Ursula Jones - The Youngstars - Book Review

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• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Inside Pocket (23 April 2012)
• Age: 9+
• ISBN-10: 0956712290
• ISBN-13: 978-0956712295

It is always good to read and review work from authors who don't get much media coverage. One of my favourite small publishers, Inside Pocket, have a great authority in publishing some great books and this, is no exception.

Ursula's theatrical background really lends itself to the performance of this story. It delivers a great platform for a period story set in England in 1936. We follow a young group of people, all working on the stage, performing their comical skits in northern theatres. However, with their evil manager known as 'The Pig' they find themselves in for a colourful journey. 

This story provides a brilliant look into the past when people needed to be entertained and the television had just been invented - Hollywood and the Silver Screen were just becoming established. As a result, these young performers have big dreams of making it big one day. I don't want to give too much away about this story, so I've chosen to keep this review free of too much detail. I believe that this will then give you the chance to pick up a copy and read it for yourselves.

I have to say that I really did enjoy reading this book. It has a varied and split storyline which, at times, was quite complex such as the following of the Doppelgangers (Ollie and Ralph) after a chance meeting. It has great inside views of a pre-war time, when life was hard and variety shows were often popular but, of course, often hard work in order to please the paying customers. This book is full of highs, lows, twists and turns but very much with a slap stick approach.  

This is an adventure for everyone from twelve to a hundred and twelve. It is very entertaining and a book that I would definitely recommend. 

The author: Ursula Jones trained at RADA and is an actress and writer for children: The Witch's children trilogy, for example, which won the 2003 Gold Smartie award and the 2008 Roald Dahl Funny Prize; but also plays for children, and scripts for the TV series Green Claws.

Kieran Larwood - Freaks - Guest Post - Chicken House

Chicken House have some fantastic emerging debut authors releasing their very first books this year. One such author is Kieran, a reception class teacher, who manages to find time to write stories late at night. I'd like to thank him for writing this post. 

Whilst I haven't had time to read this book myself yet, I have managed to find a great introduction to "Freaks". I hope that you all agree that it sounds like a particularly great read. If it grabs your attention, like it did mine, then go and grab yourself a copy to read. I'll be reaching for a copy very soon . . . . . . 

‘Freaks’ is a mystery thriller set in the crusty depths of a very unpleasant Victorian London, but it was very nearly something completely different.  About five years ago, when I first started having a serious crack at writing a novel, it was a story about a crew of aliens on a spaceship.  That book fizzled out after three unimpressive chapters, but something about the strange characters and the way they interacted refused to get out of my head.

I wanted to write more about them, but had to come up with a setting that would work.  It was very late one night when I had the idea of a Victorian freakshow.

After that, the characters themselves came really quickly, but I found I had lots of research to do.  I started wading through reams of Victorian history texts and gradually filling up several notebooks.  It was like History A-level all over again.

I soon found out that the real Victorian London was nothing like the image we all have of top hats and hansom cabs rattling past Big Ben, while Oliver Twist-like orphans skip around finding their fortune.  Even though Dickens showed a glimpse of the shady side, life for the less fortunate citizens was bordering on horrific.

There was disease and crime everywhere.  People starved, children were enslaved and mistreated, hygiene was non-existent, and the sheer stench of the place was enough to actually stop parliament on one occasion.

Even though it must have been a terrible place to live, I soon realised it would make an excellent setting for a story.  I put my Freaks right at the bottom of the social ladder, where they could see, feel and smell the grime first hand.

At first I had them battling supernatural monsters.  I spent a few years sending drafts of that story off to agents, and re-writing it several times, before I eventually entered it for the 2011 Times/Chicken House competition.

Somehow, it won, and my prize was to finally be published-but not before fitting in another couple of re-writes and changing the story from horror to thriller.  I had to trim a couple of my Freaks along the way, but most of them made it intact, and the book is being released this April.

It’s been five years of very hard work, squeezed in around my day job and family.  I daren’t even try to count the hundreds of sleepless hours that have gone into it, but it has been a real pleasure to write.  I hope you enjoy reading it just as much.

New Children's Books: Published UK - April 2012 - Post Two

                              

                                   

Garwen Ewing - The Rainbow Orchid: Adventures of Julius Chancer v.3 - Published by Egmont books -  2 April 2012

At the beginning of Volume Three, Julius and Lily are recovering from the electrifying end of Volume Two. What does the future hold for Evelyn Crow and her gang of desperate villains? Do Julius and Lily have the strength to prevent Urkaz Grope from enacting his evil plans? Don't miss the stunning conclusion to the biggest adventure in comics! "The Rainbow Orchid" is an ambitious blend of classic storytelling, and cinematic artwork, in which adventure, historical drama and legend are seamlessly intertwined.

