How To Catch A Witch by Abie Longstaff

Charlie was dreaming. 

The house was flying through the air, spinning and bumping on the wind. 

She was off to Oz to see the Munchkins.

Here comes Glinda, floating around in a pink bubble saying, "Charlie, Hogwarts is expecting you. Wear your blue-and-white dress."

Then she was falling.

Published by Scholastic in October 2016

Pages - 240

Summary

Charlie and her family have moved from the big city to a small country village, and everything feels wrong. Their cottage is old and creepy. Anxiety about her new school is causing Charlie's stutter to return. And the villagers are just plain weird. Not least, Agatha, who may not have a broomstick or a cauldron, but is definitely a witch...

*****

What a gorgeous launch to a  brand new series. I adored How To Catch A Witch from the first line and I didn't want to put it down. Not only is it an entertaining, page turning story, but cleverly hidden within the plot, are lots of interesting facts about the history of witches. You can tell that Abi has carried out thorough research just by how detailed the spells are.  It's like getting two books for the price of one!

The story has that believable factor to it. There's no flying on broomsticks or swishing around with a witch's hat. This book portrays a much more modern approach to witches and magic. 

I loved the main protagonist, Charlie, who really tried hard to cope with her speech impediment and finally could see how it might help her by the end of the book. However my favourite character was definitely Agatha. She radiated the modern day witches I've come across over the years.

Abi writes beautifully. Her descriptive languages sucks you into the story, grabbing hold of you until the very last page. 

The book has a real classical feel to it. It would have been a firm favourite with me as a child and I'm sure it won't be long before the series is loved by the Middle Grade brigade. I knew Abi was a talented picture book writer, but she has definitely made her mark in the Middle Grade bracket. 

 I can't wait for more. Luckily I won't have to wait too long, as the next book, How To Trap A Wolf is featured in the back of the book and will be out in 2017. 

The Sudden Departure of the Frasers by Louise Candlish

My name is Amber Fraser. I've just moved in at Number 40, Lime Park Road. You'll come to think of me as a loving wife, a thoughtful neighbour and a trusted friend.

This is a lie.

Published by Penguin in May 2015

Pages - 500

Summary

When Christy and Joe Davenport are handed the keys to Number 40 on picture-perfect Lime Park Road, Christy knows it should be a dream come true. How strange though that the house was on the market for such a low price. That the previous owners, the Frasers, had renovated the entire property yet moved out within a year. That none of the neighbours will talk to Christy.

As her curiosity begins to give way to obsession, Christy finds herself drawn deeper into the mystery of the house's previous occupants - and the dark and shocking secret that tore the street apart . . .

Reviewed by Sophie Duffy 

The Sudden Departure of the Frasers has been labeled as a modern day ‘Rear Window’ and this is true to a certain extent as the character of Christy becomes obsessed with her neighbours and watches them, spies on them, through her window. 

The novel is told in a dual narrative, switching between Christie’s third person voice and Amber’s first person ‘confession’. One of the drawbacks of two narrators is that one can be more compelling than the other but I felt that both voices were equally engaging, handled with great skill by Candlish. Amber is the more exciting character, complex and deceptive, but Christy is also intriguing as she is drawn in such a way that we begin to doubt her reliability. This is a novel about the truths we tell ourselves to justify our own actions and the actions of those around us and both these women make the reader question what is fact and what is fiction.

It’s also a novel about our desires to ‘better’ ourselves, wanting more, and living beyond your means, borrowing too much. Does it bring happiness? Or pressure? What if it all comes crashing down? A fable for modern times if ever there was one.

I was utterly captivated by this novel and read it in two days, despite its 500 page length. It’s the tension that keeps the narrative drive going and the need to discover why the Frasers left. I did begin to pick the mystery apart but sometimes knowing what is going to happen, makes the reading all the more full of tension as you wait for the inevitable. And there was an extra revelation at the end…

The writing is clear and crisp and Candlish has a deftness of touch. I will definitely be reading her backlist but will have to make sure to free up blocks of time if her other novels are anything as gripping as this one.

**** 

Sophie Duffy's latest novel, Bright Stars is published in October. 

The Lost And The Found by Cat Clarke

She knows. She definitely knows.

I'm not sure how she knows. I'm not stupid enough to keep a diary, and I'm not one of those weirdos who's all Mum's-my-best-friend-and-we-tell-each-other-everything. Perhaps it's some kind of sixth sense, unique to mothers?

Published by Quercus in July 2015

Pages - 441

LOST. 

When six-year-old Laurel Logan was abducted, the only witness was her younger sister. Faith’s childhood was dominated by Laurel’s disappearance - from her parents’ broken marriage and the constant media attention to dealing with so-called friends who only ever wanted to talk about her sister. 

FOUND.

Thirteen years later, a young woman is found in the garden of the Logans’ old house, disorientated and clutching the teddy bear Laurel was last seen with. Laurel is home at last, safe and sound. Faith always dreamted of getting her sister back, without ever truly believing it would happen. But a disturbing series of events leaves Faith increasingly isolated and paranoid, and before long she begins to wonder if everything that’s lost can be found again…
*****
Reviewed by Vivienne Dacosta

In my house everything stops for a Cat Clarke book. She is one of my favourite YA authors, because she isn't afraid to tackle difficult subjects in her prose. The Lost and The Found follows brightly on from it's predecessors, giving the readers a beautifully written, yet page turningly addictive, unputdownable novel.
This book deals with  a rather topical and sensitive subject - child abduction. Little Laurel was taken from outside her house when she was only six, only to be returned thirteen years later. You would think a story like this would be told from the point of view of Laurel, but it isn't. No, Cat Clarke turns it on its head, telling the story from the perspective of her younger sister, Faith, who lived with the disappearance of her sister and is learning to come to terms with her return. No one ever looks at how the family  will change when a loved one is returned, but undoubtedly it does, as the absence has been such a great void in their lives. I found it fascinating to watch Faith's relationship change with her sister as the story progresses. How she changed her feelings towards her as her own life felt invaded. 
The dynamics of Laurel's fractured family played a big part of the story. With her parents no longer together and her Dad now in another relationship, the family found it difficult to reunite for Laurel's return. It shows how hard it is to fix what has previously been broken. Michel, Dad's boyfriend, is one of my favourite characters in the book, as he doesn't try to be a parent to either girls, he just wants to be  a friend to them, someone who they can go to, when they don't feel they can approach their parents. What more could you ask for from a step parent? 
There are elements of surprise within the plot, which I had an inkling about, but luckily it didn't change my feelings towards any of the characters. All it shows is the wide spectrum of human nature. 
At the heart of the story, there is a mystery. What happened to Laurel while she was gone? That is the question on everyone's  lips and it isn't until the end that you find out the truth.
If you haven't read a Cat Clarke novel, you really are missing out on a  great UKYA author. 

