Mary Applegate awoke with a lump of fear lodged in her throat.
There’s someone in my room.
She lay still as a corpse, sensing for the presence - the thing - she felt sure was watching her, but all she heard was the whisper of trees and the distant screech of an owl. There was nothing to explain the sense of unease plucking at her nerves. Nothing except a faint coppery smell, like warm blood.
Her elbows cracked as she sat up in bed. ‘Foolish old woman,’ she muttered to herself. ‘It’s just a dream.’
*****
Illustrated by Fred van Deelen
Published by Pan Macmillan in August 2015
288 pages in paperback (read via NetGalley)
Extract and summary from Publisher’s Website
Twelve-year-old Hazel Hooper has spent her whole life trapped in a magical Glade created by her mother, Hecate. She's desperate to meet new people and find out about the world. And, more than anything, she wants to be a witch. But when her mother is kidnapped by a demon - everything changes.
Suddenly Hazel is alone in the world. Well . . . not quite alone. For it turns out that Hazel does have magic - she's just not very good at controlling it. And she may have accidentally created a grumpy familiar in the form of a dormouse called Bramley.
Determined to rescue her mother, the young witch and her mouse set out to track down the demon and find Hecate. However, it turns out that life outside the Glade is far more dangerous than Hazel ever could have imagined. Witch Hunters are everywhere - and the witches are using demons to fight back!
Luckily for Hazel she manages to enlist the help of a handsome boy called David, and his drunken master, Titus White, who are expert demon hunters.
And witch finders . . .
***
I am easily tempted by alternative histories - and if you add magic and brave heroines, I’m doubly enticed. So Fire Girl set in a parallel England after the Civil War - complete with witch-finders and flintlock pistols was bound to appeal.
You can get a sense of the world that Hazel inhabits in the trailer - and her powers. Fire Girl has some pleasing elements in common with Amy Butler Greenfield’s Chantress series - but for a younger readership. The demons and witches in this story make you question who’s good and who’s bad. Watch out for double-crossing and deception!
There’s lots of action to keep you reading, and plenty of friendship and humour. It’s only fair to point out there are moments of horror with a light touch of H.P. Lovecraft in there. It will definitely suit the readers of Joseph Delaneys’ Spooks books or The Grindle Witch by Benjamin J. Myers. I should warn you that there’s something of a cliff-hanger at the end - and you’ll have to wait until August for the sequel Fire Witch.
Slightly off-topic but it was a pleasure to find a book that emerged from SCBWI’s ‘Undiscovered Voices’ project. He said he wanted to write the same sort of fast-paced, characterful, dark and scary book that he read as a child, and still loves as an adult. I’d say he’s succeeded.
K. M. Lockwood lives by the sea in Sussex - see the pics on Instagram. She fills jars with sea-glass, writes on a very old desk and reads way past her bedtime. Her tiny bed and breakfast is stuffed full of books - and even the breakfasts are named after writers. You'd be welcome to chat stories with @lockwoodwriter on Twitter
It was cold out on the patio, under the deck. Frigid. Dark.
Dark because Mags was outside at midnight, and dark because she was in the shadows.
Published by Macmillan Children’s Books in October 2014
Pages - 355
Summary
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me ...This beautiful collection features twelve gorgeously romantic stories set during the festive period, by some of the most talented and exciting YA authors writing today. The stories are filled with the magic of first love and the magic of the holidays.
******
Over the last few years, many bloggers within the book community, including myself, have moaned and whinged about the lack of Christmas stories available in the YA market. Well it seems that the YA Fairy Godmother was listening intently and sprinkled magic dust over Stephanie Perkins, giving her special powers to convince lots of our well loved authors to scribble away, creating well crafted tales for this magical book.
The cover is simply stunning to look at before you even open the book. If I could show you the book edges, you would scream with delight at the neon pink pages. If that wasn’t enough to make you feel all Christmassy and romantic, then run your fingers all over the book, because this is definitely a stroke worthy cover.
I couldn’t wait to get started on this book and as it had twelve stories in it, I split them over twelve nights during the festive period. Each tale left me feeling happy and contented. There were some stories I loved more than others. My three favourites were It’s a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins, The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link and Krampuslauf by Holly Black. I just adored these three and they have stayed with me since reading them. It was fantastic to catch up with old favourites as well as discover new to me authors, such as Kelly Link, who I will be investigating further.
I loved the fact that this wasn’t just a contemporary Christmas anthology. With the inclusion of stories by Laini Taylor and Holly Black, it was brilliant to get tales that crossed over to other genres such as paranormal and fantasy.
This book was really a delight to read and I am hoping there might be a sequel next year. What would also be really lovely would be a UKYA version of this Christmas treat. I know a few hundred YA fans that would be really happy to see this. Oh publishing peeps, can you possibly make this happen? *smiles sweetly and walks away whistling Last Christmas*
Today, I am really pleased to have Sita Brahmachari on the blog to discuss her new book, Red Leaves and to tell us some of her writing secrets.
1) Your new novel, Red Leaves, has just been published. What kind of reception are you getting for it?
So far the response has been very heart-felt. The world as we live in it at the moment can appear to be a very confusing, divided and cruel place. In ‘Red Leaves’ I take my young characters out of the noise of the world so that they can find a sense of community and re-connect with what it is to feel and care for another human being no matter how different they may be from ourselves.
