Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Great New Summer Children's Publications by David Fickling Books

Conrad Mason - The Hero's Tomb - Published by David Fickling - Hardback ISBN:978-1910200346 - Out Now!

Azurmouth! In all the Old World there is no city so vast, so sprawling . . . or so dangerous.

Half-goblin boy Joseph Grubb has come to find the truth about his parents. His friend Tabitha has followed him across the ocean, hoping to protect him from the deadly white-coated butchers of the League of the Light. Meanwhile her guardian Captain Newton is determined to recover an ancient artifact stolen by the League’s sinister Duke of Garran.

But in Azurmouth nothing is as it seems. Old enemies will rise. Long-buried secrets will be uncovered. And the League will awaken an ancient power, threatening the Old World with a terrifying new dawn.

Soon Joseph, Tabitha and Newton will have to face their deepest fears, and a final reckoning, at the Hero’s Tomb . . .

Mal Peet - The Murdstone Trilogy - Published by David Fickling - Paperback ISBN: 978-1910200216 - Out Now! 

Philip Murdstone is a writer.

He writes subtle YA books about sensitive boys. Subtle books which don’t sell.

He does NOT write fantasy. He HATES fantasy - even the faintest whiff of goblins and elves brings him

out in hives. But - his agent Minerva Cinch informs him - his career as a writer is kaput if he DOESN’T

write fantasy.

Luckily for Murdstone, it is at this exact moment that he meets a strange creature from another realm.

What could possibly go wrong?

Jon Walter - My Name's Not Friday - Published by David Fickling - Hardback ISBN: 978-1910200438 - Out Now!

Samuel’s an educated boy. Been taught by a priest. He was never supposed to be a slave.

He’s a good boy too, thought- ful and kind. The type of boy who’d take the blame for something he didn’t do, if

it meant he could save his brother.

So now they don’t call him Samuel anymore.

And the sound of guns is getting ever closer . . .

Jon Walter’s second novel is a beautiful and moving story about the power of belief and the strength of the human spirit, set against the terrifying backdrop of the American Civil War.

For more cracking reads check out the David Fickling Website: http://www.davidficklingbooks.com

NEW BOOK COVER REVEALE: Sarah J. Maas - Crown of Midnight - A Throne Of Glass Novel - Bloomsbury

                                                     

                                     

If you haven’t already seen it, take a look at the stunning UK and US covers for Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas. The highly anticipated fantasy sequel to the Throne of Glass. The book will be published by Bloomsbury Children's on the 15 Aug 2013. 

What do we think readers, which cover do you like?

Synopsis

Eighteen-year-old Celaena Sardothien is bold, daring and beautiful – the perfect seductress and the greatest assassin her world has ever known. But though she won the King’s contest and became his champion, Celaena has been granted neither her liberty nor the freedom to follow her heart. The slavery of the suffocating salt mines of Endovier that scarred her past is nothing compared to a life bound to her darkest enemy, a king whose rule is so dark and evil it is near impossible to defy. Celaena faces a choice that is tearing her heart to pieces: kill in cold blood for a man she hates, or risk sentencing those she loves to death. Celaena must decide what she will fight for: survival, love or the future of a kingdom. Because an assassin cannot have it all . . . And trying to may just destroy her.
 AUTHOR'S BLOG HERE - http://sjmaas.livejournal.com/

Book Review: Daniela Sacerdoti - Really Weird Removals.com - Published By Floris Books (Kelpies)

                                                  

Whatever your supernatural dilemma, call the Really Weird Removals company!

If you don't live in Scotland or anywhere near then there is a good chance that you may not have found or discovered this book yet. However, never fear, as I'm going to point you in the right direction once I've told you how good it is! This novel is a product of the annual Kelpies Prize and was shortlisted back in 2011. Some time on, it's now finally being published for all of us good beasties to read.

This is a great family read, both for the grown ups who want to be transported back to their childhood, or for the child having it read aloud on a dark winter's evening. It could even work as a book to share with a class - many children could be engaged and involved in this story.

