MG Monday: Review: A Most Improper Magick by Stephanie Burgis

Series: The Unladylike Adventures of Kat Stephenson

Author: Stephanie Burgis

Publisher: Templar

Publication Date: 1 Aug 2010

Synopsis: From Goodreads

Katherine Ann Stephenson has just discovered that she's inherited her mother's magical talents, and despite Stepmama's stern objections, she's determined to learn how to use them. But with her eldest sister Elissa's intended fiancé, the sinister Sir Neville, showing a dangerous interest in Kat's magical potential; her other sister, Angeline, wreaking romantic havoc with her own witchcraft; and a highwayman lurking in the forest, even Kat's reckless heroism will be tested to the upmost. If she can learn to control her new powers, will Kat be able to rescue her family and win her sisters their true love?

Review: 

I will start by saying that this book makes me want to say things like ' spiffing' and 'jolly good show old chap' but hey that's just me [ : D ]

Set in Regency England and to give Stephanie Burgis credit she really does bring it to life with her vivid descriptive writing style.

Written in first person narrative from Kat's perspective. Kat, Katherine Stephenson, at 12, is the youngest member of her family; consisting of 2 older sisters, an older brother, the requisite 'wicked' stepmother and her downtrodden clergy father. I did have trouble reconciling Kat's age with the image I had of her in my head, in some ways she appears older yet some of her actions show how young she really is. She is feisty, impetuous and doesn't consider how her actions will affect others until it is too late. So roughly your typical tween then. Yet the underlying thing about Kat all the way through the book is how much she loves her family, above all else. There is absolutely nothing she wouldn't do for them for them even if her actions sometimes contradict this statement.

For me there was definitely an element of Pride and Prejudice to the story. Also if you have seen the movie Becoming Jane then you can possibly understand why I keep picturing Kat as a young Jane Austen with magical abilities. Whereas the rest of the family certainly bring to mind the myriad of characters depicted withing Austen's novels, therefore what I am trying to say is that Stephanie Burgis has captured and portrayed the era perfectly.

The social and economical status and the emphasis that society places on such things is delivered eloquently within the narrative. The constraints placed upon women in particular and the need to marry well in order to secure a brighter future for all members of the family must have been a real burden for any young woman to bear especially the oldest daughter. Stephanie Burgis does a marvellous job of bringing the sensibilities of Regency England to technicolour life.

The family history and their skeletons in the cupboard, if you will, are skillfully crafted into the story. There are peaks and troughs of action interspersed with world and character building, making for a steady pace throughout the book. there are even some real laugh out loud moments that I would not have expected.


For me, I cannot categorize this book at all, it just doesn't fit neatly into a box. I will have to try the speed dating technique in the library to find my target readership:

A vivid historical novel bringing Regency England to glorious life within the imagination. A feisty, impetuous yet loyal and loving heroine. Throw in the type of magic you dream of being able to do and you have a book that defies categorization.

How is that for a summary.

In My Mailbox 7/8/11

I have had another amazing book week - thank you everyone - as I like to constantly say books make everything better. This week has been full of ups and downs, I thought that it was only teens that were supposed to get voyages of self-discovery lol. The UK Book Tours site has some truly amazing books coming up for you UK Bloggers, make sure you sign-up.

For Review: 

Deception by Lee Nichols 

(seriously how awesome does this one sound and the main character's name is Emma - Squee)

For Review:

The Shadowing: Skinned by Adam Slater 

(just looking at the cover gives me the heeby geebies - one of my fantastic year 12 librarians reviewed the first book for me (here) - I will be passing this his way)

For UK Book Tours:

Kill All Enemies by Melvin Burgess

(thank you to the publisher for this one - I don't have the time to review this one myself at the moment but I do think that Melvin Burgess provides such brilliant thought provoking books for teens that I had to put this one up on tour)

We Can Be Heroes by Catherine Bruton

(donated by the wonderful Viv at Serendipity Reviews. This book sounds just absolutely fantastic and when it has finished its tour will be going into the school library. What a brilliant resource. Thank you Viv and Catherine)

For Review:

Soul Beach by Kate Harrison

(serious swooning going on over this one)

For Review: 

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

(this one was a total surprise. Isn't it just gorgeous, so so so pretty and the story sounds fab too)

For Review:

The History Keepers by Damian Dibben

(this books just sounds amazing plus the cover is stunning)

Gifted for the Big Girl who loves Jacqueline Wilson from the most wonderful Caroline at Portrait of a Woman

Cookie by Jacqueline Wilson

Complete with a cookie tin. The big girl has carried this around with her all weekend lol

Saturday Spotlight: Blog Tour: You can travel the World in a Library by Stephanie Burgis

It is beyond words for me today with this wonderful guest post by Stephanie Burgis, I am very proud to be Welsh and this just warms my heart. Enjoy, comments greatly appreciated, thank you.