Catch Me If You Cannes by Lisa Dickenson - Part 3

"You think Leo is a drug smuggler? That's ridiculous. Jess raised her eyebrows at Bryony, though her heart was beating fast. Ridiculous. It was time to turn this conversation off and retire to dreamland again. She slapped a smile onto his worried face. 'Okay, I'm going to go back to sleep.'

Published by Sphere in May 2015

Summary

Things could not be going better between Jess and Leo. Every moment they spend together is lovely and sunkissed and full of anticipation. Jess hasn't felt like this in a very long time and she doesn't want it to end. Sure, Leo is a bit vague about certain areas of his life but that doesn't mean anything.

Suddenly Jess's perfect holiday romance isn't looking so great and she has a choice to make - should she ignore what Bryony is telling her and keep living the dream, or should she run the risk of losing Leo in order to prove her friend wrong?

*******

So it's really clear that something isn't right with the perfect Leo, much to Jess's dismay. She can't get her head around the fact that Bryony might be right and Leo could be a drug's dealer. Everything was running along so smoothly until this. Jess has to make a decision to either help Bryony find the truth, or follow the feelings creeping through her heart. Jess has extremely good intentions, but just one look at Leo and she is too smitten to really care. 

I did struggle with how easily Jess forgot and forgave Leo, when a stranger boarded the boat. I don't know if I would've been able to get over the intrusion as easily as she did. Bruno, the intruder, is a rather scary character and does add a sense of danger to the story, really making it seem that Jess and Bryony have got into this whole Cannes situation, way too deep. 

Near to the end of this section of the story, an unexpected love triangle develops. I'm not going to say too much as I don't want to spoil it, but I was surprised to see it appear.

I loved the scene with Veronica where she tells all her secrets to Bryony, falsely believing they will appear in the Times. A brilliant, yet surprising LGBT twist. 

The drama really starts to build back up in this part of the book, as the girls stumble through one lie after another. I loved it when Jess's family turned up unexpectedly, causing a few of their lies to crash and burn.  The ending was hilarious, leaving me intrigued as to what happens next. I'm really looking forward to finding out how this story ends. A great summery read. 

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Kell wore a peculiar coat.

It had neither one side, which would be conventional, nor two, which would be unexpected, but several, which was, of course, impossible.

Published by Tor Books in February 2015

Pages - 400

Summary

Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit.
Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London - but no one speaks of that now.
Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see. This dangerous hobby sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to another world for her 'proper adventure'.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive — trickier than they hoped.

****

To create an alternate version of London is clever, to create four very different versions is simply genius. V.E. Schwab has obviously spent many hours world building for this book, because each London stood out from it’s counterpart and  felt like a character in it’s own right. I’m in awe of the author’s talents.  I found myself completely absorbed by these very different lands and could easily see the transition as Kell stepped from one to another. The London had a real feel of Victorian times, which I  enjoyed.

I loved Lila! She really stood out for me. She has the kick ass persona of Celaena from Throne of Glass, yet the deeply hidden affection of Katniss from The Hunger Games.  I think Lila has a lot of secrets hidden within her, that even she doesn’t truly know about, but as a reader the snippets about her past leave you guessing. I didn’t warm to Rhys, as I’m convinced he will turn out to not be as loyal to Kell as he is in return. I’m sure there are elements of evil and jealousy hidden within Rhys. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the relationship between Kell, Rhys and Lila develops. There’s definitely a  love triangle coming in the next book, I am positive.

The plot was brilliant. The author took us through so many twists and turns that it left me unable to put the book down. I needed to know what would happen next. This book weaves cross dressing, LGBT issues with fantasy and epic adventures. I was lucky enough to read Victoria Schwab’s first book, The Near Witch, a few years ago, which I really enjoyed. With A Darker Shade of Magic, it is clear how far the author has come with her writing. The paragraphs are brimming with descriptions and emotion, touching every sense and feeling.

An epic adventure, beautifully written, flawless through out. This book is way too good to wait for. Buy it!

Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley

The white people are waiting for us.

Chuck sees them first. He’s gone out ahead of our group to peer around the corner by the hardware store. From there you can see all of Jefferson High.

Published by Mira Ink in October 2014

Pages - 368

Summary

It's 1959. The battle for civil rights is raging. And it's Sarah Dunbar's first day of school, as one of the first black students at the previously all-white Jefferson High. No one wants Sarah there. Not the Governor. Not the teachers. And certainly not the students - especially Linda Hairston, daughter of the town’s most ardent segregationist. Sarah and Linda have every reason to despise each other. But as a school project forces them to spend time together, the less their differences seem to matter. And Sarah and Linda start to feel something they've never felt before. Something they're both determined ignore. Because it's one thing to be frightened by the world around you - and another thing altogether when you're terrified of what you feel inside.

****

This is a powerful read and not one that can be rushed. You seriously have to take your time reading it, to make sure the events that occur in the book really hit home. The book is told in dual narrative and you get a complete picture of what it was like to live through integration during 1959. Not only was one of the main characters, Sarah, trying to fit into a white school where she wasn’t wanted, but she was also trying to deal with the strong feelings that she had been made to believe were unnatural .

The author, Robin Talley, has taken on two might big issues and dealt with them amazingly well. The integration issue alone, could have carried this book through, but the author added an LGBT element too. If I’m honest, I would have liked to see the growing relationship between Sarah and Linda given more space in the book, as it was beautiful to watch as they realised there was nothing wrong with feeling the way they do for each other. 

