Strange Star by Emma Carroll

It was Felix's job to deliver the invitation. On such a sparkling, sunny morning after weeks of cold rain he was glad to be outside, stretching his legs. Not that he had far to go- Mr and Mrs Shelley's villa was just a short walk through the apple orchard. 

Published in July 2016 by Faber and Faber

Pages - 320

Summary

They were coming tonight to tell ghost stories. 'A tale to freeze the blood,' was the only rule. Switzerland, 1816. On a stormy summer night, Lord Byron and his guests are gathered round the fire.

Felix, their serving boy, can't wait to hear their creepy tales.

Yet real life is about to take a chilling turn - more chilling than any tale.

Frantic pounding at the front door reveals a stranger, a girl covered in the most unusual scars.

She claims to be looking for her sister, supposedly snatched from England by a woman called Mary Shelley.

Someone else has followed her here too, she says. And the girl is terrified. 
****
Emma Carroll is one of my favourite authors. Literally everything stops for an Emma Carroll book. Each book is unique and the story  never lets me down.
I really loved Strange Star. Oozing with Gothic aromas, this story captures your interest and catapults you back to the 1800's. The story is told in third person, from two different view points. The beginning and the end of the book are told by Felix, a young boy, freed from slavery and working for Lord Byron. You feel his excitement and fear at the discovery of a frantic young girl at the door late at night. 
The middle part of the story is told by Lizzie and what a tale she has to tell. Her fear and bravery are apparent from the very start. 
Even though this book is historical, it easily portrays diversity as well as strong, career minded females. I loved the female scientist.  The book brings back to life well known historical figures, such as Lord Byron and Mary Shelley, capturing a period in their lives and breathing a plausible story into it. 
Just like all of Emma Carroll's books, this has a real classical feel. I can guarantee that Emma Carroll's books will be the classics for future generations. 
If you loved Frankenstein, you will love this too. 

The Private Lives Of Writers by Emma Carroll

I'm always pleased when I can convince Emma Carroll to come on the blog. Emma is an amazing Middle Grade author and definitely one  of my favourites. Last week saw the publication of Strange Star, her latest MG novel. Emma recently wrote an article for The Guardian, about having cancer and this post follows on a little from that one. You can read Emma's Guardian piece here. 

The Private Lives of Writers

It’s a side of being an author that comes with the territory. Personal stuff, I mean- the story behind the story, the ‘hook’ that gives your book that edge. Anyone who’s signed a book deal will have filled in the publisher’s questionnaire, which asks among other things if you have an interesting backstory to share. 

In my case I left that box blank. Being English, I couldn’t imagine anything I’d ever done possibly being of interest. And the one thing that might’ve stirred up mild curiousity involved body parts a debut children’s author surely wouldn’t want to discuss. 

Yet in Strange Star, I’m more than happy to root around behind closed doors at the Villa Diodati, on that infamous June night in 1816 when Byron, Mary Godwin, Percy Shelley, John Polidori and Claire Clairmont challenged each other to tell ghost stories. Is this a contradiction, then? Is it all right to relish other writers’ personal histories while reluctant to share your own? 

Our fascination with writers’ private lives is hardly new. Shakespeare, with his bad handwriting and dead children, was the bequeather of second-best beds, the Brontes, makers of tiny, elf-sized books. Dickens’ childhood home was the debtor’s prison. Edgar Allan Poe’s days ended in the gutter, with him ranting and wearing a stranger’s clothes. On meeting Sylvia Plath, Ted Hughes stole her hairband- she bit his cheek in return. And what of the Harry Potter backstory- JK plotting out the whole series on a train journey, the single mum, toddler in tow, writing in cafes.

Back to ‘Strange Star’: yes, I trawled biographies and websites for histories of the era. Yes, I researched Mary Shelley’s backstory- and it is an intriguing one. We don’t what exactly happened on that night in 1816: there are accounts, of course- Shelley’s own amongst them-but history is a person’s view, a starting point. As a writer nothing delights me more than the gaps that only our imaginations can fill, which is what I’ve tried to do with ‘Strange Star’.  

So, I don’t suppose there’s any getting from it: the stories behind our stories are intriguing. Who we are shapes what we write. In the end, yes I did talk about my body parts for a piece in The Guardian. People read it and I didn’t die of shame. Maybe it’s okay to reveal personal things, particularly if it helps others in some way. Or maybe its just that people who write books are interesting- not that I’d include myself in that, of course, being English! 

Summary

They were coming tonight to tell ghost stories. 'A tale to freeze the blood,' was the only rule. Switzerland, 1816. On a stormy summer night, Lord Byron and his guests are gathered round the fire.

Felix, their serving boy, can't wait to hear their creepy tales.

Yet real life is about to take a chilling turn - more chilling than any tale.

Frantic pounding at the front door reveals a stranger, a girl covered in the most unusual scars.

She claims to be looking for her sister, supposedly snatched from England by a woman called Mary Shelley.

Someone else has followed her here too, she says. And the girl is terrified.

To find out more about Emma Carroll:

Website / Twitter

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Secret Serendipity Seven with Swapna Haddow

Today I'm pleased to welcome Swapna Haddow onto the blog, to reveal seven secrets about her chapter book for younger readers, Dave Pigeon and herself. I loved Dave Pigeon! You can read my review here. I honestly can't wait for the next book in the series. 

• There is a comedy dog in every first chapter of every first draft of a story I have ever written who is always cut from final draft of the book. In Dave Pigeon, the dog’s name was ‘Dog’.

• Skipper, Dave Pigeon’s best friend, was not originally called ‘Skipper’. He had another name. It was Another.

• I don’t really plan my books, which is ironic because ‘Dave Pigeon: How to deal with Bad Cats and keep (most of) your Feathers’ is a book about plans. I tend to write and see where the characters take me.

• I’ve been afraid of pigeons since I was a child. When I was six, I was harassed at Trafalgar Square by an army of pigeons because I was eating a sandwich. Writing the book has been very therapeutic and now I’m quite fond of pigeons.

• I’ve been afraid of cats since I was a child. I was scratched by a cat when I was younger and never really got over it. Writing the book has not been therapeutic for this in the slightest and I may be more afraid of cats now than I ever was.

• I tend to write in bed, which is why it takes me a while to finish writing a story because I fall asleep A LOT.

• Despite all my sleeping, I have finished writing the second Dave Pigeon book! Yippee! In the next book Dave Pigeon and Skipper are lured away from their shed and they have to take on a very gruesome villain, one who has an incredibly sinister plan for our feathery friends. Find out what adventures are in store for Dave and Skipper in February 2017.

Published by Faber and Faber in April 2016

Summary

Join Dave Pigeon and his sidekick Skipper on their quest to defeat the most evil cat in town. There will be funny bits, scary bits and biscuity bits...

To find out more about Swapna Haddow:

Website / Twitter

Dave Pigeon by Swapna Haddow

Dave and me were on a routine croissant heist. It was something we'd doe at least a hundred times before. 

In fact, the first time I met Dave was on a croissant heist. Back then, Dave told me he had just won a Medal of the Brave which he wore all the time. (Though I heard a rumour later it was just a bottle top that had got stuck to him with a piece of chewing gum when he got caught in a bin bag once).

Published by Faber Children's Books in April 2016

Ilustrated by Sheena Dempsey

Pages - 155

Summary 

Join Dave Pigeon and his sidekick Skipper on their quest to defeat the most evil cat in town. There will be funny bits, scary bits and biscuity bits...

****

What an adorable yet hilarious book! Dave Pigeon is a brilliant and original character who you are rooting for as soon as you meet him. He is definitely one of a kind. He's not perfect, as he may have a touch of the dramatics with his tall stories, but he's a fighter! 

I couldn't stop smiling as I read about Dave and Skipper's constant changes of plans to get rid of Mean Cat. They really highlighted the brain power you imagine all pigeons to have. If pigeons could have a spoke person, I am pretty sure Dave would be in the running for the job. Human Lady has a heart of gold, though not sure I would want a pigeon living in the house. 

The illustrations really match the descriptions of Dave and Skipper, helping to bring these characters alive. I can't imagine any child not loving Dave and waiting excitedly for his next adventure. 

Cover Reveal : The Graces by Laure Eve

I am so excited to be part of #TheGraces cover reveal today!

Perijee and Me by Ross Montgomery

It all started just like any other morning, except I was holding a pineapple and the cove was covered in ten thousand dead jellyfish.

Published by Faber Children's Books in March 2016

Pages - 233

Summary

Caitlin is the only young person living on Middle Island. On the first day of vacation, she finds a tiny alien on the beach. Caitlin becomes close to her secret friend, whom she names Perijee, teaching him everything about her world and treating him like a brother.

There’s only one problem: Perijee won’t stop growing. And growing . . . Caitlin will have to convince the adults around her—and Perijee himself—that the creature they see as a terrifying monster is anything but. 

*****

I have so much love for this book! 

As the storm sweeps in, you are quickly caught up in the emotional whirlwind of the story. 

The characters melt your heart while at the same time, tickling you under the ribs. Caitlin is utterly adorable and yet you feel sorry for her. Her yearning for a friend to call her own breaks your heart. Her unlikely friendship with Frank, is beautiful. He quickly becomes the fatherly figure, her life lacks. When she discovers Perijee, their ties of friendship are instantaneous. If you learn one thing from this book, it is that strong friendships can stand up against anything.

The humour is unstoppable at times. I read the book while in company and everyone kept giving me funny looks at I tried so hard not to laugh out loud. 

Midway through the book, the story takes a dramatic and serious turn and you can't imagine how the situation will ever be resolved. Yet the author turns the story around with ease

This story has a twist at the end, which I honestly didn't see coming. All I can say is, you will be surprised and shocked.

The Middle Grade brigade are going to love this book. The kids will easily relate to the humour and wild imagination of the author. 

If Steven Spielberg and Roald Dahl had ever collaborated on a story, this would be it. 

Star of Excellence - Book of the Month - February 2016

As I mentioned at the beginning of the month, I will be awarding one book with the Serendipity Reviews Star of Excellence at the end of every month. This will be awarded to the book that I have loved reading the most that month. It doesn't have to be a new release and it doesn't have to fit in with any specific age group. All it has to do is keep me reading. It will be a book that keeps me up way to late at night and will completely engulf me in a story.

For this first month, it really was a tough decision. I was stuck between three books which I loved equally. But there could be only one winner.

The Star of Excellence for February 2016 goes to: 

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton. 

This book totally captivated me and practically swept me off my feet. The last book to catch me like that was Daughter of Smoke and Bones by Laini Taylor. The world building was fantastic as it seamlessly blends Arabian myths with the Wild West. It truly was a spectacular debut and I am urging everyone to read it. 

Hot New Books Coming From Faber

Last weekend I got to visit Faber and Faber for a blogger's brunch. For those of you who don't know, a blogger's brunch is a chance for book bloggers to mix with authors, eat lots of cake and find out about all the exciting books coming out in the near future.

And there are always goodie bags!

The event lasted two hours and I came away buzzing after hearing about all the new books coming out this year. 

The first book to be discussed was Rebel of the Sands. The debut author, Alwyn Hamilton was there to answer questions. She told us that Faber pitched for the book with a bottle of sand! Asked how she came up with the idea for the book, Alwyn told us that she had this image of a woman who was a sharp shooter - a woman who was equal in abilities to any man around. She knew she didn't really want to write a Western, but she realised that she could cross it with One Thousand and One Nights as there were so many matches between the genres.  

In order to research for Rebel of the Sands, she read a lot of fables and read anything she could find about Djinnies. The book took two years to write and she spent 3 months stuck on one plot point. If you haven't got a copy, I would highly recommend buying one. 

****

Here are the other books we heard about at the event.

Now The Smell of Other People's Houses really excited me. I love books set in Alaska. I don't know why; it can only be because of my teen obsession with Northern Exposure. Set during the 1970's, the book follows the lives of four very different teenagers in a town at the end of the Earth. The book revolves around tiny moments of human kindness and  I have been warned that it will make me cry.

This will be published in April. 

 Highly Illogical Behaviour is John Corey Whaley's third book and deals with the sensitive issue of mental health. The idea for the book came to him during his book tours for Noggin  back in 2014, where he found himself dealing with rising anxiety. He found the best way to work through his issues was by writing about them.

Highly Illogical Behaviour follows the story of Solomon, an agoraphobic, who hasn't let the house in three years. Lisa wants to fix Solomon to help her get into the second best psychology program at college. The book will appeal to fans of All The Bright Places and will be available in the UK in May. 

Rebel Bully Geek Pariah is quite different from Erin Lange's last two books as it features four very different characters in a  thriller. Described as a modern take on 'The Breakfast Club' the story takes place over the course of an evening. I'm quite intrigued by this book. I absolutely loved The Breakfast Club, so anything remotely similar would appeal to me. This book is available to buy later this week. 

 Heartfire is the third book in the Winterkill series by Kate. A. Boorman. Set in an alternative history, this series is already proving popular with readers.

Next up we have The Graces, Laure Eve's third novel which will be a duology. Laure read us the first chapter!!!Whoa this book sounds AMAZING! I honestly can't wait to read it. At the moment the cover isn't available but if you love The Craft, you will love this. The author wanted to write about how life would be like if magic really existed. She described magic being 'only as dangerous as the person using it'. 

I don't think I can wait until September for this book!

Aimed at a younger audience, Perijee and Me by Ross Montgomery sounds an absolute delight. For fans of ET, this book will definitely grab your heart. When Caitlin finds an alien, she decides to look after him and treat him like a brother. Unfortunately Perijee, as she names him, won't stop growing. Caitlin has to find a way to convince everyone that the big frightening monster, isn't frightening at all. This book explores friendship and loneliness and highlights the need to take care of each other. 

This book will be published in September. 

Something completely different from the Horrid Henry author. Based on myths, the author brings them up to date in the form of a really angry teenager. I look forward to hearing more about this one later in the year.

Now I am a huge fan of Emma Carroll's books. I honestly think her stories will become modern children's classics. Each one is so different from the next. Strange Star is based around how Mary Shelley got the idea for Frankenstein. It is aimed at the 9 to 12 age bracket and is a little scary. I can't wait!

 Natasha Farrant is now up to Book 4 in the Diary of Bluebell Gadsby series. This series is hugely popular and I can't believe I still haven't read any of the books! 

Podkin One Ear was described as Lord of the Rings but different. The book is quite violent but apparently you are quite removed from the violence. It's the story of a mythical rabbit. I can't wait to hear more.

So that is a round up of the awesome books coming from Faber Children's Books over the next year. Which one would you love to read? 

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

They said the only folks who belonged in Headshot after dark were the ones who were up to no good. I wasn't up to no good. Then again I wasn't exactly up to no bad neither. 

Published by Faber Books in February 2016

Pages - 348

Cover designed by Will Steele

Summary 

She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from. 

Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him...or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is.

*****

I heard about this book early in 2015 and I had a feeling it was going to be special. At YALC, I managed to get a sampler of the first two chapters and I've waited impatiently ever since to read the rest of the book. I definitely wasn't disappointed and it was so worth the wait. This book shook the ground beneath my feet!

I honestly believe we have found the UK's answer to Laini Taylor.  Seriously - expect the unexpected  with this book. I don't want to give any of the plot away because you have to experience it first hand to understand what I mean.

Amani is one kick-ass, gun welding heroine, who deserves to stand alongside the likes of Katniss and Caelena. Her gun toting skills are better than nearly every man in her life. Determined to get out of Dustwalk, she risks everything for a chance of freedom.  

I loved Jin! He's the type of boy, every girl wants by her side. 

The story seamlessly weaves together an Arabian Nights style setting with  the hardships of the Wild West, bringing you a stunning blend of two very different genres. 

This book has everything you could possibly want and I think everyone should read it. A Adventure, magic, romance and explosive action all blended together to make one of the most epic and original debuts of 2016.

Alwyn Hamilton is a name you really need to keep watching!

If you love Sarah J. Maas, Laini Taylor and Maria V. Snyder, then this really is the book for you. 

Day 4 - Debuts 2016 - Alwyn Hamilton

Day 4 of the Debuts 2016 and I am pleased to welcome Alwyn Hamilton. 

Alwyn debuts in February this year with her YA fantasy novel, Rebel of the Sands, which will be published by Faber and Faber. 

How has your life changed since getting a book deal?

The biggest way that my life has changed has been quitting my day job. I balanced writing and the day job for years, squeezing writing in bit by bit on weekends and evenings. Deadlines and the amount of work around authoring that is not actual writing (accounts, promotion etc.) made keeping up with the book and the day job at the same time impossible, and fortunately getting the book deal allowed me not have to rely on my day job anymore to, you know, feed myself and pay rent. So I went part time in August and I'll leave my job entirely at the end of 2015 so that 2016 will be a year a full time authoring! It's exciting but daunting at the same time to lose that structure of the 9-5. But having eased out of working mode the last few months I'm now really looking forwards to it.

Have you seen the book cover and how did it make you feel?

For being an Art Historian, I am weirdly not always a very visual person, so I'm glad I didn't have an image in my mind for the cover when I wrote the book. I actively avoided trying to imagine a cover for REBEL OF THE SANDS because I knew if I got stuck in an idea of what it should look like I'd risk being disappointed by the final result. Fortunately I absolutely love my cover. It was covers for a while, with different ones in the U.S than in the U.K. Having seen them both in the flesh (in the paper?) I can vouch that they were both gorgeous in very distinct ways and I actually got a bit teary when I saw the ARCs. But I'm excited that it's now a single cover, and the same image is being used for both. I love the dark silhouettes on the desert landscape, it feels so evocative and classic, and I can't wait for everyone else to get to see it in it's final gold foiled product (that's the magpie in me, attracted to shiny things).

What are your hopes for 2016?

My hopes for the book for 2016 range from the ridiculously ambitious to the weirdly specific and intimate, and while I worry they would seem impossibly ridiculous or pretentious to list all, or indeed any, of them here, I have made a list. Stacey Lee and Stephanie Garber wrote a post for Pubcrawl back in August about "Index Cards of Power" which fascinated me. I was deep in edits at that point and losing sight of the book. So I sat down and listed everything I wanted it to be and how I wanted it to be received in 2016 on an index card, and it helped me focus in on what was important and focus on the fact that most of them are things I can't control. So all my 2016 wants are listed on a little piece of stationary that is stuffed in between my paperbacks on my bookshelf. I'd love to be able to say something zen, like that they are mainly to enjoy my launch year, but my biggest hope is that I will do folks proud. I don't think you have an appreciation until you've done it of how many people invest in you as an author, and in your story, when you're published, and how many people put their work and talent behind making your words a book. A lot of my hopes are that all of their hard work and trust in the book pays off.

Who did you tell first about your book deal?

My parents. REBEL OF THE SANDS sold in December 2014. In the weeks leading up my parents kept asking me what I wanted for Christmas (books, new socks?) and the only answer I had was "A book deal". On the day of the auction I couldn't focus on anything because I was so nervous. So I pretty much spent the day sending email and text updates to my parents in between being on the phone to my agent, so it kind of felt like they were there throughout. Then my best friend came to collect me from the office (she also prevented me from walking into traffic), so she knew about the same time I knew because she was sitting next to me when I found out. My flatmates also found out pretty quickly by virtue of being in the immediate vicinity of me in the immediate aftermath while I was like a pot boiling over with the news. 

How have you kept yourself occupied in the run up to publication day?

I've heard so many stories of people driving themselves crazy with the wait between deal and publication. But even though it was a year ago that REBEL OF THE SANDS sold and it's coming out in a few short months, it honestly feels like it has gone in the blink of an eye. I've been kept plenty busy since then. There's been the work on the book itself, and then some early promotional stuff to do, like going to YALC in the summer, and then, with the book launching in Italy already, going to Lucca Comics and Games in October to promote it there. And then there's been the writing of Book 2...between all that and the day job I haven't had to worry too much about keeping myself busy.

****

Thank you Alwyn for sharing your thoughts in the run up to your debut. We wish you so much luck with publication. 

Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell

On the morning of its first birthday, a baby was found floating in a cello case in the middle of the English ocean. 

Pages - 278

Published by Faber and Faber

Summary

Everyone thinks that Sophie is an orphan. True, there were no other recorded female survivors from the shipwreck which left baby Sophie floating in the English Channel in a cello case, but Sophie remembers seeing her mother wave for help. Her guardian tells her it is almost impossible that her mother is still alive, but that means still possible. You should never ignore a possible. So when the Welfare Agency writes to her guardian threatening to send Sophie to an orphanage, she takes matters into her own hands and flees to Paris to look for her mother, starting with the only clue she has - the address of the cello maker. Evading the French authorities, she meets Matteo and his network of rooftoppers - urchins who live in the sky. Together they scour the city for Sophie's mother before she is caught and sent back to London, and most importantly before she loses hope.

****

What a cracking opening line to a book. What more do you need to capture your curiosity and draw you into the story?

After reading Wolf Wilder, Katherine Rundell's latest novel, I was desperate to read Rooftoppers, as everyone kept telling me how good it was. When I started reading it, I was expecting something similar to Wolf Wilder, however the style was completely different. Rooftoppers has more of a Dahlesque feel to it. It would suit readers who have fallen in love with such characters as Matilda, James and Charlie. The prose is beautiful and almost lyrical at times, making this book such an easy one to read. 

The book isn't defined by any era, but it felt like it was set around the 1920's or 1930's.

Sophie is a really strong character in this book and very likable. She is brought up to believe that she is just as clever, strong and able as any male character. She has a quirky nature and a modern view of life, moulded by her unusual guardian.

I was fascinated by the sub categories of the sky treaders, who feature heavily in the second half of the book. From the gariers to the arbrosiers, their feet barely ever touch the ground.  They make their lives sound exciting, even though they suffer great hardships. They climb iconic buildings such as Notre Dame, claiming them for their own. The sky treaders show such an independence and maturity as they learn to exist without adults. Each child is strong willed and determined, making you wonder what they will be like as adults. Yet they lack the knowledge of who they really are, even down to not knowing their ages. 

The plot is brilliant and so well written. One tiny piece of information in the first few chapters, transforms the story and solves everything for Sophie by the end. 

This story embraces the idea  of being comfortable with who you are, even if you don't know the reality of your past. Sophie is searching for her identity while spending time with characters who have no idea who they really are. 

After reading this book, I came up with a question concerning Sophie's mother. I wondered whether she dressed as a man so that she could be seen as an equal and get a job or was  she the first transgender character in MG novels. After speaking to the author, it appears that the former was the correct answer. However it made me realise that as times change, people's perceptions of what they read will alter too. Readers will see differences in characters as society changes. To me, it was entirely plausible that Sophie's mother could be transgender, because it is so topical at the moment. 

This is a delightfully,uplifting, magical book that brightens your day after reading it. Quite different from The Wolf Wilder, but equally as wonderful. 

The Snow Sister by Emma Carroll

Christmas Eve morning wasn't the best time for a telling-off, yet Pearl Granger was about to get one. She had been outside in the snow for all of two minutes, when above her head a window opened and her mother's voice rang out. 

Published by Faber and Faber in October 2015

Pages - 100

Illustrations by Julian de Narvaez

Summary

Ever since her sister, Agnes, died, Pearl has a tradition every time it snows. She makes a person out of snow. A snow sister. It makes Christmas feel a little less lonely.

On Christmas Eve, her father receives a letter about a long-lost relative's will. Is their luck about to change? In anticipation of a better Christmas, Pearl goes to beg credit at Mr Noble's grocery to get ingredients for a Christmas pudding. But she is refused, and chased down the street where she is hit by a hansom cab. The snow is falling so hard that they can't take her home. She'll have to stay at Flintfield Manor overnight, in a haunted room... Will Pearl make it home for Christmas?

******

Reviewed by Vivienne Dacosta

I've been excited about reading this book, since I saw the cover reveal a few months ago. Not only is it by Emma Carroll, who is fast becoming one of my favourite UKMG authors, but it's also set during the Christmas period, one of my favorite times of the year. It's also set during the Victorian period, which always wins the best Christmas stories era with me.

It's beautifully written from start to finish and you quickly find yourself transported to Victorian times. Carroll's descriptive passages actually make you shiver as you feel the coldness of the season. Pearl is a delightful character who really only wants to see her family happy again and able to put food on the table. Her family have suffered enough since her sister's death and she feels its time for a change. 

Carroll shows us that without the love of our families, we have nothing. Money won't buy you happiness, but love will. 

You can't talk about this book without discussing the illustrations, which have a real Victorian feel to them. They reminded me of the tales of my childhood, like The Little Match Girl. 

My only niggle with this book, it that it wasn't long enough for me. This is a novella, which is gorgeous, but perhaps because of my love of Emma's writing, I would have loved for the book to be longer. I felt it had the potential to be a full novel, rather than just a novella. 

I'm not sure I can even call that a niggle as it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book at all. I really enjoyed reading it. A beautiful tale which will make a gorgeous stocking filler for any child that loves Christmas and still believes in the magic of Christmas. 

Cover Reveal - Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

I am so pleased to be one of the bloggers  taking part in  sharing this stunning cover for the debut novel, Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton. Isn't it gorgeous. I love the colours used and the magical feel to it in general.

I was lucky enough to read the first two chapters of this book, after picking up a sample at YALC. All I can say is, it is brilliant!! And I can't wait to read more! But it looks like I'll have a little wait yet as it won't be out until February 2015! I'm ready to join the rebellion, how about you? 

Summary 

She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from. 

Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him...or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is.

In Darkling Wood by Emma Carroll

At 3.23 am, the hospital call to say a heart's been found. Put like that, it almost sounds funny, as if someone's just discovered it in a rubbish bin or on a doorstop like happens in the news sometimes with tiny babies.

Except that's not how it is.

What they really mean is someone's died.

Published by Faber and Faber in July 2015

Pages - 307

Summary

When Alice's brother gets a longed-for chance for a heart transplant, Alice is suddenly bundled off to her estranged grandmother's house. There's nothing good about staying with Nell, except for the beautiful Darkling Wood at the end of her garden - but Nell wants to have it cut down. Alice feels at home there, at peace, and even finds a friend, Flo. But Flo doesn't seem to go to the local school and no one in town has heard of a girl with that name. When Flo shows Alice the surprising secrets of Darkling Wood, Alice starts to wonder, what is real? And can she find out in time to save the wood from destruction?

*****

Reviewed by Vivienne Dacosta

There really is something magical about opening a book by Emma Carroll. With each new addition to her library,  the magic gets stronger and her writing style becomes more defined as she settles comfortably into her role as author of the modern classic. I really do think that Emma Carroll has magic flowing from the tips of her fingers. 

Just in case you hadn't realised, I LOVED THIS BOOK!

It is simply gorgeous and full of fae like creatures.  Emma Carroll makes you believe that fairies really do exist. I was instantly drawn back into my childhood, desperate to run with arms flailing, into the nearest forest to find my very own fairy door. 

But that book isn't just about fairies, oh no, it's also about hope, during a time of despair. Hope that you can change your life if you just stay strong and believe enough. 

The book is told from the point of view of Alice, while being interspersed with letters dating back to 1918. This story has strong connections to the Cottingley fairies from 1917. The letters from the past, even mention a visit from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, which is something he would have done, due to his interest in fairies. After the war, the world was looking for something wonderful to cling to, and the Cuttingly fairies was just the thing.

I loved the setting of the story. The house sounded magical and full of secrets before we even got to the forest, which just oozed Enid Blytoness! I bet if you delved just a bit further in the forest, you would bump straight into the Faraway Tree.

All the female characters are tough in this book. Not one will be defeated, even if it does mean they have to  compete against each other. The battle between Nell and Alice was brilliant as you could see both points of view, so it was difficult to choose sides. 

And I loved Borage, the dog. He reminded me of Wrolf, the dog that was really a lion, in The Little White Horse, one of my favourite books ever. 

I really really enjoyed this book, my only fault would be that I read it too quickly, so that it was over too soon! I can't wait to read Emma's next novel, The Snow Sister. I'm already planning breaking into the Faber and Faber offices. How many years will I get for stealing a manuscript?

Secret Serendipity Seven with Emma Carroll

Today on the blog, we have the rather talented Middle Grade author, Emma Carroll, with seven secrets to tell us. 

1.‘In Darkling Wood’ started life 3 years ago as a dual narrative between Florence and her maid. It was called ‘The Secret Stranger’ and wasn’t about fairies at all!

2. My mother-in-law owns a piece of woodland; in it is a beech tree with a fairy door.

3. Borage the huge, hairy lurcher in ‘In Darkling Wood’ is my dream dog type. (but don’t tell my Jack Russells!)

4. In Darkling Wood was the hardest of my 3 books to write. I nearly gave up on it countless times.

5. The story starts on Armistice Day- November 11th. Incidentally, on this date in 2004 I was diagnosed with cancer.

6. When writing In Darkling Wood, I deliberately didn’t read any contemporary fairy fiction. All I read were old folk tales and accounts of the Cottingley fairies stories. I wanted my fairies to represent a ‘feeling’, rather than be part of a fantasy world.

7. The cover for The Snow Sister- coming out in October- is my favourite cover yet !

In Darkling Wood is published on the 2nd July 2015 by Faber and Faber.

Summary

When Alice's brother gets a longed-for chance for a heart transplant, Alice is suddenly bundled off to her estranged grandmother's house. There's nothing good about staying with Nell, except for the beautiful Darkling Wood at the end of her garden - but Nell wants to have it cut down. Alice feels at home there, at peace, and even finds a friend, Flo. But Flo doesn't seem to go to the local school and no one in town has heard of a girl with that name. When Flo shows Alice the surprising secrets of Darkling Wood, Alice starts to wonder, what is real? And can she find out in time to save the wood from destruction?

To find out more about Emma Carroll:

Twitter / Website

Where The Ideas Flow - Alexia Casale

I seem to have been struck by an abundance of guest post ideas lately. And here is another one. I wanted to be nosy. I wanted to see just where all my favourite authors wrote their books; what they could see when they were mulling over idea or where they sat creating characters. So I popped on Twitter and put out a request, and yet again lots of lovely authors wanted to take part.

So today I am so pleased to welcome Alexia Casale to the blog. Alexia is the author of the highly praised debut novel, The Bone Dragon, which was published by Faber and Faber last year. Alexia has a new novel called House of Windows, coming out in July this year.

I live in an attic conversion, all slope-y roofs and odd angles. It’s brilliant except for the lack of tall wardrobe space. Just as well I’m so short.

My study is bigger than my bedroom, but who wouldn’t want to be able to work with the sun coming through the window all day long and a lovely view of the far hills? Look at how pretty it is when the world is all frosty and just waking up!

So, the right-hand window is actually glued shut because a handy-man damaged it and I couldn’t stand the draught any more than I could stand to have him back to break something else. These things happen. Soon the wood will warp again and become snug once more. There has to be some advantage to rising/falling/creeping damp.

On my windowsill is a New York Met Museum pencil holder (a present) to remind me of living in NY. Also a pyramid clock that doesn’t work (present). Or maybe it would if I put batteries in it but that hasn’t happened in a while. And probably won’t happen any time soon. There’s also a pewter wizard plus dragon (present) and a little clockwork kitten that buzz-purrs. It’s ridiculous but it makes me happy. It was also a present. Finally, there’s a very pretty little dish I found in a charity shop. I have many pretty little dishes for all the little bits of Stuff I end up with: pebbles, dried flowers, shells, random sequins, plant seeds… 

On both sides of the window I have wind-chimes from College (things I bought!). And mirror thingies. I love having mirror- and crystal-danglies hanging in my windows so I get random rainbows. 

I love my study. It’s such a luxury to have a room of my own - a really lovely room - for work. I won’t show you the rest of it though because it is a HUGE tip. I started doing a massive clear out about 18 months ago, got down to about 4 boxes and then gave up. I have this idea that one day I’ll finish but I’m not committed to it. I can live with it as is, but I’m not sure I can survive the trauma of a further clear out.

So, what else? I have these brilliant cubbyholes for my files. They’re ugly bare ply board but they’re sturdy and the perfect size. These are my book-related cubbyholes for Important Notes. Some will one day become books. There’s also a certain amount of stuff for events and keepsakes from events (posters, programmes, etc.).

 

 

This is part of my book file for House of Windows. Lots of pictures and postcards of Cambridge. A small map. And of course The Plan. The Plan is written in pen on a piece of A2 paper spread across the living room floor for a day. I put rubbish on the TV and gradually transcribe The Plan from my head, where it lives in the form of a movie of the book until this stage. Sometimes a second day in the living room is required because Decisions Have To Be Made because The Plan looks wrong. 

The Plan is not infallible but it’s the starting point every time I sit down to draft. For each scene I think is necessary, The Plan says what is meant to happen, how, where and why. Sometimes it includes key clues or bits of info that must appear in the scene. Sometimes it has snippets of dialogue. Much of it is written in semi-mathematical code. Maybe because I’m dyslexic I find it easier to keep track of structure and themes this way. The Plan is the blueprint for the book until it is drafted. Then a new scene-by-scene plan gets written up on the computer, but that’s mostly for reference.

All that takes up a lot of my desk. But here’s what sits next to my laptop. 

A row of books I use for reference. Baby-name and surname books. A thesaurus, of course, and a dictionary. Robert McKee’s Story - one of the best books about structure out there. Some notebooks. Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Dreams to remind me that prose should be complicated and wonderful and full of hidden meanings.

Oh, and more Stuff. At the bottom right, there’s a heart-shaped paperweight in amber glass (present) on a Turkish ceramic coaster (present) with a Chinese Dragon (present). There’s a Dragon birthday card and a random zebra (present). And a sign that one of my friends thinks sums me up. 

So much for what’s on my desk. As you may have gathered if you know me on Twitter, I have a book problem. Don’t tell anyone about this stash under my desk.

Nearby, among other bits of random Stuff, there are quite a lot of things made of sugar. Mostly flowers. I did sugar craft semi-professionally for a while, debated doing it full-time and then writing-related stuff worked out so I didn’t have to. I MUCH prefer just to make the occasional cake for people I love. And they really are occasional as each costs well over £100 in raw materials and takes a minimum of 150 hours to make.

Anyway, I think these bluebells and lily-of-the-valley are very pretty still considering they’re fading and droopy after ten years.

Hang on. TEN YEARS. Really? Seriously? How did that happen?! 

Moving swiftly onwards…

If I had to sum up my space it’s ‘Here be lots (and by lots I mean LOTS) of pretty things’. Very few of the things are expensive - I’m not into bling* (*which is distinct from twinkly-sparkliness, which is lovely) - they’re just pretty. They come from travels and family and friends. Some I made. Some I just collected from beeches or forests or little shops… It’s all higgledy-piggedly chaos and clutter, but I like there to be a jumble of beauty and fun and wonder around me. For example, this.

This is actually in my bedroom but let’s pretend it’s my study. It’s a collection of Venetian ceramic masks. Not one cost me more than 8 Euros: most were about 4. They’re pinned to an old corkboard covered with thick cream paper, with a border of old white wool. I splurged on good quality sticky-back hooks so the masks wouldn’t fall and break. This is a thing of Beauty and I love it.

Why am I telling you about all the Stuff and pretty things? I think it’s important to feed your imagination as a writer. And part of that is pretty things. Pretty things that don’t cost a fortune but make the world you live in nicer, brighter, more wonderful.

Yes. That is a MASSIVE witch’s hat. No, you can’t borrow it.

Why not? WHY NOT?! Would you randomly borrow someone else’s wand? 

No, is right. Really, what were you thinking just then? Let’s move on, shall we?

Yes, there are lots of copies of my book. And lots of other books (I copped to the book problem above, remember). Also another Dragon (present). And random pretty things, just like I said.

The long-dead flower beside the witch’s hat is my white rose from speaking at the Hay Festival. It was literally a dream come true. Now it lives opposite my desk to remind me that wonderful things have happened in my life and may happen again. I make the ‘again’ more likely every time I write.

Alexia’s new book cover was revealed last week over at Fluttering Butterflies. Please click here to find out Alexia’s reactions to it.

 

To find out more about Alexia Casale:

Website / Facebook / Twitter