My three young characters Zak, Iona and Aisha lead readers into the story and the feedback that I have had is that each of the characters and their stories evoke a powerful emotional response to a universal human need …. for young people to feel protected and safe wherever they may have come from. I am very proud that Amnesty International UK has said this about the novel:
"We are proud to endorse 'Red Leaves' because of its sensitive depiction of diversity and the human need for somewhere to call home. It's a novel that encourages readers' empathy, which is a big step towards understanding, tolerance and kindness - all values that help us to uphold human rights."
Nicky Parker (Publisher. Amnesty International UK)
I am also delighted that an increasing number of teachers and librarians are contacting me to say that they think the book would make a great year 7/8 class reader because it offers opportunities to discuss some of the really difficult divisions and conflicts that affect young people living in a diverse society.
2) What is the main theme of the story?
Although the characters are from very diverse backgrounds.
Aisha is a Somali Refugee
Iona is a homeless girl from Scotland
Zak is a boy of wealthy background whose parents are going through a divorce
They share one thing in common - each is searching for a safe and secure place to call home… a place where they feel respected and loved.
3) What kind of research did you need to carry out before writing Red Leaves?
I read testimonies by young and old homeless people of their experience of living on the streets. I am a regular reader of ‘The Big Issue’ magazine and there are wonderful art works and writings by homeless people in that. I would urge everyone to read it. I read an article by the Big Issue’s founder John Bird about how homeless people feel invisible and this led me to the character of Iona - the young seventeen year old homeless girl and artist who no one is looking for in the story.
Aisha is a Somali refugee. I interviewed a young refugee girl as part of my research for my theatre script of ‘The Arrival’ by Tamasha Theatre Company (co-created by Kristine Landon Smith-based on Shaun Tan’s graphic novel) At that time I decided then that I would like to write a story with an unaccompanied refugee child as a central character.
Aisha comes from Somalia and to make sure that I was accurate in the cultural and religious references in the story I showed an early manuscript to some Somali girls in a London school. Without this young research group I could not have fully found Aisha’s voice.
I interviewed a foster mother about her experience of looking after children who have come from traumatic backgrounds and she became the character of Liliana in ‘Red Leaves’.
I am a keen follower of world news and the Civil war in Syria and the sight of so many refugee children fleeing their homes has had a huge impact on the story and this led me to believe that Zak’s mother is a war journalist in Syria.
4) I found the book trailer for Red Leaves extremely moving. What was your reaction to it when you first saw it?
The young artist Grace Manning designed a touring exhibition around my last novel ‘Kite Spirit’ for the Pop Up festival last year. She was then a student at Central St Martin’s. She has now graduated and I asked if she would be interested in working on an animated trailer for ‘Red Leaves.’ I gave her the book to read and we discussed a small number of scenes and atmospheres we would like to create. We both knew that ‘Red’ the beautiful dog who plays a central role in the story must be part of the animation. I also said that in my imagination the street artist Iona might one day be responsible for creating wonderful imaginative art work like this trailer.
Grace came back to me with a book of drawings which she turned into the thirty second animation you see. It’s a hard task making a trailer because you want to give a taste of the story and set the tone but you don’t want to give too much away. I have worked on trailers for ‘Jasmine Skies’ and ‘Kite Spirit’ and realise that it require a very specific and disciplined approach.
Once Grace gave me the beautiful animation I had to decide what words from the book I would choose… the imagery is so lyrical, and the book does play with the reworking of some old rhymes like ‘Lady Bird Lady Bird Fly Away Home,’ that I felt that a song was required and I could imagine Iona singing it as she also busks to make money so I ended up stepping into Iona’s shoes again and singing ‘Lady bird, Lady bird fly away home, your house is on fire your children all roam’. All three young people in my story dream of flying away home so it seems fitting… I imagined Iona strumming away on her guitar as she sang around the camp fire in the wood… and Aisha’s thoughts breaking through.
‘I wish I could make them understand how it feels when one day a bomb falls into the middle of your world and explodes, leaving a crater in your heart.’ ( Aisha - Red Leaves)
I feel the trailer really captures the essence of the story and I have been lucky to work with such wonderful artists on it.
5) Being an experienced writer, do you find the process gets easier with each book you write?
I don’t know if you ever feel ‘experienced.’ Every book you write there are always doubts and there’s always a moment before you start a new story that feels like it’s the first time you have ever tried to do it! But some things get easier. I have learned that I can work with a broad plan, whereas I used to believe that I couldn’t plan at all. I have settled down into a full time rhythm for my work. So that I come to it every day even when it feels like nothing will come.
Writing a book is a big undertaking. Some days you come to your desk overflowing with ideas and when you start to write it’s hard to focus on which ideas you should follow. Other days you feel like you have nothing much to say, or you’re struggling with a character or plot line and then, through the practice of writing, you find something that illuminates. The day I discovered the artichoke charm in ‘Artichoke Hearts’ was one such moment, just as the day I discovered that the ancient old lady in ‘Red Leaves’ is collecting children’s names on a leaf wreath she keeps in her den.
