Friday 23 September 2016

YA SHOT : Blog Tour with Catherine Johnson!

Hello! Catherine and Faridah’s YA Shot blog here!
Welcome to our blog post!


I’m Catherine, a writer who’s written loads of novels for teens and YA, including The Curious Tale of The Lady Caraboo and Sawbones, as well as for TV and film.


And I'm Faridah, a student, a blogger and a Ravenclaw!

When we were matched and first started talking one of the topics that came up was diversity. And of course, there is loads of work to be done but to be honest it’s usually the only thing I am asked about and while I agree it is important I rather wish and hope that within my lifetime this becomes normal in publishing and the book world  just as it is in life.

And I could drone on and on about my latest book – Blade and Bone since you ask - but that wouldn’t be surprising.

So we’re turning things on their heads a bit. Instead of Faridah interviewing me I thought I’d ask Faridah some questions.  It’s undoubtedly harder and harder for any writer in today’s climate and I am always interested in what readers – that vanishing breed – think.  So I’d like to thank Faridah for her thoughtful and interesting answers.



My first question is about reading, as a reader with your finger on the pulse, I’d like to ask you what books have blown you away this year? Is there any genre that you think is delivering beyond expectations?
For the first time ever I haven’t had a book that has blown me away this year – which is really weird. I guess this is due to me not reading as much as I usually do. I have been really inspired this year through reading Malcolm X’s Autobiography because he really speaks and thinks in a way that I hadn’t dared to do before.
A genre that has delivered beyond my expectation would be literature classics – which I have been reading a lot more of for uni. I honestly expected to be bored, but instead I found myself loving these books more than the books I usually read published/written post 2000’s.



It seems to me like there are trillions of interesting books out almost every month. As a writer I’d like to know what influences your decision to pick up a book. Word of mouth? A good friend’s rec? How much does a cover speak to you? Is hype a good or bad thing?
I used to really rely on booktube for recommendations, as well as friends and their recs but as of this year I have been searching for books with more diverse characters.
I remember when I first joined the world of YA, I hated book covers that had real human beings on them. Now if the cover is pretty, it’s a bonus. I think I have become less superficial about my cover choice!
Hype is something that I tend not to notice until after I have read the book. I have read a few books with hype surrounding it, and it has honestly made me dislike the book more than I would have without the hype. I read a certain book in early August that had been hyped up constantly over the year and I didn’t understand the hype at all. Then again I have read amazing books such as Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, where I was aware of the hype and I honestly agreed with the hype it received. Therefore I think that hype can put too much of a pedestal on a book before a reader has even had the opportunity to judge it.




I’ve seen the blogging world begin to change YA for the good most especially in regards to sexuality and gender. There’s been a massive shift in a comparatively short amount of time, what do you see as the important issues for the book community in future? 

The growth in this community has been fantastic. I am so pleased with how sexuality and gender has been received and celebrated. I do think some area’s of LGBT plus are lacking in novels, and I hope to see a difference in the future.
I however think that now we need to discuss race and culture more in books. We need to understand different people's walks of life and how it feels, for example, to be gay in a different culture or even to suffer from a mental illness in a different culture as there are big differences.
I look forward to seeing race and culture being discussed a lot more.

And finally what sort of book would you like to read that you haven’t?
(and when are you going to write it!)

I would love to read a book about people of colour and their experiences with mental health – given their backgrounds. If I were to write a book like this, I think it would help so many people. Maybe I’ll give it a try!

Faridah I look forward to it!

Thank you for reading our blog post! I hope you all enjoyed it :-)

(Disclaimer: The images used in this post are not mine)

Catherine’s latest book Blade and Bone is out on October 6th from Walker Books



Yours Faithfully, 

~ Literature and Tea


Saturday 10 September 2016

Book Review : Death Note Volume 2 by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

Hello!


After reading the first volume of the Death Note series, I became hooked. I ordered the rest of the series off of Amazon - of course, and began reading.

 I am in a really important academic year at school, and I am really happy with my reading progress so far despite this. 

One thing I love about Death Note is that the second novel was better than the first, which is strangely rare in series that I have read in the past. The first book is usually...




then comes the sequel...


But anyway...Back to Death Note

***

Genre:Graphic Novel
BookDeath Note Vol 2
AuthorTsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
Release date: 5th December 2013
PublisherViz Media


Source: Amazon

Synopsis: 

Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects - and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Noteto rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal…or his life? 


***

You can purchase the book here:



What did I like? : I loved the storyline once again. It constantly keeps you on your toes as well as  surprised at the different outcomes. I also love how cocky Light - the main character, is and how intelligent he is. Despite his actions being .... controversial, I find myself really rooting for him, even with it being clear that his actions are wrong. (Idk I always seem to love the bad/evil characters)
I also love the illustrations...I have really gotten the hang of this whole reading right to left thing!

What did I not like? : I didn't like L. I know L is technically the good guy...but why can't he give up and let Light continue being awesome. I also didn't like the sexist comments that randomly appeared in the novel, it was so unnecessary. Other than that there wasn't much I actually disliked...which is why this gained such a high rating. 

Therefore I gave this a rating of...

4 stars out of 5!

(Disclaimer: The images used in this post are not mine)

Yours Faithfully, 

~ Literature and Tea








Thursday 8 September 2016

Book Review : Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

Hello, dear literature enthusiasts!

I read Death Note, earlier this week and - to my surprise, really enjoyed it. I had been meaning to read it for months, especially since I had a borrowed copy. (now I can finally return it)

I liked it so much, that I have now ordered two more volumes from Amazon!

***

 Genre:Graphic Novel
Book: Death Note Vol 1
Author: Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
Release date: 27th June 2013
Publisher: Viz Media


Source: Friend Sarah
  
Synopsis: 

Light tests the boundaries of the Death Note's powers as L and the police begin to close in. Luckily Light's father is the head of the Japanese National Police Agency and leaves vital information about the case lying around the house. With access to his father's files, Light can keep one step ahead of the authorities. But who is the strange man following him, and how can Light guard against enemies whose names he doesn't know? For older teen audiences.

***


You can purchase the book here: 


What did I like? : I love Light - the main character. He is a bit loopy and ambitious, and I like his world plan. He's a bit like Dexter from the show Dexter in a way...doing bad to prevent evil. I also loved the drawings and the new order of reading. (In manga you read backwards)


What didn't I like? : I didn't like the language sometimes...and also I cannot stand L...he's so annoying trying to come in and ruin Lights plan. 

Therefore I give this book a rating of...


3.7 out of 5 

(Disclaimer: The images in this post are not mine)

Yours Faithfully, 

~ Literature and Tea




Wednesday 7 September 2016

September Reads

It's September!

I am in the mood to read a lot and I am not sure why...so here is my list of September Reads! (WARNING: This month will be very graphic)

1# Death Note Vol 1

2# The Great Gatsby 
3# Death Note Vol 2

4# Death Note Vol 3

5# Death Note Vol 4

6# Death Note Vol 5

7# Death Note Vol 6

8# Death Note Vol 7

9# Death Note Vol 8

10# Death Note Vol 9

11# Death Note Vol 10

12# Death Note Vol 11

13# Death Note Vol 12

14# A thousand Splendid Suns 

15# Fullmetal Alchemist Vol 1

16# Fullmetal Alchemist Vol 2

17# Fullmetal Alchemist Vol 3

18# Fullmetal Alchemist Vol 4

19# Fullmetal Alchemist Vol 5

20# Fullmetal Alchemist Vol 6

21#  Fullmetal Alchemist Vol 7

22#  Fullmetal Alchemist Vol 8

A lot...

I know...

(Disclaimer: the images used in this post are not mine)

Yours Faithfully, 

~ Literature and Tea


Monday 5 September 2016

Book Review : The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Hello, my fellow literature lovers! 

Today I will be reviewing The Great Gatsby, which I had read before...but didn't really get to enjoy due to the fact that I was rushing. 

***
 Genre:Classics
Book: The Great Gatsby
Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Release date: 10th April 1925
Publisher: Penguin


SourceWaterstones
(obviously)

Synopsis: 

Through the narration of Nick Carraway, the reader is taken into the superficially glittering world of the mansions which lined the Long Island shore in the 1920s, to encounter Nick's cousin Daisy, her brash but wealthy husband Tom Buchanan, Jay Gatsby and the mystery that surrounds him.

***


You can purchase the book here 


What did I like? : There wasn't a lot I liked, which is strange since the book got such a high rating. If I were to pick something, I would pick the fact that there was that ability to glimpse at the 1920's truthfully. This is one of the things I love most about reading novels written in the past. We get an honest look into people's realities. 



What didn't I like? : The characters really weren't loveable. They were quite terrible in all honesty, the only okay one was Gatsby probably. The ending was quite confusing and didn't really make much sense to me.

Therefore I give this book a rating of:

4 stars out of 5

I am about to start watching the movie, hopefully, that will clear some things up.


Favourite quote: “He looked at her the way all women want to be looked at by a man.” 


I just thought that this quote was so cute.

*

I hope you enjoyed this post! Stay tuned for more :-)


(Disclaimer: The images used in this post are not mine....you can probably tell I am slightly obsessed with Sherlock)

Yours Faithfully, 

~ Literature and Tea