GoodRead - Under The Paw

I have been following the twitter accounts Why My Cat Is Sad (@MySadCat) and Why My Cat is Smug (@MySmugCat) for quite awhile so I knew I wanted to read one of the books written by the man in charge of the twitter, Tom Cox, for a while. So when the first and second books, Under the Paw and Talk To The Tail, was made £1.59 each, I knew I would buy them both.

On the surface, Tom Cox looks like a normal guy. Expect for one thing. He's a cat person. In a big way. So when he meets his soon-to-be wife, he gives up his life as a journalist for NME, moves to Norfolk and, within a matter of years, finds himself owning several cats. Well, at one point, seven. Including The Bear, a cat that is "painfully sensitive" but could very easily be an evil genius...

If you know me or follow the blog/Twitter (@PewterWolf13, by the way), I am a bit of a cat person myself so seeing this, it was a no brainer that I was going to read it. A no-brainer. And I thought I was going to enjoy it SO MUCH! I mean, what's not to love about cats?

However (yes, there's a however), for a short book (it's around 250-odd pages), it felt like a drag to read. Sometimes, I whizzed through it but, most times, it DRAGGED! Maybe it's because I have owned cats in the past so when Tom chatted about something, I would have gone "Oh, my old cat use to do that".

I think my problem with this is that I expected it to be much funnier than it was. I had a high expectations.

But I did like it. But I don't think I will rush quickly to read the next read.

GoodRead - More Than This

I had been drooling over book blogging pals of mine who had read this book throughout the course of last month. So when I got a surprise parcel from Walker Books and it was this book, I get quite excited. And by quite excited, I mean jumping up and down in my kitchen. And this is my first Patrick Ness novel so double excited!

The book opens with the line "Here is the boy, drowning." And the boy dies, smashing his head against a rock. Only to wake up. He's alive. Naked, thirsty, but alive. How is that possible? And where is he? It looks like the suburban English town he once lived in, expect the weeds are overgrown, everything covered in dust and, from the looks of it, he's alone... 

Right, where on earth did I start with this review? I ask this as I am still recovering from the book so you have to bear with me on this. 

This isn't an easy read. Nor is this a fast read. You have to sit and invest time and energy into this book. And because of this, your emotions will go all over the place. Patrick knows how to twist our emotions and he knows how to makes us go "Wait! Wait one cotton-picking minute!" as More Than This is like a giant game of Jenga. Just when you think you have the book straight in your head, Patrick moves a block and we go "Oh, that makes sense" or "Wait, what?!". Events in the book might divide your opinions. 

This book also contains scenes that are quite dark (one chapter I found completely chilling!) but there is something hopeful about the book. 

This book isn't your typical YA read. It's demands your attention and will make you think, long after you have finished the book. And because this book is a thinking book, I am still trying to figure out my thought and feels over this book! 

But I haven't read a book that has made me think in AGES and sometimes, you need a book in which you can read and think about, even when you have finished the books days/weeks/months ago. And if you're the mood for one of those books, I would say this is the book you need. 

GoodRead - WayLand

This book came as a complete surprise. Jasmine from David Fickling Books/Random House emailed me one day and asked if I would be interested in reading Wayland. This book is very much outside my normal reading. Some people will read this as poetry and others as a retelling of a Viking legend. But I said yes because of Philip Pullman. He called this tale "enthralling" and as I was thinking of rereading one of Philip's novels, I said yes and read this book with a mic of excitement and wariness.

Based on a little-known legend, this tells the tale of Wayland, a blacksmith whose skills have made him know across the land. But also onto the ears of a greedy king who take Wayland into slavery. In an attempt to return to his swan-bride, Wayland must rely on his skills, courage and hope to survive.

You need to read this out loud. I feel like that I need to make this clear. It is written in verse and, while reading in your head is alright, reading it out loud helps a lot to get the heartbeat (as I call it) of the story and Tony's writing. Because of reading it out loud, you fall under he story's spell.

And as for John Lawrence's illustrations, they fit the story perfectly. It has the feel of hand-carved block press and this fits with the story as it gives a feel of the time when this story takes place.

And for those of you thinking "This sounds a bit like a Disney tale", it isn't. There is a few moment of violence and one grown-up moment so... yeah... moving on!

But I really enjoyed reading this. And if you are a fan of proses and/or Viking tales, I think you all love this!

