The Overflowing Library

Diary of a Parent Trainer by Jenny Smith
Published by Scholastic
Challenges: none (read in 2010)
Source: Review Copy (UK Proof)


MEET KATIE SUTTON, WORLD AUTHORITY ON HOW TO HANDLE GROWN-UPS.

A must read novel for anyone requiring tips on how to control this bizarre species by (undiscovered) genius Katie Sutton - a fabulous, funny new teenage character who rivals Georgia Nicholson with her wit.

Katie is an expert on operating grown-ups. She knows exactly how to get the best out of them, so she decides to write a guide to help the world's long-suffering teenagers do the same.

But then Katie's mum starts dating the awful Yellow-Tie Man. Suddenly Mum is acting completely out of character and totally out of control! For everyone's sake, Katie needs to use all her expertise to get rid of him - and quick!

*** I received this lovely little title for review only recently. It wasn't a book I would have asked for or picked up in a shop but I am so glad that I have had t…

The cover of this looks freaky. I want this book for that alone!

Hourglass by Myra McEntire


For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmos…

The Fool's girl by Celia Rees
Published by Bloomsbury
Challenge: BBC
Source: Review copy (paperback)


Young and beautiful Violetta may be of royal blood, but her kingdom is in shambles when she arrives in London on a mysterious mission. Her journey has been long and her adventures many, but it is not until she meets the playwright William Shakespeare that she gets to tell the entire story from beginning to end. Violetta and her comic companion, Feste, have come in search of an ancient holy relic that the evil Malvolio has stolen from their kingdom. But where will their remarkable quest—and their most unusual story—lead? In classic Celia Rees style, it is an engrossing journey, full of political intrigue, danger, and romance.

This wholly original story is spun from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, and includes both folly and suspense that would make the Bard proud.

*** If you like Shakespeare you will love The Fool's Girl. The book is the story of how Shakespeare got th…

Clash by Colin Mulhern
Published by Catnip books
Challenge: DAC, BBC
Source: Review copy


Clash follows the story of two very teenager different boys, Alex the cage fighter and Kyle the artist both both attend the same school. Each chapter alternates between each boy's story which interweave with each other as their story progresses.

I wasn't too sure what I'd make of this book. The main character takes part in illegal cage fighting and I thought it might not be all that intelligent and just violent for the sake of it but it certainly wasn't. The best thing about it was getting underneath the skin of Alex. He is a cage fighter and he has earned the reputation of being psychotic at school as he will happily beat people up you are a lot bigger than him in a really nasty way. People are scared of him and keep out of his way. I found it really interesting to find out why he is the way he is and loved getting into this background and seeing home his home life had…

As always a huge thanks to Kristi at www.thestorysiren.com for hosting IMM each week

I had an awesome week book once again with some really fab titles (readitswapit.co.uk has been my friend this week)


Looking for Alaska by John Green (UK paperback) This book was a total surprise as I had no idea it was coming. I am slightly ashamed to say I have never read any John Green (I know it is bad of me).
Shadows on the Moon by Zoe Marriott (UK proof) I have heard quite a bit about Zoe and am excited about this one - it is huge btw
The opposite of Amber by Gillian Phillip (UK paperback) I am on the blog tour for this when it gets published - already read and enjoyed it!
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins (UK paperback) The ever wonderful Emma sent me this inside a parcel of awesome - I will follow up with pics soon on twitter of what she sent me.
Firelight by Sophie Jordan (UK paperback)
I've heard mostly awesome things about this one - looking forward to finally reading it.
Artichoke Hearts by Sita Brahmac…

Today I am joined by Jessica of http://nayusreadingcorner.blogspot.com for another instalment of bookcase showcase.

The first picture of my review TBR books, is actually two piles, one behind the other. These are books I'd like to read for my 2011 challenges, as well as the books which I need to give priority. There are a few missing because the next couple of books I'll be reading usually stay on my bed (I do take them off at night), just so I don't forget them. 

