Scary Six with Helen Grant

First of all, I have to say Happy Halloween week!!!!

 I hope you are ready for some spooktacular posts from some of your favourite authors. Not to mention the contributions from the lovely book blogging community! And to end the week we have a very special post on All Hallows Eve with some very special witches authors! 

So let's not waste time! My first post this week is with author, Helen Grant as she takes on the Scary Six.  Helen Grant is the author of The Vanishing of Katharina Linden, The Glass Demon and Wish Me Dead. Her most recent novel is Urban Legends, the third book in the Forbidden Spaces trilogy, which was published by Corgi earlier this year.  

Scary Six consists of a long list of spooky questions. Each author who took part were allowed to answer six questions. Here are Helen Grant's answers.

What used to frighten you as a child? 

When I was a kid I once watched an animated film called The Point, and that scared me half to death. It came out in 1971 - I’m not sure how soon after that it was shown on British television but I was quite young when I saw it. The strange thing is, it isn’t even a horror film. It’s about a young boy called Oblio who is the only normal person in a world where everyone else has pointed heads. He goes on some kind of quest to find other people like him and meets various bizarre characters like a man who is made of rocks and three enormous women like bouncy balloons. I still don’t know what it was that frightened me so much about this film but there is no way even now that I could consider re-watching it. Just thinking about it gives me a cold feeling in the pit of my stomach and makes my palms perspire! It was just horrible. 

Have you ever been in a graveyard at night? 

Ha! Yes, quite a few times, most memorably on Hallowe’en 2013. I spent the evening at the Library of Innerpeffray, which is not far from where I live in Scotland. I was reading from some ghost stories I had written about the library, and I was all dressed up in a black velvet cloak with a cowl just so I’d look the part. One of the people who attended was an American professor who was temporarily at the university of Stirling, and I said I would give him a lift back to Stirling afterwards. I happened to remark that it was a shame it was after dark as there was a very interesting ruined church on the back route to Stirling, and he said, “Why don’t we go and see it anyway?” so we did. I parked at the side of the road and we went around this ruined church and graveyard full of mossy tombstones, and while we were doing that, it started to rain. When we got back to the car, it was stuck in the mud!! We spent ages trying to get it out but nothing worked so in the end I had to try to flag someone down for a tow. So there I was, on Hallowe’en, on a deserted country road miles from anywhere, in the pitch dark and rain, standing outside a graveyard wearing a black evening cloak, trying to flag people down. Seven cars went past without stopping!!! Luckily the next people to come along were two guys transporting a racing car and they did stop. They also had a tow rope so they were able to haul my car out of the mud. I have to say I was more worried about never getting home at all than seeing ghosts that night! 

What is the scariest film you’ve ever watched? 

I think I would have to say The Ring (US version). There are probably films out there that would horrify or disgust me more than that one, but I don’t like watching films with extreme violence in them. I prefer creepy scares and I think The Ring is supremely creepy! It’s about a haunted video. If you watch it, you die seven days later. The film begins with a couple of teenagers alone in a large house. One of them watched the video seven days before and - whatever happens to people after seven days happens to her. You don’t really see what. At the end of the film you find out. I guess the film is so well known now that most people do know what happens at the end of the seven days, but I didn’t know when I first watched it, and I just about had a heart attack. I was on my own at home with the kids (who had long since gone to bed) and I was very close to the TV so that the sound track wouldn’t wake them up. When “that bit” happened, I was so frightened I actually backed away from the TV! And then I was afraid to go in the bathroom by myself later on! 

Have you ever seen a ghost? 

I’m not sure I believe in them at all (even though I love ghost stories, and also write them myself). However, I did have an experience that was very hard to explain. My teenage daughter and I went to Mary King’s Close, a tourist attraction in Edinburgh. It’s basically an underground street with lots of underground buildings connected to it. You go through a series of rooms and it’s quite dark and gloomy. You also pass the top of the “close”, a very steep section of street. When we passed that bit, I looked down and saw a bunch of people standing at the bottom looking up. In the low light they all looked very grey and unsmiling, and they were all just standing there, shoulder to shoulder. I assumed they were another tour party, ahead of us. I remember thinking that it was the one genuinely creepy moment in the tour. I didn’t find the rest of it particularly scary - if it had been well lit it wouldn’t have been scary at all. But looking down at those people was pretty creepy. Anyway, we got to the end of the tour and I was talking to my daughter about it, and saying that I thought that that had been the only scary bit, and she looked at me and said, “But there was nobody there.” She swore there had been nobody standing at the bottom of the close at all; in fact she says she remembers being able to see right down to the end of it. 

