Review: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Author: Samantha Shannon Website|Twitter
Published: 20 August 2013 (Bloomsbury)
Format: Hardback
Pages: 480
Buy the hardback: Amazon|BookDepository
Buy the e-book: Kindle|Kobo

Source: Bought

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing.

But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army.

Paige is assigned to a Rephaite keeper, Warden, who will be in charge of her care and training. He is her master. Her natural enemy. But if she wants to regain her freedom, Paige will have to learn something of his mind and his own mysterious motives.

My Review:
I've been hearing buzz about The Bone Season for a while, long before it was released. When the author was announced as a guest at Leakycon I was ecstatic, and even happier when they had copies available to buy at the con! The Bone Season tells the story of Paige Mahoney, a clairvoyant living in a world where people with her abilities are deemed "unnatural". Suddenly she is whisked from the criminal underworld of London to the lost city of Oxford, where she must live amongst a her fellow clairvoyants and the race of the Rephaim, and do her best to survive.

This is a pretty intense read. The opening fifty pages bring a wealth of information and terminology to gets to grips with. The book is set in an alternative version of London controlled by Scion - a republic built to quash clairvoyance - and features a whole load of clairvoyants like Paige with different abilities. In the front of the book is a sort of overview of the different types and their categories and I found that really helpful to refer back to. It took me a while to get my head around all these new words and phrases involved with the world. Suddenly there's all these words like aether and dreamscape, and all these districts of London with coded names. But I can understand why it is crammed into such a short space, because after about fifty pages the plot really steps up a gear and it's all action from then on in. I appreciated that set up, even if it was a lot to take in, because it meant you got to the plot quickly.

The book is told from Paige's perspective, and I found her really fascinating as a character. She's had to accept her place in life and thrives on her work in the criminal syndicate. It was interesting to see the moral dilemmas she faces when she does things she doesn't think herself capable of. Her clairvoyant abilities gives her the power to separate her spirit from her body, a power which is feared and admired in equal measure. I loved how much detail has gone into the way her abilities work and that you get to see the fear and danger associated with such power.

I adored the way you get to learn Paige's story through the things happening in the present, and the memories from her past which are included throughout the story. Everything flowed together so well, and it felt like the book was layered up with all these brilliant little pieces of information that all come together to build this incredible world.

The writing in The Bone Season is stunning, and it's honestly one of those novels where you just can't fathom how somebody has dreamt it all up. The attention to detail is incredible, and the world is so rich and wonderful. I loved losing myself in the futuristic city of London (the book is set in 2059 in an alternative universe - the course of history differing from our own) as well as the setting for the majority of the book, Sheol I. The descriptions of the places and spiritual elements were so vivid and visual. I can't wait to see this book on screen one day, because I can see it lending itself to that medium so well.

The characters were some of my absolute highlights of The Bone Season. From the tricksy Jaxon, to the lovable Nick, vulnerable Seb and the intriguing Warden - I loved the range and variety of characters Shannon has conjured up. Seeing Paige's relationships with all these people was what really drew me in to the story. The history between her and Nick was one of my favourite things and I loved discovering more about their past throughout the story. The connection between her and Warden and that growing intensity had me hooked. I was so invested in that relationship. I also loved seeing her interact with other people in her new home of Sheol I, like when she meets Liss and Julian. She comes across as so caring and really looks out for other people.

The Bone Season ticks so many boxes and hits so many spots. It has that perfect blend of fantasy, sci-fi, paranormal and dystopia, with an action-packed plot, yet manages to feel completely unique and stand out from the crowd. The main character, Paige, is nineteen, so whilst it does fall outside of the YA category, it will definitely appeal to YA fans. I think this is the perfect crossover book that will appeal to all ages, much like Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. In fact genre wise, too, if you liked that book then I think you will adore The Bone Season too!

It's not a light read, and it takes a while to get your head around everything. I think you probably have to be in the right frame of mind to read this kind of intense fantasy and I hope people won't be put off by the opening few chapters where everything seems quite daunting. Trust me, the pay off is definitely worth it in the end. I was utterly captivated by the world and hooked to the pages of the story. I didn't want to put it down. I wanted to completely lose myself in that world. The climax was incredible and I can't wait to read to return to Paige's story!

Rating: 4*
What to read next: This is the first book in The Bone Season series.
Books like this: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman

Review: All the Truth That's in Me by Julie Berry

All the Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry

Author: Julie Berry Website|Twitter
Published: 31 August 2013 (Templar)
Format: Paperback (proof)
Pages: 272
Buy the hardback: Amazon|BookDepository

Source: Received proof copy from publisher in exchange for an honest review (thanks Templar!)

Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family. Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas. But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever. This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last.

