Monday 31 May 2010

Mahtab's Story by Libby Gleeson

February 2010, Allen & Unwin Children's Books (distributed by Frances Lincoln)
186 pages, Paperback
Review Copy

Children's, 10+, Cultural

Cushions: 4
Daggers: 1
Smiles: 2
Tears: 4
Nayuleska's recommended rating:♥♥♥♥♥


Summary from Frances Lincoln


Mahtab was empty. She felt hungry...for water, for her father, for her grandmother, her aunts and uncles, for the trees in the back yard, the cabinet on the wall, the silver and glass objects so lovingly collected, for her mountains, the jagged peaks that cut the sky. Her father was dead. She felt sure of it. She was just a speck of dirt on the floor, drifting through the gap between the boards, falling to the ground.

Mahtab and her family are forced to leave their home in Herat and journey secretly through the rocky mountains to Pakistan and from there to faraway Australia. Months go by, months of waiting, months of dread. Will they ever be reunited with their father, will they ever find a home?



Stories like instantly have my rushing for the tissues box. I like real-life inspired fiction because it is a reminder of what happens in the world. Mahtab doesn't have it easy. There's the emotional hardships; leaving her life behind for a new one, the fear of being caught, the anxiety over seeing her father again. There's the physical hardships: staying cramped on a vehicle for days, having so little to eat and drink, not seeing a doctor when she's sick. There are other hardships as well, but those are the main ones.

These hardships would be tough on a healthy adult. But for a child, it's a huge ordeal. Mahtab doesn't necessarily have as large an understanding about the situation as her mother (she's protected from some of the emotional hardship by being a child), but her fear is real. Her mother tells her a lot so she can be strong for her younger brothers. What she goes through, sadly, is becoming a common tale. Many people flee their homes for the safety of other countries. Mahtab's tale shows that it is far from easy. The conditions don't ease up when they enter the safe country either. The places where asylum seekers have to live, (detention centres?) are adequate, but life within the walls is hard.

Imagine being separated from freedom by just a wire fence. To see that free world every day, and not know if you'll ever be a part of it. Just think about it has me tearing up.

Somehow, Mahtab keeps going. She struggles to cope with traumas of the trip, but she survives. I've met a few people like Mahtab. Looking at them, I never knew their background. I was horrified as I heard their tale (from someone else who knew hat happened). I would like to think that safe countries could make their detention centres nicer places for asylum seekers, and that we can help as many people as possible to live in safety.


I liked how the story in the book was split up into short sections, making it easier to read for the intended age group. It was clever how the sentences ran into each other on purpose when Mahtab became ill at one point in the story - as I reader I could feel her confusion. 


Check out Libby Gleeson's impressive collection of published work on her website.


For another realistic story, try Bone by Bone by Bone, by Tony Johnston

What are you reading? #20

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.



Books I've finished

 
YA Fiction
(Angels are the new vampires! Torment is not available until the Autumn.  My review of Fallen...)


 
 
Fantasy



Children's Fiction
(Funny thriller - it was a reread because I have my hands on the second book!  My review...)



Children's Fiction
Inspirational start to a new series!










Books I hope to read this week:




Children's Dystopian Fiction
(The reasons I kept putting this book down were due to being too tired to read, rather than a dull book! )



Non-fiction
(Yes, I wasn't keen on Paris so I'm hoping this little find will help change my mind.)

Children's Fiction
(Clemmie's back...and this time she's abroad!)



Plus (in theory) several more books, titles undisclosed because I'm going for several days of pure reading! (Due to holiday leave and national holiday I have 2 days at work this week.) Hopefully next week I'll be able to show a nice long list of books I've read!
 

Friday 28 May 2010

4 reviews courtesy of Lenore's IBBMP

Today is a bumper day of reviews. Lenore of Presenting Lenore book review blog (also starring cute cats Emmy and Finn), has started a program for international book bloggers. Sometimes it can be hard to get copies of books for review purpose (new ones from publishers). I'm live in a country where I'm able to get some review copies, but Lenore accepted my application.

This month's author was Karen Mahoney. I hadn't heard of Karen before now. I loved her short story Falling to Ash in the Vampire anthology The Eternal Kiss. Moth is a great character!

Other books I received from Karen were:

Scarred by Julia Hoban
Persistance of Memory by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
and the non-vampire one (full of faeries) of Eyes like Stars by Lisa Mantchev.

A huge thank you to Lenore for giving me the opportunity to be a part of her programme, and to Karen who is lovely and has a great choice in books!

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

2010 edition (out now) , Square Fish
366 pages, Paperback
Received as part of IBBMP

Fantasy, Young Adult

Cushions: 4
Daggers: 2
Smiles: 5
Tears: 3
Nayuleska's recommended rating;♥♥♥♥♥


Book cover blurb: 


Welcome to the Theatre Illuminata, where the characters of every play ever written can be found behind the curtain. The actors are bound to the Theatre by The Book, and ancient and magical tome of scripts. Bertie is not one of the actors, but they are her family. And she is about to lose them all because The Book has been threatened, and along with it the Theatre. It's the only home Bertie has ever known, and she has to find a way to save it. But first, there's the small problem of two handsome men, both vying for her attention. The course of true love never did run smooth...


A confession: I picked this book because of the cover. Come on! How cool is Bertie's blue hair? (The events involving the change in Bertie's hair colour is hysterical). And the fairies are cute! Although they are really funny, love food, and cause much trouble for Bertie. They occasionally help her out too. 


Bertie enjoys her life in the theatre. Sure, her sleep gets disrupted when plays need to be performed (such is the trauma of having her bedroom on stage). And she is in such big trouble with the theatre management that she must perform a play that will sell out and get an ovation in order to stay there. But her entertaining fairy companions are there to lighten (and darken) the mood. 


There is peril which had me on the edge of my seat, but this is interspersed with a great deal of humour. There's humour in the tissue moments (of which there are a few). There's humour as Bertie unravels the mystery of her origins - who exactly is her mother? How did some come to be in the Theatre? There's also humour as Bertie deals with the threatened Book. When the magic gets taken out of the Book, the result is catastrophic. I didn't think it could be resolved, but Bertie finds a way. The way isn't easy, and she gets hurt and tricked by people she thought she could trust. But what good is a story without conflict? 

I would like to relate the happy news that there is a second book coming out very soon! Perchance to Dream continues Bertie's adventure. There is more to Bertie's life to be revealed. She has to choose which man to give her heart to (personally there is no choice in the matter, stupid girl). Perchance to Dream will hopefully carry the same humour in Eyes Like Stars. I'm glad there's another story with Bertie because her personality and that of her friends is too enjoyable to remain in just one book. I'm hoping there might be a third! 


Additionally Bertie's friends could, in my view, have their own series. They are so funny, and I'm sure they have lots of adventures Bertie doesn't know about. 


This is a truly funny book, which will cheer you up and make you laugh out loud. And smile a lot.

If you liked this, try another book with fairies: Knife by R J Anderson

Persistence of Memory by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

2008, Delacorte Press
212 pages, Paperback
Received as part of IBBMP

Young Adult

Cushions: 4
Daggers: 3
Paperclips: 1-2
Smiles: 2
Nayuleska's recommended rating: ♥♥♥♥


Book cover jacket blurb: 


Sixteen-year-old Erin Misrahe just wants to be like everyone else in her new school. But Erin has more to worry about than passing AP Chemistry or making friends. In times of stress, she has always have been overcome by her alter ego, Shevaun, whose violent behavior wreaks havoc on those around her. Erin can never remember anything about these episodes, and she's grateful to have been spared them for a while. 


But when a protective friend comes back into Erin's life, he insists that Shevaun is a vampire who actually exists apart from Erin. Shevaun has dangerous allies, like the handsome witch Adjila - and they're determined to sever Shevaun's connection to Erin once and for all. 


In Amelia Atwater-Rhodes's thrilling tale of love, loyalty, and illusion, the waking hours are only as safe as the dreams that come before them. 


I don't think I need explain why I wanted this book. Imagine having a second life that you don't know about, and a vampire one at that. I loved how this was portrayed in the book. It was clever, and a little scary. I felt sorry for Erin initially, because she hasn't a clue what's going on and is left alone with scarily powerful people.

From what goes on in her school, it's clear that Erin isn't a 'normal' girl (not that there is such a thing as normal). Her violent tendencies are dealt with in the book, in a voice that is fresh and amusing. Not that stabbing people is funny. It is the opposite of funny. But how Erin looks at life - she doesn't seem like a nutcase to me. She is vulnerable, with more going on in her body than she's aware of. It is this that makes the book so awesome with the way the story twisted. It isn't just about Erin being a vampire/having a vampire in her body. It's about why that happens, why Erin is so different.

Adjila is one scary character. His initial view of who Erin should be leads to Erin being in uncomfortable situations. My heart was pounding every time she met Adjila, wondering what he'd do to her. Wondering how she would escape back to what I thought was her own, proper world. Living two lives must be exhaustiing.

I like how the theme of difference was explored in the book. Erin enjoys the few moments when she can forget about her past and live in the moment like a 'normal' person. I loved the end because Erin finally finds people who can understand her and all her strange tendencies. She starts to feel settled down in life. It's also a stage of uncertainty for her relationship with her father.

Persistence of Memory has a new (at least for me) twist on the vampire theme. Which somehow remains new and exciting for me as a reader. If you like vampires, definitely add this to your TBR pile.

Another intriguing book is Scarred by Ann Hoban

The Eternal Kiss edited by Trisha Telep

2009, Running Press Kids
416 pages, Paperback
Received as part of IBBMP

Young Adult, Urban Fantasy

Cushions: 4
Daggers: 3
Paperclips: variable, sometimes 3-4
Smiles: 4
Tissues: 2
Nayuleska's recommended rating:♥♥♥♥


Book cover blurb:

Supernatural forces and desires come alive in these thirteen vampire tales. Like love, the adventures are never safe and hungers never die. And chances are taken. If you are seduced by the mystery of the heart, beating for a destiny unknown, you will helplessly follow the characters' in this collection - longing for one to call their own. 

Admittedly, love and vampires isn't why I accepted this IBBMP book. I rarely read anthologies. I prefer longer stories.

However, I now will happily embrace anthologies. They are an opportunity to get to know an author's style (well, several authors) before committing to one of their novels. Thanks to this book, I am now eyeing up several, new-to-me authors. It's fun reading stories by authors whose works I have already read (not necessarily involving vampires).

Karen Mahoney, who was the author providing me with the opportunity to read this book, has a cool character Moth,  (including a very cool business card sized picture of Moth which is lurking somewhere in another book as a bookmark). I'm not just saying that. She, like all the other authors in this anthology created characters (be they vampires, soon to be vampires, or mere mortals) that enticed me to read more. Some, like Ash, I really liked. Others I didn't like, but I did find their stories captivating.

Here's a quick summary of what you can find in the stories: (in the same order as they can be found in the book).


  • Falling to Ash by Karen Mahoney: A vampire (Moth), a favour involving hunt-an-item, family discovering the truth, and blood. 
  • Shelter Island by Melissa De La Cruz (I now own the first Blue Blood book, haven't read it yet): A normal girl, a haunted house, myths of vampires dissolved, something scarier than a person with fangs. Blood here also.
  • Sword Point by Maria V Snyder (whose books, including Poison Study, I adore) Swords (which can mix with vampires), an embarrassing mother, protection from vampires (not so much blood in this one)
  • The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black: a girl drunk to avoid drinking blood, a place secluding vampires (unusual), a person exchange. 
  • Undead is Very Hot Right Now by Sarah Rees Brennan: Point of view from a male vampire (oddly most of the books I read have female protagonists in them - is there a gap in the market for protagonists to be male?), a music gig, insane (not literally, although they could be locked up for their overenthusiasm) fans, self-image (and how others see you). 
  • Kat by Kelley Armstrong: A girl with as yet unmanifested powers (other than night vision) on the run from vampires, strong ties of friendship, more blood (not so strange considering this is a vampire anthology!)  
  • The Thirteenth Step by Libba Bray: A girl working in place with a lot of secrets - secrets that will change her life when she finds them out, a fridge (this is part of the story!), addiction programme, night shifts, not so much blood. 
  • All Hallows by Rachel Caine: Why vampires aren't fluffy bunnies, a vampire boyfriend, lots more vampires, not so much blood here either. 
  • Wet Teeth by Cecil Castellucci: A more detailed account of biting people (I felt a bit queasy here), another male protagonist, a vampire stalker (person who stalks vampires, not a vampire who stalks people), a park, a reason not to make friends (only applicable to the undead). 
  • Other Boys by Cassandra Clare: A girl who isn't allowed to go out and have fun (her view) - there is a good reason for this, a library with reference books on vampires (which are real), a boy, and blood. 
  • Passing by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie: Vampire Hunter School (this so ought to be a series), a fateful hunt, a bat (not with fangs), Italian (with translation). 
  • Ambition by Lili St. Crow: A strict private school, a fire alarm, difficult choices. 
  • All Wounds by Dina James:  Stupid pencils (despite what people say, objects can have intelligence) a forgetful grandmother with a secret, werewolves. 
About my only complete is the standard one in anthologies: I want the stories to be longer! And the cover - this type of cover for vampire books is getting a bit dull. It's a good thing I don't judge books by their covers.

Scarred by Julia Hoban

March 2010, by Piatkus
312 pages, Paperback
Received as part of IBBMP

Young Adult

Cushions: 4
Daggers: 2 (a bit gory in places)
Paperclips: 1-2
Tissues: 3
Nayuleska's recommended rating:♥♥♥♥♥


Book cover blurb:
(This isn't for squeamish readers)


Seven months earlier on a rainy March night, Willow's parents drank too much wine at dinner and asked her to drive them home. But they never made it - Willow lost control of the car and both of her parents were killed. 


Now seventeen, Willow is living with her older brother, who can barely speak to her. She has left behind her old home, friends and school. But Willow has found a way to survive, to numb the new reality of her life; she is secretly cutting herself. And then she meets Guy - a boy as sensitive and complicated as she is. When Guy discovers Willow's secret, he pulls her out of the solitary world she's created for herself, and into a difficult, intense and potentially life-changing relationship. 


This book focuses on what I feel is a tough and sensitive issue: self-harm. I chose this book specifically for this reason. I know self-harmers, and have had first-hand experience of all the emotions surrounding self harming. 


Julia tackles the subject matter well. No holds are barred. The reader truly gets into all of Willow's thoughts. How she works out places she can safely cut herself. Tools for cutting. How to buy them (and how other people might be onto what she does when she buys them). Ways to hide her cuts and her tools. 


But Willow can't hide forever. The fears she has at being found out came across strongly to me. I was on the edge of my seat, wondering how Guy would react. He does have an adverse reaction at some point in the story, but most of the time he stays true to Willow. 


I liked how Willow explained why she cuts because of the emotion behind it. She knows it isn't a good thing to do, but there's a part of her which rationalises doing it.  I was squirming in my seat at the more gruesome scenes, which involved the need for paperclip rating, alongside the daggers. Those parts weirded me out a bit, yet they seemed realistic. The intensity of the scenes worked well for book, and wasn't out of place for Willow's character. Some of Guy's actions and reactions weren't what I'd call normal, but the realism was there. His character was a good match for Willow. She needed someone to know what she did, without (mostly) prejudging her. 


The novel isn't only about self-harm, it is also about Willow's journey in coming to terms with the tragic accident. That is all it was. Losing parents in a car accident can't be easy to deal with - what makes it harder for Willow is that she was directly involved in it. It affects her relationship with her brother, a relationship which alters thanks to Guy's involvement in her life. It affects how she feels, and why she self-harms. 


For those who can stomach a tricky subject like this, I wholeheartedly recommend Scarred. 


Issues of self-harm are touched upon in Keren David's When I Was Joe and also the upcoming (not yet available) Almost True. 

Thursday 27 May 2010

Hold On Tight, Stripy Horse! by Jim Helmore and Karen Wall


March 2010, Egmont32 pages, Paperback
Review Copy

Children's, Picture book

Clouds: 5
Smiles: 4
Nayuleska's recommended rating:♥♥♥♥♥

Summary from Egmont

Splish! Splash! Splosh! Wet and windy magic was at work in the bric-a-brac shop. Plop! A big drop of icy water landed on the stripy horse's nose and woke him up. When the weather turns bad in the bric-a-brac shop, Stripy Horse and his friends must save the day. With the help of Muriel, Hermann, and their new friend, Ella the flamingo-shaped umbrella, they must get to the bottom of this tropical storm before poor Roly and Pitch the salt and pepper pots get washed away. Perhaps the painting on the wall and the parrot-shaped weathervane have something to do with it...

I saw the front cover, and instantly wanted to review this because of the cuteness factor. Look at the cute horse with the large, poke-able stomach! Don't you just want to hug him? (I'm very fond of all things cute and squishy). Okay, the colours remind me of brightly coloured socks. But the shape of stripy horse are similar to a soft toy giraffe I had. I used to (and still do, sometimes) push the giraffe's feet inwards, so that they disappeared into the legs....I think I'd better stop digressing on my toy collection!

Those were the reasons for selecting the book. Now onto the story itself. The story stresses how anything can happen when friends help out. I liked the bric-a-brac shop illustrations. I smiled at how friendly the other toys look (the penguins are funny). There's such a treasure-trove of objects in the shop, which readers can spend time looking at. For parents reading to children, questions could be asked about where else the objects appear in the book, what the objects might be used for, whether there are any in the child's house. A book is never just a book, there are always other things you can do with it (questions, re-enactments. Not door stops)

The practical adult in me (yes, one does exist) thought 'Think of the smell of drying everything out, or the cost of replacing sodden objects'. I pushed that aside with my fun, imaginative side which figured out that everyone would magically become dry by the end of the book. The mystery is why it started raining in the house - a mystery which has a reasonable explanation.

This is a brightly coloured story, with plenty to inspire the reader's imagination. I personally adore the two penguins, Roly and Pitch. They cheer on Stripy Horse, and appear on most pages of the book. All the other characters, including Stripy Horse, pop out from the page. I want to hug them all! I don't know if it exists, but it would be really cool if there was a real stuffed version of Stripy Horse. I can imagine children clutching him, then re-enacting his adventure from the book. (Note to manufacturers - I really want a Stripy House toy!).

This is a book I'll treasure for a long time.

For  another cute book check out Knight Time, by Jane Clarke and Jane Massey

Wednesday 26 May 2010

Tassie and the Black Baron by Katie Roy

February 2010, Egmont
288 pages, Paperback
Review Copy


Children's, 9+ 


Smiles: 5
Nayuleska's recommended rating:♥♥♥♥♥


Before I write the review, I would like to explain that Katie Roy died in February 2009. I only found this out by seeing if she had a website. I guess this will be the only book about Tassie. I'm going to treasure it even more now. 


Summary from Egmont



Brutus, the dastardly Black Baron, has challenged his wimpy cousin to a duel. A duel to the death! Poor Prince Billy... all he really wants to do is marry Lady Violetzka, and maybe write some badly rhyming poems.
“Be proud my pounding heart, my knocking knees knock less. Stand firm my armour! (And my underpants and vest!)..."
Enter Tassie Ripley – she travels back in time with a cunning plan to save the Prince. It involves the hokey kokey, a talking horse, and a wax candle stuck to her head. With Tassie’s help, medieval history will read BRAVO FOR BILLY! and BASHINGS FOR BRUTUS!



Time travel. I don't know what it is, but there is something appealing about characters going back in time and having a small impact on history. Tassie's story sounded entertaining - it is hilarious. Katie's humour is spot on, and will have readers of all ages chortling over Tassie's family. 


I would feel sorry for Tassie. Her parents and the Twins (Sam and Lil) are not what you call normal. They are the kind of family who you'd look at and think 'who are they?' They end up in heaps of trouble, including the police and the castle staff. They even end up back in time with Tassie, not that they realise they've changed time eras. 


However, Tassie has fun adventures - although she doesn't always think so. Her life in this book involves flowers, a damsel who is stressed rather than in distress, a wannabe heir who everyone hates, a horse who is more than it appears....and so the list goes on. 


There was probably no single sentence which didn't have me smiling away as I read the book. It is just really funny. Tassie makes a friend with someone she wouldn't ordinarily go near, eventually saves the day and gets embarrassed by her family (nothing new there). She also saves a kingdom from a terrible ruler, which I think is a big plus side of her adventure. 


I think Tassie is going to be one of those characters I'll return to when I need a laugh. Just thinking of her family's antics has me smiling  away. A heroine with a candle on her head makes an amusing read. 


For another amusing read, check out Princess For Hire by Lindsey Leavitt

Tuesday 25 May 2010

Rebel by R J Anderson

January 2010, Orchard Books
304 pages, Paperback
Review Copy

Fantasy, Children's

Cushions: 3
Daggers: 1
Smiles: 3
Nayuleska's recommended rating:♥♥♥♥♥


Summary from Orchard Books 


No ordinary fairy tale...

Linden is a feisty faery with a lot on her mind. She her fellow faeries are under threat: their magic is fading, and if they do not act fast, they will die...

When Linden meets Timothy, a human staying in the house opposite her Oak, she knows he can help. Together they embark on a dangerous journey to seek more magic  and discover that there is more to fear from other faeries than they could ever have imagined.



After reading the fairy with attitude's journey of discovery in Knife, Rebel takes off where Knife stopped. Instead of following Knife, it follows Linden, a fairy who plays an important role in Knife's life. Linden has a similar attitude to Knife, but her personality feels different to me as a reader (in a good way). Knife features in the book, but there are plenty of new characters too.


She embarks on an adventure which holds many dangers that had me holding my breath. What Linden learns affects every fairy in the whole tree. She learns that the other fairies, who exist far away, are different to the oak tree fairies. There's a very big difference which involve how fairies come into existence, and the types of fairies in the world. Linden's discovery, which eventually appears back at the oak shocks all the oak tree fairies. It makes them look outside their little (or not so little in the grand scheme of things) world, and see that they need to communicate with the other fairies. 


Unfortunately, there is a problem with this. It's called fairy politics. If only it was just bureaucracy, then Linden's life would be much easier. There is an fairy in power, one who makes it nearly impossible for Linden to achieve her goal. Thankfully I was surprised at the ending. Hope is there for Linden, in an unexpected guise. 


The fun thing about Linden's story is that she travels further than Knife did, further in the world than any current oak tree fairy was been. It's a world which surprises her. There are fairy hunters. Linden has a few powers bestowed upon her to help with her journey, powers that provide funny moments, and also really scary ones. 

I love Linden as much as I love Knife and all the other characters. The issues raised in this book, are ones which will probably be examined in the 2 further books being published in this series! Yes, I'm jumping up and down in excitement at this series having 4 books in it. Fairies rule! I can't wait for all the plots to get unravelled, and for certain fairies to get their comeuppance. 



R J Anderson can be found on her website.

Make sure you've read the first book in the series, Knife.

Knife by R J Anderson (Children's, 11 years +, 10/10E)

January 2009, Orchard Books 
320 pages, Paperback
Personal Copy




Summary from Orchard Books


Once upon a time, a fairy is born. She lives in an old oak tree at the bottom of a garden with the rest of the fairy folk. Never has she known a time when life hasn't been hard, with many dangers and much adversity. But when she becomes the Hunter of the group and learns to do battle in the outside world, her adventures really take off...

Don't read this book if you're expecting fairy dust - the last thing Knife is likely to wield is a magic wand...



Knife is a fairy with attitude - can't you tell from the way she's standing on the front cover? Initially she isn't even called Knife. Knife, nee Bryony, wants to go outside. Outside is a place where most fairies aren't allowed to go. It isn't safe there. That doesn't stop Bryony from taking a trip out there. Yes, she gets punished for it. But it is this small rebellion which sets her life on a different course. 


Bryony/Knife isn't looked upon favourably by all the fairies. Thankfully there are a few who are fond of her, especially her foster mother. It is these she wants to protect when she learns the dangers their home is in. She will do anything to save her people, even if it means disobeying them and visiting the humans in the nearby house. 


It is through these illicit visits that Knife learns the dark secrets that the fairy queen keeps close to her. Knife has to make heart breaking decisions, save her people or follow her heart. 


I guess I liked Knife as a character because of her attitude. She's different. She wants to be true to her self. It is through her inquisitive and sometimes reckless nature that she's able to help the fairies. When she chooses her new name, Knife, it reminds me of the moment in the video game Final Fantasy 9. One of the main characters, Princess Garnet, has to hide her identity (although to be fair, she still wears the same outfit which surely would have been a big give away if it were a book). She looks at the weapon she borrowed of the main male character, Zidane, and decides that she wants to be called Dagger. Knife's name change is similar to this, and equally cool. 


This is a series I will be re-reading because of Knife, and the fine blend of drama and humour. Knife is backed up by a fine cast of secondary characters who are as memorable as she is. The really mean fairies are the polar opposite to the really nice fairies.  Then there are the fairies who want to help Knife, but who also want to obey the rules of the land. Knife learns that getting what she wants comes with responsibilities and dangers that she previously never thought of. However, with her trusty name-sake in her hand, she's more than able to stand up to whatever she encounters. 


Make sure you check out R J Anderson's site (where the books have different covers, and different titles)


The story of Knife's world is continued in Rebel. 

Monday 24 May 2010

Bone by Bone by Bone, by Tony Johnston

January 2010, Frances Lincoln
208 pages, Paperback
Review Copy

Children's, 11+, Cultural

Cushions: 3
Daggers: 3 (includes prejudice)
Tears: 4
Nayuleska's recommended reading:♥♥♥♥♥


Summary from Frances Lincoln


Malcolm and I could no more be separated than green from grass. My daddy had forbidden me to play with him, on account of his being coloured. Though little by little I came to understand the barriers between Negroes and white folks, back then I knew of no rule about two boys not being friends.

The most important thing in David’s life is his friendship with Malcolm. In a secret ceremony in a cave they even become blood brothers.

But this is 1950s Tennessee, and Malcolm is black. One day David’s fiercely racist father lays down a terrible threat. If Malcolm ever enters their home, he will kill him. David tries to change his daddy’s mind, but what will happen if Malcolm ever crosses the line?

A powerful and haunting book, countering the horror of racial hatred with a lyrical tribute to childhood friendship.


There's a good reason why To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is mentioned in reference to Bone by Bone by Bone. It is a modern book on a similar vein, which I believe should, in time, become a classic.

Living in our modern, multicultural world, I mix with people of different races without thought. I don't think about the colour of someone's skin. Everyone is human, a person. Everyone is equal. Unfortunately, in David's era, there is racial discrimination against coloured people. David doesn't see the big deal. He, like so many other children, doesn't care what colour Malcolm is. Malcolm is his friend. That's all that matters. That's all that should matter.

Unfortunately, his father and a lot of adults don't share his sensible world view. David is lucky in that although Malcolm isn't allowed inside his house, he can still play with Malcolm outside. Both of them want to find the arm that's hiding in a neighbour's house. I'm not kidding. A real arm. This has them performing lots of chores for the neighbour. By the time they get to see their prize both their lives have changed.

David's father has his life planned out for him, naturally it excludes Malcolm. He preens David for a life in medicine. The question is, will David reach that high flying medical career that his father sees in his future? Or will he take on board the hatred he sees around him, and forge his own path?

This is a story where friendship is held close to David's heart. Saying you'll be friends with someone forever is a big commitment. David has to choose between his family and his friend. That's a big decision to make for anyone, but an enormous one for a young teenager who has very few people to support him in life.

With the strength of writing and the content of the book, I feel this is one that could be studied in classrooms.

If you liked this, try Mahtab's Story by Libby Gleeson

What are you reading? #19

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.



Books I've finished

Fantasy
(Confession...I didn't get round to reading it last week...and um didn't update last week's meme.  Sorry! Nayu adds extra comment: it's not even finished this weekend! Will hopefully get finished this week)



YA
(Full of phobias. Compelling read...even if half the story was predictable.)



Children's Fiction
(Japanese demons on the loose, run/hide Miku!)



Children's Fiction
(Hilarious! Glad my family isn't like Tassie's...)



Realistic Fiction (Tissues needed)



YA
(Vampires...quite a famous series.  No, I haven't seen the films. Yes, I now have the rest of the series!)




Books I hope to read this week


 
YA
(Loved Fallen - and have a special ARC of Torment...not that I can review it or mention what happens yet, but I can read it! Nayu adds: I'm reading these today! (Sat 22nd))



Children's Fiction (looks full of action)



Children's Fiction (I love this series!)



Children's Fiction (Love this series too!)



Fiction (Been wanting to read this for aaaggggeesss)



YA (Well, I've read Need, now I need (no pun intended!) to read Captivate) 

Although I am expecting a book or two in the post which need prompt reading, so who knows what I'll actually read this week!

Friday 21 May 2010

Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan

May 2008, Puffin
294 pages, Paperback
Review Copy

Children's, Fantasy, 9+

Cushions: 4
Daggers: 2
Smiles: 4
Nayuleska's recommended rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Summary from Penguin

It's the last Friday before the winter holidays but Percy Jackson isn't at school: he's battling the fearsome Manticore (half human, half lion), which in itself isn't ideal... but with Annabeth missing and the goddess of the hunt held captive, things get a whole lot more serious...

I knew Percy's adventures were good. Annabeth is my favourite character. I was distraught when she got kidnapped in this story - not only because she was in danger, but it meant that the story wouldn't have a super cool female main character for a bit. I was wrong.

This is the best installment to date! The sadness at (temporarily) not having Annabeth in the story was eclipsed by the awesome debut of Artemis and her hunters! As a former ancient history student, I'm familiar with Artemis. In Percy's world, she's much more approachable than ancient historians depicted her. Well, that's not entirely true. She and her hunters aren't fond of males. So much so that she doesn't choose Percy to accompany her on the quest to save Annabeth. Don't worry, he finds a way to accompany her hunters.

I think it's the humour in the characterisation of Artemis, the hunters and all the other gods and goddesses in Percy's world which makes this book so appealing. There is a lot of very real danger which I can't figure how Percy will get out of it in one piece. In some respects he doesn't get out unscathed, because there is the knowledge that there is worse up ahead, somewhere in the not too distant future. Percy's getting accustomed to his abilities, and is improving at working together in a team. In my eyes, every single character ought to have their own books because they stand away from the page every time they appear in the story (please, Rick Riordan, please create the odd spin off story!).

As usual there were surprising twists to the story, including who helps Percy out with the Titan's curse. It's a nasty one. One which is true to the ancient tales (and funny too).

I'm soon about to embark on Percy's fourth adventure: Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth.

Check out Rick Riordan on his website.

Make sure you've read book one: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief and book 2: Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters.