I have no explanation for this, though if someone else told me this story I would probably think they had an over active imagination or something! Anyway, my daughter still likes to tease me about it by quoting The Sixth Sense: “I see dead people.” 

Where is the scariest place you’ve ever been? 

I love to explore ancient or ruined buildings and there was one that gave me a real fright. The librarian at the Library of Innerpeffray told me there was an old graveyard on the back road to Auchterarder - she knows I like poking about in those sorts of places - so my daughter and I went to have a look. We found the graveyard alright - it was very neglected-looking, with the tombstones all covered in moss and lichen, and there was no sign of a church or chapel, which was a bit disappointing. There was just a big clump of trees, a little mausoleum and all these old graves. Anyway we went in to take photographs and after we had looked at all the tombstones I said to my daughter that we should check on the other side of the clump of trees, in case we had missed any. So we started to go around it, and I happened to look down, and underneath all the hanging branches you could see a grey stone wall. There was a church there, it was just so overgrown that you couldn’t see it! So that was a little bit spooky to start with. We decided to go right around it and when we got to the other side, there was a gap in the vegetation and you could actually get inside. So we did, and there was this open space with ivy growing all over the floor. In the middle of this open space someone had left an old armchair and that had ivy growing all over it too, which was a bit nasty. While I was examining the chair, my daughter said, “What’s that?” and I turned round and actually screamed! Underneath all the overhanging branches there was a pitch dark doorway into the innermost part of the church. I just wasn’t expecting it to be there, and it gave me the fright of my life. Of course I couldn’t resist going in for a look, but I made my daughter stay outside because you never know with old buildings, they can be dangerous. There were trees growing up through the floor, and dried-out creepers hanging from the ceiling, and broken bits of gravestones and masonry everywhere. It was spectacularly creepy. I was just tingling with fear the whole time I was in there! But I had to see. 

Which book would you recommend to read on All Hallows Eve and why? 

I’d recommend something classic like the ghost stories of M.R.James, because for me, Hallowe’en is pleasurably spine-tingling - it’s fun. I want my flesh to creep but I don’t want to be grossed out. The other book I’d definitely recommend is Sleep No More by L.T.C. Rolt. Some of the stories in that really scare me. Unlike M.R.James, L.T.C. Rolt liked to use industrial settings like mines, railways and factories, and I think he uses them brilliantly. There is one story called Bosworth Summit Pound that is about a canal tunnel, and that is extremely creepy. Imagine this: a man on a boating holiday ties up for the night near the tunnel, though the locals tell him to moor somewhere else. During the night he dreams he is standing on the bow of the boat looking into the tunnel and he sees something dreadful. Then he wakes up, and he really is standing there, shivering in his nightclothes and staring into the dark mouth of the canal tunnel. Brrrr! I won’t spoil it by saying any more but that would be a great story for Hallowe’en. I’ve walked through the Falkirk canal tunnel a couple of times myself, and it always makes me think of that story, and not in a good way! 

Thanks Helen for some great answers. I am totally with you on The Ring! I still shudder when I think of that film!

Published by Corgi in March 2015

Summary

A group of story-tellers are disappearing one by one.

A young woman is haunted by her past.

A serial killer has one target he is desperate to hunt down.

Veerle is trying to lie low, to live as 'normal' a life as she possibly can. But when you've thwarted a serial killer, it's hard to do this. Especially when he wants revenge . . .

The Curious Tale of the Lady Caraboo by Catherine Johnson

With everything marvellous, everything new

We’ll trace a description of Miss CARABOO

And where did she come from? and who can she be?

Did she fall from the sky? did she rise from the sea?

From the Bath Herald, June 1817

Published by Corgi (Random House) in July 2015

288 pages in paperback

Cover by Laura Bird and Bella Otak

Summary from Publisher’s website

Set in the early nineteenth century, this is incredible story of the ultimate historical hustle, based on the true story of Mary Wilcox.

A very curious tale indeed . . .

Out of the blue arrives an exotic young woman from a foreign land. Fearless and strong, 'Princess' Caraboo rises above the suspicions of the wealthy family who take her in.

