Set in the alternative World War II scenario of his Front Lines novels, Michael Grant, author of the bestselling GONE series, has written this story exclusively for World Book Day 2017.
Rio Richlin doesn’t have superpowers. She is an ordinary young woman. A soldier in the American army, wearing a uniform, carrying a rifle, and fighting alongside thousands who are trying to make a difference, trying to change the world.
At least, that’s the plan. Right now she’s part of a squad on a training exercise in some place called Wales. They’re cold, they’re wet, and Rio’s pretty sure they’re also lost. Spending the night in a creepy old inn wasn’t part of the plan at all…
Rio's only training. But soon, the fate of the world will be in the hands of the soldier girls.
Review: Dead of Night is set in the world of Michael Grant's Soldier Girls series, a reimagined version of history where American women were actually included in the draft to become soldiers in WWII. As far as the timeline goes this is set somewhere in the middle of the first book, after Rio and her squad have finished their first 13 weeks of training in America but before they're sent to the frontline. They're actually in Wales on another training exercise when they get lost in the fog. Unable to find their way back to base they take shelter in a village pub that they stumble across.
I don't really want to say too much more because it would be easy to give too much away but this was a fun story and a nice addition to the series. It's very different to the full length novels though, where they are very much grounded in reality and almost feel like you're reading true life war diaries this story is a little more surreal and it took me a while to figure out exactly what was going on. I think the nature of the story won't necessarily appeal to everyone but I thought it was very clever and I enjoyed reading something different, I do think events that unfold have a profound effect on Rio so whether they're real or imagined you'll definitely notice the difference in her from Front Lines to Silver Stars.
This has quickly become one of my favourite series so it's one I'd highly recommend, I'm not sure that Dead of Night is the best place to start but if you're read Front Lines then it's well worth giving this a try.
Source: Received from Egmont in exchange for an honest review
Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.
The second novel in the epic new young adult series that Michael Grant is calling his best yet!
It's WWII but not as you know it from school. This time the girls are on the Front Lines and not on the Home Front. Summer 1943. The enemy has been bloodied, but Nazi Germany is very far from beaten. Now the American army is moving on to their next target: the Italian island of Sicily.
With heavy memories of combat, the three young soldier girls – Rio, Frangie and Rainy – now know what they are willing to do to save themselves, and understand the consequences of those actions. On the front lines, they will again come face to face with the brutality of war until they win or die, while simultaneously fighting their own personal battles. No one will emerge unscathed.
In the tradition of The Book Thief, Code Name Verity and Between Shades of Gray, Front Lines gives the experience of WWII a new immediacy while playing with the ‘what ifs?’ of history.
Review:
If you thought Front Lines was good then you've honestly not seen anything yet because Silver Stars ups the stakes in every way possible, the danger is greater than ever and the characters have completely come into their own. If you're new to this series then I'd recommend reading the books in order but to give you a brief recap this is an alternative history of WWII imagining one major change - that female soldiers were recruited into the American army and served alongside the men on the front lines. Pretty much everything else is accurate to what really happened and these books are so well written and believable that you actually feel like you could be reading someone's personal diary as they tell you their own life story.
We continue to follow the stories of the three main characters introduced in the first book. First you have Rio Richlin who joined the army with her best friend Jenou after finding out her sister was killed in action. Then there is Frangie Marr who signed up as a medic mainly because her family needed the money, she faces even more prejudice than the others because not only is she a woman she's also black and racism was very prevalent during this time. The third main character is a young Jewish woman Rainy Schulterman who joined the army with the intention of shooting nazis but was quickly recruited into the intelligence community. Each girl has a separate story to tell but there are times when their stories link and I love getting to see the war through their very different experiences.
Rio has been fighting on the front lines for a long time now and she's rising up through the ranks because of her experience. She's become quite a ruthless fighter and has had to try and lock her emotions away but she feels a growing distance between her and her best friend and she's struggling to cope with everything that she's seen and done. As a medic Frangie is right there at the front too tending to wounded soldiers who wouldn't have much of a chance without immediate treatment. Her job definitely isn't a risk free one and she constantly finds herself facing danger while trying to protect others. Rainy has the most dangerous job of all though and is sent on an undercover mission to Italy, she has no backup and not much of a plan on how she's supposed to get herself home again so her story is fraught with danger and she suffers badly when she's captured along the way.