Artemis and her hunters are similar in a lot of ways to the Amazons. For older readers, Amazon Ink by Lori Devoti is a brilliant book. I think there's a sequel out now/soonish.

Thursday 20 May 2010

Today's review over at Enduring Romance!

It's the 3rd Thursday of the month, so please head over to Enduring Romance for my review of Maria V Snyder's Poison Study!

Also promised links from the Book Blogger meet up

Here's the organiser, lovely Jo of Once Upon a Bookcase tale of events.

Here's Sarah's tale of events, from Sarah's Book Reviews.

As you can see, we all had fun. I possibly bought the most books (At Waterstones....I didn't go to shops after!), and poor Waterstones suffered from having so many book lovers at one time (but benefitted from our custom).

Wednesday 19 May 2010

Riding the Black Cockatoo by John Danalis

February 2010, Allen & Unwin (distributed by Frances Lincoln)
276 pages, Paperback
Review Copy

Non-fiction, 14 years +

Level of information: 4
Ease of reading: 4
Smiles: 5
Tears: 2
Nayuleska's recommended rating: ♥♥♥♥

Summary from Frances Lincoln

This is the compelling true story of how the skull of an Aboriginal man, found on the banks of the Murray River over 40 years ago, came to be returned to his Wamba Wamba descendants. It is a story of awakening, atonement, forgiveness and friendship. 'It is as if a whole window into Indigenous culture has blown open, not just the window, but every door in the house,' says John Danalis. Part history, part detective story, part cultural discovery and emotional journey, this is a book for young and old, showing the transformative and healing power of true reconciliation.

The above summary is correct. However, it doesn't really get across the humourous voice of John Danalis. For years he thought nothing of the skull in his family's living room. It was only when he dug around for research that he realised it belonged to an Aboriginal man, and needed to be repatriated.

In this book, John tells the reader the journey he embarked on with the skull. It did involve riding with a black cockatoo. There were several points in his story where John made a mistake, by saying the wrong thing or saying too much. However, the people involved didn't take him the wrong way. Often their response was the opposite to what he expected. He didn't realise how friendly people could be, in helping one skull be returned to where it belongs.

The process of repatriating the skull wasn't an easy one. Finding out who he needed to contact for repatriation was actually easier than removing the skull from his house. I'm not going to spoil the story and say why that was the case. John's self-imposed mission (a necessary one), affected not only his life, but those of all around him, especially his family and friends.

John's humour saw him through the darker points of the journey, of which were there were a few (albeit brief). It doesn't make light of the matter of repatriation, which is an important one. But his humour will, I hope, help people to understand how important repatriation is.

I didn't really know much about the Aborigines in Australia until I visited family over there around 5 years ago. There was a huge exhibition going on in one of Sydney's museums (or art galleries..I can't remember!). I saw a lot of aboriginal artwork there, which made Riding the Black Cockatoo that bit more intriguing for me. I wasn't disappointed, and hope to read more work by John Danalis.

Tuesday 18 May 2010

1 year Blogversary + competition!

Wow. A year has flown by really fast! I'm not about to count the amount of reviews I've written - I'm pretty sure it's over 100 books, possibly nearing 200. The blog has changed it's look several times - a new look will be happening soon! There are a few more bits and pieces to do with the new template.

I've learnt a lot since my early blogging days. I know participate in one meme a week. I'm on friendly terms with several publicists (not that there are unfriendly terms). I've had the pleasure of interviewing several authors, held a few competitions. I have 3 other people reviewing here.

Most of all I'd like to thank you all for continuing to read my reviews, and comment on them. It means a lot when I get a comment or email saying that you've gone out and borrowed/bought a book based on my review. Your input helps make this blog what it is.

The prize: one person can choose two books from the following pile: (pictures to follow later)

    
 YA



 Urban Fantasy



 Historical



 Children's

 YA



Fantasy


Children's historical




Merlin: The Mark of Nimueh by Various. Womack Children's TV Tie-in

So, what do you have to do?

Simple. Just leave a comment below :) (I have still yet to master online forms).

Who is it open to? Anyone in the world apart from those in the US/Canada. If any of you fall into that category, don't despair because I'm holding this in conjunction with GMR of Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!  GMR has an awesome blog, full of several memes, reviews, competitions and other fun things. Make sure you check it out, even if you are entering the competition here.

Competitions ends: 6am GMT Tuesday 1st June. My entry date is slightly different to GMR's to allow for the time difference (which I can't calculate, hence the 6am GMT time). After 6am I will use a random generating website to pick a winner. I will then email the winner to request their postal details and which books they would like.

Get commenting!