But who is the real Caraboo?

In a world where it seems everyone is playing a role, could she be an ordinary girl with a tragic past? Is she a confidence trickster? Or is she the princess everyone wants her to be?

Whoever she is, she will steal your heart . . .

******

Reviewed by K. M. Lockwood

I love historical fiction -and I loved Sawbones, Catherine Johnson’s previous work in this genre. I hoped I would thoroughly enjoy this one too - and I was not disappointed. 

It is a deceptively easy-to-read book. You can just lose yourself in that Georgian world in moments - and find hours have gone by. Based on a true story (with some really interesting notes at the back if you like that sort of extra), it doesn’t clobber you over the head with that I’ve done my research so I’m putting it all in even if it cripples the story thing. It’s a fine dramatic tale in its own right - but there’s more than that. If you want to delve deeper, it can be a meditation on the nature of selfhood - which is particularly affecting with a person-of-colour as the central character.

Despite the charming cover, I wouldn’t recommend it for a sensitive or very young reader. The beginning is quite brutal - though thoughtfully portrayed. Indeed, thoughtful is the word. I admired how sensitively the male characters were handled, and the central themes of identity and imagination are beautifully realised. We get right inside the main characters’ heads and the contrast of the two young women in particular is fascinating. This makes it sound rather serious and worthy - but actually the story fairly bounces along with both incident and humour. There’s also a thought-provoking look at love and desire.

I find it hard to imagine anyone not admiring Caraboo’s spirit. Without giving any spoilers (after all, it is based on a true story) I’d query the word ‘hustle’ in the blurb above. It’s a lot more interesting and ambiguous than that. There’s plenty here to fascinate readers from secondary school upwards - including adults. I rather wish someone would make a TV series out of it!

Where The Ideas Flow with Robin Stevens

Today on the blog, I am pleased to welcome Robin Stevens, author or the highly successful Wells and Wong books. Robin has written   a post that clearly shows if you really want to write, you will write anywhere!

Most ‘where I write’ posts are glorious things. Writing rooms! Writing sheds! Colour-coordinated notebooks and Anglepoise lights and coffee cups with inspirational quotes. It’s wonderfully jealous-making in an aspirational way, and so I’m very sorry to tell you that if you’re reading this post for that kind of experience, you’re going to come away disappointed.

Because the place I write, where the Murder Most Unladylike Mysteries are first created . . . looks like this.

Actually, that’s on a good day, when I get a seat. Sometimes, it looks like this.

These lovely pictures are from my daily commuter train, and this is  where I write because this is how I get to work. It always surprises people when I tell them this, but the fact is that I’m not a full-time writer. I actually have another full-time job, as Assistant Editor at Egmont, and so writing is something I do in my time off. I’ve got a very small window of time (35 minutes each way) to get my daily words down, and that time pressure is extremely useful. The more time I have, the more I waste (I know this from trying to write on weekends) - when I hardly have any, I can’t afford not to use it wisely.

People usually react with horror at the thought of writing a book sitting on the floor, squashed between some woman’s handbag and some other guy’s slightly smelly cycling rucksack. But there’s something about it that I find weirdly enjoyable. It feels like a challenge - it quite literally turns writing into a problem that I have to solve. And it also reminds me that writing, especially the first draft, is all about bashing words out. To meet deadlines you’ve got to very unglamorously just get on with it, even on days when you’re not particularly inspired (and also squashed in the luggage rack next to the loos).

And if you’re looking for peaceful silence and a total lack of internet connectivity, I highly recommend a commuter train at 8am. There aren’t any distractions, or noise, or even much light during the winter months - it’s actually an almost perfect writing cocoon. I’ve had to teach myself to close myself off from the people around me, and not mind whether they read over my shoulder. Actually, I doubt anyone even notices what I’m doing. Even though we’re all squashed up together, we’re all in our own little worlds.

I can get about 500 words done in each 35 minute slot, enough to get the first draft of a book written in three or four months if I keep at it every day. Yes, it’s full on, but I can’t complain at all. I don’t even really feel as though it’s work. It’s way too much fun. So, here’s to writing on the floor, or in the luggage rack, or wedged into a seat next to a man with a perilously open and wobbling cup of coffee. Wherever I end up each morning becomes my own little space - and that’s really all I need.

I adore this post! I feel quite wasteful with my time now after reading this. 

