IMM (13)

In MyMailbox (IMM) is a weekly feature organised by The Story Siren. IMM is a post where you can show which books entered your house and it also gives you a chance to say thank you to the people that kindly sent them. To find out more about how you can join in click here.

1) The Ice Age by Kirsten Reed - published by Picador, an imprint of Pan Macmillan. This one is coming on holiday with me. It is a debut novel about a teenage girl on a road trip with an older man. Just right for the beach! This one is released on the 19th August. 

2) Night Road by Kristin Hannah published by Pan, an imprint of Pan Macmillan. This one was chosen as a Channel 4 TV Book Club Summer Read for this summer. I am quite excited by this one as I never get sent any of the Book Club books and love watching the show. This one has twins in it ( suits me down to the ground) and is a coming of age story. It came out on 17th June. 

3) Forever by Maggie Stiefvater. I won a £10 book voucher over at Dizzy's blog and this is one of the books I chose. I still have Linger to read, so I am excited to be able to read both at the same time.

4) Boom by Alan MacDonald. This one is published by Bloomsbury on the 15th August and is by the author of the bestselling Dirty Bertie series. This is set around Old Grumbly, a massive volcano which is about to erupt in the Urk Valley. 

5) Undead by Kristy McKay - oh Tina from Chicken House got me all excited by this book! Describing it as UBER FABULOUS! How can I resist reading it. It comes out in September. Now most of you know, I shy away from zombie books after a particularly bad experience with Boneshaker, but Tina thinks I will change my mind with this book! 

6) The Vampire Hunters by Pete Johnson - this one was sent to my by the uber fabulous Emma from Book Angel  Booktopia, who has had a gorgeous blog make over. Looking forward to reading it. 

7) The Great Big George Book of Stories by Eric Pringle. This has three Big George stories in it who happens to be England's very first visitor from outer space. This comes out on the 15th August. I was quite impressed to read the author writes for TV and radio, including episodes of Doctor Who!

8) The Radleys by Matt Haig - this was another book bought with my voucher from Carol at Dizzy C's Little Book blog. Published by Canongate Books, this book is described by the Daily Mail as 'a witty and humane story about a family of vampires living in respectable English suburbia.' How fabulous.

9) Lottie Biggs is Not Tragic by Hayley Long - published by Macmillan on the 5th August. This is the third book in the series, but I have been told it can be read as a standalone, so I am going to test that theory. I think that is a sign of a fabulous book, if it can be part of a series but still be read as a stand alone. 

I am squeeing over this gorgeous set of books! Being a huge Enid Blyton fan, I am really excited to be reading  books by the author described as a modern day version of my childhood hero. I have already read The Mystery of the Whistling Caves which you can read about here.

The next three books in the series are:

The Mystery of the Midnight Ghost

The Mystery of the Hidden Gold

The Mystery of the Hidden Masterpiece. 

My kids are really looking forward to reading them too! 

Diary of a Mall Girl by Luisa Plaja

Published online in weekly installments by Fiction Express.

Normally I like to provide you with the opening paragraph from the book I am reading. However I found I couldn't copy and  paste it when I tried. Luckily Fiction Express allow you to read the first chapter for free, so if you would like to read it, please click here.

Synopsis:

The mall is the heart of fifteen-year-old Molly’s suburban town. Most teens hang around with friends there, get their first job there, experience their first kiss there. And Molly? She actually lives there, in the complex’s residential wing. She has hundreds of the best shops and amenities right on her doorstep. But is living in a massive shopping centre as much fun as it sounds? Well, yes... and no. Find out the whole truth in Molly’s private diary..

**********

Before reviewing this book, I must mention the unique format the book is available to be read in. The book is part of a selection provided by Fiction Express, which are written on a weekly basis by the authors. It is described as interactive e-fiction where you control the plot. Each week, you get to vote on how you would like the story to progress. For a writer, that must be a rather difficult task, as the author has to follow the decisions made by the readers. 

Luisa Plaja is a fabulous author. I recently read her book Split by a Kiss and absolutely loved it. She is humorous and sassy all in the same breath. So when I realised she would be writing a book where I would be able to vote on how the story turned out, I couldn't resist taking part and reading along with everyone else. 

The book is written in diary format and is aimed at the future Molly. She wants to keep it to look back on when she gets older. She is full of the teenage dreams of being famous, marrying a cute actor and living in and out of designer shops.  

Molly is a typical teenager and I loved her for that fact alone. She is completely wrapped up in the things that tend to be important to teenagers - boys, fashion and school. Her hormones are on overdrive as she tries to decide which boy she really likes the most. 

The story takes us through Molly's tumultuous love life as she sways between her feelings for Liam and Jasper. She has liked Liam forever, but Jasper has something about him, that Molly finds herself drawn to. Molly  listens to the advice of her friends, which doesn't always help her decisions. In the end, Molly listens to her own thoughts in order to make her final choice.

