The Write Way with Teri Terry

Today, I am pleased to welcome author, Teri Terry, onto the blog, to tell us lots of her writing secrets.

1) Your new novel, Mind Games, has just been published. How do you feel?

Good! And a mixture of nervous and hopeful. Also rather rubbish just now, as I’ve got an endless cold.

2) Can you give me a one line pitch for Mind Games, so my readers can get a feel for the story?

I’m SO not good at one line pitches! How about...

Mind Games is the Matrix meets Holodecks, and shows the dangers of 24-7 plugging in to technology through the eyes of a girl whose life changes forever when she stops Refusing, and becomes part of it.

That is rather wordy: if any of your readers can come up with a better one, it’d be very much appreciated!

3) Was Mind Games harder to write after writing  the Slated trilogy? 

I’d had more practice with writing and editing when I got to Mind Games, so in that sense it was easier. Also writing a standalone this time was fun! I didn’t have to think about what to keep back for the next book all the time.

4) Are you a planner or a pantser when it comes to starting a new novel?

I plot much more now than I used to, but I don’t start a book that way. Usually I’ll write my way into a story, get to know the characters, and feel my way in. At some point, I’ll step back and think more about where I’m going and how to get there. This usually involves writing a chapter summary of what I have so far, and extending it on, either in sections or as a whole. How far I’ve got when I stop to focus more on plotting varies book by book.

5) I notice from your Twitter feed, that you often seem to be rushing from one place to another. When do you find time to write? 

I’m writing full time now, which does include rushing around at times but I’m also home writing a lot of the time. The way things have gone lately is that I seem to have bursts of intense busyness and travel, interspersed with writing. I like to write in big chunks of time, so this works for me. But I do have to be careful about booking too many things away; I don’t write well away from home. Last autumn I was over committed, and it did make finishing the next book rather hard.

6) Where is your ideal place to write? 

At home. In the morning I like to write in bed in my PJs with a cup of tea and my laptop. In the afternoons I like to write in the garden, weather permitting, or in my Writing Shack, also in the garden. The latter doesn’t have power so isn’t any good in the winter. Because of this my best writing time tends to be May to September, so I try not to book a lot of stuff this time of year.

7) Do you try and aim for a daily word target when writing?

Sometimes, but word targets can be distracting: the temptation is to overly focus on the number. It works better for me to aim to finish a chapter(s). When I was writing the Slated trilogy, I did use word count targets more, partly because I was panicking about meeting deadlines. It made me feel more in control.

8) Who are your favourite #UKYA authors? 

There are so many! Lucy Christopher and Sharon Jones; Frances Hardinge (though perhaps she veers towards younger); Tanya Byrne.

9) Do you have any advice for unpublished authors on dealing with rejection? 

It’s part of being a writer, but it’s never fun. You have to be able to shake it off and keep going, or it can crush you. One thing that helps is to always be writing something new that you’re excited about when you are waiting to hear back on something else. If it is rejected, the new thing can sustain your hope.

10) Is there one SCBWI unpublished author that you think we should watch out for in the near future? 

Many of my SCBWI friends that I’d have put in that category in the past have either got there (eg Jeannie Waudby) or have a book coming soon (Kathryn Evans). Another very talented author-in-waiting is Julienne Durber.

Mind Games is published by Orchard Books and available to buy now.  

To find out more about Teri Terry:

Twitter / Facebook / Tumblr /Website

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.

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.

Lenore Applehans - Level 2 Blog Tour

Today I am pleased to present Lenore Appelhans, the fabulous blogger that made it through the debut author gates with her fabulous novel Level 2.

March 2008 was a pivotal month in my life. That’s when I first became aware of book blogging and someone told me I must read Scott Westerfeld’s UGLIES series. By April 2008, I was hooked on both book blogging and reading YA. In fact, by the time I started brainstorming LEVEL 2 in June 2010 and put pen to paper five months later, I had read well over 300 YA novels. 

Reading so many novels gave me an excellent education in what works (and doesn’t) in terms of crafting a narrative (pacing, plotting, characterization, etc). And blogging about those novels forced me to read more deeply so that I could talk intelligently about my reading experience.

This act of sharing my thoughts on books led to many blogging friendships with both fellow readers and authors as well as a sense of belonging to a community of book lovers.  Bloggers challenged me to read more and read more diversely. Authors answered my questions about the writing process and gave me the first glimmer of hope that getting published was an attainable dream.

Book blogging also gave me access to bookish events such as Book Expo America where I got the chance to network with publishing staff, authors and fellow bloggers. In some cases, social contacts led to opportunities that not only had a part in LEVEL 2 getting published but also helped build buzz for it long before its’ publication.

