Chicklish

REVIEW: Falling Hook, Line and Sinker by Helen Bailey

Review by Luisa.

Anyone who has been following the comedy adventures of the 'shallow' Electra Brown will know all about the happy developments in her love life. So is it finally as good as her friend Lucy's, or even as Sorrel's? The answer is no. Firstly, her boyfriend hasn't told his parents that he's dating Electra, seeing as they still think she's a bad influence after a certain incident. Secondly, he starts to freak Electra out with some limpet-like behaviour. And lastly, another boy appears on the scene - an older, wilder, cooler boy who's interested in Electra. Can she stop herself falling for him hook, line and sinker?

This is the fifth and final instalment of Electra's fun-packed life, and it's wonderful. It's as full of humour as the others - highlights include a geography field trip, a disastrous double-date in a curry house, Electra's discovery of her dad's latest conquest, and lots of hilarious conversations between Electra and her friends, parents and teachers. It's also as full of intrigue and drama, with family and friendship troubles taking new turns. I'm tempted to say that this is the most serious and touching book of the five, even though the laughter is never far away, but then I remember that each book has tackled serious issues as a backdrop to Electra's trademark 'shallowness' - which is often her way of coping with everything that life throws at her. Electra definitely does some growing up in Falling Hook, Line and Sinker, though. There are some moving scenes, and also a perfect finish.

I've been a fan of this series since the first book, but I do think it can be picked up at any point. The author always re-introduces the characters brilliantly. Whichever book you start with, before long you too will know exactly who Tits-Out and Butterface are, the various things 'FB' can stand for, whether anyone could ever fancy the Ginger Gnome, how people can be judged by their opinion of aubergines, and much more. In fact, just to give you a taster, here's a small extract that explains Electra's exotic name:

     "Yes, you, Electra Brown," Rupe says. "You were named after mythological Greek royalty, weren't you?"
     "Actually, I was named after a hotel in Faliraki," I say.

Funny, warm and recommended for young teen fans of authors like Louise Rennison and Liz Rettig.

Review by Luisa

Read first chapters for all the books on Helen Bailey's site.

Our reviews of the rest of the series: Life at the Shallow End, Out of My Depth, Swimming Against the Tide, Taking the Plunge.

REVIEW: Tapas & Tears by Chris Higgins

Review by Luisa.

Fourteen-year-old Jaime doesn't want to go on the Easter holiday exchange trip to Spain. She's shy and awkward and she really doesn't like the idea of staying with a complete stranger. But when her mother persuades her to go, Jaime consoles herself with the fact that the girl she's paired with is called Concepcion Immaculada, and a girl with a name like that must be some kind of saint. Unfortunately Concha - Concepcion Immaculada's nickname - is a rebellious, boy-crazy (and possibly crazy) loner, and Jaime's stuck with her for two weeks. As if that wasn't bad enough, the gorgeous boy that Concha's madly in love with seems to be interested in Jaime. Slowly, Jaime learns cope with everything life throws at her - and it's a lot!

This is another great novel by Chris Higgins, an award-winning author of realistic fiction for ages 11+. All the now-familiar hallmarks of a Chris Higgins novel are here: family problems dealt with sensitively; an ever-twisting and dramatic plot; an emphasis on the importance of friendship and mutual understanding; a slight focus on sporting activity and how it can help people gain confidence and inner strength.

The story moves at a fast pace and is full of drama that always keeps you turning the pages. The characters, both young and older, are interesting and realistic. I was especially fascinated by the character of Concha, who has more going on than initially meets the eye, and her Spanish grandmother is also a great character. Jaime herself isn't perfect and there are moments when her new-found confidence is in danger of getting her into trouble, but it's great to see the way this develops. I also loved the exploration of Jaime's relationship with her mother back in England.

One tiny quibble - I stumbled over the name "Jaime" as it's not an English name I've ever come across. Being a bit foreign myself (!), I was pronouncing it like the Spanish name in my head for ages, so anyone who reads the book will know how confused I was in a certain chapter! (Is it like 'Jane' with an 'm''?) Anyway, this is a tiny problem I had that, obviously, didn't get in the way of my enjoyment of this book!

By the way, all Chris Higgins novels have recently been re-issued with new-look covers that match this one, and the author will be writing the 11+ World Book Day book this year, flipped with Sophie McKenzie's Medusa Project title. Watch out for it next week!

Review by Luisa

Chris Higgins' website

World Book Day books

NEWS: Wasted by Nicola Morgan

This week's "Waiting on Wednesday" is Wasted by Nicola Morgan, a novel which will be published in the UK on 3rd May 2010.

"Jack worships luck and decides his actions by the flip of a coin. No risk is too great if the coin demands it. Luck brings him Jess, a beautiful singer who will change his life. But Jack’s luck is running out, and soon the stakes are high. As chance and choice unravel, the risks of Jack’s game become terrifyingly clear. An evening of heady recklessness, and suddenly a life hangs in the balance, decided by the toss of a coin. In the end, it is the reader who must choose whether to spin that coin and determine: life or death."

Nicola Morgan's site now has a Wasted page which features an extract from the book. Here is her answer to the question: "What is the book about?" "A love affair. And the collision of danger, passion and chance. It’s a risky book: it will challenge and change you. It’s not an easy book, but a book for deep readers, readers who like to fly and are prepared to go with me on an unpredictable ride."

There's a lot more on Nicola Morgan's site, and she is also planning a whole new blog devoted to the launch of Wasted, which will have extracts, teasers, background facts and a competition. Keep an eye on Nicola Morgan's main blog or follow her on Twitter to find out when the new blog goes live. Also watch out for a possible blog tour in May.

Waiting on Wednesday is from an idea by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

REVIEW: The Only Brother by Caias Ward

Review by Alexandra

I’m very excited about the Ransom, Cutting Edge books. You can read more about the premise of this series under my review of Stained by Joanne Hichens here.

After reading Stained, such a gritty book with a touch of ‘real’ life, I was happy that Chicklish received some more of the series to review.

The Only Brother is Andrew’s story. Andrew’s brother, Will, has died. After a lifetime of fighting medical odds, Will didn’t make it. Andrew is left behind, with his parents bitter and (still) treating him as if he was less important than Will - the one that fought against all the odds.

As Andrew is forced to work through his resentment towards his brother, and parents, he realizes that the situation is really complicated. It might take some difficult conversations with his parents to help them see his point of view.

A major blow-out with his parents one day puts them all on edge. Can they get through this? Will Andrew learn to understand his brother despite all the negative memories of their relationship?

There is fascinating interplay between all the characters in this book, and it's a very compelling and interesting read. You get a strong sense of how Andrew feels like someone on the outside, always looking in.

The Only Brother is part of the current series of eleven Cutting Edge books. Ransom will be releasing another set of books this year which is great news. This novel and others in the series would suit any teen with an interest in books that take you somewhere different, interesting and at times, challenging.

Review by Alexandra

Find more details of Ransom's Cutting Edge books here

REVIEW: No and Me by Delphine De Vigan

Review by Kate

Lou Bertignac has an IQ of 160 and a good friend in class rebel Lucas. At home her father puts a brave face on things but cries in secret in the bathroom, while her mother rarely speaks and hardly ever leaves the house.

To escape this desolate world, Lou goes often to Gare d'Austerlitz to see the big emotions in the smiles and tears of arrival and departure. But there she also sees the homeless, meets a girl called No, only a few years older than herself, and decides to make homelessness the topic of her class presentation.

Bit by bit, Lou and No become friends until, the project over, No disappears. Heartbroken, Lou asks her parents the unaskable question and her parents say: Yes, No can come to live with them. So Lou goes down into the underworld of Paris's street people to bring her friend up to the light of a home and family life, she thinks.

I’m very glad I agreed to review this book, it’s one I probably wouldn’t have picked up in Waterstones but I’ve enjoyed it regardless. As a book it’s very serious, don’t expect there to be a punchline on every page, but at the same time it isn’t depressing, though that is the impression one might get from reading the synopsis.

The story is very descriptive to the point that the reader almost feels like they are Lou. Lou is a very naïve character who likes to think that everything in the world has a system and that if she can teach herself that system, then she will know exactly how the world works. Of course it doesn’t work like that and the character of No opens her up to the real world more and more as the story progresses. The two characters complement each other very well and although No is technically poorer than Lou, with No around Lou’s life grows richer.

The book itself is made up of short chapters of about four pages long. This makes it very easy for the reader to convince themselves to read “just one more chapter”, which soon turns into ten more and going to bed at insane times. In my opinion, the best books are the most addictive ones and this one is definitely addictive.

I found this book a pleasure to read and my only slight annoyance was the ending of the book. Whilst it had a sense of being finished, there were still some questions I wanted answering, almost as if we should expect a continuation of the story from De Vigan.

I would recommend “No and Me” to anyone who enjoys a more serious read from time to time. A very mature read; I’m sure adults will enjoy this as much as teens.

Review by Kate

No and Me is officially released on 1st March, but is already in stock at some UK bookshops.

REVIEW: Blame My Brain by Nicola Morgan

This book has been out for a few years now and I've been dying to read it. I finally bought a copy a couple of months ago and I wished I hadn't waited. It's fantastic, and highly recommended for all ages! In fact, I would have written this review sooner but my copy of this book has already been borrowed by someone, and I need to buy myself another copy. In the meantime, I've decided to write this review from memory!

Blame My Brain is a summary of research into human brain development, focused on teenagers. And if that sounds dry or boring in any way - don't worry. It's anything but. Nicola Morgan's chatty and highly readable style, complete with fun stories and entertaining tests, makes the subject fascinating. It seems that teenage brains really are different from adult ones, and it can go some way to explaining behaviour that's seen as typically 'teen'. There's a chapter on reading emotion, one on the differences between boys' and girls' brains, and the book also covers sleep, taking risks, depression - and lots more.

A great gift, and a great non-fiction read. Don't miss it.

Review by Luisa

Nicola Morgan is the author of many Young Adult fiction titles, including Mondays Are Red, Fleshmarket and Deathwatch. Find out more on Nicola Morgan's website.

REVIEW: Drama Girl (Secrets at St Jude's Book 3) by Carmen Reid

Review by Luisa.

Gina's mother and two best friends from the States are coming to visit her at St Jude's, a boarding school in Scotland. What will they think of her life there, and her boyfriend Dermot? Meanwhile, Min and Greg are getting together - maybe. And Amy spends some time at Niffy's house and gets close to Finn, Niffy's brother, which Niffy isn't happy about. Can the girls stay friends through all their problems?

Secrets at St Jude's is a modern-day boarding school series, full of light-hearted fun - and also plenty of drama. In the first part of this third book, the main characters are on holiday, scattered in a couple of different locations. For this reason, I'd guess this probably isn't the best place to dive into the series, as it's a while before you see Gina, Niffy, Amy and Min in their usual school surroundings. Having said that, there's a wonderful introduction to the friends at the start of the book, and you do get to know their personalities and issues even though they're not all together at first.

The book really takes off when the girls are back at school and all the hints of trouble that started in the holidays gradually deepen and come to a head. Amy's storyline is fascinating and very well depicted, and I enjoyed reading about the way the friends rally round to help her. I also really loved Min's blossoming romance, and her brilliantly realistic awkwardness and confusion over how to make things develop with the boy she likes.

A sweet, warm and engaging story with an emphasis on friendship and the trials of first love. I definitely want to read all the other books in the series, based on how much I enjoyed this one!

The fourth book in the series, Rebel Girl, will be out in May 2010, and you can find out more on Carmen Reid's website.

Review by Luisa

GIVEAWAY: Princess For Hire by Lindsey Leavitt (signed)

Wanted: teenage girl to serve as substitute princess. Must be willing to travel.
Desi's life sucks. She has to wear a stupid, furry costume at work, the guy she likes doesn't know she exists and her former best friend hates her. So when she's accepted as a substitute princess, it looks like she might finally have a chance to shine... And there's a hot prince to meet! But is Desi really up to the royal challenge? After all, the life of a princess isn't just tiaras and glass slippers... A sparkly comedy about what really happens when your dreams come true...

Princess for Hire is a fabulous first novel by Lindsey Leavitt, aimed at ages 11+, and we'll be reviewing it very soon! In the meantime, you can read an interview with Lindsey Leavitt here.

We have a copy of the UK edition of this book, beautifully signed by the author, to give away to one lucky reader. This giveaway is open to UK residents only.

***GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED. THE WINNER IS K.S., aged 13! CONGRATULATIONS! Thanks to everyone for entering.***

(You can buy the book here.)

NEWS: Sweet Hearts series by Jo Cotterill

"Sweet Hearts" is a new series of stories about friendship, family and first love, for ages 9+, written by Jo Cotterill. The series starts in May 2010 with Star Crossed:

Fliss cannot believe her luck when she's cast in her drama club's outdoor production of Romeo and Juliet - opposite the gorgeous Tom! This is her dream role, and her dream boy! But the jealous Samantha has her eyes on Tom, and on Fliss' role... Can quiet, shy Fliss find the star within and stand up for herself?

The series continues in September with Strictly Friends?

Megan can't believe she's had to move 200 miles away from her home. What about her school and her friends? Not to mention her dancing and her dancing partner, Jake, who has been her best friend since for ever. In an attempt to make herself feel better Megan joins a salsa class and things start to look up. She meets new friends, and even a new exciting boy. But will she listen to the warnings about him?

And there are more books to follow in 2011. We can't wait!

REVIEW: Conspiracy 365 (January) by Gabrielle Lord

Review by Kate.

“On New Year's Eve, Cal is chased down the street by a crazed man with a deadly warning: They killed your father. They'll kill you. You must survive the next 365 days!
 
Forced into a life on the run, Cal finds himself hunted by ruthless criminals and the police. Somehow he must uncover the truth about his father's mysterious death and solve the Ormond Singularity, a secret from the past, before the year is up. But who can he turn to when the whole world seems to want him dead? The clock is ticking. Any second could be his last. Callum Ormond has been warned. He has 365 days. The countdown has begun.”

Before I started reading this book, my first impression wasn’t very positive. I imagined that I’d find it quite dull and the front cover only confirmed that it wasn’t my genre and that I should stay away from it. Anything with an explosion on the front cover isn’t my type of reading material. But I convinced myself I might be wrong and I might turn out to enjoy it, though I highly doubted that.

By the end of the first page, I was hooked. From the very start, the story is action-packed and full of enigma. It was intriguing enough to make me read on and more action soon followed.

It’s clear almost immediately that this isn’t your average book. The page numbers count down instead of up and each month of the year has its own book in the series that will be released at the start of the month. There’s also loads of activities online that fans of the series can take part in, making it a more interactive experience than the majority of novels.

This book ends with an amazing cliffhanger, which both amazed me and also really annoyed me, as I realised that I will be going through this turmoil every month if I continue to read the series. I think that’s something I’ll have to put up with though, since I am totally engrossed in the series.

I would recommend this book to fans of action adventures and reluctant readers, since this story reminiscent of the Bourne Identity is almost impossible to put down. Fast-paced and very addictive.

Review by Kate

There will be a book out every month in this series.