Meeting Alyson Noël in Norway

Alyson Noël is in Norway. She arrived yesterday, and will stay until November 30th. And I got the chance to meet her, and not only that, I also did a public interview with her.

Evermore, the first book in the Immortals series, was one of the first books I read in the genres ya and paranormal romance, and one of the main reasons why I started out blogging. I found the book on Amazon.co.uk, loved the cover and the description of the story and preordered it. And when I read the story I knew that this was a series I had to follow. I loved Alyson's writing style and the story of Ever and Damen. It was magical and romantic, dramatic and full of warmth and atmosphere.

This autumn, the first book in the series was published here in Norway,and I have been raving about the books on my Norwegian blog. I also did an interview with Alyson by e-mail prior to the Norwegian release. You can read the interview here. And the book have done great here in Norway. A lot of teenagers and grown ups are buying Evermore and falling in love with it. In 2011, Blue Moon and Shadowland will be out here in Norway.

When I read that Alyson was coming to Norway, I was very excited. It is not everyday we Norwegians get the chance to meet a bestselling American author. I wowed that I was going to attend the booktalk and the signing her Norwegian publisher had set up for her at the House of Literature in Oslo.

A week ago I got a call from her Norwegian publisher, asking if I wanted to be the one to interview her during the booktalk. I could hardly believe my ears, but I said yes of course. I have been working as a journalist here in Norway, that is also one of my educations, but I have never interviewed an author in public, in front of an audience before. I have had butteflies in my stomach all week.

Yesterday I celebrated Thanksgiving with some of my Norwegian friends. We always celebrate thankgiving, because we think it is a great American tradition and a way to get together and remember the year that has gone by. One of my friends is from Britain, so I got to practise my English skills with her all evening.

And today was the big interview and it went well, thanks to Alyson. It was so easy to talk to her. She is such an amazing person, you get that feeling when you read her books, and she is that way in real life too. She is open, warm and not afraid to talk about personal things. It was her first time in Norway, and she has a lot planned. She will attend two signings, and do interviews with the media.

In the interview I focused on The Immortals, and how she got the idea for the series. She told me that the series was born from grief. She lost someone that was close to her, and nearly lost her husband as well. Through Ever she has decribed a lot of the feelings that she delt with.

Ever and Damen are carefully chosen names. She collects unusual names. Damen is actually named after the place where her husband was born.

We talked about the paranormal elements in her books, and she said that she has had some experiences she could not explain - some of them whilst doing the research for The Immortals . She also talked about her childhood, about starting to work very early and about her previois job as a flight attendant. She talked about how her writing day is, her imaginary dog Buttercup and what she does when she has finished a book. ( She used to clean the house, now she goes for a massage or take a pedicure).

There is some major upcoming plans for The Immortals, and you will get the chance to see Ever and Damen's story on a movie or TV Screen some time in the future. If you visit her website in a few days, you will get to read more about it there. She also talked about her last book in The Immortals series, which will be called Everlasting. Alyson is working on a new series, Soul Seekers, which will probably be released sometime in 2012. The story will take place in New Mexico.

We also talked about Miles and Haven and she gave advice to aspiring authors. Afterwards she signed books, and I got a lovely message from her in my copy of Evermore.



It was a great day,and like I said, so nice to meet her. I am also going to meet her tomorrow for another event. And after she has been in Norway, she will travel to Paris.

Waiting on Wednesday: "Wither"

Wating on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, where we talk about the books we can't wait to get our hands on.

My pick this week is "Wither" by Lauren DeStefano

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limted time she has left.

Wither is officially released March 22nd 2011.

What are your pick this week?

2011 Debut Authors Challenge

I have decided to sign ut for the 2011 Debut Authors Challenge, hosted by The Story Siren.The participants must read at least twelve novels from Young Adult or Middle Grade Authors. The books must be read netween January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011. The books must have been released in 2011.

