In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch–a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood–or else she might be next.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, the Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive—this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone’s out for blood 

ISBN #9781921518911

Sydney takes a huge leap into the world of magic in this third instalment of the Bloodlines series. This is directly against everything she has been taught as an Alchemist.

In book 2, she was told a rumour about a rogue Alchemist, Marcus Finch. It’s absolutely unheard of in her world for anybody to leave the group and she finds herself wanting to find Marcus. He just may have some of the answers she has been looking for. But in the meantime, she has been pulled into the world of magic by one of her teachers, and this has put her in danger. There is somebody out there killing witches and growing stronger by taking their power.

One thing that has been a constant in the writing of this series is the pacing of the novels. They all have a gradual build up to a big event and a surprise ending to enter into the next story. The relationships between the characters is growing stronger with each book as well. Although now that Sydney is not Jill’s main protector, some of the school friends are not seen as much in this book as the first two. The focus of the story is on Marcus Finch and her growing relationship with the vampire Adrian – yet another thing that is frowned upon by the Alchemist group (fraternizing with vampires).

The growing relationship between Adrian and Sydney is just part of the character growth that we see within Sydney. In The Indigo Spell Sydney shows the most developed and biggest changes to her character. Not only questioning what she really believes in (as opposed to what she has been taught) and she learns to follow her heart over her mind. She has a huge tendency to over-think things because she is unsure and scared of the consequences. She really is at college age at this time and I was very happy to see her discover her truths.

Just as the Vampire Academy Series is highly addictive, this book as made this series addictive for me. In the first two books I was exploring the world and who the characters are, but now we see a huge leap of faith in our main character Sydney, and I’m rooting for her. I find her very strong and becoming more determined each book. They are fun, with great pacing and I love the suspenseful build up to see where each book will take us.

I am absolutely thrilled to announce that my first picture book is being released by UK-based publisher Books To Treasure this year.

Most of you probably aren’t even aware that I have a number of children’s publications to my name. Indeed, writing for primary school children was my first love. I’ve also written a number of children’s picture book manuscripts and had a dream to publish one of them but it never happened as I got sidetracked into writing for adults.

My dream has finally been realised when Books To Treasure publisher, Adrianne Fitzpatrick gave my story Serious Sas and Messy Magda the nod. This was made all the more meaningful by the fact that Adrianne taught me most everything I know about children’s writing over a decade ago, back when she ran classes.

She’s gone on to have a long career as an editor in Australia and the UK and now has her own publishing house.

In the coming weeks I’ll be able to share the cover with you, but for now please join me in a cheer and the knowledge that when dreams do come true it feels as good as you imagined it would!

I’ll update you with release date and buy details in due course. I’m so excited that I’ll be able to share the book with all my new great nieces and nephews.

This middle grade trilogy is set in the early 1800’s and is and is very much Jane Austen-esk with it’s emphasis on etiquette, propriety and high society.

Book one Kat, Incorrigible, brings us in on a typical middle class British blended family. Four children, widowed father and a step mother who’s only concern is marrying off her stepdaughters to wealthy gentlemen. However Kathrine (Kat) has other ideas. She discovers the mother she never knew has left her a legacy of magical talent and she will stop at nothing to keep her family safe… even if it is improper and not at all ladylike.

Book 2 Renegade Magic, Kat is happy enough to see one sister happily married, however now her other sister has gone and created a situation where their step mother has shipped them all off to Bath to find her a suitor. Heavens above! How will Kat fix this?

Book 3 Stolen Magic, What to do, What to do? Somebody is out to get Kat. She’s being followed and her family seems to be in the line of fire. Can Kat save the day before her sister’s big day?

I enjoyed this series immensely and I think it’s my love for strong female protagonists that really sealed the deal. Katherine is delightfully persistent and unashamed of her family history. Her sisters are of the same vein, however they’ve realised their place in society, and in the 1800’s status was everything. As for Charles… well you’ll have to find out for yourselves.

I’ve never been to the UK, so the settings seem real and plausible to my naive mind. The thought of travelling to a Castle anywhere seems like such an adventure all on it’s own, but to add magic and high society to the mix made me quite excited to read on.

I’m not really a die hard fan of the accuracy of the era, so shows like Lost in Austen and this Kat Incorrigible book trilogy, add a level of normalcy and rebellion that make it far easier to consume.

I found myself day dreaming about the possible outcomes in certain scenes and Stephanie Burgis kept me on my toes for a good part of the series.

I would suggest this book to middle graders and older who want to wade gently into the era of Jane Austen and see how they find it, or for those who want to take a lighter journey through the early 1800’s from a young girls perspective.

It would be perfect on a rainy, dreary day when you can imagine yourself in England and not so very far away from the heart of the action.

http://www.stephanieburgis.com/

Kat, Incorrigible Paperback, 295 pages

Published April 3rd 2012 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers (first published January 1st 2010)

ISBN: 1416994483 (ISBN13: 9781416994480)

Renegade Magic Paperback, 352 pages

Published March 5th 2013 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers (first published August 1st 2011)

ISBN: 1416994505 (ISBN13: 9781416994503)

Stolen Magic Hardcover, 400 pages

Published April 2nd 2013 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers (first published October 1st 2012)

ISBN: 1416994513 (ISBN13: 9781416994510)

“So wrong for each other … AND YET SO RIGHT.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with “freaky” scars on her arms. Even Echo can’t remember the whole truth.

But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his surprising understanding, Echo’s world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can PUSH THE LIMITS and what she’ll risk for the one guy who might teach her HOW TO LOVE AGAIN.”

Pushing The Limits alternates point of view between the two main characters, Noah and Echo. Echo deals with the loss of her older brother during a deployment to Iraq, the scars from the accident with her mother, her father getting remarried and the pregnancy of her stepmother. Meanwhile, Noah has a lot to deal with himself; getting his life back on track after jumping from one foster home to the next, and fighting for the right to have his younger brothers’ back.

When both attend counselling sessions to get help with the many things they each have going on, Echo is assigned to become Noah’s tutor, and they start to see one another more often. Despising one another at first, and avoiding each other at all cost, they come to realize that the only person who truly understands them, and knows how it feels going through those rough times, is each other.

Finally, they come together to reach their goals (getting Noah’s brothers’ back, and finding out what really happened to Echo the night of the accident with her mother), the two attempt to get their files from the guidance office. In doing so, they develop a strong connection with each other.

Pushing The Limits is one of those books where you’re laughing one minute, completely in love the next, and before you know it, you’re sobbing into the pages, and throwing it across the room.