Book Review: You Look Different in Real Life by Jennifer Castle.

Product details:
Publisher: HarperTeen.
Release date:  June 4th 2013.
Hardcover, 368 pages.
Rating: 3½ out of 5.
Ages: 13+
Source: Received from publisher for review.

For the rest of the world, the movies are entertainment. For Justine, they're real life.

The premise was simple: five kids, just living their lives. There'd be a new movie about them every five years, starting in kindergarten. But no one could have predicted what the cameras would capture. And no one could have predicted that Justine would be the star.

Now sixteen, Justine doesn't feel like a star anymore. In fact, when she hears the crew has gotten the green light to film Five at Sixteen, all she feels is dread. The kids who shared the same table in kindergarten have become teenagers who hardly know one another. And Justine, who was so funny and edgy in the first two movies, feels like a disappointment.

But these teens have a bond that goes deeper than what's on film. They've all shared the painful details of their lives with countless viewers. They all know how it feels to have fans as well as friends. So when this latest movie gives them the chance to reunite, Justine and her costars are going to take it. Because sometimes, the only way to see yourself is through someone else's eyes.

Smart, fresh, and frequently funny, You Look Different in Real Life is a piercing novel about life in an age where the lines between what's personal and what's public aren't always clear.

What happens when the cameras stop rolling?

Justine has lived her life in front of the camera since the age of six, signed up, along with five other kids to participate in a series of documentaries that would follow her life in installments until the age of twenty one.  Six year old Justine was a natural in front of the camera. At eleven, her quick tongue and edgy style made her the break-out star of the movies. Now the filmmakers are back – it’s time to reunite for the third installment. Only problem is, Justine isn’t sure she wants her life to play out in public any more –she’s not sure she has a life that people will want to see.  And those other kids from the documentaries, well, they might have been her friends once upon a time, but now, not so much.

Jennifer Castle’s You Look Different in Real Life has a great premise – and it’s a smart, funny, insightful read that kept me fully engaged from beginning to end. Reading about what makes, shapes, and sometimes breaks people has always interested me, and in that sense, this book is a perfect study in character, as we follow these five kids from the ages of six through sixteen learning how they’ve been shaped by their life experiences – and in their dealings with each other.

Our narrator is Justine, and just like the protagonist in Castle’s debut The Beginning of After, headstrong Justine is something of an acquired taste. She has a strong narrative voice to go along with her strong personality – sometimes bratty, wholly self-centered – so much so that at times I found myself wishing that this was a multiple-POV book.  That said we get to know the other participants in the ‘Five At’ documentaries pretty well. Felix, Nate, Rory and Keira all have their own issues to deal with, and their own stories to tell. Each character is interesting – from beautiful and enigmatic Keira to Nate, the boy who was bullied as a kid, and who has now transformed into the guy that all the guys want to be and all the girls want to be with. So, what happened in Nate’s life to bring about such a transformation, and why did his friendship with former best friend Felix fall apart? Same goes for Justine and Rory who used to be best friends, but who now no longer talk at all. As for Keira – she hates Justine for reasons Justine can’t figure out. Looks like the ‘Five At’ kids have a lot of issues to sort out during the course of this documentary.

Along with its great premise, I loved how this book segued into road trip territory, complete with a soundtrack, snacks, some impromptu partying and an adopted rabbit – so all the required ingredients for a great road trip, then! There’s also romance – it’s teasing and slow burning – but read between the lines right from the start – and it’s there. I loved the smidge of romance in this one, and wished for more, but You Look Different in Real Life is not all about romance, it’s a book of growing up and self-discovery and for Justine it’s about casting off the persona created by those documentaries and letting go of the past to become the person she really is – the person she needs to be.

Worth reading.

 

From Book to Screen: The White Queen by Philippa Gregory is coming to a small screen near YOU!

I don't know about you, but Philippa Gregory is one of my favourite authors of historical fiction, and The White Queen just happens to be a favourite of mine!

I have a little bit of catching up to do with the series and the arrival of a new TV show based on the books might just give me the incentive I need to bump those books up my TBR pile!

Read on for more details on The White Queen TV adaptation.

Will you be watching?

Photo Credit: © 2013 Starz Entertainment, LLC.

“The White Queen,” adapted from Phillipa Gregory’s best-selling novels based on England’s War of the Roses (also known as The Cousins’ War) will premiere on STARZ in the U.S. on Saturday, August 10^th at 9pm ET/PT, following the Friday night finale of the second season of “Magic City.”

“The White Queen” novels and series are told from the perspective of the three fiercely determined women who laid claim to the English throne: Elizabeth Woodville (The White Queen), Margaret Beaufort (The Red Queen) and Anne Neville (The Kingmaker’s Daughter). 

While the men fought and killed on the battlefield in their quest for power, these three women used whatever means possible to wage war on their enemies who stood in their way and threatened their claim.

In the STARZ original drama, the year is 1464, before the Tudor dynasty ruled England, and war has been ravaging throughout the country over who is the rightful king.  It is a blood feud between two sides of the same family; The House of York and The House of Lancaster.  The House of York’s young heir Edward IV is crowned King of England with the help of his mentor and advisor, the master manipulator Lord Warwick, known at court as “The Kingmaker.”  When Edward falls in love with a beautiful Lancastrian commoner, Elizabeth Woodville, Warwick’s plan to control the throne comes crashing down.  A violent, high-stakes struggle for the crown ensues between Elizabeth, her fiercest adversary, Lancastrian Margaret Beaufort and Anne Neville, a pawn in her father’s power game.

“All are heroines in the real sense of the word,” explains author Philippa Gregory. “They were courageous and determined and went through extraordinary danger, but they never abandoned their unwavering desire to return their family to power. They conquered the circumstances they were born into and made a life for themselves, which is a very modern and quite feminist theme. I think people are going to be surprised to see these remarkably powerful women when traditional history tells you female were simply relegated to be victims or wives or mothers.”

“The White Queen” stars Rebecca Ferguson as Elizabeth Woodville, Max Irons (The Host) as Edward IV, Golden Globe winner and Academy Award nominee Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs) as Elizabeth’s mother Jacquetta Woodville, James Frain (“The Tudors”) as The Kingmaker and Amanda Hale (“The Crimson Petal and the White”) as mother to Henry Tudor, Margaret Beaufort.  The series also stars Faye Marsay as Anne Neville, David Oakes as George, Duke of Clarence, Eleanor Tomlinson as Isabel Neville, Aneurin Barnard as Richard, Duke of Gloucester, Ben Lamb as Anthony Rivers and Tom McKay as Jasper Tudor.

The ten-part limited series is a BBC co-production, adapted from The New York Times best-selling historical novel series “The Cousins’ War” by Philippa Gregory. “The White Queen” is produced by Company Pictures and adapted by acclaimed writer Emma Frost. The series is directed by James Kent, Jamie Payne and Colin Teague with Gina Cronk serving as producer. Executive Producers include John Griffin, George Faber, Charles Pattinson for Company Pictures, Philippa Gregory, Eurydice Gysel for Czar Television, Polly Hill for the BBC and Colin Callender for Playground Entertainment on behalf of Starz.

Starz enjoys all U.S. and worldwide multiplatform distribution rights to “The White Queen” from ALL3Media International, with the exception of television rights in the UK, where the series will air on BBC One, and rights in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

“The White Queen” Online 

Website || Facebook || Twitter

Join the conversation at: #TheWhiteQueen

ETA: The White Queen will air in the UK from June 16th 2013 on BBC One.


Additional Information: Press Release.

Reviewed by Arianne: 172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad.

Product details:
Publisher: Atom.
Paperback, 368 pages.
Release date: April 5th 2013.
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Ages: 13+
Source: Received from publisher for review.
Reviewed by: Arianne.

It's been decades since anyone set foot on the moon. Now three ordinary teenagers, the winners of NASA's unprecedented, worldwide lottery, are about to become the first young people in space—and change their lives forever. Mia, from Norway, hopes this will be her punk band's ticket to fame and fortune. Midori believes it's her way out of her restrained life in Japan. Antoine, from France, just wants to get as far away from his ex-girlfriend as possible.

It's the opportunity of a lifetime, but little do the teenagers know that something sinister is waiting for them on the desolate surface of the moon. And in the black vacuum of space... no one is coming to save them.

In this chilling adventure set in the most brutal landscape known to man, highly acclaimed Norwegian novelist Johan Harstad creates a vivid and frightening world of possibilities we can only hope never come true.

In a world where dystopian fiction rules the roost, it's easy to get lost in the sea of apocalyptic sci-fi pretenders that litter our shelves these days. This book puts those wannabes firmly back in their place.

Filled with tension, terror and troubles of a very extra-terrestrial kind, it's a thriller through and through - but while it succeeded in rendering me paralyzed with fear long after I'd flipped the final page, it's not a book I can say I enjoyed.

