J is for JANGALA A-Z of Railhead by Philip Reeve

I am so happy to be taking part in the A-Z of Railhead by Philip Reeve blog tour today! Railhead is a scifi adventure story from the author of the Mortal Engines quartet. It looks spectacular! It's already available in hardback. Find out more about Railhead and Philip Reeve by visiting Philip Reeve or follow Philip Reeve on Twitter!

Over to you, Philip...

J is for JANGALA

by Philip Reeve

There are many different types of world strung like beads along the lines of the Great Network. Some, barely habitable to begin with, have been terraformed just enough to allow miners and industrial workers to live there, extracting and refining raw materials for richer, kindlier worlds which don’t want to scuff up their own ecosystems. On the planets where large numbers of people live, park-like garden cities sprawl around the K-bahn stations. And here and there there is a planet which is purely used for leisure; resort worlds, and the game preserves of the powerful Corporate Families.

No family is more powerful than the Noons, and the Noons are famous for their forests. The station cities of their worlds are greener than most, and their resort-world of Jangala is one planet-wide forest; tropical jungle at the equator giving way to broadleaf woodland in the temperate zones and vast pine forests near the pole. Small towns and lodges nestle among the trees, welcoming visitors from other worlds and important guests whom the Noons want to impress. Maglev trackways carry picnickers and hunting parties into the deepest parts of the world-forest. 

21st Century nature-lovers might be shocked by how popular hunting has become in the age of the Network Empire, but life on the Great Network is complex and technological, and the Corporate Families like to get back in touch with nature by tracking large, dangerous animals for days through dense jungle and then blowing them away with high-powered guns. Generations of bio-technologists have laboured to stock the forests of Jangala with some truly impressive beasts, some familiar from Old Earth, others more-or-less new, and genetic templates fashioned by the Guardians have allowed them to revive creatures from prehistory. In different parts of Jangala you might meet woolly mammoth, giant elk, or actual dinosaurs - not the sweet little miniature triceratops and stegosaurs which people keep like lapdogs, but Jurassic giants, red in tooth and claw, a challenge for even the most experienced hunter…

Railhead by Philip Reeve is published on 1st October by OUP.

Exclusive artwork: Railhead by Philip Reeve

Come with me, Zen Starling, she had said. The girl in the red coat. But how did she know his name? 
The Great Network is a place of drones and androids, maintenance spiders and Station Angels. The place of the thousand gates, where sentient trains criss-cross the galaxy in a heartbeat. 
Zen Starling is a petty thief, a street urchin from Thunder City. 
So when mysterious stranger Raven sends Zen and his new friend Nova on a mission to infiltrate the Emperor's train, he jumps at the chance to traverse the Great Network, to cross the galaxy in a heartbeat, to meet interesting people - and to steal their stuff. 
But the Great Network is a dangerous place, and Zen has no idea where his journey will take him.

To celebrate the publication of Railhead by Philip Reeve, OUP have commissioned several other artists to create their own interpretations of the caracters or cityscapes. Railhead is a new, exciting sci-fi adventure story and it's been amazing to see how other artists imagine this world that Philip Reeve has created.

Today, I have the absolute pleasure to be sharing with you another exclusive piece of artwork inspired by Railhead.  

Cleave Cityscape by Jonathan Edwards

I absolutely love this. Do find out more about the artist, Jonathan Edwards at his website.

Railhead by Philip Reeve is published on 1st October by OUP.

REVIEW: Game Changer by Tim Bowler

I found Game Changer by Tim Bowler to be a really interesting read.  I wasn't quite sure what to make of it at times but there's so much emotion in it that I couldn't help but be pulled into the story and into this main character's head.  Game Changer is the first book by Tim Bowler that I have read but I'm sure it won't be the last as I'm fairly intrigued.

Game Changer is a fairly short read, it didn't take me very long to read it and that's helped along by the fact that it feels quite fast-paced and tense throughout.  The only time the pace slowed down slightly was towards the end but by that point I really needed a bit of a breather.

