to her beauty. A gorgeous festive book, that will make you glow inside. 

Monday 26 November 2012

The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

Pages - 208
Published by Hot Key Books - Paperback January 2013, Ebook October 2013, Uncensored Ebook November 2013
Why couldn't I have just made it home without seeing them? I wasn't in the mood to play good freaking Samaritan to Beau and his trashy girlfriend. Although he wasn't here, Sawyer would expect me to stop. With a frustrated groan, I slowed down and pulled up beside Beau, who had put some distance between him and his vomiting girlfriend. Apparently throwing up wasn't a mating call for him. 
Goodreads Summary
Beau Vincent is rude, bad, and dangerous to know. So why can't good girl Ashton Gray keep away from him? She already has the perfect boyfriend - her town's local Prince Charming, Sawyer Vincent. But Sawyer is away for the summer, and in the meantime Ashton is bored, and the heat between her and Beau is undeniable - as well as irresistible. Ashton is about to unleash her bad girl - but what will she do when Sawyer comes home? And how will Sawyer react when he returns to find his girlfriend in the arms of his best friend - and cousin?
********
I wanted this book as soon as I heard about it! Seriously, I saw the front cover and the blurb on the Hot Key Books preview site and knew straight away I needed it. I trotted off to Amazon, just about to purchase the Ebook version when Hot Key Books whispered in my ear and told me I might want to wait for the uncensored version. That was a long week to wait, but as soon as they posted it, I bought it straight away and devoured it in one night. This is one of the most romantic yet sexy books I have read in ages. I can't remember the last time I read a book so quickly, yet I knew this book would be so good. 
The Vincent Brothers and it's sequel are classed as New Adult books, which for those of you who have been living with your fingers in your ears means  a book dealing with the new pressures brought on my adult life - when you have to take on the responsibilities of an adult - sex, alcohol and everything else that was taboo when you were younger, suddenly becomes available. Abbi Glines is one of a few authors presently leading the way in this genre and I am definitely hooked on the whole idea of New Adult. 
Ashton, the main female protagonist, has known Beau and Sawyer all her life. They had grown up together, Beau and Ashton would create havoc and Sawyer would bail them out of trouble. When they hit their teens, something changed in the group dynamics as soon as Sawyer started dating Ashton - her friendship with Beau came to an end. 
Now in their late teens and with Sawyer away for the whole of the summer, Beau and Ashton have the opportunity to rekindle their friendship, only they rekindle more than that. Beau has always loved Ashton and the way he treats her in this book is just beautiful. He may be the town bad boy but he would do anything to make Ashton happy. When she needs him, he is there for her, regardless of what anyone else thinks. Ashton goes through a really rough time and she needs someone, so I didn't feel disappointed in her reactions to Beau at all. 
Ashton had tried for so long to be someone she wasn't and Beau is incredibly good at bringing out the real Ashton. He doesn't like the fake person she has become. In turn, Ashton can see the real Beau and her involvement with him helps to bring his true character to the surface.
This book is about being who you really are. Everyone needs to embrace their true self and not worry about what other people think. Stop living a lie, celebrate your bad habits! 
This is the first book in the series and the second one, The Vincent Brothers will be published in its uncensored version in about three weeks. The second one gives us a better perspective of Sawyer. At the moment I am completely on Team Beau, Sawyer didn't even appear on my radar, but until I have read the second one, I can't say that for definite. Though at this moment in time, I will say Beau tops my list of sexiest male fictional characters, knocking Alex from Hunting Lila into second place!
If you love Sweet Home Alabama and Hart of Dixie, you will devour this book in a matter of hours. I began reading it in the morning and stayed up way to late to finish it. This book is like catnip for girls! At the heart of it, it's just a love story, but it is so addictive, you lose yourself in the romance of it. I can't praise this book enough. Abbi Glines just became my one of my favourite authors overnight. I want everyone to read this book!
 If buying for the teenager in your life, you might want to check you buy the censored version as the romance can get rather hot and heavy. Other than that, buy it for every female you know!

