Far From You by Tess Sharpe

It doesn’t start here.

You’d think it would: two terrified girls in the middle of nowhere, cowering together, eyes bulging at the gun in his hand.

But it doesn’t start here.

It starts the first time I almost die.

Published by Indigo in March 2014

Pages – 341

Summary

Nine months. Two weeks. Six days.
That's how long recovering addict Sophie's been drug-free. Four months ago her best friend, Mina, died in what everyone believes was a drug deal gone wrong - a deal they think Sophie set up. Only Sophie knows the truth. She and Mina shared a secret, but there was no drug deal. Mina was deliberately murdered.
Forced into rehab for an addiction she'd already beaten, Sophie's finally out and on the trail of the killer - but can she track them down before they come for her?

******

Mind-blowing! Page turner! Epic plot! Unputdownable! Want me to go on??

This book has to be one of my favourite reads so far this year. I couldn’t believe how caught up in the story I was. You start off, thinking you are reading one type of book and then half way through, the author hits you hard with a curve ball, and you realise there is so much more going on than you realised.

I loved Sophie right from the start. She isn’t your normal druggie, her need was purely for pain relief after suffering massive injuries in a car crash. Her reliance on medication, makes you feel extremely sympathetic and motherly to her needs. The friendship bonds that tie her to Mina are strong, especially after all that happened, so it isn’t surprising that she is eaten up with the need to find out who killed Mina.

The story jumps backwards and forwards between the present day and different periods in Sophie’s life, so you get to unravel all the secrets that tie up the events unfolding in the plot. The story twists and turns, rises and plummets and I found myself holding my breath way too many times as I read it.

I was spellbound and completely mesmerised by this tale which I am struggling to fit into one genre. It crosses so many - from thriller to romance, psychological to LGBT. Although this book dealt with  LGBT issues extremely well, it was more than that, it was a love story at the heart – the relationships didn’t need to be labelled and categorised – it was just pure love.

This is one of those tales that will stay with you long after you finish reading it. I was so sad to finish it and it took me a couple of days to find a book to follow it.

Tess Sharpe is about to make her mark on the publishing world. I would advise all readers to sit up and take notice of her, because she is going to be huge. If this book isn’t made into a film, I will print this review off and eat it!

Dirty Magic by Jaye Wells

It was just another messed-up night in the Cauldron. Potion junkies huddled in shadowy corners with their ampoules and pipes and needles. The occasional flick of a lighter’s flame illuminated their dirty, desperate faces, and the air sizzled with the ozone scent of spent magic.

I considered stopping to harass them. Arrest them for loitering and possession of illegal arcane substances. But they’d just be back on the street in a couple of days or be replaced by other dirty, desperate faces looking to escape the Mundane world.

Published by Orbit in 2014

385 pages in paperback plus 5 bonus interview pages

Summary and extract from Orbit books

Dirty magic – it's dangerous, illegal and twice as addictive as cocaine.

The Wire with wizards – in a world where illegal magic is as dangerous and addictive as hard drugs, police detective Kate Prospero is cleaning up the streets.

The last thing patrol cop Kate Prospero expected to find on her nightly rounds was a werewolf covered in the blood of his latest victim. But then, she also didn't expect that shooting him would land her in the crosshairs of a Magic Enforcement Agency task force, who wants to know why she killed their lead snitch. The more Prospero learns about the dangerous new potion the MEA is investigating, the more she's convinced that earning a spot on their task force is the career break she's been wanting. But getting the assignment proves much easier than solving the case. Especially once the investigation reveals their lead suspect is the man she walked away from ten years earlier—on the same day she swore she'd never use dirty magic again. Kate Prospero's about to learn the hard way that crossing a wizard will always get you burned, and that when it comes to magic, you should be never say never.

*******

Reviewed by K. M. Lockwood

This fantasy is very definitely not for children: I would say 16+. It’s also not appropriate for anyone who dislikes swearing - I changed the fifth word in the extract for example. In fairness, the language is what you might expect in such a downtown city setting – if anything, it’s toned down.

The first in an urban fantasy series, this establishes our heroine Kate Prospero as an assertive, sometimes abrasive, crime-fighter – with some serious back story. Think of a high intensity, cynical fast-moving cop show – but with alchemy – and you’ve got the idea. Very American – in a good way.

There’s no shortage of action, revelations and plot shifts to keep the reader intrigued. Jaye Wells slips family drama into the bubbling pot, and if it were a film, it would definitely pass the Bechdel Test. There are plenty of strong female characters to enjoy.

For my own tastes the most successful element is the portrayal of the dirty magic itself – which happens fairly late on in the story. The use of alchemy in a parallel contemporary gangland culture is rather different and convincingly shown. Readers will be interested to see how the turf wars between the various covens develop in future books.

In short, this is an adult cop fantasy book which will suit readers who want a quickly paced plot, with some hints of romance, in a grimy city setting. They should also appreciate some gory moments, wise-cracking, courage and cynicism. A really good read if that’s to your taste.

Bone Jack by Sara Crowe

Stag’s Leap. It felt like the edge of the world, nothing beyond it but a fall of rock, depth and fierce winds.

Ash Tyler looked down.

Today the wind was hot, as dry and rough as sandpaper against his skin. It tore back his hair, made his eyes stream. He leaned into it, testing its strength against his own.

There was still a half a metre or so between him and the edge. He inched forward again. The wind slapped his T-shirt around like a sail.

He’d done this before at least a dozen times. Always his best friend Mark’s idea. All the crazy things they’d ever done had been Mark’s idea.

Except this time.

Published by Andersen Press 2014

304 pages in paperback

Cover by Kate Grove and Phil Huntington

Summary from Hardman & Swainson agents

Ash’s dad has just returned from war, close to breakdown, far from the war hero Ash was expecting. Ash is the stag boy in the annual Stag Chase. He’s been waiting to tell his dad he’s following in his footsteps, he’ll make him proud. But Dad is stuck in a world of imaginary threats.

When Ash’s grieving best friend, Mark, pushes him away too, his world suddenly seems lonely and threatening. So Ash retreats to the mountains, to his punishing training runs. But in the mountains dark things are stirring, and the hound boys of old haunt his running steps. Ash glimpses a man made of crows and hears the death cry of a stag boy. Ash starts to wonder how much of the sinister pagan stories about the Stag Chase are true, and what it all has to do with his friend’s anger and grief.

Ash, Mark and Dad must confront death on every side, and find a way to live again.

******

Reviewed by K. M. Lockwood

‘Bone Jack’ is a bold debut novel full of drama and strange folklore. It is both intense and fast-paced – there are a few well-drawn characters and all are deeply involved in the central story. Whilst there are moments of eerie beauty and poetic language, the story runs on much like the Stag Boy pursued by the Hounds. You will not be bored, if strong passions with a touch of the supernatural intrigue you.

The writer, Sara Crowe, has made something with a legendary feel and a sense of place without actually tying it down too specifically. A reader can easily transpose it to their nearest mountain range – which gives the tale a wide appeal. It is quite psychologically unsettling at times, though it is not a horror story, and there is definite peril. It would not suit a very young or sensitive reader – as the spare and attractively sinister cover makes clear.

I would recommend this for readers who thrilled to the supernatural elements of Sandra Greaves The Skull in the Woods. It might well suit some more mature readers

who enjoyed the powerful family drama of Lucy Christopher’s The Killing Woods – also with a father suffering PTSD. Dark and powerful stuff.

Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott

I sit down with my mother. My smile is shaky as I tell her about my day.

‘I think I did okay on my history test,’ I say. ‘Oh, and Olivia wore her new pair of false eyelashes, the ones I told you about. She was batting them around so much that a teacher stopped and asked if she had something caught in her eyes.’

Published by Mira Ink in April 2014

Pages – 368

Summary

Does life go on when your heart is broken?
Since her mother’s sudden death, Emma has existed in a fog of grief, unable to let go, unable to move forward--because her mother is, in a way, still there. She’s being kept alive on machines for the sake of the baby growing inside her.
Estranged from her stepfather and letting go of things that no longer seem important--grades, crushes, college plans--Emma has only her best friend to remind her to breathe. Until she meets a boy with a bad reputation who sparks something in her--Caleb Harrison, whose anger and loss might just match Emma’s own. Feeling her own heart beat again wakes Emma from the grief that has greyed her existence. Is there hope for life after death—and maybe, for love?

*******

This book is the type to play with your emotions and definitely one that will leave you questioning what is right and wrong. Emma has a lot of anger inside her, and for the majority of the book, you can only see the situation from her side. You can’t help but feel her step father is being selfish, even though he comes across as so caring and kind. You are just so wrapped up with what Emma sees and feels to even consider his point of view.  For Emma,  to sit and talk to her dead mother every day, who is only being kept alive as an incubator for her brother, must be unbearable to live with, and the author captures Emma’s thoughts and feelings really well. Emma transforms from a studious child, into one that no longer cares. Even though she is dropping out on life and school, it doesn’t necessarily feel that way – her viewpoint has changed and she can see the bigger picture of life surrounding it.

As the book progresses, you watch Emma learn to cope with the situation better, as she comes to terms with the situation. She realises that she didn’t know her mother as well as she thought she did.

Emma has a strong friendship with Olivia, which stays strong throughout the book, even though situations develop to change the foundations they have set their friendship on. When Caleb enters Emma’s life, Emma begins to open up more. I’m not sure whether their relationship would have stood the test of time, had they not been brought together by the grief of the death of a loved one.

The book  follows Emma through the seven stages of grief and you watch as she deals with each stage before learning to accept the situation and moving on.

This is a powerful story which would be an ideal read for any teenager struggling to deal with personal grief. I really enjoyed the book, even though it did upset me at times. A heart wrenching page turner. I definitely want to read more books by Elizabeth Scott.

The Legend of Frog by Guy Bass

 

Frog replaced his quill pen in the inkpot. "Now for Chapter Two."

"What are you writing, Frog?"

Frog slammed his book shut. He turned to see Buttercup's head poking round the door. She looked nothing like Frog. She did not share his bright, mottled green skin or his bulbous yellow eyes. She had ears and a nose – which Frog lacked – and long, brown hair, while Frog had not a single hair on his head. In fact, Buttercup looked decidedly human – there wasn't a hint of anything amphibian about her. But then Buttercup had not hatched from a golden egg.

Published by Stripes in February 2014

Pages - 220

Summary From Stripes

The Legend of Frog is the first book in a brand new three-part series by award-winning and best-selling author, Guy Bass (Stitch Head and Stitch Head: The Pirate’s Eye). A mash-up of fairy tale, fantasy and science fiction with a hearty helping of humour, The Legend of Frog is sure to introduce Guy to a whole new raft of readers as well as delighting his legions of fans.

Prince Frog is convinced he’s destined to rule the world … the trouble is, the world has ended. Undeterred, Frog sets out to claim his crown, armed with nothing more than a pair of Catastrophe Pants and his trusty stick, Basil Rathbone. But Frog soon realizes that the world isn’t quite as ended as he thought. He discovers a magical kingdom, filled with wild landscapes, strange creatures … and a princess sitting on

his throne. Together with his new friend, Sheriff Explosion the sheep, Frog seeks to prove his princeliness and escape the clutches of the princess who’s sure he’d make a better pet than a prince. But just when Frog thinks things can’t get any worse, he discovers he is actually the prince of an invading alien army and that he’s just given the go-ahead for an all-out alien invasion. Can he and the princess put aside their differences long enough to save the kingdom – and the world?

