Winners for my 4th Blogoversary Competitions #4 & #5

Drawing of Holo (not by me) from the awesome anime Spice and Wolf

 I love finding out who's won my competitions - it's so exciting! There's several stages. First I use a number generator website to see who will win. 

"Ho hum, which number will it be? 1? 2? 3?"

Then I squee about it to myself. 

"Squeeeeeeeeee!"

Next I email the winners and put the announcement on blog. 

"Click here, add this, now click here..."

Now, I think I've missed a step...which is it? 

"Do you know?"

 Ah, yes, that would be telling you who's won what! 

"Very important!"

My 4th blogversary competition #4 was to win two early reader books and a fairy sticker book. 

The fairy sticker book wasn't on the main competition page - it was, but then I deleted it, but forgot to delete it off the form so it is going as a prize (with several 100 stickers hopefully the missing ones won't be minded much). 

Anyway, the winner of these 3 books is....

Kulsuma! 

You're on a winning streak at the moment - whoohoo! 

My 4th blogversary competition #5 was to win two manga books. I can happily announce the winner of these books is...

The Mile Long Bookshelf!

Whoohoo to you both - I've emailed and parcels will be sent at the end of the week. 

Thank you to all who entered - there are more competitions currently being held! 

If you fancy some Young Adult you can check out The Drummer Girl by Bridget Tyler which, if you're in the UK, includes make-up in the prize! 

There's the paranomal romance Immortal Eclipse by Sherry Soule - I highly recommend it! 

For younger readers (both boys and girls) there's the first in a new trilogy by Victoria Eveleigh - Joe and the Hidden Horseshoe. 

Whew, I think that's everything. It's all go here on NRC at the moment!

What are YOU reading? #167

What are you reading on Monday? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where you post books completed last week and plans for upcoming books. Jump over to her blog and see who else is participating.

Read

A Friend Like Annabel by Alan Davidson

Children's, 7 years +

(Annabel ends up in all sorts of adventures with her best friend Kate, including being mother to a duck and chief negotiator for rival gangs - her life is hilarious!)

10/10

The Hooded Man by Courtney Sheets

Historical Romance

(The tale of Robin Hood never grows old, especially when it is in fact Marian who pretends to be the fictitious outlaw!  My review...)

10/10

Everything Is Fine by Cathy Brett

Young Adult

(You'll need tissues for this one - Esther's summer is ever so bittersweet...) 

10/10

The Last Wild by Piers Torday

Children's, 9 years +

(A weirdly compelling read, not suitable for those with an aversion to hordes of bugs [not me] or snakes [definitely me but only for about 6 pages]...)

9/10

Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

Young Adult

(Mallory is on a voyage of discovery by forsaking technology & living the 1960's style of life...)

9/10

 The Mummy Shop by Abie Longstaff and Lauren Beard

Children's , Picture book

(Cuteness and fun fills this book by a collaborative pair who I adore!)

10/10 E

 Plunge Into The Pirate Pool by Caryl Hart and Ed Eaves

Children's, Picture book

(I'd love to meet pirates who give out chocolate coins!)

10/10

Sammy Feral's Diaries of Weird by Eleanor Hawken

Children's, 8 years +

(Did you know yetis love cabbage?)

9/10

Flip-Flap Fun: Time For Bed

and 

Honk Honk! Baa Baa! by Petr Horacek

Children's, Board book

(A supremely clever play on a picture ending makes these charming books extra fun...)

10/10

Lenny Goes To Nursery School by Ken Wilson-Max

Children's, Picture book

(A sweet story of a new experience for young children...) 

10/10

Where's Lenny?  by Ken Wilson-Max

Children's, Picture book

(This Lenny tale is sure to have readers in fits of laughter!)

10/10

Watched

AKB0048

REWATCH! - Anime, Japanese version

10/10 E

(I'm limiting myself to one episode a day, unless I'm ill or need extra cheering up...) 

Shugo Chara

REWATCH! - Anime, Japanese version

10/10 E

(Recently started the second season 'Shugo Chara Doki!' which is as awesome as the first one!) 