Sunday 25 November 2012

Letterbox Love (17)

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!  Also all the books I have bought this week - as if I didn't have enough. 
Books for Review
Broken Illusions by Ellie James is the second book in the Shattered Dreams trilogy which is set in post hurricane New Orleans. This will be published on January 2012 by Quercus. 
The London Stone by Sarah Silverwood is the third book in The Nowhere Chronicles and will be published on the 6th December by Indigo. 
Hidden by Marianne Curley is the first book in the Avena  series. This author's debut novel was Old Magic,since then the author has also given us The Guardians of Time trilogy too. Hidden will be published in March by Bloomsbury. 
Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin is the second part of the Birthright series. The first book was published last year and I absolutely loved it. This will be published in March 2013,.
Burning Bright by Sophie McKenzie is the second part of the author's four part romance series. I loved Falling Fast when it was published last year and was quite taken with Flynn! This will be published in January 2013.
Skylark by Meagan Spooner will be published in February 2013. From what I have read, I think this book is dystopian. 
Fins Are Forever by Tera Lynn Childs is the second book in this series. I read the first one, Forgive My Fins  a couple of weeks ago. So I am looking forward to reading this before the third book is published.
Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs is a new series from the author who brought us the Forgive My Fins series. This book follows three descendants of Medusa and was published earlier in the year.
The Day I Met Suzie by Chris Higgins. This author was shortlisted for the Queen of Teen. Her previous books are about to have a complete makeover, so watch out for this author. This book will be published in March 2013 by Hodder Children's Books.
Beyond is a scary Stephen King style novel aimed at the YA market and will be published in January 2013.

Library Loot
After really enjoying Blood Brothers, the first book in the Signs of Seven series by Nora Roberts, I hot footed it to the library to pick up the final two books in the series. I have to know what will happen. The Hollow and The Pagan Stone will be an enjoyable read.
I also picked up One Perfect Summer by Paige Toon as I keep meaning to read a book by this author. 
Books Bought
I bought the uncensored version of The Vincent Boys and read it the same day. I can highly recommend this book!
On Dublin Street was a recommendation from @Bookangel_Emma. She keeps finding amazing books at the moment!
I had seen this one around the blogosphere and I was quite taken by the title. 
Kindle Freebies

So those are all the books that entered my house this week! What did you get?

Saturday 24 November 2012

Chuck A Book with Pruedence (Library Mouse)

Today I have Pruedence from The Library Mouse on the blog talking about all the books she loves!
1) The best book you have ever read.
This really isn’t an easy question to start with. In all honesty I don’t have a best read ever. There are simply too many amazing books out there (that I either have or have not read), and I could write you a list that simply goes on, and on and on and on... and on. But I’m guessing you would like just one. Ok one of the several fantastic books I came across more recently would have to be Finding Sky by Joss Stirling.
2) A book you loved from your childhood.

It was a collection of local Italian tales of which I can’t remember the title. Seeing as that is of no help :p I’d have to say Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.
3) A book that made you laugh.

Ok well I’m going to have to go with The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella on this one. It had me in fits of laughter everywhere I went, not to mention all the “weirdo” glances it earned me from onlookers....
4) A book you could not finish.

Truthfully there aren’t many, but I have recently come by one that I just couldn’t get into. Unfortunately I simply didn’t get along with The Greatest Love Story of All Time by Lucy Robinson.
5) A book that made you swoon.
Ummmmm the list is endless here too but I suppose if I really had to, like really really really had to.... Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins.

6) A book you can’t wait to read.

I simply totally utterly cannot wait to get my hands on Clockwork Princess!! Aaargh the suspense is killing me!!!

7) A series you have read and loved.
I have read and re-read and re-read again the Twilight series. And I’ve loved it every time. I hate to be like the masses but on this one I’m going to be a good little sheep and follow the heard 

8) A book that made you cry.
This is going to sound weird and possibly pathetic but Pushing the Limits drew tears of both joy and sorrow from me. It’s better sweet and truthful reality was brutally heart renderingly honest.

9) Your guilty pleasure book.

Ummmm.... I’m not sure I should confess.... I mean if it’s guilty pleasure book surely it should remain a secret right? Ok ok ok twist my arm. It would have to be To Catch A Pirate by Jade Parker.