GoodRead - Being A Boy

As you guys are probably aware, I am not a non-fiction fan. I find it a bit jarring for my taste so when I do read non-fiction, it is VERY rare. But when I was chatting to the lovely Cait about Maureen Johnson, I asked about James Dawson's next horror novel that Hot Key are publishing next year. And, before I knew it, Cait asked if I wanted James's first non-fiction book, Being A Boy, I went "Why not?"

Being a Boy is a book about growing up. About puberty, dating and sex. It, as another author (Kim Curran) described it, fills the void between sex education in schools and online porn. But in a warts-and-all kinda way. It doesn't (pardon the pun) sex-up sex.

Now, as someone who had survived puberty, I think this would have been good to have when I was going up. It would have answered those questions I had. Do I have to be in a relationship as a teen? If I'm not ready to have sex, is that ok or does that make me a freak? Is my body meant to be doing that?

While James writes with his humour, he always writes with brutal honesty and this is needed. Though some of the illustrations (some, not all) by Spike Gerrell felt a tad childish for my liking, I think the two balanced each other. It was serious and talking about a serious subject matter, but it had humour (because... do you honestly think male teens would read this if it was just serious?), it helped make this short book feel useful and helpful.

My only worry with this book is how exactly teen boys are going to read it? It's not going to be seen as "cool" if you read this in public (and some teens care far too much about image - not all, but some). I can imagine that bookshops and library will put this under either "Non-Fiction", "Health" or (cringes a little) "Mind, Body and Soul" and when was the last time you saw a teen boy go ANYWAY near these genres? And if this book was given in class during sex education, I find it hard to believe that most boys in the class would read it. They would see it as homework or a punishment.

It might not be every boy's cup of tea but if one teen reads this and feels less alone in the world, then this book has done its job, right?

GoodRead - Fortunately, The Milk

It begins with milk. Well, the lack of milk, actually. Dad pops out to get some and, after a long time, he returns with milk and a story on how he got the milk. A story involving pirates, aliens, wumpires, an angry volcano god and time-travelling dinosaur. ... what? Don't you get that when you go out and buy some milk?

When Bloomsbury, the UK publisher, sent this to me, I was kinda excited to read it as it's not the "typical" Neil Gaiman book that I have read. I've only read a few Neil Gaiman novels (so am still a newbie to Gaiman's writing) and 2 of them were for teens (Coraline and The Graveyard Book). So, reading this was going to be interesting for me... But I guessed I would enjoy this because the UK cover is SHINY! For those of you who have magpie eye, you will love this book just for the shiny cover only!

This was a short and fast read for me. This wasn't aimed for my age group - I get that, I do. This is younger than my typical YA reading range but it was refreshing to read this and there were moments that I actually sniggered with laughter, mainly with lines from Professor Steg (aka the Dinosaur that's on the cover). One of my fave lines from this book was from page 41 and went like this:

"Dinosaurs are reptiles, sir," said Professor Steg. "We do not go in for milk."
"Do you go in for breakfast cereal?" I asked. 
"Of course!" he cried. "Dinosaurs LOVE breakfast cereal. Especially the kind with nuts in."

Why this is my favourite line, I have no idea. But it just made me smile and snigger into my cup of tea.

And the illustrations in this book - flawless. I adore Chris Riddell's drawing. I just loved all his drawers (though the Dad, I SWEAR, looks like Neil Gaiman himself!). My fave is the one on the right. I just LOVE this drawing. I want/need a framed drawing on this. Please, Bloomsbury/Chris Riddell. Please. I will love you LOADS if this happens.

I enjoyed this because it's like a nuts version of Doctor Who. Imagine if Matt Smith regenerated into a stegosaurus (now THAT would be AMAZING!). This was a tiny nod to time-travel but made it fun, silly and smiling while reading it.

GoodRead - Night School: Fracture

When Midas PR asked if I wanted to be involved in the Night School: Fracture blog tour, I didn't even really think about it. I immediately replied, saying "YES!". I'm not sure why I enjoy reading this series, but I do. I thoroughly enjoy reading these books so it, to me, seemed like a no brainer.

So, Fracture (as I'm going to call this book from now on) is the third book in the Night School series by CJ Daugherty. So, while I do try VERY HARD not to write spoilers, you have been warned that I might let something slip by accident. So... where to start?

After the shocking events at the end of book two (Legacy), Allie has kinda fallen apart. And her safe haven of Cimmeria Academy is no longer safe. For, within the walls of the school, there is a spy. Someone, who is working for the nefarious group, is trying to destroy everything Cimmeria stands for. But soon, paranoia grows...