One of my favourite things about this book is that it was written in real time. It was such a good ploy by Luisa to include events that had happened in the news that week within the story. You will find references to the Royal Wedding,as well as Rapture that came and went in  a puff of exaggeration. This made the book feel very real, as though Molly was someone I actually knew who I could  have a chat about all these current events.

The book had some major gasping moments by the end when unknown events and situations became apparent, allowing the author to wrap up the story, tying all the loose ends.

I am really impressed by Luisa's first interactive ebook. I think she has coped remarkably well with the choices the voters have chosen and produced a warm, humorous book that will delight all her established fans as well as bringing in new ones who are discovering her distinct voice for the first time.

Fallen Grace by Mary Hooper

Pages 308

Published by Bloomsbury in 2010, paperback version published in 2011
Book kindly sent by publisher for an honest review.

Grace, holding on tightly to her precious burden, found the station entrance without much difficulty. The Necropolis Railway ran, just as Mrs Smith the midwife had said, on its own special line from Waterloo to Brookwood Cemetery in the county of Surrey, and it was at the London station, just before eleven o'clock, that the newly bereaved gathered, all dressed in the first stage of deep mourning.


The year is 1861 and we find ourselves accompanying Grace as she sets out on a journey that every woman fears, let alone a young teenage girl. She commits herself to doing what she sees as write as she heads towards  Brookwood Cemetery with her precious bundle. From then on, life seems to become harder each day as Grace struggles to make enough money to pay the rent and provide food for her and her sister, Lily, to eat. When things reach an all time low, Grace takes up an offer she can no longer refused and goes to work for the Unwins, a rather dangerous family, who will stop at nothing to get as much as they can. Even if it means defrauding Grace....

**********

This book is one of those that targets all your senses with it rich descriptions that bring Victorian London to life. From the very first chapter, you discover the unexpected and find yourself wanting more. The book is written in third person and you get to see the story from a range of characters viewpoints, with Grace being the most dominant character in the story. 

Poor Grace has suffered for most of her life. She is strong and courageous,even when her life can't get any worse. Her mind is always jumping one step ahead, as she tries to calculate how she can improve their situation. She may be the younger of the two sisters, but she takes control of their lives, as poor Lily is not strong in her mind. In fact, Lily reminded me of Lenny from Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, with her simple views on life. 

Deceit plays a huge part of this story. You begin to be thankful that you didn't live during the Victorian era, where everyone appears to be on the make. The Unwins are the most devious and unscrupulous family I have ever come across. The lengths they will go to ensure their wealth expands are extreme. They basically conned many grieving families to purchase a funeral, far outside of their financial limits, by making them feel guilty. 

I was fascinated by the descriptions of the full mourning period. It had never occurred to me that grieving families would go to such great lengths after a beloved family member had passed. I understood the need for mourning clothes, but to be worn for such a long time, seems absurd now. 

I had never heard of mutes being part of a funeral before. I was fascinated by their roles in the proceedings. The following sentences piqued my interest and had me searching for more information. 

'Mutes are very much in demand at society funerals,' Mrs Unwin said. They can come with hooded cloaks, or appear as Grace is now: with black bonnets and trailing ribbons. 'Weepers', we call the ribbons- they symbolize the tears shed.'

'They usually come in pairs,' Mr Unwin went on smoothly, ' and spaced each side of a front door can look very tragic.'

I love the way the author has intertwined so many facts within the story. I had no idea that Marble Arch had been moved from its original home. I was also surprised to discover that the Necropolis Railway actually existed. You can tell that this book was thoroughly researched, especially with the inclusion of extra historical information at the back, which I found fascinating.

At the beginning of each chapter, there were informative boxes which added to the story and showed examples of life in Victorian England. I was extremely pleased to discover the inclusion of Victoria and Albert in the story, which gave it an air of authenticity. 

I really really loved this story. It was just so rich in description and atmosphere that I found myself lost in the Victorian streets of London. The story was well paced and developed with twists that I had not been aware of. 

If you like historical fiction, especially books set in Victorian London, then I would highly recommend this book, which is full of Victorian flavour.  A book that will find you researching to discover more. I honestly can't wait to read more of Mary Hooper's books. 

An Interview with Luisa Plaja

As some of you may know, the lovely Luisa Plaja, has been publishing a book chapter by chapter online at Fiction Express for the last ten weeks. Each chapter allows the reader to decide which way the story will go, leaving Luisa with barely a week to write the next chapter. I have read Luisa's new book The Diary of a Mall Girl and I will be reviewing it on the blog on Saturday. Whilst Luisa was writing the book, I asked her if she would like to do an interview discussing her experiences of writing this way and she thankfully agreed. So here is Luisa discussing her writing experience with Fiction Express. 

Where did you get the idea from to set your story in a mall?

