Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

The Blurb On The Back:

There is no descriptive Blurb on the Back, instead we get the following quotes:

”Gail Carson Levine has a real gift for humour, and her heroine is a real, live girl: strong, funny, assertive, and confused like all the rest of us. ELLA ENCHANTED is true, touching, and very funny.”
- Karen Cushman, author of the Newbery Medal-winning THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE and the Newbery Honor book CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY.

”Gail Carson Levine brings humor and wit to her story and gives us an intriguing, funny, spirited heroine. This book is fresh and charming!”
- Sharon Creech, author of the Newbery Medal-winning WALK TWO MOONS

”This refreshing take on one of the world’s most popular fairy tales preserves the spirit of the original but adds plenty of humorous twists and a spunky, intelligent female lead.” (Pointer review)
- THE KIRKUS REVIEWS

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

A charming and warm retelling of CINDERELLA, this book was a huge amount of fun from beginning to end and kept me thoroughly entertained. I’d definitely recommend this for readers aged 8+ and those who remain young at heart.

Angel by L. A. Weatherly

The Blurb On The Back:

Eoin Colfer reinvented the fairy.
Stephenie Meyer reinvented the vampire.
L. A. Weatherly reinvents the angel.

Willow knows she’s different from other girls. And not just because she loves tinkering around with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into people’s futures, know their dreams, their hopes and their regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where she gets this power from ...

But Alex does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows Willow’s secret and is on a mission to stop her. The dark forces within Willow makes her dangerous – and irresistible. In spite of himself, Alex finds he is falling in love with his sworn enemy.

Utterly intoxicating and deeply compelling, ANGEL is an epic tale of love, destiny and sacrifice.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

I’m not normally a fan of paranormal romances, but this is a likeable enough opening to a series with plenty of plot and suitably high stakes to keep me interested. Things do threaten to fall apart towards the end in the rush to wrap up some loose ends and set up the sequel, but it’s competently written and has pace. Worth checking out if you’re a fan of the genre or, like me, normally apathetic.

ANGEL was released in the UK on 1st October. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the ARC.

Merchants of Culture: The Publishing Business In The Twenty-First Century by John B. Thompson

The Blurb On The Back:

These are turbulent times in the world of book publishing. For nearly five centuries the methods and practices of book publishing remained largely unchanged, but at the dawn of the twenty-first century the industry finds itself faced with perhaps the greatest challenges since Gutenberg. A combination of economic pressures and technological change is forcing publishers to alter their practices and think hard about the future of books in the digital age.

In this book – the first major study of trade publishing for more than thirty years – Thompson situates the current challenges facing the industry in a historical context, analysing the transformation of trade publishing in the United States and Britain since the 1960s. He gives a detailed account of how the world of trade publishing really works, dissecting the roles of publishers, agents and booksellers and showing how their practices are shaped by a field that has a distinctive structure and dynamic. By reconstructing this dynamic he is able to shed fresh light on how bestsellers are made and on why many thousands of books and authors find themselves marooned in an industry increasingly focused on short-term growth and profitability. Against this backcloth Thompson analyses the impact of the digital revolution on book publishing and examines the pressures – both economic and technological – that are re-shaping the field of trade publishing today.

The outcome of nearly five years of research, this major new book will establish itself as an exemplary work in the study of contemporary culture and will be essential reading for anyone interested in books and their future.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

A must-read for anyone interested in books and the publishing industry, this is an easy-to-understand, fascinating account of the history of the publishing industry in the UK and US and a coherent explanation for the current pressures facing the main players. The only weakness for me lies in the lack of any significant analysis of the potential impact of digital devices such as the iPad and Kindle, although this is understandable given that the industry itself is still trying to get to grips with it. Nevertheless, it is a fascinating book and one that I would heartily recommend.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the free copy of this book.

Passing Strange by Daniel Waters

The Blurb On The Back:

Karen DeSonne always passed as a normal teenager – and now that she’s dead, she’s still passing – this time as alive.

But when her dead friends are accused of a high profile murder and forced into hiding, it’s up to Karen to prove their innocence. Which means doing the unthinkable and becoming the girlfriend of bionist zealot Peter Martinsburg, who she suspects of framing them. But if Peter finds out who Karen really is, the consequences for her will be worse than death ...

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The use of the paranormal to explore a civil rights story line is not original, but this YA fantasy is lifted by the tender examination of the effects of suicide on a family and the emotions and guilt that leads someone to commit it. I found Karen to be an interesting, well drawn character although some of her abilities border on Mary-Suedom although the main antagonist is unfortunately much more two-dimensional. All in all, having not read any of the previous books in this series, I’m going to check them out and will also be interested to see how this series develops.

Thanks to the Simon & Schuster for the free copy of this book.

You Against Me by Jenny Downham

The Blurb On The Back:

If someone hurts your sister and you’re any kind of man, you seek revenge, right?

When Mikey’s sister claims a boy assaulted her, his world begins to fall apart.

If your brother’s accused of a terrible crime but says he didn’t do it, you defend him, don’t you?

When Ellie’s brother is charged with the offence, her world begins to unravel.

When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide.

This is a brave and unflinching novel from the bestselling author of BEFORE I DIE. It’s a book about loyalty and the choices that come with it. But above all it’s a book about love.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Although I don’t think that this is as great a book as BEFORE I DIE, Downham’s skill in creating a credible voice for her teenage characters is second to none and it is the voice that carries you through this story. The topic of date rape has been done elsewhere but it’s interesting to see a novel that shows the effects on both the alleged perpetrator and the alleged victim together with the strains it places on the respective families. Downham never patronises on the subject matter and while there is little mystery as to who is telling the truth, the journey itself is an absorbing one and one where you root for both Ellie and Mickey. As such, it is well worth a few hours of any reader’s time and I would definitely check out Downham’s next book as she is undoubtedly a powerhouse in teenage fiction.

YOU AGAINST ME was released in the UK in December. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the ARC.