Thursday 31 January 2013

The Girl Who Chased The Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

The Girl Who Chased The Moon
Pages 257
Published by Hodder Books in 2010
Book – own copy.
It took a moment for Emily to realize the car had come to a stop. She looked up from her charm bracelet, which she’d been worrying in slow circles around her wrist., and stared out the window. The two giant oaks in the front yard looked like flustered ladies caught mid curtsy, their starched green leaf-dresses swaying in the wind.
Goodreads Summary
Emily Benedict came to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother’s life. For instance, why did Dulcie Shelby leave her hometown so suddenly? Why did she vow never to return? But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew—a reclusive, real-life gentle giant—she realizes that mysteries aren’t solved in Mullaby, they’re a way of life.
Everyone in Mullaby adores Julia Winterson’s cakes. She offers them to satisfy the town’s sweet tooth and in the hope of bringing back the love she fears she’s lost forever. In Julia, Emily may have found a link to her mother’s past. But why is everyone trying to discourage Emily’s growing relationship with the handsome and mysterious son of Mullaby’s most prominent family? Emily came to Mullaby to get answers, but all she’s found so far are more questions.
******
Reading a Sarah Addison Allen book is always such a delight.  Her words fill you with hope and make you believe that magic really does exist. I have loved every book of hers that I have read and this one is no different. This book has a distinctive Southern feel to it, and you are soon caught up in the delightful close knit town of Mullaby, where the residents have some quirky characteristics they keep hidden from visitors.Seeing the village through Emily’s eyes you are captivated by the mysterious Mullaby lights that roam through the woods.  I loved the power that Julia had over people, to lure them to her by the delicious aroma of her home made cakes. Both Emily and Julia are trying to find out where they belong in life, they are both searching for what seems an elusive dream – home. What they don’t realise at first is that they have already found it.  I loved Vance, Emily’s grandfather, also known as the friendly giant. His extremely tall frame hid a shy man who struggled to fill his big personality shoes, .   The author is an expert at making you dribble as you gobble up all the delicious food references amply supplied in her books.  I am always amazed at the magical elements this author manages to conjure up in her writing. Mood changing wallpaper – seriously amazing and something I definitely want.I really loved this book. I found it enlightening, captivating and magically charming. A sugar coated tale, full of inspirational characters on a journey to find home.

Wednesday 30 January 2013

Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black

 
Dance of Shadows (Dance of Shadows, #1)Published by Bloomsbury in February 2013
Book kindly sent by publisher for review.
Pages: 389
In the harsh glare of the lights, Chloe's shadow stretched across the stage. Her toes pointed and taut, her arms fluttering like wings, she arched her neck and watched as her own silhouette seemed to move without her...
Goodreads Summary
Dancing with someone is an act of trust. Elegant and intimate; you're close enough to kiss, close enough to feel your partner's heartbeat. But for Vanessa, dance is deadly – and she must be very careful who she trusts . . .
Vanessa Adler attends an elite ballet school – the same one her older sister, Margaret, attended before she disappeared. Vanessa feels she can never live up to her sister's shining reputation. But Vanessa, with her glorious red hair and fair skin, has a kind of power when she dances – she loses herself in the music, breathes different air, and the world around her turns to flames . . .
Soon she attracts the attention of three men: gorgeous Zep, mysterious Justin, and the great, enigmatic choreographer Josef Zhalkovsky. When Josef asks Vanessa to dance the lead in the Firebird, she has little idea of the danger that lies ahead – and the burning forces about to be unleashed .
********
I feel like I ‘m in a minority with this book because I really enjoyed it. From the first few pages I was sucked into the excitement and anticipation at the prospect of studying in New York. Yet as I progressed with the story it was obvious that darkness was enveloping the new students and my stomach began to get squeamish. I could feel myself being drawn into this compelling tale.
I loved the fact it centred on ballet. I haven’t read any other dance orientated books before so that was quite refreshing.  The author obviously knows a lot about ballet, because her descriptions were very detailed and believable.
I loved the paranormal element to it, though I was surprised it didn’t appear earlier in the story. The beginning of the book portrays a contemporary thriller when really it is more paranormal as the story progresses. The author adds lots of unexpected twists and turns to the story which kept me on the edge of my seat. It was quite obvious by the end that another book would be following to finish the story.
Most of the characters were believable. I only struggled with Zep, who I found annoying. The quick change from aloof popular boy to quiet, contemplative new girl’s boyfriend was difficult to believe at times. Out of all my characters Blaine was my favourite. The conversations that occurred between the girls and him were hilarious at times.  I was a bit concerned how quickly friendships were made. Some characters were talking as though they had known each other longer than they really had and the relationship between Zep and Vanessa seemed a little instantaneous. However I did read an ARC copy so these things may have been picked up before the final copy was printed.
On the whole I really enjoyed this book and I was completely gripped by the story. I read the book in two days as I just had to find out what happened!

