Review: The Revelation of Louisa May - Michaela MacColl

The Revelation of Louisa May by Michaela MacColl, published by Chronicle Books on 14th April 2015

Goodreads synopsis:
Louisa May Alcott can't believe it—her mother is leaving for the summer to earn money for the family and Louisa is to be in charge of the household. How will she find the time to write her stories, much less have any adventures of her own? But before long, Louisa finds herself juggling her temperamental father, a mysterious murder, a fugitive seeking refuge along the Underground Railroad, and blossoming love.

Review:
I love the story 'Little Women' by Louisa May Alcott.  It's a childhood favourite which I still enjoy re-reading now.  There's something utterly captivating about the March sisters which never fails to delight me.  When I heard about Michaela MacColl's new book, I knew immediately that I wanted to read it because it weaves fact and fiction to present a portrait of the life of the famous author.  I loved the little quotes from 'Little Women' which are at the start of every chapter.   

Set in 1846, Louisa May Alcott's early life unfurls on the page.  There's Louisa herself, along with younger sisters Beth and May, plus beloved Marmee and the elusive figure of their father Bronson.  At the beginning of the book Marmee is getting set to temporarily leave the family to find work elsewhere and it's up to a young Louisa to step into her shoes and keep her sister and father looked after. 

The Alcott family are vocal abolitionists and this plays a huge part in the plot of the book.  It incorporates aspects of the slave trade and highlights the way in which the Alcotts helped to shelter slaves who had escaped and were looking for a new future.  I found this aspect of the story really interesting, as Louisa and co place themselves in real danger to try to help those who desperately need their assistance. 

The story features some other real life figures too.  Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson are philosophers who play a big part in Louisa's outlook on life.  I didn't know a huge amount about them beforehand, so I enjoyed discovering more about their beliefs and morals and the way in which their lives intersected with Louisa's.

There were some good plot twists near the end and some quite unexpected surprises which kept me on my toes.  I loved the combining of historical and biographical details which made this a brilliant read which I would recommend to anyone wanting to know more about the famous author of a well loved classic.     

Review: Always Emily - Michaela MacColl

Always Emily by Michaela MacColl, published by Chronicle Books on 8th April 2014

Goodreads synopsis:
Emily and Charlotte Brontë are about as opposite as two sisters can be. Charlotte is practical and cautious; Emily is headstrong and imaginative. But they do have one thing in common: a love of writing. This shared passion will lead them to be two of the first published female novelists and authors of several enduring works of classic literature. But they’re not there yet. First, they have to figure out if there is a connection between a string of local burglaries, rumors that a neighbor’s death may not have been accidental, and the appearance on the moors of a mysterious and handsome stranger. The girls have a lot of knots to untangle—before someone else gets killed.

Review:
This book reminded me why I love the Bronte sisters so much.  Their lives are absolutely fascinating and Michaela MacColl has done a superb job of incorporating biographical facts with fictional events to create a story which provides both mystery and romance. 

The story focuses mainly on Charlotte and Emily Bronte, the two older sisters, although their brother Branwell and their father both feature.  Charlotte is definitely my favourite Bronte.  She is torn between her practical and artistic sides and feels a great sense of responsibility to look after her siblings.  The book opens with her elder sister being buried and this has a huge impact on the decisions she takes in her own life.  She assumes her position because she has to and you definitely get a sense of the worry that hangs over her about her father's precarious financial standing.  Emily is more of a wild spirit, drawing inspiration from the beauty of the moors which surround her.  She is headstrong and impetuous and often disappears for hours at a time while she explores the rugged hills and moors.

The setting of the book makes it easy to understand where the sisters draw their inspiration for their own stories, which at this point they haven't started writing yet.  Certain events that transpire could almost have come from the pages of Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights.  'Always Emily' definitely made me want to pick up the latter two books for a re-read as they are big favourites of mine.

Well researched and with an intriguing plot, MacColl has captured the spirit of the Bronte sisters.  This title will appeal to YA readers who are looking for something different to all the dystopian and paranormal books out there at the moment. 

Review: Girl Meets Boy - edited by Kelly Milner Halls

Girl Meets Boy edited by Kelly Milner Halls, published by Chronicle on 1st March 2012
Goodreads synopsis:
What do guys and girls really think? Twelve of the most dynamic and engaging YA authors writing today team up for this one-of-a-kind collection of "he said/she said" stories-he tells it from the guy's point of view, she tells it from the girl's. These are stories of love and heartbreak. There's the good-looking jock who falls for a dangerous girl, and the flipside, the toxic girl who never learned to be loved; the basketball star and the artistic (and shorter) boy she never knew she wanted; the gay boy looking for love online and the girl who could help make it happen. Each story in this unforgettable collection teaches us that relationships are complicated-because there are two sides to every story.

Review:
‘Girl Meets Boy’ has an eye-catching cover and is packaged as a perfect romantic read for Spring. It’s a collection of short stories by twelve of the hottest young adult authors around about love and romance. I’m not always a massive fan of the short story format but I was excited to read this particular collection. The editor’s introduction says that the stories are about bridging the gap of gender-based misunderstandings and I think that’s a pretty accurate assessment of this title.

What I really liked was the format which is based on the idea of he said / she said, presenting both the male and female view of a relationship. Often the characters in the stories interpret events completely differently which puts an interesting spin on the stories. The authors who were teamed together included James Howe and Ellen Wittlinger, Chris Cutcher and Kelly Milner Halls, Terry Davis and Rebecca Fjelland Davis, Rita Williams-Garcia and Terry Trueman, Joseph Bruchac and Cynthia Leitich Smith and Sara Ryan and Randy Powell. Some of these authors I’d heard of before and some were completely new to me but I’m now looking forward to reading their other books.

I enjoyed certain stories more than others but then I think that’s always the case with short story collections. My favourites were probably the first in the book ‘Love or Something Like It’ by Chris Cutcher and the reply ‘Some Things Never Change’ by Kelly Milner Halls. I also felt quite touched by ‘Want to Meet’ and ‘Meeting for Real’. These were almost too short for me, as I would have liked to have seen the stories and characters developed further. That’s why I usually prefer full-length books, because the author will always have more time to explore all the issues raised.

I actually would have liked to have seen more romance in a lot of the stories too. There was much less than I’d originally anticipated and many of the stories were about the characters delving into and dealing with their own personal issues rather than romantic love in the conventional sense. These issues ranged from a girl who’d had a sex change, to a gay boy seeking love online, to a relationship between a Muslim boy and a Christian girl. 

Although my heart didn't flutter as much as I thought it would, I still really enjoyed this unique and interesting book which certainly looks very pretty on my shelves!

Hotly Anticipated Reads for 2012: Abrams and Chronicle Books

Abrams and Chronicle Books have some really exciting releases in store for Spring 2012.  I know that all of these are definitely going on my wishlist!  To whet your appetite, I'm going to let Tina, the publicity assistant for Abrams and Chronicle, tell you all about these fabulous titles!

All links go to Goodreads so that you can add these to your wishlist too.

Girl Meets Boy – MARCH 2012 – Chronicle Kids -£10.99

What do guys and girls really think? 12 of the most dynamic and engaging young US authors writing today team up for this one-of-a-kind collection of he said/she said stories where he tells it from the guy’s point of view, she tells it from the girl’s.

What happens when the hot guy from school falls for the dangerous bad chick? The gay teen looking for love online or even the girl who is never gets the guy she’s crushing on. All of these candid, raw and heartfelt narratives teach us that relationships are complicated because falling in love is never simple!

The Peculiars by Maureen McQuerry – MAY 2012 – Amulet, Abrams - £9.99

Meet Lena, a teenager who doesn’t get why her hands and feet are so gangly and long –even her own grandmother brands her as a goblin! Body hang ups aside Lena hasn’t seen her father since she was little when he disappeared to the far north in a wilderness called Scree.

There it is said that the Peculiars live, people unacceptable to modern society – people with strange and unnatural talents. On her 18th birthday Lena decides to go on a search for her father into the depths of Scree. While on board a train she meets a young librarian but as she begins to fall for his beguiling charm the train is stopped by wanted men chased down by the enigmatic and handsome Tomas Saltre. Here begins a steampunk adventure story like no other with a love triangle to die for!

Welcome Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell – MAY 2012 - Amulet, Abrams £9.99

Big hearted Chloe Camden is the queen of her universe – that is until her best friends tears her reputation to shreds resulting in her independent study project getting axed! Forced to take on a more meaningful project in order to pass her penultimate year of school Chloe joins the struggling campus radio station where she teams up with a group of misfit who don’t find her all too queenly.

Readers will fall in love with Chloe in this funny story of friendship struggles and a romance that will tug on your heart strings.

For my information on any of our titles please ‘like’ our facebook page:

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If you are a YA or Children’s book blogger and would be interested in reviewing our titles please do get in contact by emailing me at

publicity@abramsandchronicle.co.uk

Are you excited for our YA Spring releases?
I sure am!

Tina xoxo
Publicity Assistant
Abrams and Chronicle Books