Maria V. Snyder's Favourite Books From Childhood.

As part of the Night Study tour, Maria V. Snyder wanted to share her favourite books from her childhood. Here are the five books she loved the most. 

1 & 2 ) Swimmy and Frederick by Leo Lionni.  

In Swimmy I loved how all the little fish worked together to scare off the big fish, what a great lesson.  And Frederick the field mouse gave me permission to daydream.  He taught me the value of a story teller.

3) Put Me in the Zoo by Robert Lopshire. 

I loved this book.  The main character can change the colour of his spots and rearrange them in different patterns and shapes. I wished I had his spots and could play with them.

4) Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson.  

Another great book for those of us who like to daydream and use our imagination.  All you need is one crayon and you can create an entire world.

5) The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. 

Each night my father read a chapter of this book to me. He was very busy so I didn’t see him much during the day, and I was such a daddy’s little girl, that I treasure those times together.  

Night Study was published in February 2016. You can buy it here

                           Summary

Ever since being kidnapped from the Illiais Jungle as a child, Yelena Zaltana's has been fraught with peril. But the recent loss of her Soulfinding abilities has endangered her more than ever before. As she desperately searches for a way to reclaim her magic, her enemies are closing in, and neither Ixia nor Sitia are safe for her anymore. Especially since the growing discord between the two countries and the possibility of a war threatens everything Yelena holds dear. 

Valek is determined to protect Yelena, but he's quickly running out of options. The Commander suspects that his loyalties are divided, and he's been keeping secrets from Valek...secrets that put him, Yelena and all their friends in terrible danger. As they uncover the various layers of the Commander's mysterious plans, they realize it's far more sinister that they could have ever imagined.

To find out more about Maria V. Snyder:

Website 

Maria Snyder is running a competition on her website offering the chance to win a free copy of Night Study. All you have to do to enter is to read one of the blogs on The Night Study Blog Tour and leave a comment about the book.

The link to the competition is here 

The Movie Maker with Julia Kagawa

I am so pleased to welcome Julie Kagawa to the blog today. New York Times bestselling author Julie Kagawa has chosen a cast of actresses and actors she feels would most suit the roles of the main characters (if ever made into a film!) in her new book The Iron Warrior, which is also the final instalment in the epic The Iron Fey series.

Dylan O'Brian cast as Ethan

Colton Haynes cast as Keirran

Crystal Reed cast as Kenzie

Erin Moriarty cast as Meghan

Ben Barnes cast as Ash

Thomas Brodie-Sangster cast as Puck

Julie: I am SO bad at this it's not funny. I don't watch many movies or television shows, so my choices are mostly based on their pictures and the few times I've seen the actors on screen.  Actually, when I envision my characters, I see them all as anime and video game characters.  Now if you asked me what video game characters inspired The Iron Fey, I could list them in a heartbeat!

The Iron Warrior is in shops now!

Share your #TheIronWarrior experience 

@Jkagawa @MIRAInk

juliekagawa.com

Summary

The Iron Prince betrayed us all.

He killed me. Then, I woke up.

Waking after a month on the brink of death, Ethan Chase is stunned that the Veil that conceals the fey from human sight was torn away.

The human world has been cast into chaos and the Forgotten Queen is leading an uprising; a reckoning that will have cataclysmic effects on the Nevernever.

Leading the Lady's Forgotten Army is Keirran, Ethan’s nephew and the traitor son of the Iron Queen. To stop Keirran, Ethan must disobey his sister once again as he searchs for answers.

In the face of unprecedented evil and unfathomable power, Ethan's enemies must become his allies, and the world of the fey will be changed forevermore…

Monster by CJ Skuse

That last week at school before the Christmas holidays, death was in everything.

Published by Mira Ink in September 2015

Pages - 318

Summary

At sixteen Nash thought that the fight to become Head Girl of prestigious boarding school Bathory would be the biggest battle she’d face. Until her brother’s disappearance leads to Nash being trapped at the school over Christmas with Bathory’s assorted misfits. As a blizzard rages outside, strange things are afoot in the school’s hallways, and legends of the mysterious Beast of Bathory - a big cat rumoured to room the moors outside the school - run wild. Yet when the girls’ Matron goes missing it’s clear that something altogether darker is to blame - and that they’ll have to stick together if they hope to survive.