I wanted the book to have a soap-opera-style hub - a place my characters could meet, whether on purpose or by accident. It needed to be a hive of activity to give the story many possible paths. I know from my own experience that shopping complexes are often the centre of teen action. (Hello, Brent Cross Shopping Centre and  Harlequin Centre, Watford... but mostly St Ann’s Centre, Harrow, which was right next to my sixth form college!)

I once visited a wonderful mall in Chicago that included residential units, famously housing Oprah Winfrey. I’ve wondered ever since about what it would be like to live in a shopping centre as a teenager and have all that schoolmate action and gossip right on your doorstep. This is how Molly Hart and her home at The Lilies Eco-Mall, Lilyford started to take shape...

(Check out these gorgeous Chicago malls: http://www.labelscar.com/illinois/the-malls-of-downtown-chicago. And this is Water Tower Place, the original inspiration for The Lilies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Tower_Place)

What kind of research did you have to do?

My research was varied and plentiful! I took a trip to Birmingham to wander around the Bullring, which you can read about on Girls Heart Books (http://girlsheartbooks.com/2011/07/11/sweet/). I collected piles of mall maps and information, and used them to draw up a plan of The Lilies - including its service entrances where, as you know, a lot of the book’s action takes place! I read everything I could get my hands on about shopping malls, including a great non-fiction book called Call of the Mall by Paco Underhill. (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/150334.Call_of_the_Mall) I think this was this book that indirectly inspired Art Boy and his mall-decorating commission.

I have a background in Linguistics and I’m constantly fascinated by word usage and language development, so I also spent a long time scouring the web for instances of “mall girl” and the attitudes expressed by its usage. (When Molly’s friend Wendy uses the Urban Dictionary to verbally attack Molly in Chapter 1, she’s paraphrasing a definition that exists here: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Mall%20Girl)

I also researched things like planning permission for modern malls and the facilities they’re expected to offer, but perhaps I’ll stop there... I love research. (Yes, I’m a bit of a nerd. Ssh, please don’t tell anyone.)

How long did you have in between chapters to write the next one?

I technically had three days to write a chapter once the vote results came in. In practice, for me, this meant a day of daydreaming and research, a day of fiddling with words and sighing a lot, and then a frantic final day and night, racing to meet the Thursday editorial deadline. I rarely slept on a Wednesday night. Ssh, that’s another secret.

How did you get involved with Fiction Express in the first place?

I was approached by the Fiction Express team at Discovery Books (www.discoverybooks.net) and asked whether I was interested in an innovative fiction-writing project. And... I was!

How many times did you rewrite the chapter before you were happy with it?

This is hard to answer because I’m never completely satisfied with my own work! Honestly, give me anything I’ve ever written - including this - and I can edit it forever. The scary time limit on the Fiction Express project meant that I had to be very strict with my perpetual re-writing tendencies, though. I think there was only one time when I threw out several thousand words - and yes, it happened in the middle of the night on a Wednesday, just before the chapter was due...

Which chapters were the most difficult to write?

This is hard to answer too! Some family emergencies made it slightly harder for me to capture Molly’s humorous voice in the earliest stages. Chapter 7 was also a particularly tough one, but I’d spent that Tuesday in London, speaking on a panel about digital publishing, and my plan of writing all night on the train was scuppered when my netbook ran out of power and the sleeper carriages had no plug points. Argh! I scribbled a bit, but it still left me with a lot to do - and two missed nights of sleep that week. (Don’t try this at home, guys!)

Putting these kinds of reasons aside and focusing on the writing alone, I found Chapter 10 surprisingly tricky. Normally I’m full-steam-ahead when I approach the end of a novel, but this time I found myself fervently wishing that I could go back and change a few parts of previous chapters. I couldn’t, of course... and I got through it!

I should add that I really enjoyed writing the whole book!

Did the reader’s choices always fit with your own?

Split by a Kiss, whose “split” story occurred because I couldn’t decide which path to write - so I wrote both!)

I was very happy when readers seemed to like a certain boy, as I was also very fond of him and I loved writing his scenes with Molly.

There was one week’s vote that shocked me, and that was the choice from Chapter 6 - whether or not Ameera and Molly get caught snooping. I truly wasn’t expecting that result, and it did floor me for a while. Another one that made me baulk a little was the Chapter 9 vote, the one involving Molly and Liam. Readers, you are a wicked lot!

How much harder was it to write with the reader in control of the story?

I don’t think it was harder exactly. It was fun, and it was... challenging!

There was a lot of contact with the readers during this process, especially those who blogged about it regularly, how did you find that contact helped in your writing process?

It helped massively. It gave me support, encouragement and ideas, and I’d like to thank all the wonderful people who wrote me tweets, emails and letters, and who blogged about the chapters, and also those who talked to me about Diary of a Mall Girl at my teen book club. I can’t express how much I appreciated every single piece of feedback. THANK YOU!

