Saturday 12th January Review of Just one Day by Gayle Forman

Title: Just One Day

Author: Gayle Forman

ISBN: 978-1-849-41566-8

Price: £6.99

                To begin with Allyson Healey lives a very normal, if rigidly organised life. When she graduates her parents pay for her to go on a tour of Europe and evenly though it is informative, well-organised and most of the other graduates including her friend Mel have a lot fun, Allyson feels that something is missing. She is seeing the countries as an American tourist but not feeling the atmosphere or living as they would. She used to be satisfied with staying in while everyone went out, studying hard in order to get into medical school and generally obeying her Mother completely. Things seem to change quickly, however, when she meets Willem a young Dutchman who had travelled for two years and somehow ended up joining a cast of amateur actors, performing Shakespeare. As Allyson watches him acting Sebastian in the acting group’s rendition of ‘Twelf Night’ she begins to fall for him. He calls her ‘Lulu’ stating she looks similar to the 1920s American actress Louise Brooks, due to her short black hairstyle and dark, deep eyes. For the first time in her life Allyson feels special, different and more confident and when Willem offers her an enchanting offer to visit Paris, just for one day, she finds it impossible to refuse…

                Just one day becomes a truer statement than Allyson could have imagined, as Willem disappears mysteriously, leaving her stranded in Paris. Heartbroken, Allyson manages to get home but she is devastated feeling she has lost not only Willem, but also the person she became while she was with him; ‘Lulu’. She hates university and constantly struggles to fit in with her parent’s expectations, often falling short. Eventually Allyson decides to take action, she will find Willem and with him find answers, and hopefully also find the confident, interesting Lulu, such a contrast to the shy boring Allyson.

                This is not your typical American love story. It is, I admit, an American love story, but it contains stunning descriptions of Paris and wonderful elements of different cultures which you never thought you knew. Have you ever heard Shakespeare in French? Did you know there is a word in Mandarin for ‘double-happiness’?

This is also a story about self-discovery, life and loss. In her search Allyson eventually discovers who she really is, after meeting a variety of different personalities and nationalities both friends and enemies. She learns about love and about herself, finding it incredible how just one day in Paris could change someone’s life forever. This book might not have the conventional happy ending, or even be a tragedy, but it does have love, happiness and friendship as well as heartbreak and despair and the trials of growing up and finding out who you really are.

“If Music be the food of love, play on” Duke Orsino, ‘Twelfth Night’ by William Shakespeare.

New Book Reviews

Title: Hidden

Author: Marianne Curley

ISBN: 978-1-4088-2262-3

Price: £6.99

If you enjoy twilight and various other vampire/mythical creature stories but are looking for a change this is an excellent book. It falls under the genre of teen fantasy which has recently become very popular worldwide. However this story is not about vampires or werewolves but angels. What would happen if an angel was taken at birth and hidden somewhere on earth with a mortal family? Ebony lives a sheltered life, never truly understanding why her parents keep her enclosed and isolated, away from the life her friends lead. Everything changes when at a school dance she literally bumps into Jordan and instantly feels a connection with him. Jordan is an unlucky boy whose life never seemed to go right for him. He also has a terrible secret, something he regrets, which has turned his childhood best friend Adam into his worst enemy. When Adam sees Jordan talking to his girlfriend Sophie, tension builds and a fight ensues. Ebony feels an incredible urge to protect this boy who she has only just met and when she returns home that night she feels that her life is not what she understands it to be. She soon begins to suspect that her parents have not revealed the entire truth to her about her birth- that she was born with a twin brother who died- and starts to demand the whole story. However her parents had been told that informing their daughter of her true identity would bring doom on the family and the entire village. Meanwhile Jordan meets Thane, an extraordinary man who promises to change his unfortunate life and make him happier, but first Jordan must help him find the lost angel, the one he had been searching for all his life so he could return to Avena, the human concept of heaven and marry his fiancé who has waited for him for many years… But Ebony has been brought up by atheist parents and refuses to believe talk of angels, heaven or anything out of the ordinary. Jordan realises that making her realise her role in this other world and her past life will be no easy task. Meanwhile the dark Prince Luca, a fallen angel who rules an abandoned realm is growing in power and he is also searching for something. The same thing as Thane and he refuses to be defeated.

Title: The Legacy

Author: Gemma Malley

ISBN: 978-1-4088-3689-7

Price: £6.99

                Before the Hunger Games there was ‘The Legacy’. This is part of a series which I would fully recommend reading all of. It is set in the future where Albert Fern has managed to create a drug that cures cancer in order to save his daughter Elizabeth’s life. However not only does his formula prevent all disease it also create s cells that do not age. In essence he has created everlasting life. But Albert knows the price that comes with this and also knows that he must protect the circle of life at all costs. However his assistant and son in law Richard Pincent does not understand this concept. He wants to recreate the formula into a revolutionary drug that will give people eternal live and make him rich. He orders his bodyguard to get rid of Albert. Albert refuses to give him the formula but Richard has a sample and knows that other scientists will be able to retrace the process. However Albert gives him a warning; he may be able to derive the formula but nature will always win and he must always remember the circle of life. This warning will later haunt Richard as his perfect scheme of eternal life is suddenly threatened by a virus which his drug ‘longevity’ cannot cure. It seems that the unbeatable cure may be under threat; meanwhile there is an uprising from the Surpluses and their supporters who call themselves, The Underground. As people have chosen to live forever they give up the right to have children and any children born to those taking ‘longevity’ are taken to ‘Surplus Halls’ and subjected to cruel treatment and slavery, later they are secretly sent to a Pincent Laboratory, their bodies used for experiments and to create the new drug longevity plus.  Such a fate happened to Sheila once after her friend Anna was released by Peter the surplus son of a former mistress of the Surplus Hall Margaret Pincent. Margaret was never told that Peter was her son, he was a surplus and so quietly smuggled away from his house by his father. Now we see Margaret in prison with a death sentence for murdering her husband after she found out what he had done to their child. Anna and Peter live happily together with Anna’s baby brother and their own child. Sheila too had a happy ending, as she was saved by         Margaret’s other son and Peters brother. They both now work under Pip, leader of the Underground and fight against longevity and all it stands for, but Sheila had always been determined that she was not a surplus, that her parents had wanted her and not chosen longevity and now she wants to find them, but Pip knows this is a terrible idea. Meanwhile, Peter and Anna live happily together, far away from the problems of the real world, with Anna’s little brother and their own child. But Peter is becoming restless and knows that the resistance is struggling, as Pincent, terrified by the virus which threatens his legacy locks down on rebels with further vigilance. As people begin to grow suspicious of their neighbours seeming ill then mysteriously disappearing late at night, and more children are taken to surplus halls every day, Richard Pincent’s world seems to be crumbling around him. There is only one course he must take, he must find the original formula and understand what Albert meant when he said the ‘circle or life’. Otherwise the whole of Britain could die.

Title: Billy & Girl

Author: Deborah Levy

ISBN: 978-1-4088-4068-9

Price: £7.99

This is a story about a boy named Billy and his sister who everyone has always called ‘Girl’. It is a strange yet charming modern fairytale about two very different teenagers growing up. This is not a story for young children though, it is gritty and sad filled with the tragedy of real life. The two children live alone after their father died in a fire and their mother abandoned them. They are determined to find their lost mother and when they meet Louise, a mentally handicapped girl who works in a supermarket ‘Freezerworld’,      Girl feels that she can help them. She feels a connection to Louise and not only because Louise is girls real name. Girl gives her clothes and shoes trying to improve her style, and Louise is flattered by the interest of the two damaged, stylish teenagers and so tries to help them.  Raj is Billy’s sole confident and in love with Girl and he too becomes drawn into their plans and schemes, entrance by their strange lives. The story is at times witty and abstract and at others hard-hitting and painfully real and a criticism of modern society. As you disciver the full story behind the siblings past and their situation it becomes a thought provoking, heart breaking tale. I would definitely recommend this book; it is profound, comedic and serious all at the same time.

CookBooks for Christmas

Cook Books for Christmas!

Book1:

Title: Hugh’s Three Good Things…on a plate

Author: Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (SIGNED COPY!)

ISBN: 978-1-4088-2858-8

Price: £25.00

Book2:

Title: Celebrate (A Year of Festivities for Families and Friends)

Author: Pippa Middleton (SIGNED COPY!)

ISBN: 978-0-718-17678-5

                I have practically no skills at cooking so any kind of recipes I use must be easy to follow and I have to say this must be my first time since cookery lessons at school in Year 9 to actually use a cookbook. Nevertheless I tried my best and managed to successfully make a full English breakfast frittata from Celebrate by Kate Middleton. The Beetroot Egg Anchovy salad from Hugh’s Three Good Things was sadly less successful, I struggled cooking the beetroot. However although I think the results was due to my incompetence with cookery, rather than the actually recipe, I must admit I found ‘Celebrate’ easier to follow and a lot quicker. There was nothing in any of the recipes that confused me and my mum was certainly very impressed with my frittata which I served her for breakfast!  She also liked the book itself with its beautiful layout and bright pictures. ‘Hugh’s three good things’ looks very good for a healthy eating plan. All the recipes are based around three main ingredients, usually including vegetables and are therefore meant to be fairly simple and easy (again I think it was probably my fault the recipe didn’t work, not Hugh’s). I would definitely try again with a different salad though as they all look delicious; ‘Cauliflowers, tomatoes and capers’, ‘Cabbage avocado and lentils’ and ‘fennel tangerine and pumpkin seeds’. Some of the main meals included also appeal; ‘fish, onion, olives’ and ‘ham, squash and marmalade’.

                The two books are very different. ‘Celebrate’ is aimed at families, providing not only recipes, but activity and decoration activities for various events throughout the year such as Christmas, Easter, New Year and family events such as birthdays, barbecues and picnics. It is perfect for any mother and contains inventive ideas to inspire you to make every holiday enjoyable for the whole family. Hugh’s Three Good Things however focuses entirely on the food and can be used by men and women alike; single, young, old and with or without families. Hugh says “If ever you feel your cooking is stuck in a rut, your repertoire of recipes a little tired, then this ridiculously simple cookbook is aimed at you…I want to set you off in a creative direction, by showing you a pattern that underpins many well-loved dishes” Three really does seem to be the perfect number; not too complicated, not too bland or boring. It also a healthier way to eat, especially if can encourage home-cooking. This could be a great gift for a young couple, a student who doesn’t want to live off take-aways, or just a family or anyone in need of some new ideas.

Both books look very impressive with vivid images and attractive covers to brighten up your kitchen or your coffee table. ‘Celebrate’ is original in that it is arranged and categorized by seasons with an extensive index at the back and Hugh’s Three Good Things’ is arranged by starters, mains, deserts as you would perhaps expect. Both I think could be very useful, in very different ways. I really loved some of the decoration and activity ideas in ‘Celebrate’ for example ‘edible Christmas gifts’, ‘Guess my New Year’s resolution’ and the ‘Easter Crafts’ section. Depending on who you are buying for I would recommend either as an excellent Christmas or New Year’s gift, or treat for yourself!

Christmas books!

Title: A Christmas Poem

Author: Carol Ann Duffy

ISBN: 978-1-4472-1202-7

Price: £5.99

The perfect Christmas gift for children and adults this poem retells the story of the famous carol, King Wenceslas, with beautiful illustrations by Stuart Kolakovic. Hardback and carefully structured, the little book begins with luxurious descriptions of a lavish Christmas feast at the palace of King Wenceslas and it really puts you in the festive spirit! As he is feasting however the King sees a man stood in the cold and his act of kindness to this man encapsulates the true meaning and spirit of Christmas; caring for others. With wonderful illustrations carefully incorporated into the poem, this is definitely a book to keep for many Christmases to come!

Title: Jesus’ Christmas Party

Author: Nicholas Allan

ISBN: 978-1-84941-526-2

Price: £5.99

This children’s book is a charming, funny retelling of the classic Nativity story for young children aged 6 and under. It is told from the view of the innkeeper an irritable man who is simply trying to get a good night’s sleep. However he cannot seem to get any peace, ever since he let a young couple, Mary and Joseph, sleep in his stable. He is plagued by shepherds, Kings, bright lights and singing and finally in a fit of rage goes to see what all the fuss is about. What he doesn’t realise is that a very special child has been born that night, in his stable, a child who will change the world forever.

                Comical illustrations assist this tale making it perfect for younger children either to read for themselves or be read to as an excellent way to make the story of Christmas more exciting. Cleverly written and lots of fun to read, I would definitely recommend it to put children in the festive spirit!

Formby Then and Now

Title: Formby Then and Now in colour

Author: Reg and Barbara Yorke

ISBN: 978-0-7524-7155-6

Price: Christmas offer £10 while stocks last! (RRP £12.99)

                Written as a contribution to Civic Day organised by the Formby Civic Society, June 2012, this is a high-quality, pictorial record for those with a passion for local history, or even those people who simply appreciate Formby and are curious to know more. The book provides detailed information about Formby from the middle of the 18^th century onwards, right up to June 2011. Interesting facts are intermingled with a stunning set of nostalgic images of Formby as far back as 1900. Imagine Formby as it was, a small rural hamlet, in contrast to the compact town with its own shopping centre (as we call ‘the village’).  Ever wanted to know when and how the first street lights in Formby arrived? Or when the village was pedestrianized? And how did Wicks Lane Path get its name? The answers to these as well as the origins of Cross Green, the well-known inns: Cross House, The Bay Horse and The Grapes and the old church yard can all be found in Formby Then and Now. There are also interesting details about Formby during great historical events, such as the Harrington Barracks in the Second World War and the Altcar Rifle Range, which was situated on the mouth of the River Alt. in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Even Formby Bowling club played its part, acting host to convalescent soldiers during the First World War; we contrast this with how it is today. Of course, we cannot forget the fabulous Formby coast and the threat that coastal erosion poses to the natural environment and glorious beach. There is also the Lifeboat station, the very first light boat station in the world and Formby Lighthouse, ‘one of the first nautical structures erected to help aid navigation and safety at the port of Liverpool’. Gain a sense of local pride from traditions and events which have continued in Formby for years, such as the Open Air Art Exhibition, held every June since 1950.

                This latest edition is brighter, bigger and better than other books in the ‘Then and Now’ series and the vivid images, hardback cover and glossy pages make this book an ideal Christmas present for any Formby dweller. Perhaps your house, someone you know, or somewhere you go every day is featured in this book, so read and find out!

A New Review

Title: The False Prince

Author: Jennifer A. Nielson         

ISBN:  978-1-407133-05-8

Price: £6.99

Sage is no ordinary orphan teenage boy living in the poorest part of Avenia, with a stubborn , rebellious attitude and sharp mind he refuses to be beaten. His life changes dramatically when one day, he is taken by the mysterious noble Conner. He is told where he will be taken or of what will become of him, but also captured are three other boys Latimer, the sickly, Tobias, the educated and Roden, the brave and strong. The boys are all of a similar age and appearance.  It is soon revealed that the plan is for one of these boys to impersonate the Prince Jaron of Carthya, who disappeared years ago when his ship was attacked by pirates. With the royal family under attack from within, it is time for the Prince to fulfil his duty. Conner will choose the boy who appears to him most similar to the Prince, and as for the other three; they must be disposed of.

                Sage understands that this twisted competition is something he cannot lose, and as a skilled thief and quick thinker he applies his skills, but antagonises Conner when he refuses to bend and obey anyone. Conner’s Prince must be obedient, loyal and willing to embrace a lifetime of lies. Sage cannot force himself and it seems that, unlike the other boys, he wants nothing less than the throne. However, he realises he has responsibilities as only he can save the other boys who are not chosen. Imogen, a young abused servant girl in Conner’s household, attracts his attention. Her mother refused Conner and as revenge for this Imogen was taken and is now forced to feign muteness in order to escape Conner’s advances. She is one of Sage’s few companions in the castle but says she will refuse to accept him if he becomes the Prince, unable to imagine why anyone would choose a life of deception, if there was any other option.

                Torn between the truth, which he had never wanted to accept, and the lie which he is living, Sage must make a decision; the orphan or the prince? However the mysterious orphan hides more secrets than Conner could ever have realised. When he picked Sage up off the streets it was both his greatest achievement, but also his biggest mistake.

                A gripping, exciting novel, packed with action and adventure, once you begin this book it is impossible to put down. Perfect for both boys and girls ages 11-16! The character of the Orphan Prince is entertaining and likeable, but never arrogant. The book also contains themes such as assassination, poverty, pirates and royalty and has the classic characters such as evil nobles grasping for control of the throne, Conner’s ruthless accomplice, Cregan and the suffering Princess Amarinda, betrothed to the heir of the throne, but in love with Jaron’s brother, Darius.

I would give this 8/10!

Pulitzer to Pop Bang and Toffees

What a week or so...

Philip and Paul two Poets One Great Event

We were tonight at the Civic in Crosby and met Pulitzer Prize winning Poet and Lyrical Prose merchant Philip Schultz from NYC (only just a sthat storm nearly made him not make it here...) He was joined by local lad Paul Farley for a double bill of profound and astonishing poetry.

Vicky, Beth, Some Bloke Hiding behind a book, Holly and Jill

Last Night we had a real fireworks indoors when SAS Hero Andy McNab was our guest speker for a 'Help for Heroes' Charity book signing, we raised £385 and had a virtually full house.

We had a Toffee of the Highest Order on Saturday when Bob 'Walks on Water' Latchford and Howard Kendall joined James Corbett to launch the astonishing Everton Encylopedia.

Howard, Bob, Beth and James

Friday if you are able..get along to our Lesley Pearse event at Merchant Taylors' Girls School, Liverpool Rd, Crosby for a 6pm Art Gallery Viewing followed by a 7pm Author talk/signing and at only £2 a real bargain..you can pay on the door...book clubs this is the sort of ideal event to come to!

Then Saturday 8pm back to the Civic for a 'Double Bass' Event with Horace 'Gentleman' Panter from the Specials and The Farm bassist Carl Hunter. They will have Peter Hootton help them out and this promises to be a real cultural event to attend...

navigate to the reviews tab on this blog and read all about John Boyne and more that Katy has been reviewing avidly for the last few weeks..please share this and encourage folks to register at the main site for the weekly newsletter www.formbybooks.co.uk