Review: Can We Live Here? - Sarah Alderson

Can We Live Here? by Sarah Alderson, published by Blink on 6th August 2015

Goodreads synopsis:
In 2009, Sarah and John Alderson quit their full-time jobs in London and headed off, with Alula, their three-year-old daughter, on a global adventure to find a new home. For eight months, they travelled through Australia, the US and Asia navigating India with a toddler in a tutu, battling black magic curses in Indonesia and encountering bears in North America asking themselves one defining question: Can We Live Here?

Inspirational, hilarious and fascinating this is an unforgettable travel memoir and a unique guide to quitting your job, following your dreams and finding your home in a far-flung paradise.

Review:
Sarah Alderson's first non-fiction title charts her escape from the rat race of London to a new adventure, trying to find a home somewhere in the world with her husband and young daughter.  As they travel through places such as India, Bali, Singapore and Australia, she contemplates finding the perfect place to settle in and put down new roots. 

I am not a big traveller myself and I definitely don't have the travel bug but what I could identify with in the book was Sarah's musings on escaping the trappings of day to day life and believing that there is something more out there - a simpler and less complicated way of living.  A life away from the routines, complacency, bills and the never-ending cycle of work that threatens to sap out spirit.  Sarah was brave enough to make the plunge into the unknown, which I really admired. 

I enjoyed reading about all the places she and her family ended up visiting and the new and unusual experiences that they have.  Some of her anecdotes are absolutely hilarious, such as in Malaysia, when a bus and a bottle are involved.  I did have to laugh.

It was also interesting to discover more about Sarah herself and to find out her path to becoming a published author.  I found it quite incredible how luck seemed to land in her lap, although she obviously had a talent for words all along and since then has worked incredibly hard writing lots of fantastic young-adult novels to keep all us readers entertained. 

Overall, an enjoyable travel memoir for those looking for a glimpse of a simpler way of life. 

Review: Conspiracy Girl - Sarah Alderson

Conspiracy Girl by Sarah Alderson, published by Simon and Schuster on 12th February 2015

Goodreads synopsis:
Everybody knows about the Cooper Killings – the Bel Air home invasion that rocked the nation.
There was only one survivor - a sixteen year-old girl.  And though the killers were caught they walked free.

Now eighteen, Nic Preston - the girl who survived - is trying hard to rebuild her life. She’s security conscious to the point of paranoia and her only friend is a French Mastiff bulldog, but she’s making progress. She’s started college in New York and has even begun dating.

But then one night her apartment is broken into and the life Nic’s worked so hard to create is shattered in an instant.

Finn Carter - hacker, rule breaker, player – is the last person Nic ever wants to see again. He’s the reason her mother’s killers walked free from court. But as the people hunting her close in, Nic has to accept that her best and possibly only chance of staying alive is by keeping close to Finn and learning to trust the person she’s sworn to hate.

 Review:
This may be my favourite Sarah Alderson book yet.  It knocked my socks off! 

Tense, exciting, thrilling and with a drop-dead gorgeous and irresistible male co-lead, it was definitely my kind of book.  I couldn't get enough of the characters or the story.  It was utterly amazing and gripping and I never wanted it to end.

Eighteen year old Nic is trying to put her life back together.  She has built some pretty impenetrable walls around herself and she is not about to let them down for anything or anyone.  That is until everything around her starts to crumble and she is once again facing danger from every corner.  A computer genius and hacker, Finn is the only one who seems able to protect her and the two end up going on the run, chased by people who are determined to see her dead.

I was hooked after the first chapter and desperate to find out how the plot was going to unfold.  This meant that I had to stay glued to my seat for several hours as there is no way I was putting this book down!  I was intrigued about the reason behind Nic losing her family but I certainly didn't guess the real reason behind her loss.  I liked the way that Sarah Alderson tied in elements of the storyline with real life events, as it lent an air of authenticity to proceedings.     

Now onto Finn ...I'm willing to fight anyone for him!  He's hiding a lot of secrets but he's also geeky and gorgeous and pretty much perfect in my eyes.  He goes above and beyond to protect Nic and from the moment he came into the story, I fell head over heels for him. 

Sarah Alderson keeps her foot on the gas the whole time, as the tension builds from one extreme to another.  I loved it!  This book was everything a great YA thriller should be with a gorgeous boy who has a heart of gold and a kick-ass, tough heroine at the helm.  I can't recommend this book enough and I will be urging everyone I know to read it immediately. 

Exclusive excerpt: Come Back to Me - Mila Gray

One of my favourite authors, Sarah Alderson, is releasing her first New Adult novel under the pen name Mila Gray.  It sounds fantastic and the cover art alone would make me want to read this one.  It's being published in e-book format tomorrow and in paperback on 23rd October.      

Home on leave in sunny California, Marine and local lothario Kit Ryan finds himself dangerously drawn to his best friend's sister, Jessa - the one girl he can't have.  But Kit's not about to let a few obstacles stand in his way and soon Jessa's falling for his irresistible charms.

What starts out as a summer romance of secret hook-ups and magical first times quickly develops into a passionate love affair that turns both their worlds upside down.

When summer's over and it's time for Kit to redeploy, neither Kit nor Jessa are ready to say goodbye. Jessa's finally following her dreams and Kit's discovered there's someone he'd sacrifice everything for.

Jessa's prepared to wait for Kit no matter what. But when something more than distance and time rips them apart they're forced to decide whether what they have is really worth fighting for.

Read on for an exclusive (and very hot!) excerpt from 'Come Back to Me'. 

Come Back to Me

Sarah Alderson is also offering a giveaway and competition to celebrate the release.  You can win £50 of vouchers to a store of your choice, signed books and more (international entry).  Enter the giveaway here for your chance to get your hands on all these lovely goodies.

 

Review: Out of Control - Sarah Alderson

Out of Control by Sarah Alderson, published by Simon and Schuster on 22nd May 2014

Goodreads synopsis:
When 17 year old Liva witnesses a brutal murder she’s taken into police custody for her own protection. But when the police station is attacked and bullets start flying it becomes clear that Liva is not just a witness, she’s a target.

Together with a car thief called Jay, Liva manages to escape the massacre but now the two of them are alone in New York, trying to outrun and outwit two killers who will stop at nothing to find them.

When you live on the edge, there’s a long way to fall.

Review:
Sarah Alderson is one of my favourite authors so it's a big event when she has a new book out!  Her stories are always varied and different and her writing remains top quality from start to finish.  I couldn't wait to get my hands on 'Out of Control' and when I did I devoured it in one sitting. 

The story is set in one of my favourite places, New York and features Liva and Jay as they go on the run and try to outwit and outrun the men who are chasing them.  With no idea why they are being hunted, they can't trust anyone as they flee police custody and try desperately to stay alive.  The big question is who wants them and why?      

The opening of the book has to be one of the best that I've ever read.  Sarah Alderson has said that it's based on one of her favourite movies Terminator and it certainly grabbed me and had me absolutely hooked and on the edge of my seat.  Explosive, action packed, tense and exciting, it set the scene for the rest of the story and laced everything with an element of real danger.  I also enjoyed trying to puzzle out why someone would want to capture a teenage girl and although I had a few theories, none of them were correct.  The big reveal when it came was therefore absolutely gripping and totally surprising. 

There is some romance in the book between Liva and Jay but this develops slowly, as they have little time for flirting.  There are some spine tingling scenes between them but for once I liked the fact that the romance took a backseat to the main plot and to the action driven scenes which dominated the book.  I don't think it would have worked if it had been the other way around. 

The ending of 'Out of Control' was awesome and so tense that I couldn't put it down.  This is Sarah Alderson at her very best and was a five star read which I will definitely be recommending. 

Blog Tour: Out of Control - Sarah Alderson

I'm really pleased to be taking part in the blog tour for Sarah Alderson's new book 'Out of Control'.  I've read it and I can tell you now that it's a fast-paced and frenetic thrill-ride through New York City which I absolutely loved.  Here's a sneak peek at chapter 1 -

Out of Control Chapter 1

Writer's Nook - Sarah Alderson

Today on Writer's Nook I'd like to welcome Sarah Alderson, whose new book 'The Sound' is published by Simon and Schuster on 1st August.  Writer's Nook explores a writer's space and the objects they like to have around them for inspiration, pleasure or just general enjoyment.

From London to Bali via India and California

I am from London but now I live in Bali in Indonesia. I wrote Hunting Lila while I still lived in London and worked full time for a non-profit. I would write it on a borrowed laptop in my bed after my daughter was asleep!

I wrote the sequel Losing Lila on Patnem beach in Goa, India. I would sit drinking chai and with my toes buried in the sand. It was heaven.

I started Fated sitting at the kitchen table of the legendary author T.C Boyle (a family friend). His house in Montecito, California (where Oprah lives) is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever stayed.

My studio

Now we’re settled in Bali and I write at my desk in my studio. It overlooks our garden and the rice paddies beyond. My husband and I share the desk which is a piece of reclaimed Tamarind wood that we found on the side of the road and had sanded and polished. I love it – it’s about 10 feet long.

One wall of the studio is painted with blackboard paint. I use it to plot out books and screenplays.

I write up to 6000 words a day and I have a bad back so my chair is the most important piece of furniture I own. I found this squashy, spinny leather chair in the only real furniture store in Bali and dragged it off the showroom floor. It has not let me down.

 

 On my desk

- A cup of coffee

- A bottle of coconut water (at a safe distance – I knocked one over about six months ago and fried my computer)

- A photograph of my daughter

- A photograph of the three of us.

- A stack of my books!

- Two bookends – both picked up at Brooklyn Flea Market. One says ‘Be Kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle’ and the other is of Brooklyn Bridge (I love Brooklyn and NY!).

- A wooden artist’s model that my husband has annotated and drawn all over – it was an anniversary present.

- A stack of recycled scrap paper – for notes and to do lists

- A jar of pens (I’m always running out)

- Bug spray (there are lots of mosquitos around at night)

On the walls

- Photographs of my niece and nephews

- Framed pictures I’ve drawn

- A painting I bought from a year 12 Balinese student at Green School. The Balinese are very talented artists so I’m hoping one day it will be worth gazillions. J

- Notes from my daughter

- Post it notes with quotes from books and the Buddha including my favourite: ‘This too will pass.’

Review: Fated - Sarah Alderson

Fated by Sarah Alderson, published by Simon and Schuster on 5th January 2012

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

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

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

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

Review:
'Fated' is an incredible action-packed ride which was so deliciously good that it definitely left me wanting more.  It opens with a shocking prologue which really grabbed my attention from the very first opening sentence.  This led onto a couple of explosive chapters which set the pace for a story which was tense, gripping and exciting.

Sarah Alderson has created an incredible cast of characters.  I was immediately intrigued by the Brotherhood who are made up of a number of demons or Unhumans including a Mixen whose skin is poisonous to the touch, Thirsters who drink human blood, shape-shifters and Scorpio demons.  There's also the mysterious and enigmatic Lucas Gray, who is half-human and half Shadow Warrior.  I enjoyed discovering more about the history of the battle between the Hunters and the Unhumans and I shared Evie's amazement about a whole world she never even knew existed. 

Evie, as the main protagonist, is the last purebred Hunter on earth.  She's a brilliant heroine because she's headstrong and determined and although she's lived the majority of her life ignorant of her true heritage, she's ready when it really matters to face up to what she has to do.  The Brotherhood want to kill her before she can fulfil a prophecy which they believe to be about her.  Lucas thinks that he is the only one who can get close enough to her to kill her but as he gets to know the real Evie his feelings about her start to change. 

My absolute favourite thing about this book was the romance between Evie and Lucas, the latter whom I fell for hook, line and sinker.  The development of their romance is slow-building and simmers away throughout the majority of the story, the tension building to an epic and extremely hot first kiss which will enable you to practically feel the steam coming off the pages!  Although their love is forbidden and there are a whole host of barriers between them, there are so many sparks whenever they're in the same room together that you feel they could overcome anything to be with each other. 

Sarah Alderson really can do no wrong following her stunning debut 'Hunting Lila'.  Although she's taken a change of direction in 'Fated', she's created a story which will stay with you long after the final page and which will leave you begging for more.  If you're a fan of the paranormal romance genre then grab this one now and if you've yet to discover Sarah's books then you're missing out on a very special author who will quite literally blow you away with her talented and incredible writing.