I am going to admit it here and now. This isn't much of an action book. I wish it was as, while I enjoyed this book, I found myself wanting to throw this across the room, cursing CJ Daugherty in the same fury I do with Steven Moffat. But this book isn't action because it was a character book.

As I have previously stated, after the shocking events at the end of book two, Allie has kinda fallen to pieces. This book is about her rebuilding herself and reclaiming herself and her life back. So, while there was some action near the end of the book, this is a character-building book and, I sense, this might be important to the future two installments.

So, let me chat pros and cons of this book (which is going to be hard as I can't talk spoilers!).

One of the pros (and one of the main reasons I think I enjoy reading this series) is CJ's writing. She knows how to write a slow-burning thrillers. And that fact that this series is set inside an conspiracy theory makes the plot interesting. CJ explains everything in a way that makes perfect sense and makes it plausible, and then, just when you have things set in your own mind, CJ adds a further layer or a question that makes you unsure of the information you've just been given.

There was one or two moments that I didn't completely trust the book. But, saying that, I completely CJ in telling the story. Odd, I know, but I do.

Now, I have two cons with this. And both of these are story related. I think I touched on one of them in my review of Night School: Legacy. The first is security. I'm sorry but I had this issue with Legacy. We are told throughout this book that there is a high level of security at Cimmeria, and yet, things happened that shouldn't have happened! Something happened almost immediately  at the start of this book and there was no one in sight. I know this is probably because CJ wanted the story to move forward (and oh, it did. In a big way!) but still...

My second issue is answers. If you have been reading this series since the first book came out, you have questions that you want to be answered. Some of these questions do get answered and there are others that... well... aren't. I have one huge question that I need an answer to and I still haven't got it. I know CJ will probably reveal this answer in book 4 or 5 but, still, it's frustrates me that I don't know or have a hint of an idea of the answer.

I think, out of the series so far, this is probably my fave. But, I kinda need book four (which has the title of Night School: Resistance [oh, it's might all be hitting the fan now!]) and I am not sure if I can wait till June 2014 (ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!). Maybe I should try and kidnap CJ and force her to write where I can see her so, you know, I don't get upset or angry while reading the next book...




PS - what to know what was in the letter? Click the video below to find out...

GoodRead - Cruel Summer

As you guys are probably aware, I'm a bit of a fan with James Dawson. Last year, he wrote one of my fave books of 2012, Hollow Pike. And this year, his second novel is out. And that is called Cruel Summer.

But does it live up to my high expectations?

Janey fells to her death. Suicide, the Police said. One year later, her friends - Ryan, Katie, Ben, Alisha, Greg and his current girlfriend, Erin - go on holiday in Spain, all bar Erin (who met Greg months later) hoping to put the past behind them. That is, until Roxanne Dent crashes the party and throw out a shocking confession: Janey was murdered and she has proof.

The events that follow throws doubt on everyone in the villa. One of the them is a killer and not all of them will survive the Spanish sun...

I loved this book. I think this, dare I say it, is better than Hollow Pike. A huge statement to make, I know, but I devoured this book within 3 or 4 days. It was addictive reading!

Does anyone remember Point Horror from the 90s? Well, imagine that with a teen drama (The OC, One Tree Hill, Gossip Girl, etc) and make it British, and you have what Cruel Summer is about. I'm not sure how else to describe this. Although I haven't watched it, am pretty certain you guys who have watched the Scream movies will love this book because it's very similar. Murder! Doubt! Chatty humour! Even cattier characters! Tongue firmly in cheek!

So, did I guess who the killer was? Kinda, but I was always unsure of myself. I kept jumping between two and three characters. But when it was revealed and why, I was SHOCKED! I was speeding through the last 100 pages going "WHAT?! HOW?! GET THE HECK OUT OF THAT VILLA!!! RUN!!!"

This book would be PERFECT for a movie (hint hint Film4/Kickstarter). And as someone who HATES reading/watching horror, I would go see this!

Oh dear, this is turning into one of those gushy review but I loved this book! If you are a fan of Scream or like the idea of a "What if Point Horror had a child with TV's Gossip Girl?", this is the book for you.

GoodRead - How To Talk To Girls At Parties

I have been interested/excitement over Neil Gaiman's soon-to-be-released novel The Ocean At The End Of The Lane and I have talked to my brother-in-law's sister (who is a HUGE Neil Gaiman fan) and has said she will try and lend me two other of his novels (once I finish the Caster Chronicles - and I will finish it soon!). So, when the publisher, Headline, revealed that they were going to release a free short story with an sneaky peek of The Ocean At The End of the Lane, of course I preordered it. It was free, as well! An added bonus!

Some of you have probably read How To Talk To Girls At Parties as this was one of the short stories within one of Neil Gaiman's collection of short stories, Fragile Things. For those of you who don't, this short is about two friends who are going to a party, but go to the wrong party. There, the main character begins to notice something isn't quite right...

This was a fast read. I like my fast reads, but as this is a short story, I kinda got that. But, THIS STORY HAS NO ANSWERS! If you like it all neat and tied up in a bow, you are not going to get it here. The narrator gives us hints that we, the reader, see but for some unknown reason, he doesn't. 

I did like it and I am curious to read Fragile Things, but compare to Neil's other works, I feel a bit let down. Not much of a review - sorry, but thought you ought to know. 

GoodRead - The Terrible Tales of the Teenytinysaurs!

The lovely Hannah at Walker Books sent a few of us book bloggers the Walker Books Catalogue for the Summer months and as soon as I saw this (or did I hear two bloggers - @MattLibrarian & another I can't remember), I KNEW I had to read it.

COME ON, DEAR READER! YOU SHOULD KNOW ME BY NOW!

A group of dino friends try and answer the those important questions: can you fly to the moon in a bubble of snort? Can you really have a conversion with a cloud? Are there such things as bogey monsters?

I'm not sure how to review this as... well... it's a "comic strip" book about dinosaurs! And there are bogeies, snot, poo, and sweet moments about friendship and parents.

I read this while in bed, in one sitting. And I was sniggering. It's a silly yet utterly charming comic strip book and I think some kids out there will be howling with laughter.

GoodRead - The Night Itself

I have to let you guys into a secret. Earlier in the year (late March, early April), I (along with a few other very lucky book bloggers) received a very early and very exclusive ARC from Hannah from Walker Books. She asked, nicely but firmly, to keep this book a secret till we were given the OK to share. A month later, she said "Ok, share. But no reviews". And we did. And now, if you are reading this, she's given the OK to share our thoughts with you guys.

And that book was The Night Itself, the first book in Zoe Marriott's new trilogy, The Name of the Blade. And I read it within days of me receiving it. 

I know. I am THAT bad a person. 

So, the book. When Mio steals her late grandfather's katana - a priceless sword that is meant to be keep hidden at all times - all she was doing was livening up her fancy dress costume. Not unleash an ancient evil, determined to get it from her at all cost, onto modern day London! And now, not only has Mio started to be stalked from creatures from mythical Japanese myths, she somehow unleashed a mysterious warrior that wants to save her and keep her safe. But Mio has to figure it out. Figure out the katana's strange powers. But lives are on the line, and she seems to be only one worthy enough to save them... 

Am going to get straight to the point on this: I ADORE THIS BOOK! 

I just fell for it, hook line and sinker. I kinda guess I would but I didn't expect I would so quickly and get so addictive over it till I did. There was one point I took this book out to my local coffee shop with my other half (he had his iPad). I got so sucked into the chapter I was reading, I didn't hear him ask me the same question several times before he had to poke me in the arm. That was how absorbed I was in this book and I don't think I've had that feeling with a book for quite a while. To vanish from the world. 

As I read this back in April and several months have passed, I can't remember if I had any issues with this book, but OH! The Questions! I have questions which I hope will be answered in the next two books in the trilogy. And AT LAST, we see characters that the author didn't have to spell out the sexuality or skin ethnicity. She didn't have to use a sledgehammer and drum the point home! She treated her readers with respect and for that, Zoe, I thank you. 

I thought while read it back in April (and still do now) that if you are a fan of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments and/or Infernal Devices series, that you might want to check this book out. Just... trust me on this, ok?

PS - I'm sorry but whenever Mio thought of her katana as "Mine", I always imagined Gollum saying it in my head. Preciousssss.... 

GoodRead - Follow Me Down

As you guys know, I kinda love Tanya Byrne. She's one of my fave authors from last year. And with her debut, Heart-Shaped Bruise, it was one of those stories that got under your skin and made you question the book long after you finished it. And after meeting Tanya twice (once last year at Foyles and the other a few weeks ago linked to the Essex Book Festival), I'm surprised she hasn't put a restaining order against me.

