Monthly Archives: May 2012

Jera’s Jamboree reviews: The Storyteller by Antonia Michaelis

The Storyteller by Antonia Michaelis

Paperback: 320 pages

Publisher: Amulet Books (1 Jan 2012)

Language English

ISBN-10: 1419701223

ISBN-13: 978-1419701221

Anna and Abel couldn’t be more different. They are both seventeen and in their last year of school, but while Anna lives in a nice old town house and comes from a well-to-do family, Abel, the school drug dealer, lives in a big, prisonlike tower block at the edge of town. Anna is afraid of him until she realizes that he is caring for his six-year-old sister on his own. Fascinated, Anna follows the two and listens as Abel tells little Micha the story of a tiny queen assailed by dark forces. It’s a beautiful fairy tale that Anna comes to see has a basis in reality. Abel is in real danger of losing Micha to their abusive father and to his own inability to make ends meet. Anna gradually falls in love with Abel, but when his “enemies” begin to turn up dead, she fears she has fallen for a murderer. Has she?

Award-winning author Antonia Michaelis moves in a bold new direction with her latest novel: a dark, haunting, contemporary story that is part mystery, part romance, and part melodrama.

The prologue shows the reader a scene in the woods, which is very poignant.

We’re introduced to Anna’s world -  naïve and still enjoying some childhood activities although best friend Gitta appears more worldly-wise than her.  She is on the edge of changes, which are precipitated by the finding of a doll in the school’s common room.  The doll belongs to Abel Tannatek’s 6 year old sister, Micha.

Anna begins to follow Tannatek – first to the elementary school where she sees him pick up Micha and then to the University restaurant where she eavesdrops on the fairytale he is creating.

Slowly, very slowly, Anna begins to erode the walls Tannatek has built up around himself and Micha. Going against everyone’s warnings, she wraps her own life around his.  She is never sure of the part he plays in the darkness that surrounds them but despite that, her love grows for him. Their romance reminds me of the mythic journey of the Cups in the Tarot.

While Anna is moving closer to him, there is another peer at school who is in love with Anna and secretively follows her everywhere.  When the tragedies happen, this made it difficult to predict whether I should side with Anna in her beliefs or lay the blame elsewhere.

There are plenty of ‘hooks’ in the story.  For example on page 135:

“Later, she would think, what if she had called, if she had talked to him on that Sunday, if she had … but who cares about later?  Later is always too late.”

Written mostly around the season of winter in Germany, the scenes/setting create just the right atmosphere for the darkness of the story.

The writing is really beautiful:

“The ice was smooth and wide, and it lay hidden under the snow like a secret thought.” (page 311)

This is such an unusual story, not only because it is part romance, part mystery and part melodrama but also because the fairytale that Tannatek creates is a reflection of his and Micha’s life.  Rich in symbolism, it is enchanting while at the same time dark and compelling.  It weaves its way through their everyday lives and I was engrossed trying to work out who represented who and the deeper meaning behind the words.

The Storyteller is a poignant story that steals into your heart and gives you hope but then shatters it into splinters, just when you think it will be whole.

Targetted towards the Young Adult audience, I would also suggest for adult readers (because of its literary content and also because of the myth/symbols).

Buy it and spread the word

I won my signed copy of The Storyteller via A&C Kids UK.  You can find them on Facebook  and tweet them.

The Storyteller is available to purchase from:

Amazon paperback £5.24

The Book Depository paperback £5.59

 

You can find out more about the author here.

The To Turn Full Circle Interviews: Emma Le Goff plus chocolate giveaway!

I would like to welcome Emma Le Goff to Jera’s Jamboree today.  Emma is the heroine of Linda Mitchelmore’s novel, To Turn Full Circle.  

Paperback: 356 pages

Publisher: Choc Lit (7 Jun 2012)

Language English

ISBN-10: 1906931720

ISBN-13: 978-1906931728

Life in Devon in 1909 is hard and unforgiving, especially for young Emma Le Goff, whose mother and brother die in curious circumstances, leaving her totally alone in the world. While she grieves, her callous landlord Reuben Jago claims her home and belongings. His son Seth is deeply attracted to Emma and sympathises with her desperate need to find out what really happened, but all his attempts to help only incur his father’s wrath. When mysterious fisherman Matthew Caunter comes to Emma’s rescue, Seth is jealous at what he sees and seeks solace in another woman. However, he finds that forgetting Emma is not as easy as he hoped. Matthew is kind and charismatic, but handsome Seth is never far from Emma’s mind. Whatever twists and turns her life takes, it seems there is always something – or someone – missing.

To Turn Full Circle is the first in a trilogy.

Hi Emma, thank you for agreeing to be interviewed.  It’s good to meet you.

Hello Sharon, good to meet you, too. 

When we first meet you Emma, you’re recovering from an illness.  Can you tell us more about that?

I’d like to forget all the horrid things that led to me becoming so ill but since you’ve been so kind as to ask me about that time, I’ll tell you.

