Online Preview: The Piper's Son (Melina Marchetta)

Next month Melina Marchetta's fifth title will be released in Australia. The Piper's Son revisits the world of Saving Francesca five years in the future. Duel protagonists, Tom MacKee and his auntie Georgie, tell their family's story and allow us to drop back in on some favourites. You can read this title before it's probable released in the US (probably in 2011-2012) through any of these online bookstores.

The below video shows Melina talking about her inspiration for this title, how she writes and the cutest dog ever.

A review of this title will appear on this blog next week with an interview to follow.

Adele Needs Some Help...

I want to do some different things on Persnickety Snark to improve the quality and variety of posts. I would like you (if you have time), to help me to direct these changes.

Thank you very much for taking the time to assist me in improving my blog. It's much appreciated.

Perchance to Dream Vlog

Adele's running vlog on reading Lisa Mantchev's Perchance to Dream. There is some minor (and vague) discussion of the content but not enough to ruin the plot. A review will be posted closer to the release date.

PTD is released on May 25, 2010 via Feiwel and Friends.

(Apologies for my loopyness but the cold got the better of me)

http://www.theatre-illuminata.com/

http://www.lisamantchev.com/

http://us.macmillan.com/FeiwelAndFriends.aspx

Lisa Mantchev created book trailer for PTD

Waiting on Wednesday - The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June

Written by Robin Benway (Razorbill)

Released August 3rd, 2010

Three sisters share a magical, unshakeable bond in this witty high-concept novel from the critically acclaimed author of Audrey, Wait! Around the time of their parents’ divorce, sisters April, May, and June recover special powers from childhood—powers that come in handy navigating the hell that is high school. Powers that help them cope with the hardest year of their lives. But could they have a greater purpose?

April, the oldest and a bit of a worrier, can see the future. Middle-child May can literally disappear. And baby June reads minds—everyone’s but her own. When April gets a vision of disaster, the girls come together to save the day and reconcile their strained family. They realize that no matter what happens, powers or no powers, they’ll always have each other.

Because there’s one thing stronger than magic: sisterhood.

While I am skeptical that Benway's chosen to go the paranormal route, I am pleased that she's got a newbie hitting the shelves this year. I loved the voice in Audrey, Wait! and I really excited to see if she can repeat the magic here.

Trailer: Finnikin of the Rock (Melina Marchetta)

US trailer - Finnikin of the Rock to be released this month through Candlewick Press.

Melina speaks about writing her fourth book, Finnikin of the Rock.


Finnikin of the Rock was released earlier in Australia and just so happened to be my first review for Persnickety Snark. You can read it here.

Also, should you like to listen to a podcast of Melina speaking about the research for the novel and how her previous titles influenced it, follow this link.

Review - Raised By Wolves (Jennifer Lynn Barnes)

At the age of four, Bryn watched a rabid werewolf brutally murder her parents. Alone in the world, she was rescued and taken in by Callum, the alpha of his pack. Now fifteen, Bryn's been raised as a human among werewolves, adhering to pack rule (mostly). Little fazes her.

But the pack's been keeping a secret, and when Bryn goes exploring against Callum's orders, she finds Chase, a newly turned teen Were locked in a cage. Terrifying memories of the attack on her mom and dad come flooding back. Bryn needs answers, and she needs Chase to get them. Suddenly, all allegiances to the pack no longer matter. It's Bryn and Chase against the werewolf world, whatever the consequences.

Review - Paranormal is a genre within YA that is swiftly getting played out with vapid romantic triangles, uninteresting protagonists and cliched depictions of fantastical beasts. It was with initial trepidation and then ecstatic relief that I read Jennifer Lynn Barnes' Raised By Wolves. Bryn is a complex character in her evolution. She starts out being one of only two humans in a werewolf pack, resenting every minute of it, and ends up somewhere completely different.

Deeply resentful of the restrictions placed upon her by her werewolf guardian, Callum, Bryn chafes at the bonds that tie her. She's the exception in her family in that she's normal. With the arrival of Chase onto the scene, a whole series of events start occurring like dominoes falling upon one another. While there is a mystical side to this novel's proceedings, I found the exploration of group mentality within the werewolves to be really intriguing. While it interested me and Barnes did a fantastic job at keeping the ideas coherent, it gets rather convoluted by the end. That being said, I enjoyed it regardless. The exploration of leadership, power struggles, the ways you can love are all deftly woven into this story which ultimately tells the tale of a father (albeit adopted) and his daughter. It's the social and psychological aspects that pull you in.

The middle section of the book does tend to lose steam, mainly due to the core characters being removed from Bryn's sphere (which is actually the point). The reader will meet an intriguing character at this juncture to whom I would have liked to have learnt more about. To be less vague....Annie Oakley crossed with a werewolf (bliss). The best friend figure is a great one, supportive, strong and a bit of a goofball. The love interest is molded traditionally, some more development about why he loves Bryn would have been nice. The chemistry and pull between them is constructed nicely.

The antagonist is one big embodiment of evil, both human and supernatural. He's like a cross between a rabid werewolf and a serial killer...he will give you the heebie jeebies on multiple fronts.

The commentary on democracy, the nature of leadership, the different shapes of disobedience, being true to one's self and instinct as well retaining independence in a group are all ably depicted. While I am not terribly sure I bought into all the paranormal elements, especially anything mind meldy or precognitive, I did enjoy the story quite a lot.

Barnes has a breezy way of writing this genre that makes it feel like a straight contemporary novel and I have to compliment her on her light touch. Despite its length, it rushes by with speed and urgency that works with the storyline. Raised by Wolves will go down a treat for those wanting a paranormal read with character depth and evolution. Bryn is a character to whom nothing comes easy and who chooses to fight in many ways throughout the story. She's a protagonist that I really responded to and I feel in some respect this was Barnes' rebuttal to Bella (if I may be so bold).

A rip roaring read.

Published: June 8, 2010
Format: PDF, 432 pages
Publisher: Egmont
Origin: USA

www.jenniferlynnbarnes.com

In My Mailbox - 7 February

Adele fails to mention her brand spanking new purple snowflake hoodie while talking about the books she received this week.

From Ford St Publishing:
Solace and Grief - Foz Meadows
f2m - Hazel Edwards & Ryan Kennedy

Also some Tenners:
The Red Umbrella - Christina Diaz Gonzalez
Party - Tom Leveen