Did the story end the way you hoped it would?

Yes. I love writing endings, and this one was no exception.

There is a twist at the end. Was that planned from the beginning?

Ah, what a great question! The simple answer is ‘no’. Nothing was planned. I started the book with only a setting, a group of characters and a rough idea of their conflicting agendas - but not in any great detail. Anyone who writes like me (with hardly any planning at all) will be familiar with the magical way that threads seem to present themselves and beg to be pulled at exactly the right moment.

I once met a great writer at a NaNoWriMo event (http://www.nanowrimo.org). She writes long, involved and brilliant epic fantasy, and she told me about the way she’ll describe a series of weapons in the early part of her book, having no idea what future purpose they might serve. Then she’ll get to page 250, or whatever, find her characters in a bind and think, “Weapon X! Of course, Weapon X is perfect for this!”

I write romantic comedy rather than epic fantasy, but it still applies. I turn around and find that I’ve somehow laid the groundwork for a twist. This is how I’ve written all my books, including the ones with the more earth-shattering twists. The main difference was that, with Fiction Express, there was no going back and honing my weapon - I had to go with exactly what I’d given myself. Now that was a challenge!

I loved the way the story included current issues that occurred in the same week of publication, was that a conscious decision or did it just evolve as the story progressed?

Thank you - I loved writing those bits! It was a conscious decision, really, in that I wanted each chapter to be a full week of Molly’s life in ‘real time’ for the week of publication. This meant I could include mentions of annual events such as the Glastonbury Festival, Wimbledon, The Eurovision Song Contest and all the fun of summer term at school, complete with exams and work experience. (I consulted some real-life Year 10s and a few exam timetables to get Molly’s term as chronologically accurate as possible.) I tend to set my books in quite short time periods - Extreme Kissing, for example, takes place entirely in one day - and I enjoyed having this fixed 11-week framework for Molly.

Will the experience change the way you write in the future?

I’m not sure - I might need to get back to you on this one! Writing a conventional novel now feels like a luxury. What, I can go back and edit everything? Yes, please, let me at it! On the other hand, I might miss the speedy feedback and the wonderful reader involvement.

What happens to the book now?

It remains available at Fiction Express, and I think they have some interesting plans.

Thank you so much for having me at Serendipity Reviews and for all the wonderful questions!

The Diary of a Mall Girl is still available to read over at Fiction Express where you can read the first chapter for free. 

Hot Books For August

When I spoke to the publishers, they all told me that August would be a quiet month in the publishing world, but watch out for September! Luckily there are some fabulous books coming our way in August, but I am doing one post to highlight them this month.

Orion Children's Books

Orion are bringing out the 3rd and 4th books in the Adventure Island series. The Mystery of the Hidden Gold and The Mystery of the Missing Masterpiece, both by Helen Moss. You may remember I reviewed the first book in the series, The Mystery of the Whistling Caves here. If you are a lover of Enid Blyton books, then this series is really one for you. Helen even has a fabulous new website to support the books which will be ideal to distract the kids during the summer holidays. Click here to find out more.

Chicken House Books

Chicken House are publishing the second book in James Dashner's series called The Scorch Trials. 

Thomas was sure that escape from the maze meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one knew what sort of life they were going back to.....

To find out more, click here.

Hodder and Stoughton

August sees the release of the paperback version of the highly successful Delirium. Click here to find out more. I reviewed this at the beginning of the year, so here is my review. 

For all you Lisa Jackson fans, here is Without Mercy, a spinetingling suspense novel set in a school. To find out more click here. 

Random House Children's Books

Described as The Handmaid's Tale meets Sweet Valley High. This dystopian novel reaches the shelves on the 4th of August. Click here to find out more. 

Templar Publishing

Isn't this cover just adorable? This is the sequel to The Unladylike Adventures of Kat Stephenson and will be released on the 4th of August. This is a book set in Regency England which follows the adventures of a 12 year old girl. I am on the blog tour for this book. Click here for more details. 

Bloomsbury Books

August sees the release of the sixth book in Obernewtyn Chronicles, The Stone Key. I am not familiar with this series, but it looks really appealing. Click here to find out more. 

This is the third book in The Declaration series and from what I have read, this is a mind blowing ending. Click here to read more.

HarperCollins 

This book is scaring the hell out of me! Doc Mortis is the fourth book in the delightfully dark Invisible Fiends series. Be prepared to be scared. I am part of the blog tour for this book,which will reveal an exclusive short story just for the blog tour. Click here to find out more. 

Catnip Publishing
The Stolen Sister by Joan Linguard will be available to buy this August. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a picture of the cover to include in the post. All I know is that it is part of the Elfie and Joe trilogy set in Victorian times. 

Simon And Schuster

I am really excited to see this book being released. I read it and reviewed it yesterday and found it a thrilling read, especially as it is written by a debut author. Full of tension and romance, a real  gripping read. To find out more, click here. 

