Review: You Against Me by Jenny Downham

I was a real fan of Jenny Downham’s previous book ‘Before I Die’ and was quite surprised because the subject matter was quite hard going and a real tear jerker of a tale and normally I wouldn’t find myself drawn to these kinds of stories.  It was a fabulous book and so seeing this next book I was very excited to see what subject she tackles and read more of the great fiction.  Plus it was recommended to me by many other bloggers so I knew it had to be worth my time.  The story revolves around two families from the point of view of Mikey McKenzie and Eleanor Parker and how their lives have been twinned together because Mikey’s sister, Karyn, has accused Ellie’s brother, Tom, of rape and sexual assault. 

It’s a raw and hard telling of how lives are twisted and torn apart by this awful crime and the aftermath of an accession.  The main trouble is the doubt involved as its Karyn’s word against Tom and with his wealthy family behind him and Karyn’s low class troubled background the twists and turns become hard to deal with.  The truth is hard to find in murky waters.

This is not something younger readers may be able to deal with emotional but when the age and time is right it truly is a book I’d encourage every teen should read.  It shows you how actions have consequences and that some things aren’t black and white in a world full of grey.  The dark waters get even more troublesome when Mikey and Ellie stumble into a strange friendship and possibly more in Mikey pursuit of revenge on Tom.  He see’s Tom having an easy life and little fallout from the accusation and Karyn can’t even face stepping outside the flat.  

It is tenderly told and Jenny Downham really does handle all the characters with such care and attention that this sort of issue requires.  I couldn’t put this book down even in this mini heat wave that we’re having in the UK and I stayed indoors feeling the wind, rain and heartache.  “You want this to be a love story” and this quote couldn’t be any truer.  All you want is for some justice and peace for all these characters.  They are hurting and when some find a few brief moments of happiness and escape you just wish it could last.  Jenny Downham has a wonderful way of picking up on the details and small moments inside the big picture to give a sense of time, space and realism.  Even when things are ‘heavy’ she reminds you of the colour of the sky or the simple delight of eating something sweet.

I loved this book and think it’s really opened up my eyes to trying out new types of books and genres and I’d say that if you want to take a risk with a new strand in the world of the YA books then this is a perfect example.  Some of the details and situations are hard to handle but it’s worth the journey for the superbly told story about real situations that happen all too often.  

Rating: 10/10

Published by David Fickling Books and is available here and all good retailers

Cover Reveal: Torn by Cat Clarke

 

How divine does this look?!?

Cat Clarke revealed on her blog on Tuesday the brand spanking new cover for her follow up novel after Entangled.  Torn looks blooming amazing.  I love the photography and how the style is similar to her last book but the colouring and blue tint against the pinky purple font for the title.  Such pretty work.  So very intrigued by what it means and what happens in this book!

Top Ten Bookish Websites/Organizations/Apps, etc.

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

World Book Day/Night website:  It’s a fab idea and a concept as a book programme and celebrates reading for both young and old.  I have fond memories of school days when we dressed up as book characters and got the special World Book Day token that you could exchange at books shops for books or money off vouchers.  A perfect way to share reading

GoodReads:  I can’t live without this little gem of a site to help be keep track of my reading and what I’ve read or have to read.  It’s great and the nifty little Ipod App I have on my iPod Touch is really nice too that I use while I’m at work.  It’s like an instant library and catalogue but personal for you

Amazon UK/Waterstones App:  Simply but fuctional.  Where you can buy books on the go and also check out online prices and information while you are out and about.  A great source of information.

BookCrossing.com:  I’ve never used it personally but its one of those ideas that I love and am surprised isn’t used more on a wide spread basis.  Sharing books once you are done with them with a stranger.

To be honest there aren't many sites I use so I would love to hear more of you suggestions etc because I'd love to see more book sites and things

Leave me your suggestions in the comments PLEASE!

Review: Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

From the title alone you can guess a few things are to come in this book: drama, romance, action and high tension teen angst.  All these elements are common in YA fiction but it’s the way an author goes about making them unique that really sells a story to a reader.  In a small (and I mean really small, like where everyone knows everyone else’s business) island Helen lives with her dad after her mum left when she was born and together with her BFF Claire and fellow classmate and buddy Matt the three live and it’s not until the arrival of a new family to the town that things begin to take a turn into the realm of weird.   