********

Review by Liss Norton

This is a book of two parts. In the first part Frog, a delightful and charmingly naïve innocent, sets off to claim his throne and rule the End of the World. In the second, after discovering that he is not who he thinks he is, he finds himself at the centre of an action-movie-type battle between good and evil. Do the two parts marry together well? You bet they do! This quirky book kept me enthralled from beginning to end, and there were lots of laughs along the way. 

Frog knows he is a prince because he hatched out of a golden egg. He longs for a princely life (and the chance to address his loyal subjects), but Buttercup won't let him go in search of one – not even if he's wearing his catastrophe pants … Undeterred, he leaves anyway, taking with him his 'most first-rate and unbreakable of top weapons', the gnarled stick Basil Rathbone. On the way he acquires a trusty  steed of a sheep; he names it Sheriff Explosion to make it seem more impressive. The scene is set for adventure and mayhem.

A laugh out loud book for children aged seven or eight to eleven. Don't miss it!

 

Pooch Parlour: V.I.P. (Very Important Pup!) by Katy Cannon

"Lulu, we're here!" Abi bounced on her toes as she looked up at the powder-blue door with the words "Pooch Parlour" curling above it in silver letters. "We're really here!"

At her side, Lulu the bichon frise beat her fluffy white tail excitedly against the pavement.

Published by Stripes in March 2014

Pages – 112

Summary from Stripes 

V.I.P. (Very Important Pup!) is the first book in Pooch Parlour, a glitzy new series for girls who love dogs and adore giving them the luxuries every girl’s best friend deserves, written by Katy Cannon. Pooch Parlour is not just any grooming parlour – it’s doggy heaven! It’s the perfect place for pet pampering and the dedicated team of groomers give each dog the star treatment they deserve.

Abi is over the moon to be spending the summer helping out at Pooch Parlour, especially as she'll be taking Lulu, her fluffy pet Bichon Frisé. She can’t believe her luck when glamorous actress, Daisy Lane, and her adorable Pomeranian Jade appear at the parlour on her first day. Can she impress them with the Pooch Parlour pampering treatments? Daisy and Jade want to sparkle!

Full of adorable animals, celebrity customers and dressing up, the glamorous world of Pooch Parlour is sure to delight young girls who love Rainbow Magic, Secret Kingdom and other sweet and sparkly reads.

*****

Reviewed by Liss Norton

This book will be a real hit with dog-loving girls aged between six and eight. If they've got stars in their eyes and a passion for fashion, then even better! 

Abi, the main character, is an ordinary girl with an ordinary girl's hopes and fears and a passion for dogs. Helping out at Pooch Parlour is a dream come true for her, especially when she gets to meet two film stars, one canine and one human, ride in a stretched limo and visit the TV studios. There are a few tense moments, when nervy Jade runs off and causes mayhem during the filming of a game show, but Abi manages to sort everything out in time for the dog star's big moment in front of the cameras. 

There are plenty of black-and-white line drawings throughout the book and the shiny pink cover, showing a cute Pomeranian in a beret, will appeal to young readers. The story is full of dazzling doggy costumes and beauty treatments and there is a lot of emphasis on the relationships between dogs and their owners. An exciting start to what promises to be a popular new series!

Daughters of Time Blog Tour

As part of the celebration of the publication of Daughters of Time – the anthology written by The History Girls, I am pleased to welcome one of the team, Marie-Louise Jensen on the blog.

On Thursday last week, seven authors of historical fiction, all History Girls, travelled to Westminster Abbey:

We were there to visit the tomb of Aphra Behn:

Names ( left to right): Diane Hoffmeyr, Mary Hoffman, Catherine Johnson, Adèle Geras, Marie-Louise Jensen, Katherine Langrish and Anne Rooney (photo copyright Sanne Vliegenthart)

We were there to celebrate Daughters of Time, our anthology of stories published by Templar on March 6th.

Daughters of Time is a collection of stories written by History Girls especially to celebrate the stories of women in history who are not as famous as they deserve to be. There are 13 stories in the collection, each written by a different author, ranging through history from Queen Boudica to the Greenham Common women.

So much of well-known history is male and we really wanted to write about some of the amazing, incredible, talented, courageous and unusual women who are in danger of being forgotten. As we regularly do on our blog: http://the-history-girls.blogspot.co.uk/

I was really moved to visit the tomb of Aphra Behn. I hadn’t visited it before and felt overawed, humbled and proud all mixed up together. The sight of her final resting place brought home to me just how revered she was in her own life time to merit a tomb in Westminster Abbey itself.

Aphra Behn was my own chosen woman to write about and it was the words of Virginia Woolf, (included in Daughters of Time) which inspired the visit. Woolf said “All women together ought to let flowers fall upon the tomb of Aphra Behn [...] for it was she who earned them the right to speak their minds.’ (A Room of One’s Own)

So that is what we all went to Westminster Abbey to do:

(Photo copyright: Sanne Vliegenthart)

Behn was an intrepid traveller, spy, novelist and playwright and the first woman to make a living by writing in the English language. 

The epitaph on her tomb reads:

Here Lies a Proof that Wit can never be Defence enough against Mortality.

I bet she wrote that herself!

It makes me sad that Aphra Behn wasn’t on my A-level English syllabus (entirely male) so that I could have read her work decades earlier. If you’d like to see a glimpse of who she was and who all the other remarkable women we’ve written about were, do pick up a copy of Daughters in Time and prepare to be astonished at female achievements that ought to be so much better known than they are!

Daughters of Time by The History Girls, edited by Mary Hoffman. Out now, £7.99, Templar Publishing,

To find out more about The History Girls:
Website / Twitter

Trouble by Non Pratt

So I had sex with Fletch again last night. It was all right, better than last time anyway, and Fletch is a laugh. And he’s not so bad-looking…although not so good without his clothes on.

Published by Walker Books in March 2014

Pages – 384

Summary

A boy. A girl. A bump. Trouble.
Hannah’s smart and funny ... she’s also fifteen and pregnant. Aaron is new at school and doesn’t want to attract attention. So why does he offer to be the pretend dad to Hannah’s unborn baby?
Growing up can be trouble but that’s how you find out what really matters.

*****

If you’re expecting a run of the mill story about a kid being careless and getting pregnant, then you have the wrong book, because this story is so much more than that. Just because an underage girl gets pregnant, it doesn’t always mean it was straight forward. As you read Hannah’s story, you never once feel that the character is being judged for her actions.  You don’t find yourself thinking that she was stupid, because as this story shows, there are a lot more intricate factors that need to be considered.

Told from dual perspectives, this book follows Hannah’s pregnancy through the three trimesters. You are holding her hand when her secret is revealed and you are still there squeezing her fingers tightly when her new child enters the world.

This book is more about trust and friendship than anything else. The strong bond that develops between Aaron and Hannah, is beautiful and heart-warming.  Aaron will do anything he can to help Hannah, even though he knows it won’t be an easy ride. You love him from the start. He really isn’t the type of boy to sleep through all the girls in his classroom; his past has made him so much more maturer and reliable than the other kids he mixes with.  As a mum of teens, I felt that the author captured the teen voice with ease, giving the situation the reality it deserves. If I was to compare the style of this writing to another authors, I would probably say along the lines of Dawn O’Porter.

This book is sensitive yet humorous at times, not to mention controversial. This is a definite must for every teenager. I honestly think this book will be winning awards before this year is out. A strong debut voice carving her place in the UKYA market.

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

I just punched a girl in the face. Not just any girl. My best friend. My roommate.

Well, as of five minutes ago, I guess I should call her my ex-roommate.

Published by Simon and Schuster in March 2014

Pages – 367

Summary

Sydney is living in an idyllic bubble - she's a dedicated student with a steady job on the side. She lives with her best friend, has a great boyfriend, and the music coming from the balcony opposite hers is fast becoming the soundtrack to her life. But when Sydney finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her, the bubble bursts. The mysterious and attractive man behind the music, Ridge, gives Sydney hope that she can move on and they begin to write songs together. But moving on is harder than she expects, Sydney can only hope….

******

When I finished reading this book, all I could think of was how it was the most romantic love story I have ever read. Seriously! My hearts was in tatters throughout most of this story as I wished and hoped for the best possible outcome for Sydney and Ridge. Ridge writes music and desperately needs Sydney to help him overcome his writer’s blog. What develops from this working relationship is a romantic dance between these two characters as they try their damned hardest to ignore how they feel about each other.

Sydney is just out of a relationship, after discovering her boyfriend of two years was sleeping with her best friend; while Ridge is totally devoted to Maggie. However the connection between these two characters cannot be denied and when they are together, the pages of the book are sparking with electricity. I do feel bad, because even though I am not a fan of cheaters, I was desperate for Ridge to see sense and follow his true feelings. Poor Maggie – she meant absolutely nothing to me, which makes me feel rather shallow. If you loved Edward and Bella, then you need Sydney and Ridge in your life, because their love pushes the Twilight romance into a dark corner.

Not only do  you get to read one of the loveliest love stories ever, but you also have access to a beautiful soundtrack written especially for the story. In each book, there is an app to download which allows you to listen to each song that has been written in the book. Your heart will truly melt.

This book has a certain specialness about it that I would advise everyone to discover. Just so you can nod to me afterwards and say ‘Ah I get it!’.

Colleen Hoover has the power to make you believe. She restores your faith in true love and finding your soul mate. She is to fiction, what Nora Ephron was to film! For all you die hard romantics out there – you need this book!!!

A Boy Called Hope by Lara Williamson

I'm Dan Hope and deep inside my head I keep a list of things I want to come true.
For example, I want my sister, Ninja Grace, to go to university at the North Pole and only come back once a year.
I want to help Sherlock Holmes solve his most daring mystery yet. And if it could be a zombie mystery, all the more exciting.
I want to be the first eleven-year-old to land on the moon.I want my dog to stop eating the planets and throwing them up on the carpet.
And finally, the biggest dream of all, I want my dad to love me.

Published by Usborne in March 2013

Pages – 282

Summary

This is a book about a boy, Dan Hope. A story about his dreams and wishes, his fears and worries, and his search for hope.

*******

I was a  little worried  about reading this book as I know Lara quite well. Though why I should have worried, I don’t know. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that Lara was really an eleven year old boy, because she captured his voice so well.

I didn’t realise what a sense of humour Lara had. As the  witty comments from Dan just rolled out of this book, constantly making me giggle. Not to mention the flow of sarcasm from his sister, Ninja Grace. This is one of those books that has you alternating between laughing and crying as you go through a rollercoaster of emotions with Dan as he does everything he can to make his Dad notice him.  The need for his father, really pulls at your heart strings.

The characters are flamboyant and quirky at the same time. Who would not fall in love with Jo, Dan’s best friend, who has an unusual obsession with the Saints? Pure genius! Not to mention,huggy bear, Big Dave.

I adored this book from beginning to end and found myself completely wrapped up in Dan’s life. It was like watching a children’s version of Stella – as you quickly fall in love with this unusual yet normal family and laugh and cry alongside them as events unfold.

The book sucks you into the story with such ease, that before you know you have read half the book.  A funny, heart-warming yet poignant tale of always believing and never giving up hope. It would definitely appeal to fans of Wonder By RJ Palacio. If anything, this tale shows that sometimes, the things you go in search of, are right beside you all along.

A breath taking new voice for the Middle Grade contemporary market!