I have totally fallen in love with all three of these girls, I feel their pain and suffer alongside them and I'm desperately hoping they'll all make it through the war alive but we're constantly being shown how much danger they're facing and I'm worried that at least one of them won't survive it. I don't think I can praise this series highly enough, it's dark and can be quite painful at times but it's also totally addictive and utterly absorbing. Michael Grant has done a stellar job with these books, you can tell they're meticulously researched and they really are a must read.
Source: Received from Egmont in exchange for an honest review
Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.
As we close out 2016 I wanted to talk about some of the fabulous books that I'm looking forward to reading next year. I'm going to focus on releases from the first half of 2017 and I'll try to make a similar list in the summer to cover the rest of the year.
Young Adult:
Dawn Study by Maria V. Snyder - I'm a huge fan of the Chronicles of Ixia series, Yelena and Valek are two of my favourite YA characters of all time so I can't wait to read the latest book even though I'm incredibly sad it's the last one.
Traitor to the throne by Alwyn Hamilton - Rebel of the Sands was one of my favourite books of 2016 so of course I have very high hopes for the sequel.
Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor - If you've read The Daughter of Smoke and Bone you'll already know why I'm looking forward to this one, I just adore Laini's writing.
Caraval by Stephanie Garber - There is so much hype surrounding Caraval which makes me a little nervous but Hodder publish some of my favourite books so I think this will be awesome, especially since it's described as perfect for fans of The Night Circus.
Shadowcaster by Cinda Williams Chima - I first discovered Cinda Williams Chima's Seven Realms series this year and I was hooked from the very beginning, I devoured all four books as well as the first book in the Shattered Realms spin off and I can't wait to see what happens next.
Heartstone by Elle Katharine White - This is a debut novel that turns Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice into a high fantasy story with dragons. With dragons people, Pride and Prejudice with DRAGONS! Do I need to say any more than that?
Roseblood by A.G. Howard - I love it when authors take a well known story and put their own spin on it so I'm very excited to see what twists A.G. Howard is going to add to the Phantom of the Opera.
Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth - I absolutely loved the Divergent series (even though I've refused to read the last book since someone spoilered me!) so I've been waiting a long time to see what Veronica Roth would come up with next.
The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine - I really love fairytales and retellings and this series combines the two so I'm looking forward to reading this one.
Silver Stars by Michael Grant - This is a little different to the other books on my list since it's not high fantasy but Michael Grant has imagined WWII as if women had been allowed to fight on the front lines. I enjoyed every minute of the first book so I'm looking forward to continuing the journey these women are taking.
Adult:
White Hot by Ilona Andrews - This is a bit of a cheat since I've already read White Hot (twice!) but it's so absolutely awesome that I can't wait to read it again and we also have the third book in the series, Wildfire, to look forward to later on in the year so I'm all about this series next year.
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden - This debut fantasy is being sold as perfect for fans of The Night Circus and Uprooted which happen to be two of my favourite books so I'm expecting great things from this one.
Silver Silence by Nalini Singh - I love everything Nalini Singh writes and her Psy-Changeling series is absolutely fantastic so of course I'm looking forward to the next instalment.
Scorpion Trap by Pippa DaCosta - I discovered Pippa DaCosta in 2015 and completely fell in love with her writing. Since then I've devoured her entire backlist but luckily for me she's quite a prolific writer and I can't wait for the next book in her Ace Dante series.
Blade bound by Chloe Neill - Well the end is here, the last book in the Chicagoland Vampires series. This is going to be a bittersweet read because I'm not ready to say goodbye to these characters but at the same time I can't wait to see how things turn out for Merit and Ethan.
Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs - Mercy Thompson is one of my favourite urban fantasy heroines, I reread this series regularly but it's been a couple of years now so I'm hoping to find time to read them all before Silence Fallen releases.
Breath of Fire by Amanda Bouchet - A Promise of Fire was another of my favourite 2016 debuts so I'm sure this will be just as awesome.
The Night Mark by Tiffany Reisz - I'm a huge fan of Tiffany Reisz's writing so of course this is at the top of my wish list.
Ride Rough by Laura Kaye - I may not read much contemporary romance these days but there are a couple of authors who I automatically preorder and Laura Kaye is one of them.
Too Wilde To Tame by Tonya Burrows - This is another series that I love and have been waiting almost a year for the next instalment of.
Are any of these books at the top of your list? What other books are you excited about reading in 2017?
Just when you thought Michael Grant’s GONE series had taken us to the darkest limits of his imagination, the evil genius of young adult fiction is back to take you to the Front Lines of terror. In the tradition of The Book Thief, Code Name Verity and Between Shades of Gray, Front Lines gives the experience of WWII a new immediacy while playing with the ‘what ifs?’ of history. It’s WWII, but not as you remember it from history lessons! This time the girls aren’t stitching socks for the brave boys at the front. Meet 17-year-old Rio Richlin and her friends Frangie Marr and Rainy Schulterman, three of the newest recruits in the US Armed Forces. They stand shoulder to shoulder with the boys from home as they take on Hitler’s army.
In the face of reluctant colonels and sceptical sergeants, the teenage soldier girls must prove their guts, strength, and resourcefulness as soldiers. Rio has grown up in a world where men don’t cry and girls are supposed to care only about ‘money and looks’. But she has always known that there is something wrong with this system and something else in her. Far from home and in the battlefields, Rio discovers exactly who she is and what she can accomplish
The first in an exciting new young adult trilogy. Front Lines is the saga of a modern teenage heroine in an alternate past that could only have come from the man who gave us GONE, BZRK and Messenger of Fear.
Review:
I have to admit that Front Lines isn't the type of book I usually pick up but I was intrigued by the premise when Egmont sent me a copy for review so I decided to give it a try. This is my first book by Michael Grant (although I've heard amazing things about his Gone series) but it definitely won't be my last because he's an incredibly skilled writer. I think it's a difficult thing to rewrite history in a way that's believable, you're walking a fine line between creating something amazing and incredibly thought provoking or coming across as insensitive, especially when you're writing about something like WWII and the millions of people who died during the conflict. Luckily Michael Grant has come down on the correct side of that line and Front Lines is just an incredible read on every level.
It's obvious that the author done a huge amount of research into WWII and a lot of the battles and scenarios included in this book are based on real events. He's just made one major change, one that meant women were not only allowed to voluntarily enlist in the army but were actually subject to the draft just like men were. It doesn't sound so shocking now but we're talking of a time when the army was segregated so that white and black soldiers didn't even serve in the same platoon so adding girls to the mix just makes things even more complicated. Michael Grant doesn't shy away from the racism and anti-semitism that was much more prevalent at that time and the female soldiers are also subjected to prejudice because of their gender. It's not always comfortable to read about the attitudes of some of the white male soldiers but it is completely believable and realistic to how things would have been in that era.
Front Lines follows the journey of three female American soldiers who all signed up for very different reasons and whose army careers take them in very different directions. First we have Rio Richlin who almost enlists by accident thanks to her friend Jenou, Rio has already lost her sister in the war and she wants the chance to make a difference herself but she's not quite prepared for the shock of becoming an infantry soldier. Frangie Marr has always dreamed of becoming a vet but money is tight and her family need the paycheck that she can get by enlisting so she puts her future on hold to sign up, her path sees her training as a medic but that doesn't mean she's safely away from danger, in fact she's right there on the front lines patching up the wounded soldiers as fast as possible. Rainy Schulterman knows something horrible is happening in Europe, the complete lack of contact the Jewish community is getting from family and friends abroad is enough to convince her that she needs to play a part in this war and of the three she's the most determined to get over there and start kicking some Nazi butt.
I don't want to talk much more about these three girls individual stories, instead I'd like to focus on the friendships they make along the way and the loves they find and lose while going through their training. We get the chance to meet some wonderful side characters from all walks of life, there are moments of sheer terror but there is also humour and companionship, it's the bond they all form with the other members of their squads is what will help them push through the fear they feel. None of the girls expected to be sent to the front lines but times are desperate and the army needs every able body it can get if they want to have any chance of winning. We're talking young girls and boys who are barely old enough to get married and yet they're now half a world away from home and fighting for their survival. I know girls weren't really on the front lines but the point is they could have been and hundreds of thousands of boys were in this exact situation. It's a sobering thought when you look at things through their eyes and see just how terrified they must have been.
This is the kind of book that I think should be included in school curriculums, it puts such a personal spin on the horror of WWII and the inclusion of female soldiers just makes it even more accessible for everyone to read. Front Lines is an outstanding novel and I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the trilogy.
If you're still not sure whether you want to read this book check out the trailer below, I'm pretty sure it'll convince you to give it a try:
Source: Received from Egmont in exchange for an honest review
Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.
You may have noticed that the blog was a bit quiet in August, I ended up taking a completely unplanned blogging break after having a run in with some wasps. The little buggers managed to sting me on my forehead and on my arm and I ended up having a really bad reaction. I was stung on a Thursday afternoon but it took until Saturday morning for the swelling to come out and then it just kept getting worse and worse throughout the day. I ended up having to go to A&E on the Sunday morning to get it checked out because I could hardly open my eye when I woke up. You can see from the pictures how much it changed in less than 24 hours - I looked like I'd been punched in the face by a boxer LOL.
I ended up being prescribed a week's course of antibiotics, told to take enough antihistamine tablets to make me rattle when I walked and having to use ice packs to help bring the swelling down. I felt rather sorry for myself for a while there! Reading went completely out of the window (it's hard to focus when you can only see out of one eye properly!) and I didn't even bother switching my laptop for a couple of weeks. The meds left me exhausted so even after the swelling went down it took absolutely ages for me to start feeling better. I'm now even more nervous about wasps than I was before and I think this sums up the evil little bastards perfectly:
So apart from the whole wasp incident this has actually been a pretty awesome summer what with a camping trip and various friends coming to stay. It's been a very long time since I last took a blogging break (in fact, I don't think I've ever gone this long without posting regularly in the six and a half years I've been writing this blog!) so it was quite nice to just put it all to one side and forget about it. I'm actually having a bit of trouble motivating myself to get started again but I'm hoping I'll get back into the routine soon because I do miss it really :o)
Books read in previous months but reviewed in July & August:
(Choices are made from books reviewed this month and the links will take you to my reviews)
My top YA reads in July & August:
Oblivion by Jennifer L Armentrout (read my review here) Animal Querkles by Thomas Pavitte (read my review here) (Yes I do know that this is an adult colouring book but I love it so it totally counts LOL).
I've been pretty hopeless at writing up events recently so I've decided to start mentioning them in my monthly wrap up posts so they at least get a little attention!
6th July - Chapter 5 Proof Party
It seems like a long time ago now but back in July I was incredibly excited to be invited to the Chapter 5 Proof Party, especially when I found out that Jennifer L. Armentrout would be there as the special guest! I've been a fan of Jennifer's writing for years now so I was incredibly excited to meet her. She was absolutely lovely and signed a HUGE stack of books for me (a couple that may be being used for giveaways on this blog over the next few months so make sure you keep an eye out!).
Meeting Jennifer L Armentrout & getting
my huge stack of books signed!
Chapter 5 also treated us to some super exciting proofs for some of the novels they'll be releasing in the second half of 2016 (and even a couple from 2017!). I picked up copies of Frostblood by Elly Blake, Replica by Lauren Oliver (which both sound fantastic) along a book I'm INCREDIBLY excited about, Caraval by Stephanie Garber. Caraval was described as perfect for fans of The Night Circus and Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone series so that has definitely caught my attention.
Books, glorious books and delicious
cupcakes inspired by Jennifer's books
Thanks Chapter 5 for a brilliant evening and for the awesome books, I can't wait to read them all!
11th August - Egmont Blogger Day
In August I was invited to my first Egmont Blogger Day which was being held at Drink, Shop & Do, one of my favourite event locations in London. The Egmont team had pulled out all the stops and spoiled us with plenty of delicious nibbles and enough tea to sink a ship. Not to mention a selection of awesome authors and an amazing goodie bag!
Sarah Driver, Michael Grant, Eugene Lambert & Kevin Brooks
plus the fabulous goodie bag we came home with!
We got to meet debut author Sarah Driver whose middle grade adventure story The Huntress: Sea will be released in 2017, this sounds like such a fun read - I just wish we didn't have to wait so long to get our hands on it. Then we listened to Michael Grant talking about his alternate history WWII novel Front Lines where he reimagines the war with one major difference - young girls were allowed to fight alongside the boys in the American army! I've actually already finished this book (I'll get my review posted ASAP) and it's brilliant so definitely one to grab if you enjoy historical fiction. Eugene Lambert was talking about his science fiction novel The Sign of One and he gave the aspiring writers in the room some interesting tips on how to write their own sci-fi story. Last but not least we heard from Kevin Brooks about his upcoming novel Born Scared which is about a young boy who is terrified of pretty much everything but who has to find a way to put his fears to one side when he's forced to leave his home in an emergency. This sounds like a story I'm going to find it very easy to relate to and it seems like Kevin has drawn on his own experiences to help him write it so I'm expecting it to feel very true to life.
Thanks to Egmont and all of the authors for a brilliant day, I'm really excited about all of the books mentioned so I'll try and get them read and reviewed ASAP!
House of Minalima
After the event Kirsty and I decided to visit the House of Minalima's Harry Potter exhibition on our way home. Minalima are the design team behind a lot of the props for the Harry Potter movies (all the posters, the Hogwarts letters, Hogwarts school books, the Marauders Map, packaging for the sweets (like the Chocolate Frogs and Every Flavour Beans) and so much more. It's completely free to get in and you can see some of the real movie props on display and take photos until your hearts content so it's well worth a visit if you're in London. They have some of the posters and other items on sale in their shop too but I'll warn you now it's on the expensive side.
House of Minalima & bumping into Laura Kaye
The funniest thing was bumping into one of my favourite authors the lovely Laura Kaye while we were there! I was lucky enough to meet her a couple of years ago when she did a signing in London but this time she was just visiting with her family for a holiday so it was a complete coincidence that we happened to be at Minalima at the same time. I didn't want to keep her for long but we did manage to get a quick selfie before we both got back to our sightseeing & it was a lovely way to round off the afternoon.
My Challenge Updates:
These are the challenges I've signed up for in 2016:
I absolutely loved Sarah J Maas's debut novel Throne of Glass (read my review here) and have been looking forward to getting my hands on the sequel Crown of Midnight ever since I finished the last page! Unfortunately we still have a little while to wait (the UK release date is the 15th of August) but the cover has now been revealed so I wanted to share it with you:
In case you haven't already seen it here is the blurb for Crown of Midnight:
Eighteen-year-old Celaena Sardothien is bold, daring and beautiful – the perfect seductress and the greatest assassin her world has ever known. But though she won the King’s contest and became his champion, Celaena has been granted neither her liberty nor the freedom to follow her heart. The slavery of the suffocating salt mines of Endovier that scarred her past is nothing compared to a life bound to her darkest enemy, a king whose rule is so dark and evil it is near impossible to defy. Celaena faces a choice that is tearing her heart to pieces: kill in cold blood for a man she hates, or risk sentencing those she loves to death. Celaena must decide what she will fight for: survival, love or the future of a kingdom. Because an assassin cannot have it all . . . And trying to may just destroy her.
Love or loathe Celaena, she will slice open your heart with her dagger and leave you bleeding long after the last page of the highly anticipated sequel in what is undeniably THE hottest new fantasy series.
What do you think of the cover? I LOVE it and I'm now even more excited to get my hands on the book! This goes so well with the UK cover of Throne of Glass (see left) but I think I love the bright reds even more than I liked the blues of the previous cover.
Here is a bit more information about the series in case you've not started reading it yet (links take you to my reviews)
Fans of Michael Grant will be pleased to know he is visiting the UK next week and will be making a number of public appearances. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend any of the events myself but I've included the details below in case anyone is interested:
Wednesday 24th April - Waterstones Piccadilly
6.30pm
In conversation with journalist Lucy Mangan
Saturday 27th April - signing at Muswell Hill bookshop
4pm- 5pm
72 Fortis Green Rd London, Greater London N10 3HN
Monday 29th April - Waterstones Plymouth (65-69 George Street, PL1 1RJ)
6.30 – 7.30pm
Talk
Thursday 2nd May - Eason O’Connell, Dublin
6pm
Talk and Q & A
Friday 3rd May - Eason Dundrum, Dublin
4pm
public signing
You can find out more about Michael Grant's books on his website
Have you seen the latest trailer for the City of Bones movie? OMG it looks so good & I'm just dying to see it when it comes out!! For once they're releasing a film of a book that I've already read so I don't have any catching up to do (I still haven't managed to read or watch The Host or Beautiful Creatures so I'm falling really far behind LOL!).
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I can't write a news post without including the first teaser trailer for the Catching Fire movie! I loved the Hunger Games film so can't wait for this to hit the big screens (although I really should make sure I read the book before then LOL). I'm sure most of you have already seen this but just in case you haven't here it is:
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Last but by no means least did you see the fantastic video posted on the USA Today website revealing the title for the third and final book in Veronica Roth's Divergent series? I'm a huge fan of this series (Hooray for Team Candor UK) so I can't wait to get my hands on the last book! What do you think of the title Allegiant? According to Dictionary.com this is the definition of allegiant:
We already know that Tris is extremely loyal to her friends and the people she cares about but what do you think the title means for the end of the series? Do you think it gives us any clues about what is going to happen next? How do you think the title fits with the rest of the series (Divergent & Insurgent)? I'm a little disappointed that the new title doesn't end in ENT but when you actually say Allegiant out loud I think it fits and if you say all three titles one after the other it flows quite nicely.
It's time for another news roundup post but first I want to say happy World Book Day! I hope you have something bookish planned to celebrate and help spread the love of reading.
You can find out more about World Book Day and the fabulous books that are available for just £1 on the World Book Day website. You should also make sure you check out the FREE World Book Day App that works on the iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. It includes short stories by Malorie Backman, Neil Gaiman, Charlie Higson, Anthony Horowitz, Sophie McKenzie and Rachel Vincent so there should be something there to appeal to everyone and it also includes extracts from some fabulous 2012 releases.
While we're on the subject of World Book Day you might want to head over to your nearest Waterstones store and see if you can grab a bargain. They are selling copies of both Department 19 by Will Hill and The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson for just £1 each!! These are both fantastic books (read my Department 19 review here and my The Name of the Star review here) so if you haven't already read them make sure you grab a copy.
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Now today is the UK release date for Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver. It's no secret that I'm a massive fan of Delirium (read my review here) so I can't wait to read this sequel! Unfortunately Lauren isn't coming to the UK for the launch but she has recorded a special message for her UK fans which you can watch below:
Do you want to know if you're ruled by your heart or your head? Find out by taking the interactive quiz on the Delirium facebook page here and you could even win copies of both Delirium and Pandemonium! I'm going to be reading Pandemonium this week so keep an eye out for my review which will be coming soon.
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Now if you're between 10 and 16 years old and want to have a go at writing your own very short story have a look at Bloomsbury's new competition:
Bloomsbury’s VERY short story competition for young writers is back LOVING FICTION TWENTY-FOUR-SEVEN. CREATING STORIES IN 247 WORDS.
247tales.com is the online writing competition from Bloomsbury that challenges young writers to create stories using only 247 words or less. Now in its fourth year the competition is set to challenge even more young writers.
In 2012, the competition returns with a blog-style website, a dedicated Facebook page www.facebook.com/247tales and nine more inspiring themes. Each month a different Bloomsbury author will pen a 247tale on a given topic. It is then over to the UK’s budding young writers aged between 10 and 16 to create their own miniature masterpiece.
One winner will be chosen each month and they will have their 247tale featured on the website as well as winning a selection of books and a framed copy of their story. Ten runners-up will get a signed copy of the latest book from that month's featured author, and their story will appear in the 247Library section of the website.
The competition launches at 2:47pm on Thursday 1st March 2012 (World Book Day) with a 247tale from bestselling author Tony Bradman on the theme of The Ship. Details on how to enter can be found at www.247tales.com. Authors taking part include Anne Cassidy, Jim Eldridge, Sarah Crossan, A.F. Harrold, Laura Powell and Sue Limb.
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If you're a fan of Michael Grant and are free on Saturday the 17th of March then you might want to head to the Foyles store on Charing Cross Road where he will be signing copies of Bzrk, Fear and the whole Gone series from 2-4pm. This is one of my favourite London book stores - they host some fantastic events and always have a fantastic selection of signed books and US imports so it is well worth paying them a visit and what better chance are you going to get to meet this best selling author?
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Now I have a cover reveal for Luminosity by Stephanie Thomas. This is Stephanie's debut novel and will be published by Entangled Publishing on the 11th of September 2012. I don't know about you but I think it sounds fantastic and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy!
My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings. And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t been the same since.
The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the Dreamcatchers, but I'm finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me.
But the enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I’m falling in love with him. He says they’re coming. He says they’re angry. And I think I’ve already helped them win.
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If you live in the UK and are 18 or over then you might want to have a go at entering the FutureScapes Short Story Competition. Stories must be no more than 3,000 words and the deadline is the 15th of March, here are the details:
Inspired by new stories by best-selling authors Michael Marshall Smith, Marcus Sedgwick, Kate Harrison and Lesley Lokko, readers can submit their own short stories, imagining the world in 2025. It’s part of a project called FutureScapes, which aims to get everyone thinking about what the world might be like in 2025. The competition winner will be published alongside our professional authors and win a Sony Tablet.
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If you're a fan of Paul Hoffman's The Left Hand of God then you might want to have a look at the new interactive game Penguin UK have created on Facebook (click here to play) to celebrate the release of sequel The last Four Things. You could even win yourself an iPad2! Here is a bit more info about the game:
The Facebook minisite features an interactive map of Thomas Cale's world, with embedded videos that take the reader on a tour around places including Tiger Mountain, Transvaaland and The Sanctuary. There is also an embedded game where users must build 3D equipment from the book. As readers progress through each 'level' within the map, they post to their Facebook wall to encourage all of their friends to participate too! Readers must complete all levels to unlock an Augmented Reality printout of the map which will result in a 3D version of character Thomas Cale, swinging his sword and talking to the reader. Thomas then says a word which will then need to enter to be in with a chance of winning an iPad2 preloaded with a copy of the The Last Four Things.
