Review: Shadowplay by Laura Lam

Shadowplay by Laura Lam (eProof) - WARNING! I cannot review this book without spoiling the others in the series. Read no further if you're planning on reading this series and don't want it spoilt for you.

The circus lies behind Micah Grey in dust and ashes.

He and the white clown, Drystan, take refuge with the once-great magician, Jasper Maske. When Maske agrees to teach them his trade, his embittered rival challenges them to a duel which could decide all of their fates.

People also hunt both Micah and the person he was before the circus–the runaway daughter of a noble family. And Micah discovers there is magic and power in the world, far beyond the card tricks and illusions he’s perfecting…

A tale of phantom wings, a clockwork hand, and the delicate unfurling of new love, Shadowplay continues Micah Grey’s extraordinary journey. From Goodreads.

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Interview with Laura Lam

Today, I'm honoured to have Laura Lam stopping by my blog to answer some questions about her debut novel, Pantomime, for LGBTQ YA Month.

WARNING! This interview contains spoilers for a major twist in Pantomime. If you have yet to read Pantomime and do not want it spoilt for you, do not read any further. Instead, read my spoiler-free review.

How did you come up with the idea for Pantomime?

Micah Grey came first. I wrote a book with him in his late 20s, but I was 19 and so getting his sarcastic, world-weary voice was difficult for me.

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Review: Pantomime by Laura Lam

Pantomime by Laura Lam (ARC) - WARNING! This review of Pantomime contains major spoilers. Read no further if you're planning on reading this book and don't want it spoilt for you. Instead, read my spoiler-free review.

R.H. Ragona’s Circus of Magic is the greatest circus of Ellada. Nestled among the glowing blue Penglass – remnants of a mysterious civilisation long gone – are wonders beyond the wildest imagination. It’s a place where anything seems possible, where if you close your eyes you can believe that the magic and knowledge of the vanished Chimaera is still there. It’s a place where anyone can hide.

Iphigenia Laurus, or Gene, the daughter of a noble family, is uncomfortable in corsets and crinoline, and prefers climbing trees to debutante balls. Micah Grey, a runaway living on the streets, joins the circus as an aerialist’s apprentice and soon becomes the circus’s rising star. But Gene and Micah have balancing acts of their own to perform, and a secret in their blood that could unlock the mysteries of Ellada. From LauraLam.co.uk

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2013 YA UK Debut Interview: Pantomime by Laura Lam

We all like supporting YA and New Adult debut authors, but this year, rather than just read their books, I'll be highlighting them on my blog too, so you can hear about these wonderful authors.

Today I'm interviewing UKYA author Laura Lam as part of her blog tour. Laura's debut YA novel, Pantomime, is being published by Strange Chemistry in the UK on 5th February 2013. Read on for more:

Pantomime by Laura Lam - R. H. Ragona’s Circus of Magic is the greatest circus of Ellada. Nestled among the glowing blue Penglass—remnants of a mysterious civilisation long gone—are wonders beyond the wildest imagination. It’s a place where anything seems possible, where if you close your eyes you can believe that the magic and knowledge of the vanished Chimaera is still there. It’s a place where anyone can hide.

Iphigenia Laurus, or Gene, the daughter of a noble family, is uncomfortable in corsets and crinoline, and prefers climbing trees to debutante balls. Micah Grey, a runaway living on the streets, joins the circus as an aerialist’s apprentice and soon becomes the circus’s rising star.

But Gene and Micah have balancing acts of their own to perform, and a secret in their blood that could unlock the mysteries of Ellada. from Goodreads.

Continue reading 2013 YA UK Debut Interview: Pantomime by Laura Lam

Mini-Review: Pantomime by Laura Lam

Pantomime by Laura Lam (ARC) - R.H. Ragona’s Circus of Magic is the greatest circus of Ellada. Nestled among the glowing blue Penglass – remnants of a mysterious civilisation long gone – are wonders beyond the wildest imagination. It’s a place where anything seems possible, where if you close your eyes you can believe that the magic and knowledge of the vanished Chimaera is still there. It’s a place where anyone can hide.

Iphigenia Laurus, or Gene, the daughter of a noble family, is uncomfortable in corsets and crinoline, and prefers climbing trees to debutante balls. Micah Grey, a runaway living on the streets, joins the circus as an aerialist’s apprentice and soon becomes the circus’s rising star. But Gene and Micah have balancing acts of their own to perform, and a secret in their blood that could unlock the mysteries of Ellada. From LauraLam.co.uk

Continue reading Mini-Review: Pantomime by Laura Lam

A Novel Cover Up: Tom Bagshaw on Pantomime by Laura Lam

A Novel Cover Up is a semi-regular feature that looks at how covers are made. Thanks to Strange Chemistry, I have been fortunate enough to interview illustrator Tom Bagshaw about how he designed the cover for Pantomime by Laura Lam. Other than the cover, all images in this post are copyrighted to Lee Gibbons and used with permission. They can be clicked to enlarge.

Can you tell us about the cover for Pantomime? What do you hope it tells readers about the story?

The main aim was to give the reader a feel for the main characters secret life and bring in some little details that occur throughout the story.

How did you come up with the idea for the cover?

This was actually a very simple thing for me, the publishers already had a strong idea of what they wanted to see and used a promotional piece of work i had already produced as the starting point. The main concept of the central character indicating a secret was essentially what was needed and after some discussion I was able to offer a more complete design that was fortunately - almost spot on!

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Weekly Gossip

Here is your bookish news from the past week.

First up, cover reveals!

Strange Chemistry have released the preliminary cover artwork for Pantomime by Laura Lam.


Isn't it absolutely gorgeous?! The artwork is by Tom Bagshaw, and I love it! It's so beautiful! Can't wait to see what the final cover will look like!

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