Young Adult

My Most Anticipated September Kids & YA Releases from Allen and Unwin

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Flip Flap Jungle by Axel Scheffler

What do you get if you cross an monkey with a armodillo? Why, that would be a Monkadillo! And a Leopard with a Frog? That would be a Leopog, of course! With its sturdy, split pages and spiral binding, 121 possible combinations, silly names and animal noises to make you giggle, this hilarious rhyming flip-flap book in a fun format is perfect for pre-schoolers.

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The Mystery of the Haunted Farm by Elys Dolan

The three little pigs are the best guys for the job, a specialist team of Ghosthunters equipped with the latest in ghost-hunting gadgets. But when the Phantom Finder 5000 fails to recognise any paranormal activity AT ALL, the pigs realise all is not quite as it seems. . . and there’s certainly something suspicious about the mysterious chicken coup up on the hill . . . could that be a werepuppy?

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This Broken Wondrous World by Jon Skovron

A year ago, Boy, the son of Frankenstein’s monster, had never even met a human. Now he’s living with his human ‘family’, the descendants of Dr Frankenstein, in Switzerland. That is, until the maniacal genius Dr Moreau, long ago banished to a remote island for his crimes against humanity, asks for his aid.

Moreau wants Boy to join his army of animal/human hybrid creatures and help him overthrow human society. Boy must choose: side with the twisted doctor and save his fellow monsters, or try to defend the humans who run the planet?

Boy will do anything to save this broken, wondrous world from the war that threatens to split it in two. But how much will he have to give up? And is the world worth saving?

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Concentr8 by William Sutcliffe

In a future London, Concentr8 is a prescription drug intended to help kids with ADD. Soon every troubled teen is on it. It makes sense, doesn’t it? Keep the undesirable elements in line. Keep people like us safe from people like them. What’s good for society is good for everyone. Troy, Femi, Lee, Karen and Blaze have been taking Concentr8 as long as they can remember. They’re not exactly a gang, but Blaze is their leader, and Troy has always been his quiet, watchful sidekick – the only one Blaze really trusts. They’re not looking for trouble, but one hot summer day, when riots break out across the city, they find it. What makes five kids pick a man seemingly at random – a nobody, he works in the housing department, doesn’t even have a good phone – hold a knife to his side, take him to a warehouse and chain him to a radiator? They’ve got a hostage, but don’t really know what they want, or why they’ve done it. And across the course of five tense days, with a journalist, a floppy-haired mayor, a police negotiator, and the sinister face of the pharmaceutical industry, they – and we – begin to understand why.

One week until Stray!

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If you’re a fan of Rachael Craw’s Spark, you’ll know that there is only a week until the second book in the series, Stray, is released.  If you haven’t read Spark, you absolutely need to go and grab a copy now so that you’ll be up-to-date with the story before it continues in book two.  I’ve just re-read Spark to prepare myself for Stray, so Rachael’s brilliant story and characters are fresh in my mind.  I have to know what will happen to Evie, her family and friends, and what the repercussions will be from the events of Spark.  It is such an action-packed, edge-of-your-seat read and Stray is sure to be more of the same. Spark is one of the best YA science fiction books I’ve read and it’s even better knowing that Rachael is from New Zealand!

It’s hard to remember hating anything as much as I hate Affinity; a bone-deep loathing for the faceless unknown and the concrete walls of my own DNA. Evie is a Shield: designed to kill in order to protect, and the Affinity Project have finally come for her. But Evie isn’t ready for the sinister organisation to take control of her life, her body, her mind. She isn’t ready to follow their rules about who may live and who must die – not when it condemns the innocent. She has one option: risk losing everything and everyone – including Jamie – and run.

I’m super excited to be helping Rachael Craw launch Stray in Christchurch next Tuesday night!  I’m looking forward to meeting Rachael, hearing all about Stray and getting my book signed.  If you’re in Christchurch or near-by you could also come along too.  Here is the invitation to the launch:

Stray - Invite CHCHIf you can’t get to the book launch I have some fantastic news for you!  Thanks to Walker Books Australia I have 5 copies of Stray to give away here on the blog.  I’ll ask Rachael to sign them so I’ll have 5 SIGNED copies to give away.  Keep an eye out on the blog next week for your chance to win.

Check out Rachael Craw’s website for more info about Spark, Stray and Rachael herself.

 

Interview with Leah Thomas, author of Because You’ll Never Meet Me

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Today I’m super excited to host an interview with Leah Thomas, author of the wonderful Because You’ll Never Meet Me.  It is one of the most extraordinary books I’ve read in a long time. You can read my review here on the blog.  I had a few questions about Because You’ll Never Meet Me and Leah Thomas has very kindly answered them for me.  Read on to find out what inspired Leah to write her wonderful story, where her characters came from and her favourite books and movies.

