Mr Ripley's Book Review: Seventeen Coffins - By Philip Caveney

We have just moved on from Crow Boy, the first book, to find that Tom has wasted no time falling head first into another nightmarish adventure in and around Mary King's Close, Edinburgh. It all starts off with that familiar feeling, where the world shudders around him; that horrible sensation as he finds himself lost and lonely once more. 

The book is loosely based on historical places, events and people just like the first book 'Crow Boy'. It isn't really necessary to read this book first, but it may help if you do so, in my opinion. Besides which it is a great book and well worth the read anyway. The narrative begins at the National Museum of Scotland. A place with so much mystery - what might Tom find? It all starts with the eight tiny coffins that were discovered at Arthur's Seat in 1836. There is a tiny figure in each one; they soon become a very significant part of the ongoing story. You'll find that your curiosity increases as you are flung into the world of the past.

Philip uses his creative imagination exceptionally well to weave many elements into a captivating story. The nineteenth century comes alive through three dimensional descriptions of sight, sound and smell. Each aspect enables you to really visualise the place and time of the story. Philip creates an intelligent and very interesting read. 

The magical time travelling adventure will suck you from modern day time into the nineteenth century within a blink of an eye. Tom finds himself running from his old nemesis, the bogus plague doctor, William McSweeny, as well as other unsavoury characters from the past. Without giving too much away, these are definitely my favourite characters from the book; they bring a dark and moody feeling to the story which is SO good. I really loved this section of the book.

I have nothing negative to say about this book; it is a great sequel to Crow Boy. Easy to follow, yet it also has a great historical insight to it. Fast-paced dialogue between the characters keeps the storyline flowing. Whilst the mysterious element and edge to the plot keeps you rooted to the end. The story is based around a dark world full of shady characters - it is a struggle for survival. Beware though . . . . there are some gruesome encounters that will have you running for cover.

A lighter and more playful side to the story also exists such as Tom teaching his new friends twentieth-century slang; this section is particularly well written and rather funny. This story has all of the right ingredients to entice anyone and everyone to read it. Interesting, educational and a ripping good adventure that will fill your head. Poor Tom finds that time is once more slipping away from him. Hopefully this will soon lead us to another adventure very soon.  

Published by Fledgling Press (22 April 2014)

Other books by Philip Caveney

Sebastian Darke Series:

• 2007 Sebastian Darke: Prince of Fools
• 2008 Sebastian Darke: Prince of Pirates
• 2009 Sebastian Darke: Prince of Explorers
• 2010 Sebastian Darke: A Buffalope's Tale
• 2012 Sebastian Darke: Prince Of Spies
• Alec Devlin Series:
• 2008 Alec Devlin: The Eye of the Serpent
• 2009 Alec Devlin: Empire of the Skull
• 2010 Alec Devlin: Maze of Death
• Other Novels:
• 2011 Night On Terror Island
• 2012 The Talent
• 2012 Spy Another Day
• 2012 Crow Boy
• 2013 Watchers
• 2013 Animal Factory

About Philip Caveney

Philip Caveney was born in North Wales in 1951. The son of an RAF officer, he spent much of his childhood travelling the length and breadth of Britain and spent several years in Malaysia and Singapore.

He attended Kelsterton College Of Art in North Wales where he obtained a diploma in Graphic Design. Whilst there, he became drummer (and latterly vocalist) with rock band, Hieronymus Bosch.

After leaving college, he worked extensively in theatre both in London and Wales and wrote the lyrics for rock adaptations of The Workhouse Donkey and Oscar Wilde's Salome.

His first novel, The Sins Of Rachel Ellis, was published in 1977. Since then, he has published many novels for adults and since 2007, a series of children's books that have sold all over the world.