Really weird in fact.   

To the point that strange things that have been ignored until that point in Helen’s life get so bizarre that she can’t even pretend anymore.  She needs answers and the only place she can get them is from the Delos family even if it kills her; or them; or all of them.  As you may guess there is more to Lucas Delos (the curious focus of her attention) and his family than just good looks, brains and a sudden move from abroad and Helen’s fury and angry isn’t in her control and is very much linked to their appearance but I’ll let you read it to discover what it is.  

I was a bit on the fence at first because the premise for this story is so similar to so many other YA books out there but I guess it’s the big fantasy/wish of a teen girl for a new mysterious and handsome guy to roll up to your school and fall head over heels for you even if you are (in your eyes) average and there to be an element of danger and ‘Romeo and Juliet’ type epicness.  Hell; I wanted that as a teen girl and I had bigger barriers to overcome like the fact that I went to an all girls school.  Even now this Romeo romance is something that will forever appeal and I wouldn’t even class myself as a romantic type girly girl.  However I loved this story because of the element of danger and torn loyalties over family, friends and love.  

It had just enough romance to make it endearing and wonderful and the right amount of danger and action to keep the pulse racing right until the last page.  I loved the mix of characters from Helen’s BBF Claire who is small, loud and quirky but with the biggest heart of gold that overpowers any of her flaws and Hector, Lucas’ cousin, who is a physical guy in every sense but more complex and thinking than you might assume. 

It was a fabulous thrill of a story once we got into the world of myths and mystery that the Delos family live in and is at the core of Helen’s world without her even realizing it. 

With more than one mystery to be discovered and solve and several battles to be fought Starcrossed never lets you rest for long before you are thrown into the deep end again and I can’t wait to see how the revelations and results from Starcrossed lead on into Josephine Angelini’s next installment

Rating 8.5/10

Published by Macmillan and is available here and all good bookshops

IMM: In My Mailbox [23]

In My Mailbox is an epic feature run by The Story Siren and my links go to Amazon UK but other book sellers are out there too!

Again no new books!  I'm being so good because next Sunday I'm off to Spain for 10 days and need the cash (plus I'm planning to snoop out a few spainish editions of fab YA with divine covers. 

I don't think there is any internet connection where i'm going so probably no huge amount of posting after next Sunday and no twitter.  *not freaking out at all AGGGGHHHH*

However I'm trying to post date some entries and such in the mean time and then any comments I'll read as soon as i'm back.

Now i'm off to enjoy the lovely sunshine.  

HAPPY READING

XOXO

Pottermore (Cause everyone is talking about it)

So after what seemed a lifetime of waiting the mystery of 'What is Pottermore?' was finally answered yesterday.  I thought i'd let the heat die down a bit before I commented but I'm guessing the crazy will continue for more than a day, ha ha.  So from what I understand it is an online interactive book "experience" in the world of Harry Potter with exclusive stuff, new information, where you can buy audio and ebooks of the series and it's being very much hyped up as a fan and author type of interaction website.

It sounds pretty amazing as an idea where there will be lots of new stuff the fans crave and a place that can be an online home of sorts for all the details and fan base to connect.

I am a fan of Harry Potter (and when the web site isn't being crazy and let's me put in my email info I will be) however I'm not a MEGA Harry Potter fan.  It's nothing against the other fans that I love and the books which are great but I just think it didn't get into them at the right time for me to really addicted in the same way as other series so I'm really interested in this as new step in the publishing world and readership fandom as well as new element of the Potterverse to explore.

Who else is excited????

Cover Reveal: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead UK EDITION

 

I posted the US cover reveal a while back but here is the UK Edition that was just revealed.  I still can't wait for Bloodlines to come out but if i'm honest, at the moment,  I'm not feeling the UK cover.  I think it's because the graphic art doesn't match up in my head to the story or the VA world but perhaps that will change once I read the book but I'm  curious about what the image means and what hidden meaning might be in there.

Thoughts and comments are always welcome

XOXO

Review: Six Days by Philip Webb

Set in a future landscape of London after war and in the grip of struggle and poverty, Cass and Wilbur, a brother and sister team, stumble into a mystery that they barely know all the real stories about.  Having lived a life with their father “scavving” for a mystery artefact for Vlad Russian powers that be, they soon find themselves helping out two lost and strange people, Erin and Peyto, who are looking for the same artefact for reasons even beyond Wilbur and Cass’ comprehension.  The two strangers aren't from their city and together the four must not only find the artefact before anyone else but also save lives and civilisations in doing so.  Travelling over London in its decaying state and much further afield they adventure on, in the hopes that they can do it all in just six days when time runs out for them all in the most disastrous way.

Unusually, the book is told partly with a cockney rhyming slang type of dialogue which you assume has been taken on as the norm in the post war London and it’s almost like the Scav’s own language and really sets Erin and Peyto apart as outsiders because they need a translator when they first meet Cass.  Honestly, at first I did too a bit but once the pace of the story picks up it’s not a noticeable issue.  Plus Cass and the others seem to use the slang less and less as the book goes on and they become more involved in Peyto and Erin’s world.   

I liked the mix of the science fiction and dystopian genre’s and how there was a real mix of history from several time period’s that collided as the real mystery spans thousands of years but set in only the six days.  Having the ticking clock hanging over their heads and the story was a good move because it added a sense of danger and adventure that otherwise would have been less interesting.  You need the time pressure to feel their sense of urgency at trying to find clues and not get caught.

Sometimes I felt like there was a lack of detail when it came to some of the characters or the actual science stuff.  Sometimes when questioned about technology or the scientific elements you don't find out exactly how things worked or didn't get much in depth history about characters like Cass and Wilbur’s mum who died years before or Erin’s family.  Really, if there is going to be an element of science in the science fiction I would have wanted more or at least a basic (even made up but logically sounding) explanation to how some things worked or they thought might work.  Or else it’s just like if everything that happened in Harry Potter was explained away by saying ‘Oh yer, that’s magic. NEXT!’.  I probably wouldn’t “get” all the science but that’s part of the story and it’s part of what makes it something tangible to believe in.  I hold up my hands and say that some elements we explained but I felt like there were some things; which I won't go into because it might spoil the story, that didn't get explained enough.  However if it had been it may have conflicted with the flow of the story so perhaps it was for the best!

All in all, I enjoyed Six Days and thought it was a exhilarating ride of an journey that takes on science fiction for a new younger audience.  It has the adventure and mystery that appeals to all and I’d gladly recommend it to someone wanting to give the genre a go but doesn’t want to be overcome with too much science terminology and theories.  Six Days is a story that shows you the power of greed and social divisions while giving you an ace action adventure any teen would want to read.

Rating:  7.5/10

Published by Chicken House from 4th July 2011 and is also available here

Top Ten Tuesday: BROKE AND BOOKISH 1 YEAR BLOGOVERSARY -- Top Ten Reasons I Love Being A Book Blogger/A Bookish Person

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND post a comment on our post with a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post to share with us and all those who are participating. If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. If you can't come up with ten, don't worry about it---post as many as you can!

Reading! : I love to read and so by having a blog about books and reading it gives me even more reason to read more and more and MORE

Sharing books with other people:  One of the main reasons for me personally to start the book blog was to be able to have a place to discuss, share and enjoy books with other people that share my interests

Being asked to recommend books to other people: It never stops amazing me when I get asked for recommendations from friends.  Plus it’s even better when they read things I recommend and they love them just as much as I do!

Going to a book shop and getting so excited that I stroke book covers:  I just love the sight of books and new books with their shiny covers and fresh pages.  It’s one of the long list of reasons how you can tell I am a bookish person.  No one but a bookish person would get their kicks by going to a book shop and consider it a ‘fun day out’

The smell of a new/old book: This is a strange thing but I am firmly in the ‘real books’ camp over eReaders (i don’t care if you like them but i just can’t deal with reading off screens with my eyesight!) so the smell of a freshly printed book or a musty and loved novel cannot be replaced.

Having other bookish people to share with: Book people need other book people.  It’s a known fact and oh so true because we spend a great deal of time reading; a solo hobby in general, so they need book people to converse with.  If only just to have a break between books and dialogue with real people instead of fictional ones!

Making new friends:  Like my previous reasoning, talking to other bookish people leads to making bookish friends and I can honestly say that I’ve made a load!

Discovering new and upcoming book talents:  Part of sharing book interests with other book people and book bloggers is about finding new books, upcoming talents and authors.  It’s wonderful finding something new and even better when they are starting out and you can follow a career as it develops.

Trying something new: Until recently I just stuck with the same genre of books and didn’t really consider books unless they were fantasy/supernatural/sci-fi YA books.  However I’ve branched out into more types of YA books, the odd biography and even (dun dun daaaa) adult fiction books!

Learning:  They say that you learn something new everyday and reading doesn’t just help; it allows you to learn 50 new things every day from new words, how to spell, different cultures, countries, history, science, art and on and on the lists goes on.  Never stop learning because there is never an end to the amount of things you can learn about.

All that is left to say is HAPPY 1 YEAR BLOGOVERSARY to Broke and Bookish!

IMM: In My Mailbox [22]

In My Mailbox is an epic feature run by The Story Siren and my links go to Amazon UK but other book sellers are out there too!

No new books this week....which is probably a good thing because I have so many to get through that I simply must read the one's I already have.

I think I have a worrying addiction to buying books.  No Joke!


So I'm trying to read what I have at the moment before being anything else needlessly.  Only MUST HAVES :)

Also Happy Fathers Day to all the Dad's and Grandad's out there *claps*

HAPPY READING

XOXO

Review: The Demon's Surrender by Sarah Rees Brennan

This is the third and final book in this series by Sarah Rees Brennan so it should be no shock that this review will have spoilers and such for the previous two books.  Don’t give me that look!  You try reviewing the 3^rd book in a series without mentioning anything about the ones that came before it.  Not Possible.  Anyway let’s leave it at that and move onto better things; like how epic this book is and how giddy I was just to get my grubby mitts on a copy.  To say I was looking forward to reading this book is nothing but a lie and an understatement.  I was on the verge of peeing myself just by receiving the book.  So to say I was excited, elated and frantic to read The Demon’s Surrender is probably closer to the truth.

The previous 2 books were from Nick and Mae’s point of view and The Demon’s Surrender is from Sin’s who is a great character that I was surprised would be our guide for the narrative.  You’d expect Alan to be the obvious choice but really Sin is the perfect option for this final story because she borders all these worlds.  Sin’s world hangs in the balance as Merris, the previous leader of the market, wants Sin, her elegant chief dancer, or Mae, the “tourist” with a flair for the Market, to take over her job as she shares her body with a demon in a pack to save lives.  

Though Sin and Mae are friends of sorts turned rivals as Sin finds it hard to keep her roles as a dancer, friend, potential leader, sister and teen girl all in balance as the stress and danger escalates. Who can blame her?! If that wasn’t enough she has battles with magicians, demons and the world at large in general.  Sarah Rees Brennan likes to make it complicated for her characters, ha ha.

I ADORE these books and the characters because they are all so individual and have their own lives that exist separately but come together in battle and friendship.  Sin is such a strong and graceful character but it isn’t until this third book that you get to see her without her well placed mask on.  She is vulnerable and broken in so many ways and all your previous judgements are thrown in the air.  The Demon’s Surrender is very much about this theme of throwing out pre conceived notions as people are more than what they appear to be and for Sin this often makes her life more difficult but never less interesting.  All the characters are very changed at their core after the battle in Exeter and you can’t even trust your own judgements from previous books as some find their hidden strengths and ways to cope after the fall out.  These changes effect the course of events dramatic in The Demon’s Surrender as they all make some hard decisions that have the potential to destroy world’s and lose their power and lives.

