Street Song Blog Tour

Sheena Wilkinson's latest novel for young adults is the story of former TV star Ryan. Ryan is not quite 18 but he feels he's already failed, having  had a short lived career as a singer following his appearance on a TV talent show. His fame as RyLee has turned him into an addict. The press have had a field day with his bad boy antics and Ryan has had enough of the manufactured and inauthentic sound that defined him. Following a stint in rehab Ryan is desperate to stay clean but his stepdad also wants him to return to school and the arguments become heated. A chance meeting with a girl called Toni also a musician leads to Ryan taking a trip to Belfast and he persuades himself that he's not running away he's starting over. But starting over with a new name and no money is going to be very tough. This is a fantastically written book; sharply plotted, full of interesting characters and plenty of twists and turns. It was a real pleasure to follow Ryan's journey to reinvent himself from the arrogant and pampered pleasure seeker to someone who starts to take responsibility for himself and others. The details and dialogues of teens lives in contemporary Dublin and Belfast are so spot on. There is real insight in this book about many issues that young people may face; exam pressure, drugs and alcohol, relationships, money and homelessness. The dark issues are dealt with carefully; with honesty but never loosing the air of hope and Sheena's insight is impeccable. If you are a fan of contemporary YA authors like Claire Hennessey, Sarah Crossan, E. R. Murray or Patrice Lawrence then this book is for you.

Today is the final day of The Street Song blog tour. Check out all the other stops listed on the banner for more reviews of Street Song. Thanks a million to Lina at Ink Road for the chance to review the book and take part in the blog tour.

To learn more about Sheena herself you can catch up with her on twitter @sheenawriter
Street Song is published by Ink Road the new YA imprint of Black & White Publishing in Edinburgh.

Dear Charlie by N. D. Gomes

Dear Charlie is a powerful contemporary debut novel. Set in England in 1996/97, it deals with the aftermath of a school shooting. The book is narrated by Sam; 16 years old and brother of Charlie, the one who carried out the shootings before taking his own life. Sam is desperate to understand Charlie's actions and he is also dealing with the media frenzy, the anger and grief of local people and trying to grieve for the brother he loved but he's not sure if he really knew him. The book is Sam's letter to Charlie and his attempt to work his way through his own grief. 

The book opens with Sam's fear as he starts a new school. He is bullied and harassed but he simply accepts it making no complaint. He soon realises that there are a group who don't attack him and begins to sit with them and eventually make friends. This group of outsiders become Sam's lifeline. He is able to just be a normal teenager; hanging out after school, joking around, going to parties. Somehow Sam is able to pull himself through the tortuous final months of school and try to get his life back on track.

This is a very clever and important book. While the author doesn't try to offer any easy answers to the great question of why school shootings happen she does show us Sam's and his parents struggle with the shock, anger, guilt, grief and recovery. We see Sam slowly make progress in therapy and return to his music and the tentative recovery of a relationship with his parents who had each retreated into their own misery after the killings. 

The author grew up in Scotland and was studying at Stirling University not far from Dunblane when the tragic school massacre took place there. She went on to become a teacher specialising in special needs and she was teaching in the U.S. just a few hours away from the Sandy Hook school when the horrific shootings took place there in 2012. The author's interest in and understanding of vulnerable teenagers really shines through in the writing of this novel and I highly recommend it.

Published by HQ an imprint of Harper Collins on 20th. Thanks to Isobel Fenlon of Midas PR for a review copy of the book.

Some Witchy YA

Originally featured on the waterstones blog here are my top picks of witchy YA

https://www.waterstones.com/blog/witchy-ya-for-the-samhain-season

Witchy YA for the Samhain Season - Halloween Spooktacular

Bookseller Lisa Redmond gives us a round up of Young Adult Witchery in time for Halloween.

Posted on 29th October 2015 by Lisa Redmond

Whether you are just looking for a seasonal slice of the supernatural or you need something to fill the gap while you await one of the most highly anticipated releases of 2016; Susan Dennard’s Truthwitch coming from Tor in January or like me you just love reading books about witches. This list is for you. 

Here are ten of the best Young Adult reads featuring Witches and Witchcraft. An obvious exclusion is the Harry Potter series but I’m going to assume you have heard about that already.

Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker

Hodder Books 2015

Set in an alternative 16th Century England. Elizabeth Gray is a witch hunter; part of the king’s elite guard, until she is falsely accused of witchcraft and sentenced to burn. Broken out of jail by a mysterious group of magicians she begins to question her loyalties. This is the first in a new historical fantasy series; dark, thrilling and romantic. 

Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb

Corgi 2012

This is the first in a trilogy and believe me you’ll want to read them all. Meg Lytton is in service to the banished Tudor Princess Elizabeth who begs Meg to use her power to tell the future. It is a very dangerous time to practise witchcraft and Meg has caught the eye of a local witchfinder and a handsome young priest in training. This is a book full of action and power and a great series.

 

Conversion by Katherine Howe

Oneworld 2014

This is a dual time tale revisiting the Salem witch trials and also featuring a contemporary mystery of a strange illness at St Joan’s Academy, an exclusive private school for girls. Why are students suddenly falling ill? Is it stress? Infection? Student Colleen has been reading The Crucible and she wonders is it witchcraft?

 

Hollow Pike by James Dawson

Orion 2012

Lis London moves to Hollow Pike expecting the countryside to be dull, but Lis keeps dreaming that someone is trying to kill her and when she discovers the local legends about witchcraft she starts to get really scared. This is a thrilling, twisty and spooky tale.

 

Crow Moon by Anna McKerrow

Quercus 2015

This is a fantastic future dystopia featuring witches in the beautiful South West of England. Danny is 16 and bored with his Mum’s witchcraft. He sets off across the moors looking for adventure and instead meets a girl. Full of thrills, action, adventure and romance. I loved this book and can’t wait to see what the author writes next.

 

The Merrybegot by Julie Hearn

OUP 2005

Nell is the daughter of the local cunning women and that means she is not only poor but an object of suspicion. When the minister’s daughters start spitting pins there are rumours of witchcraft and all eyes turn to Nell. With Witch-finder General Matthew Hopkins on his way how will Nell escape the noose?

 

Montacute House by Lucy Jago

Bloomsbury 2011

Cess is just thirteen when she is accused of bewitching her friend William. Caught up in a plot that involves magic, intrigue, murder and mystery. This is a well told and fast paced tale that younger and older teens will really enjoy.

 

A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton

Hodder Books 2012

This book was one of the first I read in a new wave of Urban Fantasy set in a realistic contemporary Britain. Anna Winterson has no idea about the traditions of witches and she certainly has no clue that she is one. She is much more focused on fitting in having moved to a new town with her Dad. This is exciting, compelling storytelling.

 

The Crowham Martyrs by Jane McLoughlin

Catnip Books 2015

A spooky tale of ghosts, demons, witches and mystery all set in a gothic boarding school. Maddy sees things no-one else can and when students begin to disappear and no-one is asking why, Maddy knows she will need to do some investigating of her own, but plagued by nightmares and visions does she really want to learn the secret of The Crowham martyrs?

Half Bad by Sally Green

Penguin 2014

Nathan is locked in a cage; beaten and brutalised, half Black Witch half White Witch he is an unknown quantity and cannot be trusted. This is a book about war, magic and power with an incredible narrative voice, it is dark, gritty and intense. Amazing.

Crow Moon by Anna McKerrow

This book is one of the teen debuts of the year so far a thrill ride of a novel combining contemporary, dystopia and magic. The characters are brilliantly drawn the story is excellent and the writing fast paced and gritty. Set in the near future, the south west has cut itself off from the rest of England and renamed itself The Greenworld this is a self sufficient community run by powerful female witches. Danny is a typical sixteen year old boy in that his biggest worries are avoiding work and trying to get girls to sleep with him, his Mum is head witch in his village and he is feeling bored and longs for adventure, when the chance to travel through dangerous moorland roamed by outlaws comes, Danny jumps at it and heads off to the next village. Here he meets a gorgeous young witch called Saba, draws the attention of an outlaw set on destroying the witches way of life and discovers powers of his own. This book is among the brilliant new wave of fantastic UKYA being published at the moment and will slake the thirst of fans of Kit Berry, Patrick Ness and Sally Green.
Thanks to Niamh Mulvey at Quercus and the author for sending me a copy.