Books that give me hope - #YaXmasTour2016

Merry Christmas everyone! I'm so happy to be on this blog tour organised by the lovely Virginie (who you probably know as Chouette, blogger extraordinaire at www.chouett.com). 

2016 has been a big, strange year for me and for the world. More and more, I seem to gravitate to books that give me hope and I wanted to share those as part of the blog tour.

These are some of my favourites from the past, this year and next year.

Northern Lights came out when I was eleven. My grandad used to take me to WH Smiths to buy books that were well-written and award-winning. I think he was trying to break my Point Horror habit! One such visit drew both of us to Northern Lights. I still count it as one of my favourite books because it started my obsession with fantasy and is so beautifully written. I loved Lyra because I aspired to be brave and wilful like her (and I'd still quite like to have my own daemon).

One of my newer favourites is Rebel of the Sands. I loved the Wild West meets Arabian Nights premise and like Lyra I think Amani is an incredible character. It makes me so happy to think of young girls (and people in general) discovering her for the first time. Alwyn did a brilliant post about her favourite things to promote YA Shot, which you can find here if you want to check it out.

I read Radio Silence earlier this year. From the moment I started reading it, I couldn't stop. This book was real, current and raw. It felt like such an accurate portrayal of what it's like to be a teenager and refreshingly is not a love story! I wish there were books like this when I was a teen and I'm so glad it exists now.

Anna Marie McLemore has become one of my favourite authors. The Weight of Feathers and When the Moon was Ours are beautiful, original and magical. Her writing sweeps you into the world and gives you all the feels! I can't wait to read what she comes up with next.

Laini Taylor is my favourite YA author so I was almost unbearably excited to get an advance copy of Strange the Dreamer. The only reason I haven't read it immediately is that I'm trying to savour it. The writing is just gorgeous and the plot and characters are stunningly original and realistic. I predict that this will become one of my favourite books of all time.

Based on this year, I have no idea what 2017 will bring (though I'm certain it has to be better!) At least we know that it will bring books and bookish conversations.

Merry Christmas everyone and a happy 2017!

When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore - Review

 Publisher: Thomas Dunne (4th October 2016)

To everyone who knows them, best friends Miel and Sam are as strange as they are inseparable. Roses grow out of Miel's wrist, and rumors say that she spilled out of a water tower when she was five. Sam is known for the moons he paints and hangs in the trees and for how little anyone knows about his life before he and his mother moved to town. But as odd as everyone considers Miel and Sam, even they stay away from the Bonner girls, four beautiful sisters rumored to be witches. Now they want the roses that grow from Miel s skin, convinced that their scent can make anyone fall in love. And they're willing to use every secret Miel has fought to protect to make sure she gives them up. (Publishers' blurb)

I don't know how anyone could read that description and not buy this book immediately! My favourite book of last year was 'The Weight of Feathers' by Anna-Marie McLemore (which I reviewed here) so I was really excited to get an advance copy of 'When the Moon Was Ours'. I'm so happy that I enjoyed this one just as much and can now safely say that Anna-Marie McLemore is one of my favourite YA authors.

I love Anna-Marie's writing more than any other author. Her lyrical style perfectly suits the gorgeous, magical things that she writes about. You could open any page and find a beautiful description that gives you goosebumps!

Like 'The Weight of Feathers', this book overlaps fantasy, myth and contemporary themes in a totally unique way. Both books feel timeless because of the strange, beautiful world that they are set in. I've never read anything else like them.

A great part of the book came after the narrative, where Anna-Marie explained the basis in her own experience. There was a strong sense of honesty and realism throughout this that I really appreciated.

Another strength was the characterisation. I adored Sam and Miel and I wasn't ready to let go of them at the end of the book. I also thought that the minor characters were really well developed and I understood their motivations.

This is a fantastic book and I can't stress enough how much I love it! It's out in less than a week and I hope everyone goes out and buys it.




 

The Great Big YALC Write-up and signed Raven King Giveaway

Morally Complicated YA Panel YALC 2016

YALC 2016 is over and I've just about recovered! This was my third time there and again I had an amazing, packed 3 days! I squeezed a good balance of panels, seminars and signings, as well as meeting lots of great people who are passionate about books.