****

I'm taking a  extremely wild guess here and presuming that the author got the story idea  from the Beast of Bodmin legend, the story of the phantom wild cat, that is supposed to live in Cornwall. I loved the whole concept of this book and it made me curious to find out more about the Bodmin beast. 

The story is set in a boarding school, which I was worried might feel old fashioned. However, the author really pushed the boarding school setting into the 21st century.

C.J. Skuse is the Queen of Dialogue. I really do love her writing style. The conversations held in the book had me constantly swaying from giggles to shivers.  

Maggie was by far my most favourite character in the book. In fact, she may be my most favourite character all year! She is hilarious, dramatic, troublesome and full of satirical comebacks. 

The story really heats up in the second half of the book and it starts to become very uncomfortable reading at bed time. I didn't have a clue where the story was leading and I was completely surprised by some of the incidents that happened. I honestly did not see the ending coming, so kudos to the author for excellent plotting and pacing. 

CJ Skuse is a fantastic UKYA author, who really knows her teens! If you haven't got it yet, make sure you have it ready for next Halloween. 

The Art of Rejection by C.J. Skuse - Monster Blog Tour

As part of the Monster blog tour, the extremely talented author, CJ Skuse, gives us lots to think about when she defines rejection.

There’s no real art to rejection. Each one is like a little shot of grief; a bereavement. The loss of a dream. And all authors experience it, both before and after becoming published. The only difference is that after, it’s because of the writer you are, rather than the writer you could be. Once you’re published, you don’t just get to be turned down by agents or publishers - now it’s film companies, magazines, newspapers, bloggers, even whole countries. Then there’s the negative Amazon and Goodreads reviews which hang around like screen smudges long after your book’s release. In short, rejection never ends. That’s something I was never told when I had my strange little dream about seeing my book on a Waterstones shelf.

But if I’d known, would I have carried on pursuing that dream? Probably.

I’ve come to expect rejection now, five books along. Any award longlist I’m on, I’m candid about my crap chances. Any book I release, I don’t ever ask for sales figures. I’ve skidded on so many banana skins in my short career, I actively look for them now. It’s a sad state of affairs but I’m a sad state of a person so it works for me.

If you’re not very good with rejection though, there is a way of avoiding it. You could write something very similar to a bestseller and in doing so, ride its wave of popularity. You could rub shoulders with a few high profile names, beg some endorsements and allow their snappy blurbs to deflect the bullets of those who would not be forthcoming with praise otherwise. Or you could just stop writing altogether. Admit defeat. Admit you’re not as good as so-and-so, not as popular as this-and-that, not as bang on trend as Tom, Dick or J.K. Go back to the day job.

In short: you could give up.

There is another way though. And this is my way.

Develop a hardened carapace of I Don’t Give a Shit. Carry on hoeing the row you’ve set out to. Hold fast to that little flame of passion, that hunger you started out with and take it as far as you dare. Any bad review that comes along, hold up your shield of steel and deflect it away. Any country who doesn’t want to publish you - say It’s their loss. Know your own value. Take trusted professional editorial advice and redraft until your laptop bleeds. Make your stories better; those same stories that burn your synapses and make your heart ache.

Most importantly of all, hold on tightly to those people who love what you do, who routinely read what you do and who regularly tell you so. These are the things that matter - the passion, the plots, the people. I’m at the stage where I’m writing for these people, as well as just myself. I want to write better stories for them - my audience. The ones who just ‘get me.’ I’m not good enough to deserve them really, if I’m honest. But I will be. I try and make every book better than the last in some way.

That’s the attitude you have to take if you want to get around rejection. “You have to learn how to accept rejection and reject acceptance.” Ray Bradbury said that. I rejected this advice when I first became published. I didn’t think I would ever get rejected again. I accept now that he was absolutely right.

Summary

At sixteen Nash thought that the fight to become Head Girl of prestigious boarding school Bathory would be the biggest battle she’d face. Until her brother’s disappearance leads to Nash being trapped at the school over Christmas with Bathory’s assorted misfits. As a blizzard rages outside, strange things are afoot in the school’s hallways, and legends of the mysterious Beast of Bathory - a big cat rumoured to room the moors outside the school - run wild. Yet when the girls’ Matron goes missing it’s clear that something altogether darker is to blame - and that they’ll have to stick together if they hope to survive.

To find out more about C.J. Skuse:

Twitter 

Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley

The white people are waiting for us.

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

Published by Mira Ink in October 2014

Pages - 368

Summary

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

****

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

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

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

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

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

Ink by Amanda Sun

I made it half way across the courtyard before I realised I was still wearing my school slippers.  No lie.  I had to turn around and slink all the way back to the genkan, the stiff led laughs from my classmates trailing me as I mustered what slippered dignity I could.

God, way to scream foreigner.  You’d think after a couple of weeks I’d have the routine down, but no.  I’d gone into that mode again, the one where I forgot everything for a minute and walked dazed through the sounds of the Japanese being spoken around me, not fully comprehending that it wasn’t English, that I was on the other side of the world.  That mum was...

*  *  *

Published by MIRA Ink in July 2013

332 pages

Book Summary

On the heels of a family tragedy, Katie Greene must move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building. When Katie meets aloof but gorgeous Tomohiro, the star of the school’s kendo team, she is intrigued by him... and a little scared. His tough attitude seems meant to keep her at a distance, and when they’re near each other, strange things happen. Pens explode. Ink drips from nowhere. And unless Katie is seeing things, drawings come to life. Somehow Tomo is connected to the kami, powerful ancient beings who once ruled Japan—and as feelings develop between Katie and Tomo, things begin to spiral out of control. The wrong people are starting to ask questions, and if they discover the truth, no one will be safe.

*  *  *

Reviewed by Caroline Hodges

There’s a lot to like in this debut novel from Amanda Sun.  As YA novels go, it’s as far from the typical clichés, that sometimes plague the genre, as possible.  Set in Japan, Ink absorbs the reader in the culture - both past and present.  It’s clearly well researched and for those that are interested in Japan, it’s appears to be an accurate representation of life as a student in the country, albeit from a ‘gaijin’ point of view.    

Katie is learning to find her way in this strange place, so unlike her native US, whilst also dealing with the recent death of her mum.  She’s doing well, has made friends, joined some school clubs (tea ceremony anyone?) and is slowly getting used to changing her shoes for slippers when in buildings.  When she meets Tomohiro Yu, the first impression is far from good; a guy who, though star of the school kendo team, also appears to be the classic bad boy - covered in scars and callously dumping his girlfriend.  

Inevitably the story entwines these two, but the lack of “instantaneous love” is refreshing and strangely suited to a novel set in Japan where establishing relationships close enough for touching takes time.  As the story unfolds, Katie unearths Tomo’s inner self and finds someone as broken as she is.  

But this isn’t just a love story.  Tomohiro has a strange power over ink, his drawings coming to life and this power is in high demand by fellow ink-workers and the yakuza alike.  Most of the action, as you might expect in a trilogy, is towards the end but it’s pretty good stuff once you get there.  

Aside from the growing romance between Katie and Tomohiro there’s some nicely detailed relationships, such as that between Katie and the aunt that she’s now living with in Japan - sufficiently awkward at first then blossoming.  I also liked the complex character of Tomohiro’s friend Ishikawa.  

Though it has plenty of good points, I wasn’t blown away by the novel and I think I would have liked to learn in this book a bit more about why (and how on earth!) an American could have such an affect on Tomo’s powers, but I guess as a trilogy, that will likely be addressed later on. However, I think there’s more than enough in Ink to have you anticipating the next instalment.

Mira Ink Blogger Event

I feel really bad as I should’ve written this post weeks ago. Unfortunately due to the Easter holidays and the arrival of a puppy everything got pushed back. So apologies to the lovely ladies at Mira Ink who put on a really good evening filled with wonderful new publications, exciting author chats and glorious cupcakes, not to mention a huge Geek book bag filled with goodies!

When we arrived, we all had to sign release forms as the event was being filmed by Channel 4 for a documentary about Mills and Boon who own Mira Ink. I know the show was broadcast a few weeks ago, but I completely missed it, so I don’t know if we appeared in it at all.

Anyway here is a rundown of the event and the books that are to be published throughout the year by Mira Ink.

Firstly the final book in Rachel Vincent’s Soul Screamers series, With All My Soul. Everyone was really excited by this. I really need to get started on this series. This was published in April.

Hannah Harrington had made a little video for us. She talked about the origin of Speechless.  I really loved Speechless. In fact I thought it was better than  Hannah’s first book, Saving June, so I would definitely advise reading it.

Emily introduced Kate McGarry’s new book, Dare To You which features some of the characters from her first book, Pushing The Limits. I still haven’t read this one, so I need to get to it, before this second book is published in June! Everyone who has read it has loved it. Kate McGarry also spoke to us live via Skype and she was wonderful to listen to. Very entertaining and very funny.

In July, Mira Ink will be publishing Confessions of an Almost Girlfriend which is the second book in the Confessions series. I loved Confessions of an Angry Girl so I can’t wait to read this one.

Louise Rozett made a rather entertaining video for us to watch  and it came to light that you might find her on Youtube in a video from when she was a Broadway actress!

Now this book created a lot of excitement. Ink by Amanda Sun. This book is based on Japanese mythology where drawings come to life. It will be published in July.

Amanda Sun made a video in which she talked about her debut. The idea came while living in Osaka as an exchange student. She was inspired by manga as well as Egyptian mythology.  Amanda will be coming to the UK later this year and will be attending the World Fantasy Con in Brighton.

In September, Mira will publish Elizabeth Scott’s new novel Heartbeat, which will be a real tear jerker. Elizabeth was originally signed with Simon and Schuster but recently signed a two book deal with Harlequin/Mira Ink. I haven’t read any of her books, so I am excited to read this one.

Heartbeat is about a girl who wants to speak to her mother one last time. Unfortunately her mum is on life support and only being kept alive until she gives birth to her baby. *passes box of hankies*

The Eternity Cure is the second book in the Immortal Rules series from Julie Kagawa and will be published in May. Julie is presently writing a  new series which has already optioned for a film.

Mira Ink sneaked in this book, which is being published by Mira in July. The book is about a girl who writes a list about what made her happy and changed her life. The idea behind it ‘is what would you do with your life if you were alone?’

If you loved One Day you will love this.

At the event, Carina UK was also discussed, which I talked about in an earlier post here.

It was a brilliant event. I love to see what publishers have in store for us over the next months. As mentioned earlier, we all came away with a goody bag full of books and chocolate. Thank you Mira Ink for a wonderful event.

Speechless by Hannah Harrington

Published by Mira Ink in February 2013

Keeping secrets isn't my speciality. It never has been, ever since kindergarten when I found out Becky Swanson had a crush on Tommy Barnes, and I managed to circulated that fact to the entire class, including Tommy himself, within our fifteen minute recess-a pretty impressive feat, in retrospect. That was ten years ago, and it still may hold the record for my personal best.

Goodreads Summary

Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can’t keep a secret
Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed.
Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she’s ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.
But there’s strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she’s done. If only she can forgive herself.