Boys Don’t Knit by TS Easton

1st July

Mum and Dad are at it again. They’re doing that thing where they make food-based double entendres all the time, thinking it goes over our heads. It goes over Molly’s head, she’s only six and she never listens to Mum and Dad anyway. I guess it used to go over my head too, when I was little. But I’m older now, and more sophisticated. I know what they’re up to and it makes me want to vomit.

Published by Hot Key Books in January 2014

Pages - 277

Goodreads Review

Meet Ben Fletcher: an Adrian Mole for a new generation

Ben Fletcher must get to grips with his more 'feminine' side following an unfortunate incident with a lollipop lady and a stolen bottle of Martini Rosso from Waitrose. All a big misunderstanding of course. To avoid the Young Offenders unit, Ben is ordered to give something back to the community and develop his sense of social alignment. Take up a hobby and keep on the straight and narrow. The hot teacher he likes runs a knitting group so Ben, reluctantly at first, gets 'stuck in'. Not easy when your dad is a sports fan and thinks Jeremy Clarkson is God. To his surprise, Ben finds that he likes knitting and that he has a mean competitive streak. If he can just keep it all a secret from his mates...and notice that the girl of his dreams, girl-next-door Megan Hooper has a bit of a thing for him...Laugh-out-loud, often ridiculous, sometimes quite touching, and revelatory about the knitting world, Boys Don't Knit is a must for boys and girls.

************

Reviewed by author, Sophie Duffy 

Boys Don’t Knit is the diary of Ben Fletcher, a nerdy sixth former with no street cred, whose (unreliable) friends keep getting him (unintentionally) into trouble. He ends up on probation after knocking over the fearsome lollipop lady, Mrs Frensham. His probation officer – who is stressfully overworked and pinning her hopes on Ben as her only success story – tells him he must take up a hobby class and do odd jobs for Mrs Frensham as part of his restorative justice. (Echoes of Adrian Mole’s Bert Baxter.)

Ben ends up in the knitting class and has to pretend it’s pottery thinking that will be more acceptable to his dad who is into cars and Chelsea. He is amazingly good at knitting and this takes him to unimagined places and brings him unexpected relationships, not least with Mrs Frensham.

Boys Don't Knit is a really enjoyable read. Ben’s voice invites you into his world, with its quirks and problems that he tries his best to overcome. He is like Adrian Mole in that he is not a stereotypical boy but is probably more self-aware, though with an equally dismal love-life and social scene. He is interested in girls but is far from cool. However, his persistence with his knitting and all that entails, shows he has plenty of geek chic. I love him. 

He has a great relationship with his mother, a magician who is away on the road a lot. This means he is often at home with his father, without his mum as a buffer, trying to be a good son but feeling like he is always letting his dad down. An insightful look at family life with all its complexities and struggles which are highlighted and exaggerated when you are on the cusp of adulthood.

I'd say the book is a crossover of YA and adult and should appeal to all, whatever gender or age. There are some more ‘racy’ parts and the odd juicy word so maybe not for the slightly younger or less mature. I’d happily let my 15 year old girl read it. In fact I am passing it on to her. (Though I suspect she would prefer it on her Kindle as that’s how she rolls…)

A charming, engaging read that challenges stereotypes with several older, strong female characters and a fantastic knitting metaphor: Take life one stitch at a time rather than the whole pattern at once. 

Unravelling Oliver by Liz Nugent

I expected more of a reaction the first time I hit her. She just lay on the floor holding her jaw. Staring at me. Silent. She didn’t even seem to be surprised.

I was surprised. I hadn’t planned to do it.

Published by Penguin and Penguin Ireland in March 2014

Pages - 231

Oliver Ryan is a handsome and charismatic success story. He lives in the leafy suburbs with his wife, Alice, who illustrates his award-winning children's books and gives him her unstinting devotion. Their life together is one of enviable privilege and ease - enviable until, one evening after supper, Oliver attacks Alice and puts her into a coma.
In the aftermath, as everyone tries to make sense of his astonishing act of savagery, Oliver tells his story. So do those whose paths he has crossed over five decades. What unfolds is a story of shame, envy, breath-taking deception and masterful manipulation.
Only Oliver knows the lengths to which he has had to go to get the life to which he felt entitled. But even he is in for a shock when the past catches up with him.

*******

The title of this book couldn’t be more apt. Unravelling Oliver is exactly what happens as the story progresses.  In the first couple of chapters, you’re introduced to a character oozing with sophistication and charisma, appearing to the world as one of life’s winners. Yet when his wife is found beaten up and unconscious on their kitchen floor, you realise Oliver is not as clean cut as he seems. After his arrest, you are left in no doubt that Oliver cannot be trusted and should be feared. Glimpses of his true nature appear as his past steps up to greet him, revealing him as one of the most calculating and manipulative characters you will ever meet; yet you struggle through the first half of the book to identify why he is such a monster.

Set in Ireland, the book spans Oliver’s life, highlighting the events that led to the present day. His story is retold in short, Alan Bennett style, monologues by his family, friends and acquaintances. As each character talks about him, the carefully structured layers of deceit disintegrate, revealing a cold and manipulative man. Hidden deep within him, are years of misery and intense hate that eventually spill out into a violent end.

This story surprised me; as the truth about Oliver is revealed, I was astonished by the life path and decisions that propelled him forward. This is one of those quiet books that tap away at  your emotions until they crack, before leaving a lingering distaste in your mouth at the end.

This book will appeal to fans of Sophie Hannah and Barbara Vine.  It will capture the interest of anyone looking for an intensely gripping psychological tale that leaves you questioning whether you really know the people closest to you.

Setting the Scene with Matt Dickinson

I am pleased to welcome Matt Dickinson on the blog, to tell us why he chose the highest mountain in the world as a backdrop for his new novel.

When you think about the potential drama contained within the mountain world it is surprising how few teen/YA authors choose it as a backdrop for their stories. Even the most extreme dystopian future scape would struggle to deliver quite as much raw horror as can be found for real in the high places of the Himalayas and beyond. 