These moment only come when you fully immerse yourself in the story that you are writing, and quite often they come at the time you feel the most lost. If the process felt easy I think I might start to feel worried that the layers of the story were not being fully explored
6) Do you edit as you go along or do you wait until the first draft is finished?
I write many drafts of the story. In ‘Red Leaves’ the ancient old lady Elder takes clothes out of the Oxfam clothed bank and piles on layer after layer, without taking the last layer of clothing off. The first draft of my stories look like ‘an eclectic collection of leaf layers.’ Messy and ragged but as I write that first draft, pretty much letting my imagination and thoughts have free reign, I know that there is something in these layers even if I don’t consciously understand what that is yet.
The first draft is often both overwritten and underwritten at the same time but if I manage to write a first draft to the end I know that the guts and heart of the story are intact. The feeling of relief at that point is overwhelming. I study this draft carefully to try and work out where the story lies, what works and what needs to be stripped back. Venetia Gosling my editor for ‘Red Leaves’ read an early draft and we walked through the woods where the novel is set together and through discussing various scenes in the book she was able help me to begin the process of stripping back the layers and honing and tightening the story. In all subsequent drafts I am concentrate on keeping the layers that the reader will need to strip back to go on their journey of finding the heart of the story. In some ways you want the discoveries that your characters have made and maybe discoveries that go beyond what you or they have imagined, to be your readers discoveries too.
7) What are you working on right now?
I have just completed a short story about the plight of children who care for their relatives for an anthology for Amnesty International UK to be published next year by Walker Books. I am also working on the synopsis for two very different kinds of books. In one of them there’s possibly an opportunity to meet some characters that you may have met in my early novels.
8) What advice would you give unpublished authors?
I can only share with you how I do it. I am sure there are as many ways as there are authors. But this is my method. Firstly READ everything and anything. Read things especially that speak to you and try to work out why they have a powerful effect on you. If you love to express yourself in writing, don’t limit yourself or edit too early and don’t be afraid of a messy first draft. If you feel an excitement inside to tell a story or write a poem or song there is usually a powerful force behind that instinct. Go with that in the first place BUT realise this is only a rough sketch and if you care enough about the story to spend days, weeks, months and even years honing your work then you are well on your way to being a published author. It can be a winding process… a little like getting lost in the woods as my characters do in ‘Red Leaves,’ but if you manage to find your way out and have your readers drawn to follow the paths of your story, then being a writer is the best job in the world.
Red Leaves was published by Macmillan Children’s Books in September 2014
Book Summary
Aisha is a thirteen-year-old refugee living in London. Happy for the first time since leaving her war-torn home, she is devastated when her foster mother announces that a new family has been found for her and she will be moving on. Feeling rejected and abandoned, Aisha packs her bags and runs away, seeking shelter in the nearby woods. Meanwhile, a few doors down, twelve-year-old Zak is trying to cope with his parents' divorce. Living in a near-building site while the new house is being refurbished, he feels unsettled and alone. Discovering a piece of rubble with the original builder's signature set into it, he starts researching the history behind his home - and in doing so finds a connection with a young soldier from the past, which leads him to an old air-raid shelter in the same woods. Both children, previously unknown to each other, meet in the heart of the ancient city woodland as they come into the orbit of Elder, a strange homeless woman who lives amongst the trees - and, as helicopters hover overhead and newspapers fill with pictures of the two lost children, unexpected bonds are formed and lives changed forever . . .
The first things to shift were the doll's eyes, the beautiful grey-green glass eyes. Slowly they swivelled, until their gaze was resting on Triss's face. Then the tiny mouth moved, opened to speak. 'What are you doing here?' It was uttered in tones of outrage and surprise, and in a voice as cold and musical as the clinking of cups. 'Who do you think you are? This is my family.'
Macmillan 2014
409 pages in paperback.
Summary from Frances Hardinge’s website
When Triss wakes up after an accident, she knows that something is very wrong. She is insatiably hungry; her sister seems scared of her and her parents whisper behind closed doors. She looks through her diary to try to remember, but the pages have been ripped out. Soon Triss discovers that what happened to her is more strange and terrible than she could ever have imagined, and that she is quite literally not herself. In a quest find the truth she must travel into the terrifying Underbelly of the city to meet a twisted architect who has dark designs on her family - before it's too late…
I could merely write ‘extraordinary’ and leave it at that.
‘Cuckoo Song’ is not just exquisite writing but better still a fabulous story - in both senses of the word. All the lovely phrasing and imagery in the world will not correct a poor tale - but this shadowy fairy story is built upon a strong blackthorn skeleton.
Frances Hardinge tells her strange story with all the many-layered depth of a folktale retold. It is rooted in the period just after The Great War. It reflects the changes in society we know
from history as well as the unsettling wonders and inventions readers of her work have come to expect. There’s family conflict deep in the heartwood of this powerful drama - lies, self-deception and sibling rivalry. But the leaves and branches are hung about with galls and cobwebs and the remains of small dead things.
It is not for the faint-hearted or those in search of a quick, easy read. It will delight confident readers willing to immerse themselves in a parallel historical world full of disquieting beings. They also need to be able to keep track of a moderately complex though fully resolved plot - and a quirky sense of humour would help.