*****
This book really surprised me. I had read the author's first book and it hadn't caught my interest as much as other people's, so I was slightly blasé about Speechless. What I found from the very first page of Speechless, was a very powerful book with an extremely strong opening that shows the reality of bullying and gossip that occurs so frequently in schools these days. The author has captured the internet/phone bullying era perfectly.
Chelsea comes across as shallow to begin with. She lives and breathes for a good bit of gossip, regardless of how it might hurt someone. Until the inevitable happens and her big mouth leads to someone nearly losing their life. Chelsea is fully aware of who committed the crime and realises that this time, she needs to open her mouth to tell the truth, even if it means she will be bullied by everyone at school. As soon as Chelsea tells the truth and takes a vow of silence, you see her begin to transform from mean girl, into thoughtful, kind hearted girl. She learns the true value of friendship as the people who should really hate her, become her real friends. Her previous group of friends come across as superficial and flat and it shows they were definitely not worth knowing.
I loved Sam! He is the original gorgeous geek. With his glasses and eclectic dress sense, he just came across as completely gorgeous. And I adored the diner. It took me back to university days when I spent every spare minute working in an American diner.
Chelsea really suffers at the hands of the bullies. How she stayed strong throughout the bullying I honestly don't know.
The book has a Pretty In Pink feel to it, especially with Chelsea attempting to make her own clothes. These are the first YA female characters who actually have hobbies that I would enjoy!
I think this book should really be on every teenager's reading list. It highlights just how wrong bullying is and would make a great study book for PSHE.

Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder

Pages - 413

Published by Mira Ink in December 2012

Book received from publisher via Net Galley

'I'm dead,' I said to Kerrick.

He kept his flat expression, and I knew I'd get more cooperation from the cave's stone walls. Too bad for him that I didn't need his approval. But it would be nice if we worked out an agreement at least.

Goodreads Summary

Avry of Kazan, the last Healer of the mystical Fifteen Realms, has a power that can’t be matched. But in the minds of her friends and foe alike, Avry no longer exists. Now, as the psychotic King Tohon builds an army mightier than any that has been seen before—a league of undead soldiers—Avry must face her toughest, most terrifying battle alone. Fighting to be reunited with her family and her lover Kerrick, Avry must infiltrate Tohon’s troops. But does she have the power, the rare magic; to do what legend says is impossible?

********

I love this series! When I read this series, it makes me want to rush out and buy every book by Maria V. Snyder. It is just so good.

This is the second book in the Healer series and before I go any further, I have to tell you to stop reading this review if you haven’t read the first book as it will contain spoilers!

 

*taps feet* *checks watch* *whistles while the people who haven’t read the first book leave the blog*

Are we ready?

Well as you already know, Avry, didn’t die. Nope, she is a living, breathing, snarky yet gutsy girl  out to get her sister back. Even though her sister would rather be eaten alive than spend time with her. So Avry departs on a dangerous mission to save her sister leaving Kendrick behind to return to his army and his own kingdom and prepare to fight against Tohon. The book is told in alternating viewpoints. Avry’s story is told in first person, while Kendrick’s is told in third. I have noticed more and more YA books writing like this lately and I have to say I really like this style of writing.

All the well-loved characters from the first book appear in this one. Kendrick’s men remind me of Robin Hood’s merry men, as they defend Avery at every moment. I loved them all. Avry and Kendrick are still my favourite characters. Unfortunately they don’t spend enough time together in this book for me as I love the sparks that fly in their tempestuous relationship.

Avry’s power is pretty amazing. The way she can take anyone’s illness and pain and make it her own is awe inspiring. However it comes with a price, any scars that the other person would have had become Avry’s and occasionally she pushes her body to the limit and death can often look inevitable for her. I think this power and her need to heal against all odds, shows her incredible strength of character.

Every chapter is short, compact and thrilling, leaving you on a cliff hanger every time as you alternate between points of view. I struggled to stop reading as I always ended up on a cliff hanger and I needed to know what happened next.

The ending! Oh my goodness. That completely left me in shock. I haven’t a clue how Book Three will deal with that.

I am so intrigued by the Peace Lilies and the Death Lilies and the way Avry has such a strong connection to them. The way they work seemed to change dramatically in this book and I am presuming we will learn more in the final book.

A brilliant world building fantasy book with an exciting plot that leaves you breathless. I can’t wait to find out how it all ends. This is the best second book in a series I have read in a long time. It is just as strong if not stronger than the first.

An Interview with Hannah Harrington

As part of the Speechless blog tour, I am pleased to welcome author Hannah Harrington on to the blog.

What provided your inspiration for Speechless?

I had this thought about someone taking an oath of silence. And then I started thinking about why someone would do that, and the type of person who would have the most challenging time dealing with being unable to speak—a teenage gossip queen seemed like the obvious answer! The story really built itself around that one idea.