The book is narrated by a brother and sister (Luca and Valtentina) who really do present themselves as real children rather than characters. When Uncle Alistair turns up out of the blue, the children soon find themselves on an adventure of a life time. Uncle Alistair has a strange line of business (pest control) but he doesn't really get rid of rats or other pests. Instead, the 'Really Weird Removals Company' catches supernatural creatures, and features a fantastic array of memorable creatures such as the Zeuglodon, stone fairies, Selkies and a singing troll! It's a full scale assault of the paranormal in a world full of danger and secrets.

The story is told amazing well - it will have your imagination stretched to the very fullest. Each chapter of the book has an entry from the Paranormal Database which leads very skillfully into the next section. The story is both funny and poignant. It is brimming with the full flavour of a  Scottish adventure. It has a host of likeable characters, all of whom are set in a fantastical back drop of Eilean, an Island off the West Coast of Scotland.

My favourite part of the story was when the children were attacked by malicious kelpies and hungry vampires. This made for great reading especially under-the-blankets reading when it's well past bedtime!

Family life and folklore all collide into one memorable story. I'm pleased to say that I enjoyed both aspects very much. The fast paced story and character driven plot will have you wanting much much more.  

Published by Floris Books of Edinburgh. Check out the brilliant book trailer.

Mr Ripley's Horror Selection For August 2011 (Books that go Bump in the Dark)

                                                

Adam Slater - The Shadowing:Skinned - Published by Egmont - 1 August 2011 - Age 9 - 12

Her pointed teeth do not gleam; they are black with age and the bloodstains of her countless victims. She looks up at the human child - surely meant to be in bed and asleep at this time of night. Some things don't change. Every hundred years the gateway opens between their world and ours. A human coven has joined forces with the dark beings of the Netherworld. A flesh-eating witch is on the loose. Evil is growing. And Callum is caught in the middle. The Shadowing has begun..

                                  

Katy Towell - Skary Childrin and the Carousel of Sorrow Published by Knopf - 23 August 2011 - Age 9-12

Twelve years ago, for 12 days straight, the town of Widowsbury suffered a terrible storm, which tore open a gate through which escaped all sorts of foul, rotten things. Strange things and strange people were no longer welcomed in Widowsbury, for one could never be sure of what secrets waited under the surface . . . 

Adelaide Foss, Maggie Borland, and Beatrice Alfred are known by their classmates at Widowsbury's Madame Gertrude's School for Girls as "scary children." Unfairly targeted because of their peculiarities—Adelaide has an uncanny resemblance to a werewolf, Maggie is abnormally strong, and Beatrice claims to be able to see ghosts—the girls spend a good deal of time isolated in the school's inhospitable library facing detention. But when a number of people mysteriously begin to disappear in Widowsbury, the girls work together, along with Steffen Weller, son of the cook at Rudyard School for Boys, to find out who is behind the abductions. Will they be able to save Widowsbury from a 12-year-old curse? 

                                       

Dan Poblocki - The Nightmarys - Published by Yearlin -  9 August 2011 - Age 9 - 12

Timothy doesn’t really know what to make of Abigail, the new girl in his seventh-grade class. After she is humiliated before her classmates, bad things start happening. Timothy’s best friend sees the clawed monster from his favorite video game at the bottom of a pool. Their teacher begins to get paranoid about the creepy specimen jars surrounding his classroom. But it’s not Abigail’s fault; in fact, she is seeing visions of the Nightmarys—two sinister little girls who beckon her to come play with them. It’s a marvelously disorienting setup, and Poblocki has a knack for cornering his characters in the most unlikely of vulnerable places: a laundry room, a changing room, a hospital bed. As the plot begins to hammer sense into the horrific happenings—it all has to do with a mystical jawbone, an insane professor, and a demon called the Daughter of Chaos—the scares get bigger, though often less impactful. More than anything, this is a mystery, complete with clues and secret codes, and Poblocki’s deft handling of the multiple threads makes this a devilish delight.