When I eventually struggled down to the kitchen in Mrs. Phipps’ house, I couldn’t believe how long I’d been there. Six weeks! I think I must have slept for most of it, but I do remember drifting in and out of consciousness on the day of Mama’s and Johnnie’s joint funeral. In the church! I thought I was going to die of embarrassment if nothing else at the time. Although it was March and there was frost on the ground in the churchyard I was so hot – I seemed to be burning up from inside. And then my insides turned to ice and I fainted.

Somehow I ended up lodging with Mrs. Phipps but I don’t remember how I got there – on the back of someone’s pony and trap I expect. I do remember Dr. Shaw came to see me on my sick bed. He put ghastly poultices of goose fat and vinegar on my back to draw out the infection in my lungs. I had pleurisy, so Mrs. P informed me. The pain of it when I breathed in was almost unbearable at times. Then, on top of the pleurisy I teetered towards pneumonia, but the doctor saved me by pouring a teaspoon of ice-cold water down my throat – an old folk remedy but it worked for me. I’m still here!

Your father, Guillaume, was Breton.  Can you tell us more about his family?

My Papa, Guillaume, was indeed a Breton and proud of it. The Bretons see themselves as being separate from France. Papa grew up speaking only Breton, but once he took up fishing he quickly learned French so he could communicate better when he fished along the French coastline. Papa’s parents died when he was fourteen years old – the influenza took them both within a week of one another …as it did a lot of people in his village, so he said. He was lucky to be spared. He had no older brothers or sisters to take him in so he went to sea, lodging with the captain of La Mouette. When he was rescued from that sinking boat off the Devon coast and then met my Mama at the Seaman’s Mission where she was serving the teas and making sandwiches, he had nothing to go back to Brittany for any more. So he stayed. And now here I am because of that.

What was life like when your father was alive?

When Papa was alive, life was good. He was a happy man – happy with Mama as his wife, happy with his lot. He taught me to read, write, and speak French and I will always be thankful to him that he was such a strict teacher about the grammar – which is difficult! He taught me to cook in the French way which made me different from all the other girls at school because their fathers would have died rather than be seen at the stove stirring something. But then, he’d had to learn seeing as he was orphaned so young (does it run in the family, do you think, being orphaned young?) when he had to fend for himself. Learn to cook or starve – he didn’t have any other option.

And how different was it after your mother and brother died?

My world almost came to a standstill after Mama and Johnnie died. There were only six weeks between Papa’s death and theirs and during that time Mama did nothing but cry most of the time so I became the mother of the family really. Johnnie didn’t understand that Papa wasn’t coming back because he was used to him being at sea for days at a time. He played up a lot….not doing what he was told and things like that. Everyone was kind to us after Papa died, but after Mama and Johnnie lost their lives falling from the cliff into the sea, the whispering started around me. People used to put their hands over their mouths but I heard – ‘Rachel Le Goff’s nothing but an evil suicide’. ‘And she’s a murderess with it, taking that innocent little lad with her’. And more horrid things in the same vein. Friends – or should I call them former friends? – blanked me in the street.

Why did your family not fit into the community?

My family fitted into the community well enough when we were a family. It was only afterwards that people said rude things about Papa being a furriner – that’s foreigner to you, but they say furriner around here. Papa always shared the vegetables he grew with the neighbours. Mama did sewing for those who were less able than she was with a needle, and often for no payment. Or maybe just a plate of scones because she couldn’t sew and bake at the same time, could she?

Seth helped his dad clear out your possessions from your home, Shingle Cottage.  How did that make you feel?

How do you think it made me feel? Anger was the first thing. Then fear that Seth wasn’t my friend any more – we’d been getting on famously when my parents and Johnnie were alive – if he could have done such a thing. I felt betrayed if you must know. It was a long time before I understood why he did it. And forgave him.

What did you think when you found out fisherman, Matthew Caunter, could read and write?

Matthew, as you know, told me – and the police – he couldn’t read and write. I didn’t challenge it because there are loads of folk around here who can do neither. But the more time I spent with Matthew the more I began to realise he was a complex man. He was more articulate than most for a start. He had the confidence – and the money – to dine at Nase Head House which I wouldn’t have expected of a fisherman. So I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised to stumble on all the sea charts and books in his room. I felt a bit frightened with this new knowledge, to be honest…..what sort of man was I lodging with? What else hadn’t he told me?

All the way through your journey, it feels like you’re at the mercy of others in your community yet you are always strong in spirit and believe in yourself.  Where does this strength come from?

I don’t know where my strength comes from. If I did I’d bottle it and sell it because goodness only knows there are people in this world who can use a bit of backbone, aren’t there? Charles Darwin’s theories aren’t popular around here – not with the thousands of churches we’ve got in Devon they aren’t – but perhaps I’m a living example of ‘survival of the fittest’?

And finally, what changes did you see in the world through 1909 – 1912?

To be honest I wasn’t that bothered about what was going on in the world between 1909 and when I reached eighteen years old in September 1911 because I was just trying to stay alive. But an American called Commander Peary went to the North Pole (must have been mad….all that snow…brrrr) and a Frenchman – I’m pleased to say he was French – flew an aeroplane across the Channel. I can’t wait to fly in one of those. We had one King die and another take the throne. Florence Nightingale died….oh loads of things….but like I said, I was doing my best just to be breathing air.

