Month in Review(s) - May 2016

And so another month is well on its way to faffing off into the sunset.

I actually haven't reviewed any graphic novels this month (I know - who am, and what have I done with Cee?)

I'm probably making up for last month, which had graphic novels falling from the ever-loving rafters.

I've been on a bit of a contemporary YA binge lately - which led to me reviewing 3 contemporary YA titles this month.

'The Art of Being Normal' was beautiful, 'One' was unique, and 'Boy Meets Boy' was your favourite rom-com in book form.






My stand-out book this month, though? 'Swan Boy.' Wow. Just wow.





Kids




Swan Boy by Nikki Sheehan - Contemporary, Magic Realism








Young Adult

The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson - Contemporary, LGBTQ+
One by Sarah Crossan - Contemporary, Poetry* (*novel in verse)
Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan - Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance (M/M)









Adult




alt. sherlock. holmes - Anthology, Novellas/Short Stories, Crime, Contemporary*, Historical Fiction*, LGBTQ+* M/M* (*one or more stories.)







Non-fiction




Reasons To Stay Alive by Matt Haig

Review Time! - Swan Boy by Nikki Sheehan

Title: Swan Boy

Author: Nikki Sheehan

Genre: Kids, Contemporary, Magic Realism

Amazon: UK - USA

A few starting notes:

I received a free review copy of this book from the publisher, Rock the Boat, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was offered an ARC of Swan Boy by the publishers (who are pretty nice people, all in all, but I'm not going to let that affect my review.)

It sounded interesting, so I decided to take them up on the offer.

uifhngionriondfkgnrnhtlg - I AM SO GLAD I AGREED TO READ AND REVIEW THIS BOOK!

Premise:

Johnny's dealing with a lot right now: new house, new school, looking after little brother Mojo, and trying to get over the death of his father.

So what Johnny doesn't need is a bully to contend with.

He also doesn't need all this stuff with swans to deal with right now.

But... swans... there's something about them... more specifically, there's something about them and Johnny. Together.

Things are going to get interesting.

Best bits:

OH MY GOD THIS BOOK!

Where do I start? Where do I even start?

Basically, I loved this book. It is excellent. The characters were fantastic and the plot was interesting (as well as pretty bizarre in places - and I like me some bizarre-ness.)

Little Mojo, Johnny's brother, damn near broke my heart at various points.

Somehow, Sheehan perfectly shows us this hurt and confused little boy, in the heart-wrenching way of a 5-year-old who's lost his father.

The magical aspects are beautiful. The weaving into the story of the swans and the music and the dancing worked so well.

But the main strength of this book? The writing.

Sheehan's writing is beautiful. Worthy of comparison to The Book Thief (UK - US,) in its lyricality, its beauty, and the strength of its sparse prose.

If you read this blog a lot you may have noticed me mention sparse prose.

If you don't have a clue what I'm on about, let me explain: some writers are capable of using the words they don't say without over-burdening the words that they do.

Simple sentences that carry the world in the white spaces. That's what I mean by 'sparse prose.'

Not many people can carry it off: Markus Zusak does it, Joe Hill does it, and, weirdly, James Franco does it (although in verse not prose.)

Turns out, Nikki Sheehan can do it too.

Not so great bits:

Bad points about this book...

Umm...

Well, there are some issues which could upset people: bullying, isolation, bereavement, and a dash of violence.

The swan poo bit on the first page kind of grossed me out.

Some people may disagree with the way Johnny deals with the bullying, I suppose.

Other than that? I honestly can't think of anything else. I actually wish that I could so that I could pad this section out a bit more...

Verdict:

READ THE BOOK.

(Really, what else is there to say? It was that good.)

It's probably appropriate for ages 11+

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Author's Site

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• Review Time! (Yay!) - After Tomorrow by Gillian Cross

Month in Review(s) - April 2016

Lots more reviews this month! Especially of graphic novels.

There've been some truly rocking graphic novels out this month - my faves are probably Blood Stain and I Hate Fairyland.

