Author Spotlight: Vanessa Curtis

I would like to regularly shine a light on some amazing UKYA authors!

I can't say that I know a great deal about Vanessa Curtis as a person.  She's on Twitter but doesn't share much of herself there.  Her only website seems to be the literary consultancy she runs and has a brief, mostly book-related biography and it's the same with her Goodreads author page.

She plays the piano and has written several books on Virginia Woolf. She has a cat called Poppy. And she writes really interesting books for teenagers and young people that I have greatly enjoyed.

Zelah Green and Zelah Green: One More Little Problem

I first came across Vanessa Curtis after she published her first book for YAs which is called Zelah Green.  I had heard a little bit about it ... that it is a book involving a main character who has OCD mostly, which is a wonderful topic in YA fiction that I really wish more authors would write about ... but it wasn't until I learned that Zelah Green is a loose retelling of Snow White that it really made me sit up and take notice.  So I read it.  And I immediately went out to find and read the sequel as well. 

The Taming of Lilah May and Lilah May's Manic Days

And after I read the Zelah Green books I was quite curious to see what else Vanessa Curtis might write about.  And I was very happy to find the Lilah May duology, which takes a look at the life of another teenage girl who is dealing with some anger issues.  You know me, I like reading about angry girls.  And while I didn't always love where this story goes, I did enjoy these two very much as well. 

The Haunting of Tabitha Grey

Aside from the newest book by her, The Haunting of Tabitha Grey is the only book by Vanessa Curtis that I haven't already read.  And I'm not entirely sure why.  It's a ghost story set in an old Victorian house and it sounds wonderful.  Creepy and unsettling. I shall be looking out for it! 

The Baking Life of Amelie Day

All of the books by Vanessa Curtis that I've read I'd probably class as on the young side of young adult and The Baking Life of Amelie Day is probably more middle grade.  It's one of my favourite books mentioned in the post because while a lot of the story is quite sad, there is also much about this book that makes me really happy.  I loved Amelie Day as a character, very full of life and enthusiastic about baking and blogging. I also found it interesting that Amelie has cystic fibrosis.  I hadn't really come across a character with CF before and it opened my eyes.

The Earth Is Singing

The Earth Is Singing is Vanessa Curtis's latest offering.  This book is being published this month from Usborne and it is a historical YA book about a 15 year old Latvian teenager, Hanna, and her experiences during WWII.  I don't often read historical fiction but I'm really excited about this book! I can't wait to find myself a copy.  

Have you read anything by Vanessa Curtis as yet? Will you be picking up any of these books in the future?

Keren David (Celebrating British Authors)

I really love highlighting British books and authors and I would like to do more of that on this blog. So I thought one way to do this is by spotlighting an individual UK YA author once a month. (What do you think?)

To kick things off, Keren David... 

I really love Keren David's books. I was very excited to read Keren's debut book - When I Was Joe.  I loved that original cover of Ty/Joe with all the blue and the blood splatters and I am usually quite drawn to YA stories with a male narrator.  A further two books about Ty have been published, Almost True and Another Life and having just finished the third book in that series I can now say with certainty that the When I Was Joe series is one of my favourite series of recent times.  They are just so good. 

Keren David has also written a standalone novel, Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery.  I read the book last year and while I absolutely loved it, for reasons unconnected to the book entirely, I haven't yet reviewed it.  I was excited and intrigued to read the news that Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery would be adapted into a musical!

After reading When I Was Joe and Almost True, I started following Keren's blog.  Keren has a background in journalism, and I find her blog posts to be very thought-provoking and intelligent.  If you don't already read her blog or follow her on Twitter, I suggest that you do so. 

When I Was Joe ... Keren on Twitter ... When I Was Joe on FB ... Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery on FB

When I Was Joe 

I really fell in love with this book and with Ty's story right from the beginning. Knife crime is something that is becoming more common over the past few years and that's a real concern.  But for me, what I loved so much about  When I Was Joe is how much identity places into the story.  After witnessing a stabbing, Ty and his mother are placed into the witness protection programme. They are forced to change their names and start life over in another city.  Ty becomes Joe and is left wondering if with a new name and a different hair and eye colour, is he still the same person?  There's still so much humour in this book despite the grim topics of self-harm, knife crime and depression.  This book is an amazing debut novel and the start of an incredible series. 

This is the original cover of the book, which I still love, as well as the new simplistic covers. 

Almost True

I didn't think it was possible to love a book more than I loved When I Was Joe, but I did with Almost True.  I loved coming back to this story.  Ty is just a great main character, funny and interesting but somebody who makes seemingly endless mistakes and bad judgement calls.  This book is very much about being honest and telling the truth but also about taking responsibility for your actions and realising that people do stupid things bit still things can turn out okay. 

The tone of this book feels less light-hearted than When I Was Joe - there was a big shift in seriousness as Ty begins to realise how much the crime that he committed and the results of that are affecting his life and his family.  A really great sequel and another fantastic book!

Another Life 

I've recently reviewed Another Life, the third and final book in the When I Was Joe series.  I was a bit wary of a narrator change in this third book, but it turns out that as well as loving Ty, I still have room in my heart for Archie, his priviledged babe-magnet cousin. 

I really loved knowing once and for all what happens to Ty the good along with the bad.  I think it's interesting to see the consequences that Ty does face for his honesty regarding carrying a knife. I loved seeing these characters from a new perspective as Archie tries to find out more about Ty and his situation which leads down a very dangerous path...

Love this series so much and this is an excellent concluding novel!  What a journey.

Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery

I've always thought it would be amazing to win the lottery.  But things don't all go smoothly for Lia Latimer when she wins £8million one day.  But then, things weren't great to start with... I found Lia's Guide to be utterly different from the Ty/Joe series, but at the same time it's just as well-written and interesting in the things it makes you as the reader think about. 

At the start, I really didn't like Lia's character. She's very self-centred and irritating and I found myself having very little sympathy for her when she gets kicked out of her house.  But Lia's character really grows on me throughout the novel.  After winning the lottery she does her best to work things out with her mother and her sister and her friends Jack and Shazia, but no one's perfect and Lia does a lot of things wrong.  But what I kind of loved about her in the end is that there is so much development in her character. 

I found it really interesting how Shazia's religious beliefs played a part in her friendship with Lia and the money that she has won.  I loved the beginnings of a relationship between Lia and Rafe, even though Lia suspects that he may be a paranormal creature.  What would you do if you won 8 million pounds in the lottery at the age of 16? 

**AND! Here is the press release concerning what's coming next for Keren David...**

Atom Editorial Director Samantha Smith has acquired two new "home-grown contemporary YA" novels by multi-award-winning author Keren David, buying UK and Commonwealth rights from Jenny Savill of Andrew Nurnberg Associates International Ltd.

The first of the two stand-alone novels, Salvage tells the story of two siblings from a neglectful home, who were separated as young children when one was adopted by a middle-class family. Now aged 16 and 18 they are reunited through Facebook, with none of the preparation and support that social workers advise.

"Keren David treads that immensely difficult line between being compulsively readable but not shying away from many of the real, and heart-breaking, issues that teens face," says Smith. "We’re thrilled to be bringing such a strong, British author onto the list and have big plans for Keren in the future."

A former journalist, David made the transition to writing teen fiction with the publication of When I Was Joe in 2010. Her latest novel, Lia’s Guide to Winning the Lottery, was published in summer 2011 and is currently being made into a musical.

"I am thrilled to be working with Atom," says David. "I think there's a growing audience in the UK for home-grown contemporary YA, and it's great to get a vote of confidence from a leading publisher."

Atom - the Little, Brown Book Group’s children’s and young adult imprint - will publish Salvage in early 2014.    

Have you read anything by Keren David? What did you think?

REVIEW: Another Life by Keren David

This series by Keren David which began with When I Was Joe and followed by Almost True is amazing, one of my favourite series of recent times.  I think Keren David writes wonderfully, bringing us this contemporary story of knife crime and its effects on characters and families.  These three books have all be written in a really engaging way, bringing up this hard topic, asking these questions and making me re-think my opinions.  But they are also just hugely entertaining!  Once I started reading this book, I didn't want to put it down for everything!  I loved returning to Ty's story and seeing how events unfolded.  Another Life is an emotional rollercoaster though! I was constantly on edge, worrying about these characters, panicking a bit that things could so easily all end up very wrong! 

I was really excited to hear about this third book about Ty/Joe's story, though I did feel a little bit nervous at the beginning in the change in narrator from Ty to his cousin Archie.  That nervousness crops up every time that a narrator change happens during one series, but I think it really worked in Another Life.  Archie as a narrator brought a great perspective on the events of Ty's life.  I love how questioning Archie is, I loved witnessing the doubt and uncertainty of how Ty ends up in the position that he is. 

And I just wanted to know that Ty was going to be okay.  I wanted that for him.  At the end of Almost True, Ty is able to finally tell the truth about what happened when a boy was killed and as Another Life begins, we see that Ty is now in court being held responsible for his part in it.  Carrying a knife is a serious offense and Ty has to face those consequences.  Ty has been through some really rough things, with a crime family out to get him, the deaths of those close to him and spending time in prison creates even more issues and things to deal with.  My heart broke for Ty, I really wanted to give him a big hug throughout. 

The majority of this book is told from Archie's perspective - and as Archie and Ty don't know each other very well, Archie takes it upon himself to do a little research of his own with some terrible consequences.  And while it sounds as though this book could become very heavy and serious with weighty issues, it's Archie that brings some much needed humour back to the story.  I couldn't help but laugh at Archie's girl troubles and his confusion over them.  And while Ty is the main focus of the story, it was also really interesting getting to know Archie better, to see how he struggled with the inattention of his parents and trying to find his place amongst his friends and family.  

This book was amazing.  I loved returning to Ty's story and seeing how things end up.  It's not an easy journey and at times, my heart was pounding with excitement and worry as these boys get into yet more danger!  I really cannot recommend this series enough.  

REVIEW: Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy

Guest review by Kulsuma of sunshine and stardust

Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy was a memorable, vivid and bittersweet book. It tells the story of a young Afghan girl called Zulaikha who has a cleft lip. Due to this deformity, she is cruelly bullied by the local boys who call her ‘Donkeyface’ and she is even verbally abused at one point by her brother which is heart-breaking in itself. All Zulaikha wants is to be normal like her sister, Zeynab and to one day get married. With her cleft lip, however, she knows this is impossible.

One day, Zulaikha meets her deceased mother’s old teacher, Meena, who introduces her to poetry and teaches her how to read and write. Though Zulaikha knows she will be in great trouble if her lessons with Meena were ever to be found out, Zulaikha perseveres.

At the same time, American soldiers enter the Afghan town, aiming to build the infrastructure of the area; however Zulaikha is warned to stay away from them. Even so, one of the soldiers sees her cleft lip and all that Zulaikha thought was impossible suddenly becomes possible.

With Zeynab’s marriage on the horizon, Zulaikha believes her life will improve infinitely after the surgery. But then things take a turn for the worse- surgery is out of her grasp and her sister’s fiancé isn’t at all what they’d expected. Zulaikha’s hopes for the future were gone as quickly as they had come.

Could things get any worse?

I really enjoyed reading Words in the Dust as Zulaikha was a likeable character. There were so many obstacles in her way; her cleft lip, the people around her such as her stepmother and to an extent, her culture. I wanted to reach inside the book and say to her ‘Keep going, don’t give up!’

Zeynab’s engagement and marriage is a focal point of Words in the Dust and it was fascinating to read about Afghan customs, such as looking at your intended partner in a mirror on the wedding day. The relationship between Zulaikha and Zeynab was integral to the book and I liked their bond of sisterly affection.

The other characters were believable and I think this is why I enjoyed Words in the Dust as much as I did. Some of the characters surprised me when I least expected them to. Though Zulaikha’s story and the issues along with it are complex, it is definitely worth reading.

The shocking and graphic turn in the story left me reeling, engraving the story into my mind. I won’t spoil it, but I will say it is tragic. Overall, the ending was bittersweet and I had mixed feelings; I don’t know whether I can be truly happy for the way Zulaikha’s life turns out due to the events leading up to the end of Words in the Dust. Words in the Dust tells us to make the most of our opportunities and to make every second count.

Words in the Dust is a fantastic debut from Trent Reedy, an American soldier who went to Afghanistan. I would recommend Words in the Dust to all those interested in Afghanistan, family dynamics and a struggle for happiness.

Thank you for that thoughtful review, Kulsuma!

REVIEW: Sea of Tears by Floella Benjamin

Guest review from Kulsuma of sunshine and stardust

Sea of Tears by Floella Benjamin was a thought-provoking, coming of age story. The story starts as Jasmine is saying goodbye to her South London home and then journeys back to when Jasmine’s parents tell her that they will be leaving England for Barbados due to the dangers of London.

At first, I was a slightly surprised that Jasmine was so against moving to Barbados as it is Barbados after all! I felt slightly put off by her defiance. But then I thought about my own experiences and it became complex. Having lived in London my whole life, going on a ten week holiday to Bangladesh two years ago brought the question of my identity to the forefront. Like Jasmine, I asked myself several questions, ‘Who am I?’ and ‘Where do I belong?’

Jasmine has to leave her friends and everything she knows behind and go to a place she has only experienced second-hand through her father. Jasmine, of course, has to grudgingly go along with it, but even though her home in Barbados is beautiful and she makes a new friend called Devlin, Jasmine cannot forget the life she left back in London. More to the point, she tries everything she possibly can to get that life back, both by herself and with Devlin’s help.

I really enjoyed Sea of Tears as it dealt with a major issue that is important to teens; the question of identity. Jasmine’s journey is a turbulent one; at different points of Sea of Tears she is bullied, lost and isolated, sometimes all three at once. However, in the end, all her questions about who she is, who her friends are and where her home is are answered.

It was great to see London portrayed authentically in Sea of Tears; however, I wished more of its positive aspects were depicted. There was a high concentration of negative events such as bringing knives to school, shoplifting, internet grooming and being kidnapped in such a short space that it left me questioning why Jasmine would want to stay in London at all.

Sea of Tears also had a lot of ‘telling’ and not ‘showing’ at the beginning which stymied the flow of the book and makes the book suitable for younger readers. Once the main action of the story started however, it was very interesting and exciting to read about. Furthermore, the climax could have been protracted as it felt slightly rushed. However, the ending was satisfying and was what I expected it to be.

I liked the characters that Benjamin created and believe that teens will be able to relate to them. Jasmine matures as a character throughout the book. I really liked Devlin and Jasmine’s grandmother as they were easy-going and helped Jasmine to become the girl she eventually becomes.

Overall, I liked Sea of Tears and would recommend it to those interested in identity, friendship and family.


I'm intrigued by the issues of identity. Thank you so much for this review Kulsuma!

REVEW: Far From Home by Na'ima B. Robert

Far From Home by Na'ima B. Robert was a real joy to read. I don't have very much experience or knowledge of the political turmoil that Zimbabwe has faced, both with colonialism and with reclaiming their independence, but I am always fascinated when authors have the ability to tell a good story, fill it with such emotion as well as educate me in a very subtle manner.

I was lucky enough to read Na'ima B. Robert's previous books for a YA audience last year and loved the gentle nature of them and how very different both Boy Vs. Girl and From Somalia, With Love are to anything else I'd read previously. And while Far From Home is different in tone and structure to her previous books, it is still writtten in a very engaging and emotional voice and I fell into the story very easily.

Far From Home is split into three parts with two different narrators. Tariro and Katie are two very different girls both living in Zimbabwe. Through the eyes of both girls we are able to see the changing landscape of Zimbabwe, from the time of British colonialism to after Independence.

Tariro's account of her life before the white settlers has arrived is quite beautiful. She loves her family and her way of life. She loves the land and the old baobab tree that sits on her family's land. She has everything in front of her, with her recent engagement to childhood sweetheart, Nhamo. But it is not be, for the white soldiers who have moved in have other plans for the people and for this land. Despite some resistance, the dignity of Tariro and her family and community is slowly stripped as each thing that they hold dear is stripped from them, from their land, their homes, and finally their freedom.

It's quite difficult to read some sections of this book - Tariro and her family must live through such tragic events. There's such cruelty and inhumane treatment. It's heartbreaking to read of the suffering of these people but despite it all, inside Tariro still burns with hope and the strength to endure.

While I didn't feel as emotionally connected to Katie's story or to her outlook on her and her family's way of life, I was able to understand a bit how things had reached such a point. And despite how unsympathetic I felt Katie is as a character, I was still entirely gripped by the story to continue reading and to find out what possible outcome or connection there are between these two girls.

I think Far From Home is an incredible story, filled with so much heart and hope. I really no idea that such atrocities had occurred and I'm very glad to have had my eyes opened to this time of turmoil in Zimbabwe's history. Highly recommended.

REVIEW: Almost True by Keren David

Ruthless killers are hunting Ty so the police move him and his mum to a quiet seaside town. But a horrific attack and a bullet meant for Ty prove that he’s not safe. On the road again, Ty’s in hiding with complete strangers . . . who seem to know a lot about him. Meanwhile he’s desperate to see his girlfriend Claire, and terrified that she may betray him. Ty can’t trust his own judgement and he’s making dangerous decisions that could deliver him straight to the gangsters. A thrilling sequel to When I Was Joe, shot through with drama and suspense.

Phew. What a ride this book is! Almost True is the sequel to When I Was Joe by Keren David which was one of my favourite books that I've read all year. I was absolutely beside myself with excitement to recieve my copy of this book for the UK Book Tours and started it right away - abandoning the other book I had been reading. It was worth it.

Almost True continues with Ty's story. His mum and him have been living in another town under different names and still hiding from the people who are trying to kill Ty because of what he witnessed. ..Only instead of Ty, someone else is shot. So now, Ty is sent somewhere very different and is able to explore another aspect of his identity, one that has life-changing results.

In When I Was Joe I found that was able to be quite funny and charming at times, and in Almost True it feels as though so much has been weighing on him, with his separation from Claire, the guilt for the things that he's done and the knowledge that other people in his life are getting hurt because of what he's put them through has changed him. The tone of this novel is very different. It feels more serious and grown-up. But there is a dog and a new friend for Ty who do lighten up the mood some.

There's a real importance in Almost True to being honest and of the truth. The seriousness and the consequences of knife crime. And lots and lots of making mistakes. Ty messes up pretty badly with the choices that he makes and what's great is that Keren David shows us, too, that everyone important in Ty's life has made some really terrible mistakes as well. And that's OK. Because even though it's a tough road to go down, they've each taken responsibility and were able to move on and have decent enough lives. It's a wonderful message to give to readers and one that isn't said in a heavy-handed way at all.

It's a really exciting read, this one. The story is constantly moving forward and so many new things are learned about Ty and the things that have happened in his past. I did sometimes want to reach into my book and shake Ty for making some of the choices that he does, but his voice and personality are just so likeable that I can't help caring for him as well. So much so that towards the end I had to put my book down and take a little break because my heart absolutely ached for Ty. Everything feels so authentic that it's hard to believe that these characters are fictional.

What are you waiting for? You really must read When I Was Joe and Almost True! Highly recommended.

REVIEW: Boy vs Girl by Na'ima B. Robert

Farhana swallowed and reached for the hijab. But then she saw with absolute clarity the weird looks from the other girls at school, and the smirks from the guys. Did she dare? And then there was Malik... What should she do about him?

Faraz was thinking about Skrooz and the lads. Soon he would finally have the respect of the other kids at school. But at what price? He heard Skrooz's voice, sharp as a switchblade: "This thing is powerful, blud. But you have to earn it, see? Just a few more errands for me..."

They're twins, born 6 minutes apart. Both are in turmoil and both have life-changing choices to make, against the peaceful backdrop of Ramadan. Do Farhana and Faraz have enough courage to do the right thing? And can they help each other - or will one of them draw the other towards catastrophe?

I really enjoyed Boy vs Girl. Na'ima B. Robert contacted me and asked if I'd be interested this book, and when I read what it was about, I thought 'not something I'd normally read maybe, but I'll give it a try' and readers, I'm glad I did. But it isn't as different as I thought it would be. While it is still two teenagers caught up in making the right decisions for themselves, dealing with peer pressure and worrying about what others would think it ultimately has so much more packed into it as well.

It's the story of two kids trying to find their place in the world, being Pakistani but born in England. Which is more important? How do they find that balance between the traditional and modern? How are gender roles reconciled? How do they choose and act upon their religion without seeming too 'extreme' to other people? Judgement seems to be a pretty big theme within this book, both from those within the Muslim community and those outside of it. These are a lot of concerns that I think a lot of teenagers and adults in Britain are dealing with, and I'm glad that Na'ima B Robert has given them a voice. I hope there will be more YA novels like this one.

At the start of the story, 16 year old twins, Faraz and Farhana are about to partake in Ramadan, in which Muslims fast from sun-up to sunset and try to better themselves and re-assert their faith with themselves and through prayer. Farhana thinks that maybe this could be the right time for her to start wearing a hijab, but she's afraid of what her mother and the girls at school will think. She's also still reeling a bit from her break-up with Malik, though he still keeps calling her... Faraz, on the other hand, is keen to pursue his interest in art and a new Muslim artist he meets, but his connection with Skrooz and his gang brings more trouble for him and his family as Faraz is unable to tell him 'no' and walk away.

I really loved the twins' Auntie Najma. She plays an important role in both Faraz and Farhana's journey, but also stirs up some controversy of her own by wanting to get married to a white Muslim man. I really related to this aspect of the story, being the (half) white girl married to an Indian man. While his family didn't take issue with me, other 'friends of the family' did and caused a mini-uproar, similar to one in the book. I also loved reading about all the food preparation, the samosas and the pakoras and everything else. Made my mouth water thinking about all that tasty food! And I thought Faraz and Farhana were really sweet as brother and sister, I nearly wept at a certain scene towards the end of them together.

A big thank you to Frances Lincoln for sending me a copy for review!

REVIEW: When I Was Joe by Keren David

When Ty witnesses a stabbing, his own life is in danger from the criminals he’s named, and he and his mum have to go into police protection. Ty has a new name, a new look and a cool new image – life as Joe is good, especially when he gets talent spotted as a potential athletics star, special training from an attractive local celebrity and a lot of female attention. But his mum can’t cope with her new life, and the gangsters will stop at nothing to flush them from hiding. Joe’s cracking under extreme pressure, and then he meets a girl with dark secrets of her own. This wonderfully gripping and intelligent novel depicts Ty/Joe's confused sense of identity in a moving and funny story that teenage boys and girls will identify with - a remarkable debut from a great new writing talent.

Wow. When I picked up When I Was Joe from the library I really wasn't expecting to love it as much as I did. The other day, I placed it among the top 10 books I've read so far this year! Keren David did such an excellent job of making Joe into an incredibly likeable character despite all the mistakes he makes. When I Was Joe is a thoroughly engaging read and once I started, I couldn't bear to put it down.

But there are some really painful elements to this story, from knife crime and violence, the depression that surrounds Ty's mother in this difficult transition into the witness protection programme, the self-injury of another character. Really painful and serious topics. But throughout the book, Keren David was able to balance this out with some incredibly funny scenes and dialogue so that the book was able to hit a really great balance between the two. (More than a month later, I'm -still- giggling about a comment made by Joe about a Kanye West song!)

Joe/Ty is an amazing character. He's funny and interesting, but also quite flawed. We see everything from his point of view, and he's got a great voice. You can tell right from the start that he's not telling the whole truth about the events that led him to the witness protection scheme. He's holding his cards pretty tightly to his chest there, but as the story progresses we do end up with a clearer picture. And I find him to be a fascinating character, especially with his interest in languages.

When I Was Joe touches on some pretty important themes including identity and growing up. Ty really ponders this question of image during the course of this book. With a different name and hair and eye colour, is he still the same person? And the choices that Joe makes really end up determining the person that he becomes.

There's something for everyone here, from violence, to a wonderful main character, romance, humour, mystery. When I Was Joe is an exciting debut novel and I cannot wait for the sequel, Almost true, out in September 2010.