Thank you for taking time out to be with us today Emma.  The ending of To Turn Full Circle is a beginning.  I’m looking forward to seeing what happens to you next!

To Turn Full Circle is available to buy for Kindle on Amazon now  or you can pre-order the paperback.

The lovely independent publisher, Choc Lit, have offered a scrumptious giveaway as part of the blog tour.  For your chance to win some delicious Chocolate Devon Clotted Cream Fudge, just leave a pick me comment.  Good luck!

Please take time to visit the other blogs taking part in the blog tour:

THE TO TURN FULL CIRCLE INTERVIEWS
LINDA MITCHELMORE – TO TURN FULL CIRCLE
DATE INTERVIEW CONTACT WEBSITE LINK
Monday 14th May Hero – Seth Lucie Wheeler Lucie Wheeler www.luciewheeler.wordpress.com
Monday 21st May Hero – Matthew Tara Chevrestt Book Babe wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com
Monday 28th May Heroine Sharon Goodwin Jera’s Jamboree www.jerasjamboree.wordpress.com
Thursday 31st May Author Debs Car Novelicious www.novelicious.com
Thursday 7th June Author’s Corner Author’s Blog Choc Lit www.blog.choc-lit.co.uk

Blog Tour: Carole Matthews ‘Summer Daydreams’

I’m honoured to be taking part today in Carole Matthews blog tour for her 20th novel, Summer Daydreams.

Summer Daydreams by Carole Matthews

Paperback: 464 pages

Publisher: Sphere (24 May 2012)

Language English

ISBN-10: 0751545430

ISBN-13: 978-0751545432

What if you had always dreamed of something more . . . ? Nell McNamara has a happy life: her boyfriend Olly adores her, their four-year-old daughter Petal is the centre of their world and Nell has a steady job in the local chip shop. When the chippy needs a makeover, Nell jumps at the chance to unleash the creativity fizzing inside her. Inspired by what she can achieve – and encouraged by the best friends a girl can have – Nell is determined to try something new. Waving goodbye to the chip shop, she starts up a new business making her own line of must-have handbags, which are soon flying off the shelves! It seems Nell’s dreams are finally coming true, but her success doesn’t come without a price. Before too long, Nell has to ask herself if it’s really possible to have it all . . . Full of fun, love and laughter, soak up the sunshine with Summer Daydreams.

Welcome to Carole!

Photo courtesy of author

Having been a fan of her writing for a long time before my blogging days, I am delighted that I was able to ask her the following questions:

How would you describe Summer Daydreams to someone who does not read this genre?

It’s a fun, light read but with a core issue at the heart. All my books deal with something that affects a lot of modern women. This one is about a young mum, Nell McNamara who works in a chip shop but dreams of something better for her and her family. She takes her courage in both hands and sets out to become a handbag designer. But juggling a young family and her relationship is more difficult than she ever imagined and it’s a steep learning curve for Nell. I think it’s something that a lot of women will empathise with these days – having to cope with the demands of their family and a home. It’s not easy. But Nell does have some fun along the way! An American reviewer called in ‘mompreneur lit’ – which I quite liked.

What was the most interesting research you did for Summer Daydreams?

This is probably one of the most interesting books I’ve researched as it’s loosely based on the life of my good friend, Helen Rochfort, who is an accomplished and successful handbag designer. Over lunch one day, she told me how she’d achieved her dream and the pitfalls along the way. It was a story just waiting to be told. We collaborated quite closely on the story and I hope, because of that, it has a real authenticity at its heart.

You recently saw the whole process of your novel being printed.  What was the one memory that will stay with you?

It was an absolutely fabulous day out and I can’t believe that I’ve had twenty books out and yet hadn’t seen this! At one point we were standing in the middle of the factory and copies of Summer Daydreams were literally whizzing all around me. It was a surprisingly moving experience. I also never knew that books came off the first presses as two books top to tail, it’s only afterwards that they’re cut into individual books. Had no idea! There’s a photo diary on my Facebook page if anyone’s interested to have a look.

(You can also read more about Carole’s ‘Day Out’ on her website)

Summer Daydreams is your 20th novel.  What is the greatest change in publishing that you have seen since you began writing?

Gosh, I think that has to be the introduction of e-readers. There’s been talk of them for ten years or more and then, all of a sudden, e-books are taking over the world. For the first time, it gives a lot of writers a chance to publish their own books easily and cheaply. I’m a big fan of my Kindle – I took over thirty books on holiday this year. Such choice! Before it was a toss up between books or shoes. They’re fantastic for travelling. But, at home, it’s always a real book – you just can’t beat that whole experience.

What is the greatest challenge you have faced in your career as an author?

I think it was changing publishers last year. After seventeen years with the same publisher, I had the opportunity to switch to Little, Brown. It was an awful decision, exactly like going through a divorce, but I steeled myself to move. I’m so glad that I did though. Little, Brown have given a fresh, new look to my books and an energy behind them that’s really impressive. The team are so lovely too and have made me feel very at home already. They rock!