                                 

Jane Kelley - The Girl Behind the Glass - Published by Random House - 9 August 2011 - Age 9 -12

The house on Hemlock Road used to be someone's home. Until something happened. Something that even after 80 years, can never be forgotten or forgiven . . . .

Eleven-year-old twins Hannah and Anna agree about everything—especially that they don't want to move to the creepy old house on Hemlock Road. But as soon as they move into the house, the twins start disagreeing for the first time in their lives. In fact, it's almost as though something or someone is trying to drive them apart. While Anna settles in, Hannah can't ignore the strange things that keep happening on Hemlock Road. Why does she sense things that no one else in the family does?  Like when the hemlock branch outside waves shush, shush. Or at night, if she listens hard enough, it's almost as though someone is trying to talk to her. Someone no one else can hear. Someone angry enough to want revenge. Hannah, are you listening? Is the house haunted? Is Hannah crazy? Or does something in the house want her as a best friend—forever?

***Mr Ripley's Book Picks For August 2011***

                                       
James Dashner - The Maze Runner 2: The Scorch Trials - Published by Chicken House - 4 Aug 2011
Thomas was sure that escape from the maze meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one knew what sort of life they were going back to. The earth is a wasteland. Government and order have disintegrated and now Cranks, people driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim\.and meal.Thomas can only wonder - does he hold the secret of freedom somewheren his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED?

                                   
Y.S Lee - Traitor and the Tunnel: A Mary Quinn Mystery - Published by Walker - 4 August 2011
Queen Victoria has a little problem: a series of petty thefts from Buckingham Palace. She calls the Agency for help, and they put Mary Quinn – on her first case as a full-fledged agent – on the case. Going undercover as a domestic servant, Mary’s assignment seems simple enough. But before long, a scandal threatens to tear apart the Royal Family. One of the Prince of Wales’s irresponsible young friends is murdered in scandalous circumstances and the story, if it became public, would disgrace the young prince. Should the Queen hush things up or permit justice to take its course? Mary’s interest in this private matter soon becomes deeply personal: the killer, a drug-addicted Chinese sailor, shares a name with her long-lost father. Meanwhile, James Easton’s engineering firm wins a contract to repair some sewers beneath Buckingham Palace. Trouble is, there’s a tunnel that’s not on the plans. Its purpose is unclear. But it seems to be very much in use – it’s just not clear by whom. These overlapping puzzles offer a perfect opportunity for James and Mary to work together again. If they can still trust one another. If they can suppress the emotions that still torture them. If Mary can forget the sight of that exquisite blonde she sees in James’s drawing-room… In this, Mary’s most personal case yet, she faces struggles at every level – legal, political, personal. And she has everything to lose.
                                 

Nina Kiriki Hoffman - The Magic Next Door Bk2: Meeting - Published by Viking - 4 August 2011                                         
When Maya Andersen and her family moved to Spores Ferry, Oregon, they didn't know there'd be magic right next door. Their new neighbors in the Janus House Apartments all have unusual powers, and the basement is a Grand Central Station to other worlds. Maya and her alien companion, Rimi, are learning how to live together and how to keep their secret-which becomes a lot harder as they help the Janus Housers track down the Krithi, the race who snatched Rimi from her home planet in an attempt to rule the universe.