My Review:
I was offered the chance to get a proof copy of this and just couldn't resist when I read the plot summary. All the Truth That's In Me tells the story of Judith who has returned to her hometown after she was captured and kept away from her home, friends and family for two years.

The first thing you notice whilst reading All the Truth That's in Me is the different way the author has chosen to narrate the story. Judith is telling the story to her childhood friend Lucas so it's written as if she's speaking to him (she refers to him as "you"). I really liked that and it immediately made it stand out from other books I'd read, as well as helping me connect with Judith and helping to get across how she feels about Lucas - something which plays a key role in the story. The book also uses short "chapters" broken up with Roman numerals, and these smaller chunks of text helped keep the book pacy and stopped my attention straying. It also meant I rarely put the book down because there wasn't that temptation to stop at the next chapter!

The opening of the book took a little getting into because it flits about in time. Judith is explaining both her life in Roswell Station before she was taken, whilst also giving hints at what is to come. Once I got used to it, however, I came to really love the storytelling. The nature of the small town was fascinating as it's one of those places where everyone knows each other and people are incredibly judgmental. The townsfolk face a lot of issues with Judith going missing and the body of her friend Lottie being found. There were also moments where they had to defend the town and I loved seeing how the characters coped and reacted to the realities of war and fighting. Throw in the struggle with money that many families face and that sometimes harsh living conditions and it made for an interesting backdrop to the story.

Ultimately, though, this is Judith's story and her tale is one that is completely captivating. I thought it was interesting that it took quite a way into the book for her name to appear, but it's made clear that that is done intentionally and it was a moment that was really poignant. When Judith returns from her time in captivity she's had part of her tongue removed and struggles to speak. I found that barrier she has to overcome and the way she coped with it made her someone you really want to root for. There's so much trauma she has to cope with and I just found her as a character completely compelling.

The relationships between the characters in All the Truth That's in Me were a real strong point for me. I particularly liked the relationship between Judith and her brother Darrel, and the developing bond between Judith and Maria. The fractious relationship between Judith and her mother was also one I drawn to. It was heartbreaking to witness. Then there were the baddies who obviously play a big role, what with Judith having being kidnapped. I loved how Berry has managed to create this complex web of suspicious characters and how the full story wasn't unravelled until the gripping conclusion to the book.

Although All the Truth That's In Me deals with some tough issues, it's definitely not all bleak. The second half of the book provides some truly uplifting moments and I could feel that sense of hope as the book moved along. It's a story where you really root for the characters and I became so wrapped up and invested in their lives that I couldn't put it down. It's not a particularly long book, and I was so reluctant to part from the pages that I read it in the space of a day.

I think this is one of those books that will appeal to a wide range of readers because it doesn't feel like anything else I've read, especially in YA. When I finished it I already had a load of names in my head of people I want to recommend this to who wouldn't usually read the same books as me. I think the writing is so strong and I defy anyone to not get drawn into the story and the characters, and just the fact the book is so unique made me feel like I was reading something truly special.

It takes a little while to get into All the Truth That's in Me but once you're there it's totally worth it because it's a story that will stay with you long after you close the pages. I'll definitely be reading more from this author from the future and recommending this book to anyone who wants something a little different with real emotion and heart to it.

Rating: 4*
What to read next: Secondhand Charm by Julie Berry
Books like this: A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnely

Weekly Book Round Up! 5th - 18th August

 Weekly Book Round Up!

5th - 18th August

So this is a pretty big round up because I didn't post one whilst I was away at Leakycon, so this covers bits of stuff from before, during and after. I had an absolutely amazing time and I'm still on a Leakycon come down. Can we please go back and do it all again?! Links in this post go to Goodreads, Amazon or my own reviews.

 Currently reading:

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Bought this at Leakycon! Already heard so many good things so I'm really excited to be reading it, and it's incredible so far. Such an intricate world and fast paced plot!

Books finished:  
Paper Aeroplanes by Dawn O'Porter
Hollow Pike by James Dawson

Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve
The Savages by Matt Whyman
The Cuckoo's Calling by J. K Rowling

Books reviewed:

The Wolfstone Curse by Justin Richards
Stitch by Samantha Durante
Hopeless by Colleen Hoover
Rory by Ciye Cho
Vortex by S. J. Kincaid
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catheynne M. Valente

Library books:

The Cuckoo's Calling by J. K. Rowling

Finished this this week. Probably won't review it on the blog but might over on Goodreads. I love crime fiction and this had that familiar feel of a good detective novel. I certainly enjoyed it more than The Causal Vacancy which I sadly didn't like...

Bought:

Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
Cruel Summer by James Dawson
Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

Bought the first three at Leakycon to get signed and bought Going Vintage from Foyles!

