Emma Reads Stories

24 year old graduate | Searching for job in publishing | Reviewing children's/YA books                    Follow @MsEmmaWinter !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');

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Naked by Kevin Brooks (Penguin)

It's 1976 and punk is just beginning. Lili Garcia is recruited by hottest guy in school, Curtis Ray, to be part of his new band: Naked. It's a summer of love and chaos and their mysterious guitarist, Billy the Kid, who has secrets a plenty and a reason to hide. 

I really enjoyed this book. The setting and the topic of discussion was full of life and vigour. It was great to read a story about a time period that I know little about. I really enjoy reading about the 60s immensely but the 70s was when my mum and my aunts did most of their growing up. For me, the 70s mean soul and Bay City Rollers. For Curtis, Lili and William it means PUNK. I really engaged with Lili's voice, often I find books about bands a little contrived but felt that this was a story beyond the band too. It was nice to have anecdotal bits about the Sex Pistols, Malcolm McClaren and Vivienne Westwood. 

Underscoring the novel is William's history and his abandonment of home in Northern Ireland. Having fled because of the IRA, it was interesting how Brooks weaved this massively prevalent, at the time, political situation into his character's direct experience. This book is more than just music. It has real depth to it. 

Summary in 140 characters: A pre-punk story of music, love and young people figuring out their place in the world. A chaotic web of events that will change everything.  

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How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff (Penguin)

I like books with strong female leads (or Girls Who Do Stuff) and I'd read a lot about this book on various websites, highly recommended. 

Daisy is a precocious Manhattanite sent to live with her family in England. Picked up from the airport by her cousin Edmond and taken to their rambling farm to meet her other three cousins and Aunt, she feels the furthest she's ever been from home. But she begins to fall in love with their gentle way of life and, unexpectedly, with her cousin Edmond. Aunt Penn leaves the country on business and soon a war, with an unknown aggressor, breaks out tearing the girls from the boys and altering their entire lives forever.

I was captivated by how delicately this book is written but how alive Daisy is as a character.  The fluid writing was immersive and luminous. I found the concept really interesting, half historical yet half futuristic with imaginings of potential future wars. I didn't even initially dislike Daisy which I think is the impression some readers get.  She's developed an eating disorder to frustrate her father and step-mother and has clear hang-ups about her mother, but the further I delved into the story the more I understood Daisy and the more I really liked her. The supporting characters of Piper and Edmond create a feeling of familial and romantic love in which Daisy finds her ultimate freedom. 

I enjoyed Daisy's stream of consciousness because you felt like you were experiencing the tumult, and wonder, of her life. Her voice was the most engaging aspect of the book and it's something that resonates deeply within the reader. I think voice and its ability to move you is the most important thing in a book and here it moves you in abundance. 

Summary in 140 characters: Brilliant story of love and family ties in a war-torn future environment not far removed from our own. Surviving whilst pushed to the limit. 

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The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith (Headline)

I had wanted to read this book for a while based purely on the title. I really like good titles. 

Hadley Sullivan is on her way to London for her dad's wedding, he's marrying a woman she's never met. Stuck in JFK airport having missed her flight by four minutes, it's the worst day ever until she meets Oliver. They spend the next eight hours in each other's company until finally losing track of each other in the chaos upon arrival in London. Will they meet again? 

The first thing that was brought to mind when I read this was an eight hour coach journey I spent with my ex-boyfriend travelling from LA to San Francisco. It was a strange experience reading a story that documented so well the exact sentiment of a prolonged period together, in which you get to know minute details that wouldn't have necessarily been revealed under other circumstances. I thought Smith explored the twenty-four-hour period really cleverly, it was an interesting concept and one that I could relate to from experience. 

I enjoyed the intricacies of relationships in this story - not only romantic but familial. It's interesting to explore the possibility of love at first sight too. Can it happen in that kind of environment or will this fleeting expression of feeling fizzle out once they both get back to America? I guess these are the questions Smith leaves us with to peruse post-reading.

Hadley is a layered character and as the story progresses, she peels back and you begin to appreciate her more. The dynamic between Oliver and Hadley is something that is executed well too, it's not claustrophobic obsession but something that develops slowly. I think, in parts, the novel felt a little long-winded but it was worth it for anecdotes that showed a lot. 

Summary in 140 characters: Definitely love at first sight without the star-crossed drama of Romeo and Juliet. Mellow read with their own obstacles to overcome. 

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Saving Daisy by Phil Earle (Puffin Books)

The middle book of three that Phil Earle has written. I don't know why I went for the middle, I think it was the title that drew me in. She features in his first novel Being Billy so that's where I will head after the next few books I have to read. 

Daisy Houghton is convinced she killed her mum. Living with her dad and nestled in their love of films, she suffers terrifying panic attacks which cause her to self-harm. Initially finding a teacher willing to listen, she opens up until it takes a turn for the perverse. Wrapped up in guilt, her torment escalates with devastating consequences. She finally finds kindness in another and is able to let her demons go. 

This book is heart-rending. Earle doesn't shy away from the gritty issues and this book is full of them. From grooming, death, rape, grief and friendship he plots an emotional course through Daisy's tumultuous life. Daisy is a great character and the tragedy that surrounds her is written deftly. I was reminded of Jacqueline Wilson's writing when reading this; they both deal with real issues that surround growing up, in a rich and interesting way. I would love to find something like this in a slush pile - it has a true voice with a cast of brilliant characters. 

The only issue I had (and maybe I skimmed over this whilst reading) but after her dad found about Mr Hobson and climbed in his car, wouldn't he have made Daisy come with him? I understand for plot reasons why Daisy wasn't in the car but I think that my dad wouldn't have gone anywhere without me. Even in a blind rage. 

I think the most powerful aspect of the story is the relationship Daisy develops with her primary care-worker, Adebayo. Having been through a difficult and similar story, she helps Daisy confront her fears and eventually come to terms with the reality of the situation: *SPOILER* she didn't kill either of her parents. The book ends on a hopeful note without over-romanticising. 

Summary in 140 characters: Saving the life of one girl who brings hope and luck to the lives of others around her. Grit and love hand in hand in a mixing bowl.

Watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OLcZwLACeYY 

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Paper Aeroplanes by Dawn O'Porter (Hot Key Books)

Who doesn't love Dawn? She's super cool and the projects she's done for TV are always interesting. She's all round brill. I was really excited to get my hands on a proof of her debut YA book when I interned at HKB. 

Set in the 1990s on the island of Guernsey, two girls form an unlikely friendship. Renée lives with her Nana, Granddad and younger sister, all struggling in the aftermath of her mother's death. She's loud and sexually curious, and she gravitates towards introvert Flo who also has her share of dysfunction and issues. 

This novel was excellent. From the blurb I knew I was in for something great but it was even better than I expected. The strength of it, obviously, lies in the relationship of Flo and Renée: chalk and cheese - they complement each other in beautiful and unexpected ways. Dawn's writing is confident and convincing and explains the agony of growing up realistically, without skimping on detail. The girls experience heartbreaking things but there is humour that helps to gently carry their story. The supporting characters added depth and I loved the little scenes that built the personalities of the two girls. There is real weight and honesty to this story.

What the novel really demonstrates is the gravity and intensity of friendships at that fifteen - I remember myself what they felt like. Dawn explains that, at that age, relationships often feel like a love affair. At times I felt myself almost willing their relationship to develop more because I think that they, to a degree, were experiencing some kind of love. I really felt embroiled in the nest and mess of their relationship and I loved every minute. 

Summary in 140 characters: An honest (platonic) love story of sorts. Best friends develop their own private kind of happiness in the midst of dysfunctional families and growing up. 