Our main character in this story, Mikey, deals with a rather serious phobia of open spaces.  And because of this, his family and especially his younger sister, Meggie, are always really aware of him and are keen to support him and help him when things get tough.  Throughout the narrative, Mikey makes all kinds of comments in which he feels like he should be treated in a more negative way because of his fears and the way in which his life (and thus his family's life) is changed because of them.  But I really loved that Mikey has the people in his life that he does.  His parents, his teachers, his friends. But especially Meggie.

The relationship between Mikey and his sister Meggie is really at the heart of this story and it is this relationship as well as Mikey witnessing something terrible that are the game changers in this novel.  Because right from the start, we get this feeling that Mikey is more anxious than normal.  His fears and his coping mechanisms for his fears (hiding in a wardrobe) are amped way up and everyone is worried about him.  There's a touch of the unreliable narrator at play with Mikey as we don't really learn what he's seen for things to have changed in his life until quite far into the story and at times I was thinking that Mikey had lost touch with reality and let his fear take over.

And Mikey's fear is felt in every single page.  I felt Mikey's tension and worry and fear throughout this book, right from the very first page.  It felt all-consuming and suffocating and like something insurmountable. And for all of Mikey's self-deprecation, I really believed all along that this boy is nothing but brave to feel what he does and still carry on with his mostly normal life even without his added courage when facing up to other scary things.

Game Changer was an incredibly interesting book.  I didn't quite know what to expect when I first started reading it and it still surprised me.  This is a very tense thriller with an incredibly unusual hero and a great brother-sister relationship and I'm really glad that I read it.

REVIEW: Stung by Joss Stirling

I am such a huge fan of Joss Stirling.  I absolutely devoured every book in the Benedict series and was always going to be really excited to read more by her.  And while I wasn't initially overly enthusiastic beforehand about a contemporary series involving teenage detectives, I was definitely won over by the first book in the series, Storm and Stone (renamed Struck as an e-book).  And I loved that book so much that as soon as I got a review copy of Stung I immediately dove in.  Because I wanted to know more about this teenage detective agency, I wanted to meet more amazing characters and do my best to help solve whatever mystery came my way.

Stung is the second book in this series and while the main focus is on two different main characters, we are able to catch many glimpses into the lives of previous main characters, Raven and Kieran and see how they are both getting on which I think can be both a good thing and a bad thing.  Good because I loved them both, but bad because it highlighted the fact that I didn't feel quite the same for Kate and Nat.  While I felt that Kate and Nathan were good characters in their own right, I never quite felt the connection to either of them as I did with Kieran and Raven. And while I've always loved the romantic build-up and chemistry between love interests in the past by Joss Stirling, I felt like in this book it felt a little bit rushed and I didn't quite believe in them.

And yikes, this review reads like I really didn't enjoy this book, but that is not the case at all.  I really did enjoy it.  But mostly the thriller aspects of the book as opposed to the romantic elements.  This book is about a teenage girl, Kate, who was a member of the Young Detective Agency and sent to Indonesia to help uncover a crime ring.  Things went horribly wrong and Kate has been on the run for the past year, framed for murder and unable to go home or back to the YDA to explain her case.

I think what I enjoyed the most about Stung is how uncertain I was about all of the characters.  Kate feels like there's a leak within the YDA and she doesn't know who to trust.  She suspects everyone as being a traitor but Nathan is certain that his team and others he trusts aren't at fault.  I think there were some great mystery here and I kept changing my mind about who I thought the mole might be.  It really left me guessing and I loved that about this book.  There's also some great action scenes as Kate escapes several attempts by the YDA to bring her in for questioning.

This book is filled with some really thrilling action and a great mystery to solve.  While the romance didn't quite hit the spot for me personally, I'm sure Joss Stirling fans will enjoy it.  I shall definitely be reading more in this series!

Writing Romance by Marie-Louise Jensen

As some of you are aware, my mind has been changed lately by historical novels. Mostly in part by the wonderful books I've been reading by some very talented YA authors. And this is definitely the case for Smuggler's Kiss by Marie-Louise Jensen.  I loved the adventure and politics of this book very much. I loved the transformation of the characters.  The thing I loved the most? This slow build-up of romance. Which is why I'm absolutely thrilled today to have Marie-Louise Jensen here writing about that very thing... 

To find out more about Smuggler's Kiss or Marie-Louise Jensen, please do visit the following websites:

Marie-Louise Jensen ... Marie-Louise on Twitter

Writing Romance

by Marie-Louise Jensen

Writing a love story is a specific technique. There are unwritten rules which need to be obeyed. You can play with the rules, but if you break them, the chemistry can fail. The reader needs to like both characters. If you don’t like them, you won’t care. If you actively dislike them, you are never going to be rooting for them to get together.

That doesn’t mean you can take a girl and a boy, invest them with wonderful virtues and throw them together. That would be dull to read. Ideally, the characters need flaws which make them interesting and more real. If you think about any great literary love interest which has stood the test of time (take Mr Rochester from Jane Eyre for example) will find plenty of imperfections. These give a character a chance to learn, grow and change – an important aspect of romance. I like it if my characters bring out the best and the worst in each other and offer each other opportunities to develop as people. And I like them to show kindness to one another.

The other important aspect of developing a romance in fiction is creating a situation in which two characters – who perhaps don’t warm to each other on first sight – are flung together and are forced to become better acquainted along the way. Alternatively, if it is a case of love at first sight, you need to find a reason or a plot device to keep them apart (think of Mr Rochester again – he is married and socially way above Jane Eyre).

Done well, romance is a hook that can pull the reader right the way through the book; from the earliest pages to the last paragraph. The more you care about the characters, the slower the romance burns, the more tantalising it is. I know all about this, because, for me, it’s often the biggest pull in a story and has been since my earliest teens.

Will and Isabelle are cooped up on board a ship together a great deal in Smuggler’s Kiss. When they do go ashore, they are often involved in smuggling actions together; staging a haunting, smuggling lace, taking contraband brandy inland, walking to meet the ship. These situations give them plenty of opportunity to interact, on a practical and a conversational level. They move from strong antipathy through tolerance to respect and finally love. Isabelle has a lot to learn and Will, who has been through a similar transformation himself, is well-placed to help her see the world differently.

Both are keeping secrets; from each other and from everyone around them. The secrets keep them apart, but they also give them something in common and the slow reveal to one another and the reader is an important part of the romantic tension.

The part of the love story that always requires the most rewriting (in my books at least) is the actual getting together; the kiss. It is really tricky to get right and I often have to write the scene over and over, changing it and trying out different ways of keeping enough description to make it satisfying but avoiding the cringe factor. Luckily it’s an enjoyable part of the story to write. The characters and their love for one another become very real over the many months it takes to write a book and I’m longing for them to get together by the end just as much as any reader could be.

Thank you for that Marie-Louise! 

Which are your favourite couples that experience this slow build-up romance? 

REVIEW: Waiting For Gonzo by Dave Cousins

I really loved Waiting For Gonzo by Dave Cousins.  I haven't yet read the author's previous book but I certainly will after I enjoyed this book so much.  I wasn't sure at the start about this book, as it didn't to have much structure to it, I didn't really know where the story was going until a fair ways into it.  But what kept me reading was the really believeable and humourous teenage voice and also some great characters.

Right from the start, I was pretty intrigued by the title of the book and while there are some clues throughout, I didn't fully get the meaning of it until about halfway through the book. Until then, I assumed that the main character, Oz, was talking to a friend, filling him in on details of his life.  It makes sense as Oz and his family have moved away from their home and friends and school to live in this small village and Oz isn't having a great time of it.

In fact, Oz is pretty good at being a bit of an idiot and making mistakes and bad decisions, but he's pretty funny and incredibly likeable right from the start so I didn't hold it against him. Oz's first day of school and he incurs the wrath of a psycho girl who also turns out to be his neighbour and from there things just start to escalate in Oz's world.  With new friendships and Psycho Girl's involvement with his family, a stolen phone leads to the humiliation of a new friend and that's just the start of it. 

