Guest Post: UKYA Community Shares the Magic of Books

Today I am sharing with you something a little bit different and special. Over the last few weeks I've been working on a project with my friend and English teacher Kate Hamer to raise book donations for the pupils at her school. What started off as the idea of handing a few books out turned into a major event when hundreds of books came flooding in thanks to the generosity of the UKYA community. I've invited Kate to share a post today about the event that gave her students the chance to read.

UKYA: Making a difference by Kate Hamer 

Something magical happened to me last Thursday thanks to the UKYA community - I got to watch 130 of my students fall in love with books.

I should probably introduce myself briefly - I'm Kate, I'm 23 and I'm a long suffering bibliophile. In January 2015, I started working as a English Graduate Academic Mentor at an inner-city secondary school. Fancy title, huh? It basically means that I am not only responsible for teaching classes, but also for conducting intense literacy intervention. I soon realised that many of my students didn't own a single book of their own - books are a luxury which for many of my students are not possible. As an avid reader, it became my mission to change this. Books had been instrumental to my survival during my challenging, lonely teenage years - they helped me not only lose myself for a little while, but to find myself too. I wanted to give my students the same opportunity.

Luckily for me, I have been quite involved in the UKYA community for years, through my English degree where I specialised in young adult fiction, to my internship with a New York literary agent, and through attending author events and signings. I knew that the UKYA community was extremely passionate about encouraging young people to read and hoped that they would be interested in getting onboard.

The amazing Jess of JessHeartsBooks (HI JESS!!) grabbed hold of the initiative when I approached her and promoted it to her thousands of followers. Overnight, my Twitter blew up, with hundreds of bloggers, authors and publishing professionals contacting me to make donations. Going into work the next day and telling the school's super-hero librarian is something that will stick with me forever.

I'd initially hoped for around 50 books. When we passed the two hundred book milestone, I suddenly realised that this had become much bigger than I had ever dreamed - it meant that over a hundred students would go home with books of their own this summer. Suddenly, the school's PR was all over the story, as were the local press. As I began to plan an Alice in Wonderland themed event to distribute the books, deliveries kept arriving. Boxes, packets, envelopes and crates filled to the brim with books began to stock up in reception. For that month, I spent more time in reception signing for packages than in my classroom!

With the event drawing closer, Willy Wonka style Golden Tickets were created to invite students to the top secret event. Excitement quickly built amongst students and staff - students who were lucky enough to receive a ticket were seen (and heard!) skipping down the corridors singing 'I've got a golden ticket.' The only staff members fully informed about the event was Elaine the librarian, and Paul the Principal (who had been sworn to secrecy with the threat of “off with his head").

The day before the event, impatient staff and students crowded around the library, hoping to catch a glimpse of what was happening behind closed doors. Reams of bunting, character silhouettes and balloons helped transform the library into Wonderland. Mountains of homemade cakes and delicious fizzy drinks awaited the students. The three hundred books donated were scattered on the tables – hidden amongst them were signed copies, first editions and proof copies of books not yet released!

 At 10.10AM, the first group of students arrived, animatedly discussing what might be behind the doors. As they entered en-masse, there were audible gasps and their faces were full of wonder. I spoke to the students for a few minutes about my previous work experience, the incredible UKYA community and the power of social media. Students were then welcome to browse the books and select a number. As they were reading , cupcakes, jam tarts and fizzy drinks with flamingo straws were brought around for them to enjoy. After enjoying half an hour of reading, students then wrote a short thank you note to all who donated, whilst proudly clutching their new books. For the rest of the day, I had teachers reporting back to me that students had returned to lessons and sat at the back of the room reading their books instead of enjoying the traditional end of term film.

It was a day I will never forget for the rest of my life - my students are not from privileged backgrounds, but they are characters, full of imagination, sass and potential. I have no doubt the gifts which bloggers, authors and publishing professions gave them will change their lives. In the words of Dahl, 'We are the music makers, we are the dreamers of dreams' ... Today, UKYA, you are the music makers, you are the dreamers of dreams.

Quotes from students:
"Thank you for my new book. It will be great! I will take lots of care of it.' - Christine, aged 12 

 "I chose The Baby because it's fascinating. Unlike a lot of books I read, this one really interested me' - Viktoria, aged 15

 "Thank you for my book, Vendetta by Catherine Doyle, I can relate to it' - Shakirah, aged 15 

 "Thank you so much for my copy of Louis Sachar's new books. I cant wait to read it in my caravan!' - Jak, aged 12 

 For more information about the event you can follow Kate on Twitter @kate2606

The Walled City Blog Tour: Ryan Graudin Shares a Favourite Extract Plus Giveaway!

The Walled City is a book that I have been eagerly anticipating all year and now that it's finally out I am so looking forward to diving into it soon! To celebrate the UK publication day I've been invited by author Ryan Graudin's lovely publisher Indigo to take part in the blog tour and share with you one of Ryan's favourite passages from the book plus a giveaway for one of my lucky readers to win a copy of The Walled City! But for now it's over to Ryan!

Passage: “I don’t believe in ghosts. Not like my grandmother, who knelt at our ancestral shrine every dawn with smoking sticks of incense folded in her palms and offerings of rice liquor and oranges tucked in her pockets. I always thought it was stupid, wasting fruit and good booze on the dead. Those who were long silent and gone.

He haunts me anyway.

My brother comes to me in dreams. It’s the same nightmare I have every time I shut my eyes. The “night that changed everything” loops on repeat. My brother’s voice rattles and stings, unchanged through all these years of death.

“Don’t do this, Dai. This isn’t you.” He’s always reaching out, clawing the edge of my hoodie. Trying to stop me. “You’re a good person.”

Then comes the blood.

There’s always so much of it. On my arm. On him. It pours and gushes in an unreal way. Like the old cartoons we used to watch where the red spurted out like a fountain. I try to stop it, holding his hand as he slips away. His final breath curls out in the winter night like an English question mark. Bad punctuation. It should’ve been a period. A solid end. Not like this…

I wake up, heart gasping and chest aching. There’s no blood on the dingy white tiles of my apartment. Just the marks I drew—charcoal and straight. The marks I’ve been erasing, day by day, with a smudge of my thumb.

I sit up, blink the terror of sleep from my eyes.

The world is unchanged. My scar is still here. My brother is still dead. I’m still trapped in Hak Nam, and there are sixteen lines on my wall. Telling me that soon—oh-too-soon—my time will be up.”

Insider’s perspective: This is one of my favorite passages toward the beginning of The Walled City, and one of our first real glimpses into the character of Dai—a mysterious boy whose motivations are often hidden. As the reader can tell right off the bat, he’s a bit of a sacrilegious character. But this rejection of the past has a deeper root, as evidenced by his nightmare. He’s tortured by his own mistakes, and carries a lot of self-loathing. This passage also gives us a hint of what’s at stake for Dai. The charcoal marks on his wall, the ones he put there himself, are his countdown. He has sixteen days to escape the Hak Nam Walled City. Or else…

Favorite Moment: Without being too spoilery, one of my absolute favorite moments in the novel is when Dai’s final charcoal mark is erased. There is so much going on in that scene. Least of all the fact that Dai is not the person who erases it.

 Giveaway

Rules 

To enter you have to fill in the Rafflecopter 

 Open to UK and Ireland residents only 

 End date: Thursday 20th November 2014 

 The winner will be drawn and contacted by email with 1 week to reply else another winner will be selected 

 Make sure you complete what the form asks of you - I do check! Any winner who has not completed an option will be disqualified

  a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Stop by Serendipity Reviews tomorrow for the next stop on the blog tour.

Unmade Blog Tour‏: EVERYTHING IS AWFUL (As I’m Sure You’ve All Noticed) by Kami Glass

I'm so excited to be the publication day stop for the Unmade blog tour today! To celebrate, the wonderful Sarah Rees Brennan has written an exclusive never been seen before piece from Kami's paper The Nosy Parker with Kami catching readers up and giving her thoughts on events before book three. Needless to say if you haven't read books one and two there will be spoilers ahead, you have been warned.

EVERYTHING IS AWFUL 

(As I’m Sure You’ve All Noticed) 

by Kami Glass 

I am not certain about writing this article, because articles are meant to report the news. They are meant to convey new information to people who did not have said information before.

The information I have is information you already know.

You all know magic is real. You know there are sorcerers among us in this little town, that there always have been, and the Lynburn family always considered themselves the sorcerers’ leaders.

You all know that Rob Lynburn has taken over Aurimere, the ancient manor on the hill above Sorry-in-the-Vale, and set himself up as the true Lynburn leader, the ruler of this town. You know he killed a girl with one of his long golden knives.

You know he is demanding another sacrifice.

You know people have died fighting him. You know that the town has been made a magic prison, a golden cage with borders we cannot cross and no way to get a message to those outside those borders. You know Rob Lynburn tried to take my little brother and sacrifice him.

You know that Rob Lynburn’s nephew Jared Lynburn, one of the people who stood against Rob, has disappeared. He went into Aurimere to get my brother back, and he did not come out again.

It has been weeks since he was last seen, him or his mother Rosalind Lynburn. It has been weeks since the sorcerers who stood against Rob Lynburn died in the Crying Pools. It has been months since Rob Lynburn demanded his sacrifice.

It is not as if any of you could possibly have missed the ring of fire surrounding the house on the hill. There are shadows coming to life in the town square and creatures stirring in the woods. Sorcerers are walking among us and making no effort to conceal their identity. ‘How are you feeling, Sergeant Kenn?’ you might ask a policeman you once had faith in. ‘I’m feeling evil!’ he might well reply. 

Since I cannot tell you anything you do not know, perhaps you can tell me something. Write it in an editorial letter. Come up to me in the street. I would truly like to have this information.

Are any of you ever going to do anything about what you know? Are any of you ever going to act? 

Are you going to give Rob Lynburn his sacrifice, or let him take one? Could anyone in the town I grew up in, could anyone among the people I trusted, be that weak? Could anyone be that evil?

If we do nothing, be assured he will come. Rob Lynburn has Aurimere. He is watching us. He is not watching over us. He is coming for this town. He has his hand stretched out, and he is still holding his knife.

Maybe there is one last thing that you, dear reader, do not know yet.

One of you knows where Jared Lynburn is.

One of you knows what happened to him.

You may know that much, but something you do not know yet is this. I am looking. I am searching for you. I will not give up.

I am going to find you out.

Check out Wondrous Reads tomorrow for the final stop of the tour.

Happy Unmade day everyone!

Blog Tour: From Sketch to Cover Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban‏

Welcome to my stop on the Harry Potter blog tour celebrating the new cover for The Prisoner of Azkaban! If you follow my blog you'll know by now what a massive Potterhead I am and so I'm thrilled to have some exciting Harry Potter goodness to share with you today. But for now, the reason that we're all here, can we all just take a moment to admire the absolute beauty that is the new cover...

and the artwork on the back cover is equally wonderful!

Blurb from the back of the book
When the Knight Bus crashes through the darkness and screeches to a halt in front of him, it’s the start of another far from ordinary year at Hogwarts for Harry Potter. Sirius Black, escaped mass-murderer and follower of Lord Voldemort, is on the run – and they say he is coming after Harry. In his first ever Divination class, Professor Trelawney sees an omen of death in Harry’s tea leaves ... but perhaps most terrifying of all are the Dementors patrolling the school grounds, with their soul-sucking kiss...

 From Sketch to Cover 

See Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban develop before your eyes in this amazing GIF!

Three exclusive facts from Jonny Duddle 
Jonny Duddle, jacket illustrator for the new Harry Potter children’s editions reveals three facts about the cover of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban:

·This was the only cover for which I had a clear vision in my head of how I wanted it to look, before I even started the rough. 

·To get good reference photos of the cape, Sammy’s little sister shook the cape continuously, whilst he stood in position. 

·Harry, Hermione and Sirius are all in the background, surrounded by dementors. 

I think that Jonny Duddle has done a fantastic job of capturing the magic of the Harry Potter books. I'd even go as far as to say that they are my favourite editions to date! I have no doubt that these stunning covers will convince a whole new generation to discover the magic for the very first time. In case you haven't read the series yet and need any more convincing to check out this beloved series multi award-winning British children's writer Annabel Pitcher is here today to talk about why the series means so much to her.

Annabel Pitcher and Harry

When I was a teacher browsing the Times Educational Supplement, a secret part of me was always disappointed that there was never a post advertised at Hogwarts. I would have grabbed the first available owl and applied for it in a shot, packing my bags faster than you can say Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore. That I believed it were possible is why I fell in love with Harry Potter in the first place. 

In the opening pages, we are not thrown into a fantasy universe. We are shown our world, with all its square-house, suburban drudgery. We see ourselves as muggles and recognise the worst parts of being human in the curtain-twitching, hosepipe-toting Dursleys. We feel Harry’s frustration because it is our frustration, and together we both long for there to be something – anything – more. And then the owls come, and with it the promise of adventure in a world skilfully interwoven with ours. This is magic, almost within our grasp. It is a wall in Kings Cross. An innocent-looking red phone box. An invisible house on an otherwise ordinary street. That is the charm of the series for me. Harry’s universe is so tantalisingly close and intimately recognisable that it feels as if it really does exist.

Bloomsbury Publishing has relaunched its Harry Potter website to support the new children’s editions. The new Harry Potter site uses the Jonny Duddle artwork from the new children’s editions and includes pages of information on the bestselling series as well as exciting new content from Magical Downloads to a Harry Potter Quote Generator. Check out the new site at: http://harrypotter.bloomsbury.com/uk/

Make sure you stop by Readaraptor tomorrow for the next stop on the blog tour!

Travel by Armchair (2) Bloggers Pick Their Favourite Summer Destinations in Fiction

Welcome to part two of my little Travel by Armchair summer feature! Have you ever read a book so rich with description for a country you’ve never visited before that you feel like you’re experiencing it yourself? Or have you read a beach read that you put down feeling rested and relaxed as if you’ve had a week in the sun? I think of these books as ‘Armchair Traveling’ and I've invited some more of my book blogging friends to turn into fictional travel agents today sharing their favourite places to travel to via reading.

Leanna from Daisy Chain Book Reviews picks Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland

Travel by Armchair –what a great idea for a blog feature, right? Here I am typing this on an early-June-but-still-chilly-night in Ireland (I have a very slight tan, but I’m also wrapped up in a blanket, you get the picture!) and I’m daydreaming of clear blue seas and perfect sunsets and champagne boat trips and biking adventures in Nantucket. I’ve travelled all over Europe, but I’ve never been to the US. I want to do a US road trip some day soon, and I would also love to spend a summer in Nantucket; it seems like a charming kind of place. I’ve gone so far as to research Nantucket Beach Houses for this dream trip. Some of them look amazing –think Emily’s Hamptons beach house in Revenge but even fancier. As lovely as they are, these places are mega-pricey too! But, hey, we’re travelling by armchair, so we can go wherever the mood takes us, right?

Right now, we’re going to Nantucket. Nantucket Blue is a sun-dappled coming-of-age story by Leila Howland featuring high achiever Cricket Thompson who spends a summer working on the island. Nantucket Blue is the kind of book that will remind you of your own teenage summers (even if you didn’t spend them in Nantucket!) it’s got friendship drama galore, unrequited crushes, and lots of kissing. It’s also got a cute boy and champagne boat rides under the stars. Yeah, that could totally be my summer. Cricket is an independent kind of spirit and she likes to bike around the island discovering all its nooks and crannies as she goes. Leila Howland adds a lot of detail to her story, and at times I really felt like I was summering on the island along with Cricket while I was reading this book. I wish. If I was, I’d make a pit-stop on the way to the beach for a wholesome sandwich at Something Natural –Cricket’s go-to place for a yummy lunch!

Post-beach I’d return to my fancy beach house and read and write and enjoy the sun some more, until my hot date (or maybe my actual real-life boyfriend) stopped by with a bottle of champagne and took me on a boat ride so we could watch a perfect Nantucket sunset. Total Bliss.

Amanda from One More Page picks Secrets by Freya North

From it's lovey summery cover to the wonderfully romantic story inside, my recommendation for escaping this summer is Secrets by Freya North. I've probably gone against the grain a little here as Secrets is set in the real seaside town of Saltburn in the north east of England so not exactly a exotic tropical paradise but it is one of my favourite places in the world and here's why you should visit!

Saltburn is a Victorian seaside town. It has a fabulous golden sandy beach just perfect for sandcastle building. It can be gothic and stormy or startlingly sunny and bright (usually all in one day!) You might like to enjoy an ice cream on the pier or a wander through the beautiful Valley Gardens. For the more adventurous, Saltburn is a bit of a surfing hotspot and hosted a stage of the UK Pro Surfing Championships last year. After all that excitement there are heaps of lovely pubs and restaurants to relax and watch the amazing summer sunsets from.

As Tess finds out in Secrets when she runs away to Saltburn from London, the town has a lot to offer, not least the fabulous Northern hospitality ... and did I mention the surfers ;-)

Jasprit from The Reader's Den picks Just One Day by Gayle Forman

I’ve always adored books which feature some sort of travel, whether it be road trips or travelling to cities unknown. One of my favourite books which does this is Just One Day by Gayle Forman. The amount of times that I’ve travelled to St. Pancras station in London, and I’ve looked at the big board with all the amazing places in Europe I could be in within a few hours such as Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Basel, the choices are endless and so exciting. Just One Day just leaves me with this wistful longing to be spontaneous like Allyson and end up in a totally different country.

By catching the Eurostar you can end up in France, Belgium, Germany, Holland or even Switzerland in just a few hours. But imagine doing this the way Allyson with a complete handsome stranger for just one day. Having the feeling of fear and excitement in the pit of your stomach. Unfortunately I haven’t visited Paris yet, but I have friends who have and they’ve described it to be just as gorgeous as Forman’s descriptions depict it to be. Imagine arriving and seeing people sitting outside these cute little café’s drinking their coffee and eating crepes and macarons (I still need to try one of these). Or taking a boat ride along the Seine and taking in the lush scenery around you. Meeting people also making this same trip as you and learning about what brought them here. Or if you want to be more on the go then just grab a velib (bicycle) for up to half an hour and just ride around Paris or wherever it takes you. Maybe it will take you to The Louvre, which is situated near the right bank of the Seine; it’s meant to be one of the world’s largest museums.

Photo Credit: thanks Ravi

What I liked about Forman’s trip around Paris with Willem and Allyson was that she didn’t just touch upon monuments and places everyone already knew about such as the Eiffel Tower, yes that would be a brilliant place to check out, but I love how she touched upon all the small things that you could do and discover in Paris. If ever feeling a bit spontaneous like Allyson and Willem, you could also go to a metro/tram line and randomly pick a stop to go to, who knows where you could end up. And if after Paris you want more, you could always take a trip to Utrecht in Holland and spend time around the canals with houseboats or tiny little alley streets. All I know is that from reading this book Forman has definitely made me want to check out both of these beautiful cities.

Ray from Ray Reads Books picks Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Aft’noon folks! I’ve been kindly asked to whisk you off somewhere wonderful today so we’re going to San Fran! For those people who don’t live on the West Coast of the US, and certainly for me, San Francisco kind of feels like a far-off mystical place where all the streets just tilt down and down until you end up in the ocean and *whoosh* there’s half a world of nothing.

I’ve been intrigued about San Fran since I saw the Princess Diaries movie (I know I’m a heretic for not having read the books), but it’s really Lola and the Boy Next Door by the amazing Stephanie Perkins that sparks my desire to go. There are so many well-known places that I would want to see but also some not-so-well-known places from Lola that would make me flail with ALL THE FEELS.

This new cover for Lola shows one of the most obvious landmarks- The Golden Gate Bridge, while I’m sure it’s breath-takingly huge when you’re stood next to it (I ought to ask my parents since they went back in April without their darling offspring *sniffs*), it doesn’t feature all that much in Lola. There’s also the infamous Alcatraz Island with its prison that no one ever escaped from, which is spooky as hell I imagine, with its abandoned cells full of sadness, anger and isolation. One of these days I will have to read up on what life was like there when it was still a prison. *shudders*

But the place I would want to see the most in San Francisco is the place where some of the best scenes happen in Lola. Some of the cutest and sweetest interactions between her and Cricket fricking Bell *swoons* are across the void between their two bedroom windows in their ice-cream coloured Victorian houses in the Castro District. It’s such a vivid image of Lola’s mint house next to the lavender of the Bell house and I think Cricket wins hands-down the contest of best first appearance in a book- sat on a window-sill with his ridiculously long legs dangling, in his supremely sexy trousers and his mad professor hair and blue eyes that stop your heart dead. I mean, honestly. Who didn’t fall in love right then and there?

*Ahem* what was I talking about? Ah yes San Francisco. A vibrant, wacky city, with streets built on angles you’d more often see on a rooftop than on the ground; with a whole smorgasbord of people scurrying about living their lives. Perhaps, just maybe somewhere in all that, there is a Lola falling for her Cricket next door… Thank you for joining me on this whirlwind trip to San Fran and if you’ve not read Lola and the Boy Next Door, then I *seriously* recommend you get on that – NOW!

Whether you're going to the beach and looking for a good book to pass the hours with or are looking for a story that will sweep you away from daily life I hope these picks provide some escapism this summer! 

In case you missed it make sure you check out part 1 of this feature here for more blogger recommendations.

Travel by Armchair (1) Bloggers Share Their Favourite Fictional Places To Holiday

Have you ever read a book so rich with description for a country you’ve never visited before that you feel like you’re experiencing it yourself? Or have you read a beach read that you put down feeling rested and relaxed as if you’ve had a week in the sun? I think of these books as ‘Armchair Traveling’ and I've invited some of my book blogging friends to turn into fictional travel agents sharing their favourite places to travel to via reading.

Ginger from GReads picks Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols

Have you ever opened a book and felt as though the setting was all around you as you began reading? I felt this way instantly when I first read ENDLESS SUMMER by Jennifer Echols. The book takes place on a lake, where the characters live year round, yet this particular story unfolds during the summer months. I have always been drawn to novels that are set during the summertime. Add a water element such as a beach or lake and I am sold. Most of the action in this fun, romantic, summery YA contemp occurs on the water, and into the late night hours of those smoldering summer nights.

Lori has grown up next door to the Vader brothers, Sean and Adam her whole life. Their summers consist of working at the Vader family marina during the day, wakeboarding in the late afternoon, and attending the famous Friday night parties at the Vader household. For as long as Lori can remember she has been hopelessly in love with Sean. But this summer is different. She has a plan, and that plan consists of Lori strutting her womanly figure around in a bikini to grab Sean's attention and make him fall just as hard for her. Little does Lori know, it's the attention of another Vader brother, Adam, that she's been capturing all these years. As the plan unfolds, Lori realizes that everything she thought she loved about Sean may not be the truth. Being in-love-crush is a tricky thing. The heart likes to mask flaws that we don't always see and present to us a vision that is not necessarily the truth.

After reading this book, I now want to live on a lake with total access to boats, wakeboards, boys, and plenty of sunshine year round. Who wouldn't?! Visualizing the setting was so easy for me. I could see Adam standing on that dock, pushing off with one foot, and throwing his body into the boat with the other foot. I could also see Lori trekking across the grassy lawn to the Vader house next door in her high heels, just hoping to grab the attention of a certain boy.

Last summer I took a family vacation to the lake and while I was there, my mind instantly thought of ENDLESS SUMMER. As I stood on the deck, jutting out into the water, watching the boats zip by, I imagined those characters doing tricks on their wakeboards. It felt like the perfect setting to let go of life’s stresses and allow my mind to wander to fictional places such as ENDLESS SUMMER.

Kev from I Heart.. Chick Lit picks About a Girl by Lindsey Kelk

The reason why I chose the first book of Lindsey Kelk’s new series is because I can always count on her to take me on a fabulous, fun-filled vacation and I was so right!

The book is set in one of the most exotic locations in the world; Hawaii. I loved how Lindsey Kelk deftly described the surroundings and as I was reading it, the pictures that conjured in my head were so vivid and colourful. The bright, vibrant colours of the tropical flowers, the picturesque views from the island, overlooking the cool, inviting Pacific Ocean, tinged with the salty, sea breeze.

About A Girl was pure escapism, chick lit at its best with a very delicious love story behind it. The ideal summer holiday companion, even if you’re just staying at home, having a quiet night in, this book will whisk you away to sunny Hawaii and before you know it, you’re booking the next plane out to the beautiful island! I will be joining Tess and Kekipi for a cocktail, care to join us?

Danielle from What Danielle Did Next picks Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

When summer comes and I'm lucky enough to get away from it all whether it is on a beach or even in the back garden there's always a selection of books I tend to reach for. Of course there's the usual "summery" reads of women's fiction and the YA romance that makes my stomach flutter but I always have to have a "Classic" in my pile, a book from my childhood that takes me back to those carefree days of playing from dawn ‘til dusk then curling up with a well thumbed book I know every word of. For me one of those summer reads that always whisks me away to its beautiful locations with its stunning imagery and absorbing words is Anne of Green Gables.

Set in the picturesque town of Avonlea, on the beautiful Canadian province of Prince Edward Island it is a place that simply calls to my soul to forget the humdrum drudge of every day life and get lost in the stunning imagery Lucy Maud Montgomery evokes with her story of a young orphan girl, Anne with an ‘e’.

Afternoon strolls in the orchard by Mrs Rachel Lynde’s home pulsing with the magic and colour of its “bridal flush of pinky white bloom”. Skimming the cool, crisp waters of Bright River with your fingers as you float down in a boat past the wild plum bushes as the air smells “sweet with the breath of many apple orchards”. Walking hand in hand with that special someone down the “deep rutted grassy lane bordered with wild rose bushes” and turning onto The Avenue or as Anne calls it ‘White Way of delight’ with “its long canopy of snowy, fragrant bloom” looking ahead to the sunset.

There’s no better way to spend a summer’s day than by soaking up the sunshine with a good book on one of the endless white sandy beaches enclosed by red sandstone cliffs and treading the crystal clear waters of the Garden of the Gulf. Lazy bike rides along the coast before picking a bouquet of tiger lilies, crimson peonies and daffodils at the Lake of Shining Waters before retiring to Green Gables and enjoying a supper of Marilla Cuthbert’s delicious fruit cake and cherry preserves, not forgetting a tumbler or two of Raspberry Cordial and maybe even some of her famous Red Currant wine if Diana Barry hasn’t drank it all!

Blissful in its natural splendour and perfect for anybody wanting to experience a slower pace of life with plenty of culture, history, good food and scenery worth getting out the camera and making memories for.

Mily from The YA's Nightstand picks Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Pack your bags we’re heading to Paris!

Obviously there is a long list of traditional landmarks you’ll need to see when traipsing along the streets of Paris. For example The Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, The Panthéon, The Arc de Triomphe and so, so much more! But I’ve got a couple of other places for you to see. A couple of places where you can enjoy the City of Lights as well as the magic that was Anna and St. Clair’s love story.

Firstly you’ll need to get your bottoms over to Notre Dame! If you want to go in and have a look around that’s entirely up to you - although if you’re anything like me you’ll end up wondering around the place humming a Disney song or two. However, that’s not the real reason I want you to plod on over there. No, the real reason is because right next to the magical cathedral is Point Zéro des Routes de France (AKA Point Zero). It’s the point in which all roads start, it’s the center of Paris and just like Anna and St. Clair you need to make a wish. Make a wish on Point Zero and it’s said you’re distained to return some day.

A couple of other places to keep in mind on your travels round this enchanting city are The Jardin du Luxembourg - where Anna and St. Clair had their first kiss. Take a picnic and enjoy the sun! Maybe even have your own little kiss? But I guess that’s optional. Also being as we’re all book sniffers here you’ll need to stop by Shakespeare and Co. Book Store! It’s where St. Clair bought Anna that book and it’s also bound to have the best book smell ever!

So that’s it! That’s my little tour of the Pari. I hope you get a chance to see it some day and above all else, I hope you get your very own French Kiss.

 Whether you're going to the beach and looking for a good book to pass the hours with or are looking for a story that will sweep you away from daily life I hope these picks provide some escapism this summer! 

Check out part two of this feature here for more blogger friends recommending their favourite fictional holiday spots!

Noggin Blog Tour: John Corey Whaley's Top 5 Quirky/ Outrageous Book Recommendations

If any of you have read the synopsis for Noggin you'll know that it's definitely one of the more extreme and unique sounding releases of 2014! I love books that are a little bit crazy but so cleverly imagined that it somehow works.

Today for my stop on the Noggin blog tour author John Corey Whaley is sharing 5 book recommendations that like Noggin are a little out there but all the better for it!

1.) Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
This book is the definition of outrageous and it does what I love most by being hilarious, ridiculous, and packing a surprising emotional punch.

2.) Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
This book means a lot to me and, actually, is partly the reason why I wrote NOGGIN. Vonnegut's balance of absurdity with realistic human stories is something I have always thrived to imitate. Plus, there are aliens.

3.) Eeee Eee Eeee by Tao Lin
Because what other book has an anthropomorphic dolphin murder Elijah Wood????

4.) Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris 
This one may be better as an audiobook just to hear David Sedaris share his experiences as a Christmas elf at Macy's. It's hilarious and thoughtful, which is always the case with Sedaris.

5.) How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu 
Yu's talent for telling a small story against an outlandish backdrop is truly mesmerizing.

Noggin is released in the UK on the 31st July 2014 

Visit So Many Books So Little Time tomorrow for a Q&A with Corey

Blog Tour: Melissa Hill's Dream Bookshop and Giveaway for a signed copy of A Gift to Remember!

Today is my stop on Melissa Hill's blog tour for A Gift to Remember which is out in paperback today! To celebrate publication day I have a very special post for you from Melissa talking about her dream bookshop and I'm giving one of you the chance to win a signed copy of the book itself! But first it's over to Melissa...

My Dream Bookshop by Melissa Hill 

My ideal bookshop is pretty much Chaucer’s in A GIFT TO REMEMBER. Since childhood I’ve always felt most at home in a bookstore, and being in a space cocooned by books is my ultimate comfort zone.

The shop of my dreams is again very similar to how I describe Chaucer’s. Out front, Victorian paneled bay windows would evoke old-fashioned storefronts of times gone by, as would the wrought iron scroll-effect purple-on-gold store sign (purple being my favourite colour).

Inside would be a snug and inviting space with an olde-worlde vaguely Dickensian feel - oak wooden floorboards and high floor to ceiling hardwood bookshelves.

The interior itself would have quirky panache, but with a certain tattiness too; a lived-in, homely quality with separate areas for new as well as old books, and unusual genres. Quiet little nooks to get lost in, making browsers helplessly lose their bearings in the way any great bookshop should. 

Ultimately it would have a homey comfortable atmosphere - the perfect place to spend an afternoon wandering amongst the shelves or hunting down elusive titles.

Primarily the store would carry an eclectic mix of carefully hand-picked modern literature in a variety of genres, early edition classics as well as popular bestsellers for both adults and children. It would also have its own special children’s nook, a space to curl up and read on their own or with storytelling parents, and surrounded by a choice of classic favourites that would make their eyes grow starry and their imaginations run wild.

For adults, the store would be a quiet and contemplative space as well as making it a pleasurable browsing experience for both booklovers and gift-seekers. Though bookshelves are so beautiful in themselves that they need little adornment, it would be good to create occasional displays of themed titles according to season. For example, books that would make perfect Christmas or Valentine’s Day gifts would be presented in ways that made them as irresistible as jewellery or chocolates.

The sales floor should ideally feel small and intimate, yet there would be an area to provide space for public readings, book groups and launches. Authors from all walks of life; both international bestsellers or locally published would be more than welcome to stop by for a visit or signing and have a coffee at the upstairs café, which handily turns into a wine bar or tapas bar at night.

Finally, my perfect bookshop is a space that feels as comfortable filled with people as it does if you’re the only shopper in there, with nothing but the best kind of company – walls upon walls of amazing books.

 END 

Thanks for stopping by today Melissa. I find myself regularly daydreaming about what my own bookshop would be like and whilst I was reading A Gift to Remember I though that Chaucer's sounded heavenly, it's great that your own dream bookshop would be very much the same!

 Giveaway 

I'm giving one of my UK readers the chance to win a signed copy of A Gift to Remember! 

Simply read the rules and fill in the Rafflecopter to enter. Good luck!

Giveaway Rules 

To enter you have to fill in the Rafflecopter 

Open to UK residents only 

End date: 14th July 2014 

One winner will be drawn and contacted by email with 1 week to reply else another winner will be selected 

Make sure you complete what the form asks of you - I do check! Any winner who has not completed an option will be disqualified

  a Rafflecopter giveaway 

A Gift to Remember is available to buy now in all good bookshops 

For more of my thoughts check out my review here.

YALC Readathon Guest Post: My Big Fat Imaginary Production Company by Cat Clarke

I can't believe that this little readathon project that I've been plotting for months is nearly over! But fear not! We have a whole weekend of reading ahead of us and I intend to make the most of it.

I hope that by now you've all had chance to read some excellent books and that you'll be trying to squeeze in as many more pages as you can during this last leg of the readathon. No matter how much or how little you've read I hope that you've been having a lot of fun!

My YALC author guest today is Cat Clarke. With YALC taking place at London Film and Comic Con, Cat is going to be talking about which books she'd choose to adapt if she owned her own production company. I'm always casting actors as characters in my head as I read so it's nice to know that authors do this too with their own books and other peoples!

MY BIG FAT IMAGINARY PRODUCTION COMPANY by Cat Clarke 

I often get asked if I’m going to turn any of my books into a movie, and every time I get this question, I sigh a little wistful sigh. I wish it were that easy. I think most writers would love to see their books on the big screen, but unfortunately it’s completely, totally 100% outside of our control. But now that I’m in charge of an imaginary production company, the power is MINE, ALL MINE. MWAHAHAHAHA.

Obviously I’ll have to start by adapting one of my own books into a film. The first one that springs to mind is a novel that’s coming out next year, but that’s cheating, right? So I think I’m going to go with TORN. There are a couple of scenes in particular that I would love to see on film, but I’ll be vague to avoid spoilers: the scene in the cave and Tara’s demise (and immediate aftermath). Oh, and I’d love to see Jack on the big screen, mostly because he’s the most adorable character I’ve ever written.

OK, now that the TORN movie is in the works, there are a few YA books I’d like to tackle right away. Some of my favourites have already been/are already being made into movies (Grasshopper Jungle springs to mind), but there are some gems I’d love to get my hands on…

1.) THIS IS NOT A TEST – Courtney Summers. I recently saw Courtney describing this book as ‘The Walking Dead meets The Breakfast Club’. If that’s not enough to make you want to see this movie, I’m not sure we can be friends anymore.
2.) FIREBRAND – Gillian Philip. I reckon I’d need a big budget to do this one justice, but I think this could be the first in an epic fantasy series.
3.) CRUEL SUMMER – James Dawson. This movie would be a total riot. Definitely one for a raucous late night showing on a Friday. I suspect I’d also like to make a movie of SAY HER NAME, but I’ve yet to get my grubby little mitts on a copy so I can’t say for sure. I’ll definitely be nabbing this book at YALC.
4.) IMAGINARY GIRLS – Nova Ren Suma. Oh boy, this would be SUCH a cool film. Creepy as hell and achingly beautiful too.
5.) Every single Christopher Pike book ever written. Nuff said.

Would anybody like to volunteer to be my Imaginary Casting Director? Because if the casting were left to me, I’d somehow find a way to shoehorn the entire cast of Game of Thrones into every one of these movies. Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) as Jack in TORN, perhaps? (OK, don’t answer that.)

Sigh. Now I feel sad that my production company is just a figment of my imagination. If any high-powered, fancy-schmancy movie-making people happen to be reading this … PLEASE MAKE THESE MOVIES NOW! I promise I’ll come and watch every single one on their opening weekends.

Thanks for sharing Cat! Personally I would LOVE to see This Is Not a Test and Cruel Summer on the big screen. It's a real shame that we don't have ALL OF THE POWER and can't turn cinema into one big YA love-fest *sighs* maybe one day. I'm sure there's got to be *someone* we can talk to about this at YALC.

Cat will be appearing at YALC on Sunday 13th July 

Free this weekend? It's not too late to sign up for the YALC Readathon! Why not join us for the last two days and read some fantastic books? Sign up here!

YALC Readathon Guest Post: Katherine Woodfine talks YALC behind the scenes

Good morning readathoners! It's day one of the YALC Readathon and I hope that you're just as excited as I am to read some amazing books this week!

Throughout the readathon myself and my co-hosts Carly, Vicky and Michelle will be sharing guest posts from the YALC authors but today to kick the readathon off I have a very special guest post from Katherine Woodfine who works at Booktrust and is part of the team putting YALC together. She's here today to talk about how YALC came about and to give us an insiders look at what it takes to organize such a big book event. Without further ado it's over to Katherine.

YALC: the story so far by Katherine Woodfine

I’m lucky enough to manage the Children’s Laureate programme at Booktrust – which currently, of course, means working with the fabulous 2013-2015 Waterstones Children’s Laureate, Malorie Blackman.

But if that alone wasn’t enough of a treat, I’m also currently organising Malorie’s major Laureate project – the UK’s first Young Adult Literature Convention! Today I’m here to tell you the inside story of YALC, and how the event came about.

When Malorie was appointed as Laureate in June 2013, one of the key things she wanted to do was ‘make reading irresistible’ to young people. With research showing that only 3 in 10 young people read daily out of class, and a fifth of young people saying they’d be embarrassed if a friend saw them reading, she knew she wanted to change perceptions and get ‘more young people reading more’ – but how?

As it happened, the UK’s Young Adult publishers had already been talking about an exciting new idea to put a spotlight on books for young people. Inspired by events in the USA, they wanted to hold the UK’s first YA Lit Con, and had even had some conversations with Showmasters (the organisation behind London Film and Comic Con) about hosting it – but they were short of someone to take the project forward.

As the first Laureate primarily known for writing for teens and young adults, Malorie was the perfect person to step in – and the Children’s Laureate team were on hand and ready to help make the event happen!

Our first job was to go along to LFCC and conduct some ‘research’. We went along for the day with Malorie and had a brilliant time – celebrity spotting in the Green Room, admiring the incredible outfits, and Malorie even had her photo taken in the Iron Throne. We all loved it and knew that LFCC would be the perfect home for the event, where books could sit alongside films, TV and comics.

So far, so good. But to get an event as ambitious of YALC off the ground, we knew we would need a lot of help. Enter the Young Adult publishers – as well as getting lots of advice from them, we also recruited a fantastic YALC Committee of publisher enthusiasts to help us with all the planning. Our brilliant Children’s Laureate PR agency Riot Communications came on board, and Laureate sponsors Waterstones confirmed they would be able to provide a bookshop for the event. We were also delighted to be able to secure additional support for YALC from Prudential Plc, as well as the Authors Licensing and Collecting Society.

We got the ball rolling by inviting all the UK’s YA publishers to suggest topics and authors, and then we started work with Malorie to put the programme together. This was the really hard part - there were so many brilliant ideas and fantastic authors put forward that we could easily have planned a whole week of events, never mind just a weekend!

We announced plans for YALC at the Winter 2013 LFCC, with a special event with Malorie and three other YA authors - Anthony McGowan, Lucy Christopher and Meg Rosoff. The event was great, but it was even more exciting to see the explosion of excitement about YALC from authors, bloggers and readers.

Several months, many meetings, and an insane number of emails and spreadsheets later, we’re now (whisper it…) just a few weeks away from YALC itself!

Our full schedule for the event has been revealed, including 50 amazing authors and a host of industry experts. We have panel events covering everything from fantasy to horror to how to get published; workshop sessions where you can get tips on writing, creating comics, and even pitch your work to agents; and of course, book signings with all our participating authors. There will be lots of books to buy in our YALC bookshop provided by Waterstones – and of course there will be all kinds of other fun book activities and surprise goings-on to enjoy throughout the weekend!

We hope that YALC will offer something for everyone, from the chance to meet megastar authors to the opportunity to hear from new voices and discover exciting debuts. We want the event to be an amazing experience for all those who love books – but also a great way to show those who might not currently be keen readers just how exciting and inspiring YA books can be!

All you need to come along to YALC and join the fun is a pass to LFCC – find out more here. But if you can’t make it, don’t despair – we’ll be photographing, filming and live-tweeting throughout the event, and sharing as much as we can online. Follow us on Twitter @yalc_uk for all the latest news.

Planning the event has been a real learning curve – but one that we hope will conclude with an amazingly fun and memorable event for everyone, which will help create a buzz around reading for young people, and shine a spotlight on YA books.

 Thank you so much for taking the time to be with us today Katherine! 

Only just heard about the readathon? No worries! There is still time to sign up here.

Guest Post: Sarah Alderson on Writing Romance Across the Genres

Hi guys! To celebrate the e-book publication date of Sarah Alderson's (writing as Mila Gray) steamy New Adult novel Come Back To Me I have Sarah joining me on the blog today to talk about writing romance. Sarah has wrote books in the Thriller, Paranormal and now New Adult genre but no matter what subject she tackles you can always expect a swoonworthy romance within the pages. If you've read a book by Sarah you'll know that she writes the best book boys and so today she's sharing where she gets her inspiration from and what a great romance means to her.

Writing Romance by Sarah Alderson 

Finding Inspiration 

There’s inspiration in everything. My biggest inspiration comes from characters in books and movies. I’m a total romantic. 

I fell in love with Han Solo when I was a kid - his cheekiness & rebel rouser ways made my seven year old heart beat faster. Then it was Nathaniel from Last of the Mohicans (I still sigh every time I hear the line ‘I will find you. Just stay alive no matter what occurs.’). In my teens it was Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, then Noah from The Notebook. When I ran out, I started writing my own. 

I’ve also been lucky enough to date some amazing guys (and a few not so amazing) who have all ended up in my books in one way or another. My husband was the basis for Alex in Hunting Lila. 

What Makes a Great Romance? 

In my opinion a great romance is: 

- One with believable obstacles in the way, not ones that are clearly contrived for the purpose of a story. 

- One with fully rounded out characters with quirks and history. 

- Characters who complete each other - not in a Jerry Mcguire way - but in the sense that they both bring something to the relationship that helps the other one transform into a better person. 

- Not necessarily a happy ending (though I prefer that!) Some of the greatest romances have tragic endings: TFIOS, Romeo and Juliet, Wuthering Heights. 

 - A guy who isn’t an asshole! I’m so tired of reading about guys who are arrogant, controlling / violent / stalkery - it’s SO not attractive. And yet readers seem to lap it up. It confuses me. I’d like to see more authors writing about male characters who have integrity, respect women and use words instead of fists - isn’t that way sexier? 

- A slow build. It’s OK to make the chemistry sizzle from the off but no insta-love. Real love builds over time and grows from friendship. OUT OF CONTROL is set over just 36 hours in New York and the two leads only meet at the very beginning so there was no falling in love but there was intense emotion and they have fantastic chemistry. On the other hand in Hunting Lila, Lila’s been in love with Alex since she was five years old. There’s something gorgeous about a friendship that morphs into something more… :)

Come Back To Me is available to buy on Kindle as of today 

and in paperback on October 23rd 2014

Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly: Special Post and Giveaway

Hi Guys! If you've followed this blog for a long, long time then you'll know that I absolutely love Jennifer Donnelly. Her latest book Deep Blue sees Jennifer take a change of direction in genre as instead of Historical Fiction this book is all about Mermaids. With the UK publication date coming up on May 1st the publishers have put a very exciting post together for me to share with you along with a very cool giveaway! Firstly lets get to know a little bit more about the book...

When Serafina, a mermaid of the Mediterranean Sea, awakens on the morning of her betrothal, her biggest worry should be about reuniting with handsome Prince Mahdi, her childhood crush. Instead she finds herself haunted by strange dreams foretelling the return of an ancient evil, and dealing with the deaths of her parents as assassins storm the betrothal ceremony, plunging the city into chaos.
Led only by her shadowy dreams and pursued by the invading army, Serafina and her best friend Neela embark on a quest to avenge her parents' death and prevent a war between the mer nations. In the process they discover a plot that threatens their - and our - world's very existence.

MEET THE CHARACTERS 

 Four thousand years ago, six wise rulers with mystical powers oversaw the golden realm of Atlantis. When an evil force overtook the mythical island, sinking it into the sea, Merrow, the leader of the ancients, beseeched the gods to grant her drowning people the power to breathe underwater. Those who survived, their legs magically fused into tail fins, formed an undersea civilization called The Mer. 

 From their Mediterranean realm, five others grew to form six undersea nations, led for generations by descendants of the ancient Circle of Six. Now, the evil forces that consumed Atlantis threaten destruction once again. The Mer nations’ only hope lies with six teenagers, descended from the ancient rulers, who’ve inherited their magical powers. Together, they form an unbreakable bond of sisterhood to save their worlds. 

Serafina 

Loyal, brave, just, and strong—with copper brown hair, bright green eyes, and a nascent gift more powerful than all the others—Serafina is descended from the ancient ruler Merrow. Heir to the original civilization of Merfolk, Sera has been raised with the expectation that one day, she’ll be their ruler. When the undersea nations come under threat and Sera’s mother, Queen Isabella, is poisoned, Sera’s destiny leaps to meet her. She must embark on a journey to find and vanquish the evil forces at work. Her powerful magic—the gift of a love so powerful she would sacrifice herself for those around her—will guide her as she leads the mermaids in their quest. By her side is her best friend Neela… 

Neela 

Sassy and daring, with a non-stop sweet-tooth, jet-black hair to her tail fin, and a bioluminescent body that emanates a bright blue light, Neela is descended from Navi, ancient ruler of the waters of India, a kind and good-hearted leader who used her riches to build hospitals, orphanages, and homes for the poor. It was said Navi could hold light in her hands as well as her heart, pulling down beams from the sun and moon and stars and bending them to her will. She gave her people hope in their darkest hours. Neela, able to create and throw powerful formations of light, is the intrepid inheritor of these gifts. 

Ling 

With a gentle but powerful nature and a keen intellect she’s not afraid to show, Ling—with almond-shaped eyes, high cheekbones, and a sword in a scabbard slung over her back—is descended from Sycorax, who ruled from the shores of the Qin in China. An omnivorax, Sycorax spoke the languages of all creatures—people, animals, birds, flowers and trees. She was Atlantis’ supreme justice, a peace- keeper and negotiator of treaties between realms. Ling is the able and ready inheritor of these gifts. 

Becca 

Fierce and quick—with curly red hair, blue eyes, and a smattering of freckles—Becca is descended from Pyrrha, who ruled the shores of Atlantica, the ancient realm between South America and Africa. Pyrrha was a brilliant and strategic military commander, but she was also an artisan—a blacksmith who could bid fire. She had a forge on Atlantis where she transformed farm tools into weapons; when her people came under attack, Pyrrha saved her people with her quick thinking. Becca, her descendant, will do the same. 

Ava 

Wise, witty, frank and prescient—with glossy black braids, deep brown scales, sunglasses, and a guide-pet piranha she keeps on a leash—Ava is descended from Nyx who ruled the fresh waters that flowed from the Mississippi River. Nyx was blind, but he could feel things he could not see. He never flinched from what he felt, or from speaking his visions truthfully. The magic bestowed him by the gods strengthened his gift and transformed it into prophecy. Ava is the knowing inheritor of this gift of prescience and foresight. 

Astrid 

Headstrong, bold, and possessed of a deep well of magical power, Astrid—with cascades and braids of white-blonde hair, icy blue eyes, and the black and white markings of an orca—is descended from Orfeo, who ruled the arctic waters around Greenland. A musician who played the lyre to soothe the sick and suffering, he was a healer whose people loved him. Of the six who ruled Atlantis, his powers were unsurpassed. But it was Orfeo who mysteriously defected from the Circle of Six, unleashing a monster of his own creation whose wrath destroyed Atlantis. Like her father, Astrid turns away from the group. Unlike her father, she will rejoin them…but not until she tests them first. 

 Watch the Trailer

Giveaway 

To celebrate the release of Deep Blue the publishers are giving away a very special prize pack to one of my UK/ Ireland readers. Here's what you could win!

The prize includes a hardback copy of Deep Blue, a shell bracelet and Guylian chocolates in an organza gift bag. Simply read the rules and fill in the Rafflecopter to be in with a chance of winning. Good luck! 

 Giveaway Rules 

 To enter please fill in the Rafflecopter 

 Open to UK/ Ireland residents only 

 End date: 7th May 2014 

 One winner will be drawn and will be contacted by email with 1 week to reply else another winner will be selected

 a Rafflecopter giveaway