It’s also thanks to blogging that I joined up with the debut author groups The Apocalypsies and The Lucky 13s who have been an amazing source of support as I go through the debut author experience. It’s also the reason I was invited to join The League of Extraordinary Writers, a group blog for sci-fi YA. 

I owe so much to book blogging, I can honestly say that I can’t imagine being where I am today without it. I’m also immensely grateful to my fellow book bloggers for all that they do for the love of books. Thank you!

Head over to Overflowing Library tomorrow for the next stage of the LEVEL 2 blog tour - how to achieve the perfect LEVEL 2 nails!

If you would be interested in winning a copy of Level 2 please click here.

To read my review, please click here.

To find out more about Lenore Appelhans:

Website: http://lenoreappelhans.com/

Twitter: @lenoreva

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. 

Breathe by Sarah Crossan

Review by Caroline Hodges

Pages - 373

Published by Bloomsbury in October 2012

I squeeze Abel’s hand and he looks at me. ‘Now?’ he asks. He puts his other hand into his pocket.

‘No, no. Not yet,’ I whisper. Several cameras are trained right at us and there’s a steward only metres away. I pull Abel close and nuzzle his neck. We aren’t a couple but posing as one makes us less conspicuous.

When oxygen levels plunge in a treeless world, a state lottery decides which lucky few will live inside the Pod. Everyone else will slowly suffocate. Years after the Switch, life inside the Pod has moved on. A poor Auxiliary class cannot afford the oxygen tax which supplies extra air for running, dancing and sports. The rich Premiums, by contrast, are healthy and strong. Anyone who opposes the regime is labelled a terrorist and ejected from the Pod to die. Sixteen-year-old Alina is part of the secret resistance, but when a mission goes wrong she is forced to escape from the Pod. With only two days of oxygen in her tank, she too faces the terrifying prospect of death by suffocation. Her only hope is to find the mythical Grove, a small enclave of trees protected by a hardcore band of rebels. Does it even exist, and if so, what or who are they protecting the trees from? 

*******

A few weeks before reading Breathe, someone on Twitter tweeted a joke image of ‘iOxygen,’ a joke that one day Apple would own oxygen as well as most of the gadget market. I had a giggle then didn’t think anything more of it.

But then I started reading Breathe and suddenly the idea became all too real. This dystopian novel takes place in the not too distant future, where climate change mixed with human attempts to defeat it has actually resulted in the death of all trees and plants. The bottom line? No air to breathe at all in the natural atmosphere.

Some of the descriptions of what happened in the initial aftermath of the air running out are chilling - a lottery was run and a select few chosen to live in the Pod, a city within a giant glass bubble run by Breathe, the company that has managed to manufacture oxygen. But for the unlucky majority, they were left to die, slowly suffocating.

The book is set many years after this and revolves around the teenage descendants of those living under Breathe. Yet life is not easy. Divisions in social class have only gotten worse, with those able to afford ample oxygen able to run and breathe as deeply as they like. Whilst those that can’t afford it are subject to restrictions on walking speed let alone running. Heck even having sex is considered an activity too oxygen intensive for most!

But as there always is in these novels, a resistance is rising. Out in the wasteland of the old world people are learning to survive on the low oxygen levels, and they are sharing the skill with others.

There were parts that impressed me about Breathe but then there were some really odd things that just ruined the believability of the whole situation.

The idea of oxygen as a commodity rather than what we know as perhaps the only truly free resource available to us is an excellent concept and the link to climate change as a way in which this resource was lost and monopolised is ingenious and compelling. But then there is the resistance, lead by basically a tree-hugging hippy who not only takes advice from a nine year old but suddenly just lets everything she has built up crumble to pieces, leaving the responsibility to the teenage main characters. Crossan starts out portraying her as a strong, no-nonsense woman, but ultimately she becomes distinctly unlikeable and pathetic. It just doesn’t make sense. I also felt that whilst the first two thirds of the novel had a nice pace to them and I was really very much enjoying the novel, the end was too rushed and chaotic.

The main characters are however engaging although perhaps slightly clichéd. There’s Bea, the quiet, clever one, struggling in a poor, oxygen-starved family, Quinn the womanising cocky one from the rich family and Alina who slams into their world and turns their lives onto the path of the resistance.

There is also a host of supporting characters with some very nice moments; I would particularly like to see more from Alina’s cousin Silas.

All in all a great twist on a dystopian novel with a worryingly plausible context.

The City’s Son by Tom Pollock

Review by KM Lockwood

Published by Jo Fletcher Books (Quercus) in August 2012

454 pages

I’m hunting. The sun sits low over Battersea, its rays streaking the brickwork like warpaint as I pad through the railway tunnels. My prey can’t be far ahead now: there’s a bitter burnt stench in the air, and every few yards I find another charred bundle that used to be a rat.