I've decided to do a summary of the YALC panels and workshops that I attended. As it's based on my hastily scribbled notes, any errors are my own and summaries are in my own words. It might be the longest blog post I've ever written so feel free to dip in and out of the bits that interest you!

As an incentive to read to the end, there are details of my Twitter giveaway of the fabulous Raven King signed by Maggie Stiefvater!

YA Book Prize Panel

Sarah Crossen, Catherine Johnson, Jenny Downham and Lisa Williamson – hosted by the Bookseller's Charlotte Eyre.

This was a fantastic chance to see the YA prize nominees. Relationships were key to the discussion and how they're important because as a teen you're forming who you are. On the subject of their chosen viewpoint, the authors had different approaches. Jenny didn't plan hers, whereas Lisa found that Leo's voice kept shouting at her! Sarah had written 30,000 words of prose before realising it wasn't working and settling on verse, which is a lot more time consuming!

In terms of advice for YA authors, Catherine recommended reading everything, even writing you think is rubbish. She said something like 'the youness of you and your take makes the story', which really resonated with me.

They each recommended a YA book: Sarah went for Needlework by Deirdre Sullivan, Jenny and Catherine recommended Orange Boy by Patrice Lawrence and Lisa recommended The Yellow Room by Jess Vallance.

Their take on content warnings was quite variable. Sarah wants to write about issues in a careful way that is palatable for teens, whereas Lisa trusts teens to self-censor.


Magic Panel

Victoria Schwab, Taran Matharu, Sally Green and Melinda Salisbury – hosted by Catherine Webber

This was my favourite panel! All of the authors are fantastic and I got lots of practical writing tips.

Most of the authors agreed that the world shapes characters so you start with that and its boundaries before writing. Sally started with the characters and knew Nathan would be a half black and half white witch. They also agreed that they tend to know the end and the key scenes before writing, although it can change as you go along!

They discussed their inspirations and Harry Potter was a big favourite! Taran was also inspired by Earthsea, Lord of the Rings, computer games such as Skyrim and based his monsters on Pokemon!

The discussion about the danger of making villains too powerful was fascinating. Taran is more worried about making his hero too powerful. Victoria is interested in how power could be limitless but it depends on the person's mental strength and personality. Melinda likes writing villains who are good looking and have the best power. They're her favourites and she secretly wants them to win!


LA Weatherly researching workshop

I'm a huge fan of LA Weatherly's Angel series so this was a really exciting opportunity for me! Her workshop focused on using research to develop your settings and characters.

Her first point was that in a fantasy world you should make non-fictional aspects as real as possible. She uses Google Earth or visits locations when possible. She also likes researching characters' names and appearances after coming up with a concept. At first, it's a good idea to do broad based research and then more detailed, so you don't weigh down the narrative with technical information. The most useful advice for me was to think about the fantasy world as if it were this one. Pretend you're a newcomer. These things will grow into characters, which are a product of the world.

CJ Skuse the Writing Process
This panel was really inspiring – a fantastic blend of hints, advice and tricks.

From an idea or blurb, CJ plots a 3 ct structure. A rise in tension is the most important thing and the reason to read on. You should give obstacles based on what the character want and craft characters to root for and hate.

She always does 30 point planning. This is basically 30 scenes from your novel which gives a spine for the story. It's helpful to have a comparison to sell your book. E.g. CJ's new adult book was sold as Bridget Jones meets Dexter (how good does that sound?) If you're struggling for ideas, put your brain on the page. Put the core idea in the middle and inspirations, words, images and quotes around it.


Join the Rebellion Panel

Julie Mayhew, Alwyn Hamilton, Simon Mayo and Kass Morgan hosted by Anna James

When discussing whether revolution was core in conceptualising their books, Kass said it was in The 100. In YA, kids are trying to find agency, rebel against themselves and the world. Alwyn grew up in France and was inspired by studying the French revolutions. She felt in a fantasy context you can do bigger things with politics and you don't know how it ended like historical events.

There was some discussion of violent content. Simon felt that violence was integral in his book as it led to the riot. Kass wasn't worried about this. Her editor pushed her to be darker! Alwyn thinks violence shouldn't be gratuitous but teens will close the book if it's too much.

Very importantly, the authors discussed who they would want on their side in a revolution. Alwyn felt you would need different skills and went for Cat from Heist Society and Hermione. Kass opted for Neville and Anne of Green Gables. They'd understand that violence is a last resort and Anne would make everyone a nice cordial!


Writing YA workshop – Keris Staunton

I had no idea what to expect from the title but this was really useful! Keris is inspired by the books she liked as a teen and real life. For example, she based one book about a real incident where her sister threw a party and her diary went missing! A really great exercise idea was to watch a film you love to write out the scenes and learn from the structure. She suggested getting story ideas from public places. Another useful tip was to talk to people and get sensitivity readers when you're writing diverse characters. Keris often starts with characters and the plot develops from there. Before writing, she knows the theme, arc and where the story will start and end.

Alice Oseman and Lauren James Workshop – Authors on social media

This was an interesting discussion about the relationship between authors and readers on social media. They discussed how a lot of authors started in a fandom e.g. Simon Pegg wrote the new Star Trek and started as a fan. Some big books are even based on fan fiction – I was surprised to find that the Mortal Instruments started as Ginny and Draco fan fic (although I see it now!) Often tropes, themes and styles of fan fic appear in mainstream. The fandom community can influence positive change and bring issues to light such as the backlash against Age of Ultron writers after the portrayal of Black Widow.


The Fear Factor

Dawn Kurtagich, Derek Landy, Alex Scarrow and Darren Shan

This was a fascinating panel about what draws these writers to horror, what inspires them and their writing process. Dawn described horror as being like Pandora's box – you want to see what's in there but you can close it afterwards! Darren said the best deaths are simple and happen to characters that readers care about. Dawn is interested in people with their own demons who destroy themselves.

Their favourite Stephen King books were It (Dawn), Salem's Lot (Darren), Carrie (Alex) and Firestarter (Darren).

They felt horror is good again because the current generation of authors were raised on 70s and 80s horror. Darren likes 80s horror movies because they're old stories with a fresh spin.

The authors discussed the best perspective for horror. Derek feels there are advantages of first and third person. Dawn writes in both, feeling you can get in a character's head and mislead the leader with first person. Alex prefers third person for providing a broader canvas and can use it to get in characters' heads too. Darren likes the immediacy and personal nature of first person.


Catherine Doyle Creative Writing Workshop

This was a great workshop about using movies as inspiration. To get rid of writers' block, Cat watches a movie or musical to soak up another creative medium. Her book Vendetta is Romeo and Juliet meets Goodfellas. She was keen to include family structures like the Sopranos, with characters you root for even though you shouldn't. She uses famous people as character inspiration and likes playing around with offbeat symbols such as the pot of honey foreshadowing death. Look at protagonists from films – why do you like them? What makes you root for them? What qualities do they have and why do they matter? It's important to have antagonists who usually have a cause and human qualities. Look at memorable moments from films – why are they memorable and what is at stake?

Morally Complicated YA Panel

Melvyn Burgess, Emerald Fennell, Manuela Salvi and Louise O’Neill

I love boundary pushing YA and this panel talked about why these authors write books like that and how it has affected them. Louise said she is always questioned about whether her characters are likeable – she feels this is a pressure real women face. She's interested in morally complicated women and pointedout that the male antihero is an established trope. Emerald felt obligated to be truthful and Manuela reflected on life being complicated and literature giving a way to understand that. The discussion emphasised being authentic as opposed to trying to shock. The authors agreed that book banning is covert and quiet. They felt there is a perception that violence in books is seen as more acceptable than sex. Louise pointed out that people don't want their kids to enter a violent reality TV show but want them to have happy, healthy relationships! Manuela made an excellent point that if something happens in young readers' lives she writes about it.


