Author Archives: keithbwalters

Spotlight on Steampunk: Larklight

First review of the fortnight! I devoured this book in a couple of sittings over the weekend, and it was brilliant. There can’t be a steampunk event without a Philip Reeve book, right? Here’s the first in his MG/Teen series- Larklight! (:

By Philip Reeve, published by Bloomsbury.

Larklight (Larklight, #1)

Goodreads Synopsis: Arthur (Art) Mumby and his irritating sister Myrtle live with their father in a huge and rambling house called Larklight…that just happens to be traveling through outer space. When a visitor called Mr. Webster arrives for a visit, it is far from an innocent social call. Before long Art and Myrtle are off on an adventure to the furthest reaches of space, where they will do battle with evil forces in order to save each other–and the universe. A fantastically original Victorian tale set in an outer space world that might have come from the imaginations of Jules Verne or L Frank Baum, but has a unique gravitational pull all its own…

My Review: This was the best book to start the fortnight on, as it was so rich with imagination and craziness. I loved it! The story begins with a brother and a sister, who are living in a crazy, huge house-mansion-ship in space called Larklight, which was their mother’s home before she died. Already, I was sucked into the story, because the premise was so awesome. The time of the events in the book is the early 1800’s- but the Victorian era I’ve learned about here has a massive twist. Victoria’s empire has expanded not only over the globe, but over space and surrounding planets. I couldn’t help but squeal here. It was so original and a really fun setting!

This book doesn’t hang around, world-building before the action. The details all fall into place perfectly over the course of the book, and you’re thrown into the action almost immediately. Larklight gets a visitor ,which Art and Myrtle are immediately already suspicious of. Then, when this visitor turns out to be a giant spider with a giant army, things happen. Creepy things, and adventurous things, all of which I don’t want to detail on in fear I’ll drop spoilers- but I’ll just say that it was so fun following everything! This book would suit anybody- whether they love sci-fi, fast-paced adventures, or pirates, or space. Or pirates in space (This happens! How brilliant! It had a very Treasure Planet feel.)

The story moved quite fast for me. With a lot packed into the plot, I was expecting the pace to be a little bit slower. However, the book moved really, really quickly. I did have to read over a few paragraphs at multiple points, because there was a lot to take in. Larklight really is a wild adventure, and moved a bit too fast in places, but that was made up for with the writing style- a twelve year old’s perspective!

Art is such a great character. Philip Reeve has captured a twelve year old’s personality so well. Art is a really easy character to like, and the story is written by “him,” so in places he complains a lot about his older sister, and skips to the battle scenes. His actions, and perspective on everything, made me giggle a bit. I couldn’t stand his sister Myrtle- though. She just seemed the opposite of Art; stuck up and unfriendly. I think it was intended for a reader to dislike her at first- because later in the novel, we get her diary entries, and whilst she’s still a bit annoying in them, I did grow to like her a little more through those.

Overall, Larklight is an imaginative, roller-coaster of a book! The world was simply amazing- I loved the historical aspects that Philip Reeve has used, and put his own twists on. All so original! I planned on not reading the sequel (Starcross) this month yet, but I might end up reading it, actually- I want more of the setting! More of the adventure! The plot in Larklight has a very strange mixture of everything, but it all works, thanks to Philip Reeve, and his brilliant writing and world-building skills. The two siblings whom the story is centered around are both very three-dimensional characters, though I still really couldn’t like Myrtle much. Hopefully she’ll become more likeable in the rest of the series. I can’t wait to read on!

My Rating:

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I purchased a copy of Larklight from a local bookstore!

Spotlight on Steampunk!

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EMBEDDED IMUJ PERMALINK In October I was going through my TBR pile, and I realised I have a few Steampunk books. I moved them straight up near the top, because I wanted to read them sooner. Then, I was thinking about the titles- I absolutely love Steampunk art, fashion and comics- but I really don’t read enough Steampunk fiction! I wasn’t sure how I’d get myself to read more of it, and while I was wondering this, I was doing my Halloween Reads blog event. So… what better way to read a big chunk of my Steampunk TBR than a readathon-turned-bloggy-event?

