Monday 31 October 2011

What are you reading? #88

What are you reading on Monday? is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel at Home Girl'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 read this week

 


Sweet Bytes by Kimber An
Young Adult
(Settling down to a new installment of old friends. Humour rests alongside great pain, and yet the story feels very promising of the future.)
10/10




 




Gargoylz: Wild in the Woods by Burchett & Vogler
Children, 5+ years
(Teaches the joys and perils of class camping, and that bullies CAN be upstaged by others.)9/10









Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk
Fantasy
(Totally in love with Allie because she's easy to relate to and has a sense of humour. I'd like to stress that this isn't too dark a book - there are life/death situations, but there's also breathing space and humour so its not all doom and gloom.)
10/10
 
 
 
 

Saturday 29 October 2011

Win a copy of Rachel Vincent's My Soul To Steal


If, like me, you've read the previous Soul Screamer books and want to get your hands on the latest, then get ready to enter a competition so you can win a copy of My Soul To Steal from the lovely people at MIRA Ink! They are giving away 10 copies of the book. If you haven't read any in the series before, don't worry. I now worry slightly less about jumping into the last book in a series, as usually there is a summary near the start and apart from a few minor plots which I understandably don't understand the entire significance, I usually enjoy the book and then go off in search of the rest of the series. 

All you have to do is click here, then click on either the still or animated image (animated image will be on my review, Blogger Gremlins depending) of My Soul to Steal and leave a comment. I'm not on Facebook, so I'm guessing the important terms and conditions are on the site somewhere. 

Get entering! 

(and please remember I've currently got a whopping 3 competitions running on the menu to the right ->) 

Thursday 27 October 2011

Kevin's Point of View by Del Shannon (Children's, 8 years +)


ebook & paperback 
402 pages, 
Review copy 

Children's, 8 years + 

Themes: mourning the loss of a parent,  dealing with emotions, insatiable curiosity, crazy stunts pulled by boys, lots of heart racing moments, a lot of humour, 

Book Blurb
Kevin Tobin is a relatively ordinary twelve-year-old dealing with the aftermath of his father's death. To escape his emotional turmoil, Kevin has developed his imagination into a dangerous foil and powerful ally. After a mysterious package arrives at his door, Kevin and his best friend are hunted down by a ruthless villain determined to retrieve the package, unknowingly spinning Kevin into a battle for control over time itself. 

Nayuleska's thoughts  
There's heaps of action, adventure and imagination wrapped up with a surprisingly emotional story line. Some parts were really funny and I was frequently either smiling or staring open mouthed at what happened. 

The thoughts of one character although well written didn't fit with the book's target readership. However, there were points where it did make sense making it a minor issue, so I give this 9/10. 

Be sure to check out the dedicated Kevin's Point of View website

Suggested read
Another funny and surprisingly emotional read is The Donut Diaries of Dermot Mulligan by Anthony McGowan.

Tuesday 25 October 2011

Half Term Holiday Competition #2 EVENT CLOSED

Here's the 2nd holiday competition! For those of you with younger children, you will love this activity packed Big Book of My World



My review will be up soon, it's filled with bright colours and fun illustrations, covering the following topics (taken from the contents page) 
First Concepts: counting/shapes/colours/sounds/opposites/feelings/manners
First Words: things in the park/in the town/out at sea
Can you Find?: Things at home/on the farm/at the seaside
Favourite things: toys/clothes/trucks, diggers and big machines/cars, trains, planes and boats/fruit and vegetables/wild animals
Activities: matching pairs/weather/seasons/odd one out/spot the difference. 

Answers are include at the end of the book. 


The Prize:
One winner, drawn using a random number generator, will win a copy of this book.

This even is now closed

Half term Holiday Competition #1 EVENT CLOSED

It's half term, which is a good reason to hold a competition for you all! This is #1 in the competition series, and is for this stunning children's fantasy by Tony Diterlizzi, The Search For WondLa 



This was published October 2010, click here to take you to my review


The Prize:
One winner, drawn using a random number generator, will win a copy of this book.

This event has now ended. 

300 followers competition EVENT CLOSED

Party time! With a little help from Twitter, I've reached 300 followers on this blog! As a big thank you for your support, I'm offering up my proof copy (in very good condition) of the Elizabeth Miles' Fury (Young Adult)


Fury came out 1st September 2011, and a full review can be found here


The Prize:
One winner, drawn using a random number generator, will win a copy of this book.

This event has ended

Monday 24 October 2011

What are you reading? #87

What are you reading on Monday? is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel at Home Girl'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 read this week


Kevin's Point of View by Del Shannon
(Heaps of action, adventure and imagination wrapped up with a surprisingly emotional storyline. )
9/10






 Colours and Numbers by Orla Kiely
(Attractive to the reader visually and the continuation of theme from book to book by using the same objects will help secure colours and numbers for younger readers.... )
9/10


 



Saturday 22 October 2011

Hacking gremlins

(I felt like this today) 

I'm sorry to say that 2 of my email addresses have been hacked. If any of you have had odd emails from me today, I'm really sorry. It wasn't me. 

As soon as I realised what was going on, I changed the passwords, but then had huge problems when I was locked out of my account. I kept going round and round in circles on the help forum. I did what was recommended, but then the screen would reset itself, or else fail to go anywhere. I was getting pretty frustrated and scared that I wouldn't be able to get everything back. I kept going, and kept trying things, even when they hadn't worked before, and finally I was able to get in first one account, then the other. 

I'm currently not enamoured with the email provider in question due to lack of easy access to help. To post an individual question on the web forum, I first had to sign in. Um, hello? How can you sign in when you're blocked from your account? 

Contacts are now saved elsewhere, as are emails. Please make sure you regularly scan your pc/laptop. I didn't. I thought my security software did, but um I think I never have the PC on when it needs scanning. It was such a huge fear to think that every single contact had gone. My friends are probably the easiest people to get back in contact with. It was the lovely publicists and authors I've met and deal with semi-regularly for book reviewing. I hadn't realised how much keeping in contact with everyone meant to me, until it wasn't there. 

Everything should be ok now, do ignore emails from me if you think they are a bit odd!

ETA: just checked my virus software info. I've discovered what went wrong. I'd asked it to scan every time my laptop starts up. The problem is, my laptop rarely starts up. I keep it almost permanently in hibernation!!! Bad me. Will now properly shut down laptop each night. 

Off sick


Germs'r'us at my house. Entire family ill. Still ill with a cold which has sort of come back, mutated into something positively evil yesterday (never been so ill at work). I'm resting with heaps of books. The 300 follower competition will still happen soon, once I get past 299 followers. Blogging is off until I'm better though. Otherwise I'll be here for several hours, not resting.

Friday 21 October 2011

My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent (Young Adult, Paranormal)



May 2011, Mira Ink
304 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Young Adult, Paranormal 

Themes: parallel world, grim reaper, banshees, substance abuse, teen relationships (being pushed too far in one), getting hurt, people changing personalities, making tough choices, a lot of drama, high school life, moderate teen romance, a fair amount of laughs, a few tissues needed. 

Summary from Mira Ink 
Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them. Until something does. Demon breath. No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that can really kill you. Somehow the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends - one of whom is already hooked. And so is someone else. 

Nayuleska's thoughts
Romance in a book is never my main focus in a book. I do think Rachel has excellently approached a tricky subject: how to act when getting pushed in a direction you don't want to be in a relationship. Related to that is having all of Kaylee's thoughts and fears during that time - they are palpable and ever so real. I wanted to give her a hug and a mug of hot chocolate. Kaylee manages to get the paranormal work aspect of her life in tact - yes she still gets in trouble again (I don't think she'll ever learn), super scary things happen to her. This is the book where I officially hate Nash. There isn't a polite word for how I feel about him. I'm so glad Tod is around and that he's friends with Kaylee, because he's the one protecting her, as much as a reaper can do. 

This third book in the series gets 10/10! I'm reading book for as I schedule this review on 15th October 2011. 

Suggested read
Obviously read the previous books in the series: book 1 is My Soul To Take


Tuesday 18 October 2011

300

I'm nearly at the magical number 300! 300 of you (well, 298) currently automatically have access to the posts I put up here on NRC. I'm extremely appreciative that you like my blog, and enjoy my reviews. I enjoy writing them, sharing the book love with the world, getting excited about an enormous amount of imagintation

As such, if I can get above 300 followers, I will be holding a competition for a few winners to win a book from my bookshelf. 

As I'm currently struck with a cold, this is a notification of the competition. I'll sort out the spreadsheet and entry form once I'm better. Please spread the word! 

Brave New Girl by Catherine Johnson (Children's, 10 years+)


3rd November 2011, Frances Lincoln
192 pages, Paperback
Review copy 

Children's, 10 years +

Themes: school drama, family relationships, friends drifting apart, find your place in the world, meaning well but incidents then  happen, coping with change in status, sibling rivalry, life with step/half siblings, putting your foot in it, life lessons, mild romance, a fair amount of laughs, a tissue or two is needed

Summary from Frances Lincoln
"I can make things happen - good things - I know it!" 

Seren is so full of brilliant ideas - it's just that she always seems to put her foot in it! First there was the dance routine where she fell off the stage. And now her plan to get her sister Sasha noticed by gorgeous Luke Beckford looks like it could backfire. Seren reckons she's just hopelessly accident-prone! 

But there's one person who believes in Seren. Her mate Keith is making a film for a national competition and he wants Seren to be in it. Could Seren turn out to be a star after all? 

Nayuleska's thoughts
Seren may have an unusual name (very pretty one), but there is nothing unusual in her life. What she goes through is something everyone can relate to. Having her sister blank her all the time really hurts, even more so when the rest of her own family either don't notice, or say things which seem to confirm her sister's thoughts. Seren has to muddle through on her own, and it's only when something very public happens that she gets the support she needs. 

This hilarious, touching read gets 8/10. 

Suggested read
For more school drama, try Wuthering Hearts by Kay Woodward


Monday 17 October 2011

Guest blog post by Kimber An, author of Sweet Bytes

(Such a dreamy cover!)

Today as part of the marketing for Kimber An's latest novel, Sweet Bytes, Kimber An has kindly allowed me to put up one of my favourite incidents. I haven't got a copy yet, but I'll post the review up as soon as I've read it. I'll hand you over to Kimber An, enjoy! 

Bianca Loses More Sewing Machines That Way


By Kimber An

Good morning, Nayu and all her buddies!  You may remember me, Kimber An, and a guest post I did for Nayu a while back.  There’s an excerpt in that post and, yes, it did make it into the final draft!

Like my professional teenager-daughter, Nayu likes Bianca, the identical twin sister of the heroine of my Ophelia Dawson stories.  Bianca is, well, nuts and very high-strung and extremely imaginative.  She goes through a lot in my new book, Sweet Bytes.  She starts the story grief-stricken over the death of her beloved daddy, mostly, but also secretly over failing to even try to protect her sister during the Newblood attack in Sugar Rush.  She’s not a classic Kick-Butt Heroine.  She got terrified and reality hits her hard that her sister, whom she adores, could’ve been kidnapped, raped, and killed while she screamed uncontrollably for her mommy.  Now, she’s gotta work through that and find her own inner strength, because the demons who haunt Ophelia are only getting started.
.
In Sugar Rush, Bianca flies into a raging grief when she’s told of her father’s death and throws her sewing machine out the window.  It’s Nayu’s favorite, so I revisited it for the new book in her honor.  Here it is!  Hope you like it, Nayu.

***SWEET BYTES***Bianca & Ophelia & The Sewing Machine.***

All the old emotions flooded her mind and she stood in the center of her room and grabbed her head in both hands. Everything she’d processed raged through her, anew. And then the memories of those two early days in September crushed her heart and she screamed.
"Adrian loved me!  I loved him!" Ophelia screamed. "All the way back then!  Tristan knew Martin was a Newblood!" She hoisted up her sister’s sewing machine and hurled it out the window, glass shattering and parts banging on the rocks.
Just like Bianca did on the day her father died.
"My daddy might be alive right now!" Ophelia screamed at the wind blowing into her face. "I hate you!  I hate you!" She spun around to grab something else to throw.
Mom and Bianca stood in the doorway, gaping.
"What?" She screamed. "I’m a teenager!  I’m entitled to an occasional hissy-fit!"
Bianca stepped carefully past and peered out the smashed window. "I lose more sewing machines that way."
"Too bad we’re out of snowmen to destroy," said Mom.
"I say she needs more practice on this method first. She just kinda chucked my machine." Bianca wagged a finger at the busted sewing machine on the street. "I really hurled mine, you know what I mean?  I put some spin on it."
"I don’t want to talk!" Ophelia stormed out.

***End of SWEET BYTES Excerpt***

Please comment under the post to enter the drawing to win a free copy of this eBook.  Then, pop over to the Fabulously Young ePubs blog to enter the Grand Prize Drawing for several Alaskan goodies, including this wooden bear keychain.  

What are you reading? #86

What are you reading on Monday? is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel at Home Girl'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 read this week





 Rae of Hope by W J May
Young Adult, Fantasy
(Rae may start off clueless about her own abilities, but she ends up able to hold her own in a topsy turvy world.  My review....)

10/10










Senior Year Bites by J A Campbell
Young Adult, Urban Fantasy
(Experience what life is like when you have to tell your friends you're a vampire, and deal with creepy goings on.  My review....)

10/10










Brave New Girl by Catherine Johnson
Children's, 10 years +
(Heartwarming read about a girl with a big heart.)
8/10








 
 
 
My Soul to Keep by Rachael Vincent
Young Adult, Paranormal
(Nash is a..a.....not a nice guy. Felt so sorry for Kaylee in this one.)
10/10
 
 
 

Sunday 16 October 2011

Senior Year Bites by J A Campbell (Young Adult, Urban Fantasy)


June 2011, Decadent 
Ebook, 
Review copy

Young Adult, urban fantasy

Themes: high school life (& all the dramas), being a new vampire, having to tell loved ones something which might offend them, coping with being different, taking advantage and finding the best of not so great situations, fair amount of drama and thrills, some teen romance, quite a few laughs

Summary from Decadent
Senior year is supposed to be fun: boys, dances and graduation.

It's significantly harder to enjoy it when you're dead. 


Truth or dare is supposed to be fun too. It's not even close to dangerous, so playing at Steph's house didn't seem like a bad idea. My dare? Spend the rest of the night in the graveyard next to her house. It was only a couple of hours until false dawn, my proscribed return time, so no big deal right? Right. 

I survived the attach, but it took me a few days to figure out what was going on. I mean vampires might stalk pop culture, but they're just myths. Yeah. Not so much. School is a lot more difficult when you're a nocturnal creature of the night. I was managing, but I couldn't keep it from my friends for long. After I managed to accidentally save one of our cheerleaders from her drunk and ill-intentioned boyfriend, Steph decided that we should be cool, like superheroes, and fight crime. 

Only I'm a vampire, not a hero, and we live in a sleepy New England town, so crime's a little harder to come by. At least it is until a serial killer moves into the area. He's got the authorities stumped, but then again, the cops don't have a teenage, blood-sucking, non-hero on their team. 

Nayuleska's thoughts
It's pretty rough for Meghan to become a vampire, but given the situation she copes remarkably well. She fends off questions from friends quite a lot. Her mother is pretty understanding of her privacy, as she doesn't push Meghan too far to talk to her. Meghan becomes a pro at avoiding people. The truth does come out, and it does change how her friends look at her. Steph is awesome for being so excited about Meg's powers (some of them have her a bit nervous). She still loves Meg, and is determined to see the positive side of it all.  Meg's powers mean they can help fight the evil that arrives in their town, an evil which is well aware of who and what Meg is. 

Another fun read which gets 10/10. 

Suggested read
Definitely be sure to check out Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill, with another case of understanding friends when one is made into a vampire. 


Saturday 15 October 2011

Rae of Hope by W J May (Young Adult, Fantasy, 10E/10E)


September 2011, Mitchell Morris Publishing 
Paperback and Ebook
Review copy 

Young Adult, Fantasy 

Themes: boarding school, supernatural abilities, family secrets, being special, having a past that affects the present, betrayal, lots of thrill/school drama, some teen romance, heaps of hilarious moments, a few tissues needed.  

How hard do you have to shake a family tree to find the truth of the past? 

Fifteen-year-old Rae Kerrigan has never questioned her family's history. That is until she accepted a scholarship to Guilder Boarding School in England. Guilder is a very unique, gifted school. Rae has no idea what she is getting herself into or that her family's past is going to come back and taunt her. She learns she is part of an unparalleled group of individuals who become marked with a unique tattoo (tatu) on their sixteenth birthday. The tatu enables them to have supernatural powers particular to the shape of their marking. Both her parents were marked though Rae never knew, as they passed away when she was young and never told her. Learning about her family's past, her evil father and her sacrificial mother, Rae needs to decide if there is a ray of hope for her own life. 

Nayuleska's thoughts
Rae is extremely lovable, and her voice makes the book a pleasure to read. She finds it tough being in the dark, but she strikes up friendship with her room mate and there are plenty who are curious about her. I was taken aback at virtually every plot twist, which are high paced and life changing. I loved the concept of the different forms of powers, and reading them in use reminded me of anime and video games. 

Be sure to check out W J May's website, with more information about her and Rae of Hope 

Suggested read
For more boarding school drama with supernatural power being the main focus for the students, try Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins. 


Friday 14 October 2011

The Adventures of the New Cut Gang by Philip Pullman (Children's, 9 years +)



September 2011, David Fickling Books
352 pages, Hardback
Review copy 

Children's, 9 years + 

Themes: historical and hysterical, highly intelligent gang members, compassion and disbelief, thieves, wax museum, detective work, some mild romance, a few tissues needed. 

Thunderbolt, Benny, Birdie and Sharky Bob are a mixed bunch of vagabonds and urchins who come together to form the New Cut Gang in two comic tales of stolen silver, skulduggery and desperadoes. 

Fake coins are turning up all over Lambeth and the finger of suspicion is pointing at Thunderbolt's dad - could he really be the forger? The crime-busting New Cut Gang come to the rescue! 

And when just two clues - a blob of wax and a Swedish match - are discovered at the scene of a break-in, the children find themselves on the trail of an extremely cunning criminal. 

Nayuleska's reasons for loving Thunderbolt...all members of the gang have engaging and very surprising aspects of their character. Yet Thunderbolt had me tearing up when the sky fell on his head and his father was in trouble. It shocked me to get so attached to a boy, as I usually prefer girl characters (see below) but his unspoken love for his father shone through. 

Is there another character who deserves a mention? Make that characters, as the twins are always together. They do such daring things that could only be true because the twins were involved (if that makes sense.) 

How evil/nasty is the enemy? Well, framing innocent people is really not that friendly, and stealing items which would be hard to sell on is stupid. 

Are there lots of plot twists and surprises? It felt that every page I was either laughing or shaking my head with a bewildered expression thinking 'what?'. 

One of my favourite parts was...when one of the girls tried her hand at hair styling,  because the description of her left no doubt that only stupid people could pull the wool over her eyes. 

This is a funny read, both light and moving, getting 9/10 from me. 

Suggested read
If you like a wide range of people working together, try Candle Man by Glen Dakin


Wednesday 12 October 2011

The Dare Game by Jacqueline Wilson (Children's, 9 years +)


March 2011, Corgi Yearling, 
256 pages, Paperback
Review copy 

Children's, 9 years + 

Themes: living with foster family, high expectations, dares, truancy, home alone, playing fire, making friends, moderate peril, some humour. 

I'M TRACY BEAKER, THE GREAT INVENTOR OF EXTREMELY OUTRAGEOUS DARES - AND I DARE YOU TO READ A MORE BRILLIANT STORY THAN THIS. 

I've bought a big fat notebook for writing down all my mega-manic ultra-scary stories in. But especially for my own story. Of how my foster-mum, Cam, has turned out to be a real meanie. No designer closthers, when I really need them. A pokey flat, and a horrible new school. No wonder I bunk off...Still, it will have to do until my real mum comes and gets me. And until then, no-one is going to be better at the Dare Game than Tracy Beaker! 

Nayuleska's reasons for loving Tracy...she settles on the right decision at the end. I don't like that she thought ancient pots and fragments were the pits - I love pot fragments! (Note: my degree was in Ancient History, so pots are very important to me). 

How evil/nasty is the enemy? Anger is a terrible beast to manage when it gets out of hand. As is peer pressure. 

Are there lots of plot twists and surprises? I was a little shocked at how dangerous the dares got, and couldn't quite believe the way Alexander got hurt. 

One of my favourite parts was...when Tracy was reunited with Cam because they really are well suited for each other. 

This third Tracy Beaker book gets 9/10 from me. 

Learn more about Tracy and Jacqueline on her website

Suggested read
Be sure to read where it all started, The Story of Tracy Baker


Monday 10 October 2011

What are you reading?


This week...nothing in the way of a FULL book has been completed thanks to life and all that, so pardon the emptiness of today's post...BUT...that doesn't stop me from asking...
...what are YOU reading?

The comments are open....feel free to share!




Friday 7 October 2011

Ultraviolet by R J Anderson

Ultraviolet

June 2011, Orchard Books 
416 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Young Adult

Themes: light colour and sound spectrum, psychiatric hospitals, living with mental illness, coping with isolation, effects of medication, shutting out the world, misinterpreting people, hint of abuse, treated like a criminal, lots of tension, tissues will be needed. 

Summary from Orchard Books
Once upon a time there was a girl who was special. 
This is not her story. 
Unless you count the part where I killed her. 

Sixteen-year-old Alison has been sectioned in a mental institute for teens, having murdered the most perfect and popular girl at school. But the case is a mystery, no body has been found, and Alison's condition is proving difficult to diagnose. Alison herself can't explain what happened: one minute she was fighting with Tori - the next she disintegrated. Into nothing. But that's impossible. Right? 

Nayuleska's reasons for loving Alison...she is so scared and unsure of the situation she finds herself in but she doesn't stop trying to find a way out. She sees most people in the wrong light, but realises the truth at the end and becomes a better person. 

Is there another character who deserves a mention? Tori reminds me of Lilah's friend in The Taming of Lilah May by Vanessa Curtis (no I can't remember the friend's name...) 

How evil/nasty is the enemy? When evil psychiatrists are trying to get you to say you killed someone you don't think you did, you will see danger in every world you hear from them and become paranoid. 

Are there lots of plot twists and surprises? Just as I thought I'd figured the story out, suddenly the world got turned on its head. There's all the feel of Knife in the spunky characters, and something new which suits the genre. 

One of my favourite parts was...when Alison was finally believed by the one person who had rejected her. 

This seriously wow read gets 10/10 for having me hooked for the last few hours as I read what felt like an episode of Star Gate, minus the goaulds. 

Suggested read
Definite check out Zelah Green: One More Little Problem by Vanessa Curtis, which is without the science fiction parts of Ultraviolet, and explores mental illness. 


Thursday 6 October 2011

The History Keepers: The Storm Begins by Damian Dibben (Children's, 9 years +)



September 2011, Doubleday Children's 
464 pages, Hardback 
Review copy 

Children's, 9 years +

Themes: time travel, family separation, tragedy, living in different eras of history, secrets, lies, subterfuge, snakes (just what is it with villains and snakes?) lots of thrills, heaps of humour especially at the darkest moments

Imagine if you lost your parents - not just in place, but in time. 

Jake Djones' mum and dad have gone missing and they could be anywhere in the world - at any time in history. Because the Djones family have an astonishing secret, which for years they've managed to keep - even from each other. They belong to the HISTORY KEEPERS: a secret society which travels through the centuries to prevent evil enemies from meddling with History itself. 

In the quest to find his parents, Jake is whisked from 21st Century London to 19th century France, the headquarters of the mysterious History Keepers, where he discovers the truth about his family's disappearance - and the diabolical Prince Zeldt's plan to destroy the world as we know it. 

Nayuleska's thoughts
Jake is quite bold, uses his head (most of the time), is quick on his feet and adapts to the situation. He sometimes lets his heart rule his head. I absolutely love all his friends, they each have distinctive personalities which had me laughing away, even when I couldn't see a way out for them. I even love how nasty the villains are, they made me want to hide out of sight because their plans are extremely evil. 

I'm given this 9/10 because initially I didn't feel there was a lot of conflict at the beginning. I confess to skim reading a few pages at the end because I'm pretty terrified of snakes and my imagination is already good enough in that area of the animal kingdom.

Check out The History Keepers website, where you can play fun games and learn lots more about the characters. 

Suggested read
Do try out the equally hilarious The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan 

Wednesday 5 October 2011

Starring Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson, (Children's, 9 years +)


March 2011, Corgi
208 pages, Paperback
Review copy 

Children's, 9 years + 

Themes: school life, school play,  hopes, hardship, dreams - both obtainable and unobtainable, a child's imagination, lots of laughs, a few tissues needed

Tracy Beaker is back...and she's just desperate for a role in her school play. They're performing A Christmas Carol and for one extremely worrying moment, the irrepressible Tracy thinks she might not even get to play one of the unnamed street urchins. But then she is cast in the main role. Can she manage to act grumpy, difficult and sulky enough to play Ebeneezer Scrooge? Well, she does have a lot of help on that front from Justine Pain-In-The-Bum Littlewood...

Nayuleska's thoughts
Tracy truly is a unique child, both in the ways she looks at things, and how she responds to all life throws at her. I felt really sorry for her because she gets ideas into her head and that's all she can think of. Reality striking isn't always pleasant for her, but her emotions are something everyone can relate to, no matter the family circumstance. She made me both laugh and cry. 

This gets a solid 9/10. 

Check out more about Tracy and Jacqueline on her website.

Suggested read
Definitely make sure you read book one, where it all started: The Story of Tracy Beaker



Tuesday 4 October 2011

The Green Line by Polly Farquharson (Children's, Picture Book)

If you want to find out more about this book constructed mostly of photos, head over to Picture Book Shelf, a new blog solely for picture books!


Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy (Young Adult)


September 2011, Frances Lincoln
352 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Young Adult

Themes: Life in Afghanistan, disfigurement, living with being different, hope, disappointment, smashing of rose tinted glasses, working alongside the military, hard work, families, love and friendship, education, having a future, being able to eat, drink and smile. Lots of tissues needed

Summary from Frances Lincoln
Zulaikha hopes. She hopes for peace, now that the Taliban have been driven out of Afghanistan. She hopes for a better relationship with her hard stepmother. And she hopes one day even to go to school. Then she meets Meena, who offers to teach her the poetry she once taught her mother. And the Americans come to the village, promising not just new opportunities, but surgery to mend Zulaikha's face. But can Zulaikhar dare to hope they will come true? 

Nayuleska's thoughts 
I often wondered what is like in Afghanistan for 'normal' children. Zulaikha has a bit of a tough time because of her cleft lip, but she's a strong one. Life goes on as much as it can while the army are about. She keeps fighting. Her journey is a harsh one, with its own personal tragedies which rank alongside the joys. They echo the hope that the military can bring to other children like her, to give them a place in the community, although people are reluctant to change their views so readily. Zulaika begins to stand on her own two feet, and make her impact on the world she lives in, something she couldn't do before seeing the Americans. 

This heart warming, hope giving and tearful tale is very impressionable, and worth 10/10. 

Suggested reading
For a powerful read, try Morris Gleitzman's Now 


Monday 3 October 2011

What are you reading? #85

What are you reading on Monday? is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel at Home Girl'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 read this week

 
 

Shugo Chara! Volume 1 by Peach-Pit
Manga (English translation), Young Adult
It has a fantastic concept and seriously cute illustrations!
10/10
 
 
 
How about you, fellow readers?  What have you read this week?
The comments are open....
 
 

Guest blog post by Teresa Flavin: 5 eras in time I'd like to go to and why



After reading her thrilling books, as part of the promotion for The Crimson Shard (Link to follow soon), Teresa very kindly wrote about 5 eras she would like to have travelled to and why. I can see where she gets all her ideas for her stories from - there's just so much scope in all the historical eras. 


Time Travelling
When I began thinking about the top five eras in history I'd like to visit, I thought they fell into two straightforward categories: Heavenly and Hellish. But I realised that each had its upsides and downsides as well, and that as a time-traveller, my experience would very much depend upon whether I walked among the rich or the poor. 


If I could cross time, like Sunni and Blaise, my teenager characters in The Blackhope Enigma and The Crimson Shard, I'd go to mid-1750's London like they did and see it for myself. Their experience of this filthy, lawless city is Hellish because of the dire circumstances they find themselves in, and it's far from the glossy, indulgent lifestyles of the rich. But Sunni and Blaise do also experience the opulent side of Georgian life: large houses, entertainments and costumes. As an artist, all these dark and light elements attract me greatly and play a big part in the 'film' that is running in my head when I write Of course I'd want to wear a huge dress and a fantastic wig, or even an outrageous costume to an over-the-top  ball, but I'd also want to experience the edginess of London street life. 


My second journey across time would to (Heavenly) 16th Centure Venice, where I would hopefully be transported into a painter's studio. If I were especially lucky, I would be on hand to see Titian or Veronese working. Not only would I be privy to their ways of painting, but I'd also be in one of the most beautiful cities in the world - and one of the most powerful and prosperous of the Renaissance. I made Fausto Corvo, the enigmatic painter at the root of The Blackhope Enigma, a Venetian, and imagined him navigating the canals and maze-like squares, on the run from his enemy, Soranzo. Even the most beautiful cities have terrifying dark sides. 


I would be back in Hellish territory for my third journey: 17th century London in 1665-66. But I would only do this if I were immune from all disease and able to escape quickly, for this was the period of the Great Plague and then the Great Fire. My fascination for this dramatic time was at its height when I was in art school and did an illustrated history of the Plague year. I learned everything about rats and buboes and plague doctors, but I also listened to music of the time and studied the work of painters like Sir Peter Lely, a prolific portrait artist. I have a particular liking for the fashions of the period: swashbuckling boots with bows, daring necklines on dresses and lots of high wigs. 


I'd leave Europe for my fourth (and Heavenly) trip to the past and visit India under the Mughal emperors, Akbar and Jahangir, in the late 16th and early 17th century, when their artists were creating some of the most stunning miniature paintings ever seen. The Mughals brought Persian culture to the Indian subcontinent, and presided over one of the richest and greatest empires in the world. Once again, I would seek out the miniature painters' workshops and watch their painstaking renderings of illuminated manuscripts. I have been inspired by Persian and Indian miniatures for many years and try to bring their richness of colour and detain into my own illustrations. 


My final trip would be to Paris in the 1870's and 1880's, to experience the radical new ideas of the Impressionist painters, such as Monet, Pissarro, and Renoir, who challenged the artistic conventions of the time. This would be a heady experience, and not without drama, because the Impressionists withstood harsh criticism, were rejected from exhibitions and worked on with little money. I'm fascinated by their Parisian cafe society, the passionate battle they waged to see their work accepted and by their, at times fractious, camaraderie. To paint outside in all weather conditions with Monet or to draw dancers rehearsing in the company of Degas would indeed be Heavenly. 


Thank you Teresa for a truly interesting post - they all sound fascinating times to pop into. I'm looking forward to whatever you write next. 

The Crimson Shard by Teresa Flavin (Children's, 9 years +)


October 2011, Templar
340 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Children's, 9 years +, 

Themes: time travel, artists, life in 18th century, girl having to pretend to be a boy, kidnapping, evil and conniving men, thieves aren't all that they seem, paintings, lots of danger, mild romance, a few laughs 

Summary from Templar
This sequel to The Blackhope Enigma is imbued with alchemy and intrigue. During what seems like an ordinary museum visit, tour guide Throgmorton lures Sunni and Blaise through a painted doorway into eighteenth-century London. When Throgmorton demands secret information from the pair about their Blackhope escapades, they attempt to flee, encountering body snatchers, art thieves and forgers in this gripping time-travel adventure.

Nayuleska's reasons for loving Sunni...she's brave and plucky, but doing what it takes to survive in the 18th century plays havoc with her conscience. However Blaise was sometimes there to help her. 

How nasty/evil was the enemy? My skin tingled every time I caught wind of him. People consumed by greed will stop at nothing to get what they want, which causes lots of problems for Sunni and Blaise. 

Are there lots of plot twists and surprises? This was as fast paced as the first book, perhaps more so just because I knew the characters so. I was seriously worried every time Sunni and Blaise ended up in a corner, and how they got out was pretty neat. 

One of my favourite parts was...when Sunni got to wear a masquerade costume. I'm pretty obsessed with costumes, and I had great fun imagining how it felt to be in it. 

This is such a pleasure to read, with the right balance of laughs, thrills and fear, getting 10/10 from me. 

Check out Teresa's website for more information about her and her books. 

Suggested reading
For another time travel read, check out Katie's adventures in Victorian England in The Queen Must Die! by K A S Quinn 


The Blackhope Enigma by Teresa Flavin


July 2010, Templar
304 pages, Paperback
Review copy 

Children's, 9 years + 

Themes: time travel (of sorts), magic, paintings, lots of danger, people with other agendas, strange monsters, labyrinth, siblings looking after each other, treachery, hope, life at sea, friendships blooming, mild suggestion of romance, puzzles, quite tense in places, a few laughs

Summary by Templar
When Sunni Forrest's stepbrother accidentally transports himself into a Renaissance painting, she and her friend Blaise set out to bring him back. They find themselves in a strange world of labyrinths, monsters and pirates. Can they evade their greedy pursuers? And will they ever find their way home? 

Nayuleska's thoughts
Sunni copes with heaps of responsibility as she tries to look after for herself, her stepbrother Dean and Blaise. The trio are often separated from each other, sometimes coming very close but not quite meeting which was fun to read about. Sunni finds the good in their capture, and a hint of something which surprises herself. She never gives up, and fights for freedom. I'm so glad I'm about to start book 2! I enjoyed the Q&A with Teresa at the end of the book, as well as the few illustrations scattered around the book too. 

Rating: 10/10 

Make sure you check out Teresa's website to find out more about her and her books. 

Suggested reading
Although for older readers, if you like time travel and mysteries in a not so modern world try Imprisoned in Time by Laura Gay