Chuck a Book With Sarah Baker

I am pleased to welcome Book Bounder pal, debut author, Sarah Baker to take part in Chuck a Book. Sarah's debut novel, Through The Mirror Door is published by Catnip this week. 

The best book you have ever read

How difficult is this? Okay, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, and Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel. So brilliant, so clever. The best children’s book is I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. No wait, The Box of Delights by John Masefield. No, His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. No, hang on, all of them (sorry).

A Book you loved from your childhood

The Weirdstone of Brisingamen by Alan Garner. My year 5 teacher Mrs Morris read it to us in the afternoons and I fell in love with Garner’s stories.

A book that made you laugh

Pretty much anything and everything by David Sedaris. When You Are Engulfed in Flames made me snort with laughter on the tube, but as it’s London, nobody noticed. 

A book you could not finish

Okay so I have this thing where I can’t not finish a book, even if I’m really not enjoying it. Imagine Monica in Friends not being able to tidy. It’s like that. Luckily it happens very rarely because I get such great recommendations. Not good enough? Oh alright, I haven’t finished Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. I tried, I really did, but it’s over 1,000 pages and I was 17 and it was summer. I like to think I’ll try again sometime…

A book that made you swoon

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Mr. Darcy. Enough said. 

A book you can’t wait to read

The Speed of Darkness by Catherine Fisher. I’m longing to know how this brilliant series ends. 

A series you have read and loved

I recently discovered the Lockwood and Co books by Jonathan Stroud and am now a big fan. It’s such a brilliant, original idea with wonderful characters and fantastic plots. I really hope there are lots more books to come…

A book that made you cry

The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman. I sobbed at the last scene between Lyra and Will. Oh and in The Subtle Knife when Hester and Lee Scoresby… oops, spoilers. I’ll stop there.

Your guilty pleasure book

Any of the Harry Potter books. They’re perfect for when you need to curl up under a duvet and pretend you’ve just got your Hogwarts letter.

A book that took you out of your comfort zone

This would be Soulless by Gail Carriger. It’s the first book in her Parasol Protectorate series. It’s a steampunk paranormal romance and like nothing I’d ever read. Imagine a Victorian London filled with vampires, werewolves and a big dollop of cheekiness. So much fun.

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Summary

Life hasn’t been great for Angela since tragedy took her family away. But Angela is given once last chance when she is invited on holiday with her Aunt Cece and her bratty cousins Kitty and Fliss. 

Angela tries to behave herself, but she knows secrets lie in the walls of their crumbling French holiday home. Soon night time foot steps, flickering candlelight and shadows in windows lead Angela to Julien - a boy who needs her help. But is it too late? Through saving Julien can Angela save herself?

To find out more about Sarah Baker:

Twitter / Website

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