So, what is Steampunk?

Steampunk is a genre under the Sci Fi umbrella, and it was mainly inspired by H G Wells and similar authors from that time. Steampunk books, comics, art and movies are pretty much all set in the Victorian era, and based around steam powered machinery- hence the name (: Mostly it’s Victorian Futurism: How Victorians saw their future.

The genre has become really popular! I was introduced to it by a series of comics called Lady Mechanika, by American artist Joe Benitez. After reading and loving them and the unique world, I discovered lots of Steampunk art. I’ve been obsessed with the Victorian-era styles of the outfits, and I’ve always been doodling them. One of my early doodles that I created using inspiration from Steampunk Art books and Lady Mechanika is below!

Probably one of the most popular Steampunk books at the moment is Clockwork Angel and its two sequels, by Cassandra Clare. They’re so brilliant! Some other steampunk books I’ve read include the first in the Battles of Ben Kingdom series and The Feathered Man by Jeremy De Quidt. If you’ve read and enjoyed any of those, you might be interested in the books I’ll be reading over this fortnight! (:

Additionally, I’ll likely have a discussion post up at some point. I’m also going to be hosting an interview with Nigel McDowell, whose Steampunk-Fantasy debut Tall Tales from Pitch End was published earlier this year with Hot Key. It’s not definite yet, but I may have a guest post coming up from Stefan Bachmann, author of The Peculiar, too! Keep reading this blog until the 14th, for some awesome steampunk stuff ;D

November’s books, and December’s To Read list!

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Hello, people! November’s been quite frantic, mainly because for some crazy reason, I decided to do the big 50k NaNoWriMo.
I failed miserably… At just under 20k! That means I’ll probably be sticking back to the YWP program next year! I blame school and homework. But, at least, NaNoWriMo got me to write half a novel idea I like down, and I’m pretty proud of the thirteen chapters I’ve done. Hopefully I’ll be finishing it someday!
As art coursework and NaNoWriMo happened a lot this month, I didn’t read as much as I’d hoped, though I have read some pretty awesome titles this month. Here they are: I haven’t reviewed many yet, but if a review has been posted, you’ll be brought to it by clicking on the book jacket! (:
Read in November:

I Am Pusheen the Cat Noughts & Crosses (Noughts & Crosses, #1) We Will Destroy Your Planet: An Alien's Guide to Conquering the Earth

The Wells Bequest (The Grimm Legacy, #2)

To Read in December:
EMBEDDED IMUJ PERMALINK As of tomorrow, my Spotlight on Steampunk fortnight will start! Therefore, I’ve got a lot of steampunk fiction on my TBR. This is the selection (right) I definitely need to read, that I tweeted out yesterday: (I’m currently reading Larklight!)

As for ARCs, here are a few of those on the TBR pile, too! As well as various Hot Key/Templar/Piccadilly ones from the bloggers event that I’ve already blogged about, I also have, to read and review:

-The Almost Girl by Amalie Howard
-The Queen of Dreams by Peter Hamilton
-Chasing the Dark by Sam Hepburn (won from an author event!)

I hope I get around to read all of these, because they all seem awesome. Have you read any of the book I have this month, or any on my TBR for December? Leave a comment, and link back to your own monthly wrap up! (:

Finding Your Inner Cherokee

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By Siobhan Curham, published on the Kindle store (eBook only!).

Synopsis from Siobhan’s site: Finding Your Inner Cherokee is a FREE, non-fiction e-book , full of case studies, exercises and advice, designed to help empower and inspire the victims of bullying.

It is available on Amazon and all other e-book retailers. You can download a copy for FREE here.

I was inspired to write the book after my novel Finding Cherokee Brown was published and I received emails from readers telling me that the book had helped them deal with bullying in their lives.

Reading their emails made me want to do more to help. So, drawing upon my own experiences of bullying and my work as a life coach, I created this book.