 

Tuesday 29 January 2013

Lexiland by Suzi Moore


Lexiland
Pages - 278
Published in January 2013
Book kindly sent by publisher for a review.
My sister died on March the first which was really annoying because it was my birthday. It was our birthday. Laura was my identical twin.
Goodreads Summary
Two years ago ten-year-old Emma’s twin sister, Laura, died at their birthday party, and since then Emma’s life has not been the same. Without her louder and stronger sister, Emma starts
to feel lonely and invisible. Then someone totally different steps into her world.
Lexi is an unpredictable force of nature. She has wild red hair and wears an eye patch. What happened to her? Where is she from? Lexi is a mystery to Emma, a mystery which slowly unravels as they become friends. With Lexi’s help, Emma finds the courage to ask questions about Laura’s death—but will she be able to cope with the answers she uncovers?
********
This is one of those magical books that make you laugh and cry simultaneously. From the first line, I knew I should feel sad, but then the main character says something that makes you laugh and you find yourself furtively looking around to make sure no one saw you laughing at a tragic situation. The story is told in first person from Emma’s point of view, so you come to terms with the situation and the death of her sister at the same time as she does. It becomes clear as the story progresses that Emma isn’t fully aware of all the facts that influence her life, and the author pulls the wool over our eyes, holding it tightly until she is ready for us to read the truth. There were events within the story I really didn’t see coming and to discover that in a children’s book, I was extremely impressed.
Emma is a child in the story and I really think the author has captured her innocence and adolescent nature perfectly. Emma is dealing with an adult situation and struggling to come to terms with it as her parents are so involved with their own grief they cannot see how Emma is self-destructing before their eyes. Emma is very lonely and you just want to hug her. I loved her to bits!
The other characters were captivating and believable. Emma’s granddad really caught my attention; his travels were interesting and colourful. I loved that he lived on a houseboat. Lexi was enigmatic and really helped Emma to shine again.
I think the author got the twin relationship spot on, especially the bickering part between them. Being the parent of identical twins, I was really impressed with the way they were written. The playground arguments and the bullying within the playground were extremely real scenes to me. The trials and tribulations of friendship groups play a big part of this book and it shows how difficult it is to find the right friend.
I found the story to be very realistic and extremely poignant at times. I loved the way all the dialogue was set out. It was laid out like speeches in scripts. There is an element of the paranormal within the book, which added an extra touch of magic to whole story.
A magical children’s novel that blends sadness and happiness so naturally to create a gorgeous contemporary tale.

 

Setting The Scene by Suzi Moore

On the blog today, I am happy to have Suzie Moore, the lovely debut author of Lexiland, which I will be reviewing this afternoon.
I spent a great deal of time thinking about where to set my first novel and after a trip back to Bristol to visit friends I knew that is had to be set in a city I had lived in for years and still loved. Whilst I had lived all over Bristol I decided that my main character should live almost exactly where I first lived when I moved there aged 20. After that it felt as though I spent a great deal of my time mentally wandering around the town. I now live on Exmoor where the moor meets the sea and despite looking out of my office window to moorland views I felt very much as though I was back in Bristol every day, which was just fine by me.
In the story Eddie is taken to visit her Grandfather and without thinking or knowing how I had written the word Oxford. In fact I carried on writing those chapters without really coming up for air, if that makes sense. Only after wards when I was reading though the rough words did I know why. Earlier that year I spent some time in Oxford visiting friends. I liked it so much I decided to stay a while longer. I rented a little studio flat in Jericho and took my work with me. I was supposed to do a great deal of writing there but I didn’t. I read a lot of books but I didn’t write a single thing! Instead I got to know Oxford, my moorland runs were replaced with sprints down the canal or dodging the various bikes in town and when I was ready to write again I came home. Oxford and its beautiful buildings came with me particularly the houseboats I had seen on the canal.
To find out more about Suzi Moore:
Twitter: @suzimoore1
Lexiland

Monday 28 January 2013

Hooked by Liz Fichera

Hooked (Hooked, #1)

 
 
Pages - 368
Published by Harlequin Teen in January 2013
Copy obtained via Net Galley
I believed that my ancestors lived among the stars. Whenever I struck a golf ball, sometimes the ball soared so high that I thought they could touch it.
Goodreads Summary
When Native American Fredricka ‘Fred’ Oday is invited to become the only girl on the school’s golf team, she can’t say no. This is an opportunity to shine, win a scholarship and go to university, something no one in her family has done.
But Fred’s presence on the team isn’t exactly welcome — especially not to rich golden boy Ryan Berenger, whose best friend was kicked off the team to make a spot for Fred.
But there’s no denying that things are happening between the girl with the killer swing and the boy with the killer smile...
*********
I enjoyed Hooked more than I thought I would. To be honest there is something about the cover that I find off putting. I think it might be the colour; the black and white aspect of it. Shallow I know! Luckily I read the blurb before I made my decision to read it and that literally had me hooked.
Firstly I can’t remember ever reading a YA book about golf, so hats off to the author for originality there. I was surprised how much I loved the golf aspect of the story, seeing as I have never picked up an iron in my life. One of the main characters Fred is an American Indian girl playing on an all-white, all male golf team for the school. This girl has got guts! She goes up against Seth, with his psychopathic tendencies, who hates her intensely because she took his spot on the golf team. He goes out of his way to make her life a misery. I loved Fred because she was so strong even though she wore her innocence like an extra layer of skin, she wouldn’t let them defeat her and pull her down. She continued to believe in herself.
Secondly, I loved the fact the author let us delve into the world of the American Indians.  We were privileged to be allowed access to traditions that they hold sacred. I don’t think there are enough books featuring American Indians, the only others I can remember are the Twilight books by Stephanie Meyer. I think they are such interesting and vibrant people that they should definitely feature in more YA books.
The book is told from alternative perspectives between Fred and Ryan, who is the All American boy, who gets everything he wants, delivered to him on a shiny silver platter. Yet his family is dysfunctional and he plays up against that fact. You want to hate him to begin with, but he falls so hard and so quickly for Fred, you find yourself nodding in approval at this blossoming yet fragile romance.
This book looks strongly at relationships that go against the odds. When two people come from such different backgrounds, this book shows it isn’t impossible for their relationship to work. Fred and Ryan couldn’t be more opposite to each other, yet it was lovely to see their love grow. I did struggle a little with the romance, as both characters struggled to get it right. There was a lot of will they, won’t they going on, which got a tad annoying.
This book reminded me of Pretty In Pink but with golf!
I thought this was a really good start to the series and I can’t wait to read the second book where we see Riley, Ryan’s younger sister find romance with another character already featured in this first book.
 