Killer storms?  We gottem! Temperatures so low they freeze exposed flesh in seconds? That’s a tick! Thousand ton ice towers waiting to fall at the blink of an eye? Available round every corner. 

No wonder climbers call these lofty places ‘The Death Zone’. 

This is the world I have chosen to explore with my new teen/YA title ‘The Everest Files’, partly because my own experiences as a climber have given me a wealth of true details to draw upon, but also because I find it an inspiring place to visit in my mind. 

For along with the dangers of the mountain world there is also extreme beauty. Star shine reflected in wind polished ice as you leave a tent for a night climb. A majestic Griffon Vulture playing in the thermals along a remote rocky ridge. The impossibly intense aquamarine blue of thousand year old ice in the bottom of a crevasse. Such are the rewards for those who are prepared to take the risks. 

So it seems to me that this is a rich and powerful world in which to set a story; each new climbing phase on the mountain takes the writer into new opportunities for description and scene setting.  Crevasse fields. Sheer walls of ice. Rocky sections where stone fall is an ever present threat. The textures and colours you get when you are close to a big mountain are far more varied than a distant glance would reveal, and all of that detail helps the setting of a novel become visceral and authentic. 

Then there is the pressure. The rising tension as a team climbs ever higher on a peak like Everest is an absolute gift to any writer with a story in mind. Why? Because it strips all the pretence out of people and kind of forces them to be who they really are. Up there at 8000 metres there is no time for the luxury of masks and false personas. 

If you go to Everest with someone you are going to find out who they actually ARE. Not what their press release would have you believe. And that was great for me because I wanted to write about the lies and betrayal that have become a part of the Everest obsession…and explore some very flawed characters! 

Finally, Everest is a great setting for another important reason;  the Sherpa people who work there. These are the true heroes of Everest,  risking their lives to carry food and oxygen and camping equipment up high for the expeditions. Ever since my first visit to the Himalayas at the age of seventeen I have been fascinated by these cheerful, spiritual,  courageous people, and I have long wanted to write a story about a young Sherpa on his first Everest expedition.

Will ‘The Everest Files’ be my last book set on the world’s highest mountain? I doubt it!

For me as a writer it really is the ultimate backdrop.   

Matt Dickinson is a climber and writer with a passion for pushing the limits. He has filmed on the summit of Mt Everest and directed films for National Geographic TV and Discovery Channel in many wild corners of the world. His teen series ‘Mortal Chaos’ was warmly received by critics and readers alike and his new teen series ‘The Everest Files’ is published by Vertebrate on the 10th March.

To find out more about Matt Dickinson:

Website / Twitter

Enders by Lissa Price

My hand went to the back of my head and I swore I could feel the chip underneath my skin. But I couldn’t, or course: it was buried deeply under the metal  blocking plate. It was just the surrounding scar tissue I felt, hard and unforgiving.

Published by Doubleday Children’s Books in December 2013

Pages – 273

Goodreads Summary

Someone is after Starters like Callie and Michael - teens with chips in their brains. They want to experiment on anyone left over from Prime Destinations -With the body bank destroyed, Callie no longer has to rent herself out to creepy Enders. But Enders can still get inside her mind and make her do things she doesn't want to do. Like hurt someone she loves. Having the chip removed could save her life - but it could also silence the voice in her head that might belong to her father. Callie has flashes of her ex-renter Helena's memories, too . . . and the Old Man is back, filling her with fear. Who is real and who is masquerading in a teen body?
No one is ever who they appear to be, not even the Old Man. Determined to find out who he really is and grasping at the hope of a normal life for herself and her younger brother, Callie is ready to fight for the truth. Even it if kills her.

*********

I feel like I have waited ages for this book. Starters may have actually blown my mind, so Enders had really big shoes to fill. The whole premise behind this series is just so gobsmackingly good. Imagine if someone could take over your body when ever they felt like it. Wouldn’t you feel violated in some way? I certainly would and it’s no surprise that Callie wants the chip removed from her brain.

Callie is a gutsy girl who always puts others before herself. Her brother’s safety is paramount to her and she will do whatever she can to make sure he is OK. Her rather unusual and weird relationship with the Old Man is pivotal to the story. There is so much more to him than we ever thought while reading the first book.

Emma was not the character I was expecting. I had such visions of her future with Callie and I was surprised by her personality. I couldn’t warm to her at all.

This book is more explosive than the first and had a strong Hunger Games feel to it as the teens with chips fight for survival. Lots of questions answered by the end  but I did feel the story hadn’t completely fini

shed.

I enjoyed Enders, but I have to admit that in comparison to Starters, it really didn’t match up.  However on it’s own, Enders was very good. I know that sounds a bit lame, but when you think how utterly amazing Starters was, it was a bit of a let down that Enders wasn’t as fantastic, but if you read it as stand alone, I am pretty sure you would love it.

On the whole, a good conclusion to an amazing debut.

Macavity The Mystery Cat By T.S. Eliot and Arthur Robins

Macavity's a Mystery Cat:

he's called the Hidden Paw—

for he's the master criminal

who can defy the law.

He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard,

the Flying Squad's despair:

for when they reach the scene of crime—

Macavity's not there!

Published by Faber and Faber in May 2014

Pages - 32

Summary

One of the best-loved poems from Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats is given a new life in this stunning picture book with illustrations from Arthur Robbins that perfectly convey all the wit and humour of Eliot's creation.

*******

Review by Liss Norton

I found this a difficult book to review because I love this poem from T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and I really enjoyed seeing it produced as a picture

book. However, I'm an adult and this book is aimed at the under-5s. Is T.S. Eliot's poem accessible and comprehensible for such young children? I fear not. 