Twilight

REWATCH! - Movie, English version

10/10

(This was a 'must watch' while I recovered from my ketamine treatment...) 

New Moon

REWATCH! - Movie, English version

10/10

(I laughed a lot at the teen angst...ahem!) 

Spice & Wolf

Anime, Japanese version

10/10 E

(I finished this series; the ending was happier than I'd imagined yet it still made me cry...) 

Life of Plants

Documentary, English version

10/10

(I've watched a little about how some plants grow in adverse conditions - I'm watching this series a few scenes at a time...)

Winx:  Season 3

REWATCH! - Anime, French version

10/10 E

(This is a show which gets better each time I watch it. I've nearly finished the series!) 

Rozen Maiden

REWATCH! - Anime, English version

10/10 E

(I adore the costumes of the maidens and the characters are utterly hilarious, which counters the at times dark themes!) 

The Unit

REWATCH! - Drama, English version

10/10

(Can't beat a good military drama about families involved in special forces...)

Heidi

Anime, French version

10/10 E

(I'm getting closer to the end - Clara has now arrived in the alps with Heidi - they are having so much fun! [despite Heidi nearly not making it there because her father & doctor worry too much...]) 

Craft/puzzles/other hobbies

Not a lot has been done because of the ketamine treatment though I have wound up some yarn into balls.  Oh...and I finished my lap blanket!

Take a look...

BEFORE

AFTER

Joe and the Hidden Horseshoe by Victoria Eveleigh (Children's, 7 years +, 10/10 E) Guest Blog Post & Competition UK & International Ends 3rd June

Add caption

2nd May 2013, Orion 

160 pages, Paperback 

Review copy 

Themes: moving house, moving from the town to the country, the trials (& joys) of having a little sister, sibling rivalry, getting blamed for everything, being bored (Nayu: not a word I believe in!), feeling lost, lacking a little self-confidence, rising up to the challenge, learning ways of the country, being in your own element, feeling abandonned, making new friends, unexpected finds, loved one being in hospital, not giving up on your dreams, Romany ways, having new pets,

Content: some laughter, some tears 

Summary from Orion

Joe's life changes unexpectedly when he discovers an old horseshoe in the first in this new pony trilogy about making new friends and facing new challenges.

 

There are lots of things Joe would wish if he had the chance - that his family hadn't moved from the city to the country, that his mum hadn't bought two ponies no one could ride, and that one day he might have a dog of his own. So when he finds a lucky horseshoe in his garden, he makes some wishes just for fun. After all, there's always a chance they might come true...

Nayuleska's thoughts 

Besides this being one of Victoria's books (which are all awesome), I was intrigued at having a pony book with a boy as the main character instead of a girl. I wasn't sure what I'd think of it - I needn't have worried because I totally loved it as much as if it had been with a girl. Joe has a lot of responsibility as a big brother, which a lot of the time is a thankless job. I loved it when Emily had a big incident and Joe was there to save her - he was shaken up after which show's how compassionate he is. All his insecurities are ones girls have too - although to be fair some are more because he's a big brother. The way ponies come into his life was interesting, as well as his reactions. It goes to show both boys and girls should never be ruled out for doing a  particular sport or hobby. I'm super eager for book 2 which comes out this July - whoohoo! 

You can find out more on Victoria's website.

Suggested read

Definitely check out Victoria's other books. Start with the first of a trilogy, Katy's Wild Foal. (Children's, 7 years +, 10/10)

Guest blog post: Why I Chose To Have A Boy As The Main Character

Danny, the games pony that provided the inspiration for Lightning in the Horseshoe trilogy

It is a great pleasure to have Victoria chat about why she has written a pony series centred around a boy - she is an awesome writer and really friendly.  

When I was a pony-mad but pony-less girl growing up in London during the 1960s, I loved reading horse and pony stories. Boys played important roles in most of the books I liked best: My Friend Flicka, Black Beauty, The Black Stallion, Misty of Chincoteague, Cobbler’s Dream, The Last Ditch . . . Even in stories where a girl was the main character – The Team or Silver Snaffles, for instance – there was a competent horsey boy waiting in the wings. (And, thinking about it, the boy was usually called Peter.)

Since then the trend for pony stories to be aimed at girls rather than boys has become so pronounced that the typical pony story nowadays has an almost exclusively female cast and, more often than not, a pink cover. Two excellent books that analyse this change in horsey culture are If Wishes Were Horses by Susanna Forrest and Heroines on Horseback: The Pony Book In Children’s Fiction by Jane Badger.

There’s also a witty article on Jane Badger’s website, where she sets out some rules for anyone wanting to write a pony book. Rule number one is Your chief character must be female. You may put boys into the book, but they should be minor, and preferably irritating, characters.

It seems that in many countries, not just Britain, as horses have been used less for work and more for pleasure they’ve become a ‘girl-thing’. So maybe the ‘pinkification’ of pony stories is merely a reflection of our modern horsey culture? I must admit I thought so until a boy called John turned up to one of my book signings and complained that there were no new pony stories for boys. (Warhorse doesn’t count, because it’s about a man and a horse, rather than a boy and a pony, and it’s set in a different age.) It got me thinking, and it gets Joe in Joe and the Hidden Horseshoe thinking as well. 

Here [in this extract], he and his sister Emily meet their neighbour Caroline for the first time as she’s riding her pony down the road:

. . . The excited babble about horses and ponies went on and on. Joe felt as if he’d become invisible. The girls at the riding stables had been the same, jealously guarding their exclusive right to horse-talk. Who’d made the rule that only girls should be keen on riding? Had it always been like that? How could men become jockeys, show jumpers, eventers, mounted policemen or anything to do with horses if boys didn’t ride?

Victoria and Chris Eveleigh with horses 2_credit Guy Harrop

I couldn’t have put it better myself!

So that’s why I made a boy the main character in The Horseshoe Trilogy, and why I dedicated the first book Joe and the Hidden Horseshoe to John, who reminded me that there’s absolutely no reason why boys shouldn’t like ponies too.

Victoria Eveleigh

By the way, I’ve just discovered some excellent horse-and-boy stories for young adults. They are Sheena Wilkinson’s award-winning stories Taking Flight and Grounded.

Many thanks for such an interesting post Victoria - boys need to be shown more in pony books (and many other hobbies that are traditionally seen as being 'for girls') 

Now, if you like the sound of Joe and the Hidden Horseshoe then you are in luck because the lovely people at Orion are giving away not 1 but 3 copies to those in the UK! And I'm giving away 1 copy to the international winner - it's not my copy, which I refuse to part with, but a new one. 

The prize: 3 copies of Joe and the Hidden Horseshoe will go to winners living in the UK, 1 copy of Joe and the Hidden Horseshoe will got to a winner living outside the UK. 

The rules: 1 entry per person, winners will be chosen by a random number generator, please make sure you read my protection policy. 

The deadline: 12pm GMT Monday 3rd June 2013

To enter: simply fill in this form. There is 1 form only -all you have to do is say which draw you are entering (UK or Non-UK) on the form. Be sure to check back on 4th June to see if you've won! 

 

May Review Mix #2: Adult fiction (Thriller, Contemporary, Historical Romance, all 10/10 or 10/10 E!)

Hi everyone! This week will be filled with lots of reviews! I'm in my catching up mode (with probably over 20 books to review I think you'll forgive me for grouping them by genres, and missing out the 'themes' part of the review. Let's get on with today's reviews, which are all aimed at adults! 

Close My Eyes by Sophie McKenzie 10/10

May 2013, Simon and Schuster, 416 pages, Paperback, Review copy 

Content: adult relationships, tissues need, 

Summary from Simon and Schuster 

It's been eight years since Geniver Loxley lost her daughter, Beth. Since that day, Gen has been floundering. While her husband Art builds his business reputation and their fortune, she can't let go of Beth.
 

And then one day, everything changes. A strange woman shows up on Gen's doorstep, saying the very thing she longs to hear: that Beth is alive. That she is out there somewhere, waiting for Gen to find her . . .
It's insane. Unthinkable. But why would someone make up such a story? Ignoring the warnings of her husband and friends, Gen begins to hope - hope that quickly turns into fear and paranoia.
 

With questions swirling around her head, Gen is determined to uncover the truth. But who can she trust? 

Why is Art so reluctant to get involved? To save his wife from further hurt? Or something much more sinister? Is Beth even really out there? And, if so, who is responsible for taking her?
 

What is the truth about Beth Loxley?

Nayuleska's thoughts 

Although I'm quite different to Gen, I was totally captivated by her life, which grew more shocking as each chapter passed. The more I got to know her, the more I wanted to stand by her side and protect her from some of the horrors she faced. Nothing is black and white - there are different sides to everything - I was very happy with the way it ended. The twists and turns that I've come to expect from Sophie are at the same high level that are in her children's books. 

You can find out more on Sophie's website. 

Suggested read 

For another family based read check out Instructions For Bringing Up Scarlett by Annie Sanders (fiction, 10/10)

Dear Thing by Julie Cohen, Fiction, 10/10 E 

I adore this cover!

 April 2013, Bantam Press, 400 pages, Hardback, Review copy

Summary from Random House

Claire and Ben are the perfect couple. But behind the glossy façade, they’ve been desperately trying – and failing – to have a baby for years. Now, the stress and feelings of loss are taking their toll on their marriage. Claire’s ready to give up hope and get on with her life, but Ben is not. And then Ben’s best friend, Romily, offers to conceive via artificial insemination and carry the baby for them.

Romily acts in good faith, believing it will be easy to be a surrogate. She’s already a single mother, and has no desire for any more children. Except that being pregnant with Ben’s child stirs up all sorts of emotions in her, including one she’s kept hidden for a very long time: Ben’s the only man she’s ever loved.

Two mothers—and one baby who belongs to both of them, and which only one of them can keep.

Nayuleska's thoughts

Despite chatting with Julie sometimes on Twitter, this is the first book I've ever read of hers - I'll definitely be reading more! (She has quite a few out) I hear about surrogacy a lot on the news, but I've never read fiction about it; Julie dealt with it sensitivity, making me think about children who are already living with those involved in the process. I grew to love and hate Romily & Ben - I was fuming for Claire's sake over the betrayal and disappointment she suffers thanks to them, as well as the happy times (It's not necessarily what I can see you thinking either!) I cried for her quite a bit, but I promise the end is worth the pile of tissues - I was cheering at the same time as crying.

You can find out more about Julie and her books on her website.

Suggested read 

For another family themed story which will need some tissues try A Message To Your Heart by Niamh Greene (Fiction, 10/10) 

   

The Hooded Man by Courtney Sheets, Historical Romance, 10/10 

September 2012, Decadent Publishing, 63,000 words, eBook,  Review copy

Content: strong adult relations, some fighting

Summary from Decadent

When her father is brutally murdered in front of her eyes, Marian of Locksley is thrust into a world of treason and greed, where the ultimate prize is the throne of England. Left with little choice, she disguises herself as Robin of the Hood, an outlaw despised by royalty and loved by the people…and the wickedly handsome, steadfast Will Scarlet. 

Forced into hiding deep within Sherwood Forest, Will joins Robin Hood’s band of merry men, not realizing the fearless outlaw he follows is really the woman he desires for his own. He dares to risk everything in the fight for justice and love, longing for the day he can claim the courageous beauty. But first, England must be saved and legend must be born.

Nayuleska's thoughts

This version of Robin Hood incorporates all the best bits of the BBC drama series, the Kevin Costner film, and other retellings that I've read. As a costume fan I adore Marian's clothes, especially when she hides things in them. I love her spirit and resolve, which gets very weak but is never broken. Her compassion for the citizens puts her in extreme danger, and I admire her inner strength that shines even when times are so bad most people would collapse in hysteria. Marian does what she does best and acts to rectify the situation.

Suggested read 

I'd like to suggest one of my favourite paranormal romance's, Heart's Sentinel by P J Schnyder 10/10

That's it for today - more will be here tomorrow - this time for the under 18's rather than the over 18's. 

Bye!