I love that that the story is told from both girl’s point of views. Sarah is one of the strongest female characters I have come across. She holds her head up high as people throw things at her, hurt her and call her names. The language alone in the book shocked me, so to have those names called at you every minute of the day would be draining to say the least. Deep down, Satrah believes that she wants to be at the all white school, but as the story proceeds, you realise she is doing it mainly to please her parents. Linda on the other hand, is absolutely positive that every thing her father had fought for, as he continually attempts to stop any form of integration was for the good of the community, but as events unfold in front of her, she realises that nothing her father says is right.

In this book, you get a first hand experience of what it must have been like to live through such a huge event in history. You find yourself caught up in the thoughts,feelings and actions as these kids try to live up to their parents dreams, even though their parent’s demands and actions cause them a lot of pain and misery.

The book sparks a time of change when young people were just beginning to stand up for what they believe in. Girls were realising that their was more to life than marrying young and keeping house.  I really enjoyed this book and I do think it could be used as a resource for any schools studying American History, as there would be so many factors within it to focus on.

Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer

I was sent here because of a boy. His name was Reeve Maxfield, and  I loved him and then he died, and almost a year passed and no no one knew what to do with me.  Finally it was decided that the best thing would be to send here. But if you ask anyone on staff or faculty, they’ll insist I was sent here because of ‘the lingering effects of trauma.’

Published by Simon and Schuster in October 2014

Pages - 264

Summary

If life were fair, Jam Gallahue would still be at home in New Jersey with her sweet British boyfriend, Reeve Maxfield. She’d be watching old comedy sketches with him. She’d be kissing him in the library stacks.
She certainly wouldn’t be at The Wooden Barn, a therapeutic boarding school in rural Vermont, living with a weird roommate, and signed up for an exclusive, mysterious class called Special Topics in English.
But life isn’t fair, and Reeve Maxfield is dead.
Until a journal-writing assignment leads Jam to Belzhar, where the untainted past is restored, and Jam can feel Reeve’s arms around her once again. But there are hidden truths on Jam’s path to reclaim her loss.

******

This book starts off as a slow burner. You know something terrible has happened, to Reeve, the love of Jam’s life, but you don’t know exactly what happened. All you know is that she is a real mess and needs therapy to get over him. So Jam ends up being send to The Wooden Barn, which is the type of school that helps fix young kids that stray away from what is considered normal behavious. Jam is chosen to attend a special English class with a select few, where they study the life and works of Sylvia Path. Each teenager can identify with the author in a different way. Their teacher expects them to write their thoughts down in the journals she has provided them with. Reluctantly they begin to write in them. Now this is where the book takes an unusual turn and you realise that you have stepped out of a contemporary novel, into an ever so slightly paranormal one.
For me this book was very much a mixture of the 80’s drama Truly, Madly, Deeply, and the 80’s film Flatliners, with a hint of The Breakfast Club. Each teenager needed to confront their past in order to move on. By using the journals and visiting the past, they realised what they need to do to change in order to start feeling normal again. Each teenager in the group had a very different problem to fix.
I loved the idea of Belzhar. This is how I’d imagine ‘heaven on earth’ to be. A place where life doesn’t move, as time truly stands still. Yet as the story shows, change stops staleness and breathes fresh life into the world. The teenagers each realise in their own way that they can no longer stay stuck in the past; they have to let it go and move on.
The ending of the book really threw me. I thought it was an amazing twist, to an emotional read. The book really highlights the throes of first love - how it consumes your every waking moment, so that nothing else matters. On the flip side, when love has gone, it can be like a light being extinguished and many can no longer see any reason to go on. It was quite strange to step back into my teenage shell and remember how much love actually hurt. The book shows that love can be fickle and doesn’t always affect both partners in the same way.
I really loved this book. I enjoyed getting into Jam’s head and finding out how she truly felt. This will definitely be one I will be recommending to everyone to read.

11 Days To Go - The Maze Runner by James Dashner

There are only 11 days to go now until the release of the The Maze Runner movie. As part of the blog tour to celebrate this, I have written my review of the book below. The book has been republished with a new cover to tie in with the movie and is out now in paperback (£7.99, Chicken House)

 

He began his new life standing up, surrounded by cold darkness and stale, dusty air.

Republished by Chicken House Books in 2014

Pages - 371

If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.
Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.
Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.
Everything is going to change.
Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.
Remember. Survive. Run

******

If I’m honest, I really struggled to get into this book. I found it really difficult to connect to a character who didn’t have a clue who he was or where he was from, finding himself in an unnatural environment.

However, due to the high amount of praise this story had already received, I persevered and  I am grateful that I did. Once you find your bearings in this book, you are caught up in a sinister, gripping and fast paced escape which sends your blood pressure through the roof. 

Thomas is a strong, independent character and right from the start, you get the feeling there is more to him than being just another newbie to the Glade. He has that Neo from The Matrix vibe running through him. He is special, but we only realise just how important he is on the arrival of Teresa, the only girl to ever enter the Maze.

Once this story really gets going, it sets off at a frightening pace. The Glader’s lives are under threat; everything they have ever known is about to disappear. There are extremely frightening encounters with Grievers, where I found myself holding my breath.

The book ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger, which leaves the story open to the sequels which have been written.

I think the best way I could describe this book is perhaps as a futuristic version of The Lord of the Flies. If you are looking for a new dystopian world to enter, then this book is definitely for you. Though you need to be prepared to cope with the uncertainty at the beginning of the book.

After reading it, I definitely want to see the movie and I will be queuing up like everyone else when it opens to see this fast paced thriller in real life action.

Run by Gregg Olsen

Cash: $17.00 Dinner: My turn, spaghetti?

Days at this school: 155

Texts from Caleb: 15 so far

Plan: Find a Way to Tell Him the Truth

MY NAME IS RYLEE AND I AM A LIAR, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I WAS RAISED TO BE

I hear the water running in the bathroom sink and I know my mother will bitch at me for leaving it on. Even thought I didn’t. I just got home from school. Mom has been critical of me, while praising my brother, Hayden - despite the fact he doesn’t do much to deserve it. If he remembers to flush the toilet after a late night pee, she practically does handstands the next morning. Mom has always been harder on me. She says that it’s because I have so much potential. Which really means that whatever I’ve done so far has disappointed her.