The second photo is an overall view of my shelves where I keep my books, for perspective. The bottom shelf is where I keep my review books. I put the oldest on the right, and the newest on the left. The piles which are on the left of the second shelf are the books which have several months before publication.  My method of keeping review books is admittedly a little hap-hazard. I keep a word document (not a spreadsheet), of which books I've been asked to read. All the rest are unrequested, and will …

Forsaken by Jana Oliver
Published by Macmillan
Challenge: DAC
Series: The Demon Trappers # 1
Source: Own copy bought with a giftcard my lovely friend Lauren gave me at Christmas


Riley has always wanted to be a Demon Trapper like her father, and she's already following in his footsteps as one of the best. But it's tough being the only girl in an all-guy world, especially when three of those guys start making her life more complicated: Simon, the angelic apprentice who has heaven on his side; Beck, the tough trapper who thinks he's God's gift, and Ori, the strikingly sexy stranger who keeps turning up to save her ass. One thing's for sure - if she doesn't keep her wits about her there'll be hell to pay...

*** Forsaken is the the first book in a series about Demon trappers. The ideas in it are original and the book sets up some fantastic ideas for what could potentially be an awesome series.

From the outset the thing I loved about this book was the di…

I just wanted to let you all know about this author event which I should be going in Norfolk on 8th April


Charlie Higson will be in North Norfolk on 8th April. The event starts at 5.30 and will be held at Aylsham Lodge (which is about a 15 - 20 min drive out of Norwich)

For more details check out The North Norfolk Children's Book Group website including where to get your tickets from for the event http://www.nncbg.co.uk/home.html

Charlie Higson is the author of the Young James Bond series and the Enemy series

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

This book looks awesome. Anyone know if it is getting a UK release???

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky


Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her.
Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking.
In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space.

Hexbound by Chloe Neill
Published by Gollancz
Challenge: None
Series: Dark Elite #2
Source: own copy



Lily Parker is new to St. Sophia’s School for Girls, but she’s already learned that magic can be your best friend…or your worst enemy.

They say absolute power corrupts absolutely. Turns out, even a little magic can turn you to the dark side. That’s why Lily has to learn how to control her newly discovered paranormal abilities, on top of avoiding the snobs who think they run her school, nursing a crush on a cute sophomore with a big, werewolf-y secret, and fighting the good fight with her best friend Scout as they take on Chicago’s nastiest nightlife—including the tainted magic users known as Reapers.

Then Lily’s invited to a private meeting with Sebastian. He’s hot, powerful, and offering to help her harness the magic flowing in her veins in a way no one else can. He’s also a Reaper. Lily can’t hide her suspicions. But she’ll soon find out that the line between good and evil…

Desires of the Dead by Kim Derting
Published by Headline
Challenge: None
Source: Review copy (UK paperback)


The missing dead call to Violet. They want to be found. Violet can sense the echoes of those who've been murdered—and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life. As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally she'd turn to her best friend, Jay, except now that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationship seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging into Mike's tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth t…

Thank you as always to the wonderful Kristi at www.thestorysire.com for hosting IMM

Quite frankly I have had an awesome week bookwise - my postman probably hates me!

This is what I got ....


Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Swoon (UK paperback)
I love the cover for this one and so can't wait to read it.

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White (US hardback)
I won this from the lovely Jess from Jessheartsbooks. I love hardback editions of books and am always jealous of you US people who get so many lovely books in hardback that we don't in the UK.

Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children by Ransom Riggs (US hardback)
This book looks really freaky - the girl on the cover is really a bit strange. It has photos dotted all the way through.

Die for me by Amy Plum (UK proof)
I love love love the cover for this one and sooooo can't wait to read it. I may have screamed (just a little bit) when opening this package

The gathering by Kelley Armstrong (UK paperback)
Kelley is one of those epic authors …

Today's bookcase showcase comes from a blogger who I think is really awesome (and one of the few boys out there). I'll let him introduce himself....

Hi there! My name is Andrew from The Pewter Wolf (http://thepewterwolf.blogspot.com) and I have a confession to announce: I am a book addict.

I buy goodness knows how many books and, because of that, my bookshelves and my ToBeRead piles are a bit manic. I call it an organised mess, but I know others would disagree with me.




My bookshelves are probably the most organised. I try and keep authors and series together (Harry Potter practically takes one shelf!). If I can help with it, I try and keep the hardbacks and the paperbacks in the series together, also. But due to the fact I have bought or am reading a lot of books lately, my shelves have become a bit overflowing, but I am trying to keep some order to them.