Guest Post: Emma Pass - The Fearless - Happy Publication Day

The end of the UK as we know it…

THE FEARLESS is set in the UK in the near future, imagining what would happen after the world is overrun by psychopathic super-soldiers – The Fearless – who want to turn everyone else into Fearless as well. Society as we know it has collapsed and small bands of survivors fight for their existence. While I wrote this book, I needed to imagine a UK very different to the one we currently live in…

First of all, I needed to create a refuge for Cass, THE FEARLESS's protagonist, and her family. After some searching on the internet, I found out about a tiny island off the coast of Japan called Hashima (or Gunkanjima) island. This island is man-made and was built in 1890 to house workers extracting coal from undersea mines. In 1974 it was abandoned, but many of the apartments still remain with people's posessions inside. Although I have never been (yet!) it really captured my imagination and inspired me to create Hope Island, a similar place off the coast of the UK. 

Another setting that features heavily in the book is the bunker where Myo and his group live. There are abandoned military bunkers all over the world, including in the UK, and again I did a lot of internet research and read several books such as this one to help me create Myo's bunker, which is located in the middle of the remote Staffordshire moorlands, an area I know quite well in real life.

As for imagining what the rest of the UK would look like once society had fallen apart and most towns and cities had been abandoned, that was a matter of combining imagination with more research. Luckily, I have a day job in a library, so I was able to source lots more interesting books about abandoned places and urban exploration to help me picture the ruin and neglect I wanted to describe. 

Finally, I needed a city location where I could place the Fearless lair, a place where these monsters have gathered to begin a new wave of attacks. London? Lots of potential there, but I'd already used it as a setting in ACID. Still, there were some great locations. Battersea Power Station, maybe? Or how about Buckingham Palace? Or Westminster?

In the end, though, I decided not to set this part of the book in London at all; I decided to look a bit closer to home instead. I'm not too far from Sheffield, and there was a certain location there that was just crying out to be used. Somewhere just outside the city; huge, and with plenty of places to hide. Somewhere which, if overrun by the Fearless, could turn into place of nightmares known as the Torturehouse. I won't say too much more about it here – I don't want to spoil it for you! But if you read the book, and if you've ever been, you might just recognise it, and agree that it makes the perfect monsters' hideout… 

Author Biography

Emma Pass has been making up stories for as long as she can remember. Her debut novel, ACID, is out now from Corgi/Random House in the UK, and from Delacorte in the US.  It won the 2014 North East Teenage Book Award, was shortlisted for the Doncaster Book Award, was nominated for the 2014 CILIP Carnegie Medal and has been longlisted for the 2014 Branford Boase Award and a Silver Inky Award in Australia. Her second novel, THE FEARLESS, is out on 24th April 2014 from Corgi/Random House and in early 2015 from Delacorte. By day, she works as a library assistant and lives with her husband and crazy greyhound G-Dog in the North East Midlands.

Author Links

Website: http://emmapass.com/

Blog: http://emmapass.blogspot.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/EmmaPass

Facebook: http://facebook.com/EmmaPassAuthor

Many thanks Emma for this guest post. I'm really looking forward to reading your book particularly after this fabulous introduction. HAPPY Publication Day - we raise a glass to you and your new book which has now been released in the wild. Go and purchase a copy today and don't forget to tell us what you think.

MICHAEL GRANT - LIGHT (GONE) UK BLOG TOUR - DAY 6 - EGMONT/ELECTRIC MONKEY

Thanks to Vincent who was foolish enough to hand his blog over to me. 

Thanks Michael for popping over as well to Mr Ripley's Enchanted books on the final stop on the Light UK blog tour. 

People like famous people.  Which I believe may be the cause of fame to begin with.  I’m sometimes asked whether I’m famous.  The answer is: No.  I am not famous.  In the States I’m even less famous than I am in the UK.  I will admit to being better-known than the average grocery store clerk or insurance salesman, but no one has ever come up to me in a random public place and said, “Oh!  You’re Michael Grant!”