                                   
Barry Hutchison - Invisible Fiends:Doc Mortis - Published by HarperCollins - 4 August 2011

Kyle wakes up in hospital – which is strange, because he doesn't remember being ill. And that's not all. He's also deliriously flitting in and out of the Darkest Corners, and in the shadow version of the hospital the surfaces aren't clean, and the sharp instruments aren't used for healing.
It's Kyle's most terrifying experience yet, and it's about to get much, much worse.
The doctor will see him now…

                                  
Nick Lake - Lord Oda's Revenge (Blood Ninja) - Published By Corvus - 1 August 2011

Taro was just a fisherman's son...but then his father was murdered and he was forced to become a Blood Ninja, fated to live by night, doomed to live on the blood of others. But he has had his revenge. He has killed Lord Oda, the warlord who had his father assassinated. But Lord Oda is not quiet in his grave. He has found a way to reach beyond death and Taro and his friends soon find themselves facing samurai armies, a deadly enemy from the past and strange ghostly creatures who suck life from the living. Dangerously weakened, Taro, must recover the one object that Lord Oda was desperate to find before he died: the Buddha Ball, the source of limitless power. But if Taro is to complete his perilous quest - to save himself, his friends, his mother, and the girl he loves - he must go to hell and back and face his arch enemy once again. For Lord Oda has returned - as a Blood Ninja.

Kat Falls - Dark Life:Rip Tide - Published by Simon & Schuster - 4 August 2011                                       

Return to the subsea frontier with Ty and Gemma, where the mysteries of the deep are deadlier than ever. With time running out for his parents, Ty's desperation leads the two teenagers to the underwater underworld...and into an alliance with the outlaws of the Seablite Gang. But one mystery soon leads to another. How has an entire township disappeared? Why is the local sea-life suddenly so aggressive? And can the Seablite Gang be trusted...or are Ty and Gemma in deeper water than they realise?

Garth Nix - Book Events - August 2010

Garth has not been to the UK for a few years, so he hopes lots of people will come along to these events to say hello and get books signed and so on. While the blurbs for the events often give age ranges,he say's he will not be talking about specific books or a series, in fact he will talk more generally, and typically the audiences include readers of all ages: kids, young adults, older adults, very old adults, immortals etc

 11.00am - Friday 13th August 2010

Event at Seven Stories, The Centre for Children's Books

30 Lime Street, Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 2PQ

For more information visit:

http://www.sevenstories.org.uk/events/viewarticle.php?id=1876&offset=3

10.00am - Saturday 14^th August 2010

Event in the Main Theatre at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Charlotte Square, Edinburgh

For more information visit:

www.edbookfest.co.uk

6.00pm - Monday 16^th August 2010

Event at Waterstone’s, 4-5 Milsom Street, Bath , BA1 1DA

For more information visit:

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayDetailEvent.do?searchType=2&store=302|WATERSTONE%27S%20BATH&sFilter=1

2.30pm - Tuesday 17^th August 2010

Event at The Forum, 2 Millennium Plain, Bethel Street, Norwich, NR2 1TF

For more information visit:

http://www.jarrold.co.uk/events-dids49.html

David Whitley - The Midnight Charter (Author Profile)

I have had lots of interest about this particular author and his debut book, so I have published anything and everything I could find on him and his great book.

David Whitley was born in 1984 and graduated from the University of Oxford with a double First in English Literature and a passion for writing children’s fiction.
At age 17 his first children’s novel was shortlisted for the Kathleen Fidler Award and at 20 he won the Cheshire Prize for Literature for a children’s short story, the youngest writer ever to win this prestigious award, presented by Michael Morpurgo.
TV quiz fans will have spotted David on BBC2’s University Challenge where he was a member of the winning Corpus Christi team who beat all comers to become Series Champions in 2005. With viewing figures of over 3 million per show, he still gets stopped in the street by people offering him a ‘starter for ten’!
High profile auctions took place across the globe for David Whitley’s dazzling novel, The Midnight Charter. Puffin’s Fiction Publisher, Sarah Hughes, secured UK and Commonwealth rights. Whilst dealing with power struggles, morality and corruption, The Midnight Charter, aimed at a ten plus readership, is also part conspiracy thriller, and part pure fantasy. It is a wonderfully compelling read which asks important questions about today’s society.

This Article is from the Chester Chronicle Written by Michael Green. Thanks very much!
Young Chester writer has debut novel snapped up by publishing giants
May 5 2009 by Michael Green, Chester Chronicle

A NOVEL approach to literature has garnered a promising young writer a big book deal for his first work.

