Winning is everything, and if Jamie fails to meet his fathers expectations then the consequences are swift and painful, and force Jamie into himself, until is is almost a shadow.

It is after one such failure, he is forced to walk home alone. Taking a shortcut across the local allotments, he comes across a heavily pregnant girl of around his own age hiding in his family’s shed.

The girl is obviously scared and Jamie quickly resolves to help her, and in turn himself, a decision that ultimately puts both their lives at risk, when as the girls secrets are revealed, and her past catches up with her, they are both forced to go on the run.

I’ll be honest, this isn’t my favourite book Tim Bowler has written, there are a few co-incidences that feel a little too contrived for that. However that does not mean this is a bad book by-any-means, it isn’t.

Much like Almond, Bowler is an expert and weaving emotion and meaning though his prose, and the story that develops between Jamie and the girl is as much about the power and importance of friendship – no matter how fleeting or long standing, as it is about the danger they find themselves in.

The bond that develops between the two as they firstly run for their lives and then later as the gives birth to her child, helps them both grow in ways that they didn’t expect. And for Jamie to finally step put of the shadows and face up to his problems.

Awards and Honours

• Angus Book Award (2000)

Buy: Shadows by Tim Bowler from The Book Depository

Alek’s parents have just been assassinated, and along with his parents most trusted advisors, he is on the run. Abandoned by his own people, he must cross Europe and reach safety.

Deryn, is a talented airman, with only one problem. Only boys can join the British Air Service. She is noting if not determined though, and after successfully disguising herself as a boy, she finds herself serving onboard the flagship, Leviathan.

Alek and Deryn’s story is told against the relentless backdrop of a drive towards war in Europe. A war between the Darwenists and the Clankers, two very different ideologies…

The Darwenists follow the teachings of Charles Darwin, and breed their technology, their weapons, transport, and communications are all alive. It is on one of these airships that Deryn lives and serves.

The Clankers, the world from which Alek hails, are firmly grounded in the mechanical, packed with cannons and guns and covered in armour, their machines are still unlike anything you have come across before, the tanks walk for one thing!

Scott Westerfeld is one of my favourite discoveries this year, I started with Parasite Positive/Peeps and haven’t looked back since!

So, when I started to see snippets of this one; an alternate history of WW1, with elements of steampunk and some fantastic illustrations by Keith Thompson, it instantly became of my my most anticipated books of the year!

Thankfully it more than lives up to it.

I’ve mentioned the fantastic illustrations and the book is packed with them (I believe there are around 50!) and along with the excellent writing, really do add something special to the novel.

Due to their upbringing, when the two do eventually meet, the differences are immediately apparent, not only from what we have already learned about them, but alson from their reactions to each other.

But their are similarities, as well, Deryn is a talented airman and Alek is pretty skill full and driving a Cyklop Stormwalker, himself. It is soon clear that there is a natural affinity between the two (and yes the first signs of something more).

With tanks that walk, lizards that carry messages, fantastic characters, and allsorts of other steampunky goodness this is book that is just made of awesome!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Other Reviews to Consider

• My Favourite Books
• Fyrefly’s Book Blog
• Karin’s Book Nook
• Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog
• Book Nut
• Bermudaonion’s Weblog
• The Infinite Shelf
• The Written World & The Zen Leaf

Check out the Fantastic Trailer!

Buy: Leviathan by Scott Westefeld from The Book Depository

I was listening to Simon Mayo’s Radio 5 Live, Book Review podcast earlier this week, and this one was talked about and I immediately knew I had to read it. So after being let out of work early today I snapped up a copy on the way home. **

It follows journalist, Max, as he arrives in the West Bank to make a film about the wall that divides the Palestinians and the Jews.

His intention is not to take sides, but show what life is like on both sides of the wall and the things that bind them together not those that set them apart.

On his first day there he meets Said, a young boy in a small village on one side of the wall, who whilst he tends to his families flock of sheep, spends his free-time making a kite.

When he injures himself trying to follow Said across some rocks, he ends up spending a few days with Said’s family, getting to know them and the terrible events in their past.

I defy anybody not to be affected when we learn exactly why Said is so obsessed with making kites, despite this being a ‘children’s book’ Morpurgo does not pull any punches here. It’s a shocking event for any reader (and parents of sensitive children may want to read the book first so they’re ready to answer any questions) but it is even more disturbing, for those slightly older readers who know anything of the conflict and aren’t necessarily surprised by what happens.

The friendship that develops between Max and Said in the short time they know each other and the effect that Said’s kite making has on both sides of the wall, initially with a young girl who watches him from the other side of the wall, but later with others, does mean that story has an uplifting ending and hope for the future.

This is a brilliant thought provoking tale, with fantastic, effective, illustrations by Laura Carlin, that perfectly suit the mood of the book. I can’t recommend the book enough.

Here’s a quote (incidentally not from the end, as it might look like):

But I’m making myself a promise, Mahmoud. I am deciding right now that when I grow up I shall make films like does. I’ve worked it out. If I can’t talk, then I’ll tell our story in pictures, the story of you, Mahmoud, of our village, all about our kites, and the wall and the settlement, and the girl in the blue headscarf who waves to us. I shall tell everyone about our nightmare and our dream, and about how one day we’ll make it come true. It is my story, and the girl’s story. Together we will make it come true.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

** It was totally allowed as according to buy book buying ban rules I have cleared five books of the TBR pile and thus am allowed to treat myself!

Buy: The Kites are Flying by Michael Morpurgo from the Book Depository.

I certainly wasn’t disappointed when I managed to find time to read it the other day.

When Sig’s father initially bought the old second-hand revolver to protect his family in the remote and desolate wilds of Canadian gold-rush towns he had no idea the significance it would have many years later.

Moving forward to 1910, and a tiny place called Giron, many miles north of the Arctic circle. And Sig is alone, with his dead father (who that morning after having an accident trying to cross the unsafe frozen lake their property sits on the edge of, had pulled himself from the icy waters only to freeze to death, out on the ice) waiting the return of his sister and step-mother.

When a stranger knocks on the door, asking to see his father.

The story switches back and forth, between showing us some of his father’s life, years ago, and an ever growing sense of threat and danger for Sig as the stranger forces his way in to Sig’s home. The man has been chasing Sig’s family for over 10 years, determined to settle some outstanding business. Now as his fathers corpse lies on the table between the two, the stranger insists that as he is now the man of the house, that responsibility now lies with him.

As his desperation grows, Sig comes to the understanding that the only means of escape, lies with the old Colt revolver that he knows is hidden in there storeroom…

I defy anybody to read this and not shiver! And I’m not just referring to the tension, Sedgwick slowly builds towards. No, I’m talking about his perfect descriptions of the cold, harsh, landscapes that lie in the Arctic Circle. – You’ll want to keep a hot pot of tea or coffee and a blanket nearby whist reading them

At it heart, this is a moral tale about whether it’s right to use a gun, and for what purpose, and even in the end, how. Yet, even though it is about Sig’s moral choice, Sedgwick never attempts to moralise on either side of the argument.

Impeccably researched and wonderfully written, with this one, Sedgwick, continues to be one of my favourite writers of recent years.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Buy: Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick from The Book Depository

- Publisher’s Blurb

When I saw Chris from Stuff as Dreams are Made on, had acquired this one around the same time as I did, I almost immediately inquired about a buddy-review, which he agreed to so here we are. We decided to ask 3 questions each and then answer them all on our blogs. So don’t forget to visit his blog when you’re done here!

It pains me to say this, but I didn’t enjoy this on, nearly as much as I normally enjoy Almond’s work, and I think a lot of that was down to the fact I never really fully connected emotionally with it. Sure there was a lot to admire. The story was great, the protagonist likable, there’s a sweet first romance, and it was as intelligent a young adult read as you could wish for. But something just did not click.

What was preventing me from connecting? I’m really not sure… But it may be down to I was never sure how literally I was supposed to take the story. Stephen, the antagonist is able to hypnotise his guardian, is he doing that to Davie? Is Davie therefore imagining some of what is happening. I think you are meant to question this, but it just did not quite work for me.

However an Almond that doesn’t quite hit the mark is still a wondrous thing!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Here are my answers to Chris’s questions:

As I said in my mini review above, I didn’t quite connect with this one, so that colours some of my thoughts on this, I thought it was good, and it was clever to shift the moods, to something much darker, but because I was never quite sure just how literal we were meant to take everything, it wasn’t as effective as it could have been.

An interesting question this one, because he is the antagonist and as the story develops, very deserving of that title, however in the beginning he appears to have led a very difficult life. It’s clear that as the story develops though that Stephen is a skilled manipulator who you can’t trust. So in truth, I’m not sure!

I think Almond asks the reader to question quite a bit about what is important in religion, but leaves it open for the reader to decide what they think. One thing theme I picked up on was that you didn’t necessarily need ‘church’ to have ‘faith’ and being ‘church’ doesn’t automatically give you ‘faith’. Neither is right or wrong. But he is clearly making wanting you to ‘think’ about things…

And here are my answers to the questions I asked Chris.

I was going to post the scene, where Davie and Maria watch the frog get eaten, but I decided that out of context it might come across a bit gruesome… (Despite it being a wonderfully written scene)

So I’m going to post a scene that takes place a few moments earlier.

Just a bit of scene setting, Davie, has taken school friend Maria for ‘a walk’… The prat that is mentioned is Mr Prat their art teacher who has a penchant for the more philosophical aspects of teaching art…

We walked on. We approached Braddock’s Garden. We looked across at Crazy Mary’s house. I let my hand touch Maria’s hand. I looked into the sky. So blue. The clouds so dazzling white. I tipped my head back and narrowed my eyes,

‘What you doing?’ said Maria.

‘Do you think you could think that clouds were angels?’ I asked.

‘You could think anything was anything,’ she said. ‘It’s how your mind works. Prat’s a prat but he’s right. We could imagine just about anything.’

We walked on.

Well, again as I said to Kelly, my dad’s family come from that area, so picturing it and the people is almost a given But I will say he does a great job, and I most enjoyed his use of accent in this one, because I knew you’d be trying to get your head around some of it!

Edit: And I was right! Chris was confused by the phrase ‘Howay!’ so for Chris it basically means ‘Come on!’

I think it’s a perfect choice for the book, the questions he asks and the concepts he asks us to think about, should not be answered by anyone other than the reader, if he did it would just be dogma, and you’d end up taking nothing from the book. Individual thoughts and opinions are clearly what Almond is trying to encourage.

Don’t forget to go check out Chris’ half of this review!

This is one that I’ve been wanting to read for ages. Ever since I first saw it sitting on the shelves in my local bookshop. It has, I think, one of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen. That shade of blue is just perfect.

Anyway, it’s quite a big GN at over 500 pages, and because of this and the fact it is fantastically presented on a high quality paper stock, it’s not the cheapest in the world, so I never quite convinced myself to buy it…

Then a few weeks back I was browsing my library’s online catalogue and happened to come across it! So I quickly put a hold on it and waited for it to come in.

It’s everything I hoped it would be, from the reviews I’d seen about it. Detailing the authors childhood and later teenage years, it also combines these two stands with the authors thoughts as he looks back on his life.

It’s an often moving story, and for most of it, quite sad. Ultimately though I think it is a positive story.

Craig Thompson’s artwork perfect complements the story, often saying things he is unable to in words, it’s one of the joys in GN’s when words and pictures combine and compliment each other so well!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Other Reviews to Consider

• One Swede Read
• 1 More Chapter
• Should be Reading
• Jenny’s Books
• Katrina’s Reads

Buy: Blankets by Craig Thompson from The Book Depository

This is a guest post by Jackie of Literary Escapism who has graciously offered to organize the Book Blogger Top 10 again this year.

For the second year in a row, we’re asking book bloggers to help put together a top 10 list of books published in 2009.So here are the top ten books I’ve read that were published this year…

Now, the idea is to only choose books that were published in 2009, regardless of what country you live in. If a book was released in the US in 2008, but released in your country in 2009, that’s okay. I know there is still a month in a half left of 2009, but if you know there is a book coming out between now and Dec. 31st, then it’s still eligible.

So here’s my list of the books I’ve read that were published this year.

1. The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness (YA)
2. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (YA) (UK Publishing Date)
3. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (YA)
4. One Day by David Nichols (Contemporary Fiction)
5. Starclimber by Kenneth Oppel (YA)
6. Seraph of Sorrow by Mary Janice Davidson & Anthony Alonghi (YA)
7. After the Moment by Garret Freymann-Weyr (YA)
8. The Purloined Boy by Mortimus Clay (MG/YA)
9. SLOB by Ellen Potter (MG)
10. Numbers by Rachael Ward (YA)

He starts to fixate on fate, and soon comes to believe, it has it in for him (and he may well be right). He starts on a course of action, he believes will outwit and outrun fate.

Changing both his appearance and his name to Justin (come on, make the connection to the punnish title!) is only the start.

He meets Agnes Day a young woman (although noticeably older than Justin/David) who works in the charity shop where he buys his new clothes, and is hoping to make it as a photographer).

The more he tries to run, the more obsessed he becomes, the more obsessed be becomes the harder he tries to run… All the while his mental state becomes more and more fragile.

Things aren’t helped by the fact it would appear fate, really does have it in for him, and Justin/David suffers a number of near death experiences.

As his friendship with Agnes deepens, moving in with her, after one of his near death experiences, he falls in love with her, and mis-reads the fact that Agnes loves him, for her being in live with him.

He does eventually come to understand that this was an unhealthy relationship for many reasons.

Told partly though Justin/David’s deteriorating mental state where we are witness to an occasionally surreal element (his pet greyhound for instance, which is a figment of his imagination, but yet which can be seen my a number of his new friends…) And a number of interjections and commentaries from Fate herself…

This is my second Rosoff and it is clear even now, that she doesn’t write plain, normal, prose, she likes to tell each story in a unique way, and I can understand why some, just don’t enjoy it. But so far, I’ve enjoyed both the books I’ve read, and I like the fact she attempts to do something different each time.

It’s never quite clear in this one, how much of what David experiences is ‘real’ and how much of it is a figment of his imagination. Again I like this ambiguity, it suits the story very well.

I’ll certainly be reading some more of the authors work.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Other Reviews to Consider:

• Blue Archipelago.
• Jenny’s Books.

Buy, Just in Case by Meg Rosoff from The Book Depository (with FREE worldwide delivery!)

“…built the traditional way, logs spaced slightly apart to let the air in. Happiness trickled away easily between the logs”

Set in a remote village in the the harsh and bleak north of Finland, the book follows Kristina during her early teenage years, and her observations on her home and fellow residents. There is much resourcefulness, but little joy to be found in this novel, and when you do find it, it trickles away easily between the pages.

The book, much the area in which Kristina lives, and indeed Kristina’s life, can be angry, harsh and unforgiving, but oddly perhaps, given all that, this is not a depressing book to read.

Dysfunction surrounds Kristina, her parents appear to be falling apart, constantly niggling and back-biting. Her father, an important man in the village, is also an adulterer and a drunk. Her mother is addicted to the prescription drugs she nicks from the hospital where she works, and is constantly on the verge of a break-down.

It’s through all this that, Kristina and her friends search for their own place in life and experiment with sex, drugs and danger, and deal with first love and grief.

Kristina’s narration, seems to veer from reality and fantasy as she struggles to explain herself, much like any teenager, anywhere else the the world, I suppose. But this combined the fact that the story can best be described as a ‘snapshot’ of Kristina’s life. As there is no real plot, or coming of age development, lends a strange detachment from what you are reading.

An interesting, thoughtful read, but I’m not quite sure what the author’s intent was, or whether I just get from it what she wanted. Saying that, I do think it’s a worthwhile read.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

This book also completes the Lost in Translation Challenge for me.

Buy: At the Edge of Light by Maria Peura, from the Book Depository.

Just a warning, as this is the final book in the trilogy, there will inevitably be some spoilers, just so you know.

After the events of the previous book, the five Midnighters are licking their wounds, their bonds of friendship stretched – if not quite to breaking point – way beyond the closeness that they once shared.

There is one thing, they can agree on though. The Darklings’ connection to the real world has been broken, they’ll never be able to communicate with humans again. They can begin to relax.

That is until, one morning, at just after 9am, the blue time makes an unexpected appearance. This unprecedented event worries them all, even, Rex doesn’t have an answer, with all his knowledge of the lore. And when Mellissa, reveals she can feel the Darklings celebrating, it can only mean one thing. more trouble is on the way!

This was a fitting conclusion to the story, as the final secrets are revealed, we get to see the Midnighters from the side of the Daylighters, and we learn that the original generation might not have been as philanthropic as their history would suggest.

It was also good to see them band together as they race to save their world, they might not be as close as they once were, but they know they need each other to succeed.

Whatever success they achieve may come with an agonising price.

Another entertaining read, and I think it still, just edges out the Uglies series as my favourite.

I’m beginning to believe Scott Westerfeld can do little wrong.

[rating;4/5]

Other Reviews to Consider

• Kay’s Bookshelf
• Becky’s Book Reviews

Buy, Blue Noon by Scott Westerfeld, from The Book Depository