Della says: OMG! - Keris Stainton

Summary from Amazon:

Don't miss this fantastic debut novel - Keris Stainton is a fabulously contemporary, witty and fresh new voice who teen girls will adore. Della’s over the moon when she kisses her long-standing crush at a party – but then she discovers her diary has disappeared... When scans of embarrassing pages are sent to her mobile and appear on Facebook, Della’s distraught – how can she enjoy her first proper romance when someone, somewhere, knows all her deepest, darkest secrets?

~~~~

Della Says: OMG! made me incredibly happy when I read it! I finished it a few months ago and went through it again to write the review and I found myself rereading it! Sweet, funny and witty, Della will definitely make your day and you will want her as your best friend!


Della is an average teenager living in the UK. She is in that No-Man's-Land between popular and complete loser but she's ok with it. Her sidekick best friend Maddy is made of awesome and she helps out Della with that sisyphean quest towards popularity. When Della's big sister Jamie organises a party in their house to celebrate her departure for America for the summer, Della is dressed with nice clothes and she makes out with Dan Bailey, her longtime crush, who seems to be interested in her. What should be one of the best days of her life turns into a horrific nightmare when *gasps* Della's diary is stolen and she receives (very embarrassing) pages of it through Facebook in a stalkerish kind of way. I know, OMG!

Della is a very down-to-earth teenager and has a great personality. I really loved being in her head and seeing her react to the loss of her diary. She is a great friend and very fun to be around. Her budding romance with Dan is wonderfully portrayed, they are adorable together and the moments where they get to know each other are swoon-worthy. I also liked the way Dan sees Della and how it contrasts from the vision Della has of herself. Della wants to take over from her parents' Deli business and run one of her own and it was great to see her liking her summer job running one deli!
The other characters are all well described and great! I *love* Della's parents!


Through the pages of Della's diary which are put in various locations and sent to various people, we go through Della's most personal thoughts and you can't help cringe at some of the situations. But Della is courageous and she goes through this with the help of her friends and Dan. It also touches important themes for teenagers and it gives a great depth to the story. One of them is the relations between family and friends and it was really great to relate to some of the events in the story.

You know I'm a sucker for an interesting background to a story and I loved the Britishness of Della's story and all the popular culture references. I also loved the fact that they seemed to be *gasps* normal teenagers (you know, the kind you were yourself in that grey area between angel and  thug).

The book is told from Della's point of view and the general style of writing flows perfectly. I could really feel Della's personality and thoughts rising from the pages and most of the episodes are laugh out loud funny and original.


I can't quite describe this novel, it is a real piece of sunshine. The story is incredibly uplifting and after finishing it I was dancing around and quite horrifyingly singing to cheesy music and having a blast (*cough* I mean, I know a friend who did that - not me, I swear). Della says: OMG! is one of the best contemporary novels I have read recently and by far the funniest and wittiest. Go read it - you won't be able to resist it!


And boy am I excited for Keris Stainton's new novel Jessie Hearts NYC out in July (YAY!!)

FYI: The kindle edition was entirely in italics (Twitter tells me the paperback isn't)

Della Says: OMG! by Keris Stainton | 2010 | Bought and read on my kindle

Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro

Summary from Amazon:

Narrated by Kathy, now 31, Never Let Me Go hauntingly dramatises her attempts to come to terms with her childhood at the seemingly idyllic Hailsham School, and with the fate that has always awaited her and her closest friends in the wider world. A story of love, friendship and memory, Never Let Me Go is charged throughout with a sense of the fragility of life.

~~~

Never Let Me Go is one of those books you really shouldn't know anything about when you start reading. Of course, no one should tell you *the* spoiler, but you also shouldn't hear much about the story: when talking to other people about this book, I realised that we had reacted very differently to the various characters and situations and I wonder if knowing someone's opinion of the book might ruin the experience for you, so I will keep this review to a bare minimum!

Kathy narrates the story of when she was a young student at Hailsham in the 1970s England. She explains her life there from her very early years, how the school was functioning and her friendships there, with Tommy and Ruth in particular. From an early point on, you realise there is something peculiar going on at Hailsham, but you can't exactly put your finger on what.

Kathy is kind hearted and becomes friend with bullied Tommy who has some anger issues and is constantly teased by his school mates. Kathy is also friend with Ruth, whom Kathy learns is often lying and manipulating people. Kathy makes it clear to Ruth that she doesn't always fall in her tricks but that she will remain her friend. Kathy and Ruth's relationship and how it evolves is cleverly woven and definitely has an influence on both girls' personalities.

There is something quite detached and haunting about Kathy's way of telling her story. Her voice is very clear and we read her as if she was telling her true life story herself. There are no embellishments or mature reasoning in how she recounts her life and her relationships with both Ruth and Tommy and from how she presents things, you realise things Kathy herself has no idea about yet.
I need to read more books by Kazuo Ishiguro to see exactly how much of the story-telling is his and how much is Kathy's, but I really loved the contrast between it being a dystopian story and how Kathy's voice is so matter-of-factly and at times emotionally detached.
There are some truly heart-breaking moments in the book and they really are fascinatingly told by Kathy's voice. I really loved hearing this story from her.

I don't want to say more for fear of giving away the plot. The book is a dystopian novel set in the past, and I found this aspect incredibly fascinating. The idea was to see how the world would have been had the scientific energy been diverted towards something other than nuclear energy. I found the atmosphere of the story and the context very believable and I thought Ishiguro put himself brilliantly in the head of his characters. I really want to read more of him, especially his novels containing references to his Japanese heritage.

I went to a screening of the film (which is really wonderful with a fantasting casting and acting) with a Q&A session with Kazuo Ishiguro so I will discuss the more spoilery themes then!

I think that anyone interested in Dystopia, novels about science, great writing and fantastic characters would love reading this book.


Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro | Faber and Faber | Read on my kindle!

Escape from Shadow Island - Paul Adam

Summary from Amazon:

'My mum killed my dad, then dragged his body all the way along the beach . . . I don't believe a word of it'

Max Cassidy is a teenage escapologist, so good he’s nicknamed the Half-pint Houdini. His father disappeared two years ago and his body has never been found. His mother is now serving a life sentence for her husband’s murder.

Max’s mission to learn the truth about his family takes him on an thrilling journey, from London to the horrors of the terrifying Shadow Island in central America.

Escapology is dangerous but not nearly as dangerous as real life . . .

~~~

I received this book on Friday and was sooo excited to read about an escapologist that I started it right away and the story was so brilliant that I read it in a day! I couldn't put the book down and I thought it is a fantastic idea for a series!

Okay, so I might need to add "don't do this at home" for the kids and all that!

(there's a disclaimer in the first pages of the book and I literally jumped to read what they meant - I'm one tough cookie that way)

The idea of this book is such sheer brilliantness that I have been jumping up and down thinking about it! FINALLY we get to know how those annoyingly smug people who get cuffed, chained and thrown underwater in a bag manage to get out of there when normal people like myself would just drown (well, I might be able to get free too you know, it's not like I've ever tried, but I could be a fantastic escapologist for all I know)!

Anyways, this book is made of awesome! Max Cassidy is your regular 14 year old North London kid, except that every now and then he goes on a stage and fascinates hundreds of people by getting free of cuffs and chains and other. He learned everything from his father who was a brilliant escapologist himself. Max's mother is serving a heavy sentence for (allegedly!) killing her husband. Max is living with his father's stage assistant Consuela and pays himself for his education with his work. Life is tough, but Max is a great kid and goes through this without complaining.

When he learns that there is a chance his father could in fact not be dead and that his mother could finally be set free, Max doesn't hesitate and goes directly to Santo Domingo to find out what happened two years ago! Max puts himself in the most dangerous position but he is not without resources thanks to his escapologist talents!

It is a fantastic adventure through and through and I really loved how unique the story is. Being in Max's mind when he does his tricks is priceless and you really get how the "tricks" work! There are so many books on invented magic that we sometimes forget that the existent magic is a game of illusions and is as breathtakingly impressive as the imaginary one we can invent. I really can't wait to read more of Max in future books! 

The book is written in a third-person point of view and follows Max. The style is fast-paced and will make you stay at the edge of your seat during the entire book. there are some funny moments as well and you will love Max's personality full of courage, sense of justice and a good dose of attitude!

Fans of Artemis Fowl and Alex Rider will love this book, there is fantastic action and the originality of the escapologist angle is absolutely brilliant since kids can always go take classes on this or go watch shows by real magicians (which are age appropriate, that goes without saying!).

A zillion thank yous to RHCB for this brilliant book!

Escape from Shadow Island by Paul Adam | Random House Children's Books | April 2011 | 282 pages | 11+, Adventure

An Improper Magick - Stephanie Burgis | Celebrating Wales

The 1st of March is St David's Day so I am celebrating Wales with a review of a book by Welsh author Stephanie Burgis. But March is also Women History Month and how better to kick off that month with the adventures of the very unladylike Kat Stephenson!

All my thanks (and hugs!) go to the lovely Emma @ Asamum Booktopia for organising this great day in the book blogosphere and for lending me her book!

Summary from Goodreads:

"I was twelve years of age when I chopped off my hair, dressed as a boy, and set off to save my family from impending ruin.
"I made it almost to the end of my front garden..."
Magic may be the greatest scandal in Regency England. But that's not going to stop Kat Stephenson when there are highwaymen to foil, sinister aristocrats to defeat...and true loves to capture for her two older sisters.

~~~

(Apologies: I really loved this book (like really really really) and when I reread my review I realised I didn't make much sense and put way too many exclamation points, so bear with me people - the girl can't cope with so much wonderfulness without getting all fangirly!)

Jane Austen references? Magic? A feisty heroine? An adventure? YES PLEASE!

A Most Improper Magick, The Unladylike Adventures of Kat Stephenson is a funny, witty and insanely sweet read. I fell in love with Kat after the first line and I have *loved* the book from beginning to end! I read it in one sitting and can't possibly wait for A Tangle Of Magicks!

The setting of the book is Regency England and you can really feel that Stephanie Burgis is a fan of Jane Austen (God, me too *insane squee*!). But Regency England with one of the most stubborn, incorrigible and adventure-seeking heroine! Kat Stephenson is a girl who has her own ideas on things and will definitely not let anyone convince her otherwise. She is loud, nosy and if there is one foolish thing to do, you can bet your chocolate cupcake (though betting on a chocolate cupcake is a bit of a sin so I wouldn't recommend it...) that Kat will be the one to do it! Kat is my kind of girl for sure! I love her lively spirit and her personality and I have been laughing out loud at her tricks during the entire book! (Can you feel the crazy fangirling yet?)

Kat's relation with her sisters Angeline and Elissa is so amazingly realistic! They are sisters but are nothing alike and even though they don't exactly get along perfectly, they love each other deeply and would do anything for each other! I love that family feeling to the story and no matter what Kat felt, she really wasn't alone any step of the way. Elissa is the perfect Victorian heroine and I loved how Kat kept telling her to stop reading those ridiculous Gothic novels of hers! How very Jane Austen! (yes, all the exclamation points are strictly necessary!)

The characters in general, from the sisters' Stepmama to Mr Carlyle and Mr Gregson, are all very colourful and I really enjoyed the dynamics between them! I really can't start gushing over all the characters but *gosh* I just really love all of them!

The magic element is *awesome* I love how it is woven in the story and how Kat discovers her powers. The storyline about Kat's mother is very adorable and it was great to see Kat only trusting herself and her sisters and give all those adults the brush-off!

The story is told from Kat's point of view - she is such an amazing character to follow! Since she is twelve years old, she has opinions of her age about men (eww) and acting like a lady (so useless when you can go on adventures!). Yes so I am mentally 12 as well apparently! :D

This book will warm your heart and bring huge smiles to your lips! The story is very original and is a great start if you want to bring your kids to get started on Jane Austen (which you should, like right now) and Regency novels! You will fall for the feisty Kat Stephenson who should definitely be hailed as a one of a kind heroine!

The book is perfect for tweens (and older obviously!).

I don't usually comment on covers but *gasps* look at that insanely gorgeous cover!

Jenny Downham Double Bill | Before I Die + You Against Me

Double Bill: Jenny Downham

Every once in a while I feel like writing a review doesn't fully convey my thoughts on a theme or on an author. I talk about one book and even though I might mention that I am a fan of the author or the genre, it's not the same! That is why, when I started a review of both Before I Die and You Against Me, I felt something was missing. I have just recently discovered Jenny Downham but I have fallen for her stories and her writing style. That is why I am combining both reviews in a "double bill"on Jenny Downham. 


Her debut novel, Before I Die, has been one of the most talked about young adult novel since its release, setting itself at the top of all "best YA books" lists of all time. With You Against Me, her second novel, Jenny Downham gives us something as raw, powerful and original as her first book.  


Jenny Downham really doesn't shy away from difficult subjects and her characterisation and plots always takes the reader in an unexpected direction. It might also be the foreign reader in me noticing but her novels are very much set in the British culture and gives us a realistic outlook on youth today in the UK.

Before I Die:

Before I Die is the beautiful and tragic story of Tessa who has just a few months to live. She has been diagnosed with cancer when she was a child and she has now received the news that there isn't much the doctors can do anymore for her. Tessa comes up with a list of things she wants to do before she dies so that she can feel alive. She ends up refusing treatments and visits to the hospital and just wants to do things she likes. She comes up with a list of all those things and wants to do each of them before she dies.


Heartbreaking doesn't even cover it, I cried for a good part of the book, and at times, I was crying and aching so much for Tessa that I had to stop reading. I feel that this book is an essential read for teenagers, not only because it raises awareness on what it is to live with cancer, but also because it shows the importance of life. Everyday life is plagued by little things without importance which sometimes become preponderant and it is easy to lose focus on what really is important. 


It is a beautiful and fascinating book through and through. The whole medical process is very well researched and there is no embellishing any sequence to make it more bearable to read. I absolutely loved all the characters, their personalities and the dynamics and relationships between them. The story is very rich and touches various subjects from teen pregnancy to drugs to sex to relations with parents and other. But all these subjects are treated with a very realistic approach. There is no underlying lessons-of-life-from-the-adult-writing in there nor a global judgement on the characters depicting them as either good or bad. And it's exactly that humanity in Jenny Downham's books that fascinates me. 


The theme of death and Tessa's fear of it is very interestingly written and the difference in insight on the issue between Tessa and the rest of them is just so very striking. Anyone can die all of a sudden because of an accident or other. But only a few people know that their death is close and this knowledge is so heavy to bear for Tessa especially when she can't seem to share it with people the way she would like to. I really can't encourage people enough to read this book. It is wonderfully written and Tessa's voice comes through to the reader very loud and clear. 

You Against Me:

You Against Me is a sort of modern-day Romeo and Juliet. The only thing Mikey and Ellie have in common is the relation their respective siblings have with each other. Ellie's brother Tom is accused of raping Mikey's sister Karyn. Tom is from a very rich part of town and is promised to a brilliant future, whereas Karyn and Mikey are from more modest origins, they live with their alcoholic mother and take care of their little sister.


As you would expect, Tom's parents are doing everything they can to save their son and discredit Karyn by showing her as an "easy girl". Mikey take girls as they come, the less they talk the better. But when he meets Ellie, in an attempt to get information on Tom to help Karyn's case with the police, he realises how different she is from the rest. Their respective problems with their families bring them together. Mikey and Ellie are very interesting characters and I really enjoyed the relation they had with each other. 