Good Reads Summary:

Expelled from school, betrayed by her best friend and virtually ignored by her dad, who’s never recovered from the death of her mum, Beth Bradley retreats to the sanctuary of the streets, looking for a new home. What she finds is Filius Viae, the ragged and cocky crown prince of London, who opens her eyes to the place she’s never truly seen.

But the hidden London is on the brink of destruction. Reach, the King of the Cranes, is a malign god of demolition, and he wants Filius dead. In the absence of the Lady of the Streets, Filius’ goddess mother, Beth rouses Filius to raise an alleyway army, to reclaim London’s skyscraper throne for the mother he’s never known. Beth has almost forgotten her old life - until her best friend and her father come searching for her, and she must choose between the streets and the life she left behind

********

As is clear from the very first paragraph, The City’s Son is not for the faint of heart. It is a lively and demanding urban fantasy full of great invention. The whole novel pulsates with imaginative creations such as the eponymous Filius Viae, and the reader is led into an exhilarating, terrifying alternative London.

The story runs deeper than mere cleverness however and there is much to terrify, elate and at times, shock. We are led through a world of dazzling urban splendour, always with a gritty edge, and there are moments of betrayal, tenderness and grim humour.

Readers need to be happy with shifts of viewpoint (first person and third) and adult language. As a rule, although violent and distressing on occasion, it is not gratuitously so. Without giving away spoilers, there are twists and turns in the plot that the reader really needs to keep a track of.

You would enjoy this if you like the desperation and shifts in allegiance of The Hunger Games, and the strange counter-world of Good Omens. I can’t say much more or I might ruin the read, but it is clearly part of a sequence. This is no bad thing if you revel in this other-London.

I would suggest that the language in it (which is by no means in appropriate in context) means it can’t really be recommended for younger readers- which is a shame. It might have been a good idea to invent an alternative vocabulary. This is a very minor point, however, and there is a great deal to enjoy and empathise with.

Highly recommended for those who thrive on complex, gritty works full of surreal enchantment.

Witch Crag by Kate Cann

Pages - 376

Published by Scholastic in October 2012

Kita crawled the last stretch of the bramble tunnel on her stomach to protect her face and hands from thorns. Then she wriggled out on to the flint ledge and gazed down at the grasslands that sloped away below. 

Nada's funeral procession had just emerged from the greater outer gates of the hill fort. Two men carried the flimsy stretcher with the old woman's body on it; two boys who had opened the heavy wooden gates and who now ran back in an arc to close them again, followed behind. 

Goodreads Summary

In a tribe where basic survival is the only priority, Kita must make a choice: to accept arranged marriages and being treated with less value than sheep, or escape and journey to the place that even the strongest men fear with their lives — Witch Crag.

But a common threat is facing the witches and sheepmen alike. The tribes must somehow overcome their prejudices and join together if they are to win a war that threatens to destroy everything they hold as good.

*********
For some reason I was expecting this to be really scary, but it wasn't at all. This  was my first Kate Cann novel and I had been led to believe that she wrote frightening books yet this wasn't like that at all. This book was a beautifully written dystopian/fantasy which was reminiscent of the Mad Max films. The world building was fantastic and I found it very easy to immerse myself in the segregated world the author had created. The book follows the journey of Kita, who knows in her heart that there is more to life outside of the gates. Just as should be, she values her life and her own importance and can see the potential of her future, should she escape. At first she is disgusted by Arc, the cocky and arrogant foot soldier, destined to one day lead the sheep people. He treats her like a sexual prize to be had and fears his insistence to mate. When it looks as though she will lose her friend, Quainty, who is to be married off to the horseman, she is quick to put their escape into action. 
Now you're probably thinking that Arc must be a real jerk, and for the first half of the book, I would totally agree with you, but as situations develop and events unfold, Arc changes dramatically. He grows up very quickly, realising that the old ways of life are becoming archaic and dramatic change is needed for their village to survive. I went from hating him to loving him by the end of the book and from what I can gather that was the author's intention.  Kita grows dramatically in this book too;  in the early chapters she appears quite innocent and timid, but as her powers grow she becomes a force to be reckoned with and is soon valued highly by  her peers.
The women were treated really badly in this book. They were seen as being lower than even the sheep they cared for and at times I found myself frustrated by this.  Women were treated like cattle, used for mating and slave labour. Children were born out of necessity and existed without ever knowing of the existence of love. The witches were feared by the other villagers mainly because of lack of knowledge on their behalf. It took time for everyone to learn the truth about Witch Crag.  
The segregated villages were stifling to read about. Each male dominated village seemed to run under a dictatorship and the only one worth living in was the one they feared most of all. 
This book was a really interesting read and one that flowed with ease; I found it extremely easy to read and I was soon lost in the story. I loved learning more about the ways of the witch, a subject that always attracts my interest.
My only niggle  with the book was the ending which I felt told us what would happen rather than actually showing us. It all felt a little rushed and personally I would have liked to have seen an epilogue set in the near future, showing how life had changed and how each society had embraced the new regime. 
Apart from that I loved it and I look forward to reading all the republished books by this author. 

