The Grateful Boys by: Francoise DuMaurier Blog Tour

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Urban Fantasy
Published: October 1, 2019 by: Clink Street Publishing
Pages: 328
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

*thank you to Clink Street Publishing for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hailey is a bi-racial teen, who has just recently moved to the small country town of Corpus, Georgia. What she doesn't know, is that Corpus has been the site of some strange, mystical happenings, including some gruesome murders. When residents start seeing strange, winged creatures, the town's first African-American sheriff must start laying down the law. But Hailey is growing increasingly close to a mysterious boy named Percy who just happens to be a vampire, and she grapples with this new found love, and her own identity during a time of racial unrest.

I didn't really know what to expect when going in to this book. I thought it would be really high fantasy, with little realistic elements. However, I was very impressed with the author's ability to weave real life issues into a fantasy-like setting.

I labelled this novel as urban fantasy because the supernatural elements take place inside the real world. I actually really do love urban fantasy because I find that supernatural figures often serve as metaphors for reality. I loved DuMaurier's intertwining of racial issues in the deep South, along with the issue of the threat on the town. It was a great balance between fantasy vs. reality.

The characters were also quite lovable. I loved Hailey, her little brother Mason, and her love interest Percy. I thought that Hailey was a very relatable character. She seemed like a normal teenager to me, and wasn't overly mature or "done up."

I found the novel to have a lot of Stranger Things elements to it, which was very much appreciated. The whole small town setting, with a frustrated sheriff and some really creepy happenings, really worked. I thought that this novel was perfect for the current spooky season we are going in to right now, and I am always down for a novel that takes place in small town. I think the smaller the setting,  the more interesting things get!

The only thing I think could be improved for this book, is that I just wanted more romance between Hailey and Percy! I am a sucker for a good romance in stories like this, and while I found the two to have great chemistry, I would have liked even more from their relationship. That being said, it was a great addition to the story that didn't feel like insta-love.

Overall, this novel is perfect for Halloween, as it is perfectly spooky, but also semi-relatable at the same time. I will also add that it is #ownvoices, which is a huge positive element for me. Even if you don't like vampire stories, there are enough real-life issues in this book to grapple with.

Thanks to Clink Street Publishing for the copy, and be sure to check out the other posts in this blog tour!

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Mental Health in Ya Blogger Roundup!

Hello all! About a month ago, I was asked by fellow book blogger Anna @ Annaish to participate in her mental health blogger roundup. Basically, she asked me and other bloggers to share a paragraph highlighting a YA novel we thought had great mental health representation.

There are so many YA books out there that deal with mental health however not all do it well, and this negative representation can be harmful and triggering. So, in honour of mental health health awareness month, I decided to share Anna's post on all of our paragraphs on my blog too, hopefully to spread awareness on some mental health books you should be reading! Please go check out Anna's blog as well as the other lovely participants of this event :D

Anna @ Annaish: Girl Against the Universe by: Paula Stokes:

When it comes to mental health, YA books tend to romanticise, cure, or isolate a mentally ill character. It’s frustrating, insulting, and misleading because those tropes don’t happen in real life. Thankfully, we do have YA books who don't fall into those tropes and one of those books is Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes.

The book follows Maguire, a girl who has PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder) and is on the path of recovery. For starters, her path of recovery isn’t romanticised. The book highlights her good and bad days. Maguire isn’t cured or isolated either. She goes to therapy and has loving support from family/friends. And, probably the best part about this book is, Maguire’s mental illness isn't her only personality trait. She’s spunky, sarcastic, and a fantastic narrator. I could talk about Girl Against the Universe all day long but I'll leave you with this, mental illnesses exists and more YA books need to talk about it.

Emily @ Paperback Princess: Top Ten by: Katie Cotugno:

When Anna asked me to choose a novel I thought had the best mental health representation, my mind immediately went to Top Ten by: Katie Cotugno. This YA novel features the main female protagonist, Gabby, going through high school with intense anxiety and agoraphobia, making her very shy and nervous when it comes to the overbearing parties her classmates throw. Gabby’s best friend is an extroverted star hockey player named Ryan, one of the most popular guys in school. However, what makes this book so awesome, is that Ryan doesn’t “save Gabby” from her mental illness. Instead, through their unlikely friendship, he encourages and supports her and the two remain good friends throughout the entire book. I loved this novel not just because I could relate heavily to Gabby, but also because it didn’t have to feature the trope that the guy and the girl must fall in love and suddenly all her fears are whisked away. It was refreshing to see Gabby and Ryan remain strictly friends and how Ryan learnt how to support Gabby during her panic attacks. This book made me wish I had a friendship like they had in high school.

Kenzie @ Paper Pizza: Turtles All the Way Down by: John Green:

There has always been a bit of controversy when it comes to the topic of John Green’s writing, but when I heard that he was working on a book about mental illness, I knew he would nail it. Aza is the main character in this story and she suffers from OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) which is also related to anxiety. Rarely do I ever see anxiety discussed in Young Adult literature and to find a book that describes it PERFECTLY feels like a phenomenon. Even though everyone experiences anxiety, it still seems there is a stigma towards it. With Turtles All The Way Down, you feel as though your soul has been ripped open and there is finally someone who understands you.

“The thing about a spiral is, if you follow it inward, it never actually ends. It just keeps tightening. Infinitely.”

Aza is a great character. She is different from most female characters in the YA world, and what I loved most about this story was how real and raw it was. Whether you love YA or dislike it, everyone needs to read this book. It is an excellent representation of mental health, especially in young adult literature.

Abby @ Ups and Downs: Eliza and Her Monsters by: Francesca Zappia:

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia is one of my favorite books for its portrayal of social anxiety. For those unfamiliar with its plot, the book follows a girl named Eliza Murk with a famous web comic named Monstrous Sea who keeps this part of her life private. I loved to this book in many ways— the way it portrayed social anxiety and its relationship to how the protagonist connects on the digital world, the injection of art pieces showing Eliza’s comic, and her struggle towards opening up to her friend Wallace, who is also one of the most popular fan fiction writers of the comic. However relatable the character is, the book does get heavy fast, but it does so with an acknowledged nuance and understanding.

Tasya @ The Literary Huntress: Every Last Word by: Tamara Ireland Stone:

This book is one of the most underrated books out there. Every Last Word is a sweet and calm, but sad story about Sam, who has pure OCD. This book addresses the common misconception of all OCD people are obsessed with cleaning and tidying things up and tell Sam's story in such a way that make us empathise with her. The depth of the author research is shown with Sam's portrayal, it doesn't feel stereotypical or shallow, she felt like a real person. Another thing that I love is how supportive Sam's family and friends are and how positive her relationship with her psychiatrist is. She's open and always tells the psychiatrist about everything, she actively participates instead of raging and closing off, which is a great message. This is a really poignant and heartfelt book, and I wish more people read it!

Clink Street Publishing's Spring Reads Blog Tour: Discoucia book #1 by: Nicholas Lovelock

This year, I'm taking part in Clink Street Publishing's Spring Reading Week blog tour! So to go with the event, here is my review of Discoucia by: Nicholas Lovelock:

Genre: Fantasy
Published: June 29, 2017 by: Clink Street Publishing
Pages: 345
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Sir Arthur Pageon is protector of the realm of Avalonia, a magical land full of monstrous creatures, and the Discoucian Monarchy. Returning home from one of his quests, he discovers that he is being followed by The Purple Guard, a rebellion group led by his sister, Queen Lily Pageon. Lily longs to take over the Discoucian monarchy. However, the heir to the throne, Princess Josephine, knows of her plot, and her and Arthur will embark on a journey all across Avalonia to try and stop Lily from taking over the kingdom.