Title: A Tangle of Magicks
Series: The Unladylike Adventurs of Kat Stephenson
Author: Stephanie Burgis
Publisher: Templar
Publication Date: 1 Aug 2011

Synopsis: From Amazon

After her antics in A Most Improper Magick, Kat Stephenson is back to cause more chaos! Stepmama drags the family to Bath to find Kat's sister a new suitor. But, unknown to most of its gossipy visitors, Bath is full of wild magic. When Kat uncovers a plot to harness this magic in the Roman Baths, she finds her brother Charles is unwittingly involved. Kat must risk her newfound magical powers as she defies the Order of the Guardians to foil the plot and clear her brother's name

The first time I ever visited Bath, I was ten years old. Oh, and I happened to be in East Lansing, Michigan (USA), at the time. I wouldn’t actually fly to the UK for another fourteen years--but luckily, I had another way to travel. I had a library card, and I had book-loving parents who took me to the library at least once a week, every single week from the time I was a toddler.

Sitting in the East Lansing Public Library, curled up in a comfy reading chair, I opened up Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey and was swept away to the fascinating, fashionable, and often scary city of Bath with fifteen-year-old Catherine Morland. I stood a little behind her, watching over her shoulder as she faced a sea of intimidating strangers at the candle-lit Assembly Rooms at night and met new friends (who might become enemies) in the Pump Room in the morning. And of course Catherine and her dangerous new friend Isabella headed straight to the circulating library to pick up the most shocking new novels - it was a top priority!

I might have lived a continent - and nearly two centuries - apart from Catherine and Isabella, but I was with them in spirit all the way. And I traveled all over the world through my local library, following adventurous Elizabeth Peters heroines to Egypt, Sweden, and of course back to England again (a recurring theme in all my reading - hmm), and following witty, strong-minded Georgette Heyer heroines all around the hotspots of Regency Britain to meet their perfect romantic matches. Over and over again, those heroines headed to Bath, and so did I.

When I finally stepped off the train and into the real city of Bath, physically, for the first time in my life, I was twenty-eight years old, not ten anymore…but walking around the city felt like rejoining an old friend, or finally arriving in a city I’d already visited over and over again in my dreams. I walked through exactly the same Assembly Rooms where Catherine Morland had wished desperately for a dancing partner. I visited the Pump Room where she and her friend Isabella had gossiped and people-watched, and where so many Georgette Heyer heroines had bantered with their heroes. I went on pilgrimage to the Jane Austen Centre, in a house where Jane Austen herself lived, and I fell in love all over again.

Now I’m thirty-four, and my novel A Tangle of Magicks is about to come out - set in Bath, of course. My own fearless Kat is about to cause chaos in the city of Bath, hitting the Pump Room and - of course! - the circulating library along the way.

Although I’m now living in Wales, half a world away, I can’t wait to see the book shelved back in my own hometown library, back in East Lansing…and I love the idea that a new generation of ten-year-olds will be opening up their library copies and visiting Bath for the first time at Kat’s side. I hope they have as much fun as I always did.

Thank you again to Stephanie for making me fall in love with Bath and Wales all over again.

For more about Stephanie check out her gorgeous webpage here

Saturday Spotlight: YA Rebels Audition

I don't know if you have already heard about this but it really is a fabulous opportunity if you have the commitment/time to be able to do it.
For all of you that are doing audition vlogs GOOD LUCK

Musical Moments: Song of the Month August: Chosen by Eden Maguire

Here is what Eden had to say about her choice for Song of the Month:

I choose Adele's 'Someone Like You' as my Song of the Month because her voice contains sadness and loneliness and carries you along on a wave of emotion that not many other singers achieve.

Title: Dark Angel
Series: Dark Angel
Author: Eden Maguire
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Publication Date: 4 Aug 2011

Synopsis: From Amazon

Tania's heart belongs to Orlando. Nothing can rip them apart.
Until the seduction begins in a flurry of glamour and magic, music and parties all orchestrated by the mysterious and mesmerising Zoran, an iconic rock star who has retired to a remote ranch in the nearby mountains.

And there Tania meets the dark side.

Can she resist temptation?

Review: Dark Angel by Eden Maguire

Title: Dark Angel
Series: Dark Angel #1
Author: Eden Maguire
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Publication Date: 4 Aug 2011


Synopsis: From Goodreads


Tania's heart belongs to Orlando. Nothing can rip them apart. Until the seduction begins in a flurry of glamour and magic, music and parties all orchestrated by the mysterious and mesmerising Zoran, an iconic rock star who has retired to a remote ranch in the nearby mountains. And there Tania meets the dark side. Can she resist temptation?

Review:

I have been anxiously awaiting the publication of this book since it came onto my radar some months ago. I adored Eden Maguire's Beautiful Dead series and when I found out that this book had a Rock Star as a central character, you should have heard me squee. 

Written in first person narrative from Tania's perspective. From the very beginning you can tell that there is a lot going on under the surface with Tania, although she seems very laid-back and a bit of a daydreamer, there is far more to her than that. She has a wonderful family unit even though her parents at absent for a large part of the time due to their jobs. She has grown up independent and level headed, she knows exactly who she is OR does she? She is a wonderfully supportive and loyal friend, and has a fantastic mutually caring two-way relationship with her boyfriend Orlando. At first I was unsure if he really cared for her deeply or if she was some sort of trophy girlfriend; but as the plot unfolded the depth of their relationship really shines through the narrative.

I really loved how an English language 101 lesson was incorporated into the narrative comparing and contrasting with Tania's Fathers use of language and his Eastern European heritage ( my quest for education via osmosis achieved [ : D ] ). The use of different religions and philosophies within the story was a stroke of genius, adding depth to the plot. I am a sucker for the giant battle of good versus evil and the way in which this one was portrayed was ingenious. Although the use of snake imagery really does make me *shudder*.

The writing style is sensory encompassing and so beautifully descriptive, making it very easy to conjure up Tania's world within the imagination. The comparisons of the fire descriptions and their use within the story brought to mind images of Hell on Earth. The use of the Pheonix rising from the ashes brought thoughts of re-incarnation, both a good thing and a bad thing when looked at via this storyline. The action and pacing of the plot were very smoothly controlled. Background details, interesting realistic elements and random fascinating facts were all woven together to give a dynamic storyline. Amazing use of analogues to fairytales within the book expand the plot further, a piece of writing brilliance.

As I have already stated one of the main characters in this book is a Rock Star so I can’t do this review without mentioning the awesome use of music references and original song lyrics within the book, not only did they re-enforce the plot but they developed it further. I am sure we can all relate to the mesmerising effect that some music has. Alongside the wild abandon of a live concert, incredibly portrayed in the narrative.

This book really is a brilliant start to a new series for Eden Maguire. I cannot wait for the second book to see just what happens next. Although there wasn’t a cliff-hanger of an ending exactly I just feel as if I have to know what happens to Tania next, where the characters themselves are heading.

So if like me you love an epic battle of good versus evil this book is the one for you.

Trailer Tuesday: By Midnight by Mia James plus Give-Away

Title: By Midnight
Series: Ravenwood
Author: Mia James
Publisher: Gollancz
Publication Date: 3 Feb 2011

Synopsis: From Amazon

April Dunne is not impressed. She's had to move from Edinburgh to Highgate, London, with her parents. She's left her friends - and her entire life - behind. She has to start at a new school and, worst of all, now she's stuck in a creepy old dump of a house which doesn't even have proper mobile phone reception. Ravenwood, her new school, is a prestigious academy for gifted (financially or academically) students - and the only place her parents could find her a place, in the middle of term, in the middle of London, on incredibly short notice. So she's stuck with the super-rich, and the super-smart . . . and trying to fit in when the rest of the students seem to be more glamorous, smarter, or more talented than she is, is more than tough. It's intimidating and isolating, even when she finds a friend in the conspiracy-theorist Caro Jackson - and perhaps finds something more than friendship in the gorgeous, mysterious Gabriel Swift. But there's more going on at Ravenwood than meets the eye. Practical jokes on new students are normal, but when Gabriel saves her from . . . something . . . in Highgate Cemetery, and then she discovers that a murder took place just yards away from where she had been standing, April has to wonder if something more sinister is going on. . . . and whether or not she's going to live through it . . . To find out more about the Ravenwood series visit www.ravenwoodmysteries.com

With the release of the sequel Darkness Falls due in September I am giving one lucky person the chance to win a paperback copy of By Midnight. Open to UK residents only this time (SORRY I can't afford the international postage at the moment) Winner to be chosen by Random.org on the 31st of August annnouced on the 3rd September. Just fill out the form here to enter. You don't have to be a follower but it would be nice if you are lol. 

Title: Darkness Falls

Series: Ravenwood #2

Author: Mia James

Publisher: Indigo

Publication Date:  29 Sept 2011

Synopsis: From Amazon

Highgate When April's family moved to the sleepy North London village of Highgate, everyone told her it was the start of an amazing new life. They didn't know the half of it. Weeks later, her father was the latest in a series of brutal killings, someone has tried to kill her, and now her boyfriend, Gabriel, is dying too . . . Murder April couldn't save her father, but there's just a chance she can save Gabriel. There's an ancient recipe, hidden in a forbidden book, which holds the cure. All April has to do is find it. Somehow. Vampires But she has to keep a low profile. In a school full of vampires, where one of their own has been killed, they're beginning to suspect they have a Fury in their midst. April's blood might be deadly to vampires, but even that won't save her if they figure out who she is. Time is short, the stakes are high, and surviving school has never been so tough . .