I am giving Finding Your Inner Cherokee away for FREE so that anyone who needs or wants to read it will be able to.

My Review: Siobhan. Siobhan Curham, you absolute genius. This book helps SO much, and I just wish it was around when I was a bit younger, so my younger, more-frequently-bullied self could read it!

When being bullied, you always get the plain and simple tell a teacher advice, from a member of staff at school, or someone similar. either that, or you’re given a book from your school library, that’s a really boring book that doesn’t help you: I’ve been recommended one of those in the past. Now, Siobhan- one of my favourite UKYA authors- has released this: An amazing guide, that stands out from the market entirely. I’ll be recommending it to everyone in my school, and nagging my school librarian to put a poster up about it!

This eBook is divided into different chapters, covering different aspects of all parts of Bullying- and how you can beat it. Each page, each paragraph, was inspirational and moving. Siobhan mentions her own bullying experiences, (She also wrote a guest post for me about it here) and every now and then, there are passages from other bullying vicitms. These were all so saddening and eye-opening, though there are also examples of the writing exercise these victims did, to help themselves. They’re all so thought provoking!

Don’t mistake the tasks in this book for the usual “count to ten” “Walk away slowly” nonsense. Nope! These are all writing (Or the occasional dancing!) exercises to do at home. They really, really do improve your confidence, and so you definitely need to keep a notebook and pen by your side, when reading this! Siobhan is a genius at coaching through writing; as she’s already shown with her life-and-writing companies, Dare To Write and Dare To Dream. I can’t recommend this book enough, for its guides to calming yourself, and realising that the bullying is not your fault. It’s so helpful.

Overall, Siobhan’s Finding Your Inner Cherokee eBook is definitely one to get a copy of: It’s such a useful guide, that, should I ever get bullied again, I’ll be re-reading over and over. Curham’s writing is so direct, and reassuring. I’m so glad I was able to read this book, as the writing tasks made me realise that I’m awesome and that the bullies are the opposite 😀 (Hopefully that was Siobhan’s intended message…) It also really helps you to understand a bully. I can’t recommend this little guide enough- go grab a copy! Recommend it to everyone! I’ll be doing that!

My Rating:

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I received a copy of Finding Your Inner Cherokee from the author, in exchange for a review. In no way at all did this affect my thoughts.

Pivot Point

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By Kasie West, published by Harper Collins (US).

Pivot Point (Pivot Point, #1) Goodreads Synopsis: Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

My Review: WOW. Just, quite simply, WOW. This book was just mind blowing. It was so original, and thought provoking, and a brilliant science-fiction twist on a real-life situation, and I could literally talk about the concept for hours.

Addie is a girl living in a compound that we never get to know the full secrets behind, which annoyed me. (Though I’m guessing that’s to come in book 2, Split Second!) IT’s a mysterious town hidden away in America, where all of the residents have different kinds of powers- mostly mind powers. Some are telekinetic, or telepathic, or if you’re like Addie; at points where you have to make decisions, you can view the two paths you could take, before choosing one. Not reading the synopsis properly, I didn’t realise that the book was split into two worlds; two alternating chapters…

Addie comes home from her high school, to find out that her parents want her to make a life-changing decision: Who does she live with, Mum or Dad, when they split up? Utterly torn by the decision, Addie uses her Search skills, to view the futures she would have in either path, Mum or Dad. I was confused at first because I didn’t realise that every other chapter was of the different search, but once I’d realised that, I was amazed. I was really worried that the story would jumble up- there are, effectively, two different stories happening at once- but miraculously, it didn’t. Kasie West’s writing is immaculate. I understood everything perfectly- and the format was so original, and unlike anything that I’ve ever seen before.

Both plots (I’ll have to refer to them as two separate things! Though, they do link in places- that sounds confusing… but read this and it’ll all make sense!) were really well thought out. I couldn’t decide which one I preferred. In one Path, Addie moves out of the Compound to live in the real world, where she must conceal her powers. In another world, she stays in the Compound with one parent, but in both of the Paths, events behind to take place that shake everything up. I was so hooked on both of the stories; devouring each chapter, eager to read on. Kasie’s cleverly used cliffhangers to her advantage., and it definitely worked.

Addie is a character that I loved to read the story of. I could relate to her really easily, through her realistic teenage problems, to her love of books (yay!). She has a best friend who I also absolutely adored… and the last events of the book had me so scared for her, but I don’t think I can say much more than that without spoiling things. Addie has a very complex sort of love story woven into her life (lives?). IN one path, she meets a new boy who isn’t Gifted like her. However, in another path, she dates a boy with Gifts, who she has known vaguely for a while. Though you don’t get to know much about Addie’s opinions on her Path choices, you can interpret them- it’s obvious she really struggled with what side to pick. I loved her final decision, though.

As I was reading quite fast, utterly addicted to the story, I found the ending to the novel quite abrupt. I had to read over it a few times, for the result to actually sink in, and was a little bit disappointed the epilogue wasn’t slightly longer. I’m really interested to see what happens in the sequel, Split Second. I hope it’s in a format like this one was, with two different choices, and more detailing on the background of this supernatural Compound. Though, I think Pivot Point would be good as a simple standalone, because it keeps you thinking about the plot and the character long after you put it down.

Overall, Pivot Point is, as I said at the beginning, mind blowing. The concept is very powerful, and there is actually nothing I can compare it to. Well done, Kasie, for creating a book that I think I’ll be re-reading a lot, until I can grab a copy of the sequel! Addie is such an unforgettable protagonist. I loved her Talent, and the way that she dealt with everything. The plots were quite different but some of the events were similar- the two Paths were cleverly linked in places. I’m now really excited for the sequel, Split Second- As I have no idea what could happen in that, but I really badly want to re-visit Addie’s unique world again.

My Rating:

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I received a copy of Pivot Point from the publisher, in exchange for a review. In no way at all did this affect my thoughts.

Amber

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By Julie Sykes, published by Curious Fox Books.

Amber Goodreads Synopsis: How do you live by the rules if you don’t know what they are?

Amber’s lost her memory. She doesn’t even know her real name. The only clues to her identity are a beautiful amber necklace and a broken mobile phone. She’s determined to learn the truth about her past life, and the secrets she’s hiding, but how many rules will she break along the way?

My Review: I was so excited to start this! Pretty cover? Check. One of the first titles from a new publisher? Check. Mysterious synopsis? Check. 😀 I read this in October and thought I had published the review, but found out that I hadn’t! A HUGE apology to Curious Fox! (I can still be in #TeamFox, right…? ;D)

The synopsis made me want to read this story so much, so I dived straight in, as soon as my copy arrived. Luckily, I wasn’t disappointed. Amber was packed full of action, drama, and a splash of romance that livened up the otherwise rather dark aspects of the story.

The plot was really great. I was hooked on this story; reading it between lessons at school was really hard- I just wanted to ignore maths and get on with it! Addictive is a very appropriate word. I devoured the story in a couple of days, utterly absorbed into the story, and sitting on the edge-of-my-form-class-seat, holding back fangirly gasps from the plot twists, so my class wouldn’t think I was weird. Amber was a really unpredictable book- one minute, I thought I had everything sussed out- but I hadn’t. I was so far off the actual result. A real thriller of a book!

The story begins as what seems like a contemporary book, with the summer camp. I just got used to that, enjoying the tension between some characters, almost forgetting that Amber has this special past. Then, things started to unravel for Amber, and the rest of the book was very clever, in terms of plot twists, form then on!

Amber was a character that I loved throughout. She was as confused as me about her past from the beginning of the book. That’s what I love about this book: You form a bond with the main character, because you’re both shocked as more is revealed about the character’s past. There’s a really intriguing supernatural conspiracy to it. I found some parts a little strange- for example, I couldn’t get on with the idea of Amber’s real past at first, and a few parts were revealed quite quickly. The reveal of Amber’s past could have been more suspenseful, but it was interesting all the same. Also, Amber, to me, didn’t seem that emotional about her past, to me, and I’m not sure why.

