A Twist of Fortune Review

Title: A Twist of Fortune

Author: Barbara Mitchel Hill

ISBN: 978184939562

Price: £5.99

The award winning author of ‘Run Rabbit Run’ has produced a thrilling Victorian historical fiction novel. It follows the tale of Sam Pargeter who through a series of unfortunate circumstances ends up head of his family; his sister Eliza and little brother Alfie and responsible for finding them food and a home. This is no easy task for children in Victorian England however as everyone seems to be against them. However they decide to set off in search of their rich grandfather with their dog Patch and their favourite book Oliver Twist, hoping that he will help them.  It is a heart-warming story which does not conceal the injustice and brutality of the Victorian society towards children at the time. It also has some wonderful characters, including Charles Dickens himself and exciting villains. The children are forced to live in Devils Acre, an area of London crammed with criminals, misery and insufferable poverty, then are accused of murder and also end up trapped in a terrible school where the children sleep on stone floors and sweep chimneys. However there are also themes of family, bravery and strength in this book for children who had to grow up far too soon but are determined to find happiness and be reunited with their family. There is trouble at every corner for the Pargeter children and more importantly will their grandfather accept them, after disowning their father for marrying a poor woman? Will he even recognise them if they don’t have their father’s and Aunt Maud’s letters in mother’s silver box?

                The children’s adventure makes this novel a page-turner, but it also reveals a lot about living in Victorian England and their attitudes towards the poor as well as the effects of early industrialisation and the railways. It is also written convincingly in the style of a Victorian boy and we learn how Sam is forced to become the man of a family, even though starvation has given him the frame of a small boy, in order to save his younger siblings.  Yet the family always stick together, and with Sam’s careful planning and Eliza’s beautiful singing voice and Alfie’s innocent charm, perhaps the family might one day find happiness?

8/10

New Book Reviews!!

Title: The Extincts

Author: Veronica Cossanteli

Price: (out in May) paperback £5.99

ISBN: 978-1-908435-45

                This is a story about a young boy named George (he’s not named after St George, even though he lives in the town were the famous battle with the dragon took place, he’s named after his Grandfather). George feels he is far from ordinary, in fact when he sees a job advertisement for a job at Wormestall Farm, he feels he could be the ‘Right Person for the Job’ and it’s not just because he need the money for a new bike. But George could never have imagined in his wildest dreams the creatures he discovered at Wormestall which was certainly no ordinary farm. It may have pigs and cows, but they are extinct species or mythical creatures, not to mention there is a unicorn, an ichthyosaur (like a dolphin but with very, very sharp teeth)  and an old dragon with a wounded eye and a dislike towards Knights on horseback. They are very rare and seek sanctuary in Wormestall farm otherwise they would be sent to laboratories to be tested or put in cages for humans to view. Worse still there is Diamond Pye, the stepmother of Pruedence the new girl in Geroge’s class who also finds out bout Wormestall. Diamond Pye is an animal-stuffer, and when there are rumours that the wigglington worm has escaped (it is actually a basilisk named Mortifier). George has to help Mrs Linde and Lo, the keepers of Wormestall to bring back Mortifier before he turns the whole town to stone or eats a child (it’s not his fault though, he can’t help it), or is captured, bagged and stuffed by the Diamond Pyeso that she can win the Taxidermist of the Year award and the golden brain spoon. Meanwhile the evil taxidermist locks Prudence in a cage in order to make her confess the truth about the location of the weird and wonderful creatures, so George now must rescue her as well. Can he save the day?

                Hilarious and full of exciting animals you could never have imagined, all real extinct creatures, or taken from myths, ‘The Extincts’ is a fun book for younger readers and will have you imagining your own monsters that live in Wormestall Farm.

Title: After Iris; The Diaries of Bluebell Gadsby

Author: Natasha Farrant

Price: £6.99 (paperback)

ISBN: 9780571297962

                The Diaries of Bluebell Gadsby contain film footage, shot by the Cameraman, Bluebell herself, the film scripts of which are included in the book. The films all show Blue’s completely mad, but loving family; Flora, sixteen and would be married in some countries therefore old enough to do what she wants, Twig and Jasmine, the babes who enjoy pulling pranks and throwing tantrums, Blue herself and Blue’s shadow. Ever since the death of her twin sister Iris Blue has keenly felt the separation, like a missing arm or leg and she often images her shadow is Iris following her stil. However the rest of the family appear to have forgotten her and sometimes Blue herself feels invisible with her parents constantly travelling, Flora being overdramatic and attention-seeking and the babes constantly causing trouble.  Blue never gets the chance to talk about her problems in school; how she has no friends and how Dodi, who used t be her best friend and is now her worst enemy, treats her. The story begins with the arrival of the au pair, Zoran who immediately tries and fails to take control of the unruly family, then the arrival of another mysterious character. The grandson of their nextdoor neighbours Joss is sixteen and as wild and full of fun as they are and takes great delight in watching and playing tricks on the family. He also becomes friends with Blue however, listens to her, gets revenge on the bullies at school and always makes her laugh. Just when she realises she has fallen in love with him however she sees him kissing her older sister Flora. Is Joss really as great as he has made out to be? He seems to be even wilder than they imagined bringing Flora home drunk and bringing his loud, rude friends to the school play. Meanwhile the children all begin to feel resentment towards their parents for being constantly working or travelling so that they are never together as a family. Blue knows the real reason everyone is moving so fast and being so busy, even though they may not speak about her they are trying to hide their grief for the loss of Iris, just as Blue is by not speaking to anyone and remaining always on the other side of the camera.

                A wonderful novel containing the true meaning of family love and support for one another in times of difficulty and distress, this book also contains themes of growing up and heartbreak while also introducing moments of hilarious wit from the eyes of an intelligent sensitive 13 year old. The film scripts at the beginning and ends of the chapters are surprisingly effective and add to the vividness of the action within the book. You can almost imagine the novel as a film, and only at the very end does Flora take the camera and focus it on Blue’s face; she is laughing.

8/10

New Review! Midnight In St Petersburg

Title: Midnight in St Petersburg

Author: Vanora Bennet

ISBN: 9781780891590

Price: £12.99 (out soon!)

                Historical fiction in my opinion is massively underrated and, if well written, usually leads to thrilling interesting novels. Quite simply there are things which cannot be made up and part of the enjoyment, the wonder is due to the knowledge that these events actually happened. ‘Midnight in St Petersburg’ is such a novel and many would draw from it similarities with Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. It is very different however, and if the Russian classics seem daunting it’s n excellent introduction being written by an English author, but who has first-hand experience of Russia, having lived there for many years. Bennet has certainly done intense research and manages to not only incorporate the often unbelievable events of the Russian revolution but also the rumours among the people of Russia, the unanswered questions about the secrets of the monarchy. The reader also gains a sense of truly being a part of the Russian revolution, not merely an onlooker, and the beauty of the traditional, fascinating bourgeois society, with its aspiring musicians, artists, poets and the eccentric nobility as well as the brutality of the Russian Empire. Concentrated in St Petersburg it only give brief information about the effect of the revolution on the rest of Russia, however the events in St Petersburg were significant to the collapse of the Russian Empire.

                The events are incorporated into the storyline of a young Jewish musician Inna, who manages to escape Kiev after the assassination of the Prime Minister in 1911. The Jews were the prime suspects of revolutionary activity and fearing the violent brutal pogroms, Inna steals a passport and gets on a train to St Petersburg hoping to stay with her cousin Yash and bringing his violin. But the unrest in the streets of St Petersburg, her cousin is a revolutionary attempting to procure papers for an exiled man and not having papers herself, Inna is possibly in greater danger than she was in Kiev. However she manages to get a job in a violin shop and lodging in the household of the kind Lemans who also house Yasha. Her stunning beauty, charm and exquisite violin playing charms an Englishman Horace Wallick who introduces her to his favourite part of Russia; the glamorous Bourgeois and Inna flourishes among this new bohemian set of friends. Inna is in love, yet she is not sure if it is with her volatile passionate cousin, or the sophisticated, smart Englishman who cares for her greatly and could secure her safety in St Petersburg. Meanwhile the city is in turmoil as the Russian government starts to collapse and revolutionary feelings are growing, no one is safe. Inna meets the nortorious Rasputin who she knows as the kind Father Gregory, a Siberian peasant who has become an obsession of the aristocracy as some beg for his spiritual knowledge and advice while others slander him in the newspapers accusing him of womazing and drunkenness. She also meets the eccentric, outrageous Prince Felix Youssoupoff, who loves to disguise himself, as a peasant, as a poor worker even as a woman! The incorporation of real historical figures into a fictional sory works wonderfully well in this novel as Bennett uses them to provide other opinions of the causes and events of the Russian Revolution in fascinating detail. Horace Wallick was also originally a real person; the authors Great Uncle who lived in Russia before the revolution, forced to return to England, never got over losing his alternative, yet thrilling and luxurious lifestyle when the Tsar was on the throne. But what will Bennett’s ending hold instore for Horace? Inna is in possession of Prince Youssoupoff’s priceless Stradivarius violin which could be her safe ticket out of Russia on board the Dowager Princesses ship to Paris, but which man will she take with her?

                The Russian Revolution must be one of the most fascinating, thrilling topics of history and if you’re looking to broaden your knowledge on the subject or learn about it from scratch this is an excellent informative book with detailed information about historical figures and events. Alternatively if you’re just looking for an exciting storyline and interesting characters, you won’t be disappointed.

8/10

Can we drum up...Beat IT

Folks

a quick post...not via RM then!

Please read reviews..Katy Handley is a superb 17 year old from Merchant Taylors' Girls in Crosby, she has read and reviewed loads of great books..find yours..share and comment!

Also, Holly our 18 yr old Art A level student, Saturday girl has produced the most extraordinary mural..some posts on FB and Twitter and if by request we can email..
e me tonythebook@live.co.uk


She deserves a chance to work with a real author and produce a stunning book!

Also please encourage all to 'shop local' and buy real books from real bookshops..enough online is 'great', make real greater..we have signed copies of award winners and basically other brilliant books..come and see and buy!

dates for diaries...

SAT 6th April 1-2 come and meet Kevin Sampson and get his 'The Killing Pool' awesome noir crime with a bit of rhyme in deep Liverpool.

TUE 7th May a World Book Night extraordinary event at Liverpool Town Hall...with John Boyne!
Tickets only £2 and he will talk/read/take questions and sign copie sof his amazing new gothic ghost tale
'This House is Haunted' we will have backlist too.

tried to be quick so be quick to share and respond

adieu

Coming soon...

Title: We Need New Names
Author: Noviolet Blubayo

ISBN: 9780701188030

Coming June 2013!

This book will change your life. Set in a shanty town on the outskirts of Budapest this is an emotional, terrible, enchanting story about a young girl named Darling. She lives with Mother of Bones and her Mother as her father is away traveling to make money for them, she remembers what it was like to have a nice house, clean clothes and pretty toys before the time when their country was taken over and their houses destroyed leaving them with worthless money and few possessions. She is also keen to remind the other children that she has a rich auntie in america who she will live with one day. However her and her friends Bastard Stina Godknows Chipo and Sbho have more pressing matters to attend to. They are off to steal guava fruits. Guava fruits from the rich houses that will temporarily full their empty stomachs but have the unfortunate side effect of painful constipation.

However this is book is not miserable angry or bitter; it displays the determination and strength of a beaten down race who did anything to escape their dying country but never relinquished its culture or their love for it. Through the mind of a child Blubayo successfully captures images through words in a unique and enchanting manner. I have read few books where I actually sense feel and experience the story and the setting as I do in "We Need New Names". Also worth mentioning is he authors skill in creating a change of tone and manner of the narrator as she grows from a child to an adolescent with her own strong opinions, often intervening with chapters speaking for all African people who have been forced to leave their country behind. I can't recommend this book enough; it really will change your view on life.

9/10                                   

New Review! Teenage fiction

 

Title: Firewallers

Author: Simon Packham

IBSN: 9781848123076

Price: £6.99

 Jess is a normal teenage girl with a cheating ex-boyfriend who she is considering getting back with, unhelpful best friend, boring work experience job at her father’s office, and an excruciatingly perfect older sister Millie aka ‘The Golden One’. However one day she returns home after a particularly tough day at school to find her mother and her sister crying and the house surrounded by the press. Her father has done something, they said, he has lost his job at the bank because he lost his money. However Jess senses there is more to the story when the next day they pack their bags and leave driving all the way to an island off the coast of Scotland inhabited by a strange group of people called the ‘Dawdlers’, who Jess’s mother has heard of through her friend Sue who is one of them . They are an anti-consumerism, anti-modernisation society and wear only eco-friendly unlabelled clothes, eat only natural foods directly sourced from nature and live without technology. Jess’s horror at having to give up her hair straighteners, make up shampoo and mobile phone is almost too great to describe, but her mother seems unusually happy at having no connection whatsoever to society, even if the lack of skin products seems daunting. Jess is told she must try to fit in with the other ‘striplings’ which is the word the Dawdlers use for teenagers, but she finds them hostile and cannot understand why they live contentedly without modern technology, skincare or fast food. Meanwhile ‘The Golden One’ seems to have changed dramatically and begins to rebel for the first time in her life. Jess obediently listens to the leader Eric and goes to the lessons and meetings with the other striplings, but Millie stays indoors, barely speaking to her mother or to Jess,  refusing to take part in anything.

                Jess grows more suspicious that there is something she has not been told, and worries even more that it is particularly about her dad, but any time Millie comes close to telling her she suddenly stops and closes up again, refusing to say anything. Jess becomes increasingly worried about Millie and the effect the island is having on her, but she also feels secretly glad that there is something she is better at than Millie because she finds herself liking the striplings as they are not all what they first appeared to be, particularly Campbell, who takes her on a date. However Campbell too has a secret, and his is also about his father, but will Jess ever uncover the truth about anything?

                This story is cleverly written and really does put you in the mind of a teenager dealing with an impossible situation. Although humorous at times it contains mature themes and powerful underlying messages and how a young person could deal with them. Jess seems shallow and silly, if creative and amusing at first, but eventually you see another side to her emerge; of loyalty courage and strength as she saves her family from falling apart.

          I would give this book  7/10!

Bang Bang you're dead! Book review by Katy Handley

Title: Bang Bang You’re Dead

Author: Narinder Dhami

ISBN: 978052560436

I would describe this as a teen thriller with a shocking twist. It follows Mia an ordinary school girl on an extraordinary day at school. There is a gunman on the loose in school, holding Class 9B hostage in the outbuilding. Mia is shy, insecure and weak, she is often told, but when she realises her twin brother Jamie is missing, and was last seen heading towards the location of the gunman, she takes it on herself to go looking for the potential killer.

As all the action takes place, we also learn about earlier times from Mia’s life and her struggle to live with her unstable mother, her grandad’s death and her rather strange brother Jamie. Every time someone hurts Mia, they are punished in some way for their actions and Mia can’t help but wonder if Jamie has something to do with it. Jamie is not shy or weak, but strong, bright and confident and constantly telling Mia she should stand up for herself more, especially to the bullies at school.

She knew that day, that something bad was going to happen. Her mum had another of her panic attacks that morning, after planning to use another of her credit cards to buy new things they couldn’t afford then losing her temper. Mia’s mum had been like this as long as they could remember and since Grandad is no longer around to take care of her Mia constantly turns to Jamie for help and support, but she often fears what he might too, if his own temper is pushed to the brink. And today, she knows, he has a plan.

In this thrilling tale Mia pursues the gunman through the school determined to stop what could ruin so many lives, it is a terrifying game of cat and mouse, but who will win? What if all is not as Mia suspects, or what if it is? Mia soon realises she is in more danger than she ever could have imagined. Easy to read, but also shocking and dramatic this page-turner wil have you on the edge of your seat!

I would give this 8/10