If you could be one of your characters for a day, who would it be and why?

I’d definitely be Lucy Lombard from The Chocolate Lovers’ Club. She has two fabulous men in love with her and eats lots of chocolate to distract herself from the trials and tribulations of life. What’s not to love?

Anyone following you on Twitter/Facebook is probably aware you are also an avid reader too.  What are you reading right now?

I do adore reading. Can’t cope if I haven’t got a good book on the go! I’m just about to start Fifty Shades of Grey. I’ve heard so much about this book. Not all of it good, but I want to see for myself if it deserves the hype.

And finally, what can we expect next?

I do one summer book every year now and one Christmas book, so my next one comes out in paperback in October. It’s called With Love at Christmas and features a chaotic, heart-warming family Christmas. It catches up with the Joyce family who were in my book That Loving Feeling. I haven’t done this before, but I quite enjoyed the challenge. I think it’s a lovely story. Have the tissues at the ready!

Thank you Carole.  I’m sure my readers will join me in wishing you every success for Summer Daydreams.

Have you entered the competition to design your very own Helen Rochford handbag yet?  Head over to Little, Brown Book Group blog to check it out.  Deadline for entries is 31st July 2012 with the winner announced on 1st August 2012.

If you missed my review, you can either find it on my Books Read 2012 page or click here.

You can keep up to date with Carole’s news on her website (sign up for her newsletter for offers and competitions too), follow her on Twitter and Facebook.


			

	
	


				
					


	

					

							

							
Jera’s Jamboree reviews: Taking Charge by Mandy Baggot

			


		

				
Taking Charge by Mandy Baggot


Paperback


Publication: May 3rd 2012


Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing


ISBN13  9781938404023


Is going back Robyn’s only way forward? 


American-born Robyn Matthers is going home. With her dad in hospital, his roadhouse in ruins and the ice hockey team slipping down the league, she needs to take charge. But does she have the strength to do it?


Cole Ryan is a hockey player on a personal mission. He’s tall, dark, hot and Robyn’s noticed! But can she trust her feelings – or his? And what will Cole do when he finds out the truth about her?


With an ill father, a trailer trash step-mom and ex-boyfriend Brad desperate for another chance, does Robyn have time to contemplate a relationship? Can she start again? Does she really want to? And can two people really fall in love in three days?


 


Taking Charge begins with our female lead Robyn in Chicago.  She’s at the airport waiting for a connection to Kalamazoo, Michigan.  She’s not looking her best after all those hours of travelling from England!  Her backpack breaks … enter male lead Cole Ryan who offers to help.  They’re both on their way to Portage.


The story that follows takes the reader through Robyn facing the issues she’d left home for and Cole coming to terms with his past.  They’re both trying to find a place to belong being driven by childhood issues and emotional wounds.  Alongside this runs the sub-plot of best friend Sarah and her romance  (as well as Robyn taking charge of the roadhouse and ice-hockey team).


Straight away Robyn comes across as a very sassy character.  She is bossy, feisty, upfront and tells it as it is.  This is a complete departure from the other stories I’ve read from this author where I’ve seen the female lead grow and evolve.  For me, Robyn over-shadowed Cole and I didn’t feel their attraction as I have in past stories.  I did enjoy watching the growing relationship with Robyn and her father Eddie and his partner Nancy.  I’m always drawn to the dynamics in family relationships and this was quite a strong theme in Taking Charge.


Written in the third person, this allows the reader to see everyone’s point of view in the story.  With Robyn’s character being a strong one, this does allow the reader to identify with Cole’s point of view and reasoning.


My predictions about the character responsible for causing Robyn to leave home were correct.  This character was delineated brilliantly and the desperation was palpable.


The author’s writing style of dialogue is easy to read and the story moves at a fast pace which holds the reader’s attention.  The most tension-filled moment for me was during an ice-hockey game.  I also loved the team camaraderie!


In the ARC there are ice-hockey terms and a suggested music playlist at the beginning.  I didn’t need to refer to the terms although I thought it was an added extra that they were there if I needed them.


Taking Charge for me was more about family dynamics than the relationship between Robyn and Cole but I can’t finish my review without saying that the timescale of their romance I found believable as we all are carried along on Robyn’s personality and the ending did leave a tear in my eye!


Buy it and spread the word


I would like to thank the publishers for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.


Taking Charge is available to purchase:


Amazon Kindle format £2.52


Amazon Paperback £9.87


The Book Depository Paperback £9.86


You can find out more about Mandy Baggot on her website.  Mandy tweets and she is on Facebook.

			

	
	


				
					


	

					

							

							
Jera’s Jamboree review: Talisman of El by Alecia Stone

			


		

				
Talisman of El by Alecia Stone


Publisher: Centrinian Publishing Ltd (20 May 2012)


Language English


ISBN-10: 0957001908


ISBN-13: 978-0957001909


WHAT IF YOUR WHOLE LIFE WAS A LIE?


One Planet.


Two Worlds. Population: Human … 7 billion.


Others … unknown.


When 14-year-old Char­lie Blake wakes up sweat­ing and gasp­ing for air in the mid­dle of the night, he knows it is hap­pen­ing again. This time he wit­nesses a bru­tal mur­der. He’s afraid to tell any­one. No one would believe him … because it was a dream. Just like the one he had four years ago – the day before his dad died.


Char­lie doesn’t know why this is hap­pen­ing. He would give any­thing to have an ordi­nary life. The prob­lem: he doesn’t belong in the world he knows as home.


He belongs with the others.





As soon as I saw this on Netgalley it caught my attention.  Having then read the author bio, I definitely couldn’t resist requesting approval.


Talisman of El begins with a prologue.  We’re in Manhatten, New York on 25th January 2013 at 11.15pm.  We find out how the talisman was found and witness a fight with assailants who can’t be seen and where one person just disappears with the other being injured.  The injured person, Darkein Odessa is a key person as the story unfolds.


We begin with getting to know Charlie’s background and how his first day at school goes.  On the school bus he meets Alex, a girl who comes across as sassy as she stands up to a bully.  Alex is another key character.  Apart from the dream, the first intimation we have of Charlie’s power is during a scene in the school canteen when he is being bullied by the same peer.


Charlie’s new foster parent Jacob has his own reasons for wanting him around and we find out that Jacob is part of the puzzle too.


When Derkein and Charlie’s paths cross, Charlie realises he’s already seen him … in one of his dreams.  Derkein is another key character who first introduces the concept of ‘Arcadia’.


Charlie’s confusion about who he is and where he belongs is a factor throughout the story.  He sees an apparition, Candra, at times of crisis and isn’t sure whether she is there to protect him or make things worse.  To further confuse things, Charlie finds a letter from his dead mother which ends with a ‘ps’  Arcadia awaits your return.


I found Talisman of El fast-paced and once we shift from the surface of the earth, there is a host of mystical/spiritual elements, which held my interest.  The angelic hierarchy is one that most people will identify with. The earth’s precessional cycle of 26,000 years is a key point in time and used to good effect.


The characters are well developed.  They draw you in and have you running by their side, experiencing what they do.  The banter between Charlie and Alex and the jealousy is at the level you would expect from a YA perspective.


This is a paranormal/fantasy story involving the age-old fight of good against evil in the need to save mankind.  All the different threads are woven together making it an interesting and sometimes thought-provoking read.  A brilliant start to the series for this debut author.  The foundation is laid with, I feel, a lot more to come.  I’ll be looking out for the next book to find out how the characters develop and the storyline progresses.


Buy it and spread the word


I would like to thank the publishers, Centrinian Publishing, for approving my request.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Alecia Stone has been in love with anything and everything paranormal for many years. She grad­u­ated with a BA in Film &  TV and has worked in tele­vi­sion for a short period of time before branch­ing out into storytelling. When she isn’t writ­ing, she enjoys going to the movies, lis­ten­ing to music, and travelling. Talisman Of El is her first novel. She currently lives in England, UK.


You can find out more about Alecia Stone on her website.  You can also find her on Twitter.

			

	
	


				
					


	

					

							

							
Jera’s Jamboree review:  Heart-Shaped Bruise by Tanya Byrne

			


		

				
Heart-shaped Bruise by debut author Tanya Byrne


Hardcover: 336 pages


Publisher: Headline (10 May 2012)


Language English


ISBN-10: 0755393031


ISBN-13: 978-0755393039


They say I’m evil.


The police. The newspapers. The girls from school who sigh on the six o’clock news and say they always knew there was something not quite right about me.


And everyone believes it. Including you.


But you don’t know. You don’t know who I used to be. Who I could have been.


Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever shake off my mistakes or if I’ll just carry them around with me forever like a bunch of red balloons.


Awaiting trial at Archway Young Offenders Institution, Emily Koll is going to tell her side of the story for the first time.


Heart-Shaped Bruise is a compulsive and moving novel about infamy, identity and how far a person might go to seek revenge.





Heart-Shaped Bruise is written in the form of a journal.  It begins with a letter Emily has written to Juliet – the antagonist that put her where she is.  The letter tells Juliet she’s not sorry, it isn’t an apology.  So from the beginning, the reader feels ambivalent towards Emily’s character.  However, Emily’s reaction to finding a love letter from a previous occupant throws into the mix the knowledge that she’s not unfeeling (although she is unrepentant!)


Emily journals sessions with her therapist and in the beginning she is not very compliant.  As the sessions progress the flashbacks are longer and we walk alongside Emily as the picture builds of the reasons behind everything.  Imagine an 18 year old who doesn’t want for anything in her life and from one incident, her identity and everything she’s believed in is blown wide apart.  With her father in prison, Emily falls into a black hole until a plan forms.  Even though the reader knows what she hopes to achieve, we don’t know until the very end the incident that puts her into the Institution awaiting trial.  We still don’t know the outcome of that incident for sure.  The intrigue of watching this unfold keeps the reader turning the pages.


I have to say I identified with Emily.  Nothing is ever black or white and I love psychology – we certainly get a psychological profile for Emily … It’s quite unusual to be rooting for the perpetrator.  How cleverly this story is crafted!  I’m definitely TEAM EMILY!


Another thing to ponder is the media hype surrounding anything that’s thought to be newsworthy.  We may not mean to but it’s so easy to make a judgement from the words of others…


The writing flows and Emily’s character carries you along the whirlwind path she chose for herself.  The other characters are three-dimensional too – I fell a little in love with one of her peers myself!


A debut novel targeted at the YA/Crossover genre, I will certainly be watching for Tanya Byrne’s next novel.


Buy it and spread the word


I would like to thank Sam Eades at Headline, for providing a copy in exchange in for an honest review.


You can find out more about the author by visiting her blog or tweet with her.

			

	
	


				
					


	

					

							

							
Jera’s Jamboree:  Review Dreams (Sarah Midnight Trilogy) by Daniela Sacerdoti

			


		

				
Dreams (Sarah Midnight Trilogy) by Daniela Sacerdoti


Paperback: 432 pages


Publisher: Black and White Publishing (17 May 2012)


Language English


ISBN-10: 1845023706


ISBN-13: 978-1845023706


‘You’d never think it could happen to you. You’d never think that one day you’d stand in a graveyard, rain tapping on a sea of black umbrellas, watching your parents being lowered into the earth, never to come back. It’s happening to me. They said it was an accident. Only I know the truth. My parents were hunters, like their parents and grandparents before them, hundreds of years back, scores of ancestors behind me, fulfilling the same call. I must follow in their footsteps. I am the only one left to keep the promise. I can never give up the fight, this fight that has been handed down to me, thrust upon my unwilling shoulders. I’d rather be buried with my parents, my brave, fierce father and mother, who lived and died by the Midnight motto: Don’t Let Them Roam.’


 


Ever since her thirteenth birthday, seventeen-year-old Sarah Midnight’s dreams have been plagued by demons – but unlike most people’s nightmares, Sarah’s come true. Her dreams guide her parents’ hunt as Sarah remains in bed, terrified but safe, sheltered from the true horrors of the Midnight legacy. But all this is about to change. After the murder of her parents, she is cruelly thrust into a secret world of unimaginable danger as she is forced to take up their mission. Alone and unprepared for the fight that lies before her, Sarah must learn how to use the powers she’s inherited and decide whom to trust before it’s too late…


 


We start Sarah’s story at James and Anne’s funeral.  Her maternal aunt, Juliet, is staying at Sarah’s family home. Juliet has no idea of the secret activities the Midnight family are involved with.  The plan is for Sarah to move in with her aunt.  With good timing, in walks Sarah’s cousin, Harry Midnight.


Sarah has had no training from her parents, she does not know the truth behind the hunting.  Straight away Sarah is forced to use her power for the first time (with Harry by her side) and from that moment, they are a team trying to save her.


We learn the mythology of the demons and hunters through different characters involved in protecting humanity.  There is a hierarchy and reasons behind everything.  Their stories are woven through the time the reader spends with Sarah and Harry.  New information is given from them all the way through the story so the reader is eager to find out more about why the demons are managing to slip through the time stream and into this world. (The connection between human and demon reminded me of Philip Pullman and His Dark Materials Trilogy).  There are some really interesting concepts in this mythology!  It is very well crafted.


Sarah’s character is so believable.  Neglected by her parents while they are off hunting every night, waking up after the terrors of her dreams with no-one there, she’s developed her own way to cope with the anxiety and fear.  Not able to get close to even her best friend because of the life they live, she truly has been alone.  Her developing feelings for Harry (by the way, there is more to Harry than he’s led Sarah to believe) while also under the spell of  an enigmatic ‘male’ in her dream world leads to a very unusual love triangle!  This series is targeted at the Young Adult audience and the romance is pitched at just the right level.  Innocent and poignant.


I loved it that I didn’t know where the story would take me next.  Would I be fighting the humans/demons who had killed Sarah’s parents or would I be in Louisiana or the Alps hiding or even in a dream?  Despite being written in the first person it was easy to switch between the action.


There is much I thoroughly enjoyed in Dreams – the Dark Arts, the herbs, the spells, the elementals and the sigils; the different powers the secret families have; the mythology.  The scenes are all apt with the theme of the story – darkness, storms, basements, physical endurance and isolation.


Dreams is fast-paced with new levels being introduced at every turn.  Betrayal (from 20 years ago), deception, romance, magic and intrigue.  The story ends with threads beginning to come together and the seemingly ending of one … and I just know there’s more to the cat than meets the eye. I want to find out if I’m right!


I wasn’t sure whether Dreams was a strong three fairy read for me or a ‘keeper’.  Having written my review and re-lived the story, it’s definitely a keeper!


Buy it but be loathe to share your copy ... it's a keeper!


I would like to thank Janne Moller from Black & White Publishing for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.


Character Sarah Midnight has her own Twitter account.


You can find out more about the author, Daniela Sacerdoti on her website.  You can also tweet with her  and find her on Facebook .


Dani’s debut novel Watch Over Me (not YA) was one of my Top 10 Fiction for 2011.  Click the title to read my review.

			

	
	


				
					


	

					

							

							
Starting over … with Donna Trinder

			


		

				
If you’re on Twitter, I’m sure this has happened to you … suddenly, someone comes into your network and from the first moment, you ‘click’ with them and then afterwards discover that you really do have quite a lot in common on many different levels.  This is what happened with Donna and I.


Donna is a ‘new’ writer, relatively recently starting out.  We all get the chance to read how authors are doing on their own websites, blogs and in other media but what about writers who are just starting out?  I asked Donna if she would like to share her story with others.  This is what she had to say:




Starting over…




I would like to thank Sharon for asking me to write this, I felt very honoured. I read her interviews with published and indie writers with envy, and live in hope of the day that I can class myself as being ‘there with them’!




I have recently been able to take up writing, which has always been a dream of mine when I was working and the children were young, but there did not seem enough hours in the day – and when there was a free one in which I could sit with my feet up, it would normally result in me snoring in the armchair.




My life took a massive turnaround when I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in Dec 2006 which was an unbelievably hard time, and put paid to my career as my health was very poor indeed.




After a long year of rehab I was able to step back into the classroom, but only as a helper. I chose to go in and read with the children, as many did not get the support needed at home to compliment their education, and as in all schools there was never enough time for teachers to read on a one to one basis with every child, every day and I felt I could help just a few. It gave me the opportunity to work with the children, inspiring and encouraging, without the pressure.


Donna dressed as Harry Potter for World Book Day




Unfortunately this ended in 2010 when my health took another turn for the worse, leaving me dependant on a wheelchair for many things, so I knew my life needed to take a new direction.




This is when I first started thinking about being able to develop the aspiration I had stifled for some years, to write. I tried to find a writing group in the local area, to no avail. I am still toying with the idea of doing an online course but the thought of getting out and meeting people appeals to me … but I always keep my eyes open!




Luckily I have found much support from other authors, meeting on social networking sites and through writing my blog, it is always a comfort to speak to people who have been where you are and I have found the friends I have made are incredibly friendly and helpful when things get tough.




My first thoughts for writing were always of children’s books, with bright, stimulating illustrations to capture and enthuse young readers, but I have found since starting to write, my head is actually filled with other ideas.




I have always enjoyed reading romances, some of my favourite authors being Jill Mansell, Katie Fforde, Jenny Colgan and Sophie Kinsella, and found that the old saying of ‘writing what you know’ is probably true, as once I actually put my ideas down on paper, the words flowed far more naturally.




Last year, I was also asked to write a regular blog for the MS Society, which gives me the chance to share my experiences, thoughts and worries, and hopefully help others, especially people who may be recently diagnosed.




I find I can escape easily into my own writing, and just being able to get up and write a blog, or know I am halfway through a chapter that is really gripping my attention, makes me feel far more positive and like I am again doing something worthwhile.




I feel I have an unbelievably mammoth task ahead of me, but so far am enjoying it immensely, from researching for my book to the actual writing itself. I am not looking forward to the really hard work that I know comes after, but in true ostrich style, I shall think about that later!


Thank you for sharing with us Donna :)   You truly are in inspiration.  Wishing you oodles of success in your writing career!


You can find Donna on her blog, Lost and Found.  You can tweet with her and find her on Facebook.


As Donna mentions, one of her favourite authors is Jill Mansell.  To enter a giveaway for a paperback copy (UK entries only) of A Walk in the Park by Jill Mansell (published 5  July), leave Donna a pick me comment below.  This giveaway closes midnight Friday 18th May.  Good luck!


Shaz








			

	
	


				
					


	

					

							

							
Blog Tour: Daniela Sacerdoti – Sarah’s Music

			


		

				
I’d like to welcome Daniela Sacerdoti to Jera’s Jamboree today.




Dreams is the first part in the Sarah Midnight trilogy and is published 17th May by Black & White Publishing




You’d never think it could happen to you. You’d never think that one day you’d stand in a graveyard, rain tapping on a sea of black umbrellas, watching your parents being lowered into the earth, never to come back. It’s happening to me. They said it was an accident. Only I know the truth. My parents were hunters, like their parents and grandparents before them, hundreds of years back, scores of ancestors behind me, fulfilling the same call. I must follow in their footsteps. I am the only one left to keep the promise. I can never give up the fight, this fight that has been handed down to me, thrust upon my unwilling shoulders. I’d rather be buried with my parents, my brave, fierce father and mother, who lived and died by the Midnight motto: Don’t Let Them Roam.’ — Ever since her thirteenth birthday, seventeen-year-old Sarah Midnight’s dreams have been plagued by demons – but unlike most people’s nightmares, Sarah’s come true. Her dreams guide her parents’ hunt as Sarah remains in bed, terrified but safe, sheltered from the true horrors of the Midnight legacy. But all this is about to change. After the murder of her parents, she is cruelly thrust into a secret world of unimaginable danger as she is forced to take up their mission. Alone and unprepared for the fight that lies before her, Sarah must learn how to use the powers she’s inherited and decide whom to trust before it’s too late…




Today, Daniela is sharing with readers a post all about music:




Music is a huge part of my creative process. It inspires me, it focuses me, it keeps me going when my mind is tired. Many stories of mine were born of music, both from tunes and from lyrics. I know that some writers can’t concentrate with music on; they need silence to “listen to the voices”, like Susie Maguire eloquently put it. For me, it’s the opposite: silence distracts me, my thoughts start wandering – music keeps me tethered to my inspiration. Also, it often happens that I write with my two boys playing in the house or in the garden – in that case, I need something to drown them out!


Dreams has a “booktrack” – a book soundtrack. When I was writing it I listened to Julie Fowlis nearly all the time – I can get pretty obsessive with my music! Julie is a Gaelic singer from North Uist in the Outer Hebrides, and with Sarah’s family being from Islay, I thought she was perfect to listen to while writing Sarah’s story. In my head, Julie’s voice became Sarah’s voice, especially this song, Hùg Air A’ Bhonaid Mhòir. 


Julie Fowlis (supplied by the author)


When I finished Dreams, I really wanted a song to be written for it, and I was lucky enough to find Kristyn Knowles, a singer songwriter from Edinburgh.


Kristyn Knowles (supplied by the author)


She wrote a song called Do This Alone, interpreting beautifully Sarah’s story and personality. The song will be performed at my launch, and unveiled on my website on the day after! I’ll finish this musical post with a secret of mine, not a secret anymore I suppose: I’ve always dreamt to be a songwriter, which would be pretty difficult because I don’t have a note in my head – but all poetry I write is actually conceived as lyrics of imaginary songs. So now you know! 


Dani


Thank you Dani.  I’m looking forward to visiting your website the day after launch!


My review is scheduled on Monday but you can read a sneak peek of Chapter One of Dreams here.


Please take time to visit the other blogs taking part in the tour:



			

	
	


				
					


	

					

							

							
Jera’s Jamboree reviews: Black Heart Blue by Louisa Reid

			


		

				
Black Heart Blue by Louisa Reid


Paperback: 288 pages


Publisher: Penguin (10 May 2012)


Language English


ISBN-10: 0718158784


ISBN-13: 978-0718158781


‘They tried to make me go to my sister’s funeral today. In the end I’d had to give in … I’d been walking in her shadow for sixteen years and I liked its cool darkness. It was a good place to hide.’


 


How would you feel if your twin sister died suddenly? Particularly if she was the beautiful one and you were horribly disfigured.


 


And how would it feel to be alone now if you and your sister were the only ones to know the truth about what takes place behind closed doors at home?


 


And what would you do if it was your parents who brought danger and terror into your life? Would you dare reveal how your sister died?


 


And would you be brave enough to find an escape of your own?


 


Black Heart Blue is a powerful novel about the domestic horrors that can unfold within a small community – and one girl’s quest to stand up for the truth.





Part One of Black Heart Blue is narrated in the first person alternating between Hephzibah and Rebecca.  From Hephzi we learn about their lives leading up to her death and from Rebecca, how life is afterwards. Part Two is narrated by Rebecca and offers the reader a glimmer of sunshine after the darkness of Part One.


Living in the vicarage with their charismatic father (the vicar) and their ‘silent’ mother, they’ve been home-schooled all their lives until it’s time for 6th form when their father agrees they can attend the local college.


The twins have to learn about how the world works away from the vicarage.  Having been isolated for much of their lives they have to learn how to act with peers, how to read the unwritten social code.


Rebecca has a syndrome that makes her different from everyone else around her and because of the lack of basic care, she is further isolated.  Hepzhibah is bright and chatty and manages to fit in.


As the story progresses the reader understands more about the truth of what takes place in the dark and soulless vicarage.  Everything we take for granted in our lives is missing from theirs.  The roles our society assigns our parents – to nurture, to meet our very basic needs of cleanliness, food and safety – are missing.


The writing is beautiful.  Poignantly, Rebecca says after Hepzhi’s death:


“Most of all Hephzi wanted revenge.  So far I didn’t dare spill her secret but maybe one day, if my soul ever found a place to breathe, I would.” (page 90)


We do see Rebecca grow as a character.  Despite the tension and anxiety that rules her life, there’s a river of steel inside which reigns at the right time.


At the end of the book, there are links to find out more about the syndrome Rebecca has (I don’t want to say too much in my review!) and support for teens dealing with all the different types of abuse and bereavement.  This is followed by Reading Group Questions.  The questions are thought-provoking.


Black Heart Blue is a deeply traumatic story.  There are uplifting moments from other character’s actions and the very last sentence warms your heart … but for me, the over-riding feeling was one of sadness and injustice.


For a debut novel, Black Heart Blue certainly provokes a host of emotions.  It’s a powerful novel which is aimed at the Young Adult/crossover audience.  I will be looking out for other novels from this author in the future.


Buy it and spread the word


 


I would like to thank the publishers, Penguin, for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.


You can find out more about Louisa Reid on her website and tweet with her.  You can also find her on Facebook.