It was quite fun going along with Oz on this weird journey.  And while I loved Oz throughout, it was also nice to watch as he starts to see things and the people around him in new ways, even while screwing up constantly.  My favourite part of the whole story is Oz's relationship with his sister.  They bicker and call each other names but there's also a great connection between the two of them that I really loved.

While Waiting For Gonzo is really funny, it's also quite a sweet story that touches on more serious things.  I'm really glad to have this book and really recommend it!

REVIEW: Smuggler's Kiss by Marie-Louise Jensen

I really loved Smuggler's Kiss by Marie-Louise Jensen.  I haven't read the author's previous books as yet, but she comes very highly recommended from my blogging friends.  Especially now that my mind has been changed about historical fiction, it gives me great pleasure reading books like Smuggler's Kiss.  Especially as this book was very adventurous and exciting as well as romantic.  I loved the bit of mystery that surrounds both main characters and finding out more about their secrets really kept me turning the pages furiously. 

There's something really timelessly appealing about a huge change in circumstance like the main character of our story, Isabelle, goes through in Smuggler's Kiss.  At the start of the story, she's a bit snobbish and arrogant about her wealthy and priviledged position in the world.  But things start to change when she is rescused from drowning by a ship full of smugglers.  I really liked witnessing how much Isabelle changes - both physically and mentally during her time aboard this boat.  She becomes less of the simpering, whinging weakling who can barely climb a hill and who has a very narrow view of the world into a strong young woman who is able to better see and understand the prejudices in her world. 

And while this book is called 'Smuggler's Kiss' with the tagline 'It's not a crime to steal a heart' I really loved how the romance that is involved in this book is really quite subtle and is built-up slowly.  But it's a slow-burn that makes its presence known throughout.  I felt myself growing very attached to the characters that we meet and I felt incredibly invested emotionally towards Isabelle's romantic prospects. 

I loved how exciting it felt reading this book and going on these adventures alongside these smugglers.  Highly recommended!

Yet more paranormal mini-reviews (Everneath, Immortal Rules, Seeking Crystal and The Last Echo)

This post will include mini-reviews for the following books: Everneath by Brodi Ashton, Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa, Seeking Crystal by Joss Stirling and The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting.

Whenever I go through a prologed book slump, it is usually the fault of a decline in my mental health.  I sink into a depression and I don't feel like reading.  It's pretty simple.  And I've found that when I'm in a depression, the books I really like to read are those that are very emotional or dramatic.  And what's more emotional and over-the-top in its dramatics than a good paranormal romance, right?  I find myself drawn to the overly passionate paranormal romances in order to stir some emotion in myself.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, as the following reviews will prove.

 Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Everneath is a book that really pulled me out of a bad reading slump, and it appeared to pull me out effortlessly.  It was the absolute perfect timing for me to have picked up Everneath, and I'm so glad that I gave this book a chance.  I wanted something really romantic and emotional, a book that I could be absorbed in entirely for as long as I was reading it and forget about everything else - and Everneath was exactly that for me!

I'll admit that I didn't fully understand Nikki's choice to go underground and have her emotions fed on by some creepy immortals, but I chose to suspend my disbelief and just go with it.  Especially as it made for some wonderfully angsty reading material.  And while I've seen other reviewers say they'd fallen for Cole, the immortal who has targeted Nikki and to whom she'll go back to in 6 months time, I have to say - I found him creepy.  Jack, Nikki's ex-boyfriend is more my thing.  I loved the tension between Nikki and Jack.  They both obviously still care about each other, but just couldn't admit it to each other for ages.  I love them together.  And I can't wait to get back to this story in the sequel, Everbound.


Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Initially I wasn't going to read Immortal Rules.  I thought to myself, 'I'm bored of vampires, I can't take anymore' but a chance to read this book came up, and I figured that it's Julie Kagawa, why not?  She completely changed my opinion of fairies with her Iron Fey series, I thought maybe I should give her a chance to make me see vampires in a new, refreshing light.  And, really, how could I have doubted her?  I thought she did an incredible job with this book and I cannot wait to read absolutely anything else by Julie.

