In My Mailbox #20

Thank you to my lucky stars because I have a pretty quiet mailbox this week.

I have two books for review.
Both published to be released in paperback by Random House on 4th March 2010.
(Summaries from Amazon.co.uk)

Solace of the Road by Siobhan Dowd

I've only read one book by this author The London Eye Mystery which is a fantastic book so if you haven't read it. You should definitely give it a try. I'm looking forward to reading this, Siobhan's last book.

Memories of Mum are the only thing that make Holly Hogan happy. She hates her foster family with their too-nice ways and their false sympathy. And she hates her life, her stupid school and the way everyone is always on at her. Then she finds the wig, and everything changes. Wearing the long, flowing blonde locks she feels transformed. She's not Holly any more, she's Solace: the girl with the slinkster walk and the super-sharp talk. She's older, more confident - the kind of girl who can walk right out of her humdrum life, hitch to Ireland and find her mum. The kind of girl who can face the world head on. So begins a bittersweet, and sometimes hilarious journey as Solace swaggers and Holly tiptoes across England and through memory, discovering her true self, and unlocking the secrets of her past. Holly's story will leave a lasting impression on all who travel with her.

City of Ghosts by Bali Rai

This has a brilliant premise and you all know how I have a sort spot for historical fiction.In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren and she was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.

It's 1919 and Amritsar is a city on the brink of rebellion. Riots, violence and tension spill onto the streets ...Bissen Singh fought bravely for the British Empire during World War One. Now he waits patiently for news from England. Gurdial, a young orphan, is desperate to marry Sohni, the daughter of a rich and evil man. And Jeevan, Gurdial's oldest friend, is swept up in the revolution and changing beyond all recognition. Bissen, Gurdial and Jeevan are looking to the future whilst trying to escape ghosts from the past. But as the fight for Amritsar reaches a terrifying climax, their lives will be changed for ever.

I also have an ebook to review. The first time ever (and maybe the last) that I attempt to read a novel on my laptop. It is Arson by Estevan Vega. I can't find this book on Amazon.co.uk but it isn't out until May.

And that's it! I didn't buy anything! Go me!

Before I apparate out of here, I want to tell you all that you should be following Confessions of a Book Addict. Seriously, this girl made me preorder a copy of The Body Finder yesterday with her awesome review. Normally I would wait for a UK release date but I just couldn't! Follow Christina people, she is lovely!

Stuff I want you to know about...

This is one of those mixture posts where I tell you about a few random things!

London (or nearby) YA people!
Firstly, I want YA bloggers living in or around London (or those willing to travel) to hop on over to Once Upon A Book Case. Jo has been picking my frazzled brain about a bloggers meet up. I decided I'm not going to the General Book Bloggers one. I don't want to be going home from London late at night. Hey people, safety first! So anyway she has more info on her post and some YA authors have shown an interest so you really should check it out HERE. Come on! Surely you want to know if I'm secretly a mutant bird kid posing as a librarian. This will be your opportunity to find out.

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder
Next week is a hugely big week for me. It is book week at my school and my chance to wow everyone with my super-librarianess. (Or at least enthuse everyone about books for a whole week). So I'm actually going to be crazy busy and probably not going to have much free time. I don't think I'll have time to read as many posts and leave comments. What I will be doing at the end of the week is telling you all about my week's highlights. And just maybe I'll be having a special contest to share the bookish love with you all too. I'll miss you guys but I will schedule a few posts so you won't know I'm gone. If anyone is interested in the work that is involved in planning a book week, leave me a comment and I'll do a post about that too. I guess you'll only be interested if you're thinking about becoming a school librarian.

Welcome to some UK YA Newbies!
It is always nice to have new bloggers join our community. I want to draw your attention to some new UK people and to give a huge Bookette wave to these newbies! "Hi guys! If you ever have a question, don't be afraid to ask! I once got an email telling me that I'm actually really nice. I don't know why this person thought I would not be." If you haven't checked out these blogs, please do:

Ryan @ Empire of Books
Rhiana @ Rhiana Reads
Kirsty @ The Book Mogul
Iman @ Overbooked
Sarah @ Sarah's Reviews 

The Online Book Bloggers Conference
I finally signed up for it. Yes, I paid about £13.50 and if I learn one thing I'll be happy. Of course, I'll share that one thing with you. I am in no way endorsing this thing. I am just taking a chance on it. Here is the link again if you're interested: http://www.romanceinthebackseat.com/bbpcon.html If you have a question that relates to international blogging specifically, let me know. I will pass on your query on to the organiser.

And finally, a question!
What do you think of The Bookette visually? I'm thinking I might save up and get a proper design for the blog. Any recommedations for blog designers and a rough estimate of cost? Or do you love me just the way I am LOL?

I'll miss you guys next week but I'll still be here for IMM. Do not despair!

Review: Fang (Maximum Ride Book 6)

Author: James Patterson
Genre: Action / Thriller ??? (suggestions please!)
Release date: 4th February 2010 UK
Target Audience: 10+

This is the first time I've reviewed part of this series on my blog. I think it is only fair that I give you five reasons why I'm a Maximum Ride addict.

Five reasons to love Maximum Ride:
1) Mutant bird kids with attitude. Hello beautiful bird wings and a huge chip on the shoulder. Max and her flock are 98% human 2% bird.
2) Mutant bird kids kick some serious evil scientist ass! Max is our leader and yay she is a girl! She doesn't wash enough, brush here hair enough and she can't cook. But she is super strong and the bird-kid equivalent of a Ferrari. She has a huge problem with authority and anyone in a white coat. Go Maximum!
3) Fang - who does not love Fang? He's your silent, lacking emotional facial expressions, second-in-command and mysterious type. He even has a blog. Go Fang! (My absolute favourite character).
4) Cliffhanger chapter endings every time. It makes this series impossible to put down. Like seriously, my hands just refuse to stop turning pages.
5) All out action. You can barely take a breath reading these books because the action is not-stop.

Yep, it is true. I'm a mutant bird kid addict!!! I want my own flock. Applicants apply below!

Now, in the interests of balance. It is only fair that I give you five reasons to not read this series.

Five reasons to hate Maximum Ride with a passion:
1) No description. I mean these books are seriously lacking in the description department.  When I was reading the first few pages of The Angel Experiment, my mind was like "what is this nonsense?" It takes a while to get the hang of reading without the pretty writing.
2) No peace. Every time part of the story is resolved it is swiftly followed by another crisis. Bad guys with guns, scary mutants that are not bird kids, evil scientist dudes. You get the picture. There is not time to just sit and love the characters.
3) Repetition. Each book is the same. Nothing really changes. It is the same plot over and over and over.
4) Angel. She is so annoying with her little "I should be the leader complex". I find it frustrating. She is no angel people.
5) Unanswered questions. For Max and for the reader. I just want to know how exactly Max is meant to save the world! I'm pretty sure she does too.

Warning: This review is a bit out there crazy-wise!

Now for the all important review of Fang:
Did I mention that he is my favourite character? Oh, I did. Okay so any book which is titled with his name has got my undying attention. This book finds the flock in Africa trying to publicise the humanitarian crisis in Chad. Of course, who happens to be there waiting for them? Yes, you guessed it! Another evil scientist. Bad, bad scientist wants to do more experiments on Max and the flock to speed up their genetic advancement. What does Max do? She tells the mad man where he can put his needle and gets the hell out of there. Go Max!

But there is a more sinister problem in this book. That nutty doctor has created Max's perfect mate: Dylan. One hunky blond mutant bird kid. But the flock were a one-off, weren't they? Scary stuff. Trouble is, this Dylan is hot! Poor Max, he has been made to fit her perfectly. So what does she do? Avoids him like the plague. And Fang? Of course, she loves Fang. HELLO! How could she not be in utter, complete, turn your mutant wings upside down LOVE with him? Then there is the tiny little problem of the prophetic Angel saying quite categorically that Fang will be the first to die and it will be soon. Hell NO! NO! NO! Did I mention that he was my favourite character?!

This book is an action-packed, rollercoaster with lots of the usual mysterious and dark scienitifc goings-on. Of course, it has humour. Max has such a great voice. I love reading the story from her stubborn and determined perspective. I don't want to tell you what happens. If you love this series like I do, once you've read the first few chapters you'll be completely absorbed. I will tell you that I actually cried at the end. I cried at Maximum Ride. I bow my head in shame. What can I say? I'm total mutant bird kid addict. I'm very attached to these characters. Yes, of course this is an appalling written series but it is action-packed and really entertaining. Read Fang if you've loved the other books!

Waiting on Wednesday: Captivate

This meme is hosted by the lovely Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm waiting on:

Captivate by Carrie Jones
Released by Bloomsbury UK on April 5th 2010.

I reviewed Need just a couple of weeks ago. You can read it here. I really enjoyed it so now I cannot wait for the UK release of the sequel.

Here's the blurb from Bloomsbury.com:

A sequel to the US paranormal smash hit Need, which has teens everywhere thinking about pixies in a very different way . . .



Zara and her friends knew they hadn’t solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king’s needs grow deeper every day he’s stuck in captivity, while his control over his people becomes weaker. It’s made him vulnerable. And now there’s a new king in town.

A turf war is imminent. The new pixie king is moving in quickly. He swears that he and Zara are destined to be together, that he’s one of the good guys. Zara isn’t so sure. Despite herself, she wants to trust the new king, but there’s a lot more than her relationship with boyfriend Nick at stake. It’s her life – and his.

Also, you can read Chapter 1 here.

I love it when the sequel comes out so soon after the first book. It's awesome!

Spider Contest

Hey guys! Here I am with another awesome contest courtesy of the wonderful people at Strident Publishing.

I have one copy of Spider by Linda Strachan to giveaway.
(I haven't even read this one myself but I think it is against the rules to enter your own contest.) This is certainly going on to my wishlist. Brilliant premise!

Summary from Amazon.co.uk:
To enter the contest:

A hard-hitting, provocative novel about teenage love, loyalty and fast cars. Spider is an adrenaline-fuelled ride - a glimpse into a life spinning out of control. Spider is on his last warning. If he's caught joyriding again he'll be sent down, no questions asked. He's trying to stick to the straight and narrow but his girlfriend Deanna and mate Andy reckon he should risk one last run.

Please complete the form below.
As I am hosting this contest on behalf of Strident, I will need to forward the postal details of the winner to them.
Please remember to check the Contest and Giveaways Policy for further guidelines.
•Open internationally
•Closing date: Tuesday 9th March 2010 midnight GMT

UPDATE:

If the form is not working for you, enter by emailing me (thebookette @ googlemail.com) with the following info:

First Name
Surname
Email Address (or if you're under 16, provide an email address for a parent / guardian)
State if you are under 16
Confirm that if you are the winner I can pass the info to Strident.

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

Review: Restoring Harmony

Author: Joëlle Anthony
Release date: 13th May 2010 US
Genre: Dystopia
Target audience: 12+

Summary from Penguin USA:
The year is 2041, and sixteen-year-old Molly McClure has lived a relatively quiet life on an isolated farming island in Canada, but when her family fears the worst may have happened to her grandparents in the US, Molly must brave the dangerous, chaotic world left after global economic collapse—one of massive oil shortages, rampant crime, and abandoned cities.


Molly is relieved to find her grandparents alive in their Portland suburb, but they’re financially ruined and practically starving. What should’ve been a quick trip turns into a full-fledged rescue mission. And when Molly witnesses something the local crime bosses wishes she hadn’t, Molly’s only way home may be to beat them at their own game. Luckily, there’s a handsome stranger who’s willing to help.

Restoring Harmony is a riveting, fast-paced dystopian tale complete with adventure and romance that readers will devour.

Review:
Restoring Harmony is a different kind of dystopia. This book gave me no fear of an impending doom. It almost showed me an idyllic scene of a future which returned human society to subsitence living. But I'm misleading you, 2041 does not mean life amid a rural countryside. We have not stepped into Lark Rise or Candleford (for those non-British readers this is an period drama adaptation of a novel by Flora Thompson which details the life in a English Hamlet and neighbouring town). Post-collapse America proves to be a tough existence for all those people not blessed to be part of the aristocracy. The oil has run out. There is nothing to fuel cars. Travel is a test of extreme survival. Enter our spirited 16 year old heroine Molly who has to journey from her small Canadian island to Portland, Oregon having barely any money and not being of legal age to cross the border. The journey tests Molly both emotionally and physically.

Molly is a brilliant narrator who is easy to love from the first page. She has lived on a farm with her family all her life and it is clear that her heart belongs there with the people and places that she loves. Molly's journey is not a naive girl's adventure but a necessity for her mother's health. Along her journey she meets the lovely Spill, a man of mystery who offers the hand of friendship. His presence brings a tender aspect to the novel and certainly gave me the dream of hope for both of their survival.

The plot obviously involved much moving from one destination to another; however, it was swift and gripping. For once, I enjoyed the experience of travel with a character. Molly's resourcefulness really made her journey a pleasure to read about and I really could not put the book down. Her voice is so easy to adore.

Overall, Restoring Harmony is an unusually easy dystopia to read. There are undoubtedly hardships and injustices in this novel. A future in which all the power resides with governments and organised crime agenices is perhaps one we should all fear. Yet there is a beautiful feeling in this book that people are returning to the land, to nuture the world in order to survive. It is an idea that I'm quite enamoured with. This is a wonderful story of survival, of friendship, of family and love. A brilliant read!

NB: A special thanks to Joelle for allowing me to borrow her ARC.

Also, just want you all to know that there is a much more articulate review of this brilliant book @ I Was A Teenage Book Geek. Lauren is not only one of my favourite bloggers but a dytopian expert and she says all you need to know about this book much better than I can.

In My Mailbox #19

Wow, is it the end of the week already? Half term went way too quickly!

So I have lots of books again this week. How does this keep happening?

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the Story Siren where we share all the books that came our way during the week. She was inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie.

(All book summaries are from Amazon.co.uk unless otherwise stated.)

Bought:

The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke

Faerie is never as far away as you think. Sometimes you find you have crossed an invisible line and must cope, as best you can, with petulant princesses, vengeful owls, ladies who pass their time embroidering terrible fates or with endless paths in deep, dark woods and houses that never appear the same way twice. The heroines and heroes bedevilled by such problems in these fairy tales include a conceited Regency clergyman, an eighteenth-century Jewish doctor and Mary, Queen of Scots, as well as two characters from "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: Strange himself and the Raven King".

So I don't usually do short stories but I just love Suzanna's first book Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. Anyone else read it? That book is surely one of the longest reads ever.

Poison Study by Maria N. Snyder

After reading Storm Glass, I really wanted to try this series by Maria too. Then Friday afternoon I read a brilliant review of this book on Monster of Books so I was decided. I went to Sainsburys on Friday evening and they had a copy for £1! So I bought it. I was so chuffed. But I can't help but wonder how they can sell books that cheaply...


Choose: A quick death...or a slow poison...About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace - and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia. And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust - and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonising death from the poison. As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear...

Borrowed (from work):



Fang (Maximum Ride Series) by James Patterson

Fang will be the first to die. For years, Max has been on the run from evil forces threatening her and the Flock - but nothing could have prepared her for this horrifying prophesy delivered to her by Angel. Fang is Max's best friend, her soulmate, her partner in leadership of her flock of winged children. A life without Fang is a life unimaginable. Max's desperate desire to protect Fang brings the two closer than ever. But their world is turned upside down yet again when the Flock meet a wealthy scientist who has a great interest in the birdkids. He introduces them to another winged boy, the beautiful Dylan. Raised in a lab like the Flock, he exists for only one reason: he was created to be Max's perfect other half. Now, a battle of science against soul, perfection versus passion unfolds, twists, and turns ...and meanwhile, the apocalypse is coming.

For review:

(From Simon & Schuster)

Pretties by Scott Westerfield

Uglies
Specials

Tally has finally become 'pretty'. Her looks are beyond perfect, her clothes are cool, her boyfriend is totally gorgeous, and she's completely popular. It's everything she's ever wanted. But beneath all the fun - the non-stop parties, the high-tech luxury, the total freedom - is a nagging feeling that something is very wrong. Something important. And sure enough, when a message from Tally's 'ugly' past arrives, the fun stops cold. Now Tally has to choose between fighting to forget what she knows and fighting for her life...

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created "perfect" life is about to unravel before her eyes. Forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, Brittany finds herself having to protect everything she's worked so hard for - her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend and, most importantly, the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But the closer Alex and Brittany get to each other the more they realise that sometimes appearances can be deceptive and that you have to look beneath the surface to discover the truth.

(From HarperCollins)

Lord Sunday by Garth Nix

I'm so excited to have this for review. It seems ages since I WOWed it and I have even preordered it so I guess I should to cancel it as they sent me a finished copy.

Loaned by the author:

In this seventh and last book of THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM, the mysteries of the House, the Architect, the Trustees, the Keys and the Will are revealed, and the fate of Arthur, our Earth, and the entire Universe is finally decided. Arthur has wrested the Sixth Key from Superior Saturday, but has fallen from the Incomparable Gardens; fallen not to the Upper House but to somewhere completely unexpected. Alone in enemy territory, as his mind and body are further transformed by the power of the Keys, Arthur must struggle with himself as much as with his many enemies. Meanwhile, Arthur's friend Suzy Blue plots an escape from her prison in Saturday's tower, as battle rages above and below. Saturday's elite force is pressing on into the Incomparable Gardens, while her massed sorcerers fight a desperate rear-guard action against the Piper and his Newnith army. On earth, Leaf has to cope with the aftermath of a nuclear strike. Responsible for all the Sleepers in Friday's private hospital, she needs all the help she can get, particularly as Leaf herself has become a target for intruders from the House. And the tide of Nothing continues to rise, destroying everything in its path ...

Restoring Harmony by Joelle Anthony (summary from the author's website)
The year is 2041, and for Molly McClure, her life is pretty much the same as it’s always been. She was only six when the Collapse of ’31 happened, ending life as the world’s population knew it. When she is forced to leave the comfort of her home and small island in British Columbia to travel down to Oregon, Molly discovers how hard the Collapse has been on the rest of the world.
Well that is me. What a mammoth week! So many books that I'm desperate to read. Yay!

What starts out as a quick trip to the U.S. to convince her grandfather to return to Canada and be the island’s doctor, turns into a rescue mission, a test of Molly’s strengths, ingenuity, and sheer determination. Will a farm girl like Molly survive in this upturned world? Will she be able to return with her grandpa in time for him to help her ailing mother? And just how much will she have to compromise to succeed in getting back to B.C.?

Blogger Pay it Forward

A good while back Jill @ The O.W.L posted about this little gifting scheme. I asked to take part as I love sharing bloggy love.

What happens?
I write this post. I need three people to comment saying they would like to take part. I send you a little gift (not a book because that would be heavy to send anywhere in the world). Soon after you receive the gift, you write a post just like this one and pass on gifts to three other people. I have been a bit slow in doing this.

Shimples! (Who else is addicted to the meerkat advert?)

So the first three commentators saying they wish to take part will be sent the gifts. Once you've commented, please email me with an address to post the gift to (under 16s check with parent / guardian first please). You can live around the corner or on the other side of the world. This Blogger Pay it Forward is international.

Any questions? I'm hoping this post makes sense but I'm not convinced.

Review: Magic Under Glass

Author: Jaclyn Dolamore
Release date: 1st February 2010 UK
Genre: Fantasy
Target audience: 12+

Review:

Summary from Bloomsbury.com:
Nimira is a music-hall performer forced to dance for pennies to an audience of leering drunks. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to do a special act – singing accompaniment to an exquisite piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new life.



In Parry’s world, however, buried secrets stir. Unsettling below-stairs rumours abound about ghosts, a mad woman roaming the halls, and of Parry’s involvement in a gang of ruthless sorcerers who torture fairies for sport.


When Nimira discovers the spirit of a dashing young fairy gentleman is trapped inside the automaton’s stiff limbs, waiting for someone to break the curse and set him free, the two fall in love. But it is a love set against a dreadful race against time to save the entire fairy realm, which is in mortal peril.

There is an elegant feel to Magic Under Glass as if it should be a delightful piece of art that should be cared for and admired. Nimira, a "trouser" girl, is employed by the debonair Hollins to perform with his automaton pianist. As I think of this now, I feel a little sad that this adventurous and brave young woman is employed to accompany a machine. She comes from a different land and in a way, she too is a curiosity like the automaton to be gawped at and not really admired for her musical ability. This novel takes us into a realm of mystery and magic, of cultural differences, prejudice, power and ultimately of love. The automaton is not a machine but an enchantment which imprisons Erris, a fairy.
 
Magic Under Glass drew me in with Nimira's strong voice. She commands the book and is at its very heart. A character who is not living in her native land and has lost so much, her family and her home, yet she is emotionally strong and it is that strength that is vital to this story. I'm sure if I had been one of the girls Hollins employed to sing with the automaton, I would have been out of the door before his mechanical eyes even blinked. I am accursed with the power of an overactive imagination. Luckily, it is Nimira who narrates this story and not me and so as I read with her, I found myself falling for the mystery that was Erris. Nimira really is a character to aspire to be like.
 
The plot of this novel is fairly simple but it is the way that it is conveyed that makes this book so gloriously beautiful. The description is wonderful. The only part of the writing which I found a little stiff was the argument scene between Nimira and Hollins. The dialogue felt unnatural and pained but only in this small part of the book.
 
Overall, Magic Under Glass is an elegant magical tale which takes us on a journey of love and teaches us to stand up for what we believe in. A beautiful debut novel that will be enjoyed by fans of fantasy, historical fantasy and love stories. Highly recommended!
 

NB: Thank you to Bloomsbury for sending me the book to review.

Bad Faith Contest Winner

I am pleased to announce that the winner of Bad Faith by Gillian Philip is Sarah of Sarah's Reviews.

Sarah, I'm going to send you an email shortly.

Thanks to everyone who entered. More contests on the way soon!

A big thanks to Strident Publishing for asking me to host this contest too!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Fool's Girl

This week I am waiting for a historical adventure:

The Fool's Girl by Celia Rees
Released 5th April 2010 in the UK, Bloomsbury

Summary from Amazon:
Violetta and Feste have come to London to rescue the holy relics taken from the church in Illyria by the evil Malvolio. Their journey has been long and their adventures many, but it is not until they meet the playwright William Shakespeare that they get to tell the entire story from beginning to end! But where will this remarkable tale ultimately lead Violetta and her companion? And will they manage to save themselves, and the relics from the very evil intentions of Malvolio?

You can read the first chapter here.

I love the premise for this. Any book that includes the remarkable Mr Shakespeare is a must. Thanks to Emma @ Bloomsbury for telling me all about this book. I can't wait to read it.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.

Review: Halo

Author: Zizou Corder
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Release date: 4th Feb 2010 UK
Target audience: 10+

Summary from Amazon:
Washed ashore as a baby in ancient Greece, Halo is discovered by a family of centaurs. Although her true identity remains a mystery, she is loved as one of their own. But when Halo is dragged away by fishermen, her wild adventure begins . . . Halo soon realizes that if she is to survive then she must live in disguise – as a boy. A violent war is threatening to erupt and Halo is at the mercy of the mighty Spartan warriors. And as she battles to hide her secret, Halo never forgets her quest to find out who she is – and where she really came from.

Review:
Young Halo is found washed up on the shore of Zakynthos by Kyllarus, a centaur. She is taken in by the centaurs and educated in their ways. She grows up as an adopted child of Kyllarus and develops a strong bond with her centaur brother Arko. Together the roam and explore the joys of their Greek island, until one day fishermen come and take Halo as a slave. As the story develops, Halo comes to believe that she will only be taken into slavery if she is discovered to be a girl, so she hides her true gender and sets out in search of her true identity as a boy.

I had been waiting to read this book having read an interview with the authors in Puffin Post back in January. As a historical fantasy and a novel bursting with Greek mythology, it should have been a complete hit with me. Unfortunately, most of the novel fell flat and I wondered if I would be able to read to the end.

Halo is not the most interesting of characters. She is enslaved too easily. I felt there was not enough resistance from her in the beginning. This could be attributed to her being socialised by centaurs who are a peaceful race. As the novel develops, Halo grows and becomes accustomed to the angry and violent ways of human society. I found Leonidas much more intriguing. He is a Spartan boy who breaks the laws of his training by helping Halo. He too, is a product of his socialisation as he thinks in terms of his life as duty bound to his comrades. I was quite fascinated by him (as was Halo).

The middle of the book lacked any gusto. I really don't enjoy stories that take us from one place, to another and then another. It was at this point that I started to worry about the fact that I had picked this book for my student book group. If it wasn't holding my attention, how would my rather more discerning students react? However, I put aside my doubt and carried on reading. Once I got to about page 300, I finally became interested. Halo was still hiding her gender but in doing so, she was experiencing the freedoms of Athenian men. She was riddled with guilt about her deceit but reluctant to give up that which she had proven her talent for. I wanted Halo to be true to herself but also have those freedoms that women were denied. The novel explored the issue of freedom and slavery and by the end, it did matter to me what happened to Halo. I happily raced to the end of the book and was satisfied by the outcome.

Overall, this is a read that takes patience and perseverance. The middle is lacking in pace and action but the end was exciting and enjoyable. This may appeal to fans of Ancient Greek stories. Other than the existence of the centaurs this book does not have any fantastical elements or magic and so may not appeal to fans of historical fantasies in general.

In My Mailbox

The chances are when you're reading this week's edition of In My Mailbox I will be far away from my computer as I am visiting my sister for the weekend. I guess I will have to play catch up again on Monday. I'm writing this super early and on hubby's laptop as mine is still being fixed after being infected with fake antivirus software which I picked up from Goodreads. Beware anything that says "Security Tool!"

This meme is hosted by the fabulous Story Siren and she was inspired by Alea, Pop Culture Junkie.

My books this week are very exciting!

All summaries from Amazon. I am too afraid to log on to Goodreads.



Books won:

Monster Republic by Ben Horton (signed)

I'm not really entering contests at the moment because I just can't seem to reduce my TBR pile. But I couldn't resist the chance to win this from the lovely Jo and Ink and Paper Fantasy Reviews. It is a UK debut novel and although it looks terrifying, I am assured that it won't give me nightmares. Thanks to Jo and Random House! 

An explosion in a nuclear power plant. Kids patched up with scavenged body parts and bionic implants. A growing army of superhuman soldiers programmed for destruction. 'No', whispered Cameron to the monster in the glass. And he watched it shaking its hideous head. 'That's not me. You're not me'.

Castle of Shadows by Ellen Renner (signed)

A huge hug and thanks goes to Luisa Plaja, author, twitterer and all round wonderful person for this gift/prize. Another UK debut novel for my challenge and I cannot wait to read it. The cover is so pretty with the ivy as turquoise foil. Love it! There is a great review of this book on Chicklish. Check it out. Thanks again Luisa!

The day Charlie discovers a scrap of paper that could solve the dark mystery of her mother's disappearance, her world changes. Forever.



Charlie and her friend, Toby, must race against time on a dangerous mission to uncover the sinister truth. But in this shadowy world of secrets and lies, there is more to fear than they can possibly imagine...

 
Book for review:

Dark Life by Kat Falls

I am so excited. I have a copy of this book! I can barely contain myself!!!! This is a debut novel too but not a UK author.

Ty has lived under the ocean for his entire life. Following global warming and the rise of the seas, his family joined an underwater community in hopes of living in the new frontier of the ocean floor. But When Ty meets Gemma, a girl from "topside", who is searching the seas for her brother, she quickly makes his life very complicated. Together Ty and Gemma face dangerous sea creatures and venture into the frontier town's rough underworld as they search for her missing brother. But the deeper they dig, the more attention they attract, and soon Ty and Gemma find themselves being hunted by a gang of outlaws who roam the underwater territories causing havoc, and who seem to have eerie abilities. But Ty has a secret of his own, living underwater for his entire life has meant he has also developed a "special" power. Can he keep it a secret from Gemma and his family or is it time for him to finally tell everyone the truth?

Empire of the Night (Vampirates) by Justin Somper

I haven't read any of the previous books but I hear great things about them from Jenny @ Wondrous Reads so I'm thinking I'll give this a try. I know my students love this author.

Sidorio, fuelled by grief and revenge, is intent on becoming King of the Vampirates and building a new empire to bring terror to the oceans. He faces growing opposition from both the Pirate Federation, including Vampirate Assassin Cheng Li, and the Nocturnals - the more benign vampirate realm - led by Mosh Zu and Lorcan Furey. Both the pirates and the Nocturnals are forced to raise their game in response to the new and urgent threat from Sidorio and the renegade Vampirates. Twins Grace and Connor Tempest, still ricocheting from the recent discovery of their true parenthood and its explosive implications, are thrust deep into the heart of the conflict. Old foes and allies are thrown together in unexpected ways and, as the stakes rise higher than ever before, Grace and Connor find their alliances shifting in ways no-one could ever have possibly foreseen...

So that is me. Hope you all got some exciting books week too!

Review: Need

Author: Carrie Jones

Genre: Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy

Release date: 1st February 2010

Target audience: 11+

Review:

Summary from Amazon:

Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect Facebook friends. It's little wonder, since she's had a fairly rough life. Her father left when she was a baby, her stepfather just died and her mother's almost given up - in fact, she's sent her to live with her grandmother in cold and sleepy Maine to 'keep Zara safe'. Zara doesn't think she's in danger; she thinks her mother just can't cope. Zara's wrong. The man she sees everywhere - the tall, creepy guy who points at her from the side of the road - is not a figment of her imagination. He's a pixie. But not the cute, sweet kind with little wings. Maine's got a whole assortment of unbelievable creatures. And they seem to need something - something from Zara...

Need was the perfect read for me while I was feeling under the weather with my cold. Zara's story is told in such an easy to follow way that even my fuzzy, snotty brain could enjoy it. The story opens with Zara on her way to Maine to live with her gran. Her mum is willing to try anything to help Zara come to terms with the death of her step-dad and try to begin to open the empty shell that Zara has become. Arriving in Maine, life begins to turn from monochrome to colour as Zara begins to allow herself to connect with humanity. Fear of loss has the power to paralyse any person if they let it.

Zara is an eccentric and rather adorable character. She chants phobias in order to calm and conquer her fears. There are just so many things that people are afraid of and I love that Zara considers so many of them as logical. She also volunteers for Amnesty International and it was great to have a heroine who looks beyond her own life and considers the suffering of others. At her new school in Maine Zara finds friendship with Issie and Devyn. More importantly, she meets the very hot and athletic Nick and speedy Ian. Of course no teen book would be complete without the beautiful snide bully and in Need that character is Megan.

The plot of Need raced along absorbing me in both the detail of the supernatural creatures but also the teen angst of falling in love and starting over. It wasn't particularly original but that didn't bother me at all. I enjoyed the fact that what I wanted to happen did happen. There was a comfort in the predictablity. Any fans of YA paranormal romances should enjoy this book and pixies are a refreshing change from vampires.

Overall, I really enjoyed Need and cannot wait for the UK publication of Captivate. This book filled my need of comfort reading while I was a virus infested mess. Great quirky characters, a simple and gripping plot, hot supernatural creatures are the perfect remedy for fans of this genre. Highly recommended!

Thank you to Bloomsbury for sending me the book to review.

Charlaine Harris UK Tour

I thought this would be all over the blogosphere by now but apparently not...

The lovely Kate @Waterstones tweeted Charlaine Harris UK Book Tour dates!

I am going to this one with hubby where there will be a talk and a signing:

An Evening with Charlaine Harris
A Touch of Dead: A Sookie Stackhouse Collection
The Prince Charles Cinema, 7 Leicester Place, London WC2H 7BY
Tuesday, 9 March 2010, 6:30PM - 10.30 PM
Tickets £8 available from The Prince Charles Cinema in person, or box office 020 7494 3654
 
But there are two more:
 
A Touch of Dead: A Sookie Stackhouse Collection
WATERSTONE'S NOTTINGHAM BRIDLE
Wednesday, 10 March 2010, 12:00PM - 2:00PM
 
Grave Secret
WATERSTONE'S MANCHESTER DEANSG
Wednesday, 10 March 2010, 7:00PM

More information can be found on here.

I am so excited! I feel a Charlaine Harris readathon coming on. Let me know if you're going to be at the London event.

Review: The Midnight Guardian

Author: Sarah Jane Stratford

Genre: Historical Fantasy / Vampire Fiction
Release date: October 2009
Target audience: Adult

Summary from Amazon:
Although it is not the vampire way to interfere with human politics, they remember the destruction of the first World War. Their food supply was badly depleted, leading to a vampire famine, and a devastating vampire war. When London's vampire tribunal senses that Hitler is paving the way for another human war, they are determined to break the spine of the Nazis before much more damage is done. But as they delve deep into Hitler's war machine, they discover that the Nazis are more monstrous than they ever imagined, and that they are more encumbered by their inhumanity than they ever thought.

Review:
The Midnight Guardian certainly has an intriguing premise. Set amid the Second World War, the vampires of Britain elect to interfere with the affairs of the humans in the hope of turning the tide in favour of England and its allies. There are some captivating parts to this novel, in particular the depth of the vampire's history and the background to their condition. Also, the way each vampires uses its different abilities to seduce their prey was fascinating and simlutaneously creepy. Despite the original premise and well-depicted landscape to this novel, I found it really hard to read because of the manner in which the story unfolds. Each chapter moves back or forward in time telling part of the story. It alternates between revealing the vampires' past, their decisions during the conflict and then the immediate story of Brigit. This stopped me connecting with the story because at the end of each chapter, you left one time and space and moved to another. It left me with no feeling of wanting to read on. So I spent more than a week reading this book desperately trying to let it capture my attention but it never quite succeeded.

Brigit is the main character whose journey we experience through the novel. She is a millenial vampire from whence the title of the book comes and thus has the added protection of age. Vampires who have not yet crossed the 1000 year threshold are more vulnerable to attack. Brigit is an interesting character who struggles to contain her rage. Throughout the novel we are allowed into Brigit's thoughts and reflections upon the humans she meets and this cold and derisive voice was at times hard to relate to. I think of other vampires in fiction and the ones that I most relate to are those that wish they were human.

The plot moves slowly as we move through the alternating time periods and locations. The parts when Brigit are on the train from Berlin are particularly slow. This perhaps echoes her frustration that the journey seems to be never-ending. I shared this frustration. I wanted to get to the action, to understand what the vampires hoped to achieve in Berlin. I'm not sure I even understood this by the end of the novel and I think Brigit felt the same.

Overall, I did like this book. There was a depth to the world Stratford depicted. For me the main failing of the book was in its method of telling. I would rather have journeyed with Brigit in chronological order beginning with the tribunal and ending with the end. (I don't want to give it away). I really did want to love this book. It has my absolute favourite cover. I tried to love it but I failed.

Authors - Home and Away (1)

Welcome to the first edition of a new feature at The Bookette: Authors - Home and Away. Contrasting the lives of authors from the UK with authors abroad. The inspiration for this feature came from Australian author Kate Forsyth who is one of my guinea pigs today and also from my love of the Australian soap Home and Away. I am seriously addicted to it.

The authors:
Home: Alex Bell, an established UK author who is debuting in the YA arena this month
Away: Kate Forsyth, an Australian author who has written many fantasy books which are published around the world

Alex Bell's UK YA Debut Novel: Lex Trent Versus The Gods - Just released on February 4th 2010

Law student Lex Trent’s world is inhabited by fearsome magicians, ageing crones and a menagerie of Gods and Goddesses. And while Lex is seemingly dedicated to his legal studies he’s always enjoyed a challenge – which is why he leads a double life as the notorious cat burglar ‘The Shadowman’ who has been (luckily) evading capture for years.



But Lex’s luck is about to run out because the Goddess of Fortune has selected him to be her player in the highly dangerous Games. Losing is not an option for Lex (particularly as it so often involves dying) but can he really win each of the perilous rounds? Given that the reward for doing so is money, fame and glory – all things that Lex is quite keen on – he’s going to do whatever it takes to make sure he will... and he’s certainly got good experience of cheating.

Kate Forsyth's The Puzzle Ring is currently on blog tour and you can read my review here and find all the links to purchase a copy.

Hannah Rose Brown is twelve years old when she finds out that her family is cursed. Desperate to find the truth about her father's disappearance, she travels to her ancestral home in Scotland, and discover a chain of dark secrets that plunge her into different worlds, timeframes and dangers.

Home

I hand over to Alex so she can share her life here in the UK with us.

1. Me looking smug at my local Waterstones, with Lex Trent hot off the press.

2. About to go for a walk with my harlequin Great Dane, Moose, where she will be admired by all who see her.

3. Moose coming with me to the front gate to fetch the post.

4. My rickety old writing desk, positively overflowing with weird, ghoulish things for me to amuse myself with when the writing grinds to a halt!

Away

Kate's turn to show us how life is on the other side of the world.

1. My desk with my computer (showing my website www.kateforsyth.com.au ) with a view of the garden. That’s my dog Jessie. She’s a Rhodesian Ridgeback. My sister owns her mum, and my father owns her grandmother – so Jessie is the grand-daughter of the dog my father I had when I was a kid. I have a lot of animals in my books, perhaps because my father was a vet.

2. My bookcase, which runs along the wall on the left side of my desk. You will notice books with intriguing titles like ‘An Encyclopaedia of Fairies’, ‘Fire Burn: Tales of Witchery’, ‘Folk Tales and Fairy Lore of Scotland’, ‘The Malleus Maleficarium’, ‘The Book of Curses’ and ‘A History of Torture’. I remember once a curious neighbour coming to visit and seeing my reference library – she was quite shocked! Yet I believe a writer is only ever as good as their library ...

3. This is the bookcase of my own work, in all the various languages and editions. 24 books, in 12 languages ... the poster is of my picture book, ‘I Am’ which I wrote for my second son, Tim. I love it because it captures a true moment in his childhood – sword in hand, imagining himself a knight of the days of yore ...one day I’ll buy the original

4. My reading chair, my gargoyle and my cat ...

5. A closer view of my garden. I love my garden, and spend quite a bit of time in it, pulling out weeds, squishing bugs and generally getting dirty ... its very grounding for someone who spends all day with her head in the clouds.

6. I get a lovely view of the harbour and ocean from my desk. I live near Manly, one of Australia’s most famous beaches, and our views from our kitchen and our bedroom are fabulous. My study has only a glimpse but it is still enough to lift my heart on a sunny day. You will also see our (very new) pool – any day now we’ll get the landscaping done. I hope.

7. A close-up of the sundial in my garden. I included this because I have always loved sundials – ever since I read Edward Eager’s book ‘The Time Garden’. Has anyone else read this? I have a sundial in the garden in ‘The Puzzle Ring’ – it reads ‘Today is Yesterday ‘s Tomorrow’ which is another way of saying ‘Seize the day...’ My life philosophy.

Me again:
Hope you've all been following Kate's blog tour. Yesterday's stop was at one of my favourite blogs, hop on over to I Was A Teenage Book Geek to hear Kate's thoughts on time travel novels. Tomorrow take a trip to Cleverly Inked to read what I expect will be another shining review.

So this is the start of a new feature. I hope that with a bit more thinking and discussion Authors - Home and Away will evolve. Any thoughts on how it can develop? I'd love to hear them.