Chicklish

REVIEW: The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

Review by Hazel Holmes.

"Elizabeth has a new job at an unusual library— a lending library of objects, not books. In a secret room in the basement lies the Grimm Collection. That's where the librarians lock away powerful items straight out of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales: seven-league boots, a table that produces a feast at the blink of an eye, Snow White's stepmother's sinister mirror that talks in riddles.

When the magical objects start to disappear, Elizabeth embarks on a dangerous quest to catch the thief before she can be accused of the crime—or captured by the thief." (Goodreads)

This is such an inspired tale, one of those you wished you’d thought of. The Grimm Legacy is about a library in New York, not just any old library; from this one you can borrow actual objects. You can borrow anything from Marie Antoinette’s wigs to rare magical items. There’s actually a whole collection dedicated to objects featured in the famous Grimm Tales! The Magic Mirror from Snow White, a magical Mermaid comb or the ballet shoes from the The Twelve Dancing Princesses. The collection is incredibly powerful, but in the wrong hands could be dangerous. So begins a fabulous story, full of magic, conspiracy and friendship.

Whilst reading the tale it does sort of give off a magical whiff; the library reminded me a little of Hogwarts and I took great pleasure in the familiarity of this. There’s an interesting mix of characters, and before I got to the end of the book, I could see the potential for making this into a great series.

This is the beginning of something very special.

Review by Hazel Holmes

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: OUP Oxford (Sep 2012)
• ISBN-10: 0192793101
• ISBN-13: 978-0192793102

REVIEW: Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Review by Luisa.

Sixteen-year-old Harper has grown up believing that her sister June, who is just a year older, is perfect in every way. So when June kills herself, nothing in Harper's life makes sense anymore. Remembering June's dream of going to college in California, Harper is determined to find a way to steal June's ashes and take them to the sunshine state. She enlists the help of best friend Laney and the mysterious, annoying Jake, a boy June used to tutor. The three set out on a cross-country trip filled with unexpected adventure and self-discovery.

I adored this book's emphasis on music. The inclusion of playlists at the back of the text is brilliant, even though I read this on my Kindle so I didn't realise they were there until I reached the end. I might have to read it again with a soundtrack...

The characters in Saving June are well drawn and they feel like old friends within a matter of pages. Harper is prickly and tough-talking, but her vulnerability is clear and it was easy - and often heart-breaking - to see the world from her point of view. I was as frustrated by Jake's attitude and his music snobbery as Harper was at times, but it was great to watch their relationship develop in the course of their adventure. The romance in this novel sizzles, and I couldn't wait for certain people to get together. Anyone who loves the intensity of the relationships in novels by Cath Crowley, like I do, should definitely enjoy this.

An utterly absorbing road trip novel.

Review by Luisa

• Publisher: Mira Ink (1 Jun 2012)
• ISBN-10: 1848450958
• ISBN-13: 978-1848450950

GUEST POST: Helen Moss and Operation Diamond

It's Chicklish's turn for Operation Diamond! Find out more in the flyer below, or read on...

Download Adventure Island Flyer

---

Adventure Island Book Five

The Mystery of the Cursed Ruby

Beautiful But Dangerous

We’re going all mystical today!

When the Romaldi Circus comes to Castle Key Scott, Jack, Emily and Drift soon make friends with Bella Romaldi, the youngest member of the trapeze act. Bella lets them into the secret of the magnificent Eye of Fire Ruby. It was given to Bella’s great-great-great-great grandfather by an Indian Maharajah, who promised that it would keep the family safe from harm. But now strange accidents keep happening at the circus. Has the ruby lost its protective power . . . or even worse, has that power turned into a terrible curse?

I won’t spoil the story by telling you what happens next. Instead I’ll share some of the amazing real-life legends about cursed jewels that gave me the idea for The Mystery of the Cursed Ruby.

 

 

Bella tells the friends the story of the cursed ruby

Many famous jewels were looted from temples in India and stories have built up about the terrible misfortunes that have befallen their owners. I’d better not go into too much detail about the gory things that are said to have happened, in case you’re the sensitive type, but if I tell you that the man who stole the Hope Diamond from an Indian statue was later killed by wild dogs in Russia, that should give you the general idea!  

Perhaps the most sinister jewel of all is The Delhi Purple Sapphire. Looted from the Temple of Indra in 1857, it was followed by such a trail of bad luck that one owner tried to get rid of it by throwing it in the canal. But the sapphire was found and returned to him three months later. He tried giving it away, but people kept returning it because they thought it was bringing misfortune into their lives too. When the owner died he left The Purple Sapphire to the Natural History Museum in London. He surrounded it with protective charms and symbols and sealed it inside seven boxes.  He also enclosed a note that said, ‘This stone is trebly accursed and is stained with the blood and the dishonour of everyone who has ever owned it.’

 

The Delhi Purple Sapphire

photograph from The Natural History Museum website

The Purple Sapphire was forgotten about in the museum stores and was only discovered again by a curator looking through the old cabinets. Just imagine how spooky it must have been, blowing off the dust, opening all those seven boxes and finding the huge purple jewel and that chilling warning note . . .

The note also advised that whoever opened the box should throw the sapphire into the sea. Luckily the curator didn’t take that advice! The Purple Sapphire is now on display at the Natural History Museum, where you can still go and see it.

If you dare!

What do you think? Do you believe a jewel can really carry a curse

In case you are worried, the Castle Key Jubilee Diamond was NOT looted from an Indian temple and definitely does not have a curse.  It will bring only good fortune to its owner – that’s if we can ever track it down! Keep hunting!

OPERATION DIAMOND 

Question 5: Where can you see the supposedly cursed Delhi Purple Sapphire today?

The Natural History Museum, London (F)

The Temple of Indra (N)

For your next clue, visit:

http://sites.google.com/site/armadillomagazine/

On: Monday 28 May

--------------------------------------------------------

Download Treasurehuntblog5

REVIEW: The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

Review by Hazel Holmes.

Campbell doesn’t believe in miracles, and with good reason. She’s spent the past years of her teenage life in and out of hospital but her mother and younger sister refuse to give up. They’ve heard about a place in Maine where magical things really happen. A place called Promise. So they pack up home and attempt to find this magical town. They aim to stay there for the summer, or at least until Cam gets better.

I  love this book! It may have an underlying sadness at the core but the story is about so much more than Cam being ill. It’s about falling in love for the first time, taking risks and believing in the impossible. Cam is in Promise to get well, and although the town may be changing her, she’s changing the people who live there too. In particular Asher. The boy she falls in love and dares to take risks with. Wunder has managed to write a story full of humour, love, friendship, hope and sadness; but in a unique way that isn’t overly sentimental and full of yucky slushy stuff. It’s brilliant, perfect for fans of Before I Die.

Review by Hazel Holmes

• Publisher: Puffin (5 July 2012)
• ISBN-10: 014134072X
• ISBN-13: 978-0141340722

REVIEW: The Raspberry Rules by Karen McCombie

Review by Luisa.

(from Amazon:) "Rowan Love is thirteen and full of good intentions ... so why does life keep going so wrong? Her teachers think she's dippy and disorganized, her best friend has new mates, and nobody appreciates her unique fashion sense. Maybe keeping a diary will help? Wander through Rowan's funny and fabulous journal and find out all about hero worship, fairy lights, guardian angels, and making hair accessories out of sweet wrappers!"

Anyone who is a fan of Karen McCombie's "Ally's World" series will adore this book about Ally's older sister, Rowan, and her endeavour to improve herself (or change herself) and become less annoying to others, especially her friend Erin. Rowan is a fantastic character who finds it difficult to follow the crowd. Her long-time friendship with Erin is important to her, so if it means doing things differently, then Rowan is willing to try.

The book is told in diary form and Rowan's entries are lively, quirky and very, very funny. Rowan includes craft instructions, lists and footnotes, and it's easy to breeze through much more of this book than you intend to when you pick it up. Rowan's relationships, especially with her siblings, are always entertaining. It's great to see what a caring, supportive family the Loves are. Rowan is a teenager whose behaviour and outlook might seem slightly 'young' for her age, especially compared to some of her peers, and this made me warm to her all the more.

Funny, relatable, sweet, brilliant, and recommended for readers aged 9+.

Review by Luisa.

• Publisher: Scholastic; 1 edition (3 May 2010)
• ISBN-10: 1407115537
• ISBN-13: 978-1407115535

NEWS: hf2 at Hay Festival 2012

The hf2 festival is the teen programme at the Hay Festival, running from the 2nd – 10th June 2012.

Here's more about it from the Hay Festival organisers...

"For 25 years Hay Festival has brought together writers from around the world to debate and share stories at its festival in the Welsh Borders. Hay celebrates great writing from poets and scientists, lyricists and comedians, novelists and environmentalists, and this year has an incredible teen line up too.

As well as comedians like Russell Kane and Bill Bailey, authors such as Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments), Maggie Stiefvater (Shiver) and Julianna Baggott (Pure) are over from America to talk about their work. International bestselling historical novelist Philippa Gregory will also be introducing her new young adult series The Order. And check out http://www.hayfestival.com/thesoundcastle/ for the music!"

Find more details here.

GUEST POST: Shelley Coriell, author of Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe

We're delighted to welcome Shelley Corriell, author of Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe (reviewed below), with this fabulous guest post about Chloe...

Chloe: Why She Is the Way She Is
by Shelley Corriell

Chloe, the star of my YA contemp debut – WELCOME, CALLER, THIS IS CHLOE – is one of those characters people really love…or not. The reason: she has a strong personality. She’s confident, bold, and wears her heart on her sleeve. Plus, she loves to talk, talk, talk.

People often ask if I’m like Chloe. No. Definitely not. I could never dress up as a burrito and stand on a street corner. Nor could I boldly take a guy’s hand and write my phone number on his palm. Honestly, I’m a shy, middle-born child who’d rather spend Saturday night with a book than at a party. Chloe, on the other hand, is the baby of her family. She’s a spunky combination of my little brother and youngest daughter.

I’m absolutely fascinated with birth order, which suggests that your birth rank amongst your siblings affects your growth and personality. While writing WELCOME, CALLER, THIS IS CHLOE – I did quite a bit of research on birth order and learned:

Firstborns: Good leaders, competitive, organized, task oriented, determined. They are often dependable and sometimes try to be too “perfect.” Famous firsts include Oprah Winfrey and Winston Churchill.

Middle children: A mixed bag. Can be creative souls and peacemakers who make deep and lasting friendships. But they can also be rebels who are trying to make themselves stand out in a crowded, noisy world. Picture middle born Madonna or Donald Trump.

Last born: Here’s our Chloe. Jim Carrey and Rosie O’Donnell are also babies of their families. Like many babies, Chloe has a big, bold personality and is great in social situations. She loves people and performing and wears her heart on her sleeve.

Shelley’s Question: So, where are you at in birth order? Do you share the personality traits common in your rank?

To learn more about young adult author Shelley Coriell and Chloe’s high school radio world, visit www.shelleycoriell.com.

Follow Shelley Coriell's UK blog tour to Fictional Distraction tomorrow.

REVIEW: Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell

Review by Luisa.

Chloe is a total extrovert, never happier than when she's chatting to friends. This makes things extra hard for her when her closest friend, Brie, suddenly starts freezing her out. What's going on, and how will Chloe surive? Could a stint at the school's radio station bring some answers - and will it help Chloe to listen as well as talk?

This is a fun and feelgood story with an extremely lively, spirited main character. I really enjoyed seeing Chloe deal with her friendship troubles, and the way she slowly got to know the quieter people who staffed the radio station. Chloe's family problems were also fascinating to read about, especially the troubled relationship between her mother and her grandmother. The radio kids were an intriguing bunch and there were one or two I would have liked to know more about. Duncan was an unusual love interest with problems of his own, and the romance was very sweet.

Recommended for fans of relationship fiction and light romance.

Review by Luisa.

REVIEW: Fracture by Megan Miranda

Review by Tamika. 

Delaney’s heart has stopped when she is finally pulled out of the frozen lake - and then she wakes up again. After the incident, everyone is curious as to why Delaney survived, and then she finds that she is drawn to those who are dead. But then she meets Troy, who seems to know about what she’s going through - but she’s not sure who to trust.

I cannot stress how amazing I thought this book was. Ten out of ten, for sure! I think it also has one of the best endings to a book that I’ve ever read - it wasn’t one of those typical battles between forces and the good side come out on top that every other book has, but one that nearly made my own heart stop for a few seconds! You are also rooting for Delaney the whole way through. I desperately wanted her to be happy but she couldn’t be, and there is lots of tension because of this.

Definitely read this book!

Review by Tamika, aged 14

REVIEW: A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton (The Winter Trilogy book 1)

Review by Tamika

When Anna moves to the town of Winter, she becomes enveloped in a world of power and mystery. And she becomes even more confused when bad boy Seth claims he’s in love with her. Because of the magic surrounding their relationship, she’s not sure whether his feelings are real or if she should trust him, but soon there are more important things at stake.

This book wasn’t one that I thought I’d like, because, I admit, I'm one to judge a book by its cover, and it didn’t shout at me on first glance. But, I was proven completely wrong, because I couldn't put it down. It’s not one of those typical witchy books, where a girl finds out she has magic, but there’s a curse between her and the one she loves. I thought the legends incorporated into the book were very clever, and the twist at the end was exciting. Plus, you were kept in suspense for the whole book because you didn’t know either whether Seth is in love with Anna or not. I think Anna herself is a really great and inspiring character, and I can’t wait for the second and third books!

Review by Tamika, aged 14

• Publisher: Hodder Children's Books (5 Jan 2012)
• ISBN-10: 1444904698
• ISBN-13: 978-1444904697