Sunday 27 January 2013

100 Books In A Year Challenge 2013

Caroline over at Book Chick City has hosted this for the last few years and I haven't ever taken part before because I always read more than 100. However after seeing Sarah from Feeling Fictional set her total as higher I thought I would join in. So I aim to read 160 books this year as part of this challenge. I managed 150 this year so I would like to beat that score. See the sign up details below, if you are interested in joining in then please click here.

SIGN-UP DETAILS

To sign up you MUST make a post on your blog about participating in the challenge. Please feel free to use the banner above, however, a link via the image back to this post, so others can join the challenge if they wish, would be much appreciated.

CHALLENGE DETAILS

  • Timeline: 01 Jan 2013 – 31 Dec 2013
  • Rules: Read 100 books in 2013 (any genre)
  • You don’t have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.
  • You can join at anytime. All books read in 2013 count towards the challenge regardless of when you sign up.
  • At the beginning of Jan 2013, you will find a link to specific month to add your reviews.
  • Audiobooks are accepted.
  • Only fiction, no non-fiction.
  • This challenge can crossover to other challenges.
  • You DO NOT have to write reviews of the books you read, but if you decide to then a place will be available each month  for you to link up your reviews.
  • You don’t have to have a blog to join in – for those without a blog but who use Goodreads, Amazon, LibraryThing etc, you can add the URL to where you track your books. If you don’t have a URL at all then choose a name you would like to use and then copy and paste the following link: http://wp.me/p2wdqf-6ZI

Letterbox Love (22)


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! This meme is hosted by the amazing Lynsey from Narratively Speaking.

For Review
Wendy Quill is a Crocodile's Bottom is by Wendy Meddour and is the first standalone book in a series about school, friendships and life. This is a debut from a mother and daughter team. Wendy's 11 year old daughter, Mina did all the illustrations. That alone makes this book worth reading. Published by Oxford University Press in April.  
Dead To You by Lisa McMann is published by Scholastic in May. I get the impression that I am guaranteed to read this is one setting. A thriller to keep me thrilled. The blurb says ‘What happens if you’re abducted as a child and then nine year later, you come home?’ Can’t wait to read it.
Parallel by Lauren Miller has been described as ‘Sliding Doors meets The Time Travellers Wife. ‘It will be published in June by Scholastic.
Infinite Sky by C.J. Flood. This is the hardback copy of the book. As I already have another copy I will be giving this away very shortly in a competition, so please keep watching the blog. This is published by Simon and Schuster on the 14th February and is a poignant coming of age tale by a debut author.
Drowning Instinct by Ilsa J. Bick. This is a dark tale involving a student and a teacher. I can’t help but think of the Police song – Don’t Stand So Close To Me, when I think about this book. I can’t wait to read it. I have heard a lot about Ilsa’s previous books – Ashes and Shadows, so I look forward to reading this one. Published by Quercus in March.
Moon Bear by Gill Lewis. I swooned when I saw the final finished cover for this book; it has the most adorable bear on it that you will want to hug! This is a powerful and deeply moving story of a boy and his bear. I may need the hankies for this one. Published by Oxford University Press in May.
Finding Cherokee Brown by Siobhan Curham is published by Egmont in March. A beautiful book from the award winning author of Dear Dylan, about what happens when you dare to dream.
That’s all I got this week, I managed to stay away from Amazon and Net Galley which bruised my will power! What did you get?

Saturday 26 January 2013

The Ten Rules of Skimming by Zelda Compton & Jess Swainton

The Ten Rules of Skimming
Published by Mogzilla in September 2012
176 pages with illustrations
‘Adam opened his eyes lazily, his grandfather’s muttering was proof that breath still made it in and out of his lungs. He sat perfectly still, trying to prolong the dream. He’d been so cold. But now the heat was creeping through him, inch by inch spreading upwards into his arms and into his hands. Hands that lay encased in his grandfather’s hands. How had that happened?’’
Summary from Mogzilla site
Half book, half graphic-novel The Ten Rules of Skimming is the debut novel by Zella Compton. It has artwork by artist Jess Swainson on almost every page. 
Ever had the shivery feeling that someone is ‘walking over your grave’? It’s someone skimming your soul. Adam finds that skimming brings an amazing rush but joy-riding across minds comes with risks.
When he meets Jenny-Ray, he learns about the Board, with their list of approved ‘hosts’ to visit. The consequences of disobedience are terrifying.
**********
Zella Compton’s first published novel is a dark and imaginative story with an intriguing central premise. What if you could slip into other people’s consciousness, leap from one mind to another?
 The format is also unusual –like Henry Tumour by Anthony McGowan & Andy Horan, or Slog’s Dad by David Almond & Dave McKean, there are black and white illustrations throughout. These break up the text and give breathing space for some pretty extraordinary ideas. It would be interesting to see this as a larger format, full-on manga.
 The identity of the sinister Questioner is not revealed till the end making for ongoing mystery and threat. The element of psychological peril increases as Adam’s interrogation proceeds and a small cast of distinct characters make the storyline easier to follow. There is a nicely drawn relationship between Adam and Spod, and the family tensions with his mother and little sister Marion come across well.
This book would particularly suit older 10+ readers looking for big ideas presented through a mix of text and graphics: it’s not as visual as a graphic novel but far less intimidating than long blocks of text in a more traditional format. Distinctive, interesting and likely to appeal to gamers.