Leakycon freebies:
Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne
Slated by Teri Terry
Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff
Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher
Wither by Lauren DeStefano

The top four are from the Books With Bite stand and the Wither was from the Harry Potter Alliance's Apparating Library - where you donated a book and got one in exchange.

Kindle freebies:
Canary by Rachele Alpine
Jordyn by Tiffany King 

iBooks freebies:
Obsidian by Jennifer L. Arementrout
The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda
Young Sherlock Holmes: Death Cloud by Andrew Lane
Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
 Evernight by Claudia Gray
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

I was just casually browsing the iBooks store when I noticed how many amazing books were available for free! I've already read Evernight and The Iron King, but didn't own them. The others are books I've been wanting to read for ages so I was so excited! Particularly about Obsidian and Stormbreaker.

Sync Audio Freebies:
Enchanted by Alethea Kontis
Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll

For review:

The Rainbow Maker's Tale by Melanie Cusick-Jones
The Girl Next Door by Selene Castrovilla

I read the first book in the Ambrosia Sequence by Melaine Cusick-Jones (Hope's Daughter) and enjoyed it, so I'm really excited to read this one. This book is told from Balik's POV. I received The Girl Next Door as I'm on the blog tour in September so keep an eye out for my post then!

Other posts:
What I'm Recommending: The Books I'd Never Heard of Edition
Waiting on Wednesday: Fearsome Dreamer
Top Ten Tuesday: Books With a School Setting
Waiting on Wednesday: Champion
Leakycon Recap and Book Haul
Leakycon Lit Panel Recap: Part One 
Leakycon Lit Panel Recap: Part Two

Leakycon Lit Panel Recap: Part Two

So after a jam packed first day of lit panels on Friday (see my first recap post here) it was back to do it all again on Saturday! There were just two lit panels I made it to this day, as well as the lit signing. But oh my were they good panels! Below are the highlights of the Friday lit panels I attended. I hope you enjoy!

Panel Recap

Who Has it Worse?

 Dawn O'Porter and James Dawson, moderated by Matt Whyman

This was the only lit panel that was open to the entire conference (so you didn't need a lit pass to attend) and took place in the giant Grand Hall of the Grand Connaught Rooms. It followed on from the Potter Mega Movie Panel so I was able to stay in the room and get a good seat! Melissa Anelli (who runs Leakycon) was plugging this panel both before and after the movie panel as well, so I think a lot of people were encouraged to stay.

Dawn O'Porter and James Dawson were introduced to the audience and we heard a little bit about their books. The premise of this panel was looking at boys and girls growing up and going through puberty and teenage life, and seeing who has it worse. Dawn's book Paper Aeroplanes deals with a lot of the grizzly truth about being a teenage girl (i.e periods) and James has just written a non-fiction book entitled Being a Boy which goes through every aspect of teenage boy life.

The panel started out with Matt asking the others about their most embarrassing teenage moments. For Dawn it was periods, and having to ask a teacher for a sanitary towel, and being outed to her classmates as having already started. James' most embarrassing moments were being a late bloomer, and the rather unfortunate incident of being photographed on the toilet by kids at his school. He revealed his young looks saved him as they all thought the person snapped doing their business was a kid from a younger year!

Dawn discussed life growing up on Guernsey, which is where Paper Aeroplanes is set (not Jersey as Matt thought!). She also mentioned the fact that she grew up in the last generation to be without mobile phones and the Internet. When she was growing up they had to pass notes, or better yet have actual conversations with people to solve their problems. One of my favourite nuggets of information was that Dawn originally intended the book to feature characters in their thirties, but the final product ended up as a YA novel with characters in their teens, a change she was very glad to have made. She also discussed the things she did as a teen, such as over-sharing and comparing herself to other girls in her class. She simply had to know that they were all going through exactly the same things!

James discussed the trials of being a teenage boy, such as the difficulty in being able to be open about body issues when you're a guy. He discussed his hatred of the word "banter" which he sees as a sort of cover up for saying horrible things about people. Talking about his inspiration for his book Being a Boy, he discussed his past as a PSHE teacher and how reading How to be a Woman by Caitlyn Moran really drove him to write his own version. He said Being a Boy is all of his worries from his own teenage years compiled into a book. He explained that he knew if he left anything out then readers with any leftover questions would head straight to the unreliable Google, so he didn't want to exclude anything for that reason. (He said he'd found the strangest things whilst Googling stuff for the book!) Being a Boy covers puberty, sex, relationships - you name it. He also talked about including humour and striking the right tone. (One of the overriding things I took away from the lit panels is that James Dawson is freaking hilarious so I have no doubt that book is spot on and funny!).

Next they were asked what the best thing about being a girl/boy was. Dawn briefly mentioned women's bodies (I think someone from the audience had shouted "boobs!" when the question was first asked!) before moving on to the relationship between women have with other women, and how empowering that is. She said women are funnier when men aren't around because sex and competition are out of the equation, and that affinity like in mother/daughter relationships is really special.