However, my To Be Read pile is less organised. The pile is by my bed and in a bedside table's drawer and the…

City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
Published by Random House Children's Books
Challenge: None
Source: Swapped on Readitswapit.co.uk


The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. Two hundred years later, the great lamps that light the city are beginning to flicker. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she’s sure it holds a secret that will save the city. She and her friend Doon must decipher the message before the lights go out on Ember forever! This stunning debut novel offers refreshingly clear writing and fascinating, original characters.

*** I liked this book but I would class this as younger Young Adult possibly even middle grade as the ideas, language used and characters are quite young. It is a really quick read and quite predictable but if you like your dystopian fiction you'll enjoy this.

The story centres around a city called Ember. Things aren't good for the city - supplies are running low, the officials are corrupt and no one kno…

The year the Gypsies came by Linzi Glass
Published by Penguin
Challenge: None
Source: Own (UK Hardback)


As twelve-year-old Emily Iris explains it, her mother and father have always been eager to take in travelers and vagabonds, relying on the presence of outsiders to ease the tension between them. Emily has her gentle older sister, Sarah, and Buza, the old Zulu nightwatchman, for company and comfort. But her parents continuing discontent leads them to welcome some peculiar strangers. One spring, a family of wanderers a wildlife photographer, his wife, and two boys comes to stay, and their strange, compelling, and dangerous presence will leave the Iris family infinitely changed.

*** It's been a while since I read any of Linzi's work and I don;t know why I have left it so long because her books are fab.

This book is set in the background of a modern historical context of Apartheid in Africa. What I like about it is that it isn't about Apartheid as such but a story a…

This title looks really awesome. I love the cover.

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby
Published by Simon Pulse







From Jessi Kirby, a debut novel about confronting the past in order to move ahead.

I read once that water is a symbol for emotions. And for a while now, I've thought maybe my mother drowned in both.

Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface.
While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- s…

I know what you did last summer by Lois Duncan
Published by ATOM
Challenge: None
Source: Review copy (Thank you ATOM)


It was only an accident -- but it would change their lives forever. Last summer, four terrified friends made a desperate pact to conceal a shocking secret. But some secrets don't stay buried, and someone has learned the truth. Someone bent on revenge. This summer, the horror is only beginning....

*** I picked up this book worried about what I might be letting myself in for. I saw the film adaption a while back and didn't think it was all that great. I am pleased to say it was nothing like the book at all and I really enjoyed it.

The book is similar to the film in that a group of 4 friends are involved in covering up a fatal accident they had been part of a year or so previously. The group have since started to receive mysterious letters and taunting amongst other things as the story progresses which they think are linked to the fact that they covered …

Credcendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
Published by Simon Pulse
Challenge: None
Source: Own Copy (Signed UK Hardback)


Nora Grey's life is still far from perfect. Surviving an attempt on her life wasn't pleasant, but atleast she got a guardian angel out of it: a mysterious, magnetic, gorgeous guardian angel. But, despite his role in her life, Patch has been acting anything but angelic. He's more elusive than ever and even worse, he's started spending time with Nora's arch-enemy, Marcie Millar.

Nora would have hardly noticed Scott Parnell, an old family friend who has moved back to town, if Path hadnt been acting so distant. Even with Scott's totally infuriating attitude Nora finds herself drawn to him - despite her lingering feeling that he's hiding something.

Haunted by images of her murdered father, and questioning whether her nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death, Nora puts herself increasingly in dangerous situations as she desperatly …

Thank you as always Kristi for hosting IMM. Check out her website www.thestorysiren.com

I had a fab book week this week and got some really exciting things in the post.



Chime by Franny Billingsley (UK hardback)
I had no idea this was coming but it looks awesome - I have a bout 4 more books to read before I get to it but I can't wait.


Blood on my hands by Todd Strasser (UK paperback)
This is coming from Walker and looks amazing.

Long Lankin by Lindsay Barraclough (UK hardback)
The gorgeous lovely Rosi (who is even more lovely as she is a fellow UEA graduate) sent me a finished copy of this. It is gorgeous and you should all go and buy one now. The book is a debut novel and it is stunning, I was lucky enough to get a manuscript copy ages ago and loved it.

The Autumn Place Ondine by Ebony McKenna (UK paperback)
Another one that came by surprise - I think it is the second in a series and looks a little younger than what I usually read. Will have to hunt the first down and give it a shot

D…

Today's post of by Kate from That Book Blog

Over to you Kate ....