Chuck a Book with Siobhan from Totally Bookalicious

Today on Chuck A Book, I am really please to welcome Siobhan from Totally Bookalicious. Photobucket
1) The best book you have ever read.Oh Dear I have read so many books that I loved but I think if I had to pick one it needs to be Boys Don't Cry by Malorie Blackman. I adore this book. It's the first book I managed to have a strong connection with because I could relate the main character because he is a single teen parent and so was I. And Malorie is just a genius.
2) A book you loved from your childhood.
Oh now is easy. Harry Potter! I grew up on those books. Book 1 was released when I was 10 and the last one was released when I was 20 and my son was nearly 1. Quite scary but pretty amazing how I really did grew up with Harry Potter. lol. However, my favourite one is Prisoner of Azkaban. I loved it so much.
3) A book that made you laugh.
Swim the Fly by Don Calame. Rarely do I find myself actually laughing out load a book but this one did. I was in stitches most of the time because it just so funny. It's got that typical boy crude humour and I don't know why but I find that funny. I was meant to be boy I think lol.
4) A book you could not finish.
Running for cover don't want attack for this. But Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. I tried my hardest to get into that book and really wanted to like it. Sadly it just wasn't for me. It sounded really good and I thought I would enjoy it but I couldn't even make it past page 50. 

5) A book that made you swoon.
Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. Travis OMG. It's the bad boy-slighty crazy thing he has going on. I can't help myself. Lol. This book just blew my mind and so did Travis. I have many other books that made me swoon but Travis is right at the top of my 2012 swoonworthy males.
6) A book you can’t wait to read.
What just one? There are so many I want, no, that I need! Although right at the top is Autumn Rose (The Dark Heroine #2) by Abigail Gibbs. I read Dinner with a Vampire (The Dark Heroine #1) a few weeks ago and it's my favourite read of 2012. I need the sequel and I am going to go insane waiting until Aug 2013.
7) A series you have read and loved.
Twilight Saga! Yeah I know, Lol but these books are like my babies! They are precious to me. They aren't the best books in the world. However, they are the books that got me hooked on reading and I still love them. I usually read them at least twice a year and they are also my go to books to help me if I am in a reading slump.

 
8) A book that made you cry.I think almost every book I read I cry at. I cry easily but one book that comes to mind it Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma. I have never cried so much in my life over a book. I was a complete mess. After I finished it, it took me around 30 minutes to stop and then even the next morning I ending up crying. It still brings a lump to my throat when I think about it.
9) Your guilty pleasure book.
Easy Peasy, Fifty Shades of Grey! Oh yeah!! Well actually, any book within that genre are my guilty pleasure. They are so naughty and in my mind I keep thinking I should not be enjoying these so much but I couldn't help it I got hooked lol.
10) A book that took you out of your comfort zone.
Honestly, I don't think I have a comfort zone now when it comes to reading. I am pretty much opened to try anything new. When I first got back into reading though all I read was paranormal but I wanted to try something else so I picked up Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. A Zombie Dystopia. At first it took me a while to get into it because at the time it wasn't my usual pick but I ended up loving it and now I like to keep my mind open to trying new genres.
 Thank you Siobhan for an excellent post. If you would like to take part in Chuck A Book, then please email me at vivienne_dacosta@hotmail.com.

Friday 25 January 2013

Secrets and Sapphires by Leila Rasheed

Secrets and Sapphires (At Somerton, #1)

