Once Upon a Bookcase

Blog Tour Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgernstern (+ Giveaway!)

2012-05-28T09:00:00.000+01:00

The Night Circus by Erin Morgernstern (review copy) - In 1886 a mysterious travelling circus becomes an international sensation. Open only at night, constructed entirely in black and white, the Cirque des Rêves delights all who wander its circular paths and warm themselves at its bonfire. There are contortionists, performing cats, carousels and illusionists – all the trappings of an ordinary circus. But this is no conventional spectacle. Some tents contain clouds, some ice. The circus seems almost to cast a spell over its aficionados, who dress in red and call themselves the rêveurs – the dreamers. And who is the sinister man in the grey suit who watches over it all? Behind the scenes a dangerous game is being played by two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who, at the behest of their masters, are forced to test the very limits of the imagination – and of love... Official synopsis from Vintage Books.

Be warned, this is going to be a long review. But read to the end, there's a giveaway!

When I was contacted about taking part in the blog tour for The Night Circus, I was intrigued, but I didn't know what to expect. The blurb seems perfect now I've read the book, but before I had, I didn't really feel it told me what the story was about. The official synopsis above is better, but I still wasn't sure what kind of story I would be reading. Then I picked it up, and completely fell in love.

Two poweful masters of magic decide to play a game. They each take a child, and teach them in their ways of illusion, manipulation, magic, with the intention of pitting them against each other after years of study to see how will win. The rules of the game are not clear, nor is how one wins, all Celia and Marco know is that they have to out-do some other unknown - each other - and have no choice in the matter.

Chandresh Christophe Lefèvre is a wealthy, powerful, business man, and comes up with an idea for a circus. But not just any circus, not a normal cicrus with clowns and silliness. A circus that opens only at night, with innumerable tents with fantastic sights to wow and awe the audience, tents where each is better than the last. A circus where dreams are a reality; Le Cirque des Rêves - the circus of dreams. Whether through fate, coincidence, or design, this circus is where Celia and Marco will do battle, where they will try to create spectacles that will out shine those of the other. The circus becomes intwined in all that both Celia and Marco do, it's fate, and that of everyone involved in it, determined only by who wins.

I cannot tell you how much I love this story! It is absolutely incredible; completely magical and so detailed. The story spans decades; we follow the lives of Celia and Marco from when they're children, from when the challenge is put in motion by their masters, through their studying and through the start of the game they don't completely understand. We also get to see the circus form; we see the conception of the idea, where Chandresh is discussing ideas with a bnumber of close friends he feels can contribute to the success of an idea he has had, through opening night when magical things happen. We see the circus achieve global fame, and the rise of the rêveurs, a world-wide group of fans whose love for the circus knows no bounds.

The is a large cast of characters, and Erin Morgenstern writes with such skill that you care about each and every single one of them, even though there are more than I could count. The romance between Celia and Marco is beyond words, but I'll try; it is intense and powerful, and really grabs the reader by the heart. It is achingly beautiful, it brought tears to my eyes. There are sub-plots that follow the lives of various other characters, whose stories are told outside the time of the circus. For example, you could be reading one chapter about the plans for the circus, and the next chapter will jump forward quite a few years and we see young Bailey, a farmer's son, who has just visited the circus for the first time. It sounds like it might get confusing, but it never does. It's a fantastic way of adding to the brilliance of the circus to the reader, making it seem as if it is in existence at all times - the past, the future, it's all now where the circus is concerned. Also, with the sub-plots, we get to see the circus from the outside as well as from the inside. But these aren't just random sub-plots, each sub-plot is integral to the story as a whole, even if you can't see how at the beginning. The reach of the circus, of the story, is wide, and so many lives are effected by it.

Morgenstern is an exceptionally skilled writer. No matter who's point of view we're following at any point of the book, the book is written in thirdperson. Except for when it isn't. Except for those times when Morgernstern writes in second person - no "I" or "he/she/they", but "you". Throughout the novel, Morgernstern brings the reader in by allowing you to visit the circus; she leads you through various tents, shows you different sights, and makes the circus seem real, because you get to "see" it yourself. And the tents are simply magical! Morgenstern has imagination in bucketloads, and she pours it into this novel. I don't want to go into what you'll find in the interiors of the tents, because they are best discovered as you read, but this circus truly is a circus of dreams! You have no idea how much I wish this circus was real; it would be a wonder to behold!

Not only that, but Morgenstern has a incredible way with words! The Night Circus is a delight to the imagination; though only existing in words, the circus is a feast for the senses. Everything is described in so much detail, in such language, you are immersed in wondrous sights, sounds, scents, tastes and textures throughout the novel, making it a luxurious read. The language is so beautiful, it's addictive, with sentences that demand to be read aloud. Each chapter is like the tents of the circus; there's something extraordinary to discover, each word something delicious dipped in sugar. Although the pace of the book can be considered slow moving, to me it was perfect; slow to savour the complete and utter deliciousness of the book! With The Night Circus, Morgernstern paints with words, and she has painted a masterpiece.

This book is completely enchanting. It's like Morgenstern crawled into my head, and from what she discovered, she wrote the book I had been looking for all along, without even knowing I was looking for it. The Night Circus goes above and beyond anything I could ever have wished for in a book. It's not just a story, it's an experience. Quite possible the best book I have ever read, one I have taken into my hear and will treasure my whole life.

Thank you to Vintage Books for sending me a review copy.

Keep scrolling, there's a giveaway!

Published: 24th May 2012
Publisher: Vintage Books
Buy on Amazon US
Erin Morgernstern's Website

Thanks to the wonderful people at Vintage Books, I have two copies of The Night Circus to giveaway to those in the UK and the Commonwealth! Read on for the rules!

Rules/Details:

Enter by filling in the form below.

One entry per person. Multiple entries will be deleted.

Open to UK and Commonwealth entrants only.

Two winners.

Contest closes on 3rd June 2012.

The winner will be announced on 4th June 2012.

The winner's contact details will be passed on to my contact at Vintage Books, who will send out the prizes.

Please read my Privacy and Contest Policies.

First Class Post (3)

2012-05-27T19:45:00.000+01:00

First Class Post - because this post is first class!

For review:

The Night Sky in My Head by Sarah Hammond - Goodreads / Amazon
This was a surprise review copy, but I'm intrigued. Might be interesting!

Mortal Chaos: Deep Oblivion by Matt Dickinson - Goodreads / Amazon
Another surprise review copy. I'm still yet to read the first book in the series, but I am so intrigued by the whole idea! Looking forward to trying it!

A Dog Called Homesless by Sarah Lean - Goodreads / Amazon
This book sounds like it's going to be so sad! But probably really touching and awesome! I'm really looking forward to it!

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass - Goodreads / Amazon
This sounds so exciting! A high fantasy inspired by Cinderella! I am so looking forward to reading it!

What's Up With Jody Barton? by Hayley Long - Goodreads / Amazon
Yet another surprise review copy. This one sounds interesting! Especially as we're not told anything on the actual book. Not really. Intrigued! I want to know what this twist is!

Metawars by Jeff Norton - Goodreads / Amazon
Again (!), another surprise review copy, but OH MY GOD! I am EXCITED to read this! Sounds in a similar vein to Insignia by S.J. Kincaid, which I LOVED! Can't wait to get stuck into this!

Serpent's Kiss by Melissa de la Cruz - Goodreads / Amazon
Guess what? Another surprise review copy. Lol. This one is for older YA readers. This is the second book in a series, but I'm really intrigued, it sounds like it might be really good! Magic and otherworldy creatures! Fun! Going to see if I can get hold of the first book, Witches of the East.

Gifted:

The Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers - Goodreads / Amazon
Ooooh! It sounds amazing! Have already started reading this, and wow. WOW! Really makes you think!

The Diviners by Libba Bray - Goodreads / Amazon
I don't know if I'll like this one or not. The 1920's era doesn't appeal to me, really. I'll give it a go, but I don't know. I'm intrigued by the supernatural twist!

Angel Fire by L.A. Weatherly - Goodreads / Amazon
I loved the first book in this series, so I am SO excited to read the second! Looking forward to it!

Another Life by Keren David - Goodreads / Amazon
I'm yet to read the second book in this series, but I absolutely loved When I Was Joe, so I thought I would pick this up for after reading Almost True. Hopefully soon!

Thanks to Oxford University Press, HarperCollins Children's Books, Bloomsbury, St. Martin's Press for the review copies!

Winner: All Spell Breaks Loose by Lisa Shearin Giveaway

2012-05-26T18:19:00.000+01:00

The All Spell Breaks Loose by Lisa Shaerin eBook giveaway is now closed! Thank you to everyone who entered! Randomizer.org has done it's thing, and the winner is:

Carolyn!

Congratulations The winner has been notified by email, and I have passed your details onto my contact who will email you a widget to download the book. Hope you enjoy!

Weekly Gossip

2012-05-21T09:00:00.000+01:00

Here is your news from the past week!

First up, the trailers.

Velvet by Mary Hooper:

Stalk Mary on Twitter, Facebook and her website.

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers:

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There is a great post over on the UKYA blog where author of A Witch in Winter, Ruth Warburton talks about Instalove. It's really fascinating! Well worth a read.

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I received an email about what sounds like a fascinating article in the journal Mass Communication and Society, which discusses, based on a study, whether the lower end of YA novels should have a rating like movies do because of the profanity and violence they contain. Unfortunately, due to being from the UK, I'm unable read the article, but those in the US can buy the article, A Helluva Read: Profanity in Adolescent Literature (scroll down to about half way). For the rest of us, we can read the press release, which is fascinating in itself, as it cover some points the article covers. Simply reading the press release, what do we think?

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You remember how I keep raving about this book that I've yet to read, Storm, simply because an awesome Aussie blogger (read: Brodie) keeps raving about the series? WELL! More news for you on that front! K-Teen Books have released a chapter excerpt from Spark, the sequel to Storm, the one featuring Gabriel! I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK! Even if I haven't yet read Storm. Sooo tempted to go read. But I'll be good, I will wait. Adn as I have Storm now, not too long until the awesomeness starts!

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There are two interesting interviews with author Richelle Mead about her adult urban fantasy Dark Swan series being made into comic books and graphic novels! You can read one on USA Today and listen to one on Comic Booked!

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News from Midas PR about new teen programme!
Have you heard about the hf2 festival? It is the teen programme at the Hay Festival (www.hayfestival.org) The festivals runs from the 2nd – 10th June.

For 25 years Hay Festival has brought together writers from around the world to debate and share stories at its festival in the Welsh Borders. Hay celebrates great writing from poets and scientists, lyricists and comedians, novelists and environmentalists, and this year has an incredible teen line up too.

As well as comedians like Russell Kane and Bill Baily, authors such as Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments), Maggie Stiefvater (Shiver) and Julianna Baggott (Pure) are over all the way from America to talk about their work. International bestselling historical novelist Philippa Gregory will also be introducing her new young adult series The Order.
And check out http://www.hayfestival.com/thesoundcastle/ for the music!
Laughs, music, books and some great workshops on things like photography, film-making and writing… What’s not to love!

To find out more you can go to www.hayfestival.org/hf2 The festival site is free to enter and select events are also free. Other events are individually ticketed and need to be pre-booked.

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Up-coming Foyle Events!

World of Tomorrow, with Moira Young, Steve Cole and Kim Lakin-Smith – Literary Event
CHARING CROSS ROAD, LONDON
Tuesday 22 May 2012, 7pm - 8pm

In conjunction with the Society of Authors and the Kitschies Awards, the panel will celebrate progressive, intelligent and entertaining science fiction for readers of all ages. Philip Reeve, Sarah McIntyre, Costa Children’s Book Award-winning author Moira Young, Steve Cole and Kim Lakin-Smith will discuss the rise of science fiction in Children’s and Young Adult fiction. Tickets: Free, but need to be reserved by emailing events@foyles.co.uk.

Venue: The Gallery at Foyles, 113-119 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0EB CHARING

Rachel Caine in conversation – Literary Event
CROSS ROAD, LONDON
Wednesday 23 May 2012, 6.30pm - 7.30pm

*Exclusive London Event*New York Times-bestselling author Rachel Caine will be returning to The Gallery at Foyles to discuss her life, work and inspiration. She will introduce her highly anticipated new book Black Dawn, the twelfth novel in the Morganville Vampire series. Rachel will also be signing copies of her new book. Tickets: Free, but need to be reserved by emailing events@foyles.co.uk.

Venue: The Gallery at Foyles, 113-119 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0EB

Cassandra Clare with special guest Maureen Johnson: City of Lost Souls – Literary Event
THEATRE ROYAL, STRATFORD EAST, LONDON
Saturday 26 May 2012, 2pm - 3pm

*Exclusive London Event*Cassandra Clare, international bestselling author of The Mortal Instruments will be discussing the recent release of City of Lost Souls. She will be joined by New York Times bestselling author of the Little Blue Envelopes series, Maureen Johnson. Both authors will sign copies of their books for ticket holders only immediately after their talk. Tickets: £8 or £13 including a signed copy of City of Lost Souls, available to buy from: www.foyles.co.uk*

Venue: Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, London E15 1BN

Review: Storm by Brigid Kemmerer

2012-05-21T00:48:00.003+01:00

Storm by Brigid Kemmerer - Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread lies about her, Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys - the ones she doesn't want. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water - just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They're powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

When Hunter, the mysterious new kid in town, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who's hiding the most dangerous truth of all... From Amazon US

After wanting to read this book for ages, since reading rave reviews from various Aussie bloggers, I was so excited to have won a copy. And it turns out those Aussie reviews were right - Storm is one hell of a ride!

Despite reading the rave reviews, Storm wasn't what I expected - it was so much more! There is a large amount of emotion flying through this novel - and not just the kind you get when you suddenly have two hot guys in your life. There is emotion coming from everyone, and Brigid Kemmerer doesn't shy away from tough or serious issues. Pretty much every teenager in this book has parental issues, whether it be that they just don't get on, or there are dead parents. Anger and grief touches most people, and emotions run high. Harrassment also plays a part in people's emotions - though "harrassment" or "bullying" don't really seem strong enough. In various situations, the harrassment becomes something much more sinister and dangerous. There is no way to read this book without having your heart strings tugged at or feeling disgusted. There were moments when I felt like I wanted to put the book down because, god, I didn't want to read anymore, it was just painful. Which only goes to show the strength of Kemmerer's writing.

But it's not all bad! There are, of course, the Merrick brothers - specifically the Merrick twins, Gabriel and Nick! Anyone who fails to love those two.. well, I don't even know what to say to you. Gabriel's constant flirting, and how they both take the mick out of Chris in front of Becca, you can't help but laugh! Those boys are just awesome, the type of guys you'd want to hang out with because you'd never stop laughing. They're hot too, which helps. They just ooze sex appeal! Twice. The. Fun! Though I can't tell you who I prefer. Gabriel's the kind of guy who's attention would get you all flustered and scrambling your words, but he has a mean temper and it's kind of scary. Nick has the same effect as Gabriel, but I'd say he's more likely to look at you as a person as well as a girl. He seems real nice! But doesn't has less of that bad boy attitude that Gabriel seems to have. I can't choose!

Michael is.. wow. That guy can be scary. But having read Elemental before Storm, and finding out what happened after Elemental ended, well, I can completely understand it. Having to become parent to three young boys when you're 18 would be hard enough, but add on top of that the stress of having a bunch of people after you and your brothers for what you can do.. it's tough. The boys are teenagers, so act rashly which just adds to it all. He just wants to keep everyone safe, which is difficult with rebellious teens on your hands.

Then you have Chris. Lovely, sweet Chris, who's never entirely sure what he feels about what. About Michael, about Becca, about how he wants to deal with the situation they're in. But he can't deny the attraction he feels for this girl who saved his life. There are some real tender moments between the two, but the boy has communication issues! Although we, the readers, know how he feels and what he's thinking, he never really says it, so Becca cannot be blamed for getting her wires crossed when he's suddenly huffy with her for seemingly no reason. And well, when there's an uncomplicated guy who doesn't have a problem making it clear he's into you, and is actually real, real nice... what do you expect, Chris? What do you expect?

I actually really loved Hunter. Like really. The way he treated Becca, like she was this special, important, fragile thing! Oh my god, I may have fallen in love with him just a little bit. But Chris! Chris was also pretty damn awesome! I didn't have a team, there were no sides! I loved the moments Becca had with each guy. There was just too much hotness going on in this book, and I think Kemmerer wants to torture us all!

This book isn't all guys, no. There is Becca, our female protagonist, and she is freaking awesome! The way she deals with all the crap that comes her way is admirable. Granted, she shouldn't have to, but I'm pretty sure I would have broken if it was me. But she's so strong! Then she has to deal with he fact that people have power to control the elements, and because she saved a guy from a beating, the people that want them dead are now after her too. It's too much! But it makes for such great reading. Becca is just so relateable and normal, she's hard not to love, and you're egging her on, willing her to get through the crap that is currently her life. She's wonderful!

Then there was all the excitement! Woah. The power these Merrick guys have is unbelievable! And when the Guide comes along and is shooting ligning at them and slamming wind into cars, and oh my god, people are in danger! This is edge of your seat stuff! I flew through the second half of the book when the action really started to pick up. Oh my word, it was just amazing! This is the kind of thing that needs to be on the big screens! I want to be an Elemental! I don't care which I have, I just want to do something awesome and fight too! Hot guys with immense power? You really can't go wrong!

There were some interesting revelations towards the end that are killing me! Not exactly cliff hangers, but still! I want to know the consequences of such revelations! And I have no idea how that's going to work in the sequel, Spark; although Becca and Chris will be in that book, it's Gabriel's story, not theirs. If I had my way, this series would be split up. There would be the Water Elemental series, and then the others, because I want more! I feel so sad to be leaving Chris and Becca's point of views behind. And sad to have finished the book so quickly after wanting it for so long.

An absolutely amazing debut! After riding the Storm, I'm eager to feel the burn of Spark!

Published: 24th April 2012
Publisher: K Teen
Buy on Amazon US
Brigid Kemmerer's Website

Other reviews in the series:
Elemental (Elemental Prequel)

Other reviews:
Eleusinian Mysteries
Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me
Saz101

Possible Book Bloggers Penpals Scheme - Are You Interested?

2012-05-20T16:04:00.001+01:00

Hey everyone. So I had this idea, but the idea is very, very basic, so this post is to find out if anyone would be interested, and if people are, how to go about it.

Over the years, I have been a huge fan of writing letters. I can't count the number of penpals I've had, and ot describe the enjoyment I got from receiving a letter and responding. I had at some point come across a blog for blogging penpals, and thought it was a book blogging one, but it's actually a beauty one - see here. So, looking at it, I thought it may be cool if there was some sort penpal scheme for us book bloggers. A few people said they were interested on Twitter, so this post is to discuss!

Would you be interesting in becoming penpals with another/other book blogger/s? If so, how should we do it?

My suggestions/thoughts:

Those who want to take part would provide information such as whether they would want a penpal from home or from abroad, or either, and also their mailing address - which would obviously be kept safe. They would then create a post/page on their blog that is easily found, with a little penpal "bio"; a few things about themselves, their hobbies, where they're from (general, not specific - i.e. London), etc etc. Once there have been a few requests for penpals, people can be matched up. There may be other specifics we'll need to take into account for matching which we could discuss. A blogger will be sent links to those bio pages of a few bloggers to see if these are people they'll want to write to and know what to respond to, and then mailing addresses are requested.

Actually, having just written that out, it sounds a little complicated. I'm now thinking a blog, inspired by the beauty blogging one, should be set up for it. People's bios/descriptions of the type of people they would like to write to will be added to the blog, and people can browse through and see who they may like to talk to. These bios/descriptions can be separated into countries, so people can find people from where they're from if they want to stay within their own country, but also by type of blog - i.e. YA, fantasy, classics, chicklit, etc, so people can find like-minded bloggers.

What do people think of the one linked to above? I don't personally like the gift idea, I'm more for the letters themselves, I don't need to receive gifts, but maybe the way they run things is something we could discuss. What do you think? I think, seeing as that blog inspired the idea, they should be credited as inspiration for the idea. We do not need any more controversy. If there are enough people who are interested, I think I'll get in contact with them anyway, just to make sure there's not going to be any issues.

But obviously, if there aren't enough people who are interested, it won't happen. If you are interested, please say so in the comments, and it would be cool if you could tweet the link, too, please - the more people who know about the discussion, the easier it will be to decide whether we're going to try and do something or not. Thanks.

Anyone else have any other ideas? Or things you'd want to discuss, maybe something I haven't yet thought of? If people want to take part, we need to be happy with how things are done. So comment away!

Blogspiration (10)

2012-05-20T09:00:00.000+01:00

Blogspiration is hosted by Saz101 and GrowingUp YA.

I finished reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern on Wednesday for the blog tour I will be taking part in. This quote really spoke to me, and I think it's something all writers should remember - you're doing great things!

"You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows what they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift... There are many kinds of magic, after all."

Isn't that the most wonderful quote? I love it!

Please feel free to link to your own Blogspiration posts, I'd love to see them!

First Class Post (2)

2012-05-19T13:53:00.000+01:00

First Class Post - Because this post is first class!

For review:

Wintercraft: Legacy by Jenna Burtenshaw - Goodreads / Amazon
Remember a few weeks ago I said I got sent a finished copy of Wintercraft with the press release for book 3? It was a mistake! But they have corrected it, and now I have book 3. Though, I am yet to read the first book, so all round pretty random review copies. Sounds good though!

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker - Goodreads / Amazon
This was an unepected review copy, but one I am SO excited to read! LOOK AT THAT PREMISE! Oh my god, I can tell this book is going to be just awesome! Also, this is a 2012 YA debut.

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson - Goodreads / Amazon
I am sooo happy to have this book! I've yet to read Amy and Roger's Epic Detour, but I love the sound of both of these books! Will hopefully be reading them soon!

Blackwood by Gwenda Bond - Goodreads / Amazon
This book sounds awesome! I am so intrigued! Sounds so different from everything else out these days.
One of Strange Chemistry's first releases, and a 2012 YA debut.

Shift by Kim Curran - Goodreads / Amazon
This also sounds really good! Sounds very thought provoking in a cool and exciting way. Again, one of Strange Chemistry's first releases, and a 2012 YA debut.

Shut Up by Anne Tibbets - Goodreads / Amazon
This in an eBook review copy. Sounds so good, like it will really pull at the heart strings. And it's quite short. Looking forward to reading it!

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers - Goodreads / Amazon
This book sounds SO GOOD! Eee, I love me some assinssins! It's a historical fantasy, so I can think of it as high fantasy. In some cases, it sounds like it may be slightly similar to Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy. I have high hopes for this book! It also came with a small bottle of poison, which I LOVE! Andersen are so cool for going that little extra step! It's actually a bottle of Port, but I love the idea!

Saving June by Hannah Harrington - Goodreads / Amazon
Oh, I have been wanting to read this book for so long! It sounds amazing! I love the sound of road trip novels, so I'm excited to read this!

Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen - Goodreads / Amazon
OH MY GOD THIS BOOK SOUNDS AWESOME! Pretty much all I have to say! Another angel book, but with a difference. I can't wait to read it!

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross - Goodreads / Amazon
I heard some great things about this series from the February Valentine's Event that Eleusinian Mysteries and Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me held, and have wanted to read it ever since. Now I have it! Whoop! Looking forward to it!

Won:

Storm by Brigid Kemmerer - Goodreads / Amazon
YESSSS! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW EXCITED I AM TO FINALLY HAVE THIS NOVEL! Eeeee! I am a happy chappy! So, I was the winner for one of the International Prize Packs that was being given away by I-don't-know-who, among many other Prize Packs, as part of the Storm Australian Blog Tour - it wasn't one blog running a contest, all blogs linked to a form, each comment on each blog's tour post was an entry. No idea who picked. But I wooon! And I am haaaappy! I also won a pre-order of Spark, the sequel, which is coming out later this year I believe. HAPPY JO! Oooh, I love Australian bloggers! :D Also, this is a 2012 YA Debut. Gots to love debuts! (P.S. Have already started reading this. LOVE!)

Night School by C.J. Daugherty bookmark
Yessss! C.J. Daugherty ran a competition to for commenters to win a bookmark, and I was one of the lucky first five commenters to win one! Whoop! Another to add to the collection!

Thank you to Headline, Simon and Schuster UK, Simon & Schuster Children's Books, Strange Chemistry, Anne Tibbets, Andersen Press and Mira Ink for the review copies, and Reading Wishes and C.J. Daugherty for the prizes!

All Spell Breaks Loose Blog Tour: Lisa Shearin on the End of the Raine Benares Series

2012-05-18T09:00:00.000+01:00

I am absolutely delighted to have Lisa Shearin, author of the Raine Benares series, visiting my blog today as part of the All Spell Breaks Loose Blog Tour! I am a HUGE fan of the series, and so sad to hear that it's now ending after six books! Lisa is here today to talk about how she feels about the end of her series.

Thank you so much, Jo, for inviting me to guest post on Once Upon a Bookcase!

You had asked me how it felt now that I’ve come to the end of the Raine Benares series, and having to say goodbye to the characters and this particular storyline.

Writing the end of ALL SPELL BREAKS LOOSE was made a lot easier by the fact that the series isn’t really over, just the Saghred storyline. If I’d been truly ending the series, I’d have probably been blubbering like a baby. I absolutely love these characters, I’ve been with them a long time, and I couldn’t bear the thought of never writing another book with them again.

That being said, I’ve always wanted to do multiple series. The Saghred storyline was all-consuming (hmm, kind of ironic that a series about a soul-sucking rock would consume my life). In reality, the six books of the Raine Benares series are one humongous book divided into six smaller books. The story arc begins with MAGIC LOST, TROUBLE FOUND and ends with ALL SPELL BREAKS LOOSE. So basically, for the past six years (actually a lot longer than that if you count the years I spent trying to get published) I’ve been writing ONE book. So while I adore Raine & Company, we need a little away time. ; )

My goal with ALL SPELL BREAKS LOOSE was to tie up the loose ends, leave others open, and make the story live up to the title—and I do believe I’ve done it. You all can tell me for sure after May 29.

There are so many possibilities for spin-off series: Raine & Mychael, Tam & Talon, Phaelan & whoever he’s pissed off lately. And the list goes on. So when I’m ready to jump back into Raine’s world, I’ll have plenty to choose from.

At the moment, I’m working on a proposal package for an urban fantasy/supernatural thriller/comedy series. You all know how I love to mix & match genres. I have the series premise written, as well as the synopses for the first three books, and I’m working on the final sample chapter now (for a total of six). I promise that as soon as I get a contract for it, I’ll tell you more—in fact, you probably won’t be able to shut me up. I’m so excited about this project—it’s just pure fun.

Jo, thank you again for having me on your blog! And best of luck to all of you in the ALL SPELL BREAKS LOOSE giveaway that Jo is hosting!

Thank you, Lisa, for such a great guest post! It's great to hear that we'll be having more novels set in this universe in the future! And I am excited to find out more about this urban fantasy/supernatural thriller/comedy series!

Be sure to check out Lisa's website, and All Spell Breaks Loose when it comes on on 29th May!

And yes, as Lisa said, there is a giveaway! Thank you to the lovely people at Penguin US, one lucky reader can win an eBook copy of All Spell Breaks Loose! Read on for all the details!

***GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED!***

Geekhood Blog Tour: Andy Robb's Top Ten Geeky Obsessions!

2012-05-15T12:00:00.000+01:00

I have the great pleasure of having author of YA debut novelist, Andy Robb, on my blog today as part of the Geekhood: Close Encounters of the Girl Kind Blog Tour! Andy has popped over today to share with us the list of his top ten geeky obsessions. It's awesome!

Geekhood: Close Encounters of the Girl Kind gave me the chance to look back over my adolescence and work out what it was that made me a Geek. What I wasn’t expecting was to find that my adulthood Geeky obsessions are even nerdier than ever. Some of my fixations weren’t around when I was hacking my way through puberty. But Archie, the book’s main character, is a 21st Century Geek, so I’m delighted to say he’s embraced most of them. What follows are my own personal obsessions, done in one of those Top Ten lists that are pretty Geeky in themselves.

And in reverse order…

10) Anime. I was getting out of kids’ cartoons just as Manga was coming in. Since then, it’s taken on a whole new dimension, embracing adult themes and exploring ideas that were previously taboo. But what I do remember is that toons like Battle of the Planets and Ulysses 31 had the coolest theme tunes – like the animators suddenly woke up and went “Hey! We can’t put this out there without some cranking electric guitars and faux-metal vocals! It just doesn’t make sense!” Anime has a whole subculture attached to it and there are Geeks who go to conventions wearing Cosplay outfits of their favourite characters I’ll stick to my Incredible Hulk outfit, which consists of some torn jeans and green food-colouring. Which leads me on to…

9) The Incredible Hulk. I was always into comics and did the usual: Batman, Spidey, Judge Dredd and Star Wars. But I came across a re-release of Hulk #1 in my paper-shop and soaked it up. For some reason, the Hulk really spoke to me. I think he’s the way many Geeks feel: misunderstood, singled-out and hunted. But what he has, that we don’t, is the ability to run around with his top off and thrash anything and anyone who’s hounding him. Geeks are often seen to be outsiders and the Hulk is the ultimate comic-book outsider. I even went out and bought an Incredible Hulk Work-out Kit when I was 11. It didn’t work out.

8) Batman. Batman’s the other side of the comic coin. What I love about him is that he was a guy with no super-powers whatsoever but, after a fateful encounter with Joe Chill (according to the original story), he decided to dress up as a bat and right wrongs. He’s been through many incarnations, from the Zap! Ka-Pow! strips of the sixties to the almost-psychotic figure in Frank Miller’s classic, The Dark Knight Returns. I love Bats in all his guises, but I especially like Miller’s ragged version, because it reveals what Bruce Wayne might be up to when he’s in his fifties. And, yes, I had a Batman costume as a kid.

7) Comics in general. I still read comics – mainly The Beano these days. But what comics did for me was introduce me to a new world of artistry, of guys like Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, Bob Kane and Jack Kirby. For those of you who don’t know, these names would appear at the start of strips; they were the writers, creators or – most importantly for me – the artists. I’d research the artists I’d like and this would lead me to other comics that I’d never heard of, like Doc Savage, Swamp Thing and Tales of the Uncanny. It also spurred me on to try and draw, copying the Hulk or Judge Dredd or even trying to make up my own heroes (the Ice King never saw the light of day). Archie, like me, is bound up in comics. For him, they are a way of identifying the similarities and differences between his actions and those of the guys in tights.

6) Star Trek. Star Trek was staple tea-time viewing and I loved the interplay between Bones, Spock and Kirk. I wouldn’t like to say who was my favourite, but I think I always leaned toward Spock. I think it’s the outsider thing again. And Spock had those cool outfits that he wore in his quarters, plus all those weird-looking things on his shelves. But I didn’t really like it when he played that Vulcan mandolin. Plus, Leonard Nimoy proved that you can look cool in a pair of pointy ears and a medieval-style haircut. I had the haircut.

5) Star Wars. Star Wars is Trek’s bigger, brasher brother. In 1977, when I saw A New Hope for the first time and watched that Star Destroyer fly over my head at the beginning, my little mind exploded. I was always a Han Solo fan – he was cool, cocky and hung out with a Wookie; what’s not to like? But I liked Vader, too – even though he scared me. And, personally, given the choice, if I’d been offered to learn from him or Kenobi, I’d have opted for the red lightsaber every time. Archie’s a Star Wars Geek and, like the best of us, can make the philosophy, plot and even lines of the films pertinent to his daily life.

4) Doctor Who. I came in just as Jon Pertwee turned into Tom Baker. I remember feeling a bit narked that my white-haired hero had turned into some goggle-eyed berk, but Baker won me over in a very short time and he’s now ‘my’ Doctor. I think he’s the ultimate Geek Hero: he’s an outsider, he’s complex, he’s knowledgeable, but he refuses to use violence in any shape or form. Plus there’s the TARDIS. I spent the best part of being twelve trying to understand the Laws of Time and working out if I could build a time machine. I only got as far as building a console out of cardboard and polystyrene.

3) The Rolling Stones. A slight diversion, I know – but I’m a Stones Geek. The first track of theirs I heard was Jumpin’ Jack Flash, at the age of sixteen – and it was the beginning of a love affair that isn’t over yet. The thing with the Stones is, music aside, I love the characters involved: the preening, flouncing Jagger, the salacious, wheezing Richards, the crowd-pleasing Wood and the lugubrious, distant Watts. Most Stones Geeks agree that there are three albums that are classics (Exile, Sticky Fingers and Let It Bleed), but the rest are up for grabs. I think we’re all waiting for the album that recaptures the magic of those three.

2) Dungeons & Dragons. I first came across the Grandfather of Role-playing games (RPGs) through a Sunday supplement at the age of eleven. Although I read about the game in this paper, it was the photos of the miniatures themselves that captured me. I started collecting and painting them. But once I’d got a few, I realised I had nothing really to do with them, so I checked out the game itself. It was a revelation: you could create worlds in which you were a hero or a bad guy and go on quests or battle the forces of darkness. In a way, it was my first foray into telling stories. There’s a bit in Geekhood where Archie’s über-Geek mate, Matt, likens Geeks to alchemists: creating gold from base materials. I think this is true of RPGs – and not only are you creating a story, but you’re creating a story in which you exist. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that my love of RPGs deepened as my parents divorced. For me, and for Archie, it was a constructive and positive way of leaving the Bad Stuff behind; an Exit sign in Elvish runes.

1) Lego. I have my son to thank for this. As a kid, I didn’t like Lego much. As a Dad, you start paying attention to what’s in toyshops. And suddenly I was seeing Star Wars Lego, Indiana Jones Lego, Batman Lego and now there’s Avengers Lego and even Lord of the Rings Lego! When I play with my son, we don’t just build stuff; we make little minifigs to represent ourselves and then we play as though we’re in an adventure. I suppose it’s a bit like an RPG, just without the dice. And I hope that those games have some influence on him later in life – I hope he’s a Geek, too.

Obsessions don’t mean you have to be an outsider. As Matt says in the book, there are loads of different types of Geek: football Geeks, music Geeks, film Geeks – the list is endless. What Archie learns is something I’ve learned: that being a Geek doesn’t have to set you apart from the world; in many ways it can make you an important part of it.

Thank you, Andy, for such a great guest post! I was agreeing with quite a few of them. What would be on your top ten geek list? I think The Big Bang Theory would be top of mine!

Be sure to check out Andy's website, the Geekhood Website, and the book itself, which is released on 4th June! You can also read my rave review, which was posted earlier today.

Review: Geekhood: Close Encounters of the Girl Kind by Andy Robb

2012-05-15T09:00:00.000+01:00

Geekhood by Andy Robb (ARC) - If you haven't worked it out yet, girls don't do this. They don't come to the Hovel. They don't like goblins and dragons. They don't paint miniatures. They don't play role playing games or re-enact fictional battles. And they don't talk to Geeks like me - especially if they're pretty. And this girl is pretty.

What do you do if you're a fourteen-year-old Geek, and a Beautiful Girl has appeared in the midst of your geeky world? And she seems to like you...

For Archie, the natural reaction would be to duck and cover... run for the hills... buy a new model elf... Anything byt risk stepping into the Real World.

But even Geeks have to put their heads above the parapet at some point.

With his mum barely able to contain her excitement that her son is about to join the human race, and his step-father, Tony the Tosser, offering crass advice, it's time for Archie to embark on a daring Quest to win the Beautiful Girl's heart and shake off his Geekhood for good... From the blurb.

I think I'm a geek and didn't know it. I may not collect action figures, read superhero comics, or obsess over various sci-fi movies/tv programmes, but there are a few signs. I love The Big Bang Theory, I love Doctor Who, I love Torchwood. I could quite happily watch movies such as Lord of the Rings, Star Wars (all six of them!) and Star Trek (the latest, I'm afraid). And I can also watch Star Trek: Next Generation. And there's my huge love for fantasy novels. I believe there's a smidgen of the geek in me somewhere. So when I heard about Geekhood, it immediately appealed! And it's brilliant!

Whether it was Archie's social ineptitude around anyone other than his fellow geeks, his enthusiasm for the RPG game Dungeons and Dragons, or how his sarcastic Internal Monologue comments on everything that happens, if you're not laughing, you're at least smiling most of the way through the book. Geekhood is hilarious, Archie's voice and the way he sees things had me cracking up a fair few times. Although generally a funny book, it's also a really endearing and at times sensitive novel, with the lovely moments between Archie and his mum, and how he reacts to news from his Dad. I found I related to Archie and some of the situations he found himself in at times, and got so emotionally involved, that when things weren't going as well as he would have liked, it clouded my mood for a few hours even once I put the book down - even though everything is sprinkled with humour, I felt really bad for Archie, and got so annoyed at people and how they treated him, and was quite angry for a while. Archie could be a little daft though, and he did annoy me sometimes with the things he did to impress Sarah, the girl he's chasing. I just wanted to shake him and shout "What are you doing?!"

The geeky parts of the book I found really fascinating - mainly because I'd never really got what an RPG game was, and I actually found myself thinking they could be pretty fun (I know, I worried about myself too). I found it odd that there wasn't a lot of movie and TV discussions between the geeky boys. I think I've spent too much time watching The Big Bang Theory, so I was expecting arguments over which sci-fi character was better than the other. There was no mention of comics or action figures. What I thought was the definition of "geek" was turned on it's head. Seems there are many ways of being a geek! I did love when Archie likened certain situations he was in to parts of movies, mostly Lord of the Rings - having watched the movies and enjoyed them, I knew what he was talking about, and it just added to the humour.

If there were any negatives, I wasn't the biggest fan of Sarah's pasttime. I won't spoil it for you, but as nice as she was, she grated on me with all her talk and how she kind of pushed things onto Archie. I was also a little crestfallen with the end! I got it completely wrong! And what I wanted to happen, didn't quite happen! Though it was generally a pretty good ending, and has left it open for the sequel -which I'm really looking forward to reading! Overall, a really good read, and I highly recommend it!

Thank you to Stripes Publishing for sending me a review copy.

Published: 7th May 2012
Publisher: Stripes Publishing
Andy Robb's Website
Geekhood Website

Weekly Gossip

2012-05-14T09:00:00.000+01:00

Here is your news from the past week.

First, the UK cover reveal for Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz from Mira Ink:

Pretty awesome, huh?

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For fans of Damian Dibben and his novel The History Keepers, there are a lot of online goodies for you! There is a great website and facebook page plus a widget for book 1. There is also the fantastic trailer below:

The paperback of The History Keepers is out in June and book 2, Circus Maximus, is out in August.

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Various pieces of news from Strange Chemistry:

First of all, we now have artwork for the five books being released this year - and we celebrated that fact by creating a Pinterest board to showcase it all, which can be found here. We'd love any feedback on the covers - which one you like best and why, things like that! (even which you don't like - we're brave, we can take it! *tries to look tough*)

Speaking of Pinterest, two of our authors for books coming out next year have started their own boards to give hints about their novels. There is a board for Broken by A E Rought and there is a board for Pantomime by Laura Lam. We think it is awesome when an author presents the images that really evoke the feelings of their books!

Finally, we have a sneaky peek at a trailer for The Holders, coming next April from Julianna Scott. This way made by the author herself (because we're such a teeny publisher we don't have the marketing money to make snazzy trailers ourselves *sobs*) - we hope you like it!

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Trailer for Dead Time by Anne Cassidy:

You can also win a copy of the book, the new iPad and a Hooked on Books goody bag and read an extract over at Sugarscape.

Blogspiration (9)

2012-05-13T21:24:00.001+01:00

Blogspiration is hosted by Saz101 and GrowingUp YA

I just love this! It is SO TRUE! Not really much else needed to say.

Source: Paranormal Reads' Facebook Page

Please feel free to link to your own Blogspiration posts in the comments, I'd love to see them!

First Class Post (1)

2012-05-12T20:24:00.000+01:00

First Class Post will be replacing In My Mailbox. Because this post is first class!

For review:

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare - Goodreads / Amazon
The fifth book in the series! I still need to get past book two, unrfortunately; I had some issues with it first time round. But I loved the first book, so I'm hoping to get through it at some point!

Black Dawn by Rachel Caine - Goodreads / Amazon
Wooo! I am SO excited to read this book! Last Breath ended on SUCH a cliff hanger, and I'm so glad I can finally find out what happens next! And, as I host the Morganville Vampires Reading Challenge over on Ink and Paper, the lovely publicist asked Rachel Caine to sign a copy for me when she was in the office last week (see below)! Eee, I'm a happy chappy!

Changeling by Philippa Gregory - Goodreads / Amazon
I now have a finished copy. Looking forward to trying this!

Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready - Goodreads / Amazon
Whoop, the last book in the series! I still have to read the second book, but I absolutely loved the first! Looking forward to seeing what happens!

Chime by Franny Billingsley - Goodreads / Amazon
How GOOD does this book sound?! Eeee, I am excited! Gots to love me some magic! Really looking forward to reading this!

Insurgent by Veronica Roth Giveaway Winners

2012-05-12T16:39:00.001+01:00

The Insurgent by Veronica Roth giveaway is now closed. Thank you to everyone who entered. Randomizer.org has done it's thing, and the winners are:

Beverley @ A Reading Daydreamer

&

Tasnim S
Congratulations to the both of you! Both winners have been notified by email. Your details have been passed on to my contact at HaperCollins who will be posting your prizes.

Once Upon a Bookcase on Plagiarism

2012-05-09T19:56:00.000+01:00

You may or may not be aware of the issues surrounding The Story Siren and plagiarism over the last few weeks. I'm not going to repeat the whole situation - if you're unaware of what I'm talking about, Reading With Martini's post about her own thoughts with links to all the posts that supply the necessary information about the situation.

Having read everything, I have made a decision. As a community, honesty and fairness is hugely important to us, and I am so against plagiarism. Seeing the evidence that the victims have shared, I don't condone what has happened and no longer feel comfortable associating my blog with The Story Siren. So I have decided to boycott.

This means several things. I no longer follow The Story Siren on any social networks. I no longer follow The Story Siren by GFC or any other means. I will no longer be taking part in the Debut Author Challenge. All references to the challenge have been removed from my blog, and I am in the process of having my link removed from the participants list. I will continue to post about the books I receive each week, but I will no longer be taking part in In My Mailbox. And finally, I will no longer be visiting The Story Siren.

This aim of this post to inform you of the changes that are now in effect, and so you are aware of my position on plagiarism. It's unacceptable, and I cannot support anyone who does plagiarise.

Guest Post: E.A. Rigg on Endings

2012-05-09T09:00:00.000+01:00

Today I have the pleasure of having YA debut author of Casey Barnes Eponymous, E.A. Rigg, as she talks about her thoughts on endings.

Endings

I recently finished a book that just came out. It has excellent reviews, a lot of press, and it a thrilling premise. I whipped through it. I could not wait to see where the different threads that had been dangled so tantalizingly would lead.

Trouble is, they did not end up leading anywhere. The book just ended. Rather, the thing that I was expecting happened. Namely ***spoiler alert, though I do not plan on saying the name of the book*** the main character got acquitted of committing murder. But when it came to all those yummy threads, it was like the cook ran out of the ingredients.

Now I am not saying every book needs to have an unforgettable twist at the end. But in this case of this book, the framework was there. The other thing that annoyed me was that it ended on a philosophical note that had almost no backup in the plot. Imagine I were to spend ten minutes telling you a story about a car crash and then ended it with a statement about over consumption. One could make an intellectual link between the two, sure, but it still might bug a person interested in hearing how fast it took for the ambulance to get there.

Leads need to lead somewhere. Or they can get lost, as they notoriously did on the show Lost, which was why Lost lost me as a viewer. But then again many, many people did not give up on that show.

I can only speak for myself, and for the books I read and write. Don’t take me down a gilded path if there’s nothing waiting at the end.

Thank you for such a fascinating guest post! Be sure to check out E.A. Rigg's blog and Casey Barnes Eponymous, which was released on 1st January 2012.

Review: Goddess Girls: Athena the Brain by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

2012-05-08T09:00:00.000+01:00

Goddess Girls: Athena the Brain by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams (review copy) - Athena has always been above average. She's never quite fit in at Triton Junior High, but who would've guessed that Athena is actually a goddess? Principal Zeus's daughter, to be exact. When she's summoned to Mount Olympus Academy, Athena thinks she might actually fit in for the first time in her life. But in some ways, school on Mount Olympus is not that different from down on Earth, and Athena is going to have to deal with the baddest mean girl in history -- Medusa! Authors Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams put a modern spin on classic myths with the Goddess Girls series. Follow the ins and outs of divine social life at Mount Olympus Academy, where the most privileged godboys and goddessgirls in the Greek pantheon hone their mythical skills. From Amazon UK

Athena the Brain is the first in the Goddess Girls series, a series of books for pre-teens where the protagonists are the Greek Goddesses as teens at school, learning what it takes to be a proper goddess. While at school, they bump into the other gods and goddesses we know from the myths, with a hint of humour.

Believing that she is mortal despite the strange things she is able to do Athena receives a letter from Zeus one evening, Prinicipal of Mount Olympus Academy - where all goddess girls and godboys go to school - informing her that he is her father, and she is now at the age to join the Academy and start her goddess training. This first installment introduces us to a number of characters who will eventually have their own books, Aphrodite, Artemis and Persephone, as well as others such as Pandora, Medusa, Poseidon and Zeus, and shows us just what life is like on Mount Olympus.

Athena the Brain is such a short story - at 160 pages - so telling you much more would probably spoil the story. But it is a fun, light, quick read that I'm sure older children will enjoy reading. It's a great introduction to Greek myths, such as the Trojan war, without overloading the youngsters with too much info they would find hard to understand, and amusing, "fictional" anecdotes about things like why Medusa has snakes for hair and can turn people into stone. I say "fictional" within speechmarks because they're not correct to my admittedly wanting knowledge of Greek myths, yet it's a myth, so it's fiction anyway.

It was interesting to see how the myths were tackled for the younger readers who are the target audience, and I'm intrigued to see how the story of Persephone and Hades is told in Persephone the Phony, the second book in this series that was released on 3rd May, too. Fun and clever, I'm sure these books will be a hit!

Thank you to Atom for sending me a review copy.

Published: 3rd May 2012
Publisher: Atom
Buy on Amazon US
Joan Holub's Website
Suzanne Williams' Website

Team Candor UK Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

2012-05-07T09:30:00.000+01:00

Insurgent by Veronica Roth (review copy) - WARNING! I cannot review this book without spoiling the others in the series. Read no further if you're planning on reading this series and don't want it spoiled for you.

Fighting for survival in a shattered world… the truth is her only hope.

I have done bad things. I can’t take them back, and they are part of who I am.

Tris has survived a brutal attack on her former home and family. But she has paid a terrible price. Wracked by grief and guilt, she becomes ever more reckless as she struggles to accept her new future.

Yet if Tris wants to uncover the truth about her world, she must be stronger than ever… because more shocking choices and sacrifices lie ahead. From Amazon UK

Oh. My. God. There are absolutely no words to describe how I'm feeling right now, now that I have finished Insurgent. To say I loved it is to call a thunderstorm a drizzle. "Amazing" doesn't even come close to covering it! Insurgent blew me away - more than I was expecting after reading Divergent. How could Veronica Roth possibly beat Divergent when it was so incredible? I don't know how, but she bloody well did!

I said in my review of Divergent that it was complex and clever. I also said that you had no idea where things were going to go. Insurgent has both these elements, but takes them to a whole new level. Whereas Divergent focussed on Tris more than the dystopian society, after Erudite put the Dauntless under the attack simulation and all but destroyed the Abnegation faction, Insurgent focuses on both Tris and the society they now all live in. A society filled with chaos, danger, and the threat of war. And in a world where factions are kept separate, you have no idea what any will do, or what the consequences will be. You are constantly sitting on the edge of your seat while reading this book. It just doesn’t stop!

And by that I mean the characters never stop. Society as they know it is crumbling, and for those who were Dauntless, sitting back and waiting to see what happens isn’t an option. Erudite took control of Dauntless to destroy Abnegation. But what of Amity and Candor? Who’s side will they be on? And why did Erudite take control, anyway? Why target Abnegation? What do they want? And what will they do next? Insurgent picks up right where Divergent left off; with Tris, Four, and company on the train, and they have work to do – fight and protect. We find out so much more about all the other factions in this book, and it’s just fascinating. The internal politics of each individual faction, how they work together, how decisions are made, what they base those decisions on, and how others are treated, it’s just brilliantly worked out.

Tris suffers so much throughout this novel. With having to kill Will, and her mother and father sacrificing themselves for her at the end of Divergent, Tris is wracked with grief and guilt, to the point where she actually struggles to function normally. She becomes terrified of using a gun, throws herself into unnecessary reckless situations, and simply can’t get past what has happened. This puts a lot of pressure on her relationship with Four, who loves her beyond words, yet can’t seem to shake her out of her self-destruct mode. Add to that the fact that he's suffering from his own demons and seems to be hiding things from her too, and you’ve got yourself a hurting couple who need each other more than they can possibly say, yet can’t help spitting fire and venom at one another. It is so unbelievably sad knowing how much they feel for each other and just how much they desperately need each other’s help, and to then see them feel unable to simply reach out for the other’s hand. It’s incredibly sad. Saying that, when no harsh words are spoken, the fire that burns between them rivals that of any other YA couple going. The chemistry between the two of them is so intense, it crackles right off the page. This is what makes them one of the most believable YA couples going; they have the love, the passion, the devotion, but they have their issues too. No relationship is perfect 100% of the time, and the fact that these two have their problems makes it all the more real. Their relationship is so beautiful, it shines.

As in the previous book, Roth doesn’t shy away from hitting our favourite characters with major blows, but as there is a lot more life-threatening action in this book than in Divergent, those blows, in whatever form, aren’t reserved for just the end. I was close to tears on more than one occasion over the dirty tactics of the cold Erudite Jeanine. Knowing this from the previous book, it is foolish to get too attached to some characters you get to know better, yet impossible not to do. In more ways than one, this book is an incredibly hard and brutal read, but much like a car crash, you can’t turn away.

Then there is the ending! Oh my god, the ending! Such a cliff-hanger! And I have absolutely no idea where the story is going to go from there! What a curve ball! We thought everyone was all shaken up already, but it seems Roth didn’t think things were shaken up enough. Simply brilliant, and exciting, and wonderful! I have absolutely no clue what will happen next, but I can tell you one thing; it’s going to be one hell of a ride!

Insurgent; impossible to read with your mouth closed. Prepare to be awed.

This post is part of Team #CandorUK's campaign for #InsurgentUK.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books for the review copy.

Published: 1st May 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Buy on Amazon US
Veronica Roth's Website

My other reviews from the series:
Divergent (Divergent Book 1)

Team #CandorUK reviews:
Writing from the Tub / Painting With Words / Feeling Fictional / K-Books / Bart's Bookshelf / Booking in Heels / Big Book Little Book / Books 4 Teens / Gothic Angel / Book Monkey / We Sat Down

Other reviews:
Eleusinian Mysteries
Saz101

Weekly Gossip

2012-05-07T09:00:00.001+01:00

Here is your news from the past week!

First up, I have some videos to share with you.

The trailer for The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross.

And a message from Rachel Vincent to all UK book bloggers, that was shown at the Mira INK event a few weeks back. WARNING! There are major spoilers for If I Die. If you haven't read it, yet, DO NOT WATCH THIS VIDEO!

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News from Hot Key Books for young aspiring writers!

Rising stars of children’s fiction Will Hill and Elen Caldecott join high-profile representatives of the children’s books world on the judging panel for the Guardian Hot Key Books Young Writers Prize. The Prize is open to writers aged 18 to 25 residing anywhere in the world, who could win the chance to be published by Hot Key Books and an advance of £10,000.

Will Hill, author of the Department 19 series of YA supernatural thrillers (published by HarperCollins) and Elen Caldecott, author of contemporary adventure stories including How Kirsty Jenkins Stole The Elephant (published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books), join Guardian Children’s Books Editor Julia Eccleshare, bookseller and Chair of the Children’s Booksellers’ Association John Newman and Hot Key Books Publisher Emily Thomas on the panel. School children will also be consulted by the panel to select the winners.

The Prize is looking for new young writers between the ages of 18 and 25, who write in either of two categories: for ages 9-12 or 13-19. Entrants should be unpublished talents new to the literary world who are passionate about writing for children. The winners, one for each age category, will be given editorial support and the chance to be published by Hot Key Books with the offer of a worldwide publishing contact and an advance of £10,000. The winners will be announced at London Book Fair 2013.

To find out more, read the press release.

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Various pieces of news from Simon & Schuster Children's Books. First about Philippa Gregory's live streamed school event.

International bestselling author Philippa Gregory will be taking part in a live-streamed event at 1pm on Wednesday 30th May. The event will be streamed from a venue in north London, where Philippa will be talking to a live school audience of 13-14 year olds from South Hampstead High School about the first book – Changeling – in her new series for teenagers, Order of Darkness.

Other schools, book groups and individuals across the globe will be invited to register to watch the live online event and submit their own questions by visiting www.philippagregorylive.com. The event will also be made available to watch on demand for one month.

This is the first in a series of live-streamed author events from Simon & Schuster’s children’s and YA list. Others to follow include Sophie McKenzie and Darren Shan.

To find out more, read the press release.

And now abou the acquisition of Cassandra Clare's next series.

Simon & Schuster UK today announced the acquisition of Cassandra Clare, award-winning #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices series, with her third young adult fantasy series. The new trilogy will be entitled The Dark Artifices.

UK & Commonwealth print and e-book rights (excluding Canada) in The Dark Artifices trilogy were acquired by Ingrid Selberg, Director of Children’s Publishing for Simon & Schuster UK, from Danny Baror and Heather Baror-Shapiro of Baror International for a major seven figure sum. The first title is planned for publication in hardcover in 2015 and will be the first global S&S publication of Cassandra Clare with a worldwide embargoed release and carefully co-ordinated global marketing and publicity campaign.

Ingrid Selberg said of the new acquisition: “We are absolutely delighted to have acquired Cassandra Clare’s new trilogy, The Dark Artifices. Cassandra is a marvellous storyteller, whose writing we have long loved and admired, and we are so excited that we will now be publishing her on the S&S UK list. We are confident that by working closely together with our S&S US counterparts, we will be able to bring Cassandra to the next level. We aim to make the publication of The Dark Artifices the blockbuster publishing event in the UK that Cassandra’s books already are in the USA.”

To find out more, read the press release.

In My Mailbox (93)

2012-05-05T16:05:00.001+01:00

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

For review:

Rapture by Lauren Kate - Goodreads / Amazon
I HAVE RAPTURE! A manuscript of Rapture! Rapture, Rapture, Rapture! You know not the excitment I feel nor how big my grin is!

Black Heart Blue by Louisa Reid - Goodreads / Amazon
This book... it sounds awful - topic-wise, not story-wise. I know I'm going to have a hard time with it, but I feel it'll be a really important book.

Dearly Departed by Lia Habel - Goodreads / Amazon
This is the UK paperback. I LOVE the cover, even if it is just a brooding, dead, cracked and crumbly guy. It doesn't say "historical" like the hardback did, but the guy makes up for it!

All Spell Breaks Loose by Lisa Shearin - Goodreads / Amazon
The sixth and final book in the Raine Benares series! Eeee! Unfortunately, I've yet to read Con & Conjure (the one I named! Read here and here), and I feel so guilty every time I see it. I must pick it up soon! Looking forward to reading both, but sad the series is about to end. :( LOVE the cover though! Aleta Rafton - awesome cover artist (interview can be read here) - is super talented!

Wintercraft by Jenna Burtenshaw - Goodreads / Amazon
I already have this book, so I'm unsure why I've been sent it again - I think it may have been a mistake, as the ptrss release for the sequel was included. However, the copy I have is a proof, so now I have a finished copy!

Dark Companion by Marta Acosta - Goodreads / Amazon
EBook requested via NetGalley! This book sounds SO good! I'm really looking forward to it!

ETA: When I originally posted this IMM, I was unaware of all the issues going on. Things will change from next week.

Team Candor UK: Insurgent Giveaway!

2012-05-05T09:00:00.000+01:00

Let the Team Candor UK festivities to celebrate Insurgent continue! Thanks to the people at HarperCollins, I am giving away two - yes TWO - copies of Insurgent by Veronica Roth to two lucky UK readers!
I know, I know, I'm just too kind! :P To be in with a chance of winning, read the rules and details below and then fill in the form!

Rules/Details:

Enter by filling in the form below.

One entry per person. Multiple entries will be deleted.

Open to UK entrants only.

Two winners.

Contest closes on 11th May 2012 at 11.59pm.

The winner will be announced on 12th May 2012.

The winner's contact info will be passed on to my contact, who will send out the prizes.

Please read my Privacy & Contest Policies.

***THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!***

You can check out the trailer here. Visit Amazon to buy the book and to buy the eBook.

This post is part of the Team #CandorUK campaign for #InsurgentUK.

Team Candor UK: The Dystopian Society in the Divergent Series

2012-05-03T09:00:00.000+01:00

As part of Team Candor UK's attempt to wow you with reviews of Insurgent by Veronica Roth and other cool posts, today I'm going to talk to you about my thoughts on the dystopian society in the series. Don't worry; so as not to spoil things for anyone, I'm going to discuss it without thinking of Insurgent (I'm not far into the book as I write this, only a few chapters, so no problem there), and without talking about the events of Divergent. Just the society in general will be discussed.

