Mister Monday by Garth Nix

2004, Harper Collins

448 pages, Paperback

Review Copy

Children's, Fantasy

Cushions: 5

Daggers: 3

Smiles: 5

Tissues: 2

Yunaleska's recommended rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+

Summary from Harper Collins (cover image downloaded from the same page).

Seven days. Seven keys. Seven virtues. Seven sins. One mysterious house is the doorway to a very mysterious world – where one boy is about to venture and unlock a number of fantastical secrets. Arthur Penhaligon is not supposed to be a hero. He is supposed to die an early death. But then his life is saved by a key shaped like the minute hand of a clock. Arthur is safe – but his world is not. Along with the key comes a plague brought by bizarre creatures from another realm. A stranger named Mister Monday, his avenging messengers with bloodstained wings, and an army of dog-faced Fetchers will stop at nothing to get the key back – even if it means destroying Arthur and everything around him. Desperate, Arthur escapes to the mysterious house that has appeared in town – a house that only he can see. Maybe there he can unravel the secrets of the key – and discover his true fate.

I ask forgiveness before beginning the review. When I read Arthur's full name, Arthur Penhaligon, all I could think of was Arthur Pendragon from Merlin. I thought that I would expect the teenage Merlin to appear on the pages every now and then, at least in my imagination. I can safely say after the first chapter this thought fled my mind.

I have read books by Garth Nix before - only I did put them back down because Mogget freaked me out and I had a very bad nightmare about it. After reading Mister Monday, I actually want to go back and give the Old Kingdom series another shot. Mogget is still evil (although my cousin reassures me I'll understand Mogget once I read the entire series), but not as evil as the sn*ke's which crop up in Mister Monday.

On a side note, I like the minute hand illustrations at the bottom of each page. It's a good reminder of what the story is about. It's also fun to flip through the book really fast, watching the illusion of the illustrations getting longer across the page.That kept me amused for several minutes.

Anyway, moving away from the small parts of book that are entertaining to this reviewer, I like Arthur, when I'm not pairing him up with Merlin. I like how he isn't perfect, he suffers from asthma. I predict over the course of his adventures the asthma will both help and hinder him. I wonder if he will get inventive with the inhaler? I approved of the Tintin reference.

I like it that his friends are misfits - I don't think many others in the class would have the right personality to help Arthur out. (As I read further on, unfortunately these two friends in particular don't feature much in Mister Monday, but I'm still holding on to the hope they'll have a more significant role in the other books. The characters which end up being his sidekicks have a lot of personality, and are far from being dull). It was cool how Arthur and Leaf could see things that others couldn't. I wondered if Ed felt a little left out, but he really wasn't missing out on anything. Sometimes it can be a blessing not to see horrifying people

The key initially gave me the wiggins. While it's true nature was unknown, I feared that it might be evil. I knew it would bring Arthur a lot of trouble. I didn't think it could be such a help to Arthur. *This reviewer is taking a short break to go starry eyed as to what happened at the end with the key (for details read on)*.

I'm back :) Glowing objects are always interesting. The place Arthur keeps the Key and Atlas is pretty cool. Its even cooler when it comes to life and protects Arthur. Flying, funny looking people in scary bowler hats aren't visitors I'd want at night. The hat illustration in every chapter freaked me out a little bit. I might have to cover them with funky stickers. I'm sort of hoping that they don't appear in the other books.

I'm wondering whether the House was near to where Arthur lived because he had the Key. Perhaps wherever he lived, it would have appeared nearby. I like it how Arthur is almost the only one who can see it. It truly is amazing what people will ignore if they don't want to see things.

There were very few occasions when I settled into my seat - I spent over half the book perched on the edge, becoming more horrified at what was happening to Arthur.There was hardly any respite for him, and the stakes rose with every turn of the page.

Suzy accurately sums up the situation when she says pg 194 "A deluded green frog, one mortal visitor and a Ink-Filler Sixth Class ain't much up against Mister Monday and the whole apparatus of the Lower House." They aren't, not when referred to like that. With other skills, however...they stand a chance.

The concept behind why the Keys were created is one way of limiting chaos in the human world. What is actually inside the House is inventive, I like all the names for both places and people. There are even creatures as scary as the dogmen with bowler hats. And scarier ones. It's definitely not the same world as ours.

I almost sensed the mud splatter up from the page in the final fight - the imagery here was most vivid. The entire story had me swept away with new, terrifying concepts and ideas. Arthur took most things in his stride, being afraid a lot of the time, but also finding inner strength to keep on fighting.

COOLNESS! The end result is absolutely amazing! It was a nice twist and I'm eager to read Grim Tuesday just to see how Arthur will wield his new...tool and also what will happen when he goes back home. I'm wondering if time might get distorted a little, as the Will indicated it might. The Will...which has it's own agenda, ends up being different forms, and is not entirely happy with the end result. But it's a result that Arthur is happy with, which is all that matters. The situation is far from resolved...as the other six books will tell.

Garth Nix can be found on his website here.

Like this? Then keep watching this space, for I shall post reviews to the next book, Grim Tuesday, shortly.

Click on the link below the front cover down here, and it will take you to read an extract.

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Changeling: Blood Wolf by Steve Feasey

February 2010, Pan Macmillan

320 pages, Paperback

Review Copy

YA, urban fantasy, horror (small element)

Cushions: 5

Daggers: 5 (detailed violence)

Paperclips: 2 (brief nudity, not detailed)

Smiles: 3

Tissues: 4 (infrequent but moderate tissue moments)

Yunaleska's recommended rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+

Summary from Pan Macmillan

Trey thought he was the only one.

It was a lie.

The last hereditary werewolf has found his pack – and they’re vicious, bloodthirsty, and truly wild.

Trey has had enough of vampires, demons and sorcerors. He needs to get in touch with his real family – the ones with fur, fangs and killer instincts.

But the wolf pack howling at the moon in Canada is not what he expected. And without the protection of de-fanged vampire and demon-hunter Lucien Charron, the family secret is more dangerous than he ever knew. Trey’s out of control. Can the werewolf be tamed?

The level of action and suspense in this third book of the fantastic series matches the other two. However, I feel that there is more investment in the characters' emotions, especially if they aren't Trey. That is not to say that Trey is put on the sidelines: meeting his uncle and getting entangled in werewolf politics counts for a percentage of the action. Especially when he loses his humanity. In a way the issue of gang culture is examined in the story, how people are coerced into doing one thing which then traps them within the gang for a long time, forced to do things that are morally questionable and which they'd rather say no to. In some ways I preferred Caliban to Jurgen, at least Trey knew where he stood with Lucian's brother. I also like how Trey yet again makes a mistake which could cost him dearly. It marks him as the youngster that he is. At least he doesn't repeat the same mistake twice. He has all the maturity of an adult when dealing with the aftermath of certain incidents.

As a former reader who would only read books with female protagonists, I love how a fair portion of the book is devoted to Philippa. Being possessed by a demon who killed her father is pretty hard to cope with. Add in demons wanting to kill her because she's now a demon detector, well its no wonder that she glues herself to Alexa's side. The way her thoughts are explored had me reaching for tissues. Watching her slowly recover and find inner strength was a pleasure to read. Never underestimate the healing power of chocolate.Also curiosity doesn't kill you, but it might give you nightmares for eternity.

Another deeper exploration of character happens for Lucien. He is stronger in so far as he isn't in a coma. But his last encounter wih his brother has brought back the darker side of being a vampire. His level of control over drinking blood in a sophisticated way has several wobbles. I like it how Tom chews him out over this (in the verbal sense). Seeing Trey's protector need help is a small role reversal that heightens the drama.

I didn't see the end coming, it was quite a shock and I needed tissues. Plus I want to read the next book in the series right now, so I hope there aren't too many delays in it's publication. A grumpy reviewer is not a pleasant sight.

I think it was a good move to fade Caliban into the background for this adventure, and to show the other horrors of the netherworld which are out there, waiting to cross paths with Trey and his friends. I hope there is scope for many more of Trey's adventures because in spite of some of the more gruesome parts that have me understanding why this can be classed as having horror in it, it's a series I want to reread many times.

Steve Feasey can be found on his website and also on followed on Twitter.

Make sure you've read book 1 Changeling and book 2 Changeling: Dark Moon

The Mystery of Lewis Carroll by Jenny Woolf

March 2010, Haus Publishing

326 pages, Hardback

Review copy

Ease of reading: 5

Smiles: 4

Yunaleska's recommended rating: 5

Summary from Haus Publishing

Lewis Carroll, the elusive author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, has been the subject of enduring fascination for the past hundred years. Born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, the son of a country curate, he would spend almost his entire life in the quiet, studious surroundings of Christ Church College, Oxford, shunning publicity and becoming increasingly guarded as the years went by. However, in his posthumous existence, he has been retrospectively psychoanalysed; condemned for his supposed sexual perversions and alleged addiction to opium. The destruction of many major documents about his personal life by his descendants has only magnified the mystery. Jenny Woolf’s biography, published to coincide with the release of the new Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland film, lays waste to the myths and suspicions that have obscured Carroll’s reputation by placing him firmly in the context of his own time.

My reasons for accepting a copy of this book for review are somewhat unusual. Most people choose a book because they like the look of it. I quite happily state that after reading a compendium of Lewis Carroll's work, given when I was between 11-13 years old, I thought he was really strange. Alice in Wonderland, both the book and the Disney film freaked me out, so much so I think I had a nightmare about it. Even though I got rid of the compendium, years later I couldn't escape Lewis Carroll's influence. The peculiarities of the cheshire cat played a small yet significant role in the video game Kingdom Hearts by Square Enix. Again I had more nightmares.

So when Jenny Woolf approached with the possibility of reviewing her work, instead of saying no and fleeing to the hills, I said yes. I wanted to gain an insight into the author of the creepy tales of wonderland, and the equally bizarre other works.

One of Jenny's aims was to make her book 'readable'. It definitely isn't dull. I was smiling by the third page in. Only sleep and other aspects of life made me shut the book.

I never hung around long enough to find out that his real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (I can see why he chose a pen name) or that he lived in Oxford, an area of the country which I find stunning, so long as I don't think of the ugly power plant marring the horizon.

Ferreting out random bits of information is something I'm used to in life. Jenny searched high and low for new information. The thought of Lewis Carroll having a bank account never dawned on me. Historians before Jenny didnt think of it easier, which is why she was the first to gain an insight into Lewis Carroll's financial life in a way that didn't rely on eyewitness sources which are impossible to have unbiased. An area that is touched upon at the beginning of the book is examined in depth in later chapters. There's so much detail to be gained from these bank records, details which can't be obliterated if his family didn't like them.

The reflections on his relations with his family make a compelling read. Jenny points out that although he may have had a few issues of distance with his mother, which is reflected in the absence of mothers in his work, Lewis Carrol had a pleasant family life. There was pressure on him as head of the family, a pressure which writing was almosf undoubtedly been an outlet. I've only read the Alice tales, but based on things I'm wondering if he wrote the story from a young girl's point of view so that possibly readers might not immedistely see his worries of life glaring up from the page. The other reason, explored by Jenny, is that he loved being amongst girls (in a non-corrupt way, although I had no idea that he had a reputation other than 'cause-of-nightmares' - some believed he had less than innocent intentions with his young charges)

He was extremely intelligent but Jenny shows that he lacked the capability to control and inspire students under his care at Oxford university. The colourful occasions of vandelism clearly troubled the methodical man. All was not lost for he found his place in teaching girls, who as Jenny explained were 'girls who wanted to learn' (page . A desire for knowledge makes a huge difference for receiving lectures. It was at these times, Jenny explains, that his imagination flourished.

Originally I thought Lewis Carroll was a bit of a nutcase. However, through Jenny's evaluation of his life I realise that he was extremely intelligent. Perhaps he explored his many theories about life through his writing, which was an accessible medium for his ideas to work their way into society. Furthermore, his logic problems were published for a short time in a periodical, whose answers he graded. Under the right circumstances he had the capability to engage with society. Nonetheless, his eccentric ways whih increased with age have me swinging ba k to the view that his view on the world wasn't always the most stable.

His stutter explains why he found it harder at Christ Church to communicate with the students. I was surprised to learn about his compassion when he helped care for the sick, although less surprised, after reading about his generous nature, what he did with some of his money in his bank account.

Misconceptions about Lewis Carroll possibly arose from him not fitting in the standardised view of a male by his contemporaries. Gossip is a dangerous past time. And yet as Jenny explores all aspects of his character he doesnt seem threatening. He is very aware that his actions might cause offense. Jenny points out we can't judge Lewis Carroll's behaviour using modern standards, because they simply didn't exist when he lived. I feel this is drawn on to emphasize that his interest in children, and association with young girls probably wasn't as untoward or inappropriate as it sounds.That isn't to say there weren't the odd incidents that may have tarnished their name, but there isn't solid proof to say if these incidents occurred outside people's minds.

Themes touched upon in one chapter are fully explored in another. The overlap causes a little repetition of info, yet I don't believe this is negative. It reminds the reader about what happened in earlier chapters. I don't think most would read the book in less than three sittings, it's more of a reference book.

Learning about his love of logic explains why I wasn't so keen on his work when I first read it. At university I discovered how much I don't like logic and philosophy, thanks to becoming best friends with a Philosophy student. Reading the extracts Jenny chose to highlight on logic took me back to my total confusion on logical problems. If i remember correctly, similar problems occurred in Alice. No wonder Alice held little appeal to me. As an author, Lewis Carroll's work may not be for me, but as a person, his life is fascinating. How people perceived him, the diverse expectations on him by society and his family, the almost constant internal struggles that he faced make a fascinating read.

Jenny can be found on her website, and also on her blog.

On My Wish List #8

On My Wishlist is a weekly meme that allows us to share the books we haven't bought yet but are waiting to be bought and devoured. This idea is brought to us by Book Chick City.

On my wishlist this week....

Cairo by G. Willow Wilson

(Graphic Novel)

Everything Beautiful by Simmone Howell

(YA Fiction)

Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn

(Fantasy)

Greywalker, Poltergeist, Underground, Vanished
by Kat Richardson

(Paranormal Fantasy)

No Way Out by Gene Kemp
(Kids Fiction/Suspense)

Dreamhunter by Elizabeth Knox

(YA Fantasy)

New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn

(YA Fiction)

The Host

(Science Fiction)

by Stephenie Meyer

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

(Kids Fiction)

That's all for this week...but there's always room for more.

Dark Lady's Chosen by Gail Z Martin

January 2010, Rebellion (Solaris)

608 pages, Paperback

Review copy

Fantasy

Cushions: 5

Daggers: 4

Paperclips: 1 (language infrequent but strong)

Smiles: 5

Tissues: 3

Yunaleska's recommended rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Summary from Solaris

Treachery and blood magic threaten King Martris Drayke’s hold on the throne he risked everything to win. As the battle against a traitor lord comes to its final days, war, plague and betrayal bring Margolan to the brink of destruction.

Civil war looms in Isencroft.

Finally, in Dark Haven, Lord Jonmarc Vahanian has bargained his soul for vengeance as he leads the vayash moru against a dangerous rogue who would usher in a future drenched in blood.

Before I'd even read a single line, I already liked the book. Take a look at the cover - the costume design is fashionable, and gives me the feel that this could be a fantasy along the lines of some video games I enjoy. (It is!) Another cool feature is that fact that instead of being divided into parts, the book is divided into days. Most of the action happens within a week, which is another appealing point for me. It might sound a bit strange, but I enjoy stories which happen over a shorter period of time. I like the detail of the action, and can really get into the character's heads by following almost every little detail of their life.

Oh! Oh! Vampires! At least that's what the vayash moru sound like from the ways to kill them. Further reading confirmed this book includes vampires, spirits, shape-shifters and lots more. I'd started the book with an expectation of the story that got turned inside out as I read on. I love fantasy with a high focus on magic. I've recently become a fan of fantasy with vampires, werewolves etc. To have both play a significant role in Dark Lady's Chosen makes it a delight to read.

Any world which marks time by candlemarks is usually one I enjoy in a story. I'm not sure why that is the case. Additionally, what I liked (besides the whole story) is the fact that amon the major events going on, ordinary people's lives carry on. Love blooms, friendly teasing occurs; these finer parts of life add to the vibrant story.

Although magic didn't feature in all the scenes, it was pretty magical stepping into pregnant queen Kiara's shoes and being transported with the few people she trusted by sleigh to a hunting lodge. That type of setting is my kind of fairy tale (this book contains fairies of the fanged variety).

Surprisingly, despite having over five point of view (pov) characters I easily remembered what was happening. The number of subplots didn't overwhelm me or get confusing, which can sometimes happen in epic tales. Neither did starting this series part way through hamper my understanding. Small descriptions of background story are given at appropriate moments in the story.

Revenge is a great motivator for a character. I think having strong feelings for Carina meant that Jonmarch would happily lose his life, if hers could be saved. This led to me to have a strong attachment to Jonmarch before I reached the third page.I kept this sense of liking him throughout the story.

Carina's character touched my heart. Her predicament is as tough on her as her friends. They go the extra mile to make sure all her new needs are met. The level of esteem she is held in by society is shown by their actions to her: many of those she helped in the past stay by her house keeping vigil. I nearly bawled my eyes out when the ghost Raen solidified a little to comfort Carina. The future could be a bleak one. Somehow she finds the strength of will to live on in her new state. I like how Carina's actions at the beginning of the book occur again near the end. The sense of ritual reminds me what has changed for her over the story.

Kiara is a strong natured woman, with a practical outlook on life. She needs it in her position (see the next paragraph for details).

liked it that for different reasons both Kiara and Carina needed to rest, but both rested the bare minimum so they could remain involved in the action. Had they been weaker willed, both women could have just stayed in bed. The courage within them gained my symapthy and almost instant liking for both of them. Kiara is battling something as unusual as Carina. Most people don't have to deal with nearly constant assassination attempts while being queen and pregnant. That's excluding all the political goings ons of a court.

Tris, like Kiara, has a personality which makes him a fair, compassionate monarch. I like how being a king doesn't corrupt him. He is able to distinguish between the two sides of himself. There's Tris the man, who is a loving, devoted husband away from his beloved wife. And there's Martris the king, who has tough decisions to make. Tris even refers to himself in two ways, at least to Kiara

Characters which are armed to the teeth, as long as they aren't the antagonist, are ones I root for. As I reader I know that watching them fight will be enjoyable, and maybe a little entertaining if the enemy is overenthusiastic.

I didn't expect to see a shaman work among both humans and non-humans. It added a different feel to the story -a good one. I'll be remembering this book for a long time.

The enemies felt like a real challenge to the protagonists. It wasn't going to be a walk in the park to defeat them.

As well as all the heart in mouth and tissue moments, having the pov of the enemy provided light relief. It always amuses me when the antagonists sidekicks argue with each other or make mistakes that bring them under unwanted attention of their evil master. What I found even funnier was that even when dead the antagonists are arrogant and mouthy.

There are some parts which are a bit gruesome and had me going a bit pale, but the story is chock full of action, not all of the fighting kind.

It was quite an emotional read for me, not in a soppy way. At a crucial part I was mentally yelling 'no' at the book for 2-3 pages, and was so scared for a character thst I held a page too tight and there's now a 1 cm tear on the edge of the page. I've never had that happen before! I will try not to hold the book in a death grip at the height of an action scene again. Italso took me a minute or two to continue reading as one plot was wound up. I was so happy I burst i to tears.

With conspiracy theories, treachery, scheming and a case where arson saves a life, I can't honestly praise Dark Lady's Chosen enough. I certainly hope to get to read more in this fantastic series.

Details about this series can be found at Gail Martin's website.

If you like vampires and fighting, try My Heart Lies Bleeding by Alyxandra Harvey.

For a magic centred epic tale, try Threshold by Mary Douglas

What are you reading? #7

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


Finished this week

Reading was at an all time low early on in the week due to evil Super-Germ Gremlins. I hope the list will be a bit longer next week.

(Re-reads in preparation for Changing: Blood Wolf which landed on my doorstep on Friday)

YA fantasy/mild horror (even better 2nd time round)

YA fantasy/mild horror

(Paranormal Romance, Very funny fantasy story. (Yes, I now like PR))

Fantasy, simply amazing superb tale

Planning to start/Read

I'm hoping that I'll get further down the list on what I want to start reading this week!

Mortlock by Jon Mayhew

April 2010, Bloomsbury Publishing

384 pages, Hardback

Uncorrected Proof Copy

Young Adult

Cushions: 5

Daggers: 3 (quite a lot, but schoolboy descriptions)

Smiles: 1

Tears: 0

Gerry’s recommended rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Summary from Bloomsbury Publishing

The sister is a knife-thrower in a magician’s stage act, the brother an undertaker’s assistant. Neither orphan knows of the other’s existence. Until, that is, three terrible Aunts descend on the girl’s house and imprison her guardian, the Great Cardamom. His dying act is to pass the girl a note with clues to the secret he carries to his grave. Cardamom was one of three explorers on an expedition to locate the legendary Amarant, a plant with power over life and death. Now, pursued by flesh-eating crow-like ghuls, brother and sister must decode the message and save themselves from its sinister legacy.

As I closed this book my immediate reaction was “WOW!”. It was soon followed by disappointment – you know the kind you get when your holiday is over and it’s time to go back to work or school. I didn’t want it to stop.

Josie is a knife thrower in a theatre act with her guardian who performs the most amazing magical feats. Josie is content except that her ‘Uncle’, Mr Chrimes aka Cardamom, has a drink problem. One day the ‘ladies’ come calling and Josie’s life becomes a battle to survive. Josie, a bit of a tom boy who finds many girls clothes uncomfortable to wear, finds she has a brother and together they set off to save themselves and the world from a fate worse than death.

From the moment the ‘ladies’ arrived until the book finally closed, I was kept on the edge of my seat with suspense.

There were some gory bits in it when characters are murdered by the ‘ladies’, but they were not overdone, it was schoolboy gory and though girls may not indulge in such gory fantasy I am sure they are used to it and won’t be put off.

When some of the characters are killed off there is emotion in Josie and Alfie, but it doesn’t reduce the reader to tears despite the fact that we know their pain, instead we are kept on the edge of our seats in pursuit of world salvation.

At times I found myself saying ‘They wouldn’t get away that easily!’ only to find I have pre-empted Jon and they haven’t got away.

Jon has written the characters convincingly and I had no problem remembering that Josie was a girl and I am sure this book will entertain girls as well as boys equally. Further, I found it hugely enjoyable and not too infantile and I am hardly a child anymore, so this book can appeal to adults as well.

What I felt most about this book, as I said at the outset, was ‘WOW!’. I look forward to Jon’s second novel, “The Demon Collector”.

A trailer for this book can be seen here on YouTube.

Jon Mayhew's website can be viewed here.

Liked this? Try The Spook's Sacrifice by Joseph Delaney

My So-Called Afterlife by Tamsyn Murray

February 2010, Piccadilly Press

176 pages, Paperback

Review copy (sent kindly by the author - thank you for making sure I got a copy!)

Young Adult

Cushions: 1

Paperclips: 2

Smiles: 5

Tears: 4

Yunaleska's recommended rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Summary from Piccadilly Press

Fifteen-year-old Lucy has been stuck in the men’s loos since she was murdered there six months ago and Jeremy is the first person who’s been able to see or hear her. Just her luck that he’s a seriously uncool geography-teacher type – but at least he’s determined to help. Once he’s found a way for her to leave the loos, she’s soon meeting other ghosts, including the gorgeous Ryan. However, when Jeremy insists that she helps him track down her killer, she has to confront her greatest fear

Uggs are such a fashion icon that I think most will be hooked by the first page. Replacing uggs is expensive, but perhaps not so much for a ghost. Afterall, if Lucy is ethereal her boots should be too, right? Naturally it is the principle of it all. Stuck in the loos is far from appealing.

I was curious why Lucy couldnt really go anywhere before Jeremy showed up. I enjoy the rules which restrict people in paranormal, not that I needed any encouragent to read on and find out more of Lucy's tale. The rules which Lucy makes up are her coping mechanism for being dead. They are funny, but with that humour I felt sad for Lucy. She seems a normal teen, interested in catching up on the latest entertainment news. But that couldn't last forever. I was surprised at how Jeremy got Lucy out. The principle behind it made sense, and laid down a problem for later on. For fashion conscious Lucy, she bravely put up with a fashion disaster. It's amazing what people do when they are desperate.

I wanted to know what made Jeremy so special that he could see Lucy. Is he more openminded and perhaps more observant? That thought went out the window at the church. I nearly bawled my eyes out at why Jeremy helped Lucy. A very touching moment, with a few others in the story that had me reaching for a tissue.It would have been interesting to have had Jeremy's point of view. I wondered what he was thinking, how strange (or not) he thought the situation was.

In some ways, once she's able to move around, life as a ghost is similar to when Lucy was alive. There are mean ghosts, arrogant ghosts, opinionated ghosts and some friendly ones too.

Hep, a ghost Lucy becomes friend's with, probably wasn't a friend Lucy would have chosen to have when she was alive, but as a ghost with unfinished business there aren't an abundance of ghosts to choose from. Lucy needed to learn how to live as a ghost, and Hep has the knowledge she needs. I feel I should have known ghost personalities would mirror those in real-life. Meeting Hep's acquaintences reminded Lucy of the people she isn't missing out on meeting in life. Not all ghosts are friendly.

I hate bullies. Yes, i was bullied, but not as much as poor Hep. When she finally comes to terms with her emotions I wanted to reach out and give her a hug for all that she had to endure. There is no doubt that Tamsyn is a talented writer, able to put to paper the whirling mass of teenage emotions. I needed a tissue when Hep reached an understanding about life.

Just when I was thinking it was time for Jeremy to bring the details about Lucy's murder, it happened. That made me content with the pacing of the story.I wouldn't call it all light hearted, but there's definitely a more serious tone to the second half of the book, where everything comes to a head for Lucy.There are scarier people than just Lucy's murderer - although I was pretty shaken by what happened with the killer.

I liked the finer details such as the phone line for ghosts. I don't think anyone would mind if they ran up a huge bill.

Random parts of the book: a good strong focus on meercats and bats, two of my favourite animals. Flying traffic cones.

Tamsyn Murray has her own website here.

I'll be getting hold of a copy of her next book: Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensation due out this summer!

50+ followers contest INTERNATIONAL CLOSED

CONGRATULATIONS SHY! - info here

I've made it over 50 followers! Whoohoo!

I feel this is a significant number that ought to be celebrated. So, in celebration of this event, I'm giving away a £15/$25 prize!

The winner will get to pick a book/books that go up to the value of £15/$25. If it goes over by one or two extra £'s/$'s, I will probably allow it. I'm sure most people can find a hardback or two paperbacks that they would like.

The Rules

Entry: open to everyone apart from contributors to the blog. One entry per person. See competition rules but everyone must be over 18 years old.

Deadline: Wednesday 10th March 2010 (6pm GMT).

How do you enter? Just post a comment :) That's all you have to do. I'll contact the winner by 6pm Thursday 11th March 2010.

Everyone's names will be put onto bits of paper, then I'll select one at random.

Thank you everyone for supporting this blog, whether you are a lurker, a commenter, a donator, or a reviewer. It means a lot to me that Nayu's Reading Corner is thriving.

Introducing...my new Meme Controller and Reviewers!

The moment I opened my inbox and discovered people wanted to help review here was wonderful. I wanted to announce who they were straight away. But putting the introductions into one post made more sense.

Meme Controller - GRG

I met GRG through the blog-o-sphere, and was delighted when she enquired about the position. She's fabulous to work with, and has even coerced the Blogger Schedule Gremlins to post on time (a feat I somehow struggled with). Here's GRG's introduction, in her own words:

Hi there! So….I was asked to introduce myself to you, the readers, so that you may gain a little behind the scenes info. Honestly…I’m not accustomed to talking about myself all that much, but here goes nothing! I herald from the US of A, originally born in the Northern states, only to be moved down South several odd years later with my family.

My general interests are (of course) reading, writing (to some degree), music (varied taste), movies (same here), shopping (okay, really…it’s a girl thing), and my pups (mine and our families). My love of books (and a blogging friend) is what drove me to start my own blog, Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers. Books are of course the main topic; however we do stray a bit from time to time. What genres are covered? The answer is as many as the grains of sand in an hour glass….no, really, it’s pretty much whatever catches my eye. You’ll find new books, beloved favorites, non-published works (sometimes), and those titles that have been out, but you may have missed. Feel free to stop on over anytime!

In close, I would like to thank Yunaleska for this opportunity. Although we (the newbie’s) are assisting her, we are definitely getting experience out of it as well. See you in the blogging world (and Twitter….who isn’t on there?)…and happy reading! GMR

The Reviewers - Carly, Gerry and Martin

(Further reviewing positions are still open, email me if you'd be interested) words

I was happy when one reviewer came forth. To have three volunteer so soon was even better. I have little more to say because all three have introduced themselves:

Carly

Hi everyone, I'm Carly and I'm really excited to be writing reviews for Nayu's Reading Corner!

I'm a 22 year old Creative Writing graduate from Bath Spa and I write reviews for my blog and a few other websites, including Chicklish and Curled Up with a Good Book. I most commonly review young adult fiction but I do sometimes review horror and adult books. My favourite books of all are time are The Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath), Rebecca (Daphne du Maurier), The Five People You Meet in Heaven (Mitch Albom), The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Stephen Chbosky) and It (Stephen King). Thinking about it, I guess none of my favourite books are considered YA fiction but there you go!

Aside from reviewing I'm also a keen writer. As I said before, I'm a creative writing graduate and my heart is in novel writing. I'm currently working on the same novel I've been struggling with for years. One day I'm sure I'll actually make some decent progress with it! I'm also in the process of applying for a Masters in writing for young people at Bath Spa University so fingers crossed I get in!

I also love to watch films, listen to music, travel, drink a little too much with my uni chums, take rubbish photos on my phone, spend too much money on pretty dresses and play the guitar. How diverse I am :).

I currently live with my boyfriend in a lovely town house just outside Bath, in a place called Staverton Marina, which is a teeny tiny village that floods all the time. Happy days!

Gerry

Gerry Mayfield took early retirement in 2008 from more than 30 years in a career in IT ranging from mainframe operator to IT manager for an international security printing company. He retired due to good health, having had a heart attack in 2005 and had determined it would be his last.

He set himself the goal to do those things he enjoyed that he had been neglecting. Those things included gardening, woodwork, friends and reading.

The first book he remembers reading was "The Yellow Book" and wouldn't have given it single star. As a teenager he became obsessed with Sc-Fi but since marrying, more than 30 years ago, he has broadened his reading and has read some of "The Classics". He enjoys such authors as Terry Pratchett, Robert Rankin, Tom Holt and Andrew Harman but has recently read and enjoyed 'chick lit' as well as "Soldiers Song", "Never Look Back" and many more across a broad band of styles and genres. He has also read, and found OK but not outstanding, "Brooklyn" by Colm Toibin.

We have books on shelves stacked floor to ceiling in the spare room, or "Library" as we like to think of it, as well as a bookcase on the landing, books in the dining room, books in the living room, books on the bedside table and in our daughter's bedroom. One of my current projects is building a new bookcase to try to, athough temporarily, pretend there is some semblance of order to it all.

Martin

I'm 52, married and live in Swansea. I've lived in this area for most of my life, apart from a two-year business studies course at Coventry Polytechnic. For the last thirty years I've been a Financial Adviser, now Independent. My main loves in life, apart from my wife and my Christian faith, are books, music and most sports,

I've never reviewed books on line at all. However, I have reviewed music concerts and I was also editor of a football website for two years, where I wrote articles and reviewed football matches. I also started an online journalism course with the London School of Journalism, but unfortunately half way through the course I had to finish because of work commitments.

I've been an avid book reader since I can remember. I remember reading Enid Blyton's Famous Five and Richmal Crompton's 'Jennings' books when I was younger. Since then I have read different genres, including Science Fiction. However, my favourite authors currently are Harlan Coben, Michael Connelly and C J Sansom. I'm currently reading 'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy, which I find is most unusual as it doesn't have any chapters! I'm also reading 'The road to Woodstock' by Michael Lang, which is Lang's biography of how the Woodstock concert came into being, and his involvement in it.

I'd like to say a huge thank you to GRG, Carly, Gerry and Martin for agreeing to help out on Nayu's Reading Corner, and I look forward to their reviews!

On My Wishlist #7

On My Wishlist is a weekly meme that allows us to share the books we haven't bought yet but are waiting to be bought and devoured. This idea is brought to us by Book Chick City.

On my wishlist this week....

Aurelia by Anne Osterlund

(YA Romantic Mystery)

Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott

(YA fiction)

Warrior Princess by Frewin Jones

(YA Historical Fiction)

Dreaming Anastasia by Joe Preble

(YA Urban Fantasy)

Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner

(YA Fantasy)

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day

(YA Fantasy)

Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne

(YA Fantasy)

Mostly Mittens by Charlene Schurch

(Crafts)

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

(YA Romance)

Veracity by Laura Bynum

(Sci-Fi/Speculative Fiction)

That's all for this week, but there's always room for more!