Was it important to you to tackle the issue of bullying?

Bullying is a major issue in our schools today, one that recently is fortunately getting more attention. It’s something most teenagers face in one shape or another—either as the bullies, the bullied, or the observers. Speechless features characters who fit into all of these categories. A lot of high school is about finding out who you are, and that’s difficult enough without other people trying to tear you down. Chelsea has to deal with a lot of that, and at the same time with consequences for her own selfish behavior. She does a lot of growing up over the course of the novel, and by the end of it she isn’t perfect, but she’s learned that while it’s hard to stand up for what is right, at the end of the day you only answer to yourself. I hope that people take away from Speechless that silence has just as much power as words do.

What is a typical writing day for you? 

I don’t really have a typical writing day. Sometimes I’ll write a few thousand words, sometimes it’s only a few hundred. Sometimes nothing at all. I try to go with the flow on that!

What you are working on now/next?

I am working on a third novel. It’s too early to go into detail about it, but it will be another contemporary young adult!

Hannah Harrington’s debut novel Saving June was published in 2012 by Mira Ink, and her second novel, Speechless, is out now! Visit www.hannahharrington.com for more.

Author Bio

Hannah Harrington is a 25-year-old born and bred Michigander. She grew up in the town of East Grand Rapids before later moving to the Lansing area, where she currently resides with three cats and a black labrador, all of whom are named after famous musicians.

She wrote her first book at age nine, a stunning, forty-page Call of the Wild/Black Beauty ripoff ode to her dead dog. She later attempted her second at fourteen (by longhand), but failed miserably. She got the idea for Saving June during the summer after high school, while living out of her car and working as a pizza cook. It wasn't until she was twenty-one that she decided to write a story around the scenes she'd scribbled into a notebook years before.

Saving June, Hannah's first novel, was published by Harlequin Teen in 2011. Her next novel, Speechless, will be released in the US on August 28th, 2012.

When she isn't busy writing like a crazy person, Hannah enjoys horseback riding, arguing about politics, watching documentaries, playing guitar (very badly), and speaking about herself in the third person.

To check out all the good books coming from Mira Ink follow these:

http://www.facebook.com/miraink

https://twitter.com/MIRAInk

The Goddess Legacy by Aimee Carter

Pages - 395

Published by Harlequin Teen in July 2012

In all the years I'd existed, I'd never expected to be free. I was the daughter of Titans, and as such, I'd always accepted it as fact that they would rule. They were without question the most powerful beings in the universe after all.

They controlled everything and everyone. They were our makers. 

They were our gods. 

But after ten years of rebellion and war in an effort to protect humanity from our father's twisted games, we were the gods now. 

Goodreads Summary

For millennia we've caught only glimpses of the lives and loves of the gods and goddesses on Olympus. Now Aime e Carter pulls back the curtain on how they became the powerful, petty, loving and dangerous immortals that Kate Winters knows.

Calliope/Hera represented constancy and yet had a husband who never matched her faithfulness....

Ava/Aphrodite was the goddess of love and yet commitment was a totally different deal....

Persephone was urged to marry one man, yet longed for another....

James/Hermes loved to make trouble for others-but never knew true loss before....

Henry/Hades's solitary existence had grown too wearisome to continue. But meeting Kate Winters gave him a new hope....

Five original novellas of love, loss and longing and the will to survive throughout the ages.

*********

This book is fantastic! It is like the guide to the Gods of the Goddess series. If you ever wondered why certain characters acted in the way they did within these books then now you will know why. Did you ever wonder why Henry was so distant to Kate or why Calliope was just so evil? Well read these novellas and you will know. 

This book really brought all the Gods alive to me, their motivations and feelings cemented them into well developed characters as they each had their time to stand in the spotlight and shine. I felt like I understood them all when I came away from reading the book.
The book is broken up into five novellas and was surprisingly longer than I expected. I think I may have just read the word 'novella' and my mind expected a hundred pages, when this is the size of a normal book. 