The debut novel of 24-year-old David Whitley, The Midnight Charter, will be published by Puffin Books this summer.



At 17, his first children’s novel was shortlisted for the Kathleen Fidler Award and at 20 he won the Cheshire Prize for Literature for a children’s short story – the youngest writer ever to win the award.

He began The Midnight Charter while reading English at Corpus Christi College, Oxford – and won University Challenge in the meantime.

In a similar vein to Philip Pullman’s Northern Lights trilogy, David’s novel tells a fantastical tale with a worldly message.

He said: “After I finished my course, my parents said they would support my plan to take a gap year and have a go at writing. Assuming nothing would come of it, I planned to go back to university and do a masters.”

But when now agent Charlie Viney expressed an interest in his style of writing, David’s work was sent to publishers worldwide. Even before it hits the shelves here, the book has been released in Germany – one of 18 countries and 12 languages the book will be released in.

He added: “It starts to feel normal then I think about things like that. It’s still a huge thrill.”

Part conspiracy thriller, part fantasy, The Midnight Charter is a children’s book dealing with morality, corruption and power. It is set in the fictional 18th century city of Agora where anything can be bought and sold and even children are possessions until their twelfth birthday.

David says encouragement at King’s provided the impetus to pursue his writing talent.

“Going to King’s sparked off the love of writing and reading,” he said.

“My English teacher Anne Marie McMahon was hugely encouraging, not only on the English front but she also directed me in Hamlet. I played Claudius so that was very useful for writing villains!

“She was always willing to help you beyond the normal lessons.”

The author says he would “leap at the opportunity” to see a movie made based on the book and the rights are currently in the hands of an intelectual property group in Hollywood.

David has already written the sequel – currently being sent to publishers – and plans a third.

The Midnight Charter is published on August 4 in paperback. RRP £6.99
Please see book review.

Di Toft - Wolven Book Review

Mr Ripley's Book Review

The first thing you notice about this book, is the fantastic cover that looks great. The holographic image just works so well, it will be a hit with the book buyers. A great credit to Steve Wells, who did the design for the book, as it's in keeping with the story. This is another good quality debut book with a fresh outlook to story writing.
The book starts off when Nat Carver, a young boy, ventures to a farm searching for a dog to be his pet. But he soon finds himself looking at a very strange animal, whose origins sway more to that of Dr Frankenstein than Mr Darwin. The book develops into a really enjoyable read with lots of good story ideas. The horror side to the book was very subtle and will make it more appealing to a younger audience. It encompasses both a humorous and serious side which gives it more depth. All the characters in the book worked well and the depiction of the strange village, Temple Gurney, just gave the story more credence.
It really shows what talented up and coming writers are out there.
The ending delivers a Disney-good feel factor in a magical ending, setting a great adventure for books two and three. This book will go down well with readers who enjoyed Steve Feasey's book "Changeling". I give this book four out of five; I feel the best is to come as the author explores her full potential in the next installment. I am already looking forward to reading this in the near future. A story for the barking mad.


Book synopsis

WOLVEN is a fantasy firmly rooted in the mysterious present. A boy and his eccentric grandparents live near a strange wood - apparently cursed. He longs for a dog - but the dirty ungainly farm creature finally found by his grandfather hardly fits his image of the perfect pet. And it howls in the night. But it's only when his dog starts to grow human ears that he realises that something is seriously wrong. The truth is stranger than his wildest dreams -the boy who appears, alarmingly unpredictably, is a kind of special werewolf in reverse. A noble, almost heraldic breed of WOLVEN - the kings own werewolves from ancient times, who have been in hiding until rediscovered by evil government scientists who are trying to breed werewolves as weapons.

Book Published by Chicken House 3 Aug 2009

New Children's Books For August 2009 (Hardbacks)

Not many Hardbacks out in the month August. Next post we will look at some of the best releases in the U.S.

Lucinda Hare - Dragon Whisperer - Published by Bodley Head Children's Books 6 Aug 2009 ( Looks a great read)

Quenelda has always had a magical bond with dragons, and her greatest wish is to fly one and fight alongside her father in the war against the hobgoblins. Root, on the other hand, wishes only to avoid the fearsome creatures, so the role of Quenelda's esquire is the last thing he needs. But an unexpected friendship is forged, and when Dragons Dome is besieged by a deadly plot, this unlikely duo must find a way to defeat the dark forces. Epic battles, whispered legends and soaring magic combine in this breathtaking debut fantasy, with black and white illustrations by David Wyatt.
Marry Hoffman - Troubadour - Published by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC 3 Aug 2009

A story of persecution and poetry, love and war set in 13th-century Southern France. A troubadour, Bertran, witnesses the brutal murder of the Pope's legate, and risks his life to warn others of the war that he knows is certain to follow this act. The lands of the peaceable Cathars - deemed heretics - are now forfeit and under threat from crusaders who have been given authority by the Pope to take the Cathar domains by force. But the Pope is trying to track Bertran down and so is somebody else: Elinor, a young noblewoman, in love with Bertran but facing a loveless arranged marriage, flees her family and becomes a minstrel herself. Soon both Bertan and Elinor find themselves enveloped in a rising tide of bloodshed that threatens the very fabric of their society.

Michelle Paver - Ghost Hunter:Bk 6 Chronicles of Ancient Darkness - Published by Orion Children's 20 Aug 2009 (Next great story in the adventures of Torak)

As winter approaches and Souls' Night draws near, the Eagle Owl Mage holds the clans in the grip of terror. To fulfill his destiny, Torak must seek his lair in the Mountain of Ghosts. He must defy demons and tokoroths, and find his way through the Gorge of the Hidden People. Wolf must overcome terrible grief. Renn must make an agonizing decision. And in the final battle against the Soul-Eater, Torak must face the most heart-rending choice of all.


Michael Morpurgo - Running Wild - Published by HarperCollins Children's Books 24 Aug 2009 (Never let's you down,have this one to read)

An epic and heart-rending jungle adventure from the bestselling author of Kaspar and Born to Run. When 10-year-old Will's father dies in the Iraq war, his mother surprises him with a trip to Indonesia. But little could she have known what awaited them both there. The first Will knows that anything is wrong is when Oona, the elephant he is riding along the beach, begins to spook. Then, suddenly, she takes off into the jungle with Will on her back. And that's when Will sees the wave come crashing in! With his mother almost certainly drowned, with nothing to cling onto but an elephant and nothing to help him but the clothes on his back, Will faces a terrifying future. But maybe the jungle , and Oona the elephant, can help him!

Picture book pick for August.

Chris Gall - Dinotrux - Published by Little, Brown Young Readers 6 Aug 2009

Millions of years ago, DINOTRUX ruled the earth! These mighty part-truck, part-dino demolition dynamos rumbled, plowed and bulldozed their way through the centuries. From the nosy Craneosaurus and hungry Garbageadon to the bully of the jungle, Tyrannosaurus Trux, Chris Gall guides you on a safari through the wild world of these mechanical monsters of prehistoric times. Feast your eyes upon these mighty mobile creatures that once ruled the earth, but now only rule the highways. Buckle up for the ride - you'll never look at Dad's rusty old pickup the same way again! What happened to the Dinotrux? Find out in a fold-out gatefold detailing their evolution!

Books out in August 2009 Paperback

I have found quite a good mix of books to be released in the summer month of August; some great gems for every one to read.


Di Toft - Wolven - Published by Chicken House 3 Aug 2009 (Great holographic cover need to see it!)

WOLVEN is a fantasy firmly rooted in the mysterious present. A boy and his eccentric grandparents live near a strange wood - apparently cursed. He longs for a dog - but the dirty ungainly farm creature finally found by his grandfather hardly fits his image of the perfect pet. And it howls in the night. But it's only when his dog starts to grow human ears that he realises that something is seriously wrong. The truth is stranger than his wildest dreams -the boy who appears, alarmingly unpredictably, is a kind of special werewolf in reverse. A noble, almost heraldic breed of WOLVEN - the kings own werewolves from ancient times, who have been in hiding until rediscovered by evil government scientists who are trying to breed werewolves as weapons.

Steve Feasey - Changeling:Dark Moon - Published by Macmillan Children's Books 7 Aug 2009 ( I have had the pleasure to read an early manuscript copy of this book, which reads really well.)

Fourteen-year-old werewolf Trey is getting more powerful by the day. But can he control his powers - or will they bite back? Trey is sent on a dangerous mission to Iceland, where he must infiltrate the evil empire of the vampire Caliban. Trey's abilities are tested to the max, challenged by a rage he cannot regulate and a dark angel with looks that kill. Lucien Charon, Trey's mentor, lies in a coma in London, Trey is his only hope for survival. But the Netherworld is intent on destruction and Trey's about to face his nemesis...

David Whitley - The Midnight Charter - Published by Puffin 6 Aug 2009 (See Book Review)

In the city of Agora, anything can be bought and sold. Even children are possessions until their twelfth birthday. Mark has been sold by his father, and Lily, an orphan from birth, has bartered for her life. Thrown together by chance, in the ancient tower of Count Stelli, they face an existence of poverty and servitude, unless they can find a way to break free. But, unbeknown to Mark and Lily, they are being watched by the ruler of the city. Can they survive the traps and treachery that await them and discover the dark secret that binds them together? Their lives depend on this question: what is the Midnight Charter?


Philip Caveney - Alec Delvin: Empire of the Skull - Published by Red Fox 6 Aug 2009 (Cover looks good, not had a copy yet.)

Mexico, 1924. At his father's hacienda, restlessly waiting for adventurer Ethan to arrive, sixteen-year-old Alec and his faithful valet Coates head out into the wilderness in search of an ancient archaeological site...only to discover that Mexico is every bit as perilous as The Valley of the Kings. Pursued by ruthless bandits, involved in a plane crash in the middle of remote rain-forest and finally an unwelcome guest in a lost Aztec city where the inhabitants still practice rituals of human sacrifice, once again Alec must use all of his skills and stamina to survive.


C.P. Goy The Seven Stones:Terry,the Torus and the Tumblestones - Published by Matador 3 Aug 2009 (From a small publisher)

Terry should never have been in the middle of Crow Wood that night - then the Torus couldn't have sucked him into the strange new world. But he was, and it did. So now he has a problem. To have any chance of getting home again, he needs to find the seven stones - but the Baron's secret police are closing in fast. Unless his new friends Gwen, Meeshka and Polka can help him solve the riddles and find the mysterious Watcher, Terry will never see his home again...


Harry Edge - Soft Targets - Published by Hodder Children's Books 6 Aug 2009 (Great read for boys)

New Yorker, Luke Kite has been estranged from his multi-millionaire father, Jack, for years. The result of a one night stand, he has never been acknowledged as heir to his father's globally successful business, Kite Industries - unlike his English half-sister Megan, the apple of her daddy's eye. But when his father is mysteriously killed on Luke's 17th birthday, Luke and Megan are brought together as they uncover the dark secrets, and corruption at the heart of their father's multi-billion business empire. Jack's death was not an accident, nor was the hit and run incident that Megan herself, narrowly escaped the day he died...The threats don't end there, as Megan again becomes a target for killer when she's staying at Jack's London flat. Again she escapes death, and another girl is killed in her place, but now Megan is on the run. Using her best-friend's identity, she travels to New York, to Poland, and Tokyo in order to escape whoever wants her dead. Luke, too, is wary of all those around him, even his mother and his reliable Uncle Mike, his dad's brother. Who can he trust and how can he protect his half-sister? In a tense game of cat and mouse, Luke needs all his resources to narrow down his enemies and those of Megan...what he discovers destroys what little faith he has in his so-called family, and in his own identity as no one is quite who they seem. As the action draws to a shocking and nail-biting conclusion, Luke and Megan discover they have only each other to rely on in the end...


Eoin Colfer - The Arctic Incident:Graphic Novel - Published by Puffin 6 Aug 2009 (Great new way to read a great book)

Someone has been supplying Class-A illegal human power sources to the goblins. Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit is sure that her arch-enemy, thirteen-year-old Artemis Fowl, is responsible. But is he? Artemis has his own problems to deal with: his father is being held to ransom and only a miracle will save him. Maybe this time a brilliant plan just won't be enough. Maybe this time Artemis needs help . . .


Julia Golding - Wolf Cry Published by OUP Oxford 6 Aug 2009 (Have this one to read soon)


reydis has been left for dead following a raid by pirates on her father's Viking stronghold. Her brother has been kidnapped-and Freydis's father is hell-bent on revenge. But this is a volatile man who loathes his daughter and is driven by love of his son. Reluctantly he takes Freydis with him on his journey, giving her a slave-Enno-to tend her. As Freydis's father becomes more bitter and cruel, and the hunt for his son becomes increasingly desperate, Freydis and Enno draw closer together. But when battle looms on the horizon, the bonds of friendship, obedience and loyalty are tested to the limit.


Garen Ewing - The Adventures of Julius Chancer:The Rainbow Orchid V.1 Published by Egmont Books Ltd 4 Aug 2009 (Looks really good)

The Rainbow Orchid" is an ambitious blend of classic storytelling and cinematic artwork in which adventure, historical drama and legend are seamlessly intertwined. In Volume One, follow the story's hero, Julius Chancer, as he embarks on a hazardous quest for the rainbow orchid - a mythical flower last mentioned by the ancient Greek philosopher, Theophrastus, and steeped in legend. His epic journey takes him from 1920s Britain to the Indian subcontinent and its mysterious lost valleys.

Hope you found something to look forward to reading. We're always looking out for new books, so if you have a book you would like to see on this blog, drop us an email. The hardback post is soon to follow.

David Whitley - The Midnight Charter Book Review

Mr Ripley's Book Review

It's great to see another promising debut author. I was told great things about this book, by an enthusiastic person at the publishing company. I had no preconception of what I was going to read. It started off quite slowly and it took some time for me to find my 'reading legs' but when I did, the book just clicked with me. It delivered a Dickensian feel with a great story concept and interesting plot development. I really liked the way he used his imagination to create a world, building up the key features developing the roles of the characters. Every page read impacts on the reader, the story leaves them guessing throughout.
Mark has been sold by his father. Lily an orphan from birth,has bartered for the her life and both characters are being watched mysteriously by the ruler of the city. Through out the book they are many questions asked will they all be answered by the end of the book.
This is a new voice and it will be interesting to see what other readers think of this book. I will give this book four out of five, due to the slow start and the lack of dialogue between various characters in the first few chapters.

Book synopsis

In the city of Agora, anything can be bought and sold. Even children are possessions until their twelfth birthday. Mark has been sold by his father, and Lily, an orphan from birth, has bartered for her life. Thrown together by chance, in the ancient tower of Count Stelli, they face an existence of poverty and servitude, unless they can find a way to break free. But, unbeknown to Mark and Lily, they are being watched by the ruler of the city. Can they survive the traps and treachery that await them and discover the dark secret that binds them together? Their lives depend on this question: what is the Midnight Charter?

Book Published by Puffin 6 Aug 2009


About the Author

David Whitley was born in 1984 and at the age of twenty he won the Cheshire Prize for Literature. He later graduated from the University of Oxford with a double first in English Literature. TV quiz fans will have spotted David on BBC2’s University Challenge, when he was a member of Oxford’s Corpus Christi team who became Series Champions in 2005.