Melina Marchetta (Paula Weston's Bookshelf Requirements)

Hello! And welcome to another Bookshelf Requirements post. Today I have the great pleasure of introducing you to Paula Weston, the Australian author of the Rephraim series, of which the first two titles are Shadows and Haze. Haze was published by Indigo on the 3rd of October.

Paula is here today not to talk about her own wonderful books, but of Melina Marchetta's and I absolutely love that she is! Melina Marchetta is one of my all-time favourite authors!

To find out more about Paula Weston or Shadows and Haze, please do visit the following places:

Paula Weston ... Shadows and Haze on Goodreads ... Paula Weston on Facebook ... Paula on Twitter

Thanks for the chance to visit and chat about books.

Ordinarily, I would have struggled to choose between Maggie Stiefvater and Melina Marchetta for this post. I’ve read everything both writers have published and hugely admire their work. But I see you covered Maggie very nicely in your inaugural Bookshelf Requirements post, so Melina it is!

Melina Marchetta

Melina’s novels are an auto-buy for me. Whether it’s her contemporary YA, fantasy YA or any other genre she’s drawn to, I’m in. Because no matter what the setting or genre, Melina always writes layered characters I care about. They get deep under my skin. They make me laugh, fret and cry, and stay with me long after I close their books. Melina’s prose is beautiful and her dialogue sharp. Her stories resonate with me on so many levels, not the least of which is the textured view she provides in her contemporary novels of Australia and Australians.

Looking for Alibrandi

This was Melina’s breakthrough novel back in 1992. I didn’t read it until 2008 (no excuses), although I saw and enjoyed the film when it first came out in 2000. It’s about discovering identity, appreciating cultural heritage and family ties, learning tough lessons about love, and recognising the realities and fallacies of class distinction. It’s also explores the consequences of choices – even those made with the best of intentions. Reading the book was, of course, a much richer experience and it made me hungry for more of Melina’s work.

On The Jellicoe Road

This is my favourite Melina Marchetta novel. It completely undid me. It’s bittersweet and heartbreaking, but also incredibly life affirming. It’s a beautiful story of family, friendship, redemption, forgiveness and hope. The characters were all compelling and I especially loved the dynamic between Taylor and Jonah. There's a breathtaking sense of place, cracking dialogue and a page-turning mystery about what's really going on. The story unfolds in rich layers - much like the characters. The reveals, when they come, are not so much bombshells as inevitable connections. And in the end, it's not the twists that are compelling, but the way the characters respond to them.

Saving Francesca

This is another example of how beautifully Melina builds characters – another story that made me laugh out loud and moved me to tears. Like her other YA novels, it touches on themes of family and self discovery and is populated with fantastic characters. Its told through the eyes of Francesca, who is tackling her final year of high school as one of the first enrolled girls in an all-boys school while also dealing with her mother’s sudden and acute depression. (I particularly enjoyed the rivalry/romance between Francesca and Will.)

The Piper’s Son

This book is set five years after Saving Francesca and focuses on Tom, a secondary character in the first novel. Tom is dealing – or, more to the point, not dealing – with the death of his favourite uncle and living with an aunt with her own emotional scars. The way grief spreads through this family and beyond is devastating and authentic. There are no easy fixes, but the story offers hope for healing and redemption. Yes, there were tears – but also tight writing, sharp dialogue and characters I didn’t want to let go of.


Lumatere Chronicles

I have so much love for this series.

Finnikin of the Rock is one of the most well-crafted, beautifully-told stories I've ever read. The world building is meticulous. The characters remarkably complex and real. The plot and twists enthralling. And the story of the Lumatere people is so heartbreaking that when hope finally comes, it's impossible not to be caught up in the moment.

Froi of the Exiles is a different, darker instalment, and – maybe because of that – is even more compelling and emotionally raw. Three years on from the end of the first novel, the recovering realm is struggling to rebuild after its years of exile and suffering. The scars run deep for the Lumaterans, and there are divisions between the exiles and those who were trapped all those years with enemy.

Quintana of Charyn

So many threads come together in this brilliant final book. There are resolutions for every character I’d come to care deeply about, and all of those resolutions were hard-earned. Important relationships are on the line (on several levels), but I must admit the one I cared about most (at least early on) was Finn and Froi's. Their friendship was one of my favourite things in this series and I seriously fretted for them. Two of my all-time favourite literary couples also feature heavily in the Lumatere Chronicles.

For me, what makes this series so exceptional are the characters and their relationships, and the way Melina manages to capture the best and worst of human nature. It's a story that, while set in a fantasy world, could easily be an analogy for any moment in human history when one group of people have de-humanised another. I know other well-written fantasy novels tackle themes of humanity, inhumanity, survival and hope. But it's not often you'll find this kind of mature approach in a YA series (although, honestly, the Lumatere Chronicles transcends the YA label on so many levels – as does all of Melina’s writing in my opinion).

Thank you so much, Paula! Have you guys read books by Melina Marchetta? Would they be amongst your bookshelf requirements? Let Paula and I know in comments!

Marcus Sedgwick's Bookshelf Requirements

Hugely excited today to have Marcus Segwick on the blog. I love Marcus' stories and his latest, She Is Not Invisible has me particularly excited.  Here's the product description for it:

Laureth Peak's father is a writer. For years he's been trying, and failing, to write a novel about coincidence. His wife thinks he's obsessed, Laureth thinks he's on the verge of a breakdown.He's supposed to be doing research in Austria, so when his notebook shows up in New York, Laureth knows something is wrong.

On impulse she steals her mother's credit card and heads for the States, taking her strange little brother Benjamin with her. Reunited with the notebook, they begin to follow clues inside, trying to find their wayward father. Ahead lie challenges and threats, all of which are that much tougher for Laureth than they would be for any other 16-year old. Because Laureth Peak is blind.

Marcus is here today to share some of his bookshelf requirements and I quite like the diversity of his selection! If you'd like to know more about Marcus Sedgwick or his books, please do visit the following websites:

Marcus Sedgwick ... Marcus on Twitter ... Marcus's blog ... add She Is Not Invisible to Goodreads

Eeek! How does a writer ever answer that perennial question: what are your favourite books? It’s just too hard. I’m on record elsewhere with a list of some of my top authors, the ones I couldn’t live without; people like Mervyn Peake, Ernest Hemingway, Bram Stoker, Hermann Melville.

So instead, I thought I’d take a snap of one of my bookshelves – the one where I put treasures.

Here they are: from left to right:

Old Peter’s Russian Tales, by Arthur Ransome.
Casino Fleming, by Ian Fleming
Sweet, by Sylvie van Ommen
Sailor Twain, by Mark Siegel
Edgar Allan Poe, by Arthur Ransome
Ritual, by David Pinner.

A few words about each of them, then:

Old Peter’s Russian Tales, by Arthur Ransome.

Arthur Ransome is best known for his Swallows and Amazons series of books, but when I was a boy I not only read and re-read those books, I also did the same with his collection of Russian Fairy Tales. It was a book that inspired me heavily when I came to write my novel Blood Red, Snow White, which is the true story of Ransome’s adventures in the Russian Revolution, as a British spy and a Bolshevik double-agent. I treated myself to this first edition a few years ago, and, because Ransome is not that popular anymore, it was a bargain.

The next book on the shelf is another first edition: Casino Royale. I am a MASSIVE Fleming fan. Well, not the man perhaps, but of some of the finest thrillers ever written: the adventures of James Bond. It’s a beautiful book; and it’s true to say they don’t make them like that anymore. But I don’t treat this as a book not to be touched. It’s got to be read, or what’s the point?

Next along, one of the best picture books ever! It’s a Dutch book called Sweets, and it’s a beautiful snapshot of a day in the life of two friends, a rabbit and a cat, who text each other to meet in the park, and there they wonder whether there will be Sweets in Heaven… I don’t know anyone who doesn’t cry, happily, when they read this book.

A very recent addition to my shelf of treasures is this awesome graphic novel, Sailor Twain, written and illustrated by Mark Siegel.

The art in this book is stunning, the story clever, dark and divine. It’s a very sexy book, and I was thrilled to meet Mark earlier this year and get a copy signed. Mark knows what he’s doing when it comes to making graphic novels: he runs a superb list of graphic novels in the US called First Second:01

The next book is a weird one: Arthur Ransome again, this time with one of the biographies he wrote before he became a writer of fiction. This one is of another one of my heroes: Edgar Allan Poe. It was a pretty uncontroversial book, unlike Ransome’s biography of Oscar Wilde, which got him in trouble. He was sued by Lord Alfred Douglas, also known as Bosie: Wilde’s lover. Ransome survived the trial but it brought him to national attention long before revolutions or Swallows and Amazons.

Finally, a wonderful work of fiction. Ritual, by David Pinner. This book is the book that inspired one wonderful film version and one terrible one; both called The Wicker Man.

I LOVE this book, despite the fact that it has continually been derided by most critics, both at the time of publication and since. Partially it got caught up in the publicity machine of the (first) movie it spawned, who wished to distance it from their film. Whatever the truth, it’s a book that means a lot to me, because when I read it, it was the first book IN A VERY LONG TIME that excited me about what fiction can do, what it can be. It is, in short, a bookshelf requirement.

Thank you so much, Marcus! It was wonderful to see some of your favourite books.  

What would you pick for your bookshelf requirements?

Amanda Rutter's Bookshelf Requirements

Today I am very happy and honoured to have Amanda Rutter, the lovely editor for Strange Chemistry on the blog today talking about some of her favourite books and why these books are important to her. I love the range of books coming out of Strange Chemistry and I think Amanda has amazing taste in books. Please do let us both know what you think of her choices.

And if you'd like to know more about Amanda or Strange Chemistry, follow the links below:

Amanda Rutter on Twitter ... Strange Chemistry

About Me

I am the editor of Strange Chemistry Books. I have been reading since I was a young girl, and I love all flavours of fiction. I started out on pony books (for which I still have a very nostalgic regard), moved to fantasy, and, from there, tried just about anything. I have an enduring love for fantasy which, combined with my more recent predilection for YA novels, suits my job perfectly.

The Books I Will Never Get Rid Of

1) First of all, let’s get this one out of the way – my favourite book of all time. I used to think it was difficult to name just one book, but there is only one novel that I have read more than eight times. When you factor in that it is over 1,000 pages long, that is a fair commitment to make! No, it isn’t The Lord of the Rings, as you’d maybe expect from a fantasy fan. It is, rather, The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman. This is a historical fantasy detailing the life of Richard III, and part of the War of the Roses. It is fascinating, epic, sprawling (in a good way) and just a stunning way of learning some of our English history. I love it to itty bitty pieces – in fact, I’m starting to think I’m due another re-read soon…

2) My Charles de Lint shelf. The grand-daddy of urban fantasy, the creator of rich worlds and the writer of beautiful prose. I first discovered him when I was sixteen, by randomly borrowing The Little Country from the library, and there began an enduring love affair that continues to this day. He hasn’t been published much in the UK, which means either importing his novels or buying them when I visit the States – an expensive collection, to be sure! I still have at least twenty of his novels to try and pick up, although those are the very rare ones…

3) Next up are my two (so far) Steven Erikson special editions of his Malazan novels. I have Gardens of the Moon and Deadhouse Gates at the moment. The other eight will gradually be released. They cost something like $160 dollars, have different artwork on the cover and internal illustrations as well – released by Subterranean Press. They are so pretty and strokable and rare and my only true book indulgence.

4) Diane Duane’s Wizard series, starting with So You Want to be a Wizard. I read the first few of these when I was in my early teens and just adored them. I remember reading the whole of the first one in the library while waiting for my dad to finish some Open University research, and then requesting all the others immediately. I didn’t buy them until I found the whole series re-issued in Forbidden Planet, and snapped them up – including a couple I hadn’t read before. Diane Duane never writes down to her audience. These books are complicated, emotional and incredibly entertaining.

5) Jacqueline Carey Kushiel series. These six novels (she has written more, but the Kushiel ones are my absolute favourites) have been permanent books on my shelf since I read the first one – Kushiel’s Dart. I think these are some of the best fantasy ever written, although they do get a bit sexy at times, considering the main character is a very beautiful and talented courtesan and spy.

6) The ‘Samaria’ angel trilogy by Sharon Shinn. Similar stories as the above really – the author has written more, but it’s these three books that I always return to. I borrowed the first from the library on a whim because the cover was utterly stunning, and then bought all three immediately. I had to wait and buy these from the States at a much higher cost (things like Amazon and The Book Depository weren’t around then – in fact, the Internet itself was only just kicking off at the time) but they were well worth it.

7) The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle. When I was a young girl, my parents got me a VHS video called The last Unicorn. The animation was so gorgeous, and I fell in love with the story. I didn’t realise it had been based on a book until I was in my teens. I immediately went out and bought myself a copy, and fell even more in love with the book. I also have a graphic novel version of the story. It’s the ultimate fairytale and so beautifully written.


Those are my keepers! Please let me know yours!

Julie Cross' Bookshelf Requirements

I'm really happy today to have Julie Cross on the blog sharing some of the authors who form part of her Bookshelf Requirements.

I really love hearing about the books you can't live without, if you'd like to take part in this feature, please do let me know either via comments or email.

Julie Cross is the author of the fabulous time-travel YA novel Tempest. The sequel, Vortex, is published in paperback by Macmillan on the 29th of August. You really must get your hands on a copy of both books, I highly recommend them.

If you want to know more about Tempest, Vortex or Julie Cross do visit the following websites:

Julie Cross ... Julie Cross on Facebook ... Julie on Twitter 

Ally Carter’s Gallagher Girl Series


I read this series (or at least the ones that we out at the time) shortly after I began my writing journey. I remember very clearly whipping through books 1 and 2 over Thanksgiving Holiday in the fall of 2009. Then before the long weekend was over, I rushed out to Borders (R.I.P. Borders) and bought the third book in the series. In hardcover. At the time my book budget was very tight so was a big splurge. I learned so much about the power of voice in writing, about breaking away from traditional narration and creating a list if that’s what felt natural and made the story flow. Of course I loved the spy school aspect and genius kids, even better that contrast of these girls truly having no idea how to interact with normal kids their age. For instance, boys. Instead of engaging in small talk with a local boy, the four main girls in the book decide the best way to learn about one of their potential love interests is to hack into email accounts, study his garbage looking for clues. It’s like physical proof that no matter who you are and what you’ve learned, we all have to pass through adolescents in almost the same way. That’s like the essence of YA literature in my opinion. It’s the reason you have so many sub-genres in YA and have readers willing shift from contemporary, to sci-fi, to fantasy, to historical. Another thing I love about this series is that is very clean YA with content totally suitable for readers as young as 10 years old. I’m glad all YA isn’t clean like this but when you’re constantly looking for books to recommendto eager young readers, it’s nice to have a good list of titles on hand.

Lurlene McDaniel’s books


When I was a teen, I don’t think YA literature was as well-defined and available like it is now. As an author YA books, I get asked all the time what I read as a teen, what YA book inspired me or influenced me and I’m not sure if reading Lurlene McDaniel’s books led to me becoming a writer. But I read several of her books between the ages of 15 and 17 and I can still recall tiny details from stories (and I’m 33 now). I remember so clearly being on a Greyhound bus when I was 15, traveling between Chicago, Illinois and Dayton, Ohio (about a 6 hour bus ride) and bawling my eyes out reading the end of Don’t Die My Love. I remember wiping my eyes over and over again with my t-shirt and glancing around to make sure no one had noticed the weird teenage girl alone and crying. I read so many books now and rarely re-read like I used to as a kid and teen that it’s easy to forget that feeling a being sucked into a story and living what characters are living and having that leave a mark on you that last for at least 18 more years. This past May, I attended the Romantic Times convention and Lurlene McDaniel was signing books at the fair right across from my table. I’m not one who’s usually bold enough to walk up to authors and tell them how felt reading their book, but I decided this opportunity was too important to miss. So at the end of the event, I went over to get books signed and a minute into our greeting I was spilling the Greyhound bus ride story. Ms. McDaniel spent a good 15 minutes chatting with me. She’s an amazing lady and now I’m even more determined to write characters that leave a lasting impression on my 15 year old readers out there.

Judy Blume


I picked up this copy of Forever at a used book store last summer. It’s the original cover which is really cool in my opinion. I don’t have a ton to say about Judy Blume that thousands of readers and writers haven’t said before, but basically her and Margaret taught me everything I needed to know about puberty and then Kath and Michael taught me that relationships and love can still hold important value even if they aren’t forever. Meeting Judy Blume someday is at the top of my author bucket list.

Thank you, Julie! Which books would make your list of Bookshelf Requirements?

Meg Rosoff (Bookshelf Requirements)

I have the great pleasure today of welcoming back one of my favourite ever bloggers: Sophie from So Many Books, So Little Time.  I absolutely adore Sophie. I think she has amazing taste in books, I really trust her judgement and I enjoy reading every single one of her posts. If you aren't already following Sophie's blog you are absolutely missing out!

Sophie is here today to discuss one of her Bookshelf Requirements as part of my new feature and I couldn't be happier about it. The author she has chosen is one of my favourites as well! I'll hand you over to Sophie now and please do let us know what you think in comments... 