Thank God.  I’ve never understood why people want to be famous.  I am altogether on-board with rich.  Rich is excellent.  Money is real and you can use it to do things and own things and have people killed.  (Just kidding.  I do all my own killing.)

Fame just means you have people watching as you try on clothing that no longer fits.  Fame is people overhearing you threaten your bratty children with water-boarding.  (Hey, it’s not torture, if you believe the previous American president.)  Fame is a bunch of strangers all up in your face then rushing off to Tweet that you had a booger.  Who wants that? 

I get asked whether I know various famous writers.  I’ve never met JK Rowling.  Sorry.  I’ve never met Stephen King, though we have emailed.  I was at a dinner once with Veronica Roth.  (She’s very tall and pretty.)  I’ve exchanged a few words with RL Stine.  Ditto Lois Lowry. Did a  panel once with Lemony Snicket. And I met Chris Colfer.  You know, Kurt, from Glee.  Oh, and Teller of Penn and Teller is a distant cousin.  I think that’s it for the famous people I’ve met.  Or failed to meet.  

I do know a fair number of other writers, and count Andrew Smith, DJ MacHale, Lisa McMann, David Lubar, Paolo Bacigalupi, Alex London, Mike Mullin, TM Goeglein, Beth Revis, Jon Scieszka  and a few other great writers as buddies.  But they’re no more famous than I am.  Believe me, we can all sit together in a bar drinking and absolutely no one bothers us for autographs.  I know this because we’ve put that to the test.  Again and again.  

Oh, wait, I met Henry Winkler (the Fonz) and interviewed Weird Al Yankovic.  So there’s that.  

But probably the most famous writer I’ve met is my wife, Katherine Applegate, who won the Newbery for THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN last year.  (It’s a big-deal prize she won for some book about a talking monkey.)  And really, when we’re sitting around in our sweatpants and food-stained t-shirts watching YouTube bootlegs of THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE-OFF we seldom ask each other for autographs.  

Fame is stupid.  Money is cool.  Don’t be famous, be rich.

Oh, wait!  I forgot to mention my new book series, MESSENGER OF FEAR.  See, it’s that failing to mention stuff that results in you not being famous.  

Website: http://www.michaelgrantbooks.co.uk/

Mr Ripley's New Children's Fantasy Books Published In April 2014 - US/Australia Post

Tim Kehoe - Furious Jones and the Assassin's Secret - Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (April 8, 2014)

When his dad’s book turns out to contain deadly secrets, twelve-year-old Furious Jones is thrust into a web of mystery and danger in this gripping page-turner.

Furious Jones, the twelve-year-old son of a famous thriller writer, lives with his grandfather after his mother was mysteriously gunned down right in front of him a year ago. Curious to know more about his estranged dad, he goes to see him speak about his upcoming novel to a packed audience—and to his shock and horror, he witnesses his father get shot as well.

When Furious discovers that his dad’s upcoming novel contains dangerous and fiercely protected secrets, he sets out to discover who killed his father, and what exactly they were trying to cover up.

Ideal for fans of Alex Rider and Theodore Boone, the action-packed exploits of Furious Jones are as thrilling as they are intriguing. Can Furious unravel this literary mystery before the death toll rises?

Emily Raabe - Lost Children of the Far Islands - Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers (April 8, 2014)

Twins Gus and Leo and their little sister, Ila, live a quiet life in Maine—until their mother falls ill, and it becomes clear her strength is fading because she is protecting them from a terrible evil.
Soon the children are swept off to a secret island far in the sea, where they discover a hidden grandmother and powers they never knew they had. Like their mother, they are Folk, creatures who can turn between human and animal forms.
Now they must harness their newfound magic for a deeper purpose. The ancient, monstrous King of the Black Lakes will stop at nothing to rise to power, and they are all that stands in his way. Their mother’s life hangs in the balance, and the children must battle this beast to the death—despite a dire prophecy that whoever kills him will die.
Can Gus, Leo, and Ila overcome this villain? Or has he grown too strong to be defeated? Lost Children of the Far Islands is a story filled with magic, excitement, and the dangers and delights of the sea.