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So I think that's probably more than enough news for one post but hopefully something here will be of interest to you!
I thought it would be fun to start spotlighting new releases that different publishers have coming up over the next few months for us to look forward to. I'm constantly looking for new books to add to my wish list and thought it would be a nice way of spreading the bookish love with other bloggers. I'm not sure how regular the posts will be yet but I have quite a few lined up already and we'll see how things go over the next few months. So in the spotlight today we have . . .
For 2012 Egmont are launching their new YA imprint Electric Monkey, they have some very exciting titles that I can't wait to get my hands on so I thought it would be nice to share some of them with you here. Check out Egmont's Electric Monkey website for more information.
6th of February:
First up we have Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. I really like historical fiction but I've not read much set around the second world war recently so I'm really looking forward to this one. Visit Elizabeth Wein's website for more information.
A heartbreaking tale of a friendship between two young women set against the odds of the second world war.
Only in wartime could a stalwart lass from Manchester rub shoulders with a Scottish aristocrat, one a pilot, the other a special operations executive. Yet whenever their paths cross, they complement each other perfectly and before long become devoted to each other. But then a vital mission goes wrong, and one of the friends has to bail out of a faulty plane over France. She is captured by the Gestapo and becomes a prisoner of war. The story begins in “Verity’s” own words, as she writes her account for her captors. Truth or lies? Honour or betrayal? Everything they’ve ever believed in is put to the test…
Next we have Oliver Twisted a debut novel by British author JD Sharpe. Oliver Twist with vampires, zombies and werewolves? Yup, I'm sold! This is definitely at the top of my wish list & I can't wait to get hold of a copy. Visit JD Sharpe's page on Goodreads for more information.
The world according to Oliver Twisted is simple. Vampyres feed on the defenceless, orphans are sacrificed to hungry gods and if a woe-begotten catches your scent it will hunt you forever. On the advice of a corpse, Oliver flees his ghastly orphan life to seek his destiny in the dark streets of old London Town, despite the perils of the woe-begotten zombie-infested journey. There he meets the shadowy Dodger, the evil old soul-stealer Fagin, and the menacing Bill Sikes, who is more werewolf than man. But will Oliver Twisted be the world’s salvation, or its downfall? An authentically Dickensian and genuinely inventive reimagining of Dickens’ eternal classic, this is Victorian England but not as we know it!
5th of March:
I have heard fantastic things about Michael Grant's Gone series but although I have the books sitting on my shelves I haven't got around to reading them yet. I really must do something about that! In the meantime I'm definitely looking forward to the first book in his new series - BZRK. Visit Michael Grant's website for more information.
The most breathtaking and exhilarating ride you will take this year, this is the first in an incredible new action thriller series from Michael Grant, author of Gone.
These are no ordinary soldiers. This is no ordinary war. Welcome to the nano, where the only battle is for sanity. Losing is not an option when a world of madness is at stake. Time is running out for the good guys. But what happens when you don’t know who the good guys really are?
Noah and Sadie: newly initiated to an underground cell so covert that they don’t even know each other’s names. Here they will learn what it means to fight on a nano level. Soon they will become the deadliest warriors the world has ever seen.
Vincent: feels nothing, cares for no one; fighting his own personal battle with Bug Man, the greatest nano warrior alive.
The Armstrong Twins: wealthy, privileged, fanatical. Are they the saviours of mankind or authors of the darkest conspiracy the world has ever seen?
The nano is uncharted territory. A terrifying world of discovery. And everything is to play for . . .
Also released in March is Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber. This one sounds completely different from anything I've read before. I have to admit I'm not a Kill Bill fan but I do love Ferris Bueller's Day Off so I'm curious about this one. Visit Joe Schreiber's blog for more information.
Kill Bill meets Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Fasten your seatbelts for a quirky, rapid-fire joyride through the streets of New York.
‘You shot him. You totally just shot that guy back there. I think I’m gonna throw up.’
One ordinary guy.
One female assassin.
When Gobi lands in Perry’s like, she rips is apart like a bombshell . . .
A fast-paced action thriller like nothing you’ve ever read before.
Skin Deep is another 2012 debut and was written by British author Laura Jarrett. This one seems to have romance and mystery and it's definitely been added to my wish list! Visit Laura Jarrett's page on Goodreads for more information.
After the car crash that leaves her best friend dead, Jenna is permanently scarred. She struggles to rebuild her life, but every stare in the street, every time she looks in the mirror, makes her want to retreat further from the world. Until she meets Ryan.
