Falling to Ash by Karen Mahoney

Synopsis

Trapped between two very different worlds, newly made vampire Moth is struggling to find her place in either. Not only does she have to answer to her strict Irish-Catholic Dad, but her over-protective maker, Theo, is intent on making her the star attraction in his powerful Boston vampire clan. Moth will have to pull off the double-act of the century to please both of them...

Adding to her problems is the dangerously attractive Jason Murdoch, a trainee vampire hunter who loves to play cat and mouse in his spare time (Jace = cat; Moth = mouse). But when the teenagers of Boston’s wealthiest families start to disappear, it forces Moth and Jace into an uneasy truce. Will they be able to solve the mystery behind the disappearances—before someone winds up undead?

I'm on a roll at the moment having read a number of fabulous books. September's been a bumper month and I've been struggling to decide what to read next but have been so looking forward to Falling to Ash that it was an easy decision to start it straight away. I've always loved vampires but for me they have to be the deadly dangerous sort. I was intrigued by Moth since I read her short story in the Kiss Me Deadly anthology back in 2010. Moth is not the sort of vampire that we've become used to in recent years. She's newly made - only a year into her undead existence - and she's yet to come into her powers fully. Still able to walk in the daylight but she's swapped a life of misery with her alcoholic father for suffocatin with an over-protective maker. Her comings and goings are restricted and she has to learn the ways of her new family. She's also had to drop out of college and rarely gets to see her much-loved little sister.

These aren't her only problems. Police turn up on her doorstep wanting to know why a murdered boy has her address in his pocket. When she goes to investigate his body she finds Jace the vampire hunter and together they discover that the boy has transformed into a zombie. They team up to find out who is doing the killing and must do it quickly before more teenagers are taken. Moth is a fabulous character - she's both gutsy and foolhardy but also touchingly trusting and vulnerable. Her tragic family background gives her a sorrowful, serious air but she's also sharp-witted and mistress of the eye roll. 

Moth and Jace are a brilliant partnership and I was praying for them to get together. I won't give anything away but they have some wonderful moments together. Jace has his own problems - a totally single-minded vampire hunting father and zombies a-plenty. Jace is a great believer in research and has a huge library at his disposal. I like to think of him and Moth as a sort of Giles and Buffy combo - but well matched in age and sexy and … oh dear, you know what I mean. Jace is all wise and thinks things though while Moth acts instinctively and goes with her gut. They are the perfect duo!

The story is a wonderful whodunit and it breezes along to an explosive ending. The world of Falling to Ash is rich with folklore. I loved discovering the rules that the vampires must live by and how zombies are created. I sense that there's much to be revealed in the next book. Also available is the Moth Tales  webcomic (brilliantly illustrated by Candace Ellis) which is updated every Monday and Friday and I urge you to check it out in all its awesomeness. 

Fire City by Bali Rai

Twenty-five years ago the world changed forever. A great war, which had raged for three years ended, and the reign of the Demons began...

Within the crumbling walls of Fire City, fifteen-year-old Martha is a member of the resistance, a small band of humans fighting for freedom in a lawless and horrifying new world. Amidst the chaos of battle arrives Jonah, a handsome stranger with a thirst for revenge and a power to destroy the Demon rulers.

As Martha and Jonah's lives collide, the future of the resistance is altered forever. The battle for humankind will now begin. An epic story of catastrophe, survival and the power of humanity.

This is not like any other of Bali Rai's novels.  It's futuristic and dystopian and possibly post apocalyptic, is my feeling.  And yet, it is very much like a lot of his other novels - because it looks closely at family, friendship, responsibility, affiliations, people's reasons for doing what they do...so in that respect it's not unlike any of his other books that deal with all these issues and more.

I also think it's like his other books because the world he shows us in Fire City is broken - Bali's stories always deal with broken communities and the repercussions of those so, really what I'm trying to say is that although it's a different book (genre wise) for Bali to have written, it is also the kind of book he's always written, with the added elements of actual bad ass demons.

The world of Fire City is complex and well drawn, you can't fault him on that.  The attitude of the various characters may come as a shock to some readers: they are pragmatic and levelheaded.  If people have dreams and aspirations, it's been beaten out of them.  Hope is something you keep tucked away in your heart of hearts and never ever let it show because it could mean the difference between life and death.  Their world is small.  It exists of Fire City alone, their small community of friends.  You shuffle along, you do your thing, you don't ask questions and you keep your head down, you do not draw attention to yourself.

Our introduction to this world is through Martha's eyes - she's a local to Fire City. She knows how to toe the line, how to keep a lowish profile.  As part of the local resistance group she hunts the hunters at night...this sounds dramatic, but basically it works as follows: there are 2 kinds of people in Fire City - those who are "Wanted" (they have cushy lives and are the elite) and the "Unwanteds" and these guys and girls do all the menial labour for very little in exchange.  The demons select people to hunt during the "Hunt" from the aptly named "Unwanted" populace.  And what Martha and the rest of the resistance do during this time is hunt the demons and save as many Unwanteds as they can find.

But it's when Jonah appears during the hunt that things are kicked up a notch - here is a very able bodied young man with a devastating skillset laying waste to bad ass creatures it takes the average human a long time to kill.

From the get go we understand that Jonah has secrets - for some time before we learn his name, he is merely "the stranger" and it reminded me of the novel the movie Drive is based on where the main character is only ever known as "the driver".  The mystery surrounding Jonah and his task (to take down the head demon and as many of his cronies as he can) is pivotal to the role.

Interestingly the narrative moves away from Martha and Jonah to other secondary cast members in Fire City.  It forms a greater picture as a whole, but it did jar me a bit as I'm not used to it in YA fiction.  But then, I did get used to it and I enjoyed getting to know the various voices and you come to understand the motivations behind their actions.

Martha is a very worthy, very strong character - she has her own skillset and her own inner demons and doubts to face.  I liked that she did a lot of the saving and she took point on various missions.  I didn't however feel that her assessment of Jonah when they first met rang true.  I had my doubts, I really did, that Bali would be able to pull off the attraction she felt towards this loner boy who seemed to be this flat facade.  But then I forget the power mysterious strangers have.  You want to know what's going on...and as we learn more about Jonah we realise why he holds up this facade to the world and you understand why Martha finds him so intriguing.

Fire City pulls no punches.  There is violence.  There is the reality of characters dying in bad ways.  There is greed and hubris.  The world they inhabit is tough and therefore they have to be tough - the story develops strong and fast and the characters are tough and strong but they never ever lose their humanity. Martha especially retains a great sense of compassion when faced with the suffering of the people she knows. She's impatient sometimes, she's rude but never out of malice, unless you are her stepdad well then, you better run.

There is a lot going on in Fire City.  I'd say that if you were a boy who likes RPG games and shoot 'em ups, you'd love Fire City.  There is action aplenty and the dystopian world Bali's created is very vivid.  Similarly, if you're a girl, you'll have fun with the action but you'll revel in Martha's strength and attitude. Bali takes his time setting things out and explaining things, so even reluctant readers, who may initially be put off by the size of the book, will be able to work their way through this with a sense of accomplishment.  The packaging is clever and the book looks great.

I think Bali's proved himself here that he remains one of the UK's top storytellers for teens. Well done, Mr. Rai, you shiny star.  More power to the writing elbow!

The Seeing by Diana Hendry

Synopsis

"What gave me a sudden shiver was the notion that there were two of me. The little sister me, who was good and mostly kind; the girl Alice and Dottie knew. And then there was this other me, the one lurking inside me, eager for danger and risk, for something that could be as wild as the sea in winter. For Natalie."

Nothing ever seems to happen in the quiet, respectable seaside town of Norton. The war is over, and everyone's thrilled to be living peacefully - everyone but thirteen-year-old Lizzie, who's so bored she feels like she could scream. Until wild, dangerous, break-all-the-rules Natalie arrives. Lizzie is drawn irresistibly to the exciting new girl from the wrong side of the tracks, and as the girls grow closer over the summer, Lizzie discovers a new side to the town - and to herself - that she had never imagined before.

Natalie and her young brother, Philip, let Lizzie in on a secret. Despite what everyone thinks, the danger of war is still hanging over them. Philip has a 'second sight', and all around him he sees evil: apparently innocent people, hiding in this quiet town until the time is right for revenge. Natalie and Philip call them 'Left-Over Nazis'. It's up to them to root these people out and force them out of Norton. Lizzie is swept up in what begins as an exciting game, but as the children begin to target their neighbours, the consequences of Philip's 'gift' spiral quickly out of control.

A chilling, powerful tale that will linger with you long after the final page, from Whitbread Award-winner Diana Hendry.

I first heard about The Seeing at the Random House Book Blogger's Brunch and thought it sounded like an eerie tale. Ironically my mum would have been a year younger than Lizzie was in 1956 and know from the stories she's told that the fifties were no picnic. Rationing only ended in 1954 and the war was still raw in people's memories. However, it's only a year until Harold Macmillan says we've, "Never had it so good," so truly an odd time. Lizzie and Natalie can't remember the war but the signs of it are all around them. It's also a difficult time for both of our main characters but for different reasons. Lizzie's sister Lal is about to get married and is an adult now leaving Lizzie feeling left out and just a kid. Natalie is new to the area but her dad was a casualty of the war and she's obviously being neglected by her mother. The two form an unlikely friendship and from this point the story spirals into one initially of unease and then later downright danger.

The prologue tells us that something terrible is going to happen but the author weaves such a spell that I spent most of the book in a state of dread. Thirteen is a difficult time and Lizzie is keen to get away from her safe existence; she abandons old friends and is overjoyed when Natalie shows an interest in her. Where Lizzie has a comfortable and well-off life, Natalie is obviously poor and where Lizzie is quiet and obedient Natalie is wild. But Natalie does take notice of Lizzie and with eight-year-old Philip they begin the, "game," of rooting out LON's or Left-Over Nazi's. This involves Philip having a vision and Natalie interpreting it to identify the person hiding in the community pretending to be normal. Once they find their target they expose them by sending them letters or bullying them as they go about their business. This obviously has a life-altering effect on the individual but Natalie sees it as her duty and Lizzie is happy to go along with her.

From this point onwards the book is nothing but dark and disturbing. It becomes clear that Natalie's motivation is her awful home life and the loss of her father. Philip is haunted by the, "bastard uncles," who visit his mother but also seems to have some real psychic talent which adds an element of mystery to the story. For Lizzie's part she's struggling with the girl that everyone sees from the outside and the part of her inside that feels different, who wants more than the quiet safe life that she endures. But as the story progresses and Lizzie and Philip start to think for themselves, Natalie becomes more unpredictable.

The Seeing is a slim book of less than two hundred pages but that doesn't detract from a truly powerful tale. I loved that the story was part first person point of view from Lizzie, part diary-entry from Natalie with added letters from a painter on the beach to his sister. The painter - Hugo - gives an interesting adult view to the events making the story all the more macabre.

Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb

Synopsis

Meg Lytton has always known of her dark and powerful gift. Raised a student of the old magick by her Aunt Jane, casting the circle to see visions of the future and concocting spells from herbs and bones has always been as natural to Meg as breathing. But there has never been a more dangerous time to practise the craft, for it is 1554, and the sentence for any woman branded a witch is hanging, or burning at the stake.


Sent to the ruined, isolated palace of Woodstock to serve the disgraced Elizabeth, daughter of Henry VIII and half-sister of Queen Mary, Meg discovers her skills are of interest to the outcast princess, who is desperate to know if she will ever claim the throne. But Meg's existence becomes more dangerous every day, with the constant threat of exposure by the ruthless witchfinder Marcus Dent, and the arrival of a young Spanish priest, Alejandro de Castillo, to whom Meg is irresistibly drawn - despite their very different attitudes to her secret.


Thrilling and fast-paced, this is the first unputdownable story in a bewitching new series.

I sadly neglect historical novels - I'm not sure why as whenever I do read one I always enjoy them. When I heard about Witchstruck at a Random House Bloggers Brunch I knew I wanted to read it. Historical paranormal? I'm in! From the very beginning the danger of practising witchcraft is apparent. Meg and Aunt Jane are forced to practice at night with barely enough time to finish their ceremonies properly before they are discovered. Meg is a maid to the Lady Elizabeth and they reside in the dank, damp palace of Woodstock where Elizabeth is being kept away from court. Her half sister Queen Mary is keeping her there, safely out of the way. Being Elizabeth's maid doesn't guarantee Meg any safety. Marcus Dent the witch finder has had his eye on her for years and is determined to marry her. By staying at Woodstock she hopes he'll forget about her. Even though they are in exile the catholic fervour which has taken over the country comes to them in the shape of two priests - one elderly and the other …. well, hello Alejandro de Castillo.

Witchstruck is a glorious combination of dark magic and simmering desires. There's Elizabeth and her thwarted hopes to return to court and claim the throne. Then there's Meg who wants nothing more than to pretend that she hasn't noticed how downright gorgeous Alejandro is. Alejandro's trying desperately to remember that he's going to be a priest in under a year. Then there's Meg's brother and cousin who are determined to rally support for Elizabeth no matter how much danger they might bring to her door.

There's plenty of threat and malice in these pages. I found Marcus Dent to be a terrifying villain. I'm also pretty sure that we haven't seen the worst of him yet. The unfairness of a witch trial (if you drown you're innocent and if you live you're destined to be hanged or worse) is vividly portrayed. The scenes between him and Meg made my skin crawl. But it's Alejandro who steals the book for me. There's nothing quite like a forbidden romance and a slow burning one at that. There's not a hint of insta-love here. Meg, quite rightly, starts off regarding him with great suspicion while he makes all sorts of assumptions about our heroine. I loved them! It's Meg's voice which carries this book along. She's bloody minded and determined, passionate and loyal. I really enjoyed Witchstruck and hope I don't have to wait to long for the next instalment.

Itch by Simon Mayo

Meet Itch - an accidental, accident-prone hero. Science is his weapon. Elements are his gadgets.


Itchingham Lofte - known as Itch - is fourteen, and loves science - especially chemistry. He's also an element-hunter: he's decided to collect all the elements in the periodic table. Which has some interesting and rather destructive results in his bedroom . . .


Then, Itch makes a discovery. A new element, never seen before. At first no one believes him - but soon, someone hears about the strange new rock and wants it for himself. And Itch is in serious danger . . .


Itch is an unexpected novel in many ways.  When we attended the most recent blogger event at Random House and the editorial department and publicity girls spoke enthusiastically about this title, I was intrigued.  My geeky brain did cartwheels of joy.  I loved the idea of this kid being such a geek that he had a ROCK DEALER.  There was a bit of a vibration in the room as the bloggers realised who the author was: Simon Mayo.  I had no idea who that was, I'm sorry to admit.  They told me he was a famous DJ.  I couldn't care less, all I wanted was the story. Sarah, Darren from Bookzone and I made big exclamation marks on our sheets that we had to find out more about Itch when it came out.  As much as there was a vibration in the room about Simon Mayo having written the book, I could tell there was doubt and I felt it too. 

We've become used to being given books to review "written" by celebrities, only to discover that they did not live up to the hype or the merest tenets of storytelling.  However, something told me that I was not going to be disappointed.  Sometimes you just get that feeling.

When it came to reading Itch, I fell for the characters and writing.  The story is mad and fantastical and I loved it.  Itch as a character is superb.  He is so desperate to be this cool surfer guy, but he fails at catching waves.  Instead, he's more than happy to tinker in his bedroom (or the shed his mum banished him to, after he blew his eyebrows off) doing experiments and cataloguing his collection of rocks.  Yes, rocks.  Because Itch collects the various elements from the periodic table.  And of course, there's more to it than just collecting these elements.  Far more than we would have anticipated.

Simon Mayo, who has genuinely written this all by himself (with the imput from various well known scientists and professors and doctors to get all the sciencey bits right), makes Itch's story as he comes into possession of a mysterious rock and the subsequent chaos it creates in his small world, so believable that you literally ache for the poor guy.  Already on edge because of an awful accident at school (he took some arsenic into school and it mixed with the gasses in the greenhouse they were visiting, creating arsine gas which poisoned his entire class, teachers and himself) Itch can't believe it when he realises there is something hinky about this rock his dealer, Cake, handed him.  It stays warm, even when not in the sun.  And when the rock is checked for radiation (not a good thing) it registers practically off the scale.

Things go very wrong from this point forward for Itch, his cousin and best friend Jack (Jacqueline) and his younger sister, Chloe. As the three of them try and figure out what to do with the rock, they discover that Cake is dying from radiation poisoning and that he has several more pieces of rock.  The story takes on a nightmarish hue as Itch's one teacher steals the rock for his own nefarious purposes and honestly, I felt really shocked by some of the stuff that followed - but not in a bad way, but in a "wow, stuff like this is so awful but they can happen" kind of way. 

I have to applaud Mr. Mayo for including two very strong female characters in his cast of people to populate Itch.  Jack and Chloe are superb creations and they keep Itch level-headed and help him make informed choices.  They aren't without blame in all these shenanigans, I hasten to add.  The girls aren't goody goody at all, but they do feel very real and I think paired up Itch, they form a fantastic team. 

I've probably already said to much about the plot, so I won't go into that further.  What I will say though is that the book is incredibly well written and charming.  It is quite long too, longer than usual fiction for readers of this age, but to be honest, it didn't feel like it.  The story has substance and because you're going through all of this adventure you never stop to think how far you've come reading, only "how the hell do they get out of trouble this time around"?

There is quite a bit of science in the book.  Now, I like my science easy and explainable.  I love Brian Cox and do think Michio Kaku is a god, so I was worried about what I would encounter in Itch.  But we are in safe hands.  Everything science-bitty encountered by Itch and the girls is explained and even when it's not explained, it's inferred. I was thinking how to describe Itch to you guys and to reluctant readers and I came up with something like this: Itch is for kids and adults who like the idea of science and enjoy science fiction movies and books, but who find some of it dull in real life, when we have to sit through classes or lectures.  Itch makes science cool.  He made me go out and read up about the things he's collected and I've decided to actually buy more books on science and chemistry, because my interest was piqued by the discussions in the book. 

First and foremost though, Itch is about family and friendship and responsibility.  The science does play a big part in it, but it isn't really the story.

It has literally everything I love in a good book - mystery, action, adventure, genuinely engaging characters and without knowing it, I've learned stuff.  Also, the writing is genuinely good.  How do I explain this without sounding like an idiot?   Sometimes I read books for younger readers and I can tell the author has pitched it for that audience.  Reading Itch felt like I was reading a super-intelligent book that happened to be for younger readers.  The author doesn't talk down to the audience and fully expects the reader to be on board with all the mad things that happen without over explaining things. If Simon Mayo and Itch can make me, at age 39, go buy books about string theory and chaos theory, teachers will have a field day getting kids to read this.  We'll have a new generation of mad scientists on our hands.  Wait, maybe I shouldn't say that?

Itch is out now from Random House / Doubleday and comes highly recommended from Team MFB.

The Dragonsdome Blog Tour - Dancing with Dragons

The Dragonsdome Books are by an author called Lucinda Hare.  I had not heard of them until I was approached by Random House to ask if we would be interested in being part of the blog tour.  It took me about ten seconds to say yes, after I read the information sheet they supplied to accompany the request.  Dragons.  Evil Hobgoblins.  Magic.  Dwarfs. Quests.  It was as if I was targeted by Lucinda Hare and her publicity people! I fear my tastes have become too well known! What to do...what to do...

For me, and everyone else, I think, dragons are very much a European thing and an Asian thing.  So when Rosi at Random House sent me the a blogpost entitled:  Native American Culture and its influence on Lucinda’s writing I thought...what...the hell? It made no sense to me.  I'm pretty sure there aren't dragons in Native American lore...But then, gentle reader, I picked up a copy of The Dragon Whisperer and read it and loved it to bits and then the guest blog I had subsequently received made sense.  I am such a Thomas. 

Here then is the very awesome blogpost by Lucinda Hare - and it is genuinely a superb blogpost, especially for aspiring writers as it covers quite a bit of world-building and taking what's contemporary and your own interests, and swinging it to make it relevant to your story.

***

I’m often asked where I found the inspiration for my dragons’ names like Two Gulps & You’re Gone? Well, dragon names, the months of the year, and the hours of the day are all inspired by my passion for Native American culture, as is the core idea of The Dragonsdome Chronicles: talking to animals, in this case dragons.

With my childhood and my heart firmly rooted in the countryside, I have always loved the natural world and the feathered, and furry four-legged friends who share it with us; they are at the core of my family’s life and my stories. Animals also play a key role in Native American cultures. They are not exploited but respected; they are seen as teachers and guides and companions, their gifts and wisdom shared; their existence key to our own survival. Of these many traditions, animal totems and animal speak are beliefs embedded in the heart of The Dragon Whisperer, given voice by Quenelda, a young girl who can talk the language of the dragons, who will have to confront in Flight to Dragon Isle some of the many examples of exploitation and cruelty towards them that exist in our own world, who struggles to give them a voice where others see and hear ‘only animals’. Rescuing and re-homing injured, old and behavioural problem animals means you have to learn their ‘language’ (behaviour, movement, character and vocalisation), both as a species and as individuals, from dogs and feral cats to abandoned baby wood mice: this has led friends to call me an ‘animal whisperer’.

What I was going to name my talking dragons was one of my first challenges as an author. I did not want to name them the way we commonly name our pets as this did not do justice to these magnificent magical creatures. Sooty the dragon does not work and Fluffy is out of the question! Nor did I want the overly romanticised names so common in science fantasy. I wanted something gritty and evocative; something that reflected the reality of a scaled, fire-breathing, six-taloned nightmare the size of a football pitch bearing down on you. I also wanted names to reflect each dragon's breed and individual character.


Chinook

 So I turned to my lifelong interest in and admiration for Native American cultures and their name giving ceremonies; where a name is given that has special meaning reflecting each individual’s unique personality. Traditionally this name would be given during a ceremony by tribal elders or a medicine man; a ritual handed down from generation to generation. The name chosen might suggest itself in a vision, or a pipe ceremony or at dream time. A wonderful example of what I mean is Kuwanyamtiwa, a Hopi name meaning 'beautiful badger going over the hill'. Work that one out if you can! Hakidonmuya is another Hopi name meaning 'time of the waiting moon.' Kaliska is a Native American Miwok name meaning 'coyote chasing deer’. Where we can, we name our own pets in similar fashion. For example we gave the name Chinook to a gentle little feral cat (no longer feral, but it took years), who is as free and gentle as the warm coastal winds that blow where the Canadian prairies meet the Great Plains of America.

 Where I cannot claim to know of the traditional rites handed down from generation to generation I have given my dragons names that are true to these principles. Thus Imperial Blacks, the greatest of all dragons, were given names like Stormcracker Thundercloud III, Dangerous & Deadly, and Leave in Smoking Ruins. All names that would strike fear into their enemies. Another key battledragon is the boastful and proud Sabretooth that Tangnost and Quenelda are trying to treat without getting frazzled to a crisp. Sabretooths are cave dragons with huge incisors and an appetite to match, so Two Gulps & You're Gone struck me as ideal. He would have at least a dozen hobgoblins for dinner! But Chasing the Stars is the name given to Root’s gentle mare whose character is inspired by our own little Chinook.

 

Chasing the Stars in illustration entitled ‘Oops!’ taken from The Dragon Whisperer

The medieval magical world of the Dragonsdome Chronicles has nothing in common with our modern day and age of high-rise cities, the internet, cars and planes. Yes, there is magic, but like technology, it has its limits. How can even a mighty Imperial Black battledragon fly in a howling blizzard? So, how do you measure time in such a primordial world? When you are world building it is good to find a different language to describe familiar things, and once again I turned to Native American culture to come up with ideas for such a wild, untamed world. There was a time not so very long ago when our very survival was tied to the rhythms of nature and the changing of the seasons, and thus time was measured by the cycle of the full moon. Full moons dominate the night sky and have attracted unique names of their own that reflect those seasons. I have borrowed Native American names for full moons below, with some alternative names in brackets; but this personal choice reflects only a fraction of the many tribal variants such as Abenaki, Cheyenne, Cherokee, Comanche, Kiowa, Lakota, Mohawk, Potawatomi and Shoshoni that exist. Those in bold print represent those adopted by the American Indian Association. Some of these names may be familiar to readers in the UK: I grew up calling September moon the harvest moon, and October the hunter’s moon.

January Wolf Moon (Snow Moon)
February Snow Moon (Hunger Moon)
March Sap Moon (Maple Sugar Moon / Crow Moon)
April Sprouting Grass Moon ( Frog Moon / Wild Goose Moon)
May Corn Planting Moon (Flower Moon)
June Hot Moon (Strawberry Moon / Rose Moon)
July Thunder Moon (Blood Moon / Buck Moon)
August Grain Moon (Moon of the Green Corn)
September Harvest Moon
October Hunters Moon (Moon of the Falling Leaves)
November Frost Moon (Beaver Moon)
December Long Nights Moon (Cold Moon)

I took a light hearted approach to the hours of the day and years; although they draw upon the same inspiration they are entirely fictitious. Flight to Dragon Isle opens with the new year of The Sabretooth Dormouse, and hours of the day are in the same vein but with a distinctive Scottish twist:

Howling wolf -One
Stealthy Lynx - Two
Dozy Hedgehog  - Three
Tawny Owl - Four
Yawning Dormouse - Five
Strutting Cockerel - Six
Blackbird - Seven
Stroppy Capercaillie - Eight
Cross-eyed Squirrel - Nine
Eager Beaver - Ten
Irritated Bumblebee - Eleven
Osprey - Noon
Inquisitive Stoat - One
WildCat - Two
Blue-spotted Earwig - Three
Grumpy Badger - Four
Wild Boar - Five
Very Plump Ptarmigan - Six
Sabre-toothed Rabbit - Seven
Giant Slug - Eight
Hunting Fox - Nine
Black Bear - Ten
Creeping Lynx - Eleven
The Witching Hour - Midnight

Native Americans see themselves as stewards of the earth and all its inhabitants - man and beast - not owners. They recognize the symmetry and balance in nature and, unlike modern societies today, respect our environment and all its diverse and unique life forms. Quenelda’s world is equally imperfect, but through her, I hope to give animals a voice.

Thank you so much to Lucinda and Rosi for letting MFB be part of the tour.  We wish Root and Quenelda the best of luck with all their travails and I look forward to sharing my two reviews of the Lucinda's books with MFB readers.

Please do visit Lucinda's website - she is a talented artist and has spent some time creating superb pieces from the books. 

Tessa Gratton talks to MFB

In June I reviewed the wonderful Blood Magic and was lucky enough to be able to interview Tessa Gratton too. Here's what she had to say: -

Hi Tessa and welcome to My Favourite Books.

Tell us about where your research for Blood Magic took you. What sorts of things did you find yourself reading?

I read a lot of books about body-snatching in Scotland, England, and the US, about American folk magic, the Pennsylvania-Dutch, and European Medieval magic, alchemy, and early frontier medicine. Most of that was all to develop my system of magic and the history of its practitioners.

Silla and Nick are both struggling with damaged pasts and are essentially true of heart yet Josephine is a nasty piece of work but conscience free. Why do baddies get to have all the fun?

LOL. Well, bad guys want the bad consequences! Those of us we try to do good most of the time have to be aware of the consequences of our actions, and take responsibility for them. You can’t ignore repercussions of something like blood magic (or getting into a car drunk, for example). For the good guys, it isn’t just about selfish fun.

Following on from this, you've done some brilliant videos of Josephine's diary entries. She's such a glorious character, how much did you enjoy writing/acting her part?

She was the most fun to write, hands down! I can do just about anything with her because she’s so free and just evil enough to do anything she wants! Acting her role was frustrating because I don’t have any clothes that she would actually wear – so I stressed about it! But once it was taken care of, I loved it. She’s delicious.

There are a lot of parallels between blood magic and self harm. Although Silla isn't self-harming she has lost weight, altered her appearance and behaviour. Did you worry that people would take the act of blood magic the wrong way?

I hope that readers will see that the issue is complicated – and it’s important to bring up consequences again, as above. You can’t do something without consequences. Whether that’s self-harm, blood magic, not eating, etc. Everything you do changes you, and you need to be aware of that. I do think the vast majority of readers are smart and savvy and will see the complications (and the fantasy), so I’m not terribly worried.

People are always quick to criticise subject matter in young adult fiction but Shakespeare often covered equally dark subjects. How do you feel about this?

I think that readers self-censor. If a teen doesn’t want to read about something dark, he or she won’t. And if they do, then my not writing about it won’t stop them. They can find it in adult literature and things like, as you mention, Shakespeare. There’s nothing I’m going to write that can’t be found on basic television or video games, either.

Will we see more of Silla and Nick?

Maaaaaybe. :D

Tell us about how Merry Fates got started. How do the three of you find time to write your short stories?

The three of us were critique partners already, and we all met online. I’d been giving away free fiction (short stories and a serial novel) online for about 2 years, and Maggie did an art project one year where she painted a complete painting every day. She suggested we do a similar thing with stories – that’s how Merry Fates was born. As for finding time, some days it was harder than others, but usually it was only a matter of discipline. You sometimes have to give up time from writing other things or an hour of TV watching! You find time for the things you prioritize, and we all prioritize writing and Merry Fates.

Thank you for again for taking the time to talk to us!

Gorilla Adventure by Willard Price

Hal and Roger Hunt head off for another challenging mission- this time to search for gorillas deep in the Congo jungle. But when the boys stumble across the evil trade in baby gorillas, someone seems determined to silence them once and for all..

While Gorilla Adventure is part of the Adventure series, it's essentially a standalone story that can be read either on it's own or as part of the series. First published in 1969, Gorilla Adventure is part of a classic tradition of stories from the golden age of adventure, before the world and the magic of uncharted territories was googled into extinction.

The story sees brothers Hal and Roger Hunt being sent on a mission into the Congo by their wildlife collecting father. Their purpose? To capture a series of rare and exotic animals and bring them home to be sold to zoos and conservatories, with the prize specimen on their list being a highland gorilla from the deepest jungle, a concept which in today's eco-conscious world seems utterly bizarre and quite shocking. But, written in the era that it was, no great fuss is made on this point, and while Hal and Roger's attitude seems disconcertingly mercenary at first, as the story progresses and the come up against the ugly truth of the impact of poaching a distinctly pro-conservation message comes through which makes them far more sympathetic and likeable.

The story itself is a rolling catalogue of the stars of the African jungle interspersed with a cast of supporting characters drawn in broad brush strokes, who are really only there to support Hal and Roger as they stumble across a increasingly fantastic array of the rarest animals. Price, however, presents his menagerie in a way that makes you want to plan a safari, or at least a day trip out to a decent zoo, which more than makes up for it.

An unfortunate by-product of portraying the brothers as cool headed, larger than life adventurers though is that they come across as too cool, that the wondrous animals that seem to be all but throwing themselves at their feet are all a a bit ho-hum and to be expected. This persists with some of challenges thrown at them, and while I could live with this, the one example of this that jarred me from the story was when Roger is hit in the eyes by a spitting cobra. Rather than be incapacitated by this, he proceeds to first suck the venom from a colleague's snake bite, administer an anti-venom serum to the hapless man, and then capture said cobra in a sack before deciding to succumb to its venom!

That said, the book is still fun to read- don't overthink it, and just let yourself go along for the ride. For all its idiosyncrasies, the sudden ending and the years that have passed it has a quaint innocence and manages to conjure the sheer wonder and magic of Africa, and to bring home the unexpected fragility of some of its mightiest denizens.

Cosmo's Story by Sarah Hawkins

Synopsis

Cosmo the kitten with bright green eyes and tabby stripes, looks just like a tiny tiger - but he definitely doesn't act like one! Shy and timid when he is brought home from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, soon he and his new owner Megan are the best of friends. One day, Cosmo notices a bluebird nest in a tree in the garden - Mum jokes that Cosmo is only interested in the nest because he wants to catch the birds inside! But when a baby bird tumbles from the nest, will gentle Cosmo end up wanting to help or harm it?

When Liz and I were going through the books for July this range of titles caught my eye. There's loads of kitten and puppy (and at work I saw a rabbit one the other day!) related stories available but these are produced in association with Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. It's a simple and sweet story aimed at ages 5 and upwards about Megan who has been promised a kitten for her birthday. Rather than taking one from her friend's cat who has a litter then go to Battersea and choose one.

Cosmo was abandoned in a box on Battersea's doorstep and Megan instantly falls in love with him. The book follows the process they go through; from choosing him, their house visit to the moment he finally comes home. I especially loved how he explored his surroundings and quickly became a part of the family. The best bit about this series of books is the information about Battersea in the back plus tips on how to look after your dog or cat. Full of lovely illustrations Cosmo's story manages to be both educational but also fun.

As an owner of a rescue cat I wholeheartedly support the message in Cosmo's Story!

PBS #7 - Little Monster Did It by Helen Cooper

Everything was quiet and peaceful in the house until Little Monster arrived. 


Little Monster loves Amy, but he hates the new baby.  Soon he starts doing some very naughty things and Amy gets the blame...

Little Monster Did It by Helen Cooper is a wonderfully illustrated picture book for younger readers.  I would say under six's would get most enjoyment out of it, and of course, us older folk too.  Especially in the fine detail of the artwork which is not intensely coloured, but instead, by using muted hues, their impact is quite striking and...thoughtful.  It's difficult to explain.  The colours used throughout made me want to pause in my consideration of them, they drew me in, which I really liked.

Amy loves her mum and dad and loves the time they spend together.  She likes that it's only the 3 of them.  But when her mum goes to hospital, after giving Amy a large Little Monster as a present, and she comes back with a new baby, needless to say, Amy is not best pleased.  And Little Monster is deeply upset.  He throws tantrums and makes a noise when the baby wants to sleep.  When they all cuddle in with mum and dad and the new baby, Little Monster spitefully opens the hot water bottle in the bed and empties it all out.  Of course, all his naughty actions are blamed on Amy.

It is a very fast read, mostly because the pictures themselves tell most of the story - the prose is light and clever, but not as clever as seeing Amy's naughty face peer out from behind the tv watching Little Monster push donuts into the VCR.  The expression is surprisingly sly and naughty and works so well.

I know exactly what Amy was going through and although I didn't have Little Monster, I acted very badly towards my nieces and nephews until I realised that they would become my best friends forever.  All I had to do was give them a chance.

Little Monster Did It is a clever book for young readers struggling to cope with a new addition to the family or an upcoming new addition to the family.  It makes them stop and think and it made me, as a reader, feel very nostalgic for my own overly busy childhood with hordes of nieces, nephews and cousins underfoot.

Find Helen Cooper's website here.  A bit thanks goes to Random House who have listened so kindly to my pleas for more picture books to be featured on Picture Book Saturdays.  They give me immense enjoyment and I find my wishlist of picture books growing and growing!

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton and Giveaway

Synopsis

For Nick Pardee and Silla Kennicot, the cemetery is the center of everything.

Nick is a city boy angry at being forced to move back to the nowhere town of Yaleylah, Missouri where he grew up. He can’t help remembering his mom and the blood magic she practiced – memories he’s tried for five years to escape. Silla, though, doesn’t want to forget; her parents’ apparent murder-suicide left her numb and needing answers. When a book of magic spells in her dad’s handwriting appears on her doorstep, she sees her chance to unravel the mystery of their deaths.

Together they plunge into the world of dark magic, but when a hundred-year-old blood witch comes hunting for the bones of Silla’s parents and the spell book, Nick and Silla will have to let go of everything they believe about who they are, the nature of life and death, and the deadly secrets that hide in blood.

This is yet another of my hotly-anticipated books for 2011. I've followed Tessa's Livejournal for a while and couldn't wait to get a copy. I hoped it would be dark and magical so dived in as soon as it arrived. I'm a bit worried I won't be able to do it justice in this review but I'm going to have a go. Firstly, there's Silla who before the suspected murder/suicide of her parents was a happy-go-lucky girl. Before, she was pretty, open and popular but now it's after and she has lost weight, cut her hair, has few friends and is barely recognisable as her former self. The result of this is that she's an outsider and the source of gossip in a pretty small town.

Nick's come from Chicago and isn't over the moon to find himself in Missouri in the middle of senior year. After taking a walk to get away from his awful (totally hateful!) stepmother he comes across Silla in a graveyard, cutting her thumb and rejuvenating a dried up leaf. This moment of blood magic causes Nick to remember his mother who always had plasters on her fingers and taught him the basics of her craft. The next day at school Nick gets a chance to introduce himself properly and I have to say, wow, he is seriously charming. He has a sort of casual way about him that enables him to make friends but be confident enough to stand apart from them and disagree if needs be. Silla and Nick together are a great, sexy couple. So often in young adult books I feel that the relationships are unnaturally chaste. I mean, I'm not suggesting that everyone should be getting in deep and heavy every five seconds but I appreciate it when two teens actually kiss and mean it and there's no heavy moralistic vibe behind the relationship.

Silla isn't totally alone though. She has a solid support in the form of Gram Judy, who stepped in after her parents died, and Reese - her brother. Whilst Silla won't believe that her dad murdered her mum Reese does and is struggling with his anger. Despite this his love for Silla is clear. Together, with the help of Nick, they try to unravel the secrets in their dad's magic book as they explore how far blood magic can take them. Interspersed through the book are excepts from the diary of Josephine Darly. Although her story starts in 1903 it becomes apparent that what she has to say has relevance to the present day. Josephine is a fantastic character; selfish, passionate, jealous and - to be frank- an out-and-out bitch. Tessa Gratton has done some brilliant videos of Josephine's chapters and I implore you to check them out.

Needless to say Silla, Nick and Reese get deeply involved before they realise how much danger they are in. I was totally surprised by the outcome and didn't see it coming at all. I sense I'm rambling even more than usual so I'll wrap this up by saying that Blood Magic is one of my favourite books of the year so far. It's bloody and at times bleak yet full of hope and self-discovery and I loved it.

GIVEAWAY

We have one advanced proof copy of Blood Magic to give away. This competition is open to UK people only and a winner will be chosen using random. org from the comments. Please leave your email in the comments and we'll contact you on or after the closing date (Monday 4th July) if you've won to get your address so we can send out your prize. One comment per entry only please!

Good luck!

PBS #4 Dexter Bexley and the Big Blue Beastie On The Road

Welcome to MFB's fourth Picture Book Saturday.

I must apologise for the behind-ness of this feature.  I have no other excuse other than: a crazy life in which Saturdays aren't really my own.

However, I have now got my act in order and so pleased to offer regular reviews on some excellent picture books sent to us by various publishers.

Today's Picture Book Saturday features Joel Stewart's fabulous Dexter Bexley and the Big Blue Beastie on the Road.

The book opens with this great image of Dexter and the Beastie standing on the roofs of a town, hooting and tooting on their horns.  It is night time and the stars and half moon is out.  They are kicking up a racket and an angry speech bubble from a garret tells them to Be Quiet!

By refusing to Be Quiet and To Behave, Dexter and the Beastie get thrown out of town.  Straight out, into the deep dark scary forest.  They don't stay frightened for very long.  They walk along, tooting and hooting on their horns and trumpets when they unexpectedly come across the tremendously charing Sir Percy Pecket who loves their hooting and asks them to assist in waking up his Beloved, the Princess Philippina.  The Princess awakes and like Sir Percy she adores the hooting and joins in with her flute.  But then the Princess asks Sir Percy if he's taken care of that pesky dragon problem.  Sadly, he did not and so Dexter, the Princess and Beastie all set off to give the Frightful Dragon what for.  Only, it turns out the Dragon is actually quite cool and he learns to tapdance to their tunes.

Well, the story continues apace, with the Princess, Dexter and Beastie and the Dragon giving performance here there and everywhere.  Until they realise they just cannot stop!

Needless to say, this is a great picture book.  The language is wonderful and the illustrations are quirky and fun and I quite would love a Big Blue Beastie of my own.  Now, please?  Their adventures are over the top, loud and funny and they meet unexpected characters who act in charming and eccentric ways.  It's a book about friendship and music, packed with comedy and giggles.  I loved it and can highly recommend it to readers both very small and very old.

The Emerald Atlas Trailers

We've just received a swathe of great looking trailers from Random House for their fab new novel: The Emerald Atlas (reviewed here by the shiny Essjay) by author John Stephen.

Do check them out:

Teaser Trailer:

John Stephen chatting about the novel with some lovely animated bits thrown in:

I am really drawn to the fantastic looking artwork used in these trailers.  This has to be a favourite:

Gabriel character trailer.

The more I watch these and the more I re-read Sarah's review, it makes me want to shuffle my life around to read The Emeral Atlas myself!

The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens

Synopsis

Kate, Michael, and Emma have been in one orphanage after another for the last ten years, passed along like lost baggage.

Yet these unwanted children are more remarkable than they could possibly imagine. Ripped from their parents as babies, they are being protected from a horrible evil of devastating power, an evil they know nothing about.

Until now.

Before long, Kate, Michael, and Emma are on a journey to dangerous and secret corners of the world...a journey of allies and enemies, of magic and mayhem. And - if an ancient prophesy is correct - what they do can change history, and it is up to them to set things right.

The Emerald Atlas brims with humor and action as it charts Kate, Michael, and Emma's extraordinary adventures through an unforgettable, enchanted world.

Although I spend a great deal of time reading young adult fiction I have a massive love for younger fiction too. I still re-read The Dark Is Rising series, the Narnia books, Harry Potter and Philip Pullman's Dark Materials books. When I was lucky enough to receive a bunch of arcs at the Random House Book Bloggers Brunch earlier this year it was The Emerald Atlas that drew me in. There's something incredibly exciting starting a new series that promises to transport the reader to a new world. I couldn't wait to get reading and started it on the train journey home.

We find Kate, Michael and Emma at the end of the line as far as orphanages go. They find themselves shipped off to a rambling and decaying house at Cambridge Falls being looked after by a mysterious Dr. Pym. Whilst investigating the house they find a book which transport them to an earlier time where the house, and Cambridge Falls itself, is a very different place.

From the beginning I loved the three main characters. Each one is affected in a slightly different way by the absence of their parents which would be the case given their disparity in age. Kate has the biggest burden, the promise she made to her mother to take care of Michael and Emma which has dragged her down over the years without her even realising it. Michael relies heavily on facts and seemingly useless bits of information. Little Emma is a fighter and used to acting first, often impulsively. Each one changes as the story progresses and the results of their abandonment are themes that I've not seen touched on in quite this way in a story like this before.

I wasn't expecting there to be quite so much humour but there was plenty. I especially loved the woman, obsessed by swans, who visited the orphanage with an idea of adopting them. There are some laugh out loud moments but also some thought-provoking ones. I especially loved the dwarfs and their underground world. As the book drew to a close I was pretty sure I knew what would happen but was happy to be wrong. The Emerald Atlas is a fantastic start of a series. Plenty of questions are yet to be answered and I look forward to the sequel.

The Summoning by E E Richardson

Synopsis:

Justin hasn't ever really believed in the occult, even though his Grandpa, Blake is an expert in it and has a house full of curious objects and old tattered books on magic. But when Daniel Eilersen, the class know-it-all, starts acting all high-and-mighty, Justin thinks he can scare him by performing a magic ritual from the ancient book he's stolen from his granddad's study. His friend Trevor, who always goes along with what Justin says and his little sister, Joy, complete the group.

It's all about the atmosphere of course and Justin plans to give Eilersen a proper scare, but nothing will actually happen ... Or will it ...? On the old tennis court in the park, late one night, the four of them, unaware of the consequences of their actions, summon Dracherion, a malicious and dangerous spirit bent on revenge for being imprisoned in the ancient book by Grandpa Blake, years ago. Things go wrong and Dracherion breaks out of the circle designed to enclose him. The ritual has bound them to Dracherion and Justin, Joy, Trevor and Daniel know that the spirit will try and possess one of them so it can grow in strength and wreak its vengeance. A terrifying struggle follows as Dracherion grows stronger and stronger. It's a race against time to try and find a way of banishing the spirit out of this world. But how do they do that when one of them can't be trusted ...?


This is hands-down one of the scariest novels I have read.  It's aimed at younger readers but there is a grown-up quality to it that just refused to let go.  E.E. Richardson's writing is vivid, down to earth, with little exposition.  We are introduced to the characters swiftly and without much fuss and honestly, within the first two pages you just know things are going to go badly for these four.

The synopsis above, taken from Fantastic Fiction's site, gives you the basic background of the story, so I won't harp on about that too much.  What else is there, you may wonder.  Well, we have some great characters at play here - Justin is the main character.  He's a bit arrogant, a bit full of himself and convinced that is way is always right.  In this instance he takes after his dad, quite a bit.  Joy, his sister is the voice of reason but she is young and although she is a bit stubborn, she is easily lead.  Trevor is the wet one - he seems a strange kid from the word go.  He doesn't seem to have much personality.  He could be anyone and although he occasionally raises his opinion, no one takes him seriously.  I really didn't like him.  He was grey and unattractive to me as a character.  Daniel on the other hand bristled with arrogance and knowitall vibes.  Opinionated, intelligent and studious, he is the perfect foil to Justin's hot-headedness.

It makes complete sense that there would be some major personality clashes in the book and I liked it.  It drove the story forward and helped with the tension between the characters.  It helped with the suspicion too - who is the one who has been chosen by Dracherion to be the vessel?  It could be anyone. Which one of the four sneaked out to scratch weird symbols on Justin and Trevor's front doors? Why has Justin started sleepwalking and why can't he remember doing so? 

All clues pointed to Justin being the one under the sway of the entity that came through.  He is acting irrationally and has problems controlling his temper. 

In the limited time they have, the four of them sneak around, trying to figure out how to stop Dracherion and put him back in the book, the box, whatever they can find to contain him.

The novel only takes place over say two / three days maximum and yet it feels both longer as well as far too short.  A lot happens in this short space of time.  The kids really have their perception of the world rocked and to give them their dues, they are keen to sort it out, but will their plans work?  And will everything end well?

This is a pacey thriller written by a spectacularly devious mind and I for one am looking forward to reading EE Richardson's other offerings. I'd highly recommend this to readers who are perhaps slightly on the older side of the YA range, unless the younger lot feel adequately brave that they can take a bit of psychological supernatural horror.

The Summoning has been out since 2007 so should be available to find online and in various good bookshops.  EE Richardson is published by Random House Children's Books.

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney - Competition Winners

Not only is today the official release date of The Iron Witch here in the UK (yay, Kaz!) today is also the announcement of the winners of our competition.

Having typed in the numbers in Random.Org here are the winners:

UK

• Miss Sigh
• fozmeadows 
• K 
• Something Wicked This Way Comes 

International

• Kelly - I work for Books from Greece 

Congratulations to all five of you!  Keep an eye out via twitter and email as I'm about to let you know that you've won. 

Thanks so much to Random House Children's Books for letting MFB run this awesome competition.

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

Both Sarah and I felt the need to read and review Ms. Mahoney's book for various personal reasons and so we thought we'd both read it and do a combined review a la Booksmugglers.
Our first ever combined review:

Synopsis:

FREAK. That’s what her classmates call seventeen-year-old Donna Underwood. When she was seven, a horrific fey attack killed her father and drove her mother mad. Donna’s own nearly fatal injuries from the assault were fixed by magic—the iron tattoos branding her hands and arms. The child of alchemists, Donna feels cursed by the magical heritage that destroyed her parents and any chance she had for a normal life. The only thing that keeps her sane and grounded is her relationship with her best friend, Navin Sharma.

When the darkest outcasts of Faerie—the vicious wood elves—abduct Navin, Donna finally has to accept her role in the centuries old war between the humans and the fey. Assisted by Xan, a gorgeous half-fey dropout with secrets of his own, Donna races to save her friend—even if it means betraying everything her parents and the alchemist community fought to the death to protect.

Liz’s Thoughts:

The Iron Witch starts with a party. Donna doesn’t like parties, she’s not too keen being at one, but then her best friend Navin had asked her to come with him, and honestly, she couldn’t really so no to him.

At the party, Donna meets the mysterious Xan who acts pretty much the idiot. He is the host of said party but when she meets him, he’s sitting on the roof of the house, hiding out. from his guests. Xan however is not the idiot he acts to be. He realises he’s screwing up by being weird towards Donna and in the end he apologises and sees her off home with Navin. Navin, of course, ends up in a bit of a huff. He doesn’t think much of Xan but Donna finds herself strangely attracted to him - admittedly he’s handsome and when he wants to be, he’s sweet, but she senses that there is more to him than that. But how can she tell this to Navin who seems set on not wanting to understand?

As the opening chapters progress, we learn that Donna is a special girl indeed. When she was small, creatures attacked her and basically destroyed her arms and this was when she lost her dad as something killed him as he tried to protect her. She doesn’t recall why she was in the bizarre forest of Ironbridge or why these creatures were after her either or why she was attacked. What she does know is that now she is a freak. She’s not entirely human. The metal that keeps her arms together is some kind of magical construct put together through alchemy and who knows what else? She has the mysterious Maker to thank for her silver implants and for saving her life.

She now lives with her aunt who is someone high up in a group of alchemists. Both Donna’s parents were alchemists too. And Donna is undergoing training as an alchemist herself. This of course means that the reader is quickly brought up to speed with all things alchemical necessary for the importance of various objects to make sense later in the story. There is a lot of medieval lore about alchemy and I take my hat off to the author as you can tell how much hard work has gone into the research. And yet, she walks a thin balance, showing us just enough alchemical lore to keep us interested and to progress the story without inundating us with it and boring us.

Donna meets with Xan a few times and as their hesitant friendship grows we have the opportunity to learn more about Donna (and Xan) and we realise that Donna’s a wonderfully intelligent, amusing and conflicted main character. But it is when Donna is with Navin that she really shines and we see her relaxed and at ease. But even Navin, her best friend, doesn’t know the extent of the Donna’s secrets.

The story is set in Ironbridge, a town in America that is entirely fictional. It allows Ms. Mahoney great leverage and she has the opportunity to create a lot of interesting settings, including the deeply mysterious forest of Ironbridge. And with the forest come the wood elves. Awful twisted creatures from our deepest nightmares. They add an extra level of menace and darkness to The Iron Witch. Tied in with them we find out a bit about Xan’s background and it’s not pleasant and we surmise a few things about Donna’s own background.

It’s when Navin gets taken by these creatures that things kick off into a new level of scary and it is up to Donna to face some of her own fears, break all the rules she knows, and push herself to the limit to do everything she can to save her friend.

Overall thoughts:

I’ve waited a long time to read The Iron Witch. I am pleased to say that it was worth the wait. Ms. Mahoney gives us a fresh new voice, interesting characters and above all, interesting rich lore - and I’m not just talking about the alchemy either. Her dark elves are deliciously menacing and their leader, The Wood Queen a really interesting villain. I couldn’t help but feel intrigued by her - she is on a knife’s edge of going either way as the villain - is she really bad or is she only bad because we don’t know her full story? I loved the ambiguity in this instance and although the story ends well, with several strands tied off, there are enough questions left over to make us wait (im)patiently for The Iron Witch’s companion novels, The Wood Queen and The Stone Demon.

Sarah’s thoughts

I’ve also been keen (okay – champing at the bit) to read The Iron Witch. Ages ago I remember Karen Mahoney using a lovely icon on her blog of a girl walking down a narrow path, mist surrounding her, and saying she thought it was the perfect icon for her book. I couldn’t wait to find out more about this mysterious world so was excited to get my hands on a copy. Immediately the reader is thrust into the action through an extract from Donna’s journal and we know that something extraordinary has happened to her in the past. Next, we’re straight into the present with her meeting with Xan at the party. I loved aloof Xan immediately (oh dear, that’s not a good sign as he definitely should have a sign saying, “Bad Boy,” hanging over his head). The first chapter crackles with the underlying feeling that everything is not what it seems. I love this feeling; when you’re at the start of a book that you’ve been looking forward to and you know you’re on the brink of falling into a new world.

The town of Ironbridge met my expectations and more. It has that glorious dual feeling of being a normal place with high schools and coffee shops but underneath it’s sizzling with mystery; elves, hidden Old Paths, workshops and shadowy houses. It provides everything I love about urban fantasy – the feeling that just a hair’s breadth away is another world waiting to be discovered. Ironbridge provides the perfect platform for the events of The Iron Witch.

Aside from the setting there are a wealth of great characters. Donna is instantly likeable by being both vulnerable but with an inner strength and strong belief in what’s right and wrong. Her relationship with Xan enables her to break out of the semi-cloistered world she’s been stuck in. She finds herself able to let go a little with him and the scene where she takes off her long gloves for him in a coffee shop is both touching and intimate. As their relationship grows Donna finds herself drawn into a world where she’s lead to question her beliefs.

Underlying all the action is a great deal of research into alchemy which serves to make the story all the more rich. As Liz has said, there’s just enough detail to intrigue the reader and I loved Donna’s investigations into the Frost estate, which is both beautiful but strangely threatening. To sum up, The Iron Witch is quite simply a gorgeous read. I was pulled in and bewitched by it but now I have to wait for the sequel. I wonder if tapping my fingers on the desk will make it come any quicker?

Find Karen Mahoney's website here.

Competition Time!

We are so excited about The Iron Witch that we bribed Random House to PUHLEASE let us give some copies away.  And, of course, they totally agreed. (ah, the power of cake)

Here's what we've got to offer:

FIVE copies of THE IRON WITCH to give away.  FOUR to UK people and ONE to a lucky international entrant.

Rules: comment below if you'd like to enter and tell us what it is about urban fantasy that appeals to you.  Remember to make sure we know how to contact you if you enter - i.e. twitter name / link to website etc. Oh, also tell us if you're UK or elsewhere.

The competition will run till 20th January and I'm diarising it now so that we can Random.org the winners on the day.  Good luck!

What are you waiting for?  Get entering!  

Cover Shout Out - The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement Moore

Back in January of this year, I reviewed an excellent novel by a very talented new-to-me author, Rosemary Clement-Moore.  It was The Splendor Falls. 

I've just seen the new US cover they've done for this book and oh my days, it is beyond beautiful.  Look at the pretty:

It suits this novel so well and I'm definitely getting myself a copy with this cover as my life would not be complete without it. 

*hint* this is making my personal MFB fave reviewed books of 2010.

Into the Woods by Lyn Gardner

Synopsis:

Taking inspiration from numerous fairytales and weaving them into a wholly original story, INTO THE WOODS is a whirlwind of a novel, full of imaginative happenings, dastardly deeds and thrilling adventure.

Our guides are sisters three: Storm, Aurora and Anything Eden. Accidentally orphaned and left to fend for themselves in a decaying mansion on the edge of the wilds, they come to the very much unwanted attention of the sinister Dr DeWilde: a scar-faced gentleman with a pied waistcoat and an unhealthy interest in rats. He's after a tiny little musical pipe that Storm has inherited, and he'll stop at nothing to get it.

Fleeing into the woods, our courageous and eccentric sisters evade kidnap (almost), resist the temptation of sweet-filled orphanages (nearly!), and begin a treacherous journey across raging rivers, over mountains of ice, through deathly silent ghost towns and beyond the lairs of child-eating ogresses. With ravenously hungry wolves snapping at their heels every step of the way!

Featuring wonderful illustrations by award-winning illustrator Mini Grey, INTO THE WOODS is a classic tale with a very modern twist and will delight readers of every generation.

I had doubts about Into the Woods. I looked at the cover (done by Mini Grey) and the artwork within and thought: am I ready for this? It looks incredibly twee and I'm not fond of twee. I girded myself and stepped in.

First of all, Into the Woods is anything but twee - actually, I should quantify that and say I thought it would be self-conscious and purposefully sweet and ditzy. All because of a) the cover which I didn't initially like and b) the actual write up on the story, making me think it was going to be a parody of some fairy tale.

However, within the first few pages I realised that my preconceptions was once again WRONG. It is dark and humorous and probably too clever for its own good.

I spent a lot of time checking out the artwork by Mini that accompanies the written words on the pages. Clever little drawings that enhance the overall narrative and gives the reader a chance to discover more about the story they are reading.

Storm is the character in the book I identified with the most. She is wild, impetuous, seems to know better but often does not, and is a bit dangerous to know and obsessed with firecrackers. She also doesn't listen to her sister Aurora telling her not to go into the forest which is dark and dangerous. Aurora is a studious daughter, taking care of the household whilst her mother languishes and sighs to herself. Their father is equally rubbish at being a parent - wrapped up in his various quests to find mythological creatures. He really annoyed me and I disliked the girls for making excuses for him when he literally crumpled after his wife died in giving birth to Any. Then he stayed around for a bit, after Any's birth, but he was no use to anyone. Then he disappeared off on another quest by himself, leaving the very young girls with no money and no one to take care of them!

But then, Aurora and Storm are no ordinary girls. Storm's adventures are crazymad and she dislikes being cooped up. During one of her previous rambles, she discovered that the nearby town has hired a nasty man called Dr. DeWilde to get rid of the rat infestation. The doctor uses his trained wolves to pounce on and kill the rats in question - not pleasant. But there is something very odd about DeWilde and Storm senses it. It's not long till DeWilde comes to their house to ask them about a flute/pipe which Zella, their mother, had given over to Storm for safekeeping on her deathbed. The fact that she chooses Storm to be caretaker of this flute is significant and although Storm is initally charmed by the flute, she doesn't have much use for it and soon it is lying in the pantry, gathering dust.

And from there onwards, we have the girls thrust into all manner of nasty situations that reads like mish-mash of fairy tales from Grimm, Carter, Perrault combined. There are witches, an ogress, lots of wolves, narrow escapes, mountains to climb, villains to see off and a sister (or two) to rescue. It's a busy story and once things were being laid out I thought that I may get lost in all the adventure, but I'm happy to report that each bit of adventure is it's own adventure - does that make sense? - and that the plotting of the overall story is very good.

It didn't take me very long at all to fall for Into the Woods and Lyn Gardner's writing. It's charming and funny with larger than life villains and some utterly over the top situations blended with smatterings of the familiar fairy tales we all know and love, so well.

I'd recommend this for readers say 11+ who like their heroines unconventional and the storytelling vivid and bright. I'd also hasten to add that although the book has three female characters as leads, it is a very boy-friendly book, from the adventure aspect of it all, along with the creepiness that sometimes rears its head. And there is fighting and explosions. Because this is Lyn Gardner, after all.

Into the Woods and it's companion novel, Out of the Woods, is out now from Random House. I'll also be reviewing Out of the Woods and I'm very happy to have Lyn on the blog tomorrow as she's written us an amazing guest blog. So stick around for that.

Three by the Sea by Mini Grey

In a house by the sea there happily live a dog, a cat and a mouse. Well, happily enough until a stranger knocks on the door one night, offering them each a special free gift. Who is this mysterious salesman blowing into their little world and turning it upside-down? And can their happy home survive his trouble-making gifts?

I am new to Mini Grey. I have just discovered her through Lyn Gardner's two books (Into the Woods and Out of the Woods) but have to say that I am a brand new fan. Her artwork is clever and detailed. As a reader you see it for what it is, i.e. the content of the larder for instance, but it is only when you look closer that you notice that that box of all purpose flakes is good for: breakfast, snacks, baking, bathing, washing, scouring and Many Other Uses.

In Three By the Sea we meet three fast friends: Dog, Cat and Mouse. Dog tended the garden (a barren sandy place where he can dig to his heart's content and bury his old bones), Cat looked after all the house work (but tended to quite a bit of napping) and Mouse was in charge of the kitchen and cooking (mostly cheese fondue which is lovely but a bit dull). So the three friends putter around by their tiny house by the sea when one day a Stranger from the Winds of Change Trading Company Ltd turned up.

The Stranger is of course the catalyst for change, pointing out to each of our three characters in private, how their existence can be improved by items from his mysterious suitcase but also how the others are taking advantage of them. This of course leads to a giant fight between the three fast friends.

Mini Grey both wrote and illustrated this beautiful book and I am utterly in love with the characters. They are charming and sweet and even the Stranger (a fox) is a clever choice to be thrown into the mix. I loved that she used the fox for this, I love that he appears as the Fool character who changes everyone's lives but is not the one that is changed.

Suitable for a slightly older picture book audience (5 - 7 y/o), there is much to like about Three by the Sea. The story is sweet and generous and the artwork is quirky and funny, the more you look and notice the detail. Some words are quite difficult for younger readers but it will build their confidence and you can understand the word meanings from the context it is used in.

I am a proud owner of Three by the Sea and a brand new fan of Mini Grey. This very excellent little book is out later this month of September, on the 30th from Jonathan Cape / Random House.