Maggie Stiefvater panel

This was a very amusing panel focusing on the question Maggie was asked online about what a writers' day looks like. She used to be a professional portrait artist, which sounds romantic until you realise she spent a lot of time copying the masters with cats' heads. She feels she's a better thief than writer, visiting places and meeting people to get ideas. John Green asked her if she wanted to race on Twitter. He borrowed a race car which ended up setting on fire twice, perpetuating the rumour that Maggie set fire to John Green! I had to leave for Maggie's book signing at this point, which was a high point for my last YALC panel!

GIVEAWAY

It's fitting that I ended with Maggie Stiefvater's panel as I have a signed copy of the Raven King to give away! To enter, you simply need to comment on this blog post or follow and retweet the link to this blog on Twitter. You also get an extra entry if you follow the blog!

The winner will be announced on Saturday 13th August.

Unnatural Souls by Linda Foster - sneak preview!

I'll be reviewing the novella 'Unnatural Souls' by Linda Foster on my blog in August but for now here's a plot summary and the beautiful cover to whet your appetite!


It's been almost a year since the night of the accident that should have killed Grace. Nearly a year since her brother, Ash, sold his soul to save her. She survived, but that wasn’t the end of their story.



Not even close. 



In the months since, Grace’s life has turned upside down. She can move objects with her mind, teleport in a blink of an eye, see dead people … and that's just the tip of the crazy train. 



And that would be fine, really … if she had any idea how to control it. 



Instead, she’s stuck in a body that does things she doesn’t understand. And now, the contract her brother made for her life is drawing to a close. Which means he’s running out of time before the demon comes to collect his soul. 



Unless Grace can find a way to save him.



When an angel named Michael shows up with answers and an offer to help her, she jumps at the chance—and agrees to help him with his own mission as the price. 



Then she finds out that Michael is working with another demon. That the deal she’s made … is no better than the one from which she’s trying to save Ash. And she’s faced with a choice: turn and walk away, or try to save her brother—by working with the very monsters who have nearly destroyed them both.



StoryTime Blog Tour - DEBBI by George Ebey

This is the second of my StoryTime blog tour posts and I'm so happy to have taken part! DEBBI is another fantastic novella that makes me desperate for the upcoming novel 'Helen of Mars'!

Here's a short bio of the author:

George Ebey has been creating alternate realities since a young age.  It all began when he started taking his once-vast collection of action figures on epic journeys though countless lands full of exotic wonders and hidden dangers. Today, his action figure collection is much smaller, though several still stand guard on his writing desk, ready to take up arms and march into the fray at a moment’s notice. 

George was born and raised in Ohio, where he still lives with his wife and an ornery cat named Ollie. When he’s not writing or playing with his action figures, he enjoys being outdoors, studying history, and searching for new and interesting places to explore. (Publishers' Bio)

   

A game to end all games. On the line: her family’s future. Will Helen’s creation be enough to win the day? Or will she lose, and take her family down with her?

Helen's father has signed up to send a robotic rover to Mars, risking their family's wealth and prospects. Helen enters a junior gaming competition for the chance to win a one year lease on a Mars rover, which would save her family from risking everything. She enters her newest robot, a rover called DEBBI into the simulated battle competition.

I knew this was going to be my kind of book and I'm so excited to read more about this world!

Tech is not my strong suit but I found the explanations of the robot technology and the competition accessible and fascinating. The concept of mining on Mars interested me because it feels like something our oversized corporations would want to do.

I'm really interested in the history of the 1849 gold rush to California and I love the idea of a sci-fi version of this! The novella alluded to lawlessness and people using their rovers to steal from others, which is a potentially exciting twist. My only issue with this is that with the humans steering the rovers from Earth, will this distance readers of 'Helen of Mars' from the action? 

The robot battling competition was really exciting and I loved the raised stakes of what Helen's family had to lose if she lost the competition. Within the robot battles, there was a friendship dynamic between Helen and her teammate that I really liked. My favourite parts of the battle were those from the robot's point of view, as this felt like quite a unique perspective to explore.

I really liked the premise and action of this novella and will definitely look out for Helen of Mars!