The first two books in the Wells and Wong series are already available to buy. The third book, First Class Murder will be published this June by Corgi.

To find out more about Robin Stevens:

Twitter / Website

Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens

This is the first murder that Wells and Wong Detective Society has ever investigated, so it is a good thing Daisy bought me a new casebook. The last one was finished after we solved The Case of Lavinia’s Missing Tie. The solution to that, of course was that Clementine stole it in revenge for Lavinia punching her in the stomach during lacrosse, which was Lavinia’s revenge for Clementine telling everyone Lavinia came from a broken home. I suspect that the solution to this new case may be more complex.

Also known as ‘Murder is Bad Manners’ in the US

Published June 2014 by Corgi

UK cover design by Nina Tara

316 pages in paperback

Summary from Robin Stevens’ own website: http://robin-stevens.co.uk/

When Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong set up their very own deadly secret detective agency at Deepdean School for Girls, they struggle to find any truly exciting mysteries to investigate. (Unless you count the case of Lavinia’s missing tie. Which they don’t, really.)

But then Hazel discovers the Science Mistress, Miss Bell, lying dead in the Gym. She thinks it must all have been a terrible accident - but when she and Daisy return five minutes later, the body has disappeared. Now the girls know a murder must have taken place . . . and there’s more than one person at Deepdean with a motive.

Now Hazel and Daisy not only have a murder to solve: they have to prove a murder happened in the first place. Determined to get to the bottom of the crime before the killer strikes again (and before the police can get there first, naturally), Hazel and Daisy must hunt for evidence, spy on their suspects and use all the cunning, scheming and intuition they can muster. But will they succeed? And can their friendship stand the test?

Reviewed by K. M. Lockwood

I should first point out that I received this book by accident. I retweeted the competition to support a fellow writer - and then blow me, but I won it. It would not normally be the sort of thing I’d go for. The jolly blue cover gives you the feel of it - I thought well, it looks fun.

So I read it fully expecting an Agatha Christie crossed with an Enid Blyton - which isn’t too far off. It has both the page turning attraction and the clever plotting of those two, together with oodles of period charm. I thought ‘Daisy’s Guide to Deepdean’ at the end was a delight and very handy. There’s a plan and a list of characters too.

But - it’s better than that. You can read it happily enough as a cosy crime for younger readers - yet there’s rather more to it. Robin Stevens has gone beyond nostalgia to cover both difficult school relationships most readers will recognise, and racism in a subtle yet effective way. She also did not shy away from recognising the impact of such a crime as murder. I was not expecting those aspects at all - very impressed. I have ‘Arsenic for Tea’ ready to read soon.

I would highly recommend ‘Murder Most Unladylike’ for any fairly fluent reader who likes mysteries and boarding school stories with a sense of fun, but also with intelligence and heart. A kind of Sherlock Holmes for schoolchildren. It would be great for a book club to discuss! 

Acid by Emma Pass

The first time I notice the new inmate is when we’re all lined up outside our cells for morning head count. He’s standing five doors down from, sneaking glances at the rest of us as the guards wave their wrist-scanners across our hips to read the spytags that are implanted when we first get here.

Published by Corgi Children’s Books on the 25th April

Pages 431

Goodreads Summary

2113. In Jenna Strong’s world, ACID - the most brutal, controlling police force in history - rule supreme. No throwaway comment or muttered dissent goes unnoticed - or unpunished. And it was ACID agents who locked Jenna away for life, for a bloody crime she struggles to remember.
The only female inmate in a violent high-security prison, Jenna has learned to survive by any means necessary. And when a mysterious rebel group breaks her out, she must use her strength, speed and skill to stay one step ahead of ACID - and to uncover the truth about what really happened on that dark night two years ago.

*******

I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of the most anticipated UK debuts of the year when I attended a blogger brunch at Random House. I feel like I have been waiting forever to get my hands on this book, so I was really pleased when I got the opportunity to read it early. I wasn’t disappointed.

Emma Pass has created an excellent dystopian perspective of the UK in 2113. Alongside Claire Merle, she has shown that UK authors can write excellent dystopian YA just like our favourite American writers. The world Emma has created has a strong feel of Orson Well’s 1984 to it and you get the sense that everyone is watched and all are brainwashed to believe the information told to them. The world is stifling and unbearable for the residents, so it isn’t any wonder that many are in the throes of a revolt. There are also elements of Total Recall and Bourne Identity to the story, that just give the plot an even meatier filling.