Here are the books I am planning to read during 2011:

1. Kelly Keaton: Darkness becomes Her
2. Julia Karr: XVI
3. Lisa Cach: Wake unto Me
4. Elizabeth Woods: Choker
5. Maurissa Guibord: Warped
6. Karen Mahoney: The Iron Witch
7. Alexandra Monir: Timeless
8. Eilis O' Neal: The False Princess
9. Lauren DeStefano: Wither
10.Katie Kacvinsky: Awaken
11. Amy Plum: Die for me
12. Jana Oliver: The Demon Trapper's Daughter

I have already preordered the first seven book, so that's a start. I have also an E - Arc of "Awaken".

Are you going to be a part of this challenge? You can sign up here!

In my mailbox (11)

This is a weekly meme, hosted by the great Story Siren, where we talk about the books we got last week.

I didn't get so many books this week, but I went a little crazy at Amazon.co.uk, and are expecting those in mid December. Can't have too many books right?

For review ( Via Netgalley):
Stone kissed by Keri Stevens

Bought:
Intrinsical by Lani Woodland
House of Seven Gables, Nathaniel Hawthorne

I have also been given the name of the blogger that is going to get a present for me this christmas, as part of the annual Book Blogger Holiday Swap. I have already started thinking about what to get. I love giving things away, and I have something special planned.




What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Review: Wildthorn ( Possible spoiler)

Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Pages: 368
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Release date: February 6th 2009















" Seventeen-year-old Louisa Cosgrove longs to break free from her respectable life as a Victorian doctor's daughter. But her dreams become a nightmare when Louisa is sent to Wildthorn Hall: labeled a lunatic, deprived of her liberty and even her real name. As she unravels the betrayals that led to her incarceration, she realizes there are many kinds of prison. She must be honest with herself - and others - in order to be set free. And love may be the key... "

Background:
"Wildthorn is written by Jane Eagland, a former English teacher who quit her job to take her writing seriously. Eagland had her debut in 2005 with the book "Second best", an illustrated children's book. "Wildthorn" came out in 2009, and in 2010 Eagland published "Whisper my name". "Wildthorn" is inspired by a true story.

The story:
Louisa Cosgrove thinks she is on her way to a family called the Woodvilles, to be a companion to their eldest daughter, when she instead is taken to an asyluk: Wildthorn. The people working here insists that her name is not Louise Cosgrove, but Lucy Childs. There is no explanation as to why she has been brought to Wildthorn and not to the estate of the Woodvilles. The story is set in the Victorian era.

Main Character:
Louisa Cosgrove is not a typical Victorian girl. Almost every Victorian girl dreamed about marrying, that was their ambition in life: be married to a wealthy man. Louisa on the other hand dreams about being a doctor and her father, who is a doctor, starts to educate her. Louisa is curious, has a great mind and is often misunderstood by her mother. Her brother Tom is jealous of her, I think it is because she is a daddy's child.

The Book:
I picked up this book mainly because of two reasons:
1) The cover is gorgeous'
2) The novel is set in the Victorian era

I was instantly brought into the story. The book is an easy read, and there is always something happening. You can easily finish it in one of two sittings ( I did)

The book is written in present tense. I must admit that I am not particulary fond of that, but lucky it didn't ruin the story this time. There is a lot of mystery going on: why has Louisa been brought to Wildthorn? Is there some kind om mistake? I had to keep on reading.

The way the people were treated in the asylums of the day, are horrendous. They were subjected to all kinds of brutality and Louisa gets to experience this first hand.

As the story unfolds, we are offered glimps into Louisa's past that may shed a light on the mystery in this book and why she has been brought to "Wildthorn". I had not read a lot about this book before, so a lot of the things that are revealed came as a big surprise to me. The book reminded me of Sarah Water's books, if you like her stories you will love Wildthorn.

All in all this was a great read, which I highly recommend. I would love to read more from this author.


Visit the author's website here!

Other reviews for this book:
Escape in a Book
A Trillian Books
Smexy Books

Going to London - again!

You might remember that I went to London earlier this fall. London is one of my favorite cities to visit, and me and my boyfriend had a great time. I promised myself that I was going to return as soon as possible, and now the plans have been made for a new trip and I am so excited about that.

I am going to visit London in april to attend The London Book Fair. The fair runs for three days, and is visited by publishers from all over the world. I have never been to a book fair this big, so I am pretty excited. And I have to visit more bookshops in London off course, and return to my favorite secondhand bookshop in Bloomsbury.

Bookblogging has also made the headlines here in Norway. Our national broadcaster made a program where they interviewed some bloggers about bookblogging. I was one of them. Bookblogging in Norway is different from bookblogging in the US and Great Britain, and some of the reviewers in the newspapers are not so happy about it. They believe that the bookbloggers are a threat to them. I do not share that opinion. Take the genre YA, for example; there is not a lot of publicity in the magazines or the papers when it comes to books, new releases etc. So, if I want to learn more about this, I have to read other bookblogs. I have found so many great books I never would have known about, if it weren't for blogging.

I could talk for ever about this issues, but instead I am going to show you my dogs.

Say hello to Bogart & Dogbert:

This is Bogart ( 3 years), named after the actor Humphrey Bogart:

And this is Dogbert ( 5 years), named after the cartoon character:


Have a nice week everyone.

Waiting on Wednesday:

This is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine, where we talk about the books we are waiting eagerly for.



Amy Plum: Die for me
Out: May 10 20.11

" The first of three books about Kate, a sixteen-year-old American who moves to Paris after the death of her parents. She finds herself falling for Vincent, who she discovers is not the typical French teenager he appears: he is something else entirely. Die for me presents a new supernatural mythology presented in a city where dreams are sometimes the same as reality."







Alexandra Monir: "Timeless"
Out: January 11 2011



When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance. "

Caitlin Kittredge:The Iron Thorn (
Out: February 22. 2011


In the city of Lovecraft, the Proctors rule and a great Engine turns below the streets, grinding any resistance to their order to dust. The necrovirus is blamed for Lovecraft's epidemic of madness, for the strange and eldritch creatures that roam the streets after dark, and for everything that the city leaders deem Heretical—born of the belief in magic and witchcraft. And for Aoife Grayson, her time is growing shorter by the day. Aoife Grayson's family is unique, in the worst way—every one of them, including her mother and her elder brother Conrad, has gone mad on their 16th birthday. And now, a ward of the state, and one of the only female students at the School of Engines, she is trying to pretend that her fate can be different.

In My mailbox (10)

This is a weekly meme where we talk about the books we got last week, either books we bought, borrowed at the library, got for review etc. The meme is hosted by the great Story Siren.

This week I got the following books:

For review:
Lee Carroll: Black Swan Rising

"Jeweller Garet James isn't the same as everyone else. She just doesn't know it yet. With her fair share of problems – money (lack of), an elderly father, a struggling business – Garet should be just like any other young, feisty, single New Yorker. If only it was that simple... It begins with the old silver box that had been soldered shut. All Garet has to do is open it. A favour for the frail owner of the antiques shop. Who wouldn’t help? Only it’s then that things start to change. Garet doesn't notice at first, the shifts barely perceptible. But the city in which she grew up is beginning to reveal a long-hidden side – darker, and altogether more dangerous: parallel world of chaos, smoke and blood. And now it’s out of the box...and it has no intention of going back in."

The book is the first in a planned trilogy, and I am so excited to read it. I was so happy when I was asked to review it. I literally jump up and down.

I also got some books for review via Netgalley:

Julie Kagawa: The Iron Queen

" I thought it was over.That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stay by my side. Drag me into the core of a conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it. This time, there will be no turning back."

I have not read the previoius books, but they sound really good so I went ahead and bought them.

Katie Kacvinsky: Awaken

"Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her. Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking. In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space."

The cover attracted me to this books, and it sound like a great read too.

I also bought a couple of books this week:

Bought:

Julie Kagawa: The Iron King
Julie Kagawa: The Iron Daughter
Sara Beth Durst: Enchanted Ivy
Stephen King: Full Dark, No Stars

What books did you get this week?