James started with the fact that society benefits being a white male, and then went on to being able to pee standing up!

When asked what the worst thing about being a girl/boy was, Dawn answered bras. She always has issues with bras! (I can sympathise.) For James, the worst thing is the perception of macho-ness, and that people assume because you're male you know about football, or that you'd step into a fight, or that talking about your problems makes you any less of a man. He bemoaned the fact that that force field men put up around themselves is embedded at such a young age, and from then on they just don't talk about stuff.

After that, the authors were asked what they could do if they were a member of the opposite sex for the day. Dawn said she'd be Mick Jagger and sleep with absolutely everyone. James said he'd enjoy having a vagina for the day, and would take advantage of being a woman around all the hot men at the gym. More specifically, he'd be Tilda Swinton doing a fashion shoot.

The two discussed where they got their information about sex when they were growing up. For Dawn, she got all her information from the sexuality section of the library. Then James went on to talk about the porn sharing syndicate of his youth where magazines would be hidden in certain places that everyone knew about. Matt chipped in with the story of where he thought babies came from, which was from the back of a car. That's because when his siblings were born, his parents would lead him out to the car and produce this baby from the back!

When asked what advice they would give their younger selves, Dawn said she'd tell herself not to worry about being popular. James would tell himself to chill out and that everything isn't so life and death. They agreed hindsight makes it easy and then discussed whether they would tell their children about their pitfalls and how to avoid them, or whether they'd let them make their own mistakes because that's how you learn. That really made me think! Matt discussed the magazine column he writes for Bliss magazine and how much it embarrasses his children. The authors then talked about how they'd like to be able to give off a "you can come and talk to me about anything!" vibe when they're parents, because they came from families where you just didn't talk about stuff.

Dawn brought up a project she's been working on which is a book raising money for breast cancer charities entitled The Booby Trap and Other Bits and Boobs, filled with poems and stories from celebrities and authors surrounding the topic of breasts. It sounds absolutely hilarious and apparently Sarah Millican's entry is one to look out for!

The panel then moved to audience questions, and there were some absolutely brilliant ones. The first was about gendered book covers, referencing Maureen Johnson's cover flip experiment. Both authors said they felt really lucky with their covers. Dawn talked about how she knew the two girls that were photographed for her cover, and how that added something personal to it. James mentioned that both his covers have female models of some sort on and how as a male author that goes against the grain.

In my notes at this point I've written down that Dawn talked about there being too many female characters called Clara (which the audience seemed to agree on!). I can't remember exactly how that linked in with the rest of the discussion but I'm throwing it in this post anyway!

Another audience question focussed on feminist icons for the 21st century. Names brought up were Caitlyn Moran, Lena Dunham, Oprah Winfrey for building an empire and Beyonce who was described as a symbol of power that proves feminism doesn't have to be anti-sex. Both authors had lots of praise for Caitlyn Moran, saying she made feminism trendy. The Beckhams were brough up with David being a blueprint for boys, and with Victoria having her own fashion empire, the two are on an equal footing. They talked about how women are critisised more than men when they mess up and that guys get more freedom. Dawn talked about how she doesn't like the role model label and that we need to stop putting pressure on women.

Another audience question brought up girl guiding and scouting, and what the authors thought of that division between boys and girls. James talked about questioning his gender growing up, before fully inderstanding his sexuality, and how he always felt excluded when his sister went to guides. Dawn said she couldn't comment much because she'd been thrown out of girl guides when she was young! (As, it turned out, had someone else in the audience!)

Next up was a question about the coverage of mental illness in the media. They talked about how the media really needs to lead the way when it comes to perceptions, and James commented that BBC Three are doing a great job with their recent documentaries on the topic. It was talked about how hard it is for boys to show weakness. James wishes we talked about it more and says the internet has opened doors, for example support communities on Tumblr where people are open about their issues and it enables people to reach out. They talked about being able to look back as an adult and have respect for mental illness now that they fully understand it.

An audience member asked about how teens views are shaped, and mentioned her flatmate hates feminism and doesn't think women should have the vote. This pretty much shocked and baffled everyone, from the audience to the authors! Apart from saying how ridiculous the whole thing was, they stressed the freedom we have in the UK and how far ahead we are of other countries, and how we shouldn't take that for granted. There was also a question from a secondary school student who got stick at her school for being a feminist. Everyone got behind her for doing what she does!

Another audience member asked about the differing perceptions of two girls kissing and two guys kissing, and how gay women are often objectified. James brought up the Twitter page Everyday Sexism and talked about how homophobia is related to misogyny. Why is it that two guys kissing is seen as girly?

There were also questions and discussions on the glamorisation of men in fiction, and whether or not it gives women unrealistic hopes. I think the consensus was that women are smart and that we know guys aren't all perfect, and that we wouldn't want them to be. Dawn talked about the fact that it's all the men she knows now that are on diets and how much pressure they have on them.

I know there is so much more that was discussed in this panel, but I hope that's a pretty good overview of all the important bits! This was definitely one of the highlights for me, because Dawn and James are such fantastic speakers and it was just so freaking hilarious. Like I just realised I forgot this gem of a quote:

P.s SPERM GOES FOR MILES #youhadtobethere
— Dawn O'Porter (@hotpatooties) August 10, 2013

It was such a brilliant topic for a panel and people asked some awesome questions. Thank you Dawn, James and Matt for a great time!

Who Needs School?

 Elizabeth Wein, Samantha Shannon, Matt Whyman, Abigail Gibbs, James Dawson

This was absolutely one of my most anticipated panels, and I'll explain why. I'm a bit of a school drop out. In my teens I had health problems which really affected my education. I got a handful of GCSEs and no A levels, so at the moment I am sort of weighing up what to do with my life and whether to brave going to university. I was really interested to hear the backgrounds of some succesful authors and see what advice they had when it came to education, both as an aspiring writer and a failed student.

Again, this panel was moderated by the lovely Rosianna Halse Rojas an it started with the authors introducing themselves and explaining their academic backgrounds.

James started out by saying that he didn't study A level English, because GCSE English killed his love of reading. He discussed how creative writing is such a small part of the syllabus and he felt like he should keep that part of him quiet. Matt didn't connect with English at school, and it wasn't until later in life that he was inspired to write. Samantha studied English at Oxford, but not creative writing, and that she didn't want to be taught how to write. Abigail said having experience of other things was essential and that you can't live and breathe writing. Elizabeth explained how she applied for creative writing classes throughout college, but that the applications were chosen on merit and that she was rejected at every turn, meaning she graduated without having taken a class in creative writing. She did her PHD in folklore.

James talked about how writing has never felt like a job, and that by having qualifications that supposedly prove you can write, you're ruling out a lot of perfectly capable people who don't have those qualifications.

Samantha and Abigail talked about being unsure of going to university. Samantha said that writing is for everyone and that it is subjective. Just because one person doesn't like your writing doesn't mean others won't! Abilgail talked about how writing was her dream and university was her backup. She felt hearded towards further education because of the school she attended, and went on to point out that people may end up at university because of that pressure when in reality, they are much more suited to other things.

Matt talked about how writing in his spare time makes it more enjoyable.

Abigail talked about the tough job market and how coming out of university with a degree doesn't guarantee anything, because there are so few jobs. They discussed money and the rising cost of tuition fees and how the current generation has to take that into consideration now. Elizabeth stressed that her degree was ridiculously expensive, even compared to today's UK tuition fees. 

James stressed that's important to carry on with the arts, even if you're not making money. As long as you're passionate about writing, drama, art - carry on with your passion.

There were several discussions where the authors talked about other writing projects they've taken on to supplement their income. James talked about his work writing scripts for a new line of dolls called "SaySay dolls" - I think he was relieved nothing ever came of them! Samantha has worked as a copy editor and Matt has ghost written books - including one he said he wasn't supposed to talk about, which involved the winner of a TV talent competition. Elizabeth discussed a series she'd ghost written where she was handed the plot and the characters and just had to churn out the story. James brought up a project he was offered, where the idea for a series was put to him by a publisher and he turned it down. Apparently that series is now out in the wild with a different author's name on it! Abigail talked about how you don't have to stick to fiction. Matt writes an advice collumn in Bliss magazine, for example.

They discussed the publishing industry and how it helps to be informed. This is where my ears really started to prick up because I'd love to work in publishing one day. Samantha discussed her blog about the publishing industry which she started to help dispel some misconceptions about the industry. Elizabeth talked about how important connections were, and that networking and knowing people in the industry had really helped her out. Matt joked that marrying someone in the industry is a great way in, and they all agreed that being able to communicate well was a great skill when it came to being launched into the world of publishing.

Samantha talked about the expectations placed on her because of the fact she is an Oxford student, and how she worries that things like typos that have snuck through the editing process will be scrutinised and she'd be judged because of silly things like that. Abigail talked about the harsh criticisms she'd had from tutors, and how other students react to her being a published author (like asking her for quotes for their projects!).

An audience member asked about studying English Lit and whether you needed to be able to analyse a book to death to really appreciated. Everyone agreed you don't need to analyse a book to enjoy it.

They talked about the moral issues surrounding ghost writers and whether it was fair to the audience, and I think everyone agreed that when it comes to celebrity books, people know that it's ghost written. A few hopes were shattered when children's books were outed as being ghost written! But as it's something a fair few of the authors had done as a way to earn some extra income, they said it was something worth considering, and that it was a good way to get your writing out there.

The panel finished off with some questions about the publishing industry and advice for people wanting to get published. Abigail, who oringially posted her word on Wattpadd, spoke about the advantages of that, like how you can get instant feedback. Elizabeth recommended the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and everyone recommended the Writer's and Artist's Yearbook for those needing a starting book for finding an agent etc.

I really enjoyed this panel and it completely inspired me to get back to writing, and also helped me consider some things about the future when it comes to education! I think it proved that anyone can write, and that you don't have to have studied the craft. Thanks to the authors for another great panel!

Lit signing number 2!

Dawn O'Porter and Abigail Gibbs, two of the authors from today's panels, hadn't been there for the first lit day, so I was really excited to meet them at the second lit signing. I made my way up to the fourth floor, back to the Waterstones stall so I could pick up a copy of Cruel Summer by James Dawson. I'd loved all of his panels and I'd heard great things about this book, but I'd been so weighed down with books at the previous signing that I hadn't had chance to pick up any more!

I managed to make a total fool of myself in front of Dawn and Abigail because I LOVED Paper Aeroplanes so much that I sort of gushed a lot at Dawn when I reached her, and I told Abigail how inspired I'd been as a writer when I saw interviews with her before her first book was released. When I got to James Dawson I told him how after all of his panels all I wanted to do was go and listen to the Spice Girls (because he kept bringing up the fact he wrote for a Spice Girls fanzine!) so when he wrote in my book he put "Spice up your life!" which literally made my day. I laughed so much. Plus at the Esther Earl Rocking Charity Ball later that evening they played Wannabe! Woo!

And that concludes the Leakycon Lit track! Thank you to all the Leakycon staff, organisiers and volunteers, Maureen Johnson, the team at Hot Key Books at the awesome Waterstones Oxford Street team, as well as all the lovely authors and the fantastic fellow bookish people I met in queues and panels. You really made my week!

Leakycon Lit Panel Recap: Part One

So I went to Leakycon last week and took part in the Leakycon Lit track. This meant I got access to some awesome panels with YA authors, where they discussed their work and tips and experiences from writing. I also got the chance to go to two signings which was incredible. In this post I'm going to recap the panels from the second day of Leakycon (which was the first day of lit panels!). I hope you enjoy!

The Panels

Sally Gardner and Elizabeth Wein in Conversation

This was one of my absolute must-go-to panels when I first saw the schedule, and it was up first! I arrived a little bit early to the room and was the first one there. There were two lit panels on at the same time, so a lot of people headed to "Let's Make a World" instead. When we got into the room and got started, there were only about ten or so people there, partly due to the other lit panel taking place next door and partly because it was at the same time as the Nerdfighter meet up with Hank Green in the Grand Hall. We started out by explaining to Sally Gardner who Hank Green was. Of course everybody's heard of John Green because of his books, but Hank Green is a bit more of an unknown!

The panel was moderated by Rosianna Halse Rojas who did a fantastic job of asking questions and creating some great discussions. The two authors covered topics such as writing historical fiction (Sally Gardner commented how it gave characters more freedom for adventure because there are less health and safety restrictions to be tied to!), as well as the pressure of writing after winning awards. Sally Gardner discussed the reception of Maggot Moon and how it was very love/hate.

This brought the authors on to one of my favourite parts of the discussion - online reviews! They both said the negative ones were very hard to take at the beginning, but over time they've learnt to ignore them and sepearate themselves from that nasty 1%. The two also talked about participating in blog tours which was really interesting. They both commented on how hard it can be to rush out extra pieces which distract from their writing time. Sally talked about her dyslexia and how rushing to finish something which was all spelt correctly for a blog tour or interview was quite a challenge. 

The two talked about the more technical side of writing historical fiction and the research that goes into it. Elizabeth Wein spoke about the pen she describes at length in Code Name Verity and how fascinated she was by it that she simply had to include it. I loved hearing her speak about that because when I read the book I remember thinking how cool it was too! The two of them spoke about researching the different types of aeroplanes they've both had to describe in their writing. Elizabeth Wein commented that feedback from Code Name Verity about their being too many technical descriptions was taken into consideration when editing Rose Under Fire, and that they actually cut down on the amount of technical detail in the second book.

They also discussed the crossover appeal of YA and Elizabeth Wein talked about visiting book shops with dedicated YA sections and how that was a new thing she wasn't used to. She also mentioned how intimidated she was by the paranormal romance-esque sections of book shops filled with black covers, and how uninviting those sections seemed!

They opened it up to questions and I got up the nerve to ask the first one! I asked what they thought of how history was taught to youngsters because I myself struggled with it in the past and have often been intimidated by history and historical fiction. They both agreed I'd had bad teachers (I'm with them there!) and that sometimes the most fascinating bits of history are the bits they don't teach you in school. It definitely encouraged me to go out and immerse myself in history a bit more.

It was an absolute pleasure to hear two incredible authors speak and I'm so glad I got the opportunity!

Fear and Loathing in the Writing Process: How to Stop Worrying and Learn to Love the Terror

James Dawson, Matt Whyman Sally Gardner, Samantha Shannon, Elizabeth Wein

I like to write myself and still harbour dreams of publishing a novel one day, so I was really excited to hear first hand experiences of authors and their fears when it came to writing. The authors introduced themselves and their work to start out. Then there was a hilarious moment where somebody bought James Dawson some Haribo after he'd mentioned wanting some on Twitter!

One of the the first things they discussed and which they all agreed upon, was how scary it was to label yourself as a "writer".  All of them were even more intimidated by the term "author"! They all mentioned how they felt like frauds and that they'd be caught out at any moment as not being good enough. I thought it was really interesting to know that even published writers struggle to feel good enough, which is something we can all relate to when we write!

Rosianna - who moderated this panel too - asked all the authors about writer's block. Samantha Shannon had some great words to say on this topic, talking about the difference between writer's shock and writer's block. She described shock as having to power through and just write anything at all, whereas when she has writer's block she needs to step away for a little while and come back to writing later.

There was lots of talk about how you balance your writing around other life commitments. An audience member asked a question about being motivated to write when all they wanted to do after work/school was come home and watch TV. Laure Eve gave some great advice about this, as she is currently working as well as writing. She says she makes the most of her commute and writes on the train to and from work. They agreed it's all about finding that window and making the most of it!

Samantha Shannon talked about how shy she was this time last year and  how she wouldn't have been able to do the panel this time last year because of it. I could definitely sympathise with that!

One of my favourite discussions was on making dialogue sound realistic (as it's one of my pet peeves when I read dialogue that isn't!). They talked about how reading and acting things aloud can really help not only dialogue become more accurate, but things like facial expressions and body language. If you act them out it ensures the positions are physically possible!

Another audience member asked about the technology they used to write which was a great one to talk about. Somebody mentioned Scrivener, which is a writing programme which allows you to organise your story. Most of the authors still used old fashioned Microsoft Word, but Sally mentioned that she uses her Mac which syncs to all her other Apple products, so whenever she goes back to her story on whichever device she uses, she has the most recent version of her manuscript.

Somebody also asked about NaNoWriMo which I was really excited about, having taken part myself. I think all the authors agreed that getting that initial draft on paper was a huge advantage.

I felt like I learnt a lot during this panel and it definitely inspired me to get back to writing!

I was a Teenage Author

Will Hill and Elizabeth Wein

This is a panel that has taken place at other Leakycons and has had a great reception. Basically the idea is that the authors turn up with writing they did as a child and read it aloud to the audience. There was a pretty good audience for this panel and it was honestly one of the funniest parts of the con.

The two authors for this panel were Will Hill and Elizabeth Wein, and the two shared several stories they'd worked on, even pieces from as young as the ages of six and seven. There were short stories and excerpts of full length novels. What was really fun was seeing how the two authors had been influenced by books and films. They were effectively writing fanfiction before fanfiction was a thing like it is today!

One of my favourite parts of this panel was when Elizabeth Wein brought out university applications she'd filled in as characters from her stories. It was so funny! And such a brilliant idea to really get you in the head of those characters. If you've read Code Name Verity then you'll know that Wein uses prescription forms in the story for one of the main characters to use as paper, only she ends up filling them out on behalf of the people around her. Wein commented that she'd filled them out herself for so many characters whilst writing the book.

It's hard to recreate the stories they read aloud in a blog post because they were so hilariously bizarre! Elizabeth Wein read a lot of her Welsh historical fantasy novel, and Will Hill read several short stories as well as a story featuring a CIA agent set in Canada. What was great was that the authors could look back and laugh on their attempts from such a young age, and it gave us all hope that no matter where you start out, and how crazy those initial attempts at writing are, every little helps!

The Lit Signing

Earlier in the day, I'd popped round to the signing room which was where Waterstones were based, so that I could get my hands on a copy of Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve, which I knew they'd be selling early. I practaiclly ran to the stall to get my hands on a copy, then saw they had The Bone Season too! That meant I had a copy of a book by each of the Lit authors for the signing later that day.

The signing started whilst I was in the Movie Actor Panel, so as soon as that was over I headed up to the fourth floor (from the ground floor!) as fast as I could. Luckily there weren't too many people there yet so I didn't have to wait long. 

I can honestly say that every author was SO LOVELY! I tried to speak with each of them which was hard because I was so nervous and shaking, but I had some really great conversations with them. I talked with James Dawson about this book trust article because I'd read it a few days before and loved what he'd have to say. I also spoke to Elizabeth Wein about Stockport, which is one of the main settings for Code Name Verity, because my mum is from there. I mentioned that I'd be lending the book to her as soon as I got home! Will Hill spoke about how awesome cons were and me and someone else in the queue mentioned comic-con jealousy! Anyway, they were all awesome and here are the books I got singed on day one of Lit!

Thank you to all the authors and organisers involved in day one of the lit panels! Check back soon for my recap of day two's events.

Leakycon: Recap and Book Haul!

So last week I attended Leakycon, the Harry Potter fan conference, which took place in the UK for the first time. I'd been so envious of previous cons so I jumped at the chance to go when it was announced last year. I can honestly say I've had some of the most amazing days of my life over the past week. It's so hard to sum up my experience, and I'm going to be doing detailed posts throughout the week to highlight each day's panels and events, but I wanted to sort of get my emotions out there and share the books I managed to buy/get signed/acquire whilst I was there!

I did Leakycon Lit which is basically where you pay a bit extra to be able to attend author panels and signings. Obviously being the massive book lover I was I wasn't going to miss that! The authors attending over the two days of Lit programming were Laure Eve, James Dawson, Dawn O'Porter, Abigail Gibbs, Samantha Shannon, Will Hill, Matt Whyman, Sally Gardner and Elizabeth Wein. Getting to meet these awesome people was an incredible opportunity.

So here's the book haul!

Bought at Leakycon:

Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Cruel Summer by James Dawson

Fearsome Dreamer and The Bone Season were both available early so I was super excited to grab those!  Bought those two and Cruel Summer from the Waterstones stall at Leakycon. It was run by the lovely people from Waterstones Oxford St - yes, the ones from that Twitter account. They were freaking hilarious and had signs up all over the place to encourage poeople up the 4th floor. Evidence below!

Bought elsewhere:

Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

Got this on my trip to Foyles! The lovely Faye from A Daydreamer's Thoughts suggested I go and luckily it was right between the convention centre and the hostel where we were staying.

Freebies:

Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

Slated by Teri Terry 

Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff

Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher

Picked up these from the BooksWith Bite stand. In the swag bags we got at registration we got a flyer to redeem for a free book, so I grabbed Monument 14 and my friend grabbed Slated and gave it to me. On the last day they had loads of books left so it was a free for all and I managed to grab the other two! They were giving out tote bags too - still sad I didn't get one of those! But I can't really complain, because the books made me super happy!

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Picked this up at the Harry Potter Alliance stand where they'd set up an apparating library. You could bring a book and swap it for a new one, so I donated Hex Hall and grabbed this in exchange.

Signed:

The Savages by Matt Whyman
I, Coriander by Sally Gardner

Cruel Summer by James Dawson
We talked about Spice Girls at the signing so he wrote "spice up your life!" in my book = amazing.
Hollow Pike by James Dawson.

 Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
She went and underlined a quote in the book after she signed it too which made it extra special!
Department 19 by Will Hill

Paper Aeroplanes by Dawn O'Porter
The Dark Heroine: Dinner With a Vampire by Abigail Gibbs

 Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

I took lots of books with me to get signed so this was the combination of books I took and bought whilst I was there. 

I also visited Platform 9 3/4, because I'm super lucky that I have to travel through King's Cross to get home. I did this last year but this year there was way more of a show, with guys there to flick your scarf in the air as you took the photo!

 And then my friend and I were hanging out at the Platform 9 3/4 shop and look who turned up! HANK GREEN. AND I GOT MY PHOTO TAKEN WITH HIM. I was SO happy. He also signed my badge at Leakycon.

As well as being awesome and taking photos with us, he also totally rocked it at the wizard rock concert. My video Hank singing Accio Deathly Hallows with Harry and the Potters is below.

So this is only a teeny-tiny bit of the awesomeness that was Leakycon. I had SUCH a good time. Hopefully there'll be more blog posts to come! If you were there then let me know in the comments!

Waiting on Wednesday (#8): Champion by by Marie Lu

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted over at Breaking the Spine and gives bloggers the chance to feature upcoming releases we're excited about.

Champion (Legend, #3) by Marie Lu

Published: 5th November 2013 (Penguin)

Amazon|Goodreads

 Plot summary: 
June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic - and each other - and now their country is on the brink of a new peaceful existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government's elite circles while Day has been assigned a high level military position.

So I loved Legend, and then Prodigy blew me away even more! So I'm SO excited for the final book in the trilogy. What are you waiting on this week? Let me know in the comments!