Isn't this just a beautiful cover? This is a historical YA novel set in the time of Queen Elizabeth I. For more information, click here.

Simon and Schuster are also republishing Sophie McKenzie's debut book, Girl Missing too.

Egmont Publishing.

This debut book is released on the 1st of August. The best way to describe this book is that it not about 9/11, but none of the events in the book would have happened if it hadn't occurred. I have your interest now, don't I? I will be part of the blog tour for this book too. To find out more, click here.

For the younger readers, Agatha Parrot and the Floating Head. This book sounds hilarious as it details Agatha's adventures during school time. For more information, click here. 

Pan Macmillan

The second book in the Riley Bloom series, this is a  'suspenseful and heart-warming novel about the great hereafter. . .' To find out more, click here. 

Another series revealing its second book is The Demon Trappers. Jana Oliver brings us Forbidden, where Riley struggles with her new identity as a demon trapper. Click here for more information. 

From an author described as being as witty as Louise Rennison but as insightful as Jacqueline Wilson, we see the publication of  Lottie Biggs is Not Tragic, it seems Lottie's life is going a little bit pear shaped. Click here to find out more. 

Piatkus

There are four books in this series and each cover is to die for.  August sees the release of A Kiss At Midnight, which is the first in the Regency quartet. This book is an interpretation of Cinderella. To find out more, click here. 

 I can't help it, I adore this cover! This is so different from the books I normally read, yet I am drawn to it. It is a debut novel that is set in London around the time of the plague. The author has won been shortlisted for quite a few awards. For more information, click here. 

Headline

A fantastic summer sizzler for the beach. This one is set on the island of Capri, around a glamorous media law firm. For more information, click here.

 This is a prequal to Mistress of Rome,which was a big seller when it came out. It chronicles the Year of the Four Emperors, where the streets ran with blood. Sounds intriguing. Want to know more? Click here. 

Atom Books

Not sure if this is definitely the right cover as there seem to be two versions of it. Anyway Hades is the second installment in the series which began with Halo last year, where good versus evil as God sends down his angels to help. I really enjoyed Halo and look forward to reading this one too. Click here for more information.

Now I have saved the most anticipated book of the bunch until last. I know for a fact that Bookangel Emma will be squeeing with delight at the release of this one. This is the third installment of the Prophecies series and highly anticipated by most book bloggers. To find out more, click here.

So there you go. All the new publications that have caught my interest for the month of August. Which ones do you like the look of?

Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

Pages - 306
Published by Simon & Schuster on the 4th August 2011
Book kindly sent by publisher for a honest review.

Only when the tip of the knife started to shave against the white of his eye like a scalpel about to pierce a boil, did I realise that I was the one holding it.
Or, rather, controlling it.


When Lila discovers that she can no longer hide her unique ability a mugging occurs, she quickly jumps on a plane to go an see the only two people she really trusts. Her brother and his best friend since childhood - Alex. On arrival in California, she soon realises that Jack and Alex don't have your run of the mill style jobs. They both work for a  secret government organisation called The Unit and are hunting the men who were responsible for the death of her mother. By the time she arrives, they are very near to catching them. However, Lila quickly realises that there isn't a lot of difference between herself and the killers. her  brother is desperate to keep her safe from.

**********

From the first paragraph written above, you can see how this book grabs your attention straight away. I have to say the whole first chapter really packed a punch and I was completely smitten for the rest of the book.

 Lila has an amazing power, she can move things with her mind. Unfortunately for Lila, she isn't always in control of this power and it actually leads to her midnight flit to America when she nearly gouges out a mugger's eye without realising it. In the beginning, Lila comes across as a rather young and innocent teenager who only seems to think about what she wants. As the book progresses, you watch her change as she realises just what her whole family is actually involved in and the danger she now finds herself in. She seems to instantly be blown into adulthood as realisations reveal themselves one after another as the book progresses.

The best bit about this book has to be the rather swoon some relationship between Alex and Lila. There is no instant love in this book. This one has been on a slow burner for years. Lila has lusted after Alex since she was very young. She has this idealistic view of how their romance will pan out, but is thwarted by her interpretation of Alex's behaviour towards her. It is so natural how the two of them finally start to see things from the same angle. There is a rather hot scene in a motel room, that was just gorgeous and left you shouting at the book 'FINALLY!' Sarah also provides us with some extremely hot male characters in UNIFORM! I will say no more. 

I loved the way Jack, Lila's brother reacted to the blossoming relationship. Typically, he was not impressed that his best friend had betrayed his trust by hitting on his sister and you could see how the sparks flew between them as they each fought for what they believed in. 

This book is intense from the beginning to the end and as more snippets of information about the past come to light, you find yourself like Alice in  Wonderland, slipping rather quickly through the rabbit hole and unable to find a way out until you discover the truth.

