N is for Nix | Blogging from A to Z

Sabriel
by Garth Nix

The Old Kingdom is another series I discovered, and loved, during my teens. I first read Sabriel when I was around 13 or 14, and for years now I've been telling myself I need to reread the series because I can't remember a lot of what happened in Abhorsen, which I do vividly remember reading while on holiday in Cuba when I was 15.

I will always love Garth Nix for writing a high fantasy series with two female leads, neither of whom have a story revolving around romance. I won't say Sabriel and Lirael are 'kick ass' heroines because that's a term that's begun to annoy me as a lot of the time it seems to be used to imply that only heroines who are physically strong and tomboy-ish are 'good' heroines. But I suppose I'd better stop there before I go off on one of my rants...

What Sabriel and Lirael are are well-rounded, believable, realistic women. They're both intellectual and fairly quiet, disproving the theory that a heroine must be boisterous to prove that she's a 'strong, independent woman'. Yes the pair of them can certainly kick ass if they so choose, but they also cry, and feel fear and sadness that Nix doesn't criticise them for - in fact they're made all the stronger by brushing themselves off and getting back up to face another day.

I'm always going to love The Old Kingdom, and Garth Nix, for giving me a series during my teens that showed me to always expect better from what authors have to offer me. Nix showed me I didn't have to put up with the dozens of female-led stories out there that crapped all over feminism by suggesting the only thing we're good for is arm candy, because there are always authors out there ready and willing to tell a different story.

Anticipated 2015 Reads Pt. II

Back in December I wrote a blog post about some of my most anticipated reads of 2015. Now if I'm perfectly honest the majority of them were just books that sounded like the kind of books I'd enjoy that just happened to be coming out in 2015 because, for someone who works in publishing, I'm really quite rubbish at keeping up with what's being published when.

Since 2015 began I've discovered even more books being released this year that I'm very excited for, so today I thought I'd share some of them with you! Some of these have already been released and some of them haven't, but I'm looking forward to getting my hands on all of them.

Rolling in the Deep
by Mira Grant

Publication Date: April 2015
Publisher: Subterranean Press

When the Imagine Network commissioned a documentary on mermaids, to be filmed from the cruise ship Atargatis, they expected what they had always received before: an assortment of eyewitness reports that proved nothing, some footage that proved even less, and the kind of ratings that only came from peddling imaginary creatures to the masses.

They didn't expect actual mermaids.  They certainly didn't expect those mermaids to have teeth.

This is the story of the Atargatis, lost at sea with all hands.  Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy.  Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the bathypelagic zone in the Mariana Trench…and the depths are very good at keeping secrets.

Trigger Warning

by Neil Gaiman

Publication Date: February 2015

Publisher: Headline

In this new volume, Neil Gaiman pierces the veil of reality to reveal the enigmatic, shadowy world that lies beneath. Trigger Warning includes previously published pieces of short fiction-stories, verse, and a very special Doctor Who story that was written for the fiftieth anniversary of the beloved series in 2013-as well as BLACK DOG, a new tale that revisits the world of American Gods.

Trigger Warning is a rich cornucopia of horror and ghosts stories, science fiction and fairy tales, fabulism and poetry that explores the realm of experience and emotion. In Adventure Story-a thematic companion to The Ocean at the End of the Lane-Gaiman ponders death and the way people take their stories with them when they die. His social media experience A Calendar of Tales are short takes inspired by replies to fan tweets about the months of the year-stories of pirates and the March winds, an igloo made of books, and a Mother's Day card that portends disturbances in the universe. Gaiman offers his own ingenious spin on Sherlock Holmes in his award-nominated mystery tale The Case of Death and Honey. And Click-Clack the Rattlebag explains the creaks and clatter we hear when we're all alone in the darkness.

A writer whose creative genius is unparalleled, Gaiman entrances with his literary alchemy, transporting us deep into the realm of imagination, where the fantastical becomes real and the everyday incandescent. Trigger Warning engages the mind, stirs the heart, and shakes the soul. Neil Gaiman is one of the most original and popular literary artists of our day.

Rat Queens, Vol.2: The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'rygoth

by Kurtis J. Wiebe and Roc Upchurch

Publication Date: May 2015

Publisher: Image Comics

This booze-soaked second volume of RAT QUEENS reveals a growing menace within the very walls of Palisade. And while Dee may have run from her past, the bloated, blood-feasting sky god N’rygoth never really lets his children stray too far.

To Hold the Bridge

by Garth Nix

Publication Date: June 2015

Publisher: HarperCollins

Far to the north of the magical Old Kingdom, the Greenwash Bridge Company has been building a bridge for almost a hundred years. It is not an easy task, for many dangers threaten the bridge builders, from nomad raiders to Free Magic sorcerers. Despite the danger, Morghan wants nothing more than to join the Bridge Company as a cadet. But the company takes only the best, the most skillful Charter mages, and trains them hard, for the night might come when only a single young cadet must hold the bridge against many foes. Will Morghan be that cadet?

Also included in this remarkable collection are eighteen short stories that showcase Nix’s versatility as he adds a fantastical twist on an array of genres including science fiction, paranormal, realistic fiction, mystery, and adventure.

The Great Zoo of China

by Matthew Reilly

Publication Date: February 2015 (first published November 2014)

Publisher: Orion

It is a secret the Chinese government has been keeping for 40 years. They have found a species of animal no one believed even existed. It will amaze the world.

Now the Chinese are ready to unveil their astonishing discovery within the greatest zoo ever constructed. A small group of VIPs and journalists has been brought to the zoo deep within China to see its fabulous creatures for the first time. Among them is Dr Cassandra Jane 'CJ' Cameron, a writer for NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC and an expert on reptiles.

The visitors are assured by their Chinese hosts that they will be struck with wonder at these beasts, that they are perfectly safe, and that nothing can go wrong...

What are you looking forward to reading this year?

Anticipated Autumn Releases!

I'd be lying if I said I was the kind of person who's always on the look out for the latest book releases, because unless there's an author or series I really love I usually won't go looking for books that aren't out yet. There are only three books I'm really looking forward to next year, and two of those - Winter by Marissa Meyer and Lamentation by C.J. Sansom - I only know of because I'm a big fan of their respective series.

That being said, this autumn brings the release of a few books I'm really interested in getting my hands on, so now that it's the last month of summer (already!) I thought I'd share them with you!

Rooms

by Lauren Oliver

Release Date: 23rd September, 2014

Wealthy Richard Walker has just died, leaving behind his country house full of rooms packed with the detritus of a lifetime. His estranged family—bitter ex-wife Caroline, troubled teenage son Trenton, and unforgiving daughter Minna—have arrived for their inheritance. 

But the Walkers are not alone. Prim Alice and the cynical Sandra, long dead former residents bound to the house, linger within its claustrophobic walls. Jostling for space, memory, and supremacy, they observe the family, trading barbs and reminiscences about their past lives. Though their voices cannot be heard, Alice and Sandra speak through the house itself—in the hiss of the radiator, a creak in the stairs, the dimming of a light bulb. 

The living and dead are each haunted by painful truths that will soon surface with explosive force. When a new ghost appears, and Trenton begins to communicate with her, the spirit and human worlds collide—with cataclysmic results.

I'm not sure what it is about this book that interests me, because while I enjoyed Delirium I wasn't a fan of either Pandemonium or Requiem, and I've never been particularly interested in checking out Oliver's other YA books. This book sounds intriguing if nothing else, and I think this kind of story will really suit Oliver's gorgeous writing style.

Clariel

by Garth Nix

Release Date: 14th October, 2014

Clariel is the daughter of the one of the most notable families in the Old Kingdom, with blood relations to the Abhorsen and, most importantly, to the King. When her family moves to the city of Belisaere, there are rumors that her mother is next in line for the throne. However, Clariel wants no part of it—a natural hunter, all she ever thinks about is escaping the city’s confining walls and journeying back to the quiet, green world of the Great Forest.

But many forces conspire against Clariel’s dream. A dangerous Free Magic creature is loose in the city, her parents want to marry her off to a killer, and there is a plot brewing against the old and withdrawn King Orrikan. When Clariel is drawn into the efforts to find and capture the creature, she discovers hidden sorcery within herself, yet it is magic that carries great dangers. Can she rise above the temptation of power, escape the unwanted marriage, and save the King?

You have no idea how excited I've been since this book was finally given a cover and a release date! The Old Kingdom was one of my favourite trilogies during my teen years, in fact it still is. If you're interested in some female dominated fantasy that is focused on action, adventure and character development rather than the usual romantic-heavy plot, then I highly recommend Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen if you haven't already read them.

There's been talk of Clariel for years, and it got to the point that I was certain it simply wasn't going to happen, and then all of a sudden, earlier this year, there was a release date. I'm so excited!

Talon

by Julia Kagawa

Release Date: 28th October, 2014

Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.

Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.

I'm going to be honest with you: while I love fantasy, I've never been that interested in dragons. I didn't like Eragon (I'm sorry Inheritance Cycle fans - I really did try!) and I haven't really read that much dragon fiction in general - I'm much more of a unicorn girl!

That being said, the premise of this book just sounds cool. I always wondered when someone was going to bring St. George into a book about dragons! I'm also eager to read more books featuring a brother and a sister; I seem to own a lot of YA books featuring sisters, and while that's not a bad thing by any means I'd like a little more variety.

Also, I love this cover - it's gorgeous!

Mortal Heart

by Robin LaFevers

Release Date: 4th November, 2014

Annith has watched her gifted sisters at the convent come and go, carrying out their dark dealings in the name of St. Mortain, patiently awaiting her own turn to serve Death. But her worst fears are realized when she discovers she is being groomed by the abbess as a Seeress, to be forever sequestered in the rock and stone womb of the convent. Feeling sorely betrayed, Annith decides to strike out on her own.

She has spent her whole life training to be an assassin. Just because the convent has changed its mind doesn't mean she has.

But across Brittany, the tides of war are drawing ever nearer, with France pressuring the beleaguered duchess from all sides. Annith’s search for answers threatens to rip open an intricate web of lies and deceit that sit at the heart of the convent she serves. Yet to expose them threatens the very fabric of her existence and risks an unforeseen chance at love, one that she can no longer deny. Annith must carefully pick a path and, gods willing, effect a miracle that will see her country—and her heart—to safety.

If you've been following my blog for a while then you'll know I read both Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph back to back in the spring, and I surprised myself when I loved them. Yes they're a little cheesy in places, but they're so fun while still exploring some pretty deep stuff. Therefore, it was only natural that Mortal Heart earned a place on this list.

After the events of Dark Triumph I'm really interested in seeing how Annith is going to fit into the wider story, and I'm also looking forward to seeing Annith finally being given the chance to shine. She's a cutie.

The Sharp Hook of Love

by Sherry Jones

Release Date: 25th November, 2014

He is the most famous philosopher in the world, the arrogant headmaster of the Notre Dame Cloister School, and a poet whose songs and good looks make women swoon. She is Paris’s most brilliant young scholar, beautiful and wry, and his student. Forbidden by the church and society to love each other, Heloise and Abelard defy the rules to follow their hearts, risking everything that matters to them — including each other. An illicit child, a secret marriage, an abusive uncle: nothing, it seems, can come between them — until a vicious attack tears them apart forever. Or does it?

As I'm sure you all know by now I love historical fiction. I've been fascinated by the sad story of Abelard and Heloise since I first learned of them during my teens, and yet I haven't read a single piece of fiction based on their story. This novelisation interests me in particular as it has been written after the discovery of 113 "Lost Love Letters" between the two that were discovered in 1999, and Jones has incorporated some of these letters into her novel.

Needless to say, I'm really looking forward to this one!

Will you be rushing out to buy any of these releases? Are there any books you're looking forward to seeing on the shelves this autumn?

J.

Top 5 | Fictional Friendships

A couple of months ago I wrote a post about my Top 5 Fictional Siblings, and in that post I said I wanted to write more like it to celebrate the relationships in fiction which are often forgotten in favour of romance. So today I'm going to share with you my Top 5 Fictional Friendships!

Harry, Ron and Hermione, from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

"Why is it, when something happens, it is always you three?"

No list like this would be complete without the inclusion of the Golden Trio. A lot of the time in books our protagonist will have just the one best friend, and in a lot of these books that friendship is often forgotten and brushed over so our protagonist can concentrate on their love life. Harry, however, has two best friends, and they're both fantastic.

What I love about the Harry Potter books is that friendship is so much more important than romance. There's such an emphasis on friendship and loyalty and comradery; even though it could mean the death of them, Ron and Hermione pack up their bags, leave Hogwarts and follow Harry into the big bad world so that he doesn't have to face Voldemort alone. What are friends for?

Lirael and the Disreputable Dog, from The Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix

"I am the Disreputable Dog. Or Disreputable Bitch, if you want to get technical. When are we going for a walk?"

Here we have another book in which romance is forgotten entirely, resulting in one of my all time favourite fictional friendships. Most of us, at some point in our lives, will have wanted a pet, and the only thing better than a pet is a pet than can talk.

Of course the Disreputable Dog isn't a pet, but she is a talking dog. A hilarious talking dog. Her relationship with Lirael is one of the most beautiful things in The Old Kingdom series, and that's saying something because this series as a whole is amazing. If you haven't read it yet I highly recommend it; Nix is a master at writing female-led fantasy that doesn't focus on romance for a second.

Cinder and Iko, from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

"See? Injustice. Here we are, risking our lives to rescue Kai and this whole planet, and Adri and Pearl get to go to the royal wedding. I'm disgusted. I hope they spill soy sauce on their fancy dresses."

I knew I wanted to include The Lunar Chronicles in this selection, but I have to be honest it took me a while before I decided who to mention because I love them all. I love Cinder's relationship with Thorne - male/female relationships that stay purely platonic make me incredibly happy - and I love her relationships with Scarlet and Wolf, too. In the end, however, I just had to include Cinder and Iko, though to be honest Cinder, Iko and Thorne also make a fabulous little trio.

Iko is there for Cinder most when no one else is; in fact she's been with Cinder since the latter was just a little girl, and despite the fact that they're very different (not only in personality, but also in what they actually are) they make a great duo. Iko might be an android, but she's incredibly loyal and there's genuine affection between the two of them. Considering the amount of crap Cinder goes through, she needs a friend like Iko.

Legolas and Gimli, from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

"Forty-two? Oh, that's not bad for a pointy-eared elvish princeling. Hmph! I myself am sitting pretty on forty-THREE!"

Legolas and Gimli: the ultimate bromance. All joking aside, however, I love the friendship that blossoms between these two for many reasons (even if I am cheating a little because I haven't actually read The Lord of the Rings yet). I think most of us are probably friends with someone now who, years ago, we never thought we'd be friends with - it's funny when things work out that way. These two are a beautiful example of overcoming prejudice; they both come from a race of people who despise the other, and yet by the end of their adventure they are willing to die side by side. I love these two.

Katniss Everdeen and Johanna Mason, from The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

"I don't care if you're knocked up. I'll rip your throat out."

If that doesn't scream best friends forever, then frankly I don't know what does. Katniss and Johanna are my favourite characters from The Hunger Games trilogy, and I've always been slightly disappointed that we didn't get to see more of them together; in fact by the end of Mockingjay Johanna seems to just... disappear. 

Everyone in the trilogy was impressed with Katniss, as, of course, they should be, but I love how Johanna doesn't give her any special treatment. She treats her exactly how she treats everyone else, and I think that's something Katniss needs - she never wanted to be a 'celebrity' in the first place.

Do you have any favourite friendships?

J.