 

Check out my blog tomorrow for a cover reveal and teaser for Unnatural Soul by Linda Foster.

 

Saving Montgomery Sole Blog Tour - interview and US giveaway!

It's really exciting to take part in the blog tour for 'Saving Montgomery Sole' during Pride Month. As part of the tour, I have an interview with the fantastic author Mariko Tamaki and a giveaway of the book! (US only)

First, here's a little bit about the book from the publisher:

Montgomery Sole is a square peg in a small town, a girl with two mums forced to go to a school full of homophobes and people who don't even know what irony is. Her saving grace - her two best friends Thomas and Naoki. Monty's obsessed with paranormal mysteries like ESP, astrology, superpowers, and the healing powers of frozen yogurt, but when strange things actually start happening to Monty, she realizes that the greatest mystery of all is herself.

Now to the interview! Thanks so much Mariko for stopping by the blog.

What was your favourite book when you were the same age as your characters?

By sixteen I was heavy into Canadian Lit: Alice Munro, Margaret Laurence, Timothy Findley and Margaret Atwood. I think my favorite book was Stone Angel.

If the Eye of Know existed, what would you use it for?

Ah the Eye of Know is a complex thing! I wouldn't want to get anywhere near something that would give me any other sight or power beyond what I've got. Maybe I would borrow one to find my keys every once in a while.

Do you have any writing or editing rituals?

I've recently discovered the joys of the Pilot fountain pen, and writing my outlines with a really good pen on really good paper.

If you could meet any author living or dead, who would it be?

I'd love to meet Shakespeare, just run into him in line at the grocery store so I can turn to him and say, "So explain Romeo and Juliet to me."

What's your favourite book and movie?

Oh my gosh it changes so often. I would probably say my favorite book is this collection of non-fiction essays called The New Kings of Non-Fiction edited by Ira Glass. YA-wise I'm a huge fan of Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Movie wise I love director Sophia Coppola, although I spend a lot of time rewatching XMen films.


You can find a list of all bloggers taking part in the blog tour here:

http://fiercereadsya.tumblr.com/post/145610863923/saving-montgomery-sole-blog-tour

Finally, here's the link to the Rafflecopter giveaway! Macmillan are generously giving away 5 copies of the book - open to the US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan - Review

Publisher - Clarion Books (5th April)

In a city divided between opulent luxury in the Light and fierce privations in the Dark, a determined young woman survives by guarding her secrets. Lucie Manette was born in the Dark half of the city, but careful manipulations won her a home in the Light, celebrity status, and a rich, loving boyfriend. Now she just wants to keep her head down, but her boyfriend has a dark secret of his own one involving an apparent stranger who is destitute and despised. Lucie alone knows the young men's deadly connection and even as the knowledge leads her to make a grave mistake, she can trust no one with the truth. Blood and secrets alike spill out when revolution erupts. With both halves of the city burning, and mercy nowhere to be found, can Lucie save either boy or herself? (Publishers' Blurb)

I received an advance reader copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

After reading the blurb on Netgalley, I was excited to be approved for this. The premise really intrigued me and I loved the concept of a book based on 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens.

One of the main strengths of this book was that the rationale behind magic was explained creatively and the world was as darkly intriguing as I hoped it would be. In places, the plot turned disturbing and I think this was necessary for the volatile circumstances of this world. The pacing and the author's writing style also kept my interest. Lucie's family background and her experiences of both light and dark magic were more of my favourite aspects.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It ticked a lot of my usual boxes, including the well-realised world, plenty of action and romance. There was just something about it that left me not quite as invested as I like to be. I think this was a combination of the plot feeling quite familiar and Lucie's character not fully winning me over.

I've read other work by Sarah Rees Brennan and I would read more of her books, although this isn't my favourite.

 

Starflight by Melissa Landers - review

Publisher: DISNEY-HYPERION (18 Feb. 2016)

Solara Brooks needs a fresh start, someplace where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. The outer realm may be lawless, but it's not like the law has ever been on her side. It's been a long time since Solara has believed in anyone, and Doran is the last person she expected to trust. But when the Banshee's dangerous enemies catch up with them, Solara and Doran must come together to protect the ship that has become their home - and the eccentric crew that feels like family. (Publishers' Blurb)

The blurb of this book ticked so many boxes for me - I love anything Western-like and the hinted romance was promising. I took it on holiday hoping for a fun, fast paced read and that was exactly what I got.

I haven't read a lot of YA set in space so this was a refreshing change. The sci-fi elements and the Western feel of a lawless realm complimented each other. My favourite part of this was the ship's crew: a flawed mixture of characters that were all interesting and well developed. The romantic elements were suitably drawn out and incredibly enjoyable (although a tad predictable). 

The dialogue in this book was another strength, as it was witty and believable (not unlike the TV show Firefly, which shares a lot of elements with this book)

This was a thoroughly entertaining, action-packed read. I'll definitely check out the Alienated series by Melissa Landers after reading this. 





If you liked the sound of this, now try:

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton Review

Publisher: Faber and Faber (4th February 2016)

I'd heard a lot of hype about this book so I started it with high expectations. It was original, exciting and romantic - everything I wanted it to be!

The premise of a Western meets the Arabian Nights gave this a fresh slant. I loved the fantastical elements set against the Western setting and all of the action associated with this genre. The world building was just brilliant and gave a lot of scope for sequels.

All of the characters in this book were really compelling! Amani was a great MC, with a huge amount of guts and principles that drove the plot. Even the most minor characters were well-drawn and realistic, which was helped by the witty, believable dialogue.

Last but not least was the romance. The relationship between Amani and Jin was perfectly paced: It held out just long enough to keep my attention, though unlike some books there was plenty of chemistry and romantic moments.

This is a brilliantly written, compelling book and I can't wait for the sequels!

If you liked the sound of this, now try:

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh (reviewed here http://www.yaundermyskin.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Renee%20Ahdieh)

Snow like Ashes by Sara Raasch

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir (reviewed here http://www.yaundermyskin.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Ember%20in%20the%20Ashes)

In Place of Never review

Author: Julie Anne Lindsey

Publisher: Kensington Publishing

Release Date: 2nd February 2016

This was an ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Can the truth set her free?…
 
A part of Mercy died the summer her sister tragically drowned. Now Mercy has a chance to discover if Faith’s death was an accident—or murder.  Her first step is to confront the lead suspects: a band of traveling gypsies—the last people who saw her sister alive. But Mercy finds an unexpected ally in Cross, the soulful musician in their ranks. He’s a kindred spirit, someone who sees into her heart for the first time in, well, forever. Yet stirring up the past puts Mercy in danger… 
 
Suddenly someone is shadowing Mercy’s every move, making her even more determined to uncover the facts. With Cross by her side, she is ready to face it all, even if that means opening up to him, knowing he may one day leave her. What she discovers is a truth that rocks the foundation of her small river town—and a love worth risking everything for… (Publisher's Blurb)

I'm a huge fan of books about travelling performers so I was really excited about this. There were a lot of interesting elements, including a compelling story about loss and a love story. This book was thoroughly addictive and I ended up reading it really quickly!

Books about coping with grief are a difficult sell for me. Sometimes I find them too painful to read and it can be difficult to come across as sincere. Loss was handled beautifully in this book and it felt very genuine. The subject of self-harm in relation to this was also dealt with in a sympathetic though realistic manner

The mystery element was also intriguing and well-paced. I found it hard to predict what was going to happen on Mercy's journey to find out what happened to her sister.

It's no secret that I love YA romance and this one totally won me over! Cross and Mercy's relationship was believable and really sweet. The relationships in this book in general were interesting, including the interactions with Mercy's father and the close relationship that developed between Mercy and her younger sister. 

The only part of this that I was less keen on was that a couple of plot cliches and clumsy dialogue pulled me out of the narrative, though overall I enjoyed the plotting and writing style.

This was a really enjoyable read and I will definitely look out for more by Julie Anne Lindsey.

If you liked the sound of this, now try:

-The Accident Season by Moira Fowley -Doyle

-The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge