Emma Bradley - Author Interview (Q&A) - The Trouble With Fairies (The Arcanium Series) - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books #24

Thank you for joining us for the third scheduled Q&A. This week I am delighted to introduce author Emma Bradley; self-published author of The Arcanium series. In this interview, you can find out more about the books (fantasy adventures about the Faerie world) as well as the author. Hopefully, we will be able to tempt you into wanting to read a copy. If so, you can purchase both books, and perhaps even a signed copy Here. 

•  You have just published book two in your The Arcanium Series; what is the story about? 

The Arcanium series follows 16-year-old Demi as she joins the ranks of the FDPs (Fairy Deity People) and trains to become one of them. 

In the first book, she stumbles on a plot to overthrow the Queen of Faerie by a traditionalist Fae group called The Forgotten, but in book 2 she goes on assignment in Gallows Oak, an elitist Fae country club that The Forgotten are rumoured to use as a base. Her aim: to expose their secret gatherings and find out information on what they're plotting next. Unfortunately, Arcanium is chaotic at the best of times so she's not been prepared for the strength of the enemy or the tricks and pitfalls that are lurking, but at least this time her best friend Taz is going with her! 

• At what point did you realise you wanted to write a book? What particularly fascinates you about the Fae that you write about?  

I've been writing ever since I was about 9 years old, starting off with pony stories and eventually widening into the world of fantasy fiction in my teens. I love the idea that you can escape into a world where anything is possible and also create your own, which is how the Arcanium series came into being. I wanted to have a character who wasn't a natural champion, but Demi actually started off as a sidekick until she shouted so loud my writing friends insisted she take the lead instead! With the tricksy nature of Fae folk as well, you can create great depth in both the enemies and the main characters, so that nobody is totally good (or totally evil because ‘they just are') - it was really important for me to show characters who have been moulded by life and their experiences into doing both good and bad things, and the consequences that come with it. 

• You mention that Arcanium is the most prestigious of fairy organisations, please tell us more about it e.g. does it have a hierarchy system, etc? 

Arcanium is an absolute mess a lot of the time, purposefully so! I wanted a setting where everything is often chaotic rather than regimented, because this feeds in quite nicely not only to how a lot of large organisations are in real life (so it can be relatable), but also it lends itself nicely to creating stakes and obstacles for the characters in terms of lack of information, miscommunication, things not working when they should and so on. Despite this, becoming an FDP at Arcanium is a high honour, because it means you're trusted to be the eyes and ears of Faerie, taking on assignments and running errands for your clients. 

The hierarchy system is fairly simple - the Director, Queenie, handles the day-to-day running, while the Head Mentor, Emil, runs the assignments that FDPs are sent out on. Each qualified FDP gets a mentor who advises them while they're on assignment, and all hopeful FDP and mentor initiates must undergo two years of training as mentees before they qualify. Of course, things never run that smoothly for Demi, and although she's still a mentee she keeps accidentally volunteering (or getting signed up) for things!

• Do your dreams ever become stories?

I tend not to remember my dreams, but my daydreams definitely end up in my stories sometimes. I've always found it easy to let my mind wander (to the frustration of teachers, bosses, and general people around me), but it's a great way to find inspiration and also you tend to absorb small things about your surroundings when you daydream that then leak into the stories without you realising!

• I have seen a disclaimer that states: All initiates join at their own risk. Loss of limbs is unlikely. No refunds. Tell us more about the risks and what readers can expect and why?

Assignments in the realms of Faerie can be very dangerous, especially with The Forgotten roaming and planning to take over Faerie itself. Also, with Arcanium being so chaotic a lot of the time and a place that only a select group have seen inside of, rumours are bound to spread. Nobody knows if there's really a quarantine floor for dangerous creatures from Faerie, for example, or if they really did find a whole realm full of tentacles. Only those few FDPs and mentors who are lucky enough to make it through their first two years of course know what really lurks inside. It also takes a lot of effort and money to keep Arcanium running, so the 'No Refunds' was Director Queenie's idea. Once you pay for Arcanium's services, it's very unlikely you're getting your money back, but FDPs have never been known to fail an assignment. Lose a limb or disappear possibly, but the job always gets done one way or another!

• Have you self-published your book? If so, did you have to take on all the roles a traditional publisher would? 

The Arcanium books are wholly self-published, and apart from the cover designs and advice from my editor, I'm doing the process single-handed. It's a long road in terms of the different tasks that need doing, but also shorter in terms of time-frame. So to release one book I usually have to:

Sort ISBNs for the barcode

Arrange and approve the cover design

Ensure the book is the best it can be (with editorial advice)

Format the interior files to fit distribution portal requirements

Make sure the details are uploaded in various places so bookshops can find the metadata

Marketing/promotion/giveaways (this would be anything from social media promotion on Twitter or through TikTok videos, contacting bookshops in the hope they'll stock the book, designing and ordering merchandise like postcards, bookmarks etc. ordering stock and holding giveaways to increase the reach of the book) 

This isn't the full list and many of these take much longer than the above makes it sound! But I do love being able to see every step of the process, and as a naturally anxious person I can wake up in the middle of the night to check something and reassure myself rather than needing to wait for an answer, which often helps!

• What advice would you give an author who is thinking of self-publishing?

Research everything thoroughly first. I thought I'd done this, but I still came up against unexpected hitches with both books 1 and 2! Research, planning and expectation are key before you decide to self-publish, so what distribution platforms are you going to use (Amazon KDP, Ingram, D2D, etc.), are you going with a cover designer, have you budgeted for everything like ISBNs if you're using them, how are you planning to promote so people can find your book, and so on. 

It sounds like a lot, and I suppose it is in bulk, but each bit can be broken down and explored until you begin to see how it all hangs together. 

Above all else, make sure your expectations are realistic. Self-publishing may get your book out there quicker than traditional routes, but you will be doing more of the work with less of the validation - there's no professional body like an agent or publisher to reassure you your work is good enough. You have to be all of that for yourself (although writing friends are worth their weight in books!)

• I have read you are a serial spender, what is the craziest purchase you ever made and how did it change your life? 

Aside from the cost of my currently teetering TBR tower, I think the craziest (and best) thing I ever bought was my black Labrador, Buddy. You know full well 'we'll just go up and have a look' will turn into tears, a lot less money and a car full of toys that said dog is never going to look twice at (and of course the dog himself). We met him, walked him for 15 minutes, the whole time of which he pretty much ignored us and tried to pull us into every hedge going, then when we opened the car in the shelter car park he jumped inside and refused to get out, so that was that! 

Luckily, he's more than earned his keep - when I start writing or get engrossed in something I can often go for a whole day without moving or remembering to have a drink or anything, so he knows to disturb me when it's time to go outside or if I've forgotten to eat!

C. J. Dunford - FAKE NEWS - Book Review - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

C. J. Dunford is a visiting Alien and former playwright. She placed the magical true story inside a plastic bag on Arthur's Seat in Holyrood Park in Edinburgh hoping that, one day, a wonderful publisher would find the account of real-life events that took place sometime last year. After all, the media and government would not want us to know that we may have been fooled by a group of highly-trained school children.  However, Fledgling Press is publishing the whole eye-witness account which has been obtained through an Alien's persuasive powers. The book will be published on the 31st of May 2021 with real banana skins woven into the cover. It's the first time this has ever been done in the publishing world and is courtesy of the inventor and illustrator, Graeme Clarke.  

Fake News is full of the truth. Do you believe in everything you read on the internet? Did you ever question what you might think to be true? This is a fantastic story that will have you scratching your head as we follow the lives of four children (and one dog) who cross paths in the most bizarre way.  The book's plot is a narrative triumph and one of my favourite reads for some time. The story really goes deep into bringing the characters to life in such a dramatic and thrilling way. The journey, as a reader, is both gripping and emotional. However, it is also very amusing at times whilst remaining true to life, in my humble opinion. 

I really think teenagers will love this book as much as adults, as there is so much in this story to inspire our own lives. The book covers a lot of sensitive subjects in a fantastic but public way. It's about being true to yourself. This is shown through the characters as they launch their own news site detailing amazingly shocking stories. The reader is required to make up their own mind as to whether they are TRUE or NOT. The characters intend to come clean, but the publicity goes to their heads. Other life events then come crashing into one mass adventure which makes for a viral calamity. This is dealt with in a very brilliant way bringing the story to a great climatic end.

The book delivers a fantasy Sci-fi element that works really well. It is full of Aliens and spies, secret services, slimy journalist investigators, and a hacker or two. There are also eco-crazy parents and some rather witty but challenging school teachers which all add to the mayhem. Not to mention the school bully! The characters plan to show people they should never believe what they read on the internet. However, this backfires in a comical way that made me laugh so much.

This is a really great book. It's slightly different from the usual books that I tend to read and love. I think it is an absolute work of genius. It's thrilling, emotional, thought-provoking, and very topical. Yet it's told in a clever, comical, and imaginatively contemporary way. It's a book that I would recommend to you all. I would love to hear your thoughts if you do read a copy.  

As this book is published by a small publisher, I have put a link (if you are interested) to buy a signed copy while stocks last. I really hope you enjoy it as much as I did. https://www.fledglingpress.co.uk/product-page/fake-news

P.S Don't slip on the banana skin whilst leaving this website. We take your safety as our top priority. This review has been brought to you by Radio Ripley City Central - the book review website you can trust or can you?!

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Young Adult Book Picks February 2017 - US Published Post Two

Heidi Heilig - The Ship Beyond Time - Published by Greenwillow Books (February 28, 2017) - Hardback - 978-0062380784

Nix has spent her whole life journeying to places both real and imagined aboard her time-traveling father’s ship. And now it’s finally time for her to take the helm. Her future lies bright before her—until she learns that she is destined to lose the one she loves. 

Desperate to change her fate, Nix sails her crew to a mythical utopia to meet another Navigator who promises to teach her how to manipulate time. But everything in this utopia is constantly changing, and nothing is what it seems. Not even her relationship with Kash: best friend, thief, charmer extraordinaire. 

Heidi Heilig weaves fantasy, history, and romance together to tackle questions of free will, fate, and what it means to love another person. At the center of this adventure are extraordinary, complicated, and multicultural characters who leap off the page, and an intricate, recognizable world that has no bounds. This sequel—and conclusion—to The Girl from Everywhere includes five black-and-white maps of historical and mythical locations. Fans of Rachel Hartman, Rae Carson, and Outlander will be swept away.

Tricia Levenseller - Daughter of the Pirate King - Feiwel & Friends (February 28, 2017) Hardback - 978-1250095961

There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I've gotten what I came for. 

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map―the key to a legendary treasure trove―seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.

In Daughter of the Pirate King, debut author Tricia Levenseller blends action, adventure, romance, and a little bit of magic into a thrilling YA pirate tale.

L. E. DeLano - Traveler - Published by Swoon Reads (February 7, 2017) Paperback - 978-1250100405

Jessa has spent her life dreaming of other worlds and writing down stories more interesting than her own, until the day her favorite character, Finn, suddenly shows up and invites her out for coffee. After the requisite nervous breakdown, Jessa learns that she and Finn are Travelers, born with the ability to slide through reflections and dreams into alternate realities. But it’s not all cupcakes, pirates, and fantasy lifestyles - Jessa is dying over and over again in every reality, and Finn is determined that this time, he’s going to stop it… This Jessa is going to live.

Arwen Elys Dayton - Disruptor (Seeker) - Published by Delacorte Press (February 7, 2017) - Hardback - 978-0385744119

For readers of Sarah J. Maas and of Marie Lu’s Legend trilogy comes Disruptor, the sequel to Traveler, the thrilling conclusion to the Seeker series.

“Readers of the first two volumes will find their long-awaited conclusion here, and Dayton will have found fans for life.” -Booklist
   Quin has spent her life as her father’s pawn. She was trained to kill and manipulated to guarantee her family’s power. And now that she’s broken free of that life, she’s found herself trapped again, hostage to a plot that has been centuries in the making.
   It’s taken generations for the pieces to come together, and finally all is in place. Her best friend Shinobu’s mind has been corrupted, the Young Dread has aligned with her enemy John, and the bloodthirsty Watchers are being awakened and gathered. Now there is nothing that can stop the force of time.
   But Quin will no longer be a pawn. Quin is a Seeker. She stands for light in a shadowy world. She will face the vengeance of the past and its enemies and save herself and the ones she loves, or she will die trying. 

                                                                                    

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Middle-Grade Book Picks February 2017 - US Published Post

Amy Ephron - The Castle in the Mist - Published by Philomel Books (February 7, 2017)

Tess and her brother, Max, are sent for the summer to their aunt’s sleepy village in the English countryside, where excitement is as rare as a good wifi signal. So when Tess stumbles upon an old brass key that unlocks an ornately carved gate, attached to a strangely invisible wall, she jumps at the chance for adventure. And the world beyond the gate doesn’t disappoint. She finds rose gardens, a maze made of hedges, and a boy named William who is just as lonely as she is.
 
But at William’s castle, strange things begin to happen. Carnival games are paid for in wishes, dreams seem to come alive, and then there's William's eerie warning: Beware of the hawthorn trees. A warning that chills Tess to the bone.
 
In a magical, fantasy world that blurs the line between reality and imagination, readers are left to wonder exactly what they’d wish for if wishes could come true. Perfect for fans of Half Magic and The Secret Garden—and for anyone who's ever wondered if magic is real.

Caroline Starr Rose - Jasper and the Riddle of Riley's Mine - Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers (February 7, 2017)

Hoping to strike it rich, two brothers escape an abusive father and set out on a treacherous journey to Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush.
 
Desperate to get away from their drunkard of a father, eleven-year-old Jasper and his older brother Melvin often talk of running away, of heading north to Alaska to chase riches beyond their wildest dreams. The Klondike Gold Rush is calling, and Melvin has finally decided the time to go is now—even if that means leaving Jasper behind. But Jasper has other plans, and follows his brother aboard a steamer as a stowaway.

Onboard the ship, Jasper overhears a rumor about One-Eyed Riley, an old coot who's long since gone, but is said to have left clues to the location of his stake, which still has plenty of gold left. The first person to unravel the clues and find the mine can stake the claim and become filthy rich. Jasper is quick to catch gold fever and knows he and Melvin can find the mine—all they have to do is survive the rough Alaskan terrain, along with the steep competition from the unscrupulous and dangerous people they encounter along the way.

In an endearing, funny, pitch-perfect middle grade voice, Caroline Starr Rose tells another stellar historical adventure young readers will long remember.

Aimée Carter - Simon Thorn and the Viper's Pit - Published by  Bloomsbury USA Childrens (February 7, 2017)

Simon Thorn only recently discovered that he's an Animalgam--one of a secret race who can shift into animals. Now, for the first time in his life Simon has real friends to train and study with at the secret Animalgam Academy. The only missing part is his mother, held captive by his evil grandfather, Orion, who's bent on taking over the animal world. 

To rescue his mom, Simon must head cross-country with his friends, battling rogue Animalgams and their own doubts and torn loyalties along the way. But if Simon's going to succeed, he will need to keep Orion from gathering together the fragments of a terrible weapon, or the lives of everyone Simon loves will be at risk.

With plenty of action and adventure and characters full of heart, this story is perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Brandon Mull.

Kevin Emerson - Last Day on Mars (Chronicle of the Dark Star) - Published by Walden Pond Press (February 14, 2017)

“Last Day on Mars is thrillingly ambitious and imaginative. Like a lovechild of Gravity and The Martian, it's a rousing space opera for any age, meticulously researched and relentlessly paced, that balances action, science, humor, and most importantly, two compelling main characters in Liam and Phoebe. A fantastic start to an epic new series.” —Soman Chainani, New York Times bestselling author of the School for Good and Evil series

“Emerson's writing explodes off the page in this irresistible space adventure, filled with startling plot twists, diabolical aliens, and (my favorite!) courageous young heroes faced with an impossible task.” —Lisa McMann, New York Times bestselling author of the Unwanteds series

It is Earth year 2213—but, of course, there is no Earth anymore. Not since it was burned to a cinder by the sun, which has mysteriously begun the process of going supernova far sooner than anyone expected. The human race has fled to Mars, but this was only a temporary solution while we have prepared for a second trip: a 150-year journey to a distant star, our best guess at where we might find a new home.

Liam Saunders-Chang is one of the last humans left on Mars. The son of two scientists who have been racing against time to create technology vital to humanity’s survival, Liam, along with his friend Phoebe, will be on the last starliner to depart before Mars, like Earth before it, is destroyed. 

Or so he thinks. Because before this day is over, Liam and Phoebe will make a series of profound discoveries about the nature of time and space and find out that the human race is just one of many in our universe locked in a dangerous struggle for survival.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Young Adult Book Picks January 2017 - US Published Post

Amanda Hocking - Freeks: A Novel - Published by St. Martin's Griffin (January 3, 2017)

Step into a wondrously strange new world with this dazzling new standalone novel by Amanda Hocking, New York Times bestselling author of The Kanin Chronicles! 