I spent five minutes chatting with Dawn about her book & her media adventures here: http://www.gossipdrip.com/five-minutes-with-dawn-oporter.html

Follow Dawn @hotpatooties

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Q&A with CJ Flood

Following my review of Infinite Sky by CJ Flood I spent five minutes chatting to her about the book and Barbara Windsor....

Tell me briefly how you came up with the idea for Infinite Sky?

I had begun a novel in which the protagonist - an eleven year old girl called Iris - was searching for her estranged mother, but it wasn't working at all. It wasn't convincing, and it was sort of flat and lacking lots of things. Disheartened, I returned to what I was more comfortable with: sort of creative autobiography. I started writing personal essays about my parents splitting up when I was a kid, and about my friends from school - just to remember how to write really - and they seemed to have something. At some point that I don't recall, I decided to merge the two things. The story meandered on for a while after this, but it only really started working when I decided to insert a family of Irish Travellers. Trick and Iris quickly became the heart of the novel, and Infinite Sky began to come together.

Why did you choose the name Iris for your lead character?

Because it's a cool name. Perhaps, unconsciously, because she is such a natural observer. She bears witness to all of the events.

What's your favourite bit of Infinite Sky?

Ooh, good question. I haven't read it since it was published as I am nervous of finding a typo or not liking bits of it, as I was making edits right up until the very last moment before going to print. I know which are my least favourite bits, but I won't draw any unnecessary attention to them...

When I was editing it, I always used to breathe a sigh of relief when I got to chapter 23, which I call The Lasagne Scene. Iris's dad makes an attempt to bring the family back together by cooking a big meal, but unfortunately, things don't go exactly as he had hoped. I really enjoyed writing the father/son stand off that happens here. It's that moment where a boy has suddenly had enough of being dominated by his father, and attempts to assert himself. It's an emotionally charged moment for both father and son, as well as a testosterone fuelled one, and as a fairly gentle female, it's something that fascinates me.

What was the hardest part of writing the book?

Writing the funeral scene was difficult. I didn't feel qualified. I also found Anna, the mother, very difficult to write. I wanted her to be sympathetic, and for people to understand her position, but also I didn't want her actions to be too easily explained either. I didn't want people to be able to write her off as mad or unnatural or weak for leaving her kids.

Why did you want to write for children and not adults?

I didn't really. I always tell people that Infinite Sky is for everyone. And I correct my friends if they tell people it's for children. I just hate the idea of older people not reading it because they think it's not for them. Everyone has been a child. Everyone has their child self inside them. So children's books are books for everyone.

What are you working on now? 

I have almost finished the first draft of my second novel, which will come out with Simon and Schuster in February 2014. It is a quest story, about a teenage girl whose soldier brother doesn't return from Afghanistan when he is supposed to. He makes it back to the UK, but never turns up at home. When Kit hears a rumour that he is hiding out in the woods they played in growing up, she sets out, with her friends, to find him and bring him back. It's about friendship and bravery and truth.

Who inspires you? 

My mum inspires me. She has achieved a lot in her life, but more impressive is the way she goes about things, generally. She is the most positive person I know, and  she does an excellent impression of not caring what anybody thinks. She will do anything for her family, but she also has a life of her own that she loves.

Bonus question: Who would play you in a film of your life and why? 

Woah. I have never ever thought about that. Maybe Carey Mulligan, because I fancy her, though we'd have to try and glam her up a bit for the part. Or maybe one of the women from This Is England, because they already have Midland accents. I've just looked one up: Chanel Cresswell. She's from Derbyshire, like me. Hurray! Get her! If neither of them were available I would suggest going back in time and getting Barbara Windsor when she was a bit younger. 

I'm really excited about seeing this film.

  Thanks for your time CJ. Pretty awesome author all in all. 

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Infinite Sky by CJ Flood (Simon & Schuster Children's Books)

"People'd call us the Delaney boys. All the girls want to double-date us."

The cover of this book was the first thing I saw about it. It was all over my Twitter feed. Then I discovered the author, CJ Flood, is an alumna of the creative writing MA at UEA. UEA is where I did my creative writing & literature degree. I knew I had to read it. 

A family of travellers moves into the paddock next to Iris Dancy's family farm. Her mum has left for Tunisia leaving Iris alone with her dad and her brother, Sam. Her dad's drinking often, incensed by the Delaney family invasion, and her brother is falling in with the wrong crowd after being kicked off the football team. Iris befriends the teenage Delaney, Trick, and they spend their summer holidays together. But everyone has secrets and how long will it be before the two worlds collide irreparably? 

I LOVED THIS BOOK. Read it, read it, read it. I stayed up late finishing as I couldn't bear to put it down and I ended up crying. The writing is so effortless and fluid, I wasn't bogged down by detail - instead could just immerse myself in Iris' world.

Iris is genuinely a brilliant character, I love that she sees the good in everything and everyone. The relationship that develops between her and Trick is convincing and the progression natural. Their dynamic intensifies and the more Iris sees of Trick, the more the reader realises he's not necessarily what he first appears. There were also some lovely moments between Iris and her brother, and the whole family's pain, initially after her mum's departure, felt very real. Sam's tumble into a friendship he doesn't really want was also credible and I began to really sympathise with him. 

I wasn't prepared for the end. I knew that something awful was going to happen because of the beginning of the book; the ending was a surprise and poignantly realised. It mixed the fates of Iris, Sam and Trick irrevocably and you wonder about the depths of forgiveness, what a single family can go through and how humans have the capacity to get onto the other side. 

Summary in 140 characters: A family separated with Iris at the core. Friendships forged and broken in the heat of summer. A final act that changes everything forever.  

More about CJ Flood - http://cjflood.blogspot.co.uk/

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The Lady Grace Mysteries: Betrayal by Grace Cavendish (Random House Children's Publishers)

Intrigued by the premise and promise of this book, I took it away to read in Berlin with me. I enjoy historical fiction, especially the Tudor period, so I was interested to read this amusing diary. (This is the second in the series,  I accidentally overlooked the first...it's the next to be read!) 

Lady Grace Cavendish is a thirteen-year-old Maid of Honour to Queen Elizabeth I. Having lost her mother in a bungled attempt to assassinate the Queen, Lady Grace now resides at court. She has secretly been made the Queen's 'Lady Pursuivant' and conducts investigations and solves mysteries for her mistress. In Betrayal, a fellow lady-in-waiting is feared kidnapped by the charming Captain Francis Drake. It is up to Grace, and her friend Masou, to find Lady Sarah and track down the culprit. 

This was a delightful foray into historical fiction. Cleverly constructed and well-written, Grace is a comedic lead character who draws you in through her diary entries. I think novels in the form of diaries have stood the test of time, and are a consistent way of writing for young people.

The story is fast-paced with a lot of action, weaving the showing rather than telling element neatly with the dialogue creating a credible story. I enjoyed the portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I too (whom I visualised as an older version of Cate Blanchett's portrayal in Elizabeth). I think the book seeks to teach about the Elizabethan times, with a glossary at the back, and it does so in a light and interesting way. I found the aspect of a girl detective solving mysteries, in what was probably a very secretive and dangerous place at times, quite convincing.

Summary in 140 characters: An Elizabethan adventure on the high seas dealing with pretend elopements and dastardly sailors. Lady Grace eats James Bond's heart out. 

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Delirium by Lauren Oliver (Hodder)

After clicking on a tweet from For Books' Sake about dystopian fiction (http://forbookssake.net/2012/05/25/my-three-favourite-women-writers-of-dystopia/ specifically written by women YAY), I found myself obsessing over Delirium which is the first in Oliver's compelling trilogy. 

Lena Haloway can't wait for the cure. She lives in an alternate US dystopian society where love, or amor deliria nervosa, has been slowly eradicated because it's viewed as a disease. Once of age, eighteen, everybody undergoes an invasive procedure which renders you disease free and allows you to be paired up, have children and lead a normal life. Lena lives in the shadow of her mother's death and fears turning out just like her, the cure failed three times, until she meets Alex, cured, who promises more than the life she's had worked out for her: a life in the wild. 

I was really hoping that this book would live up to the reviews. I stayed up until 2am finishing it. The first thing that struck me about this book was the writing. It was both beautiful and readable, the engagement with the lead character lasts beyond the first few pages. Lena has her personal demons to get over, eventually making her stronger than others who have always appeared confident. The setting was credible, enabling you to really believe that this could happen to a society. I like fiction that manages that implicitly. The supporting characters also created interesting relationships and tensions - specifically Lena's dynamic with her free-spirited best-friend and the rigid Aunt who has taken care of her since she was little. The subplot with Lena's mother ramped up dramatic tension, I loved the little details. 

Central to the book, of course, is the relationship between Lena and Alex. He opens her eyes to the evils of society that she has grown up in and proves to be an enlightening and positive force - like any first love is. The relationship is convincing and refreshing. I actually felt that Alex was the nineteen-year-old boy he is, rather than a device to further the plot. Their romance was also something that kept me reading, unlike the squishiness that was a problem in Beautiful Creatures. The ending made me want to download the next book immediately. Inevitably, although it will probably be resolved neatly in the next part, it was still not what I expected. 

Summary in 140 characters: Big brother society rules all. No capacity for tenderness. Finding love in sterility. Does the cure cure-all?  

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The Winter Trilogy by Ruth Warburton (Hodder Children's Books) GUEST POST: Claire Chesser

This is a guest post written by Claire Chesser. Ruth Warburton is represented by the Eve White Literary Agency - Claire (like me!) interned for Eve and  read the trilogy during her placement. 

Being a huge fan of series such as Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and (slightly guiltily) the Twilight Saga, Ruth Warburton’s Witch Trilogy was something I was keen to read. Not very long later, I had devoured this series, desperate for more!

Anna Winterson arrives in the small town of Winter down in the dumps, unhappy to be separated from the familiarities and excitement of her London life but eager to please her beloved father. Soon it’s not long before Anna has far bigger issues to worry about, such as the fact that she is a witch! In A Witch in Winter, the first of the three, Anna struggles to reconcile who she thought she was with her new powers, made all the more complicated by a certain Seth Waters… When magic interferes in Anna’s budding relationship with Seth, she must work out what is real and what is not. However, as the trilogy moves on to A Witch in Love and A Witch Alone, Anna has even bigger concerns as she faces a conflict which threatens the delicate balance between the human and witch worlds – can Anna really be the key? And what will she have to sacrifice to put things right?

This trilogy seems to me to be the natural successor to the fan hype surrounding other series of its type. With a plotline and characters to rival The Hunger Games and stiff competition to Edward and Bella’s romance in Anna and Seth, Ruth Warburton has perfected her genre. Most importantly, she has fulfilled my main personal criteria for a good YA fantasy – the books have the believability factor down to a tee. The witch world is perfectly situated within the human world (my favourite detail has to be the Malleus Maleficorum HQ lurking beneath Vauxhall Bridge), allowing readers to let their imaginations run wild and really engage in the story – which is not hard!

I really feel that great things could come of this series – there’s huge filmic potential for example. Sadly A Witch Alone does seem to mark the end of Anna’s story (although Ruth does have a spin off – Witch Finder - due for release in early 2014) but, on the bright side, the fact that all three books are already out does mean that there is no tantalising wait for the next instalment! The trilogy already has a strong fan following and I really hope that this will continue to grow to the heights that Anna’s story deserves.

