Oxford Blood - Rachael Davis Featherstone

Eva and her best friend George are spending the week at Beecham College in Oxford as part of the interview process to earn a place to study there.  However, when they arrive, it quickly becomes apparent that there are some people there who believe they are more entitled to a place than others.  At dinner, it is clear to Eva that George is behaving very differently and she can't get to the bottom of why.  Then when Seb from Reapington Manor College challenges George to a dare, Eva grows annoyed and storms off.  And that is the last time she sees George alive, for when she finds him the following morning, he is dead on the steps of a statue in the grounds of the college.  The police quickly decide that this was nothing more than a tragic accident but Eva is adamant that George was murdered and sets out to prove she is right.

I love a murder mystery and what better time to read a book set in an Oxford college than whilst on a train taking me to Cambridge for the weekend! (there is a fierce rivalry between the 2 colleges so the irony was not lost on me).

Eva and George are from the same state school and are, rightly so, incredibly proud of the fact that they have both earned a place at interview week.  Eva is a dedicated student and it's been a dream to earn a place at Oxford to read English.  She wants nothing more than to get her place through her own merit and doesn't want anything to distract her from that and that includes her skin colour and socio-economic status which she worries will work against her and is why she lives with the words of her mother from the night before she died 'You astound me, Eva, there is nothing you can't do.'  There is a feisty determination in Eva which becomes increasingly apparent at the plot unfolds - she is forced to draw on strengths she didn't know she had, but ends up putting herself in danger. 

What at first seems to be just a murder mystery is in fact a book that delves into some though-provoking topics:  privilege and the influence wielded by secret societies; equality and equity in the Oxbridge system; funding from controversial sources... it would certainly be a book that would create debate in a senior school classroom.

I loved Oxford Blood!  It's well written and engages from the beginning; the plot is an intricate one with plenty of twists and intrigue that keep you guessing.  I found myself completely immersed and gobbled it up in under a day as I just couldn't put it down!  

Oxford Blood publishes 28th August and I highly recommend pre-ordering it. 

The Murder At World's End - Ross Montogmery

It's 1910 and Halley's Comet is due to pass Earth which is causing all sorts of conspiracy theories to raise their heads; not least at Tithe Hall where the Viscount is preparing to lock every member of the household into their rooms to protect them as the comet passes. At the same time, Stephen Pike arrives at the house.  Just out of prison, he has received a letter offering him a job at Tithe Hall; however, when he arrives, the head butler seems to be oblivious.  Despite initial hesitations, Stephen is given a job as an under-butler and is immediately put to work helping to seal up every room.  When all is done, he is directed to the far reaches of the house to tend to Miss Decima Stockingham the family matriarch who, at 80 years old, still instils fear in every member of staff.  However, Stephen quickly realises that Miss Decima isn't as senile as the family may think and the two strike up an unlikely professional relationship.  The following morning as the family and staff begin to emerge from their lockdown, they discover that there has been a murder, and the culprit must still be in the house.  With all eyes turning to Stephen, the newest member of the house, can Miss Decima help him to discover the truth before it's too late?

Anybody who is a regular reader of my blog will be aware that I am a fan of Ross' MG fiction and so I was thrilled to discover that he's written a book for grown-ups.  An early read proved too alluring and, knowing how much I love a murder mystery, I dove straight in.

I have to say that I really enjoyed the style of writing; there's a tension due to the fact that this is essentially a locked room mystery within a locked house and I enjoyed trying to figure out who the culprit might be - my suspect list changed frequently as the plot progressed!

Above all, I adored Miss Decima!  She's a brilliantly curmudgeonly character who is a force to be reckoned with; she's not allowing her age or her gender (this is 1910) to interfere with the science she wants to pursue and I love her approach to everything she does.  There's a real humour to her and the relationship that builds between her and Stephen is lovely to read.  I think she actually relishes the chaos that unfolds around them and she comes to life whilst investigating the crime.   

The Murder At World's End publishes in hardback on the 30th October and is a book that will keep you guessing, will make you chuckle and will leave you wanting more from this new unconventional crime-fighting duo. 

Summer Under The Stars Blog Tour

It's my turn on the Summer Under The Stars blog tour and I'm delighted to be sharing Kate's thoughts on how she writes using multiple viewpoints.

Your books, including Summer Under the Stars, are written using multiple points of view. How do you go about writing a book like this?

I’ll be honest—every time I finish one, I vow never to do it again! And Summer Under the Stars was no exception. I love the result, but the effort it takes to get there is huge.

When I write, I set a few key rules for myself. The main one is that I want each of my characters to be equal. There’s no one story that matters more than the others. Because of this, my characters speak in rotation—they each get their turn to tell the story.

In Summer of No Regrets, that structure worked quite naturally because the friends were apart for the summer, each on their own adventures. But in Summer Under the Stars, they’re all together—so the story is happening to all of them at once. They’re experiencing the same events, but each with their own opinions, hang-ups, and emotional reactions. That made the writing experience very different.

Traditional story structure and beat sheets don’t always fit. You can’t have four main characters each go through their own inciting incident or darkest moment one after another—it just wouldn’t work. So the editing became the biggest part of the process by far. My editor and I spent a lot of time trying to make the story feel right—and every time we pulled on a loose thread, whole chapters would unravel. There are the four character arcs to manage, but also, just like in Summer of No Regrets, there’s a fifth arc: the story of their friendship.

That said, what I love about writing in multiple POVs is the chance to really dig into each of my characters’ lives, motivations, and challenges. I get to walk in their shoes, see the world through their eyes. I’m fascinated by why people do what they do, and what shapes them—and this style of writing lets me explore that deeply. It also lets me show how they interact from all sides of a conversation, which I think helps bring the reader in too.

My favourite moments to write are when they’re just together—chatting, joking, supporting each other through the good times and the hard ones. That mix of banter, honesty, and love is what makes their friendship feel real.

And if I had to pick one scene I loved writing most? Definitely the food poisoning scene! They’re up in the night at a campsite in St Malo—chaotic, gross, hilarious. It’s one of the few scenes that made it through the whole editing process almost unchanged. It still makes me laugh, even after reading it dozens of times.

Summer Under The Stars is out now.  You can read my review by following the link here

Kate has put together a play list to go with the book so if you fancy a listen, follow the link here My song today is the classic 'Drive My Car' by The Beatles.

Gargoyles Books 1 & 2 - Tamsin Mori

When Callen and his family move to his father's childhood home, Callen doesn't realise how big it is going to be or exactly what awaits him there.  He didn't know his late grandmother so he is shocked when the family arrive at a boarded up mansion complete with stone gargoyles, and is even more shocked when he sees the state of ruin it is in.  He's far from happy about the move but then he discovers that the gargoyle outside his room is alive and things begin to take a very dramatic turn.  With danger lurking as magic is reawakened, it is up to Callen and his new friends to discover the Gargoyle Guardian in an attempt to stop the threat.

I had read great reviews for Guardians Of The Source from fellow book bloggers, but alas, it became one of those books that fell through the net and I didn't read when it published, so when I got the chance to read Guardians Of The Source and The Watcher together, I jumped at the chance.  I have to say that, it many respects, I was glad I had both books to read at once as the end of the first book left me so desperate to know what would happen next that it took me mere minutes from finishing book 1 before I dove into The Watcher (at which point I was eternally grateful for my flight home which provided uninterrupted reading time).

I'm going to do my best to give nothing away, but I have to say that both books are pure escapism and gripping adventures.  Magic, mystery and mythical creatures combine with friendship, family secrets and just the right amount of peril to ensure that both books are unputdownable.  

Callen is clearly upset by the move to his dad's family home, and I can't blame him really: he's being taken away from friends and the life he knows to a place he's never been to before and where a relative he'd never met lived.  I think most people would find it unnerving, and that's before the rundown state of the mansion is revealed.  The plot quickly unfolds and Callen realises there is much more to the building and his family than first meets the eye.  It is fortunate that he meets Yasmin, Raf and Angus who live in cottages owned by the family estate and each have their own magic creatures.  Their bond is forged quickly but isn't without its trials over the two books as the friendship grows and the four get to know each other. 

The Watcher creates new problems and tests for Callen and his friends in different ways.  Darkness is lurking again and they need all the help they can get, but exactly who should they trust?

I'm hugely grateful to the lovely people at UCLAN for sending me both books.  I know they will be devoured in school when I take them in tomorrow and I can't wait to discuss then with the children.

The Last Pebble - Alex Thorne

Trader loves nothing more than spending time with his grandpa, especially when they are combing the beaches of Bognor Regis together for unusual stones to add to their collection.  When Trader finds a pebble that proves particularly special it opens up a secret that was never supposed to be discovered. 

There is often speculation about 'celebrity authors' but if there's one thing I've learnt as a book blogger it's not to judge an author by their celebrity status.  Alex Horne has clearly written this book from the heart, and the letter that accompanied the book explains why The Last Pebble was inspired by his own grandfather and his love of geology, as well as trips to Bognor with his own family.  This is absolutely a book written with love at its core and I adored reading it.  

Trader loves stones, he loves spending time with his grandfather and he has a unique take on the world and I love that about him.  He finds making friends difficult and struggles with small talk; however, when Charlotte cones along, he seems to have found the perfect fit in a friend.  Watching their friendship grow as the book progresses is a joy to see and proves that being yourself is always best.  

In the acknowledgements, Alex calls the book 'old fashioned' but I think it's anything but that.  The Last Pebble is the most gorgeous book, gentle and heart-warming it is a story of love, faith and hope; about knowing who you are and being true to your unique self.  To me, that's anything but boring.

Publishing on the 3rd July, The Last Pebble is going to make a perfect summer read.  A book about finding treasure in everyday objects, finding the joy in the little things and spending time with family and away from technology - what could be more perfect for the summer?

The Wycherleys - Annaliese Avery

 

All witches entering society must find a tether, a partner to ensure they retain their magic.  Those who are luckiest find a tether who is also their true love; however, those who are unlucky and have not found a tether after three years, lose their magic forever.  Then there is Aureila, a debutant who, when she discovers that she has inherited the family curse, knows that she will only have one season to enjoy her magic before it is taken away from her, and even then her enjoyment will be limited as nobody will want to be tethered to her. She is feisty and resilient, especially when she discovers that Jules Nightly is searching for a way to ensure that his sister can retain her magic which is disappearing quickly.  When the pair agree to work together, their lives could change forever.

The Wycherleys was everything I hoped it would be and more ... magic, mystery and forbidden romance all wrapped up in the elegance of 1800s London.  What more could I have asked for?

Nightly is a dark and brooding character that teenage me would have found utterly swoonsome (perhaps it's because I could see a resemblance to Mr Darcey). Is it the way he calls her by her surname? Perhaps it's his aloof manner, or the way he seems to be flirting with her despite her knowing he is only interested in the cure for his sister. .. most likely, it's the combination of all of those things.  Whatever, it is, I know readers will delight in getting to know him.

The more the pair research a solution, the more they realise there is much more to this than they expected. Danger and darkness lurk among the balls and galas, and the consequences could prove deadly.

The Wycherleys is a book perfect for getting lost in and I have to admit that I stayed up way later that I should have done to read the end.  I'm already incredibly excited for book 2!

Thirst - Darren Simpson

'Nobody talks about the strange happenings in Maimsbury. No one speaks of the hooded figures glimpsed in the woods, nor the children's game that went so horribly wrong. But most of all, nobody dares whisper their doubts about the river they have worshipped for centuries.

Like everyone in Maimsbury, Gorse is used to the sacrifices made every spring to the River Yeelde. The life of a farm animal - in return for a year of plenty - seems a fair trade. That is, until a tragedy leads Gorse to a blood-curdling discovery.

Because this year is a Brim Year, and after giving so much, the river needs more than an animal's life to sate its thirst...'

Life revolves around the seasons and ensuring that there is enough harvest, and in Maimsbury, this includes keeping the river happy.  It's a ceremony performed annually but as the book unfolds, we learn that there is a much darker undercurrent to the ceremony.  Whilst traditions and folklore change over the course of time, there are some elements that remain steadfast, but just aren't spoken about.  It is left to the chosen few to carry out the darker side of things but are they doing the best for the village or simply failing to acknowledge the darkness of their actions?  

The River Yeedle takes centre stage as the main character in this book and feels very much like a living entity.  It creates a darkness that is brilliantly chilling and will make readers wary of rivers!  I'm certainly pleased I read the book in the sunshine and not on a dark evening!

As the book progresses, and the events of the plot unfold, the full darkness of the plot reveals itself and characters are forced to decide whether to stand up against events or comply with those directly involved.  I won't give any more than that away, but it's safe to say that the plot gripped.

Publishing on the 11th September, Thirst is a thought-provoking book and will definitely raise questions.  It will make a perfect read for anyone looking to bridge the MG/YA gap and will be enjoyed by fans of Phil Hickes and Dan Smith.