Hello everybody!
Today, I’m really excited to be taking part in the #YAPlaylist tour, which was organised by the wonderful Nina Douglasto celebrate Alice Oseman’s new book I Was Born For This. First, Alice will be sharing some insight into a song on her playlist for the Book, and then I’ll be talking about a song from a fandom I love. Onto the post!
Continue reading “#IWasBornForThis Blog Tour: #YAPlaylist with Alice Oseman”
Hello everybody!
Today, I’m super excited to be on the blog tour for Katy Cannons new book How to Write a Love Story, which I really enjoyed, as you’ll know already if you read my latest monthly reviews post a few days ago! Onto Katy’s post, all about her top 5 romance books!
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I love reading romance every bit as much as I love writing it. Narrowing down my favourites to just five is almost impossible, but here a few titles that always pop into my head when someone says ‘romance’.
1. Pride and Prejudice: Jane Austen was one of the first great romance writers (if you ignore the Greeks) and for my money, P&P is one of the best romances ever written. It has everything I love – a hero and heroine working towards understanding each other, a great supporting cast, and a blissfully happy ending. (Plus some fantastic one-liners!) That’s why it actually features in How To Write A Love Story at quite a pivotal moment!
2. Fangirl: Rainbow Rowell has that uncanny ability to make me feel eighteen again, exactly as it felt the first time around. I loved this book so much, mostly because I felt like I might have lived it, rather than just read it.
3. In The Hand of the Goddess: Tamora Pierce is famous for her fantasy YA novels, of which this is one of the best. I couldn’t begin to claim that romance is the main focus of this book, but there’s definitely enough romantic scenes for me to count it! More importantly, this was the first book I read as a teenager where I realized that however great the plot, what interested me most in books was the characters, and the friendships, relationships and romances they experienced with others. (Plus I had a total book crush on Prince Jon.)
4. Saint Anything: Sarah Dessen is a writer who draws me into the worlds and families she creates, until by the last page I’m devastated to have to leave them. She also writes incredible teen romances – true and heartbreaking and hopeful. I love all her books, but I think this is my favourite.
5. Shadow of the Moon: M M Kaye wrote sweeping historical fiction with romance at its heart, set in India and Zanzibar. She also wrote fantastic short crime novels (with a romantic subplot) set in many of the countries she’d lived in or visited, set during the forties and fifties. What I love about her books is the period details and political background she includes – as well as the drama and the romance! I was hard pressed to pick a favourite, and almost went for her most famous novel, The Far Pavilions, but Captain Alex Randall from Shadow of the Moon will always hold my bookish heart.
Thank you so much for reading! What are your favourite romance books? Do you agree with any of Katy’s choices? I’d love to hear from you in the comments or on Twitter @GoldenBooksGirl!
Amy xxx
Hello everybody!
Today, I’m really excited to welcome Jo to my blog for a guest post, all about books with themes of new beginnings. Over to Jo!
Hello everybody!
Today, I’m really excited to welcome the absolutely lovely Jess Butterworth to the blog for a guest post, as part of the YA Shot Blog Tour. Onto the post!
As a child I often imagined I was on adventures in the wilderness without my parents in tow. My grandparents were avid David Attenborough fans and I used to watch wildlife documentaries with them before acting the scenes out: pretending I was climbing to the top of a rainforest; rescuing a pelican from a cliff or swimming with pink dolphins in an alpine lake. I wanted to inhabit an outside world: interacting with nature and experiencing my environment.
The literature I surrounded myself with reflected this desire and books such as Michael Morpurgo’s Kensuke’s Kingdom; The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett and Jamila Gavin’s Wheel of Surya trilogy, swept me away to faraway lands or on adventures in new settings. My other favourites included Louis Sachar’s Holes and The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford. As I got older I turned to narrative nonfiction and travel writing. All of these stories allowed me to experience being in the wilderness from the safety of my home. These are also the things I consider in my own stories: what are the places I want to spend time in when I write and the type of landscapes I want to create for my characters to interact with? I also soon realised that the stories I loved writing were ones that were fictional but grounded in real places and events.
My reading journey planted the seeds for a desire to go on my own adventures and as soon as I was old enough, I worked as much as I could and saved up for train, bus or plane tickets before setting off, armed with a notebook and a pen. And as I travelled, I noticed that my strongest story ideas developed when I was on buses or trains. There’s nothing better than being tucked into a corner of a train, knees up or legs crossed, with nothing to do but think, people watch and ponder for hours as the scenery whizzes past. In my head I’d ask questions about characters’ motivations: why are they doing this and what will they do next? Sometimes, the passing view outside or the events around me were enough to spark whole book ideas.
I’ve wondered if I find writing on public transport inspiring because in a world where we’re surrounded by the buzz of social media distractions, epic to-do lists, and long working days, it offers the freedom to think and be present without the pressure of sitting at a desk and having to come up with an idea; your only goal is to reach the destination.
