Showing posts with label paige harbison. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paige harbison. Show all posts

15 May 2012

Quickie interview with Paige Harbison

Quickie interview.

What made you want to write a retelling of Rebecca?
I was going through a Hitchcock phase, actually! I was watching the movies and watching old Twilight Zones during a particularly rainy month with a friend, and I just got so caught up in that creepy, spooky, moody mood. I thought of Rebecca, all about one woman’s desire to be as good as another woman, and I was like…a girl is jealous of a girl and it’s fuelled by her interest in a guy? High school! I’d loved the book when I was younger, and the fact that it’s a classic that has been overlooked in this, the era of remakes, seemed like a crime.
Were you ever the 'new girl' at sometime?
-Oh ho ho! Oh yes. I went to two elementary schools, two middle schools, and three high schools. Oh, and three colleges. Yes, I was the new girl many times. I never minded. I like change, I love reinvention, and I loved standing out. But it is scary. You’re alone completely, and you’re at the mercy of whoever takes you under their wing.
What's one of your favourite retellings, other than New girl of course!?
-Haha, right of course. Hmm, that’s a tough one. I loved Avalon High when I was younger.
I just love the UK cover of the book! What do you think? Do you think it suits the story of New girl?

          -I like that it looks like a simple, light tale, but how it’s really
       much darker than it appears.

Check out my review for New girl.
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Blog tour: New girl - Review

New girl by Paige Harbison
Available now.
www.miraink.co.uk

What's it about?
A contemporary young-adult retelling inspired by the classic 1938 romantic suspense bestseller Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.

They call me 'New Girl'...

Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.

Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.

Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend…but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be.

And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.
My review
I'm not familiar with the story of Rebecca so won't be able to make any comparisons in this review but I did really enjoy New girl. I had already read Paige Harbison's debut novel, Here lies Bridget, last year and really liked it so I was looking forward to this one, whilst I'd say her first book is my favourite that's only because some parts of this one felt a little bit rushed over, otherwise I have no complaints.
The storyline was fun but at the same time it had it's dark moments and some very emotional ones to, I really liked the character of 'New girl' she really stuck it out when things got tough for her and of course I was dying to know her name all the way through!
Harbison has a really easy-to-read writing style that make her books a breeze to get through and has me really anticipating her next releases.
Her characters are well developed and relatable and pull me into the book so that I don't want to put it down at night.
I really can't wait to see what the author comes up with next as she's becoming a favourite author for me.

My thoughts on the cover
I LOVE this cover! Not just because of the colours and those cool socks! But how it relates to the book as in 'New girl' finds herself walking in someone elses shoes as she's constantly compared to Becca.

Favourite quotes
'What was it about this girl Becca? Everything I'd heard about her made it seem like she was some kind of goddess who enchanted people just by being around them. I mean, I understand that it's really awful to have a peer be missing and possibly dead...but it's like she was friends with everyone. It was like she'd been perfect.'

'Before I could talk myself out of it, his lips were on mine. My mind went blank. My body went numb. I faded into him, letting my bag fall to the floor. I didn't care if someone walked in. I didn't care if anyone saw.'

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28 Jun 2011

Here lies Bridget blog tour and giveaway

Here Lies Bridget

A debut novel by 19-year-old

Paige Harbison

Published by Mira Ink £6.99
http://www.miraink.co.uk/

Mean girls watch out!

A brilliant insight into the mind of a gossip obsessed bully.


About the book.
Bridget Duke is the uncontested ruler of her school. The meanest girl with the biggest secret insecurities. And when new girl Anna Judge arrives, things start to fall apart for Bridget: friends don't worship as attentively, teachers don't fall for her wide-eyed "who me?" look, expulsion looms ahead and the one boy she's always loved—Liam Ward—can barely even look at her anymore.


When a desperate Bridget drives too fast and crashes her car, she ends up in limbo, facing everyone she's wronged and walking a few uncomfortable miles in their shoes. Now she has only one chance to make a last impression. Though she might end up dead, she has one last shot at redemption and the chance to right the wrongs she's inflicted on the people who mean the most to her.

And Bridget's about to learn that, sometimes, saying you're sorry just isn't enough….

About the Author.
Paige Harbison was 19 when she wrote Here Lies Bridget. She is the daughter of American chick lit Queen Beth Harbison and is currently working toward her Bachelor's Degree at Towson University in Baltimore, MD. Following in the footsteps of her mother,—who is author of Shoe Addicts Anonymous, which is being made into a movie starring Halle Berry-- 21 year old Paige has already signed a deal to give her book the Hollywood treatment. Paige is currently working on her second novel but is available for interview and feature writing.


Here's a couple of questions I asked Paige.
1. Here lies Bridget is a lot about the high school hierarchy and popularity, so, what were you like in high school?

I was a total floater. I hung out with everyone. I don’t know if it was just me, or just the people I hung out with most regularly, but popularity just never seemed that important. I was well-known, and—as far as I know—well-liked for the most part, so maybe it never mattered to me because I had some measure of popularity. But really, it wasn’t a huge deal to me. But I certainly saw it take over other people, so my objective view on the obsessive desire to be ‘on top’ gave me a good perspective to write from.

2. Were you in a particular social clique?
Nope. Like I said, I floated. I did plays, but I wasn’t a “theatre person,” I hung out with some people universally recognized as “popular” but I wasn’t part of any core “it “crowd.” I just hung out with anyone I liked.

3. You wrote the book quite young, had you always planned to pursue a writing career?
Not at all. My mom is an author (Shoe Addicts Anonymous, etc) so I’ve always been exposed to it. So maybe that’s why it never occurred to me. I was always great in English class and always loved to read, but writing an actual book wasn’t something I ever really aimed to do. But once I started, I really enjoyed it!

4. And lastly, are you a Bookaholic?
Totes. I don’t read everything, but I have always loved to read. I think the only reason I haven’t read a ton recently is because I was juggling work and graduating college in three years.

You can see my review of Here lies Bridget here.

Giveaway.
To celebrate this being my very first blog tour and the fact that it's my birthday today I've decided to give away a copy of the book myself! Just fill in the very quick form to enter, you must of course be a blog follower and entry is open to anyone that the Book depository ships to, if your not sure if they ship to, you can find out here.
Closes at the end of the day July 5th.
Update: This giveaway is now closed
                                                      


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