When you meet Jenna on the first page, you don’t feel sorry for her, because she has ‘tough little cookie’ branded and emblazoned into her mannerisms. She knows how to look after her self in a style similar to Lara Croft. Any man stupid enough to pick a fight with her will not make the same mistake twice, that’s saying he can even speak again when she has finished with him. As the book progresses, you realise their is so much more to Jenna than the first impressions you were given. There is a softer side to her that she had wrapped up  and hidden in order to protect it. With the help of others she has learnt how to look after herself purely for protection. In the blurb she is described as a real tough nut, and you wonder if she is devoid of feeling, but as you read the book you really feel for Jenna; she has been hurt, used and abused and she is just getting by. I felt the blurb might be misleading a little as I was expecting this book to be rather violent all the way through, and thankfully it isn’t as the book is a really gripping thriller as one girl searches for the truth.

I really enjoyed the budding relationship between Jenna and Max, especially while on the run. There were so many hidden secrets between them, you find yourself on pins waiting for the truth to come out. It was interesting to read Jenna’s thoughts on love as she tried to determine what she actually felt for Max, based on her sparse experience with boys.

I loved the newspaper snippets which really helped to bring the world dominated by ACID to life. Not only did they discuss Jenna Strong, but they also gave an insight into living under the ruthless dictatorship of ACID.

The plot twists and turns from the first page and you are sucked into the story instantly. The writing was furious at times and fast paced in others, providing many breath holding moments.

The ending of the story is pleasantly fulfilling; I didn’t feel disillusioned about waiting for the cliff hanger to be resolved in the following book, although there is a strand in the last few pages that will probably be the main story in the next book.

This book is definitely worth reading. It’s  a fast paced twisting rollercoaster of a read. An excellent dystopian debut from a rising talent. I look forward to reading more about Jenna in the future.

Waiting on Wednesday (4) - Acid by Emma Pass

 

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, started by Jill at Breaking The Spine, highlighting future book releases everyone is waiting on!

 

Acid by Emma Pass

Published by Corgi Books on April 25th 2013

This book has been on my radar now for such a long time and it seems that I only have to wait a few more weeks!

Goodreads Summary

2113. In Jenna Strong’s world, ACID - the most brutal, controlling police force in history - rule supreme. No throwaway comment or muttered dissent goes unnoticed - or unpunished. And it was ACID agents who locked Jenna away for life, for a bloody crime she struggles to remember.
The only female inmate in a violent high-security prison, Jenna has learned to survive by any means necessary. And when a mysterious rebel group breaks her out, she must use her strength, speed and skill to stay one step ahead of ACID - and to uncover the truth about what really happened on that dark night two years ago.

Skylark by Meagan Spooner

Published in paperback by Corgi February 2013

333 pages

The din of the clockwork dawn was loudest in the old sewers, a great whirring and clanking of gears as the artificial sun warmed up. I paused as mortar crumbled from the ceiling and hissed into the water below. Harvest Day. This could be your last sunrise, I said to myself. If you’re lucky.

Summary from GoodReads

Sixteen-year-old Lark Ainsley has never seen the sky. Her world ends at the edge of the vast domed barrier of energy enclosing all that’s left of humanity. For two hundred years the city has sustained this barrier by harvesting its children's innate magical energy when they reach adolescence. When it’s Lark’s turn to be harvested, she finds herself trapped in a nightmarish web of experiments and learns she is something out of legend itself: a Renewable, able to regenerate her own power after it’s been stripped. Forced to flee the only home she knows to avoid life as a human battery, Lark must fight her way through the terrible wilderness beyond the edge of the world. With the city’s clockwork creations close on her heels and a strange wild boy stalking her in the countryside, she must move quickly if she is to have any hope of survival. She’s heard the stories that somewhere to the west are others like her, hidden in secret—but can she stay alive long enough to find them?

********

Review by K. M. Lockwood

Skylark is an interesting addition to the selection of YA books with a strong central heroine and a dystopian setting (see Slated reviewed here). Written as though recalled by the female lead, it starts in a strange steampunk version of the future. The reader becomes intrigued by the Resource and Harvesting. 

Gradually the peculiar terms are explained through Lark’s traumatic experiences and the threat to our heroine becomes clearer. It is both pleasing and effective that the intended teenage reader is not talked down to, and by avoiding ‘infodumps’ the pace of the unfolding adventure is kept up.