So Many Books, So Little Time ... Sophie on Twitter 

Meg Rosoff (Bookshelf Requirements)
by Sophie from So Many Books, So Little Time

Meg Rosoff

Without fail, news of a new Meg Rosoff book is one of the highlights of my bookish year. I’ve been a fan since I devoured her debut, How I Live Now, many years ago and she delivers something new and unique with every consecutive novel. She manages to blow my mind quite regularly. While the release of her sixth novel, Picture Me Gone, draws closer, I often find myself admiring my stack of Meg Rosoff books on my bookshelves remembering just how much I love them.

I was lucky enough to meet the lady herself at an epic event at the Bath Children’s Literature Festival in 2011 where she shared a panel with David Almond and Melvin Burgess; a serious amount of awesome for one room. Meg is as witty, sharp and intelligent as you would expect and a really lovely lady to boot. Then came the time to get my books signed and she’d heard of my blog. I nearly collapsed and cried. It was quite an experience.

How I Live Now blew everyone out of the water when it was published in 2005, winning awards all over the shop. As I was relatively young and had very little knowledge of the book world all I knew was that it had a gorgeous cover and sounded excellent. Who knew I’d discover one of my favourite authors with that chance buy? How I Live Now is shocking, controversial and pretty damn heart-breaking. When Daisy is sent from America to live with the cousins she’s never met in the English countryside, war quickly breaks out. The unusual narrative style, unconventional love story and gritty portrayal of war-torn England, How I Live Now captures me again and again and again.

I was devastated to discover that at the time, How I Live Now was the only book Rosoff had out so it was an agonising wait for Just in Case. I clearly remember being so surprised how quirky and different it was to How I Live Now. Justin thinks that fate has it in for him so he changes his name, friends and identity and falls in love with Agnes Grey. Him and his imaginary dog Boy try to survive Justin’s new world where there seems to be a tragedy waiting around corner.

A year later came What I Was, my second favourite of Meg Rosoff’s novels. This surprised me, and then surprised me even further with the ending. Rosoff really is an author that isn’t afraid to mix things up and throw you for a loop. One of the things I remember most vividly about this book is the prologue; it’s one of my favourite openings to a book ever:

I am a century old, an impossible age, and my brain has no anchor in the present. Instead it drifts, nearly always to the same shore.
   Today, as most days, it is 1962. The year I discovered love.
   I am sixteen years old.*

*Rosoff, Meg. How I Live Now, London: Penguin, 2008, p1.

This book is lyrical, beautiful and captivating and even thinking about it has made me want to re-read it... Set on the East Anglian coast in a 1960s boarding school, What I Was is immediately unexpected. That sense of the unexpected only continues as a dilapidated house on the edge of the beach comes into view and Finn appears. Stunningly beautiful, this one.

In 2009 Meg Rosoff released the only one of her books that I haven’t enjoyed, The Bride’s Farewell. For me there wasn’t enough of what sets Meg Rosoff apart from other writers in this novel. And I don’t really like horses which play a big part in Pell’s story. It’s the 1850s when Pell runs away on the morning of her impending marriage to her childhood sweetheart. She fears of becoming like her mother, struggling as a poor family with an unending number of children to feed and sets off for the horse trading at Salisbury Fields. Here she finds an unexpected strength of feeling for what she’s left behind and love she wasn’t looking for. Even though I didn’t enjoy The Bride’s Farewell it didn't stop me from feeling the need to read every single thing Meg Rosoff ever writes so once again I began the wait for her next book.

A couple of years ago, There Is No Dog hit the shelves with a thump of controversy, outrage and another stunning exploration of human nature. It’s also really quite funny. God is a fifteen-year-old boy called Bob. He created lots of things in the first six days, but now he mostly eats, sleeps and makes a mess. Every time he falls in love (which is quite frequently), Earth is plagued by natural disasters and he generally just neglects his creation. But when Bob meets Lucy, well, Earth isn’t going to fair very well... My favourite thing about There Is No Dog is just how much sense it made! It’s an ingenious idea.

So there you have it, why Meg Rosoff’s books will forever have a place on my bookshelf even if I don’t necessarily like every single one of them. She’s pretty much a writerly hero, if I’m honest.

Thank you, Sophie! Have you read Meg Rosoff's books? Which books would you choose to be a Bookshelf Requirement?

Arthurian Literature (Bookshelf Requirements)

I'm not a huge collector of books. Most of my books are on a constant stream, both into my house as well as out of it. But there are definitely authors, books and series that I feel is necessary to have on my shelves. And in this new monthly feature, I hope to share with you my bookshelf requirements...

Today I have an extra special post for you as the ever lovely Hannah Love, publicist at Walker Books is here today to share her own bookshelf requirements... I love getting emails and tweets from Hannah, as her passion for books really shines through and she convinces me to read books that I wouldn't normally consider. And today's topic is one I love but haven't ever read widely... I might just have to start though! Over to your Hannah...

My book case staple is an unusual one I suppose. Other than a few individual writers whose work I adore regardless of genre, form, or who the material is written for, I have three great loves. Unsurprisingly, and well, is children's literature. The second is my dalliances with Victorian literature, emphasis on the Pre-Raphaelites. The other, and perhaps a little more unusual, is Arthurian Literature. In my first year of literature I played Guinevere in a play, and decided to do some background reading.This led to a deep and undying love  of the Arthurian canon, and to two undergraduate dissertations on the genre. The photos below are of my bookshelves at my parents' house, and my depleted bookshelf in London (curse you, nomad life). I can't be without at least a couple. So:

These books are my pride and joy, my 21st birthday present from my parents. It's a set of complete Tennyson, published 1872. Tennyson is a great love of my life - in a slightly geeky admission one of my other presents that year was his portrait. Interestingly, his Arthurian stuff is not actually his best, but those last two books, labelled 'Idylls' are the entire Arthurian story. Beautiful, although a little idealised.

A few others. That's a victorian copy of the first Idyll (Ignore Shakespeare, he's just jealous he never wrote anything Arthurian), and then a mix of modern and medieval texts. I only read The Mists of Avalon for the first time this Easter and it's BRILLIANT - the entire story from the perspective of the women only. I adored it.

Then you have Mark Twain's book, which is one of my least favourites if you're a die hard, but an interesting read for what it says about America.

Two medieval ones - the Lais of Marie de France are a collection of 12th century short stories, some of which are Arthurian. They were composed in Anglo-norman so unsurprisingly I read them in translation. They're lovely though - Arthurian tales, magic, and even a werewolf story!

Then you can see Chretien, who wrote specifically about the knights, in, again, the 12th century. He was the first writer to really make a character out of Lancelot.

Then there's my critical books (bear in mind I studied this!). My less superior Arthurian Encyclopedia, and then two critical books, one on the reinvention of Arthur in Victorian times. It's when people suddenly decided we needed more chivalry again (4 for you, Victorian era, you go Victorian era!). Finally, a book all about Guinevere, who I still love very much.

Ok, last home one shelf. As people grew aware of my great love of the genre, I was lucky enough to gifted two beautiful gift editions of Malory's Morte D'Arthur (the basis for what is commonly accepted to be the Arthurian story). The other book is the final book of The Once and Future King by TH White (more on that below), which was written after the original was published, and is still generally published separately.

London bookshelf!

No one separates me from my TH White. No one. If you're bored of love triangles, read T H White's depiction of Arthur, Lancelot and Guenever. He was the first writer to truly visualise those characters as people, and I love all three of them desperately. It's 4 books, not including the above, and the first is the basis for Disney's The Sword in the Stone film. First book suitable for children.

That's my big 'don't mess with me I'm academically weighty' Arthurian encyclopaedia. I've hardly read any of it, but it's useful for checking characters and their different incarnations throughout history.

Steinbeck. Very few people know that he wrote this, partly because he died before finishing it. Miserably, I didn't know that when I started reading; the book stops just as Guinevere and Lancelot kiss for the first time. The realisation that I'd never read the rest was physically painful. This is a beautifully tragic book. Steinbeck spent his whole life trying to rewrite the legend but his years as a war correspondent meant he couldn't bring the values and ethics of that world to match with modern morality.

History of the Kings of Britain. This is technically the 'history' of Arthur (only a small section dealS with him, this book is the history of the origins of Britain.) It's brilliant if only because it reports myth as part of history - Lear, Cymbeline, Merlin and Arthur are presented as fact. It's incredibly hard to tell what's real, and his writing inspired Malory, who is normally seen as the definitive text. He also inspired Shakepeare - not many people can claim that one.

That's my standard edition of Malory. There's not much to say really, everything's there: the battle for England, war with Rome, the love triangle, the disintegration of the Round Table. There are so many editions of this available (yes, this is the third copy you've seen in this post!) but that one is translated by university supervisor and is brilliant.

Finally you can see my beautiful Victorian edition of The Defence of Guenevere by poet and painter William Morris. He was a Pre-Raphaelite so this gets extra points. This is a stunning collection of his poetry and his illustrations, which my mum found for a few pounds. That figurine is a Royal Doulton of Guinevere (if you don't know them, check them out, they do all great themes and stories with rabbits!) which my parents got me as a good luck present when I was in that original play that sparked this geekery off. She's been lovingly superglued from her repeated breaks as she follows me from house to uni room to house.

That's them all! Thank you for anyone who's made it this far, through what is essentially a massive fan girling. But if it means you pick up an Arthurian text, I'm thrilled. Thank you Clover for letting me share this great passion of mine! If anyone wants to ask me about any of the books, catch me on twitter: @aitchlove. As you've probably guessed...I quite like talking about them.

Thank you so much for that Hannah! 

Do you fangirl over Arthurian literature too? 

Jackson Pearce (Bookshelf Requirements)

I'm not a huge collector of books. Most of my books are on a constant stream, both into my house as well as out of it. But there are definitely authors, books and series that I feel is necessary to have on my shelves. And in this new monthly feature, I hope to share with you my bookshelf requirements...(perhaps you'd like to take part? I'd love to have you!) 

Today I have a special guest post from the lovely Kate Ormand, blogger and soon-to-be published author sharing her own bookshelf requirements!  Please give Kate a warm welcome! 

Jackson Pearce books are a must for my shelves. I became a fan after reading AS YOU WISH in one sitting. Her YA book are mostly inspired by fairy tales, but the stories she choses to retell aren’t ones you come across often, making the books all the more unique and special. I have read and enjoyed all of Jackson Pearce’s books and she is an author I will always anticipate new releases from. Here’s why…

 

AS YOU WISH is Jackson Pearce’s debut novel. As I said when introducing Pearce as a bookshelf requirement, I read this funny and engaging novel in a day. It’s an incredibly sweet story of romance, magic and belonging. Viola’s boyfriend splits up with her. She wishes that someone will love her again, and accidentally summons a genie—Jinn. The jinn age rapidly when out of their world, so Jinn is anxious to grant Viola her three wishes and return home, but Viola doesn’t want to waste her wishes and takes her time choosing carefully what to use them for. Soon they begin to realise they’re falling for each other, and then Viola doesn’t want to use her wishes because she wants to keep him in her life, as once her three wishes are gone Jinn will disappear.

SISTERS RED is loosely based on Little Red Riding Hood. I read this book a couple of weeks after finishing AS YOU WISH. The story is action-packed, suspenseful, and a tad gory. Two sisters fight together against werewolves that prey on teenage girls. Scarlett wears a red cloak and carries a hatchet. She has scars – emotional and physical – and will do anything to keep her sister safe. Rosie owes Scarlett for her life. Written from both sisters’ views, SISTERS RED gives us a fierce, loyal heroine, a strong family bond, and a sweet romance.

SWEETLY is loosely based on Hansel and Gretel, and is a companion novel to SISTERS RED. This one is very creepy and eerie, set in a sleepy town in a lonely cottage in the woods. Ansel and Gretchen are running from their past, since their sister was killed by a witch. Their car breaks down in a small town, and they meet Sophia – a chocolatier who runs her business from a house deep in the forest. I love the way Pearce ties the story in with SISTERS RED, and the same mystery, suspense, gore and action can be expected from this title. A deliciously creepy read!

While I was waiting for the third in the retelling novels, PURITY hit shelves. This is a heartfelt YA contemporary about love, loss and sex. It is very cleverly written – Shelby promised her mum three things before she died: to listen to her dad, to love as much as possible, and to live without restraint. But the three promises often overlap and Shelby lives very strictly by them. When her dad asks her to accompany him to the Princess Ball - a dance that ends with taking a vow of purity – Shelby is torn between promises and must find loopholes to break these vows before she takes them. PURITY is a fresh, heart-warming story with a great balance of humour and seriousness. Beautiful book.

FATHOMLESS is the third companion novel in the fairy tale retellings. This is loosely based on The Little Mermaid. Again, the three books are cleverly tied together retellings with a modern twist, and FATHOMLESS is just as gorgeous as the other two. I loved the underwater setting from Lo’s POV, and the on-land story between Ceila and her two sisters. They each have a gift – Jane can know a person’s present, Anne knows their future, and Ceila can see into their past. FATHOMLESS is action-packed, haunting and powerful.

Finally, COLD SPELL comes out this November and I’m already counting down the months until I can read it! This is the fourth in the retelling series and is based on The Snow Queen. This will be on my shelf the second it’s released!

Thank you so much to Clover for inviting me to take part in this wonderful new feature. I can’t wait to see what others come up with, and I really enjoyed the post on Maggie Stiefvater being her bookshelf requirement, as she is also one of mine!

Kate Ormand is a YA writer represented by Isabel Atherton at Creative Authors Ltd. She lives in the UK with her family, her partner, and a cocker spaniel called Freddie. She recently graduated from university with a first class BA (Hons) degree in Fine Art Painting. Kate loves long walks with Freddie, reading teen novels, and painting her nails.

DARK DAYS, her YA dystopian debut, will be published with Sky Pony Press in Spring/Summer 2014. Kate is also a member of an online group of writers and illustrators called Author Allsorts. You can find out more about Kate by visiting her blog (kateormand.wordpress.com) or on Twitter (@kateormand).

Maggie Stiefvater (Bookshelf Requirements)

I'm not a huge collector of books. Most of my books are on a constant stream, both into my house as well as out of it. But there are definitely authors, books and series that I feel is necessary to have on my shelves. And in this new monthly feature, I hope to share with you my bookshelf requirements...(perhaps you'd like to take part? I'd love to have you!)

I'm a big fan of Maggie Stiefvater. I think she's hugely creative and interesting. I love how she's been involved in music and art as well as writing really wonderful YA books.  She's also incredibly funny and does off-the-wall things like race cars and adopting fainting goats. I've been really lucky to meet her twice - once a few years ago at the Bath Children's Literary Festival, in which she signed some books for me after an event she did with Jennifer Lynn Barnes - and the second, recently, at an intimate tea with a handful of other bloggers and the lovely Kate from Scholastic.

It was a wonderful afternoon.  It was fascinating to listen to Maggie speak about her writing process and how some of the story ideas she had when she was much younger are only now being written in a way that they should be.  Maggie also talked a bit about sex and the audience she writes for amongst other things.  It's really wonderful how blogging has given me such amazing opportunities such as this. (And I'd like to offer a massive thank you to both Kate and Maggie for organising the event and for being so generous with your time!)

It was after this tea with Maggie that this feature began to form in my head. I have an entire stack now of signed Maggie Stiefvater books that I will treasure.  And they will remain permanent features of my bookshelves now and always.

But why do I think Maggie's books are such a requirement? Well, let me tell you...

The Wolves of Mercy Falls series (Shiver, Linger and Forever)


What I love the most about this series is how emotional I became when reading it.  Sam and Grace transform from fictional characters on a page into fully-fleshed people in my head. I was in agony for them hoping for good things to happen.  The sweetness of their relationship just really broke my heart. And in Shiver especially, I loved how much the weather plays such a huge role. It felt like a character in itself and it really ramped up the tension as this deadline loomed over the two main characters.

Lament and Ballad

I put off reading Lament for a long time.  Traditionally, I've never gotten along well with books involving fae creatures.  I find them creepy and cold and I find myself unable to connect emotionally to any story involving fairies.  Then I read the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa and realised that it possibly isn't about the fairies themselves but the way in which they are written.  And because I trust Maggie's writing, I went out and bought Lament.  And I loved it.  Not in the overwhelming way in which I fell for Shiver or The Scorpio Races, but I still loved it.  I loved the way in which music is encorporated into the storyline and I really liked the complicated friendships and relationships.  I've not yet read Ballad, but I hope to soon!

The Scorpio Races

I think The Scorpio Races is my favourite of Maggie's books.  I loved the isolation of this island and the fierceness of the loyalty between Sean and Puck and their respective horses, Corr and Dove. But also the tension and attraction betewen each other. It kills me this book. I loved the beauty and the wildness of this island and how danger the water-horses and this race are.  Basically, I loved everything about this book. 

 

The Raven Boys and (coming soon!) The Dream Thieves

Have I ever mentioned before how much I love ravens? I'm guessing that should be an entire post in itself, but for now, just know that I do.  Meeting Maggie meant bringing home a lovely raven doodle that I cherish. And look at the gorgeous covers of both of these books? I love how eye-catching they are and how they're both very bird-centric. The Raven Boys was not at all like I expected it to be.  I thought that there would be this overwhelming love story that begins between Blue and Gansey, but it doesn't really appear in this book.  But having said that, I like being kept on my toes in regards to the romantic relationships!  It just means that there's that yet to come in future books! 

Are you a collector of books? Do you love Maggie Stiefvater's books? What are your Bookshelf Requirements?