Review; Sweet Little Lies, Lauren Conrad

Publisher: HarperCollinsChildren'sBooks
Pages: 320
Format: Paperback
Source: Review copy















" In TV star Lauren Conrad's delicious, entertaining novel about young Hollywood, the lies are only as sweet as the people telling them. Jane Roberts was the average girl next door until she and her best friend Scarlett Harp landed their own reality show, L.A. Candy. Suddenly they found themselves thrown into the public eye with VIP tickets to everything. But the starlets quickly discover that fame goes hand in hand with scandal when Jane finds herself the centre of attention for all the wrong reasons. Even her relationship with Scarlett is threatened. Things go from bad to worse when Scarlett falls for a guy who is strictly off limits… In reality TV nothing stays secret for long and with all this drama L.A Candy's ratings rocket. The show is a bona fide hit - but can the girls stand another season in the spotlight?"

Background:
"Sweet Little Lies" is the second book in the series L.A. Candy. The first book, L.A. Candy, was released in juni 2009 and went straight on to the NYT bestsellerlist. The author, Lauren Conrad, has become famous for her role in the tv - series "The Hills", but she has stated that the events in the bookseries is pure fiction.

Story:
Jane Roberts has escaped from Hollywood, and has gone into hiding with her friend Madison. The press is all over Jane, after pictures where Jane is with another guy who is not her boyfriend, have been leaked to them. Little does Jane know that Madison is behind the whole thing. And with Jane missing, Scarlett is now the star of the TV - show. But one cannot hide forever, and soon Jane must go back and confront the unfortunate events and the press. And she must do so in full view of the TV - cameras. Unbeknowst to Jane, Madison is doing her best to destroy her image, but will she succeed?

Main character:
Jane Roberts is 19 years old were excited when she got her own reality show, but she is soon to find out what the drawbacks of success are. Sometimes I think she is a bit naive, and I also thought she rubbed Scarlett of way to fast when Scarlett tried to tell her who was behind leaking the photos to the press. I would have listened to my best friend in a case like that, and not trusted a girl I had just started hanging with. But I liked that Jane had the couraged to confront Jesse about what she had done, and tell him that she was sorry. But I actually liked Scarlett way better than Jane. She was much more sensitive and likeable.

The book:
I must confess that I was a bit biased towards this book, before I started reading it. I have never watched "The Hills" and I am not a typical girly girl. But I was in for a surprise. This book consumed me. Once I started reading, I could not put it down. And it amazed me just how addictive the book was. A bit like chocolate really, sweet, easy to consume and you can't seem to stop once you have started eating.

"Sweet Little Lies" is not a craftly written book, but the writing flows easily and there is always something happening that makes you turn page after page. I was eager to learn more about Jane, and how the problems in her life was going to be solved. I cheered for Scarlett, and cursed Madison ( what a bitch).

"Sweet Little Lies" is a light read, perfect for the beach or for snuggling up in the sofa when you just want to relax. This is not nobel prize - material, and the book is not something that you will be thinking about a long time after you have read it. In a sense the book is like a reality show: very enganging once your are in it, and easily forgotten when you are through. But we need books of that kind too, and I am actually looking forward to reading "Sugar & Spice".

Visit Lauren Conrad's website here.

Other reviews for this book:
We Adore A Happy Ending
Late Bloomer Online
Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf

In my Mailbox (9) & Contest winner

This is a weekly meme hosted by the Story Siren, where we showcase the books we got last week.

I got the following books:

For review ( Via Netgalley)
The Raising by Laura Kasischke
Jane Austen by Catherine Reef

Bought:
Bullet by Laurell K. Hamilton
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (I bought the Norwegian translation)

I hosted a contest last week, to give something back to my followers. It means a lot to me that you read my blog and comment on my posts. The prizes were:

1. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare ( Paperback, brand new copy)
2. Firestorm by Rachel Caine ( Signed paperback)
3. Frostbite by Richelle Mead ( Used paperback copy)
4. Swag from the Midnight Breed Series by Lara Adrian
5. Norwegian chocolate & candy

I have choosen the winner using Random.org, and the winner is....

Carrie at The Hammock Blog!

Congratulations.

I have wrapped your prize, and will take it to the post office tommorow.


Have a great weekend everyone!

Review: Feast of Fools, Rachel Caine

Publisher: Allison & Busby
Pages: 325
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought











" In the town of Morganville, vampires and humans live in relative peace but Claire Danvers has never been convinced - especially with the arrival of Mr Bishop, an ancient, old-school vampire who cares nothing about harmony. What he wants from the town's living and its dead is unthinkably sinister."

Background:
"Feast of Fools" is the fourth book in Rachel Caine's series about the Morganville Vampires. The book came out in the uk in february 2009.

The Story:
A new, sinister vampire has arrived in Morganville. Mr Bishop is Amelie's father, and he is not fond of the humans. Claire, together with a doctor in town, has found a cure that may make Myrnin sane, at least that is what she thinks. And her parents have arrived, and gets to see for themselves what Morganville really can offer. Mr Bishop is arranging a Feast of Fools, and almost everyone in town is invited. Tensions rise between Eve and Michael, when he decides to invite Monica, instead of Eve, to the party.

Main character:
Claire Danvers has had a great progress and development since the first book in this series. She is not so shy anymore and stands up for herself. Monica and her gang of girls does not frighten her, the way they used to. I like the new Claire, she grows from book to book.

The book:
This is the weakest book in this series. It takes too much time before there is any action and dramatic events. The book was kinda slow and I was waiting for something more interesting to happen. The cliffhanger in the end was ok, but I am not rushing to read the next installment ( which I off course will).

I actually enjoyed most reading about Amelie in this book. She is a facinating character and I think Helen Mirren would have done a great job playing her in a movie. He hear Mirren's voice, when I read Amelie's words.


Other reviews:
YaVampireBooks
The Bokette
Chrissie's Corner

Review: Reckless, Cornelia Funke

Publisher: CappelenDamm ( Norwegian Publisher)
Pages: 352
Source: Review copy sent as part of a Norwegian blog tour















" For years, Jacob Reckless has been secretly disappearing to another world, a world behind a mirror, a world for which his father abandoned his family. The mirror world is Jacob's escape from reality. It's a place for treasure hunts and magnificent quests. A world where witches haunt the forests and giants and dwarfs roam. A world locked in a deadly war. Jacob's secret seems safe, until one day his younger brother Will follows him, with disastrous consequence. Faced with a curse that is quickly turning Will to stone, the Reckless brothers are thrust into a race against time to find a cure before Will is lost forever. Inspired by the Brothers Grimm, master storyteller Cornelia Funke introduces a lush, enchanting world where fantasy meets reality. Reckless is a thrilling adventure, a tale of heroism and loyalty, filled with danger, mystery, and magic--with fairy tales and legends re-imagined as never before."

Background:
Cornelia Funke is a German author, and is currently residing in Los Angeles, USA. She has been writing for children since the 1980s. Her best known series in the Inkheart Trilogy. Funke has received many awards for her work and was named one of th most influential people of 2005 by Time Magazine. "Reckless" is her newest novel, and the book is inspired by the fairytales of the Brothers Grimm. It is the first book in a planned series.

The Story:
For many years, Jacob Reckless have been visiting the Mirrorworld. He has travelled a lot, met many dangers and found artifacts we have read about in the old fairytales. Now he is about to make another journey, and this time it is personal. Will, his younger brother, is about to be turned into a Goyl - a human being with a skin of stone. Jacob must try to reverse this process, before it is to late. Clara, Will's girlfriend, and Fox is accompanying them on their journey.

Main Character:
Jacob Reckless is the main character in this book. He is daring, seeks adventure and is something of a rebel. He cannot stay at a place for to long, but is always in need of experiencing new stuff. And he likes the taste of fear, because when he is scared he is able to forget other feelings. He is deeply affected by the loss of his father. His father disappeared when Jacob was a young boy and Jacob misses him a lot.

It seems to me that Funke has spent most of her time creating the details of the Mirrorworld, instead of developing the characters in this book. Jacob is not described very well, we never get to the core of who he really is and what he actually is feeling inside. He also lacks a bit of motivation.

The Book:
"Reckless" is a marvellous book that is hard to put down. It reminds me of the Chronicles of Narnia, where the main characters also visit another world. The Mirrorworld is home to a lot of strange creatures. You have a man that seems like a copy of Freddy Krûger, you have witches and fairies and off course Goyls, to name a few.

