Young Adult

The 13th Horseman by Barry Hutchison

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If you’re a regular reader of my blog you’ll know that I’m Barry Hutchison’s biggest fan (well, in the Southern Hemisphere anyway).  He has a unique ability to scare me silly and make me laugh out loud in the same book.  Ever since I discovered his Invisible Fiends series I’ve gobbled them up and I’m always interested to find out what he’s working on next.  So when he started posting lines from his work in progress about the horsemen of the apocalypse on Twitter I was hooked.  The 13th Horseman has been billed as a Terry Pratchett meets Neil Gaiman type of story and full of Barry’s unique sense of humour.  It was everything I expected from this very talented writer and much, much more.

“Drake is surprised to find three Horsemen of the Apocalypse playing snakes and ladders in his garden shed.  Even more surprisingly, they’re missing a Horseman and think that Drake is the boy for the job.  Drake is reluctant to join them, but does being in charge of Armageddon have to spell the end of the world?

From the wastelands of oblivion to the desolate plains of Limbo – join the Horsemen of the Apocalypse on a wild and hilarious ride…”

The 13th Horseman is one of the funniest books I’ve ever read.  The laughs don’t come from toilet humour, but from the actions (or inaction) of the three long serving Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  There’s Pestilence who’s dressed like a doctor with a white coat and rubber gloves (to protect the humans, not himself), the red-haired giant, War, with a temper to match his stature, and my favourite, Famine, who is absolutely huge, with massive rolls of fat all over his body (which provide great places to store food for later).  When Drake first meets them, they’ve been playing board games for thousands of years and are completely bored.  They all seem to be totally incompetent and can’t even organise themselves to do the job they’re there for – usher in the Apocalypse.  They all have a horse to ride across the sky, apart from Famine who has a mobility scooter (so that he doesn’t squash a horse).  Each of the Horsemen has their own quirks but my favourite is definitely Famine, because no matter when you look at him, he’s always eating something.  There were so many great lines throughout the book but my favourite was:

“Great,” War growled, looking up to the ceiling.  “Just great.  You’ve lost your scythe, you’ve wedged your scales where the sun don’t shine and you…” he looked Pest up and down.  “I don’t know where to start.  Some bloody Apocalypse this is going to be.”

Thankfully, The 13th Horseman is only the first book in the Afterworlds series and the sequel, The Lost Book of Everything is due out in 2013.  If you haven’t read any of Barry Hutchison’s books yet, The 13th Horseman is a good place to start.

Recommended for 11+       5 out of 5 stars

Freaky Futures Giveaway

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I love YA science fiction!  You’ll probably be able to tell that by reading my reviews.  Some of my favourite stories are set far in the future, on other planets or deep in space. One of my favourite science fiction series is The Maze Runner Trilogy by James Dashner (which I think is even better than Hunger Games).

Thanks to Scholastic New Zealand I have 2 YA science fiction book packs to give away, including a copy of The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials by James Dashner and Six Days by Philip Webb.

All you have to do to get in the draw is enter your details in the form below.  Competition closes Wednesday 30 May (New Zealand only).

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Thank you for your response. ✨

Starters book trailer and giveaway

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16-year-old Callie lost her parents when the ‘genocide spore’ wiped out everyone except those who were vaccinated first – the very young and very old. She and her little brother must go on the run, living as squatters, fighting off unclaimed renegades who would kill for a cookie. Hope comes in the form of the Body Bank run by a mysterious figure, known only as The Old Man. The Body Bank allows teenagers to rent out their bodies to ‘Enders’ – the elderly members of society – who want to be young again. But Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party in her body. She intends to commit murder…

Starters by Lissa Price sounds amazing and it’s out now in NZ.  Check out Lissa’s website for more about Starters and her writing – lissaprice.com.  I have 2 copies to give away so enter your details below to get in the draw.  Competition closes Wednesday 23 May (International).

Thanks to everyone who entered.  The winners are Blake and Sandra.

The Phoenix Files: Fallout by Chris Morphew

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Chris Morphew’s Phoenix Files is one of my favourite series.  I got in to them last year before Chris came to New Zealand for the Storylines Family Day in Christchurch last year, and I was hooked from the first page of Arrival.  They’ve got the perfect mix of action, suspense, mystery and science fiction that make them hard to put down.  Fallout is the fifth book (in the six book series) and has just been released in Australia and New Zealand.  Chris doesn’t waste any time getting straight back into the action and rocketing you along to the end of the world.

The Shackleton Building has been turned into a concentration camp, and the last free people in Phoenix have been forced into hiding. Unless Jordan and the others can figure out where the Co-operative is keeping Tobias, everything they’ve fought for will be for nothing.

As Peter spins further out of control, can Jordan find a way to save Luke’s life, or is history doomed to repeat itself?

With only weeks left until Tabitha is released, Phoenix’s biggest secrets are still yet to be revealed.

And the clock is still ticking.

There are 14 days until the end of the world.

To tell you much about the story would only spoil it for everyone, but I will say this – Fallout is the best book in the series so far.  It’s action-packed, explosive and there are shocks galore.  Chris answers a lot of those burning questions you’ve had about Phoenix right from the start and leaves you on the edge of your seat at the very end.  We haven’t seen much of Shackleton in the last couple of books but he comes back in all his sadistic glory in Fallout.  He’s the best villain since Mayor Prentice in Patrick Ness’ Chaos Walking Trilogy.  He’s one of those guys you just want to punch in the face because he makes you so angry.  I’ve read the last 3 books one after another and I wish I could just keep reading and find out how it all ends, but I’ll have to wait until 2013 for Doomsday.

5 out of 5 stars

The Phoenix Files by Chris Morphew

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The fifth book in Chris Morphew’s brilliant Phoenix Files series, Fallout, is released in NZ this month.  To celebrate I want to highlight this great series by posting my review of the first book in the series, Arrival, my review of the latest book, Fallout, and an interview that I did with Chris Morphew last year when he came to NZ for the Storylines Family Day.  If you haven’t already discovered this series you should go and grab copies of them now, especially if you’re a fan of Michael Grant’s Gone series.

 

What would you do if you found out there were only 100 days until the end of the world?

When Luke and his mum move to the town of Phoenix, out in the middle of nowhere, Luke knows straight away that something isn’t quite right about the place.  There are no cars, no phones and no internet.  All the houses look the same and the only way to get around the town is to walk or bike.  The town was especially built by the Shackleton Cooperative, the mysterious company that offered Luke’s mum a job, and their security officers roam the streets.  A coded message brings Luke together with Peter and Jordan, and when they decipher the message they realise they’re in serious danger.  Someone is plotting to wipe out the human race in 100 days and Phoenix suddenly becomes the safest and most dangerous place on earth.  When Luke discovers a note in his backpack inviting them to a secret meeting at the Phoenix Airport, they hope that they’ll get some answers.  However, their meeting at the airport gives them more questions than answers and as they hunt for information about Phoenix and the deadly plans, the more dangerous it becomes for them in the town.

Arrival is the first book in the action-packed, heart-stopping Phoenix Files series.  It’s one of those books that you just have to keep reading to find out what happens.  It grabs you from the very first page and doesn’t let you go until the end.  You’re left with lots of unanswered questions about Phoenix and the Shackleton Cooperative, but this just makes you want to go and pick up the next book straight away.  Luckily there are 5 books already released in this 6 book series.  The Phoenix Files are perfect for those who like mystery, adventure and suspense, or books about secret agencies and the end of the world.  If you like Michael Grant’s Gone series, then you’ll love The Phoenix Files.  Recommended for 12+    10 out of 10

Make way for The 13th Horseman

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One of my favourite authors, Barry Hutchison, has a new book coming out in NZ later this month (Friday 18th May to be precise) called The 13th Horseman and it’s absolutely hilarious.  Here’s the blurb:

Drake is surprised to find three horsemen of the apocalypse playing snakes and ladders in his garden shed. He’s even more surprised when they insist that he is one of them. They’re missing a Horseman, having gone through several Deaths and they think that Drake is the boy for the job. At first he’s reluctant to usher in Armageddon but does being in charge of Armageddon have to spell the end of the world?

I’m really excited about this book so I’m holding a special NZ launch for The 13th Horseman at the Shirley Library in Christchurch on Friday 25 May, at 4pm.  Barry will be joining us (virtually from the UK) to talk about his book.  We’ll have giveaways as well as drinks and snacks fit for a Horseman of the Apocalypse.  For those of you who can’t be there I’ll also be doing a virtual launch here on My Best Friends Are Books, with a chance to win a copy of The 13th Horseman.

While you’re waiting for the book to arrive in NZ you should check out the short story that Barry wrote, featuring the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, called The Missing Remote of the Apocalypse.  You can read it for FREE on Barry’s website.  I highly recommend it (I had tears running down my face from laughing so hard while reading it)!

Interview with Cat Patrick, author of Forgotten and Revived

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Cat Patrick is the author of two of my favourite books, Forgotten and Revived (which you can win here on my blog).  Cat’s stories are really original and I always wonder where she gets her ideas.  I asked her if she could answer some of my burning questions about her books and her writing so here are her wonderful answers.

  • Forgotten and Revived are two of the most original young adult books I’ve read.  What inspired you to write these stories?

I really believe that inspiration is everywhere. In the case of Forgotten, it was in my kitchen when I was a new, sleep-deprived mom, and I forgot what I was doing in the middle of an activity. I never remembered, but my brain wandered and landed on the book idea.

With Revived, inspiration came in the form of a news story about a drug that could potentially jolt stroke patients back to normal, read at a time when a family friend’s death from cancer was also on my mind.

  • In Forgotten, London can see what will happen in the future, but she can’t remember her past.  How did you keep track of London’s story while writing?

I kept memory timeline, and every time I’d sit down to write, I’d also read back a few chapters to make sure I was *forgetting* the right information.

 

  • If you had to live the life of one of your characters who would you choose, London or Daisy?

I think I’d choose Daisy’s life. So much of us is our past—bad or good, it helps shape us. It would be incredibly difficult not to feel lost in London’s life.

  • One of the things I like the most about your stories is that the male characters are normal and relatable.  Are Luke and Matt based on guys you know?

Luke and Matt are guys I wish I’d known in high school. Sometimes when I read back, I get glimmers of recognition, but ultimately they’re fictional.

  • Relationships play an important role in your books.  Matt in particular is quite caring and loyal in his relationship with his sister and with Daisy.  Do you know before you start writing how these relationships will evolve or does this happen as you write?

It happens as I write. I’m not an outliner. I don’t start books in any sort of organized fashion. Basically, I get the idea, obsess about the main characters’ names, then start typing. The characters take me where they want to go. In the case of Matt, I’m happy that he turned out to be such a good guy.

  • Each time Daisy is revived she has to move to a different city.  If you could relocate to any city in the world what would it be?

Oh goodness, that’s a long list. If I have to pick one, I’d say London. I spent two days there once. I fell in love and desperately want to go back.

  • I love your Australian book covers for both Forgotten and Revived because they stand out and look really appealing.  Which editions have your favourite covers and why?

My Australian publisher, Hardie Grant Egmont, has indeed done an amazing job with my covers. Not only are they lovely on their own, but they work well together. For Forgotten, I really love the covers from Australia, UK, Sweden and France. For Revived, the US, UK and Australia covers are amazing.

   

  • What movies/books/music inspire your writing?

I tend to listen to alternative rock—it lets my mind wander to the right place to get inspired. I’ve gotten a lot of ideas while either walking or driving while listening to music. Some of my favorite bands are Arcade Fire, Airborne Toxic Event, Radiohead, Muse, Florence & The Machine, Coldplay and Snow Patrol. And like seemingly everyone in the world, I’ve got Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” on infinite loop in my brain right now.

As for books, honestly every great read inspires me to be a better writer.

  • Your third book, The Originals is due out in 2013.  Are you able to tell me a little about the story?

Sure! The Originals is about three identical clones living as one person in order to hide from their past. They split each day, with one going to school in the morning, one attending class and cheer practice in the afternoon and one handling night classes, an afterschool job and other evening commitments. Like Forgotten and Revived, the story offers a mixture of romance and mystery, but it is also an exploration of what it means to be an individual as part of a very unique family dynamic.

Thank you again for the opportunity!

You can follow Cat on her website (http://www.catpatrick.com/), on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/cat.patrick.7) and on Twitter (@seecatwrite).

Revived by Cat Patrick

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One of the things that excites me the most as a reader is finding new authors, especially ones that blow you away with their originality.  Cat Patrick is an exciting new author I discovered last year when I read her debut YA book, Forgotten (read my review here).  Forgotten is one of those books that sticks in your mind long after you’ve read it because it’s totally original and stands out.  Cat’s latest book, Revived, is just as amazing as Forgotten and hooked me in from the blurb.

Daisy has died five times.

She’s a test subject for a government super-drug called Revive, which brings people back from the dead.

Each time she is revived, Daisy has to move cities and change her identity to avoid suspicion.  Daisy has always got a thrill out of cheating death, but her latest move has come with unexpected complications: a new best friend, and a very cute crush.

As Daisy’s attachment to her new home grows, she discovers secrets that could tear her world apart.  And the more she learns, the more she feels like a pawn in a sinister game.

When the stakes are life and death, someone’s going to get hurt.

I had high hopes for Revived after loving Forgotten and it totally lived up to them, and more.  It’s difficult to try and put Cat’s books into a category or genre because they’re mostly a real-life story, but with a touch of science fiction thrown in.  Daisy first died in a bus crash when she was four, after which she got taken into the Revived program and now lives with two agents who pretend to be her parents.  Her and the other ‘bus kids’ have to undergo regular testing to make sure they are healthy and to ensure the drug is doing its job.

I thought that the background and structure of the organisation behind Revive that Cat created was really clever.  At the top there’s God who makes all the decisions and is in charge, then there are the agents who work for God called Disciples, and at the bottom are the Converts, those ‘bus kids’ who are part of the program and are given Revive to bring them back to life.  God thinks that he can do whatever he want and that nobody will stop him, which raises some interesting ethical questions in the story.

Another thing that I really liked in Revived, and also in Forgotten, is that Cat creates relatable male characters that aren’t douche-bags.  You won’t find any love triangles with moody, mysterious guys in Cat’s books.  The love interest in Revived is Matt, a normal, average guy who is friendly and loyal.  The relationship between Daisy and Matt progresses naturally throughout the story and they have their share of ups and downs.  There isn’t smoldering passion because there isn’t the need for it in the story and it would seem wrong between Cat’s characters.  Any teenagers who want to know what love feels like should read Cat’s books.

There’s something in Revived for everyone – mystery, suspense, romance and a touch of science fiction.  Get your hands on Revived and discover the amazing writing of Cat Patrick.

5 out of 5 stars

Fear by Michael Grant

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Michael Grant is one of my favourite authors because you never quite know what to expect when you start his latest book.    I know for sure that it’s going to be violent, probably disturbing and like no other young adult book around, but I never know what he’s going to throw at me.  Fear is the fifth book in his brilliant Gone series and there were times while reading it that I thought ‘where did that come from?’ or ‘what the hell is going on?’  Some authors may be running out of steam by the fifth book in a series (especially one as full-on as this one) but Michael Grant is still surprising me and making the situation even worse for the kids of the FAYZ.

Night is falling in the FAYZ. Permanently.  The barrier that surrounds the town of Perdido Beach is turning black, blotting out the sun and plunging its inhabitants into perpetual gloom.

And as the shadows deepen, the Darkness stirs.  From its lair beneath the earth, the gaiaphage reaches out for what it needs most – a human body into which it can be reborn…

Michael Grant drops you right back into the FAYZ in Fear and if you’d forgotten how bad things were he quickly reminds you.  Each of the camps are coping in their own ways and things have been relatively trouble-free for a while.  That is until certain characters make a reappearance and a darkness starts creeping up the side of the dome.  As in other books in the series, characters who seemed minor come into their own, especially Penny who totally loses it (her sanity that is).  The storylines of the gaiaphage and Little Pete get even weirder and in some parts I had no idea what was going on.  Michael Grant has an incredibly dark and twisted mind and he keeps coming up with new ways to creep his readers out and inflict torture on the kids of the FAYZ.  Because this book is called Fear Michael makes his characters face their fears, often using Penny as the tool for this.  One of my favourite things about this book was seeing what was going on outside the dome.  I’ve always wondered how the people outside were dealing with the dome and how the families were coping.  We do get a few questions answered about the FAYZ but hopefully the final book, Light, will tie up the loose ends.  It’s hard to believe that, in a year, we’ll be saying goodbye to Sam, Astrid, Edilio, Quinn and all the other kids of the FAYZ.

5 out of 5 stars

The Show No Fear and Go BZRK Michael Grant Blog Tour – Guest Post from Michael Grant

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Today I’m excited to host Michael Grant on the 4th stop of his Show No Fear and Go BZRK Blog Tour.  I’m a huge fan of Michael’s Gone series and his new series, BZRK.  He’s one of the most unique and original writers for young adults and never fails to please his army of fans.  I asked Michael if he could write about a couple of topics I was interested in; writing for the teenage guy inside him and authors and their use of social networking.  Thanks for joining me Michael.

  • Writing for the teenage guy inside you

Sometimes I’m not sure I ever was a teenager.  I never fit in.  I didn’t participate in events and activities at school, aside from debate club for one year.  I was a determined loner, actively avoiding other kids, inventing endless excuses to put off people who invited me to parties or dances.  I would sit at pep rallies and hear the “The we’re number one!” cheers and think, “Nah, we’re really not.”  I was cynical, arrogant, uninterested.  I’m sorry to say that if I was like any of my GONE characters in those days it might have been Caine.  (I’ve matured — a bit.)

I dropped out of school at age 16 and went to work full time.  I took immediately to work.  Work made far more sense to me than did my home life or school.  I liked the simplicity:  show up, work hard, get paid, go home.  All my life since then I’ve been a work-a-holic.

So when I think about the teenage Michael I just see a person who was waiting impatiently for the whole thing to be over so I could get on with the rest of my life.  In particular I wanted to be living my life, as defined by me, without adults . . . Oh.  Well then.  Hmmm.  I guess we’ve discovered the link between teenaged Michael and GONE, the book series where every single person over the age of 14 simply disappears, leaving things to be managed by teenagers.

I think adults try to keep teenagers trapped in childhood sometimes.  I think kids are often capable of more.  I was.

  • Going beyond the book: authors and social networking

I am somewhat conflicted on social media.  I’m on Twitter and on Facebook, and moderately active on both.  Am I convinced that it’s useful in terms of selling books?  No.  I think it’s useful primarily in maintaining contact with existing fans.  But I’m also conflicted about the usefulness of that.  I enjoy hearing from fans, as any author does.  But I think it can also demystify an author, showing them for what they of course are:  just regular people living not terribly grand or interesting lives.  I like hard data and I don’t think any exists on the practical effects of social media.  The jury is still out.  Of course in the meantime I’ll still be on Twitter and Facebook.

    

The fifth book in Michael Grant’s Gone series, Fear is out now, as well as the first book in his new BZRK series.  I’ve got a copy of each to give away here on My Best Friends Are Books.  Just enter your details to get in the draw.

A special thank you to the wonderful Jennifer Kean at Hardie Grant Egmont for organising the blog tour and for energy and enthusiasm!