Tag Archives: Books

Rebel Skies by Ann Sei Lin Book Review

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rebel skies by Ann sei linn 

Origami comes to life in this stunning teen fantasy novel. With excellent world building and a superb grasp of tension and pace, Rebel Skies grabs you by the throat and does not let go. Rebel Skies is beautifully written and leaves you in completely awe. Ann Sei Linn has an incredible imagination and we are all lucky that she is sharing it with us. Even better, this book is the first in a trilogy. I cannot wait for the others. Adults can love this book too.
The characters are great and there are many funny moments on top of the awesome and exciting world-building. I don’t give stars with reviews but if I did I would give Rebel Skies five stars.

 

A beautifully written and pacy teen fantasy adventure, set in a world of flying ships, sky cities and powerful paper spirits. Inspired by Asian cultures and exploring themes of empire, slavery and freedom.

Kurara has never known any other life than being a servant on board the Midori, but when her party trick of making paper come to life turns out to be a power treasured across the empire, she joins a skyship and its motley crew to become a Crafter. Taught by the gruff but wise Himura, Kurara learns to hunt shikigami – wild paper spirits who are sought after by the Princess.

But are these creatures just powerful slaves, or are they beings with their own souls? And can a teenage girl be the one to help them find their voice – and change the course of an empire?

Out May 5th.

Catherine Yardley My Writing Process.

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As a little girl my nose was always in a book. I would even read a book a day when I was ill. I loved Enid Blyton and Judy Blume. I started writing song lyrics because I was in a band when I was younger and then I changed the song lyrics to poems. I sent them off and one of them ended up in an anthology when I was eleven. It was the start of something for me. I also had a very good English teacher who really encouraged me and told me I could be a writer. All a young person needs is for someone to believe in them.

I have been writing since I was in single figures but I let it slide for a few years to go off and work in the film industry. I started again when I had children and I am so glad I did. I got taken on by one of the first agents I contacted and then I got a traditional publishing deal too. All from the first batch of submissions I sent off. I got offered two different publishing contacts for Ember and I decided to go with Pegasus. They have been amazing. I cannot recommend them enough.

What you have written, past and present.

I have written non-fiction in the past, as well as a lot of articles and such. I have been a travel writer, a restaurant critic and a theatre critic. Ember is my debut novel.

Ember, Catherine Yardley, author.

What you are promoting now. 

Ember is a story about a family who’s father left them on Christmas day when they were kids. Thirty years later the younger sister is getting married and that brings their father back into their lives. The story revolves around Dr Natalie Holmes and her boyfriend Rob in the present day, and her parents Tim and Jacqueline in the past.

Natalie goes off the rails when her younger sister gets married and pregnant before her, and her father comes back into their lives. She dumps her boyfriend on the side of the road and drives off in his car. The book is about love and family. A part of the book is about whether or not we should allow family in our lives if they have been left wanting. Can a family that has been torn apart ever heal their wounds? Will Rob and Natalie get back together? Read it and find out!

Here is the blurb:

A family torn apart by their father’s infidelity are forced to confront the past thirty years later. As Natalie’s younger sister, Amanda, prepares for marriage and impending motherhood, her plea for the family to reunite uncovers pent-up tension and animosity. Can they forget the past and become a family again?

Natalie’s life begins to unravel as their father starts to creep back into their lives and family tensions resurface, affecting her relationship with her boyfriend, Rob. Will the couple find their way back to each other, and can a family that has been torn apart ever heal their wounds?

Can you ever walk away from someone you love, or do some fires never die out?

A bit about your process of writing. 

This was my first novel which I wrote simultaneously with another novel. I would wheel my son around in his pram until he fell asleep and then I would write 2000 words on my iPhone. I always try to write the first draft as quick as possible. I like to keep up the momentum and the same energy. I do 2000-3000 words a day. Editing is always tough but I am as relentless as the editing. Ha.

I have three kids so I have to write whenever I can and focus on it. Having kids has trained me to be ruthlessly efficient when I need to.

Do you plan or just write?

I just write. Total panster. You need an idea and a handle on the character. Then just let yourself fly.

What about word count?

I do 2000-3000 words a day.

How do you do your structure?

My agent, Susan, says I have a great sense of structure and it is one of the nicest things anyone has said about me. I think it is because I read so much. I am with Stephen King. To be a good writer you need to both write and read a lot. Reading teaches you to be an excellent writer.

What do you find hard about writing?

Finding the time.

What do you love about writing? 

Everything.

Advice for other writers. 

Get on with it. Don’t give up. Write and then rewrite. Submit endlessly. Don’t let the rejection get you down. You have to be able to take rejection if you want to be a professional writer. Just take the feedback on board, edit and then send away somewhere else. You can do it!

Ember is out on the 31st March and is available from WH Smith, Waterstones, Amazon and The Book Depository.

Duckling by Eve Ainsworth Book Review

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I loved the synopsis of Duckling and I could not wait to dive into Eve Ainsworth’s adult fiction debut. This book is so heart-warming and exquisite. In fact, it might be the most heart-warming book I have ever read. Sure it has sadness too, but doesn’t everything? I love a coming-of-age book and that is exactly what Duckling is.
It is impossible to not love the character of Lucy, or Duckling as she is called by her father. She is insular and a loner. Letting life pass her by on a council estate, until a neighbour asks her to take care of their child. An adventure happens and the ride is a beautiful one indeed. I also love how Duckling has a working-class setting, something that is so rare. We need more of that.
I loved the prose, the characters and the story. Honestly, Duckling is one of my books of the year already. Eve Ainsworth is a writer of note and she is only getting started. Duckling is a magnificent must read.

duckling by eve ainsworth book review.

Duckling’s a nickname Lucy has never been able to shake off.
And, if she’s honest, maybe it suits her.
She just isn’t the type to socialise with other people.
You might say she’s reluctant to leave her nest.

Lucy’s life is small, but safe. She’s got a good routine. But all that’s about to change…

When Lucy’s neighbour asks her to look after her little girl for a couple of hours – and then doesn’t come back – Lucy is suddenly responsible for someone other than herself.

It takes courage to let the outside world in, and Lucy’s about to learn there’s much more to life – but only if she’s brave enough to spread her wings…

Duckling is available here.

The Woman Who Took a Chance by Fiona Gibson Book Review

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I have read most of Fiona Gibson’s books and I am a fan. Not only because we are both Scottish, but because she is a hugely talented writer who writes about women and their lives so well. Her books are relatable and fun.
To read a Fiona Gibson book is to be taken on a fantastic journey with a group of friends. The Woman Who Took a Chance is the perfect antidote to the stresses of living. They make you smile and laugh, even if there is a little sadness in there. I also love how they are about older women who are living their best lives. A sadly under-targeted market. Another great novel from Fiona Gibson.

Meet Jen. Flight attendant. Mum to a grown-up daughter. Permanently single.

Age: Fifty (gulp)

Number of children: One

Number of husbands: Zero (it’s complicated)

Number of failed first dates in the last month: Too depressing to contemplate

Number of tickets for a romantic, once-in-a-lifetime trip: Two

Number of days left to find her Mr Right to take on holiday: Quickly running out…

A heart-warming and hilarious novel that proves age is just a number and it’s never too late for a second chance. Fans of Kristen Bailey, Sophie Kinsella and Jill Mansell will be totally hooked from the very first page.

Fantastic Books For International Women’s Day

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The Natural Menopause Method by Karen Newby (1st September 2022)

Women’s Health

Everything you need to know about achieving nutritional balance to support flagging vitality and celebrate the potential of your midlife.

Femlandia by Christina Dalcher (15th September 2022)

Dystopia

‘A compelling, fast paced read.’   Guardian

‘The queen of dystopia’          Nina Pottell, Prima

The Happy Vagina by Mika Simmons (4th August 2022 – Pavilion)

Women’s Health

‘Mika Simmons’s book is fun, relevant, and extremely accessible. Every home should have a Happy Vagina!’              Dita von Teese

Confident and Killing It by Tiwa Ogunlesi (7th July 2022 – HQ)

Self-Help

Confident and Killing It will help you master your mind, overcome fear and live life to the fullest.

You Are Not A Before Picture by Alex Light (9th June 2022 – HQ)

Self-Help

An urgent, enlightening and empowering guide.

Second Spring by Kate Codrington (17th February 2022 – HQ)

Women’s Health

‘A wealth of guidance to navigate and celebrate the mind body and spirit aspects of the menopausal journey.’                                     Tami Lynn Kent, author of Wild Feminine

Roaring Girls by Holly Kyte (3rd March 2022 – HQ)

Feminism

‘An extraordinary, vivacious account of eight remarkable invisible women whose stories were crying out to be heard.’ Paula Byrne

Menopausing by Davina McCall (26th May 2022 – HQ)

Women’s Health

Menopausing is more than just a book, it’s a movement. An uprising

Good Grief by Catherine Mayer and Anne Mayer Bird (3rd February 2022 – HQ)

Biography

‘One of the saddest things I’ve ever read but also the most powerful. It’s made me want to cling tight to the people I love while acknowledging their mortality and mine too.’     Marian Keyes

Make It Happen by Amika George (20th January 2022 – HQ)

Activism

‘A personal, powerful, passionate, pragmatic, punchy book from one of Britain’s most exciting Gen Z activists. A great guide to moving and shaking with joy, spirit and real-world results.’       Deborah Frances-White from The Guilty Feminist

Black Skin by Dija Ayodele (25th November 2021 – HQ)

Skincare

‘Timely and game-changing, Ayodele’s comprehensive guide to skincare for Black women busts beauty myths at the same time as dispensing invaluable advice.’                         Waterstones

The Girl With No Soul by Morgan Owen Book Review

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I always remember how much I loved YA books when I was growing up. They meant so much to me and made me the woman I am today. On the note I can confirm that Morgan Owen is a new outstanding YA talent. The Girl With No Soul is an exciting book. It takes an original and exciting concept, a glorious love story, and amazing world building all in once exciting novel.

The writing is flowing and engaging in that way that is so hard to write but makes reading it so compulsive. I may be older than the market for this book, but I will definitely recommend it to any teens that I know. You cannot beat this book for sheer imagination, passion and excitement. I loved it. Pre-order now, it’s out in March.

Perfect for fans of Alice Broadway and Leigh Bardugo

How can you find your soul mate, when you don’t have a soul?

Iris lives in a world ruled by The Order. Inspectors police the population by keeping careful watch over people’s souls. If they shine their lanterns on you, your soul is projected for the world to see… and judge.

But Iris has a deadly secret … she is a hollow, a person with no soul. She must hide from the Order at all costs, scraping a living in the shadows.

When she’s sent to steal a ring said to hold the memory of a soul’s destruction, she is reunited with her Spark – one of the five parts that make up her own missing soul.

Now she must rely on the help of a young scholar named Evander Mountebank to track down the other four missing pieces of her soul, all the while evading The Order.

Will she be able to protect her heart as well as find her soul?

 

Hive by April Doyle Book Review

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hive April Doyle

Every now and then a book comes along that feels timely, Hive is such a book. The bees are dying and the world is struggling. Food is scarce and people are desperate. Commercial bee farmer Victor Martin and research entomologist Dr Annie Abrams team up to stop people starving.

April Doyle takes a subject that is worthy and turns it into a brilliant book that is entertaining and riveting. I hated putting this book down to return to real life. I would have read it in one sitting if I could have. I want Hive to be turned into a film because what a film it would be. I did not see the ending coming, and how clever that twist is. I really loved this book. Hive is destined for classic status.

Near-future Britain.
Climate change has led to food shortages and civil unrest.
Pollinating insects are in steep decline.

Commercial bee farmer Victor Martin travels around the farms of Kent with his hives to pollinate fruit trees and crops.

Local research entomologist Dr Annie Abrams is devastated when she’s ordered to give up her captive bee colonies – her life’s work – to join forces with Victor and ensure a harvest.

But the bees are dying.

Their only hope seems to be an experimental alternative to insect pollination: robot pollinators called nanodrones. But why does the drone designer seem so familiar? And who is behind the shadowy organisation intent on sabotaging their vital work?

Can Annie and Victor win their battle to save the bees… or is it too late?

Matt Bell’s March craft book, REFUSE TO BE DONE: an accessible, practical guide to writing and revising a novel—for writers of any genre and level

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“I can’t imagine anyone setting pen to paper, or fingertips to keyboard, who won’t want to keep this book permanently close at hand.”
—Benjamin Dreyer, New York Times bestselling author of Dreyer’s English
 We all need help to be the best writer we can be. This brilliant book from Matt Bell not only does that, but it also teaches you have to be efficient, something that is a must as writing becomes a career. I loved this book and I cannot recommend it enough. I will definitely keep it close to hand. — Frost editor, Catherine Balavage.
Acclaimed author Matt Bell draws from years of writing and teaching experience to deliver an accessible, direct, and concise guide to novel-writing full of concrete tips meant to guide writers of any genre, at any stage of their career, from first to final draft.
Matt Bell | Refuse to Be Done: How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts | Trade Paperback Original | $15.95 US/$21.95 CAN |
ISBN: 9781641293419 | ON SALE: March 8, 2022 | Soho Press
Refuse to Be Done is intensely practical, focusing always on specific tasks, techniques, and activities for writing a novel, from the first draft all the way through final revisions. Divided into three main sections—each containing numerous subheadings and detailed items—the book is easy to use at any and every stage of the writing process, whether one is starting from scratch or already has a full draft to revise. Concrete examples from published fiction and media, as well as Matt Bell’s personal experiences, bring further meaning to the tips included, showing how they were developed and how they come to fruition in existing works.

In the first section, Bell shares a bounty of tactics to get through perhaps the most daunting stage of novel-writing: actually writing the book. Intended to push writers through the initial conception and get words on the page, this section includes strategies for process (such as how to regiment one’s writing and track progress), the writing itself (e.g. how to develop characters and determine which scenes to write next), and overcoming writer’s block.

Next, with a complete draft in hand, the second section focuses on reworking the narrative through outlining, modeling, and rewriting. This includes such tasks as fleshing out characters, scrutinizing the plot, and reshaping a manuscript into a more polished form.

The final stage captures Bell’s philosophy to “refuse to be done,” encouraging writers to stay in their novel for as long as they’re able by working through a checklist of revisions. In this layered approach, writers fully work through the text multiple times, focusing on a specific, achievable task through each pass. Whether it’s revising the prose or scrutinizing the structure of each scene, every pass brings the manuscript closer to accomplishing the writer’s ambitions and becoming the greatest it can possibly be.

Written for novices and veteran writers alike, Matt Bell’s accessible, practical guide to novel-writing offers an abundance of strategies to motivate writers and invigorate the revision process, empowering novelists of all genres to approach their work with fresh eyes and sharp new tools to produce their best work yet.