There are few major characters, which increases the focus on Lark’s growth as an individual and means the betrayals and unexpected alliances are all the more intense. I can’t say much more because of spoilers, but the portrayals are quite individual. Meagan Spooner has developed an intriguing and sometimes nightmarish surreal world - reminiscent of the films of Guillermo del Toro.

UK readers may find the use of some Americanisms unintentionally amusing - I do feel a good edit would help - but the pace of the straightforward chronological tale carries you over this. Clearly, Skylark is part of a series - a trilogy is promised. There is a resolution to a major element in the plot, but plenty of other strands remain. 

Readers who enjoy Lark’s adventures will look forward to ‘Shadowlark’ soon. It is ideal for readers over twelve who like an adventurous central female character on a quest, a disturbing post-war society in an alternative future and a touch of magic.

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.

On The Day I Died by Candice Fleming

Reviewed by Caroline Hodges (@musingdragon)

Pages - 208

Published by Corgi Books in September 2012

It was after midnight and Mike Kowlaski was driving fast - too fast - down County Line Road. He glanced at the dashboard clock and groaned.

He was late.

Again.

His phone rang. It didn’t take ESP to know it was his mother. “She probably wants to get a jump start on her griping,” Mike muttered to himself. Earlier that evening, she’d told him to be in by midnight “or else.”

Mike didn’t even want to think about what “or else” meant.

Ignoring the call, he mashed down the accelerator. Maybe if he was only a little late...

That was when the girl appeared in his headlights.

Goodreads Summary

Set in White Cemetery, an actual graveyard outside Chicago, each story takes place during a different time period from the 1860's to the present, and ends with the narrator's death. Some teens die heroically, others ironically, but all due to supernatural causes. Readers will meet walking corpses and witness demonic posession, all against the backdrop of Chicago's rich history—the Great Depression, the World's Fair, Al Capone and his fellow gangsters.

******

My younger sister and I were pretty fascinated with the macabre growing up. All I could think about was how much we would have loved this collection of short stories by Candace Fleming back then. Sadly, as an older reader, the stories didn’t really creep me out, but, I can certainly remember a time when they genuinely would have had me sleep with the light on after putting down my book for the night. And this ultimately, is the age group the book is aimed at; teen readers who like a good scary story.

Mike is on his way home when he has a ghostly encounter with a long dead girl. The night twists and turns until he finds himself at the graveside of the girl. There he meets a variety of child ghosts, all wanting to share their stories, and so the novel is split into these stories but held together with Mike’s storyline.

I think what I enjoyed most was the varying age of those in the graveyard; it meant that each story was set in a different time period of Chicago history and so the events and manner in which each ghost tells their story is reflective of that. We visit the famous Chicago World Fair with Evelyn and her twin sister, experience a deadly act of revenge for the gangster-accented Johnnie, and of course, there’s a visit to an abandoned insane asylum. Believe it or not, there’s even a clever story involving an old flame of Al Capone’s.

The stories are each unique and believable with the exception of one which borrows, as if to cover all bases, heavily from the sci-fi genre. But actually, ultimately this story just didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the collection. Whereas the others touch on real history which adds to their credibility, this one story just wasn’t believable in the way the others were. And I tend to think if a scary story can seem believable, it adds that extra element of fear!

My favourite tale was Edgar’s; a boy born with a strange ability which he cannot control and is shunned for it, inevitably leading to tragedy. The terror in this is subtle, not the outright “things that go bump in the night” horror, but the fear of oneself.

It’s a small book at just over 200 pages, but I found it and the stories within it the perfect length. Short and scary; perfect for camp-fire re-telling, or reading to younger siblings.

Cover Reveal: Acid by Emma Pass

I am so happy to be part of a group of UK book bloggers who are all revealing this AMAZING book cover today. This is the final version of ACID by the wonderful Emma Pass. ACID will be published by Corgi/Random House Children's Books in April 2013. Isn't it stunning. 

Here is the blurb from Amazon, to get you drooling.

A fast and furious thriller featuring the coolest, toughest bad girl since Lisbeth Salander. Meet Jenna Strong.

In Jenna’s world, ACID - the most brutal, controlling police force in history - rule with an iron fist. And it was ACID agents who locked Jenna away for life, for a bloody crime she struggles to remember.