Geoff Rodkey - Blue Sea Burning (The Chronicles of Egg) - Published by Putnam Juvenile (April 3, 2014)

After narrowly escaping the New Lands, Egg is determined to take down ruthless slave trader Roger Pembroke. But war is brewing among the Blue Sea's pirate gangs—and Egg, Guts, and Kira are running out of time to find the Fire King’s treasure and free the Okalu slaves from the silver mine on Sunrise. Can they save Kira’s people before Sunrise is plundered by Ripper Jones’s pirates? Will Burn Healy save the day, or has the legendary captain finally met his match? And will Egg ever win back Millicent from the annoyingly handsome Cyril?  
 
This explosive conclusion to Egg’s journey delivers the ultimate combination of humor, heart, and white-knuckle adventure.

N.D Wilson - Boys of Blur - Published by Random House Books for Young Readers (April 8, 2014)

When Charlie moves to the small town of Taper, Florida, he discovers a different world. Pinned between the everglades and the swampy banks of Lake Okeechobee, the small town produces sugar cane . . . and the fastest runners in the country. Kids chase muck rabbits in the fields while the cane is being burned and harvested. Dodging flames and blades and breathing smoke, they run down the rabbits for three dollars a skin. And when they can do that, running a football is easy.  

But there are things in the swamp, roaming the cane at night, that cannot be explained, and they seem connected to sprawling mounds older than the swamps. Together with his step-second cousin Herman "Cotton" Mack, the fastest boy on the muck, Charlie hunts secrets in the glades and on the muck flats where the cane grows secrets as old as the soft earth, secrets that haunted, tripped, and trapped the original native tribes, ensnared conquistadors, and buried runaway slaves. Secrets only the muck knows. 

Mr Ripley's New Children's Books Published April 2014 - US Post

Andrea Cremer - The Inventor's Secret - Published by Philomel - April 22, 2014

New from Andrea Cremer, the New York Times bestselling author of the Nightshade novels, comes an action-packed alternate-history steampunk adventure.

In this world, sixteen-year-old Charlotte and her fellow refugees have scraped out an existence on the edge of Britain’s industrial empire. Though they live by the skin of their teeth, they have their health (at least when they can find enough food and avoid the Imperial Labor Gatherers) and each other. When a new exile with no memory of his escape  or even his own name seeks shelter in their camp he brings new dangers with him and secrets about the terrible future that awaits all those who have struggled has to live free of the bonds of the empire’s Machineworks.

The Inventor’s Secret is the first book of a YA steampunk series set in an alternate nineteenth-century North America where the Revolutionary War never took place and the British Empire has expanded into a global juggernaut propelled by marvelous and horrible machinery. Perfect for fans of Libba Bray's The Diviners, Cassandra Clare'sClockwork Angel, ScottWesterfeld's Leviathan and Phillip Reeve's Mortal Engines.

Matthew Jobin - The Nethergrim - Published by  Philomel - April 8, 2014

Everyone in Moorvale believes the legend: The brave knight Tristan and the famed wizard Vithric, in an epic battle decades ago, had defeated the evil Nethergrim and his minions. To this day, songs are sung and festivals held in the heroes' honor. Yet now something dark has crept over the village. First animals disappear, their only remains a pile of bones licked clean. Then something worse: children disappear. The whispers begin quietly yet soon turn into a shout: The Nethergrim has returned!

Edmund’s brother is one of the missing, and Edmund knows he must do something to save his life. But what? Though a student of magic, he struggles to cast even the simplest spell. Still, he and his friends swallow their fear and set out to battle an ancient evil whose powers none of them can imagine. They will need to come together--and work apart--in ways that will test every ounce of resolve.


In a story reminiscent of the Ranger’s Apprentice epic and the Chronicles of Narnia, Matthew Jobin weaves reality, magic, and adventure into the next great fantasy phenomenon.