So, of course, when the lovely Sam from Headline told me at the Essex Book Festival event that she had sent me an ARC of Tanya's second novel, Follow Me Down, you can imagine how excited I was. And after reading my secret read (review for that book coming soon-ish), I dived into this...

When Adamma Okonma move from New York into England, she's a bit unhappy. She's moved away from her friends, her boyfriend, all because her father is Nigerian diplomat. So when her family put her in Crofton College, a boarding school in the middle of nowhere, you can guess her reaction. So when she meets Scarlett, she begins to think things are looking up. But Scarlett is secretive, wants to be center of attention, runs away without warning. Their friendship becomes destructive. And then something comes between them, tearing them apart.

Told in two timelines - Before and After - we see Adamma become friends with Scarlett and their friendship grown then destroy itself and then we see Adamma after something unspeakable happens.

So, you're probably wondering: is this book as good as Heart-Shaped Bruise? Or is it, as Tanya feared when she was writing this, a one hit wonder?

Oh, Tanya. Why did you worry? This book is just as dark, twisty and as addictive as Heart-Shaped Bruise. And, at the same time, it is very different from Heart-Shaped Bruise. Adamma is so different to Emily Knoll, as is Scarlett. Follow Me Down is very different from Heart-Shaped Bruise as Follow Me Down has two mysteries slowly intertwine together while Heart-Shaped Bruise is a dark revenge plot. The two mysteries - what happened to Scarlett and who is Adamma romantically involved with - will have you turning the pages and will have you guessing to the last page.

I loved this. I loved how this thriller kept me on the edge of my seat, staying up late at night and guessing till I closed the book. I think you guys, who love dark contemporary thriller, need to get your mitts on this. And when you do, NO JUMPING AHEAD TO THE END!

GoodRead - Wild Boy

When Hannah from Walker Books asked if I wanted to read this, it took me a few minutes of reading what the story was about before I emailed her back, saying yes and waited for the perfect time to read it. That came a few weeks ago and now, I feel like I can talk about it because of the Wild Boy blog tour.

Set in Victorian London, in a travelling freak show, there is a boy completely covered in hair. Wild Boy. But while people see him as a freak, he watches them and develops a knack for observation and detection that is almost Sherlock Holmes-like. And then a murder happens and the fingers begin to point to him, Wild Boy has to go on the run. With red-haired acrobat Clarissa Everett, the pair must put their differences aside and join forces to find the real murder. But with a price on their heads, it might be harder than they think... Roll up, roll up, the circus is in town...

I'm going to admit something very quickly: this is a tad younger than my normal reads. It's not as meaty, as dark or as sinister as most of my reads.

But I loved it. I completely fell under Wild Boy's charm and would always find myself smiling within a few pages of reading. It was one of those stories that sucked me in, even though it was "light" compare to my other reads. I just loved the characters, the story, the mystery, the twists...

Now, I've read some reviews and most seem to get who the mysterious hooded figure aka the killer was. I didn't. I honestly thought it was someone completely different so when it was revealed in an almost Agatha Christie style, I read the line again. And again. And then went "WHAT?!" on Twitter.

I know I should be negative, but I can't. This was a great read and I want/need a sequel. There better be a sequel, Rob. Because I don't want to let Wild Boy go yet...

PS - when I finished Wild Boy, all I thought was this line from Doctor Who. It just fits the story so perfectly!

GoodRead - Pantomime

I have ACTUALLY no idea how to review this for you guys. Absolutely none! Will explain why in a tick, but let me tell you how I got my copy. I got it from Vivenne from Serendipity Reviews who was my UKYABB Secret Santa. She gave me this (and a hardback of The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross) and I actually got excited. I have been drooling over this book since I first heard of it. It just sounded right up my street! Fantasy? In a circus? PERFECT!

So, Pantomime. In Ellada, R.H. Ragona's Circus of Magic is the circus. Nestled within the blue Penglass - remnants of a civilisation that has long since vanished - the circus is the place where anything is possible. And the perfect place to hide...

Gene is uncomfortable with her life in corsets and dances. She would rather prefer climbing a tree. Micah Grey is a runaway. He joins the circus to escape the dangers of the street. Both have secrets. Both have a balancing act to perform, and one wrong move could spell the end...

Now, I see you guys reading that and go "and your problem in reviewing this book is...?". Well, Pantomine is a book of secrets. There are so many secrets in here - and there's one that I'm pretty certain will shock/surprise/have you rereading the previous paragraphs going "What? What?! Where did THAT come from?!". And because of this, writing this review with spoilers is going to be a nightmare! I always let something slip when I write reviews so this is gonna be interesting challenge for me.

Anyway, the book. I loved it! I loved how Laura wrote the life of the circus and all the characters within the Big Top. How she made each character have layers that, when you first meet them, you didn't think they had. Laura write circus life as hard word (like any other job) but she adds depth to this gaslight fantasy/steampunk world that she's writing (and the fact there is a sequel makes me very happy!).

Though this is very fantasy, you read about relationships and sexuality, and Laura writes these moments well. There were times I wondered (and still do) if I thought I saw moments of a bisexual love triangle (something which I haven't read in YA ever!) and that's what makes this book so brilliant.

This book is unlike anything I have ever read. It is so different and so unique, I don't think I can do it justice in a review without spoilers. So, am going to stop this review now and just say the following: I want the sequel. I want the sequel now!

GoodRead - Undone

As you guys are probably aware, I am a a bit of a Cat Clarke fan. So, if you are expecting a non-bias review... er... you might want to go somewhere else.

Actually, I nearly didn't review Undone. Alice from Quercus tried to send me Undone several times before I got it (third times the charm!). I think either the previous parcel got lost in the post, the postman's a Cat Clarke fan too or my family and other half bribed the postman to "lose" my mail if it looks booky.

Anyway, Undone. Jem has been in love with her best friend, Kai, since she first met him. The fact he's gay makes things kinda difficult, but she's getting over that. And then something unspeakable happens: Kai's outed on the internet. And Kai kills himself.

Jem is beside herself. Her best friend died. She can't see a way forward. Until she decides to find out who posted that video, and make them pay in the cruelest way possible...

I feel like I've been saying this a lot about this book: this is Cat's most powerful book to date. She doesn't flinch away from the subject matter - grief, homophobia, bullying, discrimination, suicide, the damages of lies just to name a few - so if you don't like reading about these, stay away from this book. But Cat seems to get under Jem's skin while writing and, though she does things in her act of revenge I can't forgive for (not gonna spoil), you kinda understood what drove Jem to do the things she did in the extreme ways she did.

Jem's grief speaks volumes and when you get to read Kai's letters to Jem... I know book bloggers who have read this book and have sobbed while reading Kai's letters. I got kinda choked up over Kai's March and July. So, yeah... unless you have a heart made of stone or sold your emotions on eBay, you will probably cry or feel on the verge of crying. You have been warned.

There is something that might bother some of you guys (apart from the possible crying) is the language. While swear words don't bother me (and I think Cat gets wayward teens better than anyone - maybe Hollyoaks should hire her as head scriptwriter...), I sense it might bother some of you. So, if you have issues on swearing and underage sex (amongs other things), you might want to avoid.

While I guessed one twist early on, Cat nails it with the twists that follow at a stupid pace.

Unflinching, uncomfortable at times yet unputdownable. This is Cat Clarke's best novel to date.




PS - I don't normally do this, but as this book deals with issues that I think need addressing, I feel have to write this. So, if any of the issues in this book affect you, please contact one of the following as I think these are very helpful:

The Samaritians (UK) - http://www.samaritans.org/
Childline (UK) - http://www.childline.org.uk/
Stonewall (UK) - http://www.stonewall.org.uk/
The Trevor Project (US) - http://www.thetrevorproject.org/

GoodRead - Callum

I know some of you guys are huge Noughts and Crosses fans. So the fact I say I haven’t read any books (barring An Eye for An Eye a few years back) might shock. “And you call yourself a YA book blogger” I hear one or two of you cry (I still find that odd. Being called a book blogger. And yet, I accept it now whereas a few years ago [and at the Hot Key Books/Templar book blogger event a few days ago], I would be very “Oh no! No, I’m faking it! No one’s twigged yet but I’m here for the free cake!”). Well, I do have every intention to read Noughts and Crosses (it’s on my kindle) after someone at my temp job recommended it to me. And I am going to reread An Eye for an Eye when I do so. But, I wanted to read something fast, hence why I read Callum.

Callum is a “What If” story. Told from Callum’s point of view, he tells the story of what if… what if, instead of deciding one important decision in Noughts and Crosses (as I haven’t read, you will have to pardon my lacking of information), he decided something different. Would his fate be the same as in Noughts and Crosses? Or would it be completely different? Now, “What if” is a dangerous thing to ask any storyteller in whatever medium. Hence why there are so many “what if?” books/TV shows/movies out there. It sits in the person’s brain and then, that all they can think about. “What if…?”

Sorry, am rambling. Anyway, as you know I haven't read the series but this is very much a fan read. If you're a fan of the series, you will love it. More Callum and Stephy? I sense you guys want that! As someone who knows very little of the series, I did find certain things the characters mentioned a bit of a "Huh?" moment, but I really enjoyed the story. I read it in over an hour and was a little upset when the story came to an end (HOW COULD IT END THERE?!) And with a teaser of Noughts and Crosses at the back, I devoured that. I'm quite excited to read Noughts and Crosses now. But that will have to wait for a while, sadly. So many books, so little time...

I wish the story was longer, but yes, I thoroughly enjoyed Callum. I will be checking out more of Malorie Blackman in the near future...

GoodRead - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

I have to admit something. I adore the Disney versions (both the animation and the Tim Burton version - "The Alice?"), but I have never read Lewis Carroll's stories of them. I knew they were two stories of Alcie adventures merged together, but never read them. So, when the lovely Emma from Book Angel Booktopia sent me a copy as a surprise (I love her because she thinks of books and shares them with people), I thought "Ok, I will have to read you in the near future." But it took reading several quite dark books and me beginning to feel I might slip into a reading slump to grab this.

I think we all know the stories. In Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Alice falls down a rabbit hole, chasing the White Rabbit. Here she meets the Dodo, had tea with the Mad Hatter and the March Hare, play croquet the Queen of Hearts and met (my fave character) the Cheshire Cat. In Through The Looking Glass, Alice walks through a mirror into world that feels like a huge chess game, meets the Red and White Queens, talk to some talking flowers, was told the tale of the Jabberwock ("She kills my Jabber-baby-wocky!?") and meets Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

It's very weird to read this as an adult because, I think, if I read this as a child, I would have loved it. And a tiny part of me love it. But while I was reading it now, as an adult, all I could think was "If Lewis Carroll tried to get this publish today, he couldn't. It would near impossible to get this publish today. So, how did this become a children's classic?" That was what I was thinking. I wondered how it became a classic. I think Disney help cement it, but I might be wrong.

It was weird. And insane. And I needed that. So, this was the perfect book to have after reading dark books as it was a relief. There was no pressure. And, I watched Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland and I kept going "Oh, this was in Alice in Wonderland" or "Oh! That's why her knights are chess pieces!" or "So, that's why we have the Bandersnatch, the Jubjub Bird and the Vorpal Sword! They're mentioned in the Jabberwocky poem!" (I didn't know Lewis Carroll wrote the Jabberworky poem so this was very new information for me!)

I did have issues when I first finished the book but, since then, I have watched an Alice In Wonderland so some of my issues have gone. Bar one. And this is aimed more at the publishers than you guys so...

To my knowledge, before a book gets published, publishers have editors and proofreaders to read the book and make sure that there are no mistakes in the book. However, I found TONS of mistakes. TONS! Most of them were grammar mistakes (for example, Alice would think something and then she would speak. Expect you had no idea when the thought ended and the speaking began because there was no quotation marks at the start of Alice speaking. Or the one sentence when Alice was playing croquet and the sentence read She she went in search of her hedgehog. Sorry, but she she? Only one she is needed). Small mistakes and yet, these slipped through and they got published. If this happened once or twice, I would have let it go, but these kind of mistakes happened ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE BOOKS! And that is very annoying to a reader. Well, to this reader. I can't speak for all of you guys.

I know this happens rarely (this is the first book that this has happened since I have started blogging - if not, ever!) but it's makes reading the book harder as you're going "Is that how it's meant to be...?"

While I do like it and I now truly "get" the Alice movies, I have been bought up on the Disney movies so my love is going towards them. But, if you want to read what the movies are based on, then get your hands on a copy (maybe not this edition, if you can help it)...

GoodRead - Night School: Legacy

I managed to nab my hands on a copy of Night School: Legacy when I took part in the Night School Legacy blog tour (did you take part?) so when I have now read it and can be honest with you on my views on the book.

Allie has turned her life around. Before she was forced to join Cimmeria Academy, she was arrested three times and her family was close to a breakdown since her brother's disappearance. But at the Academy, she has got her life back. But after the fire that nearly destroyed the school (and her with it), Allie realises that Cimmeria isn't as safe as she first hoped. The school is at a centre of a conspiracy and outside forces - along with her brother's help - want control of it. And with someone inside the school working as a mole for the enemy, Allie has to be careful who she trusts. But secrets are dangerous things. They can rip the strongest of relationships apart. They can get someone killed.

As you guys are probably away if you go back to my review of Night School (which was last year, I think), I read it thinking it was a standalone and didn't rate it so highly. This time round, I know that Legacy (ok, am shortening it to this, hope that's ok for you guys) was the second book in a series so I knew there would be unanswered questions. I knew things will hit the fan. But when they did...

I really liked it. I walked into this book as if I was greeting an old friend and thoroughly enjoyed it at the beginning. But the end, I wanted to kill a few characters. But that's getting ahead of ourselves. First, let's get into the pros of this book.

It's still a slow thriller. We still have that sense of foreboding. Oh, CJ, you know how to make that work for you. And now we have the feeling of being inside a conspiracy theory, it seems more complex and layered. The character development matches the pace of the book and feels real. Like these characters are growing. And with everything that is slowly unravelling and some of the threads being wrapped up and others left annoyingly dangling (WHO'S THE MOLE, CJ?! WHO?!), making reading the next book interesting ...

I have one or two faults. Sorry, I do. I always do, I find recently. First is character development  Yes, I know I said this is a good thing (and it is), but with a character (naming no names), I wondered if they had a personality transplant. Who was this angry, possessive, controlling person, for they weren't in the first book? And I got so angry over this, the author tweeted me to see if I was ok and had calmed down (I did, but I had to stop reading it for the rest of the day).

The second thing was everyone's reaction. Now, I'm sorry, but one of the bad guys was a former student of Cimmeria and he killed people. Let's say that again. Killed. So, while they was extra security (which is fine), the characters were allowed to do midnight patrols of the grounds (when it has been known that he got pass security on several occasions), have a party at castle ruins because of tradition (again, knowing that a killer could get pass security) and hosting a Winter Ball with high profile people in the world of politics (with again, this guy has got pass security and the fact that there's a mole in the school). Sorry, but I found that hard to believe. I found it hard to believe that, if this was real, that this would be the way to go...

Anyway, Legacy. I liked it. It's better than Night School. And I'm intrigued over the next book, but I kept picking holes in it...

GoodRead - The Man In The Picture

I fully blame Amazon and their 12 Days of Kindle sale earlier this month for this. I was scared off Susan Hill by the movie version of her classic ghost story, The Woman in Black (seriously? How was that a 12A movie?!) as the audiobook version creeped me out (review here). But when I saw this for 99p, I couldn't resist. I bought it and a few others eBooks that I hope to read over the coming year (unlikely, but I shall try!).

By the fire place, Oliver's old Cambridge dom, Theo, tells a tale. A tale about a painting he has hanging on the wall. A painting of a Venetain carnival. But behind the masks within the painting, lies something sinister. Something that will slowly have an effect on Oliver's life, although he is unaware of it. For the painting isn't simply a painting...

This is a very quick read and fills very neatly into the classic ghost story. No blood, guts and gory here. Just a feeling of uneasiness and Susan Hill does this really well. I read this in 3 sittings, two of them at night and at these sittings, I did feel a little spooked by it as it was the sense of foreboding. The reader knows something awful is going to happen but the characters in the book don't.

While this is a quick read and some of you will like this this, I have problems. Two, mainly. The first is the way the story is told. I read it with four voices in my head: Oliver, Theo, the Countess (which comes later in the story) and Oliver's fiancée, Anne. While I know it should be two technically as Oliver is writing the story down, I heard four voices. And I had no idea when one voice stopped and another started. I had to guess every time a chapter started if Theo had taken over or if Oliver was still talking to us. It was very annoying and took me out of the story every now and then.

The second was the ending and the fact it didn't spook me. Maybe it was when I read it - being very tired - but with the first two sittings of read this, I got spooked. But when I read the last bit, I didn't feel spooked. I kinda guessed the ending and it didn't unnerve me. I was kinda "... is that it?"

I can very much see some of you lot reading this and getting creeped out by this. And I will read another Susan Hill ghost story (Dolly looks quite scary!), but it didn't rock my boat like The Woman in Black did.

*

PS - I was going to try and find an image of Venice Carnival scene but came across these two pics and don't they look creepy?!