Review: The Boy Most Likely To - Huntley Fitzpatrick

The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick, published by Electric Monkey on 9th June 2016

Goodreads synopsis:
Tim Mason was The Boy Most Likely To find the drinks cabinet blindfolded, need a liver transplant, and drive his car into a house.

Alice Garrett was The Girl Most Likely To . . . well, not date her little brother’s baggage-burdened best friend, for starters.

For Tim, it wouldn’t be smart to fall for Alice. For Alice, nothing could be scarier than falling for Tim. But Tim has never been known for making the smart choice, and Alice is starting to wonder if the “smart” choice is always the right one. When these two crash into each other, they crash hard . . .

  
Review:
I was really looking forward to read 'The Boy Most Likely To' the follow-up to Huntley Fitzpatrick's novel, 'My Life Next Door'.  I loved the latter which featured the romance between Samantha and Jase and I was excited about picking up with all the characters again.  I was however, a little worried about the fact that the story this time around focuses on the relationship between Jase's sister Alice and Tim who we were previously introduced to.  Alice I liked but I didn't feel the same about Tim.  I just had my fingers crossed that he would begin to grow on me. Sadly that didn't happen and while I enjoyed elements of this book, Tim failed to win me over. 

Alice has a lot on her plate and has taken on responsibility for helping to keep her family together while her father is in hospital recovering from an accident.  She is trying to finish nursing school, at the same time as supporting her mother with babysitting and keeping track of the family finances.  She definitely doesn't have time for romance and certainly not with Tim who comes with his own set of issues.  Whereas Alice is extremely adult in nature, Tim is the complete opposite.  He is royally screwing up his life and seems much more immature. 

There is a pivotal event in the book which begins to change Tim's outlook on life.  I won't spoil it and mention what it is but I didn't like this element of the storyline and I found it quite contrived.   

I was also slightly disappointed that we didn't get to see more of Jace and Samantha.  They appeared at various moments in the book but they were always in the background and didn't feature in the main plot at all.  I would have much preferred a follow-up to their story, rather than Alice and Tim.

What I did love was the Garrett family.  The children are all adorable, especially George who is so sweet and asks the best questions.  I enjoyed reading about them and they pop up a lot throughout the story. 

This book took me a long time to finish which is unusual for me as I normally read very quickly.  I think I was really looking for something which was a bit more light-hearted for summer and this most definitely wasn't it. 

Review: What I Thought Was True - Huntley Fitzpatrick

What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick, published by Electric Monkey on 7th April 2016

Goodreads synopsis:
Gwen Castle has never so badly wanted to say good-bye to her island home till now: the summer her Biggest Mistake Ever, Cassidy Somers, takes a job there as the local yard boy. He's a rich kid from across the bridge in Stony Bay, and she hails from a family of fishermen and housecleaners who keep the island's summer people happy. Gwen worries a life of cleaning houses will be her fate too, but just when it looks like she'll never escape her past—or the island—Gwen's dad gives her some shocking advice. Sparks fly and secret histories unspool as Gwen spends a gorgeous, restless summer struggling to resolve what she thought was true—about the place she lives, the people she loves, and even herself—with what really is.

Review:
This is the second book I've read by Huntley Fitzpatrick.  I was expecting something in the same vein as 'Open Road Summer' but I found that this story was quite different.  Rather than being the easy breezy summery read that I was expecting, it turned out to be something altogether more serious, dealing with complex issues involving families and friends. 

The story is set on Seashell Island - a picture perfect place where the main character Gwen Castle lives with her family.  Gwen is trying to forget her 'big mistake', when he turns out to be the new yard boy for the summer on the island.  Suddenly Cass is everywhere and impossible for Gwen to avoid any longer.  From the start of the book, it is made obvious that something happened between the two characters which they have not been able to properly move past.  I guessed what it might be but I think the truth should have been dealt with sooner, rather than being strung out until nearly the end.  The revelation wasn't as big or as shocking as I was expecting it to be, even though it did seem out of character for Gwen. 

Gwen and Cass are both quite mixed-up, stumbling over mistakes they have made and uncertain of how the other person really feels.  I thought that they were interesting characters but I didn't feel any great warmth towards either of them.  I actually found the relationship between Gwen's cousin Nic and her best friend Viv much more intriguing, as they try and face up to the decisions they have to make about their future and how these will affect them as a couple.  Everyone is adjusting to what awaits them around the next corner and facing great uncertainty about their next steps.

I did struggle with the extremely slow pace of the story and the fact that nothing really substantial actually happens until very near the end.  At that point, I have to be honest and say that I had almost lost focus by then on what was actually going on.  I was disappointed that I didn't enjoy this book more but I'll keep my fingers crossed for Huntley Fitzpatrick's next one. 

Review: Front Lines - Michael Grant

Front Lines by Michael Grant, published by Electric Monkey on 28th January 2016

Goodreads synopsis:
1942. The fate of the world rests on a knife’s edge. And the soldiers who can tip the balance . . . are girls.

Set in an alternate World War II where young women are called up to fight alongside men, this is the story of Rio Richlin and her friends as they go into battle against Hitler’s forces.

But not everyone believes that they should be on the front lines. Now Rio and her friends must fight not only to survive, but to prove their courage and ingenuity. Because the fate of the world is in the hands of the soldier girls.

 

Review:

'Front Lines' has such an innovative storyline.  Michael Grant has imagined an alternative history where girls enlisted and fought on the front line during World War Two.  Joining their male counterparts, they protect their country against attack.  Uniquely different, this made for a plot which piqued my interest as soon as I read it.  I couldn't wait to see how Grant's spin was going to unravel.

 

Set in 1942, the story follows three girls as they go to war.  We initially see them at home with their families, understanding their motives for enlisting, before following them through rigorous training and all the way to the front line.  They have a lot to contend with along the way as they try to prove their worth.

 

I enjoyed 'Front Lines' and I think YA readers will too.  Although the subject matter might initially seem male orientated, because the central characters are all girls, I think this will appeal equally to female readers.  If you are a history buff then you need to get your hands on this title which provides such a unique and different spin on events.  Who would ever have thought of imagining girls as soldiers?  Michael Grant, that's who. 

 

I still haven't found any of his books quite as gripping and addictive as the Gone series, but this is still a great read and as the first in a new trilogy, it will be interesting to see what is in store for readers next.   

 



Review: My Life Next Door - Huntley Fitzpatrick

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick, published by Electric Monkey on 8th January 2016

Goodreads synopsis:
The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything.

As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase's family embraces Samantha - even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha's world. She's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

Review:
I love contemporary YA but I don't often come across many books in this genre which tick every box.  'My Life Next Door' is one of those titles which has everything I look for and more.  A great central character (okay, I may be slightly bias because we share the same name), a sweet romance with the boy next door which I thought was genuinely realistic and well written, the boy in question being gorgeous and kind (Jace, be mine!) and a punchy storyline with a good twist at the end.

What I particularly liked about this book was how brilliantly Huntley Fitzpatrick portrays the wonderful Garrett family.  With seven children, the Garrett's home is messy and noisy and chaotic but there is a genuine sense of love and homeliness which Samantha lacks in her own house which is clean and well ordered.  I couldn't fail to be enveloped into the Garrett's world.  All the children are great but I have a soft spot for four year old George, who has some of the funniest lines in the book.  He's such a sweetie. 

The romance between Sam and Jace is at the heart of the book and wonderfully captures all the emotions and ups and downs of first love.  It was perfectly balanced, depicting all of those lovely first moments and brilliantly portrayed.  I loved them together and enjoyed the fact that for once, Jace was genuinely just such a good guy.  He had no deep, dark secrets or bad boy streak, he was just sweet and funny and kind to his siblings. 

There is an interesting twist near the end which took me by surprise and I originally I wasn't sure if it was in keeping with the rest of the plot.  However, once I'd had time to think about it I thought that it worked well to show that even couples who get on well together, still have to overcome bumps in the road. 

I would implore everyone to read 'My Life Next Door'.  You won't be disappointed.  I can't wait for 'What I Thought Was True' and 'The Boy Most Likely To' which are published by Electric Monkey and published in the UK later this year.    

Review: In Another Life - Laura Jarratt

In Another Life by Laura Jarratt, published by Electric Monkey on 4th June 2015

Goodreads synopsis:
American sisters Hannah and Jenny Tooley have spent their lives dreaming of flying to the UK and visiting all the places their English mother has told them about. But Jenny’s dream turns to a nightmare when she vanishes without a trace.

Hannah and her father arrive in England to a big police investigation. As Hannah gets to know some of Jenny’s friends and acquaintances, she realises that her sister is up to her neck in something – and the mysterious text messages she’s receiving bear this out. She is particularly drawn to Harry and, against her better judgement, begins to fall in love.

Review:
I raced through this book in a couple of hours.  The story is so gripping that I felt myself pulled along by my intrigue behind the disappearance of Hannah's older sister Jenny.  I have read all of Laura Jarratt's previous books and I think this one might be my favourite so far. 

Hannah and her father arrive in England to help with the investigation into Jenny's disappearance.  Hannah is determined to find out what really happened to her beloved sister and begins to try to piece together Jenny's movements with the help of her employers and friends.  As she begins to get to know the people that saw her sister last, she finds herself falling for local boy Harry who she finds herself unwittingly drawn towards. 

This was a fantastic thriller.  I am usually really good at guessing all the twists and turns and I will often pick out the guilty party after the first few chapters, but I was totally wrong-footed this time.  I did have my suspicions and I thought I'd worked out what Laura Jarratt was up to with the plot but I was headed down a blind alley.  She brilliantly surprised me with a shocking and frankly quite chilling plot twist that turned everything on it's head. 

The story combined drama, deception and romance and will keep readers on their toes as they try to discover not only the truth about Jenny but also the threat that hangs over Hannah's head.  I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to fans of this genre.        

Review: Can't Look Away - Donna Cooner

Can't Look Away by Donna Cooner, published by Electric Monkey on 1st January 2015

Goodreads synopsis:
There's no hiding in the spotlight. Torrey Grey is famous - at least, she is on the internet. Thousands of people watch her beauty vlog for tips on how to be popular and pretty. But when Torrey's sister is killed in an accident her world implodes, especially as she feels partly to blame. And that's when the trolling starts...How can Torrey mourn her sister in private, when her bubbly public persona is all over the web? Then she meets Luis, whose family owns the local funeral home, and he challenges all that Torrey thought she knew about love, life, and loss.

Review:
This is the second book by Donna Cooner, following on from last year’s debut ‘Skinny’. I wasn’t a huge fan of the latter but I’m pleased to say that I enjoyed ‘Can’t Look Away’ a lot more.

The story centres around teenager Torrey, known as Beautystar215 – a popular vlogger for beauty and fashion news, who is used to living out her highs on peoples’ computer screens. After her younger sister is killed in an accident, she and her parents move to a new town for a fresh start. Although she no longer has to face her old friends, she does have to face the online comments that she just can’t run from.

Dealing with themes of bereavement and loss, plus the grief of having to go on living without someone you love, this book packs an emotional punch. It’s hard to imagine life after the loss of a sibling and I thought Donna Cooner did an excellent job of portraying Torrey’s feelings and emotions and her struggle to make sense of her relationship with her sister. Torrey and her parents relationship has also been fractured by events, but I enjoyed seeing them gradually start to come together and live again.

Torrey begins to make new friends in her town and local boy Luis becomes a key figure in helping her to learn about death and the on-going struggle of living with loss. Torrey and Luis’s friendship was one of my favourite things about the book. They at first appear to be complete opposites but they are brought together by a common bond and eventually learn a lot from each other.

The book also contains an important message about appreciating your real, rather than your virtual life, as well as the people you have around you on a day to day basis. Torrey spent so much time online that she seemed to have forgotten about everything else around her but this is something that is put into perspective by events in the story.

I really enjoyed ‘Can’t Look Away’ and I would recommend it if you are looking for an emotional and moving teen read.  In my opinion, it is Donna Conner's best book so far.   

Review: Marly's Ghost - David Levithan

Marly's Ghost by David Levithan, published by Electric Monkey on 8th January 2015

Goodreads synopsis:
When Ben’s girlfriend, Marly, dies, he feels his life is over and the prospect of Valentine’s day without her fills him with bitterness. But then Marly arrives – or at least, her ghost does – along with three other spirits. Now Ben must take a journey through Valentines past, present and future – and what he learns will change him forever.

Review:
A remix of 'A Christmas Carol' which is one of my favourite Christmas stories but with a twist.  David Levithan has added a Valentine's Day setting and given the story a set of contemporary characters and a protagonist who has closed himself off to love and life after his girlfriend Marly dies. 

This was a really quick read.  I finished it in about an hour but it was nevertheless extremely well told and I enjoyed the fresh take on a well loved classic.  Ben is visited by the ghosts of love past, present and future, warning him of what will happen if he gives up on a life without Marly.  I loved the overall message about appreciating life and the people you have around you, as well as enjoying each day because you never know what will happen to you next.  It's something that I think we all should try to remember.   

There are some other familiar faces in the book, including Tiny and Tim, as you've never seen them before!  I thought it was so clever how David Levithan really brought the story and characters up to date and made it much more relevant to readers today. 

Throughout the book there are some lovely illustrations by Brian Selznick.  These are also adapted from the original drawings, giving 'Marly's Ghost' a real spin on the old and the new. 

I think this was my favourite David Levithan book so far.  It contained a truly heart warming message all wrapped up in a treat of a story.   

Review: Messenger of Fear - Michael Grant

Messenger of Fear by Michael Grant, published by Electric Monkey on 26th August 2014

Goodreads synopsis:
I remembered my name – Mara. But, standing in that ghostly place, faced with the solemn young man in the black coat with silver skulls for buttons, I could recall nothing else about myself.

And then the games began.

The Messenger sees the darkness in young hearts, and the damage it inflicts upon the world. If they go unpunished, he offers the wicked a game. Win, and they can go free. Lose, and they will live out their greatest fear.

But what does any of this have to do with Mara? She is about to find out...

Review:
I'm a massive Michael Grant fan so I was desperate to read this book.  The Gone series introduced me to his incredible writing and jaw-dropping stories but was almost too amazingly good, making it hard for any of his other series to really live up to it.  'Messenger of Fear' was brilliant but I still miss the Fayz and the characters that I had grown attached to. 

If you are looking for a creepy, shocking story which is all out gruesome at times then this is the book for you.  Horror fans will love it as Grant doesn't hold back from inviting the reader to join Mara on her twisted journey.  When Mara finds herself an unwitting accomplice to the Messenger of Fear she struggles to remember how she ended up with him.  She gradually starts to piece her memories back together which leads to a fantastic twist about her identity.  The Messenger himself has been appointed to uphold the balance.  If someone commits a terrible act then he ensures that they are given the choice to pay or play.  This leads to some harsh lessons being dealt but all with the expectation that the person will learn to be better because of it.  

There are lots of interwoven mini stories and characters throughout the book whose fates unravel as the plot progresses.  Some of these stories were actually quite difficult to read about, as not everyone gets a happy ending.  What I love about Michael Grant's books though is that happy endings are really immaterial.  He is never afraid to wrench one of your favourite characters away from you or to confront the reader with a difficult scene if he feels that it is right for the story. 

The plot is incredibly unique and original and I really did enjoy it, even though it didn't quite wow me as much as some of his other books have done in the past. A sequel is planned but you will have to wait until 2015 to get your hands on it.        

Review: Dark of the Moon - Siobhan Curham

Dark of the Moon by Siobhan Curham, published by Electric Monkey on 3rd July 2014

Goodreads synopsis:
For Grace, being shipwrecked on a deserted island has brought two good things: new friendships . . . and Cruz, her soulmate. But as her romance with Cruz intensifies, so do the strange happenings on the island. A girl haunts Grace’s dreams – but what does she want? And will she ever let Grace leave?

Love, betrayal and voodoo darkness, beneath a seething sun . . .

Review:
Dark of the Moon’ is the second book in the Shipwrecked trilogy by Siobhan Curham.  I will admit that the opening instalment in the series didn’t totally wow me, although I found it enjoyable enough but the excitement steps up in this one which I devoured and really loved. 

 

I enjoyed it much more than the first book because I felt like I was thrown right into the middle of the action.  Siobhan Curham never once let up on the sense of danger which hangs over the group or the sense of unease that you experience from them being on the island.  There were also a lot more intriguing and unexpected twists along the way which had me hook, line and sinker. 

 

Grace and her friends are still trying to escape the island and the Voodoo Queen Hortense.  When they leave on a boat, hoping to find their way home, they realise that escape may not be possible until Hortense’s plan has played out to its full conclusion.   

 

There's romance between Grace and her boyfriend Cruz, plus friendship drama between Grace and Jenna who is struggling to hold things together.  The other secondary characters, Belle, Todd and Flea also feature but I kept expecting something terrible to happen to one of them the whole way through.

  

The ending was a huge surprise. Wow!  I didn’t see it coming at all and desperately didn't want the story to end.  I'm in absolute shock and the suspense of what is coming next is going to kill me!

 

This is a sizzling, spooky and supernatural read which is perfect to slip into your beach bag on a hot, sunny, summery day. 

Cover Reveal: Messenger of Fear - Michael Grant

The day has finally arrived to reveal the cover of Michael Grant's new book 'Messenger of Fear'.  I'll hand over to Michael to let him do the honours!



I think the cover is fantastic and extremely striking!  I'm incredibly excited to get my hands on a copy as it sounds like it's going to be a brilliant read.  Let me know what you think of it and don't forget to check out #MessengerOfFear to see what Michael's other fans have to say. 

Electric Monkey very kindly gave me the opportunity to put a question to Michael and I asked:

If you could travel back in time to witness any historic event which would you choose and why?
"If I could go back in time to witness a single historical event it might be Trafalgar. I’m a big fan of Patrick O’Brian’s books and fascinated by the age of sail. I’d love to be standing on the HMS Victory with Nelson. Of course I’d be wearing cannonball-resistant armor. Also I’d probably be hiding behind a mast and whimpering in fear. But it would be an amazing thing to see and hear."

News: Messenger of Fear - Michael Grant

Michael Grant fans will be excited by the news that his new book 'Messenger of Fear' will be published by Electric Monkey in September. It sounds incredible and should fill the hole left by the end of his bestselling Gone series.

"I remembered my name – Mara. But, standing in that ghostly place, faced with the solemn young man in the black coat with silver skulls for buttons, I could recall nothing else about myself. And then the games began. The Messenger sees the darkness in young hearts, and the damage it inflicts upon the world. If they go unpunished, he offers the wicked a game. Win, and they can go free. Lose, and they will live out their greatest fear."

If you are on tenterhooks waiting for publication day then you'll be pleased to hear that Electric Monkey are releasing the cover for Michael's new book on 30th June.  Start counting down the days now! 




Check out Electric Monkey's Tumblr to stay up-to-date with all the news about 'Messenger of Fear'.

Blog Tour: Just Like Fate - Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young

Today I'm co-hosting a stop on the blog tour for 'Just Like Fate' by Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young which was published by Electric Monkey on 6th March.  You can also check out this post on Book Angel Booktopia

1.) Was Electric Freakshow based on a real band?

S-Early on, Cat and I knew we wanted to make Electric Freakshow as real as possible. Some of my students even made fake album covers and band T-shirts! Even though I knew which other bands they sounded like, I never pictured them as anyone else. Totally original.

C- We did manage to talk a real, Seattle-based band called The Social Fantastic into writing the music and producing/recording a version of the song for use in our US book trailer. It’s available for purchase on iTunes, as well.

2.) Who wrote the lyrics of Magnets for Fate?

S-I'm terrible at lyrics. I wrote a quick, awful draft of the song and Cat turned it into the masterpiece you see in the book.

C- Suzanne Young is a liar. She’s great at lyrics! Yes, it was definitely a collaboration, and we’re incredibly happy with how they turned out.

3.) What’s the most memorable live music experience you’ve ever had?

C- That’s a toss-up between seeing Arcade Fire at the outdoor Greek Theater in Berkeley, California on a warm summer evening, and seeing an intimate, acoustic Band of Horses performance at one of the loveliest theaters in Seattle, Washington on a cold, rainy night.

S-Oh, hm... When I lived in Portland, Oregon I went to an amazing jazz festival by the water. Live music, street food, handmade crafts? What could be better?

4.) Do you have particular songs that you’re listening to if you’re feeling happy or sad?

S-I listen to a lot of older songs. One of my favorites to listen to if I want to feel better is Jimmy Eat World's "The Middle". It reminds me that life can get better. The rest of my playlist is a lot of really dark and depressing stuff. I find it inspiring to write with them in the background.

C- You’re inspired by dark and depressing stuff?

S- Kind-of, yeah.

C- I get it: That’s very you. There’s a song by Metric called “Sick Muse” that I like to blast in my car on a warm day. At the moment, though, I can’t stop listening to The National’s High Violet record. Those songs are like a mood ring: They reflect and amplify however you’re already feeling.

 

The lovely people at Egmont are also giving you a chance to win a copy of 'Just Like Fate' today on Twitter.  To be in with a chance, check out @EgmontUK today. 



Review: Just Like Fate - Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young

Just Like Fate by Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young, published by Electric Monkey on 6th March 2014

Goodreads synopsis:
Caroline is at a crossroads. Her whole family is on her back, and her grandmother, the only person who really understands her, is sick, maybe dying. All she wants to do is escape. So when her best friend suggests a night out to forget her troubles, Caroline must choose: stay by her grandmother's side, or go to the party and live her life . . . and maybe meet the boy of her dreams.

This decision will split Caroline's fate into two separate paths - and she's about to live them both. But there can only be one happy ending...

Review:
I'm a massive fan of Cat Patrick and I've loved all of her previous books, so I jumped at the chance to read 'Just Like Fate' which is co-authored with Suzanne Young.  The story adopts a really interesting sliding doors type scenario, focusing on the main character, teenager Caroline, who has to decide at the start of the book, whether or not to stay with her dying grandmother or go to a party with her best-friend.

The idea of having alternating chapters showing what happens when she goes or stays, was an interesting narrative device.  It enables Patrick and Young to present both sides of the story and to leave it up to the reader to decide what course of action they would have taken.  Both stories are cleverly depicted and flow nicely, so it never feels in any way disjointed. 

Both paths that Caroline potentially follows have their ups and downs.  She has a fractured relationship with her divorced parents and a difficult sibling bond with her older sister.  Family is a big theme in the book and I thought all the issues that Caroline has to face in terms of finding her own place in her various family units, were dealt with really well.  There's also romance in her future.  In one half of the story, she finally starts seeing the boy she's been mad about since they were children and in the other, she meets a college guy who is smart and funny and makes her feel wanted.  I know which boy I preferred but Caroline has to work through her feelings for both before she can begin to build a proper relationship with one of them.  I must admit that the romance aspect of the story was a bit of a slow burner for me and at times, I just didn't feel any real sparks between the characters.  However it did pick up a bit in the second half of the book and by the end I was really rooting for one particular couple.    

The story is largely about fate itself and philosophises about the choices that we make throughout our lives.  There isn't always a 'right' choice but the decisions we make shape and change us as people and the lessons we learn stand us in good stead for the future. 

This was a great contemporary YA read and will particularly appeal to readers who like the idea of parallel lives.  Although it didn't quite reach the heights of Cat Patrick's previous books, I still thoroughly enjoyed it and at the same time have discovered a new author in the shape of Suzanne Young. 

Review: Twinmaker - Sean Williams

Twinmaker by Sean Williams, published by Electric Monkey on 14th November 2013

Goodreads synopsis:
Clair is pretty sure the offer in the ‘Improvement' meme is just another viral spam, though Libby is determined to give it a try.

But what starts as Libby's dream turns into Clair's nightmare when her friend vanishes.

In her search for answers, Clair seeks out Jesse - a boy whose alternative lifestyle might help to uncover the truth.

What they don't anticipate is intervention from the mysterious contact known only as Q, and being caught up in a conspiracy that will change everything.

Review:
'Twinmaker' is a sci-fi thriller set in a world which on first appearance seems to be pretty much perfect. People are able to travel anywhere in the world using d-mat technology which can transport them to their chosen destination in a fraction of a second.  There are no limitations to where a person can go and the technology described in the book sounds amazing.  For Clair and her best friend Libby, d-mat is a normal part of their everyday lives, until Libby decides to use it to 'improve' herself.  Improvement turns out to be more dangerous than they could ever have thought possible and changes their very existence.  Suddenly the world doesn't seem so perfect after all.   

At the beginning of this book I wasn't convinced that it was going to be my kind of read.  I love dystopian fiction and I'm quite keen on the sci-fi genre but I found the world building at the start of 'Twinmaker' difficult to get to grips with.  There were a lot of new concepts to cope with and I didn't understand all the technological explanations of d-mat and how it worked.  I very nearly gave up but I'm so glad that I stuck with it and kept on reading because Sean Williams turned out a great story which was thought-provoking and interesting and raised so many ethical questions that I'm still pondering some of them now. 

It is quite a long book at over 500 pages and in places I thought that it could have been trimmed a little but once I got over my initial confusion about the direction of the story it really took off.  Clair is a great heroine who surprises herself with her strength and bravery and she is at the heart of the plot.  It's on her shoulders that the future of the world rests but she is more than capable of the journey ahead of her.  There are some intriguing secondary characters in the book as well, including the elusive Q, bad boy Zep and Clair's counter-part Jesse who I really liked.    

This is the first in a trilogy so there were a lot of questions left unanswered at the end, but I'm hoping that these will all be addressed in the sequel which will be out in 2014.          

Blog Tour: Scissors, Sisters and Manic Panics - Ellie Phillips

Today I'm taking part in the blog tour for 'Scissors, Sisters and Manic Panics' by Ellie Phillips.  Ellie has written a fantastic guest post about the setting of the book so you can visit some of the places that are special to the main character Sadie.  

Both Dads, Geeks and Blue-Haired Freaks and its sequel Scissors, Sisters and Manic Panics are set in East London – for those keen on a postcode; E9, and for those who know E9; – Vicky Park to be even more precise.

If you don’t know Victoria Park it’s a little oasis – one of the biggest parks in the East End of London. These days it joins onto Mile End Park via a ‘green bridge’ that was built as a project for the millennium I believe. So it’s a vast green space, often used for concerts and ‘happenings’ these days like ‘Lovebox’ and ‘Underage’ and ‘Field Day’. I lived right by the park – at Mile End and later in E9 for a number of years and there was always something going on around there. There were heaps of kids – there was a school on Victoria Park Road, and it felt as if there was life and drama everywhere. Oddly, even though it was slap bang in the middle of London, the area itself felt small and enclosed – flanked by a park at one end and by a main road at the other – quite like an island. I’m not going to use the word ‘village-y’ or I start to sound like an estate agent. But it felt self-contained and manageable as a location for a novel.
 



I am very bad at geography, maps and just about anything that requires me to visualise spaces. So I had to use the space I was living in at the time to set my novel in. I imagined looking at it through my heroine, Sadie’s, eyes because I know those streets so well. I know all the businesses around those streets too – so that helped. There are characters who appear in the books who are completely real; Ken from the Newsagents, the 50p Lady, Colin from the Vietnamese restaurant - they are all real.

In Scissors, Sisters and Manic Panics there’s quite a lot set along Roman Road in Bow - where the salon Stylee Stylee is situated. And again, this is a road I know well – with its schmatter market and shops, so it was very easy for me to visualise Sadie’s view out of the shop window as she washed and swept and foiled up the clients.

I like to think that Sadie is a realistic character from a realistic setting. She’s a great, confused ethnic combination for one thing – just like the East End used to be and still is in parts - and with that combination comes colour and noise and a clash of cultures. There’s also grim determination in there – Sadie aspires to leap beyond the bounds of her milieu. She’s also a bit dismissive of, for example, what her Aunt has built up with her hairdressing business. Sadie wants something decidedly more shiny and exciting. The East End of London – especially that particular pocket of Hackney, E9 – has changed so much even over the last 10 years with all the young incomers and new businesses, I think it must have an affect on young people growing up there. There will be some who feel alienated and pushed out of ‘their area’ – and quite rightly so, but there will be others, like Sadie Nathanson, who see the glamour and the shine of the new businesses and the fashionable incomers, and who just want a piece of it.

Ellie has also created a brilliant hair-quiz here.  Give it a go and see if you are a sister of the scissors or a manic panicker.

Review: Scissors, Sisters and Manic Panics - Ellie Phillips

Scissors, Sisters and Manic Panics by Ellie Phillips, published by Electric Monkey on 3rd June 2013

Goodreads synopsis:
Sadie Nathanson's back - with more style and tangles than ever before. "Mrs Nellist came in for her cut and colour while Auntie and Tiffany were out the back having a coffee, leaving me to sweep up, and that's kind of where everything got really ugly. It was the hairstyle that Mrs Nellist never knew she wanted. That's all it was about. I don't know why everyone had to go so completely hysterical about it, but that's my family for you." Sadie Nathanson is back! After sorting out exactly who she is, she now feels ready to tackle who she is going to be! With hair as her focus, Sadie decides to enter a major hairdressing competition - though she has her work cut out for her when she gets fired from her Saturday job in Auntie Lilah's salon. And if that's not bad enough, it turns out there are yet still more surprises in store Dadwise...

