Chicklish

NEWS: Sex in Teen Lit Month is underway

Jo from Ink and Paper (specialising in fantasy book reviews) has recently launched Sex in Teen Lit Month, a special blog for the discussion of the way sex is written about (and/or not written about) in teenage fiction.

"When it comes to teenagers, I feel very strongly about getting the right information out to them when it comes to sex," Jo writes. "Because of this, I started a discussion on my main blog, Ink and Paper, about sex in YA novels, and what readers thought about it. After further discussion with YA author Luisa Plaja, I thought it would be really interesting to find out how some authors of YA who actually focus on sex are tackling the subject. The Sex in Teen Lit Month idea was born."

The month is already underway and is due to feature interviews with authors including Joanna Kenrick, Mary Hooper, Luisa Plaja, Laura Ruby, Tanya Lee Stone, Sara Hantz, Serena Robar and Melvin Burgess, and some other guests.

So far the following have been posted:

- Review of Extreme Kissing by Luisa Plaja
- Interview with Luisa Plaja
- Contest to win Extreme Kissing by Luisa Plaja (open worldwide)

- Review of A Bad Boy Can Be Good For a Girl by Tanya Lee Stone
- Interview with Tanya Lee Stone

The full list of books to be featured is as follows:

Extreme Kissing by Luisa Plaja
Megan series by Mary Hooper
Doing it by Melvin Burgess
Screwed by Joanna Kenrick
The Second Virginity of Suzy Green by Sara Hantz
A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl by Tanya Lee Stone
Good Girls by Laura Ruby
Sugar Rush by Julie Burchill
The Kissing Club by Julia Clarke
Slam by Nick Hornby

INTERVIEW: Tom Eglington

Alexandra interviews Tom Eglington, author of The Spellbound Hotel (reviewed here).

In The Spellbound Hotel, Quinn is my favourite character. Where did you get the inspiration for him?

The inspiration for Quinn came from a number of places. One of my favourite films is Harvey, a story about a giant invisible rabbit that causes all sorts of trouble and turns out to be a Pooka. I also kept coming across the Pooka in British folklore in various guises, sometimes good, sometimes bad, but always as a shape-shifting spirit of mischief. I loved the idea of a spirit that just causes mischief but does it with good intentions. I’m not entirely sure when Quinn first popped into my head but he was fully formed when he did. Almost as soon as I imagined him I knew how he looked, how he would act in any situation, even the strange gurgling laughing noise he makes. Which, now I come to think about it, is a bit odd.

How long do you think you’d last in a hotel full of ghosts and spirits?

Hmmm. I’m not sure I would survive as long as Bethany and I would spend a lot more time screaming and running around in a blind panic. Although I would like to visit the restaurant and try one of the menus for a little bit. Oh, and maybe a peek at the library.

What are you writing next?

At the moment I am working on a sequel to The Spellbound Hotel. It will be equally as strange as the first book but with a few surprises, some familiar faces and a whole new world to explore. The leprechauns are back and….Wait, I may have said too much! You will have to wait and see.

I read that you like to invent unusual chocolates, is that as difficult as it sounds?

It’s not too difficult. I started out with simple stuff like caramelized pecan and spiced orange. Then I moved on to more adventurous flavours:  mandarin and star anise, Irish coffee, green tea and lime, passion fruit and jasmine with white chocolate topping. They sound really weird but work quite well. The most unusual ones I made had a mixture of extremely hot chillies, candied orange and Mexican spices. Not for the faint-hearted! The only problem with making chocolates, I discovered, is that you end up eating lots of them (seems pretty obvious now I think about it). So I’ve not been doing it as much recently, although I think rhubarb isn’t used enough in chocolates nowadays. Hmmm. That gives me an idea…

Thank you very much, Tom Eglington!

Check out the fabulous The Spellbound Hotel website.

NEWS: Wondrous Reads giveaway of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

There's a great giveaway right now on Wondrous Reads - you can win a copy of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. (We've recently reviewed it here.)

"St Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school - hidden away, it's a place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St Vladimir's where the girls must survive a world of forbidden romances, a ruthless social scene and terrifying night time rituals. But most of all, staying alive."

Find out more here.

There's one copy set aside for UK entrants and one for residents of other countries and the closing date is 16th July 2009.

REVIEW: The Spellbound Hotel by Tom Eglington

Review by Alexandra.

Sausages. That was the only word that I read off the back cover before reading this. By the end of the second page I was hooked and finding out about the sausages ...

Bethany has recently moved to a tiny village, Stagtree Knoll, where she feels nothing happens. Since her arrival she has noticed the villagers’ strange obsession with sausages from a local butcher's. Worse still, her parents have started eating them every day. They are also watching the strange soap opera that screens every night - a show which seems to be the only topic of conversation in Stagtree Knoll.