Dianne K. Salerni - The Eighth Day - Published by HarperCollins - April 22, 2014

In this riveting fantasy adventure, thirteen-year-old Jax Aubrey discovers a secret eighth day with roots tracing back to Arthurian legend. Fans of Percy Jackson will devour this first book in a new series that combines exciting magic and pulse-pounding suspense.

When Jax wakes up to a world without any people in it, he assumes it's the zombie apocalypse. But when he runs into his eighteen-year-old guardian, Riley Pendare, he learns that he's really in the eighth day—an extra day sandwiched between Wednesday and Thursday. Some people—like Jax and Riley—are Transitioners, able to live in all eight days, while others, including Evangeline, the elusive teenage girl who's been hiding in the house next door, exist only on this special day.

And there's a reason Evangeline's hiding. She is a descendant of the powerful wizard Merlin, and there is a group of people who wish to use her in order to destroy the normal seven-day world and all who live in it. Torn between protecting his new friend and saving the entire human race from complete destruction, Jax is faced with an impossible choice. Even with an eighth day, time is running out.

M.P. Zozlowsky - The Dyerville Tales - Published by Walden Pond Press -

April 22, 2014         

Vince Elgin is an orphan, having lost his mother and father in a fire when he was young. With only a senile grandfather he barely knows to call family, Vince was interned in a group home, dreaming that his father, whose body was never found, might one day return for him. When a letter arrives telling Vince his grandfather has passed away, he is convinced that if his father is still alive, he'll find him at the funeral. He strikes out for the small town of Dyerville carrying only one thing with him: his grandfather's journal. The journal tells a fantastical story of witches and giants and magic, one that can't be true. But as Vince reads on, he finds that his very real adventure may have more in common with his grandfather's than he ever could have known.

Its unique voice and ability to combine creepiness with great story and character development make The Dyerville Tales a real standout middle-grade novel.

Mr Ripley's New Children's/Teen Books Published in April 2014

Also Check out my new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MrRipleyspage

Kimberly Derting - The Taking - Published by Harperteen - 29, April 2014 

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer meets The Fifth Wave in this chilling and explosive new series from author Kimberly Derting.

The last thing Kyra Agnew remembers is a flash of bright light. She awakes to discover that five whole years have passed. Everyone in her life has moved on—her parents divorced, her boyfriend is in college and dating her best friend—but Kyra's still the sixteen-year-old she was when she vanished. She finds herself drawn to Tyler, her boyfriend's kid brother, despite her best efforts to ignore her growing attraction. In order to find out the truth, the two of them decide to retrace her steps from that fateful night. They discover there are others who have been "taken," just like Kyra. Only, Kyra is the first person to have been returned past the forty-eight-hour taken mark. With a determined, secret government agency after her, Kyra desperately tries to find an explanation and reclaim the life she once had . . . but what if the life she wants back is not her own?

Django Wexler - The Forbidden Library - Published by Doubleday 10, April 2014  - (Book review here:) http://www.mrripleysenchantedbooks.com/2014/03/mr-ripleys-book-review-django-wexler.html

Do you remember the first time you climbed into the wardrobe with Lucy and emerged in Narnia? Flew on the back of Falkor the Luck Dragon with Bastian? Followed Alice down the rabbit hole? Welcome to your new favourite adventure.

Late one night Alice Creighton hears her father having an argument with a fairy - a snarling, bald beast with warts and needle-like teeth. It is threatening her father, insisting he accept a mysterious offer, or else.

When Alice's father goes down in a shipwreck, she is sent away to live with distant relative Mr Geryon, owner of a huge, dark library that is off limits to Alice. After meeting a talking cat who is willing to sneak her in, Alice opens a book and suddenly finds herself inside it - and the only way out is by conquering the dangerous creatures within. Alice has stumbled into a world where all of magic is controlled by Readers through books - she must open more books, face increasingly powerful foes, be the lead character in the quest to find a happy ending.