There is a lot of references to wellknown fairytales in the story. You will recognize Hansel & Grethel, Sleeping Beauty and many more.

"Reckless" is an ambitious novel, and Funke is not able to land the story properly. Some of the scenes are a bit hastily written: we read about a dramatic event, but before we get the chance to dwell on what has actually happened, we are thrust into another dramatic scene. The book has a too rapid progression and it only scrapes the surface.

That said: "Reckless" was a good read. I enjoyed the book, and when I started reading, it was hard to put it down. I finished ii in one sitting. I think the book will appeal mostly to teens, boys and girls, aged 12 - 18.

I also liked the use of illustrations in the book.

Other reviews for this book:
Chicklish
Reading Teen
The Book Bind

Read more about "Reckless" here.

And here is the book trailer:

Trailer Tuesday (4)

This week's trailer is not for a book.

A Norwegian movie has gained a lot of attention in Norway these days, and not just in Norway. The Troll Hunter is a mockumentary about a group of students who sets out to make a documentary about mysterious happenings in the Norwegian mountains. And soon they discover that trolls does not only excist in the fairytales.

The film was shown at Fantastic Fest and after that it took off. Now, the before unknown Norwegian director is getting offers from big movie companies in the US, and they are sending him scripts for big blockbusters and asking him to direct them. And that is not something that happens often to Norwegian directors.

Read a review of the movie here.

And here is the trailer:

Review: Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Publisher: Gyldendal ( Publishes the book in Norwegian)
Pages: 340
Source: My own copy









"Ruby Red tells the story of 16-year-old Gwendolyn, who lives with her mother and her extended—and rather eccentric—family in an exclusive London neighborhood. Gwen finds it a real pain living with such a strange family that is so full of secrets. That is until one day when Gwen finds herself randomly transported through time to the turn of the last century. Then it suddenly dawns on her what her family's greatest secret might be. But what isn't made clear to her is that one mustn't fall in love across the ages—that makes things exceedingly complicated!"


Background:
Kerstin Gier began to write in 1995, when she didn't have a job. And she has experienced a enormous success in Germany. Her debutnovel have been made into a movie, and her books have appeared in the bestsellerlists in Germany. "Ruby Red" has also been on the bestsellerlists and is the first book in a planned trilogy. Holt Children's has bought the US right for the series.

The story:
Gwendolyn's family is not like any other family. In every generation a child is born, a child that has a gene that makes it possible to travel back in time. Everybody has presumed that Gwendolyn's cousin Charlotte has inherited this gene, and she has been prepped for timetravel from an early age. But it soon turns out that it is actually Gwen that has this gene, and not everyone in the family is happy about this. Ancient secrets and hostility is brought to the surface. Gwen also meets Gideon, who accompanies her on the timetravels.

Main character:
Gwendolyn, or Gwen as she is mostly called, is 16 years old and leads a pretty ordinary life. She attends school at Saint Lennox with her best friend Leslie. But Gwen is not quite that ordinary. She can actually see ghosts and certain demons ( apart from having the ability to travel in time). Gwen is a feisty heroine, she has a lot of humour and doesn't take herself all that seriously. But she has a hard time adapting to the fact that she can travel in time. She does not want to be special. I liked her very much, and am looking forward to reading more about her in future books.

The book:
I have not read a lot of books about timetravel, that's why I wanted to read Ruby Red. The book is full of mystery and suspense: a secret order called The Guardians have guarded Gwen's family secret and the mysterious machine that makes timetravel to specific periods possible. The Guardians is situated at many places, some as teachers at Gwen's school.

Rudy Red has a great beginning that makes me want to read ahead. The book is full of humour and Gwen is a great protagonist. It takes some time to get fully emerged in the book, but ones that happens the pages turn almost on their own.

I especially liked the scenes where Gwen is visiting the past, and the author is describing this so well that I actually felt like this was a person really travelling in time, that it was possible.

I also had the feeling that this book was written by a British author, not a German one. Gier has done a great job capturing Great Britain and englishmen. I think this is going to be a huge trilogy. Read it when it comes out in English, you will not regret that. I am looking forward to the next installment.

Other reviews:
Escape in a Book