This book is about as fantasy as you can get! It had fantastic world building, incredible descriptions of setting, and will fully engross you in the world. The tone was humorous and witty, which brought a unique charm, and I think all fantasy lovers would love this. While I had some issues with it because of the fact that I do have a love/hate relationship with worlds as complex as this, I think that it will capture the hearts of all fantasy die-hards.

This book was very different from other fantasies I've read. The tone was very informal and witty, which actually made this more enjoyable from other heavy fantasies. There were a lot of funny elements to it and it didn't seem as serious as other fantasies.

The characters were also really well written. You have some typical characters of magical kingdoms, such as the Knight, the Queen, the Princess, but they were really different and their personalities were quite interesting. I especially liked the whole aspect of Lily being a tyrannical dictator, and the fact that she was related to Arthur. I thought that brought a cool dynamic.

I think the main problem why I couldn't be fully into this book was because the plot was too complex for me. I didn't feel really connected to it as there were a lot of different settings, characters, and organizations and I had trouble following. I found myself having to go back and re-read sections to understand what was going on, which I didn't really like. That being said, if you take things slow with this one, or if you're used to reading fantasy all the time, you may really like this.

Purchase from Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Discoucia-Victorianish-Fairytale-Nicholas-Lovelock-ebook/dp/B071JQ9LWS/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1499335062&sr=1-1&keywords=discoucia

About the author: Based in a small village in Oxfordshire Nicholas Lovelock is the author of the Alavonia series. As well as a passion for history, Nick holds a keen interest in Numismatics —the study and collection of coins, banknotes and medals— counting a 200 year-old 1826 half-crown and coinage of monarchs like Queen Anne, Elizabeth the First and Henry the Eighth as part of his collection.

Thanks to Clink Street for including me in their blog tour! Be sure to check out all the other posts going up this week with the #SpringReads

Emily @ Paperback Princess

12 Days of Clink Street Christmas- Fifteen Words by: Monika Jephcott- Thomas

This December, I'm taking part in the 12 days of Clink Street Christmas, a blog tour showcasing the best of Clink Street Publishing's books! So I'm here to review Fifteen Words by Monika Jephcott- Thomas, a harrowing historical fiction novel.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Published: November 22, 2016 by: Clink Street Publishing
Rating: 4/5 stars

In WW2 Germany, Catholic Max is a war doctor, helping the wounded all while concealing his true opinions on Hitler. On the other hand, his wife Erika, a agnostic product of the Hitler youth is all the way in Siberia in a POW camp. Despite their vast differences, the two are in love, and the distance is killing Max as his only contact with his wife is through letters, in fifteen words or less. As Erika struggles with being pregnant in the camp, Max is trying to keep in contact with her and toy with his personal morals, and his country's.

This was a really interesting book! I have read many WW2 novels, but never from a German perspective. I think it's very important for books like these to be sensitive to the victims of the war, especially Jews, and this book did just that. It gave a good look on a German man against Hitler's regime, as well as his wife who is sadly a product of her environment.

I loved Max. I thought he was a well-rounded character with a heart of gold who truly cared. He had such compassion and was also very knowledgeable, and I enjoyed reading about him a lot. I also loved the fact that he was a doctor, as I love medical stuff and seeing him in action was great.

I didn't love Erika though. She did kinda put a damper on the book for me because I couldn't help but hate her views on Hitler, despite her having no choice, and I thought Max deserved a lot better than her. They just seemed like a weird couple to me, I didn't really get their chemistry.

I thought this was a very easy book to read. I was scared it would be too heavy, as a lot of historical fiction books are, but it was very easy to read and I got through it quickly. I would definitely recommend!!

That's it for me! Be sure to check out the other 12 Day's blog posts this month.

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Blogival 2017: Q&A with Joe Treasure!

