Thrilling Thursday: Tempest Rising and Tracking the Tempest by Nicole Peeler

Title: Tempest Rising  

Author: Nicole Peeler

Publisher: Orbit

Published: Aug 2010 (Kindle version)

Genre: Urban fantasy

Find it at Amazon UK

The Blurb says...

Living in small town Rockabill, Maine, Jane True always knew she didn't quite fit in with so-called normal society. During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human. Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures that are terrifying, beautiful and deadly - all of which perfectly describe her new 'friend' Ryu, a gorgeous and powerful vampire. It is a world where nothing can be taken for granted: a dog can heal with a lick; spirits bag your groceries; and whatever you do, never - ever - rub the genie's lamp.

My verdict: Sexy and well-executed combination of urban fantasy and detective novel.

This was such an enjoyable read. I loved Jane’s sassy voice and the fact that the novel is chock-full of fascinating characters. That doesn’t just mean the many and varied supernatural characters, by the way, fascinating though they are. The actual human people that the novel is peopled with are also great characters. I particularly enjoyed the porn-actress/bookshop-owner who gives gifts related to her career (let’s just be clear: she doesn’t give books).

Despite the risk of being all fangirly, I have to say that I was strongly encouraged to read this by following Nicole Peeler on Twitter. She has such a comedic persona on there and on her blog, and this is a real strength in the book. Although there is danger and all the excitement that brings, there were more than a couple of laugh-out-loud moments too. I also enjoyed the pop culture references, although I’ve seen other reviews criticise them. I realise they may well ‘date’ the text, but I also think they site it really firmly in a particular cultural context, which I don’t think is automatically bad. I’d say Peeler knows her audience well and draws them in with the in-the-know nods.

The range of supernatural characters included is also something that I particularly enjoyed while I know that some others didn’t. For me it makes perfect sense. If there are vampires in the world, why wouldn’t there also be elves and selkies and so on? It also allows you the fun of trying to second guess what race/species characters are or might be, particularly since Peeler has set up her world so that what we think we know about these creatures of folklore is not necessarily correct.

Overall, this was a blast! I’ll absolutely be reading the whole series. I can’t wait to see how Jane’s life pans out with her new knowledge of the supernatural realm, and to see her relationships within it develop.

Title: Tracking the Tempest
Author: Nicole Peeler
Publisher: Orbit
Published: Aug 2010 (Kindle version)

Genre: Urban fantasy


Find it at Amazon UK

The blurb says...
Tracking the Tempest begins four months - and one eyebrow sacrificed to magical training - after the close of Tempest Rising. During that time, Jane True has been busy honing her supernatural powers and enjoying her newfound sense of confidence. Rockabill may not yet be heaven, but she's realized it's home. Valentine's Day is fast approaching, however, and Ryu - Jane's bloodsucker boyfriend - can't let a major holiday go by without getting all gratuitous. This time his shenanigans involve a last-minute ticket to Boston and a hefty dose of direct interference in her life. But Ryu's best laid plans inevitably create more upheaval than even he can anticipate, and Jane winds up embroiled in an investigation involving a spree of gruesome killings committed by a being of tremendous power . . . . . . who, much to Jane's surprise, happens to be another halfling.


My verdict: Fabulous action-packed sequel. 
I was really looking forward to this one after the first and I wasn't disappointed. We're plunged straight into a training session with Nell the gnome, as Jane works on understanding and controlling her powers, and this is Peeler starting as she means to go on: no filler, no excess of recap, all story. The majority of the plot is, essentially, a crime thriller but don't worry - there are also developments in the romance plotline.


Again, the humour and characterisation are brilliant and what (for me) really stand out. Supernatural elements notwithstanding, all of Peeler's characters are convincing. Many of those familiar from Tempest Rising develop during the course of this novel, and we also get the pleasure of making new friends - and enemies of course. I was particularly pleased to see more of Anyan the barghest, and I'm sure there's more of him to come. This is not one of those series that feels formulaic and lacks character progression.


Overall, I've really enjoyed these masterful novels and would recommend them to anyone who enjoys urban fantasy and supernatural mysteries. The third will be appearing on my Kindle today, I believe - woohoo!

Words on Wednesday: Gender Differences in Language?

It's an oh-so familiar argument to linguists, just as gender differences in other spheres are regularly debated too. It's a great topic in the classroom: how is men's speech different to women's speech? Students always have ideas about this and so many of the claims 'feel' true on some level: men swear more often and more violently, men problem solve while women sympathise, men compete while women co-operate etc etc etc.

The trouble is, every claim can be debunked with quantitative evidence. According to Deborah Cameron's fantastic The Myth of Mars and Venus: Do men and women really speak different languages?, that sense of familiarity is due to our 'confirmation bias' - we recognise and notice things which confirm what we already believe. Society tells us men and women are essentially different and behave differently, so that's what we notice.

I must say that, when faced with the same transcribed conversation, it amazes me that students will be able to find 'proof' of completely opposing ideas. Those who are stuck in the 'men are aggressive and women are lovely' mode will find examples of male interruption and females agreeing with others and generally smoothing things over. Those who think men and women have different (but equally valid) styles of conversation will find evidence of males' preference for factual communication and females' tendency to share feelings. Only those who have understood and accepted Cameron's arguments are likely to find evidence that contradicts any of the 70s and 80s studies showing clear gender differences.

So, with people happy to see confirmation of what they already believe, outdated ideas about gender are merrily being published. This piece in the Times Higher, dealing specifically with the recently-published work of John Locke, does a lovely job of discussing the evolution model used in some of this stuff. It's scary really, how tempting these arguments about our 'natural' or 'primal' or 'instinctual' gender-regulated behaviour can be.

This is easily one of my favourite bits of English Language teaching, as there's lots of scope for students to discuss and explore real data. Plus, I get to discuss a bit of feminist theory and get into gender-as-a-social-construct with some of them!

In My Mailbox 2

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme (but you can do them less often, as I am) which is run by The Story Siren.

Well, I've had quite a busy two weeks for book-buying! I've also been loading up my kindle ready for the return to work and its bus and train travel.

Dark Angels by Katherine Langrish (won signed copy from the author via Twitter).
This is my exciting acquisition of the fortnight. I won this in a draw simply by retweeting a link to the atmospheric new trailer for it. I was so thrilled!

The book is a medieval fantasy set on Devil's Edge (based on Stiperstones) about a young boy called Wolf who runs away and gets caught up in a scary adventure involving elves and a ghostly hunt. I loved Langrish's West of the Moon and am looking forward to devouring this one. Find more info on Amazon UK

So now we move onto my purchased new reads:

Bloodstone by Gillian Philip (read my review here).
Having loved Firebrand, the first in the series, I was extremely keen to read this, the second instalment. I recommend this series wholeheartedly to lovers of fantasy and YA.
Find more info at Amazon UK



American Gods 10th Anniversary Edition by Neil Gaiman. I loved the original and am keen to read the 'author's preferred text' - plus, of course, there's an extra short story in this edition.  The premise of this book is fantastic: as people emigrated into America, they took their gods with them. But gods evolve and change as their believers do, so America is full of altered, americanised versions of gods from around the world. Oh, and all of them are in danger of being pushed out by the new gods of the internet and television and so on. Fabulously inventive stuff, as we've come to expect from Gaiman.
Find more info at Amazon UK

Don't Judge a Girl by her Cover (more info)
and Only the Good Spy Young (more info) by Ally Carter
These are books 3 and 4 in the excellent Gallagher Girls series about a selective independent girls' school which is actually a training ground for spies. I've read the first and we have the second in the house already as my 12 yr old reads these too. In fact, I haven't seen these two for a while. Hmm.

And now we come to my Kindle-fest, which is a glorious mixture. I bought:

The Wombles by Elisabeth Beresford, because it's 99p at the moment and my 7 yr old wanted to try reading on the Kindle and it seemed like (and was!) a good idea.

Florence and Giles by John Harding, because Nicola Morgan recommended it and it sounded like a great read: elements of the gothic and perhaps psychological thriller, and with a highly creative approach to language. It sounds like the first-person narration uses a lot of quite specific idiolect, creating many new words largely by playing with word class . Looking forward to reading this!

The Opposite of Amber by Gillian Philip, because I've loved her Rebel Angels books and have also heard great things about this. It's a quite different style to Firebrand and Bloodstone, but is still YA. It's a contemporary realistic novel which is described as a thriller, but many reviewers are saying that it is much more character-driven than the thriller label makes it seem. It seems to mostly be about the relationship two sisters share.

Tracking the Tempest by Nicole Peeler. This is the second in her Jane True series and the first (Tempest Rising) was a great read. This is smart and funny urban fantasy set in a world with a whole range of supernatural beings. I'll be reviewing both of these together on Thursday, but if you like UF these are well worth checking out.


Undead and Unwed;
Undead and Unemployed;
Undead and Unappreciated by MaryJanice Davidson because I read the fourth in the series from the library years ago and really enjoyed it. I came across them in the Kindle Store and remembered how much I'd laughed, so I bought the first three to be going on with. These are comedy urban fantasy, I suppose, since they take place in an urban setting and are about vampires. There is also (I think - but I'm not at all a connoisseur of the genre) more than a hint of chick lit thrown in there too. These are definitely the girliest books I have enjoyed!

I'm Off On a Writers' Campaign Visit

Today you'll find me over at Michele Helene's lovely blog: A Wanderer in Paris, where she's kicking off a series of interviews with fellow campaigners.

In the spirit of getting to know you, I'm going to shamelessly use the classic ice-breaker of three lesser-known facts about me. Apologies to Kelley, on whose blog I already shared one of these.

1. I'm scared of snow. More accurately, I fear falling over. Clifftops, ladders and tall buildings are also a problem, but snow and ice are my biggest worry.
2. I hate feet.
3. I apologise for everything. I've started correcting myself with "actually, that's not my fault", but it's still my first instinct in many situations. My maiden name was Smith and my mother-in-law used to call me "Sorry Smith" :)

For more sensible stuff about me, work and writing, head over to Michele's blog to read her excellent interview questions. Feel free to share your own three fascinating facts in the comments as well!

Family Friday: Lob by Linda Newbery

A timeless, magical tale of the seasons and the passing of time for this week's Family Friday.

The hardback cover

The paperback cover

Title: Lob
Author: Linda Newbery
Publisher: David Fickling
Published: June 2011
Genre: Children's (7+)

Find it at Amazon UK

I found out about this book through the Awfully Big Blog Adventure Litfest, which featured (among many other fabulous posts) a discussion between Linda Newbery and Julia Jarman, talking about this book and Jarman's book Pillywiggins and the Tree Witch. Both went onto my wishlist at once, and Lob was one of the first books downloaded onto my Kindle.

The Blurb says:
Stand quietly in a park, garden, or the woods one day. Listen! Watch! If you are one of the lucky ones, you will see him. Lob! A green man.

You have to be a special person to see Lob, that’s what Grandpa Will says. Lucy’s parents don’t believe he exists, but Lucy does. And she’s delighted when she finally catches sight of the green man in Grandpa’s garden.

Then something awful happens, and Lucy's life is turned upside-down. Back at home in London, she wonders whether she’ll ever see Lob again. Will he come and find her?

My verdict: a glorious, gentle yet exciting story for young readers. Highly recommended for confident readers of 7+, or as a shared story.

This is a bittersweet story dealing with loss as well as the nature of belief. All of this is wrapped up in the story of Lob, a kind of combination of Green Man and household spirit. There is real magic here, and a story which fosters a genuine love of nature and all that grows, with an emphasis on the natural cycles of the world. Newbery's use of the Green Man is inventive and new, without departing far from existing ideas.

This book is extremely well-written and beautifully illustrated. It had a lovely old-fashioned feel to the voice, which is lyrical and would be great read aloud. The main character of Lucy is well-drawn and interesting: curious, enthusiastic and creative. I'm sure all child readers would find something in her to identify with. The relationship with her Grandpa is another high point and will be familiar to many children who find a special closeness with a grandparent.

Overall, there is much to commend this book: beautiful writing, warmth and depth of feeling, a healthy engagement with nature and its cycles, support for children facing loss. My 7 yr old has a real treat to look forward to!

This is my fifteenth review for the British Books Challenge

Thrilling Thursday: Reading in the Dark

Creepy ghost stories, misery memoirs, grisly crime novels: what is it about the dark that makes us seek it out in fiction? It's the same with TV and film and on occasion, let's face it, the news (*ahem* riot coverage *ahem*).

Is it like the car crash rubbernecker thing?

Although I would want to reject that, I suspect there is something to it. Perhaps it's a cathartic impulse: experiencing scary/nasty/dark things vicariously allows us to explore what we would do in those circumstances or gives us some kind of psychological benefit.

Following the #YAsaves furore, I read a great post on The Edge blog reporting on a panel discussion about what is appropriate for teen readers.  The title of the post was Reading is Safe. Perhaps that's what it is - a safe place from which to observe scariness. It's possible that reading about it is better than viewing it either in real life (as in the car crash) or on screen, since we have (arguably) some measure of control over the images in our minds, whereas once something is seen, it can't be unseen. Maybe that's why films are rated and books, as yet, aren't, although of course there are those who think they should be.

Personally, I don't read misery memoirs, and don't expect I ever would - I'm pretty sure I wouldn't enjoy the experience. I'm not a horror fan (in books or on-screen), but I do enjoy 'edgy' teen fiction, and I'll happily read fairly violent crime novels, thrillers and fantasy. I think that I enjoy tiptoeing around the edges of the dark like this as simple entertainment from my position of safety, but it may also serve a deeper psychological purpose.

How far into the dark do you venture? And what do you think the attraction is?

Tuesday Tidings: a Campaign to Help Writer-Bloggers Network

I've just signed up for Rachael Harries' Third Writers' Platform-Building Campaign. It looks like fun, and quite a few bloggers I already follow have also signed up for it.  To find out more about it, this is her sign-up post and you can also check the hashtag #writecampaign on Twitter. Sign-up opened yesterday and is available until August 31st.

Looking at her posts from previous campaigns, it's about helping like-minded writer-bloggers to find each other, and there are also fun challenges. This is her third campaign, and will be the second this year. The earlier one overlapped with the April A-Z challenge and I remember seeing some writers' challenge posts then but not really having an overall view of what was going on.

How many of you are going to join in? I'm looking forward to making some new blogging friends, but I'm sure I'll also get to know some existing ones better through the challenges.

Magical Monday: Bloodstone by Gillian Philip

The excellent sequel to the fabulous Firebrand, published this month by Strident.

Find it at Amazon UK

The Blurb says...
For centuries, Sithe warriors Seth and Conal MacGregor have hunted for the Bloodstone demanded by their Queen. Homesick, and determined to protect their clann, they have also made secret forays across the Veil. One of these illicit crossings has violent consequences that will devastate both their close family, and their entire clann. 

In the Otherworld, Jed Cameron - a feral, full-mortal young thief - becomes entangled with the strange and dangerous Finn MacAngus and her shadowy uncles. When he is dragged into the world of the Sithe, it s nothing he can t handle - until time warps around him, and menacing forces reach out to threaten his infant brother. 

In the collision of two worlds, war and tragedy are inevitable especially when treachery comes from the most shocking of quarters...

My verdict: full-throttle fantasy adventure. Essential reading for teens and above.
I loved Firebrand - it's easily one of my favourites of the books I've read in the last year or so (here's my review) - and I was a little worried that this might not live up to it. What groundless fear! Philip is an amazing writer who doesn't slip a millimetre. The voice, the characterisation, the plot, the pace - all perfect. Not that this is an easy read: Philip believes in making her characters - and her readers - suffer. Bloodstone makes a heart-wrenching and tense read. Like the first Rebel Angels volume, the novel focuses on Sithe characters interacting with our world (the Otherworld, as far as they're concerned). These are not the fluffy pink fairies of our disneyfied culture but nor are they evil faeries seeking solely to harm mortals. Philip's Sithe warriors are the feudal fae of folklore who lack human sensibilities but are perfectly capable of love and loyalty in their own way. Her main characters certainly gain both love and loyalty from her readers.


Seth's first-person narration, which was one of Firebrand's strengths, remains strong and engaging while showing some character development since the beginning of the saga (not too much, though - we love him for his moody teen-style aspects!). Passages of third-person narration also allow us insight into others' perspectives,with a different but equally effective voice. Like most readers of the first instalment, I fell in love with the central characters, and Philips has gleefully toyed with that emotion in this novel, whilst also providing new characters to share our devotion.

It's impossible (for me at least) to talk about plot without giving too much away, but take my word that the story will grip you and not let you put this down (just ask my poor neglected family!). The pace is relentless and sustained, with occasional humour, albeit of the dark variety, to lift the mood. There are two more books in this series to come, and I cannot imagine what they will contain, but no doubt I will once again be thrilled and gutted by turns.

This is my fourteenth British Books Challenge review.

Review: Soul Beach by Kate Harrison

A fascinating start to a new YA trilogy, publishing 1st September by Orion under their new Indigo imprint.

Find it at Amazon UK

Amazon description:
When Alice Forster receives an email from her dead sister she assumes it must be a sick practical joke. Then an invitation arrives to the virtual world of Soul Beach, an idyllic online paradise of sun, sea and sand where Alice can finally talk to her sister again - and discover a new world of friendships, secrets and maybe even love . . . . But why is Soul Beach only inhabited by the young, the beautiful and the dead? Who really murdered Megan Forster? And could Alice be next? The first book in an intriguing and compelling trilogy centred around the mystery of Megan Forster's death.


My verdict: intriguing and inventive. Left me desperate for the next instalment.
I haven't as yet read widely in the YA paranormal genre, but I found the premise of this book highly original. Combining social media, a murder mystery and the paranormal is inspired! 


The characterisation of Alice is strong and she fully had my sympathy. Harrison has drawn her well at a few months after such a shocking loss, and deals effectively with the alienation she experiences from her friends, and her parents' grief-stricken behaviour. Her growing obsession with Soul Beach is also entirely believable, as are her initial reactions to it. I found this a fairly quick read, as it drew me in and I struggled to put it down. As well as Alice's character, her feelings for her sister and the relationship they have through Soul Beach are also convincing and formed part of the book's apppeal.


The intriguing premise of a paradise acting as a kind of limbo (but only for the young and attractive dead) creates enough interest to sustain the reader, with many associated mysteries (why can't other guests see Alice? what are the rules? who decides these things?) but Harrison doesn't rely only on this. Her voice is effective at keeping us reading on its own, and there are other mysteries to ponder also, such as the unsolved murder. Occasional passages in the murderer's voice heighten the mystery and encourage us to ponder who might be guilty.


My one complaint is that there is no overall wrap-up to this book. It's very definitely instalment one of a series. Now that I have finished it and thought about it a bit more, I suppose that the book does present Alice, the main character, with a problem which she does solve to bring about the book's finale. It's just that this particular problem has been a subplot rather than the main narrative thrust. It's hard to talk about clearly without being spoilery, which I don't want to do. But trust me, after my initial reaction (but I want to KNOW...), I can see that there is some resolution which brings about progress from the start of the novel. I suppose I just usually expect each book in a series to conclude more strongly and definitively than this one does. Leaving questions unanswered is fine, but this book does that far more than any others I've read. That said, I would still recommend it as it is a good read - I just wish that the second and third books were available now!


This is my thirteenth British Books Challenge review.

Good Luck to Everyone Collecting AS & A2 results Today!

I hope you all get what you need for your next step, but I know there will be those that don't. If that's you, please do the following:

• DON'T run off home in a panic without speaking to anyone at your college or school. Or, if you've already done that, take a deep breath and phone them to see when people are there to help you. Most colleges and schools will have people in all day on Thursday and Friday to help you.
• Take a serious look at Clearing. There are places worth having available.
• Think seriously and properly about what you want and what you can do. Don't jump on the first opportunity that presents itself.
• Don't freak out. It feels like the end of the world, but it isn't. Shhh, don't tell anyone but some people are successful in life without going to a top uni; some even without going to uni at all. Take the opportunity to think about what you, personally, really, actually want.