I have only one reservation - which has nothing to do with the writing: the cover. The crackle glaze effect is good- and the haunted look of the girl matches the subject. But I deeply dislike photographs of the key character’s face. It limits what that person can look like in the reader’s imagination. It is not inclusive - publishers take note. Give me art work any time. Something like this would reflect my perception better...
Detail from album cover of Never Forever Kate Bush - by Nick Price
Back to the book. It is her most moving work so far - simpler and stronger than earlier stories. It is one of those tormenting books where on one hand I was desperate to find out what happened next to Triss, but on the other I didn’t want it to end. I shall be reading it again.
If you love Neil Gaiman’s’ Coraline’ or any of Catherynne Valente’s ‘The Girl Who...’ series, do give this a go.
A whorl in the glass distorts the picture, like a thumbprint smear over a lens. I’m halfway down the stairs, gathering my hair into a ponytail, thoughts a million miles away, when a blur outside the window pulls me up short.
I take another step, the view clears, and when I realize what I’m seeing, who I’m seeing, my stomach plummets and the air leaves my lungs like a final exhalation.
Published by Macmillan in June 2014
Pages - 373
Book Summary
Home on leave in sunny California, Marine and local lothario Kit Ryan finds himself dangerously drawn to his best friend's sister, Jessa - the one girl he can't have. But Kit's not about to let a few obstacles stand in his way and soon Jessa's falling for his irresistible charms. What starts out as a summer romance of secret hook-ups and magical first times quickly develops into a passionate love affair that turns both their worlds upside down. When summer's over and it's time for Kit to redeploy, neither Kit nor Jessa are ready to say goodbye. Jessa's finally following her dreams and Kit's discovered there's someone he'd sacrifice everything for. Jessa's prepared to wait for Kit no matter what. But when something more than distance and time rips them apart they're forced to decide whether what they have is really worth fighting for.
*****
Wow! What a scorching tale of romance mixed with a topical, contemporary situation. I loved this book from the beginning until the end. For those of you who don’t know, Mila Gray is the pseudonym for Sarah Alderson, an extremely talented YA author. Well,with this New Adult novel, Mila (Sarah) has shown she can turn her hand to anything.
The story is told from the dual perspectives of Jessa and Kit. Jessa lives under the strict eye of her military father. She can’t even breathe without his say so. She is fairly innocent when it comes to love and romance, but she can’t hide the feelings she has for Kit.
Unfortunately Kit just happens to be her older brother’s best friend and the least popular person on the plant, according to her father, so any kind of romance will be hidden from the prying eyes of her family. The element of forbidden love, really added to the spiciness of the novel. Kit was oozing with hotness and yet gentlemanly in every way. The sparks of electricity between these two characters almost melted my Kindle! They really are a hot couple.
I loved the plot to this book. Both Kit and Riley, Jessa’s brother, are Marines and are due to be shipped out to a war zone very soon. In today’s society, this really is a topical subject and I felt the novel gave an insight into what it really is like to be in love with a soldier during such uncertain and dangerous times. Not knowing when your loved one will return, of if they ever will return, must be so hard to live with on a day to day basis. At times this novel is very gritty and realistic, reminding you of the unstable times we live in.
In this book, the title, Come Back To Me, really captures the theme of the book. Not only is Jessa praying for Kit to come back to her safely, there are times when Kit is hoping and praying that Jessa will return to him. Each character is yearning the return of someone into their lives and some are struggling to deal with the fact that their loved ones may never return to the person they once were.
I really loved Sarah’s first New Adult novel and I hope it will be something she will quickly be returning to again.
Sherry Ann Forrester knew the rules. Among the many social guidelines that had been drummed into her since childhood was this fixed decree: a lady maintained an air of composure, whatever the circumstances. And by the age of eighteen Sherry considered herself an expert at putting on the right face for every situation, no matter what she might be feeling.
Published by Macmillan Children’s Books in June 2013
Goodreads Summary
New York, 1963. Fashion, music and attitudes are changing, and there's nowhere in in the world more exciting. Sherry, Donna, Allison and Pamela have each landed a dream internship at Gloss; America's number-one fashion magazine. Each girl is trying to make her mark on New York and each finds herself thrown head-first into the buzzing world of celebrity, high-end fashion and gossip. But everything isn't as glamorous as it seems - secrets from the past threaten to shatter their dreams. They're finding out that romance in New York is as unpredictable and thrilling as the city itself.
**** I thought it would make a refreshing change to read a YA book set in the sixties until I witnessed my feministic side roar into life. You have a group of young female interns at the magazine Gloss, who are on that well travelled road from child to adult. Within this book they face a hell of a lot of sexism which I can understand was probably normal behaviour in the early 60’s but as a reader it was frustrating to read. The way the girls get treated individually by some of the men is so annoying at times, I found myself shouting at the book. I didn’t realise how hard it was from women during the 60’s, I thought society had been more liberated then. This book made me think of Sex In The City in the 60’s. Although Carrie and her friends would’ve kicked butt!
The story in told from multiple viewpoints all in third person, so you get to see each girl’s trials and tribulations as they take on a very male world publishing even though the magazines were aimed at women and young girls. Each girl is rather innocent when it comes to love and each falls for a different type of cad, quickly realising that there is more to life than settling down with a good husband. I didn’t understand why only one girl’s back story was written about more than the others and I would’ve liked to see each girl’s past in more detail.
As I continued to read the book, I couldn’t help but have a strong sense of The Brady Bunch. Sherry could actually have been Marsha Brady to begin with, until she morphed into a female journalist who would sit happily in modern day society.
I really enjoyed the setting. Considering I have a life long desire to visit New York, it had me drooling at the mention of famous restaurants, bars and tourist destinations. The author managed to contrast the glitzy side of life with the realistic one.
This book was an interesting read and itt does give a good view of how women were treated during the 60’s. It would probably appeal to the Gossip Girl fans who don’t mind dipping their toes into a bit of nostalgia.
Published in paperback by Pan Macmillan 25 April 2013
THIS IS THE STORY OF A bloodstained boy.
There he stands, swaying as utterly as nay windblown sapling. He is quite, quite red. If only that were paint!
Summary from The Hive
On board the moletrain Medes, Sham Yes ap Soorap watches in awe as he witnesses his first moldywarpe hunt. The giant mole bursting from the earth, the harpoonists targeting their prey, the battle resulting in one's death & the other's glory are extraordinary. But no matter how spectacular it is, travelling the endless rails of the railsea, Sham senses that there's more to life. Even if his captain can think only of her obsessive hunt for one savage mole. When they find a wrecked train, it's a welcome distraction. But the impossible salvage Sham finds there leads to trouble. Soon he's hunted on all sides: by pirates, trainsfolk, monsters & salvage-scrabblers. & it might not be just Sham's life that's about to change. It could be the whole of the railsea.
It’s got people on trains hunting giant moles. It’s got some of the strangest prose you will ever read, and a narrator who takes you from one scene to another, withholds information and philosophises. There are nonsense words and gruesome moments and humour and a touch of romance too.
The reader is immersed in an extraordinary world - and not one bit of it is explained. You are never told - you have to work things out. This will either thrill or annoy you.
The more ‘normal’ elements include a hunt for missing parents, plenty of action and plot twists. Whether or not you like Miéville’s highly individual style, it’s hard not to at least approve of a book where strong female characters feature so prominently. Similarly, the appealing main character is so well-drawn, flaws and all, that you have to cheer him on.
I have to say I loved it - and hated it at times, and will have to read it again. You will like this if you enjoy finding your way round an astonishing version of our world somewhere far in the future, and you relish strange musical uses of language. My advice is to roll with it - let it flow and don’t worry if some parts are too dense/weird/ confusing. It’ll maybe make sense one day and the story is too good to miss.
It is aimed at confident readers over eleven. There are gory bits and scary bits - but it does show courageous and inventive young people. It is a challenging read - but in a rewarding and light-hearted way. Highly recommended- IF you like that ‘weird fiction ‘sort of thing.
Being British we don't really have any reason to celebrate the 4th of July, yet I always feel like I am missing out on something amazing. I usually feel the same around Thanksgiving too. This year, Lauren Ace at Macmillan Children's Books came to the rescue and invited myself and other bloggers to spend Independence Day at their offices, chatting to Josephine Angelini via Skype. How could I say no!
The boardroom had been decorated in all things American.
With a gorgeous centre display of Josephine Angelini's books, Starcrossed and her new publication Dreamless, which was due to be published the next day.
The lovely ladies from Macmillan also put out a selection of other books they have published recently too.
They also laid out some scrumptious food. Check out this display of cupcakes as the American flag.
There were plenty of seats available around the sides while we waited for Josephine to log in.
I'm sorry the quality of this picture is really bad, but yes, that is Josephine Angelini, live in her hotel room via Skype.
I'm afraid I got a little tongue tied and author struck while enjoying the interview with Josie. I put Josie in the same bracket as Amy Plum, so I generally get a little lost for words. Thankfully everyone wasn't as quiet as I was and Josie had plenty of questions to answer. Here are some of the things she told us.
Josie mentioned that she got the inspiration for the Starcrossed series from the Illead. Her copy was sitting next to Romeo and Juliet and her mind wondered into whether this was where her story should come from.
Josie tends to write in two shifts. She normally writes two pages at night and then sleeps on them before editing them the next day. She tries to write every day. She found she didn't need to do a lot of research for the series as she knew the stories quite well from her childhood.
Josie confirmed that Goddess would be the last book in the series and she read us a little passage from it. She hasn't ruled out bringing the characters back at a later date.
Her next novel will be based on The Crucible!
We tried to coax her over to England, but she told us it was in the hands of Macmillan Children's Books.
One of her favourite books while growing up was Mists of Avalon by Maria Zimmer Bradley which I will admit to reading two thirds of. It is a huge book of 1000 pages and takes a lot of time to get through, but I really would like to go back and finish it.
If the books were ever made into films, Josie would like unknown actors and actresses to play the parts just because apart from the fact that it will ruin their lives, they will become known as the characters!
It was really lovely to get to talk to Josephine Angelini - thanks to Macmillan Children's Books for inviting me to a fabulous event.
Published by Macmillan Children's Books in July 2012
On Monday morning, school was cancelled. Power still hadn't been restored to certain parts of the island, and several streets in the centre of town were impassable due to damage done by the storm.