I set out to see whether my misgivings were justified and tried it out on Dominic, a lively and imaginative four-year-old with excellent language skills. Just as I'd feared, he didn't really understand what was going on in the story, though he knew it was about a naughty cat who was good at hiding. He asked lots of questions; some of them, such as 'What's depravity?', proved a tad tricky to answer. There are other words that proved troublesome, too: stifled, fakir, Foreign Office, treaty, suavity, Napoleon…

But – and this is a very big BUT – the illustrations are brilliant. Arthur Robins has captured the very essence of Macavity, and Dominic and I loved looking closely at the pictures to see what Macavity was up to. We particularly liked the page where he stole the milk jug, and the bloodhound detective is terrific. So if your child loves illustrations over words when you read to him/her, this book will almost certainly go down well. If the words matter most, I'd give this one a miss … unless you want to find yourself defining 'long division' at bedtime. 

Truth of Dare by Laura E. James

‘Put the knife down!’ The shout came from the rear of the restaurant.

Kate Blair cursed. Determined to finish what she’d started, she turned towards the voice and waved the knife in the air.

‘No,’ she said. ‘Not this time.’

She braced herself as the woman hurtled towards her.

Published by Choc Lit in October 2013

Pages - 284

Love’s a dangerous game …
Kate Blair’s sick of unrequited love. She’s quietly waited for Mickey for the past six years and finding a compass-carved heart, with their initials scratched through the middle, only strengthens her resolve: no more Mickey and no more playing it safe.
It’s time to take a chance on real love and Declan O’Brien’s the perfect risk. He’s handsome, kind and crazy about her so it’s not long before all thoughts of Mickey come few and far between.
But old habits die-hard. Kate may have started to forget … but has Mickey?

******

Firstly before reviewing this book, I must state that I do know Laura. Not that it will affect my review, but I think it is always nice to be honest about these things.

As with all of their debut authors, Choc Lit published this as an e-book, which I do think is a fabulous idea. The story was a lot darker than I expected, especially considering the comical first scene and it covers a lot of deeply emotional subjects that stay with you long after you finish the book.

The first chapter threw me into the action and I really enjoyed how the story alternated between Kate and her best friend, Rosie. They had a beautiful friendship that had survived from their childhood and it was lovely to see how close they are.

The book is split into two parts with the first part set in the late 80’s followed by the second part set in the present day. The plot gives a clear indication of how events from the past finally surface in the future, showing vividly how the truth will always prevail.

If I am honest, I struggled to like the characters. Not that they were badly written in anyway, but they all showed their true sides, bearing their selfish needs regularly through out the book. Even Kate, whom we feel such sympathy for, does something that would be considered inexcusable to many. The author has definitely managed to capture the darkness in human nature that normally we like to keep hidden. I can’t even talk about Michael, he actually made me shudder. I don’t think I have met such a disturbed character.  If I try to compare the author to another, I can’t help but think of Sophie Hannah, who has a similar style of writing about life’s rather dark characters.

A gripping tale that really makes you think. An excellent debut and definitely an author I am keen to read more from.

Don’t Look Behind You by Lois Duncan.

Summary

April Corrigan's life is turned upside-down when she when she learns that her father has been working secretly undercover for the FBI. When his testimony convicts a notorious drug dealer, the whole family must relocate and enter the Federal Witness Security Program. April's entire way of life changes--not just her name. And when she attempts to communicate with her boyfriend, an agent is killed

Republished by Atom in 2012

*****

Reviewed by Elizabeth Dale

April’s world changes forever one Tuesday in May. She is given a lift to school by her boyfriend,  Steve, as usual,  and arranges to meet him at the end of the day. But she never does. Instead, she is called to the school office after lunch to be taken home by her gran. From that moment her whole world spins out of control.  At home, she is met by her mum and brother and Uncle Max, who tells them they have to go away secretly for a few days – someone has tried to kill April’s father to stop him testifying in court.  The book follows April’s anguish over the days and then weeks and months that follow as her family is forced to firstly hide out in motel rooms, then go into witness protection and relocate with false identities to another part of America, always looking over their shoulders. With far less money to live on than she’s used to and having to live a lie, hide her tennis skills, make new friends and with her mobile confiscated and no chance to get a message to Steve, April is frantic.

This book gives the reader a real insight into how awful life must be when absolutely everything – family, friends, school and boyfriend is snatched away. It explores April’s inner turmoil as well as the tensions within her family as everyone has to become someone else, all the time aware that one slip could mean that they could be killed by the hit-man chasing after them.  And even when she manages to return home briefly, April has to face the realisation that life moves on without her

My one criticism is that the reader should be able to identify and sympathise with April, who has been dealt an awful hand, but unfortunately she makes several selfish decisions that adversely affect others. That’s maybe understandable once - she’s only seventeen, she didn’t ask for her world to be thrown into turmoil - but when there are tragic consequences, she doesn’t seem to suffer the appropriate  remorse.  Apart from that one flaw, Don’t Look Behind You is a gripping, taut read, filled with drama and turmoil, twists and turns  and should leave readers feeling appreciative of the boring sameness of their own lives that they may just be taking for granted!

Hog in the Fog By Julia Copus and Eunyoung Seo

This is the story of Candy Stripe Lil

and Harry the Hog who lived over the hill

…and a foggy March day, round about three,

When Lil had invited Harry for tea.

Lil had been busy for hours and hours

Piling the treats up in teetering towers.

Published by Faber and Faber in March 2014

Pages - 32

Summary From Faber and Faber

This is the story of Candy Stripe Lil and Harry the Hog who lived over the hill

…and a foggy March day, round about three, when Lil had invited Harry for tea.

But where is Harry?