Pages 295
Published Hot Key Books in January 2013
Lady Ada Averley leaned on the rail of the steamboat Moldavia, feeling the hum of the ship's huge engines through the steel, a rhythmic shudder like a giant's breathing. The black sea glittered with the reflection of the stars above her, and the wind tugged at her hat and loosened the dark curls that framed her pale face. Her features were a perfect mirror of her late mother's, but the grey eyes and the proudly lifted chin were pure Averley.
Goodreads Summary
One house, two worlds, dark secrets...
The year is 1910. For the past decade, the Averley family has lived a life of luxury in India, but now they must return to Lord Averley's ancestral estate, the sprawling, majestically beautiful Somerton Court. As the household staff hastily prepare for the family's arrival, they receive shocking news: Lord Averley is bringing back a fiancée with three children of her own, and on top of that, there are rumours of a terrible scandal surrounding Lord Averley's resignation as Lieutenant Governor of Bengal.
As the family settles in, tensions arise both upstairs and downstairs. Lady Ada must choose between her honour and her heart, Sebastian must fend off ruinous threats from a former servant (and lover...) and gentle housemaid Rose will find herself at the centre of a scandal so enormous it could destroy the Averleys' reputation forever.
Review
I was desperate to read this when I heard about the similarities between this book and Downtown Abbey and I wasn’t disappointed. At first you believe that the story is the historical version of Gossip Girl, full of rumours, gossip and back stabbing your nearest and dearest. But the story is so much more than that, as it brings to light the difficulties the teenagers of the time faced as they came to terms with the rights of women, mixed race relationships and homosexuality. This is a beautifully crafted and richly detailed story of the life above and below in the stunning estate of Somerton Court. The lives of the staff at Somerton are intricately entwined with the aristocratic Averley family. Although the class divides are clearly apparent, reality erases the clarity of that line. Everyone has secrets hidden that they are not proud; as time passes their secrets become common knowledge as the story unravels.
The book has a Cinderella feel to it. When Lord Averley remarries, he brings the new wicked stepmother and her obnoxious self-centred children to live with them at Somerton Court. However the new siblings are not as bad as the ones featured in Cinderella. The characters are intriguing, each hiding something that could risk their social status in society. As the book progresses, each of the teenage characters begins to rebel against society in their own way; they are distinctly part of the generation that changed society and were the ones that helped to crumble the class system.  The characters are extremely well written and seem to defy their historical stereotypes. Ada is very strong willed and determined to go to university, unsatisfied with the prospect of a loveless marriage. Sebastian struggling to come to terms with his sexuality and hoping his family will understand. The bond between Ada, Rose and Georgina was beautiful yet went completely against the rules of society.
The writing is very atmospheric and the author has obviously researched the era extremely well because the descriptions are so detailed. I felt that the writing hit all my senses at one as I absorbed each page.
The book finished at a stage where I felt more story was to be told, so I’m presuming this is the first in the series and I really look forward to reading more. This book was an exciting and enticing read that allows you to delve into the secret historical lives of the aristocracy. I can’t wait for the next book to find out what happens next.
 
 

Thursday 24 January 2013

Irresistible by Liz Bankes

Irresistible

Pages - 213
Published by Piccadilly Press in December 2012, paperback published in April 2013
‘Mia,’ she says, pronouncing it to rhyme with ‘higher’.
I think about correcting her, but then I chicken out. It’s fine. I’ll just have a new name.
Goodreads Summary
When Mia gets a job in a posh health/country club during her gap year, she is strikes up a friendship with the laconic and funny Dan. Dan is also working in the club and keeps Mia amused. However, she soon finds herself drawn to the wealthy bad boy, Jamie. Jamie is the beautiful and privileged Cleo’s boyfriend. Mia knows that her relationship with Jamie is wrong, but there’s something so dangerously exciting about Jamie that she just can’t stop
Review
I’m always intrigued by bloggers who have made the transition to authors so I really wanted to read this book.  This is definitely a promising start for Liz Bankes. The book has come out as the right time to capture the New Adult craze that is raging through the blogging world. This is the first British author to write in the New Adult market, and I am hoping a few more will follow suit.  Set in a hotel, I was quickly transported from the reality of winter to a sunny summer setting. This really took me back, as the main character had a very similar holiday job to the one I had as a teenager.
The main plot of the book is the romance between Mia and Jamie and it is interesting to see the changes in Jamie by the end of the book.
Mia is a little too innocent for my liking and I struggled with the way she was so easily  fooled. I wanted to shake some sense into her. She lies to everyone she knows and she couldn’t see that she was doing anything wrong. I didn’t warm to Jamie or Cleo either as I found them so shallow. They could have easily walked out of Cruel Intentions straight into this novel.
This book clearly shows the reality of the rich kids of today who have too much money and often not enough love from their families. The author has captured how spoilt and cruel they can be.
This book was like the English version of 90210.