Crewel by Gennifer Albin

Pages - 360
Published by Faber and Faber on October 4th 2012

I can count the days until summer draws to a close and autumn seeps into the leaves, painting them ginger and scarlet. Right now, though, the dappled light of mid afternoon is glorious emerald, and it's hot on my face. . With sun soaking into me, everything is possible. When it is inevitably gone - the seasons programmed to begin and end with smooth precision - life will take its predetermined route. Like a machine. Like me. 

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.
That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail.
Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.
Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight.
Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.
Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back.

*********

I have read a lot of dystopian novels in the last couple of years and to be honest, I was beginning to get bored with them.  Then I read Crewel... This is one of the best dystopian novels I have read and enjoyed since The Hunger Games! Loved it! Loved it! Loved it!

It was so not what I was expecting. Think The Matrix meets Total Recall and you would be half way to visualising this book. 

Though saying that, the beginning reminded me of Anne Frank; the way her family were hidden in order to hide from the Germans; Adelice was hidden in the same to keep her safe. Her family knew she was special and didn't believe that the life of a Spinster was as wonderful as the media made it out to be. 

Adelice is really clever! She can manipulate and weave time without using a spindle. She deals with a lot of heartbreak to begin with, which only goes to make her stronger as a person. She will do all she can to avenge everything her family suffered.  Adelice is a really strong protagonist and I warmed to her straight away. As the story progresses she finds herself woven into an interesting love triangle - one I did not see coming! I loved Josh and Erich; their reaction to each other was a brilliant sub plot to the story. 

I loved the plot! It was extremely detailed and well thought out. I really enjoyed the whole weaving experience written so well and completely believable.   I did have to read sections about the weaving and how the Earth was connected to Arras a couple of times; because I found it quite mind blowing and I needed to be able to visualise it properly. The ending surprised me and I find myself desperate to find out how the characters will cope in their new environment. 

This book has very strong themes of lesbianism and women's rights which I felt were both dealt with extremely well. You could feel the strength of the female battering against the domination by the males. 

This book has really raised the game when it comes to dystopian fiction - I think others books may fall at the starting line, as this one gather speed in a race to be the new face of dystopian fiction. 

A chat with Gennifer Albin

As part of the Crewel blog tour, I was lucky enough to get to ask Gennifer Albin a few questions about her writing journey.

1.  I would love to know a little about your writing journey. What did you do before writing books?

I taught Composition and Literature at University for a couple of years while I worked on my graduate degree, then I decided to stay home with my children.  My mother-in-law challenged me to write a book when my second child was a baby.  I’d always wanted to, so I started toying with ideas.  I got serious in November of 2010 and participated in National Novel Writing Month.  My husband encouraged me to treat it like a job, so I scheduled time to write, and by May 2011, I had offers of representation from agents.  My agent, Mollie Glick, sold it a few weeks later.

 2.   Your debut book, Crewel, is about to be published. How are you feeling right now?

Like I want to cry a lot in a goodish way.  It’s fairly stressful and surreal.  I can’t help wondering what it will feel like after it’s “on shelves.”

 3. Were there times when you felt that it would never get published? If so, how did you work your way through them?

Mostly I thought I could never get the book into decent enough shape to catch an agent or editor’s eye.  That’s when having supportive critique partners really helped.  They cheered me on to the finish line.

4.  What was your first reaction when you found out your book was to be published?

I sold my book at auction both in the U.S. and the U.K., so I got a lot of say in who it went to.  But when the first offer came in, I remember just feeling sort of dumb.  My agent is very business-minded, so we talked about specifics and plans and then I sort of drove home and mumbled the news that we had an offer to my husband.  He was able to conjure up more emotion :)

5.  Did you find it easy to get an agent?

I researched querying and agents for 4 months before I finished the book.  When I did, I entered my query for an online critique and within the week I had an offer from that agent, which snowballed into several more offers.  That was the craziest week of my life.  I went from writing a novel to talking about “my career.”  I think all the research paid off though, I was prepared when the request for a call came, but very shocked, too.  I did cry/scream/jump up and down when I got that email.

To find out more about Gennifer Albin:
Website: http://genniferalbin.com/
Twitter: @GenniferAlbin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/genniferalbinbooks
Over the summer The Spark ran a competition to find a young singer-songwriter, band or musician to create an original soundtrack to the official Crewel book trailer. The standard of entries was very high, but one track really stood out. The lyrics of fourteen year-old Roisin's O'Hagan's haunting song 'It's a Lie' allude to the themes of the book in a really intriguing way, and the music itself stays with you - everyone will be singing it to themselves for weeks!

You can watch the official trailer, created by artist Carolina Melis below and become a fan of The Spark in order to download the track for free here http://www.facebook.com/thesparkpage/app_160430850678443

Defiance by CJ Redwine

Pages - 403
Published by Atom in September 2013
Book kindly sent by publisher for an honest review.

The weight of their pity is like a stone tied about my neck. I feel it in the little side glances, the puckered skin between frowning brows, the hushed whispers that carry across the purple-grey dusk of twilight like tiny daggers drawing blood.
Goodreads Summary
Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city's brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father's apprentice, Logan--the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same one who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but a fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.
At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city's top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor's impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realises he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.
As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

*********
This book is a bit of a time sucker! Normally 400 pages would take me at least 3 days to read; this one I finished in a day and half. My whole life seemed to come to a stand still as I lost myself in the story and I think my family were genuinely peeved by my evasive stance as I ignored all pleas for food and clothing, so desperate to find out how it would end.

The story has a dual narrative and is written in the present tense, which perfectly fitted with  the journey of the protagonists  and the immediacy of the action. The chapters were short and sharp each with a cliff hanging ending, that spurred me on to the next one.  The writing was so descriptive, I could visualise the characters and surroundings within my mind. The emotional descriptions of the characters were the best I have seen in a while and I found them an excellent source to study as this is an area I sometimes find lacking in my own writing. 

I really liked Rachel, but I loved Logan. He was utterly adorable, extremely geeky but hot at the same time. The way he would  repeat the elements in the Periodic Table in order to cope with the pain from his injuries was priceless.  The Commander reminded me a lot of the Mayor from the Patrick Ness Chaos Walking series - very cold and calculated, totally above the law because he is the law and everyone must abide by his rules or die. 

I hated the way the women were treated as second class citizens, always having to go every where with their Protector and not being allowed to be educated after a certain age. Their treatment really grated on me and I loved that Rachel went against the system and showed that she could actually be stronger and wiser than many of the men. 

The relationship between Rachel and Logan took a little while to ignite as Logan was very slow to realise he had feelings for Rachel. I loved the scene with the blue dress, where he finally sees what every other man in town has already discovered. His reaction was quite humorous and typical of a man who cannot see what is blatantly in front of him.  I did find the love scenes a little clunky to read, but I know these are not the easiest things to write, so I take my hands off to anyone that attempts them. 

As the plot progressed, I thought I could see predictability raising its ugly head, however each time the author would turn the story on its head and take us in a completely different route. Everything I  was convinced would happen, didn't!

This book really surprised me. I loved it more than I thought I would. It felt like a mixture of The Village, Dune and the Chaos Walking series, so I could never really tell how it would end.  From the final chapter I got the impression that there is more to be told, so I really look forward to the next instalment of this thrilling fantasy. 

The Glimpse by Claire Merle

Pages - 411
Published by Faber and Faber in June 2012
Book kindly sent for review by publisher

Mrs Beale checked the temperature of the water in Ana's plastic baby bath. Behind them, Tamsin hunched over her own tub and mimicked their teacher, peering cross-eyed at the thermometer. 
'Thirty-seven degrees Celsius,' Mrs Beale muttered. 'Very good.'
Tamsin's lips moved in sync with the teacher's words. Her eyelids fluttered, gazing high over Ana's head, just like Mrs Beale. Ana bit the insides of her cheeks, holding back laughter.


Goodreads Summary
In a near future, society is segregated according to whether people are genetically disposed to mental illness. 17-year-old Ana has been living the privileged life of a Pure due to an error in her DNA test. When the authorities find out, she faces banishment from her safe Community, a fate only thwarted by the fact that she has already been promised to Pure-boy Jasper Taurell.
Jasper is from a rich and influential family and despite Ana’s condition, wants to be with her. The authorities grant Ana a tentative reprieve. If she is joined to Jasper before her 18th birthday, she may stay in the Community until her illness manifests. But if Jasper changes his mind, she will be cast out among the Crazies. As Ana’s joining ceremony and her birthday loom closer, she dares to hope she will be saved from the horror of the City and live a ‘normal’ life. But then Jasper disappears.
Led to believe Jasper has been taken by a strange sect the authorities will not intefere with, Ana sneaks out of her well-guarded Community to find him herself. Her search takes her through the underbelly of society, and as she delves deeper into the mystery of Jasper’s abduction she uncovers some devastating truths that destroy everything she has grown up to believe.

*********

If the world ever gets like this, shoot me! 