But you know what I really found interesting in this story? It talks about rape but not the kind of straight-forward rape story where a nice and innocent girl is walking in the street and gets sexually assaulted by a villain. It is the story of a girl who has been wanting to be with a guy and who has been flirting with him. They party together one evening and she drinks a lot. Sex happens. She says she wasn't conscious and didn't want to have sex. He says she has been wanting to have sex with him forever. 
And I find it truly fascinating how morally challenging the story is. There is no challenge for me, a rape is a rape. But how many people react as "she deserved it" when you see a story of  a prostitute dressed in high heels and mini skirt who was sexually assaulted? Or not exactly "she deserved it" but "she should have seen it coming" if a girl was dressed very sexily? And then sex is sex - so if you want it at one point in your life you shouldn't whine about "rape" when it happens at another time, right? 
That's what Jenny Downham is talking about in this book and she is doing it brilliantly. She puts the finger right on this issue. And that outlook on the rape feeds into this other fascinating theme in the book which is about women. Women today, women in this society. Look at Ellie, Ellie's mother, Karyn, her mother and the other female characters in this book. So many example of what it is to be a woman today. I am not going to get all feminist on you now, but if you are interested in the role of women in society, read this book. I was blown away by all these characters that I can't detail each of them and exactly convey what I felt. While reading You Against Me, I kept thinking about another book (Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma) I have read and which conveys a similar strong image on family. 

~~~~

As you may have gathered by now, Jenny Downham's books tick all of my boxes. I love the irresistibly British feel the books have and the fact that the characters are all very human and real, as well as the themes she chooses to write on.


And on a bigger sclae, I am such a fan of this wave of British YA writers (and there are way too many for me to write all of them and not forget any!) who write on contemporary themes!

Thank you to Random House Children's Books for those two wonderful books!

You Don't Have To Say You Love Me - Sarra Manning

Summary from Amazon:

Sweet, bookish Neve Slater always plays by the rules. And the number one rule is that good-natured fat girls like her don’t get guys like gorgeous, handsome William, heir to Neve's heart since university. But William’s been in LA for three years, and Neve’s been slimming down and re-inventing herself so that when he returns, he’ll fall head over heels in love with the new, improved her.

So she’s not that interested in other men. Until her sister Celia points out that if Neve wants William to think she's an experienced love-goddess and not the fumbling, awkward girl he left behind, then she’d better get some, well, experience.

What Neve needs is someone to show her the ropes, someone like Celia’s colleague Max. Wicked, shallow, sexy Max. And since he’s such a man-slut, and so not Neve’s type, she certainly won’t fall for him. Because William is the man for her… right?

Somewhere between losing weight and losing her inhibitions, Neve’s lost her heart – but to who?

~~~~

I read this book a little while ago and Neve's story is still present in my head. Her fight against her weight, but especially against herself, hasn't left me since.

When I think about Chick Lit as a genre, I usually picture a couple of blonde fashionistas going shopping and searching for love in a big city (like probably most of the people who don't actually read Chick Lit). So I tend to dismiss those books very easily - you know, with all those pirates, dragons and werewolves books I haven't read why on earth would I read a Chick Lit book?

Well maybe because these books talk about me. Not me me. But me as a person, a woman living in this century (where the existence of dragons and werewolves still hasn't been proven yet). One of the best aspects of the book is how contemporary it feels. Sarra Manning gave Neve's story a context that many people can relate to with themes such as issues to find a decent job, to make friends at work, to get over what happened during your teenage years etc. The atmosphere feels very real and shows how much some people struggle nowadays to find happiness or fulfilment.

Neve is a very realistic and striking character. She is very bright and her job might not be thrilling per se but she enjoys it (to a certain extent) and has some hopes of one day publishing a book. She has been in love with William since University and despite his move to LA. Neve had a little problem with food during her teenage years and became overweight. When William left for America, she set herself the goal of losing all her weight and becoming "perfect" so that William, upon his return, would fall in love with her. 

A couple of years later and many pounds less, Neve thinks she is prepared for William's return but her sister Celia reminds her of the tiny issue of Neve's complete inexperience in men. As in complete inexperience. Enters Celia's mad plan to take Neve to her work (fashion magazine!) party and introduce her to some of her colleagues. Little does she know that womaniser Max will be the one chosen by Neve.

The contrast between bookish Neve and ladies' man celebrity journalist Max is striking, but it is what makes their interactions so fascinating. They are worlds' apart in appearance but find some deep-rooted connections. I just love what happened between them as well as being able to see behind the scenes of fashion magazines and the world of celebrities. Sarra Manning - having been a journalist for years - depicts very well this world.

The characterisation in the story is just brilliant. I tweeted Sarra Manning about the realism of Neve's personality, and she told me that she drew a lot of her own experience for this book, qualifying it as her most "me" book. You can read her incredible piece for The Telegraph here where she talks about her transformation.

But describing You Don't Have To Say You Love Me as a book about weight and diet would be too reductive. The book is a coming-of-age story of someone who has always lived in the shadows and about her journey to learn how to love herself.

The explicit sex scenes made me blush down to my toes - note to self: do not read explicit sex scenes in the tube where people read over your shoulder.
I loved how all the characters had very distinctive personalities and how they related to Neve: her father, her sister, her brother's wife (and ex-bully when she was at school), her gym trainer and her friends at work. I liked the story of her attempting to write a book on Lucy Keener and how it interestingly completed the main plot.

The writing is simply gorgeous. Sarra Manning has amazing story-telling skills and I literally couldn't put the book down.
 I really loved this book, I found that the characters and the contemporary-feel of the story was fascinating. It is a feel good book in the most realistic way possible (no irrational makeovers or unbelievable male love interests). If you are a fan of Chick Lit, you will love this book, but you might also like it if you are not a fan of the genre!

 

There are two covers of this book. When I first saw the Lips one I really fell for it, the colour is just so striking and it symbolises what the book is about. But the Petals cover definitely has something. It might be less striking but I really like how the petals circle the page. What do you think? Which one would you rather have on your bookshelf?

Many thanks to Transworld for the book!

Firebrand - Gillian Philip

Title: Firebrand
(Rebel Angels Book 1)
Author: Gillian Philip


Publisher: Strident Publishing
Release Date: 2010
Category: Fantasy
Source: From the author
Paperback: 372 pages




Summary from Amazon:

It is the last decade of the sixteenth century: a time of religious wars in the full-mortal world. But the Sithe are at peace, hidden behind the Veil that protects their world until their queen, Kate NicNiven, determines to destroy it. Seth MacGregor is the half-feral son of a Sithe nobleman. When his father is assassinated, and Seth is exiled with his brother Conal to the full-mortal world, they vow not only to survive, but to return to reclaim their fortress and save the Veil. But even the Veil's power cannot protect the brothers when the brutal witch-hunts begin...

~~~

The story is told from the point of view of Seth, a young Sithe who is sent to live with his Noble father. We learn very early that Seth never felt as if he belonged when he was living with his mother Lilith, an adviser to the queen Kate and that he doesn't belong either when he is sent to live with his father. He develops his strong character from this very lonely childhood. His half-brother Conal takes him under his wing when he is 8 years old and they become very close throughout the years. When Conal is exiled to the full-mortal world, behind the veil, Seth follows him into what is our 16th century. Seth and Conal discover more about the world behind the Veil, but also about themselves.


To be honest this is one of the most promising fantasy series I have read lately. The writing grips you from the very first pages and I haven't been able to stop reading it. This book is truly a much welcomed addition to the genre and I am really excited for the sequels! 

I absolutely loved the world created by Gillian Philip. It is thoroughly original and keeps enough mystery to keep you wanting more. The Sithe society is so different from the human society that not only was I interested to learn more and more about their customs but I was also given, as the full mortal that I am, a really good insight into human customs. We see the 16th century through the eyes of Seth and how religion worked back then. The perspective is fascinating to read and I really love books which make me think.


In the Sithe society, women are equal to men and as strong as them when it comes to fighting. I *loved* reading about Seth not understanding why, in the full mortal world, women are required to stay at home and wear dresses (my point exactly!). An also very interesting thing that was present in the book is the difficulty encountered by some Sithe to have children. It is very interesting how an ever decreasing prospect of a younger generation can affect a person. It's the type of undercurrent themes that I wasn't anticipating in a fantasy book and which bring so much depth to the story.


The characters and various personalities and lives presented throughout the book are truly fascinating and a proof of an amazing talent. I am going to go all fangirly on you here but I loved all the characters and I thought they were brilliantly created. 


And I will love Gillian Philip *forever* for the presence of two Sithe wolf pets. I *love* those two darlings!! Okay and I might have already told my mom that this is what I want for Christmas because now I know they (metaphorically) exist, I can't live without them.

Seth is the narrator but we can read every now and then a sentence which tells us that he is telling the story some time in the future. The comings and goings in the past/present/future usually don't entrance me though it is not too present in this book and I have a feeling that at some point in the following novels of the Rebel Angels series we'll be reading Seth narrating in the present. 


This is an amazing book for anyone who is a fan of fantasy, but maybe also to people who enjoy historical fiction and character-oriented stories. The writing is mesmerising and I am sure you won't be able to put it down!


Info: Some violent scenes in the book and definitely a perfect book for boys!

Thank you so much to Gillian for sending me her book!

The Hand That First Held Mine - Maggie O'Farrell

Title: The Hand That First Held Mine

Author: Maggie O'Farrell

Publisher: Headline

Release Date: 2010

Category: Adult Contemporary Fiction

Source: From work book club

Hardback: 352 pages


Summary from Amazon: 

When the bohemian, sophisticated Innes Kent turns up by chance on her doorstep, Lexie Sinclair realises she cannot wait any longer for her life to begin, and leaves for London.  There, at the heart of the 1950s Soho art scene, she carves out a new life for herself, with Innes at her side.  In the present day, Elina and Ted are reeling from the difficult birth of their first child.  Elina, a painter, struggles to reconcile the demands of motherhood with sense of herself as an artist, and Ted is disturbed by memories of his own childhood, memories that don't tally with his parents' version of events. As Ted begins to search for answers, so an extraordinary portrait of two women is revealed, separated by fifty years, but connected in ways that neither could ever have expected.

~~~

This book was chosen by my book group at work and it went on to win the Costa Prize earlier this year. 

The book follows two stories. The first one is about Lexie Sinclair, a young girl in the 1950s who decides to leave her family and follow the intriguing Innes Kent to London where she starts a career in journalism. The second is about Elina and Ted, whose child is born, and where we see the difficulty of motherhood for Elina and the progressive appearance of Ted's memories about his own childhood. The book is an ode to family, love and life.

I wasn't sure what to expect about this book, I read it as part of a book group at work so I didn't exactly choose it. I completely fell for the cover, I think it is one of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen. It has also a link to the story since the photograph on the book was taken by John Deakin who is mentioned in the book.

I have been literally blown away by the story and by the incredibly sophisticated and poetic writing. You have the impression of having your five senses titilated throughout the book and you can't help but be mesmerised by the story.

Lexie's story was my favourite part of the book, and the book could have been a stand alone novel telling only her story (though after finishing it, I understand the choice of the two stories). She has an amazing personality and the decade in which she evolves has always been in my mind a thriving and fascinating period. Lexie is an absolutely wonderful character and I mourned the fact that she didn't really exist. She is strong, determined, intelligent and passionate. Her love story with Innes is intense and their intellectual connexion and evolution is fascinating. Had she existed, her life would have been told and told again in books and films. Her life was at her image - very passionate and intense. I would have loved to meet her and to learn things from her. She is one of the most interesting contemporary heroine literature has shown me for a long time. I may be a fantasy fan and love my stories to be very far from every day life, but when an extraordinary character rocks my ordinary world, I cannot not like her.

I had more issues getting into Elina's head and the first part of the book with her kind of put me off. I didn't see where the story was going, it felt too long and overly descriptive and I disliked Elina as a character. I continued reading the book because of my love for Lexie's story, and I was determined to see why anyone would put those two women in the same book. But as I read on, I started to see the bigger picture and realise that the book brought so much more than first met the eye. I won't spoil the story for you, but if you find yourself not liking the first part of Elina's story, don't give up on this wonderful book.

Elina and Ted's story brings a different take on the birth of a baby and how it fundamentally changes the parents. They have now to think about someone else than themselves. The birth also brings confusion and uncertainty as to what to do, but also a wave of memories of their own childhoods and what happened then.

As Maggie O'Farrell said in an interview, London appears as a third main character behind Lexie and Elina. Not only London but the famous Soho of the 1960s where culture and politics would intertwine constantly. Enthralling doesn't even cover it.

The story-telling is simply breath-taking. So much am I admirative of Maggie O'Farrell's writing that I will add her to my small list of authors of which I read every single book published without even glancing at the back cover. Not only is the story interesting and surprising, but the way the story is presented is pure pleasure. If you are an aficionado of beautiful writing - don't hesitate any further.


I will stop now with the ridiculous cheerleading of this book :) but if you like brilliant writing, adult fiction, the sixties and strong women character, this book is definitely made for you.

British Books Challenge 2011!

My amazing bloggy friend Becky @ The Bookette is hosting a very cool British Books Challenge for 2011.

For more information, read Becky's post on the Challenge here.

The idea is to read British novels (both new releases or older titles!) and since I am a massive fan of British Literature and it isn't a big stretch for me to do this challenge!

Think Jane Austen, JRR Tolkien, George Orwell, William Shakespeare, Mary Shelley, the Brontë sisters, Bram Stoker, Virginia Woolf, Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett or J. K. Rowling! If you haven't signed up for the Challenge, go sign up now :) There are even some great prizes every month to be won!

Since I live in the UK, I will do the Home Grown challenge! 

My list (to be updated!):

1. Almost True, by Keren David (my review here)

2. Wereworld: Rise Of The Wolf, by Curtis Jobling (my review here)

3. The Hand That First Held Mine, by Maggie O'Farrell (my review here)
4. Firebrand, by Gillian Philip (my review here)
5. You Don't Have To Say You Love Me, by Sarra Manning (my review here)
6.1 Before I Die, by Jenny Downham (my review here)

6.2 You Against Me, by Jenny Downham (my review here)
8. A Most Improper Magick, by Stephanie Burgis (my review here)
9. Escape From Shadow Island (Max Cassidy #1), by Paul Adam (my review here)
10. Della says: OMG!, by Keris Stainton (my review here)
11. The Warlock, by Michael Scott (my review here)
12. A Tangle Of Magicks, by Stephanie Burgis (my review here)
13. The Dragon Whisperer, by Lucinda Hare (my review here)

A zillion thank you to Becky for organising this wonderful challenge!

Almost True - Keren David

Title: Almost True

Author: Keren David

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books

Release Date: 2010

Category: Young Adult

Source: From UK Book Tours

Hardback: 368

Summary from Amazon:

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.

~~~~~

Almost True is the sequel to When I Was Joe (my review here). I can't review Almost True without writing some tiny spoilers for When I Was Joe so go read the wonderful first book and then come back to read my review of the even-more-wonderful second one!

The thing about sequels is that most of the time, you never get the same rush of emotions you felt while reading the first book in a series for the first time. You already know the characters and you see the plot coming so it hardly feels the same way, and at worse, you might even be disappointed.
I loved When I Was Joe so much that I was a bit worried when I started to read Almost True. I should not have wasted one second worrying because the plot of Almost True goes in the most unexpected direction at the beginning of the book and we follow Tyler/Joe in another thrilling adventure. We meet new characters, who are as interesting and lovable as the ones in the first book and we rediscover characters we know in a new light. I could list all the characters I love and why but that would lead me to talk about all of them! I like the evolution of Tyler and what he goes through in this book. 


In this new book, Tyler is on the run and tries to hide in various places (that is me not telling you the plot as opposed to me forgetting what the plot is - in case you were wondering!). The rhythm is fast-paced and the story gripping, you won't be able to let go of this book until you reach the end, and what a conclusion to Ty's story it is!


At the centre of this new story is Tyler and his past. As much as he tries to get away from things, he ends up digging deeper and deeper in his own life story. He learns a lot about his family and realises that most of the things he assumed were true about himself were in fact not exactly true (or almost true - yes, I did just write that horrendous pun). If, like me, you are a sucker for complicated family stories, you will love this book! I just truly loved learning more about Tyler's origins and how he was brought up and how everyone related with each other.


I am going to repeat what I said in my When I Was Joe review, but I love how real this book felt. It is very British in the cultural aspects of the story but also brings forward universal themes on youth and violence. My terribly formulated opinion won't give the book justice so go read it to see what I mean! :) I love how brilliant the more serious themes are interwoven in a very thriller-y (and romance-y!) plot. You really do feel as if this is a real story and where we are following real people in today's United Kingdom. The setting is not only set in today's world but also related to very cultural and generational aspects of today's life. It gives a new meaning to young adult "contemporary novel". 


As I said in my review of When I Was Joe, I *love* the title and how it is so important to the story. The sentence in which the title is written has become very important to me while reading and it made me think about the meaning of truth and how this meaning changes depending on who you are talking to. I don't know how and at which stage it was chosen but I simply love the title (for both books)!




I would advise everyone to read this book, but I cannot fathom why anyone *wouldn't* read it after reading the brilliant When I Was Joe. Books like this are the very reason why I read. There can't be any other words describing how utterly essential they are for me as a reader and as a person. I love learning things in books and I love it even more when they challenge my convinctions and make me think. 


Fascinating characters, gripping plot and brilliant story-telling.... what else do you need in a book?* Now go read this book!




* To the bunch of girls who actually answered by "nice abs in a male character and all scenes shirtless", it was rhetorical question and we don't need anymore of *that* in books! :D

You can follow Keren on her blog and on Twitter: @kerensd

Thanks to Lynsey from UK Book Tours and Narratively Speaking for sending me the book!