Publisher Spotlight: HarperCollins - Winter 2011 & Spring 2012 Releases

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 . . .

HarperCollins have some fantastic new YA releases in the coming months that I'm very excited about reading!  For more information check out the HarperCollins website.

First up we have Muse by Rebecca Lim, this is the 3rd book in the Mercy series.  I have all 3 books on my to read pile and I really must hurry up and get started on this series!  Muse was released on the 27th of October so you can go out and grab your copy now.  Visit Rebecca Lim's Facebook page for more information.

There's something very wrong with me.  When I wake up I could be anyone...

Mercy is thrust into the excessive world of fashion when she awakes in the body of a troubled Russian supermodel, Irina: bitchy, hot-tempered and known to be dabbling in things she shouldn't, Irina is on the verge of a very public breakdown.

Against the glamorous background of opulent Milan, Mercy continues her increasingly desperate search for Ryan to lead her back to her immortal lover, Luc.  But this time Mercy is aware that her memories and powers are growing ever stronger - and she begins to doubt Luc as The Eight reveal more of her mysterious past.  Are Luc's desires as selfless as her own or does he want her for a more terrifying purpose?

Next we have The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon, this is a debut I'm really excited about.  It's nearly at the top of my to read pile so keep an eye out for my review coming soon.  This book was also released on the 27th of October & I'd love to know what you thought of it if it's one you've already had a chance to read it.  Visit Leigh Fallon's website for more information.

Their love was meant to be.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRís.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.





Coming into 2012 we can look forward to Supernaturally by Kiersten White which will be released on the 5th of January.  I really enjoyed the first book Paranormalcy when I read it earlier this year (read my review here) so I'm looking forward to the sequel.  Visit Kiersten White's website for more information.

A lot has changed since Evie escaped from the International Paranormal Containment Agency with her shapeshifter boyfriend, Lend.  She spends her days at school like a normal teenager, eagerly awaiting the weekends when Lend comes home from college and trying not to be killed by overly enthusiastic soccer players in her gym class.

Evie's world, in fact, has become overwhelmingly normal.  And Evie is shocked to realise that normal can be . . . kind of boring.  Then Raquel appears, asking her to help out at IPCA again.  As Evie dips back into her former life, she learns that things are changing in the world of paranormals . . .

Also released on the 5th of January is Stormswept by Helen Dunmore.  I haven't read anything by this author before but I was sold as soon as I saw the cover then after reading the description & finding the story was about a Mer boy I knew it this would have to go on my wish list!  As this is the 5th book in the Ingo series I guess I'm going to have to start at the beginning though so I've got a lot of catching up to do!  Visit Helen Dunmore's website for more information.

Morveren lives with her parents and twin sister Jenna on an island off the coast of Cornwall.

As Morveren and Jenna's relationship shifts and changes, like driftwood on the tide, Morveren finds a beautiful teenage boy in a rock pool after a storm.  Going to his rescue, she is shocked to see that he is not human but a Mer boy.

With Jenna refusing to face the truth, Morveren finds herself alone at the worst possible time.  Because when the worlds of Air and Mer meet, the consequences can be terrible . . .







Dancing Jax by Robin Jarvis is already available in hardback but as of the 2nd of February you'll be able to pick up the paperback version.  Just in time for the release of the second book in the series Freax and Rejex that comes out in hardback on the same day.  For more information you can visit Robin Jarvis' website.

At the end of a track, on the outskirts of an ordinary coastal town, lies a dilapidated house.  Once, a group of amateur ghost hunters spend the night there.  Two of them don't like to speak about the experience.  The third can't speak about it.  He went into the basement, you see, and afterwards he screamed so hard and so long he tore his vocal cords.

Now, a group of teenagers have decided to hang out in the old haunted house.  Dismissing the fears of the others, their leader Jezza goes down into the basement . . . and comes back up with a children's book, full of strange and colourful tales of a playing-card world, a fairytale world, full of Jacks, Queens and Kings, unicorns and wolves.

But the book is no fairytale.  Written by Austerly Fellows, a mysterious turn-of-the-century occultist, it might be the gateway to something terrifying . . . and awfully final.

********************

Five months have passed since the publication of the devilish book discovered in Dancing Jax.  It is on its ninth reprint and tens of millions of copies have been sold in the UK.  The entire country is now under its evil spell.

Yet a tiny percentage of the population have proven to be immune to the words of Austerly Fellows.  With the critical eyes of the rest of the world turned towards Britain, the Ismus decides to send the children for an intensive holiday camp, where they will study the sacred text and learn to embrace it.

But after the holiday is over, the children are told their stay has been extended.  A barbed wire fence is put up around the site.  And it soon becomes apparent that the place is not a camp and the children are not guests.  They are prisoners of war . . .

On the 12th of February you will be able to get your hands on a copy of The Flask by Nicky Singer.  This looks very different to the kind of book I usually read but it sounds like a very emotional story & I'm really curious about it.  You can find out more at Nicky Singer's website.

Twelve-year-old Jess is grieving for her beloved Aunt Edie, and anxiously awaiting the birth of her twin brothers, when she finds a mysterious glass flask hidden in a desk.  The flask is beautiful to Jess, and soon she starts to believe that it contains a magical life-force.  When her half-brothers are born critically ill, Jess becomes convinced that their survival depends on what's happening to the flask . . .

Through Jess's stunning narration, Nicky Singer explores the meaning of life, and the interconnected nature of all things - in a way which is entirely accessible to young readers.

An unforgettable standalone novel from Nicky Singer, author of the sensational, award-winning FEATHER BOY.

I absolutely loved Divergent by Veronica Roth when I read it earlier this year (read my review here) so if you haven't tried it yet then it's a book I would highly recommend.  I have to say I love the new cover for the paperback version that is being released on the 12th of February, the colours are so pretty that I may have to buy a new copy!  Visit Veronica Roth's website for more information.

For sixteen-year-old Tris, the world changes in a heartbeat when she is forced to make a terrible choice.  Turning her back on her family, Tris ventures out, alone, determined to find out where she truly belongs.

Shocked by the brutality of her new life, Tris can trust no one.  And yet she is drawn to a boy who seems to both threaten and protect her.  The hardest choices may yet lie ahead . . . .

She turns to face the future in a world that's falling apart.








Watch out for Slide by Jill Hathaway on the 1st of March, this one sounds really creepy and I'm very curious about it!  Visit Jill Hathaway's website for more information.

Vee Bell hates having narcolepsy.  But collapsing at school is nowhere near as bad as the truth.  When Vee passes out she slides randomly into other people's heads and ends up seeing through their eyes.  So when Vee finds herself in the head of a killer, standing over the body of a cheerleader, she's beyond freaked.

Vee knows that this was no suicide.  And when another cheerleader turns up dead, everyone is a suspect.  Struggling to understand her terrifying and unwanted 'gift', Vee is tangled in a web of secrets, lies and danger . . .

She sees through the eyes of a killer . . .


Now this is one I'm really looking forward to - The 13th Horseman by Barry Hutchison.  Another March the 1st release this has been described as Pratchett meets Python and that just makes it a must read for me.  For more information visit Barry Hutchison's website.

Drake is surprised to find three horsemen of the apocalypse playing snakes and ladders in his garden shed.  He's even more surprised when they insist that he is one of them.  They're missing a Horseman, having gone through several Deaths and they think that Drake is the boy for the job.  At first he's reluctant to usher in Armageddon but does being in charge of Armageddon have to spell the end of the world?

An apocalyptic blend of riotous comedy, heart-stopping action and a richly imagined fantasy adventure.







The 1st of March is a busy day as you'll also be able to pick up a copy of Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress by Sarwat Chadda.  This is aimed at a younger audience than most of the books I read but it looks like a fun story and I like the fact that it is set in India so am looking forward to giving it a try.  You can visit Sarwat Chadda's website for more information.

Ash Mistry hates India.  Which is a problem since his uncle has brought him and his annoying younger sister Lucky there to take up a dream job with the mysterious Lord Savage.  But Ash immediately suspects something is very wrong with the eccentric millionaire.  Soon, Ash finds himself in a desperate battle to stop Savage's master plan - the opening of the Iron Gates that have kept Ravana, the demo king, at bay for four millennia . . .

Breathtaking action adventure for boys of 8-12.  Ash Mistry, reluctant hero, faces ancient demons . . . and comes into an astonishing, magical inheritance.




I love Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series (I read the first 3 books before I started blogging & really need to catch up with the series) and I love well written short stories so I'm really excited about Faery Tales and Nightmares which will be released on the 6th of March.  Visit Melissa Marr's website for more information.

Dangerous promises and beguiling threats swirl together in a dozen stories of enchantments, dark and light, by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr.  Uncanny and unexpected creatures appear from behind bushes, rise from under the seas, or manifest from seasonal storms to sinister intent - relentlessly.  From the gentle tones of a storyteller's cadences to the terror of a blood sacrifice, tales of favourite characters from Marr's Wicked Lovely novels mix with accounts of new characters for readers to fall in love with . . . or to fear.  Lush, seductive, and chilling, Melissa Marr's stories revel in the unseen magic that infuses the world as we know it.

An enthralling collection of short stories featuring favourite characters from Melissa Marr's bestselling WICKED LOVELY series.

On the 29th of March we have the release of my most anticipated book of 2012 - The Rising by Will Hill.  Department 19 is one of my favourite books of 2011 (you can read my review here) so I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel!  It's already been a long wait for this so March can't get here fast enough for me.  Visit Will Hill's website for more information.

DEPARTMENT 6 IS THE ARMY.
DEPARTMENT 13 IS MI5.
DEPARTMENT 19 IS ALL THAT STANDS BETWEEN YOU AND THE END OF THE WORLD.

After the terrifying attack on Lindisfarne at the end of the first book, Jamie, Larissa and Kate are recovering at Department 19 headquarters, waiting for news of Dracula's stolen ashes.

They won't be waiting long.

Vampire forces are gathering.  Old enemies are getting too close.  And Dracula . . . is rising.







I already mentioned that book 3 in Rebecca Lim's Mercy series was published in October, the really good news is that we don't have to wait too long for the final book in the series.  Fury will be available on the 29th of March!  Now I love series but I hate the long wait between books so this is great news for me, I'm going to have to get started on these books soon so I'm caught up in time for the last installment.

Everything that has happened to Mercy over millennia has made her who she is.

Love.  Vengeance.  Truth.

Hell Hath no fury like Mercy . . .

Fury is the culmination of the spellbinding Mercy series.

An angel searching for answers, for her destiny . . .














Like a lot of people I'm fascinated by the story of the Titanic so Fateful by Claudia Gray really appeals to me.  This is another March the 29th release and it's definitely on my wish list.  You can visit Claudia Gray's website for more information.

The Titanic is the most luxurious ship ever built, but for eighteen-year-old Tess Davies it's a prison.  Travelling as a maid for the family she has served for years, Tess is trapped in their employ amid painful memories and family secrets.

When she meets Alec, a handsome passenger, Tess falls helplessly in love.  But Alex has secrets of his own . . . and soon Tess is entangled in a dangerous game.  A sinister brotherhood has followed him onboard.  And Tess is now their most powerful pawn.

Tess and Alec fight the dark forces threatening to tear them apart, never realising that they will have to face an even greater peril before the journey is over . . .

A tragic tale about falling in love on the world's most infamous ill-fated sea voyage as heroine, Tess, discovers darker secrets that lie beneath the doomed crossing . . .

So what do you think of the upcoming HarperCollins titles?  Do you already have some of these on your wish list?  Which books are you most excited about getting your hands on?

HarperCollins Afternoon Tea with Robin Jarvis, Will Hill & Maureen Johnson - 22nd October 2011

Last week I was very excited to go to an afternoon tea organised by HarperCollins to meet some of their authors - Robin Jarvis, Will Hill & Maureen Johnson - and to find out about some of their latest & upcoming books.  We arrived at Les Deux Salons a little early so spent some time at the bar downstairs chatting with Robin & Will while Sarah was getting the room ready for us and then it was time to get started.  I had asked Sarah & Rosi if it would be OK to bring some of my childhood books with me for Robin to sign (I was a massive fan of his Whitby Witches, Deptford Mice & Deptford Histories trilogies when I was younger and still had my original copies) so was very excited when I found out I was sitting next to him for afternoon tea!  Hopefully I didn't come across as too much of a fan girl and embarrass myself lol.

We were well and truly spoiled with a feast of cakes and sandwiches!

Each of the authors had a chance to talk to us about their latest books starting with Robin Jarvis talking about Dancing Jax (that was released in HB earlier this year and will be available in PB in Feb 2012) and the sequel Freax and Rejex (which will be released in HB next February).  Before talking about the books Robin told us that he used to make models & puppets for TV shows and has made them in the past of characters from his books to take on school visits with him.  There was one rather embarrassing incident at a school with a puppet of a sea demon that had rather large claws - he pulled it out of his bag in front of a class of children to find the claws had attached themselves to a pair of underpants (luckily clean ones lol).

Dancing Jax is a story about a mysterious book written in 1936 by occultist Austerly Fellows.  Anyone who reads the story is pulled into the world inside the book.  Although the book was published it was decided that the world wasn't ready for it so the only copies were boxed up and kept in a basement, now in modern times the book has been found again by a group of teenagers and they are quickly sucked into this dangerous world.  Robin described Austerly Fellows' book as Narnia on crack and said it's like pushing drugs on kids but in book form.  Sequel Freax and Rejex is set 5 months after Dancing Jax, Austerly's book has been re-published and nearly everyone in the UK has read a copy and been taken over by the story.  The rest of the world is watching in horror and trying to decide what they should do.  Some children are naturally immune to the book and they are bullied by the people who have been taken over.  As a publicity stunt they are taken to a holiday camp to prove to the rest of the world that they aren't being badly treated but things at the camp aren't what they first seem and not all of the children taken there will survive the experience.  I haven't read either of these books but I have a copy of Dancing Jax and am really looking forward to reading it.  I'll get a review posted as soon as I can for you.

Next up was Will Hill talking about Department 19 (released in HB & PB this year) and the sequel The Rising (releasing in HB in March 2012).  I was lucky enough to meet Will at the launch party for Department 19 earlier this year so it was lovely to see him again.  Department 19 was one of my favourite reads of the year so far (you can read my review here) so I can't tell you how excited I am about The Rising, I am itching to get my hands on a copy and it will be jumping straight to the top of my to read pile as soon as I do lol.  Will told us that The Rising is a really, really long book that picks up the story straight after the ending of Department 19.  Where the first book was a rescue mission the sequel is a fight for survival. 

It took Will over a year to write the second book and where Department 19 was 135,000 words long The Rising is 191,000 (and that's after chopping out a massive 50,000 words!) so this is really going to give us something to get stuck into.  Will would describe the series as epic horror / fantasy and confirmed that there is a little more romance in the sequel.  He did say that The Rising should work as a stand alone story if you haven't read Department 19 but I would highly recommend reading D19 first - it's such a good book you really don't want to miss it!

Last but by no means least was Maureen Johnson talking about her newest book The Name of the Star.  This is the first book in her Shades of London series and is a supernatural story about a copycat killer who is murdering victims in the style of Jack the Ripper.  The Name of the Star is a great book (you can read my review here) and I'm really looking forward to reading more books in the series.  Maureen said she was worried about the reaction from her UK fans because she knows they will spot any mistakes she has made about British culture, she can get away with errors with her US fans because they won't know that it's wrong.  She had spent the morning at a signing though and had a very positive response which I'm not at all surprised about. 

When asked about the inspiration for the story Maureen told us that she was on a historical tour and the guide told them that practically every building they visited was haunted.  She was annoyed because it was supposed to be a historical tour not a ghost tour and she thought that the so called ghosts they kept mentioning were rubbish - just cold spots, doors closing by themselves and spooky feelings.  It got her thinking about what would happen if there were more proactive ghosts.  Maureen also told us that she has come up with the name of the sequel which she is currently working on, after a quick check with her editor Rachel (who hadn't heard the title before either!) she confirmed that it will be called The Madness Underneath and it will be released sometime in 2012.

After lots of book chat and we had all stuffed ourselves full of cake it was time to get our books signed.  I already have signed copies of Department 19 and The Name of the Star but I was very excited to get my books signed by Robin - I'd brought him 10 books to sign for me so that kept him busy for a little while lol.  He even drew a picture in one of them for me!

The copies of the Whitby Witches, Deptford Mice & Deptford Histories trilogies that Robin signed for me

The picture Robin drew inside my copy of The Alchymist's Cat

We were given a fab goodie bag from HarperCollins containing several books (Muse by Rebecca Lim, Slide by Jill Hathaway and Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress by Sarwat Chadda), a presentation of their upcoming Winter 2011 & Spring 2012 titles (watch out for a spotlight of some of these titles coming later this week) and a fab memory stick containing some exclusive sneak previews and snippets.  I've not had a time to look at the memory stick yet but as soon as I do I'll try and get some of the content posted on the blog to share with you all.

After the event had finished several of us bloggers got to hang around in the bar with Will, Robin, Sarah, Rosi & Rachel.  We had a few drinks, got loads of book recommendations and discussed everything from Will's ipad to comic books.  I love being allowed to let my inner geek out at events lol.

I'd like to say a massive thanks to HarperCollins for a fab event and to all the authors who helped make it even more special.  I had an amazing time & can't wait to read all the books we were talking about!

Who was there?

Sarah, Rosi & Rachel - HarperCollins

Maureen Johnson - Website

Robin Jarvis - Website

Will Hill - Website

Alice - The Reader Room

Andy - The Pewter Wolf - Event Report

Casey - Dark Readers

Darren - The Book Zone For Boys

Dwayne & Hannah - Girls Without a Bookshelf

Jesse - Books 4 Teens

Kirsty - The Overflowing Library

Liz & Mark - My Favourite Books

Michelle - Much Loved Books - Event Report

Ronke - The Musings of Ondo Lady

Sammee - I Want To Read That

Stacey - The Pretty Books

Viv - Serendipity Reviews

Review: Haunted - Anthology

A FACE in the mirror . . .
HOWLING in the night . . .
A BLACK DOG at your door . . .
COLD HANDS dragging you down . . .

Some of the best-loved children's authors have come together to bring you this terrifying collection of ghost stories:

There's a lost ghost child trapped in a mirror and wanting to pull you in; an evil Soul Eater waiting for its next victim; a ghost walk with a haunting twist; and the spirit of a drowned boy who needs to be put to rest.  These and many more spine-chilling tales will make you scream, shiver and gasp.

Open if you dare . . .

Visit the Anderson Press website for more information

The Haunted anthology includes the following short stories (click the links to visit the author websites):
The Castle Ghosts - Joseph Delaney
The Caretakers - Susan Cooper
Good Boy - Mal Peet
The Blood Line - Jamila Gavin
The Ghost in the Machine - Eleanor Updale
Songs the Dead Sing - Derek Landy
The Beach Hut - Robin Jarvis
The Praying Down of Vaughan Darkness - Sam Llewellyn
The Ghost Walk - Matt Haig
The Ghost Wood - Philip Reeve
The Little Ship's Boy - Berlie Doherty

Review:

Haunted is an anthology containing scary short stories from some of todays best children's writers and it makes for perfect Halloween reading.  Immerse yourself in stories of haunted prisons, demon worshipers, trapped ghosts, demon dogs and even a spooky beach hut.  These stories may be short but they're all well written and there are some great twists in there too.

Stand out favourites for me included Good Boy by Mal Peet, The Beach Hut by Robin Jarvis and The Ghost Wood by Philip Reeve but I enjoyed each of the stories and The Ghost Walk by Matt Haig brought back memories of the ghost walk I did in York a few years ago.  Anthologies are a great way of trying new authors and I've definitely found some I want to add to my to read pile with this one.

If you're a horror fan then you'll love Haunted although if you're a bit of a wimp like I am you may find you only want to read it in daylight!  Treat yourself to a fright this Halloween & pick up your copy today.

Source: Received from Anderson Press in exchange for an honest review

Other reviews of this book:
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.

Haunted Blog Tour - Guest Post from Robin Jarvis

I'm very excited to welcome Robin Jarvis to the blog today as we kick of the Haunted blog tour.  I've been a massive fan of Robin Jarvis since I discovered his Whitby Witches, Deptford Mice & Deptford Histories trilogies as a young teen.  They were books I read over and over again and I still have the original copies that my Dad bought for me back in the early 90's (yes that does make me feel old lol).

The Haunted blog tour is to celebrate the release of the Haunted anthology, this is a perfect Halloween read containing scary stories from some fabulous writers - Susan Cooper, Joseph Delaney, Berlie Doherty, Jamila Gavin, Matt Haig, Robin Jarvis, Derek Landy, Sam Llewellyn, Mal Peet, Philip Reeve & Eleaor Updale.  I'll be posting my review of Haunted on Halloween so make sure you stop by then to read it.

A FACE in the mirror . . .
HOWLING in the night . . .
A BLACK DOG at your door . . .
COLD HANDS dragging you down . . .

Some of the best-loved children's authors have come together to bring you this terrifying collection of ghost stories:

There's a lost ghost child trapped in a mirror and wanting to pull you in; an evil Soul Eater waiting for its next victim; a ghost walk with a haunting twist; and the spirit of a drowned boy who needs to be put to rest.  These and many more spine-chilling tales will make you scream, shiver and gasp.

Open if you dare . . .

Visit the Anderson Press website for more information

Picture of Robin Jarvis & me (taken at the HarperCollins Afternoon Tea)

So without further ado I'm going to hand over to Robin Jarvis who is going to talk about what Halloween means to him . . .

Hallowe’en is a special time of the year for me. Growing up in the north, we always bobbed for apples, ducked for chestnuts, tangerines and pennies and begged to hear the family ghost stories repeated. Of witches we spoke in soft voices, whilst casting wary glances at the dark sky. Even though my young eyes scoured the night and never saw one, I knew they were up there.

The most magical and thrilling part of Hallowe’en however, was the making of the lantern. A fearsome face, lit by flame, was needed to guard you during that eerie, dangerous time when the worlds of the living and the dead touched and malevolent spirits went a - roaming.

Pumpkins are rubbish. There, I’ve said it. They belong to the Disneyfication of an ancient Celtic festival that was steeped in blood and terror and illuminated by fire. The time has come to champion the only true vegetable from which to make a Hallowe’en lantern – the turnip. Okay, I call them turnips yet somehow, over the years, they’ve been re-branded as “swedes” but they’re still turnips to me. It may sound odd to everyone else in the world but, in my opinion, there’s a deep, earthy magic to a turnip and I can understand why it was the natural choice for turning into lanterns before the gaudy orange usurper crossed the Atlantic. Turnips grow in the ground, the same soil the Celts associated with the underworld and into which they interred their dead.

Hollowing out a big turnip is a serious undertaking. People prefer the easy, soft scoop version of pumpkins, but that isn’t really the point. Turnip gouging is and should be a ritual. It requires concentration and effort and takes a flipping long time! It’s worth it in the end though. When the candle stub is lit within that golden flesh and a thread of smoke rises from the hole in the lid, suddenly that ferocious purple face is alive. That’s a genuinely magic moment.

I still make a turnip lantern every year and visit different supermarkets and grocer’s stalls in order to find the correct one. There’s a lot of character and variety to turnips. There are fat, round faces and sharp pointed ones, some have square chins or fibrous beards, others already have noses sprouting to show you where the front is. I know what I’m looking for, because I’ve been carving the same face for decades and only the right shape will do.

So you can keep the vastly inferior, dreary pumpkin. It’s got all the charm and enchantment of a fibreglass theme park castle, compared to the solid Stonehenge of a turnip. When He is on guard, I know its safe to scour the dark sky again and yearn to believe.

The young boy Bram, in my short story, “The Beach Hut” really needed the protection of a turnip lantern. But it was the height of summer, at the seaside, and his thoughts were filled with rock pools and ice cream. Besides, malignant ghosts don’t go haunting then – or do they?

Thanks so much for a fabulous guest post Robin, I actually carved my first ever pumpkin last year & really enjoyed doing it.  I guess I should be buying a turnip to carve this year though - although it sounds like there is much more work involved in carving them!