Check out all the lovely reviews! :)

Kids

Eliza Rose by Lucy Worsley - historical fiction



New Adult

Growing Up by Tricia Sol - contemporary, LGBTQ+, short stories, romance (m/m)



Adult

Play Hard by J T Fox - LGBTQ+, romance (m/m,) short stories, contemporary
Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult - contemporary, crime*, witches*, magic realism* (*ish)



Graphic Novels

Golem by Lorenzo Coccetti - dystopian, sci-fi, manga
Paper Girls, Vol 1 by Brian K Vaughan - sci-fi
Blood Stain, Vol 1 by Linda Šejić
Echoes by Joshua Hale Fialkov - horror, crime
I Hate Fairyland, Vol 1: Madly Ever After by Skottie Young - fantasy, fairies/fae, humour

Review Time! - Eliza Rose by Lucy Worsley

Title: Eliza Rose

Author: Lucy Worsley

Genre: Kids, Historical Fiction

Release Date: 7 April 2016

Amazon: UK - USA

A few starting notes:

I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publishers, Bloomsbury Children's/Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, via NetGalley. NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair and honest reviews.

A children's book, written by uber-awesome presenter and historian, Lucy Worsley?

I heard about it and I was there! I was metaphorically standing at the front with a banner reading 'I heart Lucy,' and jumping up and down, squealing.

So, we have a Tudor-set book, written by one of the most passionate and engaging historians on TV. Bring it on.

Premise:

Eliza Rose Camperdowne is her father's only child. It's up to her then, to save her family's fortunes.

But the world of Henry VIII's court is not all Eliza had hoped it would be, and she is forced to walk the tightrope of court life, sticking close to her cousin, an ambitious girl named Katherine Howard...

Best bits:

You know what's awesome? When authors know their stuff. And Lucy Worsley knows her stuff. With bells on.

She's able to create a sound Tudor setting without sticking your face in all the detail 'til you're sick to death of it. And she clearly loves history, loves writing in the setting, loves the period.

Worsley's passion is the life-and-soul of this book, complimented by the lovely silhouette-style illustrations at the beginning of each chapter. Sometimes the little things bring a smile to your face ;)

What I also liked is that she doesn't write-down to kids - there's no condescension here, just the story Worsley came to tell.

Also missing is insta-love (thank God!) Instead we have slow-burn and icky-sticky missteps. More realistic, and far more interesting in my view of things.

Not so great bits:

This isn't a quick read - the chapters are bite-sized, but I tended to take breaks between them to allow my whirring brain to take things in a bit; there's a lot going on here!

And it's not one for very young readers, for sure, but ages 12-13+ (dependent on the maturity levels of the kids involved,) should be able to cope with the violence and facts-of-life/sex references.

Not all parents will be happy with the honest approach Worsley employs. There are references which the prudish will not want little Jimmy or Jenny to read.

I personally would also have loved just a chapter or two more at the end to round things off.

But that's me - I just would've liked to bask in the ending a bit more!

Verdict:

This is a great book.

This book is perfect for any fan of Tudor-period drama, and any fan of historical intrigue told through the eyes of an ordinary girl in an extraordinary situation.

I think you'll enjoy this, I did!

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA - Goodreads – Author's Site

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The Month In Review(s) - March 2016

Ahhh, spring and March and books and reviews :)

Check out all the books I've reviewed this month:

Kids

Midnight by Jacqueline Wilson - contemporary, chick lit
After Tomorrow by Gillian Cross - dystopian

Young Adult

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell - fantasy, paranormal, LGBTQ+ (M/M)

Adult

Mr Mercedes by Stephen King - crime, thriller
Orlando by Virginia Woolf - classics, historical fiction, LGBT*Q+
The True and Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters by Michelle Lovric - historical fiction
The Zoo Father by Pascale Petit - poetry

Graphic Novels

Adulthood is a Myth: A Sarah's Scribbles Collection by Sarah Andersen - humour
The Beauty, Volume 1 - dystopian, horror, sci-fi

Non-fiction

Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates

Review Time! (Yay!) - After Tomorrow by Gillian Cross

Title: After Tomorrow

Author: Gillian Cross

Genre: Kids, Dystopian

Amazon: UK - USA

A few starting notes:

I wanted to read this because the premise seemed so relevant at the moment given the mass migration problems, and the amount of refugees coming into Europe right now.

I thought it would be interesting to see how the topic was handled - particularly in a kids' book - and I can remember reading a few Gillian Cross books when I was a kid, and finding them different to a lot of other stuff that's out there.

She's usually not afraid to look at things from a different angle - and we all need that every now and then.

Premise:

Matthew and his little brother, Taco, make the dangerous journey across the channel to France, and a life away from the starvation and violent raids of the UK.

France, though? Not quite the new start they were hoping for.

Instead, they have the camp of Les Mondieux (or Lemon Dough, as it's known by the Brits,) and a whole new set of challenges to face.

Best bits:

The worrying thing about this book is that it's the location (leaving the UK,) that makes it dystopia: otherwise it would be contemporary.

This sort of thing is happening - right now, in Calais, people are living in The Jungle migrant camp, and hoping to find passage to the UK. People who, through no fault of their own, have had to leave their homes and everything they've ever known.

So the fantastic thing about this book is that we get to see the proverbial shoe on the other foot - these are British kids making the same desperate journey that thousands of kids are trying to make every single day.

This book is a great way of re-packaging a problem which no-one seems to want to own - making it more relatable and (hopefully) fostering more empathy and understanding.

I also appreciated that the parents didn't just sit there and do nothing - although they did have moments of uselessness, it was all pretty understandable within context. It's refreshing to see any kids book which allows parents to be parents and do their best for their kids.

Not so great bits:

Matthew - the character whose point of view we follow - is quite a blank character.

In some ways, this is good, because it allows the reader to react more naturally to the situations Matt finds himself in, and to imagine themselves and their own feelings in that situation. But I personally would've liked just a touch more depth to the character.

The plot was perhaps a little slow in places - but not really to any hugely noticeable degree.

I also found the dénouement (check me out with my fancy words! :P ) a bit less dramatic than I was expecting given the uber-dramatic build-up. 

Verdict:

A thought-provoking book shining light on a subject that needs to be talked about, in a way which is accessible to kids and adults alike.

It's probably suitable for kids around the age of 10+.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Author's Site

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Review Time! - Midnight by Jacqueline Wilson

Title: Midnight

Author: Jacqueline Wilson

Genre: Kids, Contemporary, Chick Lit

Amazon: UK - USA

A few starting notes:

I decided to give this a shot because I usually enjoy Jacqueline Wilson books, and it seemed pretty interesting.

It was fairly short, so a nice book to slot in in between others.

Premise:

Violet is a slightly awkward and lonely 13-year-old. She loves books and the gothic fairies drawn by her favourite author, Casper Dream.

She also loves her brother, Will, but things have been weird ever since they found out Will is adopted. And sometimes Will likes to play games that are... a bit horrible.

Now there's a new girl at school, Jasmine. Could this finally be a true friend for Violet?

Best bits:

This is a fab book. I really loved it (I know its a kids book, and I don't care!)

I think Violet was a great character - to be honest, I saw a lot of myself in her (I was a really weird child.)

And Wilson makes you really feel for her (my God guys, the feels in this book!) It feels so realistic - the simple hurts that mean so much are so beautifully weaved in, complete with layers of complexity.

Will, likewise, has a complexity that I love finding in any book - and is all too rare sometimes in kids' books. Will is also a bit like a mini-Loki, if Loki were a teenager, and human, and his father was a policeman, instead of a God.

I loved the gothic elements and the fairies - just fab.

I also liked the slightly sinister edge there was in this book in places - to Will's games, to their father's treatment of both his children and his wife, and to the idea of changelings and all that came with it.

It came off really well, and didn't overwhelm, just giving that small edge of unease that makes you want to read more.

Not so great bits:

Honestly (and I'm always honest on this blog dammit!) I'm finding it really difficult to come up with any minus points for this book -

Maybe it was a little short, and some parts could've been expanded. And perhaps one or two plot-instances were just slightly convenient.

Some parts may be a little distressing, particularly to young readers.

Other than that... I can't really think of anything. It was that good.

Verdict:

This was just an amazing book. Truly great - I really loved it.

Perhaps a little much for very young readers, but most kids aged 11 and up will be fine.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Author's Site

Liked this post? Try these:

• Review (Yay!) - Hetty Feather by Jacqueline Wilson
• Mini-Review! - Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

St David's Day - My Top 5 Roald Dahl Books

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant Hapus! (Happy St David's Day!)


I figured that now was the perfect opportunity to celebrate one of Wales' most beloved writers, Roald Dahl.

Born and raised in Cardiff (our capital city,) to a Norwegian family, Roald Dahl would become one of the most loved children's authors of all time. And this September sees the centenary of his birth (in 1916.)


These, then, are my 5 favourite Roald Dahl books:



Matilda (UK - US)

I was a weird and bookish child: obviously then, I adored Matilda - and read it over and over (and over.) It's a fab story aside from the bookish-ness (although that's my favourite part,) and I always adored the sub-plots of Matilda's vengeance on her horrible family.

This is definitely my favourite Roald Dahl book :)




George's Marvellous Medicine (UK - US)

Everyone likes lists, because clearly we're all creatures of habit/neuroses at heart. So the main charm of this book to me, growing up (and still if I'm going to be honest about it,) was the listing of all the weird and wonderful things that George puts into his medicine to punish his horrible grandmother.

Horrible family members seem to be a theme in Roald Dahl books - just don't try any of this stuff at home!





Esio Trot (UK - US)

This one is a really sweet story about love, magic (sort of,) and tortoises. Of the same sort of length as George's Marvellous Medicine, but with far less bitterness.




The BFG (UK - US)

The story of a runty giant who likes to collect dreams, and his new friend, an orphan girl named Sophie.

This is a great book - full of iconic moments and scenes. And you have to love the BFG - he's just so sweet! And he has gigantic ears that you can sit in! What could be better?




Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator (UK - US)

The sequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this is one that I really need to re-read because I don't remember an awful lot of it. What I do remember though is how utterly random it is - even for a Roald Dahl book.

And that is probably the reason why a) not many people have read it, and b) I remember it so fondly (I'm a fairly random person myself  >.< )





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The Month in Review(s) - February 2016

Ah, February - a month of storms and Valentine's cards. And books of course.

 

Check out all my reviews from this month...

 



Kids

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (aka just 'The Lightning Thief') by Rick Riordan - Fantasy, Mythology

Adult

Today Means Amen by Sierra DeMulder - Poetry
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - Classics, Romance
The Trouble With Wolves (aka 'The Trouble With Weres') by Leigh Evans - Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Werewolves, Fairies/Fae
Omega Beloved by Aiden Bates - Romance (m/m,) Paranormal, Fantasy, Werewolves, LGBTQ+, Short Story

Graphic Novels

Grumpy Cat Volume 1 - Kids, Humour, Media Tie-In
Red Sonja/Conan: The Blood of a God - Fantasy, High Fantasy 

Popcorn Reviews (Film)

Seventh Son (2014)

Mini-Review! - Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

Title: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (also published as just 'The Lightning Thief.')

Author: Rick Riordan

Genre: Kids, Fantasy, Mythology

Series: Percy Jackson (aka Percy Jackson and the Olympians) #1

Amazon: UK - USA

Verdict:

I really enjoyed this - though perhaps not to epic fangirling levels, like most people seem to.

It was fun though, as well as interesting and entertaining. I loved the random chapter titles.

The ebook I borrowed from the library was clearly aimed at a British market because it took Americanisms like 'mom' and 'chips' and anglicised them to things like 'mum' and 'crisps.' Unfortunately, this came across as just strange - particularly as it wasn't consistent throughout. 

I really did enjoy it though - and will probably read more of the series in future.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Author's Site

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Review (Graphic Novel Edition!) - Grumpy Cat Volume 1

Title: Grumpy Cat Volume 1.

Author: Ben McCool, Royal McGraw, Elliott Serrano, Ben Fisher.

Contributors: Steve Uy, Ken Haeser, Tavis Maiden, Agnes Garbowska.

Genre: Graphic Novels, Kids, Humour, Media Tie-In.

Series: The Misadventures of Grumpy Cat and Pokey! (#1-3.)

Release Date: 16 Feb 2016.

Amazon: UK - USA

A few starting notes:

I received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley. NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair and honest reviews.

It's Grumpy Cat! When I had the opportunity to review this, I just had to. I love kitties, and I love Grumpy Cat with her cute little face.

This is a comic compilation of The Misadventures of Grumpy Cat and Pokey (#1-3) which have several stories in each issue.

Premise:

Grumpy Cat just wants the chance to sleep, eat, and scratch things. Pokey and the dog insist she do something else with her day!

Best bits:

The artwork here is really cute - and the stories are the correct blend of cute, sarcastic, and funny.

The characterisation reminds me a lot of Garfield - which is by no means a bad thing, far from it.

I also love that the dog just wanders around saying, 'Good Dog!'

Not so great bits:

Some of the stories were just a little forced - no more so than many other kid-friendly comics, but I noticed it in one or two.

It probably goes without saying, but if you don't like Grumpy Cat, this isn't the book for you.

Verdict:

A cute and fun compendium that made me smile more than once and is suitable for kids. I love Grumpy.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads

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The Month in Review(s) - January 2016

From now on I'm going to provide a brief 'Month in Review(s)' post.

This is literally a re-cap of all the reviews that I've written this month, collated in one post.

So now you can take a shufty at the books (and the odd film) that I've reviewed in the month, and catch up on any you may have missed.

Enjoy! :)

Kids

Hetty Feather by Jacqueline Wilson - Historical Fiction

Young Adult

Dark Hope by Monica McGurk -  Angels, Paranormal.
The Invisibles by Francis Gideon - Romance (M/M), LGBTQ+.



Adult

Dead Ice by Laurell K Hamilton - Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Zombies, Vampires, Crime, LGBTQIAP+
Poetry From the Lady of the Pier by Effrosyni Moschoudi - Poetry, Short Stories, Chick Lit

Graphic Novels

STARVE Vol 1 - dystopian

Non-fiction

Death, Disability, and the Superhero: The Silver Age and Beyond by Jose Alaniz

Popcorn Reviews (Film)

Batman (1989)
Constantine (2005)


I'll do a Charity Reading Challenge 2016 update when I've actually read something towards it. (Note to self: remember to read stuff for that challenge.)

Review (Yay!) - Hetty Feather by Jacqueline Wilson

Title: Hetty Feather.

Author: Jacqueline Wilson.

Genre: Kids, Historical Fiction.

Series: Hetty Feather (#1).

Amazon: UK - USA.

A few starting notes:

Any British female (and hopefully quite a few males,) under 30 will have heard of Jacqueline Wilson. The vast majority will have read at least one of her many, many, books.

Hetty Feather is probably suitable for kids aged 10 or 11 and up. It's also more than suitable for teens and adults - good books don't require limits.

Premise:

Hetty Feather is a Victorian foundling. Her little life is not meant to be anything grand - but Hetty, a bright girl with a skill for 'picturing' - is not overly-keen to resign herself to her lot.

Best bits:

Hetty is a great character - part Matilda and part Jane Eyre, with a dash of Oliver Twist for luck. She's a fantastic little fire-brand, and the first-person narrative creates a lot of empathy with her.

Her relationship with an early foster family, particularly foster brother Jem, provides a real heart (and real heart-break) for the book - as does the slow dissolve of many of her childhood dreams. It's not over-done, leaves some room for hope, and is really quite beautiful.

The writing is mature enough to please adults, but not too complex for a kid to understand. The prose is pretty damn good.

Not so great bits:

There are things that may be upsetting to some here, the book doesn't shy away from the realities of the time: physical punishment, child death, poverty, and the implication of attempted child abduction. It's all handled pretty well, but younger readers in particular may find some parts distressing.

I personally didn't like the infancy parts - I know Hetty's supposed to be quite fanciful, but the first-person accounts of being a baby are just a little too unbelievable in my opinion.

Verdict:

I really enjoyed this book - I think it's excellent. Fans of Jane Eyre or Matilda will love it, and I think adults will be captivated (I know I was!)

Honestly, this was a fab book, highly entertaining, and certainly worthy of praise.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Author's Site

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