tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41712267878181849442024-03-13T10:55:12.797+00:00The YA's NightstandAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.comBlogger458125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-2541092669926294382018-07-25T10:00:00.000+01:002018-07-25T10:00:03.020+01:00BLOG TOUR: PAYBACK<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-865z0im33xY/WkeCfqgzwNI/AAAAAAAAFfI/g-bn8AlCv-85fc20pI6WMka7TgdlDQAgQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/gp.png" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="487" height="252" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-865z0im33xY/WkeCfqgzwNI/AAAAAAAAFfI/g-bn8AlCv-85fc20pI6WMka7TgdlDQAgQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/gp.png" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span></span></div>
<h2 align="center" style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px; text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">A PAYBACK SOUNDTRACK</span></span></h2>
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<div align="center" style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">by M. A. Griffin</span></span></b></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Jcxnn0QRUE/W1epQNfRqvI/AAAAAAAAFrE/7WkADGZeDKsjlybIe871cW-TdGke7nvjACEwYBhgL/s1600/Martin%2BGriffin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1322" data-original-width="1600" height="165" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Jcxnn0QRUE/W1epQNfRqvI/AAAAAAAAFrE/7WkADGZeDKsjlybIe871cW-TdGke7nvjACEwYBhgL/s200/Martin%2BGriffin.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Jcxnn0QRUE/W1epQNfRqvI/AAAAAAAAFrE/7WkADGZeDKsjlybIe871cW-TdGke7nvjACEwYBhgL/s1600/Martin%2BGriffin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As a young
man I was inspired and energised by the razor-sharp protest-politics of Public
Enemy. (“I got a letter from the government the other day…” begins <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos</i>; “They
wanted me for the army or whatever / Picture me giving a damn. I said <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">never</i>.”) I still listen to a lot of rap
music in the course of my day-to-day, and much of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PAYBACK</b>’s revolutionary zeal comes in spirit from the kind of
purposeful anger that can be heard there. I was delighted to get the chance to
name-check a list of superstar rappers in the acknowledgments to the book. </span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here’s a
weird thing though – despite always writing to music, once I’m sitting down at
the keyboard I can’t listen to anything with lyrics. So <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PAYBACK</b>, a story about an anti-capitalist group of teenage Robin
Hoods stealing from the corrupt and wealthy, then redistributing ill-gotten
profits to those in need, was written to movie soundtracks.</span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps
understandably the scores that work best for me are ones for films I’ve never
seen. Which means I often find myself watching a film for the first time having
listened to its music on twenty or thirty previous occasions. This happened
most recently with Frank Darabont’s wonderful adaptation of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Green Mile</i>. I knew Thomas Newman’s
score backwards. To see it with images was a strangely moving experience. </span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So here are
four instrumental/orchestral soundtracks to put in your ears next time you’re
plugging away at that novel…</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
</span></span></span><span style="margin: 0px;">I
can’t vouch for the quality of Nicholas Jericki’s thriller <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arbitrage</i></b>, but I can tell
you Cliff Martinez’s moody, electronic score is great for conjuring nocturnal
cityscapes and nefarious plots. Which is rocket-fuel when you’re writing a
series of break-neck heists executed by a gang of teen thieves.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
</span></span></span><span style="margin: 0px;">Niki
Caro does a wonderful job directing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Zookeeper’s Wife</i>. Apparently. I’ve never seen it. But Harry Gregson
Williams’ orchestral score soars. Put it on if you want to write a scene in
which two teen gang members find themselves alone for the first time, and one
feels a growing attraction to the other he can’t bring himself to express…</span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
</span></span></span><span style="margin: 0px;">My
dad’s a big fan of Scott Frank’s neo-noir <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Walk Among the Tombstones</i></b>. Never
seen it personally so I couldn’t possibly comment. But props to Carlos Rafael
Rivera for a soundtrack rich in eerie strings which suggest suspicion, guilt,
fear. Great if your protagonist has a growing sense of impending doom as the
cops close in and relationships strain under pressure.</span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px 48px; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
</span></span></span><span style="margin: 0px;">I
never caught Tom Ford’s <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nocturnal Animals</i></b>. It might be about
badgers or bats? Probably not. Anyway, Abel Koreniowski’s highly-strung music
is fragile and taut, borderline melodramatic. Great if you’re busy cornering
your heroes in new and nasty ways. We readers know it’s a trap but they’re too
blind to see it…<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<br /></div>
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<div align="center" style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">PAYBACK by M. A.
Griffin out now in paperback (£7.99, Chicken House)</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">#Payback</span></span></b></div>
<div align="center" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Follow
M.A. Griffin on twitter </b><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: #4270c1; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">@fletchermoss </span></b><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">and find out more at </span></b><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: #4270c1; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">www.chickenhousebooks</span></b><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: #4270c1; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">.com</span></b></span></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-12101965176527187452018-07-02T09:00:00.000+01:002018-07-02T09:00:00.531+01:00REVIEW: The Island<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>THE ISLAND</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>by M.A. Bennett</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--SqmIEIAMGs/WxEKfNoMfJI/AAAAAAAAFok/087R2P3-dLIjgdZ0DJJPTinruXakRVX8QCLcBGAs/s1600/Island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--SqmIEIAMGs/WxEKfNoMfJI/AAAAAAAAFok/087R2P3-dLIjgdZ0DJJPTinruXakRVX8QCLcBGAs/s400/Island.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="260" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Pages: </b>304</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Publisher:</b> Hot Key Books</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Publication Date:</b> 9th August 2018 </div>
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<b>Received From: </b>Hot Key Books</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IWYSQQEUN_c/WYUFm65217I/AAAAAAAAFO0/AZwe7nSV_x4N5yKl31n6jZDkDDbfutuVQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39982246-the-island"><img border="0" data-original-height="47" data-original-width="185" id="id_1429_6f2d_dbd9_ebdd" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1U0XhOQuqAA/Uzlixx4hztI/AAAAAAAAAbU/7sB_bgZSis4P6Sy9OAxAUk6njat0v9MqQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/GoodReadsButton.png" style="height: auto; width: 185px;" /></a></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="freeText8024298596246065301" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span id="freeText9002150099598250364"><i>Link is a fish out of water. Newly arrived from America, he is finding it hard to settle into the venerable and prestigious Osney School. Who knew there could be so many strange traditions to understand? And what kind of school ranks its students by how fast they can run round the school quad - however ancient that quad may be? When Link runs the slowest time in years, he immediately becomes the butt of every school joke. And some students are determined to make his life more miserable than others . . . <br /><br />When a school summer trip is offered, Link can think of nothing worse than spending voluntary time with his worst tormentors. But when his parents say he can only leave Osney School - forever - if he goes on the trip, Link decides to endure it for the ultimate prize. But this particular trip will require a very special sort of endurance. The saying goes 'No man is an island' - but what if on that island is a group of teenagers, none of whom particularly like each other? When oppressive heat, hunger and thirst start to bite, everyone's true colours will be revealed. Let the battle commence . . .</i></span></span></span></div>
</blockquote>
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<i>S.T.A.G.S.</i> was one of the most talked about YA's of 2017 and when it was<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> announced that M.A. Bennett was releasing another book I was beyond excited! So, when I got the chance to read T<i>he Island </i>I jumped at the chance. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i>The Island</i> has the same flare and sense of danger that Bennett's first book had which instantly lets you know you're in for one hell of a ride. </span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i>The Island</i> is a story about a boy named Link and how he goes from bottom of the pack to king of the island. Its a twist on the coming of age story, where Link and a group of people from his elite school end up on a desert island and the only thing that stands in the way of their survival is themselves. Throughout the book the characters have to find a strength within themselves, break away from high school stereotypes and become adults in the most unexpected ways. The question is, when the rules they have lived by for so many years are taken away, can this group of teenagers discover a way to survive? </span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></span>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The saying goes 'power corrupts all' and this book shows just how true that can be when this misfit group of teenagers are forced into situations they never imagined possible. The thing I loved about Bennett's first book was it tapped into this old fashioned idea of hierarchy that we like to believe has been/is being abolished and it invites the readers into worlds were it is still very much an issue. It looks at the complexity of human behaviour and show the reader the extents people will go to achieve (and then keep) power. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The book itself is constantly twisting and turning, creating situations these young protagonists will have to fight to survive through. It is an exciting new book and even though the feminist in me found some moments hard to stomach, I know that that's the point! Bennett does not shy away from the darker parts of human behaviour and that just makes this book all the more exciting. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">O</span>verall, this is a really exciting new book that I think any YA enthusiast will devour in a matter of days. It is fast paced, exciting and pushes the reader into a world that sits so close to ours it's hard not to imagine this happening somewhere. If you haven't pre-ordered this one yet then I highly recommend that you do. </span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , "freemono" , monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">**</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "muli" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "verdana" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px;">I received this book as an ARC from Hot Key Books to read & review. This is a 100% <msreadoutspan class="msreadout-line-highlight msreadout-inactive-highlight">hone<span style="background-color: white;">st review.</span></msreadoutspan></span><span style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , "freemono" , monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><msreadoutspan class="msreadout-line-highlight msreadout-inactive-highlight"><span style="background-color: white;">*<msreadoutspan class="msreadout-word-highlight">*</msreadoutspan></span></msreadoutspan></span></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="background-color: yellow;"></span><span style="background-color: yellow;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"></span><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-60326475650865970662018-06-18T09:00:00.000+01:002018-06-18T09:00:07.722+01:00REVIEW: Carve The Mark<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">CARVE THE MARK</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>by Veronica Roth</i></span></div>
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<b>Pages: </b>468</div>
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<b>Publisher:</b> HarperCollins Children's Books</div>
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<b>Publication Date:</b> 18th January 2017</div>
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<span id="goog_390334152"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30233110-carve-the-mark"><img border="0" data-original-height="47" data-original-width="185" id="id_1429_6f2d_dbd9_ebdd" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1U0XhOQuqAA/Uzlixx4hztI/AAAAAAAAAbU/7sB_bgZSis4P6Sy9OAxAUk6njat0v9MqQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/GoodReadsButton.png" style="height: auto; width: 185px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><span id="freeText3361649996061888535"><span id="freeText2932034675774535583"><i>In a galaxy powered by the current, everyone has a gift.<br /><br />Cyra is the sister of the brutal tyrant who rules the Shotet people. Cyra’s currentgift gives her pain and power — something her brother exploits, using her to torture his enemies. But Cyra is much more than just a blade in her brother’s hand: she is resilient, quick on her feet, and smarter than he knows.<br /><br />Akos is the son of a farmer and an oracle from the frozen nation-planet of Thuvhe. Protected by his unusual currentgift, Akos is generous in spirit, and his loyalty to his family is limitless. Once Akos and his brother are captured by enemy Shotet soldiers, Akos is desperate to get this brother out alive — no matter what the cost.<br />The Akos is thrust into Cyra's world, and the enmity between their countries and families seems insurmountable. Will they help each other to survive, or will they destroy one another?</i></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You
know that feeling when your favourite author announces a new series and you
just cannot wait to read it? This is how I felt when <i>Carve The Mark</i> was
announced, as I've read the Divergent books more times than I care to mention.
However, when it came around to it I just couldn't pick it up. What if its not
as good? What if I end up being let down? Well over a year after it was first
published I FINALLY got around to reading <i>Carve the Mark</i> and I am happy
to say that I was not disappointed!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="color: #454545; margin: 0px;">Carve The Mark</span></i><span style="color: #454545; margin: 0px;"> is a story of two halves, told from two points of view.
The first is Akos, a boy torn away from his family, who has to learn to survive
in enemy territory and serve a family that threaten everything he holds dear.
Second is Cyra, a girl fated to bring pain to anyone who touches her. As the
book unfolds these two characters’ lives become intertwined as their fates are
destined to play out but the path they find themselves on was nothing like they
imagined. For you see, Akos may be the only relief from Cyra's current gift, a
moment in time where she is able to breathe. With hostile relations between two
races reaching its apex and a rebellion on the horizon, can our two main
characters out run their destinies or were the fates sealed long ago? </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'll be honest, to begin with I
wasn't convinced. I don't know if it was the fact it wasn’t Tris and Four or if
my expectations were just to high but I honestly thought I wasn't going to like
this book. However, after a couple of chapters I found that I couldn't put this
book down. I needed to know what happened next. The story line was exciting and
constantly moving from one thing to the next and it kept me on my toes throughout.