Out of the five novellas, my favourite ones were Calliope's and Persephone's stories, which I adored. I actually felt really sorry for Calliope when I reached the end of hers and I never thought I would say that. The way she was treated by Walter was just dismal and you could see why did the things she did. Persephone didn't come across as selfish as she had in Goddess Interrupted; it was very clear that she never felt love for Henry at all and she was pushed into a marriage she really didn't want. 

The only novella I didn't seem to enjoy was the one starring James. I found that one difficult to get into as I couldn't really connect to him as a character. However, I could understand why it had been included and when I read Henry's story it all made sense. 

This book is a must read for all fans of the The Goddess series by Aimee Carter, as it lays the foundations for the books in the past as well as the future within the series. I am so glad I read this book and I can't wait for the next installment. 

Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Pages - 322
Published by Mira Ink in June 2012
Book kindly sent by publisher for review.

According to the puppy-of-the-month calendar hanging next to the phone in the kitchen, my sister June died on a Thursday, exactly nine days before her high school graduation. May's breed is the golden retriever - pictured is a whole litter of them, nestled side by side in a red wagon amid a blooming spring garden. The word Graduatio!! is written in red inside the white square, complete with an extra exclamation point. If she'd waited less than two weeks, she would be June who died in June, but I guess she never took that into account.


Goodreads Summary
Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.
When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going, California.
Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.
Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down again.

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Why didn't anyone tell me this was set in California?? I would have included it in my California Week had I known! LOL 

This is a contemporary read that will take you on an emotional journey as the main character comes to terms with the death and life of her sister. While we accompany Harper and her travelling buddies on their journey, we get a strong sense of how they felt and how they learnt to deal with the past in order to prepare for their own future lives. Suicide isn't an easy subject to read about and when it is someone so young, it really does pull a chord in your heart.  This book really pulls some punches, so be prepared to get a little emotional. 

Through out the book, there is a strong sense of music and the author has provided a few lists at the back of song titles used within the book. The foundations of the story lay on top of the music chosen, allowing you  a clearer picture of how the characters felt. If you love your music, and having mixes for every mood you might be in then this book is definitely for you.

This book reminded me of Thelma and Louise. It had that urgency to it, the essential need for the road trip to happen, to make life better. 

This is quite a hard review for me to write. Although I enjoyed the plot and thought it was extremely well written and found the characters to be very realistic, I really struggled to connect to the main character, Harper. None of the other characters bothered me at all, as they all seemed to be reacting in the way they should after an unexpected death in the family, but Harper appeared to calm about the whole thing.  She appeared to have this unbreakable shell that didn't crack until near the end of the book and by that point I really didn't feel anything for her.  This is just a personal opinion and I know that a lot of other reviewers really warmed to her, but it didn't happen for me. She acted very much like a typical teenager who can often only see how crap their own life will become rather than how the situation effects others. Now I know I am generalising here, because not all teenagers are like this, unfortunately it just seems to be the ones I come across. So with that in mind, I found it very difficult to feel any emotion for Harper, in the same way I didn't for Holden in The Catcher and the Rye.  They were too similar for my liking. 

Having said that I absolutely loved Jake and Laney. I thought they were both such wonderful characters and very unique. Laney goes through her own roller coaster of emotions as she deals with issues that specifically concern her. Her sense of style really caught my attention too. 

In some ways I loved this book I just didn't connect with the main character but I know that many of my blogging friends did. So please check out their reviews too.

Having said that, for a debut book, I am really looking forward to reading more from Hannah Harrington in the future. 

Fantasy Dinner Party with Hannah Harrington

I have a very special post for you today. Hannah Harrington, debut author of Saving June has written a post about the people she would like to invite to her fantasy dinner party. 

           So I am a tiny bit obsessed with Anthony Bourdain, the host of No Reservations. He’s a total foodie who has been all around the world, so I can only imagine all the stories he’d have to share. Also, I’d totally let him design the menu.

   I’m a really big fan of Kerry Washington, the star of the TV show Scandal—she’s gorgeous, talented, and comes across as really down to earth in her interviews. I’d love to sit down with her and just talk. Plus, she also does some political activism, and I think it’d be easy to find conversation topics!

       Is there anyone who doesn’t love Neil Patrick Harris? He is hilarious and sweet, and definitely mega charming. I know he has a separate Twitter account just for his love of food, so I think he’d appreciate what a dinner party has to offer. He also happens to be a real life magician, and wouldn’t that’d be some great entertainment?

       Fran Lebowitz has to be one of the most interesting conversationalists of all time. She’s a writer of fantastic personal essays and also a public speaker—there’s a wonderful documentary profile of her directed by Martin Scorsese entitled Public Speaking. I could listen to her talk all day. I would love to just sit with her at dinner and let her steer the conversation the entire time.

      Amy Poehler is one of my favourite people on the planet. Like the other women I included, she is witty, intelligent, and strongly opinionated. And as this list makes pretty obvious, I enjoy awesome senses of humour, which Amy has in spades. I like to imagine that if we ever met we’d instantly become best friends.

What a fabulous line up. I would definitely like to meet Neil Patrick Harris. 

To find out more about Hannah Harrington:

Twitter: @hharrington_

Website: http://www.hannahharrington.com/

Saving June Blog Tour

A mini interruption in my California week, as I forgot I was hosting the Saving June blog tour today! Eeep. The mini question and answer provided by MIRA will be followed in a few days by a very exciting post from Hannah Harrington! Can't say anymore at the moment!!!

1.  What provided your inspiration for Saving June?

 I first had the idea for Saving June while I was in high school. When I was seventeen, I'd lost a relative of mine to suicide and the "splitting the ashes" thing was something that actually happened. The summer after I graduated, I was living out of my car and working as a pizza cook. The radio would always be on in the kitchen, so I was spending a lot of time listening to music and kicking the idea around in my head. A few years later I found some of the bits and pieces I'd written back then, and decided to sit down and write out a full first draft. So some of it comes from my personal experiences, and of course some of it is inspired by music I love. It all ended up tying together!

2.  Please share with us the ways in which music has influenced your life, particularly your writing.

 Music has always been a big part of my life, and it was especially a major influence as a teenager. A lot of my identity felt wrapped up in the music I enjoyed and even in the music I didn't like-- just having those opinions and arguing or sharing with friends; it was both a personal and a communal interest. I have very little musical ability of my own, so I just appreciate it from a listener's perspective. Music, like writing or any other art form, is something to connect to and meant to invoke emotions in the audience. So I think when it comes to an influence on my writing, it had to do with the aspect of music where you listen to a song and think, "Wow, this really made me feel something," and you want to put words to what that feeling is.

3. What’s on your iPod at the moment?

 I'm always listening to an eclectic mix of music. My current playlist includes the Beastie Boys, Jay-Z, Simon & Garfunkel, Amy Winehouse, Sufjan Stevens, The Ting Tings, and The Roots.

4. Favourite bands/singers?

 I have so many! I know it's a bit of a cliché, but my favorite band is The Beatles. Some of my other personal favorites include Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, Nirvana, Talib Kweli, Tom Waits, Ani DiFranco, Sam Cooke, and Emmy the Great. But that's only the tip of the iceberg!

5. Have you ever been on a road trip? Did you go on one as research for the book?

 I have been on many road trips before (though none quite as extended as the one in Saving June), and I pulled a little from those experiences rather than going on one as research. I haven't been to all of the places they stop along the way in the book, so I had to do some online research for those parts. But I have done a drive similar to theirs up the California coast from around Santa Barbara to Monterrey Bay; it was the most gorgeous drive I've ever taken. The views are stunning!

6.  Are you anything like Harper, or Laney?

 I'd say there's a little of me in Harper, Laney, and Jake. Of the three, I'm probably most like Harper, or at least I was as a teenager. I'm the "little" sister in my family too, and like her, I wasn't very interested in high school culture or a lot of the things that appealed to my peers. Her sense of alienation-- even before what happens with June-- is something I felt at that age. However, I think I'm not as brash or confrontational as she can be. I like to think I'm a little easier to get along with than Harper!

To find out more about Hannah Harrington: 

Twitter: @hharrington_

Website: http://www.hannahharrington.com/