Mara has become used to the extraordinary. Roaming from place to place with Gideon Davorin’s Traveling Carnival, she longs for an ordinary life where no one has the ability to levitate or predict the future. 

She gets her chance when the struggling sideshow sets up camp in the small town of Caudry, and she meets a gorgeous local guy named Gabe. But before long, Mara realizes there’s a dark presence lurking in the town that’s threatening the lives of her friends. She has seven days to take control of a power she didn’t know she had in order to save everyone she cares about―and change the future forever. 

In the pages of Freeks, Amanda Hocking once again proves her ability to create amazing characters and enchanting worlds that will capture your imagination and never let go.

Stephanie Garber - Caraval - Published by Flatiron Books (January 31, 2017)

Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or a performance. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world . . . 

Welcome, welcome to Caraval―Stephanie Garber’s sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game.

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

Veronica Roth - Carve the Mark - Published by Katherine Tegen Books (January 17, 2017)

Fans of Star Wars and Divergent will revel in internationally bestselling author Veronica Roth’s stunning new science-fiction fantasy series.

On a planet where violence and vengeance rule, in a galaxy where some are favored by fate, everyone develops a currentgift, a unique power meant to shape the future. While most benefit from their currentgifts, Akos and Cyra do not—their gifts make them vulnerable to others’ control. Can they reclaim their gifts, their fates, and their lives, and reset the balance of power in this world?

Cyra is the sister of the brutal tyrant who rules the Shotet people. Cyra’s currentgift gives her pain and power—something her brother exploits, using her to torture his enemies. But Cyra is much more than just a blade in her brother’s hand: she is resilient, quick on her feet, and smarter than he knows.

Akos is from the peace-loving nation of Thuvhe, and his loyalty to his family is limitless. Though protected by his unusual currentgift, once Akos and his brother are captured by enemy Shotet soldiers, Akos is desperate to get his brother out alive—no matter what the cost. When Akos is thrust into Cyra’s world, the enmity between their countries and families seems insurmountable. They must decide to help each other to survive—or to destroy one another.

Alexandra Bracken - Wayfarer (Passenger) - Published by Disney-Hyperion (January 3, 2017)

I've been orphaned by my time.

The timeline has changed.

My future is gone.

Etta Spencer didn't know she was a traveler until the day she emerged both miles and years from her home. Now, robbed of the powerful object that was her only hope of saving her mother, Etta finds herself stranded once more, cut off from Nicholas-the eighteenth century privateer she loves-and her natural time.

When Etta inadvertently stumbles into the heart of the Thorns, the renegade travelers who stole the astrolabe from her, she vows to finish what she started and destroy the astrolabe once and for all. Instead, she's blindsided by a bombshell revelation from their leader, Henry Hemlock: he is her father. Suddenly questioning everything she's been fighting for, Etta must choose a path, one that could transform her future.

Still devastated by Etta's disappearance, Nicholas has enlisted the unlikely help of Sophia Ironwood and a cheeky mercenary-for-hire to track both her and the missing astrolabe down. But as the tremors of change to the timeline grow stronger and the stakes for recovering the astrolabe mount, they discover an ancient power far more frightening than the rival travelers currently locked in a battle for control. . . a power that threatens to eradicate the timeline altogether.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Theresa Breslin - Caged - Book Review

• 
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Corgi Children's (1 Sept. 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0552565229

• ISBN-13: 978-0552565226

Carnegie Medal winner Theresa Breslin explores the dangerous world of cage-fighting in this dark and powerful new novel. 

Escaping from a troubled home and struggling to survive on the streets, the abandoned tunnels of the London Underground are a perfect sanctuary for Kai. Along with other teenagers running from their pasts, he finds somewhere to belong in this strange community of outcasts.

But Kai is now facing a very different kind of fight. Every night, led by the enigmatic Spartacus, the runaways must become cage fighters, each fight broadcast to the outside world via YouTube. With gambling profits from these videos racking up, Kai and his friends hope to be able to start a new life. 

Yet treachery and danger are never far behind, and a new arrival threatens the order that Spartacus has worked so carefully to maintain. And then there is the looming finale, the last battle between Kai and his nemesis Leo: the Kill Fight...