10) A book that took you out of your comfort zone.
Ok this is going to sound strange but I’m going to say The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown. The thing is thriller murder mysteries have never been my thing. They’re always too clever for me and by the end I’m like “what...how... when....HUH?!” The author usually loses me by chapter 5. But with The DaVinci code I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and read something I would have never picked up in the first place, and actually really enjoyed it.
Thanks Pruedence for such great answers. If you would like to take part in Chuck a Book, then please email me at vivienne_dacosta@hotmail.com

Friday 23 November 2012

Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts

Pages - 320
Published by Piatkus in December 2007
It crawled along the air that hung heavy as wet wool over the glade. Through the snakes of fog that slid silent over the ground, its hate crept. It came for him through the heat-smothered night. 
It wanted his death. 
Goodreads Summary

Every seven years, there comes a week in July when the locals do unspeakable things - and then don't seem to remember them. The collective madness has made itself known beyond the town borders and has given Hawkins Hollow the reputation of a village possessed. 
This modern-day legend draws reporter and author Quinn Black to Hawkins Hollow with the hope of making the eerie happening the subject of her new book. It is only February, but Caleb Hawkins, descendent of the town founders, has already seen and felt the stirrings of evil. Though he can never forget the beginning of the terror in the woods twenty-one years ago, the signs have never been this strong before. Cal will need the help of his best friends, Fox and Gage, but surprisingly he must rely on Quinn as well. She, too, can see the evil that the locals cannot, somehow connecting her to the town - and to Cal. As winter turns to spring, Cal and Quinn will shed their inhibitions, surrendering to a growing desire. They will form the cornerstone of a group of men and women bound by fate, passion, and the fight against what is to come from out of the darkness...
*********
I will hold my hands up and admit that I have avoided reading Nora Roberts. I don't really have  a valid reason for it; I think it might be down to the vastness of her book collection. Yet I was curious; so many people kept telling me how wonderful she was, I knew I had to give in and try one.  And I did! Well I couldn't believe how utterly brilliant it was and now I want to read EVERYTHING she has ever written. 
Blood Brothers was just my kind of book. Filled to the brim with paranormal elements, unsuspecting frights, suspense, tension and a really hot romance too.
This is the first book of three in the series and I get the impression that all three of the  friends fall in love, a different one in each book as the horrors of Hawkins Hollow unfold. 
From the first page, I was gripped and compelled to read on. Even with the goriest of storylines giving me nightmares between reads. I was so surprised to find it so frightening in parts - I never imagined Nora Roberts to write novels like that.  On reading the reviews, it seems that she is extremely gifted at drawing her readers quickly into a book and definitely an author I need to study more. 
The three main male characters are rather swoonsome  if not a little troubled. They really do have the world on their shoulders as they prepare for the bad things that will be coming their way very soon. Quinn, the main female character swoops in and changes Cal's life, making him realise that there is more to life than the troubles that fill Hawkin's Hollow. At times Quinn is a little annoying - she was a bit full on for me - very direct and forthright in her nature. 
I loved the way the little group of six formed a united front. The way their lives were entwined together; the circumstances that brought about their involvement with each other. 
All the characters in the book stood out. I am guessing this author likes to know each and every one's  back story, as they are extremely life like in nature, each with their own set of problems and beliefs. 
The ending wasn't as climatic as I thought it would be, but I understand why as this is only the first book of the three and I can see that the suspense will only build and build as the series progresses.
I desperately need the next two books now - I have to know what happens next. 
I shall enjoy welcoming Nora Roberts into my book collection.

Thursday 22 November 2012

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Pages - 333
Published by Templar Publishing in July 2011
Water calms me. It's like chocolate or hot tea or dulce de leche ice cream. After a rotten day, I lock the bathroom door, fill Aunt Rachel's old-timey bath with steaming water and bath salts, and then sink into a world where my problems all melt away. 
Goodreads Summary

Unrequited love is hard enough when you're a normal teenage girl, but for Lily Sanderson, there's no such thing as a simple crush.
Lily has a secret, and it's not her huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Lily's mermaid identity is a secret that can't get out, since she's not just any mermaid--she's a Thalassinian princess. When she discovered three years ago that her mother was actually a human, Lily finally realised why she didn't feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she's been going to Seaview High ever since. Living on land has its problems--like her obnoxious biker-boy neighbour, Quince Fletcher--but it has that one major perk: Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren't really the casual dating type--when they bond, it's for life.
When Lily's attempt to win Brody's love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily ever after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.
********