An Interview With Crime Writing Author Mel Sherratt

Today I am really pleased  to have crime writing self publishing phenomenon and good blogging friend, Mel Sherratt on the blog to talk about her journey through the self publishing world.
1) You have just published your fourth book through the self publishing route. What kind of response are you getting?
It’s been a rollercoaster of a ride. I’ve just found out that Taunting the Dead is a Kindles top 100 best sellers of 2012 on Amazon.co.uk and I’m over the moon. My new series, The Estate, is doing well too so the response I’ve had has been amazing. 
2) This is the third book in your Estate series, can you tell us a little bit about it? 
Fighting for Survival, in terms of issues covered within it, has been my riskiest yet on the estate. It covers such things as self-harm, depression, stabbings and girl gangs. The main thing that links it altogether is peer pressure, I think – how we want to be seen by others and not necessarily who we are. And there’s a death in this one – one of the main characters. It was hard to do but imperative to show that not every story has a happy ending. I’ve also been told that some of the scenes show just how much something can spiral out of control.    
 3) Why did you choose to set your story in a fictional town rather than a real one? 
There were several reasons – the first being that I believe the Mitchell Estate, the fictional place in The Estate series can be located a few miles from anyone who reads them. Every city has its Mitchell Estate – that’s why some people think my work is realistic and others can’t believe things like that happen. Although it is fiction, some of them do. 
I also am quite often asked ‘is it based on the estates that you used to work on?’ and ‘are any of the stories real life cases you’ve dealt with?’ and for both I have to say no. I find most of my information from newspaper and television clips and everyday news. So, in order to distinguish it from the city where I live, I decided to create a fictional place. 
4) What made you choose the crime genre to write about?
 I think the genre chose me – although I’m still quite happy to write women’s fiction in a romantic comedy style too! The background that I mainly worked in was social housing so my writing became grittier and is what makes the stories different, I think. And I never planned on writing a police procedural with a crime to solve. I always wanted to write about victims of crime, fear and emotion.     
5) How did you find time to write and blog at the same time?
 I was ‘lucky’ enough to be made redundant so I made my redundancy last as long as I could and worked full time. I’m sure if I sat down and thought about it, I had the equivalent of a part time job as I ran my blog High Heels and Book Deals, which is why when the self-publishing took off, after two years I had to stop it. But for me, while I was doing it, I met a lot of people in the publishing business and bloggers and readers that knew of me when I released Taunting the Dead. And because I write quickly, I block off weeks at a time where I do nothing but write, so there was time for both at first.   
6) How did you begin your writing career?
 Honestly, I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing. I’ve always been scribbling down something or other, whether that is short stories that never got published or novels that are mostly available now after thorough editing and bringing up to date. In terms of making money as you would expect from a career, that was when I self-published.   
7) What made you want to self publish in the first place?
It was purely down to being rejected for years by mainstream publishers – and, I think, learning to write better during the time that I was. I never gave up and was always writing something. Taking time to learn a craft is the same for everyone – the hours you put in can suddenly start to pay off. So, because of the near misses I was getting with the publishing houses, I decided to give it a whirl myself. Self-publishing The Estate series was because the work is cross-genre and didn’t seem to fit in anyone’s remit. The series is a mixture of women’s fiction and crime – I call them emotional thrillers.   
8) I read that you have a new agent. How did that come about?
I was very lucky to be approached by several agents during the last few months of 2012. I met with three of those and actually, all three were great. I finally made my choice, Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency, and I haven’t looked back since. It’s great to have someone there who can maybe take me to the next level. There is only so much you can do by self-publishing and I don’t have a clue about foreign territories. It’s going to be a great partnership and I can’t wait to see what comes of it. It’s very exciting.  
9) What advice would you give others looking to self publish? 
Self-publishing is a challenge but I’d encourage anyone who wants to try for themselves to do it. It does depend on the individual author and their aspirations, plus the amount of time someone can dedicate to the other side of things other than the writing such as re-writing, editing, formatting, cover design, marketing etc. My advice is to take your time, make the product (because it is a product at the end of the day) the best you can and go for it.      
10) What are you working on now?
I’m busy working on my second draft of a new novel. I write my first draft really quickly to get down all my ideas and then on the second draft I enhance these ideas and add more to make it into a book. My second draft is a lot like many writers first drafts once it’s finished as everything gets tied up. It’s the hardest I work on a book – the thinking draft I call it. It’s still great fun as I’m at that stage where anything is a possibility.  Once that’s finished, I need to write a synopsis and three chapters of book two to go with it – which is brewing away nicely at the moment.  

To find out more about Mel Sharratt:
Twitter:@writermels
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mel-Sherratt/218120504951096?ref=hl

Wednesday 23 January 2013

Really Weird Removals.com by Daniela Sacerdoti


Really Weird Removals.com
Pages - 295
Published by Discover Kelpies in August 23rd 2012
My dad has hundreds of books. The walls of his study are covered in bookshelves, all the way up to the ceiling. He keeps books in unsteady towers all around, his computer, under his desk, on the window sills. Big books and small ones, ancient ones and brightly coloured ones.

Goodreads Summary
Mischievous fairies? Stranded mermaids? Smelly troll? Whatever your supernatural dilemma, call the Really Weird Removals company! Luca and Valentina's uncle Alistair is a paranormal investigator. When he realises the children can see the supernatural creatures that share our world, he invites them to join his team. With the help of Camilla, a friendly ghost, the Really Weird Removals team save a real-life stranded Nessie, help a selkie come ashore, and befriend werewolves. But this exciting new world is also packed with danger. When confronted by malicious kelpies and hungry vampires, can their wayward uncle keep the children safe?

 
Review
A year ago I had never heard of Daniela Sacerdoti, now fast forward to 2013 and she has become one of my favourite authors. She has published three very different books aimed at different age groups and I have loved all of them.
This is Daniela’s first children’s book which is aimed at the 9 to 12 age bracket. On first impressions I was convinced I had been transported to CBeebies’s Balamory. The island Eilean, where the story is set, sounds rather magical and just the type of place I would like to visit. Daniela is a very descriptive writer and has a wonderful knack of bringing every setting alive.  The style of writing was very reminiscent of the childhood classics I grew up reading. Every chapter detailed with a hook on the end.
Luca and Valentine are brilliant characters;  Valentina, a feisty younger sister with an unusual interest in dead sea creatures and Luca, the older brother, who is quieter and more thoughtful than his sister. These two lead a cast of quirky and original characters that will stay with me longer after finishing the book, all unusual but extremely believable.  Uncle Alistair, loud and yet completely bonkers. Camilla, the friendly ghost of a young girl murdered centuries ago. All so well written and well thought out. My favourite character of all had to be Finley! I’m pretty sure you will love him too when you meet him.
The story is told over the period of a year through episodic events that occur surrounding the Really Weird Removals company which is the pest control answer for the supernatural world. We join them on their adventures to capture and remove unwanted unusual creatures. Each season brings new wonders to be discovered and removed. I thought that this book could easily be made into four smaller books that would suit younger children too, as each season is covered and adventures happen within each.
Each chapter begins with an entry from the Scottish Paranormal Database detailing a mysterious creature that had been discovered throughout history. I learnt about mythical creatures I had never ever heard of and I was left with a list of creatures to find out more about.
This next paragraph definitely has spoilers, so cover your eyes and scoot past if you haven’t read the book.
As the story progresses, Luca discovers that he is a sea whisperer; he can talk fluently with all the mythical sea creatures. Oh how I loved that idea! I want to be a sea whisperer too! I wish that talent really existed.
On the whole, I really enjoyed reading this book, it was a delightful read for the child hidden within. If you haven’t read a book by Daniela Sacerdoti, then you are sadly missing out.

