New Books Out February 2010 - The Picks Of The Month

Andy McNab - DropZone:BK.1 - Published By Doubleday Books - 4 Feb 2010 - ( See Book Review)

Book Synopsis
Ethan Blake is seventeen and desperate to escape from his dead-end life. When he sees someone B.A.S.E. jump from the top of his block of flats, it changes the way he sees the world for ever. Soon, Ethan is caught up in the adrenaline-fuelled world of skydiving. He's a natural, so it's no surprise when he's invited to join an elite skydive team, but is he signing up for more than just jumping out of planes? The team's involved in covert military operations - missions that require a special kind of guts, missions so secret even MI5 denies all knowledge.

Steve Feasey - Changeling:Blood Wolf - Published by Macmillan Children's - 5 Feb 2010 - (Need to read this one.)


Book Synopsis:

Trey thought he was the only one.

It was a lie.

The last hereditary werewolf has found his pack – and they’re vicious, bloodthirsty,aBndtruly wild.

Trey has had enough of vampires, demons and sorcerors. He needs to get in touch with his real family – the ones with fur, fangs and killer instincts.

But the wolf pack howling at the moon in Canada is not what he expected. And without the protection of de-fanged vampire and demon-hunter Lucien Charron, the family secret is more dangerous than he ever knew. Trey’s out of control. Can the werewolf be tamed?

M.G Harris - Zero Moment(The Joshua Files) - Published By Scholastic - 1 Feb 2010 

Book Synopsis:

Josh thinks he has discovered the key to time travel. Should he use it to go back in time and save his father? Ixchel knows what he intends to do. Should she stop him? Before they can decide, Ixchel is kidnapped by the people who want to see an ancient prophecy predicting the end of the world in 2012 come true. It's up to Josh to save Ixchel and possibly save the world. Time is running out in the exhilarating third part of the best-selling Joshua Files. the legendary Ix Codex - a lost book of the ancient Maya containing a prophecy about the end of the world...

Tom Becker - Blackjack (Darkside) - Published By Scholastic - 1 Feb 2010

Book Synopsis:

Jonathan is shocked when he finds out his mother has been locked away in Darkside's most infamous madhouse, The Bedlam, for years - and he's determined to rescue her. But with the rotten borough's brutal new leader causing mass chaos, a mysterious stone wreaking havoc on all who possess it, and the wereman Carnegie nowhere to be found, will he be able to save his mum without losing everything else?

Alex Bell - Lex Trent Versus the Gods - Published by Hedline - 4 Feb 2010

Book Synopsis:

A quirky and original comic fantasy from talented Gollancz author Alex Bell

Law student Lex Trent’s world is inhabited by fearsome magicians, ageing crones and a menagerie of Gods and Goddesses. And while Lex is seemingly dedicated to his legal studies he’s always enjoyed a challenge – which is why he leads a double life as the notorious cat burglar ‘The Shadowman’ who has been (luckily) evading capture for years.

But Lex’s luck is about to run out because the Goddess of Fortune has selected him to be her player in the highly dangerous Games. Losing is not an option for Lex (particularly as it so often involves dying) but can he really win each of the perilous rounds? Given that the reward for doing so is money, fame and glory – all things that Lex is quite keen on – he’s going to do whatever it takes to make sure he will... and he’s certainly got good experience of cheating.

Neal Shusterman - Everwild - Published By Simon & Schuster - 4 Feb 2010

Book Synopsis:

Nick the "chocolate ogre" wants to help the children of Everlost to reach the light at the end of the tunnel, and is slowly handing each child a coin which will release them from Everlost. But Mary Hightower wants to trap the children forever, and joins forces with Pugsy Capone, a death boss, who gains allies in a terrible way...Meanwhile, Allie has gone in search for her parents and joins up with a group of "skinjackers". But, as her search takes her further away from Nick and the children of Everlost, Allie uncovers a shocking secret...it seems that "skinjackers" are not actually dead...In this riveting sequel to the imaginative, supernatural thriller, Everlost, there is new dark force to be reckoned with.

Gabrielle Lord - Conspiracy 365 February - Published By Hodder Children's - 4 Feb 2010

Book Synopsis

On New Year's Eve, Callum Ormond is chased down the street by a crazed man with a deadly warning:
They killed your father.
They'll kill you.
You must survive the next 365 days!
Now he's on the run. The people who killed his father want him dead, and the police are chasing him for a crime he didn't commit. A month has gone by and he's still no nearer to solving the Ormond Riddle, the family secret that has turned his life into a nightmare. Can he trust the mysterious Winter Frey, or will she lead him further into danger?
He has 334 days. The clock is ticking...

New books out January - March 2010 - U.S

Just a quick post which is looking into some of the more exciting books to be released 'over the water' in the U.S, early 2010. I have not done this feature for a while and thought I should update you on future releases. Today is the last day to vote on the "Book Cover Wars." Don't forget to vote and leave a comment as you will then be put forward to possibly win a signed, lined book.

Riley Carney - The Fire Stone (Reign of the Elements,Book 1) -  Published by BookLight Press -  1 Jan 2010


Synopsis 
Sixteen-year-old novelist Riley Carney works magic in this high fantasy adventure story brought to life by memorable, vibrant characters. The Fire Stone, the first book in the captivating Reign of the Elements series, is rooted in genuine adolescent thought and emotion throughout a journey of danger, friendship, and courage, as a group of teenagers, led by fifteen-year-old Matt, attempt to save their world. Matt knows how to shovel hay, dig trenches, and dodge his father’s whip, but when three terrifying creatures attack Matt, and he is rescued by a wizard, he kidnaps a baby alorath, and is befriended by elves, Matt’s life transforms overnight from dreary to astonishing. When he unwittingly joins a quest to find the Fire Stone, one of the elusive Stones of the Elements which have the power to destroy the world, Matt is thrust into a string of perilous adventures. He soon discovers that magic does exist and that he has extraordinary powers that can change his destiny and determine the fate of Mundaria.

N.D Wilson - The Chestnut King: Book 3 of the 100 Cupboards - Published by Random House - 26  Jan 2010


Synopsis
 When Herny York found 99 cupboards hidden behind his bedroom wall, he never dreamed they were doors to entirely new worlds! Unfortunately, Henry’s discovery freed an ancient, undying witch, whose hunger for power would destroy every world connected to the cupboards—and every person whom Henry loves. Henry must seek out the legendary Chestnut King for help. Everything has a price, however, and the Chestnut King’s desire may be as dangerous as the witch herself.

N. D. Wilson concludes a remarkable, worlds-spanning journey that began with one boy and one hundred avenues to adventure.

James Patterson - Fang: A Maximum Ride Novel - Published by  Little,Brown Books - 15 March  2010


Synopsis
 Being a kid with wings--constantly on the run--has never been easy, and Max and her flock are getting tenser than ever. First, on a trip to Africa, they meet a mysterious billionaire whose intense scrutiny of the Flock makes her fear the worst. Then, a cryptic message from a young girl arrives, warning them "The sky will fall." And as if an impending apocalypse weren't bad enough, canny birdkid Angel makes a dire prophecy about Max's soul mate: Fang will be the first to die. Max's desperate desire to protect Fang brings the two closer than ever. But can the team weather the storm, or will the turmoil rip them apart for the last time?

 Gary Paulsen - Woods Runner - Published by Wendy Lamb Books 12 Jan 2010

Synopsis

 Samuel, 13, spends his days in the forest, hunting for food for his family. He has grown up on the frontier of a British colony, America. Far from any town, or news of the war against the King that American patriots have begun near Boston.

But the war comes to them. British soldiers and Iroquois attack. Samuel’s parents are taken away, prisoners. Samuel follows, hiding, moving silently, determined to find a way to rescue them. Each day he confronts the enemy, and the tragedy and horror of this war. But he also discovers allies, men and women working secretly for the patriot cause. And he learns that he must go deep into enemy territory to find his parents: all the way to the British headquarters, New York City.

t

New Books Out January Post Three

                                    

Soo many new books for January. It will keep you busy for the whole year......

Barry Hutchison - Mr Mumbles:Invisible Fiends - Published by HarperCollins - 7 Jan 2010 (See Book Review)

Book synopsis
Kyle's imaginary friend from childhood is back! with a vengeance. Kyle hasn't seen Mr Mumbles in years. And there's a good reason for that: Mr Mumbles doesn't exist. But now Kyle's imaginary friend is back, and Kyle doesn't have time to worry about why. Only one thing matters: staying alive! A major series from a fresh new talent, brought to you by the publisher that put horror on the map.


Ellen Renner - Castle of Shadows - Published by Orchard - 7 Jan 2010
Book Synopsis
 "No clue about why the Queen vanished had ever been found. Until now..."
The day Charlie discovers a scrap of paper that could solve the dark mystery of her mother's disappearance, her world changes. Forever.
Charlie and her friend, Toby, must race against time on a dangerous mission to uncover the sinister truth. But in this shadowy world of secrets and lies, there is more to fear than they can possibly imagine...



Ian Kenworthy - The Whispering Sand - Published by Book Guild Publishing - 31 Jan 2010
Book Synopsis
Gull Cove Cottage is the most peculiar house you have ever seen: perched on top of a cliff overlooking a sandy bay, it started out as a bungalow, but now has tall towers, pointy turrets, at least one spiral staircase (no one is quite sure), extra floors sticking out at odd angles, endless winding corridors and no two windows the same shape or size. How it is still standing is anyone's guess. But Annabeth loves it, because Gull Cove Cottage is home to Grandpa Bambertide, guardian of the beach, keeper of extraordinary pets and as wise as he is eccentric - he knows all the legends of the sea, and goes shrimping in his dressing gown. 

Annabeth has come to stay with Grandpa, but finds him worried and preoccupied: the beautiful bronze sand of Gull Cove is turning grey and dying, whispering songs with its last gasp. Why is the sand dying, and what is the secret of the haunting Songs of the Sea? Annabeth and Grandpa are determined to find out, but solving the mysteries of the sea is not a straightforward task.

If you have ever been terrorised by a giant man-eating lobster, or forced to venture into the murkiest, most remote parts of a rambling cottage on a dark and stormy night, you will know how frightened Annabeth feels. But, with the help of a biscuit-snitching octopus, singing coral and Grandpa's fantastic inventions, Annabeth ventures into the unknown and discovers more about the sea - and her Grandpa - than she could ever have imagined.

Bruno Vincent - Grisly Tales From Tumblewater - Published by Macmillan Books - 1 Jan 2010
Book Synopsis
Warning: Not for the faint-hearted! Welcome to the very damp and woeful world of Tumblewater, home to a creepy collection of depraved characters. Meet a young boy punished most appallingly for picking his nose; a pair of devilish bakers with murderous intentions in their buns; and a dentist whose strange, colour-changing eyes belie his perfectly gleaming smile. This title contains horrifying tales for good children and fair warning for bad!


C E Trueman - Grey Amber - Published by Pen Press - 23 Jan 2010
Book Synopsis
Two years ago, Matt discovered a dark secret hidden behind a door in an alleyway near his home. Now at a new school and suffering at the hands of class bully Leon Bowker, that secret comes back to haunt him. With the help of an unusual new friend, Ollie Kaminsky, Matt is lured on a hunt for some remarkable treasure which will take him across the far reaches of Pembrokeshire. But someone else is trying to get there before him.

New Books Out In January 2010 - Post Two

Michael Grant - Hunger(Gone) - Published by Egmont Books 4 Jan 2010

Synopsis
The clock is ticking for Sam Temple and the kids of Perdido Beach but it's not the big one-five that they face now; it's starvation that threatens the FAYZ. In an abandoned mine shaft a faceless animal lurks, pulling the strings, toying with human and mutant alike. And he's hungry - hungry in the darkness. An uneasy calm has settled over Perdido Beach. But soon, fear explodes into desperation as starvation sets in and the mob look to place blame. For the 'normals' the buck must stop somewhere: with the 'freaks'. More and more kids are developing strange powers and, just as frighteningly, so are the animals in the FAYZ: talking coyotes, swimming bats and deadly worms with razor-sharp teeth are just the beginning. For Sam Temple the strain of leadership is beginning to show and he's got more than just dwindling rations and in-fighting to worry about - Caine is back with the psychotic whiphand, Drake, by his side. And in the background lies the greatest danger of all - and he too needs to be fed.

Tim Bowler - Blade:Mixing It - Published by OUP - 4 Jan 2010

Synopsis
There's too much at stake now. So I got to play it rough. This is where we find out - who's the hunter, who's the prey? From the Carnegie Medal-winning author of River Boy, Starseeker and Bloodchild comes the sixth title in this startlingly compelling series. Contemporary, pacy, and utterly gripping, Blade takes you on a roller-coaster ride through the secret, dangerous life of its unforgettable narrator. This thrilling series for teenagers combines an enormously likable and engaging central character with the harsh realities of street life and the youth gang culture that is so prevalent in today's news. The mysteries and cliffhanger endings of these short, accessible books will have the power to tempt all readers as they gradually become absorbed into Blade's dangerous world.


A.G Taylor - Superhumans:Meteorite Strike - Published by Usbourne 29 Jan 2010


Synopsis
Sarah and Robert are sure their number is up when their aeroplane crashes over the Australian desert. But this is no ordinary air disaster. A meteorite strike has impacted Earth, bringing with it a deadly alien disease. Thousands fall victim to the virus, falling into a deep coma. Luckily, Robert and Sarah appear to be unaffected - until they begin to exhibit some extraordinary psychic side-effects. This quickly makes them a target for HIDRA, a rogue international agency determined to experiment on them like lab rats in an attempt to control their superpowers. Before long, the children are captured in HIDRA's secret desert HQ, a prison for superhuman kids who can control fire, create storms and tear steel with their minds. This new generation of superheroes must join forces if they are to escape HIDRA. But what kind of world awaits them outside?


Karen David - When I Was Joe - Published by Frances Lincoln Books 7 Jan 2010


Synopsis
When Ty witnesses a stabbing, his own life is in danger from the criminals he s named, and he and his mum have to go into police protection. Ty has a new name, a new look and a cool new image life as Joe is good, especially when he gets talent spotted as a potential athletics star, special training from an attractive local celebrity and a lot of female attention. But his mum can t cope with her new life, and the gangsters will stop at nothing to flush them from hiding. Joe s cracking under extreme pressure, and then he meets a girl with dark secrets of her own. This wonderfully gripping and intelligent novel depicts Ty/Joe's confused sense of identity in a moving and funny story that teenage boys and girls will identify with - a remarkable debut from a great new writing talent.


Terry Deary - Master Crook's Crime Academy 4 - Published by Scholastic Books 4 Jan 2010


Synopsis 
The school where scoundrels save the day| Wildpool's filthy rich are delighted - with a new bank in town, at last their money will be safe from thieving hands. But they haven't banked on the wit, skill and genius of the Crime Academy students, who are preparing for the greatest bank robbey of all time| More Master Crook's Crime Academy adventures available: Burglary for Beginners, Robbery for Rascals, Classes in Kidnapping.

New books out in January 2010 - Post One

New year and new books.
2010 is going to be great year for children's books. So many great reads for you to get your hands on and many more to come in the next post. I look forward to reading them all and discover what's inside.




David Miller - Sea Wolf - Published by OUP Oxford 1 Jan 2010 


Synopsis
HUNTED. TRAPPED. DESPERATE. Shipwrecked after a ferocious storm, Hanna, Ned and Jik come face to face with a murderous foe. They must escape or die. But how do you outrun a bullet . . . Or out swim a shark?




Pat Walsh - The Crowfield Curse - Published by Chicken House 4 Jan 2010(see book review)


Synopsis
It's 1347 and fifteen-year-old Will, an orphan boy, lives at Crowfield Abbey. Sent into the forest to gather wood, he rescues instead, a creature from a trap - a hob, who shares with Will a terrible secret. Somewhere in the forest behind the abbey where he lives,is a grave. And buried deep in the snow is an angel. But how can an angel die? What has it to do with the monks of the Abbey? When two hooded strangers arrive at Crowfield asking questions about the angel's grave. Will is drawn into a world of dangerous Old Magic. 


Sophie McKenzie - The Hostage(Medusa Project) - Published by Simon & Schuster 7 Jan 2010 


Synopsis
Fourteen years ago, four babies were implanted with the Medusa gene - a gene for psychic abilities. Now teenagers, Nico, Ketty, Ed and Dylan have been brought together by government agents to create a secret crime-fighting force - The Medusa Project. But now Ketty's brother Lex has stumbled into a dangerous game involving his boss and a hidden bomb. It's up to Ketty to save him without letting on what she knows to the rest of the team. But can she control her psychic visions, and her feelings for Nico, without getting the team's cover - and herself - blown sky high?


R J Anderson - Rebel(Knife) - Published by Orchard 7 Jan 2010


Synopsis
Linden's cage glowed with fiery heat, burning her fingers when she tried to cling to the bars. She fluttered helplessly in midair, wing muscles aching with the effort, knowing that she couldn't hover much longer before her strength gave out – and that the moment it did, she would die...



Michelle Harrison - The Thirteen Curses:Bk 2 - Published by Simon & Schuster - 7 Jan 2010


Synopsis

The Thirteen Treasures have become the Thirteen Curses. When fairies stole her brother, Red vowed to get him back. Now trapped in the fairy realm, she begs an audience with the fairy court where she strikes a bargain. Her brother will be returned - but only if she can find the thirteen charms of Tanya's bracelet that have been scattered in the human world. Returning to Elvesden Manor, Red is assisted by Tanya and Fabian and a desperate hunt begins. Soon they make a shocking discovery. The charms now have twisted qualities of the thirteen treasures they represent...and the longer they are missing the worse the consequences will be. Can Red, Tanya and Fabian find all the charms? And even if they do, will the fairies keep their promise?