Book Talk: Sirens by Janet Fox

First, guys: I’m so sorry I abandoned you for so long. I was in the hospital but I’m okay now and blogging will resume as normal. Thanks for not overloading me with angry comments ;)

I got this book last year as a giveaway (thank you so much Ms Fox!), and WOW was it good. Set in 1925, Sirens tells the story of 16-year-old Josephine Winter, or Jo, whose father sends her to live in New York with some cousins in order to find a suitable husband. At least, that’s what he says. Jo, though, knows better: this is all just a cover-up, designed to get her away from Danny Connor, gangster extraordinaire.

Upon arriving in Manhattan, Jo is swept up in the glittering, bobbed-hair world of her cousin Melody. New York City isn’t so bad after all. This is the land where dreams come true, and Jo’s dream – making her way on her own, being self-sufficient and maybe, just maybe, becoming a writer – could finally be realised.

But Jo is harbouring a dark secret, one she must keep even from her parents. Her brother, Teddy, who faked his own death last year, is still very much alive, and she’s the only one who knows this. What she doesn’t know is: why would he have to pretend to be dead?

She is determined to find out, and find him.

Me and my mother never agree about books. Ever. But we both adored this one, so that speaks volumes about Ms Fox’s lovely voice and gripping plots. It is a real talent to be able to write something which appeals to both teenagers and adults alike. This is a great historical mystery with romantic elements, and Fox does a wonderful job in immersing the reader in 1920s NYC. She also made me fall in love with a character we never actually meet, which is scary. I’m still trying to figure out how on earth she managed that...

Star Rating: 5/5. Jo was a really interesting and thoughtful heroine, and Lou was a great character too. It just goes to show how there is ALWAYS more than meets the eye.

Find out what Amazon has to say here.

And of other news, one of my favourite trilogies ever, DREAMING ANASTASIA by Joy Preble is currently on sale in the Kindle store until the 23^rd of June. Dreaming Anastasia is $1.99, and Haunted and Anastasia Forever are both $2.99. That’s right! The whole trilogy for under ten bucks. You can’t afford to miss this, people. Joy talks about it more on her blog here, and if you want to know exactly what I think, this link will take you to my review post, and this link to an interview I did with her last year on my old blog to celebrate the release of book 3.

Help get Dreaming Anastasia onto the top 100 list!

AND -- last but not least -- if anyone has any questions they would like to ask KENDARE BLAKE, author of Anna Dressed in Blood and Girl of Nightmares, in the upcoming interview, please leave 'em in the comments section, and providing there isn't a ridiculous number like 37, I'll submit each and every single one. 

Now, I believe you have four awesome books to go buy, so I'll shut up and let you read those instead ;)