The Mile Long Bookshelf

Lolly Luck by Ellie Daines BLOG TOUR: Forgetting my Lines - One of the Worst Moments of my Life

2012-01-17T16:35:00.000Z

In Lolly Luck, the main character Lolly wins the part of Pollyanna in her primary school play. On the night of the play everything goes to plan and Lolly delivers a superb performance. If only the same had happened to me for my school play. Like Lolly I too was in my last year at primary school and our summer play was going to be a musical production of Pinocchio. We certainly had a lot to live up to after the previous Year 6’s excellent production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
I didn’t actually do any acting for my audition – I just needed to sing ‘London’s Burning’ twice. I actually was only supposed to sing it the once but as I didn’t quite nail a couple of the notes, my teacher Mrs Tunbridge requested that I sing the song again. Still, I did manage to get the part that I wanted which was Geppetto’s wife, not that I ever remember Geppetto having a wife, but this was Mrs Tunbridge’s spin on Pinocchio and an interesting spin it was. The play came with its very own Bruce Forsyth impersonator-narrator who during the play would shimmy on at random moments saying Brucie catchphrases like ‘Didn’t he do well’ and ‘Nice to see you, to see you, nice’ and at one point shouted ‘Shut that door’ even though there was no door on the stage to actually shut. However I later learnt that this particular catchphrase didn’t even belong to Bruce Forsyth, it belonged to a presenter called Larry Grayson but again this was Mrs Tunbridge’s version of Pinocchio, which even had Pinocchio doing a couple of lame rap songs, lyrics written by Mrs Tunbridge who I doubt had any rap music in her collection of albums at home. Nevertheless, the parents found the whole thing hilarious. For me, however, the play turned out to be one of the scariest moments of my young life. Even though I’d been in several nativity plays from the age of five, up until this point I’d never really had any lines to say.
In those nativity plays I’d either played a sheep (so it was mainly just bah-ing I had to do) or a silent angel in Gabriel’s angelic posse. But this time I had a major part with lots of lines. For weeks I’d practiced and during the rehearsals I was perfect, I didn’t forget any of my lines at all. So I guess when it came to the big night itself, seeing all those faces in the audience, the huge lights above my head and the expectation in Mrs Tunbridge’s face made everything just fall to pieces. My stage fright was so bad that I could barely remember my own name let alone my lines. And thus I had no choice but to experience the dreaded whisper or should I say the dreaded hushed angry bark from Mrs Tunbridge as she sought to guide me through each and every line from behind the stage. It was so embarrassing especially as I even struggled to correctly repeat what Mrs Tunbridge was saying. And hearing the scattered laughter from around the room as I messed up only made everything feel ten times worse. At least I got a lovely hug afterwards from my gran who insisted that my acting was really good. But even though there was a time when I longed to one day become an actress; I swiftly changed my mind after my unfortunate Year 6 play – and I haven’t been seen on a stage since.

My top five favourite actresses:

Meryl Streep
Angela Bassett
Judi Dench
Renée Zellweger
Julia Roberts

Thanks Ellie! You can read my review of Lolly Luck HERE.

Chocolate S.O.S by Sue Limb BLOG TOUR: Why Funny Books are Good for You!

2012-01-12T16:03:00.001Z

The Mile Long Bookshelf is delighted that today we have Sue Limb here with a guest post on 'Why Funny Books are Good for You!'

Here’s a challenge for you.

Imagine two sisters: Lauren likes to go down the gym for a workout. Her sister Chloe prefers curling up on the sofa with a funny book. Which of them is doing the healthy thing? The answer may surprise you.
Obviously Lauren’s doing a healthy thing: we all need exercise. But Chloe is doing a healthy thing too. Reading a funny book can actually improve your health.

Laughing lowers your blood pressure and helps your heart. It smooths away stress, and the effects last for 45 minutes after your giggling fit. Comedy even boosts your immune system and antibodies so you can resist infections and bugs more easily, plus it triggers endorphins which give you a real feelgood buzz and can relieve pain.

I’ve always thought of endorphins as a bit like microscopic dolphins, leaping and plunging through my bloodstream and playfully tossing beachballs about. Ah! Bless!

Apart from the medical benefits, comedy can help you to triumph over the awful things in life. We’ve all experienced skin-creeping embarrassment and attacks of terror.

I was babysitting once, heard a strange sound, freaked out and locked myself in the bathroom. Then I had to climb out of the window and run next door for help. The strange noise turned out to be the central heating. At the time I was terrified and embarrassed, and had a wardrobe malfunction because I ripped my dress climbing out of the window – but afterwards it made a great story and my friends all seemed to find it highly amusing.

Comedy does spring from difficulties and we love to read about somebody going through some kind of dire torment, for example falling off their high heels at a posh wedding, having a coughing fit in the High Street or walking into a lamp post. When we laugh at their dilemma, in a way we’re recognising the trials of being human and exorcising demons of shame and anxiety we can all identify with.

That’s why comedy is better for you than vampires and horror – it’s actually life-enhancing, both medically and psychologically. But I would say that, wouldn’t I? I’m a comedy writer!

Thank you, Sue! :)

Chocolate S.O.S is Sue Limb's latest Fred and Jess book - and I'm quoted in it! :D

Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian

2012-01-03T11:41:00.000Z

The gruff and surly Mr Thomas Oakley is less than pleased when he is landed with a scrawny little city boy as a guest, but because it is compulsory that each villager takes in an evacuee he reluctantly agrees. It soon becomes obvious to Mister Tom that young Willie Beech is hiding something, and as the pair begin to form an unlikely bond and Willie grows in stature and in confidence he begins to forget the past. But when he has to return to war-torn London to face his mother again he retreats into his shy and awkward ways once more.

My English homework is to write a book review on Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian so I thought I might as well post it here too.

Willie Beech is a scruffy, quiet, abused boy who is evacuated to Little Weirwold in the second world war. He is given to a grumpy old man called Mr Oakley - or as Willie calls him, 'Mr Tom' - who is less than pleased to be lumbered with the child. Soon though, an incredible bond grows between them and Willie comes out of his shell.

This is a heartwarming story, although it uses very old-fashioned vocabulary and it's really slow to get into. I found that sometimes the descriptions of people/objects/places were too long and too detailed so I got bored quite easily. Also the dialogue in this book is written in the accent of where Mr Tom lives which I struggled with.

On to the characters. Tom Oakley seemed grumpy, horrible and annoying at the start of the novel - I thought he was a bit rude. As I read on, I started to like him because he started being nicer to William and he got more cheerful. It is like he changes into a new person throughout the story - Tom asks a neighbour if she would be kind enough to knit Will a jersey as he arrived only with the clothes on his back.
"You ent gotta clothe em," she said but Mr Tom was persistent which shows his love for William.

I liked William from the start, and I had a lot of empathy for him. It was easy to visualise him from the descriptions and just by the way he acted. You find out a lot about him just from this quote: "The sores will heal. They healed before. It's the wounds inside that will take the longest to heal." His mother is extremely religious and is always going on about how Willie is a 'sin'. She has mental issues and beats Willie which I suppose explains his behaviour - timid, shy, scared of everything.

Overall, I quite liked this book although I'm sure I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I had read it at my own pace and not just a chapter being read to us each lesson. Also we missed out a few chapters because apparently 'nothing much happened in them anyway' so I can't say this is a thorough review. I give this book a rating of 3/5 and recommend it to people aged 11+ - adults will like it too.

Official Publication Date: Ages ago! Erm...*googles it* - 1981.
Note: You can buy this book HERE for £5.99.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000Z

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year! :)

New Year Book Quiz!

2011-12-31T06:01:00.001Z

I saw this over at The Beaucoup Review and thought I'd have a go! :) Feel free to fill this in yourself too.

1. Best Book You Read In 2011?

Hmm....it's a tough decision! Either one of the Harry Potter books (can't decide which one!) or Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.

2. Most Disappointing Book/Book You Wish You Loved More Than You Did?

Don't think any books disappointed me this year! Or if they did, I can't remember.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2011?

Marshmallow Skye by Cathy Cassidy. I was expecting a book similar to others she has written but it started off a bit spookily which surprised me as Cathy hasn't really written any books like that before! :)

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2011?

I don't know. I recommended loads of books to people in 2011 - probably My Sister's a Popstar by Kimberly Greene?

5. Best series you discovered in 2011?

The Witch of Turlingham Academy by Ellie Boswell is the first book in a series of Turlingham Academy witch adventures! ;) It's amazing, great plot! It's published in March 2012.

6. Favourite new authors you discovered in 2011?

J.K Rowling (okay, she's been around for ages but I only started reading the Harry Potter series in the middle of 2011!), Ransom Riggs, Kimberly Greene and Ellie Boswell.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

Twilight. I don't tend to go for vampire-ish books but this was an exception.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2011?

LA Candy: Sweet Little Lies by Lauren Conrad.

9. Book you most anticipated in 2011?

Marshmallow Skye by Cathy Cassidy.

10. Favourite cover of a book you read in 2011?

Captivate by Carrie Jones - it's all sparkly and pretty! :) Or the Threads covers by Sophia Bennett - I love the dresses on the covers.

11. Most memorable character in 2011?

Hermione from the Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2011?

Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2011?

Fortune by Megan Cole was one of a few books that had a great impact on me this year. In the book, Sapphire is treated terribly by her new sisters and you feel really annoyed with them for being so horrible. You just want to slap them! They did a lot of unfair things to Sapphire (who was easily the nicest character in the book).

14. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2011 to finally read?

Again, the Harry Potter series. I think I was only two years old when the first one was published and when I was growing up I didn't really care about reading them. I'm glad I read them this year though, they are amazing!

15. Favourite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2011?

It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live. - Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone - J.K Rowling.

16. Book That You Read In 2011 That Would Be Most Likely To Reread In 2012?

Too many to list!

17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!

Jessie <3 NYC by Keris Stainton. Sometimes whilst reading it I just wanted to tell the nearest person to me, "Oh my god, look what just happened!" or "Hey isn't this bit cool?"

18. New favourite book blog you discovered in 2011?

I found a lot of new book bloggers this year, and they are all amazing in their own ways! It's impossible to just pick one but they are all run by the loveliest, most talented people ever! :)

19. Favourite review that you wrote in 2010?

Lily Alone by Jacqueline Wilson. I remember that I couldn't put the book down - there was so much I wanted to say in the review, some of which I left out because I just couldn't find the words to describe how fantastic the book was. It left me speechless!

20. Best discussion you had on your blog?

We've Currently Got Vampires - What Next? It got a huge 873 page views over the course of two weeks. I had a few people disagree with what I said and some people completely agreed with what I stated. Some people had totally different ideas about the whole genre and discussion in general! Looking back, it's terribly written - it's just a block of writing, there are no paragraphs at all. But I remember it being a really interesting discussion!

21. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

When I met Cathy Cassidy for the second time in 2010. She was so lovely, she gave me a hug when she realised who I was and she even asked me to help out at the event. I got some photos of us together and even met her publicist who I had emailed a few times before. I met her again in September this year. You can read about it HERE.

22. Best moment of book blogging in 2011?

When Bloomsbury asked me to do a quote for one of Sue Limb's books to replace The Times quote. It was a great moment and my first quote on a book! I've had a couple more now and even had one of my poems published in three different books!

23. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

My review of Cherry Crush by Cathy Cassidy which got over 900 views.

24. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

I don't know! I write for my own enjoyment and as long as I like the post I've written then that's fine. Sometimes, though, I think I've written a really good post and then it gets no comments or something. That's a little disappointing. Luckily that doesn't happen too often though!

25. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

Twitter. If you post a link to your blog on there, you'll get about 100 views in five seconds! It's also fab for staying up-to-date with book news, competitions etc. It's good for keeping in touch with authors too.

26. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

I didn't participate in any book challenges or goals this year. I might do in 2012 though!

27. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging In 2012?

Post a lot more and also remember to review certain books. Sometimes I get a book to review, read it, and then completely forget to review it. Hopefully I'll be a lot more organised next year!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T19:12:00.001Z

It's Christmas Eve! Tomorrow is the big day. I'll curled up on the sofa watching The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and eating pizza. Also I just opened one of my presents (I'm always allowed to open one of my presents on Christmas Eve) and it was a £10 gift card for Waterstones - win! :D

Anyway, I hope you all have a fantastic day tomorrow! Just in case you're not quite in the Christmas spirit yet, here are a few things to get you feeling all nice and Christmassy.

Customize Countdown Timer

Lolly Luck by Ellie Daines

2011-12-22T11:16:00.000Z

I'm Lolly Luck by name, lucky by nature.

I'm the luckiest person I know, and the luckiest person everyone else knows.

But Lolly's luck begins to turn. When her dad loses his job and the family home, Lolly thinks things can't get any worse. Then she overhears her parents arguing and learns a secret that will change her life for ever...

When Andersen Press offered this to me, I was really excited to read it. I've read tons of positive reviews about this book - in fact, I haven't seen a negative one!

I like the simple concept of how the book is basically about Lolly's luck changing practically over night. Even though some of the things that she goes through are seemingly 'unlucky' I believe that most of the time you make your own luck, and everything happens for a reason.

When Lolly heard the 'secret that would change her life for ever' (not saying what the secret is, you'll have to read the book yourself) I felt so, so, so sorry for her. To be honest, it was a bit like something dramatic that would happen in Eastenders! Lolly went through a lot and Mariella, the school bully, didn't help either.

There are twists and turns, ups and downs in this book! It's like a roller coaster ride. I really enjoyed it!
Is it just me, though, or does the cover look very similar to one of the newly-designed Cathy Cassidy books? Still love it though!

I think this book is for girls aged 8+ but I'm 13 and I really enjoyed it too. :) 10/10! This would make a perfect Christmas present.

Thank you to Andersen Press for sending me this signed copy to review.

Official Publication Date: 2012

Christmas Break

2011-12-18T14:06:00.000Z

Hey everyone! As of today I am now having a Christmas break from blogging until the 4th January. I will make sure I have some posts scheduled though! :)

I hope everyone has a great Christmas and a happy New Year. <3

2012 here we come!

WINNERS

2011-12-11T21:27:00.000Z

The winners of the birthday competitions are...

PRIZE PACK #1
Carolyn!

PRIZE PACK #2
Zoe Crook!

PRIZE PACK #3
Katie Townsend!

PRIZE PACK #4
Jax Blunt!

PRIZE PACK #5
Kirsty Bowyer!

Congratulations all of you! I will email you shortly. :) Merry Christmas!

NOTE: Zoe from Bookhi has reached 100 followers! To celebrate, she is having an amazing giveaway where you choose a book of your choice from The Book Depository as long as it is £10 or under. You can enter HERE.

Has Book Blogging hit the Wall?

2011-12-06T16:01:00.000Z

Here is a link to an article which I think might interest other book bloggers and readers...
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2011/12/book-blogging-hit-the-wall-williammorrow-blogger-notice.html

TMLB 2nd Birthday Celebrations LAST COMPETITION

2011-12-04T16:00:00.002Z

This is international, and the closing date is 5th December 2011 at 3pm GMT. Today is the last competition in my series of giveaways. For the last five days I have been hosting a giveaway every day. Good luck!

Day #5 PRIZE PACK:

'Fallen Grace' by Mary Hooper Double-Sided poster
The Shadowing Hunted by Adam Slater
Trouble Twisters by Garth Nix and Sean Williams

To enter, fill in THIS form.

The winners from previous competitions will be announced on the 6th December.

TMLB 2nd Birthday Celebrations 4/5

2011-12-03T16:34:00.001Z

This is international, and the closing date is 4th December 2011 at 4pm GMT because todays' competition started late. If you've only just found this blog, I am hosting a five-day-giveaway, with a giveaway every day. Good luck!

Day #4 PRIZE PACK:

'Haunting Violet' tote bag
'Dead Beautiful' by Yvonne Woon
'Angel' by L.A Weatherly

To enter, fill in THIS form.

The winners from previous competitions will be announced on the 6th December.

Someday Angeline by Louis Sachar

2011-12-02T16:51:00.000Z

Someday, they will tell her, things will be better. But for a small genius with big troubles, someday can't come soon enough.

Angeline could read before she was old enough to turn the pages of a book, and she mastered the piano without a single lesson. But being so clever doesn't make life easy for Angeline. Mean kids at school call her a "genius freak", and her dad seems a bit worried about how to look after her.

It is not until she makes friends with a boy who tells the best jokes, and a teacher who loves tropical fish, that things start to get better in some surprising ways for Angeline.

This children's book has a really strong moral - that it's good to be clever and not to be ashamed of it. I think this is a good message for kids especially nowadays and I definitely recommend this book to children aged 8+.

It is like a roller coaster of emotions in Someday Angeline! There's ups and downs, sad bits and funny bits. It's very true to life - especially some of the things she and her Dad say. I started to really like the characters. Angeline and her father had a really good relationship together.

I had a lot of empathy for Angeline. This book is amazingly written and I think it's a story that quite a lot of kids will relate to.

The cover is cool - it doesn't stand out much but it ties in with the main plot of the story. The problem is, the pink will probably put off a lot of boys. I think the story in general would appeal to boys and girls, but seeing as the cover is all pink, I don't think a boy would even give it a second glance which is a shame.

Overall I give this book 9/10 and recommend it to children aged 8+.

Thank you to WHSmith for sending this to me as part of their Christmas campaign!

TMLB 2nd Birthday Celebrations 3/5

2011-12-02T16:08:00.000Z

This is international, and the closing date is 3rd December 2011 at 3:30pm GMT. If you've only just found this blog, I am hosting a five-day-giveaway, with a giveaway every day. Good luck!

Day #3 PRIZE PACK:

'Haunting Violet' tote bag
Double Sided 'Mary Hooper' poster
Kisses for Lula by Samantha Mackintosh

To enter, fill in THIS form.

The winners from previous competitions will be announced on the 6th December.

TMLB 2nd Birthday Celebrations 2/5!

2011-12-01T16:00:00.001Z

You know the drill. The details are on the last post. But if you've forgotten, The Mile Long Bookshelf is hosting a competition every day for five days! Today is the second day.

This competition is international. It closes tomorrow at 3:30pm GMT. Anyone can enter.

DAY #2 PRIZE PACK:

'Between' by Jessica Warman
'Fallen Grace' - Mary Hooper Double Sided Poster
'Haunting Violet' tote bag

To enter fill in THIS form.

TMLB 2nd Birthday Celebrations!

2011-11-30T12:16:00.000Z

The big day has finally come...it's The Mile Long Bookshelfs' second blog birthday! :D To celebrate I am having a huge giveaway with prize donations from generous publishers such as Bloomsbury, Usborne and Egmont and also a few surprises from myself. ;)

The celebrations will run over the course of five days. Each day you will have the chance to win a different prize pack. Today, you have the chance to win...

DAY #1 PRIZE PACK:

'Fracture' by Megan Miranda
'Twilight - Breaking Dawn' Double Sided Poster
'Haunting Violet' tote bag

Today's competition is international - woo! The closing date is tomorrow at 3:30pm (GMT). Anyone can enter.

To enter, fill in THIS form.

COMING SOON: The Mile Long Bookshelf's 2nd Birthday Celebrations!

2011-11-27T11:18:00.000Z

Yes, it's nearly November 30th! What is the significance of this date? The Mile Long Bookshelf will turn two years old!

As always, I am hosting a birthday competition where you have the chance to win books, posters, bags and a few random surprises too. ;) The blog-birthday celebrations will run over the course of five days - each day you will have the chance to win a different prize pack, and I will also be posting daily reviews, memes and pictures! Basically, it's going to be a very busy few days.

I hope you will enjoy the celebrations. More details will be up on the 30th!

This Is Not Forgiveness by Celia Rees EXCLUSIVE EXTRACT

2011-11-25T18:30:00.001Z

I can’t decide what to do with your ashes. It’s been nearly a year now. Almost summer again. The urn is sitting in front of me on the desk, brown plastic with a ref. number, the date and your name scribbled on a sticky label:

Robert Julian Maguire.

The label has black borders and is beginning to peel at the corners. I smooth the wrinkled paper, trying to stick it back. It has been slapped on crooked by someone who didn’t care a whole lot about the contents. There are all kinds of urns you can have: brass, copper, pewter, ceramic; you can have a wooden casket with engraving on it, but those cost and someone would have to care enough to order one and buy it. I guess yours is the modern equivalent of the pauper’s grave

I went to the funerals. They held them one after another. I don’t think they meant them to be that way, but the
crematorium was busy that day. Yours was second. Not much like the first. No orations, no weeping school mates clutching single blossoms to put on the coffin, sobbing out rubbish verses that they’d written themselves. No inky hand-printed notes on the flowers: R.I.P., C U in Heaven, Gone but not forgotten. No flowers at all. Hardly anyone there, either. Only the bare minimum for decency. Police and immediate family. Some of your mates, but not many. Just Bryn and a few others, wearing uniform.

The priest was sweating. He kept dabbing at his forehead with a big white handkerchief and stumbling over his words, scratching about to find something to say, stringing it out until the time came for the rollers to engage. You would have pissed yourself. Nobody sang the hymn, there was just this tinny recording. Nobody cried or even looked sad. The congregation seemed relieved to see your coffin going, as if it wasn’t a body on its way to the furnace but some dangerous bio hazard. They couldn’t wait to get out of there.

I was the one who went back to collect your ashes. That’s how I’ve got them here. Mum doesn’t like it. She keeps nagging about ‘disposal’ and ‘closure’. Keeping you here is morbid and probably unhealthy. I don’t see it. The Morgans had their granddad on the mantelpiece for years and years. She wants rid, but what’s it to do with her? You were my brother. She doesn’t have to come in here. ‘It’s upsetting for your sister,’ she says. I know for a fact that Martha couldn’t give a monkey’s fat one. Anyway, she’s not even here, so what does she care?

I can see Mum’s point of view. What you did was pretty disruptive. I had to move schools. I couldn’t go back there, could I? Mum wanted to move house. Move towns. After what happened, she wanted to make a fresh start. You’ve made the place toxic. But in the end, we didn’t do that. We’d have had to move Grandpa. Not that he’d notice. He’s still alive, just about, but Alzheimer’s doesn’t get better, does it? It wasn’t really that, either. What happened has changed her. At times, she blames herself. Somehow it must be her fault, that’s what she thinks. If she’d just done this thing, or that thing, then it wouldn’t have happened. She spends a lot of time sitting around thinking about that. She’s there but not there when she’s like that. She moves from that to being very, very angry. Mostly with you.

Maybe getting rid of you would give us closure, as she puts it, but I don’t think so. The brown plastic kind of contains you. Without it, you’d be everywhere – like a genie. You don’t deserve to be liberated yet. I’ll decide the time and place. It could be tomorrow, it could be years from now, but until the day comes, you are staying right here, with me.

But this is not forgiveness. Don’t think that.

My 13th Birthday

2011-11-06T13:21:00.004Z

Hi everyone! As some of you might know, I turned 13 in October. I went to London for the day so I thought I would post about it here for a change from reviews. :)

I got some really awesome presents including an electric guitar (with an amp), a camera and a graphics tablet. Obviously I took my camera with me and I took about 300 photos!

My Birthday cards.

We went on the train to Kings Cross and I had my photo taken next to the Platform 9 3/4 sign. It's out of Harry Potter. :) I've wanted to have a photo taken there for ages but every time I've been, it's been closed off because they're rebuilding that part (I think).

Then we got the tube to Monument where we climbed the 311 steps to the top. It was built to commemorate the fire of London.

Tall!

The tall building you can see is called the Shard. When it's finished being built it will be the tallest building in London!

I zoomed in. :) St Paul's Cathedral.

The view up the stairs from the bottom...

The bridge was actually a mile away from the Monument, I zoomed in again. :P

How high up we were!

After that we went to the Britain at War museum which was really good but a bit creepy because of how realistic it was. :D


I think that hat might have been a bit too big...

And then we got lost. :/ While my Mum and step-dad were trying to figure out where we were, I took a couple of random photos...

We accidently stumbled upon Borough Market which is a really big food market with loads of different foods that you don't really see anywhere else. Me and Mum had some amazing fresh berry smoothies and a Cinnamon biscuit-type-thing.

While we were still lost, we saw the ruins of Winchester Palace...

....And the Golden Hinde...

Then we went to the Clink which was the oldest prison in London. It was really spooky in there. ;)

After that we went to Pizza Express next to the Thames. Yummy :D

And then after that - (we crammed a lot into one day as you can see!) - we went to the Tate Modern. We didn't get time to look around the whole thing but it was still really good.

We also walked past Shakespeare's Globe. It was too late to go in though.

Then we made our way back to Kings Cross. :)

I had a really good day. :) We didn't get back until 11pm. And if you've read until the end of this extremely long post, thank you! :D

The Fearsome Beastie BLOG TOUR

2011-10-25T06:01:00.000+01:00

To celebrate the publication of The Fearsome Beastie by Giles Paley-Phillips, and also to celebrate the fact that it's almost Halloween, Giles has set up a blog tour. Today, it is my pleasure to introduce Giles, who will be talking about writing, cheese, grandmas and scary, hairy monsters...

1. How long did it take you to write The Fearsome Beastie?
The text took about a day to write, but it took a bit longer to iron out the creases!

2. When you wrote TFB, did you have an idea in your head of how you wanted the original book to look like? If so, do Gabrieles illustrations live up to your expectations?
There are a few brief descriptions of the beastie in the book, but I left it fairly vague. I think Gabriele has done a magnificent job - I love the beastie he has created.

3. Is there anything that was edited out of the final edition of the book i.e a page, sentence, picture etc?
I almost re-wrote the ending, as I wasn't sure if we'd gone too far with some of the images at the end of the book, but my publisher reassured me and I'm so glad we kept it as macabre as it is.

4. If you could have a famous grandma (dead or alive) who would it be and why?
Oh, I like this question! I think it would have to be Julie Andrews (who wouldn't want Mary Poppins!?). If I could have a grandad, I'd like Bill Murray!

5. Any tips for aspiring authors?
Just keep believing in your work and be tenacious, it only takes one person to say yes!

6. Where did you get your inspiration from for The Fearsome Beastie?
My children love playing monster games, hiding under blankets and being surprised. I was also reading a lot of alternative children's books, like Tim Burton's melancholy death of Oyster Boy and stuff by Hilare Belloc.

7. For people who haven't read TFB, could you tell us more about it?
It is a hark back to the cautionary tales of old - a beastie ventures from his cage in search of a meal, and the children in the near-by town are at the top of his menu!

8. Random question...what's your favourite cheese?
It's got to be brie, although I am partial to apricot Stilton.

QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS

Chocolate or Cake? Chocolate.
Facebook or Twitter? Facebook.
Reading or writing? Writing.
Red or Blue? Blue.
Sun or Rain? Rain.

Thanks Giles! You can see my review of The Fearsome Beastie here.

Don't Forget, Blog Tour Coming Soon!

2011-10-23T11:43:00.000+01:00

Don't forget that on Tuesday 25th October, Giles Paley-Phillips will be here talking about writing, grandmas, cheese and scary, hairy monsters... Should be good! :)

Sapphire Battersea by Jacqueline Wilson

2011-10-14T21:29:00.000+01:00

A tale of family, friendship, first love and loss...You won't believe your eyes!A new name, a new life for Hetty Feather!

Hetty Feather (or as she prefers to be known, Sapphire Battersea) has returned. Fourteen years old and her last day at the Foundling Hospital. Soon to be pushed into the harsh, unknown, outside world, she becomes a servant for a sly old man. Hetty tries to be reunited with her mother, but things don't quite go to plan.

I found this book really depressing and it really upset me in places. I actually read another review of this book on Amazon, where a woman's nine-year-old daughter actually burst into tears whilst reading this because it was so sad, and I can almost relate to that. Happy moments in this book were non-existent.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this book a lot. It was really interesting, the characters were great and well-developed and the plot was gripping. Love the cover too! I was actually late for school one day because I couldn't put the book down! The only flaw is that I'd start reading the book happily and when I finished I was sad and miserable, and not because it was the end of the book.

Not a very light-hearted read and not entirely believable in places. Otherwise, though, this was quite a good book. Even though the age rating is 9+ I would recommend it to 11+. I recommend this book to fans of Jacqueline Wilson and fans of the Victorian-era. 7/10!

Official Publication Date: 29th September 2011

Marshmallow Skye by Cathy Cassidy

2011-10-05T16:10:00.000+01:00

Skye and Summer Tanberry are identical twins, and Skye loves her sister Summer more than anyone else in the world. They do everything together, but lately Skye's been feeling like second-best - it's the story of her life. And when her friend Alfie confesses he's fallen for Summer, not her, it hurts.

Skye wants to be her own person, but with an effortlessly cool twin, how can she? Will Skye ever step out of Summer's shadow and find her own chance to shine?

Skye and Summer are twins. They have always been extremely close, but now as they grow older Skye can feel them growing apart. Skye - wears vintage style clothes, loves History, best friend is Millie. Summer - wears anything pink and anything cool, loves Ballet, best friend is Tia. They may look the same and occasionally think the same...but they couldn't be more different. When they find a dusty old trunk in the attic, with ancient love letters and musty velvet dresses inside, Skye and Summer grow apart just a little bit more...

I've always loved Cathy and her books, ever since my best friend lent me Scarlett when I was nine. I don't know how she does it but she always manages to create a realistic story, with a sense of magic included.

Marshmallow Skye starts off on Halloween, which was spooky. That was a nice change as Cathy hasn't written a horror story before. Marshmallow Skye isn't really a horror story anyway, but it's still a lot different from her other books. It's more of a mystery, I think.

Obviously I adored this book. Who wouldn't? I really wanted to save it, but I couldn't help reading it within an hour. One of the highlights of my year is always when Cathy launches a new book - and it's always just in time for my birthday!

I treasure this book - it's.... *deep breath* Amazfantasbrillgreatgoodexcelloveawesome! Yup. That new word perfectly describes ALL of Cathy's books.

Read this. Now. You need to, your life isn't complete until you read it...

Official Publication Date: 17th August 2011

Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith - COMPETITION

2011-09-25T09:36:00.000+01:00

My mum is giving away a brand-new copy of Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith over on her blog. We both already have copies and they are AMAZING and so addictive. I will be reviewing my own copy at some point. Anyway, I really think you should all go and enter, because your life isn't complete without that journal.... :)

ENTER HERE.

Chaotic Times!

2011-09-15T16:15:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone! Sorry I haven't reviewed anything recently. I'm really busy with school at the moment. Chaotic times :P Anyway, I have loads of books to be read and loads of books that I need to write reviews for so I'll try and get them written soon. Also I'm going to see Cathy Cassidy (again) on Saturday so I'll post about that too.

Amber xx

Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy

2011-09-02T16:10:00.000+01:00

Zulaikha hopes.

She hopes for peace, now that the Taliban have been driven out of power in Afghanistan. She hopes for a better relationship with her hard stepmother. And she even hopes to go to school one day.

Then she meets Meena, who offers to teach her the poetry she once taught Zulaikha's mother. And American troops come to the village, promising new opportunities and surgery to mend Zulaikha's face. Can Zulaikha dare to hope these promises will come true?

Words in the Dust is...beautiful. It was written by an actual American Soldier, and from what I read, I think the story is actually true. The main person in the story is Zulaikha. She lives with her stepmother Malehkah, her father, her older sister Zeynab, her older brother Najibullah and her two younger brothers Khalid and Habib, with another baby on the way.

It taught me a lot about the culture of Afghanistan. I didn't really know anything about it before but now I know quite a bit.

Zulaikha was so brave, although sometimes she just gave up which was a little annoying. Other than that, though, she is my favourite character.

I don't really like the cover - it's a bit too dull for me but I suppose the cover art does go well with the story. However, I give Words in the Dust 4/5! :) I recommend this to readers aged 11+.

Thanks Frances Lincoln!
Official Publication Date: January 2011
Note: Buy it HERE.

'Marshmallow Skye' by Cathy Cassidy Launch!

2011-09-01T14:55:00.000+01:00

Cathy Cassidy's brand-new book Marshmallow Skye (second in the Chocolate Box Girls series) was launched today. I've been waiting for this since...oh I don't know, September last year I think. And now it's finally here! I received it today from the lovely people over at Puffin and I am already on Chapter 14 so you should expect a review from me soon. Cherry Crush (the first in the series) was a great success and I'm sure this will be too.

'SKYE and SUMMER TANBERRY are identical twins, and Skye loves her sister Summer more than anyone else in the world. They do everything together, but lately Skye's been feeling like second-best - it's the story of her life. And when her friend Alfie confesses he's fallen not for her, but for Summer, it hurts.

Skye wants to be her own person, but with an effortlessly cool twin, how can she? Will Skye ever step out of Summer's shadow and find her own chance to shine?'

You can buy Cathy's fabulous book HERE.

Sticker Dolly Dressing: Around the World & Holiday by Emily Bone and Lucy Bowman

2011-08-30T09:58:00.000+01:00

Around the World

Follow fashions across the globe with this fun and informative addition to the hit 'Sticker Dolly Dressing' series. Help dress the men and women in their traditional clothes from nations and cultures across the world. This title includes national costumes such as the kimonos of Japan, saris of India, bubas of Nigeria and the flamenco costumes of Spain.

'Around the World' is a sticker book, with up to three people on each page from a different country to dress up. It took me a good three or four hours to complete and it was actually quite fun (you're never too old for stickers! Hehe.) It is quite educational when you think about it. It would be a perfect gift for any girl 5+. The quality is great too, and if you make a mistake the stickers peel off easily without damaging. 10/10!

Holiday

Girls everywhere will love dressing and accessorising these intrepid girls as they travel around the globe in this colourful and glamorous addition to the hit "Sticker Dolly Dressing" series. Help the girls dress for a variety of different holidays during their voyage around the globe from the pyramids of Egypt, across pristine white beaches, a trek through a tropical jungle and the colourful Venetian carnival. This title is filled with over 400 stickers to chose from to help the characters look their best.

I prefer this book to the Around the World one. The illustrations are more colourful and the stickers are less fiddly. Plus this book is more like a story and a sticker book - at the top of each page it has a little part of the story. The quality is brilliant and, again, girls from age 5+ will definitely enjoy this. 10/10!

Thank you very much to Usborne for sending me these. :o)

Jessie ♥ NYC by Keris Stainton

2011-08-26T16:40:00.000+01:00

Jessie's just arrived in New York, hoping to forget about her awful ex.

New Yorker Finn is in love with his best friend's girlfriend.

They might be perfect together, but in a city of eight million people, will they ever find each other?

A mouthwatering novel of coincidences, love and New York glamour.

Ever since Keris announced she was writing this book, I've been desperate for it to be published so I could read it. I love New York and always have done - I've never been there (although I would love to!) but from what I've seen of it, it looks and sounds amazing. So when Jessie ♥ NYC was published, I was really excited and desperate to read it!

I love the story line. I liked how Jessie and Finn kept crossing paths but they weren't aware of it - i.e Finn would be stood looking up at the Empire State Building, he'd leave and then Jessie and Emma would turn up there too. The little twist about Finn and his best friend's girlfriend gave the story more depth, and I caught myself feeling sorry for Finn a lot.

Jessie's relationship with her Mum is complicated. Having moved to New York permanently before, leaving Jessie behind, Jessie feels that her Mum abandoned her. Little things add to this, and eventually it just gets too much. The relationship between Jessie and her Mum is almost exactly the same as someone else I know, so I could kind of see it from a different point of view.

Overall....Amber ♥ This Book!!! :) 10000000000000000000000000000 out of 10.

Official Publication Date: 7th July 2011
Notes: Buy it HERE. Please. =D You'll also definitely enjoy THIS. You should buy that too.

IMM #17

2011-08-21T17:59:00.000+01:00

FOR REVIEW:

Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy - Frances Lincoln
No Use Crying by Zannah Kearns - Frances Lincoln
Jessie <3 NYC by Keris Stainton - Orchard Books
Furball and the Mokes by A.N. Wilson - Corvus Books

FROM THE LIBRARY:

Friends? Right now! by Dee Phillips

BOUGHT:

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

Thanks to everyone who sent me books this week! What did you all get?

Velvet by Mary Hooper

2011-08-14T10:22:00.001+01:00

Velvet is an orphan. She struggles to make ends meet by working in a steam laundry, where the work is back-breaking and exhausting. So when she attracts the attention of the glamorous clairvoyant Madame Savoya, she cannot believe her good fortune.

Raised to the status of lady's maid, Velvet is given elegant clothes to wear and is brought to live in a grand house in London. But the longer she works for Madame Savoya, the more she discovers about the mysterious world of a spiritual medium. Velvet soon realises that her employer is not quite what she seems and that this knowledge could put her very life in danger...

At first I was a bit hesitant to read Velvet because usually I don't enjoy reading Historical Fiction. However, Mary Hooper writes in such a way that you can't help but keep reading and I found that I actually really enjoyed it.

As the story went on, you were made aware of things that Velvet didn't yet know about. In that sense, you are kind of ahead when reading this so it feels like you are a character in the story yourself.

My favourite character, at the start, is George - Madame Savoya's personal assistant. But towards the end, I liked him less and less and my new favourite character became Velvet, because she was so loyal and kind. Then she was made to do lots of things she didn't feel right doing, but she coped.

The descriptive writing in this novel is pure genius, it really did feel like you were in the room with the characters. Usually I don't really like Historical Fiction, but Mary Hooper's HF books are an exception as they are so gripping and fantastically written.

I recommend this to everyone aged 11+. Even if you don't like Historical Fiction, give it a try because you will most-likely enjoy it! 10/10. :)

Thank you very much to Bloomsbury for sending this fantastic title to me.

Official Publication Date: September 2011

Kiss, Date, Love, Hate Cover

2011-08-08T12:34:00.000+01:00

The cover for Luisa Plaja's new book, Kiss Date Love Hate was actually revealed a few weeks ago but I only just saw it. I'm sure lots of you have already seen this, but for those of you that haven't...

I love it!!! What do you think? :)

The Fearsome Beastie by Giles Paley-Phillips

2011-08-05T06:00:00.004+01:00

The Fearsome Beastie is searching for something to eat,
and children are at the top of the menu.

Will they be fooled by his clever tricks
or can Pete's Granny save the day?

This is a gorgeous little book! Written in rhymes, with perfect, glossy illustrations (courtesy of Gabriele Antonini) it is sure to keep the reader (however young or old!) captivated.

To me, it is like a modern day 'Little Red Riding Hood'. It is perfect for little children (perhaps 3-7). There are plenty of things to talk about whilst reading this, if you are reading it to your child. The expressions on the children's faces, for instance, provokes conversation of why they are feeling scared, where they could hide from the 'Fearsome Beastie' etc. Lots of opportunities come with this beautifully told story.

However young or old, I think anyone would enjoy this. I give it a rating of 10/10. :)

Thank you to Giles himself for sending this to me.

Official Publication Date: 18th May 2011
Note: You can buy the book HERE for the fantastic price of just £4.49!

IMM #16

2011-08-04T14:14:00.000+01:00

Thank you to everyone who sent books to review this week. :)

FOR REVIEW:

The Fearsome Beastie by Giles Paley-Phillips - From Author
Harry Potter Film Wizardry - From Random House
SDD: Holiday - Usborne
SDD: Around the World - Usborne
SDD: Movie Stars - Usborne
Diary of a Wimpy Kid DIY - Puffin

Reviews of all of these will be up shortly.

Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur

2011-08-03T20:27:00.000+01:00

Before I used it, the key had infinite possibilities.

Eleven-year-old Elise feels stuck. Her school locker-buddy squashes her lunch and laughs at her, every day. She doesn't want to go to school - and her best friend Franklin just makes things worse.

Now I was ready for something to be different. Anything, really.

One day Elise discovers an incredible secret. A secret that might just help her unlock her past, and take a chance on the future.

I decided that tomorrow I would see what that key opened up. It had my name on it, after all...

Eight Keys is a really interesting book. It starts on the first day of Sixth Grade which is the first year of High School (Year 7) I think. Elise makes an enemy whose aim is to make her life hell. Soon, though, Elise discovers a key and her past unravels into her very hands...

Eight Rooms. Eight Keys. All hidden in random places. Can Elise find them all before her patience runs thin?

This is a wonderful book. When I was asked to review it, I wasn't really sure what to expect but I accepted and when Eight Keys arrived in the post, I started reading it straight away. I didn't stop reading it until it was finished. :) This has quite a unique plot, and books that are different and unique always get good reviews from me.

The only thing I don't like about this book is the cover. It's a bit dull, and to me it doesn't portray the story inside it. The first time I looked at this cover, I thought it looked like a historical romance but actually it turned out to be a modern story of an orphaned girl who lives with her aunt and uncle and has a mystery to solve. I guess looks can be deceiving!

Overall, this book is fantastic and I really do recommend it to everyone. It has lots of different genres hidden inside it, so it suits everyone. This is probably suitable for 11+ readers. I adore this book and I'll probably re-read it again and again. :)

Thank you Puffin for sending me this fantastic ARC!
Official Publication Date: 10th August 2011
Note: You can buy Eight Keys HERE.

Young Writers 2011 Competition

2011-07-26T14:10:00.000+01:00

A while ago Luisa Plaja (fab author) suggested I enter the Young Writers competition but I guess I procrastinated and forgot about it. Then a couple of months ago my English teacher said I should enter and he gave me the forms etc. But instead of a Young Writers Story Competition it was a Young Writers Poem Competition where a few people in every school in the country enter their own poem into the competition. If their poem is good enough to be selected, it gets published in a regional book. Anyway, the theme was 'Things That Matter To You' so I entered my poem 'How I See The World' into the Young Writers: Southern Counties competition.

Yesterday I received a letter from the company saying that my poem had made it through the selection process! This means my poem will be in Young Writers: The Southern Counties which will be published on October 31st 2011. I received a certificate for Talented Writing and a limited edition bookmark. I can't wait to see the book! When the series of regional books are published they will be available in most libraries in the UK and also a copy will be kept in the British Library, which is an archive of books published going back hundreds of years. This means the book with my poem inside will be kept there long after I'm dead! :)

IMM #15

2011-07-19T19:16:00.000+01:00

As you can see, I've started to do In My Mailbox again....I go through phases of writing it and then forgetting hehe. :) This is for the last week.

FOR REVIEW:

August by Bernard Beckett (Harper Collins)
Wuthering Hearts by Kay Woodward (Random House)
Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery by Keren David (Keren David)
Boys for Beginners by Lil Chase (Harper Collins)

BOUGHT:

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone by J.K Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K Rowling

LIBRARY

Anne of Green Gables by L.M Montgomery

I didn't get any signed book-ish stuff (except Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery which was kindly signed by Keren :)), but I did get this from my favourite girl-band Parade which is awesome...

If you can't read it, the autographs from left to right say Sian, Bianca, Lauren, Emily and Jessica and then it says To Amber, love from Parade x. They also sent me two 'Parade' badges. :)

Oh and if you're wondering why I haven't reviewed much recently, it's because for some reason I have suddenly got a bit obsessed with the Harry Potter books (a bit late but still!). I didn't think they were my kind of book, but then my Grandad bought me the first book the other day and I was hooked! So those books are taking up most of my time at the moment. ;)

'Wuthering Hearts' Blog Tour: Review and Guest Post!

2011-07-15T07:32:00.000+01:00

Today is the day you've all been waiting for...Kay Woodward's 'Wuthering Hearts' blog tour! The Mile Long Bookshelf is the 15th 'stop' on the tour, so get reading :)

REVIEW:

Passion, the Yorkshire moors, a wild and handsome stranger . . . sound familiar?

When Robert arrives in town with his dark good looks and mysterious background, Emily has a huge crush! It’s almost enough to take her mind off this year’s school play . . . miserable, wailing Wuthering Heights.
But Robert is no prince, with his black moods and fierce temper. The beautiful untamed moors would be the perfect backdrop to their fiery romance, if only Emily could work it out.

On stage or off stage, will Emily ever be the Cathy to his Heathcliff?

This story is beautiful in every way...the cover, the setting, the characters etc. This is a great take on the classic novel by Emily Bronte! The emotions in this book, especially Emily and Robert's, were spectacular, they just flowed off the page. When Emily was sad, I felt sad - when she was happy, so was I!

Wuthering Hearts is dramatic, romantic and everything I love. I think I read it in about one sitting because it kept me wanting to know what happened next. I desperately didn't want this book to end, it was fantastic and really funny! Plus, this book is great if you don't like the actual classics themselves.

I recommend this to everyone with a passion for love, drama and lots and lots of humour! The official age-recommendation for Wuthering Hearts is 12+ but I think it could be a 10+, as I know quite a few 10 year olds would love this too. :o)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GUEST POST: WHERE I GET MY INSPIRATION FROM:

Where do I get my inspiration from?

I wish I could just get it from Marks and Spencer. I can just imagine it..."I'll have a BLT, a bottle of cloudy lemonade and a jar of inspiration, please." Wow. That would be GREAT.

Unfortunately, it's trickier to work out where I find my ideas. I can tell you when I get them though.

There's the shower. I don't know if it's the drumming of the water on my head or the fact I'm so short-sighted I can't actually see anything in there, so there's nothing to do but think, but it seems to be a good place for ideas.

It's the same with the tree outside - a massive Eucalyptus that goes bonkers when it's windy. Just staring at that seems to flip a switch in my brain.

When I've finished reading in bed at night, and turn off the light, that's when I get ideas too. And then I have to turn the light back on again, and go and write them down, because no matter how convinced I am that the ideas will still be there in the morning, they never are. I know.

My husband is good at storylines. He came up with a cool plot about fairies, on the A303 once.

Panic. That's a brilliant one. There's something about the fact that it's 5.15 and I have to come up with an idea by 5.30 or my editor will be very cross indeed that makes ideas appear. Thank goodness.

And finally, there's me. I copy myself mercilessly. I like to give my characters big noses, like me. Often, they're messy, like me. In my new book Wuthering Hearts, the main character is a girl called Emily who wants to play the lead in the school play, like I did. I longed to be Cinderella - but ended up being an ugly sister instead. And Emily longs to be Catherine Earnshaw in the school play of Wuthering Heights and, well...no spoilers. Because sometimes, my characters do stuff that I've done. Sometimes, they don't.

And when I'm staring at the tree or in the shower or on the M25, anything can pop into my head.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks Kay! The next blog on the tour is HERE. :)

Wuthering Hearts Blog Tour, Coming Soon :)

2011-07-10T10:20:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone! Just a quick post to let you all know that The Mile Long Bookshelf will be hosting Kay Woodward's 'Wuthering Hearts' blog tour on Friday 15th July. There will be a guest post on Inspiration written by Kay herself and a review of Wuthering Hearts by me. :) Make sure you come and have a read! Thank you :D

Fiction Express Chapter 7 & 8 Reviews

2011-06-28T18:14:00.006+01:00

Diary of a Mall Girl (Ch.7) by Luisa Plaja

Last time, we saw (well, read...) Ameera and Molly sneak into Jewel's apartment. Luckily they didn't get caught....although they nearly did! This week we found out something BIG. It really surprised me - I never saw it coming! Love this. :) Again, it ended on a massive cliff-hanger so I'm looking forward to Chapter 8!

Soul Shadows (Ch.7) by Alex Woolf
This week's chapter was quite fast-paced, with chases and murders along the way! There are a few sweet moments though, like moments between Estelle and her shadow, and when Sandor helped Estelle even when he was badly injured...this gets more exciting each week!

The Last Symbol (Ch.7) by Rebecca Morton
Drina and Hedley set off on a secret mission arranged by Tyron, following Blues and bickering with each other...At one point I was a little confused as to who's side Drina was actually on, but it all became clear towards the end of the chapter. :)

Diary of a Mall Girl (Ch.8) by Luisa Plaja
Chaotic and fun are the only words I can find to describe this chapter! After Liam's disastrous party, Molly has some important choices to make. Where will she go for her work experience? And which boy does she like best? Jasper vs. Liam :) Sadly it's getting close to the end of DOAMG now, but I can't wait to read the end, I bet it'll be fantastic.

The Last Symbol (Ch.8) by Rebecca Morton
Drina is participating in a dangerous plan, which involves being very dishonest to a few of the most important people in her land. It's all with good intentions though - to protect her brother Miko. This chapter had a few good twists in it - I think Chapter Nine is going to be great! :)

Fiction Express Chapter 6 Reviews

2011-06-16T19:50:00.000+01:00

Diary of a Mall Girl by Luisa Plaja

Fantastic, as always! Ameera and Molly end up doing something really risky that could get them into trouble (we'll find out if they get caught in Chapter 7, yay!), Molly's confused and curious, and Jewel and Jasper haven't revealed their secret yet. We know their mum is ill, but what kind of ill? Why do they keep jetting off to mysterious places? Why won't they let anyone in their apartment? I really hope all is revealed soon! :)

Soul Shadows by Alex Woolf

FREAKY! ....But in a good way! This chapter was mind-blowing! I really liked how the characters made their own Soul Shadows i.e Shadow Carl, Shadow Sandor, Shadow Estelle. And it was great that the shadows had feelings - I felt really sorry for Shadow Estelle! This was full of action, fighting and imagination!

The Last Symbol by Rebecca Morton

This unusual, intriguing chapter ended on the biggest cliffhanger I have ever read! I can't wait to read what happens next. I was quite surprised at one of the things that happened in the chapter, but I can't tell you what...you'll have to read it for yourself! ;) This was really interesting and had me on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading.

Thanks Fiction Express! The Chapter 7 (Chapter 7 already?? Nooo! I don't want these stories to end! :'() reviews will be up in the next week. :)

Interview with author Cat Patrick

2011-06-14T10:06:00.001+01:00

Last week I got to interview lovely author Cat Patrick, debut writer of Forgotten. Want to know more about her and her book? Read on...

1. Where did you get your inspiration for Forgotten?

I got the idea for Forgotten when my twins were about five months old. I was very tired as they weren't sleeping through the night, and one morning, I forgot what I was doing mid-activity. As I was trying to remember, I considered how awful it would be to have amnesia. But then I thought: But what if you could remember forward instead? Forgotten was born.

2. And, for people who haven't read the book, could you tell us more about it?

Forgotten is the story of a teen girl named London Lane who remembers the future instead of the past. She gets by with the help of reminder notes, her cell phone, her mom and her best friend, until she meets a guy who she wants to date...but who she doesn't remember. The book is about London's quest to navigate life with her condition, date a guy who shouldn't be in her future, and ultimately, solve the mystery of her past so that she can move forward with her life.

3. What was your journey to publication like?

I was very fortunate on my path to publication. It took me two and a half months to write the first draft of Forgotten. When I was nearly finished, I sent out one pitch letter to my dream agent and he wrote back in seven minutes, requesting the entire novel. Less than six months later, the book sold at auction in the US, and was subsequently purchased in 16 countries worldwide. I know that's rare, and I truly believe that I was lucky enough to have the right idea at the right time.

3. If you weren't an author, what do you think you would be doing instead?

I can't imagine not being an author! But if pressed, I'd probably take some classes and become an interior designer. I love looking for new items for my home on furniture sites and Etsy.

4. If you had to become one of your characters, who would you choose?

London! She's the type of strong, independent, mature teen I would have liked to have been.

5. If you could have a famous grandma (dead or alive) who would it be?

I was very close to both of my grandmothers: They were famous in my eyes. But if required to add to my family tree, I'd choose Betty White. She's smart as a whip and hilarious, and funniness is the best way to my heart.

6. What kind of snacks/drinks to you like to eat/drink when you're writing?

I eat crunchy snacks like dry cereal a lot because they tend to keep me more alert. I'm always cold, so I usually have tea next to me, too.

7. Your favourite song?

Oh wow, that's tough. I love "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon, as it will always remind me of London and Luke (it played a lot on the radio while I was writing). "Intervention" by Arcade Fire is another fave (or really anything by that band). I also love “Everlong” by Foo Fighters and “Romeo and Juliet” by Dire Straits.

8. Out of all the different covers that Forgotten has (UK, USA, Australian etc) which is your favourite?

That's like choosing which of my children I like best: I can't do it! I love them all for different reasons: the US version for its boldness (and the model's name is Cat, too!); the Australia version for its loveliness; the French version for being PURPLE! What I love about the UK version is the vibrant hair and the background, and the fact that the photographer is also the model.

Thanks, Cat!

Thank you Amber for interviewing me

CAT PATRICK'S WEBSITE

BUY 'FORGOTTEN'

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

2011-06-08T17:37:00.000+01:00

Every year Isabel spends a perfect summer at her family friends' house.

There's the swimming pool at night, the private stretch of beach - and the two boys.

Conrad - unavailible, aloof - who she's been in love with forever.

Jeremiah - friendly, relaxed - the only one who's ever really paid her any attention.

But this year something is different. They seem to have noticed her for the first time. It's going to be an amazing summer...and one she'll never forget.

This is such a sweet, summery book. The kind of book you would read by the pool in the sun with sunglasses and a smoothie. One girl. Two boys. And the summer that changed everything.

Every year, Belly and her family stay at a woman called Samantha's house for the summer. Samantha just so happens to have two sons the same age as Belly (Belly is short for Isobel). This summer, Belly turns up at the house for the summer and suddenly the boy's seem to be noticing her for the first time. It's the summer she turned pretty.

I really loved this. The characters and the situations were realistic, and it all just seemed perfect. It was beautifully written, with amazing descriptions and you felt like you were actually there, living your life along with the characters.

You know Team Edward/Team Jacob (off Twilight?) Well there's a similar thing going on with these books, too. Everyone is saying whether they're on Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah....if you're wondering, I'm on Team Jeremiah :)

The main character, Belly, seemed like a character most people can probably relate to, as she was unsure and confused and dealt with first love in quite a realistic way.
Everyone should read The Summer I Turned Pretty (and it's sequel, which I'll be reviewing soon). Fantastic. 5/5!

Thank you Puffin for sending me this!

Official Publication Date: 3rd June 2010

Fiction Express Chapter 4 & 5 Reviews

2011-06-07T21:25:00.000+01:00

So sorry that these reviews are late! I went on holiday to Cornwall last week, and completely forgot to review these before I left...anyway, here they are!

Diary of a Mall Girl by Luisa Plaja (Chapter 4.)

Jasper comes to visit Molly and that scene is all very awkward and cringe-worthy for Molly....but it is funny! Also, we find out a bit more about Jasper which is good, as up until now he has had a very mysterious background that I'm desperate to know a bit more about. Molly ends up helping him to face his fears, and she also finds out something about another certain boy...

Soul Shadows by Alex Woolf (Chapter 4.)

This chapter was really exciting and full of action. It kept you on the edge of your seat! With more and more soul shadows popping up, Estelle and Sandor are having difficulty deciding who they can really trust. This is great, I love this story!

The Last Symbol by Rebecca Morton (Chapter 4.)

Chapter Four mainly focuses on Drina, Miko's sister, which I like as we haven't really heard much from her yet and plus she seems to be my favourite character (other than Miko.) A chapter filled with searching, cunning plans and sisterly love...

Diary of a Mall Girl by Luisa Plaja (Chapter 5.)

It seems like all the characters are finally realising who they really are, and not everything is as it seems. It's a great chapter, as the characters and plot start to develop more and more, and there are some sub-plots starting to be weaved in too. Everything in Molly's life is finally coming together! She has her BFF's back, her crush likes her back...but something's not right. Jasper and Art Boy keep popping into Molly's head at random moments, and she can't help liking them too. I wonder who she'll choose? Can't wait to read some more!

Soul Shadows by Alex Woolf (Chapter 5.)

One word.....INTRIGUING. :) This has to be my favourite chapter of SS so far. Some of the characters are quite evil and cunning, and you never know whether to trust them or not. This makes the story really gripping, exciting and fun! I love the unique little twists. What will happen next, I wonder??

The Last Symbol by Rebecca Morton (Chapter 5.)

This is amazing. You can feel the emotions coming off the page (well....screen. But you know what I mean!) as it is so beautifully written and it's so gripping. I feel quite sad that Miko and Drina aren't together, as they are brother and sister and they're worried about each other. It's exciting seeing where each person will go with the story though! A must read for anyone who loves exciting twists.

Thank you, also, to the person who donated some FE credits to me. This means that I can carry on reviewing the fantastic chapters each week - thank you so much, you know who you are!

Girl, 15 Charming But Insane by Sue Limb

2011-06-05T11:51:00.000+01:00

The Jess Jordan story continues...with lonely hearts ads, bras and minestrone soup!

Jess wants to be devastatingly gorgeous, popular and intelligent. But her best friend Flora has beaten her to it. Now Jess needs a new focus. Ben Jones seems the obvious choice. But can Ben focus on anything that takes longer than a free kick? Perhaps Fred, who's sweet and clever but really needs a haircut, will be able to help Jess through her teen-life crisis?

A brilliantly funny Sue Limb book featuring the crazy confessions of charming but insane Jess Jordan.

Jess Jordon is a charming but insane teenage girl with hilarious thoughts, soup-filled-bras and a murder-loving granny. Y'know....normal. It is the funniest, most hilarious book I have EVER read! It caused me to burst out laughing at random moments, receiving strange looks from my family. The characters were so funny, and I just couldn't stop laughing!

My favourite character other than Jess was Fred. Fred is sweet, funny and clever...and he clearly likes Jess a bit more than a friend, but she doesn't even realise.

I really didn't want this book to end! This is definitely my favourite book of 2011 so far. Fabulous characters, hilarious plot, realistic and insanely amazing. Sue Limb did a wonderful job. Her writing is pure genius! I highly recommend this to everyone...you'll laugh your socks off!

WOW. 10/10! :)

Thank you Bloomsbury for sending me this amazing book. LOVED IT!!!

Official Publication Date: 3rd May 2004
Notes: This book will soon be getting re-jacketed and Bloomsbury have kindly asked me to write a quote for the new cover! Look out for the newly-covered books soon.

Flawless by Lara Chapman

2011-05-26T20:03:00.000+01:00

Sarah Burke's life is about to get complicated. She's agreed to help her gorgeous best friend, Kirsten, catch the eye of the hot new guy at school, only to discover that he's actually perfect for her! And to make matters worse, Sarah's convinced that the guy of her dreams won't be able to see past her unusually large nose.

Misguided matchmaking, hilarious escapades and genuine romance result in this sensational high school romcom.

This book was quite good. The characters were interesting and I wanted to keep reading as I needed to see what happened with new guy Rock, Kirsten and Sarah. It had a few little twists too which was great! Maybe character chapters would've been good though, as then we would have gotten Rock's side of the story too. I quite like the cover - it's unusual and simple, and gorgeous!

The only complaints I have about this book are the plot was a bit of a cliché, and to be honest, the book didn't seem to stand out from any other book I've read. Otherwise though, it's quite a cool book. :)

My rating for this is 3/5. I do recommend this, but only for readers who don't mind a bit of a cliché once in a while! :)

Thanks Bloomsbury :)
Official Publication Date: May 2011

Fiction Express Chapter 3 Reviews

2011-05-24T16:49:00.000+01:00

Diary of a Mall Girl by Luisa Plaja

So many good things happen in this chapter! The characters are getting more developed, and you start to find out more about certain characters, especially Molly's brother Jamie and also Molly's new friend Jewel. Jewel is still very mysterious but each chapter we find out a little bit more about her. The story so far is keeping me on tender hooks, ending with a dramatic cliff-hanger each time! I don't think I could live without this story in my life!! :)

Soul Shadows by Alex Woolfe

Woah, I didn't see that coming! Possibly the most dramatic, tension-building, unusual story I have ever read. This chapter leaves many questions un-answered - why do the creatures develop? Why were they made in the first place? Is Derek really nice or is he acting? This is absolutely amazing! I really felt like I was there in the story and it is so brilliantly written. I can't wait to read more!

The Last Symbol by Rebecca Morton

I'm really enjoying this story so far! It's quite unusual and sometimes a little confusing, but it's amazing :) I think this story could do with a bit more explanation in places; otherwise it's great. I'd really like to know what happens to Miko - I can't wait for the next chapter!

Unfortunately next week will be my last week reviewing the Fiction Express chapters as I don't have enough money for credits to keep reviewing them. Don't worry though, you can find other FE reviews on the website!

NEW Cathy Cassidy Book Cover Released

2011-05-20T19:34:00.000+01:00

Cathy Cassidy's new book in The Chocolate Box Girls series is going to be called Marshmallow Skye. She originally planned for it to be called Vanilla Skye but she recently changed her mind. Anyway, here's what you've all been waiting for, the delicious new cover for Marshmallow Skye by Cathy Cassidy!

Personally, I think it looks so yummy, I wish I could eat it! And it'll look great next to the previous book, Cherry Crush - I like the way they kind of match. But what do you think? Post your opinions in the comments... :)

Sequins, Stars and Spotlights by Sophia Bennett

2011-05-19T06:30:00.001+01:00

Best friends Nonie, Jenny, Edie and Crow are so close to beginning glittering careers. So why do their challenges suddenly seem so overwhelming?

The girls have choices to make. Who will wait for fame and success? Who will emerge an outright star? Who will fall in love? And who will turn her back on her dreams?

Yay! It's finally here! I've been waiting for this book to be published since about this time last year! Maybe even longer.

Sequins, Stars and Spotlights is all about....well, sequins stars and spotlights! This novel seemed to mainly focus on Nonie and Jenny. The girls are all moving on with their careers....except Nonie. Nonie feels stuck. She's working temprorarily at Miss Teen but all she's doing is making the tea for the 'important people.' Suddenly, she doesn't know what to do with her life. But all of that is put on hold when her friends start having problems that need to be solved. Jenny admits to something very serious (an amazing and surprising twist.) which almost causes a fall-out between them all. Edie becomes very tired with everything (running her blog, applying for universities, running campaignes, helping her friends, studying, trying to save the world....the usual.) Everything's happening at once. Will the girls stay friends and manage their lives at the same time?

AMAZING. The twists in this book, the new characters, the cover, the designs....it's all amazing. I actually have no complaints about this book, it was fabulous in every way. :) Something extra special about this book is that the (gorgeous) dress on the cover was designed by Sophia Bennett's competition winner Jewel. I think the dress Jewel designed is fabulous, she did a great job. :)

This novel is everything I expected and more. It was great! I definitely recommend it for fashion-lovers world wide. I LOVE IT!!! :) 1000000/10!

Thank you Chicken House for sending this to me. :)
Official Publication Date: February 2011
Notes: This post seems to have been a draft since early March. I would have posted it sooner but it got lost in my Blogger dashboard! Sorry everyone!

The Truth About Celia Frost by Paula Rawsthorne

2011-05-18T06:30:00.009+01:00

Celia Frost’s life is ruled by fear – fear of a rare disorder that means she could bleed to death from the slightest cut. But when a knife attack on Celia has unexpected consequences, her mum reacts strangely. Suddenly they’re on the run, and Celia has no idea why. All she wants is the truth…but the truth is more horrifying than she could ever imagine, and it’s closing in fast.

A buried secret; a gripping manhunt;
A dangerous deceit…
What is the truth about Celia Frost?

This novel is really compelling – you keep reading and reading and reading; even if you have better things to do, you keep reading the story because you just have to know what happens to the characters. ‘The Truth About Celia Frost’ is amazing, the plot is so unique and every emotion is contained in this story. Happiness, love, fright, heartbreak, anger, freedom; it’s all in there.

‘The Truth About Celia Frost’ is about a girl with a very frightening secret. Her Mum has brought her up to believe that Celia has a terrible illness where she can’t get cut or have open wounds…if she loses ANY blood, she will die instantly. Celia thinks this is all true – it must be! Her Mum wouldn’t have told her she had the illness if it wasn’t true….would she?

Celia stops believing eventually though, when she is the victim of a vicious knife attack. She starts bleeding, but everything’s fine. She’s not dying. This is when she starts to get very suspicious…

I cannot tell you how brilliant this novel is. Celia Frost is so brave and so loyal. The story concludes with lots of action, and the writer has written it so well that you feel like you’re in the story yourself.

I recommend this to everyone – it is FABULOUS. 1000/10!

Thank you to Usborne for sending this amazing book to me :)

Official Publication Date: August 2011
Notes: The edition I reviewed is a proof copy.

Fiction Express Chapter 2 Reviews

2011-05-17T17:37:00.000+01:00

This time I am only reviewing Diary of a Mall Girl, Soul Shadows and The Last Symbol as that is all I can afford to read. Very sorry to The Soterion Mission fans! Anyway, here are the Chapter Two reviews.

Diary of a Mall Girl by Luisa Plaja

This just gets funnier and more realistic by the chapter. I can feel myself starting to relate to Molly more and more as the story goes on. I really like this and I can't wait to read more. My favourite part of the chapter? When Molly ate a cheese pastry and all of the melted cheese squirted everywhere...I definitely LOL'd!! (Laugh Out Loud.) FABULOUS!

Soul Shadows by Alex Woolfe

Oh wow. This chapter was quite frightening but it was amazingly written! My heart was thumping as I read, as the characters were in danger and I really wanted to know what happened. This chapter ended with a major cliffhanger - this is amazing! :)

The Last Symbol by Rebecca Morton

This chapter was great - in my opinion, the only thing that let it down was the end of the chapter; I think it could've been better, but the rest of it was fab! So unique, and the new characters that we were introduced to were great. This also ended on a cliffhanger, and I'm desperate to know what's going on!

Thanks Fiction Express!

Boys for Beginners by Lil Chase

2011-05-14T21:21:00.000+01:00

Why are boys so stupid?!

I mean it's great playing football and having a laugh but as soon as they fancy a girl they act like idiots.

Well, that's what I thought until Charlie started at school. He is the hottest thing to hit year ten and now the game has changed. I'm going to ditch the t-shirts and football boots and make him fall for me.

I just have to get some of the girlie girls to help me.

No problem. Right?

Gwynnie x

I. Love. This. Book. Look at the cover, isn't it amazing? I love the cover just as much as I love the story inside it. This cover reminds me of the Lottie Biggs books (by Hayley Long) as it's chaotic, fun, bright and intriguing!

This is about a tomboy called Gwynnie....she has plenty of friends who are boys, and all of the boys like her, except they don't seem to see her as a girl - they count her as one of the guys. As time goes on, this starts to bother Gwynnie and she takes dramatic steps to become the stereotypical girl - lip gloss, boy bands, shopping sprees....bye-bye football, pizza-eating contests and scruffy trainers!

This is a really enjoyable novel and I think quite a few girls will relate to it. It is also really funny, and the characters are genius and true to life, while there are lots of sub-plots to keep you interested.

Even if you don't enjoy this book (you will, though) you'll find that you keep reading just to see how the whole story concludes.

I loved this, and I give it 100/5! There are some parts in the book that may not be suitable for younger kids, so I give it an age rating of 10+.

Thank you to whoever sent me this! (I'm really sorry but I've actually forgotten which publisher sent me this, so if you're the one who sent this to me please tell me!)

Fiction Express Chapter Reviews

2011-05-06T15:41:00.003+01:00

Fiction Express have kindly sent me the first chapter for each book that is featuring on the website at the moment. These reviews I've written below are not reviews of the whole story, just the first chapter of each book.

Diary of a Mall Girl by Luisa Plaja

Love it already and can't wait for the next chapter to be released! This is about a girl who lives in a mall, with special access to all the shops and restaurants. In this chapter, Molly makes friends with a girl called Jewel who also lives in her block of flats, at her Mum's work event in the mall. That isn't all that happens in the chapter though, but if I told you everything that happened that would spoil it! You'll have to read this for yourself. This sounds like it's going to be just my kind of book and I'm desperate for the next chapter to be released!

Soul Shadows by Alex Woolfe

Omigod! I didn't think this would be my kind of story, but just from the first chapter I can tell it is. It's a little bit scary, and it really makes you sit on the edge of your seat. It's about a girl who's mother went crazy and locked her daughter in the attic for weeks. This caused her daughter to go a bit crazy too, so she's been sent to a deserted cottage in the middle of nowhere, away from the city noise, on her own for some 'exposure therapy'. She notices strange things around the house....who knew shadows could be so frightening? I definitely think this is going to be a successful story.

The Last Symbol by Rebecca Morton

This has quite a unique storyline, and I really like it so far. It's set in a different world, it definitely doesn't seem to be on Earth. Basically, when a child becomes thirteen, they have to go to school and go through all kinds of tests. Afterwards, a symbol will start to form on the palm of your hand and it determines your future. I really like the sound of this, I'll definitely be buying the next chapter. :)

The Soterion Mission by Stewart Ross

This chapter starts with loads of action, and instantly you want to know what's going on. It starts with a girl running through the forest from someone - who is she running from? Where is she going? It was really exciting. This sounds like it's going to be good, I suggest you read it! :)

So I think Fiction Express is where most of my pocket money will be going for the next eleven weeks! All of these sound so good, I think I'll be reading them all.

Thank you again to Fiction Express for sending me these first chapters to review. :)

Stormbreaker (The Graphic Novel) by Anthony Horowitz

2011-05-01T18:08:00.000+01:00

Forcibly recruited into MI6 after the mysterious death of his guardian, fourteen-year-old Alex Rider is sent to infiltrate the organization of sinister billionaire Darrius Sayle. Within days he's gone from schoolboy to superspy - but it looks like his first assignment may be his last...

The official graphic novel adaption of 2006's hottest movie blockbuster, Stormbreaker.

Alex's Uncle works for the 'bank'. Well, that's what he tells his nephew. Little does Alex know, he actually works for MI6 and every day when he leaves for work, he's most-likely jetting off to another country to track people down and have a car chase....maybe he'll even kill someone if he has to. This massive secret is found out though, when eventually Alex's Uncle dies on one of his missions. At the funeral, Alex is approached by someone and that's when the story really starts to happen.

Stormbreaker was the first graphic novel that I ever read, and it really made a great first impression on me. The beginning of the book seemed like the middle of the story, and it was full of mystery which really made me want to read more.

The drawings in this book are really cool. Sometimes the scene has no need for words, as the picture alone is expressive enough. They're really impressive!

I think this graphic novel gets a 10/10. I can't see anything wrong with this at all - great for a beginner or a short-story for a more experienced reader. :o)

I got this from my local library.
Official Publication Date: 3rd July 2006
Note: You can buy this awesome graphic novel HERE. :)

Fiction Express

2011-04-22T09:18:00.000+01:00

Fiction Express is a great new website which will be launching on the 6th May. As their subtitle says, Fiction Express is interactive e-Fiction where you control the plot!

• Gripping e-fiction written chapter by chapter in real time

• Online voting determines the course of the plot

Fiction Express will have high quality fiction targeted specifically at tweens and teens. It holds readers' interest with a gripping twist. At the end of each weekly episode, readers are given options and can vote to decide what happens next in the plot. With episodes released every Friday at 3:30pm, readers will have until 10am the following Monday to vote. A challenging but exciting prospect for authors, they'll write each new chapter in real time according to the most popular reader choice.

The list is launched with four titles:

Diary of a Mall Girl by Luisa Plaja (Split by a Kiss and Extreme Kissing - also author of the Chicklish fiction site)

The Soterion Mission by Stewart Ross (Timewarp Trials and What if the Bomb Goes Off?)

Soul Shadows by Alex Woolf (The Chronosphere)

The Last Symbol by Rebecca Morton

They sound amazing :) Each e-book will be published in 11 weekly episodes. The first is available for free, and the subsequent episodes sell from as little as 59p.

Fiction Express also gives readers the opportunity to submit their own ideas for the plot, and there will be competitions for readers to become a part of the story itself.

You can see the website HERE.

WINNERS of The Fools Girl competition

2011-04-15T11:37:00.000+01:00

Remember my April Fool's Day competition for two people to win a copy of The Fools Girl by Celia Rees? Well, it's time for the two lucky winners to be announced!

The winners are...

#14. JULIETTE MORRISON

and...

#3. BRACKEN WEBSTER

Congratulations, both of you. I have sent you both a confirmation email - please reply within 48 hours otherwise another winner will be chosen.

Sorry to those that didn't win this time, but I'm sure there will be plenty more competitions in the future!

Thank you to Bloomsbury for supplying the prizes. :)

My So-Called Phantom Love Life by Tamsyn Murray

2011-04-04T17:35:00.001+01:00

Boyfriend trouble? Try dating a ghost!

I knew the boy was different when I saw him walk on water.

When fourteen-year-old Skye Thackery meets Owen Wicks, it's not exactly love at first sight. She's getting over a broken heart and he's, well, a ghost.

But as Skye gets to know him, she can't help wondering what it would be like to kiss him. Dating a ghost isn't easy, and things get worse when Owen declares he's found a way to stay with Skye forever.

As Owen prepares to risk everything, Skye wonders if his desire to be more than just a ghost will cost them everything.

Tamsyn Murray is an author that I will probably always remember throughout my life. She's one of the most talented authors I know of and her way of writing is brilliant. Her writing is humorous and fun, and is even better when she's writing as a teenage girl. She seems to get inside the head of a teenager so well, and you find you can't put her book down!

The story begins very dramatically. Main character Skye is with her friends messing about on a boat in the local river. They're having fun, but then Skye catches sight of ghost Owen, standing on the water, watching them. Skye is the only one out of her friends that can see ghosts. Her aunt is psychic and can see ghosts and auras. Suddenly the boat tips over and that's when everything starts happening...

Eventually Skye and Owen become very, very good friends. But Owen has a mysterious, hidden past that we don't really get to know about until later in the book. Also past characters from other books in the series play big parts in this book too which is great.

The cover is absolutely gorgeous. The black and glimpses of pink look really good together. I also like how all of the books in the series kind of match. :)

I really love this book! It's full of humour, drama, ghosts and scary moments...it's perfect! 10/10!! :)

Thank you Book Babblers for sending me this :)

Official Publication Date: 24th March 2011
Notes: CLICK HERE to go to Tamsyn's website.

WIN 'The Fools Girl' by Celia Rees

2011-04-01T19:14:00.002+01:00

It's April Fools Day so I thought I would do a competition. :) Bloomsbury have kindly donated two copies of The Fools Girl by Celia Rees! It's a brilliant book, so whoever wins will love it, guaranteed.

This competition is UK only, sorry!
One entry per person.
There will be two winners.
I will email you if you win.
The closing date is 15th April 2011.
Please refer to the Terms and Conditions before entering by clicking the tab at the top of the page.

If you win, your address details will be passed on directly to the publisher, so your prize will be coming from them. I cannot accept any responsibility for the length of time it takes to receive your prize or for any prizes not being received.

CLICK HERE to enter. Good luck!

If you’d like to know more about Celia and her books, take a look at her website www.celiarees.com and Facebook page www.facebook.com/theofficialceliareesfanpage. You can also see Celia talking about the inspiration for the book in Shakepeare's hometown via Bloomsbury's You Tube Channel: http://bit.ly/elchd4

Diana Wynne Jones

2011-03-28T17:14:00.000+01:00

Well-known author Diana Wynne Jones sadly passed away on the 26th March 2011. She was 76. Diana was (and still is) one of my favourite authors. A novel that she wrote that is a particular favourite of mine is The Game which I reviewed for The Guardian newspaper in 2009.

Victoria Barnsley, who is the Publisher and CEO of HarperCollins UK and International, says, “Diana was one of our truly wonderful and much cherished children’s authors. Her rich imagination inspired many thousands of children. She will be greatly missed by all of us. Our thoughts are with her family.”

Diana was born in August 1934 in London. She was born during World War II, which meant that she had quite an unsettled childhood. Her family moved around a lot, until they finally settled in Essex. As a child, she was deprived of good books so she finally decided she'd have to write them herself. She was dyslexic, but she started writing at a young age and she went to study at St Anne's College Oxford, benefiting from lectures by C.S Lewis and JRR Tolkien.

In Diana's life, she wrote over 40 brilliant books. I do recommend you read her books, as they are fantastically written and lovely stories.

This news is very sad, and my thoughts are with her family and friends.

WINNERS

2011-03-13T11:49:00.000Z

I've just finished counting up all of the entries for Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I didn't expect so many people to enter :) Remember, there are three winners! So...the lucky winners are...

ZOE CROOK

SALLY BOLINGBROKE

CLIONA KEELY

Congratulations! I'll be sending you all a Winner's email very soon.

Thank you to everyone at Puffin for supplying these wonderful prizes :)

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

I hold the right to end the competition before it's official closing date without any notice
I hold the right to disqualify any entry as I see fit
I will not be held responsible for any items lost in the post/mail, but I will always get a proof of posting from the post office.
I will contact the winners for their postal address following the close of the competition. Winners have 48 hours to reply, failure to do so in this time results in forfeiting the prize and choosing a second winner.
Winners will be chosen using the Random Number Generator (unless I say otherwise) and this result is final.

Dear Dumb Diary, Let's Pretend This NEVER Happened by Jim Benton

2011-03-10T19:57:00.001Z

Dear whoever is reading my dumb diary,

Are you sure you're supposed to be reading someone else's diary? Maybe I told you that you could, so that's ok. But if you are Angeline, I did NOT give you permission, so stop it.

Dear Dumb Diary, school was ok today. Angeline got her hair tangled up in one of the jillion things she has dangling from her backpack, and the school nurse - who is now one of my main heroes - snipped two feet of silky blonde hair from the left side of her head, so now Angeline only looks like the prettiest girl in the world if you're standing on her right.

I knew this would be a funny book right from when I first looked at it when it arrived through my letterbox. I'm not sure how I knew it would be funny...maybe because real-life diaries are usually funny (well....my diary entries usually are anyway!!) or it could have been the cover. Maybe it was the fact that the blurb involved a girl called Angeline getting her long silky blonde hair tangled in something so the school nurse had to cut it all off. Not that funny really, but if you read the book you will hate Angeline for many reasons. Could've been because the cover reminded me of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and I know that's a funny book (review coming soon.)

The cover is really cool. It feels matte but there are shiny embossed bits which make you just want to pick it up and read. I also like the random doodles around the edge...they kind of remind me of my own diaries from when I was younger.

My favourite character is Jamie Kelly. She's funny, she's goofy, she likes messing around, she wishes she was popular....she is just the coolest character in the book. I know I can't really say that, seeing as she's the main character in the book, but she's my favourite!

I only have one complaint about this book. Wait, actually two. One is that I don't feel there was enough conversation going on. I know it's a diary, but a bit more actual speaking would make it more interesting. My second complaint is that it definitely wasn't long enough! I was sad when I finished the book. This book is for younger children though so I suppose it can't be too long.

This book would be great as a short read for yourself, or a perfect story for someone younger. The age recommendation on the back of the book is 9+ but I think it could do with being a bit younger...maybe around 7 or 8+. I did really like this book though so I give it a 4/5. :)

Thank you to Puffin for sending me this :) I loved it.

Official Publication Date: 3rd March 2011
Notes: You can buy it HERE and I really think you should!

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID COMPETITION

2011-03-02T17:59:00.000Z

Diary of a Wimpy Kid has recently come out as a movie, but it is also a series of brilliantly funny books. I sooooo recommend them....and so I'm pleased to say that I have THREE copies of the book to give away!

One entry per person
This competition is INTERNATIONAL (yay!)
There will be three winners
You will be notified by email if you've won
The closing date is 12th March 2011
Please refer to the Terms and Conditions before entering by clicking the tab at the top of the page.

Usborne's New 2011 Titles

2011-02-28T18:10:00.000Z

I got a letter today from the new Fiction Directer at Usborne, Rebecca Hill. She wrote about all of the exciting new books that Usborne will be publishing this year, and it's looking great so far! There is a wide range of different categorized books, from romance to paranormal, younger children's books to YA. I've decided to copy down a few bits from her letter, as they are very exciting!

'Angel fever spread throughout the book world last October when L.A. Weatherly embarked on a nationwide tour, including the Eternal Twilight convention and thirteen Waterstone's stores. The frenzy is to be reignited this October when Angel Fire sizzles onto the shelves. This stunning novel is a must-read.'

'Anne-Marie Conway (the next Cathy Cassidy according to The Bookseller!) had a fantastic reception to her debut series Star Makers. The third book, Sam in the Spotlight, is out in March and continues her succession of life-affirming stories charting the roller coaster of tween realities. If you haven't done so, read them now!'

'As we long for warmer weather, there is another reason to look forward to the summer - The Truth About Celia Frost, a psychological thriller by a star in the making, Paula Rawsthorne. Tackling the themes of family, friendship and the ethics of medical science, The Truth About Celia Frost is utterly compelling. As a secret investigator closes in on Celia and her mother, a sinister truth is slowly revealed, the magnitude of which is unthinkable. So, what is the truth about Celia Frost? Find out in August.'

Doesn't this look like a great year for books? Also being published this year are...

DEAD BEAUTIFUL - YVONNE WOON - MAY 2011
ANGEL FIRE - L.A. WEATHERLY - OCTOBER 2011
THE TRUTH ABOUT CELIA FROST - PAULA RAWSTHORNE - AUGUST 2011
TRAITOR'S KISS - PAULINE FRANCIS - JULY 2011
PENNY DREADFUL IS A MAGNET FOR DISASTER - JOANNA NADIN - JUNE 2011
PENNY DREADFUL IS A COMPLETE CATASTROPHE - JOANNA NADIN - SEPTEMBER 2011
BARNEY THE BOAT DOG: VERY BRAVE DOG - LINDA NEWBERY - MARCH 2011
BARNEY THE BOAT DOG: RUNAWAY HORSE! - LINDA NEWBERY - MARCH 2011
BARNEY THE BOAT DOG: RESCUE DOG - LINDA NEWBERY - NOVEMBER 2011
MONEY RUN - JACK HEATH - JULY 2011
CYBER TERROR - MALCOM ROSE - APRIL 2011
RETURN TO 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA - STEVE BARLOW AND STEVE SKIDMORE - APRIL 2011
ENEMY INVASION - A.G. TAYLOR - JUNE 2011
SECRET NINJA SPIES - ALEX KO - MARCH 2011
SECRET NINJA SPIES - ALEX KO - OCTOBER 2011
HEART MAGAZINE: A DREAM COME TRUE - CINDY JEFFERIES - JULY 2011
HEART MAGAZINE: BOYS, BLUES AND SHOES - CINDY JEFFERIES - JULY 2011
HEART MAGAZINE: SEARCH FOR A STAR - CINDY JEFFERIES - OCTOBER 2011
HEART MAGAZINE: BEST FRIENDS ROCK! - CINDY JEFFERIES - OCTOBER 2011
SEAHORSE STARS: THE FIRST PEARL - ZUZU SINGER - JUNE 2011
SEAHORSE STARS: FIRST AID FRIENDS - ZUZU SINGER - JUNE 2011
SEAHORSE STARS: THE LOST LAGOON - ZUZU SINGER - AUGUST 2011
SEAHORSE STARS: DANGER IN THE DEEP - ZUZU SINGER - AUGUST 2011
SEAHORSE STARS: DANCING WAVES - ZUZU SINGER - OCTOBER 2011*

* Seahorse Stars titles have not yet been confirmed.

Don't they sound awesome? I can't wait for them all to come out! You will be seeing a few reviews of some of these books quite soon. :)

Thanks for reading!

P.S Come back tomorrow for a chance to win three copies of Diary of a Wimpy Kid!

Interview with book blogger Zoe!

2011-02-23T09:48:00.002Z

Today I got the chance to interview an amazing book blogger Zoe Crook from the blog Bookhi. She's fairly new to the world of book blogging, but already she has a great reputation, and her blog is AMAZING. She posts reviews, interviews, polls, challenges....I'd stay reading her blog for hours if I could. :) Zoe's also a really friendly person, as you will see...

1. Hey Zoe! So, how long have you been blogging?
I made The Blog Of Wonders in May 2010 but I then didn't go on it for ages, but then I picked it up again until November and that's when I got inspired to start Bookhi.

2. Why did you start?

I created my blog because I love writing and thought it would be fun to write about certain topics. I started my book blog because the ones I followed were really good (e.g: yours!) and it looked fun to run one. I started one to see what it was like and I enjoyed it so I just carried on with it!

3. What have you learnt from blogging?

Blogging has taught me lots of different things in lots of different ways. For a start it extended my hobby of writing, which helps me with my stories I write. It has also helped me with designing and presentation, as I created my blog. I made lots of blogging friends who also teach me certain things about writing, websites, managing blogspot.com and lots more.

4. I know it's a hard question but I have to ask...what is your favourite book(s)?

When I get asked this it is impossible to answer! I think nearly all book lovers have trouble answering this question.... I love all sorts of books. Chick lit, sad endings, mystery, romance etc etc. I love them all! I could probably tell you, but then I would change it in a second :)

5. What is your favourite blog?

Like the previous question, this one is impossible to decide! I have a folder in my Bookmarks just called BLOGS so I can look at them all . . . and there is a lot!

6. Can you tell us what your aim or what is coming soon for your blog?

More reviews. Hopefully more interviews too but not confirmed because I haven't had their permission yet! I started a poll at the side of the blog which will be a different question every month which hopefully I will keep up to date! There might be a monthly post 'Which Cover?' where you can debate which cover of a book you like best, but that isn't definite yet.

7. Sounds good! So how has blogging helped you?

By blogging, I have gained more confidence and determination towards writing. I write stories and I am in the middle of my own novel. I have started novels in the past and plotted out the story but then not finished it. I wanted to write so much as a future career but then certain things and people put me off (to be honest, I can't even remember what they were now!) but now I am inspired to do something to do with writing as my job.

8. What do you want to be when you are older?

See above .... a writer! I want to write novels whenever, whether it is in my spare time as well as another job or full time. You have no idea how many times I have changed my mind of what I want to be when I am older! I am thinking about: journalist, advertiser/marketeer, website designer, drama teacher, bookshop owner (ooh!), animal shelter or work with homeless people. Also, one of my friends said I should become a policewoman so I become PC Crook. Hehe.

9. If you could meet anyone in the world, who would it be?

I am not really sure. If I could meet anyone dead I would love to meet Anne Frank or one of my ancestors. However alive... tricky! One of my favourite authors, or actor/actress. This is a hard question now that you think about it!

10. QUICK QUESTIONS
Crisps or chocolate? Chocolate..only just.

Luisa Plaja or Cathy Cassidy? Evil question!! I choose both - Amazing writers and friendly people.

Music or TV? I love both but if I had to choose, it would be music.

Reading or Writing? Reading! Love, love, LOVE it! But writing follows closely behind.

Facebook or Twitter? Facebook; I go on it everyday! I do have Twitter but I prefer FB :)

Thanks Zoe!

Thank You Amber!

You can visit (and follow, please!) Zoe's blog here: Bookhi

Notes: Zoe and I interviewed each other using the same questions. You can see my answers to the interview HERE.

Lily Alone by Jacqueline Wilson

2011-02-10T19:33:00.000Z

LILY'S THINGS TO REMEMBER!
How to look after my brother and sisters

1. Make sure they eat three meals a day - and not just ice cream!
2. Keep clothes not too mucky!
3. Everyone must go to bed before midnight, especially Pixie!
4. Don't let them go to school in case they give away our secret.
5. Keep everyone safe till Mum comes back...

Lily isn't home ALONE - but she sort of wishes she was; looking after her three younger siblings is a lot of responsibility.

When Mum goes off on holiday with her new boyfriend and her stepdad fails to show up, Lily is determined to keep the family together and show they can cope without any grown-ups. But taking care of 6-year-old twins, her 3-year-old sister and the family's flat feels overwhelming and Lily is worried that school or social services might discover their situation and break up the family. What could be better than to take all the little ones for a camping adventure in the park? Plenty of space to run about, no carpet to vacuum, and surely no chance anyone will guess they're there . . .

This (amazing) novel is about an eleven year old girl called Lily. Her Mum seems to have depression, so Lily has to look after her younger siblings Bliss, Baxter and Pixie quite a lot. Lily feels very alone, but sometimes she prefers that.

Lily Alone really moved me. It was so emotional and when Lily and her brother and sisters went through all the troubles and trauma, you could just tell that the words had been well thought of, and the whole story in general just fitted together really well. It definitely isn't the most original novel Jacqueline has written, but it was definitely the best. And I know that whenever I review her books, I say 'it's the best' but this time I'm telling the absolute truth; Jacqueline's books just get better and better every time.

My favourite character was Bliss, Lily's sister. She was so sweet and cute, and she was very caring. My least favourite character was Mr Abbott, Lily's teacher. Lily says she loves him, but to me he just seems like a horrible man who has nothing better to do than poke around in other peoples lives!

I recommend this fabulous novel to readers aged 9-16, and give it 5/5. This really is an incedibly moving story that stays with the reader long after the final page is turned.

Thank you so much to Random House for sending me this!!!

Official Publication Date: 3rd February 2011
Notes: CLICK HERE to see the awesome trailer. This would make an amazing movie one day!!

SEQUINS, STARS AND SPOTLIGHTS BLOG TOUR

2011-02-07T06:00:00.001Z

Hellooo my wonderful readers! I've got a big treat for you today...Sophia Bennett has written a guest post for the blog as part of her Sequins, Stars and Spotlights blog tour!! Yay! This is the 5th stop on her blog tour, and guess what? Today is also the day that Sequins, Stars and Spotlights comes out in the shops, so get over to your local bookshop now and buy a copy! Pleeease? You won't regret it! :) Meanwhile, though, Sophia Bennett has written an awesome guest post on her favourite scenes from her fabulous books...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My top 5 favourite scenes across the series

These are some of my favourite scenes. I couldn’t possibly include them all. But I hope they give a flavour of what I enjoy writing …

Edie and Jenny argue about fashion vs saving the world

I love it when my characters argue. I know it sounds mean, but their grumpiness always highlights what’s sweet about them, as well as their weaknesses and flaws. In Threads, Jenny loves her new-found fame, and ability to do good by visiting children’s hospital wards in Louboutins. It makes Edie sick. Especially when her blog posts about Jenny’s shoes get more hits than her posts about raising awareness for African issues. Poor Edie. But although she doesn’t know it yet, the seeds of what she’s going to do to make the catwalk show so special are here. I love it when my characters don’t know what’s really happening either!

The catwalk show at the end of Threads

This is an obvious one to choose, and it still makes me cry. I was shocked when I first heard it had made someone else cry, though – especially when that person was the head of my publishers in America. Now I’m slightly disappointed if it doesn’t have that effect. I can’t tell you how hard I worked, or how many drafts it took to set it up that way.

I love the way this scene includes lots of my favourite themes – doing something together, creating a show, making something magical happen by sheer hard work and talent, and yes, at the end, saving the world. Just one little, tiny piece of it, but a very precious piece. This is when Crow finally shows what she’s made of, and just how emotional she can be when it really matters. Which is very!

The cricket match in Beads, Boys & Bangles

I love the cricket scene because it’s where the girls from England (and boy) meet the children from India they’ve come to save. It’s based around a cricket match because my brother played exactly such a match with street kids in Mumbai and suggested the idea to me. I even copied the packing-tape ball.

Sanjay, with his close friendship with Walt Disney, is a favourite character of mine. And Nonie gradually discovers that she can protect someone. Normally, she feels very vulnerable, but here she turns into a mummy tiger.

The Miss Teen negotiations in Beads, Boys & Bangles

There are two big boardroom scenes in the second book – one early on, when Edie’s blog becomes a problem for the bigwigs at Miss Teen, and one near the end, when the girls decide to do whatever they can to stop child exploitation for the sake of fashion.

In the first scene, I knew that Nonie was going to get into trouble, but not how she was going to get out of it. When Crow took charge, I couldn’t write fast enough to keep up with her. I love it when my characters surprise me.

In the second scene, Crow’s willing to give up the use of her own name on the clothes she designs, if that’s what it takes. My characters have girl power and really do change the world by sticking up for each other and doing what they believe in. Consider them frilly or fluffy at your peril.

I was shocked when I read about two famous designers – Jimmy Choo and Roland Mouret – who lost the right to their own names. It happens in fashion. Of course, this scene ends slightly differently …

Jenny’s first night party in Sequins, Stars & Spotlights

In the new book, there are so many scenes to choose from. The Dior show; the meeting with Joan Burstein, who founded Browns boutique; the day Nonie comes face to face with Liam in Starbucks while wearing a fringed tablecloth and a bicycle belt (see the sneak peek on this blog tour); the trip to New York; Nonie explaining the reason she’s never been very self-confident; the final scene when THAT GIRL ends up with her head on THAT BOY’s shoulder …

But the scene I’ve chosen is actually very short. It’s Nonie describing Jenny’s first night party after her new musical opens in Chicago. Nonie wasn’t there, and she’s very worried about Jenny – because things have gone wrong for Jenny in the past and she always worries. This time, when she reads about the party on the Internet. she’s more stunned than ever.

It was very a enjoyable scene to write, and features guest appearances by Elton John and Alicia Keys. Or, as Nonie would put it ELTON JOHN and ALICIA KEYS. I was listening to ‘Empire State of Mind’ as I wrote and I had a wonderful time with this one.

Yet again, the girls aren’t really listening to each other. From that point of view, I base them on myself and … anyone who tries to have a conversation with me while I’m thinking about a book. My poor children. Oh dear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks, Sophia!! :) I hope you enjoyed that everyone. The next stop on the blog tour is at Writing From the Tub tomorrow, where there will be an interview with Sophia. Enjoy!

Press Release - Gladiator: Fight For Freedom by Simon Scarrow

2011-02-02T16:04:00.000Z

The magnificent and dangerous world of Ancient Rome, brought to life for a new generation

An incredible epic new series for children from bestselling adult author, Simon Scarrow.

You will find yourself utterly captivated from page one as the author vividly brings to life the sights, smells and sounds of Ancient Rome and the gruelling, violent and perilous life of a gladiator.

ROME, 61 BC RECRUITED as a gladiator, young Marcus Cornelius Primus faces a new life of brutal training, governed by strict rules, as he learns the skills of an elite warrior.But Marcus cannot simply forget his past. His father lies murdered by soldiers and his mother has been kidnapped and forced into slavery. Marcus is determined to find his father’s old commander, Pompeius the Great, to seek justice for his family and set his mother free.Yet, unbeknown to him, Marcus is hiding a life-threatening secret. And if the Romans discover it, there will be no escape . . .

Thanks Puffin for telling me about this book :)

Weekly Wanted: Wishlist Wonders #4

2011-01-30T08:59:00.001Z

Rules:

1. Post up 3 books that you can't wait to read or wish for.

2. Post up the synopsis/blurb.

3. Post up a picture of the front cover.

Weekly Wanted: Wishlist Wonders is a weekly meme created by me and my friend Rachel at Booktastic Reviews. Please join!

Phoebe Finds Her Voice by Anne-Marie Conway

A warm, fun and touching debut novel from brilliant new author Anne-Marie Conway. Meet Phoebe. Big heart, big laughs, BIG dramas! Why won't Phoebe's annoying neighbour, Monty B, leave her alone? Can she get her dippy dad and over-worked mum back together again? Will class mean-girl, Polly Carter, just get off her case for once? And most important of all will she overcome her stage fright in time to sing her musical solo? A warm-hearted story about the triumphs and traumas at the Star Makers Drama Club a special place where everyone has their moment to shine!

Lily Alone by Jacqueline Wilson

When Mum goes off on holiday with her new boyfriend and her stepdad fails to show up, Lily is determined to keep the family together and show they can cope without any grown-ups. But taking care of 6-year-old twins, her 3-year-old sister and the family's flat feels overwhelming and Lily is worried that school or social services might discover their situation and break up the family. What could be better than to take all the little ones for a camping adventure in the park? Plenty of space to run about, no carpet to vacuum, and surely no chance anyone will guess they're there . . .

Runaway by Meg Cabot

Emerson Watts is on the run: from school, from her family and from herself. She's reeling from the shock that Nikki, the girl whose body her brain was forced to inhabit, is still alive. And she's furious. Manipulative Brandon plans to use Em to discover a secret that will ensure his success, whilst Christopher is out for revenge, fuelled by his jealousy. With everyone around her playing a dangerous game, maybe Em should just keep on running . . .

That's it for this weeks Weekly Wanted: Wishlist Wonders! I really hope I get a chance to read these. If you have participated in Weekly Wanted #4, please add your link to the Linky below....

P.S I just read that the Linky site will no longer be free and all non-paying accounts will be deleted on February 7th. I can't afford the new Linky fees, so does anyone know where you can do something similar to a Linky list for free? Linky is quite a big part of this meme so any help regarding that would be helpful. Thanks :)

Grace by Morris Gleitzman

2011-01-21T06:00:00.003Z

In the beginning there was me and Mum and Dad and the twins. And good luck was upon us and things were great and talk about happy families, we were bountiful...

But it came to pass that I started doing sins. And lo, that's when all our problems began...

Grace is a short book about a highly religious family of five. They attend a community church, but it seems like it's more of a religious cult. Grace and her Dad don't totally believe in all the rules they have to stick to. Never touch an outsider (i.e a non-Christian), never talk to an outsider, no one who's part of the church is allowed a mobile until aged 21, if an outsider gives you food, you must boil it first - if you don't, the devil will seep into your body etc etc. The family try to leave the church, but it ends with very serious consequences...

At first I thought it was a bit stupid. I know that things like this actually do happen in real life, but at first I just thought it was a bit ridiculous. As the story went on, though, I started to find the whole story quite interesting and fascinating.

My favourite character wasn't Grace, but Kyle. Kyle is an outsider from Grace, but Grace still goes to him for help (I can't say why Grace needs help....I don't do spoilers!) Kyle seems so nice. He hardly knows Grace but he still goes through loads of trouble to help her.

The worst characters, for me, were Grace's friend Delilah and Grace's Grandpop. Delilah, for one thing, is seriously annoying - always going on about how Grace is 'so going to be judged' for doing this and that. In my opinion, Grace can do what she wants and Delilah shouldn't be trying to control her. Grandpop is the same. He's so controlling and mean....he lies to Grace a lot and he is just really nasty.

I feel really sorry for Grace in the story. She has to go through a lot, physically and emotionally. The emotions just seem to jump right off the page.

I'm not religious myself, but I still give this book a 5/5. It was truly amazing - read it in a day! I think this book should be okay for 9+....that's the recommended reading age on the back of the book.

Thank you to Puffin for sending this to me :)
Official Publication Date: 3rd February 2011

Weekly Wanted: Wishlist Wonders #3

2011-01-20T20:02:00.000Z

Rules:

1. Post up 3 books that you can't wait to read or wish for.

2. Post up the synopsis/blurb.

3. Post up a picture of the front cover.

Weekly Wanted: Wishlist Wonders is a weekly meme created by me and my friend Rachel at Booktastic Reviews. Please join!

Paper Fashions (Klutz)

Design your own styles, and create fabulous mini paper fashions. The book comes with itty-bitty hangers, easy-to use stencils, patterned papers and sparkling embellishments. Perfect for the budding fashion designer, scrapbook enthusiast or handmade card creator.

Shout Annual 2011

The Shout Annual 2011 contains the crucial components of teenage life - fashion,fun,flowcharts and friendship! It's the perfect present for hard to please tweens snd teens!

True Colours by Rhian Tracey

Rosie's mum has a thing against fairgrounds, so when she agrees to take Rosie to the fair on the last day of their holiday, Rosie is shocked. But far greater surprises are in store. A visit to an odd little tent housing Florien's Fates and Fortunes opens a Pandora's box of mysteries - all of which Rosie is determined to solve. Firstly, how is it she can now see colours above people's heads, and what do those colours tell her about them? Intrigued, Rosie decides to research and develop her new aura-reading skills by practising them at school, on her friends and at home. It is her mum, she discovers, who is keeping the biggest secret of all. Could it have something to do with the father she's never known, and whom her mum refuses to speak about? Rosie will need to resolve her friendship issues if she is going to get the help she needs to piece together the mystery.

I know the first two aren't novels but they're books and they're books I want to read so...:) If you've done Wishlist Wonders #3 on your blog please put your link on the Linky below!

Weekly Wanted: Wishlist Wonders #2

2011-01-13T20:57:00.000Z

Weekly Wanted: Wishlist Wonders is a weekly meme created by Amber from The Mile Long Bookshelf and Rachel from Booktastic Reviews.

Rules:

1. Post up 3 books that you can't wait to read or wish for.

2. Post up the synopsis/blurb.

3. Post up a picture of the front cover.

Sequins, Stars and Spotlights by Sophia Bennett

Four girls have four dreams. Crow is on the way to becoming an international fashion designer. Jenny's been discovered by a Broadway composer. Edie still wants to go to Harvard. Nonie ... isn't really sure, but knows it's something fashion-related and wonderful. They're growing up and on the brink of glittering careers. So why are their lives so complicated? Why does success demand sacrifices, and which ones are they willing to make? In this, the final book of the Threads trilogy, Nonie discovers that life is just beginning. The girls have choices to make. Who will wait for fame? Who will emerge an outright star? Who will fall in love? And who will turn her back on all her dreams? This time the answers are in New York. It's a long way for Nonie to travel, especially with only one teeny-weeny wheelie bag. But for the sake of her friendships, Nonie will do whatever it takes.

Kiss, Date, Love, Hate by Luisa Plaja
(Cover not released)

Lex Murphy's group of friends have all dated, hated, ignored and lusted after each other for the last few years. If only there was a way of matching people perfectly to avoid all the unrequited love, dumping and drama! Then Lex's friend George is given a mysterious Sims-like game by his software-testing dad which involves building character profiles in the categories of Life, Looks and Love. Lex and George populate the game with avatars for all their mates, making a few 'wishful thinking' adjustments to the settings - and find that the next day these tinkerings have come true! But how long can this new calm, loved-up atmosphere continue...?

Catwalk Queen by Cathy Hopkins

Sypnosis not released yet.

Some new reviews will be up in the next few days :) Don't forget to add your link for WW!

Weekly Wanted: Wishlist Wonders UPDATE

2011-01-09T11:19:00.000Z

Hi guys,

If you don't know what Weekly Wanted: Wishlist Wonders is, check out the post before this one.

Okay. Ria from The Beaucoup Review suggested creating a Linky so that everyone participating could see eachothers Weekly Wanted posts. It took me a while, but I finally managed to make one. ;) If you have done this weeks Weekly Wanted: Wishlist Wonders, please add the link to it to the Linky below.

Also, Jean from Magic Bean Review kindly made us a button! I think it's gorgeous, don't you? Feel free to add it to your blog. :)

Weekly Wanted: Wishlist Wonders #1

2011-01-06T21:42:00.002Z

Recently a lot of book blogs have been taking part in a weekly "meme" so one of my best friends Rachel from Booktastic Reviews and I decided to make one too. It's called Weekly Wanted: Wishlist Wonders. Please take part! :) The rules are:

1. Post up 3 books that you can't wait to read or wish for.

2. Post up the synopsis/blurb.

3. Post up a picture of the front cover.

Here are my three books for this week...

Going For Gold by Kay Woodward

Capturing the glamour, heartache and triumphs of Olympic figure-skating, this stunning new series whisks readers off to - quite literally - the coolest boarding school on earth. Frankie's made it to the Olympics and she's going for gold. It's a dream come true. Frankie and her team mates enjoy the buzz and excitement of the opening ceremony, but all too quickly Frankie realizes that the competition is going to be fierce. And there's one competitor who will stop at nothing to win - even if that means making false accusations about Frankie about a stolen lucky mascot. The pressure is on. Frankie could leave the competition empty-handed and with her reputation in tatters unless she clears her name. Can she keep a cool head and then skate to perfection when it matters most? A gripping new boarding school series with added ice, 'Skate School' combines ambition, competition, friendship and fun. This compulsively cool read is sure to inspire budding sports stars everywhere - just in time for the Winter Olympics!

Alice in Wonderland

Alice is one of the most beloved characters of English writing. A bright and inquisitive child, one boring summer afternoon she follows a white rabbit down a rabbit-hole. At the bottom she finds herself in a bizarre world full of strange creatures, and attends a very strange tea party and croquet match. This immensely witty and unique story mixes satire and puzzles, comedy and anxiety, to provide an astute depiction of the experience of childhood.

Jess <3 NYC

Jessie’s just arrived in New York, hoping to forget about her awful ex.
New Yorker Finn is in love with his best friend’s girlfriend.
They might be perfect together, but in a city of eight million people, will they find each other?

We would appreciate it if when posting this meme on your blog, you could include our names (Amber and Rachel) and our blog links. Thank you :)

Billionaire Boy by David Walliams

2011-01-04T09:13:00.000Z

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a million pounds?

Or a billion?

How about a trillion?

Or even a gazillion?

Inside this book, you'll meet a boy who had all that and more...

The main character in this book is Joe Spud, son of gazillionaire Len Spud, who made millions by....well, making loo roll. Joe is ridiculously spoilt and even has his own Formula One life-sized car and race track in his back garden, and even en-suite bathrooms that have en-suites that have en-suites! It's not all fun and games though. Think he has everything? Nope. He just wants one simple thing; a friend.

This book is hilarious and fun, yet still manages to give out the message that money just doesn't buy you happiness. Through reading this book, you can tell David Walliams is a naturally funny person, perhaps more so through writing rather than on TV.

The ideas in this book are imaginative, funny and ridiculous, which is exactly what makes the book great!

Billionaire Boy is aimed at slightly younger children, but I think anyone would enjoy this! For children or even the children-at-heart. And adults who are fans of David Walliams's TV comedies! I give this a rating of 5/5. It's a brilliant book!!

Official Publication Date: 28 October 2010
Notes: If you don't know, David Walliams is also a famous comedian and TV presenter here in the UK. He is probably best well known for being in TV comedy 'Little Britain' and for raising over £1 million for charity swimming across the English Channel. 'Billionaire Boy' is his third book.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-03T10:33:00.000Z

Helloooo 2011! :) Happy new year everyone! This year I was actually sad to see 2010 go, as it was such a good year for me. Let's hope 2011 is even better!

I haven't reviewed as many books as I'd like to have done lately. Sorry! The next review that will be up will be of Billionaire Boy by David Walliams; I'll try and post it up before I go back to school (I go back on Wednesday.)

Sorry this was such a short post but I'm going shopping now (might even get a new book or two xD)

Don't forget, you can stay up to date with news and reviews by becoming a fan of The Mile Long Bookshelf on Facebook HERE or follow me on Twitter @MileLongBookS.

Priscilla the Great by Sybil Nelson

2010-12-27T17:18:00.001Z

Did you ever want a blowtorch for a finger?

Meet Priscilla Sumner, an ordinary seventh grader with extraordinary gifts. As if middle school isn't hard enough, not only does Priscilla have to fight pimples and bullies, but genetically enhanced assassins trying to kill her and her family.

Armed with wit, strength, and a genius best friend, Priscilla must defeat the Selliwood Institute, a mysterious organization with a mission of turning children into killing machines.

Middle school just got a lot hotter!

At first, I wasn't sure if this would be my kind of book. If you've read some of my reviews before, you'll probably know what kind of books I tend to go for. But there's a first for everything! This book was SO amazing. It has quite a unique storyline, and a really surprising twist. Usually in books you can guess what's going to happen straight away, but this had you thinking the whole time.

The main character is called Priscilla Sumner. She's just an ordinary twelve year old girl. She likes makeup, clothes and boys....she's normal. Or so she thinks. Until one day she finds herself with a super power. Suddenly she can shoot fire out of her fingers! She's frightened, until she kinda gets used to the idea. Because she doesn't just get to use her powers to i.e warm up her bath when the water's gone cold. She can use them to save the world too! With the help of her mum and her best friend Tai, they manage to help lots of people. But it's harder than it sounds.

The story gets better and better as you get through the book. I read it all in one go because it was just so brilliant. I couldn't stop reading it!

I recommend this to everyone. The story is a mixture of every genre I know of, which is really rare in a book, so everyone will enjoy it! It's probably best for 11+. Brilliant book!

Thank you to the author for sending me this to review :)
Official Publication Date: 13th December 2010

Top 5 For Christmas

2010-12-23T13:40:00.000Z

First of all....sorry I haven't posted for a while. :/ You know how it is at this time of year! Plus we're not getting any post at the moment so whatever I've been sent is delayed, including review books etc. Secondly, merry Christmas! Here's my Top 5 Books, Authors and Characters.

Top 5 Books of 2010:

Swapped By a Kiss by Luisa Plaja (29th April 2010)
Breathing Underwater by Julia Green (7th June 2010)
Star Makers Club: Polly Plays Her Part by Anne-Marie Conway (29th October 2010)
Boys Don't Cry by Malorie Blackman (28th October 2010)
Cherry Crush by Cathy Cassidy (2nd September 2010)

Top 5 Authors:

Malorie Blackman
Keris Stainton
Kay Woodward
Michael Morpurgo
Cat Clarke

Top 5 Characters:

David from Split By a Kiss and Swapped By a Kiss by Luisa Plaja
Phoebe from the Star Makers Club series by Anne-Marie Conway
Maddi from Della Says: OMG by Keris Stainton
Skye from Cherry Crush by Cathy Cassidy
Grace from Entangled by Cat Clarke

It was fun! If you haven't read any of the books listed above, you really should.

Have a great Christmas everyone!! :o)

WINNER OF 1ST BIRTHDAY CONTEST

2010-12-10T20:10:00.000Z

Today is the end of the TMLB 1st Birthday competition. There wasn't many entries, but that just gave everyone a better chance! Anyway, there were 12 entries and the random number that generated was 10, who was...

HOLLY HINDMARSH!

Congratulations :o) I have sent you a winner confirmation email, please reply with your postal address A.S.A.P so I can get your prizes sent out.

Well done, Holly! I really hope you enjoy your prizes.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

I hold the right to end the competition before it's official closing date without any notice
I hold the right to disqualify any entry as I see fit
I will not be held responsible for any items lost in the post/mail, but I will always get a proof of posting from the post office.
I will contact the winners for their postal address following the close of the competition. Winners have 48 hours to reply, failure to do so in this time results in forfeiting the prize and choosing a second winner.
Winners will be chosen using the Random Number Generator (unless I say otherwise) and this result is final.

Cat Clarke Blog Tour

2010-12-08T17:51:00.000Z

Today, Cat Clarke is stopping off at The Mile Long Bookshelf for part of her blog tour :) We have a video, an extract of her book Entangled and even an interview with her! Hmmm. I think I'll start with the awesome trailer...

I love the song that goes with it too - somehow it manages to sum up the whole book without using words. :) If you want to know more detail about the book though, here's the extract!

The same questions whirl round and round in my head:
What does he want from me?
How could I have let this happen?
AM I GOING TO DIE?'

17-year-old Grace wakes up in a white room, with table, pens and paper - and no clue how she got there.

As Grace pours her tangled life onto the page, she is forced to remember everything she's tried to forget. There's falling hopelessly in love with the gorgeous Nat, and the unravelling of her relationship with her best friend Sal. But there's something missing. As hard as she's trying to remember, is there something she just can't see?

It is a must-read, seriously! A.M.A.Z.I.N.G And so is the author, Cat Clarke! She's really nice, as you can tell from her interview.

What actually inspired you to write Entangled, and how did you come up with the title?

I got the idea for Entangled in an English Language A-level exam, but I didn’t get around to writing the book for YEARS. The book’s turned out very different from that initial idea though – you wouldn’t even recognize it! As for the title, my lovely editor came up with it. I take no credit whatsoever.

What do you think the best song would be to accompany Entangled?

My number one Entangled song is Thnks fr th mmrs by Fall Out Boy. The lyrics don’t have anything to do with the book, but the atmosphere is perfect. Whenever I listen to it I get a real sense of impending doom, which is exactly the feeling I get from the story. The video for the song is all wrong though. It has monkeys in it.

What music do you like to listen to while writing?

I HAVE to listen to music while I write – often the same album on repeat for days and days (my poor neighbours!). My favourites for Entangled were The All-American Rejects, Fall Out Boy, Jack’s Mannequin, Elliot Minor and Cute is What We Aim For.

Random question - if you could have a famous grandma, who would it be? Dead or alive. :)

That IS a random question. I think I’d go for Maya Angelou. She would have some great stories to tell in front of a roaring fire.

Tell us one random fact about you.

I’m completely obsessed with sharks.

What is the best book you have ever read? (Except your own.)

Now that’s a tough one. Can I have two? To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee) and A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving). The second one is a recent read for me, but I’ve never felt such awe whilst reading a book.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be.

New York City! My favourite place in the world. I think it must be a great place to be a writer – all those coffee shops, interesting people, culture... and I could eat Korean food to my heart’s content. And Mexican food. And mac and cheese.

Did anyone in particular inspire you to start writing?

Christopher Pike. I started reading his books when I was about 12 – I LOVED them. I decided I wanted to write Christopher Pike books, but then I realized this wouldn’t be possible since I wasn’t actually, y’know, Christopher Pike.

How old were you when you discovered you wanted to be an author?

When I was about 13 – after I’d read a fair few Christopher Pike books. I realized I wanted to write, but I couldn’t be bothered to write anything. It was a couple of years before I put pen to paper and wrote a couple of pages of terrible faux Pike fiction.

Have you got any tips for aspiring writers?

I’d recommend writing. That always helps. It’s much easier talking about it than actually doing it. And I’d recommend you write as often as you can – which is something I’m still working on. Also, you should read lots and lots of books. You’ll learn just as much from the bad ones as you will from the good ones.

QUICK QUESTIONS

Fruit or Vegetables:

Vegetables (especially aubergine).

Tea or Coffee:

Tea – and lots of it.

Reading or Writing:

WHAT?! Impossible. They go hand in hand, like Posh and Becks.

Facebook or Twitter:

Twitter. Words cannot express how much I love Twitter.

Pink or Yellow:

Pink.

Thanks for having me on your blog, Amber!

Read my review of Entangled HERE, or buy a copy (you should) HERE.

Entangled will be published on the 6th January which is 4 weeks exactly today!

Reminder

2010-12-04T13:05:00.000Z

All content on this blog is copyright The Mile Long Bookshelf (except book photos, author photos and book excerpts) If you would like to quote something I've written on this blog, you need to contact me for permission first and link back to my blog.

I put a lot of hard work and time into this blog, but when someone copies my words without permission it just really takes the enjoyment out of this.

Happy 1st Birthday!!

2010-11-30T20:29:00.001Z

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear TMLB,
Happy Birthday to you!!

Yup, you guessed right, it's The Mile Long Bookshelf's first birthday!! Aww. I can't believe it's been a whole year since I started this. It's been really difficult in places, but overall running this blog has been soo fun :) I hope to carry it on for years to come! I just want to say thank you to all the kind publishers and authors that donate books and prizes to me - without you, this blog would be....well, it wouldn't be anything! Anyway, to celebrate I'm having a big competition....

There will only be one winner and this is INTERNATIONAL. The prizes are:

Lottie Biggs is NOT Desperate by Hayley Long
Della Says: OMG! by Keris Stainton promotional postcard
Seriously Sassy by Maggi Gibson promotional postcard
Fallen Grace by Mary Hooper double-sided poster
Troubadour by Mary Hoffman double-sided poster
Brand new signed paperback copy of Breathing Underwater by Julia Green
Brand new signed paperback copy of Seriously Sassy by Maggi Gibson
Luisa Plaja bookcover sticker sheet
Orange 'Nuffin Like a Puffin' tote bag

Cool or what?! I'd keep these goodies myself if I could, haha! Anyway, just fill out the form HERE for a chance to win.

The closing date is 10th December so you have ten days to enter. Hurry, and good luck!

Blogger Birthday

2010-11-23T17:54:00.000Z

Hey guys! EXCITING NEWS. On the 30th November, it will be this blog's first Birthday! Yay!! I will be celebrating it by hosting a competition to win lots of book-y items, including...

Nuffin' Like a Puffin' tote bag
Book posters
Books
Signed bookmarks/stickers etc

And more! More details soon :)

Boys Don't Cry by Malorie Blackman

2010-11-12T21:35:00.001Z

You're waiting for the postman - he's bringing your exam results. University, a career as a journalist... a glittering future lies ahead. But when the doorbell rings, it's your old girlfriend; and she's carrying a baby... your baby.

She's had enough and now it's your turn.

What would you do?

What if you were left holding the baby?

The main characters are Dante, his younger brother Adam and Dante's newly discovered baby daughter Emma. I love the way that the chapters switch between Dante talking and Adam talking - you get better insight into what the different characters are feeling. There are some amazing twists in this novel, including a mental breakdown and, of course, the new baby.

You're never bored when reading this. It was so good that I did an all-nighter on a school night....which was really bad of me, and I suffered for it, but it was worth it because it meant I got to read the whole book. Even though she is so famous and well known, this is actually the first Malorie Blackman book I've read; it left such a good impression that I really want to read more of her books!

I really like the cover - the neon pink writing looks really good, and the book probably wouldn't stand out if it wasn't for the bright pink.

This book is FANTASTIC. I can't say how much I enjoyed it - it was brilliant, amazing, cool, awesome, excellent, fantastic, fabulous, good, great.....wow....it really was all that I just said and more. It's good because it makes teenagers more aware of how one night can change the rest of their lives. I give this book a rating of 5/5 and I think it's more suitable for readers aged 12+, although there is some mild swearing in this.

GREAT BOOK! :)

Thanks Luisa at Chicklish for sending me this book!
Official Publication Date: 28th October 2010 (my Birthday, yay!!)
Notes: You can see the author website HERE.

NaNoWriMo Update

2010-11-09T18:02:00.000Z

Sorry I haven't been posting much - actually, I haven't posted AT ALL this month. OMG. I'm such a bad blogger!! Forgive me? I haven't been posting much because of NaNoWriMo. :)

GOAL: 5,000 words
CURRENT WORD COUNT: 2,093 words

Here's the info on my novel if anyone's interested :)

What happens when the love of your life...turns out to be your brother? What happens when the woman you think is your Mother turns out to be your adoptive parent? What happens when your life comes crashing down around you?

The Chosen One by Sam Bourne

2010-10-29T12:00:00.002+01:00

QUICK NOTE: This is a guest review written by my Granny. A publisher sent me this book, but I didn't think I would like it so my Granny offered to review it. So here is her review!

Bruised by years of disappointments, political advisor Maggie Costello is finally working for a leader she can believe in. She, along with the rest of America, has put her trust in President Stephen Baker, believing he can make the world a better place.
But suddenly an enemy surfaces: a man called Vic Forbes reveals first one scandal about the new president, and then another. He threatens a third revelation – one that will destroy Baker entirely.
When Forbes is found dead, Maggie is thrown into turmoil. Could the leader she idolizes have been behind Forbes’s murder? Has she been duped by his message of change and hope? Who is the real Stephen Baker?
On the trail of the truth, Maggie is led into the roots of a massive conspiracy that reaches back into history - and goes right to the heart of the US establishment..

I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting, intriguing, unputdownable....I just loved it! Although it is fiction., it is perfectly credible and it was very exciting so it kept me on the edge of my seat.

It was very, very good - perhaps not for children; maybe adults and older teenagers. It was definitely one of the best books I've ever read; I give it a rating of 5/5. I recommend it!

Thanks Harper Collins for sending this to us!
Official Publication Date: 27th May 2010
Notes: To buy this book, just click HERE.

New Luisa Plaja Book Coming Soon!

2010-10-24T20:15:00.000+01:00

Luisa Plaja has written a new book, and it's coming out next year! How exciting?! It's called Kiss Date Love Hate - I love the title, don't you? - and it sounds brilliant.

Lex Murphy's group of friends have all dated, hated, ignored and lusted after each other for the last few years. If only there was a way of matching people perfectly to avoid all the unrequited love, dumping and drama! Then Lex's friend George is given a mysterious Sims-like game by his software-testing dad which involves building character profiles in the categories of Life, Looks and Love. Lex and George populate the game with avatars for all their mates, making a few 'wishful thinking' adjustments to the settings - and find that the next day these tinkerings have come true! But how long can this new calm, loved-up atmosphere continue...?

It comes out on the 7th July 2011 - I can't wait! What do you think of the sound of this book?

Luisa Plaja is a lovely person and a fantastic writer - she's written some great books so far, including Split by a Kiss and Swapped by a Kiss. I've reviewed both of these, so check those out (Review Index) and then buy the books!

Sweet Hearts: Star Crossed by Jo Cotterill

2010-10-16T14:59:00.000+01:00

'You did WHAT?' screamed Mari.

'You turned down the cutest boy ever? Are you crazy?'

This summer, Fliss is playing Juliet opposite her dream Romeo. If only she could tell him how she feels!

But unless she finds some inner confidence, she's going to miss her chance with him.

Because someone else has her eyes on Fliss's role - and her leading man...

Could he be her real-life Romeo...?

I really like the cover of this book - especially the heart shaped dressing room mirror. I also like the small hearts on the cover; it shows this is a dramatic and romantic book with a touch of comedy.

Personally, I love books that are to do with drama. Whether it's set in a drama school, a drama club or whether it's about an actress or actor.....it's guarenteed that I'll love it. So obviously this is going to be a positive review for it!

My favourite character is Fliss. She's funny, kind and she sounds like a great actress. It's easy to imagine her and the other characters too, which is great. :)

So. My rating for this? 100/10! It's a very good book. One of my friends, who always used to say 'Books are boring.' or 'I hate reading!' is now a definite bookworm thanks to this book! I'd recommend it for readers aged 9+. Awesome book!

Thanks Random House for this!

Official Publication Date: 27th May 2010
Notes: You can see the official website for this series of books HERE. The next book in this series is called Strictly Friends? and was published on 2nd September 2010.

Discussion: We've currently got Vampires. What next?

2010-10-10T14:08:00.000+01:00

Welcome to the first discussion on The Mile Long Bookshelf! Please comment with your own opinions on this topic. I'd like to know what you think!

So. Currently, the most popular genre out there right now is Vampires. Yeah. Thanks a bunch, Twilight. It's not that I don't approve of this book topic - of course I do, and I understand that millions and trillions of people LOVE this new take on the vampire world - but it's dragging on a bit now. What about the people who don't really like to read about vampires? There aren't many new books coming out that don't mention them. The Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer is a highly popular series of books and movies with teens and adults worldwide. Suddenly everyone became obsessed with vampires, angels and werewolves.
Me? I just don't get the obsession. I'm just waiting for the next genre to come along. But....what will it be? We've had real life. We've had comedy. We've had sadness. We've had sci-fi. We've had chick-lit. We've had horror.
Is this going to be the last genre? Like fashion. Fashion is just a big cycle - things that were popular back in the 80s are now coming back. Will the next genre be like that?

I'd like to know what you think. Do you like this genre? Opinions through comments, please!

Some Seriously Sassy Books!

2010-10-07T19:51:00.000+01:00

In case you don't know already, the picture on the right is of talented author Maggi Gibson. She's written a series of books, and they're brilliant!

I was so thrilled to get the chance to read Crazy Days, the third book in the series. I reviewed it back in the end of June - here is a quote from it...

"I think this novel is brilliant, because it's about the environment and music. It will make children and teens more aware of global warming, and mixed with music....it's the perfect match, isn't it? The characters are realistic and well thought about. Maggi is such a fantastic writer, and she has done brilliantly in getting into a teenagers head. " The Mile Long Bookshelf, 24th June 2010. Read the rest of the review HERE.

This series of books is FABULOUSLY SASSY! You should definitely read these. They can be read alone, but it would be better to have the whole series.

I asked Maggi how she came up with the idea of Seriously Sassy.

I wanted to write about a really feisty girl who cared about things, but who was also a lot of fun. I like to think I was a bit like that when I was a teenager. The plot ideas came once I got the idea for that character and her friends. I remember so clearly how confusing and difficult the whole boyfriend thing was for me when I was that age I wanted to make that part of the story. I kind of stole ideas from my own life, and from things that happened to my two daughters.

Please buy the books - you definitely won't regret it, they're amazing. MUST-HAVE books, seriously! Click the links below to buy.

You can see the Seriously Sassy website HERE. Go check it out!

Sticker Dolly Dressing: Popstars and Movie Stars by Lucy Bowman and Fiona Watt

2010-09-29T18:17:00.000+01:00

Lights! Camera! Action! Girls everywhere will love picking the perfect outfits for these glitzy stars in this bumper Sticker Dolly collection. There are over 750 fabulous dresses, costumes, shoes, hats and accessories to choose from to dress the girls across twenty-six glamorous settings and prepare them for stardom.

Discover the glittery world of popstars and movie stars in this exciting book. Use the fantastic stickers to dress the stars for photo shoots, award ceremonies and lots, lots more.

Popstars and Movie Stars is a lovely and entertaining book for 'little dreamers' as I like to call them :) This is a beautifully illustrated book, and I definitely think every little girl in the world would love this. I'm nearly 12 and even I enjoyed it!

With a small amount of text on each page, it's very good for children who aren't very confident readers yet. The stickers are easy to peel off so you can have as much fun as you like with this book!

I would recommend this book. With over 750 stickers, it proves hours of fun!

I definitely recommend this book, to any girls 5-9. 5/5!

Thanks Usborne for sending this to me!
Official Publication Date: 27th August 2010
Notes: Popstars and Movie Stars are also separate books. This is the 2 in 1 edition.

O.M.G

2010-09-23T07:47:00.000+01:00

Turns out I SPOKE to author TAMSYN MURRAY at Cathy Cassidy's book signing and DIDN'T. EVEN. REALIZE. IT. WAS. HER. :(

Event Report: Cathy Cassidy's Cherry Crush Signing

2010-09-19T13:10:00.000+01:00

We set off at 9:15am hoping to be at Cathy Cassidy's Bluewater book signing for the 11am start. But a dodgy sat-nav and a 20-mile long traffic jam later and we were too late and had to go to....

Plan B: The Bromley book signing, a few miles up the road from Bluewater.

This was towards the end of the traffic jam over the Dartford Crossing on the way to Bromley.

We found The Glades Shopping Centre which is where the book signing was. We bought our parking ticket but then spent half an hour driving around the car park looking for a space! Eventually we found one. We rushed to Waterstones and joined the queue to see Cathy Cassidy. :)

As you may have read in THIS post, I was sent a manuscript copy of 'Cherry Crush' in July to review so I brought that along to be signed as well as the published edition of 'Cherry Crush', 'Letters to Cathy', 'Daizy Star and the Pink Guitar', and two mini books: 'Love, Peace and Chocolate' and 'Icecream and Dreams' for her to sign.

Finally it was my turn. I had met Cathy once before when 'Angel Cake' was published but I don't know if she remembered me from then (Cambridge, 2009.) Here's a picture of when she signed 'Angel Cake' for me last year.

But back to 2010, as you can see in the photo above, I had a post-it with my name and blog title on it. She looked at it, looked at me and said "Oh, it's YOU!!!" in a really excited voice. I felt like a celebrity hehe. :)

She thanked me for writing such nice reviews of her other books and came round the table to give me a hug. She then asked me if I'd like to stay for the rest of the book signing and help hand out chocolate, newsletters and friendship bracelets (obviously I said yes) :) She gave me a pair of wings and a wand, inspired by the Chocolate Fairies at the end of 'Cherry Crush.' So off I went to keep the fans happy who were in the queue :)

I also met Lisa (below) who is Cathy's publicist. She's the one who sent me the manuscript :) We've emailed each other quite a few times so it was nice to finally meet her :)

Eventually it was time for me to leave, so I went to tell Cathy....

...and she gave me another big hug and thanked me for helping and for travelling such a long way :)

WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT THE DAY:
It was really fun, and the freebies were great :) Free chocolate! Free friendship bracelets! Free mini-books! What could be better? A hug from the author of course! That was really nice and it was so cool that she knew who I was :) She spent time on each fan, signing their books and letting them take photos, and also asking them what their favourite book was etc. The queue wasn't too boring though, because everybody there was a fan so we could all chat to each other about the books, and how excited we were :) Lisa was also handing out toffees and sweets which was nice :) I like how Cathy adds a personal touch to her book signings i.e the freebies, and asking certain people to be chocolate fairies :) She didn't ask everyone y'know! Hehe :) It was the best day ever, it was SO fun!

WHAT WAS BAD ABOUT THE DAY:
Nothing at all! It was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!

Basically, it was a really good day and I really enjoyed myself. I think everyone else did too :) I can't wait to see Cathy again one day!

Free Books for Everyone! Roald Dahl Day! Apology!

2010-09-13T17:56:00.000+01:00

FREE BOOKS FOR ALL SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE UK

All Year 7's in the UK will be getting a book leaflet from their school this week. Why? To encourage you to read! (I already read a lot at home...but it's a free book, so...!) There are 19 choices of books, with reviews and pictures to help you decide. The list of books might be different for different schools, I'm not sure, but here is the list of books anyway:

Takeshita Demons by Cristy Burne
Warning! Aliens are Invading the School! by Dinah Capparucci
Z-Rex by Steve Cole
The Dying Photo by Alan Gibbons
The Joshua Files: Invisible City by M.G Harris
At the Sign of the Sugared Plum by Mary Hooper (I have chosen this book.)
Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur
Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror by Chris Priestley
Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve
Michael Rosen's A-Z: The Best Children's Poetry from Agard to Zephaniah
How to Avoid a Wombat's Bum by Mitchell Symons
The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh
The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan
Boffin Boy and the Forest of the Ninja by David Orme and Peter Richardson
The Big Fat Cow that goes Kapow by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton
Me and My Cat? by Satoshi Kitamura
Stone Soup by Jess Stockham
Calm Down, Boris! by Sam Lloyd
Clackety-Clacks: Elephant by Luana Rinaldo

Isn't that great?? Such a good idea! If your school hasn't received the leaflets, just go to www.bookedup.org.uk and get your teacher to sign up!

ROALD DAHL DAY

Today is Roald Dahl day! If you don't know, Roald Dahl is a famous author. Anyway, he is one of the most famous children's authors ever, right up there next to Jacqueline Wilson and JK Rowling.

Today is the day where book-y people like us celebrate his life, his Birthday and his brilliantly funny books. I used to love his books when I was little, and I still do!

APOLOGY

I have just started High School so I probably won't be posting as often as I used to because of homework etc. Sorry! I will try to post as much as I can though :) If I don't post for a while, it doesn't mean the blog has finished!!

I've received quite a few books, which I'm reading at the moment so reviews of those will be up soon.

Thank you to all readers/authors and publishers who make this blog possible! :)

Entangled by Cat Clarke

2010-09-12T10:39:00.000+01:00

The same questions whirl round and round in my head:

What does he want from me?

How could I have let this happen?

AM I GOING TO DIE?

17-year-old Grace wakes up in a white room, with table, pens and paper - and no clue how she got there.

As Grace pours her tangled life onto the page, she is forced to remember everything she's tried to forget. There's falling hopelessly in love with the gorgeous Nat, and the unraveling of her relationship with her best friend Sal. But there's something missing. As hard as she's trying to remember, is there something she just can't see? Grace must face the most important question of all. Why is she here?

Grace is madly tangled with her gorgeous boyfriend Nat....But her friendship with Sal is coming undone...But is she so fast in love, that she can't see what a glorious mess all three of them are in?

I must say, my first impressions of this book were not great. 'Another cheesy romance story. This SO isn't gonna get a good review from me.' But this wasn't just another normal, cheesy, un-original love story. And this is going to get a good review from me. Wanna know why? Because this was a highly original love story with a whole new take on the term 'Paranormal' and I have never read a book quite like this before.

Entangled tells the story of Grace, who is struggling with life and love. Too tangled up in her own thoughts, she doesn't notice what is going on around her. This keeps the reader on the edge-of-their-seat, waiting to see what happens. I was glued to the page - I could not put it down; literally!

I found some of it hard to understand. Some of the things in the book were never quite clear. For example, why was she in the white room? Will she ever make-up with Sal? It was quite disappointing at the end because the answers to the questions above, we will never know unless there is a sequel. It would have been nice if at the end, all questions were answered so the book finished with the reader being clear on what had happened.

Other than that, this book was highly original and I really enjoyed it. I give Entangled a rating of 4/5 and I recommend this for readers aged 12+. I really do recommend reading this book! I've never read one like it. It was brilliant.

Thank you to Quercus Books for sending me a proof copy of this book!
Official Publication Date: 6th January 2011
Notes: My copy of this is a proof copy, so I don't actually have the edition with the cover on it (my copy is just plain pink with the title on it) therefore I wasn't able to comment on the cover.

My So-Called Haunting by Tamsyn Murray

2010-09-03T14:59:00.000+01:00

Spirits, spells and bad boy hell...Who says the living have it easy?

Skye, a fourteen-year-old who can see ghosts, is very stressed. Not only is the ghost of sixteenth-century witch giving her fashion tips, but she's struggling to settle into life with her aunt, and is developing a crush on the most unattainable boy in the school, Nico.

When her aunt asks for her help with a troubled teen ghost Dontay, she's glad of the distraction. But then Nico starts paying her more attention, and she's soon facing a battle to keep her love life and her psychic life separate.

As things get ever more complicated, it looks as though Dontay's past might cost Skye her future.

After reading My So-Called Afterlife (the first in the series) I was SO excited to find out there was going to be a sequel. I waited patiently for it to be published, getting more excited to read it every day, and now it is finally here! The wait was so worth it - I loved it! I'd even go as far to say it was better than the first one - and the first one was amazing so just think how good this one is! Definitely worth reading.

This book was told by new character Skye, who is fourteen years old. She is physic; she can see ghosts and speak to them just like her auntie, Celestine. There are a lot of new people, ghosts etc in this book, but a few things from My So-Called Afterlife remain the same which I thought was nice. There's a few unexpected twists in this book, and you have no idea what will happen next, it's great! Tamsyn has done a brilliant job keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. :-)

The cover is really, really cool. It's elegant, mysterious and fun at the same time! I love the bright pink against the black and grey, it really stands out.

I have no complaints whatsoever about this book. It was REALLY REALLY GOOD! I can't tell you how good it was. Loved it! 10000/5!

Thank you to umm....well, either Tamsyn Murray, Book Babblers or Piccadilly Press for sending this fab book to me! I'm not actually entirely sure who sent this to me haha. :)
Official Publication Date: 23rd September 2010
Notes: The next book in the My So-Called series is called My So-Called Phantom Lovelife and will be published in 2011. Yay!!

Small Break

2010-08-30T07:58:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone, Amber here :) Just to let you all know that today I'm going on holiday and won't be back until Thursday (2nd Sept) and then on the 6th I'm starting High School so I might not have time to write as many reviews as usual! Sorry!

Hopefully I'll be able to still review a few books here and there :)

THIS POST DOES NOT MEAN I'M LEAVING. I'M JUST GOING ON A SMALL BREAK. :-)

Frightfully Friendly Ghosties: Ghostly Holler-Day by Daren King

2010-08-28T09:41:00.001+01:00

It's winter, and what better than a ghostly holler-day by the sea? But how are the ghosties to decide between Frighten-on-Sea and Scare-borough?

A postcard from their friend Headless Leslie decides for them: Headless is in Frighten and cannot remember how to get home. He wrote the address on the postcard, then he forgot what the address was.

So the friends set off on an exciting ghostie caper; involving a haunted Frighten pier, a fun fair, and a mysterious phantom magician. But will it all end in spooky fun or devilish disaster?

And will Leslie keep his head?

This cover is really good. To be honest, I think it could use a little more colour because it doesn't stand out very well. I do understand that it is a ghost book though, so I know it needs to look a little dark and spooky - but a little more colour would be a great improvement. The picture above doesn't do the book in real life, justice. In real life, the spider webs are shiny and spooky; you can hardly see them on the picture used for this review. Other than that, I really do like this cover. It's very mysterious and it just makes you want to grab it and start reading straight away!

The characters names in this are ridiculously hilarious! Charlie Vapour, Humphrey Bump, Pamela Fraidy, Wither, Headless Leslie....to name a few. It's clear that the author has spent a long time thinking about the characters names and personalities - by the second page, you feel like you already know them!

This is a very unusual, unique, original book. A family of ghosts living in a house that is no longer occupied by the 'still-alives'. Of course, that is not all the book is about. It's a story of fear, haunted piers at night time, con-men, spooky Victorian magicians, strange trap-doors and lots more...mwahahahahahahaa! Also, I love the authors play-on-words. Frighten, Holler-Day, Scare-borough....basically the whole book is hilarious; it's a must-read!

I have only found ONE fault with this book and that is about the ending. The ending is extremely disappointing - it's as if the book has just stopped in the middle of the story. I would have liked a more detailed, dramatic, clear ending.

Other than that....wow. That's all I can say. Wow. This book was great! I absolutely loved it. It's not extremely scary so I'd say this book is for readers aged...7+. Maybe even younger, if this was read to the child. I give this a rating of 4/5 - excellent :) I've never read anything by this author before but I certainly will be reading more by him now!

Thank you very much to Quercus Books for sending this to me :) I shall certainly be reading more of Daren's books.
Official Publication Date: 2nd September 2010
Notes: Enter a fabulous ghostly competition HERE. Unfortunately you must be 10 or younger to enter. :( But good luck to you if you do enter! :)

Dear Dylan by Siobhan Curham

2010-08-24T11:35:00.001+01:00

Fourteen year old Georgie Harris feels as if the summer holidays are over before they have even began. Banned from going to the local drama workshop by her bully of a step-dad and her increasingly fragile mum she is consigned to six long weeks of babysitting her kid sister. Sick of feeling like the outsider at home and at school, she starts emailing the one person she thinks might understand; Dylan Curtland, star of the popular soap opera Jessop Close. And when Dylan starts emailing back Georgie finally feels a spark of hope. At last she has someone who really gets her, someone who really wants to help. But in the faceless world of email all is not as it seems...

My first impression of this book was 'Ohmigod. This looks great! I can't wait to read this.' I love the doodles around the edge of the cover and the hearts in the 'D's' in the title are really cute. I think maybe it would look better if you could actually see Georgie's face. Other than that, a very cute and eye-catching cover which gives great first impressions :)

An interesting thing about this book is that it is written entirely in emails. The problem is that this sometimes made the book a little slow in places. Sometimes the emails are a bit too long for my liking and sometimes I just want a break from the long emails. Don't get me wrong, I like the unusual format, but sometimes it just got a little bit boring. It could have been better, but it was still a good read with twists and challenges along the way.

I like Nancy, or 'Nan' as Georgie calls her for short. She's really nice and she helps Georgie with all her problems. Also she gave lots of advice for acting during the book, which is good for everyone who likes drama. :)

My favourite character was Jamie Phelps, Georgie's crush. He seemed nice and he cheered Georgie up when she was sad or angry. A character I didn't like at all straight from the start was Jessica, Georgies 'Best Friend'. She sounded a bit jealous of her and sometimes she was mean to Georgie. Especially when she turned up at the woods and - oops! Can't tell you any more about THAT. You'll have to read the book to find out what she did. ANYWAY...

This book gets a rating from me of 4/5. The book could have been better, but it's a nice short read for the summer hols :) I do recommend this, it was a great book despite the few faults I found :)

Thank you to Luisa Plaja at Chicklish for sending this to me.

Official Publication Date: 3rd March 2010
Notes: You can see Siobhan's website HERE.

Half a Sister by Kelly McKain

2010-08-18T15:32:00.000+01:00

A half-sister is better than none - or is it?

Hannah is thrilled at the idea of her newly discovered half-sister coming to live with her family. She's always imagined a lovely sisterly world of girly chats, swapping make-up and sharing secrets and clothes. Beautiful, glamorous Ellie seems to live up to all Hannah's expectations. But gradually she begins to realize that Ellie has a darker side - one that threatens to tear Hannah's world apart.

This book is in a diary format, which is - in my opinion - a more fun way to read a book. Plus, a book in diary format breaks it all up a bit so it's easier to read for younger children. This starts off with Hannah (main character) telling us about herself, and why she started the diary. The idea of having a half sister is a very common theme for books, but Kelly McKain has managed to make it into an original, unique, funny book with a few twists and adventures to Paris along the way.

The cover of Half a Sister is gorgeous, and it gives a great first impression! I like how most of the cover is illustrated, but there are a few real flowers on it too. I don't think illustrators of books get enough credit for what they do, so I'd just like to say that Katie Lovell has done a brilliant job on this cover - well done!

The characters in this book are just simply....awesome. ;) My favourite character is Ellie, Hannah's newly discovered half-sister. She sounds quite cool, and although she has her down sides, she's a great addition to the story. Her background is really interesting - but sad - and not many authors give a lot of information on the background of a character, so this was great.

My overall rating of the whole book? Well - I can't see any down sides to it at all! A great book to add to your bookshelf. Although my copy of this book can't actually fit on my bookshelf...wow I really need a third one....ahem anyway, I give this book 5/5! It really does deserve it. Well done Kelly - you rock! :)

Thank you to Kelly herself for sending me a SIGNED COPY (!!!) Thanks so much! And....apparently I'm the first girl to read this in the whole United Kingdom! WOW. I can't thank you enough :)
Official Publication Date: 27th August 2010
Notes: You can see Kelly McKains website HERE.

That Summer by Sarah Dessen

2010-08-13T20:29:00.000+01:00

For fifteen-year-old Haven this is the summer where everything changes.

Dad is remarrying. Her sister Ashley is planning a wedding of her own. They're both moving on, but Haven is lost in memories of a time when life was happy and her family was whole.

And then Ashley's ex, the charming and funny Sumner Lee; arrives in town. He reminds Haven of carefree days gone by, and she can't help but wonder - has fate brought this person back from her past to change her future?

Firstly, I love how all of Sarah Dessens book covers are like a collage. They look amazing and every time you look at it, you see something new. It's interesting, eye-catching....Sarah Dessens books have the best covers I have EVER seen - seriously!

The story was a little slow in places. You found yourself wanting to skip some pages because they were boring, sometimes there wasn't enough....drama. Other than that, this is a great book to start with if you haven't read anything by Sarah Dessen before!

My favourite character is Sumner Lee. Haven, (the main character), has an older sister called Ashley - Sumner is Ashley's ex boyfriend. He seems really cool, and he drives an old VW Beetle ;)

So....overall, it is worth reading. I'd give it a rating of 3/5....it's good, but not as good as some of Sarah Dessen's other books!

Official Publication Date: 1996
Notes: See Sarah Dessen's blog, HERE.