Review:
Sometimes there is nothing better than kicking back and relaxing with a good book and checking in with a familiar face.  That's exactly how I felt when I picked up Ellie Phillip's new book and plunged back into the crazy, hairstyle loving world of irrepressible heroine Sadie Nathanson. 

Sadie is now working in her Auntie's hairdressing salon as a Saturday assistant but spends most of her time sweeping the floors.  She dreams of winning the Thames Gateway Junior Apprentice Hairdresser of the Year Award but things get off to a bad start when things go awry in the salon.  In addition, after previously finding her biological Dad, there's also another surprise in store for her as she discovers a new family link. 

I loved the way in which each chapter begins with some advice and guidelines for budding hairdressers.  This was a nice touch and often linked neatly with what was actually happening to Sadie in the story.  Her determination to follow her dream of being the best hairdresser ever is admirable.  For Sadie, cutting hair is like a vocation and she definitely has a talent for knowing what style suits each individual. 

There's a lovely relaxed style to Ellie Phillip's writing which instantly puts you at ease and allows you just to sit back and enjoy the story, forgetting about everything else going on around you.  There's humour, warmth and drama and plenty of fun unfolds along the way.  Sadie is a fantastic main character who I found myself cheering for, along with the rest of her huge extended family. 

Review: Shipwrecked - Siobhan Curham

Shipwrecked by Siobhan Curham, published by Electric Monkey on 3rd June 2013

Goodreads synopsis:
Grace Delaney and her fellow dance students are en route to perform on a South Pacific cruise-ship when a freak storm hits and they find themselves stranded on a deserted island. With the tropical heat rising, passions and tensions swell to breaking point. And the island itself is quietly steaming with a terrible secret..

Review:
Siobhan Curham is the author of the wonderful 'Dear Dylan' and 'Finding Cherokee Brown' both of which I have previously enjoyed.  Her new title 'Shipwrecked' is aimed at a slightly older teen audience and is the first in a saga.  Described as Gossip Girl meets Lost, the tagline made the book sound extremely promising and I was looking forward to a thrilling and sizzling summer read.   

Grace Delaney along with her friends, are en route to perform on a South Pacific cruise ship when a storm hits, leaving them stranded on a deserted island.  As they try to survive with little hope of rescue, strange things start happening and they fear that the island may not be quite so deserted after all.  I really loved the idea for this story and the plot sounded so promising but although all the elements were there for this to be a stand-out read, I felt like it didn't grab me as much as I was expecting it to. 

The pace of the story was slow and I found my attention wandering in the beginning half of the book, even with the dramatic events of the shipwreck.  It did start to pick up in the later chapters when there are some spooky goings-on but it was a little predictable at times.  I do feel like there is still so much more to come and it will be interesting to see how the rest of the series unfolds. 

I quite liked the main character Grace and events are told from her point of view as she struggles to cope with life on the island.  I enjoyed seeing her develop friendships with Cruz, Flea and Belle but I wasn't as keen on some of the secondary characters such as Jenna, Cariss and Todd who seemed a bit one-dimensional.

Although I didn't end up loving 'Shipwrecked', I'm keen to see what direction Siobhan Curham will take the story in next.  I still think that this could be a great series, but sadly, for me, the opening instalment failed to wow me which was disappointing considering the immense talents of this usually brilliant author. 

Review: The Originals - Cat Patrick

The Originals by Cat Patrick, published by Electric Monkey on 6th May 2013

Goodreads synopsis:
I glance at the three baby portraits in thick wooden frames.  I feel a familiar prickling on the back of my neck.  Because I know there's another picture somewhere - and the baby in that photo looks identical to the babies on the wall.  Somewhere, there's a photo of the original.

Ella, Betsy and I look like sisters: triplets, you might think.  But that's not what we are at all.
We are clones in hiding. We split our lives and exist as one person in the outside world. And we've always been happy. But now I've fallen head-over-heels in love . . . and that changes everything.
Because, to let love in, I need to be allowed to be Me.

Review:
Cat Patrick is one of my favourite authors.  I would read literally anything she writes.  This is her third book and yet again she does not disappoint with an original plot which throws up plenty of ethical questions for readers to consider.  In 'The Originals' the story centres on three girls who give the appearance of being sisters but are actually clones.  What I loved about this was that Cat never takes the story too far into the realms of science and although this is touched upon, the girls are very much just like you and me and the plot is strongly grounded in reality.

Lizzie, Ella and Betsey are the three girls who have been kept secret for their whole lives.  Only allowed to each live a third of a day, they take it in turns to be seen out in public.  Nobody knows that there are three of them until Lizzie meets Sean and everything changes.  I loved each of the girls.  They may be clones but they have very different personalities and never came across as carbon copies of each other.  They are extremely close and share an extremely unique bond, but you never forget that they are individuals too. 

Lizzie is the focal point for the majority of the book, as events unfold from her point of view.  She seemed to be the most headstrong out of the three and she is the first to really begin to question the existence that they are living.  I felt like I got to know her much better than either Ella or Betsey who don't feature quite as prominently.  The three of them have been content to follow the rules and do as they are told, until the growing relationship between Lizzie and Sean acts as the catalyst for them to seize control of their lives.

The science side of the story is explored but never in a great amount of detail.  The girls are always portrayed as much more than just a scientific experiment; they are living, breathing human beings.  Some of the ethics around the issue of human cloning are addressed and I found this an intriguing and interesting aspect of the book.  It's left very much up to the reader to decide where they stand on this controversial issue.   

The ending was brilliant and featured a quite unexpected twist which threw me for a loop.  I never saw it coming at all!  I adored 'The Originals' which was a stellar read and I'm beyond excited to see what Cat Patrick will end up writing about next. 

Blog Tour: The Originals: Weird Science as Inspiration - Cat Patrick

Today I'm hosting a stop on the blog tour for Cat Patrick's new book 'The Originals'.  I have a great guest post from Cat herself to share with you.

 

 

The top question I’ve been asked as an author is: “Where do you get your inspiration?” Unfortunately, there’s not an Inspiration Shop with a drive-up window, but the good news is that inspiration can be found everywhere. One of my favorite places to look is in weird science news. Doing that helped me with the ideas for my latest novel, The Originals—which is about the first human clones—as well as my second book, Revived, which is about a drug that brings you back from the dead. I love reading articles about scientific discoveries and pondering how they might shape themselves into stories.

So, in honor of the weird science in my novels, here are some real bits of news and corresponding fake story ideas:

Real News: Time travel is possible!

Fake Story Idea: Girl travels back in time to when her grandma was in high school in 1963 and solves a mystery as part of a familial crime fighting duo. This thought was inspired by my grandpa, who was in high school in 1946, and who was bound for dental school at the time. So, in my personal version, it’s a molar mystery!

Real News: My kiddos are obsessed with bats, and I love anything sensory related, so this research about determining whether blind people can use bat-like echolocation—tracking where objects are through echoes—appeals to me.

Fake Story Idea: I like a gal with supersonic hearing, don’t you? Full disclosure: I may have a first draft of a book about something along these lines, so it’s not truly fake.

Real News: How amazing is gene therapy, the ability to swap DNA to fix certain genetic issues when a baby is still in the womb?

Fake Story Idea: Well, there’s a lot you could do with the idea of designer babies. Or, what if the DNA gave the baby superpowers? What if the DNA was from a serial killer and made the baby bad?

And finally…

Real News: I don’t have the world’s greatest recall, so I like the idea of these brain implants that could recover lost long term memories.

Fake Story Idea: London Lane from Forgotten returns after brain surgery with some of her lost memories of the past recovered…including some she’d rather forget!

Happy reading!

Review: By Any Other Name - Laura Jarratt

By Any Other Name by Laura Jarratt, published by Electric Monkey on 1st April 2013

Goodreads synopsis:
Nobody can know the truth - her life depends on it. I picked up the book and thumbed through the pages. Names in alphabetical order, names with meanings, names I knew, names I'd never heard of. How to pick? Nothing that would stand out, nothing that would link me to the past - those were the instructions. The past. As if everything that had gone before this moment was buried already. Holly is fifteen years old, but she's only been "Holly" for a matter of months. Because of something that happened, she and her family have had to enter witness protection and have all assumed new identities. All, that is, except her sister Katie, who is autistic. Starting at a new school mid-term is hard enough at the best of times, and Holly has no clue who she is any more. Lonely and angry, she reaches out to friends - new and old. But one wrong move will put all their lives in danger...

Review:
This is the second book by Laura Jarratt and like her first title 'Skin Deep', explores different territory to many other contemporary young-adult novels currently on the market.  The main theme is about making sense of who you are as a person and developing your own identity, rather than being labelled by everyone else around you.  The main character Holly struggles to do exactly this, when her family is entered into the witness protection programme and she has to leave everything familiar behind.  Starting over is difficult and it was interesting reading to see how Holly coped with establishing herself in a new town and having to make new friends.

The secret of why Holly's family are in witness protection is hinted at throughout the book but the big reveal doesn't come until near the end.  I didn't guess the real reason why and so found the truth when it was gradually unveiled, quite shocking.  It made me go back and think again about many things that had happened in the story and gave me even more admiration for Holly.

Laura Jarratt writes complex and layered characters.  There is often more to them than first meets the eye.  Holly's new friend Joe is an example of this - someone with a lot of layers whose outward appearance doesn't tell you everything you need to know about him.  Her younger sister Katie is another.  Katie is autistic and I think actually the first character with autism that I've seen in a young-adult book.  I liked the bond between the two sisters and the way that Holly is so protective towards her. 

Although I didn't enjoy 'By Any Other Name' quite as much as 'Skin Deep' which I was literally head over heels for, it was still a thought-provoking and excellent read, which was well-written and proves once again what a brilliant writer Laura Jarratt is.