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WORK TITLE: Instructions for a Secondhand Heart
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.tamsynmurray.co.uk/
CITY: Hertfordshire
STATE:
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
NATIONALITY: English
Agent: Jo Williamson at Antony Harwood Ltd., jo@antonyharwood.com; married with a son and daughter
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born 1984, in Truro, Cornwall, England; married; children: one daughter, one son.
EDUCATION:Attended university in London.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Former teacher and IT support in schools. City University, London, Writing for Children course, current instructor.
AVOCATIONS:Performing onstage.
AWARDS:Leeds Book Award, 11-14 category.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
British children’s author Tamsyn Murray got her start as a writer in 2008 when she bought a how-to book and decided she would like to try her hand at short stories. She sold her first short story that same year and also launched her popular “Afterlife” series for teens, and has gone on to write for younger readers in the “Stunt Bunny” series, for middle-grade readers in the “Completely Cassidy” series, and for young adults in her stand-alone novel, Instructions for a Secondhand Heart.
In a Words for Life website interview, Murray remarked on whether or not her parents encouraged her writing: “On the surface, it doesn’t seem like they did, much. But they did give me books from an early age – I clearly remember sitting outside our house when I must have been four, reading a Ladybird Read It Yourself story (Snow White and Rose Red if you’re interested) on my own. And I think that my love of books grew and grew from there until I realised I could write my stories of my own. It would have been much harder to write if I hadn’t absorbed so much knowledge from reading. So it was more about influence than encouragement.”
My So-Called Afterlife
Murray launched her “Afterlife” series with My So-Called Afterlife, in which Lucy Shaw is a ghost, recently murdered when she walked home alone on New Year’s against her parents’ orders. Worse, she is now stuck in a men’s room, but is saved by a lighting engineer, Jeremy, who can actually see her. He introduces Lucy to a number of other ghosts at the Church of the Dearly Departed, including Hep, a suicide, who teaches Lucy some powers, and dishy Ryan. But her killer is still on the loose and with Ryan’s help she tracks the man down. Once her killer is captured, she and Ryan can move on.
“This is quite a deep book but on the surface funny and very readable,” noted School Librarian contributor Janet Fisher, who added: “[Lucy] is a funny and touching character and this unusual story is worth a read for teens fourteen and up.” A contributor in the online Book Zone For Boys was also impressed, commenting: “This book has everything a great story needs–it is well written, it has realistic and memorable characters, sparkling dialogue, incredible humour and moments of nail-biting tension.”
My So-Called Haunting and My So-Called Phantom Love Life
The series continues with My So-Called Haunting, in which fourteen-year-old Skye is psychic and able to see ghosts, which complicates her early days at her new school. She does not want her communication with ghosts to come between her plans for good-looking Nico. Things become even more complicated when she tries to help a troubled teenage ghost, Dontay, but soon Dontay is taking more and more of Skye’s time and attention. “This slightly light-hearted approach is a welcome relief to the copious amounts of blood and gore that ooze out of the pages of most of contemporary horror fiction,” noted Anne-Marie Tarter in School Librarian.
The series concludes with My So-Called Phantom Love Life, which again focuses on Skye who has now broken up with Nico, who she has discovered is actually a member of an ancient Romanian cult seeking to gain supernatural powers. Her attentions have been turned to Owen, a handsome youth she met at Hyde Park. The only trouble is, Owen is a ghost. “The novel blends recognisable elements of contemporary teenage life: school, relationships, social networking sites, with a matter-of-fact treatment of the supernatural, represented by psychic characters, a spiritualist church and arcane ritual,” commented School Librarian contributor Sandra Bennett.
Star Reporter and Drama Queen
Murray writes for middle-grade readers in her “Completely Cassidy” series, set at St Jude’s Secondary School and following the adventures of eleven-year-old Cassidy Bond as she searches for her special talent. She desperately wants to stand out from the rest of her family, and when she takes a test that labels her a genius, she asks no questions. Schools do not make mistakes, right? So she joins a school team headed for a regional Kids Quiz show with interesting results. This book “has loads of appeal and is destined for popularity,” noted School Librarian reviewer Chris Routh. “Tamsyn Murray has a real talent for seeing the funny side of the everyday!” A student contributor to the London Guardian similarly termed it a “great read because it was exciting and funny.”
In Star Reporter, Cassidy decides her special thing might be journalism. She petitions her school to let girls wear trousers. This gains more and more support and eventually thrusts her into the newspaper gang at school, but now she must learn to deal with a whole new set of problems. A So Many Books, So Little Time Website contributor noted of this installment: “[T]he sudden change in the way [Cassidy] had to act with information about her friends and classmates was sometimes hilarious, sometimes tense and other times heartbreaking. I really felt for her!”
Drama Queen completes the series. It’s summer now, and Cassidy hopes that acting might be her things, so she tries out at the local drama academy. They only problem is, her best friend wants the same role and now she must choose between friendship and stardom. “Completely Cassidy, totally enjoyable,” noted Andrea Reece in Love Reading 4 Kids Website.
Instructions for a Secondhand Heart
Murray’s young adult novel, Instructions for a Secondhand Heart, features teen Jonny, whose heart is giving out on him. He desperately needs a heart transplant but feels his life is slipping away. The potential organ donor has to have Jonny’s rare blood type, which means his chances are even slimmer. Meanwhile, Neve Brody’s twin brother Leo dies while the family is on vacation, and his organs are donated. Leo’s life is saved and now he sets out to find out who his donor was. Meeting Neve, he does not tell her who he really is, and then as their relationship blossoms he fears to do so, thinking he will lose her.
Reviewing Instructions for a Secondhand Heart in Horn Book, Rachel L. Smith commented: “Neve and Jonny are emotionally complex, vulnerable protagonists who help each other face realities they never dreamed they’d see.” Further praise came from a Publishers Weekly contributor who noted: “Readers should find it easy to cheer on these two misfits who are figuring how they fit in and fit together.” Similarly, Booklist writer Diane Colson felt this novel will “will appeal to readers drawn to romances featuring ill teenagers,” while Voice of Youth Advocates reviewer Debbie Wenk concluded: “Family, friendship, trust, grief, and love are all topics that will capture readers’ attention and hold it until the final page.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, October 1, 2017, Diane Colson, review of Instructions for a Secondhand Heart, p. 79.
Horn Book Magazine, November-December, 2017, Rachel L. Smith, review of Instructions for a Secondhand Heart, p. 111.
Publishers Weekly, October 2, 2017, review of Instructions for a Secondhand Heart, p. 143.
Voice of Youth Advocates, October, 2017, Debbie Wenk, review of Instructions for a Secondhand Heart, p. 62.
School Librarian, summer, 2010, Janet Fisher, review of My So-Called Afterlife, p. 118; spring, 2011, Anne-Marie Tarter, review of My So-Called Haunting, p. 54; autumn, 2011, review of My So-Called Phantom Love Life, p. 182; summer, 2013, Angela Lepper, review of Snug as a Bug, p. 94; autumn, 2015, Chris Routh, review of Accidental Genius, p. 169; spring, 2017, Chris Routh, review of Instructions for a Second-Hand Heart, p. 56.
ONLINE
Book Zone For Boys, http://bookzone4boys.blogspot.com/ (February 15, 2010), review of My So-Called Afterlife.
Guardian Online, https://www.theguardian.com/ (September 20, 2011), review of My So-Called Haunting; (March 4, 2015), Tamsyn Murray, “How to Write about Your Own Family;” (July 8, 2015), review of Completely Cassidy: Accidental Genius
Love Reading 4 Kids, http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/ (January 1, 2016), Andrea Reece, review of Drama Queen.
Romantic Novelists Association Website, https://romanticnovelistsassociation.org/ (April 17, 2012), “Interview with Tamsyn Murray.”
So Many Books, So Little Time, http://solittletimeforbooks.blogspot.com/ (July 13, 2015), review of Star Reporter.
Tamsyn Murray Website, http://www.tamsynmurray.co.uk (February 13, 2018).
Telegraph Online http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ (February 2, 2012), Martin Chilton, review of Medal Mayhem.
Words for Life, http://www.wordsforlife.org.uk/ (February 13, 2018), “Tamsyn Murray.”
Series
Stunt Bunny
1. Showbiz Sensation (2010)
2. Tour Troubles (2011)
3. Rabbit Racer (2011)
4. Medal Mayhem (2012)
Afterlife
1. My So-called Afterlife (2010)
2. My So-called Haunting (2010)
3. My So-Called Phantom Lovelife (2011)
4. My So-Called Christmas Carol (2012)
Completely Cassidy
1. Accidental Genius (2015)
2. Star Reporter (2015)
3. Drama Queen (2016)
Tanglewood Animal Park
Baby Zebra Rescue (2016)
The Troublesome Tiger (2017)
Elephant Emergency (2017)
Novels
Instructions for a Second-hand Heart (2016)
Picture Books
Snug as a Bug (2013)
Novellas
The Next Big Thing (2015)
Tamsyn Murray spent her childhood moving around a lot, from Truro in Cornwall to a village called Norham in Northumberland (which is probably as far from Cornwall as it’s possible to get and still be in England) and then on to the Lake District. At eighteen she left home to go to university in London and has been a Londoner ever since. When she’s not working or writing, she can be found singing and dancing with her local amateur dramatics society. She is currently thirty-six and a half years old and married to the loveliest man in the world. She has one daughter.
Meet Tamsyn Murray
Multi-talented Tamsyn Murray writes for all ages, including her gorgeous Tanglewood Animal Park series for readers aged 7+, her hilarious Completely Cassidy series for 9+, and the stunning YA standalone, Instructions for a Second-Hand Heart, which was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association YA Romantic Novel of the Year, and won the Leeds Book Award in the 11-14 category.
Tamsyn's other special talents include performing onstage, and being able to lick her own elbow.
Visit www.tamsynmurray.co.uk/ to find out more.
Follow Tamsyn on Twitter @TamsynTweetie
amsyn Murray: how to write about your own family
The best stories are inspired by real life, especially family life. Here Completely Cassidy author Tamsyn Murray shares her top five writer’s tips on how to use your own experiences in your stories
Budding writers can enter Tamsyn’s short story competition on the theme of My Secret Talent
Tamsyn Murray
Wed 4 Mar 2015 08.00 GMT
Last modified on Wed 20 Sep 2017 11.50 BST
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Tamsyn Murray: Keep it real – but not too real. I like to think that the best fictional families take a pinch of reality, a teaspoon of exaggeration and a pint of imagination. Photograph: PR
Imagine bumping into your favourite author – you know, the one you want to BE when you get older. After you’ve done your best goldfish impression at them, your brain kicks in and you think of a question to ask. “How can I become a writer just like you?”
“Ah,” they reply, with a strange faraway glint in their eye. “You must write about what you know, so that it feels real to your readers. Write the story only you can write.”
Then they wander off, back to Authorland, and it doesn’t occur to you until much later that they write about dragons and snorgfluffles and magical cabbages – things that almost certainly are not real. But they’re your favourite writer… you can’t ignore their advice so you get your thinking cap on: what do you know about?
Halfway through, your mind drifts back to that squabble you had with your mum this morning, over who’d left half a sock in the toaster. It was your third argument this week – in fact, you know quite a lot about falling out with your family. And – LIGHTBULB – suddenly, you realise that’s it, that’s exactly what your favourite author does: write about their family. They just disguise them as dragons and snorgfluffles and magical cabbages. But how do you disguise yours? Here’s how I did it in – erm – every book I have written so far.
1. Change their names – very important this one and not just because your brother is called Fartface (I’m kidding…he’s not, is he?). Perhaps change the way they look too – give them a beard or something. In fact, this tip is true if you decide to base any of your characters on real people, especially if you are going to make them evil. Put it this way, do you think I really had a terrible maths teacher called Mr Peterson who was so boring that even our calculators switched off in his lessons? Of course I didn’t, I changed his name in the Completely Cassidy books so that he wouldn’t get upset with me. My really boring maths teacher was called Mr Rooney…
2. Keep it real – but not too real. I like to think that the best fictional families take a pinch of reality, a teaspoon of exaggeration and a pint of imagination. In the Weasley family, for example, we have a wonderfully warm Mum, an ever-so-slightly-crackpot Dad, infuriating but pretty cool older brothers and a goody-two-shoes little sister who makes everyone else look bad most of the time. That’s a reasonably standard combination of characters – maybe you have some of them in your own family – but their characteristics are exaggerated so that they are larger than life. And everything they do revolves around magic. (Hint: that’s the imagination part)
3. Keep a diary – secret ones are the best. Write down everything that happens, no matter how small or embarrassing it seems at the time, especially if it is hilariously funny (and even if it isn’t). How else are you going to have enough stories to power your entire writing career? Make sure you don’t forget to change a few details here and there, to protect the innocent. A word of warning though: be careful which secrets you let out of the bag. Is your teenage brother going to be happy if all his rugby mates find out about his almost-completed Frozen sticker book? I don’t think so…
4. Don’t be afraid if your family is unusual, especially compared to your friends’ – embrace that unusualness unusuality weirdness. It was good enough for The Addams Family and The Moomins (seriously, look up Cousin Itt). But actually, families are weird and they’ve changed a lot in recent years – so maybe weird is the new normal? Personally, I think family is whatever you want it to be and I love reading about different domestic set-ups. The real problem is if your family is too boring to write about.
5. Put yourself in their shoes – not literally, of course, because you’d look pretty ridiculous in your mum’s strappy sandals, but do think about things from the point of view of others. There are two sides to every argument so try to consider where the other person might have been coming from. How did they feel about the time you melted their model T-Rex with the hairdryer? Why did they eat the last slice of pizza, the one that was supposed to be for you? If you can imagine how they might have felt about something, you can use that in your writing. But repeat after me: don’t forget to change their names.
So there you have them, my top tips for hiding the fact that you are writing about Great Aunty Mildred and her stinky cockapoo!
Accidental Genius is the first book in Tamsyn’s new series, Completely Cassidy, about hapless heroine Cassidy as she tries to find her special talent. To celebrate the launch of her new series, Tamsyn is running a short story writing competition on the theme ‘My Secret Talent’. There are some fantastic prizes up for grabs. For more information on how to enter go to www.completelycassidy.co.uk/competitions.
QUOTE:
On the surface, it doesn't seem like they did, much. But they did give me books from an early age – I clearly remember sitting outside our house when I must have been four, reading a Ladybird Read It Yourself story (Snow White and Rose Red if you're interested) on my own. And I think that my love of books grew and grew from there until I realised I could write my stories of my own. It would have been much harder to write if I hadn't absorbed so much knowledge from reading. So it was more about influence than encouragement.
Tamsyn Murray
Tamsyn Murray writes mostly funny books for children of all ages and even some adults. She lives in Hertfordshire with an assortment of children, pets and husbands.
Q. What books did you read when you were a child?
A. I was lucky enough to live near a fabulous library, which meant I could try anything from Enid Blyton to Roald Dahl to the Nancy Drew mysteries. I longed to be Nancy.
Q. If you could be a storybook character who would you be?
A. I'd love to be Rémy Brunel from The Diamond Thief by Sharon Gosling – she's an acrobat and a top notch jewel thief. Or Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell because I really want a Toothless.
Q. What is the best thing about reading?
A. The amazing way a story whisks you through time and place – I could be transported to Elizabethan England or the Great Hall at Hogwarts or even into space just by opening up a book. Thankfully there are so many books that I'll never run out of places to go!
Q. What is your all time favourite book?
A. There's a book called Beauty by Robin McKinley (an adaptation of Beauty and the Beast) that I've read many times. But my favourite book is Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Wickedly funny!
Q. Other than reading books what is the most important thing a parent can do to help develop their children’s communication skills?
A. Explain things without talking down to them. Both my daughter and my son have been 'Why?' children and I have never flinched away from answering as fully as I can, using simplified language and concepts where needed. If I don't know the answer I say that and then go away and find out, or we find out together. Although I was a victim of my own success when this approach led to my then three year old daughter explaining to her grandmother exactly how she got out of her mummy's tummy, while they were in the middle of a packed bus. I believe there may have been accompanying gestures too!
Q. How big a part did your parents play in encouraging your writing skills?
A. On the surface, it doesn't seem like they did, much. But they did give me books from an early age – I clearly remember sitting outside our house when I must have been four, reading a Ladybird Read It Yourself story (Snow White and Rose Red if you're interested) on my own. And I think that my love of books grew and grew from there until I realised I could write my stories of my own. It would have been much harder to write if I hadn't absorbed so much knowledge from reading. So it was more about influence than encouragement.
Q. How do you encourage your children or grandchildren to read, what books do you enjoy reading with them?
A. I try to lead by example – our house is full of books. The picture books are strewn everywhere (I am not joking here) and I make sure my son knows I am never too busy to look at one with him. Often, I'll bring a story to life with special voices – he's been looking at picture books since he was five months old (as the condition of some of our books will testify) and there are lots we've read over and over, so he knows them off-by-heart and expects the same voices everytime. My daughter actually learned to read in this way, long before she went to school – we read Dear Zoo so many times that she learned to recognise shape of the words.
We look at books on the iPad as well and even catch a few YouTube videos of people reading stories – Michael Rosen read We're Going on a Bear Hunt for the 30th anniversary last year and his use of rhythm is brilliant. I sometimes copy him when I read Bear Hunt myself. And we're trying to introduce more non-fiction, because my natural inclination is for stories and there are plenty of awesome fact-filled books out there too. I hope we never stop reading together.
Interview with Tamsyn Murray
Home 2012 April Interview with Tamsyn Murray
April 17, 2012, News,
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Tamsyn Murray currently writes the Stunt Bunny series for Simon and Schuster and the YA Afterlife series for Piccadilly Press. Her most recent YA novel, My So-Called Phantom Lovelife, was shortlisted for the YA Romantic Novel of the Year RoNA and her books have been translated into five languages. She lives in London with five rabbits, one cat, one dog, one husband, one daughter and one very small son. When she isn’t writing, she likes to sing. Her family wishes she didn’t. Do tell us what made you want to write and how you got your first break?
I actually owe my success in part to another RNA member – Jane Wenham-Jones. It was reading her book, Wannabe A Writer?, that kicked my writing into life. I’d toyed with it for years, starting things and never finishing them, and Jane’s book suggested trying to write short stories for the women’s magazine market. I wrote a couple and struck gold with My Weekly. That gave me the confidence to branch out into YA fiction and my first novel (My So-Called Afterlife, Piccadilly Press Ltd) was published less than two years after that first hit.
Do you juggle writing with the day job? What is your work schedule?
I still work full-time, although I’m currently on maternity leave. At the moment, I squeeze in snatches of writing here and there while the baby is napping but I’m hoping one day to be able to make writing my full time job.
Teenagers are notoriously picky, what do you find are the particular challenges in writing for young adults?
For me, getting an authentic teen voice is critical and one of the hardest things to achieve. I’m not necessarily talking about the language used, more the tone you adopt as an author. There’s nothing more cringe-inducing than reading a book where it’s obvious it has been a long time since the author was a teenager.
I also think it’s important to ensure that romantic encounters are age appropriate – it’s unreasonable to think that sixteen year old characters would be content with chaste little kisses but I know that my YA books are read by a younger audience than I intended so I’m careful about what I write. It helps that a lot of my characters are ghosts. However, I do think YA fiction should reflect the realities of teenage life and sex is a reality for many teens so I wouldn’t shy away from it if the story demanded it.
You also write for younger children, what is the inspiration behind these books?
I have five rabbits, so no prizes for guessing where the ideas for the STUNT BUNNY series come from! One of my rabbits escaped and it took me forever to catch her again. I started to think about an escapologist bunny and the character of Harriet Houdini was born.
The plot for my forthcoming picture book, SNUG AS A BUG (Simon and Schuster, Feb 2013), came to me in a dream – always keep a pen and paper next to the bed!
What do you enjoy most about being a writer? And which is the hardest part of the job for you?
I love letting my imagination run away with itself and seeing where we end up. And I especially enjoy the sense of achievement when I finish a first draft, knowing I’ve got a story I can polish and hone to become something a bit special.
The hardest part of being a writer for me at the moment is finding the time to do it – anyone got a cloning machine they can lend me?
Have you ever won or been short-listed in any competitions or awards, and do you think they help with a writer’s success?
Being nominated for awards is something which gave me a real buzz – when I found out I’d been short-listed for the Romantic Novel of the Year YA RoNA this year, I was utterly delighted. Even though I didn’t win the prize, I was in great company and really enjoyed the glam award ceremony last month.
What is your craziest ambition?
To appear on a TV talent show like Britain’s Got Talent!
What was your favourite book as a child?
The Weirdstone of Brisingamen by Alan Garner
If you could know the future, what would you wish for?
To have no regrets.
My So-Called Phantom Lovelife
I knew the boy was different when I saw him walk on water…
When fourteen-year-old Skye Thackery meets Owen Wicks, it’s not exactly love at first sight. She’s getting over a broken heart and he’s – well – a ghost. But as Skye gets to know him, she can’t help wondering what it would be like to kiss him. Dating a ghost isn’t easy, and things get worse when Owen declares he’s found a way to stay with Skye forever. His plans make her uneasy – the shadowy organisation which claims to be able to help him is bad news, and it seems Nico, her ex, is involved too.
As Owen prepares to risk everything, Skye begins to wonder if she really has a future with him, or if his desire to be more than just a ghost will cost them everything.
Third in the Afterlife series.
Published by Piccadilly Press Ltd.
Thank you Tamsyn for finding time to talk to us today, it’s been fascinating and I hope your rabbits don’t escape again. We wish you continuing success with your books.
Best wishes,
Freda
You can find out more about Tamsyn and her books here: http://www.tamsynmurray.co.uk
Twitter: @TamsynTweetie
Interviews on the RNA Blog are for full RNA members, although we do occasionally take guests. If you are interested in an interview, please contact me: freda@fredalightfoot.co.uk
Once upon a time there was a little girl called Tamsyn. She was a strange child who believed Guy Fawkes lived in the attic outside her bedroom and that there was a flush monster in the toilet. Even when she was small, Tamsyn loved reading and one of her earliest memories is burying her nose in a book. These days she prefers making up her own stories. Here are some more interesting facts about Tamsyn:
She lives with her daughter and son, five rabbits, one dog and one cat. Oh and her husband.
When she was four, she came third in a beauty contest and had a lovely tiara and a fluffy cape to wear.
Her favourite subject at school was English – no prizes for guessing that one!
She can lick her own elbow. Not many people can do this. Can you?
Her favourite foods are cookie dough ice cream and fish finger sandwiches, but not on the same plate, because that would be yucky.
If she wasn’t a writer, she’d like to be an actress, a singer, a zoo-keeper and a princess. Hang on, she is all of these things (except princess, she's still working on that one).
Tamsyn is super proud to be Patron of Reading at Oakmere Primary School and The Wroxham School.
Once upon a time there was a little girl called Tamsyn. She was a strange child who believed Guy Fawkes lived in the attic outside her bedroom and that there was a flush monster in the toilet. When she was four years old, she came third in a beauty pageant and has regularly won second prize ever since (Monopoly counts, right?). When she wasn’t being pretty, Tamsyn loved reading and one of her earliest memories is burying her nose in ‘Ladybird Read It Yourself’ books.
Her family was always on the move, which meant she changed schools a lot and lived in Kent, Scotland Cornwall (again) and the Lake District. Her favourite place was a village on the England/Scotland border. It had a ruined castle, a river and lots of fields, perfect for an eight year old tomboy. Tamsyn’s teenage years were spent in the Lake District until she left to go to university in London, where she studied Archaeology and rocks. It’s best not to ask her about the rocks. She tends to start drooling.
Tamsyn has had many jobs over the years, from manager at a well known burger restaurant (“Would you like fries with that?”) to estate agent (“Would you like a highly desirable ground floor flat close to the station with that?”). She spent seven years working in a primary school, an ideal job for someone who never really grew up. These days she helps schools make the most of their ICT systems, which isn’t as boring as it sounds. No, really. It isn’t.
When she isn’t at work or writing, Tamsyn messes about on stage. She is at her happiest when wearing a princess dress pretending to be someone else and shows she has starred in include Hello Dolly!, Kiss Me Kate and Anything Goes. She sings a lot and not only in the shower. It drives her family mad. Occasionally, she auditions for Britain’s Got Talent. One day she might get past the first round.
Tamsyn always loved animals and wanted to be a vet when she grew up, until she realised she was far too soppy. Her first pet was a hamster called Socks, who she promptly lost. He turned up two days later in her school bag. She doesn’t know if he actually came to school with her. She likes to think he did. Current pets include a Russian hamster, two Netherland Dwarf rabbits, a cross-eyed tabby cat and a Labrador puppy. The cute factor is v. high. Unfortunately, so is the poo factor.
Tamsyn is a seasoned performer who has appeared at many literary festivals. She loves to visit schools and offers interactive assemblies, half-day workshops and all day visits. Always entertaining and inspiring, her rates for 2015/16 are £250 for a half day visit and £425 for a full day - download her How To Treat Your Author guide for more details or email tamsyn@tamsynmurray.co.uk to discuss your specific requirements.
If you'd like to get the most out of an author visit, you can download Tamsyn's How To Treat Your Author guide, written especially for schools booking, or thinking about booking, a visit from Tamsyn.
QUOTE:
Neve and Jonny are emotionally complex, vulnerable protagonists who help each other face realities they never dreamed they'd see.
Instructions for a Secondhand Heart
Rachel L. Smith
The Horn Book Magazine. 93.6 (November-December 2017): p111.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 The Horn Book, Inc.. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.hbook.com/magazine/default.asp
Full Text:
Instructions for a Secondhand Heart
by Tamsyn Murray
High School Poppy/Little, Brown 307 pp. g
12/17 978-0-316-47178-7 $17.99 e-book ed. 978-0-316-47174-9 $9.99
British teen Jonny, in need of a heart transplant, describes himself as a "boy with no future." In order to live, he's depending on someone to die--someone with his rare blood type who's also an organ donor. Meanwhile, Neve's family is on vacation when her twin brother, Leo, dies suddenly; their unimaginable loss is Jonny's good fortune. Though his donor's identity is anonymous, Jonny figures out that his new heart is Leo's, and contacts Neve to learn more about him. But Jonny is afraid to tell Neve who he really is, and as their friendship predictably turns romantic, Neve suspects he's hiding something. Co-narrators Neve and Jonny manage to have a remarkably normal teenage relationship, despite Neve's grief and Jonny's secret: they complain about their parents, flirt via Facebook messages, and worry that their crushes on each other aren't reciprocated. At the same time, Murray doesn't diminish the challenges they face. Neve, who has been in her "golden boy" brother's shadow her whole life, is suddenly alone; Jonny, an artist (whose comics and sketches are interspersed throughout the story), worries he's not worthy of Leo's sacrifice. While some elements of the sick-teen narrative are familiar (Jonny's best friend from the hospital, for example, gets worse as Jonny gets better), Neve and Jonny are emotionally complex, vulnerable protagonists who help each other face realities they never dreamed they'd see.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Smith, Rachel L. "Instructions for a Secondhand Heart." The Horn Book Magazine, Nov.-Dec. 2017, p. 111. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A515012647/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=5f3d9bdc. Accessed 21 Feb. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A515012647
QUOTE:
Readers should find it easy to cheer on these two misfits who are figuring how they fit in and fit together.
Instructions for a Secondhand Heart
Publishers Weekly. 264.40 (Oct. 2, 2017): p143.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Instructions for a Secondhand Heart
Tamsyn Murray. Poppy, $17.99 (320p)
ISBN 978-0-316-47178-7
Jonny Webb, almost 16, has a life-threatening heart condition that has kept him in the hospital for years. Plugged into a machine that keeps blood pumping through his body, Jonny holds onto the hope that a donor heart will become available, but that means someone his age has to die. After 15-year-old Neve Brody's twin brother, Leo, has a fatal fall, his organs are donated, and his heart is a perfect match for Jonny. For the first time, Jonny feels as though he may have a future, but he can't help wondering whose life was cut short. His investigation leads him to Neve, who is trying to figure out how her family can move on without Leo. British author Murray explores teen illness and death realistically, shifting between Jonny and Neve's viewpoints. Given the setup, tears are expected, but Neve's hard edges and Jonny's enthusiasm for his new life keep the story from turning maudlin. Readers should find it easy to cheer on these two misfits who are figuring how they fit in and fit together. Ages 15-up. (Dec.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Instructions for a Secondhand Heart." Publishers Weekly, 2 Oct. 2017, p. 143. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A509728520/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=ea03b187. Accessed 21 Feb. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A509728520
QUOTE:
This will appeal to readers drawn to romances featuring ill teenagers,
Instructions for a Secondhand Heart
Diane Colson
Booklist. 114.3 (Oct. 1, 2017): p79.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Instructions for a Secondhand Heart. By Tamsyn Murray. Dec. 2017.320p. illus. Little, Brown/Poppy, $17.99 (9780316471787); e-book, $9.99 (9780316471749). Gr. 8-11.
It only takes a moment: one second Neve's twin brother, Leo, is scrambling up a rock face, and the next, he's falling. In the hospital, Neve and her parents learn Leo will never recover, so they make the terrible decision to let him go. In another hospital, 15-year-old Jonny undergoes a heart transplant. As he recovers, Jonny grows curious about his donor, and after a bit of research, he reaches out to Neve as the sister of a boy who recently died. They become cautious friends and then something more. Jonny misses his early chance to tell Neve about the heart transplant, waiting until the revelation will almost surely crush their romance. Although it's evident from the beginning that Neve and Jonny will end up together, their tentative journey nonetheless feels fresh. Jonny's hospital experiences include a friendship with a girl battling cancer, and the book includes his drawings of her alter-identity as Chemo-Girl. This will appeal to readers drawn to romances featuring ill teenagers, such as (naturally) John Green's The Fault in Our Stars (2012).--Diane Colson
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Colson, Diane. "Instructions for a Secondhand Heart." Booklist, 1 Oct. 2017, p. 79. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A510653890/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=78fe4177. Accessed 21 Feb. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A510653890
QUOTE:
Family, friendship, trust, grief, and love are all topics that will capture readers' attention and hold it until the final page.
Murray, Tamsyn. Instructions for a Secondhand Heart
Debbie Wenk
Voice of Youth Advocates. 40.4 (Oct. 2017): p62.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
4Q * 4P * J * S
Murray, Tamsyn. Instructions for a Secondhand Heart. Poppy/Little, Brown, December 2017. 320p. $17.99. 978-0-31647178-7.
Fifteen-year-old Jonny has spent most of his life in the hospital due to a serious heart problem. His condition has deteriorated to the point that he needs a transplant. Leo and Neve are twins. Leo is outgoing and athletically gifted and Neve is full of resentment for her twin's golden status. Leo's life is cut short in an accident that leaves Neve wracked with guilt. Jonny and Neve's paths cross when Jonny receives the much-needed heart, which he discovers belonged to Leo. After initially contacting Neve to surreptitiously learn about Leo, Jonny consequently falls for the troubled girl but is uncertain about revealing their connection.
This story brings together two teenagers searching for their identities. Jonny does not know who he is outside of the hospital, and Neve lived in Leo's shadow for so long that she does not know who she is without him. Figuring out one's identity is a universal teenage quest and these two characters will resonate with young adult readers. One of the most poignant sub-plots features Neve and her parents and the different ways they attempt to deal with their grief. Her mother alternates between suffocating her and ignoring her, her father is mostly absent from the family, and Neve feels so much guilt about the accident and about not being Leo that she barely takes time to grieve. It is raw, it is real, and it makes for compelling reading. Family, friendship, trust, grief, and love are all topics that will capture readers' attention and hold it until the final page. --Debbie Wenk.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Wenk, Debbie. "Murray, Tamsyn. Instructions for a Secondhand Heart." Voice of Youth Advocates, Oct. 2017, p. 62. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A511785037/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=f53a5f78. Accessed 21 Feb. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A511785037
Murray, Tamsyn: Instructions for a Second-Hand Heart
Chris Routh
School Librarian. 65.1 (Spring 2017): p56.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 The School Library Association
http://www.sla.org.uk/school-librarian.php
Full Text:
Murray, Tamsyn
Instructions for a Second-Hand Heart
Usborne, 2016, pp336, 6.99 [pounds sterling]
978 1 4749 0650 0
While waiting in hospital for the eponymous 'second-hand heart', 15 year old Jonny has developed a close and mutually-supportive friendship with fellow patient Emily. He is the first of them to leave and start working through their 'unbucket list'--go to college, make new friends etc.; but Johnny's ill-advised curiosity about his donor gets the better of him and results in his new life taking an unexpected turn. Meanwhile, second-narrator Niamh, who has always lived in the shadow of her popular twin-brother Leo, is devastated by his sudden and dramatic death. No-one, not even Niamh's protective best friend Helen, really understands her--that is until she meets Johnny.
Although the heart transplant and its impact on both the donor's and the recipient's families drives the plot, the writing is neither mawkish nor sentimental. There is a high level of authenticity and truth in the author's account of the two teenagers, their various relationships (with their parents, friends and each other); their search for their own identity and how they each cope with bereavement. No doubt, this results from Tamsyn Murray's in depth research into the medical conditions (including Emily's aggressive form of cancer) and her own ability to recall exactly what it's like to be a teenager.
More importantly, the regular moments of humour ensure that while the novel is incredibly moving at times, the upbeat, hope-filled ending seems entirely fitting. At the heart of this novel is an exposition on the power of love to heal. A first-rate coming-of-age story, which is guaranteed to make readers both laugh and cry.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Routh, Chris. "Murray, Tamsyn: Instructions for a Second-Hand Heart." School Librarian, Spring 2017, p. 56. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A490821389/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a5b8e2de. Accessed 21 Feb. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A490821389
Murray, Tamsyn and Abbot, Judi: Snug as a Bug
Angela Lepper
School Librarian. 61.2 (Summer 2013): p94.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2013 The School Library Association
http://www.sla.org.uk/school-librarian.php
Full Text:
Murray, Tamsyn and Abbot, Judi
Snug as a Bug
Simon & Schuster, 2013, pp32, 6.99 [pounds sterling]
978 0 85707 109 5
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
A rhyming story about George who doesn't want to go to the park when it is cold and dark, but Mum dresses him up as 'snug as a bug rolled up in a rug, like two cosy bats in thick woolly hats', and the story transforms into a lively counting book. Such fun in the park that George takes off his coat and learns he will be 'like ten sneezy kittens without any mittens' and the countdown continues to 'one freezy fox with holes in his socks'. Indeed George is cold--not the day for ice cream!--and later, tucked up in bed with his own animals, resembling those in the counting rhymes, George realises he prefers being 'snug as a bug'.
My testers aged 7-9, thought that the original take on counting was clever, combined with the concepts of cold and warmth. They loved Judi Abbot's colourful, lively and interesting illustrations with much to discuss about the animals' expressions and activities. Great fun
Lepper, Angela
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Lepper, Angela. "Murray, Tamsyn and Abbot, Judi: Snug as a Bug." School Librarian, Summer 2013, p. 94. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A336603865/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c7523dc1. Accessed 21 Feb. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A336603865
Murray, Tamsyn: Accidental Genius (Completely Cassidy)
QUOTE:
has loads of appeal and is destined for popularity. Tamsyn Murray has a real talent for seeing the funny side of the everyday!
Chris Routh
School Librarian. 63.3 (Autumn 2015): p169.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 The School Library Association
http://www.sla.org.uk/school-librarian.php
Full Text:
Murray, Tamsyn
Accidental Genius (Completely Cassidy)
Illustrated by Antonia Miller
Usborne, 2015, pp224, 5.99 [pounds sterling]
978 1 4095 6271 9
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Move over Tom Gates and co.! Here comes 11 year old Cassidy Bond, the new voice on the block--funny, feisty and female! Tamsyn Murray's new series is set in St Jude's Secondary School, where we will follow our heroine's search for her own special talent. It's all about fitting in and standing out. Using informal diary-style language, Accidental Genius explores familiar territory of over-sized blazers, falling out with friends, irritating older brothers, embarrassing parents and more. Quite unexpectedly Cassidy proves herself to be something of a genius and on the team training for the regional heat of the Kids' Quiz. What could possibly go wrong ...?
Liberally sprinkled with hilarious episodes (including hair mishaps and the antics of a knicker-chewing dog), lists, letters and doodles, and St Jude's Got Talent competition for the end-of-term finale. Described as 'a total cringefest and total FUN' by author Karen McCombie, the 'Completely Cassidy' series has loads of appeal and is destined for popularity. Tamsyn Murray has a real talent for seeing the funny side of the everyday!
Routh, Chris
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Routh, Chris. "Murray, Tamsyn: Accidental Genius (Completely Cassidy)." School Librarian, Autumn 2015, p. 169. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A431446212/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=4209374c. Accessed 21 Feb. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A431446212
QUOTE:
The novel blends recognisable elements of contemporary teenage life: school, relationships, social networking sites, with a matter-of-fact treatment of the supernatural, represented by psychic characters, a spiritualist church and arcane ritual.
Murray, Tamsyn: My So-Called Phantom Love Life
Sandra Bennett
School Librarian. 59.3 (Autumn 2011): p182.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2011 The School Library Association
http://www.sla.org.uk/school-librarian.php
Full Text:
Murray, Tamsyn
My So-Called Phantom Love Life
Piccadilly, 2011, pp209, 6.99 [pounds sterling]
978 1 84812 134 8
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Fourteen-year-old Skye likes Owen, a really attractive boy she met in Hyde Park. She has complex feelings for Nico, the boy she broke up with recently. So far, so teen romance. The complication is that Owen is a ghost and Nico is a member of an ancient Romanian cult seeking to gain supernatural powers ... and as Sky's aunt observes, 'getting emotionally attached to a ghost is a sure-fire path to misery'.
Skye is an engaging narrative voice. The story moves forward quickly, with well-placed revelations about characters providing momentum. Skye has to rescue Owen from the attentions of the cult and resolve her conflicting impulses regarding her relationship with Nico. The novel blends recognisable elements of contemporary teenage life: school, relationships, social networking sites, with a matter-of-fact treatment of the supernatural, represented by psychic characters, a spiritualist church and arcane ritual. Readers of the two previous 'So-Called' novels will recognise characters such as Mary, the outspoken five-hundred year old ghost who shares a house with Skye and her aunt Celestine, as well as the enigmatic Nico. It's all carried off with a light touch and will be thoroughly enjoyed by girls of twelve upwards. The ending of the novel leaves room for another addition to the deservedly popular series.
Bennett, Sandra
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Bennett, Sandra. "Murray, Tamsyn: My So-Called Phantom Love Life." School Librarian, Autumn 2011, p. 182. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A268222628/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=79982045. Accessed 21 Feb. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A268222628
QUOTE:This slightly light-hearted approach is a welcome relief to the copious amounts of blood and gore that ooze out of the pages of most of contemporary horror fiction.
Murray, Tamsyn: My So-Called Haunting
Anne-Marie Tarter
School Librarian. 59.1 (Spring 2011): p54.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2011 The School Library Association
http://www.sla.org.uk/school-librarian.php
Full Text:
Murray, Tamsyn
My So-Called Haunting
Piccadilly, 2010, pp207, 6.99 [pounds sterling]
978 1 84812 092 1
A story of ghosts, dark mysteries and romance ... who could ask for more? Skye is a 14-year-old who can see ghosts. This makes settling into her new school even more difficult as she battles not to let her ghostly companions ruin her chances of getting the gorgeous Nico to notice her. This story will appeal to readers (especially girls) who want to join in the vampire/horror craze but with a slightly gentler touch. There is still plenty of mystery but the emphasis is more on the problems with relationships that even ghosts can find difficult to come to terms with! This slightly light-hearted approach is a welcome relief to the copious amounts of blood and gore that ooze out of the pages of most of contemporary horror fiction. The second of a series of stories that would appeal to younger KS3 readers.
Tarter, Anne-Marie
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Tarter, Anne-Marie. "Murray, Tamsyn: My So-Called Haunting." School Librarian, Spring 2011, p. 54. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A252385649/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a8127b0f. Accessed 21 Feb. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A252385649
QUOTE:
This is quite a deep book but on the surface funny and very readable.
funny and touching character and this unusual story is worth a read for teens 14 and up
Murray, Tamsyn: My So-Called Afterlife
Janet Fisher
School Librarian. 58.2 (Summer 2010): p118.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2010 The School Library Association
http://www.sla.org.uk/school-librarian.php
Full Text:
Murray, Tamsyn
My So-Called Afterlife
Piccadilly, 2010, pp184, 6.99 [pounds sterling]
978 1 84812 057 0
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Lucy is stuck in the men's public toilet as a ghost after her murder, invisible to all, or so she thinks. Then in comes Jeremy who can see her and a whole new world opens up for her. This quirky story is novel and funny but also poignant at times and ends with the capture of her killer so that Lucy can then move on to the 'after life'. Once she and Jeremy have worked out how she can escape from the toilets she then encounters other ghosts with similarly tragic stories at the Church of the Dearly Departed, among them Hep, who committed suicide and who shows Lucy how to move objects around. Lucy helps Hep find a reconciliation with her parents so that she can move on and after the capture of her killer, Lucy and the boyfriend she meets at the church, both move on together.
This is quite a deep book but on the surface funny and very readable. Jeremy's interest in Lucy which involves him spending a large amount of time in the not altogether lovely surroundings of the toilets is plausibly drawn and the neat conclusion, when Lucy finds him a lady who can also see ghosts, is nicely done.
The depth in the story comes from the tragic stories involved, particularly that of Hep who is so angry at her parents for not taking her being bullied seriously enough in her eyes, but who is touchingly reconciled with them, giving them all closure enough to move on. Lucy who thought she could walk home alone late but is then murdered, is a funny and touching character and this unusual story is worth a read for teens 14 and up.
Janet Fisher
Fisher, Janet
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Fisher, Janet. "Murray, Tamsyn: My So-Called Afterlife." School Librarian, Summer 2010, p. 118. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A243042662/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c5bd66af. Accessed 21 Feb. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A243042662
Medal Mayhem by Tamsyn Murray: review
Lots of fun in Tamsyn Murray's Medal Mayhem, the latest in the Stunt Bunny tales of Harriet Houdini.
Medal Mayhem is the fourth book in Tamsyn Murray's Stunt Bunny series.
By Martin Chilton, Digital Culture Editor
8:25AM GMT 02 Feb 2012
The latest (fourth) book in Tamsyn Murray's Stunt Bunny series - the tales of Harriet Houdini - is a timely tale of the Bunny's attempts to qualify for the London Animalympics (there's only one British animal per event).
Medal Mayhem is good-natured fun for young readers (5+) and I loved Murray's idea of break-dancing hedgehogs being used for the opening ceremony of the games. As usual, Lee Wildish provides the fine illustrations - and the Shetland pony attempting discus-throwing should bring a smile to anyone's face.
Of course, Harriet's old enemy, bunny-napping magician the Great Maldini, comes into the entertaining plot but you'll have to buy the book to find out if there's a happy twist in this 'tail'.
Tamsyn Murray: Stunt Bunny - Medal Mayhem (Simon & Schuster, £4.99)
QUOTE:
great read because it was exciting and funny.
Completely Cassidy: Accidental Genius by Tamsyn Murray – review
‘The book is written from Cassidy’s point of view so you can read about her opinions and it can help you see life from a different person’s eye’
CupcakeKate
Guardian children's books site young reviewer
Wed 8 Jul 2015 15.00 BST
Last modified on Wed 20 Sep 2017 11.36 BST
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ompletely Cassidy by Tamsyn Murray is a story about a teenager that thinks she doesn’t fit in. She is starting St. Jude’s middle school and is forced to wear her gross big brother’s old blazer and old-lady lace up shoes. Can life get any worse? When her school has a test and she is marked as ‘Gifted and Talented’ she starts to have a little faith in herself. Surely the school didn’t mistake her picked-at-random answers, would they…? Follow Cassidy on her trek through friendships, boys and middle school.
The book is written from Cassidy’s point of view so you can read about her opinions and it can help you see life from a different person’s eye. This can help to understand the book and it sparks your imagination. I wanted to read this book as she is the same age as me and it looked like it could be very funny. I think this book is great if you are in middle school as you can compare your life to hers; if it is better or worse. This can help as you can try to understand her situation a bit better than you would if you are a little younger. I enjoyed the book as there are illustrations throughout that make the book more interesting. It is written in lots of paragraphs so it makes you read the book quicker and more easily.
In my opinion, I think the book is a great read because it was exciting and funny. I would rate it a 4 star because some of the text was easy to understand, so it made the book a little bit simple. I would read another book in the series though because I like the style of the writing, the characters and the school setting. It will be interesting to see what happens to Cassidy next!
Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.
My So-Called Haunting by Tamsyn Murray - review
3 / 5 stars
'It feels a little like the life of an average teen with a few ghosts thrown in to make it worth reading'
Mimz
Tue 20 Sep 2011 14.35 BST
First published on Tue 20 Sep 2011 14.35 BST
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kye has just moved down from Scotland to London to live with her aunt while her mum is taking a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in Australia. If settling into her new school and life wasn't hard enough, Skye is also a ghost-seeing psychic! As the dead that haunt her home begin to get in the way of her social life (you try taking fashion tips from a 16th century ghost), Skye wonders whether she'll ever fit in. Then suddenly, Nico, the most unattainable (and hottest) boy in her school, asks Skye out and she's the talk of the school. She starts to make friends and suddenly it doesn't seem like moving to London was such a bad idea after all.
Her aunt (who is also a psychic) is keen to get her involved with the ghost society of Hackney and introduces Skye to ex-footballer, ghost-boy, Dontay. He takes her on a mission into the heart of Hackney's gangs (where he himself was shot) to try and prevent Dontay's football-crazy brother from making a big mistake. Soon Skye is racing against time to save another footballer's future from a bullet.
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The beginning of this book is good, but not great. It feels a little like the life of an average teen with a few ghosts thrown in to make it worth reading. There are a few comments and a few questions that make you keep reading but it's not a real page-turner. Once I had worked this out from the first couple of chapters I decided it was fine and it was only at the beginning where this was a problem (if it was too exciting how was it supposed to reach a climax?). However, by the time I was 3/4 of the way through the book, I began to wonder whether it would ever pick up the pace.
Fortunately, I was not disappointed. It was as if the author had suddenly decided that they wanted to finish the book and hurried to squish all the exciting stuff in. For the next four chapters I could hardly put the book down. It was amazingly gripping and suddenly I wasn't so sceptical of the plot.
The last chapter contains a satisfying ending. I can't say it was quite as exciting as the last few chapters but it ties up all the ends nicely and leaves the heroine...well, I don't want to give the ending away.
QUOTE:
This book has everything a great story needs - it is well written, it has realistic and memorable characters, sparkling dialogue, incredible humour and moments of nail-biting tension.
Monday, 15 February 2010
Review: My So-Called Afterlife by Tamsyn Murray
"I knew it was time to move on when a tramp peed on my Uggs..." Meet Lucy Shaw. She's not your average fifteen year old - for a start, she's dead. And as if being a ghost wasn't bad enough, she's also trapped haunting the men's toilets on Carnaby Street. So when a lighting engineer called Jeremy walks in and she realises he can see and hear her, she isn't about to let him walk out of her afterlife. Not least until he's updated her on what's happening in her beloved soaps. With Jeremy's help, Lucy escapes the toilet and is soon meeting up with other ghosts, including the perpetually enraged Hep and the snogtastic Ryan. But when Jeremy suggests Lucy track down the man who murdered her, things go down hill. Can Lucy face up to the events of that terrible night? And what will it cost her if she does?
I am finding this a very difficult book to review for this blog. Why? Well I really enjoyed reading it but I don't know how many boys would get on with it. Boys are very picky when it comes to choosing their stories, and a female main character is quite often an aspect that will discourage them. Unless it is Lara Croft, of course. The book is also narrated in the first person.... OK for boys when this is another boy, but when it is a girl narrating then 9 times out of 10 they won't be interested. Add to this melting pot the fact that Lucy, the main character in this book, mentions Ugg boots within the very first sentence and you will have many a boy reaching for his games console of choice and leaving this book to gather dust. I do not pretend to understand why this is the case as there are many great boy-friendly books out there with female main characters.
However, if you can get past the occasional mention of Uggs and kissing then you will be rewarded with a highly original, very funny and occasionally poignant modern take on the traditional ghost story that will certainly make you laugh out loud, and may even make you cry (yes boys.... it is ok to cry when reading a book). The book only has 184 pages, and believe me, they will race by once you get stuck into the story as the plot races along at a furious pace.
This book has everything a great stroy needs - it is well written, it has realistic and memorable characters, sparkling dialogue, incredible humour and moments of nail-biting tension. Boys..... if you're still unsure then show your sister this review (or even better go and buy the book for her), then when she isn't looking sneak a read of her copy as it really is worth your time!
I will be perfectly honest and say I was a little unsure when Tamsyn Murray contacted me on Twitter asking if I would like to review this book for my blog as I didn't know whether it would be to my taste. However, it is good once in a while to try something a little different and I am really glad I did, so thanks to Tamsyn and her publishers for sending me a copy. My So-Called Afterlife is published by Piccadilly and is available in stores now.
Posted by BookZone at 2/15/2010 06:26:00 pm
QUOTE:
the sudden change in the way she had to act with information about her friends and classmates was sometimes hilarious, sometimes tense and other times heartbreaking. I really felt for her!
Completely Cassidy: Star Reporter, Tamsyn Murray
Pages: 240
Publisher: Usborne
Release Date: 1st July 2015
Edition: UK Kindle e-book, purchased copy
Other Titles by this Author: My So-Called Afterlife, My So-Called Haunting, My So-Called Phantom Lovelife; Snug as a Bug; Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensations, Tour Troubles, Rabbit Racer, Medal Mayhem; Completely Cassidy: Accidental Genius
Latest news from Cassidy Bond, Star Reporter!
So I started this petition to let girls wear trousers at St Jude’s, and everybody’s talking about it – including Kelly, Year Ten editor of the school magazine. And now she’s asked me to be her star reporter – yay!
Even better, I’ve already sniffed out a *big* exclusive. Because someone’s set up a nasty gossip website about people at school – and if I can identify the mystery blogger, it’ll be the scoop of the century!
A few months ago I was introduced to Cassidy Bond and fell in love! I enjoyed her second adventure, Star Reporter, just as much.
Cassie is still on a mission to discover her ‘thing’. Being an accidental genius didn’t quite work out, even though she loved being on the school quiz team, but now the team is no more and she’s trying to find something to focus on. Cassie’s mum is a bit of a zombie, Liam is still embroiled in Wolf Brethren (his strangely popular band) and her newborn twin brother and sister who are cute, but tend to scream bloody murder at 3am – she just needs something.
With Cassie’s petition to allow girls to wear trousers at St Jude’s getting more and more popular, she’s suddenly part of the school press gang. Watching Cassie try and figure out all of the journalism lingo and the sudden change in the way she had to act with information about her friends and classmates was sometimes hilarious, sometimes tense and other times heartbreaking. I really felt for her!
I’m really looking forward to being reunited with Cassidy again soon as she continues to try and find her thing.
Sophie
QUOTE:
Completely Cassidy, totally enjoyable!
Completely Cassidy Drama Queen
Written by Tamsyn Murray
Illustrated by Antonia Miller
Part of the Completely Cassidy Series
9+ readers eBooks
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The Lovereading4Kids comment
Tamsyn Murray’s Completely Cassidy books are tuned to the defining things about being a pre-teen girl: giggling with your friends; exasperating – and being exasperated by – your family; suffering waves of excruciating embarrassment (aka cringe-fests) about things no-one else will notice. It’s clear Murray understands her audience very well indeed and her writing is perfectly pitched for their pleasure. This adventure is set during the summer holidays, and features the family holiday in Cornwall, where Cassidy’s dad shows off his Elvis impersonations, and summer theatre school, where she discovers her own thespian talents. Cassidy will cringe, and do a bit of growing up too, and each are described with the lightest of touches. Completely Cassidy, totally enjoyable! ~ Andrea Reece
Fans of Cassidy will also enjoy Cathy Cassidy’s Chocolate Box Girls books, and then Cathy Hopkins’s Mates, Dates series.
Synopsis
Completely Cassidy Drama Queen by Tamsyn Murray
Cassidy can't wait to enrol at Dance and Drama Academy summer school! She's always dreamed of discovering her hidden talent - could she be a star in the making? But with auditions looming, Cassidy is gripped by stage fright. As big brother, Liam, keeps reminding her, she does have a knack for embarrassing herself. What if Cassidy's stage debut turns out to be an all-singing, all-dancing disaster?
Laugh-out-loud with a big dollop of bonkers, this sparkling series is perfect for fans of Cathy Cassidy and Karen McCombie. Each book in the series is sprinkled throughout with quirky top ten lists, doodles, letters and emails.
Visit www.completelycassidy.co.uk for puzzles, downloads and more about the series.
Reviews