I loved in Immortal Rules how the story feels almost as if there are three distinct parts, each part as intriguing and fascinating as the others.  When one ended, I was at once sad to see the story go in a different direction and also excited by what is to come.  As this is the first book in the series, I'm really looking forward to seeing how things work out in this world and with the array of characters we meet.  The beginning, which introduces us to our main character, Allison, and also to this dark and dangerous world in which vampires are in control, was exciting and gory and perfect.  And each and every page had me desperate to know what would come next, what would happen?  It's been a long time since I've been so enthralled by a book!

 Seeking Crystal by Joss Stirling

Oh lordy, do I absolutely LOVE the Benedict brothers.  Really and truly, I love them.  And I loved this latest installment, which pairs up two of the Benedict brothers with sisters Diamond and Crystal.

I really felt for Crystal, the main character of this story.  She's always been treated a bit badly by her family for being a dud savant.  She has no powers, she's not great with schooling.  She really figures herself to have no real future, and that of course, is a feeling that is one that many including myself has felt before.  But things begin to change for Crystal, when her older sister, Diamond meets her soul-finder amongst the famous Benedict family of crime-fighters.  While happy for her sister, Crystal finds herself hugely annoyed by Diamond's new family, especially Xav.  But in the process of planning Diamond's wedding, things go very, very wrong and Crystal and Xav will have to get over their issues to help each other out. 

I really loved the setting of Venice.  It just seems a very romantic and magical place to fight against evil and to fall in love.  I also loved the transformation of Crystal from kicked-puppy at the beginning of the book to getting used to the very different turns her life has taken.  It was fun to see some familiar faces from the previous books and also to witness some different abilities and means of attack. 

I really hope this series continues!  I know all we have left are some of the older brothers which could possibly stray out of the YA market, but I still want to know what will happen, especially after the brief sneak peek we get at the end of this book!

 The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting

The Body Finder series by Kimberly Derting is one of my favourite YA series of recent years.  I really just love the mixture of crime solving and romance, especially as we are usually given brief insights into the mind of the killer which are interspersed into the narrative.  I really do love Violet and her relationship with her family and especially her newly formed relationship with best friend, Jay.

I thought this move towards working with the FBI would add an interesting twist into the series, and it has.  The series has introduced us to some very interesting new characters with different abilities, though I felt like this book focused a bit more than I'd like on Rafe, who clearly has feelings for Violet.  Together with Jay being significantly less of a presence in The Last Echo, I found myself enjoying the book just a teensy bit less.

Even so, The Last Echo is a wonderful read.  Violet is trying her best to solve this latest crime involving a serial killer in the area, and Violet must just be his latest target.  I thought this book was deliciously creepy with a great mystery to solve.  I still Violet as a character, the weight of her ability is a fair bit heavier in this book, and my heart went out to her. 

Paranormal mini-review roundup (Fateful, Firelight and Pulse)

Below are mini-reviews for the following books: Fateful by Claudia Gray, Firelight by Sophie Jordan, and Pulse by Tricia Rayburn. 

Whenever I go through a prologed book slump, it is usually the fault of a decline in my mental health.  I sink into a depression and I don't feel like reading.  It's pretty simple.  And I've found that when I'm in a depression, the books I really like to read are those that are very emotional or dramatic.  And what's more emotional and over-the-top in its dramatics than a good paranormal romance, right?  I find myself drawn to the overly passionate paranormal romances in order to stir some emotion in myself.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, as the following reviews will prove.

Fateful by Claudia Gray

Fateful by Claudia Gray is quite a strange book, in my opinion.  I couldn't help but be intrigued at the thought of werewolves on board the doomed Titanic.  What an absolutely fun thought that is!  And as long as you're able to ignore the silliness of the premise and just go with it, Fateful is quite a fun book to read.

I really loved the detail in the beginning as the Titanic and its passengers are being described.  It just seems like a lovely time period and I began thinking that this would have been a great historical book on its own, let's not get into the werewolves at all.  But there are werewolves in this book.  And once they make their appearance, Fateful is split into two clear halves.  The first is the beginning with the lush descriptions and lively atmosphere of being on board a luxury liner like the Titanic.  And then there is the story of the werewolves.  And while werewolves are definitely my favourite of the paranormal creatures, I felt like this second half was a tiny bit of a letdown compared to the first half.  While I do remember thinking the male lead was a bit of all right, I don't remember connecting very well to either him or to the main character Tessa, and found something a bit lacking in their relationship.  I don't know. Another book I enjoyed for the most part, but definitely wasn't blown away by. 

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

I really wanted to read about dragons and Firelight by Sophie Jordan seemed to be quite an interesting look the subject.  I especially dug the idea of in a paranormal romance like this is, that the girl is the supernatural creature (in this case, Draki which are descendants from dragons) and that the boy love interest is human (though aware of draki and is in fact a dragon-hunter).  So often it is the other way around.

Unfortunately, I don't quite recall very much about this book after reading it a few months ago.  Part of the summary that I'd read somewhere mentioned mortal enemies and a doomed love affair.  I don't recall anything quite so passionate!  I remember enjoying the book as I was reading it, but not enough of the book made any impact for it to leave a lasting impression.  I don't think I'll be hurrying out to acquire the sequel.

Pulse by Tricia Rayburn

I really, really enjoyed the first book in the series, Siren.  But I remember being slightly confused at the end that book and some of that confusion was carried over into this book.  Still, I really enjoyed it.  I quite love a series on a supernatural creature (sirens) that I haven't come across often or at all.  But what I really wanted in this story, the reason I picked up Pulse to read is that I wanted to see more of the relationship between Vanessa and Simon.  This was not to be.  And looking back at it now, I guess it's understandable that this isn't the case.

Vanessa is going through such a lot in this book, her transformation into siren is complete.  She's attracting the attention of men very noticeably now, she's still torn up about the loss of her sister from book one, she's struggling with the fact that she has been lied to her entire life.  She's facing urges to bathe in saltwater and she gains power from the attentions of Parker which she finds she likes and needs.  But Simon! I wanted things to be better with Vanessa and Simon, but I don't think they could be with Vanessa questioning their relationship and constantly wondering if Simon has ever really liked her, or if it is all down to her siren allure.  Tough situation to be in.  I thought this book was incredibly interesting and I loved spending time with Vanessa as she made mistakes and worked on her insecurities and found out more about sirens.  It is quite a bit angsty with sort-of triangle going on, but I still missed the presense of the Simon from book one!

REVIEW: Stealing Phoenix by Joss Stirling

It wasn't so long ago that I read the first book in this series, Finding Sky. I really adored Finding Sky so when I got an email asking if I'd like to read Stealing Phoenix by Joss Stirling, I didn't hesitate! I'm usually a little wary of books in the same series in which each book has a different narrator, but there's something about these books which makes me excited and I'm able to ignore most of my usual worries.

These books by Joss Stirling focus on people called Savants, people with unusual abilities such as telekinesis and mind-reading. Each Savant has their own special gifts and each Savant has been paired to another, called Soul Finders. This series focuses on the Benedict brothers, and each of their Soul Finders. Soul finders are very difficult to find, but worth taking on a dangerous mob of criminals when it does happen! I absolutely fell in love with Zed and Sky from Finding Sky and I thought it would be hard to live up to that relationship. But I think Phee and Yves' is right up there too. I really can't wait to get my next fix of the Benedict brothers!

I love that this story takes place in England, and a lot of the relationship-building between Phoenix and Yves happens in London, as does some of the interactions between the Benedicts and the baddies. I'll get to that in just a minute though, I just wanted to mention how much it gives me a little thrill when I can recognise the place settings in a book!

Our main character here is Phoenix, a teenage girl who has not lived a normal life. Instead, she has grown up in this band of thieves, that is run by this shady man called the Seer. The Seer gives Phoenix a special job, to steal from a particular tourist... one Yves Benedict, who is in London on some brainiac seminar.

I love how very different Yves and Phoenix are - there's a huge gap in their levels of education and economic class, they have incredibly different backgrounds and families, but of course that connection is there. Obviously, Phee has some major issues to overcome, but Yves is incredibly sweet and patient. I do love a nerdy love interest. Plus we get to see more of the Benedict family, which now includes Sky, to see how they're all getting on.

I'm so excited with this series. I will always eagerly anticipate the next novel for more of the romance, more Benedict brothers, and more awesome special powers!

REVIEW: Finding Sky by Joss Stirling

I absolutely adored Finding Sky by Joss Stirling. I'd read good reviews of it when it was first published, but I dragged my feet a little bit about actually starting it. Perhaps I worried that there wouldn't be enough originality in another paranormal YA? But I was totally wrong in that respect and found Finding Sky really addictive reading with great characters and chemistry between the two main love interests. I found the paranormal bit to be quite fun to explore and I really look forward to reading more by Joss Stirling and definitely more about savants!

Finding Sky begins with our main character, Sky Bright, and her family moving from England to a small town in Colorodo. Sky has been adopted from a young age and while she remembers little about what happened before the Brights entered her life, it has had a profound impact on well she is able to let in others and she has severe trust issues.

So when she begins high school and finds herself attracted to Zed Benedict, bad boy, who is able to speak directly into her mind, instead of running towards him with open arms, Sky hangs back, afraid and uncertain. I really like that about this story, this reluctance to begin such a relationship when Sky herself is quite broken. She has a great voice though, I loved reading her inner commentary on those around her, especially the way in which she puts events and characters into a graphic novel panels in her head. Very quirky and fun.

Despite how Sky initially reacts towards this connection she has with Zed, there's little she can do to deny her own powers and also that thing she has with Zed - which is put to the test rather dramatically towards the end of the book. I think Zed is quite the unusual character as well and I liked getting to know him and his eccentric family as well. Hugely excited to know that his family are explored more in the sequel, Stealing Phoenix!

I'm so glad that I read this book and gave it a chance. It's something different and I wasn't expecting the story or the characters to hook me as completely as they did. I recommend it.

REVIEW: Cyrano by Geraldine McCaughrean

I just finished reading Cyrano by Geraldine McCaughrean. I admit it, what attracted me to this book initially is its size (a mere 167 pages) and the beautiful cover. Then, on the front cover there is written 'For anyone who's ever been hopelessly in love' and on the back it says 'The most romantic story ever told' High praise indeed, and a lot to live up to.

I don't know much of the story of Cyrano de Bergerac so I have no idea how this retelling compares with the play by Edmond Rostand. Maybe someday I will look up the original. As it turned out, when I first started reading Cyrano, what flashed through my head the most is an image of Steve Martin in the film Roxane. And when you're picturing the romantic lead in a love-story, I guarantee you, it is difficult to muster up the right sort of feelings when all you can think of is Steve Martin.

But I guess that's really the issue, isn't it? How much importance is image and appearances when choosing a romantic partner? Cyrano is madly in love with his cousin, Roxane, but is too ashamed of his enormous nose to tell her the truth. So instead, he helps another man, Christian, to woo Roxane, writing for him pretty things to tell Roxane.

Honestly? I found Christian to be quite dull. And Roxane to be vain and shallow. Cyrano was over the top and a little cheesy. But I still enjoyed the story. I shed a tear at the end. Possibly because I can relate to Cyrano's feelings of inadequacy and also the element of self-sacrifice on his part is one that I find particularly appealing. Plus Geraldine McCaughrean writes so beautifully. The letters that Cyrano writes while he is at war are absolutely lovely. Luckily for me, Geraldine McCaughrean has written extensively. It will take awhile to get through her backlist!


What is your favourite retelling of a modern classic? What would you consider the 'greatest love story ever told?'