*****

Review by Liss Norton

This is one of Faber and Faber's first picture books for the under-5s and I'm sure it will be well received by parents and young children alike. It tells the story of Harry the Hog and his friend Lil who goes looking for him when he fails to turn up for tea. She's helped in her search by a sheep, a deer and a crow, but the thick fog makes their quest difficult. Needless to say, there's a happy ending with everyone sharing a party tea at the end. 

The book has a Julia-Donaldson-style rhyming text that works brilliantly for young children, and Eunyoung Seo's illustrations bring it beautifully to life. I particularly like the surprising details such as the butterflies that follow the flowers wrapped around the deer's antlers, and Crow's bottle cap hat. Even better are the pages that show the fog thickening, but there is plenty to talk about in all the pictures.

The front cover calls the book 'A Harry & Lil Story' so I'm assuming that this is the first in a series about the two friends. I can't wait for the next one!

It's a lovely book. Don't miss it!

Far From You Countdown

That is how long we have to wait for the publication of Far From You by Tess Sharpe. Exciting huh!

Want to know more about the book?

Well here is the synopsis.

Nine months. Two weeks. Six days …

That’s how long recovering addict Sophie’s been drug-free. Four months ago her best friend Mina died in what everyone believes was a drug deal gone wrong - a deal they think Sophie set up. Only Sophie knows the truth. She and Mina shared a secret, but there was no drug deal. Mina was deliberately murdered.

Forced into rehab for a drug addiction she’d already beaten, Sophie’s finally out and on the trail of the killer. But can she track them down before they come for her?

Now I know I definitely want to read it.

To celebrate the forthcoming publication, Indigo are offering  a proof copy of the book to one of my lucky readers. All you have to do is leave a comment in the box below. To enter this competition, you must live in the UK. The competition closes on the 9th March 2014.

They have also produced an awesome gif, which can be found here.

So keep a look out for more about this book and the author over the next few weeks.

Secret Serendipity Seven with Sarah Naughton

To mark the publication of The Blood List last week, I am pleased to welcome, author Sarah Naughton on to the blog to tell us seven secrets.

1.  I can’t be trusted.

Many of my characters are based on people I know or have known – Titus from the Hanged Man Rises is my granddad as a child, Barnaby was inspired by the son of my oldest friend.  I guess this isn’t a big secret when it comes to authors, but I’ve generally got a very clear physical image of the person I’m writing about in my head.  While writing a scene I often ask myself what this certain friend would do or say if confronted with the situation I’m depicting.  I hope (and pray) that their characteristics have been exaggerated so much as to be unrecognisable, but if you find me staring at you at a party just walk away, very quickly…

2.  I’m a moralist.

At the end of The Blood List a very strong moral judgment is laid on Frances, and it might seem unfair.  There are some archetypal fools in the book: Henry, Abel, Flora, and at the end we don’t really care what happens to them: they’re not worth worrying about.  But Frances gets a very harsh deal.  After all, she did try and save her first child, and she did try to love his replacement.  Basically Frances made a fatal mistake before the book ever began – she married a shallow, cowardly fool - and the story is a long working out of her punishment.  

3.  I’m a fatalist

Juliet did absolutely nothing to deserve her fate, apart from be loving, kind, hard-working and honourable.  It was just the arbitrary harshness of the world (or, in this case, me).  Because the truth of it is, however much we think our futures are made by our own efforts (hard work, determination etc) it’s mostly sheer blind luck: being born in a century and location where we are likely to survive our infancies, be educated, and not end up broken by relentless manual labour.

4.  Women like Naomi probably didn’t exist

Frances loses all her financial power and independence when she marries Henry and, though she is the rich and clever one, she becomes his possession.  In the seventeenth century women were regarded as physically, intellectually, morally and spiritually inferior to men.  Obedience, submissiveness and silence were considered the highest womanly virtues and your husband was legally allowed to beat you to ‘correct’ your conduct.  If Naomi hadn’t had all her feistiness thrashed out of her as a child, she would very likely have been put in a scold’s bridle for her controversial opinions, ducked on the stool or, as she is in the book, framed as a witch.  Bitter experience would soon teach such bold women to keep their heads down.

5.  I’m not as unsuperstitious as I pretend to be.

I take home hag stones (holed pebbles) from the beach for their magical powers.

I always salute magpies, with particular deference when there’s only one (for sorrow).

When I have to do something daunting I wear the bracelets my children made me, for protection.

I always touch wood.

I profess not to believe in the devil, but The Exorcist almost gave me post-traumatic stress disorder.

I don’t trust cats.

6.  I steal my writing tips.

When it comes to advice about writing, it’s pretty much all been covered now, so I just regurgitate all the best bits from the greats.  Listen to this one from Stephen King.  “For me, writing is like walking through a desert and all at once, poking up through the hardpan, I see the top of a chimney. I know there’s a house under there, and I’m pretty sure that I can dig it up if I want.” That’s exactly how it goes.  When I get asked in schools talks How did you come up with the idea?  I usually make something about being inspired by a news story or a place I visited, and sometimes that is the case, but mostly you’re walking along in the desert and your foot catches…

7.  This is my favourite.

It seemed to take me many decades to get published, and in that period I’ve written quite a number of books which now reside in my bottom drawer, waiting for their turn.  There’s only one I like even remotely as much as The Blood List.  It seemed to grow almost independently of me and the characters, as the cliché goes, pretty much wrote themselves.  My editor at Simon and Schuster barely touched it.  It’s hard to get historical fiction made into films because of cost of sets and costumes etc, but I can see the story playing in my head and could cast the characters for you right now.  Hope you’re listening, Mr Spielberg.

 

Sarah’s  first book, 'The Hanged Man Rises' (Simon and Schuster 2013) was shortlisted for the Costa Children's Award, the Sussex ABAs and was number 14 in the Telegraph's 100 best Books for Christmas, and the second, a teen thriller set during the witch trials of the seventeenth century, comes out on 27th February.

To find out more about Sarah Naughton:

Twitter / Website