Q&A with bestselling author Philippa Gregory on her new YA novel Changeling

The lovely folk over at Simon & Schuster were kind enough to put together a Q&A with bestselling author Philippa Gregory talking about her latest novel and first venture into YA Changeling for us bloggers to share with our readers. Seems as I’m doing a giveaway for this book at the moment I thought now would be an ideal time to share it with you guys for anyone who may want to know more about the book. I’ve heard amazing things for Philippa’s adult books and am really excited to read Changeling soon!

Synopsis 
The first book in the thrilling YA sequence, Order of Darkness. The year is 1453, and all signs point to it being the end of the world. Accused of heresy and expelled from his monastery, handsome seventeen-year-old, Luca Vero, is recruited by a mysterious stranger to record the end of times across Europe. Commanded by sealed orders, Luca is sent to map the fears of Christendom, and travel to the very frontier of good and evil. Seventeen-year-old Isolde, a Lady Abbess, is trapped in a nunnery to prevent her claiming her rich inheritance. As the nuns in her care are driven mad by strange visions, walking in their sleep, and showing bleeding wounds, Luca is sent to investigate and all the evidence points to Isolde's criminal guilt. Outside in the yard they are building a pyre to burn her for witchcraft. Forced to face the greatest fears of the medieval world - dark magic, werewolves, madness - Luca and Isolde embark on a search for truth, their own destinies, and even love as they take the unknown ways to the real historical figure who defends the boundaries of Christendom and holds the secrets of the Order of Darkness.

 Q&A with Philippa! 

Philippa Gregory 2011 c Johnny Ring

How was writing a book for teens different from writing a book for adults?
I don't think there is any difference for me in terms of the craft of writing. I think that the quality and enjoyment of the novel should be at least equal to a book for adults.

Do you have a favourite character in your new teen series?
I created the two principal characters of Luca and Isolde and liked them so much, but then I was amazed to find that the servant character of Frieze just jumped off the page. He is funny and full of common sense, wonderful with animals and has a great loving nature. His role just grew through the story as I came to like writing about him more and more. He is very important in book 2, and I think I will end up with a cast of 4 principal characters rather than 2. 

When you are writing a multi-book series, do you work from an outline (know all the beats) or do you work toward an ending (know how it all ends)?
This has been the first series that I have written that is not anchored completely by the historical record, so I have revelled in the freedom of it and have worked on each novel quite independently. I know where the whole series ultimately ends, but I don't know yet how I will get there. It's a truly creative process, I feel as if I am making it up as I go along and loving this.

Why did you set your new teen series in the 15th century?
The date of 1453 is such a key one - people really believed that it was the end of the world. It is this belief that means that Luca has his job in exploring the "end of days" and also means that there are so many manifestations of the supernatural that people report.

How is it working with fictional characters rather than real historical figures?
It has been a real holiday from the demands of accuracy and research. It has set the novelist in me free for the first time in a long time. I love discovering and researching the historical characters, but to be able to create characters from imagination has been a real treat.

End 

Sounds great right? For your chance to win a copy if you live in the UK fill out my Past, Present, and Future giveaway form here, and if you live internationally fill out my Book of YOUR choice up to the value of £10 or under form here to be in with a chance of winning Changeling, good luck!

Many thanks to the publishers Simon & Schuster for putting this interview together!

Review for The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

WARNING 
This is a review for the second book in the Darkness Rising series and so may contain spoilers from the first book in the series.

The Calling by Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: Atom
Release Date: 5th April 2012
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Source: Received from the publisher for review

Amazon Summary:
"Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the sign of what she truly is - a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly anyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it's only a matter of time before she's able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents including local bad boy Rafe, with whom she shares a dangerous, powerful secret.

Now, Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. After a terrifying helicopter crash, they find themselves stranded in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home. But can Maya really trust her friends? And can she learn how to control the frightening new gift she has discovered before it controls her?"

Review 
The Calling has to be my favourite of Kelley Armstrong’s Young Adult books so far. I loved her Darkest Powers trilogy and enjoyed the first book to this new companion series The Gathering just as much, but this second instalment to the Darkness Rising series had everything I loved about Kelley’s previous books and more. I picked this up and had it finished under 24 hours later it was such a page turner of a read with constant action and suspense. I think after reading this book my love for the Darkness Rising series might just have over taken my love for the Darkest Powers books.

The book begins where The Gathering left off and straight away we’re thrown back into the action. During the first chapter in the helicopter all hell breaks loose with shocking revelations, powers unleashed and even deaths of characters to really get the ball rolling! After that explosive first chapter the book doesn’t let up for a second and only gets more urgent and intense as the book goes on. It felt like I read The Calling in a total frenzy I was that immersed in Maya’s world. This book grips you and refuses to let go till the final world, a quality that all of Kelley Armstrong’s books have, this one in particular.

The Calling is a real survival story. With Maya and her friends stuck in the wilderness with an increasingly dangerous group after them for their unusual powers, not only do they have to survive in the forest, try to avoid being captured or worse killed all whilst trying to find out what happened to their home, dealing with loss and figuring out who they can trust, they also have to deal with their powers starting to manifest at the same time, testing out how strong they are, and working out what extinct and rare supernatural creature they might be.

These books have a certain sinister chill to them with the supernatural powers not being achieved by magic but by actual scientific engineering, the corporations that Maya and Co have as enemies are scary and powerful ones that whilst may want to capture them for impure purposes might also be the only people who have answers and can help them control their powers.

As with the first book in this series I really loved Maya as our heroine and felt that this book gives us chance to get to know some of the other characters a little better too. If you’re a fan of Kelley’s books then you’ll know that her characters are always strong and likeable and that her writing and plot development seems so easy and natural that it seems effortless on her part and is compulsively readable. This book had a fantastic ending with enough left unresolved that I’m dying for the next book without it being a torturous cliff-hanger. I particularly like what Kelley was hinting at for what’s in store in the next book and find it an exciting direction she’s leading us in. Overall The Calling was a fantastic sequel and my favourite from Kelley Armstrong yet. If you’re a fan of this series this latest instalment isn’t going to disappoint.

Blogoversary Giveaway! (UK and International) Jess Hearts Books is 2!

Today marks the start of this blog and I can hardly believe it’s been two years already! I’ve had some wonderful experiences and received some amazing books but none of these experiences would have been possible unless this blog had a readership and so this is where I want to say a HUGE thank you to YOU the reader and give a little something back in a giveaway! Because my readers come from all over the world I will be doing an international giveaway (wherever The Book Depository ships) as well as a UK only one (UK residents are welcome to enter both) so I’m going to keep this short and sweet and get on to what YOU could win…

UK Giveaway Past, Present, and Future

Because Blogoverarys are a time to reflect on what you’ve achieved in the past, celebrate the present, and look forward to the future I’ve decided to celebrate that in a giveaway with a book set in the past, a present time contemporary and a futuristic novel so I’ve chosen to giveaway to one UK winner Changeling by Philippa Gregory (past), Emma Hearts LA by Keris Stainton (present), and The Selection by Kiera Cass (future) along with some swag. For your chance of winning please fill in the form.
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

International Giveaway (open to wherever The Book Depository ships) Win ONE book of your choice up to the value of £10 or under 

This Giveaway is open internationally just please make sure The Book Depository ships to your country here before entering, and that the book you might want is available from them and costs 10 GBP or under :-)
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules 
To enter either giveaway please fill in the Rafflecopter's.
Giveaways End: Sunday 15th July 2012
Winners will be contacted by email and will have 1 week to reply else another winner will be selected.

 Thanks and Good luck! :)

Review for Rapture by Lauren Kate

WARNING 
This is the final book in the Fallen series and although my review will contain NO SPOILERS from Rapture by talking about the plot there may be unintentional spoilers from the other books in the series.

Rapture by Lauren Kate
Publisher: Doubleday
Release Date: 21st June 2012
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Angels
Rating: 5/5 stars
Source: Received from the publisher for review

Amazon Summary:
"The sky is dark with wings... And time is running out for Luce and Daniel. In order to stop Lucifer from erasing the past, they must find the place where the Fall began. Only Luce can break the curse, and it is her choice alone that will decide all of their fates. But as Dark Forces gather, great sacrifices will have to be made in this final, epic struggle... In the fight for Luce, and for Love, who will win?"

Review 
Rapture has been a hugely anticipated book for me. Ever since I read the first book in this series Fallen in 2010 I’ve been left with so many burning questions like “why has this curse been put on Luce and Daniel?” and “what will it take for them to break it?.” All of my questions were finally answered in this series finale and it was better than I could have hoped for, I’d even go as far as to say this is my favourite book of the series.

Rapture begins where Passion left off, there is a collection of short stories called Fallen in Love that’s meant to be read before this book as well and although it’s not essential to the series, I’d read it before Rapture anyway just because it adds a little extra detail to this book. Luce, Daniel, and all of our other favourite characters, come together to try and hunt down three ancient and lost relics that record the Angels fall from Heaven and are scattered all around the world in order to discover where the fall took place to stop Lucifer from erasing the past and re-starting time.

The first half of this book is a race against time as the gang have only nine days to save the world and so there’s a certain urgency as they travel the world searching for the relics. There are also some gorgeous scenes between Luce and Daniel now that Luce has her memories of her past lives with him restored her and Daniel are closer than ever which leads to some of the couples best and most romantic moments.

Nearing the last section of the book things get even more intense, lives are sacrificed for the greater good and we lose some fantastic characters along the way. With Luce now more connected to her soul than ever she starts to piece together her very first meeting with Daniel, why they’re cursed, and exactly what she has to do to break the curse and stop Lucifer before it’s too late.

The ending to this book completely blew me away. Although as I read this book I began to suspect a few things before they happened, I was in no way prepared for the full scale of things and thought it was absolutely brilliant. A word of warning: the ending is a total tearjerker especially if you’re a romantic and I found myself sobbing through the last few chapters of this book and got weepy just thinking about it for the rest of the day. The ending was absolutely perfect and it couldn’t have ended any other way.

It was so bittersweet for me saying goodbye to these characters I’ve come to know, love, and spend so much time with, although I do think with the way Lauren Kate ended this book she could always revisit this world in a spin off series if she ever wanted to. Rapture was an epic, heart wrenching, and totally moving finale to what’s been one of the most romantic series I’ve ever read. Read it, love it, just don’t forget to keep a box of tissues handy!

Review for What I Did On My Holidays by Chrissie Manby

What I Did On My Holidays by Chrissie Manby 
Publisher: Hodder
Release Date: 21st June 2012
Genre: Chick-Lit, Fiction, Summer, Romance, Comedy
Rating: 4/5 stars
Source: Received from the publisher for review

Amazon Summary:
"Sophie Sturgeon can't wait for her annual summer holiday. Not only will it be a week away from work, it will be a chance to reconnect with her boyfriend Callum. So this upcoming trip to Majorca is a big deal. Sophie's spent a lot of time getting ready. She's bought a new wardrobe. She's been waxed to within an inch of her life. She's determined she and Callum will have the best time ever. Then Callum dumps her, the night before they're due to leave. In a show of bravery and independence, Sophie says she'll go to Majorca alone - but in fact, she hides in her London flat. But when her friends, family, and even Callum seem so surprised and delighted at her single girl courage, Sophie decides to go all out and recreate the ultimate 'fake break'...with hilarious results."

Review 
What I Did On My Holidays was right at the top of the list of books I want to read this summer. Despite never reading a book by Chrissie Manby before I’d heard what a fab writer she is and this book sounded so funny and uplifting that I was looking forward to reading it hugely and it certainly lived up to my expectations!

The book begins with our hilarious heroine Sophie looking forward to her annual summer holiday and this holiday in particular will be extra special as she plans to spend her thirtieth birthday celebrating in Majorca with long term boyfriend Callum. However as the hours pass before the plane takes off with no word from Callum Sophie starts to get slightly frantic and after several failed attempts to reach him he finally texts to let her know that he’s not going to be going to Majorca with her after all and worst of all dumps her hours before they’re meant to leave. Heartbroken and devastated with nobody who can accompany her on such short notice Sophie decides to stay at home and nurse her broken heart. But when her family and friends assume that she has gone ahead with her holiday alone and Callum gets wind of it he starts to regret the break-up and is impressed with Sophie’s new found independence. And so from her London flat, in the middle of a drizzly English summer, Sophie goes about trying to re-create the perfect holiday in Majorca in an all or nothing attempt to win Callum back.

What I Did On My Holidays was such a hilarious read. Sophie’s drastic attempts to live out an abroad holiday at home made for the wackiest staycation ever. Stealing pictures from the hotels website to send to her friends, checking club webcams to see what’s happening live, and even re-creating a beach scene in her garden with a whole lot of builders sand, Sophie does it all. Reading about Sophie’s staycation was the real highlight of the book for me and I’d find myself laughing out loud at just how far she was willing to go so as not to be found out. What I Did On My Holidays certainly celebrates the joys of having a holiday from home something which I’m sure a lot of people can relate to with more and more people having to cut back on their holidays with the recession.

Sophie was such a likeable, funny, heroine who I wanted the best for from the start. After being dumped so horribly at the beginning of the book she’s immediately endearing as a character and I was cheering her on throughout.

What I Did On My Holidays had everything I could want from a summer story. It was a feel good, light hearted, hilarious read that’s definitely made me want to check out Chrissie Manby’s other books. Whether you’re staying at home this summer, going on an English holiday, or going abroad this is a holiday read that can be enjoyed whatever the occasion and celebrates holidays of all shapes and sizes. Perfect to be read either by the pool with a cocktail or curled up on the couch with a cuppa this is a holiday book that has something to offer everyone.