Delightful Debutantes #29 - Ruth Warburton and A Witch in Winter.

Please give a warm welcome to Ruth Warburton who has stopped by today to talk about her debut novel A Witch in Winter!

A Witch in Winter is a fun supernatural read, and I can't wait to read more from Anna and co. when the next book in the trilogy releases in July!

Can you tell me five things that inspired the characters, storylines and settings of A Witch in Winter?

 Five things? Wow – that's precise!! Things number one and two are probably my home town of Lewes and the castle there. Lewes is very old and one of the oldest parts of town is the castle, which is almost 1000 years old (though by no means the oldest, there is an iron-age fort on Mount Caburn behind the town). Lewes Castle is an oddity because it has two mottes, or mounds, where most castles had one, as well as another apparently purposeless mound on the other side of the town which has been variously described as a Victorian folly, a failed early castle mound, or a pagan site. I love the amount of history in the town, and the mysteries that lie behind some of it – I suppose I tried to translate that into Winter.

Winter is sort of based on Lewes, and Winter Castle definitely owes a lot to Lewes Castle, but the seaside setting comes from inspiration number three – lots and lots of childhood holidays to Brittany and Devon and Cornwall. I wrote parts of the book in Brittany and parts in Padstow and Lee (in Devon).

The other big inspiration is my love of old texts and Old English. I knew from the outset that I had to create a whole system of magic and a spellbook to go with it – and creating believably ancient spells was a huge challenge. I did a lot of research into grimoires and the kind of language that they used, but for my spellbook I wanted something more rustic and domestic so I also borrowed from folklore and recipe books. The words of the actual incantations are all Anglo-Saxon (Old English) and many are borrowed from the poem Beowulf. But the other themes behind the book are from a different kind of mythology – Cornish and Celtic legend.

I think that must be five by now – probably more than five!

 I can imagine that researching witchcraft and spells must have been very interesting and fun too! Can you tell me any strange spells or pieces of information you unearthed while researching the book?

 My favourite two pieces are in the book – the trick of putting blood in your husband's coffee to make him stick to you, which just seems like a massive recipe for disaster. Can you imagine waking up to that? They don't say how much blood but I sincerely hope not a lot. In the book I changed it to wine - coffee was introduced to England in the 16th century but wasn't very widespread, so wine was more realistic – also I kind of feel like the blood would be less noticeable in wine? You might just put it down to really, really bad wine.

And the other piece of folklore that I love is the instruction to put a broom across the door of a house so that no evil-doer can enter. Mainly because it's such a fantastic example of superstition meeting practicality. Worried about being burgled? Stick a nice trip-hazard across the burglar's path so you hear him coming!

In A Witch in Winter, Anna casts a love spell on Seth, the #1 hottie at her new school. If you could cast your own love spell on any literary character, who would you choose?

Oh I wouldn't want to cast a love spell on anyone. All the literary men I fall in love with have fantastic female counterparts, and the reason I love them is because they are steadfast and true to their women. If they stopped being that, I wouldn't respect them any more.

I've fallen in love with everyone from Ulysses through to Lord Peter Wimsey, but if I had to choose one writer who has the power to make my heart beat faster, it would be the poet John Donne. His poem “A Valediction Forbidding Mourning” is one of my favourites.

Feisty Anna is a great heroine, and is, despite her witchy abilities, a realistic character who teenage girls will relate to. Of the other characters in A Witch in Winter, who was your favourite to write and why?

Bran was quite fun to write, because he's such a bastard (and gets worse in book 2) but my favourite is probably Emmaline, because she's so dry and is never afraid to put the boot in. She is probably the character who is closest to me – I can be quite sharp and sarcastic, so I let her give vent to all the things I'd say in that situation.

Can you name three other books you think fans of A Witch in Winter will also enjoy? Any witchy reads to recommend?

 On the “if you like this...” tab on Amazon, I am currently paired with the friend I mentioned before – CJ Daugherty – which is a bit of a strange coincidence, but quite fun! Her book Night School is not paranormal, it's a thriller, but it's dark and gothic and creepy with a touch of romance.

I've also just finished the first book in Holly Black's Curseworkers series, White Cat, which I loved. The whole system of curses and their effects (and counter effects – “blow back”) is brilliantly thought out and conveyed. I can't wait to read the next one in line, Red Glove.

 My favourite magicky read is probably the modern classic A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin. It's about Ged, a young boy who learns how to be a magician and, through pride and arrogance, unleashes a terrible evil which he then has to defeat. It is beautifully written and superbly imagined.

                                                                                                                

 Can you tell me anything about A Witch in Love, the next book in the Winter trilogy?  I have a feeling we’re going to see a lot more of Abe in this one….?

you are right about Abe! What can I tell you? Well, it starts just before Christmas – about six months after the end of A Witch in Winter - and ends just after Valentine's day – and what happens in between rocks Anna's world, and makes her question everything she thought she knew.

Thanks for the great interview, Ruth. I can't wait to see what happens to rock Anna's world. Eeek!

Ruth's Website

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Book Review: A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton.

Product details:
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Release date: January 5th 2012.
Paperback, 368 pages.
Rating: 3½ out of 5.
Ages:12+

Anna Winterson doesn't know she's a witch and would probably mock you for believing in magic, but after moving to the small town of Winter with her father, she learns more than she ever wanted to about power. When Anna meets Seth, she is smitten, but when she enchants him to love her, she unwittingly amplifies a deadly conflict between two witch clans and splits her own heart in two. She wants to love Seth, to let him love her – but if it is her magic that's controlling his passion, then she is as monstrous as the witch clan who are trying to use her amazing powers for their own gain.

Although a perfect fit for the paranormal romance genre, A WITCH IN WINTER avoids fangs, excessive body hair and submissive female leads, and tells the heart-wrenching story of a couple meant to be together, but being forced apart. Seth is utterly irresistible and Anna is an empowered, proactive young woman with unimaginable magic inside her. This is fast-paced, sensuous writing with believable incantations inspired by Warburton's research into witchcraft legend and old English.

Fast-paced supernatural fun with danger and drama at every turn, A Witch in Winter marks the stars of an exciting new paranormal series from debut author Ruth Warburton.

When Anna Winterson relocates from the bright lights of London to the small town of Winter, she’s not expecting a whole lot in the way of excitement, but what Anna doesn’t know is that small towns sometimes hold the biggest secrets, and the hottest boys too, as she finds out when she meets Seth on her first day at school. Anna’s smitten, but like all the best guys, Seth’s already taken. Anna tries not to dwell on this fact, but she can’t deny her attraction to him, and when she decides to enchant Seth just for fun, things soon get out of hand, because unknown to Anna, she’s a witch, and a pretty powerful one at that. Anna’s life soon takes a turn for the crazy with Seth falling at her feet declaring his undying love for her, as her powers unleash havoc throughout the town of Winter. With hidden enemies and family secrets too, small town life isn’t quite what Anna expected.

Anna is a character that readers will love, she’s fun and feisty and prone to the odd tantrum when things aren’t going her way. Her character really rings true, as does the depiction of teens throughout the book. As for Anna and Seth’s relationship, well, it is very much an insta-love situation, but this case of love at first sight comes with a twist. Anna never quite knows if Seth likes her for her, or if he’s just so into her because she’s enchanted him. It makes for some humorous situations as Anna tries her best not to take advantage of the boy who can’t get enough of her, while all the time finding him pretty impossible to resist…

A myriad of plot twists and some full-on action scenes combine to make one exciting read, and I will be back for more when the second book in this trilogy A Witch in Love releases in July 2012.

Cover Candy #19 - Recent Swoonworthy Cover Reveals!

Time for a Cover Candy catch-up! It's been a while since I've done one of these...

Let me know what you think of the featured covers in comments. Will you be adding any of these to your wish list? 

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A deserted Island, a DVD with a very scary message....TEN by Gretchen McNeil sounds all kinds of awesome! The synopsis of the book sounds like I Still Know What You Did Last Summer meets The Ring. And the cover art is so foreboding and ominous. Eeek! Bring on the scares! I can't wait to read this one! 

 

 

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Publisher: Balzer & Bray

Release date: September 2012

Ages: 13+

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives – an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school's most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off the from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn't scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

How amazing is the premise of Through To You by Emily Hainsworth?! I heard about this book just a little while back, and it went straight onto my wishlist. Also, the cover is awesome!

Through To You by Emily Hainsworth
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Release date: October 2012
Ages:  14+

A romantic sci-fi thriller about love and second chances.

Camden Pike has been grief-stricken since his girlfriend, Viv, died. Viv was the last good thing in his life: helping him rebuild his identity after a career-ending football injury, picking up the pieces when his home life shattered, and healing his pain long after the pain meds wore off. And now, he’d give anything for one more glimpse of her. But when Cam makes a visit to the site of Viv’s deadly car accident, he sees some kind of apparition. And it isn’t Viv.

The apparition’s name is Nina, and she’s not a ghost. She’s a girl from a parallel world, and in this world, Viv is still alive. Cam can’t believe his wildest dreams have come true. All he can focus on is getting his girlfriend back, no matter the cost. But things are different in this other world: Viv and Cam have both made very different choices, things between them have changed in unexpected ways, and Viv isn’t the same girl he remembers. Nina is keeping some dangerous secrets, too, and the window between the worlds is shrinking every day. As Cam comes to terms with who this Viv has become, and the part Nina played in his parallel story, he’s forced to choose—stay with Viv or let her go—before the window closes between them once and for all.

I'm torn on the cover for Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone, one one hand it's undeniably pretty and definitely deserving of a place in this Cover Candy post, and on the other hand I'm not really sure if it's my kind of cover. Don't get me wrong, I'm dying to read the book. I think it sounds great! But, if I saw this cover in the store, it probably wouldn't warrant a second look from me. Very pretty, but just looks like a standard contemp romance cover to me. 

This is the US cover for Time Between Us. This one is also being published in the UK, so I'll be keeping an eye out for that cover!

Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone

Publisher: Hyperion

Release date:  October 2012

Ages: YA

Anna and Bennett were never supposed to meet: she lives in 1995 Chicago and he lives in 2012 San Francisco. But Bennett’s unique ability to travel through time and space brings him into Anna’s life, and with him, a new world of adventure and possibility.

As their relationship deepens, they face the reality that time might knock Bennett back where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate—and what consequences they can bear in order to stay together.

Fresh, exciting, and deeply romantic, TIME BETWEEN US is a stunning and spellbinding debut from an extraordinary new talent in YA fiction.

I love the premise of All These Lives by Sarah Wylie - sounds like it could be a tearjerker and has a great cover too! This one is on Netgalley if anyone wants to try and get it. I requested weeks back, but haven't heard anything yet...

All These Lives by Sarah Wylie
Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Release date: June 2012
Ages: 12+

 Sixteen-year-old Dani is convinced she has nine lives. As a child she twice walked away from situations where she should have died. But Dani’s twin, Jena, isn’t so lucky. She has cancer and might not even be able to keep her one life. Dani’s father is in denial. Her mother is trying to hold it together and prove everything’s normal. And Jena is wasting away.

To cope, Dani sets out to rid herself of all her extra lives. Maybe they’ll be released into the universe and someone who wants to live more than she does will get one. Someone like Jena. But just when Dani finds herself at the breaking point, she’s faced with a startling realization. Maybe she doesn’t have nine lives after all. Maybe she really only ever had one.

Here are some 'next in a series' pretty covers! I  haven't included the synopsis for either of these in case of spoilers, but I've linked to them on Goodreads - just click on the book titles to read!

Hidden (Firelight #3) by Sophie Jordan

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release date: September 2012

Ages: 13+

I'm a fan of this series, even though I didn't think Vanish was the greatest follow up to the brilliant Firelight. Excited to see how it all ends, though!

The Lucky Ones (Bright Young Things #3)

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release date: September 2012

Ages: 14+

I love that dress! Anna Godbersen's covers are always gorgeous! I still haven't read  Beautiful Days (BYT #2).  Must get to it soon!

 * Please note: These covers may not be  final and may be subject to change.  
** All Cover Images have been taken from Goodreads/Amazon/Authors/Publishers websites.

Disqus Comments Installed...and why it had to happen!

Hi guys!

Just a little note to fill you all in on some recent blog changes. Last week I had to install Disqus comments on here. I avoided any major layout changes for a long time, but in the end I didn't have a choice, as blogger somehow reformatted my comment layout overnight leaving everything looking a big old mess. I am so done with blogger and their constant changes which never seem to work quite right!  I tried to fix things, but to no avail, so that's when I turned to Disqus. The comments look a lot better on here now, but I'm still wary. I've heard some horror stories where comments go missing and are lost forever etc. so I hope that doesn't happen here!

Commenting is still pretty quick and easy. I hate that anyone now has to go and sign in to comment on here, but hopefully it doesn't take up too much time, and there are a number of different ways you can comment (you can sign in with twitter, facebook etc). If anyone is totally lost, just shoot me an email!

Hopefully everything will run smoothly.


Also, there's a new way to follow the blog - I know that everybody doesn't use GFC, so I've installed Linky Followers which you can find in the sidebar. I hear it's the hot new way to follow blogs. :)

There's still a couple days left for you to enter my giveaway of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith. Keep those entries coming!

Reviewed by Jen: Oliver Twisted by J.D. Sharpe.

Product details:
Publisher: Egmont.
Release date: February 6th 2011.
Paperback, 274 pages.
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Ages: 11+
Source: Received from publisher for review.
Reviewed by: Jen

“FLESH, the woe-begotten moaned at Oliver, baring teeth which were ragged and black.

“FLESH,” came another moan, and he turned to see two more woe-begottens behind. They began to shuffle towards him, barefoot – toes blue from cold, arms outstretched.

The world according to Oliver Twisted is simple. Vampyres feed on the defenceless. Orphans are sacrificed to hungry gods. And if a woe-begotten catches your scent it will hunt you for ever. When a talking corpse reveals that Oliver will find his destiny in London, he sets out to seek the truth. Even if it means losing his soul.

A long, long time ago when I was in high school my Brit. Lit. teacher tried to get me to read a book by Charles Dickens.  Let’s just say that the previous unit on Jane Austen hadn’t gone so well and there was no way on earth that I was going to even try to attempt Oliver Twist.  Besides. I already knew the story.  I’d seen the Disney movie where Oliver and his cronies were portrayed by cartoon cats and dogs who sang songs written by Billy Joel.  Isn’t that close enough? Apparently not because it seems that debut author J.D. Sharpe has accomplished the unthinkable, she has made me read and LOVE Oliver Twist!  Or at least her hellish version of it, aptly named Oliver Twisted.

Oliver Twisted is the first mash-up I have ever read and it was a blast!  This book is so much fun, even if you have never read the original (or saw the Disney movie).  Sharpe’s take on Dickens story is dark and malicious with just about every supernatural creature you can imagine thrown in for fun.  In fact, there are a few creatures that are from Sharpe’s own twisted imagination just to keep things interesting.  The plot follows the original story quite well (I know this because I checked Spark Notes), while taking on a whole new life of it’s own.  The world that Oliver Twisted lives in is filled with death and depravity due to the fact that the gates of hell have been opened and have spewed forth a mass amount of chaos on earth.  It is not until Oliver has a conversation with a talking corpse that he realizes his destiny may not have to revolve around starvation and abuse and maybe he could actually make the earth a better place.

As Oliver journeys to London he comes to the realization that he possesses a great power.  Unfortunately, it is this power that has made Oliver an invaluable asset to the Brotherhood of Fenris, an evil group of men who sacrifice children for kicks.  Throughout the book Oliver is conflicted about his true nature as Fagin, a soul stealer who has gained control over Oliver’s free will, attempts to convince him that he is indeed evil. 

Oliver Twisted is a must read for anyone who loves a good zombie, vampyre, werewolf, swamp goblin, warlock, soul stealer story.  In other words, if horror and gore are your thing, then this book is for you!!  From the first pages I was totally captivated by Oliver Twisted and could not wait to find out how it ended. The problem with that, of course, is that the story ends.  But in the author bio J.D. Sharpe says that writing horror is her calling.  I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

On a side note: I still have my original stuffed Dodger dog from the Disney store.  He’s much too cute to part with!

Book News: All the details on 'Changeling' the first YA novel from Philippa Gregory!

Changeling, the first in a four book series entitled Order of Darkness signals Philippa Gregory's highly anticipated entrance into the Young Adult market. Changeling will be released simultaneously  in the US and UK in May 2012. I've always been a fan of Gregory's historical fiction, and I can't wait to see what she brings to the YA market. There's a wealth of great YA historical fiction out there already, but Gregory's addition to the fold can only make things better!

The  Changeling cover art and excerpt  were exclusively revealed on USA Today a couple days back, but if you missed that announcement, you can check it out here now. Let me know what you think!

Changeling is set in 1453; 17-year-old Luca Vero has been expelled from his monastery and recruited by a stranger to record the end of times across Europe. On his journey, he meets 17-year-old Isolde, a lady abbess who has been trapped in a nunnery to prevent her claiming her rich inheritance.

Excerpt: 'Changeling' by Philippa Gregory



Source: USAToday. Additional details: The Bookseller.

Book Review: Forever by Maggie Stiefvater.

Product details:
Publisher: Scholastic
Paperback, 493 pages.
Release date: July 13th 2011
Rating: 4½ out of 5.
Ages: 14+
Series: The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3.
Other Books in Series: Shiver [Rating 4/5], Linger.
Overall Series Rating: 4 out of 5.

Sam has always loved Grace. As a wolf, he watched her from afar. As a boy, he held her in his arms.

Now facing the possibility of a life without her, he will do anything to keep her safe. Even if it means facing his demons. Even if it risks everything he has.

Anything, as long as their love can survive...

Please note: There are spoilers for previous books in the series in this review. Do not read this review if you haven't already read Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #2) or you will find out very bad things!

And so it’s time to say goodbye as Forever concludes Maggie Stiefvater’s much loved Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy, the bittersweet tale of Sam, the boy who must become a wolf each winter, and Grace, the girl who loves him.  As readers, we’ve been on an emotional journey with these two, and while I couldn’t wait to see how their story ended, after my lukewarm reaction to Linger (Mercy Falls #2) I decided to put off reading this one until the time was right. I’m glad I did.

If its been a while since you read Linger, you might need a little refresher before reading Forever. I know I could have used one.  This book opens on an unexpected note, which left me feeling slightly off-kilter, but for anyone who’s hazy on the details and needs a quick recap, Forever finds Sam and Grace in a role reversal with Sam living his life as a boy, while Grace is spending her days in the woods in wolf form. There’s Cole too, in something of a saviour scientist role, and our fourth narrator, the girl you love to hate, Isabel, is also back, trying in vain to deny her growing feelings for that bad boy rocker turned scientific genius.

With the wolves under serious threat from Isabel’s father who’s seeking revenge for his sons death, the race is on to try and save the wolves of Mercy Falls before they are driven from the woods in the worst possibly way. Will carnage ensue, or can Sam and Cole come up with a plan to save the wolves before it’s too late?

It seems that with Forever Stiefvater has divided fans of this series. I know that some of you won’t like this one. A lot of you won’t like the conclusion which is left open to interpretation.  For those of you looking for complete closure, you’re not going to get it here. Strings are most definitely left untied.  This is what I meant when I said I waited until the time was right for me and Forever. When I got around to reading this, I knew that it would be a slow-burning book and this time, I wasn’t looking for a quick fix. I rushed into Linger, and I regretted it, but this time I was determined savour every word, to curl up with the book on a cold night, and not let it go until I was done. This, for me,  is the right way, the only way, to read Stiefvater.  Her prose, as always, is spellbindingly beautiful in Forever, but she does something extra special here, as she takes us inside the minds of the wolves, letting us see  through their eyes, letting us run alongside them as they try to escape their tormentors, and its all so well done that  it’s really something to behold.

And then there’s Cole. To love this book, you possibly need to love Cole St. Clair. Thankfully, I love him lots! Fans of Sam and Grace might not appreciate how he steals the limelight from them. They are constantly vying for attention in a four-point narrative where Cole gets all the best lines and pretty much steals the show. He’s such a big personality, and I felt this way about him in Linger too, that it’s hard to see past his presence at times. Sam and Grace are also separated for long periods in this book, which means there’s not as much romance as before, and, for once, that was OK by me. I can appreciate their relationship, and I really like them both, but all the forever love gets just a little too sickly sweet for me at times.  Cole on the other hand, well, I just can’t resist the snarky bad boy rock star types in YA books. I’m a total sucker for them.

Grace’s parents make a brief appearance in Forever too. I kind of wish they hadn’t. I’m so not a fan of those guys.

Overall, I loved Forever. Yes, it’s a slow burner, but it packs an emotional punch that made me tear up at least once.  It also contains one pretty disturbing scene which made me rather sick to my stomach, but enough of that. And the conclusion. For me it was realistic. It rang true. We don’t get all the answers in life.  Yes, maybe I would have liked to know more, to know what happened next and maybe I just didn’t want to say goodbye to those characters, but I do know that when I closed this book and said my goodbyes, I did so with a satisfied smile.  I couldn’t really have asked for more than that.

Delightful Debutantes #28: Brodi Ashton & Everneath.

Thanks to Brodi Ashton for stopping by the blog today! Everneath is one of my favourite reads and a book I would recommend to anyone! It's so good!

Read on for a Delightful Debutantes interview in which I quiz Brodi about all things Everneath and do a little fangirling for Jack Caputo. Love that guy!

From inspiration to publication:  Can you tell me what inspired you to write Everneath and also give me a quick rundown of your path to publication?

-The story about a girl returning to her high school after a long mysterious absence has been floating around in my head for years, but it wasn't the first book I ever wrote. My first book got me an agent, but not a book deal. While he was submitting the book, though, and all I could do was wait, I decided to work on another book based on that scene in my head- of the broken girl returning home. That book became EVERNEATH. 

-It turns out my first book didn't sell, and my agent at the time didn't like EVERNEATH, so we split ways. For a moment I was in limbo, but then I queried agents and received several offers of representation for EVERNEATH, so I knew it was something worth fighting for. I went with my agent, Michael Bourret, who's vision for EVERNEATH was right on track with my own. He sold it in a pre-empt to HarperCollins as a trilogy.  

-I've made the process seem much shorter than it actually was, because it took me four years. Also, I left out a lot of the rejection, sorrow and angst, because that stuff's boring, and not a little depressing. :) Every day I realize how lucky I am to be getting paid for doing something I love! 

It’s well known amongst readers of my blog that I like YA romances that break the YA Insta-Love mould, which is one of the reasons I loved the relationship between Nikki and Jack in Everneath.  It also helps that I pretty much immediately fell head-over-heels for Jack Caputo. Can you tell me some of your favourite literary romances? Did any of these inspire the romance in Everneath?

-Oh, Jack Caputo. He is an amalgam of so many of my favorite characters. Mostly with Jack, I wanted to make him very real, and layered, with good qualities and some not-so-good qualities. I wanted the romance to be between two people who had no special abilities. I wanted to show that Jack was flawed, and he made mistakes, but sometimes the most beautiful things in life are flawed. 

- Of course, my husband would want me to tell you I based Jack off of him. :)

I have to ask about Cole too. I know I should avoid him, but I can’t help but be intrigued by that Immortal bad boy rocker. I just can’t resist a boy in a band.  If you could pick a theme song for Cole, what would it be?

"Never Let Me Go," by Florence + the Machine, or "Ulysses" by Franz Ferdinand. 

What was your favourite scene to write in Everneath? Do you have a favourite passage or quote you’d like to share?

-My favorite scene was... any scene with Jack and Nikki. Especially the scene in Jack's bedroom where Nikki tries to come clean about where she's been and why she's different. 

-As for favorite quote, I love the one from Mrs. Stone: "Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they are graced with." Even though my book is "paranormal", I wanted the heroes to be very real, and very normal. I wanted the heroic actions to be based on choices, rather than strength. 

Can you name three other books that readers of Everneath might also enjoy?

-I'm really bad at comparing my book to others out there. But how about I give three books that I've read lately that I've enjoyed? 1. INCARNATE by Jodi Meadows  2. UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi 3. THE SAVAGE GRACE by Bree Despain

What was your last five star ‘so good I couldn’t put it down’ read?

DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor

So, I’m already pining for book #2 and I know you probably can’t tell me too much about it right now, but if there’s anything you can share, I’d love to hear it and I’m sure my readers would too. 

I can't share much! But I will say that if you've read all of book 1, you will have a good idea of what needs to happen in book 2, and where Nikki needs to go. :)

Thanks so much for having me on the blog! I'm a fan. :)

Thanks so much for answering my questions, Brodi. I can't wait for book #2 already!!

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UK Cover Reveals: Dreamless by Josephine Angelini, Stolen Night by Rebecca Maizel, Unrest by Michelle Harrison, When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle & more!

Here are some recent UK cover reveals that have caught my eye! First off, how gorgeous is the UK cover for Dreamless by Josephine Angelini? Love the colours used on this one. I'm also super excited for When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle - a modern day retelling of Romeo & Juliet? Yes please!

I've included links to the US cover counterparts where available so you can tell me your favourites!

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Set to be a hot summer sizzler I can't wait to see what happens between Helen and Lucas when Dreamless the second installment in Josephine Angelini's addictive Starcrossed series releases in July. I'm counting down the days. Here's the US Cover for Dreamless. I have to say that I can't choose. I love both covers! The cover gods were good to Josie!

Dreamless (Starcrossed #2) by Josephine Angelini
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Release date: July 2012
Ages: 13+

Tasked with descending to the underworld and killing the Furies, Helen must endure hellish torture whenever she goes to sleep – she wanders around the various levels of hell with no idea how to complete her task, and she’s beginning to suffer from extreme exhaustion. Although she still trains with the Delos clan, Helen and Lucas are coming to terms with the fact that they cannot be together. Lucas believes that the only way Helen will complete her quest is if he leaves her alone completely, so he tells her he doesn’t want to see her again and that he never loved her. Distraught, Helen carries on with her mission, and for the first time meets another person down in the shadowy underworld: Orion, descended from Adonis and with the power to control desire, he is the heir to the house of Rome and an outcast. He’s also kind of hot. Confused by her conflicting emotions but glad to have an ally in hell, Helen begins to realize the enormity of her task . . .

Former vampire queen Lenah Beaudonte is back in this follow up to Infinite Days. Love the UK cover, and here's the US counterpart which is set to release in September 2012. I'll be looking forward to finding out what lies in store for Lenah, Justin & Co.

Stolen Night (Vampire Queen #2) by Rebecca Maizel
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Release date: July 2012
Ages: 12+

The pulse-quickening, heartbreaking, devastatingly powerful follow-up to INFINITE DAYS.

Lenah Beaudonte should be dead. But having sacrificed herself to save another, she finds herself awakening with strange powers that are neither vampire nor human - and with a new enemy on her trail. In her vampire life, Lenah had thought that being human was all she ever wanted; but the human heart suffers pain, heartbreak and loss. With her new powers growing and the dark force of the Nex after her soul, Lenah faces a choice: between the mortal love of gorgeous Justin, whose passion fed her human soul, and taking a different path to become the mistress of her own destiny, wherever that may lead . . .

How spooky does this book sounds? I've already added it to my Halloween reading list and will be hoping for some scares! Unrest by Michelle Harrison releases from Simon & Schuster in April.

 Unrest by Michelle Harrison

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

Release date: April 2012

Ages:12+

Seventeen-year-old Elliott hasn't slept properly for six months. Not since the accident that nearly killed him. Now he is afraid to go to sleep. Sometimes he wakes to find himself paralysed, unable to move a muscle, while shadowy figures move around him. Other times he is the one moving around, while his body lies asleep on the bed. According to his doctor, sleep paralysis and out of body experiences are harmless - but to Elliot they're terrifying. Convinced that his brush with death has opened up connections with the spirit world, Elliott secures a live-in job at one of England's most haunted locations, determined to find out the truth. There he finds Sebastian, the ghost of a long-dead servant boy hanged for stealing bread. He also meets the living, breathing Ophelia, a girl with secrets of her own. She and Elliott grow closer, but things take a terrifying turn when Elliott discovers Sebastian is occupying his body when he leaves it. And the more time Sebastian spends inhabiting a living body, the more resistant he becomes to giving it back. Worse, he seems to have an unhealthy interest in Ophelia. Unless Elliott can lay Sebastian's spirit to rest, he risks being possessed by him for ever, and losing the girl of his dreams…

 A modern day re-telling of Romeo and Juliet? Sign my up for this! When You Were Mine sounds amazing and I love the romantic cover too. Take a look at the US Cover and tell me which one you prefer!

When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Release date: April 2012
Ages: 14+

"What's in a name, Shakespeare? I'll tell you: everything. 

"Rosaline knows that she and Rob are destined to be together. Rose has been waiting for years for Rob to kiss her--and when he finally does, it's perfect. But then Juliet moves back to town. Juliet, who used to be Rose's best friend. Juliet, who now inexplicably hates her. Juliet, who is gorgeous, vindictive, and a little bit crazy...and who has set her sights on Rob. He doesn't even stand a chance.

Rose is devastated over losing Rob to Juliet. This is not how the story was supposed to go. And when rumors start swirling about Juliet's instability, her neediness, and her threats of suicide, Rose starts to fear not only for Rob's heart, but also for his life. Because Shakespeare may have gotten the story wrong, but we all still know how it ends.

Slated by Teri Terry releases in May 2012 and although I haven't heard much about this one, it's already been getting good reviews from a couple of my friends on Goodreads. I'll be keeping an eye out for it too!

Slated by Teri Terry
Publisher: Orchard Books
Release date:  May 2012
Ages:  12+

What would you do if your entire memory had been erased?

Sixteen-year-old Kyla has been 'slated': all of her past memories erased, her entire personality wiped blank. She has been assigned a new name, a new date of birth and even new parents. The government that did this to her claim she was a terrorist, and that she has been given a second chance. But Kyla knows that the government has been lying. Without her memories, how will Kyla ever find the truth?

And if her old self is really and truly dead, then what are the terrifying images that still haunt her dreams?

Finally check out this new cover for Where She Went by Gayle Forman. Even though I already have a copy of this book, I already want to buy another just for this cover. Total cover love!  This edition releases April 2012.

* Please note: These covers may not be final and may be subject to change. Images sourced from publishers websites & amazon UK. 

Book Review: The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman.

Product details:
Publisher: Atom.
Release date: January 19th 2012.
Paperback, 434 pages.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Ages: 12+
Source: Received from publisher for review.

It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up.  When the night began, Nora had two best friends and an embarrassingly storybook one true love.  When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands and an echoing scream that stopped only when the tranquilizers pierced her veins and left her in the merciful dark.

But the next morning, it was all still true: Chris was dead.  His girlfriend Adriane, Nora's best friend, was catatonic. And Max, Nora's sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.

Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora follows the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. It ultimately brings her to the ancient streets of Prague, where she is drawn into a dark web of secret societies and shadowy conspirators, all driven by a mad desire to possess something that might not even exist. For buried in a centuries-old manuscript is the secret to ultimate knowledge and communion with the divine; it is said that he who controls the Lumen Dei controls the world. Unbeknownst to her, Nora now holds the crucial key to unlocking its secrets. Her night of blood is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.

Complex, cryptic and captivating, Robin Wasserman’s The Book of Blood and Shadow is an intelligent and intriguing work, rich in historical detail and brimming with the kind of page-turning plot twists that demand reading late into the night. Fans of The Secret History will love this tale of blood and alchemy, secrets and death, all set against the mystical backdrop of Prague.

Life can change in the blink of an eye. High school student and Latin scholar, Nora Kane, knows this better than most.  With her home life in ruins following a family tragedy, Nora finds her solace in study, undertaking a Latin translation project along with best friend Chris and soon-to-be love interest, Max. But what begins as a safe haven soon turns into a nightmare, leaving Chris dead, Max on the run, and Nora in fear of her life. With time running out, and a shady secret society hot on her heels, Nora must solve the mystery of the seven hundred year old Book of Blood and Shadow and clear the name of the boy she loves.

The Book of Blood and Shadow starts with a bang – we know from page one that there has been a murder - but after this the pace slows as we learn of the long hidden secrets contained in the letters and manuscript that the teens have been working on.  Nora soon learns that these secrets are bigger than anything she could have imagined, and that there are people in the world who will kill for them. As her search for the truth leads her to Prague, it turns out too that everyone in Nora’s world from, from Chris’s girlfriend Adriane to his cousin Eli, have secrets, and its up to Nora to figure out, who, if anyone, she can trust. And the answers aren’t always as clear-cut as you might think.  This is a clever book that will demand your attention from start to finish with its intricately constructed plot, intelligent prose and myriad of plot twists that are both complex and genius.  

If there’s one qualm I have in regards to The Book of Blood and Shadow, it’s that the characters and their voices are not entirely relatable. Nora stands alone in her world, her parents don’t have a big part to play in her life and her voice, for me, was not realistically teen. This is, explained by circumstances in her background, but in places I had trouble thinking of this as an entirely YA book.  With its complex plot and sophisticated prose, The Book of Blood and Shadow has major crossover appeal, although I think it is perhaps suited more to the older teen than the younger set.

You might also like to read: Author Robin Wasserman on the strange-but-true historical background of The Book of Blood and Shadow.

Oliver Twisted Blog Tour: Author J.D. Sharpe on how to write a mash up!

Please welcome author J.D. Sharpe to the blog today as part of the Oliver Twisted blog tour. J.D. has written a great guest post on how to write a mash up!

Oliver Twisted is out now, and Jen will be reviewing it soon on the blog. Can't wait to see what she thinks. Until then, over to J.D...

Oliver Twisted by J.D. Sharpe
Publisher: Egmont
Release date: February 6th 2012.

“FLESH, the woe-begotten moaned at Oliver, baring teeth which were ragged and black.

“FLESH,” came another moan, and he turned to see two more woe-begottens behind. They began to shuffle towards him, barefoot – toes blue from cold, arms outstretched.

The world according to Oliver Twisted is simple. Vampyres feed on the defenceless. Orphans are sacrificed to hungry gods. And if a woe-begotten catches your scent it will hunt you for ever. When a talking corpse reveals that Oliver will find his destiny in London, he sets out to seek the truth. Even if it means losing his soul.

Guest Post: Author J.D. Sharpe on how to write a mash up. 

Hi and welcome to my blog post about how to write a mash up.

 I’ll say straight away that I don’t think there is a right or wrong way to do this – it is matter of feeling things out and experimenting.

However, there are some things you might want to think about before starting your own mash up adventure and in the true tradition of mash up, I am going to try and compose my advice from various pieces of useful material that I have found and blend with my own words!

First off what is a mash up?

According to mashup.com a mash up is recombinant art, derived art. Some may call it type of plagiarism resulting from the impulse to create paired with a lack of imagination. Others will contend that this process of remixing source materials, whether they be "found sounds", literature or pop music has great artistic merit.

I think I prefer the second the part of this definition [obviously] because it recognizes that there is some skill in trying to blend your vision with somebody else’s!  For whole chapters of Oliver Twisted I create brand new text and plot points that deviate massively from the original narrative. Yet, in other sections, I keep Dickens’s words – especially his descriptions of London which in my opinion are just sublime.

What remains and what changes is part of the creative process of writing a mash up and indeed any kind of reinterpretation of a classic. It is all part of the craft and I suppose appeals to the editor in me which is what I do as my day job!

Oliver Twisted was not easy to write but it was wonderful to write. I feel like I really got beneath the skin of Oliver Twist and because Dickens’s characters are so well known it really threw down the gauntlet in terms of trying to find ways to surprise and, hopefully, delight.

The New York Times provides some food for thought before tackling a mash up:

•          What do you think of using somebody else’s ideas, words or images as an inspiration for art?

•          What, if anything, are the differences between a remake and a reinvention (including a mash-up)?

•          What is your goal in recombining elements from your chosen work?

•          How will you go beyond imitation?

•          How will you play with conventions of the genre?

•          What tone are you trying to achieve? Is it serious or playful? Do you want your audience to think, laugh or do both? What other emotions or reactions might your work evoke?  

This is a great list of questions because it is getting you to challenge your own thoughts on mash ups and to think about what it is you really want to say if you do decide to write one.

Right, so you’ve thought about why you are writing a mash up and what tone you want your mash up to be, so how do you actually write one?

 Sherrie Brown Erwin who has written a mash up called Jane Slayre based on Jane Erye shares how she wrote her mash up.

First, choose a classic in the public domain. Public Domain means the work in question is no longer protected by copyright, and free to be mashed. Anything copyrighted prior to 1923 is in the public domain. If a novel is available to download for free at a site like Project Gutenberg, it’s probably in the public domain.

Next, get to know the classic work extremely well, with several readings so that you identify with the scenes and the mechanics as if you’d actually written them. This gives you a feel for the original author’s voice and tone, as well as helping you figure out what you would like to change and where you would change it.

Finally, start making changes.

My process? I copy the original work into a file, and start layering the changes into the original manuscript. I delete sentences, rewrite sentences, and add new ones of my own creation. I go over the manuscript four to six times or more, saving several different versions as I go along so that I can retrace my steps if I go too far. Though, can you ever go far enough?

Feel free to go wild! Add new scenes, new characters. Once you have been through it a few times, you find that changes feel more organic, and more like your own.

Key to remember, though, that classics beloved and well-read through time are very familiar to readers, and dear to hearts. Not all changes are well-received. Readers have an expectation of their favorite books that they still crave in mashups, if they are adventurous enough to give one a try.

I didn’t write Oliver Twisted like this – I highlighted words and lines I wanted to keep from Dickens’s Oliver Twist but only once I knew what the spine of my story was going to be and the journey I was taking Oliver on. However, like I said at the top of the piece, I don’t think there is a right or wrong way to create a mash up or reimagine a story, and Sherrie’s method may be more helpful to you. Get stuck in.

Thanks for reading and good luck writing your own mash up!

J.D Sharpe's Website

Valentine's Day Giveaway: Win The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith +++ Competition Winners!

Happy Valentine's Day lovely readers! 

To be in with a chance to win a copy of The Statistical Probabilty of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith, just fill in the form below telling me your favourite literary couple of all time! 

This competition is International & closes February 28th 2012.

Following the blog is not necessary to enter, but is always appreciated. 

COMPETITION CLOSED!  WINNER ANNOUNCED SOON!

+++++Competition Winners+++++

Here are the winners of my 'Hello 2012' Mega Giveaway!

Winner #1 Milly won copies of Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James, Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson & Tempest by Julie Cross.

Winner #2 Jade won copies of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith & Delirium by Lauren Oliver.

Winner #3 Marcie won a copy of Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon.

Congratulations to all! The books have been sent out today, and should be with you soon! 

Book Review: Fated by Sarah Alderson.

Product details:
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK.
Release date:  January 5th 2012.
Paperback, 320 pages.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Ages: YA
Source: Received from publisher for review.

What happens when you discover you aren't who you thought you were? And that the person you love is the person who will betray you? If your fate is already determined, can you fight it?

When Evie Tremain discovers that she’s the last in a long line of Demon slayers and that she’s being hunted by an elite band of assassins –Shapeshifters, Vampires and Mixen demons amongst them – she knows she can’t run. They’ll find her wherever she goes. Instead she must learn to stand and fight.

But when the half-human, half-Shadow Warrior Lucas Gray - is sent to spy on Evie and then ordered to kill her before she can fulfil a dangerous prophecy, their fates become inextricably linked. The war that has raged for one thousand years between humans and demons is about to reach a devastating and inevitable conclusion. Either one or both of them will die before this war ends.

If your life becomes bound to another’s, what will it take to sever it?

Fated, the page-turning second novel from Hunting Lila author Sarah Alderson, introduces us to Evie Tremaine, a small town girl who dreams of escaping her boring life and her cheating ex-boyfriend. It’s a case of be careful what you wish for though, when Evie is set upon by a band of dangerous demons, amongst them Lucas Grey, a guy who makes her forget all about her ex, but who is also on a mission to kill Evie, who we soon find out is no ordinary girl, but the last in a long line of purebred demon hunters.  Evie says goodbye to her mundane lifestyle as she finds herself at the center of an age old battle between demons and hunters, where every day is a fight to the death.

As in Hunting Lila, Alderson’s writing is fast-paced, addictive and intense here. Fated is a roller-coaster ride of a book, and while it was all good fun, sometimes I wanted things to slow down.  I wanted more from this book, especially in terms of world building a characterization. A lot of the time I felt like I was playing catch-up here, meeting characters that I never really got to know, in a world that was alien to me. I need to be able to connect with characters, and while Evie is pretty much a kick-ass protagonist, and Lucas is the ultimate hottie (Alderson writes great book boys!), I felt like I just got to know them on the surface, so I didn’t entirely buy into the fact that they were willing to die for each other after one hot make-out session. It was all a little bit too like insta-love for me.

Overall, Fated is a fun paranormal read with full on action, and exciting plot twists, but it was missing that extra special something that I needed to fall in love with it.