Published by Hot Key Books - May 2014

Pages - 245

Summary 

This is the story of 15 year-old Rylee’s’s desperate attempt to save her mum. She has come home from school to find her step-dad dead on the floor and the word ‘Run’ written in blood beside him. This is the moment Rylee has been trained for all her life, she instinctively knows that her mum is missing - abducted by the man who has been on their trail all her life.  But until now she’d had no idea he was an evil serial  killer. With no money and no idea whom she’s looking for, Rylee must try to outwit a murderer who always seems to be one step ahead of her - and who, she discovers, has a terrible link to herself.

*****

Reviewed by Elizabeth Dale

When I began to read this, I thought it was going to be another story about a family on the run from a criminal. But Run  is very different - for a start, Rylee is completely on her own, there is no-one she can turn to for help, especially not the police.  But she is tough and extremely resourceful and every step she takes is prompted by an unswerving  desire for deadly vengeance. 

This is a dark and sometimes unflinchingly brutal story - full of very clever twists and turns, and horrifying secrets from the past that shock Rylee to the core. As she discovers that her whole life has been one big lie, but not the lie she thought she had been living, as she learns more about the sadistic evilness of her mum’s captor, and the true, horrifying  motive for his attack, she becomes more determined than ever not only to find him before it’s too late but also to confront the mother who has deceived her at every stage of her life. 

This book is fast-paced and well-written, and Rylee is very much a heroine to admire, as she cleverly  manages to uncover more about the killer and all his previous possible  victims.  She is smart, feisty and spirited and It is easy for the reader to empathise with her. The other characters are well-drawn, as much as we see of them, but the book mainly focuses on Rylee. I had suspected as I read it that I knew how it would end, but I was wrong. It’s always great when a book surprises you to the final page, but I have to say I was slightly disappointed by the final twist. But that’s simply a matter of personal taste, and Run is certainly an edgy, riveting read that will shock and surprise you and keep you turning the page.

Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge

The first things to shift were the doll's eyes, the beautiful grey-green glass eyes. Slowly they swivelled, until their gaze was resting on Triss's face. Then the tiny mouth moved, opened to speak. 'What are you doing here?' It was uttered in tones of outrage and surprise, and in a voice as cold and musical as the clinking of cups. 'Who do you think you are? This is my family.'

Macmillan 2014

409 pages in paperback.

Summary from Frances Hardinge’s website

When Triss wakes up after an accident, she knows that something is very wrong. She is insatiably hungry; her sister seems scared of her and her parents whisper behind closed doors. She looks through her diary to try to remember, but the pages have been ripped out. Soon Triss discovers that what happened to her is more strange and terrible than she could ever have imagined, and that she is quite literally not herself. In a quest find the truth she must travel into the terrifying Underbelly of the city to meet a twisted architect who has dark designs on her family - before it's too late…

*******

Reviewed by K. M. Lockwood

I could merely write ‘extraordinary’ and leave it at that. 

‘Cuckoo Song’ is not just exquisite writing but better still a fabulous story - in both senses of the word. All the lovely phrasing and imagery in the world will not correct a poor tale - but this shadowy fairy story is built upon a strong blackthorn skeleton.

Frances Hardinge tells her strange story with all the many-layered depth of a folktale retold. It is rooted in the period just after The Great War. It reflects the changes in society we know

from history as well as the unsettling wonders and inventions readers of her work have come to expect. There’s family conflict deep in the heartwood of this powerful drama - lies, self-deception and sibling rivalry. But the leaves and branches are hung about with galls and cobwebs and the remains of small dead things.

It is not for the faint-hearted or those in search of a quick, easy read. It will delight confident readers willing to immerse themselves in a parallel historical world full of disquieting beings. They also need to be able to keep track of a moderately complex though fully resolved plot - and a quirky sense of humour would help.

I have only one reservation - which has nothing to do with the writing: the cover. The crackle glaze effect is good- and the haunted look of the girl matches the subject. But I deeply dislike photographs of the key character’s face. It limits what that person can look like in the reader’s imagination. It is not inclusive - publishers take note. Give me art work any time. Something like this would reflect my perception better...

Detail from album cover of Never Forever Kate Bush - by Nick Price

Back to the book. It is her most moving work so far - simpler and stronger than earlier stories. It is one of those tormenting books where on one hand I was desperate to find out what happened next to Triss, but on the other I didn’t want it to end. I shall be reading it again.

If you love Neil Gaiman’s’ Coraline’ or any of Catherynne Valente’s ‘The Girl Who...’ series, do give this a go.

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

The rusted Chevy pickup truck clanked to a stop, and when Lauren Huntsman’s head thumped the passenger window, it jolted her awake.

Published by Simon and Schuster in October 2014

Pages - 392

Summary

Britt Pfeiffer has never been that adventurous, but that's about to change. Wanting to impress her ex-boyfriend, Britt convinces best friend, Korbie, to take a trekking trip with her. But when a freak storm leaves the girls stranded they seek shelter in a cabin, where they find two knights in shining armour. Or so they think.
Britt quickly realises that the girls need to get off the mountain, fast. In exchange for her life, she is forced to guide the boys down, and as they set out on a harrowing journey through the cold and snow, Britt realises the only way to escape with her life is to pretend she is on their side. But is gorgeous, sexy Mason an enemy or an ally? Tension mounts, and it's only a matter of time before things turn deadly . . .

*****

I honestly feel like I have to defend this book, as after reading it and rating it a five, I realised there wasn’t a lot of love for the story. I was surprised by the amount of people who really disliked it and how many couldn’t finish it.

I have read the other reviews and I could see why people didn’t necessarily gel with the main character, Britt. They believed she was a spoilt brat, but I didn’t see this. Yes, her friend, Korbie, had the spoilt brat image down to a fine art, but Britt, didn’t come across like that. If anything, she was rolling along on Korbie’s money rollercoaster. She was also struggling with her emotional attachment to Calvin and her feelings were continually swaying in different directions.

When considering the theme of the book, I kept thinking it was about being self reliant. Britt starts off by relying on everyone around her to help her. She acts the innocent, highly dependent character perfectly, but as the book progresses you witness the real Britt shining through. No one is about to hold her back, least of all Calvin, Korbie or Jude.

I also felt the book explored friendship quite deeply. This book shows that if you are in competition with the people closest to you, then you are cohabiting in a fake friendship. Friends don’t keep scores on everything you do.