It started out really well. There was mystery, suspicion and the covert motive of a huge industrial corporation to keep the story flowing. The premise isn't all that fanciful when you think about it - is anyone else envisioning the recent Lynx Space Academy adverts here? - and this gives an extra thrill to this spine-chiller before the first chapter is even over.

However, the science fact behind the novel is where the author really shines. Speculation is carefully layered with research, giving it all a very plausible feel. The use of documents, pictures and the famous Wow! signal in particular add a multitude of pleasures to the stark, bleak backdrop otherwise provided.

There are three main characters - Mia, Midori and Antoine - but it's Mia we follow and root for most. She's the hope in the face of the dreadful fate that appears to await all who dare set foot on the surface of the Moon: death, by hideous monster creatures nobody really seems to know much about. 

I liked Mia, but I have to say, the characterization (and this was a feature of the writing in general) wasn't brilliant. There was a romance, but it's hardly worth mentioning. I didn't connect with the characters - perhaps due to the fact the author skipped over a massive chunk of time where they could have been developed beyond the mere sketches we were left with in the second half of the novel. Equally, perhaps it was because their reasons for entering the moon-lottery weren't very strong. The adult characters were written best, but I was left unsure if the real spark of the book was simply lost in translation or if YA is really the author's forte.

Because, in essence, this is a horror story. There was so much more horror than I expected that it left me unable to enjoy the concept or the plot progression. I'd expected a creepy, spine-chilling read, but this book took it way too far! Maybe I'm being unfair, but I think I'll stick to Wallander for my share of Scandinavian drama from now on.

I should talk about the ending, though. I did not see it coming, and that's taking all the bloodshed and horror that came before it into account, too. It was one of the novel's main redeeming factors for me - I won't spoil it for you, but let's just say this book really does come with a sting in its tale!

In short: I didn't hate everything about it, but this book's uninspiring writing and excessive gore cancelled out its shocking premise which caught my attention in the first place. If rebranded it could perhaps find an owner in a true horror fan, but overall, it just wasn't for me.

--Arianne.

Book Trailer: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon.

The first in a seven-book fantasy series from debut author Samantha Shannon, The Bone Season looks set to be a big hit when it publishes in August 2013.  The advance buzz is very promising for this one, it's already in movie development and I've heard Samantha being described in 'new J.K. Rowling' terms - so no pressure, huh!

I have to say, though, that the book trailer for this one has my interest piqued, and if you feel the same, you can go request a copy of the book on Netgalley now.

If you've already read The Bone Season, I'd love to know what you thought of it!

Advance Praise For The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon:

'Truly extraordinary and thrilling.' Andy Serkis

'A new breed of women authors are claiming fantasy as their own. Leading the charge is Samantha Shannon.' Harper's Bazaar

'A dark and exquisitely rendered fantasy unlike anything out there. The Bone Season is a must read.' Kami Garcia, co-author of the Beautiful Creatures series

'Samantha Shannon has a hugely inventive talent and an imagination with seven league boots. She's hit the ground running.' Susan Hill 

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon || Release date: August 2013

The year is 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of Scion London, based at Seven Dials, employed by a man named Jaxon Hall. Her job: to scout for information by breaking into people’s minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant and, in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing.

It is raining the day her life changes for ever. Attacked, drugged and kidnapped, Paige is transported to Oxford – a city kept secret for two hundred years, controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. Paige is assigned to Warden, a Rephaite with mysterious motives. He is her master. Her trainer. Her natural enemy. But if Paige wants to regain her freedom she must allow herself to be nurtured in this prison where she is meant to die.

The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine and also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. Samantha Shannon has created a bold new reality in this riveting debut.

Book Review: Down London Road by Samantha Young.

Product details:
Publisher: Penguin.
Paperback, 464 pages.
Release date: May 9th 2013.
Rating: 3½ out of 5.
Ages: Adult.
 Series: On Dublin Street  #2.
Other Books in Series: On Dublin Street.
Source: Received from publisher for review.

Johanna Walker knows what she wants. And that's a strong, steady, financially secure man who will treat her well and look after her and her little brother, Cole - something her parents have never done.

But when she meets the gorgeous Cameron MacCabe, a new bartender at work, Jo can't deny the instant and undeniable attraction she feels. Cam doesn't fit into her strict specifications of her perfect partner at all - but for once she is tempted to let her heart rule her head.

And as their intense connection grows, Jo has to stop hiding the truth about herself and her family. Is Cam prepared to accept Jo for who she really is? And is Jo willing to let someone into her life for keeps?