This was a delightfully cute book that warmed my heart. At  the beginning I was convinced that if was younger than YA as it seemed so innocent in nature, but as the book progressed it filled it's YA shoes. Although I am still convinced that the tweenie age bracket will be yearning for this one too. 
This is one of the best mermaid books I have read so far within the mermaid genre, and believe me, lately there have been a lot! There are no added extras, you have an idea where the plot is going, and you're happy to  swim along for the ride. 
From the beginning I loved Quince. As much as the author tried to put us off him, I could see beneath his annoying surface and see he was a keeper! Lily took so long to see the truth, I found at times I wanted to shake her so that she could see what a wondrous creature stood before her. She is just a little bit self centred and just can't see how amazing Quince is, when everyone around her can.  I didn't like Brody at all, but I have never been fond of Golden Boys! 
I loved the setting of Thalassina - it was AMAZING! It sounded like an awesome place to visit, the way the author described it, made it easy to imagine in my head. 
The epilogue was a bit of shocker. I honestly didn't expect that to happen. And if I'm honest, the ending surprised me too. I came away thinking that Tera Lynn Childs might be a tricksy character in real life.  
If you are looking for a mermaid YA book, then this one would definitely be at the top of my list to recommend. 

Wednesday 21 November 2012

Breathe by Sarah Crossan


Review by Caroline Hodges
Pages - 373
Published by Bloomsbury in October 2012
I squeeze Abel’s hand and he looks at me. ‘Now?’ he asks. He puts his other hand into his pocket.
‘No, no. Not yet,’ I whisper. Several cameras are trained right at us and there’s a steward only metres away. I pull Abel close and nuzzle his neck. We aren’t a couple but posing as one makes us less conspicuous.
When oxygen levels plunge in a treeless world, a state lottery decides which lucky few will live inside the Pod. Everyone else will slowly suffocate. Years after the Switch, life inside the Pod has moved on. A poor Auxiliary class cannot afford the oxygen tax which supplies extra air for running, dancing and sports. The rich Premiums, by contrast, are healthy and strong. Anyone who opposes the regime is labelled a terrorist and ejected from the Pod to die. Sixteen-year-old Alina is part of the secret resistance, but when a mission goes wrong she is forced to escape from the Pod. With only two days of oxygen in her tank, she too faces the terrifying prospect of death by suffocation. Her only hope is to find the mythical Grove, a small enclave of trees protected by a hardcore band of rebels. Does it even exist, and if so, what or who are they protecting the trees from? 
*******
A few weeks before reading Breathe, someone on Twitter tweeted a joke image of ‘iOxygen,’ a joke that one day Apple would own oxygen as well as most of the gadget market. I had a giggle then didn’t think anything more of it.
But then I started reading Breathe and suddenly the idea became all too real. This dystopian novel takes place in the not too distant future, where climate change mixed with human attempts to defeat it has actually resulted in the death of all trees and plants. The bottom line? No air to breathe at all in the natural atmosphere.
Some of the descriptions of what happened in the initial aftermath of the air running out are chilling – a lottery was run and a select few chosen to live in the Pod, a city within a giant glass bubble run by Breathe, the company that has managed to manufacture oxygen. But for the unlucky majority, they were left to die, slowly suffocating.
The book is set many years after this and revolves around the teenage descendants of those living under Breathe. Yet life is not easy. Divisions in social class have only gotten worse, with those able to afford ample oxygen able to run and breathe as deeply as they like. Whilst those that can’t afford it are subject to restrictions on walking speed let alone running. Heck even having sex is considered an activity too oxygen intensive for most!
But as there always is in these novels, a resistance is rising. Out in the wasteland of the old world people are learning to survive on the low oxygen levels, and they are sharing the skill with others.
There were parts that impressed me about Breathe but then there were some really odd things that just ruined the believability of the whole situation.
The idea of oxygen as a commodity rather than what we know as perhaps the only truly free resource available to us is an excellent concept and the link to climate change as a way in which this resource was lost and monopolised is ingenious and compelling. But then there is the resistance, lead by basically a tree-hugging hippy who not only takes advice from a nine year old but suddenly just lets everything she has built up crumble to pieces, leaving the responsibility to the teenage main characters. Crossan starts out portraying her as a strong, no-nonsense woman, but ultimately she becomes distinctly unlikeable and pathetic. It just doesn’t make sense. I also felt that whilst the first two thirds of the novel had a nice pace to them and I was really very much enjoying the novel, the end was too rushed and chaotic.
The main characters are however engaging although perhaps slightly clichéd. There’s Bea, the quiet, clever one, struggling in a poor, oxygen-starved family, Quinn the womanising cocky one from the rich family and Alina who slams into their world and turns their lives onto the path of the resistance.
There is also a host of supporting characters with some very nice moments; I would particularly like to see more from Alina’s cousin Silas.
All in all a great twist on a dystopian novel with a worryingly plausible context.