Mindee Arnett - The Nightmare Dilemma - Published by Starscape - 14, April 2014  

he thrilling new fantastical mystery series from YA author Mindee Arnett continues in "The Nightmare Dilemma." Dusty Everhart might be able to predict the future through the dreams of her crush, Eli Booker, but that doesn't make her life even remotely easy. When one of her mermaid friends is viciously assaulted and left for dead, and the school's jokester, Lance Rathbone, is accused of the crime, Dusty's as shocked as everybody else. Lance needs Dusty to prove his innocence by finding the real attacker, but that's easier asked than done. Eli's dreams are no help, more nightmares than prophecies. To make matters worse, Dusty's ex-boyfriend has just been acquitted of conspiracy and is now back at school, reminding Dusty of why she fell for him in the first place. The Magi Senate needs Dusty to get close to him, to discover his real motives. But this order infuriates Eli, who has started his own campaign for Dusty's heart. As Dusty takes on both cases, she begins to suspect they're connected to something bigger. And there's something very wrong with Eli's dreams, signs that point to a darker plot than they could have ever imagined.

Erin Bowman - Frozen (Taken) - Published by Harper Teen - 15, April 2014
The Heists were only the beginning. Gray Weathersby escaped from the primitive town of Claysoot expecting to find answers, but what he discovered shook him to the core: A ruthless dictator with absolute power. An army of young soldiers blinded by lies. And a growing rebellion determined to fight back.
Now Gray has joined a team of rebels on a harsh, icy journey in search of allies who can help them set things right. But in a world built on lies, Gray must constantly question whether any ally—or enemy—is truly what they seem…

Mr Ripley's New Books Picks: Children's / Teens Published April 2014 - UK Post One

Kelley Armstrong - Sea of Shadows Age of Legends: BK1 - Published by Atom - 8, April 2014 

In the Forest of the Dead, where the empire's worst criminals are exiled, twin sisters Moria and Ashyn are charged with a dangerous task. For they are the Keeper and the Seeker, and each year they must quiet the enraged souls of the damned.

Only this year, the souls will not be quieted.

Ambushed by an ancient evil, Moria and Ashyn must race to warn the empire of a terrifying threat. Accompanied by a dashing thief and a warrior with a dark history, the sisters battle their way across a wasteland filled with reawakened monsters of legend. But there are more sinister enemies waiting for them at court - and a secret that will alter the balance of their world forever.

The first volume in the Age of Legends trilogy, Sea of Shadows is a thrilling dark fantasy where evil hides in every shadow and the deadliest monsters of all come in human form . . .

Bernard Ashley - Shadow of the Zeppelin - Published by Orchard Books - 3, April 2014 

Across Europe, the horror of war is destroying lives and separating families.

Yield or fight?

When tragedy strikes Freddie's family, he and his soldier brother must go on the run, battling for their survival.

Jump or burn?

Without a parachute, that's the choice Ernst knows he will face if his Zeppelin is shot down.

Bravery takes different forms. How far would you go to stand up for what's right?

Emma Pass - The Fearless - Published by Corgi Children's -24, April 2014

The Fearless. An army, powered by an incredible new serum that makes each soldier stronger, sharper, faster than their enemies. Intended as a force for good, the serum has a terrible side-effect - anyone who takes it is stripped of all humanity, empathy, love. And as the Fearless sweep through the country, forcing the serum on anyone in their path, society becomes a living nightmare.

Cass remembers the night they passed through her village. Her father was Altered. Her mother died soon after. All Cass has left is her little brother - and when Jory is snatched by the Fearless and taken to their hellish lair, Cass must risk everything to get him back.

Anne Blankman - Prisoner of Night and Fog - Published by Headline - 22, April 2014 

An explosive, fast-paced thriller set in Nazi Germany, perfect for readers who enjoyed THE BOOK THIEF. Gretchen Muller has, as best she can, dealt with the horrors of her family's past. Her father, a senior Nazi officer, died to save the life of their leader, Adolf Hitler. And now Germany has the chance to be great once more. Swept up in the excitement and passion of life in Munich in 1931, seventeen-year-old Gretchen has embraced the life laid out for her by that leader, her 'Uncle Dolf'.

But the secrets of the past cannot be silenced forever. When Gretchen receives a letter from an anonymous sender claiming to have more information about her father's death, she becomes swept up in a desperate and dangerous search for the truth. With the full might of the ever-powerful Nazi party on her tail, it is a race that will risk everything she has and change her life forever...

Mr Ripley's Book Review: Django Wexler - The Forbidden Library

Django Wexler is a new name in the fantasy realm. His first book, The Thousand Names, was written for older/adult readers and was published by Del Ray in the UK. The follow-up to this book should be published this year, at some point in July. However, this is Django's first foray into the children's market which will be published simultaneously in the UK and the US early April 2014.  The cover above is the UK version, whilst the one below is the US book cover. It's great to see the difference between them - what are your thoughts about these?

My review of this book is taken from the advanced reading copy, which was kindly sent to me by the publisher Doubleday. This version does not have the black and white illustrations that have been drawn by David Wyatt and can be found in the UK copy. I'm not sure if the US edition will have the same illustrations in the final version. However, I have been lucky to see a couple of these already, courtesy of the illustrator, so I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on a beautiful finished copy once it has finally been published in April.

This is the type of book that I love to receive - a classic fantasy adventure that is full of magical family moments. The more that you read, the more you become gripped by the brilliant imagination. It's like all your favourite books wrapped into one - a world that houses talking mischievous cats, well dreamt beasts (with warts and all) as well as a fantastic array of characters. Some of these are mysterious whilst others are sweet and nice - just like Alice, the main character, who we follow through the main story.

The vast library is captivating. It is filled with magical secrets, dark shadows and many strange books. I loved the idea of the characters jumping into magical books. With a life of their own, they are reminiscent of the characters in Cornelia Funke's Inkheart books. I hope that I haven't shared a little spoiler here, SORRY. The characters, Mr Geryon and Mr Black, are typical good-old mysterious and nasty adults that will suck you into the story and show a dark-side that may leave you feeling slightly unsettled.

This is a book that everyone will love, in my opinion. It is a great balance of action and fantasy magic which will put a spell on you. Alice is left to battle the world after her father goes down in a shipwreck and she is sent to live with a distant relative who she knows nothing about. Will the quest to find a happy ending be achieved?

At a couple of points, this story didn't quite gel together and felt slightly disjointed in parts. Nevertheless, this is a great debut book as part of a fantastic new series that could hold epic status. Captivating, thoroughly enjoyable and a very entertaining read, I would definitely recommend this book as a read for everyone. The splendid illustrations add to the great storyline and create a fantasy gem. 

Book published by Doubleday UK - 10 April 2014 

Check out this post by David Wyatt: http://davidwyattillustration.wordpress.com/2014/03/03/smatterings/

Preview: New Chicken House Children's Books Published Early 2014

                            

M.J. Howes - Feed - Published 2nd January 2014 - Age 10+

Taken, frozen and eaten – this is the fate facing the human race from enemy invaders – unless fourteen-year-olds Lola and Patrick can stop them.

Fourteen-year-old friends Lola and Patrick are in desperate trouble – along with everybody else. Monstrous enemy invaders have increased their human raids. Those taken face a terrible fate: like animals they will be transported, processed and eaten in a food chain like no other – unless Lola and Patrick can find a way to save them.

Trenton Lee Stewart - The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict - Published 2nd January 2014  - Age 9+
The prequel to the bestselling Mysterious Benedict Society series. When nine-year-old Nicholas Benedict is sent to a new orphanage, he encounters vicious bullies, selfish adults, strange circumstances – and a mind-bending mystery. Luckily, he has one very important thing in his favour: he’s a genius.                              

David Massey - Taken - Published 6th March 2014 - Age 14+
When hope is all you have, survival is all you can fight for … A crew of five young adventurers are toughing it out together, sailing around the world on a gruelling charity challenge. They are used to being pushed to the limit, but nothing could have prepared them for being kidnapped. When they are taken hostage by a notorious warlord and his band of child soldiers, the trip of a lifetime turns into a one-way journey into the heart of the African jungle.              

Philip Webb - Where The Rock Splits The Sky - Published 6th March 2014 - Age 12+
Where Megan lives it’s forever dusk: an endless indigo sky above a wounded land that’s slowly dying... Ever since the ‘visitors’ came, the world has stopped turning. No one sleeps, everyone’s afraid. But Megan wants to know what’s coming. She’ll stop at nothing to save those she loves. She’ll ride across a forsaken wilderness to where the rock splits the sky to set the world spinning again – and discover what she’s truly made of.

Wendy Constance - Brave - Published 3rd April 2013 - Age 10+
Thirteen winters old, Wild Horse and Blue Bird must prove their skill and bravery...Together with a sabre-tooth cub, they set out on the most dangerous adventure of their lives. They must fight spear, tooth and claw to survive.

This exhilarating, epic adventure was the winner of the 2013 Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition. It will appeal to fans of Michelle Paver’s Chronicles of Ancient Darkness.

Book Review: Conrad Mason - The Goblin's Gift - Tales of Port Fayt 2

Picking up the story from the first book (Demon's Watch) the newest recruit Joseph Grubb, and his fellow Watchmen, have their work cut out protecting Port Fayt once again. From page one onwards we are flung into a second madcap adventure as the characters set sail to Port Fayt. However, trouble is brewing from the League of Light - the Duke of Garran and his fleet of ships are trying to wipe them off the map.  The only hope for Port Fayt is to persuade the magical merfolk to fight alongside them, but the merfolk won't go to war. At least not until their princess is returned, which creates a magical split story setting. My favourite part of the story involved a nine year-old underground super villain known as The Boy King. Ruthless ruler of the Ebony Ocean, he is a crazy bully boy who loves a brutal song and a dance or two. One of his star acts includes Princess Pallione - a voice of the gods and a demon shark fighter. However it's up to Joseph and his blue-haired friend, Tabitha, to rescue the mermaid princess from the gangsters clutches. I have to say that I was so immersed in the story from the start, that in a blink of an eye I was half-way through the book in no time. I really liked the style of writing involving the split story setting between the different characters - each immersed in their own battles and dealing with a range of encounters. In my opinion this worked really well as it certainly showed the many different angles to the story. Packed full of filling, this story incorporates lots of well thought out ideas that keeps the reader on their toes such as Joseph's secret from the past. This certainly turned part of the story onto its head and made sure that the reader took a new course of direction. Hugely entertaining, this second book has certainly built upon the magical setting from the first book. The author has delivered another high adventure on sea and land transferring both into a well written story. All lovers of the fantasy genre will want to read this story. The bickering, fighting and waves of emotion are memorable parts of the story as well as the timely sprinkling and inclusion of wit. However, be warned, the loveable characters from the first book may not make it through to the very next book. Hopefully this isn't a cheeky spoiler from me - I don't usually make a habit of giving away such elements of insight! Conrad wraps the book up with a whirlpool of action and plot which will keep you transfixed until the very end. It leaves you with a satisfied feeling having been led onto the subtle path that he has created for the next adventure. This is a superbly written magical fantasy that is up there with the best. It has barrel loads of imagination, action galore, and a huge dollop of mayhem and mischief. The author has triumphantly built on the great foundations of the first book and made this one even more enjoyable. I am looking forward to the next book to be further led along the path that has been started. Published by David Fickling Books - 4th April 2013