I WANT THIS BOOK!

This is a vibrant, deeply romantic and unmissable debut. Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to centre stage of her own life - and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, with a nearly magical grin. One boy takes Lennie out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But the two can't collide without Lennie's world exploding...
(From Waterstones.com)


    This looks like such a good book. I know if you did read the first page on the preview, some people out there would be like 'Oh dear god. Teenagers shouldn't be reading that.' 
However, I still want to read this. 
I was in Selfridges today looking at the teen books while my mum was in the loo and I saw it, even though I've seen it before and thought instantly 'That looks so good. I want to read it.' 
And to add to my wanting, I picked it up. It's made so it looks like a journal or a diary, not like an actual normal book. So...I've decided. When I have some cash to buy it, I will. Or if I see it in the library. Actually let's face it. I never buy books. I borrow them. ha :)
     So...Watch this space :)


Look at it on Waterstones :)

What I Saw and How I Lied - Judy Blundell

I've seen this book loads of times in those books with books teenagers 'should' be reading and in Waterstones and that. But for some reason, even though it looked and sounded good, I never wanted to read it until, like normal, I saw it in my library and went for it. And I'm glad I did.

First Sentence: The match snapped, then sizzled, and I woke up fast.


It's the end of summer 1947, 3 years after the Second World War has ended. Evie's Stepfather is finally home and Evie is tired of being her mother's little girl at the age of 15. When they decide to go to Florida, a mysterious, handsome, ex-GI stranger turns up (Peter), having served with her step-father. Evie realizes she is falling in love with him who has a strange control over her parents. When a sudden tragedy (And it's a pretty big one), Evie has to choose between her family and the man she loves; she had to betray someone, just who?
     I was reading this over the weekend when I went to Hungary and even though I was sightseeing and eating, I just HAD to make time to read this. There are so many things that when you first read them, don't mean anything but at the end, it all makes sense. Me myself, had many weird looks from my parents when I said aloud 'Ohhh that makes sense now.' or 'That's clever.' It is written so well, that you just have to keep reading because you want to know more. And also, it's set in two of my favourite places: New York and Florida :)
It starts, kind of at the end and then goes back. The way it's written, is like Evie is telling you the story in person which I really liked. I also loved Evie as the heroine and I can see why she would fall in love with someone like Peter. It's also a lovely coming-of-age story and as said by Sunday Times, 'Memorable and compelling...a book to grown up with' That is so true.

I give it 3.5 out of 5

Author's Website: www.judyblundell.com/index.html

13 Little Blue Envelopes - Maureen Johnson

So...I was reading a bit more of Rosie Rushton but I don't know...I got bored with her and really wanted to read this one that I'd heard about. And I glad I did.

First Sentence: As a rule, Ginny Blackstone tried to go unnoticed - something that was more or less impossible with thirty pounds (she'd weighed it) of purple-and-green backpack hanging from her back. 

The story is about Ginny who receives mysteriously thirteen little blue envelopes from her free-spirited artist aunt...whose dead. In the first envelope there is money and instructions to go to England from her home in New York City. In the second one, there are directions to a specific London Flat. And because of the third one, she meets a playwright, Keith Dobson who go to Scotland that leads to a journey around Europe that have disastrous - and romantic- results. Everything will change for Ginny that summer just because of thirteen little blue envelopes....

I really liked this. Basically. There was a few boring bits and a few times where I didn't understand what was happening or like it felt like a bit was missing. Like she would be doing something and I'm thinking 'Hang on, when did this happen?'
It was also funny however and had really good characters like Richard, Ginny and Keith that you kind of have to love. It's nice how she goes around all the different countries to find something, feeling like a normal tourist when really she isn't. The book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, but that's because there's a sequel which I'm looking forward to getting my hands on!
There are loads of surprises. You start with not knowing much and by the end, you know pretty much everything about Ginny's life. Read it. I would definitely recommend it to anyone.

The sequel, The Last Little Blue Envelope, is due out in Spring 2011.
Author's Website: www.maureenjohnsonbooks.com/index1.html

100+ Reading Challenge

I found this when I was looking on other Book Blogs and thought 'Whoa. The amount of books I must read. This is probably the perfect thing and I know what books I read in January before the book blog started. So...I went for it. :)
        The goal is to read 100 or more books in a year starting from January 1st through to December 31st 2010. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate. All you have to do it go to J-Kaye's Book Blog and sign up for it. 
The 100 books can be: Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, Young Adult, Library books, Novellas, Young Reader, Non-fiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased, the book counts.


I don't think I'm going to be able to do this, so I'm going for...75 books or more. :) (Okay, now 43)


Here are mine so far:
1. The Luxe by Anna Godberson
2. Rumours by Anna Godberson
3. Envy by Anna Godberson
4. Along For the Ride by Sarah Dessen
5. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
6. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
7. Splendor by Anna Godberson
8. Lady Grace Mysteries: Loot
9. The Ask and The Answer by Patrick Ness
10. Drawing With Light by Julia Green
11. The Silver Blade by Sally Gardner
12. Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin
13. Everything Beautiful by Simone Howell
14. Shadow Web by N.M.Browne
15. Me and Mr Darcy by Alexandra Potter
16. Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness
17. Lifted by Hilary Freeman
18. Love, Lies and Lizzie by Rosie Rushton
19. Fallen Grace by Mary Hooper
20. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
21. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
22. This Summer by Sarah Dessen
23. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
24.  What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell
25. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
26. By Royal Command by Mary Hooper
27. The Secret Countess by Eva Ibbotson 
28. Outside Beauty by Cynthia Kadohata
29. Auslander by Paul Dowswell
30. The Other Countess by Eve Edwards
31. The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
32. The Declaration by Gemma Malley
33. The Resistance by Gemma Malley
34. Infinity by Sarah Dessen
35. Diving In by Kate Cann
36. The Betrayal by Mary Hooper
37. Star-Crossed by Rachael Wing
38. The Lady In The Tower by Marie-Louise Jensen
39. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
40. Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher
41. Pretty Things by Sarra Manning
42. Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur
43. A Song for Summer - Eva Ibbotson


(Yeaaah at the beginning of the year, I have a bit of an Anna Godberson and Sarah Dessen spree :S )

Pictures from Losing It :)

Here are pictures of my books that got signed at the Losing It book launch. If you don't know what I'm talking about, look at the post in July named 'Losing It book launch with Patrick Ness, Mary Hooper and Sophie McKenzie.' Or something like that. Enjoy :) 

The 'Losing it' Book signed by all of them. :)

The Remarkable Lifes and Times of Eliza Rose.
An amazing Book and very...worn from my
many times of reading it. 

'For Rebecca, Excellent to meet you in person! Patrick.'

Fallen Grace - Mary Hooper

Again, I was wandering through my local library looking for a book. Mary Hooper, who basically got me into teen fiction, especially historical once someone brought me my favourite book of hers, The Remarkable Life and Times of Eliza Rose. Which I fell in love with (and got signed!). So I knew that she had a new book out and seen it in the shops but was going to wait till it went on paperback. But I saw this on the shelf and picked it up :)

First Sentence: Grace, holding on tightly to her precious burden, found the station entrance without much difficulty.

It's set in London 1861. Grace Parkes, a fifteen year old girl, clutches a bundle with travelling on the train from Waterloo to Brookwood Cemetery to carry out a heart breaking duty. Every day afterwards, Grace and her simple minded older sister, Lily who acts like her younger have to find some way to survive But there is another danger linked to their pasts, long forgotten and a selfish, money loving undertaker family, the Unwins have caught the eye of Grace and will stop at nothing to claim what is rightfully Grace and Lily's...

I maybe slightly bias as I really like Mary Hooper's novels but from the comments I've seen on her Facebook page, lots of people love this book. Grace is a great character and you start to feel really sorry for her. Mary Hooper has also made it more true to by adding in some tragic events that would have happened that year if Grace was a real. She's shown what life would have been like if you were poor in London in Victorian times.  Once you start reading, you see that there is more to the plot than is made out but then, it's not to ruin it. There are so many twists and turns right down to the last page that make me sitting there, my mouth open in shock. If you read it, you'll know what I mean. I must admit though that I'd love to work at the Unwin's Mourning clothes shops on Oxford Street. Sounds a nice place to work to me. Though that maybe my love for fashion.
Anyway, I would recommend this book anyday. It is such a good book for anyone that likes a bit of everything and enjoys historical novels.

 To see the Fallen Grace trailer, click the bold bit :)
Author's Website: www.maryhooper.co.uk 

Losing It book launch with Patrick Ness, Mary Hooper and Sophie McKenzie

So, last night....I was on Cloud 9. Basically. As anyone that actually reads this knows or has seen, I was going to the Losing It book launch in London last night to see Patrick Ness (Chaos Walking Series), Mary Hooper (Newes from the Dead), Sophie McKenzie (Girl, Missing), Bali Rai and Keith Gray. Losing It is about well...losing your virginity. Not my favourite topic but I didn't know that when I booked the tickets, did I?
   They had a discussion about the book and the things in it which was well....disturbing for four teenagers at the back,  in the age range they're talking about. I must admit that most of them got it wrong on what teenagers think.

76% of all teenagers want more sex education classes. NO WE DON'T!
I think some people won't like this being out there. Believe me, I've read much worst books than that. Some that didn't even mention the word 'Sex' in their blurb.
I think Patrick Ness, personally, got it most right about teenagers but by the looks of it, he was the youngest out of the writers...I think.

Anyway, the reason I was on Cloud 9 was that I got my copy of Monsters of Men signed by Patrick Ness who was really nice. But not only that. I'd posted a comment on his website saying I loved his books and that I was going to the launch of Losing It and when I said my name to him, he asked "Were you the Rebecca that posted a message on my website?"
So I'm standing there, smiling like the Cheshire Cat. And like normal Rebecca-style, started explaining myself. But it was the fact that he remembered my name that made me think that he really must like his fans if he would go through more than 900 comments one by one and read them. And remember them. Which is good. Very Good, in my opinion.
And I had a conversation with Mary Hooper who basically got me into Teenage novels when I was 11. I had looked at the Teen section at my library but was scared what might be in them. But then, I read The Remarkable Life and Times of Eliza Rose  by Mary Hooper and got into them...before the recommended age of 14. Whoops. So, in short,  I would say worship her but then I'd sound like a stalker. So, I love her :)

So I had the best evening.

The 'Losing It' book trailer. That was well made actually.

Mary Hooper, Patrick Ness, Sophie McKenzie. :)

Love, Lies and Lizzie - Rosie Rushton

Well...normal story. I was in the library, saw this and was like 'Ooooo Pride and Prejudice re-make!', whipped out my library card and rushed towards to the desk in a hurry, getting it and rushing into the sunset, happy. Well, yes, not quite but you get the picture...if anyone is reading this apart from myself.

First Sentence:  "So you dumped him? Just like that? In the middle of the school trip? ARE YOU CRAZY?"

The story follows 'Lizzie' Bennet and her family of Jane, Meredith (whose that in P&P?), Lydia, Katie (??) and Mr and Mrs Bennet who of course meet the Bingleys and Mr Pompous Darcy who is named James (But middle name is Fitzwilliam who anyone that cares) and if you know the story of Pride and Prejudice then, it is that but in a modern version with mobiles, boys, gap years and singing. Suddenly, Elizabeth is amazing at singing and wants to do Music therapy.

Well, when I first started reading it, I was thinking 'God, Jane Austen would be turning in her grave' and at the beginning, the word 'muttered' is repeated a number of times on the same page. Not the only word you could use, Rushton.
Anyway, I actually really enjoyed this book in the end. It was just a nice and modern way to get to grips with Austen and the fact that Rosie Rushton has written other successful novels like this of the other Austen novels, I am actually going to go looking for them. It's very witty and I found myself smiling many a time.
So....it is a truth universally acknowledged that you shouldn't judge a book by the first couple of pages and I shall read more of her books in the future...

Author's Website: www.rosierushton.com/

Lifted - Hilary Freeman

I found this in the corner of my library, on the 'New Books' display hidden behind some boy book. I'd just finish Monsters of Men and thought even though I have a whole library in my room of books, I didn't have a book that I owned that I wanted to read. Weird, I know. So I popped down there on my day off and got this...interesting book.

First Sentence: This is a blog about shoplifting. And as it is my very first blog, the only thing I’ve ever written in the whole of the
blogosphere, I’m going to come straight to the point:
Yesterday, I stole something.

Ruby is a compulsive shoplifter; she only steals when she feels sad or anger or just wants to. But she's a shoplifter with a difference. She steals expensive clothes and gives them to charity shops - and then blogs about it on her Robyn Hood blog (I didn't get it at first but it soon clicked when they mentioned it). Soon she's a celebrity and everyone is talking about who she is. Only one person knows her identity and he's sworn to secrecy. Will she get caught? And will people find out her true identity?

Well, to be honest, we never know. You'll see why if you read the ending but it's left on one of those supposed to be cliffhangers that is supposed to have you sitting there thinking 'Oh my god. What's going to happen next?' when really you can just guess and they hint it badly as well. It's an okay book. There are some good parts but if it had been longer than 214 pages, I would have got bored. So....it's an okay book. Could be better but it was just...written weirdly. I've never read any other of her books but I think one of them won an award. Let's hope it was better than this one :)

Author's Website: www.hilaryfreeman.com/Hilary_Freemans_website/Welcome.html

Monsters Of Men - Patrick Ness

Just as a warning...Monsters Of Men is the third book in the Chaos Walking series so there may be spoilers in this if you cared....




OH MY GOD. If you have actually wade yourself through the older posts, you would know that I, like others, am a HUGE fan of the Chaos Walking series and of Patrick Ness in general. I loved the two books before, The Knife of Never Letting Go and The Ask and The Answer. 
Those were amazing books...this is even more amazing....

First Sentence: "War," says Mayor Prentiss, his eyes glinting. "At last."

Todd and Viola are in New Prentisstown where the Spackle, the army,  the new settlers and the Answer have arrived all at the same time for battle and the only one who can save it is the Mayor....unfortunately. This book is about what happens in the end and how and most important if a) the war finally ends and b) WILL VIOLA AND TODD FINALLY KISS!
I have been waiting 2 long thick books for this....they better.

The book for me has everything a book could want. Love, Romance, War, Violence, Fantasy....it's just a great book. Everyone that's read it has said. It finally draws up conclusions to the mysteries that have been around since book 1 and we finally find out what was said in Todd's Ma's book. Well...it is obvious!
And the ending....was absolutely amazing. Such a good ending.
AND...if that isn't enough...guess what? I'm meeting Patrick Ness! I was on his website looking at something and saw that he was doing a book signing at Foyles, Charing Cross next Thursday and got places for me and 3 of my friends!
There will be, for anyone interested, him, Mary Hooper (!!!!), Anne Fine, Melvin Burgess, Bali Ali, Jenny Valentine and probably other people....I AM SO EXCITED!

Here is also a Monsters of Men trailer which I thought was really good. Enjoy.
Author's Website: www.patrickness.com/