I can’t tell you anything about the plot without giving the story away. All I can say is watch out for Jude, because he is one hell of a character.

This is completely different from Becca Fitzpatrick’s best selling paranormal series, Hush, Hush. It must be difficult for an author to embrace something new, but I think she has done exceptionally well in writing such an intense, romantic thriller.

If I had to have any quibbles about it, I would only have one. It might’ve been nice to have a dual perspective within the story, as sometimes it was difficult being just in Britt’s head when so much was going on around her.

However, I can put my hand on my heart and say I really loved this book. I was glued to the pages from the very beginning. If I had to sum it up in one sentence it would be - Expect the Unexpected!

First Term at L’Etoile-School for Stars by Holly and Kelly Willoughby

Molly and Maria Fitzfoster could barely breath for nervous excitement as they clutched each other on the back seat of their dad’s old Bentley. As the car bounced along the enormous, sweeping drive, they craned their necks out of the window trying to catch a glimpse of their new school. The September sun streaming through the rows of poplar trees completely blinded them.

Pages - 173

Published by Orion Children’s Books in June 2013

Book Summary

On the first day of term at L'Etoile, School for Stars, twins Maria and Molly Fitzfoster meet Pippa Burrows who's won a song-writing scholarship to the school. The talented trio share the same dreams of super-stardom and become best friends. But will their friendship stand up against Lucifette Marciano's plans to wreck their chances and claim fame for herself?

*******

I’m always a bit dubious about books written by celebrities, but I have to be honest and say I really enjoyed this one. The book is a mixture of all my favourite things that I love  in fiction aimed at the younger market.It embraces the retroness of Enid Blyton’s Mallory Towers while combining it with the magicality of Vivian French’s Tiara Club series and the sassiness of the St Trinian’s Girls. 

The writing captures your imagination and whisks you off in style to mix with the elite of the show business world. Imagine a school where all the Hollywood celebrity offspring go to and you would have a clear indication of what life at E’toile might be like.The twins Maria and Molly are adorable, yet both stand out individually, with their differing looks and completely different personalities.

Unlike other boarding school stories, they haven’t been afraid to embrace modern technology. Maria runs an anonymous blog, where she lets out secrets and gives out advice to all her fellow students. While her sister, Maria, searches the internet for the latest fashions and texts Albie to deliver them once a week.

The book has a strong theme of friendship which runs right through the story. If everyone had friends like Maria and Molly, there would be a lot of happy people in the world.

This book is an easy read and one that could be devoured in an afternoon. I think it is aimed at the older tween but would easily suit an advanced reader in the 7 to 9 age bracket. If your child dreams of stardom and watches The X Factor on repeat, then this series will definitely be ideal for them.

The Originals by Cat Patrick

My part is first half.

I go to Student Government, Chemistry, Trigonometry, Psychology, and History at school, then do the rest of the day at home. I maintain that Mom was in a mood when she made assignments this year - math and science are definitely not my best subjects. When I reminded her of this, she said,’That’s exactly why you’re doing first half.’

Pages - 304

Published by Egmont in May 2013

Goodreads Summary

17-year-olds Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey Best grew up as identical triplets... until they discovered a shocking family secret. They're actually closer than sisters, they're clones. Hiding from a government agency that would expose them, the Best family appears to consist of a single mother with one daughter named Elizabeth. Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey take turns going to school, attending social engagements, and a group mind-set has always been a de facto part of life...
Then Lizzie meets Sean Kelly, a guy who seems to see into her very soul. As their relationship develops, Lizzie realizes that she's not a carbon copy of her sisters; she's an individual with unique dreams and desires, and digging deeper into her background, Lizzie begins to dismantle the delicate balance of an unusual family that only science could have created.

*******

Cat Patrick always has the most amazing story ideas when it comes to writing fiction. Possibly inspired by her own twins, she has created an original story  centring around a trio of clones, all living the same life. It sounds freakishly weird I know, but you have to read it to believe it.  I was completely intrigued by the whole idea behind the book.

The story is told in present tense from the point of view of Lizzie. Even though the girls are supposed to be the same person, their differences are evident early on in the book. I think the author did a fantastic job at portraying each girl individually so that they stood apart from each other. Ella is the happiest out of the three; she is content to carry on living as they are. As well as being the happiest,she is also the brainiest and at times appears to be the naïve one. Betsey is the calm, thoughtful and logical one; if they were just sisters, I would place her as the oldest. This leaves Lizzie, who comes across as more defiant; she wants her own life more than either of the others and you feel her desperation for change. They are living the life of one person - each attending school for a certain part of the day. The thought of trying to be one person when you are all so different must be draining and as the girls head towards being an adult, they are beginning to realise they don’t want to live this life anymore.

I didn’t like Lizzie’s mum at all. I felt suffocated by the way she treated the girls. Anyone would have broken free from such tight control. To the point where she even monitors their heartbeat alongside following them with a GPS system is just wrong. It isn’t until Lizzie falls for the charms of the gorgeous Sean, that Lizzie and her sisters begin to realise just how wrong their lives are. They start to doubt their mother’s decisions for their lives.

The book leaves doubts in your mind. As the mother of identical twins I know how important it is to nurture their differences, but when they were younger, I have to put my hand up at being guilty of occasionally dressing them the same. If I had that time again, I would definitely do it differently.  I felt this book emphasized the extremes that twins and triplets can be treated like in reality.

The book heads off on a fast pace and you find yourself totally engrossed in the story.  The beginning and the middle of the book really drew me in and I was desperate to find out how it would end. My  only little niggle with the book is that events at the end were not shown in detail, which left the climax a little flat. I really wanted to see what happened between Maggie and the girl’s mum, but unfortunately the information was relayed second hand.  I can see how this would have been difficult to show due to the story being told from the perspective of Lizzie.

Apart from that I really enjoyed the book and I’m intrigued to read more YA dealing with cloning. If you like your sci-fi a little bit different, then I would highly recommend reading this book.

Hooked by Liz Fichera

 
 

Pages - 368

Published by Harlequin Teen in January 2013

Copy obtained via Net Galley

I believed that my ancestors lived among the stars. Whenever I struck a golf ball, sometimes the ball soared so high that I thought they could touch it.

Goodreads Summary

When Native American Fredricka ‘Fred’ Oday is invited to become the only girl on the school’s golf team, she can’t say no. This is an opportunity to shine, win a scholarship and go to university, something no one in her family has done.
But Fred’s presence on the team isn’t exactly welcome — especially not to rich golden boy Ryan Berenger, whose best friend was kicked off the team to make a spot for Fred.
But there’s no denying that things are happening between the girl with the killer swing and the boy with the killer smile...

*********

I enjoyed Hooked more than I thought I would. To be honest there is something about the cover that I find off putting. I think it might be the colour; the black and white aspect of it. Shallow I know! Luckily I read the blurb before I made my decision to read it and that literally had me hooked.

Firstly I can’t remember ever reading a YA book about golf, so hats off to the author for originality there. I was surprised how much I loved the golf aspect of the story, seeing as I have never picked up an iron in my life. One of the main characters Fred is an American Indian girl playing on an all-white, all male golf team for the school. This girl has got guts! She goes up against Seth, with his psychopathic tendencies, who hates her intensely because she took his spot on the golf team. He goes out of his way to make her life a misery. I loved Fred because she was so strong even though she wore her innocence like an extra layer of skin, she wouldn’t let them defeat her and pull her down. She continued to believe in herself.

Secondly, I loved the fact the author let us delve into the world of the American Indians.  We were privileged to be allowed access to traditions that they hold sacred. I don’t think there are enough books featuring American Indians, the only others I can remember are the Twilight books by Stephanie Meyer. I think they are such interesting and vibrant people that they should definitely feature in more YA books.

The book is told from alternative perspectives between Fred and Ryan, who is the All American boy, who gets everything he wants, delivered to him on a shiny silver platter. Yet his family is dysfunctional and he plays up against that fact. You want to hate him to begin with, but he falls so hard and so quickly for Fred, you find yourself nodding in approval at this blossoming yet fragile romance.

This book looks strongly at relationships that go against the odds. When two people come from such different backgrounds, this book shows it isn’t impossible for their relationship to work. Fred and Ryan couldn’t be more opposite to each other, yet it was lovely to see their love grow. I did struggle a little with the romance, as both characters struggled to get it right. There was a lot of will they, won’t they going on, which got a tad annoying.

This book reminded me of Pretty In Pink but with golf!

I thought this was a really good start to the series and I can’t wait to read the second book where we see Riley, Ryan’s younger sister find romance with another character already featured in this first book.

 

How To Fall by Jane Casey

Reviewed by Georgina Tranter

Published by Corgi in 31st January 2013

Freya ran.

It wasn’t a night for running, and the woods weren’t the best place for it.  The full moon cast enough light to make it easy to see in the open, but under the trees it was one shade above pitch dark, and Freya was running blind.  Rogue branches caught at her clothes, whipped her skin, barred her path.  The ground under her feet was uneven, pitted with hollows and ridged with roots, and more than once she stumbled.

But Freya still ran.

She had long since lost the path, but she knew where she was going.  The sound of the sea was louder that the leaves that rustled around her, louder than the voices in her head. Slut.  Bitch.  Freak.  Voices she couldn’t outrun.

About the Author

Jane Casey is one of a band of established adult authors who have now turned their pens, and laptops, to writing for young adults.  With four crime novels under her belt, featuring Detective Constable Maeve Kerrigan, Casey has left her behind to write a beach story with a twist.

Summary

Jess Tennant lives with her mother in London.  Estranged from her father and her mother’s family, they only have each other - until the day her mum announces that they are off to visit her twin sister for an extended summer holiday in the sleepy seaside town of Port Sentinel.

When they arrive, Jess sets out to explore the local area only to be met with stares of confusion and shock from the residents.  She immediately feels uncomfortable and cannot understand why she should generate such reactions.  Only after meeting up with her cousins does Jess learn that she bears an uncanny resemblance to her cousin Freya who died a year ago after a cliff fall.

The more time Jess spends in Port Sentinel meeting up with those who were closest to Freya, the more she thinks that the verdict of suicide is the wrong one and she sets out to find the truth about Freya’s death.

Making new friends and enemies along the way Jess is embarking on a dangerous path to investigate what happened that summer.  Can she safely find out what happened to her cousin, or will Jess end up the same way?

**********

I love Jane Casey’s work so was eager to see how she would write for a different audience and I think she pulls it off with this book.  My only question was would a

teenage girl try to play detective in a strange town over the death of someone she had never even met, but having finished the book I think you can see how it would all work out that way.  Jess is an inquisitive individual and it is her nature to question those around her, therefore attempting to solve a suspicious death wouldn’t seem that strange, particularly of someone she was related to.  The characters and setting were believable, particularly the ‘cool’ girls who I instinctively took a dislike too, and I loved Fine Feathers - the owl charity shop that Jess gets coerced into working in, with all its designer cast-offs selling for pennies.

This is billed as the first Jess Tennant thriller so I am keen to read the follow-up to How to Fall, which I am sure will be as gripping.  I’d certainly recommend this book as it does keep you hanging on to the end to find out whether Jess will discover the truth about Freya.

Hysteria by Megan Miranda

 

Pages - 272

Published by Bloomsbury Books in February 2013

Goodreads Summary

Mallory's life is falling apart.
Her boyfriend was stabbed. He bled to death in her kitchen. Mallory was the one who stabbed him. But she can't remember what happened that night. She only remembers the fear...
When Mallory's parents send her away to a boarding school, she thinks she can escape the gossip and the threats. But someone, or something, has followed her. There's the hand that touches her shoulder when she's drifting off to sleep. A voice whispering her name. And everyone knows what happened. So when a pupil is found dead, Mallory's name is on their lips.
Her past can be forgotten but it's never gone. Can Mallory live with that?

********

It is so lovely to see how a writer progresses on their journey from debut to established author. None are more obvious and pleasing that reading Megan Miranda’s second book Hysteria. As much as I enjoyed her first book Fracture, I really feel this is so much stronger both within the writing and the plot. The plot is fast paced and thrilling. Plenty of page turning moments as I became desperate to find out what really happened. The truth is kept extremely well hidden until the final chapters.

This book deals with strong themes of loyalty and friendship. Mallory and Colleen have one of the strongest friendships I have ever seen in a novel and believe me; the author really puts their loyalties to the test. Nothing can break these two up and it was extremely wonderful to read that. High school friendships can be so fragile, just a whiff of a rumour or a hasty spoken word of jealousy and the bond often comes crumbling down, but with these two even murder can’t break them apart. Nor can Mallory’s enforced stay in a boarding school. I bonded with these two immediately, their ‘us against the world’ mentality appealed to me. I found myself sticking my fingers in my ears, not wanting to listen to the rumours that spread concerning the murder of Mallory’s boyfriend. There is a mean streak among many of the secondary characters. Jason has a touch of cruel intentions about him and Krista could give the mean girls a run for their money.  The nasty lengths they all go to in order to get what they want leads to horrific events.

I do like a book that teaches me something new and this one most definitely ticked that box. I learnt more about hysteria and the effects it can have on the body. Memory loss and memory blockages due to extreme stress play a major part in the plot in this book. Mallory has hidden from her thoughts what really happened because it is all too tragic to remember, but you find that memory issues occur throughout the book dealing with different characters who have suffered too.

I was impressed with how the author got around the instant love craze that has besieged the YA market. Within this book, Mallory has known Reid since she was a child. Their parents were close and she had spent time during her childhood with him which made it easier for them to become close quickly.

This is an excellent thriller which reminded me of Michelle Jaffe’s style of writing.  I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to the next thriller from this author. She has obviously found her niche and she creating some spectacular stories to fill it with.

The Dark Glamour by Gabriella Pierce

 

Published by Canvas

294 pages.

‘Thanks.’ Jane Boyle aimed a friendly smile at the tired-looking barrista, a sallow-skinned girl with a barbell through her septum. In spite of the fact that the macchiato in Jane’s hand was approximately the eight hundredth she’d bought from the girl in the last three weeks, the barista didn’t show the faintest glimmer of recognition.’

Goodreads Summary

Jane Boyle married her prince charming and moved into his upper east side castle - but she didn't get her fairy-tale ending

It's hard to live happily ever after when you discover your demanding and controlling mother-in-law is literally a witch, determined to steal the magical powers you didn't even know you had. Jane narrowly avoided Lynne Doran's clutches when she escaped on her wedding day, and has been hiding out in New York City. But she can't hide forever.

When Jane learns of the one thing Lynne wants most, she sets out to provide it, hoping her good turn will persuade her mother-in-law to stop hunting her. Unfortunately, Jane's daring plan will send her right back into the witches' den - the Doran clan's multistory town house on Park Avenue. But thanks to a tricky spell, blond architect Jane will be transformed into Ella, a dark beauty with a whole new look . . . and all of Jane's budding powers. Though the stakes are life or death, nobody said "Ella" couldn't have a little fun along the way, too.

**********
Reviewed by Sophie Duffy

‘The Dark Glamour’ is the second of the 666 Park Avenue trilogy, set in the Upper Eastside of Manhattan. It’s a kind of Sex in the City for witches. Shoes, sex and magic.

In the first novel we are introduced to Jane Boyle, a young, talented architect who discovers she’s from a long line of witches. She falls in love with a man who is also from a family of witches, a

Manhattan family with a heap of money and magic, headed by the matriarch, Lynne Doran, who becomes Jane’s nemesis.

I haven’t read the first novel, ‘666 Park Avenue’, but was able to follow the plot as there is a lot of exposition in the first few chapters. This meant I could keep up with the story but it did slow the action down. As with all trilogies I’d say this one would be best read together rather than as stand-alones and would be enjoyed by late teens or twenty-somethings.

The style is slick with some wry humour and moments of tension. Pierce creates a believable world and it’s fun to think there could be witches out there, only recognized by other witches. It would be fun to change your appearance by magic rather than a Gok Wan make-over or plastic surgery. 

So if you like chick-lit with a slice of magical fantasy, maybe this is the trilogy for you to try this cold, wet January. And if you read the first two quickly you won’t have long to wait for the third, ‘The Lost Soul’, published later this month.

NIght School Legacy by C.J. Daugherty

Pages - 385

Published in January 2013

'Isabelle, I need help!'

Crouching in the dark, Allie whispered urgently into her phone.

Goodreads Summary

In the last year, Allie's survived three arrests, two breakups and one family breakdown. The only bright point has been her new life at Cimmeria Academy. It's the one place she's felt she belongs. And the fact that it's brought the dreamy Carter West into her life hasn't hurt...But far from being a safe haven, the cloistered walls of Cimmeria are proving more dangerous than Allie could've imagined. The students, and faculty, are under threat and Allie's family - from her mysterious grandma to her runaway brother - are at the centre of the storm. Allie is going to have to choose between protecting her family and trusting her friends. But secrets have a way of ripping even the strongest relationships apart.

********
This is the second book in the Night School series, so be warned there may be spoilers. I have to admit I was really surprised how this book turned out.
This book pulled the carpet from under me! Seriously, I saw Allie as being on the right side of all the events going on at Cimmeria, but as this story progresses Allie reacts to situations which makes it look like she might be heading for the wrong side. She unwittingly goes against the establishment. I felt like all tables were turned and bets were off about the final outcome.
This book goes at a slower pace than the first book and there appears to be a long build up to the final scenes, but I felt that the character development was a lot more in depth. We learn so much more about the main character's background especially during their interview process which I thought was a stroke of genius. Lots of secrets coming out of the closets.
The rather dramatic ending left me surprised too. I really didn't see that coming. I still felt the uneasiness that I felt with the first book. Allie just doesn't know who she can trust and I think the author writes that tension extremely well.
Some of the male characters really shocked me with the way they behaved - some good, some bad. Like I mentioned before - everything turned around. For a second book in a series, I felt it really held it's own. A lot of character development, less action but on the whole well worth reading. I really look forward to reading the next instalment.

From What I Remember by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas

Pages - 436

Published in January 2013 by Electric Monkey

I am jolted awake by sunlight flooding the room. What time is it? Where am I?

Disorientated, I attempt to open my eyes. The light is stabbing. my head is throbbing, my throat is raw and my stomach is roiling. Is this what a hangover feels like?

Amazon Summary

Life is nothing like you planned. Even when you've planned absolutely everything. Kylie Flores - class brain and movie addict - has been planning her big graduation day speech for three months. A scholarship student, she would never dream of mixing with the likes of Max Langston - rich, undeniably handsome and athletic, but totally dead from the neck up. So it's a total mystery when Kylie wakes up in Mexico, with the hangover from hell, in a bed she doesn't recognise, next to Max - and they are both wearing wedding bands...Rewind 48 hours to find out just how and why they got there!

*********

This book is one of those books that I know I will read again and again. I want to keeping hugging it and grinning because it is just so wonderfully written. It has everything you could possibly want in a story, pushing you backwards and forwards between laughing and crying as you follow on this at times poignant coming of age journey on the road to happiness. By the end of the book I honestly couldn’t stop grinning.

I ‘m a real 80’s girl and grew up feasting on all the John Hughes style Brat Pack movies. On reading this book, I felt like he was still with us, creating a damn good story that breaks your heart occasionally but leaves you feeling happy about the outcome. The one that sticks in mind the most on reading this is Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, but the book also has elements of Pretty In Pink and The Breakfast Club too. It is just pure gold.

The book is told from multiple points of view and each character is vivid, unique with each voice firmly establishing their role in the plot. I loved them all except Lily, but really she was probably supposed to be one of the characters you hated. She has that whole ‘Mean Girl’ thing going on. She reminded me so much of Jennifer Grey when she played Ferris’s sister in the film. Her anger and hatred towards Kylie oozed off the pages. I adored the blossoming relationship between Max and Kylie. All the way through I was rooting for them to work it out. They come from such different backgrounds you felt their turmoil as they tried to overcome their differences.

The story deals with quite a few issues that really do affect the teenagers of today. It looks closely as the high school hierarchy system and tears strips out of it. It definitely proves that you should never judge someone until you have got to know them better. Listening to rumours will not help you to discover who someone really is. Jump in and introduce yourself before you judge.

This book also deals with the difficult process that teenagers often find themselves in when they begin to tell their families and friends they are gay. Will, one of the main characters goes into overdrive to make sure everyone knows, to the point where he wears women’s clothes to make a statement. As the book progresses he realises that he doesn’t need to do that for people to accept his choices. Another character in the book is struggling to admit his sexuality and I thought it was dealt with extremely well as you had the contrasting situations of both characters.

The book jumps back and forth between America and Mexico, so you get to see how the American teenagers react to the change in drinking age. To us, being able to drink at 18 is the norm, so it is funny to see how they embrace the change in law as they hit Mexico.

From the first chapter, you get a sense that something is seriously about to go wrong and before you know it the book has sped off into an accidental adventure that follows one incident after another down a long line of reactions to different situations. This book isn’t just an adventure, it is also a journey, a coming of age journey where each character not only finds their way back home, but they also find themselves. They find the blossoming seeds of the adults they will become in the future. This book is about realising just who you are supposed to be in life; finding your potential from each mistake you live through.

Each chapter begins with a quote from a movie, most of which I had seen and could remember. Each quote is totally appropriate to the chapter it leads.

If this book isn’t made into a movie I would be really really surprised because it is bursting at the seams with all that is needed to make a hilarious coming of age feel good film. If you still haven’t sussed it, I truly love this book. The writing partnership between these two authors works incredibly well and the seams are so flawless, you would never realise that it had been written by two people. I really do hope this is a permanent partnership because I can’t wait to read more from this dynamic duo.

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Ketchup Clouds by Annabelle Pitcher

Pages - 251

Published in January 2013 by Indigo

Dear Mr Harris,

Ignore the blob of red in the top left corner. It's jam not blood, though I don't think I need to tell you the difference. It wasn't your wife's jam the police found on your shoe.

Goodreads Summary

Fifteen-year-old Zoe has a secret—a dark and terrible secret that she can't confess to anyone she knows. But then one day she hears of a criminal, Stuart Harris, locked up on death row in Texas. Like Zoe, Stuart is no stranger to secrets. Or lies. Or murder.
Full of heartache yet humour, Zoe tells her story in the only way she can—in letters to the man in prison in America. Armed with a pen, Zoe takes a deep breath, eats a jam sandwich, and begins her tale of love and betrayal.

********

Opening one of Annabel's books is like opening a long awaited Christmas confectionery box, that you know you should eat all at once but temptation gets the better of you and you don't stop until you have scoffed the lot. If you haven't guessed from that, I read the whole book in one sitting, refusing to do anything else.

If that doesn't make you curious to read it, then the following reasons should have you hurdling the Kindle book sales to get hold of a copy of this.

1) It is an epistolary novel written in the form of letters dated over the period of a year. That alone, should make many people want to read it.

2) The narrator is a fifteen year old girl who is writing anonymous letters to a convict on Death Row in America. She is purging her soul  in order to come to terms with the guilt she feels for taking a life.

3) The love triangle is beautiful yet poignant and the author keeps you on your toes all the way through the book. It wasn't until the last couple of chapters that I could finally work out what would happen.

Annabel Pitcher books should definitely now come with a warning as this is the second time she has made me cry. I invested all my emotions into this story, willing it to have a happy ending. I loved the way Zoe thought her crimes were bad enough that the only person who might understand would be a murderer on Death Row. She really had sunk to her lowest point in life. I constantly wanted to hug her as she confessed her sins to a complete stranger.

The book contains excellent sub plots which explore the theme of guilt, which plays a major factor in the main plot.

The characters are so realistic and believable; the author has really captured the teenage voice. Zoe is young at heart and still learning the finer points of love, which causes her to do some rather stupid things. Her letters to Stuart were open and honest, she never left anything unsaid. I did feel she benefited from writing them in the end.

I want to say something about the ending but I feel it would be better not too. I would give too much away.  Come and find me when you have read it and we can discuss it.

I couldn't get enough of this book, I was so impressed that I couldn't work out what had happened until the end, the writing definitely kept me in the dark until the author was ready to reveal the truth.

Seriously if Annabelle Pitcher doesn't win an award with this book, then  I shall scream from the rooftops. I thought her first novel was amazing and I didn't think she could improve on it, but this one just took her writing up to another notch. An utterly brilliant second novel from a very talented author.