Chicklish

GIMME FIVE: Reviewer Mel's Top 5 Books of the Year

Next in our seasonal Gimme Five posts by Chicklish reviewers: Mel talks about her Top 5 of 2011...

Top 5 Books of the Year
by Mel

When Chicklish asked me to nominate my top 5 books for the year, I wondered where to start! 2011 has been an amazing year for reading, but there are a few novels that particularly stand out. Here are my picks (linked to Chicklish reviews where applicable):

1. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (review)
    Mysterious doorways, girls with blue-hair and broken angels. Unbelievably good.

2. Bloodstone by Gillian Philip
    The eagerly-awaited sequel to the jaw-droppingly awesome, Firebrand. Characters that make you cry.

3. Jessie Hearts NYC by Keris Stainton
    Full marks for pure readability. You'll want to travel to New York after you've read this!

4. Divergent by Veronica Roth (review)
    Impressive world-building and writing that hooks you from page one.

 5. Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton (review)
    A darkly original YA paranormal with a truly sinister villain.

by Mel

 

 

 

 Happy New Year from everyone at Chicklish!

REVIEW: Popular by Gareth Russell

Review by Kate.

"Popular" follows the adventures of the A-listers of Mount Olivet Grammar School in Belfast. To those on the outside, popularity may seem like a sweet life where everything is perfect, however below the surface there is a lot of drama, mostly orchestrated by Meredith, Queen Bee of the group.

Reading this book took me right back to my high school - the hook-ups, the break-ups, the frenemies and the all-important rumour mill. My favourite character was Catherine, who spent a lot of time trying to get the approval of her friends. As Catherine wasn't the smartest of the group, this sometimes lead to a few entertaining mishaps.

The book is filled with cultural references to designers, TV shows and music that the group wear, watch and listen to. Although I'm not a big fan of product placement I felt that the references were appropriate and it would've felt a little strange if this story had not mentioned any specific products.

Overall I thought this book was brilliant, I really enjoyed it and I will be looking out for future titles in the series. A humorous look at High School that fans of "Mean Girls" should not miss! 5/5

Review by Kate.

OVERVIEW: Skinned trilogy (Cold Awakening) by Robin Wasserman

Overview by Alexandra.

Robin Wasserman is an American author.  She’s written a number of teen novels including the Seven Deadly Sins series.

The Skinned trilogy (also known as the Cold Awakening series) starts with the books Skinned and Crashed, and ends in Wired. The three books are due to be renamed in the US as Frozen, Shattered and Torn.

The star of the series is Lia Kahn. Lia wakes up from a fatal car crash in a mechanical body. She’s not the only ‘mech’. There are others. But there are also those that are against them…

The series promises a futuristic, interesting read, one with some insight in what it is to be human. It will be great for hardcore science fiction fans!

The author’s website with her fun and interesting biography  is: www.robinwasserman.com

by Alexandra.

Watch a trailer below.

REVIEW: The Hidden Kingdom by Ian Beck

Review by Alexandra.

Two journeys merge in The Hidden Kingdom. First there’s Baku, on a mission with his pottery master to find Prince Osamu. Then there’s Prince Osamu himself. Awoken not only from his sleep and forced out into the cold by his servants, but also somewhat awoken from his spoilt, easy life. A life of poetry and luxury. A life with little stress.

Lissa guides Prince Osamu into the snowy forests away from the war that has started in his realm. The stubborn Prince rejects the signs that, unfolding all around him, are ancient prophecies. Prophecies that involve the return of ruling demons from Hades. Will Lissa convince the Prince that his life is in danger and that he has a very important role to play? Will Baku find him?

I enjoyed the storyline and the writing. The story of the demons wasn’t very clear, not much is mentioned about them, but travelling characters are interesting and fun to follow!

Review by Alexandra.

• Publisher: OUP Oxford (6 Oct 2011)
• ISBN-10: 0192755633
• ISBN-13: 978-0192755636

GIMME FIVE: E-books for fans of teen relationship fiction

I hope everyone is having a wonderful time!

Did anyone get an e-book reader as a present this year? Or maybe a voucher to spend on e-books?