But Jenna’s violent prison has taught her a thing or two about survival. And when a mysterious rebel group breaks her out, she must use her strength, speed and skill to stay one step ahead.

A gripping futuristic debut that will hook you from the very first page.

To celebrate the final cover reveal, Emma is giving away an ARC copy of the book, so head over to Emma's blog to enter now. 

Fire City by Bali Rai

Reviewed by KM Lockwood.

480 pages

Published by Corgi in August 2012

‘I pulled my hood over my head and dropped down from the building, landing in their midst, my heart pounding. My foes roared with anger, their mouths scarlet, teeth clogged with human flesh.’

Goodreads Summary

Twenty-five years ago the world changed forever. A great war, which had raged for three years ended, and the reign of the Demons began... Within the crumbling walls of Fire City, fifteen-year-old Martha is a member of the resistance, a small band of humans fighting for freedom in a lawless and horrifying new world. Amidst the chaos of battle arrives Jonah, a handsome stranger with a thirst for revenge and a power to destroy the Demon rulers. As Martha and Jonah’s lives collide, the future of the resistance is altered forever. The battle for humankind will now begin. An epic story of catastrophe, survival and the power of humanity by multi-award winning author Bali Rai.

********

As you will have gathered from the short extract above, this book has its gory moments. The striking cover conveys the dystopian future portrayed in Bali Rai’s story (although crossbows don’t feature much, but demons definitely do). This should

appeal to its target audience of older teens and young adults - and the book certainly lives up to its image.

Fire City is recommended for confident readers who also enjoy violent films and games set in the near-future. The portrayals of carnage and its effects are graphic - this is not suitable for younger or more sensitive readers. Indeed less experienced readers might be confused by the shifting points of view and changes in time. These allow us to see the same event from different perspectives - a film-like technique which adds depth and complexity to this fast-moving tale.

The novel includes both personal stories and an element of wider political events that affect the characters we follow. This makes the twisting, turning plot more credible and relevant to the reader. As it says in the publisher’s blurb: think Hunger Games meets Terminator - with demons! You know it’s not going to be a nice cosy read.

I was impressed and pleased by the range of characters in The Resistance - there are strong female leads, a variety of ages and backgrounds and some touching emotional back-stories ( to say more might give spoilers). I also thought the elements of betrayal and uncertainty were well-handled - and very appropriate for the target readership. It is a complex plot - and very definitely leaves plenty of room for sequels, and possibly a prequel.

Despite the length and changes of perspective, it is not a difficult read. You would choose this for someone who likes graphic novels, post-apocalyptic films and games - and can cope with gruesome episodes. It might feature violence and deceit but fundamentally the story is on the side of humanity - there is gore but at its centre there is hope.

Cover Lust (9)

Here are the latest books to have me just drooling at the covers! 

Orleans by Sherri L. Smith. will be published by Putnam Publishing Group in March 2013. I can't help it but I love this cover and anything written about New Orleans is a good read in my books. 

A few of the lovely bloggers revealed this cover this week of the next book to be penned by the rather talented Cat Clarke. Undone will be published by Quercus in January 2013 and personally I can't blooming wait. If you haven't had the pleasure of reading a Cat Clarke book yet then you really need to!

This gorgeous cover was posted around the blogging world earlier this week and I actually misplaced the email after emptying out my email box. Luckily Laura at Sister Spooky posted this so we can all see how gorgeous it is. Mystic City by Theo Lawrence is published this week by Corgi Books and is a gripping Romeo and Juliet style novel! Can't wait to hear more. 

An email concerning this book dropped in my inbox this week and I was positively drooling. Set in the prestigious New York Ballet Company, this debut by Yelena Black will be published by Bloomsbury on the 14th of February. I can't wait to read this book!!!

I want them all! All I tell you! 

Fantasy Dinner Party with Victoria Lamb

As part of the Witchstruck blog tour, I am really pleased to welcome Victoria Lamb onto the blog. Victoria was more than willing to share her fantasy dinner party so I shall pass you over to her. 

KD Lang. 

KD Lang is a fabulous Canadian singer whose albums I adore. Her voice has incredible range, depth, and subtlety of emotion. It would be great to have such a consummate artist and a fellow Scorpio at my fantasy dinner party

Joss Whedon.