Yeah, right, Zach thought, as he walked out his front door. It was the 'storm' that demolished half the town, not the freaky new family that can outrun cars.
Goodreads Summary
Can true love be forgotten?
As the only scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.
Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out--a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies' cry for blood is growing louder.
As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen's sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos.
*******
Oh Helen! What is going on with your love life??? You can't see me, but I am shaking my head in despair!
If you haven't read Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini, then stop right here and go read it first. I'm serious, go visit your nearest book shop and buy it! You really need to read the first book before you attempt to read Dreamless, as their is very little back story to aid your journey through this book.
In this book, we bite our lips as we watch Helen descend into the Underworld night after night after night, trying to stop the Furies from ruining every relationship among the Scions. I found it quite upsetting watching Helen suffering so much as she is one of my favourite characters in a YA series. As the book progresses, you have to just watch as her health deteriorates. Now you would think the love of her life, Lucas, would be on hand to help her through such an ordeal, but oh no! He has his own issues to deal with, which are generally tearing him apart and making AnakinSkywalker's transformation to Darth Vadar look like child's play!
If you haven't guessed it yet, I really love this series. I adore the way Josephine writes. She brings Greek mythology into modern society and makes it believable. Her characters are so well written, they could almost walk off the page. The plot has various strands of sub plots going on, where you realise that a lot of the characters have their own hidden agendas and your fingers just can't turn the pages fast enough to find out what is going on.
There are some new characters within the book, increasing the level of testosterone to a high . Firstly we have Orion, descendant of Adonis! Do I need to say anymore?? I don't think so. Just make sure you have applied your makeup, smoothed down your hair and got rid of that stain on your T shirt before you introduce yourself. Secondly we have Morpheus,and no, not the one from the film, The Matrix. Morpheus is basically caretaker of the dream world, and he smooths his way into the book, entrancing Helen with his velvet tones. In my eyes, I was imagining a God like version of Barry White, singing as he spoke. Along with the addition of Ares, Hades, Persephone and the Furies they really brought the story alive.
I love how the Scions begin to interact more with Helen's friends, who are determined to stand up and fight for themselves. Matt and Claire refuse to play the victims and really push themselves to be as strong and helpful as they can be.
I was upset to see that the relationship between Lucas and Helen had deteriorated so badly. Their relationship was just so powerful in the first book, I felt lost without it in this one. They NEED to be together! Although Orion did do a fantastic job at filling the gap left by Lucas, I really want to see Helen and Lucas get back together.
The plot really heats up in this book, and I found myself clenching my fists as I swiftly read through the final chapters. I refused to go to bed until I had finished reading the book. The ending left me yearning for the next book.
Josephine Angelini has created a very strong and well written second book in the series, an area where other authors often fall short. I now have to wait a whole year for the next book! Knowing the ladies of Pan Macmillan have a copy on their Kindles, I may taking up mugging publicists!
As part of the blog tour for Dreamless, I am bouncing around with excitement at having the lovely Josephine Angelini on the blog again! Dreamless is the second book in the Starcrossed trilogy and went on sale last week. As this trilogy is set in Nantucket, Josie was happy to tell us all about it.
One question I get asked all the time is
why did I set the Starcrossed trilogy on Nantucket? Most people think of two things when they
think of Nantucket—a murderous white whale and a limerick about a pervert. Greek mythology rarely comes to mind,
although there is usually much giggling over what could possibly rhyme with
“bucket”.
I chose Nantucket for several reasons. The first is that I’m familiar with it. I grew up in Massachusetts and spent a little
bit of time vacationing on the island when I was kid. While island life is vastly different from
what I experienced growing up on the mainland, I did understand the
culture. And the thick New England accents,
which helps enormously.
The second reason is because it’s freaking
be-you-tiful.
If I’m going to pick a place to write about
for three years and three books, I’m going to pick a place that I want to
daydream about over and over. So this is
what’s been on my mind for the past three years.
Which isn’t too shabby. Another reason I chose Nantucket was for pure
plot reasons. For those of you who don’t
know this yet, Starcrossed is a re-imagining of the Iliad, as seen from the
perspective of a modern day Helen of Troy.
So I needed a beach for a thousand ships to land on, just as they did at
Troy. This one did nicely.
I also needed to hide Helen and surround
her, so that like her namesake in the Iliad she was trapped inside something
that resembled a walled city. Nantucket
is tiny and isolated. The only way off the
island is by plane of by ferry, and when a storm blows in—let’s just say that
you aren’t going anywhere for a while. So
that worked out nicely.
The final reason, and this was more of a
bonus after I’d already chosen Nantucket as my setting, is because this is the
public library on Nantucket.
It was just begging me to write about
it.
Doesn't it look gorgeous? I want to visit now.
Pop back this afternoon for my review of Dreamless.
If you want to find out more about Josephine Angelini:
Published by Macmillan Children's Books in May 2012
Life can be pretty weird sometimes...
It seriously can.
Sometimes, just when you think you're rocking along nicely and minding your own business, life throws you a complete curve ball and leaves you feeling totally and utterly freaked out.