                               

Ursula Jones - The Youngstars - Published by Inside Pocket - 1 April 2012

“There was a thud in Ollie’s midriff, as though he had been shot. The boy stared at Ollie, open–mouthed with surprise … and suddenly the boy smiled.” Ollie knew that smile. He knew the boy’s face. He’d seen it looking at him from countless dressing room mirrors. It was his own smile, his own face. The boy was his double.” Ollie, the youngest of the troupe, struggles through life with a stammer and a deep desire to become an acrobat (to escape the clutches of The Pig). Unbeknownst to him, his world is about to be torn apart and re-made by the arrival of movie star, Hal Havern. Meanwhile, Hal Havern’s son, Ralph, and his comrade in arms, Giselle, have jumped a train, are evading the law, and trying to escape a mysterious pursuer who dogs their every step. The variety troupe, Havern, Ralph and Giselle all descend on the bustling and industrial city of Liverpool, where the troupe are set to give their biggest performance yet. And Olly and Ralph are about to get the shock of their lives…

                               
Michelle Harrison - Unrest - Published by Simon & Schuster -26 April 2012

Seventeen-year-old Elliott hasn't slept properly for six months. Not since the accident that nearly killed him. Now he is afraid to go to sleep. Sometimes he wakes to find himself paralysed, unable to move a muscle, while shadowy figures move around him. Other times he is the one moving around, while his body lies asleep on the bed. According to his doctor, sleep paralysis and out of body experiences are harmless - but to Elliot they're terrifying. Convinced that his brush with death has opened up connections with the spirit world, Elliott secures a live-in job at one of England's most haunted locations, determined to find out the truth. There he finds Sebastian, the ghost of a long-dead servant boy hanged for stealing bread. He also meets the living, breathing Ophelia, a girl with secrets of her own. She and Elliott grow closer, but things take a terrifying turn when Elliott discovers Sebastian is occupying his body when he leaves it. And the more time Sebastian spends inhabiting a living body, the more resistant he becomes to giving it back. Worse, he seems to have an unhealthy interest in Ophelia. Unless Elliott can lay Sebastian's spirit to rest, he risks being possessed by him for ever, and losing the girl of his dreams...

New Children's Books: Published UK - April 2012 - Post One

                                 
Darren Shan - The Saga of Larten Crepsley - Brothers to the Death - Published by HarperCollins - 26 April 2012

The fourth and final instalment in the epic saga of Larten Crepsley – vampire, hero and victim of fate…

Just as Larten is finding a new place for himself in vampire society, trying to help vampires escape the Nazi menace, horrifying tragedy falls on his own family, thanks to the nefarious Vampaneze.

With his old friend Wester calling for war against the ancient enemies of vampires, Larten finds himself a figurehead of the campaign.

But there are more evil things than just the Vampaneze stirring. And soon, Larten might find himself grieving again – as he faces the worst and final betrayal…

                                  

James Dashner - Maze Runner 3: The Death Cure - Published by Chicken House - 5 April 2012

The Trials are over. WICKED have collected all the information they can. Now it's up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test. But something has happened that no-one at WICKED has foreseen: Thomas has remembered more than they think. And he knows WICKED can't be trusted ... The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than anyone could have imagined. With the Gladers divided, can they all make it?

M.G Harris - The Joshua files: Apocalypse Moon - Published by Scholastic - 5 April 2012

Something is very wrong with the 2012 Plan. Is it really on course to save the planet from the gigantic Electro-Magnetic Pulse that's due to shatter civilisation at the end of the year? After a narrow escape from US government agents Josh decides to risk his own life on a daring mission - a leap forward in time to discover the truth about 2012. He's jumped ahead far enough to glimpse a post-apocalyptic world in collapse. And to realise - it could be his destiny to stay.

                                   

Jenny Nimmo - The Stones of Ravenglass - Published by Egmont Books -  2 April 2012

This is a spell-binding new tale spun by a prize-winning storyteller. Timoken, the lost king of a secret kingdom that was destroyed by wicked viridees, believes he has found a new home in a castle in medieval Britain. But when an evil steward takes control of the castle, he imprisons Timoken and wreaks havoc on surrounding villages. With the help of Gabar the talking camel, a mysterious wizard and a friendly dragon, Timoken escapes and embarks on a journey to find and rescue his friends - and build himself a kingdom to call home for good. In this thrilling new series, bestselling author Jenny Nimmo takes her readers on an extraordinary quest that will enthrall any fan of magical fantasy.

                                 

Vanessa Curtis - The Haunting of Tabitha Grey - Published by Egmont Books - 2 April 2012

I've just moved into a creepy old manor house with my family. And it feels like the house is waiting for something. I can't explain all the things that are happening here. The maids I hear sobbing...The old ladies that stand in the hall. The cold breath of...Life? Death? I don't know. I can't tell Dad or Mum. But least I've got my little brother Ben to talk to. This is a ghost story unlike any other...It will leave you chilled to the very last page.

Philip Reeve - Goblins - Book Review

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• Paperback: 324 pages
• Publisher: Marion Lloyd Books; 1 edition (5 April 2012)
• Language English
• ISBN-10: 1407115278
• Age: 9+

The dark, dark abandoned fortress, Clovenstone, where the adventure starts in home to seven bands of warring Goblins, each occupying a different tower and each bent on sating their own Goblin-tastic thirst for fighting, looting and eating. And fighting. And looting. Looting and fishing.

But there's one Goblin who stands out from the crowd (the crowd that's doing the fighting, looting and eating) and he's called Skarper. Skarper's the only Goblin clever and cunning enough to have found out about the old magician old magic that once made the castle the centre of the darstardly wizard Lord Lych's kingdom. An old magic which is beginning to stir and will soon sweep Goblins, fortune-seekers, trolls, giants cloud-madiens boglins, swamp monsters and tree-warriors up into thrilling magical conflict.

It is always exciting to have a new book by Philip Reeve land on your doorstep. It would be fair to say that this is not a book that you will easily miss - with an luminous green cover and matching page ends. The fantastic book cover illustration is by local boy, Dave Semple.

Venturing into Philip's mind is never straight forward; you can never guess what is coming next in the story. Instead you fall into it head first - excited and intrigued as to the journey that lay ahead. He's always highly imaginative; hooking the reader and plonking them down in a fantastical world that only the best can ever dream of.

There are so many ingredients that make this book so enjoyable to read. There is humour, which is at times, dripping with sarcasm. It's clever and witty as Philip is such a great story builder. He constructs the most amazing worlds that manifest into something out of the ordinary. As an admirer of Philip's writing, I'm always looking out for the characters. In this book you are sucked into feeling something and wanting everything to workout with a happy ending. `however, whether you get one . . . . . . .you'll just have to wait and see. 

This story is action packed and full of great ideas. I particular loved the Boglins, which are crossed between a giant frog and a Goblin and live in the Swamps. One of my favourite parts of the book was in the chapter "IN Natterdon Mire" - featuring the Boglins and their brilliant leader, Bospoldew. 

This is a captivating story incorporating rhyming songs and little bits of poetry which are sprinkled in for good measure. True to form, this is like a good old-fashioned fairytale.

What a brilliant family read - loaded with energy. This book will have you locked into the pages until it finally leaves you with a feeling of loss once it has all come to an end. Will we have more? To be quite honest, I'm really not sure but I hope so.

Other great series by Phillip include: 

Fever Crumb Series

Mortal Engines Quartet
Larklight trilogy

Here Lies Arthur and No Such Things As Dragons

                         

Tom Becker - The Traitors - Book Review

                                         

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic; 1 edition (5 April 2012)
• Language English
• ISBN-10: 1407109529
• ISBN-13: 978-1407109527
• It has been quite a long time since I last read the Darkside book 'BlackJack' by Tom Becker. That was, until last year, when his new book dropped through my letterbox. Although, whilst I wanted to read this book straight away, I knew that this wasn't a wise decision as it wasn't due to be published for another 6 months. In my opinion, that is a little bit too early to post a review as readers can become frustrated with the time lapse. However, as soon as it started to get a little bit closer to the publication date I could feel myself being unable to wait any longer. Therefore, I gave into temptation and read it - it was definitely well worth the wait!
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  This book is another dark and deep story. It has a great plot - although if you really thought about all the possible hows and whys then you could find some possible holes.
  The story begins with a moral betrayal - Adam, the main character, kisses the girlfriend of his best friend. From this moment things take an eerie turn. Especially when the radio in his bedroom suddenly springs into life stating "this is the Dial calling". However, when Adam's name is mentioned alongside the word traitor, the story suddenly finds Adam running for his life. 
• • But who can he trust in a world full of traitors...?

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The first aspect I enjoyed about this book was the backdrop that the author created. "The Dial" is a particularly great setting that I was able to visualise with ease. The book is full of the unexpected - lots of timely twists and turns that keep you on your toes. The book hooked me with its many varied characters, some may make comments about the possible stereotypical portrayals. This maybe so, but it works for me. 
• Two particular areas that I wanted to explore within the book were the library - this sounded like an amazing place for discovery. There are opportunities to visit this brilliant place on a number of occasions in the story under the watchful eye of Bookworm the librarian. The other area that I wanted to explore was the sport being played inside "The Dial" called Bucketball. This entails one ball, two teams and two buckets. It takes no prisoners - whilst there might not be many rules, there are certainly plenty of broken bones and scrapes. I will leave the rest to your imagination!
 
This is one of the best books that I've read this year - I loved every minute of it. There's plenty to get you hooked such as the dark atmospheric feel you get, also the dangerous world that is introduced as well as the great character dialogue.  Some of the inspiration was taken from real-life prisoner of war stories from the second world war. Aspects of these are deployed throughout this book which really give it feeling. 
This book has a number of brilliant and awesome moments. Through different discoveries, we peel away another layer and add more to the story. It has a real punch to the end but with a promise of so much more, which I would really love. Buy this book, read this book and then share it with friends.  
You Can Run But You Can't Hide..........