REVIEW: Angel's Fury by Bryony Pearce

Angel's Fury by Bryony Pearce felt very different to everything I've been reading lately. There were parts to it that were quite difficult to read with some dark and almost menacing aspects to the storyline, but it was also really easy to fall into the story and empathise with the characters.

Cassie has an unusual problem. Every night, she is plagued with nightmares. For as long as she can remember, Cassie has witnessed the death of a young Jewish girl, Zillah, in Germany during WWII. Cassie sees and feels everything about Zillah's tragic death and despite everything she has tried, Cassie can not rid of herself of seeing this poor girl's face.

It can be quite hard reading of some of Cassie's experiences, both with the exhaustion she feels after getting very little sleep due to nightmares, but also the treatment she recieves from classmates. She's picked on quite a bit for being different and you can sense the isolation that Cassie feels. After a school trip to Germany confirms that the nightmares about Zillah were in fact historically accurate, Cassie begins to feel like perhaps there's a message hidden in the nightmares. Maybe by helping Zillah in some small way, Cassie will be cured of her night terrors. But it isn't quite that simple.

Instead, Cassie is sent to get help from a rather terrifying and quite strict doctor who specialised in the treatment of patients with past lives, where she comes into contact with other exhausted children and teenagers who share the same predicament. What Cassie learns there is both terrifying and disturbing.

Angel's Fury really had me gripped right from the beginning. Once I started, I was loathe to put this book down, so eager was I to learn of the mystery that surrounds Cassie's dreams. I haven't included the product description in this interview, because I feel it to be slightly spoilerish, so if it's possible, I'd recommend not reading the back of the book! Having said that, there are other mysteries to solve and though the clues are there, I didn't pick up on on them at all until it is revealed to Cassie! I absolutely adore books that are able to surprise me so completely as Angel's Fury did.

Angel's Fury is a wonderful read. It's an interesting premise - that the knowledge of previous lives is not a positive thing at all, but something that is quite destructive and difficult to live with. I felt quite sorry for Cassie, being in such a terrible position, both physically and socially. During the course of the book, she meets some really interesting characters and some of the psychological treatment from the Doctor are really fascinating to witness.

Though romance is not a major factor of the storyline, there is still a very sweet and subtle love interest that was present and complicated enough to make me very happy. My only minor complaint with Angel's Fury is that I kind of wish that the elements that are present at the end were a little more apparent in the beginning and middle of the book as well. Otherwise, top read!

My sports life

I may have mentioned before that I played quite a bit of sports when I was younger. I think it comes from being raised by a single father. My dad was very sporty in his youth (being a competitive swimmer, and a very good one at that), and I think he had no idea how my brother and I should occupy ourselves other than enrolling us onto a sports team.

My brother, being older, chose first. He decided on boxing. I was rather partial to ballet with the pink leotards and the fluffy tutus. But instead, I ended up boxing with David. Not officially, but I was roped into as my brother got more excited and involved with it. It didn't last long though. The boxing club that David was part of shared the same space as the local swimming pool. Very quickly, David changed his mind about boxing and decided to join the swim team.



I did the same. David and I had both grown up listening to our dad's stories about his swimming days. It all sounded like so much fun that I think we both really wanted to be part of something like that. David and I took to swimming very naturally. With very little experience or time in the water, we both made it to the state championships. We'd spend a lot of our weekends at swimming meets in nearby towns and soon one pool blurred into another. There was a lot of waiting between heats and I remember joking and messing about with my teammates for what seemed like hours on end. Sadly, I don't have any photos from my swimming days. Swimming is something that I really love to do, I feel at home in the water and I miss the rhythm and satisfying monotony of doing laps and clearing my head.

But I think I also wanted to do something a little more social. So I joined the basketball team. My best friend from when I was 8 was very into basketball and her father coached the local Kidsports team. So I did that too. The thing with basketball though, or with most sports involving balls, is that you need fairly good eye-hand coordination. And I do not, nor have I ever, had much of that.

The thing with sports teams when you're that little though, they pretty much allow everyone to join no matter what. So I played basketball and I had fun doing it. I even remember the thrill I felt the first time I scored a basket. It was the highlight of my life. I still feel like one of my life's major achievements is when I came 2nd in the free-throwing competition in all of Lane County. I still feel proud of myself for that.

While I was playing basketball though, my brother had chosen to play baseball. Baseball, I thought, that could be fun. So, I joined a softball team. Again, I seemed to come across the same sporty girls and I felt like I fit in and that I belonged somewhere. I loved it, despite being poor at hitting the ball or even catching it. It didn't seem to matter much, until it did. There was one particular season that changed it all. There were too many girls who signed up one year. So they split us into two groups. And while everyone said that the teams were randomly allocated, it became quite clear that the teams were really split by skill. And I didn't make the 'good' team. I was so upset about that when I found out that I nearly quit the team. I'm glad I didn't though and our team of rejects and cast-offs placed 2nd in the county championships whereas the 'good' team didn't place at all.

My dad took me aside after that and asked if I was still happy playing softball. He said I didn't have to play any sport if I didn't want to. I told him there was something I'd rather be playing. Soccer. I'd always wanted to play but I hadn't really known anyone else who did. I'd always just followed my brother's lead or my best friend's.

And in the end, aside from swimming, soccer was the thing I loved the best. I became a fair defensive player, letting others control the ball more and avoiding any pressure of trying to score goals myself. I made different friends, I was happier with my teammates and my coaches.

But that ended too. As I was getting older, I began feeling more self-conscious about my body and myself. I had already been teased about my glasses (and the accompanying dork-strap that I'd have to wear to practices and games) and my short haircuts were the butt of many jokes. I thought that by quitting sports I'd save myself the hassle of weight jokes as well. I don't know. I'd already quit swimming because I didn't feel comfortable wearing just a swimming suit around. I felt paranoid that my extra weight jiggling around would be noticeable to everyone that I quit soccer as well. I feel sad now. Especially when I look back at the photos and I wonder 'what was I thinking?'

I did also join the track team briefly in middle school, but it was a short-lived attempt at playing sports again. Swimming, basketball, softball, soccer, track. I really did enjoy them all. I don't think I led a misspent youth playing these sports, I just wish that I'd quit them for better reasons. Or possibly that I hadn't quit them at all.

Did sports play a big part of your childhood like it did mine?

REVIEW: One Of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones

Fifteen-year-old Ruby Milliken leaves her best friend, her boyfriend, her aunt, and her mother's grave in Boston and reluctantly flies to Los Angeles to live with her father, a famous movie star who divorced her mother before Ruby was born.

I am a massive fan of Sonya Sones and I've been waiting to read this book for ages. What I find most appealing about Sonya Sones' verse novels is how much emotion can be packed into these simple poems. Even the very mundane details of Ruby's life are filled with her hurt and anger over moving to California to live with a father that she's never known, the grief she is feeling over her mother's death.

Ruby's mother passed away, and as much as she doesn't want to talk about it, Ruby's thoughts and her poems always seem to come back to her mom. Wanting to hold her hand on the flight to LA, writing her emails discussing heaven, the afterlife. Poems that describe the last time Ruby saw her mother alive. Ruby is in pretty desperate need of her mother now. She's moved from Boston to California, she's started a new school, she's left behind her best friend and her boyfriend. And she's living with a really famous actor father (named 'Whip Logan' of all things!) who seems egotistical and attention-seeking. Ruby sees her father's attempts at buying her things and driving her to school every day as actions of a guilty and controlling father. All Ruby wants to do is yell at him that it's too little, too late. But eventually, she must come to terms with how different her life is now and that her mother is never coming back...

On top of everything, she must deal with fitting in at a new school, the fact that Cameron Diaz lives next door to her (and is possibly dating her father), she has to make new friends at a school where everyone wears designer clothes and takes weird classes like dream interpretation. And she has to deal with yet more loss by leaving her best friend and boyfriend behind. At times, this book can feel a little bit angsty, but it's really understandable with every thing that Ruby is going through. I love that at least Ruby has Max, Whip's personal assistant around to have someone to talk to about her troubles.

I felt Ruby was a teenager that most of us can relate to. Needing her mother, her best friend, in the middle of an intense first relationship, being unsure of herself and awkward at a new school. I really felt her bitterness at Whip for what she believes he did to her mother and her grief at her mother's death pulled at my heartstrings.

Here is one of Ruby's poems on page 4.

My mother hated flying

Especially after September 11th.

She used to squeeze my hand so hard
during takeoffs and landings
that she'd cut off my circulation.

She'd screw her eyes closed
and whisper this silly prayer someone taught her once.
Something about manifold diving blessings
being unto the plane or the universe
or some hippy-dippy thing like that.

And if there was even
a teensy bit of turbulence - forget it.
She'd start apologizing to me
for every mean thing she'd ever said
or done or even thought about doing.

This morning
when the plane was lurching down the runway
and I didn't have Mom's hand to hold,
my heart flung itself up into my throat.
And for a minute there
I couldn't even breathe.

I didn't know how much
I depended on
being depended on

by her.

REVIEW: Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

The novels follow the story of Lila, a 17-year-old with the power of telekinesis, and Alex, her brother’s best friend and long-time love interest. When a mugging on the streets of South London goes horribly wrong and exposes her unique ability, Lila runs away to Southern California, where Alex and her brother are working for a secret organisation called The Unit and searching for the men who killed Lila’s mother five years before. Lila unwittingly becomes embroiled in the hunt and a suspenseful murder mystery ensues.

Oh how much did I absolutely adore this book?! It isn't published until August, but after reading an early review of this book I was desperate to both get my hands on a copy and to read it. Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson is SUCH an exciting read filled with action and romance and so many plot twists that I was nearly left breathless at times!

After the death of Lila's mother, Lila is forced to move to London with her distant father. She is seperated from the two constants in her life - her older brother, Jack and Jack's best friend, Alex. So when Lila is the victim of a mugging whilst in London, and things take a worrying turn, the first thing Lila thinks to do is rush off to sunny LA for a visit with Jack and Alex in order to get her head straight.

I think Lila's telekinesis (moving things with her mind), is really quite cool, but I love how Alderson injects some seriousness into the situation and not making it overblown or very romanticised. Lila isn't able to control this skill and very nearly takes someone's eye out and she is left visibly shaked by her percieved consequences. I really loved Lila right from the beginning. I loved this moral struggle she has with the telekinesis. She's rather impulsive and stubborn and rash. She's also funny and likeable and I was on her side from the beginning.

After the mugging, Lila really questions herself and her ability. In California, she vows to give up the telekinesis cold-turkey. But what she finds in LA, is a lot more complex than she could ever have imagined. Her brother, Jack and his best friend Alex are marines working in a special Unit involved in some aspect of the murder of Jack and Lila's mother years before. But even so, that doesn't quite explain the paranoia Jack has of keeping Lila safe at all times, with a constant watch on her. Lila doesn't seem to mind, when her minder ends up being Alex, the boy she's loved since forever. I love that I was never quite sure what would be happening next in the story, as Lila questions the things going on around her and uncovers some hard truths about what the Unit is really investigating and who is behind the murder of her mother. The mystery aspect of Hunting Lila was done so well, I was left guessing so many times and can honestly say I didn't see it all coming! The surprise and the twistiness of the plot made everything that much exciting and fun to uncover.

And I really loved this thing between Lila and Alex. Alex is such a swoonworthy character (being a hot Marine who is loyal and who rides a motorcycle) and he just ends up looking hotter and hotter, especially as learn of the Lila's childhood memories that have been the cause of her very strong feelings for him. This build-up between them even though Lila is convinced it is all one-sided, had me all tied-up in emotions. I really wanted Lila to just say something already!

This book was so much fun to read, it was impossible for me to put down and I was on the edge of my seat on this roller-coaster ride of a book. I started it in the late afternoon and ending up staying up well past my bedtime in order to finish because I needed to know what would happen. It was the perfect blend of mystery, romance and thrilling action sequences and I can highly recommend this book!

REVIEW: Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck

WOW! This book. I've heard such incredible things from very trusted book bloggers, but until I started reading it for myself, I had no idea. Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck is so entirely wonderful - filled with so much emotion, great characters, action, adventure and a very swoonworthy romance that made my heart ache.

I started reading the book in the afternoon figuring that I'd read a couple chapters before I went to pick up my boys from school. Before I knew it, hours had passed and I really struggled to go on the school run or cook dinner. All I wanted was to read more and more of this story. I ended up staying up far too late reading and then waking up far too early in order to finish those last few pages. It's an amazing experience, finding a book that is so exciting and readable and swept me away so completely.

Our main character is Kelsey Hayes. She's nearly 18 and living with a foster family in Oregon after the death of her parents. She feels quite alone in the world and all she really wants is to find a summer job to get by. Instead, she's pulled into this weird new world inhabited by cursed Indian princes and tigers and a place that is so alive with ancient Indian mythology. Colleen Houck did an amazing job on the setting. There was just enough of Oregon to make me feel utterly homesick, but India seems so exotic and magical. From camping rough in the jungle to sitting pretty in a luxurious house, I always wanted to be where Ren and Kelsey are.

I was really pulled into the story immediately with Kelsey. I loved her connection with Ren, the white tiger who is part of the circus where she takes a parttime job. She spends hours with Ren, reading him stories and poetry, talking to him and keeping him company. Soon, she's being persuaded to accompany Ren to India where she believes the tiger will be set free in a nature reserve. When in the amidst of the Indian jungle, Ren is transformed into a man and tells Kelsey of the curse put upon him. Kelsey appears to be the only person capable of freeing Ren from the curse and agrees to a series of dangerous missions in order to gather together what is needed in order to break this curse. Such an exciting, exciting read!

I really loved so much about this book. I loved hearing of all the Indian myths and learning more of tigers, India, Indian culture and the gods and goddesses of the Hindu religion. It was all so fascinating to me and added so much depth to the story. As well as the myths, we learn a fair bit about Ren and his younger brother's personal histories and that of the very loveable Mr. Kadam, Ren's trusted employee and friend. I loved that we are able to be shown so much of these characters, it really sets the scene very nicely for the rest of the series.

I also loved all the danger and adventure as Ren and Kelsey went on this journey to locate different artifacts - from the Indiana Jones-esque mazes to the evil creatures they come up against, it all had my heartbeat racing.

Of course, my heartbeat was also racing from the very emotional and passionate relationship between Kelsey and Ren. It almost took my breath away some of their time together. Especially towards the end, they have a really great dialogue going between then. I had to laugh at some of it, especially all of the popular culture references that comes out of Kelsey's mouth. My heart really ached for the two of them to get over their minor conflicts and just be together already! I feel as though this heart-wrenching relationship will be explored more quite a bit over the next books in the series and if I'm honest, I'm really looking forward to it!

It's been awhile since I've been THIS excited about a book or a series, but Tiger's Curse really just has it all. Luckily I have the sequel waiting for me that I will immediately dive into. I highly recommend that you don't wait - pick up this book, read it and fall in love just like I did!

Lauren Kate (Awesome Women)

I have the great pleasure today of having LAUREN KATE on my blog! How awesome is that? Here's her official bio:

Lauren Kate grew up in Dallas, went to school in Atlanta, and started writing in New York. She is the author of Fallen, Torment, the forthcoming Passion, and The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages. She lives in Laurel Canyon with her husband and hopes to work in a restaurant kitchen and learn how to surf. She is currently at work on the final book in the Fallen series, Rapture.

And if you'd like to find out more about Lauren, check out her website... her twitter... or her Facebook account. Over to you, Lauren...

Did you have a role model growing up?

I took ballet for twenty years, starting at the age of four. My ballet teacher was this incredibly beautiful, kind, and elegant woman—as a kid, she seemed like a princess to me. I worshipped her, not just for her talent at ballet, but for the way she ran the whole school. She knew everyone’s names, she always had a smile and a joke to share, she gave a whole generation of girls from my town a really healthy relationship to our bodies, which is not something most ballet teachers would ever consider a priority. I wish still lived near enough to take her classes now.

Who do you look up to now?

I’m very taken by Joan Didion’ s writing and sense of humor. When I was newly out of college, broke, and living in New York, I went to see her speak at an outdoor arena in Central Park about being a young writer in New York. She had a whole arena of girls just like me eating out of the palm of her hand. It started to thunderstorm and we all just sat there in the rain, getting soaked, because no one wanted to stop listening to her tales. That’s storytelling at its best.

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

See above. I wanted to be a ballerina until I was about fifteen, when I kept hearing the same thing after many auditions: I didn’t have the right feet. I still danced recreationally through college, but during my high school and college years, I focused more and more on writing. I majored in it in college, worked at publishing house, and even got a masters degree in fiction. It’s been “what I wanted to be” for a long time.

Now that I am officially a full time writer, I’ m already planning my next career. When I grow up next time, I want to be a chef!

Who is your favourite fictional character? And why?

Matilda is long-time favorite of mine. I’ m a sucker for stories about an exceptional little girl who is misunderstood and underestimated by a cruel world. I think most girls can relate and aspire to that. I also love Lyra Bellaqua.


Thank you so much Lauren for taking part in this feature! It was really wonderful to read your answers to these questions.

If anyone else would like more information about this feature or would like to take part, please see this page.

Reading with the boys (Dinosaur edition)

I've been mulling over this idea about discussing on a regular basis the books that my two boys and I read together. Both boys go through phases of loving certain types of books and I think it's quite interesting to see their latest interests and obsessions. It's something that I shall continue to visit, especially as the boys grow older and are able to start making their own reading choices. It's important to me now and always, for them to love books and enjoy reading. I hope to always support and encourage whatever books they choose along the way.

This post, is also partially inspired by my lovely blogging friend, Raimy from Readaraptor. Raimy absolutely adores dinosaurs and we were talking once on Twitter about how my youngest is going through a phase where he loves all things dinosaur. I thought it might be fun today to share with you all a small portion of his collection of dinosaur picture books (just the ones I could find easily, there are more!).



Trouble at the Dinosaur Cafe by Brian Moses and Garry Parsons - I believe this is the most recent dinosaur book picked up for our collection. In it, dinosaurs are peaceful and happy sitting in the dinosaur cafe, when along comes the biggest and baddest bully dinosaur - Tyrannosaurus Rex yelling about eating you and you and YOU. Luckily, a brave Stegosaurus (my favourite) is only a phone call away... Littlest in particular loves the idea of being attacked by a fierce dinosaur. Especially if voices are raised and the photo looks vaguely scary.



Dinosaurs Love Underpants by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort - What is it about the word 'underpants' that just sends my two boys into hysterics? The idea of dinosaurs in underpants makes them laugh like crazy. I'm not always fond of rhyming text in picture books, because the story usually builds towards the end, picking up the pace that the story is read aloud and when that happens I always find the rhymes harder to manage. But this one is still great fun with all of the silly illustrations of dinosaurs battling over the last scraps of pants.



Say Hello to the Dinosaurs by Ian Whybrow and Tim Warnes - I really love when picture books are interactive like this, even when my two boys fight over who is going to touch the dinosaur scales FIRST on each page. It's quite the little power struggle between the two. But also, as we are introduced in this simple little story of different dinosaurs, I always get my Littlest to actually wave and attempt to say 'hello' for each page. At the back of the book, there's also a little quiz to match up the dinosaurs with the sounds they each make that is quite satisfying for my Eldest. Fun for the whole family!



Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs by Ian Whybrow and Adrian Reynolds - We managed to find an entire collection of the Bucketful of Dinosaur books awhile back, perhaps through the Book People? Either way, my Eldest loves these books. I remember reading the one where Harry goes to school for the first time again and again before Eldest went for his first day. He seemed to like the idea that Harry felt just as uncomfortable as I think Eldest was feeling. Plus, he likes how Harry and his sister Sam always seem to be bicker in some way and that most stories feature his Nan. That's something that Eldest and Harry seem to have in common aside from dinosaurs - they both love their Nan.



How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague - This is an old favourite. In the same series, we also have How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food, Get Well Soon, Learn Their Colours and Count To Ten. We're pretty big on this series! But the favourite, for me anyway, is How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? It's the perfect bed time story, very sweet and gentle and we've read it a million times before bed.


And now that we've established this intense love for dinosaur books, do you have any suggestions for what else to pick up? Perhaps a chapter book for a 5 and a half year old that we could read together?

REVIEW: In the Sea There Are Crocodiles by Fabio Geda

Oh, this book. It really had me in tears. What comes across the most for me as I was reading it is of the resilience of the human spirit and also hope in times of quite tragic events. It is quite the slim book, but I was gripped all the way through it and Enaiatollah and Fabio Geda really had a grip on my heart from the very first page.

In the Sea There Are Crocodiles by Fabio Geda is the fictionalised true story of a 10 year old boy from Afghanistan. His mother takes him over the border to Pakistan, tells him to follow three simple rules and then abandons him in the hope that her son will be better off away from the Taliban that has taken over in Afghanistan which has put him and his entire family at risk. What follows is Enaiatollah's brave journey as he struggles to find work, shelter and food across several different countries.

It's really an incredible story, this one. One that I won't forget for a long time. Enaiatollah goes through some horrific experiences - with people smugglers in particular, harassment from police and terrible living conditions - all in the hopes that one day he will find a place where he can belong and feel safe. It takes him five years, travelling and working through Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, and Greece in order to be granted asylum in Italy. One of the things that really struck a chord with me is Enaiatollah's memories the beauty and the good times that he had as a young boy in Afghanistan. When people think of Afghanistan, they think of the Taliban and of the terrorism and bad things that has come from that. He remembers a happy childhood in a beautiful place.

In the Sea There Are Crocodiles is written in a very lyrical but simplistic way, and I was pulled into Enaiatollah's story immediately. It really opened my eyes to the lives and experiences of refugees and other people who have left their homes in search of security and freedom. This was a really beautiful and at times difficult book to read, but one that remains hopeful in the belief that there is more out there and that things can and will be better.

REVIEW: Passion by Lauren Kate

"Every single lifetime, I'll choose you. Just as you have chosen me. Forever."

Passion by Lauren Kate, wow. I didn't see that one coming. With each book in the Fallen series that I read, I've been slowly becoming a bigger fan. If I'm honest, I wasn't completely convinced with Fallen. I liked the setting and the idea but I wanted more. I decided to give Torment a chance anyway and it completely turned around what I thought of the story and the characters. I liked how Luce asserted herself more, explored other options in terms of love interests andin the end, struck out on her own. When Luce jumps into the announcer at the end of Torment, I actually cheered. I thought 'good for you!' and couldn't wait to find out what she'd uncover. I was far from disappointed.

And now in Passion, we have this strange flit through time as Luce is on a mission for answers, both with her relationship with Daniel and of the curse that she has been afflicted with. She needs to see proof of this epic love that she supposedly shares with Daniel. And oh boy, does she. Passion is filled with so much romance that I almost couldn't bear it at points. Some of Daniel and Luce's interactions are so tense and fraught with emotion. Some lives they barely touch or say anything, others they are able to spend longer periods of time with each other, getting to know each other and falling in love gradually. It was really sweet to read so many different types of love shared between the two over time.

I also loved all of the different historical settings that we find Luce in, from war-torn Russia to a courtly France and a secluded island on the Indian ocean. It was very exciting for me to read of the different clothing and circumstances that Luce finds herself in. And it's very eye-opening for Luce as well, as she is able to view her relationship with Daniel in a very different light. She sees him destroyed and broken and almost without hope after she dies. She sees him as he falls in love with other versions of herself that are bitchy or mean and comes to value the strength of his love and the sacrifices and hardships that the both of them make in order to spend very little time together. It's very moving and this is the first time that I really felt like Daniel and Luce really do need to be together. I'm completely and utterly behind their relationship and their love now. Just as Luce needs to be convinced, so did I. And I think Lauren Kate did a fantastic job in Passion.

But it isn't all about Luce either. Daniel and Luce's friends have all jumped into announcers on a hunt for Luce through time. Daniel, of course, understandably feeling very threatened that Luce might change the course of their shared history and it might all have been for nothing. I think the mystery of Luce dying every time is done quite cleverly, as along with Luce we learn really important clues into who or what has been behind the curse.

Enough is revealed that makes me incredibly, hugely excited for the next book in the series. Bring it on, Lauren Kate!

REVIEW: Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Going Bovine by Libba Bray is absolutely incredible. Seriously one of the funniest and most heart-felt books I've ever read. It's emotional and intelligent and just down-right weird. Before I started, I'd mentioned to a few people that I felt slightly intimidated to start a book that some had found confusing and the advice I was given was to 'just go with the crazy' - so that's what I did. And I'm kicking myself now for waiting so long to get this one. This book is worth buying and reading IMMEDIATELY. I can't stress that enough.

At the start, Cameron didn't come off as a very sympathetic character. He's a teenage boy who doesn't really have any ambitions, he doesn't seem to care about much and he mostly lazes about doing as little as possible. But I definitely believed in his character. It felt realistic, Cameron's attitude towards his surroundings and the people around him in general. Plus Libba Bray is so funny and sarcastic and the observations on life that stream out of Cameron's head make me incredibly jealous of Libba Bray's writing skill. So it didn't take long at all before I really felt for Cameron and really felt emotionally invested in his story and his journey.

This is such a strange story, really reminiscent of Don Quixote. Because when Cameron is diagnosed with a terminal disease (Mad Cow!), he goes off on this crazy road trip because Cameron is visited by a punk rocker angel, Dulcie, and told that if he goes off to find a mysterious Dr X, that he will be cured. Is she a hallucination? What about his travel-mates, the talking yard gnome who is really a Norse god in search of his mythical ship? Or the video gaming hypochondriac dwarf with attachment issues with his mother?

What I love so much, is amidst the humour and the wackiness of this story and the sheer fun of their adventurous road trip with all its mishaps, there is so much that pulls so much at my heart-strings. The transformation of Cameron from uncaring and distant from his life, into someone with friends and appreciates music and small moments and who falls in love is absolutely heart-breaking knowing that he is so close to death.

I really loved the layers to this story, the way in which all aspects of Cameron's life are added into the narrative, from his mother's interest in Norse mytholgy, to snow globes and Coyote and The Roadrunner. There's time travel and jazz music, and it all just fit together so beautifully. I love how Libba Bray's pokes a little fun at society as well as giving us a cracking good story, one that made me think and question and most importantly a book that really made me FEEL.

Going Bovine will stay with me for a very, very long time.

What I was like as a teenager

Like most of us, I was a pretty awkward teenager. Up until middle school, I was always very studious. I didn't really misbehave or get into any trouble. I didn't swear or have an attitude or anything. And then my teenage years happened and things started to change. My parents had gotten a divorce when I was 11, and things at home had never been very happy, which had a lot to do with things. Plus, I'd always thought of myself as a plump and plain-looking girl.

During the first two years of middle school, my best friend from when I was 8 started hanging around more with a different group of girls (who smoked and went out with boys) and I felt friendless and alone during my tween years. Having not grown up around other women, I had no idea how to do my hair or wear makeup. I hadn't worn a dress since I was very little, I don't think. I just didn't have a clue - about what to wear, or how to act around boys.

Besides my best friend who mostly abandoned me, my only ever constant group of friends had been the girls that I hung out with during sports practices and choir. I will be the first to admit that I was never very good at sports or singing, but I loved doing both. When choir became something that you had to 'try out' for instead of accepting everyone, I stopped trying to be involved. And sports, while at one time I really loved, became something that I was uncomfortable with as my body started to change. I felt clumsy and huge and incredibly self-conscious running around playing soccer or softball, paranoid that people were judging me. So I quit that too.

To make matters worse, my 8th grade year, the final year of middle school, when I turned 13, we moved. It was my third middle school in three years. At some point I did think, PHEW! I can start over. But the first day rolls around and the first person that says anything to me that day was this horrid (but popular) boy who asked me in the cafeteria 'Are you a boy or a girl?' I was humilated, especially when everyone seated at his table roared with laughter. I had recently had a very short haircut which was the latest in a long string of bad haircuts. It felt like that one comment would destroy me as well as set the tone for the rest of the year.

Fortunately, it didn't. I managed to fall in with a great group of friends. I've never been very outgoing and this was worse during this period of time. I'm very lucky though to have been adopted by some great girls. Despite claims of 'best friends forever' and all that, I was never that close with anyone. I wasn't very open about what I was going through at home or how I was feeling, but it didn't really matter. We had some fun times and I think I needed the fun factor in friendships more than I needed to be open and honest about more serious topics. This was the year that I really began writing stories and my first attempts and finishing a novel. Though it wasn't always great either. I remember a boy in class singling me out because I didn't pluck or shape my eyebrows.

And I think high school was too big of a transition for me. I was excited for high school. I've always loved learning and one of the things I was most excited about was taking both French and Spanish. I had this crazy idea that I'd learn seven languages by the time I was grown up. Despite the extra work involved, I decided to enroll in my high school's International Baccalaureate programme. It was the first year that that had been an option and I thought it sounded cool. It wasn't. All of the extra work and the added academic pressure was too much for me to handle, especially with how emotionally fragile I was at the time. Despite all the added stress and expectations to do well in both my regular high school classes and my IB classes, it never occurred to me to drop out of IB. I look back now and think how obvious that solution seems. But I couldn't see that at the time. I just kept at it, even though I fell behind and struggled and struggled and struggled.

It became easier to just stop going to classes. And once the work had piled up to where it was beyond manageable and I had no idea how to get caught up, I stopped doing that too. At that point, without going into it too much, things were getting tougher and tougher at home. I ended up turning towards the Internet in order to vent how I was feeling and so that I didn't feel so alone. At 16, I didn't continue with high school. I ended up getting a job and taking classes at my local community college.

Things changed slightly for the better. Working and getting regular pay cheques gave me more confidence, as did the change out of the high school environment. I had my first actual relationship with a boy who'd called me 'pretty' for the first time in my entire life, but in the end it caused me nothing but heartbreak. And as I was beginning to give up hope that anything good would become of me or of my life, I met N. Or at least I began to appreciate what a good friend he was to me.

I began to see myself a bit through his eyes. Because as a teenager, I never really liked myself. I had a raging eating disorder with binge eating followed by days of starvation nearly crippling me. I'd scratch up my arms and legs with my nails or other sharp objects. My inner voice told me constantly that I was no good, that I wasn't worth anything, that I was a failure and a disappointment. That it was impossible for anyone to love me. And slowly, I began to see things differently.

Where I could not picture a future before, with N I could see one. I could see myself being happy, with someone I loved and who loved me back. I could see a lifetime of support and understanding and acceptance. And with a huge amount of effort, I began to crawl out of that deep, dark hole I had been in. I started making plans, saving up. I was to be moving to another continent, getting married.

I look back on my teenage years now and I wish that I'd been more comfortable within myself to be that nerdy girl that I hid away from everyone. The girl who loved to learn and speak different languages. The girl who liked to sing along to cheesy commercials and religiously watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer and read absolutely everything and anything and wanted to change the world and right all the world's injustices. But I wasn't. I was sullen and withdrawn and I didn't ask for help and I didn't speak up about my own troubles and problems. And that's OK.

Because I'm happy to be that person now. And that's all that matters, right?

REVIEW: Prisoner of the Inquisition by Theresa Breslin

Here's a book that completely took me by surprise. I've said for years that historical fiction just isn't my sort of thing and then Prisoner of the Inquisition by Theresa Breslin comes along and I'm absolutely blown over by how much I adored this story, these characters and the absolutely fascinating historical setting. I really need to rethink my stance on historical fiction from now on. Also? I need to pick up more books by Theresa Breslin because I have been won over by her style of writing.

Prisoner of the Inquisition takes place during the Spanish Inquisition, around the time that Christopher Colombus is gathering funds in order to make his famous trip overseas. While not only making Christopher Colombus a minor character, which was quite cool in itself, I also learned an incredible amount of the politics and some of the reasons and goals of Isabella and her justifications of the Inquisition. All of the historical aspects of the novel felt like a natural progression of the story and it didn't feel heavy or forced at all. I was learning without realising it, which I think takes great skill.

We have a dual narrative here from both Zarita, the wealthy daughter of the magistrate and from Saulo, the son of a poor family in town. Zarita and Saulo first cross paths when Zarita falsely accuses Saulo's father of assault and as a consequence, Saulo's father is hung and Saulo sent off to become a slave on a ship. It all happens very quickly and immediately Zarita realises the grave error she has just committed that has cost someone his life. This event changes and shapes both Zarita's and Saulo's life.

Alternating between their two stories, Saulo describes what life as a slave aboard a ship is like. The hard work, the poor treatment and a life of nothing but drudgery in his future. However he is quite fortunate to be taken under the wing of the captain and is able to learn more about shipping and constellations and exploration. Saulo's whole experience was absolutely fascinating and I found myself eager to get back to it.

Zarita, on the other hand, is really struggling at home. With the loss of her mother, her whole world is thrown into turmoil as the inquisition sweeps into her town and she has this really tenuous relationship with her father and his new wife. There's so much at play in this book - it deals with growing up and becoming your own person, atoning for the mistakes in the past, forgiveness, family and love. I loved every minute of this book and can highly recommend it!

REVIEW: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she's coming to terms with her father's death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road -- diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards--this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.

I was so, so excited to read this story. I had an inkling that Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson would fit in with the theme, Death and Bereavement in Teen Literature (now postponed/cancelled sadly!), but more than that it sounded like a lot of fun. I love books involving road trips and even though I'm not muscially inclined at all, I do also love books that include music, which this one does. And this one IS a lot of fun.

It's the stories of Amy and Roger as they travel cross country together. Amy's mom has already moved the family far away from their home in California and left Amy behind until things are sorted out. She recruits the son of a family friend, Roger to drive Amy to the new place. Virtual strangers beforehand, Amy and Roger really get to know each other over the course of a week as they swap music playlists, share memories of their childhood and learn what snacks and sodas the other picks up at the convenience stores. And they are both going through a lot. Amy Curry is 17 and is afraid to drive again after her father recently died in a car accident. She's still grieving his loss terribly and at the same time is leaving behind all the people and places she's known forever. It was really sad and beautiful, some of Amy's memories of her father before he died. Their shared love of Elvis and her memories from the day her father died. And Roger has his own issues to deal with as their road trip spans Yosemite National Park to Graceland.

I love the characters that we meet on this road trip, and how it seems that each person comes into Amy's life just as she needs something, whether it be someone to listen, a new wardrobe or to boost her self-confidence in some way. We can see a huge transformation from the beginning to end, starting with Amy being at a very low point, grieving and depressed into someone who is more able to face her demons and her fears and doesn't need to hide so much. The addition of the road-trip mementoes into the text - photos, reciepts, music play-lists really made me smile and feel like there was an extra layer to the story.

And of course, there's Amy and Roger together. They are so SWEET. Immediately attracted to Roger, Amy is very self-conscious at first, unsure of herself in relation to Roger. And they're put into some deliciously awkward moments. Sharing beds, spending long, tense hours in the car together, overhearing personal conversations, the pangs of jealousy as they stop at different places and are hit on by other people. Road trips can be so intimate, and Matson does a great job with throwing these two some interesting situations on their trip together. The highlight for me is meeting the Southern gentleman with a passion for topiary. Fantastic.

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour is a really sweet and romantic road trip between two teenagers, but it isn't all sugar and light-heartedness as it touches on some serious topics, from death of a loved one to drug addiction. It does come highly recommended by me! :)

TSS: Bookish news on a Sunday

Today is Father's Day! I hope everyone out there is spoiling the fathers in their lives rotten. We've taken N out to a local castle and will be treating him to a nice Indian dinner this evening!

I haven't participated in The Sunday Salon in awhile, but I thought there was a fair bit of bookish news and other things that I'd like to share which didn't really fit into my other posts. So this will become a fairly regular occurrence, me joining together what I'm currently reading with some of the things I've come across this week.


Book(s) I'm currently reading: I'm currently reading both David by Mary Hoffman and Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien. I've been reading David off and on for awhile. It's a really wonderful book, but I wanted to take it a little slowly and now I'm savouring the few chapters I read here and there.

And I've been looking forward to Birthmarked for absolutely ages! I'd seen it about on American blogs I read, so was thrilled to hear that Simon and Schuster had picked it up. From all the fantasy I've been reading lately, it's been nice to slip into a good dystopic read.

Haven't gotten very far into this one yet, but so far I've been enjoying it.


Books I've been obsessing about this week: Oh my god. This past week I've been trying my best to get through some of the sent-for-review books that lovely publishers have been sending me lately. I'm always slightly behind and I thought this week would be a good time to catch up. I managed to get through three fairly great books and then I got to Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck.

HOLY CRAP, how swept away did I get by this series? I finished the first book in under a day, and immediately picked up Tiger's Quest. I am now bereft and heartbroken that I will have to wait until NOVEMBER to read the next book in the series, Tiger's Voyage. November :( Such an excellent series of books, which come very highly recommended from me. Reviews soon, promise.




Bookish news: Usually I end up with lots of book trailers and news in my Inbox and I don't know what to do with it. Recently? Not so much. Just a reminder that Bloomsbury are still searching for a Favourite Harry Potter character. I've voted, have you? (click on the image above if you haven't yet voted and would like to! Don't forget to leave me a comment to say who you've voted for!)


Upcoming blog tours/guest posts: I'm hugely excited for all of the upcoming blog tours and guest posting I'll be doing soon enough! You can some of the banners on my sidebar over there --

A blog tour for Reckless by Cornelia Funke.

A blog tour for David by Mary Hoffman.

And a Guest Blogger Week at The Book Memoirs.

Look out for more on all of that soon.


Bloggy housekeeping: I've been doing a fair bit of work behind the scenes of my little blog, and I thought I'd use this opportunity to share some of it with you.

I've added a review page, in which I've listed all the reviews that have been published on Fluttering Butterflies.

I've also included pages for my personal posts on Wednesdays (called 'Behind the Books' button coming soon!) and my discussion posts on Fridays (now called 'Let's Discuss!' again, button coming soon!)

You may now subscribe to Fluttering Butterflies using the RSS feed, Google Friend Connect as well as an email subscription. All of those options can be found in the sidebar.

Would also love to hear if you're finding my 'Popular Posts' interesting at all? And if there's anything else you'd like to see more of/less of, please do let me know!


Books that have been added to my wishlist this past week: There's been quite a few wonderful reviews and interviews with authors that I've read recently and all of these things sort of bombard me and every so often, I'll add a bunch of books to my Amazon wishlist. This past week I went a little bit crazy, and added the following books:

One Seriously Messed-Up Week: in the Otherwise Mundane and Uneventful Life of Jack Samsonite by Tom Clempson - This book just sounds absolutely hysterical and I feel like I need to read it.



Vaclav and Lena by Haley Tanner - I loved the interview with the author over on Serendipity. I really like the sound of it being in New York and there being an element of magic/magicians. And I think the cover looks sweet.



The Mermaid's Mirror by LK Madigan - I've recently read LK Madigan's other book, Flash Burnout and found it to be hugely funny and moving and after Liz from My Favourite Books raved about it on twitter, I became even more excited and determined to read it.



Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares - The four girls from the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants all grown up! I adored the series and I'm not quite sure yet how I feel about this new book, looking at the girls' lives 10 years on from the last book. Who am I kidding? Of course I'll read it, and I'm sure I'll end up loving it as well..



I've also added a fair few books that I'm looking forward to but aren't published for awhile: Adorable by Sarra Manning, Nine Uses for An Ex-Boyfriend also by Sarra Manning, and I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella.


Reading Challenges: I'm doing really well with my British Books Challenge, and I'm halfway to my goal of reading 200 books for the year! I didn't intend on joining any further reading challenges this year, but I couldn't resist the New York Book Challenge, hosted by Chicklish! I haven't yet decided on which books I'd like to read for the challenge, but do find out more information about the challenge here.

Possible books I'd like to read for the challenge include Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti and Love Story by Jennifer Echols.

And that wraps up my first Sunday News Round-up!

What are YOU reading today?

In my Mailbox 31

Welcome to another edition of In My Mailbox. As you well know, IMM is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren in which bloggers get the chance to share with their readers the books that have recently come into their possession. I really love this meme and I look forward to seeing all my favourite blogger's books each week. Thank you to Kristi for hosting something that is such fun!

Here are my new books:

David by Mary Hoffman - Michelangelo’s statue of David is famous around the world. Millions flock to Italy every year to admire the physical perfection of the young man captured within the marble. But the identity of the model has never been known . . . until now. In this epic tale, acclaimed author Mary Hoffman imagines the story of Gabriele, a naïve but incredibly handsome young man who is hired as Michelangelo’s model, only to find himself drawn into a world of spies, political treachery, and murder. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Florence in its most turbulent times, this is a rich, colorful and thrilling tale that gives life to one of the world’s greatest masterpieces.

I'm really excited about reading this one. When the book arrived in the post I actually squeed and did a mini-happy dance. I've already read the first chapter and it was so hard to put it down and continue with my current read. I know that I will be getting to this one very quickly! (And look out for a fun post from Mary Hoffman on the blog soon as part of her tour!)

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Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris - "With her knack for being in trouble's way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte's, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. But Sookie suspects otherwise and she and Sam work together to uncover the culprit - and the twisted motive for the attack. But her attention is divided. Though she can't 'read' vampires, Sookie knows her lover Eric Northman and his 'child' Pam well - and she realises that they are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, she is drawn into the plot -which is much more complicated than she knows. Caught up in the politics of the vampire world, Sookie will learn that she is as much of a pawn as any ordinary human - and that there is a new Queen on the board . . . "

Oh I do love Charlaine Harris and the Sookie Stackhouse novels. This is the third latest Sookie book I've acquired in hardback as I just have no patience whatsoever to wait until the paperback! I hear it's good too. Yay.

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Liar by Justine Larbalestier - Micah will freely admit that she's a compulsive liar, but that may be the one honest thing she'll ever tell you. Over the years she's duped her classmates, her teachers, and even her parents, and she's always managed to stay one step ahead of her lies. That is, until her boyfriend dies under brutal circumstances and her dishonesty begins to catch up with her. But is it possible to tell the truth when lying comes as naturally as breathing? Taking readers deep into the psyche of a young woman who will say just about anything to convince them, and herself, that she's finally come clean, Liar is a bone-chilling thriller that will have readers see-sawing between truths and lies right up to the end. Honestly.

I've heard very mixed things about this book. Something about the story and Justine Larbalestier just really intrigue me so I love that I have the chance to find out for myself how I feel about this one. A huge thank you to my wonderful blogging friend, Kirsty from The Overflowing Library for passing this book onto me. It is appreciated :)

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The Kissing Game by Aidan Chambers - United under the banner of flash fiction, this is a collection of stories, or little 'cells', complete in themselves but connected by the overarching themes of betrayal and revenge. All featuring teenagers and often with an unexpected twist, these frighteningly realistic stories will take you to the very edge and beyond.

This book was very unexpected! It was again sent by the very lovely Kirsty at The Overflowing Library. She's my book fairy, apparently! Thanks Kirsty :)

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Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs - Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her—and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.

I haven't read many (any?) mermaid books before, so I'm really looking forward to this one!

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Midsummer Meltdown by Cathy Hopkins - "So what's the big mystery surprise?" asked Squidge.

"Can't say," I replied. "But don't worry. It includes you."

"All of us?" asked Cat. "Me, Squidge, Mac, and Becca?"

"Oh yes. And you're going to love it."

Lia is over the moon because her friends have been invited to join her family in celebrating her mom's fortieth birthday in a secret location. It's going to be the party of the decade, and Lia imagines romantic scenes in an exotic location with her boyfriend, Squidge.

However, events don't go exactly as planned, and the final guest list is full of surprises. Lia finds herself in an awkward position when an old flame turns up and makes a play for her. It's midsummer, but does it mean meltdown for Lia and Squidge when the party's over?

I was very lucky to have won my copy of this book from the massive Girls Heart Books giveaway. If you don't read the Girls Heart Books blog, you really should! This is the 6th book in the Truth, Dare, Kiss, Promise series by Cathy Hopkins, but I'm hoping I can read it without having read the rest of the series. I haven't yet read anything by Cathy Hopkins, but I'm really looking forward to.

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Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison - Bridget Duke is the uncontested ruler of her school. The meanest girl with the biggest secret insecurities. And when new girl Anna Judge arrives, things start to fall apart for Bridget: friends don't worship as attentively, teachers don't fall for her wide-eyed "who me?" look, expulsion looms ahead and the one boy she's always loved—Liam Ward—can barely even look at her anymore.

When a desperate Bridget drives too fast and crashes her car, she ends up in limbo, facing everyone she's wronged and walking a few uncomfortable miles in their shoes. Now she has only one chance to make a last impression. Though she might end up dead, she has one last shot at redemption and the chance to right the wrongs she's inflicted on the people who mean the most to her.

And Bridget's about to learn that, sometimes, saying you're sorry just isn't enough….

Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison, published by Mira Ink £6.99 www.miraink.co.uk


I really love the sound of this one and something about the cover just calls to me. Another book I can't wait to read!!

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And that's it for me! Where to start? And what books did you get?

Keren David (Awesome Women)

I'm very pleased and honoured to welcome Keren David to my blog today! Keren is the author of the absolutely brilliant When I Was Joe and Almost True, which I've read and absolutely ADORED. Her new book, Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery will be published by Frances Lincoln on the 4th of August. I, for one, can't wait to get my hands on a copy! She is also Find out more about Keren and her books at the following websites:

Keren's website ... Keren on Twitter ... Keren on Facebook

Keren is also a pretty prolific blogger. Not only does write intelligent and interesting blog posts at her own website, she also writes for Crime Central and The Edge.

Can you tell me a little something about yourself?

I worked as a journalist all my adult life before starting to write books three years ago. My first book When I Was Joe was published in 2010, followed by the sequel, Almost True. My third book, Lia’s Guide to Winning the Lottery is being published on August 4th. I live in London with my husband and two children.

Did you have a role model growing up?

I always despaired of ever being as sweet and nice and good as my mum. Apart from her I knew one person who worked as a journalist - my Auntie Gloria. She wasn’t my real auntie, but our families were the closest of friends, and I was fascinated in her job as a columnist for the local newspaper, and also running the children’s page.

Who do you look up to now?

I admire people who are creative, unpretentious and who enjoy their work, always trying new things and getting better all the time. Victoria Wood springs to mind, and in the world of children’s books Hilary McKay is my current heroine.

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was 11 I drew a picture of myself all grown up as a ‘lady writer’. I wish I’d kept it.

Tell me something about the women in your life who have been an influence on you?

My grandmothers - two strong, talented, feisty women who were frustrated by circumstances and couldn’t have the careers they deserved.

My mum – one of the most caring people in the world. She’d wrap us all up in cotton wool to protect us from the world if she could - and can never understand why we don't want that! She’s a wonderful musician and a great teacher.

My sister – she’s just a superwoman really.

My colleague, Jennifer – she was chief reporter on my first ever newspaper when I was a clueless teenage reporter. Without her help and guidance I would never have had a career in journalism at all.

My mother-in-law – now sadly no longer with us, but Minnie was a fabulous effervescent energetic lady, who was interested in everyone and everything, and never walked when she could dance. When she got ill, at the age of 86, she didn’t know what was happening. When we suggested it might be age-related, she snapped: ‘It shouldn’t matter if I’m 86 or 106.’

My sister’s sister-in-law, the novelist Melissa Nathan. Melissa wrote funny romantic novels, which were deservedly best-sellers. She died far, far too young, but she showed us all how to live a creative life - and how important it is not to waste precious time.

Amanda Swift - the children’s book writer who ran the course at City University on Writing for Children which kick-started my writing career. Amanda’s always encouraging, positive and helpful, a great role model!

Who is your favourite fictional character? And why?

Too difficult to pick just one!

What were you like as a teenager and how did you cope with all the changes that occurred?

I was very bored, and I spent most of my time wishing that I was older. I felt miserable a lot of the time and I did not concentrate on my school work. I was very glad to escape school and get a job on a newspaper when I was 18.

If you had any advice for yourself as a teenager, what would you say?

Don’t be too hard on yourself. Don’t bother trying to do revision all on your own, that won’t work, you need people around you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Of the issues and concerns that women are faced with today, what's the area you most like reading/writing about?

Errrrrrr…..hmmmm….it’s the writing that counts for me, not so much the issue. I like reading about art and artists.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Only how much I value my female friends. We don’t hear enough about how great women are at being supportive, funny, inspirational and practical. I’m really lucky to have so many wonderful friends.

Thank you Keren, for answering my questions here today! It sounds as though you've been surrounded by some really incredible women!