90 Packets of Instant Noodles by Deb Fitzpatrick

Title: 90 Packets of Instant Noodles
Author: Deb Fitzpatrick

Release Date: 31st May 2010

My Rating: 5/5

Blurb:

Joel and Craggs are in it together. They drink booze together, they flirt with petty theft together and, when Craggs turns violent, they face the consequences together too. That’s until Joel’s dad makes a deal with the police. Craggs is off to juvenile detention and Joel to solitary confinement. Ninety days of fending for himself in a remote bush shack with no radio, telephone or fridge.

Miles from anywhere, Joel starts to like his own company, till one day the past tracks him down. Craggs is on his doorstep and he hasn’t changed a bit.

My Review:
90 Packets of Instant Noodles is refreshing story about 16-year old Joel, who has made some bad decisions in life. It is a novel primarily about peer pressure but also about how sometimes, it's not too late to change your ways. Told from Joel's point of view, we see the negative impact having a certain type of friend can have and the difficulty of cutting the ties of friendship. How far do the bonds of mate-ship go? When is it finally time to say 'enough'?

Joel, stuck in an isolated bush shack south of Perth, Western Australia, and comforted only by weekly letters from his girlfriend Bella, rather revealing letters from his dad, and a pesky fox he has christened 'Foxy', is at first miserable and angry at his dad for such an arrangement. He soon realises though, what a blessing the forced isolation is and discovers his own self worth. He realises that his life doesn't have to disappear down the toilet and end up in jail like his friends Craggs and Sull.

Just when he thinks everything is going to be alright though, Craggs shows up and is ready to get back to their old ways, starting with the remote town that has semi-befriended Joel since the start of his three month exile. While the good in Joel had just been buried for a while and he wasn't 'too far gone' , Craggs's time in juvenile detention only made things worse and fuelled the fire burning inside him.

Craggs has no desire to change and wants to drag his friends along for the ride. He needs someone else to be running amok with him because if he's not doing it alone then it has to be ok. How can Joel escape from this kind of friend when he knows how Craggs will lash out? The fear holds him back and that is exactly how Joel ends up in the shack in the first place, when Craggs goes too far and Joel doesn't do anything to stop him. Joel had even developed a stutter over the years because of his unconscious fear and nervousness of Craggs.

I really liked Joel's dad. He is a good guy who really wants to help his son. I like how their relationship gets stronger throughout the book even through the circumstances are not ideal. Same with Bella, she brought out the other side of Joel, the good side, and it was somewhat due to her that Joel wanted to turn his life around.

90 Packets does contain quite a bit of swearing as well as some drug use but aside from this, and the obvious unsavoury behaviour, I think this would be a good text for upper high school students to study. You can find Teachers Notes, courtesy of Fremantle Press, here.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Title: Where She Went
Series: If I Stay Book 2
Author: Gayle Forman

Release Date: 1st April 2011

My Rating: 5/5

Blurb:

It's been three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life. And there years he's spent wondering why.

When their paths cross again in New York City, Adam and Mia are brought back together for one life-changing night.

Adam finally has the opportunity to ask Mia the questions that have been haunting him. But will a few hours in this magical city be enough to lay their past to rest, for good - or can you really have a second chance at first love?

What I thought of If I Stay:
"This is a beautiful and heart-wrenching story that is not only about love, but also about what makes a family, the meaning of friendship and the magic of music."

My Review:
I'm warning you now, this is going to be a long review because I absolutely loved everything about Where She Went. It picks up three years after Mia awoke from her coma in If I Stay and, unlike If I Stay, Where She Went is entirely from Adam's perspective.

Adam is in pain. After his band became the biggest thing in the music biz, thanks to the songs he wrote about the hurt and confusion he suffered after Mia left, Adam is hounded day and night by reporters and the paparazzi. Everyone wants to know the story behind the music, but Adam and the band aren't talking. Adam just wants to be left in peace. His love of music has dwindled and he floats through life with the aid of prescription drugs and cigarettes to calm his nerves and anxiety. He's lost all connection to everyone around him, including the band and always feels alone, even when he is surrounded by people.