This is a dystopian view of the world in the not too distant future where basically you are not allowed to show emotions. If you show any emotion, you are likely to be thrown out of the Pure community and locked up in some psychiatric establishment. This is a really dark dystopian and one that affected me more than others. It scared me a little, because you could see the thought process that led them to creating the Pure test and changing society in the way they did.  I think what really made me sit up and think was the details of where children were prescribed drugs from birth to deal with mental illnesses that may occur. Such a difficult and controversial subject to write about.

I have to take my hat off to the author. Not only has she thoroughly done her research but she isn't afraid to taken on subjects that will cause questions to be raised. It felt like a two finger salute to the government who need to rethink the future. 
Ana is a very strong female protagonist who will appeal to lovers of Katniss  from The Hunger Games. She has a strong sense of what is right and wrong and what she needs to achieve. She will not be held back by anyone. Her growing relationship with Cole was really lovely and had me swooning, as I have a strong belief in fate! I didn't warm to Ana's father, Ashby, but then I don't think I was supposed to. He was really cold and controlling, almost suffocating Ana with his unhealthy attention, almost analysing her every move.

There is a lot of talk about the collapse of situations that are occurring right now in society which really added to the creepy chill factor. The petrol crisis causing  disastrous effects in this book.

One of the things I truly loved about this book was that it was set in the UK. I haven't read any other dystopian fiction that has that Great British feel to it. This book is set around London with a lot of it set in Camden Lock, one of my favourite places to visit while in London, although the picture painted by the author shows a darker version of the Camden I know. The scenes in the institutions were archaic and horrifying as the science of psychiatry goes full circle back to almost torture tactics of the past. 

There is a touch of information overload in this book and for the first few chapters I had to get my head around all the information provided. However with any new world being built for fiction, you need to get the facts straight, so I can see how necessary it was. 
The ending surprised me - it was quite different to how I had envisioned it. Yet it was a good ending and made sense. Ana was very calculated about her decision so I really shouldn't have been surprised.
There is a sequel to this book and I can't wait to see how the story turns out. Definitely an author to watch out for. Probably coming to a screen near you very soon!

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Pages - 525

Published by HarperCollins Children's Books in May 2012

I wake with his name in my mouth. 

Will.

Before I open my eyes, I watch him crumple to the pavement again. Dead.

My doing.

Goodreads Summary

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so. 

*********

Finally! It is here! I have Insurgent in my hands and I have read it! This book nearly caused Twitter/faction Armageddon, but it was definitely worth the wait. As you travel the blogosphere this week, you will see Insurgent reviews popping up all over the place, and I can put my hand on my heart and say this is definitely a series you want to read. If you haven't read the first book, Divergent, then read no further, quickly pop out to the nearest book store and buy it. In fact, save yourself a journey and buy both books at the same time! Here is my review of Divergent, to whet your appetite. 

Fleeing is a good word to describe this book. Tris and Four/Tobias spend a lot of time running from one disastrous situation to another as they try to stay one step ahead of the Dauntless traitors. Every faction seems to be in turmoil, as the factionless group watch carefully from the sidelines. Tris finds it difficult to know who to trust; the people she always thought would be on her side, seem to be missing when she comes under attack, while the people who scare her, come to her rescue. The whole situation has turned upon its head. 

The relationship between Tris and Tobias is really suffering and a wedge is slowly being pushed between them as it becomes obvious that secrets are being kept hidden. I found Tobias a little annoying in this book, because he just didn't believe the things that Tris was telling him. He was not the strong supportive boyfriend, I was expecting him to be, more like an older brother scolding his sibling for her immaturity.  

Tris may as well be a dart board, the amount of injuries she sustains in one book. Yet she bounces back from each and every one, which is surprising because of her suicidal thoughts at the beginning of the book. 

As the book drew to a close, I forgot I was actually reading. It felt like a movie playing out in front of my eyes. The writing described the action so well I could play out the pictures in my head. Three quarters of the way through the book a huge and shocking twist occurred, leaving me a little gobsmacked.

And then there was the ending...

The majority of readers with find this ending unbelievable. They will be stunned at how it ends. I actually saw it coming. The reason being was that it reminded me of one of my favourite films which I won't mention here, because if you have seen it, you will instantly know what will happen at the end.  So I worked out what was going to happen quite early on, which was  shame because it is a damn fine ending. 

I did enjoy Insurgent, although I am still not sure whether I love it more or less than Divergent. I found the writing really brought the tension of the situation to life. The present tense really intensified the speed of the story.There were enough shocks and twists to make me feel like a huge can of worms had been opened and sprawled all over the floor. I can't wait to see what happens next. 

A fast paced, thrilling fantasy that doesn't end when reality steps forward and slaps them in the face!