Tuesday 22 January 2013

North of Nowhere by Liz Kessler

Pages 229
Published by Orion Children's Books on 17th January 2013
I need to write it all down. That's the only way I'll believe it's true.
Spring half-term of Year Eight. All those incredible, impossible things. Did they really happen? I've tried a hundred times to tell myself that they couldn't have done, that none of it is possible.
Amazon Summary
When Mia's grandfather disappears, Mia and her mother immediately rush down to stay with her grandmother and offer support. With no friends and no internet access in the little seaside village where her grandparents live, Mia is bored and lonely--until she makes friends with Dee, the daughter of a fisherman from a nearby island, and Peter, who is on holiday with his parents. But Mia's grandad is still missing, and actually meeting face to face with Dee is proving surprisingly difficult. Mia becomes determined to find out what's going on, but the truth is much more mysterious than she ever imagined...
********
Liz Kessler has done it again. 
North of Nowhere seems to have collected the essence of excellent time travel stories and weaved them together to make a modern, believable book with a strong British feel to it that is a ruddy good read. 
There is the growing and long lasting friendship I so loved in Tom's Midnight Garden and the detailed planning of time travel to save the future from the past that was such a major part of the Back To The Future films. There is a heartbreaking moment too, which brought tears to my eyes as I remembered something similar that happened to Nicholas Lyndhurst in Goodnight Sweetheart. 
Liz captured the mind of the pre teen so accurately that she could almost have been sat in my house listening to my two in conversation. 
I also thought the book handled the difficulties that often do occur because of the generation gap extremely well. I loved the way Mia was beginning to realise that perhaps raising her voice and arguing wasn't really going to get her anywhere. My girls are just beginning to adopt the 'Be Nice' strategy.
I loved that the story was told from multiple points of view, as well as using other methods to communicate such as letters and the diary. 
I was not expecting the ending at all. I can’t say what I wasn’t expecting or I’ll give it away, but I’ll just say the ending took me by surprise!
I thought North of Nowhere was stunning! Mindblowing!  I can’t say much more to express how much I loved it because this book insists on secrecy otherwise the surprise will be spoilt.
So in the end all I really need to say is - READ IT! It is awesome!


Letters to Liz... by Liz Kessler

As part of the blog tour for North of Nowhere, I asked Liz Kessler to write me a post. Now Liz has been on my blog a few times so we had to come up with something different for her. I had been toying with the idea of a new author feature which involved the published author writing to their unpublished self. Liz loved the idea and happily went away to write it. The resulting post is better than anything I could have imagined. Thank you Liz for sharing these with us.
 
Letters to Liz… 

Dear Liz,
I’ve recently seen your poem, Jinx’s Shop, in the Manchester Evening News. How cool is that? You’ve got a poem printed in a newspaper at the age of nine. And what a great poem it is, too. I love the perfect scanning and rhyming of it (although you do know that poems don’t always have to rhyme, don’t you?)
I have two bits of advice for you.
One – look after this newspaper as well as you can. One day, about thirty years from now, you’re going to start carting this around on school visits, and it would be great if it wasn’t a faded, scrappy, barely legible slip of paper when you do.
And two – I know you want to be a poet when you grow up but maybe think about having a fallback plan, just in case. Being a poet isn’t the easiest way to make a living. Oh, and I wouldn’t particularly pursue your other idea, either. You’re going to spend about twenty years being afraid of flying and I don’t think ‘air hostess’ is the best occupation for you, either. In fact, you know what? You’re nine. Forget about jobs for now and just carry on enjoying your childhood!
 
Love Liz x 
******
Dear Liz,
Hi again. So you’re still writing the poetry, huh? And the diaries! Wow! How do you find time to feed yourself and go to school – sorry, university – while you’re doing all this writing?
I get it. You’re not thinking about being published any more. The diaries are your way of making sense of the world. And the poems – well, hmm. Let’s not dwell too much on those for now. Every teenager experiences angst, and yeah, I do remember what unrequited love is like. It’s painful. If the writing is helping you with all of that, then go for it. Writing is the thing that you’ve always got. I can see that by now. It’s one of the things that keeps you ticking and keeps you being you. You’re going to forget this for a while, but don’t worry – a bit of you, buried somewhere inside, will always remember it, and it’ll be back when you need it.
 
Love Liz x
*******
 Dear Liz,
It’s been a long time, hasn’t it? Where did you get to? No, it’s OK. I know, really. You’ve been travelling, you’ve been working, you’ve basically gone off and turned into an adult while I wasn’t looking.
But you’re back now and that’s all that matters. And hey, guess what? You want to write a book. Well, I knew it was only a matter of time. In fact, you’re going to write lots of books. But listen, this first one that you’re writing – it might not get published straight away, OK? Yes, yes, I know, it’s really important to you. And no, I’m not saying you should give up on it. Just, everything has its time. This one might have to wait a while is all I’m saying. But this new thing that’s just popped into your head, this Emily Windsnap idea – I like that one. Kick-ass mermaids sound like fun, and much more commercial!
Enjoy the ride, Liz, and work hard. At the moment, you’ve got a lot of people telling you stuff, offering all sorts of opinions, thrusting advice your way. You’ll listen to a lot more of it than you need to. But that’s OK. It’s part of figuring out whose advice you really value. The most important voice to listen to, though, is your own. It’s always been there. It’s been as much a part of you as your curly hair, or your quirky sense of humour, or your passion for standing up for justice. It’s you. You are a writer and the fact that you’ve remembered that now, and have put that knowledge at the heart of the way you live your life, is all you need to do. The rest will follow.
And you see that huge wall in front of you? The one you can’t even see the top of? The one that has an agent and a book deal on the other side of it? Well, guess what? Once you get over it, you’ll realise it wasn’t a big wall at all. It was just a line drawn on the ground. And there are more of them ahead. And they’ll all look just like this one – maybe even higher. So don’t get too hung up on any of them. Getting an agent, getting published, being on bestseller lists, winning awards, getting the film deal – big, big walls all of them. Some of them you’ll achieve, others you won’t. Some of them I don’t know yet as I’m only a few walls ahead of you now. But what I can tell you is this. All of them are mirages. They’re not real. They’re lines drawn on the ground. So try to just enjoy the journey and forget about looking up at these towering walls that don’t even really exist.
Make the most of this year on your Writing MA. Say hi to the others for me. Tell Julie that she’s a brilliant writer and not to forget it. Tell Michael thank you for giving you confidence. Tell Jackie you’ll never forget that she was the first writer to say she liked Emily Windsnap – even before it changed from a poem into a book.
But most of all, tell yourself you have talent. You’ll probably never find it easy to hear this and will always wonder if it’s all just a big fluke, or a dream you’re going to wake up from to find everyone laughing at your ambitions and hopes. But it isn’t a dream. It’s real, and it’s you. So be proud of who you are, of what you’re doing and of the decisions you’re making. It’s all leading you where you need to go. Enjoy the now; the future will look after itself.
 
Love Liz x
North of Nowhere is available to buy now.
To find out more about Liz Kessler:
Twitter: @lizkesslerbooks
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/lizkesslerchildrensauthor?fref=ts
 
You may also be interested to hear about a North of Nowhere creative writing competition that we are running to celebrate young talent. The competition is open to all writers aged 8-13 who need to finish the story (which is the opening paragraph of NORTH OF NOWHERE) in 500 words or less. Entries are open from 17 January 2013 – 28 March 2013. The winner will have their story published on the Guardian Children’s Books website, will win a digital camera as well as £100 worth of Orion Children’s Books for their school library.

The competition will be launched on the Guardian Childrens Books website on 17 January: http://www.guardian.co.uk/childrens-books-site

Monday 21 January 2013

How To Fall by Jane Casey

Reviewed by Georgina Tranter
Published by Corgi in 31st January 2013
Freya ran.
It wasn’t a night for running, and the woods weren’t the best place for it.  The full moon cast enough light to make it easy to see in the open, but under the trees it was one shade above pitch dark, and Freya was running blind.  Rogue branches caught at her clothes, whipped her skin, barred her path.  The ground under her feet was uneven, pitted with hollows and ridged with roots, and more than once she stumbled.
But Freya still ran.
She had long since lost the path, but she knew where she was going.  The sound of the sea was louder that the leaves that rustled around her, louder than the voices in her head. Slut.  Bitch.  Freak.  Voices she couldn’t outrun.
About the Author
Jane Casey is one of a band of established adult authors who have now turned their pens, and laptops, to writing for young adults.  With four crime novels under her belt, featuring Detective Constable Maeve Kerrigan, Casey has left her behind to write a beach story with a twist.
Summary
Jess Tennant lives with her mother in London.  Estranged from her father and her mother’s family, they only have each other – until the day her mum announces that they are off to visit her twin sister for an extended summer holiday in the sleepy seaside town of Port Sentinel.
When they arrive, Jess sets out to explore the local area only to be met with stares of confusion and shock from the residents.  She immediately feels uncomfortable and cannot understand why she should generate such reactions.  Only after meeting up with her cousins does Jess learn that she bears an uncanny resemblance to her cousin Freya who died a year ago after a cliff fall.
The more time Jess spends in Port Sentinel meeting up with those who were closest to Freya, the more she thinks that the verdict of suicide is the wrong one and she sets out to find the truth about Freya’s death.
Making new friends and enemies along the way Jess is embarking on a dangerous path to investigate what happened that summer.  Can she safely find out what happened to her cousin, or will Jess end up the same way?
**********
I love Jane Casey’s work so was eager to see how she would write for a different audience and I think she pulls it off with this book.  My only question was would a
teenage girl try to play detective in a strange town over the death of someone she had never even met, but having finished the book I think you can see how it would all work out that way.  Jess is an inquisitive individual and it is her nature to question those around her, therefore attempting to solve a suspicious death wouldn’t seem that strange, particularly of someone she was related to.  The characters and setting were believable, particularly the ‘cool’ girls who I instinctively took a dislike too, and I loved Fine Feathers - the owl charity shop that Jess gets coerced into working in, with all its designer cast-offs selling for pennies.
This is billed as the first Jess Tennant thriller so I am keen to read the follow-up to How to Fall, which I am sure will be as gripping.  I’d certainly recommend this book as it does keep you hanging on to the end to find out whether Jess will discover the truth about Freya.