 As a young adult book, there was quite a bit of maturity about the story. It would definitely be one that I would recommend to the older teenage market and I am pretty sure that the older female generation will love it too. 

For a debut novel, this book really blew me away. The intensity, the simmering love story that hits boiling point and the revelations that I would never have guessed,just add to a book that wows you with each turning page. Sarah Alderson can make you jump from hating a character to loving them with just the turn of a page.  This book should be on everybody's summer reading list. This is one that will require your complete attention, as you will find it difficult to put down, so do make sure you have a few hours to spare before embarking on this fast paced journey.

I am so excited by this book and the fact that I have found a new author to love. Sarah has another book coming out in January called Fated and I will definitely be first in line to buy a copy. 

Milicent's Book by Charlotte Moore

Pages - 189
Published by Catnip Publishing in 2011
Book kindly sent by publisher for an honest review

January, 1883
My name is Milicent Bella Ludlow and I am an orphan. Perhaps now I've written it down it will begin to feel real. 
Orphan. What a lonely word. It sounds like 'forlorn' turned inside out. Do I feel forlorn? I keep testing my heart for fractures, gingerly, as you touch a rotten tooth with the tip of your tongue  to find out whether it still hurts. But my heart seems to be quite whole - hard, even. I must pray to the have it made softer. 


Milicent's Book is a true story. All the characters that present themselves are real and the majority of the events that took place actually occurred. The story came to the attention of the author after she found it whilst living in the house, Hancox, which  Milicent bought when she was twenty years old. Charlotte Moore found Milicent's box of treasures which contained two diaries that Milicent had written as a teenager when living at Yotes Court. In order to create this book, Charlotte merged two years worth of events into one year. Other than that Milicent's story was harldy altered at all.

I love to read books like this, that stay true to the historical events that have occurred. It was such a delight to read and immerse myself in Milicent's life during the 1800's.The book strongly reminded me of The Children of Charlecote by Philippa Pearce and I Capture The Castle by Dodi Smith. All these books bring to life the coming of age of young girls during the 1800's, revealing their hopes and dreams for the future.

Milicent wrote the diary as letters to her future self and they often reflected the way children and teenagers just burst with information as they need to tell you everything in a short space of time. At times her conversation to herself went off in tangents as she quickly remembered other information she wished to share and I found myself giggling as it reminded me of how my own children chatter away without always getting to the point.

I do feel that Charlotte has captured Milicent's voice beautifully and it is quite obvious from reading the book that Charlotte felt a personal interest towards the characters and the stories. During the time it took me to read the book, I found it delightful to step back in history and experience a life style from a different generation.

I was interested to find that Charlotte has also written a book about Hancox, which is the house that Milicent bought in her twenties and is now the family home for Charlotte.

If you like to read historical fiction based on true events, then this is a book for you. It is a short book aimed at children and definitely one to help them discover life in a different century. Another fantastic book published by Catnip Publishing that I would use in a classroom as an aid to teaching.

IMM (13)

In MyMailbox (IMM) is a weekly feature organised by The Story Siren. IMM is a post where you can show which books entered your house and it also gives you a chance to say thank you to the people that kindly sent them. To find out more about how you can join in click here.

Excuse my lack of everything this week, but if you are reading this now I am probably on my way back from a mad weekend of camping! I am being really organised and writing this on Thursday, so any books received after Thursday will go in my IMM for next week. Apologies for lack of details with my IMM post this week too, I have had very little time all week. Things will be back to normal next week!

For Review
1) The Maze Runner by James Dashner
2) The Scorch Trials by James Dashner - both published by Chicken House
3) Avenger's Angel by Heather Killough-Walden published by Headline
4) Sister, Missing by  Sophie McKenzie - published by Simon & Schuster
5) There is No Dog by Meg Rosoff - published by Penguin
6) Delirium by Lauren Oliver - now in paperback, published by Hodder & Stoughton.

UK Book Tour

7) The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney - sent by the lovely Lynsey of Narratively Speaking

Library
8) Apartment 16 by Adam Nevill published by Pan Books. This is the book chosen by my book club for this month.

Some fabulous books to keep me entertained.

Life As We Knew It! Guest Post

 As you know, I haven't written one of these posts for quite some time. Unfortunately I have been very busy writing and I found that these posts took a lot of my time and I needed to focus more on finishing my own work. There was a discussion on Twitter about opening up this post to other bloggers to have a go and Elle from The Book Memoirs  was extremely excited and asked if she could go first. Who was I to refuse? And let me tell you what a wonderful treat you are in for.
So, I shall pass the Life As We Know It baton over to Elle who has a bit of a stationary issue!