Ryan's a traveller. When he and his mother moor their narrow boat on the outskirts of a village, she tells him this time it will be different. He doesn't believe her; he can't imagine why this place shouldn't be as unwelcoming as the rest. Until he meets Jenna.
But as Jenna and Ryan grow closer, repercussions from the crash continue to reverberate through the community. And then a body is found…
2nd of April:
I had the chance to read Dear Dylan by Siobhan Curham back in 2010 when it was self published by the author. I really enjoyed the story so was very excited to hear that it has been picked up by Egmont. You can read my review of Dear Dylan here and visit Siobhan Curham's website for more information.
A first crush. An unexpected friendship. A dream come true. A perfect read for fans of Cathy Cassidy, Sarah Dessen and Karen McCombie
Fourteen year old Georgie Harris feels as if the summer holidays are over before they have even begun. 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 looking after her tooth-fairy obsessed 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 tiny 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...
7th of May:
Shift by EM Bailey is another 2012 debut that sounds awesome. Another one that has been added to my wish list! Visit EM Bailey's website for more information.
A taut and seriously compelling psychological thriller from a major new YA talent.
“There were two things everyone knew about Miranda Vaile before she’d even arrived at our school. The first was that she had no parents – they were dead. And they were dead because Miranda had killed them.”
Since her breakdown last year, Olive has become the school loner, so she can only watch as new girl Miranda latches on to her old best friend, class queen bee Katie. Soon Miranda is talking like Katie, dressing like Katie – even going out with Katie’s boyfriend. And then Katie dies. Olive is convinced Miranda is somehow responsible, but the only person who believes her is Lachlan, the hot boy who won’t take the hint that she wants to be left alone.
And then Miranda turns her attention on Olive. She makes life so much fun that soon they are best friends. But what price will Olive have to pay for this new friendship?
With shock twists, a moving romance and a heart-racing climax, Shift will keep you turning the pages furiously.
How to Keep a Boy as a Pet by Diane Messidoro sounds like it's going to be a really fun light hearted read. To find out more about this debut author visit her page on goodreads.
Can taming a gorgeous boy really be as easy as walking a dog?
Circe Shaw is on a mission. She must transform into a fabulously sophisticated journalist and discover the amazing scientific truth about boys. Urgently.
But life is beyond complicated. Circe has to deal with a poisonous rival, her mum’s annoying ‘just friends’ men and her own Dark Past.
Can Circe’s daring investigation really teach her the facts of love?
Will it help her finally get a boyfriend? Or will it break her heart…?
4th of June:
Dads, Geeks and Blue Haired Freaks by Ellie Phillips sounds like another fun read if you like contemporary fiction.
One girl’s search to find her father, using the internet, some boys and quite a lot of hairspray.
Sadie Nathanson spends her life trying to survive the excruciating embarrassment of simply existing. It’s hard enough being a bit of a shrinking violet within a loud and outspoken extended family, but the unexpected card from ‘Dad’ on her 15th birthday is the last straw.
As ‘Dad’ was an Internet sperm-donor, it doesn’t take a genius to work out that this is a bad joke, probably set up by her ex-best-friend Shonna. But it starts Sadie wondering – just who was her father? Is he the cause of her worry crinkle and wonky bum? What would happen if she tracked him down?
So she decides to do just that. With help from her nerd cousin Billy, his friend Nodding Tony and a regular dose of ‘Haironomics’ (Sadie’s own hairstyle-related philosophy system), they uncover a lot more than they bargain for…
Last but definitely not least is Alchemy by K.J. Wignall. This is the second book in the Mercian trilogy, I read the first book Blood last year (read my review here) so I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next! Visit K.J. Wignall's website for more information.
'Run!' Will said to Eloise. She hesitated and he pushed behind her, grabbing the bird out of the air. But the sound of beating wings didn’t stop. Eloise let out a cry and when he turned she’d been scratched on the head and was hitting another crow away.
The vampire William of Mercia continues to search for answers about his long, undead life, together with Eloise, the girl with whom his fate is entwined. But the darkness doesn’t yield its secrets easily.
As they edge closer to the truth, it becomes clear that something evil knows their every move, and this time it’s targeting the person Will needs most of all.
Lost in a frozen landscape, powerful adversaries are locked in a battle that not everyone can survive, as destiny collides with a sorcerer’s dark arts…
So what do you think of the new Electric Monkey titles? They have a great selection so I'm sure there must be something there that catches your fancy! Which ones are you most excited about?