Maybe I should start by telling you how I order my bookcase... there is no specific A-Z system, but it isn’t completely free range either. I insist on books by the same author being together (which may one day cause a problem with the next bookcase) and for series’ to be in the right order. As for standalone books by the same author (see the Maureen Johnson books on the bottom shelf) I order from left to right, the books that I have read to those that I haven’t gotten around to yet. On this case are my three favourite series: Noughts and Crosses, Harry Potter and The Hunger Games (Mockingjay is away at my friends’ house right now). As far as interesting stories as to how I got these books, only a few stand out... In the middle of the top shelf is a book, The Infinite Wisdom of Harriet Rose, which I bought with a book voucher a teacher gave me after she accidentally tore a corner of one of my Twilight books. So, that …

Rosebush by Michele Jaffe
Published by ATOM
Challenge: None
Source: Review Copy (Thank you ATOM)


See Jane run. See Jane die.

Instead of celebrating Memorial Day weekend on the Jersey shore, Jane is in the hospital surrounded by teddy bears, trying to piece together what happened last night. One minute she was at a party, wearing fairy wings and cuddling with her boyfriend. The next, she was lying near-dead in a rosebush after a hit and run.

Everyone thinks it was an accident, despite the phone threats Jane swears were real. But the truth is a thorny thing. As Jane's boyfriend, friends, and admirers come to visit, more memories surface--not just from the party, but from deeper in her past...including the night her best friend Bonnie died.

With nearly everyone in her life a suspect now, Jane must unravel the mystery before her killer attacks again. Along the way, she is forced to examine the consequences of her life choices in this compulsively readable thriller.

*** Rose…

Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakeley Cartwright
Published by ATOM
Challenge: None
Source: Review Copy (Thank you ATOM)


The body of a young girl is discovered in a field of wheat. Her flesh mutilated by telltale claw marks. The Wolf has broken the peace. When Valerie learns that her sister has been killed by the legendary creature, she finds herself at the center of a dark mystery, one that has plagued her village for generations. It is revealed that the werewolf lives among them, and everyone in the village immediately becomes a suspect. Could her secret love Peter be behind the attacks on her town? Is it her betrothed, Henry? Or someone even closer to her? As the men in the village hunt for the beast, Valerie turns to her grandmother for help. She gives Valerie a handmade red riding cloak, and guides her through the web of lies and deception that has held her town together for so long. Will Valerie discover the werewolf's identity before the town is ripped apart? …

I can't wait for this to come out in the UK - I've had my eye on it since it was released it the USA last year.

Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien
Published by Simon Pulse on 2nd May 2011


 After climate change, on the north shore of Unlake Superior, a dystopian world is divided between those who live inside the wall, and those, like sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone, who live outside. It’s Gaia’s job to “advance” a quota of infants from poverty into the walled Enclave, until the night one agonized mother objects, and Gaia’s parents are arrested. Badly scarred since childhood, Gaia is a strong, resourceful loner who begins to question her society. As Gaia’s efforts to save her parents take her within the wall, she herself is arrested and imprisoned. Fraught with difficult moral choices and rich with intricate layers of codes, BIRTHMARKED explores a colorful, cruel, eerily familiar world where one girl can make all the difference, and a real hero makes her own moral…

Jenna and Jonah's fauxmance by Brendan Haplin and Emily Franklin
Published by Bloomsbury
Challenge: None
Source: Review Copy (Thank you Bloomsbury)


Fans of romance don't need to look any further than the fauxmance brewing between teen idols Charlie Tracker and Fielding Withers—known on their hit TV show as Jenna and Jonah, next-door neighbors flush with the excitement of first love. But it's their off-screen relationship that has helped cement their fame, as passionate fans follow their every PDA. They grace the covers of magazines week after week. Their fan club has chapters all over the country. The only problem is their off-screen romance is one big publicity stunt, and Charlie and Fielding can't stand to be in the same room. Still, it's a great gig, so even when the cameras stop rolling, the show must go on, and on, and on. . . . Until the pesky paparazzi blow their cover, and Charlie and Fielding must disappear to weather the media storm. It's n…

Flip by Martyn Bedford
Published by Walker books
Challenge: BBC, DAC
Source: Review Copy (thank you walker!)


One December night, 14-year-old Alex goes to  bed. He wakes up to  find himself in the wrong bedroom, in an unfamiliar house, in a different part of the country, and it's the middle of June. Six months have disappeared overnight. The family at the breakfast table are total strangers.And when he looks in the mirror, another boy's face stares back at him.  A boy named Flip. Unless Alex finds out what's happened and how to get back to his own life,  he may be trapped forever inside a body that belongs to someone else.  Questions of identity, the will to survive, and what you're willing to sacrifice to be alive make this extraordinary book impossible to put down.

*** I really enjoyed this book because it was so different from anything else YA I have read recently

Flip follows the story of Alex a young boy who has woken up inside of Philip "Flip" b…

Thank you as always to Kristi for hosting In my mailbox www.thestorysiren.com


Not a huge busy week for me for books but the ones I receive were awesome ones!

I got ....

David by Mary Hoffman (UK Proof)

This one looks really awesome - I have never read anything by Mary Hoffman but I've told she's good.



Michelangelo’s statue of David is famous around the world. Millions flock to Italy every year to admire the physical perfection of the young man captured within the marble. But the identity of the model has never been known . . . until now. In this epic tale, acclaimed author Mary Hoffman imagines the story of Gabriele, a naïve but incredibly handsome young man who is hired as Michelangelo’s model, only to find himself drawn into a world of spies, political treachery, and murder. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Florence in its most turbulent times, this is a rich, colorful and thrilling tale that gives life to one of the world’s greatest masterpieces.



Blood Magic by T…

Today is the start of what I hope will be a regular feature here at The Overflowing Library called Bookcase Showcase. On Saturday's for the foreseeable future I will be inviting other bloggers to show off their book collection (be it showcased on their bookshelves or otherwise)

I for one am really excited about this because I love looking at other people's book collections and how they arrange them.

So today for the first Bookcase Showcase I am leading by example and showing you my own shelves.

My book collection is housed in our Library which is very much Overflowing. I love our Library because even though it is quite small it is a room with a huge comfy chair and it is full of books. I used to have only one bookcase but I nagged and made Hadley move some of his stuff around so I had more space.

I currently have two YA book cases which look like this ....



The books on these shelves are kept in alphabetical order and are mostly ones I have read (there are the odd few where I h…

Rockoholic by CJ Skuse
Published by Chicken House
Challenge: BBC
Source: Review Copy (Thank you Chicken House)






Jody loves Jackson Gatlin. At his only UK rock concert, she’s right at the front. But when she's caught in the crush and carried back stage she has more than concussion to contend with. Throw in a menacing manager, a super-wired super-star, and a curly-wurly, and she finds herself taking home more than just a poster. It’s the accidental kidnapping of the decade. But what happens if you’ve a rock-god in your garage who doesn’t want to leave? Jody’s stuck between a rock-idol and a hard place!

From the pen of C.J. Skuse, author of last year’s super cool debut Pretty Bad Things, comes a tale of rock star obsession gone nuts. Hilariously and sharply explores the fantasy and reality of celebrity obsession through a teenager’s eyes. C. J. Skuse has been billed as the new Nick Hornby for teens.

*** Before picking up this book I had not heard of the author befor…

The Kissing Game by Aidan Chambers
Published by Bodley Head
Challenge: None
Source: Review Copy (thank you RHCB)


In this brand-new collection of short stories, Aidan Chambers explores moments of truth, when a character or an event suddenly reveals an often-surprising meaning: A girl loses her humanity when she takes a summer job as a theme-park character; a boy tries to save a girl from a fiery death, only to discover the same event happened one hundred years before. And the titular story, in which an innocent game takes a fatal turn, will haunt the reader for a long time.
These provocative stories beautifully lend themselves to discussion, and once again Chambers treats us to his fiercely intelligent, finely crafted prose and his incisive understanding of the wonderings of young people on the verge of adulthood.
***

I thought this was a fab little quick read.

The Kissing Game is a collection of short stories all based on the different experiences of teenagers.

I liked how d…

This book sounds amazing. Does anyone know if it is being published in the UK?? To be fair I just love the cover!

Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker
published in summer 2011


The story of Lacey Anne Byers, a small town girl who is excited to star in Hell House, her church's annual haunted house of sin, until a childhood friend reappears and makes her question her faith.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
Published by Simon and Schuster
Challenges: None
Source: swapped on readitswapit.co.uk (UK paperback)


A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.
When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.
In a passionate story about looking beneath the sur…