More about Ruth: www.ruthwarburton.com / www.evewhite.co.uk

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There's A Boy in the Girls' Bathroom by Louis Sachar (Scholastic/Kindle Edition: Bloomsbury Children's Books)

Having read Holes whilst I was still at school, I was keen to read more of Sachar.  This did not disappoint. 

Bradley Chalkers is the oldest boy in the class. As the self-styled class bully, no-one likes him and he has a habit of telling huge lies. He's never earned a gold star and his best-friends are the animal figurines he collects in his bedroom. His teacher thinks it might be a good idea for him to get some help so he starts visiting Carla, the school counsellor, and Bradley begins to discover that he is liked after all. 

This book is perfect for the age-range (8-10) as it's fast-paced, the characters are convincing and the book is peppered with lots of humour. Bradley comes across as quite isolated at the beginning of the book and I was genuinely worried. However, as the book progresses you begin to see that Bradley has another side to him, a side none of the other children or teachers have seen, and one that Carla successfully taps into and brings out. I think the arrival of new kid Jeff Fishkin provides an interesting foil to Bradley. The character of Carla is sympathetic, I found it quite difficult, even though I had figured it out, when she was transferred to another school. This book is intelligent with real character development that doesn't come across as too preachy or loaded with messages. 

Summary in 140 characters: Interesting and comical take on don't judge a book by the cover. Growing up and trying to fit in when you don't feel the same.   

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Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl (Penguin)

Despite being made into a film this year, I haven't seen it. I probably will (stellar cast: Jeremy Irons, Emma Thompson and Viola Davis) because my penchant for supernatural teen films knows no bounds. My obsession with the mystical South - lookingforemmaa.tumblr.com for my take on Plantation gothic - is also developing rapidly. 

Ethan Wate has lived in Gatlin all his life and can't wait to escape. Losing his mother in an accident and his father in grief, Ethan cannot relate to those around him apart from Amma, the woman who raised him, and his best friend Link. Suddenly Lena Duchannes, niece of the reclusive Macon Ravenwood, enters his life and everything changes forever. Living in Gatlin's oldest and spookiest plantation, Lena has her own issues which she struggles to conceal. As she hurtles towards her sixteenth birthday, murky secrets and hidden worlds float to the surface and Ethan finds himself inexorably connected to Lena that dates back centuries.

Paranormal romances usually tick all the right boxes for me. I love spooky and I love fantasy. In recent years,  the amount of supernatural books in production for YA fiction has escalated. As such, authors are risking becoming predictable. I was attracted to Beautiful Creatures because of the alternate concept - Casters - that developed from the idea of witchcraft.

This is a real guilty pleasure for me. Set in the backdrop of the Deep South, it had the right level of gothic to keep me reading. The cast of characters were really interesting, all with a specific attributes that made me want to read more about them. Macon and Marian, and their dynamic, were particularly intriguing. The last section of the novel was, naturally, the best and tied everything together neatly and with style. I enjoyed the romance element of it more than Twilight, still found it a little squishy in places. 

I can't say, however, that some of the writing didn't have me a little bored. Although it was interesting having a male lead, at certain points I wanted to shake Ethan and thought he was portrayed, especially in relation to Lena, unrealistically. The book was quite lengthy too, some sections could have been cut and that would have strengthened the novel as a whole. 

Summary in 140 characters: Plantations, casting and gothic secrets hidden for centuries. Do these secrets have the power to break families or heal for the future? 

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A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnelly (Bloomsbury)

This is a book that I try to read (alongside To Kill A Mockingbird) annually. Ever since reading the blurb I knew I'd be transfixed. What can I say? I love American literature - I have my degree to thank for that - and stories about America. I love the country, the people and the history. 

Set at the turn of the century, the reader meets Mathilda 'Mattie' Gokey, a sixteen-year-old girl who takes care of her sisters, helps her Pa out on their forty acre farm, and finds time to write beautiful compositions which have allowed her dreams of heading to college in New York. Working the summer in the Glenmore hotel, Mattie gets caught up in the drowning of a guest and soon her life - and the horizon of New York - becomes entwined with Grace Brown's. 

