Just another WordPress.com site

Posts tagged ‘Sophie Masson’

Scarlet in the Snow

I received my copy from the publisher.

scarlet-in-the-snow

By: Sophie Masson

Natasha and her family have fallen on hard times, they aren’t living in the manner her sisters want to be. With her mother doing what she can to provide Natasha steps out to help. Then she gets caught in a blizzard, just when she thinks she is out of options she stumbles across a mansion. It’s a strange place, beautiful and mysterious, with no-one seemingly around. However when she reaches out to touch a perfect flower her life is changed forever.

The master of the house is caught in a spell but that doesn’t stop him demanding vengeance for her act. She comes to see she may be the one to break this spell, to uncover the mystery, but before she can everything changes again. If she is to have a chance at the love she thinks she could have then she has to outsmart a powerful sorcerer and get to the bottom of Beast’s unknown history.

A wonderful take on a couple of Russian fairytales, obviously one of which is Beauty and the Beast. Natasha is a generous, brave character. She has an inner strength that enables her to face the problems her family have and the terrifying situation she finds herself in. She is smart and determined, thinking her way through the obstacles in front of her.

The world Masson has created is wondrous, enchanting, it simply sweeps you up into itself. It’s a white, icy landscape, cold in so many ways, the perfect juxtaposition to the warmth of the story at it’s heart. If you love fairytales, romance, engaging characters and a bit of mystery thrown in for good measure, then give this a shot.

Actually if you just want to be swept away somewhere else for a few hours then pick this up, I read it in one sitting, staying up late into the night to finish it.

Highly recommended.

Publisher: Random House Australia

Published: 1st May 2013

Format: Paperback 336 pages

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Fairytale

ISBN 13: 9781742758152

Purchase: use the Booktopia link on the side of the page

Scarlet in the Snow – Author Speaks About

I’ve just read this book and will post my review shortly but thought I’d add this for something a little different.

Text Prize Short List

Text Publishing today announced the shortlist for the Text Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing.

There were over 300 entries and the shortlisted books are:

  • The Relic, Myke Bartlett
  • The Accident, Kate Hendrick
  • Wild Card, Sophie Masson
  • Sparrow, Damian Morgan
  • The Brothers of Turoc, Rebecca Timmis
A big congratulations and much luck to all authors.

The winner will be announced at the Australian Booksellers’ Association Conference in Melbourne on Monday July 25, and on the Text website later that day. The winning book will be published by Text in mid-2012.

 

NSW Premier’s Literary Awards 2011

The NSW Premier’s Literary Awards were announced this evening and the two categories that relate to children’s literature are the Patricia Wrightson Prize and the Ethel Turner Prize.

ETHEL TURNER PRIZE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE’S LITERATURE

The Ethel Turner Prize ($30,000), named in honour of the acclaimed author of the children’s classic Seven Little Australians, is offered for a work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry written for young people of secondary school level.

Previous winners of the Ethel Turner Prize include Mem Fox and Julie Vivas, Markus Zusak, Ursula Dubosarsky and James Roy.

2011 shortlisted writers are…

Michelle Cooper – The FitzOsbornes in Exile. The Montmaray Journals: 2

Cath Crowley – Graffiti Moon (Winner)

Kirsty Eagar – Saltwater Vampires

Belinda Jeffrey – Big River, Little Fish

Melina Marchetta – The Piper’s Son

Jaclyn Moriarty – Dreaming of Amelia

PATRICIA WRIGHTSON PRIZE FOR CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

The Patricia Wrightson Prize ($30,000) is offered for a work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry written for children up to secondary school level.

The prize is named in honour of children’s author Patricia Wrightson, whose books have won many prestigious awards world – wide including the Hans Christian Andersen Medal (1986) for The Nargun and the Stars.

Previous winners of the Patricia Wrightson Prize include Odo Hirsch, Shaun Tan, Narelle Oliver, and Li Cunxin and Anne Spudvilas (illustrator).

2011 shortlisted writers are…

Jeannie Baker – Mirror

Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood – Clancy and Millie and the Very Fine House

Cassandra Golds – The Three Loves of Persimmon

John Heffernan – Where There’s Smoke

Sophie Masson – My Australian Story: The Hunt for Ned Kelly (Winner)

Emma Quay – Shrieking Violet

Tag Cloud

%d bloggers like this: