Review - Strange Angels / Lili St. Crow

Summary - Dru Anderson has what her grandmother called “the touch.” (Comes in handy when you’re traveling from town to town with your dad, hunting ghosts, suckers, wulfen, and the occasional zombie. Then her dad turns up dead—but still walking—and Dru knows she’s next. Even worse, she’s got two guys hungry for her affections, and they’re not about to let the fiercely independent Dru go it alone. Will Dru discover just how special she really is before coming face-to-fang with whatever—or whoever- is hunting her?

Review - Strange Angels is a novel that you find yourself reading but not becoming all that involved in. The characters are interesting enough but you can't help but wonder if information is being held back just to make the successive novels more interesting. While Dru and Graves are similarly orphans and "gifted", personality wise their interactions are quite repetitive. How many times can one hear about beautiful skin, lovely eyes and the 'first one's free'? The focus on Graves race also was concerning with the term half-breed (and other variations) being used.

Though Dru's back story is well established, a reader might wish that we'd seen more of the father before his untimely demise. Christophe's introduction was welcomed as the solitary existence of the other two was beginning to tire. The use of supernatural creatures differentiated from other fantasy novels, establishing a unique vision and mythology. It was one of the more interesting facets of the novel, along with the birthrights of specific characters.

St. Crow has created a universe with a strong character at it's core. That being said, Dru is a character who's alone for such a time that the self-introspection can become a little old hat. Dru's witty, resourceful and a bit of a curmudgeon but she's a real teddy bear underneath it all, Graves is proof of that.

Many readers have really gravitated towards Graves, as he's clearly a lovely kid with a bad case of unrequited interest. But Christophe is a character that really called to me - his ancestry, his charm and his superb fighting ability could lead to many interesting tangents in the next title. However, St. Crow's over reliance on the description of the environment becomes a little cloying after awhile. It does create a strong visual of the world but the repetitiveness does begin to irk.

A great concept that could lead to a bigger and better Dru Anderson adventure.

Published: June 2009

Format: Paperback, 304 pages

Publisher: Penguin Australia

Origin: USA

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http://www.lilithsaintcrow.com/journal/the-books/strange-angels/

"I Heart Adele" Author Gallery

I am an Australian currently living in Japan. So let's just say that author events are a non-event for me. I live vicariously through the tweets and blog posts of other bloggers. However, the lovely Khy from Frenetic Reader started taking pictures and videos with authors that I respect. Thanks to her, I feel like I am there :)

Michelle Zink (Prophecy of the Sisters)

Sarah Dessen (Along for the Ride, Lock and Key.....)


Gayle Forman (If I Stay, Sisters of Sanity)

Guest Blog - Michelle Cooper

Michelle Cooper has written a fantastic novel in A Brief History of Montmaray. Today she's presenting her thoughts on what truly makes a novel YA.

I've been wondering lately about what makes a book 'Young Adult'. This was prompted by some YA talks I've attended lately (at Reading Matters and the Sydney Writers' Festival), but also by a very annoying review of Peter Cameron's Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You. The review said (and I'm paraphrasing here): "This is a really terrific, thoughtful read. It's a pity this novel's been labelled 'Young Adult' - it's wasted on teenagers."

I thought the reviewer was a complete idiot. I would have LOVED to read that book as a teenager. I love it as an adult. Is it a YA book? What does YA mean?

After much thought, and a couple of very enjoyable hours perusing my bookshelves, I decided the label of 'YA' didn't depend on the themes explored, the complexity (or profanity) of the language, or the number of pages in a book. Novels can be dark and complicated and weigh more than a large brick, yet still be YA. To me, a book is YA if the main character is a teenager who changes as a result of events vividly described within the book. Often the teenager is sadder, but wiser, by the final page. Often the book ends with a sense of hope. One key thing is that there's a STORY that keeps me turning the pages to find out what happens next (this is something that 'literary' adult novels often neglect).

By my criteria, Peter Cameron's book is YA. So are M.T. Anderson's Octavian Nothing books. They're clever, complex and enthralling. They're about a teenager growing up and changing and trying to take charge of his life. The Octavian Nothing books explore a lot of other ideas, and some teenage (and adult) readers might find the themes difficult or depressing, the language challenging, or the literary references confusing. But just because a book is about a teenager, and published for teenagers, doesn't mean that EVERY teenager has to read or like it. No book appeals to every reader.

On the other hand, there's Anthony Eaton's Into White Silence, published as YA and shortlisted for this year's CBC Book Award for Older Readers. The novel is both a thrilling adventure and a thoughtful exploration of what it means to be a man and a hero. It's impeccably researched and filled with beautiful descriptions of Antarctica. It's a great book, and I'm sure a lot of teenagers would enjoy it - but I don't think it's YA. Neither of the two narrators is a teenager. (In fact, I only noticed one teenage character in the whole book. He has very little dialogue and disappears from the narrative fairly quickly.) This book isn't a 'coming of age' novel. It certainly doesn't have a hopeful ending (I'm not giving away any plot points here, because the author mentions the bleak ending in the first few pages). So, is Into White Silence really YA? Or was it published as YA because the author's previous books were for children and teenagers, so that's the category this book fitted into most easily? If this book is YA because there are teenagers who'd like it, then practically any book could be considered YA. So why isn't Tim Winton's Breathon this year's CBC shortlist? Answer: I presume it was because it was published as an 'adult' book, and his publisher didn't enter it in the CBC awards.

Categorising a book as YA is a marketing decision, and sometimes publishers in different countries make different decisions about the same book. For example, Markus Zusak's The Book Thief and Margo Lanagan's Tender Morsels were both published as YA in the United States, but as adult novels in Australia (and, in my opinion, the Australian publishers got it right). A YA label on a book helps booksellers and librarians know where to shelve it, and helps publishers know whom to target with advertisements, catalogues and review copies. There are certainly advantages to publishing a book as YA. There are specialist YA journals, conferences, librarians, blogs and awards. Teenage readers can also be more passionate and open-minded about books than adults. (Adult readers of this blog are excluded from this vast over-generalisation, of course!)

However, I wonder if the label of YA makes any difference to writers. I certainly don't give much consideration to the age or maturity of my readers as I write (which would be difficult anyway, as my readers range in age from ten years old to . . . well, I'm not sure, but much older than me). I don't ever think, 'Ooh, I can't write that! That's too much for teenagers! Their brains will explode if I make them think about history/politics/theology/war/mental illness/sexuality.' I write whatever the story needs. The world's a complex, difficult, fascinating place and I'd like my books to reflect that. Having said that, once the manuscript's finished, I do listen to my editors' advice. For example, I took out about half the swearing in my first YA novel, because my editor (correctly) pointed out that some librarians and teachers would refuse to buy it if I didn't. I should add that the swearing was much milder than one would hear in the average Australian primary school playground. And notice that this is all about ADULTS saying what's appropriate and suitable for teenagers. . .

Adele, are you regretting letting me take over your blog yet? I did warn you I have a tendency to rave on and on. . .

So, in conclusion: I don't really know what YA means. I'm not sure it matters to me. I love reading books labelled YA, and I love writing them and talking about them. And I'm glad I'm part of the YA literature community, because it's full of people who feel as enthusiastic as I do about these sorts of books!

So, what do you think YA is?

P.S. There is nothing new under the sun, and after I finished writing this, I got on-line and realised a whole lot of other bloggers have addressed this issue far more succinctly and sensibly than I have. I really liked these blog entries by Cheryl Klein and Justine Larbalestier, and this Horn Book article by Jonathan Hunt, all found via the CMIS Evaluation Fiction Focus blog. Okay, carry on with your discussion . . .

You can find Michelle's website here . You can also win a personally signed copy of A Brief History of Montmaray by following this link. A big thank you to Michelle for allowing me to interview her while also assigning her some homework. Just a reminder that her novel is available in the US from October 13, 2009.

Next week the spotlight will be place upon Elizabeth Scott, make sure you return for some great interviews and a hilarious Aussie-themed vlog.

Review - Vulture's Gate / Kirsty Murray

Summary - One girl - could she be the last girl alive? One boy, pursued by reckless men who have kidnapped him from his fathers.
Bo and Callum go in search of a safe haven, a place to call home. But where can they turn and who can they trust? When every stranger is a threat, does their only hope lie in reaching Vulture's Gate?
Following a journey that takes them across barren deserts and lost valleys, Bo and Callum must discover how to survive alongside runaway boys and crazed religious terrorists, in a world with an uncertain future.
And what is the disturbing secret at the ruined city's core?

Review -Vulture's Gate is an intriguing exploration of a futuristic Australia where a bird virus has wiped out all those that possess the XX chromosome. What happens to the world when women are wiped out in only two generations? It's an amazing concept that has been brilliant explored by Kirsty Murray.

Bo and Callum are bought together by the Outlanders (those that stalk and pillage those that live on the fringes of civilisation), when they are robbed of their caregivers. It's an adventure that closely tied with their survival, Callum looking for his fathers and Bo's trying to find a new place for her to belong.

Murray's novel was conceptualised well before our current bird flu epidemic but her timing couldn't be more perfect. She's managed to make me concerned about being female and the survival of my gender (gulp). While this is a YA novel, it doesn't shy away from some of the real issues of this lawless, battle ridden existence. Numerous times the reader will find themselves thinking that there can be no possible way for the two kids to escape their new predicament.

The characters are richly drawn. Callum, from a well loved, nurtured household is given some harsh lessons in the what the humanity is capable of. Still he perseveres, as does Bo, the last girl remaining. A girl who finds hope in friendship. Murray has created a depressing future but filled it with inspiring characters that possess great fortitude and heart. They are complex and gritty that it is easy to think of them as real. Readers will find themselves involved deeply in Bo and Callum's plight, irritated by Callum's stubbornness and Bo's easily given trust. Periphery characters are also amazingly engaging from wild boy Roc, captured Li-Li and the lovely Mr Pinkwhistle - who knew robots could be so divine?

A thought provoking look at the nature of courage, friendship and the strength of our survival instinct. Highly recommended.

Published: August 2009

Format: Paperback, 252 pages

Publisher: Allen and Unwin

Origin: Australia

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http://www.kirstymurray.com/

Review - It's Yr Life / Tempany Deckert & Tristan Bancks

Summary - PROMISE ME YOU WON'T TELL?

Sim's from Byron Bay. Milla lives in Hollywood. Sim's in a foster home and dumpster-dives for food. Milla lives in a mansion with her celebrity parents.

When they're forced to email each other for an assignment, it's doomed to fail. So why haven't they stopped? Secrets . . .

What did Sim find that has him running scared? Whose footprints are outside Milla's window - and how can she fix her screwed-up family before something really bad happens?

Review - There are a number of collaborative novels in the market at this point. It's Yr Life is the newest addition to this genre having started out as a writing exercises for two YA author friends which then morphed into the novel.

The two protagonists of this tale are American Milla, the Hollywood offspring of a movie producer and Sim, an Australian, living in foster care and extolling the virtues of freeganism. (For those of you who are unaware, a freegan is someone who is an anti-consumerist and embraces alternative life strategies eg dumpster diving, sustainable living etc.) They are paired together for an English project in which they are to learn about each other's lives and cultures.

The authors alternate emails as their characters, delving into their home and school lives and their feelings about the world in general. They are able to draw upon their own vastly different lives to advise one another in their present predicaments. At several points they disagree vehemently and stop writing to one another which is extremely realistic for email relationships. The storytelling is very spontaneous and sparky, the discussions both unimportant and deep, pictures are also exchanged but most interesting is the use of hyperlinks throughout. Just like communications with friends, Sim and Milla send links to one another and the reader is able to check them out as well - the handholding otters would have to be a fave. Deckert and Bancks have managed to create a collaborative novel that is genuine to the teen experience while embracing the wild, woolly and somewhat ridiculous parts of life.

It's a great, quick read. You will travel the gamut of emotions, see some great videos and love the two protagonists.

Published: June 2009

Format: Format, pages

Publisher: Random House

Origin: Australia

YA TV/Movie Adaptation News

Well there's some good news and some bad news.

The John Marsden series, Tomorrow When the War Began, is finally being made into a movie. The story follows the adventures of a group of Australian teens fighting off an enemy invasion and occupation of their homeland. Along with Melina Marchetta's Looking for Alibrandi, this series triggered my love of YA and I am ecstatic that a movie is finally in the works. Not only that but there is a plan for it to become a trilogy More news at Dark Horizons..

And now for the bad news. I am a devotee of the teen movie 10 Things I Hate About You. These sneak peeks at the ABC Family television adaptation fill me with dread.

The truth is it's not possible to recreate the sparkiness that Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger had together. Actually the newbies aren't even a sliver on the original Patrick and Kat - arghhh. The new Cameron is just embarrassing without the sweetness that Joseph Gordan-Levitt brought to it and even the new Bianca can't hold a candle to the original (and I think the original was the weak point of the 2000 version). It scares me that a teen classic (it's not ten years old yet but it is a classic) could be done such a great disservice. Blah.

Although, this promo looks better than the scenes above.

Prophecy of the Sisters Book Trailer

Prophecy of the Sisters from Vania S on Vimeo.

This is one of those circumstances where writing talent meets visual talents to create an explosion of awesomeness. What I wouldn't give to write like Michelle or use a camera like Vania. BRAV-freaking-O!

Interview - Michelle Cooper

Michelle Cooper, author of A Brief History of Montmaray, is the star of my Author Spotlight this week. She kindly allowed me to ask her many questions about her historical novel which will be available in the US from October.

What is your writing process?

For A Brief History of Montmaray, I spent about six months doing research and planning the novel, then about a year writing it. Then I wrote a second draft, which took a couple of months. I immersed myself in 1930s novels and non-fiction throughout the process. This wasn't exactly a hardship, because I find the period endlessly fascinating.

Where did the inspiration for A Brief History of Montmaray come from?

One morning, I was looking out my apartment window, wondering what living in a castle would be like, when I saw a picture in my mind of a girl sitting on a castle wall, writing in her diary. I decided that she was a princess living on an island and then lots of cool ideas started popping into my head - a search for the Holy Grail, skeletons at the bottom of the ocean, secret caves, aviators, pirates. My 1930s research threw out even more interesting ideas. The difficult part was knowing what to leave out of the story.

Research is key in historical fiction, what were you most surprised to learn about the 1930's?

Probably how restricted women's lives were. The 1930s isn't that long ago, but women in England had only just been allowed to vote, they had to resign from their jobs if they got married, they were kept out of a lot of professions and weren't able to get a degree at universities such as Cambridge. For upper-class girls in England, it was unusual for them to be allowed to go to school, and if they did, subjects such as Latin and Mathematics were regarded as too hard for their little female brains. It must have been enormously frustrating for intelligent girls like Veronica, to see all their family's money being spent educating their less-intelligent brothers.

For a long time, I expected Veronica and Simon's hostility to turn to romance, you took a very distinct turn away from that. Was this a deliberate plan?

Ha - yes! It always annoys me in romance novels when a boy and a girl spend fifteen chapters yelling and throwing things at one another, then suddenly, in the final chapter, fall into an embrace because they realise they are meant for each other and it's TRUE LOVE. In my experience, people who constantly snap and snarl at someone else actually HATE the other person. In Veronica and Simon's case, there's also a lot of jealousy and resentment due to a big PLOT SPOILER that I'd better not discuss here. It's a lot of fun writing their banter - they're much meaner than I'd ever be in real life.

Montmaray is the first of a trilogy, was this always planned and what can we expect in the future adventures of the FitzOsborne clan?

Yes, I always saw it as an epic tale, spread over ten years, although I wasn't sure anyone would even want to publish the first book, let alone all three of them! I'm currently writing the second book, tentatively titled The FitzOsbornes In Exile. It's about the family struggling to regain what they lost at the end of the first book, and it involves lots of international diplomacy and intrigue. Poor Veronica also spends a lot of time in Mortal Peril. The third book is set during the Second World War and I can exclusively reveal to the readers of this blog that one of my favourite characters dies in that book. I'm sure I'll cry buckets when I write that bit.

What is your planned timeline for the trilogy?

Do you mean when the books are set or when they'll be published? The first book is set in 1936-1937, the second in 1937-1939, and the third in 1939-1945. The first book comes out in North America in October this year, and the second book will be out in Australia next year, but I'm not sure exactly when. I haven't finished writing it yet!

We both work extensively with children. Has being a speech pathologist impacted your writing in anyway?

What a great question, Adele! I think training to be a speech pathologist helped me to be a better writer. Speech pathology students spend a lot of time recording conversations and analysing voice tone, syntax, vocabulary and everything else, so I find writing dialogue quite easy. We also studied grammar, so I now know exactly what my editor means when she tells me I'm using too many adverbs or asks whether I really need to have three subordinating clauses in a single sentence! The good thing about working with children is that I get to read lots of children's and teenager's books. Also, I get to put up Harry Potter posters in my office - I probably couldn't do that if I was a barrister or an accountant. I don't think any of my students have read any of my books, but they think it's pretty cool that I'm a published writer.

What feedback have you received from readers?

It's lovely to get any feedback from readers, and I've been lucky enough to receive some really nice comments. I think my favourite was from a young reader who was very indignant that Rebecca seemed to get away with something bad she did at the end of the first book (sorry, I'm trying to avoid plot spoilers) and then told me exactly what should happen to Rebecca in the second book! Most people say, 'I liked the first book, when does the second one come out?' and I feel really guilty that I haven't finished it yet.

You recently were awarded the Ethel Turner Prize, what was that experience like?

I was thrilled to discover I was on the short-list for the award, but I honestly didn't think I'd win because all the other books were so good. When they told me that I'd won, I went into shock. I was a nervous wreck at the awards night, because I was terrified I'd trip over on stage or forget my speech or do something equally embarrassing (and then I did forget my speech). Now that the news has sunk in, I feel very honoured. I do feel a tiny bit more confident as a writer. Maybe it will help me write the new book a bit faster . . .

Remember you can enter the competition to win a personally signed copy of this novel when you follow this link.

Review - Song of the Sparrow / Lisa Ann Sandell

Summary - The year is 490 AD. Fiery 16-year-old Elaine of Ascolat, the daughter of one of King Arthur's supporters, lives with her father on Arthur's base camp, the sole girl in a militaristic world of men. Elaine's only girl companion is the mysterious Morgan, Arthur's older sister, but Elaine cannot tell Morgan her deepest secret: She is in love with Lancelot, Arthur's second-in-command. However, when yet another girl -- the lovely Gwynivere-- joins their world, Elaine is confronted with startling emotions of jealousy and rivalry. But can her love for Lancelot survive the birth of an empire?

Review - I am usually adverse to verse but having read two amazing verse novels this week, I am about to pull an about face. Song of the Sparrow was an absolute joy to read - lyrical, poetic, inspiring and wrenching. Drawing upon the stories of Arthur, Lancelot and Merlin, Sandell has strongly integrated the inspiration for Tennyson's poem, the Lady of Shalott, into the mix. Elaine (the "Lady" in question) has been raised in the war camps of 5th century Britain, by her widowed father amongst battle weary men. She's loved and respected by these men whilst operating within the confines of what was expected of woman of the day - washing and mending.

It reads like an absolute dream. The phrasing is so fluid, so rhythmic, that it rolls off of the page and seeps into your consciousness. Elaine is a strong character, aware of her obligations, supremely concerned for the welfare of those that she loves and in possession of great courage. She's a character that is immediately relatable, likeable and enviable. I personally loved the depiction of Gwynivere as a shrew preying on the attentions of men. She's the one character of Arthur lore that I have always found tedious and while she's initially portrayed as a 5th century 'mean girl', there is also surprising depths to be found in her. This can be said of all the characters, both those that are familiar and new, they are constructed to be both complex and clear in motivation. It's the epitome of exact phrasing and plotting within a story while taking you on a winding story.

Despite the fantastic economy of words in this novel, the characterisation and plotting, this novel presents many themes and adventure for the readers to delve into. Sandell explores grief, family unity, gender roles, the nature of love, friendship, infatuation, duty, courage and sacrifice all while grounding Elaine's story with her obvious love of verse and legend.

Divine.

Published: May 2007

Format: Paperback, 416 pages

Publisher: Scholastic

Origin: USA

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http://www.lisaannsandell.com/

Competition - A Brief History of Montmaray

Michelle Cooper's sophomoric title, A Brief History of Montmaray was released last year in Australia. Since then A Brief History of Montmaray has won the Ethel Turner Prize for young people's literature and was a finalist in the Golden Inky Award (Australian Centre for Youth Literature). The title will be released in the United States through Knopf Books for Young Readers on the 13th of October, 2009.

Here's your chance to win your own, personally signed copy of A Brief History of Montmaray before it's American release (competition open internationally).

All you need to do is...name your own island kingdom. Michelle named hers, Montmaray. If you had written a novel featuring an island between France and Spain - what would your island be called? Michelle will choose the lucky winner and the book will be sent to you shortly. All entries need to be posted in the comments section along with an email address.

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Description - I need to write down what has just happened. I need to set down the truth. If I write lies or if I write nothing at all, this journal is worthless. I must do this, in case anything happens. All right. This is what happened tonight, every single terrible thing that I can remember . . .'

Sophie FitzOsborne lives in a crumbling castle in the tiny island kingdom of Montmaray, along with her tomboy younger sister Henry, her beautiful, intellectual cousin Veronica, and Veronica's father, the completely mad King John.

When Sophie receives a leather-bound journal for her sixteenth birthday, she decides to write about her day-to-day life on the island. But it is 1936 and the world is in turmoil. Does the arrival of two strangers threaten everything Sophie holds dear?

Similar to...Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle and Meg Rosoff's How I Live Now.

Competition closes - 22nd June 2009.

Review - Lucy Zeezou's Goal / Liz Deep-Jones

Summary - Lucy's family is famous for two things in Italy: soccer and fashion. Her pushy mother wants her to model for the family's fashion label. Even worse, Lucy's father—captain of Milan’s premier soccer team—agrees. But Lucy has been leading a double life, playing soccer on the side when she isn’t modeling. When she and her mother move from Milan to Sydney to be closer to her grandparents, Lucy has the chance to come clean about who she really is and what she really wants to do with her life.

Review - The cover art and premise of this novel really excited me when I spotted it on the bookstore shelf. I knew it was a concept that would really grab some of my student's attention strongly but unfortunately it didn't set my world on fire.

Lucy Zeezou's Goal appears to be a novel trying to be many things; a family drama, a coming of age story, an action-adventure, a sporting tale and an exploration of social conscience. There are books that are able to balance many agendas to create a cohesive story but I didn't feel that this was one of the them. Some chapters I felt as though I was reading a completely different story with a heroine with the same name. While it's clear the author had great intentions - the empowerment of young girls - I think she may have tried to accomplish too much.

My main concern is the dialogue throughout the novel. It never comes across as particularly authentic. Characters didn't have distinct voices and the vocabulary of the teens is a little dated. At one point the protagonist (who's 14) accuses another teen of behaving in "a childish manner" and having taught kids, I have never heard them speak to one another in that way. The dialogue makes it hard to involve the reader in the story and while it has many elements that will be attractive to teen girls (fashion, sport, boys), it doesn't hit the spot.

Published: 2008

Format: Paperback, 266 pages

Published: Random House

Origin: Australia

Reader's Snapshot - Michelle Cooper

I am so excited to bring the fabulous Michelle Cooper to your attention. She is the subject of this week's Author's Spotlight, starting off today with the patented Persnickety Snark reader's snapshot questions.

Her novel, A Brief History of Montmaray is amazing and has won a number of awards here in Australia. It will be released later this year in the States and it's a definite must read. Check out my review if you'd like to know more!

Which book is memorable from your teen years?
I found Jeanette Winterson's Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit really inspirational, even though I knew I could never be as brave and strong-minded as the main character. The novel's about a teenage girl who gives up her religion, her family and her whole community when she falls in love with another girl. I know this sounds rather depressing, but it's actually very funny and warm and touching. It also cleverly weaves original fairy tales into the main narrative.

Your book of the moment?
Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You by Peter Cameron is one of the most awesome YA books I've ever read. I love everything about it, from its title to the final line. It's about an eighteen-year-old boy in Manhattan anxiously contemplating adult life, feeling like a misfit, messing up his relationships with other people. I wanted to shake James and give him a big hug, all at the same time. He feels so real to me. In fact, all the characters, even the family dog, are clever, amusing and touchingly authentic. And the prose is so beautiful! For instance, here's James, having a rare moment of inner peace:

"I just kind of zoned out, forgot who and where and what I was. Just let everything go, turned the net of myself inside out and let all the worried desperate fish swim away."

What do you use to mark your page when reading?
A bookmark! I have them stashed all around my apartment, in my bag, in my office, everywhere I might possibly need one. I never turn over the corner of pages. I feel like it's being cruel to the book.

Favourite place to read?
Lying on my sofa, propped up by cushions, but I actually do most of my reading on the train to and from work.

Favourite word?
I'm really liking the word 'snark' at the moment, even though it's not in my dictionary. . .

Favourite book store?
Better Read Than Dead, in Newtown, Sydney. Not only do they have a good selection of books, they're happy to order in unusual books. Even better, the last time I went in, I found a whole pile of MY books with 'Staff Pick' stickers on them! I did a little happy dance in the aisle. Now the staff probably think I'm a crazy woman.

Character you wish you had created?
Maybe Harry Potter? Then I wouldn't have had to wait anxiously for each new book in the series to come out, because I'd already know what was going to happen! Mind you, if I'd written the last book, I would have given poor Severus Snape a different ending. He would have lived happily ever after. Possibly as a vampire . . .

Bonus Question - Which character are you more like - Sophia, Veronica or Henry?
I'd like to say Veronica, because she's incredibly smart, devastatingly beautiful and knows how to fix a leaky toilet. However, I'm probably more like Sophia - quiet, awkward and prone to daydreaming.

Check back Wednesday for an interview with Michelle about all things Montmaray and a chance to win a personally signed copy of her book (not yet available outside of Australia) tomorrow.

Review - Fairest Of Them All / Jan Blazanin

Summary -If life were a fairy tale, Oribella Bettencourt would have a "happily ever after" kind of future ahead of her. A Hollywood producer has come to Des Moines in search of a perfectly modern Princess Rapunzel, and Ori -- a model, dancer, and star of the beauty pageant circuit -- lands the part. And why shouldn't she? With her hardworking, self-sacrifi cing mother guiding her career, Ori is stunning, dedicated, poised...and then there's her hair. Breathtakingly lustrous blond hair that sets her apart from all the other girls at school. So what if she doesn't have any friends her age, or anyone to talk to other than her mother? She's on the verge of having everything she's ever dreamed of.

But in this fairy tale, the beautiful princess wakes up to her worst nightmare -- when almost overnight, Ori begins to lose her hair...

Review - While I credit Blazanin for tackling the relatively low profile, hair loss condition alopecia, I am not sure she was entirely successful in writing a novel that broke the mold. Oribella (yikes) has been trained to be a superstar since the age of three. With the assistance of her focused mother, she's aiming to be the greatest thing since sliced bread. Amongst all the preparation, competition and some more preparation, Ori forgot to have something called a life.

Ori is what is kindly called socially inept. She can schmooze pageant judges and talk it up with costume designers but put her in a room of teens and she's an ice block. It broke my heart that this girl is pushed so hard, to meet so many unattainable goals, by a uncompromising mother towards superficial success. Ori's evolution into an average teen with friends but no hair was a great transition. However, my problems with the novel stem purely from the aspects that deal with the mother. The mother flip flops twice in the book and it's the second flip that felt out of character, rushed and ultimately clunky. While I understood and sympathised with the sentiment that Blazanin was trying to convey, it comes across forced and unnatural.

Fairest Of Them All provides great insight into the expectations we place upon ourselves, parental pressure, friendship, independence and finding joy. A great read.

Published: April 21, 2009

Format: Paperback, 256 pages

Publisher: MTV

Origin: USA

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http://www.janblazanin.com/

In My Mailbox - 14 June

IMM is an idea from the very lovely heads of Junkie and Siren.

The Ask and the Answer - Patrick Ness
Walker Books
We were in the square, in the square where I'd run, holding her, carrying her, telling her to stay alive, stay alive till we got safe, till we got to Haven so I could save her - But there weren't no safety, no safety at all, there was just him and his men...Fleeing before a relentless army, Todd has carried a desperately wounded Viola right into the hands of their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss. Immediately separated from Viola and imprisoned, Todd is forced to learn the ways of the Mayor's new order. But what secrets are hiding just outside of town? And where is Viola? Is she even still alive? And who are the mysterious Answer? And then, one day, the bombs begin to explode..."The Ask and the Answer" is a tense, shocking and deeply moving novel of resistance under the most extreme pressure. This is the second title in the "Chaos Walking" trilogy.

Having not read the first novel, it might take me awhile to get around to this one. But Librarian Idol recommended this title a few weeks back and I am keen to find out what has made people so enthusiastic about it.

Song of the Sparrow - Lisa Ann Sandell
Scholastic
We were in the square, in the square where I'd run, holding her, carrying her, telling her to stay alive, stay alive till we got safe, till we got to Haven so I could save her - But there weren't no safety, no safety at all, there was just him and his men...Fleeing before a relentless army, Todd has carried a desperately wounded Viola right into the hands of their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss. Immediately separated from Viola and imprisoned, Todd is forced to learn the ways of the Mayor's new order. But what secrets are hiding just outside of town? And where is Viola? Is she even still alive? And who are the mysterious Answer? And then, one day, the bombs begin to explode..."The Ask and the Answer" is a tense, shocking and deeply moving novel of resistance under the most extreme pressure. This is the second title in the "Chaos Walking" trilogy.

LOVED this novel, my review will be up this week. Absolutely fantastic!

Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie - Jordan Sonnenblick

Scholastic

Thirteen-year-old Steven has a totally normal life: he plays drums in the All-Star Jazz band, has a crush on the hottest girl in the school, and is constantly annoyed by his five-year-old brother, Jeffrey. But when Jeffrey is diagnosed with leukemia, Steven's world is turned upside down. He is forced to deal with his brother's illness and his parents' attempts to keep the family in one piece. Salted with humor and peppered with devastating realities, DRUMS, GIRLS, AND DANGEROUS PIE is a heartwarming journey through a year in the life of a family in crisis.

I love Scholastic Book Club, it's one of the benefits of being a classroom teaching. Pouring over the catalogues each month is blissful. This one intrigued me and I do love a male protagonist.

The Eyes of Van Gogh - Cathryn Clinton

After all the moves from town to town, after all her mom’s boyfriends and drinking and anger, Jude hopes things will be different in Ellenville. In her new high school, Jude starts to open up. Her art teacher admires her painting and encourages her interest in van Gogh. Soon she has two new friends and a romance that may save her from a dead-end future after all. But when life doesn’t follow her plans, Jude finds herself staring into van Gogh’s tortured eyes and seeing her own reflection. NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE, says a voice in her head. MAYBE IT WOULD BE BETTER IF YOU WEREN'T HERE. With sensitivity and insight, Cathryn Clinton looks through the eyes of a troubled teen as she moves through darkness toward a merciful glimmer of light.

I didn't know that this one was coming and have no idea what to expect. We'll see...

The Visconti House - Elsbeth Edgar

Walker Books

Laura Horton pretends a lot of things but she can’t pretend about her house, an old, rundown Italianate villa that rises in faded and dominating splendour above the small country town in which they live. To everyone at school, Laura Horton’s just the girl from the haunted house. Everything changes with the arrival of Leon Murphy, a loner with a dark and tragic past. With Leon’s help, Laura discovers there is more to her house than meets the eye...

Juliet from Walker Books was raving about this book a few months back so I am thrilled to have it. I have found historical YA to be great quality of late and I am hoping this will continue my streak.

Letters to Leonardo - Dee White

Walker Books

On his fifteenth birthday, Matt receives a card from his mother – the mother he grew up believing was deceased. Feeling betrayed by both his parents, Matt’s identity is in disarray and he begins writing letters to Leonardo da Vinci as a way to sort out the ‘mess’ in his head. Through the connections he makes between his own life and that of Leonardo, Matt unravels the mystery that his life has become and discovers his mother’s secrets and the reasons behind his abandonment.

Can't wait to read this one after hearing about the writing process from the author, Dee White. I will be part of the blog tour for this title very soon.

Review - My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters / Sydney Salter

Summary - It's the end of junior year, and summer is about to begin. The Summer of Passion, to be exact, when Jory Michaels plans to explore all the possibilities of the future--and, with any luck, score a boyfriend in the process. But Jory has a problem. A big problem. A curvy, honking, bumpy, problem in the form of her Super Schnozz, the one thing standing between Jory and happiness. And now, with the Summer of Passion stretched before her like an open road, she's determined for Super Schnozz to disappear. Jory takes a job delivering wedding cakes to save up for a nose job at the end of the summer; she even keeps a book filled with magazine cutouts of perfect noses to show the doctor. But nothing is ever easy for accident-prone Jory--and before she knows it, her Summer of Passion falls apart faster than the delivery van she crashes. In her hilarious and heartbreaking debut novel, Sydney Salter delivers a story about broadening your horizons, accepting yourself, and finding love right under your nose.

Review - Anyone who has ever been sensitive about a part of their body can sympathise with Jory, the protagonist of this novel. But what is most magical about Jory, isn't the Super Schnozz, but how ordinary she is. Unlike many protagonists she's not gifted, fiercely intelligent or especially feisty - she's just like everyone else...with some spacial awareness issues. But like everyone else in the known world, Jory's self-conscious, self-doubting and wanting to find herself.

This novel is predictable in the events that occur in the final chapters but unpredictable in the many options that could be Jory's man of choice. That being said, I could have done without the two incidents where Jory places herself in danger of sexual assault. One would have been sufficient and no matter how dim, you'd think a girl would learn. While Jory is especially endearing with her snark and witticisms, her friends are less so. It's common for teen girls to ditch friends for boys but the callousness and selfishness displayed in this novel, while probably realistic, is quite appalling. The number of times these girls willingly and deliberately put themselves, and each other, in harm's way infuriated me.

It's the chaos that surrounds Jory that makes her even more loveable. There's her mum who is continuously inflicting weird diets on the family, the brilliantly insightful and chilled Helen, the slightly bizarre and moody Gideon, the muscle bound Wooster Tom and confused Tyler (who's presence was missed in the latter sections). The characterisation is fantastic, the tone light and humorous with enough introspection to give the character some heft. I really enjoyed this book despite my quibbles and think many others will too.

Published: April 1, 2009

Format: Paperback, 352 pages

Publisher: Sandpiper

Origin: USA

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Rory Gilmore + Matt Saracen = SQUEE

Trailer for Post Grad, out in the US August 21!!!


If you don't know who Matt Saracen (aka actor Zach Gilford)is then SHAME ON YOU. Watch Friday Night Lights already. If you like beautiful writing and characterisation, formidable acting and awesome hair (the fabulous Taylor clan) then you will adore this show.