Hey everyone! I am so excited to be partaking in Clink Street Publishing's 2nd Annual Summer Blogival! All month long you can check out amazing content from other bloggers, as we feature exclusive interviews, reviews and highlight some incredible books! Today, I will be conducting a Q&A session with Clink Street author Joe Treasure, author of the literary fiction novel The Book of Air! 

About The Book of Air:

Retreating from an airborne virus with a uniquely unsettling symptom, property developer Jason escapes London for his country estate, where he is forced to negotiate a new way of living with an assortment of fellow survivors.

Far in the future, an isolated community of descendants continue to farm this same estate. Among their most treasured possessions are a few books, including a copy of Jane Eyre, from which they have constructed their hierarchies, rituals and beliefs. When 15-year-old Agnes begins to record the events of her life, she has no idea what consequences will follow. Locked away for her transgressions, she escapes to the urban ruins and a kind of freedom, but must decide where her future lies.

These two stories interweave, illuminating each other in unexpected ways and offering long vistas of loss, regeneration and wonder.

The Book of Air is a story of survival, the shaping of memory and the enduring impulse to find meaning in a turbulent world.

*synopsis taken from Goodreads

Q&A:

1.  In the Book of Air, Agnes’ society is constructed based on Jane Eyre. This is such an unique concept! Why did you choose that specific book, and what does it mean to you?

I do love that book. But I also love the idea of people reading it in a completely different way from me, not even understanding that it’s a work of fiction designed for pleasure, but scrutinizing it for guidance on how to live.  At the same time, I thought these villagers living a very basic life in the future would be baffled by most fiction, but would understand Jane’s world. Rochester’s mad wife is locked in a room in the house. When Jane runs away from Rochester’s house she nearly starves to death on the moor. These things would make sense to them.   

2.  Besides Jane Eyre, what would be your “Book of Air,” a book you would base your rituals and beliefs on?

Luckily I don’t have to choose, because I’m fortunate enough to live in a society that doesn’t put limits on what I can read. But if I had to, and if it was going to be a novel, I’d go for something that more broadly and more consciously considers the values people should live by, such as Middlemarch.

3.  Post-plague/apocalyptic societies are very popular settings for books nowadays. Why did you choose this setting for your novel and what themes did you want to present?

When I write fiction, I don’t always know why I make decisions of this kind. Themes emerge often without my conscious control. Taking a leap into the future allowed me an extra dimension of freedom as a story-teller. I wanted to imagine a society organized differently from ours, living by very different rules. I can see, now that the book is finished, that I was interested in people’s ability to give their lives meaning even in the darkest circumstances, in the impulse to create communities, and in what makes a community a source of harm or of healing.  

4.  Who would you rather be, Jason, a survivor with memories of past life, or Agnes, born after and living in a world where The Book of Air is all she knows?

I’m so much closer to Jason in age and life experience than I am to Agnes. And it’s hard to imagine myself growing up in Agnes’s world. On the other hand, Jason experiences almost unbearable losses. For Agnes, because she’s young and has begun to question the certainties that have been instilled in her from birth, life is full of unimagined possibilities. I would have to choose Agnes.

5.  What themes or beliefs from Agnes’ world do you think we could use in our world today?

The belief system Agnes shares with the other villagers is strange and unduly restrictive, rooted in a misreading of Jane Eyre. But their ability to live simply is admirable. They live a sustainable life in harmony with their environment. Perhaps that’s something we could learn from.  

6.  What inspired you to be a writer? I read in your biography that you first excelled in music and arts, and then won a place to read English. Do you think your background in the arts helped you craft words?

I was inspired to write by the pleasure I’ve always found in reading. I’m sure my art and music have helped me, even more than studying English. I’m aware of the music of sentences and paragraphs and of the rhythm of dialogue. Everything I write I read aloud to hear the sound it makes. At the same time I think I’m quite a visual writer. When I’m writing a scene, I like to know where it’s taking place, what the weather is doing, where the light is coming from.