Overall, Amber was a really thrilling read- apologies for what’s not the greatest review ever- this was half-written from straight after I’d read the book, and half written-just-now as I realised I’d never gotten this post up! The plot was really great, and had me hooked on the story. I loved Julie’s writing, and I’d really enjoy reading more books by her in the future- especially a sequel to Amber! (Hint, hint!) This book has a memorable protagonist, who you can relate to, as well as supernatural aspects that means any sci-fi lover will enjoy it. Fans of both contemporary and sci-fi will devour this book, as I did!

My Rating:

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I received a copy of Amber from the publisher,in exchange for a review. In no way at all did this affect my thoughts.

TEARDROP

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This week’s a bit of a review-catch up! I haven’t written many reviews this month, and I need to get some published, in time for my Steampunk event on the 1st!

By Lauren Kate, published by Random House.

Goodreads Synopsis: Never, ever cry…

Seventeen-year-old Eureka won’t let anyone close enough to feel her pain. After her mother was killed in a freak accident, the things she used to love hold no meaning. She wants to escape, but one thing holds her back: Ander, the boy who is everywhere she goes, whose turquoise eyes are like the ocean.

And then Eureka uncovers an ancient tale of romance and heartbreak, about a girl who cried an entire continent into the sea. Suddenly her mother’s death and Ander’s appearance seem connected, and her life takes on dark undercurrents that don’t make sense.

Can everything you love be washed away?

My Review: Ah! So many mixed feelings about this… I’m not entirely sure how to review it! Teardrop was a great book… But there were points when I was just really unsure of what to make of everything.

I’ll talk about the characters first! Eureka sounded really unique. And she most definitely was. She’s a very conflicted teenager, who recently attempted to kill herself, because of all of the trauma she had gone through with her mother’s death. Right from the beginning, where she’s stuck in another psychiatrist’s office, I could sympathise with her. She was a really realistic character, for the most of the book. At a couple of points, I found it a little hard to love her. But mostly, she was a great character.

Ander and Brooks are the love interests. I got so annoyed… Yet another love triangle, with one mysterious, stranger boy, one male best friend…. Cliched. I’ve read too many books like hat, so this really made me want to give up. Though, I did persevere, because of the book’ school concept! Ander is a character you can grow to like, but I didn’t particularly. He just seemed so… Stereotypical! Brooks, the best friend, I liked much more than him; though, of course, he was a very stereotypical character too.

Onto the plot. The plot was unpredictable, definitely. I had no idea where the story would go, mostly! There were some really cool inspirations behind the story- the mythological aspects. That was the reason that I requested this! It took a while for the whole mythology and mystery behind the objects Eureka inherited to be explained. But I think it was all really clever. There’s a story behind it, based around Atlantis. I’m really interested in that mystery, so obviously I became very interested in this story. I was very worried about all of the revealing: it was, if I remember right, less than a hundred pages until the end before we even got to know a big chunk of everything. I discovered there’d be a sequel (how did I not know this before?!) just before I’d finished. Even though I’m not very keen on a few parts of this book, I probably will rush to the stores as soon as the sequel’s out- as I need to know the rest of the story, and I want the mythology detailed on some more!

The writing was good. I’m not entirely sure how to talk about it… The descriptions, especially of one particularly gruesome scene (which. Was. Awesome.) were really vivid and realistic. Lauren Kate has a really great writing talent. Though, I don’t think it was the best. I wasn’t particularly gripped, as such, but I definitely did want to keep reading!

Overall, I’m really not sure of my overall opinion on Teardrop! The ideas behind it were great, and Lauren Kate has created a book that really details, in a fascinating way, on the myth subject, but just not enough, so everyone who reads it (including me!) will be itching for the sequel. The plot was great, and the events were pretty much unpredictable. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending, because while it was very dramatic and shocking, I didn’t feel like I was pulled into the story enough to enjoy it as much as I would have hoped. Eureka was a great main character, who had an interesting and sad past. I liked her as a character, but really couldn’t get on with the love triangle and the two male love interests who have been used in so many YA paranormal romances before. This book will appeal to lots of people. I’m sure it will do brilliantly. However, I just couldn’t get on with parts. Recommended if you’re a fan of the genre, though!

My Rating:

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This is a good book, but there were just too many points that have been done before- so that made the rate drop from my original idea of a four!

I received a copy of Teardrop from the publisher, in exchange for a review. In no way at all did this affect my thoughts.

Anti-Bullying Blog Week: Bloggers on Bullying

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Hello, people! The lovely Sophie from A DAY DREAMER’S WORLD is hosting a really special blogging week, to go with a special themed week that’s happening too: Anti-Bullying Week. She’s been posting some brilliant author guests posts, that are both emotional and supportive. Sophie’s so amazing for hosting this blog week, and supporting bullying victims in general.
As a part of her blog week, I and a lot of other bloggers were asked if they would like to help, by posting today. The title is Bloggers on Bullying: and it’s all about sharing experiences and being supportive and things 🙂 So, below, I’ve decided to not write a thing about my experiences. Yes, I have been bullied a lot of times before, and it’s awful. I’ve had name calling, and even physical bullying. But I’d rather post some book recommendations, to read if you’re a victim! All of these books, I’ve absolutely loved, and a lot of them I read whilst I was being picked on, and they really, really helped me. So, hopefully, this post might help somebody, which would make me so glad!

My Recommendations:

Bullying is a subject that’s tackled in so many YA books, especially nowadays. It’s amazing to see so many authors, like Siobhan Curham, supporting bullying victims and helping campaign against bullying. Below, are books that I’ve read that cover bullying. I’ve decided to only pick ten, or this post would be a mile long. There are so many great books about brave victims out there- I wish I could list them all!

#1: Finding Cherokee Brown by Siobhan Curham

I read this in one school day, which was a really awful school day. It cheered me up so much, because Cherokee’s ending was happy. She’s an amazing character.

#2: The Curious incident of the Dog in the Night Time

Though not entirely about bullying, Curious Incident features a boy who is picked on a lot because he’s autistic and attending a specialist school.

Wonder #3: Wonder by R J Palacio

It’s heart warming, and heart-breaking too. The bullying themes in his are really powerful. It’s also a beautiful story about hope and friendship!

#4: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J K Rowling:

Before Hogwarts, Harry’s bullied by his aunt, uncle, and cousin. That beginning is a really sad one, before he wreaks a hilarious revenge involving a snake!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, #1) #5: Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney:

Okay, you might not see this as bullying- I don’t, particularly. However, Greg Heffley is socially excluded and you can tell he does have a pretty hard time, if you read between the lines and ignore the humour!

#6: Matilda by Roald Dahl:

Realistic and uplifting, it’s a childhood classic I read and re-read whenever I want to smile, because Matilda overcomes the awful people.

#7: Geek Girl by Holly Smale:

This is an obvious one! Harriet matches my personality exactly, minus the modelling. She’s a social outcast, picked on by an awful girl called Alexa. Holly Smale captured school bullying so well in this book, as well as its sequel.

Teardrop (Teardrop, #1) #8: Paper Aeroplanes by Dawn O’Porter:

The themes in this are more of teenage-romance: however, it definitely does touch on bullying and peer pressure. Dawn’s writing is gritty and realistic, and there’s also a short spin-off Dawn wrote for world book day from the POV of the bully- which gives a really emotional insight into a bully’s life.

#9: Teardrop by Lauren Kate:

I only just finished this book! I wanted to include it here, because the protagonist, Eureka, is left out because of things she’s done in the past. The bullying isn’t the biggest focus of the book, but I really felt it and it was really sad, and I’m sure things all get resolved in the sequel.

#10: Furnace- Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith:

In the first parts of the book, before the protagonist is sent to prison, he’s experiencing serious peer pressure; the need to follow in his friend’s footsteps and bully others. It’s a really heart-rendering story; full of bullying’s consequences as well as horror. This took my mind off of my own bullying problems, a lot!

Thank you, Sophie, for inviting me to do a post! I know this wasn’t exactly the topic every other blogger has been doing. However, I thought it might be a good way to help anybody who is a victim of bullying still; maybe if you’re reading this, you’ll pick up one of the books, and it’ll help you, like a lot of these did for me. If you want to know more about the Anti Bullying Blog Week, check out Sophie’s blog or use the hashtag #AntiBullyingBW on twitter!

Guest Post: Siobhan Curham

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Siobhan Curham writes amazing YA books, and I’ve read Dear Dylan and Finding Cherokee Brown and loved them to pieces. Siobhan is a brilliant writer, and she covers issues in teenage lives so well in her books. One main topic is bullying: and Siobhan has released a spin-off eBook-guide today, on beating bullying! The eBook is titled FINDING YOUR INNER CHEROKEE and is a non-fiction guide Siobhan wrote after Finding Cherokee Brown. Celebrating the book’s release, Siobhan has written a guest post for the blog today! It’s not like any other author post I’ve organised before- this is along the lines of a Dear Teen Me post. Siobhan Curham has written to her younger self on bullying and abuse, and I think it’s a really beautifully written letter. So, without further ado, I’ll hand over to Siobhan…

Finding Your Inner Cherokee

In March of this year, my novel Finding Cherokee Brown was published. Finding Cherokee Brown tells the story of a 15-year-old girl who finds the confidence to stand up to her bullies in her own unique way. After the book was published I received many emails from readers telling me that the book had helped them deal with bullying in their own lives. This made me want to do more to help and so the idea for Finding Your Inner Cherokee was born. Finding Your Inner Cherokee is a non-fiction e-book, full of case studies, exercises and advice, designed to help victims of bullying find their inner strength and become happy again.

In Finding Your Inner Cherokee I also talk about how I was bullied in a relationship. I hope that, by sharing in this way, it will fill the reader with hope that they will also be able to overcome their bullying and go on to live happy and fulfilling lives. I wish I could travel back in time and tell my younger self that everything was going to turn out so well. As I can’t do that, I’m going to write a letter to my younger self instead:

Dear Siobhan,

You don’t know this, but one day you’re going to look back on what you’re going through now and it will all just seem like a bad dream. You have so much joy and so many exciting adventures ahead of you. I know that right now it seems impossible to imagine feeling happy and free again but trust me, you will. I know that now, as you cry yourself to sleep yet again, you feel hopeless. Night time is always the worst – the fear is always magnified in the dark. But you know that seed of anger you feel deep inside, buried beneath all the fear and pain? That seed is going to grow and one day it’s going to help you say ‘enough is enough’. And you know that idea for a novel that’s just taken root in your mind? Well, one day you are going to sit down and start writing it out. Page after page after page. And some days you are going to cry from the exhaustion of it all. And some days you are going to want to give up, but you won’t. Because deep down you are strong. Stronger than you could ever imagine. And so you’ll keep on writing and hoping and praying for a better day and a brighter future. And one day you’ll do it – you’ll type those oh-so-glorious words The End and although you won’t realise it then, it really will be the end. Because that book is going to find its way to an agent who will love it. And she will send it to a publisher who will love it too. And you will get a call from them that will change your life forever. And it will make you cry – but this time you’ll be crying tears of joy. Because somehow, from the depths of your pain and fear, you have written your way into your very own happily ever after. There’ll be no more abuse. No more mental torture. No more stress. Instead, a prairie-wide life of freedom, joy and love – so much love.

So, sweet younger self, feel me reaching back in time to wipe your tears and hold you tight. And know that you don’t deserve what is happening to you – you don’t deserve it at all. But all of the pain you are going through right now is making you stronger. It’s making you wiser. And one day you’ll be putting everything you’ve learnt into a book – your tenth book – and you’ll be showing others how they can create their own happily ever after too.

With love and hope,

Siobhan

Finding Your Inner Cherokee will be available from Amazon Kindle and all other e-book stores from 18^th November and can be downloaded for FREE at my website: www.siobhancurham.co.uk

New Books! #31

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Yay! A lot of very awesome books arrived this week, and I just want to start them all, now! A big chunk of them were won, because I enter a competition at the London MCM Expo in October. So I have five lovely, expensive looking, geeky books to fangirl over- as well as some lovely titles from publishers! (: I wrote this post as I normally do, but I had so much to write, I’ve had to shrink the pictures a lot- otherwise, you’d be scrolling to the end for ages! s:

Received in Post:

Books from the comp!

1000 Incredible Costume and Cosplay ideas: Cosplaying, if you don’t know, is designing costumes based on fictional characters, mainly! There are so many cosplayers at conventions and events like the MCM. I don’t cosplay myself, but I do love the idea of designing costumes, and want to, properly, at some point! This is full of lovely pictures of some beautiful outfits. I love it- may mini-review at some point!

An Anatomy of Steampunk by Katherine Gleason: This is the book I entered the competition for! I don’t really review much steampunk on here, as I’m more about the fashion and artwork- but I absolutely love this style. This book is so beautiful, and I’ve been wanting it for ages! I’ve had a flick through, and I’m definitely going to be including this in my Spotlight on Steampunk event!

The Making of Return of the Jedi: eeeeeep! This looks so great! I love Sci-Fi, and am a little bit of a Star Wars Fangirl.I can’t wait to have a proper read of this, as I really want to have a look at backstage, and all of the special effects, and costumes!

Terminator Vault: The Complete Story Behind the Making of the Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgement Day

The Terminator Vault: I couldn’t find the right cover for the copy I’ve got, online! But, I think I have watched Terminator, but I can’t really remember much… So, I’ll probably read this, then have to watch the films! It is a great book, though, as it has lots of replicas of documents and photographs featured in the film, and copies of scripts! All very awesome! (:

Middle-Earth-Envisioned: ASDFGHJKL. I was NOT expecting this book- I didn’t even see it on Aurum Press’s MCM Expo table! But Middle Earth! LoTR! Squeeeee! I can’t wait to have a proper read of this; the beautiful cover has had me so intrigued. I love Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit so much- and flicking through this, it’s got everything about Middle Earth- right down to the LEGO kits!

Not the comp prizes!

We Will Destroy Your Planet: An Alien's Guide to Conquering the Earth

We Will Destroy your Planet: an Alien’s Guide to Conquering the Earth: Well, this had me intrigued, by the title. It’s a funny MG handbook for Aliens, and I can remember reading something similar, when I was at the target age range. The lovely people at Osprey Publishing have sent me a copy- so I’m excited to start reviewing for them, and for reading this!

Received on Netgalley:

Phoenix by S. F. Said: This looks like such a great title! I have seen it a few times in bookshops- and was originally captivated by the illustrations. I love Dave McKean’s art! Then, I read the synopsis, and was really intrigued. I really can’t wait for this- but I’m sure after reading it on a Kindle, I’ll go and buy a hardback copy- because they’re really beautiful!

Stay Where you Are and then Leave by John Boyne: Is it bad I’ve never read John Boyne’s The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas? Gosh, that is bad. That’s a modern classic! Well, I got his new titles on Netgalley, which is also meant to be as heart-rendering! I’m really looking forward to both of Boyne’s titles- I’ll probably read them back to back. I also want to read more Historical Fiction, so this was convenient! (:

PAWN by Aimee Carter: Never Judge a Book by its Cover… I know. But I did request this based a lot on the cover- it looks so original, with a sci-fi dystopia element! However, the book does sound amazing, not only cover-wise. I haven’t read that much by this publisher before, so this book looks like a good starting point!

In all, I’m so excited about all of these books (Sorry about the overuse of excited exclamation marks :P)! It’s increased my TBR pile by a lot, though- so I better start reading more, as I haven’t been much, this year. Leave a comment telling me what you think of the titles if you’ve read them- or link me back to your own haul (: