On The Day I Died by Candace Fleming

It was after midnight and Mike Kowlaski was driving fast – too fast – down County Line Road. He glanced at the dashboard clock and groaned.

He was late.  Again.

His phone rang. It didn’t take ESP to know it was his mother. “She probably wants to get a jump start on her griping,” Mike muttered to himself. Earlier that evening, she’d told him to be in by midnight “or else.”

Mike didn’t even want to think about what “or else” meant.

Ignoring the call, he mashed down the accelerator. Maybe if he was only a little late...

That was when the girl appeared in his headlights.

Goodreads Summary

Set in White Cemetery, an actual graveyard outside Chicago, each story takes place during a different time period from the 1860's to the present, and ends with the narrator's death. Some teens die heroically, others ironically, but all due to supernatural causes. Readers will meet walking corpses and witness demonic posession, all against the backdrop of Chicago's rich history—the Great Depression, the World's Fair, Al Capone and his fellow gangsters.

*     *     *

My younger sister and I were pretty fascinated with the macabre growing up. All I could think about was how much we would have loved this collection of short stories by Candace Fleming back then. Sadly, as an older reader, the stories didn’t really creep me out, but, I can certainly remember a time when they genuinely would have had me sleep with the light on after putting down my book for the night. And this ultimately, is the age group the book is aimed at; teen readers who like a good scary story.

Mike is on his way home when he has a ghostly encounter with a long dead girl. The night twists and turns until he finds himself at the graveside of the girl. There he meets a variety of child ghosts, all wanting to share their stories, and so the novel is split into these stories but held together with Mike’s storyline.

I think what I enjoyed most was the varying age of those in the graveyard; it meant that each story was set in a different time period of Chicago history and so the events and manner in which each ghost tells their story is reflective of that. We visit the famous Chicago World Fair with Evelyn and her twin sister, experience a deadly act of revenge for the gangster-accented Johnnie, and of course, there’s a visit to an abandoned insane asylum. Believe it or not, there’s even a clever story involving an old flame of Al Capone’s.

The stories are each unique and believable with the exception of one which borrows, as if to cover all bases, heavily from the sci-fi genre. But actually, ultimately this story just didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the collection. Whereas the others touch on real history which adds to their credibility, this one story just wasn’t believable in the way the others were. And I tend to think if a scary story can seem believable, it adds that extra element of fear!

My favourite tale was Edgar’s; a boy born with a strange ability which he cannot control and is shunned for it, inevitably leading to tragedy. The terror in this is subtle, not the outright “things that go bump in the night” horror, but the fear of oneself.

It’s a small book at just over 200 pages, but I found it and the stories within it the perfect length. Short and scary; perfect for camp-fire re-telling, or reading to younger siblings.

Breathe by Sarah Crossan

I squeeze Abel’s hand and he looks at me. ‘Now?’ he asks. He puts his other hand into his pocket.

‘No, no. Not yet,’ I whisper. Several cameras are trained right at us and there’s a steward only metres away. I pull Abel close and nuzzle his neck. We aren’t a couple but posing as one makes us less conspicuous.

When oxygen levels plunge in a treeless world, a state lottery decides which lucky few will live inside the Pod. Everyone else will slowly suffocate. Years after the Switch, life inside the Pod has moved on. A poor Auxiliary class cannot afford the oxygen tax which supplies extra air for running, dancing and sports. The rich Premiums, by contrast, are healthy and strong. Anyone who opposes the regime is labelled a terrorist and ejected from the Pod to die. Sixteen-year-old Alina is part of the secret resistance, but when a mission goes wrong she is forced to escape from the Pod. With only two days of oxygen in her tank, she too faces the terrifying prospect of death by suffocation. Her only hope is to find the mythical Grove, a small enclave of trees protected by a hardcore band of rebels. Does it even exist, and if so, what or who are they protecting the trees from? 

*          *        *

A few weeks before reading Breathe, someone on Twitter tweeted a joke image of ‘iOxygen,’ a joke that one day Apple would own oxygen as well as most of the gadget market. I had a giggle then didn’t think anything more of it.

But then I started reading Breathe and suddenly the idea became all too real. This dystopian novel takes place in the not too distant future, where climate change mixed with human attempts to defeat it has actually resulted in the death of all trees and plants. The bottom line? No air to breathe at all in the natural atmosphere.

Some of the descriptions of what happened in the initial aftermath of the air running out are chilling – a lottery was run and a select few chosen to live in the Pod, a city within a giant glass bubble run by Breathe, the company that has managed to manufacture oxygen. But for the unlucky majority, they were left to die, slowly suffocating.

The book is set many years after this and revolves around the teenage descendants of those living under Breathe. Yet life is not easy. Divisions in social class have only gotten worse, with those able to afford ample oxygen able to run and breathe as deeply as they like. Whilst those that can’t afford it are subject to restrictions on walking speed let alone running. Heck even having sex is considered an activity too oxygen intensive for most!