The first time I realised that I might have a slight problem with stationary was a rather singular moment wherein I found myself standing in WHSmith - a UK newsagent and stockist of stationary - painstakingly counting out what I can only honestly describe as the "smush" at the bottom of my purse in order to buy a 99p plastic pen which I knew from experience would run out after a week of only occasional use. I was vaguely aware of considering the notion that spending 15 minutes clutching my plastic prize while sorting through the traditionally useless change in my hand might be a disproportionate amount of effort for a 99p entirely unreliable so-called writing implement but the sense of determined triumph when I walked out of the door with a paid for "pretty" overrode any notions of sensibility I might have had at the time.

I have a theory that the practice of being a bibliophile is not, in fact, a practice at all but a compulsion which forces us on in a desperate need to collect stories which, in turn, illuminate our shadowy little self-contained lives in some way. It is not a hobby for people who really read, who say without fail that they read every day and won't leave the house without a book, it is a way of life and a way of processing that eventually leads to a deeper understanding of self. Thankfully, in the process of collecting stories, we are able to also collect these beautifully bound pages of neatly printed paper which slowly fade and then let go of The Library Smell. The one that forces you to close your eyes and breathe in manila-coloured pages. The one that makes your friends wander off and proclaim, "They're not with me!"

So, when you get right down to it, it isn't so shocking that so many bibliophiles are obsessive hoarders of stationary. After all, books originated with parchment and quill, paper and pen, early ink press with heavy black letter stamps. It makes sense that the two so-called hobbies should be such close cousins. I - HEY. That's not on. Don't look at the screen with such derision because I can see you. I can see that pile of overly expensive and completely empty journals behind you, hidden in a box under the bed, poking out of drawers, lovingly displayed for their prettiness on your bookshelves along with your other shinies. I know that they're all empty because how could you ever bring yourself to deface your pretties? What if you write something in them that you want to throw out? What if, god forbid, your handwriting is atrocious and you can no longer look upon those delicious cardboard pages with innocent delight because you know that you have ruined it.

And while I'm at it, don't pretend that you don't feel the same as me about ripping open a new pack of Post-It brand notes and smelling the sweet adhesive smell from the sticky tack strip on the back. Don't for one moment convince yourself that you're fooling anyone when you close the drawer on the completely unnecessary purchase of pink staplers, green, purple and gold gel pens that are of no practical use to man nor dog, and paperclips that you'll never use because all of your paper is bound up in gorgeous $3.99 ringbinders from Target or adorable print lever-arch files that cost £4.98 in Asda! Because I, fellow addicts, do not believe you. And neither does anyone else.

So I'll be the brave one. I'll stand up and say that I have a perfectly serviceable and shoulder-high bookshelf which contains not books but notecards and notepaper and magnet-pads and pencil-tidies and hole punches and highlighters of all different brands and shapes and sizes and stickers and bull-clips which are stripey and spotty and contained within a baby pink tin with a fiercely die-for-me cutesy kitten guarding the lid. I will admit that I have quills made of real feathers and bright luminescent fake feathers and that they adorn my desk and my bookshelves with unashamed perfection. I will admit that I have four bins under my bed full of craft paper, poly-pocket plastic sheaths of silky smoothness for lever-arch files, photograph printing paper, folder dividers, labels, notebooks of printed plastic which I take out occasionally and marvel at.

I will admit that I fully get the joke of http://smellofbooks.com/ but that I'm sad that there is no smellofstationary.com esque rainbows when we got back to her apartment.

My name is Elle and I am a stationary addict.

I dare you to deny the truth any longer.

Fabulous! Thank you so much Elle for providing us with such a wonderful post. If you would like to read more from Elle then pop over to The Book Memoirs where you will find her and her transatlantic buddy Kate.

The Big Break with Tessa Gratton

I am pleased to be able to interview Tessa Gratton today, debut author of 'Blood Magic' which I reviewed here. 

I read that you previously wanted a career as either a palaeontologist or a wizard! When did you finally decide on a career in writing instead?
I’ve been writing since I was about 8, and although I definitely went through different phases, writing was always a part of my plan. I finally decided when I left graduate school that I was going to make writing novels and getting them published my goal.


How long did it take you to write your debut novel ‘Blood Magic’?
I wrote the first draft in about 6-8 weeks, then spent months and months revising - on my own, with my critique partners, with my agent, and with my editor. It was published about 3 years after I started writing it!

How did you come up with the idea for the book?
I was walking my dog around the park and the idea just hit me! I slowly developed it over days and weeks of research, brainstorming, and writing.

What was your first reaction when you found out that your book was to be published?
I was so excited I got dizzy.

Who did you tell first?
My partner, of course!

How long did it take for your book to reach publication after the initial agreement?
We sold it in September 2009, and it was published a little less than two years later, in May of 2011.

What was happening to your manuscript during this time?
It was going through many stages - revision with my editor, several rounds of copy editing with a few different copy editors, and then the book designers had it and then it was a real book!

How have you kept yourself occupied as you wait for publication day?
I’ve written two and a half more books since then! I always keep writing - and of course, reading, traveling, and watching crime dramas on TV.


How did you celebrate on publication day?
I stayed in for a relaxing day with my partner, then had drinks and Wii Golf with some friends that evening. It was very laid back.

Can you tell us a little about your next writing project?
The companion novel is called THE BLOOD KEEPER, and takes place 5 years later, dealing with fall out from the first book. It’s got crows, wild magic, homunculi, Marines, and kissing.


Tell us what a typical writing day would be like?
I get up and drink coffee while I read my email and blogs. Then I get to work, chatting the whole time with my critique partner Maggie Stiefvater. I occasionally take breaks for walking my dog or impromptu dance parties in my living room.


What advice would you give to aspiring and unpublished authors?
HAVE ADVENTURES! Excitement and new things will teach you about yourself and other people, and will always give you creative fuel!

Thank you Tessa for giving us that insight into how you got your publishing deal. Blood Magic is available to buy from all major book shops now.  To find out more about Tessa, please click here.

Orion's Launch of Indigo! Squeee!

Last Tuesday I was invited to the unofficial launch of Indigo, the new imprint from Orion which will deliver books for young adults, which will consist of stand out fiction from new and established voices from the best contemporary writers.

The official launch will be in September and will see the release of four titles a month. As I have mentioned before, the authors taking part in this new venture are AMAZING. Mia James, Marcus Sedgwick, Kate Harrison, Sally Gardner, Cliff McNish and many other of our finest, established and prolific authors will stand side by side with new exciting, debut authors such as Annabel Pitcher, Sara Grant and James Dawson.

At the event, Nina and Louise talked to us about all the new books that would be coming out over the next few months. I have to say there was a huge amount of wowing and squeeing and cheesy grins amongst the bloggers furiously taking notes and snapping away like paparazzi.

We were then introduced to four of the authors who will be published under the new imprint.

First to talk was the AMAZING Marcus Sedgwick. Now normally I am pretty easy going and will chat happily to anyone, but Marcus left me a little author struck and I became increasingly tongue tied when I tried to speak to him as he signed my book.

He told us that his new book Midwinterblood was a love story in the broadest sense and was based on a painting he had seen in Sweden many years ago. The painting was by Carl Larsson and depicted a mid winter festival at the Gamla Uppsala temple. In fact, the painting became the seventh part of the book. Marcus then went on to read us a section of the book. Midwinterblood will be published on the 6th October.

The delightful Sara Grant followed Marcus with details of her debut novel Dark Parties. Now I know Sara was a little nervous about following Marcus, but she was fantastic. She told us a little bit about her book which is already being described as 'A striking, timely tale, beautifully written and precisely observed' and containg 'vivid imagery and realistically portrayed teen angst and emotions.' Dark parties is a rather dark dystopian novel ( always a favourite with me) and one that started out as a short story for Sarah. It just goes to show how short stories can lead to bigger things. Dark Parties will be out on the 20th October. 

Kate Harrison, author of the very successful chicklit Secret Shopper series,shows off her many talents as she turns her hand to a rather dark Young Adult novel. Soul Beach is a murder mystery where Alice follows a chilling path to discover who killed her sister Megan and why does she seem to still be alive at Soul Beach! All very sinister, but extremely exciting!

Kate said she found her inspiration through her younger days as a journalist where she was often the one sent to report on bereavements. She would often be called upon to try and get interviews with the family of the deceased.   Soul Beach will be one of the four books published on September 1st alongside, Shelter by Harlan Coben, Darkness Falls by Mia James and The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima.  

Sally Gardner was the last author to speak and she gave a very atmospheric reading from her book. I actually got to talk to Sally after the event for quite some time and found her to be absolutely lovely. The Double Shadow is a move away from the younger books she normally writes and is set in World War II. Arnold Ruben has created a memory machine, a utopia housed in a picture palace, where your happiest memories replay for ever. Doesn't that sound exciting?  The cover is actually one of my favourites and has that film noir look to it, with an Art Deco title. 

After hearing about all the wonderful books that Indigo will be teasing us with over the next few months, we all stepped outside onto the balcony for some nibbles and champagne. 

It was lovely to spend time again with some other fabulous bloggers. 

Liz and Mark from  My Favourite Books

Darren from Bookzone for Boys

Becky from The Bookette

Sarah from Feeling Fictional 

Carly from Writing From The Tub

Amanda Rutter from Floor To Ceiling Books ( not pictured)

Jenny from Wondrous Reads (not pictured)

Andrew from The Pewter Wolf (pictured below)

On the whole, it was a fabulous evening and we all came away with goody bags filled with Indigo delights that we can't wait to share with you over the next few months.
I want to give big hugs and huge thanks to Nina and Kate who always make it such a pleasurable and relaxed experience whilst book drooling at Orion.