As soon as you turn the first page, it will definitely have you focused on the story ahead. Crawling through the darkness will eventually lead you to page one. At this point, the mind will sharpen and flex with these powerful words "Blood has a stale taste. Brings back a memory". You will suddenly find yourself transported into a dangerous world of cage fighting. With a narrative this strong, you will be hooked in like a pro boxer and soon be rocking on the ropes of fantasy in a blink of a punch. 

This is a brilliantly written story full of highs and lows over a period of just one week. Within a very short period of time, you will meet the characters and intimately get to know most of them. Their troubled teenage lives and backgrounds pull the narrative together like a vice. Homeless, being alone and afraid, they are all in search for a place to belong, but will they find it? 

This story was inspired by an ever increasing number of young people living rough on our city streets. The author skilfully draws together her feelings and emotions into the characters very sensitively - it is a delight to read. The story is very much in keeping with the daily struggles of teenage life, for some young people. The sense of being different is evident and explored within this book; it makes you think about how our minds consider and act upon every day issues. It's a real reality check and one that every reader, regardless of age, should and will connect with. It is very thought provoking.

This is a great social story that captures the bonds of friendships. It is very topical and cool with a dark and edgy killer kick. There is a great sense of wonder and intrigue pulling together contemporary ideas and placing them underneath the mysterious streets of London. 

The fighting scenes in the story, perhaps needed a little more work, as they lacked a little bit of realism for me within the story. However, the rest of the plot was fantastic and worked really well; it was maybe a little predictable in places, but so what? The ending was climatic, explosive and tied up all the loose ends very nicely. This is a very satisfying read and one of the best books that I've read from Theresa. It is throughly engaging and is based on a great concept. Great reading and a book, I would really recommend! 

Tom Becker - Dark Room (Red Eye) - Book Review

WARNING: Not to be read lovers of the Selfie. 

This is the fifth title in the Red Eye series to be published and is coming at you, with killer moves, from September 2015. It is another outstanding written performance by Tom Becker; a YA horror shocker that will have you glued right down to the very last page and, only then, will you be able to take a breath. It's that good that I'm still thinking about the story even weeks after I have finished reading it. 

I'm a very big fan of Tom Becker's previous books; this story is a very clever and a much more mature piece of writing than hisprevious works, in my opinion. It is very reminiscent of Stephen King - it will thrill you and kill you in the same heartbeat. It is a classic 'who done it' mystery consisting of a fantastic villain that will have you considering the final outcome throughout the story. The author sets out his stall from the very first page and leads the reader down a gruesome and grisly encounter that will leave you scared out of your skin . . . 

This story sets the tone brilliantly and left me really intrigued; the author punches the reader with a bloody and brutal vision that will have you fully zoned into Darla's world. Darla and her dad are looking for a fresh start, running from the past again will turn their little world upside down with a bloody bang. They wind up in affluent Saffron Hills, where Darla stands no chance of fitting in with the beautiful, selfie-obsessed teens at her new school.

Just when she thinks things can’t get any worse, she starts having somewhat vague visions, which leads the reader's imagination into overdrive . The gruesome snapshots flashing into Darla’s mind seem to suggest she’s going crazy… until she realizes they’re actually a horrifying glimpse into the future. A serial killer is on the loose, known as the "Selfie Slayer", and is coming for Darla through the lens of a camera. A shocking and mysterious past unfolds with fantastic realism. 

Teenagers will love this book, as they should really connect with the characters. The relationships between Darla and her father and friends is very turbulent, but at the same time, they are very engaging and fantastically well portrayed. Darla is not perfect like most of the characters in the other books which I liked. Her reactions to some of the gruesome parts might be a little inconsistent, in my opinion, and may not always contain enough feelings and emotions in places. She appears to react somewhat casually and nonchalantly at times. 

Nevertheless, this story is one of my favourite books of the year. It is a reading pleasure - a large slice of contemporary, american teenage-life full of twists and turns. It will leave you frighteningly shocked and make your spine tingle. It is a fusion of popular culture and violence fused with the power of social media, which is very much in vogue. This is a clever and intriguing story which has a fantastic ending to a fantastic read. 

Are YOU ready for your close up?

Other Red Eye Books: Dare you read a Red Eye?

Alex Bell - Frozen Charlotte -  5th Jan 2015
Lou Morgan - Sleepless - 5th Jan 2015
Simon Cheshire - Flesh and Blood - 2nd March 2015
Graham Marks - Bad Bones - 4th May 2015
Alex Bell - The Haunting - 1st Feb 2016