But there’s also something magical in writing about a setting as you’re in it. I’ve learnt the hard way that it’s all too easy to forget the little details, the tastes, sounds and smells of a place, when you’re far away from it. Now each idea gets its own notebook filled with photos, notes, maps and clippings from its setting that almost acts as a portal back to the place, when I flick through it. This also gives me something tangible to show students during school visits.
About Jess- Having spent her childhood between the UK and India, Jess’ debut novel ‘Running On The Roof Of The World’ was inspired by the stories she heard about the Himalayas from her grandmother. She begun writing it in 2013 when she was living in the Indian Himalayas and trekked into the mountains as part of her research. You can follow her on Twitter @J_T_Butterworth.
What settings do you enjoy creating/reading about? Are you a fan of Jess’s books? I’d love to hear from you in the comments or on Twitter @GoldenBooksGirl!
Amy xxx
Hello everybody!
Today, I have a guest post from my lovely friend Louise about the books she’s chosen for me to read in 2018. We decided to swap a list of 5 for a little challenge, so you can have a look at my selections over there, and I’ll be reviewing them all as and when I read them. Over to Louise!
Evie’s Ghost – Evie thinks her life is impossibly unfair, until she travels back in time and learns about childhood in the 1800s. You’re a fan of middle grade fiction, and this book is a perfect middle grade read. It is a quick read, and the twists and turns come in the right places. I chose this because I think you will love it.
Spellslinger – One of the best YA fantasy novels of last year, and I would love your opinion because you are the same age as protagonist Kellan. I think you will love the sarcastic, witty animal companion, and Ferius Parfax may be my favourite character of all time. This may take you outside your reading comfort zone, but I hope it will start some great conversations between us.
Piglettes – I chose this for its protagonist, and because it was my feel-good book of 2017. Mireille has been bullied for too long, and she’s given up fighting back. Her school is a hotbed of teenage cruelty, and never more so than during the annual ‘Trotters’ awards. Every year the student population goes online and votes for the three ugliest girls in the school. For the first time in history, the ‘winners’ join together. They set off for a summer of travel, triumph and sausage-selling. I hope this becomes your feel-good book.
Kick – A Middle-Grade book which more people need to discover. This is the book you need to help me promote! It is amazing – you will cry buckets, but you will laugh too because Budi is a lovely character. The most important thing when discussing difficult subjects is for people to relate to others as human beings, and this is what Kick promotes. We care about Budi’s situation because we care about Budi. I can’t wait to see your review.
I Am Thunder by Muhammad Khan – Another teenage protagonist. In some ways Muzna is like you. She’s a teenager, she’s intelligent and she is exceptionally witty. I thought this book was the best representation of teenage life I’ve read for a long time, but I need a teenager to verify that! Muzna’s life is also very different from yours, and I think it might be interesting to see how a girl so like you could end up in situations which sound like something from another life. Grooming. Extremism. They sound like words from the news, but these things are happening to our neighbours, our friends and the people we pass on the street. There is a lot for us to talk about and I can’t wait to hear what you think.
Thank you so much for reading! Have you ever done a challenge like this? What backlist type books would you like everyone to read in 2018? Tell me in the comments or on Twitter @GoldenBooksGirl!
Amy xxx
Hello everybody!
Today, I have a guest post from Jo Simmons all about funny books as part of her blog tour for her own VERY funny book which I really enjoyed (and will be reviewing in my January Reviews!)
I’m not often sure what I think about anything. Age has not brought wisdom, just a sense of bafflement and a love of early bed times. But I do know what I think about funny fiction for kids – I think it’s a really, really good thing.
Not all kids are hardwired to read, but most kids are hardwired to laugh. They laugh so much more than adults – 300 to 400 times a day apparently, while grownups manage about 15 times. This makes children a willing audience for funny fiction. In fact, I’d argue that they positively deserve it!
I remember devouring Spike Milligan, Ogden Nash poems and PG Wodehouse as I went into my teenage years. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy dazzled with its cast of curious intergalactic characters and the hilarious fictional small ads in the copies of Viz my brother passed me were just brilliant. That and the Fat Slags, of course.
Once I had my own two boys, I was impressed by their ability to laugh their way through a day and unimpressed by the unutterably dull books I sometimes found myself reading to them at bedtime. So when I sat down to write my first children’s book in 2010, I wasn’t sure what to write, but I knew anything I did write had to be funny.
Funny fiction does so much more than simply entertain. Humour can tempt even a reluctant reader to try another chapter and every time an author makes a child laugh, it’s a little victory for reading. They’re communicating the message that reading funny books is fun, therefore reading must be fun.
So it’s annoying that funny fiction sometimes gets overshadowed by those heavy books that tackle issues and win prizes, as if a witty story cannot also have meaning or relevance. Writing funny does not mean compromising on narrative ambition. A good funny story is still just that – a story – and can deliver all the truths and meaningful moments a serious tale does.
My books contain plenty of bonkers scenarios and freaky folk, but also touch on issues relevant to children: friendship problems, anxiety about change, fear of the dark, loss of a loved one and, in my latest, I Swapped My Brother on the Internet the frustration of being inferior in age and privileges to an older brother. Serious stuff, for sure, but all wrapped up in a thick coating of silliness and escapism, ghosts, merboys and doppelgangers, and some seriously grotty pants. Maybe not great art, but hopefully great fun.
You can follow Jo on Twitter @joanna_simmons and the book’s illustrator Nathan @nathanreed_illo.
Thank you so much for reading! What are your favourite funny books? Did you love this one? I’d love to hear from you down in the comments or on Twitter @GoldenBooksGirl!
Amy xxx
Hello everybody!
Today, I have a brilliant guest post from my amazing friend Aimee, all about her favourite MG books! Enjoy!
Amy xxx
Thank you so much Amy for having me on your wonderful blog. I am so excited to be sharing my favourite MG books with your readers. I’ve had a fab time writing this. So without further ado, onto the books!!
The Dream Snatcher trilogy by Abi Elphinstone
Obviously this is on my list. I’d need my head examining if I was to miss out this feisty, bold spirited trilogy. With Old Magic, the wilderness and a wild spirited heroine, this MG trilogy stole my heart when it burst onto the bookish scene back in 2015.
Winter Magic curated by Abi Elphinstone
With 11 short stories celebrating the magic of Winter, these stories are perfect for sitting by a fire with a cup of hot chocolate. I absolutely love these stories and how they add that extra magic to some of the most wonderful aspects of Winter.
Sky Song by Abi Elphinstone
Are you surprised? Really? If this didn’t make it onto my favourite MG books list then I’d have been shouting about this book for absolutely NO reason. Hope. Friendship. Courage. Loyalty. A sprinkling of love. This book really does have it all. I’ve never been on a more atmospheric adventure that literally has magic spilling out of it’s pages.
Eren by Simon Clark
A tale of a gargoyle that feeds on stories. Erm yes please. Seriously, feed me with ALL of the stories and I’d be happy too. Dark, eerie and filled with glorious story-telling, this MG book has the right dose of dark magic sprinkled amongst its pages.
The Great Chocoplot by Chris Callaghan
Imagine a world without chocolate? Nope. Neither could I until I read this book. There’s some serious work to be done to save chocolate, and that is not because Chris is going to eat it all himself (though I’m sure he’d LOVE to).
Matilda by Roald Dahl
Oh how I love this book. Oh how I love to read. Matilda for me captures the very essence of why books are so important. Without books, we’d not be able to escape reality. Without books, we’d not be able to become more educated and knowledgable. Without books, we wouldn’t know the hidden stories and wonders of the world and universe.
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Hogwarts is my home. The Harry Potter books found their way into my heart at the age of 11 years old, Hogwarts letter recipient age to be precise, and have been with me ever since. These books have literally helped me to deal with so much in life and have always been the light in the darkest of times. I am so proud to be a part of the Harry Potter fandom and a Gryffindor at heart.
A Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Milwood-Hargrave
I truly fell in love with Kiran’s story about a cartographer’s daughter who goes on an adventure to save her best friend. Maps. Ink. Stars. That is all this girl needs. Extra bonus if you get to discover the hidden secrets at the heart of the island.
Boy X by Dan Smith
An adventure that follows a boy called Ash who wakes up on a remote tropical island after being kidnapped and drugged. WOW. Hard-hitting stuff right? Well…there’s more. Ash has to trek through the jungle in order to find his mum, who has been imprisoned and infected with a deadly virus. IS THIS NOT ENOUGH FOR THE POOR LAD? Seriously though, a pretty action-packed adventure that tests Ash’s strength and stamina whilst the animals watch on as he crosses the jungle in a bid to save his mum.
The Giraffe And The Pelly And Me by Roald Dahl
Possibly one of the most underrated Roald Dahl books out there. I loved reading this as a child and I still love it now. Basically a small boy who dreams of owning a candy shop (watch out Willy Wonka, I think you’ve got competition on your hands) meets a giraffe, a pelican and a monkey. What’s so special about that I hear you ask. Well, the giraffe, pelican and money are window cleaners. So if you think that the people who clean your windows do a terrible job, then maybe you should consider these guys. They not half do a decent job. Just saying.
Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes
You have not lived, if you haven’t read these absolute delightful and revolting poems which put a twist on the fairy tales that you know so well. So if you wanna find out why you shouldn’t mess with Red Riding Hood and how your other favourite fairytale characters are getting on, then seriously please give these a read.
I have so many more MG books which I love, but I’d be here all day if I was to continue talking about them all. So if you’d like to recommend some MG books that I should look out for then please do tell me, even if my TBR won’t forgive me,
Aimee Louise