Tuesday 20 November 2012

The City’s Son by Tom Pollock


Published by Jo Fletcher Books (Quercus) in August 2012
454 pages
I’m hunting. The sun sits low over Battersea, its rays streaking the brickwork like warpaint as I pad through the railway tunnels. My prey can’t be far ahead now: there’s a bitter burnt stench in the air, and every few yards I find another charred bundle that used to be a rat.

Good Reads Summary:
Expelled from school, betrayed by her best friend and virtually ignored by her dad, who’s never recovered from the death of her mum, Beth Bradley retreats to the sanctuary of the streets, looking for a new home. What she finds is Filius Viae, the ragged and cocky crown prince of London, who opens her eyes to the place she’s never truly seen.
But the hidden London is on the brink of destruction. Reach, the King of the Cranes, is a malign god of demolition, and he wants Filius dead. In the absence of the Lady of the Streets, Filius’ goddess mother, Beth rouses Filius to raise an alleyway army, to reclaim London’s skyscraper throne for the mother he’s never known. Beth has almost forgotten her old life – until her best friend and her father come searching for her, and she must choose between the streets and the life she left behind
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As is clear from the very first paragraph, The City’s Son is not for the faint of heart. It is a lively and demanding urban fantasy full of great invention. The whole novel pulsates with imaginative creations such as the eponymous Filius Viae, and the reader is led into an exhilarating, terrifying alternative London.
The story runs deeper than mere cleverness however and there is much to terrify, elate and at times, shock. We are led through a world of dazzling urban splendour, always with a gritty edge, and there are moments of betrayal, tenderness and grim humour.
Readers need to be happy with shifts of viewpoint (first person and third) and adult language. As a rule, although violent and distressing on occasion, it is not gratuitously so. Without giving away spoilers, there are twists and turns in the plot that the reader really needs to keep a track of.
You would enjoy this if you like the desperation and shifts in allegiance of The Hunger Games, and the strange counter-world of Good Omens. I can’t say much more or I might ruin the read, but it is clearly part of a sequence. This is no bad thing if you revel in this other-London.
I would suggest that the language in it (which is by no means in appropriate in context) means it can’t really be recommended for younger readers- which is a shame. It might have been a good idea to invent an alternative vocabulary. This is a very minor point, however, and there is a great deal to enjoy and empathise with.
Highly recommended for those who thrive on complex, gritty works full of surreal enchantment.

Monday 19 November 2012

Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNamara

Pages - 342
Published by Simon and Schuster in November 2012
Be careful what you wish for.
I had things I didn't want, and then I lost them. One minute I was breaking up with my boyfriend, Patrick, the next I was the only one left standing. Empty-handed. A ghost who I 'd been. Broken in a way you can't see when you meet me. 
Goodreads Summary

Since the night of the crash, Wren Wells has been running away. Though she lived through the accident that killed her boyfriend Patrick, the girl she used to be didn't survive. Instead of heading off to college with her friends as planned, Wren retreats to her father's isolated studio in the far-north woods of Maine. Somewhere she can be alone.
Then she meets Cal Owen. Dealing with his own troubles, Cal's hiding out too. And when the chemistry between them threatens to pull Wren from her hard-won isolation, Wren has to choose: risk opening her broken heart to the world again, or join the ghosts who haunt her.
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I 've sat here for half an hour, trying to put into words how wonderful this book is, but I feel like everything I write just doesn't do it justice. The urge to just shout 'Read It' is overwhelming but I know that won't be enough to tempt you. So I shall try my best to show you just how beautiful this book is while handing you a box of Kleenex in readiness. 
This stunning debut novel is a quiet, contemplative story completely driven by the awesome characters that are held within it. The book revolves around the two main characters, Wren and Cal, as their lives intertwine. These two characters appear to be damaged by life, like two young fledgling birds each with a broken wing. The budding relationship is seen as disastrous by some of the people closest to them, but it is obvious they are just the right antidote for the pain that burns inside them. They may not be able to fly solo, but together they manage a beautiful flight. 
Wren's is suffering a loss that is so severe, her family are concerned she will never recover. Her pain oozes out of the pages like an open wound constantly weeping as life hits her again and again  with memories of the past. I found myself getting so annoyed with her mother, as she constantly pushed her to return to normality. I wanted to shout at her. Does she not realise that grief is a personal journey, not a race to normality and happiness? Grief takes everyone in different ways and cannot be rushed to relieve the awkwardness of others. This book shows how people can often expect too much from people and should learn to deal with their own issues before they invest unwanted time in others.  
As Wren's relationship with Cal begins to develop, I felt like I was watching a broken glass in reverse, slowly sticking back together, but in a disjointed way - it will never look the same but it will be able to function normally. 
The ending really finalised my love for this book as Wren's existence changed the lives of the people around her. She wanted to hide, be invisible, yet she unknowingly pulled everyone in around her, to love her, to change their own destinies, to become a family. You watch as she changes and becomes stronger - her fight with Meredith, the final break with the past. I've had quite a long discussion about the ending of the book with Casey from Dark Readers, who was struggling to feel comfortable with it. The way I saw it was that finally she was learning to cope with life. She could deal with responsibility again, which she would never have been able to do at the beginning of the book. Her broken wing had finally mended, albeit a little crooked. 
This book is the most emotional book I've read all year. It creeps into your heart and silently steals it away. It left me speechless. The words from the song, How To Save A Life by The Fray were instantly brought to my mind. As well as  Jenn Crowel's book, Necessary Madness, which ripped my heart out years ago when it debuted. Amy McNamara has the same grasp of human emotion and frailty within this book, that made me cry so much while reading it. I wonder whether the author has felt grief like this because it is so realistic, it would be hard to believe she hadn't. 
If you have experienced the cycle of grief as depicted in this book, then be warned you will remember and you will cry. This is a stunning debut that will touch your heart and stay within your memory.

Sunday 18 November 2012

Letterbox Love (16)


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!  Also all the books I have bought this week - as if I didn't have enough. 
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Review Books
The lovely peeps at Piatkus Entice have been teasing me with books this week. Miranda's Mount by Philippa Ashley ( which won best E-book at the Festival of Romance awards this week) and A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas are two of their digital titles which have both been released in November. To find out what other delights Piatkus Entice have, please click here
Also from Piatkus, I received Storm's Heart by Thea Harrison, which is the second book in the Dragon Bound series. This will be published on the 27th November. 
Forbidden by Jacqueline Frank - this will be my first Jacqueline Frank book as it is the start of a new spin off book, from her popular Nightwalkers series. Published on the 27th November.
Jane Eyrotica can only be described as Fifty Shades of Grey meets Jane Eyre! Published on the 29th of November.
Rogue Rider by Larissa Ione is the fourth book in the Lord of the Deliverance series. Published on the 20th November. 
Thank you ever so much to Piatkus for such an abundance of books!
How to Fall by Jane Casey is the first YA crime thriller from the best selling author Jane Casey and will be published in January 2013. Thank you Corgi.
Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher has been on my wish list since I first heard about it last year. Annabel brought us My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece, which so far has been nominated for 24 awards. This new book will be published in January 2013. Thank you Orion Children's Books
Hidden by P.C and Kristen Cast is the tenth book in the House of Night series and was published in October. The series is presently having a cover makeover so look out for the new look in stores now. Thank you Atom Books.
Lexiland by Suzi Moore is a heartwarming debut novel about coping with grief and loss. It will be published by Simon and Schuster at the end of January 2013.
Netgalley Review
I received this book to review via Netgalley from Bloomsbury. Hysteria is the second book from Megan Miranda who brought us Fractured last year. This will be published on February 14th. Thank you Bloomsbury.
Books Bought
I had a little splurge this week. Especially for my Kindle...
A Winter Flame by Milly Johnson
Dream Little Dream by Sue Moorcroft - this was published last week by ChocLit and will be my first book by this author.
A 1980's Childhood by Michael R Johnson.
Yours Truly by Kirsty Greenwood. Kirsty is well known as the editor of the lovely blog Novelicious and has worked hard to get this book published. This is a self published book and I look forward to reading it. 
At the moment I am exploring the New Adult genre. I couldn't resist these two books.
Slammed by Colleen Hoover
Easy by Tammara Webber

So these are all the lovely goodies to come into my house this week. Which one shall I read first?

Saturday 17 November 2012

Chuck A Book with Debra from Book Cafe


Today on Chuck a Book, I would like to welcome Debra from Debra's Book Cafe. The pictures of the books chosen by Debra are linked straight back to their summaries on Goodreads, in case you want to find out more about them. 
1) The best book you have ever read.

The best book I have ever read has to be The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks (very quickly followed by the rest of the books by Nicholas Sparks). The Wedding was and is one of those books that makes me just exhale slowly when finishing the last page as I had not been realising that I had been holding my breath not wanting to break the reading... The character and story build up was the best part of this book for me...
2) A book you loved from your childhood.
In my teens, I absolutely loved the Babysitter Club series by Ann M Martin. I never managed to read all of them because there are so many but loved the interactions between the Babysitters.
3) A book that made you laugh.
Recently, that one has to be What I did on my holidays by Chrissie Manby. In this book you have a character who has broken up with her boyfriend just before she had planned to go on holiday with him. Everyone knows that she has split up with her boyfriend and so she decides to say that she is going on the holiday without him but really she doesn't and decides to hideaway in her flat. Watching her story unfold and see her try to keep her secret, is so funny.
4) A book you could not finish.
There are not a lot of books that I can't finish. I usually don't like to leave a book unfinished and will have to go back to it a few times before I admit defeat. One of those is Chime by Franny Billingsley. I loved the read up of the back and thought this was an interesting idea for a story but this was one that I just could not get into and found it very slow to get into.
5) A book that made you swoon.

There are many many books that I could put into this catagory, including Twilight and any of the Nicholas Sparks novels...
6) A book you can’t wait to read.
Oh dear, I fear that if I list all the ones I can't wait to read this might turn into a novel lol! To name a couple those would have to be the rest of the Pretty Little Liars series to date after Wanted.. There are a few out that I haven't picked up yet and really cannot wait to read those. I love the TV show.
7) A series you have read and loved.
My favourite YA series so far has to be Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr. I loved the character build up and story progression in this series but the one thing that I loved the most was when you moved from book 1 to book 2 and so on, the viewpoint changes but the storyline still goes on. You are just looking at it from a different perspective! Love it!
8) A book that made you cry.
This one has to be Radiate by Marley Gibson. When I picked up this book I looked at the cover and saw a cheerleader and a yellow background and I thought this was going to be a nice easy type of read. I was so many degrees of wrong.... This follows the story of Hayley who has always dreamed of becoming a cheerleader but when she discovers she has cancer and could lose her leg, she has to fight for both her life and her right to be a cheerleader again... AMAZING read!!!


9) Your guilty pleasure book.
I would have to say that my guilty pleasure in reading is a genre and not a particular book... I love reading biographies but not just popular artists etc but everything... I am completely addicted to reading about people's lives...


10) A book that took you out of your comfort zone.
This has to be Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier. I usually tend to stick to YA/Romance/Chicklit style books but I am always open to trying new books and new genres. This is a historic fiction and I really enjoyed it. It did take me a little while to get into the feel of the history of the book but once I did, I loved it!

Thank you Debra for a fabulous list. I have definitely added to my TBR list since reading this post.
If you would like to take part in Chuck A Book then please email me at vivienne_dacosta@hotmail.com