Electric Monkey: New imprint from Egmont

I recently received a sampler from Egmont focusing on some of the titles which will be included within the launch of their new dedicated young adult imprint, Electric Monkey. 

Electric Monkey will launch in February 2012 and will be aimed at 12- to 15-year-olds.

The imprint will launch with three books for teenagers, including BZRK, a new series from Michael Grant, author of the Gone series, which will have a significant digital element including video games and an interactive website. Also on the launch list are Oliver Twisted by J D Sharpe and Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein.

Egmont Press publisher Stella Paskins said the company will publish ten YA titles onto the list in its first six months with one or two titles each month thereafter. Backlisted titles will be added to the imprint as they are reprinted.

This is really exciting news!  I can't wait to get my hands on these releases and will be looking forward to seeing what else Electric Monkey will be publishing in the future.

Blog tour: Between - Jessica Warman

I'm very excited about getting the opportunity to take part in Jessica Warman's blog tour for her fantastic new book 'Between'.  You can read my review here.  I absolutely loved it and am now desperate to read her two previous books, 'Breathless' and 'Where the Truth Lies'.

Jessica has written a wonderful guest post so without further ado...

People ask me all the time where I get the inspiration for my characters. It’s funny, because they often have guesses, and most of the time they’re wrong. In particular, my mom always thinks she has everyone’s real-life counterpart figured out. She’ll present her theories to me with such self-satisfied confidence that sometimes I feel bad telling her how badly she’s missed the mark. (If you’re reading this, Mom, I’m sorry.)

In truth, most of my characters are a mashup of many different people who I’ve met in my life. It’s so much fun to pick and choose everything about them – looks, personality traits, family history – that I often end up creating far more background for each character than what actually makes it into the book. But I think that’s fine; actually, I think it’s important. As a writer, the better you know your characters, the more realistic they’ll be to readers.

I’ll admit that, in BETWEEN, there was one character who I based almost entirely on a real-life individual: Richie. It was so important to me that the love story between him and Liz ring true to readers; it’s one of the few things in the book that never really gets corrupted or tainted by the events that take place, and I wanted it to be as realistic and deeply felt as possible. To do this, I tried to think about a love in my life that has been long-lasting and true, one that I could really explore and dig into. So when I created Richie, I used my husband, Colin, as the source material.

Colin and I met midway through our freshman year of college. I’d just transferred to his school, and he lived down the hall from me in my new dorm. The first time I walked into my room, he was sitting on the floor, watching TV with my roommate. As soon as he and I started talking, within the first ten minutes of our conversation, all I could think was: When can I see this boy again?

We quickly became close friends. Even though we were both dating other people when we met, it was obvious to everyone around us that we were losing our marbles for each other. I can remember the first time I ever met his then-girlfriend; I looked at her and thought, “doesn’t she understand that he’s supposed to be with me?” It seemed so obvious, like our being together was the only option that made sense. When we finally started dating a few months later, nobody was the least bit surprised. We dated for a year before getting engaged. A year after that, at age 21, we were married. We will celebrate our ten-year wedding anniversary this May.

One thing I particularly love about Liz and Richie’s relationship is how different they are, yet how well they fit together despite all those differences. My husband and I are total opposites in so many ways. I love to spend my spare time going for long runs; he loves to spend his spare time doing… well, doing pretty much anything besides running. I am hyper-emotional and creative and fussy, while he is calm and logical and easygoing. He loves to play the drums; I can’t stand loud noise. I’m impulsive (if you don’t believe me, you should see the tattoo I got a few years ago on a dare); he’s a planner. Like Richie and Liz, we are completely different on the surface. Yet when we’re together, I feel complete. Somehow it works.

In my wedding vows, I said something to Colin that I think about often. I told him, “You know everything about me. You know the parts of me that I love, and you love them too. But you also see the things about me that I dislike – yet somehow you love those parts of me as well.”

While there were elements to both Liz and Richie’s characters that they might not have encouraged or embraced – for example, Richie’s association with drugs, and Liz’s prissy, often bitchy personality – what I love about their relationship is that they accept those parts of each other, even though they don’t necessarily condone them. They are both so young and so immature in many ways, but together they are able to understand and appreciate each other as whole people, rather than loving bits and parts of each other, but rejecting other parts. They both have so much to learn about life, but somehow they know everything they need to about each other. In short, they know that, somehow, they fit. And they both understand how lucky they are to have found that, especially at such young ages.

It’s an incredible feeling: to look at someone and say to them, “I love you just as you are,” and to truly mean it. When those feelings are reciprocated, that’s when you know you’ve found something that could last forever. It’s something so deep and genuine that almost nothing can destroy it. Not a scheming stepsister. Not a secret. Not a terrible lie.

Not even death.

Review: Between - Jessica Warman

Between by Jessica Warman published on 3rd October 2011 by Egmont

Goodreads synopsis:

Only the good die young. Right? Elizabeth Valchar has it all: friends, money, beauty, a cute boyfriend and assured popularity. But on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, she is found drowned next to her parents' boat. Everyone thinks it was a tragic accident - teens drinking on a boat, a misstep leading to a watery death. But Liz is still here after death, and she doesn't know why. There are gaps in her memory. Her only company Alex, a boy killed by a car a year earlier, Liz sets out to piece together her life. But their small coastal town is hiding many secrets - about families, boyfriends and friendship. Plus, Alex hates Liz for being mean when they were alive. Was she as squeaky clean as she thinks she was? Could it be that she herself is hiding the biggest secret of all? Can Liz discover the truth? And if she does, who can she tell?

Review:
'Between' is an extraordinary and powerful novel from author Jessica Warman.  Reminiscent in some respects to 'If I Stay' by Gayle Forman and 'Before I Fall' by Lauren Oliver, it employs the device of a teenage girl looking back at fragments and memories of her life, after having died.  What at first appears to simply have been a tragic accident turns out to be much more than that and so she attempts to piece together what or even who may have caused her death. 

I was emotionally entangled in the story from the very first chapter which is an outstanding opening to a book and which had me intrigued and turning the pages faster and faster.  The story is multi-layered and as I read, I found that the plot kept drawing me deeper in with some unexpected twists and turns.  I was continually surprised by the revelations about main character Elizabeth Valchar and I was as eager as her to find resolution to her death.

Elizabeth is about to turn eighteen.  She's pretty and popular and is celebrating her birthday with her closest friends and boyfriend on board her Dad's boat The Elizabeth.  From the outside, life seems golden but when Elizabeth dies, she has to try and make sense of of the events leading up to her death and what she discovers may affect all those she's left behind.  Helping Elizabeth is local boy Alex Berg, who was killed in a hit and run accident and is also stuck in a kind of limbo between life and death.  The link between them is only revealed near the end of the book and certainly shocked me as I hadn't guessed what connected two people who in life had moved in seemingly separate circles.

What I loved about the character of Elizabeth is that on the surface she seems to have it all.  She's one of those girls that everyone wants to be.  She has a seemingly perfect and gifted life, but as the plot unravels, the reader can very gradually see how emotionally unstable and mixed up she really was.  She may at first seem altogether superficial and shallow, but in actuality she's as lost as everyone else.  What's so great about 'Between' is that Jessica Warman really makes you care about a character that you may initially be dismissive of.  When the truth about her is exposed, I found myself feeling genuine sympathy towards her.

This is a tremendously well written and absorbing book that will make you not want to leave the house until you've reached the end.  It's about the flaws of human nature and what people hide underneath their glossy exteriors.  Make sure you have plenty of tissues on hand for this moving, compelling and emotional story.

Don't forget to visit the blog tomorrow when Jessica Warman herself will be stopping by as part of her blog tour for 'Between'.      

Blog tour: We Can Be Heroes - Catherine Bruton

Today I'm welcoming Catherine Bruton to 'A Dream of Books' as part of her first ever blog tour for her debut novel 'We Can Be Heroes'.

Publication day!

O! M! Golly! Gosh! My book is out today. Actually, factually today! On real shelves, in real bookshops. Beautiful shiny  copies  of ‘We Can be Heroes’ with nice foily bits on the covers and the most fabulous manga cartoon artwork inside and lots and lots of words written by me. 

I’m on holiday, in deepest darkest Cornwall but I am going to drag the family off the beach and over to Truro  later so I can stare at the foil-covered beauteousness of it in Waterstones. I contemplated  camping outside last  night like they do when Harry Potter comes out, but decided it was too cold and I don’t do cold – or camping really.

So instead I’ve been training my kids to do a spot of improv’ ankle-biter publicity. Child no. 1 (aged six, code name Moozle) has been practising saying loudly,  ‘Mummy, isn’t that your book?’ and pointing  in wide-eyed wonder at the amazing techni-colour loveliness that is  my masterpiece on the shelves, whilst Child no 2 (aged eight, code named Pookin but if you call him that he’ll have to kill you) declares in his loudest (but cutest) voice,  ‘Yes,  and didn’t it get described as an ‘outstanding debut’ in ‘The Bookseller’? And didn’t that nice man, Alan Gibbons, say it was a ‘remarkable, important book’ in ‘Books for Keeps’?

Meanwhile long-suffering hubbie (who wishes to be code-named Golden Eagle for reasons unknown but probably related to James Bond/Alex Rider obsession)  hums  the tune to David Bowie’s ‘We Can be Heroes’ in a subliminal way so that shoppers find themselves magnetically drawn towards masterpiece on the shelves.  I’ve negotiated a Hello Kitty Pez and a packet of Pokemon Level X Inferno cards as bribes, which is a total bargain, I reckon.  Oh and  Golden Eagle can have a lie-in and a packet of M and S hankies! Sorted. 

Oh, and the book is buying them pressies. Did you know books could do that? You know like new baby brothers and sisters do, when they bring pressies from the womb for their elder siblings (how do they do that? are there shopping malls in there?). My baby brother bought me a copy of ‘My Naughty Little Sister’  when he was born. I was too young to be offended  at the time but I’m getting the hump in retrospect – and how did he source that, huh?  Amniotic Amazon? I tell you, it’s a fix and I’m onto it!

Anyway, ‘We Can be Heroes’ has robbed my kiddywinkles of any semblance of decent mothering for the last few months, so I figure it owes them big time. So the masterpiece is buying Moozle a pair of wheelie shoes -  because  they are the footwear of choice of my main character Priti whose mad-bonkers dress sense was inspired by the Moozle  herself (she once went out with a pair of tights on her head but not on her legs, ‘Because that would have looked weird, Mummy!’) Meanwhile,  Pookin (sorry, Joe -  baby names are so not cool when you are eight) is getting a proper artist’s sketch book for drawing his cartoons in cos he’s a bit of a manga fan, just like Ben my other main character who doodles his way through the book and whose cartoon actually appears in the back (and is my absolute favourite ever bit of the whole thing!).

Just had a horrible thought. Book has not bought gift for the Golden Eagle who  has been v supportive spouse and pedantic proof-reader (lawyers really are very pernickety, it turns out!) and is already less than delighted at being the inspiration for the main character’s dad who died in the 9/11  attacks ten years before the story starts. ‘How could you kill me off in print?’ he wailed when he found out. ‘Why couldn’t I be the hero and do a car chase and kill some baddies and stuff?’ I tried to explain that Ben spends most of the book trying to connect with the father he never knew – and that there are baddies, and bomb-plots and kidnapping and stuff and  they are all sort of a result of his character dying. But Golden Eagle is unconvinced and still sulking about  literary husbicide (is that the word for killing your husband? If not, what is? Please help). And choice of gift is proving a little tricky in light of his character’s untimely demise. Will have to go for garden vouchers and hope for the best!

So, publicity is covered, the book has nearly finished its publication day gift shopping, book gazing is scheduled and then what? I guess then I just have to sit around twiddling my thumbs waiting for people to read it and tell me what they think of it.....Which is the only bad thing about this whole publication day extravaganza! ..... People might actually read it!!!  I mean, this should be a good thing, right? But  when you’ve stolen bits of family legend (like the pooing in the bath incident – sorry Tricksy!)  and the odd clearly recognisable character trait (Nuffty, Jed may have borrowed your wardrobe and your passion for The Reds but you are way nicer than he is – honestly, promisedly!) Basically, I figure half my family  and friends might not be be talking to me after they’ve read it.

And then what if people don’t like it?  It could be like when you tell people what your new baby is called and you can tell right away  that they hate the name  cos they put on this expression of polite horror and then come out with loads of euphemisms, like, ‘Oh! What an unusual  choice!’  (believe me, I know, I plumped for an old lady name for my daughter – sorry, kid!). What if it’s like that?  What if everyone hates it. No, wait, the nice lady from Chicklish said ‘Bruton is brilliant’ and  that  lovely man from the Bookbag called it, ‘ An important book: brave, honest, funny and very tense...’ so if everyone else hates it and my family disown me, I figure they can be my new BFFs.

OK. I’ve got all my ducks in a row (I have ALWAYS wanted to say that cos my management consultant bro in law says it and I’ve never really known what it meant!)  the kids are drilled, the pressies are wrapped and the sparkling grape juice is on ice (can’t do real shampoo – might get too giddy and do cartwheels in Cornish Waterstones and nobody wants to see me doing gymnastics - not at my age)  So all that remains is for me to deliver my closing line.

So, when I’m standing in Waterstones later and  Moozle declares in finely drilled prose ‘Mummy, isn’t that your novel? The one  that was described  by the reviewers as a ‘big brave book’ and ‘a remarkable debut’?’  I shall simply blush modestly and declare with touching humility (and a nod to Andy McDowell in ‘Four Weddings’), ‘Is it? I hadn’t noticed!’

And then break out into Riverdance/break-dance routine up and down the aisle!

http://catherinebruton.com

Review: We Can Be Heroes - Catherine Bruton

We Can Be Heroes by Catherine Bruton, published by Egmont on 1st August 2011

Goodreads synopsis:
My dad was killed in the 9/11 attacks in New York. But the stuff in this book isn't about that. It's about the summer my mum went away. The summer that me and Jed and Priti tried to catch a suicide bomber and prevent an honour killing. There's stuff about how we built a tree house and joined the bomb squad; how I found my dad and Jed lost his; and how we both lost our mums then found them again. So it's not really about 9/11 but, then again, none of those things would have happened if it hadn't been for that day. So I guess it's all back to front, sort of...

Review:

‘We Can Be Heroes’ is Catherine Bruton’s debut novel.  From the first few pages we learn that the main character Ben, lost his Dad in the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in America.  This sets the tone for a book which doesn’t hold back from exploring and confronting difficult subjects. 

Ben is staying with his grandparents for the summer.  The reason for his mother’s absence is hinted at but never explicitly explained.  He soon makes friends with Priti, a young Muslim girl in the neighbourhood and they are joined by his cousin Jed who has also come to stay.  Over the course of the summer, they learn to tackle family issues, grief and bereavement, whilst also learning about the people around them.        

One of the main themes of the book is racial intolerance and prejudice.  Some of the characters in the story are very quick to judge others by the way they dress, the colour of their skin or their religion.  This causes disharmony between them and illustrates the irrational way in which people make snap judgements or assessments about each other or discriminate wrongly on the basis of race.

The topic of 9/11 is also predominant throughout.  This is a tough issue to write about but I felt that Catherine Bruton tackled it bravely and in such a way that it was handled sensitively and with great insight.  It wasn’t written about in a gratuitous way but explored the impact and aftermath of this event on the relatives of the people that died that day.          

One of my favourite things about the book was the way in which Ben is forever drawing pictures and comics and envisions speech bubbles and weird and wonderful outfits for the people in the story.  There is a short manga comic at the back of the book which is the culmination of Ben’s work and which is awesome!   

Although not normally the sort of book I would pick up and read, I found 'We Can Be Heroes' to be an interesting, engaging and thought provoking read which delivers a powerful message about today's society. 

Don't forget to come back on Monday 1st August when I'll be hosting a stop on Catherine's first ever blog tour!

Review: Unearthly - Cynthia Hand

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand, published by Egmont on 2nd May 2011

Goodreads synopsis:
 In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .
 
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
 
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
 
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Review:
I'm afraid that I'm going to gush terribly in this review because I really and truly loved this book.  I was sad to finish it and am literally going to be on tenterhooks until the second book in the trilogy, Hallowed, is published.  I have no idea how I'm going to cope with the long wait!

'Unearthly' was everything I look for in a book and more.  It was instantly captivating and made me forget everything and everyone around me when I was reading it.  The story flowed beautifully, I adored the characters and it kept me fascinated and intrigued throughout.  The plot, although based around the angel mythology which is heavily prevalent in the YA market at the moment, was still original and different and the premise appealed to me from the start.  The writing fairly flowed off the page and the characters came to life before my eyes.

I adored the love triangle-esque aspect of the story too.  Clara, the main character, finds that she's pulled in different directions and is torn between gorgeous and seemingly perfect Christian Prescott and rough and ready Tucker Avery, who she starts off having somewhat of a love-hate relationship with, before she finally gets to know the real Tucker.  I loved both boys but I have to say that Tucker was my favourite.  Without wanting to spoil anything for those who haven't read the book yet, I adored the way in which his character was written and the fact that there's a lot more to Tucker than you originally see.  He's pretty old-fashioned at times, but in an appealing way and he's certainly full of surprises.  I'm looking forward to seeing how the relationship between Clara and the two boys eventually develops.     

Clara is a wonderful protagonist and immensely likeable.  I enjoyed seeing the close relationship she has with her mother and brother, along with her interactions with the many secondary characters she meets throughout the book.  I liked the fact that she may be part-angel but she doesn't have all the answers and although many things come easily to her, she still has to struggle with her abilities at times.  This made her very real and allowed me to identify with her and her experiences.   

If I had to make any criticism (and believe me, it's extremely hard to find anything wrong with this book), it would probably be that I found the ending a little bit of an anti-climax, but saying that, I still thought it was executed well and laid all the foundations for what should be a phenomenal trilogy.

'Unearthly' is one of the best angel books I've ever read.  It's utterly compulsive reading and a stellar opening.  Cynthia Hand, I commend you!!

Trailer: Angel's Fury - Bryony Pearce

Angel's Fury by Bryony Pearce is published by Egmont on 4th July 2011.  It sounds fantastic and I'm planning to read my proof copy soon so expect a review in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, here's the official trailer to whet your appetite!



Cassie Farrier has always suffered from terrifying nightmares. On a trip to Germany she recognises scenes from her dreams and finds evidence of a sixty year-old massacre. Fearing for her sanity, her family sends Cassie to a retreat where she meets others with symptoms like her own and finds out that she has lived a number of past lives.

However, the Doctor at the retreat is not what she seems. Cassie and the boy she comes to love must escape the Doctor’s influence but can they also escape the misery of their shared past?

Review: Cat's Cradle - Julia Golding

Cat's Cradle by Julia Golding, published by Egmont on 4th April 2011

Goodreads synopsis:
Royal...Cat's Cradle.In which Cat Royal spins a tale about the search for her family, weaving in friends and foes, old and new. Her journey takes her from riotous London to a revolutionary cotton mill on the River Clyde in Scotland. And a mysterious newcomer is introduced...So take your seats, ladies and gentlemen: the Industrial Age has arrived.

Review:
This is the sixth book in the series about Cat Royal, self-professed orphan, adventurer and actress.  I haven't actually read any of the preceding books but it didn't take me long to get acquainted with the all the characters.  There was also a handy who's who guide in the front which I consulted a couple of times and was a big help.  The only thing I would have liked to have known (and I assume this is mentioned at the start of the series) is how old Cat actually is.  I couldn't quite work this out - the cover girl looks about 13 which is much younger than I pictured Cat being, as she often seems to be off on an adventure of her own and I would have thought she was closer to 16 or 17.

'Cat's Cradle' is set in London in 1792, as Cat arrives home from her escapades in the Caribbean.  No sooner have her feet touched solid ground than she's off again, this time to Scotland, to try to uncover long-buried family secrets.  The story follows her attempts to discover the identity of her mother and to determine if she actually does have a family after all - an orphan no more.

This was an enjoyable story with an engaging and unconventional heroine, who's feisty and doesn't conform to what's expected of a conventional young lady.  She speaks her mind and isn't afraid to stick to her guns even when those around her might question her actions.  This is refreshing and is part of what makes Cat such a brilliant main character.  She can often be found with her close friend Syd and his London gang, but in this installment she is trying to keep some distance between herself and Syd who harbours romantic feelings towards her. 

There's some interesting new characters as well, such as Bridget, an Irish girl who she meets and takes under her wing and who joins her on her journey to Scotland. 

I love historical fiction and liked the way in which Julia Golding wonderfully evokes the sights and sounds first of eighteenth century London and then Scotland, through both the landscapes and the dialects of the characters.  I felt like I was transported back in time to join Cat on her adventure!    

The Cat Royal books are hugely popular with a young teen audience but I think would also appeal to anyone that likes beautifully written historical fiction that's engaging and entertaining, as well as touching on more serious issues such as social equality.   I'm now going to go and read the first five books in the series to see where Cat's story began!

You can find out more about Julia Golding and the Cat Royal books at: http://juliagolding.co.uk   

Review: The Shadowing: Hunted - Adam Slater

The Shadowing: Hunted by Adam Slater, published by Egmont on 2nd May 2011

Goodreads synopsis:
The girl lies by the canal, her face turned upwards like a stargazer. But she will never see the stars again. Her eyes have been torn out. The rain fills the empty sockets until they brim over, spilling bloody tears down her cold, white cheeks. Once every century, the boundary between the demon Netherworld and the human world weakens. Legions of creatures gather, preparing to cross over, to bring death and destruction. This time is called The Shadowing.

Callum has always known that there is something beyond the mortal world - he can see ghosts. Lately, he's started to have horrific visions of children murdered by some terrible, unseen creature. And then the visions start to come true - and Callum realises he is being hunted too. But Callum must stay alive. He is bound by a dark destiny, and must stand against the demon forces that threaten our world forever. For it is nearly time. The Shadowing is coming...

Review:
'The Shadowing' is chock-full of thrills and packed with enough creepy supernatural goings-on to keep you up all night. You'll most definitely have to read this book with the lights on!

I must admit that I was a bit apprehensive about reading this to begin with, as I'm not usually a fan of the horror genre. It's certainly not something that I would normally have picked for myself. It has the scariest cover ever! However, I'm so glad that I was sent a copy of this and gave it a go because it's a stellar opening to the series and has left me dying for more. I got sucked into the story and found it incredibly difficult to put it down as the suspense was unbearable. I couldn't go to bed until I'd reached the end.

The story centres around Callum Scott, a young boy who has the ability to see ghosts and who starts having strange premonitions which warn him about events to come. He lives with his Gran who is dismissive of anything to do with magic or the supernatural. When children start getting murdered, Callum may be the only one that can stop the strange creature responsible. But how can one boy stop a terrible evil?

Callum is a great central character as he seems so normal but has an incredible ability which may be the only thing that can save the human world from what lies on the other side. A little is told about Callum's family history but I feel like there's much more to come. I suspect a big secret could end up being revealed.

What I loved about 'The Shadowing' was that it was such a fast-paced and exciting read. Each chapter was full of thrills and spills and interesting plot twists. I had no idea what was coming next and spent most of the time on the edge of my seat. It had a stunning opening which really set the tone for the rest of the book and a fantastic ending which was jaw-droppingly brilliant.

This book will appeal hugely to a male audience who are looking for the next big thing in this genre but that's not to say that females won't love it too. I did! There are a couple of bits which made me a bit squeamish as Slater doesn't hold back from the gore-factor, so I probably wouldn't recommend this to very young readers but those who are slightly older will lap this up.

I'm eagerly anticipating getting my hands on 'The Shadowing: Skinned' which is the next book in the series. Who knows what's coming next!

Review: Forgotten - Cat Patrick

Forgotten by Cat Patrick, published by Egmont on 6th June 2011

Goodreads synopsis:
With the intrigue of "Memento" and the romance of "The Time-Traveller's Wife", "Forgotten" is the perfect YA novel.

Each night when 16 year-old London Lane goes to sleep, her whole world disappears. In the morning, all that's left is a note telling her about a day she can't remember. The whole scenario doesn't exactly make high school or dating that hot guy whose name she can't seem to recall any easier. But when London starts experiencing disturbing visions she can't make sense of, she realizes it's time to learn a little more about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.

Part psychological drama, part romance, and part mystery, this thought-provoking novel will inspire readers to consider the what-if's in their own lives and recognize the power they have to control their destinies.

Review:
I'm in love.  With a book.  And it's name is Forgotten.  This is such a stunning debut novel that I was compltely blown away by it.  I don't think my review will be able to do justice to just how amazing this book is and how much I loved it but I'll try and put into words how incredible I found it and what a phenomenally talented writer Cat Patrick is.

From the first to the last page this was a stellar read.  I rushed home from work to finish reading it immediately, after daydreaming over the book all day.  Even now, after a couple of days have gone by, I'm still thinking about the story and the characters.  I'm jealous of people who will get to read this for the very first time and discover just how fantastic the experience of losing themselves in it is. 

The concept is brilliant and really piqued my interest when I first heard about the book.  London Lane is an average teenage girl in every way but one.  Every day at 4.33am her memory resets and she's able to see events that will take place in her future but cannot remember anything about the day before.  She has to write herself long detailed notes of everything important that she needs to know so that she'll be able to live as normal a life as possible.  The idea of this actually happening to someone is incredible.  Obviously London gets to choose what she does and doesn't want to be reminded of the next day, which certainly solves the problem of embarrassing incidents - they can just be wiped from memory.  The insights that London gets into her future lead to her questioning the people around her as she tries to work out the meaning of her visions. 

I loved the character of London.  She's the kind of person that you'd love to have for a best friend.  She's true to herself and follows her own path but she's also incredibly loyal and will stand by your side no matter what.  She's extremely likeable and I really identified with aspects of her personality. 

Although the hook for this novel is the idea of a girl who has no backwards memory, what made the book for me is the central relationship between London and her incredibly hot boyfriend Luke Henry!  I was absolutely sucked into the romance between them as they go on their first date and share their first kiss.  Their relationship is very mature for a couple that are still at school and I like the fact that it's simple and easy between them without too many big dramas. 

I have to say that as London fell for Luke, I did too!  He's at the top of my literary boy crush list!  He's gorgeous but also caring and kind, sensitive and romantic.  He's the sort of boy who'll be polite to your parents, remember your favourite movie and always be in exactly the right place at the right time.  I loved the way in which their romance was written and there are some seriously heart fluttering moments between the two of them.

Simply put, this book had it all.  It manages to combine an intriguing mystery with a strong romantic undercurrent, a fresh and appealing female protagonist and a sucker-punch ending.  I was blown away by Cat Patrick's debut and I shall be recommending this to everyone I know.  We may only be a few months into the new year but I think I may have found my book of the year already!  If love was a book then it would most definitely be 'Forgotten'. 

I received a proof copy of the book which has a plain red cover but I definitely need to get my hands on a finished copy because the UK and US cover art is gorgeous. 

The film rights for 'Forgotten' have been sold already and Hailee Steinfeld is attached to play London.  I can't wait to see who they have lined up for Luke. It's so exciting that it's going to be on the big screen :) 

Thanks to the publisher for sending this book for review

Review: The Lost Saint - Bree Despain

The Lost Saint by Bree Despain, published by Egmont on 7th March 2011

Goodreads synopsis:
A family destroyed. A love threatened. An enemy returns.

Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She was infected with the werewolf curse while trying to save him, and lost her beloved brother in the process.

Desperate to find Jude, Grace befriends Talbot, a newcomer to town. But as the two grow closer, Grace's relationship with Daniel is put in danger - in more ways than one.

Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace begins to give into the wolf inside of her - not realizing that an enemy has returned and a deadly trap is about to be sprung.

 Review:

'The Lost Saint' is the deliciously dark and mysterious sequel to 'The Dark Divine' by Bree Despain.  I was really eager to read this book and was most definitely not disappointed.  It was an absolutely thrilling read and has now just made me even more impatient for the last installment in this fantastic trilogy.

The story focuses on Grace and her fight to keep the wolf inside her at bay.  She wants to become a Hound of Heaven and use her abilities for good but her struggle is going to be tougher than even she anticipated.  Grace is such a brilliant protagonist.  She's brave and strong and self-less and extremely headstrong which often leads to her putting herself in harm's way.  She doesn't always make the right decisions but her heart is always in the right place and when it really matters she can definitely be counted on.

Grace is desperate to find her brother Jude after he succumbed to the wolf and disappeared.  When she tries to find him her path crosses with a mysterious stranger called Talbot who seems to know an awful lot about Grace and her secrets.  I loved, loved, loved Talbot!  Seriously!  I have to admit that I wasn't actually a huge fan of Daniel from the first book but he's definitely growing on me.  Talbot on the other hand I fell in love with straight away.  I loved the way he was described when Grace first met him and I really adored the air of mystery and intrigue which surrounded him.  I think he's a great addition to the series and a good instrument for stirring up Grace's romantic feelings and emotions.  More of Talbot in the next book please!

There's a lot more action in 'The Lost Saint' which I enjoyed and I was totally gripped during the second half of the book.  The ending was so exciting and I found myself literally holding my breath as I read it.  I was shocked by the plot twist which comes near the end and left on absolute tenterhooks.  I need to know what's going to happen next! 

I also enjoyed finding out more about the history of the Urbat and discovering details of some of the character's family histories and backgrounds.  This helps in understanding a lot about the motivations and ambitions which drive a lot of the characters.

Bree Despain must be applauded for gripping the reader from the very first page and writing an amazing story which combines romance, mystery, action and danger.  If you like your romances dark and complex and you're looking for a book which will blow you away then look no further than 'The Lost Saint'.

Thanks to the publisher for sending this one for review

Review: Reckoning - Kate Cary

Reckoning by Kate Cary, published by Egmont on 7th February 2011

Goodreads synopsis:
This is the original vampire romance: go back to where the bloodlust began! Mary Seward thought she had escaped the darkness of Transylvania. But now, back in England, she has terrible nightmares, fears the darkness, and sees vampires everywhere. When a strange virus weakens her father, Mary suspects that there's a far more sinister force at work. Then Mary's worst nightmare comes true: Quincey Harker, heir to Dracula's bloodline, appears in England. He declares his eternal love for her and claims he has renounced his evil heritage. But is he telling the truth? Can his lust for blood be so easily forsaken? The first temptation is never the strongest...

Review:
'Reckoning' is the sequel to 'Bloodline' which I read last month (read my review).  It picks up from the events of the previous book and revisits the characters of Mary Seward and Quincey Harker - the latter who was supposed to be responsible for ensuring the Dracula bloodline did not die out.

I found the story utterly gripping.  I read it in one evening because once I'd picked it up I couldn't bring myself to put it down until I'd followed the story to its conclusion.  I would definitely recommend that you don't start this too late in the day in case you're up all night reading!

If you haven't read 'Bloodline' then I would suggest going out and getting a copy and reading it first.  'Reckoning' does begin with a short recap of events which helped to refresh my memory about previous occurrences and events but I think you do need to have read  the first book to fully understand and comprehend all the characters and their motivations.

The story is alternatively told through the eyes of Mary and Quincey.  This narrative device works well and helps to establish the true feelings and emotions of the characters.  It also provided different viewpoints of events which are key to the plot.  Quincey Harker is now supposedly a reformed character but the question is - can Mary really trust him!  I liked the fact that more of Quincey's back story was established, including how he became completely vampiric.  The only problem I had was that knowing everything about him, I'm not sure if I totally bought into his later transformation.  Can someone really change their outlook so radically? 

I guessed one of the twists in the story quite early on but I was also completely taken by surprise by one of the latter events of the book.  I didn't see it coming at all so that made it very exciting.  I love the way in which everything isn't always black and white/ good or bad and you really have to think carefully about the motives of the characters and whether they can be trusted. 

Overall the book was fast paced, gripping and a real page turner.  I liked the way in which Kate Cary turned the events of 'Bloodline' on their head and has constructed her own version of Dracula.  I'm guessing from the conclusion of the story that a third book is also planned as certain things were still left hanging.  I would also hope to see more of John at some point and find out what's happened to him since his life-changing experiences in Transylvania. 

Thanks to the publisher for sending this one for review

Review: Bloodline - Kate Cary

Bloodline by Kate Cary, published by Egmont Books on 4th October 2010

Goodreads synopsis:
Thirty-five years have passed since the death of the Master. But now a new evil walks among the living. . . .
When nineteen-year-old John Shaw returns from the trenches of World War I, he is haunted by nightmares—not only of the battlefield, but of the strange, cruel and impossible feats of his regiment's commander, Quincey Harker. Harker's ferocity knows no limits, and his strength is superhuman.
At first John blames his bloody nightmares on trench fever. But when Harker appears in England and begins wooing John's sister, John must confront the truth—and stop Harker from continuing Dracula's bloodline.

Review:
'Bloodline' is an inventive sequel to the original Bram Stoker's Dracula.  The story takes place many years after the events that led to the downfall of Dracula - events that left, however, his bloodline intact.

Quincey Harker is a captain leading a band of men during the war.  John Shaw is one of his lieutenants, who witnesses the atrocious nighttime exploits of his captain and who returns to England to convalesce and recover from his injuries, haunted by what he's seen.  Mary Seward is the daughter of Dr. Seward (from the original novel) and is in charge of helping John to return to good health.  As she nurses him she falls in love but soon comes across his journal where she discovers the full depth of his torment.  As Harker's relationship with John's sister Lily deepens, it's up to John and Mary to save her from a great evil.

I first read the original Dracula a few years ago but I could still remember enough to piece together the important parts of the story that were woven together with 'Bloodline'.  The latter is an imaginative and intriguing take on a classic novel that's influenced a whole genre of books.  I don't think it really matters if you haven't read Dracula itself although it's interesting to pick up the thread of the story and follow a new generation of characters.  It also meant that I had a real sense of foreboding throughout the book and I was sat there reading and waiting for something terrible to happen!   

The narrative alternates between the four main protagonists and is told through their thoughts, letters and journals.  This gave valuable insight into their thoughts, feelings and emotions and helped to create three dimensional characters that seemed vividly real.  It also meant that it was difficult sometimes to know where my sympathies lay because not everything was as black and white as it first seemed.  My preconceptions were often turned completely upside down.

If I'm nitpicking, the only thing that didn't necessarily gel for me was the conclusion of the story.  It seemed (without giving anything away) that it didn't work so well with some of the elements of the original novel.  I didn't completely like the direction which it took at the end, although I think it has set things up nicely for the sequel.  That aside, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book and finished it in one sitting as the story drew me in and continually left me on a knife-edge at the end of each chapter.  The mystery and suspense was drawn out well, particularly in the latter half of the book, until I was on the edge of my seat and desperate to know how it was all going to end. 

The sequel 'Reckoning' is published by Egmont Books in February 2011 and sounds awesome. 

Review: The Dark Divine - Bree Despain

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain, published by Egmont Books in 2010

Goodreads synopsis:
Grace Divine—daughter of the local pastor—always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared and her brother Jude came home covered in his own blood.

Now that Daniel's returned, Grace must choose between her growing attraction to him and her loyalty to her brother.

As Grace gets closer to Daniel, she learns the truth about that mysterious night and how to save the ones she loves, but it might cost her the one thing she cherishes most: her soul.

Review:
When I first saw this book I knew immediately that I had to read it.  The cover is simply stunning and I was on the hunt for new authors to try so this ticked all the boxes.  I'm happy to report that Bree Despain has just got herself a new fan!

This book is deliciously dark and mysterious.  I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen or where the story was going to end up.  The many twists and turns genuinely took me completely by surprise and just when I thought that I might have an inkling of what was coming next, the story went off in a totally different direction.  It certainly stands out among the rest of the YA paranormal romance genre.

The book has a really strong religious undercurrent which I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy but it was integrated very naturally into the story and it never seemed too forced.  The main character Grace Divine is a pastor's daughter and a really great central figure.  She's torn between being loyal to her brother Jude and her feelings for childhood friend Daniel, who has returned after a long absence.  Grace has some difficult dilemmas and hard situations to deal with in the book but I think she faces them with bravery and strength.  She's very giving and caring of the people around her but without being self-righteous or too much of a goody-goody. 

There are some stand-out moments between her and Daniel but although I adored the book, I have to say that I didn't fall head-over-heels for him.  I'm not sure why but I just didn't entirely click with Daniel.  He's quite a complex character and a bit of a bad boy but Grace feels an irresistible attraction to him.

'The Dark Divine' is fresh and original.  It doesn't feature any vampires and it's nice to find a book which really keeps you on your toes and expecting almost anything to happen.  The follow-up 'The Lost Saint' is published by Egmont on 28th December so not too long to wait now!