I can't help but think about how, when I was younger, I'd read about the legions of artists who imploded - Morrison, Joplin, Cobain, Hendrix. They disgusted me. They got what they wanted and then what did they do? Drugged themselves to oblivion. Or shot their heads off. What a bunch of assholes.

Well, take a look at yourself now. You're no junkie but you're not much better.

Adam is heartbroken and I found it really interesting to experience this from a male's point of view, as most YA's I read where someone is suffering, is from a female perspective. Throughout the book, we are given the opportunity to see back before Mia's accident and see some of Adam's memories, but also what has been happening with him, and how Mia's accident changed his life, up until the point where we meet up with him in New York. I was really pleased to see Forman explore the effect the accident had on Adam because while what happened to Mia was terrible, people often forget or don't even notice the effect an accident can have on those around the victim.

Where She Went is an emotional roller-coaster ride for Adam and I really wanted him to burst out with his feelings of pain and abandonment to Mia as soon as he saw her, but of course then we wouldn't have a story or the anticipation of waiting to find out what was going through Mia's mind when she left. When she does finally relinquish her reasons, everything comes crashing down around Adam and he has to face some truths he has tried to forget. Quite often I found I had a lump in my throat and towards the end I really had to stop myself from letting some tears leak out.

Mia's words rattle something loose in me and suddenly there are tears all over my damn face again. I haven't cried in three years and now this is like the second time in as many days.

"It's my turn to see you through," she whispers, coming back to me and wrapping me in her blanket as I lose my shit all over again. She holds me until I recover my Y chromosome.

I am totally and completely in love. Not only with this masterpiece of a sequel that Gayle Forman has written but also with Adam; oh how I fall for musicians! And yay for young adult novels with older protagonists (Adam and Mia are now twenty-one). Forman has also spoiled us by including lyrics from Adam's songs at the beginning of each chapter. Where She Went surpasses the brilliance of If I Stay, has a place on my all-time favourites list, and is my current favourite contemporary book of the year.

On a personal note, I love that now, having visited America, I get so much more out of a book as my own experiences help enrich the story. When Adam and Mia wander through New York and different places are mentioned, my own memories of those places come flowing back. I love reading books that are set in cities I have visited. I had the same gushy feelings when I read Anna and the French Kiss.

****SPOILER ALERT****
What I say next basically tells you what happens at the end of Where She Went so do not read any further if you don't want the ending spoiled!
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I would love to read another book in the life of Adam and Mia and have it called 'What We Did' but I have a feeling Gayle Forman has finished writing Adam and Mia's story. *sigh*

Die For Me by Amy Plum

Title: Die For Me
Series: Revenants Book 1
Author: Amy Plum

Release Date: 10th May 2011

My Rating: 5/5

Blurb:

Die For Me is the first of three books about Kate, a sixteen-year-old American who moves to Paris after the death of her parents. It introduces a new version of the undead with revenants, beings who are fated to sacrifice themselves over and over again to save others’ lives. Kate finds herself falling for Vincent, who she discovers is not the typical French teenager he appears: he is something else entirely.

My Review:
Words can not describe how much I love Die For Me.

As you can probably tell from the blurb, Vincent is a revenant, but that is all I will say on the matter. I didn't read the blurb properly before reading the book so what Vincent was, came as a surprise and I preferred it that way. What I will say is that revenants are original and as far as I know, they haven't been done in YA fiction before, especially since Amy Plum created much of the mythology herself.

Die For Me could not have been set in a more perfect city. Paris is romantic, magical and has that delicious feeling of something dangerous hiding amongst it's beauty. Amy Plum's writing swallows you up and I could feel myself being transported back to Paris (where I have been twice). You can actually have a look at the locations in Die For Me on Amy's website where she has marked all the places around Paris that Kate, Vincent and the rest of the characters visit, as well as providing her own photos of the locations. Check it out here.

Die For Me has such a wonderful selection of characters; Kate, Georgia, Vincent, Jules, Ambrose, Charlotte, Mamie, Papy, Jean-Baptiste, Gaspard. You can't help but love them. I really liked Kate. She's been through a lot and even though she is broken (and understandably so) she eventually manages to pull herself out of her misery and become a girl who is mentally strong and mature. She's not kick-ass, but she's not wimpy either. She loves books, museums and art and is the opposite of her care-free, extroverted sister Georgia.

"I wanted a heroine who wasn’t dependent on the man she loved. Self-sacrifice is admirable up to a point, but I wanted someone who was independent and smart – not just intellectually but emotionally."

From Amy Plum's website.

Kate isn't the kind of girl who needs a boy to make herself feel good or to be happy, and she doesn't need Vincent to swoop in and take care of her. But he is certainly blush-inducing with his old school charm and romance. Vincent, Jules and Ambrose all made me swoon, but not at the beginning. They all grew on me as Kate got to know them better and we saw more of who they really were rather than the front they put on. They reminded me of Edward, Emmett and Jasper from Twilight in the way they interacted with each other; joking around and being sarcastic, in a brotherly way.

This is an absolutely fantastic debut with a breath-taking cover. While this will be a series, there is no cliff-hanger and Die For Me could survive as a stand alone novel. I can't wait to read what Amy Plum writes next and to once again get lost in Kate and Vincent's world. I am so in love with this book right now. And did I mention there is sword fighting?!

Die For Me has earned it's place on my All-Time Favourite's list.

Thankyou to NetGalley for this review copy. I will certainly be buying my own hard copy once it has been released.

The Wolf Letters by Will Schaefer

Title: The Wolf Letters
Author: Will Schaefer

Release Date: 1st May 2011

Genre: Adult Historical Thriller

My Rating: 4/5

Blurb:

Southern England, August 1936. An artefact from the dark ages – a wolf carved in jet – is stolen from the archaeology department of St Matthew’s College. A man is murdered in an antique store.

Historian George Haye translates two eighth-century documents for the investigating police, and is very soon nearly murdered himself. What is it about the documents? Aren’t they just letters from one Englishman to another? And why does the wolf from St Matthew’s seem to be at the black heart of all the evil that unfolds around him?

Haye is desperate. He must find the letters which lead him to the wolf, or he will die.

But Haye will find something else. Something he could never have imagined – something long forgotten, something terrifying …

My Review:
As you can probably already tell, The Wolf Letters is very different to what I usually review. Aside from YA, I love a good thriller and when I was presented with The Wolf Letters, I couldn't pass up the chance of reading it, especially since it comes from a debut Perth author.

Now I am not much for historical reads. The book is set in both the 8th century and also England in 1936, and so you may think my reading it is a little strange, but despite its time period, I found myself ploughing through the novel. While I did find the first couple of chapters a little slow, I think this may have been due to getting my head around the time period and that the story was only just beginning.

And what a mystery it is. Our hero, George Haye is pulled into a chilling, century old mystery that involves 8th century letters, a jet wolf, unexplainable murders committed by unlikely suspects and a connection to the occult that he never would have believed a day earlier.

Haye is a genuinely nice guy, who is 'recruited' by Detective Sergeant Aage Nielsen to translate letters between Ohthere, an 8th century solider-priest, and Bishop Ecgwulf, detailing Ohthere's exile from England and his subsequent journey through Europe and the mysterious jet wolf which is causing so much trouble in 1936. As more letters surface and strange events continue to arise, Haye and Nielsen travel to Wales in search of answers, unsure of who to trust, with shocking and devastating consequences.

The biggest compliment I can probably pay The Wolf Letters is that I am someone who does not read historical fiction, and have never really been a fan of learning about it in the first place. But, I read this book in less than two days and thoroughly enjoyed it.

While I haven't read Dan Brown's books (my act of rebellion on the book industry), I have seen the films and in my opinion, if you liked his books, you will like this.

So if historical is not your thing but suspense, mystery and intrigue is, this may still be one of you. And if historical fiction is your cup of tea, then you have found a gem.

A fantastic debut.

For more information or to purchase a copy, head to the website.

Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

Title: Prom and Prejudice
Author: Elizabeth Eulberg

Release Date: 1st March 2011

My Rating: 4/5

Blurb:

Everyone is obsessed with the prom. Everyone except scholarship student Lizzie Bennett, who isn't interested in designer dresses or expensive shoes, even if her best friend Jane is - especially now that hottie Charles Bingley is back from London.

Will Darcy, on the other hand, is a pompous jerk. Lizzie assumes he dislikes her because she is a scholarship student - so why is she drawn to him anyway? Will Lizzie's pride and Will's prejudice keep them apart, or will there be a prom date after all?

My Review:
I love reading Elizabeth Eulberg. Her books make me happy. Prom and Prejudice has proved she wasn't a one-hit-wonder with her awesome debut The Lonely Hearts Club.

Prom and Prejudice is funny, witty, and sometimes fluffy, with great characters who react honestly and how you can imagine you might have in the same situation. There is the age-old class/status war between Lizzie and the snobby rich kids at Longbourn and Pemberley Academy and the consequences of assumptions, misunderstandings, misinterpretation that occur in the teenage world of love and lust. But it's not all sunshine and rainbows. There is danger from an unexpected source, anger, pain, distress, lies and the ever present risk of being emotionally hurt.

While Prom and Prejudice is a modern retelling of Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice, you in no way have to read the original as this one is a story in it's own right. I haven't read Pride and Prejudice because I am not a fan of historical fiction (don't try and talk me into it, I'm not budging). I know a lot of people who have read both versions- some loving them both and some only loving the original or the retelling. From my point of view, reading it without bias, or influence, I loved it.

Bernard Beckett Give-Away Winners!

Congratulations to the two winners of my Bernard Beckett Give-Away! Using random.org, the winners are...

Nic from Irresistible Reads has won a signed copy of August

Mummazappa from The Book Nerd Club has won a signed copy of Genesis

Both have been contacted by email.

Thankyou to everyone who entered and don't forget you can still enter the Aussie Fiction Give-Away to win one of three signed books by Perth authors. It's international so anyone can enter. Click on the image below to enter.

Bits and Pieces

Firstly, The Tales Compendium has reached 100 followers! Thankyou to everyone old and new who checks in here, and an extra big thankyou to those who leave comments. Your interest is much appreciated and I hope I continue to keep you wanting to come back in the future.


If you haven't already become acquainted with Inside A Dog, I suggest you do. It is a website where teenagers (or people in general) can create a profile, post their reviews, participate in a book club and keep up to date with what is going in YA via the Inside A Dog blog. Each month there is a different 'Writer In Residence' who posts three times a week about whatever they feel like. March was Brian Falkner, April will be Gayle Forman! The site is run by the Centre for Youth Literature at the State Library of Victoria and is being taken care of by Adele, who you may know from her blog Persnickety Snark, who is the new program coordinator.


I would like to say a massive CONGRATULATIONS to Aussie Shaun Tan! He has just won the biggest children's literature prize in the world, the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, in Sweden. As most of you probably know, he also won an Academy Award last month in the category of Best Animated Short Film for The Lost Thing, his picture book released in 2000. He is also known for his picture books The Red Tree, The Arrival, The Rabbits and Tales From Outer Suburbia. Looks like 2011 is his year!



For those of you who missed my post the other day, I will be interviewing Rachel Caine when she comes to Perth next month. So I ask you, what would you like to ask Rachel? Send me your questions via email (found on my About Me page) or leave a comment.



Don't forget this is your last chance to enter the signed Bernard Beckett give-away, which I will draw on April 1st. Visit this post to enter.

Rachel Caine in Perth!

I have some very exciting news to share with you today. As I'm sure most of you already know, Rachel Caine, author of the Morganville Vampire series, is touring Australia in May for the release of Bite Club, book ten in the series. As recently announced, aside from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, she will be stopping by Perth, which is where I live.

Rachel will be signing books in Perth on May 2nd at Target in the Hay St. Mall and will later being doing an author talk and signing at The Astor Theatre in Mount Lawley (which is where I'll be). For more information on these events and the others around Australia, visit Penguin's Events page.

Now for the really exciting bit...I have been given the awesome opportunity to interview Rachel when she is in Perth! Yes, everyone do happy dances for me!

My question to all of you is... Have you got something you would like me to ask Rachel? It can be about the series itself, general writing questions or just something you have been dying to know.

You can leave you questions below as a comment or email me through my About Me page.


Read my review of book one, Glass Houses

Genesis by Bernard Beckett

Title: Genesis
Author: Bernard Beckett

Release Date: 1st August 2006. Republished 1st January 2011

My Rating: 4/5

Blurb:
It’s the year 2075.

The island Republic has emerged from a ruined world. Its citizens are safe but not free. They live in complete isolation from the outside world. Approaching planes are gunned down, refugees shot on sight. Until a man named Adam Forde rescues a girl from the sea.

Anaximander, a young Academy student, is put through a gruelling exam. Her special subject: the life of Adam Forde, her long-dead hero. What secrets has she discovered and what is her own surprising link to Adam? She is forced to confront the horrifying truth about her totalitarian world.

Genesis is a thriller that asks the big questions. What is it to be human? What makes a soul?

My Review:
Genesis is a deep, philosophical science fiction novel that leaves your brain churning over the concepts well after you have finished reading it.

As Anax answers questions about her hero Adam Forde, the story unfolds through her answers. We learn the history of The Republic through her knowledge and the holograms she has created about Art, the artificial intelligence that became Adam's companion after his imprisonment for rescuing an outsider. We witness the development of Art, as he watches, learns, and argues with Adam over what differentiates man from machine. Is it the ability to think, to create ideas? Is it the physical aspects? A conscience? A soul? It questions morals, ethics and humanity, and as Anax comes to the end of Adam and Art's story, she has a realisation that blows her world apart.

There were two surprises that I did not see coming and I was completely thrown by the ending. Genesis is a thought-provoking, original read that will bring out the philosopher in all of us. This novel would make for fabulous discussions and would make a great school reading text. Teachers notes are available here, Reading Group notes here.


Genesis has been published in more than 22 countries and has won the 2010 Young Adult Category of the Prix Sorcieres (France), the 2007 Esther Glen Award, and the 2007 NZ Post Book Award. In 2005, Bernard was awarded a fellowship where he worked on a project examining DNA mutations. This led to the writing of Genesis.

Author Interview: Jana Oliver

I am extremely excited to feature Jana Oliver on The Tales Compendium today!

Jana is the author of the very cool, and totally kick-ass, The Demon Trapper's Daughter (also published under Forsaken in the UK and Australia). You can read my review here.

What inspired you to write The Demon Trapper's Daughter?

As I was reading various young adult paranormal novels the one thing I missed was a take-charge heroine. There are some out there (Dru from Lili St. Crow’s Strange Angels Series comes to mind) but most heroines were pretty (dare I saw it?) wimpy. So I figured I’d write a book I’d like to read. I wanted a heroine who got into scrapes, used her head and lived to tell the tale. Not all of her decisions would be smart, but at least she was in the middle of it all, trying her best. That’s how Riley Blackthorne was “born”.

Can you tell us a little about our heroine Riley?
Riley is a fairly average seventeen-year-old who is having a rough life. Her mom died from cancer several years back, her family’s condo burned and now she and her dad are living in a tiny apartment trying to pay off her mom’s humongous medical bills. At the beginning of Demon Trapper’s Daughter, Riley can’t get a break. Unfortunately, that doesn’t change much over the course of the book. At the heart of the story is a girl trying to keep her head above water, fighting back against nearly impossible odds.

One thing is clear––she is a daddy’s girl and is keen to make her father (Paul) proud of her. That drive often gets her into situations she is ill-equipped to handle, but I really admire Riley’s guts. She just doesn’t back down even when that’s the smart thing to do.

Where did your ideas come from for all those pesky demons?
I had great fun dreaming up the Hellspawn. I decided rather than having them all be the same, there were be different types ranging from the annoying to really deadly. Can’t find your earrings or your watch? Probably a Klepto-Fiend stole it because they’re really into bling. Something tearing up your library? Blame a Biblio-Fiend. The bigger and nastier fiends come in different varieties as well. Most of those will give you nightmares. Sometimes I spook myself wondering exactly how my brain comes up with this stuff.

Can you tell us anything about what we can expect in Soul Thief, the sequel to TDTD?
Soul Thief opens up the overall story considerably. We learn more about the history of the Demon Trappers and about the Demon Hunters (the Vatican’s crack team). On the personal side, Riley and Beck go through some really rough times courtesy of their poor decisions. And we learn about Ori’s agenda. The book is a game changer for almost all of the characters and wasn’t easy to write, but I’m very proud of the final result.

Did you have playlist while writing TDTD?
I do use playlists and the one for the book is here. Once you listen to Steve Earle’s “Copperhead Road”, you’ll know Beck even better. As for Riley, Kelly Clarkson’s “Breakaway” is pretty much her theme song for me.

If it was made into a film, who do you see as the perfect Riley?
Depending on the day, I veer back and forth between Emma Roberts and Alexandra Daddario . Either of those ladies would do a fine Riley.

Your first series, The Time Rovers, was first published in 2006 and has won twelve out of the fifteen nominations it has received. Do you plan on adding any more titles to the three already released?
I hope to add more to the series down the line. The Rovers books are a mix of time travel, fantasy, historical mystery and romance. The first three are set in 1888 London which required a LOT of research to get the details correct. Because of that and my crazy schedule for the Demon Trappers Series, it’ll be a while before I can get back to write another Rovers book. I will eventually. I love that series.

Do you have any must-haves while writing?
A comfy chair, a window and good music. Most everything else is optional. As long as the work doesn’t feel like a “job” I’m good. And I know the next question: “What are you listening to at this moment?” Right now it’s "Corryvreckan" by William Jackson (Land of Light album). Before that it was Alter Bridge and Simon & Garfunkel. I’m an omnivore when it comes to tunes.

Who are your favourite young adult authors?
Though he’s more of a Middle Grade author, I love Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series. I just started reading Andrew Lane’s Young Sherlock Holmes Series and I’m quite enjoying it. And I’m fond of dark dystopian tales like Paolo Bacigalupi’s Ship Breaker. One thing in common here, these all have male protagonists. Apparently I like reading about guys (LOL).

Which fictional character would you like to trade places with?
Wow, that is NOT an easy question. It would be tempting to say Professor Moriarty because he’s a diabolic super villain matching wits with Sherlock Holmes. But then, that would be a lot of work and I’d get tossed in jail first time out. No, I’m thinking it would be better to putter around like Mrs. Hudson. Clearly out of the danger (providing you don’t count Sherlock’s habit of shooting up his parlor), but still around the genius and his doctor buddy.

In my own books? I’d like to be Carmela Wilson, the doctor for the Demon Trappers. I suspect she could be a lot of fun when she’s not patching up one of the guys.

A massive thankyou to Jana Oliver for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer these questions. Soul Thief/Forbidden will be released 1st September 2011!

*happy dance*

Jana's website