Sensationally sexy, Samantha Young’s On Dublin Street was one of my favourite reads of 2012 and it came as no surprise to me when this self-published best-seller was snapped up by traditional publishers the world over.  In this companion novel, Young is once again in fine form as she takes us Down London Road. While this novel sometimes lacks the charm of its predecessor, the page-turning story of Cam and Jo nonetheless brims with sizzling chemistry and super hot times from start to finish.

Thanks to her alcoholic mother, Johanna Walker has had to grow up fast. Now twenty-four, Jo has carved out a life for herself and her brother, Cole. Jo never wants to go back to the dark days of struggle she experienced as a child, and she wants the best life she can provide for Cole, so much so that she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get what she wants.  For Jo, this means finding a very rich guy and being the perfect girlfriend in the hopes that one day it’ll lead her down the aisle.  Jo thinks she might have just found this in Malcolm, the business man she’s been dating for a few months. Only problem is, while Jo cares for Malcolm, she doesn’t love him – there’s no chemistry, no passion.

Enter Cameron McCabe, who takes one look at Jo and figures out exactly what she is – another money grabbing blonde who is just out for what she can get.  Jo can’t believe the audacity of this guy – and she also can’t deny her attraction to him. What Cam says hits home for Jo – is that how people see her? Is that how she is? But she doesn’t have a choice…She could never date a guy like Cam. Jo needs a guy who can provide for her and Cole long-term– she needs a guy like Malcolm.

You might remember Jo as Joss’s co-worker from On Dublin Street – the tall, leggy blonde who gets by on her looks. I didn’t warm to Jo in On Dublin Street, but I had hoped that as I got to know her better, she might grow on me. That didn’t happen. Right from the start of this book, Jo’s actions didn’t sit well with me. Now, I know she has her reasons for what she does, and I know she’s had a tough upbringing, but none of that really makes up for the fact that at times, she’s an unlikeable heroine. I know quite a few people who didn’t like Joss from On Dublin Street – and I really liked her – so I guess it’s just a case of can’t win them all.

The love-to-hate you dynamic between Jo and Cam is fun with all the sexual tension it brings, but the fact that both of them are attached to respective partners for quite a lot of the book means that the real action takes its sweet time to arrive. When it does, though – it’s good – Samantha Young knows how to write sexytimes, that’s for sure. While I fell for Braden in On Dublin Street immediately, though, I never really fell for Cam. Sure, he’s hot, but I don’t think Cam is really my type. Also, I thought he was pretty rude at times. Can you say attitude problem?  Maybe I’m just being picky. Maybe I've been totally spoiled for all other men with perfect-for-me Braden. (Thankfully he makes a couple appearances here – YUM!)

While I had a few qualms with the characters in this book, I nonetheless enjoyed Down London Road as a smart, fun, sexy read, and once again I loved Young’s flowing style and witty prose.  The characters might not have totally worked for me in this one, but I still read Down London Road pretty much in one sitting, and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series which will release next year.

In the meantime, Samantha Young is self-publishing her first New Adult book Into the Deep which is releasing in August 2013. Super excited to find out what that one is all about!

 

Read All About It: News, Deals and Cover Reveals from Veronica Roth, Bryony Pearce, Elizabeth Wein, Jenny Han, Kimberly Derting & More!

Here's a round up of the latest book news, deals and some cover reveals that I've discovered over the past few weeks!  It's also basically a digest of all the exciting news stories that come my way and which I've mostly already posted on my twitter and Facebook feeds, so if you want up-to-the-minute book news and you don't want to have to wait around for me to type this up, you can follow me on those sites!

 Like DaisyChainBookReviews on Facebook  ||   Follow  @daisychainbooks on Twitter and then you'll never miss a thing!

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Last week saw the US and UK cover reveals for Allegiant (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth.  I can't wait to see how this series ends and I'm also really excited for the movie! What do you think of the covers? And what cover look is your fave - US or UK?

DEBUT DEALS

The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Kari Sutherland at HarperTeen has bought North American rights to screenwriter Victoria Aveyard's debut novel, The Red Queen, which is set in a fantasy world where society is divided by the color of blood. It features a 17-year-old who, to save her family, must assume the role of a long-lost princess while secretly aiding a revolution. The novel was pitched as Graceling meets The Selection; it will be published in winter 2015. Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary and Media was the agent.