This book is fantastic. Based on the real-life murder of Grace Brown, Donnelly weaves the different tangents of the novel together seamlessly. Mattie reminds me of my favourite female protagonists, she's strong and she serves as the core of the book. You almost forget that she is just sixteen, because of the maternal figure she portrays, and that she wants what all sixteen-year-old girls want. You find yourself blushing about Royal Loomis' affections (a boy belonging to the neighbouring farm) and you feel the strength of friendship between Weaver and Mattie keenly. The writing is persuasive and brilliant, Donnelly captures the time period so well that you are immersed almost instantly. Mattie has choices to make and find yourself desperately wanting her to do what is right for her future. 

Summary in 140 characters: Turn of the century coming of age story. Pitted against her father and her duty as a sister, can Mattie dare to hope and achieve her dreams? 

Jennifer Donnelly & A Gathering Light:

http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/pressdesk/press.php?release=pres_carnegie_back_04.htm

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Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli (Scholastic/Orchard Books)

'We are untitled, unnamed, natural, suspended between was and will be...We are for a few brief moments, anything and everything we could be.'

I read this book in 2002. I was twelve (nearly thirteen), recovering from a broken leg, and since then it's been a timeless classic for me. I remember seeing the front cover and thinking it was absolutely brilliant in its simplicity. It's relevance is infinite. 

Stargirl Caraway parachutes into Leo Borlock's life. Having been home-schooled for most of her life, she's a mystery when she appears suddenly at high-school in Mica, Arizona. She's unusual, exuberant and full of life - popular until one action renders her snubbed and outcast. Leo is forced to choose between his love for enigmatic Stargirl vs. normalcy and acceptance amongst his peers. 

It's the little details and the fluid, clear writing that makes this book. Leo collects porcupine neckties, Stargirl takes pictures of people to make a photo album for them when they get older. Leo is a refreshing character, and Spinelli weaves their stories together in a neat style. He doesn't preach yet you still get the right kind of message from the book. I think the out-there personality, perhaps the striving for individuality, that Stargirl projects has the potential to turn people off BUT I wholeheartedly loved this book. I was charmed and I remember thinking that I wanted to be the only person in the whole world to have read it: it was that special to me at that time. 

Summary in 140 characters: Boy collects neckties. Then boy meets girl. Girl is out of this world. Engaging, compelling, interesting. Let Stargirl into your life.

Meet Jerry Spinelli in this YouTube vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv8uUevERTE

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The Quietness by Alison Rattle (Hot Key Books)

My mum was reading 'Amelia Dyer: Angelmaker', a non-fiction book detailing the endemic baby farming that happened in Victorian London and chronicling the exploits of perhaps the most infamous baby farmer of all: Amelia Dyer. Coincidentally I read about The Quietness after I learnt I would be interning with Hot Key Books. A case of stars aligning methinks! The book was published March 7. 

Queenie leaves the squalid slums, and her overgrown family behind, as she is taken on as a maid in the house of sisters: Mrs Waters and Mrs Ellis. Surrounded by babies all day, Queenie begins to realise all is not right with the silence that emanates from the adopted charges. Ellen is a lonely, unloved daughter of an eminent physician. She suffers two betrayals in quick succession, Jacob, her cousin, with whom she was in love, and her hard-hearted father who seeks only to preserve his reputation. The two girls' lives cross paths in this heart-breaking novel as they cling to each other to remedy the future. 

I loved this book. The idea behind the story is captivating and the most original concept that I have read in a while. I had absolutely no idea that baby farming was so prolific, and this book highlights it in a beautiful and compelling way. The characters of Queenie and Ellen are particularly strong and this book definitely does not shy away from the grim side of life, and some of the awful things that happen to the girls. The ending was poignant and unexpected, it revealed the true talent of Rattle as an author. I'm excited for the next direction she takes.

Summary in 140 characters:  A peek into a dark and forgotten side of Victorian London. Strong girls surviving in the most awful of circumstances with hope, love and courage. 

Alison Rattle on baby farming: 

http://www.booktrust.org.uk/news-blogs-and-press/blogs/booktrust/543/

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Poison Princess by Kresley Cole (Simon & Schuster Children's Books)

This book is the first in a series titled 'The Arcana Chronicles'- the second book slated for October 2013 - I was intrigued by the concept and also because the author is a New York Times bestseller. 

The book follows heroine Evangeline 'Evie' Greene as she navigates her life post-apocalypse (or The Flash as Cole calls it). Born and raised in Louisiana, she's a wealthy high-schooler when the novel begins. Evie suffers terrifying hallucinations but soon realises they are ominous visions of the apocalyptic future that decimates her home. She's aided on her quest by Jackson Deveaux, who's been raised in the Bayou on the other side of the tracks. Evie soon realises that all of her Grandmother's teachings about tarot cards have an important role to play, as the Arcana begin to rise in the battle for their lives. 

I enjoy post-apocalyptic novels and this was an interesting and quite exciting debut. However, I felt that the beginning of the novel significantly let the rest of the story down. The days before The Flash, where the reader follows Evie at high-school are slightly contrived and unnecessary details, like label dropping each garment she puts on, are added to flesh out the story. I think the dialogue suffers as a result. The characterisation of Evie is weak, I wanted her to be a lot stronger but she only really comes into her own towards the end of the novel. I think the relationship that develops between Jackson and Evie lacks a real edge. 

That said, the novel picks up after The Flash. It becomes quite a page-turner, I began to enjoy the various fantastical details in the narrative. The Tarot, Arcana, element is particularly convincing and lays the foundations for the subsequent books. The devastated America that Cole creates is well thought-out and renders an interesting climax. As Evie begins to realise her powers as The Empress, she is surrounded by an assortment of characters who serve to strengthen the novel as a whole. 

Summary in 140 characters:  Post-apocalyptic war for survival. Dangerous romance, super fantastical elements, and some truly scary visions. Twilight this is not. 

Video: Kresley Cole reveals inspiration behind 'The Arcana Chronicles' - http://videos.simonandschuster.com/Kresley-Cole-reveals-the-inspiration-for-POISON/1753401691001

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Wonder by RJ Palacio (Random House Children’s Publishers)

‘Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their life because we all overcometh the world.’

This book, published in 2012, is one I’ve been meaning to read for months. I finally got around to reading it and I’m unbelievably glad I did (and cross I waited for so long). 

August Pullman is the brilliant lead character in Palacio’s first novel. He is born with a facial condition that has required twenty seven surgeries in his short lifetime. He’s about to start fifth grade after being homeschooled and the book follows Auggie’s transition from home to school and the various issues that come with that. We are given insight into the other characters, such as Auggie’s sister Via, as the story is also told from their perspectives. 

This novel is beautiful. It teaches us about life and love, compassion and kindness - I couldn’t get through it without crying. Auggie is very frank and direct in his appraisal of his face and how people are towards it. There is a part where Auggie describes how he eats and compares himself to a tortoise: this made me burst into tears. Palacio tackles an important issue and she does it in a life affirming way. We see how loved Auggie is, but also the hardships he has to face as a ten year old growing up with an extraordinary face. I really connected with this book on an emotional level and as such I will be making sure people read this.

Summary in 140 characters: Wonder-ful Auggie Pullman: read his story. Not just for middle-grade readers, this book needs to be shared. Be kinder than necessary. 

If you’re curious (as I was) to find out more about the book and the reasons behind it, head to RJ Palacio’s website http://rjpalacio.com/faqs.html follow her on Twitter @rjpalacio