Escaping one night whilst the soap opera is on, Bethany walks around the village and discovers that not everyone is inside glued to their TVs. There is an unusual group of tourists walking around who have come from the mysterious mansion that seems to overpower the village. Unable to stop her curiosity, Bethany sneaks into the mansion with them (with the help of one of the tourists) and it's from this point that the fantasy edge of the novel starts. The mansion turns out to be a hotel - a spellbound one - for visiting ghosts and spirits. 

Bethany is quickly caught and set to work. Trapped, she needs to find a way out and finds herself turning to the spirits and ghosts for help. The mischievous Mr. Quinn who helped her get in to the hotel might be her ticket out... if she can find him.

Fantastic novel, very original, lots of fun, great characters! My only complaint is a couple of chapters at the end, where the story is told to you rather than you're fully experiencing it with Bethany, they slowed the pace and excitement a little.

Check out the great Spellbound Hotel website as well, where you can find out more about the characters.

Review by Alexandra

REVIEW: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Review by Beth.

Vampire Academy is a thrilling book with many twists and plots to unravel. A young Moroi princess, Lissa Dragomir, and her faithful guardian and best friend, Rose Hathaway, are put through many cringing and emotional experiences. With the menacing Stigoi constantly being a threat to the Moroi, Lissa has to be protected. After two years of freedom the two girl’s old academy caught up with them forcing them back into their old school life. Realisation struck Rose as it became obvious they were safer there and that it was her job to take care of Lissa. They are both plummeted into excruciatingly hard lessons and are the heart of all the rumours and gossip. As their popularity takes lows and highs they start making powerful enemies and major crushes. But how will the girls survive in such a dangerous and gossiping school? 

I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down. It is full of descriptive vocabulary, which make you feel like you are part of the story. It constantly has a plot or a conspiracy unravelling and there was always something for you to think about. The book was perfectly formed and the storyline was very intriguing. I especially liked the ending. It was full of action and thrills that make you want to read on. 

The book gets more and more action-filled as it went on. It fills the reader's head with many suspicions and as the plot unravels it begins to come clear. It is easy to read and kept me hanging until the very end. I would advise this book to readers who enjoy thrillers and action. It has some grown-up language in it but it is aimed at teenagers, especially girls.

I think it is a very good book and would give it a four out of five maybe even a five! I definitely advise you to read this book.  

Review by Beth, aged 13

With huge thanks and welcome, from the Chicklish team!

GIVEAWAY: WAGS' World, Knowing the Score

Promising "bling, boys and (Gucci) bagfuls of glamour", WAGS' World is a British teen series about the sixteen-year-old girlfriend of a teenage footballer.

The second book, Knowing the Score, is released this week.

"Amy Thornton is sixteen and planning a perfect summer in London with her lush footballer boyfriend, Damien. But things turn nasty when a fellow WAG threatens to blackmail Amy. Scared of ruining things with Damien, Amy accepts the demands and gets caught up in a whirlwind of celebrities and scandal. As Amy starts meddling in other people's lives while hiding her own secrets, she realizes that dealing with gossip is about more than scoring points."

The book is out on 2nd July 2009, published by Penguin. You can read reviews of the first book, Playing the Game, on Spinebreakers, here on Chicklish and on Another Book Blog-Whore.

We have two copies of Knowing the Score to give away to readers chosen at random - UK entrants only. For a chance to win, email us with WAGS in the subject line. The competition closes on 10th July 2009 and we'll contact winners after that date. Good luck!

NEWS: Moss Green Children's Books

If you're looking for advice on books with stories that help increase awareness of the natural world, Moss Green Children's Books is the place to go. It's an online bookshop and book review site focusing on "green" books, where a percentage of profits are donated to children's charities.

A couple of Chicklish reviews have been featured there, together with a 'green rating' which every book reviewed on the site is given. Check out Alexandra's review of Saci Lloyd's Carbon Diaries 2015.

REVIEW: Scarlett by Cathy Cassidy

Review by Amber.

"You promised!" I say. "You said I'd never have to see him again, not after what he did to us! He left us, Mum, he walked away. You said he was scum! You said we were well shot of him, that we'd make out like he never existed!"

Scarlett spells trouble with a capital T. People never see the positive side of her. It's not her fault that she always manages to be in the teachers' bad books at school, but no one seems to understand that. And Mum's had enough. Scarlett is sent to stay with her Dad and his new girlfriend Clare to stay for the summer in Ireland. Scarlett doesn't really like it there and wants to go back to London. But when Scarlett runs away, she meets mysterious a boy called Kian. "I've been looking for you," he says. Kian is great, but there is something about him - something mysterious...

If you don't believe in wishes, will they still come true?

This book is a must-read! Cathy Cassidy is a really, really good author. She wrote this story very well and made it really magical. I love the character of Scarlett and the way she doesn't care what other people think. There is never a dull moment in this book, it's so exciting, and the ending is really great too.

I think this book should be for girls 10+ and rate this book 5/5. It was a brilliant book and I never wanted it to end!

Review by Amber.

REVIEW: Genesis by Bernard Beckett

Review by Nicola.

2041 - First global dust storms, 2050 - First shot in The Last War fired, 2051 - The Great Sea Fence completed; the Republic founded, 2052 - First plague released, and 2077 - The Great War begins.

Fourteen-year-old Anax thinks she knows her history. She'd better. She's sat facing three Examiners and her gruelling five-hour examination has just begun. If she passes, she'll be admitted into The Academy - the elite institution that runs her utopian society. But Anax is about to discover that for all her learning, the history she's been taught isn't the whole story. And that The Academy isn't what she believes it to be. The reader is about to discover a provocative novel of dazzling ingenuity. Anax's examination leads us into a future where ancient - eternal - philosophical questions have dramatically collided with the march of technology, where just what it means to be human is up for debate, and where the concealed stain of an Original Sin threatens the very existence of her Brave New World. (From Amazon.co.uk)

I don’t think the story starts very well as you are thrown straight into the book not knowing who any of the characters are or where they live, but soon I could see that the name Genesis was a very suitable name for this book, which is set more than 80 years in the future.

The book gets more and more unusual as it goes along. It is quite a thick book and took me quite a while to read. The plot is futuristic and has a surprise ending, and the author managed to keep me guessing until the last page with all the hidden information.

I think the book would be suited to people who like futuristic, unusual books.

Review by Nicola, aged 13

With special thanks to Newton Abbot College

For another opinion, see the review on Wondrous Reads.

REVIEW: Bang, Bang, You're Dead! by Narinder Dhami

Review by Carly Bennett.

I’m going to be honest, I started reading Bang, Bang, You’re Dead! feeling very unsure as to whether I would enjoy it or not. The blurb on the back made the story sound more suitable for young teens and I really didn’t think it was going to be my cup of tea.

However, as usual, I was wrong - this novel deals with intense adult issues and emotions and is excellently written. School shootings are a sensitive issue and are rarely written about, particularly in the UK, so it was nice to read about something I hadn’t before.

While the book might start off relatively simplistic, it is anything but and the twist at the end is something I never saw coming. In fact, it was so shocking that I reread the book as soon as I’d finished. That’s another good thing about Bang, Bang, You’re Dead! It’s complex enough that it can be reread again and again and you’ll discover new things each time. That’s something I love in a book.

Dhami presents us with extremely well-developed characters in this novel; Mia, Jamie and their mother. Mia is the shy and retiring sister who feels as though she lives in Jamie’s shadow and we get a great insight into her personality as the book is written from her point of view. This was a particularly clever move from Dhami, especially as the story draws to a close and the twist is revealed.

The rumour of a gunman in the school is a huge event in the novel and is obviously terrifying to read about but there is so much more to the story. In fact, I found the gunman story taking a backseat to Jamie and Mia’s flashbacks about their home life, which were much more intriguing.

Bang, Bang, You’re Dead! is a little shorter than a lot of Young Adult novels and, to be honest, it felt that way when I was reading it. I finished the book in one sitting and the ending did feel a bit rushed. The twist is such a shocking revelation that I think more than one chapter was needed to explore it.

On the back of the book it states that Bang, Bang, You’re Dead! fits into the general ‘teen’ category but I do think it’s more suited to younger teens. Yes, the subject matter is serious and quite adult but the length and language of the book lean more towards younger readers. But then again, I’m an adult and I enjoyed it so there you go.

Dhami is a smart writer. She knows her characters inside out and has obviously done her research for this novel. I hadn’t read anything else by her before Bang, Bang, You’re Dead! but I’ll definitely keep an eye out for her other books now.

Thanks for the publishers for sending me this book to review.

Review by Carly Bennett

REVIEW: High Jinx by Sara Lawrence

Review by Luisa.

Jinx Slater is happy to be in the lower sixth at Stagmount, England's most exclusive school for girls. Her ground floor window makes it easy to access Brighton's nightlife, and that's just what she intends to do, together with her friends. But her best friend Liberty has a very strict father, and all the girls band together to protect her and stop her getting removed from the school. All except Stella Fox, glamorous new girl, who arrives and whisks Liberty away from Jinx and into trouble.

High Jinx is like a 15-rated, raunchy version of an old-fashioned British boarding school story - the main character even admits she's a fan of Enid Blyton's Malory Towers. It's full of swearing and alcohol consumption and references to sex and drugs, but the girls are mostly concerned with friendships, rivalry and making life hell for the nastier authority figures in their lives. There are also plenty of comedy moments, and I liked the way the girls couldn't understand the negative reactions they were getting from the outside world. The book contains a mix of interesting characters and Jinx in particular is a great character - feisty, spirited and sweet-natured. I wasn't too keen on the slapstick comedy about certain cartoonish teachers and supervisors, but the tone is always entertaining and light-hearted and I'm sure other readers will enjoy all the antics.

This is a fun, escapist story with great teen girl characters, an intriguing setting and lots of twists and turns in the plot.

Review by Luisa

REVIEW: Bindi Babes by Narinder Dhami

Review by Amber

 "Auntie's  coming over from India to live with us," Dad said. "She's going to look after us. Won't that be nice?" He stared intently at his plate.

Amber, Geena and Jazz are three sisters. Their Mum has died, so their Dad looks after them. They all get what they want, as they know how to get around him - until Auntie arrives from India! They decide that the best way to stop Auntie interfering in their lives is to arrange a marriage for her, possibly to one of their teachers.

This book is the best out of the Babes series, I highly recommend it to anyone who absolutely loves Narinder Dhami books!

I give this book 5/5! It had all the things a brilliant book needs. Happy parts, sad parts, funny parts and parts that are especially girly! My favourite part in the book was the ending, but I won't say anything about the ending for those of you that haven't read it yet!

Review by Amber, aged 10

(Thanks a lot, Amber, from the Chicklish team!)

Check out Narinder Dhami's great site

REVIEW: Leaving Poppy by Kate Cann

Review by Kiran.

Amber wants to escape.

She is just like any other 18 year old - she can’t wait to leave home and head off to university for three blissful years away from family responsibilities. But after she is forced to cancel a girl’s trip abroad to please her younger sister, Amber future is thrown into disarray.

After sacrificing her social life yet again under the orders of her needy mother, Amber is forced to take care of her emotionally fragile sister, Poppy. Spurred on by this on going lifelong chain of events, Amber begins to conduct a plan that will only end in heartbreak, tears, and most importantly, freedom.
Exhilarated by her new life in the not so distant town of Cornwall, Amber slowly  begins to step out from the shadows of her younger sister Poppy but after a string of strange events, Amber realises that she may never be able to escape from her. Twisted tales from the past begin to emerge and soon there is a lot more at stake than Amber’s freedom.

What follows is a strangely intriguing tale that will have you hooked AND spooked. Leaving Poppy is one of those books that slowly draws you in, and before you know it, you’re racing to get to the last few pages. I had often wrongly dismissed this book as yet another long tale of sibling rivalry, but this particular book goes a lot deeper than that!

4.5/5

Review by Kiran

(Thanks a lot, Kiran, from the Chicklish team!)

NEWS: Giveaway of Big Woo! by Susie Day on Books, Books and More Books

Books, Books and More Books is giving away a copy of Susie Day's brilliant first teen novel, Big Woo!

Click here to find out more.

Read our review of Big Woo! here.

REVIEW: Finding Cassie Crazy by Jaclyn Moriarty

Review by Sasha.

Emily, Lydia and Cassie are all best friends at private school Ashbury High and have been since they were tiny. They all enjoy cutting class to go to the movies, especially when they have double maths. They never thought they'd mix with the Brookfield or 'Brooker' kids but Mr Botherit's (their English teacher) 'Joy of the Envelope' project is about to change that. Everyone is against the idea of writing to these psychopathic trouble makers. Against the odds, they all find themselves exchanging letters with three male Brooker kids and are more than surprised when they receive half-decent replies, except for one. Cassie's pen pal keeps threatening to harm her if she writes to him again but her therapist tells her to talk to this boy and tell him all about herself. It's not long before they are befriending these boys and arranging to meet up with them for dating advice and games of pool.

On the night Cassie arranges to meet up with her pen pal, things take an unexpected turn and will it be long before Cassie turns crazy?

This is an amazing book from a writer who is new to me. I really wasn't sure what to expect, as I bought this book on a whim. The minute I opened the page I was surprised at the layout of the book because it is either written in letter or diary form as well as a few other different typefaces which also gives the book more variety. The book was also full of humour especially from Lydia's point of view and introduced you to the characters straight away. I couldn't pick a favourite character out of the three of them because you love them all at the end of the book; you really get underneath their skin and find out what their emotions are. The characters from the other books also appear in this book which I think is a really good, original idea and it is also set in the same school. I just really loved reading this book and I would definitely recommend it to older readers (it does have some adult content).

Review by Sasha, aged 12

Luisa's Note: This book is called The Year of Secret Assignments in the US. (And in Australia too? I can't remember!)