As promised in my gift book recommendation post, here is a list of e-books that I've recently enjoyed reading on my Kindle. I still buy lots of paperbacks, so many of the books I'm buying for my Kindle right now are ones that are only available in electronic format. I've given links below for Amazon (Kindle) and Smashwords (all e-book formats) where possible. Remember that you can download a free sample of each book to see if it's right for you before buying it. Also remember that you don't need an e-book reader - I often read on my phone using the free Kindle app, and Kobo also offers free apps.

Five (ish) E-books for Fans of Teen Relationship Fiction, compiled by Luisa

- Double Clutch by Liz Reinhardt, and its sequel Junk Miles by Liz Reinhardt - These novels feature a complicated love triangle and passionate romance for older teens. Delicious. (UK Kindle link, Smashwords link.)

- Fringe Girl by Valerie Frankel, and its sequel Fringe Girl in Love by Valerie Frankel - Really funny and sweet, with fantastically quirky characters. Highly recommended! (UK Kindle link.)

- Cross My Heart by Katie Klein - A great good girl/bad boy romance - very hard to put down. (UK Kindle link.)

- So Over You by Gwen Hayes - Also for older teens, this is a relationship novel that starts off light-hearted but has more serious undertones. The banter between the main characters is brilliant. (UK Kindle link, Smashwords link.)

- The Boyfriend Thief by Shana Norris - Romance, humour, family drama and a great hero - recommended! Shana Norris is the author of Troy High and Something To Blog About. (UK Kindle link, Smashwords link.)

- Becoming Edward by Faye Meredith - I loved the premise of this one, and its British setting. The romance involves a boy who has a crush on a gorgeous Twilight fan, so he changes himself to be more like the Edward... (UK Kindle link, Smashwords link.)

I'm currently reading Perfected by Girls by Alfred C. Martino which is about a girl who's on the boys' wrestling team at high school; it's original and engaging. (UK Kindle link, Smashwords link.) Also lined up on my Kindle is The Girl on The Train by David G Pearce (UK Kindle link.)

 

*** EXTRA! ***

I've decided to move the 'Christmas bargain' list to a new post, as I keep wanting to add things! Watch out for another post soon.

In the meantime, check out Saundra Mitchell's Breathkept, which is free right now. More details here.

GIMME FIVE: Reviewer Kate's Top Five Thought-Provoking Books

Kate lists five books that make you think and ask questions, and which would also make great presents...

Top 5 Question-Posing Books To Give As Gifts
by Kate

1. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
(reviewed here)

How could something so wrong feel so right? When Maya and Lochan fall in love everything should be perfect but it isn't. Why? Because Maya and Lochan are brother and sister and their relationship threatens to tear their family apart. A very controversial read and extremely thought provoking.

2. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
(reviewed here)

If you knew you were going to die today, what would you do differently? Sam finds herself stuck in a cycle of reliving the day she dies in a plot similar to "Groundhog Day". Can she change her fate?

3. Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld
(reviewed here)

Would  you sacrifice your individuality to be pretty? Set in a future where 16 year olds are turned from an "Ugly" into a "Pretty" on their birthday, this series raises questions as to the real definition of beauty.

4. Conspiracy 365 by Gabrielle Lord
(reviewed here)

Could you survive a year on the run? Cal's life is turned upside down when he finds himself on a fight for his survival that lasts  all 365 days of the year. Action packed and full of enigma.

5. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
(reviewed here)

Can a roadtrip mend a broken heart? After the tragic death of her family, Amy withdraws from her life and her friends. When she needs to take a roadtrip across America, she's forced to spend several days in the company of Roger, an easygoing adventurer. The unlikely pair end up on an epic detour that lends its legacy to the book's title.

Thank you very much to Kate!

(All 12 books from the Conspiracy 365 series are currently on special offer at The Book People.)

REVIEW: Ministry of Pandemonium by Chris Westwood

Review by Chelsea.

'Mr October, a man of many faces and secrets, knows Ben has a unique gift. He sets out to recruit Ben to a top-secret, highly classified ministry department - to help in an eternal war against a despicable enemy. And so Ben begins to understand just how great and deadly his gift may be, and why it puts him and everyone he loves in danger...'
 
When Ben Harvester meets the mysterious Mr October in Highgate Cemetery, nothing could have prepared him for the strange and dramatic turn his life is about to take. Soon Mr October is leading him towards his true calling - his work at the Ministry of Pandemonium, helping to guide the dead to the afterlife. But Ben quickly discovers that there are terrifying forces keen to thwart the work of the Ministry and lead the newly-dead astray. And when Ben's mum suddenly becomes seriously ill, he questions whether he can continue with the important job he has been given.
 
I'm just going to start straight away by talking about the main character, Ben Harvester. I really liked him - I liked his sort of awkwardness (I mean, how many other 13-year-old boys do you see sitting in a cemetery sketching pictures of the graves?), and I liked the fact that you really got to see his true personality as you read more and more of the story. The other main character, Mr October, is a very mysterious man who nobody seems to know that much about - and by the end of the book, I still didn't really know him much more than I did at the beginning of the book if I'm honest. I would have liked to have had more of a background regarding his character, and I'd have liked to have known how the ministry was formed.
 
I really enjoyed the plot, although I could see it being quite scary in some places for younger or more sensitive children - shape-shifting dead kids, scarecrows that come alive and demons that snatch dead bodies don't exactly make for the most relaxing bedtime story! Basically put, Mr October finds Ben Harvester, and recruits him to help recording the deaths of various people and making sure that the demons don't get to their bodies first. The book is primarily a horror, but it also has a (sort of gruesome) funny side. For example, a man died because he made himself into a parcel, and posted himself of to his girlfriend. Let's just say something nasty happened involving a pair of scissors. I found that quite funny,  I don't know about anybody else! As well as a funny side, there is a sad side too - Ben lives with his mother, as his dad left a few years ago. Ben's mother gets a bad diagnosis from the hospital, and one day Ben sees a name that he really can't bring himself to file away...
 
Overall, the book was  a good read, and I look forward to reading more of Chris's books. I'd recommend this story to anyone who likes Chris Priestley, as they have a similar style of writing. I'd say that the ideal age range for this book would be between 12 - 16 years, although of course it all comes down to personal preference.

Review by Chelsea, aged 16

• Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books (3 Mar 2011)
• ISBN-10: 1847801900
• ISBN-13: 978-1847801906

REVIEW: Lula Does the Hula by Samantha Mackintosh

Review by Saehir.

Tallulah Bird once again comes to life, from her first book, Kisses For Lula, to her brand new adventure in the sequel, Lula does the Hula by Samantha Mackintosh.

This is a perfect book to settle down with after a long and boring day at school, as Tallulah Bird takes you on a wonderful journey. She’s finally had her first kiss and she now has an actual boyfriend who is all she can think about. Until her boyfriend's evil gal pal, Jazz, starts to get involved, and a criminal activity starts to occur in her town, followed by her having to dance the hula in front of the whole town. I'm guessing Tallulah Bird isn’t like any other teenager, unless your life is as hectic as hers.

Lula does the Hula was an incredibly written book, mainly because Tallulah Bird always had something to do that was not normal for any of our daily lives. Lula was one of my favourite characters as her feelings were relatable to every girl out there who is concerned about their family or their relationship with their boyfriend. The book also had me guessing throughout the scandalous parts of the story, which left me worrying as well as exited for Tallulah.

Other than Tallulah, Samantha has created an excellent group of characters who are all different from each other - some whom you will love and some of whom you will hate... Jazz...

Without a doubt, I would recommend this book to fans of relationship drama, comedy, and mystery readers. However I would recommend that you read Kisses For Lula first, which will set the scene for you as well allowing you to enjoy Lula’s first magnificent adventure of finding the criminal and looking for the perfect boy who will deliver her first kiss.

Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars, because it was I book I wouldn’t mind reading again.

Review by Saehir

• Publisher: Egmont Books Ltd (6 Jun 2011)
• ISBN-10: 1405256532
• ISBN-13: 978-1405256537

(Thank you very much Saehir, and welcome to Chicklish!)

GIMME FIVE: Luisa's Five Great Gift Books

Here are five great book presents, plus an extra idea. (I actually have bought most of these as presents this year, so if you're a young person who's related to me, please look away now!)

1. Ten Things We Shouldn't Have Done by Sarah Mlynowski

I haven't managed to review this book but I really loved it and I've been recommending it a lot. A great book for older teenagers, this story opens at the very intriguing end of the story and then takes you back through all the events that led there. Extremely hard to put down.

2. Adventures of a Wimpy Werewolf: Hairy But Not Scary by Tim Collins

By the author of the Diary of a Wimpy Vampire series, this is the funny diary of Luke Thorpe, a 15-year-old 'wimp' who discovers he's also a werewolf. It features characters from some of the earlier books but also works perfectly as an entertaining standalone. With quirky illustrations and joke-filled storytelling, this would make a great present for fun-loving readers. In fact, it could go well with the next one...

3. Breaking Yawn by Stephordy Mayo

This is a Twilight (well, Breaking Dawn, obviously) spoof and the sequel to New Moan. It's perfect for Twilight fans with healthy senses of humour. (At least, I hope the person I've bought it for sees the funny side. You might want to read an extract of New Moan at Waterstone's to make sure it's suitable.)

4. Lottie Biggs series by Hayley Long

I absolutely loved Lottie Biggs is Not Tragic, the third book in the series, and it reminded me how much I enjoyed the first two books. Definitely great gift books for anyone who likes laughing at the absurdity of life. (Read my review of Lottie Biggs is Not Desperate by Hayley Long.)

5. Torn by Cat Clarke

OK, I haven't read Cat Clarke's second novel yet - it isn't out until 22nd December. But that's still in time for Christmas presents, and I'm dying to get my hands on it myself... (Read my review of Entangled by Cat Clarke.)

EXTRA: A subscription to The Phoenix Comic

I'm a huge fan of the DFC Library, so I rushed to subscribe myself my children to this weekly comic, launching in 2012. Find out more at The Phoenix Comic site.

I'll be returning soon with my Top 5 Kindle reads of the year - I thought I'd wait until after Christmas, when there might be new Kindle owners looking for ideas...

Have a wonderful time, everyone!

Luisa
xx

---

Edited to add: I forgot one! I'll quickly add it in now...

This Dark Endeavour by Ken Oppel

This is a gripping, spine-chilling and intense horror novel based on Mary Shelley's gothic classic Frankenstein. Highly recommended as a gift (and in general).

Read more at Kenneth Oppel's site.

REVIEW: Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

Review by Kate.

"Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts, especially since her mother has worked as a fraudulent medium for a decade. Violet has taken part in enough of her mother's tricks to feel more than a little jaded about anything supernatural. The ghosts, however, believe in Violet and she's been seeing them everywhere. One ghost in particular needs Violet to use her emerging gift to solve her murder ...and prevent the ghost's twin sister from suffering the same fate."

Haunting Violet is set in the Victorian era, in a time when most were a lot less sceptical of mediums and the gifts they claimed to possess. Sophisticated crime solving equipment is yet to be invented in this simpler time so it's up to Violet and her friends to solve the crime of Rowena's death with the old-fashioned power of deduction, as favoured by traditional detectives. Violet as a main character was very forward thinking and not entirely impressed by the high society lifestyle that her mother yearned for. I found this made Violet as a character more relateable, as I have always found it hard to think of Victorian teenagers as anything other than straight, obedient and, to a certain extent, boring. This book really turned around my views of fiction written in the Victorian era and I feel that Harvey did a great job.

My favourite character in the story was Elizabeth - although "Elizabeth" as a name hints at a traditional prim and proper Victorian girl, the character of Elizabeth provided a certain amount of comic relief to the storyline as she was anything but prim and proper. Despite being from a rich family and having a social life that other Victorian girls would envy, Elizabeth spends a lot of the book trying to escape the social gatherings that Violet's mother so desperately wants to be a part of.

I liked the dilemma that Violet was faced with throughout the book of how to escape the world of fake readings that she objected to morally. Should Violet continue to help her mother with her dishonest activity or should she take her chances of braving it alone away from her family and good friend Colin? In a world where it's not unusual for a teenager to move away to University after finishing school, Harvey put the point across well that Violet would struggle to survive without a husband or family's support.

Overall I thought this book was a great read that fans of the supernatural and historical fiction would especially enjoy. The historical setting brought a new element to the ghost stories I have grown to love and the historical facts within the book were clearly well researched and presented well to blend in with the plot.

Review by Kate.

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (4 July 2011)
• ISBN-10: 1408811316
• ISBN-13: 978-1408811313