But as there always is in these novels, a resistance is rising. Out in the wasteland of the old world people are learning to survive on the low oxygen levels, and they are sharing the skill with others.

There were parts that impressed me about Breathe but then there were some really odd things that just ruined the believability of the whole situation.

The idea of oxygen as a commodity rather than what we know as perhaps the only truly free resource available to us is an excellent concept and the link to climate change as a way in which this resource was lost and monopolised is ingenious and compelling. But then there is the resistance, lead by basically a tree-hugging hippy who not only takes advice from a nine year old but suddenly just lets everything she has built up crumble to pieces, leaving the responsibility to the teenage main characters. Crossan starts out portraying her as a strong, no-nonsense woman, but ultimately she becomes distinctly unlikeable and pathetic. It just doesn’t make sense. I also felt that whilst the first two thirds of the novel had a nice pace to them and I was really very much enjoying the novel, the end was too rushed and chaotic.

The main characters are however engaging although perhaps slightly clichéd. There’s Bea, the quiet, clever one, struggling in a poor, oxygen-starved family, Quinn the womanising cocky one from the rich family and Alina who slams into their world and turns their lives onto the path of the resistance.

There is also a host of supporting characters with some very nice moments; I would particularly like to see more from Alina’s cousin Silas.

All in all a great twist on a dystopian novel with a worryingly plausible context.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

Goodreads Summary

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

******

I’ve found Maggie Steifvater’s novels a bit hit and miss. It’s a personal thing; I loved the Wolves of Mercy Falls books but have yet to properly get into Lament, despite a couple of attempts. So although I was looking forward to trying The Raven Boys, it was with a little trepidation.

Fortunately The Raven Boys grabbed me from the off and is one of my top books of this year. The characters are well-crafted and appealing in their flaws and the storyline is imaginative and utterly unpredictable.

I’m not a fan of insta-romance in young adult novels and I was a little afraid from the synopsis that this book was going to centre around such a thing. We’re told from the first page that main character Blue has been told for as long as she can remember that she will cause her true love to die, and this kind of gave me some pre-conceptions the book was going to be about an instant attraction and then the angst of not being able to fulfil that love. Having finished The Raven Boys, I think their might be some scope for that in future books, but this novel at least is not what I’d call a romance in the traditional sense. Rather it is a novel about friendship and the love it can inspire, obsession, pride and ambition.

The Raven Boys has more than its fair share of tortured souls, but the way the author has her characters interact with each other is beautiful. Confident, wealthy Gansey; reluctant leader of the pack takes care of his brood with the protectiveness of a father. Kind-hearted Adam is so desperate to prove himself to himself, he sees accepting aid, even when he most needs it as a weakness. Then there is Ronan, in so much pain from the death of his father, he seems intent on self destruction. And finally dear Noah... I can’t say much about Noah for fear of spoilers, but oh how I wanted to give him a big hug.

The novel is not all angst and sorrow however, far from it. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments; Maggie and her Raven Boys never seem to take themselves too seriously.

For me the most surprising aspect of the book was the intertwining of ancient Welsh history, the spiritual world and divination. I like historical novels and these themes added extra for me which I wasn’t expecting at all. I really just can’t wait for the next book; and that doesn’t happen very often!

Finally a note on heroine Blue. For me this novel, as the name suggests, is all about the boys. However just as the quartet find themselves completed by Blue, I found she does complete the book. It’s subtle but by the end, you can’t imagine the book without her. Like so many of the more introverted amongst us, though perhaps not immediately as appealing as those that ‘shout the loudest’, she’s spunky and smart, at times shy but capable of standing her ground. I look forward to her character developing even more in the books to come.

GRYMM by Keith Austin

Something stirred in the gravelly yard beneath their window A soft slippery nuzzle, the sort of sounds you'd expect a pig to make with its snout in a trough.

Amazon Summary

The small mining town of Grymm perched on the very edge of the Great Desert is the kind of town you leave - but when Dad gets a three-month contract in the mine there, Mina and Jacob, unwilling stepbrother and sister, are reluctantly arriving From a grotesque letting agent who seems to want to eat their baby brother, a cafe owner whose milkshakes contain actual maggots and the horribly creepy butcher, baker and candlestick-maker, Mina and Jacob soon realize that nothing in Grymm is what is appears to be And then things get seriously weird when their baby brother disappears - and no one seems to even notice! In Grymm, your worst nightmares really do come true

*

I was really excited to read GRYMM. When I read the description, two of my favourite things jumped to mind; Labyrinth and Tim Burton. In a strange past-its-prime town in the middle of nowhere, a new family are moving in, including step-siblings Mina and Jacob. Within a day, their baby brother has disappeared and no one else seems to remember him ever existing. What follows is an investigation into his disappearance which has the children meeting some characters which are all relatively, creepy, weird and down right disgusting. There’s the blood-thirsty butcher with a bad case of OCD, the baker tempting children with his tasty treats, and the kooky milkshake shop owner who’s re-inventing tequila through milk by adding a maggot or two to the bottom. Grymm is the kind of place that will incite fascination with the sickening and morbid which so often appeals to children and young adults. The setting and characters makes this the perfect book for horror-loving boys and girls alike.

The way the tumultuous relationship between Mina and Jacob develops through the story is lovely and, at times, I really just wanted to give Jacob a big hug. Fighting between siblings is normal, but Mina and Jacob drew the short straw and are also step-siblings, so carrying a lot of baggage over new step mothers/fathers – not to mention a new baby brother. But the shared experience of beating Grymm and its bizarre occupants draws them closer together and gives them a new found respect for one another.

Aside from the Burtonesque characters and Labyrinth theme (the GRYMM version of the ‘Goblin King’ is far from a seductive Bowie however!), there are some fabulous fun references to Lord of the Rings and I found the character of Cleaver Flay distinctly inspired by Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast.

The downside is that I found the novel just too long and in parts, very repetitive and unnecessary. The plot settles into a formulaic pattern – kids go out, meet a weirdo, something creepy happens, kids narrowly escape. This happens so many times, I found myself skim-reading... something I usually only do reading a boring document at work... not good. I get that the author wants to establish how the people within the town are being influenced by the evil ‘Goblin King’ in the mine, but ultimately, most of them add very little to the climax of the novel. Having said that, I did find the characters imaginative and the evil Anhangar with his cockroachy movements is a villain worthy of most young people’s nightmares.

Overall I’m undecided on this book. I really loved the cover and the corresponding drawings at the start of each chapter and the story is quirky and devilish. Random House have really got a winner here in appealing to those that love quirky horror. I liked the twist at the end relating to baby brother Bryan as one I just didn’t see coming. But for me, the tale dragged on too long and I think in the end, I rushed through what was actually a pretty good ending just to get the book over and done with.

Jepp, Who Defied The Stars by Katherine Marsh

Goodreads Summary

Is it written in the stars from the moment we are born?

Or is it a bendable thing that we can shape with our own hands?

Jepp of Astraveld needs to know.

He left his countryside home on the empty promise of a stranger, only to become a captive in a strange and luxurious prison: Coudenberg Palace, the royal court of the Spanish Infanta. Nobody warned Jepp that as a court dwarf, daily injustices would become his seemingly unshakeable fate. If the humiliations were his alone, perhaps he could endure them, but it breaks Jepp’s heart to see his friend Lia suffer.

After Jepp and Lia perform a daring escape from the palace, Jepp is imprisoned again, alone in a cage. Now, spirited across Europe by a kidnapper in a horse-drawn carriage, Jepp is unsure where his unfortunate stars may lead him.

Before Jepp can become the master of his own destiny, he will need to prove himself to a brilliant and eccentric new master—a man devoted to uncovering the secrets of the stars—earn the love of a girl brave and true, and unearth the long-buried secrets of his parentage. And he will find that beneath the breathtaking cruelty of the world is something else: the persistence of human kindness.

*

In early July, Vivienne offered me a range of new books coming from Hot Key Books from which to choose one to review. I looked up the synopsis of each and was immediately struck by just how unique Jepp, Who Defied the Stars promised to be. A novel where the main protagonist is a court dwarf in the late 1500’s? Whoa! Sign me up!

Jepp’s tale is one of prejudice, fate and mastering destiny and most importantly of all; love. The story is woven with superb detail, from the Infanta’s palace and the fabulous clothes and furnishings, to the Danish castle of the eccentric astronomer Tycho Brahe. Although I’m definitely a fan of the lavishness of court, to an extent I have read about this before, so for me the second part of the novel with its automatons, beer-drinking moose and a master who’s prosthetic nose keeps falling off really had me giggling.

Jepp’s perspective is different to most. Being a dwarf, not only does navigating normal furniture prove a difficulty, but the way in which people interact with him is at best curious interest and at worst total debasement – not only does he experience playing room mate to aforementioned drunk moose, at one point he is even ferried about in a cage! His time at court also proves that even the most decadent palace can be a prison. But from Jepp we learn no matter how different in stature, we all want similar things from life; to better ourselves, to love and be loved in return.

The first person perspective method of storytelling in this novel reminded me of The Farseer Trilogy by one of my favourite author’s; Robin Hobb. Though this isn’t a fantasy novel in the typical sense, Jepp’s thoughts and feelings about how the situations he finds himself in are honest and realistic; his decisions always based on what is morally right, no matter if he would be well entitled to a bit of vengeance. Though a novel aimed at children/young adults, I found Jepp, Who Defied the Stars surprisingly mature in the way in which the characters and story is presented. It is doesn’t patronise the younger reader and makes no qualms about presenting the cruelty human-kind is capable of.

Aside from our hero, other characters to make an impression include Matheus the kind-hearted kidnapper, Lia; Jepp’s first love, lady dwarf and delicate musician and the astronomer Tycho who breaks boundaries not only in science but in convention by marrying the woman he loved. The only flaw I found was that despite the title of the novel, I felt a bit like Jepp, in money matters at least, was in fact reliant on his fate. I would have liked to see him come up with a genius business idea or something to make his own fortune.

I am a big fan of historical fiction, but this particular era I didn’t know too much about. I seriously didn’t realise just how linked the novel was to the history of the time – many of the characters, settings and situations were real and it’s really worth reading the author’s notes at the end to really appreciate the genius of how this novel is put together.

If you are looking for a brilliant little novel with a unique storyline and varied mix of lovable and despicable characters, you couldn’t make a better choice.

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken

Goodreads Summary

Wicked wolves and a grim governess threaten Bonnie and her cousin Sylvia when Bonnie's parents leave Willoughby Chase for a sea voyage. Left in the care of the cruel Miss Slighcarp, the girls can hardly believe what is happening to their once happy home. The servants are dismissed, the furniture is sold, and Bonnie and Sylvia are sent to a prison-like orphan school. It seems as if the endless hours of drudgery will never cease.

With the help of Simon the goose boy and his flock, they escape. But how will they ever get Willoughby Chase free from the clutches of the evil Miss Slighcarp?

*

 

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase is set in an 18th century England different to our own, where wolves frequent the countryside, adding an immediate hint of danger and excitement to an already action-packed novel. The main story of the book revolves around Bonnie, the wealthy daughter of a Lord and the grand old house of Willoughby Chase which comes under threat from an ambitious and greedy relative. Despite her genteel upbringing, Bonnie is a heroine to win over any young reader; plucky and with a strong sense of moral fibre, she stands up to the wicked governess introduced to her home, protecting family and servants alike. To temper this fire-cracker, we have Sylvia, Bonnie’s kind-hearted and gentle cousin, and for young male readers, we have Simon, the boy who lives by himself raising geese, protecting our heroines from wolves and rescuing them from evil old women.

The governess Miss Slighcarp is the perfect villain and has us hooked from the start as she physically lashes out at a servant, much to Bonnie’s outrage. Our revulsion increases as she takes to wearing Bonnie’s sick mother’s beautiful gowns and sacking all of Willoughby Chase’s loyal and hardworking servants. All this before she really gets going personally on poor Bonnie and Sylvia! Miss Slighcarp and her evil sidekicks are so horrible, you actually, somewhat guiltily, start enjoying them; what vile thing will they come up with next?!

First published in 1962, the book is obviously somewhat dated in language and sentence structure; there is much happy crying and talk of petticoats and doll’s houses. But the storyline is so classic it will survive the ages – Children versus evil governess fight to preserve home and family –always a winner! The characters are also so out of the ordinary for their time that their personalities and actions will resonate with today’s children, Bonnie’s father for instance, has allowed her to break the social norms of embroidery and piano-playing and instead she is a whiz with a fowling piece (gun!).

The new edition by Vintage is highly engaging for young readers. The cover I think is edgy but neutral enough to appeal to both a male and female young audience and the ‘What Character Are You?’ quiz at the back takes me back to the days of similar quizzes in magazines which I know when I was younger I absolutely loved. The other facts and extras are absorbing and a really nice addition. I also really liked the little bookplate on the first page.

Even as an adult, I had trouble putting this fun and engaging novel down - The Wolves of Willoughby Chase is as fast-paced as the wolves within it. I wondered why the character Simon felt so familiar and realised I read the follow-up novel Black Heart’s in Battersea as a kid and adored it, so if you enjoy The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, as I’m sure you will, don’t forget to look this one up too!

Burn Mark by Laura Powell

Goodreads Summary

Glory is from a family of witches and lives beyond the law. She is desperate to develop her powers and become a witch herself. Lucas is the son of the Chief Prosecutor for the Inquisition—the witches’ mortal enemy—and his privileged life is very different to the forbidden world that he lives alongside.And then on the same day, it hits them both. Glory and Lucas develop the Fae—the mark of the witch. In one fell stroke, their lives are inextricably bound together, whether they like it or not . . .

*

I was really excited about this book. Covens living in modern day council estates? The medieval inquisition still alive and well and operating as a bona fide government agency? The concept was brilliant, in actuality; the book fails to deliver on it.

