Lost in a Good Book

Song of the Sea (#1) by Jade Varden

27 Mar 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in 5 Stars, Book Bingo, Fantasy, General, Young Adult Tags: book bingo, fantasy, five stars, jade varden, saltwater secrets, young adult

Published: 24th December 2014
Publisher: Self Published
Pages: 198
Format: ebook
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ – 5 Stars

I always knew who my mother was. I always knew where I belonged. And I always knew I wanted to be on the water, like my dad.

…Until I was forced to go out into the water, anyway. Out there, you feel really lonely. But you’re never alone. There is more life and emotion under the waves than most humans will ever see, more than I could have ever imagined. Down there, it’s an entire world of rage and hate, love and hope. It’s a world of fear.

It’s a world of war.

Once, my mother told me she would sing me a song of the sea. But under the waves, the only music I ever heard was the sound of screams.

Note: I was provided a copy of this book for review.

This story captivated me from the early pages and held my attention until the final pages. I stayed up late to finish reading this book because I did not want to put it down. Varden has created a story that is simple but beautiful and one that tells a new story but still captures the familiar mystery of the ocean and the underwater world as well as the creatures that live there.

The plot is fast but not rushed, with the ideal balance of adventure, action, and suspense, while Brenna is a narrator who keeps the story flowing naturally with narration that is light and easy to read. Her determination and enthusiasm makes her a wonderful narrator and she adds a nice level of emotion to the story as she tells it. Varden balances the teenage voice without having it shallow or stereotypical, but she also manages to capture the tone and experiences of being fifteen and discovering love, losing a parent, and trying to work out a place in the world.

Brenna is a great character, she has a strong affinity with the sea and she is confident about what she wants and her bravery and ingenuity are assists in her goals. I enjoyed the relationship Brenna has with the people around her and each person brings out a different side of her in a way.

With mermaids, selkies, and humans all to deal with, the combination of worlds is wonderful. Varden is imaginative and creative with her description of the underwater environment, both physically and socially, and Brenna’s adaptation to this world is handled fittingly. The story is realistic as it can be given the nature of it and everything Brenna experiences makes you believe it is possible.

Brenna’s friendship with Dylan was done extremely well and Varden plays them off one another with ease, making their connection seem natural. The intense situations they find themselves in bring them together but it doesn’t alter who they are with both strong personalities remaining. Dylan teaches Brenna all about the underwater life she has immersed herself in while Brenna coaches Dylan above the sea, their support for one another beautifully adding to their friendship and only adds to the mythical world Varden aims to establish.

They way Varden has approached this story is a refreshing change compared to other stories with similar themes. I loved Varden’s approach to the underwater world and especially Brenna’s place in it. The underwater war was a thrilling addition and it adds another level to the story that manages to change everything you were expecting from this story and turn it into something much better. I loved that the underwater world is not made out to be perfect or ideal; instead it has conflicts and problems like the land does. This makes the story not just about Brenna and her mother and makes it a lot more complicated and made it so much more enjoyable.

This truly is an enchanting tale filled with new love, searching for what’s lost, and discovering who you truly are. There is suspense and surprises, and tiny moments of joy that make this a fantastic fantasy adventure and one that will manage to warm and break your heart at the same time. This book is a brilliant start to a series and I look forward to seeing where it goes.

You can purchase Song of the Sea via the following

Eight Minutes by Lori Reisenbichler

26 Mar 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, General Tags: ebook, fiction, four stars, lori reisenbichler, paranormal

Published: 17th February 2015
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Pages: 304
Format: ebook
Genre: Paranormal fiction
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

On the night that Shelly Buckner finally became a mother, she very nearly became a widow. Her husband, Eric, seriously injured in a car accident on the way to the hospital, was dead for a full eight minutes before being revived all while Shelly was in labor. Those eight minutes changed everything Shelly thought was possible.

Three years later, their son, Toby, brings home an imaginary friend. But he s no ordinary playmate John Robberson is a fighter pilot and Vietnam vet. As Toby provides unlikely details about John s life and Toby s tantrums increase Shelly becomes convinced that John was real and now wants something from Toby. But her husband has his doubts, and as Shelly becomes involved, even obsessed, with finding out the truth, their marriage begins to disintegrate. Torn between protecting her child and keeping the peace with her husband, Shelly desperately searches for a way to finally put John Robberson out of their lives.

Note: I was provided a copy of this book for review.

This story starts with intrigue as well as drama and uncertainty which sets up the story for having a particular focus and leads you into thinking the story will head in a particular direction, which it does in a way, but it also quite different from what you expect. The narrative is well paced and Reisenbichler portrays the gradual development of the situation with John Robberson quite realistically. The situation develops slowly and there maintains a solid pace to show the increases of intensity and the gradual formation of the problem.

The strengths are in Reisenbichler’s ability to show and not tell in many instances. The growing strain on Shelly and Eric marriage, as well as the trouble of trying to navigate important conversations around a three year old is evident and it supports the story much more than if things were spelled out explicitly. The characters are compelling and real and many of the interactions are believable and suitable. As a character Shelly can be taken two ways, either as a seriously overprotective mother, or as someone who is trying to do what is best for her kid. She is clearly a mother who is trying to protect her son from something she believes may be a threat, but she is also trying to understand him and help him with the problem John Robberson is causing. It is clear she is trying to be a good mum so you cannot really fault her there, and understanding her point of view means it is hard to see her as being obsessive but it’s not impossible.

Where Reisenbichler uses the story, and her characters, well is how she shows both sides of the argument, and makes the readers understand them. Sometimes Shelley’s actions seem on point and reasonable, whereas other times Eric’s arguments seem reasonable as well, which makes the story even more captivating because it adds another level of tension and new possibilities to deal with that have been caused by the problem with Toby.

Being less focused on the paranormal element of the story means this is very much a middle-class reaction to the supernatural with Googling possible causes and theories being discussed during play dates. What I liked was that the mystery and search for an explanation is not instantly solved. The story takes place over several months which add a nice realism to it, but it also helps with the gradual progression and intensity of the problem. The concept is intriguing and the story is one that is mysterious and has a hint of the paranormal without it being full blown or overbearing.

There is mystery throughout a lot of the book as you try and work out what the truth is and what it could all possibly mean, and every theory is possible when you haven’t got a lot to work with. I did work out the ending from early on but the story does not necessarily head in one single direction making it evidently clear. Reisenbichler doesn’t focus too much on trying to create various theories though; instead she explores the consequence of the situation and works around it. This is not to say there are no other solutions explored, but Shelley is a driving force in providing possible answers and the narrative follows suite rather than trying to create multiple possibilities for the reader to develop. Reisenbichler is smart at keeping the mysterious nature ongoing, but never overdrawn or exaggerated.

After having a nicely paced and planned story it does wrap up suddenly but you have to decide whether you want more or whether you are happy with having some things left unanswered. Despite thinking it ended suddenly, I did like the ending. Reisenbichler wraps things up nicely but not too perfectly and she leaves an air of mystery which suits the nature of the story. Overall this is a curious story, and one that is certainly perplexing. It has an interesting concept but what Reisenbichler has chosen to do with it gives it a new approach and certainly one that is never quite what you would expect.

You can purchase Eight Minutes via the following

Newcastle Writers Festival 2015

24 Mar 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in Writers Festival Tags: newcastle writers festival, newcastle writers festival 2015, nwf15, writers festival

The Newcastle Writers Festival happened this past weekend and once again I was front and centre eager to enjoy three days of nothing but books, authors, and the writing experience and be able to share it with like-minded people. For the first time the event went across three days, with a half day of sessions before the wonderful opening night on Friday where Jessica Rudd, Michael Robotham, and Helen Garner chatted with Caroline Baum about the books that changed them. James Valentine was a wonderful MC and he brought laughter to the night with many guest speakers thanking Rosemarie Milsom profusely, and rightly so, for her work in organising this festival year after year and for having such enthusiasm for its original creation. But the night was also an insightful chance to hear from three wonderful authors about the books they have read that had an impact on their lives. Discussion ranged from whether you need likable characters in books (no), to whether it is better to not meet someone you admire (typically yes), and listening to the panel discuss books that have stayed with them whether they were read as a child or as an adult was fascinating.

Before the opening night I went to Forever Young where Megan Buxton talked with Melina Marchetta about her books and her writing career. What was wonderful about the session was that Melina spoke about how getting a classical education was not always a good thing when it came to writing, and that trying to fit books into genres is not always a helpful thing. It was really wonderful to hear about her approach to writing and Melina spoke about how she likes to write about people trying to find their place in the world and she always offers hope in her stories. With an afternoon session about the benefits of a writing group the festival was off to a very positive start.

Saturday morning however was one of dual emotion. I could only stay for one session which was an intense disappointment because I had originally an entire day planned, but I am glad that session I did get to see was Keys to the Kingdom with Garth Nix. Having been a lover of his books for such a long time, I am always glad to see him speak and get another pile of books signed. His session with Magdalena Ball was quite insightful, speaking about his latest book Clariel, which we were also given a reading of, and he discussed why categories like Young Adult and Fantasy should be partially ignored and certainly not be used to discriminate against a genre, meaning readers should not be limited in what they read. With all the concern about adults reading YA both Nix and Marchetta had great things to say about why YA is not just for teenagers and it is a message that I think needs to be out there more widely as it still seems to be ignored.

The final day on Sunday was filled with a great contrast between politics and publishing. With Porkies and Politics Jane Caro, Dee Madigan, and Steve Lewis talked with Paul Bevan about how political advertising works and the nature of the political environment both past and present. It was insightful and fascinating, and with great minds like Dee and Jane in discussion there was an enjoyable debate. My final session of the day was a great panel where published writers gave advice on how to get books and stories published. Jessie Ansons moderated with Marg Jackson, Aidan Walsh, and Maree Gallop all offering great advice on the best practices in getting your work published. I got some great ideas for my own work and inspiration and motivation to try new things, something the writers festival is always great at offering.

In my opinion this festival brought out some big names with Garth Nix and Melina Marchetta, but I know many other people who were there for other authors and prominent figures such as Bob Carr and Bob Brown, Marion Halligan, and Les Murray. Rosemarie mentioned on opening night that 130 writers were attending the festival ranging from poets, university creative writing students, journalists, as well as prominent names in politics, meaning that an incredible range was provided for all who attended. With something for everyone there is always something brilliant to see and discover and there is always the chance of discovering someone you had never previously heard about but soon grow to love.

What is particularly wonderful about the festival is getting a chance to talk to other people who are there for the same reason as you: the love of books and writing. I had a great weekend with my two best friends and got to catch up with some great familiar faces and friends like Kaz Delaney and Sheree Christoffersen, while also sitting in on some informative, inspiring, and motivating sessions. I already look forward to the 2016 festival (no pressure Rosemarie!) and I know it will be just as enjoyable and as great a success as the one this year and in years past.

Warrior Lore by Ian Cumpstey

23 Mar 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars Tags: ebook, folk ballads, four stars, ian cumpstey, mythology, scandinavian folk ballads

Published: 2nd May 2015
Publisher: Skadi press
Pages: 76
Format: ebook
Genre: Folk ballads/mythology
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

Warrior Lore is the second collection of Scandinavian folk ballads translated into English verse by Ian Cumpstey, following Lord Peter and Little Kerstin. These narrative ballads were part of an oral tradition in Scandinavia, and were first written down around 1600. Included in this book are stories of heroes and fighters, Vikings, and trolls.

The legendary hero Widrick Waylandsson comes face to face with a troll in the forest. Thor resorts to cross-dressing in a bid to recover his stolen hammer. The daughter of the King of Sweden is abducted from a convent in the Swedish countryside. A young fighter has to show off his prowess in skiing and shooting for King Harald Hardrada. And more…

Note: I was provided a copy of this book for review.

This collection is a translation of numerous Scandinavian ballads going back to the 1600s in written form, and much farther in the oral tradition. They tell stories of Viking battles, fights for ladies hands, and battles against mountain trolls. The ballads themselves are not very long and with only ten in the collection this is a fairly quick read.

Cumpstey explains beforehand what each ballad is about and yet this does not ruin the reading because as you read each ballad you recollect the explanation and it helps understand it more so. This means you are able to focus on other aspects of the ballad rather than trying to work out the meaning of the story. The ballads themselves are quite interesting and Cumpstey’s words evoke vivid images and history, making it easy to imagine they took place centuries ago in a Scandinavian forest.

The translation from the Scandinavian is smooth and each story is easy to understand. Cumpstey maintains the narrative yet lyrical nature with his translation making it remain ballad like rather than poetry and whether read aloud or silently there is a natural rhythm that is easily established.

Each ballad is different from one another, both in story and in style. There is humour in the ballads making them light and entertaining, but there are also those that show more violence. Cumpstey’s writing is clever though and he is quite skilled at making the darker and more violent ballads straightforward and without much brutality, but at the same time in no way makes them less serious or important in nature.

The ballads cover various legendary characters in Scandinavian history such as Widrick Waylandsson, as well as Diderick of Bern and Siva Snare Sven. Possibly more familiar figures such as Thor and Loki, the gods of Norse myth, are also featured, though they are known here as Thor-karl and Locke Leve. There are a range of characters and figures through these ballads and they contain stories about trolls, Vikings, kings, heroes and fighters alike. The characters are presented well, even in the limitations of verse, and Cumpstey uses their actions to aid the description and understanding of who these characters are.

As a lover of history as well as myths and legends, I loved reading about these figures who have had their names live on through history through ballads and the written word for centuries. By bringing these stories together Cumpstey has created a collection that brings some possibly unknown stories and names to a wider audience in a way that is informative, interesting, engaging, and certainly enjoyable.

You can purchase Warrior Lore via the following