This story is filled with adrenaline and action that it kicks the heart into racing and leaving the mind reeling with each turn of the page.  I was captivated with each new tid bit of information I was given with each drip drip of the story as it built up to the big twists (which had me breathless and on the verge of tears).  If this book was a person I would be hugging it as well as given it a stern talking too about scaring me so much but forgiven it very swiftly.  Sarah Rees Brennan is one of my favourite authors because she never forgets to add the small details that shape a character or a location to make it that tiny bit more real and true.  Even small things like mentioning the type of seating on the tube or the distances between tube stops creates a sense of time and caring thought into the reader’s viewpoint.  She has finished the series on a high and made this trilogy’s build up worth the wait.  Sarah Rees Brennan rocks: fact.

Oh and before I forget: I LOVE YOU ALAN RYVES.

That is all.

Rating:  10/10

Published by Simon & Schuster and available here and at all good book retailers

Meet The Blogger Feature

I took part in a new excellent feature called 'Meet The Blogger' over on The PewterWolf Blog with the every wonderful Andrew.

I love his blog and he is so funny and so go have a look at his blog while you are over there having a gander at the feature Q&A I did.

Xoxo

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten "Awww" Moments In Books

 Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND post a comment on our post with a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post to share with us and all those who are participating. If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. If you can't come up with ten, don't worry about it---post as many as you can!

This week is the top 10 moments that make you go 'awwww': with moments filled with epic lines, actions ,kisses and general AWWW factor elements

The Replacement:  The moment that had me going awwww was when Mackie and sat on the roof together and were just ‘together’.  So sweet and perfectly timed for those two characters to have that pause moment among all the drama to just enjoy each other’s companionship and being close to each other.

Paranormalcy:  Evie goes to school:  All Evie wants is a bit of normal life and as you follow her story that’s all you want for her too.  So when she gets a chance to have a day at high school it’s one of the most thrilling things for you and her.  Just the sight of lockers has her swooning and who can blame her!

Department 19:  The Big Battle:  I loved this book because it’s so gritty and scary and there is a lot of blood filled action that I won’t go into TOO much detail about in case some of my followers are not big fans of blood and gore but if you are a horror fan there is more than enough in there to have you squeeling and screaming with delight or horror. 

The Cabin Scene in Shadow Kiss:  If you’ve read Shadow Kiss then you know what scene I’m talking about and without giving away any spoilers I’ll just say that I had a big reaction to this scene and I VERY MUCH approved. 

Dimitri open ups to Rose in the alley way in Blood Promise:  I was waiting on the edge of my seat for that breaking moment between these two after EVERYTHING they’d been through and it came sort of suddenly and yet wonderfully fitting that in the middle of all the whirlwind of the action there have a pause before the story continues.  It’s that glimmer of hope that there is a spark of the past that might relight a fire in the future.

Jace and Clary sleeping in the same bed in City of Glass:  Probably one of the most tender and romantic moments I’ve read in a very long while.  Just at that point when everything seems doomed and on the edge of battle and these two share something so simple as just being near one and other.  Just in case they don’t get a chance to afterwards.  Sad and haunting but still completely adorable seeing the hard walls around these two characters break down for a few hours.

Finnick and Annie wedding in MockingJay:  I think apart from the ending, this was the only other moment in the book when I actually welled up with tears (well there are a few more but this and the ending made actual tears appear).  So cute and endearing and loved that we got to see this real life happening during the unrest of the Districts.  Plus seeing some romance and happiness when everything else seems to be so all over the place was JUST what I needed as a reader.  YAY FOR HAPPY TIMES!

First kiss with Alan and Mae in Demon Surrender:  I was whooping and yelping in delight at this one because i’m a BIG Team Alan fan so Mae shocked delight  response afterwards is preeeetty much what I can imagine mine would be.  Don’t underestimate the allure and attraction of the geek. ;-)

Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Darkness:  I know i’m coping out really by not picking one moment but this whole series has made me AWWWW so much.  It’s brim full of epic romance, high drama and action and from Lena and Ethan relationship, the father son bond the starts to bloom in Beautiful Darkness, the many deaths that break your heart and let me just say that if Beautiful Creatures makes you cry then you might need 50 boxes of tissues for the sequel!

Rockoholic:  The Regulators gig:  What can I say; I’m a sucker for Rock music and live gigs.  It totally describes the build up and emotion you get at a rock show and seeing your favourite band for the first time no matter how bad an experience (and let’s face it, it wasn’t the best for her) it stays with you.