Please Don't Tell by Laura Tims

Karen Chaplin at HarperCollins has acquired North American rights to Please Don't Tell, a YA debut by 20-year-old Laura Tims. The novel, a contemporary thriller, follows a girl who seeks revenge on the boy who ruined her sister's life, but who finds herself falling for the one guy who's off limits, and is blackmailed by a stalker who knows her secret. Publication is scheduled for fall 2015; Sarah Davies of the Greenhouse Literary Agency did the two-book deal. 

 Dear Daughter by Elizabeth Little 

In a major acquisition, Alison Hennessey, Senior Crime Editor at Harvill Secker, has acquired UK & Commonwealth rights to two books by Elizabeth Little – an exciting new American voice in crime fiction. Pre-empted by foreign publishers across the world, Alison Hennessey secured a two-book deal for Harvill Secker with Hal Fessenden at Penguin US. The first book, Dear Daughter, will be one of Harvill Secker's major titles in early 2015 and will be published simultaneously with Viking in the US.

 What the publishers are saying:

'Dear Daughter is everything I've been looking for since I started at Harvill Secker – sharp, spiky, clever and enormously fun, with the kind of acerbic narrator that editors (and readers) dream of discovering. Dear Daughter is like a glorious combination of Gone Girl meets Mean Girls with a twist of Alice la Plante's award-winning Turn of Mind, but it has a freshness and vitality that's all its own. Elizabeth Little is a fiction star in the making, and I couldn't be more pleased that we'll be publishing her at Harvill Secker.' - Alison Hennessey - Senior Crime Editor, Harvill Secker. 

About Dear Daughter:

After a trial that transfixed America, teenager Janie Jenkins – rich, pretty and far too clever for her own good – was convicted of the murder of her mother, a reclusive philanthropist. Ten years later, Janie has been released on appeal but most of the country remains convinced she's guilty – and even Janie's not entirely sure what she did that fateful night. All she has to go on are the last words her mother spoke before she was killed, which send Janie on a mission to an odd little town in the very back of beyond but, with the whole of America's media on her tail, she has to do everything she can to find out the truth about her mother's death without revealing her true identity.

COVER ALERTS

Tumble & Fall by Alexandra Coutts || Release date: September 2013

A novel about the end of days full of surprising beginnings

The world is living in the shadow of oncoming disaster. An asteroid is set to strike the earth in just one week’s time; catastrophe is unavoidable. The question isn’t how to save the world—the question is, what to do with the time that's left? Against this stark backdrop, three island teens wrestle with intertwining stories of love, friendship and family—all with the ultimate stakes at hand.

Alexandra Coutts's TUMBLE & FALL is a powerful story of courage, love, and hope at the end of the world. 

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The Weight of Souls by Bryony Pearce || Release date: August 2013

Sixteen year old Taylor Oh is cursed: if she is touched by the ghost of a murder victim then they pass a mark beneath her skin. She has three weeks to find their murderer and pass the mark to them – letting justice take place and sending them into the Darkness. And if she doesn’t make it in time? The Darkness will come for her…

She spends her life trying to avoid ghosts, make it through school where she’s bullied by popular Justin and his cronies, keep her one remaining friend, and persuade her father that this is real and that she’s not going crazy.

But then Justin is murdered and everything gets a whole lot worse. Justin doesn’t know who killed him, so there’s no obvious person for Taylor to go after. The clues she has lead her to the V Club, a vicious secret society at her school where no one is allowed to leave… and where Justin was dared to do the stunt which led to his death.

Can she find out who was responsible for his murder before the Darkness comes for her? Can she put aside her hatred for her former bully to truly help him?

And what happens if she starts to fall for him?

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Soulmates by Holly Bourne || Release date: September 2013

Every so often, two people are born who are the perfect matches for each other. Soulmates. But while the odds of this happening are about as likely as being struck by lightning, when these people do meet and fall in love…thunderstorms, lightning strikes and lashings of rain are only the beginning of their problems.

Enter Poppy, the 17-year-old cynic with a serious addiction to banana milk, and Noah, the heart-throb guitarist; residents of mediocre Middletown, sometime students, and…soulmates.

After a chance meeting at a local band night, Poppy and Noah find themselves swept up in a whirlwind romance unlike anything they’ve ever experienced before. But with a secret international agency preparing to separate them, a trail of destruction rumbling in their wake, (and a looming psychology coursework deadline), they are left with an impossible choice between the end of the world, or a life without love…

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The Elites by Natasha Ngan || Release date: September 2013

'There is a rumour that the Elites don't bleed.'

