Tag: YA

  • Shattered Worlds challenge: black-eyed horrors and more boys

    Well, my learn from my reading this week was to GIVE IT A CHANCE, FOR GOODNESS SAKE! This week I picked Death Knocks from Shattered Worlds. It starts with two boys playing console games while they babysit one of their little sisters. I’m sorry to have to admit I’d probably have put it down right there…

  • Summer Scavenger Hunt

    Summer is nearly upon us. Have you got your summertime reading lined up? If not (and even if you have), check this out. In June, the Alliance of Young Adult Authors is sponsoring a massive young adult scavenger hunt. This is a chance to meet some new authors, grab a bunch of free books, and…

  • M is for … Mostly overlooked.

    My “M” book is The Midnight Society by Rhonda Sermon. Now, this book has been wandering around at the edges of my awareness for yonks. At least a year, I swear. I remember it with another cover – it’s been that long. So in all that time, why on earth did no one take me…

  • K is for … Katherines are the best!

    A friend recommended I try Kitty Peck and the Music Hall Mysteries for my “K” book. And now I’m going to recommend you try them, too, because they are excellent. YA, crime and history all rolled into one. Kitty made for an excellent protagonist, resourceful, smart and loyal. There were lots of twists and I…

  • D is for … demons in Regency London

    Well, my reading challenge is making my reading matter varied, if nothing else. This week’s read, The Dark Days Club, was plucked out of my TBR pile, where it had been languishing for months. I think we got off to a bad start due to a misunderstanding. I was browsing in Waterstones when I saw…

  • My free reading challenge: pay with a review

    My challenge to keep reading without paying for a book for myself until Christmas continues… This week I have been mostly fighting my TBR pile, which – even containing only free books – has reached teetering levels. I’ve spent this week reading, reading, reading in a vain attempt to slim down my teetering TBR pile (it’s…

  • My free reading challenge: giveaways

    My endeavour to spend no money on books for myself until Christmas continues… This week I found another fabulous source of free books: giveaways. I entered a contest run by several YA authors I’ve heard of but haven’t yet read, and as well as being in the draw to win a kindle (I think that’s…

  • Superpowers

    Creating the world of Fane has made me ponder about superpowers, because everyone on Fane (and fanes when they visit other planets) demonstrates some extraordinary abilities that human beings would consider superpowers. Deena, the heroine of The Last Dreamseer, has probably drawn the short straw. Her superpower is the ability to see the future in visions.…

  • Something for Nothing

    Well, it’s blatant promo this week, so switch off now if that’s not your thing. I was at YALC (Young Adult Literature Convention – an offshoot of ComicCon) this weekend, having a wonderful time talking about books and having the occasional fan girl moment. I also learned something pretty important for my writing career, which…

  • The End of the World?

    I read a thought-provoking blog this week (http://mumpsimus.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/ending-world-with-hope-and-comfort.html?m=1) which has been nagging at me ever since.  I’m paraphrasing enormously for the purpose of summary, but the basic gist was that the post-apocalyptic fiction so popular at present offers a cosily comforting picture of survival after catastrophe that is so at odds with what an apocalypse…