7.  Lastly, what advice would you give to other aspiring writers, specifically those who want to go into more literary fiction?

Be ambitious for your writing more than for your career. The vast majority of writers are neglected and overlooked, even those whose books are published. The drive to write for its own sake must come first. Then find people you can trust to share your work with. Other aspiring writers are often best, because they’ll understand what you’re struggling with, and because you can reciprocate. Be open to whatever criticism they offer, however clumsily expressed. You can always ignore it if it doesn’t help, but first ask yourself honestly if it rings true. As long as the criticism is meant to help and not to wound (free-floating hostility being possible in any human interaction) be grateful for it. If you react defensively, your critics will pull back and limit themselves to offering bland encouragement. Above all, keep writing, and follow where the writing wants to go. Don’t limit yourself with conscious preconceptions of what the end product should look like.

Go check out this fabulous book! It will change your perception on how we view our favourite pieces of literature, and how they can influence the world. 

Buy it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Air-Joe-Treasure/dp/1911525093

About Joe Treasure: 

Joe Treasure currently lives in South West London with his wife Leni Wildflower. As an English teacher in Wales, he ran an innovative drama programme, before following Leni across the pond to Los Angeles, an experience that inspired his critically acclaimed debut novel The Male Gaze (published by Picador). His second novel Besotted (also published by Picador) also met with rave reviews.

Website - http://www.joetreasure.com/

Twitter: - https://twitter.com/joetreas

That's it for me! Use the #blogival to check out the other posts going up this month! 

Emily @ Paperback Princess

The Rainbow Player by: David Kerby- Kendall Blog Tour!

Genre: YA Fiction, Contemporary
Published: June 20, 2017 by: Whitely Publishing
Pages: 292

I'm happy to be partaking in the Blog Tour for The Rainbow Player by: David Kerby-Kendall! Here is the synopsis from goodreads:

England footballer, Sammy Hatchington, has never considered sexuality before. As a teenager, Sammy broke the mould of his youthful peers with his desire to open the door to life's endless possibilities. He escaped a deprived estate and, with the help of Old Thomas, his surrogate father, Davey, his soul-mate, and Gran, the connoisseur of footballer's bottoms, launched himself on a path toward his personal and professional goals. Now, several years later, he must make a decision that could destroy everything he has fought for, and create a furious media frenzy.........


David Kerby-Kendall's joyous and witty novel challenges preconceptions about professional sportsmen and love, and is also a delightful and moving story of a young man's journey to self-knowledge.

The Rainbow Player was a harrowing novel about something I hadn't read about before, and that is LGBT people in sport! The author decided to highlight this in the theme of English football, I sport that I am unfamiliar with, but seemed very familiar to him. This book seemed very British, and had a lot of terms and banter that I think my English blog buddies would love. 

Pick up The Rainbow Player if you are into learning more about the trials and tribulations of LGBT+ issues in sport. It is a theme I think that is not commonly highlighted in YA, but is all the more important. 

You can buy the book here: The Rainbow Player

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Nefarious Tales: A Villain Week Blog Tour + Giveaway: Harry Potter Villains

Welcome to Nefarious Tales, a week dedicated to all things villainous and hosted by the awesome Mishma @ Chasing Faerytales! Be sure to check out her blog for all of the details and for her corresponding posts. Today, she's Talking about Antiheros! Also be sure to visit the other lovely participating bloggers who have put up posts today:

Lisa @ Lost in Literature is talking about her favourite villains
Maryam @ Once Upon a Story wonders what would happen if villains ruled the world
Crini @ It's All About Books explains why we love villains

 Mishma's also hosting a giveaway all week long so stay until the end of this post and enter!  Without further adieu, here is my villain post, dedicated to the baddest, the meanest, sometimes the funniest villains in the beloved series of... HARRY POTTER!

We all know that the main bad guy in HP is none other than Lord Voldemort, yes I said his name! But he is not the only one! There were so many scheming, slimy villains that sometimes get ignored. I'm going to be breaking them all down, which ones were successful, which ones had a soft spot, and which ones were just down right sadistic.

Lord Voldemort 
Real Name: Tom Marvalo Riddle
Age: 72
Status: Dead
Featured in: Books 1-7

Let's start things off with the main man himself. Voldemort obviously had his faults, wanting to take over the world and having a FREAKING SNAKE AS A PET! But to be honest, this guy was really damn unsuccessful for someone who knew Harry's whereabouts at all times. Seriously though, why did it take the guy 7 WHOLE YEARS to try to kill Harry? He got beaten by an ELEVEN YEAR OLD KID! Not very smart, that Voldemort.

Bellatrix Lestrange 
Real Name: Bellatrix Lestrange-Black
Age: 47
Status: Dead
Featured in: Books 5-7

Now let's get into Voldemort's fearless group of death eaters. Bellatrix was the borderline psychotic one. Escaping from Azkaban to help kill didn't really help her matters, but you have to admit, Bellatrix had ambition, and she always got what she wanted, even if that meant killing Sirius. (sniff, sniff) Overall, she seeked power, that's for sure, but you gotta hand it to her, she was successful in what she wanted until the very end.

Lucius Malfoy 
Real Name: Lucius Malfoy
Age: 66
Status: Alive
Featured in: Books 2-7

Ahhh the Malfoy's, what a controversial bunch. Lucius definitely wins first prize for best hair, look at those locks, but he did earn one not so great title, and that is: coward. Lucius tortured muggles alike since he first appeared, and he did anything to screw up Hogwarts. However once the end came and Voldemort was about ready to kill him and his family, he jumps onto the rebellion's bandwagon as if he's been there all long. Lucius, you need to sort out your priorities.

Narcissa Malfoy 
Real Name: Narcissa Malfoy-Black
Age: 65
Status: Alive
Featured in: Books 6-7

Now to someone who I actually kind of respect in a way. Narcissa was nothing like her insane sister Bellatrix, and all she really wanted was to protect her son. She ended up saving Harry's ass in the end, which was a big plus, and all she wanted was for her son to be happy. You go Narcissa!

Draco Malfoy 
Real Name: Draco Malfoy
Age:36
Status: Alive
Featured in: Books 1-7

Oh Draco, poor little Draco. The poor kid couldn't really help being born into an evil family. and that left him with no choice than to follow their lead. The truth is, I respected Draco. Even though he was a bit of a bully, he didn't know any better, and I think he turned out fine in the end.


Severus Snape 
Real Name: Severus Snape
Age: 38
Status: Dead
Featured in: Books 1-7

Here's the big debate! I'm going to keep this short and sweet: I don't think Snape is a good person. Yes perhaps he was the "bravest man Harry ever knew", but the point is, he was cruel to Harry from day one, all because his mother rejected him. I'm sorry Snape, but I never liked you.

Dolores Umbridge 
Real Name: Dolores Umbridge
Age: 51
Status: Alive
Featured in: Books 5-7

Ending this off by one of the most IRRITATING, the most ANNOYING, the most CRUELEST PERSON EVER IN THE WIZARDING WORLD! Umbridge was straight up horrible, she took pleasure from other people's pain, killed off innocent muggles, and even though she did not support Voldemort, she was equivalent, if not worse than him. Umbridge, YOU GRIND MY GEARS!

That's just my opinions on some of the most prominent villains in Harry Potter! Which ones are your favourite/ least favourite?

And now to the good stuff! Mishma is hosting an INTL giveaway to celebrate, where YOU could win a mystery villain prize pack! Enter here!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

That's it from me! Make sure to follow Nefarious Tales all week long and to grab the hashtag #NefariousTales as there will be a Twitter Chat on Friday at 7 pm EST! Hope you all can join us!

Yours in Villainment,

Emily @ Paperback Princess