Hundreds of years into the future, wars, riots, resource crises and rising sea-levels have destroyed the old civilisations. Only one city has survived: Neo-Babel, a city full of cultures - and racial tension. Fifteen-year-old Silver is an Elite, a citizen of Neo-Babel chosen to guard the city due to her superior DNA. She'd never dream of leaving - but then she fails to prevent the assassination of Neo Babel's president, setting off a chain of events more shocking and devastating than she could ever have imagined. Forced to flee the city with her best friend Butterfly (a boy with genetically-enhanced wings), Silver will have to fight to find her family, uncover the truth about Neo-Babel and come to terms with her complicated feelings for Butterfly.

Packed full of adventure, romance, exoticism and the power of friendship, THE ELITES is a highly compelling and beautifully written novel from a supremely talented debut author. 

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Antigoddess by Kendare Blake || Release date: September 2013

Old Gods never die…

Or so Athena thought. But then the feathers started sprouting beneath her skin, invading her lungs like a strange cancer, and Hermes showed up with a fever eating away his flesh. So much for living a quiet eternity in perpetual health.

Desperately seeking the cause of their slow, miserable deaths, Athena and Hermes travel the world, gathering allies and discovering enemies both new and old. Their search leads them to Cassandra—an ordinary girl who was once an extraordinary prophetess, protected and loved by a god.

These days, Cassandra doesn’t involve herself in the business of gods—in fact, she doesn’t even know they exist. But she could be the key in a war that is only just beginning.

Because Hera, the queen of the gods, has aligned herself with other of the ancient Olympians, who are killing off rivals in an attempt to prolong their own lives. But these anti-gods have become corrupted in their desperation to survive, horrific caricatures of their former glory. Athena will need every advantage she can get, because immortals don’t just flicker out.

Every one of them dies in their own way. Some choke on feathers. Others become monsters. All of them rage against their last breath.

The Goddess War is about to begin.

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Uninvited by Sophie Jordan || Release date: March 2014 

You can’t change your DNA…even when it says you’re a murderer.

When Davy tests positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome, aka “the kill gene,” she loses everything. Once the perfect high school senior, she is uninvited from her prep school and abandoned by her friends and boyfriend. Even her parents are now afraid of her—although she’s never hurt a fly. Davy doesn’t feel any differently, but genes don’t lie. One day she will kill someone.

Without any say in the matter, Davy is thrown into a special class for HTS carriers. She has no doubt the predictions are right about them, especially Sean, who already bears the “H” tattoo as proof of his violence. Yet when the world turns on the carriers, Sean is the only one she can trust. Maybe he’s not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly. 

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MORE DEALS  

The Lonesome Young by Lucy Connors

Laura Arnold at Razorbill has bought The Lonesome Young, a novel by Alyssa Daywriting as Lucy Connors, pitched as Romeo and Juliet meets Justified. In the book, a Kentucky bad boy and a blue-blooded good girl fall for each other, reigniting the long-standing feud between their families now fueled by drug-running and financial backstabbing. It's the first in a series, and is scheduled for winter 2014. Jim McCarthy at Dystel & Goderich did the two book-deal for world rights. 

Turnabout by Carrie Ryan 

 Julie Strauss-Gabel at Dutton has bought two books from The Forest of Hands and Teeth author Carrie Ryan. The first title, a YA romantic thriller, is called Turnabout, and follows a young woman who is thrust into a web of intrigue in a campaign to avenge her parents' murders. Publication is scheduled for early 2015. The Forest of Hands and Teeth, first in a YA zombie trilogy published by Delacorte Press, has been translated into more than 18 languages and is currently in feature film development. Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House did the new deal for world English rights. 

The Taking by Kimberly Derting

Sarah Landis at HarperTeen has bought a YA trilogy by Kimberly Derting, author of two previous trilogies (The Body Finder and The Pledge). The new series, tentatively called The Taking, is also the title of the first book; it tells the story of a 16-year-old who wakes up after one lost night to find that five years have passed and everything about the life she remembers has changed. Publication of book #1 is planned for summer 2014; Laura Rennert of Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights. 

To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Jenny Han has inked a deal for her “semi-autobiographical” young adult novel. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers will publish To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before in April 2014.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters…

New Series from Kiera Cass

Erica Sussman at HarperTeen has acquired a new series by Kiera Cass, author of The Selection. In the as-yet-untitled YA romance, which was pitched as Matched meets Never Let Me Go, children trained in academies to be perfect friends can be purchased by the wealthy as companions, and a forbidden romance ensues. Elana Roth of Red Tree Literary negotiated the two-book deal for world English rights.

New Series from Ally Condie

 

Julie Strauss-Gabel at Dutton Children's Books has acquired two novels by Ally Condie, author of the Matched trilogy. The first book, set for fall 2014, will follow a girl named Rio living in an underwater city and waiting her chance to find out what lies beyond the sea; the second book is not yet scheduled. Jodi Reamer at Writers House brokered the deal for North American rights.

COVER ALERTS PART DEUX

Fracture (Night School #3) by C.J. Daugherty || Release date: August 2013

** Not posting synopsis due to  possible spoilers - you can find it on Goodreads!**

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Fire With Fire (Burn For Burn #2) by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian || Release date: Sept. 2013

** Not posting synopsis due to  possible spoilers - you can find it on Goodreads!**

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UK Cover

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein || Release date: June 2013 (UK)

Companion to Code Name Verity

 ** Not posting synopsis due to  possible spoilers - you can find it on Goodreads!**

US Cover

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UK Cover

 Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas || Release date: July 2013 (UK)

Paradise quickly gets gruesome in this thrilling page-turner with a plot that’s ripped from the headlines and a twist that defies the imagination.

It’s Spring Break of senior year. Anna, her boyfriend Tate, her best friend Elise, and a few other close friends are off to a debaucherous trip to Aruba that promises to be the time of their lives.

But when Elise is found brutally murdered, Anna finds herself trapped in a country not her own, fighting against vile and contemptuous accusations. As Anna sets out to find her friend’s killer, she discovers harsh revelations about her friendships, the slippery nature of truth, and the ache of young love.

Awaiting the judge’s decree, it becomes clear to Anna that everyone around her thinks she is not only guilty, but also dangerous. And when the whole story comes out, reality is more shocking than anyone ever imagined...

US Cover

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PHEW! That's what I call a bumper edition of book deals and cover reveals -- looks like there was a lot of exciting stuff going on during my six-week blog break! Lots of books I'm looking forward to here --A new series from Kimberly Derting (Yay!) and the new Jenny Han sounds fab! I'm also really looking forward to reading Dear Daughter, and also Dangerous Girls - I'm on the blog tour for that one! 

Let me know what books you are most looking forward to from this round up. I'd love to hear your thoughts on all these shiny new covers too!

Please note that book covers may not be final and may be subject to change.

Additional sources:  PW Children's Bookshelf,  Book Trade.Info,  Goodreads and Galley Cat.

Blog Tour: The Originals by Cat Patrick - Playlists!

 

The Originals by Cat Patrick || Release date: May 6th 2013. 

The Originals is the story of the first human clones: three identical sixteen-year-old girls who, because human cloning is illegal, hide their existence by living as one person named Elizabeth Best. The way they do that is to split their days in thirds, with one clone attending school in the morning; the second handling classes in the afternoon; and the third being in charge of afterschool commitments like their part time job, college course, and cheerleading. The system works well until two of the clones fall for two different boys, which is an issue if you’re supposed to be just one person. 

The clones, Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey, have very different personalities and tastes. Betsey is free spirited and laid back; Ella is an opinionated overachiever with a big heart; and Lizzie is an emotional, creative type who may come off as a middle child once in a while. Because they’re so unique, I thought it’d be fun to post playlists that they might have on their iPods to give readers a feel for the characters. Click the links to listen on Spotify. 

Betsey

http://open.spotify.com/user/1210083917/playlist/7itsFtrpvJyW929gPo34Lp

1. Dave Matthews Band: American Baby 

2. Son Volt: Route 

3. Jewel: Ring of Fire 

4. Johnny Cash: One 

5. My Morning Jacket: Knot Comes Loose 

6. Lauren Alaina: One of Those Boys 

7. Eddie Vedder: You’re True 

8. Billy Bragg & Wilco: California Stars 

9. Mumford & Sons: Hopeless Wanderer 

10. Lady Antebellum: Learning to Fly

Ella

http://open.spotify.com/user/1210083917/playlist/6b3OPB5gIfglTTRFkk0qK2

1. Swedish House Mafia: Don’t You Worry Child (Radio Edit) 

2. Adam Lambert: Whataya Want From Me 

3. Fun.: All the Pretty Girls 

4. She & Him: I Was Made For You 

5. Ellie Goulding: Your Biggest Mistake 

6. Adele: Rumour Has It 

7. Bruno Mars: When I Was Your Ma 

8. Snow Patrol: This Isn’t Everything You Are 

9. Savannah Outen: Be Original 

10. Glee Cast: Sing
 

Lizzie

http://open.spotify.com/user/1210083917/playlist/4cfs9iQ4Fbv9D7czID1KQk
1. Snow Patrol: Open Your Eyes 

2. The Pierces: We Are Stars 

3. The Soviettes: Ten 

4. Iron & Wine: Such Great Heights 

5. The Veils: Sign of Your Love 

6. Cat Power: Human Being 

7. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds: Everybody’s On the Run 

8. The National: Fake Empire 

9. Muse: Uprising 

10. David Bowie: Heroes

Find out more about Cat:  Website ||  Twitter || Facebook

Reviewed by Emily: Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr.

Product details:
Publisher: HarperCollins UK.
Release date:  September 4th 2012.
Paperback, 306 pages.
Rating: 3½ out of 5.
Ages: 13+
Source: Received from publisher for review.
Reviewed by:  Emily. 

In a city of daimons, the Carnival of Souls hosts a deadly competition. Once in a generation, every citizen can fight to join the ruling elite. Without the competition, Aya and Kaleb would both face bleak futures—if for different reasons. For each of them, fighting to the death is the only way to try to live.

In our own world, Mallory knows that her father—and every other witch—fled the daimons’ city long ago. She trains to be lethal because it’s only a matter of time until the daimons catch up with them.

While Mallory possesses little knowledge of The City, every inhabitant of The City knows of her. There are plans there for Mallory, and soon she, too, will be drawn into the decadence that is the Carnival of Souls.

As a big fan of the Wicked Lovely series, I was both excited and nervous to read Carnival of Souls, which is the first part of what promises to be a darkly fascinating series that explores forbidden romance in a world where daimons and witches are at odds. Before I began I wondered if I would meet a new set of characters I could love as much as Ash and Seth and Niall. Or would I be disappointed due to high expectations? Turns out I was right about both of those things. Carnival of Souls had some flaws, but overall it was an enjoyable reading experience and I for one will be coming back for more.

In this instalment, we get to know Mallory, Kaleb and Aya, and see their lives as they know them unravel. 17-year-old Mallory believes she is human. She’s been raised by her adoptive father, who is a powerful witch, and they are both on the run from daimons. Mallory trains for the day when she might need to fight them, but right now she’s more interested in Kaleb than fighting. Kaleb and Aya are both daimons who have entered a gruelling competition to fight for a chance to join the ruling elite. Aya has entered the competition as a way to avoid marriage and breeding, in an attempt to keep her secret from being revealed. Kaleb makes a living from “black mask” work, and his latest job is to track Mallory.

I loved seeing the different strands of the story come together, but I definitely preferred reading this book when it took place in The City. This is because Marr does a wonderful job of describing the atmosphere of the carnival and I could picture it all vividly. Here’s a taste:

“The carnival pulsed in the center of The City – a swirl of masked pleasure and violence. Music played constantly as the dancers demonstrated their flexibility. At times it was a glorious cacophony. Jugglers and fire-twirlers showed their skills in time to the music. All around the carnival, transactions of varying degrees of legality and ethical questionability were happening. The City wasn’t a world that seemed beautiful to everyone. It was their world, though.” – from the cover of the ARC.

As for the characters, Kaleb was definitely my favourite. He has an interesting past and I loved his connection with Zevi. Beyond her early POV chapters, I lost interest in Aya. She had potential to be a really interesting character, but her story was diluted to a generic forbidden romance. I also found it difficult to connect to Mallory. She was bland and I still feel like I don’t really know her. What are her interests, other than Kaleb? I hope we get to know her better in the sequel.

As is expected from a book written by Melissa Marr, romance takes up quite a lot of the storyline. In Carnival of Souls the kissing scenes felt contrived and a little wooden. The most interesting things about this book are the witches and daimons, and gruesome fights at the Carnival of Souls, but in the end it became a story about forbidden love. I guess I’m tired of that trope and would’ve liked to have seen less of it in this novel. I want to see Marr go beyond that in her future books, because her world-building skills and interesting characters prove she’s capable of doing that. I want to see something really gutsy from this author.

The ending made me feel as if this book was a just a set-up for the sequel, where all the really juicy action will take place (I hope). Now that we’ve been introduced to all the characters and their back stories, and now that they all know each other, I think the sequel will prove to be a more satisfying read than Carnival of Souls. However, fans of Marr’s other work will find lots to love about this book and it is definitely worth picking up if you’re in the mood for a dark paranormal romance.            

---Emily.