Book Review: Remember Tomorrow by Amanda Saint

Posted in Blog, Books by Abigayle Blood

The Blurb

England, 2073. The UK has been cut off from the rest of the world and ravaged by environmental disasters. Small pockets of survivors live in isolated communities with no electricity, communications or transportation, eating only what they can hunt and grow.

Evie is a herbalist, living in a future that’s more like the past, and she’s fighting for her life. The young people of this post-apocalyptic world have cobbled together a new religion, based on medieval superstitions, and they are convinced she’s a witch. Their leader? Evie’s own grandson.

Weaving between Evie’s current world and her activist past, her tumultuous relationships and the terrifying events that led to the demise of civilised life, Remember Tomorrow is a beautifully written, disturbing and deeply moving portrait of an all-too-possible dystopian world, with a chilling warning at its heart.

The Review

This is a well written and emotive dystopian novel about a bleak future world where everyone is suspicious of ‘the others’ and the darkest parts of history are being relived.

It is clear from the writing that the author has a deep understanding of the world we are currently living in and the dangers our political and environmental damage is doing. Some moments in the book sound spookily accurate and possible in the current climate, and for our immediate future. We should take heed from this if we do not want our planet to end up like the one in this novel.

Evie’s story is compelling. There are a lot of twists and turns, and often you hope for the best whilst fearing the worst. Whilst some parts of the novel are quite dark there is a thread of hope that weaves through the book, which you find yourself clinging to as you read on. An enjoyable and recommended read, with a very topical warning thrown in for good measure!

Author Quotes

“A dystopian future that echoes the present times. A reflection of society in a stark, unforgiving mirror. Unsettling, honest and unputdownable.” Susmita Bhattacharya, author of The Normal State of Mind

“A chilling descent into the chaos that lies in the hearts of men. A searing portrait of a dystopian future where civilisation’s thin veneer has been ripped away, and it is women who suffer most as a result. Excellent.” Paul Hardisty, author of Absolution

3Jan2018

Book Review: ‘Three Things About Elsie’ by Joanna Cannon

Posted in Blog, Books by Abigayle Blood

I found this lovely review on Emma’s Bookish Corner, and I simply had to share. I love Joanna Cannon’s work, and was lucky enough to be present in the room when her first novel The Trouble With Goats And Sheep won at a Literary Festival that ultimately landed her an agent. She is an amazing and inspiring person, and I hope you enjoy this beautiful review of her second novel Three Things About Elsie.

THE BOOK

“There are three things you should know about Elsie.
The first thing is that she’s my best friend.
The second is that she always knows what to say to make me feel better.
And the third thing… might take a little bit more explaining.”

84-year-old Florence has fallen in her flat at Cherry Tree Home for the Elderly. As she waits to be rescued, Florence wonders if a terrible secret from her past is about to come to light; and, if the charming new resident is who he claims to be, why does he look exactly a man who died sixty years ago?

From the author of ‘The Trouble With Goats and Sheep’, this book will teach you many things, but here are three of them:
1) The fine threads of humanity will connect us all forever.
2) There is so very much more to anyone than the worst thing they have ever done.
3) Even the smallest life can leave the loudest echo.

THE REVIEW

“’No matter how long or short a time you are here, the world is ever so slightly different because you existed.’”

Oh, this book, this lovely lovely book. There are books that move us beyond words. Books that set up home in our hearts. Books that make you see the world that little bit differently. Those are the books that are truly special and ‘Three Things About Elsie’ is one of those books. It is a book that is as wonderful to read as it is to look at. It brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart. Thank you Joanna Cannon, for bringing Florence, Elsie and Jack into my life!

At the heart of this book is a tale of friendship, the friendship between Florence (who certainly did not buy those twenty-three Battenberg cakes in her cupboard) and Elsie, (who is ‘difficult to clip’ when having her toenails seen to). And also their friendship with General Jack, one of the rare male Cherry Tree residents. These two ladies have literally been best friend’s the whole of their lives and now they are spending their twilight years at Cherry Tree, sheltered accommodation, full of universal beige and with no actual cherry trees.

“We held hands as we climbed hills, as we waited on pavements, and as we ran through fields, as we held hands as we faced all the things in life we didn’t think we could manage alone.”

I love these two ladies, I can picture them perfectly sitting at Flo’s window, watching possibly spying, on the goings-on in the courtyard. When new resident, Gabriel, arrives at Cherry Tree, a ghost from Florence’s past, our intrepid threesome become determined to prove all is not right. The antics these three get up are so entertaining, they are certainly the troublesome, naughty children of Cherry Tree.

All the characters in this book leap from the page, they are so true to life it’s hard to believe they are fiction. During Florence’s story, we also get to hear a little from Miss Ambrose, who is second in command at Cherry Tree and Handy Simon, the handy man. The addition of these chapters really makes the story feel more whole. We get to see life from Flo’s point of view but also from the view of the people who care for her. This book really does show what life is like in care homes, from the residents to the workers to the visitors. It’s all too easy to forget that old people are still people and they have lived and are still living, Joanna Cannon has looked at this important subject with so much heart and sympathy.

“History is littered with people who achieved great things in old age.”

There are so many moments I adored when reading this. My copy is covered with post-its! There are moments where I laughed aloud, many moments when I laughed aloud actually. There are moments I cried. There are moments where I just had to sit and take in what I’d read. Joanna Cannon’s writing is beautiful, I am in awe of her ability to create such wonder with her words.

I honestly cannot tell you how much I love this book, I’ve already read it twice and I know I’ll be reading it again. It is something truly special. How I feel about this book can be summed up in one of my favourite quotes from it “it wasn’t always something you could necessarily put down in words. Words are not always adequate.”

Three Things, for me, is the most perfect of books. So settle into your favourite reading spot, pour a cup of tea, grab a something yummy (I recommend Battenberg, you can’t go wrong with Battenberg) and prepare to read a story that will touch the innermost corners of your heart and meet characters who will become your friends.

BOOKISH CORNER RATING – ALL THE STARS IN THE SKY!!

THE AUTHOR

Joanna Cannon graduated from Leicester Medical School and worked as a hospital doctor, before specialising in psychiatry. Her first novel ‘The Trouble With Goats and Sheep’ was a top ten bestseller in both hardback and paperback. She lives in the Peak District with her family and her dog – Seth.

‘Three Things About Elsie’ is published in hardback on the 11th January 2018 by Borough Press.

Via: https://emmasbookishcorner.wordpress.com/2017/12/22/book-review-three-things-about-elsie-by-joanna-cannon/

29Dec2017

The 35 Best Books of 2017?

Posted in Blog, Books by Abigayle Blood

2017 was a remarkable year for fiction and nonfiction. From fearless debut novelists to established literary veterans at the top of their games, authors provided the artistic tonic we needed to survive a turbulent time both politically and culturally.

Narrowing down a reading list of 116 titles to just 35 was torture. The final grouping you’re about to read (and judge) could have easily been expanded to include 50 to 60 books. Please feel free to debate these choices and add your own in the comments section.

As always, keep reading everyone!

35. Smothered by M.C. Hall

Megan Cassidy Hall deserves a writing award for the faux-comments section alone. Her epistolary exploration of a sensational crime, and how society reacts to it, is both haunting and incredibly sad.

34. Found Audio by N.J. Campbell

I still have this trippy, mind-bending novel in my head. You’ll question your own reality after reading this, but you won’t question N.J. Campbell’s talent.

33. Marcel’s Letters by Carolyn Porter

In a year when we desperately needed as many genuine love stories as possible, Carolyn Porter delivered a great one. Her hunt for the truth behind a World War II survivor’s letters led to a splendid and deeply personal read (as well as a beautiful font!).

32. Apollo 8 by Jeffrey Kluger

Jeffrey Kluger’s return to the Apollo missions provided 2017 with the same burst of hope that Apollo 8 gave 1968 (one of the most turbulent years in American history). A thrilling narrative featuring the crew of Apollo 8 that reminds you of what Americans are capable of when reaching for the same stars.

31. Blurred Lines by Vanessa Grigoriadis

Vanessa Grigoriadis’ curious and wide-ranging reporting in Blurred Lines warmed my journalist soul even while making my skin crawl. Sexual assault on campus remains a complicated, serious issue, and, judging by Grigoriadis’ revelations, will continue to be one until colleges and universities make even more substantial changes to their policies and punishments.

30. An Unkindness Of Magicians by Kat Howard

There’s not a bad sentence in this book. Kat Howard should be a household name. She makes you care deeply for all of her characters – even the evil ones – as she’s putting them all through (magical) hell.

29. The Weight Of This World by David Joy

David Joy is the poet of broken characters. He gets better and better with every novel. The Weight of This World puts a hole through your heart with a shotgun and uses bourbon to salve the wound.

28. The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash

Ella May Wiggins lives in the past, but would be right at home fighting against our current political demagogues. She’s a reluctant rebel, one driven to protest in order to feed her starving family. A finely drawn supporting cast experiences the novel’s tragic events through myriad personalities, racial identities, and disparate classes. Urgent historical fiction of the highest order.

27. Days Without End by Sebastian Barry

Still amazed at the answers Sebastian Barry gave during our podcast interview earlier this year. He combined his love of the American Civil War stories and his son to deliver a truly remarkable western.

26. The Lost Prayers Of Ricky Graves by James Han Mattson

A powerful read about the aftermath of a terrible tragedy perpetrated by a lost and confused teenager. No one comes off looking particularly well in this narrative, told in part through email chains and online chats, but it’s that broken humanness that makes The Lost Prayers of Ricky Graves so devastating and gripping. Top-notch writing.

25. Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie

The first chapter alone should win some kind of literary prize. It sets the tone of the novel and feels so immediate considering the political climate in the United States and around the globe. And that ending…so good!

24. The Story Of My Teeth by Valeria Luiselli

The Story of My Teeth further cements Valeria Luiselli as one of the most important voices in fiction and nonfiction. Read this and everything else she’s written.

23. American War by Omar El Akkad

American War is a cautionary tale that seems more and more realistic with each passing day. It’s a visceral, brutal thriller that peels apart the many layers of American dysfunction and partisanship.

22. The Animators by Kayla Rae Whitaker

Mel Vaught and Sharon Kisses were two of my favourite main characters in 2017. Whitaker puts them through hell (some of it self-inflicted), but never leaves them completely hopeless. Author Julie Buntin called this novel “goddamned brilliant” in June’s “Books That Should Be On Your Radar,” and she’s 100% goddamn right.

21. What It Means When A Man Falls From The Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah

Lesley Nneka Arimah’s short story collection is masterful. I had so much fun listening to Levar Burton read the title story on his podcast “Levar Burton Reads,” and then hearing Arimah talk about the collection on a later episode.

20. Hum If You Don’t Know The Words by Bianca Marais

Bianca Marais’ storytelling is so mesmerizing that you’ll constantly mutter, “Just one more chapter…” while reading the novel. Robin and Beauty don’t have it easy for much of the narrative, but they’re equal parts fragile and flinty throughout the narrative. Marais’ sparkling debut explores everything from race relations to familial bonds.

19. The Force by Don Winslow

How do you follow up The Cartel, one of the best novels written about the ongoing drug war in Mexico and the Southern United States? If you’re the master of crime fiction, you write The Force, a gripping thriller about a corrupt cop in New York City. A master class in dialogue and plot.

18. The Refuees by Thanh Nguyen

Viet Thanh Nguyen won the Pulitzer Prize for The Sympathizer (#2 on last year’s list), and followed it up with an equally compelling, earthy, and poignant short story collection. He’s rightly become an essential voice on the literary scene.

17. Dark At The Crossing by Elliot Ackerman

It’s been such a joy following Elliot Ackerman’s career as a journalist and novelist. His debut Green on Blue was one of our favourite novels in 2015, and his stellar sophomore effort, Dark at the Crossing, was nominated for this year’s National Book Award.

16. I Was Told To Come Alone by Souad Mekhennet

I Was Told To Come Alone is an extraordinary memoir about a life in journalism. Souad Mekhennet’s journey from inquisitive child to fearless reporter tasked with communicating with jihadists is impossible to forget. Her final chapter is a call to arms for journalists and global citizens alike.

15. The Mothers by Brit Bennett

This is the first book I read in 2017, and it really set the bar high. Bennett’s wisdom and verve are evident on every page. I found myself falling in love with the characters all over again revisiting the novel for this post.

Note: The Mothers was published late in 2016, but I read it in January 2017 so I’m counting it for this year’s list. It’s my post, I can do what I want!

14. Salt Houses by Hala Alyan

I loved how Hala Alyan structured her debut novel. She wrote from multiple characters’ perspectives and jumped forward several years in the timeline throughout the book. This allowed her to explore themes like the aftermath of war and the development of familial relationships in a really heartfelt way. Her dialogue sang like poetry.

13. Sirens by Joshua Mohr

Joshua Mohr’s fiction is defined by brutal honesty. He upped the stakes by telling his own sordid (Mohr’s adjective of choice) tale. Make sure you listen to Mohr read from a section in Sirens (sure to elicit both laughter and tears) from our live event at Porter Square Books earlier this year. Very much looking forward to the follow up Model Citizen!

12. Stephen Florida by Gabe Habash

I finished Gabe Habash’s insanely well written debut in one sitting. Spending time in Stephen Florida’s head was like sitting on top of a runaway freight train.

11. Mrs. Fletcher by Tom Perrotta

The only thing I enjoyed more than this steamy satire was discussing it with Dave Pezza for #NovelClass. I loved the way Perrotta depicted his middle-aged female lead and how he crafted her eclectic supporting cast.

10. Marlena by Julie Buntin

As you’ve probably noticed, I’m a sucker for coming-of-age stories. Julie Buntin’s Marlena is one of the best ever written, and one that makes me want to up my writing game. It’s been rightly feted all year, and I’d love to see this story on screen.

9. Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

“Moving,” “romantic,” “tender,” and “violent” are all words I used to describe Exit West back in March. One of the central questions Hamid attempts to answer is, “Can new love blossom and survive in a war zone?” His answers are as poetic as they are heart breaking. And it all starts with this stellar opening line: “In a city swollen by refugees but still mostly at peace, or at least not yet openly at war, a young man met a young woman in a classroom and did not speak to her.”

8. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Celeste Ng has no rival when it comes to crafting characters. Those that populate Little Fires Everywhere are deliciously damaged. Tangled small town drama has never been this illuminating.

7. Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

Jesmyn Ward’s National Book Award-winning Sing, Unburied, Sing has its own heartbeat that you feel through its spine. All the ghosts that her characters are living with feel like they’re right next to you as you read.

6. Lucky Boy by Shanthi Sekaran

Soli, one of Lucky Boy’s main characters, is one of the most memorable, tough, and fierce mothers in fiction. You’ll find yourself rooting just as hard for her brilliant counterpart Kavya. Between them is a young boy unaware of the passionate struggle to claim him on both sides of the U.S.-Mexican border. I read this early in 2017 when the first of President Trump’s Muslim bans was enacted. It was a powerful read then, and remains one now in the face of continued xenophobia and discrimination.

5. Spaceman Of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar

Deep space, an astronaut tortured by the romance he left behind, and a spider that may or may not be imaginary. What’s not to love? Plus, my favourite cover of the year (not biased at all by the giant coffee cup)!

4. Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong

I’m still amazed that Rachel Khong packed so much heart, humour, and human themes into such a short novel. Khong is one of my favorite risk-taking debut novelists.

3. What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons

Speaking of risk-takers, Zinzi Clemmons wrote an innovative, emotionally devastating novel that I continually re-read to get inspired. She’s a must-follow on Twitter as well.

2. All Grown Up by Jami Attenberg

I, perhaps unfairly, have compared every book I’ve read in 2017 to Jami Attenberg’s flawless All Grown Up. Attenberg told me in a podcast interview earlier this year that she wanted to “write something funny and contemporary, and loose and bittersweet.” She succeeded on all levels. This novel will be on my annual re-read list for years to come.

1. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

Epic in scope and passionately written, Pachinko has been my number one since the day I started reading it. Min Jin Lee is a treasure. “History has failed us, but no matter,” my favourite opening line of 2017, still gets me.

So there you have it. These were the 35 best books of 2017 chosen by the Writer’s Bone crew – but what do you think? Do you agree? Are there books you would add to that list? Feel free to pop them in the comments below so we can check them out for ourselves.

Here’s to a biblio-fantastic 2018!

Via: http://www.writersbone.com/book-recommendations/2017/12/20/the-35-best-books-of-2017

22Dec2017

17 Books That Should Be On Your Radar: December 2017

Posted in Blog, Books by Abigayle Blood

Every month, the Writer’s Bone crew reviews or previews books they’ve read or want to read. This series may or may not also serve as a confessional for guilty pleasures and hipster novels only the brave would attempt. Here are their recommendations for December 2017:

SMOTHERED BY M.C. HALL
THE DEMON CROWN BY JAMES ROLLINS
THERE ARE MORE BEAUTIFUL THINGS THAN BEYONCÉ BY MORGAN PARKER
THE LOST PRAYERS OF RICKY GRAVES BY JAMES HAN MATTSON
AMERICA’S WOMEN: 400 YEARS OF DOLLS, DRUDGES, HELPMATES, AND HEROINES BY GAIL COLLINS
KING OF SPIES BY BLAINE HARDEN
WHAT WE BUILD UPON THE RUINS BY GIANO CROMLEY
CHASING PORTRAITS BY ELIZABETH RYNECKI
THE FROZEN HOURS BY JEFF SHAARA
DOUBLE FEATURE BY OWEN KING
COLORADO BOULEVARD BY PHOEF SUTTON
THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS: THE UNITED STATES DURING RECONSTRUCTION AND THE GILDED AGE, 1865-1896 BY RICHARD WHITE
A NEGRO AND AN OFAY BY DANNY GARDNER
THE LAST PLACE YOU LOOK BY KRISTEN LEPIONKA
THE PLOT IS MURDER BY VM BURNS
ARE YOU SLEEPING BY KATHLEEN BARBER
THINGS THAT HAPPENED BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE BY CHIARA BARZINI

Click on the links above for a detailed synopsis of each book, or follow the following link to see what the Writer’s Bone crew had to say: http://www.writersbone.com/book-recommendations/2017/12/7/17-books-that-should-be-on-your-radar-december-2017

11Nov2017

19 Books That Should Be On Your Radar: November 2017

Posted in Blog, Books by Abigayle Blood

Little Fires Everywhere By Celeste Ng
The Winter Of Frankie Machine By Don Winslow
Garden Of The Lost And Abandoned By Jessica Yu
In The Distance By Hernan Diaz
Mister Monkey By Francine Prose
Siddhartha By Hermann Hesse
The First Day By Phil Harrison
Vacationland By John Hodgman
Eileen By Ottessa Moshfegh
A Head Full Of Ghosts By Paul Tremblay
Jane Steele By Lyndsay Faye
Sunburn By Laura Lippman
Little Deaths By Emma Flint
The Castle By Jason Pinter
Under The Harrow By Flynn Berry
The Cutaway By Christina Kovac
Titus: The Life Story Of Dr. Plomaritis by Dr. Titus Plomaritis
Strange Weather By Joe Hill

Click on the links above for a detailed synopsis of each book, or follow the following link to see what the Writer’s Bone crew had to say: http://www.writersbone.com/book-recommendations/2017/11/8/18-books-that-should-be-on-your-radar-november-2017

11Oct2017

19 Books That Should Be On Your Radar: October 2017

Posted in Blog, Books by Abigayle Blood

THE LAST BALLAD BY WILEY CASH
SHALLOW GRAVES: THE HUNT FOR THE NEW BEDFORD SERIAL KILLER BY MAUREEN BOYLE
HAVE YOU MET NORA? BY NICOLE BLADES
BONE BY YRSA DALEY-WARD
MY ABSOLUTE DARLING BY GABRIEL TALLENT
SING, UNBURIED, SING BY JESMYN WARD
ONCE WE WERE BROTHERS BY RONALD H. BALSON
HOLLYWOOD HOMICIDE BY KELLYE GARRETT
BLURRED LINES: RETHINKING SEX, POWER, AND CONSENT ON CAMPUS BY VANESSA GRIGORIADIS
AN UNKINDNESS OF MAGICIANS BY KAT HOWARD
DREAMFIELD BY ETHAN BRYAN
UNCOMMON TYPE: SOME STORIES BY TOM HANKS
GOOD BONES BY MAGGIE SMITH
FROM THE DUST RETURNED BY RAY BRADBURY
ALL OUR PRETTY SONGS BY SARAH MCCARRY
ASK BABA YAGA: OTHERWORLDLY ADVICE FOR EVERYDAY TROUBLES BY TAISIA KITAISKAIA
TALES OF FALLING AND FLYING BY BEN LOORY
HER BODY & OTHER PARTIES BY CARMEN MARIA MACHADO
MRS. FLETCHER BY TOM PERROTTA

Click on the links above for a detailed synopsis of each book, or follow the following link to see what the Writer’s Bone crew had to say: http://www.writersbone.com/book-recommendations/2017/10/9/19-books-that-should-be-on-your-radar-october-2017

3Oct2017

19 YA Books Everyone Should Read

Posted in Blog, Books by Abigayle Blood

I saw this article on BuzzFeed, which asked members of the BuzzFeed Community for the young adult novels they’d recommend to anyone, regardless of their age. I really loved it, as I’ve never thought of myself as a YA reader, but there are a number of suggestions here that I’m really interested in picking up. Here’s what they said…

1. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

“It’s a beautifully, tragically relevant book for young adults and adults alike. Unarmed, 16-year-old Khalil is fatally shot by a police officer, and his friend Starr, who is with him at the time, deals with the aftermath and the struggles of feeling like a second-class citizen her own country. It’s very engaging, and when I finished the book, I felt that I had learned something important.”

2. I’ll Give You The Sun and The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

“Her books are so beautifully written, I couldn’t pick between the two. Her characters are relatable she deals with topics like grief, sexuality, family, and coming to terms with who you are. Read her books. You will not regret it. I wish she would write more!”

3. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

“It affected me emotionally more than any other book has in years. It’s beautifully quirky, with life lessons that are both nostalgic and currently relevant. I recommend it to everyone that asks me for a book recommendation.”

4. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

“It’s about a Latino boy who doesn’t know his place in the world and discovers it in a truly beautiful way. As an LGBT Latinx teen it meant the world to me when I read it and changed a lot in my world. It helped in accepting who I was and I fell in love with its beautiful characters.”

5. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

” I’ve read it annually since I was 14, which is about 12 years now. It’s a beautiful, slightly eerie story set in the early 20th century about a girl who craves and seeks a career and education, despite familial and societal pressure to become a wife and caretaker, against the backdrop of a real-life murder. It’s as poignant as ever, definitely changed my life, and set me on a path of self-care and feminism.”

6. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

“It’s about a young Native American boy who deals with health issues due to being born with hydrocephaly, and is a budding comic book artist. He ends up going to a high school in the wealthier part of his town where he is the only Native American (besides the school mascot). It’s mostly about him overcoming his struggles. Heads up: There’s mentions of alcohol, drugs, death, and slurs.”

7. The His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman

“The main character, Lyra, is charming, and the adventures are captivating. The books ask a lot of philosophical questions about the nature of the universe and of ourselves. It’s good reading for any age, and I get more out of it every time I re-read the series.”

8. Olive’s Ocean by Kevin Henkes

“It was one of my favourite YA books growing up, and still is to this day. It covers love, death, friendship, and does so in an eloquent way that doesn’t feel like the rehashing of the same story you read in every other book.”

9. Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky

“It tackles the issue of being transgender in middle school and finally accepting who you really are. Some people accepted Grayson, some didn’t.”

10. The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater

“It’s a beautiful series about the way age, socioeconomics, gender, race, and a world of other factors complicate the relationships we have with the people we love. It mixes fantasy and historical fiction with some hints of horror to tell the story of four teenagers on a quest to find the tomb of an ancient Welsh King. They have to work with psychics and a magical forest and ghosts and cars, it’s just amazing. It lifts my heart no matter how many times I read it.”

11. The Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin

“It’s amazingly well written and it’s a one-off, so you don’t have to worry about a whole series. It follows a genderfluid person named Riley and their struggles being genderfluid and having anxiety. The book is immensely captivating – I’m not going to lie, it made me cry. I’ve read it through 3 times in the year and a half it’s been out and it’s gotten better each time.”

12. Wonder by R.J. Palacio

“It should be required reading in life. I’ve read it for myself and with students several times and the story itself has moved me to tears, but it truly is a wonder to see the empathy the kids learned from the novel. An absolute must read.”

13. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

“Hands down my favourite book ever. It’s one of those books that straddles that strange line between modern YA and what we think is children’s literature. The writing is simple enough a younger reader can understand and, other than swearing and content that generally comes with the setting of WWII Germany, it’s fine for some younger readers.”

14. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

“A story about a rich and distinguished family and a group of four friends who spend their summer at a private island where everything is not what it seems to be. Full of complex characters and mystery, that will suck you in from the first page. Both the adults and the teenagers are struggling with darkness within their own selves. The ending will definitely shock you and keep you wondering why you didn’t figure things out sooner. A must read.”

15. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

“The premise may seem corny at first, but the excellent characterisation and lovely prose will pull you in. It grapples with some very deep and intense themes, and creates a fantasy world that manages to feel both familiar and truly unique.”

16. Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

“Beauty Queens is the answer to that ‘Lord of the Flies but with women’ movie – it was one of the first super-intersectional feminist novels I read in high school, and it holds up.”

17. Code Name Verity and Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

“World War II historical fiction written with astounding poignancy and poetry. This is a pair of books that will never leave my bookshelf.”

18. Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

“I finally got around to reading these recently and now I won’t stop talking about them to anyone who’ll listen. You’ll love Six of Crows for its fast-paced plot, but more so for its characters – the representation in these novels is seriously incredible, and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy despite the fact that it’s about a band of criminals. The only bad thing about these books is that there’s only two of them.”

19. The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner

“A beautiful, completely gut-wrenching story about three friends in a small town looking toward their futures and how they will both escape their past and stay in touch in the future. I love this book so damn much.”

***

Via: https://www.buzzfeed.com/eleanorbate/young-adult-at-heart

28Sep2017

Stephen King’s Reading List For Writers

Posted in Blog, Books by Abigayle Blood

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools)
to write. Simple as that.”
― Stephen King

In the afterword to his acclaimed guide On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King shares the following reading list of 96 books, covering a diverse range of fiction and non-fiction titles.

Accompanying the list is this explanation:

These are the best books I’ve read over the last three or four years, the period during which I wrote The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Hearts in Atlantis, On Writing, and the as-yet-unpublished From a Buick Eight. In some way or other, I suspect each book in the list had an influence on the books I wrote.

As you scan this list, please remember that I’m not Oprah and this isn’t my book club. These are the ones that worked for me, that’s all. But you could do worse, and a good many of these might show you some new ways of doing your work. Even if they don’t, they’re apt to entertain you. They certainly entertained me.

Peter Abrahams, A Perfect Crime
Peter Abrahams, Lights Out
Peter Abrahams, Pressure Drop
Peter Abrahams,Revolution #9
James Agee, A Death in the Family
Kirsten Bakis, Lives of the Monster Dogs
Pat Barker, Regeneration
Pat Barker, The Eye in the Door
Pat Barker, The Ghost Road
Richard Bausch, In the Night Season
Peter Blauner, The Intruder
Paul Bowles, The Sheltering Sky
T. Coraghessan Boyle, The Tortilla Curtain
Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods
Christopher Buckley, Thank You for Smoking
Raymond Carver, Where I’m Calling From
Michael Chabon, Werewolves in Their Youth
Windsor Chorlton, Latitude Zero
Michael Connelly, The Poet
Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness (Free eBook – Gutenberg / Kindle)
K.C. Constantine, Family Values
Don DeLillo, Underworld
Nelson DeMille, Cathedral
Nelson DeMille, The Gold Coast
Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist (Free eBook – Gutenberg / Kindle)
Stephen Dobyns, Common Carnage
Stephen Dobyns, The Church of Dead Girls
Roddy Doyle, The Woman Who Walked into Doors
Stanely Elkin, The Dick Gibson Show
William Faulkner, As I Lay Dying
Alex Garland, The Beach
Elizabeth George, Deception on His Mind
Tess Gerritsen, Gravity
William Golding, Lord of the Flies
Muriel Gray, Furnace
Graham Greene, A Gun for Sale (aka This Gun for Hire)
Graham Greene, Our Man in Havana
David Halberstam, The Fifties
Pete Hamill, Why Sinatra Matters
Thomas Harris, Hannibal
Kent Haruf, Plainsong
Peter Hoeg, Smilla’s Sense of Snow
Stephen Hunter, Dirty White Boys
David Ignatius, A Firing Offense
John Irving, A Widow for One Year
Graham Joyce, The Tooth Fairy
Alan Judd, The Devil’s Own Work
Roger Kahn, Good Enough to Dream
Mary Karr, The Liars’ Club
Jack Ketchum, Right to Life
Tabitha King, Survivor
Tabitha King, The Sky in the Water
Barbara Kingsolver, The Poisonwood Bible
Jon Krakauer, Into Thin Air
Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
Bernard Lefkowitz, Our Guys
Bentley Little, The Ignored
Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It and Other Stories
W. Somerset Maugham, The Moon and Sixpence (Free eBook – Gutenberg)
Cormac McCarthy, Cities of the Plain
Cormac McCarthy, The Crossing
Frank McCourt, Angela’s Ashes
Alice McDermott, Charming Billy
Jack McDevitt, Ancient Shores
Ian McEwan, Enduring Love
Ian McEwan, The Cement Garden
Larry McMurtry, Dead Man’s Walk
Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, Zeke and Ned
Walter M. Miller, A Canticle for Leibowitz
Joyce Carol Oates, Zombie
Tim O’Brien, In the Lake of the Woods
Stewart O’Nan, The Speed Queen
Michael Ondaatje, The English Patient
Richard North Patterson, No Safe Place
Richard Price, Freedomland
Annie Proulx, Close Range: Wyoming Stories
Annie Proulx, The Shipping News
Anna Quindlen, One True Thing
Ruth Rendell, A Sight for Sore Eyes
Frank M. Robinson, Waiting
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azakaban
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Richard Russo, Mohawk
John Burnham Schwartz, Reservation Road
Vikram Seth, A Suitable Boy
Irwin Shaw, The Young Lions
Richard Slotkin, The Crater
Dinitia Smith, The Illusionist
Scott Spencer, Men in Black
Wallace Stegner, Joe Hill
Donna Tartt, The Secret History
Anne Tyler, A Patchwork Planet
Kurt Vonnegut, Hocus Pocus
Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited
Donald Westlake, The Ax

That’s a lot of recommendations. How many on this list have you read? If you’re anything like me, you’ve got an even bigger TBR pile now – best get cracking!

Via: http://www.aerogrammestudio.com/2014/03/04/stephen-kings-reading-list-for-writers/

20Sep2017

15 Books That Should Be On Your Radar: September 2017

Posted in Blog, Books by Abigayle Blood

HOME FIRE BY KAMILA SHAMSIE
THE NAMES OF DEAD GIRLS BY ERIC RICKSTAD
SILENCER BY MARCUS WICKER
SID SANFORD LIVES! BY DANIEL FORD
HEAVY GREEN: THE COLLISION OF TWO UNLIKELY MISSIONS IN AMERICA’S SECRET WAR BY SAM LIGHTNER JR.
THE TRESPASSER BY TANA FRENCH
SMART BASEBALL BY KEITH LAW
WELCOME TO THE SLIPSTREAM BY NATALKA BURIAN
MARCEL’S LETTERS BY CAROLYN PORTER
BEFORE THE FALL BY NOAH HAWLEY
THE FIRE NEXT TIME BY JAMES BALDWIN
MARLENA BY JULIE BUNTIN
PAULINA AND FRAN BY RACHEL B. GLASER
STEPHEN FLORIDA BY GABE HABASH
MONSTERS: A LOVE STORY BY LIZ KAY

25Aug2017

Book Review: Trust Me by Angela Clarke

Posted in Blog, Books by Abigayle Blood

I read this fantastic book review of Angela Clarke’s Trust Me by Sophie Hedley, and now I am even more excited to read the book – I am currently making my way through all three of Anglea’s books and highly recommend them. Read this review and you will totally understand why:

Trust Me is the third book in Angela Clarke’s Social Media Murder series following book one, Follow Me, and book two, Watch Me. I mentioned all three in my Top Ten Social Media Books post because I couldn’t choose a favourite and they are all really credible, smart and up-to-date representations of social media and the dangers it possesses.

In Trust Me, the social media of choice is Periscope, where Kate stumbles upon a live video on her laptop of a girl being raped. Kate is absolutely stunned but knows she needs to do what she can to help the victim, even though she may not have survived the attack. The thing is, the video soon disappears, Kate knows nothing about the people who were in it and nobody really believes Kate can really have seen what she says she’s seen.

That is where Freddie and Nas come in. Though they are busy investigating a missing persons case, Freddie is the first person to give Kate’s story a proper listen. She’s the first person to truly believe Kate, and as Kate goes public about what she saw, Freddie and Nas begin to wonder whether their missing person’s case and the video Kate saw may be linked.

As with the other books in the series, Follow Me and Watch Me, Trust Me is pure brilliance. The author’s grasp on social media and the way she utilises it to create shocking yet realistic crimes with storytelling full of twists and turns – it’s irresistible reading. Even though I still can’t pick a favourite of the series, this one did hook me instantly and I was fascinated by how things would play out. Each book in the series seems to have got darker than the one before and I love how thought-provoking the themes always are. I couldn’t imagine what I would do if I saw something as awful as Kate did through a video on social media, yet it was entirely plausible. There’s all sorts of horrific photos and videos posted up online, and there could be a time when you see one and you can’t just scroll past and try and forget about it. Kate’s story left me thinking even when I’d put the book down.

Putting the book down was something I found difficult though as I was very engrossed in the story. I loved being back with Freddie and Nas and seeing the challenges they faced this time. Their development runs along nicely side by side with the main story and the investigation of the crimes in Trust Me made for gripping reading. With each book in the series I find that I view social media a little differently afterwards. Social media can be perfectly harmless escapism or it can be a grim and dangerous place and the author depicts this well. With short yet perfectly hard-hitting chapters, Trust Me is gritty crime at its best. It’s complex yet convincing, proper edge-of-your-seat reading.

Via: http://socialmediastories.co.uk/reviews/book-review-trust-me-by-angela-clarke/