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  • I love Because You’ll Never Meet Me! I haven’t read anything quite like it.  What inspired you to write this story?

Thank you, thank you! I love hearing “I love”! And I love hearing “anything quite like it.” But in truth, so many things inspired this story that to me it feels more like “everything quite like it.” Parts of it were inspired by my homesickness while living abroad, parts of it draw directly from the comics and superhero stories that informed my childhood, parts come straight out of working with kids and in schools, with being raised by social workers (like Liz, yes), and a huge chunk of the story comes from the conviction that distances don’t matter so much when you can share words with people, in stories or in letters or in music.

  • When and how did the characters of Ollie and Moritz come to you?

Ollie was easy. Ollie demands to be heard, and I’m pretty sure he was hollering noisy things in my ears for at least a few years before I finally let him holler at other people. There are certain characters that really fight to exist, and he was one of them. I am often captivated by good people who put on a show of being happy even when they may not be, because they care more about how those near them feel than they care about themselves. This is, to me, a very selfless but sad way to live life, and with Ollie, he can’t quite pull it off, because he does value himself.

Moritz is the natural foil to Ollie: he’s very introverted and the front he puts up is that he couldn’t care less about the world, but the opposite is actually true. His self-loathing is so apparent but also so wrongheaded.

Both these characters are approaching their lives with whatever coping strategies they can, and when they contact each other, discover new possibilities for managing the crappy hand life dealt them.

I think these two boys really need each other. They are each other’s hope.

  • Did you have to do a lot of research about their conditions?

Of course research goes into any kind of writing, and where medical issues are concerned this is a must, but I’m going to reiterate: this is by no means a factual book, or at least was never intended to be. Yes, I very much wanted to write about characters with disabilities (and will continue to, because representation is everything!), but in my mind I was doing so within a science fiction framework. On a personal level, an immediate family member has epilepsy, and certainly my experiences with that informed the book, and as far as research into echolocation – it’s true and truly amazing that some people who are visually impaired adapt in remarkable ways, but in the book this is hugely, hugely exaggerated.

Because You’ll Never Meet Me falls very much in line with the spirit of superhero stories – just with a realism aspect that I hope is empowering, if a bit odd.

  • Would you rather live the life of Ollie or Moritz?

I feel like I already lived the life of Ollie! I grew up in the woods of northern Michigan, at the end of a dirt road, and so did a lot of my friends. It’s funny how many people from my hometown recognize aspects of our childhood in the book.

Having said that, I’d love to live in Germany. There’s a distinct lack of diskotheks here!

  • What books and movies inspire your writing?

Oh, gosh, what a huge question! Have you got time to read another book? Because this could go for so many pages. I’ll try to name a few things, in a random blob of text:

Harry Potter, Kurt Vonnegut, Discworld, Wes Anderson, His Dark Materials, MT Anderson, Fullmetal Alchemist, Nancy Farmer, Hannibal (Bryan Fuller), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Coraline, Ray Bradbury, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Tim Burton (the older stuff – you should have SEEN my wall collages in high school), Steven Universe, Patrick Ness, Harold and Maude…

Seriously, do people find ways to answer this question?! INTERROBANG?!

  • Can we look forward to more books from you?

Yes, yes, yes! (Sorry; I’m still excited by the fact.) The sequel to BYNMM, hesitantly titled Nowhere Near You, was actually drafted back in 2013, and will be released in early 2017! And following that, Bloomsbury’s also bought the rights to a work-in-progress called Birds and Other Transdimensional Things, which tells the story of a mother and daughter who have trouble with parallel universes, but more trouble with their relationship.

Thanks so much for having me aboard! I’m still pinching myself.

The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes

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Sometimes I find it really hard to express what I think of a book.  This usually happens when I’ve read a book that is amazingly wonderful.  I do love it when this happens but I can’t quite explain why I loved it so much.  This has happened with The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly.  Please bear with me as I try to explain.

y648The Kevinian cult has taken everything from seventeen-year-old Minnow: twelve years of her life, her family, and her ability to trust.

And when Minnow rebelled, they took away her hands, too.

Now the Kevinian Prophet has been murdered and the camp set aflame and it’s clear Minnow knows something. But she’s not talking. As she adjusts to a life behind bars in juvenile detention, Minnow struggles to make sense of all she has been taught to believe, particularly as she dwells on the events that led up to her incarceration. But when an FBI detective approaches her about making a deal, Minnow sees she can have the freedom she always dreamed of; if she is willing to part with the terrible secrets of her past.

The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly is an amazing book and I absolutely loved it!  It’s a powerful, harrowing and haunting story that had me gripped from beginning to end.  Minnow’s story is a compulsive read and Stephanie Oakes had me hanging on her every word.  From the very first page you want to know Minnow’s story and how she ended up standing over a blood-soaked body.  Through her story that she tells to Dr Wilson and her cell-mate Angel, we piece together Minnow’s life.  I love the way that Stephanie Oakes draws out the story, giving us pieces of the puzzle right to the very end.

Minnow is an really interesting character, who shows determination, resilience and bravery in a horrible situation.  Spending most of her life in The Community, Minnow must follow the rules and edicts laid down by The Prophet, the leader of the Kevinians.  Minnow sneaks out of The Community and meets a boy called Jude who helps her to discover that the world isn’t exactly how The Prophet has portrayed it.  Minnow starts to doubt everything she has been told and when she refuses to marry The Prophet and runs away, she faces the horrific consequences.  Stephanie Oakes’ description of Minnow’s hands being chopped off by her father with a hatchet is harrowing and will stick with me.  I could picture quite clearly what was happening and it made me physically cringe.  Even though Minnow has no hands she has the strength to carry on and make her life her own.

I also loved the relationships that Minnow had with the other characters in the book.  Minnow’s cell-mate Angel is a friend and confidante to Minnow.  Although Angel doesn’t reveal much about herself and why she is in the correctional facility, Minnow opens up to her and tells her her story.  Angel spends most of her time reading and when she learns that Minnow can’t read she helps her to learn.  Another character that helps Minnow learn to read and shares her passion for books is one of the teachers, Miss Bailey.  Both Miss Bailey and Angel help to open up a new world for Minnow.  Dr Wilson, Minnow’s psychologist, is the most intriguing characters because you don’t quite know what his motives are.

The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly is an amazing story that ends with a sense of hope.  It’s a book that I won’t forget and I’m sure to keep thinking about Minnow and what her life might be like after the story has finished.

Win a copy of The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes

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The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly is the debut young adult novel by Stephanie Oakes.  It is an amazing book and I absolutely loved it!  It’s a powerful, harrowing and haunting story that had me gripped from beginning to end. You can read my review here on the blog.

Thanks to HarperCollins NZ I have 3 copies of The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly to give away.

Thanks to everyone who entered.  The winners are Chris K. and Melinda.

Steve Camden introduces his new book, It’s About Love

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Steve Camden is an exciting new author that I’ve been hearing a lot about.  It’s All About Love is Steve’s second young adult novel and it sounds fantastic.  Read the blurb below and watch Steve’s video of his poem about It’s About Love.

He’s Luke. She’s Leia.

Just like in Star Wars. Just like they’re made for each other. Same film studies course, different backgrounds, different ends of town.

Only this isn’t a film. This is real life. This is where monsters from the past come back to take revenge. This is where you are sometimes the monster. And where the things we build to protect us, can end up doing the most harm…

It’s About Love is out now from HarperCollins New Zealand.

Steve Jobs: Insanely Great by Jessie Hartland

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I’m not usually a fan of biographies.  I prefer fiction than nonfiction, and I usually get bored reading about someone’s life, even if it’s someone that I admire.  When I picked up Jessie Hartland’s new graphic biography of Steve Jobs though I was captivated!

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Steve Jobs: Insanely Great tells the story of Steve Jobs in a unique and exciting way, using a graphic format that will appeal to teens and adults alike.  The book starts with Steve’s early life, when he was a mischief-maker and tinkerer, and it takes us through his teenage years, his short time at college and the businesses that he started from the ground up. The book is full of Steve’s achievements, his ups and downs, the people that he met and who influenced him, inspirational quotes, and a visual history of technology.  You get a real sense of how Steve Jobs thought and what he wanted to achieve.

Steve Jobs’ life was absolutely fascinating!  He knew what he wanted and strived for it, from starting Apple Computer in his parents’ garage to creating cool gadgets that revolutionised the music, phone and tablet computer industries. He was always looking to create new and exciting things and wanted to make technology that was better than anything before. He made millions of dollars (and lost millions) along the way.

One of my favourite aspects of Jessie Hartland’s book is that he takes you through the development of technology over Steve Jobs’ lifetime.  Jessie shows us the history of computers and computer games and how Steve developed his Apple computers.  Jessie also gives us a visual history of technology, from the 1960s when Steve was a child, through to the 2000s.

Steve Jobs: Insanely Great is a brilliant book about an icon who brought us some amazing technology that most of us couldn’t live without.  Give this book to the technology-crazy person in your life.

Interview with Jack Heath, author of The Cut-Out

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Today I’m joined by Australian author Jack Heath.  Jack is the author of action-packed thrillers for children and young adults, including the Scream series from Scholastic, Money Run, The Hit-List and his first novel, The Lab.  Jack’s latest novel is The Cut-Out, a spy thriller about mistaken identities that is perfect for fans of the Cherub series and Alex Rider.  I had a few questions about Jack’s latest book and spies.  Jack very kindly answered my questions and you can read them here.

The Cut-Out is out now from Allen and Unwin.

What are 3 words that you would use to describe your new book, The Cut Out? Fast, frantic, fun.

Is the character of Fero based on who you wanted to be when you were a teenager?

Fero is everything I wasn’t – athletic, quiet, courageous. In some ways I wish I’d been more like him, but it’s those qualities that get him into so much trouble in The Cut Out!

In The Cut Out, Fero gets mistaken for enemy agent, Troy Maschenov.  Have you ever had a case of mistaken identity?

I have a brother who looks a bit like me, and sometimes people get us confused. Fortunately my brother isn’t a deadly foreign spy, or so he claims.

What is your favourite gadget in The Cut Out?

Definitely the Armoured Turbofan Vehicle, which is like a cross between a motorcycle and a tank.

What books and movies inspire your writing?

I love spy thrillers by Robert Ludlum and Olen Steinhauer. As for movies, some of my favourites include Tomorrow Never Dies, True Lies and Mission Impossible 3.

Who is your favourite fictional spy?

I’m a big fan of reluctant spies, so I always loved Alex Rider. He got more interesting with every book!

Your first book, The Lab, was published when you were a teenager.  What advice do you have for young writers who want to get published?

I encourage all aspiring writers to join their local writers centre, to write something every day, and to read everything they can get their hands on.

Who would you recommend The Cut Out to?

The Cut Out is for anyone who likes shifting allegiances, big twists and lots of action.

I Can’t Wait For…The Rest of Us Just Live Here

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Patrick Ness is my favourite author.  Every time he publishes a new book I rush out and get it and try to find a quiet place to sit to enjoy it.  I fell in love with his writing when I first read The Knife of Never Letting Go and then devoured the rest of the series.  The thing I love the most about Patrick Ness’ writing is that he isn’t afraid to push boundaries and try something new.  His latest book, The Rest of Us Just Live Here, promises to be another highly original and memorable story.  I can’t wait to read it!  The only problem with reading it is that I then have to wait another year or so to read another new Patrick Ness book.  Oh the dilemma!

Check out the blurb and cover for The Rest of Us Just Live Here below:

Award-winning writer Patrick Ness’s bold and irreverent novel powerfully asks what if you weren’t the Chosen One? The one who’s supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death? What if you were like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again. Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week’s end of the world and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life. Even if your best friend might just be the God of mountain lions.

The Rest of Us Just Live Here is released on August 27 by Walker Books Australia.

My Most Anticipated Kids and YA August New Releases from Walker Books Australia

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Whistling in the Dark by Shirley Hughes

Liverpool, 1940: thirteen-year-old Joan’s home is under threat from the Nazi’s terrifying nightly air-raids. It is not an easy time to be a teenager, especially with the sweet rationing, strict curfews and blackouts. Joan and best friend Doreen love going to the cinema until the bombings intensify and then even that becomes too dangerous, especially when an army deserter is found lurking near their home. Who is he and why does he think Joan can help him? As the Blitz worsens, Joan and her friends make a discovery that will tear the whole community apart…

The Fortelling of Georgie Spider (Book 3 of The Tribe) by Ambelin Kwaymullina

The third and final book in the thrilling eco-dystopian series The Tribe.

A storm was stretching out across futures to swallow everything in nothing, and it was growing larger, which meant it was getting nearer… Georgie Spider has foretold the end of the world, and the only one who can stop it is Ashala Wolf. But Georgie has also foreseen Ashala’s death. As the world shifts around the Tribe, Ashala fights to protect those she loves from old enemies and new threats.

And Georgie fights to save Ashala. Georgie Spider can see the future. But can she change it?

Remix by Non Pratt

From the author of Trouble comes a novel about boys, bands and best mates. Kaz is still reeling from being dumped by the
love of her life… Ruby is bored of hearing about it. Time to change the record.

Three days. Two best mates. One music festival. Zero chance of everything working out.