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Behind The Trailer - Struck by Jennifer Bosworth

The trailer for Struck by Jennifer Bosworth

I am so excited to be featuring  a post discussing behind the scenes of Jennifer Bosworth's debut novel Struck. This book has been on my radar for quite some time and the detail that went into the trailer is like a Hollywood film. Mind blowing. So here is Jennifer telling us all about the making of the trailer.

I’m writing this on the day my husband, Ryan Bosworth, the director half of our writer/director team, is putting the finishing touches on the STRUCK trailer. Outside, rain is pouring down like it’s trying to make up for neglecting Los Angeles 360 days of the year. Suddenly the windows light up, and a moment later a crack like an explosion rattles my house and my dog starts acting like we’re under attack. Even though it’s raining, it takes me a moment to realise what this sound and this bright light are. Thunder and lightning? In Los Angeles? These things are almost unheard of here. It hardly ever rains in L.A., and lightning only strikes a handful of times every year.

But today, at almost the exact moment Ryan finished the trailer, we got the whole package. Rain, lightning, and thunder. It seems too perfect. But, then, a lot of things about the making of this trailer seemed to come together too perfectly, so maybe it was meant to be.From the moment STRUCK got it’s first offer for publication, Ryan and I both knew we were going to make a book trailer to help promote the book. The trailer isn’t the first project we’ve produced together. I’ve written a number of short films for Ryan, two of which we produced, and which went on to play at film festivals. And Ryan, whose background is commercial and music video, was itching for a chance to create something with a big budget, blockbuster, cinematic feel.We started work on producing the trailer a couple of weeks before shooting near the end of November 2011. First we had to decide which shots from the book we could actually pull off, and which would communicate the most story in the fewest number of frames. A trailer is, essentially, a commercial, and the cardinal rule of commercials is “don’t be boring.” So we chose the most exciting shots. And then we decided, “Hey, while we have these locations, let’s shoot an entire scene from the book.” I ended up adapting a scene--which will be available for viewing on my website--and using lines of dialogue from that scene to help shape the trailer script.One of my favourite parts of the production process was casting, though there were a few points when we weren’t sure we were going to find the right actors. It was important to us that we find actors who were not just pretty faces, but who could actually act. It was touch and go there for a while, but by the end of our first casting day we had found four of our five principles.But casting our lead character, Mia Price, was harder. We had to hold two casting sessions to find her, but once she walked through the door, we knew within seconds that we had her. She looked the part, but more importantly she had insane acting chops, and she embodied both the character’s strength and her vulnerability. I could easily picture this actress, Stephanie Rae Anderson, becoming the next Claire Danes or Jennifer Lawrence.On to the actual filming. We shot for three days on the Red camera, in three separate locations. The first day we shot at my house, where we turned one room into a teenage girl’s bedroom, another into her mother’s bedroom, and then we transformed the inside of our garage--yep, our garage--into a dance club. It’s amazing what you can do with a fog machine and some disco lights. When you watch the footage, you have no idea the scene is being filmed in the same place where my husband and I keep all our junk. This part of the shoot was probably the most fun. We had a bunch of teenagers and extras packed inside the garage, fog machines running constantly, dub step pounding, and our first AD calling for everyone to keep dancing, keep dancing! I’ll admit, I was in there dancing, too.Day two’s filming location was Los Angeles City College, where we shot our most, um, dangerous scene. Last year, my husband Ryan directed the Project Runway 9 promos, and in them Heidi Klum holds an enormous pair of scissors--seriously, they’re the biggest scissors you’ve ever seen--which Ryan was able to take home with him after the shoot. We used these GIGANTIC scissors in a scene in which one of the fanatical cult members threatens her nemesis. The entire crew was on edge, fearing for our actress, having these steel blades that were practically a foot long right up in her face. I get anxious just thinking about it. Luckily no one lost an eye.Day three was the green screen shoot, where we filmed all of the shots that would be used for visual effects--and there are A LOT of them in this trailer--as well as our “revival” scene. In STRUCK, a fanatical cult leader named Prophet holds midnight revivals in a huge white tent on the beach. All of his Followers dress in head-to-toe white. So, in order to shoot this scene, we needed quite a few extras. I rounded up my friends--many of them authors, agents, and writers themselves--to be my Followers. Wardrobe dressed everyone in these strange, white ponchos, so they look like a huge choir. I have to say, it was both hilarious and kind of spooky.And what’s even spookier . . . on that day, our final shoot day in Los Angeles, where it hardly ever rains . . . it poured. 

I can't wait to see the trailer! 
To find out more about Jennifer Bosworth: 
Website: http://jenniferbosworth.com/
Twitter: @JennBosworth
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=521103525

Starters by Lissa Price

Pages - 336
Published by Doubleday in April 2012

Enders gave me the creeps. The doorman flashed a practiced smile as he let me into the body bank. He wasn't  that old, maybe 110, but he still made me shudder. Like most Enders, he sported silver hair, some phony bad of honor of his age. Inside, the ultramodern space with its high ceilings dwarfed me. I walked through the lobby as if gliding through a dream, my feet barely touching the marble floor. 


