My Swordhand is Singing

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This is a truly good book. It’s addictive, a quality that all good books need. It’s gripping. Full of suspense. And twists and turns. It follows Peter. The son of a woodcutter who just also happens to be a drunk. They now live in a village called Chust, after living a nomadic lifestyle, never being welcome wherever they choose to stay. And then things in Chust take a dark and sinister turn. Things begin to happen that can’t be explained. Deaths. The slaughter of animals. Bodies drained of blood. But Tomas seems to know something about it, and hides a deep secret. I started to write as a teenager a bit, but properly when I was in my mid-twenties. It took a few years to think it might actually happen! Finding an empty shell casing on the pavement in St Petersburg. It was a long way from there to the finished book but that was the start of it. This story of wintry forests, family secrets and the ancient threat of the undead, is highly recommended for all confident (and self-confident) readers over ten. I am reading this book right now for the carnegie award and i have a feeling it is the best book out of all of the different ones ot read.

I knew right from the first chapter that this was going to be my eerie-fest of the month. I mean honestly, the story starts with… well. You’ll just have to find out. This was an unexpected outcome for this novel, but I’m glad to finally be able to say that I’ve read it, and I can sell the duo to someone who may enjoy them more. Marcus began to write seriously in 1994. His first book, Floodland, was published by Orion in 2000, and won the Branford-Boase award for best debut children's novel. Witch Hill followed in 2001, and was nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award. The most important thing is to know your market! Who do you think your book is going to be read by? What else is out there that's like it? Are you writing something that will sell?I found this book slow. The characters were dull and the plot was predictable. The author’s writing style was more middle grade and less adult, which is not the standard I’d expect for a gothic novel. With that being said, I enjoyed learning about the mythology and starting point of vampires. The tone of the novel was beautiful and I think I would enjoy more from the gothic genre *if* it were written with more depth and adventure. The characters need to be fleshed out and the speech between them needs to be seriously upgraded beyond the level of a 9 year old. Book Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Historical, Historical Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural, Teen, Vampires, Young Adult

Marcus is the winner of many book prizes, most notably the Printz Award (Midwinterblood), the Booktrust Teenage Prize (My Swordhand Is Singing), and the Blue Peter Book Award. His books have been shortlisted for over thirty other awards, including the Carnegie Medal (five times), the Edgar Allan Poe Award (twice) and the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize (four times). In 2011 Revolver was awarded a Printz Honor.

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The story immediately starts off right: a gruesome murder, a man being buried with spikes in his casket, and with cattle mysteriously dying, the small Russian village knows what’s up. So does Peter’s father, but he is drunk most of the time, wanting to forget his dark past.

Hello Yellow - 80 Books to Help Children Nurture Good Mental Health and Support With Anxiety and Wellbeing - What age did you first start writing and when did you think that one day you'd write a novel that would actually be published? Marcus also wrote with his brother Julian, and contributed to a short story collection with fellow YA authors. Pe larg, asa cum reiese inca din prima propozitie, avem de-a face cu o poveste care incorporeaza balada Mioritei noastre impreuna cu legendele clasice despre vampiri.

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I cannot say this is the creepiest book I've read in my life, but I admit it gave me many chills up my spine. The atmosphere and the writing were factors that contributed to it: Both were dark and gothic. As the book progresses Peter learns more about the undead and about the real reason he and his father have moved around a lot. Great question, impossible to answer. So many amazing things to go and see – the building of the pyramids, a Viking boat putting out to sea, Man Utd winning the European Championship in 1968… One of the things I enjoyed about his writing is the way he instantly brings the reader into the terror of the characters.

stars. This book already deserves all the stars for presenting vampires as the terrifying, dangerous, non-seductive monsters that they are.saw Marcus turn his attention to books for younger readers with the launch of a humorous new series: The Raven Mysteries, narrated by a grumpy raven, Edgar. Now he knew who it was. The Gypsy girl, the singer. “You ride very badly!” she said, pointing a finger right at him. “Me?”