I think the main problem with Burn Mark is the number of characters in it that actually have very little importance and just make getting into the book extremely difficult – at the start we are introduced to the wasters of Glory’s coven, Lucas’ school mates and people at parties. Names come and go, you worry you’re going to forget who they are if they crop up later and end up being important.   Ironically, the hero and heroine who do get the adequate attention in terms of character build up ultimately don’t have much input or control over the action at the end of the book. It’s like they’re the coach that take us to the theme park then the main attraction kicks in with a whole load of people we’ve barely met.

Having said that, I did like the book. I didn’t feel the need to read it alongside something else – I generally looked forward to picking it back up at lunchtime or in the evening. It didn’t fall in the ‘can’t put it down’ category but that doesn’t often happen to me so I wasn’t expecting this. I think the saving grace of the book is the hero Lucas. Despite the ‘well to do’ upbringing and slightly snotty attitude, he is also embedded with a fantastic moral fibre right from the start. Even as a child, he knows right from wrong and is against any form of cruelty, against witches or anyone else. He’s a true hero in every sense.

I grudgingly liked Glory by the end of the book, but until about two thirds of the way through I mostly wanted to slap her. But it was kind of refreshing to have a ‘bad-girl’ heroine and small scenes, such as those with her father, give her character more depth of feeling. I think the main disappointment for me was that the connection between the dream Glory experiences every night and the disappearance of her mother was never resolved. Perhaps there will be a follow-up, but the ending could equally point at a stand-alone novel.

The other aspect of the book which sets it apart from others in the genre is the way in which witchcraft is portrayed. The clue is in the name (‘craft’) and Burn Mark returns witchery to its roots. There is no waving of wands and instant action here. Spells take time and materials to complete, and as such, the reader knows that the witches are not guaranteed to win just by virtue of their powers.I’ve seen a few reviews stating the change in point of view is confusing. I’m wondering if this is because so much YA fiction is written in the first person. I didn’t find the change in perspective hindered the story in any way. It is too complex a tale not to be told from the point of view of multiple main characters and I feel a young adult audience is more than capable of handling this method of storytelling. The novel does however, need a high degree of attention to keep up with, so not one for those looking for a light story they can easily dip in and out of.All in all, a worthwhile read with some innovative themes and likable characters.

Geekhood by Andy Robb

Goodreads Summary

If you haven't worked it out yet, girls don't do this. They don't come to the Hovel. They don't like goblins and dragons. They don't paint miniatures. They don't play role playing games or re-enact fictional battles. And they don't talk to Geeks like me especially if they're pretty. And this girl is pretty. What do you do if you're a fourteen-year-old Geek, and a Beautiful Girl has appeared in the midst of your geeky world? And she seems to like you... For Archie, the natural reaction would be to duck and cover ... run for the hills ... buy a new model elf... Anything but risk stepping into the Real World. But even Geeks have to put their heads above the parapet at some point. With his mum barely able to contain her excitement that her son is about to join the human race, and his step-father, Tony the Tosser, offering crass advice, it's time for Archie to embark on a daring Quest to win the Beautiful Girl's heart and shake off his Geekhood for good...

*

One Sunday afternoon it was time to choose a new book to read. With some barely disguised glee, I had finished a somewhat confusing book on my kindle – seriously, I’ve never been so close to not finishing a book! – and was on the prowl for a new adventure. I have a lot of unread books around my house. A LOT. Luckily my partner can’t see the other unread books on my kindle though I suspect he knows they’re there. ‘Gollum-like,’ to steal a slice of Geekhood, I prowled my shelves. There were two books in particular that I’d been itching to read. I seized one and settled down. Meh, it just wasn’t grabbing me. Flinging it behind the sofa, I reached for the other (that’s for dramatic effect, I actually replaced it lovingly on the shelves, who could harm a nice new book??!). Again I was disappointed! This isn’t to say that these are bad books, I’m sure they’ll prove awesome, but I think because I’d just finished something kind of mediocre, I just couldn’t bear to be reading anything else that wasn’t immediately seizing my attention.

Enter Geekhood, with its bright orange cover and a slogan nodding to that cult movie all geeks adore. Within a few pages, I was thrown into my younger days, but with a slightly more masculine element. Where it’s RPG gaming for our hero Archie, I had World of Warcraft and competing with model horses. Where Archie and his friends spend their weekends hidden in the Hovel deciding which miniatures to buy and paint up next, I spent mine lodged in book shop aisles figuring which I should choose to buy with my oh so valuable – and limited - funds.

It’s a stunning portrayal of a young male teen geek. It doesn’t take itself seriously – there’s more than the fair share of self-mockery in there that one can’t help thinking is too accurate to possibly not stem from real life author experience. And undoubtedly that’s what makes it both believable and frustrating for an older reader – I wanted to say ‘hey, Archie, relax! When you grow up, people are more forgiving – they’ve got over their own inadequacies and ego’s and moved on to more important things.’ But for a young reader, this book will have them saying ‘wow, it’s not just me.’

The true beauty of this book lies in its supporting cast; Archie’s fellow geeks remind us to thank God for friends who will forgive and forget when we’re acting dumb and ground us when we forget who we really are – where would we be without them? Matt in particular, shows true maturity in the level of peace he has reached with himself and what he is. Stepfather Tony is also a gem – don’t get me wrong, if I were Archie, I’d definitely think he was a “Tosser™” - but as an outsider looking in on Archie’s story, he seems like a good guy, making the best effort he can. Surprisingly, the object of Archie’s affection does nothing for me throughout the book, but then I think ultimately this just goes to show the depths of a geek – or indeed any – mind when it’s in love for the first time.

Three-quarters of the way through the book I got angry with Mr Robb. I was overtaken by righteous betrayal by Archie’s apparent transformation into non-geek! I mean, what’s wrong with being a geek? I took it like a personal insult! I mean I know plenty of geeks who have grown up just fine decent people, and yes married, with kids, all that ‘normal’ stuff. Was the author trying to suggest Geekhood was wrong?! What’s going on here?!

Luckily, and with a huge sigh of relief, normality was resumed and I was very pleased with the way the relationship between Sarah and Archie was left by the end. Not because Archie’s a geek and it was ‘inevitable,’ but because that’s life and very few first loves work out. After all, it takes time for true soul mates to find each other, and I’m really hoping there will be future books when we can see Archie fall in love with the girl he really deserves.

The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clark

Goodreads Summary

Ananna of the Tanarau is the eldest daughter of a highly-ranked family in the loose assortment of cutthroats and thieves in the Pirate's Confederation. When she runs away from the marriage her parents have arranged for her, they hire Naji the assassin to murder her. When a mysterious woman in a dress shop offers her magical assistance for dealing with the assassin, Ananna accepts. She never went in much for magic herself -- she lacks the talent for it -- but she's not quite ready to die yet, either. Unfortunately, the woman's magic fails. Fortunately, Ananna inadvertently saves the assassin's life in the skirmish, thus activating a curse that had been placed on him a few years earlier. Now, whenever her life is in danger, he must protect her -- or else he experiences tremendous physical pain. Neither Ananna nor the assassin, Naji, are pleased about this development. Follow Ananna and Naji as they sail across the globe, visiting such mysterious places as the Court of Salt and Waves, in their desperate effort to lift the curse. Soon they will discover that only by completing three impossible
 tasks will they be able to set themselves free.

 *

 I’ll start off by saying I’m not a book reviewer, this is my first attempt. My reading also extends far and beyond young adult novels, though I do read a fair few of them. Having won an ARC of The Assassin’s Curse by Cassandra Rose Clark through Serendipity Reviews and publisher Strange Chemistry, I felt that I should give something back with a review... so here goes! Firstly, the cover of The Assassin’s Curse is stunning, it will stick out from the sea of Gothic pretty-girl covers a mile off at the book shop. It was the cover and synopsis that actually got me to enter the give-away (I’m not really an enter-everything kinda gal, I figure if I’m not that fussed and I happened to win, I’d be disappointing someone who did really want it!). I am a sucker for pretty covers, but hey I’ve discovered some fantastic books this way and The Assassin’s Curse is no different.

Onto the story itself, I was nearly bowled over at the word ‘tits’ two pages in, but then our heroine is a pirate, so what did I expect? I’m just so used to the niceties of most YA novels, it was actually quite refreshing as I sure as hell hear worse from real life kids standing at a bus stop.

The start was maybe a little lacking on emotional background, almost like the author was eager to start on her heroine’s adventure – why is Ananna so against marrying Tarrin of the Hariri? Throughout the book she seems so in love with her family, the sea and life as a pirate that it seems a bit ‘out-there’ to do a runner in a town slap bang in the middle of a desert with no supplies or cash. But it’s soon apparent as an impulsive act, one which is key to Ananna’s character throughout the rest of the book. It sets her apart from most YA heroine’s who, with the same use of first person perspective, treat us to an endless stream of over-analysing teenage angst when decision making. In true pirate style, Ananna sees a problem, acts and bares the consequences.

The hero is slightly on the moody secretive side, but you can’t help liking him as he gets a pummelling through the book. To stop you dismissing him as weak however, there’s a great part on board ship where he reminds the crew (and the reader)not to underestimate him and his profession. I think I was expecting more seafaring action, but what I actually got (and was by no means disappointed), was to delve into a city reminiscent of Arabia – markets selling pots of gold make up, bolts of fine fabrics, the scent of roasting goat meat skewers on the air. We get to experience the desperate heat of a desert, the cool relief of finding water and through their journey, the growing respect and trust between our initially suspicious hero and heroine. Both lead characters by profession can handle themselves in a fight, but ultimately it is Ananna that gets them through the book with her upbringing as a pirate, intuition and negotiating skills.

It’s such a pleasant change for a female lead to do the rescuing - if you’re a fan of the age old ‘knight in shining armour’ fantasy, prepare to be turned on your head. Personally, I hope The Assassin’s Curse sets a new standard for YA heroines! I initially thought this was a stand alone novel but am overjoyed that it looks like the characters will be returning. The Assassin’s Curse is a true stand out in today’s YA market.

April's Glossybox

Recieved Aprils Glossybox today and like many, was really impressed with the contents (particularly after the much hyped but for me at least, really poor Harrods special edition from last month!)

The first surprise was an all natural box - I do love my glossy packaging but do always feel a stab of guilt at the thought of it. This box manages to be sophisticated whilst good for the planet!

On opening I discovered the items were in keeping with the theme of the box! An all natural products special!! Hooray!

So what did I get? Burt's Bees milk and honey body lotion, Inika eye liner pencil in Purple Mix (purple! Hooray!), Figs & Rouge lip face and body balm in cherry and vanilla scent, Monu moisture rich collagen cream moisturiser and Caudalie SOS Thirst Quenching Serum.

The balm, eyeliner and Monu cream are all full sizes so boy am I impressed this month! The Caudalie serum is a bit of a let down as the tube is pretty much empty - there's like one use in there which won't tell me much about the effects of the product, a shame as I've wanted to try Caudalie products for ages. But eh, a small niggle in an otherwise great box.

Neals Yard Remedies Garden Mint & Bergamot Hand Cream

This was a total impulse buy when I was shopping in the Kings Road just before Christmas on a cheeky day off but I didn't regret it then, and I don't regret it now!

I've never before tried any Neals Yard skin care, in fact I didn't even realise they had a range until recently... last time I'd been in a Neal's Yard was to buy scented oils for a burner probably about 7 years ago, so boy was I surprised by the mass of products available. Incidentally, the Kings Road store also has therapy rooms which looked nice and there was a queue of people waiting when I was in there.

But anyways, on to the hand cream, I was very pleasantly surprised. My hand cream of choice is typically Liz Earl Hand Repair as it has all the qualities I want from a hand cream... economical, sinks in fast, pleasant scent... The Neal's Yard hand cream does all this but has the added benefit of being available in three scents - Geranium & Orange, Mint & Bergamot and Wild Rose (the company also makes other hand creams but these three are branded the same). I opted for Mint & Bergamot eventually but it was a hard choice in the store, they all smelled beautiful. I think scent wise, they exceed Liz Earle's. I went for Mint & Bergamot as I was looking for a cream to keep in my bag for daily use and this had a very fresh wide-awake scent to it. For just before bed, I probably would have opted for one of the other two.

I probably should have realised from the price, which is higher end, that I wouldn't need a lot of the product, but on first application I squeezed out a ton and immediately found I'd made a booboo. You only need around a pea sized amount to work wonders on your hands which makes the product extremely economical, so don't be put off by price. In texture it is very thick and luxurious feeling.

Ultimately the product leaves your skin soft and feeling protected. It's an odd one in that I feel like it has sinks in very quickly and I can go on about my business, yet the next time you wash your hands, you do get that slick feeling that you're washing the cream off as well suggesting maybe it doesn't sink in as well as you think. I figure as long as my hands aren't still feeling sticky minutes after use this isn't an issue for me.

All in all, you can't go wrong with this luxurious hand cream.

Rating out of 10: 9

The Good: Thick high quality hand cream without stickiness, range of pleasant scents to choose from. Small amounts will take you far.

The Bad: Some may find this an expensive option.

The Ugly: £9.50 for 50ml from Neals Yard Remedies stores or online at

Lily Lolo All Natural Lip Slick

I think I found my new favourite lip gloss! Lily Lolo have somehow managed what I thought was impossible, a lip product that truly is non-sticky, a lovely smooth texture, a small but perfect selection of colours to choose from and a delicious chocolaty scent.

At just six colours, some might say the options were somewhat limited, but for me as someone with very pale complexion, I can say that every single one of the colours available I could wear day to day. This doesn’t however mean they are boring nude colours – with colours like English Rose (dusky nude pink) and Scandalips (bright pink with shimmer), this collection can easily take you from day to night.

The scent knocked me for six when I first bought one, a delicious cocoa fragrance which really adds an extra thrill when applying, but also fades promptly so you’re not going to get sick of the smell.

I’ve never found a lip gloss that truly seems to be nourishing my lips as well as providing colour and gloss. With vitamin E and jojoba, I find myself reaching for Lily Lolo’s lip slick when my lips are feeling dry, not just when completing my make-up routine. I feel it is doing as good a job as my favourite lipbalm stick (Body Shop Vitamin E Lip Care SPF15) but with the added benefit of colour.

Rating out of 10: 9

The Good: super nourishing action alongside colour and gloss, beautiful chocolate scent, non-sticky easy application

The Bad: Small range of colours currently available which some might find off-putting

The Ugly: £7.29 for 6ml available from www.lilylolo.co.uk

March Wantlist

So I’ve recently moved house and so have been saving like crazy to pay deposits fees etc. Hence not much updating has been going on recently, I wasn’t buying anything new to try!

So here’s a pretty picture of all the things I’ve been ogling over the last couple of months but didn’t have the money to buy... Hopefully I will in the near future :D

First up is Rimmel’s new Wake Me Up Foundation – I got a sample of this in a magazine and really loved it. It reminds me of the Maybelline Dream Matt Mousse but in a liquid o.O really silky to put on, easy to blend in and really good coverage throughout the day.

Second is Swarovski’s new Stitch creation. I LOVE Lilo and Stitch and despite the rest of my collection being Swarovski’s regular animal creations, I really do want this Disney character :} He looks awesome in crystal form!

Next up is Yves Saint Laurent’s Touche Eclat Luminous Radiance Radiant Touch Concealer. Every beauty blog or article I read seems to absolutely love this concealer pen so there’s gotta be something in it! I could especially do with it at the moment as I’m looking a bit tired around the eyes from moving house!

The Celestial Dragon pet in World of Warcraft... lately when I’ve been playing I’ve been focussing on increasing my collection of pets, ever since I saw another player with this one. You get it once your collection reaches 150 unique pets. I’m at about 105. Long way to go :{

I saw a review of Benefits High Beam on Peachfizzz’s blog and really thought I’d like to try it. It’s a highlighter so will look great above cheek bones. It looks like it’ll be the perfect shade for me too but for those with more yellow tones to their complexion, there’s also Benefits Moon Beam.

“A Monster Calls” by Patrick Ness – all the book bloggers are raving about this and Ness was even invited onto morning TV to talk about the book... it was sold out on Amazon at one point too I believe... really want to read it, but it seems expensive in both paperback and kindle edition at the moment! C’mon Kindle Daily Deal......! Also, Ness's Chaos Walking trilogy was awesome.

I got a sample bottle of Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Wild Ginger Styling Treatment Oil in my most recent Glossybox and really really loved it. The smell is subtle but nice and the results on my hair were awesome – super silky and soft.

A BBQ... not particularly this one, just A BBQ! My new house has a garden so I really want to make the most of Spring/Summer with some outdoor grillin’!

I *SO* want Swarovski’s Rosette Bangle. I have the long and short necklaces and wear them all the time so really want the bangle to match. I’m hoping it’ll be in a sale at some point.

Lastly, Becca Beach Tint in Watermelon. You can blend this into cheeks or lips to add some waterproof colour! Some people received this in their February Glossybox and I was really jealous (although my own box had some equally great products in!). I’m a little worried the colour might be a bit too bright for my skin tone but still want to give it a try.

Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation SPF 15

I'm relatively new to Lily Lolo make-up, being for the longest time a BareMinerals kinda girl. But what with the purchase of a new house and funds at an all time low, I thought I'd give this product range a go as price wise, a pot of their mineral foundation is far less than BareMinerals. We're talking £24 for 8g BareMinerals Original SPF 15 Foundation versus £12.49 for 10g of Lily Lolo's product. That's quite a few pennies saved!

But does it hold up to the popular American brand? Well, I'd say yes, perhaps even exceeds it. The same technique applies, use a kabuki type brush to swirl a small amount in the lid, buff on to the face in circular movements until you have enough coverage. The consistency I think is slightly more coarse than BareMinerals when first shaken out of the pot, and the lids on the Lily Lolo products could do with a slightly higher rim for swirling as inevitably a bit seems to escape out on to the fingers. However when applied to the face, the coverage is excellent and somehow seems more smooth and silky than my usual BareMinerals Foundation. I also used to find the BareMinerals foundation could sting ever so slightly if my face were a bit dry, but the Lily Lolo formula is gentle and ideal for sensitive skin.

I chose the Blondie shade, but there are 18 colours in all to choose from and with 10g a pot to play with, this stuff is going to last you a LONG time, which for the price is really quite wonderful. It's also good to know that the Lily Lolo foundation has a swivel top to the pot to prevent the powder escaping everywhere if jostled in your bag. But if you're like me, you won't need to carry this with you, morning application lasts the entire day.

Rating out of 10: 9

The Good:
Low price for a fantastic product which easily matches the more expensive mineral make-up brands out there. I'm also loving that this is a British brand with good ethical credentials.

Natural feeling, air-brush look coverage

The Bad:
If there's a bad, I haven't found it yet!

The Ugly:
At £12.49 for a pot of 10g, here's a mineral make-up which will suit all budgets. Not so ugly afterall!

You can find Lily Lolo online or, if like me, you like to support small independent stockists in London, why not try Waterloo Body Station