Goodreads Summary
Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man. 


He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . .

*******

I was desperate to read this book from the moment I heard about it last year at the RHCB blogger brunch. The idea behind the story had me curious. How could someone rent out their body? How weird would that be? Imagine being invaded by someone else, completely capable of destroying your body. My mind was completely boggled.

I found I could not stop reading this book. If I could have attached it to my body I would have. Every spare five minutes  found me with my nose buried in the story, desperate to figure out how Callie would get out of the terrifying situation she was in. The book is told from her point of view, so you get to experience just how she feels when she wakes up unexpectedly with a gun in her hand!

The plot was riveting, with each corner turned, Callie found herself in more trouble. She struggled to find the right Enders to trust.  I can only guess at the writing being good, as I found myself so lost in the story I didn't have time to decide on the quality of it, it was a time sucking book! I was flabbergasted at the imagination the author had initially to create such a story. This book is totally different from any other dystopian book I have read recently. 

Callie is an extraordinary character, still coping with the loss of her parents, she desperately tries to keep her brother safe and away from the institution. Selflessly,she risks her life by allowing her body to be rented out by an Ender. Obviously she has reached the end of the line and it is the only way she can provide food and warmth for the future, but it is still such a huge step to take. The growing friendship between Callie and Blake was intriguing and reminded me of Meet Joe Black, a film I would advise everyone to watch. 

The whole concept of renting bodies really blew my mind. I hope that scientists never actually work out a way to do this, as it would be an extremely scary situation. It had that Matrix feel about it, wwhen the machines feed off the energy  created by humans. Not nice at all. 

The book finishes on a bit of a cliffhanger, leaving the identity of one of the characters untold. I have my theories on who the character might really be, but I am only willing to discuss it with other people who have read the book. 

I don't think you can write a review about this book without mentioning the AMAZING cover. I think it is creepy yet beautiful. It really depicts the two sides of Callie extremely well. 

A superb fast paced thriller with an original storyline that captures your imagination. I can't believe I have to wait until the end of the year for the final book.

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

Pages - 349
Published by Macmillan Children's Books in April 2012

The night before junior year - I was sixteen, barely - Gable Arsley said he wanted to sleep with me. Not in the distant or semi-distant future either. Right then. 
Admittedly, my taste in boys wasn't so great. I was attracted to the sort who weren't in the habit of asking permission to do anything. Boys like my father, I guess.


Goodreads
In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidentally poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.

**********

This is the first book that I have read by Gabrielle Zevin and I am so annoyed with myself for not picking up one of her books sooner. I think I may have fallen in love with her writing; the words just leaped off the page and burrowed a little hole into my heart.  I loved this book so much I wanted to be in it!

Anya is seriously one of the strongest characters I have read about in ages. She is the glue that holds her dysfunctional yet unique family together.  Her father trained her well in the ways of the world and she will stop at nothing to protect her close relatives. In this day and age, she would be knocking Cameron out of the No 10 hotseat and diving in as the next female Prime Minister. She is spirited and selfless, willing to stand up to Mafia style family members and suffering real torture in order to save the lives of others. Anya's powerful feelings of love for her father are consistent throughout the book and you never see them waver. He had such a huge influence over her childhood that she seems to have put him on a pedestal, which I hope he doesn't fall from in future books. 

All the characters in the book are extremely well written and realistic. Their relationships to each other are complex and intriguing. I loved Leo so much! He reminded me of Lenny in 'Of Mice And Men', with his innocent mind wrapped in a man's body. I just wanted to hug him and make him believe that everything will one day be OK.  I loved that Win was the complete opposite of Anya; he was quieter, more in tune with his feelings and able to show emotion, bringing out a softer side to Anya. 

I love the setting of the book - New York in 2082, where chocolate and coffee have become banned substances. I came away from the book grateful for the things that I take for granted. The futuristic New York was completely believable and just a little scary. The Liberty Children's Home sounded like prison, with Mrs Cobrawick on hand to give Annie's Miss Hannigan a run for her money as the worst child care supervisor EVER! She was just plain evil.

The book isn't fast paced at all, yet there is a lot of drama and difficult situations within the story. The plot allows the characters to  infiltrate your heart so that you desperately want to know more about them.

I don't think I can actually put into words how much I loved this book and I am extremely excited to think that there may be more from Anya in the future. As the book is labelled as Birthright 1, I am hoping this is definitely a series. If I could buy you all a copy, I would! Seriously go buy it now and read it.

An exquisite tale of a young girl's desperate attempts to live a normal life.