 What can I say? The inspirational creator of brilliantly original TV shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse etc. I’d like to ask him all those burning questions like ‘Buffy and the Immortal? What was all that about?’ and ‘What would have happened in the cancelled second series of Firefly?’

Severus Snape.

 If I’m allowed historical characters, I figured I can slip a fictional character onto my fantasy invitation list. Courageous, conflicted, intelligent, I’m convinced Snape would exhibit a softer side if plied with a little Muggle wine and some tiramisu.

Eddie Izzard

John Cleese has referred to comedian Eddie Izzard as ‘the Lost Python’. I can’t think of a funnier dinner guest with his marvellous whimsy and physical humour. Bet he’d be a laugh washing up in the kitchen afterwards too.

Emmeline Pankhurst

Once voted amongst the Top 100 Most Influential People of the Twentieth Century, Emmeline Pankhurst is one of the prime reasons women are entitled to sexual equality today. A fiery and determined women, she chained herself to railings with the best of them and led the British Suffragette movement for decades.

What a fabulous dinner party. Thank you Victoria for sharing that with us.

Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb is published by Corgi on the 5th of July - retailing at £6.99, but presently on Amazon for £4.26!


To find out more about Victoria Lamb:
Twitter@ @victorialamb1
Website: http://www.victorialambbooks.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/victoria.lambauthor

Vixen by Jill Larkin

Guest Review by Georgina Tranter

Pages - 386
Published by Corgi in paperback in March 2012

They found the entrance exactly as instructed: just before the cracked sign for Malawer’s Funeral Parlor, between the tailor and the barbershop, through the rusted gate, eleven creaky steps below street level. After they’d knocked precisely three times, a tiny slit in the boarded-up door slid open.
‘What’s the word, doll?’ One dark eye blinked at them.

Goodreads Summary

Three girls. One city. Who will be the last Flapper standing?

Chicago, 1924. Born into American high society, Gloria is the girl who has it all. Living the debutante dream along with her best friend Lorraine, Gloria is just a trip down the aisle from her future life as Mrs Sebastian Grey.

But surely there’s time for a little partying before she settles down?

With an illegal speakeasy on every corner and mobsters rubbing shoulders with the city’s most sensational flappers, Chicago’s jazz-fuelled underworld is certainly not the kind of place for a society princess like Gloria.

And she’s never had so much fun.

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I loved this book! Vixen is the first of a trilogy by Jillian Larkin, set in American in the 1920s. Three very different characters make up Vixen: debutante Gloria, who has everything, the money, the lifestyle and the fiancé; her best friend Lorraine who is determined to cause a stir wherever she goes, and Clara, the country relative bought to Chicago to organise her cousin’s forthcoming wedding. But as with most things, appearances can be deceptive!

From the outset, I was hooked by this book. The settings were so detailed, the illegal speakeasys where the girls slip off to for illicit drinking and partying in true Flapper style. (Prohibition means alchohol is illegal in Chicago but knowing where to find it is half the fun)! Jillian Larkin clearly loves this period and it was well researched. The descriptions of the outfits that the girls wear were wonderful - I wanted to bob my hair and buy a sequin dress just reading about it.

Each girl is very different in character and initially I had doubts as to whether they seemed to act their age (18-20) but as the book progressed I did believe them. I think the male characters in the book (the rich fiancé Sebastian, the best friend Marcus and the piano player Jerome) came across as a lot older but again I think that in the era this book is set, they would have acted more this way than boys of today. The balance of the three female characters with three male characters also worked really well.

The book is divided into chapters with each of the individual girls’ names at the start so it focuses on each of them in turn which I liked. Gloria is the spoilt little rich girl who is about to get married to the very handsome but cold Sebastian. However she longs for a little excitement in her life and it only takes her best friends Lorraine and Marcus to encourage her before her life takes her on a path that will change her forever.

Best friend Lorraine loves to shock and comes across in the book as a very shallow figure. I felt sorry for her as she really was all about appearance but no substance. She wants to be everything Gloria is, but she isn’t.

Clara is the country cousin who is sent to live with Gloria and her mother. From the start you know that there is more to her that meets the eye but what is the secret that she is keeping from everyone and will they all find out?

This is an easy read that I flew through. With the chapter breakdowns it keeps you wanting to read more so you can find out what is happening to each character. I can’t wait to read the next two instalments to find out what happens next. With it’s dramatic red and black cover, Vixen and Jillian Larkin are definitely names to look out for.