Goodreads Summary
Me and my sister are twins. She's Jolene and I'm Jody. We've both got brown hair, we're both left-handed and we both have these weirdly long little toes which make us look like long-toed mutants. But apart from that, I'd say we're fairly different. Well, actually, we're a lot different . . . It's hard enough being one half of the world's least identical twins, without both of you falling for the same guy. Jolene's turned flirting into a fine art, but Jody? Not so much. And as if a twinny love triangle wasn't messy enough . . . there's something nobody knows about Jody Barton. Something BIG.
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This book is really really sneaky! I envisioned one kind of story and was happily working my way through the book, when... Wham! Bam! I discover I am reading a completely different story! The wool fell from my eyes and I couldn't believe I did not see the events coming. Now because I don't want to spoil it for you, I am going to have to be really careful how I write this review. The issues I long to discuss with you, I can't! As it would ruin the story completely. All I can say is this book deals with real teenage issues that need to be addressed.
This book is a lot deeper than other books I have read by this author. The comical aspect is there is snippets, but to be honest, this subject isn't something to laugh about. You will come away from this book, contemplating the aspects of life that teenagers need to understand and deal with.
Jody and Jolene were excellent examples of twins! And I should know! The way they bicker and turn on each other, was like genuine scenes from the House of Dacosta! I think my girls may have been passing family secrets to the author on the quiet.
I think the author captured Jody's inner confusion and turmoil extremely well. Showing the lack of understanding from the adult world on how to deal with this subject really struck home with me. If my children should ever need advice on how to deal with this, I aim to be there.
I loved the settings in this book. Ah my days of visiting Brent Cross, as I bunked of uni were heaven, and the author brought them all flooding back to me. If Chunky's Diner was real, then I would obviously have had a breakfast there after a night out at the student union.
An excellent book with an excellent twist. I think Hayley Long is AMAZING!
Pages - 356
Published by Macmillan Children's Books in 2009
'Guess who?' Haven's warm, clammy palms press hard against my cheeks as the tarnished edge of her silver skull ring leaves a smudge on my skin. And even though my eyes are covered and closed, I know that her dyed black hair is parted in the middle, her black vinyl corset is worn over a turtleneck (keeping in compliance with our school's dress-code policy), her brand-new, floor-sweeping, black satin skirt already has a hole near the hem where she caught it with the toe of her Doc Martens boots, and her eyes appear gold but that's only because she's wearing yellow contacts.
Goodreads Summary Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste . . . Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head. She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is. Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.
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I have been intrigued by this series for quite some time. I didn't know a lot about it and I stupidly presumed the immortals mentioned were vampires! Shows how much I know! I won't spoil it by telling you how the immortals came about but I will confirm there isn't a vampire in sight.
This is the kind of book I love - this is the kind of book I want to write. I have an unhealthy obsession with the afterlife and anything spiritual, so this book really appealed to me. I really felt Ever's pain at losing her family - her grief really touched my heart. This book had a question and answer session with the author at the back and I wasn't surprised to discover that this book came about during a period of grief for the author, as she wrote so convincingly about it.
The settings were fantastic. It had a Beverly Hills type feel to it, with it's sunny beaches, lazy days by the pool and trips to Disneyland. Just with that added touch of the paranormal.
The characters really stood out for me, especially Riley - I absolutely loved her. She was a typical sarcastic, gobby pre-teen and I should know! She was full of spirit, if you pardon the pun, but even though she was dead, she was ballsy and showed no fear. The only thing that seemed to frighten her was leaving Ever behind, showing the emotional ties that hold us beyond the grave. Haven and Miles were like a comedy duo and I found myself sniggering quite a few times at their conversations.
The plot revolving around Damen took quite a while to peak and I did find myself getting a little impatient to discover the truth. It took me a while to decide whether he was good or bad, as at times he came across as quite dark in nature.
The book talks about a subject that I have always been a firm believer of - cosmic ordering. I have always preached to people that we create our own reality to a certain extent and enough wishing and believing can bring us the things we crave. The author uses this theory quite a bit near the end of the story.
This book isn't brimming with action, it is more of a slow burner as we get to see the truth about Ever and Damen. It reminded me quite a bit of the Fallen series by Lauren Kate. I really enjoyed reading this book and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
I am pleased to be hosting the last stop on the Tempest blog tour. Julie Cross has created a fabulous post for us, where she tells us about the playlist she created for TEMPEST.
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I have a bit of a song lyric obsession when it comes to TEMPEST. My playlist began forming a LONG time ago and I've altered and changed it many times. I've also asked readers for suggestions and the response has been awesome. One book blogger even sent me a CD of her brothers band out in California because they have a time travel song that goes so well with Tempest and I don't have an i-Pod to download it from i-Tunes. Anyway, my playlist is, like 40 songs...and I have it broken into categories-- I'm a nuts when it comes to songs. Hope you enjoy and feel free to make more suggestions.
Jackson and 009 Holly (before and with the "flash forwards") The Scientist- Coldplay Secrets- One Republic Falling In Love In A Coffee Shop- Landon Pigg Collide- Howie Day Creepy Espionage Songs Teenage FBI- Guided by Voices Eyes On The Horizon- Brendan Benson Cornerstone- Arctic Monkeys
Poor Jackson stuck in 2007/time-travel related songs These Walls- Teddy Geiger The Man Who Can't Be Moved- The Script The Scientist- Coldplay You and Me- Lifehouse (also sort of time-travel related) 1983- Neon Trees Still- Matt Nathanson
Jackson and 007 Holly Chasing Cars- Snow Patrol Faster- Matt Nathanson Fallin In- Lifehouse
Jackson and Courtney Somewhere Only We Know- Keane Slipped Away- Avril Lavigne Fix You- Coldplay
Jackson and 009 Holly (after) Broken- Lifehouse Only Hope- Switchfoot If Its Love- Train Your Guardian Angel- Red Jump Suit Apparatus
Songs for the VERY end of Tempest *sob* Run- Snow Patrol Everyday is Exactly The same- NIN Someone Like You- Adele Hold On Hope- Guided by Voices
Tempest went on sale on January 5th and is available at all major bookstores.
My name is Jackson and I can travel through time. Now, wait, it's not as exciting as you might think. I can't go back in time and kill Hitler. I can't go to the future and tell you who wins the World Series in 2038. So far, the most I've ever jumped is about six hours in the past. Some superhero, right?
Goodreads Summary
The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies - nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors - it’s just harmless fun.
That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.
Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.
But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveller. Recruit… or kill him.
Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.
***********
I think that Julie Cross may find herself sitting pretty in the number one spot for time travel fiction. This book seriously shook my brain. Imagine taking Quantum Leap, Back to the Future and The Time Traveller's Wife and putting them in a blender. Then adding a touch of Heroes for flavour and voila you have an original time travel novel that takes your breath away. You will get to certain points in the story and you won't have a clue as to which direction the book might go.
This has to be the first book in ages that I have read from a male perspective yet written by a female. Normally I would worry that the author might struggle to capture the way the opposite sex thinks and feels but in my mind, the character of Jackson is written beautifully. He is all man, but in touch with his feminine side, which makes him really rather cool and adorable. He will make you weep into you sleeve, as he desperately tries to save Holly. He will stop at nothing until she is safe, his love for her is that strong.
Julie Cross has created strong realistic characters who have the ability to play with your emotions. Courtney will break your heart. Her story reminded me of those weepy real life films they show on TV. I keep hoping that her story will turn out to all be a dream and she will get a happy ever after. You will be unsure about Jackson's dad too. I struggled to decide whether I trusted him or not and even after finishing the book my thoughts on him are still unclear.
The ending actually wrenched my heart out and threw it on the floor. I sat there screaming at the book, 'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!' I couldn't believe that it could end like that, not after everything Jackson had been through. I understood why it did, but I still couldn't believe it.
The last few chapters are explosive and action packed. A Mission Impossible style ending that will leave you shocked to the core.
This book will make you think. It will make you look at your present relationship and wonder whether it would still have worked if you had met at a different time in your life. Would the person you love now be the same person if you had met them five years earlier? Would you love them as much or would they need time to grow into the person you love now? See it will make you think.
This really is an action packed, fast paced, thrilling read that will have you jumping all over the time continuum.
The end of life- of good times-the end of, well, pretty much everything.
But those people are wrong.
Dead wrong.
And I should know. I died almost a year ago.
Goodreads Summary
Riley has crossed the bridge into the afterlife—a place called Here, where time is always Now. She has picked up life where she left off when she was alive, living with her parents and dog in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. When she’s summoned before The Council, she learns that the afterlife isn’t just an eternity of leisure. She’s been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a possibly cute, seemingly nerdy boy who’s definitely hiding something. They return to earth together for Riley’s first assignment, a Radiant Boy who’s been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him to cross the bridge and failed. But all of that was before he met Riley . . .
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If heaven is real, then I sure hope it is like this! Alyson Noel makes it sound so idyllic,especially the part about being able to have exactly what I want just by thinking about it. Wouldn't that be lovely?
For those of you who may not have realised this book is a spin off from the Immortals series which featured Ever, Riley's older sister. Riley has died in a car accident alongside her parents and her beloved dog Buttercup. This book gives an idyllic look at what we might get up to in heaven, if we ever get there. I was so glad that Riley got to keep her dog with her, as in my version of Heaven all our animals would come back to us, so I was pleased that Alyson Noel seemed to have similar views.
Riley is given a job in heaven as a Soul Catcher, which involves her coming back down to Earth to help troubled souls finally pass over. Her first assignment finds her at a castle where the Radiant boy is scaring the wits out of everyone who stays in the Blue Room. Riley, a sassy twelve year old, takes on the Radiant Boy and won't give up until her assignment is completed. I really liked Riley, although it scared me how mature she was for her age and I worried that her voice didn't always fit her age, but then I found myself looking at my eleven year old girls and fearing the worst for the forthcoming year!
This is a short delightful read that can definitely be read in an evening. An ideal book for a reluctant reader who has shown a spark of interest in the paranormal world. A fun lighthearted look at death and the afterlife.
K. M. Lockwood lives by the sea in Sussex - see the pics on Instagram. She fills jars with sea-glass, writes on a very old desk and reads way past her bedtime. Her tiny bed and breakfast is stuffed full of books - and even the breakfasts are named after writers. You'd be welcome to chat stories with @lockwoodwriter on Twitter