One of my favourite things with books like this is seeing how the author uses
contemporary human behaviour to create worlds that parallel our own and the
universe Roth describes is both otherworldly and relatable (which is a hard mix
to pull off). </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The characters themselves are all
completely and utterly imperfect, they make mistakes and fall down throughout
the book, but they also find the strength within themselves and each other to
fight. The growth of Cyra's character was probably one of my favourites as it
shows not just the harshness of growing up and finding yourself but also the
struggles of doing what's right when it's so much easier to do what's being
asked of you. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Overall, I fell in love with this
story and the main characters. It was fasted paced and exhilarating, with plot
twists around every corner. It was one of those books that makes me wish I
hadn't waited so long to read it and I'm not making the same mistake with book
2 as I can't wait to find out what is in store for these characters next.</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-86584759307229151672018-06-04T09:00:00.000+01:002018-06-11T09:10:11.356+01:00REVIEW: The White Princess<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">THE WHITE PRINCESS</span> </h2>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>by Philippa Gregory</i></span></div>
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<b>Pages: </b>527</div>
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<b>Publisher:</b> Simon & Schuster UK</div>
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<b>Publication Date:</b> 1st August 2013</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><span id="freeText3361649996061888535"><i>The haunting story of the mother of the Tudors, Elizabeth of York, wife to Henry VII.<br /><br />Beautiful eldest daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville - the White Queen - the young princess Elizabeth faces a conflict of loyalties between the red rose and the white. Forced into marriage with Henry VII, she must reconcile her slowly growing love for him with her loyalty to the House of York, and choose between her mother's rebellion and her husband's tyranny. Then she has to meet the Pretender, whose claim denies the House of Tudor itself.</i></span></span></span></span></div>
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I stated reading this when it first came out in 2013 however, at the time I just could not get on with it. But recently I've been on a bit of a reading slump (hence the lack of reviews - SORRY!) and I thought I would give it another go. I adored the other books in this series and I don't know why I didn't get along with <i>The White Princess</i> to begin with because this time around I devoured it and I'm not completely in love with this book!</div>
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<i>The White Princess </i>begins just after the battle of Bosworth, where Henry Tudor won the crown of England from Richard the 3rd. The story is told from the perspective of Elizabeth of York, lover to Richard and future wife of Henry as she has to adapt to a new way of life at court, under a new king who killed the man she loves. Like all of Philippa's books this is rife with drama and excitement, that keeps you entertained from the moment you open the book. Elizabeth was loved by a nation but with a mother-in-law you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy, a king that finds it hard to trust and the legacy of her York name on the line, Elizabeth's journey to the throne is anything but easy.</div>
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I'm a big fan of Philippa's books as they paint a picture of the past with this magical flare that makes you feel like you are being transported back in time to the royal courts of centuries past. The character's in this instalment are engaging and draw you into the story within a couple of pages. I was obsessed with Richard III in the past books so I wasn't sure how I would feel about a post-Richard world but Elizabeth ad Henry's characters were intriguing and complex. Being able to read and see their relationship evolve from something quite toxic to where they are by the end was really interesting.</div>
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The story itself was exciting and follows a young girl as she has to learn to survive within a new royal family that doesn't trust her in a palace that used to be her home. It is full of betrayal and plots that will have you flipping through the pages to find out what happens next. I think the thing I like most about these books is that even if you know the history behind the stories, Philippa's rendition of them brings the characters to life - even if you do want to throttle some of them. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">O</span>verall, this was an impressive extension to the Cousins War series by Philippa Gregory. It kept up with the other books and concluded this series with a story fit for a King. If you haven't read this series yet then I highly recommend it as it will send you back in time to a part of British history that I personally find truly magical. </div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-71311821768728524882018-05-08T18:35:00.000+01:002018-05-08T18:35:12.296+01:00REVIEW: Things I'm Seeing Without You<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>THINGS I'M SEEING WITHOUT YOU</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>by Peter Bognanni</i></span></div>
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<b>Pages: </b>336</div>
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<b>Publisher:</b> Chicken House</div>
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<b>Publication Date:</b> 1st Febuary 2018</div>
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<b>Received From: </b>Chicken House</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Seventeen-year-old Tess talks to Jonah every day; through texts, tweets and emails.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">So when she discovers Jonah has committed suicide, her world implodes. Feeling heartbroken and traumatized Tess unexpectedly finds herself at her estranged father’s house, wondering how well she really knew Jonah. Now, having dropped out of high school, struggling with questions about life and loss, Tess and her father come together to try and find the answers.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">First things first, can I just say that Chicken
House are smashing it out of the park with their YA's this year!! I mean
seriously, I've not read a book that I've not wanted to immediately re-read
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Things I'm Seeing Without You</i>
is no exception. I'll be honest I thought this book was going to be a little
bit depressing when I first started reading it but as the story unfolded you
notice the humour in it, the notes that make you smile and the moments that
catch your breath. It delves into a situation no one wants to find themselves
in and resolves itself in the most peculiar of manners, and I wouldn't change a
single second of it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="color: #454545; margin: 0px;">Things I'm Seeing Without You</span></i><span style="color: #454545; margin: 0px;"> is the story of Tess, a girl who's life gets flipped on
its head when the boy she's fallen in love with commits suicide. He said he
loved her, but now he's gone, and Tess has to find a way to come to terms with
what she's lost. Tess’s life feels like it's stopped with the boy’s, she lost
as she drops out of school and moves in with her estranged father (who by the
way just happens to be running a funeral business - of sorts). But life hasn't
stopped and from this point on everything is going to be different, things Tess
thought she knew will come unravelled as she discovers the truth about the boy
she's been talking to everyday for months. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #454545; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finding a balance between writing a good story
and being respectful to the difficult issues you're writing about is not an
easy task. In <i>Things I'm Seeing Without You</i> Bognanni tackles some
hard subjects, but he manages to find a way to mix the difficult with the
storytelling to produce a book that hits right in the feels. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It is no secret that the way to a good review
from me is to write a load of messed up characters and show me that they can
find redemption and this book does exactly that! Okay, well... maybe not messed
up as such but the characters in this book are falling apart. Unsure how to get
through the day after the worst thing they could ever imagine happening
happens. But as the story continues you find yourself wishing the characters
forward, and somehow... in a way I did not see coming... they find their way to
the end of the book. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #454545; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At first this seems like a book about death but
in reality, it’s about living, celebrating life and finding a way to go on in the
most unexpected of ways.<i> Things I'm Seeing Without You</i> is a story that
will have you grabbing for the tissues at times but at it is also filled with
small smiles, great storytelling and characters you can't help but care about.
If you haven't had the chance to read this book yet, then I cannot recommend it
enough! </span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , "freemono" , monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">**</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "muli" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "verdana" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px;">I received this book as an ARC from Chicken House Books to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , "freemono" , monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">**</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-50795931179780405522018-05-03T10:15:00.000+01:002018-05-03T11:08:24.185+01:00REVIEW: We Are Young<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>WE ARE YOUNG</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>by Cat Clarke</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bsl-ghm9Vic/WpsEPTdp6dI/AAAAAAAAFko/kXfQgMjkqRElubQ8-CQK6QcKIl52Gv2PQCLcBGAs/s1600/36497163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bsl-ghm9Vic/WpsEPTdp6dI/AAAAAAAAFko/kXfQgMjkqRElubQ8-CQK6QcKIl52Gv2PQCLcBGAs/s400/36497163.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
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<b>Pages: </b>384</div>
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<b>Publisher:</b> Quercus Children's Books</div>
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<b>Publication Date:</b> 3rd May 2018</div>
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<b>Received From: </b>Quercus Children's Books</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36497163-we-are-young"><img border="0" data-original-height="47" data-original-width="185" id="id_1429_6f2d_dbd9_ebdd" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1U0XhOQuqAA/Uzlixx4hztI/AAAAAAAAAbU/7sB_bgZSis4P6Sy9OAxAUk6njat0v9MqQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/GoodReadsButton.png" style="height: auto; width: 185px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">On the same night Evan's mother marries local radio DJ 'Breakfast Tim', Evan's brand-new step-brother Lewis is found unconscious and terribly injured, the only survivor of a horrific car crash.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">A media furore erupts, with the finger of blame pointed firmly at stoner, loner Lewis. Everyone else seems to think the crash was drugs-related, but Evan isn't buying it. With the help of her journalist father, Harry, she decides to find out what really happened that night.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">As Evan delves deeper into the lives of the three teenagers who died in the crash, she uncovers some disturbing truths and a secret that threatens to tear her family - and the community - apart for ever...</span></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EiBUOUYBZTs/WYWX34gnrDI/AAAAAAAAFPA/3G8q7b9RKxIZK2YROjNlde8_Eq3O5SefgCLcBGAs/s1600/review.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="165" data-original-width="312" id="id_e30d_be26_69cc_cd12" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EiBUOUYBZTs/WYWX34gnrDI/AAAAAAAAFPA/3G8q7b9RKxIZK2YROjNlde8_Eq3O5SefgCLcBGAs/s1600/review.png" style="height: auto; width: 312px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">It is no secret that I adore Cat Clarke's books and her honest approach to storytelling. However, this is something about this book that is truely special. The story itself is a raw and powerful one that will hit you right in the feels and once I opened that first page I could not put it down. I will say now that this is one of those reviews that isn't going to tell you much about the story but I hope it shows you WHY you need to read this book.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>We Are Young</i> is Evan's story after the night her mother marries local DJ Tim. It should have been a happy day but when they get the call Evan's new step-brother has been in an accident everything changes. This book follows Evan as she tries to uncover what really happened that night and why her step-brother, Lewis, was the only one to survive the crash. Although what she finds is more that she could have ever imagined. <i>We Are Young</i> is a gripping and gritty story that will have you flipping through the pages to find out the truth of what happened that night... question is, are you ready to know what really happened? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">We live in a time where women are finding their voice again and there is something about Evan that speaks to the girls of today and tells them that they should never be ashamed to speak up. There is a fearlessness to Cats story telling that leaves a lump in the back of your throat, as a writer she has never shyed away from writing the grit of a story and <i>We Are Young</i> is no exception. Evan is a YA protagonist to be proud of, she is a main character young girls can look up to. A voice that shows people make mistakes, they fuck up but you learn from your mistakes and they don't define you.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">There is a huge emphasis on mental health in this book and I'll be honest it was not an easy book to read for me! There are moments that left me with tears in my eyes and my skin crawling but it felt honest and real. There was no sugar coating in this story and <i>We Are Young</i> is one of those books that makes me proud to be a supporter of YA fiction!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Overall I adored this book. It was hard and it was challenging but it has put across a voice that needed to be heard. Evan is by far my favourite main character of Cat's and the story was empowering, chilling, heartwarming and kick ass! I hope you all enjoy this book as much as I did and I can't wait to see what awesomeness Cat has in store next.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , "freemono" , monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">**</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "muli" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "verdana" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px;">I received this book as an ARC from Quercus Children's Books to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , "freemono" , monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">**</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-88955765998070761762018-03-05T09:00:00.000+00:002018-03-05T09:00:33.294+00:00REVIEW: The Course of True Love<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>AND FIRST DATES</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>by Cassandra Clare</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L3_moCQLXI0/WpsFLPzvuVI/AAAAAAAAFk0/H7PovvCTaFYSb1QpU4pfFg32NjZqYsGwgCLcBGAs/s1600/38110344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L3_moCQLXI0/WpsFLPzvuVI/AAAAAAAAFk0/H7PovvCTaFYSb1QpU4pfFg32NjZqYsGwgCLcBGAs/s320/38110344.jpg" width="289" /></a></div>
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<b>Pages: </b>96</div>
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<b>Publisher:</b> Walker Books</div>
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<b>Publication Date:</b> 1st February 2018 (first pub 1st Jan 2014)</div>
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<b>Received From: </b>Walker Books</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38110344-the-course-of-true-love-and-first-dates"><img border="0" data-original-height="47" data-original-width="185" id="id_1429_6f2d_dbd9_ebdd" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1U0XhOQuqAA/Uzlixx4hztI/AAAAAAAAAbU/7sB_bgZSis4P6Sy9OAxAUk6njat0v9MqQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/GoodReadsButton.png" style="height: auto; width: 185px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood might fall in love—but first they have a first date. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">When Magnus Bane, warlock, meets Alec Lightwood, Shadowhunter, sparks fly. And what happens on their first date lights a flame...</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">A Magnus Bane story set in New York. Both new readers and those already familiar with the world of the Shadowhunters will enjoy this collectable hardback gift edition</span></i></span></div>
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This book was originally released as an eBook as the final installment of the <i>Bane Chronicles </i>but as of last month is now available as the perfect little gift edition from Walker Books. Now I don't know about you but I'm a huge Shadowhunter fan and when this arrived I did a little happy dance. </div>
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<i>The Course of True Love (and First Dates) </i>is the story of Magnus and Alec's first date and as anything else I'm this universe it didn't quite go to plan. Magnus has been alive for centuries but this is the first time he's ever been on a date with a Shadowhunter. From magical cocktails to werewolf attacks this is a date neither of them are likely to forget. </div>
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This short story is laugh out loud funny and unbelievably exciting. Most of us know how Magnus and Alec's story ends but reliving how it all began will leave you smiling from ear to ear. </div>
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This is the perfect addition to any Shadowhunter collection and if you have not read it yet I nightly recommend it... Along with all the other <i>Bane Chronicles </i>of course. </div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , "freemono" , monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">**</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "muli" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "verdana" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px;">I received this book as an ARC from Walker Books to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , "freemono" , monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">**</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-43176572702596148422018-03-02T08:51:00.002+00:002018-03-02T08:51:35.588+00:00REVIEW: A Witch Alone<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>A WITCH ALONE</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>by James Nicol</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1vqnMh3dt50/WpcPDkD2y3I/AAAAAAAAFkM/Lfn7DsCK5GcftIXSeXUBE0GVszLTVmMVQCLcBGAs/s1600/38355443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1vqnMh3dt50/WpcPDkD2y3I/AAAAAAAAFkM/Lfn7DsCK5GcftIXSeXUBE0GVszLTVmMVQCLcBGAs/s400/38355443.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
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<b>Pages: </b>336</div>
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<b>Publisher:</b> Chicken House</div>
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<b>Publication Date:</b> 1st March 2018</div>
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<b>Received From: </b>Chicken House</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38355443-a-witch-alone"><img border="0" data-original-height="47" data-original-width="185" id="id_1429_6f2d_dbd9_ebdd" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1U0XhOQuqAA/Uzlixx4hztI/AAAAAAAAAbU/7sB_bgZSis4P6Sy9OAxAUk6njat0v9MqQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/GoodReadsButton.png" style="height: auto; width: 185px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Arianwyn is recruited for an important mission: to retrieve the Book of Quiet Glyphs from its hiding place in the Great Wood. But as feyling refugees gather outside the town walls and hex plagues the forest, tensions lead to fall-outs with her friends. Arianwyn soon realises that she alone can find the Book, and wield its secrets ...</i></span></span></blockquote>
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The biggest problem with second books is that it needs to live up to the first, especially when the first was all kinds of awesome. <i>A Witch Alone</i> however, doesn't just live up to its predecessor but in my opinion completely outshines it! This book has all the epicness of <i>The Apprentice Witch</i> with more magic, more danger and plot twists that will leave your jaw on the floor. </div>
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<i>A Witch Alone</i> follows our favourite witch, Wyn, as she undertakes her biggest adventure to date! For you see, since last time we saw her dark spirits have been terrorising the land and spirits that was been dormant for centuries are now threatening the peace. But Wyn and her team are in for more than they ever expected when they enter the Great Wood in search of The Book of Quiet Glyphs and everything Wyn thought she knew about her powers is about to be challenged. This installment is full of adventure, dark magic and the humour we've come to love but how will our favourite characters fare when darkness comes knocking at Lull's gates?</div>
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<i>A Witch Alone</i> smashed my expectations and I consumed this book in two sittings! Wyn is one of those characters that can never get it right the first time and it is her determination and hope that makes her relatable to me. The events of this books test the strongest of friendships, which will literally make you shout "no no no no no" as you're reading. It is a story of uncertainty and magic, which went mixed together is the perfect combination for disaster and it is how the characters we have come to love deal with this that keeps you, as the reader, on your toes from start to finish.</div>
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The thing I loved most about the first book was that Wyn isn't perfect. Having literary characters that make mistakes are so important because it shows younger readers that just because it doesn't go right the first time it doesn't mean you've failed. And at the other end of the spectrum, even if you grow up with everything handed to you on a plate it doesn't mean you don't have to work hard to get what you want *cough* Glimmer *cough*. <i>A Witch Alone</i> continues to show this and for me that was the most important thing because it gives younger people a role model that isn't perfect and let's younger reads know the most important thing is to not give up. </div>
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Plus Bobs back! That's also REALLY important. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">O</span>verall I adored this book! It was fast paced and easy to read and I'm keeping this review minimal as not to risk spoilers! The story had me hooked from the very start and I can't wait to find out what happens next!! <i>A Witch Alone</i> is full of magic and moon hares and so much more, James smashed this one and I hope you love it as much as I did. </div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , "freemono" , monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">**</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "muli" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "verdana" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px;">I received this book as an ARC from Chicken House Books to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , "freemono" , monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">**</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-61308879493109101432018-02-26T09:36:00.002+00:002018-02-26T09:36:50.577+00:00REVIEW: The Apprentice Witch<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>THE APPRENTICE WITCH</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>by James Nicol</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ERNm00jC4ng/V1XkRsyMhQI/AAAAAAAAEmQ/-WoHO1e7hFgIpdfiLpxU6Sv0xwJpf_UmwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/29093476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ERNm00jC4ng/V1XkRsyMhQI/AAAAAAAAEmQ/-WoHO1e7hFgIpdfiLpxU6Sv0xwJpf_UmwCPcBGAYYCw/s400/29093476.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
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<b>Pages:</b> 324</div>
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<b>Publisher:</b> Chicken House</div>
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<b>Publication Date:</b> July 7th 2016</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Arianwyn has fluffed her witch’s evaluation test.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Awarded the dull bronze disc and continuing as an apprentice – to the glee of her arch-rival, mean girl Gimma – she’s sent to protect the remote, dreary town of Lull. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">But her new life is far from boring. Turns out Gimma is the pompous mayor’s favourite niece – and worse, she opens a magical rift in the nearby Great Wood. As Arianwyn struggles with her spells, a mysterious darkness begins to haunt her – and it’s soon clear there’s much more than her pride at stake …</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Apprentice Witch</i> is all kinds of amazing and no, my mum didn't just tell me to say that. I mean she did, but I wholeheartedly agree! I'm not normally a massive fan of middle grade books as I find it harder to connect with the main character, however, with <i>The Apprentice Witch</i> it only took a couple of chapters for me find common ground with our girl Arianwyn Gribble. The story is fast paced, full the brim of magical twists and dark turns that will leave you begging for more from the little town of Lull. </span></div>
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<i style="font-family: inherit;">The Apprentice Witch</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> is the story of a young witch who's life never quite goes to plan and this is never more true than on the day of her evaluation when the mysterious glyph that she has seen all her life makes an unwelcome appearance. Due to the events of that day Arianwyn (Wyn) is sent to the town of Lull to finish off her Apprenticeship and become the town witch. Although Lull has been without a witch for some time and within a few days Wyn is up to her ears in witchly tasks and intriguing townspeople. It's not all work for Wyn though as she meets new friends, finds a place she can call hers and acquires a rather charming Moon Hare called Bob. But with dark spirits making more frequent </span>appearances<span style="font-family: inherit;">, a mysterious glyph following Wyn like a bad smell and the town of Lull sitting on the edge of the Great Wood it is only a matter of time before this Apprentice finds herself in more trouble that she could have ever imagined. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I loved this book so much! I mean how could I not? James creates a world that is the literary </span>equivalent<span style="font-family: inherit;"> to glitter and I couldn't put this book down. Every scene and setting was so well </span>executed<span style="font-family: inherit;"> to the point that I felt like I was in the town of Lull right along side Wyn and the story itself didn't lull for one second - yes pun COMPLETELY intended. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This book bought me back to my younger years and the days of The Worst Witch and our dear Mildred Hubble. The story is completely different but a young witch that can't quite get it right no matter her intentions? Arianwyn Gribble is this generations Mildred and I LOVE IT!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">O</span>verall this book is one of those I can't stop talking about. Yes its middle grade but there is something about it that I think appeals to a wider audience - after all Harry Potter is a MG book, just saying. <i>The Apprentice Witch</i> is fast paced, laugh out loud funny and full of little pockets of magic that will have you smiling from ear to ear. If you haven't read this book yet I hope you do and for all of you who have...<i> A Witch Alone</i> is out this week! And guys... it's <i>so</i> good! </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-68325206620906353882018-02-23T09:00:00.000+00:002018-02-23T09:00:22.275+00:00REVIEW: Movie Night<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>MOVIE NIGHT</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>by Lucy Courtenay</i></span></div>
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<b>Pages:</b> 314</div>
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<b>Publisher:</b> Hodder Children's Books</div>
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<b>Publication Date:</b> January 11th 2018</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">One: I am hopelessly in love with Hanna Bergdahl.</i><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Two: for the first time since our recent reunion Hanna Bergdahl appears to be single.</i><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">And three: I am in stuck in that inescapable netherworld of demons and acne - the Friend Zone.</i></span></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Two best friends. One crush.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Sol and Hanna were best friends at primary school and after reuniting at college, they spend approximately seventy per cent of daylight hours </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">together</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">When disaster strikes at a New Year's Eve party and Hannah sees new boyfriend Danny Dukas kissing Lizzie Banks, a New Year's Resolution is formed. Sol and Hanna will watch one film a month for twelve months until the next New Year. After all, films hold answers to life's hardest questions. Maybe they'll figure out why they are both members of the dumpee club.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Only Sol Adams has a new year's resolution of his own: to kiss Hanna Bergdahl before the year is over.</span></span></i></blockquote>
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When I read <i><a href="http://theyanightstand.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/review-kiss.html">The Kiss</a> </i>I was completely enamoured with the way in which Lucy Courtenay constructs a contemporary romance. There was this added element of movie magic and I'm so happy that has carried on to her new book<i> Movie Night</i>. This book is unbelievably cute, laugh out loud funny at times and the quintessential YA will they, wont they romance that will turn your insides gooey. </div>
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<i>Movie Night</i> is told from the perspective for our two main protagonists. First you have Hanna, the sixth form girl who fits in with the popular kids, changes boys like they're shoes and gets along with mostly everyone. Then there is Sol, Sol grew up with Hanna but moved away when he was younger. Now Sol is back he and Hanna are inseparable but he likes to keep things to himself, like the fact he has been in love with his best friend Hanna for longer than he can remember. Then one New Years Eve Hanna sees her boyfriend kissing someone else and on that night while comforting her Sol and Hanna make a pact. For the next year they are going to watch one movie a month together, because movies always have happily ever afters and maybe together they will find the answers they are looking for. But with Sol trying to hold Hanna at arms length and Hanna slowly realising just how much he keeps from her their friendship is pushed to breaking point. It is a story about friendship, first love and learning to be who you want to be, not just who you are told to be. </div>
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Throughout this book Sol and Hanna grow so much as characters, both together and apart that its hard not to love them. <i>Movie Night </i>is one of those coming of age stories that suck you in because you as a reader feel like you can connect with the characters. The book is written over the space of a year, a year that has our main protagonists applying for university and making big decisions about who they want to be. </div>
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The characters melt your heart and the story keeps up pace throughout. The family dynamics are intriguing and if your favourite thing in this book isn't Nigel then I don't know what's wrong with you. There are moments in this book that show how hard it can be at that age and the pressure of some of the choices that need making but there is also a humour to it as well. It is the mix of depth and light heartedness that really elevated this book for me. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">O</span>verall, <i>Movie Night </i>was one of those books I could read over and over again. It hit me right in the feels and from the very first chapter I needed to know if Sol got the girl. It is hard enough being a teenager but when you're in love with your best friend? Well that's when it gets complicated. </div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KQD85jiEMjc/WYT-oXd7EJI/AAAAAAAAFNA/48NyLwAv9HALKgIbRgzOSPjnIw_U_jfmgCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="487" height="252" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KQD85jiEMjc/WYT-oXd7EJI/AAAAAAAAFNA/48NyLwAv9HALKgIbRgzOSPjnIw_U_jfmgCPcBGAYYCw/s320/4.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , "freemono" , monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">**</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "muli" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "verdana" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px;">I received this book as an ARC from Hodder Children's Books to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , "freemono" , monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">**</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-14232395257226571492018-02-20T09:00:00.001+00:002018-02-20T09:00:02.300+00:00BLOG TOUR: Orphan Monster Spy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eZ2t1Q-QFRI/WYWjEjkLrnI/AAAAAAAAFQQ/kw4mpXK0xY8na0-9H8VnmxnqNBJrGFyYQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/gp.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="487" height="252" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eZ2t1Q-QFRI/WYWjEjkLrnI/AAAAAAAAFQQ/kw4mpXK0xY8na0-9H8VnmxnqNBJrGFyYQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/gp.png" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">In Celebration </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">of </span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Female Heroes</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>Diana Brackley from The Trouble with Lichen</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Go back far enough and few fictional characters, especially those written by men, pass muster as truly feminist. Like the mainly white US suffragettes are tainted by the whiff of racism, most writers are products of their time and even the most benign intentions drag the patriarchy behind them like oversized luggage with broken wheels.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">However, it is possible for a progressive reading of some of these texts to take place and for us to marvel at the insight of some of the minds behind them, long before they’d be reasonably expected to have got their sisterhood on.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">One such work is John Wyndham’s <i>The Trouble With Lichen</i>. What he manages, in his own flawed and very 1950s manner, is to create a feminist character of quite remarkable fortitude, vision and single-mindedness.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Diana Brackley is not like her mother. She is unwilling to define herself solely as someone else’s wife or mother, or to remain in a state of perpetual dependence. But time, she is assured, is the enemy. Time ticks on for women. Their value, their attractiveness, their desirability and their fertility, all are falling away by the second. According to her mother, there isn’t time for a career, especially not for <i>chemistry</i>…whatever <i>that</i> is.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Diana knows that these things are a distraction at best. They’re something to relegate to the future, but she cannot quite shake the sense of the running clock. Men do not have these limitations, so why should she? If only there was <i>more time</i>…so when her diligence and scientific abilities uncover an anti-aging elixir – made from a rare lichen with a critically limited supply – she leaves her research lab and vague love interest, taking her discovery with her.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">She creates a beauty clinic. While that appears literally superficial, it’s a wicked subversion of the concept, and since she’s treating these women without their specific consent, it’s a deeply transgressive act. Diana takes on the female condition – as seen through a 1950s filter – and disrupts it for her needs.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">She has a vision, not just to extend lives, but to reshape the world. She uses the limited supply of lichen to create a long-lived group of female leaders, untouched by the rigours and judgements of age, who could exist on a level playing field with the men for whom the usual limitations do not apply. Such a cabal could change the world for women, forever.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">In comparison, the love interest’s decision, to test it on his children, without their consent, seems small-minded, parochial and even cruel. <u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Of course, all this is deeply flawed. The restrictions society placed, and still places on women are entirely artificial and don’t hold up to scrutiny. Even fertility can now be reasonably extended, if indeed the woman chooses that path. Game-changing women do not require eternal youth. Yet even this generation of women still can’t shake the patriarchal obsession with appearance.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">But as a product of the late 1950s, with the Second Wave of Feminism in its infancy, Diana Brackley is a game-changer and a formidable warrior for equality.<span style="color: #1f497d;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">ORPHAN MONSTER SPY</span></h2>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">by Matt Killeen</span></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #181818; text-align: left;">A Jewish girl-turned-spy must infiltrate an elite Nazi boarding school in this highly commercial, relentlessly nail-biting World War II drama!</span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br style="color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="color: #181818; text-align: left;">After her mother is shot at a checkpoint, fifteen-year-old Sarah--blonde, blue-eyed, and Jewish--finds herself on the run from a government that wants to see every person like her dead. Then Sarah meets a mysterious man with an ambiguous accent, a suspiciously bare apartment, and a lockbox full of weapons. He's a spy, and he needs Sarah to become one, too, to pull off a mission he can't attempt on his own: infiltrate a boarding school attended by the daughters of top Nazi brass, befriend the daughter of a key scientist, and steal the blueprints to a bomb that could destroy the cities of Western Europe. With years of training from her actress mother in the art of impersonation, Sarah thinks she's ready. But nothing prepares her for her cutthroat schoolmates, and soon she finds herself in a battle for survival unlike any she'd ever imagined.</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>ABOUT THE AUTHOR</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DKWbIAZA9G4/WotKiV_nHBI/AAAAAAAAFjg/YJwXYABNhagpZZapvoFaFOpzA7fLzF8CgCLcBGAs/s1600/Matt%2BKilleen%2Bauthor%2Bphoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DKWbIAZA9G4/WotKiV_nHBI/AAAAAAAAFjg/YJwXYABNhagpZZapvoFaFOpzA7fLzF8CgCLcBGAs/s200/Matt%2BKilleen%2Bauthor%2Bphoto.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Matt Killeen was born in Birmingham, in the UK, back when trousers were wide and everything was brown. Several careers beckoned, some involving laser guns and guitars, before he finally attempted to make a living as an advertising copywriter and a largely ignored music and sports journalist. He now writes for the world’s best loved toy company, as it wasn’t possible to be an X-wing pilot. Orphan Monster Spy is his first novel.</span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-20192676771744804892018-02-12T09:00:00.000+00:002018-02-12T09:00:29.861+00:00REVIEW: The Cruel Prince<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>THE CRUEL PRINCE</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>by Holly Black</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TcLScu5JMHY/WiSKp3rQ2DI/AAAAAAAAFeM/f5FkkMKqrEA-rD0Rd4NgQgSUuTltdEYdQCLcBGAs/s1600/35181811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="400" id="id_c6f6_fe17_a35c_749b" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TcLScu5JMHY/WiSKp3rQ2DI/AAAAAAAAFeM/f5FkkMKqrEA-rD0Rd4NgQgSUuTltdEYdQCLcBGAs/s400/35181811.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 266px;" width="266" /></a></div>
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<b>Pages: </b>384</div>
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<b>Publisher:</b> Hot Key Books</div>
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<b>Publication Date:</b> 2nd January 2018</div>
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<b>Received From: </b>Hot Key Books</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35181811-the-cruel-prince"><img border="0" data-original-height="47" data-original-width="185" id="id_1429_6f2d_dbd9_ebdd" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1U0XhOQuqAA/Uzlixx4hztI/AAAAAAAAAbU/7sB_bgZSis4P6Sy9OAxAUk6njat0v9MqQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/GoodReadsButton.png" style="height: auto; width: 185px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Of course I want to be like them. They're beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.</i></span></span><i><span style="color: #181818;"><br /></span>And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.</i><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.</i></span><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>To win a place at the Court, she must defy him—and face the consequences.</i></span><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #454545;">Holly Back's <i>Tithe</i> and <i>Ironside</i> are
the books that started my love of YA Frey. They are full of danger, magic and
lust that completely absorb you into the pages and when I heard Black was
making a return trip to the land of Faerie I was beyond excited! <i>The
Cruel Prince</i> is fast paced, magical, dangerous and all consuming. The
characters are, in my opinion, some of the best she has ever created and the
way humanity and power interlink throughout the story made this book
unputdownable. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="color: #454545;">The Cruel Prince</span></i><span style="color: #454545;"> is the first of a new
series and it tells the story of an orphaned human girl, Jude, who finds
herself right at the centre of the High Court of Faerie. Jude and her two
sisters all adapted differently when their parents were brutally murdered by
their now step-father and as the story unfolds it’s these differences that
leads to Jude’s unlikely story. For you see, Jude has always wanted to be like
the Frey. For Jude it was their strength and skill she admired and even though
being human is seen as a weakness she was determined to prove she could be one
of them. However, with a coronation around the corner, battles for power in
play and a prince that can’t stand the sight of her, Jude has more to prove
than ever before. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jude,
for me, was the perfect protagonist! There was something about her that made
you want to route for her even when you could see she was making all the wrong
choices. She is one of those characters that has a bit of a chip on her
shoulder (and rightly so) and finds herself needing to prove her worth to
everyone around her. Her two sisters adapted differently to the world on the
other side of the hill but it is Jude's need for acceptance from this world
that makes her relatable. She is the quintessential outsider, the girl that
will never fit in, never given a chance to be more than her preconceptions and
that in itself makes her fight even harder. You can't help but adore her and
for me that's what makes a YA protagonist special. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
story itself was full of adventure and interlinking parts that keeps you on
your toes from the very first to the very last page. Black never shies away
from the brutal side of frey folklore and <i>The
Cruel Prince</i> is no different. There were moments that made me wish she wasn’t
so damn good as describing things but it is this grittiness mixed with the
wonder of the Faerie world that entices the reader. This is one of those books
were setting, storytelling, characters and that literary magic all come together
to create something rather special. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Overall
I adored this book. If I'm honest I was a little worried I had set my
expectations too high but Black smashed it and I didn't want this story to end.
It is full of peril, trickery, plotting, love and magic. It’s a tale of family
value, royal hierarchy and a young girls need to be accepted. <i>The Cruel Prince</i> is Holly Black at her
best and I'm dying to see what she has in store for us next. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-89176295179867464092018-02-09T09:00:00.000+00:002018-02-09T09:00:46.211+00:00REVIEW: Before I Let Go<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>BEFORE I LET GO</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>by Marieke Nijkamp</i></span></div>
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<b>Pages:</b> 358</div>
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<b>Publisher:</b> Sourcebooks Fire</div>
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<b>Publication Date:</b> January 23rd 2018</div>
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<b>Received From: </b>Sourcebooks </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Best friends Corey and Kyra were inseparable in their snow-covered town of Lost Creek, Alaska. When Corey moves away, she makes Kyra promise to stay strong during the long, dark winter, and wait for her return.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Just days before Corey is to return home to visit, Kyra dies. Corey is devastated―and confused. The entire Lost community speaks in hushed tones about the town's lost daughter, saying her death was meant to be. And they push Corey away like she's a stranger.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Corey knows something is wrong. With every hour, her suspicion grows. Lost is keeping secrets―chilling secrets. But piecing together the truth about what happened to her best friend may prove as difficult as lighting the sky in an Alaskan winter...</span></i></span></blockquote>
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This is one of those books that even after you've read the last page the story still haunts your every thought. I was lucky enough to be sent this book after hearing so many positive things from other bloggers and from the second I started reading I was hooked. Now, I know I say that a fair bit but there was something about Nijkamp's writing style that sucked me into the story and I felt like I was living these characters. <i>Before I Let Go</i> is an eerie and beautifully heartbreaking. It is a story you will want to read over and over again.<br />
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<i>Before I Let Go </i>follows Corey as she flies back to the town she used to call home for the funeral of her best friend Kyra. However, when Corey arrives in Lost everything is different, the town sees Corey as an outsider, speaking in whispers as she passes. As Lost mourns Kyra, Corey is left with a feeling that something isn't right. The town she left shunned her best friend but the one she has returned to speaks of Kyra as some kind of saint. Nothing makes sense in Lost anymore and the longer Corey stays and the harder she seeks the truth the more dangerous Lost becomes. There are secrets beneath the ice and as much as Corey needs to know the truth what she finds might be more than she can handle.<br />
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I honestly don't have a bad word to say about this book. The characters where brilliantly constructed, with ones you loath and others you love and some that will send shivers down your spine. Marieke Nijkamp is able to make the reader feel for these fictional characters as if they were real which is a skill of pure literary genius. The story is unpredictable and unravels into a chilling tale that will have you begging for a happily ever after that you suspect might never come.<br />
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The thing that got me about this story was the way in which the town treated Kyra in the time Corey is away.<i> Before I Let Go</i> is told predominantly by Corey but its Kryas story that runs through the heart of the book. I don't want to say too much as to spoil it but there was something quite archaic about how this small town dealt with a girl with a mental disorder, that at times made my skin crawl. It was the desperation of a family that needed to make sense of something too big for their comprehension and a town that found it easier to ignore the girl and simply see an object to be used that made this story unforgettable. As the story unfolded my heart broke for Kyra and forced me as the reader to really connect with the humanity running through the pages of this book.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">O</span>verall, this is one of those books that a month down the line I'm still reeling over. It was the most epic start to 2018 and YA this year has a lot to live up to. <i>Before I Let Go</i> is fasted paced, chilling, beautiful and completely unpredictable. It is one of those books that will have you up until the early hours of the morning NEEDING to know what happens next. If you haven't read this book yet I can not recommend it enough! </div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , "freemono" , monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">**</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "muli" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "verdana" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px;">I received this book as an ARC from Sourcebooks to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , "freemono" , monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">**</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-87388606849885965122018-02-05T09:00:00.000+00:002018-02-05T09:00:35.091+00:00BLOG TOUR: Ariadnis/Anassa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Have You Seen This
Hero?</span></h2>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
My Dad has lots of videos of me from when I was little, but
there’s one I remember with particular clarity. Here it is:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
A blurry image of a garden: a line of pine trees at the
bottom, a pond with a wire fence, two children running up the grass. That’s me,
the one that’s spinning, pretending to be stuck in a tornado. Yes, that’s a
white petticoat I’m wearing. Yes. Those are my sister’s tights on my head.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
My friend Rory, dressed as Peter Pan or Robin Hood, says I
need a sword.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I don’t WANT a sword, I say back. You have to rescue me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
What would this year be? 1994? Even at five, pretending to
be a girl, I know that girls are supposed to be rescued, and not the ones doing
the rescuing. Five year old Rory is as unlike me as it’s possible to be: boyish
and boisterous; wooden sword in hand, shield in the other. But he’s far more
progressive than I am. He’s arguing why I should have a weapon. Even playing
Wendy (or Marian, I can’t remember which one I’m supposed to be) he insists
that we go and tackle Captain Hook/Sheriff of Nottingham together. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
See? Now that’s a hero. Someone we could really get behind.
Rory was - and still is - a hero of mine, but when it came to writing my first
male hero, I discovered that making one for my sensibilities now- in present
day - was more complicated that I would have initially thought....<o:p></o:p></div>
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It probably won’t come as a surprise to you after that
anecdote to learn that I was earmarked fairly on as the gay kid at school. All
my best friends were girls, I had a plethora of feminine gestures and word
patterns that I’d picked up from those friends; I’d grown up playing with dolls
and whirling around my garden in a silk petticoat and tights pulled down over
my head to represent long hair.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pretty gay, right? Everyone else seemed to think so. Any
expression of contradiction on my part was met with a kind of squint; an ‘oh
okay’, a slight change in their voice that indicated they knew better, or even
a hastily stifled laugh.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
How I
wished for an older brother. Someone who would have silenced anyone who had the
temerity to call my femininity into question. He’d have a black belt in karate,
a super beautiful girlfriend (preferably also trained to a high level in
martial arts who would think I was cute and let me hang out with them all the
time). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The Green Ranger. Tommy the Green Ranger from Power Rangers.
That was the ideal big brother.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I’ll skip eleven years - no protective big brother has
materialised out of the ether. In the
cafeteria in sixth form, someone, I don’t remember who, said casually: Are you
sure you’re not gay? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
So the femininity had to go. Above all things, I just wanted
some peace. I was so tired of having to defend myself from this question. I
began to control my gestures, lower the pitch of my voice, I began to talk
loudly, obnoxiously about [straight] sex as if it was something I’d done
already. And for the most part, people started to leave me alone. It also meant
that when that question resurfaced it felt twice as thorny. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
You can imagine how irritated I was then, to find myself,
aged twenty-five, falling in love with a guy. I had, since sixth form, become
open to that idea, but that didn’t mean I really expected it to happen. What
happened next is a long story so I’m going to skip it. What I want to say about
that is this:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Gender and Sexuality, as so many people who are on that
spectrum understand, is impossibly complicated. But my conundrum was this: my
sexuality may not be as simple as gay or straight but who is going to believe
me?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
When a scientist makes a new discovery it has to be proven
multiple times by different people with any number of varying factors. It’s the
same with representation. If you don’t
see yourself in films, in books, on TV - it’s hard to believe in you. It’s hard
to feel reassured that you aren’t a glaring exception to a rule. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
There were no representations of fluid sexuality and/or
gender around for me growing up - real or fictional. The few examples that
existed when I started the final version of <i>Ariadnis</i>
were still just that - too few. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I’d never had any problem subverting gender stereotypes or
expectations for my female characters. So why did it take me so long to realise
that I could do the same for my male characters? I wrote countless drafts of <i>Ariadnis</i> over something like twelve
years, but never once had I thought to subvert masculinity as I had strived so
hard to do for femininity. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Like Aula and Joomia, Taurus, my male lead, had already been
several different people over the years. When I started writing Aula and
Joomia’s story, Taurus was Aragorn in almost every way. A few years later he
was more similar to Philip Pullman’s Will Parry and a few after that he was a
William Wallace type: angry and war-like, a revolutionary, a tragic hero. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, but later I
realised I’d spent all this time trying to put that ideal hero on the page: the
feminist hero that Rory had shown me boys could be, the older-brother I’d
dreamed up for myself - but never in ten years had I put anything of myself
into that guy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Why couldn’t he be a little of both - masculine and feminine
and all traits in between? Why couldn’t he be bejewelled, beautiful, funny,
sensitive, vulnerable? It was a radical idea to me, then. What if he wasn’t
like every hero I’d been presented with? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
What if he was unafraid of his own femininity - not just in
terms of taking the piss out of himself, but respecting and loving feminine
things - owning them, being part of them?
What if he was unafraid of his own sexuality and what if I presented it
as something that was entirely unremarkable? What if he lived in a society that
made very little distinction between one gender preference and another?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I began to write him from Joomia’s - then Aula’s - and
finally, in <i>Anassa</i>, his own
perspective - and for the first time since I’d dreamed him up seven years
before he lived and breathed on the page.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I’ll leave you with this scene - one of the first I wrote
from Taurus’s perspective, which I think perfectly encapsulates who he is and his
relationship with his sister. It didn’t make the cut for <i>Anassa</i> but I’m glad to share it here now:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Taurus<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>I get up early. Wow,
sunshine. The tents glitter with dew. The tree trunks beyond split the young
white sunlight into tall beams. I pretend that’s a gift from Ma.Thanks Ma, I
think. I neaten my dreads and pull on a tunic and think about how this day
could go great or it could go really terrible. Then it’s time to find sis.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>I can do this thing
which I call compassing. I’ve had it forever but I haven’t always known I could
do it. I can find anything you like. Or anyone. It’s useful, I guess. There are
rules when I do it: <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>1. Don’t be stressed<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>2. Don’t concentrate
too hard.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>3. Do it barefoot
(Actually, this isn’t so much a rule for compassing as a rule for life).<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>4. Think of the thing,
or the person I’m trying to find and… keep them balanced there. (I’m from Metis
so I’ve done a lot of balancing on thin branches. That’s what it’s like - the
more you do it, the better you get).<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>5. Don’t be hungover.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>I’m hungover, but I
try it anyway. It’s easier cause Etain, she’s my sister. I know what to look
for, I guess: nerves, a need to be alone. I find her on the edge of camp. She’s
standing with her eyes closed and her face tilted toward the sun. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>‘Shh,’ she says.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>‘I didn’t say anything.’<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>‘You’re about as quiet
as pig with pollen fever.’<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>‘Oh good, you slept
well then.’ I put my hands together. ‘Please Wise One, find someone for Etain
to tumble in the bushes with. Help her take the edge off.’<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>She raises her eyebrow
but keeps her eyes closed. Sis needs to let go a bit. She’s got poise for sure.
Maybe too much poise. I smack my hands together.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>‘Don’t worry, sis. I’m
gonna take ‘em in hand today.’<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>She opens her eyes for
that. She says, ‘Thanks, T.’<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>I bow. ‘My lady is
welcome.’<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>She ignores that.
‘This is gonna work.’ she says, definitely more to herself. What she means is
this is gonna work… right? But you have to read between the lines with Etain. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>‘Course it is,’ I say.
‘It’ll be fine. If there’s one thing everyone agrees with it’s that they’re
sick of sleeping in tents.’<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>She laughs. ‘Right.’<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>I punch her on her
folded arms, but lightly. ‘Gotta go sis. Don’t mess up those braids eh? They
took me ages. I’ll come back later and sort your face out.’<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>‘You’re my hero,’ she
says, ‘Save me some bread.’<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
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<h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>ANASSA</b></span></h2>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">by Josh Martin</span></i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I67qWOX4VfM/WnYbwYuFeoI/AAAAAAAAFhs/iOTDHWVbwBAhzRQdG3sflR048Ol7pyYaACLcBGAs/s1600/Anassa%2BCover%2BImage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="814" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I67qWOX4VfM/WnYbwYuFeoI/AAAAAAAAFhs/iOTDHWVbwBAhzRQdG3sflR048Ol7pyYaACLcBGAs/s400/Anassa%2BCover%2BImage.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Page Count: 368<br />Publisher: Quercus Children's Books<br />Publication Date: 8th Feb 2018</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Less than a year since their cities were joined, the people of Athenas and Metis are still arguing. When the island is invaded by Vulcan, whose resource-ravaged, overpopulated island wants to claim Chloris as its own, Etain's new leadership is compromised. The only way she can restore her people's confidence and save her island is to take up a sea quest to retrieve a magical item from a volcano. Alongside her brother Taurus, Etain sets sail for the volcano. But they soon discover there is more to the quest than they realised.</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>It's up to Etain to be the leader she is destined to be. Should she fight, or should she try to unite?</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>ABOUT THE AUTHOR</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lm1-Wf0rCt8/WcoaOJe_xPI/AAAAAAAAFXU/Oom0qBZlip05mNPwU8JktzZLNvBhZzD9gCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Josh%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lm1-Wf0rCt8/WcoaOJe_xPI/AAAAAAAAFXU/Oom0qBZlip05mNPwU8JktzZLNvBhZzD9gCPcBGAYYCw/s200/Josh%2Bcopy.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Josh Martin writes and draws his way through life and is currently residing in London. He has aspired to novel writing since he was a tadpole and has since graduated from Exeter University before completing Bath Spa's <i>Writing For Young People </i>MA last year.</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 18px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">His particular interest in heroines, fantasy, environment, gender studies and wisdom led him to write <i>Ariadnis</i>, his first book<i>.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4vHGOH6KSA/WcoamC2ojZI/AAAAAAAAFXU/-AXMYb3Hli4As4Ftq8npX9EMlUwVsKmBACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Flower%2B17.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="780" height="171" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4vHGOH6KSA/WcoamC2ojZI/AAAAAAAAFXU/-AXMYb3Hli4As4Ftq8npX9EMlUwVsKmBACPcBGAYYCw/s200/Flower%2B17.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today was just the first day of the blog tour so don't forget to stop in at these awesome blogs to see what other goodies Josh has in store for us on the lead up to <b>ANASSA </b>hitting shelves on the <b><u>8th of Feb</u></b>! And if you haven't read the first part of this gripping story <b>ARIADNIS</b> is out now!! </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-8937115096987055332018-01-19T09:00:00.000+00:002018-01-19T09:00:22.913+00:00BLOG TOUR: Below Zero<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eZ2t1Q-QFRI/WYWjEjkLrnI/AAAAAAAAFQQ/kw4mpXK0xY8na0-9H8VnmxnqNBJrGFyYQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/gp.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="487" height="315" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eZ2t1Q-QFRI/WYWjEjkLrnI/AAAAAAAAFQQ/kw4mpXK0xY8na0-9H8VnmxnqNBJrGFyYQCPcBGAYYCw/s400/gp.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "avenir book"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I love being an author.
Apart from being Han Solo, it’s pretty much the only thing I’ve ever wanted to
be. And one of the really cool things about writing books for younger readers
is that I spend a lot of time visiting schools, doing my best to inspire young
readers. Reading is amazing; it opens up new worlds and new ways of thinking.
Reading for pleasure makes people <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">better</i>
people, (it’s true, I’ve seen science that says so) so I feel privileged to be
able to play a small part in guiding young readers to stories. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "avenir book"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Usually when I visit a
school I talk to a large group. I’ll show them some embarrassing pictures of me
growing up, tell them about why I write, why stories are important to me, that
kind of thing. And I talk about reading for pleasure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "avenir book"; font-size: 11.0pt;">When I was at school, we
would read a book in class. Every student had a copy of the book and we would
take turns to read aloud. Paragraph by paragraph. Some students would read
quickly, some would read slowly. Some had boring, monotonous voices. Some could
barely read. I remember reading ‘Lord of the Flies’ that way, and what a bore
it was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "avenir book"; font-size: 11.0pt;">When I tell students about
this now, I see them nodding their heads. Yep, that’s still how they do it in
some schools. In fact, some schools can’t even afford the books, so they only
read photocopied extracts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "avenir book"; font-size: 11.0pt;">That’s not reading for
pleasure. That’s reading because you have to. That’s reading for school. It’s
work. It’s ‘Literacy’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "avenir book"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Reading for pleasure, I tell
them, is when you read the first chapter of a book and decide it’s not the
right book for you. Reading for pleasure is putting that book down and doing
the same thing again until you find a book you DO want to read. Reading for
pleasure is when you can’t wait to read the next page, you fall in love with
the characters, hate the characters, cheer for the characters. Reading for
pleasure is when a story stays with you forever, giving meaning to the things
that happen to you. It’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that feeling</i>
you get when you think about the story. It’s when the smell of the pages lifts
you to another place. Reading for pleasure is . . . pleasurable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "avenir book"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I sometimes worry that I may
be speaking out of turn when I say these things at schools, but I often see the
teachers nodding. They know it too. Where is the pleasure in stopping every few
lines to discuss why this character said such-and-such, or that character did
this-and-that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "avenir book"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I understand we need to read
for school, for education, for all the boring reasons. But we also need to read
for pleasure. That’s how we grow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "avenir book"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I LOVE it when a teacher
tells me they’re reading a book in class just for the sake of reading it. No
stopping, no analysis, just pure, unadulterated reading for pleasure. Hooray
for those teachers! Hooray for school libraries! Hooray for school librarians!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "avenir book"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Oh, and there’s one other
thing; I have re-read Lord of the Flies, many times, and I now see it in a
different light. It speaks to me in a way it didn’t speak to me when we read it
and analysed it. What an amazing book.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4vHGOH6KSA/WcoamC2ojZI/AAAAAAAAFXU/-AXMYb3Hli4As4Ftq8npX9EMlUwVsKmBACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Flower%2B17.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="780" height="171" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4vHGOH6KSA/WcoamC2ojZI/AAAAAAAAFXU/-AXMYb3Hli4As4Ftq8npX9EMlUwVsKmBACPcBGAYYCw/s200/Flower%2B17.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>BELOW ZERO</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>by Dan Smith</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c2w0lyV5zYs/WlQICPK5uaI/AAAAAAAAFgo/OYr6gBq9RaMZUUWztc-h3k9UmF661bebgCLcBGAs/s1600/Below%2BZero.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1051" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c2w0lyV5zYs/WlQICPK5uaI/AAAAAAAAFgo/OYr6gBq9RaMZUUWztc-h3k9UmF661bebgCLcBGAs/s320/Below%2BZero.jpg" width="209" /></a><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Twelve-year-old Zak, who has an inoperable brain tumour, is with his sister and parents when their private plane is disastrously diverted. Wrecked on a remote research outpost in the Antarctic, they find themselves in an abandoned base. Then Zak's parents disappear, and the base's equipment starts 3D-printing nightmarish spiderlike creatures. Zak's bizarre visions appear to suggest a link to something else - beneath the ice - which only he can understand...</span></i></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "avenir book";">BELOW ZERO by Dan Smith out now in paperback (£6.99, Chicken House). Find out more at </span></b><b><u><span style="background: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "avenir book";">chickenhousebooks.com</span></u></b><b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "avenir book";"> and connect with Dan Smith @DanSmithAuthor</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4vHGOH6KSA/WcoamC2ojZI/AAAAAAAAFXU/-AXMYb3Hli4As4Ftq8npX9EMlUwVsKmBACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Flower%2B17.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="780" height="171" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4vHGOH6KSA/WcoamC2ojZI/AAAAAAAAFXU/-AXMYb3Hli4As4Ftq8npX9EMlUwVsKmBACPcBGAYYCw/s200/Flower%2B17.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: start;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR</span></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_gvgez0a2DA/WlQI8iCo18I/AAAAAAAAFgw/eezhlpIOWg4qw6jD9tXJxtEBJ-9jyvMiACLcBGAs/s1600/Dan%2BSmith.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_gvgez0a2DA/WlQI8iCo18I/AAAAAAAAFgw/eezhlpIOWg4qw6jD9tXJxtEBJ-9jyvMiACLcBGAs/s200/Dan%2BSmith.JPG" width="132" /></a><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Growing up, Dan Smith lived three lives: the day-to-day humdrum of boarding school, finding adventure in the padi fields of Asia and the jungles of Brazil, and in a world of his own, making up stories. Dan is the author of <i>My Friend the Enemy</i>, <i>My Brother’s Secret</i>,<i>Big Game</i> and <i>Boy X</i>. BELOW ZERO<i> </i>his fifth children’s book with Chicken House. He lives in Newcastle. </span></div>
<div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Connect with him via twitter <b style="color: #222222;"><span style="color: #4472c4;">@dansmithauthor</span></b></span></div>
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<i>In case you haven't yet had your fill of Dan and all things Below Zero check out some of the other posts he has done for the tour at the blogs below. </i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-33647098876496052702018-01-17T09:00:00.000+00:002018-01-17T09:00:38.626+00:00REVIEW: Below Zero<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>BELOW ZERO</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>by Dan Smith</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c2w0lyV5zYs/WlQICPK5uaI/AAAAAAAAFgo/OYr6gBq9RaMZUUWztc-h3k9UmF661bebgCLcBGAs/s1600/Below%2BZero.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1051" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c2w0lyV5zYs/WlQICPK5uaI/AAAAAAAAFgo/OYr6gBq9RaMZUUWztc-h3k9UmF661bebgCLcBGAs/s400/Below%2BZero.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
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<b>Pages:</b> 304</div>
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<b>Publisher:</b> Chicken House</div>
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<b>Publication Date:</b> January 4th 2018</div>
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<b>Received From: </b>Chicken House</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36305022-below-zero"><img border="0" data-original-height="47" data-original-width="185" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1U0XhOQuqAA/Uzlixx4hztI/AAAAAAAAAbU/7sB_bgZSis4P6Sy9OAxAUk6njat0v9MqQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/GoodReadsButton.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Twelve-year-old Zak, who has an inoperable brain tumour, is with his sister and parents when their private plane is disastrously diverted. Wrecked on a remote research outpost in the Antarctic, they find themselves in an abandoned base. Then Zak's parents disappear, and the base's equipment starts 3D-printing nightmarish spiderlike creatures. Zak's bizarre visions appear to suggest a link to something else - beneath the ice - which only he can understand...</span></i></span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EiBUOUYBZTs/WYWX34gnrDI/AAAAAAAAFPA/3G8q7b9RKxIZK2YROjNlde8_Eq3O5SefgCLcBGAs/s1600/review.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="165" data-original-width="312" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EiBUOUYBZTs/WYWX34gnrDI/AAAAAAAAFPA/3G8q7b9RKxIZK2YROjNlde8_Eq3O5SefgCLcBGAs/s1600/review.png" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">B</span>elow Zero</i> is one of those books that took me by surprise. It's common knowledge that I have issues with young protagonists so when I read that our young hero was only 12 I had my reservations. However, Dan Smith did something no other author I've read has done before... well other than the likes of J.K and co. For Dan made me forget about age. There was nothing childish about the story, it felt grown up, serious and constantly left me sitting on the edge of my seat.<br />
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But I'm getting ahead of myself here... lets go back to the beginning.<br />
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<i>Below Zero</i> is a story told in two parts, one of the present and one of the very recent past. This book follows 12 year old Zak as he and his family crash land on Outpost Zero - a small research base at the Antarctic, training for life on Mars. However, when Zak arrives at the base nothing is as it should be. The scientists that inhabit Outpost Zero are nowhere to be seen, the power is out and the spider like robots Zak's parents helped create are acting more than a little bit strange. As the story unfolds the reader slowly discovers what happened to the now abandoned base and most importantly what lays beneath the ice that has everyone so scared.<br />
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The tag line fore this book is, "<i>Your blood will run cold</i>" and I can't lie there were moments when I literally found myself shivering. From the very first page I found myself being pulled into this story. The world in which Dan creates is eery and dangerous and 100% unpredictable. For me though it was the way in which Zak's illness played into the plot, it made a book that I was already a little in love with someone that I can honestly say I've never read before. It was a unique story arch than had me questing until the very last page.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">O</span>verall, <i>Below Zero </i>is faced paged, exciting and un-put-downable. There are moments in the story that are pure genius and I can't wait to see what Dan writes next. I'll admit I wasn't sure what I was expecting with this book but it surpassed my expectations and I hope you all give it a go because I will guarantee you won't regret it.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-60443563499928353752018-01-09T09:00:00.000+00:002018-01-09T09:00:04.099+00:00BLOG TOUR: The Fandom<div class="m_8860483994883105150MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="background-color: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 36pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">Q&A w</span></span></b></span><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">ith Anna Day</span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>author of The Fandom</i></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">What was the inspiration behind <i>The Fandom</i>?</span><span style="color: #222222;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You may already know this, but <i>The Fandom</i> combined two ideas. An idea by Angela McCann, in which a group of fans are transported into the world of their favorite story, and my own pre-existing novel entitled <i>The Gallows Dance</i>. So I feel like I need to break this question into two parts: the inspiration for my first novel, <i>The Gallows Dance</i>, and my inspiration for the final novel, <i>The Fandom</i>.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span lang="EN-US">The Gallows Dance</span></i><span lang="EN-US"> is a world in which mankind is divided into two camps, genetically enhanced, and non-genetically enhanced. This was inspired by my daughter’s birth. I just couldn’t bear the thought of her ever feeling not good enough, or feeling she had to change in order to be ‘perfect.’ I do feel our society is obsessed with perfection. We’re given a very narrow definition of beauty, and then pressured to adhere to it by altering our natural appearance. Often this is at a financial and more importantly, emotional, cost. There’s also huge pressure on young people to achieve at exams, and to be healthy, glowing citizens. This is obviously hugely damaging for people with Learning Disabilities and/or health issues. I wanted to highlight this obsession in my book. I guess I wanted to make the world a more accepting place for young people. I know a single book can’t change society, but you know, if it helps just one person feel more comfortable in their own skin, then I’m a happy lady!<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span lang="EN-US">The Gallows Dance</span></i><span lang="EN-US"> was also inspired by my Psychology background. I’ve always been fascinated by group dynamics: the way one group lifts themselves up by shoving another group down. We’ve seen it throughout history, and it feels like we’re seeing it more now, and this breaks my heart. The way the genetically enhanced people subjugate and humiliate the non-genetically enhanced people was written to highlight this issue. Again, in the hope that raising awareness of an issue may help readers think and talk about it.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Which makes my book sound a bit soap boxy, but I really hope it isn’t!<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The ‘fandom’ part of the book was obviously inspired by Angela McCann, as it was her idea. But during the actual plotting and writing of the book, I was just filled with my love of all things nerdy and fandom-ish. The world of the online fandom kind of passed me by due to my age, and the fact I was so focused on my career and family in my twenties and thirties. But I’ve always been obsessed with stories and bands and TV programmes. I have a list of embarrassing fandom stories. Just a taste: at ten, I painted a giant mural of Buddy Holly on my wall, it was terrifying, and in my early twenties, I held a Moulin Rouge mystery party, to which only four people came. So embracing all things fandom came so easily, and it was an absolute joy to indulge the part of myself who loves <i>The Hunger Games</i> and<i>Twilight</i> and <i>Harry Potter</i>.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sorry, that was a long answer!<u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Who was your favourite character to write and why?</span><span style="color: #222222;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I loved all my characters, even Alice. But ultimately, it has to be Violet, the protagonist. I just connected with her so easily. Probably cos she reflects aspects of myself: she’s awkward, geeky and can’t climb trees, and she overthinks everything.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Do you belong to any fandoms and if so which ones?</span><span style="color: #222222;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The obvious ones, like <i>Harry Potter</i> and <i>The Hunger Games</i>, though I tend to dip in and out depending on how busy I am and how much I need them. I actually have my own little fandom with my dad. We are a fandom of two. We love all the same bands and music and </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">sci-fi. And we both obsess over stuff.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><u></u></span><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="color: #0b5394;">If you ended up the main protagonist in YOUR favourite book how do you think you would react/adapt?</span><span style="color: #222222;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well now I’m a Mum I think I’d be the super-organized annoying character who problem solved, carried a clipboard and provided healthy snacks. So basically, imagine Hermione Granger and make her a little more nurturing and snack-obsessed, and that would be me. I flatter myself, I’m sure. But in my head, I would be a middle-aged Hermione dishing out carrot sticks! Bring on the Dementors, cos I’ve got stable blood sugars.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">What are the most rewarding and most challenging parts of writing a book?</span><span style="color: #222222;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the most challenging parts for me is fitting it all in. I’m a single mum with two young children, and I work part time as a psychologist. It means sometimes I can feel like I rush things and haven’t given it my best, and that can be frustrating. Another challenging part is just that screaming anxiety that everyone is going to hate my writing. I manage it with distraction and denial and by listening to my mum when she tells me I’m the best!<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The most rewarding part for me is the actual writing itself, I love pouring myself on to a page, and sitting back and feeling like I’ve really built something with words. Okay, that is an actual lie, the best thing is having lovely people telling me they like my book.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">When reading <i>The Fandom</i> I felt that there was an emphasis on strong female leads. What do you think are the main qualities that makes a strong female protagonist?</span><span style="color: #222222;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is such a good question. I think just making them human. So don’t make them too brave or selfless or clever. They should be filled with self-doubt and difficulties and broken bits like the rest of us. It makes them more believable, but more importantly, easier to relate to. And then, when they do something really brave or selfless or clever, there’s more of a character arc, and we, as readers, can think,</span><i>maybe I could do that. </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">The reason I loved writing Violet so much was she was a bit feeble, physically and emotionally, just like me!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Pages:</b> 416</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publisher:</b> Chicken House</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Date:</b> January 2018</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">THE FANDOM</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">by Anna Day</span></i></span></div>
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<i style="font-size: 13.524px;"><span id="freeText10843433541635435069" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cosplay ready, Violet and her friends are at Comic-Con.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span id="freeText10843433541635435069" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They can’t wait to meet the fandom of mega movie, The Gallows Dance. What they’re not expecting is to be catapulted by freak accident into their favourite world – for real. Fuelled by love, guilt and fear, can the friends put the plot back on track and get out? The fate of the story is in their hands ...</span></span></i></div>
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<b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fandom-Anna-Day/dp/1910655678/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1515366420&sr=8-1&keywords=THE+FANDOM">AMAZON UK</a> | <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-fandom/anna-day/9781910655672">WATERSTONES</a> | <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Fandom-Anna-Day/9781910655672?ref=grid-view&qid=1515366407460&sr=1-1">BOOK DEPOSITORY</a></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Make sure you keep an eye out for all things Fandom this month as there are plenty of posts coming your way! Check out the rest of the tour on the pages bellow and I hope you enjoyed the Q&A with the awesome Anna Day!! Last but not least, if you haven't already, go pick up your copy of <i>The Fandom</i> now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">If you haven't already check out my review of The Fandom <a href="https://theyanightstand.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/review-fandom.html">HERE</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-51181061749134780852018-01-08T09:00:00.000+00:002018-01-08T09:01:14.501+00:00REVIEW: Witch Born<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>WITCH BORN</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>by Nicholas Bowling</i></span></div>
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<b>Pages:</b> 368</div>
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<b>Publisher:</b> Chicken House</div>
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<b>Publication Date:</b> November 2nd 2017</div>
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<b>Received From: </b>Chicken House</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>It's 1577. Queen Elizabeth I has imprisoned scheming Mary Queen of Scots, and Alyce's mother is burned at the stake for witchcraft. Alyce kills the witchfinder and flees to London - but the chase isn't over yet. As she discovers her own dark magic, powerful political forces are on her trail. She can't help but wonder: why is she so important? Soon she finds herself deep in a secret battle between rival queens, the fate of England resting on her shoulders...</i></span></span></blockquote>
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<i>Witch Born</i> is the story of Alyce, a 16th Century girl forced out of her family home when her mother is brutally murdered in front of her by the witchfinder. Fleeing the only home she has ever known Alyce runs to London in hopes of finding help but instead is greeted by the cold harsh gates of Bedlam. As the story unfolds Alyce is forced to find her way in an unknown and scary London with what feels like an army of witchfinders, ghosts and myths chasing her. But with the help of a young aspiring actor, Solomon, Alyce starts to discover secrets she ever knew existed and a royal plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.<br />
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This is one of those books that had me hooked from the opening chapter. Personally, I have a fascination with this period in history and Nicholas Bowling's take on Elizabethan London is something not to be missed. He mixes the fantasy of witches and magic with the hardships of a Monarchy under constant threat, creating a London filled with treachery and possibility - just waiting for our young protagonist to take centre stage.<br />
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Even though <i>Witch Born</i> is set in a VERY different time to a lot of YA fiction Alyce's journey is the epitome of the coming of age story. Forced to leave everything she has ever know, learning to live on her own, discovering who she really is... <i>what more could you ask for?</i> Alyce as a courage that I really admired, and even when terrified she finds a way to do what she has to do. She grows through out the story and by the very last page I was dying to know what she was going to do next.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">O</span>verall, Witch Born was one of those books I just didn't want to put down. It is also one of those books that I can't say ANYTHING about without giving away too much. However, I can say that Nicholas Bowling's magical story telling brings to life a tale of family, friendship and betrayals that will have your jaw hitting the floor. So if you haven't read this one yet I highly recommend it.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KQD85jiEMjc/WYT-oXd7EJI/AAAAAAAAFNA/48NyLwAv9HALKgIbRgzOSPjnIw_U_jfmgCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="487" height="252" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KQD85jiEMjc/WYT-oXd7EJI/AAAAAAAAFNA/48NyLwAv9HALKgIbRgzOSPjnIw_U_jfmgCPcBGAYYCw/s320/4.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-59708245565044487532018-01-05T10:00:00.000+00:002018-01-07T18:41:26.896+00:00REVIEW: The Fandom<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>THE FANDOM</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>by Anna Day</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-enC78_BPEwE/WaXUKXHuyyI/AAAAAAAAFVE/zoV43xK6UE0LDcA_QMZIA9w35P_Oj251ACLcBGAs/s1600/34866434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="400" id="id_10b5_9ddf_d694_389f" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-enC78_BPEwE/WaXUKXHuyyI/AAAAAAAAFVE/zoV43xK6UE0LDcA_QMZIA9w35P_Oj251ACLcBGAs/s400/34866434.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 262px;" width="262" /></a></div>
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<b>Pages:</b> 416</div>
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<b>Publisher:</b> Chicken House</div>
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<b>Publication Date:</b> January 2018</div>
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<b>Received From: </b>Chicken House</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34866434-the-fandom"><img border="0" data-original-height="47" data-original-width="185" id="id_5af8_1bd6_e424_64dd" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1U0XhOQuqAA/Uzlixx4hztI/AAAAAAAAAbU/7sB_bgZSis4P6Sy9OAxAUk6njat0v9MqQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/GoodReadsButton.png" style="height: auto; width: 185px;" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="freeText10843433541635435069" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;">Cosplay ready, Violet and her friends are at Comic-Con.</span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span id="freeText10843433541635435069" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;"><br />They can’t wait to meet the fandom of mega movie, The Gallows Dance. What they’re not expecting is to be catapulted by freak accident into their favourite world – for real. Fuelled by love, guilt and fear, can the friends put the plot back on track and get out? The fate of the story is in their hands ...<br /><br />A fast-paced, genre-flipping YA fantasy adventure from a brand new author, writing in homage to the best YA fiction.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; text-align: left;"> </span></i></span></div>
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Okay guys I'm so excited to FINALLY tell you all about this book! I read this last summer but due to its 2018 (how the hell are we in 2018 already!) release date I've had to hold back on telling you all about it and I have to say it is the hardest thing I have ever done!!! <i>The Fandom</i> instantly spoke to my inner nerd and from the second review copies started making the rounds I just knew I needed to read it. It is fasted paced, exhilarating, unique and so easy to read! From the second I picked it up I just didn't want to put it down.</div>
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<i>The Fandom</i> follows the story of a girl named Violet when her world gets turned upside down at comic-con. Violet, her two best friends Alice and Katie and her little brother Nate have been working on there cosplay for weeks and when they finally meet the leads of their favourite film, The Gallows Dance, they think the worst they have to expect is saying something silly. However, the room starts to shake and next thing they know they've found themselves in the middle of the world they've fangirled over. But as the old saying goes, be careful what you wish for, because in the heart of their new reality this group of teens will have to find a way to finish the story they keep interrupting. They will have to survive the hardships any protagonist would and most importantly make it to the end of the story without loosing themselves.</div>
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The story itself is a mix of The Wizard of Oz and The Hunger Games. It mixes that 'we're not in Kansas anymore' feel with a world destroyed by human greed. I don't want to say too much about the plot because it will spoil it but I will say that the juxtaposition of the main characters in this fantasy world had me hooked from the very first page. I think every fangirl (or boy) out there has imagined what it would be like to end up in your favourite book, TV show or film but when the dangers our beloved protagonists face aren't in our imagination anymore but chasing you down the dirty streets of a war torn London it might just loose its appeal.</div>
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As far as the characters go I'm completely and utterly in love with Violet! She is the epitome of every YA reader I know and the way in which she grows and adapts to this new world makes her all the more loveable. She's relatable and she messes up more times than you think she possibly could, but that makes her human. She isn't immune to the greed, lust or even the ambition to be more than she was back home and it is her journey that made this book for me. Then again, I've always got a bit of a soft spot for the underdog.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">O</span>verall this book surpassed expectations and was one of the most enjoyable reads of 2017 for me. It kept be on my toes from the very first page and had me crying for more by the very last. The characters were captivating, the plot was exciting and the overall concept of the book had me reevaluating what it would be like to be a part of some of my favourite stories. <i>The Fandom</i> has a special place in my heart now and for a debut I take my hat off to Anna! If you haven't yet, go get yourself a copy of The Fandom! You can thank me later!!!</div>
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<i> I ADORED this book and I was lucky enough to get to do a Q&A with Anna which will be part of The Fandom blog tour starting on SUNDAY!! So be sure to check out all things Fandom on the blogs bellow and come on Tuesday 9th so see what Anna had to say!!</i></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">#jointhefandom</span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-23420198467021511322018-01-03T09:00:00.000+00:002018-01-03T09:00:35.992+00:00GUEST POST: Nicholas Bowling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Today I have something rather awesome for you all. Today I have the lovely Nicholas Bowling, author of <a href="https://www.chickenhousebooks.com/books/witchborn/">Witch Born</a> talking about why it is he writes historical fiction. I hope you all enjoy this guest post, it had me from the Bowling says KFC. </i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Why Historical Fantasy?</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Aged
thirteen – so, old enough to know better – I wrote a history essay in which I
tried to claim that the Bayeux Tapestry was a fake, because I had spotted a KFC
family bucket among the legs of the charging Norman cavalry. To this day, I
don’t know what it was that I had actually seen. I still somehow managed to get
14/20, thanks to the patience and indulgence – or perhaps genuine credence? –
of good old Mr Neal.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Let the
record show: I am not a historian. It’s perhaps a surprise, then, that I have
found myself writing historical fiction, or, more accurately, historical
fantasy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Or perhaps
it’s not (a surprise). Other, more articulate, more intelligent writers have
put it better than me (if you haven’t listened to Hilary Mantel’s Reith
Lectures, go do it, now), but suffice to say, history and fiction are not such
strange bedfellows. It’s no coincidence that “history” is just “story” with a
couple of extra letters, and I’ve always liked, and been quite good at, telling
stories – particularly those at the stranger and more imaginative end of the
spectrum (c.f. William the Conqueror and his bucket of chicken).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">But why
historical fantasy, as opposed to “pure” fantasy, or magic realism, or any
other type of story for that matter?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">In the Early
and Pre-Modern Eras, most of the things that we would term “the stuff of
fantasy” were vividly, frighteningly real. For us, “fantasy” books and films
are thought experiments in which we can play out not just stories around us,
but the stories we tell ourselves, in our heads – our dreams and fears and
desires. Pre-enlightenment, though, these fears and phantoms could not be
rationally explained away as the product of the subconscious or the
imagination. The great thing about historical fantasy is that it can take those
monsters conjured by the Early or Pre-Modern mind and make them <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">as</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real
as they seemed to the imaginer. <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">And this is
not just bringing to life the superstitions of the uneducated. In the 16<sup>th</sup>
and 17<sup>th</sup> centuries, magic, science and religion had not yet been
comfortably categorised, and there was a good deal of handwringing (and
occasionally bloodshed) when definitions were unclear, or misunderstood. A man
like Doctor John Dee, who appears as a character in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Witchborn</i>, is a perfect embodiment of this. He was an alchemist,
magician, astrologer, who claimed he spoke with both the dead and the angels;
but he was also a talented mathematician, navigator, and counsellor to the
Queen herself. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The
prevalence and acceptance of the fantastical in a particular historical period
also presents a functional solution to a writer of fantasy fiction. I am
realising, as I write this, that this will probably just going to come across
as laziness on my part. But here goes. World-building is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hard </i>to do right, and so often the choices made in creating a
fictional world seem essentially arbitrary. (What do I call this town? Blenwyth?
Blythven? Blythvenville? Belyhythhhg? Why? Because it sounds a bit Welsh, and
hence sounds a bit like Tolkien? Oh.) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The
restrictions of a ready-made historical period, you find, are not restrictions
at all, but in fact the opposite: they free you to explore human drama in a
world already replete with mystery and otherness. It’s a little like writing
poetry – the strictures of rhyme and metre, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">rules</i> of the poem, create something far more interesting than
anything in sprawling free-verse.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Besides, if
there are no rules, you don’t get the fun of breaking them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i><span style="line-height: 107%;">Find out more at </span><a href="http://www.chickenhousebooks.com/"><span style="line-height: 107%;">www.chickenhousebooks.com</span></a><span style="line-height: 107%;"> and <span style="color: #0070c0;">@thenickbowling</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>WITCH BORN</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>by Nicholas Bowling</i></span><br />
<b style="text-align: left;"><br /></b>
<div style="font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><b style="text-align: left;">Pages:</b><span style="text-align: left;"> 368</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><b>Publisher:</b> Chicken House</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><b>Publication Date:</b> November 2nd 2017</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<i style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: inherit;">It's 1577. Queen Elizabeth I has imprisoned scheming Mary Queen of Scots, and Alyce's mother is burned at the stake for witchcraft. Alyce kills the witchfinder and flees to London - but the chase isn't over yet. As she discovers her own dark magic, powerful political forces are on her trail. She can't help but wonder: why is she so important? Soon she finds herself deep in a secret battle between rival queens, the fate of England resting on her shoulders...</i></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #181818; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Nicholas Bowling</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yrPMUTiG-ck/WkeEAxwRHQI/AAAAAAAAFfQ/-bNlc4tH-YU7l4cAsuofOhjbSlbuf81rgCLcBGAs/s1600/Nicholas%2BBowling%2BCU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="1600" height="206" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yrPMUTiG-ck/WkeEAxwRHQI/AAAAAAAAFfQ/-bNlc4tH-YU7l4cAsuofOhjbSlbuf81rgCLcBGAs/s320/Nicholas%2BBowling%2BCU.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #333333;">Nick
Bowling is an author, stand-up comic, musician and Latin teacher from London.
He graduated from Oxford University in 2007 with a BA in Classics and English,
and again in 2010 with a Masters in Greek and Latin Language and Literature,
before moving to his first teaching job at Trinity School, Croydon. While
writing <b><i>Witchborn</i></b>, he has also performed a solo show at the
Edinburgh festival, and has co-written, recorded and released an album and two
EPs with soul-folk singer Mary Erskine, <i>Me For Queen. <b>Witchborn </b></i>is
his debut novel.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</style>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-63620058703887624182018-01-01T09:00:00.000+00:002018-01-01T09:00:32.446+00:00REVIEW: Everless<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>EVERLESS</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>by Sara Holland</i></span></div>
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<b>Pages:</b> 352</div>
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<b>Publisher:</b> Orchard Books</div>
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<b>Publication Date:</b> January 4th 2018</div>
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<b>Received From: </b>Orchard Books</div>
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<b style="color: #181818; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Time is a prison. She is the key. Packed with danger, temptation and desire.</span></b> </div>
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<i>In the land of Sempera, the rich control everything - even time. Ever since the age of alchemy and sorcery, hours, days and years have been extracted from blood and bound to iron coins. The rich live for centuries; the poor bleed themselves dry.</i><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></blockquote>
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<i>Jules and her father are behind on their rent and low on hours. To stop him from draining himself to clear their debts, Jules takes a job at Everless, the grand estate of the cruel Gerling family.</i><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></blockquote>
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<i><span id="freeText11928363751115286005">There, Jules encounters danger and temptation in the guise of the Gerling heir, Roan, who is soon to be married. But the web of secrets at Everless stretches beyond her desire, and the truths Jules must uncover will change her life for ever ... and possibly the future of time itself.</span> </i></blockquote>
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This is without a doubt one of my (if not most YA bloggers) most anticipated book of 2018 and after demolishing it, rather quickly, I can understand why. The concept of <i>Everless</i> is intriguing and magical, it draws you in from the very first page and there is something about the world Sara Holland creates and the characters that roam it that make this book hard to put down. </div>
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<i>Everless</i> is the story of Jules, a teenager of Sempera who, along with her father, have found themselves down on their luck. But in a world where time is currency, falling behind on your rent can have deadly consequences and when Jules realises her father can't take another withdrawal without risking fatality she takes in upon herself to save their family home by working at Everless. Jules grew up at Everless but that was a long time ago and returning has its own set of risks. Everless is home to Jules family secrets, her childhood crush and the person she and her father have spent years running from. But when you pay with time, with blood, you have to chose what risk is worth taking and which will leave you out in the snow. </div>
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OMG! I loved this book so much! I was so excited when it turned up on my doorstep and i'll admit I had high expectations, but it did not disappoint. The story is fast paced and endearing, with some unexpected twists and turns along the way that had my jaw hitting the floor. I thought the whole concept of someones years, their life, being drained and turned into currency was really interesting and made the book a unique addition to the YA family. There was also something really magical about the whole setting of this book, with its old worldly feel and the way Sara paints a picture with her words is breathtaking at times. </div>
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It is one of those books that I don't want to ruin with accidental spoilers so I will keep it short and sweet... well short for me. The characters, especially Jules and one other I can't say in case of spoilers (those who have read it will know who I'm on about) already have a special place in my heart. They all have their flaws and learn not just about themselves but about everyone around them as the story progresses making them all the more relatable. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">O</span>verall, <i>Everless</i> is the first of a new exciting YA fantasy series and I'm super stoked to see what it has in store next for us. If you haven't yet, add this to your pre-oder list as I'd put money on this being the next big series that you don't want to miss. It has everything you could possibly want from a YA fantasy! It has magic, secrets, mystery, the start of a love story (I so desperately hope) and characters and a story that will leave you wanting more. </div>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , "freemono" , monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">**</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "muli" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "verdana" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px;">I received this book as an ARC from Orchard Books to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , "freemono" , monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">**</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-68478268052396085422017-11-24T09:00:00.000+00:002018-01-07T18:41:57.940+00:00Dear Unpublished Me - Dawn Kurtagich<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-giA5QxZ6b7A/WhdIIIEGsKI/AAAAAAAAFc8/AXxOJXCfIxQKPValdFY4zagOK-bPg0FxgCLcBGAs/s1600/SmSKIOTt_400x400.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-giA5QxZ6b7A/WhdIIIEGsKI/AAAAAAAAFc8/AXxOJXCfIxQKPValdFY4zagOK-bPg0FxgCLcBGAs/s200/SmSKIOTt_400x400.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">This weeks Dear Unpublished Me is the last letter of the feature and comes from the Queen of YA horror<b> Dawn Kurtagich</b>! </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Dawn is a writer of creepy, spooky and psychologically sinister YA fiction, where girls may descend into madness, boys may see monsters in men, and grown-ups may have something to hide. Her debut YA novel, THE DEAD HOUSE, was called "... a haunting new thriller..." by Entertainment Weekly. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>WARNING - this letter made me cry (no shame) so fair warning, have your tissues at the ready! </i></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4vHGOH6KSA/WcoamC2ojZI/AAAAAAAAFXQ/yLyCOAMbjkk8as0eAtO4IsC-Ij39d_BiQCLcBGAs/s1600/Flower%2B17.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="780" height="171" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4vHGOH6KSA/WcoamC2ojZI/AAAAAAAAFXQ/yLyCOAMbjkk8as0eAtO4IsC-Ij39d_BiQCLcBGAs/s200/Flower%2B17.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Dear Dawn of 2012,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Everything is going to be okay. I know that
you’ve lost a lot. I know that you’re suffering, but trust me when I tell you
there is always a silver lining, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">yes</i>,
the night is always darkest before the dawn. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Right now, you’re lying in bed, wondering
what it has all been for. The years of writing, learning, crafting, trying,
failing, almost succeeding and failing again. The tears, the sleepless nights,
the endless notebooks and inky fingers. That stack of rejection letters so high
you never quite give anyone an honest answer about just how many you got. You
cry every time a published author tells their story about how they got over a
hundred rejection letters because the number seems so… small. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">You had an agent—a junior agent with no
experience—but still! You had one. Nabbed what everyone said might be
impossible. You even had an R&R from an editor at Random House—wasn’t that
the best day? You worked hard on that R&R, and on the next one… and you
were brave enough to know that it wasn’t a good fit and stepped back. Right
now, that seems like the biggest mistake you ever made. Your only chance, gone.
Your agent has left the industry. Your books are trunked. Your mother is sick. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You</i> are sick. Your husband is grieving
and you’re still here. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">You’ve been broken in every way a person
can be broken.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">You’re going to die. You know it. Everyone
around you is smiling, loving you, telling you that you’re going to be okay, but
you’re in an oddly peaceful mindset when it comes to your own demise. Maybe
it’ll be okay. Maybe your dream just… wasn’t meant to be.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">You’re wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">You have something to say.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">There will be hard days. Days that make you
question everything—your morality, your faith (this one will be tough), your
loved-ones. Your sanity. You’ll have days when staying alive is the real
challenge. Because dying is easy. Other days, staying sane will be the only
thing to cling to. Because sanity isn’t permanent. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">You’ll hurt.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">You’ll cry.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Then… you’ll feel nothing. And you’ll know
it’s close.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">You’ll spend your fourth wedding
anniversary walking through a beautiful garden on the arm of the man you love
most dearly, thinking it may be the last. And you’ll think: this is okay. This
is my story. It’s enough.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">You’ll get the call that will save your
life the very next day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">And… you’ll return. You will heal. You will
live. You will write. Your stubborn
I-will-be-published-if-I-have-to-write-100-books-to-get-there mindset will
return. You’ll remember your burning fire. You’ll feel the stories rushing back
in because, after all, you were sick and now you’re not. You’ll hesitate for
only a moment… but then you’ll write the story that needs to be told. Your
magnum opus… your horror. You’ll write it, hone it, take your time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">And you’ll send it out into the world.
You’ll get 10 offers of representation from agents who love your book and want
to make it real.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">You’ll go on submission and have a pre-empt
after only 25 hours. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Your book will be the Buzz Book of the
Bologna Book Fair. Twice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">You’ll see it published across the
Atlantic. A book. A <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real</i> book.
Telling the story you were brave enough to tell.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">And there will be more. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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So may more.</div>
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Hang in there. You’re a warrior.</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4vHGOH6KSA/WcoamC2ojZI/AAAAAAAAFXQ/yLyCOAMbjkk8as0eAtO4IsC-Ij39d_BiQCLcBGAs/s1600/Flower%2B17.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="780" height="171" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4vHGOH6KSA/WcoamC2ojZI/AAAAAAAAFXQ/yLyCOAMbjkk8as0eAtO4IsC-Ij39d_BiQCLcBGAs/s200/Flower%2B17.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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Unlike previous features this week we're not doing a highlight of one of Dawns past books. No, this week I have something very special to share instead! I don't know about you but I'm a HUGE fan of Dawns books, <a href="https://theyanightstand.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/review-dead-house.html?m=0">The Dead House</a> is one of my all time favourites (even if it did make me sleep with the light on for weeks) and I know, like myself, a lot of you lovely lot have been waiting patiently for her next book. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Which I can now reveal is hitting shelves next year and the official title of Dawn Kurtagich's next book is...</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xYByBYa3SfI/Whc_bRGu96I/AAAAAAAAFck/f3fygfA9VQ8lKCUyphSJeC1oDLFmx9SqgCLcBGAs/s1600/6xkL1J89.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xYByBYa3SfI/Whc_bRGu96I/AAAAAAAAFck/f3fygfA9VQ8lKCUyphSJeC1oDLFmx9SqgCLcBGAs/s400/6xkL1J89.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Coming 2018! </b></span></div>
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Keep up to date with all the info by following <a href="http://www.dawnkurtagich.com/">Dawn</a> on social media</div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/dawnkurtagich"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uD7-DQzTc8Y/WYTgmdGF9hI/AAAAAAAAFL8/GWmw9K_16-gll3bVOlQ82V6UMHOcGpVmwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/social-icon-twitter.png" /></a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/dawnkurtagich/"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TXy0_rNWmlI/WYTgmX2RINI/AAAAAAAAFL8/FPfkm2bwP2I8OvOnekgpxThQ549-Ep2jACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/social-icon-insta.png" /></a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/dawn.kurtagich"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AGurD9g5Pyw/WYTgmenMYOI/AAAAAAAAFMA/L8gSbgWsm7cDvCHN5LlJ1w87IqNDBbImwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/social-icon-facebook.png" /></a></div>
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<i>P.S. How freaking awesome is that title? Doesn't it just screams "I'm going to give you nightmares"?? </i></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4vHGOH6KSA/WcoamC2ojZI/AAAAAAAAFXQ/yLyCOAMbjkk8as0eAtO4IsC-Ij39d_BiQCLcBGAs/s1600/Flower%2B17.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="780" height="171" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4vHGOH6KSA/WcoamC2ojZI/AAAAAAAAFXQ/yLyCOAMbjkk8as0eAtO4IsC-Ij39d_BiQCLcBGAs/s200/Flower%2B17.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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If you haven't read any of Dawns books yet here are some links on where to get your hands on them. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Dead-House/9781510100770">THE DEAD HOUSE</a></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-House-Dawn-Kurtagich/dp/1510100776/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1kyDgibL4pM/WhdLYWAbMJI/AAAAAAAAFdI/6SJF3gfBTIIoN4dpjp090nbGzXJwEAY1gCLcBGAs/s200/22396591.jpg" width="130" /></a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dead-House-Dawn-Kurtagich/dp/0316298689/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511476365&sr=8-1&keywords=the+dead+house"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mjIpZfdOL-I/WhdLYfnGDjI/AAAAAAAAFdM/rZFC7QSN3UI_a_67QT6Ydxh0rimEysR8QCLcBGAs/s200/28118532.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Creeper-Man/9781510101685"><br /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Creeper-Man/9781510101685">THE CREEPER MAN/AND THE TREES CREPT IN</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Creeper-Man-Dawn-Kurtagich/dp/1510101683/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511476625&sr=8-1&keywords=THE+CREEPER+MAN"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IVVCL4SKKOo/WANA1SZvisI/AAAAAAAAExo/ShZasEEadhofvU9kXsAauycIGuafM7PTgCPcBGAYYCw/s200/27270657.jpg" width="125" /></a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Trees-Crept-Dawn-Kurtagich/dp/0316298700/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o4pfR91ylAM/WhdNZUgsBlI/AAAAAAAAFdY/EYEh9Kt15ac1xxvhvt-A2At8pk5b6QIwACLcBGAs/s200/28449150.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Click on the UK or US cover to take you to Amazon and the title for Book Depository if you're not in those region. </span></i></div>
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</style>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-46164680628307892592017-11-17T09:00:00.000+00:002017-11-17T09:00:08.116+00:00Dear Unpublished Me - Virginia Macgregor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;"><br />This weeks Dear Unpublished Me post comes to you from the author of Wishbones, Virginia Macgregor! Here is a little bit about the woman behind the dust jacket, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: x-large;"><i>"</i></span></span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">I was brought up in Germany, France and England by a mother who never stopped telling stories. From the moment I was old enough to hold a pen, I set about writing my own, often late into the night – or behind my Maths textbook at school. My maiden name is Virginia Woods: I was named after two great women, Virginia Wade and Virginia Woolf, in the hope I would be a writer and a tennis star. My early years were those of a scribbling, rain-loving child who prayed for lightning to strike my tennis coach."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Concord, New Hampshire, September 2017 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Dear Virginia,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">As you start out on
this journey, promise me that you’ll do this: celebrate the small steps along
the way, not just the big, successful moments or the final destination. Because
looking back, I’ve learnt this: it’s in the process of getting to where you
want to be that the real magic happens. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">You don’t know it yet,
but each step is an amazing achievement – and an amazing experience. It’s
what’s making you into the writer you’re meant to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">So, first of all, I
want you to celebrate making a bold commitment to becoming a published writer. I
know that you’re feeling pretty nervous about the whole thing and that you’re
asking yourself lots of questions like: What will it be like not having a
proper, respectable, well paid job for a year? Will you have enough money to
live on? What if you find out that you’re not that good at writing after all?
What happens if you don’t get an agent or a publishing deal and have to go back
to your day job with your tail between your legs with everyone knowing that you
haven’t made it? How will you be able to face the people who doubted your
decision? Throwing yourself off the edge without knowing what lies beneath is an
act of great courage and creativity. So, take a deep breath and say: well done,
you’ve done something amazing just by carving out this time to do what you love
most in the world – writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Next, I want you to
celebrate the fact that you’re writing every day, even when you don’t feel like
it, even when you don’t feel inspired, even if you’re not sure where your story
is going or whether anyone’s ever going to read it. The fact that you’re
putting in the hours, that you’re sitting on that chair and writing those
words, come rain or shine, shows that you mean business, that writing matters
to you and that you are committed to developing your craft. That’s what it
takes to be a good writer and it’s especially impressive when no one is
watching and you don’t have a deadline or a publishing deal or readers waiting
for your next book. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Here’s something else
I’ve learnt: although you might think that not having a publishing deal or a
deadline or readers waiting for your next book sucks, it’s actually the most
awesome kind of freedom: you’ve got a blank canvas, you can write what you want
and how you want and that probably means you’ll write more naturally and less
self-consciously and with less restraint than at any other point in your
career.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Next, I want you to
celebrate putting your work out there for an agent to look at. Well done for
going to the agent’s party even though you didn’t much feel like it and well
done for going up to lots of agents and pitching the YA novel you’ve written
even though you feel like you’re the worst salesperson in the world. Agents are
scary: they’re the gatekeepers to the publishing world and so to your dreams of
being a published writer. Putting yourself out there, knowing that you might be
rejected – or, more likely, ignored – is hard and shows courage. Doing it again
and again shows resilience and it shows how much you care about sharing your
stories with the world. If some agents don’t respond well, don’t give up. If
you’ve worked and reworked and reworked your story and if you believe that it’s
a story that others will enjoy and if you believe you’ve given it your best,
then have faith that someone will see that too. And remember that agents are
human beings with different tastes and perspectives and that what leaves one
agent cold will keep another reading all night. Keep going until you find that
agent that stays up all night reading and that emails you at midnight to say
how much they love your story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Next, I want you to
celebrate choosing an agent who you know will accompany you through your
writing life – and for being humble enough to take on their feedback. You have
to be pretty strong to hear someone picking apart what you love and telling you
how to make it better, but knowing that that person wants what you want – to
bring your story to the world and to make it the best that it can be – should
help you realise that the constructive criticism is a gift, one that will help
you grow and become a better storyteller. And make sure you celebrate having
finished the edits and having the manuscript ready to go out to publishers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><br />
And now, I want you to celebrate the fact that you found the strength not to
lose hope as you waited to hear from publishers. No one tells you that this is the
hardest bit: that after you’ve written the novel and after you’ve got an agent
and after you’ve revised it into an inch of its life, you’ll have weeks and
maybe months waiting for publishers to get back to your agent. And that waiting
time is hard because you’ll be asking yourself a million questions:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Who’s reading my
story? Is it even making it to the top of the pile and being read? Is an editor
out there enjoying my story are they tossing it aside? If an editor has taken a
shine to your story, are they sharing it with the rest of the team in the
publishing house and how are those people responding? Do they get what’s
special about your novel or is the editor who likes it on their own? All of
this, is hard to sit with, day after day, night after night, never knowing
whether any of it will come to anything. You’ll look at your phone and inbox
and snail mail post-box a million items each day, waiting for news and it will
be agony. But remember to celebrate this time too: how magical to think that
your story is landing on editors’ desks – and that out there, there’s someone
who might just fall in love with it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">And then celebrate
when the waiting stops – when you get that amazing phone call. An editor likes
your story. An editor wants to invite you in to talk to you about the vision
for your novel. Enjoy that feeling. Enjoy going into the publishing house.
Enjoy feeling, for a second, like a real writer. Enjoy dreaming big and getting
a vision of your book propped up in the front window of every bookshop in the
world – because we all need to do that sometimes, to hope and dream and you’re
allowed to do that, it’s okay. And when that editor shows interest, it’s normal
to have your hopes rocketing to the sky. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">But celebrate this
too: that you don’t give up when that dream comes crashing to the ground. When you
get a phone call from your agent to say that the editor wasn’t able to get your
novel through sales and marketing meeting. That your novel fell at the last
hurdle. That someone decided it might not make enough money and so pulled the
plug. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">You could have given
up then. You could have gone back to the day job. You could have seen it as a
sign that no matter how much you give and how far you get, it’s not good enough
and so not worth the time and the energy and the heartache.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">But you didn’t do
that, did you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">You put the YA
manuscript aside and you started writing another story. A story that you really
wanted to tell. A very different story. Because, regardless of what happens,
you know this: you’re a writer. You’re made to put words on paper and to tell
stories and no one can ever stop you doing that. Celebrate this with all your
heart and never lose sight of it. That you can always keep writing. That you must
always keep writing. Because it’s who you are and so it’s what you do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Because that story,
the one you write in the aftermath of rejection and disappointment, is the one
that another publisher will fall in love with. An adult publisher who will take
your writing in a different direction from the one that you thought it would go
in, but that direction turns out to be a wonderful one, one in which you find
your voice and your confidence and your joy as a writer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><br />
And celebrate the fact that even though you’ve now got a two-book publishing
deal with a publisher of adult fiction, you never lose sight of that dream you
first had of writing books for young adults. That you keep writing down story
ideas and filling notebooks until, when there’s a lull between books, you
decide to write it, a new YA book, a better one than you wrote a first – one
that reflects the more mature writer that you are now, one who’s gone through
the rollercoaster of writing and editing and rejection and publication. Because
as it turns out, maybe you needed to wait a bit to write the YA story you were
meant to write; maybe you were meant to write a few other books first. And as
it turns out, several publishing houses wanted your ne YA novel and you got to
choose who go with – and now you have even more than you could ever have dreamt
of: you write for adults and young adults. And you’d never had had that if you
hadn’t experienced that first rejection. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">So, to my younger,
unpublished self, I would say this: remember to celebrate every step of the
way, every small achievement. Bake a cake. Raise a glass. Do a little jig
around your writing room. Pat yourself on the back. Celebrate every small
achievement and remember that the greatest achievement of all is this: that
you’re a writer, that you’ll always keep looking for new ideas and characters
and stories – that you’ll always, always, keep writing – and that doing this,
regardless of what happens afterwards, is the most magical way to live. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Lots of love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><br />
Your older, published self – who, by the way, is still riddled with self-doubt
and filled with dreams and hopes and who has to keep reminding herself that
it’s the process that matters, it’s the writing every day that matters – that
the magic lies in the journey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Virginia x</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4vHGOH6KSA/WcoamC2ojZI/AAAAAAAAFXQ/yLyCOAMbjkk8as0eAtO4IsC-Ij39d_BiQCLcBGAs/s1600/Flower%2B17.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="780" height="171" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4vHGOH6KSA/WcoamC2ojZI/AAAAAAAAFXQ/yLyCOAMbjkk8as0eAtO4IsC-Ij39d_BiQCLcBGAs/s200/Flower%2B17.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ck2KjDkTjyc/WSFwl9K5Q2I/AAAAAAAAFG4/SxaF7XxJUXsCYhxlpJEWat4HcEG_ZGCdACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/32600060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ck2KjDkTjyc/WSFwl9K5Q2I/AAAAAAAAFG4/SxaF7XxJUXsCYhxlpJEWat4HcEG_ZGCdACPcBGAYYCw/s400/32600060.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Pages:</b> 384 paperback</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Publisher:</b> HQ</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Publication Date:</b> May 23rd 2017</span></div>
</div>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">WISHBONES</span></h2>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><i>by Virginia Macgregor</i></span></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Summary</b></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Feather Tucker has two wishes:</span></span></i><span style="color: #181818;"><br /></span><i style="background-color: transparent;">1)To get her mum healthy again</i><span style="color: #181818;"><br /></span><i style="background-color: transparent;">2) To win the Junior UK swimming championships</i><span style="color: #181818;"><br /></span><i style="background-color: transparent;">When Feather comes home on New Year’s Eve to find her mother – one of Britain’s most obese women- in a diabetic coma, she realises something has to be done to save her mum’s life. But when her Mum refuses to co-operate Feather realises that the problem run deeper than just her mum’s unhealthy appetite.</i><span style="color: #181818;"><br /></span><i style="background-color: transparent;">Over time, Feather’s mission to help her Mum becomes an investigation. With the help of friends old and new, and the hindrance of runaway pet goat Houdini, Feather’s starting to uncover when her mum’s life began to spiral out of control and why. But can Feather fix it in time for her mum to watch her swim to victory? And can she save her family for good?</i></div>
</div>
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</blockquote>
</div>
</blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32600060-wishbones?ac=1&from_search=true"><img border="0" data-original-height="47" data-original-width="185" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1U0XhOQuqAA/Uzlixx4hztI/AAAAAAAAAbU/7sB_bgZSis4P6Sy9OAxAUk6njat0v9MqQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/GoodReadsButton.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wishbones-Harlequin-Teen-Virginia-Macgregor/dp/0008217297/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1510855688&sr=1-1&keywords=wishbones">AMAZON UK</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wishbones-Harlequin-Teen-Virginia-Macgregor/dp/0008217297/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1510855723&sr=1-3&keywords=wishbones">AMAZON US</a><span id="goog_1934461933"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1934461934"></span> | <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/wishbones/virginia-macgregor/9780008217297">WATERSTONES</a><span id="goog_1934461941"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1934461942"></span> | </span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-28660659920361060132017-11-10T09:00:00.000+00:002017-11-10T09:00:11.009+00:00Dear Unpublished Me - Anna Day <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-98mqCdGOf6Q/WcoU57UmIAI/AAAAAAAAFWw/edBjWSyhgmMXnlFpKS5HUiGFJS6PmTwBwCEwYBhgL/s1600/title%2B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1564" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-98mqCdGOf6Q/WcoU57UmIAI/AAAAAAAAFWw/edBjWSyhgmMXnlFpKS5HUiGFJS6PmTwBwCEwYBhgL/s320/title%2B.jpg" width="312" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br />
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GhOYhSzWyWY/Wes6rjLYbUI/AAAAAAAAFaw/vhmsWidNJg0Y-BSG9IKXdjCi0lq24k2CgCLcBGAs/s1600/anna.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="342" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GhOYhSzWyWY/Wes6rjLYbUI/AAAAAAAAFaw/vhmsWidNJg0Y-BSG9IKXdjCi0lq24k2CgCLcBGAs/s200/anna.png" width="192" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">This weeks Dear Unpublished Me post comes to you from the author of one of the most anticipated books of 2018 Anna Day! </span><span style="color: #333333;">Anna grew up and still lives in the
North East of England. She studied Psychology at university, and worked for several years as
an Assistant Psychologist. She has always loved creative writing; even as a little girl she
would staple pieces of paper together and write stories for her parents to
read. However, she only started writing seriously a few years ago, and was
noticed by the Chicken House team when she was shortlisted for the </span><i style="color: #333333;">Times</i><span style="color: #333333;">/Chicken
House Children’s Fiction Competition in 2015. Her greatest love is her
children -- a little girl and a little boy, who provide her with constant
entertainment and inspiration.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4vHGOH6KSA/WcoamC2ojZI/AAAAAAAAFXQ/yLyCOAMbjkk8as0eAtO4IsC-Ij39d_BiQCLcBGAs/s1600/Flower%2B17.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="780" height="171" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4vHGOH6KSA/WcoamC2ojZI/AAAAAAAAFXQ/yLyCOAMbjkk8as0eAtO4IsC-Ij39d_BiQCLcBGAs/s200/Flower%2B17.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Dear Anna, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">It’s autumn 2014. You’re on maternity leave with your second
baby and, a few months ago, you lost your agent. You’ve printed off your novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Gallows Dance </i>and you want to post
it to Chicken House in order to enter the Times/ Chicken House competition for
unpublished authors. The deadline is tomorrow. You’ve just driven to your local
post office and it’s closed. You’ve got a toddler and a baby in the car and
you’re in the clutches of babydom: sleep-deprived, sore-breasted,
sleep-deprived, banana down your top, and did I mention sleep-deprived? You
have two options: drive to the post office in the next village, get the kids
out the car, drag them into town, manage your toddler’s war-cries for
chocolate, risk the baby waking up and screaming the place down and finally post
your manuscript, or you can just go home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">I understand why you’re tempted by the latter option, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">just going home </i>option. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Your writing journey to this point, whilst relatively short,
has not been smooth. You wrote a book whilst on maternity leave with your first
baby (two books in fact, but the first one was TERRIBLE!) and managed to get an
agent. She was awesome, full of life and ideas, and she really believed in you.
But, not surprisingly, someone else thought she was awesome and offered her a
job as an editor. Which she took. Hence, you became agentless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">She tried to help you get another agent, but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Gallows Dance</i> was dystopia, and the
blanket response, though positive about your writing, was ‘sorry, the dystopia
market is saturated.’ You could not get your head around this. You LOVED
dystopia, and had read every dystopian book you could get your hands on during
both of your maternity leaves. It seemed people could get enough of a good
thing. And now you’re left wondering if the post office’s annoyingly early closing
time is a sign telling you to take the hint and give up on the dream of
publication.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Another factor nagging at you while you sit in your car,
massive envelope clutched in your hands, is the very realistic possibility of
more rejection. Like I said, I know how tired you are, raising kids is amazing,
but Christ, it’s hard work, and I remember too well those moments of fragility
when reading yet another book-related email containing bad news. Could you
really stomach another rejection? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">I know you’re seriously considering driving home. But if you
do, that may well be the end of your writing dream. You now have two children,
not one. You’re back at work in a few months. Will you really find the
motivation to write a whole new novel without an agent encouraging you and
absolutely no guarantee of publication?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">I understand why you’re tempted by the latter option, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">just</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">going
home </i>option. But here’s why you mustn’t:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">The need to make sense of internal and external worlds with
words, the need to connect with others through story-telling, the need to walk
in someone else’s shoes entirely and share their journey, is in your blood.
It’s why you became a Psychologist, and it’s why you must not give up on
writing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">And when your marriage ends, you will need writing more than
ever. It will give you a focus, a distraction, a way of rebuilding your
self-esteem. It will model to your children that a single Mum can achieve her
dreams. By doing what you love, achieving all you can be, you will show your
children how to find happiness from within themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">It’s why you absolutely should not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">just drive home</i>. It’s why you should haul the kids out of the car,
drag them through town, deal with the chocolate-fuelled tantrums and the howling
baby and post that manuscript if it bloody well kills you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">I promise it will be worth it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;">Lots of love, 2017 Anna xxx<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">P.s. – You will totally crack and buy your
toddler </span><!--EndFragment-->chocolate</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>P</b></span><b style="font-family: inherit;">ublisher: </b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Chicken House</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Publication Date:</b> 4th January 2018</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>THE FANDOM</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><i>by Anna Day</i></span></div>
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<span id="freeText10843433541635435069" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-align: left;">Cosplay ready, Violet and her friends are at Comic-Con.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: inherit; font-size: small; text-align: left;">They can’t wait to meet the fandom of mega movie, The Gallows Dance. What they’re not expecting is to be catapulted by freak accident into their favourite world – for real. Fuelled by love, guilt and fear, can the friends put the plot back on track and get out? The fate of the story is in their hands ...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="freeText10843433541635435069" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span id="freeText10843433541635435069" style="font-family: inherit;">A fast-paced, genre-flipping YA fantasy adventure from a brand new author, writing in homage to the best YA fiction.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span></div>
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</style>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4171226787818184944.post-2602247646528730002017-11-08T09:00:00.000+00:002017-11-08T17:40:02.136+00:00REVIEW: The Wizards of Once<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>THE WIZARDS OF ONCE</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>by Cressida Cowell</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZZoKXlr4FHY/WbWj2I5vNmI/AAAAAAAAFV8/cvB6IUgFXpcoHWR4MFicwXddjGtFSwOEACLcBGAs/s1600/wizards-of-once.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="550" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZZoKXlr4FHY/WbWj2I5vNmI/AAAAAAAAFV8/cvB6IUgFXpcoHWR4MFicwXddjGtFSwOEACLcBGAs/s400/wizards-of-once.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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<b>Pages:</b> 384</div>
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<b>Publisher:</b> Hodder Children's Books</div>
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<b>Publication Date:</b> September 19th 2017</div>
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<b>Received From: </b>Hodder Children's Books<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34455798-the-wizards-of-once"><img border="0" data-original-height="47" data-original-width="185" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1U0XhOQuqAA/Uzlixx4hztI/AAAAAAAAAbU/7sB_bgZSis4P6Sy9OAxAUk6njat0v9MqQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/GoodReadsButton.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">This is the story of a young boy Wizard and a young girl Warrior who have been taught to hate each other like poison; and the thrilling tale of what happens when their two worlds collide.</span></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Perfect for boys and girls who love fantasy adventure ...</span></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Once there was Magic, and the Magic lived in the dark forests.</span></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Wizard boy, Xar, should have come in to his magic by now, but he hasn't, so he wants to find a witch and steal its magic for himself. But if he's got any chance of finding one, he will have to travel into the forbidden Badwoods.</span></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Xar doesn't realise he is about to capture an entirely different kind of enemy. A Warrior girl called Wish.</span></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">And inside this book, at this very moment, two worlds collide and the fate of the land is changed forever.</span></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">In a whirlwind adventure, Xar and Wish must visit the dungeons at Warrior fort, and face the evil Queen.</span></i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /></i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>But something that has been sleeping for hundreds of years is stirring ...</i></span></span></blockquote>
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First off I just want to say how amazingly beautiful this book is! Not just the cover, or it's hidden cover when you remove the dust jacket (its sooo pretty guys) but also all the stunning illustrations that go along side the story. <i>The Wizards of Once</i> is the newest book from Cressida Cowell, author of the best selling <i>How To Train Your Dragon </i>and its a corker. </div>
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<i>The Wizards of Once</i> is the story of a young boy and a young girl from enemy tribes as their lives unexpected collide. Xar is a Wizard and Wish is a Warrior and for as long as they both remember their kind has hated each other but when Xar discovers Wish is hiding something forbidden and magical he will do anything to get his hands on it. Throughout the story these two kids are forced to become allies as they both learn the world they live in is under attack from something far nastiest than each other or their parents. The only question is will they be able to put their differences aside, lean to accept each others faults and look out for someone other than themselves<i> *cough* Xar *cough*</i> long enough to save their families from something that has been hiding for hundreds of years? </div>
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Okay so confession time, I'm not a massive middle grade fan so when I was sent this I wasn't convinced. However, <i>How To Train Your Dragon </i>is one of my favourite films - yes I know I'm 25, what's your point? - and I was curious to see what Cressida had to offer next. <i>The Wizards of Once</i> is a story of unlikely and dangerous friendships, looking past stereotypes and doing the right thing, even when it isn't always the easiest option. The story itself is plotted out to perfection and even though there were moments I could have given Xar a little tap around the head I can't wait to see what is in store for these characters next. </div>
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Overall this is a really good middle grade book. Personally I found it a little slow to get into but I think that might just be the fact I'm a decade older than its target audience. However, taking that out of the equation, it is a really sweet, funny and interesting story that I think a lot of people will find enjoyable. The characters are well thought through and the plot twists and turns giving a rather unexpected ending (if I do say so myself). As a whole I did enjoy reading <i>The Wizards of Once</i> and if you haven't yet cracked this one open I would definitely recommend it. </div>
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<span style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , "freemono" , monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">**</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "muli" , "lucida sans unicode" , "lucida grande" , "verdana" , "tahoma" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px;">I received this book as an ARC from Hodder Children's Books to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.</span><span style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , "freemono" , monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 23.998px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">**</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12723331105039856639noreply@blogger.com2