When reading Divergent, I thought of it as a dystopia within a dystopia. To explain what I mean, let's take a closer look at what is meant by the term "dystopia". The following comes from Wikipedia's article on Dystopia.

A dystopia is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian... People are alienated and individualism is restricted by the government.

Now, in some ways, before the events of Divergent that cause things to take a turn for the worst, you could say the society in the book is a little like this, but also not. If you look at Tris, for example, when in Abnegation, she isn't happy; the selfless life doesn't come as easy to her, therefore she is constantly checking herself to behave in the right way, her individualism is restricted. Yet, with the Choosing Ceremony, everyone has the chance to transfer to a different faction, where they can be themselves, the person they are.

Now, this all sounds very strange to me, it's not a society I would like to live in, but as I was reading, I was thinking... this actually seems to work. If you read further into the Wikipedia article linked, the society we see at the beginning of the book doesn't seem to fit anywhere. It doesn't seem all that cruel or oppressive at all. Who is being hurt by this society as it is? To back up what I'm saying, I'm going to quote Marcus, one of the Government leaders, when he makes his speech at the Choosing Ceremony:

"Decades ago our ancestors realized that it is not political ideology, religious belief, race, or nationalism that is to blame for a warring world. Rather, they determined that it was the fault of human personality - of humankind's inclination towards evil, in whatever form that is. They divided into factions that sought to eradicate those qualities they believed responsible for the world's disarray... Those who blamed aggression formed Amity... Those who blamed ignorance became the Erudite... Those who blamed duplicity created Candor... Those who blames selfishness made Abnegation... And those who blamed cowardice were the Dauntless... Working together, these five factions have lived in peace for many years, each contributing to a different sector of society. Abnegation has filled our need for selfless leaders in government; Candor has provided us with trustworthy and sound leaders in law; Erudite has supplied us with intelligent teachers and researchers; Amity has given us understanding councellors and caretakers; and Dauntless provides us with protection from threats both within and without. But the reach of each faction is not limited to these areas. We give one another far more than can be adequately summarized. In our factions, we find meaning, we find purpose, we find life."
p.43-45

Now, what about any of that sounds all that dystopian? There is no dictator that rules over everyone - in fact, the government is made up of those from Abnegation, whose sole purpose is to give and help without a second thought, this is not a selfish government. At 16, you get to choose the type of person you want to be, the work you want to do, what your passion is - no-one tells you where you have to be, it's simply down to you. Everyone has their place, a job, a purpose of their chosing. And everyone works together, it's a society that works! The only thing that makes this dystopian to me is the fact that, even if they work together, they're segregated. There may not be any major animosity, but there is still a feeling of "us and them". So yes, it's a dystopian society, under the guise of being utopian, but one that seems to work! I found it quite fascinating, and was smiling to myself at the idea that life can go well!

But then I read on, and I started to see some problems.What if you don't fit into any of the factions? What if you don't want to label yourself intelligent, peaceful, selfless, brave, or honest? Considering Marcus' speech, I can see how those qualities work well for a society, but for individuals? What if the qualities you value most aren't listed? What if you want a life doing something that just so happens not to benefit society as a whole - not because your selfish and don't want to contribute to society, but because it's simply something you're passionate about? End up as one of the Factionless, and live a homeless life? And what if you simply don't fall under just one bracket?

Reading further, other cracks started to show. It seems the one thing those ancestors who created the factions didn't factor in was human nature - or rather, they didn't think it would be a problem once the factions were in place and everyone is living in their own ideal where things are as they want them. Sometimes people just want things their way, even if they have things pretty good in their own little corner of society. Sometimes people want more power. Sometimes people will take drastic actions to get what they want. Actions that put lives and society as we know it at risk. Sometimes a dystopia can become even more dystopian. And sometimes, a dystopian society that seems flawed to us readers actually turns out to be much better than what's to come.

It turns out "humankind's inclination towards evil" can't be eradicated. At least not this way.

Thoughts, people? What do you think of Divergent's society?

You can read my review of Divergent here. Check back on 8th May for my review of Insurgent.

N.B. I would just like to point out again that this post is a discussion of what we read in Divergent only. Please keep that in mind when commenting. Please don't spoil Insurgent for those who have yet to read it. Thank you.

This post is part of Team #CandorUK's campaign for #InsurgentUK!

Insurgent Release Week & Team Candor UK Schedule

2012-05-01T13:36:00.000+01:00

Happy Insurgent Release Day! And Happy Insurgent Week! Team Candor UK have been busy getting Insurgent reviewed and writing other exciting posts for your reading pleasure!

Here is a schedule of what you can read when (after the jump):

1st MayReviews: Writing from the Tub and Painting With Words
Extra posts: We Sat Down
2nd MayReviews: K-Books and Feeling Fictional
Extra posts: Writing from the Tub3rd MayReviews: Bart's Bookshelf and Booking in Heels
Extra posts: Big Book Little Book and Once Upon a Bookcase
4th MayReviews: Big Book Little Book and Chick Litaholic
Extra posts: Gothic Angel (Divergent review)
5th MayReviews: Books 4 Teens
Extra posts: Gothic Angel
6th MayReviews: Gothic Angel and Book Monkey
7th MayReviews: Once Upon a Bookcase and We Sat Down
Extra posts: K-Books
8th MayReviews: We Sat Down
Extra posts: Wrap up posts from Writing from the Tub and Feeling Fictional

On top of all that, Sarah of Feeling Fictional is holding discussion posts everyday, and Carly of Writing from the Tub is also posting each day! Lots to read and get through! Check out the blog roll on the right for all Team #CandorUK posts! I'm looking forward to reading everything from Team Candor UK, it's going to be fun!

So check back this Thursday 3rd May to read my extra post, where I discuss my thoughts on the dystopian society in Divergent, and then on Monday 7th May to read my Insurgent review!
Have you not yet read Divergent? Then check out my review of Divergent from last week!

Follow the conversation on Twitter at #CandorUK and #InsurgentUK

Happy Insurgent Week! :)

Guest Post: Elisabeth Wheatley on Being a Teenage Author

2012-04-30T12:00:00.000+01:00

Today, I'm honoured to share with you a guest post from Elisabeth Wheatley, the 16-year-old author of The Key of Amatahns and it's sequel The Secrets of the Vanmars! Elisabeth was kind enough to take time out of her busy schedule to talk about what it's like being a teenage author!

I’ve always had an active imagination. When I was little, my mother used to take me and my brother to our local library for “story time.” The library was then in an old brick building and there were cracks near the ceiling that had been badly patched and looked kind of like holes. One time, my mother told me that that was from where fairies came in and out of the library. I believed her for years.

When I was about six, I wrote (and proudly illustrated) a very short picture book about my dog and pet goat. I put it together with duct tape and since I couldn’t spell my goat’s name—Count—I wrote “123” instead. Not too long ago we found it again. My brother thought it hilarious.

I was about eleven when I created the world that would eventually be home to my Argetallam Saga. I jotted down unnumbered story beginnings on paper, but never finished a manuscript until after I got an old laptop for Christmas one year. Once I had my computer (which I affectionately christened “Sonya”), there was nothing stopping me from staying locked up in my room late at night while my fingers whirred over the keyboard.

There have been enough times where I didn’t get schoolwork done on time because my mind was far, far away in my imaginary world. My dear mother, otherwise so patient and encouraging, has had to take away my computer three times so that I would catch up on my math assignments (I kept count because I practically went into writing-withdrawal when it happened). Since we live in the middle of nowhere, with no internet connection to our house and all my friends miles away in the city, I got into the habit of getting up at 5:00 in the morning to get my work done so that I could spend the rest of the day writing.

I’ve found that the best way to balance writing and being a high school student is to make a schedule. I’ll formulate a

schedule, keep it for a few weeks or months, get sick of it, and make a new one. (I easily suffer from schedule fatigue and get bored.) I rarely talk to my friends on the phone. I usually text or email them and they have learned not to take it as an insult when I don’t want to talk. They know I’m usually working out some scene, plot twist, or other story issue and they indulge me.

Besides, who really cares about some celebrity’s love life or school work when there’s a fight scene to be written? To be honest, I often daydream during class and start thinking about wizards, elves, mythology, and—my very own creations—Argetallams. How can grammar compete with that?

In short, I love writing. To me it’s as basic as breathing and I don’t intend to stop any time soon.

Thank you, Elisabeth, for your great guest post! Be sure to check out Elisabeth's website and her The Secret of Vanmars when it's released on 15th May!